राधेत्येवं च संसिद्धा राकारो दानवाचकः
She is perfected as Rādhā; the syllable 'rā' denotes giving.
रासेश्वरस्य पत्नीयं तेन रासेश्वरी स्मृता
She is the wife of the Lord of the Rāsa, and thus is called Rāseśvarī.
सर्वासां रसिकानां च देवीनामीश्वरी परा
She is the supreme goddess, the sovereign of all goddesses and connoisseurs of rasa.
प्राणाधिका प्रेयसी सा कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः
She is the beloved, dearer than life, of Krishna, the Supreme Soul.
कृष्णस्यातिप्रिया कान्ता कृष्णो वाऽस्याः प्रियः सदा
She is Krishna’s most beloved consort, and Krishna is always her beloved.
कृष्णरूपं सन्निधातुं या शक्ता चावलीलया
She is able to manifest Krishna’s form by her playful power.
वामाङ्गार्धेन कृष्णस्य या संभूता परा सती
She, the supreme and virtuous one, was born from Krishna’s left half.
परमानन्दराशिश्च स्वयं मूर्तिमती सती 4.17.
She is herself the embodiment of the ocean of supreme bliss.
कृषिर्मोक्षार्थवचनो न एवोत्कृष्टवाचकः
The word 'kṛṣir' is spoken with the meaning of liberation, but it does not directly denote the highest.
अस्ति वृन्दावनं यस्यास्तेन वृन्दावनी स्मृता
That which possesses Vṛndāvana is therefore called Vṛndāvanī.
संघः सखीनां वृन्दः स्यादकारोऽप्यस्तिवाचकः
A group of friends is called a 'vṛnda', and the letter 'a' also serves as an indicator.
वृन्दावने विनोदश्च सोऽस्या ह्यस्ति च तत्र वै
In Vṛndāvana there is delight, and this indeed belongs to her there.
नखचन्द्रावलीवक्रचन्द्रोऽस्ति यत्र संततम्
Where there is always the crescent of the nails and the curved moon.
चन्द्रतुल्या कान्तिरस्ति सदा यस्या दिवानिशम्
She whose radiance is always like the moon, day and night.
शरच्चन्द्रप्रभा यस्याश्चाननेऽस्ति दिवानिशम्
She whose face always possesses the luster of the autumn moon, day and night.
इदं षोडशनामोक्तमर्थव्याख्यानसंयुतम्
Thus the sixteen names have been spoken, together with their explanations of meaning.
ब्रह्मणा च पुरा दत्तं धर्माय जनकाय मे
This was formerly given by Brahmā to my father for the sake of righteousness.
पुष्करे च महातीर्थे पुण्याहे देवसंसदि 4.17.
At Puṣkara, the great holy place, on an auspicious day, in the assembly of the gods.
इदं स्तोत्रं महापुण्यं तुभ्यं दत्तं मया मुने
This great and meritorious hymn has been given to you by me, O sage.
यावज्जीवमिदं स्तोत्रं त्रिसंध्यं यः पठेन्नरः
Whoever recites this hymn at the three junctions of the day, for as long as he lives,
अन्ते लभेत्तयोर्दास्यं शश्वत्सहचरो भवेत्
In the end, he will attain servitude to those two and become their eternal companion.
व्रतदानोपवासैश्च सर्वैर्नियमपूर्वकैः
By all vows, gifts, and fasts, and by all disciplines performed previously,
सर्वेषां यज्ञतीर्थानां करणैर्विधिबोधितैः
By the performance of all sacrifices and pilgrimages as instructed by the scriptures,
शरणागतरक्षायामज्ञानां ज्ञानदानतः
By the protection of those who have taken refuge, and by the giving of knowledge to the ignorant,
तदेव स्तोत्रपाठस्य कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्
None of these equal even a sixteenth part of the recitation of this hymn.
नारद उवाच कवचं चापि देव्याश्च संसारविजयं प्रभो
Nārada said: And also the armor of the goddess, O Lord, which conquers the world—
कृतं स्तोत्रं सुयत्नेन प्राप्तं तदपि दुर्लभम्
The hymn composed with great effort has been attained, yet even so it is difficult to obtain.
अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि यद्रहस्यं च तद्वद 4.17.
Now I wish to hear; tell me that secret.
श्रीनारायण उवाच अरुणोदयवेलायां जनाः सर्वे जजागरुः
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: At the time of sunrise, all the people awoke.
उत्थाय दृष्ट्वा नगरं सर्वेभ्योऽपि विलक्षणम्
Rising and seeing the city, they found it unlike any other.