ब्रह्मणः प्रतिसर्गश्च सर्वसंहारवर्णनम्। कल्पेकल्पे च भूतानां महतामपि संक्षयः
The secondary creation of Brahmā and the description of universal dissolution are told; in each cycle, even the great beings are destroyed.
सुसंख्याय च बुद्ध्वा वै ब्रह्मणश्चाप्यनित्यताम्। दौरात्म्यं चैव भोगानां संसारस्य च कष्टताम्
Having understood the precise reckoning and the impermanence of Brahmā, as well as the misery of enjoyments and the hardship of worldly existence—
दुर्ल्लभत्वं च मोक्षस्य वैराग्याद्दोषदर्शनम्। व्यक्ताव्यक्तं परित्यज्य सत्वं ब्रह्मणि संस्थितम्
And seeing the difficulty of liberation, the faults through detachment, one abandons the manifest and unmanifest and remains established in Brahman.
नानात्व दर्शनात्सुस्थस्ततस्तदभिवर्त्तते। ततस्तापत्रयातीतो विरूपाख्यो निरंजनः
By seeing the diversity, one remains steadfast; then, transcending the threefold suffering, one becomes known as Virūpākṣa, the stainless.
आनंदं ब्रह्मणः प्राप्तो न बिभेति कुतश्चन। इति कृत्य समुद्देशः प्रमाणस्योपवर्णितः
Having attained the bliss of Brahman, he fears nothing from anywhere. Thus, the section on the duties and the exposition of authority has been described.
कीर्त्यंते जगतो यत्र सर्गप्रलयविक्रियाः। प्रवृत्तिश्चापि भूतानां निवृत्तीनां फलानि च
Here are recounted the transformations of the world—creation, dissolution, and change—as well as the activity of beings, their withdrawal, and the fruits thereof.
प्रादुर्भावो वसिष्ठस्य शक्तेर्जन्म तथैव च। सौदासान्निग्रहस्तस्य विश्वामित्रकृतेन च
The appearance of Vasiṣṭha, the birth of Śakti, the subjugation of Saudāsa by him, and the punishment of Saudāsa by Viśvāmitra—
पराशरस्य चोत्पत्तिरदृश्यन्त्यां यथा विभोः। जज्ञे पितॄणां कन्यायां व्यासश्चापि यथा मुनिः
The origin of Parāśara, how he was born from the invisible Lord in the daughter of the Pitṛs, and likewise how the sage Vyāsa was born—
शुकस्य च यथा जन्म पुत्रस्य सह धीमतः। पराशरस्य विद्वेषो विश्वामित्रकृतो यथा
How Śuka, the wise son, was born; the enmity of Parāśara caused by Viśvāmitra—
वसिष्ठसंभृतश्चाग्निर्विश्वामित्रजिघांसया। संधानहेतोर्विभुना जीर्णः कण्वेन धीमता
The fire produced by Vasiṣṭha, with the intent to destroy Viśvāmitra; and how, for the sake of reconciliation, it was extinguished by the wise Kaṇva—
देवेन विप्रा विप्राणां विश्वामित्रहितैषिणा। एकं वेदं चतुःपादं चतुर्धा पुनरीश्वरः
By the god, desiring the welfare of the Brāhmaṇas and of Viśvāmitra, the one four-footed Veda was divided into four parts again by the Lord.
यथा बिभेद भगवान् व्यासः सर्वेष्वनुग्रहात्। तस्य शिष्यप्रशिष्यैश्च शाखाभेदाः पुनः कृताः
How the venerable Vyāsa divided it for the benefit of all, and how his disciples and their disciples again made further divisions into branches—
प्रयागे मुनिवर्यैश्च यथा पृष्टः स्वयं प्रभुः। कृष्णेन चानुशिष्टास्ते मुनयो धर्मकांक्षिणः
How, at Prayāga, the Lord himself was questioned by the eminent sages, and how those sages, desiring righteousness, were instructed by Kṛṣṇa—
एतत्सर्वं यथातत्वमाख्यातं द्विजसत्तमाः। मुनीनां धर्मनित्यानां लोकतंत्रमनुत्तमम्
All this has been narrated in its true nature, O best of twice-born, the supreme tradition of the world for sages devoted to righteousness.
