स विधाता विधातुश्च पातुः पाता जगत्त्रये । स्रष्टुः स्रष्टा च संहर्तुः संहर्ता कालकालकः
He is the creator of the creator, the protector of the protector, the preserver of the three worlds; the origin of the originator, the destroyer of the destroyer, the time of time itself.
महाविपत्तौ संसारे यः स्मरेन्मधुसूदनम् । विपत्तौ तस्य सम्पत्तिर्भवेदित्याह शङ्करः
In the great calamity of worldly existence, whoever remembers Madhusūdana, for him, in misfortune, prosperity arises—so declares Śaṅkara.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा तत्त्वज्ञः समालिङ्ग्य सुरेश्वरम् । दत्त्वा शुभाशिषं चेष्टं बोधयामास नारद
Having thus spoken, the knower of truth embraced the lord of the gods, and, giving him auspicious blessings, Nārada began to instruct him.
श्रीलक्ष्म्युपाख्यानवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच हरिं ध्यात्वा हरिर्ब्रह्मन् जगाम ब्रह्मणः सभाम् । बृहस्पतिं पुरस्कृत्य सर्वैः सुरगणैः सह
Description of the Story of Śrī Lakṣmī. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Meditating on Hari, Hari, O Brāhmaṇa, went to the assembly of Brahmā, accompanied by Bṛhaspati and all the hosts of gods.
शीघ्रं गत्वा ब्रह्मलोकं दृष्ट्वा च कमलोद्भवम् । प्रणेमुर्देवताः सर्वाः सहेन्द्रा गुरुणा सह
Quickly reaching Brahmā's world and seeing the lotus-born one, all the deities, along with Indra and their teacher, bowed down.
वृत्तान्तं कथयामास सुराचार्यो विधिं प्रति । प्रहस्योवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा महेन्द्रं कमलासनः
The preceptor of the gods narrated the events to Brahmā; hearing this, the lotus-seated one smiled and spoke to Mahendra.
ब्रह्मोवाच वत्स मद्वंशजातोऽसि प्रपौत्रो मे विचक्षणः । बृहस्पतेश्च शिष्यस्त्वं सुराणामधिपः स्वयम्
Brahmā said: Dear one, you are born of my lineage, my wise great-grandson; you are the disciple of Bṛhaspati and yourself the lord of the gods.
मातामहश्च दक्षस्ते विष्णुभक्तः प्रतापवान् । कुलत्रयं यस्य शुद्धं कथं सोऽहङ्कृतो भवेत्
Your maternal grandfather is Dakṣa, a devotee of Viṣṇu, powerful; whose threefold lineage is pure—how could such a one become proud?
माता पतिव्रता यस्य पिता शुद्धो जितेन्द्रियः । मातामहो मातुलश्च कथं सोऽहङ्कृतो भवेत्
Whose mother is devoted to her husband, whose father is pure and self-controlled, whose maternal grandfather and uncle are likewise—how could such a one become proud?
जनः पैतृकदोषेण दोषान्मातामहस्य च । गुरुदोषात्त्रिभिर्दोषैर्हरिदोषी भवेद् ध्रुवम्
A person, through the faults of the paternal line, the maternal grandfather, and the teacher—by these three faults, certainly becomes faulty, even if devoted to Hari.
सर्वान्तरात्मा भगवान् सर्वदेहेष्ववस्थितः । यस्य देहात्स प्रयाति स शवस्तत्क्षणं भवेत्
The Lord, the inner soul of all, abides in every body; when He departs from a body, that one becomes a corpse at that very moment.
मनोऽहमिन्द्रियेशं च ज्ञानरूपो हि शङ्करः । विष्णुप्राणा च प्रकृतिर्बुद्धिर्भगवती सती
Mind, ego, and the lord of the senses—these are the form of Śaṅkara; Viṣṇu is the vital breath, Prakṛti is intellect, and Bhagavatī Satī.
निद्रादयः शक्तयश्च ताः सर्वाः प्रकृतेः कलाः । आत्मनः प्रतिबिम्बश्च जीवो भोगशरीरभृत्
Sleep and other powers are all aspects of Prakṛti; the individual soul, the enjoyer, is the reflection of the Self.
आत्मनीशे गते देहात्सर्वे यान्ति ससम्भ्रमाः । यथा वर्त्मनि गच्छन्तं नरदेवमिवानुगाः
When the Lord departs from the body, all these depart in confusion, just as attendants follow a king proceeding on the road.
