Bhagavata Purana

तमुपैहि महाभाग साधूनां च परायणम् । दास्यति द्रविणं भूरि सीदते ते कुटुम्बिने

Go to Him, O blessed one, who is the supreme shelter of the virtuous. He will surely give abundant wealth to you, the householder, who is in distress.

आस्तेऽधुना द्वारवत्यां भोजवृष्ण्यन्धकेश्वरः । स्मरतः पादकमलं आत्मानमपि यच्छति । किं न्वर्थकामान् भजतो नात्यभीष्टान्जगद्‌गुरुः

He now resides in Dvārakā as the Lord of the Bhojas, Vṛṣṇis, and Andhakas. Even as He remembers His lotus feet, He offers Himself to His devotees. Why would the teacher of the world not grant the desired objects, even those not sought, to one who worships Him?

स एवं भार्यया विप्रो बहुशः प्रार्थितो मृदु । अयं हि परमो लाभ उत्तमःश्लोकदर्शनम्

Thus, repeatedly entreated gently by his wife, the brāhmaṇa thought, 'Indeed, the greatest gain is to see the Lord praised in the highest hymns.'

इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा गमनाय मतिं दधे । अप्यस्त्युपायनं किञ्चिद् गृहे कल्याणि दीयताम्

Thinking thus in his mind, he resolved to go. 'Is there any gift at home, O good lady? Let something be given.'

याचित्वा चतुरो मुष्टीन् विप्रान् पृथुकतण्डुलान् । चैलखण्डेन तान् बद्ध्वा भर्त्रे प्रादादुपायनम्

She begged four handfuls of flat rice from the brāhmaṇas, tied them in a piece of cloth, and gave them to her husband as a gift.

स तानादाय विप्राग्र्यः प्रययौ द्वारकां किल । कृष्णसन्दर्शनं मह्यं कथं स्यादिति चिन्तयन्

Taking them, the foremost brāhmaṇa set out for Dvārakā, thinking, 'How might I obtain a vision of Kṛṣṇa?'

त्रीणि गुल्मान्यतीयाय तिस्रः कक्षाश्च सद्विजः । विप्रोऽगम्यान्धकवृष्णीनां गृहेष्वच्युतधर्मिणाम्

The noble brāhmaṇa passed through three enclosures and three courtyards, entering the homes of the Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis, who followed the path of the infallible Lord.

गृहं द्‌व्यष्टसहस्राणां महिषीणां हरेर्द्विजः । विवेशैकतमं श्रीमद् ब्रह्मानन्दं गतो यथा

He entered one of the houses of Hari's sixteen thousand queens, and, as if attaining divine bliss, became filled with joy.

तं विलोक्याच्युतो दूरात् प्रियापर्यङ्कमास्थितः । सहसोत्थाय चाभ्येत्य दोर्भ्यां पर्यग्रहीन्मुदा

Seeing him from afar, Acyuta, who was seated on his beloved's couch, immediately rose up, approached, and joyfully embraced him with both arms.

सख्युः प्रियस्य विप्रर्षेः अङ्‌गसङ्‌गातिनिर्वृतः । प्रीतो व्यमुञ्चदब्बिन्दून् नेत्राभ्यां पुष्करेक्षणः

Delighted by the touch of his dear friend, the sage among the twice-born, the lotus-eyed Lord, overwhelmed with joy, shed tears from his eyes.

अथोपवेश्य पर्यङ्के स्वयं सख्युः समर्हणम् । उपहृत्यावनिज्यास्य पादौ पादावनेजनीः

Then, after seating his friend upon the couch, he himself performed the proper honors for him, bringing water and washing his feet with his own hands.

अग्रहीच्छिरसा राजन् भगवान् लोकपावनः । व्यलिम्पद् दिव्यगन्धेन चन्दनागुरुकुङ्कमैः

O King, the Lord, purifier of the worlds, respectfully took the water with his head and anointed his guest with divine fragrances of sandalwood, aguru, and saffron.

धूपैः सुरभिभिर्मित्रं प्रदीपावलिभिर्मुदा । अर्चित्वाऽऽवेद्य ताम्बूलं गां च स्वागतमब्रवीत्

With fragrant incense and rows of lamps, he worshipped his friend with joy, offered him betel nut, and, after presenting a cow, spoke words of welcome.

कुचैलं मलिनं क्षामं द्‌विजं धमनिसंततम् । देवी पर्यचरत् साक्षात् चामरव्यजनेन वै

The goddess herself served the twice-born, who was clad in worn, soiled garments, emaciated, and with veins prominent, by fanning him with a yak-tail fan.

