स्थाणुरुवाच प्रजासर्गनिमित्तं हि कृतो यत्नस्त्वया विभो। त्वया सृष्टाश्च वृद्धाश्च भूतग्रामाः पृथग्विधाः॥
Sthanu said O Lord, you did take great pains for creating various creatures. All these different sorts of beings have been created and reared by you.
तास्तवेह पुनः क्रोधात् प्रजा दह्यन्ति सर्वशः। ता दृष्ट्वा मम कारुण्यं प्रसीद भगवन् प्रभो॥
Those very creatures are now being burnt down by the fire of your anger. Seeing their condition, I am filled with compassion; O Lord, O illustrious One, be merciful on them.
ब्रह्मोवाच संहर्तुं न च मे काम एतदेवं भवेदिति। पृथिव्या हितकामं तु ततो मां मन्युराविशत्॥
Brahma said I had no desire for destroying the worlds. I wanted to leave them in peace; I always desired the earth's welfare. But then anger took possession of me.
इयं हि मां सहा देवी भारार्ता समचूचुदत्। संहारार्थे महादेव भारेणाभिहता सती॥
The goddess of earth, over-burdened with the heavy weight of creatures, always solicited me for destroying the beings on her surface, O mighty God.
ततोऽहं नाधिगच्छामि तथा बहुविधं तदा। संहारमप्रमेयस्य ततो मां मन्युराविशत्॥
Then though thinking in many ways, I could not find out the means for destroying the infinite creation. At this, anger entered into me.
रुद्र उवाच संहारार्थे प्रसीदस्व मा रुषो वसुधाधिप। मा प्रजाः स्थावराश्चैव जंगमाश्च व्यनीनशः॥
Rudra said Be propitiated, O ruler of the universe and do not cherish wrath for the destruction of creatures. Do you not any longer destroy the mobile and immobile creatures.
तव प्रसादाद् भगवन्निदं वर्तेत् त्रिधा जगत्। अनागतममीनं च यच्च सम्प्रति वर्तते॥
Through your grace, O almighty Lord, the universe is divided in three divisions, viz., the Past, the Present and the Future. Let it remain as it is;
भगवन् क्रोधसंदीप्तः क्रोधादग्निमवासृजत्। स दहत्यश्मकूटानि गुमांश्च सरितस्तथा॥
You have, O lord, blazed up in anger from anger this fire has proceeded and that fire now consumes rocks, trees and rivers.
पल्वलानि च सर्वाणि सर्वोश्चैव तृणोलपान्। स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव नि:शेषं कुरुते जगत्॥ तदेतद् भसमसाद्भूतं जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम्। प्रसीद भगवन् स त्वं रोषो न स्याद् वरो मम॥
And all kinds of shrubs and grass. Verily that fire is blasting the mobile and immobile universe. Behold the mobile and immobile universe reduced to ashes. Be propitiated, O almighty God! give not way to wrath. Even this boon do I beg.
सर्वे हि सृष्टा नश्यन्ति तव देव कथंचन। तस्मानिवर्ततां तेजस्त्वय्येवेदं प्रलीयताम्॥
All created things, O Divine Being' that belong to you, are being consumed; therefore withdraw your energy, let it be quenched in your ownself.
तत् पश्य देव सुभृशं प्रजानां हितकाम्यया। यथेमे प्राणिनः सर्वे निवर्तेरंस्तथा कुरु॥
Look at the creatures of your own creation, filled with a desire for doing good to them all. Do that by which all these beings endued with life, may continue to live.
अभावं नेह गच्छेयुरुत्सन्नजननाः प्रजाः। आदिदेव नियुक्तोऽस्मि त्वया लोकेषु लोककृत्॥
Let not these things with their prowess of propagation weakened, be exterminated. O Creator of the world, you have employed me to be their protector.
मा विनश्येज्जगन्नाथ जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम्। प्रसादाभिमुखं देवं तस्मादेवं ब्रवीम्यहम्॥
O Lord of the universe, let not this mobile and immobile universe be destroyed. You are inclined to show mercy and it is for this reason that I now speak thus.
नारद उवाच श्रुत्वाहि वचनं देवः प्रजानां हितकारणे। तेजः संधारयामास पुनरेवानतरात्मनि॥
Narada said Hearing these words (of Mahadeva) the Divine Brahma, desirous of accomplishing the good of the created beings, withdrew in his own inner self his anger that had been excited.
ततोऽग्निमुपसंहृत्य भगवाँल्लोकसत्कृतः। प्रवृत्तं च निवृत्तं च कथयामास वै प्रभुः॥
Quenching that fire, the illustrious benefactor of the universe, the Supreme Lord, declared the duties of Production and Emancipation.
उपसंहरतस्तस्य तमग्निं रोषजं तथा। प्रादुर्वभूव विश्वेभ्यो गोभ्यो नारी महात्मनः॥ कृष्णरक्ता तथा पिङ्गरक्तजिह्वास्यलोचना। कुण्डलाभ्यां च राजेन्द्र तप्ताभ्यां तप्तभूषणा॥
When that high-souled god had thus extinguished that fire of his wrath, there came out from the various outlets of his senseorgans, a female figure. She was dark and red and tawny and her tongue, countenance and eyes were red and she was adorned with two shining ear-rings and various other brilliant ornaments.
सा निःसृत्य तथा खेभ्यो दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रिता। स्मयमाना च सावेक्ष्य देवौ विश्वेश्वरावुभौ॥
Coming out of his body, she betook to the southern quarter and she smilingly cast glances at those two lords of the universe.
तामाहूय तदा देवो लोकादिनिधनेश्वरः। मृत्यो इति महीपाल जहि चेमाः प्रजा इति॥
Then Brahma, that controller of the creation and destruction of the worlds, called her by the name of "Death." And, Oruler of men, he said to her – "Slay" these beings of my creation.
त्वं हि संहारबुद्धच्याथ प्रादुर्भूता रुषो ममा तस्मात् संहर सर्वांस्त्वं प्रजाः सजड़पण्डिताः॥ मम त्वं हि नियोगेन ततः श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यसि।
You are the offspring of the wrath I harboured for the destruction of the universe. Therefore kill you all these creations including the learned and the idiot, at my own behest. Thus you shall attain your own good."
एवमुक्ता तु सा तेन मृत्युः कमललोचना॥ दध्यौ चात्यर्थमबला प्ररुरोद च सुस्वरम्।
Thus spoken to by him, that lady of lotuslike eyes, called “Death," meditated for a long time and then began to wail aloud helplessly in plaintive voice.
पाणिभ्यां प्रतिजग्राह तान्यश्रूणि पितामहः। सर्वभूहितार्थाय तां चाप्यनुनयत् तदा॥
Then the grandsire with two hands caught the tears that flowed from her eyes, for the welfare of all creatures and entreated her in the following words.