असांप्रतमविज्ञेयं ब्रह्माग्रे समवर्तत
In the beginning, before time, the unmanifest Brahman came into being.
प्राकृतः प्रलयो ज्ञेयो यावद् विश्वसमुद्भवः
The dissolution that is called 'prākṛta' should be understood as lasting until the emergence of the universe.
अहर्न विद्यते तस्य न रात्रिर्ह्युपचारतः
For that state, there is neither day nor, even figuratively, night.
सर्वभूतमयो ऽव्यक्तो ह्यन्तर्यामीश्वरः परः
The unmanifest, pervading all beings, is the supreme inner ruler and Lord.
क्षोभयामास योगेन परेण परमेश्वरः
The Supreme Lord stirred it into motion through his supreme yoga.
अनुप्रविष्टः क्षोभाय तथासौ योगमूर्तिमान्
He entered it for the purpose of agitation, possessing the form of yoga.
स संकोचविकासाभ्यां प्रधानत्वे ऽपि च स्थितः
He remained in the state of Pradhāna, through contraction and expansion.
प्रादुरासीन्महद् बीजं प्रधानपुरुषात्मकम्
From that, the great seed arose, consisting of both Pradhāna and Puruṣa.
प्रज्ञाधृतिः स्मृतिः संविदेतस्मादिति तत् स्मृतम्
From that are said to arise intelligence, steadfastness, memory, and consciousness.
त्रिविधो ऽयमहङ्कारो महतः संबभूव ह
From the Mahat, this threefold ego-sense came into being.
आत्मा च पुद्गलो जीवो यतः सर्वाः प्रवृत्तयः
From that, the self, the individual, and the living being, from whom all activities arise.
इन्द्रियाणि तथा देवाः सर्वं तस्यात्मजं जगत्
The senses, the gods, and all the world are his offspring.
येनासौ जायते कर्ता भूतादींश्चानुपश्यति
By whom this one is born, acts, and perceives the elements and their origins.
तैजसानीन्द्रियाणि स्युर्देवा वैकारिका दश
The senses are said to be of the fiery type, and the ten gods are of the pure type.
भूततन्मात्रसर्गो ऽयं भूतादेरभवन् प्रजाः
This is the creation of the subtle elements; from the elements, beings came into existence.
आकाशं शुषिरं तस्मादुत्पन्नं शब्दलक्षणम्
From that arose space, which is hollow and characterized by sound.
वायुरुत्पद्यते तस्मात् तस्य स्पर्शो गुणो मतः
From that, wind was produced, whose quality is considered to be touch.
ज्योतिरुत्पद्यते वायोस्तद्रूपगुणमुच्यते
From wind arose fire, which is said to possess the quality of form.
संभवन्ति ततो ऽम्भांसि रसाधाराणि तानि तु
From that, waters arise, which are the reservoirs of taste.
संघातो जायते तस्मात् तस्य गन्धो गुणो मतः
From that, aggregation comes into being; its quality is considered to be scent.
द्विगुणस्तु ततो वायुः शब्दस्पर्शात्मको ऽभवत्
Then, the air, possessing two qualities, sound and touch, came into existence.
त्रिगुणः स्यात् ततो वह्निः स शब्दस्पर्शरूपवान्
Next, fire with three qualities—sound, touch, and form—arose.
तस्माच्चतुर्गुणा आपो विज्ञेयास्तु रसात्मिकाः
From that, water with four qualities, known as the essence of taste, is to be understood.
तसमात् पञ्चगुणा भूमिः स्थूला भूतेषु शब्द्यते
From that, earth with five qualities, gross among the elements, is spoken of.
परस्परानुप्रवेशाद् धारयन्ति परस्परम्
Through mutual interpenetration, they support one another.
नाशक्नुवन् प्रजाः स्त्रष्टुमसमागम्य कृत्स्नशः
Unable to create beings in their entirety without coming together,
महादादयो विशेषान्ता ह्मण्डमुत्पादयन्ति ते
From the great principle down to the particulars, they produce the cosmic egg.
विशेषेभ्यो ऽण्डमभवद् बृहत् तदुदकेशयम्
From the particulars, the great egg arose, vast and resting in the waters.
प्राकृते ऽण्डे विवृत्तः स क्षेत्रज्ञो ब्रह्मसंज्ञितः
Within the primordial egg, the knower of the field, called Brahma, manifested.
आदिकर्ता स भूतानां ब्रह्माग्रे समवर्तत
He, the prime creator of beings, first appeared as Brahma.