ਕੋ ਵਾ ਭਗਵਤਸ੍ਤਸ੍ਯ ਪੁਣ੍ਯਸ਼੍ਲੋਕੇਡ੍ਯਕਰ੍ਮਣਃ । ਸ਼ੁਦ੍ਧਿਕਾਮੋ ਨ ਸ਼੍ਰृਣੁਯਾਦ੍ ਯਸ਼ਃ ਕਲਿਮਲਾਪਹਮ੍
Who indeed is that God, O reciter, whose single pure verse removes wicked deeds? Let a seeker of purity not refuse to hear the fame that destroys the filth of Kali.
ਤਸ੍ਯ ਕਰ੍ਮਾਣ੍ਯੁਦਾਰਾਣਿ ਪਰਿਗੀਤਾਨਿ ਸੂਰਿਭਿਃ । ਬ੍ਰੂਹਿ ਨਃ ਸ਼੍ਰਦ੍ਦਧਾਨਾਨਾਂ ਲੀਲਯਾ ਦਧਤਃ ਕਲਾਃ
His generous deeds have been sung by the gods; tell us, O you of faith, how by his play the arts were held and bestowed.
ਅਥਾਖ੍ਯਾਹਿ ਹਰੇਰ੍ਧੀਮਨ੍ ਅਵਤਾਰਕਥਾਃ ਸ਼ੁਭਾਃ । ਲੀਲਾ ਵਿਦਧਤਃ ਸ੍ਵੈਰਂ ਈਸ਼੍ਵਰਸ੍ਯਾਤ੍ਮਮਾਯਯਾ
Now declare, O wise one, the auspicious tales of the incarnations, how by his own sovereignty he enacted pastimes freely by the magic of his own self.
ਵਯਂ ਤੁ ਨ ਵਿਤृਪ੍ਯਾਮ ਉਤ੍ਤਮਸ਼੍ਲੋਕਵਿਕ੍ਰਮੇ । ਯਤ੍ ਸ਼੍ਰृਣ੍ਵਤਾਂ ਰਸਜ੍ਞਾਨਾਂ ਸ੍ਵਾਦੁ ਸ੍ਵਾਦੁ ਪਦੇ ਪਦੇ
We are not sated with the best heroic verses; as listeners of nectarean knowledge we savor, line by line, the sweet savor of each phrase.
ਕृਤਵਾਨ੍ ਕਿਲ ਵੀਰ੍ਯਾਣਿ ਸਹ ਰਾਮੇਣ ਕੇਸ਼ਵਃ । ਅਤਿਮਰ੍ਤ੍ਯਾਨਿ ਭਗਵਾਨ੍ ਗੂਢਃ ਕਪਟਮਾਨੁषਃ
Indeed Keshava performed heroic deeds with Rama; the Lord, though appearing like an ordinary mortal, hid his divinity beneath human guile.
ਕਲਿਮਾਗਤਮਾਜ੍ਞਾਯ ਕ੍ਸ਼ੇਤ੍ਰੇऽਸ੍ਮਿਨ੍ ਵੈष੍ਣਵੇ ਵਯਮ੍ । ਆਸੀਨਾ ਦੀਰ੍ਘਸਤ੍ਰੇਣ ਕਥਾਯਾਂ ਸਕ੍ਸ਼ਣਾ ਹਰੇਃ
Knowing that the age of Kali had arrived and in this realm of Vaishnavas, we, seated at a long sacrificial session, listened together to the Lord's story.
ਤ੍ਵਂ ਨਃ ਸਂਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਿਤੋ ਧਾਤ੍ਰਾ ਦੁਸ੍ਤਰਂ ਨਿਸ੍ਤਿਤੀਰ੍षਤਾਮ੍ । ਕਲਿਂ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਹਰਂ ਪੁਂਸਾਂ ਕਰ੍ਣਧਾਰ ਇਵਾਰ੍ਣਵਮ੍
O binder of the world, you were revealed to us; you who remove the darkness of Kali from men's hearts, like an ocean bearing a prow.
ਬ੍ਰੂਹਿ ਯੋਗੇਸ਼੍ਵਰੇ ਕृष੍ਣੇ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਣ੍ਯੇ ਧਰ੍ਮਵਰ੍ਮਣਿ । ਸ੍ਵਾਂ ਕਾष੍ਠਾਮਧੁਨੋਪੇਤੇ ਧਰ੍ਮਃ ਕਂ ਸ਼ਰਣਂ ਗਤਃ
Declare, O lord of yogis, O Krishna, O Brahman, O enforcer of Dharma: having set aside our own stakes, to whom have the righteous surrendered for refuge?
