घृतकुल्या मधुकुल्या दधिकुल्या मनोहराः । गुडकुल्या दुग्धकुल्या नित्यं प्रार्थनमीप्सितम्
He offered delightful heaps of ghee, honey, curds, jaggery, and milk, always fulfilling the desired requests.
प्रातरारभ्य संध्यान्तं विप्राणां भोजनं तथा । दुःशिनां भिक्षुकाणां च धनदानं यथोचितम्
From morning until evening, he arranged meals for the Brahmins, and gave wealth as appropriate to the needy and beggars.
फलमूलाशनो राजा वैष्णवश्च जितेन्द्रियः । सर्व मदर्पणं कृत्वाऽजपन्मां च दिवानिशम्
The king, a Vaishnava who had mastered his senses, ate only fruits and roots, dedicating everything to me and reciting my name day and night.
एकदा सूपकारश्च तमुवाच नृपेश्वरम् । विप्राणां भोजनायैव दशलक्षमुपस्थितम्
One day, the chief cook spoke to the king: 'Ten hundred thousand are assembled for the Brahmins' meal.'
भुञ्जते ब्राह्मणाश्चाद्य रूक्षमन्नं वद प्रभो । कुर्वन्तु भक्षणं ते वै विप्राः सूपादिना नृप
'Today the Brahmins eat dry food, O lord; let them eat with soup and other dishes, O king.'
चतुर्योजनपर्यन्तमधिकारो नृपस्य च । यो राजा तच्छतसुणः स एव मण्डलेश्वरः
The king's domain extended for four yojanas; the king who receives a hundredfold tax is the lord of the region.
तत्तद्दशगुणो राजा राजेन्द्रः परिकीर्तितः । राजेन्द्राणां पञ्चलक्षं नित्यं केदारसंसदि
That king is renowned as ten times greater; among the royal lords, five hundred thousand always assemble in the field.
अमूल्यरत्नमाणिक्यं मुक्ताहीरं मणीश्वरम् । गजरत्नमश्वरत्नं केदाराय करं ददौ
He gave to Kedara a tribute of priceless jewels, rubies, pearls, diamonds, and the finest gems, as well as elephant and horse gems.
कमलाकलया जाता यज्ञकुण्डसमुद्भवाः । वह्रिशुद्धांसुकाधाना रत्नभूषणभूषिता
Born from the lotus and the sacrificial fire, adorned with pure garments and jeweled ornaments, they shone brightly.
कामुकी कामिनीश्रेष्ठा कन्या कमललोचना । कन्याऽस्मि ते महाराजेत्युवाच नृपतिं च सा
A maiden, supreme among lovers, lotus-eyed, said to the king: 'I am your daughter, O great king.'
राजा संपूज्य तां भक्त्या तस्थौ पत्नींसर्प्य च । सा विज्ञाय प्रसूं तातं कृत्वा च विनयं सुदा
The king worshipped her with devotion and accepted her as his wife; she, understanding her father, acted with great humility.
ययौ पुण्यवनं रम्यं तपसे यमृनान्तिकम् । तत्तपस्यावनं यस्मात्तस्माद्दृन्दावनं स्मृतम्
She went to the beautiful holy forest near Yamuna for penance; because of her austerity there, it became known as Vrindavana.
तपसा वरयामास मां वरं च वरं वरम् । ब्रह्मा ददौ वरं तस्यै पश्यात्कृष्णं लभेष्यसि
Through her penance she sought me, asking again and again for a boon; Brahma granted her the boon: 'You shall see Krishna.'
स चैकदा नदीतीने वसन्ते सस्मिता सती । शयाना पुष्पशय्यायां रत्नाभरणभूषिता
Once, in spring, she lay smiling on a bed of flowers by the river, adorned with jeweled ornaments.
ब्रह्मा परीक्षितुं यातःसाध्वीं च सुमनोहराम् । ददर्श कन्या रहसि युवानं पुरुषं परम्
Brahma went to test the virtuous and enchanting maiden; he saw her alone with a supreme young man.
