Bhagavata Purana

वयं तु पुरुषव्याघ्र ऐक्ष्वाकाः क्षत्रबन्धवः। मुचुकुन्द इति प्रोक्तो यौवनाश्वात्मजः प्रभो

As for us, O tiger among men, we are the Ikshvaku clan, kshatriya kin; I am called Mucukunda, son of Yuvanashva, O Lord.

चिरप्रजागरश्रान्तो निद्रयापहतेन्द्रियः। शयेऽस्मिन्विजने कामं केनाप्युत्थापितोऽधुना

Exhausted from long wakefulness, my senses dulled by sleep, I lay here alone, until someone awakened me just now.

सोऽपि भस्मीकृतो नूनमात्मीयेनैव पाप्मना। अनन्तरं भवान्श्रीमांल्लक्षितोऽमित्रशासनः

He too was surely reduced to ashes by his own wickedness; immediately after, you, glorious and renowned for subduing enemies, appeared.

तेजसा तेऽविषह्येण भूरि द्रष्टुं न शक्नुमः। हतौजसा महाभाग माननीयोऽसि देहिनाम्

Your unbearable radiance is so great that we cannot gaze upon you; O illustrious one, you are worthy of honor among embodied beings.

एवं सम्भाषितो राज्ञा भगवान्भूतभावनः। प्रत्याह प्रहसन्वाण्या मेघनादगभीरया

Thus addressed by the king, the Lord, creator of beings, replied with a smile, his voice deep as thunderclouds.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। जन्मकर्माभिधानानि सन्ति मेऽङ्ग सहस्रशः। न शक्यन्तेऽनुसङ्ख्यातुमनन्तत्वान्मयापि हि

The Blessed Lord said: My births, deeds, and names are countless, O friend; even I cannot enumerate them, for they are infinite.

क्वचिद्रजांसि विममे पार्थिवान्युरुजन्मभिः। गुणकर्माभिधानानि न मे जन्मानि कर्हिचित्

Sometimes I have examined earthly births with great beings, but my births are never defined by qualities, deeds, or names.

कालत्रयोपपन्नानि जन्मकर्माणि मे नृप। अनुक्रमन्तो नैवान्तं गच्छन्ति परमर्षयः

O king, my births and deeds span all three times; even the greatest sages, tracing them in order, never reach their end.

तथाप्यद्यतनान्यङ्ग शृणुष्व गदतो मम। विज्ञापितो विरिञ्चेन पुराहं धर्मगुप्तये

Yet, O friend, listen now as I speak of my present birth, for I was requested by Brahma long ago to protect dharma.

भूमेर्भारायमाणानामसुराणां क्षयाय च। अवतीर्णो यदुकुले गृह आनकदुन्दुभेः। वदन्ति वासुदेवेति वसुदेवसुतं हि माम्

To relieve the earth's burden and destroy the asuras, I descended into the Yadu lineage, in the house of Anakadundubhi; people call me Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva.

कालनेमिर्हतः कंसः प्रलम्बाद्याश्च सद्द्विषः। अयं च यवनो दग्धो राजंस्ते तिग्मचक्षुषा

Kalanemi, Kamsa, Pralamba, and other evil ones have been slain; this Yavana too has been burned, O king, by your fierce gaze.

सोऽहं तवानुग्रहार्थं गुहामेतामुपागतः। प्रार्थितः प्रचुरं पूर्वं त्वयाहं भक्तवत्सलः

I have come to this cave for your sake, to show you favor; you prayed to me greatly in the past, and I am devoted to my devotees.

वरान्वृणीष्व राजर्षे सर्वान्कामान्ददामि ते। मां प्रसन्नो जनः कश्चिन्न भूयोऽर्हति शोचितुम्

Choose your boons, O royal sage; I grant you all desires. One who has my favor need never grieve again.

श्रीशुक उवाच। इत्युक्तस्तं प्रणम्याह मुचुकुन्दो मुदान्वितः। ज्ञात्वा नारायणं देवं गर्गवाक्यमनुस्मरन्

Shuka said: Thus addressed, Mucukunda, joyful, bowed to him, recognizing Narayana, and recalling the words of Garga.

श्रीमुचुकुन्द उवाच। विमोहितोऽयं जन ईश मायया त्वदीयया त्वां न भजत्यनर्थदृक्। सुखाय दुःखप्रभवेषु सज्जते गृहेषु योषित्पुरुषश्च वञ्चितः

Mucukunda said: O Lord, people are deluded by your maya and do not worship you, seeing only misfortune; seeking happiness, they become attached to homes, women, and men, and are deceived.

लब्ध्वा जनो दुर्लभमत्र मानुषं। कथञ्चिदव्यङ्गमयत्नतोऽनघ। पादारविन्दं न भजत्यसन्मतिर्। गृहान्धकूपे पतितो यथा पशुः

O sinless one, when a person attains this rare human birth here, somehow, with a sound body and without effort, yet does not worship Your lotus feet due to misguided mind, he falls into the dark well of household life like an animal.

