( वंशस्था ) सकृद्यदङ्गप्रतिमान्तराहिता मनोमयी भागवतीं ददौ गतिम् । स एव नित्यात्मसुखानुभूत्यभि व्युदस्तमायोऽन्तर्गतो हि किं पुनः
He, who but once placed the image of the Lord within his mind, attained the supreme path of devotion; what then of one who, free from illusion, constantly experiences the bliss of the eternal self?
श्रीसूत उवाच । ( इंद्रवज्रा ) इत्थं द्विजा यादवदेवदत्तः श्रुत्वा स्वरातुश्चरितं विचित्रम् । पप्रच्छ भूयोऽपि तदेव पुण्यं वैयासकिं यन्निगृहीतचेताः
Sūta said: Thus, O twice-born, Yudhishthira, having heard the wondrous deeds of Krishna, again asked Suka, his mind absorbed in that sacred narrative.
श्रीराजोवाच । ( अनुष्टुप् ) ब्रह्मन् कालान्तरकृतं तत्कालीनं कथं भवेत् । यत्कौमारे हरिकृतं जगुः पौगण्डकेऽर्भकाः
The king said: O Brahman, how could that which was done by Hari in childhood be sung by the boys in their youth, when it happened in a different time?
तद् ब्रूहि मे महायोगिन् परं कौतूहलं गुरो । नूनमेतद्धरेरेव माया भवति नान्यथा
O great yogi, O revered teacher, please tell me this supreme wonder; surely, this is nothing but the work of Hari's māyā—there is no other explanation.
वयं धन्यतमा लोके गुरोऽपि क्षत्रबन्धवः । यत् पिबामो मुहुस्त्वत्तः पुण्यं कृष्णकथामृतम्
We are the most fortunate in the world, O teacher, though we are but kṣatriyas in name, for we constantly drink from you the nectar of Krishna's sacred stories.
श्रीसूत उवाच । ( इंद्रवंशा ) इत्थं स्म पृष्टः स तु बादरायणिः तत्स्मारितानन्तहृताखिलेन्द्रियः । कृच्छ्रात् पुनर्लब्धबहिर्दृशिः शनैः प्रत्याह तं भागवतोत्तमोत्तम
Śrī Sūta said: Thus questioned, the son of Badarāyaṇa, whose senses were absorbed in the infinite heart, was reminded; regaining his outward vision with effort, he slowly replied to that foremost devotee of the Bhāgavata.
इति चोक्तं द्विजश्रेष्ठा यत्पृष्टोऽहं इहास्मि वः । लीलावतारकर्माणि कीर्तितानीह सर्वशः
O best of the twice-born, as you have asked me here, I have recounted in full the playful incarnations and deeds of the Lord.
पतितः स्खलितश्चार्तः क्षुत्त्वा वा विवशो ब्रुवन् । हरये नम इत्युच्चैः मुच्यते सर्वपातकात्
Whether fallen, stumbling, distressed, cut, or helpless, whoever loudly utters 'obeisance to Hari' is freed from all sin.
(उपेंद्रवज्रा) सङ्कीर्त्यमानो भगवान् अनन्तः श्रुतानुभावो व्यसनं हि पुंसाम् । प्रविश्य चित्तं विधुनोत्यशेषं यथा तमोऽर्कोऽभ्रमिवातिवातः
When the infinite Lord is glorified, whose power is realized through hearing, He enters the heart of people and completely cleanses their suffering, just as the sun and a strong wind dispel darkness and clouds.
(मिश्र-१२) मृषा गिरस्ता ह्यसतीरसत्कथा न कथ्यते यद्भगवानधोक्षजः । तदेव सत्यं तदुहैव मङ्गलं तदेव पुण्यं भगवद्गुणोदयम्
Empty words and false stories, which do not speak of the transcendent Lord, are not to be told; only that is truth, only that is auspicious, only that is holy, which brings forth the Lord's virtues.
