Bhagavata Purana

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.

व्योमवाणी तदैवाभूत् मा ऋषे खिद्यतामिति । उद्यमः सफलस्तेऽयं भविष्यति न संशयः

At that very moment, a voice from the sky spoke: 'O sage, do not be distressed. Your effort will bear fruit; there is no doubt.'

एतदर्थं तु सत्कर्म सुरर्षे त्वं समाचर । तत्ते कर्माभिधास्यन्ति साधवः साधुभूषणाः

For this purpose, O sage among the gods, perform virtuous deeds. The noble ones, adorned with virtue, will declare your action.

सत्कर्मणि कृते तस्मिन् सनिद्रा वृद्धतानयोः । गमिष्यति क्षणाद्‌भक्तिः सर्वतः प्रसरिष्यति

When that virtuous act is performed, sleep and old age in those two will depart at once, and devotion will spread everywhere.

इत्याकाशवचः स्पष्टं तत्सर्वैरपि विश्रुतम् । नारदो विस्मयं लेभे नेदं ज्ञातमिति ब्रुवन्

Thus the clear voice from the sky was heard by all, and Nārada was amazed, saying, 'This was not known to me.'

नारद उवाच - अनयाऽऽकाशवाण्यापि गोप्यत्वेन निरूपितम् । किं वा तत्साधनं कार्यं येन कार्यं भवेत् तयोः

Nārada said: 'Even by this celestial speech, the matter is kept secret. What is that means, what action must be done, by which their purpose may be fulfilled?'

क्व भविष्यन्ति सन्तस्ते कथं दास्यन्ति साधनम् । मयात्र किं प्रकर्तव्यं यदुक्तं व्योमभाषया

'Where will the virtuous ones be found, how will they give the means? What must I do here, as spoken by the voice from the sky?'

सूत उवाच - तत्र द्वौ अपि संस्थाप्य निर्गतो नारदो मुनिः । तीर्थं तीर्थं विनिष्क्रम्य पृच्छन् मार्गे मुनीश्वरान्

Sūta said: 'Having settled those two there, the sage Nārada departed, going from one holy place to another, asking the great sages along the way.'

वृत्तान्तः श्रूयते सर्वैः किंचित् निश्चित्य नोच्यते । असाध्यं केचन प्रोचुः दुर्ज्ञेयमिति चापरे । मूकीभूतास्तथान्ये तु कियन्तस्तु पलायिताः

The account was heard by all, but after deliberation, none spoke. Some said it was impossible, others said it was difficult to understand; some became silent, and a few fled.

हाहाकारो महानासीत् त्रैलोक्ये विस्मयावहः । वेदवेदान्तघोषैश्च गीतापाठैर्विबोधितम्

A great commotion arose in the three worlds, causing wonder; awakened by proclamations of the Vedas, Vedānta, and recitations of the Gītā.

भक्तिज्ञानविरागाणां नोदतिष्ठत् त्रिकं यदा उपायो नापरोऽस्तीति कर्णे कर्णेऽजपञ्जनाः

When the triad of devotion, knowledge, and detachment did not arise, people whispered from ear to ear, 'There is no other means.'

योगिना नारदेनापि स्वयं न ज्ञायते तु यत् । तत्कथं शक्यते वक्तुं इतरैरिह मानुषैः

Even by Nārada, the yogi, it was not understood; so how could it be spoken by others here among men?

एवं ऋषिगणैः पृष्टैः निर्णीयोक्तं दुरासदम्

Thus, questioned by the groups of sages, it was determined and declared to be inaccessible.

ततश्चिन्तातुरः सोऽथ बदरीवनमागतः । तपश्चरामि चात्रेति तदर्थं कृतनिश्चयः

Then, troubled by concern, he came to the Badarī forest, resolved to undertake austerity there for that purpose.

तावद् ददर्श पुरतः सनकादीन् मुनीश्वरान् । कोटिसूर्यसमाभासान् उवाच मुनिसत्तमः

At that time, he saw before him the great sages Sanaka and others, shining like millions of suns, and the foremost sage spoke.

नारद उवाच - इदानीं भूरिभाग्येन भवद्‌भिः संगमोऽभवत् । कुमारा ब्रुवतां शीघ्रं कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि

Nārada said: 'Now, by great fortune, I have met you. O Kumāras, please speak quickly, showing compassion to me.'