Canto 1: Creation

CHAPTER FIVE

Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-

Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva
Text 1
sūta uvāca
atha taṁ sukham āsīna
upāsīnaṁ bṛhac-chravāḥ
devarṣiḥ prāha viprarṣiṁ
vīṇā-pāṇiḥ smayann iva

Synonyms

sūtaḥ — Sūta; uvāca — said; atha — therefore; tam — him; sukham āsīnaḥ — comfortably

seated; upāsīnam— unto one sitting nearby; bṛhat-śravāḥ — greatly respected; devarṣiḥ —
the great  ṛṣi  among the gods;  prāha  — said;  viprarṣim  — unto the  ṛṣi  among
the brāhmaṇas; vīṇā-pāṇiḥ — one who carries a vīṇā in his hand; smayan iva — apparently
smiling.

Translation

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus the sage amongst the gods [Nārada], comfortably seated and
apparently smiling, addressed the ṛṣi amongst the brāhmaṇas [Vedavyāsa].
I want a spiritual master like this who can throw away my doubts and give me a shining
blissful faith in Krishna with conviction. Text 2
Narad ji is smiling bcoz he knows the solution of the problem with 100.00% precision.
nārada uvāca
pārāśarya mahā-bhāga
bhavataḥ kaccid ātmanā
 parituṣyati śārīra
ātmā mānasa eva vā

Synonyms

nāradaḥ  — Nārada;  uvāca  — said;  pārāśarya  — O son of Parāśara;  mahā-bhāga  — the

greatly fortunate;  bhavataḥ  — your;  kaccit  — if it is;  ātmanā  — by the self-realization
of; parituṣyati — does it satisfy; śārīraḥ — identifying the body; ātmā — self; mānasaḥ —
identifying the mind; eva — certainly; vā — and.

Translation

Addressing Vyāsadeva, the son of Parāśara, Nārada inquired: Are you satisfied by
identifying with the body or the mind as objects of self-realization?

Text 3
jijñāsitaṁ susampannam
api te mahad-adbhutam
kṛtavān bhārataṁ yas tvaṁ
sarvārtha-paribṛṁhitam

Synonyms

jijñāsitam  — fully inquired;  susampannam  — well versed;  api  — in spite of;  te  —
your;  mahat-adbhutam  — great and wonderful;  kṛtavān  — prepared;  bhāratam  —
the  Mahābhārata;  yaḥ  tvam  — what you have done;  sarva-artha  — including all
sequences; paribṛṁhitam— elaborately explained.

Translation

Your inquiries were full and your studies were also well fulfilled, and there is no doubt
that you have prepared a great and wonderful work, the Mahābhārata, which is full of
all kinds of Vedic sequences elaborately explained.
 Text 4
jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca
brahma yat tat sanātanam
tathāpi śocasy ātmānam
akṛtārtha iva prabho

Synonyms

jijñāsitam  — deliberated fully well;  adhītam  — the knowledge obtained;  ca  —

and; brahma — the Absolute; yat — what; tat — that; sanātanam — eternal; tathāpi — in
spite of that; śocasi — lamenting; ātmānam — unto the self; akṛta-arthaḥ — undone; iva—
like; prabho — my dear sir.

Translation

You have fully delineated the subject of impersonal Brahman as well as the knowledge
derived therefrom. Why should you be despondent in spite of all this, thinking that you
are undone, my dear prabhu?

Text 5
vyāsa uvāca
asty eva me sarvam idaṁ tvayoktaṁ
tathāpi nātmā parituṣyate me
tan-mūlam avyaktam agādha-bodhaṁ
pṛcchāmahe tvātma-bhavātma-bhūtam

Synonyms

vyāsaḥ — Vyāsa; uvāca — said; asti — there is; eva — certainly; me  — mine;  sarvam  —

all; idam — this; tvayā— by you; uktam — uttered; tathāpi — and yet; na — not; ātmā —
self;  parituṣyate  — does pacify;  me  — unto me;  tat  — of which;  mūlam  —
root;  avyaktam  — undetected;  agādha-bodham  — the man of unlimited
knowledge;  pṛcchāmahe  — do inquire;  tvā  — unto you;  ātma-bhava  — self-born;  ātma-
bhūtam — offspring.

Translation

Śrī Vyāsadeva said: All you have said about me is perfectly correct. Despite all this, I
am not pacified. I therefore question you about the root cause of my dissatisfaction, for
you are a man of unlimited knowledge due to your being the offspring of one [Brahmā]
who is self-born [without mundane father and mother].