ਵ੍ਯਾਸ ਉਵਾਚ । ਇਤਿ ਸਂਪ੍ਰਸ਼੍ਨਸਂਹृष੍ਟੋ ਵਿਪ੍ਰਾਣਾਂ ਰੌਮਹਰ੍षਣਿਃ । ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪੂਜ੍ਯ ਵਚਸ੍ਤੇषਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਵਕ੍ਤੁਂ ਉਪਚਕ੍ਰਮੇ
Vyasa said: Thus encouraged by the eager questioning of the twice-born and stirred like a mountain of thunder, he honored their words and began to speak.
ਸੂਤ ਉਵਾਚ । (ਵਸਂਤਤਿਲਕਾ) ਯਂ ਪ੍ਰਵ੍ਰਜਨ੍ਤਮਨੁਪੇਤਮਪੇਤਕृਤ੍ਯਂ ਦ੍ਵੈਪਾਯਨੋ ਵਿਰਹਕਾਤਰ ਆਜੁਹਾਵ । ਪੁਤ੍ਰੇਤਿ ਤਨ੍ਮਯਤਯਾ ਤਰਵੋऽਭਿਨੇਦੁਃ ਤਂ ਸਰ੍ਵਭੂਤਹृਦਯਂ ਮੁਨਿਮਾਨਤੋऽਸ੍ਮਿ
Sūta said: I remember a sage whose whole heart yearned for the renouncer who had left home; the youth, all absorbed and calling him 'son,' longed in sorrow from separation — I, among the wise, behold that universally cherished heart.
ਯਃ ਸ੍ਵਾਨੁਭਾਵਮਖਿਲ ਸ਼੍ਰੁਤਿਸਾਰਮੇਕਂ ਅਧ੍ਯਾਤ੍ਮਦੀਪਂ ਅਤਿਤਿਤੀਰ੍षਤਾਂ ਤਮੋऽਨ੍ਧਮ੍ । ਸਂਸਾਰਿਣਾਂ ਕਰੁਣਯਾऽऽਹ ਪੁਰਾਣਗੁਹ੍ਯਂ ਤਂ ਵ੍ਯਾਸਸੂਨੁਮੁਪਯਾਮਿ ਗੁਰੁਂ ਮੁਨੀਨਾਮ੍
He who, by his own direct experience and the essence of all heard lore, desired the inner light of spirit that dispels darkness, and out of compassion for those bound to the world disclosed ancient secret teaching — to that sage Vyāsa's son I bow, the preceptor of sages.
(ਅਨੁष੍ਟੁਪ੍) ਨਾਰਾਯਣਂ ਨਮਸ੍ਕृਤ੍ਯ ਨਰਂ ਚੈਵ ਨਰੋਤ੍ਤਮਮ੍ । ਦੇਵੀਂ ਸਰਸ੍ਵਤੀਂ ਵ੍ਯਾਸਂ ਤਤੋ ਜਯਮੁਦੀਰਯੇਤ੍
Having bowed to Nārāyaṇa and to the foremost of men, and to the goddess Sarasvatī and to Vyāsa, then one should utter victory.
ਮੁਨਯਃ ਸਾਧੁ ਪृष੍ਟੋऽਹਂ ਭਵਦ੍ਭਿਃ ਲੋਕਮਙ੍ਗਲਮ੍ । ਯਤ੍ਕृਤਃ ਕृष੍ਣਸਂਪ੍ਰਸ਼੍ਨੋ ਯੇਨਾਤ੍ਮਾ ਸੁਪ੍ਰਸੀਦਤਿ
O best of ascetics, I ask you for the welfare of the world: what was asked of Kṛṣṇa, by which the self becomes greatly pleased?
ਸ ਵੈ ਪੁਂਸਾਂ ਪਰੋ ਧਰ੍ਮੋ ਯਤੋ ਭਕ੍ਤਿਰਧੋਕ੍ਸ਼ਜੇ । ਅਹੈਤੁਕ੍ਯਪ੍ਰਤਿਹਤਾ ਯਯਾਤ੍ਮਾ ਸਂਪ੍ਰਸੀਦਤਿ
That supreme duty of humans is devotion directed to the Lord who dwells in the sky of the heart; when devotion is free of selfish cause, the self becomes pleased.
ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵੇ ਭਗਵਤਿ ਭਕ੍ਤਿਯੋਗਃ ਪ੍ਰਯੋਜਿਤਃ । ਜਨਯਤ੍ਯਾਸ਼ੁ ਵੈਰਾਗ੍ਯਂ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਚ ਯਦ੍ ਅਹੈਤੁਕਮ੍
Devotional union with Vasudeva is the means: from it quickly arises dispassion and, without motive, both knowledge and the non‑causal detachment.
