Adhyaya 1

Verse 1

श्रीराजोवाच स्वायम्भुवस्येह गुरो वंशोऽयं विस्तराच्छ्रुत: । यत्र विश्वसृजां सर्गो मनूनन्यान्वदस्व न: ॥ १ ॥

King Parīkṣit said: O my lord, my spiritual master, I have heard in full detail the dynasty of Svāyambhuva Manu. Yet there are other Manus; kindly describe their dynasties to us.

Verse 2

मन्वन्तरे हरेर्जन्म कर्माणि च महीयस: । गृणन्ति कवयो ब्रह्मंस्तानि नो वद श‍ृण्वताम् ॥ २ ॥

O learned brāhmaṇa, the wise describe the appearance of Hari, the Supreme Lord, and His glorious deeds in the various manvantaras. We are eager to hear these accounts; kindly speak them for us.

Verse 3

यद्यस्मिन्नन्तरे ब्रह्मन्भगवान्विश्वभावन: । कृतवान्कुरुते कर्ता ह्यतीतेऽनागतेऽद्य वा ॥ ३ ॥

O learned brāhmaṇa, please describe to us all the deeds performed by Bhagavān, the creator and sustainer of the universe—what He did in past manvantaras, what He does now, and what He will do in future manvantaras.

Verse 4

श्रीऋषिरुवाच मनवोऽस्मिन्व्यतीता: षट् कल्पे स्वायम्भुवादय: । आद्यस्ते कथितो यत्र देवादीनां च सम्भव: ॥ ४ ॥

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: In this present kalpa, six Manus—beginning with Svāyambhuva—have already passed. There I have described the first Manu, Svāyambhuva, and the appearance of the devas and other divine beings.

Verse 5

आकूत्यां देवहूत्यां च दुहित्रोस्तस्य वै मनो: । धर्मज्ञानोपदेशार्थं भगवान्पुत्रतां गत: ॥ ५ ॥

Svāyambhuva Manu had two daughters, Ākūti and Devahūti. To teach dharma and spiritual knowledge, the Bhagavān appeared from their wombs as two sons—Yajñamūrti and Kapila, respectively.

Verse 6

कृतं पुरा भगवत: कपिलस्यानुवर्णितम् । आख्यास्ये भगवान्यज्ञो यच्चकार कुरूद्वह ॥ ६ ॥

O best of the Kurus, I have already described the deeds of Kapila, the son of Devahūti. Now I shall describe the deeds of Yajñapati (Yajña), the son of Ākūti.

Verse 7

विरक्त: कामभोगेषु शतरूपापति: प्रभु: । विसृज्य राज्यं तपसे सभार्यो वनमाविशत् ॥ ७ ॥

Svāyambhuva Manu, the husband of Śatarūpā, was detached from sense enjoyment. Therefore he renounced his kingdom and entered the forest with his wife to perform austerities.

Verse 8

सुनन्दायां वर्षशतं पदैकेन भुवं स्पृशन् । तप्यमानस्तपो घोरमिदमन्वाह भारत ॥ ८ ॥

O scion of Bharata, after entering the forest Svāyambhuva Manu stood on the bank of the Sunandā River, touching the earth with only one leg, and performed fierce austerities for one hundred years. While engaged in that penance, he spoke as follows.

Verse 9

मनुरुवाच येन चेतयते विश्वं विश्वं चेतयते न यम् । यो जागर्ति शयानेऽस्मिन्नायं तं वेद वेद स: ॥ ९ ॥

Manu said: He by whom the universe is made conscious is the Supreme Living Being; the world does not create Him. When all is silent and asleep, He remains awake as the Witness. The jīva does not know Him, yet He knows everything.

Verse 10

आत्मावास्यमिदं विश्वं यत् किञ्चिज्ज‍गत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृध: कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ १० ॥

Everything in this universe—moving and unmoving—is pervaded by the Paramātmā. Therefore, in a spirit of renunciation, accept and enjoy only what is allotted to you; do not covet another’s wealth.

Verse 11

यं पश्यति न पश्यन्तं चक्षुर्यस्य न रिष्यति । तं भूतनिलयं देवं सुपर्णमुपधावत ॥ ११ ॥

Though the Supreme Lord ever watches the world’s deeds, no one sees Him. Do not think that because He is unseen He does not see, for His power of sight never wanes. Therefore worship the Paramātmā, who abides with the individual soul as a constant friend.

