Conversation Between Narada and Vyasadeva

Verse 1 (bhagavata.1.6.1)

सूत उवाच एवं निशम्य भगवान्देवर्षेर्जन्म कर्म च । भूयः पप्रच्छ तं ब्रह्मन् व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः ॥ १ ॥

sūta uvāca evaṁ niśamya bhagavān devarṣer janma karma ca bhūyaḥ papraccha taṁ brahman vyāsaḥ satyavatī-sutaḥ

Suta said: Having thus heard of the divine sage's birth and deeds, O brahmins, Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, questioned him further.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.1.6.2)

व्यास उवाच भिक्षुभिर्विप्रवसिते विज्ञानादेष्टृभिस्तव । वर्तमानो वयस्याद्ये ततः किमकरोद्भवान् ॥ २ ॥

vyāsa uvāca bhikṣubhir vipravasite vijñānādeṣṭṛbhis tava vartamāno vayasy ādye tataḥ kim akarod bhavān

Vyasa said: After those mendicants who had instructed you in transcendental knowledge departed for other lands, in that earlier span of your present life — what did you do then?

Verse 3 (bhagavata.1.6.3)

स्वायम्भुव कया वृत्त्या वर्तितं ते परं वयः । कथं चेदमुदस्राक्षीः काले प्राप्ते कलेवरम् ॥ ३ ॥

svāyambhuva kayā vṛttyā vartitaṁ te paraṁ vayaḥ kathaṁ cedam udasrākṣīḥ kāle prāpte kalevaram

O son of the self-born Brahma, by what mode of life did you pass the remainder of your years, and how, when the time came, did you give up that former body for this one?

Verse 4 (bhagavata.1.6.4)

प्राक्कल्पविषयामेतां स्मृतिं ते मुनिसत्तम । न ह्येष व्यवधात्काल एष सर्वनिराकृतिः ॥ ४ ॥

prāk-kalpa-viṣayām etāṁ smṛtiṁ te muni-sattama na hy eṣa vyavadhāt kāla eṣa sarva-nirākṛtiḥ

O best of sages, this memory of yours concerns events of a former kalpa — how is it that time, which erases everything, has made no difference to it at all?

Verse 5 (bhagavata.1.6.5)

नारद उवाच भिक्षुभिर्विप्रवसिते विज्ञानादेष्टृभिर्मम । वर्तमानो वयस्याद्ये तत एतदकारषम् ॥ ५ ॥

nārada uvāca bhikṣubhir vipravasite vijñānādeṣṭṛbhir mama vartamāno vayasy ādye tata etad akāraṣam

Narada said: After those who had taught me transcendental knowledge departed elsewhere, in that early period of my present life, this is what I did.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.1.6.6)

एकात्मजा मे जननी योषिन्मूढा च किङ्करी । मय्यात्मजेऽनन्यगतौ चक्रे स्नेहानुबन्धनम् ॥ ६ ॥

ekātmajā me jananī yoṣin mūḍhā ca kiṅkarī mayy ātmaje ’nanya-gatau cakre snehānubandhanam

My mother, a simple woman and a maidservant, had only me for a son; having no other refuge in me, her own child, she bound herself to me with the tie of affection.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.1.6.7)

सास्वतन्त्रा न कल्पासीद्योगक्षेमं ममेच्छती । ईशस्य हि वशे लोको योषा दारुमयी यथा ॥ ७ ॥

sāsvatantrā na kalpāsīd yoga-kṣemaṁ mamecchatī īśasya hi vaśe loko yoṣā dārumayī yathā

Though she wished to secure my welfare, being herself dependent, she was unable to; for the world is entirely under the control of providence, like a wooden puppet in another's hands.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.1.6.8)

अहं च तद्ब्रह्मकुले ऊषिवांस्तदुपेक्षया । दिग्देशकालाव्युत्पन्नो बालकः पञ्चहायनः ॥ ८ ॥

ahaṁ ca tad-brahma-kule ūṣivāṁs tad-upekṣayā dig-deśa-kālāvyutpanno bālakaḥ pañca-hāyanaḥ

I, meanwhile, lived on in that brahmin household under her indulgence — a five-year-old child with no knowledge yet of directions, places or time.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.1.6.9)