ਧਰ੍ਮਃ ਸ੍ਵਨੁष੍ਠਿਤਃ ਪੁਂਸਾਂ ਵਿष੍ਵਕ੍ਸੇਨਕਥਾਸੁ ਯਃ । ਨੋਤ੍ਪਾਦਯੇਦ੍ ਯਦਿ ਰਤਿਂ ਸ਼੍ਰਮ ਏਵ ਹਿ ਕੇਵਲਮ੍
The duty performed by people according to the stories of Viśvaksena, if it produces only attachment, then it yields nothing but toil alone.
ਧਰ੍ਮਸ੍ਯ ਹ੍ਯਾਪਵਰ੍ਗ੍ਯਸ੍ਯ ਨਾਰ੍ਥੋऽਰ੍ਥਾਯੋਪਕਲ੍ਪਤੇ । ਨਾਰ੍ਥਸ੍ਯ ਧਰ੍ਮੈਕਾਨ੍ਤਸ੍ਯ ਕਾਮੋ ਲਾਭਾਯ ਹਿ ਸ੍ਮृਤਃ
Out of duty comes escape only when it is not claimed for worldly gain; for what is of gain alone is remembered as desire aimed at profit.
ਕਾਮਸ੍ਯ ਨੇਨ੍ਦ੍ਰਿਯਪ੍ਰੀਤਿਃ ਲਾਭੋ ਜੀਵੇਤ ਯਾਵਤਾ । ਜੀਵਸ੍ਯ ਤਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਜਿਜ੍ਞਾਸਾ ਨਾਰ੍ਥੋ ਯਸ਼੍ਚੇਹ ਕਰ੍ਮਭਿਃ
Desire seeks the pleasure of the senses; gain is to live as long as one can. The enquiry into the nature of being is not for gain, whereas fame arises from actions.
ਵਦਨ੍ਤਿ ਤਤ੍ ਤਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਵਿਦਃ ਤਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਂ ਯਤ੍ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਮਦ੍ਵਯਮ੍ । ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮੇਤਿ ਪਰਮਾਤ੍ਮੇਤਿ ਭਗਵਾਨਿਤਿ ਸ਼ਬ੍ਦ੍ਯਤੇ
Sages versed in truth say that that reality is the nondual knowledge called by names: Brahman, the supreme Self, and Bhagavān.
ਤਤ੍ ਸ਼੍ਰਦ੍ਦਧਾਨਾ ਮੁਨਯੋ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਵੈਰਾਗ੍ਯਯੁਕ੍ਤਯਾ । ਪਸ਼੍ਯਨ੍ਤ੍ਯਾਤ੍ਮਨਿ ਚਾਤ੍ਮਾਨਂ ਭਕ੍ਤ੍ਯਾ ਸ਼੍ਰੁਤਗृਹੀਤਯਾ
The faithful sages, endowed with knowledge and dispassion, perceive the Self in the Self and apprehend it through scriptural acceptance combined with devotion.
ਅਤਃ ਪੁਮ੍ਭਿਃ ਦ੍ਵਿਜਸ਼੍ਰੇष੍ਠਾ ਵਰ੍ਣਾਸ਼੍ਰਮਵਿਭਾਗਸ਼ਃ । ਸ੍ਵਨੁष੍ਠਿਤਸ੍ਯ ਧਰ੍ਮਸ੍ਯ ਸਂਸਿਦ੍ਧਿਃ ਹਰਿਤੋषਣਮ੍
Therefore, best of twice‑born, by the division of castes and stages of life, the duly performed duty of a person brings completion — the laurel of success granted by Hari.
ਤਸ੍ਮਾਦੇਕੇਨ ਮਨਸਾ ਭਗਵਾਨ੍ ਸਾਤ੍ਵਤਾਂ ਪਤਿਃ । ਸ਼੍ਰੋਤਵ੍ਯਃ ਕੀਰ੍ਤਿਤਵ੍ਯਸ਼੍ਚ ਧ੍ਯੇਯਃ ਪੂਜ੍ਯਸ਼੍ਚ ਨਿਤ੍ਯਦਾ
Therefore the supreme Lord, known as the master of the Satvatas, should be contemplated with a single-minded mind; he must be heard, praised, meditated upon, and forever worshipped.
