kuntī stutiḥ (bhāgavata purāṇa)

Kunti said: I offer my obeisances unto You, the Primal Purusha, the Supreme Controller, who exists beyond the material nature. You remain invisible to all living beings, yet You abide both within their hearts and throughout the entire creation.

You are veiled by the curtain of Your illusory energy (Maya), and because You are transcendental to material senses, You remain hidden from the ignorant. Just as a masked actor performing on stage is not recognized by the audience, You are not perceived by those with material vision.

If even the great sages and self-realized souls, whose hearts are completely purified, struggle to behold You, how is it possible for us women of limited intelligence to truly perceive You, who descend solely to establish the path of devotional service?

My repeated obeisances unto Lord Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, the delight of Devaki, the beloved cowherd boy of Nanda, and the protector of the cows and senses, Govinda.

Obeisances unto You, whose navel is shaped like a lotus. Obeisances unto You, who are adorned with a garland of lotuses. Obeisances unto You, whose eyes are like lotus petals, and obeisances unto You, whose feet are as beautiful as lotuses.

O Hrishikesha, just as Devaki was long held captive and distressed by the wicked Kamsa, I and my children have been repeatedly delivered from various calamities by You alone, for You are our true Protector and Master.

O Hari, You have protected us from many dangers: from poison, from the great fire, from the man-eating demons, from the assembly of the wicked, from the sufferings of forest exile, from the weapons of many great warriors in various battles, and finally, from the devastating weapon of Drona’s son.

May those calamities continue to occur again and again, O Lord of the Universe, so that we may see You repeatedly, for the sight of You means we will never again have to witness the cycle of birth and death.

A person who becomes intoxicated by the pride of noble birth, opulence, deep knowledge, and physical beauty is truly unfit to address You, for You are only accessible to those who possess nothing but You.

My obeisances unto You, the wealth of the destitute. You are free from the movements of the material modes, You find joy only within Yourself, You are perfectly peaceful, and You are the Lord of liberation.

I recognize You as the eternal Time, the Lord of all, without beginning or end, pervading everything. You move equally among all beings, yet the conflicts between them arise from their own illusory attachments.

O Lord, no one can fathom Your divine play, which You perform in the guise of human activities. You have no one who is especially dear or hateful, yet due to their own clouded vision, people perceive inequality in You.

O Soul of the Universe, it is a profound mystery that You, who are unborn and have no need to act, take birth and perform deeds among animals, humans, sages, and aquatic creatures.

I am bewildered by the sight of You—the One whom even fear itself fears—standing before Mother Yashoda with eyes full of tears and mascara, trembling in fear because You broke a pot and were to be tied with a rope for Your transgression.

Some say that You, the Unborn, took birth to spread the fame of those whose lives are righteous, just as the sandalwood tree appears in the Malaya mountains to spread its fragrance.

Others say that You, the Unborn, appeared in the womb of Devaki because You were supplicated by Vasudeva, intending to bring auspiciousness to His lineage and to destroy the enemies of the demigods.

Others say You descended at the request of Lord Brahma to lighten the burden of the Earth, just as a boat is brought to the ocean to rescue those who are sinking under a heavy load.

Still others say that You appeared to perform acts worthy of being heard and remembered by those who are suffering in this world, bound by the chains of ignorance, desire, and karma.

Those who constantly hear, sing, praise, remember, and take delight in Your transcendental pastimes will soon behold Your lotus feet, which alone can bring the cycle of birth and death to a halt.

O Lord, now that You have fulfilled Your mission, are You truly intending to leave us, Your friends and devoted servants? We have no other refuge than Your lotus feet, especially now that we are surrounded by sins committed in the course of ruling our kingdom.

Who are we, the Pandavas and Yadavas, with our petty names and forms, compared to You? We are as insignificant as the senses would be without the presence of the presiding soul to enliven them.

O Gadadhara, this land will no longer appear as beautiful as it does now, for presently it shines, marked by the auspicious impressions of Your lotus feet.

These regions, with their thriving populations, bountiful harvests, medicinal herbs, forests, mountains, rivers, and oceans, flourish solely because of Your merciful glance.

Therefore, O Lord of the universe, Soul of the universe, and Embodiment of the universe, please sever the deep-rooted bonds of affection I hold for my kinsmen, the Pandavas and the Vrishnis.

O Lord of Madhu, may my consciousness be fixed exclusively upon You, flowing toward You incessantly and without obstruction, just as the waters of the Ganges flow continuously toward the sea.

O Shri Krishna, friend of Arjuna, best of the Vrishni dynasty, destroyer of the oppressive royal lineages that burden the earth, possessor of inexhaustible power, O Govinda, You who incarnate to relieve the suffering of cows, brahmanas, and the demigods—O Lord of all yogis, teacher of the entire world, I offer my humble obeisances unto You.