इत्य् उक्त्वा प्रययौ कृष्णः प्राद्युम्निर् यत्र तिष्ठति तद्बन्धफणिनो नेशुर् गरुडानिलशोषिताः
Having spoken thus, Krishna went to where Pradyumna was, and the serpents binding him could not move, dried up by Garuda's wind.
ततो ऽनिरुद्धम् आरोप्य सपत्नीकं गरुत्मति आजग्मुर् द्वारकां रामकार्ष्णिदामोदराः पुरीम्
Then, placing Aniruddha together with his wife on Garuda, Rama, Krishna, and Damodara returned to the city of Dvaraka.
चक्रे कर्म महच् छौरिर् बिभ्रद् यो मानुषीं तनुम् जिगाय शक्रं शर्वं च सर्वदेवांश् च लीलया
Hari, who performed great deeds while bearing a human form, effortlessly defeated Indra, Shiva, and all the gods.
यच् चान्यद् अकरोत् कर्म दिव्यचेष्टाविघातकृत् कथ्यतां तन् मुनिश्रेष्ठ परं कौतूहलं हि नः
And whatever other deeds he performed, destroying obstacles to divine acts—let these be told, O best of sages, for we have great curiosity.
गदतो मे मुनिश्रेष्ठाः श्रूयताम् इदम् आदरात् नरावतारे कृष्णेन दग्धा वाराणसी यथा
As I speak, O best of sages, listen with attention to how, in his human incarnation, Krishna burned Varanasi.
पौण्ड्रको वासुदेवश् च वासुदेवो ऽभवद् भुवि अवतीर्णस् त्वम् इत्य् उक्तो जनैर् अज्ञानमोहितैः
Paundraka Vasudeva, and Vasudeva himself, appeared on earth; people, deluded by ignorance, said to him, 'You have descended as Vasudeva.'
स मेने वासुदेवो ऽहम् अवतीर्णो महीतले नष्टस्मृतिस् ततः सर्वं विष्णुचिह्नम् अचीकरत् दूतं च प्रेषयाम् आस स कृष्णाय द्विजोत्तमाः
He thought, 'I am Vasudeva, descended to earth.' His memory lost, he adopted all the emblems of Vishnu and sent a messenger to Krishna, O best of Brahmins.
त्यक्त्वा चक्रादिकं चिह्नं मदीयं नाम मात्मनः वासुदेवात्मकं मूढ मुक्त्वा सर्वम् अशेषतः
Abandoning the discus and other emblems, and his own name, the deluded one, thinking himself Vasudeva, gave up everything completely.
आत्मनो जीवितार्थं च तथा मे प्रणतिं व्रज
For the sake of your own life, likewise, offer me your submission.
इत्य् उक्तः स प्रहस्यैव दूतं प्राह जनार्दनः
Thus addressed, Janārdana laughed and spoke to the messenger.
निजचिह्नम् अहं चक्रं समुत्स्रक्ष्ये त्वयीति वै वाच्यश् च पौण्ड्रको गत्वा त्वया दूत वचो मम
Go and tell Pauṇḍraka these words of mine: 'I will indeed hurl my own emblem, the discus, at you.'
ज्ञातस् त्वद्वाक्यसद्भावो यत् कार्यं तद् विधीयताम् गृहीतचिह्न एवाहम् आगमिष्यामि ते पुरम्
Once you have conveyed my true message, do what must be done; when I have taken back my emblem, I will come to your city.
उत्स्रक्ष्यामि च ते चक्रं निजचिह्नम् असंशयम् आज्ञापूर्वं च यद् इदम् आगच्छेति त्वयोदितम्
Without doubt, I will hurl my discus, my own emblem, at you, just as you have commanded me to come—this is what you are to say.
संपादयिष्ये श्वस् तुभ्यं तद् अप्य् एषो ऽविलम्बितम् शरणं ते समभ्येत्य कर्तास्मि नृपते तथा यथा त्वत्तो भयं भूयो नैव किंचिद् भविष्यति
I will accomplish this for you tomorrow, without delay; having come to you for refuge, O king, I will act so that you will never again have any fear from me.
इत्य् उक्ते ऽपगते दूते संस्मृत्याभ्यागतं हरिः गरुत्मन्तं समारुह्य त्वरितं तत्पुरं ययौ
When the messenger had departed after these words, Hari remembered and mounted Garuḍa, and swiftly went to that city.
