श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् द्वादश: स्कन्ध: सप्तम: अध्याय: सूत उवाच - Soota said - अथर्ववित् सुमन्तुश्च शिष्यमध्यापयत् स्वकाम् ।
संहितां सोऽपि पथ्याय वेददर्शाय चोक्तवान् ॥१॥
अथर्व-वित् सुमन्तु:-च of Atharva the knower, Sumantu, and,
शिष्यम्-अध्यापयत् स्वकाम् to disciple taught own, संहिताम् स:-अपि पथ्याय compilation, he also to Pathya, वेददर्शाय् च-उक्तवान् Vedadarsha and taught Sumantu, the knower of Atharva veda, taught it to his own disciple, Kabandha. He, in turn taught it to his disciples Pathya and Vedadarsha.


शौक्लायनिर्ब्रह्मबलिर्मोदोष: पिप्पलायनि: ।
वेददर्शस्य शिष्यास्ते पथ्यशिष्यानथो शृणु ॥२॥
शौक्लायनि:-ब्रह्मबलि:- Shauklaayani, Brahmabali,
मोदोष: पिप्पलायनि: Modosha, Pippalaayani वेददर्शस्य शिष्या:-ते of Vedadarsha, disciples, they, पथ्य-शिष्यान्-अथ: शृणु of Pathya disciples now hear Shauklaayani, Brahmabali, Modosha and Pippalaayani were the disciples of Vedadarsha. Now hear about the disciples of Pathya.


कुमुद: शुनको ब्रह्मन् जाजलिश्चाप्यथर्ववित् ।
बभ्रु: शिष्योऽथाङ्गिरस: सैन्धवायन एव च ।
अधीयेतां संहिते द्वे सावर्ण्याद्यास्तथापरे ॥३॥
कुमुद: शुनक: ब्रह्मन् Kumuda, Shunaka, O Brahman!
जाजलि:-च-अपि-अथर्ववित् Jaajali and also Atharvaveda's knowers बभ्रु: शिष्य:-अथ-अङ्गिरस: Babhroo, disciple, then, of Angirasa's line, सैन्धवायन: एव च Saindhavaayan, also and, अधीयेताम् संहिते द्वे learnt compilations two, सावर्ण्य-आद्या:-तथा-अपरे the Saavarnee and others, and the others O Brahman! Pathya's disciples were, Kumuda, Shunaka and also Jaajali, who were the knowers of Atharvaveda's. Then, there were also Babhroo and Saindhavaayan, of Angirasa's line. They learnt the two compilations. Then there were the Saavarnee and the others also.


नक्षत्रकल्प: शान्तिश्च कश्यपाङ्गिरसादय: ।
एते आथर्वणाचार्या: शृणु पौराणिकान् मुने ॥४॥
नक्षत्रकल्प: शान्ति:-च Nakshatrakalpa, Shaanti and
कश्यप-अङ्गिरस-आदय: Kashyapa, Angirasa and others, एते आथर्वण-आचार्या: these were of Atharvaveda's, teachers, शृणु पौराणिकान् मुने hear of the Puraana teachers, O Sage! O Sage! Nakshatrakalpa, Shaanti and Kashyapa, Angirasa and others, these were teachers of Atharvaveda's. Now hear of the teachers of the Puraanas.


त्रय्यारुणि: कश्यपश्च सावर्णिरकृतव्रण: ।
वैशम्पायनहारीतौ षड् वै पौराणिका इमे ॥५॥
त्रय्यारुणि: कश्यप:-च Trayyaaruni, Kashyapa and
सावर्णि:-अकृतव्रण: Saavarni, Akritavrana, वैशम्पायन-हारीतौ Vaishampaayana, Haarita, षड् वै पौराणिका इमे six indeed, Puraana teachers, these Trayyaaruni, Kashyapa, Saavarni, Akritavrana, Vaishampaayana, and Haarita, these six indeed are the teachers of the Puraanas.


अधीयन्त व्यासशिष्यात् संहितां मत्पितुर्मुखात् ।
एकैकामहमेतेषां शिष्य: सर्वा: समध्यगाम् ॥६॥
अधीयन्त व्यास-शिष्यात् learnt from Vyaasa's disciple,
संहिताम् मत्-पितु:-मुखात् the compilation, from my father's mouth, एक्-एकाम्-अहम्-एतेषाम् शिष्य: one each, I, of them the disciple, सर्वा: समध्यगाम् all learnt Each one of them learnt the compilations from my father, Romaharshana's mouth, the disciple of Vyaasa. I, the disciple of all of them learnt all of the compilations.


