न ते वपुर्विश्वसृगब्जयोनि- रेकान्ततो वेद महानुभावः । परं त्वहं वेद्मि कविं पुराणं भवन्तमाद्यं तपसा विशुद्धः ।। ७३.
O great one, not even the lotus-born creator of the universe knows your form completely; but I, purified by austerity, know you as the ancient sage, the first being.
पद्मासनो मे जनकः प्रसिद्ध - श्चैतत् प्रसूतावसकृत्पुराणैः । संबोध्यते नाथ न मद्विधोऽपि विदुर्भवन्तं तपसा विहीनाः ।। ७३.
The lotus-seated one is known as my father, and he is often said to be the source of the ancients; yet, O Lord, not even one like me can know you—those devoid of austerity cannot comprehend you.
ब्रह्मादिभिस्तत्प्रवरैरबोध्यं त्वां देव मूर्खाः स्वमनन्तनत्या । प्रबोधमिच्छन्ति न तेषु बुद्धि - रुदारकीर्त्तिष्वपि वेदहीनाः ।। ७३.
O God, even Brahmā and the foremost among the wise cannot know you; the ignorant, lacking devotion to you, desire understanding, but wisdom does not arise in them, nor do they possess the Vedas, even if famed.
जन्मान्तरैर्वेदविदां विवेक - बुद्धिर्भवेन्नाथ तव प्रसादात् । त्वल्लब्धलाभस्य न मानुषत्वं न देवगन्धर्वगतिः शिवं स्यात् ।। ७३.
O Lord, discernment arises for the knowers of the Veda through many births, by your grace; for one who has attained you, there is neither human existence nor the path of gods and gandharvas, nor is there liberation.
त्वं विष्णुरूपोऽसि भवान् सुसूक्ष्मः स्थूलोऽसि चेदं कृतकृत्यतायाः । स्थूलः सुसूक्ष्मः सुलभोऽसि देव त्वद्वाह्यवृत्त्या नरके पतन्ति ।। ७३.
You are Viṣṇu in form, exceedingly subtle; you are also gross, the fulfillment of all duties; O God, you are both gross and subtle, easily attained, but those who act contrary to you fall into hell.
किमुच्यते वा भवति स्थितेऽस्मिन् खात्म्येन्दुवह्न्यर्कमहीमरुद्भिः । तत्त्वैः सतोयैः समरूपधारि - ण्यात्मस्वरूपे विततस्वभावे ।। ७३.
What can be said of you, who exist in this universe, pervading ether, self, moon, fire, sun, earth, and wind, assuming forms corresponding to the elements, your own nature pervading all?
इति स्तुतिं मे भगवन्ननन्त जुषस्व भक्तस्य विशेषतश्च । सृष्टिं सृजस्वेति तवोदितस्य सर्वज्ञतां देहि नमोऽस्तु विष्णो ।। ७३.
O Lord, thus accept this praise of mine, especially from your devotee; as you have commanded, create the creation, and grant me omniscience. Salutations to you, O Viṣṇu.
चतुर्मुखो यो यदि कोटिवक्त्रो भवेन्नरः क्वापि विशुद्धचेताः । स ते गुणानामयुतैरनेकै - र्वदेत् तदा देववर प्रसीद ।। ७३.
Even if a man were to have four faces, or ten million mouths, and a pure mind, O best of gods, he could not fully describe your countless and various qualities; be gracious.
समाधियुक्तस्य विशुद्धबुद्धे - स्त्वद्भावभावैकमनोऽनुगस्य । सदा हृदिस्थोऽसि भवान्नमस्ते न सर्वगस्यास्ति पृथग्व्यवस्था ।। ७३.
To one engaged in meditation, with purified intellect, whose mind is devoted solely to you, you always dwell in the heart. Salutations to you; there is no separate existence for anything apart from you.
इति प्रकाशं कृतमेतदीश स्तवं मया सर्वगतं विबुद्ध्वा । संसारचक्रक्रममाणयुक्त्या भीतं पुनीह्यच्युत केवलत्वम् ।। ७३.
Thus, O Lord, I have openly composed this hymn, knowing you as all-pervading; by the method of traversing the cycle of worldly existence, purify me, O Acyuta, granting me absolute liberation.
श्रीवराह उवाच । इति स्तुतस्तदा देवो रुद्रेणामिततेजसा । उवाच वाक्यं संतुष्टो मेघगम्भीरनिःस्वनः ।। ७३.
