Bhagavata Purana

सपदि सखिवचो निशम्य मध्ये निजपरयोर्बलयो रथं निवेश्य । स्थितवति परसैनिकायुरक्ष्णा हृतवति पार्थसखे रतिर्ममास्तु

Hearing the words of His friend in the midst of battle, He placed the chariot between the two armies; as He stood protecting the lives of the enemy soldiers, may my love be fixed on Pārtha's friend, who took away their strength.

व्यवहित पृतनामुखं निरीक्ष्य स्वजनवधात् विमुखस्य दोषबुद्ध्या । कुमतिम अहरत् आत्मविद्यया यः चश्चरणरतिः परमस्य तस्य मेऽस्तु

Seeing the opposing army and, out of a sense of fault, turning away from killing his own kin, He dispelled Arjuna's confusion with knowledge of the Self—may I have supreme devotion to His lotus feet.

स्वनिगममपहाय मत्प्रतिज्ञां ऋतमधि कर्तुमवप्लुतो रथस्थः । धृतरथ चरणोऽभ्ययात् चलद्‍गुः हरिरिव हन्तुमिभं गतोत्तरीयः

Abandoning His own vow to fulfill mine, He leapt from the chariot, His upper garment falling, and rushed forward, whip in hand, like Hari advancing to slay an elephant.

शितविशिखहतो विशीर्णदंशः क्षतजपरिप्लुत आततायिनो मे । प्रसभं अभिससार मद्वधार्थं स भवतु मे भगवान् गतिर्मुकुन्दः

Pierced by sharp arrows, my bow shattered, my body drenched in blood, the aggressor rushed upon me to kill me—may that Lord Mukunda be my refuge.

विजयरथकुटुम्ब आत्ततोत्रे धृतहयरश्मिनि तत् श्रियेक्षणीये । भगवति रतिरस्तु मे मुमूर्षोः यमिह निरीक्ष्य हता गताः स्वरूपम्

May my devotion, at the time of death, be fixed upon that Lord, the beauty of whom is to be seen as He stands on Arjuna's chariot, holding the reins and whip, whom those slain here, upon seeing, attained their true form.

ललित गति विलास वल्गुहास प्रणय निरीक्षण कल्पितोरुमानाः । कृतमनुकृतवत्य उन्मदान्धाः प्रकृतिमगन् किल यस्य गोपवध्वः

The cowherd women, their movements graceful, their laughter charming, their sidelong glances full of love and feigned anger, imitated His playful acts in madness and blindness, for they were absorbed in His very nature.

मुनिगण नृपवर्यसङ्कुलेऽन्तः सदसि युधिष्ठिर राजसूय एषाम् । अर्हणं उपपेद ईक्षणीयो मम दृशिगोचर एष आविरात्मा

In the royal assembly at Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya sacrifice, surrounded by sages and kings, he alone was worthy of worship and became visible to my eyes—he who reveals his true self to me.

तमिममहमजं शरीरभाजां हृदि हृदि धिष्ठितमात्म कल्पितानाम् । प्रतिदृशमिव नैकधार्कमेकं समधिगतोऽस्मि विधूत भेदमोहः

I have now realized that unborn One, present in the hearts of all embodied beings, who is conceived differently by each according to their mind, just as the one sun appears manifold in many reflections; my delusion of difference has been dispelled.

सूत उवाच । (अनुष्टुप्) कृष्ण एवं भगवति मनोवाक् दृष्टिवृत्तिभिः । आत्मनि आत्मानमावेश्य सोऽन्तःश्वास उपारमत्

Sūta said: Thus, fixing his mind, speech, and sight on Lord Kṛṣṇa, and absorbing his self in the Supreme Self, he drew in his breath and became still.

सम्पद्यमानमाज्ञाय भीष्मं ब्रह्मणि निष्कले । सर्वे बभूवुस्ते तूष्णीं वयांसीव दिनात्यये

Recognizing that Bhīṣma was merging into the indivisible Brahman, all present became silent, like birds at the end of the day.

तत्र दुन्दुभयो नेदुः देवमानव वादिताः । शशंसुः साधवो राज्ञां खात्पेतुः पुष्पवृष्टयः

At that moment, drums resounded, played by gods and humans; the virtuous praised him, and showers of flowers fell from the sky upon the king.

तस्य निर्हरणादीनि सम्परेतस्य भार्गव । युधिष्ठिरः कारयित्वा मुहूर्तं दुःखितोऽभवत्

After Bhīṣma’s passing, Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Bhārgava, performed the proper rites for the departed; yet for a while, he remained deeply sorrowful.

तुष्टुवुर्मुनयो हृष्टाः कृष्णं तत् गुह्यनामभिः । ततस्ते कृष्णहृदयाः स्वाश्रमान्प्रययुः पुनः

The delighted sages praised Kṛṣṇa with secret names, and then, their hearts devoted to Kṛṣṇa, they returned to their own hermitages.

