The Meeting of Narada with Nara-Narayana

Verse 1 (skanda.2.208.1)

स्कन्द उवाच । ततः स ददृशे देवौ पुराणावृषिसत्तमौ । तपश्चरन्तौ सुमहदात्मनिष्ठौ महाव्रतौ

skanda uvāca tataḥ sa dadṛśe devau purāṇāvṛṣisattamau tapaścarantau sumahadātmaniṣṭhau mahāvratau

Skanda said: Then he beheld those two ancient and most excellent sages, ever engaged in austerity, deeply established in the Self, and bound by great vows.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.208.2)

तेजसाप्यधिकौ सूर्यात्सर्वलोकविरोचनात् । श्रीवत्सलक्षणौ पूज्यौ जटामण्डलधारिणौ

tejasāpyadhikau sūryātsarvalokavirocanāt śrīvatsalakṣaṇau pūjyau jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇau

More radiant even than the sun that lights all the worlds, marked with the sign of Shrivatsa, worthy of worship, and wearing their matted locks bound in a coil.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.208.3)

पद्मचिह्नभुजौ तौ च पादयोश्चक्रलक्षणौ। व्यूढोरस्कौ दीर्घभुजौ सितसूक्ष्मघनांशुकौ

padmacihnabhujau tau ca pādayoścakralakṣaṇau vyūḍhoraskau dīrghabhujau sitasūkṣmaghanāṁśukau

Their arms bore the mark of the lotus, and their feet the sign of the discus; broad of chest and long of arm, they were clad in fine white cloth.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.208.4)

स्वास्यौ पृथुललाटौ च सुभ्रुवौ शुभनासिकौ । शुभलक्षणसंपन्नौ दिव्यमूर्त्ती घनप्रभौ

svāsyau pṛthulalāṭau ca subhruvau śubhanāsikau śubhalakṣaṇasaṁpannau divyamūrttī ghanaprabhau

Beautiful of face and broad of brow, finely arched of eyebrow and shapely of nose, endowed with every auspicious mark, of divine form and a radiance dense like a cloud.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.208.5)

विनयेनान्तिकं प्राप्य तयोः कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणाम् । भक्त्या प्रणम्य साष्टाङ्गं तस्थौ प्राञ्जलिरग्रतः

vinayenāntikaṁ prāpya tayoḥ kṛtvā pradakṣiṇām bhaktyā praṇamya sāṣṭāṅgaṁ tasthau prāñjaliragrataḥ

Approaching them humbly and circling them in reverence, he prostrated himself in devotion with all eight limbs touching the earth, then stood before them with joined palms.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.208.6)

ततस्तौ तपसां वासौ यशसां तेजसामपि । ऋषी पौर्वाह्णिकस्यान्ते विधेर्मौनं विहाय च

tatastau tapasāṁ vāsau yaśasāṁ tejasāmapi ṛṣī paurvāhṇikasyānte vidhermaunaṁ vihāya ca

Then those two sages, the very abode of austerity, of renown, and of splendor, at the close of the forenoon rite, having by rule laid aside their silence...

Verse 7 (skanda.2.208.7)

प्रीत्या नारदमव्यग्रौ पाद्यार्घ्याभ्यां समार्चताम् । पीठयोरुपविष्टौ तौ कौशयोर्नारदश्च सः

prītyā nāradamavyagrau pādyārghyābhyāṁ samārcatām pīṭhayorupaviṣṭau tau kauśayornāradaśca saḥ

...affectionately and undisturbed, honoured Narada with water for his feet and with offerings; and the two sages, together with Narada, then sat down upon their seats of kusha grass.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.208.8)

तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु स देशोभिव्यराजत । आज्याहुतिमहाज्वालैर्यज्ञवाटोग्निभिर्यथा

teṣu tatropaviṣṭeṣu sa deśobhivyarājata ājyāhutimahājvālairyajñavāṭognibhiryathā

As they sat there together, that place shone forth as radiant as a sacrificial enclosure ablaze with the great flames of ghee-offerings poured into the fire.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.208.9)

अथ नारायणस्तत्र नारदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । सुखोपविष्टं विश्रान्तं कृतातिथ्यं सुसत्कृतम्

atha nārāyaṇastatra nāradaṁ vākyamabravīt sukhopaviṣṭaṁ viśrāntaṁ kṛtātithyaṁ susatkṛtam

Then Narayana spoke these words to Narada, who sat there at ease, rested, duly welcomed, and well honoured as a guest.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.208.10)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । अपि ब्रह्मन्स भगवान्परमात्मा सनातनः । ब्रह्मधाम्नि त्वया दृष्ट आवयो कारणं परम्

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca api brahmansa bhagavānparamātmā sanātanaḥ brahmadhāmni tvayā dṛṣṭa āvayo kāraṇaṁ param

Shri Narayana said: O brahmin, have you beheld that Blessed One, the eternal Supreme Self, the ultimate cause even of us two, in the abode of Brahman?

