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.
व्रणाः फणे ऽभवंस् तस्य कृष्णस्याङ्घ्रिविकुट्टनैः यत्रोन्नतिं च कुरुते ननामास्य ततः शिरः
Wounds appeared on the serpent's hood from Krishna's stamping feet; wherever he pressed, the serpent's head bent down.
मूर्छाम् उपाययौ भ्रान्त्या नागः कृष्णस्य कुट्टनैः दण्डपातनिपातेन ववाम रुधिरं बहु
Dazed by Krishna's blows and the force of his strikes, the serpent became unconscious and vomited much blood.
तं निर्भुग्नशिरोग्रीवम् आस्यप्रस्रुतशोणितम् विलोक्य शरणं जग्मुस् तत्पत्न्यो मधुसूदनम्
Seeing him with neck and head bent, blood flowing from his mouth, the serpent's wives approached Madhusudana for refuge.
ज्ञातो ऽसि देवदेवेश सर्वेशस् त्वम् अनुत्तम परं ज्योतिर् अचिन्त्यं यत् तदंशः परमेश्वरः
You are known, O Lord of gods, supreme ruler of all, the highest light, inconceivable, that portion of the Supreme Lord.
न समर्थाः सुर स्तोतुं यम् अनन्यभवं प्रभुम् स्वरूपवर्णनं तस्य कथं योषित् करिष्यति
Even the gods are not able to praise that Lord whose nature is beyond all else; how then could a woman describe His true form?
यस्याखिलमहीव्योमजलाग्निपवनात्मकम् ब्रह्माण्डम् अल्पकांशांशः स्तोष्यामस् तं कथं वयम्
He whose very small portion is the entire universe of earth, sky, water, fire, and air—how could we possibly praise Him?
ततः कुरु जगत्स्वामिन् प्रसादम् अवसीदतः प्राणांस् त्यजति नागो ऽयं भर्तृभिक्षा प्रदीयताम्
Therefore, O Lord of the universe, show mercy to this one who is fainting; this serpent is giving up his life—grant him the boon of a master.
इत्य् उक्ते ताभिर् आश्वास्य क्लान्तदेहो ऽपि पन्नगः प्रसीद देवदेवेति प्राह वाक्यं शनैः शनैः
When they had spoken thus, the serpent, though exhausted in body, was reassured and slowly, slowly spoke these words: 'Be gracious, O God of gods.'
तवाष्टगुणम् ऐश्वर्यं नाथ स्वाभाविकं परम् निरस्तातिशयं यस्य तस्य स्तोष्यामि किं न्व् अहम्
Your eightfold sovereignty, O Lord, is supremely natural and beyond comparison; what praise could I possibly offer to You?
त्वं परस् त्वं परस्याद्यः परं त्वं तत्परात्मकम् परस्मात् परमो यस् त्वं तस्य स्तोष्यामि किं न्व् अहम्
You are the Supreme, the origin of the Supreme, and the essence of the Supreme; You are higher than the highest—what praise could I possibly offer to You?