मां दृष्ट्वा गौतमो देवः पपात धरणीतले । उत्तिष्ठ वत्सवत्सेति तमुवाचाहमेव हि
Seeing me, the sage Gautama fell to the ground; I said to him, 'Rise, dear child, rise!'
कथं भवान्मनस्वीति प्रोच्य तां यदि रोचते । गौतम उवाच- श्रुतं तव मुखादेव कृष्णतत्त्वं च तादृशम्
After asking, 'How are you, thoughtful one?'—if you wish, I will tell you—Gautama said: 'I have heard directly from your lips the true nature of Kṛṣṇa.'
द्वारकाख्यं माथुराख्यं रहस्यं बहुशो मया । वृंदावनरहस्यं तु न श्रुतं त्वन्मुखांबुजात्
'I have often heard the secrets of Dvārakā and Mathurā, but I have not heard the secret of Vṛndāvana from your lotus mouth.'
यतो मे मनसः स्थैर्य्यं भविष्यति च सद्गुरो । नारद उवाच- इदं तु परमं गुह्यं रहस्यातिरहस्यकम्
'Because of this, O true teacher, my mind will become steady.' Nārada said: 'This is indeed the highest secret, the secret of all secrets.'
पुरा मे ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तं तादृग्वृंदावनोद्भवम् । रहस्यं वद देवेश वृंदारण्यस्य मे पितः
'Long ago, Brahmā told me about the wondrous origin of Vṛndāvana. O Lord of gods, tell me the secret of Vṛndāraṇya, my father.'
इतिजिज्ञासितं श्रुत्वा क्षणं मौनी स चाभवत् । ततो माऽह महाविष्णुं गच्छ वत्स प्रभुं मम
Hearing this inquiry, he became silent for a moment; then he said to me, 'Go, child, to my Lord, Mahāviṣṇu.'
मयापि तत्र गंतव्यं त्वया सह न संशयः । इत्युक्त्वा मां गृहीत्वा च गतो विष्णोश्च धामनि
'I too must go there with you, without doubt.' Saying this, he took me and went to the abode of Viṣṇu.
महाविष्णौ च कथितं मयोक्तं यत्तदेव हि । तच्छ्रुत्वा च महाविष्णुः स्वयं भुवमथादिशत्
In the presence of Mahāviṣṇu, what I had said was repeated; hearing this, Mahāviṣṇu himself then instructed us regarding the earth.
त्वमेवादेशतो मह्यं नीत्वा वै नारदं मुनिम् । स्नानाय विनियुंक्ष्वामुं सरस्यमृतसंज्ञके
'You alone, by my command, bring the sage Nārada and assign him to bathe in the lake called Amṛta.'
महाविष्णुसमादिष्टः स्वयंभूर्मां तथाकरोत् । तत्रामृतसरश्चाहं प्रविश्य स्नानमाचरम्
Thus instructed by Mahāviṣṇu, Brahmā did just that; I entered the lake of nectar there and performed my bath.
तत्क्षणात्तत्सरः पारे योषितां सविधेऽभवम् । सर्वलक्षणसपन्ना योषिद्रूपातिविस्मिता
At that very moment, on the far shore of the lake, I found myself among women, endowed with all auspicious marks, astonished at my own female form.
मां दृष्ट्वा ताः समायांतीमपृच्छंश्च मुहुर्मुहुः । स्त्रिय ऊचुः - का त्वं कुतः समायाता कथयात्मविचेष्टितम्
Seeing me approaching, those women questioned me again and again: 'Who are you? From where have you come? Tell us about yourself and your actions.'
तासां प्रियकथां श्रुत्वा मयोक्तं तन्निशामय । कुतः कोऽहं समायातः कथं वा योषिदाकृतिः
Hearing their kind words, I replied, 'Listen to this: From where have I come? Who am I? How did I take on a woman's form?'
स्वप्नवद्दृश्यते सर्वं किं वा मुग्धोऽस्मि भूतले । तच्छ्रुत्वा मद्वचो देवी प्रोवाच मधुरस्वनैः
'Everything appears as if in a dream, or perhaps I am bewildered on this earth.' Hearing my words, a goddess spoke with sweet tones.
