Bhagavata Purana

जन्मादयस्तु देहस्य विक्रिया नात्मनः क्वचित्। कलानामिव नैवेन्दोर्मृतिर्ह्यस्य कुहूरिव

Birth and other transformations belong to the body, never to the Self at any time—just as the phases of the moon do not affect the moon itself, nor does the eclipse truly harm it.

यथा शयान आत्मानं विषयान्फलमेव च। अनुभुङ्क्तेऽप्यसत्यर्थे तथाप्नोत्यबुधो भवम्

Just as one experiences oneself and objects in dreams, enjoying their results though they are unreal, so too does the unwise person enter worldly existence, mistaking the unreal for real.

तस्मादज्ञानजं शोकमात्मशोषविमोहनम्। तत्त्वज्ञानेन निर्हृत्य स्वस्था भव शुचिस्मिते

Therefore, dispel the sorrow born of ignorance, which dries up and confuses the Self, by true knowledge—be established in your own nature, O pure-smiling one.

श्रीशुक उवाच। एवं भगवता तन्वी रामेण प्रतिबोधिता। वैमनस्यं परित्यज्य मनो बुद्ध्या समादधे

Śuka said: Thus instructed by the Lord, slender-waisted Rāma, she abandoned her distress and composed her mind with understanding.

प्राणावशेष उत्सृष्टो द्विड्भिर्हतबलप्रभः। स्मरन्विरूपकरणं वितथात्ममनोरथः

His life-breath nearly spent, his strength and brilliance destroyed by the two, he remembered his disfigured form and his vain, self-conceived ambitions.

चक्रे भोजकटं नाम निवासाय महत्पुरम्। अहत्वा दुर्मतिं कृष्णमप्रत्यूह्य यवीयसीम्

He established a great city named Bhojakaṭa for his residence, without attacking wicked Kṛṣṇa or hindering his younger sister.

कुण्डिनं न प्रवेक्ष्यामीत्युक्त्वा तत्रावसद्रुषा। भगवान्भीष्मकसुतामेवं निर्जित्य भूमिपान्

Declaring, 'I will not enter Kuṇḍina,' he remained there in anger, having thus been defeated by the Lord and the daughter of Bhīṣmaka, along with the other kings.

पुरमानीय विधिवदुपयेमे कुरूद्वह। तदा महोत्सवो नॄणां यदुपुर्यां गृहे गृहे। अभूदनन्यभावानां कृष्णे यदुपतौ नृप

Bringing her to the city according to proper rites, O best of Kurus, he married her; then, in every house of the Yadu city, there was a great festival among those devoted solely to Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Yadus.

नरा नार्यश्च मुदिताः प्रमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः। पारिबर्हमुपाजह्रुर्वरयोश्चित्रवाससोः

Men and women, delighted and adorned with polished jeweled earrings, brought gifts for the couple, both splendidly attired.

सा वृष्णिपुर्युत्तम्भितेन्द्र केतुभिर्। विचित्रमाल्याम्बररत्नतोरणैः। बभौ प्रतिद्वार्युपकॢप्तमङ्गलैर्। आपूर्णकुम्भागुरुधूपदीपकैः

That city of the Vṛṣṇis, adorned with Indra's banners, with wondrous garlands, garments, jeweled gateways, and auspicious arrangements at every gate—full water pots, incense, lamps—shone brilliantly.

सिक्तमार्गा मदच्युद्भिराहूतप्रेष्ठभूभुजाम्। गजैर्द्वाःसु परामृष्ट रम्भापूगोपशोभिता

Its streets were sprinkled with fragrant, intoxicating liquids; at the gates, elephants summoned by beloved kings stood, and the city was beautified by rows of plantain and areca trees.

कुरुसृञ्जयकैकेय विदर्भयदुकुन्तयः। मिथो मुमुदिरे तस्मिन्सम्भ्रमात्परिधावताम्

The Kurus, Sṛñjayas, Kaikeyas, Vidarbhas, Yadus, and Kuntis all rejoiced together there, mingling in excitement as they hurried about.

रुक्मिण्या हरणं श्रुत्वा गीयमानं ततस्ततः। राजानो राजकन्याश्च बभूवुर्भृशविस्मिताः

Hearing the story of Rukmiṇī's abduction sung everywhere, the kings and princesses were greatly astonished.

द्वारकायामभूद्राजन्महामोदः पुरौकसाम्। रुक्मिण्या रमयोपेतं दृष्ट्वा कृष्णं श्रियः पतिम्

In Dvārakā, O king, there arose immense joy among the citizens, seeing Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of fortune, united with Rukmiṇī and Rāma.

