ಕುರ್ವಾಣಾ ಯತ್ರ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಭಗವಚ್ಛಿಕ್ಷಯಾಸಕೃತ್ । ಗೃಣನ್ತಿ ಗುಣನಾಮಾನಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಸ್ಯಾನುಸ್ಮರನ್ತಿ ಚ
Where one performs actions at the instruction of the Lord, prompted by divine teaching, they praise the Lord's qualities and recall Krishna.
ನಮೋ ಭಗವತೇ ತುಭ್ಯಂ ವಾಸುದೇವಾಯ ಧೀಮಹಿ । ಪ್ರದ್ಯುಮ್ನಾಯಾನಿರುದ್ಧಾಯ ನಮಃ ಸಙ್ಕರ್ಷಣಾಯ ಚ
Salutations to you, O Lord Vāsudeva, we meditate on you; salutations to Pradyumna and to Aniruddha, and to Saṅkarṣaṇa as well.
ಇತಿ ಮೂರ್ತ್ಯಭಿಧಾನೇನ ಮಂತ್ರಮೂರ್ತಿಮಮೂರ್ತಿಕಮ್ । ಯಜತೇ ಯಜ್ಞಪುರುಷಂ ಸ ಸಮ್ಯಗ್ ದರ್ಶನಃ ಪುಮಾನ್
Thus, by naming the forms and by designating mantra in form and formless, one worships the sacrifice-person; truly that man attains right vision.
ಇಮಂ ಸ್ವನಿಗಮಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನ್ ಅವೇತ್ಯ ಮದನುಷ್ಠಿತಮ್ । ಅದಾನ್ಮೇ ಜ್ಞಾನಮೈಶ್ವರ್ಯಂ ಸ್ವಸ್ಮಿನ್ ಭಾವಂ ಚ ಕೇಶವಃ
Having gained this intimate recitation, O Brahman, performed by me as an act, Keshava bestowed upon me the knowledge of lordliness and the inner state within himself.
(ಇಂದ್ರವಂಶಾ) ತ್ವಮಪ್ಯದಭ್ರಶ್ರುತ ವಿಶ್ರುತಂ ವಿಭೋಃ ಸಮಾಪ್ಯತೇ ಯೇನ ವಿದಾಂ ಬುಭುತ್ಸಿತಮ್ । ಪ್ರಾಖ್ಯಾಹಿ ದುಃಖೈರ್ಮುಹುರರ್ದಿತಾತ್ಮನಾಂ ಸಂಕ್ಲೇಶನಿರ್ವಾಣಮುಶನ್ತಿ ನಾನ್ಯಥಾ
You too, heir of Indra's line, hear again this famed and oft‑told teaching of the Lord: those who are repeatedly overwhelmed by misery and who wail with sorrow—only through the destruction of suffering do they find liberation, not otherwise.
ಸೂತ ಉವಾಚ । (ಅನುಷ್ಟುಪ್) ಏವಂ ನಿಶಮ್ಯ ಭಗವಾನ್ ದೇವರ್ಷೇರ್ಜನ್ಮ ಕರ್ಮ ಚ । ಭೂಯಃ ಪಪ್ರಚ್ಛ ತಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನ್ ವ್ಯಾಸಃ ಸತ್ಯವತೀಸುತಃ
Sūta said: Thus having heard from the Lord and the seer the accounts of birth and deeds, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, again asked that foremost of gods many questions.
ವ್ಯಾಸ ಉವಾಚ । ಭಿಕ್ಷುಭಿರ್ವಿಪ್ರವಸಿತೇ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಾದೇಷ್ಟೃಭಿಸ್ತವ । ವರ್ತಮಾನೋ ವಯಸ್ಯಾದ್ಯೇ ತತಃ ಕಿಮಕರೋದ್‍ಭವಾನ್
Vyāsa said: O brahmanas who beg, O knowers and wishers, presently you have come of age—what then did the lord of beings do?
ಸ್ವಾಯಂಭುವ ಕಯಾ ವೃತ್ತ್ಯಾ ವರ್ತಿತಂ ತೇ ಪರಂ ವಯಃ । ಕಥಂ ಚೇದಮುದಸ್ರಾಕ್ಷೀಃ ಕಾಲೇ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ತೇ ಕಲೇವರಮ್
By what nature did the Self‑born one conduct himself in those days? How, when time reached the body, did the eye from which one is released act?
ಪ್ರಾಕ್ಕಲ್ಪವಿಷಯಾಮೇತಾಂ ಸ್ಮೃತಿಂ ತೇ ಸುರಸತ್ತಮ । ನ ಹ್ಯೇಷ ವ್ಯವಧಾತ್ಕಾಲ ಏಷ ಸರ್ವನಿರಾಕೃತಿಃ
Before the world-cycle subject matter recollect that, O best of gods: indeed this is not fixed by time—this is the universal dissolution.
