राजानश्चापि मलेच्छाश्च यवना धर्मनिन्दकाः । सत्कीर्तिमपि साधूनां कुर्वन्त्युन्मूलनं मुदा
Kings, outcastes, and foreigners who revile dharma joyfully destroy even the good reputation of the virtuous.
पितृदेवद्विजातीनामतिथीनां च नित्यशः । पूजा नास्ति गुरूणां च पित्रोश्च पूजनं स्त्रियाः
There is no regular worship of ancestors, gods, twice-born, or guests; women do not honor their gurus or their own parents.
स्त्रीबन्धूनां गौरवं च स्त्रीणां च सततं पितः । चोरः सत्कुलजातिश्च ब्रह्मदेवस्वहारकः
There is no respect for women’s relatives, nor for women themselves, O father; a thief, though born in a noble family, steals from Brahmins and gods.
मानं वहन्ति लोभेन युगधर्मेण कौतुकात् । देवायतनहीनं च जगत्सर्व भयाकुलम्
People bear honor out of greed and, by the law of the age, out of curiosity; the whole world, lacking temples, is filled with fear.
अराजकं च दुर्नीतं संततं कलिदोषतः । बुभृक्षिताः कुचैलाश्च दरिद्रा व्याधिनो नराः
Because of the faults of the Kali age, there is lawlessness and constant corruption; people are hungry, poorly clothed, poor, and diseased.
कपर्दकघटाध्यक्षो राजेन्द्रो हि घटेश्वरः । वृद्धाङ्गुष्टसमा लोका वृक्षाःशाकसमास्तथा
The king is the overseer of cowries and pots, truly the lord of pots; people are as small as an old man’s thumb, and trees are as small as their leaves.
तालानां नारिकेलाणां पनसानां तथैव च । फलानि सर्षपाण्येव तत्क्षुद्रं च ततः परम्
The fruits of palm trees, coconuts, jackfruits, and likewise, all small seeds and grains, and those even more inferior than these—
जलभाजनपात्रेण सस्येन वाससा तथा । विहीनं मन्दिरं सर्वं गृहाणामपरिष्कृतम्
A house lacking water vessels, grains, and clothing, and all dwellings without adornment—
गन्धकेन परिवृतं दीपहीनं तमेयुतम् । हिंस्रजन्तुभयाद्भीता जनाः सर्वे च पापिनः
A place filled with foul odor, devoid of lamps, enveloped in darkness, where people live in fear of harmful creatures, and all are sinful—
सर्वे च कलहाविष्टा पुंश्चल्यः कलहप्रियाः । रूपवत्यो न कामिन्यो नराश्चापि न रूपिणः
All are possessed by quarrels, women delight in strife, though beautiful they are not passionate, and men too are without beauty—
नद्यो नदाः कंदराश्च तडागाश्च सरोवराः । जलपद्मविहीनाश्च जलहीना धनास्तथा
Rivers, streams, mountain caves, ponds, and lakes are all without water-lilies, and the waters themselves are depleted, as is wealth—
अपत्यहीना नार्यश्च कामुक्यो जारसंयुताः । अश्वत्थच्छेदिनः सर्वे वृक्षहीना वसुंधरा
Women are without children, yet lustful and joined with lovers; all cut down sacred fig trees, and the earth is bereft of trees—
फलहीनाश्च तरवः शाखाः स्कन्धविहीनकाः । फलानि स्वादुहीनानि चान्नानि च जलानि च
The trees are without fruit, branches are missing from trunks, fruits lack sweetness, and so do the grains and waters—
मानवाः कटुवक्तारो निर्दया धर्मवर्जिताः । तदन्ते द्वादाशादित्याः संहरिष्यन्ति मानवान्
People speak harshly, are merciless, and devoid of righteousness; at the end, the twelve suns will consume mankind—
सर्वाञ्जन्तुंश्च तापेन बहुवृष्ट्या व्रजेश्वर । अवशिष्टा च पृथिवी कथामात्रावशेषिता
All living beings will be scorched by heat and excessive rain, O Lord of Vraja; the earth will remain only as a story—
कलौ गते च पृथिवी क्षेत्रं वर्षागते तथा । पुनः सत्यप्रवृत्तिश्च भविष्यति क्रमेण वै
When the Kali age has passed and the earth is like a barren field, then, in due course, the path of truth will arise again—
इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं गच्छ तात व्रजं सुखम् । अहं दुग्धमुखो बालःपुत्रस्ते कथयामि किम्
Thus everything has been told; now go, dear one, happily to Vraja. I am but a milk-drinking child—what more can I tell you, my son?
