श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् चतुर्थ: स्कन्ध: एकत्रिंश: अध्याय: मैत्रेय उवाच - Maitreya said - तत उत्पन्नविज्ञाना आश्वधोक्षजभाषितम् ।
स्मरन्त आत्मजे भार्यां विसृज्य प्राव्रजन् गृहात् ॥१॥
तत: उत्पन्न-विज्ञाना: then, (after a million years) having dawned wisdom
आशु-अधोक्षज-भाषितम् soon Lord Vishnu's words स्मरन्त: आत्मजे भार्याम् remembering, to the son's wife, विसृज्य प्राव्रजनत् गृहात् care leaving, quitted home Then, after enjoying all pleasures for a million years, wisdom having dawned, they remembered the words of Lord Vishnu, and leaving their wife Maarishaa to the care of the son Daksha, soon quitted home.


दीक्षिता ब्रह्मसत्रेण सर्वभूतात्ममेधसा ।
प्रतीच्यां दिशि वेलायां सिद्धोऽभूद्यत्र जाजलि: ॥२॥
दीक्षिता: ब्रह्मसत्रेण taking the vow, through Supreme Spirit
सर्व-भूत-आत्म-मेधसा all beings are one soul, with this enquiry in mind प्रतीच्याम् दिशि वेलायाम् in the western seashore सिद्ध:-अभूत्-यत्र जाजलि: perfection gained where Jaajali With the thought in mind that all beings are one soul, they took a vow of enquiry through the worship of the Supreme Spirit, on the western seashore, where sage Jaajali had attained perfection.


तान्निर्जितप्राणमनोवचोदृशो जितासनान् शान्तसमानविग्रहान् ।
परेऽमले ब्रह्मणि योजितात्मन: सुरासुरेड्यो ददृशे स्म नारद: ॥३॥
तान्-निर्जित-प्राण-मन:-वच:- them, (who had) controlled breath, mind, speech
दृश: जित-आसनान् and sight, won over seating शान्त-समान-विग्रहान् motionless and straight bodied परे-अमले ब्रह्मणि in The Supreme Pure Brahman योजित-आत्मन: concentrated the mind सुर-असुर-ईड्य: by the gods and demons respected ददृशे स्म नारद: saw Naarada Naarada, who is respected by the gods and the demons, saw them, who had controlled their breath, mind, speech and sight and had won the seating posture with motionless and straight body, and had their minds concentrated on The Supreme Pure Brahman.


तमागतं त उत्थाय प्रणिपत्याभिनन्द्य च ।
पूजयित्वा यथादेशं सुखासीनमथाब्रुवन् ॥४॥
तम्-आगतम् ते उत्थाय (seeing) him come, they rose
प्रणिपत्य-अभिनन्द्य च prostrated, greeted and पूजयित्वा यथा-आदेशम् worshiped as per ceremony सुख-आसीनम्-अथ-अब्रुवन् comfortably seated, then said Seeing him come, they, the Prachetas rose, and prostrated, greeted and worshipped him as per directions, and when he was comfortably seated, they said to him …


प्रचेतस ऊचु: -
स्वागतं ते सुरर्षेऽद्य दिष्ट्या नो दर्शनं गत: ।
तव चङ्क्रमणं ब्रह्मन्नभयाय यथा रवे: ॥५॥
स्वागतम् ते सुरर्षे-अद्य welcome to you, O Celestial sage! Today
दिष्ट्या न: दर्शनम् गत: fortunately we, to see you got तव चङ्क्रमणम् ब्रह्मन्- your roaming about, O Holy One! अभयाय यथा रवे: is for (granting) fearlessness, like the Sun O Celestial Sage! Welcome to you. Fortunately we have seen you. O Holy One! Your roaming about is for granting fearlessness, just like the Sun.


