ध्याने ध्यानेन राधाया व्यायन्ते ध्यानतत्पराः । इहैव जीवन्मुक्तास्ते परत्र कृष्णपार्षदाः
Those devoted to meditation on Rādhā, absorbed in contemplation, are liberated even in this life and become Krishna's attendants in the next.
दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा च सर्वादौ तुष्टाव परमेश्वरीम् । स्वयं विधाता जगतां मातरं वेधसामपि
Seeing her, Brahmā at the very beginning praised the Supreme Lady, the very creator of the worlds, the mother even of the Vedas.
ब्राह्मोवाच षष्टिवर्षसहस्रणि दिव्यानि परमेश्वरि । पुष्करे च तपस्तप्तं पुण्यक्षेत्रे च भारते
Brahma said: O Supreme Lady, for six thousand divine years, I performed austerities in Puṣkara and in the sacred land of Bhārata.
त्वत्पादपद्मधुरमधुलुब्धेन चेतसा । मधुव्रतेन लोलेन प्रेरितेन मया सति
With a mind eager for the honey of your lotus feet, like a restless bee drawn by sweetness, I was impelled, O virtuous one.
तथाऽपि न मया लब्धं त्वत्पादपद्ममीप्सितम् । न दृष्टमपि स्वप्नेऽयि जाता वागशरीरिणी
Yet even so, I did not attain the cherished lotus feet of yours; not even in a dream did I see them, O you whose words take form.
वाराहे भारते वर्षे पुण्ये वृन्दावने वने । सिद्धाश्रमे गणेशस्य पादपद्मं च द्रक्ष्यसि
In the Varāha region of Bhārata, in the holy forest of Vṛndāvana, at Siddhāśrama, you will behold the lotus feet of Gaṇeśa.
राधामाधवयोर्दास्यं कुतो विषयिणस्तव । निवर्तस्व महाभाग परमेतत्मुदुर्लभम्
How can one attached to sense-pleasures attain service to Rādhā and Mādhava? Turn back, O highly fortunate one; this supreme goal is exceedingly rare.
इति श्रुत्वा निवृत्तोऽहं तपसे भग्नमानसः । परिपुर्ण तदधुना वाञ्छितं तपसः फलम्
Hearing this, I withdrew from austerities, my mind broken; but now, at last, the desired fruit of my penance is fully attained.
महादेव उवाच पद्मैः पद्मार्चितं पादपदमं यस्य सुदुर्लभम् । ध्यायन्ते ध्याननिष्ठाश्च शाश्वद्रब्रह्मादयः सुराः
Mahādeva said: The lotus feet worshipped by Padmā with lotuses are exceedingly difficult to obtain; even Brahmā and the eternal gods devoted to meditation contemplate them.
मुनयो मनवश्चैव सिद्धाः सन्तश्च योगिनः । द्रष्टुं नैव क्षमाः स्वप्ने भवती तस्य वक्षसि
Sages, Manus, Siddhas, the virtuous, and yogis—even they are not able to see them, not even in a dream; but you dwell upon his chest.
अनन्त उवाच वेदाश्च वेदमाता च पुराणानि च सुव्रते । अहं सरस्वती सन्त स्तोतुं नालं च संततम्
Ananta said: The Vedas, the mother of the Vedas, and the Purāṇas, O virtuous one, even I and Sarasvatī are not able to praise him continuously.
अस्माकं स्तवने यस्य भ्रूभङ्गं च सुदुर्लभम् । तवैव भत्सेने भीताश्चावयोरन्तरं हरेः
For us, even a movement of his brow during our praise is exceedingly rare; O Bhatsene, out of fear, we keep a distance from Hari.
एवं देवाश्च देव्यश्चाप्यन्ये ये च समागताः । प्रणतास्तुष्टुवुः सर्वे मुनिमन्वादयस्तथा
In this way, all the assembled gods and goddesses, as well as sages and Manus, bowed down and praised him.
लज्जया नम्रवक्त्राश्च रुक्मिण्यद्याश्च योषितः । मलीमसं च चक्रुस्ताः श्वासेन रत्नदर्पणम्
Out of shyness, Rukmiṇī and the other women lowered their faces; with their breath, they clouded the jeweled mirrors.
मृततुल्या सत्यभामा निराहारा कृशोदरी । मनसोऽप्यभिमानं च सर्व तत्याच नारद
Satyabhāmā, as if lifeless, with a slender waist and fasting, renounced all pride of mind, O Nārada.
इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्णजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo सिद्धाश्रमतीर्थयात्राप्रसङ्गेगणेशपूजनं ब्रह्मेशशेषादिकृतराधिकास्तोत्रं नाम चतुर्विंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred twenty-fourth chapter, entitled 'The Worship of Gaṇeśa and the Hymn to Rādhikā by Brahmā, Īśa, Śeṣa, and Others at Siddhāśrama,' in the great Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa, in the section concerning the pilgrimage to Siddhāśrama during the account of the birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as narrated by Nārada.
अथ पञ्चविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः नारद उवाच गणेशपूजनादेव राधास्तोत्रात्परं विभो । बभूव किं रहस्यं वा तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
Now begins the one hundred twenty-fifth chapter. Nārada said: O Lord, after the worship of Gaṇeśa and the hymn to Rādhā, what secret or mystery arose? Please explain that to me.
नारायण उवाच गशेशपूजने तीर्थे ये देवाश्च समाययुः । मुनयश्चापि योगीन्द्रा वसन्तो वटमूलके
Nārāyaṇa said: At the worship of Gaṇeśa at the holy place, the gods assembled, as did the sages and foremost yogis, gathering at the banyan tree.
वसुदेवो देवकी च परमादरबूर्वकम् । पप्रच्छ शंभुं ब्राह्मणमनन्तं मुनिपुंगवान्
Vasudeva and Devakī, with utmost reverence, questioned Śaṃbhu, Brahmā, Ananta, and the foremost sages.
भवेद्भवाब्धितरणमावयोरुत्तमा गतिः । शीघ्रं ब्रूत महाभागा दीनयोर्दीनबान्धवाः
May we cross the ocean of existence and attain the highest state? O greatly fortunate ones, quickly tell us, for we are destitute and you are the friends of the destitute.
भवाब्धितरणे तर्यां तत्र यूयं च नाविकाः । न ह्यम्मयानि तीर्थानि न देवा मृच्छिलामयाः
In crossing the ocean of existence, you are the boatmen there; for holy places are not mine, nor are the gods made of clay and stone.
यज्ञरूपाणि पुण्यानि व्रतान्यनशनानि च । तपांसि नानादानानि विप्रदेवार्चनानि च
Righteous acts in the form of sacrifices, vows, fasting, austerities, various gifts, and worship of Brahmins and gods—
चिरं पुनन्ति सर्वाणि दर्शनादेव वैष्णवाः । सतां च विष्णुभक्तानां रजसां स्पर्शमात्रतः
All these purify for a long time, yet the mere sight of Vaishnavas, and even the touch of dust from the feet of true devotees of Vishnu, purifies instantly.
पूतानां पादपद्मानां सद्यः पूता वसुंधरा । तीर्थानि च पवित्राणि समुद्राः पर्वतास्तथा
The earth is immediately purified by the feet of the pure ones; likewise, holy places, oceans, and mountains become sanctified.
सुरा दर्शनमिच्छन्ति पातकेन्धनपापकम् । सोऽज्ञानि नैव बुबुधे ज्ञानं च ज्ञानिना सह
The gods desire the sight of those who burn away sin and evil; but the ignorant do not understand, nor do they gain knowledge with the wise.
परमं स्वादुरूपं च दधिदुग्धरसं यथा । यथा कृणस्य तातोऽहं सङ्गी सुचिरमेव च
The highest, sweetest essence is like the taste of curd and milk; just as I am the father of Krishna, joined for a long time.
तथैव देवकी माता ज्ञानिनां च गुरोर्गुरोः । वसुदेववचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य शंकरः स्वयम् चतुर्णामपि वेदानामुवाच जनको गुरुः
In the same way, Devaki is the mother, and the guru of the wise is the guru of gurus; hearing Vasudeva's words, Shankara himself smiled and spoke as the teacher of all four Vedas.
महादेव उवाच संनिकर्षो ज्ञानिनां चाप्यनादरणकारणम् । यान्ति गङ्गाम्भसा पूतास्तीर्थान्यन्यानि सिद्धये
Mahadeva said: Association with the wise is the cause of disregard for other means; holy places are purified by the waters of the Ganges, and others attain perfection likewise.
वासुदेवास्य तातोऽयं वसुदेवश्च पण्डितः । ज्ञानिनः कश्यपस्याशो वसोस्तातस्य चाऽऽत्मनः
Vasudeva is Krishna's father, and Vasudeva is learned; Kashyapa is the father of the wise, and Vasu is the father of the soul.
पृच्छति ज्ञानमस्मांश्च कृष्णाज्ञान्पुत्रबुद्धितः । अहो दुर्गा महामाया ज्ञानिनामपि मोहिनी
He asks us for knowledge, Krishna's ignorant son by intellect; ah, Durga, the great illusion, is a deluder even of the wise.