How Krishna Is Known

Verse 1 (5.68.1)

कथं त्वं माधवं वेत्थ सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् । कथमेनं न वेदाहं तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय ॥

kathaṃ tvaṃ mādhavaṃ vettha sarvalokamaheśvaram | kathamenaṃ na vedāhaṃ tanmamācakṣva sañjaya

"How do you know Madhava as the great lord of all the worlds, and how is it that I do not know him? Tell me this, Sanjaya."

Verse 2 (5.68.2)

शृणु राजन्न ते विद्या मम विद्या न हीयते । विद्याहीनस्तमोध्वस्तो नाभिजानाति केशवम् ॥

śṛṇu rājanna te vidyā mama vidyā na hīyate | vidyāhīnastamodhvasto nābhijānāti keśavam

"Listen, O king. You have no knowledge, while my knowledge does not fail. One without knowledge, his mind overcome by darkness, does not recognise Keshava.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; श्रृ for शृ). शृणु (CE vidyā) is kept as a variant.

Verse 3 (5.68.3)

विद्यया तात जानामि त्रियुगं मधुसूदनम् । कर्तारमकृतं देवं भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययम् ॥

vidyayā tāta jānāmi triyugaṃ madhusūdanam | kartāramakṛtaṃ devaṃ bhūtānāṃ prabhavāpyayam

It is through knowledge, dear sir, that I know Madhusudana, who appears in three ages: the maker who was never made, the god who is the origin and the end of all beings."

Verse 4 (5.68.4)

गावल्गणेऽत्र का भक्तिर्या ते नित्या जनार्दने । यया त्वमभिजानासि त्रियुगं मधुसूदनम् ॥

gāvalgaṇe'tra kā bhaktiryā te nityā janārdane | yayā tvamabhijānāsi triyugaṃ madhusūdanam

"Son of Gavalgana, what is this constant devotion of yours to Janardana, by which you know Madhusudana, who appears in three ages?"

Verse 5 (5.68.5)

मायां न सेवे भद्रं ते न वृथाधर्ममाचरे । शुद्धभावं गतो भक्त्या शास्त्राद्वेद्मि जनार्दनम् ॥

māyāṃ na seve bhadraṃ te na vṛthādharmamācare | śuddhabhāvaṃ gato bhaktyā śāstrādvedmi janārdanam

"Bless you, I do not resort to deceit, nor do I practise an empty dharma. Made pure in heart by devotion, I know Janardana from the scriptures."

Note on the text: Corrected शास्त्रद्वेद्मि → शास्त्राद्वेद्मि (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ā, the ablative शास्त्रात् is needed; CE śāstrād vedmi).

Verse 6 (5.68.6)

दुर्योधन हृषीकेशं प्रपद्यस्व जनार्दनम् । आप्तो नः सञ्जयस्तात शरणं गच्छ केशवम् ॥

duryodhana hṛṣīkeśaṃ prapadyasva janārdanam | āpto naḥ sañjayastāta śaraṇaṃ gaccha keśavam

"Duryodhana, take refuge in Hrishikesha, Janardana. Sanjaya is one we can trust, my son. Go to Keshava for shelter."

Verse 7 (5.68.7)

भगवान्देवकीपुत्रो लोकांश्चेन्निहनिष्यति । प्रवदन्नर्जुने सख्यं नाहं गच्छेऽद्य केशवम् ॥

bhagavāndevakīputro lokāṃścennihaniṣyati | pravadannarjune sakhyaṃ nāhaṃ gacche'dya keśavam

"Even if the Blessed son of Devaki should destroy the worlds, I will not go to Keshava today, he who proclaims his friendship with Arjuna."

Verse 8 (5.68.8)

अवाग्गान्धारि पुत्रस्ते गच्छत्येष सुदुर्मतिः । ईर्ष्युर्दुरात्मा मानी च श्रेयसां वचनातिगः ॥

avāggāndhāri putraste gacchatyeṣa sudurmatiḥ | īrṣyurdurātmā mānī ca śreyasāṃ vacanātigaḥ

"Gandhari, this wicked son of yours is going to his downfall. Jealous, evil-hearted and proud, he passes over the words of those who wish him well."