यदादिष्टं भगवता शिवेनाधोक्षजेन च ।
तद् गृहेषु प्रसक्तानां प्रायश: क्षपितं प्रभो ॥६॥
यत्-आदिष्टम् भगवता that which was taught by Lord
शिवेन-अधोक्षजेन च Shiva and Lord Vishnu तद् गृहेषु प्रसक्तानाम् that, in household attached प्रायश: क्षपितम् प्रभो almost forgotten (by us), O Master! O Master Naarada! That which was taught to us by Lord Shiva and by Lord Vishnu, is almost forgotten by us, as we were deeply engrossed in our households.


तन्न: प्रद्योतयाध्यात्मज्ञानं तत्त्वार्थदर्शनम् ।
येनाञ्जसा तरिष्यामो दुस्तरं भवसागरम् ॥७॥
तत्-न: प्रद्योतय- therefore in us kindle
अध्यात्म-ज्ञानम् spiritual wisdom तत्त्व-अर्थ-दर्शनम् the truth of things revealing येन-अञ्जसा तरिष्याम: by which easily may cross, दुस्तरम् भव-सागरम् the difficult to cross, mundane creation's ocean Therefore, do kindle in us again the spiritual wisdom by which the truth of things is revealed, so that we may easily cross the ocean of mundane existance which is otherwise difficult to cross.


मैत्रेय उवाच - Maitreya said - इति प्रचेतसां पृष्टो भगवान्नारदो मुनि: ।
भगवत्युत्तमश्लोक आविष्टात्माब्रवीन्नृपान् ॥८॥
इति प्रचेतसाम् पृष्ट: this by the Prachetas requested
भगवान्-नारद: मुनि: divine Naarada, the sage भगवति-उत्तम-श्लोके in Lord the most glorious आविष्ट-आत्मा-अब्रवीत्-नृपान् engrossed self, said to the rulers of men When the divine sage Naarada, whose self was engrossed in the most glorious Lord, was thus requested by the Prachetas, he said to the rulers of men …


नारद उवाच - Naarada said - तज्जन्म तानि कर्माणि तदायुस्तन्मनो वच: ।
नृणां येनेह विश्वात्मा सेव्यते हरिरीश्वर: ॥९॥
तत्-जन्म तानि कर्माणि that birth, those actions
तत्-आयु:-तत्-मन: वच: that span of life, that mind and speech नृणाम् येन-इह of people(is fruitful) by which here विश्वात्मा सेव्यते The Soul of the Universe is served हरि:-ईश्वर: Shree Hari The Lord Here, in this world, that birth, those actions, that span of life, that mind and speech of people is meaningful, by which The Soul of the Universe, Lord Shree Hari is served.


किं जन्मभिस्त्रिभिर्वेह शौक्लसावित्रयाज्ञिकै: ।
कर्मभिर्वा त्रयीप्रोक्तै: पुंसोऽपि विबुधायुषा ॥१०॥
किम् जन्मभि:-त्रिभि:-वा-इह what of by birth, three or here
शौक्ल-सावित्र-याज्ञिकै: good parents, getting the sacred thread, consecrated कर्मभि:-वा त्रयी-प्रोक्तै: performances or by Vedic instructions following पुंस:-अपि विबुध-आयुषा of people even gods' age having To the people, of what use are the three births, from good parentage, getting the sacred thread, and performing the concecrated duties, or by following the instructions of the Vedas, and having a long life like the gods….


श्रुतेन तपसा वा किं वचोभिश्चित्तवृत्तिभि: ।
बुद्ध्या वा किं निपुणया बलेनेन्द्रियराधसा ॥११॥
श्रुतेन तपसा वा किम् by learning, asceticism, or what
वचोभि:-चित्त-वृत्तिभि: of speech, mind's concentration बुद्ध्या वा किम् निपुणया by intellect or what of body बलेन-इन्द्रिय-राधसा strength, senses' keen-ness O what use is a person's learning, asceticism, or fine speech, or mind's concentration, penetrating intellect, strength of body or keen-ness of senses…


किं वा योगेन सांख्येन न्यासस्वाध्याययोरपि ।
किं वा श्रेयोभिरन्यैश्च न यत्रात्मप्रदो हरि: ॥१२॥
किम् वा योगेन सांख्येन what or of (use is) by yoga, Saankhya,
न्यास-स्वाध्याययो:-अपि Sanyaas (renunciation) study of the Vedas also किम् वा श्रेयोभि:-अन्यै:च what of by means of salvation, others and न यत्र-आत्मप्रद: हरि: not where, Self Bestower Shree Hari (is) Or, what is the use of Yoga, knowledge of Saankhya, Sanyaasa (renunciation), study of Vedas or of the other means of salvation, if these are not employed in the attainment of the Self Bestower Shree Hari?


