The Transmission of this Scripture

Verse 1 (skanda.2.221.1)

स्कन्द उवाच । इति स्तुत्वा तमीशानं नारदः स ययौ ततः । शम्याप्रासाभिधं ब्रह्मन्व्यासस्याश्रममादितः

skanda uvāca | iti stutvā tamīśānaṁ nāradaḥ sa yayau tataḥ | śamyāprāsābhidhaṁ brahmanvyāsasyāśramamāditaḥ

Skanda said: Having thus praised that Lord, Narada then departed, O Brahman, straightway to the hermitage of Vyasa named Shamyaprasa.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.221.2)

सादरं मानितस्तेन प्रत्युत्थानासनादिभिः । तस्मा एकान्तिकं धर्म्मं प्राह जिज्ञासवे स च

sādaraṁ mānitastena pratyutthānāsanādibhiḥ | tasmā ekāntikaṁ dharmmaṁ prāha jijñāsave sa ca

Honoured respectfully by him with rising to greet him, offering a seat, and the like, he declared the exclusive dharma to him, who was eager to know it.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.221.3)

ततो ब्रह्मसभां गत्वा ब्रह्मणः शृण्वतो मुनिः । देवान्पितॄन्महर्षींश्च तत्रस्थांस्तमुपादिशत्

tato brahmasabhāṁ gatvā brahmaṇaḥ śṛṇvato muniḥ | devānpitṝnmaharṣīṁśca tatrasthāṁstamupādiśat

Then, having gone to the assembly of Brahma, the sage, in Brahma's hearing, taught it to the gods, the ancestors, and the great sages present there.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.221.4)

तत्रस्थितो भास्करश्च धर्म्ममेतं पुनर्म्मुने । शुश्राव नारदात्सर्वं श्रुतं नारायणात्पुरा

tatrasthito bhāskaraśca dharmmametaṁ punarmmune | śuśrāva nāradātsarvaṁ śrutaṁ nārāyaṇātpurā

And the Sun-god, present there, O sage, heard again in full from Narada this dharma that had previously been heard from Narayana.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.221.5)

स प्राहात्माग्रयायिभ्यो वालखिल्येभ्य आदरात् । मेरौ ते संगतान्देवानिन्द्रादींश्च न्यशामयन्

sa prāhātmāgrayāyibhyo vālakhilyebhya ādarāt | merau te saṁgatāndevānindrādīṁśca nyaśāmayan

He respectfully declared it to the Valakhilya sages, foremost among his own attendants; and they made it known to the gods headed by Indra, assembled on Mount Meru.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.221.6)

तेभ्योऽसितो मुनिः श्रुत्वा धर्ममेतं द्विजोत्तम । पितृभ्यः कथयामास पितृलोकं गतः क्वचित्

tebhyo'sito muniḥ śrutvā dharmametaṁ dvijottama | pitṛbhyaḥ kathayāmāsa pitṛlokaṁ gataḥ kvacit

O best of the twice-born, the sage Asita, having heard this dharma from them, once went to the world of the ancestors and related it to the Pitris.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.221.7)

पितरस्ते त्वर्यमाद्या ऊचिरे शंतनुं नृपम् । स भीष्माय स्वपुत्राय कथयामास तत्त्वतः

pitaraste tvaryamādyā ūcire śaṁtanuṁ nṛpam | sa bhīṣmāya svaputrāya kathayāmāsa tattvataḥ

Those ancestors, headed by Aryaman, told it to King Shantanu; and he related it truly to his own son, Bhishma.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.221.8)

सोपि भारतयुद्धान्ते धर्म्मराजाय पृच्छते । शयानः शरशय्यायां प्राह संसदि भूयसि

sopi bhāratayuddhānte dharmmarājāya pṛcchate | śayānaḥ śaraśayyāyāṁ prāha saṁsadi bhūyasi

And he too, at the end of the Bharata war, lying upon his bed of arrows, declared it, in a great assembly, to Dharmaraja who asked of it.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.221.9)

