ऋतवः कालयोगाश्च प्रमाणं त्रिविधं पुरा। आयुः क्षेत्राण्यपचयं लक्षणं रूपसौष्ठवम्
The seasons, the conjunctions of time, the threefold measure in ancient times; lifespan, fields, decrease, marks, and beauty of form—
त्रयो वर्णास्त्रयो लोकास्त्रैविद्यं पावकास्त्रयः। त्रैकाल्यं त्रीणि कर्माणि त्रयो वर्णास्त्रयो गुणाः
The three classes, the three worlds, the threefold knowledge, the three fires; the threefold time, the three acts, the three classes, the three qualities—
सृष्टा लोकाः पराः स्रष्ट्रा ये चान्येनल्पचेतसा। या गतिर्धर्मयुक्तानां या गतिः पापकर्मणां
The worlds created, the supreme creators, and those of lesser mind; the path of the righteous, and the path of those who act wickedly—
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य प्रभवश्चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य रक्षिता। चतुर्विद्यस्य यो वेत्ता चतुराश्रमसंश्रयः
The origin of the fourfold order, the protector of the fourfold order; the knower of the four sciences, the one who abides in the four stages of life—
यः परं श्रूयते ज्योतिर्यः परं श्रूयते तपः। यः परं परतः प्राह परं यः परमात्मवान्
He who is heard to be the supreme light, who is heard to be the supreme austerity; who is declared the supreme beyond the supreme, who possesses the supreme self—
सेतुर्यो लोकसेतूनां मेध्यो यो मेध्यकर्मणाम्। वेद्यो यो वेदविदुषां यः प्रभुः प्रभवात्मनाम्
He who is the bridge of all worlds, the pure among those of pure acts; the one to be known by the knowers of the Veda, the lord of those who possess mastery—
असुभूतश्च भूतानामग्निभूतोग्निवर्चसाम्। मनुष्याणां मनोभूतस्तपोभूतस्तपस्विनाम्
Who is the non-being among beings, the fire among those with fiery splendor; the mind among men, the austerity among ascetics—
विनयो नयवृत्तीनां तेजस्तेजस्विनामपि। इत्येतत्सर्वमखिलान्सृजन्लोकपितामहः
Discipline among those who practice discipline, brilliance even among the brilliant—thus, all this, the Grandfather created, the father of the worlds.
यज्ञाद्गतिं कामन्वैच्छत्कथं यज्ञे मतिः कृता। एष मे संशयो ब्रह्मन्नेष मे संशयः परः
How did he seek the fruit of sacrifice, and how was his mind set upon the sacrifice? This is my doubt, O Brahmin; this is my great uncertainty.
आश्चर्यः परमो ब्रह्मा देवैर्दैत्यैश्च पठ्यते। कर्मणाश्चर्यभूतोपि तत्त्वतः स इहोच्यते
The supreme Brahman is wondrous, recited by gods and demons alike; even as a marvel of action, he is here described in truth.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। प्रश्नभारो महानेष त्वयोक्तो ब्रह्मणश्च यः। यथाशक्ति तु वक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां तत्परं यशः
Pulastya said: You have asked a great and weighty question, one pertaining to Brahman; I shall speak of it to the best of my ability—listen to this most glorious account.
सहस्रास्यं सहस्राक्षं सहस्रचरणं च यम्। सहस्रश्रवणं चैव सहस्रकरमव्ययम्
He whom you ask about has a thousand faces, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet, a thousand ears, and a thousand hands—imperishable.
सहस्रजिह्वं साहस्रं सहस्रपरमं प्रभुं। सहस्रदं सहस्रादिं सहस्रभुजमव्ययम्
He has a thousand tongues, is endowed with a thousandfold power, is the supreme Lord of thousands, the giver of thousands, the origin of thousands, and the imperishable one with a thousand arms.
हवनं सवनं चैव हव्यं होतारमेव च। पात्राणि च पवित्राणि वेदीं दीक्षां चरुं स्रुवम्
He is the oblation, the libation, the offering, the priest who pours the ghee, the vessels, the purifiers, the altar, the consecration, the cooked offering, and the sacrificial ladle.
स्रुक्सोममवभृच्चैव प्रोक्षणीं दक्षिणा धनम्। अद्ध्वर्युं सामगं विप्रं सदस्यान्सदनं सदः
He is the ladle, the soma, the final bath, the sprinkling vessel, the sacrificial fee, the wealth, the Adhvaryu priest, the singer of Sāman, the learned Brahmin, the assistants, the assembly, and the sacrificial hall.
यूपं समित्कुशं दर्वी चमसोलूखलानि च। प्राग्वंशं यज्ञभूमिं च होतारं बन्धनं च यत्
He is the sacrificial post, the fuel sticks, the sacred grass, the spoon, the ladle, the mortars, the eastern enclosure, the sacrificial ground, the priest, and whatever is used for binding.
