वाचकाय प्रदद्याच्च परं रत्नाङ्गुलीयकम् । सूक्ष्मवस्त्रं च माल्यं च स्वर्णकुण्डलमुत्तमम्
Should give to the reciter a precious jeweled ring, fine cloth, a garland, and an excellent golden earring.
माल्यं च वरदोलां च सुपक्वं क्षीरमेव च । सर्वस्वं दक्षिणां दद्यात्स्तवनं कुरुते ध्रुवम्
A garland, a splendid swing, well-cooked milk—he should give all his wealth as a gift, and certainly offer praise.
शतकं ब्राह्मणानां च भोजयेत्परमादरात् । ब्रह्मणं वैष्णवं शास्त्रनिष्णातं पण्डितं वरम्
He should feed a hundred brahmins with great respect, especially one who is learned, versed in Vaishnava scriptures, and an excellent scholar.
कुरुते वाचकं शुद्धमन्यथा निष्फलं भवेत् । श्रीकृष्ण विमुखाद्दुष्टान्नोपदिष्टाच्च ब्राह्मणात्
He should appoint a pure reciter; otherwise, it becomes fruitless—especially if instructed by a brahmin who is hostile to Krishna or impure.
श्रीकृष्णभक्तियुक्तं च पुराणं यः शृणोति च । भक्तिं पुण्यं न लभते हन्ति पुण्यं पुराकृतम्
Whoever listens to the Purana endowed with devotion to Krishna does not obtain devotion or merit; he destroys the merit previously acquired.
श्रीकृष्णभक्तियुक्ताच्च पुराणं यः शृणोति च । भक्तिं पुण्यं च लभते यात्यन्ते श्रोहरेः पदम्
But whoever listens to the Purana endowed with devotion to Krishna obtains devotion and merit, and at the end attains the abode of Hari.
एतत्ते कथितं सर्व यच्छ्रु तं गुरुवक्त्रतः । बिदायं देहि विप्रेन्द्र यामि नारायणाश्रमम्
All this has been told to you, as heard from the mouth of the guru; O foremost of brahmins, grant me leave, for I go to the hermitage of Narayana.
दृष्ट्वा विप्रसमूहं च नमस्कर्तुं समागतः । कथितं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं भवतामाज्ञया परम्
Seeing the assembly of brahmins who have come to offer their respects, I have recounted the Brahma-vaivarta by your supreme command.
नमोऽस्तु ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च कृष्णाय परमात्मने । शिवाय ब्रह्मणे नित्यं गणेशाय नमो नमः
Salutations to the brahmins, to Krishna the Supreme Soul, to Shiva, to Brahma always, and repeated salutations to Ganesha.
कायेन मनसा वाचा परं भक्त्या दिवानिशम् । भज सत्यं परं ब्रह्म राधेशं त्रिगुणात्परम्
By body, mind, and speech, with supreme devotion day and night, worship the Supreme Truth, the Supreme Brahman, Lord of Radha, who is beyond the three qualities.
नमो देव्यै सरस्वत्यै पुराणगुरवे नमः । सर्वविघ्नविनाशिन्यै दुर्गादेव्यै नमो नमः
Salutations to the goddess Sarasvatī, the ancient preceptor; salutations to Durgā, destroyer of all obstacles—again and again, I bow.
युष्माकं पादद्मानि दृष्ट्वा पुण्यानि शौनक । अद्य सिद्धाश्रमं यामि यत्र देवो गणेश्वरः
Having seen your lotus feet, so auspicious, O Śaunaka, today I go to Siddhāśrama, where the lord Gaṇeśvara dwells.
इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्ते महापुराणे श्रीकृष्णजन्मखण्ड उत्तरार्धे नारदनारयणसंवादे सूतशौनकसंवादे त्रयस्त्रिंदशधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the great Purāṇa Śrī Brahmavaivarta, in the section on the birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in the second half, in the dialogue of Nārada and Nārāyaṇa, and in the dialogue of Sūta and Śaunaka, this is the one hundred thirty-third chapter.
नारद उवाच अधुना प्रकृतीनां च व्यासं वर्णय भो प्रभो
Nārada said: Now, O Lord, please describe the origin of the Prakṛtis.
कस्याः पूजा कृता केन कथं मर्त्ये प्रका शिता
Whose worship was performed, by whom, and how was it made manifest among mortals?
कवचं स्तोत्रकं ध्यानं प्रभावं चरितं शुभम्
Their protective mantra, hymn, meditation, power, and auspicious deeds—
नारायण उवाच सावित्री वै सृष्टिविधौ प्रकृतिः पञ्चधा स्मृता
Nārāyaṇa said: Sāvitrī, in the act of creation, is remembered as Prakṛti in five forms.
आसीत्पूज्या प्रसिद्धा च प्रभावः परमाद्भुतः
She was worshipped, renowned, and her power was supremely wondrous.
प्रकृत्यंशाः कला याश्च तासां च चरितं शुभम्
The portions and aspects of Prakṛti, and their auspicious deeds—
वाणी वसुन्धरा गङ्गा षष्ठी मङ्गलच ण्डिका
Vāṇī, Vasundharā, Gaṅgā, Ṣaṣṭhī, and Maṅgalacaṇḍikā—
तेजसा मत्समास्ताश्च रूपेण च गुणेन च
All these are equal to me in brilliance, form, and quality.
संक्षेपमासां चरितं पुण्यदं अतिसुन्दरम्
Their deeds, in brief, are meritorious and exceedingly beautiful.
दुर्गायाश्चैव राधाया विस्तीर्णं चरितं महत् 2.4.
The extensive and great deeds of Durgā and also of Rādhā—
आदौ सरस्वतीपूजा श्रीकृष्णेन विनिर्मिता
At first, the worship of Sarasvatī was established by Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
आविर्भूता यदा देवी वक्त्रतः कृष्णयोषितः
When the goddess appeared from the mouth of Kṛṣṇa’s beloved—
स च विज्ञाय तद्भावं सर्वज्ञः सर्वमातरम्
He, the all-knowing, recognizing her nature as the mother of all—
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच युवानं सुन्दरं सर्वगुणयुक्तं च मत्समम्
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Young, beautiful, endowed with all virtues, and equal to me—
कामदं कामिनीनां च तासां तं कामपूरकम्
The fulfiller of desires for women, he who grants their wishes—
कान्ते कान्तं च मां कृत्वा यदि स्थातुमिहेच्छसि
Beloved, if you wish to remain here, making me your beloved,
यो यस्माद्बलवान्वाऽपि ततोऽन्यं रक्षितुं क्षमः
Whoever is stronger than another is able to protect that other.