ब्रह्मा सृजत्यखिलमेतदिति प्रसिद्धं पौराणिकैश्च कथितं खलु वेदविद्भिः । विष्णोस्तु नाभिकमले किल तस्य जन्म तैरुक्तमेव सृजते न हि स स्वतन्त्रः
It is well known that Brahmā creates all this, as told by the Purāṇikas and those learned in the Vedas. But it is said that he is born in the lotus from Viṣṇu's navel; thus, he creates, but he is not independent.
विष्णुस्तु शेषशयने स्वपितीति काले तन्नाभिपद्यमुकुले खलु तस्य जन्म । आधारतां किल गतोऽत्र सहस्रमौलिः सम्बोध्यतां स भगवान् हि कथं मुरारिः
Viṣṇu lies on Śeṣa at the time of dissolution; from his navel, the lotus arises, and from it, Brahmā is born. The thousand-headed one becomes the support here; but how did that Lord, the slayer of Mura, become awakened?
एकार्णवस्य सलिलं रसरूपमेव पात्रं विना न हि रसस्थितिरस्ति कच्चित् । या सर्वभूतविषये किल शक्तिरूपा तां सर्वभूतजननीं शरणं गतोऽस्मि
The water of the single ocean is of the nature of essence; without a vessel, essence cannot remain. She who is the Power present in all beings—I take refuge in that Mother of all beings.
योगनिद्रामीलिताक्षं विष्णुं दृष्ट्वाम्बुजे स्थितः । अजस्तुष्टाव यां देवीं तामहं शरणं गतः
Seeing Viṣṇu, whose eyes were closed in yogic sleep, seated on the lotus, the Unborn one praised that Goddess; I have taken refuge in her.
तां ध्यात्वा सगुणां मायां मुक्तिदां निर्गुणां तथा । वक्ष्ये पुराणमखिलं शृण्वन्तु मुनयस्त्विह
Meditating on that Māyā, endowed with qualities and granting liberation, and also beyond qualities, I shall narrate the entire Purāṇa; let the sages here listen.
पुराणमुत्तमं पुण्यं श्रीमद्भागवताभिधम् । अष्टादश सहस्राणि श्लोकास्तत्र तु संस्कृताः
The supreme, virtuous Purāṇa called the Śrīmad Bhāgavata contains eighteen thousand well-composed verses.
स्कन्धा द्वादश चैवात्र कृष्णेन विहिताः शुभाः । त्रिशतं पूर्णमध्याया अष्टादशयुताः स्मृताः
There are twelve auspicious books (skandhas) in it, composed by Kṛṣṇa; the chapters are reckoned as three hundred in full, amounting to eighteen tens.
विंशतिः प्रथमे तत्र द्वितीये द्वादशैव तु । त्रिंशच्चैव तृतीये तु चतुर्थे पञ्चविंशतिः
There are twenty chapters in the first, twelve in the second, thirty in the third, and twenty-five in the fourth.
पञ्चत्रिंशत्तथाध्यायाः पञ्चमे परिकीर्तिताः । एकत्रिंशत्तथा षष्ठे चत्वारिंशच्च सप्तमे
There are thirty-five chapters in the fifth, thirty-one in the sixth, and forty in the seventh.
अष्टमे तत्त्वसङ्ख्याश्च पञ्चाशन्नवमे तथा । त्रयोदश तु सम्प्रोक्ता दशमे मुनिना किल
In the eighth, the enumeration of principles; in the ninth, fifty are likewise given; and in the tenth, thirteen are indeed declared by the sage.
तथा चैकादशस्कन्धे चतुर्विंशतिरीरिताः । चतुर्दशैव चाध्याया द्वादशे मुनिसत्तमाः
In the eleventh book, twenty-four are described; and in the twelfth, O best of sages, there are fourteen chapters.
एवं सङ्ख्या समाख्याता पुराणेऽस्मिन्महात्मना । अष्टादशसहस्रीया सङ्ख्या च परिकीर्तिता
Thus, the numbers have been stated in this Purāṇa by the great soul; and the total is proclaimed as eighteen thousand.
सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंशानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम्
Creation, dissolution, genealogies, the ages of Manus, and the accounts of dynasties—these are the five marks of a Purāṇa.
निर्गुणा या सदा नित्या व्यापिका विकृता शिवा । योगगम्याखिलाधारा तुरीया या च संस्थिता
She who is always without qualities, eternal, all-pervading, transformed, auspicious, accessible through yoga, the support of all, and established as the fourth state—
तस्यास्तु सात्त्विकी शक्ती राजसी तामसी तथा । महालक्ष्मीः सरस्वती महाकालीति ताः स्त्रियः
Her powers are of three kinds: sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic; these goddesses are Mahālakṣmī, Sarasvatī, and Mahākālī.
