नानाप्रकारधूपैश्च गन्धद्रव्यैः सुवासतम् । चित्रैर्विचित्रैर्विविधैः शिल्पिनांपुण्यकारिणाम्
Perfumed with various kinds of incense and fragrant substances, adorned with marvelous and diverse works of virtuous artisans,
परितः परितश्चैव शोभनार्हैः सुशोभनैः । गन्धर्वाणां च संगीतैमधुरंर्मधुरीकृतम्
All around, beautifully decorated with splendid ornaments, sweetened by the melodious singing of the Gandharvas,
विद्याधरीणांनृत्यैश्च नर्तकीनां च शिल्पिनाम् । तत्र निश्चेष्टचित्रैश्च जनराजिविराजितम्
With the dances of Vidyādharī women, dancers, and artisans, there it was further adorned by the still and wondrous presence of the assembled people and kings,
गुप्तद्वारैर्गवाक्षैश्च युवतीभिश्च वीक्षितम् । मङ्गलेन घटेनैव विधुषा च पुरोधसा
With hidden doors and windows, watched by young women, with the auspicious pot and the learned priest at the front,
कुशहस्तेन भूपेन दानेन दानवस्तुना । दृष्ट्वा च प्राङ्गणं राज्ञो देवा ब्रह्मादयस्तथा
With the king holding sacred kusha grass, and giving gifts of valuable items, seeing the courtyard of the king, the gods led by Brahmā,
अवरुह्य रथात्तूणं तिष्टन्ति प्राङ्गणे मुदा । राजेन्द्रा दानवेन्द्राश्च सुनयः सनकादयः
Having descended quickly from their chariots, stood joyfully in the courtyard—the kings, the lords of the Dānavas, the wise, and the sages like Sanaka,
श्रीकृष्णश्चापि भगवान्पार्षदप्रवरैः सह । तान्दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय जवेन भीष्मकस्तथा
And the blessed Śrī Kṛṣṇa, together with his foremost attendants, seeing them, Bhīṣmaka at once rose swiftly,
मूर्घ्ना ववन्दे देवाश्च मुनोन्द्रांश्च नृपांस्तथा । रत्नसिहासनेष्वेव सुरम्येषु पृथवपृथक्
He bowed his head to the gods, the sages, and the kings, and seated them separately on beautiful jeweled thrones,
क्रमतो वासयामास संपूज्य सादरेण च । राजा तुष्टाव भक्त्या च तान्सर्वान्भक्तिपूर्वकम् वसुदेवं वासुदेवं साश्रुनेत्रः पुटाञ्जलिः
He seated them in order, having honored them with respect; the king praised them all with devotion, and with tears in his eyes and folded hands, he praised Vasudeva, Vāsudeva,
भीष्मक उवाच अद्य मे सफलं जन्म जीवितं च सुजीवितम् । बभूव जन्मकोटीनां कर्ममूलनिकृन्तनम्
Bhīṣmaka said: Today my birth is fulfilled, and my life well-lived; it has become the destroyer of the roots of karma accumulated over millions of births.
स्वयं विधाता जगतां प्रदाता सर्वसंपदाम् । स्वप्रे यत्पादपद्मं च द्रष्टुं नैव क्षमः प्रभो
The Creator himself, the giver of all the worlds and all prosperity, O Lord, is not able to behold even in his own love the lotus feet of whom.
तपसां फरदाता च संस्रष्टा प्राङ्गणे मम । स्वात्मारामेषु पूर्णेषु शुभप्रश्नमनीप्सितम्
The bestower of the fruits of austerities, the creator standing in my courtyard, among those who are self-content and fulfilled, desires to ask an auspicious question.
योगीन्द्रैरपि सिद्धेन्द्रैः सुरेन्द्रैश्च मुनीन्द्रकैः । ध्यानादृष्टश्च यो देवः स शिवः प्राङ्गणे मम
That god, whom even the foremost of yogis, the perfected ones, the lords of gods, and the chief sages see only in meditation, that Śiva is present in my courtyard.
कालस्य कालो भगवान्मृत्योर्मृत्युश्च यः प्रभुः । मृत्युंजयश्च सर्वेशोनराणां दृष्टिगोचरः
He who is the time of time, the blessed Lord who is the death of death, the conqueror of death, the Lord of all, is visible to men.
यस्यमूर्ध्नां सहस्रेषु मूर्ध्नि विश्वं चराचरम् । नास्त्यन्तः सर्ववेदेषु सोऽयं च मम प्राङ्गणे
On whose thousand heads rests the entire universe, moving and unmoving, whose end is not found in all the Vedas—he is in my courtyard.
