Bhagavata Purana

आमंत्र्य चाभ्यनुज्ञातः परिष्वज्याभिवाद्य तम् । आरुरोह रथं कैश्चित् परिष्वक्तोऽभिवादितः

After taking leave and being permitted, embracing and bowing to them, he ascended his chariot, embraced and honored by some.

सुभद्रा द्रौपदी कुन्ती विराटतनया तथा । गान्धारी धृतराष्ट्रश्च युयुत्सुः गौतमो यमौ

Subhadrā, Draupadī, Kuntī, the daughter of Virāṭa, Gāndhārī, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Kripa, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) [were present].

वृकोदरश्च धौम्यश्च स्त्रियो मत्स्यसुतादयः । न सेहिरे विमुह्यन्तो विरहं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः

Vṛkodara, Dhaumya, and the women such as the daughter of the King of Matsya, bewildered and distraught, could not bear the separation from the wielder of Śārṅga.

सत्सङ्गात् मुक्तदुःसङ्गो हातुं नोत्सहते बुधः । कीर्त्यमानं यशो यस्य सकृत् आकर्ण्य रोचनम्

Freed from bad company by association with the virtuous, a wise person is unable to abandon it, having once heard the delightful fame of Him who is praised.

तस्मिन् न्यस्तधियः पार्थाः सहेरन् विरहं कथम् । दर्शनस्पर्शसंलाप शयनासन भोजनैः

How could the sons of Pṛthā, whose minds were fixed on Him, endure the separation—after seeing, touching, conversing, lying down, sitting, and eating with Him?

सर्वे तेऽनिमिषैः अक्षैः तं अनु द्रुतचेतसः । वीक्षन्तः स्नेहसम्बद्धा विचेलुस्तत्र तत्र ह

All of them, their hearts rushing after Him, followed Him with unblinking eyes, bound by affection, wandering here and there.

न्यरुन्धन् उद्‍गलत् बाष्पं औत्कण्ठ्यात् देवकीसुते । निर्यात्यगारात् नोऽभद्रं इति स्यात् बान्धवस्त्रियः

The women of the family restrained their streaming tears out of longing for Devakī’s son, thinking, 'Let no inauspiciousness occur as He leaves the house.'

मृदङ्गशङ्खभेर्यश्च वीणापणव गोमुखाः । धुन्धुर्यानक घण्टाद्या नेदुः दुन्दुभयस्तथा

Mṛdaṅgas, conches, bherīs, vīṇās, paṇavas, gomukhas, dhundhuris, ānakas, bells, and also dundubhis resounded.

प्रासादशिखरारूढाः कुरुनार्यो दिदृक्षया । ववृषुः कुसुमैः कृष्णं प्रेमव्रीडास्मितेक्षणाः

The noble women of the Kurus, eager to see Kṛṣṇa, climbed to the tops of the palaces and showered Him with flowers, their eyes smiling with love and modesty.

सितातपत्रं जग्राह मुक्तादामविभूषितम् । रत्‍नदण्डं गुडाकेशः प्रियः प्रियतमस्य ह

Guḍākeśa, the beloved of the dearest friend, took up a white parasol adorned with a string of pearls and a jeweled handle.

उद्धवः सात्यकिश्चैव व्यजने परमाद्‍भुते । विकीर्यमाणः कुसुमै रेजे मधुपतिः पथि

Uddhava and Sātyaki, with most wondrous fans, fanned Madhupati as He shone on the road, being showered with flowers.

अश्रूयन्ताशिषः सत्याः तत्र तत्र द्विजेरिताः । नानुरूपानुरूपाश्च निर्गुणस्य गुणात्मनः

Here and there, true blessings were heard, uttered by the twice-born—some appropriate, some not—addressed to Him who is beyond qualities, whose essence is qualities.

अन्योन्यमासीत् संजल्प उत्तमश्लोकचेतसाम् । कौरवेन्द्रपुरस्त्रीणां सर्वश्रुतिमनोहरः

Among the women of the Kaurava king’s city, there arose mutual conversation, captivating to all who heard, as their minds were absorbed in the Glorious One.

(वंशस्थ) स वै किलायं पुरुषः पुरातनो य एक आसीदविशेष आत्मनि । अग्रे गुणेभ्यो जगदात्मनीश्वरे निमीलितात्मन्निशि सुप्तशक्तिषु

Indeed, this very person is the ancient Being, who alone existed, undifferentiated in Himself, before the qualities, as the soul of the universe and its Lord, with His own power dormant in the night of dissolution.

स एव भूयो निजवीर्यचोदितां स्वजीवमायां प्रकृतिं सिसृक्षतीम् । अनामरूपात्मनि रूपनामनी विधित्समानोऽनुससार शास्त्रकृत्

He, again, impelled by His own power, followed His own living energy—nature—desiring to create; wishing to assign names and forms to the formless Self, He, the maker of scripture, set it in motion.

स वा अयं यत्पदमत्र सूरयो जितेन्द्रिया निर्जितमातरिश्वनः । पश्यन्ति भक्ति उत्कलितामलात्मना नन्वेष सत्त्वं परिमार्ष्टुमर्हति

That very abode, which the sages—having mastered their senses and conquered the wind—behold with minds purified by overflowing devotion, surely this Being is worthy to purify existence.

