Adhyaya 1

Verse 1

भगवन् सर्वम् आख्यातं ममैतद् अखिलं त्वया जगतः सर्गसंबन्धि यत् पृष्टो ऽसि गुरो मया

O Blessed One, you have told me all of this in full—everything concerning the world’s creation—exactly as I, your disciple, had asked you, O revered teacher.

Verse 2

यो ऽयम् अंशो जगत्सृष्टिसंबन्धो गदितस् त्वया तत्राहं श्रोतुम् इच्छामि भूयो ऽपि मुनिसत्तम

O best of sages, that portion you spoke concerning the world’s connection with its creation—about that very matter I wish to hear once more.

Verse 3

प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ सुतौ स्वायम्भुवस्य यौ तयोर् उत्तानपादस्य ध्रुवः पुत्रस् त्वयोदितः

Svāyambhuva Manu had two sons—Priyavrata and Uttānapāda. Of those two, Dhruva was the son of Uttānapāda, as you have already said.

Verse 4

प्रियव्रतस्य नैवोक्ता भवता द्विज संततिः ताम् अहं श्रोतुम् इच्छामि प्रसन्नो वक्तुम् अर्हसि

O revered brahmin, you have not yet described the progeny of Priyavrata. I wish to hear of that lineage—be gracious, and relate it with a pleased mind.

Verse 5

कर्दमस्यात्मजां कन्याम् उपयेमे प्रियव्रतः सम्राट् कुक्षिश् च तत्कन्ये दशपुत्रास् तथापरे

Priyavrata, the sovereign king, took to wife the maiden, daughter of Kardama; from that same princess were born Kukṣi and likewise ten other sons.

Verse 6

महाप्रज्ञा महावीर्या विनीता दयिताः पितुः प्रियव्रतसुताः ख्यातास् तेषां नामानि मे शृणु

Priyavrata’s sons were renowned—of great wisdom and great valor, disciplined in conduct, and dearly loved by their father. Hear from me now their names.

Verse 7

आग्नीध्रश् चाग्निबाहुश् च वपुष्मान् द्युतिमांस् तथा मेधा मेधातिथिर् भव्यः सवनः पुत्र एव च

And there were sons named Āgnīdhra and Agnibāhu; also Vapuṣmān and Dyutimān; Medhā, Medhātithi, Bhavya, and Savana—each indeed a son.

Verse 8

ज्योतिष्मान् दशमस् तेषां सत्यनामा सुतो ऽभवत् प्रियव्रतस्य पुत्राणां प्रख्याता बलवीर्यतः

Among them, the tenth was Jyotiṣmān; and Satyanāmā was born as his son. In Priyavrata’s line, these sons became renowned for strength and heroic vigor.

Verse 9

मेधाग्निबाहुपुत्रास् तु त्रयो योगपरायणाः जातिस्मरा महाभागा न राज्याय मनो दधुः

But the three sons of Medhāgnibāhu—great-souled, wholly devoted to Yoga, and endowed with remembrance of former births—did not set their hearts upon kingship.

Verse 10

निर्ममाः सर्वकालं तु समस्तार्थेषु वै मुने चक्रुः क्रिया यथान्यायम् अफलाकाङ्क्षिणो हि ते

O sage, ever free from possessiveness in all matters, they performed their actions according to what is just and proper; indeed, they acted without craving for the fruits of their deeds.

Verse 11

प्रियव्रतो ददौ तेषां सप्तानां मुनिसत्तम विभज्य सप्त द्वीपानि मैत्रेय सुमहात्मनाम्

O best of sages, Maitreya—Priyavrata, having apportioned the earth into seven island-continents, bestowed those seven dvīpas upon those seven great-souled ones.

Verse 12

जम्बूद्वीपं महाभाग सो ऽग्नीध्राय ददौ पिता मेधातिथेस् तथा प्रादात् प्लक्षद्वीपम् अथापरम्

O fortunate one, the father allotted Jambūdvīpa to Agnīdhra; and likewise he bestowed Plakṣadvīpa upon Medhātithi.

Verse 13

शाल्मले च वपुष्मन्तं नरेन्द्रम् अभिषिक्तवान् ज्योतिष्मन्तं कुशद्वीपे राजानं कृतवान् प्रभुः

And in Śālmalī-dvīpa, the Lord consecrated Vapuṣmant as the king; and in Kuśa-dvīpa, that Sovereign Lord appointed Jyotiṣmant to rule as monarch.

Verse 14

द्युतिमन्तं च राजानं क्रौञ्चद्वीपे समादिशत् शाकद्वीपेश्वरं चापि भव्यं चक्रे प्रियव्रतः

Priyavrata appointed King Dyutimant as the ruler in Kraunca-dvīpa; and likewise he made Bhavya the lord of Śāka-dvīpa.

