ॐ श्रीविष्णवे नमः । ॐ श्रीवेदव्यासाय नमः । ॐ नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्
Om, obeisance to Shri Vishnu! Om, obeisance to Shri Vedavyasa! Having bowed to Narayana, and also to the best of men, to the goddess Sarasvati and Vyasa, then one should utter victory.
अज्ञानतिमिरांधस्य ज्ञानांजनशलाकया । चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः
Obeisance to the revered Guru, by whom my eyes, blinded by the darkness of ignorance, have been opened with the stick of knowledge-anointment.
ऋषय ऊचुः -। श्रुतं पातालखंडं च त्वयाख्यातं विदांवर । नानाख्यानसमायुक्तं परमानंददायकम्
The sages said: We have heard the Patalakhanda, which you have narrated, O best of the wise, filled with various stories, giving supreme joy.
अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामो भगवद्भक्तिवर्द्धनम् । पाद्मे यच्छेषमस्तीह तद्ब्रूहि कृपया गुरो
Now we wish to hear that which increases devotion to the Lord; whatever remains here in the Padma, please tell us that out of compassion, O teacher.
सूत उवाच-। शृणुध्वं मुनयः सर्वे यदुक्तं शंकरेण हि । पृच्छते नारदायैव विज्ञानं पापनाशनम्
Suta said: O sages, all of you listen to what was spoken by Shankara to Narada when he asked, knowledge that destroys sin.
एकादा नारदो लोकान्पर्यटन्भगवत्प्रियः । गतोऽद्रि मंदरं शंभुं प्रष्टुं किंचिन्मनोगतम्
Once, Narada, beloved of the Lord, while wandering among the worlds, went to Mount Mandara to ask Shambhu something that was on his mind.
तत्रासीनमुमानाथं प्रणिपत्य शिवाज्ञया । उपविष्टः समादिष्ट आसनेऽभिमुखो विभोः
There, having bowed to Uma's Lord who was seated, by Shiva's command he sat down on the seat assigned, facing the mighty one.
नारद उवाच। पप्रच्छ इदमेवेशं यन्मां पृच्छथ सत्तमाः । भगवन्देवदेवेश पार्वतीश जगद्गुरो
Narada said: He asked this very thing of the Lord, which you, O best of the good, are now asking me; O Lord, God of gods, Lord of Parvati, teacher of the world.
भगवत्तत्वविज्ञानं येन स्यात्तन्ममादिश । शिव उवाच। शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि पुराणं वेदसंमितम्
Tell me that by which one may gain knowledge of the divine truth, O Lord. Shiva said: Listen, Narada, I will declare a Purana in accordance with the Vedas.
यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । प्रथमोत्तरकीर्तिः स्यात्पर्वताख्यानमेव च
By hearing this, one is freed from all sins—there is no doubt of this. First comes the glory of Uttara, and the account of the mountain.
जालंधरं तथाख्यानं श्रीशैलाख्यं ततः परम् । हरिद्वारस्य व्याख्यानं विष्णुपादोद्भवां तथा
Then the account of Jalandhara, and next the account of Śrīśaila; after that, the explanation of Haridvara and the origin of Vishnu's footprint.
प्रयागतीर्थं ते वक्ष्ये दशाश्वमेधिकं च तत् । तुलसीमहिमाचैव शंखचक्रगदादिकम्
I will describe to you the holy place of Prayaga, and the ten Ashvamedha sites; also the greatness of Tulasi, and the conch, discus, mace, and so on.
द्वारकायास्तथाख्यानं महोत्सवविधिस्ततः । तडाकजं तथा पुण्यं वापीकूपप्रपादिकम्
Then the account of Dwaraka, followed by the procedure for grand festivals; the merit of ponds, wells, and drinking places, and other sacred waters.
गाणपत्यं ततो वक्ष्ये वैष्णवागममेव च । जीर्णोद्धारस्य माहात्म्यं मंदाकिनी समागमम्
After that, I will speak of the Ganapatya tradition and the Vaishnava scripture; the greatness of restoration of dilapidated shrines, and the meeting with the Mandakini.
साभ्रमत्यास्तु माहात्म्यं माहात्म्यं तीरजं तथा । स्त्रीशूद्राणां तथा धर्मं तथा त्याज्यैश्च धारणम्
The greatness of the Sābhramati river, and likewise the merit of riverbanks; the duties of women and Shudras, and the observances to be avoided.