श्रेयसामपि सर्वेषामात्मा ह्यवधिरर्थत: ।
सर्वेषामपिभूतानां हरिरात्माऽऽत्मद: प्रिय: ॥१३॥
श्रेयसाम्-अपि सर्वेषाम्- blessings even of all,
आत्मा हि-अवधि:-अर्थत: Self alone culminates into, in fact सर्वेषाम्-अपि-भूतानाम् of all the beings हरि:-आत्मा-आत्मद: प्रिय: Shree Hari is the Self, and The Self Bestower, beloved In fact, even all the blessings culminate into Self alone. Shree Hari is the beloved Self of all beings and He is The Self-Bestower.


यथा तरोर्मूलनिषेचनेन तृप्यन्ति तत्स्कन्धभुजोपशाखा: ।
प्राणोपहाराच्च यथेन्दियाणां तथैव सर्वार्हणमच्युतेज्या ॥१४॥
यथा तरो:-मूल-निषेचनेन just as tree's roots watering
तृप्यन्ति तत्-स्कन्ध- nourishes its stem, भुज-उपशाखा: boughs and branches प्राण-उपहारात्-च life by food and यथा-इन्द्रियाणाम् like the senses तथा-एव सर्व-अर्हणम्- same way only all are worshipped अच्युत-इज्या by Achyuta's worship Just as, when the tree's roots are watered, its stem, boughs and branches are all nourished, and by the intake of food the life is sustained and the senses are nourished, in the same way woship to immortal Lord is the worship of all.


यथैव सूर्यात्प्रभवन्ति वार: पुनश्च तस्मिन् प्रविशन्ति काले ।
भूतानि भूमौ स्थिरजङ्गमानि तथा हरवेव गुणप्रवाह: ॥१५॥
यथा-एव सूर्यात्-प्रभवन्ति वार: just as, from the Sun emanates water
पुन:-च तस्मिन् again and in it प्रविशन्ति काले enters in time भूतानि भूमौ beings in the earth स्थिर-जङ्गमानि immobile and mobile तथा हरौ-एव गुण-प्रवाह: like that in Shree Hari only, creations' flow Just as from the Sun emanates water, again enters in it, in time, and the immobile and mobile beings come from the earth and dissolve in it, in the same way, in Shree Hari alone is the flow of creation, of the animate and the inanimate.


एतत्पदं तज्जगदात्मन: परं सकृद्विभातं सवितुर्यथा प्रभा ।
यथासवो जाग्रति सुप्तशक्तयो द्रव्यक्रियाज्ञानभिदाभ्रमात्यय: ॥१६॥
एतत्-पदम् तत्-जगत्- this essence is of That Absolute Universal
आत्मन: परम् सकृत्-विभातम् Spirit Supreme, some times appearing सवितु:-यथा प्रभा of the Sun like the sunshine यथा-असव: जाग्रति like the senses are (active when) awake, सुप्त-शक्तय: and are dormant in sleep द्रव्य-क्रिया- (the ego) modifications, actions, ज्ञान-भिदा- knowledge, and diversities (of them) भ्रम-अत्यय: the confusion (caused by them) are absent This is the essence of that Absolute Universal Supreme Spirit, that it appears at times, like the sunshine of the Sun. Also like the senses, which are active when awake and are dormant in deep sleep. In fact the modifications of the ego, in the shape of the five elements, the five organs of action, and the five senses of perception, and the diversities and confusion caused by them are absolutely absent in Him.


