Adhyaya 2

Verse 1

इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डे महापुराणे वायुप्रोक्ते मध्यभागे तृतीय उपोद्धातपादे ऋषिसर्गवर्णनं नाम प्रथमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच विनिवृत्ते प्रजासर्गे षष्ठे वै चाक्षुषस्य ह / प्रजाः सृजेति व्यदिष्टः स्वयं दक्षः स्वयंभुवा

Thus, in the Śrī Brahmāṇḍa Mahāpurāṇa, spoken by Vāyu, in the middle section, in the third introductory division, begins the first chapter called “The Description of the Creation of the Sages.” Sūta said: when the sixth creation of beings in the time of Cākṣuṣa had ceased, Svayambhū commanded Dakṣa himself, “Create the creatures.”

Verse 2

ससर्ज सर्वभूतानि गतिमन्ति ध्रुवाणि च / मानसानि च भूतानि स पूर्वमसृजत्प्रभुः

That Lord created all beings—both those that move and those that are fixed; and first of all he brought forth the mind-born beings.

Verse 3

ऋषीन्देवांश्च गन्धर्वान्मनुष्योरगराक्षसान् / यक्षभूतपिशाचांश्च वयः पशुमृगांस्तथा

The seers, the gods, and the Gandharvas; humans, serpents (Nāgas), and Rākṣasas; and also Yakṣas, Bhūtas, Piśācas, birds, cattle, and wild beasts.

Verse 4

यदास्य मनसा सृष्टा न व्यवर्द्धन्त ताः प्रजाः / अपध्याता भगवता महादेवेन धीमता

When the beings he had created by his mind did not multiply, the wise Bhagavān Mahādeva withdrew his contemplation from them.

Verse 5

स मैथुनेन भावेन सिसृक्षुर्विविधाः प्रजाः / असिक्रीमावहद्भार्यां वीरणस्य प्रजापतेः

Then, wishing to bring forth diverse beings through the impulse of union, he took Asikrī, the wife of Prajāpati Vīraṇa, as his consort.

Verse 6

सुतां सुमहता युक्तां तपसा लोक धारिणीम् / यया धृतमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्

She was a daughter endowed with mighty tapas, the bearer of the worlds; by her this entire universe—both the unmoving and the moving—is upheld.

Verse 7

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमौ श्लोकौ प्राचेतसां प्रति / दक्षस्योद्वहतो भार्यांमसिक्रीं वैरणीं पुरा

Here too, these two verses are cited for the Prācetas: of old, when Dakṣa took Vairaṇī Asikrī as his wife.

Verse 8

कृपानां नियुतं दक्षं सर्पिणां साभिमानिनाम् / नदीगिरिष्बसज्जन्तं पृष्ठतो ऽनुययौ प्रभुम्

Amid the hosts of kṛpāṇas and the proud serpents, Dakṣa—though entangled with rivers and mountains—followed the Lord from behind.

Verse 9

तं दृष्ट्वा ऋषिभिः प्रोक्तं प्रतिष्ठास्यति वै प्रजाः / प्रथमो ऽत्र द्वितीयस्तु दक्षः स हि प्रजापतिः

Seeing him, the ṛṣis declared: “He shall indeed establish the creatures; here he is the first, and Dakṣa is the second—for Dakṣa is Prajāpati.”

Verse 10

अथागच्छद्यथाकालं प्रहीनां नियुतं तु यत् / असिक्रीं वैरणीं तत्र दक्षः प्राचेतसो ऽवहत्

Then, in due season, the remaining portion of the niyuta came to pass; there Dakṣa Prācetasa took Asiknī, daughter of Vairaṇī, as his wife.

Verse 11

अथ पुत्रसहस्रं स वैरण्याममितौजसम् / असिक्न्यां जनयामास दक्षः प्राचे तसः प्रभुः

Then the lordly Dakṣa Prācetasa begot, through Asiknī of Vairaṇī’s line, a thousand sons of immeasurable might.

Verse 12

तांस्तु दृष्ट्वा महातेजाः स विवर्द्धयिषुः प्रजाः / देवर्षिप्रियसंवादो नारदो ब्रह्मणः सुतः

Seeing them, Nārada—the radiant son of Brahmā, beloved converser of the devarṣis—came there, desiring to increase the creatures.

Verse 13

नाशाय वचनं तेषां शापयैवात्मनो ऽब्रवीत् / यः कश्यपसुतस्याथ परमेष्ठी व्यजायत

For their destruction he uttered words that were a curse from his own self; and thus Parameṣṭhī was born in the line of Kaśyapa’s son.

Verse 14

मानसः कश्यपस्यासीद्दक्षशापवशात्पुनः / तस्मात्स काश्यपस्याथ द्वितीयो मानसो ऽभवत्

Under the force of Dakṣa’s curse he again became a mind-born son of Kaśyapa; therefore he was Kāśyapa’s second mind-born son.

Verse 15

स हि पूर्वं समुत्पन्नो नारदः परमेष्ठिनः / तेन वृक्षस्य पुत्रा वै हर्यश्वा इति विश्रुताः

That Nārada had earlier arisen from Parameṣṭhī; because of him, the sons of Vṛkṣa became renowned as Haryaśvas.

