पाणिःप्रदानरहितोऽनृतभाषिवक्त्रं कर्णौ च पापश्रवणाय सदैव दक्षौ । दोषानिमान्मम हरे हर सेवकस्य यस्मान्नु नाथ शरणागतदोषहंता
My hands do not give gifts, my mouth speaks falsehood, my ears are ever eager to hear evil; O Hari, remove these faults of your servant, for you, O Lord, are the destroyer of the faults of those who seek your refuge.
संसारघोरजलधौ नृहरे कदाचित्त्वद्भक्तिनौरिह मया सुदृढा च लब्धा । तत्रापि दैववशगोऽहमहो दुरात्मा वर्तेत एव सततं ममदुःखकालः
O slayer of Naraka, even if I have obtained the sturdy boat of your devotion in this dreadful ocean of worldly existence, still, alas, I am subject to fate, of wicked mind, and my time is always spent in sorrow.
संसारपारगमनाय लसत्पथोऽस्ति किं सर्वदुःखरहितः सदयः प्रसन्नः । अंधीकृतस्य मम मोहमहत्तमिस्रैर्दृष्टिस्त्वयीह न कदापि च याति विष्णो
Is there a shining path to cross the ocean of worldly existence, free from all suffering, compassionate and gracious? My vision, blinded by the great darkness of delusion, never turns to you here, O Vishnu.
पापात्मनोऽपि मम चित्तमिदं मुरारे नष्टं विनष्टजनकष्टविनष्टिकारि । यस्त्वां समस्तसुरवंदितपादपद्म स्वप्नेऽपि केशिमथनाद्य विभो समीक्षे
Even though I am sinful, my mind is lost, ruined, the cause of my own destruction; yet, O slayer of Keshi, today I behold you, whose lotus feet are worshipped by all the gods, even in a dream, O Lord.
व्यास उवाच- इति तेन स्तुतो देवो भगवान्कमलापतिः । उवाच वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञः संसारार्णवतारकः
Vyasa said: Thus praised by him, the blessed Lord, consort of Lakshmi, the knower of speech, who carries across the ocean of worldly existence, spoke these words.
श्रीभगवानुवाच- भक्तिभिस्तव विप्रेंद्र तुष्टोऽहं नित्यमेव च । तस्मात्तवाचिरेणैव सर्वं भद्रं भविष्यति
The Blessed Lord said: O best of Brahmins, I am always pleased by your devotion; therefore, very soon, all good fortune will come to you.
पापिनोऽपि तवोद्धारो मया पूर्वं कृतो द्विज । अधुना मम भक्तोऽसि न विपत्तिर्भविष्यति
Even before, I delivered you from sin, O Brahmin; now you are my devotee—no misfortune will befall you.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। कोऽहं तस्थौ पुरा विष्णो किं वा पापं मया कृतम् । पापिनोऽपि ममोद्धारः कथं पूर्वं त्वया कृतः
The Brahmin said: Who was I before, O Vishnu? What sin did I commit? How did you deliver me from sin in the past?
संसारेऽस्मिन्कथं जातो जनितोऽहं कथं त्वया । एतत्सर्वं विभो ब्रूहि यतस्त्वं सदयः सदा
In this world, how was I born, and how was I brought forth by you? O Lord, please tell me all of this, for you are always compassionate.
श्रीभगवानुवाच- अप्रकाश्यमिदं गुह्यं यद्यपि द्विजसत्तम । तथापि तव वात्सल्यान्निगदामि निशामय
The Blessed Lord said: Although this is a secret and not to be revealed, O best of the twice-born, still, out of affection for you, I will tell it—listen.
पुरा त्वं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ पक्षिवंशसमुद्भवः । भूतोऽसि भूमिभागेषु निजकर्मविपाकतः
Formerly, O foremost of Brahmins, you were born in the lineage of birds, having arisen on earth as a result of your own actions.
क्षुधया तृषया वापि सततं व्याकुलो भवान् । बभ्राम भक्षयन्कीटान्निर्झरोष्णोदकं तथा
Constantly troubled by hunger or thirst, you wandered about, eating insects and also drinking water from hot springs.
नानादुःखं सदा भुंजन्पक्षियोनौ समुद्भवः । चतुर्वर्षसहस्राणि स्थितोऽसि त्वं पुरा क्षितौ
Enduring various kinds of suffering, always born as a bird, you remained on earth for four thousand years.
एकदा कुलभद्राख्यो ब्राह्मणः सर्वतत्ववित् । पूजयामास मां भक्त्या नैवेद्याद्यैर्नदीतटे
Once, a Brahmin named Kulabhadra, knower of all truths, worshipped me with devotion and offerings on the riverbank.
