शुद्धोसि तपसा च त्वं ततः पुण्यं वदाम्यहम् । पुरा वै ब्रह्मणा तात पृष्टोहं भवता यथा
You are purified by austerity; therefore, I will tell you what is virtuous. Long ago, O dear one, I was questioned by Brahmā just as you have.
तस्मै यदुदितं वत्स तत्ते सर्वं वदाम्यहम् । एकदा ब्रह्मणा ध्यानस्थितेन नाभिपंकजे
Whatever was spoken to him, O child, I will tell you all of it. Once, while Brahmā was absorbed in meditation upon the lotus of his navel—
प्रादुरास तदा तस्य वरदानाय सुव्रत । तेन पृष्टं महत्पुण्यं स्तोत्रं पापप्रणाशनम्
Then, for granting boons, he appeared to him, O steadfast one. He was asked for a great, sin-destroying hymn.
वासुदेवाभिधानं च सुगतिप्रदमिच्छता । स्तोत्राणां परमं तस्मै वासुदेवाभिधं महत्
Desiring to grant good fortune, he gave him the supreme hymn among hymns, named Vāsudeva, which bestows auspicious paths.
सर्वसौख्यप्रदं नॄणां पठतां जपतां सदा । उपादिशं महाभाग विष्णुप्रीतिकरं परम्
It grants all happiness to those who recite and repeat it always. O blessed one, I taught him the supreme hymn that brings Viṣṇu's favor.
विष्णुरुवाच- एतत्सर्वं जगद्व्याप्तं मया त्वव्यक्तमूर्तिना । अतो मां मुनयः प्राहुर्विष्णुं विष्णुपरायणाः
Viṣṇu spoke: 'All this world is pervaded by me in my unmanifest form; therefore, sages devoted to Viṣṇu call me Viṣṇu.'
वसंति यत्र भूतानि वसत्येषु च यो विभुः । स वासुदेवो विज्ञेयो विद्वद्भिरहमादरात्
Where beings dwell, and the Lord dwells among them, he is to be known as Vāsudeva by the learned; I am so, with reverence.
संकर्षति प्रजाश्चांते ह्यव्यक्ताय यतो विभुः । ततः संकर्षणो नाम्ना विज्ञेयः शरणागतैः
He draws in the creatures at the end, for he is the Lord from the unmanifest; therefore, those seeking refuge should know him as Saṃkarṣaṇa by name.
इंगिते कामरूपोहं बहु स्यामिति काम्यया । प्रद्युम्नोहं बुधैस्तस्माद्विज्ञेयोस्मि सुतार्थिभिः
By intention, I am the wish-formed one; by desire, I become many. Therefore, the wise call me Pradyumna, and those seeking sons should know me thus.
अत्र लोके विना चेशौ सर्वेशौ हरकेशवौ । निरुद्धोहं योगबलान्न केनातोनिरुद्धवत्
In this world, apart from the two Lords, Hara and Keśava, I am Niruddha by the power of yoga; thus, none else is Niruddha.
विश्वाख्योहं प्रतिजगज्ज्ञानविज्ञानसंयुतः । अहमित्यभिमानी च जाग्रच्चिंतासमाकुलः
I am called Viśva, endowed with knowledge and discernment of the world; self-identified as 'I am,' agitated by thoughts in the waking state.
तैजसोहं जगच्चेष्टामयश्चेंद्रियरूपवान् । ज्ञानकर्मसमुद्रिक्तः स्वप्नावस्थां गतो ह्यहम्
I am Taijasa, composed of the activities of the world, possessing the form of the senses; filled with knowledge and action, I have entered the state of dream.
प्राज्ञोहमधिदैवात्मा विश्वाधिष्ठानगोचरः । सुषुप्तावास्थितो लोकादुदासीनो विकल्पितः
I am Prājña, the inner self presiding over the gods, the field of the substratum of Viśva; abiding in deep sleep, indifferent to the world, undifferentiated.
तुरीयोऽहं निर्विकारी गुणावस्थाविवर्जितः । निर्लिप्तः साक्षिवद्विश्व प्रतिबिंबित विग्रहः
I am the Fourth, changeless, free from the states of the guṇas; unattached, like a witness, with the form of the universe reflected as an image.
चिदाभासश्चिदानंदश्चिन्मयश्चित्स्वरूपवान् । नित्योक्षरो ब्रह्मरूपो ब्रह्मन्नेवमवेहि माम्
I am the semblance of consciousness, bliss of consciousness, made of consciousness, of the nature of consciousness; eternal, imperishable, of the form of Brahman—thus know me as Brahman.
