Canto 2 - Chapter 4: The king asks a question about the creation of the universe and the sage Śuka commences his discourse ...

Sanskrit (संस्कृतम्)	English Translation
॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥ ॥ चतुर्थोऽध्यायः - ४ ॥	Discourse IV The king asks a question about the creation of the universe and the sage Śuka commences his discourse (Preamble)
सूत उवाच । वैयासकेरिति वचस्तत्त्वनिश्चयमात्मनः । उपधार्य मतिं कृष्णे औत्तरेयः सतीं व्यधात् ॥ १॥ आत्मजायासुतागारपशुद्रविणबन्धुषु । राज्ये चाविकले नित्यं विरूढां ममतां जहौ ॥ २॥ पप्रच्छ चेममेवार्थं यन्मां पृच्छथ सत्तमाः । कृष्णानुभावश्रवणे श्रद्दधानो महामनाः ॥ ३॥ संस्थां विज्ञाय सन्न्यस्य कर्म त्रैवर्गिकं च यत् । वासुदेवे भगवति आत्मभावं दृढं गतः ॥ ४॥	Sūta continued : On hearing these words of Śrī Śuka (the son of Vyāsa), which enabled him to ascertain the truth concerning the Supreme Spirit, king Parikṣit (the son of Uttarā) exclusively devoted his pious mind to Śrī Kṛṣṇa' feet. (1) He shook off (in a moment) the deep-rooted attachment which he had conceived all that time for his own body, wife, sons, residence, animals, wealth and kinsmen as well as for his kingdom, that had known no trouble. (2) Having come to know of his death (beforehand), the high-minded Parikṣit renounced all his duties connected with the first three objects of human pursuit (viz., Dharma, Artha and Kāma). He then established his complete identity with Lord Vāsudeva and, full of deep reverence for hearing the glory of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, asked Śrī Śuka the same question which you are now asking me, O most holy ones. (1-4)
राजोवाच । समीचीनं वचो ब्रह्मन् सर्वज्ञस्य तवानघ । तमो विशीर्यते मह्यं हरेः कथयतः कथाम् ॥ ५॥ भूय एव विवित्सामि भगवानात्ममायया । यथेदं सृजते विश्वं दुर्विभाव्यमधीश्वरैः ॥ ६॥ यथा गोपायति विभुर्यथा संयच्छते पुनः । यां यां शक्तिमुपाश्रित्य पुरुशक्तिः परः पुमान् । आत्मानं क्रीडयन् क्रीडन् करोति विकरोति च ॥ ७॥ नूनं भगवतो ब्रह्मन् हरेरद्भुतकर्मणः । दुर्विभाव्यमिवाभाति कविभिश्चापि चेष्टितम् ॥ ८॥ यथा गुणांस्तु प्रकृतेर्युगपत्क्रमशोऽपि वा । बिभर्ति भूरिशस्त्वेकः कुर्वन् कर्माणि जन्मभिः ॥ ९॥ विचिकित्सितमेतन्मे ब्रवीतु भगवान् यथा । शाब्दे ब्रह्मणि निष्णातः परस्मिंश्च भवान् खलु ॥ १०॥	The king said : All-knowing and sinless as you are, O divine sage, your words are quite true. Even as you proceed with your discourse on Śrī Hari the gloom of my ignorance disperses. (5) I further wish to know how the Lord by His own Māyā (deluding potency) creates this universe, the mysteries of which even the greatest gods (like Brahmā) find it difficult to unravel. (6) Also tell me how that all-pervading Lord protects the universe and how again He destroys it. Possessed as He is of innumerable powers, which of them does that Supreme Person assume when He plays with His own Self, transforming Himself into so many playthings, and creates and then destroys (a number of universes). (7) Indeed it appears difficult even for the wise, O divine sage, to comprehend the doings of Lord Śrī Hari of marvellous deeds. (8) (I should also like to know) how the Lord, who is one (without a second) assumes all at once the three Guṇas of Prakṛti in order to perform the various functions (of creation etc.), or manifesting Himself in different forms (as Brahmā and so on) assumes them in succession. (9) Since you are well-versed in the Vedas and have also realized the Supreme Spirit, kindly respond to this enquiry of mine. (5-10)
