राधिकोवाच निष्फलं मङ्गलप्रश्तं मङ्गले मङ्गलालये । सर्वमङ्गलबीजे च माङ्गल्ये मङ्गलप्रदे
Rādhikā said: An auspicious inquiry is fruitless when addressed to the very abode of all auspiciousness, the seed of all auspiciousness, the giver of auspiciousness, and the essence of auspiciousness itself.
तथाऽपि कुशलप्रश्ने सांप्रतं समयोचितम् । लौकिको व्यवहारोऽपि वेदेभ्यो बलवांस्तथा
Yet, even so, at this moment, asking about well-being is appropriate; worldly custom, too, is sometimes stronger than the Vedas.
कुशलं रुक्मिणीकान्त सत्यभामेश सांप्रतम् । महन्द्रेण समं युद्धं लीलया च यदाज्ञया
O beloved of Rukmiṇī, lord of Satyabhāmā, all is well now; by your play and command, you fought a great battle with Indra.
पारिजाततरुं स्वर्गादुत्पाट्य चामरावतीम् । गत्वा विजित्य देवांश्च तस्यै दसमिति श्रुतम्
Uprooting the Pārijāta tree from heaven, you went to Amarāvatī, conquered the gods, and gave it to her, as is well known.
पुण्यकं च कृतं तेन पारिजातेन सुव्रतम् । त्वामेव साध्यं कान्तं च संपूर्णे दक्षिणां ददौ
By that Pārijāta, a great merit was accomplished; you gave the complete offering to your beloved, having fulfilled your vow.
ब्रह्मेशशेषासाध्यस्त्वं तया साध्यः कृतः कथम् । सर्वभ्यः कामिनीभ्यश्च सत्यभामां बिभेषि च
You, who are unattainable by Brahmā, Śiva, and Śeṣa, were attained by her—how was this accomplished? And among all women, you seem to fear Satyabhāmā.
रुक्मिण्यां प्रेमसौभाग्यमतिरिक्तं च गौरवम् । भयं माल्यं च धन्यायां सत्यायां सततं श्रुतम्
It is always heard that Rukmiṇī enjoys special love, good fortune, and honor from you, while Satyabhāmā is said to possess fear and garlands.
सत्यं जाम्बवतीकान्त वद मां च सुनिश्चितम् । तासु सर्वासु कान्तासु कस्यास्ते प्रेम चाधिकम्
O beloved of Jāmbavatī, tell me truly and with certainty: among all your beloveds, to whom is your love the greatest?
शृङ्गारे सर्वभावे वा तासु का रसिका परा । त्वयि स्निग्धा विदग्धा का तामु धन्याऽतिसुव्रता
Among them, who is the foremost in passion and in all moods? Who is most affectionate and clever toward you? Who among them is blessed and supremely devoted?
सा स्त्री भावानुरक्ता या भार्यां पाति पतिश्च सः । प्रेमातिरिक्तं स्त्रीपुंसोस्त्रैलोक्येषु सुदुर्लभम्
That woman is truly devoted whose husband protects her and whom she protects; such surpassing love between woman and man is exceedingly rare in all the three worlds.
रसिका स्त्री विजानाति सती गुणवती पतिम् । गुणज्ञं रसिकं शूरं सुशीलं सुरतौ सदा
A discerning woman knows a virtuous, noble, and heroic husband who is always skillful in love, and who appreciates her virtues.
दूराद्धावति पद्मार्थ मधुलोभान्मध्रुव्रतः । भेकस्तन्न हि जानाति तन्मूर्ध्नि पादमुत्सृजेत्
The honeybee, devoted to honey, flies from afar for the sake of the lotus; the frog does not know this and may trample it underfoot.
यन्त्री जानाति संगीतरसं यन्त्रं च नैव च । दुग्धास्वादं विदग्धश्च न दर्वी नैव भाजनम्
The musician knows the taste of music, not the instrument itself; the clever one knows the taste of milk, not the ladle or the vessel.
परिपक्वफलास्वादं जानन्ति भोगिनः सुखम् । एकत्रावस्थिताः शश्वन्नकिंचित्फलिनो यथा
Those who enjoy know the taste of fully ripened fruit and happiness, just as those who remain together always, though not bearing fruit themselves.
सुशीलजलास्वादं विजानन्ति तृषाल्वः । न च वापी न घटश्चैकत्रावस्थितो यथा
Those who are thirsty know the taste of good water, not the well or the pot, even if they are nearby.
