Bhagavata Purana

सूत उवाच - तत्र द्वौ अपि संस्थाप्य निर्गतो नारदो मुनिः । तीर्थं तीर्थं विनिष्क्रम्य पृच्छन् मार्गे मुनीश्वरान्

Sūta said: 'Having settled those two there, the sage Nārada departed, going from one holy place to another, asking the great sages along the way.'

वृत्तान्तः श्रूयते सर्वैः किंचित् निश्चित्य नोच्यते । असाध्यं केचन प्रोचुः दुर्ज्ञेयमिति चापरे । मूकीभूतास्तथान्ये तु कियन्तस्तु पलायिताः

The account was heard by all, but after deliberation, none spoke. Some said it was impossible, others said it was difficult to understand; some became silent, and a few fled.

हाहाकारो महानासीत् त्रैलोक्ये विस्मयावहः । वेदवेदान्तघोषैश्च गीतापाठैर्विबोधितम्

A great commotion arose in the three worlds, causing wonder; awakened by proclamations of the Vedas, Vedānta, and recitations of the Gītā.

भक्तिज्ञानविरागाणां नोदतिष्ठत् त्रिकं यदा उपायो नापरोऽस्तीति कर्णे कर्णेऽजपञ्जनाः

When the triad of devotion, knowledge, and detachment did not arise, people whispered from ear to ear, 'There is no other means.'

योगिना नारदेनापि स्वयं न ज्ञायते तु यत् । तत्कथं शक्यते वक्तुं इतरैरिह मानुषैः

Even by Nārada, the yogi, it was not understood; so how could it be spoken by others here among men?

एवं ऋषिगणैः पृष्टैः निर्णीयोक्तं दुरासदम्

Thus, questioned by the groups of sages, it was determined and declared to be inaccessible.

ततश्चिन्तातुरः सोऽथ बदरीवनमागतः । तपश्चरामि चात्रेति तदर्थं कृतनिश्चयः

Then, troubled by concern, he came to the Badarī forest, resolved to undertake austerity there for that purpose.

तावद् ददर्श पुरतः सनकादीन् मुनीश्वरान् । कोटिसूर्यसमाभासान् उवाच मुनिसत्तमः

At that time, he saw before him the great sages Sanaka and others, shining like millions of suns, and the foremost sage spoke.

नारद उवाच - इदानीं भूरिभाग्येन भवद्‌भिः संगमोऽभवत् । कुमारा ब्रुवतां शीघ्रं कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि

Nārada said: 'Now, by great fortune, I have met you. O Kumāras, please speak quickly, showing compassion to me.'

भवन्तो योगिनः सर्वे बुद्धिमन्तो बहुश्रुताः । पञ्चहायनसंयुक्ताः पूर्वेषामपि पूर्वजाः

All of you are yogis, wise and learned, endowed with fivefold restraint, and ancestors even of the earliest ones.

सदा वैकुण्ठनिलया हरिकीर्तनतत्पराः । लीलामृतरसोन्मत्ताः कथामात्रैकजीविनः

Always dwelling in Vaikuntha, devoted to singing the praises of Hari, intoxicated by the nectar of his pastimes, they live solely for the sake of his stories.

हरिः शरणमेव हि नित्यं येषां मुखे वचः । अथ कालसमादिष्टा जरा युष्मान्न बाधते

For those whose mouths constantly utter the name of Hari as their sole refuge, old age, decreed by time, does not trouble them.

येषां भ्रूभङ्‍गमात्रेण द्वारपालौ हरेः पुरा । भ्रूमौ निपतितौ सद्यो यत्कृपातः पुरं गतौ

By merely a frown from them, the two gatekeepers of Hari once instantly fell at their feet; by their compassion, those gatekeepers returned to the city.

अहो भाग्यस्य योगेन दर्शनं भवतामिह । अनुग्रहस्तु कर्तव्यो मयि दीने दयापरैः

Ah, by the fortune of yoga, I have gained your sight here; you, full of compassion, ought to show grace to me, who am destitute.

अशरीरगिरोक्तं यत् तत्किं साधनमुच्यताम् । अनुष्ठेयं कथं तावत् प्रब्रुवन्तु सविस्तरम्

That which was spoken by the bodiless voice—what is the means for it? Please explain in detail how it is to be practiced.