Verse 16

धर्मार्थं नाशिताः सर्वे विधिना च न संशयः / तस्योद्यतस्तदा दक्षः क्रुद्धः शापाय वै प्रभुः

For the sake of dharma they were all destroyed by Vidhi’s ordinance—without doubt; then Dakṣa, the lord, rose in wrath, ready to pronounce a curse.

Verse 17

ब्रह्मर्षीन्वै पुरस्कृत्य याचितः परमेष्ठिना / ततो ऽभिसंधिं चक्रे वै दक्षश्च परमेष्ठिना

With the brahmarṣis set before him, Parameṣṭhī made his plea; then Dakṣa too entered into an accord with Parameṣṭhī.

Verse 18

कन्यायां नारदो मह्यं तव पुत्रो भवेदिति / ततो दक्षः सुतां प्रदात् प्रियां वै परमेष्ठिने / तस्मात्स नारदो जज्ञे भूयः शापभयदृषिः

Concerning the maiden, he prayed, “May Nārada become my son.” Then Dakṣa gave his beloved daughter to Parameṣṭhin. From her Nārada was born again, the seer who beheld the dread of a curse.

Verse 19

शांशपायन उवाच कथं वै नाशिताः पूर्वं नारदेन सुरर्षिणा / प्रजापतिसुतास्ते वै श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः

Śāṃśapāyana said: “How, in former times, did Nārada, the divine rishi, bring about their ruin? I wish to hear in truth how those sons of Prajāpati were destroyed.”

Verse 20

सूत उवाच दक्षपुत्राश्च हर्यश्वा विवर्धयिषवः प्रजाः / समागता महावीर्या नारदस्तानुवाच ह

Sūta said: Dakṣa’s sons, the Haryaśvas, assembled, wishing to increase the progeny of beings. Mighty in valor, they gathered; then Nārada spoke to them.

Verse 21

बालिशा बत यूयं वै न प्रजानीथ भूतलम् / अन्तरूर्ध्वमधश्चैव कथं स्रक्ष्यथ वै प्रजाः

Alas, you are truly simple-minded; you do not know the earth. Without understanding what lies within, above, and below, how will you ever bring forth progeny?

Verse 22

ते तु तद्वचन श्रुत्वा प्याताः सर्वतो दिशम् / अधापि म निवर्त्तन्ते समुद्रस्था इवापगाः

Hearing those words, they departed in every direction. Even to this day they have not returned—like rivers that, having entered the ocean, do not come back.

Verse 23

अथ तेषु प्रणष्टेषु दक्षः प्राचे तसः पुनः / वैरण्यामेव पुत्राणां सहस्रमसृजत्प्रभुः

When those had perished, Daksha, son of Pracetas, once again brought forth a thousand sons through Vairanyā.

Verse 24

प्रजा विवर्द्धयिषवः शबलाश्वाः पुनस्तु ते / पूर्वमुक्तं वचस्तद्वै श्राविता नारदेन ह

Those called the Śabalāśvas wished to increase the progeny; but Nārada made them hear the word spoken earlier.

Verse 25

अन्योन्यमूचुस्ते सर्वे सम्यगाह ऋषिः स्वयम् / भ्रातॄणां पदवीं चैव गन्तव्या नात्र संशयः

They all said to one another, “The seer has spoken rightly himself; we must go upon the path of our brothers—of this there is no doubt.”

Verse 26

ज्ञात्वा प्रमाणं पृथ्व्या वै सुखं स्रक्ष्यामहे प्रजाः / प्रकाशाः स्वस्थमनसा यथावदनुशासिताः

Knowing the measure of the earth, we shall create the beings in ease; radiant and tranquil of mind, instructed in the proper way.

Verse 27

ते ऽपि तेनैव मार्गेण प्रयाताः सर्वतो दिशम् / अद्यापि न निवर्त्तन्ते विस्तारायमलिप्सवः

They too set forth by that very path in every direction; yearning for expansion, they do not return even to this day.

Verse 28

ततः प्रभृति वै भ्राता भ्रातुरन्वेषणे रतः / प्रयतो नश्यति क्षिप्रं तन्न कार्यं विजानता

From that time onward, the brother was intent on seeking his brother. Even with effort he quickly perishes; one who knows should not undertake such a deed.

Verse 29

नष्टेषु शबलाश्वेषु दक्षः क्रुद्धो ऽशपद्विभुः / नारदं नाशमेहीति गर्भवासं वसेति च

When the dappled horses were lost, the mighty Daksha, enraged, pronounced a curse: “Narada, go to destruction; and dwell in garbhavāsa (womb-abiding).”

Verse 30

तदा तेष्वपि नष्टेषु महात्मा स प्रभुः किल / षष्टिं दक्षो ऽसृजत्कन्या वैरण्यामेव विश्रुताः

Then, when even those were lost, that great lord Daksha is said to have brought forth sixty daughters, renowned as the Vairāṇyās.

Verse 31

तास्तदा प्रतिजग्राह पत्न्यर्थं कश्यपः सुताः / धर्मः सोमश्च भगवांस्तथा चान्ये महर्षयः

Then Kasyapa accepted them as wives; so too did Dharma, the revered Soma, and other great rishis (accept them).

Verse 32

इमां विसृष्टिं दक्षस्य कृत्स्नां यो वेद तत्त्वतः / आयुष्मान्कीर्त्तिमान्धन्यः प्रजावाश्च भवत्युत

Whoever truly knows this entire creation of Daksha becomes long-lived, renowned, blessed, and also rich in progeny.