ब्रह्मणा यत्पुरा प्रोक्तं पुलस्त्याय महात्मने। पुलस्त्येनाथ भीष्माय गंगाद्वारे प्रभाषितम्
What was formerly spoken by Brahmā to the great-souled Pulastya, and then by Pulastya to Bhīṣma at Gaṅgādvāra—
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं सर्व्वपापप्रणाशनम्। कीर्तनं श्रवणं चास्य धारणं च विशेषतः
Its recitation, hearing, and especially retention are blessed, bring fame, prolong life, and destroy all sins.
सूतेनानुक्रमेणेदं पुराणं संप्रकाशितम्। ब्राह्मणेषु पुरा यच्च ब्रह्मणोक्तं सविस्तरम्
This Purāṇa was revealed in sequence by Sūta, and what was formerly spoken in detail by Brahmā among the Brāhmaṇas.
पादमस्य विदन्सम्यग्योधीयीत जितेंद्रियः। तेनाधीतं पुराणं स्यात्सर्वं नास्त्यत्र संशयः५० 1.2.
He who knows a quarter of it well and studies it with controlled senses—he is considered to have studied the entire Purāṇa; of this there is no doubt.
यो विद्याच्चतुरो वेदान्सांगोपनिषदो द्विजः। पुराणं च विजानाति यः स तस्माद्विचक्षणः
That twice-born who knows the four Vedas with their limbs and Upaniṣads, and also understands the Purāṇa—he is truly wise.
इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां वेदं समुपबृंहयेत्। बिभेत्यल्पश्रुताद्वेदो मामयं प्रतरिष्यति
One should supplement the Veda with Itihāsa and Purāṇa; the Veda fears one of little learning, thinking, 'He will distort me.'
अधीत्य चैकमध्यायं स्वयं प्रोक्तं स्वयंभुवा। आपदः प्राप्य मुच्येत यथेष्टां प्राप्नुयाद्गतिम्
By studying even a single chapter, as spoken by the self-born, one is freed from calamities and attains the desired state.
पुरा परंपरां वक्ति पुराणं तेन वै स्मृतम्। निरुक्तिमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Because it speaks of ancient tradition, it is therefore called Purāṇa; whoever knows its etymology is freed from all sins.
ऋषयोह्यब्रुवन्सूतं कथं भीष्मेण सङ्गतः। ब्रह्मणो मानसः पुत्रः पुलस्त्यो भगवानृषिः
The sages said to Sūta: How did the venerable sage Pulastya, the mind-born son of Brahmā, come together with Bhīṣma?
दुर्लभं दर्शनं यस्य नरैः पापसमन्वितैः। अत्याश्चर्यमिदं सूत क्षत्रियेण कथं मुनिः
O Sūta, the sight of him is rare for men tainted by sin; this is most astonishing—how did the sage meet with a kṣatriya?
आराधितो बृहद्भूतस्तन्नो वद महामते। कीदृशं वा तपस्तेन को वान्यो नियमः कृतः
Tell us, O wise one, by what great austerity was he propitiated? What kind of discipline did he undertake, or what other observance was performed?
येन तुष्टो मुनिर्ब्राह्मस्तथा तेन प्रभाषितः। पर्वं वाप्यथ पर्वार्धं समग्रं वा प्रभाषितम्
By which the brāhmaṇa sage was pleased and thus spoke—did he reveal a portion, a half, or the entirety of the festival?
यस्मिन्स्थाने यथादृष्टः पुलस्त्यो भगवानृषिः। तन्नो वद महाभाग कल्याः स्म श्रवणे वयम्
In what place and in what manner was the venerable sage Pulastya seen? Tell us that, O highly fortunate one; we are eager to hear.
सूत उवाच। यत्र गंगा महाभागा साधूनां हितकारिणी। विभिद्य पर्वतं वेगान्निःसृता लोकपावनी
Sūta said: Where the blessed Gaṅgā, benefactor of the virtuous, burst forth from the mountain with force, purifying the worlds—
गंगाद्वारे महातीर्थे भीष्मः पितृपरायणः। शुश्रूषुः सुचिरं कालं महतां नियमे स्थितः
At Gaṅgādvāra, the great pilgrimage site, Bhīṣma, devoted to his ancestors, remained for a long time, steadfast in the discipline of the great.
यावद्वर्षशतं साग्रं परमेण समाधिना। ध्यायमानः परं ब्रह्म त्रिकालं स्नानमाचरत्
For more than a hundred years, with supreme concentration, he meditated on the Supreme Brahman and performed the threefold daily bath.