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.
ध्यायेऽखिलस्य भुवनं स्वपतिं च देवं दुःखांधकारदलनार्थमिहैव चंद्रम् । लोकस्य पालनकृते परिणीतधर्मं सत्यान्वितं सकललोकगुरुं सुरेशम्
I meditate here on the Lord, master of all worlds, who shatters the darkness of sorrow like the moon, who upholds the world, established in righteousness and truth, the teacher of all, the lord of the gods.
गायाम्यहं सुरसगीतकतालमानैः श्रीरंगमेकमनिशं भुवनस्य देवम् । अज्ञाननाशकमलं च दिनेशतुल्यमानंदकंदमखिलं महिमा समेतम्
I sing day and night, with melodious songs and measured rhythms, of the one god of Srirangam, destroyer of ignorance, radiant as the sun, source of joy, endowed with all greatness.
संपूर्णमेवममृतस्यकलानिधानं तं गीतकौशलमनन्यरसैः प्रगाये । युक्तं स्वयोगकरणैः परमार्थदृष्टिं विश्वं स पश्यति चराचरमेव नित्यम्
Thus, one who is filled with the essence of immortality, who sings with mastery in music, not delighting in any other taste, and who is joined with the instruments of his own yoga, beholds the entire universe, both moving and unmoving, always with the highest vision of reality.
पश्यंति नैव यमिहाथ सुपापलोकास्तं केशवं शरणमेवमुपैति नित्यम्
Those of evil worlds here do not see him; yet he ever takes refuge in that Keśava.
कराभ्यां वाद्यमानस्तु तालं तालसमन्वितम् । गीतेनगायते कृष्णं बालकैः सह मोदते
Playing the rhythm with his hands, accompanied by proper timing, he sings of Krishna and rejoices together with the boys.
एवं क्रीडारतो नित्यं बालभावेन वै तदा । सुव्रतः सुमनापुत्रो विष्णुध्यानपरायणः
Thus, always delighting in play with the nature of a child, that virtuous son of Sumanā, devoted to meditation on Viṣṇu, remained.
क्रीडमानं प्राह माता सुव्रतं चारुलक्षणम् । भोजनं कुरु मे वत्स क्षुधा त्वां परिपीडयेत्
Seeing him playing, his mother addressed Suvrata, who had auspicious marks: 'My child, take your meal, for hunger will trouble you.'
तामुवाच पुनः प्राज्ञः सुमना मातरं पुनः । महामृतेन तृप्तोस्मि हरिध्यानरसेन वै
Again, the wise Sumanā replied to his mother: 'I am satisfied by the great nectar, by the taste of meditation on Hari.'
भोजनासनमारूढो मिष्टमन्नं प्रपश्यति । इदमन्नं स्वयं विष्णुरात्मा ह्यन्नं समाश्रितः
Seated for his meal, he gazed upon the delicious food: 'This food is Viṣṇu himself; indeed, the Self has taken refuge in food.'
आत्मरूपेण यो विष्णुरनेनान्नेन तृप्यतु । क्षीरसागरसंवासो यस्यैव परिसंस्थितः
'May Viṣṇu, in the form of the Self, be satisfied by this food; he who dwells in the Ocean of Milk, in whom all abides.'