यत् किंचिज् जीवसंज्ञं तु तृणगुल्मपिपीलिकम् ब्रह्मा भूत्वा जगत् सर्वं निर्ममे स चराचरम्
Whatever is known as living—grass, bushes, ants—Brahmā, having become all, created the entire world, both moving and unmoving.
दक्षिणाङ्गे तथात्मानं संचिन्त्य पुरुषं स्वयम् वामे चैव तु नारीं स द्विधा भूतम् अकल्पयत्
Then, contemplating himself, he formed a male from his right side and a female from his left, thus dividing himself in two.
ततः प्रभृति लोके ऽस्मिन् प्रजा मैथुनसंभवाः अधमोत्तममध्याश् च मम क्षेत्राणि यानि च
From that time onward in this world, beings are born from sexual union—of lower, middle, and higher kinds, as are all my fields.
एवं संचिन्त्य देवो ऽसौ पुरा सलिलयोनिजः जगाम ध्यानम् आस्थाय वासुदेवात्मिकां तनुम्
Thus reflecting, that god of old, born from the waters, entered into meditation and assumed a form composed of Vāsudeva.
ध्यानमात्रेण देवेन स्वयम् एव जनार्दनः तस्मिन् क्षणे समुत्पन्नः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्
By mere meditation of the god, Janārdana himself arose in that very moment, with a thousand eyes and a thousand feet.
सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः पुण्डरीकनिभेक्षणः सलिलध्वान्तमेघाभः श्रीमाञ् श्रीवत्सलक्षणः
The thousand-headed Puruṣa, with eyes like lotuses, dark as a rain-cloud over the waters, glorious, and marked with the Śrīvatsa.
अपश्यत् सहसा तं तु ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः आसनैर् अर्घ्यपाद्यैश् च अक्षतैर् अभिनन्द्य च
Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, suddenly saw him, and welcomed him with seats, water for washing feet and hands, and unbroken grains.
तुष्टाव परमैः स्तोत्रैर् विरिञ्चिः सुसमाहितः ततो ऽहम् उक्तवान् देवं ब्रह्माणं कमलोद्भवम् कारणं वद मां तात मम ध्यानस्य सांप्रतम्
Viriñci, with mind composed, praised him with supreme hymns; then I addressed the god, Brahmā born from the lotus: 'Tell me, dear one, the reason for my meditation at this time.'
जगद्धिताय देवेश मर्त्यलोकैश् च दुर्लभम् स्वर्गद्वारस्य मार्गाणि यज्ञदानव्रतानि च
'For the welfare of the world, O Lord of gods, and for mortals who rarely attain it, the paths to heaven—sacrifices, gifts, and vows—'
योगः सत्यं तपः श्रद्धा तीर्थानि विविधानि च विहाय सर्वम् एतेषां सुखं तत्साधनं वद
'Yoga, truth, austerity, faith, and various sacred places—setting aside all these, tell me the means by which happiness is attained.'
स्थानं जगत्पते मह्याम् उत्कृष्टं च यद् उच्यते सर्वेषाम् उत्तमं स्थानं ब्रूहि मे पुरुषोत्तम
O Lord of the universe, tell me of that supreme place which is said to be the most excellent, the highest abode of all, O Supreme Person.
विधातुर् वचनं श्रुत्वा ततो ऽहं प्रोक्तवान् प्रिये शृणु ब्रह्मन् प्रवक्ष्यामि निर्मलं भुवि दुर्लभम्
Hearing the words of the Creator, I then spoke, dear one: Listen, O Brahman, I shall declare that pure and rare place on earth.
उत्तमं सर्वक्षेत्राणां धन्यं संसारतारणम् गोब्राह्मणहितं पुण्यं चातुर्वर्ण्यसुखोदयम्
It is the highest of all sacred fields, blessed, a means to cross over worldly existence, meritorious, beneficial to cows and Brahmins, and brings happiness to all four orders.
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं नॄणां क्षेत्रं परमदुर्लभम् महापुण्यं तु सर्वेषां सिद्धिदं वै पितामहे
That field, exceedingly rare, grants both enjoyment and liberation to people, is supremely meritorious for all, and bestows success, O Ancestor.
तस्माद् आसीत् समुत्पन्नं तीर्थराजं सनातनम् विख्यातं परमं क्षेत्रं चतुर्युगनिषेवितम्
From there arose the eternal king of sacred fords, renowned as the supreme field, honored in all four ages.
