अविज्ञाय परं तत्त्वं कुतः शान्तिः परन्तप । विकीर्णं बहुधा चित्तं नैकत्र स्थिरतां व्रजेत्
Without knowing the supreme truth, how can there be peace, O scorcher of foes? The mind, scattered in many ways, does not attain steadiness in one place.
कं स्मरामि यजे कं वा कं व्रजाम्यर्चयामि कम् । स्तौमि कं नाभिजानामि देव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरम्
Whom do I remember, whom do I worship, whom do I approach, whom do I honor? Whom do I praise? I do not know, O Lord, the Lord of all lords.
ततो मां प्रत्युवाचेदं ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । मया सत्यवतीसूनो कृते प्रश्ने सुदुस्तरे
Then Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, replied to me: O son of Satyavatī, you have asked a question that is extremely difficult.
ब्रह्मोवाच किं ब्रवीमि सुताद्याहं दुर्बोधं प्रश्नमुत्तमम् । त्वयाशक्यं महाभाग विष्णोरपि सुनिश्चयात्
Brahmā said: What shall I say, O child? You have asked an excellent question that is hard to comprehend. Even you, O most fortunate one, and certainly Viṣṇu, cannot answer it with certainty.
रागी कोऽपि न जानाति संसारेऽस्मिन्महामते । विरक्तश्च विजानाति निरीहो यो विमत्सरः
No one who is attached knows in this world, O wise one; but the detached, free from desire and envy, do know.
एकार्णवे पुरा जाते नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे भूतमात्रे समुत्पन्ने सञ्जज्ञे कमलादहम्
Long ago, when the single ocean arose and all that was movable and immovable was destroyed, only the elements remained, and I was born from the lotus.
नापश्यं तरणिं सोमं न वृक्षान्न च पर्वतान् । कर्णिकायां समाविष्टश्चिन्तामकरवं तदा
I did not see the sun, the moon, trees, or mountains. Seated in the lotus's core, I began to ponder.
कस्मादहं समुद्भूतः सलिलेऽस्मिन्महार्णवे । को मे त्राता प्रभुः कर्ता संहर्ता वा युगात्यये
Why have I arisen in this vast ocean? Who is my protector, master, creator, or destroyer at the end of the age?
न च भूर्विद्यते स्पष्टा यदाधारं जलं त्विदम् । पङ्कजं कथमुत्पन्नं प्रसिद्धं रूढियोगयोः
Nor was the earth clearly visible, as water was its foundation. How did the lotus, renowned for its union of mud and growth, arise?
पश्याम्यद्यास्य पङ्कं तं मूलं वै पङ्कजस्य च । भविष्यति धरा तत्र मूलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः
Today I see its mud and the root of the lotus. The earth will be there at its root, there is no doubt.
उत्तरन्सलिले तत्र यावद्वर्षसहस्रकम् । अन्वेषमाणो धरणीं नावाप तां यदा तदा
Rising in the water, for a thousand years I searched for the earth, but did not find it.
तपस्तपेति चाकाशे वागभूदशरीरिणी । ततो मया तपस्तप्तं पद्मे वर्षसहस्रकम्
Then, in the sky, the bodiless voice said 'Austerity, austerity.' So I performed austerity in the lotus for a thousand years.
सृजेति पुनरुद्भूता वाणी तत्र श्रुता मया । विमूढोऽहं तदाकर्ण्य कं सृजामि करोमि किम्
Then, a voice arose again, which I heard there: 'Create!' Bewildered, I listened—whom should I create, what should I do?
तदा दैत्यावपि प्राप्तौ दारुणौ मधुकैटभौ । ताभ्यां विभीषितश्चाहं युद्धाय मकरालये
At that time, the two fierce demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, also appeared; terrified by them, I fled to the ocean for battle.
ततोऽहं नालमालम्ब्य वारिमध्यमवातरम् । तदा तत्र मया दृष्टः पुरुषः परमाद्भुतः
Unable to withstand them, I entered the midst of the waters; there I beheld a most wondrous Person.
