उत्तस्थौ यत्र देवेशः श्रीमद्वैकुंठनायकः । दृष्ट्वा तमर्जुनं कृष्णो विषण्णं भग्नमानसम्
There arose the Lord of the gods, the glorious ruler of Vaikuntha; seeing Arjuna, Krishna, dejected and broken-hearted—
मायया पाणिना स्पृष्ट्वा प्रकृतं विदधे पुनः । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच-। धनंजय त्वामाशंसे भवान्प्रियसखो मम
Touched him with his hand by his own power, and restored him to his original state. Shri Krishna said: 'Dhananjaya, I trust you; you are my dear friend.'
त्वत्समो नास्ति मे कोपि रहोवेत्ता जगत्त्रये । यद्रहस्यं त्वया पृष्टमनुभूतं च तत्पुनः
There is no one equal to you among the three worlds who knows my secrets; whatever secret you have asked and experienced, that again—
कथ्यते यदि तत्कस्मै शपसे मां तदार्जुन । सनत्कुमार उवाच-। इति प्रसादमासाद्य शपथैर्जातनिर्णयः
If it is told, to whom would you swear me, Arjuna? Sanatkumara said: Thus, having received grace, the decision was made by oaths.
ययौ हृष्टमनास्तस्मात्स्वधामाद्भुतसंस्मृतिः । इति ते कथितं सर्वं रहो यद्गोचरं मम
He departed joyfully from there to his own abode, with wondrous remembrance. Thus, all that has been told to you is what was within my secret experience.
गोविंदस्य तथा चास्मै कथने शपथस्तव । ईश्वर उवाच-। इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य सिद्धिमौपगविर्गतः
And to Govinda, as well as to you, the oath was made in the telling. Ishvara said: Hearing his words, Siddhimaupaga departed.
नरनारायणावासं वृंदारण्यमुपाव्रजत् । तत्रास्तेऽद्यापि कृष्णस्य नित्यलीलाविहारवित्
He approached the abode of Nara-Narayana, Vrindavana; there, even today, he abides, knowing the eternal pastimes of Krishna.
नारदेनापिपृष्टोऽहं नाब्रवं तद्रहस्यकम् । प्राप्तं तथापि तेनेदं प्रकृतित्वमुपेत्यच
When Narada asked me, I did not reveal that secret; yet, having attained it, he came to his own nature.
तुभ्यं यत्तु मया प्रोक्तं रहस्यं स्नेहकारणात् । तन्नकस्मैचिदाख्येयं त्वया भद्रे स्वयोनिवत्
What secret I have told you, out of affection, should not be disclosed to anyone else by you, O blessed one, except to your own offspring.
इमं श्रीभगवद्भक्तमहिमाध्यायमद्भुतम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स रतिं विंदते हरौ
Whoever recites or hears this wondrous chapter of the glory of devotion to the Blessed Lord attains delight in Hari.
पार्वत्युवाच-। वृंदावनरहस्यं च बहुधा कथितं विभो । केन पुण्यविशेषेण नारदः प्रकृतिं गतः
Pārvatī said: O Lord, you have described the secret of Vṛndāvana in many ways. By what special merit did Nārada attain his original nature?
ईश्वर उवाच- एकदाश्चर्यवृत्तांतं मया जिज्ञासितं पुरा । ब्रह्मणा कथितं गुह्यं श्रुतं कृष्णमुखांबुजात्
Īśvara said: Once, long ago, I inquired about a marvelous event. Brahmā told me a secret, which he had heard from the lotus face of Kṛṣṇa.
नारदः पृष्टवान्मह्यं तदाहं प्राप्तवानिदम् । अहं वक्तुं न शक्नोमि तन्माहात्म्यं कथंचन
At that time, Nārada questioned me, and I received this knowledge. I am not able to speak of that greatness in any way.
किं कुर्वे शपनं तस्य स्मृत्वा सीदामि मानसे । इति श्रुत्वा मम वचो दुर्मनाः सोऽभवद्यदा
What can I do? Remembering the curse upon him, I become distressed in my mind. Hearing my words, he became dejected.
तदा ब्रह्माणमाहूय अहमादिष्टवान्प्रिये । त्वया यत्कथितं मह्यं नारदाय वदस्व तत्
Then, O beloved, I summoned Brahmā and instructed him: 'Whatever you told me, now speak that to Nārada.'