Text 6
sa vai bhavān veda samasta-guhyam
upāsito yat puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ
parāvareśo manasaiva viśvaṁ
sṛjaty avaty atti guṇair asaṅgaḥ

Synonyms

saḥ  — thus;  vai  — certainly;  bhavān  — yourself;  veda  — know;  samasta  — all-
inclusive; guhyam — confidential; upāsitaḥ — devotee of; yat — because;  puruṣaḥ  — the
Personality of Godhead;  purāṇaḥ  — the oldest;  para-avara-īśaḥ  — the controller of the
material and spiritual worlds;  manasā  — mind;  eva  — only;  viśvam— the
universe;  sṛjati  — creates;  avati  atti  — annihilates;  guṇaiḥ  — by the qualitative
matter; asaṅgaḥ — unattached.

Translation

My lord! Everything that is mysterious is known to you because you worship the
creator and destroyer of the material world and the maintainer of the spiritual world,
the original Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to the three modes of
material nature.

Text 7
 tvaṁ paryaṭann arka iva tri-lokīm
antaś-caro vāyur ivātma-sākṣī
parāvare brahmaṇi dharmato vrataiḥ
snātasya me nyūnam alaṁ vicakṣva

Synonyms

tvam — Your Goodness; paryaṭan — traveling; arkaḥ — the sun; iva — like;  tri-lokīm  —

the three worlds; antaḥ-caraḥ — can penetrate into everyone’s heart; vāyuḥ iva— as good
as the all-pervading air; ātma — self-realized; sākṣī — witness; para-avare — in the matter
of cause and effect;  brahmaṇi  — in the Absolute;  dharmataḥ  — under disciplinary
regulations;  vrataiḥ  — in vow;  snātasya  — having been absorbed in;  me  —
mine; nyūnam — deficiency; alam — clearly; vicakṣva— search out.

Translation

Like the sun, Your Goodness can travel everywhere in the three worlds, and like the
air you can penetrate the internal region of everyone. As such, you are as good as the
all-pervasive Supersoul. Please, therefore, find out the deficiency in me, despite my
being absorbed in transcendence under disciplinary regulations and vows.

Text 8
śrī-nārada uvāca
bhavatānudita-prāyaṁ
yaśo bhagavato ’malam
yenaivāsau na tuṣyeta
manye tad darśanaṁ khilam

Synonyms

śrī-nāradaḥ — Śrī Nārada; uvāca  — said;  bhavatā  — by you;  anudita-prāyam  — almost

not praised;  yaśaḥ  — glories;  bhagavataḥ  — of the Personality of Godhead;  amalam  —
spotless;  yena  — by which;  eva  — certainly;  asau  — He (the Personality of
Godhead); na — does not; tuṣyeta — be pleased; manye — I think; tat — that; darśanam —
philosophy; khilam — inferior.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: You have not actually broadcast the sublime and spotless glories of
the Personality of Godhead. That philosophy which does not satisfy the transcendental
senses of the Lord is considered worthless.

Text 9
yathā dharmādayaś cārthā
muni-varyānukīrtitāḥ
na tathā vāsudevasya
mahimā hy anuvarṇitaḥ

Synonyms

yathā  — as much as;  dharma-ādayaḥ  — all four principles of religious behavior;  ca  —
and;  arthāḥ  — purposes;  muni-varya  — by yourself, the great sage;  anukīrtitāḥ  —
repeatedly described; na — not; tathā — in that way; vāsudevasya — of the Personality of
Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa;  mahimā  — glories;  hi  — certainly;  anuvarṇitaḥ  — so constantly
described.

Translation

Although, great sage, you have very broadly described the four principles beginning
with religious performances, you have not described the glories of the Supreme
Personality, Vāsudeva.

Text 10
na yad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo
jagat-pavitraṁ pragṛṇīta karhicit
 tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham uśanti mānasā
na yatra haṁsā niramanty uśik-kṣayāḥ

Synonyms

na  — not;  yat  — that;  vacaḥ  — vocabulary;  citra-padam— decorative;  hareḥ  — of the
Lord;  yaśaḥ  — glories;  jagat  — universe;  pavitram  — sanctified;  pragṛṇīta  —
described;  karhicit  — hardly;  tat  — that;  vāyasam  — crows;  tīrtham  — place of
pilgrimage;  uśanti  — think;  mānasāḥ  — saintly persons;  na  — not;  yatra  —
where; haṁsāḥ — all-perfect beings; niramanti — take pleasure; uśik-kṣayāḥ — those who
reside in the transcendental abode.

