Bhagavata Purana

योगादेशमुपासाद्य धारयन्तो मुनिव्रताः । समाहितधियः सर्व एतदभ्यसतादृताः

Having received the instruction in yoga, maintaining the vows of sages, and with concentrated minds, may you all practice this with reverence.

इदमाह पुरास्माकं भगवान्विश्वसृक्पतिः । भृग्वादीनां आत्मजानां सिसृक्षुः संसिसृक्षताम्

Long ago, the Lord, master of creation, spoke this to us, desiring to produce the sons of Bhṛgu and others, and to those wishing to create.

ते वयं नोदिताः सर्वे प्रजासर्गे प्रजेश्वराः । अनेन ध्वस्ततमसः सिसृक्ष्मो विविधाः प्रजाः

We, all the lords of progeny, were not prompted in the creation of beings; but by this, with darkness dispelled, we wish to create various creatures.

अथेदं नित्यदा युक्तो जपन् अवहितः पुमान् । अचिरात् श्रेय आप्नोति वासुदेवपरायणः

Now, one who is always engaged, reciting this attentively, soon attains the highest good, being devoted to Vāsudeva.

श्रेयसामिह सर्वेषां ज्ञानं निःश्रेयसं परम् । सुखं तरति दुष्पारं ज्ञाननौर्व्यसनार्णवम्

Here, the supreme knowledge is the highest welfare for all; with the boat of knowledge, one easily crosses the difficult ocean of misfortune.

य इमं श्रद्धया युक्तो मद्‍गीतं भगवत्स्तवम् । अधीयानो दुराराध्यं हरिं आराधयत्यसौ

Whoever, with faith, recites this praise of the Lord sung by me, worships Hari, who is otherwise hard to worship.

विन्दते पुरुषोऽमुष्माद् यद्यद् इच्छत्यसत्वरम् । मद्‍गीतगीतात्सुप्रीतात् श्रेयसामेकवल्लभात्

A person obtains from this, whatever he desires, swiftly, from the song sung by me, which is dear to the highest welfare.

इदं यः कल्य उत्थाय प्राञ्जलिः श्रद्धयान्वितः । शृणुयात् श्रावयेन्मर्त्यो मुच्यते कर्मबन्धनैः

Whoever, rising early, with joined palms and filled with faith, hears or recites this, is freed from the bonds of karma.

गीतं मयेदं नरदेवनन्दनाः परस्य पुंसः परमात्मनः स्तवम् । जपन्त एकाग्रधियस्तपो महत् चरध्वमन्ते तत आप्स्यथेप्सितम्

O sons of men-gods, this song, this praise of the Supreme Person, the Paramātmā, has been sung by me; recite it with focused mind as great austerity, practice it, and in the end you will attain your desired goal.

कोपान् मुसलधारावर्षं वर्षतीन्द्रे व्रजौकसां रक्षणार्थं गोवर्धनधारणम् - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) इन्द्रस्तदाऽऽत्मनः पूजां विज्ञाय विहतां नृप । गोपेभ्यः कृष्णनाथेभ्यो नन्दादिभ्यश्चुकोप ह

Out of anger, Indra poured down a torrent of club-like rain for the protection of the inhabitants of Vraja, and the lifting of Govardhana—

गणं सांवर्तकं नाम मेघानां चान्तकारिणाम् । इन्द्रः प्रचोदयत् क्रुद्धो वाक्यं चाहेशमान्युत

Indra, enraged, urged the destructive clouds called Sāṃvartaka, and spoke words full of command.

अहो श्रीमदमाहात्म्यं गोपानां काननौकसाम् । कृष्णं मर्त्यमुपाश्रित्य ये चक्रुर्देवहेलनम्

Ah! The pride and greatness of the cowherds, dwellers of the forest, who, relying on Krishna, a mortal, have shown disrespect to the gods.

यथादृढैः कर्ममयैः क्रतुभिर्नामनौनिभैः । विद्यां आन्वीक्षिकीं हित्वा तितीर्षन्ति भवार्णवम्

Just as, abandoning the science of inquiry, some wish to cross the ocean of existence with rituals performed by strong actions and names,

वाचालं बालिशं स्तब्धं अज्ञं पण्डितमानिनम् । कृष्णं मर्त्यमुपाश्रित्य गोपा मे चक्रुरप्रियम्

The cowherds, relying on Krishna—a talkative, childish, arrogant, ignorant one who thinks himself wise—have done me wrong.

