The Greatness of Vasudeva; Yudhishthira Takes Refuge in Krishna

Verse 1 (6.67.1)

वासुदेवो महद्भूतं सर्वलोकेषु कथ्यते । तस्यागमं प्रतिष्ठां च ज्ञातुमिच्छे पितामह ॥

vāsudevo mahadbhūtaṃ sarvalokeṣu kathyate | tasyāgamaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ ca jñātumicche pitāmaha

Vasudeva is spoken of in all the worlds as a great being. I wish to know his origin and his standing, Grandsire.

Verse 2 (6.67.2)

वासुदेवो महद्भूतं सर्वदैवतदैवतम् । न परं पुण्डरीकाक्षाद्दृश्यते भरतर्षभ ॥

vāsudevo mahadbhūtaṃ sarvadaivatadaivatam | na paraṃ puṇḍarīkākṣāddṛśyate bharatarṣabha

Vasudeva is the great being, the god of all the gods. Nothing higher than the lotus-eyed one is to be seen, O bull of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: = 6.63.2ab + 2cd; the alignment missed it. सर्वदैवतदैवतम् (CE saṃbhūtaṃ saha daivataiḥ) kept as a recension variant. The critical edition's third line (2ef) opens verse 4 here.

Verse 3 (6.67.3)

श्रुतं मे तात रामस्य जामदग्न्यस्य जल्पतः । नारदस्य च देवर्षेः कृष्णद्वैपायनस्य च । असितो देवलश्चापि वालखिल्यास्तपोधनाः ॥

śrutaṃ me tāta rāmasya jāmadagnyasya jalpataḥ | nāradasya ca devarṣeḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanasya ca | asito devalaścāpi vālakhilyāstapodhanāḥ

I have heard it, dear child, from Rama son of Jamadagni as he spoke, from Narada the divine seer and from Krishna Dvaipayana; Asita Devala too, and the Valakhilyas rich in austerity,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records these three lines in its apparatus as the star passage 6.63.2d*0263 (lines 1–3), printed between 6.63.2cd and 2ef.

Verse 4 (6.67.4)

मार्कण्डेयश्च गोविन्दे कथयत्यद्भुतं महत् । सर्वभूतादिभूतात्मा महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः ॥

mārkaṇḍeyaśca govinde kathayatyadbhutaṃ mahat | sarvabhūtādibhūtātmā mahātmā puruṣottamaḥ

and Markandeya tell great wonders about Govinda. The self of the first of all beings, the great-souled Supreme Person,

Note on the text: = 6.63.2ef + 3ab (Wikisource divides the critical edition's three-line verses 6.63.2–4 into couplets; the alignment missed verses 2–6). गोविन्दे and सर्वभूतादिभूतात्मा (CE govindaṃ, sarvabhūtāni bhūtātmā) kept as recension variants.

Verse 5 (6.67.5)

आपो वायुश्च तेजश्च त्रयमेतदकल्पयत् । स सृष्ट्वा पृथिवीं देवीं सर्वलोकेश्वरः प्रभुः ॥

āpo vāyuśca tejaśca trayametadakalpayat | sa sṛṣṭvā pṛthivīṃ devīṃ sarvalokeśvaraḥ prabhuḥ

created these three: water, wind and fire. Having created the goddess Earth, the lord of all the worlds,

Note on the text: = 6.63.3cd + 4ab (देवीं for devaḥ).

Verse 6 (6.67.6)

अप्सु वै शयनं चक्रे महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः । सर्वदेवमयो देवः शयानः शयने सुखम् ॥

apsu vai śayanaṃ cakre mahātmā puruṣottamaḥ | sarvadevamayo devaḥ śayānaḥ śayane sukham

the great-souled Supreme Person, made his bed upon the waters; the god in whom all the gods dwell lay there at ease upon his couch.

