Bhagavata Purana

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.

पूर्णकामावपि युवां नरनारायणावृषी। धर्ममाचरतां स्थित्यै ऋषभौ लोकसङ्ग्रहम्

Though your desires are fulfilled, you two—Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the foremost sages—practice righteousness for the stability of the world and the welfare of the people.

इत्यादिष्टौ भगवता तौ कृष्णौ परमेष्ठिना। ॐ इत्यानम्य भूमानमादाय द्विजदारकान्

Thus instructed by the Supreme Lord, those two Kṛṣṇas, bowing with 'Om,' took the brāhmaṇa boys and the great Lord and departed.

न्यवर्तेतां स्वकं धाम सम्प्रहृष्टौ यथागतम्। विप्राय ददतुः पुत्रान्यथारूपं यथावयः

Filled with joy, they returned to their own abode as before, and gave the sons to the brāhmaṇa, each according to his form and age.

निशाम्य वैष्णवं धाम पार्थः परमविस्मितः। यत्किञ्चित्पौरुषं पुंसां मेने कृष्णानुकम्पितम्

Hearing of that Vaiṣṇava realm, Pārtha was utterly amazed; he considered whatever prowess men possess to be due to Kṛṣṇa’s compassion.

इतीदृशान्यनेकानि वीर्याणीह प्रदर्शयन्। बुभुजे विषयान्ग्राम्यानीजे चात्युर्जितैर्मखैः

Thus, displaying many such deeds here, he enjoyed worldly pleasures and performed sacrifices surpassing all others.

प्रववर्षाखिलान्कामान्प्रजासु ब्राह्मणादिषु। यथाकालं यथैवेन्द्रो भगवान्श्रैष्ठ्यमास्थितः

He bestowed all desired blessings upon the people—brāhmaṇas and others—at the proper times, just as the Lord Indra, having attained supremacy, showers down rain.

हत्वा नृपानधर्मिष्ठान्घाटयित्वार्जुनादिभिः। अञ्जसा वर्तयामास धर्मं धर्मसुतादिभिः

Having slain the unrighteous kings, and caused their destruction through Arjuna and others, he promptly established dharma by means of the sons of Dharma and others.

श्रीकृष्णलीलानां संक्षेपतोऽवर्णनं, तन्महिषीणां तस्मिन् अनुरागाधिक्यं यदुवंशीयानामसख्येयत्व प्रतिपादनं च - श्रीशुक उवाच ( अनुष्टुप् ) सुखं स्वपुर्यां निवसन् द्वारकायां श्रियः पतिः । सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धायां जुष्टायां वृष्णिपुङ्गवैः

Śuka said: Dwelling happily in his own city, Dvārakā, the Lord of fortune, in a place abundant with every prosperity, surrounded by the foremost of the Vṛṣṇis.

स्त्रीभिश्चोत्तमवेषाभिः नवयौवनकान्तिभिः । कन्दुकादिभिर्हर्म्येषु क्रीडन्तीभिस्तडिद्द्युभिः

With women adorned in splendid attire, radiant with the charm of youthful beauty, playing with balls and other games in the palaces, shining like flashes of lightning.

नित्यं सङ्कुलमार्गायां मदच्युद्‌भिर्मतङ्गजैः । स्वलङ्कृतैर्भटैरश्वै रथैश्च कनकोज्ज्वलैः

In streets always bustling, filled with intoxicated elephants, warriors, horses, and chariots gleaming with gold, all splendidly decorated.