भवन्ति भस्मीभूतानि तथा पापानि वैष्णपे । वह्निसूर्यब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तेजयान्वैष्णपः सदा
So too, sins are reduced to ashes for a Vaiṣṇava; the Vaiṣṇava is always more radiant than fire, the sun, or the brāhmaṇas.
रक्षितो विष्णुचक्रेण स्वतन्त्रो मत्तकुंजरः । न विचारो न भोगश्च पैष्मवानां स्वकर्मणाम्
Protected by Viṣṇu’s discus, independent, like a mad elephant, there is no judgment or enjoyment of the actions of the Vaiṣṇavas.
निखितं साम्नि कौथुम्यां कुरु प्रश्नं बृहस्पतीम् । अस्मांश्च सर्वे जानन्ति चन्द्रवंश्यांश्च वैष्णवान्
Ask your question to Bṛhaspati, who is versed in the Sāma Veda and the Kauthumī tradition; all the descendants of the lunar dynasty know this, as do the Vaiṣṇavas.
देवमन्यं न सेवन्ते चन्द्रवंश्या हरिं विना । सद्वंशप्रभवो यो हि ब्रह्मणः क्षत्रियोऽथवा
The lunar dynasty does not worship any god other than Hari; whether descended from a noble line, brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, they do not.
विष्णुमन्त्रं न गृण्हाति वञ्चितो देवमायया । को वा मन्त्रश्च के देवा न हि शास्ता यमो मम
He who does not recite the Viṣṇu mantra is deluded by the divine illusion; what is a mantra, who are the gods? Yama is not my lord.
सर्वाञ्छास्तुं समर्थोऽहं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवान्विना । शय्यां कृरु गुहं गत्वा शीघ्रं यास्यामि ते गृहम्
Except for Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva, I am able to fulfill all desires; go to your bedchamber or a secret place, I will quickly come to your house.
ऋतुपापं मयि भवेत्तव किं गच्छ शोभने । इत्युक्त्वा नहुषो राजा प्रफुल्लवदनेक्षणः
Let the sin of the season fall upon me, not upon you, O beautiful one; having spoken thus, King Nahuṣa, with a blooming face, looked at her.
रत्नयानं समारुह्य ययौ नन्दनकाननम् । न ययौ सा शची गेहं प्रजगाम गुरोर्गृहम्
He mounted a jeweled chariot and went to the Nandana grove; but Śacī did not go home—she went to the house of her guru.
गत्व कूशासनस्यं च ददर्श च बृहस्पतिम् । तारासेवितपादाब्जं ज्वलन्तं ब्रह्मतेजसा
Arriving there, she saw Bṛhaspati seated on a sacred grass seat, his feet served by Tārā, blazing with the radiance of Brahman.
जपमालाकरं शश्वज्जपन्तं कृष्णमीप्सितम् । परमं परमानन्दं परमात्मानमीश्वरम्
He held a rosary, constantly reciting the names of Kṛṣṇa, his heart’s desire; he was supreme, the highest bliss, the supreme self, the Lord.
निर्गुणं च निरीहं च स्वतन्त्रं प्रकृतेः परम् । स्वेच्छामयं परं ब्रह्म भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहम्
He was without qualities, without desire, independent, beyond nature; his form was of his own will, the supreme Brahman, the embodiment of grace to devotees.
तमानन्दाश्रुनेत्रं च ननाम शिनका भुवि । रुदती साश्रुनेत्रा का मज्जन्ती भक्तिसागरे
She, her eyes filled with tears of joy, bowed to him and fell to the ground; weeping, her eyes streaming, she was immersed in the ocean of devotion.
शोकार्णवे निमज्जन्ती हृदयेन विदूयता । तुष्टाव भीता स्वगुरुं ब्रह्मिष्ठं च कृपानिधिम्
Sinking in the ocean of sorrow, her heart torn, she praised her guru, the most Brahman-like, the treasure-house of compassion, in fear.
शच्युवाच रक्ष रक्ष महाभाग मां भीतां शरणागताम् । त्वमीश्वरः स्वदासीं च निमग्नां शोकसागरे
Śacī said: Protect me, protect me, O greatly fortunate one! I am afraid and have come for refuge; you are the Lord, and I, your servant, am sinking in the ocean of sorrow.
अनीश्वरश्चेश्वरो वा बरवान्वा सुदुर्बलः । स्वशिष्यभार्यां पुत्रांश्च शासितुं च सदा क्षमः
Whether one is powerless or powerful, strong or weak, he must always be able to discipline his own disciples, wife, and sons.
