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.
कथाशरीरत्वमवाप यद्वै मांधातृनामा भुवि चक्रवर्त्ती । श्रुत्वापि तत्को हि करोति साधुर्ममत्वमान्मन्यपि मंदचेताः
The emperor Māndhātṛ, whose name was renowned on earth, became only the subject of stories—who, even after hearing this, would, even with a dull mind, cling to possessiveness, thinking it virtuous?
भगीरथाद्यास्सगरं ककुत्स्थो दशननो राघवलक्ष्मणौ च । युधिष्ठिराद्याश्च बभूवुरेते सत्यं न मिथ्या क्व नु ते न विद्मः
Bhagīratha and others, Sagara, Kakutstha, the ten-headed one, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, Yudhiṣṭhira and the rest—these truly existed, not falsely; where are they now? We do not know.
ये सांप्रतं ये च नृपा भविष्याः प्रोक्ता मया विप्रवरोग्रवीयाः । एते तथाऽन्ये च तथाभिधेयाः सर्वे भविष्यंति यथैव पूर्वे
Those kings who are present now, and those who will come in the future, whom I have described as most illustrious among the best of Brāhmaṇas, these and others so named will all become as those before them.
एत द्विदित्वा न नरेण कार्यं ममत्वमात्मन्यपि पंडितेन । तिष्ठंतु तावत्तनयात्मजायाः क्षेत्रादयो ये च शरीरिणोऽन्ये
Knowing this, a wise man should not harbor possessiveness, even towards his own self; let alone sons, wives, fields, and other embodied beings.
मैत्रेय उवाच नृपाणां कथितःसर्वो भवता वंशविस्तरः । वंशानुचरितं चैव यथावदनुवर्णितम् । अंशावतारो ब्रह्मर्षे योऽयं यदुकुलोद्भवः । विष्णोस्तं विस्तरेणाहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥ ५,१.
Maitreya said: You have described in full the expansion of the royal line, and narrated their deeds as they occurred. Now, O great sage, I wish to hear in detail the true account of the portion-incarnation of Viṣṇu, who was born in the Yadu dynasty.
चकार यानि कर्माणि भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः । अंशांशेनावतीर्योर्व्यां तत्र तानि मुने वद ॥ ५,१.
O sage, tell me of the deeds performed by the blessed Supreme Person, who descended to earth in part and in portion.
श्रीपारशर उवाच मैत्रेय श्रूयतामेतद्यत्पृष्टोऽहमिह त्वया । विष्णोरंशांशसंभूतिचरितं जगतो हितम् ॥ ५,१.
Śrī Parāśara said: Maitreya, listen to this which you have asked me here—the deeds of Viṣṇu, who appeared in part and in portion, for the good of the world.
देवकस्य सुतां पूर्वं वसुदेवो महामुने । उपयेमे महाभागां देवकीं देवतोपमाम् ॥ ५,१.
Formerly, O great sage, Vasudeva married Devakī, the daughter of Devaka, who was most fortunate and resembled a goddess.
कंसस्तयोर्वररथं चोदयामास सारथिः । वसुदेवस्य देवक्या संयोगे भोजनन्दनः ॥ ५,१.
Kamsa, the son of Bhoja, became the charioteer for their wedding chariot—Vasudeva and Devakī united.
आथान्तरिक्षे वागुच्चैः कंसमाभाष्य सादरम् । मेघगंभीरनिर्घोषं समाभाष्येदमब्रवीत् ॥ ५,१.
Then, a voice spoke loudly in the sky, addressing Kamsa with respect, its sound deep as thunder, and said this:
यामेतां वहसे मूढ सह भर्त्रा रथे स्थिताम् । अस्यास्तवाष्टमो गर्भः प्राणानपहरिष्यति ॥ ५,१.
Fool, you are driving this woman, standing with her husband on the chariot; her eighth child will take your life.
श्रीपराशर उवाच इत्याकर्ण्यं समुत्पाट्य खड्गं कंसो महाबलः । देवकीं हन्तुमारब्धो वसुदेवोऽब्रवीदिदम् ॥ ५,१.
Śrī Parāśara said: Hearing this, the mighty Kamsa drew his sword and began to kill Devakī, but Vasudeva spoke these words:
न हन्तव्या महाभाग देवकी भवतानघ । समर्पयिष्ये सकलान्गर्भानस्योदरोद्भवान् ॥ ५,१.
O sinless one, you must not kill the blessed Devakī; I will hand over to you all the children born from her womb.
श्रीपराशर उवाच तथेत्याह ततः कंसो वसुदेवं द्विजोत्तम । न घातयामास च तां देवकींसत्यगौरवात् ॥ ५,१.
Śrī Parāśara said: Kamsa then said, 'So be it,' to Vasudeva, O best of Brāhmaṇas, and did not kill Devakī, out of respect for his word.
एतस्मिन्नेवकाले तु भूरिभारावपीडिता । जगाम धरणी मेरौ समाजं त्रिदिवौकसाम् ॥ ५,१.
At that very time, the earth, oppressed by a great burden, went to Mount Meru to the assembly of the gods.
स ब्रह्मकान्सुरान्सर्वान्प्रणिपत्याथ मेदिनि । कथयामास तत्सर्वं खेदात्करुणभाषिणी ॥ ५,१.
There, the earth, bowing to Brahmā and all the gods, spoke to them all, her words filled with distress and compassion.
भूमिरुवाच अग्निःसुवर्णस्य गुरुर्गवां सूर्यः परो गुरुः । ममाप्यखिललो कानां कुरुर्नारायणो गुरुः ॥ ५,१.
The Earth said: Fire is the foremost teacher of gold; among cows, the Sun is the supreme teacher; and for all beings, my own as well, Nārāyaṇa is the teacher.
प्रजापतिपतिर्ब्रह्म पूर्वेषामपि पूर्वजः । कलाकाष्ठानिमेषात्मा कालश्चाव्यक्तमूर्तिमान् ॥ ५,१.
The lord of the progenitors, Brahmā, who is the earliest of the ancients, is time itself, composed of moments, instants, and measures, and possesses an unmanifest form.
तदंशभूतःसर्वैषां समूहो वःसुरोत्तमाः ॥ ५,१.
He is the portion present in all these; the assembly of you, O best of gods.
आदित्या सरुतःसाध्या रुद्रा वस्वश्विवह्नयः । पितरो ये च लोकानां स्रष्टारोऽत्रिपुरोगमाः ॥ ५,१.
The Ādityas, Sādhyas, Rudras, Vasus, the Fires, the Pitṛs, and those who are the creators of the worlds, led by Atri—