उत्पत्य शयनाद्विष्णुर्ब्रह्मणा विबुधैः सह। देवानां च हितार्थाय ययौ देवसभां प्रति
Rising from his couch, Vishnu, together with Brahma and the wise ones, went toward the assembly of the gods for their benefit.
मेरोः शिरसि विन्यस्तां ज्वलन्तीं तां शुभां सभाम्। विविशुस्ते सुराः सर्वे ब्रह्मणा सह भारत
All the gods, O Bharata, together with Brahma, entered that splendid, blazing assembly hall set atop the summit of Meru.
जग्मुस्तत्र निषेदुस्ते सा निःशब्दा ह्यभूत्तदा। तत्र भूमिरुवाचाथ खेदात्करुणभाषिणी
They arrived there and took their seats; then the hall became silent, and there, out of distress, the Earth spoke in a voice full of sorrow.
राज्ञां बलैर्बलवतां खिन्नास्मि भृशपीडिता। नित्यं भारपरिश्रान्ता दुःखं जीवाम्यहं सुराः
O gods, I am worn out and greatly afflicted by the armies of mighty kings; always weary from bearing this burden, I live in misery.
पुरे पुरे च नृपतिः कोटिसङ्ख्यैर्बलैर्वृतः। राष्ट्रे राष्ट्रे च शतशो ग्रामाः कुलसहस्रिणः
In every city, each king is surrounded by armies numbering in the millions; in every realm, there are hundreds of villages, each with thousands of families.
भूमिपानां सहस्रैश्च तेषां च बिलनां बलैः। ग्रामायुतैः पुरै राष्ट्रैरहं निर्विवरीकृता
By the thousands of rulers and their subterranean forces, by tens of thousands of villages, cities, and kingdoms, I have been left without respite.
तस्माद्धारयितुं शक्त्या न क्षमासि जनानहम्। दैत्यैश्च बाध्यमानास्ताः प्राज नित्यं दुरात्मभिः
Therefore, I am no longer able to bear people by my own strength; and I am constantly tormented by the evil-natured asuras.
भूमेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा देवो नारायणस्तदा। व्यादिश्य तान्सुरान्सर्वान्क्षितौ वस्तुं मनो दधे
Hearing the words of the Earth, the god Narayana then instructed all the gods to take birth upon the earth.
यच्चके भगवान्विष्णुर्वसुदेवसुतस्तदा। तत्तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु स्रवमशेषतः
Now, I will tell you in full what the blessed Vishnu, son of Vasudeva, did at that time; listen to me attentively.
वासुदेवस्य महात्म्यं चरितं च महात्मनः। हितार्थं सुरसर्त्यानां लोकानां च हिताय च
I will recount the greatness and deeds of Vasudeva, that great soul, for the welfare of the gods and the good of the worlds.
यदा दिवि विभुस्तात न रेमे भगवानसौ। ततो व्यादिशय भूतानि विभुर्भूमिसुखावहः
When, O dear one, the glorious Lord did not delight in heaven, then the all-pervading one, bringer of happiness to the earth, directed the beings.
निग्रहार्थाय दैत्यानां चोदयामास वै तदा। मुरुतश्च वसूंश्चैव सूर्याचन्द्रमसावुभौ
Then, for the destruction of the asuras, he urged the Maruts, the Vasus, and both the Sun and the Moon.
गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव रुद्रादित्यांस्तथाऽश्विनौ। जायध्वं मानुषे लोके सर्वलोकमहेश्वराः
He also called upon the Gandharvas, Apsarases, Rudras, Adityas, and the Ashvins: 'Be born in the world of men, O lords of all the worlds!'
जङ्गमानि विशालाक्षो ह्यात्मार्थमसृजत्प्रभुः। जायन्तामिति गोविन्दस्तिर्यग्योनिगतैः सह
The wide-eyed Lord, for his own purpose, created moving beings; Govinda said, 'Let them be born,' along with those in animal forms.
तानि सर्वाणि सर्वज्ञो व्यजायत यदोः कुले। आत्मानमात्मना तात कृत्वा बहुविधं हरिः। रत्यर्थमिह गास्तत्र ररक्ष पुरुषोत्तमः
All these, the all-knowing one caused to be born in the race of Yadu; Hari, making himself manifold, entered there for the sake of delight and protected the earth, O best of men.
