Narada Teaches Pundarika to Worship Narayana

Verse 1 (13.186.1)

यज्ज्ञेयं परमं कृत्यमनुष्ठेयं महात्मभिः । सारं मे सर्वशास्त्राणां वक्तुमर्हस्यनुग्रहात् ॥

yajjñeyaṃ paramaṃ kṛtyamanuṣṭheyaṃ mahātmabhiḥ | sāraṃ me sarvaśāstrāṇāṃ vaktumarhasyanugrahāt

Out of your grace, tell me the essence of all the scriptures: what is the highest thing to be known, and the highest duty to be practised by the great-souled.

Note on the text: Wikisource's first row ran together the speaker heading ('*युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।', page row 13-186-1x) with the verse; the heading is dropped from the Sanskrit and made the speaker. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0001-0002 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0001-0002). This whole adhyaya is vulgate/southern-manuscript only (the page's own note: अयमध्यायो दाक्षिणात्यकोशेष्वेव दृश्यते); in the CE it is App. I No. 13 (13.124.022d@013_0000-0049), inserted after 13.124.22.

Verse 2 (13.186.2)

श्रूयतामिदमत्यन्तं गूढं संसारमोचनम् । श्रोतव्यं च त्वया सम्यग्ज्ञातव्यं च विशाम्पते ॥

śrūyatāmidamatyantaṃ gūḍhaṃ saṃsāramocanam | śrotavyaṃ ca tvayā samyagjñātavyaṃ ca viśāmpate

Listen to this supremely secret teaching that frees one from the cycle of rebirth, O lord of men; it must be heard and thoroughly understood by you.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0003-0004 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0003-0004).

Verse 3 (13.186.3)

पुण्डरीकः पुरा विप्रः पुण्यतीर्थे जपान्वितः । नारदं परिपप्रच्छ श्रेयो योगपरं मुनिम् ॥

puṇḍarīkaḥ purā vipraḥ puṇyatīrthe japānvitaḥ | nāradaṃ paripapraccha śreyo yogaparaṃ munim

Long ago a brahmin named Pundarika, engaged in japa at a holy ford, asked the sage Narada, who was devoted to yoga, what was the highest good.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0005-0006 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0005-0006).

Verse 4 (13.186.4)

नारदश्चाब्रवीदेनं ब्रह्मणोक्तं महात्मना ॥

nāradaścābravīdenaṃ brahmaṇoktaṃ mahātmanā

And Narada told him what had been spoken by the great-souled Brahma.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: line 0007 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0007). The line stands alone as a half-verse in Wikisource, as it does in the CE.

Verse 5 (13.186.5)

शृणुष्वावहितस्तात ज्ञानयोगमनुत्तमम् । अप्रभूतं प्रभूतार्थं वेदशास्त्रार्थसंयुतम् ॥

śṛṇuṣvāvahitastāta jñānayogamanuttamam | aprabhūtaṃ prabhūtārthaṃ vedaśāstrārthasaṃyutam

Listen attentively, dear child, to the supreme knowledge of yoga: brief in words yet vast in meaning, in full accord with the meaning of the Vedas and scriptures.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0008-0009 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0008-0009). The page prints no speaker heading; verses 5-18 are Narada's teaching to Pundarika (introduced in verses 3-4), so they are given to Narada. The CE has no speaker label here (Bhishma's narration is the frame).

Verse 6 (13.186.6)

यः परः प्रकृतेः प्रोक्तः पुरुषः पञ्चविंशकः । स एव सर्वभूतात्मा नर इत्यभिधीयते ॥

yaḥ paraḥ prakṛteḥ proktaḥ puruṣaḥ pañcaviṃśakaḥ | sa eva sarvabhūtātmā nara ityabhidhīyate

The Person of the twenty-fifth principle, who is declared to be beyond Prakriti, is the Self of all beings and is called Nara.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0010-0011 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0010-0011). Corrected प्रकृते → प्रकृतेः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga, the ablative after परः; CE reads 'prakṛteḥ').

Verse 7 (13.186.7)

नराज्जातानि तत्वानि नाराणीति ततो विदुः । तान्येव चायनं तस्य तेन नारायणः स्मृतः ॥

narājjātāni tatvāni nārāṇīti tato viduḥ | tānyeva cāyanaṃ tasya tena nārāyaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ

The principles born of Nara are therefore known as the naras; these are his abode (ayana), and so he is remembered as Narayana.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0012-0013 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0012-0013). Wikisource spells तत्वानि (CE tattvāni); spelling variant, kept.

Verse 8 (13.186.8)

नारायणाज्जगत्सर्वं सर्गकाले प्रजायते । तस्मिन्नेव पुनस्तच्च प्रलये सम्प्रलीयते ॥

nārāyaṇājjagatsarvaṃ sargakāle prajāyate | tasminneva punastacca pralaye sampralīyate

From Narayana the whole world is born at the time of creation, and into him again it dissolves at the time of dissolution.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0014-0015 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0014-0015).