अहं शिवश्च शेषश्च विष्णुर्धर्मो महाविराट् । यूयं यदंशा भक्ताश्च तत्पुष्पं न्यक्कृतं त्वया
I, Shiva, Shesha, Vishnu, Dharma, and the great Virat, and you, who are fragments and devotees, that flower was rejected by you.
शिवेन पूजितं पादपद्मं पुष्पेण येन च । तत्र दुर्वाससा दत्तं दैवेन न्यक्कृतं त्वया
The lotus feet were worshipped by Shiva with a flower; and there, Durvasa gave it, but you rejected it by divine will.
तत्पुण्यं मस्तके यस्य कृष्णपादाब्जप्रच्युतम् । सर्वेषां च सुराणां च तत्पूजापुरतो भवेत्
The merit of that flower, fallen from Krishna's lotus feet onto someone's head, becomes foremost among all gods and their worship.
दैवेन वञ्चितस्त्वं हि दैवं च बलवत्तरम् । भाग्यहीनं जनं मूढं को वा रक्षितुमीश्वरः
You have been deceived by fate, and fate is more powerful; who can protect a person deprived of fortune and deluded, O Lord?
सा श्रीर्गताधुना कोपात्कृष्णनिर्माल्यवर्जनात् । अधुना गच्छ वैकुण्ठं मया च गुरुणा सह
Now, Sri has departed in anger because Krishna's remnants were rejected; now go to Vaikuntha together with your teacher and me.
निषेव्य तत्र श्रीनाथं श्रियं प्राप्स्यति मद्वरात् । एवमुक्त्वा च स ब्रह्मा सर्वैः सुरगणैः सह
Serving the Lord of Sri there, you will obtain prosperity by my boon; having spoken thus, Brahma, along with all the hosts of gods,
तत्र गत्वा परब्रह्म भगवन्तं सनातनम् । दृष्ट्वा तेजःस्वरूपं तं प्रज्वलन्तं स्वतेजसा
Having gone there, they saw the Supreme Brahman, the eternal Lord, blazing in his own radiance, the form of light.
ग्रीष्ममध्याह्नमार्तण्डशतकोटिसमप्रभम् । शान्तमनादिमध्यान्तं लक्ष्यीकान्तमनन्तकम्
He shone like ten million midday suns in summer, peaceful, without beginning, middle, or end, beautiful, infinite.
चतुर्भुजैः पार्षदैश्च सरस्वत्या युतं प्रभुम् । भक्त्या चतुर्भिर्वेदैश्च गङ्गया परिवेष्टितम्
The Lord, accompanied by attendants with four arms and Sarasvati, surrounded by the four Vedas in devotion and encircled by Ganga,
तं प्रणेमुः सुराः सर्वे मूर्ध्ना ब्रह्मपुरोगमाः । भक्तिनम्राः साश्रुनेत्रास्तुष्टुवुः परमेश्वरम्
All the gods, led by Brahma, bowed to him with their heads; humbled in devotion, with tearful eyes, they praised the Supreme Lord.
वृत्तान्तं कथयामास स्वयं ब्रह्मा कृताञ्जलिः । रुरुदुर्देवताः सर्वाः स्वाधिकाराच्चुताश्च ताः
Brahma himself, with joined palms, narrated the events; all the deities wept, having lost their authority.
स ददर्श सुरगणं विपद्ग्रस्तं भयाकुलम् । रत्नभूषणशून्यं च वाहनादिविवर्जितम्
He saw the host of gods afflicted by misfortune and filled with fear, devoid of jeweled ornaments and lacking vehicles.
शोभाशून्यं हतश्रीकं निष्प्रभं सभयं परम् । उवाच कातरं दृष्ट्वा भयभीतिविभञ्जनः
Without splendor, bereft of prosperity, dim, and extremely fearful, he spoke, seeing them anxious, the remover of fear and terror.
श्रीभगवानुवाच मा भैर्ब्रह्मन् हे सुराश्च भयं किं वो मयि स्थिते । दास्यामि लक्ष्मीमचलां परमैश्वर्यवर्धिनीम्
The Blessed Lord spoke: Do not fear, Brahma, nor you gods; what is your fear while I am present? I will grant you unwavering Lakshmi, increasing supreme prosperity.
किञ्च मद्वचनं किञ्चिच्छ्रूयतां समयोचितम् । हितं सत्यं सारभूतं परिणामसुखावहम्
Moreover, hear my words, appropriate to the occasion, beneficial, true, essential, and bringing happiness in the end.
जनाश्चासंख्यविश्वस्था मदधीनाश्च सन्ततम् । यथा तथाहं मद्भक्तपराधीनोऽस्वतन्त्रकः
Countless people exist in the universe, always dependent on me; yet I am dependent on my devotees, not autonomous.