Translation

Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the
atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a
place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the
transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there.

Text 11
tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo
yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api
nāmāny anantasya yaśo ’ṅkitāni yat
śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ

Synonyms

tat  — that;  vāk  — vocabulary;  visargaḥ  — creation;  janatā  — the people in

general; agha — sins; viplavaḥ— revolutionary; yasmin — in which; prati-ślokam — each
and every stanza;  abaddhavati  — irregularly composed;  api  — in spite of;  nāmāni  —
transcendental names, etc.;  anantasya  — of the unlimited Lord;  yaśaḥ—
glories;  aṅkitāni  — depicted;  yat  — what;  śṛṇvanti  — do hear;  gāyanti  — do
sing; gṛṇanti — do accept; sādhavaḥ — the purified men who are honest.
 Translation

On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental
glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a
different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a
revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization. Such
transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and
accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.

Text 12
naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ
na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam
kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare
na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam

Synonyms

naiṣkarmyam — self-realization, being freed from the reactions of fruitive work; api — in

spite of; acyuta — the infallible Lord; bhāva — conception;  varjitam  — devoid of;  na  —
does not;  śobhate  — look well;  jñānam— transcendental knowledge;  alam  — by and
by;  nirañjanam  — free from designations;  kutaḥ  — where is;  punaḥ  — again;  śaśvat  —
always;  abhadram  — uncongenial;  īśvare  — unto the Lord;  na  — not;  ca  —
and;  arpitam  — offered;  karma  — fruitive work;  yat  api— what is;  akāraṇam  — not
fruitive.

Translation

Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, does not look
well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive
activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by
nature, if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord?

Text 13
 atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk
śuci-śravāḥ satya-rato dhṛta-vrataḥ
urukramasyākhila-bandha-muktaye
samādhinānusmara tad-viceṣṭitam

Synonyms

atho — therefore; mahā-bhāga — highly fortunate; bhavān — yourself; amogha-dṛk — the

perfect seer;  śuci— spotless;  śravāḥ  — famous;  satya-rataḥ  — having taken the vow of
truthfulness;  dhṛta-vrataḥ  — fixed in spiritual qualities;  urukramasya  — of the one who
performs supernatural activities (God); akhila — universal; bandha — bondage; muktaye —
for liberation from;  samādhinā  — by trance;  anusmara  — think repeatedly and then
describe them; tat-viceṣṭitam— various pastimes of the Lord.

Translation

O Vyāsadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are
firm in vow and situated in truthfulness. And thus you can think of the pastimes of the
Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage.

Text 14
tato ’nyathā kiñcana yad vivakṣataḥ
pṛthag dṛśas tat-kṛta-rūpa-nāmabhiḥ
na karhicit kvāpi ca duḥsthitā matir
labheta vātāhata-naur ivāspadam

Synonyms

tataḥ  — from that;  anyathā  — apart;  kiñcana  — something;  yat  —

whatsoever; vivakṣataḥ — desiring to describe; pṛthak — separately;  dṛśaḥ  — vision;  tat-
kṛta— reactionary to that;  rūpa  — form;  nāmabhiḥ  — by names;  na  karhicit  —
never; kvāpi — any; ca — and; duḥsthitā matiḥ — oscillating mind; labheta — gains; vāta-
āhata — troubled by the wind; nauḥ — boat; iva — like; āspadam — place.
 Translation

Whatever you desire to describe that is separate in vision from the Lord simply reacts,
with different forms, names and results, to agitate the mind, as the wind agitates a boat
which has no resting place.

Text 15
jugupsitaṁ dharma-kṛte ’nuśāsataḥ
svabhāva-raktasya mahān vyatikramaḥ
yad-vākyato dharma itītaraḥ sthito
na manyate tasya nivāraṇaṁ janaḥ

Synonyms

jugupsitam — verily condemned; dharma-kṛte — for the matter of religion; anuśāsataḥ —

instruction;  svabhāva-raktasya  — naturally inclined;  mahān  — great;  vyatikramaḥ  —
unreasonable;  yat-vākyataḥ  — under whose instruction;  dharmaḥ  — religion;  iti  — it is
thus;  itaraḥ  — the people in general;  sthitaḥ  — fixed;  na  — do not;  manyate  —
think; tasya — of that; nivāraṇam — prohibition; janaḥ — they.

