नारीणां प्रवरा कान्ता रूपयौवनगर्विता । सुप्रिया वासुदेवस्य वरचामीकरप्रभा
Foremost among women, beautiful and proud of her youth, dearly beloved of Vāsudeva, she shone with the radiance of fine gold.
अन्तर्गृहं गता दृष्ट्वा सिन्धुजां व्यञ्जनान्विताम् । मया पृष्टो देवदेवो वनमाली जगत्प्रभुः
Entering the inner chambers, she saw Sindhujā, adorned with ornaments; I then questioned the Lord of the universe, Vanamālī.
भगवन्देवदेवेश पद्मनाभ सुरारिहन् । कथं च मा गता दृष्ट्वा मामागच्छन्तमन्तिकात्
O Lord, God of gods, Padmanabha, destroyer of the enemies of the gods, why did she not come to me when she saw me approaching?
नाहं विटो न वा धूर्तः तापसोऽहं जगद्गुरो । जितेन्द्रियो जितक्रोधो जितमायो जनार्दन
I am not a rogue, nor a cheat; I am an ascetic, O Teacher of the world, one who has mastered his senses, conquered anger, and overcome illusion, O Janardana.
नारद उवाच निशम्य वचनं किञ्चिद्गर्वयुक्तं जनार्दनः । उवाच मां स्मितं कृत्वा वीणावन्मधुरां गिरम्
Narada said: Hearing these somewhat proud words, Janardana smiled at me and spoke sweet words, melodious like a vina.
विष्णुरुवाच नारदैवंविधा नीतिर्न स्थातव्यं कदाचन । पतिं विनान्यसानिध्ये कस्यचिद्योषया क्वचित्
Vishnu said: Narada, such conduct is never proper; a woman should never remain in the presence of another man without her husband.
माया सुदुर्जया विद्वन् योगिभिर्जितमारुतैः । सांख्यविद्भिर्निराहारैस्तापसैश्च जितेन्द्रियैः
Illusion is extremely difficult to overcome, O wise one, even by yogis who have mastered the breath, by those learned in Samkhya who fast, and by ascetics who have subdued their senses.
देवैश्च मुनिशार्दूल यत्त्वयोक्तं वचोऽधुना । जितमायोऽस्मि गीतज्ञ नैवं वाच्यं कदाचन
O best of sages, even by the gods, what you have just said—that I have conquered illusion because I know music—should never be spoken.
नाहं शिवो न वा ब्रह्मा जेतुं तां प्रभवोऽप्यजाम् । मुनयः सनकाद्याश्च कस्त्वं केऽन्ये क्षमा जये
I am not Shiva, nor Brahma, nor even their source, able to conquer her, the unborn; nor are the sages like Sanaka and others—who are you, or who else is able to prevail over her?
देवदेहं नृदेहं वा तिर्यग्देहमथापि वा । बिभृयाद्यः शरीरं च स कथं तां जयेदजाम्
Whoever bears a divine, human, or animal body—however he may be embodied—how could he conquer her, the unborn?
त्रियुतस्तां कथं मायां जेतुं शक्तः पुमाम्भवेत् । वेदविद्योगविद्वापि सर्वज्ञो विजितेन्द्रियः
How could any man, even if he knows the Vedas and yoga, is all-knowing and has mastered his senses, be able to conquer that illusion, accompanied by the three qualities?
कालोऽपि तस्या रूपं हि रूपहीनः स्वरूपकृत् । तद्वशे वर्तते देही विद्वान्मूर्खोऽथ मध्यमः
Even Time, which is formless but gives form to her, is under her sway; embodied beings—whether wise, foolish, or average—act according to her will.
कालः करोति धर्मज्ञं कदाचिद्विकलं पुनः । स्वभावात्कर्मतो वापि दुर्ज्ञेयं तस्य चेष्टितम्
Time can render even the righteous man powerless at times; whether by nature or by action, her workings are difficult to comprehend.
नारद उवाच इत्युक्त्वा विरतो विष्णुरहं विस्मयमानसः । तमब्रवं जगन्नाथं वासुदेवं सनातनम्
Narada said: Having spoken thus, Vishnu ceased; I, my mind filled with wonder, addressed that eternal Lord of the universe, Vasudeva.
रमापते कथंरूपा माया सा कीदृशी पुनः । कियद्बला क्व संस्थाना कस्याधारा वदस्व मे
O consort of Lakshmi, what is the form of that illusion? What is she like? How great is her power, where does she abide, and upon whom does she depend? Tell me.
