Srimad Bhagavatam, Book One, Chapter 2

SB.1.2. Suta's invocation and addressing the inquiries of the sages.

Now Vedavyasa, of sages the best,

Continuing the theme, these words expressed.

The son of Romaharshan was inspired,

Hearing of what the sages had inquired,

His heart with excess joy quite overran,

And thus the sacred narrative began. 1

Another invocation

(Suta said)

I bow down to the sage who left his home,

Without a sacred thread alone to roam,

And Dvaipayana, fraught with anxious care,

'Oh where art thou my son,' cried in despair;

But the trees merely re-echoed his call,

Since his son knew the one who dwells in all. 2

I bow to Vyasa's son of vast insight,

Who bears of scriptures' essence the torch light,

Who sublime knowledge of the self bestows,

Whereby the soul can overcome all woes.

For those in the transmigratory state,

This text, compassionate, did iterate;

The secret Purana that sanctifies,

I bow to him, the teacher of the wise. 3

First having bowed to mighty Narayan,

And Nara, best and foremost of all men,

Bow to the holy Goddess Eloquence,

To Vyas, and let the narrative commence. 4

O pious sages! questions you have raised,

Are certainly to be most highly praised,

Since such themes as to Lord Krishna allude,

Contribute to the souls' beatitude. 5

Indeed, mans’ highest duty is to be,

Devoted to Adhoksaja Hari;

Sans motive and without impediment,

Whereby the soul achieves supreme content. 6

The yoga of devotion when applied

To Mighty Vasudeva, lotus-eyed,

Engenders dispassion without delay,

And doth the light of true wisdom display. 7

A man may of his pious duty boast,

But all his efforts are but labour lost,

He finds no great reward for all his pains,

If in his heart no deep affection gains

For narratives of Visvaksena's deeds,

The one from whom the universe proceeds. 8

For truly pious duty to maintain,

Is not undertaken merely for gain;

Certes the highest duty is not meant,

For worldly pleasure or emolument. 9

Life is not meant desires to increase,

And senses with their objects vain to please;

But gain should be for life's necessity,

And to make of the truth inquiry. 10

The knowers of the truth such truth express,

As pure indivisible consciousness;

As Brahman and as Paramatma known,

And Bhagavan, the illustrious one. 11

The faithful and the wise and learned sage,

With knowledge and with dispassion engage;

And hearing with devotion love conceive,

The self within the self they then perceive. 12

Therefore the prescribed duty for mankind,

According to caste and status defined,

O best of twice-born ones, ultimately,

Is meant for the pleasure of Lord Hari. 13

Therefore, with single minded attention,

One should hear and sing glorification,

With contemplation he should be adored,

Who is the Sattvatas' Almighty Lord. 14

Then with the sword of meditation fond,

One may sever of actions' knot the bond.

What wise man therefore would not lend his ear,

And with delight such wondrous exploits hear! 15

From service rendered to great ones proceeds,

A taste for Vasudeva's wondrous deeds;

Who frequent sacred shrines with faith endued,

O holy ones, attains beatitude. 16

His own accounts to Krishna are most dear,

Which sanctify those who recount and hear;

And in the hearts of those pious ones dwells,

And as their well wisher all taint dispels. 17

When obstacles are mostly cleared away,

By serving the Bhagavat every day,

There wakens loving faith unwavering,

For the Great One whom choicest verses sing. 18

Then diminished are desire and greed,

Which from modes 'rajas' and 'tamas' proceed;

The mind with peace of 'sattva' is endued,

And stablished in sublime beatitude. 19

The mind established in beatitude,

By yoga of devotion thus pursued;

The verity of wisdom then attains

Of the Almighty One; and freedom gains. 20

When the self in the Ruler is perceived,

He is of doubts and misgivings relieved;

The binding knot within the heart that dwells

Is cut; the store of action action dispels. 21

Thus poets and devotees take delight

The deeds of the Almighty to recite;

Since worship of Vasudeva the Lord,

To the self doth beatitude afford. 22

Sattva, rajas, tamas, the gunas three,

Are assumed by the Supreme Deity,

And thus the One into three parts divides,

And each over each quality presides.

Hari resorting to sattva upholds,

From Virinchi the creation unfolds,

And when he the form of Hara assumes,

With his power the universe consumes.

Among these the form of sattva sublime,

Affords mankind beatitude divine. 23

When the earth to wood to smoke rarefies,

The fire is used for three-fold sacrifice;

Rajas, tamas, are lower by degrees,

Through sattva one the Supreme Brahman sees. 24

The ancient sages have always adored

Illustrious Adhoksaja, the Lord;

Whose existence, immaculate and free,

Is sattva that transcends the gunas three;

Thus those who seek the ultimate welfare

In this world, should ensue their way with care. 25

The seekers of salvation shun the hosts

Of Bhuta-pati's elemental ghosts;

But worship the emanations sublime,

Sans envy, of Narayana divine. 26

Those to rajas and to tamas confined,

Perform worship according to their kind;

The manes and elementals adore;

For lordship, wealth and offspring they implore. 27

Vasudeva in the Vedas is shown;

Vasudeva as the pure rite is known;

Vasudeva is the yoga supreme;

Vasudeva as pure duty is seen;

Vasudeva is high wisdoms' decrees;

Vasudeva is strict austerities;

Vasudeva is righteousness sublime;

Vasudeva is final goal divine. 28/29

Although the Lord exists in his pure state,

His inherent power doth generate;

Which in forms of cause and effect subsist,

Whence is projected all that doth exist. 30

Thus having projected the gunas three,

Nature divides in function by degree;

And entering the gunas he sustains,

Yet in his transcendental state remains. 31

As fire latent within wood inheres,

And yet to burn variously appears;

The world-soul within all creatures doth dwell,

Yet he is one and indivisible. 32

The soul thus by the gunas influence,

Endued with subtle faculty of sense,

Enters nature by the gunas produced,

And to enjoy sense objects is induced. 33

For these the Lord the universe projects,

And by his sattva potency protects;

And deigns to manifest incarnations,

Among gods and men and brute creations. 34

Thus ends Chapter two in Book One

of the great and glorious Bhagavata Purana,

the text beloved of swan-like saints,

sung by the son of Vyasa.