स वा अयं सख्यनुगीत सत्कथो वेदेषु गुह्येषु च गुह्यवादिभिः । य एक ईशो जगदात्मलीलया सृजत्यवत्यत्ति न तत्र सज्जते

He, whose friendship is sung, whose sacred stories are told in the Vedas and in secret by those who know the mysteries, is the sole Lord, the soul of the universe, who by His play creates, maintains, and destroys, yet is not attached to these.

यदा ह्यधर्मेण तमोधियो नृपा जीवन्ति तत्रैष हि सत्त्वतः किल । धत्ते भगं सत्यमृतं दयां यशो भवाय रूपाणि दधत् युगे युगे

Whenever kings of darkened minds live by unrighteousness, then indeed, from among the Sātvatas, He assumes forms, bearing fortune, truth, compassion, and fame, for the welfare of the world, age after age.

अहो अलं श्लाघ्यतमं यदोः कुलं अहो अलं पुण्यतमं मधोर्वनम् । यदेष पुंसां ऋषभः श्रियः पतिः स्वजन्मना चङ्क्रमणेन चाञ्चति

Ah, how truly praiseworthy is the lineage of Yadu! How supremely holy is the forest of Madhu, where this foremost of men, the Lord of Śrī, delights both by His birth and by His wandering.

अहो बत स्वर्यशसः तिरस्करी कुशस्थली पुण्ययशस्करी भुवः । पश्यन्ति नित्यं यदनुग्रहेषितं स्मितावलोकं स्वपतिं स्म यत्प्रजाः

Indeed, Kuśasthalī, which eclipses the fame of heaven and brings virtue to the earth, is blessed, for its people, by His grace, constantly behold their Lord’s smiling, glancing face.

नूनं व्रतस्नानहुतादिनेश्वरः समर्चितो ह्यस्य गृहीतपाणिभिः । पिबंति याः सख्यधरामृतं मुहुः व्रजस्त्रियः सम्मुमुहुः यदाशयाः

Surely, the Lord has been worshipped by these women through vows, ritual baths, offerings, and other observances, for He has taken their hands in marriage; repeatedly drinking the nectar of His affectionate speech, the women of Vraja became utterly absorbed in Him.

या वीर्यशुल्केन हृताः स्वयंवरे प्रमथ्य चैद्यः प्रमुखान्हि शुष्मिणः । प्रद्युम्न साम्बाम्ब सुतादयोऽपरा याः चाहृता भौमवधे सहस्रशः

Those whom He won at their own svayamvara by the price of His valor, after subduing powerful kings like Shishupala and others, and those other maidens, daughters of kings such as Pradyumna and Samba, whom He rescued by slaying Bhauma, were brought to Him by the thousands.

एताः परं स्त्रीत्वमपास्तपेशलं निरस्तशौचं बत साधु कुर्वते । यासां गृहात् पुष्करलोचनः पतिः न जातु अपैत्याहृतिभिः हृदि स्पृशन्

These women, though they had abandoned all decorum and purity, have indeed attained the highest womanhood, for their lotus-eyed husband never departs from their homes, touching their hearts with His presence.

(अनुष्टुप्) एवंविधा गदन्तीनां स गिरः पुरयोषिताम् । निरीक्षणेन अभिनन्दन् सस्मितेन ययौ हरिः

As the women of the city spoke in this way, Hari, with a smiling glance, acknowledged their words and proceeded on His way.

अजातशत्रुः पृतनां गोपीथाय मधुद्विषः । परेभ्यः शङ्कितः स्नेहात् प्रायुङ्क्त चतुरङ्‌गिणीम्

Ajātaśatru, out of affection and concern for the safety of the enemy of Madhu, deployed his fourfold army to protect Him from possible threats by others.

अथ दूरागतान् शौरिः कौरवान् विरहातुरान् । सन्निवर्त्य दृढं स्निग्धान् प्रायात्स्वनगरीं प्रियैः

Then Śauri, seeing the Kauravas who had come from afar and were distressed by separation, affectionately persuaded them to return, and departed for His own city with His beloveds.

कुरुजाङ्गलपाञ्चालान् शूरसेनान् सयामुनान् । ब्रह्मावर्तं कुरुक्षेत्रं मत्स्यान् सारस्वतानथ

He passed through the lands of the Kurus, Jāngalas, Pāñcālas, Śūrasenas, those along the Yamunā, Brahmāvarta, Kurukṣetra, Matsyas, and Sārasvatas.

मरुधन्वमतिक्रम्य सौवीराभीरयोः परान् । आनर्तान् भार्गवोपागात् श्रान्तवाहो मनाग्विभुः

Crossing the desert of Marudhanva, He went to the regions of the Sauvīras and Ābhīras, and then to Ānarta, accompanied by Bhārgava, His horses somewhat fatigued.

तत्र तत्र ह तत्रत्यैः हरिः प्रत्युद्यतार्हणः । सायं भेजे दिशं पश्चात् गविष्ठो गां गतस्तदा

At each place, Hari was duly honored by the local people; in the evening, He turned westward and, seeking pasture, went to the land of the cows.