सूत उवाच । इत्युपामन्त्रितो राज्ञा गुणानुकथने हरेः । हृषीकेशमनुस्मृत्य प्रतिवक्तुं प्रचक्रमे ॥ ११॥	Sūta said : Thus implored by the king to discourse upon the excellences of Śrī Hari, the sage Śūka fixed his thought on Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Inspirer of all senses) and commenced his reply as follows : (11)
रीशुक उवाच । नमः परस्मै पुरुषाय भूयसे सदुद्भवस्थाननिरोधलीलया । गृहीतशक्तित्रितयाय देहिना- मन्तर्भवायानुपलक्ष्यवर्त्मने ॥ १२॥ भूयो नमः सद्वृजिनच्छिदेऽसता- मसम्भवायाखिलसत्त्वमूर्तये । पुंसां पुनः पारमहंस्य आश्रमे व्यवस्थितानामनुमृग्यदाशुषे ॥ १३॥ नमो नमस्तेऽस्त्वृषभाय सात्वतां विदूरकाष्ठाय मुहुः कुयोगिनाम् । निरस्तसाम्यातिशयेन राधसा स्वधामनि ब्रह्मणि रंस्यते नमः ॥ १४॥ यत्कीर्तनं यत्स्मरणं यदीक्षणं यद्वन्दनं यच्छ्रवणं यदर्हणम् । लोकस्य सद्यो विधुनोति कल्मषं तस्मै सुभद्रश्रवसे नमो नमः ॥ १५॥ विचक्षणा यच्चरणोपसादनात् सङ्गं व्युदस्योभयतोऽन्तरात्मनः । विन्दन्ति हि ब्रह्मगतिं गतक्लमा- स्तस्मै सुभद्रश्रवसे नमो नमः ॥ १६॥ तपस्विनो दानपरा यशस्विनो मनस्विनो मन्त्रविदः सुमङ्गलाः । क्षेमं न विन्दन्ति विना यदर्पणं तस्मै सुभद्रश्रवसे नमो नमः ॥ १७॥ किरातहूणान्ध्रपुलिन्दपुल्कसा आभीरकङ्का यवनाः खसादयः । येऽन्ये च पापा यदपाश्रयाश्रयाः शुध्यन्ति तस्मै प्रभविष्णवे नमः ॥ १८॥ स एष आत्माऽऽत्मवतामधीश्वर- स्त्रयीमयो धर्ममयस्तपोमयः । गतव्यलीकैरजशङ्करादिभि- र्वितर्क्यलिङ्गो भगवान् प्रसीदताम् ॥ १९॥ श्रियः पतिर्यज्ञपतिः प्रजापति- र्धियाम्पतिर्लोकपतिर्धरापतिः । पतिर्गतिश्चान्धकवृष्णिसात्वतां प्रसीदतां मे भगवान् सतां पतिः ॥ २०॥ यदङ्घ्र्यभिध्यानसमाधिधौतया धियानुपश्यन्ति हि तत्त्वमात्मनः । वदन्ति चैतत्कवयो यथारुचं स मे मुकुन्दो भगवान् प्रसीदताम् ॥ २१॥ प्रचोदिता येन पुरा सरस्वती वितन्वताजस्य सतीं स्मृतिं हृदि । स्वलक्षणा प्रादुरभूत्किलास्यतः स मे ऋषीणामृषभः प्रसीदताम् ॥ २२॥ भूतैर्महद्भिर्य इमाः पुरो विभु- र्निर्माय शेते यदमूषु पूरुषः । भुङ्क्ते गुणान् षोडश षोडशात्मकः सोऽलङ्कृषीष्ट भगवान् वचांसि मे ॥ २३॥ नमस्तस्मै भगवते वासुदेवाय वेधसे । पपुर्ज्ञानमयं सौम्या यन्मुखाम्बुरुहासवम् ॥ २४॥	Śrī Śuka said : Obeisance to that Supreme Person of infinite glory, who in order to carry on His sportful activity of creating, preserving and destroying the universe has (in the form of Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva) assumed the three Śaktis in the shape of Sattva (harmony), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (darkness), nay, who is the Inner Controller of all beings and whose true nature and ways cannot be apprehended through the intellect. (12) Salutations again to Him who roots out the sorrows and sufferings of the virtuous (and bestows on them the boon of His love), who puts a stop to the (material) growth of the wicked (and grants them liberation) and further confers on those who have entered the order of Paramahāṁsas (recluses) the boon (of Self-Realization) sought after by them; for all (animate and inanimate) beings are His manifestations (and hence He has no partiality for or prejudice against anyone). (13) Hail, hail to You who foster Your devotees, but are far from the reach (elude the grasp) of those that are destitute of Devotion, and who by virtue of Your divine nature, unequalled and unsurpassed, delight in Your own essence which is known by the name of Brahma (the Absolute). (14) Salutations again and again to that Lord of most auspicious renown, by singing whose praises, by