ब्रह्मन्प्रसादप्रवणं कुरुष्व मयि मानसम् । येनाहमेतज्जानीयां त्वत्प्रसादान्महामुने
O Brāhmaṇa, incline your mind toward me with favor, so that by your grace, O great sage, I may come to know all this.
श्रीपराशर उवाच साधु मैत्रेय धर्मज्ञ स्मारितोऽस्मि पुरातनम् । पितुः पिता मे भगवान् वसिष्ठो यदुवाच ह
Śrī Parāśara said: Well asked, Maitreya, knower of dharma! You have reminded me of ancient matters. My grandfather, the venerable Vasishtha, once spoke thus—
विश्वामित्रप्रयुक्तेन रक्षसा भक्षितः पुरा । श्रुतस्तातस्ततः क्रोधो मैत्रेयाभून्ममातुलः
Long ago, my father was devoured by a demon sent by Viśvāmitra; when I heard this, O Maitreya, anger arose in my maternal uncle.
ततोऽहं रक्षसां सत्रं विनाशाय समारभम् । भस्मीभूताश्च शतशस्तस्मिन्सत्रे निशाचराः
Then I began a sacrifice for the destruction of the demons; in that sacrifice, hundreds of night-wandering demons were reduced to ashes.
ततः सड्क्षीयमाणेषु तेषु रक्षस्स्वशेषतः । मामुवाच महाभागो वसिष्ठो मत्पितामहः
As those demons were being diminished, my revered grandfather Vasishtha, the greatly fortunate one, addressed me.
अलमत्यन्तकोपेन तात मन्युमिमं जहि । राक्षसा नापराध्यन्ति पितुस्ते विहितं हि तत्
Enough of this excessive anger, my child; restrain this wrath. The demons are not at fault—what happened to your father was destined.
मूढानामेव भवति क्रोधो ज्ञानवतां कृतः । हन्यते तात कः केन यतः स्वकृतभुक्पुमान्
Anger arises only in the ignorant, not in those who possess wisdom. Who is slain by whom, since every person experiences the results of their own actions?
सत्र्चितस्यापि महता वत्स क्लेशेन मानवैः । यशसस्तपसश्र्चैव क्रोधो नाशकरः परः
Even for one engaged in a great sacrifice, my son, anger brings about the destruction of fame and ascetic merit, and causes only the utmost distress for people.
स्वर्गापवर्गव्यासेधकारणं परमर्षयः । वर्जयन्ति सदा क्रोधं तात मा तद्वशो भव
The great sages, who are the cause of the removal of heaven and liberation, always avoid anger; dear one, do not be subject to it.
अलं निशाचरैर्दग्धैदीनैरनपकारिभिः । सत्रं ते विरमत्वेतत्क्षमासारा हि साधवः
Enough of this sacrifice, tormented by night-dwellers, miserable and undeserving; let it cease, for the virtuous are founded upon patience.
एवं तातेन तेनाहमनुनीतो महात्मना । उपसंहृतवान्सत्रं सद्यस्तद्वाक्यगौरवात्
Thus, I was admonished by my noble father; out of respect for his words, I immediately ended the sacrifice.
ततः प्रीतः स भगवान्वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः । सम्प्राप्तश्च तदा तत्र पुलस्त्यो ब्रह्मणः सुतः
Then the blessed Vasiṣṭha, foremost among sages, was pleased; and at that moment, Pulastya, son of Brahmā, arrived there.
पितामहेन दत्तार्घ्यः कृतासनपरिग्रहः । मामुवाच महाभागो मैत्रेय पुलहाग्रजः
Having received the offering of water from the grandsire and taken his seat, the illustrious Pulastya, elder brother of Pulaha, addressed me, Maitreya.
वैरे महति यद्दाक्याद्गुरोरद्याश्रिता क्षमा । त्वया तस्मात्समस्तानि भवात्र्च्छास्त्राणि वेत्स्यति
Because you have embraced patience today, even in the midst of great hostility, as taught by your teacher, you will know all the sacred texts.
सन्ततेर्न ममोच्छेदः क्रुद्धेनापि यतः कृतः । त्वया तस्मान्महाभाग ददाम्यन्यं महावरम्
Since my lineage was not interrupted even by anger, O noble one, I now grant you another great boon.