Translation

The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy, and you have encouraged them
in that way in the name of religion. This is verily condemned and is quite
unreasonable. Because they are guided under your instructions, they will accept such
activities in the name of religion and will hardly care for prohibitions.

Text 16
vicakṣaṇo ’syārhati vedituṁ vibhor
ananta-pārasya nivṛttitaḥ sukham
pravartamānasya guṇair anātmanas
tato bhavān darśaya ceṣṭitaṁ vibhoḥ
 Synonyms

vicakṣaṇaḥ  — very expert;  asya  — of him;  arhati  — deserves;  veditum  — to

understand; vibhoḥ — of the Lord; ananta-pārasya — of the unlimited; nivṛttitaḥ — retired
from;  sukham  — material happiness;  pravartamānasya  — those who are attached
to;  guṇaiḥ— by the material qualities;  anātmanaḥ  — devoid of knowledge in spiritual
value;  tataḥ  — therefore;  bhavān  — Your Goodness;  darśaya  — show the
ways; ceṣṭitam — activities; vibhoḥ — of the Lord.

Translation

The Supreme Lord is unlimited. Only a very expert personality, retired from the
activities of material happiness, deserves to understand this knowledge of spiritual
values. Therefore those who are not so well situated, due to material attachment,
should be shown the ways of transcendental realization, by Your Goodness, through
descriptions of the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord.

Text 17
tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer
bhajann apakvo ’tha patet tato yadi
yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ
ko vārtha āpto ’bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ

Synonyms

tyaktvā — having forsaken; sva-dharmam — one’s own occupational engagement; caraṇa-

ambujam  — the lotus feet;  hareḥ  — of Hari (the Lord);  bhajan  — in the course of
devotional service;  apakvaḥ  — immature;  atha  — for the matter of;  patet  — falls
down; tataḥ — from that place; yadi — if; yatra — whereupon; kva — what sort of; vā —
or (used sarcastically);  abhadram  — unfavorable;  abhūt  — shall happen;  amuṣya  — of
him; kim — nothing; kaḥ vā  arthaḥ  — what interest;  āptaḥ  — obtained;  abhajatām  — of
the nondevotee; sva-dharmataḥ — being engaged in occupational service.
 Translation

One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of
the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger
of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in
occupational duties, does not gain anything.

Text 18
tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ
kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā

Synonyms

tasya  — for that purpose;  eva  — only;  hetoḥ  — reason;  prayateta  — should
endeavor;  kovidaḥ  — one who is philosophically inclined;  na  labhyate  — is not
obtained; yat — what; bhramatām — wandering; upari adhaḥ — from top to bottom; tat —
that; labhyate — can be obtained; duḥkhavat — like the miseries; anyataḥ — as a result of
previous work;  sukham  — sense enjoyment;  kālena  — in course of time;  sarvatra  —
everywhere; gabhīra — subtle; raṁhasā — progress.

Translation

Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined should endeavor only
for that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost
planet [Brahmaloka] down to the lowest planet [Pātāla]. As far as happiness derived
from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time,
just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them.

Text 19
 na vai jano jātu kathañcanāvrajen
mukunda-sevy anyavad aṅga saṁsṛtim
smaran mukundāṅghry-upagūhanaṁ punar
vihātum icchen na rasa-graho janaḥ

Synonyms

na  — never;  vai  — certainly;  janaḥ  — a person;  jātu  — at any time;  kathañcana  —
somehow or other;  āvrajet— does not undergo;  mukunda-sevī  — the devotee of the
Lord;  anyavat  — like others;  aṅga  — O my dear;  saṁsṛtim  — material
existence;  smaran  — remembering;  mukunda-aṅghri  — the lotus feet of the
Lord; upagūhanam — embracing; punaḥ — again; vihātum — willing to give up; icchet —
desire; na — never; rasa-grahaḥ — one who has relished the mellow; janaḥ — person.

Translation

My dear Vyāsa, even though a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa sometimes falls down somehow
or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence like others [fruitive workers,
etc.] because a person who has once relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can
do nothing but remember that ecstasy again and again.

