तत्र कश्चोद्भवस्तुभ्यं केन वासि न योजितः कः स्रष्टा कश्च ते गोप्ता केन नाम्ना विधीयसे
Who is your origin, and by whom have you been appointed? Who is your creator, who is your protector, and by what name are you known?
एक इत्युच्यते लोकैर् अविचिन्त्यः सहस्रदृक् तत्संयोगेन भवतोः कर्म नामावगच्छताम्
He is called the One by the worlds, unfathomable, thousand-eyed; by his union, let the two of you understand your actions and names.
नावयोः परमं लोके किंचिदस्ति महामते आवाभ्यां छाद्यते विश्वं तमसा रजसाथ वै
O wise one, there is nothing supreme in this world beyond us; by us, the universe is veiled in darkness and passion.
रजस्तमोमयावावाम् ऋषीणाम् अवलङ्घितौ छाद्यमानौ धर्मशीलौ दुस्तरौ सर्वदेहिनाम्
We are composed of passion and darkness, surpassing the sages, righteous yet difficult to overcome for all embodied beings, even as we are concealed.
आवाभ्यामुह्यते लोको दुष्कराभ्यां युगे युगे आवामर्थश्च कामश्च यज्ञः स्वर्गपरिग्रहः
By us, the world is bewildered, for we are difficult to overcome in every age; we are the cause, desire, sacrifice, and the attainment of heaven.
सुखं यत्र मुदा युक्तं यत्र श्रीः कीर्तिरेव च येषां यत्काङ्क्षितं चैव तत्तदावां विचिन्तय
Where there is happiness joined with joy, where there is fortune and fame, whatever is desired by any, that we two contemplate.
यत्नाद् योगवतो दृष्ट्या योगः पूर्वं मयार्जितः तं समाधाय गुणवत् सत्त्वं चास्मि समाश्रितः
Through effort and yogic vision, I first attained union; establishing that, endowed with qualities, I have taken refuge in sattva.
यः परो योगमतिमान् योगाख्यः सत्त्वमेव च रजसस्तमसश्चैव यः स्रष्टा विश्वसंभवः
He who is supreme, endowed with yoga and wisdom, known as Yoga and Sattva, is the creator of passion and darkness, and the origin of the universe.
ततो भूतानि जायन्ते सात्त्विकानीतराणि च स एव हि युवां नांशे वशी देवो हनिष्यति
From him are born all beings, both sattvic and others; indeed, he, the lord, will subdue you both by a portion of himself.
स्वपन्नेव ततः श्रीमान् बहुयोजनविस्तृतम् बाहुं नारायणो ब्रह्मा कृतवानात्ममायया
Then, as he slept, the glorious Nārāyaṇa, by his own power, made Brahmā from his arm, vast as many leagues.
कृष्यमाणौ ततस्तस्य बाहुना बाहुशालिनः चेरतुस्तौ विगलितौ शकुनाविव पीवरौ
Then, as they were being drawn by the arm of that mighty one, the two, loosened, moved about like two fat birds.
ततस्तावाहतुर्गत्वा तदा देवं सनातनम् पद्मनाभं हृषीकेशं प्रणिपत्य स्थितावुभौ
Then both went to the eternal god, Padmanābha, Hṛṣīkeśa, and, bowing down, stood before him.
जानीवस्त्वां विश्वयोनिं त्वामेकं पुरुषोत्तमम् त्वमावां पाहि हेत्वर्थम् इदं नौ बुद्धिकारणम्
We know you as the source of the universe, the one supreme person; protect us both, for the sake of purpose—this is our reason for coming.
अमोघदर्शनः स त्वं यतस्त्वां विद्वः शाश्वतम् ततस्त्वामागतावावाम् अभितः प्रसमीक्षितुम्
You, whose vision never fails, are known as eternal; therefore, we have come here to behold you directly.
तदिच्छामो वरं देव त्वत्तो ऽद्भुतम् अरिंदम अमोघदर्शनो ऽसि त्वं नमस्ते समितिंजय
We desire a boon from you, O wondrous god, subduer of foes; you, whose vision never fails, we bow to you, conqueror in battle.