उमामहेशसंवादे प्रोक्तं नामसहस्रकम् । कैलासात्तत्समानीतं नारदेनाग्रजन्मना
The thousand names spoken in the dialogue of Uma and Mahesha, brought from Kailasa by Narada, the eldest-born.
लोकानां ब्राह्मणानां च क्षत्रियाणां विशेषतः । स्त्रीशूद्राणां विशेषेण पठितव्यं समाहितैः
It should be recited by the people, especially by Brahmins and Kshatriyas, and particularly by women and Shudras who are attentive.
इदं पवित्रं परमं पुण्यमायुष्यवर्धनम् । पठितव्यं विशेषेण विष्णोः सायुज्यमाप्नुयात्
This is pure, supremely holy, and increases longevity; it should be recited especially, and one attains union with Vishnu.
विष्णोर्नामसहस्रं तत्पावनं भुवि विश्रुतम् । चतुर्विंशतिमूर्तीनां स्थानकानीह संवदेत्
That thousand names of Vishnu, renowned as purifying on earth, will be discussed here, along with the places of the twenty-four forms.
तेषां च मातापितरावंतरं च ब्रवीम्यहम् । गोत्रं वेदांश्चतेषां वै कर्माणीह तथैव च
I will tell you their mothers and fathers, and their lineages; their Vedas and their deeds as well.
स्त्रियस्तेषां प्रवक्ष्यामि यथाविज्ञानदर्शनात् । चतुर्विंशत्येकादशीनां द्वादशीनां प्रभावताम्
I will declare to you their wives, as known through insight; the brilliance of the twenty-four and twelve Ekadashis.
गोदावर्याश्च माहात्म्यं शंखचक्रादिधारणम् । ब्राह्मणानां विशेषेण धारणं विधिपूर्वकम्
The greatness of the Godavari, and the wearing of the conch, discus, and so on; especially the prescribed wearing for Brahmins.
यमुनायाश्च माहात्म्यं गंडिकायास्तथा मुने । वेत्रवत्यास्तु माहात्म्यं वच्म्यहं ते न संशयः
The greatness of the Yamuna, and likewise of Gandaki, O sage; the merit of the Vetravati—I will tell you, without doubt.
गिल्लितीर्थोद्भवं पुण्यं शिलाक्षेत्रं महच्च यत् । तत्सर्वं संप्रवक्ष्यामि खंडे उत्तरसंज्ञके
The origin of the holy Gillitirtha, and the great stone field; all this I will fully declare in the section called Uttara.
अर्बुदेश्वरमाहात्म्यं तत्र तीर्थादिकं च यत् । सरस्वत्याश्च माहात्म्यं सिद्धक्षेत्रादिकं च यत्
The greatness of Arbuda's Lord, and the holy places there; the greatness of Sarasvati, and the fields of the Siddhas.
पद्मनाभसमुत्पत्तिं तुलस्याश्चैव धारणम् । गोपीचंदनमाहात्म्यं पट्टपूजां तथैव च
The origin of Padmanabha, and the wearing of Tulasi; the greatness of Gopichandana, and the worship with cloth as well.
निरंजनस्य माहात्म्यं तथा विज्ञानदर्शनम् । तत्र दीपप्रदानं च धूपदानं विशेषतः
The greatness of the stainless One, as well as the vision of knowledge; there, the offering of lamps and especially the offering of incense.
कार्तिकस्याथ माहात्म्यं माहात्म्यं माघजं तथा । सर्वेषां च व्रतानां च माहात्म्यं विधिपूर्वकम्
Then the glory of Kartika, and likewise the greatness of Magha; and the greatness of all vows, performed according to prescribed rites.
शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि जगन्नाथाख्यमुत्तमम् । यं दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते लोको ब्रह्महत्यादिपातकात्
Listen, O Narada, I will declare the supreme Jagannatha, seeing whom the world is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin and other grave offenses.
यत्र सिद्धं तथा भुक्तं पारलौकिकदायकम् । ब्राह्मणा यत्र भुंजन्ति वेदशास्त्र विशारदः
Where perfection is attained and enjoyment is granted, bestowing rewards beyond this world; where Brahmins, skilled in the Vedas and scriptures, partake.