अजातशत्रो जातस्तु यथेष्ट भुवि भूमिप। कीर्त्यमानं मया तात निबोध भरतर्षभ
Ajatashatru was born on earth as he wished, O king; now hear from me, O best of Bharatas, as I recount his fame.
सागराः समकम्पन्त मुदा चेलुश्च पर्वताः। जज्वलुश्चाग्नयः शान्ता जायमाने जनार्दने
The oceans trembled with joy, and the mountains moved; peaceful fires blazed forth at the birth of Janardana.
शिवाः सम्प्रववुर्वाताः प्रशान्तमभवद्रजः। ज्योतींषि सम्प्रकाशन्त जायमाने जनार्दने
Auspicious winds began to blow, the dust settled into calm, and radiant lights shone forth at the birth of Janardana.
देवदुन्दुभयश्चापि सस्वनुर्भृशमम्बरे। अभ्यवर्षंस्तदाऽऽगम्य देवताः पुष्पवृष्टिभिः
Divine drums resounded greatly in the sky, and the gods showered down rain of flowers upon that arrival.
गीर्भिर्मङ्गलयुक्ताभिः स्तुवन्वै मधुसदनम्। उपतस्थुस्तदा प्रीताः प्रादुर्भावे महर्षयः
With words filled with blessings, the great sages, delighted, praised Madhusudana and attended upon him at his appearance.
ततस्तानभिसम्प्रेक्ष्य नारदप्रमुखानृषीन्। उपानृत्यन्नुपजगुर्गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणाः
Then, seeing those sages led by Narada, the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases danced and sang nearby.
उपतस्थे च गोविन्दं सहस्राक्षः शचीपतिः। अभ्यभाषत तेजस्वी महर्षीन्पूजयंस्तदा
The thousand-eyed Indra, lord of Shachi, approached Govinda, and, radiant, addressed and honored the great sages.
कृत्वा च देवकार्याणि कृत्वा देवहितानि च। खं लोकं लोककृद्देवः पुनर्गच्छति तेजसा
Having accomplished the tasks of the gods and done what was beneficial for them, the god who creates the worlds returns again to the heavens by his own brilliance.
इत्युक्त्वा ऋषिभिः सार्घं जगाम त्रिदिवं पुनः। अभ्यनुज्ञाय तान्सर्वाञ्छादयन्प्रकृतिं पराम्
Having spoken thus, together with the sages, he went again to heaven, granting permission to all and concealing his supreme nature.
नन्दगोपकुले कृष्ण उवास बहुलाः समाः। ततः कदाचित्सुप्तं तं शकटस्य त्वधः शिशुम्
Krishna dwelt for many years in the house of the cowherd Nanda; then, once, as the child slept beneath a cart—
यशोदा सम्परित्यज्य जगाम यमुनां नदीम्। शिशुलीलां ततः कुर्वन्स्वहस्तचरणौ क्षिपन्
Yashoda, having left him there, went to the Yamuna river; then, playing as a child, he moved his own hands and feet.
रुरोद मधुरं कृष्णः पादावूर्ध्वं प्रसारयन्। पादाङ्गुष्ठेन शकटं दारयन्नथ केशवः
Krishna cried sweetly, stretching his feet upward, and with his big toe, Keshava split the cart.
तत्र एकेन पादेन पातयित्वा तथा शिशुः। न्युब्जं पयोधराकाङ्क्षी ससार च रुरोद च
There, with one foot, the child toppled it, then, longing for his mother's milk, he crawled and cried.
पाटितं शकटं दृष्ट्वा भिन्नभाण्डपुटीकटम्। जनास्ते शिशुना तेन विस्मयं परमं ययुः
Seeing the cart broken, its vessels and jars shattered, the people were filled with utmost wonder at what the child had done.
प्रत्यक्षं शूरसेनानां दृश्यते महदद्भुतम्। शयानेन हतः कंसपक्षवांस्तिग्मतेजसा
A great marvel was seen openly by the Shurasenas: as he lay there, the one of fierce energy slew the follower of Kamsa.