शतरुद्रन्तथा कोटिरुद्रं व्योमयुगाधिकम् द्विसाहस्रं च द्विशतं तथोमं भूसहस्रकम्
The Shatarudra and the Kotirudra, exceeding by the measure of the sky, each have two thousand and two hundred verses; likewise, the Auma has one thousand.
चत्वारिंशत्साष्टशतं कैलासं भूसहस्रकम् चत्वारिंशच्च द्विशतं वायवीयमतः परम्
The Kailasa has one thousand and forty-eight verses, and the Vayaviya, following that, has one thousand and forty-two.
चतुस्साहस्रसंख्याकमेवं संख्याविभेदतः श्रुतम्परमपुण्यन्तु पुराणं शिवसंज्ञकम्
Thus, according to the division of numbers, the Purāṇa known as Śiva, which is most sacred, is said to consist of four thousand verses.
चतुःसाहस्रकं यत्तु वायवीयमुदीरितम् तदिदं वर्तयिष्यामि भागद्वयसमन्वितम्
The Vāyavīya Purāṇa, which also consists of four thousand verses, I shall now recount to you, which is composed of two parts.
नावेदविदुषे वाच्यमिदं शास्त्रमनुत्तमम् न चैवाश्रद्धधानाय नापुराणविदे तथा
This supreme scripture should not be spoken to one ignorant of the Vedas, nor to one who lacks faith, nor to one unfamiliar with the Purāṇas.
परीक्षिताय शिष्याय धार्मिकायानसूयवे प्रदेयं शिवभक्ताय शिवधर्मानुसारिणे
It should be given to a disciple who has been examined, who is righteous, free from envy, devoted to Śiva, and follows the path of Śiva's dharma.
पुराणसंहिता यस्य प्रसादान्मयि वर्तते नमो भगवते तस्मै व्यासायामिततेजसे
Salutations to that illustrious Vyāsa, of immeasurable brilliance, by whose grace the collection of Purāṇas abides in me.
पुरा कालेन महता कल्पेतीते पुनःपुनः अस्मिन्नुपस्थिते कल्पे प्रवृत्ते सृष्ठिकर्मणि
In ancient times, after a great period had passed and a previous cycle had ended, when this new cycle began and the work of creation commenced,
प्रतिष्ठितायां वार्तायां प्रबुद्धासु प्रजासु च मुनीनां षट्कुलीयानां ब्रुवतामितरेतरम्
When society was established and people had awakened, the six classes of sages engaged in discussion with one another.
इदं परमिदं नेति विवादस्सुमहानभूत् परस्य दुर्निरूपत्वान्न जातस्तत्र निश्चयः
A great debate arose among them, saying, 'This is supreme,' 'No, that is not,' but because the highest truth is difficult to determine, no certainty was reached there.
ते ऽभिजग्मुर्विधातारं द्रष्टुं ब्रह्माणमव्ययम् यत्रास्ते भगवान् ब्रह्मा स्तूयमानस्सुरासुरैः
They went to see the creator, the imperishable Brahmā, where the blessed Lord Brahmā was being praised by gods and demons.
मेरुशृंगे शुभे रम्ये देवदानवसंकुले सिद्धचारणसंवादे यक्षगंधर्वसेविते
On the beautiful and delightful summit of Meru, crowded with gods and demons, filled with the conversations of siddhas and cāraṇas, and attended by yakṣas and gandharvas,
विहंगसंघसंघुष्टे मणिविद्रुमभूषिते निकुंजकंदरदरीगृहानिर्झरशोभिते
Resounding with flocks of birds, adorned with jewels and coral, beautified by groves, caves, mountain streams, and lovely waterfalls,
तत्र ब्रह्मवनं नाम नानामृगसमाकुलम् दशयोजनविस्तीर्णं शतयोजनमायतम्
There is the forest called Brahmavana, teeming with various animals, ten yojanas wide and a hundred yojanas long.
सुरसामलपानीयपूर्णरम्यसरोवरम् मत्तभ्रमरसंछन्नरम्यपुष्पितपादपम्
It has a charming lake filled with sweet, pure water, and beautiful flowering trees covered with intoxicated bees.