ह्रस्वान्यतिप्रमाणानि प्रमाणस्थावराणि च। प्रायश्चित्तानि वाजाश्च स्थंडिलानि कुशास्तथा
He is the small and the exceedingly great measures, the fixed standards, the acts of expiation, the steeds, the sacrificial mounds, and the blades of sacred grass as well.
मंत्रं यज्ञं च हवनं वह्निभागं भवं च यं। अग्रेभुजं होमभुजं शुभार्चिषमुदायुधं
He is the mantra, the sacrifice, the oblation, the share of the fire, the very being of existence, the first to receive, the enjoyer of offerings, the one with auspicious flames, and the wielder of weapons.
आहुर्वेदविदो विप्रा यो यज्ञः शाश्वतः प्रभुः। यां पृच्छसि महाराज पुण्यां दिव्यामिमां कथां
The knowers of the Veda, the learned Brahmins, declare that this eternal Lord is the sacrifice; this is the holy and divine story, O great king, which you ask about.
यदर्थं भगवान्ब्रह्मा भूमौ यज्ञमथाकरोत्। हितार्थं सुरमर्त्यानां लोकानां प्रभवाय च
For this purpose, the blessed Brahmā performed a sacrifice on earth—for the welfare of gods and mortals, and for the prosperity of the worlds.
ब्रह्माथ कपिलश्चैव परमेष्ठी तथैव च। देवाः सप्तर्षयश्चैव त्र्यंबकश्च महायशाः५० 1.16.
Then Brahmā, Kapila, the supreme lord, the gods, the seven sages, and the illustrious Tryambaka,
सनत्कुमारश्च महानुभावो मनुर्महात्मा भगवान्प्रजापतिः। पुराणदेवोथ तथा प्रचक्रे प्रदीप्तवैश्वानरतुल्यतेजाः
Sanatkumāra, the great-souled Manu, the blessed lord of creatures, and the ancient gods, all performed the sacrifice, their brilliance equal to blazing Vaiśvānara fire.
पुरा कमलजातस्य स्वपतस्तस्य कोटरे। पुष्करे यत्र संभूता देवा ऋषिगणास्तथा
Long ago, in the hollow of the lotus where the lotus-born one slept, there arose the gods and the hosts of seers.
एष पौष्करको नाम प्रादुर्भावो महात्मनः। पुराणं कथ्यते यत्र वेदस्मृतिसुसंहितं
This manifestation, called Pauṣkaraka, of the great-souled one, is recounted as ancient, where the Veda and Smṛti are perfectly established.
वराहस्तु श्रुतिमुखः प्रादुर्भूतो विरिंचिनः। सहायार्थं सुरश्रेष्ठो वाराहं रूपमास्थितः
The boar, the mouth of the Veda, manifested from Brahmā; the best of the gods, assuming the form of a boar, appeared to assist him.
विस्तीर्णं पुष्करे कृत्वा तीर्थं कोकामुखं हि तत्। वेदपादो यूपदंष्ट्रः क्रतुहस्तश्चितीमुखः
Having made the sacred place Kokāmukha vast in Puṣkara, he, with Veda as his feet, the sacrificial post as his tusk, the ritual as his hand, and the altar as his mouth, stood forth.
अग्निजिह्वो दर्भरोमा ब्रह्मशीर्षो महातपाः। अहोरात्रेक्षणो दिव्यो वेदांगः श्रुतिभूषणः
He whose tongue is fire, whose hair is darbha grass, whose head is Brahman, who is of great austerity, whose eyes are day and night, who is divine, whose limbs are the Vedas, adorned with the sound of the scriptures—
आज्यनासः स्रुवतुंडः सामघोषस्वनो महान्। सत्यधर्ममयः श्रीमान्कर्मविक्रमसत्कृतः
Whose nose is clarified butter, whose beak is a sacrificial ladle, whose voice resounds with the chant of the Sāma, who is great, filled with truth and righteousness, glorious, honored for his deeds and valor—
प्रायश्चित्तनखो धीरः पशुजानुर्मखाकृतिः। उद्गात्रांत्रो होमलिंगो फलबीजमहौषधिः
Whose nails are expiation, steadfast, whose knees are sacrificial animals, whose form is that of a sacrifice, whose intestines are the Udgātṛ priests, whose mark is the fire-offering, who is the fruit, seed, and great herb—
वाय्वंतरात्मा मंत्रास्थिरापस्फिक्सोमशोणितः। वेदस्कंधो हविर्गंधो हव्यकव्यातिवेगवान्
Whose inner self is wind, whose mantras are firm, whose buttocks are water, whose blood is soma, whose shoulders are the Vedas, whose scent is oblation, who surpasses all in offering to gods and ancestors—