पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च दिवं च पुरुषोत्तमः। विचेष्टयति भूतात्मा क्रीडन्निव जनार्दनः
The Supreme Person, Janardana, animates the earth, the sky, and the heavens, as the soul of all beings, as if playing.
स कृत्वा पाण्डवान्सत्रं लोकं संमोहयन्निव । अधर्मनिरतान्मूढान्दग्धुमिच्छति ते सुतान्
Having gathered the Pandavas, he seems to bewilder the world, and wishes to destroy your sons, who are deluded and devoted to unrighteousness.
कालचक्रं जगच्चक्रं युगचक्रं च केशवः। आत्मयोगेन भगवान्परिवर्तयतेऽनिशम्
By his own yoga, the Blessed Kesava constantly turns the wheel of time, the wheel of the world, and the wheel of the ages.
कालस्य च हि मृत्योश्च जङ्गमस्थावरस्य च । ईष्टे हि भगवानेकः सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
He alone, the Blessed Lord, is the master of time, of death, and of all that moves and is still; this is the truth I declare to you.
ईशन्नपि महायोगी सर्वस्य जगतो हरिः। कर्माण्यारभते कर्तुं कीनाश इव दुर्बलः
Though Hari is the great yogi and lord of all the worlds, he undertakes actions as if powerless, like a weak man bound to fate.
तेन वञ्चयते लोकान्मायायोगेन केशवः । ये तमेव प्रपद्यन्ते न ते मुह्यन्ति मानवाः
By his power of illusion, Kesava deceives the worlds; but those humans who take refuge in him are not deluded.
कथं त्वं माधवं वेत्थ सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्। कथमेनं न वेदाहं तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय
How do you know Madhava, the great lord of all worlds? And why do I not know him? Tell me this, Sanjaya.
श्रृणु राजन्न ते विद्या मम विद्या न हीयते। विद्याहीनस्तमोध्वस्तो नाभिजानाति केशवम्
Hear, O King: you lack the knowledge, but my knowledge is not deficient; one who is deprived of knowledge and shrouded in darkness does not recognize Kesava.
विद्यया तात जानामि त्रियुगं मधुसूदनम् । कर्तारमकृतं देवं भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययम्
By knowledge, O father, I know Madhusudana, the Lord of the three ages, the uncreated creator, the origin and dissolution of beings.
गावल्गणेऽत्र का भक्तिर्या ते नित्या जनार्दने। यया त्वमभिजानासि त्रियुगं मधुसूदनम्
O Gavalgana, what is that constant devotion you have for Janardana, by which you recognize Madhusudana, the Lord of the three ages?
मायां न सेवे भद्रं ते न वृथाधर्ममाचरे। शुद्धभावं गतो भक्त्या शास्त्रद्वेद्मि जनार्दनम्
I do not serve illusion, nor do I act in vain unrighteousness; having attained pure devotion, I know Janardana through the scriptures.
दुर्योधन हृषीकेशं प्रपद्यस्व जनार्दनम्। आप्तो नः सञ्जयस्तात शरणं गच्छ केशवम्
O Duryodhana, take refuge in Hrishikesha, in Janardana; Sanjaya is devoted to us, O father—seek shelter with Kesava.
भगवान्देवकीपुत्रो लोकांश्चेन्निहनिष्यति। प्रवदन्नर्जुने सख्यं नाहं गच्छेऽद्य केशवम्
If the Blessed Son of Devaki destroys the worlds, even while speaking friendship to Arjuna, I will not go to Kesava today.
अवाग्गान्धारि पुत्रस्ते गच्छत्येष सुदुर्मतिः । ईर्षुर्दुरात्मा मानी च श्रेयसां वचनातिगः
Your son, O Gandhari, departs speechless, with a wicked mind; envious, evil-hearted, proud, he disregards words of welfare.
ऐश्वर्यकाम दुष्टात्मन्वृद्धानां शासनातिग। ऐश्वर्यजीतिते हित्वा पितरं मां च बालिश
Desiring power, with a corrupt heart, disobeying the elders' commands, and abandoning both his father and me, the foolish one seeks dominion.