मेघश्यामशरीरस्तु पीतवासाश्चतुर्भुजः । शेषशायी जगन्नाथो वनमालाविभूषितः
His body was dark as a rain-cloud, clothed in yellow garments, four-armed; the Lord of the universe, adorned with a garland of forest flowers, reclining on Śeṣa.
शङ्खचक्रगदापद्माद्यायुधैः सुविराजितः । तमद्राक्षं महाविष्णुं शेषपर्यङ्कशायिनम्
Radiant with conch, discus, mace, and lotus and other weapons, I saw that great Viṣṇu, resting upon the serpent-bed.
योगनिद्रासमाक्रान्तमविस्पन्दिनमच्युतम् । शयानं तं समालोक्य भोगिभोगोपरि स्थितम्
Overcome by yogic sleep, unmoving, the imperishable one lay there; seeing him reclining upon the coils of the serpent.
चिन्ता ममाद्भुता जाता किं करोमीति नारद । मया स्मृता तदा देवी स्तुता निद्रास्वरूपिणी
A wondrous thought arose in me, O Nārada: 'What should I do?' Then I remembered and praised the Goddess, who is the very form of sleep.
देहान्निर्गत्य सा देवी गगने संस्थिता शिवा । अवितर्क्यशरीरा सा दिव्याभरणमण्डिता
That auspicious Goddess emerged from his body and stood in the sky; her form was inconceivable, adorned with divine ornaments.
विष्णोर्देहं विहायाशु विरराज नभःस्थिता । उदतिष्ठदमेयात्मा तया मुक्तो जनार्दनः
Leaving Viṣṇu's body, she shone forth, standing in the heavens; by her, Janārdana was freed, his unconquerable self arose.
पंचवर्षसहस्राणि कृतवान् युद्धमुत्तमम् । तदा विलोकितौ दैत्यौ हरिणा विनिपातितौ
For five thousand years, he waged a supreme battle; then, seeing the demons, Hari struck them down.
उत्सङ्गं विमलं कृत्वा तत्रैव निहतौ च तौ । रुद्रस्तत्रैव सम्प्राप्तो यत्रावां संस्थितावुभौ
Making the place pure, there itself they were slain; Rudra arrived there, where both of us were present.
त्रिभिः संवीक्षितास्मामिः स्वस्था देवी मनोहरा । संस्तुता परमा शक्तिरुवाचास्मानवस्थितान्
We three beheld the charming, tranquil Goddess; praised, the supreme Power spoke to us as we stood there.
कृपावलोकनैः कृत्वा पावनैर्मुदितानथ । देव्युवाच काजेशाः स्वानि कार्याणि कुरुध्वं समतन्द्रिताः
With glances of compassion, she made us joyful and pure, then said— The Goddess said: 'O Lords of creation, perform your respective tasks with diligence.'
सृष्टिस्थितिविशिष्टानि हतावेतौ महासुरौ । कृत्वा स्वानि निकेतानि वसध्वं विगतज्वराः
'The great demons are slain; create, sustain, and establish your own abodes, and dwell there free from distress.'
प्रजाश्चतुर्विधाः सर्वाः सृजध्वं स्वविभूतिभिः । ब्रह्मोवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्याः पेशलं सुखदं मृदु
'Create all four kinds of beings with your own powers.' Brahmā said: Hearing her gentle, pleasing, and sweet words—
अब्रूम तामशक्तिः स्मः कथं कुर्मस्त्विमाः प्रजाः । न मही वितता मातः सर्वत्र विततं जलम्
We said to her, 'How can we create these beings? O Mother, the earth is not spread out; everywhere there is only water.'
न भूतानि गुणाश्चापि तन्मात्राणीन्द्रियाणि च । तदाकर्ण्य वचोऽस्माकं शिवा जाता स्मितानना
'There are no beings, no qualities, no subtle elements, nor senses.' Hearing our words, she smiled, her face radiant.
झटित्येवागतं तत्र विमानं गगनाच्छुभम् । सोवाचास्मिन्सुराः कामं विशध्वं गतसाध्वसाः
Suddenly, a splendid aerial chariot arrived from the sky; she said, 'O gods, enter as you wish, free from fear.'