अथोपवाह्याद् आदाय घण्टाम् ऐरावताद् गजात् अभिषेकं तया चक्रे पवित्रजलपूर्णया
Then, taking a bell from the ceremonial elephant Airavata, he performed the anointing with it, filled with pure water.
क्रियमाणे ऽभिषेके तु गावः कृष्णस्य तत्क्षणात् प्रस्रवोद्भूतदुग्धार्द्रां सद्यश् चक्रुर् वसुंधराम्
As the anointing was being performed, at that very moment, the cows made the earth moist with streams of milk that flowed forth.
अभिषिच्य गवां वाक्याद् देवेन्द्रो वै जनार्दनम् प्रीत्या सप्रश्रयं कृष्णं पुनर् आह शचीपतिः
Having completed the anointing, at the word of the cows, Indra addressed Janardana with affection and humility, again speaking to Krishna.
गवाम् एतत् कृतं वाक्यात् तथान्यद् अपि मे शृणु यद् ब्रवीमि महाभाग भारावतरणेच्छया
By the word of the cows this has been done; now hear from me as well, O greatly fortunate one, what I say out of desire to relieve the earth's burden.
ममांशः पुरुषव्याघ्रः पृथिव्यां पृथिवीधर अवतीर्णो ऽर्जुनो नाम स रक्ष्यो भवता सदा
A portion of myself, the tiger among men, has descended to earth as Arjuna, the bearer of the earth; he must always be protected by you.
भारावतरणे सख्यं स ते वीरः करिष्यति स रक्षणीयो भवता यथात्मा मधुसूदन
In the task of relieving the earth's burden, that hero will be your companion; he must be protected by you, O Madhusudana, as you would protect your own self.
जानामि भारते वंशे जातं पार्थं तवांशतः तम् अहं पालयिष्यामि यावद् अस्मि महीतले
I know that Partha, born in the Bharata lineage, is a portion of yourself; I will protect him as long as I remain upon the earth.
यावन् महीतले शक्र स्थास्याम्य् अहम् अरिंदम न तावद् अर्जुनं कश्चिद् देवेन्द्र युधि जेष्यति
As long as I, O destroyer of foes, remain upon the earth, no one will defeat Arjuna in battle, O Indra of the gods.
कंसो नाम महाबाहुर् दैत्यो ऽरिष्टस् तथा परः केशी कुवलयापीडो नरकाद्यास् तथापरे
Kamsa, the mighty-armed demon, and likewise Arishta, Keshi, Kuvalayapida, Naraka, and others besides.
हतेषु तेषु देवेन्द्र भविष्यति महाहवः तत्र विद्धि सहस्राक्ष भारावतरणं कृतम्
When those are slain, O Indra, there will be a great battle; know then, O thousand-eyed one, that the burden of the earth will have been lifted.
स त्वं गच्छ न संतापं पुत्रार्थे कर्तुम् अर्हसि नार्जुनस्य रिपुः कश्चिन् ममाग्रे प्रभविष्यति
So you may go; you should not grieve for your son, for no enemy of Arjuna will prevail before me.
अर्जुनार्थे त्व् अहं सर्वान् युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमान् निवृत्ते भारते युद्धे कुन्त्यै दास्यामि विक्षतान्
For Arjuna's sake, I will return all the wounded, led by Yudhishthira, to Kunti when the Bharata war is over.
इत्य् उक्तः संपरिष्वज्य देवराजो जनार्दनम् आरुह्यैरावतं नागं पुनर् एव दिवं ययौ
Thus addressed, the king of the gods embraced Janardana, mounted the elephant Airavata, and returned again to heaven.
कृष्णो ऽपि सहितो गोभिर् गोपालैश् च पुनर् व्रजम् आजगामाथ गोपीनां दृष्टपूतेन वर्त्मना
Krishna also, accompanied by the cows and cowherds, returned again to Vraja by the path purified by the sight of the gopis.
गते शक्रे तु गोपालाः कृष्णम् अक्लिष्टकारिणम् ऊचुः प्रीत्या धृतं दृष्ट्वा तेन गोवर्धनाचलम्
When Shakra had departed, the cowherds spoke to Krishna, the doer of flawless deeds, with affection, having seen him hold up Govardhana mountain.