Verse 15

पुष्कराधिपतिं चक्रे सवनं चापि स प्रभुः जम्बूद्वीपेश्वरो यस् तु आग्नीध्रो मुनिसत्तम तस्य पुत्रा बभूवुस् ते प्रजापतिसमा नव

O best of sages, Āgnīdhra, lord of Jambūdvīpa, appointed Savana as ruler of Puṣkara; and to him were born nine sons, equal in dignity to the Prajāpatis.

Verse 16

नाभिः किंपुरुषश् चैव हरिवर्ष इलावृतः रम्यो हिरण्वान् षष्ठस् तु कुरुर् भद्राश्व एव च केतुमालस् तथैवान्यः साधुचेष्टो नृपो ऽभवत्

Nābhi, Kimpuruṣa, Harivarṣa, and Ilāvṛta; Ramya and Hiraṇvān as the sixth; and also Kuru, Bhadrāśva, and Ketumāla—these are the named varṣa-divisions. And there arose another king, famed for righteous conduct, a worthy ruler and establisher.

Verse 17

जम्बूद्वीपविभागांस् तु तेषां विप्र निशामय पित्रा दत्तं हिमाह्वं तु वर्षं नाभेस् तु दक्षिणम्

O Brahmin, hear the divisions of Jambūdvīpa. The father bestowed the varṣa called Himāhva; and that region lies to the south of Nābhi.

Verse 18

हेमकूटं तथा वर्षं ददौ किंपुरुषाय सः तृतीयं नैषधं वर्षं हरिवर्षाय दत्तवान्

He bestowed Hemakūṭa-varṣa upon the Kimpuruṣas; and as the third division he granted Naiṣadha-varṣa to Harivarṣa.

Verse 19

इलावृताय प्रददौ मेरुर् यत्र तु मध्यमे नीलाचलाश्रितं वर्षं रम्याय प्रददौ पिता

In the very center, where Mount Meru stands, he assigned Ilāvṛta as Ilāvṛta’s domain; and the varṣa sheltered by Nīlācala the father bestowed upon Ramya.

Verse 20

श्वेतं यद् उत्तरं तस्मात् पित्रा दत्तं हिरण्वते

From that time, the northern tract called Śveta was bestowed by the father upon Hiraṇvata.

Verse 21

यद् उत्तरं शृङ्गवतो वर्षं तत् कुरवे ददौ मेरोः पूर्वेण यद् वर्षं भद्राश्वाय प्रदत्तवान्

The varṣa to the north of Śṛṅgavat he bestowed upon Kuru; and the varṣa to the east of Meru he likewise granted to Bhadrāśva.

Verse 22

गन्धमादनवर्षं तु केतुमालाय दत्तवान् इत्य् एतानि ददौ तेभ्यः पुत्रेभ्यः स नरेश्वरः

And to Ketumāla he bestowed the region called Gandhamādana-varṣa; thus did that lord of men distribute these divisions of the earth among his sons.

Verse 23

वर्षेष्व् एतेषु तान् पुत्रान् अभिषिच्य स भूपतिः सालग्रामं महापुण्यं मैत्रेय तपसे ययौ

Having anointed his sons as rulers over these several varṣas, that king—O Maitreya—departed to the supremely holy Śālagrāma to pursue austerity.

Verse 24

यानि किंपुरुषादीनि वर्षाण्य् अष्टौ महामुने तेषां स्वाभाविकी सिद्धिः सुखप्राया ह्य् अयत्नतः

O great sage, in those eight regions beginning with Kiṃpuruṣa, attainment is natural; happiness comes almost effortlessly, without striving.

Verse 25

विपर्ययो न तेष्व् अस्ति जरामृत्युभयं न च धर्माधर्मौ न तेष्व् आस्तां नोत्तमाधममध्यमाः

Among them there is no inversion or disorder, nor any fear of old age and death. In that state neither merit nor demerit prevails, and distinctions of highest, lowest, or middling do not arise at all.

Verse 26

न तेष्व् अस्ति युगावस्था क्षेत्रेष्व् अष्टसु सर्वदा हिमाह्वयं तु वै वर्षं नाभेर् आसीन् महात्मनः तस्यर्षभो ऽभवत् पुत्रो मेरुदेव्यां महाद्युतिः

In those eight regions the succession of the Yugas does not operate at all; there the order of time is ever unbroken. The realm called Himāhvaya belonged to the great-souled king Nābhi, and through Merudevī he begot the resplendent son Ṛṣabha.

Verse 27

ऋषभाद् भरतो जज्ञे ज्येष्ठः पुत्रशतस्य सः कृत्वा राज्यं स्वधर्मेण तथेष्ट्वा विविधान् मखान्

From Ṛṣabha was born Bharata, the eldest among a hundred sons. Ruling in accordance with his own dharma, he also performed many kinds of sacrificial rites.

Verse 28

अभिषिच्य सुतं वीरं भरतं पृथिवीपतिः तपसे स महाभागः पुलहस्याश्रमं ययौ

Having consecrated his heroic son Bharata as ruler, the lord of the earth—great-souled and most fortunate—departed for austerities, going to the hermitage of the sage Pulaha.

