विवेचिका चावरणी शक्तेः शक्तिर्द्विधा नृप
O King, the power of Śakti is twofold: as discernment and as covering.
सत्यस्वरूपः श्रीकृष्णस्तस्मात्सर्वं च नश्वरम्
Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the embodiment of truth; therefore, all else is perishable.
नित्यरूपा ममेयं श्रीरिति चावरणी च धीः
This Śrī, who is eternal in form, is my own, and she is also the power that veils the intellect.
अहं प्रचेतसः पुत्रः पौत्रश्च ब्रह्मणो नृप
O King, I am the son of Pracetas and the grandson of Brahmā.
गच्छ राजन्नदीतीरं भज दुर्गां सनातनीम्
Go, O King, to the riverbank and worship Durgā, the eternal one.
निष्कामाय च वैश्याय वैष्णवाय च वैष्णवी
For the desireless Vaiśya, and for the devotee of Viṣṇu, she is the goddess devoted to Viṣṇu.
इत्युक्त्वा च मुनिश्रेष्ठो ददौ ताभ्यां कृपानिधिः ।। 2.62.
Having spoken thus, the best of sages, the ocean of compassion, gave to both of them.
वैश्यो मुक्तिं च संप्राप तां निषेव्य कृपामयीम्
The Vaiśya attained liberation by serving her, who is full of compassion.
इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं दुर्गोपाख्यानमुत्तमम्
Thus, the entire excellent narrative of Durgā has been told.
इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्त्ते महापुराणे द्वितीये प्रकृति खण्डे नारदनारायणसंवादे दुर्गोपाख्याने सुरथमेधस्संवादे सुरथवैश्ययोरभिलषितसिद्धिर्नाम द्विषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-second chapter, named 'The Fulfillment of the Desires of Suratha and the Vaiśya,' in the dialogue between Nārada and Nārāyaṇa, in the Durgā narrative, in the section on Nature, in the great Purāṇa Śrī Brahmavaivarta.
नारद उवाच राजा केन प्रकारेण सिषेवे प्रकृतिं पराम्
Nārada said: By what means did the king worship the supreme Nature?
समाधिर्नाम वैश्यो वा निष्कामं निर्गुणं विभुम्
And the Vaiśya named Samādhi, being desireless, worshipped the attribute-less Lord.
किं वा पूजाविधानं च ध्यानं वा मनुरेव च
What was the method of worship, or was it meditation, or was it a mantra?
वैश्याय प्रकृतिस्तस्मै किं वा ज्ञानं ददौ परम्
What supreme knowledge did the goddess give to that Vaiśya?
ज्ञानं संप्राप्य वैश्यश्च किं पदं प्राप दुर्लभम्
Having attained knowledge, what rare state did the Vaiśya reach?
श्रीनारायण उवाच स्तोत्रं च कवचं देव्या ध्यानं चैव पुरस्क्रियाम्
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: He performed the hymn, the protective mantra of the goddess, meditation, and the prescribed rites.
स्नात्वा त्रिकालं वर्षं च ततः शुद्धो बभूव सः
Bathing three times a day for a year, he then became purified.
राज्ञे ददौ राज्यवरं मनुत्वं वाञ्छितं सुखम्
To the king, she granted the boon of the kingdom and the happiness he desired.
यद्दत्तं शूलिने पूर्वं कृष्णेन परमात्मना
That which was previously given to Śiva by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul.
रुरोद कृत्वा क्रोडे तमचेष्टं श्वासवर्जितम् 2.63.
He wept, holding him in his lap, motionless and without breath.
चेतनां च ददौ तस्मै स्वयं चैतन्यरूपिणी
And she, who is herself the very form of consciousness, granted him awareness.
तमुवाच प्रसन्नाऽसौ कृपयाऽतिकृपामयी
Then, being exceedingly compassionate, she spoke to him with a gracious mind.
श्रीप्रकृतिरुवाच ब्रह्मत्वममरत्वं वा ततो वाऽतिसुदुर्लभम्
Śrī Prakṛti said: Brahmahood or immortality, or that which is extremely rare—
इन्द्रत्वं वा मनुत्वं वा सर्वसिद्धत्वमेव च
The status of Indra, or Manu, or even all perfections—
वैश्य उवाच ततोऽतिदुर्लभं किं वा न जाने तदभीप्सितम्
The Vaiśya said: Then, what is even more difficult to attain? I do not know what to desire.
त्वय्येव शरणापन्नो देहि यद्वाञ्छितं तव
I have taken refuge in you alone; grant me whatever you wish.
प्रकृतिरुवाच यतो यास्यसि गोलोकं पदमेव सुदुर्लभम्
Prakṛti said: Therefore, you shall go to Goloka, the supreme abode, which is exceedingly rare.
सर्वसारं च यज्ज्ञानं सुरर्षीणां सुदुर्लभम्
And the essence of all knowledge, which is extremely difficult for the gods and sages to obtain.
स्मरणं वन्दनं ध्यानमर्चनं गुणकीर्त्तनम्
Remembrance, praise, meditation, worship, and glorification of virtues—
एतदेवं वैष्णवानां नवधा भक्तिलक्षणम् 2.63.
These, in this way, are the ninefold characteristics of devotion among Vaiṣṇavas.