इत्थं कल्पतरोर्मूले रत्नसिंहासनोपरि । वृंदारण्ये स्मरेत्कृष्णं संस्थितं प्रियया सह
Thus, at the root of the wish-fulfilling tree, upon a jeweled throne in the Vṛndā forest, one should contemplate Krishna, standing together with his beloved.
वामपार्श्वे स्थितां तस्य राधिकां च स्मरेत्ततः । नीलचोलकसंवीतां तप्तहेमसमप्रभाम्
Then, one should remember Rādhikā standing at his left side, clothed in a dark blue garment, radiant like molten gold.
पट्टांचलेनावृतार्द्ध सुस्मेराननपंकजाम् । कांतवक्त्रे न्यस्तनेत्रां चकोरी चंचलेक्षणाम्
With half her body covered by a silk scarf, her lotus face adorned with a gentle smile, her eyes resting on her beloved's face, restless like a cakora bird.
अंगुष्ठतर्जनीभ्यां च निजकांतमुखांबुजे । अर्पयंतीं पूगफलं पर्णचूर्णसमन्वितम्
With her thumb and forefinger, she offers to her beloved the fruit of the areca nut, mixed with leaf powder.
मुक्ताहारस्फुरच्चारु पीनोन्नतपयोधराम् । क्षीणमध्यां पृथुश्रोणीं किंकिणीजालमंडिताम्
Adorned with a beautiful, sparkling pearl necklace, her full and elevated breasts, slender waist, broad hips, and decorated with a girdle of tinkling bells.
रत्नताटंककेयूरमुद्रा वलयधारिणीम् । रणत्कटकमंजीर रत्नपादांगुलीयकाम्
Wearing jeweled earrings, armlets, rings, and bangles, with clanging bracelets and anklets, and jeweled toe rings.
लावण्यसारमुग्धांगीं सर्वावयवसुंदरीम् । आनंदरससंमग्नां प्रसन्नां नवयौवनाम्
Her body is the essence of beauty, charming in every limb, immersed in the nectar of joy, serene, and in the freshness of youth.
सख्यश्च तस्या विप्रेंद्र तत्समानवयोगुणाः । तत्सेवनपराभाव्याश्चामरव्यजनादिभिः
And her companions, O best of Brahmins, are of equal age and qualities, devoted to her service, holding fans, fly-whisks, and other such items.
अथ तुभ्यं प्रवक्ष्यामि मंत्रार्थं शृणु नारद । बहिरंगैः प्रपंचस्य स्वांशैर्मायादि शक्तिभिः
Now I will explain to you the meaning of the mantra; listen, O Nārada. By her external aspects, the world is manifested through her own powers such as Māyā.
अंतरंगैस्तथा नित्यविभूतैस्तैश्चिदादिभिः । गोपनादुच्यते गोपी राधिका कृष्णवल्लभा । देवी कृष्णमयी प्रोक्ता राधिका परदेवता
And by her internal, eternal attributes such as consciousness, she is called Gopī, Rādhikā, beloved of Krishna. The goddess is said to be pervaded by Krishna; Rādhikā is the supreme goddess.
सर्वलक्ष्मीस्वरूपा सा कृष्णाह्लादस्वरूपिणी । ततः सा प्रोच्यते विप्र ह्लादिनीति मनीषिभिः
She is the embodiment of all Lakṣmīs, the very form of Krishna's delight. Therefore, O Brahmin, the wise call her Hlādinī.
तत्कलाकोटिकोट्यंश दुर्गाद्यास्त्रिगुणात्मिकाः । सा तु साक्षान्महालक्ष्मीः कृष्णो नारायणः प्रभुः
From her, countless portions arise as Durgā and others, who are composed of the three qualities. She herself is Mahālakṣmī, and Krishna is Nārāyaṇa, the Lord.
नैतयोर्विद्यते भेदः स्वल्पोऽपि मुनिसत्तम । इयं दुर्गा हरी रुद्रः कृष्णः शक्र इयं शची
There is not even the slightest difference between these two, O eminent sage. She is Durgā, Hari, Rudra; Krishna is Śakra, she is Śacī.
सावित्रीयं हरिर्ब्रह्मा धूमोर्णासौ यमो हरिः । बहुना किं मुनिश्रेष्ठ विना ताभ्यां न किंचन
She is Sāvitrī, Hari is Brahmā; she is Dhūmorṇā, Yama is Hari. What more need be said, O best of sages? Without these two, nothing exists.
