दिव्यं बिन्दुसरो नाम् तीर्थानां प्रवरं परम् । तत्तोयस्पर्शमात्रेण जीवन्मुक्तो भवेन्नरः
A divine lake named Bindusara, the foremost and highest of sacred places, arose; by the mere touch of its waters, a man becomes liberated while living.
श्रीभगवानुवाच कथमेतादृशी बुद्धिर्मित्र ते निर्मलं मनः । दूतद्वारा कथं चौक्तं निष्ठुरं दारुणं वचः
The Blessed Lord said: How did such understanding arise in you, my friend, with your mind so pure? And how was such harsh, cruel speech spoken through the messenger?
शृगाल उवाच एवमुक्तो मया त्वं च तेन क्रोधादिहाऽऽगतः । अन्यथा दुर्लभं नाथ स्वप्नेऽपि तव दर्शनम्
Shrigala said: Thus addressed by me, you came here out of anger; otherwise, O Lord, even in a dream, your vision is difficult to obtain.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे योगाद्देहं त्यक्त्वा च प्राकृतम् । दृष्ट्वा कृष्णं च यानेन वैकुष्ठं प्रययौ मुदा
Meanwhile, through yoga, he abandoned his natural body; seeing Krishna, he joyfully went to Vaikuntha in a celestial vehicle.
सप्ततालप्रमाणं च ज्योतिस्तत्र महोल्बणम् । पद्मैः पद्मार्चितं पादपद्मं नत्वा जगाम ह
There, a great and blazing light, measuring seven palm trees in height, was worshipped with lotuses; bowing to the lotus feet, he departed.
गत्वा च द्वारकां कृष्णो नत्वा च पितरं प्रसूम् । श्रीकृष्णः सगणः शीघ्रं दृष्ट्वा च परमाद्भुतम्
Having gone to Dvārakā, Kṛṣṇa bowed to his father and mother; Śrī Kṛṣṇa, with his companions, quickly beheld something most astonishing.
प्रफुल्लवदनः श्रीमान्द्वारकाभिमुखं ययौ । जगाम रुक्मणीगेहं पुष्पजन्दनवासितम्
With a radiant face, the illustrious one proceeded toward Dvārakā; he went to the house of Rukmiṇī, fragrant with flowers and sandalwood.
पुष्पचन्दनतल्पे च नक्तं रेमे तया सह । मूर्च्छं संप्राप स भैष्मी कृष्णं कृत्वा स्ववक्षसि
At night, on a bed of flowers and sandalwood, he sported there with her; Bhaiṣmī, embracing Kṛṣṇa to her breast, fell into a swoon.
इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्णजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo शृगालवासुदेव- मोक्षणं नामैकविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and twenty-first chapter, entitled 'The Liberation of Śṛgāla Vāsudeva,' of the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Janma section in the great Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa, as narrated by Nārada.
अथ द्वाविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः नारद उवाच सर्वासां रमणीनां च कृष्णेन परमात्मना । समुद्वाहश्च कथितस्त्वया भगवता मुदा
Now begins chapter one hundred and twenty-two. Nārada said: O Lord, you have joyfully recounted the marriages of all the women with Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul.
स्यमन्तकस्य च मणेरुपाख्यानमभीप्सितम् । तन्न श्रुतं महाभाग तन्मां व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
The story of the Syamantaka jewel is also desired; I have not heard it, O greatly fortunate one, you ought to explain it to me.
नारायण उवाच भाद्रशुक्लचतुर्थ्यां च तारकां हृत्वाञ्छशी । तां तत्याज स कृष्णायां गुरुस्तां च गृहीतवान्
Nārāyaṇa said: On the fourth day of the bright fortnight of Bhādra, the moon, having seized Tārā, abandoned her for Kṛṣṇā; the preceptor then took her back.
गुरुणा भर्त्सिता तारा मगर्भा लज्जिता सती । शशाप लज्जया कोपाच्चन्द्रं कामातुरं पुरा
Rebuked by her preceptor, Tārā, chaste and ashamed, being pregnant, cursed the moon of old, out of shame and anger, for his lustfulness.
तारोवाच भव शापकलंकी त्वं यस्त्वां पश्यति देहभृत् । पापं दृष्ट्वा स पापी च कलंकी च भविष्यति
Tārā said: 'Become stained by a curse! Whoever, being embodied, looks upon you, seeing your blemish, will also become sinful and stained.'
