Chathu Sloki Bhagawatham

                 (Essence of Bhagawatham in four verses)

                                                  Translated by

                                                P.R.Ramachander

 

(These few verses occur in the discussion between Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma in the second chapter of Bhagawatham. Though there are seven verses, first two verses are introductory in nature and the last one is the concluding verse. This has been taken from the Hindi Publication called “Sthothra Rathnavali” by Gita press, Gorakhpur. Only a very simple meaning of the verses, as I understand it has been given and interpretation and discussion is avoided)

 

Sri Bhagawan Uvacha:-

The God said:-

 

Jnanam parama guhyam yea  yad vignana samanvitham,

Sarahasyam thadangam  cha grahana  gaditham maya,                               1

 

Please hear from me that knowledge  of mine,

Which is mystic and governed by reason,

And which is kept as a very secret,

And please understand it carefully.

 

Yavan aaham yada bhavo  yad roopa  guna karmaka,

Thadaiva  Thathwa vignamasthu  they madanugrahath.                               2

 

Due to my mercy and blessing, you  would understand,

That knowledge fully and completely,

Which explains my transcendental existence,

My moods, my philosophy, my form and my properties.

 

Aahameva samevagre  nanyad  yatsa thatparam,

Paschadaham yadethascha yo aavasishyeth so asyaham.                               3

 

I only was there before creation,

And nothing else was there,

Afterwards again I only was there,

And in future, I only will be there.

 

Kruthe artha yath prathiyeth na prathiyeth cha aathmani,

Thad vidhya dathmano maayaam  yadha aabhaso yadha thama.                    4

 

Anything which is told as having any meaning,

If it does not have any relation to me,

Is knowledge of the soul that is an illusion,

And  is without light and is  very dark.

 

Yada mahaanthi bhoothani bhootheshcha  vacheshvanu,

Pravishtanya pravishtani thada theshu  na theshwaham.                      5

 

Like the five great elements,

Which are  present and not present ,

In all elements of the world,

I exist ,within everything that is created,

And also outside of those same things.

Ethavadeva  jiggnasyam  Thathwa jigna sunathmana,

Anvaya  vyathirekhabhyam  yathsyath  sarvathra sarvadha.                6

 

There is great curiosity ,

To know about the soul,

Its principle and existence,

Which ends with these words,

Which are everywhere and for always

 

Ethan matham samathishta  paramena samadhina,

Bhavan  kalpa vikalpeshu , na vimuhyathi karhichith.                          7

 

He who searches  for this supreme  truth,

With his mind fully under control,

Will in all space and time,

Be set free in no  time.

                    Ithi Srimad Bhagawathe  maha purane  aashta dasa sahasthrayam samhithayam vaisikhyam dwitheeya skande  bhagawat brahma samvade  chatu sloki bhagawatha sampoornam.

 

Thus ends the” Bhagawatham(story of the lord)  told in four verses”,  which occurs in the second section called “Discussion between Vishnu and Brahma”, in the great book Bhagawatham.