सप्त द्रीपानि पाताल-वीथ्यश्व सुमहामुने । सप्त लोका येऽन्तरस्था ब्रह्माण्डस्यास्य सर्वतः
O great sage, the seven continents, the paths of the underworld, and the seven worlds that exist within, are all encompassed everywhere within this cosmic egg.
स्थूलैः सूक्ष्मैस्तथा सूक्ष्मात् सूक्ष्मैः सूक्ष्मतरैस्तथा । स्थूलैः स्थूलतरैश्चैव सर्वप्राणिभिरावृतम्
It is filled with all living beings, gross and subtle, and even subtler than the subtle, as well as gross and even grosser forms.
अङ्गु लस्याष्टभागोऽपि न सोऽस्ति मुनिसत्तम । न सान्ति प्राणिनो यत्र कर्मबान्धनिबन्धनाः
O best of sages, there is not even an eighth part of a finger's breadth where living beings bound by the ties of karma do not exist.
सर्वे चैत वशं यान्ति यमस्य भगवन् । किल । आयुषोऽन्ते तथा यान्ति यातनास्तत्प्रचोदिताः
All these, at the end of their lifespan, certainly come under the sway of Yama, O venerable one, and are driven to their respective torments.
यातनाभ्यः परिभ्रष्टा देवाद्यास्वथ योनिषु । जन्तवः परिवर्तन्ते शास्त्राणामेष निर्णायः
Having fallen from the torments, creatures, beginning with the gods, revolve among various wombs; this is the conclusion of the scriptures.
सोऽहमिच्छामि तच्छ्रोतु यमस्य वशवर्त्तिनः । न भवन्ति नरा यन तत् कर्मं कथयामलम्
I wish to hear about those who are subject to Yama; tell me, O sinless one, about the actions by which men do not fall under his power.
पराशर उवाच । अयमेव मुने ! प्रश्रो नकुलेन महात्मना । पृष्टः पितामहः प्राह भीष्मो यत् तच्छृणुष्व मे
Parāśara said: O sage, this very question was once asked by the great-souled Nakula, and Bhīṣma, the grandsire, answered it; listen to what he said.
भीष्म उवाच । पुरा समागतो वत्स ! सखा कालिङ्गको द्रिजः । समामु पृष्टो वै मया जातिस्मरो मुनिः
Bhīṣma said: Once, O child, my friend, the Brāhmaṇa Kāliṅgaka, who remembered his past births, came to me and was questioned by me.
तेनाख्यातमिदञ्च दमित्थञ्चैतदू भविष्यति । तथा च तदभूद् वत्स! यथोक्तं तेन धीमता
He described what had happened, what was happening, and what would happen; and, O child, it occurred just as that wise one had said.
स पृष्टश्व मया भूयः श्रदृधानवता द्रिजः । यदू यदाह न तदू दृमन्यथा हि मया क्वचित्
That Brāhmaṇa, full of faith, was questioned again by me; whatever he said was never found false by me at any time.
एकदा तु मया पृष्टं यदेतद् भवतोदितम् । प्राह कालिङ्गको विप्रः स्मृत्वा तस्य मुनेर्वचः
Once, I asked him about what you have now inquired; the Brāhmaṇa Kāliṅgaka, recalling the words of that sage, spoke.
जातिस्मरेण कथितो रहस्यः परमो मम । यम-किङ्गरयोर्योऽभूत् संवादस्तं ब्रवीमि ते
He, who remembered his past births, told me this supreme secret: the conversation that once took place between Yama and his messengers—I will tell you that.
स्वपुरुषमभिवीक्ष्य पाशह्सतं वदति यमः किल तस्य कर्णामूले । परिहर मधुसूदनप्रपन्नान् प्रभुरहमन्यनृणां न वैष्णवानाम्
Looking at his own servant holding a noose, Yama is said to speak at his ear: 'Avoid those who have taken refuge in Madhusūdana; I am the lord over others, but not over the devotees of Viṣṇu.'
अहममरघणर्चितेन धात्रा यम इति लोकहिताहिते नियुक्तः । हरिगुरुवशगोऽस्मि न स्वतन्त्रः प्रभवति संयमने ममापि विष्णुः
'I, Yama, am appointed by the Creator, who is worshipped by the immortals, for the welfare and harm of the world; but I am under the authority of Hari and his teachers, not independent—Viṣṇu himself controls even my power of restraint.'
कटकमुकुटकर्णिकादिबेदैः कनकमभेदमपीष्यते यथैकम । सुरपशुमनुजादिकल्पनाभि हरिरखिलाभिरुदीर्य्यते तथैकः
Just as gold, though fashioned into bracelets, crowns, earrings, and the like, is considered one, so too is Hari, though described by various conceptions as god, animal, human, and so on, always one.
क्षितिजलपरमाणावोऽनिलान्ते पुनरपि यान्ति यथैकतां धरिव्याः । सुरपशुमनुजादयस्तथान्ते गुणकलुषेण सनातनेन तेन
Just as earth, water, and atoms return to unity at the end, so too do gods, animals, humans, and others, at the end, merge through the eternal quality of guṇa and impurity.
