युधामन्युर्गौ रमुखोऽप्युपमन्युः श्रृतश्रवाः । मैत्रेयश्च्यवनश्चैव वररुच्यर्षिरेव च
Yudhāmanyu, Gauramukha, Upamanyu, Śrutaśravā, Maitreya, Cyavana, and the sage Vararuci,
तान्दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय नमस्कृत्य पुटाञ्जलिः । सिंहासनेषु रम्येषु वासयामास सादरम्
Seeing them, Kṛṣṇa immediately rose, offered respectful obeisance with folded hands, and with honor seated them on beautiful thrones.
पूजयामास विधिवत्कुशलप्रश्नपूर्वकम् । परस्परं च संभाष्य मध्ये कृष्ण उवास सः
He worshipped them according to proper rites, first inquiring after their welfare; and after they conversed with one another, Kṛṣṇa sat among them.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे कृष्णस्तेजोराशिं ददर्श सः । ददुशुस्ते च मुनयोऽप्याकाशे च समुज्ज्वलम्
Meanwhile, Kṛṣṇa saw a mass of radiant light; and the sages also saw it shining brilliantly in the sky.
तेजसोऽभ्यन्तरे वत्स कुमारं कनकप्रभाम् । यथैव पञ्चवर्षीयं नग्नं बालकमीप्सितम्
Within that radiance, O child, they saw a boy glowing like gold, appearing as a naked five-year-old child, delightful to behold.
आविर्बभूव सहसा समामध्ये च नारद । उत्तिष्टमानं सहसा तं दृष्ट्वा मुनपुंगवाः
Suddenly, in the midst of all, Nārada appeared; and seeing him rise at once, the eminent sages,
प्रणेमुर्मुनयः सर्वे शौरिश्च प्रणनाम तम् । सस्मितं स्निग्धनेत्रं चकृत्वा युक्तिं च सादरम्
All the sages bowed down, and Śauri (Kṛṣṇa) also bowed to him, who looked upon them with a gentle smile and affectionate eyes, acting with due respect.
स सर्वानाशिषं कृत्वा समुवास च संसदि । उवाच तांश्च शौरिं च भगवन्तं सनातनम्
He blessed them all and took his seat in the assembly; and he spoke to them and to the venerable, eternal Lord Śauri.
सनत्कुमार उवाच भद्रं वो मुनयः शश्वत्तपसां फलमीप्सितम् । कृष्णस्य कुशलप्रश्नं सिवबीजस्य निष्फलम्
Sanatkumāra said: Blessings to you, O sages! The fruit of your constant austerities is now at hand; but the inquiry into Kṛṣṇa’s welfare and the seed of Śiva are fruitless.
सांप्रतं कुशुलं वश्च दर्शनं परमात्मनः । भक्तानुरोधाद्देहस्य परस्य प्रकृतेरपि
Now, your welfare is assured by the vision of the Supreme Self; by the devotion of the devotees, even the supreme body, beyond nature, is revealed.
निर्गुणास्य निरीहस्य सर्वबीजस्य तेयसा । भारावतरणायैव चाऽऽविर्भूतस्य सांप्रतम्
By the power of the attributeless, actionless, and all-seed source, who has now manifested solely for the removal of the earth's burden—
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच शरीरधारिणश्चापि कुशलप्रश्नमीप्सितम् । तत्कथं कुशलप्रश्नं मयि विप्र न विद्यते
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Even for those who possess bodies, the inquiry into well-being is appropriate; but how can such a question of well-being apply to me, O brāhmaṇa?
सनत्कुमार उवाच शरीरे प्राकृते नाथ संततं च शुभाशुभम् । नित्यदेहे क्षेमबीजे शिवप्रश्नमनर्थकम्
Sanatkumāra said: In the material body, O Lord, auspicious and inauspicious things constantly arise; but in the eternal body, which is the seed of welfare, the question of well-being is meaningless.
श्रीभगवानुवाच यो यो विग्रहधारी च स च प्राकृतिकः स्मृताः । देहो न विद्यते विप्र तां नित्यां प्राकृतिं विना
Śrī Bhagavān said: Whoever possesses a form is considered material; O brāhmaṇa, a body cannot exist without that eternal material nature.
सनत्कुमार उवाच रक्तबिन्दूद्भवा देहास्ते च प्राकृतिका स्मृताः । कथं प्रकृतिनाथस्य बीजस्य प्राकृतं वपुः
Sanatkumāra said: Bodies born from the seed of blood are considered material; how can the body of the Lord of Nature, the seed of all, be material?
