एकदा नारदो लोकान्पर्यटन्भगवत्प्रियः । मथुरायामंबरीषं कृष्णाराधनतत्परम्
Once, Narada, beloved of the Lord, was wandering among the worlds; in Mathura, he saw Ambarisha, absorbed in Krishna's worship.
महाभागं व्रतपरं ददर्श मुनिसत्तमः । स आगतं मुनिवरं सत्कृत्य मुनिसत्तमः
The sage, devoted to vows and most fortunate, was seen by the eminent sage; and having arrived, the eminent sage was duly honored.
भवंत इव पप्रच्छ श्रद्धया हृष्टमानसः । अंबरीष उवाच-। यन्मुने परमं ब्रह्म वेदवादिभिरुच्यते
With faith and a joyful heart, he questioned him as you do; Ambarisha said: O sage, that supreme Brahman spoken of by the Vedic scholars—
स देवः पुंडरीकाक्षः स्वयं नारायणः परः । योऽमूर्तो मूर्तिमानीशो व्यक्तोऽव्यक्तः सनातनः
That god, with lotus eyes, is Narayana himself, the supreme; he is formless and yet has form, the lord, manifest and unmanifest, eternal.
सर्वभूतमयोऽचिंत्यो ध्यातव्यः स कथं हरिः । यस्मिन्सर्वमिदं विश्वमोतं प्रोतं प्रतिष्ठितम्
He is the essence of all beings, inconceivable, to be meditated upon; in him, this entire universe is woven, pervaded, and established.
अव्यक्तमेकं परमं परमात्मेति विश्रुतम् । यतो जन्मादि जगतो यो निर्माय स्वयं भुवम्
The one unmanifest, supreme, known as the Supreme Self, from whom the world originates, who himself creates the earth—
ददौ तस्मै च निगमानात्मन्येव व्यवस्थितान् । कथमाराध्यते सोऽयं समग्रपुरुषार्थदः
He gave to him the Vedas, established in himself; how is he worshipped, who grants all the goals of life?
योगिनामपि दुर्गम्यस्तदेतत्कृपया वद । अनाराधित गोविंदा न विदंति हितोदयम्
Even for yogis, he is difficult to reach; please tell this out of compassion. Without worshipping Govinda, one does not know the arising of benefit.
न तपो यज्ञदानानां लभते फलमुत्तमम् । अनास्वादितगोविंदपदांबुजरसश्च यः
He who has not tasted the nectar of Govinda's lotus feet does not obtain the highest fruit of austerity, sacrifice, or charity.
मनोरथपथातीतं स्फीतं नाकलयेत्फलम् । हरेराराधनं हित्वा दुरितौघ निवारणम्
One does not perceive the abundant fruit that lies beyond the path of mere desire, having abandoned the worship of Hari, which removes heaps of sin.
नान्यत्पश्यामि जंतूनां प्रायश्चित्तं परं मुने । यद्भ्रूनर्तनवर्तिन्यः श्रूयंते सिद्धयोऽखिलाः
I see no other supreme atonement for creatures, O sage, than that by which all attainments are heard to arise from the movement of the brows.
कथमाराध्यतेसोऽयं केशवः क्लेशनाशनः । उपास्यते स भगवान्कथं नारायणो नरैः
How is that Kesava, destroyer of affliction, to be worshipped? How is the blessed Narayana to be served by men?
प्रीतश्च सर्वमेतन्मे हिताय जगतो वद । भक्तिप्रियोऽसौ भगवान्कया भक्त्या प्रसीदति
Pleased, I ask you to tell me all this for the welfare of the world: by what devotion does the Blessed Lord, who delights in devotion, become pleased?
कथं तस्मिन्भवेद्भक्तिः सर्वैराराध्यते कथम् । वैष्णवोसि हरेस्तस्य प्रियोऽसि परमार्थवित्
How does devotion arise towards Him, and how is He worshipped by all? You are a devotee of Hari, dear to Him, and a knower of the highest truth.
तेन त्वामेव पृच्छामि ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्मविदुत्तम । श्रोतारमथ वक्तारं प्रष्टारं पुरुषं हरेः
Therefore, O best knower of Brahman, I ask you alone, O Brahman: you are both a listener and a speaker, a questioner of the Lord Hari.