वृंदानाम्नी पुरी चेयं कृष्णचंद्रप्रिया सदा । अहं च ललितादेवी तुर्यातीता च निष्कला
'This is the city called Vṛndā, always dear to Kṛṣṇa-candra; and I am Lalitā Devī, transcending the fourth state, without division.'
इत्युक्त्वा च महादेवी करुणा सांद्रमानसा । मां प्रत्याह पुनर्देवी समागच्छ मया सह
Having spoken thus, the great goddess, her mind full of deep compassion, addressed me again: 'Come with me, O goddess.'
अन्याश्च योषितः सर्वाः कृष्णपादपरायणाः । ताश्च मां प्रवदंत्येवं समागच्छानया सह
And all the other women, devoted to Krishna's feet, also speak of me in this way, saying, 'Come together with her.'
ततोनुकृष्णचंद्रस्य चतुर्दशाक्षरो मनुः । कृपया कथितस्तस्या देव्याश्चापि महात्मनः
Then, out of compassion, the fourteen-syllable mantra of Krishna Chandra was revealed to her by the great goddess.
तत्क्षणादेव तत्साम्यमलभं विविधोपमा । ताभिः सह गतास्तत्र यत्र कृष्णः सनातनः
At that very moment, I attained equality with them in every way; together with them, I went to the place where Krishna, the Eternal One, was.
केवलं सच्चिदानंदः स्वयंयोषिन्मयः प्रभुः । योषिदानंदहृदयो दृष्ट्वा मां प्राब्रवीन्मुहुः
There, the Lord, who is pure existence, consciousness, and bliss, who himself takes the form of a woman, whose heart delights in women, seeing me, spoke to me again and again.
समागच्छ प्रिये कांते भक्त्या मां परिरंभय । रेमे वर्षप्रमाणेन तत्र चैव द्विजोत्तम
"Come, beloved, beautiful one, embrace me with devotion." There, O best of twice-born, he enjoyed with me for the measure of a year.
तदोक्तं रमणेशेन तां देवीं राधिकां प्रति । इयं मे प्रकृतिस्तत्र चासीन्नारदरूपधृक्
What was spoken by the Lord of Lovers to that goddess Radhika was this: "She is my own nature; there, I took the form of Narada."
नीत्वामृतसरो रम्यं स्नानार्थं संनियोजय । तया मे रमणस्यांते गदितं प्रियभाषितम्
"Take her to the beautiful nectar-lake for bathing." At the end of our enjoyment, she spoke to me with loving words.
अहं च ललितादेवी राधिकाया च गीयते । अहं च वासुदेवाख्यो नित्यं कामकलात्मकः
"I am also called Lalita Devi, and I am sung as Radhika; I am also known as Vasudeva, always of the nature of the power of desire."
सत्यं योषित्स्वरूपोऽहं योषिच्चाहं सनातनी । अहं च ललितादेवी पुंरूपा कृष्णविग्रहा
"Truly, I am the very form of woman, and I am the eternal feminine; I am also Lalita Devi, and in male form, I am Krishna."
आवयोरंतरं नास्ति सत्यंसत्यं हि नारद । एवं यो वेत्ति मे तत्त्वं समयं च तथा मनुम्
"There is no difference between us, truly, truly, O Narada. Whoever knows this truth of mine, and also the mantra and the practice—"
स समाचारसंकेतं ललिता वत्स मे प्रियः । इदं वृंदावनं नाम रहस्यं मम वै गृहम्
"That one, O dear child, is my beloved, knowing the code of conduct of Lalita. This place called Vrindavana is my secret home."
न प्रकाश्यं कदा कुत्र वक्तव्यं न पशौ क्वचित् । ततोऽनुराधिकादेवी मां नीत्वा तत्सरोवरे
"It must never be revealed, nor spoken of anywhere at any time; then Anuradhika Devi took me to that lake."
स्थित्वा सा कृष्णचंद्रस्य चरणांते गता पुनः । ततो निमज्जनादेव नारदोऽहमुपागतः
There she stood at the feet of Krishna Chandra, and after immersing me, I, Narada, returned.
वीणाहस्तो गानपरस्तद्रहस्यं मुहुर्मुदा । स्वयंभुवं नमस्कृत्य तत्रागां विष्णुपार्षदम्
Holding my vina, intent on singing, I joyfully recited that secret again and again; bowing to Svayambhu, I went to the assembly of Vishnu's attendants.