ततो युधिष्ठिरो गत्वा सहकृष्णो गजाह्वयम् । पितरं सान्त्वयामास गान्धारीं च तपस्विनीम्

Then Yudhiṣṭhira, accompanied by Kṛṣṇa, went to Gajāhvaya and comforted his father and the ascetic Gāndhārī.

पित्रा चानुमतो राजा वासुदेवानुमोदितः । चकार राज्यं धर्मेण पितृपैतामहं विभुः

With his father’s approval and Kṛṣṇa’s consent, the mighty king ruled the kingdom righteously, as inherited from his father and grandfather.

पयः स्तनाभ्यां सुस्राव नेत्रजैः सलिलैः शिवैः । तदाभिषिच्यमानाभ्यां वीर वीरसुवो मुहुः

From her breasts flowed milk, and from her eyes, auspicious tears, as the mother of heroes repeatedly anointed her son.

तां शशंसुर्जना राज्ञीं दिष्ट्या ते पुत्र आर्तिहा । प्रतिलब्धश्चिरं नष्टो रक्षिता मण्डलं भुवः

The people said to the queen: 'By good fortune, your son, the remover of distress, has been restored after long absence, and will protect the circle of the earth.'

अभ्यर्चितस्त्वया नूनं भगवान् प्रणतार्तिहा । यदनुध्यायिनो धीरा मृत्युं जिग्युः सुदुर्जयम्

Surely, O queen, you have worshipped the Lord, the remover of the distressed, for those who meditate on him with steady mind conquer even death, which is so hard to overcome.

लाल्यमानं जनैरेवं ध्रुवं सभ्रातरं नृपः । आरोप्य करिणीं हृष्टः स्तूयमानोऽविशत्पुरम्

Thus, as the people cherished him and his brothers, the joyful king mounted the elephant and, praised by all, entered the city.

तत्र तत्रोपसङ्‌कॢप्तैः लसन् मकरतोरणैः । सवृन्दैः कदलीस्तम्भैः पूगपोतैश्च तद्विधैः

There, at every entrance, were splendid makara-archways, clusters of banana trunks, and heaps of betel nuts, all beautifully arranged.

चूतपल्लववासःस्रङ्‌ मुक्तादामविलम्बिभिः । उपस्कृतं प्रतिद्वारं अपां कुम्भैः सदीपकैः

Each gateway was adorned with pitchers of water with lamps, garlands of young mango leaves, and strings of pearls hanging down.

प्राकारैः गोपुरागारैः शातकुम्भपरिच्छदैः । सर्वतोऽलङ्‌कृतं श्रीमद् विमानशिखरद्युभिः

The city was decorated on all sides with ramparts, gateways, and houses adorned with golden ornaments, and with the shining spires of mansions.

मृष्टचत्वररथ्याट्ट मार्गं चन्दनचर्चितम् । लाजाक्षतैः पुष्पफलैः तण्डुलैर्बलिभिर्युतम्

The courtyards, streets, and crossroads were clean and sprinkled with sandal paste, and offerings of parched rice, unbroken grains, flowers, fruits, and rice were everywhere.

ध्रुवाय पथि दृष्टाय तत्र तत्र पुरस्त्रियः । सिद्धार्थाक्षतदध्यम्बु दूर्वापुष्पफलानि च

As the steadfast king passed along the road, the city women at various places brought auspicious items—rice, unbroken grains, curd, water, sacred grass, flowers, and fruits.

उपजह्रुः प्रयुञ्जाना वात्सल्यादाशिषः सतीः । शृण्वन् तद्वल्गुगीतानि प्राविशद्‍भवनं पितुः

Out of affection, the virtuous women offered their blessings as he entered his father's palace, listening to their sweet, childish songs.

महामणिव्रातमये स तस्मिन् भवनोत्तमे । लालितो नितरां पित्रा न्यवसद् दिवि देववत्

In that splendid palace, adorned with clusters of great jewels, he was cherished exceedingly by his father and dwelled there like a god in heaven.

पयःफेननिभाः शय्या दान्ता रुक्मपरिच्छदाः । आसनानि महार्हाणि यत्र रौक्मा उपस्कराः

There, the beds were white as milk foam, with golden ornaments; the seats were most precious, and the furnishings were all made of gold.

यत्र स्फटिककुड्येषु महामारकतेषु च । मणिप्रदीपा आभान्ति ललनारत्‍नसंयुताः

In that place, on crystal walls and great emeralds, jeweled lamps shone, adorned with gems from women's ornaments.

उद्यानानि च रम्याणि विचित्रैरमरद्रुमैः । कूजद्विहङ्‌गमिथुनैः गायन्मत्तमधुव्रतैः

There were delightful gardens with wondrous celestial trees, filled with cooing pairs of birds and intoxicated bees singing.