व्यासाद्यैरीश्वरेहा ज्ञैः कृष्णेनाद्भुतकर्मणा । प्रबोधितोऽपि इतिहासैः नाबुध्यत शुचार्पितः
Though instructed by Vyāsa and other sages, and by Kṛṣṇa, performer of wondrous deeds, and though taught with histories, he did not understand, being overwhelmed by grief.
आह राजा धर्मसुतः चिन्तयन् सुहृदां वधम् । प्राकृतेनात्मना विप्राः स्नेहमोहवशं गतः
The king, son of Dharma, thinking of the slaughter of his friends, spoke, O brāhmaṇas, overcome by attachment and delusion, with a mind of ordinary men.
अहो मे पश्यताज्ञानं हृदि रूढं दुरात्मनः । पारक्यस्यैव देहस्य बह्व्यो मेऽक्षौहिणीर्हताः
Alas, see my ignorance, deeply rooted in my wicked heart! For the sake of another's body, I have caused the death of many armies.
बालद्विजसुहृन् मित्र पितृभ्रातृगुरु द्रुहः । न मे स्यात् निरयात् मोक्षो ह्यपि वर्ष अयुत आयुतैः
Even if I were freed from hell for ten thousand times ten thousand years, I would not be released from the sin of harming children, brāhmaṇas, friends, kin, fathers, brothers, and teachers.
नैनो राज्ञः प्रजाभर्तुः धर्मयुद्धे वधो द्विषाम् । इति मे न तु बोधाय कल्पते शासनं वचः
The killing of enemies in a righteous war is not a sin for a king who protects his people; yet, these words of command do not bring me understanding.
स्त्रीणां मत् हतबंधूनां द्रोहो योऽसौ इहोत्थितः । कर्मभिः गृहमेधीयैः नाहं कल्पो व्यपोहितुम्
The enmity that has arisen here against women whose relatives have been slain, through the actions of householders, I am not able to remove.
यथा पङ्केन पङ्काम्भः सुरया वा सुराकृतम् । भूतहत्यां तथैवैकां न यज्ञैः मार्ष्टुमर्हति
Just as mud cannot cleanse muddy water, nor liquor remove the stain of liquor, so too a single act of killing living beings cannot be purified by sacrifices.
जपश्च परमो गुह्यः श्रूयतां मे नृपात्मज । यं सप्तरात्रं प्रपठन् पुमान् पश्यति खेचरान्
And now, O prince, listen to the supreme secret mantra, which, when recited for seven nights, enables a person to see the beings who move in the sky.
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय । मन्त्रेणानेन देवस्य कुर्याद् द्रव्यमयीं बुधः । सपर्यां विविधैर्द्रव्यैः देशकालविभागवित्
Om, obeisance to the Blessed Lord Vāsudeva. With this mantra of the Lord, the wise should perform worship with material offerings, using various substances, knowing the proper place and time.
सलिलैः शुचिभिर्माल्यैः वन्यैर्मूलफलादिभिः । शस्ताङ्कुरांशुकैश्चार्चेत् तुलस्या प्रियया प्रभुम्
He should worship the Lord with pure water, flowers, wild roots, fruits, tender sprouts, and fresh garments, and especially with the beloved tulasī leaves.
लब्ध्वा द्रव्यमयीमर्चां क्षित्यम्ब्वादिषु वार्चयेत् । आभृतात्मा मुनिः शान्तो यतवाङ्मितवन्यभुक्
Having obtained a material image for worship, whether of earth, water, or other elements, the sage—self-controlled, peaceful, restrained in speech, and moderate in food—should worship it.
स्वेच्छावतारचरितैः अचिन्त्यनिजमायया । करिष्यति उत्तमश्लोकः तद् ध्यायेद् हृदयङ्गमम्
The Lord, praised in sublime verses, will manifest by His own inconceivable power and by His freely chosen deeds; one should meditate on Him as present in the heart.
परिचर्या भगवतो यावत्यः पूर्वसेविताः । ता मंत्रहृदयेनैव प्रयुञ्ज्यान् मंत्रमूर्तये
All the forms of service to the Lord that were previously performed should now be offered to the Lord’s form established by mantra, with the heart absorbed in the mantra.
एवं कायेन मनसा वचसा च मनोगतम् । परिचर्यमाणो भगवान् भक्तिमत्परिचर्यया
Thus, when the Lord is served with body, mind, and speech, and with devotion arising from the heart, He is truly worshipped.
पुंसां अमायिनां सम्यक् भजतां भाववर्धनः । श्रेयो दिशत्यभिमतं यद्धर्मादिषु देहिनाम्
To those men who are free from deceit and worship Him properly, the Lord increases their devotion and grants the highest good they desire, which is not attained by ordinary duties.
