आपादतुलसीमालं कंकणांगदभूषणम् । नूपुरैर्मुद्रिकाभिश्च कांच्या च परिमंडितम्
Adorned with anklets, bracelets, armlets, and rings, decorated with a waistband and garlands reaching to the feet.
सुकुमारतरं ध्यायेत्किशोरवयसान्वितम् । पूजा दशाक्षरोक्तैव वेदलक्षं पुरस्क्रिया
One should meditate upon a most delicate youth, endowed with youthful age; the worship is as prescribed by the ten-syllable mantra, with the Veda as its foundation.
इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे देवो देवी च गिरिजा सती । मुनिरागत्य पुत्राय तथैवोपदिदेश ह
Having spoken thus, the god disappeared, and the goddess Girijā, Sati, also vanished; the sage arrived and instructed his son in the same manner.
पुण्यश्रवास्तु तन्मंत्र ग्रहणादेव केशवम् । वर्णयामास विविधैर्जित्वा सर्वान्मुनीन्स्वयम्
O you of auspicious hearing, he described that mantra to Keśava, who, conquering all the sages himself, narrated it in various ways.
रूपलावण्यवैदग्ध्य सौंदर्याश्चर्यलक्षणम् । तदा हृष्टमना बालो निर्गत्य स्वगृहात्ततः
The qualities of form, beauty, cleverness, and wondrous features—then the boy, his mind delighted, departed from his own house.
वायुभक्षस्तपस्तेपे कल्पानामयुतत्रयम् । तदंते गोकुले जाता नंदभ्रातुर्गृहे स्वयम्
He practiced austerity subsisting on air for thirty thousand 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 is Lavangā, marked by Krishna's gestures and glances; in whose hand may be seen the implement for cleaning the mouth.
इति ते कथिताः काश्चित्प्रधानाः कृष्णवल्लभाः
Thus have some principal beloveds of Krishna been described to you.
हरिविविधरसाद्यैर्युक्तमध्यायमेतद्व्रजवरतनयाभिश्चारुहासेक्षणाभिः । पठति य इह भक्त्या पाठयेद्वा मनुष्यो व्रजति भगवतः श्रीवासुदेवस्य धाम
This chapter, filled with various delights of Hari and adorned by the daughters of the best of Vraja with their rising glances—whoever recites or has it recited here with devotion attains the abode of the blessed Vāsudeva.
ईश्वर उवाच-। यत्त्वया पृष्टमाश्चर्यं तन्मया भाषितं क्रमात् । यत्र मुह्यंति ब्रह्माद्यास्तत्र को वा न मुह्यति
Īśvara said: That wondrous thing you asked about, I have explained to you step by step; where even Brahmā and others are bewildered, who then would not be bewildered?
तथापि ते प्रवक्ष्यामि यदुक्तं परमर्षिणा । महाराजमंबरीषं विष्णुभक्तं शिवान्वितम्
Still, I will tell you what was spoken by the supreme sage, concerning King Ambarīṣa, devoted to Viṣṇu and accompanied by Śiva.
बदर्याश्रममासाद्य समासीनं जितेंद्रियम् । राजा प्रणम्य तुष्टाव विष्णुधर्मविवित्सया
Having reached the hermitage at Badarī, seated with senses controlled, the king bowed and praised him, desiring to know the dharma of Viṣṇu.
वेदव्यासं महाभागं सर्वज्ञं पुरुषोत्तमम् । मां त्वं संसारदुष्पारे परित्रातुमिहार्हसि
To Vedavyāsa, greatly fortunate, all-knowing, the supreme person, he said: You should rescue me here from the difficult ocean of worldly existence.
विषयेषु विरक्तोऽस्मि नमस्तेभ्यो नमोखिलम् । यत्तत्पदमनुद्विग्नं सच्चिदानंदविग्रहम्
I am detached from sense objects; salutations to them, salutations to all; that undisturbed state, the embodiment of existence, consciousness, and bliss.
परं ब्रह्म पराकाशमनाकाशमनामयम् । यत्साक्षात्कृत्य मुनयो भवांभोधिं तरंति हि
The supreme Brahman, the highest space, without space, without affliction; by realizing which, sages cross the ocean of becoming.
