Sri Suka's Stuthi of Sri Hari - 2nd Skandham

 

Sri Suka Brahmam's Stuthi to Sri Hari, prior to launching into Bhagavat Katha Sravanam

śrīśuka uvāca

namaḥ parasmai puruṣāya bhūyase sad udbhava sthāna nirodha līlayā
gṛhīta śakti tritayāya dehinām antar-bhavāyānupalakṣya vartmane – 2.4.12

Salute to the Perfect Man of infinite power who by his sport of creating, sustaining and destroying this world, has assumed three powers, viz. Rajas (Brahma) etc.

bhūyo namaḥ sadvṛjina cchide 'satām asambhavāya akhila sattva mūrtaye
puṁsāṁ punaḥ pāramahaṁsya āśrame vyavasthitānām anumṛgya dāśuṣe– 2.4.13

I offer my salutations again and again to him who removes the afflictions of the good, who curbs down the growth of the irreligious, who orders all devatas of (akhila sattva mūrtaye) of Sattvic body to bestow fruits (upon the devotees), and who confers the knowledge of the self upon paramahamsas.

namo namaste 'stvṛṣabhāya sātvatāṁ vidūrakāṣṭhāya muhuḥ kuyoginām
nirasta sāmyātiśayena rādhasā svadhāmani brahmaṇi raṁsyate namaḥ– 2.4.14

I bow again and again to the protector of the Saattvatas (or his devotees) who is beyond the reach of devotion less persons. Salutations to him, who being by nature unequalled and insurmountable, enjoys himself in his natural condition

yat kīrtanaṁ yat smaraṇaṁ yad īkṣaṇaṁ yad vandanaṁ yacchravaṇaṁ yadarhaṇam

lokasya sadyo vidhunoti kalmaṣaṁ tasmai subhadra śravase namo namaḥ– 2.4.15

To sing His praise, to constantly think of Him, to have a glimpse of Him, to bow to Him, to hear about Him and to adore him, instantly purifies one's mind - To Him - subhadra śravase (who confers auspiciousness onto one who hears about Him) namo namaḥ.  

vicakṣaṇā yac caraṇopasādanāt saṅgaṁ vyudasyobhayato antarātmanaḥ

vindanti hi brahma gatiṁ gata klamās tasmai subhadra śravase namo namaḥ– 2.4.16

By resorting to whose feet, the wise men shed off their heart’s attachment here and hereafter, and without any trouble, attain to the state of Brahman - To Him - subhadra śravase (who confers auspiciousness onto one who hears about Him) namo namaḥ.  

tapasvino dānaparā yaśasvino manasvino mantra vidaḥ sumaṅgalāḥ

kṣemaṁ na vindanti vinā yadarpaṇaṁ tasmai subhadra śravase namo namaḥ– 2.4.17

Be he a tapasvi, dānaparā, yaśasvi, manasvi (tattva jnani or person of pure conduct) or mantra vidaḥ (adpet in mantra upasana) - he can’t know ksemam (peace) without offering (the fruit of one’s actions) to Him. To Him - subhadra śravase (who confers auspiciousness onto one who hears about Him) namo namaḥ.

kirātahūṇāndhrapulindapulkaśā ābhīraśumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
ye 'nye ca pāpā yadapāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ– 2.4.18

The Kiratas, the Hunas, the Andhras, Pulindas, Pulkasas, Abheeras, Kakas (Shakas), Yavanas, Khasas and other (sinful) tribes and other sinners are purged of their sins even by taking refuge, in those who depend on him. To that Almighty Lord, we offer our greetings

 

sa eṣa ātmātmavatām adhīśvaras trayīmayo dharmamayas tapomayaḥ
gata vyalīkair aja śaṅkarādibhir vitarkya liṅgo bhagavān prasīdatām– 2.4.19

May the Divine Lord be propitious unto me—the Lord who is (to be meditated as) the Atman, by the knowers of the Atman, as the Supreme Ishwara, by the devotees, as the three Vedas incarnate, by the followers of Karma kanda as the veritable dharma, by the followers of dharma (religion), as the goal (to be achieved), by performers of Tapas, the Lord, whose form is observed with great amazement by sincere worshippers like Brahma, Sankara etc.

śriyaḥ patiryajñapatiḥ prajāpatirdhiyāṁ patirlokapatirdharāpatiḥ

patirgatiścāndhakavṛṣṇisātvatāṁ prasīdatāṁ me bhagavān satāṁ patiḥ– 2.4.20

May the Lord—protector of the good, be gracious unto me—the Lord, who is the master of the goddess of Wealth, the Lord of Sacrifices of all beings, the controller of mental or intellectual faculties, the protector of the worlds, the Lord of the earth, the Lord and protector of Andhaka, Vrsni and Sattvata clans.

yad aṅghry abhidhyāna samādhi dhautayā dhiyānupaśyanti hi tattvam ātmanaḥ
vadanti caitat kavayo yathārucaṁ sa me mukundo bhagavān prasīdatām– 2.4.21

May Lord Mukunda (Krsna) be propitious unto me by constant meditation of whose [Krsna’s] feet, the wise purify their intellect and realize the true nature of the Atman, and whom the wise describe as with attribute or attributeless (according to their taste or capacity).

pracoditā yena purā sarasvatī vitanvatājasya satīṁ smṛtiṁ hṛdi
svalakṣaṇā prādurabhūt kilāsyataḥ sa me ṛṣīṇām ṛṣabhaḥ prasīdatām– 2.4.22

May the most Excellent Sage be gracious to me— the sage who formerly (at the beginning of the creation) extended, i.e. awakened, the memory regarding the (procedure of) creation (of the universe) in the heart of Brahma, and who directed the goddess Sarasvati (the verbal form of the Veda) along with its characteristic supplements (e.g. siksA, vyakarana etc.) to issue from the mouth of Brahma

bhūtairmahadbhirya imāḥ puro vibhurnirmāya śete yadamūṣu pūruṣaḥ
bhuṅkte guṇān ṣoḍaśa ṣoḍaśātmakaḥ so 'laṅkṛṣīṣṭa bhagavān vacāṁsi me– 2.4.23 

May the venerable Lord grace (beautify) my words—the Omnipresent Lord, having created these bodies with five gross elements dwells, within them as antaryaamin and becomes (even etymologically) the real Purusha—one who lies in a town, i.e. body). He illumines and protects the sixteen qualities (i.e. the constituents) of the body (viz. 11 sense organs and 5 elements / or / 5 karma indriya, jnana indriya, prana + mind), by inspiring with life these sixteen.

 

namastasmai bhagavate vāsudevāya vedhase
papurjñānam ayaṁ saumyā yanmukhāmburuhāsavam – 2.4.24

I bow to the venerable Vyasa, the learned author of the Mahabharata etc., from whose lotus like mouth, his gentle disciples drank the honey in the form of knowledge

eta devātmabhū rājan nāradāya vipṛcchate
vedagarbho 'bhyadhāt sākṣādyadāha harirātmanaḥ– 2.4.25

Oh King, the Self-born God (Brahma), the source of the Vedas, explained this to the enquiring Narada, which was directly narrated to him (Brahma) by Hari.