यो ऽयं देवः स्वकादंगाद्ब्रह्मविष्णू पुरासृजत् स एव हि तयोर्नित्यं योगक्षेमकरः प्रभुः
This very god, who formerly created Brahmā and Viṣṇu from his own body, is indeed always the lord who ensures their welfare and sustenance.
स कथं भगवान् रुद्र आदिदेवः पुरातनः पुत्रत्वमगमच्छंभुर्ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः
How then did the blessed Rudra, the ancient primeval god, Śambhu, become the son of Brahmā, whose birth is unmanifest?
प्रजापतिश्च विष्णुश्च रुद्रस्यैतौ परस्परम् सृष्टौ परस्परस्यांगादिति प्रागपि शुश्रुम
We have also heard before that Prajāpati and Viṣṇu were mutually created from Rudra, each from the other's body.
कथं पुनरशेषाणां भूतानां हेतुभूतयोः गुणप्रधानभावेन प्रादुर्भावः परस्परात्
How then did these two, who are the causes of all beings, arise from each other, taking the roles of guṇa and pradhāna?
नापृष्टं भवता किंचिन्नाश्रुतं च कथंचन भगवच्छिष्यभूतेन भवता सकलं स्मृतम्
There is nothing you have not been asked, nor anything you have not heard; as a devoted disciple of the Blessed One, you remember everything.
तत्त्वं वद यथा ब्रह्मा मुनीनामवदद्विभुः वयं श्रद्धालवस्तात श्रोतुमीश्वरसद्यशः
Tell us the truth, just as Brahmā, the all-pervading, spoke to the sages; we, full of faith, wish to hear the glorious deeds of the Lord.
स्थाने पृष्टमिदं विप्रा भवद्भिः प्रश्नकोविदैः इदमेव पुरा पृष्टो मम प्राह पितामहः
This question has rightly been asked by you, O wise brāhmaṇas skilled in inquiry; my grandfather was asked the same in ancient times.
तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा रुद्रसमुद्भवः यथा च पुनरुत्पत्तिर्ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोः परस्परम्
Therefore, I shall now explain how Rudra originated, and also how Brahmā and Viṣṇu mutually arise again.
त्रयस्ते कारणात्मानो जतास्साक्षान्महेश्वरात् चराचरस्य विश्वस्य सर्गस्थित्यंतहेतवः
These three, born directly from the Great Lord, are the causes of the universe, both moving and unmoving, and are the reasons for creation, preservation, and destruction.
परमैश्वर्यसंयुक्ताः परमेश्वरभाविताः तच्छक्त्याधिष्ठिता नित्यं तत्कार्यकरणक्षमाः
Endowed with supreme sovereignty, inspired by the Supreme Lord, ever established in his power, they are always capable of performing their respective functions.
पित्रा नियमिताः पूर्वं त्रयोपि त्रिषु कर्मसु ब्रह्मा सर्गे हरिस्त्राणे रुद्रः संहरणे तथा
Formerly, the Father assigned the three to their respective tasks: Brahmā to creation, Hari to preservation, and Rudra likewise to dissolution.
तथाप्यन्योन्यमात्सर्यादन्योन्यातिशयाशिनः तपसा तोषयित्वा स्वं पितरं परमेश्वरम्
Yet, out of mutual rivalry and the desire to surpass one another, they pleased their own father, the Supreme Lord, through austerities.
लब्ध्वा सर्वात्मना तस्य प्रसादात्परमेष्ठिनः ब्रह्मनारायणौ पूर्वं रुद्रः कल्पान्तरे ऽसृजत्
Having obtained, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, all powers, Rudra in a previous cycle created Brahmā and Nārāyaṇa.
कल्पान्तरे पुनर्ब्रह्मा रुद्रविष्णू जगन्मयः विष्णुश्च भगवान्रुद्रं ब्रह्माणमसृजत्पुनः
In another cycle, Brahmā created Rudra and Viṣṇu, who embody the universe; and again, the blessed Viṣṇu created Rudra and Brahmā.
नारायणं पुनर्ब्रह्मा ब्रह्माणमसृजत्पुनः एवं कल्पेषु कल्पेषु ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः
Again, Brahmā created Nārāyaṇa, and again Brahmā was created by the Lord; thus, in each cycle of creation, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara arise.