तत्र श्रुत्वा नारदोपि स्थितः सदसि सादरम् । कैलासे शंकरं प्राह स च मां मुनिसत्तम

tatra śrutvā nāradopi sthitaḥ sadasi sādaram | kailāse śaṁkaraṁ prāha sa ca māṁ munisattama

There too, Narada, present respectfully in that assembly, heard it; and he declared it to Shankara on Kailasa; and he, O best of sages, declared it to me.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.221.10)

मया ते कथितं ब्रह्मन्पृच्छते धर्म्मवर्त्तिने । पात्रायैतत्प्रदातव्यमिति मां हि पिताब्रवीत्

mayā te kathitaṁ brahmanpṛcchate dharmmavarttine | pātrāyaitatpradātavyamiti māṁ hi pitābravīt

O Brahman, it has been declared by me to you, who asked, being devoted to dharma; for my father told me, 'This should be given only to a worthy recipient.'

Verse 11 (skanda.2.221.11)

येनयेन श्रुतं ह्येतन्माहात्म्यं सात्वतांपतेः । स स तस्मिन्परां भक्तिं चकार स्वविमुक्तये

yenayena śrutaṁ hyetanmāhātmyaṁ sātvatāṁpateḥ | sa sa tasminparāṁ bhaktiṁ cakāra svavimuktaye

Whoever has heard this glory of the Lord of the Satvatas has developed supreme devotion to Him, for the sake of his own liberation.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.221.12)

युधिष्ठिरोपि राजर्षिः श्रुत्वा भीष्मेण कीर्त्तितम् । माहात्म्यं देवकीसूनोर्म्मुमुदे भ्रातृभिः सह

yudhiṣṭhiropi rājarṣiḥ śrutvā bhīṣmeṇa kīrttitam | māhātmyaṁ devakīsūnormmumude bhrātṛbhiḥ saha

The royal sage Yudhishthira too, having heard the glory of the son of Devaki declared by Bhishma, rejoiced together with his brothers.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.221.13)

तमात्मनो मातुलेयं सर्वकारणकारणम् । निशम्याश्चर्य्यजलधौ निममज्ज महामतिः

tamātmano mātuleyaṁ sarvakāraṇakāraṇam | niśamyāścaryyajaladhau nimamajja mahāmatiḥ

Hearing that He, his own maternal cousin, was the cause of all causes, that great-minded one plunged into an ocean of wonder.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.221.14)

वासुदेवादिकं व्यूह वाराहादींश्च सर्व्वशः । अवतारानपि नृपो मेनेऽस्यैव रमापतेः

vāsudevādikaṁ vyūha vārāhādīṁśca sarvvaśaḥ | avatārānapi nṛpo mene'syaiva ramāpateḥ

The king came to understand that the Vasudeva and other emanations, and likewise the Varaha and other incarnations, all belonged to this very Lord of Rama.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.221.15)

ततः सहानुजो राजा दिव्यमानुषविग्रहे । अत्यन्तं भक्तिमान्कृष्णे बभूव द्विजसत्तम

tataḥ sahānujo rājā divyamānuṣavigrahe | atyantaṁ bhaktimānkṛṣṇe babhūva dvijasattama

O best of the twice-born, thereafter the king, together with his younger brothers, became exceedingly devoted to Krishna, whose form is divine yet human.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.221.16)

श्रुत्वेमां च कथां सर्व्वे ब्रह्मराजसुरर्षयः । सभायां तत्र ये चासंस्तेप्यभूवन्सविस्मयाः

śrutvemāṁ ca kathāṁ sarvve brahmarājasurarṣayaḥ | sabhāyāṁ tatra ye cāsaṁstepyabhūvansavismayāḥ

And all the Brahmins, kings, gods, and sages who were present there in that assembly, having heard this account, were likewise filled with wonder.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.221.17)

कृष्णमेव परं ब्रह्म विदित्वा ते नराकृति । भक्तिं प्रपेदिरे तस्मिन्प्रणमन्तस्तमादरात्

kṛṣṇameva paraṁ brahma viditvā te narākṛti | bhaktiṁ prapedire tasminpraṇamantastamādarāt

Knowing Krishna, even in His human form, to be the Supreme Brahman, they took refuge in devotion to Him, bowing to Him with reverence.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.221.18)

