ईजिरे दीर्घसत्रेण ऋषयो नैमिषे तदा। तत्र गत्वा तु तान्ब्रूहि पृच्छतो धर्मसंशयान्
Then, at Naimiṣa, the sages performed a long sacrifice; go there and speak to them, answering their questions about dharma.
उग्रश्रवास्ततो गत्वा ज्ञानविन्मुनिपुंगवान्। अभिगम्योपसंगृह्य नमस्कृत्वा कृतांजलिः
Then Ugraśravas went to those wise and eminent sages; approaching them, he greeted them with joined palms.
तोषयामास मेधावी प्रणिपातेन तानृषीन्। ते चापि सत्रिणः प्रीताः ससदस्या महात्मने
The intelligent one pleased those sages with his respectful salutation; and those sacrificers, along with their assembly, were pleased with the great-souled one.
तस्मै समेत्य पूजां च यथावत्प्रतिपेदिरे। ऋषय ऊचुः। कुतस्त्वमागतः सूत कस्माद्देशादिहागतः
Coming together, they honored him as was proper; the sages said: From where have you come, O Sūta? From what land have you arrived here?
कारणं चागमे ब्रूहि वृंदारकसमद्युते। सूत उवाच। पित्राहं तु समादिष्टो व्यासशिष्येण धीमता
O radiant one among the attendants, tell us the reason according to tradition. The Sūta said: I was instructed by my father, the wise disciple of Vyāsa.
शुश्रूषस्व मुनीन्गत्वा यत्ते पृच्छंति तद्वद। वदंतु भगवंतो मां कथयामि कथां तु यां
Go to the sages, serve them, and speak to them whatever they ask. Let the venerable ones address me, and I will narrate the story they desire.
पुराणं चेतिहासं वा धर्मानथ पृथग्विधान्। तां गिरं मधुरां तस्य शुश्रुवुर्ऋषिसत्तमाः
Whether it is ancient legend or history, or various kinds of dharma, the best of the sages listened to his sweet words.
अथ तेषां पुराणस्य शुश्रूषा समपद्यत। दृष्ट्वा तमतिविश्वस्तं विद्वांसं लौमहर्षणिं
Then, among them, the desire to hear the Purāṇa arose, seeing Laumaharṣaṇa, the learned one, so completely trustworthy.
तस्मिन्सत्रे कुलपतिस्सर्वशास्त्राविशारदः। शौनको नाम मेधावी विज्ञानारण्यके गुरुः
In that assembly, the head of the family, thoroughly learned in all the scriptures, named Śaunaka, wise and the teacher in the forest of knowledge, was present.
इत्थं तद्भावमालंब्य धर्माञ्छुश्रूषुराह तम्। त्वया सूत महाबुद्धे भगवान्ब्रह्मवित्तमः
Thus, relying on that disposition, the seeker of dharma addressed him: 'O Sūta, of great intellect, you are the foremost knower of Brahman.'
इतिहासपुराणार्थं व्यासः सम्यगुपासितः। दुदोहिथमतिं तस्य त्वं पुराणाश्रयां शुभां
Vyāsa, having been properly served, drew forth from you the pure mind devoted to the Purāṇas, for the sake of understanding the meaning of history and ancient lore.
अमीषां विप्रमुख्यानां पुराणं प्रति सम्प्रति। शुश्रूषाऽस्ते महाबुद्धे तछ्रावयितुमर्हसि
O wise one, among these foremost Brāhmaṇas, there is now a desire to hear the Purāṇa; you should recite it to them.
सर्वे हीमे महात्मानो नानागोत्राः समागताः। स्वान्स्वानंशान्पुराणोक्ताञ्छृण्वन्तु ब्रह्मवादिनः
All these great souls, assembled from various lineages, are expounders of Brahman; let them hear the portions of the Purāṇa relevant to each.
संपूर्णे दीर्घसत्रेस्मिंस्तांस्त्वं श्रावय वै मुनीन्। पाद्मं पुराणं सर्वेषां कथयस्व महामते
In this long and complete sacrificial session, you must narrate to the sages the Padma Purāṇa in its entirety, O greatly wise one.
कथं पद्मं समुद्भूतं ब्रह्म तत्र कथं न्वभूत्। प्रोद्भूतेन कथं सृष्टिः कृता तां तु तथा वद
How did the lotus arise, and how did Brahmā come to be there? How was creation accomplished by the one who emerged? Tell that as it truly happened.
