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.
शब्दादिविषयः शुद्धः प्रत्येकं पञ्चलक्षणम्
The pure objects of sense, such as sound and the rest, each possess five characteristics.
तथान्वयास्तु संभूता यैरिदं पूरितं जगत्
Thus, those who were born in succession have filled this world.
तदा ता ह्यल्पसंतोषायुद्धे तस्मिंश्चरंति वै
Then, because of their little satisfaction, they wander in that conflict.
ताः प्रजाः कामचारिण्यो मानसीं सिद्धिमिच्छतः
Those beings, moving according to desire, sought the perfection of the mind.
धर्माधर्मौं तदा न स्तः कल्पादौ प्रथमे युगे
At that time, righteousness and unrighteousness did not exist at the beginning of the cycle, in the first age.
चत्वारि तु सहस्राणि वर्षाणां दिव्यसंख्यया
There were four thousand years, counted in divine measure.
ततः सहस्रशस्तास्तु प्रजासु प्रथितास्विह
After that, when the people became renowned here, they numbered in the thousands.
पर्वतोदधिवासिन्यो ह्यनिकेताश्रयास्तु ताः
They dwelled on mountains and in the oceans, and were without fixed abodes.
ताश्शश्वत् कामचरिण्यो नित्यं मुदितमानसाः
They are ever free to act as they wish, always with joyful hearts.
नोद्विजा नोत्कटाश्चैव धर्मस्य प्रक्रिया तु सा
There is neither fear nor harshness; such is the practice of dharma.
सर्वैकान्तसुखः कालो नात्यर्थं ह्युष्णशीतलः
The time is wholly blissful, neither excessively hot nor cold.
उत्तिष्ठंति पृथिव्यां वै तेषां ध्यानै रसातलात्
They rise upon the earth, through their meditation from the netherworld.
असंस्कार्यैः शरीरैस्तु प्रजास्ताः स्थिरयौवनाः
With bodies not requiring ritual purification, those people possess enduring youth.
समं जन्म च रूपं च प्रीयंते चैव ताः समाः
Birth and appearance are equal, and they delight together in harmony.
निर्विशेषाश्च ताः सर्वा रूपायुःशिल्पचेष्टितैः
All are without distinction in form, lifespan, skill, and activity.
अप्रवृत्तिः कृतद्वारे कर्मणः शुभपापयोः
There is no engagement in action, as the doors to good and evil deeds are closed.
अनिच्छाद्वेषयुक्तास्ता वर्त्तयन्ति परस्परम्
They live among each other, free from desire and aversion.
सुखप्राया विशोकाश्च उत्पद्यंते कृते युगे
Mostly happy and without sorrow, they are born in the Krita age.
मनसा विषयस्तासां निरीहाणां प्रवर्तते
For those without longing, enjoyment of objects arises only through the mind.
नाति हिंसति वान्योन्यं नानुगृङ्णंति वै तदा
They neither harm nor support one another at that time.