यश्च मानुषमात्रोऽयमिति ब्रूयात्स मन्दधीः । हृषीकेशमवज्ञानात्तमाहुः पुरुषाधमम्
And whoever, out of dullness, says that He is merely a man, out of disrespect for Hṛṣīkeśa, they call him the lowest of men.
योगिनं तं महात्मानं प्रविष्टं मानुषीं तनुम् । अवमन्येद्वासुदेवं तमाहुस्तमसं जनाः
Whoever disregards Vāsudeva, the great-souled yogin who has entered a human body, such people are said to be enveloped in darkness.
देवं चराचरात्मानं श्रीवत्साङ्कं सुवर्चसम्। पद्मनाभं न जानाति तमाहुस्तामसं बुधाः
He who does not know the god, the soul of all that moves and does not move, marked with Śrīvatsa, radiant, and lotus-naveled, is called ignorant by the wise.
किरीटकौस्तुभधरं मित्राणामभयंकरम्। अवजानन्महात्मानं घोरे तमसि मञ्जति
He who, disregarding the great-souled one, the wearer of the crown and Kaustubha gem, the giver of fearlessness to friends, falls into terrible darkness.
एवं विदित्वा तत्त्वार्थं लोकानामीश्वरेश्वरः । वासुदेवो नमस्कार्यः सर्वलोकैः सुरोत्तमाः । तस्यामहात्माजो ब्रह्मा सर्वस्य जगतः पतिः
Thus, knowing the true nature of reality, Vasudeva—the Lord of lords of all worlds—should be revered by all beings, including the best of the gods. His great-souled son is Brahma, the lord of all creation.
एवमुक्त्वा स भगवान्देवान्सर्षिगकणान्पुरा। विसृज्य सर्वभूतानि जगाम भवनं स्वकम्
Having spoken thus, the Blessed One, in ancient times, dismissed the gods along with the hosts of sages, and departed to his own abode, releasing all beings.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा मुनयोऽप्सरसोऽपि च। कथां तां ब्रह्मणा गीतां श्रुत्वा प्रीता दिवं ययुः
Then the gods, together with the Gandharvas, sages, and also the Apsaras, having heard that discourse sung by Brahma, joyfully returned to heaven.
एतच्छ्रुतं मया तात ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम्। वासुदेवं कथयतां समवाये पुरातनम्
This I have heard, dear one, from the assembly of ancient sages of purified minds, as they spoke about Vasudeva.
रामस्य जामदग्न्यस्य मार्कण्डेयस्य धीमतः । व्यासनारदयोश्चापि सकाशाद्भरतर्षभ
From Rama, son of Jamadagni, from the wise Markandeya, and from Vyasa and Narada as well, O best of the Bharatas.
एतमर्थं च विज्ञाय श्रुत्वा च प्रभुमव्ययम् । वासुदेवं महात्मानं लोकानामीश्वरेश्वरम्
Understanding this matter and having heard of the imperishable Lord, Vasudeva, the great soul, the Lord of lords of all worlds—
यस्य चैवात्मजो ब्रह्मा सर्वस्य जगतः पिता । कथं न वासुदेवोऽयमर्च्यश्चेज्यश्च मानवैः
He whose very son is Brahma, the father of all creation—how could Vasudeva not be worthy of worship and honor by humankind?
वारितोऽसि मया तात मुनिर्भिर्वेदपारगैः । मा गच्छ संयुगं तेन वासुदेवेन धन्विना
You have been restrained by me, dear one, and by sages accomplished in the Vedas: do not go to battle with Vasudeva, the wielder of the bow.
मा पाण्डवैः सार्धमिति तत्त्वं मोहान्न बुध्यसे। मन्ये त्वां राक्षसं क्रूरं तथा चासि तमोवृतः
You do not understand the truth, out of delusion, about not fighting alongside the Pandavas; I think you are a cruel rakshasa, and indeed you are enveloped in darkness.
यस्माद्द्विषसि गोविन्दं पाण्डवं तं धनञ्जयम् । नरनारायणौ देवी कोऽन्यो द्विष्याद्धि मानवः
Because you hate Govinda and that Pandava, Dhananjaya—Nara and Narayana incarnate—what other human would ever hate them?
तस्माद्ब्रवीमि ते राजन्नेष वै शाश्वतोऽव्ययः । सर्कवलोकमयो नित्यः शास्ता धाता धरो ध्रुवः
Therefore I tell you, O King: he is eternal, imperishable, pervading all worlds, the everlasting ruler, creator, supporter, and the unchanging one.
