Bhagavata Purana

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.

अपि नः सुहृदस्तात बान्धवाः कृष्णदेवताः । दृष्टाः श्रुता वा यदवः स्वपुर्यां सुखमासते

O dear one, have our friends and relatives, the worshippers of Krishna, been seen or heard from? Are the Yadavas living happily in their city?

इत्युक्तो धर्मराजेन सर्वं तत् समवर्णयत् । यथानुभूतं क्रमशो विना यदुकुलक्षयम्

Thus addressed by Dharmaraja, he described everything as he had experienced it, step by step, except for the destruction of the Yadu dynasty.

नन्वप्रियं दुर्विषहं नृणां स्वयमुपस्थितम् । नावेदयत् सकरुणो दुःखितान् द्रष्टुमक्षमः

Although something unpleasant and unbearable had occurred, he did not report it, being compassionate and unable to witness the sorrow of others.

कञ्चित् कालमथ अवात्सीत् सत्कृतो देववत्सुखम् । भ्रातुर्ज्येष्ठस्य श्रेयस्कृत् सर्वेषां सुखमावहन्

For some time, he stayed there, honored and happy like a god, bringing well-being to his elder brother and happiness to all.

अबिभ्रदर्यमा दण्डं यथावत् अघकारिषु । यावद् दधार शूद्रत्वं शापात् वर्षशतं यमः

Aryama carried out punishment upon wrongdoers as required, while Yama, due to a curse, maintained the status of a Shudra for a hundred years.

युधिष्ठिरो लब्धराज्यो दृष्ट्वा पौत्रं कुलन्धरम् । भ्रातृभिर्लोकपालाभैः मुमुदे परया श्रिया

Yudhishthira, having regained his kingdom and seeing his grandson as the heir of the dynasty, rejoiced with his brothers, who resembled guardians of the world, in supreme prosperity.

एवं गृहेषु सक्तानां प्रमत्तानां तदीहया । अत्यक्रामत् अविज्ञातः कालः परमदुस्तरः

Thus, for those attached to their homes and heedless, absorbed in such pursuits, time, exceedingly difficult to overcome, passed unnoticed.

विदुरस्तत् अभिप्रेत्य धृतराष्ट्रं अभाषत । राजन् निर्गम्यतां शीघ्रं पश्येदं भयमागतम्

Vidura, perceiving this, spoke to Dhritarashtra: 'O King, depart quickly; see how danger has arrived.'

प्रतिक्रिया न यस्येह कुतश्चित् कर्हिचित् प्रभो । स एष भगवान् कालः सर्वेषां नः समागतः

There is no remedy here, from anywhere or at any time, O Lord; this is the Supreme Time, the Lord, who has come for all of us.

येन चैवाभिपन्नोऽयं प्राणैः प्रियतमैरपि । जनः सद्यो वियुज्येत किमुतान्यैः धनादिभिः

By whom even those most dear, with their very lives, are overtaken, and people are suddenly separated; what to say of others, like wealth and so forth?