Text 20
idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaro
yato jagat-sthāna-nirodha-sambhavāḥ
tad dhi svayaṁ veda bhavāṁs tathāpi te
prādeśa-mātraṁ bhavataḥ pradarśitam

Synonyms

idam — this; hi — all; viśvam  — cosmos;  bhagavān  — the Supreme Lord;  iva  — almost
the same;  itaraḥ  — different from;  yataḥ  — from whom;  jagat  — the worlds;  sthāna  —
exist;  nirodha  — annihilation;  sambhavāḥ  — creation;  tat  hi  — all about;  svayam  —
personally;  veda  — know;  bhavān  — your good self;  tathā  api  — still;  te  — unto
you; prādeśa-mātram — a synopsis only; bhavataḥ — unto you; pradarśitam — explained.

Translation

The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is Himself this cosmos, and still He is aloof
from it. From Him only has this cosmic manifestation emanated, in Him it rests, and
unto Him it enters after annihilation. Your good self knows all about this. I have given
only a synopsis.

Text 21
tvam ātmanātmānam avehy amogha-dṛk
parasya puṁsaḥ paramātmanaḥ kalām
ajaṁ prajātaṁ jagataḥ śivāya tan
mahānubhāvābhyudayo ’dhigaṇyatām

Synonyms

tvam — yourself; ātmanā — by your own self; ātmānam— the Supersoul; avehi — search

out;  amogha-dṛk  — one who has perfect vision;  parasya  — of the
Transcendence; puṁsaḥ — the Personality of Godhead; paramātmanaḥ — of the Supreme
Lord; kalām — plenary part; ajam — birthless; prajātam — have taken birth; jagataḥ — of
the world;  śivāya  — for the well-being;  tat  — that;  mahā-anubhāva  — of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa;  abhyudayaḥ  — pastimes;  adhigaṇya-tām  — describe
most vividly.

Translation

Your Goodness has perfect vision. You yourself can know the Supersoul Personality of
Godhead because you are present as the plenary portion of the Lord. Although you are
birthless, you have appeared on this earth for the well-being of all people. Please,
therefore, describe the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa more vividly.
 Text 22
idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā
sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ
avicyuto ’rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito
yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam

Synonyms

idam  — this;  hi  — certainly;  puṁsaḥ  — of everyone;  tapasaḥ  — by dint of

austerities;  śrutasya  — by dint of study of the  Vedas;  vā  — or;  sviṣṭasya  —
sacrifice;  sūktasya  — spiritual education;  ca  — and;  buddhi  — culture of
knowledge; dattayoḥ — charity; avicyutaḥ — infallible; arthaḥ — interest; kavibhiḥ — by
the recognized learned person;  nirūpitaḥ  — concluded;  yat— what;  uttamaśloka  — the
Lord, who is described by choice poetry;  guṇa-anuvarṇanam  — description of the
transcendental qualities of.

Translation

Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the
advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting
of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who
is defined in choice poetry.

Text 23
ahaṁ purātīta-bhave ’bhavaṁ mune
dāsyās tu kasyāścana veda-vādinām
nirūpito bālaka eva yogināṁ
śuśrūṣaṇe prāvṛṣi nirvivikṣatām

Synonyms
aham  — I;  purā  — formerly;  atīta-bhave  — in the previous millennium;  abhavam  —
became;  mune  — O  muni;  dāsyāḥ  — of the maidservant;  tu  — but;  kasyāścana  —
certain;  veda-vādinām  — of the followers of  Vedānta;  nirūpitaḥ  — engaged;  bālakaḥ  —
boy servant;  eva  — only;  yoginām  — of the devotees;  śuśrūṣaṇe  — in the service
of; prāvṛṣi — during the four months of the rainy season; nirvivikṣatām — living together.

Translation

O Muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain maidservant engaged
in the service of brāhmaṇas who were following the principles of Vedānta. When they
were living together during the four months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their
personal service.

Text 24
te mayy apetākhila-cāpale ’rbhake
dānte ’dhṛta-krīḍanake ’nuvartini
cakruḥ kṛpāṁ yadyapi tulya-darśanāḥ
śuśrūṣamāṇe munayo ’lpa-bhāṣiṇi

Synonyms

te  — they;  mayi  — unto me;  apeta  — not having undergone;  akhila  — all kinds
of;  cāpale  — proclivities;  arbhake  — unto a boy;  dānte  — having controlled the
senses;  adhṛta-krīḍanake  — without being accustomed to sporting habits;  anuvartini  —
obedient;  cakruḥ  — did bestow;  kṛpām  — causeless mercy;  yadyapi  — although;  tulya-
darśanāḥ  — impartial by nature;  śuśrūṣamāṇe  — unto the faithful;  munayaḥ  —
the  muni  followers of the  Vedānta;  alpa-bhāṣiṇi  — one who does not speak more than
required.

