त्रिवेदगम्यं त्रिनवैकमूर्तिं त्रिशुक्लसंस्थं त्रिहुताशभेदम् । त्रितत्त्वलक्ष्यं त्रियुगं त्रिनेत्रं नमामि नारायणमप्रमेयम् ।। ३.
I bow to Nārāyaṇa, who is known through the three Vedas, who has triple, ninefold, and single forms, who abides in threefold purity, who is the threefold fire, the goal of the three principles, the Lord of three ages, the three-eyed, immeasurable.
कृते सितं रक्ततनुं तथा च त्रेतायुगे पूततनुं पुराणम् । तथा हरिं द्वापरतः कलौ च कृष्णीकृतात्मानमथो नमामि ।। ३.
In the Kṛta age, He is white; in the Tretā age, red-bodied; in the Dvāpara, He is pure and ancient; and in Kali, I bow to Hari, whose self becomes dark.
ससर्ज यो वक्त्रत एव विप्रान् भुजान्तरे क्षत्रमथोरुयुग्मे । विशः पदाग्रेषु तथैव शूद्रान् नमामि तं विश्वतनुं पुराणम् ।। ३.
He who created the Brāhmaṇas from his mouth, the Kṣatriyas from his arms, the Vaiśyas from his thighs, and likewise the Śūdras from his feet—I bow to that all-formed, ancient One.
परात्परं पारगतं प्रमेयं युधांपतिं कार्यत एव कृष्णम्। गदासिचर्मण्यभृतोत्थपाणिं नमामि नारायणमप्रमेयम् ।। ३.
I bow to Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme beyond the supreme, the one who has crossed beyond, the object of knowledge, Lord of warriors, who became Kṛṣṇa for the sake of action, holding mace and shield, with uplifted hand, immeasurable.
इति स्तुतो देववरः प्रसन्नो जगाद मां नीरदतुल्यघोषः । वरं वृणीष्वेत्यसकृत् ततोऽहं तस्यैव देहे लयमिष्टवांश्च ।। ३.
Thus praised, the best of gods, pleased, spoke to me with a voice like thunderclouds: 'Choose a boon.' Then, repeatedly, I desired dissolution into His very being.
इति श्रुत्वा वचो मह्यं देवदेवः सनातनः । उवाच प्रकृतिं विप्र संसरस्वाक्षयामिमाम् ।। ३.
Hearing these words addressed to me, the eternal Lord of gods said: 'O Brāhmaṇa, enter into this inexhaustible nature.'
ब्रह्मणो युगसाहस्त्रं तत्ते तस्मात् समुद्भवः । भविता ते तथा नाम दास्यते संप्रयोजनम् ।। ३.
After a thousand ages of Brahma, you will arise from that; your name and purpose will be given accordingly.
नारं पानीयमित्युक्तं तं पितॄणां सदा भवान् । ददाति तेन ते नाम नारदेति भविष्यति ।। ३.
Because you always offer water, called 'nāra', to the ancestors, you will be known by the name Nārada.
एवमुक्त्वा गतो देवः सद्योऽदर्शनमुच्चकैः । अहं कलेवरं त्यक्त्वा कालेन तपसा तदा ।। ३.
Having spoken thus, the god departed and vanished at once; then, through austerity, I abandoned my body in due time.
ब्रह्मणोऽङ्गे लयं प्राप्तस्तदोत्पत्तिं च पार्थिव । दिवसे तु पुनः सृष्टो दशभिस्तनयैः सह ।। ३.
I entered dissolution within Brahma's body, O King, and was born again, along with ten sons, at the beginning of the day.
दिनादिर्यो हि देवस्य ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । स सृष्ट्यादिः समस्तानां देवादीनां न संशयः ।। ३.
The day of the god Brahma, who is born from the unmanifest, is indeed the period of creation and dissolution for all beings, gods and others—there is no doubt.
सर्वस्य जगतः सृष्टिरेषैव प्रभुधर्मतः । एतन्मे प्राकृतं जन्म यन्मां पृच्छसि पार्थिव ।। ३.
This, by the divine law, is the creation of the entire universe; this is my natural birth, about which you ask me, O King.
तस्मान्नारायणं ध्यात्वा प्राप्तोऽस्मि परतो नृप । तस्मात् त्वमपि राजेन्द्र भव विष्णुपरायणः ।। ३.
Therefore, by meditating on Nārāyaṇa, I have attained the supreme state, O King; so you too, best of kings, should devote yourself to Viṣṇu.
धरण्युवाच । योऽसौ नारायणो देवः परमात्मा सनातनः । भगवन् सर्वभावेन उताहो नेति शंस मे ।। ४.
The Earth said: That Nārāyaṇa, the supreme and eternal soul—O Lord, tell me truly, should one worship him with all one's being, or not?
श्रीवराह उवाच । मत्स्यः कूर्मो वराहश्च नरसिंहोऽथ वामनः । रामो रामश्च कृष्णश्च बुद्धः कल्की च ते दश ।। ४.
