वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वैतन्नारदो वाक्यं नरनारायणेरितम्। अत्यन्तं भक्तिमान् देवे एकान्तित्वमुपेयिवान्॥
Having heard these words of Nara and Narayana, the Rishi Narada became filled with devotion towards the Supreme Being. Indeed, with his whole soul he gave himself up to Narayana.
प्रोष्य वर्षसहस्रं तु नरनारायणाश्रमे। श्रुत्वा भगवदाख्यानं दृष्ट्वा च हरिमव्ययम्॥ हिमवन्तं जगामाशु यत्रास्य स्वक आश्रमः।
Having lived for a full thousand years in the hermitage of Nara and Narayana, having seen the immutable Hari, and heard the excellent discourse having Narayana for its theme, the celestial Rishi went to his own hermitage on the breast of Himavat.
तावपि ख्याततपसौ नरनारायणावृषी॥ तस्मिन्नेवाश्रमे रम्ये तेपतुस्तप उत्तमम्।
Those foremost of ascetics, viz., Nara and Narayana, however, continued to live in their charming hermitage of Vadari, practising the severest austerities.
त्वमप्यमितविक्रान्तः पाण्डवानां कुलोद्वहः॥ पावितात्माद्य संवृत्तः श्रुत्वेमामादित: कथाम्।
You are born in the race of the Pandavas. You are of immeasurable energy. O perpetuator of the race of the Pandavas, having listened to this discourse on Narayana from the beginning, you have, in sooth been purged off of all your sins and your soul has been sanctified.
नैव तस्यापरो लोको नायं पार्थिवसत्तम॥ कर्मणा मनसा वाचा यो द्विष्याद् विष्णुमव्ययम्।
Neither this world nor the next world is for him, O best of kings, who hates instead of loving and respecting the immutable Hari.
मज्जन्ति पितरस्तस्य नरके शाश्वती: समा:॥ यो द्विष्याद् विबुधश्रेष्ठं देवं नारायणं हरिम्।
The ancestors of that person who hates Narayana, who is the foremost of gods, and is otherwise called Hari, sink into hell for good.
कथं नाम भवेद् द्वेष्य आत्मा लोकस्य कस्यचित्॥ आत्मा हि पुरुषव्याघ्र ज्ञेयो विष्णुरिति स्थितिः।
O foremost of men, Vishnu is the soul of all beings. How, then can Vishnu be heated, for in hating him one would hate his own self.
य एष गुरुरस्माकमृषिर्गन्धवतीसुतः॥ तस्माच्छ्रुतं मया चेदं कथितं च तवानघ॥
He who is our preceptor, viz., the Rishi Vyasa, the son of Gandhavati, has himself recited this narrative to us about the glory of Narayana, that glory which is the highest and which is immutable. I heard it from him and have recited it to you exactly as I heard it, O sinless one.
नारदेन तु सम्प्राप्तः सरहस्य: संसग्रहः। एष धर्मो जगन्नाथात् साक्षान्नारायणानृप॥
This religion, with its mysteries and its abstract of details, was won by Narada, O king, from that Lord of the universe, viz., Narayana himself.
एवमेष महान् धर्मः स ते पूर्वं नृपोत्तम। कथितो हरिगीतासु समासविधिकल्पितः॥
Even such are the particulars of this great religion. I have, before this, O foremost of kings, explained it to you in the Hari-Gita, with a brief reference to its ordinances.
कृष्णद्वैपायनं व्यासं विद्धि नारायणं भुवि। को ह्यन्यः पुरुषव्याघ्र महाभारतकृद् भवेत्॥ धर्मान्नानाविधांश्चैव को ब्रूयात्तमृते प्रभुम्॥
Know that the Island-born Krishna, otherwise called Vyasa, is Narayana on Earth. Who else than he, O foremost of kings, could compile such a work as the Mahabharata? Who else than that powerful Rishi could describe the diverse kinds of duties and religion for the। observance and adoption of men.