इत्थं तस्यास्ति माहात्म्यमतस्त्वमपि सन्मते । सर्वात्मना वासुदेवं तमेव भज भक्तितः

itthaṁ tasyāsti māhātmyamatastvamapi sanmate | sarvātmanā vāsudevaṁ tameva bhaja bhaktitaḥ

Such indeed is His glory; therefore, O good-minded one, you too should worship that very Vasudeva with your whole being, through devotion.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.221.19)

श्रीवासुदेवमाहात्म्यमेतत्ते कथितं मया । दुर्वासनोपशमनं भगवद्भक्तिवर्द्धनम्

śrīvāsudevamāhātmyametatte kathitaṁ mayā | durvāsanopaśamanaṁ bhagavadbhaktivarddhanam

This glory of Sri Vasudeva has been declared by me to you; it quells evil impulses and increases devotion to the Lord.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.221.20)

कथितानि पुराणेऽत्र मयाख्यानानि यानि ते । तेषां सार इदं ब्रह्मन्निर्म्मथ्यैव समुद्धृतः

kathitāni purāṇe'tra mayākhyānāni yāni te | teṣāṁ sāra idaṁ brahmannirmmathyaiva samuddhṛtaḥ

O Brahman, this is the very essence, churned out and extracted, of all the narratives that I have related to you in this Purana.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.221.21)

वेदोपनिषदां चैतद्रसो वै सांख्ययोगयोः । पञ्चरात्रस्य कृत्स्नस्य धर्मशास्त्रस्य चानघ

vedopaniṣadāṁ caitadraso vai sāṁkhyayogayoḥ | pañcarātrasya kṛtsnasya dharmaśāstrasya cānagha

O sinless one, this is indeed the essence of the Vedas and Upanishads, of Sankhya and Yoga, of the entire Pancharatra, and of the Dharmashastra.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.221.22)

धन्यं यशस्यं चायुष्यमेतत्परममङ्गलम् । साक्षाद्भगवता गीतं सर्वाभद्रविनाशनम्

dhanyaṁ yaśasyaṁ cāyuṣyametatparamamaṅgalam | sākṣādbhagavatā gītaṁ sarvābhadravināśanam

This bestows merit, fame, and long life; it is supremely auspicious, sung directly by the Lord Himself, and destroys all misfortune.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.221.23)

य एतच्छृणुयात्पुण्यं कीर्त्तयेदथ यः पठेत् । वासुदेवे भवेत्तेषामचला निर्मला मतिः

ya etacchṛṇuyātpuṇyaṁ kīrttayedatha yaḥ paṭhet | vāsudeve bhavetteṣāmacalā nirmalā matiḥ

Whoever hears this sacred account, or recites it, or reads it — their mind becomes unwavering and pure in devotion to Vasudeva.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.221.24)

भक्ता एकान्तिकास्ते च भवेयुस्तस्य मानवाः । ब्रह्मरूपा व्रजन्त्यन्ते ब्रह्मधाम तमःपरम्

bhaktā ekāntikāste ca bhaveyustasya mānavāḥ | brahmarūpā vrajantyante brahmadhāma tamaḥparam

Such men become His exclusive devotees; and, taking the form of Brahman, they go in the end to the abode of Brahman, which lies beyond darkness.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.221.25)

धर्मार्थी लभतेऽनेन धर्मं कामं च कामुकः । धनार्थी धनमाप्नोति मोक्षार्थी मोक्षमुत्तमम्

dharmārthī labhate'nena dharmaṁ kāmaṁ ca kāmukaḥ | dhanārthī dhanamāpnoti mokṣārthī mokṣamuttamam

By this, one who desires dharma obtains dharma, one who desires pleasure obtains pleasure, one who desires wealth obtains wealth, and one who desires liberation obtains the highest liberation.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.221.26)

लभेत विद्यां विद्यार्थी मुच्येद्रुग्णश्च रोगतः । एतच्छ्रवणमात्रेण सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्

labheta vidyāṁ vidyārthī mucyedrugṇaśca rogataḥ | etacchravaṇamātreṇa sarvapāpakṣayo bhavet

