इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्णजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo सप्तविशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and twenty-seventh chapter, called 'The Birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa,' in the great Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, in the conversation between Nārada and Nārāyaṇa.
अथाष्टाविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः नारायण उवाच श्रीकृष्णश्च समाह्वानं गोपांश्चापि चकार सः। भाण्डीरे वटमूले च तत्र स्वयमुवास ह
Now, the one hundred and twenty-eighth chapter. Nārāyaṇa said: Śrī Kṛṣṇa summoned the cowherds, and he himself stayed there beneath the banyan tree at Bhāṇḍīra.
पुराऽन्नं च ददौ तस्मै यत्रैव ब्राह्मणीगणः। उवास राधिका देवी वामपार्श्वे हरेरपि
Long ago, he gave food there to the group of brāhmaṇas; there too, Goddess Rādhikā sat at the left side of Hari.
दक्षिणे नन्दगोपश्च यशोदासहितस्तथा । तद्दक्षिणो वृषभानस्तद्वामे सा कलावती
On his right was Nanda the cowherd, together with Yaśodā; to their right was Vṛṣabhānu, and to their left was Kalāvatī.
अन्ये गोपाश्च गोप्यश्च बान्धवाः सुहृदस्तथा । तानुवाच स गोविन्दो यथार्थ्यं समयोचितम्
Other cowherds and cowherd women, relatives and friends as well, were present; to them, Govinda spoke according to propriety and the occasion.
श्रीभगवानुवाच शृणु नन्द प्रवक्ष्यामि सांप्रतं समयोचितम्। सत्यं च परमार्थं च परलोकसुखावहम्
The Blessed Lord said: Hear me, O Nanda, as I now speak what is timely, true, and of ultimate reality, bringing happiness in the next world.
आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तं भ्रमं सर्वं निशामय। विद्युद्दीप्तिर्जले रेषा यथा तोयस्य बुद्बुदम्
Behold all delusion, from Brahmā down to a blade of grass; it is like a flash of lightning in water, or a bubble on the surface of a pond.
मथुरायां सर्वमुक्तं नावशेषं च किंचन। यशोदां बोधयामास राधिका कदलीवने
In Mathurā, everything was explained, nothing was left unsaid; Rādhikā instructed Yaśodā in the grove of plantains.
तदेव सत्यं परमं भ्रमध्वान्तप्रदीपकम्। विहाय मिथ्यामायां च स्मर तत्परमं पदम्
That alone is the supreme truth, a lamp that dispels the darkness of delusion; abandoning false illusion, remember that highest state.
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिहरं हर्षकरं परम्। शोकसंतापहरणं कर्ममूलनिकृन्तनम्
It destroys birth, death, old age, and disease; it brings supreme joy, removes sorrow and suffering, and cuts the root of karma.
मामेव परमं ब्रह्म भगवन्तं सनातनम् । ध्यायंध्यायं पुत्रबुद्धिं त्यक्त्वा लभ परंपदम्
Meditate on me alone as the supreme Brahman, the eternal Lord; abandoning the notion of me as your son, attain the highest state.
गोलोकं गच्छ शीघ्रं त्वं सार्धं गोकुलवासिभिः। आरात्कलेरागमनं कर्ममूलनिकृन्तनम्
Go swiftly to Goloka together with the residents of Gokula; the coming of Kali is near, which will sever the root of karma.
स्त्रीपुंसोर्नियमो नास्ति जातीनां च तथैव च । विप्रेसन्ध्यादिकंनास्ति चिह्नं यज्ञोपवीतकम्
There is no distinction of male and female, nor of castes; for brāhmaṇas, there is no observance of twilight rites or the mark of the sacred thread.
यज्ञसूत्रं च तिलकं शेषं लुप्तं सुनिश्चितम् । दिवाव्यवायनिरतं विरतं धर्मकर्मणि
The sacred thread and the tilaka are certainly lost; people are absorbed in daily business and have turned away from righteous acts.
यज्ञानां च व्रतानां च तपसां लुप्तमेव च। केदारकन्याशापेनधर्मो नास्त्येव केवलम्
Sacrifices, vows, and austerities have indeed disappeared; by the curse of the daughter of the field, dharma exists no longer.
