ਤ੍ਵਮਾਤ੍ਮਨਾਤ੍ਮਾਨਮਵੇਹ੍ਯਮੋਘਦृਕ੍ ਪਰਸ੍ਯ ਪੁਂਸਃ ਪਰਮਾਤ੍ਮਨਃ ਕਲਾਮ੍ । ਅਜਂ ਪ੍ਰਜਾਤਂ ਜਗਤਃ ਸ਼ਿਵਾਯ ਤਨ੍ ਮਹਾਨੁਭਾਵਾਭ੍ਯੁਦਯੋऽਧਿਗਣ੍ਯਤਾਮ੍
You, O spotless seer, behold the self in the self of another: the supreme of persons, the supreme self’s art. May that unborn, the life of the created world and auspiciousness, be attained by the great‑souled ones!
ਇਦਂ ਹਿ ਪੁਂਸਸ੍ਤਪਸਃ ਸ਼੍ਰੁਤਸ੍ਯ ਵਾ ਸ੍ਵਿष੍ਟਸ੍ਯ ਸੂਕ੍ਤਸ੍ਯ ਚ ਬੁਦ੍ਧਿਦਤ੍ਤਯੋਃ । ਅਵਿਚ੍ਯੁਤੋऽਰ੍ਥਃ ਕਵਿਭਿਰ੍ਨਿਰੂਪਿਤੋ ਯਦੁਤ੍ਤਮਸ਼੍ਲੋਕ ਗੁਣਾਨੁਵਰ੍ਣਨਮ੍
This human, whether born of austerity, learning, or gifted hymns, has an unerring theme that poets have defined: the highest verse describing virtues to be extolled.
(ਇਂਦ੍ਰਵਂਸ਼ਾ) ਅਹਂ ਪੁਰਾਤੀਤਭਵੇऽਭਵਂ ਮੁਨੇ ਦਾਸ੍ਯਾਸ੍ਤੁ ਕਸ੍ਯਾਸ਼੍ਚਨ ਵੇਦਵਾਦਿਨਾਮ੍ । ਨਿਰੂਪਿਤੋ ਬਾਲਕ ਏਵ ਯੋਗਿਨਾਂ ਸ਼ੁਸ਼੍ਰੂषਣੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਵृषਿ ਨਿਰ੍ਵਿਵਿਕ੍ਸ਼ਤਾਮ੍
(Indravamsha) O sage, I was present in ancient times and will be again; to whom are servants given among those like Vedas? Even a child among yogins, described, listened attentively to the sages' ministrations.
ਤੇ ਮਯ੍ਯਪੇਤਾਖਿਲਚਾਪਲੇऽਰ੍ਭਕੇ ਦਾਨ੍ਤੇऽਧृਤਕ੍ਰੀਡਨਕੇऽਨੁਵਰ੍ਤਿਨਿ । ਚਕ੍ਰੁਃ ਕृਪਾਂ ਯਦ੍ਯਪਿ ਤੁਲ੍ਯਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨਾਃ ਸ਼ੁਸ਼੍ਰੂषਮਾਣੇ ਮੁਨਯੋऽਲ੍ਪਭਾषਿਣਿ
Those who received me in childhood — simple, gentle, playful yet restrained — showed compassion equally and had compatible sight; the ascetics attending them spoke little while serving.
ਉਚ੍ਛਿष੍ਟਲੇਪਾਨਨੁਮੋਦਿਤੋ ਦ੍ਵਿਜੈਃ ਸਕृਤ੍ਸ੍ਮ ਭੁਞ੍ਜੇ ਤਦਪਾਸ੍ਤਕਿਲ੍ਬਿषਃ । ਏਵਂ ਪ੍ਰਵृਤ੍ਤਸ੍ਯ ਵਿਸ਼ੁਦ੍ਧਚੇਤਸਃ ਤਦ੍ਧਰ੍ਮ ਏਵਾਤ੍ਮਰੁਚਿਃ ਪ੍ਰਜਾਯਤੇ
Delighted by leftover food smeared upon the face by twice-born ones, I tasted it once and thus committed no sin; for one engaged like this, with a purified mind, duty itself becomes the soul's delight.
(ਵਂਸ਼ਸ੍ਥ) ਤਤ੍ਰਾਨ੍ਵਹਂ ਕृष੍ਣਕਥਾਃ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਯਤਾਂ ਅਨੁਗ੍ਰਹੇਣਾਸ਼੍ਰृਣਵਂ ਮਨੋਹਰਾਃ । ਤਾਃ ਸ਼੍ਰਦ੍ਧਯਾ ਮੇऽਨੁਪਦਂ ਵਿਸ਼੍ਰृਣ੍ਵਤਃ ਪ੍ਰਿਯਸ਼੍ਰਵਸ੍ਯਙ੍ਗ ਮਮਾਭਵਦ੍ ਰੁਚਿਃ
(Vansastha) There I sang stories of Krishna that delighted and captivated the mind by grace; attentive to them with faith, my taste for that pleasing hearing grew as a dear relish.