तस्यापि केशवोद्योगं श्रुत्वा काशिपतिस् तदा सर्वसैन्यपरीवारपार्ष्णिग्राहम् उपाययौ
Hearing then of Keśava's preparations, the king of Kāśī, with all his army and followers, came to his support.
ततो बलेन महता काशिराजबलेन च पौण्ड्रको वासुदेवो ऽसौ केशवाभिमुखं ययौ
Then Pauṇḍraka Vāsudeva, with his great army and the forces of the king of Kāśī, advanced to face Keśava.
तं ददर्श हरिर् दूराद् उदारस्यन्दने स्थितम् चक्रशङ्खगदापाणिं पाणिना विधृताम्बुजम्
From a distance, Hari saw him standing on a splendid chariot, holding discus, conch, and mace, and a lotus in his hand.
स्रग्धरं धृतशार्ङ्गं च सुपर्णरचनाध्वजम् वक्षस्थलकृतं चास्य श्रीवत्सं ददृशे हरिः
Hari saw him adorned with a garland, bearing the bow Śārṅga, with a banner fashioned after Garuḍa, and the Śrīvatsa mark on his chest.
किरीटकुण्डलधरं पीतवासःसमन्वितम् दृष्ट्वा तं भावगम्भीरं जहास मधुसूदनः
Seeing him, wearing a crown and earrings, clad in yellow garments, and with a deep and serious demeanor, Madhusūdana laughed.
युयुधे च बलेनास्य हस्त्यश्वबलिना द्विजाः निस्त्रिंशर्ष्टिगदाशूलशक्तिकार्मुकशालिना
And, O twice-born, he fought with great strength, with elephants, horses, and warriors armed with swords, spears, maces, tridents, and bows.
क्षणेन शार्ङ्गनिर्मुक्तैः शरैर् अग्निविदारणैः गदाचक्रातिपातैश् च सूदयाम् आस तद्बलम्
In a moment, with arrows released from Śārṅga blazing like fire, and with blows of the mace and discus, he destroyed that army.
काशिराजबलं चैव क्षयं नीत्वा जनार्दनः उवाच पौण्ड्रकं मूढम् आत्मचिह्नोपलक्षणम्
Having brought the army of the king of Kāśī to ruin, Janārdana addressed the foolish Pauṇḍraka, who bore the marks of his own emblems.
पौण्ड्रकोक्तं त्वया यत् तद् दूतवक्त्रेण मां प्रति समुत्सृजेति चिह्नानि तत् ते संपादयाम्य् अहम्
What you said through your messenger to me—that I should hurl my emblems—I will now fulfill for you.
चक्रम् एतत् समुत्सृष्टं गदेयं ते विसर्जिता गरुत्मान् एष निर्दिष्टः समारोहतु ते ध्वजम्
Here is the discus hurled, here is the mace cast at you, and let Garuḍa, too, as directed, ascend your banner.
इत्य् उच्चार्य विमुक्तेन चक्रेणासौ विदारितः पोथितो गदया भग्नो गरुत्मांश् च गरुत्मता
Having spoken thus, he was pierced by the released discus, struck down by the mace, and Garuḍa, too, was shattered by Garuḍa.
ततो हाहाकृते लोके काशीनाम् अधिपस् तदा युयुधे वासुदेवेन मित्रस्यापचितौ स्थितः
Then, as cries of distress arose in the world, the king of Kashi fought with Vasudeva, standing firm to avenge his ally.
ततः शार्ङ्गविनिर्मुक्तैश् छित्त्वा तस्य शरैः शिरः काशिपुर्यां स चिक्षेप कुर्वंल् लोकस्य विस्मयम्
Thereupon, with arrows released from the Sharnga bow, he severed that king’s head and cast it into the city of Kashi, causing wonder among the people.
हत्वा तु पौण्ड्रकं शौरिः काशिराजं च सानुगम् रेमे द्वारवतीं प्राप्तो ऽमरः स्वर्गगतो यथा
Having slain Paundraka and the king of Kashi along with his followers, Shauri rejoiced, entering Dvaravati like an immortal ascending to heaven.
तच्छिरः पतितं तत्र दृष्ट्वा काशिपतेः पुरे जनः किम् एतद् इत्य् आह केनेत्य् अत्यन्तविस्मितः
When the people in the city of the king of Kashi saw that head fallen there, they were utterly astonished and said, 'What is this? By whom was this done?'