देवापिः पौरवो राजा पुरुश्चेक्षाकुवंशजः । महायोगबलोपेतौ कलापग्रामसंश्रितौ
Devāpi, the Paurava king, and Puru, descended from the Ikṣvāku line, endowed with great yogic power, dwell in the village of Kalāpa.
कृते युगे त्विहागम्य क्षत्रप्रावर्त्तकौ हि तौ । भविष्यतो मनोर्वंशबीजभूतौ व्यवस्थितौ
In the Kṛta Yuga, those two will return here as the founders of the kṣatriya line, established as the seeds of Manu's lineage.
एतेन क्रमयोगेन मनुपुत्रैर्वसुंधरा । कृतत्रेताद्वापराणि युगानि त्रीणि भुज्यते
By this succession, the earth has been ruled by the sons of Manu through the three ages: Kṛta, Tretā, and Dvāpara.
कलौ ते बीजभूता वै केचित्तिष्ठंति वै मुने । यथैव देवापिपुरू सांप्रतं समधिष्ठितौ
In the Kali Yuga, some of those seed-bearers remain, O sage, just as Devāpi and Puru are presently established.
एष तूद्देशतो वंशस्तवोक्तो भूभुजां मया । निखिलो गदितुं शक्यो नैष वर्षशतैरपि
Thus, I have briefly described to you the lineage of kings; it cannot be fully recounted even in a hundred years.
एते चान्ये च भूपाला यैरत्र क्षितिमंडले । कृतं ममत्वं मोहांधैर्नित्यं हेयकलेवरे
These and other kings, blinded by delusion, have claimed ownership over the earth, though their bodies are ever subject to decay.
कथं ममेयमचला मत्पुत्रस्य कथं मही । मद्वंशस्येतिचिंतार्त्ता जग्मुरंतमिमे नृपाः
Thinking, 'How is this immovable earth mine? How will it belong to my son or my lineage?'—these kings met their end.
तेभ्यः पूर्वतराश्चान्ये तेभ्यस्तेभ्यस्तथा परे । भविष्याश्चैव यास्यंति तेषामन्ये च येऽप्यनु
Others came before them, and still others after them; and those who are yet to come will also be followed by others.
विलोक्यात्मजयोद्योगं यात्राव्यग्रान्नराधिपान् । पुष्पप्रहासैश्शरदि हसंतीव वसुंधरा
Seeing the kings, intent on conquest and anxious for expeditions, the earth seems to laugh in autumn with the blossoming of flowers.
मैत्रेय पृथिवीगीताञ्छ्लोकांश्चात्र निबोध मे । यानाह धर्मध्वजिने नजकायासितो मुनिः
Maitreya, listen to the verses sung by the earth, which the sage Asita spoke to the righteous king Dharmadhvaja.
पृथिव्युवाच । कथमेष नरेंद्रा णां मोहो बुद्धिमतामपि । येन केन सधर्माणोप्यतिविश्वस्तचेतसः
The Earth spoke: How does this delusion arise even among wise kings, by which, though they share the same duties, their minds become excessively trusting?
पूर्वमात्मजयं कृत्वा जेतुमिच्छंति मंत्रिणः । ततो भृत्यांश्च पौरांश्च जिगीषंते तथा रिपून्
First, having conquered themselves, ministers desire to conquer; then, they seek to subdue servants, citizens, and likewise enemies.
क्रमेणानेन जेष्यामो वयं पृथ्वीं ससागराम् । इत्यासक्तधियो मृत्युं न पश्यंत्यविदूरगम्
Thinking, 'By this sequence we shall conquer the earth with its oceans,' their minds become attached, and they do not see death, which is close at hand.
समुद्रा वरणं याति भूमंडलमथो वशम् । कियदात्मजयस्यैतन्मुक्तिरात्मजये फलम्
The ocean becomes a boundary, and the world falls under their control; but what is the liberation gained by conquering oneself, and what is its fruit?
उत्सृज्य पूर्वजा याता यां नादाय गतः पिता । तां मामतीव मूढत्वाज्जेतुमिच्छंति पार्थिवाः
Having abandoned their ancestors, and departed without taking them, kings, out of great delusion, desire to conquer me.
मत्कृते पितृपुत्राणां भ्रातॄणां चापि विग्रहः । जायतेत्यंतमोहेन ममत्वादृतचेतसाम्
Because of me, conflict arises among fathers and sons, and brothers as well, due to extreme delusion and the attachment of their minds.
