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.
अंडस्यांतस्त्विमेलोकाः सप्तद्वीपा च मेदिनी। सूर्याचंद्रमसोश्चारो ग्रहाणां ज्योतिषां तथा
Within the cosmic egg are the worlds, and the earth with its seven continents; the courses of the sun and moon, and likewise of the planets and stars.
कीर्त्यते ध्रुवसामर्थ्यात्प्रजानां च शुभाशुभम्। ब्रह्मणा निर्मितः सौरः स्यंदनोर्थवशात्स्वयम्
By the power of Dhruva, the auspicious and inauspicious destinies of beings are described; the solar chariot, created by Brahmā, moves by its own force.
कल्पितो भगवांस्तेन प्रसर्पति दिवाकरः। सूर्यादीनां स्यंदनानां ध्रुवादेव प्रवर्त्तनं
By him, the Blessed Lord, the chariot was devised, and the sun moves forward; the movement of the chariots of the sun and others begins from Dhruva.
कल्पितः शिंशुमारश्च यस्य पुच्छे ध्रुवः स्थितः। संभवांते च संहारः संहारांते च संभवः
The Śiṃśumāra constellation was formed, in whose tail Dhruva is fixed; at the end of creation is dissolution, and at the end of dissolution is creation.
देवतानामृषीणां च मनोः पितृगणस्य च। न शक्यं विस्तराद्वक्तुमित्युक्तं च समासतः
Of the gods, sages, Manu, and the hosts of ancestors, it is said that their full account cannot be told, but only summarized.
अतीतानागतानां वै समं स्वायंभुवेन तु। मन्वंतरेषु देवानां प्रजेशानां च कीर्तनम्
In each Manvantara, Svāyambhuva equally recounts the gods and the lords of creatures, of the past and future.
नैमित्तिकः प्राकृतिकस्तथैवात्यंतिकः स्मृतः। त्रिविधः सर्वभूतानां कल्पितः प्रतिसंचरः
The threefold dissolution of all beings is described as occasional, natural, and absolute.
अनावृष्टिर्भास्कराच्च घोरः संवर्त्तकानलः। मेघाश्चैकार्णवा ये तु तथा रात्रिर्महात्मनः
The absence of rain from the sun, the terrible consuming fire, the clouds that fill the single ocean, and the great night are described.
संध्यालक्षणमुद्दिष्टं तथा ब्राह्मं विशेषतः। भूतानां चापि लोकानां सप्तानामनुवर्णनम्
The characteristics of twilight are mentioned, as well as the special Brahmā period, and the enumeration of the seven worlds of beings.
संकीर्त्यं ते मया चात्र पापानां रौरवादयः। सर्वेषामेव सत्वानां परिणामविनिर्णयः
Here, the hells such as Raurava, belonging to the sinful, are recounted by me, as well as the determination of the transformations of all beings.