मादृशानां कलावस्मिन्का कथा मुनिसत्तम । व्यास उवाच कार्यं वै कारणाद्भिन्नं कथं भवति भारत
For people like me, what is there to say in this matter, O best of sages? Vyasa said: How can the effect ever be different from its cause, O Bharata?
कटकं कुण्डलञ्चैव सुवर्णसदृशं भवेत् । अहङ्कारोद्भवं सर्वं ब्रह्माण्डं सचराचरम्
A bracelet or an earring may appear like gold; all the universe, both moving and unmoving, arises from ego.
पटस्तन्तुवशः प्रोक्तस्तद्वियुक्तः कथं भवेत् । मायागुणैस्त्रिभिः सर्वं रचितं स्थिरजङ्गमम्
A cloth is said to depend on threads; how can it exist apart from them? All that is stable and moving is fashioned by the three qualities of Maya.
सतृणस्तम्बपर्यन्तं का तत्र परिदेवना । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्रस्ते चाहङ्कारमोहिताः
From a blade of grass up to a pillar, what is the use of lamenting there? Even Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra are deluded by ego.
भ्रमन्त्यस्मिन्महागाधे संसारे नृपसत्तम । वसिष्ठनारदाद्याश्च मुनयो ज्ञानिनः परम्
They wander in this vast and deep world, O best of kings; even sages like Vasistha, Narada, and others, who are supreme in knowledge.
तेऽभिभूताः संसरन्ति संसारेऽस्मिन्पुनः पुनः । न कोऽप्यस्ति नृपश्रेष्ठ त्रिषु लोकेषु देहभृत्
Overpowered, they continue to wander again and again in this world; O best of kings, there is no embodied being in the three worlds who is exempt.
एभिर्मायागुणैर्मुक्तः शान्त आत्मसुखे स्थितः । कामक्रोधौ तथा लोभो मोहोऽहङ्कारसम्भवः
Freed from these qualities of Maya, one who is peaceful and established in the happiness of the self—desire, anger, greed, and delusion all arise from ego.
न मुञ्चन्ति नरं सर्वं देहवन्तं नृपोत्तम । अधीत्य वेदशास्त्राणि पुराणानि विचिन्त्य च
They do not release any embodied person, O best of kings; even after studying the Vedas and scriptures, and reflecting on the Puranas.
कृत्वा तीर्थाटनं दानं ध्यानञ्चैव सुरार्चनम् । करोति विषयासक्तः सर्वं कर्म च चौरवत्
Even after making pilgrimages, giving gifts, meditating, and worshipping the gods, one attached to sense objects performs all actions like a thief.
विचारयति नो पूर्वं काममोहमदान्वितः । कृते युगेऽपि त्रेतायां द्वापरे कुरुनन्दन
He does not reflect beforehand, being filled with desire, delusion, and pride; even in the Krita, Treta, and Dvapara yugas, O descendant of Kuru.
विद्धोऽत्रास्ति च धर्मोऽपि का कथाद्य कलौ पुनः । स्पर्धा सदैव सद्रोहा लोभामर्षौ च सर्वदा
Even then, righteousness was wounded; what can be said now in this Kali age? Envy, constant hostility, greed, and anger always prevail.
एवंविधोऽस्ति संसारो नात्र कार्या विचारणा । साधवो विरला लोके भवन्ति गतमत्सराः
Such is the nature of the world—there is no need for further deliberation; virtuous people, free from envy, are rare in the world.
जितक्रोधा जितामर्षा दृष्टान्तार्थं व्यवस्थिताः । राजोवाच ते धन्याः कृतपुण्यास्ते मदमोहविवर्जिताः
Those who have conquered anger and resentment, who are established as examples—The King said: They are blessed, of great merit, free from pride and delusion.
जितेन्द्रियाः सदाचारा जितं तैर्भुवनत्रयम् । दुनोमि पातकं स्मृत्वा पितुर्मम महात्मनः
Having mastered their senses and established in good conduct, they have conquered the three worlds; remembering the sin of my noble father, I am tormented.
कृतस्तपस्विनः कण्ठे मृतसर्पो ह्यघं विना । अतस्तस्य मुनिश्रेष्ठ भविता किं ममाग्रतः
A dead snake has been placed on the ascetic's neck without any real harm; therefore, O best of sages, what will happen before me now?
