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.
मौनाद्ध्यानाच्च योगाच्च विद्दि भारत माधवम्। सर्वतत्त्वलयाच्चैव मधुहा मधुसूदनः
Know, O Bharata, that through silence, meditation, and yoga, and through the dissolution of all elements, Madhava is known; and because he slew Madhu, he is called Madhusudana.
कृषिर्भूवाचकः शब्दो गश्च निर्वृतिवाचकः। विष्णुस्तद्भावयोगाच्च कृष्णो भवति सात्वतः
The word 'krishi' means earth, and 'ga' means bliss; by the union of these, Vishnu becomes Krishna among the Satvatas.
पुण्डरीकं परं धाम नित्यमक्षयमव्ययम् । तद्भावात्पुण्डरीकाक्षो दस्युत्रासाज्जानार्दनः
The supreme, eternal, imperishable abode is the lotus; because of this, he is called Lotus-eyed, and because he puts an end to the fear of robbers, he is Janardana.
यतः सत्वं न च्यवते यच्च यत्वान्न हीयते। सात्वतः सात्वतस्तस्मादार्षभाद्वृषभेक्षणः
Because his essence does not fall away, and because he does not diminish by giving, he is called Satvata; and from the Rishabha, he is called Vrishabhekshana.
न जायते जनित्राऽयमजस्तस्मादनीकजित् । देवानां स्वप्रकाशत्वाद्दमाद्दामोदरो विभुः
He is not born from a mother; he is unborn, therefore he is called Anīkajit. Because of the self-luminosity of the gods and his self-restraint, Damodara is the all-pervading one.
हर्षात्सुखात्सुखैश्वर्याद्धृषीकेशत्वमश्रुते । बाहुभ्यां रोदसी बिभ्रन्महाबाहुरिति स्मृतः
From joy, happiness, and supreme sovereignty, he is called Hṛṣīkeśa, the unheard-of. Bearing the heavens and the earth with his two arms, he is remembered as the mighty-armed one.
अघो न क्षीयते जातु यस्मात्तस्मादधोक्षजः। नराणामयनाच्चापि ततो नारायणः स्मृतः
Because sin never diminishes in him, he is called Adhokṣaja. And because he is the refuge of men, he is therefore remembered as Nārāyaṇa.
पूरणात्सदनाच्चापि ततोऽसौपुरुषोत्तमः। असतश्च सतश्चैव सर्वस्य प्रभवाप्ययात्। सर्वस्य च सदा ज्ञानात्सर्वमेतं प्रचक्षते
Because he fills and supports all, he is called Puruṣottama. From the origin and dissolution of all that exists and does not exist, and from his constant knowledge of everything, all this is declared.
सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः कृष्णः सत्यमत्र प्रतिष्ठितम्। सत्यात्सत्यं तु गोविन्दस्तस्मात्सत्योपि नामतः
Kṛṣṇa is established in truth, and truth is established in him. Govinda is the truth of truth; therefore, he is also named Satyopi.
विष्णुर्विक्रमणाद्देवो जयनाञ्जिष्णुरुच्यते। शाश्वतत्वादनन्तश्च गोविन्दो वेदनाद्भवाम्
Viṣṇu is called the god because of his stride; he is called Jaya and Jiṣṇu. Because he is eternal, he is Ananta, and Govinda arises from his knowledge of the Vedas.
अतत्त्वं कुरुते तत्त्वं तेन मोहयते प्रजाः
He makes the unreal appear as the real, and by that he deludes the people.
एवंविधो धर्मनित्यो भगवान्मधुसूदनः । आगन्ता हि महाबाहुरानृशंस्यार्थमच्युतः
Such is the ever-righteous Lord Madhusūdana; the mighty-armed, infallible one will indeed come for the sake of compassion.
चक्षुष्मतां वै स्पृहयामि सञ्जय द्रक्ष्यन्ति ये वासुदेवं समीपे। विभ्राजमानं वपुषा परेण प्रकाशयन्तं प्रदिशो दिशश्च
O Sañjaya, I envy those who have sight, who will see Vāsudeva nearby, shining with supreme form, illuminating all directions and quarters.
ईरयन्तं भारतीं भारताना- मभ्यर्चनीयां शङ्करीं सृञ्जयानाम्। बुभूषद्भिर्गर्हणीयामनिन्द्यां परासूनामग्रहणीयरूपाम्
Uttering speech for the Bhāratas, worthy of honor among the Sṛñjayas, blameless and irreproachable, yet to be censured by those who wish to live, and to be seized by enemies.
समुद्यन्तं सात्वतमेकवीरं प्रणेतारमृषभं यादवानाम्। निहन्तारं क्षोभणं शात्रवाणां मुञ्चन्तं च द्विषतां वै यशांसि
Rising up, the sole hero of the Sātvatas, the leader and bull among the Yādavas, the destroyer and agitator of enemies, who releases the fame of his foes.
द्रष्टारो हि कुरवस्तं समेता महात्मानं शब्रुहणं वरेण्यम् । ब्रुवन्तं वाचमनृशंसरूपां वृष्णिश्रेष्ठं मोहयन्तं मदीयान्
The Kurus assembled will see him, the great-souled, the subduer of pride, the most excellent, speaking words of compassion, the best of the Vṛṣṇis, bewildering my people.
ऋषिं सनातनतभं विपश्चितं वाचःसमुद्रं कलशं यतीनाम्। अरिष्टनेमिं गरुडं सुपर्णं हरिं प्रजानां भुवनस्य धाम
The sage, eternal, wise, an ocean of speech, a vessel for ascetics, Ariṣṭanemi, Garuḍa, Suparṇa, Hari, the support of beings and the world.
सहस्रशीर्षं पुरुषं पुराण- मनादिमध्यान्तमनन्तकीर्तिम्। शुक्रस्य धातारमजं च नित्यं परं परेषां शरणं प्रपद्ये
The thousand-headed Puruṣa, the ancient one, without beginning, middle, or end, of endless fame, the creator of Śukra, unborn and eternal, the supreme refuge of the supreme, I seek shelter in him.
त्रैलोक्यनिर्माणकरं जनित्रं देवासुराणामथ नागरक्षसाम्। नराधिपानां विदुषां प्रधान- मिन्द्रानुजं तं शरणं प्रपद्ये
The maker of the three worlds, the creator of gods, asuras, nāgas, and rākṣasas, the foremost among kings and wise men, the younger brother of Indra, I seek refuge in him.
प्रयाते सञ्जये साधौ कौरवान्प्रति वै तदा। किं चक्रुः पाण्डवास्तत्र मम पूर्वपितामहाः
When the virtuous Sañjaya had gone to the Kauravas, what did my ancestors, the Pāṇḍavas, do there?