दानाध्ययनकर्माणि यज्ञादि च कथं प्रभो। एतदाप्ताय शिष्याय मह्यं भो वक्तुमर्हसि
Charity, study, actions, sacrifices and the like—how, O Lord, can these be attained? You ought to speak of this to me, your disciple.
व्यास उवाच-। दैत्यानां साहसादेव तपो भवति निश्चितम्। व्रतं यज्ञादिकं चैव संप्रीतिः स्वजनस्य च
Vyasa said: For Daityas, only through boldness does austerity certainly arise; vows, sacrifices, and such, as well as affection for their own people—
यो दांतो विगुणैर्मुक्तो नीतिशास्रार्थतत्त्वगः। एतैश्च विविधैः पूतः स भवेत्सुरलक्षणः
He who is restrained, freed from faults, and knows the essence of the science of ethics, purified by these various qualities, becomes marked as divine—
पुराणागमकर्माणि नाकेष्वत्र च वै द्विज। स्वयमाचरते पुण्यं स धरोद्धरणक्षमः
One who himself practices the deeds of the Puranas and Agamas, both in heaven and here, O twice-born, and who acts virtuously, is capable of uplifting the earth—
विशेषाद्वैष्णवं दृष्ट्वा प्रीयते पूजयेच्च यः। विमुक्तस्सर्वपापेभ्यस्स धरोद्धरणक्षमः
Especially, one who, seeing a Vaishnava, rejoices and worships him, is freed from all sins and is capable of uplifting the earth—
षट्कर्मनिरतो विप्रस्सर्वयज्ञरतस्सदा। धर्माख्यानप्रियो नित्यं स धरोद्धरणक्षमः
A Brahmin devoted to the six duties, always engaged in all sacrifices, who loves the narration of dharma, is capable of uplifting the earth—
विश्वासघातिनो ये च कृतघ्ना व्रतलोपिनः। द्विजदेवेषु विद्विष्टाः शातयंति धरां नराः
Those who betray trust, are ungrateful, break vows, hate the twice-born and gods, destroy the earth—
ये च मद्यरताः पापा द्यूतकर्मरतास्तथा। पाषंडपतितालापाः शातयंति धरां नराः
Those who delight in wine, sin, gambling, and in the company of heretics and fallen ones, destroy the earth—
सुकर्मरहिता ये च नित्योद्वेगाश्च निर्भयाः। स्मृतिशास्त्रार्थकोद्विग्नाश्शातयंति धरां नराः
Those devoid of good deeds, always troubled yet fearless, disturbed by the meaning of the scriptures, destroy the earth—
निजवृत्तिं परित्यज्य कुर्वंति चाधमां च ये। गुरुनिंदारता द्वेषाच्छातयंति धरां नराः
Those who abandon their own duties and perform base acts, who delight in reviling the teacher out of hatred, destroy the earth—
दातारं ये रोधयंति पातके प्रेरयंति च। दीनानाथान्पीडयंति शातयंति धरां नराः
Those who restrain the giver, incite him to sin, oppress the destitute and the helpless, and destroy the earth.
एते चान्ये च बहवः पापकर्मकृतो नराः। पुरुषान्पातयित्वा तु शातयंति धरां नराः
These and many other men who perform wicked deeds, after causing others to fall, devastate the earth.
य इदं शृणुयाद्रम्यं गुह्याद्गुह्यं परं हितम्। न तस्य दुर्गतिर्दुःखं दौर्भाग्यं दीनता भुवि
Whoever hears this delightful, most secret, supremely beneficial teaching, for him there is no misfortune, sorrow, ill luck, or poverty on earth.
न दैत्यादौ भवेज्जन्म स्वर्लोके शाश्वतं सुखम्। नाकाले मरणं तस्य न च पापैः प्रलिप्यते
He does not take birth among demons or others, nor does he attain eternal happiness in heaven; he does not die untimely, nor is he tainted by sins.
इह सर्वजनाध्यक्षस्त्रिदिवे त्रिदिवेश्वरः। कल्पंकल्पं दिवं भुक्त्वा मोक्षमार्गं व्रजत्यसौ
Here, he becomes the overseer of all people; in heaven, the lord of heaven; enjoying heaven for many ages, he proceeds on the path to liberation.