Verse 11 (skanda.2.208.11)

नारद उवाच । भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन तमहं परमेश्वरम् । वासुदेवं समालोके स्थितमक्षरधामनि

nārada uvāca bhagavaṁstvatprasādena tamahaṁ parameśvaram vāsudevaṁ samāloke sthitamakṣaradhāmani

Narada said: O Lord, by your grace I beheld that Supreme Lord Vasudeva, present in the imperishable abode.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.208.12)

इह चैवागतस्तेन विसृष्टो वां निषेवितुम् । आसिष्ये तत्परो भूत्वा युवाभ्यां सह नित्यशः

iha caivāgatastena visṛṣṭo vāṁ niṣevitum āsiṣye tatparo bhūtvā yuvābhyāṁ saha nityaśaḥ

And, sent by Him, I have come here also to serve you both; devoted wholly to that purpose, I shall abide with you two always.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.208.13)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । धन्योस्यनुगृहीतोसि यत्ते दृष्टः स्वयं प्रभुः । नहि तं दृष्टवान्ब्रह्मन्कश्चिद्देवोपि वा ऋषिः

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca dhanyosyanugṛhītosi yatte dṛṣṭaḥ svayaṁ prabhuḥ nahi taṁ dṛṣṭavānbrahmankaściddevopi vā ṛṣiḥ

Shri Narayana said: Blessed are you, and greatly graced, in that you have seen the Lord Himself; for, O brahmin, no one, not even a god or a sage, has ever beheld Him.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.208.14)

भक्त्यैकान्तिकया तस्य प्राप्ता अक्षरसाम्यताम्। ये हि भक्तास्त एवैनं पश्यन्त्यखिलकारणम्

bhaktyaikāntikayā tasya prāptā akṣarasāmyatām ye hi bhaktāsta evainaṁ paśyantyakhilakāraṇam

Only those who through exclusive devotion have attained a state equal to the Imperishable -- it is such devotees alone who behold Him, the cause of all things.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.208.15)

स दिव्यमूर्त्तिर्भगवान्दुर्द्दर्शः पुरुषोत्तमः । नारदैतद्धि मे सत्यं वचनं समुदाहृतम्

sa divyamūrttirbhagavāndurddarśaḥ puruṣottamaḥ nāradaitaddhi me satyaṁ vacanaṁ samudāhṛtam

That divine-formed Lord, Purushottama, is exceedingly hard to behold; Narada, this word that I have spoken to you is the truth.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.208.16)

नान्यो भक्तात्प्रियतरो लोके तस्यास्ति कश्चन । ततः स्वयं दर्शितवांस्तवात्मानं द्विजोत्तम

nānyo bhaktātpriyataro loke tasyāsti kaścana tataḥ svayaṁ darśitavāṁstavātmānaṁ dvijottama

There is no one in this world dearer to Him than His devotee; that is why, O best of the twice-born, He showed Himself to you of His own accord.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.208.17)

तेजःपुञ्जाभिरुद्धांगो गुणातीताद्भुताकृतिः । अखण्डानन्दरूपश्च सदा शुद्धोऽच्युतोस्ति सः

tejaḥpuñjābhiruddhāṁgo guṇātītādbhutākṛtiḥ akhaṇḍānandarūpaśca sadā śuddho'cyutosti saḥ

His form is enveloped in a mass of effulgence, wondrous and beyond the gunas; He is of the nature of unbroken bliss, ever pure, and unfailing.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.208.18)

रूपवर्णवयोवस्थाः प्राकृता नैव तस्य हि । सर्वं तस्यास्ति तद्दिव्यं सर्वोपकरणानि च । एकान्तिकानां भक्तानां स एव परमा गतिः

rūpavarṇavayovasthāḥ prākṛtā naiva tasya hi sarvaṁ tasyāsti taddivyaṁ sarvopakaraṇāni ca ekāntikānāṁ bhaktānāṁ sa eva paramā gatiḥ

