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.
तस्मिञ्छासति दैत्येन्द्रे देवब्राह्मणपूजके । मखैर्भूमौ नृपतयो यजन्तः श्रद्धयान्विताः
While that lord of the Daityas ruled, honoring gods and Brahmins, kings performed sacrifices on earth with faith.
ब्राह्मणाश्च तपोधर्मतीर्थयात्राश्च कुर्वते । वैश्याश्च स्वस्ववृत्तिस्थाः शूद्राः शुश्रूषणे रताः
Brahmins practiced austerity, righteousness, and pilgrimage; Vaiśyas remained in their own occupations, and Śūdras were devoted to service.
नृसिंहेन च पाताले स्थापितः सोऽथ दैत्यराट् । राज्यं चकार तत्रैव प्रजापालनतत्परः
Then, having been established in the netherworld by Narasimha, that king of the demons ruled there, devoted to the protection of his subjects.
कदाचिद् भृगुपुत्रोऽथ च्यवनाख्यो महातपाः । जगाम नर्मदां स्नातुं तीर्थं वै व्याहृतीश्वरम्
Once, the son of Bhrigu, the great ascetic named Cyavana, went to bathe at the holy site called Vyāhṛtīśvara on the Narmada river.
रेवां महानदीं दृष्ट्वा ततस्तस्यामवातरत् । उत्तरन्तं प्रजग्राह नागो विषभयङ्करः
Seeing the great river Reva, he descended into it; then, at its northern bank, a serpent, terrifying with poison, seized him.
गृहीतो भयभीतस्तु पाताले मुनिसत्तमः । सस्मार मनसा विष्णुं देवदेवं जनार्दनम्
Taken and frightened, the eminent sage in the netherworld remembered in his mind Vishnu, the god of gods, Janardana.
संस्मृते पुण्डरीकाक्षे निर्विषोऽभून्महोरगः । न प्राप च्यवनो दुःखं नीयमानो रसातलम्
Upon remembering the lotus-eyed one, the great serpent became devoid of poison; Cyavana suffered no distress as he was carried to the realm below.
द्विजिह्वेन मुनिस्त्यक्तो निर्विण्णेनातिशङ्किना । मां शपेत मुनिः कुद्धस्तापसोऽयं महानिति
The sage was released by the two-tongued serpent, who, anxious and fearful, thought, 'If this great ascetic, angered, curses me...'
चचार नागकन्याभिः पूजितो मुनिसत्तमः । विवेशाप्यथ नागानां दानवानां महत्पुरम्
Honored by the serpent maidens, the eminent sage wandered; and then entered the great city of the serpents and demons.
कदाचिद्भृगुपुत्रं तं विचरन्तं पुरोत्तमे । ददर्श दैत्यराजोऽसौ प्रह्लादो धर्मवत्सलः
Once, as the son of Bhrigu wandered in that splendid city, the righteous king of the demons, Prahlada, saw him.