Śrī Varāha said: Thus, when praised by Rudra, whose energy is immeasurable, the Lord, pleased, spoke words with a voice deep as thunder.
विष्णुरुवाच । वरं वरय भद्रं ते देव देव उमापते । न भेदश्चावयोर्देव एकावावामुभावपि ।। ७३.
Viṣṇu said: Choose a boon, may it be well with you, O god of gods, O consort of Umā. There is no difference between us, O god; we are both one and the same.
रुद्र उवाच । ब्रह्मणाऽहं नियुक्तस्तु प्रजाः सृज इति प्रभो । तत्र ज्ञानं प्रयच्छस्व त्रिविधं भूतभावनम् ।। ७३.
Rudra said: I have been appointed by Brahmā to create beings, O Lord; therefore, grant me knowledge—threefold, for the generation of beings.
विष्णुरुवाच । सर्वज्ञस्त्वं न संदेहो ज्ञानराशिः सनातनः । देवानां च परं पूज्यः सर्वदा त्वं भविष्यसि ।। ७३.
Viṣṇu said: You are omniscient, without doubt, a repository of eternal knowledge; you will always be the most highly revered among the gods.
एवमुक्तः पुनर्वाक्यमुवाचोमापतिर्मुदा । अन्यं देहि वरं देव प्रसिद्धं सर्वजन्तुषु ।। ७३.
Thus addressed, Umāpati joyfully spoke again: Grant me another boon, O god, one that is renowned among all beings.
मूर्तो भूत्वा भवानेव मामाराधय केशव । मां वहस्व च देवेश वरं मत्तो गृहाण च । येनाहं सर्वदेवानां पूज्यात् पूज्यतरो भवे ।। ७३.
Assuming a form, O Keśava, worship me; bear me, O Lord of gods, and accept a boon from me, by which I may become more highly worshipped than all the gods.
विष्णुरुवाच । देवकार्यावतारेषु मानुषत्वमुपागतः । त्वामेवाराधयिष्यामि त्वं च मे वरदो भव ।। ७३.
Viṣṇu said: In incarnations for the sake of the gods, when I take human form, I will indeed worship you, and you, in turn, grant me boons.
यत् त्वयोक्तं वहस्वेति देवदेव उमापते । सोऽहं वहामि त्वां देवं मेघो भूत्वा शतं समाः ।। ७३.
As you have said, 'Bear me,' O god of gods, O consort of Umā, so I, becoming a cloud, will bear you, O god, for a hundred years.
एवमुक्त्वा हरिर्मेघः स्वयं भूत्वा महेश्वरम् । उज्जहार जलात् तस्माद् वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ।। ७३.
Having spoken thus, Hari himself became a cloud, lifted Maheśvara from the water, and spoke these words.
य एते दश चैकश्च पुरुषाः प्राकृताः प्रभो । ते वैराजा महीं याता आदित्या इति संज्ञिताः ।। ७३.
O Lord, these ten and one primal beings, called the Vairājas, have gone to the earth and are known as the Ādityas.
मदंशो द्वादशो यस्तु विष्णुनामा महीतले । अवतीर्णो भवन्तं तु आराधयति शंकर ।। ७३.
The twelfth portion of myself, named Viṣṇu, has descended to earth and worships you, O Śaṃkara.
एवमुक्त्वा स्वकादंशात् सृष्ट्वादित्यं घनं तथा । नारायणः शब्दवच्च न विद्मः क्व लयं गतः ।। ७३.
Having said this, Nārāyaṇa created the sun from his own portion, and, like a sound, we do not know where he disappeared.
रुद्र उवाच । एवमेष हरिर्देवः सर्वगः सर्वभावनः । वरदोऽभूत् पुरा मह्यं तेनाहं दैवतैर्वरः ।। ७३.
Rudra said: Thus, this god Hari, all-pervading and the creator of all, once granted me a boon; therefore, among the gods, I am the foremost.
नारायणात् परो देवो न भूतो न भविष्यति । एतद् रहस्यं वेदानां पुराणानां च सत्तम । मया वः कीर्तितं सर्वं यथा विष्णुरिहेज्यते ।। ७३.
There is no god superior to Nārāyaṇa, nor has there been, nor will there be. This is the secret of the Vedas and the Purāṇas, O best of sages, which I have declared to you, as Viṣṇu is worshipped here.
