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.
महेंद्रदर्पनाशाय गोगोपालसुखावहम् । गोपालमबलासंगमुदितं वेणुवादिनम्
To destroy Indra's pride and bring joy to cows and cowherds, I saw the cowherd playing the flute, surrounded by women.
दृष्ट्वातिहृष्टो ह्यभवं सर्वभूषणभूषणम् । ततो मामाह भगवान्वृंदावनचरः स्वयम्
Seeing him, I was filled with great joy—he who is the ornament of all ornaments. Then the Lord himself, dwelling in Vrindavana, spoke to me.
यदिदं मे त्वया दृष्टं रूपं दिव्यं सनातनम् । निष्कलं निष्क्रियं शांतं सच्चिदानंदविग्रहम्
This divine, eternal form you have seen of mine—without division, without action, peaceful, whose nature is existence, consciousness, and bliss.
पूर्णं पद्मपलाशाक्षं नातः परतरं मम । इदमेववदंत्येतेवेदाःकारणकारणम्
It is complete, with lotus-leaf eyes; there is nothing higher than this for me. The Vedas declare this alone to be the cause of all causes.
सत्यंनित्यंपरानंदंचिद्घनंशाश्वतंशिवम् । नित्यां मे मथुरां विद्धि वनं वृंदावनं तथा
True, eternal, supreme bliss, dense consciousness, everlasting, auspicious. Know that Mathura is eternally mine, as is the forest Vrindavana.
यमुनां गोपकन्याश्च तथा गोपालबालकाः । ममावतारो नित्योऽयमत्र मा संशयं कृथाः
The Yamuna, the cowherd girls, and the cowherd boys are likewise eternal. My incarnation here is eternal; do not doubt this.
ममेष्टा हि सदा राधा सर्वज्ञोऽहं परात्परः । सर्वकामश्च सर्वेशः सर्वानंदः परात्परः
Indeed, Rādhā is always dear to me; I am all-knowing, the Supreme beyond the supreme, the fulfiller of all desires, the Lord of all, the embodiment of all bliss, transcending all.
मयि सर्वमिदं विश्वं भाति मायाविजृंभितम् । ततोऽहमब्रुवं देवं जगत्कारणकारणम्
All this universe shines forth in me, manifested by māyā; therefore, I addressed the Lord, the cause of the cause of the world.
काश्च गोप्यस्तु के गोपा वृक्षोऽयं कीदृशो मतः । वनं किं कोकिलाद्याश्च नदी केयं गिरिश्च कः
Who are these gopīs, and who are the gopas? What kind of tree is this considered to be? What is this forest, who are these cuckoos and others, what is this river, and which mountain is this?
कोऽसौ वेणुर्महाभागो लोकानंदैकभाजनम् । भगवानाह मां प्रीतः प्रसन्नवदनांबुजः
Who is that most fortunate flute, the sole vessel of joy for the worlds? The Blessed Lord, pleased, with a smiling lotus-face, spoke to me.
गोप्यस्तु श्रुतयो ज्ञेया ऋचो वै गोपकन्यकाः । देवकन्याश्च राजेंद्र तपोयुक्ता मुमुक्षवः
Know, O king, that the gopīs are the Vedas, the maidens of the gopas are the Ṛg verses, and the divine maidens, endowed with austerity and seeking liberation.
गोपाला मुनयः सर्वे वैकुंठानंदमूर्त्तयः । कल्पवृक्षः कदंबोऽयं परानंदैकभाजनम्
All the gopas are sages, embodiments of Vaikuṇṭha's bliss; this kadamba tree is the wish-fulfilling tree, the sole vessel of supreme bliss.
वनमानंदकाख्यं हि महापातकनाशनम् । सिद्धाश्च साध्या गंधर्वाः कोकिलाद्या न संशयः
The forest named Ānandakā destroys great sins; there is no doubt that the siddhas, sādhyas, and gandharvas are the cuckoos and others.
केचिदानंदहृदयं साक्षाद्यमुनया तनुम् । अनादिर्हरिदासोऽयं भूधरो नात्र संशयः
Some, with hearts full of bliss, directly assumed the form of a sage; this mountain, without beginning, is Haridāsa—there is no doubt.
वेणुर्यः शृणुतं विप्रं तवापि विदितं तथा । द्विज आसीच्छांतमनास्तपः शांतिपरायणः
That flute, O brāhmaṇa, as you also know, was a twice-born who was calm in mind, devoted to austerity and peace.
नाम्ना देवव्रतोदांतः कर्मकांडविशारदः । स वैष्णवजनव्रातमध्यवर्त्ती क्रियापरः
His name was Devavrata, self-controlled and skilled in ritual acts; he dwelt among the assembly of Vaiṣṇavas, devoted to religious duties.
स कदाचन शुश्राव यज्ञेशोऽस्तीति भूपते । तस्य गेहमथाभ्यागाद्द्विजो मद्गतनिश्चयः
Once, O king, he heard that the Lord of sacrifice exists; then that brāhmaṇa, intent on me, came to his house.
स मद्भक्तः क्वचित्पूजां तुलसीदलवारिणा । कृतवांस्तद्गृहे किंचित्फलं मूलं न्यवेदयत्
That devotee of mine, at some time, performed worship with tulasī leaves and water; in that house, he offered some fruit and roots.
स्नानवारिफलं किंचित्तस्मै मत्या ददौ सुधीः । अश्रद्धया स्मितं कृत्वा सोऽप्यगृह्णाद्द्विजन्मनः
He, wise in mind, gave some fruit from his bath to him; the twice-born, without faith, accepted it with a smile.
तेन पापेन संजातं वेणुत्वमतिदारुणम् । तेन पुण्येन तस्याथ मदीय प्रियतां गतः
Because of that sin, he was born as a flute, exceedingly hard; by that merit, he then attained my dearness.