ಕಲಿಮಾಗತಮಾಜ್ಞಾಯ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರೇಽಸ್ಮಿನ್ ವೈಷ್ಣವೇ ವಯಮ್ । ಆಸೀನಾ ದೀರ್ಘಸತ್ರೇಣ ಕಥಾಯಾಂ ಸಕ್ಷಣಾ ಹರೇಃ
Knowing that the age of Kali had arrived and in this realm of Vaishnavas, we, seated at a long sacrificial session, listened together to the Lord's story.
ತ್ವಂ ನಃ ಸಂದರ್ಶಿತೋ ಧಾತ್ರಾ ದುಸ್ತರಂ ನಿಸ್ತಿತೀರ್ಷತಾಮ್ । ಕಲಿಂ ಸತ್ತ್ವಹರಂ ಪುಂಸಾಂ ಕರ್ಣಧಾರ ಇವಾರ್ಣವಮ್
O binder of the world, you were revealed to us; you who remove the darkness of Kali from men's hearts, like an ocean bearing a prow.
ಬ್ರೂಹಿ ಯೋಗೇಶ್ವರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣೇ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯೇ ಧರ್ಮವರ್ಮಣಿ । ಸ್ವಾಂ ಕಾಷ್ಠಾಮಧುನೋಪೇತೇ ಧರ್ಮಃ ಕಂ ಶರಣಂ ಗತಃ
Declare, O lord of yogis, O Krishna, O Brahman, O enforcer of Dharma: having set aside our own stakes, to whom have the righteous surrendered for refuge?
ವ್ಯಾಸ ಉವಾಚ । ಇತಿ ಸಂಪ್ರಶ್ನಸಂಹೃಷ್ಟೋ ವಿಪ್ರಾಣಾಂ ರೌಮಹರ್ಷಣಿಃ । ಪ್ರತಿಪೂಜ್ಯ ವಚಸ್ತೇಷಾಂ ಪ್ರವಕ್ತುಂ ಉಪಚಕ್ರಮೇ
Vyasa said: Thus encouraged by the eager questioning of the twice-born and stirred like a mountain of thunder, he honored their words and began to speak.
ಸೂತ ಉವಾಚ । (ವಸಂತತಿಲಕಾ) ಯಂ ಪ್ರವ್ರಜನ್ತಮನುಪೇತಮಪೇತಕೃತ್ಯಂ ದ್ವೈಪಾಯನೋ ವಿರಹಕಾತರ ಆಜುಹಾವ । ಪುತ್ರೇತಿ ತನ್ಮಯತಯಾ ತರವೋಽಭಿನೇದುಃ ತಂ ಸರ್ವಭೂತಹೃದಯಂ ಮುನಿಮಾನತೋಽಸ್ಮಿ
Sūta said: I remember a sage whose whole heart yearned for the renouncer who had left home; the youth, all absorbed and calling him 'son,' longed in sorrow from separation — I, among the wise, behold that universally cherished heart.
ಯಃ ಸ್ವಾನುಭಾವಮಖಿಲ ಶ್ರುತಿಸಾರಮೇಕಂ ಅಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮದೀಪಂ ಅತಿತಿತೀರ್ಷತಾಂ ತಮೋಽನ್ಧಮ್ । ಸಂಸಾರಿಣಾಂ ಕರುಣಯಾಽಽಹ ಪುರಾಣಗುಹ್ಯಂ ತಂ ವ್ಯಾಸಸೂನುಮುಪಯಾಮಿ ಗುರುಂ ಮುನೀನಾಮ್
He who, by his own direct experience and the essence of all heard lore, desired the inner light of spirit that dispels darkness, and out of compassion for those bound to the world disclosed ancient secret teaching — to that sage Vyāsa's son I bow, the preceptor of sages.
(ಅನುಷ್ಟುಪ್) ನಾರಾಯಣಂ ನಮಸ್ಕೃತ್ಯ ನರಂ ಚೈವ ನರೋತ್ತಮಮ್ । ದೇವೀಂ ಸರಸ್ವತೀಂ ವ್ಯಾಸಂ ತತೋ ಜಯಮುದೀರಯೇತ್
Having bowed to Nārāyaṇa and to the foremost of men, and to the goddess Sarasvatī and to Vyāsa, then one should utter victory.