वयम् अस्मान् महाभाग भवता महतो भयात् गावश् च भवता त्राता गिरिधारणकर्मणा
O greatly fortunate one, you have saved us and the cows from great danger by the act of holding up the mountain.
बालक्रीडेयम् अतुला गोपालत्वं जुगुप्सितम् दिव्यं च कर्म भवतः किम् एतत् तात कथ्यताम्
This incomparable play of childhood, this cowherd role is astonishing; your deed is divine—what is the meaning of this, father? Please tell us.
कालियो दमितस् तोये प्रलम्बो विनिपातितः धृतो गोवर्धनश् चायं शङ्कितानि मनांसि नः
Kaliya has been subdued in the water, Pralamba has been cast down, and Govardhana has been held up—our minds are filled with wonder.
सत्यं सत्यं हरेः पादौ श्रयामो ऽमितविक्रम यथा त्वद्वीर्यम् आलोक्य न त्वां मन्यामहे नरम्
Truly, truly, we take refuge at the feet of Hari, O one of boundless valor. Having witnessed your power, we cannot consider you to be a mere man.
देवो वा दानवो वा त्वं यक्षो गन्धर्व एव वा किं चास्माकं विचारेण बान्धवो ऽस्ति नमो ऽस्तु ते
Whether you are a god, a demon, a yaksha, or even a gandharva—whatever you may be, what concern is it of ours to inquire? You are our kinsman. Salutations to you.
प्रीतिः सस्त्रीकुमारस्य व्रजस्य तव केशव कर्म चेदम् अशक्यं यत् समस्तैस् त्रिदशैर् अपि
The affection of the women and children of your cowherd community, O Keshava, is yours. This deed of yours is impossible even for all the gods together.
बालत्वं चातिवीर्यं च जन्म चास्मास्व् अशोभनम् चिन्त्यमानम् अमेयात्मञ् शङ्कां कृष्ण प्रयच्छति
Your childhood, your extraordinary might, and your birth among us seem unfitting; pondering this, O Krishna of immeasurable self, gives rise to doubt.
क्षणं भूत्वा त्व् असौ तूष्णीं किंचित् प्रणयकोपवान् इत्य् एवम् उक्तस् तैर् गोपैर् आह कृष्णो द्विजोत्तमाः
For a moment he became silent, showing a slight affectionate displeasure. Thus addressed by them, Krishna spoke to the cowherds, O best of twice-born.
मत्संबन्धेन वो गोपा यदि लज्जा न जायते श्लाघ्यो वाहं ततः किं वो विचारेण प्रयोजनम्
O cowherds, if you feel no shame in your connection with me, or if I am praiseworthy to you, then what need have you for further deliberation?
यदि वो ऽस्ति मयि प्रीतिः श्लाघ्यो ऽहं भवतां यदि तद् अर्घा बन्धुसदृशी बान्धवाः क्रियतां मयि
If you have affection for me, if I am worthy of your praise, then offer me the respect due to a kinsman, and treat me as one would a relative.
नाहं देवो न गन्धर्वो न यक्षो न च दानवः अहं वो बान्धवो जातो नातश् चिन्त्यम् अतो ऽन्यथा
I am not a god, nor a gandharva, nor a yaksha, nor a demon. I am born as your kinsman; therefore, there is no need to think otherwise.
इति श्रुत्वा हरेर् वाक्यं बद्धमौनास् ततो बलम् ययुर् गोपा महाभागास् तस्मिन् प्रणयकोपिनि
Hearing these words of Hari, the blessed cowherds, bound by silence, departed from that place where he showed affectionate displeasure.
कृष्णस् तु विमलं व्योम शरच्चन्द्रस्य चन्द्रिकाम् तथा कुमुदिनीं फुल्लाम् आमोदितदिगन्तराम्
Krishna beheld the spotless sky, the moonlight of the autumn moon, and the blooming water-lily, filling the directions with fragrance.
वनराजीं तथा कूजद्भृङ्गमालामनोरमाम् विलोक्य सह गोपीभिर् मनश् चक्रे रतिं प्रति
He saw the line of forest trees, delightful with swarms of humming bees, and, together with the cowherd women, turned his mind toward love.
सह रामेण मधुरम् अतीव वनिताप्रियम् जगौ कमलपादो ऽसौ नाम तत्र कृतव्रतः
With Rama, the lotus-footed one sang sweetly—a song most dear to women—there, having undertaken his vow.