पुण्डरीकाक्षगदिताम् असंसङ्गगतिं शुभाम् । याम् आलिङ्ग्य महाबाहो जीवन्मुक्तो महामुनिः
Embracing that pure, unattached state described by the lotus-eyed Lord, O mighty-armed one, the great sage is liberated while living.
पाण्डोः पुत्रो ऽर्जुनो नाम सुखं जीवितम् आत्मनः । क्षपयिष्यति निर्दुःखं तथा क्षपय जीवितम्
Arjuna, son of Pandu, will live his life happily and free from sorrow; in the same way, live your life free from suffering.
भविष्यति कदा ब्रह्मन्न् अर्जुनः पाण्डुनन्दनः । कीदृशीं च हरिस् तस्य कथयिष्यत्य् असक्तताम्
O Brahman, when will Arjuna, the joy of the Pandus, arise, and what kind of detachment will Hari describe to him?
अस्ति सन्मात्रम् आत्मेति परिकल्पितनामकम् । स्थितम् आत्मन्य् अनाद्यन्ते नभसीव महानभः
There exists pure being, called 'self' by convention, abiding in itself without beginning or end, like vast space in the sky.
दृश्यते विमले तस्मिन्न् अयं संसारविभ्रमः । कटकादि यथा हेम्नि तरङ्गादि यथाम्भसि
Within that clear expanse, this confusion of worldly existence is seen, as ornaments in gold, or waves in water.
चतुर्दशविधा भूतजातयः प्रस्फुरन्त्य् अलम् । तस्मिन् संसारजाले ऽस्मिञ् जाले शकुनयो यथा
The fourteen kinds of elemental beings arise abundantly within this net of worldly existence, like birds in a net.
तत्र ते यमचन्द्रार्कशक्राद्यास् संसृतिक्रमाः । भूतपञ्चकसंस्थाना लोकपालत्वम् आगताः
There, those who are called Yama, Moon, Sun, Indra, and others, follow the course of transmigration, attaining guardianship of worlds through the arrangement of the five elements.
इदं पुण्यम् उपादेयं हेयं पापम् इदं त्व् इति । तैस् स्वसङ्कल्पघटिता वेदेन स्थापिता स्थितिः
This is merit to be accepted, this is sin to be rejected—such is the order established by them through their own resolve, confirmed by the Veda.
एवं प्रौढिं प्रयातायां वहन्त्यां च चिरं चिरम् । अच्छिन्नायां विनाशिन्यां नद्याम् इव जगत्स्थितौ
As this matured state continues for a long time, unbroken and perishable, like a river, so does the existence of the world.
वैवस्वतो यमो नाम लोकपालः प्रतापवान् । मरणाङ्कितसत्ताकप्रजासंयमने स्थितः
Vaivasvata, named Yama, is a powerful guardian of the world, established in restraining beings marked by mortality.
तस्याद्य यावद् अनघ प्रवाहापतिते निजे । कर्मण्य् अचलसङ्काशं स्थिरं चित्तम् अवस्थितम्
From that day until now, O sinless one, his mind has remained steady in his own duty, unmoving like a rock, even as the current of actions flows on.
भगवान् स यमः किञ्चिद् व्रतं प्रतिचतुर्युगम् । तथापि कुरुते भूतदलनोत्थाघशङ्कया
That venerable Yama observes a certain vow during each fourfold age; yet, even so, he performs his duties out of concern for the harm that might arise from neglecting the destruction of beings.
कदाचिद् अष्टौ वर्षाणि दश द्वादश वापि च । कदाचित् पञ्च सप्तापि कदाचित् षोडशापि वा
Sometimes for eight years, or ten, or even twelve; sometimes for five or seven, and sometimes even for sixteen years.
उदासीनवद् आसीने तस्मिन् नियमम् आस्थिते । न हिनस्ति जगज्जाले मृत्युर् भूतानि कानिचित्
While he sits absorbed in discipline, indifferent like one detached, death does not harm any beings in the web of the world.
तेन नीरन्ध्रभूतौघं निस्सञ्चारं महीतलम् । भवति प्रावृषि स्वेदी कुञ्जको मषकैर् इव
Because of this, the earth becomes densely crowded with beings, motionless, like a hut in the rainy season swarming with gnats.
