किन्तु भानुप्रभाचन्द्रविद्युद्वह्निप्रभादयः । तस्मान्मायेश्वरीमम्बां स्वप्रकाशां तु संविदम्
But just as the light of the sun, moon, lightning, and fire arises, so too one should worship the Mother, the sovereign of Māyā, the self-luminous Consciousness.
आराधयेदतिप्रीत्या मायागुणनिवृत्तये । इति सम्यङ्मयाख्यातं वृत्रासुरवधादिकम्
One should worship Her with great devotion to remove the qualities of Māyā; thus I have properly explained the slaying of Vṛtrāsura and related events.
यत्पृष्टं राजशार्दूल किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि । पूर्वार्धोऽयं पुराणस्य कथितस्तव सुव्रत
O tiger among kings, what else do you wish to hear, having asked this? The first half of the Purāṇa has been narrated to you, O virtuous one.
यत्र देव्यास्तु महिमा विस्तरेणोपपादितः । एतद्रहस्यं श्रीमातुर्न देयं यस्य कस्यचित्
In which the greatness of the Goddess has been expounded in detail; this secret of the Blessed Mother is not to be given to just anyone.
देयं भक्ताय शान्ताय देवीभक्तिरताय च । शिष्याय ज्येष्ठपुत्राय गुरुभक्तियुताय च
It is to be given to a devotee who is peaceful and devoted to the Goddess, to a disciple, to an eldest son, or one endowed with devotion to the teacher.
इदमखिलकथानां सारभूतं पुराणं निखिलनिगमतुल्यं सप्रमाणानुविद्धम् । पठति परमभावाद्यः शृणोतीह भक्त्या स भवति धनवान्वै ज्ञानवान्मानवोऽत्र
This Purāṇa, which is the essence of all stories, equal to all the Vedas, and supported by authority—whoever recites it with supreme devotion or listens to it with faith here, becomes truly wealthy, wise, and noble.
दक्षप्रजापतिवर्णनम् सूत उवाच - श्रुत्वैतां तापसाद्दिव्यां कथां राजा मुदान्वितः । व्यासं पप्रच्छ धर्मात्मा परीक्षितसुतः पुनः
Description of Dakṣa Prajāpati. Sūta said: Having heard this divine tale from the sage, the king, filled with joy, again questioned Vyāsa, the righteous son of Parīkṣit.
जनमेजय उवाच - स्वामिन् सूर्यान्वयानां च राज्ञां वंशस्य विस्तरम् । तथा सोमान्वयानां च श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि सर्वथा
Janamejaya said: Master, I wish to hear in detail the lineage of kings descended from the Sun, as well as those descended from the Moon.
कथयानघ सर्वज्ञ कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । चरितं भूपतीनां च विस्तराद्वंशयोर्द्वयोः
O sinless and all-knowing one, narrate the story that destroys sin, and the deeds of the kings in detail from both these lineages.
ते हि सर्वे पराशक्तिभक्ता इति मया श्रुतम् । देवीभक्तस्य चरितं शृण्वन्कोऽस्ति विरक्तिभाक्
For I have heard that all of them were devoted to the Supreme Power; hearing the deeds of a devotee of the Goddess, who indeed becomes detached?
इति राजर्षिणा पृष्टो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । तमुवाच मुनिश्रेष्ठः प्रसन्नवदनो मुनिः
Thus questioned by the royal sage, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, the best of sages, with a cheerful face, spoke to him.
व्यास उवाच - निशामय महाराज विस्तराद्गदतो मम । सोमसूर्यान्वयानां च तथान्येषां समुद्भवम्
Vyāsa said: Listen, O great king, as I narrate in detail the origins of the lunar and solar dynasties, as well as others.
विष्णोर्नाभिसरोजाद्वै ब्रह्माभूच्चतुराननः । तपस्तप्त्वा समाराध्य महादेवीं सुदुर्गमाम्
From the lotus of Viṣṇu's navel arose Brahmā, the four-faced one; performing austerities, he worshipped the great and difficult-to-attain Goddess.
तया दत्तवरो धाता जगत्कर्तुं समुद्यतः । नाशकन्मानुषीं सृष्टिं कर्तुं लोकपितामहः
Granted a boon by Her, the Creator set forth to create the world; yet the Grandfather of all beings was unable to create human beings.
विचिन्त्य बहुधा चित्ते सृष्ट्यर्थं चतुराननः । न विस्तारं जगामाशु रचितापि महात्मना
Thinking in many ways in his mind for the sake of creation, the four-faced one, though a great soul, did not quickly bring forth an extensive creation.
