मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं भ्रादा मितं सुतः । मितं बन्धुर्मितं माता सर्वदाता पतिः प्रभुः
A father gives only a little, a brother a little, a son a little, a relative a little, a mother a little; but a husband is the true giver of all, the lord.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा सा देवी तत्र तस्थौ रुरोद च । उवाच वृन्दां णगवान्सर्वात्मा प्रकृतेः परः
Having spoken thus, the goddess stood there and wept; then the all-pervading Lord, beyond nature, spoke to Vṛndā.
श्रीभगवानुवाच त्वयाऽऽयुस्तपसा लब्धं यावदायुश्च ब्रह्मणः । तदेव देहि धर्माय गोलोकं गच्छ सुन्दरि
The Blessed Lord said: The lifespan you have gained by your austerity, as long as Brahmā's life, give that to Dharma; then, O beautiful one, go to Goloka.
तन्वाऽनया च तपसा पश्चान्मां च लभिष्यसि । पश्चाद्गोलोकमागत्य वाराहे च वरानने
By this body and your austerity, you will later attain me; afterwards, coming to Goloka, O lovely-faced one, in the Varāha age.
वृषभानसुता त्वं च राधाच्छाया भविष्यसि । मत्कलांशश्च रायाणस्त्वां विवाह ग्रहीष्यति
O daughter of Vṛṣabhānu, you shall become the shadow-form of Rādhā; and Rāyaṇa, who is a portion of my own power, will take you in marriage.
मां लभिष्यसि रासे च गोपीभी राधया सह । राधा श्रीदामशापेन वृषभानसुता यदा
You will attain me in the rāsa dance, together with the gopīs and Rādhā; when Rādhā, due to Śrīdāma's curse, becomes the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu.
सा चैव वास्तवी राधा त्वं च च्छायास्वरुपिणी । विवाहकाले रायाणस्त्वां च च्छायां ग्रहीष्यति
That Rādhā will be the true Rādhā, and you will be her shadow-form; at the time of marriage, Rāyaṇa will take you, the shadow, as his bride.
त्वां दत्त्वा वास्तवी राधा साऽन्तर्धाना भविष्यति । राधैवेति विमूढाश्च विज्ञास्यन्ति
Having given you, the true Rādhā will vanish; and the bewildered will believe you to be Rādhā herself.
स्वप्ने राधापदाम्भोजं न रि पश्यन्ति बल्लवाः । स्वयं राधा मम क्रोडे छाया रायाणकामिनी
In dreams, the cowherds do not see the lotus feet of Rādhā; Rādhā herself is in my embrace, while the shadow is the beloved of Rāyaṇa.
विष्णोश्च वचनं श्रुत्वा ददावायुश्च सुन्दरी । उत्तस्थौ पूर्ण धर्मश्च तप्तकाञ्चनसंनिभः
Hearing the words of Viṣṇu, the beautiful one gave herself; full Dharma arose, shining like heated gold.
वृन्दोवाच देवाः शृणुत मद्वाक्यं दुर्लङ्घ्यं सावधानतः । न हि मिथ्या भवेद्वाक्यं मदीयं च निशामय
Vṛndā said: O gods, listen attentively to my words, which cannot be transgressed; indeed, my words are never false, so heed them.
क्षयो भवेति वाक्यं च मयोक्तं कोपभीतया । वारत्रयं पुनर्वक्तुं वारयामास भास्करः
I spoke the words, 'destruction will occur,' out of anger and fear; but Bhāskara prevented me from repeating them three times.
सत्ये च परिपूर्णोऽयं यथापूर्वो यथाऽधुना । त्रिपादश्चापि त्रेतायां द्वापदो द्विपरे तथा
In Satya Yuga, Dharma is complete, as before and as now; in Treta, it stands on three feet, in Dvāpara on two, and likewise in Kali.
एकपादश्च दर्मोऽयं कलेश्च प्रथमे हरे । शेषे कलाषोडशांशः पुनः सत्ये यथा पुरा
In the first part of Kali, Dharma stands on one foot, O Hari; in the rest, only a sixteenth portion remains, and in Satya it is as before.
त्रिर्निर्गतं मम मुखात्क्षयस्तेन ततः क्रमात् । पुनरुक्ते च मनसि वारयामास भास्करः
Because 'destruction' was spoken three times from my mouth, therefore, gradually, when repeated in my mind, Bhāskara restrained it.