Translation

Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the Vedānta blessed me
with their causeless mercy. As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no
attachment for sports, even though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty, and I
did not speak more than required.

Text 25
ucchiṣṭa-lepān anumodito dvijaiḥ
sakṛt sma bhuñje tad-apāsta-kilbiṣaḥ
evaṁ pravṛttasya viśuddha-cetasas
tad-dharma evātma-ruciḥ prajāyate

Synonyms

ucchiṣṭa-lepān — the remnants of foodstuff; anumoditaḥ — being permitted; dvijaiḥ — by

the Vedāntist  brāhmaṇas;  sakṛt  — once upon a time;  sma  — in the past;  bhuñje  —
took;  tat  — by that action;  apāsta— eliminated;  kilbiṣaḥ  — all sins;  evam  —
thus;  pravṛttasya  — being engaged;  viśuddha-cetasaḥ  — of one whose mind is
purified;  tat  — that particular;  dharmaḥ  — nature;  eva  — certainly;  ātma-ruciḥ  —
transcendental attraction; prajāyate — was manifested.

Translation

Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing all
my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and
at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me.

Text 26
tatrānvahaṁ kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ pragāyatām
anugraheṇāśṛṇavaṁ manoharāḥ
tāḥ śraddhayā me ’nupadaṁ viśṛṇvataḥ
priyaśravasy aṅga mamābhavad ruciḥ

Synonyms
tatra — thereupon; anu — every day; aham — I; kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ — narration of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s
activities;  pragāyatām  — describing;  anugraheṇa  — by causeless mercy;  aśṛṇavam  —
giving aural reception;  manaḥ-harāḥ  — attractive;  tāḥ  — those;  śraddhayā  —
respectfully;  me  — unto me;  anupadam  — every step;  viśṛṇvataḥ  — hearing
attentively; priyaśravasi — of the Personality of Godhead; aṅga — O Vyāsadeva; mama —
mine; abhavat — it so became; ruciḥ — taste.

Translation

O Vyāsadeva, in that association and by the mercy of those great Vedāntists, I could
hear them describe the attractive activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And thus listening
attentively, my taste for hearing of the Personality of Godhead increased at every step.

Text 27
tasmiṁs tadā labdha-rucer mahā-mate
priyaśravasy askhalitā matir mama
yayāham etat sad-asat sva-māyayā
paśye mayi brahmaṇi kalpitaṁ pare

Synonyms

tasmin  — it being so;  tadā  — at that time;  labdha  — achieved;  ruceḥ  — taste;  mahā-
mate  — O great sage;  priyaśravasi  — upon the Lord;  askhalitā  matiḥ  — uninterrupted
attention; mama — mine; yayā — by which; aham — I; etat — all these; sat-asat — gross
and subtle; sva-māyayā — one’s own ignorance; paśye — see; mayi — in me; brahmaṇi —
the Supreme; kalpitam— is accepted; pare — in the Transcendence.

Translation

O great sage, as soon as I got a taste of the Personality of Godhead, my attention to

hear of the Lord was unflinching. And as my taste developed, I could realize that it
was only in my ignorance that I had accepted gross and subtle coverings, for both the
Lord and I are transcendental.
 Text 28
itthaṁ śarat-prāvṛṣikāv ṛtū harer
viśṛṇvato me ’nusavaṁ yaśo ’malam
saṅkīrtyamānaṁ munibhir mahātmabhir
bhaktiḥ pravṛttātma-rajas-tamopahā

Synonyms

ittham — thus; śarat — autumn; prāvṛṣikau — rainy season; ṛtū — two seasons; hareḥ —

of the Lord;  viśṛṇvataḥ  — continuously hearing;  me  — myself;  anusavam  —
constantly;  yaśaḥ  amalam  — unadulterated glories;  saṅkīrtyamānam  — chanted
by;  munibhiḥ  — the great sages;  mahā-ātmabhiḥ  — great souls;  bhaktiḥ  — devotional
service; pravṛttā — began to flow; ātma — living being; rajaḥ — mode of passion; tama —
mode of ignorance; upahā — vanishing.

Translation

Thus during two seasons — the rainy season and autumn — I had the opportunity to
hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the unadulterated glories of the Lord
Hari. As the flow of my devotional service began, the coverings of the modes of passion
and ignorance vanished.