तदेव रम्यं रुचिरं नवं नवं तदेव शश्वन्मनसो महोत्सवम् । तदेव शोकार्णवशोषणं नृणां यदुत्तमःश्लोकयशोऽनुगीयते
Only that is delightful, charming, ever fresh, and ever new; only that is the constant great festival of the mind; only that dries up the ocean of sorrow for people—when the glories of the Lord of excellent fame are sung.
न यद्वचश्चित्रपदं हरेर्यशो जगत्पवित्रं प्रगृणीत कर्हिचित् । तद् ध्वाङ्क्षतीर्थं न तु हंससेवितं यत्राच्युतस्तत्र हि साधवोऽमलाः
Whatever speech, however ornate, does not proclaim the fame of Hari, which sanctifies the world, is like a crow's bathing place, not frequented by swans; where Acyuta is present, there indeed are pure devotees.
तद्वाग्विसर्गो जनताघसंप्लवो यस्मिन् प्रतिश्लोकमबद्धवत्यपि । नामान्यनन्तस्य यशोऽङ्कितानि यत् श्रृण्वन्ति गायन्ति गृणन्ति साधवः
That creation of speech, even if imperfect in meter, which contains the names and glories of the infinite Lord, washes away the sins of people; the virtuous listen to, sing, and recite it.
नैष्कर्म्यमप्यच्युत भाववर्जितं न शोभते ज्ञानमलं निरञ्जनम् । कुतः पुनः शश्वदभद्रमीश्वरे न ह्यर्पितं कर्म यदप्यनुत्तमम्
Even action free from desire, O Acyuta, and pure knowledge, without devotion to You, does not shine; how much less, then, do even the best works, if not offered to the Lord, bring lasting good?
यशःश्रियामेव परिश्रमः परो वर्णाश्रमाचारतपःश्रुतादिषु । अविस्मृतिः श्रीधरपादपद्मयोः गुणानुवादश्रवणादरादिभिर्हरेः
All effort for fame and prosperity, whether through duties of caste and stage of life, austerity, or study, is supreme only when it brings unfailing remembrance of Śrīdhara's lotus feet, through hearing and praising the virtues of Hari with reverence.
(मिश्र-११,१२) अविस्मृतिः कृष्णपदारविन्दयोः क्षिणोत्यभद्राणि च शं तनोति च । सत्त्वस्य शुद्धिं परमात्मभक्तिं ज्ञानं च विज्ञानविरागयुक्तम्
Remembrance of Krishna's lotus feet destroys all inauspiciousness and bestows well-being; it purifies the mind, brings supreme devotion to the indwelling Lord, and grants knowledge endowed with realization and detachment.
(इंद्रवज्रा) यूयं द्विजाग्र्या बत भूरिभागा यच्छश्वदात्मन्यखिलात्मभूतम् । नारायणं देवमदेवमीशं अजस्रभावा भजताविवेश्य
Truly, you foremost twice-born are greatly blessed, for you constantly worship Nārāyaṇa, the Lord, the God of gods, the ruler, who is the soul of all beings, having fixed Him steadily in your hearts.
(मिश्र-११,१२) अहं च संस्मारित आत्मतत्त्वं श्रुतं पुरा मे परमर्षिवक्त्रात् । प्रायोपवेशे नृपतेः परीक्षितः सदस्यृषीणां महतां च श्रृण्वताम्
And I too have been reminded of the truth of the Self, which I heard long ago from the lips of the supreme sage, when King Parīkṣit was observing his fast, in the presence of the great sages and seers.
(अनुष्टुप्) एतद्वः कथितं विप्राः कथनीयोरुकर्मणः । माहात्म्यं वासुदेवस्य सर्वाशुभविनाशनम्
O brāhmaṇas, I have thus told you the glorious deeds of the Lord of mighty acts, whose greatness destroys all misfortune.
