नान्तर्बाह्ये हरिर्यस्य तस्य किं तपसाऽनघ
O sinless one, what is the use of austerity for him in whom Hari is not found within or without?
यत्र तत्र कृतं कृष्णसेवनं परमं तपः
Wherever service to Kṛṣṇa is performed, that is the highest austerity.
गृही भव मुनिश्रेष्ठ गृहिणां सर्वदा सुखम्
Become a householder, O best of sages; householders always have happiness.
तद्दर्शनमुपस्पर्शं वाञ्छन्त्येव मुमुक्षवः
Those who seek liberation always desire to see or touch such a one.
ततः सुखतमं पुत्रदर्शनं स्पर्शनं मुने
Therefore, O sage, the greatest happiness is to see and touch one's son.
पुत्रप्रयोजना कान्ता शतकान्ताप्रियः सुतः
A wife is for the sake of a son; a son is dearer than a hundred wives.
सर्वेभ्यो जयमन्विच्छेत्पुत्रादेकात्पराजयम्
One should seek victory over all, but defeat from one's own son.
अतः प्रियतमे पुत्रे न्यसेदात्मपरं धनम् उवाच वचनं तातं नारदो ज्ञानिनां वरः ।। 1.24.
Therefore, place your highest wealth in your dearest son. Thus Nārada, best of the wise, spoke to his father.
नारद उवाच प्रवर्त्तयत्यसन्मार्गे स दयालुः कथं पिता
Nārada said: How can a compassionate father set his son on the wrong path?
जलबुद्बुदवत्सर्वं संसारमतिनश्वरम्
All of worldly existence is as fleeting as a bubble on water.
विहाय हरिदास्यं च विषये यन्मनश्चलम्
Abandoning the service of Hari, the mind wanders in worldly matters.
का वा कस्य प्रिया पुत्रो बन्धुः को वा भवार्णवे
Who is truly dear to whom, who is a son or a relative, in this ocean of worldly existence?
सुकर्म कारयेद्यो हि तन्मित्रं स पिता गुरुः
He who causes another to perform good deeds—he is a friend, a father, a teacher.
इत्येवं कथितं तात वेदबीजं यथागमम्
Thus, O dear one, the seed of the Veda has been explained according to tradition.
आदौ यास्यामि भगवन्नरनारायणाश्रमम्
First, O Lord, I shall go to the hermitage of Nara and Nārāyaṇa.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा स मुनिर्विरराम पितुः पुरः
Having spoken thus, the sage became silent before his father.
क्षणं पितुः पुरः स्थित्वा नारदो मुनिसत्तमः
Standing for a moment before his father, the eminent sage Nārada—
श्रीनारद उवाच तत्सम्बन्धि च यज्ज्ञानं यत्र तद्गुणवर्णनम्।। 1.24.
Śrī Nārada said: The knowledge related to that, and the description of its qualities—
ततः पश्चात्करिष्यामि त्वत्प्रीत्या दारसंग्रहम्
After that, for your satisfaction, I will undertake the collection of a wife.
नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहृष्टः कमलोद्भवः
Hearing Nārada's words, the lotus-born one was delighted.
ब्रह्मोवाच विविक्ताश्रमिणां चैव न मन्त्रः सुखदायकः
Brahmā said: For those who dwell in solitary hermitages, no mantra brings happiness.
निषेकाल्लभ्यते मन्त्रो गुरुर्भर्त्ता च कामिनी
From conception, one obtains a mantra, a teacher, a husband, and a wife.
महेश्वरस्तव गुरुः प्राक्तनो नः पुरातनः
Maheśvara is your teacher, as he was ours in ancient times.
तत एव भवान्मन्त्रं ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा पुरातनात्
Thus, you too have obtained the mantra and knowledge from the ancient one.
इत्युक्त्वा जगतां धाता विरराम च शौनक
Having spoken thus, the creator of the worlds became silent, O Śaunaka.
सौतिरुवाच ऊर्ध्वं ध्रुवाद्योजनलक्षमीप्सितं महार्हरत्नौघविनिर्मितं महत्
Sauti said: Above Dhruva, there is a great region, a hundred thousand yojanas wide, made of the most precious jewels.
निराश्रये योगबलेन शम्भुना धृतं विचित्रं विविधालयान्वितम्
Unsupported, it is sustained by the power of Yoga by Śambhu, wondrous and furnished with various abodes.
मयूखशून्यं रविचन्द्रयोर्मुने हुताशनैर्वेष्टितमेव केवलम्
It is devoid of rays from the sun and moon, O sage, and is surrounded only by fire.
पुरं वरं योजनलक्षविस्तृतं त्रिकोटिरत्नेन्द्रगृहान्वितं सदा
The splendid city, spanning a hundred thousand yojanas, was adorned with three crores of jewel-encrusted palaces of Indra.
माणिक्यमुक्तामणिदर्पणैर्युतं नस्वप्नदृष्टं द्विज विश्वकर्मणः
It was filled with rubies, pearls, gems, and mirrors, never seen even in dreams, O twice-born, and crafted by Viśvakarma.