यथा नभस्यभ्रतम: प्रकाशा भवन्ति भूपा न भवन्त्यनुक्रमात् ।
एवं परे ब्रह्मणि शक्तयस्त्वमू रजस्तम:सत्त्वमिति प्रवाह: ॥१७॥
यथा नभसि-अभ्र-तम: just as in the sky, clouds, darkness,
प्रकाशा: भवन्ति भूपा light appear, O Rulers of the globe! न भवन्ति-अनुक्रमात् disappear in sequence एवम् परे ब्रह्मणि like that in Absolute Brahma शक्तय:-तु-अमू: the potencies indeed these रज:-तम:-सत्त्वम्- Rajas, Tamas, Sattva इति प्रवाह: this is the flow (of creation) O Rulers of the globe, Prachetas! Just as the clouds, darkness and light appear in the sky and then disappear in the sky by turns, like that, the potencies of Rajas, Tamas, and Sattva appear in Brahma and then disappear in the Absolute. Thus flows the process of creation and dissolution.


तेनैकमात्मानमशेषदेहिनां कालं प्रधानं पुरुषं परेशम् ।
स्वतेजसा ध्वस्तगुणप्रवाहमात्मैकभावेन भजध्वमद्धा ॥१८॥
तेन-एकम्-आत्मानम्- therefore, The Sole Soul
अशेष-देहिनाम् कालम् of all beings' Time प्रधानम् पुरुषम् परेशम् Supreme Person Shri Hari स्व-तेजसा ध्वस्त- by (His) own energy abolishes गुण-प्रवाहम्- the Gunas' flow (of creation) आत्मैक-भावेन with the one-ness feeling भजध्वम्-अद्धा may you worship directly Therefore, The Supreme Person, Shree Hari, Who is the sole Soul of all beings, and Who by His Own energy, abolishes the flow of the Gunas, and so the whole creation, may you worship Him directly, with the feeling of one-ness with Him.


दयया सर्वभूतेषु सन्तुष्ट्या येन केन वा ।
सर्वेन्द्रियोपशान्त्या च तुष्यत्याशु जनार्दन: ॥१९॥
दयया सर्व-भूतेषु by kindness to all beings
सन्तुष्ट्या येन केन वा by contentedness from any and everything सर्व-इन्द्रिय-उपशान्त्या च all senses, by taming and तुष्यति-आशु जनार्दन: is propitiated soon Janaardana By being kind to all beings, by being content with any and everything, by taming all the senses, Lord Janaardana is soon propitiated.


अपहतसकलैषणामलात्मन्यविरतमेधितभावनोपहूत: ।
निजजनवशगत्वमात्मनोऽयन्न सरति छिद्रवदक्षर: सतां हि ॥२०॥
अपहत-सकल-ऐषणाम्- rid of all cravings,
अमल-आत्मनि-अविरतम-एधित- in the pure souls, constantly increasing भावना-उपहूत: devotion invited निज-जन-वश-गत्वम्- by His Own peoples' control coming into आत्मन:-अयम्-न सरति of Himself, He does not move छिद्र-वत्-अक्षर: सताम् हि like the ether, The imperishable, of the pious indeed The imperishable Lord, Who is as such invited into the pure pious souls of those of His Own devotees, who are rid of all cravings, whose devotion is constantly increasing, accepting by Himself their control, does not move from there, like the ether.


न भजति कुमनीषिणां स इज्यां हरिरधनात्मधनप्रियो रसज्ञ: ।
श्रुतधनकुलकर्मणां मदैर्ये विदधति पापमकिञ्चनेषु सत्सु ॥२१॥
न भजति कुमनीषिणाम् does not accept foolish peoples'
स: इज्याम् हरि:-अधन- He the worship of Shree Hari, the wealth-less, आत्म-धन-प्रिय: रसज्ञ: Shree Hari as wealth coveting, the devotion bliss knowers श्रुत-धन-कुल-कर्मणाम् learning, wealth, pedigree, lofty works मदै:-ये विदधति पापम्- intoxicated those, inflict insult अकिञ्चनेषु सत्सु on destitute pious (people) He, Shree Hari, does not accept the worship of those foolish people, who intoxicated by their learning, wealth, pedigree and lofty acts, inflict insult on those destitute pious people, who are devoid of wealth, who look upon Shree Hari as their only wealth, and know the bliss of devotion.


