देव उवाच कामं देवा अपि न मां विप्र जानन्ति तत्त्वतः। त्वत्प्रीत्या तु प्रवक्ष्यामि यथेदं विसृजाम्यहम्॥
The Deity said: O Brahmana, even the celestials do not know me truly. But as I am pleased with you, I shall tell you how I created the universe.
पितृभक्तोऽसि विप्रर्षे मां चैव शरणं गतः। ततो दृष्टोऽस्मि ते साक्षाद् ब्रह्मचर्यं च ते महत्॥
O Brahmana Rishi, you have filial piety and you have also sought my protection; you have also seen me with your eyes and your Brahmacharya is also great.
अपां नारा इति पुरा संज्ञाकर्म कृतं मया। तेन नारायणोऽप्युक्तो मम तत् त्वयनं सदा॥
In days of yore, I called the waters by the name of Nara and because the waters have ever been my Ayana (abode), I am called Narayana.
अहं नारायणो नाम प्रभवः शाश्वतोऽव्ययः। विधाता सर्वभूतानां संहर्ता च द्विजोत्तम॥
O foremost of Brahmana, I am Narayana, the source of all things, the eternal, the unchangeable; I am the creator of all things and also the destroyer of all.
अहं विष्णोरहं ब्रह्मा शक्रश्चाहं सुराधिपः। अहं वैश्रवणो राज यमः प्रेताधिपस्तथा॥
I am Vishnu, I am Brahma, I am Indra, the lord of the celestials. I am king Vaisravana (Kubera), I am Yama, the king of the deceased spirits.
अहं शिवश्च सोमश्च कश्यपोऽथ प्रजापतिः। अहंधाता विधाता च यज्ञश्चाहं द्विजोत्तम॥
O foremost of Brahmanas, I am Shiva, I am Soma, I am Kashyapa, I am the lord of all treated things; I am Dhata, Vidhata, I am the sacrifice embodied.
अग्निरास्यं क्षितिः पादौ चन्द्रादित्यौ च लोचने। द्यौर्मूर्धा खं दिशः श्रोत्रे तथाऽप: स्वेदसम्भवाः॥
Fire is my mouth, the earth my feet, the sun and the moon are my eyes, the heaven is my head, the sky and the directions are my ears. And the waters are my sweats (of the body).
सदिशं च नभः कायो वायुमनसि मे स्थितः। मया क्रतुशतैरिष्टं बहुभिः स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः॥
Space with the cardinal points are my body and the air is my mind. I have performed many hundreds of sacrifices in which Dakshina were in abundance.
यजन्ते वेदविदुषो मां देवयजने स्थितम्। पृथिव्यां क्षत्रियेन्द्राश्च पार्थिवाः स्वर्गकाक्षिणः॥
I am ever present in the sacrifices of the celestials; those that know the Vedas offer sacrifices to On earth those chief Kshatriyas, those kings who desire to obtain heaven.
यजन्ते मां तथा वैश्याः स्वर्गलोकजिगीषया। चतु:समुद्रपर्यन्तां मेरुमन्दरभूषणाम्॥ शेषो भूत्वाहमेवैतांधारयामि वसुन्धराम। वाराहं रूपमास्थाय मयेयं जगती पुरा॥ मज्जामाना जले विप्र वीर्येणासीत् समुद्धृता। अग्निश्च वडवावक्त्रो भूत्वाहं द्विजसत्तम॥
And those Vaishyas who also desire to attain to those blessed region, all worship me. Becoming Shesha it is I who support (on my head) this earth bounded by the four seas and decked by Meru and Mandara. Assuming the me. form of the boar in the days of yore I raised up this universe sunk in water. foremost of Brahmans, becoming the fire that issues forth from the Equine mouth.
