श्वेताश्वतरादयः सर्वे ऋषयो निर्मलाशयाः । आत्मरूपां हृदा ज्ञात्वा विमुक्ता भवबन्धनात्
All the sages, such as Śvetāśvatara and others, pure in intent, having realized Her as the form of the Self in their hearts, became free from the bonds of worldly existence.
ब्रह्मविष्ण्वादयस्तद्वद् गौरीलक्ष्म्यादयस्तथा । तामेव समुपासन्ते सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणीम्
Likewise, Brahma, Vishnu, and others, as well as Gauri, Lakshmi, and others, worship only Her, who is the embodiment of existence, consciousness, and bliss.
इति ते कथितं राजन् यद्यत्पुष्टं त्वयानघ । प्रपञ्चतापत्रस्तेन किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
Thus, O king, I have told you whatever you have asked, O sinless one; what more do you wish to hear regarding the troubles of worldly existence?
एतत्ते कथितं राजन्मयाख्यानमनुत्तमम् । सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं पुराणं परमाद्भुतम्
This has been narrated to you, O king, by me—an excellent account, which removes all sins, is meritorious, wondrous, and ancient.
य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं पुराणं वेदसम्मितम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो देवीलोके महीयते
Whoever listens daily to this Purana, which accords with the Vedas, becomes free from all sins and is honored in the realm of the Goddess.
सूत उवाच एतन्मया श्रुतं व्यासात्कथ्यमानं सविस्तरम् । पुराणं पञ्चमं नूनं श्रीमद्भागवताभिधम्
Sūta said: This I have heard in detail from Vyāsa as he narrated it—the fifth Purana, indeed, known as the glorious Bhāgavata.
योगमायाप्रभाववर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः भवता कथितं सूत महदाख्यानमुत्तमम् । कृष्णस्य चरितं दिव्यं सर्वपातकनाशनम्
Description of the power of Yogamaya. The sages said: O Sūta, you have narrated an excellent and great story—the divine deeds of Krishna, which destroy all sins.
सन्देहोऽत्र महाभाग वासुदेवकथानके । जायते नः प्रोच्यमाने विस्तरेण महामते
O fortunate one, a doubt arises for us in the account of Vasudeva, as it is being told in detail, O wise one.
वने गत्वा तपस्तप्तं वासुदेवेन दुष्करम् । विष्णोरंशावतारेण शिवस्याराधनं कृतम्
Having gone to the forest, Vasudeva performed severe austerities; as an incarnation of Vishnu, he worshipped Shiva.
वरप्रदानं देव्या च पार्वत्या यत्कृतं पुनः । जगन्मातुश्च पूर्णायाः श्रीदेव्या अंशभूतया
Again, the granting of boons by the Goddess Parvati, the complete Mother of the world, who is present as a portion of the glorious Goddess.
ईश्वरेणापि कृष्णेन कुतस्तौ सम्प्रपूजितौ । न्यूनता वा किमस्त्वस्य तदेवं संशयो मम
Even Krishna, the Lord, worshipped them—how is this so? Is there any deficiency in him? This is my doubt.
सूत उवाच शृणुध्वं कारणं तत्र मया व्यासश्रुतञ्च यत् । प्रब्रवीमि महाभागाः कथां कृष्णगुणान्विताम्
Sūta said: Listen to the reason for this, which I have heard from Vyāsa; I will tell you, O fortunate ones, the story endowed with Krishna's qualities.
वृत्तान्तं व्यासतः श्रुत्वा वैराटीसुतजस्तदा । पुनः पप्रच्छ मेधावी सन्देहं परमं गतः
Having heard the account from Vyāsa, the wise son of Vairāṭī then again asked, having reached a profound doubt.
जनमेजय उवाच सम्यक्सत्यवतीसूनो श्रुतं परमकारणम् । तथापि मनसो वृत्तिः संशयं न विमुञ्चति
Janamejaya said: The supreme reason has been rightly heard from the son of Satyavati; yet, the mind's disposition does not abandon its doubt.
कृष्णेनाराधितः शम्भुस्तपस्तप्त्वातिदारुणम् । विस्मयोऽयं महाभाग देवदेवेन विष्णुना
Krishna worshipped Śambhu, having performed extremely severe austerities; this is astonishing, O fortunate one, for Vishnu, the Lord of gods.
