धृतराष्ट्र उवाच भूयो मे पुण्डरीकाक्षं संजयाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः। नामकर्मार्थवित् तात प्राप्नुयां पुरुषोत्तमम्॥
Dhritarashtra said Repeat to me, who am asking, all that you have said regarding the Lotus-eyed (Krishna), so that by knowing the meaning of his names and his action I may attain to that best among male beings.
संजय उवाच श्रुतं मे वासुदेवस्य नामनिर्वचनं शुभम्। यावत् तत्राभिजानेऽहमप्रमेयो हि केशवः॥
Sanjaya said The blessed list of name of the son of Vasudeva has been heard by me, from which it seems, so far as I can judge, that Keshava is immeasurable.
वसनात् सर्वभूतानां वसुत्वाद् देवयोनितः। वासुदेवस्ततो वेद्यो बृहत्त्वाद् विष्णुरुच्यते॥
From his covering all creatures with illusion, from his being the support of the world and from his being of divine origin, he is know as Vasudeva. He is called Vishnu, owing to the fact of his pervading everything.
मौनाद् ध्यानाच्च योगाच्च विद्धि भारत माधवम्। सर्वतत्त्वमयत्वाच्च मधुहा मधुसूदनः॥
From his practice of asceticism, from the application of his energy to the supreme truth and from his asceticism know him to be Madhava. O Bharata; and from his having within himself the essence of everything and from the fact of his killing Madhu, he is called Madhusudana.
कृषि वाचकः शब्दो च निर्वृतिवाचकः। विष्णुस्तद्भावयोगाच्च कृष्णो भवति सात्वतः॥
Krishi is a word denotes existence; and may denotes eternal tranquility. From the combination of these two states is Vishnu, born of the Satvata race, called Krishna.
पुण्डरीकं परं धाम नित्यमक्षयमव्ययम्। तद्वावात् पुण्डरीकाक्षो दस्युत्रासाज्जनार्दनः॥
Pundarika means the eternal regions; and Akshya ever means that which has no waste. From a combination of these two states is he called Pundarikaksha; and form his causing fear in wicked beings is he Janardana.
यतः सत्त्वान्न च्यवते यच्च सत्त्वान्न हीयते। सत्त्वतः सात्वतस्तस्मादार्षभाद् वृषभेक्षणः॥
Since he is never dissociated from Sattva and since also Sattva is never dissociated from him; therefore is he called Sattavata. Owing to (the knowledge of) the Vedas being the eyes by which he is seen and the Vedas being the eyes through which he sees, he is called Vrishabha (Vedas) and Ikshana (eyes).
न जायते जनित्राऽयमजस्तस्मादनीकजित्। देवानां स्वप्रकाशत्वाद् दमाद् दामोदरो विभुः॥
Not being born in the usual way, that conqueror of armies is called Aja; and from his being conspicuous among the gods and from his self-control is the Lord called Damodara.
हर्षात् सुखात् सुखैश्वर्याधृषीकेशत्वमश्नुते। बाहुभ्यां रोदसी बिभ्रन्महाबाहुरिति स्मृतः॥
From the combination of the words, eternal happiness (hrishika) and the attributes of divinity (isha) is he called Hrishikesha. He is known as Mahabahu in the Smritis, as by his two arms he supports the earth and the sky.
अधो न क्षीयते जातु यस्मात् तस्मादधोक्षजः। नराणामयनाच्चापि ततो नारायणः स्मृतः॥
Since he never falls down; nor he is wasted away; therefore, he is called Adhokshaja; and he is known as Narayana in the Smritis, as he is the refuge of human beings.
पूरणात् सदनाच्चापि ततोऽसौ पुरुषोत्तमः। असतश्च सतश्चैव सर्वस्य प्रभवाप्ययात्॥
From his creating and preserving beings (Parva) and from destroying them (Sa) is he called Purushottama, as also from his being the creator of causes and effects which are also lost in him in the end.
सर्वस्य च सदा ज्ञानात् सर्वमेतं प्रचक्षते। सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः कृष्णः सत्यपत्र प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
Owing to his constant knowledge of everything is he called Sarva. Krishna is established on truth and truth is established on him.
सत्यात् सत्यं तु गोविन्दस्तस्मात् सत्योऽपि नामतः। विष्णुर्विक्रमणाद् देवो जयनाज्जिष्णुरुच्यते॥
The name of Govinda is truth; because he is Truth of truths. Owing to his strength he is called Vishnu; and owing to his victory over the gods he is called Jishnu.
शाश्वतत्वादनन्तश्च गोविन्दो वेदनाद् गवाम्। अतत्त्वं कुरुते तत्त्वं तेन मोहयते प्रजाः॥
Owing to his eternity is he called Ananta; and Govinda, owing to his control over the senses. He can make the unreal appear as the real, by which he deceives all creatures.
एवंविधो धर्मनित्यो भगवान् मधुसूदनः। आगन्ता हि महाबाहुरानृशंस्यार्थमच्युतः॥
The divine slayer of Madhu, who has these qualities and who ever is attached to virtue, that being with long arms, who under goes no waste, will come here to see that there is no unnecessary slaughter.