अन्तःपुरजनो दृष्ट्वा कृष्णेनामलकीर्तिना । विस्मितोऽभूदतिप्रीत्या अवधूतं सभाजितम्

Seeing the avadhūta, so honored by Kṛṣṇa of spotless fame, the women of the inner chambers were amazed and filled with great affection.

किमनेन कृतं पुण्यं अवधूतेन भिक्षुणा । श्रिया हीनेन लोकेऽस्मिन् गर्हितेनाधमेन च

What pious act has this avadhūta, this mendicant, performed—he who is destitute of fortune, despised and lowly in this world?

योऽसौ त्रिलोकगुरुणा श्रीनिवासेन सम्भृतः । पर्यङ्कस्थां श्रियं हित्वा परिष्वक्तोऽग्रजो यथा

He, who was so honored by Śrīnivāsa, the preceptor of the three worlds, was embraced like an elder brother, even as the goddess of fortune remained seated on the couch.

कथयां चक्रतुर्गाथाः पूर्वा गुरुकुले सतोः । आत्मनोर्ललिता राजन् करौ गृह्य परस्परम्

They began to recount delightful stories from their time together in the preceptor’s house, O King, holding each other's hands as they spoke.

श्रीभगवानुवाच - अपि ब्रह्मन्गुरुकुलाद्‌ भवता लब्धदक्षिणात् । समावृत्तेन धर्मज्ञ भार्योढा सदृशी न वा

The Blessed Lord said: O brāhmaṇa, after you completed your studies in the preceptor’s house and offered the proper fee, did you marry a suitable wife or not, O knower of dharma?

प्रायो गृहेषु ते चित्तं अकामविहितं तथा । नैवातिप्रीयसे विद्वन् धनेषु विदितं हि मे

It is well known to me, wise one, that your mind is not attached to household life or to wealth, for you act without desire and do not take much pleasure in such things.

केचित् कुर्वन्ति कर्माणि कामैरहतचेतसः । त्यजन्तः प्रकृतीर्दैवीः यथाहं लोकसङ्‌ग्रहम्

Some perform actions, their minds deluded by desire, abandoning their divine natures, just as I do for the sake of maintaining the world.

कच्चिद्‌ गुरुकुले वासं ब्रह्मन् स्मरसि नौ यतः । द्‌विजो विज्ञाय विज्ञेयं तमसः पारमश्नुते

O brāhmaṇa, do you remember our time living together in the preceptor’s house? For the twice-born, by knowing what is to be known, crosses beyond darkness.

स वै सत्कर्मणां साक्षाद् द्विजातेरिह सम्भवः । आद्योऽङ्‌ग यत्राश्रमिणां यथाहं ज्ञानदो गुरुः

Indeed, he is the very origin here of those devoted to righteous action, born of the twice-born, and the foremost among those in the āśramas, just as I am the giver of knowledge and the teacher.

नन्वर्थकोविदा ब्रह्मन् वर्णाश्रमवतामिह । ये मया गुरुणा वाचा तरन्त्यञ्जो भवार्णवम्

O brāhmaṇa, those skilled in the true meaning, among those who follow varṇa and āśrama, easily cross the ocean of worldly existence by my instruction as their teacher.

नाहमिज्याप्रजातिभ्यां तपसोपशमेन वा । तुष्येयं सर्वभूतात्मा गुरुशुश्रूषया यथा

I, the indwelling soul of all beings, am not satisfied by worship, offspring, austerity, or restraint, as I am by service to the teacher.

अपि नः स्मर्यते ब्रह्मन् वृत्तं निवसतां गुरौ । गुरुदारैश्चोदितानां इन्धनानयने क्वचित्

O brāhmaṇa, do you remember our conduct while living with the preceptor, when, prompted by the preceptor’s wives, we sometimes went to gather firewood?

प्रविष्टानां महारण्यं अपर्तौ सुमहद् द्विज । वातवर्षं अभूत्तीव्रं निष्ठुराः स्तनयित्‍नवः

As we entered the great forest, O twice-born one, a fierce storm arose, with violent winds and harsh thunder.

सूर्यश्चास्तं गतस्तावत् तमसा चावृता दिशः । निम्नं कूलं जलमयं न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन

By then, the sun had set and darkness covered all directions; the low-lying riverbank, now flooded, could not be discerned at all.

( वंशस्था ) वयं भृशम्तत्र महानिलाम्बुभिः निहन्यमाना महुरम्बुसम्प्लवे । दिशोऽविदन्तोऽथ परस्परं वने गृहीतहस्ताः परिबभ्रिमातुराः

There, we were struck repeatedly by powerful winds and torrents of water, overwhelmed by the flood; unable to tell the directions or see each other in the forest, we wandered about, holding hands, distressed.