ऊनपञ्चाशदुपद्वीपासंख्यशैलवनान्विता । ऊर्ध्वं सप्त स्वर्गलोका ब्रह्यलोकसमन्विताः
It is endowed with slightly less than fifty sub-continents, countless mountains and forests; above are the seven heavenly realms, including Brahmaloka.
पातालानि च सप्ताधश्चैवं ब्रह्माण्डमेव च। ऊर्ध्वं धराया भूर्लोको भुवर्लोकस्ततः परम्
And below are the seven netherworlds; thus is the cosmic egg itself. Above the earth is Bhurloka, then Bhuvarloka beyond that.
ततः परश्च स्वर्लोको जनलोकस्तथा परः । ततः परस्तपोलोकः सत्यलोकस्ततः परः
Beyond that is Svarloka, then Janaloka further above; then Tapoloka beyond that, and Satyaloka above all.
ततः परं ब्रह्मलोकस्तप्तकाञ्चनसन्निभः । एवं सर्वं कृत्रिमं च बाह्याभ्यन्तरमेव च
Beyond that is Brahmaloka, shining like molten gold; thus, all this—both outer and inner—is artificial.
तद्विनाशे विनाशश्च सर्वेषामेव नारद । जलबुद्बुदवत्सर्वं विश्वसंघमनित्यकम्
When that is destroyed, O Narada, all is destroyed; all the assemblies of the universe are impermanent, like bubbles on water.
नित्यौ गोलोकवैकुण्ठौ प्रोक्तौ शश्वदकृत्रिमौ । प्रत्येकं लोमकूपेषु ब्रह्माण्डं परिनिश्चितम्
Goloka and Vaikuntha are said to be eternal, ever uncreated; in each hair follicle, a universe is certainly established.
एषां संख्यां न जानाति कृष्णोऽन्यस्यापि का कथा । प्रत्येकं प्रतिब्रह्माण्डं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः
Krishna does not know their number—what then of anyone else? In each and every universe are Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and others.
तिस्रः कोट्यः सुराणां च संख्या सर्वत्र पुत्रक। दिगीशाश्चैव दिक्पाला नक्षत्राणि ग्रहादयः
There are three crore gods everywhere, O child, as well as guardians of the directions, the lords of the quarters, stars, planets, and so on.
भुवि वर्णाश्च चत्वारोऽप्यधो नागाश्चराचराः । अथ कालेऽत्र स विराडूर्ध्वं दृष्ट्वा पुनः पुनः
On earth are the four castes, and below are the nagas and all moving and unmoving beings; then, in time, that Virat saw above again and again.
डिम्भान्तरे च शून्यं च न द्वितीयं च किञ्चन । चिन्तामवाप क्षुद्युक्तो रुरोद च पुनः पुनः
Within the egg was emptiness, and there was nothing else; afflicted by hunger, he became anxious and wept again and again.
ज्ञानं प्राप्य तदा दध्यौ कृष्णं परमपूरुषम्। ततो ददर्श तत्रैव ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनम्
Then, attaining knowledge, he meditated on Krishna, the Supreme Person; thereupon he saw there the eternal Brahman-light.
नवीनजलदश्यामं द्विभुजं पीतवाससम् । सस्मितं मुरलीहस्तं भक्तानुग्रहकातरम्
He saw one dark as a fresh raincloud, two-armed, clad in yellow garments, smiling, holding a flute, eager to bestow grace upon devotees.
जहास बालकस्तुष्टो दृष्ट्वा जनकमीश्वरम् । वरं तदा ददौ तस्मै वरेशः समयोचितम्
The boy, pleased, laughed upon seeing the lord, his father; then the bestower of boons granted him a suitable boon.
मत्समो ज्ञानयुक्तश्च क्षुत्पिपासादिवर्जितः । ब्रह्माण्डासंख्यनिलयो भव वत्स लयावधि
Be equal to me in knowledge, free from hunger and thirst; O child, be the abode of countless universes until dissolution.
निष्कामो निर्भयश्चैव सर्वेषां वरदो भव । जरामृत्युरोगशोकपीडादिवर्जितो भव
Be desireless and fearless, and the giver of boons to all; be free from old age, death, disease, sorrow, and suffering.
