उत्तिष्ठ देवि कुरु रूपमिहाद्भुतं त्वं मां वा त्विमौ जहि यथेच्छसि बाललीले । नो चेत्प्रबोधय हरिं निहनेदिमौ य- स्त्वत्साध्यमेतदखिलं किल कार्यजातम्
Arise, O Goddess, take on a wondrous form here; either kill me or these two as you please, in your childlike play. Or, if not, awaken Hari, so that he may slay these two; for all these deeds are accomplished only through you.
सूत उवाच एवं स्तुता तदा देवी तामसी तत्र वेधसा । निःसृत्य हरिदेहात्तु संस्थिता पार्श्वतस्तदा
Suta said: Thus praised by the creator, the Tamasic Goddess emerged from Hari's body and stood at his side.
त्यक्त्वाङ्गानि च सर्वाणि विष्णोरतुलतेजसः । निर्गता योगनिद्रा सा नाशाय च तयोस्तदा
Having left all the limbs of Vishnu, whose energy is unequalled, that Yoga-Nidra departed then, for the destruction of those two.
विस्पन्दितशरीरोऽसौ यदा जातो जनार्दनः । धाता परमिकां प्राप्तो मुदं दृष्ट्वा हरिं ततः
When Janardana's body began to stir, the creator attained supreme joy upon seeing Hari.
आराध्यनिर्णयवर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः सन्देहोऽत्र महाभाग कथायां तु महाद्भुतः । वेदशास्त्रपुराणैश्च निश्चितं तु सदा बुधैः
The sages said: O greatly fortunate one, there is a wonderful doubt in this story; for it has always been established by the wise through the Vedas, Shastras, and Puranas.
ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च त्रयो देवाः सनातनाः । नातः परतरं किञ्चिद्ब्रह्माण्डेऽस्मिन्महामते
Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra—these three gods are eternal; O wise one, there is nothing greater than them in this universe.
ब्रह्मा सृजति लोकान्वै विष्णुः पात्यखिलं जगत् । रुद्रः संहरते काले त्रय एतेऽत्र कारणम्
Brahma creates the worlds, Vishnu sustains the entire universe, and Rudra destroys at the proper time; these three are the causes here.
एका मूर्तिस्त्रयो देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । रजःसत्त्वतमोभिश्च संयुताः कार्यकारकाः
There is one form, yet three gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara; united with rajas, sattva, and tamas, they are agents and instruments of action.
तेषां मध्ये हरिः श्रेष्ठो माधवः पुरुषोत्तमः । आदिदेवो जगन्नाथः समर्थः सर्वकर्मसु
Among them, Hari is the foremost—Madhava, the Supreme Person, the primordial deity, Lord of the universe, capable in all actions.
नान्यः कोऽपि समर्थोऽस्ति विष्णोरतुलतेजसः । स कथं स्वापितः स्वामी विवशो योगमायया
No one else is capable like Vishnu, whose power is unmatched; how then was the Lord made to sleep, rendered powerless by yogic illusion?
क्व गतं तस्य विज्ञानं जीवतश्चेष्टितं कुतः । सन्देहोऽयं महाभाग कथयस्व यथाशुभम्
Where did his knowledge go, and how did his actions cease while living? This doubt, O illustrious one, tell me as it truly is.
का सा शक्तिः पुरा प्रोक्ता यया विष्णुजितः प्रभुः । कुतो जाता कथं शक्ता का शक्तिर्वद सुव्रत
What is that power spoken of before, by which the Lord Vishnu was overcome? From where did it arise, how is it potent, what is its nature? Tell me, O virtuous one.
यस्तु सर्वेश्वरो विष्णुर्वासुदेवो जगद्गुरुः । परमात्मा परानन्दः सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहः
He who is the Lord of all, Vishnu, Vasudeva, the teacher of the world, the supreme self, supreme bliss, whose form is existence, consciousness, and joy—
सर्वकृत्सर्वभृत्स्रष्टा विरजः सर्वगः शुचिः । स कथं निद्रया नीतः परतन्त्रः परात्परः
Who does all, sustains all, is creator, unstained, all-pervading, pure—how was he led into sleep, made dependent, though supreme among the supreme?
एतदाश्चर्यभूतो हि सन्देहो नः परन्तप । छिन्धि ज्ञानासिना सूत व्यासशिष्य महामते
This is indeed a wondrous doubt for us, O scorcher of foes; dispel it with the sword of knowledge, Suta, disciple of Vyasa, wise one.
