Bhagavata Purana

अद्य ध्रुवं तत्र दृशो भविष्यते दाशार्हभोजान्धक वृष्णिसात्वताम् । महोत्सवः श्रीरमणं गुणास्पदं द्रक्ष्यन्ति ये चाध्वनि देवकीसुतम्

Today, surely, there will be a great festival for the Daśārhas, Bhojas, Andhakas, Vṛṣṇis, and Sātvatas; those on the road will see the beautiful Lord, the abode of all virtues, the son of Devakī.

मैतद्विधस्याकरुणस्य नाम भूद् अक्रूर इत्येतदतीव दारुणः । योऽसावनाश्वास्य सुदुःखितं जनं प्रियात्प्रियं नेष्यति पारमध्वनः

Let the name Akrūra be given to one so pitiless as this! How cruel, that he, without comforting us in our deep sorrow, will take our dearest friend far away.

अनार्द्रधीरेष समास्थितो रथं तमन्वमी च त्वरयन्ति दुर्मदाः । गोपा अनोभिः स्थविरैरुपेक्षितं दैवं च नोऽद्य प्रतिकूलमीहते

He, with an unfeeling heart, has mounted the chariot, and the reckless urge him on. The cowherds, neglected by their elders, follow with their carts, while fate itself turns against us today.

निवारयामः समुपेत्य माधवं किं नोऽकरिष्यन् कुलवृद्धबान्धवाः । मुकुन्दसङ्‌गान्निमिषार्धदुस्त्यजाद् दैवेन विध्वंसितदीनचेतसाम्

Let us go and stop Mādhava! What could our elders and relatives do for us, when, by fate, our hearts—unable to bear even a half-blink’s separation from Mukunda—are now shattered?

( वसंततिलका ) यस्यानुरागललितस्मितवल्गुमन्त्र लीलावलोकपरिरम्भणरासगोष्ठाम् । नीताः स्म नः क्षणमिव क्षणदा विना तं गोप्यः कथं न्वतितरेम तमो दुरन्तम्

We gopīs, whose hearts were led away by his loving smiles, enchanting words, playful glances, embraces, and the joys of the rāsa dance—how can we cross this endless darkness of separation, even for a moment, without him?

योऽह्नः क्षये व्रजमनन्तसखः परीतो गोपैर्विशन् खुररजश्छुरितालकस्रक् । वेणुं क्वणन् स्मितकटाक्षनिरीक्षणेन चित्तं क्षिणोत्यमुमृते नु कथं भवेम

When, at day’s end, the friend of Ananta returns to Vraja, surrounded by cowherds, his hair dusted by their hooves, playing his flute, glancing with smiling eyes—how could we live if we were deprived of him?

श्रीशुक उवाच - ( मिश्र ) एवं ब्रुवाणा विरहातुरा भृशं व्रजस्त्रियः कृष्णविषक्तमानसाः । विसृज्य लज्जां रुरुदुः स्म सुस्वरं गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति

Śuka said: Thus, the women of Vraja, their minds absorbed in Kṛṣṇa and tormented by separation, cast off their shyness and wept aloud, crying, 'Govinda! Dāmodara! Mādhava!'

( अनुष्टुप् ) स्त्रीणामेवं रुदन्तीनां उदिते सवितर्यथ । अक्रूरश्चोदयामास कृतमैत्रादिको रथम्

As the women wept in this way and the sun rose, Akrūra, having fulfilled his friendly duties, urged the chariot onward.

गोपास्तमन्वसज्जन्त नन्दाद्याः शकटैस्ततः । आदायोपायनं भूरि कुम्भान् गोरससम्भृतान्

The cowherds, led by Nanda and others, followed after with their carts, bringing many gifts—jars filled with products of the cows.

गोप्यश्च दयितं कृष्णं अनुव्रज्यानुरञ्जिताः । प्रत्यादेशं भगवतः काङ्‌क्षन्त्यश्चावतस्थिरे

The cowherd women, enchanted by their beloved Krishna, followed after him; longing for a sign from the Lord, they stood waiting.

तास्तथा तप्यतीर्वीक्ष्य स्वप्रस्थाणे यदूत्तमः । सान्त्वयामस सप्रेमैः आयास्य इति दौत्यकैः

Seeing them so afflicted as he departed, the foremost of the Yadus comforted them with loving words, assuring them through messengers, 'I will return.'

यावदालक्ष्यते केतुः यावद्रेणू रथस्य च । अनुप्रस्थापितात्मानो लेख्यानीवोपलक्षिताः

As long as the banner was visible and the dust of the chariot could be seen, they continued following, their hearts set upon him, as if drawn by painted images.

ता निराशा निववृतुः गोविन्दविनिवर्तने । विशोका अहनी निन्युः गायन्त्यः प्रियचेष्टितम्

When hope of Govinda's return was gone, they turned back; free from sorrow, they spent their days singing of their beloved's deeds.