एकदा निर्गतां गेहाद्दुहन्तीं निशि गां पथि । सर्पोऽदशत्पदा स्पृष्टः कृपणां कालचोदितः ॥ ९ ॥

ekadā nirgatāṁ gehād duhantīṁ niśi gāṁ pathi sarpo ’daśat padā spṛṣṭaḥ kṛpaṇāṁ kāla-coditaḥ

One night, as my poor mother went out from the house to milk the cow, a serpent, driven by fate, touched and bit her on the leg while she was on the path.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.1.6.10)

तदा तदहमीशस्य भक्तानां शमभीप्सतः । अनुग्रहं मन्यमानः प्रातिष्ठं दिशमुत्तराम् ॥ १० ॥

tadā tad aham īśasya bhaktānāṁ śam abhīpsataḥ anugrahaṁ manyamānaḥ prātiṣṭhaṁ diśam uttarām

Taking this as the special grace of the Lord — who always wishes well for His devotees — I then set out toward the north.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.1.6.11)

स्फीताञ्जनपदांस्तत्र पुरग्रामव्रजाकरान् । खेटखर्वटवाटीश्च वनान्युपवनानि च ॥ ११ ॥

sphītāñ janapadāṁs tatra pura-grāma-vrajākarān kheṭa-kharvaṭa-vāṭīś ca vanāny upavanāni ca

There I passed through prosperous provinces with their towns, villages, cow-pastures and mines, through farmlands and hill-valleys and gardens, through forests and groves.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.1.6.12)

चित्रधातुविचित्राद्रीनिभभग्नभुजद्रुमान् । जलाशयाञ्छिवजलान्नलिनीः सुरसेविताः । चित्रस्वनैः पत्ररथैर्विभ्रमद्भ्रमरश्रियः ॥ १२ ॥

citra-dhātu-vicitrādrīn ibha-bhagna-bhuja-drumān jalāśayāñ chiva-jalān nalinīḥ sura-sevitāḥ citra-svanaiḥ patra-rathair vibhramad bhramara-śriyaḥ

I passed mountains bright with many-coloured minerals, trees with branches broken by wild elephants, and lakes of wholesome water bearing lotuses fit for the gods, adorned with humming bees and the sweet cries of birds on the wing.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.1.6.13)

नलवेणुशरस्तन्बकुशकीचकगह्वरम् । एक एवातियातोऽहमद्राक्षं विपिनं महत् । घोरं प्रतिभयाकारं व्यालोलूकशिवाजिरम् ॥ १३ ॥

nala-veṇu-śaras-tanba- kuśa-kīcaka-gahvaram eka evātiyāto ’ham adrākṣaṁ vipinaṁ mahat ghoraṁ pratibhayākāraṁ vyālolūka-śivājiram

Alone, I made my way with great difficulty through thickets dense with reeds, bamboo, arrow-grass and sharp kusha grass, and beheld a vast, dreadful and terrifying forest, a playground of serpents, owls and jackals.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.1.6.14)

परिश्रान्तेन्द्रियात्माहं तृट्परीतो बुभुक्षितः । स्नात्वा पीत्वा ह्रदे नद्या उपस्पृष्टो गतश्रमः ॥ १४ ॥

pariśrāntendriyātmāhaṁ tṛṭ-parīto bubhukṣitaḥ snātvā pītvā hrade nadyā upaspṛṣṭo gata-śramaḥ

Weary in body and mind, tormented by thirst and hunger, I bathed and drank at a river's pool, and the touch of that water dispelled my fatigue.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.1.6.15)

तस्मिन्निर्मनुजेऽरण्ये पिप्पलोपस्थ आश्रितः । आत्मनात्मानमात्मस्थं यथाश्रुतमचिन्तयम् ॥ १५ ॥

tasmin nirmanuje ’raṇye pippalopastha āśritaḥ ātmanātmānam ātmasthaṁ yathā-śrutam acintayam

There, in that uninhabited forest, taking shelter beneath a peepal tree, I began, with my own understanding, to meditate on the Supersoul dwelling within, exactly as I had heard it taught.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.1.6.16)

