Bhagavata Purana

तत्राहुर्ब्राह्मणाः केचित् आसीना ब्रह्मवादिनः । पूर्वेषां पुण्ययशसां राज्ञां चाकथयन् कथाः

There, some Brahmins, seated and versed in Brahman, narrated the stories of former kings of virtuous fame.

तत्रैकः पुरुषो राजन् आगतोऽपूर्वदर्शनः । विज्ञापितो भगवते प्रतीहारैः प्रवेशितः

Then, O King, a man of unprecedented appearance arrived; announced to Bhagavan by the doorkeepers, he was ushered in.

स नमस्कृत्य कृष्णाय परेशाय कृताञ्जलिः । राज्ञामावेदयद् दुखं जरासन्धनिरोधजम्

He bowed to Krishna, the supreme Lord, with joined palms, and reported to the kings the distress caused by Jarasandha's imprisonment.

ये च दिग्विजये तस्य सन्नतिं न ययुर्नृपाः । प्रसह्य रुद्धास्तेनासन् अयुते द्वे गिरिव्रजे

Those kings who did not submit to his conquest were forcibly detained by him; two ten-thousand groups are held in Girivraja.

राजान ऊचुः - कृष्ण कृष्णाप्रमेयात्मन् प्रपन्नभयभञ्जन । वयं त्वां शरणं यामो भवभीताः पृथग्धियः

The kings said: 'Krishna, Krishna, immeasurable soul, destroyer of the fears of those who seek refuge, we come to you for shelter, fearful of worldly existence and divided in mind.'

( वसंततिलका ) लोको विकर्मनिरतः कुशले प्रमत्तः कर्मण्ययं त्वदुदिते भवदर्चने स्वे । यस्तावदस्य बलवानिह जीविताशां सद्यश्छिनत्त्यनिमिषाय नमोऽस्तु तस्मै

The world is absorbed in unrighteous deeds, heedless of virtue; yet this action, arising from you, is for worshipping you. Whoever here, strong as he may be, suddenly cuts off the hope of life for the sleepless one—salutations to him.

लोके भवाञ्जगदिनः कलयावतीर्णः सद् रक्षणाय खलनिग्रहणाय चान्यः । कश्चित् त्वदीयमतियाति निदेशमीश किं वा जनः स्वकृतमृच्छति तन्न विद्मः

You, O Lord, have descended into the world for the protection of the righteous and the subjugation of the wicked. Who can transgress your command, O master? Or who attains the fruit of their own actions? We do not know.

स्वप्नायितं नृपसुखं परतंत्रमीश शश्वद्‌भयेन मृतकेन धुरं वहामः । हित्वा तदात्मनि सुखं त्वदनीहलभ्यं क्लिश्यामहेऽतिकृपणास्तव माययेह

O Lord, the happiness of kings is like a dream, dependent on others; ever burdened by fear, we bear the yoke of a life as good as dead. Abandoning the happiness found in the self, which is attainable without anxiety through You, we suffer greatly—how pitiable we are, deluded by Your māyā in this world.

तन्नो भवान् प्रणतशोकहराङ्‌घ्रियुग्मो बद्धान् वियुङ्क्ष्व मगधाह्वयकर्मपाशात् । यो भूभुजोऽयुतमतङ्गजवीर्यमेको बिभ्रद् रुरोध भवने मृगराडिवावीः

Therefore, may You, whose feet remove the sorrow of those who take refuge, release us who are bound by the fetters of the Magadhan's deeds. You alone, possessing the strength of ten thousand elephants, restrained the king who, like a lion among beasts, had confined us in his palace.

यो वै त्वया द्विनवकृत्व उदात्तचक्र भग्नो मृधे खलु भवन्तमनन्तवीर्यम् । जित्वा नृलोकनिरतं सकृदूढदर्पो युष्मत्प्रजा रुजति नोऽजित तद्विधेहि

He, whose pride was firm and who delighted in conquering the world, was repeatedly defeated by You—O Lord of infinite power—when You broke his noble disc in battle twenty-two times. Now he afflicts Your people; O unconquered One, please act accordingly.

दूत उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) इति मागधसंरुद्धा भवद्दर्शनकाङ्‌क्षिणः । प्रपन्नाः पादमूलं ते दीनानां शं विधीयताम्

The messenger said: Thus, held captive by the Magadhan and longing to see You, they have taken refuge at Your feet. Please grant well-being to these afflicted ones.

श्रीशुक उवाच - राजदूते ब्रुवत्येवं देवर्षिः परमद्युतिः । बिभ्रत् पिङ्गजटाभारं प्रादुरासीद् यथा रविः

Śuka said: As the royal messenger spoke in this way, the divine sage Nārada, radiant and bearing tawny matted locks, appeared suddenly, like the sun.

तं दृष्ट्वा भगवान् कृष्णः सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वरः । ववन्द उत्थितः शीर्ष्णा ससभ्यः सानुगो मुदा

Seeing him, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, Lord of all the lords of the worlds, rose with His assembly and followers, and joyfully bowed His head in respect.

सभाजयित्वा विधिवत् कृतासनपरिग्रहम् । बभाषे सुनृतैर्वाक्यैः श्रद्धया तर्पयन् मुनिम्

Honoring him properly and offering him a seat, Kṛṣṇa addressed the sage with pleasing words, satisfying him with faith and reverence.