सर्वबीजस्य सर्वादिर्भवांश्च भगवान्स्वयम् । सर्वेषामवतारणां प्रधानं बीजमव्ययम्
He himself is the origin of all seeds and all beginnings, the Lord; he is the imperishable principal seed of all descents.
कृत्वा वदन्ति वेदाश्च नित्यं सत्यं सनातनम् । ज्योतिःस्वरूपं प्रधानं बीजमव्ययम्
The Vedas always declare him to be the eternal, true, and primeval light-form, the imperishable principal seed.
मायया सगुणं चैव मायेशं निर्गुणं परम् । प्रवदन्ति च वेदाङ्गास्तथा वेदविदः प्रभो
By māyā, he is said to be with attributes, and as the Lord of māyā, he is the supreme without attributes; so declare the Veda-branches and the knowers of the Veda, O Lord.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच संप्रतं वासुदेवोऽहं रक्तपीर्याश्रितं वपुः । कथं न प्रकृतो विप्र शिवप्रश्नमभीप्सितम्
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Now I, Vāsudeva, have assumed a body supported by blood and semen; how then, O brāhmaṇa, is the inquiry into well-being not material?
सनत्कुमार उवाच वासुः सर्वनिवासश्च विश्वानि यस्य लोमसु । तस्य देवः परं ब्रह्म वासुदेव इतीरितः
Sanatkumāra said: Vāsu means the abode of all, and all the worlds dwell in his pores; therefore, that god, the supreme Brahman, is called Vāsudeva.
वासुदेवेति तन्नाम वेदेषु च चतुर्षु च । पुराणेष्वितिहासेषु यात्रादिषु च दृश्यते
The name Vāsudeva is found in all four Vedas, in the Purāṇas, in the Itihāsas, and in texts concerning rituals.
रक्तवीर्याश्रितो देहः क्व ते वेदे निरूपितः । साक्षिणो मुनयश्चैव धर्मः सर्वत्र एव च
Where in the Vedas is a body supported by blood and semen described for you? The sages are witnesses, and dharma is present everywhere.
साक्षिणो मम वेदाश्च रविचन्दौ च संप्रतम्
The Vedas are my witnesses, as are the sun and the moon at this very moment.
भृगुरुवाच सत्यं वदसि त्वमेव वैष्णवाग्रणीः । स्वागतं कुशलं शश्वत्किंनिमित्तमिहाऽऽगतः
Bhṛgu said: You speak the truth; you alone are the foremost among the Vaiṣṇavas. Welcome! May you always be well. For what reason have you come here?
सनत्कुमार उवाच श्रूयतां मुनयः सर्वे श्रूयतां कृष्ण सांप्रतम् । अहो येन निमित्तेन चातिशीघ्रमिहाऽऽगतः
Sanatkumāra said: Let all the sages listen, let Kṛṣṇa also hear now; for what reason has he come here so very swiftly?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच भगवन्मर्वधर्मज्ञ किंनिमित्तमिहाऽऽगतः । सर्वं जानासि सर्वज्ञ त्वमेव विदुषां वरः
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O Lord, knower of dharma, for what reason have you come here? You know everything, O all-knowing one, you alone are the best among the wise.
सनत्कुमार उवाच धन्योऽसि भगवञ्छश्वन्मान्योऽसि जगतामपि । सर्वेश्वरेश्वरोऽसि त्वं तत्परो नास्ति विश्वतः
Sanatkumāra said: Blessed are you, O Lord; you are always to be honored, even by the worlds. You are the Lord of all lords; there is none higher than you in all the universe.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच यज्ञानां च व्रतानां च तपस्यानां द्विजेश्वर। सततं फलदाताऽहं दक्षिणाभिः सहेति य
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O best of the twice-born, I am always the giver of the fruits of sacrifices, vows, and austerities, along with the offerings.
इति श्रुत्वा कुमारश्च जवेन प्रययौ वने । मत्वाऽऽश्चर्य च वचनं वारयामास तेऽपितम्
Hearing this, the youth swiftly departed into the forest; considering the words as wondrous, he restrained his father.
ऋषय ऊचुः हे सिद्धेन्द्र महाभाग कुमार करुणामय । का शङ्कितकथा प्रोक्ता भगवत्कृष्णसंनिधौ
The sages said: O Siddhendra, greatly fortunate one, O compassionate youth, what anxious tale has been spoken in the presence of Lord Krishna?