श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् द्वितीय स्कन्ध: अथ अष्टम: अध्याय: राजा-उवाच - the king said - ब्रह्मणा चोदितो ब्रह्मन् गुणाख्यानेऽगुणस्य च ।
यस्मै यस्मै यथा प्राह नारदो देवदर्शन: ॥१॥
ब्रह्मणा चोदित: ब्रह्मन् by Brahmaa urged, O Holy sage!
गुण-आख्याने-अगुणस्य च the virtues to describe, of The One without Gunas, and यस्मै यस्मै यथा प्राह to whom , how said नारद: देव-दर्शन: Naarada, (who) Lord reveals O Holy Sage! Naarada who is wont to describe the form and virtues of the Lord, Who also transcends all Gunas, to who all did he reveal, and how?


एतद् वेदितुमिच्छामि तत्त्वं वेदविदां वर ।
हरेरद्भुतवीर्यस्य कथा लोकसुमङ्गला: ॥२॥
एतत् वेदितुम्- this to know
इच्छामि तत्त्वम् I desire the reality वेद-विदाम् वर O of the Veda knower's Supreme! हरे:-अद्भुत-वीर्यस्य Hari's marvellous powers कथा लोक-सुमङ्गला: stories, for the world blessings bestowing I wish to know from you, O foremost of the Veda Knowers! The stories of the marvellous powers of Hari, which bestow blessings on the world.


कथयस्व महाभाग यथाहमखिलात्मनि ।
कृष्णे निवेश्य नि:सङ्गं मनस्त्यक्ष्ये कलेवरम् ॥३॥
कथयस्व महाभाग do say, O highly blessed sage!
यथा-अहम्- so that I अखिल-आत्मनि in the Eternal Soul कृष्णे निवेश्य Krishna establishing नि:सङ्गम् मन:- without any attachments, the mind त्यक्ष्ये कलेवरम् cast off the body O highly blessed sage! Do tell me how to make my mind dispassionate and fix it in Krishna the Eternal Soul, and then cast off this body.


शृण्वत: श्रद्धया नित्यं गृणतश्च स्वचेष्टितम् ।
कालेन नातिदीर्घेण भगवान् विशते हृदि ॥४॥
शृण्वत: श्रद्धया नित्यम् hearing reverently, daily
गृणत:-च स्व-चेष्टितम् repeating and the Lord's doings कालेन न-अति-दीर्घेण in time not very long भगवान् विशते हृदि The Lord enters the heart When one hears with reverence the stories of the doings of the Lord, and repeats them every day, in not very long time, Lord enters the heart.


प्रविष्ट: कर्णरन्ध्रेन स्वानां भावसरोरुहम् ।
धुनोति शमलं कृष्ण: सलिलस्य यथा शरत् ॥५॥
प्रविष्ट: कर्ण-रन्ध्रेन entering by the ear cavity
स्वानाम्-भाव-सरोरुहम् of His devotees’, (into) the heart lotus धुनोति शमलम् कृष्ण: destroys impurities, Krishna सलिलस्य यथा शरत् of the water, like autumn Krishna enters through the ear cavity of His devotees and destroys the sins of their heart lotus, just as autumn clears the waters (of rivers etc.).


धौतात्मा पुरुष: कृष्णपादमूलं न मुञ्चति ।
मुक्तसर्वपरिक्लेश: पान्थ: स्वशरणं यथा ॥६॥
धौत-आत्मा पुरुष: a pure souled person
कृष्ण-पाद-मूलम् Krishna's feet's soles न मुञ्चति does not leave मुक्त-सर्व-परिक्लेश: abandoned all exertion पान्थ: स्व-शरणम् यथा traveller, own shelter like A person whose soul is pure, does not leave Krishna's feet soles, just as a traveller, after having completed the exertion of the travel, does not abondon his own shelter.


यदधातुमतो ब्रह्मन् देहारम्भोऽस्य धातुभि: ।
यदृच्छया हेतुना वा भवन्तो जानते यथा ॥७॥
यत्-अधातुमत: (that) which (the soul) is without elements
ब्रह्मन् O divine sage! देह-आरम्भ:- the body's creation अस्य धातुभि: of it (is) by the elements यदृच्छया हेतुना वा by course, by cause or भवन्त: जानते यथा you know how O divine sage! Though the soul is without the elements, its body's creation is by the elements.This happens as a matter of fact or due to some cause? You surely know the reality.


