हिंस्यासि युधि विक्रम्य सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगाविव
You will slay them in battle, O mighty one, like a lion slays small deer.
सर्वभूतानि वित्रेमुषे तत्रासन्समागताः
All the assembled beings there trembled with fear.
मम निर्देशकर्तृभ्यां पाण्डवाभ्यां नृपाधम। मात्यं ससुतं चाद्य घातयिष्याम्यहं रणे। न कथञ्चन जीवन्वै प्रवेक्ष्यसि पुरोत्तमम्
By the command of these two Pandavas, O lowest of kings, today I shall slay you with your sons in battle; you shall by no means enter the foremost city alive.
नाजितान्वै नरपतीनहमादद्मि काश्चन। अजितः पर्यवस्थाता कोऽत्र यो न मया जितः
I do not seize any kings who are not defeated; who here is undefeated and has not been subdued by me?
क्षत्रियस्यैतदेवाहुर्धर्म्यं कृष्णोपजीवनम्। विक्रम्य वशमानीय कामतो यत्समाचरेत्
This alone is said to be the proper duty of a Kshatriya, O Krishna: to subdue others by strength and act as he desires.
देवातार्थमुपाहृत्य राज्ञः कृष्ण कथं भयात्। अहमद्य विमुच्येयं क्षात्रं व्रतमनुस्मरन्
Having brought the kings for the sake of the gods, O Krishna, how could I, out of fear, release them today, remembering my Kshatriya vow?
सैन्यं सैन्येन व्यूढेन एक एकेन वा पुनः। द्वाभ्यां त्रिभिर्वा योत्स्येऽहं युगत्पृथगेव वा
I will fight army against army, or one against one, or again, with two or three together, or separately, as you wish.
एवमुक्त्वा जरासन्धः सहदेवाभिषेचनम्। अज्ञापयत्तदा राजा ययुत्सुर्भीमकर्मभिः
Having spoken thus, Jarasandha then ordered the consecration of Sahadeva, desiring to do battle with the mighty warriors.
स तु सेनापतिं राजा सस्मार भरतर्षभ। कौशिकं चित्रसेनं च तस्मिन्युद्ध उपस्थिते
Then the king remembered his commanders, O bull among the Bharatas—Kaushika and Citraseṇa—when that battle was at hand.
ययोस्ते नामनी राजन्हंसेति डिबिकेति च। पूर्वं सङ्कथिते पुम्भिर्नृलोके लोकसत्कृते
Their names, O king, were Hamsa and Dibhika, which had previously been spoken of among men in the world, honored by people.
तं तु राजन्विभुः शौरी राजानं बलिनां वरम्। स्मृत्वा पुरुषशार्दूलः शार्दूलसमविक्रमम्
That king of great might, the illustrious Shauri, recalling him—who was foremost among the strong, a tiger among men, with the valor of a tiger—
सत्यसन्धो जरासन्धं भुवि भीमपराक्रमम्। भागमन्यस्य निर्दिष्टमवध्यं मधुर्भिर्मृधेः
Jarasandha, steadfast in truth, possessed the valor of Bhima on earth; a portion was assigned to another, and he was invincible in battle by the sweet ones.
नात्मनाऽऽत्मवतां मुख्य इयेष मधुसूदनः। ब्राह्मीमाज्ञां पुरस्कृत्य हन्तुं हलधरानुजः
Madhusudana, chief among the self-possessed, did not wish to slay him himself; having placed the Brahmin's command first, the younger brother of Haladhara sought to kill him.
किमर्थं वैरिणावास्तामुभौ तौ कृष्णमागधौ। कथं च निर्जितः सङ्ख्ये जरासन्धेन माधवः
For what reason did those two enemies, Krishna and the king of Magadha, dwell together? And how was Madhava defeated in battle by Jarasandha?
कश्च कंसो मागधस्य यस्य हेतोः स वैरवान्। एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं वैशम्पायन तत्वतः
Who is Kamsa of Magadha, and for what reason did he bear enmity? Tell me all this in truth, O Vaishampayana.
