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.
पूतना चापि निहता महाकाया महास्तनी। ततः काले महाराज संसक्तौ रामकेशवौ
And Putana too was slain, she of great body and mighty breasts; then, in time, O King, Rama and Keshava became inseparable.
कृष्णः सङ्कर्षणश्चोभौ रिङ्खिणौ च बभूवतुः। अन्योन्यकिरणाक्रान्तौ चन्द्रसूर्याविवाम्बरे
Krishna and Sankarshana both became playful, and, shining with each other's radiance, were like the moon and sun in the sky.
विसर्पन्तौ च सर्वत्र महासर्पभुजौ तदा। रेजतुः पांसुदिग्धाङ्गौ रामकृष्णौ तदा नृप
Then, with mighty serpent-like arms, Rama and Krishna moved everywhere, their bodies smeared with dust, O King.
क्वचिच्च जानुभिः स्पृष्टौ क्रीडमानौ क्वचिद्वने। पिबन्तौ दधिकुल्यांश्च मथ्यमाने च भारत
Sometimes, playing, they crawled on their knees in the forest; sometimes, O Bharata, they drank the buttermilk as it was being churned.
ततः स बालो गोविन्दो नवनीतं तदा क्षयम्। ग्रासमानस्तु तत्रायं गोपीभिर्ददृशे तथा
Then that child Govinda, while eating the butter there, was seen by the gopis in that way.
दाम्नाऽथोलूखले कृष्णो गोपीभिश्च निबन्धितः। तत्तथा शिशुना तेन कर्षता चार्जुनावृभौ
Krishna was bound by the gopis with a rope to the mortar, and thus, as a child, he dragged the two arjuna trees.
समूलविटपौ भग्नौ तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्। ततस्तौ बाल्यमुत्तीर्णौ कृष्णसङ्कर्षणावुभौ
The two trees, with their roots and branches, were broken; it was as if a wonder. Then both Krishna and Sankarshana passed beyond their childhood.
तस्मिन्नेव व्रजस्थाने सप्तवर्षै बभूवतुः। नीलपीताम्बरधरौ पीतश्वेतानुलेपनौ
In that same place in Vraja, they became seven years old, wearing blue and yellow garments, adorned with yellow and white ointments.
बभुवतुर्वत्सपालौ काकपक्षधरावुभौ। पर्णवाद्यं श्रुतिसुखं वादयन्तौ वराननौ
Both became keepers of calves, with hair like crow's wings, playing leaf instruments that were pleasing to the ear, their faces radiant.
शुशुभाते वनगतौ त्रिशीर्षाविव पन्नगौ। मयूराङ्गजकर्णौ तौ पल्लवापीडधारिणौ
The two shone as they wandered in the forest, like serpents with three heads, with peacock feathers at their ears, wearing crowns of leaves.