Note on the text: Corrected ईर्षुर्दुरात्मा → ईर्ष्युर्दुरात्मा (misprint in Wikisource; the adjective is ईर्ष्यु, "jealous", with a dropped य्; CE īrṣyur). पुत्रस्ते (CE putrās te) is kept as a variant.

Verse 9 (5.68.9)

ऐश्वर्यकाम दुष्टात्मन्वृद्धानां शासनातिग । ऐश्वर्यजीविते हित्वा पितरं मां च बालिश ॥

aiśvaryakāma duṣṭātmanvṛddhānāṃ śāsanātiga | aiśvaryajīvite hitvā pitaraṃ māṃ ca bāliśa

"You who lust for power, wicked one, who defy the commands of your elders! Fool, casting away power and life, your father and me,

Note on the text: Corrected ऐश्वर्यजीतिते → ऐश्वर्यजीविते (misprint in Wikisource; त for व, जीतित is no word; CE aiśvaryajīvite).

Verse 10 (5.68.10)

वर्धयन्दुर्हृदां प्रीतिं मां च शोकेन वर्धयन् । निहतो भीमसेनेन स्मर्तासि वचनं पितुः ॥

vardhayandurhṛdāṃ prītiṃ māṃ ca śokena vardhayan | nihato bhīmasenena smartāsi vacanaṃ pituḥ

swelling the delight of your enemies and swelling my grief, you will remember your father's words when Bhimasena strikes you down."

Note on the text: Corrected स्मर्ताति → स्मर्तासि (misprint in Wikisource; the second-person future "you will remember" is needed; CE smartāsi).

Verse 11 (5.68.11)

प्रियोऽसि राजन्कृष्णस्य धृतराष्ट्र निबोध मे । यस्य ते सञ्जयो दूतो यस्त्वां श्रेयसि योक्ष्यते ॥

priyo'si rājankṛṣṇasya dhṛtarāṣṭra nibodha me | yasya te sañjayo dūto yastvāṃ śreyasi yokṣyate

"You are dear to Krishna, King Dhritarashtra; listen to me. Sanjaya is your envoy, and he will lead you to your good.

Verse 12 (5.68.12)

जानात्येष हृषीकेशं पुराणं यच्च वै परम् । शुश्रूषमाणमैकाग्र्यं मोक्ष्यते महतो भयात् ॥

jānātyeṣa hṛṣīkeśaṃ purāṇaṃ yacca vai param | śuśrūṣamāṇamaikāgryaṃ mokṣyate mahato bhayāt

He knows Hrishikesha, the ancient one, who is also the supreme. If you listen to him with one-pointed mind, he will free you from great fear.

Verse 13 (5.68.13)

वैचित्रवीर्य पुरुषाः क्रोधहर्षसमावृताः । सिता बहुविधैः पाशैर्ये न तुष्टाः स्वकैर्धनैः ॥

vaicitravīrya puruṣāḥ krodhaharṣasamāvṛtāḥ | sitā bahuvidhaiḥ pāśairye na tuṣṭāḥ svakairdhanaiḥ

Son of Vichitravirya, men gripped by anger and elation, bound by snares of many kinds, who are never content with their own wealth,

Verse 14 (5.68.14)

यमस्य वशमायान्ति काममूढाः पुनः पुनः । अन्धनेत्रा यथैवान्धा नीयमानाः स्वकर्मभिः ॥

yamasya vaśamāyānti kāmamūḍhāḥ punaḥ punaḥ | andhanetrā yathaivāndhā nīyamānāḥ svakarmabhiḥ

fall again and again into the power of Yama, blinded by desire; they are led by their own deeds as the blind are led by a blind guide.

