Devi Bhagavata Purana

श्रवणाद्वसुदेवोऽस्य प्रसेनान्वेषणे गतम् । चिरायितं प्रियं पुत्रं कृष्णं लब्ध्वा मुमोद ह

By hearing it, Vasudeva, who had gone in search of Prasena, found his beloved son Kṛṣṇa, long lost, and rejoiced.

य एतां शृणुयाद्भक्त्या श्रीमद्भागवतीं कथाम् । भुक्तिं मुक्तिं स लभते भक्त्या यश्च पठेदिमाम् ॥ अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं दरिद्रो धनवान्भवेत् । रोगी रोगात्प्रमुच्येत श्रुत्वा भागवतामृतम्

Whoever listens with devotion to this sacred tale of the Bhāgavatī, or recites it with devotion, attains both enjoyment and liberation; the childless gains a child, the poor becomes wealthy, the sick is freed from illness by hearing the nectar of the Bhāgavata.

वंध्या वा काकवंध्या वा मृतवत्सा च याङ्गना । देवीभागवतं श्रुत्वा लभेत्पुत्रं चिरायुषम्

A woman who is barren, has only daughters, or whose child has died, by hearing the Devī Bhāgavata, obtains a long-lived son.

पूजितं यद्गृहे नित्यं श्रीभागवतपुस्तकम् । तद्गृहं तीर्थंभूतं हि वसतां पापनाशकम्

The house in which the Śrī Bhāgavata book is daily worshipped becomes a holy place, destroying the sins of its inhabitants.

अष्टम्यां वा चतुर्दश्यां नवम्यां भक्तिसंयुतः । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स सिद्धिं लभते पराम्

Whoever, filled with devotion, recites or listens on the eighth, fourteenth, or ninth day, attains the highest perfection.

पठन्द्विजो वेदविदग्रणीर्भवेद्वाहुप्रजातो धरणीपतिः स्यात् । वैश्यः पठन्वित्तसमृद्धिमेति शूद्रोऽपि शृण्वन्स्वकृतोत्तमः स्यात्

A brāhmaṇa who recites it becomes foremost among knowers of the Veda; a kṣatriya is born as a ruler; a vaiśya gains abundant wealth by reciting it; even a śūdra, by listening, becomes excellent in his own deeds.

अथ द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः। वसुदेवो महाभागः कथं पुत्रमवाप्तवान् । प्रसेनः कुत्र कृष्णेन भ्रमताऽन्वेषितः कथम्

Now, the second chapter. The sages said: How did the illustrious Vasudeva obtain his son? Where did Prasena wander with Kṛṣṇa, and how was he sought?

विधिना केन कस्माच्च देवीभागवतं श्रुतम् । वसुदेवेन सुमते वद सूत कथामिमाम्

By what means, and for what reason, did Vasudeva hear the Devī Bhāgavata? O wise Sūta, tell us this story.

सूत उवाच। सत्राजिद्भोजवंशीयो द्वारवत्यां सुखं वसन् । सूर्यस्याराधने युक्तो भक्तश्च परमः सखा

Sūta said: Satrājit, of the Bhoja lineage, dwelling happily in Dvāravatī, was devoted to the worship of the Sun and was a supreme devotee and friend.

अथ कालेन कियता प्रसन्नः सविताऽभवत् । स्वलोकं दर्शयामास तद्भक्त्या प्रणयेन च

After some time, the Sun, pleased by his devotion and affection, revealed his own world to him.

तस्मै प्रतीतस्य भगवान्स्यमंतकमणिं ददौ । स तं बिभ्रन्मणिं कण्ठे द्वारकामाजगाम ह

To him, who was thus gratified, the Lord gave the Syamantaka jewel; wearing that jewel on his neck, he came to Dvārakā.

दृष्ट्वा तं तेजसा भ्रान्ता मत्वादित्यं पुरौकसः । कृष्णमूचूः समभ्येत्य सुधर्मायामवस्थितम्

Seeing him, the people of the city, dazzled by his radiance, mistook him for the Sun and approached Kṛṣṇa, who was seated in the Sudharmā hall.

एष आयाति सविता दिदृक्षुस्त्वां जगत्पते । श्रुत्वा कृष्णस्तु तद्वाचं प्रहस्योवाच संसदि

They said: 'Here comes the Sun, wishing to see you, O Lord of the world.' Hearing these words, Kṛṣṇa smiled and spoke in the assembly.