भोकिनो हि विजानन्ति शालिस्वादुरसं परम् । एकत्रावस्थितं चेतु न क्षेत्रं भाजनं यथा
Those who partake truly know the supreme taste of rice, not the field or the vessel, even if it is present.
बुबुधे चन्दनाघ्रणं चन्दनार्थी च भोगवित् । न गर्दभो भारवाही न तस्य पात्रिका यथा
The one who enjoys knows the scent of sandalwood, not the donkey who bears the load, nor its container.
यं न यानन्ति वेदाश्च ब्रह्मेशानादयस्तथा । योगिनो मुनयः सिद्धास्तं किं जानन्ति योषितः
He whom the Vedas, Brahmā, Śiva, and others, as well as yogis, sages, and perfected beings, do not reach—how can women know him?
सौभाग्यं गौरवं प्रेम दुर्लभं नित्यनूतम् । यौषितां च परं नैव चूर्णीभूतं क्षणेन च
Fortune, dignity, and love among women are rare and ever-new; yet, in a moment, they are utterly shattered.
अत्युच्छ्रितो निपतनं प्राप्नोत्येव ध्रुवं प्रभो । आराद्विपत्तिबीजं च वैष्णवानां विहिंसनम्
O Lord, one who rises too high inevitably falls; it becomes the seed of misfortune and brings harm to the Vaishnavas.
श्रीदामा च मया शप्तस्त्वद्भक्तो भक्तवत्सलः । एतादृशी विपत्तिर्मे पुत्रश्रीदामशापतः
Śrīdāmā, your devotee and beloved of devotees, was cursed by me; such calamity befell me because of my son Śrīdāmā's curse.
ईश्वरः कस्य वा बन्धुः प्रियो वा विप्रियस्तथा । सततं भक्तिसाध्यश्च यो भक्तश्च तदीश्वरः
Who is a lord, a friend, or an enemy to whom? Only he who is devoted attains the Lord, and the Lord is attained by devotion.
वेदाश्च वैदिकाः सन्तः पुराणानि वदन्ति च । राधाया माधवः साध्यो भगवानिति निष्फलम्
The Vedas, the Vedic sages, and the Purāṇas declare: Mādhava is to be attained by Rādhā, yet this is fruitless.
जित्वा च सगणं शंभुं बाणस्य भुजकृन्तनम् । कृत्वा च रुक्मिणीपौत्रः समानीतः सभार्यकः
Having defeated Śaṃbhu and his retinue, and cut off Bāṇa's arms, the grandson of Rukmiṇī was brought back with his wife.
अहो त्वयि समायाते रुक्मिणी किमुवाच ह । प्रेम स्थितं समानं ते किं विवृद्धं च गौरवम्
When you arrived, what did Rukmiṇī say? Is your love constant and equal, or has your dignity increased?
कुरुपाण्डवयुद्धेन कुरवो निहतास्त्वया । पाण्डवार्थे तथा भूपाः क्व साम्यं परमात्मनः
In the battle between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, the Kurus were slain by you; for the sake of the Pāṇḍavas, so were the kings. Where is the impartiality of the Supreme Soul?
साक्षान्महेन्द्रजातस्य कौन्तेयस्यार्जुनस्य च । राजमण्डलम्ध्यस्थो भवानेव हि सारथिः
You alone, born directly from Mahendra, stood in the midst of the royal assembly as the charioteer of Kaunteya and Arjuna.
तेन भक्तेन शुद्धेन भीष्मेण च महात्मना । लज्जितेन किमुक्तं ते महतीषु मभासु च
By that pure devotee, the great-souled Bhīṣma, who was ashamed, what did he say to you among the great assemblies?
देवैरपि कथं दृष्टो ब्रह्मेशशेसंषज्ञकैः । भक्तसिहैर्भृत्तैः सर्वैर्न चोक्तं किंचिदेव सः
How could even the gods, Brahmā, Īśa, and Śeṣa, who know you, see you? Though surrounded by devoted servants, none spoke anything to him.
यश्चानिर्वचनीयश्च वेदेषु च चतुर्षु च । पुराणेष्वितिहासेषु प्रकृतेः पर ईश्वरः
He who is indescribable in the four Vedas, in the Purāṇas and Itihāsas, the Lord beyond nature.