अपि स्विदद्य लोकानां त्रयाणां अकुतोभयम् । ननु भूयान् भगवतो लोकान् पर्यटतो गुणः

Is all well today among the three worlds, free from fear? Surely, the virtue of the Lord increases as He travels among the worlds.

न हि तेऽविदितं किञ्चित् लोकेषु ईश्वर कर्तृषु । अथ पृच्छामहे युष्मान् पाण्डवानां चिकीर्षितम्

Nothing is unknown to you in all the worlds, O Lord among creators. Therefore, we ask you: what do the Pāṇḍavas intend?

श्रीनारद उवाच - ( मिश्र ) दृष्टा माया ते बहुशो दुरत्यया माया विभो विश्वसृजश्च मायिनः । भूतेषु भूमंश्चरतः स्वशक्तिभिः वह्नेरिवच्छन्नरुचो न मेऽद्‌भुतम्

Śrī Nārada said: O Lord, I have seen Your māyā many times—difficult to overcome—O Master, Creator of the universe and wielder of māyā. As You move among beings with Your own powers, Your glory is hidden like fire concealed in wood; thus, nothing astonishes me.

तवेहितं कोऽर्हति साधु वेदितुं स्वमाययेदं सृजतो नियच्छतः । यद् विद्यमानात् मतयावभासते तस्मै नमस्ते स्वविलक्षणात्मने

Who indeed is fit to know well Your actions here, as You create and withdraw this world by Your own māyā? What appears to exist is only a reflection of understanding. I bow to You, whose nature is beyond all distinctions.

जीवस्य यः संसरतो विमोक्षणं न जानतोऽनर्थवहाच्छरीरतः । लीलावतारैः स्वयशः प्रदीपकं प्राज्वालयत्त्वा तमहं प्रपद्ये

He who grants liberation to the soul wandering in saṃsāra, who does not know the suffering brought by the body—He, who by His playful descents kindles His own fame—I take refuge in Him, who dispels darkness.

( अनुष्टुप् ) अथाप्याश्रावये ब्रह्म नरलोकविडम्बनम् । राज्ञः पैतृष्वसेयस्य भक्तस्य च चिकीर्षितम्

Yet, O Brahman, I shall relate what is intended by the king, your devotee, the son of your paternal aunt, as he enacts a deed that amazes the world of men.

यक्ष्यति त्वां मखेन्द्रेण राजसूयेन पाण्डवः । पारमेष्ठ्यकामो नृपतिः तद्‌भवाननुमोदताम्

The son of Pāṇḍu, desiring the status of Brahmā, will worship You with the Rājasūya sacrifice, O Lord. May You be pleased with this.

तस्मिन् देव क्रतुवरे भवन्तं वै सुरादयः । दिदृक्षवः समेष्यन्ति राजानश्च यशस्विनः

At that supreme sacrifice, O God, You will be seen by the gods and other illustrious kings, who will assemble there out of eagerness.

श्रवणात् कीर्तनाद् ध्यानात् पूयन्तेऽन्तेवसायिनः । तव ब्रह्ममयस्येश किमुतेक्षाभिमर्शिनः

By hearing, singing, or meditating upon You, O Lord of Brahman, even those who dwell near are purified—how much more so those who see or touch You?

( वसंततिलका ) यस्यामलं दिवि यशः प्रथितं रसायां भूमौ च ते भुवनमङ्गल दिग्वितानम् । मन्दाकिनीति दिवि भोगवतीति चाधो गङ्गेति चेह चरणाम्बु पुनाति विश्वम्

The pure fame of whose feet is renowned in heaven, on earth, and in the netherworld—whose water, called Mandākinī in heaven, Bhogavatī below, and Gaṅgā here, sanctifies the universe—may that water, flowing from Your feet, bless all the worlds.

श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) तत्र तेष्वात्मपक्षेष्व गृह्णत्सु विजिगीषया । वाचः पेशैः स्मयन् भृत्यमुद्धवं प्राह केशवः

Śuka said: Then, as those on his own side were eager for conquest, Keśava, smiling and with sweet words, addressed His servant Uddhava.

श्रीभगवानुवाच - त्वं हि नः परमं चक्षुः सुहृन् मंत्रार्थतत्त्ववित् । अथात्र ब्रूह्यनुष्ठेयं श्रद्दध्मः करवाम तत्

The Blessed Lord said: You are indeed our supreme eye, a true friend who knows the essence and purpose of counsel. Therefore, speak here what should be done; we have faith and shall act accordingly.

इत्युपामंत्रितो भर्त्रा सर्वज्ञेनापि मुग्धवत् । निदेशं शिरसाऽऽधाय उद्धवः प्रत्यभाषत

Thus addressed by his master, though all-knowing, Uddhava humbly accepted the command with bowed head and replied.

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे उत्तरार्धे भगवद्यानविचारे नाम सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the seventieth chapter, entitled 'Inquiry into Divine Knowledge,' in the second half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas.

उद्धवमंत्रणया श्रीकृष्णस्येन्द्रप्रस्थगमनम् - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) इत्युदीरितमाकर्ण्य देवऋषेरुद्धवोऽब्रवीत् । सभ्यानां मतमाज्ञाय कृष्णस्य च महामतिः

Śuka said: Hearing these words of the divine sage, Uddhava, wise among the wise, after understanding the opinion of the assembly and of Kṛṣṇa, spoke as follows.