चतुष्पदानि सत्वानि एता गाश्चैव सौरभी। पुराणपुरुषश्चैव मायां विष्णुर्हरिः प्रभुः॥१.४०.
These four-footed creatures, and also the cows called Saurabhī, and the Primeval Person—Viṣṇu Hari, the Lord—created Māyā.
कथितस्तेनुपूर्वेण संस्तुतश्च महर्षिभिः। यश्चेदमग्र्यं शृणुयात्पुराणं सदा नरः पर्वसु चेत्पठेत॥१.४०.
He has been described previously and praised by great sages; whoever always listens to or recites this foremost Purāṇa at sacred times—
अवाप्य लोकं स हि वीतरागः परत्र च स्वर्गफलानि भुंक्ते। चक्षुषा मनसा वाचा कर्मणा च चतुर्विधम्॥१.४०.
Such a person, free from passion, attains the world and enjoys the fruits of heaven hereafter, by means of sight, mind, speech, and action—these fourfold means.
प्रसादयति यः कृष्णं तस्य कृष्णः प्रसीदति। राज्यं च लभते राजा निर्धनश्चोत्तमं धनम्॥१.४०.
Whoever pleases Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is pleased with him; the king gains a kingdom, and the poor man attains great wealth.
क्षीणायुर्लभते चायुः पुत्रकामोथ संततिम्। यज्ञार्थिनस्तथा कामांस्तपांसि विविधानि च॥१.४०.
One whose life is diminished gains longevity, one desiring a son obtains progeny, those seeking sacrifice attain their wishes, and various forms of austerity are also fulfilled.
यं यं कामयते कामं तं तं लोकेश्वराल्लभेत्। सर्वं विहाय य इमं पठेद्वै पौष्करं हरेः॥१.४०.
Whatever desire one longs for, that he obtains from the lords of the world; whoever recites this Pauṣkara of Hari, abandoning all else—
प्रादुर्भावं नरश्रेष्ठ न तस्य ह्यशुभं भवेत्। एष पौष्करकोनाम प्रादुर्भावो महात्मनः॥१.४०.
For him, O best of men, there is no misfortune at the time of manifestation; this is the manifestation called Pauṣkara of the great soul.
कीर्तितस्तु महाराज व्यासश्रुतिनिदर्शनात्। विष्णुत्वं शृणु मे विष्णोर्हरित्वं च कृतेयुगे॥१.४०.
It has been proclaimed, O great king, according to the tradition of Vyāsa; now hear from me about the Viṣṇuhood of Viṣṇu and his Haritva in the Kṛta age.
वैकुंठत्वं च देवेषु कृष्णत्वं मानुषेषु च। ईश्वरस्य हितस्यैषा कर्मणां गहना गतिः॥१.४०.
His Vaikuṇṭha status among the gods, his Kṛṣṇa status among men—such is the profound course of the deeds of the Lord, who acts for the welfare of all.
सांप्रतं भूतभव्यं च शृणु राजन्यथातथं। अव्यक्तो व्यक्तलिंगस्थो य एष भगवान्प्रभुः॥१.४०.
Now hear, O king, about the past, present, and future, just as they are; this Lord, unmanifest, abiding in a manifest form—
नारायणो ह्यनंतात्मा प्रभवाप्यय एव च। एष नारायणो भूत्वा हरिरासीत्सनातनः॥१.४०.
Nārāyaṇa, indeed of infinite nature, both origin and dissolution; this Nārāyaṇa, having become Hari, is the eternal one.
ब्रह्मा वायुश्च सोमश्च धर्मः शक्रो बृहस्पतिः। अदितेरपि पुत्रत्वमेत्यजः कुरुनंदन॥१.४०.
Brahmā, Vāyu, Soma, Dharma, Śakra, Bṛhaspati—he, though unborn, became the son of Aditi, O descendant of Kuru.
एष विष्णुरिति ख्यात इन्द्रस्यावरजो विभुः। प्रसादनं तस्यविभोरदित्याः पुत्रकारणम्॥१.४०.
He is known as Viṣṇu, the mighty younger brother of Indra; his favor toward Aditi was the reason for his becoming her son.
वधार्थं सुरशत्रूणां दैत्यदानवरक्षसाम्। ससर्जाथ सुरान्कल्पे ब्रह्माणं च प्रजापतीन्॥१.४०.
For the destruction of the enemies of the gods—the Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas—he then created the gods, Brahmā, and the lords of creatures at the beginning of the cycle.
असृजन्मानसांस्तत्र ब्रह्मवंशाननुत्तमान्। तेभ्योभवन्महात्मभ्यः परंब्रह्म सनातनम्॥१.४०.
