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.
एवं स राजा कथितो वसुदेवेन भारत। तस्य तद्वचनं चके शूरसेनपतिस्तदा
Thus addressed by Vasudeva, O Bharata, the chief of the Shurasenas then acted according to his words.
ततस्तस्यां सम्बभूवुः कुमाराः सूर्यवर्चसः। जाताञ्चातांस्तु तान्सर्वाञ्जघान मधुरेश्वरः
Thereafter, sons of radiant splendor were born to her, and the lord of Mathura killed each one as they were born.
अथ तस्यां समभवद्बलदेवस्तु सत्तमः। याम्यता मायया तं तु यमो राजा विशाम्पते
Then, O lord of the people, the most excellent Baladeva was conceived in her; by the power of Yama, through illusion, he was transferred.
देवक्या गर्भमतुलं रोहिण्या जठरेऽक्षिपत्। आकृष्य कर्षणात्सम्यक्सङ्कर्षणं इति स्मृतः
Devaki’s incomparable embryo was drawn forth and placed in Rohini’s womb; because he was perfectly drawn out, he is known as Sankarshana.
बलश्रेष्ठतया तस्य बलदेव इति स्मृतः। पुनस्तस्यां समभवदष्टमो मधुमूदनः
Because of his supreme strength, he is called Baladeva; then, in her again, the eighth, the slayer of Madhu, was conceived.
तस्य गर्भस्य रक्षां तु स चक्रेऽभ्यधिकं नृपः। ततः काले रक्षणार्थं वसुदेवस्य तत्वतः।। aउग्रः प्रयुक्तः कंसेन सचिवः क्रूरकर्मकृत्
The king took special measures to guard that embryo; then, in due time, for the protection of Vasudeva’s child, Kamsa appointed a fierce and cruel minister.
जातमात्रं वासुदेवमथाकृष्य पिता ततः। उपजह्रे परिक्रीतां सुतां गोपस्य कस्यचित्
As soon as Vasudeva was born, his father took him and exchanged him for the newborn daughter of a certain cowherd.
अमृष्यमाणस्तं शब्दं देवदूतस्य पार्थिवः। वासुदेवं महात्मानमर्पयामास गोकुले
Unable to endure the sound of the divine messenger, the king delivered the great-souled Vasudeva into Gokula.
वासुदेवोपि गोपेषु ववृधेऽब्जमिवाम्भसि। अज्ञायमानः कंसेन गूढोऽग्निरिव दारुषु
And Vasudeva grew up among the cowherds, like a lotus in water, unknown to Kamsa, concealed as fire in wood.
विप्रचके तदा सर्वान्बल्लवान्मधुरेश्वरः। वर्धमानो महाबाहुस्तेजोबलसमन्वितः
Then the lord of Mathura sent spies among all the cowherds, but the mighty-armed one, endowed with brilliance and strength, continued to grow.
ततस्ते क्लिश्यमानास्तु पुण्डरीकाक्षमच्युतम्। भयेन कामादपरे गणशः पर्यवारयन्
Those who suffered, longing for the lotus-eyed, infallible one, surrounded him in groups, some out of fear, others out of desire.
स तु लब्ध्वा बलं राजन्नुग्रसेनस्य संमतः। वसुदेवात्मजः सर्वैर्भ्रातृभिः सहितं पुनः
But when he gained strength, O king, and was approved by Ugrasena, the son of Vasudeva, together with all his brothers, once again—
निर्जित्य युधि भोजेन्द्रं हत्वा कंसं महाबलः। अभ्यषिञ्चत्ततो राज्य उग्रसेनं विशाम्पते
Having conquered the king of the Bhojas in battle and slain the mighty Kamsa, he then installed Ugrasena in the kingdom, O lord of the people.
ततः श्रुत्वा जरासन्धो माधवेन हतं युधि। शूरसेनाधिपं चक्रे कंसपुत्रं तदा नृप
Then, having heard that Jarasandha was slain in battle by Madhava, he made the son of Kamsa the lord of the Shurasenas at that time, O king.
ससैन्यं महदुत्थाप्य वासुदेवं तदा नृप। अभ्यषिञ्चत्सुतं तत्र सुताया जनमेजय
Raising up a great army, O king, he installed Vasudeva's son there, and Janamejaya, his own son as well.
उग्रसेनं च वृष्णींश्च महाबलसमन्वितः। स तत्र विप्रकुरुते जरासन्धः प्रतापवान्
Mighty Jarasandha, endowed with great strength, harassed Ugrasena and the Vrishnis there.
एतद्वैरं कौरवेय जरासन्धस्य माधवे। आशासितार्थे राजेन्द्र संरुरोध विनिर्जितान्
This is the enmity, O son of Kuru, between Jarasandha and Madhava; for the sake of dominion, O king, he confined those he had conquered.
पार्थिवैस्तैर्नृपतिभिर्यक्ष्यमाणः समृद्धिमान्। देवश्रेष्ठं महादेवं कृत्तिवासं त्रियम्बकम्
Surrounded by those kings and rulers, the prosperous one worshipped the supreme god, Mahadeva, Krittivasa, the three-eyed.
एतत्सर्वं यथावृत्तं कथितं भरतर्षभ। यथा तु स हतो राजा भीमसेनेन तच्छृणु
All this has been told as it happened, O bull among the Bharatas; now hear how that king was slain by Bhimasena.
ततस्तं निश्चितात्मानं युद्धाय यदुनन्दनः। उवाच वाग्मी राजानं जरासन्धमधोक्षजः
Then, as Jarasandha stood resolved for battle, the eloquent Adhokshaja, son of Yadu, spoke to the king.