तरुणादित्यसंकाशं तत्र चारु महत्पुरम् दुर्धर्षबलदृप्तानां दैत्यदानवरक्षसाम्
There stands a splendid great city, radiant like the rising sun, inhabited by powerful and proud daityas, dānavas, and rākṣasas.
तप्तजांबूनदमयं प्रांशुप्राकारतोरणम् निर्व्यूहवलभीकूटप्रतोलीशतमंडितम्
Made of molten gold, with lofty walls and gateways, adorned with hundreds of courtyards, balconies, towers, and main streets.
महार्हमणिचित्राभिर्लेलिहानमिवांबरम् महाभवनकोटीभिरनेकाभिरलंकृतम्
It seems to lick the sky with its splendid, precious jewels, and is decorated with countless grand mansions.
तस्मिन्निवसति ब्रह्मा सभ्यैः सार्धं प्रजापतिः तत्र गत्वा महात्मानं साक्षाल्लोकपितामहम्
There resides Brahmā, the lord of creatures, together with his assembly; having gone there, the sages beheld the great-souled, primordial father of the world directly.
दद्दशुर्मुनयो देवा देवर्षिगणसेवितम् शुद्धचामीकरप्रख्यं सर्वाभरणभूषितम्
The sages and gods saw him, attended by hosts of divine seers, shining like pure gold and adorned with every ornament.
प्रसन्नवदनं सौम्यं पद्मपत्रायतेक्षणम् दिव्यकांतिसमायुक्तं दिव्यगंधानुलेपनम्
With a cheerful face, gentle in demeanor, eyes elongated like lotus petals, endowed with divine radiance, and anointed with celestial fragrance.
दिव्यशुक्लांबरधरं दिव्यमालाविभूषितम् सुरासुरेन्द्रयोगींद्रवंद्यमानपदांबुजम्
Clad in divine white garments, adorned with a heavenly garland, whose lotus feet are venerated by the lords of gods, demons, and yogis.
सर्वलक्षणयुक्तांग्या लब्धचामरहस्तया भ्राजमानं सरस्वत्या प्रभयेव दिवाकरम्
With limbs bearing all auspicious marks, holding a fly-whisk in hand, shining like the sun by the brilliance of Sarasvati.
तं दृष्ट्वा मुनयस्सर्वे प्रसन्नवदनेक्षणाः शिरस्यंजलिमाधाय तुष्टुवुस्सुरपुंगवम्
Upon seeing him, all the sages, their faces radiant with joy, placed their hands upon their heads in reverence and praised the foremost among the gods.
नमस्त्रिमूर्तये तुभ्यं सर्गस्थित्यंतहेतवे पुरुषाय पुराणाय ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने
Salutations to you, O Three-formed One, cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution, the primordial Person, ancient, Brahman, supreme Self.
नमः प्रधानदेहाय प्रधानक्षोभकारिणे त्रयोविंशतिभेदेन विकृतायाविकारिणे
Salutations to the One whose body is Pradhana, who agitates Pradhana, who, though transformed in twenty-three ways, remains unchanged.
नमो ब्रह्माण्डदेहाय ब्रह्मांडोदरवर्तिने तत्र संसिद्धकार्याय संसिद्धकरणाय च
Salutations to the One whose body is the cosmic egg, who dwells within its interior, who accomplishes all tasks and brings all instruments to perfection therein.
नमोस्तु सर्वलोकाय सर्वलोकविधायिने सर्वात्मदेहसंयोग वियोगविधिहेतवे
Salutations to the One who is all worlds, who arranges all worlds, who is the cause of union and separation of all embodied souls.
त्वयैव निखिलं सृष्टं संहृतं पालितं जगत् तथापि मायया नाथ न विद्मस्त्वां पितामह
By you alone, the entire universe is created, dissolved, and protected; yet, O Lord, due to your maya, we do not know you, O Ancestor.
एवं ब्रह्मा महाभागैर्महर्षिभिरभिष्टुतः प्राह गंभीरया वाचा मुनीन् प्रह्लादयन्निव
Thus, Brahma, praised by the great sages of great fortune, spoke with a deep voice, as if delighting the sages.