Bhagavata Purana

सुभद्राहरणं श्रीकृष्णस्य मिथिलागमनं तत्र बहुलाश्वश्रुतदेवयोः सद्मनि सकृदेव प्रवेशः - श्रीराजोवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) ब्रह्मन् वेदितुमिच्छामः स्वसारं रामकृष्णयोः । यथोपयेमे विजयो या ममासीत् पितामही

King Parīkṣit said: O Brahman, we wish to know about the sister of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa—how Arjuna married her, and how she became my grandmother.

श्रीशुक उवाच - अर्जुनस्तीर्थयात्रायां पर्यटन् अवनीं प्रभुः । गतः प्रभासमश्रृणोन् मातुलेयीं स आत्मनः

Śuka said: While traveling on pilgrimage, Arjuna, the lord, wandered the earth and came to Prabhāsa, where he heard about his maternal cousin.

दुर्योधनाय रामस्तां दास्यतीति न चापरे । तल्लिप्सुः स यतिर्भूत्वा त्रिदण्डी द्वारकामगात्

Some said that Rāma would give her to Duryodhana, but others disagreed; desiring her, Arjuna became a renunciate with three staffs and went to Dvārakā.

तत्र वै वार्षिकान् मासान् अवात्सीत् स्वार्थसाधकः । पौरैः सभाजितोऽभीक्ष्णं रामेणाजानता च सः

There, seeking his own purpose, he stayed for several months, honored repeatedly by the townspeople and by Rāma, who did not recognize him.

एकदा गृहमानीय आतिथ्येन निमंत्र्य तम् । श्रद्धयोपहृतं भैक्ष्यं बलेन बुभुजे किल

One day, bringing him home and inviting him as a guest, Rāma offered him food with faith, and Arjuna ate what was brought as alms.

सोऽपश्यत्तत्र महतीं कन्यां वीरमनोहराम् । प्रीत्युत्फुल्लेक्षणस्तस्यां भावक्षुब्धं मनो दधे

There he saw a great maiden, captivating to heroes; his heart, stirred by affection and blossoming eyes, was set upon her.

सापि तं चकमे वीक्ष्य नारीणां हृदयंगमम् । हसन्ती व्रीडितापाङ्गी तन्न्यस्तहृदयेक्षणा

She too, seeing him, chose him—her heart drawn to him as is natural for women; smiling, with bashful sidelong glances, she fixed her heart and gaze upon him.

तां परं समनुध्यायन् नन्तरं प्रेप्सुरर्जुनः । न लेभे शं भ्रमच्चित्तः कामेनातिबलीयसा

Arjuna, constantly thinking of her and desiring her, found no peace—his mind confused by overpowering passion.

महत्यां देवयात्रायां रथस्थां दुर्गनिर्गतां । जहारानुमतः पित्रोः कृष्णस्य च महारथः

During a great festival, as she rode in a chariot and left the fortress, Arjuna, with the approval of her parents and Kṛṣṇa, the mighty charioteer, carried her away.

रथस्थो धनुरादाय शूरांश्चारुन्धतो भटान् । विद्राव्य क्रोशतां स्वानां स्वभागं मृगराडिव

Standing on the chariot, taking up his bow, he drove away the brave warriors who blocked him, scattering his own people as a lion scatters deer.

तच्छ्रुत्वा क्षुभितो रामः पर्वणीव महार्णवः । गृहीतपादः कृष्णेन सुहृद्‌भिश्चानुसाम्यत

Hearing this, Rāma was agitated like a great ocean at the full moon; but Kṛṣṇa, holding his feet, along with friends, calmed him.

प्राहिणोत्पारिबर्हाणि वरवध्वोर्मुदा बलः । महाधनोपस्करेभ रथाश्वनरयोषितः

Bala, joyful at the wedding, sent abundant gifts—elephants, chariots, horses, men, and women, all of great wealth.

श्रीशुक उवाच - कृष्णस्यासीद् द्विजश्रेष्ठः श्रुतदेव इति श्रुतः । कृष्णैकभक्त्या पूर्णार्थः शान्तः कविरलम्पटः

Śuka said: Among Kṛṣṇa's devotees was the eminent Brahman named Śrutadeva, known for his exclusive devotion to Kṛṣṇa, fulfilled in all aims, peaceful, wise, and free from indulgence.

स उवास विदेहेषु मिथिलायां गृहाश्रमी । अनीहयागताहार्य निर्वर्तितनिजक्रियः

He lived among the Videhas in Mithilā, as a householder, accepting only what came by chance and performing his own duties without effort.

यात्रामात्रं त्वहरहः दैवाद् उपनमत्युत । नाधिकं तावता तुष्टः क्रिया चक्रे यथोचिताः

Each day, he accepted only what came for the sake of pilgrimage, satisfied with that alone, and performed the appropriate rites as needed.