Śrī Varāha said: Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, Rāma, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, and Kalki—these are his ten forms.
इत्येताः कथितास्तस्य मूर्त्तयो भूतधारिणि । दर्शनं प्राप्तुमिच्छूनां सोपानानीव शोभते ।। ४.
These forms of his, O bearer of beings, are described as steps for those who desire to see him, shining like a staircase.
यत् तस्य परमं रूपं तन्न पश्यन्ति देवताः । अस्मदादिस्वरूपेण पूरयन्ति ततो धृतिम् ।। ४.
His supreme form is not seen by the gods; they gain strength by filling themselves with forms like ours.
ब्रह्मा भगवतो मूर्त्या रजसस्तमसस्तथा । याभिः संस्थाप्यते विश्वं स्थितौ संचाल्यते च ह ।। ४.
Brahmā, by the form of the Lord, and likewise by rajas and tamas, establishes and stirs the universe in its existence.
त्वमेका तस्य देवस्य मूर्तिराद्या धराधरे । द्वितीया सलिलं मूर्तिस्तृतीया तैजसी स्मृता ।। ४.
You alone, O mountain-holder, are the Lord's first form; the second is water, and the third is said to be fire.
चतुर्थी वायुमूर्तिः स्यादाकाशाख्या तु पञ्चमी । एतास्तु मूरत्यस्तस्य क्षेत्रज्ञत्वं हि मद्धियाम् । मूर्त्तित्रयं तथा तस्य इत्येताश्चाष्टमूर्तयः ।। ४.
The fourth is the form of air, and the fifth is called space; these are his forms, and the knower of the field is my understanding. Thus, three forms and these eight forms are his.
आभिव्यप्तिमिदं सर्वं जगन्नारायणेन ह । इत्येतत् कथितं देवि किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि ।। ४.
All this world is pervaded by Nārāyaṇa; this has been told to you, O goddess—what else do you wish to hear?
धरण्युवाच । नारदेनैवमुक्तस्तु तदा राजा प्रियव्रतः । कृतवान् किं ममाचक्ष्व प्रसादात् परमेश्वर ।। ४.
The Earth said: When thus addressed by Nārada, what did King Priyavrata do? Tell me, O Supreme Lord, by your grace.
श्रीवराह उवाच । भवतीं सप्तधा कृत्वा पुत्राणां च प्रदाय सः । प्रियव्रतस्तपस्तेपे नारदाच्छ्रुतविस्मयः ।। ४.
Śrī Varāha said: Dividing you into seven parts and giving them to his sons, Priyavrata, amazed by Nārada's words, performed austerities.
नारायणात्मकं ब्रह्म परं जप्त्वा स्वयंभुवः । ततस्तुष्टमनाः पारं परं निर्वाणमाप्तवान् ।। ४.
Reciting the supreme Nārāyaṇa-manifested Brahman, Svayambhuva, with a satisfied mind, attained the highest liberation.
श्रृणु चान्यद् वरारोहे यद् वृत्तं परमेष्ठिनः । आराधनाय यततः पुराकाले नृपस्य ह ।। ४.
Listen, O beautiful one, to another account of what transpired with Parameṣṭhin, when a king once strove for his worship in ancient times.
आसीदश्वशिरा नाम राजा परमधार्मिकः । सोऽश्वमेधेन यज्ञेन यष्ट्वा सुबहुदक्षिणः ।। ४.
There was a king named Aśvaśirā, supremely righteous, who performed the Aśvamedha sacrifice, giving abundant gifts.
स्नातश्चावभृथे सोऽथ ब्राह्मणैः परिवारितः । यावदास्ते स राजर्षिस्तावद् योगिवरो मुनिः । आययौ कपिलः श्रीमान् जैगीषव्यश्च योगिराट् ।। ४.
Having bathed at the conclusion of the sacrifice, surrounded by Brahmins, the royal sage remained seated; then the eminent yogi Kapila, radiant, and Jaigīṣavya, king of yogis, arrived.
ततस्त्वरितमुत्थाय स राजा स्वागतक्रियाम् । चकार परया युक्तः स मुदा राजसत्तमः ।। ४.
Then, rising swiftly, the king, foremost among rulers, performed the rites of welcome with utmost joy.
तावर्च्चितावासनगौ दृष्ट्वा राजा महाबलः । पप्रच्छ तौ तिग्मधियौ योगज्ञौ स्वेच्छयागतौ ।। ४.
Seeing them honored and seated, the mighty king questioned those two, sharp-minded and learned in yoga, who had come of their own will.
भवन्तौ संशयं विप्रौ पृच्छामि पुरुषोत्तमौ । कथमाराधयेद् देवं हरिं नारायणं परम् ।। ४.
O illustrious sages, I ask you, the best among men, a question: How should one worship Hari, the supreme Nārāyaṇa?