कश्यपोऽहं सावर्णी रामशिष्योऽकृतब्रण: ।
अधीमहि व्यासशिष्याच्चतस्रो मूलसंहिता: ॥७॥
कश्यप:-अहम् सावर्णी Kashyapa, myself, Saavarnee,
रामशिष्य:-अकृतब्रण: Parashuraama's disciple, Akritavrana, अधीमहि व्यास-शिष्यात्- learnt from Vyaasa's disciple, (Romaharshana), चतस्र: मूल-संहिता: four original compilations Kashyapa, myself, Saavarnee, and Parashuraama's disciple, Akritavrana, learnt the original compilations from Vyaasa's disciple, Romaharshana.


पुराणलक्षणं ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मर्षिभिर्निरूपितम् ।
शृणुष्व बुद्धिमाश्रित्य वेदशास्त्रानुसारत: ॥८॥
पुराण लक्षणम् ब्रह्मन् of Puraanas, the characteristics, O Brahman!
ब्रह्मर्षिभि:-निरूपितम् by Braahmana sages determined, शृणुष्व बुद्धिम्-आश्रित्य do hear, applying the mind, वेद-शास्त्र-अनुसारत: the Vedas and Shaastra according to O Brahman! Hear the characteristics of the Puraanas, as determined by the Braahmana seers, according to the description of the Vedas and Shaastra.


सर्गोऽस्याथ विसर्गश्च वृत्ती रक्षान्तराणि च ।
वंशो वंशानुचरितं संस्था हेतुरपाश्रय: ॥९॥
सर्ग:-अस्य-अथ विसर्ग:-च Sarga, of it, then, Visarga, and
वृत्ती: रक्षा-अन्तराणि च Vritti, Rakshaa, Manvantaras, and वंश: वंश-अनुचरितम् Vansha, Vansha Anucharitam संस्था हेतु:-अपाश्रय: Sansthaa, Hetu, Apaashraya These, the Puranas have ten distinctions, Sarga, Visarga, Vritti, Rakshaa, Manvantaras, Vansha, Vansha Anucharitam, Sansthaa, Hetu, and Apaashraya.


दशभिर्लक्षणैर्युक्तं पुराणं तद्विदो विदु: ।
केचित् पञ्चविधं ब्रह्मन् महदल्पव्यवस्थया ॥१०॥
दशभि:-लक्षणै:-युक्तम् ten characteristics comprising of
पुराणम् तत्-विद: विदु: the Puranas, its knowers know, केचित् पञ्च-विधम् ब्रह्मन् some, five types, O Brahman! महत्-अल्प-व्यवस्थया by great and small divisions The knowers of the Puraanas know that they have ten distinctions. O Brahman! Some recognize them to be having five features, according to the division of great and small.


अव्याकृतगुणक्षोभान्महतस्त्रिवृतोऽहम: ।
भूतमात्रेन्द्रियार्थानां सम्भव: सर्ग उच्यते ॥११॥
अव्याकृत-गुण-क्षोभात्- unmanifest (Prakriti's) Gunas' equilibrium (unbalancing),
महत:-त्रिवृत:-अहम: Mahat, the threefold Ahankaara, भूतमात्र-इन्द्रिय-अर्थानाम् elements subtle, the senses, the objects सम्भव: सर्ग उच्यते evolution, Sarga, (creation) is called From the unbalancing of the equilibrium of the three Gunas of the unmanifest Prakriti, the three Ahankaara evolve, then, the five subtle elements, and then the senses and their deities, and then the objects evolve. This is called Sarga, creation.


पुरुषानुगृहीतानामेतेषां वासनामय: ।
विसर्गोऽयं समाहारो बीजाद् बीजं चराचरम् ॥१२॥
पुरुष-अनुगृहीतानाम्- by The Supreme Person's grace
एतेषाम् वासनामय: of these, with past Karmas latent, विसर्ग:-अयम् समाहार: Visarga is this collective बीजाद् बीजम् चर-अचरम् from seed to seed, of mobile and immobile Visarga is the name of this collective creation of mobile and immobile, brought into action by the grace of The Supreme Person, brought about by the latencies of the past Karmas, proceeding from seed to seed.