तासां तिसॄणां शक्तीनां देहाङ्गीकारलक्षणः । सृष्ट्यर्थं च समाख्यातः सर्गः शास्त्रविशारदैः
The embodiment of these three powers, for the purpose of creation, is described as 'creation' by those learned in scripture.
हरिद्रुहिणरुद्राणां समुत्पत्तिस्ततः स्मृता । पालनोत्पत्तिनाशार्थं प्रतिसर्गः स्मृतो हि सः
From them, the origin of Hari, Brahmā, and Rudra is remembered; and for the purposes of preservation, creation, and destruction, the term 'dissolution' is used.
सोमसूर्योद्भवानां च राज्ञां वंशप्रकीर्तनम् । हिरण्यकशिप्वादीनां वंशास्ते परिकीर्तिताः
The genealogies of kings born from the moon and the sun are recounted, as are the dynasties of Hiraṇyakaśipu and others.
स्वायम्भुवमुखानां च मनूनां परिवर्णनम् । कालसङ्ख्या तथा तेषां तत्तन्मन्वन्तराणि च
The accounts of the Manus, beginning with Svāyambhuva, are described, along with the reckoning of their times and their respective ages.
तेषां वंशानुकथनं वंशानुचरितं स्मृतम् । पञ्चलक्षणयुक्तानि भवन्ति मुनिसत्तमाः
The narration of their dynasties is called 'the history of dynasties'; these, O best of sages, possess the five characteristics.
सपादलक्षं च तथा भारतं मुनिना कृतम् । इतिहास इति प्रोक्तं पञ्चमं वेदसम्मतम्
The Bhārata, composed by the sage, consists of one hundred thousand and a quarter verses; it is called 'Itihāsa,' the fifth Veda, accepted as such.
शौनक उवाच कानि तानि पुराणानि ब्रूहि सूत सविस्तरम् । कतिसङ्ख्यानि सर्वज्ञ श्रोतुकामा वयं त्विह
Śaunaka said: O Sūta, tell us in detail which are those Purāṇas; how many are they? We wish to hear, O all-knowing one.
कलिकालविभीताः स्मो नैमिषारण्यवासिनः । ब्रह्मणात्र समादिष्टाश्चक्रं दत्त्वा मनोमयम्
We, the dwellers of Naimiṣāraṇya, are fearful of the age of Kali; here, by the command of Brahmā, a mental wheel was given to us.
कथितं तेन नः सर्वान्गच्छन्त्वेतस्य पृष्ठतः । नेमिः संशीर्यते यत्र स देशः पावनः स्मृतः
He told us all to follow wherever its rim would go; the place where the rim falls apart is regarded as holy.
कलेस्तत्र प्रवेशो न कदाचित् सम्भविष्यति । तावत्तिष्ठन्तु तत्रैव यावत्सत्ययुगं पुनः
There, entry of Kali will never occur; let us remain there until the return of the age of truth.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य गृहीत्वा तत्कथानकम् । चालयन्निर्गतस्तूर्णं सर्वदेशदिदृक्षया
Hearing his words, taking that instruction, he swiftly set out, desiring to see all lands.
प्रेत्यात्र चालयंश्चक्रं नेमिः शीर्णोऽत्र पश्यतः । तेनेदं नैमिषं प्रोक्तं क्षेत्रं परमपावनम्
After departing, as he rolled the wheel here, its rim broke before our eyes; therefore, this place is called Naimiṣa, the supremely holy field.
कलिप्रवेशो नैवात्र तस्मात्स्थानं कृतं मया । मुनिभिः सिद्धसङ्घैश्च कलिभीतैर्महात्मभिः
The entrance of Kali is not permitted here; therefore, I have established this place together with the sages and assemblies of accomplished ones, who, being great souls, are fearful of Kali.
पशुहीनाः कृता यज्ञाः पुरोडाशादिभिः किल । कालातिवाहनं कार्यं यावत्सत्ययुगागमः
Sacrifices are performed here without the slaughter of animals, using offerings such as rice cakes and the like; this practice should be maintained until the coming of the Satya Yuga.
भाग्ययोगेन सम्प्राप्तः सूत त्वं चात्र सर्वथा । कथयाद्य पुराणं हि पावनं ब्रह्मसम्मतम्
By the conjunction of fortune, you, Sūta, have arrived here in every way; today, narrate the Purāṇa, which is purifying and approved by Brahmā.