पिबाम्यपः सदा विद्वंस्ताश्चैवं विसृजाम्यहम्। ब्रह्म वक्त्रं भुजौ क्षत्रमूरू मे संस्थिता विशः॥
It is I who drink up the water and create them again. From my month Brahmanas, from my arms the Kshatriyas, from my thighs the Vaishyas,
पादौ शूद्रा भवन्तीमे विक्रमेण क्रमेण च। ऋग्वेदः सामवेदश्च यजुर्वेदोऽप्यथर्वणः॥
From my feet the Shudras, one after the other, sprang up through my great energy. The Rig, the Sama, the Yaju and the Atharva Vedas,
मत्तः प्रादुर्भवन्त्येते मामेव प्रविशन्ति च। यतयः शान्तिपरमा यतात्मानो बुभुत्सवः॥ कामक्रोधद्वेषमुक्ता नि:संगा वीतकल्मघाः। सत्त्वस्था निरहङ्कारा नित्यमध्यात्मकोविदाः॥ मामेव सततं विप्राश्चिन्तयन्त उपासते। अहं संवर्तको वह्निरहं संवर्तकोऽनलः॥
Issued forth from me and disappear also in me. The Brahmanas, devoted to asceticism, those that value peace as the highest attribute, those that have their souls under complete control, those that are desirous of knowledge, those that are freed from lust and wrath and envy, those that are unweded to earthly things, those that have their sins completely destroyed, those that possess gentleness and virtue, those that are free from pride, those that have a full knowledge of the soul-all these worship me with profound meditation. I am the fire called Samvartaka, I am the wind called Samvartaka.
अहं संवर्तकः सूर्यस्त्वहं संवर्तकोऽनिलः। तारारूपाणि दृश्यन्ते यान्येतानि नभस्तले॥
I am the Samvartaka sun, I am the Samvartaka fire. Those that are seen in the skies in the shape of stars,
मम वै रोमकूपाणि विद्धि त्वं द्विजसत्तम। रत्नाकरा: समुद्राश्च सर्व एव चतुर्दिशम्॥
O foremost of Brahmanas, know them to be the pores of my skin. The oceans, those mines of gems and the four directions.
वसनं शयनं चैव विलयं चैव विद्धि मे। मयैव सुविभक्तास्ते देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये॥
Know, they are my robes, my bed, my abode. They have been spread by me to accomplish the purposes of the celestials.
काम क्रोधं च हर्षं च भयं मोहं तथैव च। ममैव विद्धि रोमाणि सर्वाण्येतानि सत्तम॥
O excellent man, know that desire, anger, joy, fear and ignorance are all different forms of myself.
प्राप्नुवन्ति नरा विप्र यत् कृत्वा कर्म शोभनम्। सत्यं दानं तपश्चोग्रमहिंसा चैव जन्तुषु॥ मद्विधानेन विहिता मम देहविहारिणः। मयाऽऽविर्भूतविज्ञाना विचेष्टन्ते न कामतः॥
O Brahmana, whatever is obtained by men by the practice of truth, charity, asceticism, peace, harmlessness towards all creatures and other such good deeds is obtained through my arrangements. Led by my laws, men rove about within my body, their senses being always overwhelmed by me. They do not move according to their will, they are moved by me,
सम्यग् वेदमधीयाना यजन्ते विविधैर्मखैः। शान्तात्मानो जितक्रोधाः प्राप्नुवन्ति द्विजातयः॥ प्राप्तुं न शक्यो यो विद्वन् नरैर्दुष्कृतकर्मभिः। लोभाभिभूतैः कृपणेनार्यैरकृतात्मभिः॥ तं मां महाफलं विद्धि नराणां भावितात्मनाम्। सुदुष्प्रापं विमूढानां मार्ग योगैर्निषेवितम्॥
The Brahmanas, that have thoroughly studied the Vedas, that have obtained tranquility in their souls and that have subdued their anger, obtain a high reward by performing many sacrifices. But such reward is not obtained by men who are wicked in their acts, who are overwhelmed with covetousness, who are mean and disputable, who have their souls unblessed and impure. Therefore, O Brahmana, know that this reward which is obtained by only self-controlled men and not obtained by ignorant and foolish men-this which is attainable by asceticism alone, produces high merits.
यदा यदा चधर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति सत्तम। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम्॥
O excellent man, at those times when virtue and morality decrease in the world) and sin and immorality increase, I create myself.
दैत्या हिंसानुरक्ताश्च अवध्याः सुरसत्तमैः। राक्षसाश्चापि लोकेऽस्मिन् यदोत्पत्स्यन्ति दारुणाः॥ तदाहं सम्प्रसूयामि गृहेषु शुभकर्मणाम्। प्रविष्टो मानुषं देहं सर्वं प्रशमयाम्यहम्॥
When fearful and vicious-minded Daityas and Rakshasas, that are incapable of being killed by even the foremost of the celestials, are born on earth, I then take my birth in the families of virtuous men. And assuming a human form, 1 restore peace by destroying all evils.
