Bhagavata Purana

नमो गुणप्रदीपाय गुणात्मच्छादनाय च । गुणवृत्त्युपलक्ष्याय गुणद्रष्टे स्वसंविदे

Salutations to the lamp of the qualities, to the one who veils Himself with the qualities, who is perceived through the functions of the qualities, the seer of the qualities, and the inner consciousness.

अव्याकृतविहाराय सर्वव्याकृतसिद्धये । हृषीकेश नमस्तेऽस्तु मुनये मौनशीलिने

To Him who sports in the unmanifest, who perfects all that is manifest, Hṛṣīkeśa, salutations to You, the sage, the silent ascetic.

परावरगतिज्ञाय सर्वाध्यक्षाय ते नमः । अविश्वाय च विश्वाय तद्द्रष्टेऽस्य च हेतवे

Salutations to You, who knows the course of the higher and lower, who is the overseer of all, who is both the unmanifest and the manifest, the seer of all this and its cause.

( मिश्र ) त्वं ह्यस्य जन्मस्थितिसंयमान् प्रभो गुणैरनीहोऽकृत कालशक्तिधृक् । तत्तत् स्वभावान् प्रतिबोधयन् सतः समीक्षयामोघविहार ईहसे

You, O Lord, though unattached to the qualities, preside over the birth, existence, and dissolution of this world, upholding the power of time, awakening the various natures in beings, and, by Your unfailing glance, engage in Your wondrous play.

( इंद्रवंशा ) तस्यैव तेऽमूस्तनवस्त्रिलोक्यां शान्ता अशान्ता उत मूढयोनयः । शान्ताः प्रियास्ते ह्यधुनावितुं सतां स्थातुश्च ते धर्मपरीप्सयेहतः

These very bodies of yours in the three worlds—some peaceful, some restless, some born of delusion—are dear to you, O Indra's lineage; the peaceful ones are especially beloved, for now, out of desire to uphold dharma, you strive to protect and preserve the virtuous.

( अनुष्टुप् ) अपराधः सकृद् भर्त्रा सोढव्यः स्वप्रजाकृतः । क्षन्तुमर्हसि शान्तात्मम् मूढस्य त्वामजानतः

A single offense committed by one's own subject should be endured by the ruler; you ought to forgive, with a tranquil mind, one who acted in ignorance toward you.

अनुगृह्णीष्व भगवन् प्राणांस्त्यजति पन्नगः । स्त्रीणां नः साधुशोच्यानां पतिः प्राणः प्रदीयताम्

Grant us your mercy, O Lord, for the serpent is abandoning his life; let the husband, who is the very life of us women—wretched and deserving of compassion—be restored to us.

विधेहि ते किङ्‌करीणां अनुष्ठेयं तवाज्ञया । यच्छ्रद्धयानुतिष्ठन् वै मुच्यते सर्वतो भयात्

Command what your maidservants must do, so we may carry out your order; for one who performs it with faith is freed from all fear.

श्रीशुक उवाच । इत्थं स नागपत्‍नीभिः भगवान् समभिष्टुतः । मूर्च्छितं भग्नशिरसं विससर्जाङ्‌घ्रिकुट्टनैः

Śuka said: Thus, praised by the wives of the serpent, the Lord released the unconscious one, whose head was broken, from the crushing of his feet.

प्रतिलब्धेन्द्रियप्राणः कालियः शनकैर्हरिम् । कृच्छ्रात् समुच्छ्वसन् दीनः कृष्णं प्राह कृताञ्जलिः

Regaining his senses and breath, Kaliya slowly looked upon Hari; struggling to breathe, weak and distressed, he spoke to Krishna with folded hands.

कालिय उवाच । वयं खलाः सहोत्पत्त्या तमसा दीर्घमन्यवः । स्वभावो दुस्त्यजो नाथ लोकानां यदसद्‍ग्रहः

Kaliya said: We are wicked by birth, enveloped in darkness and long-standing anger; O Lord, this nature is hard to abandon, for it is the false grasping found among all beings.

त्वया सृष्टमिदं विश्वं धातर्गुणविसर्जनम् । नानास्वभाववीर्यौजो योनिबीजाशयाकृति

By you, O Creator, this universe has been fashioned, with the distribution of qualities; its various natures, powers, energies, forms, seeds, and inclinations arise from you.

वयं च तत्र भगवन् सर्पा जात्युरुमन्यवः । कथं त्यजामस्त्वन्मायां दुस्त्यजां मोहिताः स्वयम्

And among them, O Lord, we serpents are born with fierce anger; how can we abandon your māyā, which is hard to give up, when we ourselves are deluded by it?

भवान् हि कारणं तत्र सर्वज्ञो जगदीश्वरः । अनुग्रहं निग्रहं वा मन्यसे तद् विधेहि नः

For you are the cause of all this, omniscient, Lord of the universe; whether you grant mercy or punishment, do as you deem fit for us.

