The Meeting of Narayana and Narada

Verse 1 (skanda.2.191.1)

स्कन्द उवाच । महान्तं प्रश्नवित्प्रश्नं पृच्छसि त्वमि हाऽनघ । नास्योत्तरं वर्षशतैर्वक्तुं शक्यं स्वतर्कतः । ऋते देवप्रसादाद्वै ब्रह्मञ्ज्ञानिवरैरपि

skanda uvāca mahāntaṁ praśnavitpraśnaṁ pṛcchasi tvami hā'nagha nāsyottaraṁ varṣaśatairvaktuṁ śakyaṁ svatarkataḥ ṛte devaprasādādvai brahmañjñānivarairapi

Skanda said: O sinless one, you ask a great question, being yourself skilled in questioning. Its answer cannot be given even by the best of the wise through their own reasoning across hundreds of years, O brahmin, except through the grace of God.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.191.2)

वासुदेवप्रसादात्तु मया ज्ञातं वदामि ते । अनाख्येयं न ते किञ्चिद्धर्मनिष्ठाय सन्मते

vāsudevaprasādāttu mayā jñātaṁ vadāmi te anākhyeyaṁ na te kiñciddharmaniṣṭhāya sanmate

But by the grace of Vasudeva, I shall tell you what I myself have come to know; nothing at all is unfit to be told to you, O virtuous one devoted to dharma.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.191.3)

एवमेव हि पप्रच्छ निवृत्ते भारते रणे । अजातशत्रुर्नृपतिर्भीष्मं धर्म्मविदांवरम्

evameva hi papraccha nivṛtte bhārate raṇe ajātaśatrurnṛpatirbhīṣmaṁ dharmmavidāṁvaram

In just this way, when the Bharata war had ceased, King Ajatashatru (Yudhishthira) asked this same question of Bhishma, the best among the knowers of dharma.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.191.4)

शयितं शरशय्यायां ध्यानप्राप्ताच्युतेन च । प्राप्तमैकात्म्यमव्यग्रं निगमागमपारगम्

śayitaṁ śaraśayyāyāṁ dhyānaprāptācyutena ca prāptamaikātmyamavyagraṁ nigamāgamapāragam

[Bhishma,] who lay upon a bed of arrows, who through meditation had attained undisturbed oneness with Achyuta, and who was master of the Vedas and the Agamas.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.191.5)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । चतुर्षु तात वर्णेषु चतुर्ष्वप्याश्रमेषु यः । इच्छेच्चतुर्वर्गसिद्धिं देवतां कां यजेत सः

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca caturṣu tāta varṇeṣu caturṣvapyāśrameṣu yaḥ iccheccaturvargasiddhiṁ devatāṁ kāṁ yajeta saḥ

Yudhishthira said: O father, among the four varnas and likewise the four ashramas, whoever desires the attainment of the four goals of life — which deity should he worship?

Verse 6 (skanda.2.191.6)

निर्विघ्रेन च का सिद्धिः कथं स्यादल्पकालतः । कथं चाप्यल्पसुकृती पदवीं महतीमियात् । एतं मे संशयं छिन्धि सर्वज्ञस्त्वं पितामह

nirvighrena ca kā siddhiḥ kathaṁ syādalpakālataḥ kathaṁ cāpyalpasukṛtī padavīṁ mahatīmiyāt etaṁ me saṁśayaṁ chindhi sarvajñastvaṁ pitāmaha

And by what means may success come without hindrance, and quickly? And how might even one of little merit attain a great state? Resolve this doubt of mine, O grandfather, for you are all-knowing.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.191.7)

स्कन्द उवाच । एवं धर्म्मात्मना तेन पृष्टः शान्तनवो मुने । किञ्चिज्जहास वीक्ष्यैव श्रीकृष्ण मुखपङ्कजम्

skanda uvāca evaṁ dharmmātmanā tena pṛṣṭaḥ śāntanavo mune kiñcijjahāsa vīkṣyaiva śrīkṛṣṇa mukhapaṅkajam

Skanda said: O sage, thus questioned by that righteous-souled Yudhishthira, the son of Shantanu smiled a little, gazing at the lotus face of Shri Krishna.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.191.8)

दृशा स प्रेरितस्तेन नरनारायणोदितम् । श्रीवासुदेवमाहात्म्यं पितुः श्रुतमुवाच तम्

dṛśā sa preritastena naranārāyaṇoditam śrīvāsudevamāhātmyaṁ pituḥ śrutamuvāca tam

Impelled by that glance, he then spoke that Glory of Shri Vasudeva, which had been declared by Nara and Narayana and which he had heard from his own father.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.191.9)

