कृष्णं नवघनश्यामं किशोरं पीतवाससम् । शतकोटीन्दुसौन्दर्यं दधानमतुलं परम्
One should meditate on Kṛṣṇa, dark as a fresh rain cloud, youthful, clad in yellow garments, possessing beauty surpassing a hundred million moons, incomparable and supreme.
भूषितं भूषणौघैस्तैरमूल्यरत्ननिर्मितैः । चन्दनोक्षितसर्वाङ्गं कौस्तुभेन विराजितम्
Adorned with a multitude of ornaments made from priceless gems, his entire body anointed with sandalwood, radiant with the Kaustubha jewel.
मयूरपिच्छचूडं च मालतीमाल्यमण्डितम् । ईषद्धास्यप्रसन्नास्यं नित्योपास्यं शिवादिभिः
Crowned with a peacock feather, adorned with a garland of mālatī flowers, his face gently smiling and serene, eternally worshipped by Śiva and others.
ध्यानासाध्यं दुराराध्यं निर्गुणं प्रकृतेः परम् । सर्वेषां परमात्मानं भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहम्
He is attainable only through meditation, difficult to worship, beyond qualities, transcending nature; the supreme soul of all, the embodiment of grace to devotees.
वेदानिर्वचनीयं त वरं सर्वेश्वरं भजे । ध्यानेनानेन तं ध्यात्वा भगवन्तं सनातनम्
I worship that Lord, indescribable by the Vedas, the supreme ruler; having meditated upon him with this meditation, the eternal Lord.
भज तं परमानन्दं सत्यं नित्यं परात्परम् । इत्युक्त्वा स्वपदं शंभूर्जगाम् परमेश्वरः
Worship that supreme bliss, truth, eternal, beyond the highest; having spoken thus, Śaṃbhu departed to his own abode, the supreme Lord.
तं प्रणम्य जगन्नाथं नारदस्तपसे ययौ । नारदः श्रीहरिं स्मृत्वा योगात्त्यक्त्वा कलेवरम् निलीनः पादपद्मे च पाद (पद्मा) पद्मार्चिते हरेः
Having bowed to the Lord of the universe, Nārada went for austerity; remembering Śrī Hari, Nārada abandoned his body through yoga and merged at the lotus feet, worshipped by lotuses, of Hari.
इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्णजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo नारदविवाहादिप्रकरणं नाम त्रिंशदधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred thirtieth chapter of the glorious Brahma Purāṇa, the section on the birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the narrative of Nārada, and the episode of Nārada's marriage and related topics.
अधै कत्रिंशदधिकशततमोऽध्यायः शौनक उवाच अत्यपूर्वमुपाख्यानं श्रुतं परममाद्भुतम् । सुगोप्यं च सुगोप्यं रम्यं रम्यं नवं नवम्
Now begins the one hundred thirty-first chapter. Śaunaka said: An utterly unprecedented tale has been heard, supremely wondrous, most secret, most delightful, ever new.
किमनिर्वचनीयं च कमनीयं मनोहरम् । सुदुर्लभा कथा प्रोक्ता पुराणेषु पुरातनी
What is indescribable, charming, captivating; a story most rare, spoken in the ancient Purāṇas.
एवंभूतं च सुदिनं कदाऽस्माकं फविष्यति । तज्जन्म सफलं धन्यं यत्र वैष्णवसंगमः
When will such an auspicious day come for us? Blessed and fruitful is the birth where there is association with Vaiṣṇavas.
गर्भवासोच्छेदनं च कर्ममूलनिकृन्तनम् । हरिदास्यप्रदं शुद्धं भक्तानां भक्तिवर्धनम्
It severs the residence in the womb, cuts the roots of karma, grants service to Hari, is pure, and increases the devotion of devotees.
असाधुसङ्गदुर्बुद्धिपापोन्मूलनकारणम् । गणेशजन्मोपख्यानं पुराणेषु सुदुर्लभम्
Association with the wicked, corrupt intellect, and the cause of uprooting sin— the story of Ganesha's birth is exceedingly rare in the Puranas.
