दानं दाक्ष्यं श्रुतं शौर्यं ह्रीः कीर्तिर्बुद्धिरुत्तमा। संनतिः श्रीर्धृतिस्तुष्टिः पुष्टिश्च नियताऽच्युते
Generosity, skill, learning, valor, modesty, fame, excellent intellect, humility, prosperity, steadfastness, contentment, and nourishment—all these are firmly established in Acyuta.
तमिमं लोकसम्पन्नमाचार्यं पितरं गुरुम्। अर्घ्यमर्चितमर्चामः सर्वे सङ्क्षन्तुमर्हथ
This one, endowed with all worldly qualities, is teacher, father, and guru; we all worship him with offerings—may you all approve.
ऋत्विग्गुरुर्विवाह्यश्च स्नातको नृपतिः प्रियः। सर्वमेतद्धृषीकेशस्तस्मादभ्यर्चितोऽच्युतः
The officiating priest, the guru, the one to be married, the initiate, and the beloved king—all these are honored; therefore Hṛṣīkeśa, Acyuta, has been duly worshipped.
कृष्ण एव हि लोकानामुत्पत्तिरपि चाप्ययः। कृष्णस्य हि कृते विश्वमिदं भूतं चराचरम्
Indeed, Kṛṣṇa is the origin and dissolution of all worlds; for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, this entire universe, moving and unmoving, exists.
एष प्रकृतिरव्यक्ता कर्ता चैव सनातनः। परश्च सर्वभूतेभ्यस्तस्मात्पूज्यतमोऽच्युतः
He is the unmanifest nature, the eternal creator, and beyond all beings; therefore, Acyuta is most worthy of worship.
द्धिर्मनो महद्वायुस्तेजोऽभः खं मही च या। चतुर्विधं च यद्भूतं सर्वं कृष्णे प्रतिष्ठितम्
Intellect, mind, the great elements—air, fire, water, ether, and earth—and all fourfold beings, everything is established in Kṛṣṇa.
आदित्यश्चन्द्रमाश्चैव नक्षत्राणि ग्रहाश्च ये। दिशश्च विदिशश्चैव सर्वं कृष्णे प्रतिष्ठितम्
The sun, the moon, the stars, and all the planets, the directions and intermediate directions—all are established in Kṛṣṇa.
एष रुद्रश्च सर्वात्मा ब्रह्मा चैव सनातनः। अक्षरं क्षररूपेण मानुषत्वमुपागतः
He is Rudra, the soul of all, and also the eternal Brahmā; the imperishable has taken on the perishable form of a human.
अग्निहोत्रमुखा वेदा गायत्री च्छन्दसां मुखम्। राजा मुखं मनुष्याणां नदीनां सागरो मुखम्
The Vedas have the sacrificial fire as their mouth, Gāyatrī is the mouth of meters, the king is the mouth of men, and the ocean is the mouth of rivers.
नक्षत्राणां मुखं चन्द्र आदित्यस्तेजसां मुखम्। पर्वतानां मुखं मेरुर्गरुडः पततां मुखम्
The moon is the mouth of stars, the sun is the mouth of radiant things, Meru is the mouth of mountains, and Garuḍa is the mouth of birds.
ऊर्ध्वं तिर्यगधश्चैव यावती जगतो गतिः। सदेवकेषु लोकेषु भगवान्केशवो मुखम्
Above, across, and below—wherever the world moves, in all realms with gods, the Blessed Keśava is the mouth.
अयं तु पुरुषो बालः शिशुपालो न बुध्यते। सर्वत्र सर्वदा कृष्णं तस्मादेवं प्रभाषते
But this man, the child Śiśupāla, does not understand; therefore, he speaks thus about Kṛṣṇa everywhere and always.
यो हि धर्मं विचिनुयादुत्कृष्टं मतिमान्नरः। स वै पश्येद्यथा धर्मं न तथा चेदिराडयम्
The wise man who seeks out the highest dharma truly perceives it; but the king of Cedi does not see dharma in this way.
सवृद्धबालेष्वथवा पार्थिवेषु महात्मसु। को नार्हं मन्यते कृष्णं को वाप्येनं न पूजयेत्
Among elders and children, or among great kings, who does not consider Kṛṣṇa worthy? Who indeed would not worship him?
