निरुद्धः कंसगेहेऽहं न किंचित्कर्तुमुत्सहे । अतस्त्वमेव दुःखाब्धेर्मामुद्धर महामते
Imprisoned in Kamsa's house, I am unable to do anything; therefore, O wise one, you alone must rescue me from this ocean of sorrow.
इत्युक्तस्तु मया प्रीतः प्रोवाच मुनिपुङ्गवः । वसुदेव तव प्रीत्या करिष्यामि हितं तव
Thus addressed by me, the eminent sage, pleased, said: 'O Vasudeva, out of affection for you, I will do what is beneficial for you.'
अथ गर्गमुनिः प्रीत्या मया संप्रार्थितोऽगमत् । आरिराधयिषुर्दुर्गां विंध्याद्रिं ब्राह्मणैः सह
Then, requested by me with affection, the sage Garga departed, intending to worship Durga, together with the Brahmins, at Mount Vindhya.
तत्र गत्वा जगद्धात्रीं भक्ताभीष्टप्रदायिनीम् । आराधयामास मुनिर्जपपाठपरायणः
There, having arrived, the sage, devoted to recitation and prayer, worshipped the World-Mother, who grants the wishes of devotees.
यतः समाप्ते नियमे वागुवाचाशरीरिणी । प्रसन्नाऽहं मुने कार्यसिद्धिस्तव भविष्यति
When the observance was completed, a bodiless voice spoke: 'I am pleased, O sage; your purpose will be accomplished.'
भूभारहरणार्थाय मया संप्रेषितो हरिः । वसुदेवस्य देवक्यां स्वांशेनावतरिष्यति
For the removal of the burden of the earth, Hari has been sent by me; he will descend, by his own portion, into Devaki, wife of Vasudeva.
कंसभीत्या तमादाय बालमानकदुंदुभिः । प्रापयिष्यति सद्यस्तु गोकुले नन्दवेश्मनि
Out of fear of Kamsa, Anakadundubhi will take the child and immediately deliver him to Nanda's house in Gokula.
यशोदातनयां नीत्वा स्वगृहे कंसभूभुजे । दास्यत्यथ च तां हंतुं कंस आक्षेप्स्यति क्षितौ
Taking Yashoda's daughter to his own house, Kamsa, ruler of the earth, will attempt to kill her, but she will escape.
सा तद्धस्ताद्विनिर्गत्य सद्यो दिव्यवपुर्द्धरा । मदंशभूता विंध्याद्रौ करिष्यति जगद्धितम्
She, emerging at once from his hand, assumed a divine form, and, becoming the embodiment of intoxication, will accomplish the good of the world on Mount Vindhya.
इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रणम्य जगदम्बिकाम् । गर्गो मुनिः प्रसन्नात्मा मथुरामगमत्पुरीम्
Hearing these words, the sage Garga, with a serene heart, bowed to the Mother of the Universe and went to the city of Mathura.
वरदानं महादेव्या गर्गाचार्यसुखावहम् । श्रुत्वा सभार्यः संप्रीतः परं मुदमथागमत्
Hearing of the boon granted by the great Goddess, which brought happiness to Garga the teacher, he, together with his wife, became filled with joy.
तदारभ्य परं जाने देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । अधुनापि हि देवर्षे श्रुतं तव मुखांबुजात्
From that time onward, O divine sage, I have known the supreme glory of the Goddess, which even now I have heard from your lotus mouth.
अतो भागवतं देव्यास्त्वमेव श्रावय प्रभो । मद्भाग्यादेव देवर्षे संप्राप्तोऽसि दयानिधे
Therefore, O Lord, you alone should recite the Bhāgavata of the Goddess; by my good fortune, O ocean of compassion, you have come to me, O divine sage.
वसुदेववचः श्रुत्वा नारदः प्रीतमानसः । सुदिने शुभनक्षत्रे कथारंभमथाकरोत्
Hearing Vasudeva’s words, Nārada, his mind delighted, began the narration on an auspicious day under a favorable star.
कथाविघ्नविघातार्थं द्विजा जेपुर्नवाक्षरम् । मार्कण्डेयपुराणोक्तं पेठुर्देव्याः स्तवं तथा
To remove obstacles to the narration, the twice-born recited the nine-syllabled mantra and also the hymn to the Goddess as spoken in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa.
प्रथमस्कंधमारभ्य श्रीनारदमुखोद्गतम् । शुश्राव वसुदेवश्व भक्त्या भागवतामृतम्
Beginning with the first Skandha, Vasudeva listened with devotion to the nectar of the Bhāgavata as it flowed from the mouth of Śrī Nārada.
