श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् प्रथम: स्कन्ध: अथ प्रथम: अध्याय: जन्माद्यस्य यतोऽन्वयादितरतश्चार्थेष्वभिज्ञ: स्वराट्
तेने ब्रह्म हृदा य आदिकवये मुह्यन्ति यत्सूरय: ।
तेजोवारिमृदां यथा विनिमयो यत्र त्रिसर्गोऽमृषा
धाम्ना स्वेन सदा निरस्तकुहकं सत्यं परं धीमहि ॥१॥
जन्म-आदि-अस्य creation and others (sustenance, destruction), of this,
यत:-अन्वयात्- from Where invariably is इतरत:-च-अर्थेषु- (Who is) in non entities and in entities अभिज्ञ: स्वराट् (Who is) self conscious, self effulgent तेने ब्रह्म हृदा by Whom to Brahmaa revealed य: आदि-कवये who is the first seer, मुह्यन्ति यत्-सूरय: bewildered are by whom greatest sages तेज:-वारि-मृदाम् of light, water and earth यथा विनिमय: as is intermingled (appears) यत्र त्रिसर्ग:-अमृषा where (in whom) threefold creation true (appears) धाम्ना स्वेन सदा by glory own always निरस्त-कुहकम् dispels Maaya सत्यम् परम् धीमहि (That) Truth Supreme (we) meditate upon We meditate on That Supreme Truth, from Where, invariably, the creation sustenance destruction of this world is, Who is present in entities and in non-entities, Who is self conscious and self effulgent, Who is in this three fold creation, and appears as true, just as the fire, water and earth (in a mirage) appear true, Who by His Own glory preached the Vedas to Brahmaa, by Whom the greatest sages are bewildered, Who with pleasure dispels Maaya.


धर्म: प्रोज्झितकैतवोऽत्र परमो निर्मत्सराणां सताम्
वेद्यं वास्तवमत्र वस्तु शिवदं तापत्रयोन्मूलनम् ।
श्रीमद्भागवते महामुनिकृते किं वा परैरीश्वर:
सद्यो हृद्यवरुध्यतेऽत्र कृतिभि: शुश्रूषुभिस्तत्क्षणात् ॥२॥
धर्म: प्रोज्झित-कैतव:-अत्र religion, discarded of deception, here
परम: निर्मत्सराणाम् सताम् supreme, free from malice saints' वेद्यम् वास्तवम्- worth knowing reality अत्र वस्तु शिवदम् here substance meritorious ताप-त्रय-उन्मूलनम् three agonies uprooting श्रीमद्भागवते महा-मुनि-कृते in Shreemad Bhaagavata, by the great sage (Vyaasa) done किम् वा परै:-ईश्वर: of what use of other (religions), Lord सद्य: हृदि-अवरुध्यते- instantaneously in the heart comes अत्र कृतिभि: here (when) by blessed people शुश्रूषुभि:-तत्-क्षणात् keen to hear, from that moment In this Shreemad Bhaagavata, the work of the great sage, Vyaasa, the Supreme religion is taught, which is known only by the saints who are free of malice, the substance of which is meritorious in that it is The bliss bestowing absolute reality, which uproots the threefold agonies, then what is the use of other religions. The Lord is instantly, at that very moment, captured in the hearts of the blessed who are keen to hear its exposition.



निगमकल्पतरोर्गलितं फलं, शुकमुखादमृतद्रवसंयुतम् ।
पिबत भागवतं रसमालयं, मुहुरहो रसिका भुवि भावुका: ॥३॥
निगम-कल्प-तरो: of the Vedas, the wish yielding tree's
गलितम् फलम् ripe fruit शुक-मुखात्- from Shuka's mouth अमृत-द्रव-संयुतम् nectar decoction accompanied पिबत भागवतम् (do) drink Bhaagavatam रसम्-आलयम् juice house मुहु:-अहो रसिका: always O devotees! भुवि भावुका: on the earth, (you) knower of the essence O devotees! In this world, you who have the knowledge of the essence, do always drink the juice of the juice house Bhaagavata, which is the ripened fruit of the wish yielding tree of the Vedas, and is accompanied with the decoction of the nectar of Shuka's (parrot's) mouth.


