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?
यथाहं भवता सृष्टो जात्या रूपेण चेश्वरः स्वभावेन च संयुक्तस् तथेदं चेष्टितं मया
Just as I was created by You, O Lord, with my birth and form, and endowed with my own nature, so too have I acted in this way.
यद्य् अन्यथा प्रवर्तेय देवदेव ततो मयि न्याय्यो दण्डनिपातस् ते तवैव वचनं यथा
If I were to act otherwise, O God of gods, then it would be just for You to punish me, according to Your command.
तथापि यं जगत्स्वामी दण्डं पातितवान् मयि स सोढो ऽयं वरो दण्डस् त्वत्तो नान्यो ऽस्तु मे वरः
Still, whatever punishment the Lord of the universe has inflicted upon me, I have endured; let there be no other boon for me than this punishment from You.
हतवीर्यो हतविषो दमितो ऽहं त्वयाच्युत जीवितं दीयताम् एकम् आज्ञापय करोमि किम्
My strength is destroyed, my venom is gone, and I am subdued by You, O Achyuta; grant me life—command me, what shall I do?
नात्र स्थेयं त्वया सर्प कदाचिद् यमुनाजले सभृत्यपरिवारस् त्वं समुद्रसलिलं व्रज
You must not remain here, O serpent, at any time in the waters of the Yamuna; with your attendants and followers, go to the ocean's waters.
मत्पदानि च ते सर्प दृष्ट्वा मूर्धनि सागरे गरुडः पन्नगरिपुस् त्वयि न प्रहरिष्यति
And when you see my footprints, O serpent, on your head in the ocean, Garuda, the enemy of serpents, will not attack you.
इत्य् उक्त्वा सर्पराजानं मुमोच भगवान् हरिः प्रणम्य सो ऽपि कृष्णाय जगाम पयसां निधिम्
Having spoken thus to the king of serpents, the blessed Hari released him; and he, bowing to Krishna, went to the abode of waters.
पश्यतां सर्वभूतानां सभृत्यापत्यबन्धवः समस्तभार्यासहितः परित्यज्य स्वकं ह्रदम्
In the sight of all beings, with his attendants, children, and kin, together with all his wives, he abandoned his own pool.
गते सर्पे परिष्वज्य मृतं पुनर् इवागतम् गोपा मूर्धनि गोविन्दं सिषिचुर् नेत्रजैर् जलैः
When the serpent had departed, the cowherds embraced Govinda, as if returned from the dead, and sprinkled him with tears from their eyes.
कृष्णम् अक्लिष्टकर्माणम् अन्ये विस्मितचेतसः तुष्टुवुर् मुदिता गोपा दृष्ट्वा शिवजलां नदीम्
The cowherds, their minds astonished, joyfully praised Krishna, the doer of flawless deeds, having seen the river restored to auspicious waters.
गीयमानो ऽथ गोपीभिश् चरितैश् चारुचेष्टितैः संस्तूयमानो गोपालैः कृष्णो व्रजम् उपागमत्
Then, as the cowherd women sang of his deeds and charming exploits, and the cowherds praised him, Krishna entered Vraja.
गाः पालयन्तौ च पुनः सहितौ रामकेशवौ भ्रममाणौ वने तत्र रम्यं तालवनं गतौ
Once again, Rāma and Keśava, tending the cows together, wandered in the forest and came to the delightful Tāla grove.
तच् च तालवनं नित्यं धेनुको नाम दानवः नृगोमांसकृताहारः सदाध्यास्ते खराकृतिः
And in that Tāla forest, there always dwells a demon named Dhenuka, who, in the form of a donkey, constantly feeds on the flesh of men and cattle.
तत्र तालवनं रम्यं फलसंपत्समन्वितम् दृष्ट्वा स्पृहान्विता गोपाः फलादाने ऽब्रुवन् वचः
There, seeing the delightful Tāla forest abundant with fruit, the cowherds, filled with longing, spoke words about gathering the fruit.
हे राम हे कृष्ण सदा धेनुकेनैव रक्ष्यते भूप्रदेशो यतस् तस्मात् त्यक्तानीमानि सन्ति वै
O Rāma, O Krishna, this land is always guarded by Dhenuka; therefore, these fruits remain here, abandoned.
फलानि पश्य तालानां गन्धमोदयुतानि वै वयम् एतान्य् अभीप्सामः पात्यन्तां यदि रोचते
See the fruits of the palm trees, fragrant and ripe; we desire these—let them be brought down, if you are willing.
इति गोपकुमाराणां श्रुत्वा संकर्षणो वचः कृष्णश् च पातयाम् आस भुवि तालफलानि वै
Hearing the words of the cowherd boys, Sankarṣaṇa and Krishna began to bring down the palm fruits to the ground.
तालानां पततां शब्दम् आकर्ण्यासुरराट् ततः आजगाम स दुष्टात्मा कोपाद् दैतेयगर्दभः
Hearing the sound of the falling palms, the king of the demons, that wicked-hearted Daitya in donkey form, came there in anger.
पद्भ्याम् उभाभ्यां स तदा पश्चिमाभ्यां च तं बली जघानोरसि ताभ्यां च स च तेनाप्य् अगृह्यत
Then that powerful one struck Baladeva on the chest with both his hind legs, but Baladeva seized him with those very legs.
गृहीत्वा भ्रामणेनैव चाम्बरे गतजीवितम् तस्मिन्न् एव प्रचिक्षेप वेगेन तृणराजनि
Seizing him, Baladeva whirled him around in the air, and, lifeless, hurled him with force onto the top of a palm tree.