दृश्यन्ते वैष्णवाः केचिद्गाणपत्यास्तथापरे । कापालिकाश्चीनमार्गरता वल्कलधारिणः
Some are seen as Vaishnavas, others as Ganapatyas; some are Kapalikas, followers of the path of the Chinas, and wearers of bark garments.
दिगम्बरास्तथा बौद्धाश्चार्वार्का एवमादयः । दृश्यन्ते बहवो लोके वेदश्रद्धाविवर्जिताः
There are also Digambaras, Buddhists, Charvakas, and others like them; many such people are seen in the world, lacking faith in the Vedas.
किमत्र कारणं ब्रह्मंस्तद्भवान् वक्तुमर्हति । बुद्धिमन्तः पण्डिताश्च नानातर्कविचक्षणाः
What is the reason for this, O Brahman? You are worthy to explain it. Even the wise and learned, skilled in various arguments—
अपि सन्त्येव वेदेषु श्रद्धया तु विवर्जिताः । न हि कश्चित्स्वकल्याणं बुद्ध्या हातुमिहेच्छति
—are indeed found among the Vedas, yet lacking in faith. For no one wishes, by reason, to abandon their own welfare.
किमत्र कारणं तस्माद्वद वेदविदांवर । मणिद्वीपस्य महिमा वर्णितो भवता पुरा
What, then, is the cause of this? Therefore, O best of those who know the Vedas, tell me. You have previously described the greatness of Manidvipa.
कीदृक् तदस्ति यद्देव्याः परं स्थानं महत्तरम् । तच्चापि वद भक्ताय श्रद्दधानाय मेऽनघ
What is that supreme and greater abode of the Goddess? Please tell me that also, O sinless one, for I am a devoted and faithful seeker.
प्रसन्नास्तु वदन्त्येव गुरवो गुह्यमप्युत । सूत उवाच इति राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा भगवान् बादरायणः
When pleased, teachers indeed reveal even secret knowledge. Suta said: Having heard the king’s words, the blessed Badarayana—
निजगाद ततः सर्वं क्रमेणैव मुनीश्वराः । यच्छ्रुत्वा तु द्विजातीनां वेदश्रद्धा विवर्धते
—then narrated everything in order, O best of sages; hearing which, the faith of the twice-born in the Vedas increases.
व्यास उवाच सम्यक्पृष्टं त्वया राजन् समये समयोचितम् । वुद्धिमानसि वेदेषु श्रद्धावांश्चैव लक्ष्यसे
Vyasa said: You have asked rightly, O King, at the proper time and in the proper manner; you are seen to be wise and full of faith in the Vedas.
पूर्वं मदोद्धता दैत्या देवैर्युद्धं तु चक्रिरे । शतवर्षं महाराज महाविस्मयकारकम्
Formerly, the arrogant Daityas fought with the gods, O great king, for a hundred years—a battle causing great wonder.
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणं नानामायाविचित्रितम् । जगत्क्षयकरं नूनं तेषां युद्धमभून्नृप
That battle involved many kinds of weapons and was marked by various magical feats; it truly threatened the destruction of the world, O king.
पराशक्तिकृपावेशाद्देवैर्दैत्या जिता युधि । भुवं स्वर्गं परित्यज्य गताः पातालवेश्मनि
By the grace of the Supreme Power, the gods defeated the Daityas in battle; abandoning earth and heaven, they went to the abode of the netherworld.
ततः प्रहर्षिता देवाः स्वपराक्रमवर्णनम् । चक्रुः परस्परं मोहात्साभिमानाः समन्ततः
Then, delighted, the gods—overcome by delusion and pride—began to boast of their own prowess to one another on all sides.
जयोऽस्माकं कुतो न स्यादस्माकं महिमा यतः । सर्वोत्तरः कुत्र दैत्याः पामरा निष्पराक्रमाः
Why should victory not be ours, since our greatness surpasses all? Where are the demons compared to us—those base ones, powerless and insignificant?
सृष्टिस्थितिक्षयकरा वयं सर्वे यशस्विनः । अस्मदग्रे पामराणां दैत्यानां चैव का कथा
We are the illustrious ones who create, sustain, and destroy the universe; what need is there to speak of the lowly demons before us?