आसीद् यदुदरात् पद्मं लोकसंस्थानलक्षणम् ।
यावानयं वै पुरुष इयत्तावयवै: पृथक् ।
तावानसाविति प्रोक्त: संस्थावयववानिव ॥८॥
आसीत् यत्-उदरात् पद्मम् was which, from (Whose) stomach, the lotus
लोक-संस्थान-लक्षणम् of the worlds' creation the cause यावान्-अयम् of the type This वै पुरुष: इयत्ता- indeed is The Person, of a particular size अवयवै: पृथक् तावान्-असौ- in limbs different, same type This (He) इति प्रोक्त: संस्था-अवयववान्-इव so is said, form and limbed like From Whose stomach the lotus had emerged, indicates the cause of the creation of the wolds. He, the Primal Person is said to be of the same form and limbs as (human) beings, except for being different in size.


अज: सृजति भूतानि भूतात्मा यदनुग्रहात्।
ददृशे येन तद्रूपं नाभिपद्मसमुद्भव: ॥९॥
अज: सृजति भूतानि Brahmaa creates the elements
भूत-आत्मा as the creation's soul यत्-अनुग्रहात् by Whose grace ददृशे येन तत्-रूपम् was shown by Whom, That form नाभि-पद्म-समुद्भव: from navel lotus born As the soul of creation, Brahmaa creates the elements and beings by His grace, by Whose grace he is shown That form of His, even though born of the navel lotus.


स चापि यत्र पुरुषो विश्वस्थित्युद्भवाप्यय: ।
मुक्त्वाऽऽत्ममायां मायेश: शेते सर्वगुहाशय: ॥१०॥
स: च-अपि यत्र He and also where
पुरुष: विश्व- the Primal Person, the world's स्थिति-उद्भव-अप्यय: preservation, creation and destruction (happens) मुक्त्वा-आत्म-मायाम् discarding His Maayaa मायेश: शेते The Lord of Maayaa, sleeps सर्व-गुहा-आशय: in everything dwelling Also, He, The Primal Person, from Whom the creation preservation and destruction of the worlds happens, and Who dwells in everything, The Lord of Maaya, where does He sleep after discarding His Maayaa?


पुरुषावयवैर्लोका: सपाला: पूर्वकल्पिता: ।
लोकैरमुष्यावयवा: सपालैरिति शिश्रुम ।११॥
पुरुष-अवयवै: लोका: by the Person's limbs, the worlds
सपाला: पूर्व-कल्पिता: with the guardians, were formerly conceived लोकै:-अमुष्य-अवयवा: by the worlds' His limbs, सपालै:-इति शिश्रुम with the guardians, this is heard Formerly, The Primal Person's limbs were concieved as the worlds and their gaurdians, then it was said, that the worlds and their gaurdians were His limbs.


यावान् कल्पो विकल्पो वा यथा कालोऽनुमीयते ।
भूतभव्यभवच्छब्द आयुर्मानं च यत् सत: ॥१२॥
यावान् कल्प: विकल्प: वा the duration of a Kalpa, of a Vikalpa, or
यथा काल:-अनुमीयते as the time flows भूत-भव्य-भवत्-शब्द: past, future, present (these) words आयु:-मानम् च यत् सत: age span and which of beings What is the duration time of Kalpa or Vikalpa, and as the time flows, what do the words past, future and present denote? What is the life span of physical bodied beings?


कालस्यानुगतिर्या तु लक्ष्यतेऽण्वी बृहत्यपि ।
यावत्य: कर्मगतयो यादृशीर्द्विजसत्तम ॥१३॥
कालस्य-अनुगति:-या तु time's movement that which
लक्ष्यते-अण्वी बृहति-अपि is seen the smallest largest also यावत्य: कर्म-गतय: यादृशी:- as many of Karma's destinies, which type द्विज-सत्तम O Braahmana, the noblest! O Noblest Braahmana! Which are the movements of time the smallest and the largest also, that are seen. How many and of what types are the destinies of Karma.


यस्मिन् कर्मसमावायो यथा येनोपगृह्यते ।
गुणानां गुणिनां चैव परिणाममभीप्सताम् ॥१४॥
यस्मिन् कर्म-समावायो in which, Karma's end (result)
यथा येन-उपगृह्यते how by whom is accepted गुणानाम् गुणिनम् चैव of the (three) gunas, the jivas with the gunas and also परिणामम्-अभीप्सताम् the results desired In which manner do the Karmas end and bring fruit,and how are the results accepted by the Jeevas who seek the fruits according to the three gunas, what type of Jeevas take on what kind of action and so receive what kind of results which they desire.


भूपातालककुब्व्योमग्रहनक्षत्रभूभृताम् ।
सरित्समुद्रद्वीपानां सम्भवश्चैतदोकसाम् ॥१५॥
भू-पाताल-ककुब्-व्योम- earth, the nethermost sphere, the directions, the sky,
ग्रह-नक्षत्र-भूभृताम् the planets, stars, the mountains, च-एतत्-ओकसाम् and their creatures The earth, the nethermost sphere, the directions, the sky, the planets, the stars, the mountains, the rivers, the oceans and islands, and the creatures living on them, how did they come into existence?


