अवश्यभाविनार्थेन त्रेतायुगवशेन च
Due to the inevitable course of events and the influence of the Tretā Yuga,
वृक्षगुल्मौषधीश्चैव प्रसह्य तु यथाबलम्
Trees, bushes, and herbs were forcibly taken according to strength.
ब्रह्मणो मानसास्ते वै उत्पन्ना ये जनादिह
Those beings who were born here from the mind of Brahmā,
तत आवर्त्तमानास्ते त्रेतायां जज्ञिरे पुनः
They, being reborn, appeared again in the Tretā Yuga.
भाविताः पूर्वजातीषु ख्यात्या ते शुभपापयोः
Having been shaped by their previous births, they are known for both virtue and vice.
वीतलोभा जितात्मानो निवसंति स्मृतेषु वै
Freed from greed and self-controlled, they dwell among those remembered (from before).
तेषां कर्माणि कुर्वंति तेभ्यश्चैवाबलाश्च ये
They perform actions, and those who are weaker than them also act accordingly.
एवं विप्रतिपन्नेषु प्रपन्नेषु परस्परम्
Thus, when there was mutual opposition and conflict among them,
प्रनष्टा गृह्यमाणा वै मुष्टिभ्यां सिकता यथा
They vanished as they were being seized, just like sand slipping through the fists.
फलैर्गृह्णंति पुष्पैश्च तथा मूलैश्च ताः पुनः
They took hold of them again by means of fruits, flowers, and also roots.
क्षुधाविष्टास्तदा सर्वा जग्मुस्ता वै स्वयम्भुवम्
Then, overcome by hunger, they all went to Svayambhu (the Self-born).
ब्रह्मा स्वयंभूर्भगवान् ज्ञात्वा तासां मनीषितम्
The blessed Svayambhu Brahma, knowing their intention,
ग्रस्ताः पृथिव्या त्वोषध्यो ज्ञात्वा प्रत्यरूहत्पुनः
Having understood that the herbs had been consumed by the earth, he restored them again.
दुग्धेयं गौस्तदा तेन बीजानि वसुधातले
Then, by him, this earth was milked, and the seeds were placed upon the surface of the ground.
ओषध्यः फलपाकाताः क्षणसप्तवशास्तु ताः
The herbs, after their fruits had ripened, remained under the sway of seven moments.
प्रियंगव उदारास्ते कोरदुष्टाः सवामकाः
Priyangava, udara, koradusha, and savamaka—
हरिकाश्चरकाश्चैव गमः सप्तदश स्मृताः
Harikā, charaka, and also gama—these seventeen are remembered.
श्यामाकाश्चैव नीवारा जर्तिलाः सगवेधुकाः
Shyamaka, nivara, jartila, and gavedhuka as well—
ग्रामारण्याः स्मृता ह्येता ओषध्यस्तु चतुर्दश
These are known as the fourteen herbs of village and forest.
अफालकृष्टास्ताः सर्वा ग्राम्यारण्यश्चतुर्द्दश
All these fourteen, both of village and forest, are not cultivated by plough.
मूलैः फलैश्च रोहैश्चगृह्णन्पुष्टाश्च यत्फलम्
They took them by means of roots, fruits, and shoots, and were nourished by whatever fruit there was.
ऋतुपुष्पफलास्ता वै ओषध्यो जज्ञिरे त्विह
Those herbs here were born with flowers and fruits according to the seasons.
ततस्तासां च पृत्त्यर्थै वार्तोपायं चकार ह
Then, for their sustenance, he devised a means of livelihood.
ततः प्रभृति चौषध्यः कृष्टपच्यास्तु जज्ञिरे
From that time onward, cultivated herbs came into being.
मर्यादां स्थापयामास ययारक्षत्परस्परम्
He established boundaries by which they protected one another.
इतरेषां कृतत्राणान् स्थापयामास क्षत्रियान्
He appointed kshatriyas for the protection of the others.
सत्यं बूत यथाभूतं ध्रुवं वो ब्रह्मणास्तु ताः
Let the truth, the reality as it is, and the eternal be established for you by Brahma.
क्रीतानि नाशयंति स्म पृथिव्यां ते व्यवस्थिताः
Those who were settled upon the earth destroyed what had been acquired.
सेवंतश्च द्रवंतश्च परिचर्यासु ये रताः
Those who delighted in service and in running about for duties.
तेषां कर्माणि धर्मांश्च ब्रह्मा तु व्यदधात्प्रभुः
Brahma, the Lord, assigned their actions and duties to them.