इति श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्र माहात्म्ये विशालाभिधानकथनंनाम सप्तचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-seventh chapter, named 'The Account of Viśālā,' in the section on the greatness of the Avanti region, in the fifth Avanti Khaṇḍa of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
मया व्यासमुखात्प्राप्ता कल्पभेदे कथा शुभा
I have obtained this auspicious tale from the mouth of Vyāsa, concerning the cycles of creation.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतरा श्रेष्ठा न देया यस्य कस्यचित्
It is most secret, more secret than the secret, and the best; it should not be given to just anyone.
एषा पुण्यतमा व्यास कथा पापहरा परा
This is the most meritorious tale of Vyāsa, supreme and remover of sin.
प्रमाणं कल्पपर्यंतं ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः
Its authority endures as long as the cycles of Brahmā, the supreme lord.
यावत्संख्या परिमिता तावती शृणु सत्तम
As many as are the limited numbers, so many are there; listen, O noble one.
तामुपादाय गणनां शृणु संख्या द्विजोत्तम
Taking up that enumeration, listen to the numbers, O best of twice-born.
त्रिंशत्कला मुहूर्तस्तु त्रिंशता तैर्मनीषिणः
There are thirty kalās in a muhūrta; so say the wise.
रविर्गतिविशेषेण सन्ध्यायां याति नित्यशः
By the particular movement of the sun, he always enters the twilight.
पक्षौ मासा ऋतुश्चाब्दमयने च प्रकीर्तिते
The two fortnights, the months, the seasons, and the solstices are declared.
यावत्संख्या समाख्याता आयुरंतश्च तादृशः 5.1.48.
The number has been stated; the lifespan is likewise.
पक्षौ द्वौ तौ कृतौ मासौ मासौ द्वावृतुरुच्यते
Two fortnights make a month, and two months are said to make a season.
दक्षिणं चोत्तरं चैव संख्यातत्त्वविशारदैः
The southern and northern courses are described by those who are expert in the science of enumeration.
पितॄणां तदहोरात्रमिति कालविदो विदुः
Those who know time say that for the ancestors, that very day and night is reckoned.
कृष्णपक्षे त्विह श्राद्धं पितॄणां वर्तते द्विज
Indeed, in the dark fortnight, the śrāddha for the ancestors takes place, O twice-born one.
देवानां तदहोरात्रं दिवा चैवोत्तरायणम्
For the gods, that day and night is during the day and the northern course.
दिव्यमब्दं शतगुणं दिव्यमब्दसहस्रकम्
A divine year is a hundred times greater, and a thousand divine years likewise.
अहोरात्रं दशगुणं मानवः पक्ष उच्यते
A day and night, multiplied by ten, is called a fortnight for humans.
ऋतुर्मनूनां संप्रोक्तः प्राज्ञैस्तत्त्वार्थदर्शिभिः
A season for humans is declared by the wise who perceive the true meaning.
चत्वार्येव सहस्राणि वर्षाणां तु कृतं युगम्
The Kṛta Yuga consists of exactly four thousand years.
त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि त्रेता तत्परिमाणतः 5.1.48.
The Tretā Yuga, in its measure, is three thousand years.
तथा वर्षसहस्रे द्वे द्वापरं परिकीर्तितम् ।। तस्य च द्विशती संध्या संध्यांशश्च तथा। परः
Likewise, the Dvāpara is said to be two thousand years; its twilight and dawn are each two hundred.
कलिर्वर्षसहस्रं तु संख्या चोक्ता मनीषिभिः
The Kali Yuga is a thousand years; this reckoning is stated by the wise.
( ४८०० कृतं, ३६०० त्रेता, २४०० द्वापरम्, १२०० कलिः) एषा द्वादशसाहस्री युगसंख्या प्रकीर्तिता
Four thousand for Kṛta, three thousand for Tretā, two thousand four hundred for Dvāpara, and one thousand two hundred for Kali—this is declared as the twelve-thousand count of the yugas.
ससर्ज स पुनस्तात जगत्सर्वमिदं ततः
Then he again created this entire world, O dear one.
युगं तदेकसप्तत्या गुणितं द्विजसत्तम
That yuga, multiplied by seventy-one, O best of twice-born, is so reckoned.
अयनं चापि तत्प्रोक्तं द्वेऽयने दक्षिणोत्तरे
The course of the sun is also described as two: the southern and the northern.
ततोऽपरो मनुः कालमेतावन्तं भवेत्पुनः
Then, another Manu arises, and the same span of time occurs again.
तदैव चायनं प्रोक्तं मुनिना तत्त्वदर्शिना
At that very time, the course is declared by the sage who sees the truth.
सहस्रयुगपर्यंतं सा निशा प्रोच्यते बुधैः
Up to a thousand yugas, that night is spoken of by the wise.