अब्रवीज्जगतः कार्यं प्राप्तामापदमुत्तमाम्। किं न जानासि वै देव यतो नो भयमागतम्
He spoke of the world’s predicament, the supreme calamity that had arisen: ‘Do you not know, O god, the cause of our fear?’
दैत्यैर्यदाहृतं सर्वं वरदानाच्च ते प्रभो। कथितं वै मया सर्वं बाष्कलेश्च दुरात्मनः
All has been taken by the Daityas, O Lord, due to the boon you granted; I have told you everything, including the wickedness of Bāṣkali.
क्रियतां चाविलंबेन पिता त्वं नः पितामहः। तत्त्वं चिंतय देवेश शांत्यर्थं जगतस्त्विह
Act without delay, O Father, Grandfather of us all; consider, O Lord of gods, what is to be done here for the peace of the world.
तेषां च पश्यतां किंचिच्छ्रौतस्मार्तादिकाः क्रियाः। न प्रावर्तन्त हानिस्तु तैरस्माकं दिनेदिने
While they looked on, the rites—Vedic, Smārta, and others—were not performed; because of this, our loss increased day by day.
यथा हि प्राकृतः कश्चित्स्वार्थमुद्दिश्य भाषते। विज्ञाप्यसे तथास्माभिर्निरस्तोपकृतैः सदा
Just as an ordinary person speaks with his own interest in mind, so too have we informed you, always free from ulterior motives.
यद्येनोपकृतं यस्य सहस्रगुणितं पुनः। यो न तस्योपकाराय तत्करोति वृथा मतिः
If someone has received a favor from another, and does not return it a thousandfold, his understanding is in vain.
तस्योपकारदग्धस्य निस्त्रपस्यासतः पुनः। नरकेष्वपि संवासस्तस्य दुष्कृतकारिणः
For one who, scorched by another's favor, shameless and untrue, again acts wickedly, even dwelling in hells is his lot.
नैतावतैव साधुत्वं कृते यातु प्रतिक्रिया। स्वार्थैकनिष्ठबुद्धीनामेतन्नापि प्रवर्तते
Goodness is not achieved merely by reciprocation; those whose minds are fixed only on their own gain do not act thus.
यद्यस्य नाभवत्स्थानं जगतो ह्यत्र दुःखदं। शतधा हृदयं दीर्णं तन्न तृप्तिमुपागतम्
If someone has not found a place in this world, which brings suffering, even if his heart is torn a hundredfold, it does not attain satisfaction.
तत्र वा यत्र गंतास्मि निमग्नानुद्धरस्व नः। उपायकथनेनास्य येन तेजः प्रवर्तते
Wherever I am to go, lift us out from being submerged, by telling the means by which his energy may be set in motion.
यथाख्यातं मया दृष्टं जगत्तत्स्थमवेक्ष्य ताम्। निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारं निवृत्तोत्सवमंगलम्
As I have described and seen, observing the world as it is: devoid of study and sacrificial utterance, with festivals and auspicious rites ceased.
त्यक्ताध्ययनसंयोगं मुक्तवार्ता परिग्रहम्। दंडनीत्या परित्यक्तं श्वासमात्रावशेषितम्
Abandoning the pursuit of learning, giving up all dealings, forsaken by the rule of law, left with only the breath of life.
जगदार्तिमपि प्राप्तं पुनः कष्टतरां दशां। एतावता हि कालेन वयं ग्लानिमुपागताः
The world has come to grief, and again to an even worse state; in this time, we have come to exhaustion.
ब्रह्मोवाच। जानामि बाष्कलिं तं तु वरदानाच्च गर्वितम्। अजेयं भवतां मन्ये विष्णुसाध्यो भविष्यति
Brahma said: I know that Bāṣkali, proud because of the boon he received; I consider him invincible to you, and only to Viṣṇu will he be attainable.
निरुध्य संस्थितो ब्रह्मा भावं तत्वमयं तदा। समाधिस्थस्य तस्यैव ध्यानमात्राच्चतुर्भुजः
Then Brahma, restraining himself, entered into a state of absorption, and from his meditation alone, the four-armed one appeared.
