एवं देवयुगानीह व्यतीतानि सहस्रशः
Thus, thousands of divine ages have passed here.
न शक्यमानुपूर्व्येण तेषां वक्तुं प्रविस्तरम्
It is not possible to recount them all in detail, one after another.
एवमेव न संदेहो यथावत्कथितं मया
Just so, without doubt, I have related it as it truly is.
सूतमाहुः पुराणज्ञं व्यासशिष्यं महामतिम्
They addressed Sūta, the knower of the Purāṇas, the wise disciple of Vyāsa.
तिष्ठन्ति चैव यत्कालं तन्नो ब्रूहि यथातथम्
Tell us, exactly and truly, how long they remain there.
सूतः पौराणिको वाक्यं विनयेनेदम ब्रवीत्
Sūta, the Purāṇic reciter, spoke these words with humility:
आभूतसंप्लवास्तत्र दश तिष्ठन्ति ते ऽज्वराः
There, during the cosmic floods, those ten remain free from affliction.
स्थितलोकस्थितत्वाच्च तेषां भूतं न विद्यते
Because they abide in the realm of stability, for them there is no past.
एवमेव महाभागाः प्रणवं संप्रविश्य ह
Just so, O greatly fortunate ones, having entered the sacred syllable Om,
एवमुक्त्वा तदा सर्वे ब्रह्माण्डाध्यवसायि नः
Having thus spoken, then all of them, intent on the cosmic egg,
तत्रैव संप्रलीयन्ते शान्ता दीपर्चिषो यथा
There itself they dissolve, peaceful, like the flames of a lamp.
लोकं तं समनुप्राप्य सर्वे ते भावनामयम्
Having attained that world, all of them, composed of thought,
वैराजेभ्यस्तथैवोर्द्ध्व मन्तरे षड्गुणे ततः
Just so, above the Vairājas, then in the intermediate sixfold (realms),
ते सर्वे प्रणवात्मानो बुद्धिशुद्धतया स्थिताः
All of them, having the nature of Om, remain established in purity of intellect.
द्वन्द्वैस्ते नाभिभूयन्ते भावत्रयविवर्जिताः
They are not overcome by dualities, being free from the three states of existence.
प्रभावविजयैश्वर्यस्थितिवैराग्यदर्शनः
They are seen as possessing power, victory, sovereignty, stability, and detachment.
ब्रह्मणा सहदेवैश्च संप्राप्ते प्रतिसंचरे
When the cosmic dissolution arrives, along with Brahmā and the gods,
अव्यक्ते संप्रलीयन्ते सर्वे ते क्षणदर्शिनः
All those who perceive only the moment are dissolved into the unmanifest.
देवर्षयो ब्रह्मसत्रं सनातनमुपासते
The divine sages worship the eternal Brahma-satra.
कर्माभ्यासकृतां श्रद्धां वेदान्तेषूपलक्ष्यते
Faith born of the practice of action is recognized in the Vedāntas.
हित्वा शरीरं पाप्मानममृतत्वाय ते गाताः
Having abandoned the body and sin, they have gone to immortality.
शान्ताः प्रणिहितात्मानो दयावन्तो जितेन्द्रियाः
Peaceful, with minds intent, compassionate, and self-controlled,
अकामयुक्तैर्ये वीरास्तपोभिर्दग्धकिल्बिषाः
Those heroes, free from desire and whose sins are burned by austerity,
यत्र गत्वा न शोचन्ति ह्यमरा ब्रह्मणा सह
Having gone there, the immortals do not grieve, together with Brahmā.
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामस्तन्नो निगद सत्तम
We wish to know this—please tell us, O best of beings.
शृणुध्वं मे परार्द्धस्य परिसंख्यां परस्यच
Listen to me as I enumerate the measure of a parārddha and the supreme.
विज्ञेयमासहस्रं तु सहस्राणि दशायुतम्
Know that a thousand times a thousand is called ten thousand thousand.
तथा शतसहस्राणां दशप्रयुतमुच्यते
Likewise, ten times a hundred thousand is said to be a prayuta.
अर्बुदं दशकोट्यस्तु ह्यब्जं कोटिशतं विदुः
Ten million is called an arbuda, and a hundred million is known as an abja.
दशकोटिसहस्राणि निखर्वमिति तं विदुः
Ten thousand times ten million is called a nikharva.