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.
गुरुभक्ताश्च शिष्याश्च पितृभक्ताः सुतास्तथा । योषितः पतिभक्ताश्च पतिव्रतपरायणाः
Disciples were devoted to their teachers, sons to their fathers; women were devoted to their husbands and steadfast in fidelity.
ऋतौ संभोगिनः सर्वे न स्त्रीलुब्धा न लम्मपटाः । न भयं दस्युचौर्याणां न तत्र पारदारिकाः
All engaged in union only at the proper season; there was no lust for women, nor were there lewd acts; there was no fear of robbers or thieves, nor was there adultery.
तरवः पूर्णफलिनः पूर्णक्षीराश्च धेनवः । बलवन्तो जनाः सर्वे दीर्घाः सौन्दर्यसंयुताः
The trees bore full fruit, cows gave abundant milk; all people were strong, tall, and endowed with beauty.
लक्षवर्षायुषः केचित्पुण्यवन्तो क्ष्यरोगिणः । यथा विप्रा विष्णुभक्ता स्त्रिवर्णां विष्णुसेविनः
Some lived for a hundred thousand years, virtuous and free from disease; just as the Brahmins were devoted to Vishnu, so too were the women of all castes.
जलपूर्णा नदा नद्यः संततं कंदरास्तथा । तीर्थपूताश्चतुर्वर्णास्तपः पूता द्विजातयः
The rivers and streams were always full of water, and the mountain caves as well; all four castes were purified by pilgrimage, and the twice-born by austerity.
मनःपूताश्च निखिलाः खलहीनं जगत्त्रयम् । सत्कीर्तिपरिबूर्णं च यशस्यं मङ्गलान्वितम्
All minds were pure, and the three worlds were free from the wicked; filled with noble fame, they were glorious and auspicious.
पितरः सर्वकालेषु तिथिकालेषु देवताः । सर्वकालेष्वतिथयः पूजिताश्च गृहे गृहे
The ancestors at all times, the gods on festival days, and guests at all times were honored in every household.
त्रिवर्णा विप्रभक्ताश्च विप्रभोजतत्पराः । ब्राह्मणस्य मुखं क्षेत्रमनूषरमकण्टकम्
The three castes were devoted to the Brahmins and eager to feed them; the Brahmin's mouth was the field, uninhabited and thornless.
नारायणोत्कीर्तनेन हर्षयुक्तास्तदुत्सवे । न शत्रवो जनानां च सर्वे सर्वंहितैषिणः
All were filled with joy at the festivals of Narayana's praise; there were no enemies among the people, and all sought the welfare of all.
नाऽऽत्मप्रशंसकाः केचित्सर्वे परगुणोत्सुकाः । न देवानां द्विजानां च विदुषां तत्र निन्दकाः
No one praised themselves; all were eager for the virtues of others; there were no slanderers of gods, Brahmins, or the learned.
पुरुषा योषितश्चापि न हि सूर्खाश्च पण्डिताः । न दुःखिनो जनाःसत्ये सर्वेषां रत्नमन्दिरम्
Men and women there are neither foolish nor learned; nor are there any unhappy people—truly, for all, it is a palace of jewels.
मणिमाणिक्यरत्नौघरत्नस्वर्णसमन्वितम् । न भिक्षुका न रोगार्ताः शोकहीनाश्चहर्षिताः
It is filled with heaps of gems, rubies, precious stones, and gold; there are no beggars, no afflicted by disease, all are free from sorrow and joyful.
न हि भूषणहीराश्च नरा नार्यश्च केचन । न पापिनो न धूर्ताश्च न क्षुधार्ता न कुत्सिताः
There are no men or women lacking ornaments; there are no sinners, no deceivers, none suffering from hunger, and none who are despicable.
जराहीनाः प्राणिनश्च शश्वद्यौवनसंस्थिताः । आधिव्याधिविहीनाश्च निर्विकाराश्च देहिनः
Living beings are free from old age, always established in youth; they are without afflictions or diseases, and their bodies are unchanging.
यदुक्तो वै सत्ययुगे धर्मः सत्यं दयादिकम् । पादहीनश्च त्रेतायां सत्यार्ध द्वापरेऽपि च
The dharma described for the Satya Yuga—truth, compassion, and the like—loses one of its feet in Treta, and in Dvapara, only half of truth remains.
धर्मै कपाच्च प्रथमे कलेश्चातिकृशोऽबलः । दुष्टानां दस्युचौर्याणामङ्कुरः प्रभवेद्व्रज
In the first part of Kali, dharma is extremely weak and feeble; in Vraja, the sprouts of wickedness, banditry, and theft begin to appear.
अधर्मनिरताः केचिद्भीताः संगोपिनस्तथा । भीता गुप्ताश्च पुंश्चल्यौ भीताश्च पारदारिकाः
Some are devoted to unrighteousness, some are fearful and conceal themselves; fearful and hidden are the unchaste women, and fearful are those who are adulterous.
धर्मिष्ठानां भयं शश्वदधर्मिष्ठाश्च कम्पिताः । स्वल्पधर्मरता भूपाः स्वल्पवेदरता द्विजाः
The righteous are always in fear, while the unrighteous are trembling; kings are devoted to little dharma, and twice-born to little study of the Vedas.
व्रतधर्मरताः केचित्सर्वे स्वच्छन्दगामिनः । यावत्तिष्ठन्ति तीर्थानि यावत्तिष्ठन्ति साधवः
Some are devoted to vows and dharma, but all act according to their own desires; as long as holy places and the virtuous remain,
यावत्तिष्ठन्ति ग्रामाणां देवाः शास्त्राणि पूजनम् । तावत्किंचित्तपः सत्यं स्वर्गधर्माश एव च
As long as village deities, scriptures, and worship persist, so long do a little austerity, truth, and the hope for heavenly dharma remain.