भक्तिज्ञानविरागाणां सुखं उत्पद्यते कथम् । स्थापनं सर्ववर्णेषु प्रेमपूर्वं प्रयत्‍नतः

How does happiness arise for those endowed with devotion, knowledge, and detachment? How can it be established among all classes, with love and effort?

कुमारा ऊचुः - मा चिन्तां कुरु देवर्षे हर्षं चित्ते समावह । उपायः सुखसाध्योऽत्र वर्तते पूर्व एव हि

The Kumaras said: Do not be anxious, O divine sage; bring joy into your heart. The means, easily accomplished, already exists here.

अहो नारद धन्योऽसि विरक्तानां शिरोमणिः । सदा श्रीकृष्णदासानां अग्रणीः योगभास्करः

Ah, Narada, you are blessed, the crest-jewel among the detached, always the foremost among the servants of Sri Krishna, the sun among yogis.

त्वयि चित्रं न मन्तव्यं भक्त्यर्थं अनुवर्तिनि । घटते कृष्णदासस्य भक्तेः संस्थापना सदा

It is not surprising in you, who always follow the path of devotion, that the establishment of devotion is ever accomplished for Krishna's servant.

ऋषिर्बहवो लोके पन्थानः प्रकटीकृताः । श्रमसाध्याश्च ते सर्वे प्रायः स्वर्गफलप्रदाः

Many sages in the world have revealed various paths, all difficult and achieved by effort, and for the most part, they yield the fruit of heaven.

वैकुण्ठसाधकं पन्थाः स तु गोप्यो हि वर्तते । तस्योपदेष्टा पुरुषः प्रायो भाग्येन लभ्यते

But the path that leads to Vaikuntha is indeed kept secret; its teacher is rarely found, attained mostly by good fortune.

सत्कर्म तव निर्दिष्टं व्योमवाचा तु यत्पुरा । तदुच्यते श्रृणुष्वाद्य स्थिरचित्तः प्रसन्नधीः

The noble act formerly prescribed to you by the voice in the sky—now it will be explained; listen today with steady mind and clear intellect.

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे । स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च ते तु कर्मविसूचकाः

Some perform sacrifices with offerings, some with austerity, others with yoga, and some with study and knowledge; these are all known as actions.

सत्कर्मसूचको नूनं ज्ञानयज्ञः स्मृतो बुधैः । श्रीमद्‌भागवतालापः स तु गीतः शुकादिभिः

Among these, the sacrifice of knowledge is certainly regarded by the wise as the mark of noble action; the discourse on the Srimad Bhagavata is sung by Suka and others.

भक्तिज्ञानविरागाणां तद्‌घोषेण बलं महत् । व्रजिष्यति द्वयोः कष्टं सुखं भक्तेर्भविष्यति

By the proclamation of that, great strength arises for devotion, knowledge, and detachment; the suffering of both will depart, and happiness will come to the devotee.

प्रलयं हि गमिष्यन्ति श्रीमद्‌भागवतध्वनेः । कलेर्दोषा इमे सर्व सिंहशब्दाद् वृका इव

Indeed, at the sound of the Srimad Bhagavata's path, all these faults of Kali will perish, like wolves at the roar of a lion.

ज्ञानवैराग्यसंयुक्ता भक्तिः प्रेमरसावहा । प्रतिगेहं प्रतिजनं ततः क्रीडां करिष्यति

Devotion, joined with knowledge and detachment, bringing the flavor of love, will play from house to house, from person to person.

नारद उवाच - वेदवेदान्तघोषैश्च गीतापाठैः प्रबोधितम् । भक्तिज्ञानविरागाणां नोदतिष्ठत् त्रिकं यदा

Narada said: When, despite the proclamations of the Vedas and Vedanta, and the recitation of the Gita, the triad of devotion, knowledge, and detachment does not arise—

श्रीमद्‌भागवत आलापात् तत्कथं बोधमेष्यति । तत्कथासु तु वेदार्थः श्लोके श्लोके पदे पदे

From the recitation of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata, understanding of that subject will arise; in its narrations, the meaning of the Vedas is present in every verse, in every word.