अधिष्ठाताऽत्र गोपालो धेनुपालनतत्परः । षष्ठं दलं यदाख्यातं तत्र नंदवनं स्मृतम्
Here, the presiding deity is Gopala, intent on protecting the cows; the sixth petal is named, where Nandavana is remembered.
सप्तमं बकुलारण्यं दलं रम्यं प्रकीर्तितम् । तत्राष्टमं तालवनं तत्र धेनुवधः स्मृतः
The seventh petal is the delightful Bakula forest, so it is proclaimed; the eighth is Talavana, where the slaying of the demon Dhenuka is remembered.
नवमं कुमुदारण्यं दलं रम्यं प्रकीर्तितम् । कामारण्यं च दशमं प्रधानं सर्वकारणम्
The ninth petal is the lovely Kumuda forest, so it is declared; the tenth is Kamavana, the chief and cause of all.
ब्रह्मप्रसाधनं तत्र विष्णुच्छद्मप्रदर्शनम् । कृष्णक्रीडारसस्थानं प्रधानं दलमुच्यते
There is the adornment of Brahma, the display of Vishnu's shelter; the chief petal is said to be the place of Krishna's playful rasa.
दलमेकादशं प्रोक्तं भक्तानुग्रहकारणम् । निर्माणं सेतुबंधस्य नानावनमयस्थलम्
The eleventh petal is declared to be for the purpose of bestowing grace upon devotees; it is the site of the construction of the bridge, a place made of various forests.
भांडीरं द्वादशदलं वनं रम्यं मनोहरम् । कृष्णः क्रीडारतस्तत्र श्रीदामादिभिरावृतः
The twelfth petal is the enchanting and beautiful Bhandira forest; there Krishna delights in play, surrounded by Sridama and others.
त्रयोदशं दलं श्रेष्ठं तत्र भद्रवनं(रं) स्मृतम् । चतुर्दशदलं प्रोक्तं सर्वसिद्धिप्रदस्थलम्
The thirteenth petal, the best, is remembered as Bhadravana; the fourteenth petal is said to be the place that grants all perfections.
श्रीवनं तत्र रुचिरं सर्वैश्वर्यस्य कारणम् । कृष्णक्रीडादलमयं श्रीकांतिकीर्तिवर्द्धनम्
There is the beautiful Sri forest, the cause of all prosperity; the petal of Krishna's play, which increases the glory of Sri and fame.
दलं पंचदशं श्रेष्ठं तत्र लोहवनं स्मृतम् । कथितं षोडशदलं माहात्म्यं कर्णिकासमम्
The fifteenth petal, the best, is remembered as Lohavana; thus the greatness of the sixteen petals, equal to the pericarp, is described.
महावनं तत्र गीतं तत्रास्ति गुह्यमुत्तमम् । बालक्रीडारतस्तत्र वत्सपालैः समावृतः
There, the great forest is sung, where the supreme secret exists; there, Krishna delights in childhood play, surrounded by the cowherd boys.
पूतनादिवधस्तत्र यमलार्जुनभंजनम् । अधिष्ठाता तत्र बालगोपालः पंचमाब्दिकः
There is the slaying of Putana and others, and the breaking of the twin Arjuna trees; there, the presiding deity is the child Gopala, five years old.
नाम्ना दामोदरः प्रोक्तः प्रेमानंदरसार्णवः । दलं प्रसिद्धमाख्यातं सर्वश्रेष्ठदलोत्तमम्
He is called Damodara by name, the ocean of the rasa of love and bliss; this renowned petal is declared the best of all petals.
कृष्णक्रीडा च किंजल्की विहारदलमुच्यते । सिद्धप्रधानकिंजल्क दलं च समुदाहृतम्
Krishna's play is called the pollen, and the pastime-leaf is so named; the pollen of the foremost Siddhas is also spoken of as a leaf.
पार्वत्युवाच-। वृंदारण्यस्य माहात्म्यं रहस्यं वा किमद्भुतम् । तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथयस्व महाप्रभो
Parvati said: O great lord, what is the greatness, the secret, or the wonder of Vrindavana? I wish to hear this—please tell me.
ईश्वर उवाच-। कथितं ते प्रियतमे गुह्याद्गुह्योत्तमोत्तमम् । रहस्यानां रहस्यं यद्दुर्लभानां च दुर्लभम्
Ishvara said: Dearest one, I have told you the highest of the highest secrets, the secret of secrets, that which is rare among the rare.
