Bhagavata Purana

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.

वयं धन्यतमा लोके गुरोऽपि क्षत्रबन्धवः । यत् पिबामो मुहुस्त्वत्तः पुण्यं कृष्णकथामृतम्

We are the most fortunate in the world, O teacher, though we are but kṣatriyas in name, for we constantly drink from you the nectar of Krishna's sacred stories.

श्रीसूत उवाच । ( इंद्रवंशा ) इत्थं स्म पृष्टः स तु बादरायणिः तत्स्मारितानन्तहृताखिलेन्द्रियः । कृच्छ्रात् पुनर्लब्धबहिर्दृशिः शनैः प्रत्याह तं भागवतोत्तमोत्तम

Śrī Sūta said: Thus questioned, the son of Badarāyaṇa, whose senses were absorbed in the infinite heart, was reminded; regaining his outward vision with effort, he slowly replied to that foremost devotee of the Bhāgavata.

इति चोक्तं द्विजश्रेष्ठा यत्पृष्टोऽहं इहास्मि वः । लीलावतारकर्माणि कीर्तितानीह सर्वशः

O best of the twice-born, as you have asked me here, I have recounted in full the playful incarnations and deeds of the Lord.

पतितः स्खलितश्चार्तः क्षुत्त्वा वा विवशो ब्रुवन् । हरये नम इत्युच्चैः मुच्यते सर्वपातकात्

Whether fallen, stumbling, distressed, cut, or helpless, whoever loudly utters 'obeisance to Hari' is freed from all sin.

(उपेंद्रवज्रा) सङ्‌कीर्त्यमानो भगवान् अनन्तः श्रुतानुभावो व्यसनं हि पुंसाम् । प्रविश्य चित्तं विधुनोत्यशेषं यथा तमोऽर्कोऽभ्रमिवातिवातः

When the infinite Lord is glorified, whose power is realized through hearing, He enters the heart of people and completely cleanses their suffering, just as the sun and a strong wind dispel darkness and clouds.

(मिश्र-१२) मृषा गिरस्ता ह्यसतीरसत्कथा न कथ्यते यद्‌भगवानधोक्षजः । तदेव सत्यं तदुहैव मङ्‌गलं तदेव पुण्यं भगवद्‌गुणोदयम्

Empty words and false stories, which do not speak of the transcendent Lord, are not to be told; only that is truth, only that is auspicious, only that is holy, which brings forth the Lord's virtues.