Critical Edition
स्थाणुरुवाच प्रजासर्गनिमित्तं मे कार्यवत्तामिमां प्रभो विद्धि सृष्टास्त्वया हीमा मा कुप्यासां पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Sthanu said Know, O lord, that my prayer to you is in behalf of the created beings of the universe! These beings have been created by you. Do not be angry with them, O Grandfather.
तव तेजोग्निना देव प्रजा दह्यन्ति सर्वशः ता दृष्ट्वा मम कारुण्यं मा कुप्यासां जगत्प्रभो
M. N. Dutt: By the fire born of your anger, illustrious one, all the created beings are being burnt. Seeing them placed in such a condition, I am filled with compassion. Do not be angry with them, O maker of the universe.
प्रजापतिरुवाच न कुप्ये न च मे कामो न भवेरन्प्रजा इति लाघवार्थं धरण्यास्तु ततः संहार इष्यते
M. N. Dutt: The lord of all created beings said, I am not angry, nor is it my desire that all the create beings should perish. It is only for lightening the lord of the Earth that destruction is desirable.
इयं हि मां सदा देवी भारार्ता समचोदयत् संहारार्थं महादेव भारेणाप्सु निमज्जति
M. N. Dutt: The godess Earth, suffering from the load of creatures, requested me, O Mahadeva, for destroying them, especially as she appeared to sink under their load into the water.
यदाहं नाधिगच्छामि बुद्ध्या बहु विचारयन् संहारमासां वृद्धानां ततो मां क्रोध आविशत्
M. N. Dutt: When after exercising my intelligence even for a long time I could not find out the means by which to bring about the destruction of this overgrown population, it was then that I was possessed by ire.
स्थाणुरुवाच संहारान्तं प्रसीदस्व मा क्रुधस्त्रिदशेश्वर मा प्रजाः स्थावरं चैव जङ्गमं च विनीनशः
M. N. Dutt: Do not give way to anger, O lord of the celestials, about the destruction of living creatures! Be-pleased! Let not these mobile and immobile beings be destroyed.
पल्वलानि च सर्वाणि सर्वं चैव तृणोलपम् स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम्
AI Translation: all the marshes and all the grass and bushes, all the immobile and mobile beings, the four kinds of living beings,
तदेतद्भस्मसाद्भूतं जगत्सर्वमुपप्लुतम् प्रसीद भगवन्साधो वर एष वृतो मया
AI Translation: This entire world has been overwhelmed by the ashes. Be pleased, O Blessed One, O good one, this boon has been chosen by me.
नष्टा न पुनरेष्यन्ति प्रजा ह्येताः कथंचन तस्मान्निवर्त्यतामेतत्तेजः स्वेनैव तेजसा
M. N. Dutt: If destroyed, these creatures would not return. Therefore, let this energy of yours be neutralised by your own energy.
उपायमन्यं संपश्य प्रजानां हितकाम्यया यथेमे जन्तवः सर्वे निवर्तेरन्परंतप
AI Translation: Seeing another means, out of a desire for the welfare of the subjects, so that all these creatures may turn away, O scorcher of enemies.
अभावमभिगच्छेयुरुत्सन्नप्रजनाः प्रजाः अधिदैवनियुक्तोऽस्मि त्वया लोकेष्विहेश्वर
AI Translation: The creatures would be destroyed if they were to go to non-existence. I am appointed by you as the lord of the worlds.
Supplementary Passages:
12.249.11 After 11ab, M5 ins.: *698 पर्यायेणाभ्युपायेन नेया मृत्युवशं ततः M5 cont.: T G1.3.6 ins. after 11ab: *699 पुत्रत्वेनानुसंकल्प्य त्वयाहं तपसाप्यज
त्वद्भवं हि जगन्नाथ जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् प्रसाद्य त्वां महादेव याचाम्यावृत्तिजाः प्रजाः
M. N. Dutt: All this inobile and immobile creatures, O lord of the universe, originated from you. Pacifying you, O god of gods, I beg of you that living creatures may repeatedly come back into the world, undergoing repeated deaths!
नारद उवाच श्रुत्वा तु वचनं देवः स्थाणोर्नियतवाङ्मनाः तेजस्तत्स्वं निजग्राह पुनरेवान्तरात्मना
M. N. Dutt: Narada continued Hearing these words of Sthanu, the divine Brahma of controlled speech and mind himself suppressed that energy of his within his own heart.
ततोऽग्निमुपसंगृह्य भगवाँल्लोकपूजितः प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कल्पयामास वै प्रभुः
M. N. Dutt: Suppressing that fire that had been destroying the universe, the illustrious Brahma, worshipped of all, and endued with illimitable power, then arranged for both birth and death of all living creatures.
उपसंहरतस्तस्य तमग्निं रोषजं तदा प्रादुर्बभूव विश्वेभ्यः खेभ्यो नारी महात्मनः
AI Translation: When he was about to throw that fire born of anger, A great lady appeared from the sky for the welfare of the world.
कृष्णा रक्ताम्बरधरा रक्तनेत्रतलान्तरा दिव्यकुण्डलसंपन्ना दिव्याभरणभूषिता
AI Translation: Wearing a red garment, with red eyes and palms, Endowed with divine earrings, adorned with divine ornaments,
सा विनिःसृत्य वै खेभ्यो दक्षिणामाश्रिता दिशम् ददृशातेऽथ तौ कन्यां देवौ विश्वेश्वरावुभौ
M. N. Dutt: Having originated from Brahman's body, the lady sat on his right. The two foremost of gods thereupon espied her.
तामाहूय तदा देवो लोकानामादिरीश्वरः मृत्यो इति महीपाल जहि चेमाः प्रजा इति
M. N. Dutt: Then, O king, the powerful Self-create, the prime Cause of all the worlds, saluted her and said, O Death, kill these creatures of the universe.
त्वं हि संहारबुद्ध्या मे चिन्तिता रुषितेन च तस्मात्संहर सर्वास्त्वं प्रजाः सजडपण्डिताः
M. N. Dutt: Filled with ire and resolved to encompass the destruction of created beings, I have called you. Do you, there, begin to destroy all creatures foolish or learned.
अविशेषेण चैव त्वं प्रजाः संहर भामिनि मम त्वं हि नियोगेन श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यसि
M. N. Dutt: O lady, kill all created beings without any exception. At my command you will acquire great prosperity.
एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी मृत्युः कमलमालिनी प्रदध्यौ दुःखिता बाला साश्रुपातमतीव हि
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed, the the goddess Death, adorned with a garland of lotuses, began to think sorrowfully and shed profuse tears.
पाणिभ्यां चैव जग्राह तान्यश्रूणि जनेश्वरः मानवानां हितार्थाय ययाचे पुनरेव च
M. N. Dutt: Without suffering her tears, however, to fall down, she held them, O king, in her joinedhands. She then solicited the Self-born, moved by the desire of doing good to mankind.