तस्मै दत्तं पुरा ज्ञानं कृष्णेन परमात्मना । अतीव निर्जनेऽरण्ये गोलोके रासमण्डले
To him, in ancient times, knowledge was given by Krishna, the Supreme Self, in the exceedingly solitary forest, in Goloka, within the circle of the Rasa dance.
तत्रैव कथितं किञ्चित्तद्गुणोत्कीर्तनं शुभम् । धर्मं च कथयामास शिवलोके शिवः स्वयम्
There, only a little of her auspicious praise and qualities was spoken; and Shiva himself expounded the dharma in the realm of Shiva.
धर्मस्तु कथयामास भास्वते पृच्छते तथा । यामाराध्य मत्पितापि सम्प्राप तपसा सति
That dharma he recounted to Bhāsvat (the Sun), who had inquired, and by worshipping whom, even my own father attained through austerity.
पूर्वं स्वं विषयं चाहं न गृह्णामि प्रयत्नतः । वैराग्ययुक्तस्तपसे गन्तुमिच्छामि सुव्रते
Formerly, I did not willingly accept my own domain; endowed with detachment, I wished, O virtuous one, to go for austerity.
तदा मां कथयामास पिता तद्गुणकीर्तनम् । यथागमं तद्वदामि निबोधातीव दुर्गमम्
Then my father told me of her praise and qualities; as I heard it, so I now relate it—listen, for it is exceedingly difficult to comprehend.
तद्गुणं सा न जानाति तदन्यस्य च का कथा । यथाकाशो न जानाति स्वान्तमेव वरानने
She herself does not know her own qualities—what then of another? Just as space does not know its own interior, O beautiful-faced one.
सर्वात्मा सर्वभगवान् सर्वकारणकारणः । सर्वेश्वरश्च सर्वाद्यः सर्ववित्परिपालकः । २५ नित्यरूपी नित्यदेही नित्यानन्दो निराकृतिः । निरङ्कुशो निराशङ्को निर्गुणश्च निरामयः
He is the Self of all, the Lord of all, the cause of all causes, the ruler of all, the origin of all, the knower and protector of all; eternal in form, eternal in body, eternal bliss, formless, unrestrained, free from doubt, without qualities, and free from affliction.
निर्लिप्तः सर्वसाक्षी च सर्वाधारः परात्परः । मायाविशिष्टः प्रकृतिस्तद्विकाराश्च प्राकृताः
Unattached, the witness of all, the support of all, supreme beyond the supreme; distinguished by Māyā, and the primordial nature and its modifications are natural to him.
स्वयं पुमांश्च प्रकृतिस्तावभिन्नौ परस्परम् । यथा वह्नेस्तस्य शक्तिर्न भिन्नास्त्येव कुत्रचित्
He himself is the Purusha, and Prakriti is not different from him; just as the power of fire is never separate from it anywhere.
सेयं शक्तिर्महामाया सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणी । रूपं बिभर्त्यरूपा च भक्तानुग्रहहेतवे
This power is Mahāmāyā, whose nature is existence, consciousness, and bliss; she possesses form and is also formless, for the sake of blessing her devotees.
गोपालसुन्दरीरूपं प्रथमं सा ससर्ज ह । अतीव कमनीयं च सुन्दरं सुमनोहरम्
She first created the form of Gopālasundarī, exceedingly charming, beautiful, and captivating to the mind.
नवीननीरदश्यामं किशोरं गोपवेषकम् । कन्दर्पकोटिलावण्यं लीलाधाममनोहरम्
Dark as a fresh raincloud, youthful, dressed as a cowherd, possessing the beauty of ten million Cupids, the abode of play, enchanting.
शरन्मध्याह्नपद्मानां शोभामोचनलोचनम् । शरत्पार्वणकोटीन्दुशोभाप्रच्छादनाननम्
With eyes that outshine the beauty of autumn midday lotuses, and a face that surpasses the radiance of millions of full autumn moons.
अमूल्यरत्ननिर्माणनानाभूषणभूषितम् । सस्मितं शोभितं शश्वदमूल्यपीतवाससा
Adorned with various ornaments made of priceless jewels, ever smiling, resplendent in priceless yellow garments.
परब्रह्मस्वरूपं च ज्वलन्तं ब्रह्मतेजसा । सुखदृश्यं च शान्तं च राधाकान्तमनन्तकम्
The very form of the Supreme Brahman, blazing with the radiance of Brahman, delightful to behold, peaceful, the endless beloved of Rādhā.