त्रैलोक्यगोपितं देवि देवेश्वरसुपूजितम् । ब्रह्मादिवांछितं स्थानं सुरसिद्धादिसेवितम्
O goddess, it is concealed from the three worlds, worshipped by the lord of gods, desired by Brahma and others, and served by gods, Siddhas, and the like.
योगींद्रा हि सदा भक्त्या तस्य ध्यानैकतत्पराः । अप्सरोभिश्च गंधर्वैर्नृत्यगीतनिरंतरम्
Indeed, the lords of yogis are always absorbed in its meditation with devotion, while Apsaras and Gandharvas ceaselessly dance and sing there.
श्रीमद्वृंदावनं रम्यं पूर्णानंदरसाश्रयम् । भूरिचिंतामणिस्तोयममृतं रसपूरितम्
Splendid Vrindavana is delightful, the abode of complete bliss and nectar; its waters are filled with countless wish-fulfilling jewels and the essence of immortality.
वृक्षं गुरुद्रुमं तत्र सुरभीवृंदसेवितम् । स्त्रीं लक्ष्मीं पुरुषं विष्णुं तद्दशांशसमुद्भवम्
There stands the great tree, served by a host of wish-fulfilling cows; the woman is Lakshmi, the man is Vishnu, both arising from its tenfold parts.
तत्र कैशोरवयसं नित्यमानंदविग्रहम् । गतिनाट्यं कलालापस्मितवक्त्रं निरंतरम्
There, in youthful form, embodying eternal joy, he is ever engaged in graceful movement, dance, artful speech, and a smiling face.
शुद्धसत्वैः प्रेमपूर्णैर्वैष्णवैस्तद्वनाश्रितम् । पूर्णब्रह्मसुखेमग्नं स्फुरत्तन्मूर्तितन्मयम्
That forest is inhabited by pure-hearted Vaishnavas, filled with love, immersed in the bliss of the Supreme Brahman, manifest and identified with his form.
मत्तकोकिलभृंगाद्यैः कूजत्कलमनोहरम् । कपोलशुकसंगीतमुन्मत्तालि सहस्रकम्
It is enchanting with the sweet calls of intoxicated cuckoos and bees, and the thousandfold ecstatic songs of parrots on the cheeks.
भुजंगशत्रुनृत्याढ्यं सकलामोदविभ्रमम् । नानावर्णैश्च कुसुमैस्तद्रेणुपरिपूरितम्
It abounds in the dances of the enemy of serpents, filled with every delight and charm, and is saturated with the pollen of flowers of many colors.
पूर्णेंदुनित्याभ्युदयं सूर्यमंदांशुसेवितम् । अदुःखं दुःखविच्छेदं जरामरणवर्जितम्
There, the full moon always rises, attended by the gentle rays of the sun; there is no sorrow, the end of suffering, and freedom from old age and death.
अक्रोधं गतमात्सर्यमभिन्नमनहंकृतम् । पूर्णानंदामृतरसं पूर्णप्रेमसुखार्णवम्
There is no anger, no envy, no division, no ego; it is an ocean of complete bliss, nectar, and the happiness of perfect love.
गुणातीतं महद्धाम पूर्णप्रेमस्वरूपकम् । वृक्षादिपुलकैर्यत्र प्रेमानंदाश्रुवर्षितम्
Transcending the qualities, it is the great abode, the very form of perfect love; where even the trees and others are thrilled, showering tears of blissful love.
किं पुनश्चेतनायुक्तैर्विष्णुभक्तैः किमुच्यते । गोविंदांघ्रिरजः स्पर्शान्नित्यं वृंदावनं भुवि
What then can be said of those endowed with consciousness, devoted to Vishnu? By the touch of the dust of Govinda's feet, Vrindavana is ever present on earth.
सहस्रदलपद्मस्य वृंदारण्यं वराटकम् । यस्य स्पर्शनमात्रेण पृथ्वी धन्या जगत्त्रये
Vrindavana is the splendid central part of the thousand-petaled lotus; by merely touching it, the earth becomes blessed among the three worlds.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं रम्यं मध्ये वृंदावनं भुवि । अक्षरं परमानंदं गोविंदस्थानमव्ययम्
In the middle of the earth, Vrindavana is the most secret and beautiful, imperishable, supremely blissful, the unchanging abode of Govinda.
गोविंददेहतोऽभिन्नं पूर्णब्रह्मसुखाश्रयम् । मुक्तिस्तत्र रजःस्पर्शात्तन्माहात्म्यं किमुच्यते
It is non-different from Govinda's own body, the seat of the bliss of the Supreme Brahman; liberation is attained there by the touch of its dust—what more can be said of its greatness?