वृत्तिर्भूतानि भूतानां चराणामचराणि च ।
कृता स्वेन नृणां तत्र कामाच्चोदनयापि वा ॥१३॥
वृत्ति:-भूतानि भूतानाम् sustenance, elements of the beings
चराणाम्-अचराणि च of the mobile immobile and कृत: स्वेन नृणाम् is decided by themselves, the human beings, तत्र कामात्-चोदनया-अपि वा there again, by desire, by scriptural ordinance, also or The sustenance elements of the mobile and also of the immobile beings is decided by themselves, there again, more so by the human beings, by their desires or also by scriptural ordinances.


रक्षाच्युतावतारेहा विश्वस्यानु युगे युगे ।
तिर्यङ्मर्त्यर्षिदेवेषु हन्यन्ते यैस्त्रयीद्विष: ॥१४॥
रक्षा-अच्युत-अवतार-ईहा for protection, of The Immortal, descent, desire,
विश्वस्य-अनु युगे युगे of universe, Yuga after Yuga, तिर्यक्-मर्त्य-ऋषि-देवेषु as birds, beasts, human beings, Rishi, gods, हन्यन्ते यै:-त्रयी-द्विष: kill, by which Veda's enemies The desire of The Immortal Lord Vishnu, for the descent as bird or beast, human being, sage or god, is for the protection of the three Vedas, by which to kill the enemies of the Vedas.


मन्वन्तरं मनुर्देवा मनुपुत्रा: सुरेश्वर: ।
ऋषयोंऽशावतारश्च हरे: षड्विधमुच्यते ॥१५॥
मन्वन्तरम् मनु:-देवा: Manvantara, Manu, gods,
मनु-पुत्रा: सुरेश्वर: Manu sons, Indra, ऋषय:-अंश-अवतार:-च हरे: (seven) Rishis, part manifestation and of Shree Hari, षट्-विधम्-उच्यते six types is called Manvantara is the period on which these six preside, Manu, the gods, Manu's sons, Indra, The seven Rishis, and part manifestation of Shree Hari.


राज्ञां ब्रह्मप्रसूतानां वंशस्त्रैकालिकोऽन्वय: ।
वंशानुचरितं तेषां वृत्तं वंशधराश्च ये ॥१६॥
राज्ञाम् ब्रह्म-प्रसूतानाम् of the kings, from Brahmaa born,
वंश:-त्रैकालिक-अन्वय: the line, over the three times, the descendents वंश-अनुचरितम् तेषाम् of the lineage, (honour, prestige), Vanshanucharita, वृत्तम् वंशधरा:-च ये the account the Vanshadharas and they Along the three divisions of time, past, present and future, the lineage of the kings born of Brahmaa are 'Vansha,' the account of upholding of the honour and prestige of the Vansha, is known as 'Vanshanucharitam', and the kings doing so are the 'Vanshadharas.'


नैमितिक: प्राकृतिको नित्य आत्यन्तिको लय: ।
संस्थेति कविभि: प्रोक्ता चतुर्धास्य स्वभावत: ॥१७॥
नैमितिक: प्राकृतिक: Naimitika, Praakritika,
नित्य: आत्यन्तिक: लय: Nitya, Aatyantika, of dissolution संस्था-इति कविभि: प्रोक्ता: 'Sansthaa' thus, by the wise is said, चतुर्धा:-अस्य स्वभावत: of four types its, by nature The dissolution is of four types by nature, Naimitika, Praakritika, Nitya, and Aatyantika. The wise call this four fold division as 'Sansthaa.'


हेतुर्जीवोऽस्य सर्गादेरविद्याकर्मकारक: ।
यं चानुशयिनं प्राहुरव्याकृतमुतापरे ॥१८॥
हेतु:-जीव:-अस्य सर्ग-आदे:- 'Hetu', the cause is Jiva, of this creations etc.,
अविद्या-कर्म-कारक: because of ignorance, Karmas' doer, यम् च-अनुशयिनम् प्राहु:- whom, and dormant say, अव्याकृतम्-उत-अपरे unmanifest indeed others The 'Hetu', or cause of this creation etc., is Jiva, because it is the doer of the Karma, due to ignorance. The same Jiva, indeed, whom the others call dormant in Praakrita and so to be formless and nameless, others call it unmanifest.


व्यतिरेकान्वयो यस्य जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु ।
मायामयेषु तद् ब्रह्म जीववृत्तिष्वपाश्रय: ॥१९॥
व्यतिरेक-अन्वय: यस्य difference, state whose (Jiva)
जाग्रत्-स्वप्न-सुषुप्तिषु in wakefulness, dream and deep sleep मायामयेषु तद् ब्रह्म consisting of Maaya, that is Brahma, जीव-वृत्तिषु-अपाश्रय: in the Jiva's states, is Apaashraya It is Apaashraya, that is Brahmaa which is present in the differences and in all the states of the Jiva, like wakefulness, dream and deep sleep, and all these states also consist of Maayaa.