Note on the text: = 6.63.4cd + 4ef; line 2 सर्वदेवमयो देवः शयानः शयने सुखम् (CE sarvatoyamayo devo yogāt suṣvāpa tatra ha) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 7 (6.67.7)

मुखतः सोऽग्निमसृजत्प्राणाद्वायुमथापि च । सरस्वतीं च वेदांश्च मनसः ससृजेऽच्युतः ॥

mukhataḥ so'gnimasṛjatprāṇādvāyumathāpi ca | sarasvatīṃ ca vedāṃśca manasaḥ sasṛje'cyutaḥ

From his mouth he created fire, from his breath wind; and from his mind the Imperishable One created Sarasvati and the Vedas.

Note on the text: Corrected ससृजेऽच्युत → ससृजेऽच्युतः (misprint in Wikisource; the dropped visarga leaves a vocative, but अच्युतः is the subject of ससृजे; the critical edition reads 'cyutaḥ).

Verse 8 (6.67.8)

एष लोकान्ससर्जादौ देवांश्च ऋषिभिः सह । अमृतं चैव मृत्युं च प्रजानां प्रभवाप्ययौ ॥

eṣa lokānsasarjādau devāṃśca ṛṣibhiḥ saha | amṛtaṃ caiva mṛtyuṃ ca prajānāṃ prabhavāpyayau

In the beginning he created the worlds, and the gods together with the seers; immortality too, and death; he is the origin and the dissolution of creatures.

Note on the text: Corrected एषक → एष (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क; the critical edition reads eṣa). देवांश्च ऋषिभिः सह and line 2 अमृतं चैव मृत्युं च प्रजानां प्रभवाप्ययौ (CE devāṃś carṣigaṇaiḥ saha; nidhanaṃ caiva mṛtyuṃ ca prajānāṃ prabhavo 'vyayaḥ) kept as recension variants; the page's own gloss explains प्रभव and अप्यय.

Verse 9 (6.67.9)

एष धर्मश्च धर्मज्ञो वरदः सर्वकामदः । एष कर्ता च कार्यं च आदेरादिः स्वयं प्रभुः ॥

eṣa dharmaśca dharmajño varadaḥ sarvakāmadaḥ | eṣa kartā ca kāryaṃ ca āderādiḥ svayaṃ prabhuḥ

He is dharma and the knower of dharma, the giver of boons, the granter of all desires; he is the doer and the deed, the beginning of the beginning, himself the lord.

Note on the text: आदेरादिः स्वयं प्रभुः (CE pūrvadevaḥ svayaṃprabhuḥ) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 10 (6.67.10)

भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च पूर्वमेतदकल्पयत् । उभे सन्ध्ये दिवः खं च नियमांश्च जनार्दनः ॥

bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhaviṣyacca pūrvametadakalpayat | ubhe sandhye divaḥ khaṃ ca niyamāṃśca janārdanaḥ

Janardana first fashioned past, present and future; the two twilights, the heavens and the sky, and the rules of conduct.

Note on the text: दिवः and नियमांश्च (CE diśaḥ, niyamaṃ ca) kept as recension variants.

Verse 11 (6.67.11)

ऋषींश्चैव हि गोविन्दस्तपश्चैवाभ्यकल्पयत् । स्रष्टारं जगतश्चापि महात्मा प्रभुरव्ययः ॥

ṛṣīṃścaiva hi govindastapaścaivābhyakalpayat | sraṣṭāraṃ jagataścāpi mahātmā prabhuravyayaḥ

Govinda fashioned the seers and austerity as well; the great-souled, imperishable lord also fashioned the creator of the world.

Verse 12 (6.67.12)

अग्रजं सर्वभूतानां संकर्षणमकल्पयत् । शेषं चाकल्पयद्देवमनन्तमिति तं विदुः ॥

agrajaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ saṃkarṣaṇamakalpayat | śeṣaṃ cākalpayaddevamanantamiti taṃ viduḥ

He fashioned Sankarshana, the firstborn of all beings; and he fashioned the god Shesha, whom they know as Ananta,

Verse 13 (6.67.13)

यो धारयति भूतानि धरां चेमां सपर्वताम् । ध्यानयोगेन विप्राश्च तं विदन्ति महौजसम् । कर्णस्रोतोभवं चापि मधुं नाम महासुरम् ॥

yo dhārayati bhūtāni dharāṃ cemāṃ saparvatām | dhyānayogena viprāśca taṃ vidanti mahaujasam | karṇasrotobhavaṃ cāpi madhuṃ nāma mahāsuram

who upholds all beings and this earth with its mountains; and the brahmins know him through the yoga of meditation as the one of great might. The great asura named Madhu, born from the wax of the ear,

Note on the text: A three-line verse = 6.63.11ab, 11cd and 12ab; the alignment missed it. विदन्ति and कर्णस्रोतोभवं (CE vadanti, karṇasrotodbhavaṃ) kept as recension variants.

