देवासुरैरयं सिन्धुर्मथितः समये क्वचित् । विष्णुना विहितो भेदः सुधारत्नच्छलेन वै
Once, gods and demons churned this ocean together; Viṣṇu created division by means of the nectar and jewels as a pretext.
त्वयासौ कल्पितः शौरिः पालकत्वे जगद्गुरुः । तेन लक्ष्मीः स्वयं लोभाद् गृहीतामरसुन्दरी
By you, that Viṣṇu was appointed as protector, O teacher of the world; by him, out of greed, Lakṣmī herself, the beautiful goddess, was taken.
ऐरावतस्तथेन्द्रेण पारिजातोऽथ कामधुक् । उच्चैःश्रवाः सुरैः सर्वं गृहीतं वैष्णवेच्छया
Airāvata was taken by Indra, the Pārijāta tree and the wish-fulfilling cow as well; Uccaiḥśravā and all else were taken by the gods, according to Viṣṇu's wish.
अनयं तादृशं कृत्वा जाता देवास्तु साधवः । (अन्यायिनः सुरा नूनं पश्य त्वं धर्मलक्षणम् ।)
Having acted in this way, the gods became virtuous; (but truly, O Goddess, see how the gods acted unjustly—this is the mark of righteousness.)
नूनं दैत्याः पराभूवन्पश्य त्वं धर्मलक्षणम् । क्व धर्मः कीदृशो धर्मः क्व कार्यं क्व च साधुता
Surely the demons have been defeated—see for yourself the mark of righteousness: where is dharma, what kind of dharma is this, where is duty, and where is virtue?
कथयामि च कस्याग्रे सिद्धं मैमांसिकं मतम् । तार्किका युक्तिवादज्ञा विधिज्ञा वेदवादकाः
And before whom shall I present this established doctrine of the Mimamsakas? The logicians, those skilled in argument, the ritualists, and the Veda-expositors—
उक्ताः सकर्तृकं विश्वं विवदन्ते जडात्मकाः । कर्ता भवति चेदस्मिन्संसारे वितते किल
—these have declared that the universe is with an agent, yet they, being of inert nature, dispute among themselves. If there is an agent in this vast world—
विरोधः कीदृशस्तत्र चैककर्मणि वै मिथः । वेदे नैकमतिः कस्माच्छास्त्रेष्वपि तथा पुनः
—what kind of contradiction is there, then, in a single act mutually? Why, even in the Veda, is there not one opinion, and likewise in the treatises as well?
नैकवाक्यं वचस्तेषामपि वेदविदां पुनः । यतः स्वार्थपरं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्
Even among the knowers of the Veda, their statements are not of one voice; for all the world, moving and unmoving, is intent on its own interests.
निःस्पृहः कोऽपि संसारे न भवेन्न भविष्यति । शशिनाथ गुरोर्भार्या हृता ज्ञात्वा बलादपि
No one in this world is or ever will be without desire; even the wife of the moon-guru was taken by force, knowing this—
गौतमस्य तथेन्द्रेण जानता धर्मनिश्चयम् । गुरुणानुजभार्या च भुक्ता गर्भवती बलात्
—so too Gautama's wife by Indra, who knew well the determination of dharma; and the wife of the guru's younger brother was forcibly enjoyed and became pregnant—
शप्तो गर्भगतो बालः कृतश्चान्धस्तथा पुनः । विष्णुना च शिरश्छिन्नं राहोश्चक्रेण वै बलात्
—the child in the womb was cursed and became blind as well; and Vishnu, by force, cut off Rahu's head with his discus—
अपराधं विना कामं तदा सत्त्ववताम्बिके । पौत्रो धर्मवतां शूरः सत्यव्रतपरायणः
—without any fault, O Ambika, even the virtuous have acted thus; the grandson of the righteous, a hero devoted to truth—
यज्वा दानपतिः शान्तः सर्वज्ञः सर्वपूजकः । कृत्वाथ वामनं रूपं हरिणा छलवेदिना
—a sacrificer, lord of gifts, peaceful, all-knowing, worshipper of all—assuming the form of Vamana, Hari, by deceit—
वञ्चितोऽसौ बलिः सर्वं हृतं राज्यं पुरा किल । तथापि देवान्धर्मस्थान्प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
—cheated Bali, and took away all his kingdom in ancient times; yet, the wise still call the gods the upholders of dharma.