ನಾರದ ಉವಾಚ । ಭಿಕ್ಷುಭಿರ್ವಿಪ್ರವಸಿತೇ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಾದೇಷ್ಟೃಭಿರ್ಮಮ । ವರ್ತಮಾನೋ ವಯಸ್ಯಾದ್ಯೇ ತತ ಏತದಕಾರಷಮ್
Nārada said: O beggars and brahmanas, arisen from knowledge and from desire, when you have reached old age, that was my question.
ಏಕಾತ್ಮಜಾ ಮೇ ಜನನೀ ಯೋಷಿನ್ಮೂಢಾ ಚ ಕಿಙ್ಕರೀ । ಮಯ್ಯಾತ್ಮಜೇಽನನ್ಯಗತೌ ಚಕ್ರೇ ಸ್ನೇಹಾನುಬಂಧನಮ್
My mother, born of one self, a woman and yet bewildered, acted as a servant; because she focused exclusively on my person, a bond of affection was formed.
ಸಾಸ್ವತಂತ್ರಾ ನ ಕಲ್ಪಾಸೀದ್ ಯೋಗಕ್ಷೇಮಂ ಮಮೇಚ್ಛತೀ । ಈಶಸ್ಯ ಹಿ ವಶೇ ಲೋಕೋ ಯೋಷಾ ದಾರುಮಯೀ ಯಥಾ
She would not remain forever free, desiring my welfare; for the world lies under the Lord’s sway, just as a woman is subject to a man.
ಅಹಂ ಚ ತದ್‍ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಕುಲೇ ಊಷಿವಾಂಸ್ತದಪೇಕ್ಷಯಾ । ದಿಗ್ದೇಶಕಾಲಾವ್ಯುತ್ಪನ್ನೋ ಬಾಲಕಃ ಪಞ್ಚಹಾಯನಃ
I, born into that brahmin household and lacking other desires, appeared as a child, shaped by direction, region and time, the fifth in line.
ಏಕದಾ ನಿರ್ಗತಾಂ ಗೇಹಾದ್ ದುಹನ್ತೀಂ ನಿಶಿ ಗಾಂ ಪಥಿ । ಸರ್ಪೋಽದಶತ್ಪದಾ ಸ್ಪೃಷ್ಟಃ ಕೃಪಣಾಂ ಕಾಲಚೋದಿತಃ
Once, leaving the house at night along a cow-track to milk the cows, I was touched by a snake with ten steps and, driven by fear, became miserly.
ತದಾ ತದಹಮೀಶಸ್ಯ ಭಕ್ತಾನಾಂ ಶಮಭೀಪ್ಸತಃ । ಅನುಗ್ರಹಂ ಮನ್ಯಮಾನಃ ಪ್ರಾತಿಷ್ಠಂ ದಿಶಮುತ್ತರಾಮ್
Then, hoping to pacify the devotees of that lord, I thought myself graced and took my stand toward the northern direction at dawn.
ಸ್ಫೀತಾಞ್ಜನಪದಾಂಸ್ತತ್ರ ಪುರಗ್ರಾಮವ್ರಜಾಕರಾನ್ । ಖೇಟಖರ್ವಟವಾಟೀಶ್ಚ ವನಾನ್ಯುಪವನಾನಿ ಚ
There I saw wide-open sanctified places, villages and cow-encircling paths, threshing floors and peasant cottages, and groves and gardens.
ಚಿತ್ರಧಾತುವಿಚಿತ್ರಾದ್ರೀನ್ ಇಭಭಗ್ನಭುಜದ್ರುಮಾನ್ । ಜಲಾಶಯಾನ್ ಶಿವಜಲಾನ್ ನಲಿನೀಃ ಸುರಸೇವಿತಾಃ
Hills of diverse minerals and variety, trees with broken arms, water-bodies with auspicious waters, lotus-pools tended by reeds and aromatic plants.
ಚಿತ್ರಸ್ವನೈಃ ಪತ್ರರಥೈಃ ವಿಭ್ರಮದ್ ಭ್ರಮರಶ್ರಿಯಃ । ನಲವೇಣುಶರಸ್ತಮ್ಬ ಕುಶಕೀಚಕಗಹ್ವರಮ್
Leaves like colourful chariots and roving bees in abundance, the sound of a flute and stalks, huts of grass, blades of kusa grass and caverns.
ಏಕ ಏವಾತಿಯಾತೋಽಹಂ ಅದ್ರಾಕ್ಷಂ ವಿಪಿನಂ ಮಹತ್ । ಘೋರಂ ಪ್ರತಿಭಯಾಕಾರಂ ವ್ಯಾಲೋಲೂಕಶಿವಾಜಿರಮ್
I alone advanced into that vast forest, seeing a dreadful sight that inspired horror: serpents, frogs, and other fearful creatures.
ಪರಿಶ್ರಾನ್ತೇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಾತ್ಮಾಹಂ ತೃಟ್ಪರೀತೋ ಬುಭುಕ್ಷಿತಃ । ಸ್ನಾತ್ವಾ ಪೀತ್ವಾ ಹ್ರದೇ ನದ್ಯಾ ಉಪಸ್ಪೃಷ್ಟೋ ಗತಶ್ರಮಃ
Exhausted in body and senses, hungry and deprived, I bathed and drank in the lake and river; weariness touched me as I went on.
