पुरा ते प्राक्तनं सर्व कदाचिन्न हि खण्डितम् । नारायणाश्च स्वांशोन तव पुत्रो भविष्यति
In the past, all your former glory was never diminished; and Nārāyaṇa himself, as a portion of himself, will become your son.
त्रिः सप्तकृत्वो जगतीं निःक्षत्रां च करिष्यति । मृत्युस्ते यशसो बीजं भदिष्यति महीतले
He will make the earth devoid of kṣatriyas twenty-one times; your death will become the seed of fame upon the earth.
इत्येवमुक्त्ता ब्रह्मा च ययौ गेहं व्रजेश्वर । प्रययौ जमदग्निश्च भास्करश्च स्वमन्दिरम्
Having thus spoken, Brahmā went to his home, O lord of Vraja; Jamadagni and Bhāskara also returned to their own abodes.
इत्येवं कथितं तात आख्यानं पुण्यकारकम् । राहुग्रस्तो भास्करश्चाप्यदृश्यो येन हेतुना
Thus, dear one, the auspicious story has been told, by which Bhāskara was seized by Rāhu and became invisible.
चतुर्थ्यामुदितश्चन्द्रो भाद्रे मासि सितासिते । अदृश्यो नष्टरूपश्च श्रूयतां येन हेतुरा
On the fourth day, when the moon rises in the bright and dark halves of the month of Bhādra, he becomes invisible and lost in form—listen to the reason for this.
राहुग्रस्तः कलङ्की वा पुराशप्तो मया पितः । सर्व त्वां कथयिष्यामि कथामेतां पुरातनीम्
Once, my father was seized by Rāhu, stained, and cursed by me; I will tell you this ancient story in full.
इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्णजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo भगवन्नन्दसंo
Thus ends the great and auspicious account of the birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the conversation between Nārada and the blessed Nanda.
अथाशोतितमोऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच पुरा तारा गुरोः पत्नी नवयौवनसंयुता । रत्नभूषणभूषाढ्या वरसूक्ष्माम्बरा सती
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Long ago, Tārā, the wife of the guru, endowed with youthful beauty, adorned with jeweled ornaments and fine garments, was chaste.
सुश्रोणी सस्मिता रम्य सुन्दरी सुमनोहरा । अतीव कबरीरम्या मालतीमाल्यभूषिता
She had beautiful hips, a gentle smile, was charming, lovely, and exceedingly attractive, with especially delightful hair, adorned with garlands of jasmine.
मिन्दूरबिन्दुना साकं चारुचंदनबिन्दुभि। । कस्तूरीबिन्दुनाऽधश्च भालमध्यस्थलोज्ज्वला
With a dot of vermilion, lovely marks of sandalwood, and a spot of musk below, her forehead shone brightly in the middle.
रत्नेन्द्रसारनिर्माणक्वणन्मञ्जीररञ्जिता । सुवक्रलोचना श्यामा सुचारुकज्जलोज्ज्वला
She was adorned with tinkling anklets made from the finest jewels, had beautiful curved eyes, a dark complexion, and her eyes shone with lovely kohl.
सुचारुसारमुक्ताभदन्तपङ्क्तिमनोहरा । रत्नकुण्डलयुग्मेन चारुगण्डस्थलोज्ज्वला
Her beautiful, even rows of pearl-like teeth were enchanting, and her cheeks shone with a pair of jeweled earrings.
कामिनीष्वतुला बाला गजेन्द्रमन्दगामिनी । सुकोमला चन्द्रमुखी कामाधारा च कामुकी
Among women, she was unmatched, young, moving with the slow grace of a lordly elephant, exceedingly delicate, moon-faced, the very embodiment of desire, and herself full of longing.
स्वर्गमन्दाकिनीतीरे स्नाता स्निग्धाम्बरा वरा । ध्यायन्ती गुरुपादं सा स्वगृहं गमनोन्मुखी
Having bathed on the banks of the heavenly Mandākinī, clad in smooth garments, she, meditating on her teacher’s feet, was preparing to return to her own home.
दृष्ट्वा तस्याश्च सर्वाङ्गमनङ्गबाणपीडितः । भाद्रे चतुर्थ्यां चन्द्रश्च जहार चेतनां व्रज
Seeing all her limbs, pierced by the arrows of love, on the auspicious fourth lunar day, the Moon lost his senses, O Vraja.
