Bhagavata Purana

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.

सूत उवाच । विदुरस्तीर्थयात्रायां मैत्रेयादात्मनो गतिम् । ज्ञात्वागाt हास्तिनपुरं तयावाप्तविवित्सितः

Sūta said: Vidura, having learned about the path of the self from Maitreya during his pilgrimage, returned to Hastināpura, his desire for knowledge fulfilled by her.

यावतः कृतवान् प्रश्नान् क्षत्ता कौषारवाग्रतः । जातैकभक्तिः गोविन्दे तेभ्यश्चोपरराम ह

As long as Vidura asked questions before the sage Kauṣārava, he developed exclusive devotion to Govinda, and then he ceased from those inquiries.

तं बन्धुमागतं दृष्ट्वा धर्मपुत्रः सहानुजः । धृतराष्ट्रो युयुत्सुश्च सूतः शारद्वतः पृथा

Seeing their kinsman return, Dharmaputra with his brothers, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Sūta, Kṛpa, and Pṛthā,

गान्धारी द्रौपदी ब्रह्मन् सुभद्रा चोत्तरा कृपी । अन्याश्च जामयः पाण्डोः ज्ञातयः ससुताः स्त्रियः

Gāndhārī, Draupadī, O brāhmaṇa, Subhadrā, Uttara, Kṛpī, and other wives of Pāṇḍu, along with their sons and female relatives,

प्रत्युज्जग्मुः प्रहर्षेण प्राणं तन्व इवागतम् । अभिसङ्‌गम्य विधिवत् परिष्वङ्‌गाभिवादनैः

All rose up with delight, as if life itself had returned to their bodies, and, approaching him properly, greeted him with embraces and salutations.

मुमुचुः प्रेमबाष्पौघं विरहौत्कण्ठ्य कातराः । राजा तमर्हयां चक्रे कृतासन परिग्रहम्

Overcome by longing from separation, they shed streams of tears of love; the king honored him, offering a seat and welcoming him.

तं भुक्तवन्तं विश्रान्तं आसीनं सुखमासने । प्रश्रयावनतो राजा प्राह तेषां च श्रृण्वताम्

When he had eaten, rested, and was comfortably seated, the king, bowing with humility, spoke as all listened.

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । अपि स्मरथ नो युष्मत् पक्षच्छायासमेधितान् । विपद्‍गणाद् विषाग्न्यादेः मोचिता यत्समातृकाः

Yudhiṣṭhira said: Do you remember us, who thrived under your shelter, and were saved, along with our mother, from many dangers such as poison and fire?

कया वृत्त्या वर्तितं वः चरद्‌भिः क्षितिमण्डलम् । तीर्थानि क्षेत्रमुख्यानि सेवितानीह भूतले

By what means have you lived while wandering the earth? Have you visited the chief holy places and sacred fields on this earth?

भवद्विधा भागवताः तीर्थभूताः स्वयं विभो । तीर्थीकुर्वन्ति तीर्थानि स्वान्तःस्थेन गदाभृता

O Lord, devotees like you are themselves holy places; they sanctify even sacred sites by carrying within their hearts the bearer of the mace.