क्षोभयामास योगेन परेण परमेश्वरः प्रधानं पुरुषं चैव प्रविश्य स महेश्वरः
The supreme Lord, by supreme yoga, stirred Pradhāna and Puruṣa, and entering them, he became Maheśvara.
महेश्वरात्त्रयो देवा जज्ञिरे जगदीश्वरात् शाश्वताः परमा गुह्यः सर्वात्मानः शरीरिणः
From Maheśvara, the Lord of the world, three gods were born, eternal, supreme, mysterious, embodying all beings.
एत एव त्रयो देवा एत एव त्रयो गुणाः एत एव त्रयो लोका एत एव त्रयो ऽग्नयः
These three gods are the same as the three qualities, the same as the three worlds, and the same as the three fires.
परस्पराश्रिता ह्येते परस्परमनुव्रताः परस्परेण वर्तन्ते धारयन्ति परस्परम्
These are mutually dependent, devoted to one another, interacting with each other, and sustaining each other.
अन्योन्यमिथुना ह्येते अन्योन्यमुपजीविनः क्षणं वियोगो न ह्येषां न त्यजन्ति परस्परम्
These are paired with each other, mutually supporting, never separated even for a moment, and never abandon one another.
ईश्वरस्तु परो देवो विष्णुश् च महतः परः ब्रह्मा च रजसा युक्तः सर्गादौ हि प्रवर्तते
The supreme Lord is the highest god, and Viṣṇu is beyond the great, while Brahmā, endowed with passion, acts at the beginning of creation.
परः स पुरुषो ज्ञेयः प्रकृतिः सा परा स्मृता
That supreme is known as Puruṣa, and Prakṛti is remembered as supreme.
अधिष्ठिता सा हि महेश्वरेण प्रवर्तते चोद्यमने समन्तात् अनुप्रवृत्तस्तु महांस्तदेनां चिरस्थिरत्वाद् विषयं श्रियः स्वयम्
She is governed by Maheśvara and acts when stirred in every way; the great one, entering her, remains for a long time, and she herself becomes the domain of prosperity.
प्रधानगुणवैषम्यात् सर्गकालः प्रवर्तते ईश्वराधिष्ठितात्पूर्वं तस्मात्सदसदात्मकात्
Due to the inequality of Pradhāna's qualities, the time of creation begins; before being governed by Īśvara, it is of the nature of both existence and non-existence.
संसिद्धः कार्यकरणे रुद्रश्चाग्रे ह्यवर्तत तेजसाप्रतिमो धीमान् अव्यक्तः सम्प्रकाशकः
Rudra, accomplished in cause and effect, appeared first, unmatched in brilliance and wisdom, unmanifest yet illuminating.
स वै शरीरी प्रथमः स वै पुरुष उच्यते ब्रह्मा च भगवांस्तस्माच् चतुर्वक्त्रः प्रजापतिः
He who possesses a body is the first; he is called the Person. From him, the blessed Brahmā, the four-faced Lord of creatures, arises.
संसिद्धः कार्यकारणे तथा वै समवर्तत एक एव महादेवस् त्रिधैवं स व्यवस्थितः
Perfected in both cause and effect, thus he manifested. The great god alone, established in threefold form, abides thus.
अप्रतीपेन ज्ञानेन ऐश्वर्येण समन्वितः धर्मेण चाप्रतीपेन वैराग्येण च ते ऽन्विताः
Endowed with incomparable knowledge, sovereignty, righteousness, and detachment, they are possessed of these qualities without equal.
अव्यक्ताज्जायते तेषां मनसा यद्यदीहितम् वशीकृतत्वात्त्रैगुण्यं सापेक्षत्वात्स्वभावतः
From the unmanifest arises, through their mind, whatever is desired; because of mastery over the three qualities and their inherent dependence.
चतुर्मुखस्तु ब्रह्मत्वे कालत्वे चान्तकः स्मृतः सहस्रमूर्धा पुरुषस् तिस्रो ऽवस्थाः स्वयंभुवः
Brahmā with four faces is known as the creator; as Time, he is called the ender. The thousand-headed Person, the self-born, exists in three states.
ब्रह्मत्वे सृजते लोकान् कालत्वे संक्षिपत्यपि पुरुषत्वे ह्युदासीनस् तिस्रो ऽवस्थाः प्रजापतेः
As Brahmā, he creates worlds; as Time, he withdraws them; as the Person, he remains indifferent—these are the three states of the Lord of creatures.
