कुर्वाणा यत्र कर्माणि भगवच्छिक्षयासकृत् । गृणन्ति गुणनामानि कृष्णस्यानुस्मरन्ति च
Where one performs actions at the instruction of the Lord, prompted by divine teaching, they praise the Lord's qualities and recall Krishna.
नमो भगवते तुभ्यं वासुदेवाय धीमहि । प्रद्युम्नायानिरुद्धाय नमः सङ्कर्षणाय च
Salutations to you, O Lord Vāsudeva, we meditate on you; salutations to Pradyumna and to Aniruddha, and to Saṅkarṣaṇa as well.
इति मूर्त्यभिधानेन मंत्रमूर्तिममूर्तिकम् । यजते यज्ञपुरुषं स सम्यग् दर्शनः पुमान्
Thus, by naming the forms and by designating mantra in form and formless, one worships the sacrifice-person; truly that man attains right vision.
इमं स्वनिगमं ब्रह्मन् अवेत्य मदनुष्ठितम् । अदान्मे ज्ञानमैश्वर्यं स्वस्मिन् भावं च केशवः
Having gained this intimate recitation, O Brahman, performed by me as an act, Keshava bestowed upon me the knowledge of lordliness and the inner state within himself.
(इंद्रवंशा) त्वमप्यदभ्रश्रुत विश्रुतं विभोः समाप्यते येन विदां बुभुत्सितम् । प्राख्याहि दुःखैर्मुहुरर्दितात्मनां संक्लेशनिर्वाणमुशन्ति नान्यथा
You too, heir of Indra's line, hear again this famed and oft‑told teaching of the Lord: those who are repeatedly overwhelmed by misery and who wail with sorrow—only through the destruction of suffering do they find liberation, not otherwise.
सूत उवाच । (अनुष्टुप्) एवं निशम्य भगवान् देवर्षेर्जन्म कर्म च । भूयः पप्रच्छ तं ब्रह्मन् व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः
Sūta said: Thus having heard from the Lord and the seer the accounts of birth and deeds, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, again asked that foremost of gods many questions.
व्यास उवाच । भिक्षुभिर्विप्रवसिते विज्ञानादेष्टृभिस्तव । वर्तमानो वयस्याद्ये ततः किमकरोद्भवान्
Vyāsa said: O brahmanas who beg, O knowers and wishers, presently you have come of age—what then did the lord of beings do?
स्वायंभुव कया वृत्त्या वर्तितं ते परं वयः । कथं चेदमुदस्राक्षीः काले प्राप्ते कलेवरम्
By what nature did the Self‑born one conduct himself in those days? How, when time reached the body, did the eye from which one is released act?
प्राक्कल्पविषयामेतां स्मृतिं ते सुरसत्तम । न ह्येष व्यवधात्काल एष सर्वनिराकृतिः
Before the world-cycle subject matter recollect that, O best of gods: indeed this is not fixed by time—this is the universal dissolution.
नारद उवाच । भिक्षुभिर्विप्रवसिते विज्ञानादेष्टृभिर्मम । वर्तमानो वयस्याद्ये तत एतदकारषम्
Nārada said: O beggars and brahmanas, arisen from knowledge and from desire, when you have reached old age, that was my question.
एकात्मजा मे जननी योषिन्मूढा च किङ्करी । मय्यात्मजेऽनन्यगतौ चक्रे स्नेहानुबंधनम्
My mother, born of one self, a woman and yet bewildered, acted as a servant; because she focused exclusively on my person, a bond of affection was formed.
सास्वतंत्रा न कल्पासीद् योगक्षेमं ममेच्छती । ईशस्य हि वशे लोको योषा दारुमयी यथा
She would not remain forever free, desiring my welfare; for the world lies under the Lord’s sway, just as a woman is subject to a man.
अहं च तद्ब्रह्मकुले ऊषिवांस्तदपेक्षया । दिग्देशकालाव्युत्पन्नो बालकः पञ्चहायनः
I, born into that brahmin household and lacking other desires, appeared as a child, shaped by direction, region and time, the fifth in line.
एकदा निर्गतां गेहाद् दुहन्तीं निशि गां पथि । सर्पोऽदशत्पदा स्पृष्टः कृपणां कालचोदितः
Once, leaving the house at night along a cow-track to milk the cows, I was touched by a snake with ten steps and, driven by fear, became miserly.
तदा तदहमीशस्य भक्तानां शमभीप्सतः । अनुग्रहं मन्यमानः प्रातिष्ठं दिशमुत्तराम्
Then, hoping to pacify the devotees of that lord, I thought myself graced and took my stand toward the northern direction at dawn.
