शक्तिरप्रतिमा यस्य ह्यैश्वर्यं चापि सर्वगम् स्वामित्वं च विभुत्वं च स्वभावं संप्रचक्षते
His power is incomparable, and his sovereignty is all-pervading; mastery and greatness are said to be his very nature.
तमजं विश्वकर्माणं शाश्वतं शिवमव्ययम् महादेवं महात्मानं व्रजामि शरणं शिवम्
To him who is unborn, the maker of the universe, eternal, auspicious, imperishable, the great god, the great soul, I take refuge in Shiva.
धर्मक्षेत्रे महातीर्थे गंगाकालिंदिसंगमे प्रयागे नैमिषारण्ये ब्रह्मलोकस्य वर्त्मनि
In the field of righteousness, at the great sacred place where the Ganga and Yamuna meet, at Prayaga, in the Naimisha forest, on the path to Brahma's world—
मुनयश्शंसितात्मानः सत्यव्रतपरायणाः महौजसो महाभागा महासत्रं वितेनिरे
There, sages of restrained minds, devoted to truth and vows, of great energy and fortune, performed a great sacrificial session.
तत्र सत्रं समाकर्ण्य तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम् साक्षात्सत्यवतीसूनोर्वेदव्यासस्य धीमतः
There, having heard of that sacrificial session of those whose actions were pure, the wise disciple of Vedavyasa, son of Satyavati, came directly.
शिष्यो महात्मा मेधावी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः पञ्चावयवयुक्तस्य वाक्यस्य गुणदोषवित्
That great-souled, intelligent disciple, renowned in the three worlds, was skilled in the merits and faults of speech composed of five parts.
उत्तरोत्तरवक्ता च ब्रुवतो ऽपि बृहस्पतेः मधुरः श्रवणानां च मनोज्ञपदपर्वणाम्
He was a superior speaker, even beyond Brihaspati, sweet to the ears, with delightful and charming words.
कथानां निपुणो वक्ता कालविन्नयवित्कविः आजगाम स तं देशं सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः
He was a skilled narrator of stories, a poet knowing time and propriety; that Suta, the foremost among Puranic bards, came to that place.
तं दृष्ट्वा सूतमायांतं मुनयो हृष्टमानसाः तस्मै साम च पूजां च यथावत्प्रत्यपादयन्
Seeing him arrive, the sages, their hearts delighted, offered him proper hospitality and worship, as was fitting.
प्रतिगृह्य सतां पूजां मुनिभिः प्रतिपादिताम् उद्दिष्टमानसं भेजे नियुक्तो युक्तमात्मनः
Having received the honor bestowed by the sages, he accepted it with a mind directed as instructed, and with self-control.
ततस्तत्संगमादेव मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् सोत्कंठमभवच्चितं श्रोतुं पौराणिकीं कथाम्
Then, from that gathering of the sages of purified minds, arose a longing in their hearts to hear the ancient tales.
अतीवाभिमुखं कृत्वा वचनं चेदमब्रुवन्
Turning their attention fully, they spoke these words.
रोमहर्षण सर्वज्ञ भवान्नो भाग्यगौरवात् संप्राप्तोद्य महाभाग शैवराज महामते
O Romaharṣaṇa, all-knowing one, by the greatness of our fortune, you have come to us today, O illustrious sage, O wise king among Shaivas.
पुराणविद्यामखिलां व्यासात्प्रत्यक्षमीयिवान् तस्मादाश्चर्यभूतानां कथानां त्वं हि भाजनम्
You have directly received the entire knowledge of the Purāṇas from Vyāsa; therefore, you are indeed the vessel of wondrous stories.
रत्नानामुरुसाराणां रत्नाकर इवार्णवः यच्च भूतं यच्च भव्यं यच्चान्यद्वस्तु वर्तते
Like the ocean, the source of precious gems, you possess all that has been, all that will be, and whatever else exists.
न तवाविदितं किञ्चित्त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते त्वमदृष्टवशादस्मद्दर्शनार्थमिहागतः अकुर्वन्किमपि श्रेयो न वृथा गन्तुमर्हसि
Nothing in the three worlds is unknown to you; you have come here for our sake by unseen destiny. Do not depart without doing some good; you should not go in vain.
