माधव्युवाच उद्धव शृणु वक्ष्यामि क्षणं तिष्ठ यथोचितम् । निगूढं परमं ज्ञानं यत्ते मनसि वाञ्छितम्
Mādhavī said: Uddhava, listen, I will speak; wait a moment as is proper. I will tell you the supreme secret knowledge that you desire in your heart.
सुदुर्लभं पुराणेषु वेदेषु गोपनीयकम् । प्रश्नं कुरु महाभाग राधिकां त्रिजगत्प्रसूम्
It is most rare in the Purāṇas and the Vedas, and is to be kept hidden. Ask, O highly fortunate one, about Rādhikā, the mother of the three worlds.
इत्युक्त्वा सा च गोपीशा समुवास मुसंसदि । उवाच मधुरं शान्तामुद्धवश्चापि राधिकाम्
Having spoken thus, the queen of the cowherd women remained in that assembly, and Uddhava addressed Rādhikā with gentle and sweet words.
उद्धवउवाच एकाकी भवमायाति यात्येकाकी पुनः पुनः । प्राणी कर्मानुरोधेन स्वकर्मफलभुक्पुमान्
Uddhava said: Alone one is born, alone one departs again and again; a living being, according to his karma, enjoys the results of his own actions.
कर्मणा जायते जन्तुः कर्मणौव प्रलीयते । सुखं दुःखं भयं शोकं कर्मणैवाभिपद्यते
By action a creature is born, and by action alone he dissolves; happiness, sorrow, fear, and grief are all attained only through action.
जन्तुर्भोगावशेषेण भोगं भुङ्क्ते भवेषु च । पुनश्च कर्मणो भोगात्समायाति च याति च
A being, compelled by the residue of enjoyment, experiences pleasure in various births; and again, from the enjoyment of actions, he comes and goes.
रत्नादिकं च यत्किचिन्मह्यं दत्तं त्वया सति । मया सार्ध न यात्येव तेन मे किं प्रयोजनम्
Whatever jewels or other things you have given me, O virtuous one, do not go with me; what use have I for them?
भवाब्थितारणे देवि भवती तरणिर्वरा । कर्णधारः स्वयं कृष्णः सर्वेषां पारकारकः
O goddess, in the ocean of existence, you are the excellent boat, and Kṛṣṇa himself is the helmsman, the one who carries all across.
किंचिद्यानं देहि मह्यं भवाब्धिपारकारणम् । प्राप्य प्रसातं यास्यामि मथुरां कृष्ममूलकम्
Grant me some knowledge that will carry me across the ocean of existence; having received your favor, I will go to Mathurā, the root of all.
यां यां कालगतिं मातः सुराणां च नृणामपि । पितॄणां ब्रह्मलोकस्य तदूर्ध्वस्य च तां वद
Mother, tell me of the course of time as it pertains to the gods, to men, to the ancestors, to Brahmā's world, and to those above it.
तामेव दुस्तरां घोरां तीर्त्वा यामि हरेः पदम् । एवंभूतमुपायं च देहि मे कमलालये
Crossing that very difficult and terrible path, I will reach the feet of Hari; O Kamalālayā, give me such a means.
दूरतो यत्पदाम्भोजं ध्यायन्ते च दिवानिशम् । देवा ब्रह्मेशशेषाद्यास्त्वं तद्वक्षः स्थलस्थिता
The gods, Brahmā, Śiva, Śeṣa, and others meditate day and night from afar upon his lotus feet; but you dwell upon that very chest.
उद्धवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा जहास कमलालया । वाससा नेत्रनीरं च संभार्ज्य तमुवाच सा
Hearing Uddhava's words, Kamalālayā smiled; wiping the tears from her eyes with her garment, she spoke to him.
राधोवाच माधवीवचनेनैव करोषि प्रश्नमुद्धव । स्त्रीजातिरबला लोके किं वा ज्ञानं ददामि ते
Rādhā said: Because of Mādhavī's words you ask this question, Uddhava; but women are weak in this world—what knowledge can I give you?
शुद्धां कालगतिं वत्स जानाति भगवान्हरिः । ब्रह्म महेशः शेषश्च वेदाश्चत्वार एव च
Child, only Bhagavān Hari, Brahmā, Maheśa, Śeṣa, and the four Vedas know the pure course of time.
