इति तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य विव्यथे मानसे नृपः । नीलभूधरदर्शाय कुर्वन्नुत्कंठितं मनः
Hearing those words, the king was troubled in his mind; he longed to see the Nīla mountain, his heart yearning.
उवाच तत्कथं विप्र दृश्येत पुरुषोत्तमः । कथं वा दृश्यते नीलस्तदुपायं वदस्व नः
He said: Tell me, O brāhmaṇa, how can Puruṣottama be seen? How can Nīla be seen? Tell us the means.
तदा वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रत्नग्रीवस्य भूपतेः । तापसो ब्राह्मणो वाक्यमुवाच नृप विस्मितः
Then, having heard the words of King Ratnagrīva, the ascetic brāhmaṇa, astonished, spoke these words, O King.
गंगासागरसंयोगे स्नात्वास्माभिर्महीपते । स्थातव्यं तावदेवात्र यावन्नीलो न दृश्यते
Having bathed at the confluence of the Ganges and the ocean, O King, we must remain here until Nīla is seen.
गीयते पापहा देवः पुरुषोत्तमसंज्ञितः । करिष्यते कृपामाशु भक्तवत्सलनामधृक्
The sin-destroying Lord, known as Puruṣottama, is praised; bearing the name 'Lover of Devotees,' he will swiftly show mercy.
त्यजत्यसौ न वै भक्तान्देवदेवशिरोमणिः । अनेके रक्षिता भक्तास्तद्गायस्व महामते
That crest-jewel of the gods does not abandon his devotees; many devotees have been protected by him—therefore, O wise one, sing of him.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य राजा व्यथितचेतसा । स्नात्वा गंगाब्धिसंयोगे ततोनशनमादधात्
Hearing these words, the king, his heart troubled, bathed at the meeting of the Ganges and the ocean, and then undertook a fast.
करिष्यति कृपां यर्हि दर्शने पुरुषोत्तमः । पूजां कृत्वाशनं कुर्यामन्यथानशनं व्रतम्
When Puruṣottama, upon being seen, bestows his grace, then, having performed worship, I shall eat; otherwise, fasting shall be my vow.
इति कृत्वा स नियमं गंगासागररोधसि । गायन्हरिगुणग्राममुपवासमथाचरत्
Thus having made this resolve on the shore where the Ganges meets the ocean, singing the multitude of Hari's virtues, he practiced fasting.
राजोवाच। जय दीनदयाकरप्रभो जय दुःखापह मङ्गलाह्वय । जय भक्तजनार्तिनाशन कृतवर्ष्मञ्जयदुष्टघातक
The king said: Victory to you, O Lord, giver of compassion to the distressed! Victory to you, remover of suffering, auspicious one! Victory to you, destroyer of the afflictions of your devotees, granter of boons, destroyer of the wicked!
अंबरीषमथ वीक्ष्य दुःखितं विप्रशापहतसर्वमङ्गलम् । धारयन्निजकरे सुदर्शनं संररक्ष जठराधिवासतः
Beholding Ambarīṣa, afflicted and deprived of all auspiciousness by a brāhmaṇa's curse, you, holding the Sudarśana in your own hand, protected him, dwelling within his very being.
दैत्यराज पितृकारितव्यथः शूलपाशजलवह्निपातनैः । श्रीनृसिंहतनुधारिणा त्वया रक्षितः सपदि पश्यतः पितुः
The king of the Daityas, suffering the pain inflicted by his father through trident, noose, water, and fire, was instantly protected by you, O bearer of Nṛsiṃha's form, before his father's very eyes.
ग्राहवक्त्रपतितांघ्रिमुद्भटं वारणेंद्रमतिदुःखपीडितम् । वीक्ष्य साधुकरुणार्द्रमानसस्त्वं गरुत्मति कृतारुहक्रियः
Seeing the mighty elephant, fallen into the jaws of the crocodile and tormented by great suffering, your heart was moved with true compassion, O Garuḍa-mounted one, and you made him ascend.
त्यक्तपक्षिपतिरात्तचक्रको वेगकंपयुतमालिकांबरः । गीयसे सुभिरमुष्य न क्रतो मोचकः सपदि तद्विनाशकः
Abandoning your winged mount, taking up the discus, with your garland trembling from your swift movement, you are sung by the good; for him, O Lord, you were the immediate liberator and destroyer of his distress.
यत्रयत्र तव सेवकार्दनं तत्र तत्र बत देहधारिणा । पाल्यते च भवता निजः प्रभो पापहारिचरितैर्मनोहरैः
Wherever there is harm to your servants, there, O Lord, you, embodied, surely protect your own with your sin-destroying and enchanting deeds.