ध्यायतश्चरणाम्भोजं भावनिर्जितचेतसा । औत्कण्ठ्याश्रुकलाक्षस्य हृद्यासीन्मे शनैर्हरिः ॥ १६ ॥

dhyāyataś caraṇāmbhojaṁ bhāva-nirjita-cetasā autkaṇṭhyāśru-kalākṣasya hṛdy āsīn me śanair hariḥ

As I meditated on His lotus feet, my mind overcome by devotion and my eyes filled with tears of longing, Hari slowly appeared within my heart.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.1.6.17)

प्रेमातिभरनिर्भिन्नपुलकाङ्गोऽतिनिर्वृतः । आनन्दसम्प्लवे लीनो नापश्यमुभयं मुने ॥ १७ ॥

premātibhara-nirbhinna- pulakāṅgo ’tinirvṛtaḥ ānanda-samplave līno nāpaśyam ubhayaṁ mune

O sage, overwhelmed by the sheer weight of love, my body thrilling with joy, utterly overcome and dissolved in an ocean of bliss, I could perceive neither myself nor Him separately.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.1.6.18)

रूपं भगवतो यत्तन्मनःकान्तं शुचापहम् । अपश्यन् सहसोत्तस्थे वैक्लव्याद्दुर्मना इव ॥ १८ ॥

rūpaṁ bhagavato yat tan manaḥ-kāntaṁ śucāpaham apaśyan sahasottasthe vaiklavyād durmanā iva

That form of the Lord, so dear to the mind and the remover of all sorrow, I then lost sight of; and, disturbed, I suddenly rose up as though bereft, my mind troubled.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.1.6.19)

दिदृक्षुस्तदहं भूयः प्रणिधाय मनो हृदि । वीक्षमाणोऽपि नापश्यमवितृप्त इवातुरः ॥ १९ ॥

didṛkṣus tad ahaṁ bhūyaḥ praṇidhāya mano hṛdi vīkṣamāṇo ’pi nāpaśyam avitṛpta ivāturaḥ

Desiring to see Him again, I fixed my mind once more upon my heart and watched intently, yet could not see Him; unsatisfied, I grew distressed, like one grievously afflicted.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.1.6.20)

एवं यतन्तं विजने मामाहागोचरो गिराम् । गम्भीरश्लक्ष्णया वाचा शुचः प्रशमयन्निव ॥ २० ॥

evaṁ yatantaṁ vijane mām āhāgocaro girām gambhīra-ślakṣṇayā vācā śucaḥ praśamayann iva

Seeing me thus striving alone in that solitary place, He who is beyond the reach of words spoke to me in a voice deep and gentle, as though to soothe my grief.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.1.6.21)

हन्तास्मिञ्जन्मनि भवान्मा मां द्रष्टुमिहार्हति । अविपक्वकषायाणां दुर्दर्शोऽहं कुयोगिनाम् ॥ २१ ॥

hantāsmiñ janmani bhavān mā māṁ draṣṭum ihārhati avipakva-kaṣāyāṇāṁ durdarśo ’haṁ kuyoginām

Alas, in this present life you shall not deserve to see Me again; for I am hard indeed to behold by those imperfect practitioners whose material impurities are not yet fully ripened away.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.1.6.22)

सकृद् यद्दर्शितं रूपमेतत्कामाय तेऽनघ । मत्कामः शनकैः साधु सर्वान्मुञ्चति हृच्छयान् ॥ २२ ॥

sakṛd yad darśitaṁ rūpam etat kāmāya te ’nagha mat-kāmaḥ śanakaiḥ sādhu sarvān muñcati hṛc-chayān

O sinless one, this form was shown to you but once, only to kindle your longing for Me; for one who longs for Me is thereby gradually and surely freed from every desire lodged in the heart.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.1.6.23)

सत्सेवयादीर्घयापि जाता मयि दृढा मतिः । हित्वावद्यमिमं लोकं गन्ता मज्जनतामसि ॥ २३ ॥

sat-sevayādīrghayāpi jātā mayi dṛḍhā matiḥ hitvāvadyam imaṁ lokaṁ gantā maj-janatām asi

Even a brief span of service to the truthful gives rise to unwavering devotion to Me; and having given up this reprehensible world, you shall go on to join My own company.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.1.6.24)