प्रमाणमण्डकोशस्य बाह्याभ्यन्तरभेदत: ।
महतां चानुचरितं वर्णाश्रमविनिश्चय: ॥१६॥
प्रमाणम्-अण्डकोशस्य dimensions, of the egg-shaped universe
बाह्य-अभ्यन्तर-भेदत: outside and inside, differentiating महताम् च-अनुचरितम् of the holy and distinctive character वर्ण-आश्रम-विनिश्चय: the Varnas Aashramas, ascertain Do tell about the within and without dimensions of the egg-shaped universe, differentiatingly. Also tell about the distinctive character of the holy men and also ascertain the qualities of the Vernas and Aashramas.


युगानि युगमानं च धर्मो यश्च युगे युगे ।
अवतारानुचरितं यदाश्चर्यतमं हरे: ॥१७॥
युगानि युगमानम् च the Yugas, the duration of the Yugas and
धर्म: य:-च युगे युगे duties which and in Yuga to Yuga अवतार-अनुचरितम् the descent exploits यत्-आश्चर्यतमम् हरे: which are most wonderful of Shree Hari Tell about the Yugas and their duration and the duties prescribed in Yuga to Yuga. And also tell about the most wonderful stories of the exploits of Shree Hari in different incarnations.


नृणां साधरणो धर्म: सविशेषश्च यादृश: ।
श्रेणीनां राजर्षीणां च धर्म: कृच्छ्रेषु जीवताम् ॥१८॥
नृणाम् साधरण: धर्म: of the people common duties
सविशेष:-च यादृश: special and what kind श्रेणीनाम् राजर्षीणाम् of the traders, the royal sages च धर्म: कृच्छ्रेषु जीवताम् and duties, (of those) in want living What are the common duties of the people and of what kind are the special duties? What are the duties of the traders, of the royal sages and of the people who are living in want.


तत्त्वानां परिसंख्यानं लक्षणं हेतुलक्षणम् ।
पुरुषाराधनविधिर्योगस्याध्यात्मिकस्य च ॥१९॥
तत्त्वानाम् परिसंख्यानम् of the elements, the categories
लक्षणम् हेतु-लक्षणम् characteristics, cause, and distinct nature पुरुष-आराधन-विधि:- of The Primal Person's worship method, योगस्य-आध्यात्मिकस्य च of yoga, of Vedic knowledge and (method) Do say about the number of the various categories, characteristics causes and distinct nature of the elements. The method of the worship of the Supreme Person, the method of Yoga and of Vedic knowledge.


योगेश्वरैश्वर्यगतिर्लिङ्गभङ्गस्तु योगिनाम् ।
वेदोपवेदधर्माणामितिहासपुराणयो: ॥२०॥
योगेश्वर-ऐश्वर्य-गति:- of Yoga the masters’, power and destiny
लिङ्ग-भङ्गस्तु योगिनाम् the subtle body's dissolving of the Yogis वेद-उपवेद-धर्माणाम्- the Vedas and sub-Vedas, of the Dharmas इतिहास-पुराणयो: and of epics and the Puraanas What are the powers and destiny of the masters of Yoga? How does the subtle body of the Yogis dissolve? Also say about the Vedas and the sub-Vedas, the Dharmas (Law of conduct), the epics and the Puraanas.


सम्प्लव: सर्वभूतानां विक्रम: प्रतिसंक्रम: ।
इष्टापूर्तस्य काम्यानां त्रिवर्गस्य च यो विधि: ॥२१॥
सम्प्लव: सर्व-भूतानाम् dissolution of all beings
विक्रम: प्रतिसंक्रम: preservation, rebirth इष्टा-पूर्तस्य काम्यानाम् Vedic rites, works by the Smritis, fulfilling of desired works त्रिवर्गस्य of the three types (Dharma Artha and Kaama) च य: विधि: and their method How at the time of dissolution, all beings are preserved and are reborn again? What are the methods of Vedic rites, and which actions are recommended by the Smritis, and the methods of fulfilling ones desired works and the three types of action, Dharma, Artha and Kaama, and the method to perform them.


यश्चानुशायिनां सर्ग: पाखण्डस्य च सम्भव: ।
आत्मनो बन्धमोक्षौ च व्यवस्थानं स्वरूपत: ॥२२॥
य:-च-अनुशायिनाम् सर्ग: that which and merged (in Prakriti) birth
पाखण्डस्य च सम्भव: of heretic's and appearance आत्मन: बन्ध-मोक्षौ च of the self, bondage and liberation व्यवस्थानम् स्वरूपत: realising, own true nature Do say about those which lie merged in the Prakriti at the time of dissolution and about their again gaining a body. Also the appearance of diciet and heretics, the bondage of the self and its liberation and the realising of its true nature.


