क्रतुरुवाच यो यज्ञपुरुषो यज्ञो योगेशः परमः पुमान् । तस्मिंस्तुष्टे यदप्राप्यं किन्तदस्ति जनार्दने ॥ १,११.
Kratu said: He who is the person of sacrifice, the sacrifice itself, the supreme lord of yoga—when Janārdana is pleased, what is there that cannot be obtained?
वसिष्ठ उवाच प्राप्नोष्याराधिते विष्णौ मनसा यद्यदिच्छति । त्रेलोक्यान्तर्गतं स्थानं किमु वत्सोत्तमोत्तमम् ॥ १,११.
Vasiṣṭha said: Whatever place within the three worlds you desire in your mind, you will attain by worshipping Viṣṇu—what more, O best of sons?
ध्रुव उवाच आराध्यः कथितो देवो भवद्भिः प्रणतस्य मे । मया तत्परीतोषाय यज्जप्तव्यं तदुच्यताम् ॥ १,११.
Dhruva said: The god to be worshipped has been described by you to me, who am devoted; tell me what should be recited by me to fully please him.
यथा चाराधनं तस्य मया कार्यं महात्मनः । प्रसादसुमुखास्तन्मे कथयन्तु महर्षयः ॥ १,११.
And how should I properly worship that great soul? Let the great sages tell me, so that he may show his gracious, smiling face.
ऋषय ऊचुः राजपुत्र यथा विष्णोराराधनपरैर्नरैः । कार्यमाराधनं तन्नो यथावच्छ्रोतुमर्हसि ॥ १,११.
The sages said: O prince, you deserve to hear from us how worship of Viṣṇu should be performed by those devoted to his worship.
बाह्यार्थादखिलाच्चित्तं त्याजयेत्प्रथमं नरः । तस्मिन्नेव जगद्धाम्नि ततः कुर्वित निश्चलम् ॥ १,११.
First, a man should abandon his mind from all external objects, and then make it steady in that very abode of the universe.
एवमेकाग्रचित्तेन तन्मयेन धृतात्मना । जप्तव्यं यन्नि बोधैतत्तन्रः पार्थिवनन्दन ॥ १,११.
Thus, with one-pointed mind, absorbed in him, with self-control, let him recite what we declare, O joy of the princes.
हिरण्यगर्भपुरुषप्रधानव्यक्तरूपिणे । ओं नमो वासुदेवाय शुद्धज्ञानस्वरूपिमे ॥ १,११.
To him who is the form of Hiraṇyagarbha, the Person, Pradhāna, and the unmanifest: Om, homage to Vāsudeva, whose nature is pure knowledge.
एतज्जजाप भगवान् जप्यं स्वायंभुवो मनुः । पितामहस्तव पुरा तस्य तुष्टो जनार्दनः ॥ १,११.
This very mantra was recited by the blessed Manu Svāyambhuva, your ancestor; Janārdana was pleased with him.
ददो यथाभिलषितां सिद्धिं त्रैलोक्यदुर्लभाम् । तथा त्वमपि गोविन्दं तोषयैतत्सदा जपन् ॥ १,११.
He granted him the desired accomplishment, difficult to attain even in the three worlds; in the same way, you too should please Govinda by always reciting this.
श्रीपराशर उवाच निशम्यैतदशेषेण मैत्रेय नृपते सुतः । निर्जगाम वनात्तस्मात्प्रणिपत्य स तानृषीन् ॥ १,१२.
Śrī Parāśara said: Hearing all this in full, O Maitreya, the king’s son came out from the forest and bowed to those sages.
कृतकृत्यमिवात्मानं मन्यमानस्ततो द्विज । मधुसंज्ञं महापुण्यं जगाम यमुनातटम् ॥ १,१२.
Thinking himself to have fulfilled his duty, that twice-born one then went to the sacred place called Madhu, on the banks of the Yamunā.
पुनश्च मधुसंज्ञेन दैत्येनाधिष्ठितं यतः । ततो मधुवनं नाम्ना ख्यातमत्र महीतले ॥ १,१२.
And because that place was once ruled by the demon named Madhu, it became known on earth as Madhuvana.
हत्वा च लवणं रक्षो मधुपुत्रं महाबलम् । शत्रुघ्नो मधुरां नाम पुरीं यत्र चकार वै ॥ १,१२.
Having slain Lavaṇa, the mighty demon son of Madhu, Śatrughna established the city called Mathurā there.
यत्र वै देवदेवस्य सान्निध्यं हरिमेधसः । सर्वपापहरे तस्मिंस्तपस्तीर्थे चकार सः ॥ १,१२.
