कंसस् तूर्णम् उपेत्यैनां ततो जग्राह बालिकाम् मुञ्च मुञ्चेति देवक्यासन्नकण्ठं निवारितः
Kaṃsa quickly came and seized the girl, though Devakī, with her neck adorned, pleaded, 'Let go, let go!'
चिक्षेप च शिलापृष्ठे सा क्षिप्ता वियति स्थितिम् अवाप रूपं च महत् सायुधाष्टमहाभुजम् प्रजहास तथैवोच्चैः कंसं च रुषिताब्रवीत्
He hurled her upon a stone, but as she was thrown, she remained suspended in the air, assuming a great form with eight mighty arms, bearing weapons. She laughed loudly and, enraged, spoke to Kaṃsa.
किं मयाक्षिप्तया कंस जातो यस् त्वां हनिष्यति सर्वस्वभूतो देवानाम् आसीन् मृत्युः पुरा स ते तद् एतत् संप्रधार्याशु क्रियतां हितम् आत्मनः
"Why do you attack me, Kaṃsa? The one who will kill you has already been born. He, who is the very essence of the gods and was formerly their death, is now your doom. Consider this well and quickly act for your own good."
इत्य् उक्त्वा प्रययौ देवी दिव्यस्रग्गन्धभूषणा पश्यतो भोजराजस्य स्तुता सिद्धैर् विहायसा
Having spoken thus, the goddess, adorned with divine garlands, scents, and ornaments, departed through the sky as the king of the Bhojas looked on, praised by the Siddhas.
कंसस् त्व् अथोद्विग्नमनाः प्राह सर्वान् महासुरान् प्रलम्बकेशिप्रमुखान् आहूयासुरपुंगवान्
Then Kaṃsa, his mind greatly disturbed, summoned all the great Asuras, headed by Pralamba and Keśi, and addressed the foremost of the demons.
हे प्रलम्ब महाबाहो केशिन् धेनुक पूतने अरिष्टाद्यैस् तथा चान्यैः श्रूयतां वचनं मम
"O Pralamba, mighty-armed one, Keśin, Dhenuka, Pūtanā, Ariṣṭa, and others as well, hear my words."
मां हन्तुम् अमरैर् यत्नः कृतः किल दुरात्मभिः मद्वीर्यतापितान् वीरान् न त्व् एतान् गणयाम्य् अहम्
The wicked gods indeed made efforts to kill me, but I do not count as anything those heroes who have been tormented by my own power.
आश्चर्यं कन्यया चोक्तं जायते दैत्यपुंगवाः हास्यं मे जायते वीरास् तेषु यत्नपरेष्व् अपि
It is astonishing what the maiden has said, O chiefs of the Daityas; it makes me laugh at those so-called heroes, even though they strive with all their might.
तथापि खलु दुष्टानां तेषाम् अप्य् अधिकं मया अपकाराय दैत्येन्द्रा यतनीयं दुरात्मनाम्
Nevertheless, O lords of the Daityas, I must make even greater efforts to harm those wicked ones.
उत्पन्नश् चापि मृत्युर् मे भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः इत्य् एतद् बालिका प्राह देवकीगर्भसंभवा
And death has arisen for me, the lord of past, future, and present—thus spoke the maiden, who was born from Devakī’s womb.
तस्माद् बालेषु परमो यत्नः कार्यो महीतले यत्रोद्रिक्तं बलं बाले स हन्तव्यः प्रयत्नतः
Therefore, utmost effort must be made concerning children on earth; wherever a child displays extraordinary strength, he must be killed with all care.
इत्य् आज्ञाप्यासुरान् कंसः प्रविश्यात्मगृहं ततः उवाच वसुदेवं च देवकीम् अविरोधतः
Having thus commanded the Asuras, Kaṃsa then entered his own house and spoke without opposition to Vasudeva and Devakī.
युवयोर् घातिता गर्भा वृथैवैते मयाधुना को ऽप्य् अन्य एव नाशाय बालो मम समुद्गतः
The embryos of you two have been slain by me in vain; now, some other child has arisen for my destruction.
तद् अलं परितापेन नूनं यद् भाविनो हि ते अर्भका युवयोः को वा आयुषो ऽन्ते न हन्यते
So enough of grief—surely, whatever is destined will happen; which child of yours is not slain at the destined end of life?