चन्दनोक्षितसर्वाङ्गं रत्नभूषणभूषितम् । सस्मीतं कामुकं रम्यं रमणीनां च वाञ्छितम्
His whole body was anointed with sandalwood, adorned with jeweled ornaments, smiling, charming, and desired by women.
यथा षोडशवर्षीयं कुमारं कनकप्रभम् । कोटिकन्दर्पलीलाभं वीताम्बरधरं वरम्
Like a sixteen-year-old youth, radiant as gold, possessing the charm of millions of Cupids, adorned with yellow garments, and most excellent.
शरत्पार्वणाचन्द्रास्यं शरत्पद्मसुलोचनम् । दृष्ट्वा तं च समुत्थाय वासयामास संनिधौ
His face shone like the autumn full moon, his eyes beautiful as autumn lotuses; seeing him, she rose and welcomed him into her presence.
पूजां चकार भक्त्या च फलं मूलं ददौ मुदा। सुवा सितं जलं दत्त्वा प्रणनाम मुदाऽन्विता
With devotion she performed worship, joyfully offering fruits and roots; giving pure white water, she bowed with delight.
पूजां गृहीत्वा मुदितः सादरं तामुवाच ह । विप्ररूपी च भगवान्प्रज्वलन्ब्रह्मातेजसा
Receiving the worship with happiness and respect, the Lord, appearing as a brāhmaṇa and blazing with Brahman’s splendor, spoke to her.
धर्म उवाच भवती कस्य कन्या वा किं ते नाम मनोहरे । किं करोषि रहस्येव तन्मे कथितुमर्हसि
Dharma said: O charming one, whose daughter are you? What is your name? What are you doing here in solitude? Please tell me.
कस्य हेतोस्तपस्या ते किं वा वाञ्छसि सुन्दरि । वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते यत्ते मनसि वाञ्छितम्
For what reason are you performing austerity? What do you desire, beautiful one? Choose a boon, auspiciousness to you, whatever you wish in your heart.
वृन्दोवाच विप्र केदारकन्याऽहं वृन्दा वृन्दावने स्थिता । तपः करोमि रहसि चिन्तयामि हरिं पतिम्
Vṛndā said: O brāhmaṇa, I am Vṛndā, daughter of Kedāra, dwelling in Vṛndāvana; I perform austerity in secret, contemplating Hari as my husband.
यदि दातुं समर्थोऽसि देहि मे वाञ्छितं वरम् । असमर्थोऽसि चेद्गच्छ किं ते प्रश्नेन ब्राह्मण
If you are able to grant, then give me the boon I desire; if you are unable, then go—why do you question me, O brāhmaṇa?
धर्म उवाच निरीहमवितर्क्यं च परमात्मानमीश्वरम् । निर्गुणं च निराकारं भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहम्
Dharma said: The Supreme Self, the Lord, is without desire or doubt, without qualities or form, yet assumes a form to show grace to devotees.
का क्षमा तं पतिं कर्तुं विना लक्षमीं सरस्वतीम्
Who is able to make him a husband, except for Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī?
गोलोके द्विभुजस्यापि श्रीवंशीवदनस्य च । किशोरगोपवेषस्य परिपूर्णतमस्य च
In Goloka, even the two-armed one with the flute-bearing face, in the guise of a youthful cowherd, is the embodiment of complete fullness.
तस्य भार्या स्वयं राधा महालक्ष्मीः परात्परा । ब्रह्मस्वरूपा परमा परमात्मानमीश्वरम्
His wife is Rādhā herself, the supreme Mahālakṣmī, transcendent; she is the very form of Brahman, the highest, the Supreme Lord.
भजते सततं शान्तं सुरम्यं श्यामसुन्दरम् । कोटिकन्दर्पसौन्दर्यनिन्दितं सुकलेवरम्
She always worships the peaceful, delightful, darkly beautiful Lord, whose perfect body puts to shame the beauty of millions of Cupids.
अमूल्यरत्नाभरणं सत्यं च नित्यविग्रहम् । पीताम्बरधरं रम्यं दातारं सर्वसंपदाम्
He is adorned with priceless jewels, truly eternal in form, clad in yellow garments, lovely, and the giver of all prosperity.