प्रद्युम्नस्य जन्म, शम्बरासुरवधश्च श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) कामस्तु वासुदेवांशो दग्धः प्राग् रुद्रमन्युना । देहोपपत्तये भूयः तमेव प्रत्यपद्यत

Śuka said: Kāma, a portion of Vāsudeva, who was previously burned by Rudra's anger, again took birth for the sake of embodiment, assuming that very form.

स एव जातो वैदर्भ्यां कृष्णवीर्यसमुद्‌भवः । प्रद्युम्न इति विख्यातः सर्वतोऽनवमः पितुः

He, born of Vaidarbhi and endowed with Krishna’s power, became renowned as Pradyumna, in every way not inferior to his father.

तं शम्बरः कामरूपी हृत्वा तोकमनिर्दशम् । स विदित्वात्मनः शत्रुं प्रास्योदन्वत्यगाद् गृहम्

Shambara, master of illusion, abducted that infant, who could not yet be harmed, and, knowing him to be his enemy, cast him into the sea and returned home.

तं निर्जगार बलवान् मीनः सोऽप्यपरैः सह । वृतो जालेन महता गृहीतो मत्स्यजीविभिः

A powerful fish swallowed him, and that fish, together with others, was caught in a great net by fishermen.

तं शम्बराय कैवर्ता उपाजह्रुरुपायनम् । सूदा महानसं नीत्वा वद्यन् स्वधितिनाद्‌भुतम्

The fishermen brought that fish as a gift to Shambara; the cooks took it to the kitchen, intending to cut it open with their knives.

दृष्ट्वा तद् उदरे बालं मायावत्यै न्यवेदयन् । नारदोऽकथयत्सर्वं तस्याः शङ्‌कितचेतसः । बालस्य तत्त्वमुत्पत्तिं मत्स्योदरनिवेशनम्

Seeing the child inside, they reported it to Māyāvatī; Nārada told her everything, as her mind was anxious—about the child’s true origin and how he came to be in the fish’s belly.

सा च कामस्य वै पत्‍नी रतिर्नाम यशस्विनी । पत्युर्निर्दग्धदेहस्य देहोत्पत्तिं प्रतीक्षती

She was Rati, the famed wife of Kāma, who was waiting for the rebirth of her husband, whose body had been burned.

निरूपिता शम्बरेण सा सूदौदनसाधने । कामदेवं शिशुं बुद्ध्वा चक्रे स्नेहं तदार्भके

Assigned by Shambara to the kitchen, Māyāvatī, recognizing the child as Kāma himself, felt affection for the boy.

नातिदीर्घेण कालेन स कार्ष्णि रूढयौवनः । जनयामास नारीणां वीक्षन्तीनां च विभ्रमम्

In not too long a time, the son of Krishna reached full youth, stirring the hearts of the women who gazed upon him.

( इंद्रवंशा ) सा तं पतिं पद्मदलायतेक्षणं प्रलम्बबाहुं नरलोकसुन्दरम् । सव्रीडहासोत्तभितभ्रुवेक्षती प्रीत्योपतस्थे रतिरङ्ग सौरतैः

She, Rati, approached him—her husband—with eyes like lotus petals, arms long, beautiful among men, casting a bashful, smiling, sidelong glance, her eyebrows raised in love-play.

( अनुष्टुप् ) तामह भगवान् कार्ष्णिः मातस्ते मतिरन्यथा । मातृभावं अतिक्रम्य वर्तसे कामिनी यथा

Kārṣṇi, the son of Krishna, said to her: 'Your mind, O lady, is not as a mother’s; you behave toward me as a lover, not as a mother.'

रतिरुवाच - भवान् नारायणसुतः शम्बरेणाहृतो गृहात् । अहं तेऽधिकृता पत्‍नी रतिः कामो भवान् प्रभो

Rati said: 'You are the son of Nārāyaṇa, abducted from your home by Shambara; I am your rightful wife, Rati, and you, lord, are Kāma.'

एष त्वानिर्दशं सिन्धौ अक्षिपत् शंबरोऽसुरः । मत्स्योऽग्रसीत् तत् उदराद् इतः प्राप्तो भवान् प्रभो

'That demon Shambara cast you, an infant, into the ocean; a fish swallowed you, and from its belly, lord, you have come here.'

तमिमं जहि दुर्धर्षं दुर्जयं शत्रुमात्मनः । मायाशतविदं तं च मायाभिर्मोहनादिभिः

'Now slay this formidable, unconquerable enemy of yours, skilled in hundreds of illusions, by your own powers of illusion—delusion and the like.'

परीशोचति ते माता कुररीव गतप्रजा । पुत्रस्नेहाकुला दीना विवत्सा गौरिवातुरा

'Your mother grieves for you like a kurarī bird bereft of her young, overwhelmed by maternal love, helpless, like a cow pained without her calf.'