अवतीर्णो महाप्राज्ञो वचनात्तस्य चक्रिणः । ऐंद्रं पदं हि यो भुंक्ते विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादतः
The great sage descended there by the command of the wielder of the discus; he enjoyed the station of Indra by the grace of Vishnu.
वसुदत्तेति विख्यातः सर्वदेवैर्नमस्कृतः । ऐंद्रं पदं हि यो भुंक्ते सांप्रतं वासवो दिवि
Known as Vasudatta, honored by all the gods, he now enjoys the station of Indra—he is presently the lord of the gods in heaven.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं सृष्टिसंबंधकारणम् । अन्यदेवं प्रवक्ष्यामि यदेव परिपृच्छसि
All this has been told to you—the reason for the connection with creation; now I will tell you further, whatever else you ask.
व्यास उवाच- धर्माङ्गदो महाप्राज्ञो रुक्माङ्गदसुतो बली । आद्ये कृतयुगे जातः सृष्टिकाले स वासवः
Vyasa said: Dharmāngada, the wise and mighty son of Rukmāngada, was born at the beginning of the Krita Yuga, at the time of creation, as Indra.
तत्कथं देवदेवेश अन्यो धर्माङ्गदो भुवि । अन्यो रुक्मांङ्गदो राजा किं चायं त्रिदशाधिपः
How is it, O Lord of gods, that one Dharmāngada was on earth, another was King Rukmāngada, and this one is now the lord of the gods?
एतन्मे संशयं जातं तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति । ब्रह्मोवाच- हंत ते कथयिष्यामि सर्वसंदेहनाशनम्
This doubt has arisen in me; you should explain it. Brahma said: Listen, I will tell you, dispelling all your doubts.
देवस्य लीलासृष्ट्यर्थे वर्तते द्विजसत्तम । यथा वाराश्च पक्षाश्च मासाश्च ऋतवो यथा
O best of twice-born, all exists for the sake of the divine play of the Lord, just as days, fortnights, months, and seasons exist.
संवत्सराश्च मनवस्तथा यांति युगाः पुनः । पश्चात्कल्पः समायाति व्रजाम्येवं जनार्दनम्
Years, Manus, and again the ages pass in this way; afterwards, the kalpa arrives, and thus I go to Janardana.
अहमेव महाप्राज्ञ मयि यांति चराचराः । पुनः सृजति योगात्मा पूर्ववद्विश्वमेव हि
I alone, O greatly wise one, am the one into whom all moving and unmoving beings enter; again, the yogic Self creates the universe just as before.
पुनरहं पुनर्वेदाः पुनस्ते देवता द्विजाः । तथा भूपाश्च ते सर्वे स्वचरित्रसमाविलाः
Again, I am, again the Vedas, again you gods and twice-born; likewise, all those kings, each endowed with their own nature.
प्रभवंति महाभाग विद्वांस्तत्र न मुह्यति । पूर्वकल्पे महाभागो यथा रुक्मांगदो नृपः
They arise, O greatly fortunate one; the wise are not deluded there. In the previous kalpa, O greatly fortunate, just as King Rukmangada.
तथा धर्मांगदश्चायं संजातः ख्यातिमान्द्विजः । रामादयो महाप्राज्ञा ययातिर्नहुषस्तथा
So too, this Dharmangada, renowned among twice-born, is born; Rama and others, greatly wise, as well as Yayati and Nahusha.
मन्वादयो महात्मानः प्रभवंति लयंति च । ऐंद्रं पदं प्रभुंजंति राजानो धर्मतत्पराः
The great-souled Manus and others arise and pass away; kings devoted to righteousness enjoy the station of Indra.
यथा धर्मांगदो वीरः प्रभुंजति महत्पदम् । एवं वेदाश्च देवाश्च पुराणाः स्मृतिपूर्वकाः
Just as the heroic Dharmangada attains the great station, so too the Vedas, gods, and ancient traditions, preceded by memory.
एतत्तु सर्वमाख्यातं तवाग्रे द्विजसत्तम । चरितं सुव्रतस्याथ पुण्यं सुगतिदायकम्
All this has been told to you, O best of twice-born, the virtuous deeds of the noble one, which bestow blessedness.