विरक्तश्चेन्द्रियरतौ भक्तियोगेन भूयसा । तं निरन्तरभावेन भजेताद्धा विमुक्तये
One who is detached from sense pleasures should worship Him with constant and sincere devotion through the yoga of devotion, for complete liberation.
इत्युक्तस्तं परिक्रम्य प्रणम्य च नृपार्भकः । ययौ मधुवनं पुण्यं हरेश्चरणचर्चितम्
Having been thus instructed, the prince circumambulated and bowed, then went to the sacred Madhuvana, sanctified by the Lord’s footprints.
तपोवनं गते तस्मिन् प्रविष्टोऽन्तःपुरं मुनिः । अर्हितार्हणको राज्ञा सुखासीन उवाच तम्
When he had gone to the forest of penance, the sage entered the inner chambers, was properly honored by the king, and, seated comfortably, spoke to him.
नारद उवाच - राजन् किं ध्यायसे दीर्घं मुखेन परिशुष्यता । किं वा न रिष्यते कामो धर्मो वार्थेन संयुतः
Nārada said: O King, why do you sit long in thought, your face dried with sorrow? Is it that desire or duty, joined with wealth, is not being fulfilled?
राजोवाच - सुतो मे बालको ब्रह्मन् स्त्रैणेना-करुणात्मना । निर्वासितः पञ्चवर्षः सह मात्रा महान्कविः
The king said: O brāhmaṇa, my son, a mere child of five, has been exiled with his mother by a cruel-hearted woman; he is a great sage.
अप्यनाथं वने ब्रह्मन् मा स्मादन्त्यर्भकं वृकाः । श्रान्तं शयानं क्षुधितं परिम्लानमुखाम्बुजम्
O brāhmaṇa, though he is helpless in the forest, may the wolves not harm that child—tired, lying down, hungry, his lotus-face withered.
अहो मे बत दौरात्म्यं स्त्रीजितस्योपधारय । योऽङ्कं प्रेम्णाऽऽरुरुक्षन्तं नाभ्यनन्दमसत्तमः
Alas, consider my wretchedness, conquered by a woman! I did not welcome that innocent one, who wished to climb into my lap out of love—how base I am!
नारद उवाच - मा मा शुचः स्वतनयं देवगुप्तं विशाम्पते । तत्प्रभावं अविज्ञाय प्रावृङ्क्ते यद्यशो जगत्
Nārada said: O protector of the people, do not grieve for your son, who is guarded by the gods. Not knowing his greatness, you lament, though his fame will spread throughout the world.
सुदुष्करं कर्म कृत्वा लोकपालैरपि प्रभुः । ऐष्यत्यचिरतो राजन् यशो विपुलयंस्तव
Having performed a deed difficult even for the guardians of the worlds, O King, he will soon attain for you a fame that will become immense.
मैत्रेय उवाच - इति देवर्षिणा प्रोक्तं विश्रुत्य जगतीपतिः । राजलक्ष्मीमनादृत्य पुत्रं एवान्वचिन्तयत्
Maitreya said: Hearing these words spoken by the divine sage, the lord of the earth, disregarding royal opulence, thought only of his son.
तत्राभिषिक्तः प्रयतः तां उपोष्य विभावरीम् । समाहितः पर्यचर दृष्यादेशेन पूरुषम्
There, having been consecrated and purified, he spent the night in observance, and with focused mind, served the Supreme Person as instructed.
त्रिरात्रान्ते त्रिरात्रान्ते कपित्थबदराशनः । आत्मवृत्त्यनुसारेण मासं निन्येऽर्चयन् हरिम्
At the end of every three nights, subsisting on wood-apple and jujube fruits, he spent a month worshipping Hari according to his capacity.
द्वितीयं च तथा मासं षष्ठे षष्ठेऽर्भको दिने । तृणपर्णादिभिः शीर्णैः कृतान्नोऽभ्यर्चयन् विभुम्
In the second month, on every sixth day, the boy prepared food from fallen leaves, grass, and such, and worshipped the Lord.
तृतीयं चानयन् मासं नवमे नवमेऽहनि । अब्भक्ष उत्तमश्लोकं उपाधावत्समाधिना
In the third month, on every ninth day, he subsisted on water alone and, absorbed in meditation, approached the Glorious Lord.
चतुर्थमपि वै मासं द्वादशे द्वादशेऽहनि । वायुभक्षो जितश्वासो ध्यायन् देवमधारयत्
In the fourth month, on every twelfth day, he lived on air, having conquered his breath, and sustained his meditation on the Lord.