किंचित्कथय मे धर्मं श्रीकृष्णगुणकीर्त्तगम्
Tell me something about dharma that proclaims the virtues of Shri Krishna.
कारणं मुक्तिकार्याणां सर्वाशुभनिवारणम्
It is the cause of liberation and removes all inauspiciousness.
मुक्तयः कतिधा सन्ति किं वा तासां च लक्षणम्
How many kinds of liberation are there, and what are their characteristics?
तत्त्वज्ञानविहीना च स्त्रीजातिर्विधिनिर्मिता
Women, created by rule, are devoid of knowledge of reality.
सर्वदानं ह्यनशनं तीर्थस्नानं व्रतं तपः
All charity, fasting, bathing at sacred places, vows, and austerity—
पितुः शतगुणा माता गौरवेणातिरिच्यते
The mother surpasses the father a hundredfold in honor.
यम उवाच अधुना हरिभक्तिस्ते वत्से भवतु मद्वरात्
Yama said: Now, by my boon, devotion to Hari shall be yours, O child.
श्रोतुमिच्छसि कल्याणि श्रीकृष्णगुणकीर्त्तनम्
You wish to hear, O auspicious one, the praise of Shri Krishna's virtues.
शेषो वक्त्रसहस्रेण नहि यद्वक्तु मीश्वरः 2.34.
Even the Lord cannot describe the remainder with a thousand mouths.
धाता चतुर्णां वेदानां विधाता जगतामपि
He is the creator of the four Vedas and the arranger of the worlds.
कार्तिकेयः षण्मुखेन नापि वक्तुमलं ध्रुवम्
Even Kārtikeya, with his six mouths, is certainly not able to speak of it.
सारभूताश्च शास्त्राणां वेदाश्चत्वार एव च
The essence of all the scriptures and the four Vedas as well—
सरस्वती च यत्नेन नालं यद्गुणवर्णने
Even Sarasvatī, with effort, is not able to describe those qualities.
सनन्दः कपिलः सूर्य्यो ये चान्ये ब्रह्मणः सुताः
Sananda, Kapila, Sūrya, and the other sons of Brahmā—
न यद्वक्तुं क्षमाः सिद्धा मुनीन्द्रा योगिनस्तथा
The perfected beings, great sages, and yogis are not capable of speaking it.
ध्यायन्ति यत्पदाम्भोजं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः
That lotus feet, upon which Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others meditate—
कश्चित्किंचिद्विजानाति तद्गुणोत्कीर्त्तनं महत्
Someone may know a little of the great praise of those qualities.
तस्मै दत्तं पुरा ज्ञानं कृष्णेन परमात्मना 2.34.
To him, knowledge was formerly given by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Self.
तत्रैव कथितं किंचिद्यद्गुणोत्कीर्त्तनं पुनः
There, too, a little of the praise of those qualities was again spoken.
धर्मस्तत्कथयामास पुष्करे भास्कराय च
Dharma recited that there, at Puṣkara, to Bhāskara as well.
पूर्वं स्वविषयं चाहं न गृह्णामि प्रयत्नतः
Formerly, even with effort, I did not accept my own subject.
तदा मां कथयामास पिता तद्गुणकीर्त्तनम्
Then my father recounted to me the praise of those qualities.
तद्गुणं स न जानाति तदन्यस्य च का कथा
He does not know those qualities; what then of another?
सर्वान्तरात्मा भगवान्सर्वकारणकारणम्
The Blessed Lord is the inner soul of all, the cause of all causes.
नित्यरूपी नित्यदेही नित्यानन्दो निराकृतिः
He is of eternal form, eternal body, eternal bliss, and without form.
निर्लिप्तः सर्वसाक्षी च सर्वाधारः परात्परः
Unattached, the witness of all, the support of all, supreme among the supreme.
स्वयं पुमांश्च प्रकृतिः स्वयं च प्रकृतेः परः
He is himself the person, himself nature, and also beyond nature.
अतीव कमनीयं च सुन्दरं सुमनोहरम् 2.34.
He is exceedingly lovely, beautiful, and most enchanting.
कन्दर्पकोटिलावण्यलीलाधाम मनोहरम्
The abode of the playful beauty of ten million Cupids, enchanting to the mind.
शरत्पार्वणकोटीन्दुशोभासंशोभिताननम्
His face shines, adorned with the radiance of ten million autumn full moons.