इत्युक्त्वा तस्य कर्णे स महामन्त्रं षडक्षरम् । त्रिःकृत्वश्च प्रजजाप वेदाङ्गप्रवरं परम्
Having said this, he recited into his ear the great six-syllabled mantra, repeating three times the supreme Vedic formula.
प्रणवादिचतुर्थ्यन्तं कृष्ण इत्यक्षरद्वयम् । वह्निजायान्तमिष्टं च सर्वविघ्नहरं परम्
The two syllables 'Kṛṣṇa', ending with the fourth vowel and preceded by praṇava, and ending with 'born of fire', are esteemed and supremely remove all obstacles.
मन्त्रं दत्त्वा तदाहारं कल्पयामास वै विभुः। श्रूयतां तद् ब्रह्मपुत्र निबोध कथयामि ते
Having given the mantra, the Lord then arranged the offering; listen, O son of Brahmā, I will tell you.
प्रतिविश्वं यन्नैवेद्यं ददाति वैष्णवो जनः । तत्षोडशांशो विषयिणो विष्णोः पज्वदशास्य वै
Whatever offering a Vaiṣṇava gives to Viṣṇu in the world, that is but a sixteenth part for the enjoyer, while the rest belongs to Viṣṇu himself.
निर्गुणस्यात्मनश्चैव परिपूर्णतमस्य च । नैवेद्ये चैव कृष्णस्य न हि किञ्चित्प्रयोजनम्
For the attributeless Self, who is completely full, there is truly no need for any offering to Kṛṣṇa.
यद्यद्ददाति नैवेद्यं तस्मै देवाय यो जनः । स च खादति तत्सर्वं लक्ष्मीनाथो विराट् तथा
Whatever offering a person gives as food to that Deity, the Lord of Lakṣmī, the Cosmic Person, indeed eats all of it.
तं च मन्त्रवरं दत्त्वा तमुवाच पुनर्विभुः । वरमन्यं किमिष्टं ते तन्मे ब्रूहि ददामि च
Having given him that excellent mantra, the Lord again spoke to him: 'What other boon do you desire? Tell me, and I shall grant it.'
कृष्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा तमुवाच विराड् विभुः । कृष्णं तं बालकस्तावद्वचनं समयोचितम्
Hearing Kṛṣṇa's words, the Cosmic Person replied to him; the boy then spoke words appropriate to the occasion.
बालक उवाच वरो मे त्वत्पदाम्भोजे भक्तिर्भवतु निश्चला। सततं यावदायुर्मे क्षणं वा सुचिरं च वा
The boy said: 'May I have unwavering devotion to your lotus feet, for as long as my life lasts, whether for a moment or for a long time.'
त्वद्भक्तियुक्तलोकेऽस्मिञ्जीवन्मुक्तश्च सन्ततम्। त्वद्भक्तिहीनो मूर्खश्च जीवन्नपि मृतो हि सः
In this world, one endowed with your devotion is always liberated while living; but one devoid of your devotion, though alive, is truly dead and ignorant.
किं तज्जपेन तपसा यज्ञेन पूजनेन च। व्रतेन चोपवासेन पुण्येन तीर्थसेवया
What is the use of recitation, austerity, sacrifice, worship, vows, fasting, merit, or pilgrimage—
कृष्णभक्तिविहीनस्य मूर्खस्य जीवनं वृथा । येनात्मना जीवितश्च तमेव न हि मन्यते
—for the foolish person devoid of devotion to Kṛṣṇa? His life is in vain, for he does not consider the very self by which he lives.
यावदात्मा शरीरेऽस्ति तावत्स शक्तिसंयुतः । पश्चाद्यान्ति गते तस्मिन्स्वतन्त्राः सर्वशक्तयः
As long as the self remains in the body, it is endowed with power; when it departs, all powers become independent.
स च त्वं च महाभाग सर्वात्मा प्रकृतेः परः । स्वेच्छामयश्च सर्वाद्यो ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनः
And you, O greatly fortunate one, are the Self of all, beyond nature, composed of your own will, the first of all, the eternal light of Brahman.
इत्युक्त्वा बालकस्तत्र विरराम च नारद । उवाच कृष्णः प्रत्युक्तिं मधुरां श्रुतिसुन्दरीम्
Having spoken thus, the boy became silent there, O Nārada; Kṛṣṇa spoke a sweet and melodious reply.