अस्मिन् वसति दुष्टात्मा कालीयो ऽसौ विषायुधः यो मया निर्जितस् त्यक्त्वा दुष्टो नष्टः पयोनिधौ
Here dwells that wicked-hearted Kāliya, armed with poison, whom I once defeated and who, having been expelled, vanished into the ocean.
तेनेयं दूषिता सर्वा यमुना सागरंगमा न नरैर् गोधनैर् वापि तृषार्तैर् उपभुज्यते
By him, this entire Yamunā, which flows to the sea, has been polluted; neither men nor cattle, nor even the thirsty, can make use of it.
तद् अस्य नागराजस्य कर्तव्यो निग्रहो मया नित्यत्रस्ताः सुखं येन चरेयुर् व्रजवासिनः
Therefore, I must subdue this serpent king, so that the people of Vraja, who are always fearful, may live in happiness.
एतदर्थं नृलोके ऽस्मिन्न् अवतारो मया कृतः यद् एषाम् उत्पथस्थानां कार्या शास्तिर् दुरात्मनाम्
For this purpose, I have taken birth in the world of men: to discipline those evil ones who stray from the right path.
तद् एतन् नातिदूरस्थं कदम्बम् उरुशाखिनम् अधिरुह्योत्पतिष्यामि ह्रदे ऽस्मिञ् जीवनाशिनः
So, I will climb this kadamba tree, with its great branches, not far from here, and leap into this deadly pool.
इत्थं विचिन्त्य बद्ध्वा च गाढं परिकरं ततः निपपात ह्रदे तत्र सर्पराजस्य वेगतः
Thus resolved, fastening his garment tightly, he then leapt swiftly into the pool of the serpent king.
तेनापि पतता तत्र क्षोभितः स महाह्रदः अत्यर्थदूरजातांश् च तांश् चासिञ्चन् महीरुहान्
By his very fall, that great pool was agitated, and he drenched the distant trees with the water.
ते ऽहिदुष्टविषज्वालातप्ताम्बुतपनोक्षिताः जज्वलुः पादपाः सद्यो ज्वालाव्याप्तदिगन्तराः
Those trees, scorched by the heat of the serpent's poisonous flames and the burning water, blazed up at once, their flames filling all directions.
आस्फोटयाम् आस तदा कृष्णो नागह्रदं भुजैः तच्छब्दश्रवणाच् चाथ नागराजो ऽभ्युपागमत्
Then Krishna struck the serpent's pool with his arms, and hearing that sound, the serpent king approached.
आताम्रनयनः कोपाद् विषज्वालाकुलैः फणैः वृतो महाविषैश् चान्यैर् अरुणैर् अनिलाशनैः
His eyes reddened with anger, his hoods blazing with streams of poison, surrounded by other great, red, wind-devouring serpents.
नागपत्न्यश् च शतशो हारिहारोपशोभिताः प्रकम्पिततनूत्क्षेपचलत्कुण्डलकान्तयः
And hundreds of serpent wives, adorned with splendid ornaments, their bodies trembling and their earrings swinging, shone forth.
ततः प्रवेष्टितः सर्पैः स कृष्णो भोगबन्धनैः ददंशुश् चापि ते कृष्णं विषज्वालाविलैर् मुखैः
Then Krishna was encircled by the serpents with their coils, and they bit him with mouths streaming with poisonous flames.
तं तत्र पतितं दृष्ट्वा नागभोगनिपीडितम् गोपा व्रजम् उपागत्य चुक्रुशुः शोकलालसाः
Seeing him fallen there, crushed by the coils of the serpent, the cowherds, filled with grief, hurried back to Vraja, crying out.
एष कृष्णो गतो मोहमग्नो वै कालिये ह्रदे भक्ष्यते सर्पराजेन तद् आगच्छत मा चिरम्
"Krishna has lost consciousness and is submerged in Kāliya's pool; he is being devoured by the serpent king—come quickly, do not delay!"
एतच् छ्रुत्वा ततो गोपा वज्रपातोपमं वचः गोप्यश् च त्वरिता जग्मुर् यशोदाप्रमुखा ह्रदम्
Hearing these thunderous words, the cowherds and the women, led by Yashoda, hurried swiftly to the pool.
