सर्वैर्निषिद्धा तपसे जगाम बदरीवनम् । तत्र देवाब्दलक्षं च चकार परमं तपः
Forbidden by all from asceticism, she went to the Badarī forest, and there performed supreme austerity for a hundred thousand years.
मनसा नारायणः स्वामी भवितेति च निश्चिता । ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपाः शीते तोयवस्त्रा च प्रावृषि
Resolving in her mind that Nārāyaṇa would be her lord, she practiced the fivefold austerity in summer, wore wet garments in the rainy season, and so on.
आसनस्था वृष्टिधाराः सहन्तीति दिवानिशम् । विंशत्सहस्रवर्षं च फलतोयाशना च सा
Sitting in meditation, she endured streams of rain day and night; for twenty thousand years she lived on fruits and water alone.
त्रिंशत्सहस्रवर्षं च पत्राहारा तपस्विनी । चत्वारिंशत्सहस्राब्दं वाय्वाहारा कृशोदरी
For thirty thousand years, the ascetic subsisted on leaves; for forty thousand years, with only air as food, her belly grew thin.
ततो दशसहस्राब्दं निराहारा बभूव सा । निर्लक्ष्यां चैकपादस्थां दृष्ट्वा तां कमलोद्भवः
Then, for ten thousand years, she remained without food; seeing her, standing on one foot and barely perceptible, the Lotus-born was amazed.
समाययौ वरं दातुं परं बदरिकाश्रमम् । चतुर्मुखं च सा दृष्ट्वा ननाम हंसवाहनम्
He came to the supreme Badarikā hermitage to grant her a boon; seeing the Four-faced One, riding a swan, she bowed down.
तामुवाच जगत्कर्ता विधाता जगतामपि । ब्रह्मोवाच वरं वृणीष्व तुलसि यत्ते मनसि वाच्छितम्
The creator of the world, the ordainer even of the worlds, spoke to her: Brahmā said: 'Choose a boon, Tulasī, whatever you desire in your heart.'
हरिभक्तिं हरेर्दास्यमजरामरतामपि । तुलस्युवाच शृणु तात प्रवक्ष्यामि यन्मे मनसि वाञ्छितम्
'Devotion to Hari, service to Hari, and even freedom from old age and death—' Tulasī said: 'Listen, father, I will tell you what I desire in my heart.'
सर्वज्ञस्यापि पुरतः का लज्जा मम साम्प्रतम् । अहं तु तुलसी गोपी गोलोकेऽहं स्थिता पुरा
'What shame could there be for me now, even before the all-knowing one? I am Tulasī, a gopī, who once dwelled in Goloka.'
कृष्णप्रिया किंकरी च तदंशा तत्सखी प्रिया । गोविन्दरतिसम्भुक्तामतृप्तां मां च मूर्च्छिताम्
'Beloved of Kṛṣṇa, his servant, a portion of him, his dear friend; though I enjoyed Govinda’s love, I was left unsatisfied and fainted.'
रासेश्वरी समागत्य ददर्श रासमण्डले । गोविन्दं भर्त्सयामास मां शशाप रुषान्विता
'The mistress of the rāsa dance came and saw me in the rāsa circle; she rebuked Govinda and, filled with anger, cursed me.'
याहि त्वं मानवीं योनिमित्येवं च शशाप ह । मामुवाच स गोविन्दो मदंशं च चतुर्भुजम्
'Go, you shall take birth in a human womb,' thus she cursed me; Govinda spoke to me, saying that a portion of himself, four-armed, would come.'
लभिष्यसि तपस्तप्त्वा भारते ब्रह्मणो वरात् । इत्येवमुक्त्वा देवेशोऽप्यन्तर्धानं चकार सः
You shall obtain your desire by performing austerities in Bharata, through the boon of Brahma. Having spoken thus, the lord of the gods disappeared.
देव्या भिया तनुं त्यक्त्वा प्राप्तं जन्म गुरो भुवि । अहं नारायणं कान्तं शान्तं सुन्दरविग्रहम्
Out of fear of the goddess, I abandoned my body and was born on earth as the Guru. I am Narayana, beloved, peaceful, with a beautiful form.
साम्प्रतं तं पतिं लब्धुं वरये त्वं च देहि मे । ब्रह्मदेव उवाच सुदामा नाम गोपश्च श्रीकृष्णाङ्गसमुद्भवः
Now, to obtain that husband, you should choose him and grant me this. Brahma spoke: Sudama is the name of a cowherd, born from the body of Shri Krishna.
