यो दद्यात्तद्व्यतीपाते पीतोर्णायुगसंयुतम् राजसूयसहस्रस्य फलमाप्नोति मानवः हेमधेन्वा युतं तच्च ब्रह्मलोकफलप्रदम्
Whoever gives that Purāṇa at the time of its recitation, together with a woolen garment, obtains the fruit of a thousand Rājasūya sacrifices, along with a golden cow, and gains the reward of Brahmā's world.
चतुर्लक्षमिदं प्रोक्तं व्यासेनाद्भुतकर्मणा मत्पितुर्मम पित्रा च मया तुभ्यं निवेदितम्
This four hundred thousand-verse work was composed by Vyāsa, the wondrous sage, and was communicated to you by my father, my grandfather, and myself.
इह लोकहितार्थाय संक्षिप्तं परमर्षिणा इदमद्यापि देवेषु शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम्
For the welfare of the world, this has been briefly presented by the supreme sage; yet even now, among the gods, it extends to a hundred billion verses.
उपभेदान्प्रवक्ष्यामि लोके ये सम्प्रतिष्ठिताः पाद्मे पुराणे यत्रोक्तं नरसिंहोपवर्णनम् तच्चाष्टादशसाहस्रं नारसिंहमिहोच्यते
I will now describe the subdivisions that are established in the world: in the Padma Purāṇa, where the account of Narasiṃha is told, that Narasiṃha Purāṇa is here said to be eighteen thousand verses.
नन्दाया यत्र माहात्म्यं कार्त्तिकेयेन वर्ण्यते नन्दीपुराणं तल्लोकैर् आख्यातमिति कीर्त्यते
Where the greatness of Nandā is described by Kārttikeya, that is called the Nandī Purāṇa, as it is known among people.
यत्र साम्बं पुरस्कृत्य भविष्यति कथानकम् प्रोच्यते तत्पुनर्लोके साम्बमेतन्मुनिव्रताः
Where, with Sāmba as the focus, a narrative is told, that too is known in the world as the Sāmba Purāṇa, as declared by sages.
पुरातनस्य कल्पस्य पुराणानि विदुर्बुधाः धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुराणानामनुक्रमम् एवमादित्यसंज्ञा च तत्रैव परिगद्यते
The wise know the Purāṇas of the ancient kalpa; the sequence of the Purāṇas brings prosperity, fame, and longevity. There, the name Āditya is also mentioned.
अष्टादशभ्यस्तु पृथक् पुराणं यत्प्रदिश्यते विजानीध्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठास् तदेतेभ्यो विनिर्गतम्
Whatever Purāṇa is indicated as distinct from the eighteen, know, O best of twice-born, that it has arisen from these.
पञ्चाङ्गानि पुराणेषु आख्यानकमिति स्मृतम् सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च वंश्यानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम्
The five features in the Purāṇas are remembered as narrative, creation, dissolution, genealogy, the cycles of Manus, and the deeds of descendants—these are the five marks of a Purāṇa.
ब्रह्मविष्ण्वर्करुद्राणां माहात्म्यं भुवनस्य च ससंहारप्रदानां च पुराणे पञ्चवर्णके
The greatness of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, the Sun, Rudra, and of the world, along with dissolution and gifts, is described in the fivefold Purāṇa.
धर्मश्चार्थश्च कामश्च मोक्षश्चैवात्र कीर्त्यते सर्वेष्वपि पुराणेषु तद्विरुद्धं च यत्फलम्
Dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa are all mentioned here in every Purāṇa, as well as the results opposed to them.
सात्त्विकेषु पुराणेषु माहात्म्यमधिकं हरेः राजसेषु च माहात्म्यम् अधिकं ब्रह्मणो विदुः
In the Sāttvika Purāṇas, the greatness of Hari is predominant; in the Rājasa Purāṇas, the greatness of Brahmā is known to be foremost.
तद्वदग्नेश्च माहात्म्यं तामसेषु शिवस्य च संकीर्णेषु सरस्वत्याः पितॄणां च निगद्यते
Likewise, the greatness of Agni is told, and in the Tāmasa Purāṇas, that of Śiva; in the mixed Purāṇas, the greatness of Sarasvatī and the ancestors is recounted.
अष्टादश पुराणानि कृत्वा सत्यवतीसुतः भारताख्यानमखिलं चक्रे तदुपबृंहितम् लक्षेणैकेन यत्प्रोक्तं वेदार्थपरिबृंहितम्
Having composed the eighteen Purāṇas, the son of Satyavatī created the entire narrative called Bhārata, which was expanded by one hundred thousand verses, enriched with the meaning of the Vedas.
वाल्मीकिना तु यत्प्रोक्तं रामोपाख्यानमुत्तमम् ब्रह्मणाभिहितं यच्च शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम्
That supreme tale of Rāma, as spoken by Vālmīki and declared by Brahmā, which extends to a hundred crores in detail—
आहृत्य नारदायैवं तेन वाल्मीकये पुनः वाल्मीकिना च लोकेषु धर्मकामार्थसाधनम् एवं सपादाः पञ्चैते लक्षा मर्त्ये प्रकीर्तिताः
Having gathered it thus for Nārada, and again for Vālmīki, and by Vālmīki in the world as a means to dharma, desire, and wealth, thus these five and a quarter lakṣas are proclaimed among mortals.
