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.
ज्वलमानौ स्वतेजोभिर् दिव्यस्रगनुलेपनौ अथ तौ तं समागम्य नृपम् इन्द्रसखं तदा
Radiant with their own brilliance, adorned with divine garlands and ointments, they approached the king, Indra's friend.
ताव् ऊचतुर् महाराज किम् अत्र त्वं करिष्यसि किमर्थं च महाबाहो शातितश् च वनस्पतिः
The two said, 'O great king, what are you doing here? For what reason, mighty-armed one, have you cut down this tree?'
असहायो महादुर्गे निर्जने गहने वने महासिन्धुतटे चैव कथं वै शातितो द्रुमः
'Alone, in this vast wilderness, in the dense forest by the great riverbank, how is it that you have felled this tree?'
तयोः श्रुत्वा वचो विप्राः स तु राजा मुदान्वितः बभाषे वचनं ताभ्यां मृदुलं मधुरं तथा
Hearing their words, the king, filled with joy, spoke to them gently and sweetly.
दृष्ट्वा तौ ब्राह्मणौ तत्र चन्द्रसूर्याव् इवागतौ नमस्कृत्य जगन्नाथाव् अवाङ्मुखम् अवस्थितः
Seeing those two Brahmins, who appeared like the moon and sun, he bowed to the lords of the world and stood with his head lowered.
देवदेवम् अनाद्यन्तम् अनन्तं जगतां पतिम् आराधयितुं प्रतिमां करोमीति मतिर् मम
'To worship the god of gods, the beginningless, endless, lord of the worlds, I wish to make an image.'
अहं स देवदेवेन परमेण महात्मना स्वप्नान्ते च समुद्दिष्टो भवद्भ्यां श्रावितं मया
'I have been instructed by that supreme, divine one at the end of a dream, and you both have made it known to me.'
राज्ञस् तु वचनं श्रुत्वा देवेन्द्रप्रतिमस्य च प्रहस्य तस्मै विश्वेशस् तुष्टो वचनम् अब्रवीत्
Hearing the king's words about the image of Indra, the lord of the universe smiled, pleased, and spoke to him.
साधु साधु महीपाल यद् एतन् मतम् उत्तमम् संसारसागरे घोरे कदलीदलसंनिभे
Excellent, excellent, O king, is this supreme opinion of yours, in the dreadful ocean of worldly existence, which is like a banana leaf.
निःसारे दुःखबहुले कामक्रोधसमाकुले इन्द्रियावर्तकलिले दुस्तरे रोमहर्षणे
In this insubstantial, sorrow-filled world, overwhelmed by desire and anger, tangled in the whirlpool of the senses, difficult to cross, and causing one's hair to stand on end,
नानाव्याधिशतावर्ते जलबुद्बुदसंनिभे यतस् ते मतिर् उत्पन्ना विष्णोर् आराधनाय वै
In the midst of hundreds of diseases, resembling water bubbles, your mind has arisen for the worship of Vishnu.
धन्यस् त्वं नृपशार्दूल गुणैः सर्वैर् अलंकृतः सप्रजा पृथिवी धन्या सशैलवनकानना
Blessed are you, O foremost of kings, adorned with all virtues; blessed is the earth with its people, mountains, forests, and groves.
सपुरग्रामनगरा चतुर्वर्णैर् अलंकृता यत्र त्वं नृपशार्दूल प्रजाः पालयिता प्रभुः
Blessed too are its cities, villages, and towns, adorned by the four castes, where you, O tiger among kings, are the lord who protects the people.
एह्य् एहि सुमहाभाग द्रुमे ऽस्मिन् सुखशीतले आवाभ्यां सह तिष्ठ त्वं कथाभिर् धर्मसंश्रितः
Come, come, O greatly fortunate one, under this tree, pleasantly cool; stay here with me, engaged in stories rooted in dharma.
अयं मम सहायस् तु आगतः शिल्पिनां वरः विश्वकर्मसमः साक्षान् निपुणः सर्वकर्मसु मयोद्दिष्टां तु प्रतिमां करोत्य् एष तटं त्यज
This companion of mine has arrived, foremost among artisans, equal to Vishvakarma himself, skilled in all tasks; he will make the image as I instruct—leave the shore.
श्रुत्वैवं वचनं तस्य तदा राजा द्विजन्मनः सागरस्य तटं त्यक्त्वा गत्वा तस्य समीपतः
Hearing these words, the king, born twice, left the shore of the ocean and went near him.
तस्थौ स नृपतिश्रेष्ठो वृक्षच्छाये सुशीतले ततस् तस्मै स विश्वात्मा ददाव् आज्ञां द्विजाकृतिः
The eminent king stood beneath the pleasantly cool shade of the tree; then the universal soul, in the form of a Brahmin, gave him instructions.
शिल्पिमुख्याय विप्रेन्द्राः कुरुष्व प्रतिमा इति कृष्णरूपं परं शान्तं पद्मपत्त्रायतेक्षणम्
To the chief artisan, the best of Brahmins said: 'Make the images—one in the form of Krishna, supremely peaceful, with eyes wide like lotus petals.'
श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभधरं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् गौराङ्गं क्षीरवर्णाभं द्वितीयं स्वस्तिकाङ्कितम्
Bearing the marks of Shrivatsa and Kaustubha, holding conch, discus, and mace, with a fair body resembling milk, the second marked with a swastika.
लाङ्गलास्त्रधरं देवम् अनन्ताख्यं महाबलम् देवदानवगन्धर्वयक्षविद्याधरोरगैः
The god named Ananta, wielder of plough and weapons, of great strength, not known by gods, demons, gandharvas, yakshas, vidyadharas, or serpents.