नैमिषेऽनिमिषक्षेत्रे ऋषय: शौनकादय: ।
सत्रं स्वर्गाय लोकाय सहस्रसममासत ॥४॥
नैमिषे- in Naimishaaranya
अनिमिष-क्षेत्रे in the sacred land ऋषय: शौनक-आदय: sages Shaunaka and others सत्रम् a great sacrifice स्वर्गाय लोकाय for heaven and earth (benefit) सहस्र-समम्-आसत in a thousand years' long, undertook In the sacred land of Naimishaaranyaa, for the benefit of heaven and earth, Shaunaka and other sages undertook a sacrifice spanning a thousand years.


त एकदा तु मुनय: प्रातर्हुतहुताग्नय: ।
सत्कृतं सूतमासीनं पप्रच्छुरिदमादरात् ॥५॥
ते एकदा तु
मुनय: they one day indeed
प्रात:-हुत- sages हुत-अग्नय: in the morning (having poured) oblations सत्कृतम् into the sacred fire सूतम्-आसीनम् honouring पप्रच्छु:-इदम्-आदरात् Soota, having been seated One day, in the morning, indeed, after the sages had performed the oblations into the sacred fire, had honoured Soota, and after he was seated, respectfully asked him this…


ऋषय ऊचु: - The sages said - त्वया खलु पुराणानि सेतिहासानि चानघ ।
आख्यातान्यप्यधीतानि धर्मशास्त्राणि यान्युत ॥६॥
त्वया खलु by you certainly
पुराणानि स-इतिहासानि Puraanas along with history च-अनघ आख्यातानि- and O sinless One! Expounded अपि-अधीतानि and studied धर्म-शास्त्राणि religions and codes of law यानि-उत those also O sinless One! Soota! You certainly have expounded the Puraanas and their history, and have also studied religions and those codes of law.


यानि वेदविदां श्रेष्ठो भगवान् बादरायण: ।
अन्ये च मुनय: सूत परावरविदो विदु: ॥७॥
यानि वेद-विदाम् श्रेष्ठ: those (among) Veda's knowers, foremost
भगवान् बादरायण: divine Baadaraayana (Veda Vyaasa) अन्ये च मुनय: सूत and other sages, O Soota! पर-अवर विद: विदु: the absolute and qualified knowers, (you) know O Soota! the foremost among the knowers of Vedas, Baadaraayana Veda Vyaasa and other sages, are the knowers of absolute and the qualified, you also know.'


वेत्थ त्वं सौम्य तत्सर्वं तत्त्वतस्तदनुग्रहात् ।
ब्रूयु: स्निग्धस्य शिष्यस्य गुरवो गुह्यमप्युत ॥८॥
वेत्थ त्वम् सौम्य तत्-सर्वम् know you, O gentle you! that all
तत्त्वत:-तत्-अनुग्रहात् in reality, by their grace ब्रूयु: स्निग्धस्य शिष्यस्य (because, they) tell to the beloved disciple गुरव: गुह्यम्-अपि-उत the teachers, most secret also definitely O gentle you Soota! In reality you know all that by the sages' grace, because, the teachers tell to their beloved pupils even their utmost secrets.


तत्र तत्राञ्जसाऽऽयुष्मन् भवता यद्विनिश्चितम् ।
पुंसामेकान्तत: श्रेयस्तन्न: शंसितुमर्हसि ॥९॥
तत्र तत्र-अञ्जसा- in all those (Shaastras), easily
आयुष्मन् भवता O long lived Soota! By you यत्-विनिश्चितम् that which is ascertained पुंसाम-एकान्तत: for men, the singular श्रेय:-तत्-न: supreme good, that to us शंसितुम्-अर्हसि to instruct may be pleased O long lived Soota! In all those sacred books, after studying, what is that which you have ascertained to be the easy and the only singular means for the supreme good of men, be pleased to instruct to us.


प्रायेणाल्पायुष: सभ्य कलावस्मिन् युगे जना: ।
मन्दा: सुमन्दमतयो मन्दभाग्या ह्युपद्रुता: ॥१०॥
प्रायेण-अल्प-आयुष: mostly short lived
सभ्य O The exalted one (of the assembly, Soota!) कलौ-अस्मिन् युगे in Kaliyuga this जना: मन्दा: people will be lazy सुमन्द-मतय: मन्द-भाग्या: dull-witted, unlucky हि-उपद्रुता: and restless O the exalted one of the assembly, Soota! In this Kaliyuga, mostly people will be short lived, lazy, dim-witted, unlucky and restless due to many sufferings.


