स एव पतितो ज्ञेयो यतः कर्मबहिष्कृतः
He alone is to be known as fallen, who is excluded from action.
भ्रष्टो यः स्वाश्रमाचारात्पतितः सो ऽभिधीयते
He who has deviated from the discipline of his own order is called fallen.
आचारात्पतितं मूढं न पुनाति द्विजोत्तम
A person fallen from proper conduct, though learned, does not purify others, O best of twice-born.
यज्ञो वा विविधो ब्रह्मंस्त्यक्ताचारंन रक्षति
Even various sacrifices and the recitation of Brahman do not protect one who has abandoned proper conduct.
आचारात्प्राप्यते मोक्ष आचारात्किं न लभ्यते
Liberation is attained through proper conduct; what is not gained by proper conduct?
हरिभक्तेपरि तथा निदानं भक्तिरिष्यते
Similarly, among those devoted to Hari, devotion itself is regarded as the cause.
तस्मात्समस्तलोकानां भक्तिर्मातेति गीयते
Therefore, devotion is sung as the mother of all worlds.
तथा भक्तिं समाश्रित्य सर्वे जीवन्ति धार्ंमिकाः
Likewise, relying on devotion, all the righteous live.
न तस्य त्रिषु लोकेषु सदृशो ऽस्त्यजनन्दन
There is none equal to him in the three worlds, O son of Jananda.
तस्मिंस्तुष्टे भवेज्ज्ञानं ज्ञानान्मोक्षमवाप्यते
When he is pleased, knowledge arises; through knowledge, liberation is attained.
तत्सङ्गं प्राप्यते पुम्भिः सुकृतैः पूर्वसञ्चितैः
Association with him is gained by people through good deeds accumulated previously.
कामादिदोषनिर् मुक्तास्ते सन्तो लोकशिक्षकाः
Freed from faults such as desire, those saints are teachers of the world.
यदि लभ्येत विज्ञेयं पुण्यं जन्मान्तरार्जितम्
If it is obtained, one should know it is merit earned in a previous birth.
सत्सङ्गतिर्भवेत्तस्य नान्यथा घटते हि सा
Association with the virtuous occurs for him; it does not happen otherwise.
सन्तः सूक्तिमरीच्योश्चान्तर्ध्वान्तं हि सर्वदा
Saints are like rays of noble speech, always dispelling inner darkness.
तेषां सङ्गो भवेद्यस्य तस्य शान्तिर्हि शाश्वती
For one who has their association, peace is everlasting.
तेषां लोको भवेत्कीदृक्तत्सर्वं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
What is the nature of their world? Tell me all of that in truth.
एतान्निगदितुं शक्तस्त्वतो नास्त्यधिको ऽपरः
You alone are capable of describing these; there is no one superior to you.
यमुवाच जगन्नाथो योगनिद्राविमोचितः
He whom the Lord of the universe spoke to, released from yogic sleep.
जगत्कर्त्ता शिवब्रह्म स्वरुपवान्
The creator of the world, Shiva-Brahma, possessing his own form.
जगत्येकार्णवीभूते नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे
When the world had become a single ocean, and all that is movable and immovable was destroyed,
असंख्याताब्जजन्माद्यैराभूषिततनूरूहः
Adorned with bodies and forms born from countless lotuses,
सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरो देवो ब्रह्माण्डग्रासंबृंहितः
The god, subtler than the subtle, who expands and contracts the cosmic egg,
मार्कण्डेयः स्थिनस्तस्य लीलाः पश्यन्महे शितुः
Markandeya, remaining there, beheld the divine play of the Great Lord.
हरिरेकः स्थित इति मुने पूर्वं हि शुश्रुम
O sage, we have heard that previously only Hari remained.
सर्वग्रस्तेन हरिणा किमर्थं सो ऽवशेषितः
When everything was consumed by Hari, for what reason was he left remaining?
हरिकीर्तिसुधापाने कस्यालस्यं प्रजा यते
Who among people would be slothful in drinking the nectar of Hari’s glory?
शालग्रामे महातीर्थे सो ऽतप्यत महातपाः
In Shalagrama, the great holy place, that great ascetic performed austerities.
निराहारः क्षमायुक्तः सत्यसन्धो जितेन्द्रियः
Fasting, endowed with forbearance, truthful, and with senses subdued,
सर्वभूतहितो दान्त स्तताप सुमहत्तपः
Self-restrained, devoted to the welfare of all beings, he performed supreme austerity.