तुलसीराधिकाख्यानं किमपूर्व श्रुतं परम् । अन्यद्यद्यद्गोपनीयं व्यक्तमव्यक्तमीप्सितम्
The account of Tulasi and Radha—what unprecedented, supreme thing have you heard? Whatever else is to be concealed, manifest or unmanifest, desired—
सर्वं श्रुतं महाभाग परिबूर्णं मनोहरम् । अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि वह्नेरुत्पत्तिमीप्सिताम् स्वर्णस्य च महाभाग तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
All has been heard, O greatly fortunate one, complete and delightful. Now I wish to hear the desired origin of fire, and of gold, O greatly fortunate one; you ought to explain this to me.
सूत उवाच सामग्रीकरणं सृष्टेर्जलमेव हुताशनः । तथैव प्रकृतिर्नित्या महानेव तथैव च
Suta said: The assembling of the elements for creation—water alone is the fuel for fire; likewise, primordial nature is eternal, and so is the great one.
यथा दिशो महाकाशो ययैव सृष्टिगोलकम् । प्रकृतेर्महतश्च स्याद्य थाऽहंकार एव च
Just as the directions and the vast ether, and the sphere of creation arise from primordial nature and the great principle, so too from ego.
यथैव शब्दस्तन्मात्रं तथैव च हुताशनः । तथाऽपि तत्समुत्पत्तिं कथयामि निशामय
Just as sound is the subtle element, so too is fire; yet, I will narrate its origin—listen attentively.
एकदा सृष्टिकाले च ब्रह्मानन्तमहेश्वराः । श्वेतद्वीपं ययुः सर्वे द्रष्टुं विष्णुं जगत्पतिम्
Once, at the time of creation, Brahma, Ananta, and Maheshvara—all went to Shvetadvipa to behold Vishnu, the Lord of the universe.
परस्परं च संभाषां कृत्वा सिंहासनेषु च । ऊचुः सर्वे सभामध्ये सुरम्ये पुरतो विभोः
Having conversed with one another, seated upon thrones, all spoke in the midst of the assembly, in that delightful place before the Lord.
विष्णुगात्रोद्भवास्तत्र कामिन्यः कमलाकलाः । तत्र नृत्यन्ति गायन्ति विष्णुगाथाश्च
There, those desirous women, born from Vishnu's body, lotus-like in form, danced and sang songs of Vishnu.
तासां च कठिनां श्रोणिं कठिनं स्तनमण्डलम् । सस्मितं मुखपद्मं च दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा सुकामुकः
Seeing their firm hips, firm breasts, and smiling lotus-like faces, Brahma became overwhelmed with desire.
मनोनिवारणं कर्तुं न शशाक पितामहः । वीर्यं पपात चच्छाद लज्जया वाससा विभुः
The grandsire was unable to restrain his mind; his seed fell, and he covered it with his garment out of shame, O mighty one.
तद्वीर्यं वस्त्रसहितं प्रतप्तं कामतापतः । क्षीरोदे प्रेरयामास संगीते विरते द्विज
That seed, together with the garment, heated by the fire of passion, was sent into the ocean when the music ceased, O twice-born.
जलादुत्थाय पुरुषः प्रज्वलन्ब्रह्मतेजसा । उवास ब्रह्मणः क्रोडे लज्जितस्य च संसदि
Rising from the water, a man, blazing with Brahma's radiance, dwelled in Brahma's lap, in the assembly, ashamed.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रुष्टो जलादुत्थाय सत्वरः । प्रणम्य वरुणो देवान्बालं नेतुं समुद्यतः
Meanwhile, angered, Varuna quickly rose from the water, bowed to the gods, and prepared to take the child.
बालो दधार ब्रह्माणं बाहुम्यां च भयाद्रुदन् । किं चिन्नोवाच जगतां विधाता लज्जया द्विज
The child clung to Brahma's arm, weeping in fear; the creator of the worlds said nothing, out of shame, O twice-born.
बालकस्य करे धृत्वा चकारऽऽकर्षणं रुषा । वरुणश्च सभामध्ये तं चिक्षेप प्रजापतिः
Grasping the boy's hand, Varuna, in anger, dragged him; and in the midst of the assembly, Prajapati hurled him.
पपात दूरतो देवो वरुणो दुर्बलस्ततः । मूर्छां संप्राप मृतवत्कोपदृष्ट्या विधेरहो
The god Varuna, weakened, fell far away; he became unconscious, as if dead, from the wrathful gaze of the creator—alas!
चेतनं कारयामासामृतदृष्ट्या च शंकरः । संप्राप्य चेतनं तत्र तमुवाच जलेश्वरः
Shankara restored his consciousness with a glance like nectar; regaining awareness, the lord of the waters spoke to him there.