[Advaita-l] Stotra in Praise of Vishnu in the Mahabharata

[S Jayanarayanan]

Here is a small Stotra from Mahabharata (Udyogaparva, 66) in praise of Vishnu, containing the famous shloka:
 
  yataH satyaM yato dharmo yato hrIrArjavaM yataH |
  tato bhavati govindo yataH kRRiShNastato jayaH ||
 
  "Wherever there is truthfulness, wherever virtue, wherever modesty, wherever simplicity,
  even there is Govinda. And thither where Krishna is, success must be."
 
 
http://sanskritdocuments.org/mirrors/mahabharata/txt/mbh05.itx
 
 
sa~njaya uvAcha||
 
arjuno vAsudevashcha dhanvinau paramArchitau |
kAmAdanyatra sambhUtau sarvAbhAvAya saMmitau || 1||
 
dyAmantaraM samAsthAya yathAyuktaM manasvinaH |
chakraM tadvAsudevasya mAyayA vartate vibho || 2||
 
sApahnavaM pANDaveShu pANDavAnAM susaMmatam |
sArAsArabalaM j~nAtvA tatsamAsena me shRRiNu || 3||
 
narakaM shambaraM chaiva ka.nsaM chaidyaM cha mAdhavaH |
jitavAnghorasa~NkAshAnkrIDanniva janArdanaH || 4||
 
pRRithivIM chAntarikShaM cha dyAM chaiva puruShottamaH |
manasaiva vishiShTAtmA nayatyAtmavashaM vashI || 5||
 
bhUyo bhUyo hi yadrAjanpRRichChase pANDavAnprati |
sArAsArabalaM j~nAtuM tanme nigadataH shRRiNu || 6||
 
ekato vA jagatkRRitsnamekato vA janArdanaH |
sArato jagataH kRRitsnAdatirikto janArdanaH || 7||
 
bhasma kuryAjjagadidaM manasaiva janArdanaH |
na tu kRRitsnaM jagachChaktaM bhasma kartuM janArdanam || 8||
 
yataH satyaM yato dharmo yato hrIrArjavaM yataH |
tato bhavati govindo yataH kRRiShNastato jayaH || 9||
 
pRRithivIM chAntarikShaM cha divaM cha puruShottamaH |
vicheShTayati bhUtAtmA krIDanniva janArdanaH || 10||
 
sa kRRitvA pANDavAnsatraM lokaM saMmohayanniva |
adharmaniratAnmUDhAndagdhumichChati te sutAn || 11||
 
kAlachakraM jagachchakraM yugachakraM cha keshavaH |
Atmayogena bhagavAnparivartayate.anisham || 12||
 
kAlasya cha hi mRRityoshcha ja~NgamasthAvarasya cha |
Ishate bhagavAnekaH satyametadbravImi te || 13||
 
Ishannapi mahAyogI sarvasya jagato hariH |
karmANyArabhate kartuM kInAsha iva durbalaH || 14||
 
tena va~nchayate lokAnmAyAyogena keshavaH |
ye tameva prapadyante na te muhyanti mAnavAH || 15||
 
 
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05068.htm
 
 
Sanjaya said, 'Those adorable bowmen, Arjuna and Vasudeva, who are perfectly equal unto each
other in respect of their Godlike nature, have taken their births of their own will. O lord, the Discus
owned by Vasudeva, of abundant energy, occupieth a space full five cubits in diameter, is capable
also of being hurled at the foe (in forms large or small) according to the will of the wielder himself,
and it dependeth on illusion. Always conspicuous by its effulgence, it is invisible to the Kurus; and
in ascertaining the strength or weakness of the Pandavas, that discus offers the best ground. Indeed,
that scion of Madhu's race, endued with great might, vanquished with an effort and in seeming playfulness
the formidable Naraka and Samvara and Kansa and (Sisupala) the chief of Chedis. Possessed
of Divinity and of Soul superior to everything, that most exalted of male beings can, by his
will alone, bring the earth, firmament, and heaven under his control. Thou askest me repeatedly, O
king, about the Pandavas for knowing their strength and weakness. Listen now to all that in brief. If
the whole universe be placed on one scale and Janardana on the other, even then Janardana will
outweigh the entire universe. Janardana, at his pleasure, can reduce the universe to ashes, but the
entire universe is incapable of reducing Janardana to ashes. Wherever there is truthfulness, wherever
virtue, wherever modesty, wherever simplicity, even there is Govinda. And thither where
Krishna is, success must be. That soul of all creatures, most exalted of male beings, Janardana,
guideth, as if in sport, the entire earth, the firmament, and the heaven. Making the Pandavas the in-
direct means, and beguiling the whole world. Janardana wisheth to blast thy wicked sons that are all
addicted to sin. Endued with divine attributes, Kesava, by the power of his soul causeth the wheel of
Time, the wheel of the Universe, and the wheel of the Yuga, to revolve incessantly. And I tell thee
truly that Glorious Being is alone the Lord of Time, of Death, and of this Universe of mobile and
immobile objects. That Great ascetic Hari, though the Lord of the whole Universe, still betaketh
Himself to work, like a humble labourer that tilleth the fields. Indeed, Kesava beguileth all by the
aid of His illusion. Those men, however, that have attained to Him are not deceived.'"