हा हा क्वासाव् इति जनो गोपीनाम् अतिविह्वलः यशोदया समं भ्रान्तो द्रुतः प्रस्खलितो ययौ
Crying out, "Alas! Where is he?" the people, especially the cowherd women, distraught, rushed together with Yashoda, stumbling as they went.
नन्दगोपश् च गोपाश् च रामश् चाद्भुतविक्रमः त्वरितं यमुनां जग्मुः कृष्णदर्शनलालसाः
Nanda the cowherd, the other cowherds, and Rama of wondrous might, eager to see Krishna, quickly went to the Yamuna.
ददृशुश् चापि ते तत्र सर्पराजवशंगतम् निष्प्रयत्नं कृतं कृष्णं सर्पभोगेन वेष्टितम्
There they saw Krishna, rendered motionless under the power of the serpent king, bound by the coils of the serpent, unable to act.
नन्दगोपश् च निश्चेष्टः पश्यन् पुत्रमुखं भृशम् यशोदा च महाभागा बभूव मुनिसत्तमाः
Nanda stood helpless, gazing intently at his son's face, and Yashoda, greatly blessed, became overwhelmed, O best of sages.
गोप्यस् त्व् अन्या रुदत्यश् च ददृशुः शोककातराः प्रोचुश् च केशवं प्रीत्या भयकातरगद्गदम्
The other cowherd women, weeping and distressed with sorrow, saw this and spoke to Keshava with affection, their voices trembling with fear.
सर्वा यशोदया सार्धं विशामो ऽत्र महाह्रदे नागराजस्य नो गन्तुम् अस्माकं युज्यते व्रजे
All of us, together with Yashoda, will enter this great pool; it is not fitting for us to return to Vraja without the lord of the serpents allowing us.
दिवसः को विना सूर्यं विना चन्द्रेण का निशा विना दुग्धेन का गावो विना कृष्णेन को व्रजः विनाकृता न यास्यामः कृष्णेनानेन गोकुलम्
What is a day without the sun? What is night without the moon? What are cows without milk? What is Vraja without Krishna? Without him, we will not return to Gokula.
इति गोपीवचः श्रुत्वा रौहिणेयो महाबलः उवाच गोपान् विधुरान् विलोक्य स्तिमितेक्षणः
Hearing these words of the gopis, the mighty son of Rohini, beholding the cowherds stricken and silent, spoke.
नन्दं च दीनम् अत्यर्थं न्यस्तदृष्टिं सुतानने मूर्छाकुलां यशोदां च कृष्णमाहात्म्यसंज्ञया
He saw Nanda, deeply afflicted, his gaze fixed on his son's face, and Yashoda, faint with distress, thinking only of Krishna's greatness.
किम् अयं देवदेवेश भावो ऽयं मानुषस् त्वया व्यज्यते स्वं तम् आत्मानं किम् अन्यं त्वं न वेत्सि यत्
O Lord of gods, why do you display this human nature? Reveal your true self; do you not know who you truly are?
त्वम् अस्य जगतो नाभिः सुराणाम् एव चाश्रयः कर्तापहर्ता पाता च त्रैलोक्यं त्वं त्रयीमयः
You are the navel of this universe, the refuge of the gods; you are the creator, destroyer, and protector of the three worlds, and you are the embodiment of the three Vedas.
अत्रावतीर्णयोः कृष्ण गोपा एव हि बान्धवाः गोप्यश् च सीदतः कस्मात् त्वं बन्धून् समुपेक्षसे
Here, Krishna, only the cowherds are your kin, since you have descended; the gopis are sitting here—why do you neglect your relatives?
दर्शितो मानुषो भावो दर्शितं बालचेष्टितम् तद् अयं दम्यतां कृष्ण दुरात्मा दशनायुधः
You have shown a human nature and childish behavior; now subdue this wicked, sharp-toothed serpent, Krishna.
इति संस्मारितः कृष्णः स्मितभिन्नौष्ठसंपुटः आस्फाल्य मोचयाम् आस स्वं देहं भोगबन्धनात्
Thus reminded, Krishna, his lips parted in a smile, struck the coils and freed himself from the serpent's bondage.
आनाम्य चापि हस्ताभ्याम् उभाभ्यां मध्यमं फणम् आरुह्य भुग्नशिरसः प्रननर्तोरुविक्रमः
Bending down, Krishna, of great might, climbed with both hands onto the central hood and, bowing his head, danced upon it.