याजयित्वाश्वमेधैस्तं त्रिभिरुत्तमकल्पकैः । तद्यशः पावनं दिक्षु शतमन्योरिवातनोत्
Having had him perform three horse sacrifices with excellent arrangements, he spread his pure fame in all directions, like Indra.
आमंत्र्य पाण्डुपुत्रांश्च शैनेयोद्धवसंयुतः । द्वैपायनादिभिर्विप्रैः पूजितैः प्रतिपूजितः
Having taken leave of the sons of Pāṇḍu, accompanied by Sātyaki and Uddhava, and honored by Vyāsa and other sages, he honored them in return.
गन्तुं कृतमतिर्ब्रह्मन् द्वारकां रथमास्थितः । उपलेभेऽभिधावन्तीं उत्तरां भयविह्वलाम्
O brāhmaṇa, having resolved to depart, he mounted his chariot to go to Dvārakā, but encountered Uttarā, who was running toward him, overwhelmed by fear.
उत्तरोवाच पाहि पाहि महायोगिन् देवदेव जगत्पते । नान्यं त्वदभयं पश्ये यत्र मृत्युः परस्परम्
Uttarā said: Protect me, protect me, O great yogin, God of gods, Lord of the universe! I see no other refuge but you, where death threatens on all sides.
अभिद्रवति मामीश शरस्तप्तायसो विभो । कामं दहतु मां नाथ मा मे गर्भो निपात्यताम्
O Lord, a blazing iron arrow is rushing toward me! Let it burn me if it must, but, O master, do not let my unborn child be destroyed.
सूत उवाच । उपधार्य वचस्तस्या भगवान् भक्तवत्सलः । अपाण्डवमिदं कर्तुं द्रौणेरस्त्रमबुध्यत
Sūta said: Hearing her words, the Lord, who is affectionate to his devotees, understood that the weapon of Droṇa's son was intended to destroy the Pāṇḍava line.
तर्ह्येवाथ मुनिश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवाः पञ्च सायकान् । आत्मनोऽभिमुखान् दीप्तान् आलक्ष्यास्त्राण्युपाददुः
Then, O best of sages, the five Pāṇḍavas, seeing the blazing arrows coming toward them, took up their own weapons for defense.
व्यसनं वीक्ष्य तत्तेषां अनन्यविषयात्मनाम् । सुदर्शनेन स्वास्त्रेण स्वानां रक्षां व्यधाद्विभुः
Seeing the calamity that had befallen those whose minds were fixed on him alone, the Lord protected his own people with his Sudarśana discus, his own weapon.
अन्तःस्थः सर्वभूतानां आत्मा योगेश्वरो हरिः । स्वमाययाऽऽवृणोद्गर्भं वैराट्याः कुरुतन्तवे
Hari, the master of yoga, who dwells within all beings as their very self, by his own power covered the embryo in Uttarā, the descendant of the Kurus.
यद्यप्यस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरः त्वमोघं चाप्रतिक्रियम् । वैष्णवं तेज आसाद्य समशाम्यद् भृगूद्वह
Although the Brahmaśiras weapon is unfailing and cannot be counteracted, O best of the Bhṛgus, it was subdued upon encountering your Vaiṣṇava power.
मा मंस्था ह्येतदाश्चर्यं सर्वाश्चर्यमयेऽच्युते । य इदं मायया देव्या सृजत्यवति हन्त्यजः
Do not consider this astonishing, for in Acyuta, who is full of all wonders, the unborn one creates, maintains, and destroys this world by his divine illusion.
ब्रह्मतेजोविनिर्मुक्तैः आत्मजैः सह कृष्णया । प्रयाणाभिमुखं कृष्णं इदमाह पृथा सती
Freed from the power of Brahma, along with her sons and with Kṛṣṇa, the virtuous Pṛthā spoke these words to Kṛṣṇa, who was about to depart.
कुन्त्युवाच । नमस्ये पुरुषं त्वाऽऽद्यं ईश्वरं प्रकृतेः परम् । अलक्ष्यं सर्वभूतानां अन्तर्बहिरवस्थितम्
Kuntī said: I bow to you, the original Person, the Lord, who is beyond material nature, invisible to all beings, yet present within and without.
मायाजवनिकाच्छन्नं अज्ञाधोक्षजमव्ययम् । न लक्ष्यसे मूढदृशा नटो नाट्यधरो यथा
Covered by the veil of illusion, unknowable and imperishable, you are not seen by those with deluded vision, just as an actor is hidden by his costume.
तथा परमहंसानां मुनीनां अमलात्मनाम् । भक्तियोगविधानार्थं कथं पश्येम हि स्त्रियः
Thus, for the sake of establishing devotion among the supreme renunciants, sages of pure heart, how can we women possibly perceive you?
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय देवकीनंदनाय च । नंदगोपकुमाराय गोविंदाय नमो नमः
Salutations to Kṛṣṇa, to Vāsudeva, to the son of Devakī, to the boy of Nanda and the cowherds, to Govinda—again and again, I bow.
