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.
( अनुष्टुप् ) एतद् विदित्वा उदिते रवौ सान्दीपनिर्गुरुः । अन्वेषमाणो नः शिष्यान् आचार्योऽपश्यदातुरान्
At sunrise, our teacher Sāndīpani, searching for us, saw his students in a wretched state.
अहो हे पुत्रका यूयं अस्मदर्थेऽतिदुःखिताः । आत्मा वै प्राणिनां प्रेष्ठः तं अनादृत्य मत्पराः
Ah, dear children, you have suffered greatly for my sake; yet, forgoing your own well-being, you have devoted yourselves to me.
एतदेव हि सच्छिष्यैः कर्तव्यं गुरुनिष्कृतम् । यद् वै विशुद्धभावेन सर्वार्थात्मार्पणं गुरौ
Indeed, this is what true disciples must do for their teacher: to dedicate all their efforts and very selves to the guru with pure intent.
तुष्टोऽहं भो द्विजश्रेष्ठाः सत्याः सन्तु मनोरथाः । छन्दांस्ययातयामानि भवन्त्विह परत्र च
I am pleased, O best of the twice-born; may all your true wishes be fulfilled, and may you master the Vedas and their limbs, here and hereafter.
इत्थंविधान्यनेकानि वसतां गुरुवेश्मसु । गुरोरनुग्रहेणैव पुमान् पूर्णः प्रशान्तये
In this way, by the guru’s grace alone, a person living in the teacher’s house attains completeness and peace through many such experiences.
श्रीब्राह्मण उवाच - किमस्माभिरनिर्वृत्तं देवदेव जगद्गुरो । भवता सत्यकामेन येषां वासो गुरावभूत्
The blessed brāhmaṇa said: What remains unfulfilled for us, O Lord of gods, teacher of the world, when we have lived in your house, you who are ever true to your word?
यस्य च्छन्दोमयं ब्रह्म देह आवपनं विभो । श्रेयसां तस्य गुरुषु वासोऽत्यन्तविडम्बनम्
For him whose body is composed of Vedic sound, O mighty one, dwelling with a teacher is the highest honor among all blessings.
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे उत्तरार्धे श्रीदामचरिते अशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eightieth chapter, entitled 'The Story of Śrīdāma,' in the second half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the supreme renunciants.
श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) स इत्थं द्विजमुख्येन सह सङ्कथयन् हरिः । सर्वभूतमनोऽभिज्ञः स्मयमान उवाच तम्
Śrī Śuka said: Thus, as Hari conversed with the foremost brāhmaṇa, he, who knows the minds of all beings, smiled and spoke to him.
ब्रह्मण्यो ब्राह्मणं कृष्णो भगवान् प्रहसन् प्रियम् । प्रेम्णा निरीक्षणेनैव प्रेक्षन् खलु सतां गतिः
Kṛṣṇa, the Lord devoted to the brāhmaṇas, gazed affectionately at the brāhmaṇa, and with a loving smile—indeed, such a look is the goal of the virtuous.