ತಸ್ಮಿನ್ನಿರ್ಮನುಜೇಽರಣ್ಯೇ ಪಿಪ್ಪಲೋಪಸ್ಥ ಆಶ್ರಿತಃ । ಆತ್ಮನಾತ್ಮಾನಮಾತ್ಮಸ್ಥಂ ಯಥಾಶ್ರುತಮಚಿನ್ತಯಮ್
In that wild place, sheltered under a pipal tree, I contemplated self and Self within the self exactly as I had heard.
ಧ್ಯಾಯತಶ್ಚರಣಾಂಭೋಜಂ ಭಾವನಿರ್ಜಿತಚೇತಸಾ । ಔತ್ಕಣ್ಠ್ಯಾಶ್ರುಕಲಾಕ್ಷಸ್ಯ ಹೃದ್ಯಾಸೀನ್ಮೇ ಶನೈರ್ಹರಿಃ
Fixing my gaze on the master of my feet and lips, with a mind victorious over emotion, tears welling from my eyes, slowly may Hari dwell in my heart.
ಪ್ರೇಮಾತಿಭರನಿರ್ಭಿನ್ನ ಪುಲಕಾಙ್ಗೋಽತಿನಿರ್ವೃತಃ । ಆನಂದಸಂಪ್ಲವೇ ಲೀನೋ ನಾಪಶ್ಯಮುಭಯಂ ಮುನೇ
Overwhelmed by love, my limbs trembled and collapsed; immersed in a flood of bliss, O sage, I could not perceive any danger.
ರೂಪಂ ಭಗವತೋ ಯತ್ತನ್ ಮನಃಕಾನ್ತಂ ಶುಚಾಪಹಮ್ । ಅಪಶ್ಯನ್ ಸಹಸೋತ್ತಸ್ಥೇ ವೈಕ್ಲವ್ಯಾದ್ ದುರ್ಮನಾ ಇವ
When I suddenly beheld that auspicious, pure‑removing form of the Lord, my heart sank as if seized by faintness and despair.
ದಿದೃಕ್ಷುಸ್ತದಹಂ ಭೂಯಃ ಪ್ರಣಿಧಾಯ ಮನೋ ಹೃದಿ । ವೀಕ್ಷಮಾಣೋಽಪಿ ನಾಪಶ್ಯಂ ಅವಿತೃಪ್ತ ಇವಾತುರಃ
Again and again I wished to see it, fixing my heart and mind upon it; though I strove to look, I could not — like one insatiably sick.
ಏವಂ ಯತನ್ತಂ ವಿಜನೇ ಮಾಮಾಹಾಗೋಚರೋ ಗಿರಾಮ್ । ಗಂಭೀರಶ್ಲಕ್ಷ್ಣಯಾ ವಾಚಾ ಶುಚಃ ಪ್ರಶಮಯನ್ನಿವ
Thus striving, I spoke words beyond hearing: with deep, soft speech as if pacifying the pure‑hearted I uttered it aloud.
ಹನ್ತಾಸ್ಮಿನ್ ಜನ್ಮನಿ ಭವಾನ್ ಮಾ ಮಾಂ ದ್ರಷ್ಟುಮಿಹಾರ್ಹತಿ । ಅವಿಪಕ್ವಕಷಾಯಾಣಾಂ ದುರ್ದರ್ಶೋಽಹಂ ಕುಯೋಗಿನಾಮ್
Alas, in this birth you are not fit to behold me; among those of immature temperament I am hard to see, O ascetic.
ಸಕೃದ್ ಯದ್ ದರ್ಶಿತಂ ರೂಪಂ ಏತತ್ಕಾಮಾಯ ತೇಽನಘ । ಮತ್ಕಾಮಃ ಶನಕೈಃ ಸಾಧು ಸರ್ವಾನ್ ಮುಞ್ಚತಿ ಹೃಚ್ಛಯಾನ್
Once the form was shown for your sake, faultless one; gradually, as you rightly long for it, the desire for me frees all attachments in the heart.
ಸತ್ಸೇವಯಾಽದೀರ್ಘಯಾ ತೇ ಜಾತಾ ಮಯಿ ದೃಢಾ ಮತಿಃ । ಹಿತ್ವಾವದ್ಯಮಿಮಂ ಲೋಕಂ ಗನ್ತಾ ಮಜ್ಜನತಾಮಸಿ
By long, faithful service your mind toward me has become firm; having abandoned the impermanent world, go — you are sinking into darkness.
ಮತಿರ್ಮಯಿ ನಿಬದ್ಧೇಯಂ ನ ವಿಪದ್ಯೇತ ಕರ್ಹಿಚಿತ್ । ಪ್ರಜಾಸರ್ಗನಿರೋಧೇಽಪಿ ಸ್ಮೃತಿಶ್ಚ ಮದನುಗ್ರಹಾತ್
Bind your mind to me so it never falls into peril; even to prevent the creation of beings, remember me by my grace.