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.
श्रीभगवानुवाच - किमुपायनमानीतं ब्रह्मन्मे भवता गृहात् । अण्वप्युपाहृतं भक्तैः प्रेम्णा भुर्येव मे भवेत् । भूर्यप्यभक्तोपहृतं न मे तोषाय कल्पते
The Blessed Lord said: O brāhmaṇa, what gift have you brought me from your home? Even a small offering brought by devotees with love becomes great to me; but even a great gift from one without devotion does not please me.
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतं अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः
Whoever offers me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water with devotion, I accept that offering from the pure-hearted devotee.
इत्युक्तोऽपि द्विजस्तस्मै व्रीडितः पतये श्रियः । पृथुकप्रसृतिं राजन् न प्रायच्छदवाङ्मुखः
Though thus addressed, the brāhmaṇa, embarrassed before the Lord of Śrī, did not offer the handful of parched rice, remaining silent and ashamed.
सर्वभूतात्मदृक् साक्षात् तस्यागमनकारणम् । विज्ञायाचिन्तयन्नायं श्रीकामो माभजत्पुरा
He who directly sees the Self in all beings understood the reason for his coming, and thought: 'This man did not worship me before out of desire for wealth.'
पत्न्याः पतिव्रतायास्तु सखा प्रियचिकीर्षया । प्राप्तो मामस्य दास्यामि सम्पदोऽमर्त्यदुर्लभाः
But now, prompted by the wish of his devoted wife and out of friendship, he has come to me; I shall grant him riches rarely attained by mortals.
इत्थं विचिन्त्य वसनात् चीरबद्धान् द्विजन्मनः । स्वयं जहार किमिदं इति पृथुकतण्डुलान्
Thinking in this way, he took from the Brahmin's dwelling the parched rice bound in cloth, wondering, 'What is this?'
नन्वेतदुपनीतं मे परमप्रीणनं सखे । तर्पयन्त्यङ्ग मां विश्वं एते पृथुकतण्डुलाः
O friend, truly this offering brought to Me is supreme satisfaction; these grains of parched rice, O dear one, satisfy Me and the whole universe.
इति मुष्टिं सकृज्जग्ध्वा द्वितीयां जग्धुमाददे । तावच्छ्रीर्जगृहे हस्तं तत्परा परमेष्ठिनः
Thus, having eaten one handful, He took a second to eat; at that moment, Lakshmi, devoted to the Supreme Lord, seized His hand.
एतावतालं विश्वात्मन् सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धये । अस्मिन्लोके अथवामुष्मिन् पुंसस्त्वत्तोषकारणम्
O Soul of the Universe, this alone is enough for the abundance of all prosperity, in this world or the next, for a person whose purpose is to please You.
ब्राह्मणस्तां तु रजनीं उषित्वाच्युतमन्दिरे । भुक्त्वा पीत्वा सुखं मेने आत्मानं स्वर्गतं यथा
The Brahmin, having spent that night in Achyuta's abode, eating, drinking, and feeling happiness, considered himself as if in heaven.
श्वोभूते विश्वभावेन स्वसुखेनाभिवन्दितः । जगाम स्वालयं तात पथ्यनुव्रज्य नन्दितः
When morning came, honored with universal affection and personal happiness, he joyfully returned to his own home, accompanied on the path.
स चालब्ध्वा धनं कृष्णान् न तु याचितवान् स्वयम् । स्वगृहान् व्रीडितोऽगच्छन् महद्दर्शननिर्वृतः
He did not obtain wealth from Krishna, nor did he ask for it himself; he returned to his house, feeling bashful, yet fulfilled by the great vision.
अहो ब्रह्मण्यदेवस्य दृष्टा ब्रह्मण्यता मया । यद् दरिद्रतमो लक्ष्मीं आश्लिष्टो बिभ्रतोरसि
Ah, I have witnessed the devotion of the Lord who cherishes the Brahmins, for though I am most poor, Lakshmi embraced Him upon His chest.