Bhagavata Purana

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.

इति राज्ञ उपादिश्य विप्रा जातककोविदाः । लब्धापचितयः सर्वे प्रतिजग्मुः स्वकान् गृहान्

Thus, having instructed the king, all the learned brahmins, honored as they were, returned to their own homes.

स एष लोके विख्यातः परीक्षिदिति यत्प्रभुः । पूर्वं दृष्टमनुध्यायन् परीक्षेत नरेष्विह

He is renowned in the world as Parikshit, for he, reflecting on what he had seen before, will examine men in this world.

स राजपुत्रो ववृधे आशु शुक्ल इवोडुपः । आपूर्यमाणः पितृभिः काष्ठाभिरिव सोऽन्वहम्

That prince grew quickly, like the waxing moon, nourished daily by his father as with pieces of wood.

यक्ष्यमाणोऽश्वमेधेन ज्ञातिद्रोहजिहासया । राजा लब्धधनो दध्यौ अन्यत्र करदण्डयोः

Desiring to perform a horse sacrifice to atone for the offense against his relatives, the king, having obtained wealth, pondered other means than taxes and fines.

तदभिप्रेतमालक्ष्य भ्रातरोऽच्युतचोदिताः । धनं प्रहीणमाजह्रुः उदीच्यां दिशि भूरिशः

Perceiving his intention, his brothers, prompted by Achyuta, brought abundant wealth from the northern direction.

तेन सम्भृतसम्भारो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । वाजिमेधैः त्रिभिर्भीतो यज्ञैः समयजत् हरिम्

With the resources thus gathered, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, performed three horse sacrifices, worshipping Hari with great fear and reverence.

आहूतो भगवान् राज्ञा याजयित्वा द्विजैर्नृपम् । उवास कतिचित् मासान् सुहृदां प्रियकाम्यया

Invited by the king, the Lord, having had the king consecrated by the brahmins, stayed for some months out of affection for his friends.

ततो राज्ञाभ्यनुज्ञातः कृष्णया सहबन्धुभिः । ययौ द्वारवतीं ब्रह्मन् सार्जुनो यदुभिर्वृतः

Then, permitted by the king, Krishna, together with his relatives, departed for Dvaraka, O Brahman, accompanied by Arjuna and the Yadus.

एतत्कौमारजं कर्म हरेरात्माहिमोक्षणम् । मृत्योः पौगण्डके बाला दृष्ट्वोचुर्विस्मिता व्रजे

This childhood deed of Hari, the deliverance of his devotee, was witnessed by the boys in Vraja during their youth, and they spoke of it in wonder.

( मिश्र ) नैतद् विचित्रं मनुजार्भमायिनः परावराणां परमस्य वेधसः । अघोऽपि यत्स्पर्शनधौतपातकः प्रापात्मसाम्यं त्वसतां सुदुर्लभम्

This is not surprising for the Supreme Creator, who assumes human form for his pastimes; even Agha, whose sins were washed away by his touch, attained equality with the self, which is extremely rare for the wicked.

( वंशस्था ) सकृद्यदङ्‌गप्रतिमान्तराहिता मनोमयी भागवतीं ददौ गतिम् । स एव नित्यात्मसुखानुभूत्यभि व्युदस्तमायोऽन्तर्गतो हि किं पुनः

He, who but once placed the image of the Lord within his mind, attained the supreme path of devotion; what then of one who, free from illusion, constantly experiences the bliss of the eternal self?

श्रीसूत उवाच । ( इंद्रवज्रा ) इत्थं द्विजा यादवदेवदत्तः श्रुत्वा स्वरातुश्चरितं विचित्रम् । पप्रच्छ भूयोऽपि तदेव पुण्यं वैयासकिं यन्निगृहीतचेताः

Sūta said: Thus, O twice-born, Yudhishthira, having heard the wondrous deeds of Krishna, again asked Suka, his mind absorbed in that sacred narrative.

श्रीराजोवाच । ( अनुष्टुप् ) ब्रह्मन् कालान्तरकृतं तत्कालीनं कथं भवेत् । यत्कौमारे हरिकृतं जगुः पौगण्डकेऽर्भकाः

The king said: O Brahman, how could that which was done by Hari in childhood be sung by the boys in their youth, when it happened in a different time?

तद् ब्रूहि मे महायोगिन् परं कौतूहलं गुरो । नूनमेतद्धरेरेव माया भवति नान्यथा

O great yogi, O revered teacher, please tell me this supreme wonder; surely, this is nothing but the work of Hari's māyā—there is no other explanation.