पराशक्तिप्रभावं ते न ज्ञात्वा मोहमागताः । तेषामनुग्रहं कर्तुं तदैव जगदम्बिका
Not knowing the power of the Supreme Energy, they fell into delusion; at that very moment, Jagadambika appeared to bestow her grace upon them.
प्रादुरासीत्कृपापूर्णा यक्षरूपेण भूमिप । कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशं चन्द्रकोटिसुशीतलम्
Full of compassion, she manifested in the form of a Yaksha, O King, shining like ten million suns yet as cool as ten million moons.
विद्युत्कोटिसमानाभं हस्तपादादिवर्जितम् । अदृष्टपूर्वं तद्दृष्ट्वा तेजः परमसुन्दरम्
Her radiance was like ten million lightning flashes, without hands or feet; beholding that supreme and unparalleled brilliance, never seen before—
सविस्मयास्तदा प्रोचुः किमिदं किमिदं त्विति । दैत्यानां चेष्टितं किं वा माया कापि महीयसी
Astonished, they exclaimed, 'What is this? What is this? Is it some act of the demons, or some extraordinary magic?'
केनचिन्निर्मिता वाथ देवानां स्मयकारिणी । सम्भूय ते तदा सर्वे विचारं चक्रुरुत्तमम्
'Or has someone created this to make the gods proud?' Gathering together, they all began to deliberate deeply.
यक्षस्य निकटे गत्वा प्रष्टव्यं कस्त्वमित्यपि । बलाबलं ततो ज्ञात्वा कर्तव्या तु प्रतिक्रिया
'Let us approach the Yaksha and ask, "Who are you?" After knowing his strength or weakness, we should then decide our response.'
ततो वह्निं समाहूय प्रोवाचेन्द्रः सुराधिपः । गच्छ वह्ने त्वमस्माकं यतोऽसि मुखमुत्तमम्
Then Indra, lord of the gods, summoned Agni and said, 'Go, O Agni, since you are our foremost mouth.'
ततो गत्वा तु जानीहि किमिदं यक्षमित्यपि । सहस्राक्षवचः श्रुत्वा स्वपराक्रमगर्भितम्
'Go and find out what this Yaksha is,' he said, having heard the words of the thousand-eyed one, filled with pride in their own power.
वेगात्स निर्गतो वह्निर्ययौ यक्षस्य सन्निधौ । तदा प्रोवाच यक्षस्तं त्वं कोऽसीति हुताशनम्
With speed, Agni departed and approached the Yaksha; then the Yaksha asked him, 'Who are you, O Fire-god?'
वीर्यं च त्वयि किं यत्तद्वद सर्वं ममाग्रतः । अग्निरस्मि तथा जातवेदा अस्मीति सोऽब्रवीत्
'Tell me, what is your power? Declare it all before me.' He replied, 'I am Agni, known as Jatavedas.'
सर्वस्य दहने शक्तिर्मयि विश्वस्य तिष्ठति । तदा यक्षं परं तेजस्तदग्रे निदधौ तृणम्
'The power to burn all things in the universe resides in me.' Then the Yaksha placed a blade of grass before him, shining with supreme radiance.
दहैनं यदि ते शक्तिर्विश्वस्य दहनेऽस्ति हि । तदा सर्वबलेनैवाकरोद्यत्नं हुताशनः
'If you have the power to burn the universe, then burn this.' Thereupon, Agni exerted all his strength and made the attempt.
न शशाक तृणं दग्धुं लज्जितोऽगात्सुरान्प्रति । पृष्टे देवैस्तु वृत्तान्ते सर्वं प्रोवाच हव्यभुक्
But he was unable to burn the grass; ashamed, he returned to the gods. When questioned by the gods about what had happened, Agni told them everything.
वृथाभिमानो ह्यस्माकं सर्वेशत्वादिके सुराः । ततस्तु वृत्रहा वायुं समाहूयेदमब्रवीत्
'Our pride in being lords of all was in vain, O gods.' Then the slayer of Vritra summoned Vayu and spoke these words.
त्वयि प्रोतं जगत्सर्वं त्वच्चेष्टाभिस्तु चेष्टितम् । त्वं प्राणरूपः सर्वेषां सर्वशक्तिविधारकः
'The whole world is woven in you, and all actions are performed by your movements. You are the very breath of all beings, the bearer of all power.'