तथा तद्‌राष्ट्रपालोऽङ्ग बहुलाश्व इति श्रुतः । मैथिलो निरहम्मान उभावप्यच्युतप्रियौ

Likewise, the ruler of that land was Bahulāśva, a Maithila, known for humility; both were dear to Acyuta.

तयोः प्रसन्नो भगवान् दारुकेणाहृतं रथम् । आरुह्य साकं मुनिभिः विदेहान् प्रययौ प्रभुः

Pleased with both, the Lord mounted a chariot brought by Dāruka, and together with sages, he went to the land of the Videhas.

नारदो वामदेवोऽत्रिः कृष्णो रामोऽसितोऽरुणिः । अहं बृहस्पतिः कण्वो मैत्रेयश्च्यवनादयः

Nārada, Vāmadeva, Atri, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Asita, Aruṇi, myself, Bṛhaspati, Kaṇva, Maitreya, Cyavana, and others—

तत्र तत्र तमायान्तं पौरा जानपदा नृप । उपतस्थुः सार्घ्यहस्ता ग्रहैः सूर्यमिवोदितम्

O King, wherever he went, the citizens and people of the land approached him, bearing offerings, as if greeting the sun rising with its planets.

( वसंततिलका ) आनर्तधन्वकुरुजाङ्गलकङ्कमत्स्य पाञ्चालकुन्तिमधुकेकयकोशलार्णाः । अन्ये च तन्मुखसरोजमुदारहास स्निग्धेक्षणं नृप पपुर्दृशिभिर्नृनार्यः

The people of Ānarta, Dhanva, Kuru, Jāṅgala, Kaṅka, Matsya, Pāñcāla, Kunti, Madhu, Kekaya, Kośala, and Arṇa, and others as well, gazed upon his lotus-like face, radiant with a generous smile and gentle eyes, with their own eyes, O King—men and women alike.

तेभ्यः स्ववीक्षणविनष्टतमिस्रदृग्भ्यः क्षेमं त्रिलोकगुरुरर्थदृशं च यच्छन् । श्रृणवन् दिगन्तधवलं स्वयशोऽशुभघ्नं गीतं सुरैर्नृभिरगात् शनकैर्विदेहान्

To those whose darkness of vision was dispelled by his glance, the Guru of the three worlds granted safety and the sight of his form; hearing the praises sung by gods and men, which spread in all directions, white as the sky and destroying misfortune, he slowly entered Videha.

( अनुष्टुप् ) तेऽच्युतं प्राप्तमाकर्ण्य पौरा जानपदा नृप । अभीयुर्मुदितास्तस्मै गृहीतार्हणपाणयः

Hearing that Acyuta had arrived, the citizens and people of the land, O King, joyfully approached him, carrying offerings in their hands.

दृष्ट्वा त उत्तमःश्लोकं प्रीत्युत्फुलाननाशयाः । कैर्धृताञ्जलिभिर्नेमुः श्रुतपूर्वान् तथा मुनीन्

Seeing the illustrious one, their faces blossoming with delight, they bowed with joined palms, as did the sages whom they had only heard of before.

स्वानुग्रहाय सम्प्राप्तं मन्वानौ तं जगद्‌गुरुम् । मैथिलः श्रुतदेवश्च पादयोः पेततुः प्रभोः

Thinking that the Guru of the world had come for their own blessing, the king of Mithilā and Śrutadeva both fell at his feet.

न्यमन्त्रयेतां दाशार्हं आतिथ्येन सह द्विजैः । मैथिलः श्रुतदेवश्च युगपत् संहताञ्जली

With joined palms, both the king of Mithilā and Śrutadeva invited the Dāśārha, along with the brāhmaṇas, to accept their hospitality at the same time.

भगवान् तदभिप्रेत्य द्वयोः प्रियचिकीर्षया । उभयोराविशद्‌ गेहं उभाभ्यां तदलक्षितः

The Lord, perceiving their intent and wishing to please them both, entered the homes of each, unnoticed by the other.

श्रोतुमप्यसतां दूरान् जनकः स्वगृहागतान् । आनीतेष्वासनाग्र्येषु सुखासीनान् महामनाः

Janaka, of great mind, brought those who had come from afar—even those not of good conduct—into his own house, seated them comfortably on the finest seats, and listened to them.

प्रवृद्धभक्त्या उद्धर्ष हृदयास्राविलेक्षणः । नत्वा तदङ्‌घ्रीन् प्रक्षाल्य तदपो लोकपावनीः

With devotion grown strong, his heart overflowing with joy and tears in his eyes, he bowed to their feet, washed them, and took that water, which purifies the world.

सकुटुम्बो वहन्मूर्ध्ना पूजयां चक्र ईश्वरान् । गन्धमाल्याम्बराकल्प धूपदीपार्घ्यगोवृषैः

With his family, he bore on his head the water and worshipped the Lords with fragrances, garlands, garments, incense, lamps, offerings, and cows and bulls.