दक्षनारदमुख्यैस्तु युक्तं त्वां कथमुक्तवान् 2.
How did you, together with Dakṣa, Nārada, and the foremost sages, receive this teaching?
अहं हि नारदो दक्षो भृग्वाद्याः प्रणिपत्य तम् 2.
I, Nārada, Dakṣa, Bhṛgu, and others, after bowing to Him—
पुराणं गारुडं सारं रुद्रं च मां यथा 2.
—received the essence of the Garuḍa Purāṇa and Rudra from Him, as did I.
कथं रुद्रं सुरैः सार्द्धमब्रवीद्वै हरिः पुरा 2.
How did Hari formerly speak to Rudra together with the gods?
अहं गतोऽद्रिं कैलासमिन्द्राद्यैर्दैवतैः सह 2.
I went to Mount Kailāsa together with Indra and the other deities.
पृष्टो नमस्कृतः किं त्वं देवं ध्यायसि शङ्कर ? 2.
Having bowed and asked, 'O Lord, are you meditating on Śaṅkara?'
सारात्सारतरं तत्त्वं श्रोतुकामः सुरैः सह रुद्र उवाच 2.12 सर्वदं सर्वगं सर्वं सर्वप्राणिहृदिस्थितम् 2.
Desiring to hear the most essential truth, even more subtle than the essence, together with the gods, Rudra spoke:
विष्णोराराधनार्थं मे व्रतचर्य्या पितामह 2.
For the sake of worshipping Viṣṇu, O Grandfather, I observe vows and disciplines.
विष्णुं जिष्णुं पद्मनाभं हरिं देहविवर्जितम् 2.
Viṣṇu, the victorious, the lotus-naveled, Hari, who is beyond embodiment—
युक्ता सर्वात्मनात्मानं तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
With my whole being, I contemplate that God as my very self.
गुणभूतानि भूतेशे सूत्रे मणिगणा इव 2.17 अणीयसामणीयांसं स्थविष्ठं च स्थवीयसाम् 2.
The qualities exist in the Lord of beings like clusters of jewels on a thread—subtler than the subtlest, greater than the greatest.
यं वाक्येष्वनुवाक्येषु निषत्सूपनिषत्सु च 2.
Whom the words, the repetitions, and the Upaniṣads declare—
पुराणपुरुषः प्रोक्तो ब्रह्मा प्रोक्तो द्विजातिषु 2.
He is called the Primeval Person in the Purāṇas, and as Brahmā among the twice-born.
यस्मिंल्लोकाः स्फुरन्तीमे जलेषु शकुन्यो यथा 2.
In whom these worlds shimmer, like birds upon the waters.
अर्चयन्ति च यं देवा यक्षराक्षसपन्नगाः 2.
The gods, yakshas, rakshasas, and serpents worship him.
चन्द्रादित्यौ च नयने तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
The moon and sun are his eyes; I contemplate that god.
यस्योच्छ्वासश्च पवनः तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
Whose breath is the wind; I contemplate that god.
कुक्षौ समुद्राश्चत्वारस्तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
In whose belly are the four oceans; I contemplate that god.
अनादिरादिर्विश्वस्य तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
The beginningless origin of the universe; I contemplate that god.
मुखादग्निश्च संजज्ञे तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
From whose mouth fire was born; I contemplate that god.
मूर्द्धभागाद्दिवं यस्य तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
From whose head heaven arose; I contemplate that god.
वंशानुचरितं यस्मात्तं देवं चिन्तयाम्यहम् 2.
From whom the lineage and tradition proceed; I contemplate that god.
इत्युक्तोऽहं पुरा रुद्रः श्वेतद्वीपनिवासिनम् 2.
Thus, long ago, Rudra addressed the resident of Śvetadvīpa.
अस्माकं मध्यतो रुद्र उवाच परमेश्वरम् 2.
Among us, Rudra spoke to the supreme lord.
यथा पप्रच्छ मां व्यास स्तथासौ भगवान् भवः 2.
Just as Vyāsa questioned me, so did the blessed Bhava.
हरे कथय देवेश ! देवदेवः क ईश्वरः 2.
O Hari, tell me, lord of gods! Who is the god of gods, who is the ruler?
कैर्धर्मैः कैश्च नियमैः कया वा धर्मपूजया 2.
By what virtues, by what disciplines, and by what righteous worship?
कस्माद्देवाज्जगज्जातं जगत्पालयते च कः 2.
From which god was the world born, and who sustains the world?
सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च 2.
Creation and dissolution, lineage, and the cycles of Manus—
एतत्सर्वं हरे ! ब्रूहि यच्चान्यदपि किञ्चन 2.
O Hari, tell me all this, and whatever else there may be.