गोतमस्य शतानन्दो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः । आप्तः प्रवक्ता विज्ञश्च धर्मी कुलपुरोहितः
Śatānanda, son of Gotama, master of the Vedas and their branches, accomplished, eloquent, wise, righteous, and the family priest, spoke.
शतानन्द उवाच राजेन्द्र त्वं च धर्मज्ञो धर्मशास्त्रविशारदः । पृर्वाख्यानं च वेदोक्तं कथयामि निशामय
Śatānanda said: O king, you are knowledgeable in righteousness and expert in the scriptures of dharma; I will recount the ancient story as told in the Vedas—listen attentively.
भुवो भारावतरणे स्वयं नारायणो भुवि । वसुदेवसुतः श्रीमान्परिबूर्णतमः प्रभुः
For the removal of the earth’s burden, Nārāyaṇa himself, the illustrious son of Vasudeva, the Lord, fully complete in all qualities, descended to earth.
विधातुश्च विधाता च ब्रह्मेशशेषवन्दितः । ज्योतिःस्वरूपः परमो भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहः
He who is the creator of the creator, worshipped by Brahmā, Śiva, and Śeṣa, whose very form is light, supreme, and the embodiment of grace toward devotees.
परमात्मा च सर्वेषां प्राणिनां प्रकृतेः परः । निर्लिप्तश्च निरीहप्तश्च साक्षी च सर्वकर्मणाम्
He is the supreme soul of all beings, transcending nature, untouched and desireless, and the witness of all actions.
राजेन्द्र तस्मै कन्यां च परिपूर्णतमाय च । दत्त्वा यास्यसि गोलोकं पितॄणां शतकैः सह
O king, by giving your daughter to him, the most complete one, you will go to Goloka together with hundreds of your ancestors.
लभ सारूप्यमुक्तिं च कन्या दत्त्वां परत्र च । इहैव सर्वपूज्यश्च भव विश्वगुरोर्गुरुः
By giving your daughter, attain liberation of likeness in the next world; and here, become honored by all, the teacher of the universal teacher.
सर्वस्वं दक्षिणां दत्त्वा महालक्ष्मीं च रुक्मिणीम् । समर्पणं कुरुविभो कुरुष्व जन्मखण्डनम्
Having given all your wealth as a gift, and offering Mahālakṣmī and Rukmiṇī, O lord, perform the rite that severs the bonds of birth.
विधाता निखितो राजन्संबन्धः सर्वसंमतः । द्वारकानगरे कृष्णं शीघ्रं प्रस्थापय द्विजम्
The creator has ordained this, O king, and this alliance is approved by all; quickly send the brāhmaṇa to Kṛṣṇa in the city of Dvārakā.
कृत्वा शुभक्षणं तूर्ण सर्वेषामपि संमतम् । आनीय परमात्मानं भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहम्
Choosing an auspicious moment, swiftly and with everyone’s consent, bring the Supreme Soul, the embodiment of grace to devotees.
ध्यानानुरोधहेतुं च नित्यदेहमनुत्तमम् । दृष्टिमात्रात्कुरु नृप स्वजन्मकर्मखण्डनम्
He is the eternal, unsurpassed body, the cause of meditation and devotion; by merely seeing him, O king, destroy the bonds of your birth and deeds.
यं न जानन्ति चत्वारो वेदाः संतश्च देवताः । सिद्धेन्द्राश्च मुनीन्द्राश्च देवा ब्रह्मादयस्तथा
He whom the four Vedas do not know, nor the sages, nor the gods, nor the perfected lords, nor the great seers, nor even the gods beginning with Brahmā.
ध्यायन्ते ध्यानपूताश्च योगिनो न विदन्ति यम् । सरस्वती जडीभूता वेदाः शास्त्राणियानि च
Even yogis purified by meditation contemplate him but do not know him; Sarasvatī becomes mute, and the Vedas and all scriptures fall silent.
सहस्रवक्त्रः शेषश्च पञ्चवक्त्रः सदाशिवः । चतुर्मुखो जगद्धाता कुमारः कार्तिकस्तथा
Śeṣa with a thousand mouths, Sadāśiva with five faces, Brahmā the four-faced creator of the world, Kumāra and Kārtikeya as well—
ऋषयो मुनयश्चैव भक्ताः परमवैष्णवाः । अक्षमाः स्तवने यस्य ध्यानासाध्यश्च योगिनाम्
The seers, sages, and supreme devotees of Viṣṇu—all are incapable of praising him adequately, and he is unattainable even to yogis through meditation.
