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.
हरिसेवनतः पश्चात्सप्तकल्पान्तजीविनम् । वोढुं पञ्चशिखं पश्य लोमशं चाऽऽसुरिं तथा
After serving Hari, he lived until the end of seven kalpas; see also Panchashikha, Lomasha, and Asuri, who endured likewise.
सर्वकर्मविहीनं च हरिसेवनतत्परम् । शतकल्पायुषं चैव ध्यायमानं हरेः पदम्
One who is devoid of all ritual acts but wholly devoted to serving Hari, meditating on the feet of Hari, lives for a hundred kalpas.
जमदग्नेः सुतं पश्य रामं तं चिरजीविनम् । हनुमन्तं बलिं व्यासमश्वत्थामानमेव च
See Rama, the son of Jamadagni, that long-lived one; Hanuman, Bali, Vyasa, and also Ashvatthama.
विभीषणं कृपं विप्रं जाम्बवन्तं च भल्लुकम् । हरिभावनया चैते शुद्धाः सुचिरजीविनः
Vibhishana, the Brahmin Kripa, Jambavan the bear—these, purified by devotion to Hari, are all exceedingly long-lived.
सिद्धेन्द्रेषु मुनीन्द्रेषु नरेष्वन्येषु चोद्धव । हरिभावनशुद्धाश्च सर्वे ते चिरजीविनः
Among the perfected beings, the foremost sages, and other men, O Uddhava, all those purified by devotion to Hari are long-lived.
प्रह्लादं पश्य दैत्येषु हिरण्यकशिपोः सुतम् । हरिद्विषो दुरन्तस्य हरिभावनतत्परम्
See Prahlada among the Daityas, son of the fierce hater of Hari, Hiranyakashipu, who is wholly devoted to contemplation of Hari.
चिरायुषं कालजितं पश्यान्यं चाप्यसंख्यकम् । अनेकजन्मतपसा लब्ध्वा जन्म च भारते
See another, countless, long-lived and victorious over time, who, having gained birth in Bharata through many lifetimes of austerity—
ये हरिं तं न सेवन्ते ते मूढाः कृतपापिनः । वासुदेवं परित्यज्य विषये निरतो जनः
Those who do not serve Hari are deluded and sinful; abandoning Vasudeva, people become absorbed in sense pleasures.
त्यक्त्वाऽमृतं महामूढो विषं भुङ्क्ते निजेच्छया । कस्य स्त्री कस्य वा पुत्रः कस्य वा बान्धवास्तथा
The utterly deluded one abandons nectar and willingly consumes poison; whose is a wife, whose is a son, and whose are relatives indeed?
कः कस्य बन्धुर्विपदि श्रीकृष्णेन विना भुवि । तस्मात्सन्तः सदा कृष्णं भजन्त्येव दिवानिशम्
Who is anyone’s friend in adversity on earth, without Śrī Kṛṣṇa? Therefore, the wise always worship Kṛṣṇa, day and night.