Bhagavata Purana

तप्तजाम्बूनदप्रख्यं शङ्खचक्रगदाम्बुजैः । लसच्चतुर्भुजं शान्तं पद्मकिञ्जल्कवाससम्

One should meditate on me as resplendent as molten gold, with conch, discus, mace, and lotus, shining with four arms, peaceful, and clad in garments the color of lotus filaments.

स्फुरत्किरीटकटक कटिसूत्रवराङ्गदम् । श्रीवत्सवक्षसं भ्राजत् कौस्तुभं वनमालिनम्

Radiant with crown, bracelets, waistband, and splendid armlets; adorned with the mark of Śrīvatsa upon the chest, shining with the Kaustubha gem and a garland of forest flowers.

ध्यायन्नभ्यर्च्य दारूणि हविषाभिघृतानि च । प्रास्याज्यभागावाघारौ दत्त्वा चाज्यप्लुतं हविः

Meditating and worshipping, he places the wooden offerings and those soaked in clarified butter; after offering the portions of ghee for the ancestors and the gods, he presents the oblation immersed in ghee.

अभ्यर्च्याथ नमस्कृत्य पार्षदेभ्यो बलिं हरेत् । मूलमन्त्रं जपेद् ब्रह्म स्मरन्नारायणात्मकम्

Having worshipped and bowed, he offers gifts to the attendants; reciting the root mantra, he contemplates Brahman, remembering the essence of Nārāyaṇa.

दत्त्वाऽऽचमनमुच्छेषं विष्वक्सेनाय कल्पयेत् । मुखवासं सुरभिमत् ताम्बूलाद्यमथाहयेत्

After giving water for sipping and the remnants, he prepares them for Viṣvaksena; then, with fragrant mouth-fresheners such as betel, he offers them accordingly.

उपगायन् गृणन् नृत्यन् कर्माणि अभिनयन् मम । मत्कथाः श्रावयन् श्रृण्वन् मुहूर्तं क्षणिको भवेत्

Singing, praising, dancing, and enacting deeds of mine; narrating and listening to my stories, for a moment he becomes absorbed.

स्तवैरुच्चावचैः स्तोत्रैः पौराणैः प्राकृतैरपि । स्तुत्वा प्रसीद भगवन् इति वन्देत दण्डवत्

With hymns, both high and low, and praises from the Purāṇas and even from common speech, having extolled, he prays, 'Be gracious, O Lord,' and prostrates himself.

शिरो मत्पादयोः कृत्वा बाहुभ्यां च परस्परम् । प्रपन्नं पाहि मामीश भीतं मृत्युग्रहार्णवात्

Placing his head at my feet and his arms crossed, he implores, 'Protect me, O Lord! I have surrendered, frightened by the ocean of death and its snares.'

इति शेषां मया दत्तां शिरस्याधाय सादरम् । उद्वासयेद् चेद् उद्वास्यं ज्योतिर्ज्योतिषि तत्पुनः

Thus, placing the remainder given by me upon his head with reverence, if he is to conclude the worship, he should respectfully return the offering to the light, and again to the supreme light.

अर्चादिषु यदा यत्र श्रद्धा मां तत्र चार्चयेत् । सर्वभूतेष्वात्मनि च सर्वात्माहं अवस्थितः

Whenever and wherever there is faith in worship and the like, he should worship me there; for I am present in all beings and within the self, as the universal soul.

एवं क्रियायोगपथैः पुमान्वैदिकतान्त्रिकैः । अर्चन् उभयतः सिद्धिं मत्तो विन्दत्यभीप्सिताम्

Thus, by the paths of ritual and yoga, both Vedic and Tantric, a person worshipping attains from me the desired perfection in both ways.

मदर्चां सम्प्रतिष्ठाप्य मन्दिरं कारयेद् दृढम् । पुष्पोद्यानानि रम्याणि पूजायात्रोत्सवाश्रितान्

Establishing my image, he should build a firm temple; delightful flower gardens for worship and festivals should be created there.

पूजादीनां प्रवाहार्थं महापर्वस्वथान्वहम् । क्षेत्रापणपुरग्रामान् दत्त्वा मत्सार्ष्टितामियात्

For the ongoing flow of worship and related rites, on great festivals and daily, he should dedicate fields, shops, towns, and villages, attaining my realm.

प्रतिष्ठया सार्वभौमं सद्मना भुवनत्रयम् । पूजादिना ब्रह्मलोकं त्रिभिर्मत्साम्यतामियात्

By consecration, he becomes sovereign over the three worlds with a residence; through worship and the like, he attains Brahma's world and, by three, equality with me.

