विचरत्यचिरात् सर्वान् सर्वलोकान्ममाज्ञया । न हन्यते गतिस्तस्य अनिलस्य यथाम्बरे। मम तुल्यबलो भूत्वा तिष्ठत्याभूतसम्प्लवम् ।। ५४.
He moves swiftly through all worlds by my command; he is not harmed, his movement is like the wind in the sky; having strength equal to mine, he remains until the dissolution of beings.
मम भक्ता वरारोहे ये च श्रृण्वन्ति मानवाः। तेषां गतिं प्रवक्ष्यामि इह लोके परत्र च ।। ५४.
O beautiful-hipped one, I shall declare the destiny of my devotees and those men who listen, both in this world and the next.
ब्राह्मणो वेदमाप्नोति क्षत्रियो जयते महीम्। वैश्यस्तु लभते लाभं शूद्रः सुखमवाप्नुयात् ।। ५४.
A Brahmin attains the Veda, a Kshatriya conquers the earth, a Vaishya obtains wealth, and a Shudra attains happiness.
व्याधितो मुच्यते रोगाद्बद्धो मुच्येत बन्धनात्। गुर्विणी लभते पुत्रं कन्या विन्दति सत्पतिम्। नष्टञ्च लभते सर्वमिहलोके परत्र च ।। ५४.
The diseased are freed from illness, the bound are released from bondage; a pregnant woman obtains a son, a maiden finds a worthy husband; whatever is lost is regained, both in this world and the next.
गवां शतसहस्रस्य सम्यग्दत्तस्य यत् फलम्। तत् फलं भवति श्रुत्वा विभोर्दिव्यामिमां कथाम् ।। ५४.
The fruit that comes from giving a hundred thousand cows properly—that very fruit is obtained by hearing this divine tale of the Lord.
पादं वा यदि वाप्यर्द्धं श्लोकं श्लोकार्द्धमेव वा। यस्तु धारयते नित्यं रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति ।। ५४.
Whoever always upholds even a quarter or half a verse, or even half a line, goes to the world of Rudra.
कथामिमां पुण्यफलादियुक्तां निवेद्य देव्याः शशिबद्ध मूर्द्धजः। वृषस्य पृष्ठेन सहोमया प्रभुर्जगाम किष्किन्धगुहां गुहप्रियः ।। ५४.
Having recounted this tale, endowed with merit and the fruits of virtue, to the goddess, the Lord—his hair adorned with the crescent moon—departed together with Uma, riding upon the bull, to the cave of Kishkindha, beloved of Guha.
क्रान्तं मया पापहरं महापदं निवेद्य तेभ्यः प्रददौ प्रभञ्जनः। अधीत्य सर्वं त्वखिलं सुलक्षणं जगाम आदित्यपथं द्विजोत्तमः ।। ५४.
Having declared to them that I have attained the great, sin-destroying state, Prabhanjana bestowed it upon them; after studying all the auspicious and complete text, the best of twice-born went to the path of the sun.
गुणकर्मप्रभावैश्च कोऽधिको वदतां वरः। श्रोतुमिच्छामहे सम्यगाश्चर्यं गुणविस्तरम् ।। ५५.
Who surpasses him in virtue, action, and power, O best of speakers? We wish to hear in full the wondrous and extensive qualities.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममिति हासं पुरातनम् । महादेवस्य माहात्म्यं विभुत्वञ्च महात्मनः ।। ५५.
Here too, they recite this ancient story—an account of the greatness and sovereignty of Mahadeva, the great soul.
पूर्वं त्रैलोक्यविजये विष्णुना समुदाहृतम्। बलिं बद्ध्वा महौजास्तु त्रैलोक्याधि पतिः पुरा ।। ५५.
Formerly, in the conquest of the three worlds, Vishnu, having bound Bali, the mighty one, became the lord of the three worlds.
प्रणष्टेषु च दैत्येषु प्रहृष्टे च शचीपतौ। अथाजग्मुः प्रभुं द्रष्टुं सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः ।। ५५.
When the demons were destroyed and the lord of Shachi was delighted, then all the gods, along with Indra, went to see the Lord.
यत्रास्ते विश्वरूपात्मा क्षीरोदस्य समी पतः। सिद्धब्रह्मर्षयो यक्षा गन्धर्वाप्सरसाङ्गणाः ।। ५५.
There, near the Milk Ocean, where the Lord of all forms resides, the Siddhas, Brahmarshis, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and hosts of Apsaras gathered.
नागा देवर्षयश्चैव नद्यः सर्वे च पर्वताः। अभिगम्य महात्मानं स्तुवन्ति पुरुषं हरिम् ।। ५५.
Nagas, divine sages, rivers, and all the mountains, having approached the great soul, praised the supreme person, Hari.
त्वं धाता त्वञ्च कर्त्ताऽस्य त्वं लोकान् सृजसि प्रभो। त्वत्प्रसादाच्च कल्याणं प्राप्तं त्रैलोक्यमव्ययम्। असुराश्च जिताः सर्वे बलिर्बद्धश्च वै त्वया ।। ५५.
