दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च । भस्मभारभरापूर्णां स्मरामीमां धराम् अधः
I remember this earth below, filled for ten thousand years and ten hundred years with heaps of ashes.
अनुत्पन्नदिनाधीशाम् अजातशशिमण्डलाम् । अविभक्तदिनालोकां संस्मरामि धराम् अधः
I recall the earth below, where the lords of days had not yet arisen, the moon's orb was unborn, and the light of day was undivided.
मेरुरत्नतटोद्द्योतैर् अर्धप्रकटकोटरम् । लोकालोकम् इवाद्याद्रिं भुवनं संस्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember the primeval mountain, shining with the brilliance of jewel-studded slopes, its caves half revealed, like the boundary between worlds and non-worlds.
प्रवृद्धासुरसङ्ग्रामे म्रियमाणान् नरान् इव । पलायमानान् अभितस् संस्मरामि सुरान् अहम्
I remember the gods fleeing in all directions, like men dying in the midst of a great battle with demons.
चतुर्युगानि पञ्चाशद् असुरैर् मत्तकाशिभिः । दैत्यान्तःपुरतां प्राप्तां संस्मरामि धराम् इमाम्
I recall this earth, which for fifty cycles of four ages was possessed by intoxicated and radiant asuras, having become the inner quarters of the daityas.
अत्यन्तान्तरितान्तान्तसमस्तासुरमण्डलाम् । अजदेवत्रयीशेषां संस्मरामि जगत्कुटीम्
I remember the world-dwelling, entirely pervaded at its utmost depths by asura hosts, with only the three Vedas of the gods remaining.
चतुर्युगार्धं चरमं नीरन्ध्रां घनपादपैः । अदृष्टनरनिर्माणां संस्मरामि धराम् इमाम्
I remember this earth, for half a cycle of four ages, utterly dense with great trees, where no human creation was seen.
एवं चतुर्युगं साग्रं नीरन्ध्रैर् अचलैर् युताम् । अप्रवृत्तजनाचारां संस्मरामि धराम् इमाम्
In this way, I recall the earth for a full cycle of four ages, filled completely with mountains, where the conduct of people had not yet begun.
अजातषण्मुखां मत्ततारकोद्वासितामराम् । दैत्यपक्षजयोद्रिक्तां संस्मरामि जगत्कुटीम्
I remember the world-dwelling before the birth of the six-faced one, when the gods were driven away by the intoxicated Tāraka, and the daitya faction was exceedingly triumphant.
चतुर्युगानि त्रीण्य् अम्बुपूरप्लुतककुम्मुखीम् । मेरुदण्डाङ्कितां मध्ये संस्मरामि धराम् इमाम्
For three cycles of four ages, I recall this earth, its surface flooded with water, marked in the middle by the axis of Meru.
भयाद् अन्तर्हिताशेषवैमानिकनभश्चराम् । द्यां निरृक्षनिशेशार्कां संस्मरामि तमोमयीम्
I remember the sky, composed of darkness, where all celestial beings and sky-dwellers had vanished in fear, and the sun was entirely unseen.
अनगस्त्याम् अगस्त्याशाम् एकपर्वततां गतां । मत्ते विन्ध्यमहाशैले संस्मरामि जगत्कुटीम्
I remember the world-dwelling when, in the land of the south, only a single mountain remained, and the mighty Vindhya was intoxicated.
एतांश् चान्यांश् च वृत्तान्तान् संस्मरामि बहून् अपि । किं तेन बहुनोक्तेन सारं सङ्क्षेपतश् शृणु
I recall these and many other stories as well; but what is the use of saying so much? Listen to the essence in brief.
असङ्ख्यातान् मनून् ब्रह्मन् स्मरामि शतशो गतान् । सर्गान् आरम्भबहुलांश् चतुर्युगशतानि च
O Brahman, I remember countless Manus who have passed away by the hundreds, and many creations full of beginnings, and hundreds of cycles of four ages.
एकदेवमयं शुद्धं पुरुषासुरवर्जितम् । अलोकत्रितयं चैकस्वर्गं सर्गं स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember a creation that was pure, consisting of only one deity, without men or demons, without the three worlds or heavens—just one heaven.
सुरापब्राह्मणं मत्तं निषिद्धसुरशूद्रकम् । बहुनाथसतीकं च कञ्चित् सर्गं स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember a certain creation where the Brahmins drank liquor, were intoxicated, where forbidden gods and Shudras existed, and where there were many husbands and wives.