तस्माच्छ्राव्यतरं पुण्यं सत्कथाज्ञानसंहितम् वेदांतसारसर्वस्वं पुराणं श्रावयाशु नः
Therefore, let us hear the most auspicious Purāṇa, rich in knowledge of noble stories, the essence and entirety of the Vedānta—recount it swiftly to us.
एवमभ्यर्थितस्सूतो मुनिभिर्वेदवादिभिः श्लक्ष्णां च न्यायसंयुक्तां प्रत्युवाच शुभां गिरम्
Thus entreated by the sages, versed in the Vedas, the Sūta replied with gentle, well-reasoned, and auspicious words.
पूजितो ऽनुगृहीतश्च भवद्भिरिति चोदितः कस्मात्सम्यङ्न विब्रूयां पुराणमृषिपूजितम्
Honored and favored by you, how could I not properly narrate the Purāṇa revered by the sages?
अभिवंद्य महादेवं देवीं स्कंदं विनायकम् नंदिनं च तथा व्यासं साक्षात्सत्यवतीसुतम्
After saluting Mahādeva, the Goddess, Skanda, Vināyaka, Nandin, and Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, directly,
वक्ष्यामि परमं पुण्यं पुराणं वेदसंमितम् शिवज्ञानार्णवं साक्षाद्भक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम्
I shall speak the supreme and auspicious Purāṇa, in accord with the Vedas, the ocean of Shiva's knowledge, which directly bestows the fruits of devotion and liberation.
शब्दार्थन्यायसंयुक्तै रागमार्थैर्विभूषितम् श्वेतकल्पप्रसंगेन वायुना कथितं पुरा
Adorned with sound reasoning and meaning, enriched by themes of passion, it was formerly narrated by Vāyu in the context of the Śvetakalpa.
विद्यास्थानानि सर्वाणि पुराणानुक्रमं तथा तत्पुराणस्य चोत्पत्तिं ब्रुवतो मे निबोधत
Listen as I recount all the sources of knowledge, the sequence of the Purāṇas, and the origin of this Purāṇa.
अंगानि वेदाश्चत्वारो मीमांसान्यायविस्तरः पुराणं धर्मशास्त्रं च विद्याश्चेताश्चतुर्दश
The four Vedas, their limbs, the expanse of Mīmāṃsā and Nyāya, the Purāṇa, the Dharmaśāstra, and these fourteen branches of knowledge,
आयुर्वेदो धनुर्वेदो गांधर्वश्चेत्यनुक्रमात् अर्थशास्त्रं परं तस्माद्विद्या ह्यष्टादश स्मृताः
Āyurveda, Dhanurveda, Gāndharva, and in order, Arthaśāstra as the highest—thus, eighteen branches of knowledge are recognized.
अष्टादशानां विद्यानामेतासां भिन्नवर्त्मनाम् आदिकर्ता कविस्साक्षाच्छूलपाणिरिति श्रुतिः
Of these eighteen branches of knowledge, each with its own path, the original creator, the poet, is directly Śūlapāṇi, as the scripture declares.
स हि सर्वजगन्नाथः सिसृक्षुरखिलं जगत् ब्रह्माणं विदधे साक्षात्पुत्रमग्रे सनातनम्
He, the Lord of all worlds, desiring to create the entire universe, directly produced Brahma, his eternal son, at the beginning.
तस्मै प्रथमपुत्राय ब्रह्मणे विश्वयोनये विद्याश्चेमा ददौ पूर्वं विश्वसृष्ट्यर्थमीश्वरः
To Brahma, the firstborn and source of all creation, the Lord previously gave these sciences for the purpose of creating the universe.
पालनाय हरिं देवं रक्षाशक्तिं ददौ ततः मध्यमं तनयं विष्णुं पातारं ब्रह्मणो ऽपि हि
Then, for the protection of the world, he gave Hari, the god, the power of preservation; thus, Vishnu, the middle son, became the protector, even of Brahma.
लब्धविद्येन विधिना प्रजासृष्टिं वितन्वता प्रथमं सर्वशास्त्राणां पुराणं ब्रह्मणा स्मृतम्
Having acquired knowledge and performing creation according to the prescribed method, Brahma first remembered the Purana, the foremost of all scriptures.