यदादिमध्यपर्यन्तं ग्रहणोपायमेव च। नामलक्षणसंयुक्तं सर्वं वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः॥
Brahmana said I shall now tell you truly about all that which has a beginning, middle, and end, and which has name and characteristics, together, the means of apprehension.
अहः पूर्वं ततो रात्रिर्मासाः शुक्लादयः स्मृताः। श्रवणादीनि ऋक्षाणि ऋतवः शिशिरादयः॥
It has been said that the Day came first. Then came Night. The Months are said to have the lighted fortnights first. The constellations have Shravana for their first; the Seasons have that of dews (viz., Winter) for their first.
भूमिरादिस्तु गन्धानां रसानामाप एव च। रूपाणां ज्योतिरादित्यः स्पर्शानां वायुरुच्यते॥
Earth is the source of all smells; and Water of all tastes. The Solar light is the source of all colours; the wind of all sensations of touch.
शब्दस्यादिस्तथाऽऽकाशमेष भूतकृतो गुणः। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि भूतानामादिमुत्तमम्॥
Likewise of sound the source is space (or Ether). These are the qualities of elements. I shall, after this, describe that which is the first and the highest of all entities.
आदित्यो ज्योतिषामादिरग्निर्भूतादिरुच्यते। सावित्री सर्वविद्यानां देवतानां प्रजापतिः॥
The sun is the first of all luminous bodies. Fire is said to be the first of all the elements, Savitri is the first of all branches of learning. Prajapati is the first of all the celestials.
ओङ्कारः सर्ववेदानां वचसां प्राण एव च। यदस्मिन् नियतं लोके सर्वं सावित्रिरुच्यते॥
The syllable Om is the first of all the Vedas, and the vital air Prana is the first of all winds. Savitri is the first of all religious observances.
गायत्री च्छन्दसामादिः प्रजानां सर्ग उच्यते। गावश्चतुष्पदामादिर्मनुष्याणां द्विजातयः॥
The Gayatri is the first of all metres, goat is the first of all (sacrificial) animals, Kin are the first of all quadrupeds. The twice-born ones are the first of all human beings.
श्येनः पतत्रिणामादिर्यज्ञानां हुतमुत्तमम्। सरीसृपाणां सर्वेषां ज्येष्ठः सर्पो द्विजोत्तमाः॥
The hawk is the first of all birds. Of sacrifices the first is the pouring of clarified butter on the fire. Of all reptiles the first, O foremost of twice-born ones, is the snake.
कृतमादिर्युगानां च सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः। हिरण्यं सर्वरत्नामोषधीनां यवास्तथा॥
The Krita is the first of all the cycles; there is no doubt in this. Gold is the first of all precious things.
सर्वेषां भक्ष्यभोज्यानामन्नं परममुच्यते। द्रवाणां चैव सर्वेषां पेयानामाप उत्तमाः॥
Barely is the first of all plants. Food is the first of all things to be eaten or swallowed. Water is the first of all liquid substances to be drunk.
स्थावराणां तु भूतानां सर्वेषामविशेषतः। ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं सदा पुण्यं प्लक्षः प्रथमतः स्मृतः॥
Of all immobile objects without distinction, Plaksha is said to be the first, that ever holy field of Brahman.
अहं प्रजापतीनां च सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः। मम विष्णुरचिन्त्यात्मा स्वयम्भूरिति स स्मृतः॥
Of all the Prajapatis I am the first. There is no doubt in this, Of inconceivable soul, the self consistent Vishnu is said to be my superior.
पर्वतानां महामेरुः सर्वेषामग्रजः स्मृतः। दिशां च प्रदिशां चोर्ध्वं दिक्पूर्वा प्रथमा तथा॥
Of all the mountains the great Meru is said to be the first-born. Of all the cardinal and subsidiary points of the horizon, the eastern is said to be the foremost and first-born.
तथा त्रिपथगा गङ्गा नदीनामग्रजा स्मृता। तथा सरोदपानानां सर्वेषां सागरोऽग्रजः॥
Ganga having three courses is said to be first-born of all rivers. Likewise, of all wells and reservoirs of waters, the ocean is said to be the first born.
देवदानवभूतानां पिशाचोरगरक्षसाम्। नरकिन्नरयक्षाणां सर्वेषामीश्वरः प्रभुः॥
Ishvara is the Supreme Lord of all the celestials and Danavas and ghosts and Pishachas and snakes and Rakshasas, and human beings and Kinnaras and Yakshas.
आदिर्विश्वस्य जगतो विष्णुर्ब्रह्ममयो महान्। भूतं परतरं यस्मात् त्रैलोक्ये नेह विद्यते॥
The great Vishnu, who is full of Brahma, than whom there is no higher being in the three worlds is the first of all the universe.
आश्रमाणां च सर्वेषां गार्हस्थ्यं नात्र संशयः। लोकानामादिरव्यक्तं सर्वस्यान्तस्तदेव च॥
Of all the modes of life, that of the householder is the first. Of this there is not doubt. The Unmanifest is the source of all the worlds as well as is the end of every thing.
अहान्यस्तमयान्तानि उदयान्ता च शर्वरी। सुखस्यान्तं सदा दुःखं दुःखस्यान्तं सदा सुखम्॥१८
Days end with the sun's setting and Nights with the sun's rising. The end of pleasure is always sorrow, and the end of sorrow is always pleasure.
सर्वं क्षयान्ता निचयाः पतनान्ताः समुच्छ्रयाः। संयोगाश्च वियोगान्ता मरणान्तं च जीवितम्॥
All collections have expenditure for their end, ana all ascents have falls for their end. All associations have dissociations for their end, and life has death for its end.
सर्वं कृतं विनाशान्तं जातस्य मरणं ध्रुवम्। अशाश्वतं हि लोकेऽस्मिन् सदा स्थावरजङ्गमम्॥
All action ends in destruction, and all that is born is certain to meet with death. Every mobile and immobile thing in this world is fickle.
इष्टं दत्तं तपोऽधीतं व्रतानि नियमाश्च ये। सर्वमेतद् विनाशान्तं ज्ञानस्यान्तो न विद्यते॥
Sacrifice, gift, penances, study, vow, observances, all these have destruction to their end. Of knowledge, there is no end.
तस्माज्ज्ञानेन शुद्धेन प्रशान्तात्मा जितेन्द्रियः। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारो मुच्यते सर्वपाप्मभिः॥
Hence, one who has a tranquil soul, who has subjugated his senses, who is freed from the sense of mineness, who is devoid of egoism, is freed from all sins by pure knowledge.