अथैनां दुष्कृतां पूजां शिशुपालो व्यवस्यति। दुष्कृतायां यथान्यायं तथाऽयं कर्तुमर्हति
Now, Śiśupāla declares this worship to be improper; for an improper act, he ought to act accordingly, as is right.
गाङ्गेयेनैवमुक्तस्तु शिशुपालश्चुकोप तम्। क्रुद्धं सुनीथं दृष्ट्वाऽथ सहदेवोऽब्रवीत्तदा
When Gāṅgeya spoke thus, Śiśupāla became angry with him; seeing Sunītha enraged, Sahadeva then spoke.
मतिपूर्वमिदं सर्वं चेदिराज मया कृतम्। तन्मे निगदतस्तत्त्वं कारणादत्र मे शृणु
Everything here, O King of Cedi, has been done by me after careful thought; hear from me the truth and the reason for it.
स पार्थिवानां सर्वेषां गुरुः कृष्णोऽपरो न हि। तस्मादभ्यर्चितोऽस्माभिः सर्वे संमन्तुमर्हथ
Among all the kings, Kṛṣṇa is the foremost; there is no other; therefore, we have honored him, and you all should agree.
यो वा सहते कश्चिद्राज्ञां सबलवाहनः। क्षिप्रं युद्धाय निर्यातु तस्य मूर्ध्न्याहितं पदम्
If any king, with his army and vehicles, can endure this, let him quickly go forth to battle; let the honored place be set upon his head.
ततो न व्याजहारैषां कश्चिद्बुद्धिमतां सताम्
Then none among these wise and virtuous men spoke in opposition.
मानिनां बलिनां राज्ञां मध्ये सन्दर्शिते पदे। एवमुक्ते सुनीथस्य सहदेवेन केशवे
When the place was shown among proud and powerful kings, and Sahadeva spoke thus about Keśava to Sunītha,
स्वभावरक्ते नयने कोपाद्रक्ततरे कृते। तस्य कोपं समुद्भूतं ज्ञात्वा भीष्मः प्रतापवान्
His eyes, naturally red, became even redder with anger; perceiving his rising wrath, mighty Bhīṣma,
आचचक्षे पुनस्तस्मै कृष्णस्यैवोत्तरान्गुणान्। स सुनीथं समामन्त्र्य तांश्च सर्वान्महीक्षितः
Again described to him the superior qualities of Kṛṣṇa; addressing Sunītha and all the kings,
उवाच वदतां श्रेष्ठं इदं मतिमतां वरः। सहदेवेन राजानो यदुक्तं केशवं प्रति। तत्तथेति विजानीध्वं भूयश्चात्र विबोधत
He spoke, the best among speakers, the foremost among the wise: 'What the kings have said to Keśava through Sahadeva, know that it is so; listen further here.'
ततो भीष्मस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा वचः काले युधिष्ठिरः। ज्ञापनार्थाय सर्वेषां भीष्मं पुनरथाब्रवीत्
Then, hearing Bhīṣma's words at that moment, Yudhiṣṭhira spoke again to Bhīṣma, for the sake of informing all.
विस्तरेणास्य देवस्य कर्माणीच्छामि सर्वशः। श्रोतुं भगवतस्तानि प्रब्रवीहि पितामह
I wish to hear in detail all the deeds of this divine one; tell me those of the Blessed Lord, O grandsire.
कर्मणामानुपूर्वा च प्रादुर्भावाश्च ये विभोः। यथा च प्रकृतिः कृष्णे तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
Tell me, O grandsire, the sequence of his deeds, his manifestations, and the nature of Kṛṣṇa.
एवमुक्तस्तदा भीष्मः प्रोवाच भरतर्षभ। युधिष्ठिरममित्रघ्नं तस्मिन्त्राजसमागमे
Thus addressed, Bhīṣma spoke to Yudhiṣṭhira, the destroyer of foes, in that assembly of kings.
समक्षं वासुदेवस्य देवस्येव शतक्रतोः। कर्माण्यसुकराण्यन्यैराचचक्षे जनाधिप
In the presence of Vāsudeva, as before the god Indra, the king described deeds difficult for others to accomplish.
शृण्वतां पार्थिवानां च धर्मराजस्य चान्तिके। इदं मतिमतां श्रेष्ठः कृष्णं प्रति विशाम्पते
While the kings listened, and in the presence of Dharmarāja, the best among the wise spoke this to the lord of men regarding Kṛṣṇa.