Verse 15 (5.68.15)

एष एकायनः पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिणः । तं दृष्ट्वा मृत्युमत्येति महांस्तत्र न सज्जति ॥

eṣa ekāyanaḥ panthā yena yānti manīṣiṇaḥ | taṃ dṛṣṭvā mṛtyumatyeti mahāṃstatra na sajjati

This is the one path by which the wise go. Seeing him, a great soul passes beyond death and clings to nothing in this world."

Note on the text: Corrected सञ्जति → सज्जति (misprint in Wikisource; ञ्ज for ज्ज, the same slip as elsewhere on these pages — the root सञ्ज् drops its nasal in the present; CE sajjate).

Verse 16 (5.68.16)

अङ्ग सञ्जय मे शंस पन्थानमकुतोभयम् । येन गत्वा हृषीकेशं प्राप्नुयां सिद्धिमुत्तमाम् ॥

aṅga sañjaya me śaṃsa panthānamakutobhayam | yena gatvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ prāpnuyāṃ siddhimuttamām

"Come, Sanjaya, tell me of the path that is free from all fear, by which I may reach Hrishikesha and attain the highest perfection."

Verse 17 (5.68.17)

नाकृतात्मा कृतात्मानं जातु विद्याज्जनार्दनम् । आत्मनस्तु क्रियोपायो नान्यत्रेन्द्रियनिग्रहात् ॥

nākṛtātmā kṛtātmānaṃ jātu vidyājjanārdanam | ātmanastu kriyopāyo nānyatrendriyanigrahāt

"A man whose self is undisciplined can never know Janardana, whose self is perfected. For one's own self there is no means of action other than restraint of the senses.

Note on the text: Corrected विद्याञ्जनार्दनम् → विद्याज्जनार्दनम् (misprint in Wikisource; त् before ज becomes ज्, not ञ्; CE vidyāj janārdanam).

Verse 18 (5.68.18)

इन्द्रियाणामुदीर्णानां कामत्यागोऽप्रमादतः । अप्रमादोऽविहिंसा च ज्ञानयोनिरसंशयम् ॥

indriyāṇāmudīrṇānāṃ kāmatyāgo'pramādataḥ | apramādo'vihiṃsā ca jñānayonirasaṃśayam

Giving up, with vigilance, the desires of the aroused senses; vigilance itself, and harmlessness: these, beyond doubt, are the source of knowledge.

Verse 19 (5.68.19)

इन्द्रियाणां यमे यत्तो भव राजन्नतन्द्रितः । बुद्धिश्च ते मा च्यवतु नियच्छैनां यतस्ततः ॥

indriyāṇāṃ yame yatto bhava rājannatandritaḥ | buddhiśca te mā cyavatu niyacchaināṃ yatastataḥ

Be intent on restraining the senses, O king, and never slacken. Do not let your understanding slip; hold it in check from every side.

Note on the text: Corrected च्युवतु → च्यवतु (misprint in Wikisource; the imperative of च्यु is च्यवतु; CE cyavatu).

Verse 20 (5.68.20)

एतज्ज्ञानं विदुर्विप्रा ध्रुवमिन्द्रियधारणम् । एतज्ज्ञानं च पन्थाश्च येन यान्ति मनीषिणः ॥

etajjñānaṃ vidurviprā dhruvamindriyadhāraṇam | etajjñānaṃ ca panthāśca yena yānti manīṣiṇaḥ

The learned brahmins know this firm holding of the senses to be knowledge. This is knowledge, and this is the path by which the wise go.

Verse 21 (5.68.21)

अप्राप्यः केशवो राजन्निन्द्रियैरजितैर्नृभिः । आगमाधिगमाद्योगाद्वशी तत्त्वे प्रसीदति ॥

aprāpyaḥ keśavo rājannindriyairajitairnṛbhiḥ | āgamādhigamādyogādvaśī tattve prasīdati

Keshava cannot be reached by men whose senses are unconquered, O king. It is through the study of the scriptures and through yoga that the Lord grows gracious and reveals his true nature."