दुर्लभं जन्म मानुष्यं दुर्लभा काशिकापुरी 4.2.94.
Human birth is rare, and the city of Kāśī is even rarer.
क्व च तादृक्तपांसीह क्व तादृग्योग उत्तमः
Where else is such austerity to be found here? Where else is such supreme yoga?
सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं सत्यपूर्वं पुनःपुनः
Truth, truth, again truth—truth above all, again and again.
विश्वेशो मुक्तिदो नित्यं मुक्त्यै चोत्तरवाहिनी
The Lord of the universe is always the giver of liberation, and the path to liberation flows upward.
एक एव हि विश्वेशो मुक्तिदो नान्य एव हि
Truly, the Lord of the universe alone is the giver of liberation; there is no other.
सायुज्यमुक्तिरत्रैव सान्निध्यादिरथान्यतः
Union-liberation is found here alone; proximity and other forms are otherwise.
कृष्णद्वैपायनो व्यासोऽकथयद्यन्महद्वचः
Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa spoke this great statement.
व्यास उवाच [। भविष्यं मम तस्याग्रे कुंभयोने महामते
Vyāsa said: O wise one, in the future, before me and you, O Kumbhayoni, this will occur.
पाराशर्यो मुनिवरो यथा मोहमुपैष्यति
The great sage, son of Parāśara, will fall into delusion.
व्यस्य वेदान्महाबुद्धिर्नाना शाखा प्रभेदतः
Having divided the Vedas, the great-minded one will separate them into many branches.
श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानां रहस्यं यस्त्वचीकरत्
He who made known the secret of the Vedas, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas to you.
सर्वपापप्रशमनं सर्वशांतिकरं परम्
That supreme knowledge removes all sins and brings all peace.
एकदा स मुनिः श्रीमान्पर्यटन्पृथिवीतले
Once, that illustrious sage wandered upon the surface of the earth.
अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि शौनकाद्यास्तपोधनाः
Eighty-eight thousand ascetics, beginning with Śaunaka, rich in austerities,
विभूतिधारिणो भक्त्या रुद्रसूक्तजपप्रियान्
Endowed with spiritual powers, devotedly fond of reciting the Rudra hymn,
एक एव हि विश्वेशो मुक्तिदो नान्य एव हि
Truly, the Lord of the universe alone is the giver of liberation; there is no other.
विलोक्य स मुनिर्व्यासस्तासर्वान्गिरिशात्मनः 4.2.95.
Seeing all of them, the sage Vyāsa, whose soul is Śiva,
परिनिर्मथ्य वाग्जालं सुनिश्चित्यासकृद्बहु
Having thoroughly examined the web of words, and having repeatedly and firmly ascertained,
वेदे रामायणे चैव पुराणेषु च भारते
In the Veda, in the Rāmāyaṇa, and in the Purāṇas and the Bhārata,
सत्यं सत्यं त्रिसत्यं पुनः सत्यं न मृषा पुनः
Truth, truth, thrice truth, again truth—never false, again.
लक्ष्मीशः सर्वदो नान्यो लक्ष्मीशोप्यपवर्गदः
The Lord of Lakshmi alone is the giver of all; even Lakshmi's Lord grants liberation.
भुक्तेर्मुक्तेरिहान्यत्र नान्यो दाता जनार्दनात्
Other than Janardana, there is no giver of enjoyment or liberation here or elsewhere.
विहाय केशवादन्यं ये सेवंतेल्पमेधसः
Those of small understanding who serve anyone other than Keshava,
एक एव हि सर्वेशो हृषीकेशः परात्परः
For Hrisikesha, the Lord of all, is truly the one, supreme beyond the supreme.
एको धर्मप्रदो विष्णुस्त्वेको बह्वर्थदो हरिः
Vishnu alone grants righteousness; Hari alone bestows many kinds of rewards.
शार्ङ्गिणं ये परित्यज्य देवमन्यमुपासते
Those who abandon the wielder of the Sharnga bow and worship another god,
श्रुत्वेति वाक्यं व्यासस्य नैमिषारण्यवासिनः 4.2.95.
Having heard these words of Vyasa, the dwellers of Naimisharanya—
यतो वेदास्त्वया व्यस्ताः पुराणान्यपि वेत्ति यत्
Because the Vedas were arranged by you, and you know even the Puranas,
यतश्च कर्ता त्वमसि महतो भारतस्य वै
And because you are the author of the great Bharata,
तत्त्वज्ञः कोपरश्चात्र त्वत्तः सत्यवतीसुत
O son of Satyavati, you alone here are the knower of truth and the foremost among us.