यः सर्वात्मापि सर्वेशः सर्वसिद्धिप्रदः प्रभुः । स कथं कृतवान्घोरं तपः प्राकृतवद्धरिः
He who is the Self of all, the Lord of all, the giver of all accomplishments—how did Hari perform such fierce austerity, as if he were an ordinary being?
जगत्कर्तुं क्षमः कृष्णस्तथा पालयितुं क्षमः । संहर्तुमपि कस्मात्स दारुणं तप आचरत्
Krishna is capable of creating the world and also of sustaining it; so why did he undertake such severe austerity for destruction?
व्यास उवाच सत्यमुक्तं त्वया राजन् वासुदेवो जनार्दनः । क्षमः सर्वेषु कार्येषु देवानां दैत्यसूदनः
Vyasa said: What you have spoken is true, O King. Vasudeva Janardana, the slayer of demons, is capable in all tasks of the gods.
तथापि मानुषं देहमाश्रितः परमेश्वरः । कृतवान्मानुषान्भावान्वर्णाश्रमसमाश्रितान्
Yet, even so, the Supreme Lord, having assumed a human body, performed actions appropriate to humans, following the ways of caste and stage of life.
वृद्धानां पूजनं चैव गुरुपादाभिवन्दनम् । ब्राह्मणानां तथा सेवा देवताराधनं तथा
He honored the elders, bowed at the feet of his teachers, served the Brahmins, and worshipped the deities.
शोके शोकाभियोगश्च हर्षे हर्षसमुन्नतिः । दैन्यं नानापवादाश्च स्त्रीषु कामोपसेवनम्
He experienced sorrow in times of grief, elation in times of joy, humility, various reproaches, and indulged in desire with women.
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभः काले काले भवन्ति हि । तथा गुणमये देहे निर्गुणत्वं कथं भवेत्
Desire, anger, and greed arise from time to time; so how can there be freedom from qualities in a body made of qualities?
सौबलीशापजाद्दोषात्तथा ब्राह्मणशापजात् । निधनं यादवानां तु कृष्णदेहस्य मोचनम्
Because of the curse of Saubala and also the curse of a Brahmin, the destruction of the Yadavas and the release of Krishna's body occurred.
हरणं लुण्ठनं तद्वत्तत्पत्नीनां नराधिप । अर्जुनस्यास्त्रमोक्षे च क्लीबत्वं तस्करेषु च
Likewise, the abduction and plundering of his wives by kings, Arjuna's impotence when releasing weapons, and the acts of thieves.
अज्ञत्वं हरणे गेहात्तत्प्रद्युम्नानिरुद्धयोः । एवं मानुषदेहेऽस्मिन्मानुषं खलु चेष्टितम्
The ignorance during the abduction from the house of Pradyumna and Aniruddha—thus, in this human body, truly, human actions were performed.
विष्णोरंशावतारेऽस्मिन्नारायणमुनेस्तथा । अंशजे वासुदेवेऽत्र किं चित्रं शिवसेवने
In this incarnation as a portion of Vishnu, and likewise of the sage Narayana, what is surprising if Vasudeva, born from a portion, worships Shiva?
स हि सर्वेश्वरो देवो विष्णोरपि च कारणम् । सुषुप्तस्थाननाथः स विष्णुना च प्रपूजितः
For he is the Lord of all, the cause even of Vishnu, the master of the state of deep sleep, and is worshipped by Vishnu himself.
तदंशभूताः कृष्णाद्यास्तैः कथं न स पूज्यते । अकारो भगवान्ब्रह्माप्युकारः स्याद्धरिः स्वयम्
How would he not be worshipped by those like Krishna, who are his portions? The letter 'A' is the blessed Brahma, and 'U' is Hari himself.
मकारो भगवान् रुद्रोऽप्यर्धमात्रा महेश्वरी । उत्तरोत्तरभावेनाप्युत्तमत्वं स्मृतं बुधैः
'M' is the blessed Rudra, and the half-syllable is the great goddess; by the increasing order, the highest status is recognized by the wise.
अतः सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु देवी सर्वोत्तमा स्मृता । अर्धमात्रास्थिता नित्या यानुच्चार्या विशेषतः
Therefore, in all the scriptures, the Goddess is remembered as supreme, abiding in the half-syllable, eternal, and especially unuttered.