न जाने बुद्धिसम्मोहात्किं वा कार्यं भविष्यति । मधु पश्यति मूढात्मा प्रपातं नैव पश्यति
I do not know, due to confusion of mind, what action will come to pass; the deluded soul sees the honey but does not see the precipice.
करोति निन्दितं कर्म नरकान्न बिभेति च । कथं युद्धं पुरा वृत्तं विस्तरात्तद्वदस्व मे
He commits blameworthy deeds and does not fear hell; tell me in detail how that ancient battle took place.
प्रह्लादेन यथा चोग्रं नरनारायणस्य वै । प्रह्लादस्तु कथं यातः पातालात्तद्वदस्व मे
How did Prahlāda wage fierce battle with Nara-Nārāyaṇa? And how did Prahlāda go to the netherworld? Tell me this.
सारस्वते महातीर्थे पुण्ये बदरिकाश्रमे । नरनारायणौ शान्तौ तापसौ मुनिसत्तमौ
At the great and holy Sarasvatī tīrtha, in the sacred hermitage of Badarikā, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, tranquil and ascetic, the foremost of sages, resided.
कृतवन्तौ तथा युद्धं हेतुना केन मानद । वैरं भवति वित्तार्थं दारार्थं वा परस्परम्
How did they engage in battle, O bestower of honor, and for what reason? Enmity arises for the sake of wealth or wife between people.
एषणारहितौ कस्माच्चक्रतुः प्रधनं महत् । प्रह्लादोऽपि च धर्मात्मा ज्ञात्वा देवौ सनातनौ
Being free from desire, why did they undertake such a great conflict? And Prahlāda, too, righteous in soul, knowing them to be the eternal gods—
कृतवान्स कथं युद्धं नरनारायणौ मुनी । एतद्विस्तरतो ब्रह्मञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि कारणम्
How did he wage battle with the sage Nara-Nārāyaṇa? O Brahman, I wish to hear in detail the reason for this.
प्रह्लादतीर्थयात्रावर्णनम् सूत उवाच इति पृष्टस्तदा विप्रो राज्ञा पारीक्षितेन वै । उवाच विस्तरात्सर्वं व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः
Sūta said: Thus questioned by King Parīkṣit, the sage Vyāsa, son of Satyavatī, narrated everything in detail.
जनमेजयोऽपि धर्मात्मा निर्वेदं परमं गतः । चित्तं दुश्चरितं मत्वा वैराटीतनयस्य वै
Janamejaya, righteous in soul, became deeply disillusioned, reflecting on the evil conduct of the son of the king of Virāṭa.
तस्यैवोद्धरणार्थाय चकार सततं मनः । विप्रावमानपापेन यमलोकं गतस्य वै
For the sake of rescuing him, whose mind was constantly intent, who had gone to Yama's realm due to the sin of disrespecting a Brahmin—
पुन्नामनरकाद्यस्मात्त्रायते पितरं स्वकम् । पुत्रेति नाम सार्थं स्यात्तेन तस्य मुनीश्वराः
Because he saves his own father from hells such as Put, the name 'son' is thus rightly given, O best of sages.
सर्पदष्टं नृपं श्रुत्वा हर्म्योपरि मृतं तथा । विप्रशापादौत्तरेयं स्नानदानविवर्जितम्
Hearing that the king had died from a snake bite atop his palace, due to a Brahmin's curse, without bath or charity—
पितुर्गतिं निशम्यासौ निर्वेदं गतवान्नृपः । पारीक्षितो महाभागः सन्तप्तो भयविह्वलः
Upon learning of his father's fate, the blessed Parīkṣit, overwhelmed by grief and fear, became deeply disillusioned.
पप्रच्छाथ मुनिं व्यासं गृहागतमनिन्दितः । नरनारायणस्येमां कथां परमविस्मृताम्
Then, the blameless king questioned the sage Vyāsa, who had come to his house, about this most wondrous tale of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.
व्यास उवाच स यदा निहतो रौद्रो हिरण्यकशिपुर्नृप । अभिषिक्तस्तदा राज्ये प्रह्लादो नाम तत्सुतः
Vyāsa said: When the fierce Hiraṇyakaśipu was slain, his son Prahlāda was then installed as king.