Bhagavata Purana

द्रौपदी च परित्राता येन कौरवकश्मलात् । पालिता गोपसुन्दर्यः स कृष्णः क्वापि नो गतः

It was he who rescued Draupadī from the calamity of the Kauravas and protected the cowherd women; where has that Kṛṣṇa gone now?

त्वंतु भक्तिः प्रिया तस्य सततं प्राणतोऽधिका । त्वयाऽऽहूतस्तु भगवान् याति नीचगृहेष्वपि

But you, Bhakti, are always dearer to him than life itself. When you call, the Lord comes even to the houses of the lowly.

सत्यादित्रियुगे बोध वैराग्यौ मुक्तिसाधकौ । कलौ तु केवला भक्तिः ब्रह्मसायुज्यकारिणी

In the first three ages, truth and knowledge, along with detachment, are the means to liberation; but in Kali, only Bhakti grants union with Brahman.

इति निश्चित्य चिद्‌रूपः सद्‌रूपां त्वां ससर्ज ह । परमानन्दचिन्मूर्ति सुंदरीं कृष्णवल्लभाम्

Thus, having decided, the Conscious One created you, who are of the same nature, as a beautiful form of supreme bliss, beloved of Kṛṣṇa.

बद्ध्वांजलिं त्वया पृष्टं किं करोमीति चैकदा । त्वां तदाऽऽज्ञापयत् कृष्णो मद्‌भक्तान् पोषयेति च

With folded hands, you once asked, 'What shall I do?' Then Kṛṣṇa instructed you: 'Nourish my devotees.'

अंगीकृतं त्वया तद्वै प्रसन्नोऽभूत् हरिस्तदा । मुक्तिं दासीं ददौ तुभ्यं ज्ञानवैराग्यकौ इमौ

You accepted that command, and Hari was pleased. He gave you Mukti as a maidservant, and these two—Jñāna and Vairāgya.

पोषणं स्वेन रूपेण वैकुण्ठे त्वं करोषि च । भूमौ भक्तविपोषाय छायारूपं त्वया कृतम्

In Vaikuṇṭha, you nourish by your own form; on earth, to nourish devotees, you manifest a shadow-form.

मुक्तिं ज्ञानं विरक्तिं च सह कृत्वा गता भुवि । कृतादि द्वापरस्यान्तं महानन्देन संस्थिता

With Mukti, Jñāna, and Vairāgya, you came to earth, and remained in great joy until the end of Dvāpara, beginning from Kṛta.

कलौ मुक्तिः क्षयं प्राप्ता पाखण्डामयपीडिता । त्वद् आज्ञया गता शीघ्रं वैकुण्ठं पुनरेव सा

In Kali, Mukti was destroyed, afflicted by heresy; by your command, she quickly returned again to Vaikuṇṭha.

स्मृता त्वयापि चात्रैव मुक्तिरायाति याति च । पुत्रीकृत्य त्वयेमौ च पार्श्वे स्वस्यैव रक्षितौ

Liberation comes and goes here as you remember, and these two, made your sons by you, are protected at your own side.

उपेक्षातः कलौ मन्दौ वृद्धौ जातौ सुतौ तव । तथापि चिन्तां मुञ्च त्वं उपायं चिन्तयाम्यहम्

Because of neglect, your two sons have become weak and old in this age of Kali; yet, do not worry—I will think of a way.

कलिना सदृशः कोऽपि युगो नास्ति वरानने । तस्मिन् त्वां स्थापयिष्यामि गेहे गेहे जने जने

O beautiful one, there is no age like Kali; in that age, I will establish you in every home, among all people.

अन्यधर्मान् तिरस्कृत्य पुरस्कृत्य महोत्सवान् । तदा नाहं हरेर्दासो लोके त्वां न प्रवर्तये

Setting aside other duties and giving priority to great festivals, at that time, I will not serve Hari, nor will I spread you in the world.

त्वद् अन्विताश्च ये जीवा भविष्यन्ति कलौ इह । पापिनोऽपि गमिष्यन्ति निर्भयं कृष्णमन्दिरम्

Those living beings who are accompanied by you in this Kali age—even if sinful—will go without fear to Krishna’s temple.

येषां चित्ते वसेद्‌भक्तिः सर्वदा प्रेमरूपिणी । नते पश्यन्ति कीनाशं स्वप्नेऽप्यमलमूर्तयः

For those whose hearts are always filled with devotion in the form of love, impure beings cannot harm them, not even in dreams.