One who desires learning obtains learning, and the sick are freed from disease; by the mere hearing of this, the destruction of all sins comes about.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.221.27)

ब्राह्मं तेजो लभेद्विप्रः क्षत्रियश्च नरेशताम् । धनं वैश्यः सुखं शूद्रः श्रवणादस्य चाप्नुयात्

brāhmaṁ tejo labhedvipraḥ kṣatriyaśca nareśatām | dhanaṁ vaiśyaḥ sukhaṁ śūdraḥ śravaṇādasya cāpnuyāt

By hearing this, a Brahmin obtains Brahmanic splendour, a Kshatriya obtains lordship over men, a Vaishya obtains wealth, and a Shudra obtains happiness.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.221.28)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा रणं गच्छन्विजयं चाप्नुयान्नृपः । प्राप्नुयात्स्त्री च सौभाग्यं कन्या च स्वेप्सितं वरम्

etacchrutvā raṇaṁ gacchanvijayaṁ cāpnuyānnṛpaḥ | prāpnuyātstrī ca saubhāgyaṁ kanyā ca svepsitaṁ varam

A king, having heard this before going to battle, obtains victory; a woman obtains good fortune, and a maiden obtains the husband of her own desire.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.221.29)

एतस्य श्रुतिकीर्त्तिभ्यः शास्त्रजातशिरोमणेः । यं यं यः कामयेत्कामं तंतं प्राप्नोति मानवः

etasya śrutikīrttibhyaḥ śāstrajātaśiromaṇeḥ | yaṁ yaṁ yaḥ kāmayetkāmaṁ taṁtaṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ

By hearing or reciting this, the very crown-jewel among all scriptures, a man obtains whatever desire he desires.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.221.30)

तस्मात्त्वं सर्वदा भक्त्या पठन्नेतद्द्विजोत्तम । कायवाणीमनोभिस्तं भजेथा भक्तवत्सलम्

tasmāttvaṁ sarvadā bhaktyā paṭhannetaddvijottama | kāyavāṇīmanobhistaṁ bhajethā bhaktavatsalam

Therefore, O best of the twice-born, ever reading this with devotion, you should worship, with body, speech, and mind, that Lord who is full of affection for His devotees.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.221.31)

सौतिरुवाच । एतन्महासेनमुखाब्जनिःसृतं सावर्णिरापीय वचोमृतं सः । चकार भक्तिं वसुदेवनन्दने नराकृतिब्रह्मणि सर्वमङ्गले

sautiruvāca | etanmahāsenamukhābjaniḥsṛtaṁ sāvarṇirāpīya vacomṛtaṁ saḥ | cakāra bhaktiṁ vasudevanandane narākṛtibrahmaṇi sarvamaṅgale

The Suta said: Having drunk this nectar of words that had issued forth from the lotus mouth of Mahasena, that Savarni developed devotion to the son of Vasudeva, the all-auspicious Brahman in human form.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.221.32)

यूयं च सर्वे निगमागमज्ञा ब्रह्मण्यदेवं भजनीयमीशम् । भजध्वमेकं तमुदारकीर्त्तिं श्रीवासुदेवं निजधर्मसंस्थाः

yūyaṁ ca sarve nigamāgamajñā brahmaṇyadevaṁ bhajanīyamīśam | bhajadhvamekaṁ tamudārakīrttiṁ śrīvāsudevaṁ nijadharmasaṁsthāḥ

And you all, who are knowers of the Vedas and the Agamas, remaining steadfast in your own respective duties, should worship that one Lord, the God who is the friend of the Brahmins, worthy of worship, of great renown — Sri Vasudeva.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.221.33)

गोलोकधामपतये प्रकाशचयमूर्त्तये । नमोस्तु वासुदेवाय भक्त्यानन्दविवृद्धये

golokadhāmapataye prakāśacayamūrttaye | namostu vāsudevāya bhaktyānandavivṛddhaye

Salutation to Vasudeva, the Lord of the abode of Goloka, whose form is a mass of light, for the increase of the bliss of devotion.