मामेव नैरपेक्ष्येण भक्तियोगेन विन्दति । भक्तियोगं स लभते एवं यः पूजयेत माम्

He attains me alone through exclusive devotion and yoga; thus, whoever worships me obtains the path of devotion.

यः स्वदत्तां परैर्दत्तां हरेत सुरविप्रयोः । वृत्तिं स जायते विड्भुग् वर्षाणां अयुतायुतम्

Whoever takes what he himself or others have given to the gods or Brahmins, for their maintenance, becomes a dung-eater for tens of thousands of years.

कर्तुश्च सारथेहेतोः अनुमोदितुरेव च । कर्मणां भागिनः प्रेत्य भूयो भूयसि तत्फलम्

For the sake of the doer, the essence, and the approver, those who share in the actions, after death, repeatedly obtain the greater fruit of those deeds.

विकालेऽवगाहनाद् वरुणदूतेन वरुणालयं नीतस्य नंदस्य भगवता पुनरनयनम् - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) एकादश्यां निराहारः समभ्यर्च्य जनार्दनम् । स्नातुं नन्दस्तु कालिन्द्यां द्वादश्यां जलमाविशत्

Śuka said: On the eleventh day, fasting, Nanda worshipped Janārdana; on the twelfth, he entered the waters of the Kālindī to bathe.

तं गृहीत्वानयद् भृत्यो वरुणस्यासुरोऽन्तिकम् । अवज्ञायासुरीं वेलां प्रविष्टमुदकं निशि

A servant of Varuṇa, an asura, seized him and brought him to Varuṇa's presence, for he had entered the water at night, disregarding the asuric boundary.

चुक्रुशुस्तमपश्यन्तः कृष्ण रामेति गोपकाः । भगवांस्तदुपश्रुत्य पितरं वरुणाहृतम् । तदन्तिकं गतो राजन् स्वानामभयदो विभुः

The cowherds, unable to see him, cried out, 'Krishna! Rama!' Hearing their calls, the Blessed Lord understood that his father had been taken by Varuna, and, O King, the mighty one who grants fearlessness to his own went to that place.

प्राप्तं वीक्ष्य हृषीकेशं लोकपालः सपर्यया । महत्या पूजयित्वाऽऽह तद्दर्शनमहोत्सवः

Seeing Hrishikesha arrive, the guardian of the world welcomed him with great honor, worshipped him splendidly, and spoke, celebrating the great festival of beholding him.

श्रीवरुण उवाच - अद्य मे निभृतो देहो अद्यैवार्थोऽधिगतः प्रभो । त्वत्पादभाजो भगवन् अवापुः पारमध्वनः

Sri Varuna said: 'Today my body is pacified; today, O Lord, my purpose is fulfilled. Those devoted to your feet, O Blessed One, have reached the end of the path.'

नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने । न यत्र श्रूयते माया लोकसृष्टिविकल्पना

Obeisance to you, O Blessed Lord, Supreme Self, Brahman, where illusion and the imagined creation of worlds are not heard of.

अजानता मामकेन मूढेनाकार्यवेदिना । आनीतोऽयं तव पिता तद् भवान् क्षन्तुमर्हति

Unknowingly, by my own foolishness and ignorance of what should not be done, your father was brought here; may you forgive this.

ममाप्यनुग्रहं कृष्ण कर्तुं अर्हस्यशेषदृक् । गोविन्द नीयतामेष पिता ते पितृवत्सल

You, who see all, O Krishna, are worthy to show your favor to me as well. O Govinda, lover of your father, let your father be taken back.

श्रीशुक उवाच - एवं प्रसादितः कृष्णो भगवान् ईश्वरेश्वरः । आदायागात् स्वपितरं बन्धूनां चावहन् मुदम्

Sri Shuka said: Thus propitiated, Krishna, the Lord of lords, took his father and returned, bringing joy to his relatives.

नन्दस्त्वतीन्द्रियं दृष्ट्वा लोकपालमहोदयम् । कृष्णे च सन्नतिं तेषां ज्ञातिभ्यो विस्मितोऽब्रवीत्

Nanda, having witnessed the extraordinary glory of the guardian of the world and their reverence for Krishna, spoke to his kinsmen, astonished.

ते चौत्सुक्यधियो राजन् मत्वा गोपास्तमीश्वरम् । अपि नः स्वगतिं सूक्ष्मां उपाधास्यदधीश्वरः

Those cowherds, O King, their minds eager, thought, 'Will this Lord show us our own subtle destination?'

इति स्वानां स भगवान् विज्ञायाखिलदृक् स्वयम् । सङ्‌कल्पसिद्धये तेषां कृपयैतदचिन्तयत्

He, the Blessed Lord, knowing the minds of his own people, considered this out of compassion, to fulfill their desire.