गोपीभिर्वीक्ष्यमाणं च सस्मिताभिश्च सन्ततम् । रासमण्डलमध्यस्थं रत्नसिंहासनस्थितम्
Constantly gazed upon by the gopīs, who smile upon him, seated at the center of the circle of the Rasa dance, upon a throne of jewels.
वंशीं क्वणन्तं द्विभुजं वनमालाविभूषितम् । कौस्तुभेन्द्रमणीन्द्रेण शश्वद्वक्षःस्थलोज्ज्वलम्
Playing the flute, two-armed, adorned with a garland of forest flowers, his chest ever radiant with the Kaustubha and Indra's gem.
कुङ्कुमागुरुकस्तुरीचन्दनार्चितविग्रहम् । चारुचम्पकमालाक्तं मालतीमाल्यमण्डितम्
His form is worshipped with saffron, aloe, musk, and sandalwood; he is decorated with a beautiful garland of campaka flowers and strung with jasmine.
चारुचन्द्रकशोभाढ्यं चूडावङ्क्रिमराजितम् । एवंभूतं च ध्यायन्ति भक्ता भक्तिपरिप्लुताः
He is resplendent with a lovely crescent moon, his crown adorned with a peacock feather; thus do devotees, immersed in devotion, meditate upon him.
यद्भयाज्जगता धाता विधत्ते सृष्टिमेव च । कर्मानुसाराल्लिखितं करोति सर्वकर्मणाम्
Out of fear of whom, the Creator of the world brings forth creation, and, according to karma, inscribes and performs all actions.
तपसां फलदाता च कर्मणां च यदाज्ञया । विष्णुः पाता च सर्वेषां यद्भयात्पाति सन्ततम्
He is the giver of the fruits of austerities and of actions; by his command, Vishnu eternally protects all beings out of fear of him.
कालाग्निरुद्रः संहर्ता सर्वविश्वेषु यद्भयात् । शिवो मृत्युञ्जयश्चैव ज्ञानिनां च गुरोर्गुरुः
Kāla, Agni, and Rudra destroy the worlds out of fear of him; Śiva, the conqueror of death, is the guru of gurus even for the wise.
यज्ज्ञानाज्ज्ञानवानस्ति योगीशो ज्ञानवित्प्रभुः । परमानन्दयुक्तश्च भक्तिवैराग्यसंयुतः
By knowledge of whom, one becomes wise, lord of yogis, master of knowledge, endowed with supreme bliss, devotion, and detachment.
यद्भयाद्वाति पवनः प्रवरः शीघ्रगामिनाम् । तपनश्च प्रतपति यद्भयात्सन्ततं सति
Out of fear of whom, the wind blows, foremost among swift movers; the sun continually shines out of fear of him.
यदाज्ञया वर्षतीन्द्रो मृत्युश्चरति जन्तुषु । यदाज्ञया दहेद्वह्निर्जलमेवं सुशीतलम्
By his command, Indra causes rain, and death moves among creatures; by his command, fire could even burn water, making it cool.
दिशो रक्षन्ति दिक्पाला महाभीता यदाज्ञया । भ्रमन्ति राशिचक्राणि ग्रहाश्च यद्भयेन च
The guardians of the directions, greatly afraid, protect the quarters by his command; the zodiac signs and planets revolve out of fear of him.
भयात्फलन्ति वृक्षाश्च पुष्यन्त्यपि च यद्भयात् । यदाज्ञां तु पुरस्कृत्य कालः काले हरेद्भयात्
Out of fear of him, trees bear fruit and flourish; having received his command, Time seizes at the appointed moment out of fear.
तथा जलस्थलस्थाश्च न जीवन्ति यदाज्ञया । अकाले नाहरेद्विद्धं रणेषु विषमेषु च
Likewise, those dwelling in water and on land do not live without his command; at the wrong time, the struck do not die, whether in battle or adversity.
धत्ते वायुस्तोयराशिं तोयं कूर्मं तदाज्ञया । कूर्मोऽनन्तं स च क्षोणीं समुद्रान् सा च पर्वतान्
By his command, the wind bears the ocean's waters; the waters bear the tortoise, the tortoise bears Ananta, Ananta bears the earth, the earth bears the oceans, and the oceans bear the mountains.
सर्वा चैव क्षमारूपा नानारत्नं बिभर्ति या । यतः सर्वाणि भूतानि स्थीयन्ते हन्ति तत्र हि
She, in the form of the earth, bears all kinds of jewels; because of her, all beings exist and are destroyed therein.