भूरीणि भूरिकर्माणि श्रोतव्यानि विभागश: ।
अत: साधोऽत्र यत्सारं समुद्धृत्य मनीषया ।
ब्रूहि न: श्रद्दधानानाम् येनात्मा सम्प्रसीदति ॥११॥
भूरीणि भूरि-कर्माणि (shaastras are) many, and many disciplines containing
श्रोतव्यानि विभागश: (and) should be listened to part by part अत: साधो-अत्र therefore, O benevolent One! Here यत्-सारम् what ever is the zest समुद्धृत्य मनीषया picking up with your intellect ब्रूहि न: श्रद्दधानानाम् tell us, the faithful ones येन-आत्मा सम्प्रसीदति by which mind becomes peaceful There are numerous Shaastras containing many disciplines to be followed, and to be listened to part by part because of their vastness. O Benevolent One! Therefore, with your intellect pick up the core substance from herein and pleases tell us, the faithful ones, by which the mind becomes peaceful.


सूत जानासि भद्रं ते भगवान् सात्वतां पति: ।
देवक्यां वसुदेवस्य जातो यस्य चिकीर्षया ॥१२॥
सूत जानासि Soota! (You) know
भद्रम् ते blessings be to you भगवान् सात्वताम् पति: The Lord of devotees' The Protector देवक्याम् वसुदेवस्य of Devakee, Vaasudeva's (wife) जात: यस्य चिकीर्षया was born for what purpose wanting to accomplish O Soota! Blessings be to you. You certainly know the purpose, to accomplish which, The Lord, The Protector of His devotees, was born of Vaasudeva's wife Devakee.


तन्न: शुश्रूषमाणानामर्हस्यङ्गानुवर्णितुम् ।
यस्यावतारो भूतानां क्षेमाय च भवाय च ॥१३॥
तत्-न: शुश्रूषमाणानाम्- that to us, keen to hear
अर्हसि-अङ्ग-अनुवर्णितुम् (you are) capable of, O Dear! To explain यस्य-अवतार: भूतानाम् Whose descent, for the living beings क्षेमाय च भवाय च (is for) protection and for prosperity O Dear Soota! Please explain to us, who are keen to hear, about the descent of the Lord, which is intended for the protection and for the prosperity of living beings.


आपन्न: संसृतिं घोरां यन्नाम विवशो गृणन् ।
तत: सद्यो विमुच्येत यद्विभेति स्वयं भयम् ॥१४॥
आपन्न: संसृतिम् घोराम् fallen, in birth and death, terrible
यत्-नाम विवश: गृणन् that name, helplessly pronouncing तत: सद्य: विमुच्येत from that instantly is released यत्-विभेति स्वयम् भयम् of which is afraid, itself fear A person who has fallen in the terrible whirlpool of birth and death, if even helplessly utters That Name, he is instantly released, because, even fear is afraid of Lord's Name.


यत्पादसंश्रया: सूत मुनय: प्रशमायना: ।
सद्य: पुनन्त्युपस्पृष्टा: स्वर्धुन्यापोऽनुसेवया ॥१५॥
यत्-पाद-संश्रया: सूत Whose feet resorted to, O Soota!
मुनय: प्रशम-अयना: sages, peace abodes सद्य: पुनन्ति-उपस्पृष्टा: soon purify, just by touch स्वर्धुनी-आप:-अनुसेवया Ganges water by regular drinking O Soota! Resorting to Whose feet, the sages who are abodes of peace, purify a person just by touch. Whereas, even the waters of Ganges can purify only by drinking it regularly.


को वा भगवतस्तस्य पुण्यश्लोकेड्यकर्मण: ।
शुद्धिकामो न शृणुयाद्यश: कलिमलापहम् ॥१६॥
क: वा भगवत:-तस्य who or, of Lord's, that
पुण्यश्लोक-ईड्य-कर्मण: pure names, and glorious doings शुद्धि-काम: of purity desirous न शृणुयात्-यश: will not hear, the glorious reputation कलि-मल-अपहम् of Kaliyuga's impurities dispeller Who, desirous of purity, will not hear the exalted reputation of Lord's those pure names and glorious doings, which dispel the impurities of the Kaliyuga.


तस्य कर्माण्युदाराणि परिगीतानि सूरिभि: ।
ब्रूहि न: श्रद्दधानानां लीलया दधत: कला: ॥१७॥
तस्य कर्माणि-उदाराणि His doings, noble
परिगीतानि सूरिभि: sung by great sages ब्रूहि न: श्रद्दधानानाम् narrate to us, who are full of reverence लीलया दधत: कला: sportingly (Who) assumes forms We, who are full of reverence, do narrate to us the noble doings of the Lord, Who sportingly assumes various forms and, the glories of which are sung by great sages, like Naarada and others.