ಮುನಯಃ ಸಾಧು ಪೃಷ್ಟೋಽಹಂ ಭವದ್‌ಭಿಃ ಲೋಕಮಙ್ಗಲಮ್ । ಯತ್ಕೃತಃ ಕೃಷ್ಣಸಂಪ್ರಶ್ನೋ ಯೇನಾತ್ಮಾ ಸುಪ್ರಸೀದತಿ
O best of ascetics, I ask you for the welfare of the world: what was asked of Kṛṣṇa, by which the self becomes greatly pleased?
ಸ ವೈ ಪುಂಸಾಂ ಪರೋ ಧರ್ಮೋ ಯತೋ ಭಕ್ತಿರಧೋಕ್ಷಜೇ । ಅಹೈತುಕ್ಯಪ್ರತಿಹತಾ ಯಯಾತ್ಮಾ ಸಂಪ್ರಸೀದತಿ
That supreme duty of humans is devotion directed to the Lord who dwells in the sky of the heart; when devotion is free of selfish cause, the self becomes pleased.
ವಾಸುದೇವೇ ಭಗವತಿ ಭಕ್ತಿಯೋಗಃ ಪ್ರಯೋಜಿತಃ । ಜನಯತ್ಯಾಶು ವೈರಾಗ್ಯಂ ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಚ ಯದ್ ಅಹೈತುಕಮ್
Devotional union with Vasudeva is the means: from it quickly arises dispassion and, without motive, both knowledge and the non‑causal detachment.
ಧರ್ಮಃ ಸ್ವನುಷ್ಠಿತಃ ಪುಂಸಾಂ ವಿಷ್ವಕ್ಸೇನಕಥಾಸು ಯಃ । ನೋತ್ಪಾದಯೇದ್ ಯದಿ ರತಿಂ ಶ್ರಮ ಏವ ಹಿ ಕೇವಲಮ್
The duty performed by people according to the stories of Viśvaksena, if it produces only attachment, then it yields nothing but toil alone.
ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಯ ಹ್ಯಾಪವರ್ಗ್ಯಸ್ಯ ನಾರ್ಥೋಽರ್ಥಾಯೋಪಕಲ್ಪತೇ । ನಾರ್ಥಸ್ಯ ಧರ್ಮೈಕಾನ್ತಸ್ಯ ಕಾಮೋ ಲಾಭಾಯ ಹಿ ಸ್ಮೃತಃ
Out of duty comes escape only when it is not claimed for worldly gain; for what is of gain alone is remembered as desire aimed at profit.
ಕಾಮಸ್ಯ ನೇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಪ್ರೀತಿಃ ಲಾಭೋ ಜೀವೇತ ಯಾವತಾ । ಜೀವಸ್ಯ ತತ್ತ್ವಜಿಜ್ಞಾಸಾ ನಾರ್ಥೋ ಯಶ್ಚೇಹ ಕರ್ಮಭಿಃ
Desire seeks the pleasure of the senses; gain is to live as long as one can. The enquiry into the nature of being is not for gain, whereas fame arises from actions.
ವದನ್ತಿ ತತ್ ತತ್ತ್ವವಿದಃ ತತ್ತ್ವಂ ಯತ್ ಜ್ಞಾನಮದ್ವಯಮ್ । ಬ್ರಹ್ಮೇತಿ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮೇತಿ ಭಗವಾನಿತಿ ಶಬ್ದ್ಯತೇ
Sages versed in truth say that that reality is the nondual knowledge called by names: Brahman, the supreme Self, and Bhagavān.
ತತ್ ಶ್ರದ್ದಧಾನಾ ಮುನಯೋ ಜ್ಞಾನವೈರಾಗ್ಯಯುಕ್ತಯಾ । ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತ್ಯಾತ್ಮನಿ ಚಾತ್ಮಾನಂ ಭಕ್ತ್ಯಾ ಶ್ರುತಗೃಹೀತಯಾ
The faithful sages, endowed with knowledge and dispassion, perceive the Self in the Self and apprehend it through scriptural acceptance combined with devotion.