इत्य् आश्वास्य विमुच्यैव कंसस् तौ परितोष्य च अन्तर्गृहं द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रविवेश पुनः स्वकम्
Thus consoling and releasing them, and having satisfied them, Kaṃsa entered his inner chambers again, O best of twice-born.
विमुक्तो वसुदेवो ऽपि नन्दस्य शकटं गतः प्रहृष्टं दृष्टवान् नन्दं पुत्रो जातो ममेति वै
Freed, Vasudeva went to Nanda’s cart and saw Nanda rejoicing, saying, 'A son is born to me!'
वसुदेवो ऽपि तं प्राह दिष्ट्या दिष्ट्येति सादरम् वार्धके ऽपि समुत्पन्नस् तनयो ऽयं तवाधुना
Vasudeva also spoke to him respectfully, 'By good fortune, by good fortune, a son has now been born to you even in old age.'
दत्तो हि वार्षिकः सर्वो भवद्भिर् नृपतेः करः यदर्थम् आगतस् तस्मान् नात्र स्थेयं महात्मना
All the annual taxes due to the king have been paid by you; for that purpose you came, so there is no reason for the great-souled to remain here.
यदर्थम् आगतः कार्यं तन् निष्पन्नं किम् आस्यते भवद्भिर् गम्यतां नन्द तच् छीघ्रं निजगोकुलम्
The purpose for which you came has been accomplished; why stay longer? Go, Nanda, quickly to your own cowherd village.
ममापि बालकस् तत्र रोहिणीप्रसवो हि यः स रक्षणीयो भवता यथायं तनयो निजः
My own child is also there, born of Rohiṇī; he must be protected by you just as you protect your own son.
इत्य् उक्ताः प्रययुर् गोपा नन्दगोपपुरोगमाः शकटारोपितैर् भाण्डैः करं दत्त्वा महाबलाः
Thus addressed, the cowherds, led by Nanda, departed, having loaded their goods on carts, paid the tax, and being mighty.
वसतां गोकुले तेषां पूतना बालघातिनी सुप्तं कृष्णम् उपादाय रात्रौ च प्रददौ स्तनम्
While they dwelt in Gokula, Pūtanā, the child-killer, took the sleeping Kṛṣṇa at night and offered him her breast.
यस्मै यस्मै स्तनं रात्रौ पूतना संप्रयच्छति तस्य तस्य क्षणेनाङ्गं बालकस्योपहन्यते
To whichever child Pūtanā gave her breast at night, that child’s body would be harmed in a moment.
कृष्णस् तस्याः स्तनं गाढं कराभ्याम् अतिपीडितम् गृहीत्वा प्राणसहितं पपौ क्रोधसमन्वितः
Kṛṣṇa, seizing her breast tightly with his hands, drank along with her very life, filled with anger.
सा विमुक्तमहारावा विच्छिन्नस्नायुबन्धना पपात पूतना भूमौ म्रियमाणातिभीषणा
She, with her great roar ended, her sinews and joints severed, fell to the ground—Putana, terrifying in her death.
तन्नादश्रुतिसंत्रासाद् विबुद्धास् ते व्रजौकसः ददृशुः पूतनोत्सङ्गे कृष्णं तां च निपातिताम्
Hearing that dreadful cry, the people of Vraja, awakened and alarmed, saw Krishna on Putana’s breast and her body cast down.
आदाय कृष्णं संत्रस्ता यशोदा च ततो द्विजाः गोपुच्छभ्रामणाद्यैश् च बालदोषम् अपाकरोत्
Then Yashoda, trembling, took Krishna in her arms, and with cow-tail whisks and other rites, the brahmins dispelled any evil from the child.
गोपुरीषम् उपादाय नन्दगोपो ऽपि मस्तके कृष्णस्य प्रददौ रक्षां कुर्वन्न् इदम् उदैरयत्
Nanda, too, took cow-dung and placed it on Krishna’s head, offering protection, and uttered these words:
रक्षतु त्वाम् अशेषाणां भूतानां प्रभवो हरिः यस्य नाभिसमुद्भूतात् पङ्कजाद् अभवज् जगत्
May Hari, the source of all beings, protect you—he from whose navel the lotus arose and from which the world was born.
येन दंष्ट्राग्रविधृता धारयत्य् अवनी जगत् वराहरूपधृग् देवः स त्वां रक्षतु केशवः
May Keshava, the god who, in the form of the Boar, held up the earth on his tusk, protect you.