Bhagavata Purana

श्रीसूत उवाच। इत्येतन्मुनितनयास्यपद्मगन्ध। पीयूषं भवभयभित्परस्य पुंसः। सुश्लोकं श्रवणपुटैः पिबत्यभीक्ष्णम्। पान्थोऽध्वभ्रमणपरिश्रमं जहाति

Sūta said: Whoever, with the ears as vessels, repeatedly drinks this nectar, fragrant with the lotus feet of the sage's son, which removes the fear of worldly existence and concerns the Supreme Person, that traveler abandons the fatigue of wandering the path.

श्रीशुक उवाच। एकदा द्वारवत्यां तु विप्रपत्न्याः कुमारकः। जातमात्रो भुवं स्पृष्ट्वा ममार किल भारत

Śuka said: Once, in Dvārakā, the newborn son of a brāhmaṇa's wife, having just touched the earth, died, O descendant of Bharata.

विप्रो गृहीत्वा मृतकं राजद्वार्युपधाय सः। इदं प्रोवाच विलपन्नातुरो दीनमानसः

The brāhmaṇa, taking the dead child, placed him at the king's gate and, lamenting in distress and with a sorrowful mind, spoke as follows.

ब्रह्मद्विषः शठधियो लुब्धस्य विषयात्मनः। क्षत्रबन्धोः कर्मदोषात्पञ्चत्वं मे गतोऽर्भकः

Because of the misdeeds of a king who hates the brāhmaṇas, is deceitful, greedy, and attached to sense objects, my child has died.

हिंसाविहारं नृपतिं दुःशीलमजितेन्द्रियम्। प्रजा भजन्त्यः सीदन्ति दरिद्रा नित्यदुःखिताः

When the king delights in violence, is wicked, and has uncontrolled senses, the people suffer, becoming poor and constantly afflicted.

एवं द्वितीयं विप्रर्षिस्तृतीयं त्वेवमेव च। विसृज्य स नृपद्वारि तां गाथां समगायत

In this way, when a second and then a third child died, the brāhmaṇa left them at the king's gate, reciting that lament.

तामर्जुन उपश्रुत्य कर्हिचित्केशवान्तिके। परेते नवमे बाले ब्राह्मणं समभाषत

Hearing this, Arjuna, at some point in Keśava's presence, spoke to the brāhmaṇa when his ninth child had passed away.

किं स्विद्ब्रह्मंस्त्वन्निवासे इह नास्ति धनुर्धरः। राजन्यबन्धुरेते वै ब्राह्मणाः सत्रमासते

O brāhmaṇa, what is lacking in your house here, O wielder of the bow? These brāhmaṇas are performing a sacrifice, attended by kṣatriya friends.

धनदारात्मजापृक्ता यत्र शोचन्ति ब्राह्मणाः। ते वै राजन्यवेषेण नटा जीवन्त्यसुम्भराः

Where brāhmaṇas, surrounded by wealth, wives, and sons, are lamenting, those who live in the guise of kṣatriyas are actually impostors, living in disgrace.

अहं प्रजाः वां भगवन्रक्षिष्ये दीनयोरिह। अनिस्तीर्णप्रतिज्ञोऽग्निं प्रवेक्ष्ये हतकल्मषः

O Lord, I will protect your children here, who are afflicted and helpless; if I fail to fulfill my promise, I shall enter fire, purified of sin.

श्रीब्राह्मण उवाच। सङ्कर्षणो वासुदेवः प्रद्युम्नो धन्विनां वरः। अनिरुद्धोऽप्रतिरथो न त्रातुं शक्नुवन्ति यत्

The Brahmana said: Sankarshana, Vasudeva, Pradyumna—best among archers—and Aniruddha, whose chariot is unconquerable, were unable to protect them.

तत्कथं नु भवान्कर्म दुष्करं जगदीश्वरैः। त्वं चिकीर्षसि बालिश्यात्तन्न श्रद्दध्महे वयम्

How then, do you, desiring a deed difficult even for the Lords of the world, intend to accomplish it out of childishness? We do not believe this.

श्रीअर्जुन उवाच। नाहं सङ्कर्षणो ब्रह्मन्न कृष्णः कार्ष्णिरेव च। अहं वा अर्जुनो नाम गाण्डीवं यस्य वै धनुः

Arjuna said: O Brahmana, I am not Sankarshana, nor Krishna, nor the son of Krishna; I am Arjuna by name, whose bow is Gandiva.

मावमंस्था मम ब्रह्मन्वीर्यं त्र्यम्बकतोषणम्। मृत्युं विजित्य प्रधने आनेष्ये ते प्रजाः प्रभो

Do not underestimate my power, O Brahmana, which has pleased Tryambaka; having conquered death in battle, I will bring back your children, O master.

