पाद्मं तत्पंचपंचाशत्सहस्राणीह पठ्यते। पंचभिः पर्वभिः प्रोक्तं संक्षेपाद्व्यासकारितात्
This Padma is recited here as fifty-five thousand verses, spoken in five sections, composed in summary by Vyāsa.
पौष्करं प्रथमं पर्व यत्रोत्पन्नः स्वयं विराट्। द्वितीयं तीर्थपर्व स्यात्सर्वग्रहगणाश्रयम्
The first section is Pauṣkara, in which the great Virāṭ was self-born; the second is the Section on Sacred Fords, which contains all the groups of planets.
तृतीयपर्वग्रहणा राजानो भूरिदक्षिणाः। वंशानुचरितं चैव चतुर्थे परिकीर्तितम्
In the third section are the accounts of kings who gave abundant gifts; the genealogies are also described in the fourth.
पंचमे मोक्षतत्वं च सर्वतत्वं निगद्यते। पौष्करे नवधा सृष्टिः सर्वेषां ब्रह्मकारिता
In the fifth, the essence of liberation and all truths are explained; in Pauṣkara, the creation of all beings by Brahmā is described in nine ways.
देवतानां मुनीनां च पितृसर्गस्तथापरः। द्वितीये पर्वताश्चैव द्वीपाः सप्त ससागराः
The creation of gods, sages, and ancestors is another topic; in the second section, the mountains and the seven islands with their oceans are described.
तृतीये रुद्रसर्गस्तु दक्षशापस्तथैव च। चतुर्थे संभवो राज्ञां सर्ववंशानुकीर्त्तनम्
In the third, the creation of Rudra and the curse of Dakṣa are told; in the fourth, the origin of kings and the narration of all dynasties.
अन्त्येपवर्गसंस्थानं मोक्षशास्त्रानुकीर्त्तनम्। सर्वमेतत्पुराणेऽस्मित्कथयिष्यामि वो द्विजाः
In the last, the arrangement of the final paths and the teaching of the scriptures on liberation are recounted; all this I shall tell you, O twice-born, in this Purāṇa.
इदं पवित्रं यशसो निधानमिदं पितॄणामतिवल्लभं स्यात् इदं च देवस्य सुखाय नित्यमिदं महापातकभिच्च पुंसाम्
This is pure, a treasure of fame, greatly beloved by the ancestors; this is always for the happiness of the Lord, and for men, it removes even great sins.
सूत उवाच। नमस्ये सर्वलोकानां विश्वस्य जगतः पतिम्। य इमं कुरुते भावं सृष्टिरूपं प्रधानवित्
Sūta said: I bow to the lord of all worlds, the master of the universe, who, knowing the primordial matter, creates this existence in the form of creation.
लोककृल्लोकतत्वज्ञो योगमास्थाय योगवित्। असृजत्सर्वभूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च
The creator of worlds, knower of their essence, established in yoga and expert in it, produced all beings, both immobile and mobile.
तमजं विश्वकर्माणं चित्पतिं लोकसाक्षिणम्। पुराणाख्यानजिज्ञासुर्व्रजामि शरणं विभुम्
To that unborn, universal architect, lord of consciousness, witness of the worlds, desiring to know the ancient stories, I go for refuge to the mighty one.
ब्रह्मविष्णुगिरीशेभ्यो नमस्कृत्वा समाहितः। इंद्राय लोकपालेभ्यः सवित्रे च समाधिना
Having reverently saluted Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, with concentrated mind, and also Indra, the guardians of the worlds, and Savitṛ, with meditation,
मुनीनां च वरिष्ठाय वसिष्ठाय महात्मने। तद्वक्त्रेभाततपसे जातूकर्ण्याय चाक्षुषे
And to the most eminent among sages, Vasiṣṭha, the great-souled, to Jātūkarṇa, renowned for austerity, and to Ākṣu, I offer my respects.
तस्मै भगवते नत्वा वेदव्यासाय वेधसे। पुरुषाय पुराणाय भृगुवाक्यानुवर्तिने
To that blessed one, having bowed, to Vyāsa, the creator, to the primordial person, follower of Bhṛgu's words, I offer my salutations.
तस्मादहमुपाश्रौषं पुराणं ब्रह्मवादिनः। सर्वज्ञात्सर्वलोकेषु पूजिताद्दीप्ततेजसः
Therefore, I listened to the Purāṇa from the Brahmin sage, honored in all worlds, all-knowing, radiant with brilliance.
