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.
शांतो विमत्सरः कृष्णे भक्तोऽनन्यप्रयोजनः । अनन्यसाधनः श्रीमान्कामलोभविवर्जितः
Peaceful, free from envy, devoted to Kṛṣṇa with no other aim, relying on no other means, prosperous, free from desire and greed—
श्रीकृष्णरसतत्त्वज्ञः कृष्णमंत्रविदां वरः । कृष्णमंत्राश्रयो नित्यं मंत्रभक्तः सदा शुचिः
Knowing the essence of Kṛṣṇa's delight, foremost among those who know Kṛṣṇa's mantra, always devoted to the Kṛṣṇa mantra, always pure—
सद्धर्मशासकोनित्यं सदाचारनियोजकः । संप्रदायी कृपापूर्णो विरागी गुरुरुच्यते
Constantly teaching true dharma, establishing good conduct, belonging to the tradition, full of compassion, detached—such is called the guru.
एवमादिगुणः प्रायः शुश्रूषुर्गुरुपादयोः । गुरौ नितांतभक्तश्च मुमुक्षुः शिष्य उच्यते
With such qualities, mostly, the disciple serves at the guru's feet; one who is ever devoted to the guru, desiring liberation, is called the disciple.
यत्साक्षात्सेवनं तस्य प्रेम्णा भागवतो भवेत् । स मोक्षः प्रोच्यते प्राज्ञैर्वेदवेदांगवेदिभिः
Direct service to him, with love, is the way of the devotee; this is called liberation by the wise, who know the Veda and its branches.
आश्रित्य स्वगुरोः पादौ निजवृत्तं निवेदयेत् । स संदेहानपाकृत्य बोधयित्वा पुनः पुनः
Taking refuge at his own guru's feet, he should declare his conduct; the guru, removing all doubts, instructs him again and again.
स्वपादप्रणतं शांतं शुश्रूषुं निजपादयोः । अतिहृष्टमनाः शिष्यं मनुमध्यापयेत्परम्
Let the teacher instruct the disciple, who is calm, devoted, eager to serve at his feet, and has bowed before him, with a mind filled with great joy.
चंदनेन मृदा वापि विलिखेद्बाहुमूलयोः । वामदक्षिणयोर्विप्र शंखचक्रे यथाक्रमम्
With sandal paste or clay, let him mark the bases of the disciple’s arms, O brāhmaṇa, with the conch and discus, on the left and right respectively, in due order.
ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं ततः कुर्याद्भालादिषु विधानतः । ततोमंत्रद्वयं तस्य दक्षकर्णे विनिर्दिशेत्
Then, he should make the vertical mark (ūrdhva-puṇḍra) on the forehead and other prescribed places; after that, he should recite the two mantras into the disciple’s right ear.
मंत्रार्थं च वदेत्तस्मै यथावदनुपूर्वशः । दासशब्दयुतं नाम धार्यं तस्य प्रयत्नतः
He should explain the meaning of the mantra to him, properly and in sequence; the disciple must carefully bear a name that includes the word 'servant.'