एवं विश्रम्भितो विप्रः फाल्गुनेन परन्तप। जगाम स्वगृहं प्रीतः पार्थवीर्यं निशामयन्

Thus reassured by Phalguna, the scorcher of foes, the Brahmana, pleased after witnessing Partha’s prowess, returned to his own house.

प्रसूतिकाल आसन्ने भार्याया द्विजसत्तमः। पाहि पाहि प्रजां मृत्योरित्याहार्जुनमातुरः

When the time of birth approached for the Brahmana’s wife, the best of twice-born, distressed, called out to Arjuna: 'Protect, protect my child from death!'

स उपस्पृश्य शुच्यम्भो नमस्कृत्य महेश्वरम्। दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि संस्मृत्य सज्यं गाण्डीवमाददे

He purified himself with clean water, bowed to Maheshvara, recalled divine weapons, and took up his Gandiva, strung and ready.

न्यरुणत्सूतिकागारं शरैर्नानास्त्रयोजितैः। तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधः पार्थश्चकार शरपञ्जरम्

Partha blocked the birthing chamber with arrows, employing various weapons, and made a cage of arrows on all sides—across, above, and below.

ततः कुमारः सञ्जातो विप्रपत्न्या रुदन्मुहुः। सद्योऽदर्शनमापेदे सशरीरो विहायसा

Then, as the child was born to the Brahmana’s wife, crying repeatedly, he at once vanished, body and all, into the sky.

तदाह विप्रो विजयं विनिन्दन्कृष्णसन्निधौ। मौढ्यं पश्यत मे योऽहं श्रद्दधे क्लीबकत्थनम्

Then, in Krishna’s presence, the Brahmana reproached Arjuna’s success, saying: 'See my foolishness, that I believed his boastful words.'

न प्रद्युम्नो नानिरुद्धो न रामो न च केशवः। यस्य शेकुः परित्रातुं कोऽन्यस्तदवितेश्वरः

Neither Pradyumna, nor Aniruddha, nor Rama, nor Kesava could protect him; who else, then, O Lord of the universe, could do so?

धिगर्जुनं मृषावादं धिगात्मश्लाघिनो धनुः। दैवोपसृष्टं यो मौढ्यादानिनीषति दुर्मतिः

Shame on Arjuna for his false words, shame on his self-praise and his bow; deluded, he seeks to do what is ordained by fate.

एवं शपति विप्रर्षौ विद्यामास्थाय फाल्गुनः। ययौ संयमनीमाशु यत्रास्ते भगवान्यमः

Thus cursed by the Brahmana sage, Phalguna, relying on his knowledge, quickly went to Samyamanī, where the Lord Yama resides.

विप्रापत्यमचक्षाणस्तत ऐन्द्री मगात्पुरीम्। आग्नेयीं नैरृतीं सौम्यां वायव्यां वारुणीमथ

Not finding the Brahmana’s son there, he went armed to the city of Indra, then to those of Agni, Nirriti, Soma, Vayu, and Varuna.

रसातलं नाकपृष्ठं धिष्ण्यान्यन्यान्युदायुधः। ततोऽलब्धद्विजसुतो ह्यनिस्तीर्णप्रतिश्रुतः । अग्निं विविक्षुः कृष्णेन प्रत्युक्तः प्रतिषेधता

He went to Rasatala, to the heavens, to the abodes of other deities, bearing his weapons; failing to find the Brahmana’s son and unable to fulfill his promise, he wished to enter fire, but Krishna stopped him.

दर्शये द्विजसूनूंस्ते मावज्ञात्मानमात्मना। ये ते नः कीर्तिं विमलां मनुष्याः स्थापयिष्यन्ति

Krishna said: I will show you the Brahmana’s sons; do not belittle yourself. Those men who establish our pure fame will be blessed.

इति सम्भाष्य भगवानर्जुनेन सहेश्वरः। दिव्यं स्वरथमास्थाय प्रतीचीं दिशमाविशत्

Thus speaking with Arjuna, the Lord, along with the Lord of all, mounted his divine chariot and entered the western direction.

सप्त द्वीपान्ससिन्धूंश्च सप्त सप्त गिरीनथ। लोकालोकं तथातीत्य विवेश सुमहत्तमः

He, the most exalted, crossed over the seven continents, the seven oceans, and the seven mountains, and also Lokāloka, and entered within.

तत्राश्वाः शैब्यसुग्रीव मेघपुष्पबलाहकाः। तमसि भ्रष्टगतयो बभूवुर्भरतर्षभ

There, O best of the Bharatas, the horses—Śaibya, Sugrīva, Meghapuṣpa, and Balāhaka—lost their way and became lost in darkness.