ततः श्रुत्वा नारदोपि कुरुक्षेत्रं गतः पुनः । कैलास एत्य तत्प्राह पितरं मे स चापि माम्

tataḥ śrutvā nāradopi kurukṣetraṁ gataḥ punaḥ kailāsa etya tatprāha pitaraṁ me sa cāpi mām

Then, having heard it, Narada too went again to Kurukshetra; coming to Kailasa, he told it to my father, and he in turn told it also to me.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.191.10)

तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि निश्छद्म परिपृच्छते । महासदसि निर्णीतं मुनिवर्याऽपसंशयम्

tatte'haṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi niśchadma paripṛcchate mahāsadasi nirṇītaṁ munivaryā'pasaṁśayam

That very teaching, O best of sages, I shall now tell truthfully to you who ask without deceit — that which was settled in the great assembly, free of all doubt.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.191.11)

वासुदेवः परं ब्रह्म श्रीकृष्णः पुरुषोत्तमः । देवोऽकामैः सकामैश्च पूज्यो मुक्तैर्नरैरपि

vāsudevaḥ paraṁ brahma śrīkṛṣṇaḥ puruṣottamaḥ devo'kāmaiḥ sakāmaiśca pūjyo muktairnarairapi

Vasudeva is the Supreme Brahman; Shri Krishna is the Purushottama — a God worshipped alike by the desireless and the desirous, and even by liberated men.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.191.12)

द्विजातीनां चाश्रमाणां स्त्रीशूद्रादेश्च सर्वथा । स्वस्वधर्मैरेष एव तोषणीयोस्ति भक्तितः

dvijātīnāṁ cāśramāṇāṁ strīśūdrādeśca sarvathā svasvadharmaireṣa eva toṣaṇīyosti bhaktitaḥ

For the twice-born, for those in the various ashramas, and for women, shudras and the rest — in every way, through their own respective duties, He alone is to be pleased through devotion.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.191.13)

तस्मात्कर्माखिलमपि दैवं पित्र्यं च सर्वदा । तत्प्रीत्या एव कर्त्तव्यं वेदोक्तं च यथोचितम्

tasmātkarmākhilamapi daivaṁ pitryaṁ ca sarvadā tatprītyā eva karttavyaṁ vedoktaṁ ca yathocitam

Therefore all actions whatsoever, rites for the gods and for the ancestors, should always be performed, as enjoined in the Vedas and as is proper, purely for His pleasure.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.191.14)

सुखाप्तये नृभियद्यत्कर्माऽत्र क्रियते शुभम् । अपि स्वनुष्ठितं तच्चेत्कृष्णसंबन्धवर्जितम् । तदा क्षयिष्ण्वल्पफलं ज्ञेयं तच्च गुणात्मकम्

sukhāptaye nṛbhiyadyatkarmā'tra kriyate śubham api svanuṣṭhitaṁ taccetkṛṣṇasaṁbandhavarjitam tadā kṣayiṣṇvalpaphalaṁ jñeyaṁ tacca guṇātmakam

Whatever auspicious action men perform here for the sake of happiness — even if well performed, if it lacks connection with Krishna, it should be known to yield only a perishable, small, guna-bound fruit.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.191.15)

फलवैगुण्यकृत्तच्चाऽशुभदेशादियोगतः । बहुविघ्नं च तन्नॄणां नैव वाञ्छितसिद्धिदम्

phalavaiguṇyakṛttaccā'śubhadeśādiyogataḥ bahuvighnaṁ ca tannṝṇāṁ naiva vāñchitasiddhidam

Through its connection with inauspicious place and the like, it produces defect in its fruit, brings many obstacles for men, and never grants the fulfillment of desire.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.191.16)

कर्मैतदेव श्रीकृष्णप्रीणनाय क्रियेत चेत् । तत्संबन्धेन तर्ह्येतद्भवेत्सर्वं हि निर्गुणम्

karmaitadeva śrīkṛṣṇaprīṇanāya kriyeta cet tatsaṁbandhena tarhyetadbhavetsarvaṁ hi nirguṇam

But if this very action is performed to please Shri Krishna, then through connection with Him all of it indeed becomes transcendent of the gunas.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.191.17)

स्ववाञ्छितादप्यधिकं ददाति फलमक्षयम् । असद्देशादिसंबन्धात्तद्वैगुण्यभवेन्न च

svavāñchitādapyadhikaṁ dadāti phalamakṣayam asaddeśādisaṁbandhāttadvaiguṇyabhavenna ca