नवनीतं घृतं दुग्धं दधि तक्रं परिष्कृतम् । स्वस्तिकं शुभकर्मार्हं मिष्टान्नं च सुधोपमम्
Fresh butter, ghee, milk, curd, clarified buttermilk, pure and auspicious food, and sweet dishes fit for good deeds—
मिष्टद्रव्यं च यत्किंचित्पितृदेवनिमित्तकम् । भुक्तं बलाच्च तत्सर्व बालानां रोदनं बलम्
Any sweet substance offered for the sake of ancestors or gods, whatever is eaten with strength, all these are the strength of children's cries—
तत्क्षमस्वापराधं मे बालदोषः पदे पदे । त्वं पिता तव पुत्रोऽहं यशोदा जननी मम
Forgive my offense, for childish faults occur at every step; you are the father, I am your son, and Yashoda is my mother—
मदीयं परिहासं च यशोदां रोहिणीं वद । कुमारास्याच्छ्रुतं सर्व सोऽहमित्येवमीप्सितम्
Tell Yashoda and Rohini of my playful acts; let them hear everything from the mouth of this boy, for such is my wish—
कीर्तयिष्यसि तत्सर्व सर्व गोकुलवासिनम् । कालः करोति ससैर्ग बन्धूनां बन्धुभिः सह
You will recount all this to all the residents of Gokula; time brings together friends and also separates them—
कालः करोति विच्छेदं विरोधं प्रीतिमेव च । कालः सृष्टिं च कुरुते कालश्च परिपालनम्
Time causes separation, enmity, and even affection; time creates the world and time also preserves it—
कालः करोति सानन्दं कालः संहरते प्रजाः । सुखं दुःखं भयं शोकं जरां मृत्युं च जन्म च
Time brings joy, time destroys beings; happiness, sorrow, fear, grief, old age, death, and birth—all are caused by time.
सर्वं कर्मानुरोधेन काल एव करोति च । सर्वं कालकृतं तात विस्मयं न व्रजं व्रज
All things are done according to karma, and time alone brings them about; all is wrought by time, dear one, so do not be astonished.
कुतस्त्वं गोकुले वैश्यो नन्दो वैश्याधिपो नृपः । वसुदेवसुतोऽचहं च मथुरायामहो कुतः
How is it that you, a Vaiśya in Gokula, Nanda, lord of the Vaiśyas, and I, son of Vasudeva, am here in Mathurā—how did this come to be?
पिता मे कंसभीतेन त्वद्गृहे च समप्रितः । पितु परः पिता त्वं च माता मातुः पराऽपिवा
My father, out of fear of Kaṃsa, entrusted me to your house; you are a father beyond my own father, and your wife is a mother surpassing even my birth mother.
मया दत्तेन ज्ञानेन पार्वत्या च व्रजेश्वर । त्यज मोहं महाभाग गच्छ तात सुखं गृहम्
By the knowledge I have given, and by Pārvatī as well, O lord of Vraja, abandon delusion, O blessed one, and go home happily, dear father.
नन्द उवाच स्मर वृन्दावनं तात रम्यं पुण्यं महोत्सवम् । गोकुलं गोकुलं रम्यं सुन्दरं यमुनातटम्
Nanda said: Remember Vṛndāvana, dear one, delightful, holy, and full of great festivals; Gokula, Gokula, so lovely, and the beautiful bank of the Yamunā.
रमणीनां सुरम्यं च त्वत्प्रियं रासमण्डलम् । गोपालिका गोपबालान्यशोदां रोहिणीं प्रियाम्
The charming circle of the rāsa dance, beloved to you, the lovely women, the cowherd girls and boys, Yaśodā, and dear Rohiṇī.