य एतत्श्रावयेन्नित्यं यामक्षणमनन्यधीः । श्रद्धावान् योऽनुश्रृणुयात् पुनात्यात्मानमेव सः
Whoever, with unwavering mind and faith, recites or attentively listens to this daily, even for a moment, purifies himself.
द्वादश्यामेकादश्यां वा श्रृण्वन्नायुष्यवान् भवेत् । पठत्यनश्नन् प्रयतः ततो भवत्यपातकी
Hearing this on the twelfth or eleventh day of the lunar fortnight grants long life; reciting it with self-control and fasting, one becomes free from sin.
पुष्करे मथुरायां च द्वारवत्यां यतात्मवान् । उपोष्य संहितामेतां पठित्वा मुच्यते भयात्
One who, self-controlled, observes a fast and recites this collection in Puṣkara, Mathurā, or Dvārakā, is freed from fear.
देवता मुनयः सिद्धाः पितरो मनवो नृपाः । यच्छन्ति कामान् गृणतः श्रृण्वतो यस्य कीर्तनात्
By the praise and hearing of whose glories, the gods, sages, perfected beings, ancestors, Manus, and kings grant desires to those who sing or listen.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि द्विजोऽधीत्यानुविन्दते । मधुकुल्या घृतकुल्याः पयःकुल्याश्च तत्फलम्
A twice-born who studies the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas attains the fruits of honey, clarified butter, and milk streams.
पुराणसंहितां एतां अधीत्य प्रयतो द्विजः । प्रोक्तं भगवता यत्तु तत्पदं परमं व्रजेत्
A devoted twice-born who studies this Purāṇa collection attains the supreme abode spoken of by the Lord.
विप्रोऽधीत्याप्नुयात् प्रज्ञां राजन्योदधिमेखलाम् । वैश्यो निधिपतित्वं च शूद्रः शुध्येत पातकात्
By studying, a brāhmaṇa attains wisdom, a kṣatriya the sovereignty of the ocean, a vaiśya lordship over wealth, and a śūdra is purified from sin.
(unknown) कलिमलसंहतिकालनोऽखिलेशो हरिरितरत्र न गीयते ह्यभीक्ष्णम् । इह तु पुनर्भगवानशेषमूर्तिः परिपठितोऽनुपदं कथाप्रसङ्गैः
Elsewhere, Hari, the Lord of all, who burns away the mass of Kali's impurity, is not sung of constantly; but here, the Lord, whose form is all-encompassing, is thoroughly recited, verse by verse, in the course of these narratives.
(पुष्पिताग्रा) तमहमजमनन्तमात्मतत्त्वं जगदुदयस्थितिसंयमात्मशक्तिम् । द्युपतिभिरजशक्रशङ्कराद्यैः दुरवसितस्तवमच्युतं नतोऽस्मि
I bow to You, the unborn, infinite, true Self, whose power brings about the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe, whose praise is difficult to grasp even for the lords of heaven—Brahmā, Indra, Śiva, and others—O infallible One.
उपचितनवशक्तिभिः स्व आत्मनि उपरचितस्थिरजङ्गमालयाय । भगवत उपलब्धिमात्रधाम्ने सुरऋषभाय नमः सनातनाय
Homage to the eternal Supreme among the gods, whose own power, newly accumulated, forms the stable and moving worlds within Himself, and whose abode is realized only by the blessed.
(मालिनी) स्वसुखनिभृतचेतास्तद्व्युदस्तान्यभावोऽपि अजितरुचिरलीलाकृष्टसारस्तदीयम् । व्यतनुत कृपया यः तत्त्वदीपं पुराणं तमखिलवृजिनघ्नं व्याससूनुं नतोऽस्मि
I bow to Vyāsa's son, who, with a mind absorbed in his own bliss and free from all else, was drawn by the unconquered Lord's charming play, and who, out of compassion, revealed this Purāṇa, the lamp of truth, destroyer of all sin.