परस्परेण जायंते परस्परहितैषिणः तत्तत्कल्पान्तवृत्तान्तमधिकृत्य महर्षिभिः
They are born from one another, each seeking the good of the other; regarding the events at the end of each cycle, the great sages have spoken.
प्रभावः कथ्यते तेषां परस्परसमुद्भवात् शृणु तेषां कथां चित्रां पुण्यां पापप्रमोचिनीम्
Their power is described as arising mutually from each other; listen to their wondrous story, which is meritorious and frees from sin.
कल्पे तत्पुरुषे वृत्तां ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः पुरा नारायणो नाम कल्पे वै मेघवाहने
In that cycle, in the Tatpuruṣa creation, of Brahmā the supreme lord, formerly, Nārāyaṇa was named in the Meghavāhana cycle.
दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु मेघो भूत्वावहद्धराम् तस्य भावं समालक्ष्य विष्णोर्विश्वजगद्गुरुः
For a divine thousand years, becoming a cloud, he bore the earth; observing the state of Viṣṇu, the teacher of the universe—
सर्वस्सर्वात्मभावेन प्रददौ शक्तिमव्ययाम् शक्तिं लब्ध्वा तु सर्वात्मा शिवात्सर्वेश्वरात्तदा
He, being the self of all, granted the imperishable power to all; having obtained that power from Śiva, the Lord of all, the self of all—
ससर्ज भगावन् विष्णुर्विश्वं विश्वसृजा सह विष्णोस्तद्वैभवं दृष्ट्वा सृष्टस्तेन पितामहः
The blessed Viṣṇu then created the universe together with the creator of the world; seeing that glory of Viṣṇu, the Grandfather (Brahmā) was created by him.
ईर्ष्यया परया ग्रस्तः प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् गच्छ विष्णो मया ज्ञातं तव सर्गस्य कारणम् आवयोरधिकश्चास्ति स रुद्रो नात्र संशयः
Overcome by intense jealousy, he laughed and spoke thus: 'Go, Viṣṇu, I have understood the cause of your creation; there is one greater than both of us—he is Rudra, of this there is no doubt.'
तस्य देवाधिदेवस्य प्रसादात्परमेष्ठिनः स्रष्टा त्वं भगवानाद्यः पालकः परमार्थतः
By the grace of that Lord of lords, the supreme lord, you, O blessed one, are the first creator, and truly the protector.
अहं च तपसाराध्य रुद्रं त्रिदशनायकम् त्वया सह जगत्सर्वं स्रक्ष्याम्यत्र न संशयः
And I, by ascetic practice, will worship Rudra, the leader of the gods; together with you, I will create the entire world—of this there is no doubt.
एवं विष्णुमुपालभ्य भगवानब्जसम्भवः एवं विज्ञापयामास तपसा प्राप्य शंकरम्
Thus, having addressed Viṣṇu, the blessed one born from the lotus thus made his request, having attained Śaṅkara through austerity.
भगवन् देवदेवेश विश्वेश्वर महेश्वर तव वामांगजो विष्णुर्दक्षिणांगभवो ह्यहम्
O blessed one, Lord of gods, Lord of the universe, great Lord, Viṣṇu was born from your left side, and I indeed from your right.
मया सह जगत्सर्वं तथाप्यसृजदच्युतः स मत्सरादुपालब्धस्त्वदाश्रयबलान्मया
Together with me, the entire world was created by Acyuta; he was reproached by me out of envy, relying on your strength.
मद्भावान्नाधिकस्तेति भावस्त्वयि महेश्वरे त्वत्त एव समुत्पत्तिरावयोस्सदृशी यतः
Because of my nature, I am not superior; this is the truth regarding you, O great Lord, for from you alone is the origin of us both, since we are alike.
तस्य भक्त्या यथापूर्वं प्रसादं कृतवानसि तथा ममापि तत्सर्वं दातुमर्हसि शंकर
As you have formerly bestowed your grace upon him out of devotion, so, O Śaṅkara, you should grant all that to me as well.
इति विज्ञापितस्तेन भगवान् भगनेत्रहा न्यायेन वै ददौ सर्वं तस्यापि स घृणानिधिः
Thus addressed by him, the blessed one, destroyer of Bhaga's eye, justly granted everything to him also, being a treasure of compassion.