स्फीताञ्जनपदांस्तत्र पुरग्रामव्रजाकरान् । खेटखर्वटवाटीश्च वनान्युपवनानि च
There I saw wide-open sanctified places, villages and cow-encircling paths, threshing floors and peasant cottages, and groves and gardens.
चित्रधातुविचित्राद्रीन् इभभग्नभुजद्रुमान् । जलाशयान् शिवजलान् नलिनीः सुरसेविताः
Hills of diverse minerals and variety, trees with broken arms, water-bodies with auspicious waters, lotus-pools tended by reeds and aromatic plants.
चित्रस्वनैः पत्ररथैः विभ्रमद् भ्रमरश्रियः । नलवेणुशरस्तम्ब कुशकीचकगह्वरम्
Leaves like colourful chariots and roving bees in abundance, the sound of a flute and stalks, huts of grass, blades of kusa grass and caverns.
एक एवातियातोऽहं अद्राक्षं विपिनं महत् । घोरं प्रतिभयाकारं व्यालोलूकशिवाजिरम्
I alone advanced into that vast forest, seeing a dreadful sight that inspired horror: serpents, frogs, and other fearful creatures.
परिश्रान्तेन्द्रियात्माहं तृट्परीतो बुभुक्षितः । स्नात्वा पीत्वा ह्रदे नद्या उपस्पृष्टो गतश्रमः
Exhausted in body and senses, hungry and deprived, I bathed and drank in the lake and river; weariness touched me as I went on.
तस्मिन्निर्मनुजेऽरण्ये पिप्पलोपस्थ आश्रितः । आत्मनात्मानमात्मस्थं यथाश्रुतमचिन्तयम्
In that wild place, sheltered under a pipal tree, I contemplated self and Self within the self exactly as I had heard.
ध्यायतश्चरणांभोजं भावनिर्जितचेतसा । औत्कण्ठ्याश्रुकलाक्षस्य हृद्यासीन्मे शनैर्हरिः
Fixing my gaze on the master of my feet and lips, with a mind victorious over emotion, tears welling from my eyes, slowly may Hari dwell in my heart.
प्रेमातिभरनिर्भिन्न पुलकाङ्गोऽतिनिर्वृतः । आनंदसंप्लवे लीनो नापश्यमुभयं मुने
Overwhelmed by love, my limbs trembled and collapsed; immersed in a flood of bliss, O sage, I could not perceive any danger.
रूपं भगवतो यत्तन् मनःकान्तं शुचापहम् । अपश्यन् सहसोत्तस्थे वैक्लव्याद् दुर्मना इव
When I suddenly beheld that auspicious, pure‑removing form of the Lord, my heart sank as if seized by faintness and despair.
दिदृक्षुस्तदहं भूयः प्रणिधाय मनो हृदि । वीक्षमाणोऽपि नापश्यं अवितृप्त इवातुरः
Again and again I wished to see it, fixing my heart and mind upon it; though I strove to look, I could not — like one insatiably sick.
एवं यतन्तं विजने मामाहागोचरो गिराम् । गंभीरश्लक्ष्णया वाचा शुचः प्रशमयन्निव
Thus striving, I spoke words beyond hearing: with deep, soft speech as if pacifying the pure‑hearted I uttered it aloud.
हन्तास्मिन् जन्मनि भवान् मा मां द्रष्टुमिहार्हति । अविपक्वकषायाणां दुर्दर्शोऽहं कुयोगिनाम्
Alas, in this birth you are not fit to behold me; among those of immature temperament I am hard to see, O ascetic.
सकृद् यद् दर्शितं रूपं एतत्कामाय तेऽनघ । मत्कामः शनकैः साधु सर्वान् मुञ्चति हृच्छयान्
Once the form was shown for your sake, faultless one; gradually, as you rightly long for it, the desire for me frees all attachments in the heart.
सत्सेवयाऽदीर्घया ते जाता मयि दृढा मतिः । हित्वावद्यमिमं लोकं गन्ता मज्जनतामसि
By long, faithful service your mind toward me has become firm; having abandoned the impermanent world, go — you are sinking into darkness.
मतिर्मयि निबद्धेयं न विपद्येत कर्हिचित् । प्रजासर्गनिरोधेऽपि स्मृतिश्च मदनुग्रहात्
Bind your mind to me so it never falls into peril; even to prevent the creation of beings, remember me by my grace.