पूजिता ग्रामदेव्यश्च ग्रामे च नगरे मुने । एवं ते कथितं सर्वं प्रकृतेश्चरितं शुभम्
The village goddesses were worshipped in villages and cities, O sage; thus, all the auspicious deeds of Prakṛti have been told to you.
यथागमं लक्षणं च किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
The characteristics according to scripture have also been described; what more do you wish to hear?
पञ्चप्रकृतितद्भर्तृगणोत्पत्तिवर्णनम् नारद उवाच समासेन श्रुतं सर्वं देवीनां चरितं प्रभो । विबोधनाय बोधस्य व्यासेन वक्तुमर्हसि
Nārada said: All the deeds of the goddesses have been heard in summary, O Lord; for the sake of understanding, Vyāsa, you should explain further.
सृष्टेराद्या सृष्टिविधौ कथमाविर्बभूव ह । कथं वा पञ्चधा भूता वद वेदविदांवर
How did the primal one of creation appear at the beginning of creation? And how did she become fivefold? Tell me, O best knower of the Vedas.
भूता ययांशकलया तया त्रिगुणया भवे । व्यासेन तासां चरितं श्रोतुमिच्छामि साम्प्रतम्
By which portion or aspect, endowed with the three qualities, did she manifest the beings? Vyāsa, I now wish to hear the deeds of these forms.
तासां जन्मानुकथनं पूजाध्यानविधिं बुध । स्तोत्रं कवचमैश्वर्यं शौर्यं वर्णय मङ्गलम्
Describe their births in order, the method of worship and meditation, their hymns, armor, sovereignty, valor, and auspiciousness.
श्रीनारायण उवाच नित्य आत्मा नभो नित्यं कालो नित्यो दिशो यथा । विश्वानां गोलकं नित्यं नित्यो गोलोक एव च
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The Self is eternal, space is eternal, time is eternal, and so are the directions; the sphere of the worlds is eternal, and Goloka is also eternal.
तदेकदेशो वैकुण्ठो नम्रभागानुसारकः । तथैव प्रकृतिर्नित्या ब्रह्मलीला सनातनी
A portion of that is Vaikuṇṭha, following the share of the humble; likewise, Prakṛti is eternal, and the play of Brahman is everlasting.
यथाग्नौ दाहिका चन्द्रे पद्मे शोभा प्रभा रवौ । शश्वद्युक्ता न भिन्ना सा तथा प्रकृतिरात्मनि
Just as the power to burn is in fire, radiance in the moon, beauty in the lotus, and brilliance in the sun—always joined, never separate—so too is Prakriti united with the Self.
विना स्वर्णं स्वर्णकारः कुण्डलं कर्तुमक्षमः । विना मृदा घटं कर्तुं कुलालो हि नहीश्वरः
Without gold, the goldsmith is unable to make an earring; without clay, the potter is not a master of pots.
न हि क्षमस्तथात्मा च सृष्टिं स्रष्टुं तया विना । सर्वशक्तिस्वरूपा सा यया च शक्तिमान्सदा
Likewise, the Self is not capable of creation without her; she is the embodiment of all power, by whom the powerful always possess strength.
ऐश्वर्यवचनः शश्च क्तिः पराक्रम एव च । तत्स्वरूपा तयोर्दात्री सा शक्तिः परिकीर्तिता
The words 'lordship,' 'might,' and 'prowess'—their essence and the giver of these to both—is called Shakti.
ज्ञानं समृद्धिः सम्पत्तिर्यशश्चैव बलं भगः । तेन शक्तिर्भगवती भगरूपा च सा सदा
Knowledge, prosperity, wealth, fame, strength, and fortune—by these, Shakti is the divine one, always manifest as fortune itself.
तया युक्तः सदात्मा च भगवांस्तेन कथ्यते । स च स्वेच्छामयो देवः साकारश्च निराकृतिः
The Self, always united with her, is called Bhagavan; and that God is of his own will, both with form and formless.
तेजोरूपं निराकारं ध्यायन्ते योगिनः सदा । वदन्ति च परं ब्रह्म परमानन्दमीश्वरम्
Yogis always meditate on the formless radiance; they speak of the supreme Brahman, the highest bliss, the Lord.