His form, complexion, and stages of age are never of a material kind; all that is His is divine, and all His attendant powers as well; He alone is the supreme goal of His exclusive devotees.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.208.19)

आत्मब्रह्मैक्यसंपन्नैर्विनिवृत्तगुणैरपि । क्रियते वासुदेवस्य भक्तिरित्थंगुणो हि सः

ātmabrahmaikyasaṁpannairvinivṛttaguṇairapi kriyate vāsudevasya bhaktiritthaṁguṇo hi saḥ

Even those established in the oneness of the Self with Brahman, who have withdrawn from the gunas, still render devotion to Vasudeva; such indeed is His nature.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.208.20)

माहात्म्यमस्य को वक्तुं शक्नुयात्परमात्मनः । अचिन्त्यानन्तशक्तीनामधिपस्य महामुने

māhātmyamasya ko vaktuṁ śaknuyātparamātmanaḥ acintyānantaśaktīnāmadhipasya mahāmune

Who, O great sage, can describe the glory of that Supreme Self, the master of powers inconceivable and infinite?

Verse 21 (skanda.2.208.21)

आत्मात्मा चाक्षरात्मा च ह्येष आकाशनिर्मलः । दिव्यदृगीक्ष्यः सन्मात्रः पुरुषो वसुदेवजः

ātmātmā cākṣarātmā ca hyeṣa ākāśanirmalaḥ divyadṛgīkṣyaḥ sanmātraḥ puruṣo vasudevajaḥ

He is the Self of the self, the Self even of the imperishable, spotless as the sky, visible only to the divine eye, of the nature of pure being alone -- the Person born as the son of Vasudeva.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.208.22)

समस्तकल्याणगुणो निर्गुणश्चेश्वरेश्वरः । परया विद्यया वेद्य उपास्यो ब्रह्मवित्प्रभुः

samastakalyāṇaguṇo nirguṇaśceśvareśvaraḥ parayā vidyayā vedya upāsyo brahmavitprabhuḥ

Possessed of every auspicious quality, yet beyond the three gunas, the Lord of lords, to be known through the highest knowledge, worthy of worship, the master even of the knowers of Brahman.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.208.23)

दिव्यमूर्त्तिं तमीशानं तपसैकान्तिकेन च । यः प्रीणयति धर्मेण स धन्यतम उच्यते

divyamūrttiṁ tamīśānaṁ tapasaikāntikena ca yaḥ prīṇayati dharmeṇa sa dhanyatama ucyate

He who, through exclusive austerity practiced in accordance with dharma, brings pleasure to that divinely-formed sovereign Lord is called the most blessed among all.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.208.24)

तस्मात्त्वमपि देवर्षे धर्मेणैकान्तिकेन तम् । आराधयन्निहैवांग कंचित्कालं तपः कुरु

tasmāttvamapi devarṣe dharmeṇaikāntikena tam ārādhayannihaivāṁga kaṁcitkālaṁ tapaḥ kuru

Therefore you too, O divine sage, dear one, should worship Him here through exclusive righteousness, and perform austerity for a time.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.208.25)

तपसैवाऽतिशुद्धात्मा माहात्म्यं तस्य सत्पतेः । यथावज्ज्ञास्यति भवान्प्रोच्यमानं मयाऽखिलम्

tapasaivā'tiśuddhātmā māhātmyaṁ tasya satpateḥ yathāvajjñāsyati bhavānprocyamānaṁ mayā'khilam

By that austerity alone, your self made exceedingly pure, you shall come to know rightly the whole of that Lord's greatness now to be told by me.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.208.26)

सर्वार्थसाधनं विद्धि तपस्तद्धृदयं मुने । नातप्तभूरितपसा स वशीक्रियते प्रभुः

sarvārthasādhanaṁ viddhi tapastaddhṛdayaṁ mune nātaptabhūritapasā sa vaśīkriyate prabhuḥ

Know austerity, O sage, to be the means of accomplishing every end, indeed its very heart; without abundant austerity performed, that Lord cannot be brought under one's sway.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.208.27)

स्कन्द उवाच । एवमुक्तो भगवता नरनारायणेन सः । प्रीतस्तपः कर्त्तुमिच्छँस्तमुवाच महामतिः

skanda uvāca evamukto bhagavatā naranārāyaṇena saḥ prītastapaḥ karttumiccham̐stamuvāca mahāmatiḥ

Skanda said: Thus addressed by the Lord Nara-Narayana, that great-minded Narada, delighted and eager to undertake austerity, spoke to Him.