Bhagavata Purana

सितातपत्रव्यजनैः उपस्कृतः नवर्षैः अभिवर्षितः पथि । पिशङ्‌गवासा वनमालया बभौ यथार्कोडुप चाप वैद्युतैः

Adorned with white parasols and fans, showered with fresh flowers along the path, wearing yellow garments and a forest garland, he shone like the sun surrounded by clouds, a rainbow, and lightning.

प्रविष्टस्तु गृहं पित्रोः परिष्वक्तः स्वमातृभिः । ववन्दे शिरसा सप्त देवकीप्रमुखा मुदा

Entering his parents' house, embraced by his mothers, he bowed his head joyfully to Devaki and the other seven.

ताः पुत्रमङ्‌कं आरोप्य स्नेहस्नुत पयोधराः । हर्षविह्वलितात्मानः सिषिचुः नेत्रजैर्जलैः

Those women, with breasts wet from affection, lifted their son onto their laps and, overwhelmed with joy, bathed him with tears from their eyes.

अथाविशत् स्वभवनं सर्वकाममनुत्तमम् । प्रासादा यत्र पत्‍नीनां सहस्राणि च षोडश

Then he entered his own unsurpassed palace, fulfilling every desire, where there were sixteen thousand mansions of his wives.

पत्‍न्यः पतिं प्रोष्य गृहानुपागतं क्य सञ्जात मनोमहोत्सवाः । उत्तस्थुरारात् सहसासनाशयात् व्रतैः व्रीडित लोचनाननाः

His wives, after being separated from their husband and now seeing him return home, rose at once from their seats and beds, their hearts filled with festival-like joy, their faces and eyes cast down in modesty due to their vows.

तं आत्मजैः दृष्टिभिरन्तरात्मना दुरन्तभावाः परिरेभिरे पतिम् । निरुद्धमप्यास्रवदम्बु नेत्रयोः विलज्जतीनां भृगुवर्य वैक्लवात्

Though their feelings were difficult to restrain, those noble ladies of the Bhṛgu line embraced their husband with their children, gazing at him with inner longing; even as they tried to hold back, tears flowed from their eyes out of bashful emotion.

यद्यप्यसौ पार्श्वगतो रहोगतः तथापि तस्याङ्‌घ्रियुगं नवं नवम् । पदे पदे का विरमेत तत्पदात् चलापि यच्छ्रीर्न जहाति कर्हिचित्

Even though he was right beside them in private, at every step his pair of feet appeared ever new to them; which woman could ever cease from his feet, when even the restless goddess of fortune never abandons them?

एवं नृपाणां क्षितिभारजन्मनां अक्षौहिणीभिः परिवृत्ततेजसाम् । विधाय वैरं श्वसनो यथानलं मिथो वधेनोपरतो निरायुधः

In this way, after causing enmity among the kings—who were born as the burden of the earth and whose power was turned against each other with armies—he, like the wind extinguishing fire, brought about their mutual destruction and then stood apart, weaponless.

स एष नरलोकेऽस्मिन् अवतीर्णः स्वमायया । रेमे स्त्रीरत्‍नकूटस्थो भगवान् प्राकृतो यथा

He, the Lord, descended into this world of men by his own power and, surrounded by the choicest of women, enjoyed himself as if he were an ordinary man.

उद्दामभाव पिशुनामल वल्गुहास । व्रीडावलोकनिहतो मदनोऽपि यासाम् ॥ सम्मुह्य चापमजहात् प्रमदोत्तमास्ता । यस्येन्द्रियं विमथितुं कुहकैर्न शेकुः

Even Cupid, struck down by their passionate glances, bashful smiles, and sidelong looks, became bewildered and put aside his bow; yet those foremost women, with all their charms, could not disturb his senses with their wiles.

तमयं मन्यते लोको ह्यसङ्‌गमपि सङ्‌गिनम् । आत्मौपम्येन मनुजं व्यापृण्वानं यतोऽबुधः

People, being ignorant, consider him attached even though he is unattached, because they judge a man by their own standard, seeing him engaged in worldly affairs.

एतत् ईशनमीशस्य प्रकृतिस्थोऽपि तद्‍गुणैः । न युज्यते सदाऽत्मस्थैः यथा बुद्धिस्तदाश्रया

This is the sovereignty of the Lord: though he dwells in nature, he is never bound by its qualities, just as the intelligence of one who takes refuge in him is not affected by those qualities.

तं मेनिरेऽबला मूढाः स्त्रैणं चानुव्रतं रहः । अप्रमाणविदो भर्तुः ईश्वरं मतयो यथा

Foolish women, not knowing the measure of their Lord, thought of him as their own man, devoted to them in private, just as ordinary minds mistake the Lord for something limited.

वृषायमाणौ नर्दन्तौ युयुधाते परस्परम् । अनुकृत्य रुतैर्जन्तून् चेरतुः प्राकृतौ यथा

The two, roaring and bellowing like bulls in rut, imitated the cries of animals and played together, as if they were ordinary beings.