ब्रह्मा कमलगर्भाभो रुद्रः कालाग्निसन्निभः पुरुषः पुण्डरीकाक्षो रूपं तत्परमात्मनः
Brahmā resembles the one born from the lotus; Rudra is like the fire of time; the Person, with lotus-like eyes, is the form of the supreme self.
एकधा स द्विधा चैव त्रिधा च बहुधा पुनः महेश्वरः शरीराणि करोति विकरोति च
Being one, then twofold, then threefold, and again manifold, Maheśvara creates and transforms bodies.
नानाकृतिक्रियारूपनामवन्ति स्वलीलया महेश्वरः शरीराणि करोति विकरोति च
With various forms, actions, appearances, and names, by his own play, Maheśvara creates and transforms bodies.
त्रिधा यद्वर्तते लोके तस्मात्त्रिगुण उच्यते चतुर्धा प्रविभक्तत्वाच् चतुर्व्यूहः प्रकीर्तितः
Because he exists in threefold manner in the world, he is called threefold in quality; being divided into four, he is known as the fourfold emanation.
यदाप्नोति यदादत्ते यच्चात्ति विषयानयम् यच्चास्य सततं भावस् तस्मादात्मा निरुच्यते
Whatever he attains, whatever he takes, whatever objects he enjoys, and whatever his constant state is—therefore, he is called the self.
ऋषिः सर्वगतत्वाच्च शरीरी सो ऽस्य यत्प्रभुः स्वामित्वमस्य यत्सर्वं विष्णुः सर्वप्रवेशनात्
He is called seer because he is all-pervading; embodied, he is the lord of that; because he is the master of all, he is Viṣṇu, as he enters all.
भगवान् भगवद्भावान् निर्मलत्वाच्छिवः स्मृतः परमः सम्प्रकृष्टत्वाद् अवनाद् ओमिति स्मृतः
He is called Bhagavān because he possesses divine qualities; pure, he is remembered as Śiva; supreme, because he is most exalted; protector, he is remembered as Om.
सर्वज्ञः सर्वविज्ञानात् सर्वः सर्वमयो यतः त्रिधा विभज्य चात्मानं त्रैलोक्यं सम्प्रवर्तते
He is all-knowing because of all knowledge; he is all because he pervades all; dividing himself threefold, he sets the three worlds in motion.
सृजते ग्रसते चैव रक्षते च त्रिभिः स्वयम् आदित्वाद् आदिदेवो ऽसाव् अजातत्वाद् अजः स्मृतः
He himself creates, devours, and protects with the three; being the first, he is called the original god; being unborn, he is remembered as the unborn.
पाति यस्मात्प्रजाः सर्वाः प्रजापतिर् इति स्मृतः देवेषु च महान्देवो महादेवस्ततः स्मृतः
Because he protects all beings, he is called the Lord of creatures; among the gods, the great god is therefore remembered as Mahādeva.
सर्वगत्वाच्च देवानाम् अवश्यत्वाच्च ईश्वरः बृहत्त्वाच्च स्मृतो ब्रह्मा भूतत्वाद्भूत उच्यते
Because he pervades all and is the lord of the gods, he is called Īśvara; because he is vast, he is remembered as Brahmā; because he is being, he is called Bhūta.
क्षेत्रज्ञः क्षेत्रविज्ञानाद् एकत्वात्केवलः स्मृतः यस्मात्पुर्यां स शेते च तस्मात्पूरुष उच्यते
He is the knower of the field because of knowledge of the field; being one, he is remembered as the sole one; because he lies in the city (body), he is called Puruṣa.
अनादित्वाच्च पूर्वत्वात् स्वयंभूरिति संस्मृतः याज्यत्वादुच्यते यज्ञः कविर् विक्रान्तदर्शनात्
Because he is without beginning and existed before all, he is remembered as the Self-born; because he is to be worshipped, he is called the Sacrifice; he is the Seer, and is known for his mighty vision.
क्रमणः क्रमणीयत्वात् पालकश्चापि पालनात् आदित्यसंज्ञः कपिलो ह्य् अग्रजो ऽग्निरिति स्मृतः
He is called the Stepper because of his movement, and the Protector because he preserves; he is known as Āditya, Kapila, the Eldest, and is remembered as Agni.