पदार्थेषु यथा द्रव्यं सन्मात्रं रूपनामसु ।
बीजादिपञ्चतान्तासु ह्यवस्थासु युतायुतम् ॥२०॥
पदार्थेषु यथा द्रव्यम् in objects, like the material,
सन्-मात्रम् रूप-नामसु present only, in form and name, बीज-आदि-पञ्चतान्तासु in the seed beginning with uptill death, हि-अवस्थासु युत-अयुतम् indeed, the states, (Brahma) is and is not Like in the objects, with name and form, the material is present, in the Jiva, Brahmaa is present and not present, all through the stages of seed up to death.


विरमेत यदा चित्तं हित्वा वृत्तित्रयं स्वयम् ।
योगेन वा तदाऽऽत्मानं वेदेहाया निवर्तते ॥२१॥
विरमेत यदा चित्तम् becomes still when the mind,
हित्वा वृत्ति-त्रयम् स्वयम् giving up the states three, by itself, योगेन वा तदा-आत्मानम् by yoga, or then, The Self, वेद-ईहाया निवर्तते knows, from activities withdraws When the mind becomes still by itself, transcends the three states, by Yoga, or then by Self Realization, withdraws from all activities.


एवं लक्षणलक्ष्याणि पुराणानि पुराविद: ।
मुनयोऽष्टादश प्राहु: क्षुल्लकानि महान्ति च ॥२२॥
एवम् लक्षण-लक्ष्याणि thus characterized by the distinctions,
पुराणानि पुराविद: the Puraanas, the ancient's knowers, मुन:-अष्टादश प्राहु: sages, eighteen said of, क्षुल्लकानि महान्ति च small big and In this manner, the sages, who were the knowers of the ancient texts, said the Puraanas to be eighteen, distinguished by the characteristics, big and small.


ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च शैवं लैङ्गं सगारुडम् ।
नारदीयं भागवतमाग्नेयं स्कान्दसंज्ञितम् ॥२३॥
ब्राह्मम्-पाद्मम् वैष्णवम् च Braahma, Paadma, Vishnu, and
शैवम् लैङ्गम् स-गारुडम् Shiva, Linga, with Garuda नारदीयम् भागवतम्-आग्नेयम् of Naarada, of Bhaagavatam, of Agni, स्कान्द-संज्ञितम् Skanda, named They are named as, Braahma, Paadma, Vishnu, Shiva, Linga, with Garuda, of Naarada, of Bhaagavatam, of Agni, Skanda,…..


भविष्यं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं मार्कण्डेयं सवामनम् ।
वाराहं मात्स्यं कौर्मं च ब्रह्माण्डाख्यमिति त्रिषट् ॥२४॥
भविष्यम् ब्रह्मवैवर्तम् Bhavishya, Brahmavaivarta,
मार्कण्डेयम् स-वामनम् Maarkandeya, with Vaamana, वाराहम् मात्स्यम् कौर्मम् च Vaaraaha, Maatsya, Kaurma, ब्रह्माण्ड-आख्यम्-इति त्रिषट् Brahmaanda, named, thus three times six Bhavishya, Brahmavaivarta, Maarkandeya, with Vaamana, Vaaraaha, Maatsya, Kaurma, Brahmaanda, thus named, three times six, that is eighteen.


ब्रह्मन्निदं समाख्यातं शाखाप्रणयनं मुने: ।
शिष्यशिष्यप्रशिष्याणां ब्रह्मतेजोविवर्धनम् ॥२५॥
ब्रह्मन्-इदम् समाख्यातम् O Brahman! This is duly narrated,
शाखा-प्रणयनम् मुने: the branches classified, of sage Vyaasa शिष्य-शिष्य-प्रशिष्याणाम् pupils, their pupils and their pupils, ब्रह्म-तेज:-विवर्धनम् Brahmanic glory which intensifies O Brahman! Thus the story of the classification of the branches of the Puraanas, by the pupils of sage Vyaasa, their pupils and their pupils, is duly narrated by me, which intensifies the Brahmanic glory of those who listen to it.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां द्वादशस्कन्धे सप्तम: अध्याय: ॥७॥
Thus ends the seventh discourse in Book Twelve of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.