(ਇਂਦ੍ਰਵਂਸ਼ਾ) ਤਸ੍ਮਿਂਸ੍ਤਦਾ ਲਬ੍ਧਰੁਚੇਰ੍ਮਹਾਮਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਿਯਸ਼੍ਰਵਸ੍ਯਸ੍ਖਲਿਤਾ ਮਤਿਰ੍ਮਮ । ਯਯਾਹਮੇਤਤ੍ ਸਦਸਤ੍ਸ੍ਵਮਾਯਯਾ ਪਸ਼੍ਯੇ ਮਯਿ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਣਿ ਕਲ੍ਪਿਤਂ ਪਰੇ
(Indravamsha) At that time, with great discernment, my taste was gained; my mind, unsteady from that sweetest hearing, fell into error; by whatever wrong-doing both good and bad I see conceived in me a Brahman placed beyond.
ਇਤ੍ਥਂ ਸ਼ਰਤ੍ ਪ੍ਰਾਵृषਿਕਾਵृਤੂ ਹਰੇਃ ਵਿਸ਼੍ਰृਣ੍ਵਤੋ ਮੇऽਨੁਸਵਂ ਯਸ਼ੋऽਮਲਮ੍ । ਸਙ੍ਕੀਰ੍ਤ੍ਯਮਾਨਂ ਮੁਨਿਭਿਰ੍ਮਹਾਤ੍ਮਭਿਃ ਭਕ੍ਤਿਃ ਪ੍ਰਵृਤ੍ਤਾऽऽਤ੍ਮਰਜਸ੍ਤਮੋਪਹਾ
Thus, through autumn and monsoon, hearing of Hari spread my immaculate fame; the great sages, singing hymns, awakened devotion, and the self-purifying flame of worship burned away ignorance.
(ਅਨੁष੍ਟੁਪ੍) ਤਸ੍ਯੈਵਂ ਮੇऽਨੁਰਕ੍ਤਸ੍ਯ ਪ੍ਰਸ਼੍ਰਿਤਸ੍ਯ ਹਤੈਨਸਃ । ਸ਼੍ਰਦ੍ਦਧਾਨਸ੍ਯ ਬਾਲਸ੍ਯ ਦਾਨ੍ਤਸ੍ਯਾਨੁਚਰਸ੍ਯ ਚ
(Anushtup) For me so enamored and dependent, with trembling, for the faithful child and the obedient disciple who is restrained by discipline.
ਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਗੁਹ੍ਯਤਮਂ ਯਤ੍ਤਤ੍ ਸਾਕ੍ਸ਼ਾਦ੍ਭਗਵਤੋਦਿਤਮ੍ । ਅਨ੍ਵਵੋਚਨ੍ ਗਮਿष੍ਯਨ੍ਤਃ ਕृਪਯਾ ਦੀਨਵਤ੍ਸਲਾਃ
That most secret knowledge, directly spoken by the Lord, they recited: those who go by it, led by compassion, are affectionate to the lowly.
ਯੇਨੈਵਾਹਂ ਭਗਵਤੋ ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵਸ੍ਯ ਵੇਧਸਃ । ਮਾਯਾਨੁਭਾਵਮਵਿਦਂ ਯੇਨ ਗਚ੍ਛਨ੍ਤਿ ਤਤ੍ਪਦਮ੍
By whom I am taken as the divination of the Lord Vasudeva — by whose power the ignorant experience of illusion vanishes and they reach that state.
ਏਤਤ੍ ਸਂਸੂਚਿਤਂ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਨ੍ ਤਾਪਤ੍ਰਯਚਿਕਿਤ੍ਸਿਤਮ੍ । ਯਦੀਸ਼੍ਵਰੇ ਭਗਵਤਿ ਕਰ੍ਮ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਣਿ ਭਾਵਿਤਮ੍
This was intimated: Brahman treats the threefold afflictions; if the Lord wills, action is invested in Brahman.
