अंबरीषस्य राजर्षेरैशान्यां पापनाशनम्
This is the sin-destroying place of King Ambarisha in the northeast.
यत्र स्वयं हृषीकेशः काले च कलिसंज्ञके
Where Hrishikesha himself appeared during the era called Kali.
पुरासीत्पृथिवीपालो ह्यंबरीषो युगे कृते
In ancient times, Ambarisha was the ruler of the earth in the Krita age.
तस्मिंस्तीर्थे स राजेन्द्रो मितभक्षो जितेन्द्रियः
At that sacred site, the king, controlling his senses and eating little, resided.
सहस्रे द्वे ततो राजञ्छीर्णपर्णाशनोऽभवत्
Then, O King, for two thousand years, he lived eating only leaves.
सहस्रत्रितयं राजन्वायुभक्षो बभूव ह
For three thousand years, O King, he subsisted on air alone.
दश वर्षसहस्रान्ते ततश्च नृपसत्तम
At the end of ten thousand years, O best of kings,
कृत्वा देवपते रूपमारुह्यैरावतं गजम्
Having assumed the form of the lord of the gods, he mounted the elephant Airavata.
त्वां दृष्ट्वा भक्तिसंयुक्तमागतोऽहमसंशयम्
Seeing you, filled with devotion, I have come without doubt.
अंबरीष उवाच मुक्तिं दातुमशक्तोसि त्वं च वृत्रनिषूदन स्वागतं गच्छ देवेश न वरो रोचते मम ॥ 7.3.13.
Ambarisha said: You are unable to grant liberation, O slayer of Vritra. Welcome, O lord of gods; I do not desire any boon.
सर्वथा दास्यते मह्यं वरं तुष्टश्चतुर्भुजः
Nevertheless, the four-armed one, pleased, will surely grant me a boon.
ब्रह्मविष्णुत्रिनेत्राणामहमीशो नृपोतम
O foremost of kings, I am the lord of Brahma, Vishnu, and the three-eyed one.
अन्येषां चैव देवानां त्रैलोक्यस्याप्यहं विभुः
And I am also the sovereign of the other gods and of the three worlds.
प्रसन्ने मयि राजेन्द्र प्रसन्नाः सर्वदेवताः
When I am pleased, O king, all the gods are pleased as well.
सप्तद्वीपवती राजा अहं वृत्रनिषूदन
O slayer of Vṛtra, I am the king of the earth with its seven continents.
हषीकेशस्य सद्भक्तं विद्धि मां तात निश्चयम्
Know me, dear one, to be a true devotee of Hṛṣīkeśa, this is certain.
वज्रं त्वां प्रेरयिष्यामि वधाय कृतनिश्चयः
With firm resolve, I will hurl the thunderbolt at you for your destruction.
एवमुक्त्वा सहस्राक्षः सृक्किणी परिलेलिहन्
Having spoken thus, the thousand-eyed one licked his lips with his tongue.
तस्येवं भ्राम्यमाणस्य महोत्पाता बभूविरे
As he whirled about in this way, great omens appeared.
आवृतं गगन मेघैर्विधुन्वानैर्महीं तदा 7.3.13.
At that time, the sky was covered with clouds shaking the earth.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु स राजा हरिवत्सलः
At that very moment, that king, dear to Hari, was present.
ततस्तुष्टो जगन्नाथ साक्षात्प्रत्यक्षतां गतः
Then, pleased, the Lord of the universe appeared directly before him.
तमुवाच हृषीकेशो मेघगंभीरया गिरा
Hṛṣīkeśa addressed him with a voice deep as the clouds.
वरं वरय भद्रं ते यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुर्लभम्
Choose a boon, good fortune to you, even if it is extremely difficult to obtain.
अंबरीष उवाच यदि प्रसन्नो भगवन्यदि देयो वरो मम
Ambarīṣa said: If you are pleased, Lord, and if a boon is to be granted to me—
ज्ञानयोगं सुविस्तीर्णं संसारक्षयकारणम्
Grant me the vast knowledge of yoga, the means for the destruction of worldly existence.
यस्मिञ्जाते नरः सद्यः संसारान्मुच्यते नृप
O king, by which, when attained, a man is immediately freed from saṃsāra.
दुर्ज्ञेयः स नृणां देव विशेषाच्च कलौ युगे
O God, that is difficult for people to know, especially in the Kali age.
अपि चेत्सुप्रसन्नोऽसि क्रियायोगं ब्रवीहि मे
And if you are truly pleased, tell me the yoga of action.
यथायोग्यं नृपश्रेष्ठ कथयामास केशवः ॥ 7.3.13.
Then Keśava spoke to the best of kings, explaining as was appropriate.