अंबरीष उवाच- साधुसाधु मुनिश्रेष्ठ लोकानुग्रहकारक । विष्णोर्ध्यानं त्वया प्रोक्तं सगुणं निर्गुणं च यत्
Ambarīṣa said: Excellent, excellent, O best of sages, benefactor of the worlds! You have described the meditation on Viṣṇu, both with qualities and without.
अधुना लक्षणं ब्रूहि भक्तेः साधु कृपाकर । यादृशी क्रियते येन यथा यत्र यदा तथा
Now, O compassionate one, kindly tell me the marks of devotion: of what kind it is, by whom, how, where, and when it is performed.
सूत उवाच- इत्युक्तमाकर्ण्य नृपोत्तमस्य मुनिः प्रहृष्टो निजगाद भूपम् । शृणुष्व राजन्निखिलाघहारिणीं भक्तिं हरेस्ते प्रवदामि सम्यक्
Sūta said: Hearing these words of the best of kings, the sage, delighted, spoke to the king: Listen, O king, I will properly describe the devotion to Hari, destroyer of all sins.
अथ भक्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि विविधां पापनाशिनीम् । विविधा भक्तिरुद्दिष्टा मनोवाक्कायसंभवा
Now I will describe the various kinds of devotion, destroyers of sin; devotion is said to be of various types, arising from mind, speech, and body.
लौकिकी वैदिकी चापि भवेदाध्यात्मिकी तथा । ध्यानधारणया बुद्ध्या वेदानां स्मरणं हि यत्
There is worldly, Vedic, and also spiritual devotion; the recollection of the Vedas through meditation, concentration, and intellect is indeed that.
विष्णुप्रीतिकरी चैषा मानसी भक्तिरुच्यते । मंत्रवेदसमुच्चारैरविश्रांतविचिंतनैः
This is called mental devotion, which brings pleasure to Vishnu, through continuous contemplation and recitation of mantras and Vedic hymns.
जाप्यैश्चारण्यकैश्चैव वाचिकी भक्तिरुच्यते । व्रतोपवासनियमैः पञ्चेंद्रियजयेन च
Devotion expressed by recitation and forest hymns, as well as by vows, fasting, discipline, and mastery over the five senses, is called verbal devotion.
कायिकी सैव निर्दिष्टा भक्तिः सर्वार्थसाधिनी । भूषणैर्हेमरत्नांकैश्चित्राभिर्वाग्भिरेव च
That is designated as bodily devotion, which accomplishes all purposes, through ornaments of gold and gems, and through various splendid words.
वासः प्रतिसरैः सूत्रैः पावकव्यजनोच्छ्रितैः । नृत्यवादित्रगीतैश्च सर्वबल्युपहारकैः
Through garments, protective threads, garlands, fans, banners, dancing, musical instruments, singing, and all offerings and gifts.
भक्ष्यभोज्यान्नपानैश्च या पूजा क्रियते नरैः । नारायणं समुद्दिश्य भक्तिः सा लौकिकी मता
The worship performed by people with foods, eatables, grains, and drinks, directed to Narayana, is considered worldly devotion.
कायिकी सैव निर्दिष्टा भक्तिः सर्वार्थसाधिकी । ऋग्यजुःसामजाप्यानि संहिताध्ययनानि च
That is designated as bodily devotion, which accomplishes all purposes, through recitation of Rig, Yajur, and Sama hymns, and study of the Samhitas.
क्रियंते विष्णुमुद्दिश्य सा भक्तिर्वैदिकोच्यते । वेदमंत्रहविर्यागैः क्रियाया वैदिकी मता
When these are performed for Vishnu, that devotion is called Vedic; ritual acts with Vedic mantras and offerings are considered Vedic.
दर्शे च पौर्णमास्यां च कर्त्तव्यं चाग्निहोत्रकम् । प्राशनं दक्षिणादानं पुरोडाशं चरु क्रिया
At the new moon and full moon, the agnihotra should be performed, as well as the offering, the giving of gifts, the sacrificial cake, and the ritual mixture.
इष्टिर्धृतिः सोमपानं याज्ञियं कर्म सर्वशः । अग्निभूम्यनिलाकाश द्युति शंकर भास्करम्
Sacrifices, firmness, drinking soma, and all ritual acts; fire, earth, wind, sky, light, Shiva, and the sun.
तमुद्दिश्यकृतं कर्म तत्सर्वं विष्णुदैवतम् । आध्यात्मिकीति विविधा ब्रह्मभक्तिस्थिता नृप
All acts performed with those as the object are dedicated to Vishnu; thus, spiritual devotion is manifold, established in devotion to Brahman, O king.