There he created by mind those excellent ones of the Brahma lineage; from those great souls arose the supreme, eternal Brahman.
एतदाश्चर्यभूतस्य विष्णोः कर्मानुकीर्तितं। कीर्त्तनीयस्य लोकेषु कीर्त्यमानं निबोध मे॥१.४०.
Thus has the wondrous deed of Viṣṇu been recounted; listen to me as I narrate what is to be praised of him, renowned in the worlds.
वृत्ते वृत्रवधे भीष्म वर्तमाने कृतेयुगे। आसीत्त्रैलोक्यविख्यातः संग्रामस्तारकामयः॥१.४०.
During the era of righteousness, when the mighty Vṛtra was slain, there occurred the renowned battle of Tārakāmaya, famous throughout the three worlds.
यत्र ते दानवा घोराः सर्वे संग्रामदुर्जयाः। घ्नंति देवासुरान्सर्वान्सयक्षोरगराक्षसान्॥१.४०.
In that battle, the fierce Dānavas, unconquerable in war, struck down all the gods, asuras, yakṣas, serpents, and rākṣasas.
ते वध्यमाना विमुखाश्छिन्नप्रहरणा रणे। त्रातारं मनसा जग्मुर्देवं नारायणं प्रभुम्॥१.४०.
Assailed and routed, their weapons shattered in the fight, they turned in their minds to seek a protector—the Lord Nārāyaṇa, the divine master.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे मेघा निर्वाणांगारवर्चसः। सार्कचंद्रग्रहगणं च्छादयंतो नभस्तलम्॥१.४०.
Meanwhile, clouds, glowing with the radiance of extinguished embers, covered the sky, veiling the sun, moon, and all the planets.
चंडविद्युद्गणोपेता घोरनिर्ह्रादकारिणः। अन्योन्यवेगाभिहताः प्रववुः सप्तमारुताः॥१.४०.
Accompanied by fierce flashes of lightning and producing terrifying roars, the seven winds, clashing with one another, blew violently.
दीप्ततोयाः सनिर्घातैः सह वज्रानलानिलैः। रवैस्सुघोरैरुत्पातैर्दह्यमानमिवाम्बरम्॥१.४०.
Brilliant with water and thunder, together with lightning, fire, and wind, they made the sky seem as if it were burning, with dreadful sounds and omens.
पेतुरुल्कासहस्राणि निपेतुः खचराण्यपि। दैवानि च विमानानि प्रपतंत्युत्पतंति च॥१.४०.
Thousands of meteors fell, and celestial beings in the sky also descended; even the divine aerial vehicles dropped and soared erratically.
चतुर्युगांतसमये लोकानां यद्भयं भवेत्। अरूपवति रूपाणि तस्मिन्नुत्पातलक्षणे॥१.४०.
At that moment, signs appeared as they do at the end of the four ages—forms without form, and all the marks of disaster that bring terror to the worlds.
तस्माद्दुष्प्रथितं सर्वं न प्राज्ञायत किंचन। तिमिरौघपरिक्षिप्ता न रेजुश्च दिशो दश॥१.४०.
Therefore, nothing at all could be clearly seen; everything was obscured, enveloped in masses of darkness, and the ten directions did not shine.
विवेश रूपिणी काली कालमेघावगुंठिता। द्यौर्नभात्यभिभूतार्का घोरेण तमसा वृता॥१.४०.
Then Kālī, taking form, entered, shrouded in clouds of time; the sky, overpowered, the sun hidden, was covered in dreadful darkness.
तां घनौघां सतिमिरां दोर्भ्यामाछिद्य स प्रभुः। वपुः स्वं दर्शयामास दिव्यं कृष्णवपुर्हरिः॥१.४०.
That Lord, tearing apart those dense, dark clouds with his two arms, revealed his own divine form—Hari, dark as a rain-cloud.
बलाहकांजननिभं बलाहकतनूरुहम्। तेजसा वपुषा चैव कृष्णं कृष्णमिवाचलम्॥१.४०.
His body and hair resembled the hue of storm clouds, and in brilliance and form he was like a dark, immovable mountain.
दीप्तपीतांबरधरं तप्तकांचनभूषणम्। धूम्रांधकारवपुषं युगांताग्निमिवोत्थितम्॥१.४०.
He wore a shining yellow garment, adorned with ornaments of molten gold, his form dark as smoke and shadow, rising like the fire of dissolution.
वृत्तद्विगुणपीनां संकिरीटाच्छन्नमूर्धजम्। बभौ चामीकरप्रख्यैरायुधैरुपशोभितम्॥१.४०.
His arms were thick and rounded, his head covered by a splendid crown, and he shone with weapons that gleamed like gold.