Bhagavata Purana

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.

तान्दृष्ट्वा भगवान्कृष्णो महायोगेश्वरेश्वरः। सहस्रादित्यसङ्काशं स्वचक्रं प्राहिणोत्पुरः

Seeing them, the Blessed Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord of the great masters of yoga, sent forth his own discus, shining like a thousand suns, ahead.

तमः सुघोरं गहनं कृतं महद्। विदारयद्भूरितरेण रोचिषा। मनोजवं निर्विविशे सुदर्शनं। गुणच्युतो रामशरो यथा चमूः

That Sudarśana, swift as the mind, entered the vast, dense, and terrible darkness, splitting it apart with its intense radiance, just as Rāma’s arrow would penetrate an army, being freed from its qualities.

द्वारेण चक्रानुपथेन तत्तमः परं परं ज्योतिरनन्तपारम्। समश्नुवानं प्रसमीक्ष्य फाल्गुनः प्रताडिताक्षो पिदधेऽक्षिणी उभे

Through the path opened by the discus, Arjuna beheld that supreme, boundless light beyond the darkness, and, struck in the eyes by its brilliance, he closed both his eyes.

ततः प्रविष्टः सलिलं नभस्वता बलीयसैजद्बृहदूर्मिभूषणम्। तत्राद्भुतं वै भवनं द्युमत्तमं भ्राजन्मणिस्तम्भसहस्रशोभितम्

Then, carried by the wind, he entered the water, adorned with great waves; there he saw a wondrous, most radiant palace, shining with thousands of columns of brilliant gems.

तस्मिन्महाभोगमनन्तमद्भुतं। सहस्रमूर्धन्यफणामणिद्युभिः। विभ्राजमानं द्विगुणेक्षणोल्बणं। सिताचलाभं शितिकण्ठजिह्वम्

Within it was the wondrous, infinite, great serpent, with a thousand heads, its hoods adorned with radiant gems, shining brilliantly, with two fierce eyes, white as a mountain, and a blue-black tongue.

ददर्श तद्भोगसुखासनं विभुं। महानुभावं पुरुषोत्तमोत्तमम्। सान्द्रा म्बुदाभं सुपिशङ्गवाससं। प्रसन्नवक्त्रं रुचिरायतेक्षणम्

Upon that serpent’s comfortable seat, he saw the all-pervading Lord, of supreme majesty, the highest among persons, dark as a dense raincloud, clad in yellow garments, with a serene face and beautiful, wide eyes.

महामणिव्रातकिरीटकुण्डल। प्रभापरिक्षिप्तसहस्रकुन्तलम्। प्रलम्बचार्वष्टभुजं सकौस्तुभं। श्रीवत्सलक्ष्मं वनमालयावृतम्

He was adorned with a crown and earrings of great jewels, his thousand curling locks encircled by a radiant aura, with eight long, graceful arms, bearing the Kaustubha gem, marked with Śrīvatsa, and garlanded with a forest wreath.

महामणिव्रातकिरीटकुण्डल। प्रभापरिक्षिप्तसहस्रकुन्तलम्। प्रलम्बचार्वष्टभुजं सकौस्तुभं। श्रीवत्सलक्ष्मं वनमालयावृतम्

He was adorned with a crown and earrings of great jewels, his thousand curling locks encircled by a radiant aura, with eight long, graceful arms, bearing the Kaustubha gem, marked with Śrīvatsa, and garlanded with a forest wreath.

ववन्द आत्मानमनन्तमच्युतो जिष्णुश्च तद्दर्शनजातसाध्वसः। तावाह भूमा परमेष्ठिनां प्रभुर्बद्धाञ्जली सस्मितमूर्जया गिरा

Acyuta bowed to the infinite Self, and Arjuna, overcome with awe at the sight, did likewise; then the Lord of the great lords, with joined palms and a smiling, powerful voice, addressed them.

द्विजात्मजा मे युवयोर्दिदृक्षुणा मयोपनीता भुवि धर्मगुप्तये। कलावतीर्णाववनेर्भरासुरान्हत्वेह भूयस्त्वरयेतमन्ति मे

Desiring to see you both, I brought the brāhmaṇa’s sons here to preserve righteousness on earth; you, who are incarnations of My portion, should quickly return after destroying the burden of evil on earth.