(ससर्ज मानसान्पुत्रान्सप्तसंख्यान्प्रजापतिः) मरीचिरङ्गिरात्रिश्च वसिष्ठः पुलहः क्रतुः । पुलस्त्यश्चेति विख्याताः सप्तैते मानसाः सुताः
(He created the mind-born sons, seven in number, the Lord of creatures:) Marīci, Aṅgiras, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Pulaha, Kratu, and Pulastya—these seven are renowned as his mind-born sons.
रुद्रो रोषात्समुत्पन्नोऽप्युत्सङ्गान्नारदोऽभवत् । दक्षोऽङ्गुष्ठात्तथान्येऽपि मानसाः सनकादयः
Although Rudra was born from anger, from his lap was born Nārada; and from Dakṣa's thumb, as well as from his mind, were born the sages Sanaka and others.
वामाङ्गुष्ठाद्दक्षपत्नी जाता सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी । वीरिणी नाम विख्याता पुराणेषु महीपते
From Dakṣa's left thumb was born his wife, beautiful in every limb, renowned in the Purāṇas as Vīriṇī, O King.
असिक्नीति च नाम्ना सा यस्यां जातोऽथ नारदः । देवर्षिप्रवरः कामं ब्रह्मणो मानसः सुतः
She was also called Asiknī, and in her was born Nārada, the foremost of divine sages, who is the mind-born son of Brahmā.
जनमेजय उवाच - अत्र मे संशयो ब्रह्मन् यदुक्तं भवता वचः । वीरिण्यां नारदो जातो दक्षादिति महातपाः
Janamejaya said: O Brāhmaṇa, I have a doubt regarding what you have said—that Nārada was born from Vīriṇī, Dakṣa's wife, though he is a great ascetic.
कथं दक्षस्य पत्न्यां तु वीरिण्यां नारदो मुनिः । जातो हि ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो धर्मज्ञस्तापसोत्तमः
How was the sage Nārada, the righteous and foremost ascetic, born from Vīriṇī, Dakṣa's wife, when he is known as the son of Brahmā?
विचित्रमिदमाख्यातं भवता नारदस्य च । दक्षाज्जन्मास्य भार्यायां तद्वदस्व सविस्तरम्
This account you have given of Nārada's birth from Dakṣa's wife is remarkable; please explain it to me in detail.
पूर्वदेहः कथं मुक्तः शापात्कस्य महामना । नारदेन बहुज्ञेन कस्माज्जन्म कृतं मुने
How did he abandon his previous body due to a curse, O great-minded one? And why did the wise Nārada take birth again, O sage?
व्यास उवाच - ब्रह्मणासौ समादिष्टो दक्षः सृष्ट्यर्थमादितः । प्रजाः सृजेति सुभृशं वृद्धिहेतोः स्वयम्भुवा
Vyāsa said: At the beginning, Brahmā instructed Dakṣa for the purpose of creation, saying, 'Create progeny for the sake of increase, O self-born one.'
ततः पञ्चसहस्रांश्च जनयामास वीर्यवान् । दक्षः प्रजापतिः पुत्रान् वीरिण्यां बलवत्तरान्
Then Dakṣa, the lord of creatures, endowed with great vigor, generated five thousand powerful sons from Vīriṇī.
दृष्ट्वा तान्नारदः पुत्रान्सर्वान्वर्धयिषून्प्रजाः । उवाच प्रहसन्वाचं देवर्षिः कालनोदितः
Seeing all those sons of Dakṣa eager to increase the progeny, Nārada, prompted by time, laughed and spoke these words.
भुवः प्रमाणमज्ञात्वा स्रष्टुकामाः प्रजाः कथम् । लोकानां हास्यतां यूयं गमिष्यथ न संशयः
Without knowing the measure of the earth, how can you wish to create progeny? Surely, you will become a laughingstock among the worlds.
पृथिव्या वै प्रमाणं तु ज्ञात्वा कार्यः समुद्यमः । कृत्तोऽसौ सिद्धिमायाति नान्यथेति विनिश्चयः
One should undertake action only after knowing the extent of the earth; only then does one attain success—this is certain, not otherwise.
बालिशा बत यूयं वै यदज्ञात्वा भुवस्तलम् । समुद्यताः प्रजाः कर्तुं कथं सिद्धिर्भविष्यति
Alas, you are indeed childish, for you attempt to create progeny without knowing the surface of the earth; how will you achieve success?
व्यास उवाच - नारदेनैवमुक्तास्ते हर्यश्वा दैवयोगतः । अन्योन्यमूचुः सहसा सम्यगाह मुनिः किल
Vyāsa said: Thus addressed by Nārada, the Haryaśvas, by divine arrangement, suddenly said to each other, 'The sage has spoken rightly.'