स्तोकेनैव हि कालेन चिंत्यमानः स्वयंभुवा। आजगाम मुहूर्तेन सर्वेषामेव पश्यताम्
In but a short time, as he was contemplated by the self-born one, he arrived in a moment, as all were watching.
विष्णुरुवाच। भो भो ब्रह्मन्निवर्त्तस्व ध्यानादस्मान्निवारितः। यदर्थमिष्यते ध्यानं सोहं त्वां समुपागतः
Viṣṇu said: O Brahma, cease your meditation, for I have been drawn here by it; for the purpose for which you meditate, I have come to you.
ब्रह्मोवाच। महाप्रसाद एषोऽत्र स्वामिनो हि प्रदर्शनम्। कस्यान्यस्य भवेच्चैषा चिन्ता या जगतः प्रभो
Brahma said: This is a great favor, the Lord's appearance here; for whom else would such concern for the world arise, O Lord?
ममैव तावदुत्पत्तिर्जगदर्थे विनिर्मिता। जगदेतत्त्वदर्थीयं तत्त्वतो नास्ति विस्मयः
My own creation was made for the sake of the world; this world is truly yours, so there is no wonder.
भवता पालनं कार्यं संहरेद्रुद्र एव तु। एवंभूते जगत्यस्मिन्शक्रस्यास्य महात्मनः
By you the world must be protected; only Rudra is to dissolve it. In this world as it is, of this great-souled Indra—
हृतं राज्यं बाष्कलिना त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। भृत्यस्य क्रियतां साह्यं मंत्रदानेन केशव
The kingdom of the three worlds, with all that moves and is unmoving, has been seized by Bāṣkali; help must be given to your servant, Keśava, by granting a mantra.
वासुदेव उवाच। भवतो वरदानेन अवध्यः स तु सांप्रतम्। बुद्धिसाध्यः स वै कार्यो बंधनादिह दानवः
Vāsudeva said: By your granting of a boon, he is now invulnerable; but he must be overcome by intelligence—this demon must be bound here.
वामनोहं भविष्यामि दानवानां विनाशकः। मया सह व्रजत्वेष बाष्कलेस्तु निवेशनम्
I shall become Vāmana, the destroyer of the Dānavas; let this one go with me to the abode of Bāṣkala.
तत्र गत्वा वरं त्वेष मदर्थे याचतामिमम्। वामनस्यास्य विप्रस्य भूमे राजन्पदत्रयम्
There, having arrived, let this one ask for this boon on my behalf: three steps of land, O King, from this Vāmana, the Brāhmaṇa.
प्रयच्छस्व महाभाग याच्ञैषा तु मया कृता। शक्रेणोक्तो दानवेंद्रो दद्यात्स्वमपि जीवितम्
Grant it, O most fortunate one; this request has been made by me. Indra said that the lord of the Dānavas would give even his own life.
गृह्य प्रतिग्रहं तस्य दानवस्य पितामह। तं बध्वा च ततो यत्नात्कृत्वा पातालवासिनम्
Having received the gift from that Dānava, O Grandfather, bind him and, with effort, make him dwell in the netherworld.
सौकरं रूपमास्थाय वधार्थं च दुरात्मनः। भविष्यामि न संदेहो व्रज शक्र त्वरान्वितः
Assuming the form of a boar, for the destruction of that wicked one, I shall become—there is no doubt. Go, O Indra, with haste.
विरराम तमुक्त्वैवमंतर्द्धानं गतश्च वै। अथ कालांतरे विष्णावदितेर्गर्भतां गते
Having spoken thus, he ceased and became invisible; then, after some time, Viṣṇu entered the womb of Aditi.
निमित्तान्यतिघोराणि प्रादुर्भूतान्यनेकशः। समस्तजगदाधारे विष्णौ गर्भत्वमागते
Very terrible omens appeared in many forms when Viṣṇu, the support of the entire world, entered the womb.
शोभनं हि तदा जातं निमित्तं चैवमूर्जितम्। मालतीकुसुमानां तु सुगंधः सुरभिर्ववौ
At that time, an auspicious and powerful omen occurred: a fragrant, delightful breeze of mālatī flowers blew.