हरिममरगणर्चिताञघ्रिपह्मं प्रणमति यः परमार्थतो हि मर्त्त्यः । तमपगतसमस्तपापबन्धं व्रज परिह्टत्य यथाग्रिगाज्यसिक्तम्
Whoever, in truth, bows to the lotus feet of Hari, worshipped by hosts of immortals, is freed from all bonds of sin and goes, as clarified butter poured on fire, to liberation.
इति यमवचनं निशम्य पाशी कथय मम विभो ! समस्तधातु यमपुरुषस्तमुवाच धर्मराजम् । र्भवति हरेः खलु यादृशोऽस्य भक्तः
Hearing these words of Yama, the noose-bearer said: 'Tell me, O Lord of all beings!' And Yama's servant spoke to the king of righteousness: 'The fate of one devoted to Hari is as his devotion.'
न चलति निजवर्णाधर्मतो यः सममतिरात्मसुह्टदविपक्षपक्षे न हरति न च हन्ति किञ्चिदुच्चैः सितमनसं तमवैहि विष्णभक्तम्
He who does not stray from the duties of his own class, whose mind is impartial toward friend and foe, who neither steals nor kills anything, whose mind is pure—know him to be a devotee of Vishnu.
कलिकलूषमलेन यस्य नात्मा विमलमतेर्मलिनीकृतोऽस्तमोहे । मनसि कृतजनार्दनं मनुष्यं सततमवेहि हररतीव भक्तम्
He whose self is not tainted by the impurity of the Kali age, whose pure mind is not stained by delusion, who has installed Janardana in his heart—know that man to be ever devoted to Hari.
कनकमपि रहस्यवेक्ष्य बुद्धया तृर्णामिव यः समवैति वै परस्वम । भवति च भगवत्यनन्यचेताः पुरुषवरं तमवेहि विष्णुभक्तम्
He who regards another’s wealth, even if it be gold, as mere straw, who remains solely devoted to the Blessed Lord—know that best of men to be a devotee of Vishnu.
स्फटिकगिरिशिलामलः क्व बिष्णुर्मनसि नृणां क्व च मत्सरादिदोषः । न हि तुहिनमयूखरश्मिपुञ्ज भवति हुताशनदीप्तिजः प्रतापः
Where is the pure crystal mountain, and where are the faults of envy and the like in the minds of men? Just as the heat born of blazing fire cannot exist amid the rays of cool moonlight.
विमलमतिविमत्सरः प्रशान्तः शुचिचरितोऽखिलसत्वमित्रबूतः । प्रियहितवचनोऽस्तमानमायो वसति सदा ह्टदि तस्य वासुदेवः
He who is pure, free from envy, tranquil, of pure conduct, a friend to all beings, who speaks words that are dear and beneficial, free from pride and deceit—Vasudeva ever dwells in his heart.
वसति ह्टदि सनातने च तस्मिन् भवति पुमान् जगतोऽस्य सौम्यरूपः । क्षितिरसमतिरम्यमात्मनोऽन्तः कथयति चारुतयैव शालपोतः
In the heart of such a person, the eternal, gentle form of the Lord of the world resides. The earth, though not pleasing, becomes delightful within, just as a tender shoot is charming.
यमनियमविदूतकल्मषाणा मनुदिनमच्युतसक्तमानसानाम् । अपगतमद-मान-मत्सराणं त्यज भट!दूरतरेण मानवानाम
O warrior, abandon from afar those men whose minds are stained, who are devoid of self-control and discipline, whose hearts are not attached to the imperishable, who are filled with pride, arrogance, and envy.
ह्टदि यदि भगवाननादिररास्ते हरिरसिशङ्खगदाधरोऽव्ययात्मा । तदघमघविघातकर्तृभिन्नं भवति कथं सति चान्धकारमर्के
If the beginningless Lord Hari, bearer of the conch and mace, dwells in the heart, how can sin remain there, just as darkness cannot remain when the sun is present?
हरति परधनं निहन्ति जन्तून् वदति तथानृतनिष्ठु राणि यश्व । असुभजनितदुर्मदस्य पु सः कलुषमतेह्ट दि तस्य नास्त्यनन्तः
He who steals others’ wealth, kills creatures, speaks persistent falsehoods—such a person, whose mind is impure from evil company, has no end to his misfortune.
न सहति परसम्पदं विनिन्दां कलुषमतिः कुरुते सतामसाधुः । न यजति न ददाति यश्व सन्तं मनसि न तस् जनार्दनोऽधमस्य
He who cannot tolerate others’ prosperity, who slanders, whose mind is impure, who acts wickedly toward the good, who neither sacrifices nor gives—Janardana does not dwell in the heart of such a base person.
परमसुद्टदि बान्धवे कलत्रे सुततनयापितृमातृभृत्यवर्गे। शठमतिरुपयाति योऽर्थतृष्णां तमधमचेष्टमवैहि नास्य भक्तम्
He who is supremely attached to relatives, wife, children, parents, and servants, whose mind is deceitful and greedy for wealth—know that ignoble man is not a devotee.
अशुभमतिरसत्प्रवृत्तिसक्तः सततमनार्य्यविशालसङ्गमत्तः । अनुदिनकृतपापबन्धयत्नः पुरुषपशुर्नहि वासुदेवभक्तः
He whose mind is evil, attached to unrighteous acts, always intoxicated by the company of the wicked, who daily strives to bind himself with sinful deeds—such a man is like a beast, not a devotee of Vasudeva.