एवं साधयते धर्मं पालयेच्च पुनःपुनः । पुत्रस्य जातकर्मादि कर्माणि द्विजसत्तमः
Thus he accomplished righteousness and repeatedly observed the rites, performing the birth and other ceremonies for his son, O best of Brahmins.
विवाहं कारयामास हर्षेण महता किल । पुत्रस्य पुत्राः संजाताः सगुणा लक्षणान्विताः
With great joy, he arranged his son's marriage, and his son had sons endowed with virtues and auspicious marks.
सत्यधर्मतपोपेता दानधर्मरताः सदा । स तेषां पुण्यकर्माणि सोमशर्मा चकार ह
They were always devoted to truth, righteousness, and austerity, delighting in charity and virtue; Somaśarman performed meritorious acts for them.
पौत्राणां तु महाभागस्तेषां सुखेन मोदते । सर्वं सौख्यं च संभुज्य जरारोगविवर्जितः
He, most fortunate among grandfathers, enjoyed happiness with his grandsons, experiencing every joy, free from old age and disease.
पंचविंशाब्दिको यद्वत्तद्वत्कायं तु तस्य हि । सूर्यतेजः प्रतीकाशः सोमशर्मा महामतिः
Just as a man of twenty-five years, so was his body—Somaśarman, of great intellect, shone with the radiance of the sun.
सा चापि शुशुभे देवी सुमना पुण्यमंगलैः । पुत्रपौत्रैर्महाभागा दानव्रतैश्च संयमैः
And she, the blessed lady, shone as well, joyful with auspicious merits, with sons and grandsons, devoted to charity, vows, and self-restraint.
अतिभाति विशालाक्षी पुण्यैः पतिव्रतादिभिः । तारुण्येन समायुक्ता यथा षोडशवार्षिकी
The wide-eyed lady shone exceedingly with her virtues, foremost among faithful wives, endowed with youth as if she were sixteen years old.
मोदमानौ महात्मानौ दंपती चारुमंगलौ । हर्षेण च समायुक्तौ पुण्यात्मानौ महोदयौ
The great-souled couple, beautiful and auspicious, rejoiced together, filled with happiness, blessed with virtue and great prosperity.
एवं तयोस्तु वृत्तांतं पुण्याचारसमन्वितम् । सुव्रतस्य प्रवक्ष्यामि व्रतचर्यां द्विजोत्तमाः
Thus, I shall now relate to you the story of their virtuous conduct, and the observance of vows by Suvrata, O best of Brahmins.
यथा तेन समाराध्य नारायणमनामयम्
How he worshipped the faultless Nārāyaṇa—
सूत उवाच- एकदा व्यास देवोऽसौ ब्रह्माणं जगतः पतिम् । सुव्रताख्यानकं सर्वं पप्रच्छातीव विस्मितः
Sūta said: Once, the divine Vyāsa, greatly astonished, asked Brahmā, the lord of the world, about the entire story of Suvrata.
व्यास उवाच- लोकात्मँल्लोकविन्यास देवदेव महाप्रभो । सुव्रतस्याथ चरितं श्रोतुमिच्छामि सांप्रतम्
Vyāsa said: O soul of the world, arranger of the worlds, great lord of gods, I now wish to hear the story of Suvrata.
ब्रह्मोवाच- पाराशर्यमहाभाग श्रूयतां पुण्यमुत्तमम् । सुव्रतस्य सुविप्रस्य तपश्चर्यासमन्वितम्
Brahmā said: O highly fortunate son of Parāśara, listen to the supreme merit, the austerity-filled story of the excellent Brahmin Suvrata.
सुव्रतो नाम मेधावी बाल्यादपि स चिंतयन् । गर्भे नारायणं देवं दृष्टवान्पुरुषोत्तमम्
There was a wise man named Suvrata, who, even from childhood, contemplated and, while still in the womb, beheld the supreme person, Nārāyaṇa.
स पूर्वकर्माभ्यासेन हरेर्ध्यानं गतस्तदा । शंखचक्रधरं देवं पद्मनाभं सुपुण्यदम्
Then, by the force of previous actions, he entered into meditation on Hari, beholding the god Padmanabha, bearer of the conch and discus, bestower of great merit.
ध्यायते चिंतयेत्सो हि गीते ज्ञाने प्रपाठने । एवं देवं हरिं ध्यायन्सदैव द्विजसत्तमः
He meditates, he contemplates, whether in song, in knowledge, or in recitation; thus, O best of twice-born, he is always meditating on Hari, the god.