स्वच्छन्दगामिनीस्त्रीर्णा पतिश्च सततं वशे । ताडयेत्सततंतं च भर्त्सयेच्छ दिवानिशम्
Women act according to their own will, and their husbands are always under their control; they constantly strike and scold them, day and night.
प्राधान्यं स्त्रीकुटुम्बानां स्त्रीणां च सततं व्रज। स्वामीचभक्तस्तासां च पराभूतो निरन्तरम्
In Vraja, women and their families will always have dominance; their husbands, though devoted, will be continually subjugated.
कलौ च योषितः सर्वा जारसेवासु तत्पराः। शतपुत्रसमः स्नेहस्तासां जारे भविष्यति
In the Kali age, all women will be intent on serving lovers; their affection for a paramour will equal the love for a hundred sons.
ददाति तस्मै भक्ष्यं च यथा भृत्याय कोपतः। सस्मिता सकटाक्षा साऽमृतदृष्ट्या निरन्तरम्
She gives him food, as one would to a servant, in anger; always with a smile, sidelong glances, and nectar-like looks.
जारं पश्यति कामेन विषदृष्ट्या पतिं सदा। सततं गौरवं तासां स्नेहं च जारबान्धवे
She looks upon her lover with desire, with a poisonous gaze, always regarding her husband with indifference; her respect and affection are ever for the lover's kin.
पत्यौ करप्रहारं च नित्यं नित्यं करोति च। मिष्टान्नं श्रद्धया भक्त्या जाराय प्रददाति च
She strikes her husband with her hand daily, yet with faith and devotion she gives sweet food to her lover.
वेषयुक्ता च सततं जारसेवनतत्परा। प्राणा बन्धुर्गतिश्चाऽऽत्मा कलौ जारश्चयौषिताम्
Always adorned and intent on serving her lover, in Kali Yuga, the lover becomes the very life, friend, refuge, and self of women.
लुप्ता चातिथिसेवा च प्रलुप्तं विष्णुसेवनम्। पितृणामर्चनं चैव देवानां च तथैव च
Hospitality to guests disappears, service to Vishnu is lost, as is the worship of ancestors and likewise of the gods.
विष्णुवैष्णवयोर्द्वेषी सततं च नरो भवेत्। वाममन्त्रोपासकाश्च चतुर्वर्णाश्च तत्पराः
Men will always be hostile to Vishnu and his devotees; the four classes will be devoted to left-handed mantras.
शालग्रामं च तुलसीं कुशं गङ्गोदकं तथा। नस्पृशेन्मानवो धूर्तो म्लेच्छाचाररतः सदा
A deceitful man, always engaged in foreign customs, will not touch the Shalagrama, tulasi, kusa grass, or Ganges water.
कारणं कारणानां च सर्वेषां सर्वबीजकम्। सुखदं मोक्षदं शश्वद्दातारं सर्वसंपदाम्
The cause of all causes, the seed of everything, the giver of happiness and liberation, the eternal bestower of all prosperity—
त्यक्त्वा मां परया भक्त्या क्षुद्रसंपत्प्रदायिनम्। वेदनिघ्नं वाममन्त्रं जपेद्विप्रश्च मायया
Abandoning me, with supreme devotion, for the sake of petty wealth, a Brahmin will recite left-handed mantras, destroying the Vedas, through illusion.
सनातनी विष्णुमाया वञ्चितं तं करिष्यति। ममाऽऽज्ञयाभगवती जगतां च दुरत्यया
The eternal Maya of Vishnu, by my command, will deceive him; she, the unfathomable goddess of the worlds.
कलेर्दशसहस्राणि मदर्चा भुवि तिष्ठति । तदर्धानि च वर्षाणि गङ्गा भुवनपावनी
For ten thousand years of Kali, my worship will remain on earth; for half that time, the Ganga, purifier of the worlds.
तुलसी विष्णुभक्ताश्च यावद्गङ्गा च कीर्तनम् । पुराणानि च स्वल्पानि तावदेव महीतले
Tulasi, Vishnu's devotees, and the chanting of the Ganga's glories, as well as the minor Puranas, will last only as long as the Ganga remains on earth.