Verse 9 (13.186.9)

नारायणः परं ब्रह्म तत्वं नारायणः परः । परादपि परश्चासौ तस्मान्नास्ति परात्परः ॥

nārāyaṇaḥ paraṃ brahma tatvaṃ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ | parādapi paraścāsau tasmānnāsti parātparaḥ

Narayana is the supreme Brahman; Narayana is the supreme Reality. He is higher even than the highest, and there is nothing higher than that Highest.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0016-0017 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0016-0017).

Verse 10 (13.186.10)

वासुदेवं तथा विष्णुमात्मानं च तथा विदुः । संज्ञाभेदैः स एवैकः सर्वशास्त्राभिसंस्कृतः ॥

vāsudevaṃ tathā viṣṇumātmānaṃ ca tathā viduḥ | saṃjñābhedaiḥ sa evaikaḥ sarvaśāstrābhisaṃskṛtaḥ

They know him as Vasudeva, as Vishnu, and also as the Self. He is one alone, set forth by all the scriptures under differing names.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0018-0019 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0018-0019).

Verse 11 (13.186.11)

आलोड्य सर्वशास्त्राणि विचार्य च पुनःपुनः । इदमेकं सुनिष्पन्नं ध्येयो नारायणः सदा ॥

āloḍya sarvaśāstrāṇi vicārya ca punaḥpunaḥ | idamekaṃ suniṣpannaṃ dhyeyo nārāyaṇaḥ sadā

Having churned through all the scriptures and reflected again and again, this one thing is firmly established: Narayana is always to be meditated upon.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0020-0021 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0020-0021).

Verse 12 (13.186.12)

तस्मात्त्वं गहनान्सर्वांस्त्यक्त्वा शास्त्रार्थविस्तरान् । अनन्यचेता ध्यायस्व नारायणमजं विभुम् ॥

tasmāttvaṃ gahanānsarvāṃstyaktvā śāstrārthavistarān | ananyacetā dhyāyasva nārāyaṇamajaṃ vibhum

Therefore, leaving aside all the dense elaborations of the scriptures' meanings, meditate with a one-pointed mind on Narayana, the unborn and all-pervading.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0022-0023 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0022-0023).

Verse 13 (13.186.13)

मुहूर्तमपि यो ध्यायेन्नारायणमतन्द्रितः । सोऽपि तद्गतिमाप्नोति किं पुनस्तत्परायणः ॥

muhūrtamapi yo dhyāyennārāyaṇamatandritaḥ | so'pi tadgatimāpnoti kiṃ punastatparāyaṇaḥ

Even one who meditates on Narayana for a single moment, without laziness, attains his state; how much more one who is wholly devoted to him!

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0024-0025 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0024-0025). Corrected मुहूर्तिमपि → मुहूर्तमपि (misprint in Wikisource; spurious ि; CE reads 'muhūrtam api').

Verse 14 (13.186.14)

नमो नारायणायेति यो वेद ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् । अन्त्यकाले जपन्नेति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥

namo nārāyaṇāyeti yo veda brahma śāśvatam | antyakāle japanneti tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam

He who knows 'Namo Nārāyaṇāya' to be the eternal Brahman, and utters it at the hour of death, reaches that supreme abode of Vishnu.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0026-0027 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0026-0027).

Verse 15 (13.186.15)

श्रवणान्मननाच्चैव गीतिस्तुत्यर्चनादिभिः । आराध्यं सर्वदा ब्रह्म पुरुषेण हितैषिणा ॥

śravaṇānmananāccaiva gītistutyarcanādibhiḥ | ārādhyaṃ sarvadā brahma puruṣeṇa hitaiṣiṇā

By hearing, reflection, song, praise, worship and the like, Brahman is to be worshipped at all times by a man who seeks his own good.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0028-0029 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0028-0029).

Verse 16 (13.186.16)

लिप्यते न स पापेन नारायणपरायणः । पुनाति सकलं लोकं सहस्रांशुरिवोदितः ॥

lipyate na sa pāpena nārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ | punāti sakalaṃ lokaṃ sahasrāṃśurivoditaḥ

One who is wholly devoted to Narayana is not stained by sin; like the risen sun of a thousand rays, he purifies the whole world.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0030-0031 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0030-0031).

Verse 17 (13.186.17)

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थोऽपि वानप्रस्थोऽथ भिक्षुकः । केशवाराधनं हित्वा नैव याति परां गतिम् ॥

brahmacārī gṛhastho'pi vānaprastho'tha bhikṣukaḥ | keśavārādhanaṃ hitvā naiva yāti parāṃ gatim

Whether a student, a householder, a forest-dweller or a mendicant, no one who abandons the worship of Keshava reaches the highest goal.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0032-0033 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0032-0033).