बालकोऽहं महाराज तद्गुणं कथयामि किम् । शतानन्दवचः श्रुत्वा प्रफुल्लवदनो नृपः
O great king, I am but a child—what can I say of his qualities? Hearing the words of Śatānanda, the king’s face blossomed with joy.
आनिङ्गनं ददौ तस्मै समुत्थाय जवेन च । नानारत्नं मुवर्ण च वस्त्रं च रत्नभूषणम्
He quickly rose and gave him a necklace, various jewels, gold, garments, and jeweled ornaments.
ददौ तस्मै प्रदानं च प्रसादसुमुखो नृपः । गजेन्द्र तुरगं श्रेष्ठं रथं च मणिनिर्मितम्
The king, his face beaming with favor, gave him gifts: the lord of elephants, the finest horse, and a chariot adorned with gems.
रत्नसिहासनं रम्यं धनं च विपुलं तथा । भूमिं च सर्वसस्याढ्यां शश्वद्वृष्टिकरीं शुभाम्
He gave a splendid jeweled throne, abundant wealth, and land rich with every crop, ever blessed with rain and auspicious.
अकृष्टसाध्यां पूज्यां च ग्रामं सर्वप्रशंसितम् । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रुक्मिश्चुकोप नृपनन्दनः
He gave a village, revered and praised by all, not needing to be ploughed; meanwhile, Rukmi, the delight of kings, grew angry.
कम्पितोऽधर्मयुक्तश्च रक्तास्यो रक्तलोचनः । उवाच पितरं व्रिप्रं सभायामस्थिरस्तदा
Trembling, unrighteous, with blood-red face and eyes, he spoke to his father, the king, unsteady in the assembly.
उत्याय तिष्ठन्पुरतः सर्वेषां च सभासदाम्
Standing up before all the members of the assembly—
रुक्मिरुवाच श्रृणु राजेन्द्र वचनं हितं तथयं प्रशंसितम् । त्यज वाक्यं भिक्षुकाणां लोभिनां क्रोधिनामहो
Rukmi said: Hear, O king of kings, these beneficial and praised words: Reject the words of beggars, the greedy, and the angry.
नर्तकानां च वैश्यानां भट्टानामर्थिनामपि । कायस्थानां च भिक्षूणामसत्यं वचनं सदा
The words of dancers, merchants, hired men, petitioners, scribes, and beggars are always false.
घटकानां नाटकानां स्त्रीलुब्धाना च कामिनाम् । दरिद्राणां च मूर्खाणां स्तुतिपूर्व वचः सदा
The words of potters, actors, women-chasers, the lustful, the poor, and the foolish are always preceded by flattery.
निहत्य कालयवनं राजेन्द्रं दूरतो भिया । उवायेन महाबाहो लब्धं कृष्णेन तद्धनम्
After killing Kālayavana, Krishna, out of fear, obtained that wealth by trickery, O mighty-armed king, from afar.
द्वारकाया धनी कृष्णो यवनस्य धनेन च । जरासंधभयेनैव समुद्राभ्यन्तरे गृही
Krishna became wealthy in Dvārakā with the riches of the Yavana, and, fearing Jarāsandha, took refuge within the sea.
जरासंधशतं चैव क्षणेनैव च लीलया । क्षमोऽहं हन्तुमेकाकी राज्ञश्चान्यस्य का कथा
With ease, I alone am able to slay even a hundred Jarāsandhas in a moment; what then of any other king?
दुर्वाससश्च शिष्योऽहं रणशास्त्रविशारदः । ध्रुवं भीष्मक तेनैव विश्वं संहर्तुमीश्वरः
I am the disciple of Durvāsas, skilled in the science of war; surely, Bhīṣmaka, by that alone I am able to destroy the world.
मत्समः पर्शुरामश्च शिशुपालश्च मत्समः । सखा च बलवाञ्छूरः स्वर्गं जेतुं स च क्षमः
Parashurāma is my equal, and so is Śiśupāla; my friend is a mighty hero, able to conquer even heaven.