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.
वाल्मीकिनाम्ना जीवेन तेनैवान्येन चाक्षतम् । एतत् तद् द्वादशं वारं क्रियते विस्मृतिं गतम्
By the living sage called Vālmīki, and by another under the same name, this very work is created for the twelfth time, after having been forgotten.
द्वितीयम् एतस्य समं भारतं नाम नामतः । स्मरामि प्राक्तनव्यासकृतं जगति विस्मृतम्
The second of these is called by name the Bhārata; I remember it, composed by the former Vyāsa, though it has been forgotten in the world.
व्यासाभिधेन जीवेन तथैवान्येन चाक्षतम् । एतत् तु सप्तमं वारं क्रियते विस्मृतिं गतम्
Just as the being known as Vyāsa, and likewise another, have been forgotten, so now, for the seventh time, this is being done again.
आख्यानकानि शास्त्राणि विवृतानि युगं प्रति । विचित्रसन्निवेशानि संस्मरामि मुनीश्वर
O lord of sages, I recall the stories and treatises that have been expounded in each age, arranged in various wondrous forms.
पुनस् तान्य् एव तान्य् एव तथान्यानि युगे युगे । साधो पदार्थजालानि प्रपश्यामि स्मरामि च
Again and again, in every age, O noble one, I perceive and remember these very same arrays of objects, as well as others.
राक्षसक्षतये विष्णोर् महीम् अवतरिष्यतः । अधुनैकादशं जन्म रामनाम्नो भविष्यति
For the destruction of the demon by Viṣṇu, who will descend to earth, the eleventh birth bearing the name Rāma will soon occur.
वसुदेवगृहे विष्णोर् भुवो भारनिवृत्तये । अधुना षोडशं जन्म भविष्यति मुनीश्वर
O lord of sages, now, for the removal of the earth's burden, Viṣṇu will soon take his sixteenth birth in the house of Vasudeva.
नारसिंहेन वपुषा हिरण्यकशिपुं हरिः । जघान वारत्रितयं मृगेन्द्र इव वारणम्
Hari, in the form of Narasiṃha, slew Hiraṇyakaśipu three times, like a lion felling an elephant.
जगत्त्रयीभ्रान्तिर् इयं न कदाचिन् न विद्यते । विद्यते न कदाचिच् च जलबुद्बुदवत् स्थिता
This delusion concerning the three worlds never truly exists, nor does it ever not exist; it is established like a water bubble.
दृश्यभ्रान्तिर् अनिष्ठेयम् अन्तस्स्था संविदात्मनि । जायते लीयते चाशु लोला वीचिर् इवाम्भसि
The illusion of the visible, which is not to be desired, arises and quickly subsides within the inner consciousness, wavering like a ripple on water.
समैकसन्निवेशानि बहूनि विषमाणि च । तथार्धसमरूपाणि त्रिजगन्ति स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember many worlds with similar arrangements, some with differences, and some with only partial resemblance.
तान्य् एव तादृक्कर्माणि तथान्याचरणानि च । तत्कर्माणि तथान्यानि भूतानीह स्मराम्य् अहम्
I recall those same kinds of actions, as well as other deeds performed there; I remember those actions and other beings here as well.
प्रतिमन्वन्तरं ब्रह्मन् विपर्यस्ते जगत्क्रमे । सन्निवेशे ऽन्यथा जाते प्रयाते संस्तुते जने
O Brahman, at every change of a Manvantara, when the order of the world is reversed, and when a new arrangement arises, and people come and go,
ममान्यानि च मित्राणि ते ऽन्य एव च बन्धवः । अन्य एव नवा भृत्या अन्य एव समाश्रयाः
I have different friends, and you have other relatives; there are new servants, and others who offer shelter.
कदाचिद् अहम् एकान्ते विन्ध्यमूललताश्रयः । कदाचिन् मेरुशृङ्गाग्रकल्पवृक्षलताश्रयः
Sometimes I dwell in solitude at the foot of the Vindhya mountains, and sometimes I take refuge in the wish-fulfilling creepers atop Mount Meru.
कदाचित् सह्यनिलयः कदाचिद् दर्दुरालयः । कदाचिद् धिमवद्वासी कदाचिन् मलयाश्रयः
Sometimes I reside in the Sahya mountains, sometimes in the Dardura range; sometimes I live in the Himalayas, and sometimes in the Malaya mountains.
कदाचित् प्राक्तनेनैव सन्निवेशेन भूधरम् । वनं वृक्षं च शाखां च प्राप्य नीडं करोम्य् अहम्
Sometimes, with a previous arrangement, I make my nest upon a mountain, in a forest, on a tree, or on a branch.
अद्यानन्तेषु यातेषु युगेषु मुनिनायक । प्राक्तनेनैव जातो ऽयं सन्निवेशेन पादपः
O leader of sages, in the ages that have passed up to the present, this tree has been born with the same arrangement as before.
ताते जीवति यैवाभूच् छोभास्य सुतरोस् तया । कृतप्राक्सन्निवेशो ऽयम् अहं स्थितिम् उपागतः
When my father was alive, there was a great radiance from him; having previously established myself, I have now attained this state.
नेहाभूद् उत्तरा पूर्वं ककुम् नायं च भूधरः । दिग् उत्तराभूद् अन्यैव पूर्वं मेरुमहीधरा
Here, there was neither a northern nor an eastern horizon before, nor was this a mountain; the direction that was north before was different, as was the eastern Meru mountain.