श्रीवराह उवाच । पुनस्ते ऋषयः सर्वे तं पप्रच्छुः सनातनम् । रुद्रं पुराणपुरुषं शाश्वतं ध्रुवमव्ययम् । विश्वरूपमजं शंभुं त्रिनेत्रं शूलपाणिनम् ।। ७४.
Śrī Varāha said: Once again, all the sages questioned that eternal one—Rudra, the ancient person, everlasting, unchanging, imperishable, of universal form, unborn, auspicious, three-eyed, and wielder of the trident.
ऋषय ऊचुः । त्वं परः सर्वदेवानामस्माकं च सुरेश्वर । पृच्छाम तेन त्वां प्रश्नमेकं तद् वक्तुमर्हसि ।। ७४.
The sages said: You are supreme among all the gods and for us, O Lord of the gods. Therefore, we ask you a single question; you are worthy to answer it.
भूमिप्रमाणसंस्थानं पर्वतानां च विस्तरम् । समुद्राणां नदीनां च ब्रह्माण्डस्य च विस्तरम् । अस्माकं ब्रूहि कृपया देवदेव उमापते ।। ७४.
Please tell us, out of compassion, O god of gods, O consort of Umā, the measure and extent of the earth, the breadth of the mountains, the expanse of the oceans and rivers, and the dimensions of the cosmic egg.
रुद्र उवाच । सर्वेष्वेव पुराणेषु भूर्लोकः परिकीर्त्यते । ब्रह्मविष्णुभवादीनां वायव्ये च सविस्तरम् ।। ७४.
Rudra said: In all the Purāṇas, the earth realm is described in detail, especially in the northwest, as the domain of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Bhava, and others.
इदानीं च प्रवक्ष्यामि समासाद् वः क्षमान्तरम् । तन्निबोधत धर्मज्ञा गदतो मम सत्तमाः ।। ७४.
Now I will briefly explain to you the extent of the earth; listen to this, O knowers of dharma, as I speak, O best of men.
योऽसौ सकलविद्यावबोधितपरमात्मरूपी विगतकल्मषः परमाणुरचिन्त्त्यात्मा नारायणः सकललोकालोकव्यापी पीताम्बरोरुवक्षः क्षितिधरो गुणतोमुख्यतस्तु - अणुमहद्दीर्घह्रस्वमकृशमलोहितमित्येवमाद्योपलक्षित - विज्ञानमात्ररूपम् । स भगवांस्त्रिप्रकारः सत्त्व -{५} रजस्तमोद्रिक्तः सलिलं ससर्ज । तच्च सृष्ट्वा - नादिपुरुषः परमेश्वरो नारायणः सकलजगन्मयः सर्वमयो देवमयो यज्ञमय आपोमय आपोमूर्त्तिर्योगनिद्रया सुप्तस्य तस्य नाभौ सदब्जं निःससार । तस्मिन्सकल - वेदनिधिरचिन्त्यात्मा परमेश्वरो ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिर -{१०} भवत् स च सनकसनन्दनसनत्कुमारादीन् ज्ञानधर्मिणः पूर्वमुत्पाद्य पश्चान्मनुं स्वायंभुवं मरीच्यादीन् दक्षान्तान् ससर्ज । यः स्वयंभुवो मनुर्भगवता सृष्टस्तस्मादारभ्य भुवनस्यातिविस्तरो वर्ण्यते । तस्य च मनोर्द्वौ पुत्रौ बभूवतुः प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ । {१५} प्रियव्रतस्य दश पुत्रा बभूवुः । आग्नीघ्रोऽग्निबाहु - र्मेधो मेधातिथिर्ध्रुवो ज्योतिष्मान् द्युतिमान् हव्यवपुष्मत्सवनान्ताः । स च प्रियव्रतः सप्तद्वीपेषु सप्त पुत्रान् स्थापयामास । तत्र चाग्नीध्रं जम्बूद्वीपेश्वरं चक्रे। {२०} शाकद्वीपेश्वरं मेधातिथिं कुशे ज्योतिष्मन्तं क्रौञ्चे द्युतिमन्तं शाल्मले वपुष्मन्तं गोमेदस्येश्वरं हव्यं पुष्कराधिपतिं सवनमिति । पुष्करेशस्यापि सवनस्य द्वौ पुत्रौ महावीतधातकी भवेताम् ।। {२५} तयोर्देशौ गोमेदश्च नाम्ना व्यवस्थितौ । धातकेर्धातकीखण्डं कुमुदस्य च कौमुदम् । शाल्मलाधिपतेरपि वपुष्मन्तस्य त्रयः पुत्राः सकुशवैद्युतजीमूतनामानः । सकुशस्य सकुशनामा देशः वैद्युतस्य वैद्युतः {३०} जीमूतस्य जीमूत इति एते शाल्मलेर्देशा इति तथा च द्युतिमतः सप्त पुत्रकाः कुशलो मनुगोष्ठौष्णः पीवरोद्यान्धकारकमुनिदुन्दुभिश्चेति । तन्नाम्ना क्रौञ्चे सप्त महादेशनामानि । कुशद्वीपेश्वरस्यापि ज्योतिष्मतः सप्तैव पुत्रास्तद्यथा उद्भिदो वेणुमां - {३५} श्चैव रथोपलम्बनो धृतिः प्रभाकरः - कपिल इति। तन्नामान्येव वर्षाणि द्रष्टव्यानि शाकाधिपस्यापि सप्त पुत्रा मेधातिथेस्तद्यथा शान्तभयशिशिरसुखोदयंनन्दशिवक्षेमकध्रुवा इति एते सप्त पुत्राः एतन्नामान्येव वर्षाणि । {४०} अथ जम्बूद्वीपेश्वरस्यापि आग्नीध्रस्य नव पुत्रा बभूवुः । तद्यथा नाभिः किंपुरुषो हरिवर्ष इलावृतो रम्यको हिरण्मयः कुरुर्भद्राश्वः केतुमालश्चेति । एतन्नामान्येव वर्षाणि । नाभेर्हेमवन्तं हेमकूटं किंपुरुषं नैषधं हरिवर्षं मेरुमध्यमिलावृत्तं नीलं रम्यकं श्वेतं हिरण्मयं {४५} उत्तरं च श्रृङ्गवतः कुरवो माल्यवन्तं भद्राश्वं गन्धमादनं केतुमालमिति । एवं स्वायंभुवेऽन्तरे भुवन- प्रतिष्ठा । कल्पे कल्पे चैवमेव सप्त सप्त पार्थिवैः क्रियते भूमेः पालनं व्यवस्था च । एष स्वभावः कल्पस्य सदा भवतीति । {५०} अत्र नाभेः सर्गं कथयामि । नाभिर्मेरुदेव्यां पुत्रमजनयद् ऋषभनामानं तस्य भरतो जज्ञे पुत्रश्च तावदग्रजः । तस्य भरतस्य पिता ऋषभो हिमाद्रेर्दक्षिणं वर्षमदाद् भारतं नाम । भरतस्यापि पुत्रः सुमतिर्नामा । तस्य राज्यं दत्त्वा भरतोऽपि वनं ययौ । {५५} सुमतेस्तेजस्तत्पुत्रः सत्सुर्नामा । तस्यापीन्द्रद्युम्नो नाम । तस्यापि परमेष्ठी तस्यापि प्रतिहर्त्ता तस्य निखातः निखातस्य उन्नेता उन्नेतुरप्यभावस्तस्योद्गाता तस्य प्रस्तोता प्रस्तोतुश्च विभुः विभोः पृथुः पृथोरनन्तः अनन्तस्यापि गयः गयस्य नयस्तस्य विराटः {६०} तस्यापि महावीर्यस्ततः सुधीमान् धीमतो महान् महतो भौमनो भौमनस्य त्वष्टा त्वष्टुर्विरजाः तस्य राजो राजस्य शतजित् । {६३} तस्य पुत्रशतं जज्ञे तेनेमा वर्द्धिताः प्रजाः । तैरिदं भारतं वर्षं सप्तद्वीपं समाङ्कितम् ।। ७४.
