इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्मजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo भगवन्नन्दसंo अष्टाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-eighth chapter of the great Brahmavaivarta Purana, in the section concerning the birth of Shri Krishna, the conversation between Narada and the blessed Nanda.
अथ नवाशीतितमोऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच गच्छ गच्छ गृहं गच्छ व्रजराज व्रजं व्रज । सर्वं तत्त्वं त्वया ज्ञातं दृष्टाश्च मुनयः सुराः
Now begins the eighty-ninth chapter. Shri Krishna said: 'Go, go, return home, O king of Vraja, go to Vraja; you have understood all the truth and have seen the sages and gods.'
श्रुतं मे धन्यमाख्यानं नानाख्यानं सुदुर्लभम् । दुर्गायाः स्तोत्रराजं च जन्मपाशनिकृन्तनम्
'I have heard this blessed narrative, the most rare among many stories, and the royal hymn to Durga, which cuts the bonds of birth.'
स्थितं तते निगदितं हर्षेण च सुखेन च । मत्कृतं बालभावेन चापराद्धं च तत्क्षणम्
'It has been established here, spoken with joy and happiness; whatever was done by me in childishness, that moment is forgiven.'
यत्सुखं न कृतं तात पित्रोश्च नृपमन्दिरे । कृतं सुखं तत्परं च स्वर्गादपि सुदुर्लभम्
O dear one, the happiness that was not given to my parents even in the royal palace, that supreme happiness has been given, which is exceedingly rare, even more than heaven.
मदीयं प्रियवाक्यं च प्रह्वत्वं विनयं नयम् । परिहासं बहतरं यशोदां गोपिकागणम्
My loving words, humility, courtesy, wisdom, abundant playfulness, Yashoda, and the assembly of gopis—
बालकानां समूहं च राधां चापि विशेषतः । एकत्र च स्थितं तेषु बन्धुवर्गेषु कर्मणा
—the group of boys, and especially Radha, all gathered together among those relatives by action—
इहैवापि सुखं भुक्त्वा गच्छ गोलोकमुत्तमम् । सार्ध यशोदया तात रोहिण्या गोपिकागणैः
Even here, after enjoying happiness, you shall go to the highest Goloka, together with Yashoda, dear one, with Rohini and the groups of gopis.
गोपानां बालकैः सार्धं वृषभानेन गोपकैः । राधामात्रा कलावत्या राधया सह यास्यसि
With the boys of the cowherds, with Vrishabhanu and the cowherd men, with Radha's mother Kalavati, you will go together with Radha.
रथानां शतलक्षं च गोलोकादागतं पितः । अमूल्यरत्ननिर्माणं हीरहारपरिष्कृतम्
A hundred thousand chariots, father, coming from Goloka, made of priceless jewels, adorned with necklaces of diamonds—
मणिमाणिक्यमुक्तानां मालाजालविभूषितम् । वह्निशुद्धांशुकै रम्यैराच्छन्नं पीतवर्णकैः
—decorated with garlands of gems, rubies, and pearls, covered with beautiful yellow cloths purified by fire—
पार्षदप्रवरै रम्यैर्वेष्टितं श्वेतचामरैः । सद्रत्नदर्पणै रम्यैर्गोपिकाभिश्च गोपकैः
—surrounded by excellent attendants, fanned with white chauris, with beautiful jewel mirrors, with gopis and cowherd boys—
वेष्टितं च तदारुह्य कौतुकाद्यास्यसि ध्रुवम् । त्यक्त्वा च पार्थिवं देहं दिव्यदेहं विधाय च
—surrounded thus, you will ascend and, with delight, you will surely go, having abandoned the earthly body and assumed a divine form.
अयोनिसंभवा राधा राधामाता कलावती । यास्यत्येव हि तेनैव नित्यदेहेन निश्चितम्
Radha, not born from a womb, and her mother Kalavati, will certainly go with that eternal body.
पितृणां मानसी कन्या धन्या मान्या कलावती । धन्या च सीतामाता च दुर्गामाता च मेनका
Kalavati, the mind-born daughter of the ancestors, is blessed and honored; blessed too is Sita's mother, and Durga's mother, and Menaka.
