इमाञ्छ्लोकान्गायमानः प्रश्ररूपाञ्छृणुष्व तान् ५.
Listen as I sing these verses, which are composed in a respectful manner.
पंचपंचाद्भुतं गेहं को विजानाति वा द्विजः ५.
Who among the twice-born knows the house that is wondrous in five times five ways?
को वा चित्रकथाबंधं वेत्ति संसारगोचरः ५.
Who among those wandering in worldly existence knows the intricate stories and their bonds?
को वाष्टविधं ब्राह्मण्यं वेत्ति ब्राह्मणसत्तमः ५.
Who, O foremost among Brahmins, knows the eightfold essence of Brahminhood?
चतुर्दशमनूनां वा मूलवासरं वेत्ति कः ५.
Who knows the root day of the fourteen Manus?
उद्वेजयति भूतानि कृष्णाहिरिव वेत्ति कः ५.
Who knows what agitates beings like a black serpent?
पंथानावपि द्वौ कश्चिद्वेत्ति वक्ति च ब्राह्मणः ५.
Who, among Brahmins, knows and speaks of even two paths?
ते मे पूज्यतमास्तेषामहामाराधकश्चिरम् ५.
They are most worthy of reverence to me; I am their great worshipper for a long time.
ते चाहुर्दुःखदाः ख्याताः प्रश्रास्ते कुर्महे नमः ५.
They are renowned as givers of sorrow; we bow respectfully to them.
हिमाद्रिशिखरासीनो भूयश्चिंतामवाप्तवान् ५.
Seated upon the peak of the Himalayas, I again fell into deep thought.
ततो मे चिंतयानस्य पुनर्जाता मतिस्त्वियम् ५.
Then, as I was reflecting, this new idea arose in my mind.
यस्मिन्विप्राः संवसंति मूर्तानीव तपांसि च ५.
Where Brahmins dwell, austerities appear as if embodied.
स्थाने तस्मिन्गमिष्यामीत्युक्त्वाहं चलितस्तदा ५.
Having said, 'I will go to that place,' I departed at that time.
अद्राक्षं पुण्यभूमिस्थं ग्रामरत्नमहं महत् ५.
I beheld a great jewel among villages, situated on sacred ground.
यत्र पुण्यवतां संति शतशः प्रवराश्रमाः ५.
Where hundreds of noble hermitages of the virtuous are found.
यज्ञभाजां मुनीनां यदुपकारकरं सदा ५.
Which always serves the sages who partake in sacrifices.
मुनीनां यत्र परमं स्थानं चाप्यविनाशकृत् ५.
Where the supreme abode of sages exists, which even destroys impermanence.
यत्र कृतयुगस्तार्थं बीजं पार्थावशिष्यते ५.
Where, for the sake of the Krita Yuga, the seed remains under the protection of the sons of Pritha.
स्थानकं तत्समासाद्य प्रविष्टोऽहं द्विजाश्रमान् ५.
Having reached that place, I entered the hermitages of the twice-born.
परस्परं चिंतयाना वेदा मूर्तिधरा यथा ५.
Reflecting together, as if the Vedas had taken form.
विचिक्षिपुर्महात्मानो नभोगतमिवामिषम् ५.
The great souls scattered, as if it were bait cast into the sky.
काकारावैः किमतैर्वो यद्यस्ति ज्ञानशालिता ५.
With cawing sounds, what use are your words, if you possess wisdom?
वद ब्राह्मण प्रश्रान्स्वाञ्छ्रुत्वाऽऽधास्यामहे वयम् ५.
Speak, O Brahmin, your questions; having heard them, we shall respond.
अहं पूर्विकया ते वै न्यषेधंत परस्परम् ५.
I, following the custom, indeed restrained them from one another.
ततस्तानब्रवं प्रश्रानहं द्वादश पूर्वकान् ५.
Then I spoke those twelve questions to them, as was proper.
किं ते द्विज बालप्रश्नैरमीभिः स्वल्पकैरपि ५.
What use are these childish questions of yours, O twice-born, even if they are few?
ततोतिविस्मितश्चाहं मन्यमानः कृतार्थताम् ५.
Then I was greatly astonished, thinking myself accomplished.
ततः सुतनुनामा स बालोऽबालोऽभ्युवाच माम् तथापि वच्मि मां यस्मान्निहीनं मन्यते भवान्॥ ५.
Then that boy named Sutanuna, though not a child, spoke to me: 'Still, I shall speak, since you consider me inferior.'
अक्षरास्तु द्विपंचाशन्मातृकायाः प्रकीर्तिताः॥ ५.
The fifty-two letters of the alphabet are declared.
ॐकारः प्रथमस्तत्र चतुर्दश स्वरास्तथा ५.
Among them, Om is the first, and there are fourteen vowels as well.