सांख्याख्यां योगसंजातां शृणु भूप यथोदिताम् । चतुर्विंशति तत्त्वानि प्रधानादीनि संख्यया
Hear, O king, as described, the devotion arising from yoga and known as Sāṃkhya; the twenty-four principles, beginning with Pradhāna, are enumerated.
अचेतनानि भोग्यानि पुरुषः पंचविंशकः । चेतनः स समुद्दिष्टो कर्ता भोक्ता च कर्मणाम्
They are insentient and objects of enjoyment; the twenty-fifth is Purusha, who is conscious, designated as the agent and enjoyer of actions.
आत्मा नित्योव्ययश्चैव अधिष्ठाता प्रयोजकः । पुरुषोऽव्यक्त नित्यः स्यात्कारणं च महेश्वरः
The self is eternal and imperishable, the ruler and instigator; Purusha is unmanifest, eternal, the cause, and the great lord.
तत्त्वसर्गो भावसर्गो भूतसर्गश्च तत्त्वतः । संख्यायाः परिसंख्यायाः प्रधानं च गुणात्मकम्
The creation of principles, the creation of states, and the creation of elements, according to the principles; in Sāṃkhya, the enumeration, and Pradhāna as composed of qualities.
ज्ञात्वा साधर्म्यवैधर्म्यं प्रधानं च विधर्मि च । कारणं ब्रह्मणश्चैव कामित्वमिदमुच्यते
Knowing similarity and dissimilarity, Pradhāna and what is not Pradhāna, and the cause of Brahman, this is called desire.
प्रयोज्यत्वं प्रधानस्य वैधर्म्यमिदमुच्यते । सर्वत्र कर्तृता ब्रह्म पुरुषस्याप्यकर्तृता
The function of Pradhāna as instigator is called dissimilarity; everywhere, agency belongs to Brahman, and non-agency to Purusha.
अचेतनप्रधानेन समत्वमिदमुच्यते । तत्त्वांतरं च तत्त्वानां कार्यकारणमेव च
Equality with insentient Pradhāna is called this; and the difference among principles, as well as the relation of cause and effect among them.
प्रयोजनं प्रयोज्यत्वं ज्ञात्वा तत्त्वप्रसंख्यया । संख्यातमुच्यते प्राज्ञैर्विजयार्थविचिंतकैः
Knowing the purpose and the state of being an instrument, through the enumeration of realities, the wise who seek victory are said to have counted (or discerned) them.
इति मत्वास्य सद्भावं तत्त्वं संख्यां च तत्त्वतः । ब्रह्मतत्त्वाधिकं चापि भूततत्त्वं विदुर्बुधाः
Thus, understanding its true existence, its reality, and the enumeration of principles as they are, the learned know both the principle of Brahman and also the principle of elements as superior.
सांख्यैः कृता भक्तिरेषा भक्तिराध्यात्मिकी स्मृता । योगजामपि ते भूप शृणु भक्तिं वदाम्यहम्
This devotion established by the Sāṃkhyas is called spiritual devotion; now, O King, listen as I tell you about the devotion born of yoga.
प्राणायामपरो नित्यं ध्यानवान्नियतेंद्रियः । भैक्ष्यभक्षव्रती चापि सर्वप्रत्याहृतेन्द्रियः
One devoted to prāṇāyāma, always engaged in meditation, with controlled senses, observing the vow of eating alms, with all senses withdrawn,
धारणं हृदये कृत्वा ध्यायमानो महेश्वरम् । हृत्पद्मकर्णिकासीनं पीतवस्त्रं सुलोचनम्
Having fixed his concentration in the heart, meditating on Maheśvara, seated on the pericarp of the lotus of the heart, clothed in yellow garments, with beautiful eyes,
पश्यन्नुद्योतितमुखं ब्रह्मसूत्रकटीतटम् । श्वेतवर्णं चतुर्बाहुं वरदाभयहस्तकम्
Seeing his radiant face, his waist adorned with the Brahma-thread, white in color, four-armed, with hands granting boons and fearlessness,
योगजा मानसीसिद्धिर्विष्णुभक्तिः परा स्मृता । य एवं भक्तिमान्देवं विष्णुभक्तिः स उच्यते
The perfection of mind born of yoga is called supreme devotion to Viṣṇu; whoever is thus devoted to the Lord is said to possess devotion to Viṣṇu.
एवं भक्तिः समुद्दिष्टा विविधा नृपनंदन । सात्विकी राजसी चैव तामसीभेदतस्त्विमाः
Thus, O delight of kings, devotion has been described in various forms: sāttvic, rājasic, and tāmasic, according to their distinctions.