That supreme self, who is realized through all knowledge, free from all impurity, subtle beyond thought, Nārāyaṇa, who pervades all worlds and their light, whose broad chest is adorned with yellow garments, who bears the earth, and who is characterized by qualities such as smallness, greatness, length, shortness, leanness, redness, and so on—he, whose form is pure consciousness, that blessed Lord, manifesting in three ways—sattva, rajas, and tamas—created the waters. Having created them, the primeval person, the supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa, who is the essence of all worlds, all gods, all sacrifice, and all water, whose form is water, while lying in yogic sleep, produced a lotus from his navel. In that lotus, the repository of all the Vedas, the inconceivable supreme Lord, Brahmā, the lord of creatures, appeared. He first created Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumāra, and others, who are devoted to knowledge, and then later created Manu Svāyambhuva, Marīci, and the rest, up to Dakṣa. Manu Svāyambhuva, created by the blessed Lord, from him the vast expanse of the world is described. That Manu had two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda. Priyavrata had ten sons: Āgnīdhra, Agnibāhu, Medha, Medhātithi, Dhruva, Jyotiṣmān, Dyutimān, Havyavapu, Matsya, and Savanānta. Priyavrata established seven of his sons as rulers over the seven continents. Among them, he made Āgnīdhra the lord of Jambūdvīpa; Medhātithi, lord of Śākadvīpa; Jyotiṣmān, lord of Kuśadvīpa; Dyutimān, lord of Krauñcadvīpa; Vapuṣmān, lord of Śālmaladvīpa; Havya, lord of Gomeda; and Savanānta, lord of Puṣkara. Puṣkara's lord Savanānta had two sons, Mahāvīta and Dhātakī, whose regions are known as Gomeda and Dhātakī by name. Dhātakī's region is Dhātakīkhaṇḍa, and Kumuda's is Kaumuda. The lord of Śālmaladvīpa, Vapuṣmān, had three sons named Sakuśa, Vaidyuta, and Jīmūta. Sakuśa's region is Sakuśa, Vaidyuta's is Vaidyuta, and Jīmūta's is Jīmūta—these are the regions of Śālmaladvīpa. Similarly, Dyutimān had seven sons: Kuśala, Manugu, Goṣṭha, Uṣṇa, Pīvara, Udyānda, and Munidundubhi—these are the seven great regions of Krauñcadvīpa. The lord of Kuśadvīpa, Jyotiṣmān, also had seven sons: Udbhida, Veṇumāna, Rathopala, Ambana, Dhṛti, Prabhākara, and Kapila—these are to be known as the regions. The lord of Śākadvīpa, Medhātithi, also had seven sons: Śānta, Bhaya, Śiśira, Sukha, Udaya, Ānanda, and Śivakṣema—these are the regions. Now, the lord of Jambūdvīpa, Āgnīdhra, had nine sons: Nābhi, Kiṃpuruṣa, Harivarṣa, Ilāvṛta, Ramyaka, Hiraṇmaya, Kuru, Bhadrāśva, and Ketumāla—these are the regions. Nābhi's region is Hemavanta and Hemakūṭa; Kiṃpuruṣa's is Naiṣadha; Harivarṣa's is Merumadhya; Ilāvṛta's is Nīla; Ramyaka's is Śveta; Hiraṇmaya's is Uttara; Kuru's is Śṛṅgavata; Bhadrāśva's is Mālyavanta; Ketumāla's is Gandhamādana—thus, the establishment of the worlds in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara. In every cycle, the earth is governed and maintained by seven rulers. This is the constant nature of the kalpa. Now, I will tell the story of Nābhi's lineage. Nābhi, by Merudevī, begot a son named Ṛṣabha, whose son was Bharata, the eldest. Ṛṣabha gave the southern region of the Himālaya, called Bhārata, to his son Bharata. Bharata's son was Sumati. After giving the kingdom to his son, Bharata too went to the forest. Sumati's son was Tejasa, whose son was Satsura. His son was Indradyumna; his son was Parameṣṭhī; his son was Pratihartṛ; his son was Nikhāta; Nikhāta's son was Unneta; Unneta's son was Abhāva; Abhāva's son was Udgāta; Udgāta's son was Prastotṛ; Prastotṛ's son was Vibhu; Vibhu's son was Pṛthu; Pṛthu's son was Ananta; Ananta's son was Gaya; Gaya's son was Naya; Naya's son was Virāṭ; Virāṭ's son was Mahāvīrya; Mahāvīrya's son was Sudhīman; Sudhīman's son was Dhīmat; Dhīmat's son was Mahān; Mahān's son was Bhaumana; Bhaumana's son was Tvaṣṭṛ; Tvaṣṭṛ's son was Virajā; Virajā's son was Rāja; Rāja's son was Śatajit. Śatajit had a hundred sons, by whom the people increased. Through them, this Bhārata region, marked by seven continents, was established.