ಅತಃ ಪುಮ್ಭಿಃ ದ್ವಿಜಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠಾ ವರ್ಣಾಶ್ರಮವಿಭಾಗಶಃ । ಸ್ವನುಷ್ಠಿತಸ್ಯ ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಯ ಸಂಸಿದ್ಧಿಃ ಹರಿತೋಷಣಮ್
Therefore, best of twice‑born, by the division of castes and stages of life, the duly performed duty of a person brings completion — the laurel of success granted by Hari.
ತಸ್ಮಾದೇಕೇನ ಮನಸಾ ಭಗವಾನ್ ಸಾತ್ವತಾಂ ಪತಿಃ । ಶ್ರೋತವ್ಯಃ ಕೀರ್ತಿತವ್ಯಶ್ಚ ಧ್ಯೇಯಃ ಪೂಜ್ಯಶ್ಚ ನಿತ್ಯದಾ
Therefore the supreme Lord, known as the master of the Satvatas, should be contemplated with a single-minded mind; he must be heard, praised, meditated upon, and forever worshipped.
ಯದ್ ಅದನುಧ್ಯಾಸಿನಾ ಯುಕ್ತಾಃ ಕರ್ಮಗ್ರನ್ಥಿನಿಬನ್ಧನಮ್ । ಛಿನ್ದನ್ತಿ ಕೋವಿದಾಸ್ತಸ್ಯ ಕೋ ನ ಕುರ್ಯಾತ್ ಕಥಾರತಿಮ್
Those who, abandoning meditative reflection, are bound to the knot of action — who among the wise would sever that bond if not by cultivating attachment to divine narratives?
ಶುಶ್ರೂಷೋಃ ಶ್ರದ್ದಧಾನಸ್ಯ ವಾಸುದೇವಕಥಾರುಚಿಃ । ಸ್ಯಾನ್ಮಹತ್ಸೇವಯಾ ವಿಪ್ರಾಃ ಪುಣ್ಯತೀರ್ಥನಿಷೇವಣಾತ್
For one who listens with faith, mere taste for the story of Vasudeva is greater than a priest’s service; learned men consider it superior even to bathing at sacred rivers and visiting holy shrines.
ಶ್ರೃಣ್ವತಾಂ ಸ್ವಕಥಾಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಃ ಪುಣ್ಯಶ್ರವಣಕೀರ್ತನಃ । ಹೃದ್ಯನ್ತಃಸ್ಥೋ ಹ್ಯಭದ್ರಾಣಿ ವಿಧುನೋತಿ ಸುಹೃತ್ಸತಾಮ್
Krishna’s own account, when heard and chanted, stays in the hearts of friends and dissolves inauspiciousness within them.
ನಷ್ಟಪ್ರಾಯೇಷ್ವಭದ್ರೇಷು ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಭಾಗವತಸೇವಯಾ । ಭಗವತಿ ಉತ್ತಮಶ್ಲೋಕೇ ಭಕ್ತಿರ್ಭವತಿ ನೈಷ್ಠಿಕೀ
By constant service to the Bhagavata, devotion to the Lord, expressed in supreme verses, becomes fixed and unwavering, destroying what is nearly lost and inauspicious.
ತದಾ ರಜಸ್ತಮೋಭಾವಾಃ ಕಾಮಲೋಭಾದಯಶ್ಚ ಯೇ । ಚೇತ ಏತೈರನಾವಿದ್ಧಂ ಸ್ಥಿತಂ ಸತ್ತ್ವೇ ಪ್ರಸೀದತಿ
Then impurities born of passion and ignorance, such as lust and greed, which had been deeply rooted, become struck and pacified in the purified mind by these practices.
ಏವಂ ಪ್ರಸನ್ನಮನಸೋ ಭಗವದ್‍ಭಕ್ತಿಯೋಗತಃ । ಭಗವತ್ ತತ್ತ್ವವಿಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಮುಕ್ತಸಙ್ಗಸ್ಯ ಜಾಯತೇ
Thus, with a heart made serene by devotion to the Lord, true knowledge of the Lord’s principle arises in the one freed from worldly attachments.
