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?
प्रीतश्च सर्वमेतन्मे हिताय जगतो वद । भक्तिप्रियोऽसौ भगवान्कया भक्त्या प्रसीदति
Kindly tell me all this for the good of the world, for he, the Lord, is pleased by devotion. By what kind of devotion does he become gracious?
कथं तस्मिन्भवेद्भक्तिः सर्वैराराध्यते कथम् । वैष्णवोसि हरेस्तस्य प्रियोऽसि परमार्थवित्
How does devotion arise in him, and how is he worshipped by all? You are a Vaiṣṇava, dear to Hari, a knower of the highest truth.
तेन त्वामेव पृच्छामि ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्मविदुत्तम । श्रोतारमथ वक्तारं प्रष्टारं पुरुषं हरेः
Therefore, O best knower of Brahman, I ask you alone—whether as listener, speaker, or questioner—about the Lord Hari.
प्रश्नः पुनाति कृष्णस्य तदंघ्रिसलिलं यथा । दुर्ल्लभो मानुषो देहो देहिनां क्षणभंगुरः
A question about Kṛṣṇa purifies, just as water from his feet does. The human body is rare and perishable in a moment for embodied beings.
तत्रापि दुर्ल्लभं मन्ये वैकुंठप्रियदर्शनम् । संसारेस्मिन्क्षणार्धोऽपि सत्संगः शेवधिर्नृणाम्
Even among these, I consider the sight of Vaikuntha's beloved to be exceedingly rare; in this world, even half a moment in the company of the virtuous is a treasure for people.
यस्मादवाप्यते सर्वं पुरुषार्थचतुष्टयम् । भगवन्भवतो यात्रा स्वस्तये सर्वदेहिनाम्
For from such association, one attains all four aims of human life; O Lord, your presence brings welfare to all embodied beings.
बालानां तु यथा पित्रोरुत्तमश्लोकवर्त्मनाम् । भूतानां देवचरितं दुःखाय च सुखाय च
Just as children follow the path of their parents who praise the Supreme, so too do living beings find the deeds of the gods to bring both sorrow and joy.
सुखायैव हि साधूनां त्वादृशामच्युतात्मनाम् । भजंति ये यथा देवान्देवा अपि तथैव तान्
But for the virtuous, for those like you whose hearts are fixed on the imperishable, such deeds bring only happiness; those who worship the gods are themselves worshipped by the gods in the same way.
छायेव कर्मसचिवाः साधवो दीनवत्सलाः । तस्मात्त्वं भगवन्मह्यं वैष्णवं धर्ममादिश
Like a shadow, the virtuous are companions to action, showing compassion to the distressed; therefore, O Lord, instruct me in the Vaishnava dharma.
यस्योपदेशदानेन लभते वेदजं फलम् । नारद उवाच- साधु पृष्टं महीपाल विष्णुभक्तिमता त्वया
By giving such instruction, one attains the fruit born of the Vedas; Narada said: Well asked, O king, by you who are devoted to Vishnu.