Text 29
tasyaivaṁ me ’nuraktasya
praśritasya hatainasaḥ
śraddadhānasya bālasya
dāntasyānucarasya ca

Synonyms

tasya — his; evam — thus;  me  — mine;  anuraktasya  — attached to them;  praśritasya  —

obediently;  hata  — freed from;  enasaḥ  — sins;  śraddadhānasya  — of the
faithful;  bālasya  — of the boy;  dāntasya  — subjugated;  anucarasya  — strictly following
the instructions; ca — and.

Translation

I was very much attached to those sages. I was gentle in behavior, and all my sins were
eradicated in their service. In my heart I had strong faith in them. I had subjugated
the senses, and I was strictly following them with body and mind.

Text 30
jñānaṁ guhyatamaṁ yat tat
sākṣād bhagavatoditam
anvavocan gamiṣyantaḥ
kṛpayā dīna-vatsalāḥ

Synonyms

jñānam  — knowledge;  guhyatamam  — most confidential;  yat  — what is;  tat  —

that;  sākṣāt  — directly;  bhagavatā  uditam  — propounded by the Lord
Himself; anvavocan — gave instruction; gamiṣyantaḥ — while departing from;  kṛpayā  —
by causeless mercy; dīna-vatsalāḥ — those who are very kind to the poor and meek.

Translation

As they were leaving, those bhakti-vedāntas, who are very kind to poor-hearted souls,
instructed me in that most confidential subject which is instructed by the Personality
of Godhead Himself.

Text 31
yenaivāhaṁ bhagavato
vāsudevasya vedhasaḥ
 māyānubhāvam avidaṁ
yena gacchanti tat-padam

Synonyms

yena  — by which;  eva  — certainly;  aham  — I;  bhagavataḥ  — of the Personality of

Godhead; vāsudevasya — of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; vedhasaḥ — of the supreme creator; māyā —
energy;  anubhāvam  — influence;  avidam  — easily understood;  yena  — by
which; gacchanti — they go; tat-padam — at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Translation

By that confidential knowledge, I could understand clearly the influence of the energy
of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the creator, maintainer and annihilator of everything. By knowing
that, one can return to Him and personally meet Him.

Text 32
etat saṁsūcitaṁ brahmaṁs
tāpa-traya-cikitsitam
yad īśvare bhagavati
karma brahmaṇi bhāvitam

Synonyms

etat  — this much;  saṁsūcitam  — decided by the learned;  brahman  —

O  brāhmaṇa  Vyāsa;  tāpa-traya  — three kinds of miseries;  cikitsitam  — remedial
measures; yat — what; īśvare — the supreme controller; bhagavati — unto the Personality
of Godhead; karma — one’s prescribed activities; brahmaṇi — unto the great; bhāvitam —
dedicated.

Translation
O Brāhmaṇa Vyāsadeva, it is decided by the learned that the best remedial measure
for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate one’s activities to the service of the
Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead [Śrī Kṛṣṇa].

Text 33
āmayo yaś ca bhūtānāṁ
jāyate yena suvrata
tad eva hy āmayaṁ dravyaṁ
na punāti cikitsitam

Synonyms

āmayaḥ  — diseases;  yaḥ  ca  — whatever;  bhūtānām  — of the living being;  jāyate  —
become possible;  yena  — by the agency;  suvrata  — O good soul;  tat  — that;  eva  —
very; hi — certainly;  āmayam  — disease;  dravyam  — thing;  na  — does it not;  punāti  —
cure; cikitsitam — treated with.

Translation

O good soul, does not a thing, applied therapeutically, cure a disease which was caused
by that very same thing?

Text 34
evaṁ nṛṇāṁ kriyā-yogāḥ
sarve saṁsṛti-hetavaḥ
ta evātma-vināśāya
kalpante kalpitāḥ pare

Synonyms

evam  — thus;  nṛṇām  — of the human being;  kriyā-yogāḥ  — all activities;  sarve  —
everything;  saṁsṛti  — material existence;  hetavaḥ  — causes;  te  — that;  eva  —
certainly;  ātma  — the tree of work;  vināśāya  — killing;  kalpante  — become
competent; kalpitāḥ — dedicated; pare — unto the Transcendence.

Translation

Thus when all a man’s activities are dedicated to the service of the Lord, those very
activities which caused his perpetual bondage become the destroyer of the tree of
work.