सूत उवाच कः सन्देहं भिनत्त्येनं त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । मुह्यन्ति मुनयः कामं ब्रह्मपुत्राः सनातनाः
Suta said: Who in the three worlds, among moving and unmoving beings, can break this doubt? Even the ancient sons of Brahma, the sages, are bewildered by it.
नारदः कपिलश्चैव प्रश्नेऽस्मिन्मुनिसत्तमाः । किं ब्रवीमि महाभागा दुर्घटेऽस्मिन्विमर्शने
Narada and Kapila, O best of sages, are present in this inquiry; what can I say, O illustrious ones, in this difficult discussion?
देवेषु विष्णुः कथितः सर्वगः सर्वपालकः । यतो विराडिदं सर्वमुत्पन्नं सचराचरम्
Among the gods, Vishnu is described as all-pervading, protector of all; from whom this entire universe, moving and unmoving, has arisen.
ते सर्वे समुपासन्ते नत्वा देवं परात्परम् । नारायणं हृषीकेशं वासुदेवं जनार्दनम्
All of them worship, bowing to the supreme Lord, Narayana, Hrishikesha, Vasudeva, Janardana.
तथा केचिन्महादेवं शङ्करं शशिशेखरम् । त्रिनेत्रं पञ्चवक्त्रं च शूलपाणिं वृषध्वजम्
Likewise, some worship Mahadeva, Shankara, crowned with the moon, three-eyed, five-faced, holding the trident, with the bull as his banner.
तथा वेदेषु सर्वेषु गीतं नाम्ना त्रियम्बकम् । कपर्दिनं पञ्चवक्त्रं गौरीदेहार्धधारिणम्
Thus, in all the Vedas, he is sung as Triyambaka by name, with matted hair, five-faced, bearing half the body of Gauri.
कैलासवासनिरतं सर्वशक्तिसमन्वितम् । भूतवृन्दयुतं देवं दक्षयज्ञविघातकम्
Dwelling in Kailasa, engaged in meditation, endowed with all powers, accompanied by hosts of spirits, the god who destroyed Daksha's sacrifice.
तथा सूर्यं वेदविदः सायंप्रातर्दिने दिने । मध्याह्ने तु महाभागाः स्तुवन्ति विविधैः स्तवैः
Likewise, the knowers of the Vedas praise the Sun morning and evening, day by day, and at midday, O illustrious ones, with various hymns.
तथा वेदेषु सर्वेषु सूर्योपासनमुत्तमम् । परमात्मेति विख्यातं नाम तस्य महात्मनः
Thus, in all the Vedas, worship of the Sun is considered supreme; he is renowned as the Supreme Self, that great soul.
अग्निः सर्वत्र वेदेषु संस्तुतो वेदवित्तमैः । इन्द्रश्चापि त्रिलोकेशो वरुणश्च तथापरः
Agni is praised everywhere in the Vedas by those most learned in them; likewise, Indra, the lord of the three worlds, and Varuna are also extolled.
यथा गङ्गा प्रवाहैश्च बहुभिः परिवर्तते । तथैव सर्वदेवेषु विष्णुः प्रोक्तो महर्षिभिः
Just as the Ganga flows and turns in many streams, so too, among all the gods, Vishnu is declared by the great sages.
त्रीण्येव हि प्रमाणानि पठितानि सुपण्डितैः । प्रत्यक्षं चानुमानं च शाब्दं चैव तृतीयकम्
Only three means of knowledge are taught by the truly learned: direct perception, inference, and verbal testimony as the third.
चत्वार्येवेतरे प्राहुरुपमानयुतानि च । अर्थापत्तियुतान्यन्ये पञ्च प्राहुर्महाधियः
Others declare four means, including comparison; yet others, endowed with great intellect, speak of five, adding postulation.
सप्त पौराणिकाश्चैव प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः । एतैः प्रमाणैर्दुर्ज्ञेयं यद्ब्रह्म परमं च तत्
Seven means are spoken of by the wise in the Puranas; by these means, the supreme Brahman is difficult to know.
वितर्कश्चात्र कर्तव्यो बुद्ध्या चैवागमेन च । निश्चयात्मिकया युक्त्या विचार्य च पुनः पुनः
Reasoning must be applied here, both by intellect and scripture, and by decisive logic, examined again and again.