युद्धं बभूव नियतं पूर्णमब्दं च नारद
A constant battle took place for a full year, O Nārada.
एकाकी सुरथो भीतो नन्दिना च बहिष्कृतः
Suratha, alone and fearful, was expelled by Nandin.
ददर्श तत्र वैश्यं च पुष्पभद्रानदीतटे
There he saw the Vaiśya on the bank of the Puṣpabhadrā river.
वैश्येन सार्द्धं नृपतिरगच्छन्मेधसाश्रमम्
Together with the Vaiśya, the king went to the hermitage of Medhas.
ददर्श तत्र नृपतिर्मुनिं तं तीव्रतेजसम्
There, the king saw that sage, blazing with intense energy.
राजा ननाम वैश्यश्च शिरसा मुनिपुङ्गवम्
The king and the Vaiśya bowed their heads to the eminent sage.
प्रश्नं चकार कुशलं जातिनाम पृथक्पृथक् 2.62.
They asked auspicious questions, each stating their caste and name separately.
सुरथ उवाच बहिर्भूतः स्वराज्याच्च नन्दिना बलिनाऽधुना
Suratha said: Driven out from my own kingdom by the powerful Nandin,
किमुपायं करिष्यामि कथं राज्यं भवेन्मम
What means should I employ? How can my kingdom be restored to me?
अयं वैश्यः समाधिश्च स्वगृहाच्च बहिष्कृतः
This Vaiśya, Samādhi, too, has been expelled from his own house.
ब्राह्मणाय ददौ नित्यं रत्नकोटिं दिने दिने
He gave a crore of jewels daily to the Brāhmaṇa.
कोपान्निराकृतस्तैश्च पुनरन्वेषितः शुचा
Out of anger, he was rejected by them, and later sought again in grief.
पुत्राश्च पितृशोकेन गृहं त्यक्त्वा ययुर्वनम्
His sons, afflicted by grief for their father, abandoned their home and went to the forest.
सुदुर्लभं हरेर्दास्यं वैश्यस्यास्य च वाञ्छितम्
The service of Hari, so difficult to attain, was desired by this Vaiśya.
श्रीमेधा उवाच निर्गुणस्य च कृष्णस्य त्रिगुणा विश्वमाज्ञया
Śrī Medhā said: By the command of Kṛṣṇa, who is beyond qualities, the world of three qualities exists.
कृपां करोति येषां सा धर्मिणां च कृपामयी
He bestows compassion upon those who are righteous, and she, full of mercy, does the same.
येषां मायाविनां माया न करोति कृपां नृप 2.62.
O King, for those who are deluded by illusion, Māyā does not show compassion.
नश्वरेऽनित्यसंसारे भ्रामयेद्बर्बरा सदा
In this perishable, impermanent world, they are always made to wander in confusion.
देवमन्यं निषेवन्ते तन्मन्त्रं च जपंति च
They worship other gods and recite their mantras as well.
सप्तजन्मसु संसेव्य देवताश्च हरेः कलाः
For seven lifetimes, they serve the deities who are but portions of Hari.
सप्तजन्मसु संसेव्य विष्णुमायां कृपामयीम्
For seven lifetimes, they serve Viṣṇu's merciful Māyā.
ज्ञानाधिष्ठातृदेवं च हरेस्संसेव्य शङ्करम्
They serve Śaṅkara, the presiding deity of knowledge, who is also devoted to Hari.
सेवन्ते सगुणं सत्त्वं विष्णुं विषयिणं तदा
Then, those attached to sense objects worship Viṣṇu, the embodiment of goodness with qualities.
निषेव्य सगुणं विष्णुं सात्त्विका वैष्णवा नराः
The Vaiṣṇava men of sattvic nature worship Viṣṇu endowed with qualities.
गृह्णन्ति सन्तस्तद्भक्ता मन्त्रं तस्य निरामयम्
The virtuous, devoted to him, receive his flawless mantra.
असंख्यब्रह्मणां पातं ते च पश्यन्ति वैष्णवाः
The Vaiṣṇavas witness the fall of countless Brahmās.
कृष्णभक्तात्कृष्णमन्त्रं यो गृह्णाति नरोत्तमः 2.62.
The best of men who receives the Kṛṣṇa-mantra from a devotee of Kṛṣṇa—
मातामहानां साहस्रमुद्धरेन्मातरं तथा
—he delivers a thousand maternal ancestors, as well as his mother.
भवार्णवे महाघोरे कर्णधारस्वरूपिणी
In the dreadful ocean of worldly existence, she takes the form of the helmsman.
स्वकर्मबन्धनं छेत्तुं वैष्णवानां च वैष्णवी
The Vaiṣṇavī (devotee of Viṣṇu) severs the bondage of karma for the Vaiṣṇavas.