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.'
जलेनानेन पुण्येन तृप्तिमायातु केशवः । तांबूलचंदनैर्गंधैरेभिः पुष्पैर्मनोहरैः
'May Keśava be satisfied by this pure water, and by these fragrant betels, sandalwood, and these delightful flowers.'
आत्मस्वरूपेण तृप्तस्तृप्तिमायातु केशवः । शयने याति धर्मात्मा तदा कृष्णं प्रचिंतयेत्
'May Keśava, satisfied in his own true form, attain contentment.' When he lies down, the righteous one then contemplates Krishna.
योगनिद्रान्वितं कृष्णं तमहं शरणं गतः । भोजनाच्छादनेष्वेवमासने शयने द्विजः
'I have taken refuge in that Krishna, united with yogic sleep.' Thus, in eating, clothing, sitting, and lying down, the twice-born remembers him.
चिंतयेद्वासुदेवं तं तस्मै सर्वं प्रकल्पयेत् । तारुण्यं प्राप्य धर्मात्मा कामभोगान्विहाय वै
He should meditate on that Vāsudeva and dedicate everything to him; having attained youth, the righteous one abandons enjoyment of desires.
स युक्तः केशवध्याने वैडूर्यपर्वतोत्तमे । यत्र सिद्धेश्वरं लिंगं वैष्णवं पापनाशनम्
Engaged in meditation on Keśava at the excellent Vaiḍūrya mountain, where the Siddheśvara liṅga, destroyer of sins, stands as a Vaiṣṇava emblem.
रुद्रमोंकारसंज्ञं च ध्यात्वा चैव महेश्वरम् । ब्रह्मणा वर्द्धितं देवं नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे
Meditating on Rudra, known as Oṃkāra, and also on Maheśvara, the god increased by Brahmā, on the southern bank of the Narmadā.
सिद्धेश्वरं समाश्रित्य तपोभावं व्यचिंतयत्
Taking refuge in Siddheśvara, he contemplated the state of austerity.
व्यास उवाच- प्रश्नमेकं महाभाग करिष्ये सांप्रतं वद । त्वयैव पूर्वमुक्तं हि सुव्रतं च प्रतीश्वरम्
Vyāsa said: 'O blessed one, I will now ask you a question; speak. You yourself previously spoke of Suvrata and the lord of all.'
पूर्वाभ्यासेन संध्यायन्नारायणमनामयम् । कस्यां ज्ञात्यां समुत्पन्नः सुव्रतः पूर्वजन्मनि
By previous practice, meditating at twilight on the flawless Nārāyaṇa, in which family was Suvrata born in his former life?
तन्मे त्वं सांप्रतं ब्रूहि कथमाराधितो हरिः । अनेनापि स देवेश कोयं पुण्यसमाविलः
Now tell me this: how was Hari worshipped by him? Who is this virtuous one, O lord of gods, by whom such merit was gathered?
ब्रह्मोवाच- वैदिशे नगरे पुण्ये सर्वऋद्धिसमाकुले । तत्र राजा महातेजा ऋतध्वजसुतो बली
Brahmā said: In the holy city of Vaidiśa, abundant in all prosperity, there was a king of great splendor, the powerful son of Ṛtadhvaja.
तस्यात्मजो महाप्राज्ञो रुक्मभूषणविश्रुतः । संध्यावली तस्य भार्या धर्मपत्नी यशस्विनी
His son was exceedingly wise, renowned for his golden ornaments; Saṃdhyāvalī, his illustrious wife, was his righteous consort.
तस्यां पुत्रं समुत्पाद्य स आत्मसदृशं ततः । तस्य धर्मांगदं नाम चकार नृपनंदनः
From her, he begot a son, resembling himself; that beloved prince was named Dharmāṅgada.
सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नः पितृभक्तिपरायणः । रुक्मांगदस्य तनयो योयं भगवतां वरः
Endowed with all auspicious marks, devoted above all to his father, this Dharmāṅgada, best among devotees, was the son of Rukmāṅgada.
पितुः सौख्याय येनापि मोहिन्यै तु शिरो ददे । वैष्णवेन च धर्मेण पितृभक्त्या तु तस्य हि
For the happiness of his father, he even offered his head to Mohinī; by his Vaiṣṇava righteousness and filial devotion,
सुप्रसन्नो हृषीकेशः सकायो वैष्णवं पदम् । नीतस्तु सर्वधर्मज्ञो वैष्णवः सात्वतां वरः
Hṛṣīkeśa, greatly pleased, led this knower of all dharma, best among the Sātvatas, to the Vaiṣṇava abode.
धर्मांगदो महाप्राज्ञः प्रज्ञाज्ञानविशारदः । तत्रस्थो वै महाप्राज्ञो धर्मोसौ धर्मभूषणः
Dharmāṅgada, the wise, skilled in discernment and knowledge, remained there—a great sage, adorned with dharma.
दिव्यान्मनोनुगान्भोगान्मोदमानः प्रभुंजति । पूर्णे युगसहस्रांते धर्मो वै धर्मभूषणः
Enjoying divine pleasures in accord with his mind, the lord delighted; at the end of a thousand yugas, this ornament of dharma,
तस्मात्पदात्परिभ्रष्टो विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादतः । सुव्रतो नाम मेधावी सुमनानंदवर्द्धनः
Fell from that place, but by Viṣṇu’s grace, was born as Suvrata, intelligent and ever-increasing joy to Sumanā.
सोमशर्मस्य तनयः श्रेष्ठो भगवतां वरः । तपश्चचार मेधावी विष्णुध्यानपरोभवत्
He, the best son of Somaśarman, foremost among devotees, practiced austerity with keen intellect, absorbed in meditation on Viṣṇu.