मात्स्यं च गारुडं तद्वद्ब्रह्माण्डाख्यमिति त्रिषट्
The Mātsya, Gāruḍa, and likewise the Brahmāṇḍa—these are eighteen.
प्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन निशामय समाहितः
I shall declare them to you in brief; listen attentively.
व्यासेन वेदविदुषा समाख्यातं महात्मना
They were recounted by Vyāsa, the great soul, knower of the Vedas.
नानाख्यानेतिहासाढ्यं दशसाहस्रमुच्यते
It is said to be ten thousand verses, filled with various narratives and histories.
प्रजापतीनां च तथा दक्षादीनां मुनीश्वर
And likewise, O best of sages, the lineages of the Prajapatis, including Daksha and others.
वंशानुकीर्तनं पुण्यं महापातकनाशनम्
The recounting of these dynasties is meritorious and destroys even great sins.
श्रीमतो रामचन्द्रस्य चतुर्व्यूहावतारिणः
Of the illustrious Ramachandra, the incarnation of the fourfold manifestation,
कृष्णस्य जगदीशस्य चरितं कल्मषापहम्
And of Krishna, Lord of the universe, the account that removes all impurity.
वर्णनं यत्र पातालस्वर्गाणां च प्रदृश्यते
Therein is described the appearance of the realms of Patala and Svarga.
पार्वत्याश्च तथा जन्म विवाहश्च निगद्यते
And likewise, the birth and marriage of Parvati are narrated.
पूर्वभागो ऽयमुदितः पुराणस्यास्य नारद
This, O Narada, is the first part of this Purana as declared.
विस्तरेण समाख्यातं तीर्थयात्राविधानतः
The procedures of pilgrimage have been explained in detail.
वर्णनं यमलोकस्य पितृश्राद्धविधिस्तथा
There is a description of Yama's realm and the rites of ancestral offerings as well.
विष्णुधर्मयुगाख्यानं प्रलयस्य च वर्णनम्
The account of the age of Vishnu's law and the description of dissolution.
ब्रह्मवादसमुद्देशः पुराणस्य प्रशंसनम्
The section on the doctrine of Brahman and the praise of this Purana.
वर्णितं सर्वपापघ्नं सर्वसौख्यप्रदायकम्
All this has been described, which destroys all sins and bestows every happiness.
लिखित्वेतत्पुराणं यो वैशाख्यां हेमसंयुतम्
Whoever writes this Purana, adorned with gold, in the month of Vaishakha,
पौराणिकाय संपूज्य वस्त्रभोज्यविभूषणैः
And respectfully offers it to a reciter of Puranas, with garments, food, and ornaments,
यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि ब्राह्मानुक्रमणीं द्विज
Or whoever, O twice-born, reads or listens to the Brahmanical sequence,
शृणोति यः पुराणं तु ब्रह्मं सर्वं जितेन्द्रियः
Whoever listens to this Purana, having mastered his senses, attains all of Brahman.
तत्सर्वं लभते वत्स पुराणस्यास्य कीर्तनात्
All that, my child, is obtained by the recitation of this Purana.
महत्पुण्यप्रदं नॄणां शृण्वतां पठतां मुदा
It bestows great merit upon people who listen or read with joy.
तथेदं पञ्चभिः खण्डैरुदितं पापनाशनम्
Thus, this has been declared in five sections as a destroyer of sin.
नानाख्यानेतिहासाद्यैर्यत्रोक्तो धर्मविस्तरः
Here, the detailed exposition of dharma is given through various stories, legends, and histories.
ब्रह्मयज्ञविधानं च वेदपाठादिलक्षणम्
Also, the procedure for the Brahma-yajña is described, characterized by Vedic recitation and the like.
विवाहः शैलजायाश्चतारकाख्यानकं महत्
The marriage of the daughter of the mountain, and the great tale called Tārakā.
कालकेयादिदैत्यानां वधो यत्र पृथक्पृथक्
The separate slaying of the Daityas such as Kālakeya is narrated here.
तत्सृष्टिखण्डमुद्दिष्टं व्यासेन सुमहात्मना
This section on creation has been set forth by Vyāsa, the great-souled sage.
सुव्रतस्य कथा पश्चाद्वृत्रस्य च वधस्तथा
After that, the story of Suvrata and likewise the slaying of Vṛtra.
सुकलाख्यानकं चैव धर्माख्यानं ततः परम्
Then, the tale of Sukalā and, further, the narration of dharma.