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.
विहस्य भगवांस्तत्र जग्राह मम तर्जनीम् । स्तुवन्सरोवरं भूयस्तीरे मामनयत्प्रभुः
There, the Blessed Lord smiled, took hold of my forefinger, praised the lake again, and led me to the shore.
विश्रम्य तटभागे तु स्निग्धच्छाये मनोहरे । मामुवाच मुने स्नानं कुरु त्वं विमले जले
After resting on the charming bank, shaded by gentle trees, he said to me, 'O sage, bathe in these pure waters.'
पश्चादहं करिष्यामि तडागेऽस्मिन्सुपावने । साधूनामिव चेतांसि जलानि निर्मलानि च
'Afterwards, I too shall bathe in this supremely holy lake. Its waters are as pure as the minds of the virtuous.'
सुरभीणि परागैस्तु पङ्कजानां विशेषतः । इत्युक्तोऽहं भगवता मुक्त्वा वीणां मृगाजिनम्
'They are fragrant with the pollen of lotuses, especially.' Thus addressed by the Blessed Lord, I set aside my vīṇā and deerskin.
स्नानाय कृतधीस्तीरे गतः प्रेमसमन्वितः । पादौप्रक्षाल्य हस्तौच शिखां बद्ध्वा कुशग्रहम्
Intent on bathing, filled with devotion, I went to the shore, washed my feet and hands, tied up my hair, and took up sacred grass.
कृत्वाऽऽचम्य शुचिस्तोये स्नातवानस्मि तज्जले । यदा तस्मिज्जले रम्ये स्नातोऽहं पश्यतो हरेः
Having performed ācamana and purified myself in the clear water, I bathed in that lake as Hari looked on.
विहाय पौरुषं रूपं प्राप्तः स्त्रीत्वमनुत्तमम् । हरिर्गृहीत्वा वीणां मे तथा कृष्णाजिनं शुभम्
As I bathed in those delightful waters, in Hari's presence, I abandoned my male form and attained an incomparable female form; Hari took my vīṇā and my auspicious deerskin.
आरुह्य गरुडं तूर्णं जगाम स्वगृहं क्षणात् । ततोऽहं स्त्रीत्वमापन्नश्चारुभूषणभूषितः
Swiftly mounting Garuḍa, Hari departed to his own abode in an instant. Then I, having become a woman, was adorned with beautiful ornaments.
तत्क्षणान्मनसो जाता पूर्वदेहस्य विस्मृतिः । विस्मृतोऽसौ जगन्नाथो महती विस्मृता पुनः
In that instant, the memory of my previous body vanished from my mind; the Lord of the world was forgotten, and a great oblivion overtook me again.
सम्प्राप्य मोहिनीरूपं तडागान्निर्गतो बहिः । अपश्यं नलिनीजुष्टं सरस्तद्विमलोदकम्
Having assumed a bewitching form, I emerged from the pond and saw before me a lake adorned with lotuses, its water pure and clear.