Bhagavata Purana

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.

अनुजानीहि नौ भूमन् तवानुचरकिङ्‌करौ । दर्शनं नौ भगवत ऋषेरासीदनुग्रहात्

"O Supreme Lord, permit us, Your servants and attendants, to depart; by the sage's grace, we have been blessed with the sight of the Lord."

( वसंततिलका ) वाणी गुणानुकथने श्रवणौ कथायां हस्तौ च कर्मसु मनस्तव पादयोर्नः । स्मृत्यां शिरस्तव निवासजगत्प्रणामे दृष्टिः सतां दर्शनेऽस्तु भवत्तनूनाम्

May our speech be used in recounting Your virtues, our ears in hearing Your stories, our hands in Your service, our minds at Your feet; may our heads bow in remembrance to You, the abode of the universe, and may our eyes behold the holy ones who embody You.

श्रीशुक उवाच । ( अनुष्टुप् ) इत्थं सङ्‌कीर्तितस्ताभ्यां भगवान् गोकुलेश्वरः । दाम्ना चोलूखले बद्धः प्रहसन्नाह गुह्यकौ

Śuka said: Thus, as the two praised Him, the Lord of Gokula, bound to the mortar by the rope, smiled and spoke to the celestial beings.

श्रीभगवानुवाच । ज्ञातं मम पुरैवैतद् ऋषिणा करुणात्मना । यत् श्रीमदान्धयोर्वाग्भिः विभ्रंशोऽनुग्रहः कृतः

The Blessed Lord said: This was already known to Me, revealed by the compassionate sage, that by the words of those blinded by wealth, you were deprived of your position and received My grace.

साधूनां समचित्तानां सुतरां मत्कृतात्मनाम् । दर्शनान्नो भवेद्‍बन्धः पुंसोऽक्ष्णोः सवितुर्यथा

For those who are virtuous, even-minded, and wholly devoted to Me, there is no bondage from seeing Me, just as the sun does not bind the eyes of men.

तद्‍गच्छतं मत्परमौ नलकूबर सादनम् । सञ्जातो मयि भावो वां ईप्सितः परमोऽभवः

Now go to your own abode, O Nalakūbara, for the supreme devotion you both desired for Me has arisen in your hearts.

श्रीशुक उवाच । इत्युक्तौ तौ परिक्रम्य प्रणम्य च पुनः पुनः । बद्धोलूखलमामन्त्र्य जग्मतुर्दिशमुत्तराम्

Śuka said: Thus addressed, the two circumambulated Him, bowed again and again, took leave of the bound mortar, and departed for the northern direction.

इत्थं भावेन कथितो भगवान् भगवत्तमः । न इत्थं भावेन हि परं द्रष्टुं अर्हन्ति सूरयः

In this way, the Supreme Lord was revealed through devotion; without such devotion, even the wise are not able to behold Him.

नास्य कर्मणि जन्मादौ परस्य अनुविधीयते । कर्तृत्वप्रतिषेधार्थं माययारोपितं हि तत्

His actions, birth, and so forth are not subject to the laws governing others; these are ascribed to Him by Māyā, only to refute the notion of agency.

अयं तु ब्रह्मणः कल्पः सविकल्प उदाहृतः । विधिः साधारणो यत्र सर्गाः प्राकृतवैकृताः

This is called the Brahmā's kalpa, which is described as having distinctions; in it, the general process of creation occurs, both primary and secondary.

परिमाणं च कालस्य कल्पलक्षण विग्रहम् । यथा पुरस्ताद् व्याख्यास्ये पाद्मं कल्पमथो श्रृणु

I will explain the measure of time, the form that marks a kalpa, and, as before, describe the Padma Kalpa—now listen.

शौनक उवाच । यदाह नो भवान् सूत क्षत्ता भागवतोत्तमः । चचार तीर्थानि भुवः त्यक्त्वा बंधून् सु-दुस्त्यजान्

Śaunaka said: O Sūta, you told us that Vidura, the foremost devotee, left behind his most difficult-to-abandon relatives and wandered to holy places on earth.

क्षत्तुः कौशारवेः तस्य संवादोऽध्यात्मसंश्रितः । यद्वा स भगवान् तस्मै पृष्टः तत्त्वं उवाच ह

The conversation between Vidura, son of Vyāsa, and the sage Kauśārava was based on spiritual inquiry; or, that great soul, when questioned, spoke the truth to him.

ब्रूहि नः तद् इदं सौम्य विदुरस्य विचेष्टितम् । बन्धुत्याग निमित्तं च यथैव आगतवान् पुनः

Please tell us, gentle one, what Vidura did, and for what reason he renounced his family and then returned again.

सूत उवाच । राज्ञा परीक्षिता पृष्टो यद् अवोचत् महामुनिः । तद्वोऽभिधास्ये श्रृणुत राज्ञः प्रश्नानुसारतः

Sūta said: What the great sage replied when King Parīkṣit asked him, I will now relate to you—listen, as it follows the king’s questions.

राजोवाच। कस्मिन्कर्मणि देवस्य मयोऽहन्जगदीशितुः। यथा चोपचिता कीर्तिः कृष्णेनानेन कथ्यताम्

The king said: In which action of the Lord, the maker of the universe and my own self, was his fame increased by Kṛṣṇa? Please describe this.

श्रीनारद उवाच। निर्जिता असुरा देवैर्युध्यनेनोपबृंहितैः। मायिनां परमाचार्यं मयं शरणमाययुः

Śrī Nārada said: When the demons were defeated in battle by the gods, who were strengthened by him, they approached Maya, the supreme master of illusion, for refuge.

स निर्माय पुरस्तिस्रो हैमीरौप्यायसीर्विभुः। दुर्लक्ष्यापायसंयोगा दुर्वितर्क्यपरिच्छदाः

He, the powerful one, constructed three cities—of gold, silver, and iron—difficult to perceive, joined by subtle means, and furnished with defenses beyond imagination.

ताभिस्तेऽसुरसेनान्यो लोकांस्त्रीन्सेश्वरान्नृप। स्मरन्तो नाशयां चक्रुः पूर्ववैरमलक्षिताः

With those cities, the armies of the demons, along with their lords, remembering their ancient enmity, began to destroy the three worlds, O king.

ततस्ते सेश्वरा लोका उपासाद्येश्वरं नताः। त्राहि नस्तावकान्देव विनष्टांस्त्रिपुरालयैः

Then, the rulers of the worlds, along with their lords, approached the Lord, bowed down, and said: 'Protect us, O God! We are being destroyed by the inhabitants of Tripura.'