समभ्यर्च्य स विप्रेंद्रो मम नैवेद्यतंदुलम् । ययौ तत्रैव निक्षिप्य भूय एव निजं गृहम्
Having worshipped me, that best of Brahmins left the rice offered to me there and returned again to his own home.
ततो वृक्षात्समागत्य क्षुधिना पक्षिणा त्वया । मम नैवेद्यसंबंधि भक्षितं सर्वतंदुलम्
Then, coming from a tree, driven by hunger, you, as a bird, ate all the rice that was connected to my offering.
भुक्त्वैव सद्यो मुक्तोऽसि पातकैरतिदारुणैः । कदाचित्प्राप्तकालस्त्वं कालधर्मगतो द्विज
Having eaten, you were immediately freed from very terrible sins; and when your time came, O Brahmin, you went to the realm of death.
त्वामानेतुं मया दूताः प्रेषिताः सर्वथा निजाः । ततो रथे समारोप्य भवंतं नष्टकल्मषम्
To bring you, I sent my own messengers in every way; then, placing you—purified from sin—on a chariot,
सद्यो दूतगणाः सर्वे समायाताः परं पदम् । युगकोटिसहस्राणि स्थितोऽसि मम सन्निधौ
All the hosts of messengers immediately brought you to the supreme abode, where you remained in my presence for thousands of aeons.
भुंजन्सुखानि सर्वाणि दुर्ल्लभानि सुरैरपि । ततो यातोऽसि विप्रेन्द्र विशुद्धे ब्राह्मणान्वये
Enjoying all pleasures, even those difficult for the gods to obtain, you then took birth, O best of Brahmins, in a pure Brahmin family.
तत्रापि मयि भक्तिस्ते जातातिसुदृढा पुनः । क्रियायोगेन मां नित्यं समाराध्य द्विजोत्तम
There also, your devotion to me became exceedingly firm again; through the practice of rites, you constantly worshipped me, O best of the twice-born.
आयुषोंते मत्प्रसादान्मामकं पदमाप्स्यसि । यदा तुष्टोऽस्म्यहं विप्र सपापात्मापि मुक्तिभाक्
At the end of your life, by my grace, you will attain my own abode; when I am pleased, O Brahmin, even a sinful soul attains liberation.
कदाचिद्यस्य रुष्टोस्मि पुण्यात्मापि च पापभाक् । तस्माद्ब्राह्मण भद्रं ते भक्तोऽसि मम सुव्रत
But if I am ever displeased with someone, even a virtuous soul becomes subject to sin; therefore, O Brahmin, good fortune to you, for you are devoted to me and steadfast in vows.
दास्यामि ते परं स्थानं यदलभ्यं सुरैरपि । ब्राह्मण उवाच- त्वत्प्रसादाच्छ्रुतं नाथ पूर्ववृत्तांतमात्मनः
I will give you the supreme place, which even the gods cannot attain. The Brahmin said: By your grace, O Lord, I have heard the account of my former existence.
इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामि यत्किञ्चिद्ब्रूहि तत्प्रभो । कस्य तुष्टोऽसि देवेन्द्र कस्य रुष्टोऽसि वा प्रभो
Now I wish to hear something further—please tell me that, O Lord. To whom, O Lord of gods, are you pleased, and with whom are you displeased?
महत्या कृपया सर्वमेतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि । श्रीभगवानुवाच- कर्मणा येनविप्रेन्द्र तुष्टिर्मे हृदि जायते
Out of great compassion, you ought to tell me all this. The Blessed Lord said: O best of Brahmins, by what action my pleasure arises in my heart—
क्रोधश्च तत्समस्तं च कथयामि समासतः । यो दयावान्द्विजश्रेष्ठ सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा
O best of twice-born, I shall briefly speak of anger and all related matters: one who is compassionate at all times toward all beings—
अहंकारविहीनश्च तस्य तुष्टोऽस्म्यहं सदा । कर्म कुर्यान्मदर्थं यो धर्मभक्तिसमन्वितः
and who is free from pride—toward such a one I am always pleased; one who performs actions for my sake, endowed with devotion to righteousness—
ब्रूते मदर्थं यः शांतं तस्य तुष्टोऽस्म्यहं सदा । मिष्टं वस्तु समासाद्य दत्वा मे यश्च मानवः
and who speaks peacefully for my sake—toward such a one I am always pleased; and any person who, having obtained a desirable object, offers it to me—
मानापमाने सदृशस्तस्य तुष्टोऽस्म्यहं सदा । सर्वभूतशरीरस्थं यो मां जानाति मानवः
and who remains the same in honor and dishonor—toward such a one I am always pleased; and any person who knows me as abiding in the bodies of all beings—