तत्राहं मनसो नित्यं कथं गतिमवाप्नुयाम् । व्यास उवाच-। अतिगोप्यं त्वया पृष्टं यन्मया न शुकं प्रति
How may I, in that place, always attain the path of the mind? Vyāsa said: You have asked a most secret question, which I did not even tell to Śuka.
गदितं स्वसुतं किंतु त्वां वक्ष्यामि हरिप्रियम् । आसीदिदं परं विश्वं यद्रूपं यत्प्रतिष्ठितम्
I spoke it only to my own son, but to you, dear to Hari, I will declare it; this supreme universe existed, with its form and foundation.
अव्याकृतमव्यथितं तदीश्वरमयं शृणु । मया कृतं तपः पूर्वं बहुवर्षसहस्रकम्
Unmanifest, undisturbed, that which is pervaded by the Lord—listen; I performed austerity in former times for many thousands of years.
फलमूलपलाशांबु वाय्वाहारनिषेविणा । ततो मामाहभगवान्स्वध्याननिरतं हरिः
Subsisting on fruits, roots, leaves, water, and air, I was thus engaged in self-study; then the glorious Lord Hari appeared before me.
कस्मिन्नर्थे चिकीर्षाते विवित्सा वा महामते । प्रसन्नोऽस्मि वृणुष्व त्वं वरं च वरदर्षभात्
For what purpose do you seek to act or to know, O wise one? I am pleased; ask for a boon from the bestower of blessings.
मद्दर्शनांतः संसार इति सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते । ततोऽहमब्रुवं कृष्णं पुलकोत्फुल्लविग्रहः
The end of worldly existence lies in seeing me—this I tell you truly. Then, with my body thrilled and blossoming, I spoke to Krishna.
त्वामहं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि चक्षुर्भ्यां मधुसूदन । यत्तत्सत्यं परं ब्रह्म जगज्ज्योतिं जगत्पतिम्
O Madhusudana, I wish to see you with my own eyes—that true, supreme Brahman, the light of the world, the Lord of all.
वदंति वेदशिरसश्चाक्षुषं नाथमद्भुतम् । श्रीभगवानुवाच-। ब्रह्मणैवं पुरा पृष्टः प्रार्थितश्च यथा पुरा
The Vedas declare that the wondrous Lord is visible to the eyes. The Blessed Lord spoke: Formerly, Brahma asked me thus and prayed as before.
यदवोचमहं तस्मै तत्तुभ्यमपि कथ्यते । मामेके प्रकृतिं प्राहुः पुरुषं च तथेश्वरम्
What I told him then, I now tell you as well: Some call me Prakriti, others Purusha, and also Ishvara.
धर्ममेके धनं चैके मोक्षमेकेऽकुतोभयम् । शून्यमेके भावमेके शिवमेके सदाशिवम्
Some call me Dharma, some wealth, some liberation without fear; some call me void, some existence, some Shiva, some Sadashiva.
अपरे वेदशिरसि स्थितमेकं सनातनम् । सद्भावं विक्रियाहीनं सच्चिदानंदविग्रहम्
Others say I am the one eternal reality established in the Vedas—true being, free from change, whose form is existence, consciousness, and bliss.
पश्याद्य दर्शयिष्यामि स्वरूपं वेदगोपितम् । ततोऽपश्यं भूपबालमहं कालांबुदप्रभम्
Behold, today I will show you my true form, concealed by the Vedas. Then I saw a cowherd boy, radiant like a dark rain cloud.
गोपकन्यावृतं गोपं हसंतं गोपबालकैः । कदंबमूलआसीनं पीतवाससमद्भुतम्
Surrounded by cowherd girls, a cowherd laughing with the boys, seated beneath a kadamba tree, wondrous in yellow garments.
वनं वृंदावनं नाम नवपल्लवमंडितम् । कोकिलभ्रमरारावं मनोभव मनोहरम्
I saw a forest called Vrindavana, adorned with fresh leaves, filled with the cries of cuckoos and bees, enchanting even to the god of love.
नदीमपश्यं कालिंदीमिंदीवरदलप्रभाम् । गोवर्द्धनमथापश्यं कृष्णरामकरोद्धृतम्
I saw the river Yamuna, shining like the petals of blue lotuses; then I saw Govardhana, lifted by Krishna and Rama.