ममैष कालोऽजित निष्फलो गतो राज्यश्रियोन्नद्धमदस्य भूपतेः। मर्त्यात्मबुद्धेः सुतदारकोशभूष्वासज्जमानस्य दुरन्तचिन्तया

O Unconquered Lord, this time of mine has passed fruitlessly, being a king intoxicated by royal opulence, absorbed in the mortal conception of self, and deeply attached to children, wife, wealth, and possessions, tormented by endless anxieties.

कलेवरेऽस्मिन्घटकुड्यसन्निभे। निरूढमानो नरदेव इत्यहम्। वृतो रथेभाश्वपदात्यनीकपैर्। गां पर्यटंस्त्वागणयन्सुदुर्मदः

In this body, which is like a clay pot, I was established as 'king of men,' surrounded by chariots, elephants, horses, infantry, and retinues, roaming the earth in great arrogance, not counting anyone else.

प्रमत्तमुच्चैरितिकृत्यचिन्तया प्रवृद्धलोभं विषयेषु लालसम्। त्वमप्रमत्तः सहसाभिपद्यसे क्षुल्लेलिहानोऽहिरिवाखुमन्तकः

Intoxicated, I was absorbed in loud thoughts of what to do next, with ever-increasing greed, craving for sense pleasures; but You, unbewildered, suddenly approach, O Death, like a snake licking a mouse's hole.

पुरा रथैर्हेमपरिष्कृतैश्चरन्। मतंगजैर्वा नरदेवसंज्ञितः। स एव कालेन दुरत्ययेन ते। कलेवरो विट्कृमिभस्मसंज्ञितः

Once, riding in chariots adorned with gold, or on mighty elephants, I was called 'king of men'; but by the inescapable force of time, this very body becomes known as excrement, worms, or ashes.

निर्जित्य दिक्चक्रमभूतविग्रहो वरासनस्थः समराजवन्दितः। गृहेषु मैथुन्यसुखेषु योषितां क्रीडामृगः पूरुष ईश नीयते

Having conquered the circle of directions, assuming a form as vast as the earth, seated on a splendid throne and honored by other kings, a man is led, O Lord, like a plaything of women, into the pleasures of the home, as a beast for their sport.

करोति कर्माणि तपःसुनिष्ठितो निवृत्तभोगस्तदपेक्षयाददत्। पुनश्च भूयासमहं स्वराडिति प्रवृद्धतर्षो न सुखाय कल्पते

Even one who performs actions, firmly established in austerity, having renounced enjoyment and giving charity as required, again desires, 'May I become a sovereign king,' and with growing thirst, does not attain happiness.

भवापवर्गो भ्रमतो यदा भवेज्जनस्य तर्ह्यच्युत सत्समागमः। सत्सङ्गमो यर्हि तदैव सद्गतौ परावरेशे त्वयि जायते मतिः

When, after wandering in worldly existence, a person attains liberation, O Infallible One, it is then that he gains the association of the virtuous; and when such association occurs, at that very moment, devotion to You, Lord of all, arises.

मन्ये ममानुग्रह ईश ते कृतो राज्यानुबन्धापगमो यदृच्छया। यः प्रार्थ्यते साधुभिरेकचर्यया वनं विविक्षद्भिरखण्डभूमिपैः

O Lord, I consider it Your favor upon me that, by chance, attachment to kingdom has been removed—something sought by the virtuous, who, desiring to enter the forest, renounce the unbroken expanse of land.

न कामयेऽन्यं तव पादसेवनादकिञ्चनप्रार्थ्यतमाद्वरं विभो। आराध्य कस्त्वां ह्यपवर्गदं हरे वृणीत आर्यो वरमात्मबन्धनम्

O Master, I do not desire any boon other than service at Your feet, which is most sought after even by those who have nothing; for who, having worshiped You, the giver of liberation, would choose any other boon that binds the soul?

तस्माद्विसृज्याशिष ईश सर्वतो रजस्तमःसत्त्वगुणानुबन्धनाः। निरञ्जनं निर्गुणमद्वयं परं त्वां ज्ञाप्तिमात्रं पुरुषं व्रजाम्यहम्

Therefore, O Lord, abandoning all desires everywhere, which are bound to the qualities of passion, ignorance, and goodness, I approach You—the pure, qualityless, nondual, supreme Person, who is pure consciousness.

चिरमिह वृजिनार्तस्तप्यमानोऽनुतापैर्। अवितृषषडमित्रोऽलब्धशान्तिः कथञ्चित्। शरणद समुपेतस्त्वत्पदाब्जं परात्मन्। अभयमृतमशोकं पाहि मापन्नमीश

Long tormented here by suffering and remorse, afflicted by enemies such as thirst, never finding peace, I have somehow come to Your lotus feet, O shelter-giving Supreme Soul; protect me, O Lord, who am helpless, with fearlessness, immortality, and freedom from sorrow.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। सार्वभौम महाराज मतिस्ते विमलोर्जिता। वरैः प्रलोभितस्यापि न कामैर्विहता यतः

The Blessed Lord said: O great king, ruler of the earth, your mind is pure and steadfast, for even when tempted by boons, it has not been disturbed by desires.

प्रलोभितो वरैर्यत्त्वमप्रमादाय विद्धि तत्। न धीरेकान्तभक्तानामाशीर्भिर्भिद्यते क्वचित्

Know that your being tempted by boons was only to test your vigilance; for the mind of those with exclusive devotion is never shaken by blessings.