सृष्ट्वा देवमनुष्यांस्तु गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसान्। स्थावराणि च भूतानि संहराम्यात्ममायया॥
By my own Maya I create the celestials, the men, the Gandharvas, the Rakshasas and all the mobile and immobile things. And I again destroy them all (when the time comes).
कर्मकाले पुनर्देहमविचिन्त्यं सृजाम्यहम्। आविश्य मानुषं देहं मर्यादाबन्धकारणात्॥
For the preservation of virtue and morality I assume a human form and when the times come I assumes form that are inconceivable.
श्वेतः कृतयुगे वर्णः पीतस्त्रेतायुगे मम। रक्तो द्वापमासाद्य कृष्णः कलियुगे तथा॥
In the Satya Yuga I become white, in the Treta Yuga I become yellow, in the Dvapara I become red and in the Kali Yuga I become black.
त्रयो भागा ह्यधर्मस्य तस्मिन् काले भवन्ति च। अकाले च समाप्ते कालो भूत्वातिदारुणः॥ त्रैलोक्यं नाशयाम्येकः कृत्स्नं स्थावरजङ्गमम्। अहं त्रिवा विश्वात्मा सर्वलोकसुखावहः॥
In that Kali Yuga, the virtue remains only three fourths. When the end of Kali Yuga comes, I assume the fearful form of death and destroy all the three worlds with all their mobile and immobile creatures. I then cover the universe with three steps. I am the soul of the world, I am the source of all happiness.
आविर्भूः सर्वगोऽनन्तो हृषीकेश उरुक्रमः। कालचक्रं नयाम्येको ब्रह्मन्नहमरूपकम्॥
I am the humbler of all pride, I am omnipresent, I am infinite. I am the lord of the senses, I am great in power. O Brahmana, I alone set the wheel of the Time in motion. I am formless.
शमनं सर्वभूतानां सर्वलोककृतोद्यमम्। एवं प्रणिहितः सम्यङ् ममात्मा मुनिसत्तम। सर्वभूतेषु विप्रेन्द्र न च मां वेत्ति कश्चन॥
O foremost of Rishis, I am the destroyer of all creatures and I am also the cause of all efforts of all creatures. My soul completely pervades all creatures. O chief of Brahmanas, none knows me.
सर्वलोके च मां भक्ताः पूजयन्ति च सर्वशः। यच्च किंचित्त्वया प्राप्तं मयि क्लेशात्मकं द्विज॥
It is I whom the pious and the devoted worship in all the worlds. O Brahmana, whatever pains you have felt within my stomach.
सुखोदयाय तत् सर्वं श्रेयसे च तवानघ। यच्च किंचित् त्वया लोके दृष्टं स्थावरजङ्गमम्॥
O sinless one, know all that was for your happiness and good fortune. Whatever worlds with their mobile and immobile beings you have seen (within my stomach).
विहितः सर्वथैवासौ ममात्मा भूतभावनः। अर्धं मम शरीरस्य सर्वलोक पितामहः॥
Everything has been ordained by my soul which is the source of all existence. The Grandsire of all the worlds is half of my body.
अहं नारायणो नाम शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः। यावद्युगानां विप्रचे सहपरिवर्तनात्॥
I am named Narayana, wielding the conch, the discus and the mace. O Brahmana Rishi, for a period of thousand times of the four। Yugas,
तावत् स्वपिमि विश्वात्मा सर्वभूतानि मोहयन्। एवं सर्वमहं कालमिहास्से मुनिसत्तम॥
I, who am the soul of the universe sleep, overwhelming all creatures in unconsciousness, O foremost of Rishis, then do I stay here for everlasting time,
अशिशुः शिशुरूपेण यावद्ब्रह्मा न बुध्यते। मया च दत्तो विप्रावय वरस्ते ब्रह्मरूपिणा॥
O foremost of Brahmanas, in the form of a boy, though I am old, stay here until Brahmana wakes up. I who am Brahma have given you boons.
असकृत् परितुष्टेन विप्रर्षिगणपूजिता सर्वमेकार्णवं दृष्ट्वा नष्टं स्थावरजङ्गमम्॥
I am gratified with you, O the adored of the Brahmana Rishis. Seeing one vast expanse of water and seeing that all mobile and immobile creatures are destroyed.
विक्लवोऽसि मया ज्ञातस्ततस्ते दर्शितं जगत्। अभ्यन्तरं शरीरस्य प्रविष्टोऽसि यदा मम॥
You were afflicted with arrow. I knew this and it is for this reason I showed the universe when you entered within my body.