एवं पृष्टस्ततस्तांस्तु प्रत्युवाच शुभां गिरम्। सूक्ष्मं च न्यायसंयुक्तं प्राब्रवीद्रौमहर्षणिः
Thus questioned, he replied to them with auspicious words; Laumaharṣaṇa spoke concisely and in accordance with reason.
प्रीतोस्म्यनुगृहीतोस्मि भवद्भिरिह चोदनात्। पुराणार्थं पुराणज्ञैः सर्वधर्मपरायणैः
I am pleased and honored by you, who are devoted to all dharmas and knowledgeable in the Purāṇas, for urging me here regarding the meaning of the Purāṇa.
यथाश्रुतं सुविख्यातं तत्सर्वं कथयामि वः। धर्म एष तु सूतस्य सद्भिर्दृष्टः सनातनः
All that I have heard and that is well known, I will tell you; for this is the eternal duty of the Sūta, as recognized by the virtuous.
देवतानामृषीणां च राज्ञां चामिततेजसाम्। वंशानां धारणं कार्यं स्तुतीनां च महात्मनाम्
The preservation of the lineages of the gods, sages, and kings of immeasurable splendor, and the praises of the great souls, must be undertaken.
इतिहासपुराणेषु दृष्टा ये ब्रह्मवादिनः। न हि वेदेष्वधीकारः कश्चित्सूतस्य दृश्यते
Those who are expounders of Brahman are seen in the histories and Purāṇas; for no Sūta is seen to have authority in the Vedas.
वैन्यस्य हि पृथोर्यज्ञे वर्त्तमाने महात्मनः। मागधश्चैव सूतश्च तमस्तौतां नरेश्वरम्
For, during the sacrifice of the great soul King Pṛthu, the Māgadha and the Sūta praised that lord of men.
तुष्टेनाथ तयोर्द्दत्तो वरो राज्ञा महात्मना। सूताय सूतविषयो मगधो मागधाय च
Then, pleased, the great king granted them a boon: the Sūtas received the domain of the Sūtas, and the Māgadhas that of the Māgadhas.
तत्र सूत्यां समुत्पन्नः सूतो नामेह जायते। ऐन्द्रे सत्रे प्रवृत्ते तु ग्रहयुक्ते बृहस्पतौ
There, at the time of the sacrifice, a Sūta was born; in this world, he is called Sūta. When the Indra-sacrifice is commenced, with Bṛhaspati joined to the planets,
तमेवेंद्रं बार्हस्पत्ये तत्र सूतो व्यजायत। शिष्यहस्तेन यत्पृक्तमभिभूतं गुरोर्हविः
That very Indra, in the sacrifice of Bṛhaspati, there the Sūta was born; by the hand of a disciple, what was poured out overcame the offering of the teacher.
अधरोत्तरधारेण जज्ञे तद्वर्णसंकरम्। येत्र क्षत्रात्समभवन्ब्राह्मण्याश्चैव योनितः
Through a lower and upper stream, that mixture of castes was born; where, from a Kṣatriya and a Brāhmaṇa woman, offspring arose.
पूर्वेणैव तु साधर्म्याद्वैधर्मास्ते प्रकीर्तिताः। मध्यमो ह्येष सूतस्य धर्मः क्षेत्रोपजीविनः
By similarity with the former, their differences are described; this is the middle duty of the Sūta, one who lives by the field.
पुराणेष्वधिकारो मे विहितो ब्राह्मणैरिह। दृष्ट्वा धर्ममहं पृष्टो भवद्भिर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः
In the Purāṇas, my authority has been established here by the Brāhmaṇas; seeing the law, I have been questioned by you, O speakers of Brahman.
तस्मात्सम्यग्भुवि ब्रूयां पुराणमृषिपूजितम्। पितॄणां मानसी कन्या वासवं समपद्यत
Therefore, I shall rightly declare on earth the Purāṇa, honored by sages; the mind-born daughter of the ancestors became the wife of Vāsava.
अपध्याता च पितृभिर्मत्स्यगर्भे बभूव सा। अरणीव हुताशस्य निमित्तं पुण्यजन्मनः
Rejected by the ancestors, she entered the womb of a fish; like the kindling stick for the fire, she became the cause of a virtuous birth.
तस्यां बभूव पूतात्मा महर्षिस्तु पराशरात्। तस्मै भगवते कृत्वा नमः सत्याय वेधसे
In her was born the pure-souled great sage from Parāśara; to that blessed one, the truthful creator, I offer homage.