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.
लवकाष्ठाः कलाश्चैव मुहुर्त्तान्संधिरात्र्यहान्
Moments, sticks, fractions, hours, junctions, nights, and days—
स्थानाभिमानिनश्चैव स्थानानिच पृथक्पृथक्
Those who preside over places, and the places themselves, each separately—
कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च तिष्यं चैव तथा युगम्
The Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Tishya ages, as well as the yuga—
प्रागुक्ताश्च मया तुभ्यं पूर्व्वे कल्पे प्रजास्तु ताः
And those beings previously mentioned by me to you, from the earlier cycle—
अप्राप्तायास्तपोलोकं पृथिव्यां याः समासत
Those who, not having attained the world of asceticism, remained on earth—
वीक्ष्यार्थं ताः स्थितास्तत्र पुनः सर्गस्य कारणात्
They stayed there to observe, again for the purpose of creation.
धर्म्मार्थ काममोक्षाणामिह ताः साधिताः स्मृताः
Here, those who accomplished dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa are remembered.
ततस्ते तपसा युक्ताः स्थानान्यापूरयन्पुरा
Then, endowed with austerity, they filled the places in ancient times.
आसंगद्वेषयुक्तेन कर्मणा ते दिवं गताः
Through actions joined with attachment and aversion, they went to heaven.
स्वकर्म्मफलशेषेण ख्याताश्चैव तदात्मकाः
And, by the remainder of their own karma's fruits, they became renowned as those of that nature.
अप्सु यः कारणं तेषां बोधयन्कर्म्मणा तु सः
He who is the cause among the waters, making them aware through action—he indeed is that one.
गृह्णन्ति ते शरीराणि नानारूपाणि योनिषु
They take on bodies of various forms within different wombs.
तेषां मेध्यानि कर्म्माणि प्रायशः प्रतिपेदिरे
Their actions, for the most part, are pure.
पुनः पुनस्ते कल्पेषु जायन्ते नामरूपेणः
Again and again, in each cycle, they are born with names and forms.
ताः प्रजा ध्यायतस्तस्य सत्याभिध्यायिनस्तदा
Those beings, as he meditates, come forth, for he is one who truly wills.
जनास्ते ह्युपपद्यन्ते सत्त्वोद्रिक्ताः सुतेजसः
Those people are born, endowed with abundant goodness and great energy.
ते सर्वे रजसोद्रिक्ताः शुष्मिणश्चाप्यमर्षिणः
All of them, dominated by passion, are vigorous and irascible.
रजस्तमोभ्यासुद्धिक्ता गृहशीलास्ततः स्मृताः
Those who are increased by the practice of passion and darkness are then known as householders.
कूटकाकूटकाश्चैव उत्पद्यंते मुमूर्षुणाम्
The deceitful and the honest are born among those who are about to die.
ततः प्रभृति कल्पे ऽस्मिन्मैथुनानां च संभवः
From then on, in this cycle, the origin of sexual union arises.