Text 35
yad atra kriyate karma
bhagavat-paritoṣaṇam
jñānaṁ yat tad adhīnaṁ hi
bhakti-yoga-samanvitam

Synonyms

yat  — whatever;  atra  — in this life or world;  kriyate  — does perform;  karma  —
work;  bhagavat  — unto the Personality of Godhead;  paritoṣaṇam  — satisfaction
of;  jñānam  — knowledge;  yat  tat  — what is so called;  adhīnam  — dependent;  hi  —
certainly; bhakti-yoga — devotional; samanvitam — dovetailed with bhakti-yoga.

Translation

Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the mission of the Lord is
called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service to the Lord, and what is called
knowledge becomes a concomitant factor.

Text 36
kurvāṇā yatra karmāṇi
bhagavac-chikṣayāsakṛt
 gṛṇanti guṇa-nāmāni
kṛṣṇasyānusmaranti ca

Synonyms

kurvāṇāḥ  — while performing;  yatra  — thereupon;  karmāṇi  — duties;  bhagavat  — the

Personality of Godhead;  śikṣayā  — by the will of;  asakṛt  — constantly;  gṛṇanti  — takes
on; guṇa — qualities; nāmāni — names; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; anusmaranti  — constantly
remembers; ca — and.

Translation

While performing duties according to the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names and His qualities.

Text 37
oṁ namo bhagavate tubhyaṁ
vāsudevāya dhīmahi
pradyumnāyāniruddhāya
namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca

Synonyms

oṁ  — the sign of chanting the transcendental glory of the Lord;  namaḥ  — offering
obeisances unto the Lord; bhagavate — unto the Personality of Godhead; tubhyam— unto
You;  vāsudevāya  — unto the Lord, the son of Vasudeva;  dhīmahi  — let us
chant;  pradyumnāya,  aniruddhāya  and  saṅkarṣaṇāya  — all plenary expansions of
Vāsudeva; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; ca — and.

Translation

Let us all chant the glories of Vāsudeva along with His plenary expansions
Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Saṅkarṣaṇa.
 Text 38
iti mūrty-abhidhānena
mantra-mūrtim amūrtikam
yajate yajña-puruṣaṁ
sa samyag-darśanaḥ pumān

Synonyms

iti  — thus;  mūrti  — representation;  abhidhānena  — in sound;  mantra-mūrtim  — form

representation of transcendental sound;  amūrtikam  — the Lord, who has no material
form; yajate — worship; yajña — Viṣṇu; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; saḥ — he
alone; samyak — perfectly; darśanaḥ — one who has seen; pumān — person.

Translation

Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of transcendental sound
representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who has no material
form.

Text 39
imaṁ sva-nigamaṁ brahmann
avetya mad-anuṣṭhitam
adān me jñānam aiśvaryaṁ
svasmin bhāvaṁ ca keśavaḥ

Synonyms

imam  — thus;  sva-nigamam  — confidential knowledge of the  Vedas  in respect to the

Supreme Personality of Godhead;  brahman  — O  brāhmaṇa  (Vyāsadeva);  avetya—
knowing it well; mat — by me; anuṣṭhitam — executed; adāt — bestowed upon me; me —
me;  jñānam— transcendental knowledge;  aiśvaryam  — opulence;  svasmin  —
personal; bhāvam — intimate affection and love; ca — and; keśavaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa.
 Translation

O brāhmaṇa, thus by the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa I was endowed first with the
transcendental knowledge of the Lord as inculcated in the confidential parts of the
Vedas, then with the spiritual opulences, and then with His intimate loving service.

Text 40
tvam apy adabhra-śruta viśrutaṁ vibhoḥ
samāpyate yena vidāṁ bubhutsitam
prākhyāhi duḥkhair muhur arditātmanāṁ
saṅkleśa-nirvāṇam uśanti nānyathā

Synonyms

tvam  — your good soul;  api  — also;  adabhra  — vast;  śruta  — Vedic
literatures;  viśrutam  — have heard also;  vibhoḥ  — of the Almighty;  samāpyate  —
satisfied; yena— by which; vidām — of the learned; bubhutsitam — who always desire to
learn transcendental knowledge; prākhyāhi — describe; duḥkhaiḥ — by miseries; muhuḥ—
always; ardita-ātmanām — suffering mass of people; saṅkleśa — sufferings;  nirvāṇam  —
mitigation; uśantina — do not get out of; anyathā — by other means.

Translation

Please, therefore, describe the almighty Lord’s activities which you have learned by
your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great learned
men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common people who
are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way to get out of
such miseries.