किमर्थं हि द्रुतं ब्रूतं वरं ह्यसुरसत्तमौ दत्तायुष्कौ पुनर्भूयो रहो जीवितुम् इच्छथः
Tell us quickly, for what purpose, O best of Asuras, have you, granted renewed life, again sought to live in secret?
यस्मिन्न कश्चिन्मृतवान् देव तस्मिन्प्रभो वधम् तमिच्छावो वधश्चैव त्वत्तो नो ऽस्तु महाव्रत
O Lord, in whose presence no one has died, we desire death from you, O Great Vowed One; let death come to us from you.
बाढं युवां तु प्रवरौ भविष्यत्कालसंभवे भविष्यतो न संदेहः सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि वाम्
So be it; you two shall indeed be foremost in the future, there is no doubt you will be; I speak this truth to you both.
वरं प्रदायाथ महासुराभ्यां सनातनो विश्ववरः सुरोत्तमः रजस्तमोवर्गभवायनौ यमौ ममन्थ तावूरुतलेन वै प्रभुः
Then, granting a boon to those two great asuras, the eternal, supreme god, the best of gods, churned them, Yama and Yamī, born of the qualities of passion and darkness, with his own thigh.
स्थित्वा च तस्मिन्कमले ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदां वरः ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्महातेजास् तपो घोरं समाश्रितः
There, seated upon that lotus, Brahmā, the foremost knower of Brahman, with arms raised, of great brilliance, undertook severe austerity.
प्रज्वलन्निव तेजोभिर् भाभिः स्वाभिस्तमोनुदः बभासे सर्वधर्मस्थः सहस्रांशुरिवांशुभिः
Blazing as if with his own radiance, dispelling darkness with his own rays, he shone, established in all dharmas, like the thousand-rayed sun with its beams.
अथान्यद्रूपमास्थाय शंभुर्नारायणो ऽव्ययः आजगाम महातेजा योगाचार्यो महायशाः
Then, assuming another form, Śambhu, Nārāyaṇa the imperishable, of great brilliance, the illustrious teacher of yoga, arrived.
सांख्याचार्यो हि मतिमान् कपिलो ब्राह्मणो वरः उभावपि महात्मानौ स्तुवन्तौ क्षेत्रतत्परौ
Kapila, the wise teacher of Sāṃkhya, the foremost of Brāhmaṇas, and both great souls, devoted to the field, praised him.
तौ प्राप्तावूचतुस्तत्र ब्रह्माणममितौजसम् परावरविशेषज्ञौ पूजितौ च महर्षिभिः
Those two, having arrived, spoke there to Brahmā of immeasurable energy, knowing the distinctions of the highest and lowest, and honored by the great sages.
ब्रह्मात्मदृढबन्धश्च विशालो जगदास्थितः ग्रामणीः सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्मा त्रैलोक्यपूजितः
Brahmā, firmly bound to the Self, vast, established in the world, the leader of all beings, is worshipped in the three worlds.
तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्माभ्याहृतयोगवित् त्रीनिमान् कृतवांल्लोकान् यथेयं ब्रह्मणः श्रुतिः
Hearing their words, Brahmā, knower of yoga, created these three worlds, as is declared in the Veda of Brahmā.
पुत्रं च शंभवे चैकं समुत्पादितवानृषिः तस्याग्रे वाग्यतस्तस्थौ ब्रह्मा तामसमव्ययम्
He also produced a son for Śambhu, a sage, and before him Brahmā stood silent, restraining his speech, in that unchanging darkness.
सोत्पन्नमात्रो ब्रह्माणम् उक्तवान्मानसः सुतः किं कुर्मस्तव साहाय्यं ब्रवीतु भगवानृषिः
As soon as he was born, the mind-born son spoke to Brahmā: 'What shall we do to assist you? Let the venerable sage declare it.'
य एष कपिलो ब्रह्म नारायणमयस्तथा वदते भवतस्तत्त्वं तत्कुरुष्व महामते
'This is Kapila, O Brahmā, and likewise composed of Nārāyaṇa; he speaks your true essence—O great-minded one, do that.'
ब्रह्मणस्तु तदर्थं तु तदा भूयः समुत्थितः शुश्रूषुरस्मि युवयोः किं करोमि कृताञ्जलिः
Then, for that purpose, Brahmā arose again and said, 'I am ready to serve you both; what shall I do?' with joined palms.