प्रसीद सर्व सर्वात्मन्भवाय जगतामिमाम् । उद्धरोर्वीममेयात्मञ्छन्नो देह्यब्जलोचन
Be gracious, O all-pervading Soul of all, for the sake of these worlds; uplift the earth, O lotus-eyed one, who are concealed in this form.
सत्त्वोद्रि क्तोऽसि भगवन् गोविंद पृथिवीमिमाम् । समुद्धर भवायेश शन्नो देह्यब्जलोचन
O blessed Govinda, you are filled with Sattva; O Lord of beings, uplift this earth for our sake; grant us your favor, O lotus-eyed one.
सर्गप्रवृत्तिर्भवतो जगतामुपकारिणी । भवत्वेषा नमस्तेऽस्तु शन्नो देह्यब्जलोचन
May this activity of creation, which benefits the worlds, proceed from you; salutations to you—grant us your favor, O lotus-eyed one.
श्रीपराशर उवाच। एवं संस्तूयमानस्तु परमात्मा महीधरः । उज्जहार क्षितिं क्षिप्रं न्यस्तवांश्च महाम्भसि
Śrī Parāśara said: Thus praised, the Supreme Soul, the bearer of the earth, swiftly lifted up the earth and placed it upon the great waters.
तस्योपरि जलौघस्य महती नौरिव स्थिता । विततत्त्वात्तु देहस्य न मही याति संप्लवम्
Upon him, amidst the flood of waters, the earth stood like a great ship; because of the expanse of his body, the earth did not sink.
ततः क्षितिं समां कृत्वा पृथिव्यां सोचिनोद्गिरीन् । यथाविभागं भगवाननादिः परमेश्वरः
Then, having made the earth level, the primeval Lord, the beginningless Supreme Lord, arranged the mountains upon the earth according to their divisions.
प्राक्यसर्गदग्धानखिलान्पर्वतान्पृथिवीतले । अमोघेन प्रभावेण ससर्जामोघवाञ्छितः
He created upon the earth all the mountains that had been destroyed in the previous creation, by his unfailing power, desiring nothing in vain.
भूविभागं ततः कृत्वा सप्तद्वीपान्यथातथम् । भूराद्यांश्चतुरो लोकान्पूर्ववत्समकल्पयत्
Then, having divided the earth, he formed the seven continents as before, and established the four worlds, beginning with Bhū, just as previously.
ब्रह्मरूपधरो देवस्ततोऽसौ रजसा वृतः । चकार सृष्टिं भगवांश्चतुर्वक्त्रधरो हरिः
Then the god, assuming the form of Brahmā and enveloped in rajas, the blessed Hari with four faces, performed the act of creation.
निमित्तमात्रमेवाऽसौ सृज्यानां सर्गकर्मणि । प्रधानकारणीभूता यतो वै सृज्यशक्तयः
He is only the instrumental cause in the work of creation; for the powers of creation themselves become the primary causes.
निमित्तमात्रं मुक्त्वैवं नान्यत्किंचिदपेक्षते । नीयते तपतां श्रेष्ठ स्वशक्त्या वस्तु वस्तुताम्
Apart from being the mere instrument, he requires nothing else; O best of ascetics, by his own power, each thing attains its own reality.
श्रीमैत्रेय उवाच अर्वाक्स्रोतास्तु कथितो भवता यस्तु मानुषः । ब्रह्मन्विस्तरतो ब्रूहि ब्रह्म तमसृजद्यथा ॥ १,६.
Śrī Maitreya said: You have described the human creation, which flows downward; O Brāhmaṇa, tell in detail how Brahmā created it.
यथा च वर्णानसृजद्यद्गुणां श्च प्रजापतिः । यच्च तेषां स्मृतं कर्म विप्रादीनां तदुच्यताम् ॥ १,६.
And how did the Lord of creatures create the castes and their qualities? Tell also what duties are prescribed for Brāhmaṇas and the others.
श्रीपराशर उवाच सत्याभिध्यायिनः पूर्वं सिसृक्षेर्ब्रह्मणो जगत् । अजायन्त द्विजश्रेष्ठ सत्त्वोद्रिक्ता मुखात्प्रजाः ॥ १,६.
Śrī Parāśara said: At first, from Brahmā's desire to create the world, beings devoted to truth were born from his mouth, O best of twice-born, endowed with predominance of Sattva.
वक्षमो रजसोद्रिक्तास्तथा वै ब्रह्मणोऽभवन् । रजसा तमसा चैव समुद्रिक्तास्तथोरुतः ॥ १,६.
Those born from his chest were endowed with Rajas; those from his thighs were filled with both Rajas and Tamas.
