Bhagavata Purana

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.

श्रीमद् दीर्घचतुर्बाहुं तप्तकाञ्चन कुण्डलम् । क्षतजाक्षं गदापाणिं आत्मनः सर्वतो दिशम् । परिभ्रमन्तं उल्काभां भ्रामयन्तं गदां मुहुः

Resplendent, with four long arms, adorned with blazing golden earrings, blood-red eyes, holding a mace, he moved all around the child in every direction, whirling the mace again and again like a blazing meteor.

अस्त्रतेजः स्वगदया नीहारमिव गोपतिः । विधमन्तं सन्निकर्षे पर्यैक्षत क इत्यसौ

With his own mace, he dispelled the weapon's fiery energy, just as the lord of cows disperses mist, and the child watched closely, wondering, 'Who is this?'

विधूय तदमेयात्मा भगवान् धर्मगुब् विभुः । मिषतो दशमासस्य तत्रैवान्तर्दधे हरिः

Then, having removed that danger, the immeasurable Lord, protector of righteousness, the all-pervading One, disappeared there itself before the child's very eyes at the end of ten months.

ततः सर्वगुणोदर्के सानुकूल ग्रहोदये । जज्ञे वंशधरः पाण्डोः भूयः पाण्डुरिवौजसा

Thereafter, when all auspicious qualities had arisen and the planets were favorable, the bearer of the Pāṇḍu line was born again, endowed with the strength of Pāṇḍu himself.

तस्य प्रीतमना राजा विप्रैर्धौम्य कृपादिभिः । जातकं कारयामास वाचयित्वा च मङ्‌गलम्

The king, his mind filled with joy, had the child's birth chart cast by the Brahmins—Dhaumya, Kṛpa, and others—and had auspicious rites performed.

हिरण्यं गां महीं ग्रामान् हस्त्यश्वान् नृपतिर्वरान् । प्रादात्स्वन्नं च विप्रेभ्यः प्रजातीर्थे स तीर्थवित्

The king, who knew the sacred duties, gave gold, cows, land, villages, elephants, horses, and excellent food to the Brahmins at the holy site of birth.

तमूचुर्ब्राह्मणास्तुष्टा राजानं प्रश्रयान्वितम् । एष ह्यस्मिन् प्रजातन्तौ पुरूणां पौरवर्षभ

The satisfied Brahmins then spoke to the humble king: 'O foremost of the Puru dynasty, in this line of yours, he is the one.'

दैवेनाप्रतिघातेन शुक्ले संस्थामुपेयुषि । रातो वोऽनुग्रहार्थाय विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना

'By the irresistible will of fate, when the white hair ascends to its end, he has been sent for your blessing by Viṣṇu, the all-powerful Lord.'

तस्मान्नाम्ना विष्णुरात इति लोके बृहच्छ्रवाः । भविष्यति न सन्देहो महाभागवतो महान्

'Therefore, he will be renowned in the world as Viṣṇurāta—protected by Viṣṇu. There is no doubt; he will be a great devotee, a great soul.'

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । अप्येष वंश्यान् राजर्षीन् पुण्यश्लोकान् महात्मनः । अनुवर्तिता स्विद्यशसा साधुवादेन सत्तमाः

Yudhiṣṭhira said: 'Will this child follow the virtuous path of the royal sages of our line, the illustrious and noble ones, praised by the good and the wise?'

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । पार्थ प्रजाविता साक्षात् इक्ष्वाकुरिव मानवः । ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यसन्धश्च रामो दाशरथिर्यथा

The Brahmins said: 'O son of Pṛthā, he will be a true protector of the people, like Ikṣvāku among men, devoted to the Brahmins and truthful, like Rāma, son of Daśaratha.'

एष दाता शरण्यश्च यथा ह्यौशीनरः शिबिः । यशो वितनिता स्वानां दौष्यन्तिरिव यज्वनाम्

'He will be a generous giver and a refuge, like Śibi of the Auśīnara line; he will spread the fame of his kin, like Duṣyanta's son among the sacrificers.'

धन्विनामग्रणीरेष तुल्यश्चार्जुनयोर्द्वयोः । हुताश इव दुर्धर्षः समुद्र इव दुस्तरः

'He will be foremost among archers, equal to both Arjunas; unassailable like fire, and difficult to cross like the ocean.'

मृगेन्द्र इव विक्रान्तो निषेव्यो हिमवानिव । तितिक्षुर्वसुधेवासौ सहिष्णुः पितराविव

'Valiant like a lion among beasts, steadfast like the Himālaya, patient like the earth, and tolerant like his parents.'

पितामहसमः साम्ये प्रसादे गिरिशोपमः । आश्रयः सर्वभूतानां यथा देवो रमाश्रयः

'Equal to his grandsire in impartiality, like Śiva in graciousness, a refuge for all beings, as the Lord is for Lakṣmī.'

सर्वसद्‍गुणमाहात्म्ये एष कृष्णमनुव्रतः । रन्तिदेव इवोदारो ययातिरिव धार्मिकः

He, devoted to Krishna, possesses all noble qualities and greatness; he is as generous as Rantideva and as righteous as Yayati.

धृत्या बलिसमः कृष्णे प्रह्राद इव सद्‍ग्रहः । आहर्तैषोऽश्वमेधानां वृद्धानां पर्युपासकः

In steadfastness he is like Bali; in devotion to Krishna, like Prahlada; he will perform horse sacrifices and serve the elders.

राजर्षीणां जनयिता शास्ता चोत्पथगामिनाम् । निग्रहीता कलेरेष भुवो धर्मस्य कारणात्

He will be the progenitor of royal sages and the chastiser of those who stray from the path; for the sake of dharma, he will restrain Kali on earth.

तक्षकादात्मनो मृत्युं द्विजपुत्रोपसर्जितात् । प्रपत्स्यत उपश्रुत्य मुक्तसङ्‌गः पदं हरेः

Hearing of his impending death from Takshaka, sent by the sage's son, he will renounce all attachment and attain the abode of Hari.

जिज्ञासितात्म याथार्थ्यो मुनेर्व्याससुतादसौ । हित्वेदं नृप गङ्‌गायां यास्यत्यद्धा अकुतोभयम्

Desiring to know the true nature of the self, he will hear from the sage, Vyasa's son, and, leaving his body on the Ganga, O King, he will go directly, free from fear.