सर्वकामप्रणेयो हि सर्वाग्रे यस्य पूजनम् । श्रेष्ठो देवगणानां च स गणेशो ममाङ्गणे
He who is to be worshipped first among all, the fulfiller of all desires, the best among the hosts of gods—that Gaṇeśa is in my courtyard.
मुनीनां वैष्णवानां च प्रवनो ज्ञानिनां गुरुः । सनत्कुमारो भगवान्प्रत्यक्षः प्राङ्गणे मम
Among sages and Vaiṣṇavas, the foremost, the guru of the wise—Sanatkumāra, the blessed one, is manifest in my courtyard.
ब्रह्मपुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च प्रपौत्राश्चापि वंशजाः । ते सर्वे मदगृहेऽद्यैव ज्वलन्तो ब्रह्मतेजसा
The sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons of Brahmā, all those born in the lineage, today are all shining with the brilliance of Brahman in my house.
अहो कल्पान्तपर्यन्तं तीर्थीभूतो ममाऽऽश्रमः । येषां पादोदकैस्तीर्थ विशुद्धं तद्गृहे मम
Ah, my hermitage has become a sacred place until the end of the aeon; by whose foot-water the holy place is purified, that is in my house.
पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि तानि तीर्थानि सागरे । सागरे यानि तीर्थानि विप्रपादेषु तानि च
All the holy places on earth, those holy places in the ocean, and those in the ocean are found at the feet of the Brāhmaṇas.
विप्रपादोदकक्लिन्ना यावत्तिष्ठति मेदिनी । तावत्पुष्करपत्रेषु पिबन्ति पितरो जलम्
As long as the earth remains moistened by the foot-water of Brāhmaṇas, so long do the ancestors drink water from lotus leaves.
विप्रपादोदकं भुक्त्वा दत्त्वा विप्राय दक्षिणाम् । स्रानानां सर्वतीर्थानां फलमाप्नोति निश्चितम्
Having partaken of the Brāhmaṇa's foot-water and given a gift to the Brāhmaṇa, one certainly attains the fruit of all baths at all holy places.
निकृन्तनं च विपदां व्याधिनिर्मुलकारणम् । सुखदं शुभदं सारं विप्रपादोदकं नृणाम्
The foot-water of Brāhmaṇas is the destroyer of calamities, the remover of diseases, the giver of happiness, auspiciousness, and essence for people.
न गङ्गासदृशं तीर्थ न देवो माधवात्परः । सनत्कुमारा द्भक्तो न न हि कल्पतरोस्तरुः
There is no holy place like the Gaṅgā, no god greater than Mādhava, no devotee like Sanatkumāra, and no tree like the wish-fulfilling tree.
न पुष्पं पारिजाताच्च न व्रतं हरिवासरात् । पूजने न हि पूज्यं च न पत्रं तुलसीपरम्
There is no flower like the Pārijāta, no vow like the day of Hari, in worship nothing is more worthy than the tulasī leaf.
न देवी प्रकृतेश्चापि नाऽऽधारः पवनात्परः । न हि स्थूलो महाविष्णोर्न सूक्ष्मं परमाणुतः
There is no goddess greater than Prakṛti, no support greater than wind, no gross form greater than Mahāviṣṇu, nor subtlety greater than the atom.
न ब्राह्मणात्परः पूतो नाऽऽश्रमश्च न तीर्यकम् । न देवो न परः कोऽपि चेत्याह कमलोद्भवः
There is none purer than a Brāhmaṇa, no āśrama greater, no holy place superior, no god higher—so said the lotus-born one.
ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनां प्रकृतेश्च परः प्रभुः । ध्यानासाध्यो दुराराध्यो योगिनामपि निश्चितम्
The Lord who is beyond Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and Prakṛti, is attainable through meditation, difficult to worship, even for yogis—this is certain.
निर्गुणश्च निराकारो भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहः । स एव चक्षुषो नॄणां साक्षाद्देवश्च मद्गृहे
He is without qualities and without form, yet assumes a form out of compassion for devotees; that very Lord, visible to the eyes of men, is manifest in my house.
देवैर्ब्रह्मेशशेषैश्च ध्यातं यत्पादपङ्कजम् । धनेशेन गणेशेन दिनेशेनापि दुर्लभम्
The lotus feet, which are meditated upon by Brahma, Shiva, Shesha, and the gods, are difficult to attain even for Kubera, Ganesha, and Surya.