महामारकताभासं मौक्तिकच्छायमेव च । पुंडरीकविशालाक्षं पीतनिर्मलवाससम्
His appearance shone like a great emerald, with the radiance of pearls; his eyes were wide as lotuses, and he wore pure yellow garments.
बर्हभारलसच्छीर्षं मुक्ताहारमनोहरम् । गंडप्रांतलसच्चारु मकराकृतिकुंडलम्
His head was adorned with a peacock feather, shining with a charming pearl necklace, and at the edge of his cheek hung beautiful earrings shaped like makaras.
आपादतुलसीमालं कंकणांगदभूषणम् । नूपुरैर्मुद्रिकाभिश्च कांच्या च परिमंडितम्
From head to toe he was adorned with bracelets and armlets, and decorated with anklets, rings, and a girdle.
सुकुमारतरं ध्यायेत्किशोरवयसान्वितम् । पूजा दशाक्षरोक्तैव वेदलक्षं पुरस्क्रिया
One should meditate upon him as extremely delicate, endowed with youthful beauty; the worship is as prescribed by the ten-syllable mantra, with Vedic rites performed first.
इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे देवो देवी च गिरिजा सती । मुनिरागत्य पुत्राय तथैवोपदिदेश ह
Having spoken thus, the god vanished, and the goddess, Girijā Satī, also; then the sage came and instructed his son in the same way.
पुण्यश्रवास्तु तन्मंत्र ग्रहणादेव केशवम् । वर्णयामास विविधैर्जित्वा सर्वान्मुनीन्स्वयम्
By merely receiving that mantra, which is holy to hear, he described Keśava in various ways, having surpassed all the sages himself.
रूपलावण्यवैदग्ध्य सौंदर्याश्चर्यलक्षणम् । तदा हृष्टमना बालो निर्गत्य स्वगृहात्ततः
He recounted the marks of beauty, charm, cleverness, and wondrous loveliness; then, with a joyful heart, the boy departed from his home.
वायुभक्षस्तपस्तेपे कल्पानामयुतत्रयम् । तदंते गोकुले जाता नंदभ्रातुर्गृहे स्वयम्
Sustained by air, he performed austerities for thirty million aeons; at the end of that, he was born in Gokula, in the house of Nanda's brother.
लवंगा इति तन्नाम कृष्णेंगित निरीक्षणा । यस्या हस्ते प्रदृश्येत मुखमार्जनयंत्रकम्
Her name was Lavaṅgā, recognized by the signs of Kṛṣṇa; in her hand was seen an instrument for cleaning the mouth.
इति ते कथिताः काश्चित्प्रधानाः कृष्णवल्लभाः
Thus, some of the chief beloveds of Kṛṣṇa have been described to you.
हरिविविधरसाद्यैर्युक्तमध्यायमेतद्व्रजवरतनयाभिश्चारुहासेक्षणाभिः । पठति य इह भक्त्या पाठयेद्वा मनुष्यो व्रजति भगवतः श्रीवासुदेवस्य धाम
Whoever recites or has recited this chapter, filled with various delightful stories of Hari and the beautiful-eyed daughters of Vraja, with devotion, attains the abode of the blessed Vāsudeva.
ऋषय ऊचुः - सूतसूत महाभाग रोमहर्षणनंदन । कथा रम्या त्वया प्रोक्ता लोकस्यानंददायिनी
The sages said: O Sūta, O most fortunate one, son of Romaharṣaṇa, you have told delightful stories that bring joy to the world.
श्रीकृष्णस्य महाभाग चरितं महदद्भुतम् । श्रुतं सर्वं त्वया प्रोक्तं निर्वृतिस्तेन चाभवत्
O blessed one, you have narrated the great and wondrous deeds of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; we have heard all you have spoken, and by that we have found contentment.
अहो श्रीकृष्णमाहात्म्यं भक्तानां गतिदायकम् । यतस्तेन महाभाग निर्वृतिं को न चाप्नुयात्
Ah, the greatness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa grants liberation to devotees; therefore, O blessed one, who would not attain contentment from it?
अतः पुनरपि श्रीमत्कृष्णस्य चरितं महत् । श्रोतुमिच्छामहे चान्यद्व्रतदानार्हणादिकम्
Therefore, we wish again to hear the great deeds of blessed Kṛṣṇa, and also about vows, gifts, worship, and the like.