श्रियमनुचरतीं तदर्थिनश्च द्विपदपतीन् विबुधांश्च यत्स्वपूर्ण:।
न भजति निजभृत्यवर्गतन्त्र: कथममुमुद्विसृजेत्पुमान् कृतज्ञ: ॥२२॥
श्रियम्-अनुचरतीम् by Laxmi waited upon
तत्-अर्थिन:-च द्विपदपतीन् Her coveting and the kings विबुधान्-च यत्-स्व-पूर्ण: gods and (He) Who is Self Complete न भजति निज-भृत्य-वर्ग-तन्त्र: does not entertain (His) Own peoples' (devotees') subject कथम्-अमुम्-उद्विसृजेत्- how does (such as) Him give up पुमान् कृतज्ञ: a man with gratitude A man who has a sense of gratitude, how can he give up Him, Who is waited upon by Laxmi, Who herself is coveted by people, the kings and even gods, as He is Self-contained, and is subject to His Own devotees, does not entertain ungrateful people.


मैत्रेय उवाच - Maitreya said - इति प्रचेतसो राजन्नन्याश्च भगवत्कथा: ।
श्रावयित्वा ब्रह्मलोकं ययौ स्वायम्भुवो मुनि: ॥२३॥
इति प्रचेतस: राजन्- these, to the Prachetas, O King! (Vidura!)
अन्या:-च भगवत्-कथा: other and Lord's stories श्रावयित्वा ब्रह्म-लोकम् ययौ having narrated, to Brahma's abode went स्वायम्भुव: मुनि: the self-born's (Brahma's) son, the sage (Naarada) O King Vidura! Having narrated these and other stories of The Lord, to the Prachetas, the son of the self-born Brahmaa, Naarada, went away to the abode of Brahmaa.


तेऽपि तन्मुखनिर्यातं यशो लोकमलापहम् ।
हरेर्निशम्य तत्पादं ध्यायन्तस्तद्गतिं ययु: ॥२४॥
ते-अपि तत्-मुख-निर्यातम् they also, from his mouth rendered
यश: लोक-मल-अपहम् fame, the worlds impurities wiping हरे:-निशम्य तत्-पादम् of Shree Hari hearing, His feet ध्यायन्त:-तत्-गतिम् ययु: meditating on, His realm attained The Prachetas also, having heard of Shree Hari's fame, which wipes off the impurities of the world, rendered from Naarada's mouth, meditated on His feet and attained His realm.


एतत्तेऽभिहितं क्षत्तर्यन्मां त्वं परिपृष्टवान् ।
प्रचेतसां नारदस्य संवादं हरिकीर्तनम् ॥२५॥
एतत्-ते-अभिहितम् क्षत्त:- this to you have repeated, O Vidura!
यत्-माम् त्वम् परिपृष्टवान् which to me you asked प्रचेतसाम् नारदस्य Prachetas Naarada's संवादम् हरि-कीर्तनम् dialogue, of Shree Hari's fame O Vidura! This is what you had asked of me, and I have recounted the dialogue between the Prachetas and the sage Naarada, regarding the fame of Lord Shree Hari.


श्री शुक उवाच - Shri Shuka said - य एष उत्तानपदो मानवस्यानुवर्णित: ।
वंश: प्रियव्रतस्यापि निबोध नृपसत्तम ॥२६॥
य: एष: उत्तानपद: that this of Uttaanapaada
मानवस्य-अनुवर्णित: Swaayambhuva Manu's (younger) son's described वंश: प्रियव्रतस्य-अपि the line of Priyavrata also निबोध नृपसत्तम listen to, O Jewel of Kings! O Jewel of Kings! Pareekshita! I have described to you the posterity of Uttaanapaada, the younger son of Sawaayambhuva Manu. Now listen about the line of the elder son Priyavrata.


