त्रिधा विभज्य चात्मानं त्रैलोक्ये संप्रवर्त्तते
Dividing himself threefold, he proceeds throughout the three worlds,
एकार्णवे तदा तस्मिन्नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे
Then, in that single ocean, when all that is movable and immovable is lost,
ब्रह्मां नारायणाख्यस्तु स चकाशे भवे स्वयम्
Brahmā, called Nārāyaṇa, himself shone forth in existence,
पश्यन्ति तं महर्लोके कालं सुप्तं महर्षयः
The sages in the world of Mahas behold him, Time, sleeping.
तदा विवर्त्यमानैस्तैर्महत्परिगतं पराम्
Then, as those great ones turned, the supreme principle associated with the Mahat was set in motion.
यस्मादृषतिसत्त्वेन महत्तस्मान्महर्षयः
Because of the quality of steadfastness, from Mahat arose the great seers.
सत्त्वाद्याः सप्त ये त्वासन्कल्पे ऽतीते महर्षयः
The seven who were called great seers in the previous cycle were indeed those beginning with Sattva.
दृष्टवन्तस्तदानीताः कालं सुप्तं महर्षयः
At that time, those great seers, having been brought forth, beheld Time lying dormant.
कल्पया मास वै ब्रह्मा तस्मात्कल्पो निरुच्यते
Because Brahmā creates by means of imagination, therefore it is called a Kalpa.
व्यक्ताव्यको महादेवस्तस्य सर्वमिदं जगत्
The manifest and the unmanifest, O great god, all this world belongs to him.
सांप्रतं हि तयोर्मध्ये प्रागवस्था बभूव ह
Indeed, between those two, there existed a prior state.
सांप्रतं संप्रवक्ष्यामि कल्पमेतं निबोधत
Now I shall clearly explain this Kalpa; listen attentively.
शर्वर्यंते प्रकुरुते ब्रह्मा तूत्सर्गकारणात्
At the end of the night, Brahmā acts for the sake of creation.
अन्धकारार्णवे तस्मिन्नष्टे स्थावरजंगमे
In that ocean of darkness, when all that is movable and immovable is lost,
प्रविभागेन भूतेषु सत्यमात्रे स्थितेषु वा
When, by division, the elements or only pure existence remains,
तदा कामेन तरसामन्यामानःस्वयं धिया
Then, impelled by desire and force, he himself, with his own thought,
ततस्तु सलिले तस्मिन् ज्ञात्वा त्वन्तर्गतो महीम्
Then, knowing the earth to be within those waters,
चकार तं तु देवो ऽथ पूर्वकल्पादिषु स्मृतः
The god then performed that act, as is remembered from previous Kalpas.
अद्भिः संछादितामिच्छन् पृथिवीं स प्रजापतिः
Desiring the earth covered by the waters, that Lord of creatures—
सामुद्राश्च समुद्रेषु नादेयाश्च नदीषु च
The oceanic ones in the oceans, and the riverine ones in the rivers—
प्राक्सर्गे दह्यमाने तु पुरा संवर्त काग्निना
Before creation, when previously all was being burned by the fire of dissolution,
शैल्यादेकार्णवे तस्मिन्वायुना ये तु संहिताः
Those who were joined by the wind from the mountain in that ocean—
स्कन्धाचलत्वादचलाः पर्वभिः पर्वताः स्मृताः
Because they move with the earth, the mountains are called immovable by the sages.
तत स्तावासमुद्धृत्य क्षितिमंतर्जलात्प्रभुः
Then, having lifted up the earth from the waters, the Lord—
विषमाणि समीकृत्य शिलाभिरभितो गिरीन्
Having made the uneven places level with rocks all around, he formed the mountains.
तावंतः पर्वताश्चैव वर्षांते समवस्थिताः
Just so many mountains stand at the end of each region.
सप्तद्वीपा समुद्राश्च अन्योन्यस्यानुमंडलम्
The seven continents and oceans encircle one another.
भूराद्याश्चतुरो लोकाश्चंद्रादित्यौ ग्रहैः सह
The four worlds beginning with Bhū, along with the moon, sun, and planets—
कल्पस्य चास्य ब्रह्मा चासृजद्यः स्थानिनः सुरान्
And for this cycle, Brahmā created the stationary gods.
स्वर्गं दिशः समुद्रांश्च नदीः सर्वांस्तु पर्वतान्
He created heaven, the directions, the oceans, all the rivers, and the mountains.