भगवानपि सम्प्राप्तो रामाक्रूरयुतो नृप । रथेन वायुवेगेन कालिन्दीं अघनाशिनीम्

O King, the Lord arrived, accompanied by Rama and Akrura, riding swiftly in the chariot, to the purifying Yamuna river.

तत्रोपस्पृश्य पानीयं पीत्वा मृष्टं मणिप्रभम् । वृक्षषण्डमुपव्रज्य सरामो रथमाविशत् अक्रूरस्तावुपामन्त्र्य निवेश्य च रथोपरि । कालिन्द्या ह्रदमागत्य स्नानं विधिवदाचरत्

There, after rinsing his mouth and drinking the clear, jewel-like water, he approached a grove of trees with Rama and entered the chariot; Akrura, having bid them farewell and seated himself atop the chariot, went to the Yamuna's pool and performed ritual bathing.

निमज्ज्य तस्मिन् सलिले जपन् ब्रह्म सनातनम् । तावेव ददृशेऽक्रूरो रामकृष्णौ समन्वितौ

Immersing himself in those waters and reciting the eternal Brahman, Akrura saw Rama and Krishna together.

तौ रथस्थौ कथमिह सुतौ आनकदुन्दुभेः । तर्हि स्वित् स्यन्दने न स्त इत्युन्मज्ज्य व्यचष्ट सः

He wondered, 'How are the sons of Devaki here in the water, when they should be on the chariot?' Rising up, he looked for them.

तत्रापि च यथापूर्वं आसीनौ पुनरेव सः । न्यमज्जद् दर्शनं यन्मे मृषा किं सलिले तयोः

There again, as before, he saw them seated; he submerged once more, questioning whether his vision of them in the water was false.

भूयस्तत्रापि सोऽद्राक्षीत् स्तूयमानमहीश्वरम् । सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वैः असुरैर्नतकन्धरैः

Once more, he saw the great Lord being praised by Siddhas, Charanas, Gandharvas, and Asuras with bowed heads and musical instruments.

सहस्रशिरसं देवं सहस्रफणमौलिनम् । नीलाम्बरं विसश्वेतं शृङ्‌गैः श्वेतमिव स्थितम्

He beheld the divine one with a thousand heads, crowned with a thousand serpent hoods, clad in blue garments, shining white like snowy peaks.

तस्योत्सङ्‌गे घनश्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् । पुरुषं चतुर्भुजं शान्तं पद्मपत्रारुणेक्षणम्

On his lap rested a dark, cloud-hued person, dressed in yellow silk, four-armed, peaceful, with lotus-petal reddish eyes.

चारुप्रसन्नवदनं चारुहासनिरीक्षणम् । सुभ्रून्नसं चरुकर्णं सुकपोलारुणाधरम्

His face was beautiful and serene, his gaze adorned with a charming smile; his brows, nose, ears, cheeks, and lips were all lovely and reddish.

प्रलम्बपीवरभुजं तुङ्‌गांसोरःस्थलश्रियम् । कम्बुकण्ठं निम्ननाभिं वलिमत्पल्लवोदरम्

His arms were long and full, his chest broad and splendid, his neck like a conch, his navel deep, his abdomen marked with folds like tender leaves.

बृहत्कतिततश्रोणि करभोरुद्वयान्वितम् । चारुजानुयुगं चारु जङ्‌घायुगलसंयुतम्

His hips and thighs were large, his hands and knees well-formed, his legs graceful and beautifully shaped.

तुङ्‌गगुल्फारुणनख व्रातदीधितिभिर्वृतम् । नवाङ्‌गुल्यङ्‌गुष्ठदलैः विलसत् पादपङ्‌कजम्

His ankles were high, his nails reddish, shining with rays; his feet, adorned with nine toes and thumb-like digits, gleamed like lotus flowers.

सुमहार्हमणिव्रात किरीटकटकाङ्‌गदैः । कटिसूत्रब्रह्मसूत्र हारनूपुरकुण्डलैः

He was adorned with priceless jewels: crown, bracelets, armlets, sacred thread, waistband, garlands, anklets, and earrings.

भ्राजमानं पद्मकरं शङ्‌खचक्रगदाधरम् । श्रीवत्सवक्षसं भ्राजत् कौस्तुभं वनमालिनम्

His lotus hands shone, holding conch, discus, and mace; his chest bore the mark of Srivatsa, the radiant Kaustubha gem, and a garland of forest flowers.

सुनन्दनन्दप्रमुखैः पर्षदैः सनकादिभिः । सुरेशैर्ब्रह्मरुद्राद्यैः नवभिश्च द्विजोत्तमैः

Attended by Sunanda, Nanda, and other associates, by the Sanaka sages, by the lords of the gods such as Brahma and Rudra, and by nine foremost twice-born sages,

प्रह्रादनारदवसु प्रमुखैर्भागवतोत्तमैः । स्तूयमानं पृथग्भावैः वचोभिरमलात्मभिः

By Prahlada, Narada, Vasu and other foremost devotees, who praised him with words, each from their own perspective, their hearts pure and spotless,