Verse 14 (6.67.14)

तमुग्रमुग्रकर्माणमुग्रां बुद्धिं समास्थितम् । हरन्तं ब्रह्मणो वेदाञ्जघान ब्रह्मणः पिता । ब्रह्मणोऽपचितिं कुर्वन्महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः ॥

tamugramugrakarmāṇamugrāṃ buddhiṃ samāsthitam | harantaṃ brahmaṇo vedāñjaghāna brahmaṇaḥ pitā | brahmaṇo'pacitiṃ kurvanmahātmā puruṣottamaḥ

that fierce one of fierce deeds, bent on a fierce purpose, who was carrying off Brahma's Vedas, him the father of Brahma, the great-souled Supreme Person, slew, doing honour to Brahma.

Note on the text: A three-line verse: lines 1 and 3 are 6.63.12cd and 12ef (line 3 ends महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः where the critical edition reads jaghāna puruṣottamaḥ, the verb standing in line 2 here); line 2 is the critical edition's star passage 6.63.12d*0265, not in the constituted text. Corrected बुद्धइं → बुद्धिं (misprint in Wikisource; a detached इ for the i-sign) and ब्रह्मणोपचितिं → ब्रह्मणोऽपचितिं (missing avagraha: ब्रह्मणः अपचितिं, "honour to Brahma"; the critical edition reads brahmaṇo 'pacitiṃ).

Verse 15 (6.67.15)

तस्य तात वधादेव देवदानवमानवाः । मधुसूदनमित्याहुर्ऋषयश्च जनार्दनम् ॥

tasya tāta vadhādeva devadānavamānavāḥ | madhusūdanamityāhurṛṣayaśca janārdanam

Because of that slaying, dear child, gods, danavas and men, and the seers too, call Janardana Madhusudana,

Note on the text: = 6.63.13ab + 13cd; the alignment missed verses 15–18 (Wikisource divides the critical edition's three-line verses 6.63.13 and 15 into couplets).

Verse 16 (6.67.16)

वराहं नारसिंहं च त्रिविक्रममिति प्रभुम् । एष धाता विधाता च सर्वेषां प्राणिनां हरिः ॥

varāhaṃ nārasiṃhaṃ ca trivikramamiti prabhum | eṣa dhātā vidhātā ca sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ hariḥ

and they call the Lord Varaha, Narasimha and Trivikrama. He, Hari, is the ordainer and the disposer of all living beings.

Note on the text: = 6.63.13ef + 14ab. Line 1 वराहं नारसिंहं च त्रिविक्रममिति प्रभुम् (accusatives, objects of आहुः in the previous verse; CE varāhaś caiva siṃhaś ca trivikramagatiḥ prabhuḥ) and एष धाता विधाता च (CE eṣa mātā pitā caiva) kept as recension variants. Corrected प्रामिनां → प्राणिनां (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण; the critical edition reads prāṇināṃ).

Verse 17 (6.67.17)

परं हि पुण्डरीकाक्षान्न भूतं न भविष्यति । मुखतः सोऽसृजद्विप्रान्बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रियांस्तथा ॥

paraṃ hi puṇḍarīkākṣānna bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati | mukhataḥ so'sṛjadviprānbāhubhyāṃ kṣatriyāṃstathā

Nothing higher than the lotus-eyed one has been or will be. From his mouth he created the brahmins, from his arms the kshatriyas,

Note on the text: = 6.63.14cd + 15ab. Corrected सोसृजद् → सोऽसृजद् (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha, सः असृजत्). सोऽसृजद्विप्रान् (CE 'sṛjad brāhmaṇān) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 18 (6.67.18)