ਯਦ੍ ਅਦਨੁਧ੍ਯਾਸਿਨਾ ਯੁਕ੍ਤਾਃ ਕਰ੍ਮਗ੍ਰਨ੍ਥਿਨਿਬਨ੍ਧਨਮ੍ । ਛਿਨ੍ਦਨ੍ਤਿ ਕੋਵਿਦਾਸ੍ਤਸ੍ਯ ਕੋ ਨ ਕੁਰ੍ਯਾਤ੍ ਕਥਾਰਤਿਮ੍
Those who, abandoning meditative reflection, are bound to the knot of action — who among the wise would sever that bond if not by cultivating attachment to divine narratives?
ਸ਼ੁਸ਼੍ਰੂषੋਃ ਸ਼੍ਰਦ੍ਦਧਾਨਸ੍ਯ ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵਕਥਾਰੁਚਿਃ । ਸ੍ਯਾਨ੍ਮਹਤ੍ਸੇਵਯਾ ਵਿਪ੍ਰਾਃ ਪੁਣ੍ਯਤੀਰ੍ਥਨਿषੇਵਣਾਤ੍
For one who listens with faith, mere taste for the story of Vasudeva is greater than a priest’s service; learned men consider it superior even to bathing at sacred rivers and visiting holy shrines.
ਸ਼੍ਰृਣ੍ਵਤਾਂ ਸ੍ਵਕਥਾਂ ਕृष੍ਣਃ ਪੁਣ੍ਯਸ਼੍ਰਵਣਕੀਰ੍ਤਨਃ । ਹृਦ੍ਯਨ੍ਤਃਸ੍ਥੋ ਹ੍ਯਭਦ੍ਰਾਣਿ ਵਿਧੁਨੋਤਿ ਸੁਹृਤ੍ਸਤਾਮ੍
Krishna’s own account, when heard and chanted, stays in the hearts of friends and dissolves inauspiciousness within them.
ਨष੍ਟਪ੍ਰਾਯੇष੍ਵਭਦ੍ਰੇषੁ ਨਿਤ੍ਯਂ ਭਾਗਵਤਸੇਵਯਾ । ਭਗਵਤਿ ਉਤ੍ਤਮਸ਼੍ਲੋਕੇ ਭਕ੍ਤਿਰ੍ਭਵਤਿ ਨੈष੍ਠਿਕੀ
By constant service to the Bhagavata, devotion to the Lord, expressed in supreme verses, becomes fixed and unwavering, destroying what is nearly lost and inauspicious.
ਤਦਾ ਰਜਸ੍ਤਮੋਭਾਵਾਃ ਕਾਮਲੋਭਾਦਯਸ਼੍ਚ ਯੇ । ਚੇਤ ਏਤੈਰਨਾਵਿਦ੍ਧਂ ਸ੍ਥਿਤਂ ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵੇ ਪ੍ਰਸੀਦਤਿ
Then impurities born of passion and ignorance, such as lust and greed, which had been deeply rooted, become struck and pacified in the purified mind by these practices.
ਏਵਂ ਪ੍ਰਸਨ੍ਨਮਨਸੋ ਭਗਵਦ੍ਭਕ੍ਤਿਯੋਗਤਃ । ਭਗਵਤ੍ ਤਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਵਿਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਮੁਕ੍ਤਸਙ੍ਗਸ੍ਯ ਜਾਯਤੇ
Thus, with a heart made serene by devotion to the Lord, true knowledge of the Lord’s principle arises in the one freed from worldly attachments.
ਭਿਦ੍ਯਤੇ ਹृਦਯਗ੍ਰਨ੍ਥਿਃ ਛਿਦ੍ਯਨ੍ਤੇ ਸਰ੍ਵਸਂਸ਼ਯਾਃ । ਕ੍ਸ਼ੀਯਨ੍ਤੇ ਚਾਸ੍ਯ ਕਰ੍ਮਾਣਿ ਦृष੍ਟ ਏਵਾਤ੍ਮਨੀਸ਼੍ਵਰੇ
The knots of the heart are torn apart, all doubts are cut away, and his actions fade away when he sees the Lord dwelling in the self.
ਅਤੋ ਵੈ ਕਵਯੋ ਨਿਤ੍ਯਂ ਭਕ੍ਤਿਂ ਪਰਮਯਾ ਮੁਦਾ । ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵੇ ਭਗਵਤਿ ਕੁਰ੍ਵਨ੍ਤ੍ਯਾਤ੍ਮਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਨੀਮ੍
Therefore poets always, in supreme delight, sing of devotion; by such songs they bestow self-pleasure oriented toward Vasudeva, the Lord.