ब्रह्मा तदा ममवचो निशम्य सह नारदः । जगाम कृष्णसविधं नत्वा पृच्छत्तदेव तु
Then Brahmā, hearing my words, together with Nārada, went to Kṛṣṇa, bowed down, and asked him that very thing.
ब्रह्मोवाच- किमिदं द्वात्रिंशद्वनं वृंदारण्यं विशांपते । श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन्यदियोग्योऽस्मि मे वद
Brahmā said: O Lord of the people, what is this thirty-two-forested Vṛndāraṇya? I wish to hear, if I am worthy; please tell me.
श्रीभगवानुवाच- इदं वृंदावनं रम्यं मम धामैव केवलम् । यत्रेमे पशवः साक्षाद्वृक्षाः कीटा नरामराः
The Blessed Lord said: This delightful Vṛndāvana is truly my own abode. Here, animals, trees, insects, humans, and gods dwell directly.
ये वसंति ममांत्ये ते मृता यांति ममांतिकम् । अत्र या गोपपत्न्यश्च निवसंति ममालये
Those who reside in my presence here, when they die, come near to me. And the wives of the cowherds who live in my home here—
योगिन्यस्तास्तु एवं हि मम देवाः परायणाः । पंचयोजनमेवं हि वनं मे देवरूपकम्
They are yoginīs, and thus my devoted goddesses. This forest, five yojanas wide, is divine in form.
कालिंदीयं सुषुम्नाख्या परमामृतवाहिनी । यत्र देवाश्च भूतानि वर्त्तंते सूक्ष्मरूपतः
Here flows the Kālindī, called Suṣumnā, the bearer of supreme nectar. In this place, gods and beings exist in subtle forms.
सर्वतो व्यापकश्चाहं न त्यक्ष्यामि वनं क्वचित् । आविर्भावस्तिरोभावो भवेदत्र युगेयुगे
I pervade all things here and never abandon this forest. In every age, I manifest and withdraw myself here.
तेजोमयमिदं स्थानमदृश्यं चर्मचक्षुषाम् । रहस्यं मे प्रभावं च पश्य वृंदावनं युगे
This place is made of light, invisible to mortal eyes. Behold the secret and my power—Vṛndāvana in every age.
ब्रह्मादीनां देवतानां न दृश्यं तत्कथंचन । ईश्वर उवाच- तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदो नत्वा कृष्णं ब्रह्माणमेव च
It is never seen by gods like Brahmā and others. Īśvara said: Hearing this, Nārada bowed to Kṛṣṇa and Brahmā.
आजगाम ह भूर्लोके मिश्रकं नैमिषं वनम् । तत्रासौ सत्कृतश्चापि शौनकाद्यैर्मुनीश्वरैः
He then came to the earthly realm, to the Miśraka Naimiṣa forest. There, he was honored by great sages like Śaunaka.
पृष्टश्चाप्यागतो ब्रह्मन्कुतस्त्वमधुना वद । तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदः प्राह गोलोकादागतोऽस्म्यहम्
He was asked: 'O Brahman, from where have you now come?' Hearing this, Nārada replied: 'I have come from Goloka.'
श्रुत्वा कृष्णमुखांभोजाद्वृंदावनरहस्यकम् । नारद उवाच- तत्र नानाविधाः प्रश्नाः कृताश्चैव पुनः पुनः
Having heard the secret of Vṛndāvana from the lotus face of Kṛṣṇa— Nārada said: There, many kinds of questions were asked again and again.
समस्ता मनवस्तत्र योगाश्चैव मया श्रुताः । तानेव कथयिष्यामि यथाप्रश्नं च तत्त्वतः
There I heard all the Manus and the yogas. I will now recount them to you, according to the questions, and in truth.
शौनकादय ऊचुः - वृंदारण्यरहस्यं हि यदुक्तं ब्रह्मणा त्वयि । तदस्माकं समाचक्ष्व यद्यस्मासु कृपा तव
Śaunaka and the others said: The secret of Vṛndāraṇya that was spoken to you by Brahmā—please tell that to us, if you have compassion for us.
नारद उवाच- कदाचित्सरयूतीरे दृष्टोऽस्माभिश्च गौतमः । मनस्वी च महादुःखी चिंताकुलितचेतनः
Nārada said: Once, on the bank of a lake, we saw Gautama—thoughtful and greatly distressed, his mind troubled with worry.