Verse 12

न यस्याद्यन्तौ मध्यं च स्व: परो नान्तरं बहि: । विश्वस्यामूनि यद् यस्माद् विश्वं च तद‍ृतं महत् ॥ १२ ॥

The Supreme Lord has no beginning, no end, and no middle. He belongs to no person or nation, and has no inside or outside. The world’s dualities—beginning and end, mine and yours—are absent in Him. The universe that emanates from Him is also a feature of the Lord. Therefore He is the ultimate Truth, complete in greatness.

Verse 13

स विश्वकाय: पुरुहूत ईश: सत्य: स्वयंज्योतिरज: पुराण: । धत्तेऽस्य जन्माद्यजयात्मशक्त्या तां विद्ययोदस्य निरीह आस्ते ॥ १३ ॥

He is the Supreme Lord, invoked by countless names, and the entire cosmos is His body. He is Truth itself—self-effulgent, unborn, and primeval. By His unconquerable inner potency He, through the external energy, makes the universe appear to be created, maintained, and dissolved; yet by divine knowledge He casts off māyā and remains untouched, serene in His spiritual energy.

Verse 14

अथाग्रे ऋषय: कर्माणीहन्तेऽकर्महेतवे । ईहमानो हि पुरुष: प्रायोऽनीहां प्रपद्यते ॥ १४ ॥

Therefore the great sages first engage people in śāstra-prescribed, fruitive duties, so that they may gradually attain the stage of action untouched by karmic results. For without beginning with work recommended in the scriptures, one generally cannot reach liberation or the state of work that produces no reaction.

Verse 15

ईहते भगवानीशो न हि तत्र विसज्जते । आत्मलाभेन पूर्णार्थो नावसीदन्ति येऽनु तम् ॥ १५ ॥

The Supreme Lord, Bhagavān Īśvara, is complete by His own self-attainment, yet He performs the līlā of creating, maintaining, and dissolving this world. Even while acting so, He is never entangled. Therefore the devotees who follow His footsteps are likewise never entangled.

Verse 16

तमीहमानं निरहङ्‌कृतं बुधं निराशिषं पूर्णमनन्यचोदितम् । नृञ् शिक्षयन्तं निजवर्त्मसंस्थितं प्रभुं प्रपद्येऽखिलधर्मभावनम् ॥ १६ ॥

I take shelter of that Lord who, though engaged in action, is free from ego, wise, without desire for reward, complete, and impelled by none. As the supreme teacher of mankind, He instructs by His own path of conduct and inaugurates the true way of dharma; let everyone follow Him.

Verse 17

श्रीशुक उवाच इति मन्त्रोपनिषदं व्याहरन्तं समाहितम् । द‍ृष्ट्वासुरा यातुधाना जग्धुमभ्यद्रवन् क्षुधा ॥ १७ ॥

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Svāyambhuva Manu, absorbed in trance, was chanting the Vedic mantras of instruction known as the Upaniṣads. Seeing him, the rākṣasas and asuras, tormented by hunger, desired to devour him and rushed after him with great speed.

Verse 18

तांस्तथावसितान् वीक्ष्य यज्ञ: सर्वगतो हरि: । यामै: परिवृतो देवैर्हत्वाशासत् त्रिविष्टपम् ॥ १८ ॥

Seeing them poised to devour Manu, Hari—the all-pervading Lord within everyone’s heart—appeared as Yajñapati. Surrounded by His sons known as the Yāmas and by the other devas, He slew the rākṣasas and demons; then He assumed the post of Indra and ruled the heavenly realm.

Verse 19

स्वारोचिषो द्वितीयस्तु मनुरग्ने: सुतोऽभवत् । द्युमत्सुषेणरोचिष्मत्प्रमुखास्तस्य चात्मजा: ॥ १९ ॥

Svārociṣa, the son of Agni, became the second Manu. His sons were headed by Dyumat, Suṣeṇa, and Rociṣmat, among others.

Verse 20

तत्रेन्द्रो रोचनस्त्वासीद् देवाश्च तुषितादय: । ऊर्जस्तम्भादय: सप्त ऋषयो ब्रह्मवादिन: ॥ २० ॥

In Svārociṣa’s manvantara, Rocana became Indra. Tuṣita and others were the chief devas, and Ūrja, Stambha and the rest were the seven sages—brahma-vādins and devoted servants of the Lord.

Verse 21

ऋषेस्तु वेदशिरसस्तुषिता नाम पत्‍न्यभूत् । तस्यां जज्ञे ततो देवो विभुरित्यभिविश्रुत: ॥ २१ ॥

The renowned ṛṣi Vedaśirā had a wife named Tuṣitā, and from her womb was born the divine avatāra celebrated as Vibhu.

Verse 22

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि मुनयो ये धृतव्रता: । अन्वशिक्षन्व्रतं तस्य कौमारब्रह्मचारिण: ॥ २२ ॥

Vibhu remained a lifelong kumāra-brahmacārī and never married. From him, eighty-eight thousand sages of firm vows learned self-control, austerity, and kindred disciplines.