वृक्षनीरन्ध्रभूलोकम् अकल्पितमहार्णवम् । स्वर्गसञ्जातपुरुषं कञ्चित् सर्गं स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember a certain creation where the earth was hollow like a tree, where there was no vast ocean, and where people were born in heaven.
अपर्वतम् अभूमिं च व्योमस्थामरमानवम् । अचन्द्रार्कप्रकाशाढ्यं कञ्चित् सर्गं स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember a certain creation without mountains or land, where gods and humans dwelled in the sky, and which was filled with light not from the moon or sun.
अनिन्द्रम् अमहीपालम् अमध्यस्थाधमोत्तमम् । समसर्वककुब्भूतं कञ्चित् सर्गं स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember a certain creation without Indra, without kings, without any distinction of middle, lower, or higher; where all directions were alike and everything was uniform.
सर्गप्रारम्भकलनाविभागे भुवनत्रये । देवासुरविनिर्माणं द्वीपाब्धिवलयोदयः
At the beginning of creation, in the division of the three worlds, there was the formation of gods and demons, and the arising of continents and oceans.
कुलपर्वतसंस्थानं जम्बुद्वीपे पृथक्स्थितिम् । वर्णधर्मधियं सृष्टिविभागं मण्डलावलेः
The arrangement of mountain ranges, the distinct existence of Jambudvīpa, the division of castes and duties, and the creation of the various regions of the world.
ऋक्षचक्रकसंस्थानं ध्रुवनिर्माणम् एव च । जन्मेन्दुभास्करादीनाम् इन्द्रोपेन्द्रव्यवस्थितिः
The configuration of the constellation circles, the formation of the pole star, the births of the moon, sun, and others, and the positions of Indra and Upendra.
हिरण्याक्षापहरणं वराहोद्धरणं क्षितेः । कल्पनं पार्थिवानां च वेदानयनम् एव च
The theft by Hiraṇyākṣa, the raising of the earth by the boar, the creation of earthly beings, and the bringing forth of the Vedas.
मन्दरोद्धूननं चाब्धेर् अमृतार्थे च मन्थनम् । अजातपक्षो गरुडस् सागराणां च सम्भवः
The churning of the ocean with Mount Mandara for the sake of nectar, the young Garuḍa without developed wings, and the origin of the oceans.
इत्यादिका यास् स्मृतयस् स्वल्पातीतमनुक्रमाः । बालैर् अपि हि तास् तात स्मर्यन्ते तासु किं ग्रहः
Such stories, which are remembered and have little sequence, are recalled even by children, dear one; what is the point in grasping them?
गरुडवाहनम् अगरुडवाहनं सितविवाहनम् असितविवाहनम् । सुवृषवाहनम् असुवृषवाहनं कलितवान् अहम् अकलितजीवितः
Garuḍa as a vehicle, not Garuḍa as a vehicle; white as a spouse, black as a spouse; auspicious bull as a vehicle, inauspicious bull as a vehicle—I have considered myself alive and not considered myself alive.
ततो जगति जातेषु भगवन् युष्मदादिषु । भरद्वाजपुलस्त्यात्रिनारदेन्द्रमरीचिषु
Then, when beings arose in the world, O Lord, among you and others—Bharadvāja, Pulastya, Atri, Nārada, Indra, and Marīci—
पुलहोद्दालकाद्येषु क्रतुभृग्वङ्गिरस्सु च । सनत्कुमारभृङ्गीशस्कन्देभवदनादिषु
Among Pulaha, Uddālaka, and others, among Kratu, Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, and among Sanatkumāra, Bhṛṅgīśa, Skanda, Bhava, and others—
गौरीसरस्वतीलक्ष्मीगायत्र्याद्यासु भूरिषु । मेरुमन्दरकैलासहिमवद्दर्दुरादिषु
In Gaurī, Sarasvatī, Lakṣmī, Gāyatrī, and many others; in Meru, Mandara, Kailāsa, Himavat, Dardura, and similar mountains—
हयग्रीवहिरण्याक्षकालनेमिबलादिषु । हिरण्यकशिपुक्राथबडिप्रह्लादकादिषु
In Hayagrīva, Hiraṇyākṣa, Kālanemi, Bali, and others; in Hiraṇyakaśipu, Krātha, Baḍi, Prahlāda, and their kind—