वैशंपायन उवाच- प्रभवत्ययमाकाशे नित्यं द्विजवर प्रभो। कोऽयं को वा प्रभावोस्य कुत्र जातो घृणीश्वरः
Vaiśampāyana said: This always shines in the sky, O best of twice-born, O lord. What is this, and whose radiance is it? Where was this compassionate lord born?
किं करोति हि कार्यं वै यतो रश्मिमयो भृशम्। देवैर्मुनिवरैस्सिद्धैश्चारणैर्दैत्यराक्षसैः
What action does he perform, and what is his task, since he is intensely composed of rays? By gods, eminent sages, siddhas, charanas, demons, and rākṣasas—
निखिलैर्मानुषैः पूज्यः सदैव ब्राह्मणादिभिः। व्यास उवाच-। परमं ब्रह्मणस्तेजो ब्रह्मदेहाद्विनिस्सृतम्
He is always worshipped by all humans, especially by Brahmins and others. Vyāsa said: The supreme brilliance of Brahman, emitted from the body of Brahma.
साक्षाद्ब्रह्ममयं विद्धि धर्मकामार्थमोक्षदम्। मयूखैर्निर्मलैः कूटमतिचंडं सुदुःसहम्
Know it as directly composed of Brahman, bestowing dharma, desire, wealth, and liberation, with pure rays, fierce and exceedingly unbearable.
दृष्ट्वा प्रदुद्रुवुर्लोकाः करैश्चंडैः प्रपीडिताः। ततश्च सागराः सर्वे वरनद्यो नदादयः
Seeing it, people fled, afflicted by its fierce rays; then all the oceans, great rivers, and other streams—
शुष्यंति जंतवस्तत्र म्रियंते चातुरा जनाः। अथ शक्रादयो देवा ब्रह्माणं समुपागताः
Creatures there dried up, and clever people died; then Indra and other gods approached Brahma.
इममर्थं तदा प्रोचुर्देवांश्च विधिरब्रवीत्। आदिर्ब्रह्मतनोर्देवाः सत्त्वगो जनकः प्रभुः
At that time, the gods spoke this matter, and the Creator replied: The gods are the origin from the body of Brahma, the lord, the generator of beings.
अयं रजोमयः साक्षात्सुधांशुस्तनुमध्यगः। एताभ्यां पालिता लोकास्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचराः
This one is composed of rajas, directly the nectar-rayed one, whose body is in the midst; by these two, the worlds are protected, all moving and unmoving beings in the three worlds.
दिव्योपपादका देवा ये वात्रैव जरायुजाः। अंडजाः स्वेदजाश्चैव ये वात्रैवोद्भिज्जादयः
The gods born by divine means, and those born here from wombs, eggs, sweat, and sprouting—
सूर्यस्यास्य प्रभावं तु वक्तुमेव न शक्नुमः। अनेन रक्षिता लोका जनिताः पालिता ध्रुवम्
We are unable to describe the power of this sun; by him, the worlds are protected, generated, and certainly sustained.
अस्यैव सदृशो नास्ति सर्वेषां परिरक्षणात्। यं च दृष्ट्वाप्युषःकाले पापराशिः प्रलीयते
There is none equal to him in protecting all; even seeing him at dawn, heaps of sin are dissolved.
तमाराध्य जना मोक्षं साधयंति द्विजातयः। संध्योपासनकाले तु विप्रा ब्रह्मविदः किल
By worshipping him, people attain liberation; indeed, Brahmin-knowers worship at the time of the twilight ritual.
उद्बाहवो भवंत्येव ते च देवप्रपूजिताः। अस्यैव मंडलस्थां च देवीं संध्यास्वरूपिणीं
They raise their arms, and are worshipped by the gods; and the goddess, who is the form of twilight, is established in his circle.
समुपास्य द्विजास्सर्वे लभंते स्वर्गमोक्षकौ। धरायां पतितोच्छिष्टाः पूतास्ते चास्य रश्मिभिः
All the twice-born who worship attain both heaven and liberation; even those fallen or impure upon the earth are purified by his rays.
संध्योपासनमात्रेण कल्मषात्पूततां व्रजेत्। दृष्ट्वा चांडालकं गोघ्नं पतितं कुष्ठसंगतम्
By merely performing the worship at twilight, one becomes purified from sin, even after seeing an outcaste, a cow-killer, one fallen, or one afflicted with leprosy.