सविता नैष भो बालाः सत्राजिन्मणिना ज्वलन् । स्यमन्तकेन चायाति भास्वद्दत्तेन भास्वता

O child, this is not the sun shining; it is Satrajit coming, radiant with the Syamantaka jewel given by the luminous Bhāsvat.

अथ विप्रान्समाहूय स्वस्तिवाचनपूर्वकम् । प्रावेशयत्समभ्यर्च्य सत्राजित्स्वगृहे मणिम्

Then, having summoned the Brahmins with auspicious recitations, Satrajit respectfully welcomed them and brought the jewel into his own house.

न तत्र मारी दुर्भिक्षं नोपसर्गभयं क्वचित् । यत्रास्ते स मणिर्नित्यमष्टभार सुवर्णदः

Wherever that jewel resides, there is neither disease nor famine nor any fear of calamity; it constantly produces eight measures of gold.

अथ सत्राजितो भ्राता प्रसेनो नाम कर्हिचित् । कण्ठे बद्ध्वा मणिं सद्यो हयमारुह्य सैंधवम्

Once, Satrajit's brother named Prasena tied the jewel around his neck, mounted his Sindhu horse, and set out immediately.

मृगयार्थं वनं यातस्तमद्राक्षीन्मृगाधिपः । प्रसेनं सहयं हत्वा सिंहो जग्राह तं मणिम्

He went into the forest for hunting; the king of beasts saw him, killed Prasena and his horse, and seized the jewel.

जाम्बवानृक्षराजोऽथ दृष्ट्वा मणिधरं हरिम् । हत्वा च तं बिलद्वारि मणिं जग्राह वीर्यवान्

Then Jāmbavān, the king of bears, seeing the lion bearing the jewel, killed him at the entrance of a cave and, being mighty, took the jewel.

स तं मणिं स्वपुत्राय क्रीडनार्थमदात्प्रभुः । अथ चिक्रीड बालोऽपि मणिं संप्राप्य भास्वरम्

He gave the jewel to his own son for play; and the child, having received the radiant jewel, began to play with it.

प्रसेनेऽनागते चाथ सत्राजित्पर्यतप्यत । न जाने केन निहतः प्रसेनो मणिमिच्छता

When Prasena did not return, Satrajit was greatly troubled: 'I do not know by whom Prasena was killed, desiring the jewel.'

अथ लोकमुखोद्गीर्णा किंवदन्ती पुरेऽभवत् । कृष्णेन निहतो नूनं प्रसेनो मणिलिप्सुना

Then, a rumor spread among the people in the city: 'Prasena was surely killed by Krishna, who desired the jewel.'

स तं शुश्राव कृष्णोपि दुर्यशो लिप्तमात्मनि । मार्ष्टुं तत्तस्य पदवीं पुरौकोभिः सहागमत्

Krishna heard this, his own reputation stained with evil; to clear it, he set out with the citizens to trace the path.

गत्वा स विपिनेऽपश्यत्प्रसेनं हरिणा हतम् । ययौ मृगेन्द्रमन्विष्यन्नसृग्बिंद्वंकिताध्वना

Going into the forest, he saw Prasena slain by a lion; following the trail marked with drops of blood, he went in search of the king of beasts.

अथ कृष्णो हतं सिंहं बिलद्वारि विलोक्य च । उवाच भगवान्वाचं कृपया पुरवासिनः

Then Krishna saw the lion killed at the entrance of the cave; out of compassion, the Blessed One addressed the city dwellers.

तिष्ठध्वं यूयमत्रैव यावदागमनं मम । प्रविशामि बिलं त्वेतन्मणिहारकलब्धये

Remain here until I return; I will enter this cave to recover the jewel from its thief.

तथेत्युक्त्वा तु ते तस्थुस्तत्रैव द्वारकौकसः । जगामांतर्बिलं कृष्णो यत्र जाम्बवतो गृहम्

Having said 'so be it,' the citizens of Dvaraka stayed there; Krishna entered the cave where Jāmbavān's house was.

ऋक्षराजसुतं दृष्ट्वा कृष्णो मणिधरं तदा । हर्तुमैच्छन्मणिं तावद्धात्री चुक्रोश भीतवत्

Seeing the son of the king of bears holding the jewel, Krishna wished to take it; the nurse cried out in fear.

श्रुत्वा धात्रीरवं सद्यः समागत्यर्थक्षराट् तदा । युयुधे स्वामिना साकमविश्राममहर्निशम्

Hearing the nurse's cry, the king of bears immediately came; he fought with Krishna, his master, without rest day and night.