ग्रन्थोऽष्टादशसाहस्रं श्रीमद्भागवतं विदुः । पञ्चविंशतिसाहस्रं नारदीयं प्रकीर्तितम्
The Śrīmad Bhāgavata is known to have eighteen thousand verses; the Nārada Purāṇa is said to have twenty-five thousand.
मार्कण्डं नवसाहस्रं पुराणं पण्डिता विदुः । चतुःशताधिकं पञ्चदशसाहस्रमेव च
The learned know the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa as having nine thousand verses, and the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa as having fifteen thousand four hundred.
परमग्निपुराणं च रुचिरं परिसीर्तितम् । चतुर्दशसहस्राणि परं पञ्चशताधिकम्
The Agni Purāṇa, delightful and well-known, is said to have fourteen thousand five hundred verses.
पुराणप्रवरं चैव भविष्यं परिकीर्तितम् । अष्टादशसहस्रं च ब्रह्मवैवर्तमीप्सितम्
The foremost Purāṇa, the Bhaviṣya, is proclaimed as having eighteen thousand verses; the Brahma-vaivarta is also desired for its eighteen thousand.
सर्वेषां च पुराणानां सारमेव विदुर्बुधाः । एकादशसहस्रं तु परं लिङ्गपुराणकम्
The wise know the essence of all the Purāṇas; the Liṅga Purāṇa is said to have eleven thousand verses.
चतुर्विंशतिसाहस्रं वाराहं परिकीर्तितम् । एकाशीतिसहस्रं च परमेव शताधिकम्
The Vārāha Purāṇa is said to have twenty-four thousand verses; the Skanda Purāṇa is supreme, with eighty-one thousand.
वरं स्कन्दपुराणं च सद्भिरेवं निरूपितम् । वामनं दशसाहस्रं कौर्म सप्तदशैव तु
The Skanda Purana is esteemed by the virtuous; the Vamana Purana contains ten thousand verses, and the Kurma Purana seventeen thousand.
मात्स्यं चतुर्दश प्रोक्तं पुराणं पण्डितैस्तथा । ऊनविशतिसाहस्रं गारुडं परिकीर्तितम्
The Matsya Purana is said by scholars to have fourteen thousand verses; the Garuda Purana is declared to have nineteen thousand less one.
परं द्वादशसाहस्रं ब्रह्माढं परिकीर्तितम् । एवं पुराणसंख्यानं चतुर्लक्षमुदाहृतम्
The Brahmanda Purana is proclaimed to have twelve thousand verses; thus, the total count of the Puranas is stated as four hundred thousand.
अष्टादशपुराणानामेवमेव विदुर्बुधाः । एवं चोपपुराणानामष्टादश प्रकीर्तिता
In this way, the wise know the eighteen Puranas; likewise, eighteen Upapurāṇas are enumerated.
इतिहासो भारतं च वान्मीकं काव्यमेव च । पञ्चकं पञ्चरात्राणां कृष्णमाहात्म्यपूर्वकम्
The Itihāsa, the Mahābhārata, and the poetry of Vālmīki, along with the five Pañcarātras, are uniquely devoted to the glory of Krishna.
वसिष्ठं नारदीयं च कापिलं गौतमीयकम् । परं सनत्कुमारीयं पञ्चरात्रं च पञ्चकम्
The Vasiṣṭha, Nārada, Kapila, and Gautamīya, as well as the Sanatkumāra Pañcarātra, form the five Pañcarātras.
पञ्चकं सहितानां च कृष्णभक्तिसमन्वितम् । ब्रह्मणाश्च शिवस्यापि प्रह्लादस्य तथैव च
These five, together with those devoted to Krishna, are associated with Brahma, Shiva, Prahlada, Gautama, and Kumara.
गौतमस्य कुमारस्य संहिताः परिकीर्तिताः । इति ते कथितं सर्व क्रमेण च पृथक्पृथक्
The collections of Gautama and Kumara are also mentioned; thus, everything has been described to you, in order and separately.
अस्त्येवं विपुलं शास्त्रं ममापि च यथागमम् । उवाचेदं पुराणं च गोलोके रासमण्डले
Such is the vast scripture, as transmitted to me; this Purana was spoken in Goloka, within the circle of the rasa dance.
