इदं समस्ताघविनाशहेतुः कारुण्यसंज्ञं सुखमोक्षदं च अशेषवाञ्छाफलदं वरिष्ठं स्तोत्रं मयोक्तं पुरुषोत्तमस्य
This supreme hymn of Puruṣottama, which destroys all sins, is called compassionate, grants happiness and liberation, and fulfills all desires—I have declared it.
ये तं सुसूक्ष्मं विमला मुरारिं ध्यायन्ति नित्यं पुरुषं पुराणम् ते मुक्तिभाजः प्रविशन्ति विष्णुं मन्त्रैर् यथाज्यं हुतम् अध्वराग्नौ
Those pure ones who always meditate on that subtle, stainless, ancient Person, the enemy of Mura, become recipients of liberation and enter Viṣṇu, just as oblations offered with mantras enter the sacrificial fire.
एकः स देवो भवदुःखहन्ता परः परेषां न ततो ऽस्ति चान्यत् द्रष्टा स पाता स तु नाशकर्ता विष्णुः समस्ताखिलसारभूतः
He alone is the god who removes the suffering of existence; he is supreme among the supreme, and there is no other beyond him. He is the seer, the protector, and indeed the destroyer; Viṣṇu is the very essence of all that exists.
किं विद्यया किं स्वगुणैश् च तेषां यज्ञैश् च दानैश् च तपोभिर् उग्रैः येषां न भक्तिर् भवतीह कृष्णे जगद्गुरौ मोक्षसुखप्रदे च
What use is knowledge, or one's own virtues, or sacrifices, gifts, or severe austerities, for those who do not have devotion here to Kṛṣṇa, the teacher of the world and bestower of liberation and happiness?
लोके स धन्यः स शुचिः स विद्वान् मखैस् तपोभिः स गुणैर् वरिष्ठः ज्ञाता स दाता स तु सत्यवक्ता यस्यास्ति भक्तिः पुरुषोत्तमाख्ये
In this world, he is blessed, he is pure, he is wise, he is foremost in sacrifices, austerities, and virtues; he is the knower, the giver, the speaker of truth—he who has devotion to the one called Puruṣottama.
स्तुत्वैवं मुनिशार्दूलाः प्रणम्य च सनातनम् वासुदेवं जगन्नाथं सर्वकामफलप्रदम्
Having thus praised and bowed to the eternal one, the tigers among sages worshipped Vāsudeva, lord of the universe, the giver of all desired fruits.
चिन्ताविष्टो महीपालः कुशान् आस्तीर्य भूतले वस्त्रं च तन्मना भूत्वा सुष्वाप धरणीतले
Filled with anxiety, the king spread kuśa grass on the ground, set his mind on that, and lay down to sleep upon the earth.
कथं प्रत्यक्षम् अभ्येति देवदेवो जनार्दनः मम चार्तिहरो देवस् तदासाव् इति चिन्तयन्
He pondered, 'How will the god of gods, Janārdana, appear before me? How will that god, the remover of my distress, manifest now?'
सुप्तस्य तस्य नृपतेर् वासुदेवो जगद्गुरुः आत्मानं दर्शयाम् आस शङ्खचक्रगदाभृतम्
As the king slept, Vāsudeva, the teacher of the world, revealed himself, bearing the conch, discus, and mace.
स ददर्श तु सप्रेम देवदेवं जगद्गुरुम् शङ्खचक्रधरं देवं गदाचक्रोग्रपाणिनम्
He beheld with devotion the god of gods, the teacher of the world, the deity holding the conch and discus, the god with the fierce mace and discus in his hands.
शार्ङ्गबाणधरं देवं ज्वलत्तेजोतिमण्डलम् युगान्तादित्यवर्णाभं नीलवैदूर्यसंनिभम्
He saw the god bearing the bow Śārṅga and arrows, surrounded by a blazing aura, resembling the sun at the end of an age, and shining like blue beryl.
सुपर्णांसे तम् आसीनं षोडशार्धभुजं शुभम् स चास्मै प्राब्रवीद् धीराः साधु राजन् महामते
Seated on Garuḍa's wing, with sixteen and a half beautiful arms, he addressed the king with calm words: 'Well done, O wise and noble king.'
क्रतुनानेन दिव्येन तथा भक्त्या च श्रद्धया तुष्टो ऽस्मि ते महीपाल वृथा किम् अनुशोचसि
'By this divine sacrifice, as well as by your devotion and faith, I am pleased with you, O king. Why do you grieve in vain?'