It gives an imperishable fruit even greater than what was desired, and no defect comes to it from connection with an inauspicious place and so on.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.191.18)

विघ्नस्तु कोपि ब्रह्मर्षे प्रतापाच्चक्रपाणिनः । तस्मिन्न प्रभवेत्क्वापि तत्स्यादीप्सितसिद्धिदम्

vighnastu kopi brahmarṣe pratāpāccakrapāṇinaḥ tasminna prabhavetkvāpi tatsyādīpsitasiddhidam

No obstacle whatsoever, O brahmin sage, can prevail over it anywhere, by the power of the Wielder of the Discus; it becomes the giver of the desired attainment.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.191.19)

यद्यप्यल्पं स्वसुकृतं तथापि परमात्मनः । साक्षात्संबन्धतो ब्रह्मन्भवत्येव महत्तरम्

yadyapyalpaṁ svasukṛtaṁ tathāpi paramātmanaḥ sākṣātsaṁbandhato brahmanbhavatyeva mahattaram

Although one's own merit may be small, still, O brahmin, through direct connection with the Supreme Self, it indeed becomes far greater.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.191.20)

यथा स्फुलिङ्गमात्रोपि वन्यकाष्ठौघयोगतः । अनिवार्यो भवेद्दावस्तथैतद्धरियोगतः

yathā sphuliṅgamātropi vanyakāṣṭhaughayogataḥ anivāryo bhaveddāvastathaitaddhariyogataḥ

Just as a mere spark, joined with a mass of forest wood, becomes an unstoppable wildfire, so too does this small merit, through union with Hari, become unstoppable.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.191.21)

प्रवृत्ते वा निवृत्ते वा तस्माद्धर्मे स्थितैर्न्नरैः । उपास्तव्यो वासुदेवस्तत्सम्यक्सिद्धिमीप्सुभिः

pravṛtte vā nivṛtte vā tasmāddharme sthitairnnaraiḥ upāstavyo vāsudevastatsamyaksiddhimīpsubhiḥ

Therefore, whether established in the path of action or of renunciation, men who desire true success in their duty should worship Vasudeva.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.191.22)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । नारदस्य च संवादमृषेर्नारायणस्य च

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṁ purātanam nāradasya ca saṁvādamṛṣernārāyaṇasya ca

Regarding this too, they relate this ancient legend — the dialogue between the sage Narada and Narayana.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.191.23)

यो वासुदेवो भगवान्नित्यं ब्रह्मपुरे स्थितः । दाक्षायण्यामाविरासीद्धर्माल्लोकहिताय सः

yo vāsudevo bhagavānnityaṁ brahmapure sthitaḥ dākṣāyaṇyāmāvirāsīddharmāllokahitāya saḥ

That Bhagavan Vasudeva, who eternally abides in Brahmapura, appeared for the welfare of the world from the sage Dharma through the daughter of Daksha.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.191.24)

कृते युगे द्विजवर पुरा स्वायम्भुवान्तरे । नरो नारायणश्चेति द्विरूपः प्रादुरास सः

kṛte yuge dvijavara purā svāyambhuvāntare naro nārāyaṇaśceti dvirūpaḥ prādurāsa saḥ

In the Krita Yuga, O best of the twice-born, long ago in the Svayambhuva Manvantara, he appeared as two forms, Nara and Narayana.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.191.25)

धर्माश्रमात्तपस्तप्तुं क्षेमायैव नृणां भुवि । नरनारायणौ तौ च बदर्याश्रममीयतुः

dharmāśramāttapastaptuṁ kṣemāyaiva nṛṇāṁ bhuvi naranārāyaṇau tau ca badaryāśramamīyatuḥ

For the sake of practicing austerity, and for the welfare of men on earth, Nara and Narayana went from the hermitage of Dharma to Badarikashrama.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.191.26)

तत्राद्यौ लोकनाथौ तौ कृशौ धमनिसंततौ । तेपाते तेजसा स्वेन दुर्निरीक्ष्यौ सुरैरपि

tatrādyau lokanāthau tau kṛśau dhamanisaṁtatau tepāte tejasā svena durnirīkṣyau surairapi

There those two primeval lords of the worlds, their bodies emaciated, their veins showing, practiced austerity, becoming through their own splendor difficult even for the gods to behold.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.191.27)

यस्य प्रसादं कुर्वाते स वै तौ द्रष्टुमर्हति । शक्यते नान्यथा द्रष्टुमपि तद्धामवासिभिः

yasya prasādaṁ kurvāte sa vai tau draṣṭumarhati śakyate nānyathā draṣṭumapi taddhāmavāsibhiḥ