दृष्ट्वा लोकं समस्तं च विस्मितो नावबुध्यसे। ततोऽसि वक्त्राद् विप्रर्षे द्रुतं निःसारितो मया॥
You became astonished and bewildered by seeing the entire universe (with in my stomach). O Brahmana Rishi, therefore you were soon brought out by me. I have spoken to you about that Soul which is inconceivable even to the celestials and the Asuras. As long as that great ascetic, the holy Brahma, does not awake,
आख्यातस्ते मया चात्मा दुर्जेयो हि सुरासुरैः॥ यावत् स भगवान् ब्रह्मा न बुध्येत महातपाः। तावत् त्वमिह विप्रर्षे विश्रब्धश्चर वै सुखम्॥
O Brahmana Rishi, till then, live here happily and trustfully.
ततो विबुद्धे तस्मिंस्तु सर्वलोकपितामहे। एकीभूतो हि हरक्ष्यामि शरीराणि द्विजोत्तम॥ आकाशं पृथिवीं ज्योतिर्वायु सलिलमेव च। लोके यच्च भवेच्छेषमिह स्थावरजङ्गमम्॥
O foremost of Brahmanas, when that Grandsire of all creatures will awake. I shall alone create all creatures having bodies, also the firmament, the earth, the light, the atmosphere, the water and also all mobile and immobile creatures on earth.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्तवान्तर्हितस्तात स देवः परमाद्भुतः। प्रजाश्चेमाः प्रपश्यामि विचित्रा विविधाः कृताः॥
Markandeya said : O child, having said this that greatly wonderful deity disappeared. I then saw this varied and wonderful creation start into life.
एवं दृष्टं मया राजंस्तस्मिन् प्राप्ते युगक्षये। आश्चर्यं भरतश्रेष्ठ सर्वधर्मभृतां वर॥
O king, O best of the Bharata race, O foremost of all virtuous men, I saw all this wonderful sight at the end of the Yuga.
यः य देवो मया दृष्टः पुरा पद्मायतेक्षणः। स एष पुरुषव्याघ्र सम्बन्धी ते जनार्दनः॥
The lotus-eyed deity whom I saw in days of yore, that foremost of beings is Janardana (Krishna) who has now become your relative.
अस्यैव वरदानाद्धिस्मृतिर्न प्रजहाति माम्। दीर्घमायुश्च कौन्तेय स्वच्छन्दमरणं मम॥
O son of Kunti, in consequence of the boon bestowed upon me by that deity O my child, memory does not fail, that the period of my life is long and that death itself is under my control.
स एष कृष्णो वार्ष्णेयः पुराणपुरुषो विभुः। आस्ते हरिरचिन्त्यात्मा क्रीडन्निव महाभुजः॥
That deity is Krishna, the descendant of Vrishni, the ancient supreme lord, the inconceivable Hari, the mighty-armed hero, who seems to sport (in the world).
एषधाता विधाता च संहर्ता चैव शाश्वतः। श्रीवत्सवक्षा गोविन्दः प्रजापतिपतिः प्रभुः॥
He is Dhata, Vidhata, the destroyer of all, the Eternal, the hearer of Srivatsa mark on his breast, he is Govinda, the lord of all creatures, the highest of the high.
दृष्ट्वेमं वृष्णिप्रवरं स्मृतिर्मामियामागता। आदिदेवमयं जिष्णुं पुरुषं पीतवाससम्॥
Seeing the chief of the Vrishnis, this Primeval Deity, this victorious God, wearing the yellow robe, my recollections come back to me.
सर्वेषामेव भूतानां पिता माता च माधवः। गच्छध्वमेनं शरणं शरण्यं कौरवर्षभाः॥
This descendant of Madhu (Krishna) is the father and mother of all creatures, O foremost of the Kurus, take refuge in this great protector.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्ताश्च ते पार्था यमौ च पुरुषर्षभौ। द्रौपद्या सहिताः सर्वे नभश्चक्रुर्जनार्दनम्॥
Vaishampayana said: Having been thus addressed, the sons of Pritha and those two foremost of men, the twins, with Draupadi, all bowed down to Janardana (Krishna).
स चैतान् पुरुषव्याघ्र साम्ना परमवल्गुना। सान्त्वयामास मानार्हो मन्यमानो यथाविधि॥
That foremost of men (Krishna), deserving of all honour, being thus revered by them, comforted them with sweet words.