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—
निमिन्यङ्कुपृथुप्रोथवैन्यनाभागकेलिषु । नलमान्धातृसगरदिलीपनहुषादिषु
In Nimi, Yaṅku, Pṛthu, Protha, Vainya, Nābhāga, Keli; in Nala, Māndhātṛ, Sagara, Dilīpa, Nahuṣa, and others—
आत्रेयव्यासवाल्मीकिवत्सवात्स्यायनादिषु । उपमन्युमनीमङ्किभगीरथशुकादिषु
In Ātreya, Vyāsa, Vālmīki, Vatsa, Vātsyāyana, and others; in Upamanyu, Manī, Maṅki, Bhagīratha, Śuka, and their kind—
अल्पकातीतकालेषु किञ्चिद् दूरेषु केषुचित् । तथाद्यतनसर्गेषु स्मरणे गणनैव का
In times that are short or long past, in some places a little distant; likewise, in the present creations, what is the point of counting or recalling?
मुने ते ब्रह्मपुत्रस्य जन्माष्टमम् इदं किल । संस्मराम्य् अष्टमे सर्गे त्व् अस्मिंस् त्वं मम सङ्गतः
O sage, this is said to be the eighth birth of you, the son of Brahma; I remember, in this eighth creation, you have come together with me.
कदाचिज् जायसे व्योम्नः कदाचिज् जायसे जलात् । कदाचिज् जायसे शैलात् कदाचिज् जायसे ऽनलात्
Sometimes you are born from the sky, sometimes from water; sometimes you are born from a mountain, sometimes from fire.
यादृशो यादृशाचारो यादृक्संस्थानदिग्गणः । सर्गो ऽयं तादृशान् एव त्रीन् सर्गान् संस्मराम्य् अहम्
Whatever the manner, whatever the conduct, whatever the place and direction; this creation is just like that, and I remember three such creations.
एकरूपाखिलाचारसन्निवेशनरामरान् । समकालाखिलस्थैर्यान् दश सर्गान् स्मराम्य् अहम्
I recall ten cycles of creation, all of which unfolded with a single form, with all beings and actions arranged alike, and all stability occurring simultaneously.
अन्तर्धानं गता देवा वारपञ्चकम् उद्धृताः । मुने पञ्चसु सर्गेषु कूर्मा इव पयोनिधेः
The gods vanished for a period of five cycles, O sage, just as turtles withdraw into the ocean; they were withdrawn during five cycles of creation.
मन्दराकर्षणावेगपर्याकुलसुरासुरम् । स्मरामि द्वादशं चेदम् अमृताम्भोधिमन्थनम्
I remember this twelfth event: the churning of the ocean of nectar, when gods and demons were agitated by the force of Mount Mandara being pulled.
सर्वौषधिरसोपेतां बलिं ग्राहस् तटाद् इव । वारत्रयं हिरण्याक्षो नीतवान् वसुधाम् अधः
For three cycles, Hiraṇyākṣa carried the earth below, along with all its medicinal herbs and riches, as if seizing a bank from the shore.