इदानीमेकमेवास्ति श्रोतव्यं सूत सन्मते तद्रहस्यमपि ब्रूहि यदि ते ऽनुग्रहो भवेत्
Now, O wise Suta, there is one thing to be heard; tell us that secret also, if you would grant us your favor.
प्राप्ते कलियुगे घोरे नराः पुण्यविवर्जिताः दुराचाररताः सर्वे सत्यवार्तापराङ्मुखाः
When the dreadful Kali age arrives, people are devoid of merit, all delighting in wicked conduct, turning away from truth and righteousness.
परापवादनिरताः परद्रव्याभिलाषिणः परस्त्रीसक्तमनसः परहिंसापरायणाः
Engaged in slandering others, desiring others’ wealth, their minds attached to others’ wives, intent on harming others.
देहात्मदृष्टया मूढा नास्तिकाः पशुबुद्धयः मातृपितृकृतद्वेषाः स्त्रीदेवाः कामकिंकराः
Deluded by the view that the body is the self, atheistic, with animal-like minds, hating mother and father, worshipping women and gods, servants of desire.
विप्रा लोभग्रहग्रस्ता वेदविक्रयजीविनः धनार्जनार्थमभ्यस्तविद्या मदविमोहिताः
Brahmins seized by greed and delusion, living by selling the Vedas, studying for the sake of wealth, intoxicated and bewildered.
त्यक्तस्वजातिकर्माणः प्राय्हशःपरवंचकाः त्रिकालसंध्यया हीना ब्रह्मबोधविवर्जिताः
Abandoning the duties of their own class, mostly deceiving others, neglecting the three daily rituals, devoid of knowledge of Brahman.
अदयाः पंडितंमन्यास्स्वाचारव्रतलोपकाः कृष्युद्यमरताः क्रूरस्वभावा मलिनाशयाः
Merciless, thinking themselves learned, neglecting their own conduct and vows, devoted to agriculture, cruel by nature, with impure intentions.
क्षत्रियाश्च तथा सर्वे स्वधर्मत्यागशीलिनः असत्संगाः पापरता व्यभिचारपरायणाः
And likewise all the Kshatriyas, given to abandoning their own duty, associating with the wicked, delighting in sin, devoted to adultery.
अशूरा अरणप्रीताः पलायनपरायणाः कुचौरवृत्तयः शूद्राः कामकिंकरचेतसः
They are not heroic, delight in forests, are devoted to fleeing, live as petty thieves, and their minds are servants to desire.
शस्त्रास्त्रविद्यया हीना धेनुविप्रावनोज्झिताः शरण्यावनहीनाश्च कामिन्यूतिमृगास्सदा
Deprived of knowledge of weapons and missiles, abandoning cows and Brahmins, lacking protectors and shelter, they are ever like deer pursued by lust.
प्रजापालनसद्धर्मविहीना भोगतत्पराः प्रजासंहारका दुष्टा जीवहिंसाकरा मुदा
Without proper governance or righteous conduct, absorbed in pleasures, wicked destroyers of people, they joyfully commit violence against living beings.
वैश्याः संस्कारहीनास्ते स्वधर्मत्यागशीलिनः कुपथाः स्वार्जनरतास्तुलाकर्मकुवृत्तयः
The Vaiśyas lack proper rites, are inclined to forsake their own duty, follow wrong paths, are intent on self-gain, and engage in dishonest weighing and conduct.
गुरुदेवद्विजातीनां भक्तिहीनाः कुबुद्धयः अभोजितद्विजाः प्रायः कृपणा बद्धमुष्टयः
Without devotion to teachers, gods, or twice-borns, possessing corrupt intellects, mostly not feeding Brahmins, they are miserly and tight-fisted.
कामिनीजारभावेषु सुरता मलिनाशयाः लोभमोहविचेतस्काः पूर्तादिसुवृषोज्झिताः
In adulterous relationships, their minds are impure in intercourse, confused by greed and delusion, abandoning good works and charitable deeds.
तद्वच्छूद्राश्च ये केचिद्ब्राह्मणाचारतत्पराः उज्ज्वलाकृतयो मूढाः स्वधर्मत्यागशीलिनः
Likewise, those Śūdras who imitate Brahmin conduct, though bright in appearance, are foolish and prone to abandoning their own duty.
