"मंत्रा दैवता यद्यद्विद्वान्मन्त्रवत्करोति देवताभिरेव तत्करोति यद्ददानि देवताभिरेव तद्ददाति यत्प्रतिगृह्णाति देवताभिरेव तत्प्रतिगृह्णाति तस्मान्नामन्त्रवत्प्रतिगृह्णीयात् नामन्त्रवत्प्रतिपद्यते" इति॥ ४०.
"Mantras are deities. Whatever the learned one does with mantras, he does it with the deities alone. Whatever he gives, he gives with the deities alone. Whatever he receives, he receives with the deities alone. Therefore, one should not receive without mantras; one does not act properly without mantras."
तस्मान्मंत्रैः सदा देयं पौराणैर्वैदिकैरपि ४०.
Therefore, offerings should always be made with mantras, both from the Purāṇas and the Vedas.
दर्भांस्तिलानक्षतांश्च तोयं चैतैः सुसंयुतम् ४०.
Darbha grass, unbroken sesame seeds, and water should be properly combined with these.
पुरा किल प्रदत्तानि भूमेर्दानानि भूरिशः ४०.
Long ago, indeed, many gifts were given from the earth.
ततो देवाश्च पितरः प्रत्यूचुः पद्मसंभवम्॥ ४०.
Then the gods and ancestors addressed the lotus-born one.
स्वामिन्नः पश्यतामेव सर्वं दैत्यैः प्रगृह्यते ४०.
"Lord, as we watch, everything is being seized by the demons."
ततो विमृश्यैव विधी रक्षोपायमचीकरत् ४०.
Then, after considering, the Creator devised a means of protection.
तोयं दर्भांश्च सर्वत्र एवं गृह्णन्ति नासुराः ४०.
The demons do not take water and darbha grass everywhere in this way.
निःश्वस्य पितरो देवा यांति दातुः फलं न हि ४०.
The ancestors and gods, having exhaled, do not attain the fruit of the giver.
चतुर्युगव्यवस्थानं श्रोतुमिच्छमि तत्त्वतः ४०.
I wish to hear, in truth, the arrangement of the four ages.
आद्यं कृतयुगं विद्धिततस्त्रेतायुगं स्मृतम् ४०.
Know that the first is called the Kṛta Yuga, and after that is remembered the Tretā Yuga.
सत्त्वं कृतं रजस्त्रेता द्वापरं च रजस्तमः ४०.
Kṛta is of the quality of sattva; Tretā is rajas; Dvāpara is both rajas and tamas.
ध्यानं परं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां यज्ञ उच्यते ४०.
In the Kṛta Yuga, supreme meditation prevailed; in Tretā, sacrifice is said to be foremost.
कृते तु मानसी सृष्टिर्वृत्तिः साक्षाद्रसोल्लसा ४०.
Indeed, in Kṛta, creation was mental, and conduct was directly radiant with essence.
अधमोत्तमो न तासां ता निर्विशेषाः प्रजाः शुभाः ४०.
Among them there was neither lowest nor highest; those auspicious beings were without distinction.
न चाप्रीतिर्न च द्वंद्वो न द्वेषो नापि च क्लमः ४०.
There was no displeasure, no duality, no hatred, nor any fatigue.
वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्था च तदासीन्न हि संकरः ४०.
The system of varṇa and āśrama existed then; indeed, there was no confusion.
चतुर्थे च ततः पादे नष्ट साऽभूद्रसोल्लसा ४०.
But in the fourth part thereafter, that radiance of essence was lost.
वस्त्राणि च प्रसूयंते फलान्याभरणानि च ४०.
Clothes, fruits, and ornaments were produced naturally.
सुमाक्षिकं महावीर्यं पुटके पुटके मधु ४०.
Honey, pure and of great potency, was found in every hollow.
हृष्टपुष्टास्तथा वृद्धाः प्रजा वै विगतज्वराः ४०.
The people were joyful, nourished, long-lived, and free from disease.
युगभावात्तथा ध्याने स्वल्पीभूते शिवस्य च ४०.
Due to the change of the age, meditation and the worship of Śiva became diminished.
तासां तेनोपचारेण लोभदोषकृतेन वै ४०.
Because of that, through such conduct, and due to the fault of greed,
तस्यां चाप्यल्पशिष्टायां द्वंद्वान्यभ्युत्थितानि वै ४०.
And when only a little of that remained, dualities indeed arose.
चक्रुरावरणार्थं हि केतनानि ततस्ततः ४०.
Then, for the sake of covering themselves, they made shelters here and there.
वृष्ट्या बभूवुरौषध्यो ग्राम्यारण्याश्चतुर्दश ४०.
With the rain, fourteen kinds of cultivated and wild plants came into being.
ऋतु पुष्पफलैश्चैव वृक्षगुल्माश्च जज्ञिरे ४०.
Then, trees and shrubs came into being, bearing flowers and fruits according to the seasons.
ततः पुनरभूत्तासां रागो लोभश्च सर्वतः ४०.
After that, desire and greed arose everywhere among them.
वृक्षगुल्मौषधीश्चैव प्रसह्याशु यथाबलम् ४०.
Trees, shrubs, and herbs were forcefully seized according to each one's strength.
नत्वा धरां प्रविष्टास्ता ओषध्यः पीडिताः प्रजाः ४०.
Oppressed, those herbs bowed to the earth and entered within, afflicted by the people.