अव्यक्तं कारणं यत्तन्नित्यं सदसदात्मकम्। महदादिविशेषांतं सृजतीति विनिश्चयः
That unmanifest cause, eternal, composed of both being and non-being, from the great principle to the particular, is said to create all things.
अण्डे हिरण्मये पूर्वं ब्रह्मणः सूतिरुत्तमा। अंडस्यावरणं चाद्भिरपामपि च तेजसा
In the golden egg, at first, was the supreme origin of Brahma; the covering of the egg was by waters, by the elements, and by radiance.
वायुना तस्य वायोः खात्तद्भूतादित आवृतम्। भूतादिर्महता चापि अव्यक्तेनावृतो महान्
By air, and from that air, by space, it was enveloped from the primordial elements; the primordial elements were covered by the great principle, and the great principle by the unmanifest.
प्रादुर्भावश्च लोकानामंड एवोपवर्णितः। नदीनां पर्वतानां च प्रादुर्भावोनुवर्ण्यते
The manifestation of worlds within the egg has been described; likewise, the origin of rivers and mountains is recounted.
मन्वंतराणां संक्षेपात्कल्पानां चोपवर्णनम्। ब्रह्मवृक्षलय ब्रह्मप्रजासर्गोपवर्णनम्
A summary of the Manvantaras and an account of the Kalpas; the abode of Brahma, the creation of Brahma's progeny, are narrated.
कल्पानां संचरश्चैव जगतः स्थापनं तथा। शयनं च हरेरप्सु पृथिव्युद्धरणं पुनः
The movement of the Kalpas, the establishment of the world, the reclining of Hari in the waters, and again the raising of the earth are described.
दशधा जन्मसंचारो भृगुशापेन केशवे। सन्निवेशो युगादीनां सर्वाश्रमविभाजनम्
The tenfold cycle of births of Keśava by Bhṛgu's curse, the arrangement of the ages, and the division of all the orders of life.
स्वर्गस्थानविभागश्च मर्त्यानां स्वर्गचारिणां। पशूनां पक्षिणां चैव संभवः परिकीर्त्तितः
The division of heavenly realms and the places of mortals and those who move to heaven; the origin of animals and birds is also described.
तथा निर्वचनं कल्पं स्वाध्यायस्य परिग्रहः। प्रतिसर्गाः पुनः प्रोक्ता ब्रह्मणो बुद्धिपूर्वकाः
Likewise, the explanation of the Kalpa, the acceptance of recitation, the repeated creations, and the creations of Brahma, performed with intelligence, are told.
त्रयोन्येऽबुद्धिपूर्वास्ते तथा लोकानकल्पयत्। ब्रह्मणो वदनेभ्यश्च भृग्वादीनां समुद्भवः
Three others, created without intelligence, likewise established the worlds; and from Brahma's mouths arose Bhṛgu and others.
कल्पयोरंतरं प्रोक्तं प्रतिसंधिश्च सर्गयोः। भृग्वादीनामृषीणां च प्रजासर्गोपवर्णनम्
The interval between Kalpas is explained, as well as the connection between creations; the account of the creation of progeny by Bhṛgu and other sages is narrated.
वसिष्ठस्य च ब्रह्मर्षेर्ब्रह्मत्त्वं परिकीर्त्तितम्। स्वायंभुवस्य च मनोस्ततश्चाप्यनुकीर्तनम्
The state of Brahmanhood of the sage Vasiṣṭha has been described, as well as the account of Svāyambhuva Manu.
उक्तो नाभेर्विसर्गश्च रजसश्च महात्मनः। द्वीपानां च समुद्राणां पर्वतानां च कीर्तनम्
The creation by Nābhir, the great-souled one born of rajas, has been told, along with the description of the continents, oceans, and mountains.
द्वीपभेदसमुद्राणामन्तर्भावश्च सप्तसु। कीर्त्यन्ते योजनाग्रेण ये च तत्र निवासिनः
The divisions of the continents, the oceans within the seven, and those who dwell there, are described with their measurements in yojanas.
तदीयानि च वर्षाणि नदीभिः पर्वतैः सह। जंबूद्वीपादयो द्वीपाः समुद्रैः सप्तभिर्वृताः
Their regions, together with rivers and mountains, and the continents beginning with Jambūdvīpa, surrounded by the seven oceans, are recounted.