वैश्यांश्चाप्यूरुतो राजञ्शूद्रान्पद्भ्यां तथैव च । तपसा नियतं देवं निधानं सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥

vaiśyāṃścāpyūruto rājañśūdrānpadbhyāṃ tathaiva ca | tapasā niyataṃ devaṃ nidhānaṃ sarvadehinām

from his thighs the vaishyas, O king, and from his feet likewise the shudras. The god who is steadfast in austerity, the treasure-house of all embodied beings,

Note on the text: = 6.63.15cd + 15ef; line 2 तपसा नियतं देवं (accusative, the object of परिचरन् in the next verse; CE tapasā niyato devo) kept as a recension variant. Word division तथैवच → तथैव च.

Verse 19 (6.67.19)

ब्रह्मभूतममावास्यां पौर्णमास्यां तथैव च । योगभूतं परिचरन्केशवं महदाप्नुयात् ॥

brahmabhūtamamāvāsyāṃ paurṇamāsyāṃ tathaiva ca | yogabhūtaṃ paricarankeśavaṃ mahadāpnuyāt

Keshava, who is Brahman, who is yoga: whoever serves him on the new-moon and the full-moon days attains greatness.

Verse 20 (6.67.20)

केशवः परमं तेजः सर्वलोकपितामहः । एवमाहुर्हृषीकेशं मुनयो वै नराधिप ॥

keśavaḥ paramaṃ tejaḥ sarvalokapitāmahaḥ | evamāhurhṛṣīkeśaṃ munayo vai narādhipa

Keshava is the supreme radiance, the grandsire of all the worlds; so the sages speak of Hrishikesha, O lord of men.

Note on the text: Corrected एवमार्हुर् → एवमाहुर् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र्; the critical edition reads evam āhur).

Verse 21 (6.67.21)

एवमेनं विजानीहि आचार्यं पितरं गुरुम् । कृष्णो यस्य प्रसीदेत लोकास्तेनाक्षया जिताः ॥

evamenaṃ vijānīhi ācāryaṃ pitaraṃ gurum | kṛṣṇo yasya prasīdeta lokāstenākṣayā jitāḥ

Know him thus as teacher, father and guru. He with whom Krishna is pleased has won the imperishable worlds.

Verse 22 (6.67.22)

यश्चैवैनं भयस्थाने केशवं शरणं व्रजेत् । सदा नरः पठंश्चेदं स्वस्तिमान्स सुखी भवेत् ॥

yaścaivainaṃ bhayasthāne keśavaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajet | sadā naraḥ paṭhaṃścedaṃ svastimānsa sukhī bhavet

Whoever, in a time of fear, goes to Keshava for refuge, and the man who always recites this, will be prosperous and happy.

Verse 23 (6.67.23)

ये च कृष्णं प्रपद्यन्ते ते न मुह्यन्ति मानवाः । भये महति मग्नांश्च पाति नित्यं जनार्दनः ॥

ye ca kṛṣṇaṃ prapadyante te na muhyanti mānavāḥ | bhaye mahati magnāṃśca pāti nityaṃ janārdanaḥ

Those men who take refuge in Krishna are not deluded. Janardana ever protects those sunk in great fear.

Note on the text: Corrected जनार्दनःक → जनार्दनः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क after the visarga; the critical edition reads janārdanaḥ). मग्नांश्च (CE ye magnāḥ) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 24 (6.67.24)

स तं युधिष्ठिरो ज्ञात्वा याथातथ्येन भारत । सर्वात्मना महात्मानं केशवं जगदीश्वरम् । प्रपन्नः शरणं राजन्योगानां प्रभुमीश्वरम् ॥

sa taṃ yudhiṣṭhiro jñātvā yāthātathyena bhārata | sarvātmanā mahātmānaṃ keśavaṃ jagadīśvaram | prapannaḥ śaraṇaṃ rājanyogānāṃ prabhumīśvaram

Knowing him truly, O Bharata, Yudhishthira has taken refuge with his whole being, O king, in the great-souled Keshava, lord of the world, master and lord of all yogas.

Note on the text: स तं and प्रभुमीश्वरम् (CE etad, īśvaraṃ prabhum) kept as recension variants.