श्रीशुक उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचः प्राह भगवान् कार्यमानुषः । नात्र स्थेयं त्वया सर्प समुद्रं याहि मा चिरम् । स्वज्ञात्यपत्यदाराढ्यो गोनृभिर्भुज्यतां नदी

Śuka said: Hearing these words, the Lord, acting as a human, spoke: 'You must not remain here, O serpent; go to the ocean without delay. Leave this river to be enjoyed by cows, men, and your own kin, children, and wives.'

य एतत् संस्मरेन् मर्त्यः तुभ्यं मदनुशासनम् । कीर्तयन् उभयोः सन्ध्योः न युष्मद् भयमाप्नुयात्

Whoever among mortals remembers this instruction I have given you, and recites it at both twilights, will not suffer fear from you.

योऽस्मिन् स्नात्वा मदाक्रीडे देवादीन् तर्पयेज्जलैः । उपोष्य मां स्मरन्नर्चेत् सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

Whoever bathes here, where I played, and offers water to the gods and others, then fasts and worships me, remembering me, will be freed from all sins.

द्वीपं रमणकं हित्वा ह्रदमेतमुपाश्रितः । यद् भयात्स सुपर्णस्त्वां नाद्यान्मत्पाद लाञ्छितम्

Having left the island of Ramanaka and taken refuge in this lake, you were not devoured by Suparna out of fear, for you bear my foot-mark.

श्रीऋषिरुवाच । एवमुक्तो भगवता कृष्णेनाद्‌भुतकर्मणा । तं पूजयामास मुदा नागपत्‍न्यश्च सादरम्

The sage said: Thus addressed by Krishna, whose deeds are wondrous, he was worshipped joyfully and respectfully by the wives of the serpent.

दिव्याम्बरस्रङ्‌ मणिभिः परार्ध्यैरपि भूषणैः । दिव्यगन्धानुलेपैश्च महत्योत्पलमालया

They honored him with divine garments, garlands, precious jewels, and ornaments, with fragrant ointments, and a great garland of lotuses.

पूजयित्वा जगन्नाथं प्रसाद्य गरुडध्वजम् । ततः प्रीतोऽभ्यनुज्ञातः परिक्रम्याभिवन्द्य तम्

Having worshipped the Lord of the universe, pleased Garuda-bannered Krishna, they circumambulated him and offered respectful salutations.

सकलत्रसुहृत्पुत्रो द्वीपमब्धेर्जगाम ह । तदैव सामृतजला यमुना निर्विषाभवत् । अनुग्रहाद् भगवतः क्रीडामानुषरूपिणः

With all his wives, friends, and sons, he departed for the ocean's island; at that moment, the Yamuna became free of poison, by the grace of the Lord who played in human form.

  गन्धधूपादिभिश्चार्चेद् द्वादशाक्षरविद्यया

He worshipped with incense, perfumes, and other offerings, using the twelve-syllable mantra.

सूत उवाच तत्र गोमिथुनं राजा हन्यमानमनाथवत् । दण्डहस्तं च वृषलं ददृशे नृपलाञ्छनम्

Sūta said: There, the king saw a cow and bull being beaten as if they were helpless, and he saw a low-born man holding a club, a disgrace to royalty.

वृषं मृणालधवलं मेहन्तमिव बिभ्यतम् । वेपमानं पदैकेन सीदन्तं शूद्रताडितम्

He saw the bull, white as a lotus stalk, trembling as if urinating in fear, shaking, standing on one leg, and weakened by blows from the Śūdra.

गां च घर्मदुघां दीनां भृशं शूद्रपदाहताम् । विवत्सामाश्रुवदनां क्षामां यवसमिच्छतीम्

He saw the cow, who once gave warm milk, now distressed, severely struck by the feet of the Śūdra, separated from her calf, with tearful face, emaciated, and longing for grass.

पप्रच्छ रथमारूढः कार्तस्वरपरिच्छदम् । मेघगम्भीरया वाचा समारोपितकार्मुकः

Mounted on his chariot, adorned with golden fittings, with a deep, thunderous voice and his bow raised, he questioned them.

कस्त्वं मच्छरणे लोके बलाद्धंस्यबलान् बली । नरदेवोऽसि वेषेण नटवत्कर्मणाद्विजः

Who are you, who in this world, under my protection, unjustly harms the weak? Though you appear as a king, your actions are like those of an actor, not a twice-born.

यस्त्वं कृष्णे गते दूरं सहगाण्डीवधन्वना । शोच्योऽस्यशोच्यान् रहसि प्रहरन् वधमर्हसि

You, who attack the innocent in secret, deserve to be killed, now that Kṛṣṇa has departed far away with the bearer of the Gāṇḍīva bow.