पुराणसंहिताकर्ता भवान्वत्स भविष्यति । देवतापारमार्थ्यं च यथावद्वेत्स्यते भवान्
You, my child, will become the composer of the Purāṇa-saṃhitā, and you will know the true nature of the gods as it truly is.
प्रवृत्ते च निवृत्ते च कर्मण्यस्तमला मतिः । मत्प्रसादादसन्दिग्धा तव वत्स भविष्यति
In both action and cessation, your mind will remain pure; by my grace, O child, it will be free from doubt.
ततश्च प्राह भगवान्वसिष्ठो मे पितामहः । पुलस्त्येन यदुक्तं ते सर्वमेतद्भविष्यति
Then my grandsire, the blessed Vasiṣṭha, said to me: All that Pulastya has spoken to you will surely come to pass.
इति पूर्वं वसिष्ठेन पुलस्त्येन च धीमता । यदुक्तं तत्स्मृतिं याति त्वत्प्रश्नादखिलं मम
Thus, what was formerly spoken by wise Vasiṣṭha and Pulastya returns to my memory in full because of your question.
सोऽहं वदाम्यशेषं ते मैत्रेय परिपृच्छते । पुराणसंहितां सम्यक् तां निबोध यथातथम्
Therefore, Maitreya, as you inquire, I will tell you everything; listen well to the Purāṇa-saṃhitā, exactly as it is.
विष्णोः सकाशादुद्भूतं जगत्तत्रैव च स्थितम् । स्थितिसंयमकर्ताऽसौ जगतोऽस्य जगच्च सः
From Viṣṇu the universe arises, and in him it abides; he is the sustainer and controller of this world, and he himself is the world.
श्रीपराशर उवाच अविकाराय शुद्धाय नित्याय परमात्मने । सदैकरूपरूपाय विष्णवे सर्वजिष्णवे
Śrī Parāśara said: Salutations to Viṣṇu, pure, changeless, eternal, supreme soul, whose form is ever one, and who conquers all.
नमो हिरण्यगर्भाय हरये शंकराय च । वासुदेवाय ताराय सर्गस्थित्यन्तकारिणे
Salutations to Hiraṇyagarbha, to Hari, to Śaṃkara, to Vāsudeva, to the savior, the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the world.
एकानेकस्वरूपाय स्थूलसूक्ष्मात्मने नमः । अव्यक्तव्यक्तरूपाय विष्णवे मुक्तिहेतवे
Salutations to Viṣṇu, whose form is both one and many, who is the gross and subtle self, whose nature is both manifest and unmanifest, and who is the cause of liberation.
सर्गस्थितिविनाशानां जगतो यो जगन्मयः । मूलभूतो नमस्तस्मै विष्णवे परमात्मने
Salutations to Viṣṇu, the supreme soul, who is the root of the creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe, and who is the essence of all worlds.
आधारभूतं विश्वस्याप्यणीयांसमयीयसाम् । प्रणम्य सर्वभूतस्थमच्युतं पुरुषोत्तमम्
I bow to Acyuta, the supreme person, who is the foundation of the universe, who is subtler than the subtlest, and who dwells in all beings.
ज्ञानस्वरूपमत्यन्तनिर्मलं परमार्थतः । तमेवार्थस्वरूपेण भ्रान्तिदर्शनतः स्थितम्
The essential nature of knowledge is utterly pure in the highest sense; that alone, due to mistaken perception, appears as the nature of objects.
विष्णुं ग्रसिष्णुं विश्वस्य स्थितौ सर्गे तथा प्रभुम् । प्रणम्य जगतामीशमजमक्षयमव्ययम्
Having bowed to Viṣṇu, the devourer and lord of the universe in its preservation and creation, the ruler of all worlds, unborn, imperishable, and unchanging,
कथयामि यथापूर्व दक्षाद्यैर्मुनिसत्तमैः । पृष्ट प्रोवाच भगवानब्जयोनिः पितामहः
I shall relate, just as before, what the venerable lotus-born Lord, the grandsire, spoke when asked by the foremost sages beginning with Dakṣa.
तैश्चौक्तं पुरुकुत्साय भूभुजे निर्मदातटे । सारस्वताय तेनापि मह्मं सारस्वतेन च
That which was told to Purukutsa, the king of the earth, on the banks of the Nirmadā, by Sārasvata, and by him to me, and by me to Sārasvata.