यादवानामन्ववाये वसुदेवो महामतिः। उदपद्यत वार्ष्णेयो ह्युग्रसेनस्य मन्त्रभृत्
In the lineage of the Yadavas, Vasudeva of great intelligence was born, a descendant of Vrishni, the counselor of Ugrasena.
उग्रसेनस्य कंसस्तु बभूव बलवान्सुतः। ज्येष्ठो बहूनां कौरव्य सर्वशस्त्रविशारदः
Kamsa, the powerful son of Ugrasena, became the eldest among many, O descendant of Kuru, and was skilled in all weapons.
जरासन्धस्य दुहिता तस्य भार्याऽतिविश्रुता। राज्यशुक्लेन दत्ता सा जरासन्धेन धीमता
The daughter of Jarasandha, renowned, became his wife, given by the wise Jarasandha with royal honors.
तदर्थमुग्रसेनस्य मधुरायां सुतस्तदा। अभिषिक्तस्तदाऽमात्यैः स वै तीव्रपराक्रमः
For that reason, the son of Ugrasena was then installed as king in Mathura by the ministers, and he was of fierce prowess.
ऐश्वर्यबलमत्तस्तु स तदा बलमोहितः। निगृह्य पितरं भुङ्क्ते तद्राज्यं मन्त्रिभिः सह
Intoxicated by the strength of his wealth and power, and deluded by that might, he subdued his father and enjoyed the kingdom together with his counselors.
वसुदेवस्य तत्कृत्यं न शृणोति स मन्दधीः। त तेन सह तद्राज्यं धर्मतः पर्यपालयत्
That dull-minded one did not heed the actions of Vasudeva; yet, together with him, he righteously governed that kingdom.
प्रीतिमान्स तु दैत्येन्द्रो वसुदेवस्य देवकीम्। वाह भार्या स तदा दुहिता देवकस्य या
That lord of the Daityas, being pleased, took Devaki, daughter of Devaka, as wife for Vasudeva.
तस्यामुद्वाह्यमानायां रथेन जनमेजय। उपारुरोह वार्ष्णेयं कंसो भूमिपतिस्तदा
When she was being led away in a chariot, O Janamejaya, Kamsa, the king, ascended the chariot of the Vrishni.
ततोऽन्तरिक्षे वागासीद्देवदूतस्य कस्यचित्। वसुदेवश्च शुश्राव तां वाचं पार्थिवश्च सः
Then, in the sky, there was a voice from a certain divine messenger, which Vasudeva and that king both heard.
यामेतां वहमानोऽद्य कंसोद्वहसि देवकीम्। अस्या यश्चाष्टमो गर्भः स ते मृत्युर्भविष्यति
O Kamsa, as you drive this chariot today, carrying Devaki, know that her eighth child will be your death.
सोऽवतीर्य ततो राजा खड्गमुद्धृत्य निर्मलम्। इयेष तस्या मूर्धानं छेत्तुं परमदुर्मतिः
Then the king, descending from the chariot, drew his spotless sword, and, in his utter delusion, sought to strike her head.
सान्त्वयन्स तदा कंसं हसन्कोधवशानुगम्। राजन्ननुनयामास वसुदेवो महामतिः
At that moment, Vasudeva, wise and composed, sought to appease Kamsa, who was overcome by anger, addressing him with conciliatory words and a gentle smile.
अहिंस्यां प्रमदामाहुः सर्वधर्मेषु पार्थिव। अकस्मादबलां नारीं हन्तासीमामनागसीम्
O king, in all codes of conduct, it is said that women must not be harmed; will you kill this innocent, defenseless woman without cause?
यच्च तेऽत्र भयं राजञ्शक्यते बाधितुं त्वया। इयं शक्या पालयितुं समयं चैव रक्षितुम्
And, O king, the fear you have in this matter can be averted by you; she can be guarded, and the agreement can be kept.
अस्यास्त्वमष्टमं गर्भं जातमात्रं महीपते। विध्वंसय तदा प्राप्तमेवं परिहृतं भवेत्
O ruler of the earth, when her eighth child is born, you may destroy him at that time; thus, your fear will be removed.