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.
रेणुकात्मजतां गत्वा षष्ठं वारम् इमं हरिः । बहुसर्गान्तरेणापि चकार क्षत्रियक्षयम्
Hari, having become the son of Reṇukā, in this sixth cycle, even after many cycles of creation, brought about the destruction of the Kṣatriya class.
शतं कलियुगानां च हरेर् बुद्धदशाशतम् । शाक्यराजतयैवाप्तं स्मरामि मुनिनायक
O chief of sages, I remember a hundred Kali Yugas and a hundred Buddha incarnations of Hari, all attained through the rule of the Śākya kings.
त्रिंशत्त्रिपुरविक्षोभान् द्वौ दक्षाध्वरसङ्क्षयौ । दश शुक्रविघातांश् च चन्द्रमौलेस् स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember thirty-three destructions of the cities, two terminations of Dakṣa's sacrifices, and ten defeats of Śukra by the moon-crested one.
बाणार्थम् अष्टौ सङ्ग्रामाज् ज्वरप्रमथनायकान् । विक्षोभितसुरानीकान् स्मरामि हरिशर्वयोः
For the sake of Bāṇa, I remember eight battles, the leaders of fever and agitation, and the armies of gods thrown into turmoil by Hari and Śarva.
युगं प्रति धियां पुंसाम् ऊनाधिकतया मुने । क्रियाङ्गपाठवैचित्र्ययुक्तान् वेदान् स्मराम्य् अहम्
O sage, according to each age, I recall the Vedas endowed with various forms, marked by the differing capacities and inclinations of people, and by the diversity in the limbs and practices of ritual.
एकाग्राणि समग्राणि बहुपाठानि मे ऽनघ । पुराणानि प्रवर्तन्ते विवृतानि युगं प्रति
O sinless one, the ancient texts—whether concise or comprehensive, whether learned in many recitations or with single-minded focus—arise anew in each age, revealed in their fullness.
पुनस् तान् एव तान् एवम् अन्यान् अपि युगे युगे । देवर्षिविप्ररचितान् इतिहासान् स्मराम्य् अहम्
Again and again, in every age, I remember those very same histories, as well as others, composed by divine sages and seers.
इतिहासं महाश्चर्यम् अन्यं रामायणाभिधम् । ग्रन्थलक्षप्रमाणं सज् ज्ञानशास्त्रं स्मराम्य् अहम्
I recall another wondrous history, known as the Rāmāyaṇa, a scripture of knowledge, vast as a hundred thousand verses.
रामवद् व्यवहर्तव्यं न रावणविलासवत् । इति यत्र धिया ज्ञानं हस्ते फलम् इवार्पितम्
There, knowledge is placed in the hand, as fruit ready to be grasped by the mind, teaching that one should act like Rāma, not indulge like Rāvaṇa.
कृतं वाल्मीकिना चैतद् अधुना च करिष्यति । अद्य त्व् अप्रकटं लोके स्थितं ज्ञास्यति कालतः
This was composed by Vālmīki, and he will compose it again; though now it is hidden in the world, in time it will become known.