किं कार्यं कारणं कस्त्वं प्रवृत्तिश्चापि का तव
What is the effect, what is the cause, who are you, and what is your activity?
नित्यानन्दं स्वयञ्ज्योतिरक्षरं तमसः परम्
The eternal bliss, self-luminous, imperishable, beyond darkness.
कार्यं जगदथाव्यक्तं कारणं शुद्धमक्षरम्
The effect is the world, and the unmanifest; the cause is the pure, imperishable.
सर्गस्थित्यन्तकर्तृत्वं प्रवृत्तिर्मम गीयते
My activity is said to be creation, maintenance, and dissolution.
ततस्त्वं कर्मयोगेन शाश्वतं सम्यगर्चय
Therefore, you should properly worship the eternal by the discipline of action.
ज्ञानं च कीदृशं दिव्यं भावनात्रयसंस्थितम्
And what is that divine knowledge, established in the threefold contemplation?
कानि तेषां प्रमाणानि पावनानि व्रतानि च
What are their valid means, their purifying vows?
ब्रूहि मे पुण्डरीकाक्ष यथावदधुनाखिलम्
Tell me everything as it truly is, O lotus-eyed one, right now.
यथावदखिलं सर्वमवोचं मुनिपुङ्गवाः
O foremost of sages, I have spoken everything completely and properly.
अनुगृह्य च तं विप्रं तत्रैवान्तर्हितो ऽभवम्
And having blessed that brahmin, I became invisible right there.
आराधयामास परं भावपूतः समाहितः
Purified in mind and intent, he worshipped the Supreme.
संन्यस्य सर्वकर्माणि परं वैराग्यमाश्रितः
Renouncing all actions, he took refuge in supreme detachment.
संप्राप्य भावनामन्त्यां ब्राह्मीमक्षरपूर्विकाम्
He attained the final contemplation, preceded by the imperishable of Brahman.
यं विनिद्रा जितश्वासाः काङ्क्षन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिणः
That state which the sleepless, breath-conquered seekers of liberation desire.
आकाशेनैव विप्रेन्द्रो योगैश्वर्यप्रभावतः
By the power of yogic mastery, the best of brahmins moved through the sky.
दृष्ट्वान्ये पथि योगीन्द्रं सिद्धा ब्रह्मर्षयो ययुः
Seeing the lord of yogis on the path, accomplished sages and brahmarshis approached.
स्थानं तद्योगिभिर्जुष्टं यत्रास्ते परमः पुमान्
That place, cherished by yogis, where the Supreme Person abides.
विवेश चान्तर्भवनं देवानां च दुरासदम्
And he entered the inner abode, inaccessible even to the gods.
अनादिनिधनं देवं देवदेवं पितामहम्
The god who is without beginning or end, the god of gods, the grandsire—
तन्मध्ये पुरुषं पूर्वमपश्यत् परमं पदम्
In the midst of that, he beheld the primordial Person, the supreme abode.
चतुर्मुखमुदाराङ्गमर्चिभिरुपशोभितम्
With four faces, noble in form, adorned with radiant flames—
प्रत्युद्गम्य स्वयं देवो विश्वात्मा परिषस्वजे
Approaching him, the god himself, the soul of the universe, embraced him.
ऋग्यजुः सामसंज्ञं तत् पवित्रममलं पदम्
That pure, spotless abode is known as Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma.
ब्रह्मतेजोमयं श्रीमन्निष्ठा चैव मनीषिणाम्
It is composed of the brilliance of Brahman, resplendent, and the refuge of the wise.
अपश्यदैश्वरं तेजः शान्तं सर्वत्रगं शिवम्
He beheld the divine radiance—peaceful, all-pervading, auspicious.
आनन्दमचलं ब्रह्म स्थानं तत्पारमेश्वरम्
That is the blissful, unshakable Brahman, the supreme abode of the Supreme Lord.
प्राप्तवानात्मनो धाम यत्तन्मोक्षाख्यमव्ययम्
He attained the dwelling of the Self, that imperishable state called liberation.
समाश्रित्यान्तिमं भावं मायां लक्ष्मीं तरेद् बुधः
By taking refuge in the final state, the wise one crosses over Māyā, Lakṣmī.
शक्रेण सहिताः सर्वे पप्रच्छुर्गरुडध्वजम्
All of them, together with Śakra, questioned the one whose banner bears Garuḍa.
तद् वदाशेषमस्माकं यदुक्तं भवता पुरा
Tell us in full what you spoke before.