वदन्ति चाटुवादांश्च धर्मवादाज्जयं गताः । एवं ज्ञात्वा जगन्मातर्यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु
And those who have gained victory by clever words are also called speakers of dharma; thus, O Mother of the world, knowing this, act as you wish.
शरणा दानवाः सर्वे जहि वा रक्ष वा पुनः । श्रीदेव्युवाच सर्वे गच्छत पातालं तत्र वासं यथेप्सितम्
All the demons have taken refuge—slay them or protect them as you will. (Śrī Devī said:) All of you go to Pātāla and dwell there as you desire.
कुरुध्वं दानवाः सर्वे निर्भया गतमन्यवः । कालः प्रतीक्ष्यो युष्माभिः कारणं स शुभेऽशुभे
All you demons, live there without fear or anger; you must wait for the appointed time, for that is the cause of good or evil.
सुनिर्वेदपराणां हि सुखं सर्वत्र सर्वदा । त्रैलोक्यस्य च राज्येऽपि न सुखं लोभचेतसाम्
For those who are wholly detached, happiness is everywhere and always; but not even in the sovereignty of the three worlds is there happiness for the greedy.
कृतेऽपि न सुखं पूर्णं सस्पृहाणां फलैरपि । तस्मात्त्यक्त्वा महीमेतां प्रयान्त्वद्य महीतलम्
Even when obtained, there is no complete happiness for those with desires, even with the fruits; therefore, leaving this earth, go now to the lower world.
ममाज्ञां पुरतः कृत्वा सर्वे विगतकल्मषाः । व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं देव्यास्तथेत्युक्त्वा रसातलम्
Having placed my command before you, all of you, purified of sin— (Vyāsa said:) Hearing the words of the Goddess, saying 'So be it,' they went to Rasātala—
प्रणम्य दानवाः सर्वे गताः शक्त्याभिरक्षिताः । अन्तर्दधे ततो देवी देवाः स्वभुवनं गताः
—having bowed, all the demons went, protected by the Goddess's power; then the Goddess disappeared, and the gods returned to their own realms.
त्यक्त्वा वैरं स्थिताः सर्वे ते तदा देवदानवाः । एतदाख्यानमखिलं यः शृणोति वदत्यथ
At that time, all the gods and demons stood together, having abandoned enmity; whoever hears or recites this entire narration—
सर्वदुःखविनिर्मुक्तः प्रयाति पदमुत्तमम्
—becomes free from all suffering and attains the highest state.
हरेर्नानावतारवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच भृगुशापान्मुनिश्रेष्ठ हरेरद्भुतकर्मणः । अवताराः कथं जाताः कस्मिन्मन्वन्तरे विभो
Description of the various incarnations of Hari. Janamejaya said: O best of sages, due to the curse of Bhrigu, how did the wondrously active Hari take incarnations, and in which Manvantara, O Lord?
विस्तराद्वद धर्मज्ञ अवतारकथा हरेः । पापनाशकरीं ब्रह्मञ्छ्रुतां सर्वसुखावहाम्
O knower of dharma, tell in detail the stories of Hari's incarnations, O Brahman, which destroy sin and bring all happiness when heard.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि अवतारान् हरेर्यथा । यस्मिन्मन्वन्तरे जाता युगे यस्मिन्नराधिप
Vyasa said: Hear, O King, I will declare to you the incarnations of Hari—when and in which Manvantara and age they appeared among men.
येन रूपेण यत्कार्यं कृतं नारायणेन वै । तत्सर्वं नृप वक्ष्यामि संक्षेपेण तवाधुना
In what form, for what purpose, and by Narayana, whatever was accomplished—I will now briefly tell you all of that, O King.
धर्मस्यैवावतारोऽभूच्चाक्षुषे मनुसम्भवे । नरनारायणौ धर्मपुत्रौ ख्यातौ महीतले
Indeed, the incarnation of dharma occurred in the Cakshusha Manvantara; Nara and Narayana, famed as sons of Dharma, appeared on earth.
अथ वैवस्वताख्येऽस्मिन्द्वितीये तु युगे पुनः । दत्तात्रेयावतारोऽत्रेः पुत्रत्वमगमद्धरिः
Then, in this second age called Vaivasvata, Hari took birth as Dattatreya, the son of Atri.