वर्धयन्दुर्हृदां प्रीतिं मां च शोकेन वर्धयन् । निहतो भीमसेनेन स्मर्ताति वचनं पितुः
Increasing the joy of the wicked and increasing my sorrow, when he is slain by Bhimasena, he will remember his father's words.
प्रियोऽसि राजन्कृष्णस्य धृतराष्ट्र निबोध मे। यस्य ते सञ्जयो दूतो यस्त्वां श्रेयसि योक्ष्यते
O Dhritarashtra, know this from me: you are dear to Krishna, O King. Sanjaya is his messenger to you, and he will guide you toward what is best.
जानात्येष हृषीकेशं पुराणं यच्च वै परम्। शुश्रूषमाणमैकाग्र्यं मोक्ष्यते महतो भयात्
This Hrishikesha knows the ancient and the supreme; one who listens to him with single-minded attention is freed from great fear.
वैचित्रवीर्य पुरुषाः क्रोधहर्षसमावृताः । सिता बहुविधैः पाशैर्ये न तुष्टाः स्वकैर्धनैः
O son of Vichitravirya, men overwhelmed by anger and delight, bound by many kinds of white snares, are not satisfied even with their own wealth.
यमस्य वशमायान्ति काममूढाः पुनः पुनः । अन्धनेत्रा यथैवान्धा नीयमानाः स्वकर्मभिः
Deluded by desire, they repeatedly fall under Yama's control, just as the blind, led by the blind, are carried along by their own actions.
एष एकायनः पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिणः । तं दृष्ट्वा मृत्युमत्येति महांस्तत्र न सञ्जति
This is the single path by which the wise proceed; seeing it, one overcomes death, and there is no confusion there.
अङ्ग सञ्जय मे शंस पन्थानमकुतोभयम्। येन गत्वा हृषीकेशं प्राप्नुयां सिद्धिमुत्तमाम्
O Sanjaya, tell me of that path, free from all fear, by which, having gone, I may reach Hrishikesha and attain the highest perfection.
नाकृतात्मा कृतात्मानं जातु विद्याञ्जनार्दनम् । आत्मनस्तु क्रियोपायो नान्यत्रेन्द्रियनिग्रहात्
One who has not mastered himself can never know one who has; the means for self-mastery lies only in the restraint of the senses.
इन्द्रियाणामुदीर्णानां कामत्यागोऽप्रमादतः। अप्रमादोऽविहिंसा च ज्ञानयोनिरसंशयम्
Renunciation of desire, without negligence, when the senses are agitated; vigilance and non-injury—these are certainly the source of knowledge.
इन्द्रियाणां यमे यत्तो भव राजन्नतन्द्रितः । बुद्धिश्च ते मा च्युवतु नियच्छैनां यतस्ततः
O King, be vigilant in restraining the senses; let your intellect not waver, but control it with all your effort.
एतज्ज्ञानं विदुर्विप्रा ध्रुवमिन्द्रियधारणम्। एतज्ज्ञानं च पन्थाश्च येन यान्ति मनीषिणः
The wise know this to be true knowledge: steadfast control of the senses. This is knowledge, and this is the path by which the wise proceed.
अप्राप्यः केशवो राजन्निन्द्रियैरजितैर्नृभिः। आगमाधिगमाद्योगाद्वशी तत्त्वे प्रसीदति
O King, Kesava cannot be attained by men whose senses are unrestrained; but through discipline, study, and yoga, one who is self-controlled finds favor with the Truth.
भूयो मे पुण्डरीकाक्षं सञ्जयाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः। नामकर्मार्थवित्तात प्राप्नुयां पुरुषोत्तमम्
Once more, tell me of the lotus-eyed one, as Sanjaya asks; by knowing his name, deeds, and meaning, may I attain the Supreme Person.
श्रुतं मे वासुदेवस्य नामनिर्वचनं शुभम्। यावत्तत्राभिजानेऽहमप्रमेयो हि केशवः
I have heard the auspicious explanation of Vasudeva's name; as far as I understand, Kesava is indeed immeasurable.
वसनात्सर्वभूतानां वसुत्वाद्देवयोनितः। वासुदेवस्ततो वेद्यो बृहत्त्वाद्विष्णुरुच्यते
Because he dwells in all beings, because he is the essence, and because he is born of the divine, he is to be known as Vasudeva; and because of his vastness, he is called Vishnu.