प्रोक्तवान्सकलान्धर्मान्कथं तौ मिलितावुभौ
How did those two, having come together, expound all the duties?
हरिगीतसमुद्गाने चक्रतुस्तद्वदस्व नः
They sang forth the praises of Hari; tell us of that, just as it happened.
निर्ममा निरहंकाराः सर्वे ते ह्यूध्वरेतसः
All of them were free from possessiveness and ego, and were indeed celibate.
सनस्फुमारश्च विभुः सनातम इति स्मृतः
Sanat, Kumara, and the mighty one are remembered as eternal.
इष्टं मार्गे ऽथ ददृशुः गङ्गां विष्णिपदीं द्विजाः
Then, on their path, the twice-born beheld the Ganga, the river sprung from Vishnu’s feet.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र देवर्षिर्नारदो मुनिः
Meanwhile, at that very place, the divine sage Narada appeared.
तान्दृष्ट्वा स्त्रातुमुद्युक्तान्नमस्कृत्य कृताञ्जितिः
Seeing them intent on bathing, he bowed with joined palms.
नारायणाच्युतानन्त वासुदेव जनार्दन
O Narayana, Achyuta, Ananta, Vasudeva, Janardana!
क्षिरोदशायिन्देवेश दामोदर नमो ऽस्तु ते
O Lord reclining on the ocean of milk, O ruler of the gods, Damodara, obeisance to you!
अजानिरुद्धामलरुङ्मुरारं त्वं पाहि नः सर्वभयादजस्त्रम्
O unborn one, O Aniruddha, O pure, O slayer of Mura, protect us always from every fear.
उपासीनश्च तैः सार्द्धं सस्नौ प्रीतिसमन्वितः
Sitting together with them, he bathed, filled with joy.
स्त्रात्वा संतर्त्य देवर्षिपितन्विगतकल्मषाः
Having bathed, the divine sage and his companions, their sins washed away, crossed over.
कथां प्रचक्रुर्विविधाः नारायण गुणाश्रिताः
They began to recount various stories, all centered on the virtues of Narayana.
चकारनारदः प्रश्नं नानाख्यानकयान्तरे
Narada posed a question amidst the telling of diverse tales.
यूयं सर्वे जगन्नाथा भगवन्तः सनातनाः
You all are lords of the universe, O blessed ones, eternal.
पृच्छे ततो वदत मे भगवल्लक्षणं बुधाः
Therefore I ask—tell me, O wise ones, the marks of the Blessed Lord.
गङ्गापादोदकं यस्य स कथं ज्ञायते हरिः
How is Hari, whose foot-water is the Ganga, to be known?
ज्ञानस्य लक्षण ब्रूत तपसश्चापि मानदाः
Tell me the marks of knowledge, and also of asceticism, O bestowers of honor.
परावर निवासाय सगुणायागुणाय च
To Him who abides in both the higher and lower realms, who possesses qualities and is also beyond qualities,
योगीश्वराय योगाय योगगम्याय विष्णवे
To the Lord of yogis, embodiment of yoga, accessible through yoga, to Viṣṇu,
ज्ञाचेश्वराय ज्ञेयाय ज्ञात्रे विज्ञानसंपदे
To the Lord of knowledge, the object to be known, the knower, the possessor of perfect understanding,
ध्यानेश्वराय सुधियेध्येयध्यातृस्वरुपिणे
To the Lord of meditation, whose true form is the wise meditator, the object of meditation, and meditation itself,
यच्छक्तियुक्तास्तमजं पुराणं सत्यं स्तुतीशं सततं नतो ऽस्मि
Endowed with that power, to the unborn, ancient, true Lord of praise, I bow always.
कल्पान्तरुद्राख्यतमुः स देवः शेतेंऽघ्रिपानस्तमजं भजामि
He who is called Rudra at the end of the aeon, that God, whose feet are honored by the wise— to that unborn One I devote myself.
विराजमानः स्वपदे पराख्ये तं विष्णुमाद्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये
Resplendent in His supreme abode, to that primeval Viṣṇu I seek refuge.
संकल्पपूर्वात्मकदेहहेतुस्तंस्तमेव नित्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये
The cause of bodies, whose nature is preceded by will— to Him alone I always seek refuge.
देवं च भूमारविनोदशीलं तं वासुदेवं सततं नतो ऽस्मि
To the God who delights the earth and the rivers, to that Vāsudeva, I bow always.
विदार्यसंराक्षितवान्स्वभक्तं प्रह्लादमीशं तमजं मनामि
He who protected his devotee Prahlāda by tearing apart the enemy— to that unborn Lord I honor.
जगद्विधातारमकर्मकं च परं पुराणं पुरुषम नतो ऽस्मि
To the Creator of the world, actionless, supreme, ancient Person, I bow.
स्वमूर्तिभेदैः स्थित एक ईशस्तमादिमात्मा नमहं भजामि
He who remains one Lord through the diversity of His own forms— to that original Self I bow and worship.