नमः पङ्कजनाभाय नमः पङ्कजमालिने । नमः पङ्कजनेत्राय नमस्ते पङ्कजाङ्घ्रये
Salutations to the lotus-naveled, salutations to the lotus-garlanded, salutations to the lotus-eyed, salutations to you whose feet are like lotuses.
(वंशस्थ) यथा हृषीकेश खलेन देवकी कंसेन रुद्धातिचिरं शुचार्पिता । विमोचिताहं च सहात्मजा विभो त्वयैव नाथेन मुहुर्विपद्गणात्
Just as Hṛṣīkeśa freed Devakī, who had long suffered grief, imprisoned by the wicked Kaṃsa, so too, O Lord, you have repeatedly delivered me and my sons from many dangers.
विषान्महाग्नेः पुरुषाददर्शनाद् असत्सभाया वनवासकृच्छ्रतः । मृधे मृधेऽनेकमहारथास्त्रतो द्रौण्यस्त्रतश्चास्म हरेऽभिरक्षिताः
From deadly poison, from the great fire, from the sight of the man-eater, from the assembly of the wicked, from hardships in the forest, from battle after battle with many mighty warriors, and from the weapon of Drauṇa, O Hari, you have protected us.
(अनुष्टुप्) विपदः सन्तु ताः शश्वत् तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो । भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्याद् अपुनर्भवदर्शनम्
May those calamities always befall us, O Guru of the world, so that we may see you again and again, for seeing you means we shall not see repeated birth.
जन्मैश्वर्यश्रुतश्रीभिः एधमानमदः पुमान् । नैवार्हत्यभिधातुं वै त्वां अकिञ्चनगोचरम्
A person who grows proud from birth, wealth, learning, and beauty cannot truly address you, for you are accessible only to those who possess nothing.
नमोऽकिञ्चनवित्ताय निवृत्तगुणवृत्तये । आत्मारामाय शान्ताय कैवल्यपतये नमः
Salutations to you, the wealth of those who have nothing, whose activity is free from the modes, who delights in the self, who is peaceful, and who is the Lord of liberation.
मन्ये त्वां कालमीशानं अनादिनिधनं विभुम् । समं चरन्तं सर्वत्र भूतानां यन्मिथः कलिः
I consider you to be Time, the ruler, beginningless and endless, all-pervading, moving equally among all beings, whose mutual discord arises from you.
(वंशस्थ) न वेद कश्चिद् भगवंश्चिकीर्षितं तवेहमानस्य नृणां विडम्बनम् । न यस्य कश्चिद् दयितोऽस्ति कर्हिचिद् द्वेष्यश्च यस्मिन्विषमा मतिर्नृणाम्
No one knows, O Lord, your intention, your actions in this world are a mockery of men; you have no one whom you favor or hate, yet people hold partiality in their minds.
(अनुष्टुप्) जन्म कर्म च विश्वात्मन् अजस्याकर्तुरात्मनः । तिर्यङ् नृषिषु यादःसु तद् अत्यन्तविडम्बनम्
Birth and deeds of the soul of the universe, of the unborn, non-acting self, among beasts, humans, and aquatic creatures—these are the utmost mockery.
(वसंततिलका) गोप्याददे त्वयि कृतागसि दाम तावद् या ते दशाश्रुकलिल अञ्जन संभ्रमाक्षम् । वक्त्रं निनीय भयभावनया स्थितस्य सा मां विमोहयति भीरपि यद्बिभेति
When the gopī took a rope to bind you for your mischief, and your eyes, troubled by fear, were smeared with tears and ointment, you bowed your face in dread—this bewilders me, for even the fearful fear you.
(अनुष्टुप्) केचिद् आहुः अजं जातं पुण्यश्लोकस्य कीर्तये । यदोः प्रियस्य अन्ववाये मलयस्येव चन्दनम्
Some say the unborn was born for the fame of the virtuous, in the line of Yadu, his beloved, just as sandalwood grows in the Malaya mountains.
अपरे वसुदेवस्य देवक्यां याचितोऽभ्यगात् । अजस्त्वमस्य क्षेमाय वधाय च सुरद्विषाम्
Others say that, being requested by Vasudeva and Devakī, you, the unborn one, appeared for the protection of this world and the destruction of those who hate the gods.
भारावतारणायान्ये भुवो नाव इवोदधौ । सीदन्त्या भूरिभारेण जातो ह्यात्मभुवार्थितः
Some say you were born at the request of Brahmā, when the earth, weighed down by a heavy burden, was sinking like a boat in the ocean, in order to relieve her load.
भवेऽस्मिन् क्लिश्यमानानां अविद्याकामकर्मभिः । श्रवण स्मरणार्हाणि करिष्यम् इति केचन
Others say that you have come to perform deeds worthy of being heard and remembered by those suffering in this world from ignorance, desire, and action.