न प्रेतो न पिशाचो वा राक्षसो वासुरोऽपि वा । भक्तियुक्तमनस्कानां स्पर्शने न प्रभुर्भवेत्

Neither ghosts, nor spirits, nor demons, nor even asuras, can overpower those whose minds are endowed with devotion, even by touch.

न तपोभिर्न वेदैश्च न ज्ञानेनापि कर्मणा । हरिर्हि साध्यते भक्त्या प्रमाणं तत्र गोपिकाः

Neither by austerities, nor by the Vedas, nor by knowledge or actions, is Hari attained—only by devotion; the gopīs are the proof of this.

नृणां जन्मसहस्रेण भक्तौ प्रीतिर्हि जायते । कलौ भक्तिः कलौ भक्तिः भक्त्या कृष्णः पुरः स्थितः

After thousands of human births, love for devotion arises; in Kali, devotion, devotion—by devotion, Krishna stands before you.

भक्तिद्रोअकरा ये च ते सीदन्ति जगत्त्रये । दुर्वासा दुःखमापन्नः पुरा भक्तविनिन्दकः

Those who are hostile to devotion sink in all three worlds; once, Durvāsā suffered misery for insulting a devotee.

अलं व्रतैः अलं तीर्थैः अलं योगैरलं मखैः । अलं ज्ञानकथालापैः भक्तिरेकैव मुक्तिदा

Enough of vows, enough of pilgrimages, enough of yogas, enough of sacrifices, enough of discussions on knowledge—devotion alone grants liberation.

सूत उवाच - इति नारदनिर्णीतं स्वमायात्म्यं निशम्य सा । सर्वाङ्गपुष्टिसंयुक्ता नारदं वाक्यमव्रवीत्

Sūta said: Hearing thus the true nature of herself as determined by Nārada, she, endowed with all auspiciousness, spoke to Nārada.

भक्तिरुवाच - अहो नारद धन्योऽसि प्रीतिस्ते मयि निश्चला । न कदाचिद् विमुञ्चामि चित्ते स्थास्यामि सर्वदा

Bhakti said: O Nārada, how blessed you are! Your love for me is unwavering. I will never leave you; I will always remain in your heart.

कृपालुना त्वया साधो मद्‌बाधा ध्वंसिता क्षणात् । पुत्रयोश्चेतना नास्ति ततो बोधय बोधय

O compassionate sage, by you my affliction was destroyed in an instant. My two sons lack consciousness—therefore, awaken them, awaken them.

सूत उवाच - तस्या वचः समाकर्ण्य कारुण्यं नारदो गतः । तयोर्बोधनमारेभे कराग्रेण विमर्दयन्

Sūta said: Hearing her words, Nārada was filled with compassion and began to awaken the two, rubbing them with his fingertips.

मुखं संयोज्य कर्णान्ते शब्दमुच्चैः समुच्चरन् । ज्ञान प्रबुध्यतां शीघ्रं रे वैराग्य प्रबुध्यताम्

Placing his mouth near their ears, he loudly uttered: 'O Jñāna, awaken quickly! O Vairāgya, awaken!'

वेदवेदान्तघोषैश्च गीतापाठैर्मुहुर्मुहुः । बोध्यमानौ तदा तेन कथंचित् चोत्थितौ बलात्

With repeated recitations of the Vedas, Vedānta, and the Gītā, he tried to awaken them, and with effort, they somehow rose.

नेत्रैः अनवलोकन्तौ जृम्भन्तौ सालसावुभौ । बकवत्पलितौ प्रायः शुष्ककाष्ठसमाङ्‍गकौ

Both, unable to open their eyes, yawned, weak as herons, their bodies gray and withered like dry wood.

क्षुत्क्षामौ तौ निरीक्ष्यैव पुनः स्वापपरायणौ । ऋषिश्चिन्तापरो जातः किं विधेयं मयेति च

Seeing those two emaciated by hunger, again absorbed in sleep, the sage became thoughtful, pondering what should be done by him.

अहो निद्रा कथं याति वृद्धत्वं च महत्तरम् । चिन्तयन् इति गोविन्दं स्मारयामास भार्गव

Ah, how does sleep come, and how does such old age arise? Contemplating thus, Bhārgava began to recall Govinda.