तेनैव रेतुनाऽयं च करिशेषे कलामयः । तथा शप्तः स्थितो दुर्गे कलिशेषे तथा ध्रुवम्
By that very seed, this world in the remainder of Kali will be made of portions; thus, cursed, it remains in difficulty, and so it is certain in the end of Kali.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे नन्द ददृशुर्देवता रथम् । गोलोकादागतं वेगादतीव सुन्दरं शुभम्
Meanwhile, Nanda and the gods saw a chariot, exceedingly beautiful and auspicious, coming swiftly from Goloka.
अमूल्यरत्ननिर्माणं हीरहारपरिष्कृतम् । मणिमाणिक्यमुक्ताभिर्वस्त्रैश्च श्वेतचामरै
It was fashioned of priceless jewels, adorned with golden necklaces, decorated with gems, rubies, pearls, fine garments, and white yak-tail fans.
विभूषितं भूषणौश्च रुचिरै स्तनदर्पणैः । नत्वा हरिं हरं वृन्दा ब्रह्माणं सर्वदेवताः
It was embellished with splendid ornaments and radiant breast mirrors; Vṛndā, along with all the gods, bowed to Hari, Hara, and Brahmā.
समारुङ्य रथं दृष्ट्वा गोलोकं च जगाम सा । देवा जग्मुश्च स्वस्थानं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
Having mounted the chariot and seen Goloka, she departed; the gods returned to their own places. What more do you wish to hear?
अथ सप्ताशीतितमोध्यायः नन्द उवाच त्वां ज्ञातुं नहि शक्ताश्च वेदा वेदप्रभुं स्वयम् । सुरा ब्रह्मेशसेषाद्या मुनिसिद्धादयस्तथा
Chapter eighty-seven. Nanda said: The Vedas themselves, the lord of the Vedas, the gods, Brahmā, Śiva, and the others, as well as sages and siddhas, are unable to know you.
को भवानिति विज्ञातुं परं कौतूहलं मम । तत्सर्व स्वात्मयाथार्थ्यं निर्जने कथय प्रभो
Who are you? My curiosity is very great to know; please tell me everything truthfully, in solitude, O Lord.
नारायण उवाच एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र कृष्णं द्रष्टुं मुनीश्वराः । आजग्मुः सहसा वत्स ज्वलन्तो ब्रह्मतेजसा
Nārāyaṇa said: In the meantime, O child, the foremost sages, blazing with the radiance of Brahman, suddenly arrived there to see Kṛṣṇa.
पुलहश्च पुलस्त्यश्च क्रतुश्च भृगुरङ्गिराः । प्रचेताश्च वसिष्ठश्च दुर्वासाः कण्व एव च
Pulaha, Pulastya, Kratu, Bhṛgu, Aṅgirā, Pracetas, Vasiṣṭha, Durvāsas, and also Kaṇva,
कात्यायनः पाणिनिश्च कणादो गौतमस्तथा । सनकश्च सनन्दश्च दृतीयश्च सनातनः
Kātyāyana, Pāṇini, Kaṇāda, Gautama, Sanaka, Sananda, Dṛti, and Sanātana,
कपिलश्चाऽऽसुरिश्चैव वायुः पञ्चशिखस्तथा । विश्वामित्रो वाल्मीकिश्च कश्यपश्च पराशरः
Kapila, Āsuri, Vāyu, Pañcaśikha, Viśvāmitra, Vālmīki, Kaśyapa, and Parāśara,
विभाण्डको मरीचिश्च शुक्रौऽत्रिश्च बृहस्पतिः । गार्ग्यश्यापि तथा वात्स्यो व्यासश्च जैमिनिस्तथा
Vibhāṇḍaka, Marīci, Śukra, Atri, Bṛhaspati, Gārgya, Vātsya, Vyāsa, and also Jaimini,
मितवागृष्यशृङ्गश्च याज्ञवल्क्यः शुकस्तथा । सौभरिः शुद्धजटिलो भरद्वाजः सुभद्रकः
Mitavāk, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, Yājñavalkya, Śuka, Saubhari, Śuddhajaṭila, Bharadvāja, and Subhadraka,
मार्कण्डेयो लोमशश्च आसुरिश्च विटङ्कणः । अष्टावक्र शतानन्दो वामदेश्च भासुरिः
Mārkaṇḍeya, Lomaśa, Āsuri, Viṭaṅkaṇa, Aṣṭāvakra, Śatānanda, Vāmadeva, and Bhāsuri,
संवर्तश्चाप्युतथ्यश्च नरोऽहं चापि नारद । जाबालिः पर्शुरामश्चाप्यगस्त्यः पैल एव च
Saṃvarta, Utathya, Nara, myself, Nārada, Jābāli, Paraśurāma, Agastya, and also Paila,