दूरीभूतः स्वराज्याच्च स्वशिष्यश्च कृतस्त्वया । शान्तिर्बभूव दोषस्य चाधुनाऽनुग्रहं कुरु
You have removed both my sovereignty and my disciple from me; now that the fault has been appeased, show your favor.
अनाथां सर्वशून्यां मां शुन्यां ताममरावतीम् । संपच्छून्यमाश्रमं मे पश्य रक्ष कृणानिधे
See me, abandoned and bereft of everything, and this Amaravati, now empty; see my hermitage devoid of prosperity—O ocean of compassion, protect me.
दस्युग्रस्तां च मां रक्ष देशं किंकरमानय । दत्तवा चरणरेणूंस्तं शुभाशीर्वचनं कुरु
Protect me, who am afflicted by robbers; bring a servant to this land; having received the dust of your feet, speak auspicious words of blessing.
सर्वेषां च सुरुणां च जन्मदाता परो गुरुः । पितुः शतगुणा माता पूज्या वन्द्या गरीयसी
Among all the gods, the supreme teacher is the giver of birth; the mother is a hundred times more worthy of honor, worship, and reverence than the father.
विद्यादाता मन्त्रदाता ज्ञानदो हरिभक्तिदः । पूज्यो वन्द्यश्च सेव्यश्च मातुः शतगुणो गुरुः
The giver of knowledge, the giver of mantras, the bestower of wisdom and devotion to Hari—the teacher is to be honored, worshipped, and served a hundred times more than the mother.
मन्त्राद्युद्गिरणेनैव गुरुरित्युच्यते बुधैः । अन्यो वन्द्यो गुरुरयमन्यश्चारोपितो गुरुः
By the very utterance of mantras and other teachings, one is called 'guru' by the wise; one is to be revered as guru, another is merely appointed as guru.
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया । चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः
Salutation to that revered guru who, with the collyrium stick of knowledge, has opened the eyes of one blinded by the darkness of ignorance.
अदीक्षितस्य मूर्खस्य निष्कृतिर्नास्ति नि श्चितम् । सर्वकर्मस्वनर्हस्य नरके तत्पशोः स्थितिः
It is certain that for one who is uninitiated and ignorant, there is no atonement; such a person, unfit for all rites, remains in hell like an animal.
जन्मदाताऽन्नदाता च माताऽन्ये गुरवास्तथा । पारं कर्तुं न शक्तास्ते घोरसंसारसागरे
Mothers, fathers, and other teachers who give birth and food are not able to carry one across the dreadful ocean of worldly existence.
विद्यामन्त्रज्ञानदाता निपुणः पारकर्मणि । स शक्तः शिष्यमुद्धर्तुमीश्वरश्चेश्वरात्परः
He who is skilled in imparting knowledge, mantras, and wisdom, and is adept in the supreme action, is able to uplift the disciple—he is the Lord, higher than the gods.
गुरुर्विष्णुर्गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः । गुरुर्धर्मो गुरुः शेषः सर्वात्मा निर्गुणो गुरुः
The guru is Viṣṇu, the guru is Brahmā, the guru is the god Maheśvara; the guru is Dharma, the guru is Śeṣa, the guru is the all-pervading, attribute-less one.
सर्वतीर्थाश्रयश्चैव कर्वदेवाश्रयो गुरुः । सर्ववेदस्वरुपश्च गुरुरूपी हरिः स्वयम्
The guru is the refuge of all sacred fords and of all the gods; the guru is the embodiment of all the Vedas—Hari himself appears as the guru.
अभीष्टदेवे रुष्टे च गुरुःशक्तो हि रक्षितुम् । गुरौ रुष्टेऽभीष्टदेवो न हि शक्तश्च रक्षितुम्
If the desired deity is angry, the guru is able to protect; but if the guru is angry, the desired deity is not able to protect.
सर्वे ग्रहाश्च यं रुष्टा यं रुष्टा देवब्राह्मणाः । त्वमेव रुष्टो भवसि गुरुरेव हि देवताः
If all the planets, gods, and brahmins are angry with someone, it is only you, the guru, who becomes angry—indeed, the guru alone is the deity.
न गुरोश्च प्रियश्चाऽऽत्मा न गुरोश्च प्रियः सुतः । धनं प्रियं च न गुरोर्न च भार्या प्रिया तथा
The self is not dearer than the guru, nor is the son dearer than the guru; neither wealth nor wife is dearer than the guru.