द्रष्टुकामोऽस्मि तां मायां दर्शयाशु महीधर । ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तां सम्यक्प्रसादं कुरु मापते
Desiring to see that illusion, O Upholder of the Earth, show her to me quickly; I wish to know her fully—grant me your favor, O Lord.
विष्णुरुवाच त्रिगुणा साखिलाधारा सर्वज्ञा सर्वसम्मता । अजेयानेकरूपा च सर्वं व्याप्य स्थिता जगत्
Vishnu said: She is composed of the three qualities, the support of all, all-knowing, honored by all, unconquerable, of many forms, pervading and abiding in the entire universe.
दिदृक्षा यदि ते चित्ते नारदारोहणं कुरु । गरुडे मत्समेतोऽद्य गच्छावोऽन्यत्र साम्प्रतम्
If you wish to see her, Narada, then mount Garuda with me today; let us go elsewhere at once.
दर्शयिष्यामि ते मायां दुर्जयामजितात्मभिः । दृष्ट्वा तां ब्रह्मपुत्र त्वं विषादे मा मनः कृथाः
I will show you that illusion, unconquerable by those who have not mastered themselves; but, O son of Brahma, having seen her, do not let your mind fall into despair.
इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवो मां सस्मार विनतासुतम् । स्मृतमात्रस्तु गरुडस्तदागाद्धरिसन्निधौ
Having spoken thus, the Lord of the gods remembered the son of Vinata; and as soon as he was remembered, Garuda came into the presence of Hari.
आगतं गरुडं वीक्ष्य आरुरोह जनार्दनः । समारोप्य च मां पृष्ठे गमनाय कृतादरः
Seeing Garuḍa arrive, Janārdana climbed up and, with care, seated me behind him for the journey.
चलितो विनतापुत्रो वैकुण्ठाद्वायुवेगवान् । प्रेरितो यत्र कृष्णेन गन्तुकामेन काननम्
The son of Vinatā, swift as the wind, departed from Vaikuṇṭha, urged by Kṛṣṇa, who wished to go to the forest.
महावनानि दिव्यानि सरांसि सरितस्तथा । पुरग्रामाकरादींश्च खेटखर्वटगोव्रजान्
We beheld great and divine forests, lakes, and rivers, as well as cities, villages, mines, settlements, hamlets, and cowherd communities.
मुनीनामाश्रमान् रम्यान् वापीश्च सुमनोहराः । पल्वलानि विशालानि ह्रदान् पङ्कजभूषितान्
We saw the beautiful hermitages of sages, delightful ponds, vast marshes, and lakes adorned with lotuses.
मृगाणां च वराहाणां वृन्दान्यप्यवलोक्य च । गतावावां कान्यकुब्जसमीपं गरुडासनौ
Observing herds of deer and boars as well, we two, seated upon Garuḍa, arrived near Kānyakubja.
तत्र रम्यं सरो दिव्यं दृष्टं पङ्कजमण्डितम् । हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णं चक्रवाकोपशोभितम्
There we saw a lovely, divine lake, adorned with lotuses, crowded with swans and waterfowl, and beautified by chakravāka ducks.
नानावर्णैः प्रफुल्लैश्च पङ्कजैरुपरञ्जितम् । शुचि मिष्टजलं भृङ्गयूथनादविराजितम्
It was tinged with blooming lotuses of various colors, its pure and sweet water resounding with the hum of bee swarms.
मामाह भगवान् वीक्ष्य तडागं परमाद्भुतम् । स्पर्धकं चोदधेः क्षीरं मिष्टं वारि विशेषतः
Beholding that wondrous lake, the Blessed Lord said to me: 'Its water is especially sweet, rivaling the milk of the ocean.'
श्रीभगवानुवाच पश्य नारद गम्भीरं सरः सारसनादितम् । सर्वत्र पङ्कजैश्छन्नं स्वच्छनीरप्रपूरितम्
The Blessed Lord said: 'Behold, Nārada, this deep lake, resounding with the cries of cranes, covered everywhere with lotuses and filled with clear water.'
अत्र स्नात्वा गमिष्यावः कान्यकुब्जं पुरोत्तमम् । इत्युक्त्वा गरुडादाशु मामुत्तार्य व्यतारयत्
'After bathing here, we shall proceed to the foremost city, Kānyakubja.' Saying this, he quickly lifted me down from Garuḍa and led me across.