वर्ततां ते महायज्ञो यथा संकल्पितस्त्वया। संकल्पिताश्वमेधस्त्वं श्रुतधर्मश्च तत्त्वतः॥
You are bent upon celebrating a great sacrifice. Let that sacrifice of yours be celebrated! Having listened to the various kinds of duties and religions, let your Horsesacrifice go on.
सौतिरुवाच एतत् तु महदाख्यानं श्रुत्वा पार्थिवसत्तमः। ततो यज्ञसमाप्यर्थं क्रियाः सर्वाः समारभत्॥
Sauti said Having heard this great discourse, that best of kings began all those rites that are laid down in the ordinance, for the completion of his great sacrifice.
नारायणीयमाख्यानमेतत् ते कथितं मया। पृष्टेन शौनकाद्येह नैमिषारण्यवासिषु॥
Accosted by you, O Shaunaka, I have duly recounted to you and all these Rishis who inhabit the Naimisha forest, that great discourse having Narayana for theme.
नारदेन पुरा राजन् गुरवे मे निवेदितम्। ऋषीणां पाण्डवानां च शृण्वतोः कृष्णभीष्मयो॥
Formerly Narada had recounted it to my preceptor before many Rishis and the son of Pandu and in the presence of Krishna and Bhishma also.
स हि परमगुरुर्जनभुवनपतिः पृथुधरणिधरः श्रुतिविनयनिधिः। स्तव भवतु गतिर्हरिरमरहितः॥
The Supreme god Narayana is the Lord of all the foremost of Rishis, and of the three worlds. He is the upholder of Earth herself of huge proportions. He is the receptacle of the Shruti's and of the quality of humility. He is the great receptacle of all those ordinances that should be practised for acquiring tranquillity of heart, as also of all those who go by the name of Yama. He is always accompanied by the foremost of twice-born ones. Let that great god be your refuge.
असुरवधकरस्तपसां निधिः। सुमहतां यशसां च भाजनम्। ऽभयदो मखभागहरोऽस्तु शरणं स ते॥
Hari ever does what is agreeable and beneficial to the dwellers of heaven. He is always the killer of such Asuras. He is the receptacle of penances. He is endued with great fame. He is the killer of the Daityas known by the name of Madhu and Kaitabha. He is the ordainer of the ends that are gained by persons acquainted with and observant of scriptural and other duties. He removes the fears of all persons. He takes the foremost of those offerings which are offered in sacrifices. He is your refuge and protection.
त्रिगुणो विगुणश्चतुरात्मधरः पूर्तेश्योश्च फलभागहरः। विदधातु नित्यमजितोऽतिचलो गतिमात्मगां सुकृतिनामृषीणाम्।॥
He is endued with attributes. He is endued with four-fold form. He shares the merits originating from the dedication of tanks and the observance of similar religious rites. Undefeated and gifted with great power, it is He who always ordains the end, approachable by the Soul alone, of Rishis of pious deeds.
तं लोकसाक्षिणमजं पुरुशं पुराणं रविवर्णमीश्वरं गतिं बहुशः। प्रणमध्वमेकमनसो यतः सलिलोद्भवोऽपि तमृषि प्रणतः॥
He is the witness of the worlds. He is unborn. He is the one ancient Purusha. Endued with solar complexion, He is the Supreme Lord, and He is the refuge of all. Do all of you bow your heads to Him since He who originated from the water (viz., Narayana himself) bends his head to Him.
स हि लोकयोनिरमृतस्य पदं सूक्ष्म परायणमचलं हि पदम्। तत्सांख्योगिभिरुदार वृतं बुद्ध्या यतात्मभिरिदं सनातनम्॥
He is the origin of the universe. He is that Being who is called Eternal. He is Minute. He is the refuge upon whom all things depend. He is the one Being who is immutable. The Sankhyas and Yogins, of controlled souls, hold him who is eternal in their understanding.