प्रश्नः पुनाति कृष्णस्य तदंघ्रिसलिलं यथा । दुर्ल्लभो मानुषो देहो देहिनां क्षणभंगुरः
A question about Krishna purifies, just as water from His feet does; the human body is rare and, for embodied beings, perishes in a moment.
तत्रापि दुर्ल्लभं मन्ये वैकुंठप्रियदर्शनम् । संसारेस्मिन्क्षणार्धोऽपि सत्संगः शेवधिर्नृणाम्
Even more rare, I think, is the sight of one dear to Vaikuntha; even half a moment of association with the good is a treasure for people in this world of transmigration.
यस्मादवाप्यते सर्वं पुरुषार्थचतुष्टयम् । भगवन्भवतो यात्रा स्वस्तये सर्वदेहिनाम्
From that, all four aims of human life are attained; O blessed one, your presence brings well-being to all embodied beings.
बालानां तु यथा पित्रोरुत्तमश्लोकवर्त्मनाम् । भूतानां देवचरितं दुःखाय च सुखाय च
Just as children are guided by their parents on the path of the glorious Lord, so the deeds of the gods bring both sorrow and joy to beings.
सुखायैव हि साधूनां त्वादृशामच्युतात्मनाम् । भजंति ये यथा देवान्देवा अपि तथैव तान्
But for the virtuous, whose hearts are fixed on the Imperishable, such as you, it brings only joy; those who worship the gods in this way are themselves worshipped by the gods.
छायेव कर्मसचिवाः साधवो दीनवत्सलाः । तस्मात्त्वं भगवन्मह्यं वैष्णवं धर्ममादिश
The virtuous, compassionate to the distressed, are like the shadow, ever accompanying deeds; therefore, O blessed one, instruct me in the Vaishnava dharma.
यस्योपदेशदानेन लभते वेदजं फलम् । नारद उवाच- साधु पृष्टं महीपाल विष्णुभक्तिमता त्वया
By giving instruction in it, one attains the fruit born of the Veda. Narada said: Well asked, O king, by you endowed with devotion to Vishnu.
जानता परमं धर्ममेकं माधवसेवनम् । यस्मिन्नाराधिते विष्णौ विश्वमाराधितं भवेत्
Knowing the supreme dharma, which is the sole service of Madhava; when Vishnu is worshipped, the whole universe is worshipped.
तुष्टे चराचरं तुष्टं सर्वदेवमये हरौ । यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण महापातकसंहतिः
When Hari, who is the soul of all gods, is pleased, the moving and unmoving are pleased; by merely remembering Him, even a heap of great sins is destroyed.
तत्क्षणान्नाशमायाति स सेव्यो हरिरेव हि । कोऽनु राजन्निंद्रियवान्मुकुंदचरणांबुजम्
In that very moment, it perishes; for Hari alone is to be served. O king, who, possessing senses, would not worship the lotus feet of the Liberator?
न भजेत्सर्वतो मृत्युरुपास्यमृषिदैवतैः । श्रुतोऽनु पठितो ध्यात आदृतश्चानुमोदितः
He is to be worshipped by all, even by the gods and seers whom death approaches; when heard, recited, meditated upon, honored, or approved, the true dharma immediately purifies, even one hostile to the world.
सद्यः पुनाति सद्धर्मो वीरो विश्वद्रुहोऽपि हि । योयं कारणकार्यादि कारणस्यापि कारणम्
This one is the cause of causes, the origin of creation and its results, and even the cause of the cause.
अनन्यकारणं योगी जगज्जीवो जगन्मयः । अणुर्बृहत्कृशः स्थूलो निर्गुणो गुणभृन्महान्
He, the yogi, is the sole cause, the soul of the world, pervading all; subtle and vast, minute and gross, without qualities yet bearing qualities, and great.
अजो जन्मलयातीतो ध्यातव्यः स हरिः सदा । सम्यगेतद्व्यवसितं भवता पुरुषर्षभ
Unborn, beyond birth and dissolution, that Hari is always to be meditated upon; O best of men, your resolve is indeed proper.
यत्पृच्छसे भागवतान्धर्मांस्त्वं विश्वभावनान् । प्रसंगेन सतामात्ममनः श्रुति रसायनाः
You ask about the dharmas of the devotees, the sustainers of the universe; these, by their very nature, are the elixirs of the mind and heart for the virtuous.