कदाचिद् यमुनातीरे वत्सान् चारयतोः स्वकैः । वयस्यैः कृष्णबलयोः जिघांसुर्दैत्य आगमत्

Once, while Krishna and Balarama were tending their calves with their friends on the bank of the Yamuna, a demon came, intent on killing them.

तं वत्सरूपिणं वीक्ष्य वत्सयूथगतं हरिः । दर्शयन् बलदेवाय शनैर्मुग्ध इवासदत्

Seeing that demon, who had taken the form of a calf and mingled with the herd, Hari sat down slowly, feigning innocence, and showed him to Balarama.

गृहीत्वा अपरपादाभ्यां सहलाङ्‌गूलमच्युतः । भ्रामयित्वा कपित्थाग्रे प्राहिणोद् गतजीवितम् । स कपित्थैर्महाकायः पात्यमानैः पपात ह

Then Acyuta seized him, tail and all, by his hind legs, whirled him around, and threw him onto the top of a kapittha tree; the great-bodied demon, struck by the falling fruits, fell lifeless.

तं वीक्ष्य विस्मिता बालाः शशंसुः साधु साध्विति । देवाश्च परिसन्तुष्टा बभूवुः पुष्पवर्षिणः

Seeing this, the astonished boys exclaimed, 'Well done! Well done!' and the gods, greatly pleased, showered flowers from above.

तौ वत्सपालकौ भूत्वा सर्वलोकैकपालकौ । सप्रातराशौ गोवत्सान् चारयन्तौ विचेरतुः

Those two, though the sole protectors of all the worlds, acted as cowherd boys, tending the calves and taking their morning meal as usual.

स्वं स्वं वत्सकुलं सर्वे पाययिष्यन्त एकदा । गत्वा जलाशयाभ्याशं पाययित्वा पपुर्जलम्

One day, each boy led his own group of calves to the water's edge; after letting the calves drink, they themselves drank water.

ते तत्र ददृशुर्बाला महासत्त्वमवस्थितम् । तत्रसुर्वज्रनिर्भिन्नं गिरेः शृङ्‌गमिव च्युतम्

There, the boys saw a great being standing, resembling a mountain peak struck down by Indra's thunderbolt.

स वै बको नाम महानसुरो बकरूपधृक् । आगत्य सहसा कृष्णं तीक्ष्णतुण्डोऽग्रसद्‍बली

That was Baka, a mighty demon in the form of a crane, who suddenly approached and, with his sharp beak, seized Krishna with force.

कृष्णं महाबकग्रस्तं दृष्ट्वा रामादयोऽर्भकाः । बभूवुरिन्द्रियाणीव विना प्राणं विचेतसः

Seeing Krishna swallowed by the great Baka, Rama and the other boys became like senses bereft of life, bewildered.

( मिश्र ) तं तालुमूलं प्रदहन्तमग्निवद् गोपालसूनुं पितरं जगद्‍गुरोः । चच्छर्द सद्योऽतिरुषाक्षतं बकः तुण्डेन हन्तुं पुनरभ्यपद्यत

But the son of the cowherd, the teacher of the world, burned the root of Baka's palate like fire; so, overwhelmed by pain, Baka immediately spat him out and, enraged, again attacked with his beak to kill him.

तं आपतन्तं स निगृह्य तुण्डयोः दोर्भ्यां बकं कंससखं सतां पतिः । पश्यत्सु बालेषु ददार लीलया मुदावहो वीरणवद् दिवौकसाम्

As Baka rushed upon him, Krishna, Lord of the virtuous and friend of Kamsa, seized him by the beak with his arms and, while the boys watched, effortlessly tore him apart as easily as a hero among the gods, bringing them joy.

तदा बकारिं सुरलोकवासिनः समाकिरन् नन्दनमल्लिकादिभिः । समीडिरे चानकशङ्‌खसंस्तवैः तद्वीक्ष्य गोपालसुता विसिस्मिरे

Then, the residents of heaven showered the enemy of Baka with Nandana flowers and jasmine, and praised him with drums, conches, and hymns; seeing this, the sons of the cowherds were amazed.

मुक्तं बकास्याद् उपलभ्य बालका रामादयः प्राणमिवेन्द्रियो गणः । स्थानागतं तं परिरभ्य निर्वृताः प्रणीय वत्सान् व्रजमेत्य तज्जगुः

When Krishna was released from Baka's mouth, the boys, led by Rama, felt as if their life had returned to their senses; embracing him with relief, they gathered the calves and joyfully returned to Vraja, singing of the event.

( अनुष्टुप् ) श्रुत्वा तद् विस्मिता गोपा गोप्यश्चातिप्रियादृताः । प्रेत्य आगतमिवोत्सुक्याद् ऐक्षन्त तृषितेक्षणाः

Hearing this, the cowherds and their wives, filled with wonder and deep affection, gazed at Krishna with thirsty eyes, as if he had returned from the dead.

अहो बतास्य बालस्य बहवो मृत्यवोऽभवन् । अप्यासीद् विप्रियं तेषां कृतं पूर्वं यतो भयम्

Alas, how many dangers this boy has faced! Perhaps some past misdeed of ours is the cause of this fear.