You are the sustainer, you are the creator, O Lord; you create the worlds. By your grace, the three worlds have attained imperishable welfare. All the Asuras have been conquered, and Bali has indeed been bound by you.
एव मुक्तः सुरैर्विष्णुः सिद्धैश्च परमर्षिभिः। प्रत्युवाच ततो देवान् सर्वांस्तान् पुरुषोत्तमः ।। ५५.
Thus addressed by the gods, Siddhas, and supreme seers, Vishnu, the best of persons, then replied to all those gods.
श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि कारणं सुरसत्तमाः। यः स्रष्टा सर्वभूतानां कालः कालकरः प्रभुः ।। ५५.
Listen, O best of gods, I shall declare the cause: he who is the creator of all beings, Time, the Lord who brings about time itself.
येन हि ब्रह्मणा सार्द्धं सृष्टा लोकाश्च मायया। तस्यैव च प्रसादेन आदौ सिद्धत्वमागतम् ।। ५५.
By whom, along with Brahma, the worlds were created through maya, and by whose grace, in the beginning, perfection was attained.
पुरा तमसि चाव्यक्ते त्रैलोक्ये ग्रासिते मया। उदरस्थेषु भूतेषु लोकेऽहं शयितस्तदा ।। ५५.
Formerly, when darkness and the unmanifest had enveloped the three worlds, I lay within the beings who were in my belly, in that world.
सहस्रशीर्षा भूत्वा च सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्। शङ्खचक्रगदा पाणिः शयितो विमलेऽम्भसि ।। ५५.
Having become one with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet, holding conch, discus, and mace in my hands, I lay upon the pure waters.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दूरात् पश्यामि ह्यमितप्रभम्। शतसूर्यप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तं स्वेन तेजसा ।। ५५.
Meanwhile, from afar, I beheld one of boundless radiance, shining like a hundred suns, blazing with his own brilliance.
चतुर्वक्रं महा योगं पुरुषं काञ्चनप्रभम्। कृष्णाजिनधरं देवं कमण्डलुविभूषितम्। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण प्राप्तोऽसौ पुरुषोत्तमः ।। ५५.
A four-faced, great yogi, a person of golden splendor, wearing a black antelope skin, adorned with a water-pot—he, the best of persons, arrived in the blink of an eye.
ततो मामब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा सर्वलोक नमस्कृतः। कस्त्वं कुतो वा किञ्चेह तिष्ठसे वद मे विभो ।। ५५.
Then Brahma, honored by all worlds, spoke to me: 'Who are you? From where have you come? Why do you remain here? Tell me, O Lord.'
अहं कर्त्ताऽस्मि लोकानां स्वयम्बूर्विश्वतोमुखः। एवमुक्तस्तदा देन ब्रह्मणाहमुवाच तम् ।। ५५.
'I am the creator of the worlds, the self-born, facing in all directions.' Thus addressed, I then spoke to Brahma.
अहं कर्त्ता च लोकानां संहर्त्ता च पुनः पुनः। एवं सम्भाषमाणाभ्यां परस्परजयैषिणाम्। उत्तरां दिशमास्थाय ज्वाला दृष्टाप्यधिष्ठिता ।। ५५.
I am the creator of the worlds and their destroyer again and again. Thus, as the two, desiring victory over each other, spoke, a flame appeared in the northern direction, standing before our eyes.
ज्वालान्ततस्तामालोक्य विस्मित्तौ च तदानयोः । तेजसा चैव तेनाथ सर्वं ज्योतिःकृतं जलम् ।। ५५.
Seeing that flame from within, both of them were astonished; and by its radiance, all the water became filled with light.
वर्द्धमाने तदा वह्नावत्यन्तपरमाद्भुते। अतिदुद्राव तां ज्वालां ब्रह्मा चाहञ्च सत्वरः ।। ५५.
As that fire grew, exceedingly wondrous and extraordinary, both Brahma and I quickly rushed toward that flame.
दिवं भूमिञ्च विष्टभ्य तिष्ठन्तं ज्वालमण्डलम्। तस्य ज्वालस्य मध्ये तु पश्यावो विपुलप्रभम् ।। ५५.
Spanning both heaven and earth stood a circle of flame; and in the midst of that flame, we beheld a great brilliance.
प्रादेशमात्रमव्यक्तं लिङ्गं परमदीपितम्। न च तत्काञ्चनं मध्ये न शैलं न च राजतम् ।। ५५.
There, in the center, was a sign—indistinct, about a span in size, supremely radiant; yet it was neither gold, nor mountain, nor silver.
अनिर्द्देश्यमचिन्त्यञ्च लक्ष्यालक्ष्यं पुनः पुनः। महौजसं महाघोरं वर्द्धमानं भृशं तदा। ज्वालामालायतं न्यस्तं सर्वभूतभयङ्करम् ।। ५५.
Indescribable, inconceivable, sometimes visible, sometimes not, immensely powerful, exceedingly terrifying, ever-growing, it was encircled by a garland of flames, terrifying to all beings.