यद् अत्र प्रतिमा राजञ् जगत्पूज्या सनातनी यथा सा प्राप्यते भूप तदुपायं ब्रवीमि ते
'As for the eternal image here, O king, worshipped by the world—how it is to be obtained, I will tell you the means, O ruler of the earth.'
गतायाम् अद्य शर्वर्यां निर्मले भास्करोदिते सागरस्य जलस्यान्ते नानाद्रुमविभूषिते
'When this night has passed and the spotless sun has risen, at the edge of the ocean, adorned with various trees, and at the end of the sea's waters—'
जलं तथैव वेलायां दृश्यते तत्र वै महत् लवणस्योदधे राजंस् तरङ्गैः समभिप्लुतम्
'There, at the shore, you will see water, O king, greatly agitated by the waves of the salt ocean.'
कूलान्ते हि महावृक्षः स्थितः स्थलजलेषु च वेलाभिर् हन्यमानश् च न चासौ कम्पते द्रुमः
'At the edge of the bank stands a great tree, among the land and water, struck by the tides, yet that tree does not tremble.'
परशुम् आदाय हस्तेन ऊर्मेर् अन्तस् ततो व्रज एकाकी विहरन् राजन् स त्वं पश्यसि पादपम्
'Taking an axe in your hand, go within the waves; wandering there alone, O king, you will see that tree.'
ईदृक् चिह्नं समालोक्य छेदय त्वम् अशङ्कितः छेद्यमानं तु तं वृक्षं प्रातर् अद्भुतदर्शनम्
'Observing such a sign, cut the tree without hesitation; when you cut that tree in the morning, you will witness a wondrous sight.'
दृष्ट्वा तेनैव संचिन्त्य ततो भूपाल दर्शनात् कुरु तां प्रतिमां दिव्यां जहि चिन्तां विमोहिनीम्
'Having seen it, reflect upon it; then, O king, from that vision, make the divine image and cast off your bewildering anxiety.'
एवम् उक्त्वा महाभागो जगामादर्शनं हरिः स चापि स्वप्नम् आलोक्य परं विस्मयम् आगतः
Having spoken thus, the illustrious Hari became invisible; and he, after seeing that dream, was filled with great wonder.
तां निशां स समुद्वीक्ष्य स्थितस् तद्गतमानसः व्याहरन् वैष्णवान् मन्त्रान् सूक्तं चैव तदात्मकम्
He spent the night, his mind absorbed in that vision, reciting Vaishnava mantras and hymns related to it.
प्रगतायां रजन्यां तु उत्थितो नान्यमानसः स स्नात्वा सागरे सम्यग् यथावद् विधिना ततः
When the night had passed, he arose with his mind unwavering, bathed properly in the ocean according to the prescribed rite.
दत्त्वा दानं च विप्रेभ्यो ग्रामांश् च नगराणि च कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकं कर्म जगाम स नृपोत्तमः
He gave gifts and villages to the Brahmins, performed the morning rituals, and then departed, that foremost king.
न चाश्वो न पदातिश् च न गजो न च सारथिः एकाकी स महावेलां प्रविवेश महीपतिः
Neither horse, nor foot-soldier, nor elephant, nor charioteer accompanied him; alone, the king entered the great shore.
तं ददर्श महावृक्षं तेजस्वन्तं महाद्रुमम् महातिगमहारोहं पुण्यं विपुलम् एव च
He saw a great tree, radiant and mighty, with vast height and girth, sacred and immense.
महोत्सेधं महाकायं प्रसुप्तं च जलान्तिके सान्द्रमाञ्जिष्ठवर्णाभं नामजातिविवर्जितम्
It was towering, massive, lying dormant near the water, dense in color like madder, without name or species.
नरनाथस् तदा विप्रा द्रुमं दृष्ट्वा मुदान्वितः परशुना शातयाम् आस निशितेन दृढेन च
Then the lord of men, joyful upon seeing the tree, began to cut it with a sharp and sturdy axe.
द्वैधीकर्तुमनास् तत्र बभूवेन्द्रसखः स च निरीक्ष्यमाणे काष्ठे तु बभूवाद्भुतदर्शनम्
Intending to split it in two, Indra's friend stood there; as he gazed at the wood, a marvelous sight appeared.
विश्वकर्मा च विष्णुश् च विप्ररूपधराव् उभौ आजग्मतुर् महाभागौ तदा तुल्याग्रजन्मनौ
Visvakarma and Vishnu, both assuming the form of Brahmins, arrived together, illustrious and of equal birth.