क्रीडत्येवं सदा डिंभैः सार्द्धं च बालकोत्तमः । बालकानां स्वकं नाम हरेश्चैव महात्मनः
In this way, the excellent boy always plays with other children, using both his own name and the great soul Hari's name.
चकार स हि मेधावी पुण्यात्मा पुण्यवत्सलः । समाह्वयति वै मित्रं हरेर्नाम्ना महामतिः
That intelligent, virtuous, and pious-minded boy, fond of merit, would call his friend by the name of Hari, the great-minded one.
भोभोः केशव एह्येहि एहि माधवचक्रधृक् । क्रीडस्व च मया सार्धं त्वमेव पुरुषोत्तम
"O Keshava, come, come! Come, Madhava, wielder of the discus! Come play with me, O supreme among men!"
सममेवं प्रगंतव्यमावाभ्यां मधुसूदन । एवमेव समाह्वानं नामभिश्च हरेर्द्विजः
"Let us go together, O Madhusudana!" In this way, the twice-born would call out to his friend using the names of Hari.
क्रीडने पठने हास्ये शयने गीतप्रेक्षणे । याने च ह्यासने ध्याने मंत्रे ज्ञाने सुकर्मसु
Whether playing, reciting, laughing, lying down, watching songs, traveling, sitting, meditating, chanting mantras, studying, or performing good deeds—
पश्यत्येवं वदत्येवं जगन्नाथं जनार्दनम् । स ध्यायते तमेकं हि विश्वनाथं महेश्वरम्
Thus, he sees and speaks of Jagannatha, Janardana; he meditates on that one Lord of the universe, the great god.
तृणे काष्ठे च पाषाणे शुष्के सार्द्रे हि केशवम् । पश्यत्येवं स धर्मात्मा गोविंदं कमलेक्षणम्
In grass, wood, stone, dry or wet, that righteous soul sees Keshava, Govinda, the lotus-eyed one.
आकाशे भूमिमध्ये तु पर्वतेषु वनेषु च । जले स्थले च पाषाणे जीवेष्वेव महामतिः
In the sky, on the earth, on mountains, in forests, in water, on land, in stone, and in living beings, the great-minded one perceives Him.
नृसिंहं पश्यते विप्रः सुव्रतः सुमनासुतः । बालक्रीडां समासाद्य रमत्येवं दिनेदिने
The virtuous, well-minded Brahmin sees Narasimha, and, engaging in children's play, delights in this way day by day.
गीतैश्च गायते कृष्णं सुरागैर्मधुराक्षरैः । तालैर्लयसमायुक्तैः सुस्वरैर्मूर्च्छनान्वितैः
He sings of Krishna with sweet, melodious notes, full of feeling, accompanied by rhythm and tempo, with harmonious tones and musical modes.
सुव्रत उवाच- ध्यायंति वेदविदुषः सततं सुरारिं यस्यांगमध्ये सकलं हि विश्वम् । योगेश्वरं सकलपापविनाशनं च व्रजामि शरणं मधुसूदनस्य
Suvrata said: The knowers of the Veda always meditate on the enemy of the gods, in whose body the whole universe resides. I take refuge in Madhusudana, Lord of Yoga, destroyer of all sin.
लोकेषु यो हि सकलेष्वनुवर्तते यो लोकाश्च यस्मिन्निवसंति सर्वे । दोषैर्विहीनमखिलैः परमेश्वरं तं तस्यैव पादयुगलं सततं नमामि
He who pervades all worlds, and in whom all worlds dwell; who is entirely free from all faults, the Supreme Lord—to His pair of feet I bow always.
नारायणं गुणनिधानमनंतवीर्यं वेदांतशुद्धमतयः प्रपठंति नित्यम् । संसारसागरमनंतमगाधदुर्गमुत्तारणार्थमखिलं शरणं प्रपद्ये
The pure-minded recite always of Narayana, treasure of virtues, of infinite power, pure in the essence of the Vedas. To cross the endless, unfathomable, difficult ocean of existence, I take complete refuge in Him.
योगींद्र मानससरोवरराजहंसं शुद्धं प्रभावमखिलं सततं हि यस्य । तस्यैव पादयुगलं विमलं विशालं दीनस्य मेऽसुररिपो कुरु तस्य रक्षाम्
O enemy of the demons, make me, the afflicted, worthy of the protection of those pure, vast feet of Yours—You, whose full glory is ever pure, who is the royal swan in the lake of the yogis' minds.