यो नारदादात्मविद्यामधिगम्य पुनर्महीम् ।
भुक्त्वा विभज्य पुत्रेभ्य ऐश्वरं समगात्पदम् ॥२७॥
य: नारदात्- who from Naarada
आत्म-विद्याम्-अधिगम्य Self knowledge having learned पुन:-महीम् भुक्त्वा again sovereignty enjoyed विभज्य पुत्रेभ्य: ऐश्वरम् divided among the sons the fortune समगात्-पदम् attained the Abode Priyavrata, who having learned the knowledge of the Self from Naarada, again enjoyed the sovereignty of the globe, and then divided the fortune among the sons and attained the divine Abode.


इमां तु कौषारविणोपवर्णितां क्षत्ता निशम्याजितवाद सत्कथाम् ।
प्रवृद्धभावोऽश्रुकलाकुलो मुनेर्दधार मूर्ध्ना चरणं हृदा हरे: ॥२८॥
इमाम् तु कौषारविणा-उपवर्णिताम् this indeed, by Maitreya described
क्षत्ता निशम्य-अजित-वाद by Vidura hearing, The Lord's accounts सत्-कथाम् प्रवृद्ध-भाव:- of sacred stories, (due to) overwhelming of emotions अश्रु-कला-आकुल: मुने:-दधार with tears flowing, of sage held मूर्ध्ना चरणम् हृदा हरे: with head the feet, by heart of the Lord Hari Vidura, heard from Maitreya this account of the sacred stories of The Lord. Overwhelmed with emotions, tears flowed from his eyes, and he held the feet of the sage and placed his head on them, as he placed his heart on the feet of Lord Shree Hari.


विसुर उवाच - Vidura said - सोऽयमद्य महायोगिन् भवता करुणात्मना ।
दर्शितस्तमस: पारो यत्राकिञ्चनगो हरि: ॥२९॥
स:-अयम्-अद्य महायोगिन् that this today, O Great Yogi!
भवता करुणात्मना By You, the merciful self दर्शित:-तमस: पार: shown darkness beyond यत्र-अकिञ्चन-ग: हरि: where to the destitute, The reacher Shree Hari O Great Yogi! Today you the merciful soul have shown me beyond the darkness, where dwells Lord Shree Hari, Who reaches to the destitutes.


श्री शुक उवाच - Shree Shuka said - इत्यानम्य तमामन्त्र्य विदुरो गजसाह्वयम् ।
स्वानां दिदृक्षु: प्रययौ ज्ञातीनां निर्वृताशय: ॥३०॥
इति-आनम्य तम्-आमन्त्र्य in this manner, bowing low, to him and taking (his) permission
विदुर: गजसाह्वयम् Vidura to Hastinaapura स्वानाम् दिदृक्षु: प्रययौ own (people) to meet proceeded ज्ञातीनाम् निर्वृत-आशय: kith and kin, peaceful minded In this manner, Vidura with a peaceful mind, bowed low to Maitreya and asking his leave, proceeded to Hastinaapura with the intent of meeting his own kith and kin.


एतद्य: शृणुयाद्राजन् राज्ञां हर्यर्पितात्मनाम् ।
आयुर्धनं यश: स्वस्ति गतिमैश्वर्यमाप्नुयात् ॥३१॥
एतत्-य: शृणुयात्-राजन् this, who-so-ever listens to, O King!
राज्ञाम् हरि-अर्पित-आत्मनाम् Of the kings, to Shree Hari devoted minds आयु:-धनम् यश: स्वस्ति long life, wealth, glory, security, गतिम्-ऐश्वर्यम्-आप्नुयात् eternal happiness, effluence achieves O King! Who-so-ever listens to this narrative of the kings who are devoted to Lord Shree Hari, achieves longevity, effluence glory, security, eternal happiness and prosperity.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां चतुर्थस्कन्धे एकत्रिंशोऽध्याय: ॥३१॥ Thus ends the thirty-first discourse entitled ' The story of the Prachets', in Book Four of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.