दीननाथ सुरमौलिहीरकाघृष्टपादतल भक्तवल्लभ । पापकोटिपरिदाहक प्रभो दर्शयस्व निजदर्शनं मम
O Lord of the humble, whose feet are polished by the jewels of the gods' crowns, beloved of devotees, burner of millions of sins—show me your own form.
पापकृद्यदि जनोयमागतो मानसे तव तथा हि दर्शय । तावका वयमघौघनाशनं विस्मृतं नहि सुरासुरार्चित
If this person who has come is a sinner, O Lord, then reveal yourself in my mind; we are yours, destroyer of the multitude of sins, never forgotten, worshipped by gods and demons.
ये वदंति तव नाम निर्मलं ते तरंति सकलाघसागरम् । संस्मृतिर्यदि कृता तदा मया प्राप्यतां सकलदुःखवारक
Those who utter your pure name cross the ocean of all sins; if I have remembered you, O remover of all suffering, may I attain you.
सुमतिरुवाच। एवं गायन्गुणान्रात्रौ दिवा वापि महीपतिः । क्षणमात्रं न विश्रांतो निद्रामाप न वै सुखम्
Sumati said: Thus, singing his virtues night and day, the king did not rest even for a moment, nor did he find sleep or happiness.
गायन्गच्छन्गृणंस्तिष्ठन्वदत्येतदहर्निशम् । दर्शयस्व कृपानाथ स्वतनुं पुरुषोत्तम
Singing, going, bowing, standing—he recited this day and night: 'Show me your form, O Lord of compassion, O Puruṣottama.'
एवं राज्ञः पंचदिनं गतं गंगाब्धिसंगमे । तदा कृपाब्धिः कृपया चिंतयामास गोपतिः
Thus, five days passed for the king at the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean; then, the Lord of the cowherds, an ocean of compassion, began to reflect with mercy.
असौ राजा मदीयेन गानेन विगताघकः । पश्य तान्मामकीं प्रेष्ठां सुरासुरनमस्कृताम्
This king, by my song, has become free from sin; behold, let him see my beloved, revered by gods and demons alike.
इति संचिंत्य भगवान्कृपापूरितमानसः । संन्यासिवेषमास्थाय ययौ राज्ञोंऽतिकं विभुः
Thinking thus, the Blessed Lord, his mind filled with compassion, assumed the guise of a renunciant and went to the king.
तत्र गत्वा महाराज त्रिदंडियतिवेषधृक् । भक्तानुकंपया प्राप्तो वीक्षितस्तापसेन हि
There, O great king, having arrived in the appearance of a trident-bearing ascetic, he was seen by the sage, having come out of compassion for his devotees.
ॐनमो विष्णवेत्युक्त्वा नमश्चक्रे नृपोत्तमः । अर्घ्यपाद्यासनैः पूजां चकार हरिमानसः
Uttering 'Om namo Vishnave' and bowing, the best of kings worshipped Hari with offerings of water for washing the feet, water to drink, and a seat, with devotion in his heart.
उवाच भाग्यमतुलं यद्भवानक्षिगोचरः । अतः परं दास्यते मे गोविंदो निजदर्शनम्
He said, 'It is an incomparable fortune that you, who are rarely seen, have appeared; therefore, Govinda will grant me his own vision.'
इति श्रुत्वा तु तद्वाक्यं संन्यासी निजगाद तम् । राजञ्छृणुष्व कथितं मम वाक्यविनिःसृतम्
Hearing these words, the renunciant spoke to him: 'O king, listen to what I say, issuing from my mouth.'
अहं ज्ञानेन जानामि भूतं भव्यं भवच्च यत् । तस्मादहं ब्रुवे किंचिच्छृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः
'By knowledge I know what has been, what will be, and what is; therefore, I will tell you something—listen with a focused mind.'
श्वो मध्याह्ने हरिर्दाता दर्शनं ब्रह्मदुर्ल्लभम् । पंचभिः स्वजनैः साकं यास्यसे परमं पदम्
'Tomorrow at midday, Hari, the giver, will grant you a vision that is rare even for Brahma; together with five of your own people, you will attain the supreme state.'
त्वममात्यश्च महिला तव तापस वाडवः । पुरे तव करंबाख्यः साधुश्च तं तु वायकः
'You, your minister, your wife, the ascetic Vadava, and in your city, the virtuous weaver named Karamba.'