अदृश्यं सर्वद्रष्टारं सर्वज्ञं सर्वकारणम् । सर्वदं सर्वरूपं तं वैष्णवास्तन्न मन्वते
Invisible, the seer of all, all-knowing, the cause of everything, the giver of all, of every form—that one, the Vaishnavas do not accept.
वदन्ति चैव ते कस्य तेजस्तेजस्विना विना । तेजोमण्डलमध्यस्थं ब्रह्म तेजस्विनं परम्
They ask: Whose radiance exists without the radiant one? Brahman, the supreme radiant one, is situated in the center of the sphere of light.
स्वेच्छामयं सर्वरूपं सर्वकारणकारणम् । अतीव सुन्दरं रूपं बिभ्रतं सुमनोहरम्
Of his own will, of every form, the cause of all causes, bearing a most beautiful and enchanting form.
किशोरवयसं शान्तं सर्वकान्तं परात्परम् । नवीननीरदाभासधामैकं श्यामविग्रहम्
Youthful in age, peaceful, beloved by all, supreme among the supreme, with a single dark form like a fresh rain cloud.
शरन्मध्याह्नपद्मौघशोभामोचनलोचनम् । मुक्ताच्छविविनिन्द्यैकदन्तपंक्तिमनोरमम्
With eyes that surpass the beauty of midday autumn lotuses, possessing a single row of teeth more charming than pearls.
मयूरपिच्छचूडं च मालतीमाल्यमण्डितम् । सुनसं सस्मितं कान्तं भक्तानुग्रहकारणम्
Adorned with a peacock feather crown and a garland of jasmine, with a beautiful nose, smiling, lovely, and the cause of grace to devotees.
ज्वलदग्निविशुद्धैकपीतांशुकसुशोभितम् । द्विभुजं मुरलीहस्तं रत्नभूषणभूषितम्
Splendid in a single yellow garment purified by blazing fire, two-armed, holding a flute, adorned with jeweled ornaments.
सर्वाधारं च सर्वेशं सर्वशक्तियुतं विभुम् । सर्वैश्वर्यप्रदं सर्वस्वतन्त्रं सर्वमङ्गलम्
The support of all, the lord of all, endowed with all powers, the mighty one, bestower of all lordship, completely independent, and auspicious in every way.
परिपूर्णतमं सिद्धं सिद्धेशं सिद्धिकारकम् । ध्यायन्ते वैष्णवाः शश्वद्देवदेवं सनातनम्
Perfectly complete, accomplished, lord of the accomplished, giver of accomplishments; Vaishnavas always meditate on the eternal God of gods.
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिशोकभीतिहरं परम् । ब्रह्मणो वयसा यस्य निमेष उपचर्यते
The supreme one who removes birth, death, old age, disease, sorrow, and fear; for whom a blink of Brahma's eye is counted as his age.
स चात्मा स परं ब्रह्म कृष्ण इत्यभिधीयते । कृषिस्तद्भक्तिवचनो नश्च तद्दास्यवाचकः
He is the Self, the supreme Brahman, known as Krishna; 'Kṛṣ' signifies devotion, and 'na' denotes service to him.
भक्तिदास्यप्रदाता यः स च कृष्णः प्रकीर्तितः । कृषिश्च सर्ववचनो नकारो बीजमेव च
He who bestows devotion and servitude is called Krishna; 'kṛṣi' is the universal word, and 'ṇa' is the very seed.
स कृष्णः सर्वस्रष्टाऽऽदौ सिसृक्षन्नेक एव च । सृष्ट्युन्मुखस्तदंशेन कालेन प्रेरितः प्रभुः
That Krishna, the sole creator of all, at the beginning, wishing to create, became inclined toward creation, impelled by time through a portion of himself, the Lord.
स्वेच्छामयः स्वेच्छया च द्विधारूपो बभूव ह । स्त्रीरूपो वामभागांशो दक्षिणांशः पुमान्स्मृतः
Being of his own free will, by his own will, he became twofold in form: the left part as female, and the right part is known as male.
तां ददर्श महाकामी कामाधारां सनातनः । अतीव कमनीया च चारुपङ्कजसन्निभाम्
He, the eternal one, filled with great desire, beheld her, the very source of desire, exceedingly lovely and resembling a beautiful lotus.