मतिर्मयि निबद्धेयं न विपद्येत कर्हिचित् । प्रजासर्गनिरोधेऽपि स्मृतिश्च मदनुग्रहात् ॥ २४ ॥

matir mayi nibaddheyaṁ na vipadyeta karhicit prajā-sarga-nirodhe ’pi smṛtiś ca mad-anugrahāt

This intelligence, once bound fast to Me, shall never be lost at any time; even through the creation and dissolution of all beings, your remembrance of Me shall endure by My grace.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.1.6.25)

एतावदुक्त्वोपरराम तन्महद् भूतं नभोलिङ्गमलिङ्गमीश्वरम् । अहं च तस्मै महतां महीयसे शीर्ष्णावनामं विदधेऽनुकम्पितः ॥ २५ ॥

etāvad uktvopararāma tan mahad bhūtaṁ nabho-liṅgam aliṅgam īśvaram ahaṁ ca tasmai mahatāṁ mahīyase śīrṣṇāvanāmaṁ vidadhe ’nukampitaḥ

Having spoken thus, that great and unseen Lord, manifest through sound alone, fell silent; and I, favoured by His compassion, bowed my head in obeisance to Him, who is glorified by the greatest of beings.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.1.6.26)

नामान्यनन्तस्य हतत्रपः पठन् गुह्यानि भद्राणि कृतानि च स्मरन् । गां पर्यटंस्तुष्टमना गतस्पृहः कालं प्रतीक्षन् विमदो विमत्सरः ॥ २६ ॥

nāmāny anantasya hata-trapaḥ paṭhan guhyāni bhadrāṇi kṛtāni ca smaran gāṁ paryaṭaṁs tuṣṭa-manā gata-spṛhaḥ kālaṁ pratīkṣan vimado vimatsaraḥ

Freed from all worldly reserve, I began reciting the names of the Infinite Lord and remembering His mysterious and all-benedictory deeds; and thus, wandering the earth, content in mind, free of desire, without pride or envy, I waited for that time to come.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.1.6.27)

एवं कृष्णमतेर्ब्रह्मन्नासक्तस्यामलात्मनः । कालः प्रादुरभूत्काले तडित्सौदामनी यथा ॥ २७ ॥

evaṁ kṛṣṇa-mater brahman nāsaktasyāmalātmanaḥ kālaḥ prādurabhūt kāle taḍit saudāmanī yathā

Thus, O brahmin, for one whose mind was fixed on Krishna, unattached and free of all impurity, death appeared in due course — as suddenly as a flash of lightning.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.1.6.28)

प्रयुज्यमाने मयि तां शुद्धां भागवतीं तनुम् । आरब्धकर्मनिर्वाणो न्यपतत् पाञ्चभौतिकः ॥ २८ ॥

prayujyamāne mayi tāṁ śuddhāṁ bhāgavatīṁ tanum ārabdha-karma-nirvāṇo nyapatat pāñca-bhautikaḥ

As that pure, divine body fit for the Lord's associate was being bestowed on me, this body made of the five gross elements, its allotted work now exhausted, fell away.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.1.6.29)

कल्पान्त इदमादाय शयानेऽम्भस्युदन्वतः । शिशयिषोरनुप्राणं विविशेऽन्तरहं विभोः ॥ २९ ॥

kalpānta idam ādāya śayāne ’mbhasy udanvataḥ śiśayiṣor anuprāṇaṁ viviśe ’ntar ahaṁ vibhoḥ

At the end of the kalpa, when Brahma, gathering all this creation, lay down to rest in the causal ocean, I too entered within, along with his very breath.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.1.6.30)

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्ते उत्थायेदं सिसृक्षतः । मरीचिमिश्रा ऋषयः प्राणेभ्योऽहं च जज्ञिरे ॥ ३० ॥

sahasra-yuga-paryante utthāyedaṁ sisṛkṣataḥ marīci-miśrā ṛṣayaḥ prāṇebhyo ’haṁ ca jajñire

At the end of a thousand yugas, when Brahma awoke wishing to create again, the sages headed by Marichi were born from his vital breaths, and I too was born along with them.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.1.6.31)