यो धारयति लोकांस्त्रींश्चराचरगुरुः प्रभुः । योद्धा जयश्च जेता च सर्वप्रकृतिरीश्वरः
He who upholds the three worlds, the lord and teacher of all that moves and does not move, the warrior, the victorious, the conqueror, the lord of all natures.
राजन्सर्वमयो ह्येष तमोरागविवर्जितः । यतः कृष्णस्ततो धर्मो यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः
O King, he is all-pervading, free from darkness and passion; where Krishna is, there is righteousness, and where there is righteousness, there is victory.
तस्य माहात्म्ययोगेन योगेनात्ममयेन च । धृताः पाण्डुसुता राजञ्जयश्चैषां भविष्यति
By his greatness and his union with the Self, the sons of Pandu are sustained, O King, and victory will be theirs.
श्रेयोयुक्तां सदा बुद्धिं पाण्डवानां दधाति यः। बलं चैव रणे नित्यं भयेभ्यश्चैव रक्षति
He always bestows wise counsel upon the Pandavas, grants them strength in battle, and protects them from all dangers.
स एष शाश्वतो देवाः सर्वगुह्यमयः शिवः । वासुदेव इति ज्ञेयो यन्मां पृच्छसि भारत
He is the eternal one, O King, the source of all mysteries, the auspicious one—known as Vasudeva, about whom you question me, O Bharata.
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रिकयैर्वैश्यैः शूद्रैश्च कृतलक्षणैः । सेव्यतेऽभ्यर्च्यते चैव नित्ययुक्तैः स्वकर्मभिःक
He is served and worshipped by Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, each established in their own duties and always devoted to their work.
द्वापरस्य युगस्यान्ते आदौ कलियुगस्य च। सात्वतं विधिमास्थाय गीतः संकर्षणेन वै
At the end of the Dvapara age and the beginning of Kali Yuga, following the Satvata rite, this teaching was sung by Sankarshana.
स एष सर्वं सुरमर्त्यलोकं समुद्रकक्ष्यान्तरितां पुरीं च। युगेयुगे मानुषं चैव वासं पुनःपुनः सृजते वासुदेवाःक
He, Vāsudeva, again and again creates all the worlds of gods and mortals, the city surrounded by the ocean, and human abodes in every age.
वासुदेवो महद्भूतं सर्वलोकेषु कथ्यते। तस्यागमं प्रतिष्ठां च ज्ञातुमिच्छे पितामह
Vāsudeva is spoken of as a great wonder in all the worlds; Grandfather (Brahmā) wishes to know his origin and foundation.
वासुदेवो महद्भूतं सर्वदैवतदैवतम् । न परं पुण्डरीकाक्षाद्दृश्यते भरतर्षभ
Vāsudeva is the great wonder, the god of all gods; nothing surpasses the lotus-eyed one, O best of Bharatas.
श्रुतं मे तात रामस्य जामदग्न्यस्य जल्पतः। नारदस्य च देवर्षेः कृष्णद्वैपायनस्य च। असितो देवलश्चापि वालखिल्यास्तपोधनाः
I have heard, dear one, from the words of Rāma, son of Jamadagni, from the divine sage Nārada, from Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, and also from Asita, Devala, and the ascetic Vālakhilyas.
मार्कण्डेयश्च गोविन्दे कथयत्यद्भुतं महत्। सर्वभूतादिभूतात्मा महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः
And from Mārkaṇḍeya, who tells of Govinda's wondrous greatness: the soul of all beings and elements, the great-souled, supreme person.
आपो वायुश्च तेजश्च त्रयमेतदकल्पयत्। स सृष्ट्वा पृथिवीं देवीं सर्वलोकेश्वरः प्रभुः
He fashioned water, wind, and fire—these three; having created the earth, the sovereign lord of all worlds.
अप्सु वै शयनं चक्रे महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः । सर्वदेवमयो देवः शयानः शयने सुखम्
The great-souled, supreme person made his bed upon the waters; the god who embodies all gods lay happily upon his couch.
मुखतः सोऽग्निमसृजत्प्राणाद्वायुमथापि च। सरस्वतीं च वेदांश्च मनसः ससृजेऽच्युत
From his mouth he created fire, from his breath wind, and from his mind, Achyuta produced Sarasvatī and the Vedas.