नवमेऽह्नि कथापूर्तौ पुस्तकं वाचकं तथा । प्रसन्न: पूजयामास वसुदेवो महामनाः
On the ninth day, when the narration was completed, Vasudeva, of noble mind, worshipped the book and the reciter with satisfaction.
अथ तत्र बिलस्यांतः कृष्णजांबवतोर्मृधे । कृष्णमुष्टिविनिष्पातश्लथाङ्गो जांबवानभूत्
Then, within the cave, in the battle between Krishna and Jāmbavat, Jāmbavat became weakened in body from Krishna’s blows.
अथागतस्मृतिः सो हि भगवंतं प्रणम्य च । उवाच परया भक्त्या स्वापराधं क्षमापयन्
Regaining his memory, he bowed to the Blessed Lord and, with deep devotion, begged forgiveness for his offense.
ज्ञातोऽसि रघुवर्यस्त्वं यद्रोषात्सरितां पतिः । क्षोभं जगाम लंकां च रावणः सानुगो हतः
I have recognized you as the best of the Raghus, who, out of anger, agitated the lord of rivers and destroyed Rāvaṇa with his followers in Laṅkā.
स एवासि भवान्कृष्ण मद्दौरात्म्यं क्षमस्व भोः । ब्रूहि यत्करणीयं मे भृत्योऽहं तव सर्वथा
You are that same one, now as Krishna; forgive my wrongdoing, O Lord. Tell me what I must do—I am always your servant.
श्रुत्वा जांबवतो वाचमब्रवीज्जगदीश्वरः । मणिहेतोरिह प्राप्ता वयमृक्षपते बिलम्
Hearing Jāmbavat’s words, the Lord of the universe said: 'O king of bears, we have come to this cave for the sake of the jewel.'
द्विजा भार्यया सहितं कृष्णं देवर्षिर्नारदश्वाथ ऋक्षराजस्ततः प्रीत्या कन्यां जाम्बवतीं निजाम्। ददौ कृष्णाय संपूज्य स्यमंतकमणिं तथा
Then, with his wife, the divine sage Nārada and Krishna, the king of bears joyfully gave his own daughter Jāmbavatī to Krishna, honoring him, and also gave the Syamantaka jewel.
स तां पत्नीं समादाय मणिं कंठे तथा दधत् । अभिमंत्र्यर्क्षराजञ्च प्रतस्थे द्वारकां प्रति
Taking her as his wife and placing the jewel on his neck, Krishna, after respectfully bidding farewell to the king of bears, set out for Dvārakā.
कथासमाप्तिदिवसे वसुदेव उदारधीः । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयामास दक्षिणाभिरतोषयत्
On the day the narration was completed, Vasudeva, noble-minded, fed the brāhmaṇas and satisfied them with gifts.
आशीर्वादं प्रयुञ्जाना द्विजा यत्समये हरिः । आजगाम क्षणे तस्मिन्पत्न्या सह मणिं दधत्
As the brāhmaṇas were bestowing blessings at that moment, Hari arrived, wearing the jewel and accompanied by his wife.
भार्यया सहितं कृष्णं वसुदेवपुरोगमाः । दृष्ट्वा हर्षाश्रुपूर्णाक्षाः समवापुः परां मुदम्
Seeing Krishna together with his wife, with Vasudeva at the forefront, their eyes filled with tears of joy, they attained supreme happiness.
देवर्षिर्नारदश्चाथ कृष्णागमनहर्षितः । आमंत्र्य वसुदेवं च कृष्णो ब्रह्मसभां ययौ
Then the divine sage Narada, delighted by Krishna's arrival, after greeting Vasudeva, Krishna went to the assembly of Brahma.
हरिचरितमिदं यत्कीर्तितं दुर्यशोघ्नं पठति विमलभक्त्या शुद्धचित्तः शृणोति । स भवति सुखपूर्णः सर्वदा सिद्धिकामो जगति च वपुषोऽन्ते मुक्तिमार्गं लभेच्च
Whoever, with pure devotion and a purified mind, recites or listens to this account of Hari, which destroys evil reputation, always becomes filled with happiness, attains success in all desires in the world, and at the end of the body, obtains the path of liberation.
अध्यायः ३ सूत उवाच। अथेतिहासमन्यच्च शृणुध्वं मुनिसत्तमाः । देवीभागवतस्यास्य माहात्म्यं यत्र गीयते
Sūta said: Now, O best of sages, listen also to another ancient tale, where the greatness of this Devī Bhāgavata is sung.