किंचिद्वेदानुसारेण सन्तो जानन्ति पुत्रक । श्रूयतां कुष्णवक्त्रेण गोलोके रासमण़्डले
Some saints, my son, know a little according to the Vedas; listen now to what was spoken by Kṛṣṇa in the circle of the rāsa in Goloka.
गोलोके चापि वैकुण्ठे ब्रह्मलोके च सांप्रतम् । या च दृष्टा कालगतिस्तामेव कथयामि ते
In Goloka, in Vaikuṇṭha, and now in Brahmā's world, whatever course of time is seen, that I will tell you.
नृणां पितॄणां देवानां ब्रह्मलोकादिकस्य च । बहिर्लोकस्य ब्रह्माण्डात्पातालानां च निश्चितम्
The course of time for men, ancestors, gods, Brahmā's world and others, for the outer worlds, the cosmic egg, and the netherworlds—this is certain.
दुरत्ययां कालगतिं येनोपायेन पण्डिताः । निस्तरन्ति बुधश्रेष्ठ कथयामि निशामय
By what means the wise cross over the insurmountable course of time, O best of the learned, I will tell you—listen.
भजन्ति जगतां नाथं कालकालं जगद्गुरुम् । निर्गुणं च निरीहं च परमात्मानमीश्वरम्
They worship the Lord of the worlds, the time of time, the teacher of the universe, the one who is without qualities, without desire, the supreme soul, the Lord.
सद्यः पतति देहोऽयं विना येन सदात्मना । तं निषेव्य कालगतिं तरत्येव हि केवलम्
This body immediately falls away for one who is without the eternal Self; by serving that Self, one alone crosses over the course of time.
आयुर्हरति सर्वेषां प्राणिनां रविरेव च । श्रीहरेः शुद्धभक्तानां सतां पुण्यवतां विना
The sun alone takes away the lifespan of all living beings, except for the pure devotees of Shri Hari, the virtuous, and the righteous.
विधेर्मानसिकान्पुत्रांश्चतुरः पश्य पुत्रक । सनकादीन्भागवतान्येषां च सुस्थिरं वमः
See, my child, the four mind-born sons of Brahma—Sanaka and the others—who are devoted to Bhagavan; their lineage is indeed firm.
रुद्राद्यान्वयसा नित्याञ्ज्ञातिनां च गुरोर्गुरून् । बालाननुपनीतांश्च पञ्चवर्षशिशून्यथा
The Rudras and others, eternal by lineage, and the teachers of teachers among their kin, as well as children not yet initiated, like five-year-old boys—
अम्यन्तरे महास्फीतान्सस्मितांश्च दिगम्बरान् । श्रीकृष्णध्यानपूताश्च तीर्थपूतांश्च वैष्णवान्
Among them are the great, prosperous ones, those who smile, those who are unclad, those purified by meditation on Shri Krishna, and Vaishnavas purified by holy places.
वेदवेदाङ्गशास्त्राणां चिन्ताहीनान्प्रफुल्लितान् । भक्त्या दिवानिशं शश्वद्धरिभावेन तत्परान्
Those free from anxiety about the Vedas, Vedangas, and scriptures, who are joyful, always intent on Hari with devotion day and night—
बाह्यपूजाविहीनांश्च पूतान्मानसिकांस्तथा । मृत्युञ्जयान्महाभागान्कालव्यालजितस्तथा
Those pure ones who lack external worship but are mentally devoted, the greatly fortunate conquerors of death, and those who have overcome the serpent of time—
सनकं च सनन्दं च तृतीयं च सनातनम् । परं सनत्कुमारं च ये स्मरन्ति च सर्वशः
Whoever remembers Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana as the third, and the supreme Sanatkumara in every way—
तीर्थस्नानफलं लब्ध्वा मुच्यते कृतपातकात् । हरिभक्तिर्भवेत्तेषां हरिदास्यं लभन्ति च
Having obtained the fruit of bathing at holy places, one is freed from committed sins; devotion to Hari arises in them, and they attain the status of servant of Hari.
मृकण्डुबालकं पश्य कर्मणा च द्विजोत्तमम् । दशवर्षायुषं तीव्रं ज्वलन्तं ब्रह्मतेजसा
See the boy Markandeya, the best of twice-born by his deeds, ten years old, blazing with intense Brahmanic radiance.