सर्वेषाम् एव देवानाम् ऋषीणां ब्रह्मचारिणाम् दैत्यदानवसिद्धानां गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम्
It is revered by all the gods, sages, celibates, demons, Dānavas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas.
नागविद्याधराणां च स्थावरस्य चरस्य च उत्तमः पुरुषो यस्मात् तस्मात् स पुरुषोत्तमः
Also by Nāgas, Vidyādharas, and all beings, moving and unmoving; because the Supreme Person abides there, he is called the Supreme Person.
दक्षिणस्योदधेस् तीरे न्यग्रोधो यत्र तिष्ठति दशयोजनविस्तीर्णं क्षेत्रं परमदुर्लभम्
On the southern shore of the ocean stands a banyan tree; there is a field, ten yojanas wide, supremely rare.
यस् तु कल्पे समुत्पन्ने महदुल्कानिबर्हणे विनाशं नैवम् अभ्येति स्वयं तत्रैवम् आस्थितः
Whoever, at the beginning of a cosmic cycle, remains established there is not destroyed, even when the great dissolution occurs.
दृष्टमात्रे वटे तस्मिंश् छायाम् आक्रम्य चासकृत् ब्रह्महत्यात् प्रमुच्येत पापेष्व् अन्येषु का कथा
By merely seeing that banyan tree, or repeatedly standing in its shade, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin; what need to speak of other sins?
प्रदक्षिणा कृता यैस् तु नमस्कारश् च जन्तुभिः सर्वे विधूतपाप्मानस् ते गताः केशवालयम्
All creatures who have circumambulated it or offered salutations, their sins are shaken off, and they reach the abode of Keśava.
न्यग्रोधस्योत्तरे किंचिद् दक्षिणे केशवस्य तु प्रासादस् तत्र तिष्ठेत् तु पदं धर्ममयं हि तत्
A little to the north of the banyan, and to the south, stands the temple of Keśava; that place is filled with righteousness.
प्रतिमां तत्र वै दृष्ट्वा स्वयं देवेन निर्मिताम् अनायासेन वै यान्ति भुवनं मे ततो नराः
There, seeing the image made by the god himself, people effortlessly attain my world from there.
गच्छमानांस् तु तान् प्रेक्ष्य एकदा धर्मराट् प्रिये मदन्तिकम् अनुप्राप्य प्रणम्य शिरसाब्रवीत्
Once, seeing them going, the king of righteousness, dear one, approached me, bowed his head, and spoke:
नमस् ते भगवन् देव लोकनाथ जगत्पते क्षीरोदवासिनं देवं शेषभोगानुशायिनम्
Salutations to you, O blessed Lord, god, master of the worlds, ruler of the universe, the god who dwells in the milk ocean, who rests upon the serpent Śeṣa.
वरं वरेण्यं वरदं कर्तारम् अकृतं प्रभुम् विश्वेश्वरम् अजं विष्णुं सर्वज्ञम् अपराजितम्
The bestower of boons, the most excellent, the giver of blessings, the creator, the uncreated, the Lord, the ruler of all, unborn Viṣṇu, all-knowing, unconquered.
नीलोत्पलदलश्यामं पुण्डरीकनिभेक्षणम् सर्वज्ञं निर्गुणं शान्तं जगद्धातारम् अव्ययम्
Dark as a blue lotus petal, with eyes like lotuses, all-knowing, without qualities, peaceful, the sustainer of the world, imperishable.
सर्वलोकविधातारं सर्वलोकसुखावहम् पुराणं पुरुषं वेद्यं व्यक्ताव्यक्तं सनातनम्
The creator of all worlds, the giver of happiness to all worlds, the ancient person to be known, manifest and unmanifest, eternal.
परावराणां स्रष्टारं लोकनाथं जगद्गुरुम् श्रीवत्सोरस्कसंयुक्तं वनमालाविभूषितम्
I bow to the creator of all, high and low, the lord of the worlds, the teacher of the universe, adorned with the Śrīvatsa mark upon his chest and decorated with a garland of forest flowers.
पीतवस्त्रं चतुर्बाहुं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् हारकेयूरसंयुक्तं मुकुटाङ्गदधारिणम्
Clad in yellow garments, with four arms, holding the conch, discus, and mace, adorned with necklaces and armlets, wearing a crown and bracelets.