त्वन्मुखाद्ब्राह्मणा जातास्त्वत्तः क्षत्रमजायत। वैश्यास्तवोरुजाः शूद्रास्तव पद्भ्यां समुद्गताः
From your mouth were born the brāhmaṇas; from you arose the kṣatriyas; the vaiśyas came from your thighs, and the śūdras emerged from your feet.
अक्ष्णोः सूर्योनिलः श्रोत्राच्चंद्रमा मनसस्तव। प्राणोंतः सुषिराज्जातो मुखादग्निरजायत
From your eyes came the sun, from your ears the moon, from your mind the wind; from your mouth was born fire.
नाभितो गगनं द्यौश्च शिरसः समवर्त्तत। दिशः श्रोत्रात्क्षितिः पद्भ्यां त्वत्तः सर्वमभूदिदम्
From your navel came the sky, and heaven arose from your head; directions from your ears, the earth from your feet; from you, all this has come into being.
न्यग्रोधः सुमहानल्पे यथा बीजे व्यवस्थितः। ससर्ज्ज विश्वमखिलं बीजभूते तथा त्वयि
Just as the vast banyan tree is contained within a tiny seed, so you, the seed-source, created the entire universe.
बीजांकुरसमुद्भूतो न्यग्रोधः समुपस्थितः। विस्तारं च यथा याति त्वत्तः सृष्टौ तथा जगत्
The banyan tree emerges from the sprout of its seed and expands; in the same way, the world spreads forth from your creation.
यथा हि कदली नान्या त्वक्पत्रेभ्योऽभिदृश्यते। एवं विश्वमिदं नान्यत्त्वत्स्थमीश्वर दृश्यते
Just as the banana tree is not seen apart from its bark and leaves, so, O Lord, this universe is not seen apart from you.
ह्लादिनी त्वयि शक्तिस्सा त्वय्येका सहभाविनी। ह्लादतापकरीमिश्रा त्वयि नो गुणवर्जिते
That blissful power resides in you, united with you alone; mingled with joy and sorrow, it is in you, who are free from all qualities.
पृथग्भूतैकभूताय सर्वभूताय ते नमः। व्यक्तं प्रधानं पुरुषो विराट्सम्राट्तथा भवान्
Salutations to you, who are both distinct and one, the essence of all beings; you are manifest, primordial matter, the Purusha, the cosmic sovereign.
सर्वस्मिन्सर्वभूतस्त्वं सर्वः सर्वस्वरूपधृक्। सर्वं त्वत्तः समुद्भूतं नमः सर्वात्मने ततः
You are present in all beings, you are everything, you bear the form of all; all arises from you—salutations to you, the soul of all.
सर्वात्मकोसि सर्वेश सर्वभूतस्थितो यतः। कथयामि ततः किं ते सर्वं वेत्सि हृदिस्थितं
You are the soul of all, the lord of all, dwelling within every being; therefore, what need is there for me to speak? You know everything that resides in the heart.
यो मे मनोरथो देव सफलः स त्वया कृतः। तप्तं सुतप्तं सफलं यद्दृष्टोसि जगत्पते
O Lord, my wish has been fulfilled by you; my austerity has been well-performed and fruitful, for I have seen you, O Lord of the world.
ब्रह्मोवाच। तपसस्तत्फलं पुत्र यद्दृष्टोहं त्वयाधुना। मद्दर्शनं हि विफलं नारदेह न जायते
Brahma said: The fruit of your austerity, my son, is that you have now seen me; for, O Narada, my appearance is never without purpose.
वरं वरय तस्मात्त्वं यथाभिमतमात्मनः। सर्वं संपद्यते तात मयि दृष्टिपथं गते
Therefore, choose a boon according to your desire; everything, dear one, is accomplished when I come within your sight.
नारद उवाच। भगवन्सर्वभूतेश सर्वस्यास्ते भवान्हृदि। किमज्ञातं तव स्वामिन्मनसा यन्मयेप्सितम्
Narada said: Lord, ruler of all beings, you dwell in the heart of everyone; what is unknown to you, master, that I might wish for in my mind?