अथ तानि विचित्राणि भूतानि बहुयुक्तिभिः । क्षपयन्ति सुरा राम भुवो भारनिवृत्तये
Then, O Rāma, the gods, using various strategies, destroy those diverse beings to relieve the burden of the earth.
एवं यमसहस्राणि व्यवहारशतानि च । समतीतान्य् अनन्तानि भूतानि च जगन्ति च
In this way, thousands of Yamas and hundreds of cycles of activity have passed away, as have countless beings and worlds.
वैवस्वतो ऽद्य तु यमो य एव पितृनायकः । अनेन त्व् अधुना साधो परिक्षीणेषु केषुचित्
But today, Vaivasvata Yama, the very leader of the ancestors, is the one presiding; and now, O noble one, as some beings are diminished by him—
युगेष्व् अघविघाताय वर्षाणि द्वादशात्मना । व्रतचर्येह कर्तव्या दूरास्तक्रूरकर्मणा
In each age, for the removal of evil, a twelve-year vow of discipline must be observed here; those who perform cruel deeds should be kept at a distance.
तेनेयम् उर्वी नीरन्ध्रा भूतैर् मर्तैर् अमृत्युभिः । दीना प्रघनगुल्मेव भारभूतैर् भविष्यति
Because of this, the earth will become devoid of openings, filled with beings—mortals who are not subject to death—afflicted and, like a dense thicket, burdened by those who bear its weight.
भूर् भारपरिभूताङ्गी हरिं शरणम् एष्यति । कान्ता दस्युपराभूता दीना पतिम् इव प्रियम्
The earth, overwhelmed by the burden, will seek refuge in Hari; like a beloved woman oppressed by bandits, distressed, she will approach her dear husband.
हरिर् देहद्वयेनाथ महीम् अवतरिष्यति । देवांशैर् अखिलैस् सार्धं नरनायकतां गतैः
Then Hari, with two bodies, will descend to the earth, together with all the divine portions who have assumed the role of leaders among men.
वसुदेवसुतस् त्व् एको वासुदेव इति श्रुतः । देहो भविष्यति हरेर् द्वितीयः पाण्डवो ऽर्जुनः
The son of Vasudeva, known as Vāsudeva, will be one body of Hari; the second will be the Pāṇḍava Arjuna.
युधिष्ठिर इति ख्यातो धर्मपुत्रो भविष्यति । अम्भोधिमेखलाभूपः पाण्डोः पुत्रस् स धर्मवित्
Yudhiṣṭhira, renowned as the son of Dharma, will be the king whose realm is girded by the ocean, the son of Pāṇḍu, and a knower of righteousness.
दुर्योधन इति ख्यातस् तस्य भ्राता पितृव्यजः । भविष्यति दृढद्वन्द्वो भीमो बभ्रुर् अहेर् इव
Duryodhana, so called, will be his brother, born of his uncle; strong in rivalry, Bhīma will be like the tawny serpent.
अन्योऽन्यं हरतोर् उर्वीं तयोस् सङ्ग्रामलालसाः । अष्टादशाक्षौहिण्यो हि घटिष्यन्त्य् अत्र भीषणाः
Eager for battle, those two will seize the earth from each other; here, eighteen divisions of armies, fierce, will clash.
तत्क्षयेण विभारत्वं भुवो विष्णुः करिष्यति । राघवार्जुनदेहेन बृहद्गाण्डीवधन्वना
When that destruction comes, Vishnu will bring radiance to the earth, taking the form of Arjuna, the mighty wielder of the great Gandiva bow.
विष्णोर् अर्जुननामासौ प्राकृतं भावम् आस्थितः । हर्षामर्षान्वितो देहो नरधर्मा भविष्यति
That Vishnu, named Arjuna, will assume an ordinary nature; his body, filled with joy and anger, will follow the ways of men.
सेनाद्वयगतान् दृष्ट्वा स्वजनान् मरणोन्मुखान् । विषादम् एष्यत्य् उद्योगं युद्धाय न करिष्यति
Seeing his own people on both sides of the armies, facing death, he will fall into despondency and will not make the effort to fight.
तम् अर्जुनाभिधं देहं प्राप्तकार्यैकसिद्धये । हरिर् बुद्धेन देहेन बोधयिष्यति राघव
O Raghava, to accomplish that one necessary purpose, Hari will instruct that body called Arjuna through a body endowed with wisdom.