वर्षमाणस्य मेघस्य यद्भासा तस्य तद्भवेत् । सूर्यतेजःप्रतीकाशं चतुर्बाहुं सुरेश्वरम्
As the radiance of a raining cloud belongs to it, so is his; resembling the brilliance of the sun, four-armed, the Lord of the gods.
दक्षिणे शोभते शंखो हेमरत्नविभूषितः । कौमोदकी गदा तस्य महासुरविनाशिनी
On his right shines a conch, adorned with gold and jewels; the Kaumodakī mace, destroyer of great demons, is his.
वामे च शोभते वीर हस्ते तस्य महात्मनः । महापद्मं सुगंधाढ्यं तस्य दक्षिणहस्तगम्
On his left shines, in the hand of that great-souled one, a great lotus, rich with fragrance; in his right hand, a lotus as well.
शोभमानं सदैवास्ते सायुधं कमलश्रियम् । कंबुग्रीवं सुवृत्तास्यं पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणम्
Ever resplendent, he stands armed, with the beauty of a lotus; with a conch-shaped neck, well-formed face, and eyes like lotus petals.
राजमानं हृषीकेशं दशनैः कुंदसंनिभैः । गुडाकेशस्य यस्यास्ते अधरो विद्रुमाकृतिः
Majestic Hṛṣīkeśa, with teeth like jasmine buds; Guḍākeśa, whose lower lip is like coral.
शोभते पुंडरीकाक्षः किरीटेनापि भास्वता । विशालेनापि रूपेण केशवस्तु सुवक्षसा
Puṇḍarīkākṣa shines with a radiant crown; Keśava, broad in form and with a beautiful chest, is resplendent.
कौस्तुभेनांकितेनैव राजमानो जनार्दनः । सूर्यतेजःप्रतीकाश कुंडलाभ्यां प्रभाति च
Janārdana, marked by the Kaustubha gem, is majestic; shining like the sun's brilliance, he glows with earrings.
हरिः केयूरकंकणैर्हारैर्मौक्तिकैर्ऋक्षसन्निभैः
Hari is adorned with armlets, bracelets, necklaces, and pearl garlands resembling constellations.
वपुषा भ्राजमानस्तु विजयो जयतां वरः । भ्राजतेसोऽपि गोविंदो हेमवर्णेन वाससा
His form is radiant; Vijaya, best among the victorious, shines. Govinda too shines, clad in garments of golden hue.
मुद्रिकाभिस्तु युक्ताभिरंगुलीषु विराजते । सर्वायुधैः सुसंपूर्णैर्द्दिव्यैराभरणैर्हरिः
He is adorned with rings on his fingers; Hari is splendid with all weapons and divine ornaments, fully arrayed.
वैनतेयसमारूढो लोककर्त्ता जगत्पतिः । एवं यो ध्यायते नित्यमनन्यमनसा नरः
Mounted upon Garuḍa, the creator of the worlds, the lord of the universe; whoever meditates thus always, with undivided mind—
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं ध्यानभेदं जगत्पतेः
Is freed from all sins and goes to the world of Viṣṇu. Thus all has been declared to you, the distinctions of meditation on the Lord of the world.
अंबरीष उवाच- साधुसाधु मुनिश्रेष्ठ लोकानुग्रहकारक । विष्णोर्ध्यानं त्वया प्रोक्तं सगुणं निर्गुणं च यत्
Ambarisha said: O best of sages, truly noble and beneficent to the world, you have described the meditation on Vishnu, both with attributes and without.
अधुना लक्षणं ब्रूहि भक्तेः साधु कृपाकर । यादृशी क्रियते येन यथा यत्र यदा तथा
Now, O compassionate one, please tell me the characteristics of devotion: of what kind it is, by whom, how, where, and when it is performed.
सूत उवाच- इत्युक्तमाकर्ण्य नृपोत्तमस्य मुनिः प्रहृष्टो निजगाद भूपम् । शृणुष्व राजन्निखिलाघहारिणीं भक्तिं हरेस्ते प्रवदामि सम्यक्
Suta said: Hearing these words of the noble king, the sage, delighted, spoke to the king: Listen, O king, as I properly describe the devotion to Hari that destroys all sins.