स्नानं वापि महाभाग यथा येन कृतं पुरा । तत्सर्वं विस्तराद्ब्रूहि यथा नो निर्वृतिर्भवेत्
O blessed one, tell us in detail about bathing and other rites as performed in ancient times, so that we may attain contentment.
सूत उवाच- साधु पृष्टं द्विजश्रेष्ठा लोकानां तारणं परम् । यूयं कृतार्थाः कृष्णस्य भक्त्या संपूर्णमानसाः
Sūta said: O best of twice-born, your question is excellent, for it leads to the supreme deliverance of all beings. You are fulfilled, your minds completely absorbed in devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
श्रीकृष्णचरितं पुण्यं साधूनां हर्षदं परम् । प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजश्रेष्ठा महदाख्यानमुत्तमम्
I shall recount, O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, the sacred and supremely joyous deeds of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the greatest and most excellent narrative.
एकदा नारदो लोकान्पर्यटन्भगवत्प्रियः । मथुरायामंबरीषं कृष्णाराधनतत्परम्
Once, Nārada, beloved of the Lord, was wandering among the worlds; in Mathurā he saw Ambarīṣa, deeply engaged in the worship of Kṛṣṇa.
महाभागं व्रतपरं ददर्श मुनिसत्तमः । स आगतं मुनिवरं सत्कृत्य मुनिसत्तमः
The best of sages beheld that greatly fortunate king, devoted to vows. That noble sage, having arrived, was respectfully welcomed by the illustrious Ambarīṣa.
भवंत इव पप्रच्छ श्रद्धया हृष्टमानसः । अंबरीष उवाच-। यन्मुने परमं ब्रह्म वेदवादिभिरुच्यते
With faith and a joyful heart, just as you have asked, he questioned the sage. Ambarīṣa said: O sage, that Supreme Brahman which the Vedic scholars describe—
स देवः पुंडरीकाक्षः स्वयं नारायणः परः । योऽमूर्तो मूर्तिमानीशो व्यक्तोऽव्यक्तः सनातनः
That god, the lotus-eyed, is Nārāyaṇa himself, the Supreme. He is formless and yet has form, the Lord, manifest and unmanifest, eternal.
सर्वभूतमयोऽचिंत्यो ध्यातव्यः स कथं हरिः । यस्मिन्सर्वमिदं विश्वमोतं प्रोतं प्रतिष्ठितम्
He, Hari, pervades all beings, is inconceivable, and is to be meditated upon. In him, this entire universe is woven, interlaced, and established.
अव्यक्तमेकं परमं परमात्मेति विश्रुतम् । यतो जन्मादि जगतो यो निर्माय स्वयं भुवम्
He is the one, unmanifest, supreme, renowned as the Supreme Self, from whom the world arises, who himself fashioned the earth.
ददौ तस्मै च निगमानात्मन्येव व्यवस्थितान् । कथमाराध्यते सोऽयं समग्रपुरुषार्थदः
To him he gave the Vedas, which are established in himself. How is that giver of all human goals to be worshipped?
योगिनामपि दुर्गम्यस्तदेतत्कृपया वद । अनाराधित गोविंदा न विदंति हितोदयम्
Even for yogis he is difficult to attain—please tell me this out of your grace. Those who have not worshipped Govinda do not know true welfare.
न तपो यज्ञदानानां लभते फलमुत्तमम् । अनास्वादितगोविंदपदांबुजरसश्च यः
He who has not tasted the nectar of Govinda's lotus feet does not obtain the highest fruit of austerity, sacrifice, or charity.
मनोरथपथातीतं स्फीतं नाकलयेत्फलम् । हरेराराधनं हित्वा दुरितौघ निवारणम्
One should not expect abundant results from the path of mere desire; abandoning the worship of Hari, one cannot dispel the mass of sins.
नान्यत्पश्यामि जंतूनां प्रायश्चित्तं परं मुने । यद्भ्रूनर्तनवर्तिन्यः श्रूयंते सिद्धयोऽखिलाः
O sage, I see no other supreme atonement for creatures than this; all perfections are heard to dwell where his eyebrows dance.
कथमाराध्यतेसोऽयं केशवः क्लेशनाशनः । उपास्यते स भगवान्कथं नारायणो नरैः
How is that Keśava, destroyer of affliction, to be worshipped? How do men serve that blessed Nārāyaṇa?