He upon whom the two bestow their grace, he alone is able to see them; otherwise, even by the dwellers of their own abode, they cannot be seen.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.191.28)

एकदा नारदो योगी ताभ्यामेव दिदृक्षितः । अन्तरात्मतया चान्तर्हृदयेपि प्रचोदितः

ekadā nārado yogī tābhyāmeva didṛkṣitaḥ antarātmatayā cāntarhṛdayepi pracoditaḥ

Once, the yogi Narada was made to desire the sight of those two by their own will, and, as their inner self, was inspired within his very heart.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.191.29)

मेरोर्महागिरेः शृङ्गात्सद्यो गगनवर्त्मना । तं देशमागमद्ब्रह्मन्बदर्याश्रमसंज्ञितम्

merormahāgireḥ śṛṅgātsadyo gaganavartmanā taṁ deśamāgamadbrahmanbadaryāśramasaṁjñitam

From the peak of the great mountain Meru, at once by the pathway of the sky, O brahmin, he came to that place known as Badarikashrama.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.191.30)

तयोराह्निकवेलायामागतस्तत्र स द्रुतम् । आद्याश्रमक्रियासक्तौ तौ ददर्श च दूरतः

tayorāhnikavelāyāmāgatastatra sa drutam ādyāśramakriyāsaktau tau dadarśa ca dūrataḥ

Arriving there swiftly at the time of their daily rites, he saw from a distance those two primeval ones engaged in the practices of the hermitage.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.191.31)

दृष्ट्वैवेश्वरचर्यां ता तस्य कौतूहलं त्वभूत् । अहो एतौ जगत्पूज्यावीश्वरौ सर्वदेहिनाम् । एतौ हि परमं ब्रह्म काऽनयोराह्निकी क्रिया

dṛṣṭvaiveśvaracaryāṁ tā tasya kautūhalaṁ tvabhūt aho etau jagatpūjyāvīśvarau sarvadehinām etau hi paramaṁ brahma kā'nayorāhnikī kriyā

Seeing that conduct of the Lords, curiosity arose in him: 'Ah, these two are the Lords worshipped by the whole world, by all embodied beings; these two are indeed the Supreme Brahman — what then is this daily rite of theirs?'

Verse 32 (skanda.2.191.32)

पितरौ सर्वभूतानां देवतानां च दैवतम् । कां देवतां तु यजतः पितॄन्वैतौ महामती

pitarau sarvabhūtānāṁ devatānāṁ ca daivatam kāṁ devatāṁ tu yajataḥ pitṝnvaitau mahāmatī

They who are the parents of all beings, the very deity of the gods — which deity, and which ancestors, do these two great-souled ones worship?

Verse 33 (skanda.2.191.33)

इति संचिन्त्य मनसा भक्तो नारायणस्य सः । तत्समीपमुपेत्याऽथ तस्थौ नत्वा कृताञ्जलिः

iti saṁcintya manasā bhakto nārāyaṇasya saḥ tatsamīpamupetyā'tha tasthau natvā kṛtāñjaliḥ

Thus reflecting in his mind, that devotee of Narayana approached near them and stood, having bowed with joined palms.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.191.34)

कृते दैवे च पित्र्ये च ततस्ताभ्यां निरीक्षितः । पूजितश्चैव विधिना शास्त्रदृष्टेन सोऽनघ

kṛte daive ca pitrye ca tatastābhyāṁ nirīkṣitaḥ pūjitaścaiva vidhinā śāstradṛṣṭena so'nagha

When the rites for the gods and for the ancestors were completed, he was then noticed by the two of them, and, O sinless one, was duly honored according to the procedure seen in the scriptures.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.191.35)

तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्य्यमपूर्वं विधिविस्तरम् । उपोपविष्टः सुप्रीतो नारदोभूच्च विस्मितः

taddṛṣṭvā mahadāścaryyamapūrvaṁ vidhivistaram upopaviṣṭaḥ suprīto nāradobhūcca vismitaḥ

Seeing that great and unprecedented wonder, the elaborate rite, Narada, seated close by, became greatly pleased and also astonished.

Verse 36 (skanda.2.191.36)

नारायणं संनिरीक्ष्य प्रयतेनान्तरात्मना । नमस्कृत्य च तं देवमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्

nārāyaṇaṁ saṁnirīkṣya prayatenāntarātmanā namaskṛtya ca taṁ devamidaṁ vacanamabravīt

Gazing intently at Narayana with a purified inner self, and having bowed to that God, he spoke these words.