Verse 23

तृतीय उत्तमो नाम प्रियव्रतसुतो मनु: । पवन: सृञ्जयो यज्ञहोत्राद्यास्तत्सुता नृप ॥ २३ ॥

O King, the third Manu was named Uttama, a son of King Priyavrata. Among his sons were Pavana, Sṛñjaya, and Yajñahotra, and others.

Verse 24

वसिष्ठतनया: सप्त ऋषय: प्रमदादय: । सत्या वेदश्रुता भद्रा देवा इन्द्रस्तु सत्यजित् ॥ २४ ॥

During the reign of the third Manu, Pramada and the other sons of Vasiṣṭha became the seven sages. The Satyas, Vedaśrutas, and Bhadras became devas, and Satyajit was chosen as Indra, king of heaven.

Verse 25

धर्मस्य सूनृतायां तु भगवान्पुरुषोत्तम: । सत्यसेन इति ख्यातो जात: सत्यव्रतै: सह ॥ २५ ॥

In this manvantara, the Supreme Lord, Puruṣottama, appeared from the womb of Sūnṛtā, the wife of Dharma. He was renowned as Satyasena and manifested along with the devas known as the Satyavratas.

Verse 26

सोऽनृतव्रतदु:शीलानसतो यक्षराक्षसान् । भूतद्रुहो भूतगणांश्चावधीत् सत्यजित्सख: ॥ २६ ॥

Satyasena, together with His friend Satyajit (Indra), slew the Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and ghostly beings who were false to truth, impious, and ill-behaved, and who tormented other living creatures.

Verse 27

चतुर्थ उत्तमभ्राता मनुर्नाम्ना च तामस: । पृथु: ख्यातिर्नर: केतुरित्याद्या दश तत्सुता: ॥ २७ ॥

Uttama, the brother of the third Manu, became renowned as Tāmasa and served as the fourth Manu. Tāmasa had ten sons, headed by Pṛthu, Khyāti, Nara, and Ketu.

Verse 28

सत्यका हरयो वीरा देवास्त्रिशिख ईश्वर: । ज्योतिर्धामादय: सप्त ऋषयस्तामसेऽन्तरे ॥ २८ ॥

During the reign of Tāmasa Manu, the devas included the Satyakas, the Haris, and the Vīras. Indra was Triśikha. The sages in saptarṣi-dhāma were led by Jyotirdhāma and others.

Verse 29

देवा वैधृतयो नाम विधृतेस्तनया नृप । नष्टा: कालेन यैर्वेदा विधृता: स्वेन तेजसा ॥ २९ ॥

O King, the sons of Vidhṛti, known as the Vaidhṛtis, became demigods. When, in the course of time, Vedic authority was obscured, they upheld and protected it by their own divine power.

Verse 30

तत्रापि जज्ञे भगवान्हरिण्यां हरिमेधस: । हरिरित्याहृतो येन गजेन्द्रो मोचितो ग्रहात् ॥ ३० ॥

In that manvantara as well, the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu appeared from the womb of Hariṇī, the wife of Harimedhā, and He was known as Hari. That Hari delivered His devotee Gajendra, king of elephants, from the jaws of the crocodile.

Verse 31

श्रीराजोवाच बादरायण एतत् ते श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम् । हरिर्यथा गजपतिं ग्राहग्रस्तममूमुचत् ॥ ३१ ॥

King Parīkṣit said: O my lord Bādarāyaṇi, we wish to hear in detail how Hari delivered the king of elephants when he was seized by the crocodile.

Verse 32

तत्कथासु महत् पुण्यं धन्यं स्वस्त्ययनं शुभम् । यत्र यत्रोत्तमश्लोको भगवान्गीयते हरि: ॥ ३२ ॥

Any narration or scripture in which Bhagavān Hari, the Supreme Lord praised by the finest hymns (Uttamaśloka), is sung and glorified is surely great, purifying, glorious, auspicious, and wholly beneficial.

Verse 33

श्रीसूत उवाच परीक्षितैवं स तु बादरायणि: प्रायोपविष्टेन कथासु चोदित: । उवाच विप्रा: प्रतिनन्द्य पार्थिवं मुदा मुनीनां सदसि स्म श‍ृण्वताम् ॥ ३३ ॥

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: O brāhmaṇas, when Parīkṣit Mahārāja, seated in his vow of fasting as death approached, thus requested Bādarāyaṇi (Śukadeva) to speak, Śukadeva honored the King and, with joy, spoke in the assembly of sages eager to hear.