ಭಿದ್ಯತೇ ಹೃದಯಗ್ರನ್ಥಿಃ ಛಿದ್ಯನ್ತೇ ಸರ್ವಸಂಶಯಾಃ । ಕ್ಷೀಯನ್ತೇ ಚಾಸ್ಯ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ದೃಷ್ಟ ಏವಾತ್ಮನೀಶ್ವರೇ
The knots of the heart are torn apart, all doubts are cut away, and his actions fade away when he sees the Lord dwelling in the self.
ಅತೋ ವೈ ಕವಯೋ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಭಕ್ತಿಂ ಪರಮಯಾ ಮುದಾ । ವಾಸುದೇವೇ ಭಗವತಿ ಕುರ್ವನ್ತ್ಯಾತ್ಮಪ್ರಸಾದನೀಮ್
Therefore poets always, in supreme delight, sing of devotion; by such songs they bestow self-pleasure oriented toward Vasudeva, the Lord.
(ವಸಂತತಿಲಕಾ) ಸತ್ತ್ವಂ ರಜಸ್ತಮ ಇತಿ ಪ್ರಕೃತೇರ್ಗುಣಾಸ್ತೈಃ ಯುಕ್ತಃ ಪರಃ ಪುರುಷ ಏಕ ಇಹಾಸ್ಯ ಧತ್ತೇ । ಸ್ಥಿತ್ಯಾದಯೇ ಹರಿವಿರಿಞ್ಚಿಹರೇತಿ ಸಂಜ್ಞಾಃ ಶ್ರೇಯಾಂಸಿ ತತ್ರ ಖಲು ಸತ್ತ್ವತನೋಃ ನೃಣಾಂ ಸ್ಯುಃ
From the three qualities — sattva, rajas, tamas — the one supreme Spirit, combined with them, assumes a presence here; names like sustainer, creator, and destroyer are applied, and in that realm the best states for embodied beings arise from the sattvic nature.
(ಅನುಷ್ಟುಪ್) ಪಾರ್ಥಿವಾದ್ ದಾರುಣೋ ಧೂಮಃ ತಸ್ಮಾದಗ್ನಿಸ್ತ್ರಯೀಮಯಃ । ತಮಸಸ್ತು ರಜಸ್ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ ಸತ್ತ್ವಂ ಯದ್ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮದರ್ಶನಮ್
The earthly world is grievous and smoky; from that come the threefold fires; tamas stems from rajas, and sattva is what yields the vision of Brahman.
ಭೇಜಿರೇ ಮುನಯೋಽಥಾಗ್ರೇ ಭಗವನ್ತಂ ಅಧೋಕ್ಷಜಮ್ । ಸತ್ತ್ವಂ ವಿಶುದ್ಧಂ ಕ್ಷೇಮಾಯ ಕಲ್ಪನ್ತೇ ಯೇಽನು ತಾನಿಹ
Formerly the sages used to offer venerable Lord Adhokshaja first; those who conceive of pure, secure sattva as their refuge desire such beings hereafter.
ಮುಮುಕ್ಷವೋ ಘೋರರೂಪಾನ್ ಹಿತ್ವಾ ಭೂತಪತೀನಥ । ನಾರಾಯಣಕಲಾಃ ಶಾನ್ತಾ ಭಜನ್ತಿ ಹ್ಯನಸೂಯವಃ
Leaving behind fearsome forms and the lordship over beings, the non-envious, serene parts (the kalas) of Narayana worship him peacefully.
ರಜಸ್ತಮಃಪ್ರಕೃತಯಃ ಸಮಶೀಲಾ ಭಜನ್ತಿ ವೈ । ಪಿತೃಭೂತಪ್ರಜೇಶಾದೀನ್ ಶ್ರಿಯೈಶ್ವರ್ಯಪ್ರಜೇಪ್ಸವಃ
Those composed of the rudimentary elements, with minds subdued by passion and darkness, worship seeking the status of ancestral lordship and worldly prosperity, desiring offspring and riches.