Verse 18 (13.186.18)

जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु दुर्लभा तद्गता मतिः । तद्भक्तवत्सलं देवं समराधय सुव्रत ॥

janmāntarasahasreṣu durlabhā tadgatā matiḥ | tadbhaktavatsalaṃ devaṃ samarādhaya suvrata

In thousands of other births a mind fixed on him is hard to find. Worship, O man of good vows, the God who is fond of his devotees.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0034-0035 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0034-0035).

Verse 19 (13.186.19)

नारदेनैवमुक्तस्तु स विप्रोऽभ्यर्चयद्धरिम् । स्वप्नेऽपि पुण्डरीकाक्षं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् ॥

nāradenaivamuktastu sa vipro'bhyarcayaddharim | svapne'pi puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ śaṅkhacakragadādharam

Thus instructed by Narada, that brahmin worshipped Hari, the lotus-eyed bearer of conch, discus and mace, even in dreams.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0036-0037 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0036-0037). The page prints no new heading, but the narrative of Pundarika's worship (verses 19-22) is Bhishma's, resuming after Narada's teaching. Corrected स्वप्नोऽपि → स्वप्नेऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; wrong vowel sign, the locative 'even in a dream'; CE reads 'svapne 'pi').

Verse 20 (13.186.20)

किरीटकुण्डलधरं लसच्छ्रीवत्सकौस्तुभम् । तं दृष्ट्वा देवदेवेशं प्राणमत्सम्भ्रमान्वितः ॥

kirīṭakuṇḍaladharaṃ lasacchrīvatsakaustubham | taṃ dṛṣṭvā devadeveśaṃ prāṇamatsambhramānvitaḥ

He saw the God of gods, wearing crown and earrings, the Shrivatsa mark and the Kaustubha gem shining on his breast, and bowed down to him in awe.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0038-0039 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0038-0039).

Verse 21 (13.186.21)

अथ कालेन महता तथा प्रत्यक्षतां गतः । संस्तुतः स्तुतिभिर्वेदैर्देवगन्धर्वकिन्नरैः ॥

atha kālena mahatā tathā pratyakṣatāṃ gataḥ | saṃstutaḥ stutibhirvedairdevagandharvakinnaraiḥ

Then, after a long time, he became visible to him directly, praised in hymns by the Vedas and by gods, gandharvas and kinnaras.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0040-0041 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0040-0041).

Verse 22 (13.186.22)

अथ तेनैव भगवानात्मलोकमधोक्षजः । गतः सम्पूजितः सर्वैः स योगिनिलयो हरिः ॥

atha tenaiva bhagavānātmalokamadhokṣajaḥ | gataḥ sampūjitaḥ sarvaiḥ sa yoginilayo hariḥ

Then the Lord Adhokshaja, Hari, the abode of yogis, went to his own world, honoured by all.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0042-0043 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0042-0043). Corrected सम्प्रजितः → सम्पूजितः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ू; CE reads 'saṃpūjitaḥ').

Verse 23 (13.186.23)

तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र तद्भक्तस्तत्परायणः । अर्चयित्वा यथायोगं भजस्व पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥

tasmāttvamapi rājendra tadbhaktastatparāyaṇaḥ | arcayitvā yathāyogaṃ bhajasva puruṣottamam

Therefore, O king of kings, you too should be his devotee and wholly devoted to him; having worshipped him as is fitting, adore the Supreme Person.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0044-0045 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0044-0045). Bhishma now turns to Yudhishthira ('राजेन्द्र').

Verse 24 (13.186.24)

अजरममरमेकं ध्येयमाद्यन्तशून्यं । सगुणमगुणमाद्यं स्थूलमत्यन्तसूक्ष्मम् । निरुपममुपमेयं योगिविज्ञानगम्यं । त्रिभुवनगुरुमीशं सम्प्रपद्यस्व विष्णुम् ॥

ajaramamaramekaṃ dhyeyamādyantaśūnyaṃ | saguṇamaguṇamādyaṃ sthūlamatyantasūkṣmam | nirupamamupameyaṃ yogivijñānagamyaṃ | tribhuvanagurumīśaṃ samprapadyasva viṣṇum

Take refuge in Vishnu, the lord and teacher of the three worlds: ageless, deathless, one, the object of meditation, without beginning or end; with qualities and without qualities; the primal; gross and yet infinitely subtle; without equal and yet comparable; to be reached by the insight of the yogis.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 0046-0049 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 13, printed after 13.124.22 as 13,124.022d@013_0046-0049). The CE reads 'tvaṃ prapadyasva' against Wikisource's सम्प्रपद्यस्व (recension variant, kept).