श्रीकृष्णो भगवान्साक्षाद्ब्रह्माणं च स्वभक्तकम् । ब्रह्मा धर्म च धर्मिष्ठं धर्मो नारायणं मुनिम्
The blessed Krishna himself spoke it to Brahma, his devotee; Brahma spoke it to Dharma, the righteous, and Dharma to the sage Narayana.
नारायणो नारदं च नारदो मां च भक्तकम् । अहं त्वां च मुनिश्रेष्ठ वरिष्ठं कथयामि तत्
Narayana spoke it to Narada, Narada to me, his devotee; and I, O foremost sage, now recount it to you, the most distinguished.
सुदर्लभं पुराणं च ब्रह्मवैवर्तमीप्सितम् । यद्वृणोत्येव विश्वौघं जीविनां परमात्मकम्
This Brahmavaivarta Purana, rare and desired, is sought by all living beings as the supreme soul.
तद्ब्रह्म साक्षिरूपं च कर्मणामेव कर्मिणाम् । तद्ब्रह्म विवृतं यत्र तद्विभूतिमनुत्तमाम्
That Brahman is manifest as the witness of actions and of those who act; where Brahman is revealed, there its supreme glory shines.
तेनेदं ब्रह्मवैवर्तमित्येवं च बिदुर्बुधाः । पुण्यप्रदं पुराणं च मङ्गलं मङ्गलप्रदम्
Therefore, this is called the Brahmavaivarta Purana, as the wise know; it is a sacred Purana, bestowing auspiciousness and blessings.
सुगोप्यं च रहस्यं च यत्र रम्यं नवं नवम् । हरिभक्तिप्रदं चैव दुर्लभं हरिदास्यदम्
It is most secret and confidential, ever delightful and ever new; it grants devotion to Hari and is rare, bestowing service to Hari.
सुखदं ब्रह्मदं सारं शोकसंतापनाशनम् । सरितां च यथा गङ्गा सद्यो मुक्तिप्रदा शुभा
It brings happiness, gives Brahman, is the essence, and destroys sorrow and distress; just as the Ganga among rivers instantly grants auspicious liberation.
तिर्थातां पुष्करं शुद्धं यथा काशी पुरीषु च । सर्वेषु भारतं वर्षं सद्यो मुक्तिप्रदं शुभम्
Just as Pushkara is the purest among holy places, and Kashi among cities; so, throughout the land of Bharata, it instantly grants auspicious liberation.
यथा सुमेरुः शैलेषु पारिजातं च पुष्पतः । पत्रेषु तुलसीपत्रं व्रतेष्वेकादशीव्रतम्
As Sumeru is the greatest among mountains, and Parijata among flowers; among leaves, the tulasi leaf, and among vows, the Ekadashi vow.
वृक्षेषु कल्पवृक्षश्च श्रीकृष्णश्च सुरेषु च । ज्ञानीन्द्रेषु महादेवो योगीन्द्रेषु गणेश्वरः
Among trees, the wish-fulfilling tree; among gods, Shri Krishna; among wise lords, Mahadeva; among yogis, Ganesha is chief.
सिद्धेन्द्रेष्वेव कपिलः सूर्यस्तेजस्विनां यथा । सनत्कुमारो भगवान्वैष्णवेषु यथाऽग्रणीः
Among accomplished sages, Kapila; among radiant ones, the Sun; among Vaishnavas, the venerable Sanatkumara is foremost.
भूपेषु च यथा रामो लक्ष्मणश्च धनुष्मताम् । देवीषु च यथा दुर्गा महापुण्यवती सती
Among kings, Rama and Lakshmana are preeminent among archers; among goddesses, Durga and the supremely virtuous Sati.
प्राणाधिका यथा राधा कृष्णस्य प्रेयसीषु च । ईश्वरीषु यथा लक्ष्मीः पण्डितेषु सरस्वती
Among beloveds, Radha is dearest to Krishna; among divine consorts, Lakshmi; among scholars, Sarasvati.
तथा सर्वपुराणेषु ब्रह्मवैवर्तमेव च । नातो दिशिष्टं सुखदं मधुरं च सुपुण्यदम्
Likewise, among all Puranas, the Brahmavaivarta alone is distinguished; none other is so delightful, sweet, and supremely auspicious.
संदेहभञ्जनं चैव पुराणं परिकीर्तितम् । इह लोके च सुखदं सुप्रदं सर्वसंपदाम्
This Purana is proclaimed as the destroyer of doubts; in this world, it bestows happiness and grants all prosperity.