पद्भ्यामन्याः प्रजा ब्रह्मा ससर्ज द्विजसत्तम । तमःप्रधानास्ताः सर्वश्चातुर्वर्ण्यमिदं ततः ॥ १,६.
From his feet, O best of twice-born, Brahmā created other beings, all dominated by Tamas; thus arose the fourfold caste system.
ब्रह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वेश्याः शूद्राश्च द्विजसत्तम । पादोरुवक्षस्थलतो मुखतश्च समुद्गताः ॥ १,६.
Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras, O best of twice-born, emerged from his mouth, chest, thighs, and feet, respectively.
यज्ञनिष्पत्तये सर्वमेतद्ब्रह्या चकार वै । चातुर्वर्ण्यं महाभाग यज्ञसाधनमुत्तमम् ॥ १,६.
For the accomplishment of sacrifice, Brahmā created this entire fourfold caste system as the supreme means for sacrifice, O greatly fortunate one.
यज्ञैराप्यायिता देवा वृष्ट्युत्सर्गेण वै प्रजाः । आप्याययन्ते धर्मज्ञ यज्ञाः कल्याणहेतवः ॥ १,६.
The gods, nourished by sacrifices, indeed cause rain to fall, and thus the people are sustained; O knower of righteousness, sacrifices, which are the cause of welfare, bring prosperity.
निष्पाद्यन्ते नरैस्तैस्तु स्वधर्माभिरतैः सदा । विशुद्धाचरणैपेतैः सद्भिः सन्मार्गगामिभिः ॥ १,६.
Those sacrifices are always performed by men devoted to their own duties, by the virtuous who are pure in conduct and who walk the noble path.
स्वर्गापवर्गौ मानुष्यात्प्राप्नुवन्ति नरा मुने । यच्चाभिरुचितं स्थानं तद्यान्ति मनुजा द्विज ॥ १,६.
From among humans, O sage, people attain heaven, liberation, or whatever state they desire, O twice-born one.
प्रजास्ता ब्रह्मणा सृष्टाश्चातुर्वर्ण्यव्यवस्थि ताः । सम्यक्छ्रद्धाः समाचारप्रवणा मुनिसत्तम ॥ १,६.
Those beings created by Brahmā, established in the fourfold order, are endowed with proper faith and inclined toward righteous conduct, O best of sages.
यथेच्छावासनिरताः सर्वबाधाविवर्जिताः । शुद्धान्तः करणाः शुद्धाः कर्मानुष्ठा ननिर्मलाः ॥ १,६.
They dwell as they wish, free from all afflictions, with pure minds and pure actions, performing deeds without stain.
शुद्धे च तासां मनसि शुद्धेन्तःसंस्थिते हरौ । सुद्धज्ञानं प्रपश्यन्ति बिल्वाख्यं येन तत्पदम् ॥ १,६.
When their minds are pure, and their inner being is established in the pure Lord, they perceive pure knowledge, by which that supreme state called Bilva is attained.
ततः कालात्म को योऽसौ स चांशः कथितो हरेः । स पातयत्यघं घोरमल्पमल्पाल्पसारवत् ॥ १,६.
Then, that entity called Time, which is said to be a portion of Hari, causes the fall of terrible sin, even if it is small and of little substance.
अधर्मबीजमुद्भुतं तमोलोभसमुद्भवम् । प्रजासु तासु मैत्रेय रागादिकमसाधकम् ॥ १,६.
O Maitreya, in those beings arises the seed of unrighteousness, born of darkness and greed, such as passion and the like, which are unfit.
ततः सा सहजा सिद्धस्तासां नातीव जायते । रसोल्लासादयश्चान्याः सिद्धयोष्टौ भवन्ति याः ॥ १,६.
Then, that innate accomplishment among them does not arise excessively; and the other eight accomplishments, such as delight in taste, come into being.
तासु क्षीणास्वशेषासु वर्धमाने च पातके । द्वन्द्वाभिभवदुःखार्तास्ता भवन्ति ततः प्रजाः ॥ १,६.
When those (accomplishments) are diminished and only a remnant remains, and sin increases, then those beings become afflicted by the suffering that arises from the dominance of dualities.
ततो दुर्गाणि ताश्चक्रुर्धान्वं पार्वतमौदकम् । कृत्रिमं च तथा दुर्गं पुरखर्वटकादिकम् ॥ १,६.
Then, they made fortresses: forest, mountain, and water fortresses, as well as artificial strongholds, cities, and small towns.
गृहीणि च यथान्यायं तेषु चकुः पुरादिषु । शीतातपादिबाधानां प्रशमाय महामते ॥ १,६.
They established houses in those cities and the like, according to proper order, O wise one, for the alleviation of afflictions such as cold and heat.