There, in that holy place which removes all sins, where the Lord of gods, Hari, is present, he performed austerities.
मरीचिमुख्यैर्मुनिभिर्यथोद्दिष्टमभूत्तथा । आत्मन्यशेपदेवेशं स्थितं विष्णुममन्यत ॥ १,१२.
As instructed by the sages led by Marīci, he regarded Viṣṇu, the Lord of gods, as present within himself.
अनन्यचेतसस्तस्य ध्यायतो भगवान्हरिः । सर्वभूतगतो विप्र सर्वभावगतोऽभवत् ॥ १,१२.
With undistracted mind, as he meditated on the blessed Hari, O brāhmaṇa, the Lord became present in all beings and in every form.
मनस्यवस्थिते तस्मिन्विष्णौ मैत्रेय योगिनः । न शशाक धरा भारमुद्वोढुं भूतधारिणी ॥ १,१२.
When Viṣṇu was thus established in his mind, O Maitreya, the earth, bearer of beings, could no longer bear her burden.
वामपादस्थिते तस्मिन्ननामार्धेन मेदिनी । द्वितीयं च ननामार्धं क्षितेर्दक्षिणतः स्थिते ॥ १,१२.
When he stood on his left foot, the earth bent down with half her weight; and when he stood on his right, the other half bent down.
पादांगुष्ठेन संपीड्य यथा स वसुधां स्थितः । तदा समस्ता वसुधा चचाल सह पर्वतैः ॥ १,१२.
Pressing the earth with his big toe as he stood, the whole earth, along with her mountains, began to tremble.
नद्यो नदाः समुद्राश्च संक्षोभं परमं ययुः । तत्क्षोभादमराः क्षोभं परं जग्मुर्महामुने ॥ १,१२.
Rivers, streams, and oceans were greatly agitated; and because of that disturbance, O great sage, even the gods were deeply troubled.
यामा नाम तदा देवा मैत्रेय परमाकुलाः । इन्द्रेण सह संमन्त्र्य ध्यानभङ्गं प्रचक्रमुः ॥ १,१२.
At that time, the gods called Yāmās, together with Indra, held counsel and sought to break his meditation, O Maitreya, being greatly distressed.
कूष्माण्डा विविधै रूपैर्महेन्द्रेण महामुने । समाधिभङ्गमत्यन्तमारब्धाः कर्तुमातुराः ॥ १,१२.
The Kūṣmāṇḍas, taking on various forms, were urgently set to disrupt his meditation, along with mighty Indra, O great sage.
सुनीतिर्नाम तन्माता सास्त्रा तत्पुरतः स्थिता । पुत्रेति करुणां वाचमाह मायामयी तदा ॥ १,१२.
His mother, named Sunīti, stood before him, and with words full of compassion, spoken through illusion, said: 'My son...'
पुत्रकास्मान्निवर्तस्व शरीरात्ययदारुणात् । निर्बन्धतो मया लब्धो बहुभिस्त्वं मनोरथै ॥ १,१२.
'My child, turn back from this harsh destruction of your body; you were obtained by me with much effort and many wishes.'
दीनामेकां परित्यक्तुमनाथां न त्वमर्हसि । सपत्नीवचनाद्वत्स अगतेस्त्वं गतिर्मम ॥ १,१२.
'You should not abandon me, helpless, alone, and destitute; because of the words of a co-wife, O child, you, who are my only refuge, would leave me?'
क्व च त्वं पञ्चवर्षीयः क्वचैतद्दारूणं तपः । निवर्ततां मनः कष्टान्निर्बन्धात्फलवर्जितात् ॥ १,१२.
'How can you, only five years old, undertake such severe austerity? Let your mind turn away from these harsh and fruitless efforts.'
कालः क्रीडनकानान्ते तदन्तेऽध्ययनस्य ते । ततः समस्तभोगानां तदन्ते चेष्यते तपः ॥ १,१२.
'There is a time for playthings, and after that, for your studies; only after enjoying all pleasures should you undertake austerity.'
कालः क्रीडनकानां यस्तव बालस्य पुत्रक । तस्मिंस्त्वमिच्छसि तपः किं नाशायात्मनो रतः ॥ १,१२.
O child, the time of your life is meant for playthings, for you are still a boy. Why do you wish to undertake austerities now, delighting in the destruction of your own self?
मत्प्रीतिः परमो धर्मो वयोवस्थाक्रियाक्रमम् । अनुवर्तस्व मा मोहान्निवर्तास्मादधर्मतः ॥ १,१२.
My affection is the highest virtue; follow the proper order of duties according to your age. Do not, out of delusion, turn away from this and act unrighteously.