अन्तर्बहिश्च लोकांस्त्रीन् पर्येम्यस्कन्दितव्रतः । अनुग्रहान्महाविष्णोरविघातगतिः क्वचित् ॥ ३१ ॥

antar bahiś ca lokāṁs trīn paryemy askandita-vrataḥ anugrahān mahā-viṣṇor avighāta-gatiḥ kvacit

Since then, my vow unbroken, I roam freely through the three worlds, both within and beyond, my passage unhindered anywhere, by the grace of the great Vishnu.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.1.6.32)

देवदत्तामिमां वीणां स्वरब्रह्मविभूषिताम् । मूर्च्छयित्वा हरिकथां गायमानश्चराम्यहम् ॥ ३२ ॥

deva-dattām imāṁ vīṇāṁ svara-brahma-vibhūṣitām mūrcchayitvā hari-kathāṁ gāyamānaś carāmy aham

I move about, sounding this veena, given to me by the Lord and adorned with sacred melody, singing all the while the story of Hari.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.1.6.33)

प्रगायतः स्ववीर्याणि तीर्थपादः प्रियश्रवाः । आहूत इव मे शीघ्रं दर्शनं याति चेतसि ॥ ३३ ॥

pragāyataḥ sva-vīryāṇi tīrtha-pādaḥ priya-śravāḥ āhūta iva me śīghraṁ darśanaṁ yāti cetasi

As I sing of His own valorous deeds, the Lord whose feet are the source of all sacred places, whose fame is sweet to hear, comes swiftly into view within my heart, as though summoned.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.1.6.34)

एतद्ध्यातुरचित्तानां मात्रास्पर्शेच्छया मुहुः । भवसिन्धुप्लवो दृष्टो हरिचर्यानुवर्णनम् ॥ ३४ ॥

etad dhy ātura-cittānāṁ mātrā-sparśecchayā muhuḥ bhava-sindhu-plavo dṛṣṭo hari-caryānuvarṇanam

I have found this, indeed, to be the boat that carries across the ocean of worldly existence those whose minds are constantly restless with craving for sense objects — the continual narration of Hari's deeds.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.1.6.35)

यमादिभिर्योगपथैः कामलोभहतो मुहुः । मुकुन्दसेवया यद्वत्तथात्माद्धा न शाम्यति ॥ ३५ ॥

yamādibhir yoga-pathaiḥ kāma-lobha-hato muhuḥ mukunda-sevayā yadvat tathātmāddhā na śāmyati

Even one repeatedly curbed of desire and greed through the yogic path of restraint and its allied disciplines does not attain the peace of the self that comes truly through the loving service of Mukunda.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.1.6.36)

सर्वं तदिदमाख्यातं यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयानघ । जन्मकर्मरहस्यं मे भवतश्चात्मतोषणम् ॥ ३६ ॥

sarvaṁ tad idam ākhyātaṁ yat pṛṣṭo ’haṁ tvayānagha janma-karma-rahasyaṁ me bhavataś cātma-toṣaṇam

O sinless one, thus I have told you all that you asked of me — the mystery of my birth and my deeds — and this shall also bring satisfaction to your own soul.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.1.6.37)

सूत उवाच एवं सम्भाष्य भगवान्नारदो वासवीसुतम् । आमन्त्र्य वीणां रणयन् ययौ यादृच्छिको मुनिः ॥ ३७ ॥

sūta uvāca evaṁ sambhāṣya bhagavān nārado vāsavī-sutam āmantrya vīṇāṁ raṇayan yayau yādṛcchiko muniḥ

Suta said: Having thus spoken to the son of Vasavi [Vyasa], the divine sage Narada took his leave, and playing upon his veena, went his way as he wished.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.1.6.38)

अहो देवर्षिर्धन्योऽयं यत्कीर्तिं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः । गायन्माद्यन्निदं तन्त्र्या रमयत्यातुरं जगत् ॥ ३८ ॥

aho devarṣir dhanyo ’yaṁ yat-kīrtiṁ śārṅgadhanvanaḥ gāyan mādyann idaṁ tantryā ramayaty āturaṁ jagat

How truly blessed is this celestial sage, who, singing the glory of the wielder of the Sharnga bow and rejoicing on his instrument, brings delight to this suffering world!