एषां श्रियावलिप्तानां कृष्णेनाध्मापितात्मनाम् । धुनुत श्रीमदस्तम्भं पशून् नयत सङ्‌क्षयम्

These, blinded by their own wealth, puffed up by Krishna, destroy their pride born of prosperity, and drive their cattle to ruin.

अहं चैरावतं नागं आरुह्यानुव्रजे व्रजम् । मरुद्‍गणैर्महावेगैः नन्दगोष्ठजिघांसया

I, mounting Airāvata, the elephant, will go to Vraja, accompanied by the wind-gods with great force, intent on destroying Nanda's cowherd settlement.

श्रीशुक उवाच - इत्थं मघवताऽऽज्ञप्ता मेघा निर्मुक्तबन्धनाः । नन्दगोकुलमासारैः पीडयामासुरोजसा

Śuka said: Thus, commanded by Maghavan, the clouds, freed from restraint, began to afflict Nanda's cowherd village with torrents of rain.

विद्योतमाना विद्युद्‌भिः स्तनन्तः स्तनयित्‍नुभिः । तीव्रैर्मरुद्‍गणैर्नुन्ना ववृषुर्जलशर्कराः

Flashing with lightning, roaring with thunder, driven by fierce winds, they poured down water and hail.

स्थूणास्थूला वर्षधारा मुञ्चत्स्वभ्रेष्व-भीक्ष्णशः । जलौघैः प्लाव्यमाना भूः नादृश्यत नतोन्नतम्

Thick and thin streams of rain poured incessantly into the chasms; the earth, flooded by torrents of water, was no longer visible, neither low nor high.

अत्यासारातिवातेन पशवो जातवेपनाः । गोपा गोप्यश्च शीतार्ता गोविन्दं शरणं ययुः

Because of the excessive, violent wind, the animals began to tremble; the cowherds and cowherd women, afflicted by the cold, sought refuge in Govinda.

शिरः सुतांश्च कायेन प्रच्छाद्या सारपीडिताः । वेपमाना भगवतः पादमूलमुपाययुः

Covering their heads and children with their bodies, distressed by the storm, and shivering, they approached the feet of the Blessed Lord.

कृष्ण कृष्ण महाभाग त्वन्नाथं गोकुलं प्रभो । त्रातुमर्हसि देवान्नः कुपिताद् भक्तवत्सल

"Krishna, Krishna, greatly fortunate one, O Lord, Gokula is under your protection; you must save us from the wrath of the gods, O lover of your devotees!"

शिलावर्षानिपातेन हन्यमानमचेतनम् । निरीक्ष्य भगवान् मेने कुपितेन्द्रकृतं हरिः

Seeing the lifeless beings being struck down by the fall of hailstones, the Lord Hari understood that this was caused by the anger of Indra.

अपर्त्त्वत्युल्बणं वर्षं अतिवातं शिलामयम् । स्वयागे विहतेऽस्माभिः इन्द्रो नाशाय वर्षति

"Because our sacrifice was interrupted by us, Indra, seeking our destruction, is sending this extraordinary, fierce, stone-filled rain and violent wind."

तत्र प्रतिविधिं सम्यग् आत्मयोगेन साधये । लोकेशमानिनां मौढ्याद् हनिष्ये श्रीमदं तमः

"Here, I shall properly counteract this with my own power of yoga; out of the foolishness of those who consider themselves lords of the world, I will destroy their pride born of arrogance."

न हि सद्‍भावयुक्तानां सुराणामीशविस्मयः । मत्तोऽसतां मानभङ्‌गः प्रशमायोपकल्पते

"For the gods who are truly virtuous, there is no astonishment at the Lord; but for the unworthy, the breaking of their pride leads to their pacification."

तस्मात् मच्छरणं गोष्ठं मन्नाथं मत्परिग्रहम् । गोपाये स्वात्मयोगेन सोऽयं मे व्रत आहितः

"Therefore, I shall protect this cowherd community, which has taken refuge in me, which considers me its lord, and which I have accepted as my own, by my own power of yoga; this is the vow I have undertaken."

इत्युक्त्वैकेन हस्तेन कृत्वा गोवर्धनाचलम् । दधार लीलया कृष्णः छत्राकमिव बालकः

Having spoken thus, Krishna, with one hand, effortlessly lifted Govardhana Mountain as a child would hold up an umbrella.

अथाह भगवान् गोपान् हेऽम्ब तात व्रजौकसः । यथोपजोषं विशत गिरिगर्तं सगोधनाः

Then the Blessed Lord said to the cowherds: "O mother, O father, O residents of Vraja, enter the hollow of the mountain with your cattle, as you find suitable."