पृथ्वी ममेयं सकला ममैषा मदन्वयस्यापि च शाश्वतीयम् । योयो मृतेऽन्यत्र बभूव राजा कुबुद्धिरासीदिति तस्यतस्य
This whole earth is mine, it belongs to me and to my lineage forever; whoever, after death, became king elsewhere, had this mistaken thought.
दृष्ट्वा ममत्वादृतचित्तमेकं विहाय मां मृत्युवशं व्रजंतम् । तस्यानुयस्तस्य कथं ममत्वं हृद्यास्पदं मत्प्रभवं करोति
Seeing a mind bound by attachment, leaving me and going under the sway of death, how does attachment, born from me, take hold in the heart of one who follows him?
पृथ्वी ममैषाऽऽशु परित्यजैनां वदंति ये दूतमुखैस्स्वशत्रून् । नराधिपास्तेषु ममातिहासः पुनश्च मूढेषु दयाऽभ्युपैति
This earth is mine—quickly abandon it!—say kings through their messengers to their enemies; among them, my attachment is excessive, yet compassion arises again for the deluded.
श्रीपराशर उवाच। इत्येते धरणीगीताश्श्लोका मैत्रेय यैश्श्रुताः । ममत्वं विलयं याति तपत्यर्के यथा हिमम्
Śrī Parāśara said: Thus, Maitreya, these are the verses of the Earth-song; when heard, attachment dissolves, just as snow melts in the heat of the sun.
इत्येष कथितः सम्यङ्मनोर्वंशो मया तव । यत्र स्थितिप्रवृत्तस्य विष्णोरंशांशका नृपाः
Thus, I have properly recounted to you the lineage of Manu, in which kings are portions and sub-portions of Viṣṇu, who sustains the world.
शृणोति य इमं भक्त्या मनोर्वंशमनुक्रमात् । तस्य पापमश्षॐ वै प्रणश्यत्यमलात्मनः
Whoever listens with devotion to this lineage of Manu in order, for him, all sin is destroyed, and his soul becomes pure.
धनधान्यर्द्धिमतुलां प्राप्नोत्यव्याहतेंद्रि यः । श्रुत्वैवमखिलं वंशं प्रशस्तं शशिसूर्ययोः
He attains incomparable wealth and prosperity, with undisturbed senses, who hears the entire illustrious lineage of the moon and the sun.
इक्ष्वाकुजह्नुमांधातृसगराविक्षितान्रघून् । ययातिनहुषाद्यांश्च ज्ञात्वा निष्ठामुपागतान्
Knowing the Ikṣvāku, Jahnu, Māndhātṛ, Sagara, Avikṣit, Raghu, Yayāti, Nahuṣa, and others, who reached their end,
महाबलान्महावीर्याननन्तधनसंचयान् । कृतान्कालेन बलिना कथाश्षोआ!न्नराधिपान्
The mighty, the powerful, those with endless stores of wealth, kings whose stories remain only as tales, overcome by time and strength,
श्रुत्वा न पुत्रदारादौ गृहक्षेत्रादिके तथा । द्र व्यादौ वा कृतप्रज्ञो ममत्वं कुरुते नरः
Having heard, a wise man does not develop attachment to sons, wives, homes, fields, or possessions.
तप्तं तपो यैः पुरुषप्रवीरैरुद्वाहुभिर्वर्षगणाननेकान् । इष्ट्वा सुयज्ञैर्बलिनोतिवीर्याः कृतानुकालेन कथावशेषाः
The heroic men who performed austerities for countless years, who offered great sacrifices and possessed immense strength, their stories remain only as remnants, overcome by time.
पृथुस्समस्तान्विचचार लोकानव्याहतो यो विजितारिचक्रः । स कालवाताभिहतः प्रणष्टः क्षिप्तं यथा शाल्मलितूलमग्नौ
Pṛthu, who traversed all worlds, undefeated and victorious over enemies, was destroyed by the wind of time, like silk cotton thrown into fire.
यः कार्त्तवीर्यो बुभुजे समस्तान्द्वीपान्समाक्रम्य हतारिचक्रः । कथाप्रसंगेष्वभिधीयमानस्स एव संकल्पविकल्पहेतुः
Kārtavīrya, who, having subdued all the continents and destroyed hostile kings, enjoyed their sovereignty—he is spoken of in stories, but is himself only the result of imagination and doubt.
दशाननाविक्षतराघवाणामैश्वर्यमुद्भासितदिङ्मुखानाम् । भस्मापि शिष्टं न कथं क्षणेन भ्रूभंगपातेन धिगंतकस्य
The splendor of the ten-headed Rāvaṇa, which illuminated all directions among the Raghavas, did not leave even ashes in a moment at the mere frown of the destroyer of Tripura.