पुरातनस्य कल्पस्य पुराणानि विदुर्बुधाः धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुराणानामनुक्रमम् यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स याति परमां गतिम्
The wise know the Purāṇas as belonging to the ancient cycle; blessed, renowned, and life-giving is the sequence of the Purāṇas. Whoever recites or hears it attains the highest state.
इदं पवित्रं यशसो निधानम् इदं पितॄणामतिवल्लभं च इदं च देवेष्व् अमृतायितं च नित्यं त्विदं पापहरं च पुंसाम्
This is pure, a treasure of fame, greatly beloved by the ancestors, and among the gods it is like immortality; indeed, this ever removes the sins of men.
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि दानधर्मानशेषतः व्रतोपवाससंयुक्तान् यथामत्स्योदितानिह
Now I shall declare in full the duties of charity, together with vows and fasts, as set forth here in the Matsya.
महादेवस्य संवादे नारदस्य च धीमतः यथावृत्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्मकामार्थसाधकम्
In the dialogue of the great-minded Nārada and Mahādeva, I shall recount as it happened, that which accomplishes dharma, desire, and wealth.
कैलासशिखरासीनम् अपृच्छन्नारदः पुरा विनयनमनङ्गारिम् अनङ्गाङ्गहरं हरम्
Once, Nārada, with humility and without pride, questioned Hara, the destroyer of Kāma and his own limbs, as he sat upon the summit of Kailāsa.
भगवन्देवदेवेश ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रनायक श्रीमदारोग्यरूपायुर् भाग्यसौभाग्यसम्पदा संयुक्तस्तव विष्णोर्वा पुमान्भक्तः कथं भवेत्
O Lord, God of gods, leader of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Indra, endowed with auspiciousness, health, beauty, long life, fortune, and prosperity—how does a man become a devotee of you or Viṣṇu?
नारी वा विधवा सर्वगुणसौभाग्यसंयुता क्रमान्मुक्तिप्रदं देव किंचिद्व्रतमिहोच्यताम्
Or how does a woman, even if widowed but endowed with all virtues and good fortune, gradually attain liberation? O God, declare here any vow for that.
सम्यक्पृष्टं त्वया ब्रह्मन् सर्वलोकहितावहम् श्रुतमप्यत्र यच्छान्त्यै तद्व्रतं शृणु नारद
You have asked well, O Brāhmaṇa, for the welfare of all worlds. That vow which is heard here for peace—listen to it, O Nārada.
नक्षत्रपुरुषं नाम व्रतं नारायणात्मकम् पादादि कुर्याद्विधिवद् विष्णुनामानुकीर्तनम्
The vow called Nakṣatrapuruṣa, of the nature of Nārāyaṇa, should be performed from the feet upwards, in due order, with the recitation of Viṣṇu's names.
प्रतिमां वासुदेवस्य मूलर्क्षादिषु चार्चयेत् चैत्रमासं समासाद्य कृत्वा ब्राह्मणवाचनम्
One should worship the image of Vāsudeva at the beginning of the lunar mansions, having entered the month of Caitra, after arranging for a Brāhmaṇa to recite.
मूले नमो विश्वधराय पादौ गुल्फावनन्ताय च रोहिणीषु जङ्घे ऽभिपूज्ये वरदाय चैव द्वे जानुनी वाश्विकुमारऋक्षे
At Mūla, one should bow to Viśvadhara at the feet, to Gulphāvananta at the ankles; at Rohiṇī, the shanks are to be worshipped as Varada; at the two Jānu, or at Aśvikuṃāra, the knees.
पूर्वोत्तराषाढयुगे तथोरू नमः शिवायेत्यभिपूजनीयौ पूर्वोत्तराफल्गुनियुग्मके च मेढ्रं नमः पञ्चशराय पूज्यम्
At the conjunction of Pūrvā and Uttarāṣāḍhā, the thighs are to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Śiva'; at the pair of Pūrvā and Uttarā Phalgunī, the loins are to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Pañcaśara.'
कटिं नमः शार्ङ्गधराय विष्णोः सम्पूजयेन्नारद कृत्तिकासु तथार्चयेद्भाद्रपदाद्वये च पार्श्वे नमः केशिनिषूदनाय
The waist is to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Śārṅgadhara Viṣṇu,' O Nārada; at Kṛttikā, likewise, and at the two Bhādrapadas, the sides are to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Keśiniṣūdana.'
कुक्षिद्वयं नारद रेवतीषु दामोदरायेत्यभिपूजनीयम् ऋक्षे ऽनुराधासु च माधवाय नमस्तथोरःस्थलमेव पूज्यम्
The two flanks, O Nārada, are to be worshipped at Revati with 'Obeisance to Dāmodara'; at Anurādhā, the chest is to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Mādhava.'