अयोनिसंभवा दुर्गा तारा सीता च सुन्दरी । अयोनिसंभवास्ताश्च धन्या मेना कलावती
Durga, Tara, and Sita the beautiful are not born from a womb; all these blessed ones—Menaka and Kalavati—are also not born from a womb.
इत्येव कथितं तात गोपनीयं सुदुर्लभम् । वरोऽयं तत्तस्तुभ्यं च मया च दुर्गया तथा
Thus, O dear one, this has been told, which is to be kept secret and is exceedingly rare; this boon is given to you by me and by Durga as well.
श्रीकृष्णस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच व्रजेश्वरः । पुनरेव जगन्नाथं त द्भक्तो भक्तवात्सलम्
Hearing the words of Shri Krishna, the lord of Vraja, devoted to him and beloved of devotees, again spoke to the Lord of the universe.
नन्द उवाच युगानां च चतुर्णां च यं यं धर्म सनातनम् । क्रमेण कृष्ण विस्तीर्णं कृत्वा मां कथय प्रभो
Nanda said: O Krishna, tell me in detail, O Lord, what the eternal dharma is in each of the four ages, in order.
कलिशेषे भवेद्यद्यद्गुणदोषं कलेस्तथा । का गतिर्वा पृथिव्याश्च धर्मस्य प्रणिनां तथा
What virtues and faults will there be at the end of Kali, and what will be the fate of the earth and of dharma and living beings?
नन्दस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा हृष्टः कमललोचनः । कथां कथितुमारेभे विचित्रां मधुरान्विताम्
Hearing Nanda's words, lotus-eyed Krishna, delighted, began to tell a wondrous and sweet story.
इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्ण जन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo भगवन्न- न्दसंo एकोननवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-ninth chapter, called 'The Supreme Birth of Shri Krishna,' in the dialogue of Narada and the blessed Nanda, in the great Brahmavaivarta Purana.
अथ नवतितमोऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच शृणु नन्द प्रवक्ष्यमि सानन्दं मानसं यथा । कथां रम्यां सुमधुरां पुराणेषु परिष्कृताम्
Now, the ninetieth chapter. Shri Krishna said: Listen, Nanda, I will tell you with joy how the mind should be—an enchanting and most sweet story, refined in the ancient Puranas.
परिपूर्णतमो धर्मो धार्मिकाश्च कृते युगे । परिपूर्णतमं सत्यं परिपूर्णतमा दया
In the Krita Yuga, righteousness was fully complete, and the people were righteous; truth was perfectly complete, and compassion was at its fullest.
अतीव प्रज्वलद्रूपा वेदाश्चत्वार एव च । वेदाङ्गाश्चापि पिपिधासाश्चेतिहासाच संहिताः
The Vedas, in their fourfold form, shone exceedingly bright; and so too the Vedangas, the eager seekers, the Itihasas, and the Samhitas.
पुराणानि सुरम्याणि पञ्चरात्राणि पञ्च च । रुचिराणि सुभद्राणि धर्मशास्त्राणि यानि च
The Puranas were exceedingly delightful, and there were five excellent Pancharatras; the Dharma Shastras were charming, auspicious, and beautiful.
विप्रा वेदविदः सर्वे पुण्यवन्तस्तपस्विनः । नारायणं ते ध्यायन्ति तन्मन्त्रं च जपन्ति च
All the Brahmins, learned in the Vedas, were virtuous and ascetic; they meditated on Narayana and recited his mantra.
ब्राह्मणाःक्षत्रिया वैश्याश्यतुर्वर्णाश्च वैष्णवाः । शूद्रा ब्राह्मणभृत्याश्च सत्यधर्मपरायणाछ
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas—all four castes were Vaishnavas; even Shudras and servants of Brahmins were devoted to truth and righteousness.
राजानो धार्मिकाश्चैव प्रजापालनतत्पराः । गृह्णान्त्येव प्रजानां च षोडशांशकराषृपाः
The kings were righteous and devoted to protecting their people; they accepted only a sixteenth part of their subjects' earnings.
करशून्याश्च विप्राश्च पूज्याः स्वच्छन्दगामिनः । ततं सर्वसस्याढ्या रत्नाधारा वसुंधरा
The Brahmins were free from taxes, honored, and lived as they pleased; the earth was abundant with all crops and rich in gems.