Verse 29

वानप्रस्थविधानेन तत्रापि कृतनिश्चयः तपस् तेपे यथान्यायम् इयाज स महीपतिः

There too, firmly resolved, the king adopted the discipline of the forest-dweller (vānaprastha). In due measure he practiced austerities and offered sacrifices according to sacred rule.

Verse 30

तपसा कर्षितो ऽत्यर्थं कृशो धमनिसंततः नग्नो वीटां मुखे दत्त्वा वीराध्वानं ततो गतः

Worn down exceedingly by austerity—emaciated, with veins standing out—he went unclothed; and placing a small morsel in his mouth, he then set forth upon the heroic path.

Verse 31

ततश् च भारतं वर्षम् एतल् लोकेषु गीयते भरताय यतः पित्रा दत्तं प्रातिष्ठता वनम्

Thus this land is sung of among the worlds as Bhārata-varṣa, for it was bestowed by his father upon Bharata, and Bharata then established himself in the forest.

Verse 32

सुमतिर् भरतस्याभूत् पुत्रः परमधार्मिकः कृत्वा सम्यग् ददौ तस्मै राज्यम् इष्टमखः पिता

Bharata had a son named Sumati, a prince of supreme righteousness. His father, devoted to the sacrifices he cherished, duly set all affairs in order and bestowed the kingdom upon him.

Verse 33

पुत्रसंक्रामितश्रीस् तु भरतः स महीपतिः योगाभ्यासरतः प्राणान् सालग्रामे ऽत्यजन् मुने

But Bharata, sovereign of the earth—having transferred his royal fortune and authority to his son—devoted himself to the discipline of yoga; and, O sage, at Śālagrāma he relinquished his life-breath.

Verse 34

अजायत च विप्रो ऽसौ योगिनां प्रवरे कुले मैत्रेय तस्य चरितं कथयिष्यामि ते पुनः

And he was born as a brāhmaṇa in a most excellent lineage of yogins. O Maitreya, I shall now recount to you again the course of his life and deeds.

Verse 35

सुमतेस् तेजसस् तस्माद् इन्द्रद्युम्नो व्यजायत परमेष्ठी ततस् तस्मात् प्रतिहारस् तदन्वयः

From Sumati was born Tejas; from him arose Indradyumna, eminent as Parameṣṭhī. From Indradyumna came Pratihāra—thus the lineage proceeds.

Verse 36

प्रतिहर्तेति विख्यात उत्पन्नस् तस्य चात्मजः भुवस् तस्माद् अथोद्गीथः प्रस्तावस् तत्सुतो विभुः

His son was famed as Pratihartā. From Pratihartā came Bhuva; from Bhuva arose Ud्गītha; and from Ud्गītha was born Prastāva, mighty and radiant—thus the succession unfolded.

Verse 37

पृथुस् ततस् ततो नक्तो नक्तस्यापि गयः सुतः नरो गयस्य तनयस् तत्पुत्रो ऽभूद् विराट् ततः

From Pṛthu came Nakta; Nakta’s son was Gaya. Gaya’s son was Nara; and from Nara was born Virāṭ—thus the royal line continued in due order.

Verse 38

तस्य पुत्रो महावीर्यो धीमांस् तस्माद् अजायत महान्तो ऽपि ततश् चाभून् मनस्युस् तस्य चात्मजः

From him was born a son, mighty in valour and keen in intellect. From that one came Mahānta; and from Mahānta arose his son Manasyu—thus the lineage continued unbroken.

Verse 39

त्वष्टा त्वष्टुश् च विरजो रजस् तस्याप्य् अभूत् सुतः शतजिद् रजसस् तस्य जज्ञे पुत्रशतं मुने

From Tvaṣṭā was born Tvaṣṭu; from Tvaṣṭu came Viraja. From Viraja arose Rajas; Rajas’ son was Śatajīt. And, O sage, from that Rajas were born a hundred sons.

Verse 40

विष्वग्ज्योतिःप्रधानास् ते यैर् इमा वर्धिताः प्रजाः तैर् इदं भारतं वर्षं नवभेदम् अलंकृतम्

Those illustrious ones—foremost in the all-pervading splendor—by whom these peoples were fostered and increased: by them this Bhārata-varṣa was adorned and ordered into nine distinct divisions.

Verse 41

तेषां वंशप्रसूतैस् तु भुक्तेयं भारती पुरा कृतत्रेतादिसर्गेण युगाख्या ह्य् एकसप्ततिः

In former times this land of Bhāratī was enjoyed—ruled and inhabited—by those born of their lineages; and through the successive unfoldings of the Kṛta, Tretā, and the other ages, the yugas are indeed declared to be seventy-one in count.

Verse 42

एष स्वायंभुवः सर्गो येनेदं पूरितं जगत् वाराहे तु मुने कल्पे पूर्वमन्वन्तराधिपः

This is the Svāyambhuva creation—by which this entire world has been filled. But, O sage, in the Varāha Kalpa, the lord who presides over the earlier Manvantara is to be understood as the first among the Manus.