ज्ञानं क्षणेन संप्राप्य रथस्थो रमिको बली । रथमारोहयामास करे धृत्वा च तारकम्
Regaining awareness in a moment, the powerful and charming one, standing on his chariot, took Tārā by the hand and made her ascend the chariot.
कामोन्मत्तः कामिनीं तां समाश्लिष्य चुचुम्ब च । शृङ्गारं कर्तुमुद्युक्तं तमुवाच गुरुप्रिया
Maddened by desire, he embraced that woman and kissed her; as he was eager to make love, the beloved of the teacher spoke to him.
तारकोवाच त्यज मां त्यज मां चन्द्र सुरेषु कुलपांसन । गुरुपत्नीं ब्राह्मणीं च पातिव्रत्यपरायणाम्
Tārā said: 'Let me go, let me go, O Moon, disgrace of the gods! I am the wife of your teacher, a Brāhmaṇa woman, wholly devoted to fidelity.'
गुरुपत्नीसंगमने ब्रह्महत्याशतं भवेत् । गुरुपत्नी विप्रपत्नी यदि सा च पतिव्रता
Union with the teacher’s wife is equal to a hundred Brahmin-murders; if she is the wife of a teacher or a Brāhmaṇa, and devoted to her husband.
ब्रह्महत्यासहस्रं च तस्याः संगमने लभेत् । पुत्रस्त्वं तव माताऽहं धैर्य कुरु सुरेश्वार
By union with such a woman, one incurs a thousand Brahmin-murders; you are like a son to me, I am your mother—be steadfast, O lord of the gods.
धिक्त्वां श्रुत्वा सुरगुरुर्भस्मीभूतं करिष्यति । पुत्राधिकश्च शिष्यश्च प्रियो मत्स्वामिनो भवान्
If the teacher hears of this, he will turn you to ashes; a disciple is dearer than a son to my husband.
स्वधर्म रक्ष पापिष्ठ मामेवं मातरं त्यज । दास्यामि स्त्रीवधं तुम्यं यदिमां संग्रहीष्यसि
Protect your own duty, O most sinful one, abandon me, your mother, in this way; if you take me, I shall give you the fate of a woman-slayer.
विलङ्ध्य तारावचनं तां च संभोक्तुमुद्यतम् । शशाप तारा कोपेन निष्कामा सा पतिव्रता
Disregarding Tārā’s words and intent on enjoying her, Tārā, steadfast in fidelity and free from desire, cursed him in anger.
राहुग्रस्तो घनग्रस्तः पापदृश्यो भवान्भव । कलङ्की यक्ष्मणा ग्रस्तो भविष्यसि न संशयः
You shall be seized by Rāhu, covered by clouds, and become a sight of evil; you will be stained, afflicted by consumption—of this there is no doubt.
चन्द्रं शप्त्वा तदा तूर्ण कामदेवं शशाप सा । तेजस्विना केनचित्त्वं भस्मीभूतो भविष्यसि
Having cursed the Moon, she then swiftly cursed Kāmadeva: 'By someone powerful, you shall be reduced to ashes.'
चन्द्रस्तारां गृहीत्वा च कृत्वाऽपि रमणं व्रज । क्रोडेनिधाय प्रययौ रुदतीं ता शुचाऽन्विताम्
The Moon, having taken Tārā and enjoyed her, departed, holding her to his breast, though she wept, overcome with grief.
निर्जने निर्जने रम्ये शैले शैले मनोहरे । सरोनदनदीनां च तीरे तीरे मनोहरे
In lonely, beautiful places, on charming mountains, on the delightful banks of lakes and rivers,
मधुव्रतपिकोक्ते च पुष्पोद्याने सुपुष्पिते । रम्यायां पुष्पशथ्यायां स रेमे रामया सह
In blossoming flower gardens, where bees and cuckoos sang, on lovely flower-strewn paths, he sported with Rāma.
चदनोक्षितसर्वाङ्गो मधुपानरतः सुरः । सुखसंभोगसंसक्तो बुबुधे न दिवानिशम्
His whole body anointed with sandalwood, delighting in drinking honeyed wine, the god, absorbed in sensual pleasures, was unaware of day or night.
मलये मलयारण्ये मलयानिलसंयुते । स्यन्दने चन्दनवने पश्चिमोदधिसंनिधौ
On the Malaya mountain, in the Malaya forest, where the Malaya breeze blew, in sandalwood groves, near the western ocean,