तदंशश्चातितेजस्वी लेभे जन्म च भारते । साम्प्रतं राधिकाशापाद्दनुवंशसमुद्भवः
That portion, exceedingly radiant, took birth in Bharata. Now, due to Radhika's curse, he was born in the demon lineage.
शङ्खचूडेति विख्यातस्त्रैलोक्ये न च तत्समः । गोलोके त्वां पुरा दृष्ट्वा कामोन्मथितमानसः
He is renowned as Shankhachuda throughout the three worlds, and none is his equal. Having seen you before in Goloka, his mind was agitated by desire.
विलम्भितुं न शशाक राधिकायाः प्रभावतः । स च जातिस्मरस्तस्मात्सदामाभूच्च सागरे
He was unable to delay, due to the power of Radhika. Therefore, he became a jātismara, and was born as Sudama in the ocean.
जातिस्मरा त्वमपि सा सर्वं जानासि सुन्दरि । अधुना तस्य पत्नी त्वं सम्भविष्यसि शोभने
You too are a jātismara, O beautiful one, and know everything. Now, you will become his wife, O radiant one.
पश्चान्नारायणं शान्तं कान्तमेव वरिष्यसि । शापान्नारायणस्यैव कलया दैवयोगतः
Afterwards, you will choose Narayana, peaceful and beloved. Due to Narayana's curse, by divine arrangement, you will become his partial aspect.
भविष्यसि वृक्षरूपा त्वं पूता विश्वपावनी । प्रधाना सर्वपुष्पेषु विष्णुप्राणाधिका भवेः
You will become a tree, purified and purifier of the world. Among all flowers, you will be foremost, and more vital to Vishnu than his own breath.
त्वया विना च सर्वेषां पूजा च विफला भवेत् । वृन्दावने वृक्षरूपा नाम्ना वृन्दावनीति च
Without you, the worship of all would be fruitless. In Vrindavana, you will be in the form of a tree, and will be called Vrindavati.
त्वत्पत्रैर्गोपिगोपाश्च पूजयिष्यन्ति माधवम् । वृक्षाधिदेवीरूपेण सार्धं कृष्णेन सन्ततम्
With your leaves, the cowherd girls and boys will worship Madhava. As the goddess presiding over trees, you will always sport with Krishna.
विहरिष्यसि गोपेन स्वच्छन्दं मद्वरेण च । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा सस्मिता हृष्टमानसा
You will freely enjoy with the cowherd, by my boon. Hearing these words, she smiled, her mind delighted.
प्रणनाम च ब्रह्माणं तं च किञ्चिदुवाच सा । तुलस्युवाच यथा मे द्विभुजे कृष्णे वाञ्छा च श्यामसुन्दरे
She bowed to Brahma and spoke a little. Tulasi said: As my desire is for Krishna with two arms, for Shyamasundara,
सत्यं ब्रवीमि हे तात न तथा च चतुर्भुजे । अतृप्ताहं च गोविन्दे दैवाच्छृङ्गारभङ्गतः
I speak the truth, O father, not so for the four-armed one. I am unsatisfied with Govinda, due to the disruption of love by fate.
गोविन्दस्यैव वचनात्प्रार्थयामि चतुर्भुजम् । त्वत्प्रसादेन गोविन्दं पुनरेव सुदुर्लभम्
By Govinda's words, I ask for the four-armed one. By your grace, may I again obtain the rare Govinda.
ध्रुवमेव लभिष्यामि राधाभीतिं प्रमोचय । ब्रह्यदेव उवाच गृहाण राधिकामन्त्रं ददामि षोडशाक्षरम्
I shall certainly obtain him; release me from fear of Radha. Brahma spoke: Receive the Radha mantra, I give you the sixteen-syllable one.
तस्याश्च प्राणतुल्या त्वं मद्वरेण भविष्यसि । शृङ्गारं युवयोर्गोप्यं न ज्ञास्यति च राधिका
By my boon, you will be as dear as life to her. Your love with him will be secret, and Radha will not know.
राधासमा त्वं सुभगे गोविन्दस्य भविष्यसि । इत्येवमुक्त्वा दत्त्वा च देव्या वै षोडशाक्षरम्
You will be equal to Radha, O fortunate one, for Govinda. Having spoken thus, he gave the sixteen-syllable mantra to the goddess.