thinking of, seeing, greeting and adoring whom and by hearing whose glory men are cleansed of their impurities at once. (15) Hail, hail to that Lord of most blessed renown, by taking refuge in whose feet the wise shake off from their mind the attachment to this as well as to the other world and attain to the state of Brahma without any exertion. (16) Ascetics and those devoted to charity, men of high repute and those who have controlled their mind and senses, the knowers of the Mantras and men of righteous conduct never attain blessedness without dedicating themselves to His feet. To that Lord of most blessed renown we make obeisance again and again. (17) The Kirātas, the Hūṇas, the Āndhras, the Pulindas, the Pulkasas, the Ābhīras, the Kaṅkas, the Yavanas, the Khasas and other sinful races no less than others of sinful conduct are purged of their sins even by taking refuge in those who depend on Him. To that all-powerful Lord we offer our greetings. (18) May that Lord be gracious to me, who is the very Self to the wise and the supreme Lord of His devotees, who is Veda itself (to those devoted to ritual acts), nay, who is Dharma (righteousness) personified (to those given to righteous conduct) and austere penance (to men of askesis), and whose reality is looked upon with wonder by sincere devotees like Brahmā, Śaṅkara and others. (19) May that Lord of Śrī (the goddess of prosperity and beauty), the Lord of sacrifices, the Lord of all created beings, the Ruler of all intellects, the Lord of the earth, the Protector as well as the asylum of the Andhakas, the Vṛṣṇis and the Sātvatas and the Lord of the holy ones be gracious to me. (20) The wise realize the truth of the Self with the help of their reason, purified through Samādhi in the form of meditation on His feet, and describe It according to their own predilection. May that Lord Mukunda (the Bestower of Liberation and Divine Love) be gracious to me. (21) Egged on by Him at the dawn of creation to revive in Brahmā's heart the memory of the past cycle, Saraswati (the goddess of wisdom) appeared from the latter's mouth (in the form of the Vedas) with all her limbs (in the form of Śikṣā or Phonetics, Grammar and so on). May that Lord, the foremost of the disseminators of wisdom, be propitious to me. (22) Having created these bodies out of the five gross elements (viz., earth, water, fire, air and ether) that all-pervading Lord indwells them as the Puruṣa (the individual soul) and, endowed with sixteen instruments (the five senses of perception, the five organs of action, the five vital airs and the mind) enjoys their sixteen objects. May that Lord lend charm to my expression. (23) Hail to the omniscient Lord Vedavyāsa (who is no other than Lord Vāsudeva), from whose lotus-like lips the devotees drink the nectar of wisdom. (12-24)
एतदेवात्मभू राजन् नारदाय विपृच्छते । वेदगर्भोऽभ्यधात्साक्षाद्यदाह हरिरात्मनः ॥ २५॥ इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां द्वितीयस्कन्धे चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ॥ २.४॥	Questioned by the sage Nārada, O Parikṣit! Brahmā (the self-born), the repository of the Vedas, taught to that sage this very gospel, which Śrī Hari Himself had imparted to him earlier. (25) Thus ends the fourth discourse in Book Two of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (25)