भगवानुवाच- इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे विष्णुः स्वरूपं ब्रह्मणे पुरा । सोपि ज्ञात्वा जगद्व्याप्तिं कृतात्मा समभूत्क्षणात्
The Blessed Lord said—Having thus spoken, Viṣṇu disappeared in his own form before Brahmā; and he, realizing the pervasion of the world, became composed in an instant.
राजंस्त्वमपि शुद्धात्मा पृथोर्जन्मन एव च । तथाप्याराधय विभुं स्तोत्रेणानेन सुव्रत
O King, you too are pure in soul, from the very birth of Pṛthu; yet, O virtuous one, worship the Lord with this hymn.
तुष्टो विष्णुस्तमभ्याह वरं वरय मानद । वेन उवाच- सुगतिं देहि मे विष्णो दुष्कृतात्तारयस्व माम्
Pleased, Viṣṇu spoke to him, 'Choose a boon, O bestower of honor.' Vena said—'Grant me good destiny, O Viṣṇu, deliver me from evil deeds.'
शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नोस्मि कारणं वद सद्गतेः । विष्णुरुवाच- पूर्वमेव महाभाग त्वंगेनापि महात्मना
'I have taken refuge in you; tell me the cause of liberation.' Viṣṇu said—'Previously, O most fortunate one, even with a part of your great soul—'
अहमाराधितस्तेन तस्मै दत्तो वरो मया । प्रयास्यसि महाभाग वैष्णवं लोकमुत्तमम्
'I was worshipped by him, and to him I granted a boon; you shall go, O most fortunate one, to the supreme Vaiṣṇava world.'
कर्मणा स्वेन विप्रेंद्र पुण्येन नृपनंदन । आत्मार्थे त्वं महाभाग वरमेव प्रयाचय
By your own action, O best of brāhmaṇs, O delight of kings, by your merit, O most fortunate one, ask for a boon for your own sake.
शृणु वेन महाभाग वृत्तांतं पूर्वसंभवम् । तव मात्रे पुरा दत्तः शापः क्रुद्धेन भूपते
Hear, O Vena, O most fortunate one, the story of a former event: long ago your mother was cursed by the king, in anger.
सुशंखेन सुनीथायै बाल्ये पूर्वं महात्मना । ततस्त्वंगे वरो दत्तो मयैव विदितात्मना
By Suśaṅkha, the great soul, upon Sunīthā in her childhood; then, to Aṅga, a boon was granted by me, the self-knowing.
त्वां समुद्धर्त्तुकामेन सुपुत्रस्ते भविष्यति । एवमुक्त्वा तु पितरं तवाहं गुणवत्सल
Desiring to uplift you, a good son will be born to you; having thus spoken to your father, O lover of virtue—
भवदंगात्समुद्भूतः करिष्ये लोकपालनम् । दिवींद्रो हि यथा भाति तथाहं भूतले स्थितः
I said, 'Born from your body, I will protect the world; just as Indra shines in heaven, so shall I on earth.'
आत्मा वै जायते पुत्र इति सत्यवती श्रुतिः । अतस्त्वं सुगतिं वत्स लभिष्यसि वरान्मम
'The self is indeed born as the son'—so declares the true śruti; therefore, O child, you shall obtain good destiny by my boon.
गत्यर्थमात्मनो राजन्दानमेकं समाचर । यस्त्वां पातकरूपोऽहं सुनीथायाः परंतप
For the sake of your own progress, O king, perform a single act of charity; I am the one who, in the form of sin, came to Sunīthā, O subduer of foes.
अब्रुवन्नग्नरूपेण कर्तुं त्वां तु विधर्मगम् । अन्यथा तु सुशंखस्य वाक्यमेवान्यथा भवेत्
They spoke, in naked form, to make you act unrighteously; otherwise, the words of Suśaṅkha would turn out otherwise.
अतो विधिर्निषेधश्च ह्यहमेव नृपोत्तम । कर्मानुरूपफलदो बुद्ध्यतीतो गुणाग्रहः
Therefore, O best of kings, I alone am the author of injunction and prohibition; I am the giver of results according to actions, beyond intellect, and unattached to qualities.
दानमेव परं श्रेष्ठं दानं सर्वप्रभावकम् । तस्माद्दानं ददस्व त्वं दानात्पुण्यं प्रवर्तते
Charity alone is the highest and best; charity is the source of all power. Therefore, you should give charity, for from charity merit arises.