अथ भक्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि विविधां पापनाशिनीम् । विविधा भक्तिरुद्दिष्टा मनोवाक्कायसंभवा
Now I shall explain the various forms of devotion that destroy sin; devotion is said to be of many kinds, arising from mind, speech, and body.
लौकिकी वैदिकी चापि भवेदाध्यात्मिकी तथा । ध्यानधारणया बुद्ध्या वेदानां स्मरणं हि यत्
It may be worldly, Vedic, or spiritual; whatever remembrance of the Vedas is done through meditation, concentration, and intellect—
विष्णुप्रीतिकरी चैषा मानसी भक्तिरुच्यते । मंत्रवेदसमुच्चारैरविश्रांतविचिंतनैः
That which brings delight to Vishnu is called mental devotion, through constant contemplation and recitation of mantras and Vedic hymns.
जाप्यैश्चारण्यकैश्चैव वाचिकी भक्तिरुच्यते । व्रतोपवासनियमैः पञ्चेंद्रियजयेन च
Through recitation, forest hymns, and unceasing utterances, it is called verbal devotion; through vows, fasting, discipline, and control of the five senses—
कायिकी सैव निर्दिष्टा भक्तिः सर्वार्थसाधिनी । भूषणैर्हेमरत्नांकैश्चित्राभिर्वाग्भिरेव च
That is called bodily devotion, which accomplishes all aims; with ornaments of gold and gems, with splendid words—
वासः प्रतिसरैः सूत्रैः पावकव्यजनोच्छ्रितैः । नृत्यवादित्रगीतैश्च सर्वबल्युपहारकैः
With garments, sacred threads, banners, fans, and offerings to fire; with dance, music, singing, and all kinds of offerings—
भक्ष्यभोज्यान्नपानैश्च या पूजा क्रियते नरैः । नारायणं समुद्दिश्य भक्तिः सा लौकिकी मता
With foods, drinks, and meals, the worship performed by people for Narayana is considered worldly devotion.
कायिकी सैव निर्दिष्टा भक्तिः सर्वार्थसाधिकी । ऋग्यजुःसामजाप्यानि संहिताध्ययनानि च
That is also called bodily devotion, which accomplishes all aims; with recitation of Rig, Yajur, and Sama hymns, and study of the collections—
क्रियंते विष्णुमुद्दिश्य सा भक्तिर्वैदिकोच्यते । वेदमंत्रहविर्यागैः क्रियाया वैदिकी मता
When these are performed for Vishnu, that devotion is called Vedic; ritual acts with Vedic mantras and offerings are considered Vedic practice.
दर्शे च पौर्णमास्यां च कर्त्तव्यं चाग्निहोत्रकम् । प्राशनं दक्षिणादानं पुरोडाशं चरु क्रिया
At the new and full moon, the fire ritual must be performed, as well as the offering, the giving of gifts, the rice cake, and the preparation of gruel.
इष्टिर्धृतिः सोमपानं याज्ञियं कर्म सर्वशः । अग्निभूम्यनिलाकाश द्युति शंकर भास्करम्
Sacrifices, firmness, drinking of Soma, and all ritual acts for the gods—fire, earth, wind, space, light, Shiva, and the sun—
तमुद्दिश्यकृतं कर्म तत्सर्वं विष्णुदैवतम् । आध्यात्मिकीति विविधा ब्रह्मभक्तिस्थिता नृप
All acts performed for them are ultimately dedicated to Vishnu as the deity; and the various forms of spiritual devotion, O king, are established in devotion to Brahman.
सांख्याख्यां योगसंजातां शृणु भूप यथोदिताम् । चतुर्विंशति तत्त्वानि प्रधानादीनि संख्यया
Hear, O king, of the devotion called Sāṃkhya, born of yoga, as it is described: the twenty-four principles, beginning with Pradhana, are enumerated—
अचेतनानि भोग्यानि पुरुषः पंचविंशकः । चेतनः स समुद्दिष्टो कर्ता भोक्ता च कर्मणाम्
They are insentient and objects of enjoyment; the twenty-fifth, the person, is sentient, and is declared to be the agent and enjoyer of actions.
आत्मा नित्योव्ययश्चैव अधिष्ठाता प्रयोजकः । पुरुषोऽव्यक्त नित्यः स्यात्कारणं च महेश्वरः
The self is eternal and imperishable, the presiding ruler and instigator; the person is unmanifest, eternal, the cause, and the great Lord.