यथाऽऽत्मतन्त्रो भगवान् विक्रीडत्यात्ममायया ।
विसृज्य वा यथा मायामुदास्ते साक्षिवद् विभु: ॥२३॥
यथा-आत्म-तन्त्र: भगवान् In what manner, self dependent Lord
विक्रीडति-आत्म-मायया sports with His own Maayaa विसृज्य वा यथा मायाम्- abandoning or how the Maayaa उत्-आस्ते साक्षि-वत् विभु: indeed, stands witness like the All-pervading In what manner does The Lord, who is self dependent, sport with his own Maayaa? Later, abondoning His Maayaa, how does The All-pervading Lord just stand as an unconcerned witness?


सर्वमेतच्च भगवन् पृच्छते मेऽनुपूर्वश: ।
तत्त्वतोऽर्हस्युदाहर्तुं प्रपन्नाय महामुने ॥२४॥
सर्वम्-एतत्-च भगवन् all this and, O great One!
पृच्छते मे-अनुपूर्वश: asking (as I) am, one after the other तत्-तु-अत:-अर्हसि-उदाहर्तुम् that, indeed, so, are capable of expounding प्रपन्नाय महामुने to the surrendered, (me), O holy sage! O great and holy sage! I seek refuge in you, as I ask these questions. Please answer them one after the other as you are capable of doing so.


अत्र प्रमाणं हि भवान् परमेष्ठी यथाऽऽत्मभू: ।
परे चेहानुतिष्ठन्ति पूर्वेषां पूर्वजै: कृतम् ॥२५॥
अत्र प्रमाणम् हि भवान् here, authority indeed are you
परमेष्ठी यथा-आत्म-भू: Brahmaa, like the self born परे च-इह-अनुतिष्ठन्ति others and here follow पूर्वेषाम् पूर्वजै: कृतम् the others, by the ancestors done Here, in this matter you indeed are the authority just as the self -born Brahmaa. In this world, the others merely follow the doings of the ancestors.


न मेऽसव: परायन्ति ब्रह्मन्ननशनादमी ।
पिबतोऽच्युतपीयूषमन्यत्र कुपिताद् द्विजात् ॥२६॥
न मे-असव: परायन्ति not my life will leave
ब्रह्मन्-अनशनात्-अमी O Sage! by not eating, this पिबत:-अच्युत-पीयूषम्- drinking Krishna's (stories') nectar, अन्यत्र कुपितात् द्विजात् other than enraged Braahmana's (curse) O Sage! This life of mine is not going to depart by my not eating food, as I am drinking the nectar of the stories of Krishna, except for the curse of the enraged Braahmana.


सूत उवाच - Soota said - स उपामन्त्रितो राज्ञा कथयामिति सत्पते: ।
ब्रह्मरातो भृशं प्रीतो विष्णुरातेन संसदि ॥२७॥
स: उपामन्त्रित: राज्ञा he invited by the king (Pareekshit)
कथयाम्-इति सत्पते: in the stories these of Krishna ब्रह्मरात: भृशम् प्रीत: Shukadeva, highly pleased विष्णुरातेन संसदि by Pareekshit, in the assembly Shukadeva was highly pleased when he was invited to narrate the stories of Krishna, by the king Pareekshita, in the assembly.


प्राह भागवतं नाम पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् ।
ब्रह्मणे भगवत्प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मकल्प उपागते ॥२८॥
प्राह expounded
भागवतम् नाम पुराणम् Bhaagavatam named Puraana ब्रह्म-सम्मितम् Veda equal to ब्रह्मणे To Brahmaa भगवत्-प्रोक्तम् by The Lord said ब्रह्म-कल्पे in the Brahma Kalpa उपागते beginning He expounded the Puraana named Bhaagavatam, which was told to Brahmaa by The Lord Himself at the beginning of the Brahma Kalpa and which is as esteemed as the Vedas.


यद् यत् परीक्षिदृषभ: पाण्डूनामनुपृच्छति ।
आनुपूर्व्येण तत्सर्वमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे ॥२९॥
यत् यत् परीक्षित्-ऋषभ: all that, Pareekshita, the scion
पाण्डूनाम्-अनुपृच्छति of the Paandavas, as asked आनुपूर्व्येण तत्-सर्वम्- serially, that all आख्यातुम्-उपचक्रमे to speak proceeded He proceeded to speak serially of all that Pareekshit, the scion of the Paandavas' had asked.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां द्वितीयस्कन्धेप्रश्नविधिर्नाम् आष्टम: अध्याय: ॥८॥
Thus ends the eighth discourse entitled 'A Statement of Questions' in Book Two of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.