चिदचिल्लक्षणं सर्वं राधाकृष्णमयं जगत् । इत्थं सर्वं तयोरेव विभूतिं विद्धि नारद
Everything, both conscious and unconscious, is pervaded by Rādhā and Krishna. Thus, know that all manifestations belong to them alone, O Nārada.
न शक्यते मया वक्तुं वर्षकोटिशतैरपि । त्रैलोक्ये पृथिवी मान्या जंबूद्वीपं ततोवरम्
I am unable to describe it, even in hundreds of millions of years. In the three worlds, the earth is honored, and Jambūdvīpa is superior among them.
तत्रापि भारतं वर्षं तत्रापि मथुरापुरी । तत्र वृंदावनं नाम तत्र गोपीकदंबकम्
Within it is the land of Bhārata, and within that, the city of Mathurā. There is Vṛndāvana, and there, the group of gopīs.
तत्र राधासखीवर्गस्तत्रापि राधिका वरा । सांनिध्याधिक्यतस्तस्या आधिक्यं स्याद्यथोत्तरम्
There is the circle of Rādhā's companions, and among them, Rādhikā is supreme. By the superiority of her presence, her excellence increases successively.
पृथिवी प्रभृतीनां तु नान्यत्किंचिदिहोदितम् । सैषा हि राधिका गोपी जनस्तस्याः सखीगणः
Of all things beginning with the earth, nothing else is declared here; for she is Rādhikā, the gopī, and her companions are the assembly of friends.
तस्याः सखीसमूहस्य वल्लभौ प्राणनायकौ । राधाकृष्णौ तयोः पादाः शरणं स्यादिहाश्रये
Of that group of friends, the beloved leaders are Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa; their feet are the refuge, which I seek here.
प्रपद्ये गतवानस्मि जीवोऽहं भृशदुःखितः । सोऽहं यः शरणं प्राप्तो मम तस्य यदस्ति च
I surrender, I have come; I am a soul, greatly afflicted; whoever has reached refuge, whatever belongs to me, belongs to him.
सर्वं ताभ्यां तदर्थं हि तद्भोग्यं न ह्यहं मम । इत्यसौ कथितो विप्र मंत्रस्यार्थः समासतः
All is for those two, for their sake; it is for their enjoyment, not mine nor mine alone. Thus, O brāhmaṇa, the meaning of the mantra has been stated in brief.
युगलार्थस्तथा न्यासः प्रपत्तिः शरणागतिः । आत्मार्पणमिमे पंच पर्यायास्ते मयोदिताः
For the sake of the pair, so too are dedication, surrender, seeking refuge, self-offering—these five synonyms have been declared by me.
अयमेव चिंतनीयो दिवानक्तमतंद्रितैः
This alone should be contemplated, day and night, without fatigue.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे वृंदावनमाहात्म्ये एकाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the Pātāla section, in the glory of Vṛndāvana, the eighty-first chapter ends.
शिव उवाच- अथ दीक्षाविधिं वक्ष्ये शृणु नारद तत्त्वतः । श्रवणादेव मुच्येत विना तस्य विधानतः
Śiva said: Now I will explain the method of initiation; listen, Nārada, to the truth. By hearing alone, one is freed, even without its formal procedure.
आविरंच्याज्जगत्सर्वं विज्ञाय नश्वरं बुधः । आध्यात्मिकादि त्रिविध दुःखमेवानुभूय च
Having understood that the entire world, from Brahmā onward, is perishable, the wise one, experiencing the threefold suffering—spiritual and otherwise—
अनित्यत्वाच्च सर्वेषां सुखानां मुनिसत्तम । दुःखपक्षे विनिक्षिप्य तानि तेभ्यो विवर्जितः
And because all pleasures are impermanent, O best of sages, he casts them aside in the realm of sorrow, and remains free from them.
विरज्य संसृतेर्हानौ साधनानि विचिंतयेत् । अनुत्तमसुखस्यापि संप्राप्तौ भृशनिर्वृतः
Renouncing the cycle of existence, he should consider the means for its cessation; even upon attaining supreme happiness, he is deeply content.
नराणां दुष्करत्वं हि विज्ञाय च महामतिः । भृशमार्त्तस्ततो विप्र मां गुरुं शरणं व्रजेत्
Understanding the difficulty for men, the wise one, greatly afflicted, O brāhmaṇa, should approach me, the guru, for refuge.