ਆਮਯੋ ਯਸ਼੍ਚ ਭੂਤਾਨਾਂ ਜਾਯਤੇ ਯੇਨ ਸੁਵ੍ਰਤ । ਤਦੇਵ ਹ੍ਯਾਮਯਂ ਦ੍ਰਵ੍ਯਂ ਨ ਪੁਨਾਤਿ ਚਿਕਿਤ੍ਸਿਤਮ੍
The disease born in beings that arises through strict observance — that very worldly substance does not cure when treated;
ਏਵਂ ਨृਣਾਂ ਕ੍ਰਿਯਾਯੋਗਾਃ ਸਰ੍ਵੇ ਸਂਸृਤਿਹੇਤਵਃ । ਤ ਏਵਾਤ੍ਮਵਿਨਾਸ਼ਾਯ ਕਲ੍ਪਨ੍ਤੇ ਕਲ੍ਪਿਤਾਃ ਪਰੇ
Thus the various modes of action among men become causes for continued worldly existence; they are contrived only for the destruction of the self and are therefore imagined as transient.
ਯਦਤ੍ਰ ਕ੍ਰਿਯਤੇ ਕਰ੍ਮ ਭਗਵਤ੍ ਪਰਿਤੋषਣਮ੍ । ਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਯਤ੍ ਤਦ੍ ਅਧੀਨਂ ਹਿ ਭਕ੍ਤਿਯੋਗਸਮਨ੍ਵਿਤਮ੍
That action which here is performed to please the Lord, and the knowledge that is subordinated to it—these are accompanied by the yoga of devotion.
ਕੁਰ੍ਵਾਣਾ ਯਤ੍ਰ ਕਰ੍ਮਾਣਿ ਭਗਵਚ੍ਛਿਕ੍ਸ਼ਯਾਸਕृਤ੍ । ਗृਣਨ੍ਤਿ ਗੁਣਨਾਮਾਨਿ ਕृष੍ਣਸ੍ਯਾਨੁਸ੍ਮਰਨ੍ਤਿ ਚ
Where one performs actions at the instruction of the Lord, prompted by divine teaching, they praise the Lord's qualities and recall Krishna.
ਨਮੋ ਭਗਵਤੇ ਤੁਭ੍ਯਂ ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵਾਯ ਧੀਮਹਿ । ਪ੍ਰਦ੍ਯੁਮ੍ਨਾਯਾਨਿਰੁਦ੍ਧਾਯ ਨਮਃ ਸਙ੍ਕਰ੍षਣਾਯ ਚ
Salutations to you, O Lord Vāsudeva, we meditate on you; salutations to Pradyumna and to Aniruddha, and to Saṅkarṣaṇa as well.
ਇਤਿ ਮੂਰ੍ਤ੍ਯਭਿਧਾਨੇਨ ਮਂਤ੍ਰਮੂਰ੍ਤਿਮਮੂਰ੍ਤਿਕਮ੍ । ਯਜਤੇ ਯਜ੍ਞਪੁਰੁषਂ ਸ ਸਮ੍ਯਗ੍ ਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨਃ ਪੁਮਾਨ੍
Thus, by naming the forms and by designating mantra in form and formless, one worships the sacrifice-person; truly that man attains right vision.
ਇਮਂ ਸ੍ਵਨਿਗਮਂ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਨ੍ ਅਵੇਤ੍ਯ ਮਦਨੁष੍ਠਿਤਮ੍ । ਅਦਾਨ੍ਮੇ ਜ੍ਞਾਨਮੈਸ਼੍ਵਰ੍ਯਂ ਸ੍ਵਸ੍ਮਿਨ੍ ਭਾਵਂ ਚ ਕੇਸ਼ਵਃ
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.
(ਇਂਦ੍ਰਵਂਸ਼ਾ) ਤ੍ਵਮਪ੍ਯਦਭ੍ਰਸ਼੍ਰੁਤ ਵਿਸ਼੍ਰੁਤਂ ਵਿਭੋਃ ਸਮਾਪ੍ਯਤੇ ਯੇਨ ਵਿਦਾਂ ਬੁਭੁਤ੍ਸਿਤਮ੍ । ਪ੍ਰਾਖ੍ਯਾਹਿ ਦੁਃਖੈਰ੍ਮੁਹੁਰਰ੍ਦਿਤਾਤ੍ਮਨਾਂ ਸਂਕ੍ਲੇਸ਼ਨਿਰ੍ਵਾਣਮੁਸ਼ਨ੍ਤਿ ਨਾਨ੍ਯਥਾ
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.
ਸੂਤ ਉਵਾਚ । (ਅਨੁष੍ਟੁਪ੍) ਏਵਂ ਨਿਸ਼ਮ੍ਯ ਭਗਵਾਨ੍ ਦੇਵਰ੍षੇਰ੍ਜਨ੍ਮ ਕਰ੍ਮ ਚ । ਭੂਯਃ ਪਪ੍ਰਚ੍ਛ ਤਂ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਨ੍ ਵ੍ਯਾਸਃ ਸਤ੍ਯਵਤੀਸੁਤਃ
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.
