तस्येश्वरस्य किं रूपं कर्म वा किं जगत्पते
O Lord of the universe, what is his form, and what are his deeds?
नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य भगवानृषिः
Hearing the words of Nārada, the blessed sage smiled.
इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्त्ते महापुराणे ब्रह्मखण्डे सौतिशौनकसंवादे नारायणं प्रति नारदप्रश्नो नामैकोनत्रिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the thirty-ninth chapter named 'Nārada's Question to Nārāyaṇa' in the dialogue between Sūta and Śaunaka, in the Brahma-khaṇḍa of the great Purāṇa, Śrī Brahmavaivarta.
श्रीनारायण उवाच वाणीशिवात्रिपथगा कमलादिकाश्च संचिन्तयेद्भगवतश्चरणारविन्दम्
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: One should contemplate upon the lotus feet of the Lord, as worshipped by Vāṇī (Sarasvatī), Śivā (Pārvatī), Gaṅgā, Lakṣmī, and others.
संसारसागरमतीव गभीरघोरं दावाग्निसर्पपरिवेष्टितचेष्टिताङ्गम्
The ocean of worldly existence is extremely deep and terrible, with limbs tormented as if encircled by wildfire and serpents.
गोवर्द्धनोद्धरणकीर्त्तिरतीव खिन्ना भूर्धारिता च दशनाग्रत एव चार्द्रा
The fame of lifting Govardhana is exceedingly wearied, the earth is upheld, and even at the tips of his teeth, it is moist.
वेदाङ्गवेदमुखनिःसृतकीर्त्तिरंशैर्वेदाङ्गवेदजनकस्य हरेर्विधातुः
By rays of fame issuing from the mouths of the Vedas and their limbs, Hari, the creator of the Vedas and their limbs, is known.
गोपाङ्गनावदनपङ्कजषट्पदस्य रासेश्वरस्य रसिकारमणस्य पुंसः
He is the bee at the lotus faces of the cowherd maidens, the Lord of the rāsa dance, the enjoyer, the supreme person.
चक्षुर्निमेषपतितो जगतां विधाता तत्कर्म वत्स कथितुं भुवि कः समर्थः
The creator of the worlds, in the blink of his eye, performs such deeds—O child, who on earth is able to recount them?
यूयं वयं तस्य कलाकलांशाः कलाकलांशा मनवो मुनीन्द्राः
You and we, as well as the Manus and great sages, are but fractions of fractions of his power.
सहस्रशीर्षा शिरसः प्रदेशे बिभर्त्ति सिद्धार्थसमं च विश्वम्
He, with a thousand heads, upholds the universe on a portion of his head, equal to a mustard seed.
गोलोकनाथस्य विभोर्यशोऽमलं श्रुतौ पुराणे नहि किंचन स्फुटम्
The pure fame of the Lord of Goloka is not clearly stated in the Vedas or Purāṇas.
विश्वेषु सर्वेषु च विश्वधाम्नः सन्त्येव शश्वद्विधिविष्णुरुद्राः 1.30.
In all the worlds and abodes, there are always Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra.
करोति सृष्टिं स विधेर्विधाता विधाय नित्यां प्रकृतिं जगत्प्रसूम्
He, the creator of Brahmā, performs creation, having established eternal nature, the mother of the world.
ब्रह्मस्वरूपा प्रकृतिर्न भिन्ना यया च सृष्टिं कुरुते सनातनः
Nature, which is of the form of Brahman, is not different; by her, the eternal one creates.
नारायणी सा परमा सनातनी शक्तिश्च पुंसः परमात्मनश्च
She is Nārāyaṇī, the supreme, eternal power of the Supreme Person and of the Supreme Self.
गत्वा विवाहं कुरु वत्स साम्प्रतं कर्तुं प्रयुक्तश्च पितुर्निदेशः
Go now, dear child, and perform the marriage; you are to act according to your father's command.
स्वपत्नीं पूजयेद्यो हि वस्त्रालङ्कारचन्दनैः
He who worships his own wife with garments, ornaments, and sandalwood paste—
सा च योषित्स्वरूपा च प्रतिविश्वेषु मायया
And she, in the form of a woman, appears in every universe through her power of illusion.
दिव्या स्त्री पूजिता येन पतिपुत्रवती सती
That divine woman, worshipped by whom, becomes a devoted wife and mother, faithful to her husband and children.
मूलप्रकृतिरेका सा पूर्णब्रह्मस्वरूपिणी
She is the one original nature, embodying the fullness of Brahman.
प्राणाधिष्ठातृदेवी या कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः
She is the goddess who presides over life-breath, belonging to Krishna, the Supreme Self.
नारायणप्रिया लक्ष्मीः सर्वसम्पत्स्वरूपिणी 1.30.
Lakshmi, beloved of Narayana, is the embodiment of all prosperity.
सावित्री वेदमाता च पूज्यरूपा विधेः प्रिया
Savitri, the mother of the Vedas, is worthy of worship and dear to Brahma.
इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्त्ते महापुराणे ब्रह्मखण्डे सौतिशौनकसंवादे भगवत्स्तुतितत्स्वरूपवर्णनं नाम त्रिंशत्तमो ऽध्यायः
Thus ends the thirtieth chapter, named 'Description of the Nature of the Lord's Praise,' in the Brahma-khanda of the great Brahmavaivarta Purana, in the dialogue between Sauti and Shaunaka.
श्रीगणेशाय नमः सावित्री वै सृष्टिविधौ प्रकृतिः पञ्चधा स्मृता
Salutations to Shri Ganesha. Savitri, in the act of creation, is remembered as nature in fivefold form.
आविर्बभूव सा केन का वा सा ज्ञानिनां वरा
By whom did she appear, and who is she—the best among those who know?
सर्वासां चरितं पूजाविधानं कथमीप्सितम्
What is the story of them all, and how is the worship to be properly performed?
नारायण उवाच किंचित्तथापि वक्ष्यामि यच्छ्रुतं धर्मवक्त्रतः
Narayana said: Still, I will speak a little of what I have heard from the mouth of Dharma.
प्रकृष्टवाचकः प्रश्च कृतिश्च सृष्टिवाचकः
The prefix 'pra' denotes excellence, and 'kṛti' signifies creation.