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.
अथापि अभिभवन्त्येनं नैव ते घोरदर्शनाः । जिघांसयैनमासाद्य नश्यन्त्यग्नौ पतङ्गवत्
Yet, those terrifying beings cannot overcome him; though they approach with intent to kill, they perish like moths in a flame.
अहो ब्रह्मविदां वाचो नासत्याः सन्ति कर्हिचित् । गर्गो यदाह भगवान् अन्वभावि तथैव तत्
Indeed, the words of the knowers of Brahman are never false; just as the sage Garga declared, so it has come to pass.
इति नन्दादयो गोपाः कृष्णरामकथां मुदा । कुर्वन्तो रममाणाश्च नाविन्दन् भववेदनाम्
Thus, Nanda and the other cowherds, delighting in tales of Krishna and Rama, passed their time in joy, unaware of worldly suffering.
एवं विहारैः कौमारैः कौमारं जहतुर्व्रजे । निलायनैः सेतुबन्धैः मर्कटोत्प्लवनादिभिः
In this way, through childhood play—games of hiding, building dams, and monkey-like leaps—they spent their boyhood in Vraja.
शौनक उवाच । अश्वत्थाम्नोपसृष्टेन ब्रह्मशीर्ष्णोरुतेजसा । उत्तराया हतो गर्भ ईशेनाजीवितः पुनः
Shaunaka said: By the power of Ashvatthama's Brahmashirsha weapon, Uttara's unborn child was struck down, but by the Lord's grace, he was restored to life.
तस्य जन्म महाबुद्धेः कर्माणि च महात्मनः । निधनं च यथैवासीत् स प्रेत्य गतवान् यथा
We wish to hear about his birth, his deeds as a great soul, and how his end came, and to know where he went after death.
तदिदं श्रोतुमिच्छामो गदितुं यदि मन्यसे । ब्रूहि नः श्रद्दधानानां यस्य ज्ञानमदाच्छुकः
If you think it proper, please tell us this, for we are eager listeners, to whom Shuka imparted this knowledge.
सूत उवाच । अपीपलद्धर्मराजः पितृवद् रञ्जयन् प्रजाः । निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यः कृष्णपादानुसेवया
Sūta said: King Yudhishthira, like a father, delighted his subjects, being unattached to all desires through service at Krishna's feet.
सम्पदः क्रतवो लोका महिषी भ्रातरो मही । जम्बूद्वीपाधिपत्यं च यशश्च त्रिदिवं गतम्
He possessed wealth, sacrifices, realms, queens, brothers, dominion over Jambudvipa, and fame that reached the heavens.
किं ते कामाः सुरस्पार्हा मुकुन्दमनसो द्विजाः । अधिजह्रुर्मुदं राज्ञः क्षुधितस्य यथेतरे
O twice-born, what value are desires coveted even by the gods to one whose mind is fixed on Mukunda? Just as other things bring joy to a hungry king, so did they bring delight.
मातुर्गर्भगतो वीरः स तदा भृगुनन्दन । ददर्श पुरुषं कञ्चिद् दह्यमानोऽस्त्रतेजसा
O descendant of Bhrigu, while still in his mother's womb, the heroic child saw a certain Person, as he was being burned by the power of a weapon.
अङ्गुष्ठमात्रममलं स्फुरत् पुरट मौलिनम् । अपीव्यदर्शनं श्यामं तडिद् वाससमच्युतम्
He saw an immaculate form, the size of a thumb, shining, crowned with a golden diadem, dark in complexion, wondrous to behold, clad in yellow garments, the infallible One.