अव्यक्तं तु महाभाग प्रब्रवीमि तवाग्रतः
But now, O greatly fortunate, I will declare to you the unmanifest.
ऋषय ऊचुः- विचित्रेयं कथा पुण्या धन्या यशोविधायिनी । सर्वपापहरा प्रोक्ता भवता वदतां वर
The sages said: This tale is wondrous, holy, blessed, and brings fame; it has been spoken by you, best of speakers, as a destroyer of all sins.
सृष्टिसंबंधमेतन्नस्तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति । पूर्वमेव यथासृष्टिर्विस्तरात्सूतनंदन
This account of creation—may you be pleased to tell us, O son of Suta, how the creation took place in detail, as before.
सूत उवाच- विस्तरेण प्रवक्ष्यामि सृष्टिसंहारकारणम् । श्रुतमात्रेण यस्यापि नरः सर्वज्ञतां व्रजेत्
Suta said: I will explain in detail the cause of creation and dissolution; by merely hearing it, a person attains all-knowingness.
हिरण्यकश्यपेनापि व्यापितं भुवनत्रयम् । तपसाराध्य प्रबह्माणं वरं प्राप्तं सुदुर्लभम्
Even Hiraṇyakaśipu, by his austerity, worshipped the great Brahmā and obtained a boon most difficult to attain, and spread his power over the three worlds.
तस्माद्देवान्महाभागादमरत्वं तथैव च । देवाँल्लोकान्स संव्याप्य प्रभुत्वं स्वयमर्जितम्
Therefore, O greatly fortunate, he gained immortality from the gods; having pervaded the worlds of the gods, he himself acquired lordship.
ततो देवाः सगंधर्वा मुनयो वेदपारगाः । नागाश्च किन्नराः सिद्धा यक्षाश्चैव तथापरे
Then the gods, along with the Gandharvas, sages versed in the Vedas, Nāgas, Kinnaras, Siddhas, Yakṣas, and others,
ब्रह्माणं तु पुरस्कृत्य जग्मुर्नारायणं प्रभुम् । क्षीरसागरसंसुप्तं योगनिद्रां गतं प्रभुम्
Taking Brahmā at their head, went to the Lord Nārāyaṇa, who was lying in yogic sleep upon the ocean of milk.
तं संबोध्य महास्तोत्रैर्देवाः प्रांजलयस्तथा । संबुद्धे सति देवेशे वृत्तं तस्य दुरात्मनः
Awakening him with great hymns, the gods, with joined palms—when the Lord of the gods was awakened, they related the deeds of that evil-minded one.
आचचक्षुर्महाप्राज्ञ समाकर्ण्य जगत्पतिः । नृसिंहरूपमास्थाय हिरण्यकशिपुं व्यहन्
Having listened, the Lord of the world, wise and learned, assumed the form of Narasimha and slew Hiranyakashipu.
पुनर्वाराहरूपेण हिरण्याक्षो महाबलः । उद्धृता वसुधा पुण्या असुरो घातितस्तदा
Again, in the form of Varaha, the mighty Hiranyaksha lifted up the blessed earth, and that asura was then killed.
अन्यांश्चघातयामास दानवान्घोरदर्शनान् । एवं चैतेषु नष्टेषु दानवेषु महत्सु च
He also destroyed other danavas, fierce in appearance; thus, when these great danavas were annihilated,
अन्येषु तेषु नष्टेषु दितिपुत्रेषु वै तदा । पुनः स्थानेषु प्राप्तेषु देवेषु च महत्सु च
When those sons of Diti were destroyed, and the gods and great beings were restored to their places,
यज्ञेष्वेव प्रवृत्तेषु सर्वेषु धर्मकर्मसु । सुस्थेषु सर्वलोकेषु सा दितिर्दुःखपीडिता
When sacrifices and all righteous acts were underway, and all worlds were well-established, Diti was afflicted with sorrow.
पुत्रशोकेन संतप्ता हाहाभूता विचेतना । भर्तारं सूर्यसंकाशं तपस्तेजः समन्वितम्
Tormented by grief for her sons, distraught and bewildered, she approached her husband, radiant as the sun, endowed with ascetic power.