ਵ੍ਯਾਸ ਉਵਾਚ । ਭਿਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਭਿਰ੍ਵਿਪ੍ਰਵਸਿਤੇ ਵਿਜ੍ਞਾਨਾਦੇष੍ਟृਭਿਸ੍ਤਵ । ਵਰ੍ਤਮਾਨੋ ਵਯਸ੍ਯਾਦ੍ਯੇ ਤਤਃ ਕਿਮਕਰੋਦ੍ਭਵਾਨ੍
Vyāsa said: O brahmanas who beg, O knowers and wishers, presently you have come of age—what then did the lord of beings do?
ਸ੍ਵਾਯਂਭੁਵ ਕਯਾ ਵृਤ੍ਤ੍ਯਾ ਵਰ੍ਤਿਤਂ ਤੇ ਪਰਂ ਵਯਃ । ਕਥਂ ਚੇਦਮੁਦਸ੍ਰਾਕ੍ਸ਼ੀਃ ਕਾਲੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਪ੍ਤੇ ਕਲੇਵਰਮ੍
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?
ਪ੍ਰਾਕ੍ਕਲ੍ਪਵਿषਯਾਮੇਤਾਂ ਸ੍ਮृਤਿਂ ਤੇ ਸੁਰਸਤ੍ਤਮ । ਨ ਹ੍ਯੇष ਵ੍ਯਵਧਾਤ੍ਕਾਲ ਏष ਸਰ੍ਵਨਿਰਾਕृਤਿਃ
Before the world-cycle subject matter recollect that, O best of gods: indeed this is not fixed by time—this is the universal dissolution.
ਨਾਰਦ ਉਵਾਚ । ਭਿਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਭਿਰ੍ਵਿਪ੍ਰਵਸਿਤੇ ਵਿਜ੍ਞਾਨਾਦੇष੍ਟृਭਿਰ੍ਮਮ । ਵਰ੍ਤਮਾਨੋ ਵਯਸ੍ਯਾਦ੍ਯੇ ਤਤ ਏਤਦਕਾਰषਮ੍
Nārada said: O beggars and brahmanas, arisen from knowledge and from desire, when you have reached old age, that was my question.
ਏਕਾਤ੍ਮਜਾ ਮੇ ਜਨਨੀ ਯੋषਿਨ੍ਮੂਢਾ ਚ ਕਿਙ੍ਕਰੀ । ਮਯ੍ਯਾਤ੍ਮਜੇऽਨਨ੍ਯਗਤੌ ਚਕ੍ਰੇ ਸ੍ਨੇਹਾਨੁਬਂਧਨਮ੍
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.
ਸਾਸ੍ਵਤਂਤ੍ਰਾ ਨ ਕਲ੍ਪਾਸੀਦ੍ ਯੋਗਕ੍ਸ਼ੇਮਂ ਮਮੇਚ੍ਛਤੀ । ਈਸ਼ਸ੍ਯ ਹਿ ਵਸ਼ੇ ਲੋਕੋ ਯੋषਾ ਦਾਰੁਮਯੀ ਯਥਾ
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.
ਅਹਂ ਚ ਤਦ੍ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮਕੁਲੇ ਊषਿਵਾਂਸ੍ਤਦਪੇਕ੍ਸ਼ਯਾ । ਦਿਗ੍ਦੇਸ਼ਕਾਲਾਵ੍ਯੁਤ੍ਪਨ੍ਨੋ ਬਾਲਕਃ ਪਞ੍ਚਹਾਯਨਃ
I, born into that brahmin household and lacking other desires, appeared as a child, shaped by direction, region and time, the fifth in line.
ਏਕਦਾ ਨਿਰ੍ਗਤਾਂ ਗੇਹਾਦ੍ ਦੁਹਨ੍ਤੀਂ ਨਿਸ਼ਿ ਗਾਂ ਪਥਿ । ਸਰ੍ਪੋऽਦਸ਼ਤ੍ਪਦਾ ਸ੍ਪृष੍ਟਃ ਕृਪਣਾਂ ਕਾਲਚੋਦਿਤਃ
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.
ਤਦਾ ਤਦਹਮੀਸ਼ਸ੍ਯ ਭਕ੍ਤਾਨਾਂ ਸ਼ਮਭੀਪ੍ਸਤਃ । ਅਨੁਗ੍ਰਹਂ ਮਨ੍ਯਮਾਨਃ ਪ੍ਰਾਤਿष੍ਠਂ ਦਿਸ਼ਮੁਤ੍ਤਰਾਮ੍
Then, hoping to pacify the devotees of that lord, I thought myself graced and took my stand toward the northern direction at dawn.