कृता त्वया यथा सृष्टिर्मया दृष्टा तथा विभो। तेन मे कौतुकं जातं दृष्ट्वा देवर्षिदानवान्
The creation you made has been seen by me as you intended, O mighty one; thus, curiosity has arisen in me upon seeing the gods, sages, and demons.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। नारदस्य पिता तुष्टो ब्रह्मा देवो दिवस्पतिः। नारदाय वरं प्रादादृषीणामुत्तमो भवान्
Pulastya said: Brahma, the god, lord of heaven, was pleased with Narada his son; he granted Narada a boon, making him the foremost among sages.
भविता मत्प्रसादेन कलिकेलिकथाप्रियः। गतिश्च तेऽप्रतिहता दिवि भूमौ रसातले
By my grace, you will become fond of tales of play in the age of Kali; your movement will be unhindered in heaven, on earth, and in the netherworld.
यज्ञोपवीतसूत्रेण योगपट्टावलंबिका। छत्रिका च तथा वीणा अलंकाराय तेनघ
With the sacred thread, the yoga sash, the umbrella, and the vina, these will be your adornments, O sinless one.
विष्णोः समीपे रुद्रस्य तथा शक्रस्य नारद। द्वीपेषु पार्थिवानां तु सदा प्रीतिं च लप्स्यसे
Near Vishnu, Rudra, and Indra, O Narada, and among the kings on the islands, you will always receive affection.
वर्णानां तु भवान्शास्तावरोदत्तोमयातव। तिष्ठ पुत्र यथाकामं सेव्यमानः सुरैर्द्दिवि
You will be the teacher of the classes, appointed by me; remain, my son, as you wish, honored by the gods in heaven.
भीष्म उवाच। कथं सती दक्षसुता देहं त्यक्तवती शुभा। दक्षयज्ञस्तु रुद्रेण विध्वस्तः केन हेतुना
Bhishma said: How did Sati, the daughter of Daksha, abandon her body, O auspicious one? And for what reason did Rudra destroy Daksha's sacrifice?
एतन्मे कौतुकं ब्रह्मन्कथं देवो महेश्वरः। जगामाथ क्रोधवशं त्रिपुरारिर्महायशाः
This is my curiosity, O Brahman: how did the great and renowned Lord Maheshvara, the enemy of Tripura, become overcome by anger?
पुलस्त्य उवाच। गंगाद्वारे पुरा भीष्म दक्षो यज्ञमथारभत्। तत्र देवासुरगणाः पितरोथ महर्षयः
Pulastya said: Once, at the gateway of the Ganga, Bhishma, Daksha began a sacrifice; there gathered the hosts of gods, demons, ancestors, and great sages.
समाजग्मुर्मुदायुक्ताः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः। नागा यक्षाः सुपर्णाश्च वीरुदोषधयस्तथा
All the gods, along with Indra, came together joyfully; Nagas, Yakshas, Suparnas, herbs, and plants also arrived.
कश्यपो भगवानत्रिः पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः। प्रचेतसोंगिराश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च महातपाः
Kashyapa, the venerable Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Prachetas, Angiras, and Vasishta, the great ascetic, were there.
तत्र वेदीं समां कृत्वा चातुर्होत्रं न्यवेशयत्। होता वसिष्ठस्तत्रासीदंगिराध्वर्युसत्तमः
There, having made a level altar, he established the fourfold sacrificial fires; Vasishta was the hotṛ priest, and Angiras, the best of adhvaryus.
बृहस्पतिरथोद्गाता ब्रह्मा वै नारदस्तथा। यज्ञकर्मप्रवृत्तौ तु हूयमानेषु चाग्निषु
Bṛhaspati, then the Udgātā, Brahmā, and likewise Nārada, were present at the performance of the sacrificial rites, as the fires were being kindled.
आगता वसवः सर्व आदित्या द्वादशैव तु। अश्विनौ मरुतश्चैव मनवश्च चतुर्दश
All the Vasus arrived, the twelve Ādityas as well; the two Aśvins, the Maruts, and the fourteen Manus also came.
एवं यज्ञे प्रवृत्ते तु हूयमानेषु चाग्निषु। विभूतिं तां परां तत्र भक्ष्यभोज्यकृतां शुभाम्
Thus, as the sacrifice proceeded and the fires were being offered to, that supreme and auspicious abundance of food and delicacies appeared there.
आलोक्य सर्वतो भूमिं समंताद्दशयोजनम्। महावेदी कृता तत्र सर्वैस्तत्र समन्वितैः
Observing the land all around for ten yojanas, a great altar was constructed there, with everyone assembled together.