इति श्रुत्वा स चन्द्रश्च नारायणसरोवरे । नारायणतपस्तप्त्वा मुमोच कृतपातकात्
Hearing this, the moon went to the lake of Nārāyaṇa; performing austerities to Nārāyaṇa, he was freed from his committed sin.
तपःक्लिष्टं च तं दृष्ट्वा भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः । तमुवाच महाभीतं कृपया च कृपानिधिः
Seeing him afflicted by austerities, the Blessed Supreme Person, the treasure of compassion, spoke to him, who was greatly afraid, with kindness.
श्रीभगवानुवाच मुक्तो भव कलंकी त्वं सर्वकालं कलानिधे । शापस्थानं तारकाया भाद्रे मासि सितासिते
The Blessed Lord said: 'Be freed, though stained, O repository of rays, for all time; the place of Tārā's curse is in the month of Bhādra, on both the bright and dark fortnights.'
चतुर्थ्यामुदितं चन्द्रं यस्तु पश्यति कामतः । तं याति तत्कलङ्कश्च स कलंकी भविष्यति
'Whoever, out of desire, looks upon the moon risen on the fourth day in Bhādra, that person will acquire that blemish and become stained.'
हरिणा दीयते ताले भाद्रे मासि सितासिते । चतुर्थ्यामुदितश्चन्द्रो नेक्षितव्यः कदाचन
A tale is told by the deer: in the month of Bhādra, on the fourth day of the bright or dark fortnight, the risen moon should never be gazed upon.
स्वयं दृष्ट्वा स्ववाक्यं च पालनं कर्तुमर्हति । भाद्रे चन्द्रं चतुर्थ्यां तु स कलंकी बभूव ह
Having seen it himself, one must observe this instruction; thus, on the fourth day in Bhādra, the moon became stained.
कलंकी येन रूपेण तद्वक्ष्यामि निशामय । स मुमोच कलंकाच्च लोकशिक्षार्थमीश्वरः
By what form he was stained, I will now tell you—listen; the Lord removed the blemish for the instruction of the world.
सत्राजितः सूर्यभक्तस्तपस्तब्त्वा च पुष्करे । स्यमन्तकं मणिश्रेष्ठं संप्राप भास्करादपि
Satrājit, a devotee of the sun, performed austerities at Puṣkara and obtained from the Sun the most excellent jewel, Syamantaka.
अष्टौ भारान्सुवर्णानां प्रसूते नित्यमेव च । विष्गोर्मणावधिष्ठानं महापूते च पुण्यदे
It continually produces eight loads of gold, and is established in the abode of serpents; in the great purifier, it bestows merit.
सत्राजितः सत्यभामां दत्त्वा कृष्णाय भक्तितः । यौतुकार्थे मणिं दातुमुद्यतो महते महान्
Satrājit, out of devotion, gave Satyabhāmā to Kṛṣṇa, and prepared to give the jewel as a bridal gift, a great offering.
तं निषिध्य प्रसेनश्च दुर्मतिः कालपीडितः । मणिं गृहीत्वा प्रययौ पुण्यां वाराणसीं पुरीम्
But Prasena, of evil mind and afflicted by fate, forbade him, took the jewel, and went to the holy city of Vārāṇasī.
निहत्य तं पथि बलात्सिंहः सबल एव च । मणिं जग्राह रुचिरं सूत्रबद्धं गले दधौ
A lion, along with its pride, killed him by force on the way, seized the beautiful jewel, and wore it on a string around its neck.
कलिङ्गराजपुत्रश्च ब्रह्मशापात्सुदारुणात् । विप्रेणाम्युदितस्तेन पशुयोनिं जगाम् सः
The son of the king of Kaliṅga, due to a terrible curse of Brahmā, was cast down by a brāhmaṇa and entered the womb of an animal.
निहत्य सिंहं गहने भल्लूको जाम्बवान्बली । मणिं गृहीत्वा प्रययौ स्वपुरं रत्ननिर्मितम्
A mighty bear, Jāmbavān, killed the lion in the forest, took the jewel, and went to his own city, built of gems.
ऊचुः सर्वे द्वारकायां मणिं जगाह माधवः । तस्य बुद्धिं न जानीमः केनोपायेन वेति च
All in Dvārakā said, 'Mādhava has taken the jewel; we do not know by what means or with what intention.'
इति श्रुत्वा तु भगवान्कलंककृन्तनाय च । प्रययौ काननं घोरं चौरचिह्नेन वर्त्मना
Hearing this, the Blessed Lord, to remove the stain upon himself, went by a path marked by thieves into the dreadful forest.