अथाख्याहि हरेर्धीमन्नवतारकथा: शुभा: ।
लीला विदधत: स्वैरमीश्वरस्यात्ममायया ॥१८॥
अथ-आख्याहि now tell (us)
हरे:-धीमन्- of Hari, O wise Soota, अवतार-कथा: शुभा: the story of descents blessed लीला विदधत: sportingly taking on स्वैरम्-ईश्वरस्य- at will, of the Lord आत्म-मायया by His own Maaya O wise Soota! Now do relate to us the blessed story of the descents of Lord Hari, which He sportingly takes on, at will, by His own Maaya (the divine potency).


वयं तु न वितृप्याम उत्तमश्लोकविक्रमे ।
यच्छृण्वतां रसज्ञानां स्वादु स्वादु पदे पदे ॥१९॥
वयम् तु न वितृप्याम: we, in fact, are not sated
उत्तमश्लोक-विक्रमे of The Illustrious One’s deeds यत्-शृण्वताम् which those who hear रसज्ञानाम् those who are fond of the core sweetness स्वादु स्वादु पदे पदे it is tastier at every step We, in fact, are not sated to hear about the various deeds of The Illustrious One. Those deeds, for those who hear, and for those who know the core sweetness of them, are more and more delightful to hear on every step.


कृतवान् किल वीर्याणि सह रामेण केशव: ।
अतिमर्त्यानि भगवान् गूढ: कपटमानुष: ॥२०॥
कृतवान् किल वीर्याणि performed indeed feats
सह रामेण केशव: with Balaraama, Krishna अतिमर्त्यानि beyond human power भगवान् गूढ: Bhagavaan disguised कपट-मानुष: in the garb of human It is indeed well known that Bhagavaan Krishna performed feats which are beyond human power, with His elder brother Balaraama, in the guise and garb of a human.


कलिमागतमाज्ञाय क्षेत्रेऽस्मिन् वैष्णवे वयम् ।
आसीना दीर्घसत्रेण कथायां सक्षणा हरे: ॥२१॥
कलिम-आगतम-आज्ञाय Kaliyuga arrived knowing
क्षेत्रे-अस्मिन् in retreat this वैष्णवे वयम् आसीना dear to Vishnu, we are engaged in दीर्घ-सत्रेण a long sacrificial session कथायाम् for the story hearing सक्षणा: हरे: with time (enough) of Hari Knowing that Kaliyuga has arrived, we are assembled in this retreat, dear to Lord Vishnu, engaged in a long sacrificial session. We have enough of time to hear the stories of Shree Hari.


त्वं न: संदर्शितो धात्रा दुस्तरं निस्तितीर्षताम् ।
कलिं सत्त्वहरं पुंसां कर्णधार इवार्णवम् ॥२२॥

त्वम् न: संदर्शित: धात्रा you to us, have pointed out, by Brahmaa
दुस्तरम् निस्तितीर्षताम् कलिम् difficult to cross, willing to cross Kali, सत्त्वहरम् पुंसाम् the robber of Sattva of people, कर्णधार इव-अर्णवम् leader like ocean Brahmaa has pointed out you to us, as a leader of the people, who are willing to cross, the difficult to be crossed, turbulent ocean of Kaliyuga, who is the robber of Sattva.


ब्रूहि योगेश्वरे कृष्णे ब्रह्मण्ये धर्मवर्मणि ।
स्वां काष्ठामधुनोपेते धर्म: कं शरणं गत: ॥२३॥
ब्रूहि योगेश्वरे कृष्णे (do) tell us, The Master of yoga Krishna's
ब्रह्मण्ये धर्म-वर्मणि fond of Braahmanas, of virtues The Protector स्वाम् काष्ठाम्- His own abode अधुना-उपेते now having gone to धर्म: कम् शरणम् गत: righteousness, in whose shelter went Do tell us, that, after Shree Krishna, Who is fond of the Brahmanas, Who is The Protector of virtues, went away to His own abode, then, in whose shelter did righteousness go.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
प्रथम स्कन्धे नैमिषीयोपाख्याने प्रथम: अध्याय: ॥१॥
Thus ends the first discourse, forming part of the story relating to the Naimisha forest, in Book One of the great and glorious Bhaagavata Puraana.