कर्तारस्तपसां भूयो द्विजतेजोपहारकाः शिश्वल्पमृत्युकाराश्च मंत्रोच्चारपरायणाः
They perform austerities but diminish the brilliance of the twice-born, cause premature death for children, and are devoted to reciting mantras.
शीलिग्रामशिलादीनां पूजकाहोमतत्पराः प्रतिकूलविचाराश्च कुटिला द्विजदूषकाः
Worshippers of stones, village idols, and the like, intent on offerings, their thoughts are contrary, crooked, and they defame the twice-born.
धनवंतः कुकर्माणो विद्यावन्तो विवादिनः आख्यायोपासना धर्मवक्तारो धर्मलोपकाः
Wealthy but engaged in wicked deeds, learned yet quarrelsome, they recite stories and teachings of dharma, but undermine righteousness.
सुभूपाकृतयो दंभाः सुदातारो महामदाः विप्रादीन्सेवकान्मत्वा मन्यमाना निजं प्रभुम्
With the appearance of noble rulers, boastful, generous, and greatly arrogant, considering the service of Brahmins and others as their own mastery.
स्वधर्मरहिता मूडाः संकराः क्रूरबुद्धयः महाभिमानिनो नित्यं चतुर्वर्णविलोपकाः
Without their own duty, foolish, mixed in origin, cruel-minded, ever greatly proud, they destroy the four classes.
सुकुलीनान्निजान्मत्वा चतुर्वर्णैर्विवर्तनाः सर्ववर्णभ्रष्टकरा मूढास्सत्कर्मकारिणः
Born in good families, considering themselves superior, they cause confusion among the four classes, corrupt all castes, and are foolish, though performing good deeds.
स्त्रियश्च प्रायशो भ्रष्टा भर्त्रवज्ञानकारिकाः श्वशुरद्रोहकारिण्यो निर्भया मलिनाशनाः
Most women are fallen, acting with disrespect toward their husbands, causing harm to their in-laws, fearless, and eating impure food.
कुहावभावनिरताः कुशीलास्स्मरविह्वलाः जारसंगरता नित्यं स्वस्वामिविमुखास्तथा
Engaged in deceit and false appearances, skilled in trickery, overwhelmed by passion, always involved in adulterous relations, and estranged from their own husbands.
तनया मातृपित्रोश्च भक्तिहीना दुराशयाः अविद्यापाठका नित्यं रोगग्रसितदेहकाः
Children, lacking devotion to their mother and father, with wicked intentions, never learning knowledge, their bodies are always afflicted by disease.
एतेषां नष्टबुद्धीनां स्वधर्मत्यागशीलिनाम् परलोकेपीह लोके कथं सूत गतिर्भवेत्
For those whose intellect is lost and who are inclined to abandon their own duty, how, O Sūta, can there be any path here or in the next world?
इति चिंताकुलं चित्तं जायते सततं हि नः परोपकारसदृशो नास्ति धर्मो परः खलु
Thus, our minds are always troubled by such thoughts; indeed, there is no greater dharma than helping others.
लघूपायेन येनैषां भवेत्सद्योघनाशनम् सर्वसिद्धान्तवित्त्वं हि कृपया तद्वदाधुना
By what simple means can the heavy burden of their suffering be destroyed? Out of compassion, please now reveal that by which all doctrines are truly understood.
इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् मनसा शंकरं स्मृत्वा सूतः प्रोवाच तान्मुनीन्
Hearing these words of the sages, whose minds were purified, Sūta, remembering Śaṅkara in his heart, spoke to those sages.
साधुपृष्टं साधवो वस्त्रैलोक्यहितकारकम् गुरुं स्मृत्वा भवत्स्नेहाद्वक्ष्ये तच्छृणुतादरात्
O virtuous ones, you have asked well, for the benefit of all the worlds. Remembering the Guru, out of affection for you, I shall speak—listen with reverence.
वेदांतसारसर्वस्वं पुराणं शैवमुत्तमम् सर्वाघौघोद्धारकरं परत्र परमार्थदम्
This supreme Śaiva Purāṇa is the very essence and entirety of Vedānta, capable of removing all heaps of sin and bestowing the highest truth in the hereafter.