महाभिषः पुरा राजा ब्रह्मलोकं गतः स्वराट् । आगच्छन्तीं नृपो गङ्गामपश्यच्चातिसुन्दरीम्
Long ago, King Mahabhisha, sovereign of the earth, went to Brahmaloka and saw the exceedingly beautiful Ganga as she was coming.
वायुनाम्बरमस्यास्तु दैवादपहृतं नृप । किञ्चिन्नग्ना नृपेणाथ दृष्टा सा सुन्दरी तथा
By fate, the wind removed her garment, and the king saw that beautiful lady, Ganga, almost naked.
स्मितं चकार कामार्तः सा च किञ्चिज्जहास वै । ब्रह्मणा तौ तदा दृष्टौ शप्तौ जातौ वसुन्धराम्
Desire-stricken, he smiled; she too laughed a little. Brahmā saw them both and cursed them, so they were born upon the earth.
वैकुण्ठेऽपि सुराः सर्वे पीडिता दैत्यदानवैः । गत्वा हरिं जगन्नाथमस्तुवन्कमलापतिम्
Even in Vaikuṇṭha, all the gods were afflicted by the demons and giants; they went to Hari, Lord of the Universe, and praised the Lotus-eyed One.
सन्देहो नात्र कर्तव्यः सर्वथा नृपसत्तम । गम्याः सर्वेऽपि लोकाः स्युर्मानवानां नराधिप
O best of kings, there should be no doubt about this: all worlds are accessible to humans, O ruler of men.
अवश्यं कृतपुण्यानां तापसानां नराधिप । पुण्यसद्भाव एवात्र गमने कारणं नृप
Certainly, O king, for those who have performed virtuous deeds and ascetics, the presence of merit is the cause for attaining those worlds.
तथैव यजमानानां यज्ञेन भावितात्मनाम् । जनमेजय उवाच - रेवतो रेवतीं कन्यां गृहीत्वा चारुलोचनाम्
Likewise, for those who perform sacrifices and whose minds are purified by yajña. Janamejaya said: Revata took Revati, his daughter with beautiful eyes.
ब्रह्मलोकं गतः पश्चात्किं कृतं तेने भूभुजा । ब्रह्मणा किं समादिष्टं कस्मै दत्ता सुता पुनः
Afterwards, he went to Brahmaloka; what did that king do there? What did Brahmā command, and to whom was the daughter given again?
तत्सर्वं विस्तराद्बह्मन् कथय त्वं ममाधुना । व्यास उवाच - निशामय महीपाल राजा रेवतकः किल
Tell me all this in detail now, O Brahman. Vyāsa said: Listen, O king, Revataka was the ruler.
पुत्र्या वरं परिप्रष्टुं ब्रह्मलोकं गतो यदा । आवर्तमाने गान्धर्वे स्थितो लब्धक्षणः क्षणम्
When he went to Brahmaloka to ask for a husband for his daughter, he remained for a moment, waiting for an opportunity, as the Gandharva music was playing.
शृण्वन्नतृप्यद्धृष्टात्मा सभायां तु सकन्यकः । समाप्ते तत्र गान्धर्वे प्रणम्य परमेश्वरम्
Hearing it, he was insatiable and bold in spirit, sitting in the assembly with his daughter. When the Gandharva music ended, he bowed to the Supreme Lord.
दर्शयित्वा सुतां तस्मै स्वाभिप्रायं न्यवेदयत् । राजोवाच - वरं कथय देवेश कन्येयं मम पुत्रिका
He showed his daughter to Him and expressed his intention. The king said: Tell me, Lord of gods, whom should I give this daughter of mine to?
देया कस्मै मया ब्रह्मन् प्रष्टुं त्वां समुपागतः । बहवो राजपुत्रा मे वीक्षिताः कुलसम्भवाः
To whom should I give her, O Brahman? I have come to ask you. Many princes of noble lineage have been considered by me.
तदाज्ञापय सर्वज्ञ योग्यं राजसुतं वरम् । कुलीनं बलवन्तं च सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्
Therefore, O all-knowing one, command me regarding the suitable prince, one who is noble, strong, and endowed with all qualities.
दातारं धर्मशीलं च राजपुत्रं समादिश । व्यास उवाच - तदाकर्ण्य जगत्कर्ता वचनं नृपतेस्तदा
Direct me to a prince who is generous and righteous in conduct. Vyāsa said: Hearing the king's words, the Creator of the world then—
तमुवाच हसन्वाक्यं दृष्ट्वा कालस्य पर्ययम् । ब्रह्मोवाच - राजपुत्रास्त्वया राजन् वरा ये हृदये कृताः
He spoke to him with a smile, seeing the passage of time. Brahmā said: O king, the princes whom you had chosen in your heart—
ग्रस्ताः कालेन ते सर्वे सपितृपौत्रबान्धवाः । सप्तविंशतिमोऽद्यैव द्वापरस्तु प्रवर्तते
All of them, along with their fathers, sons, and relatives, have been consumed by time. Today is the twenty-seventh, and the Dvāpara era has begun.
वंशजास्ते मृताः सर्वे पुरी दैत्यैर्विलुण्ठिता । सोमवंशोद्भवस्तत्र राजा राज्यं प्रशास्ति हि
All your descendants have died, and the city has been plundered by demons. There, a king born of the Soma dynasty now rules.
उग्रसेन इति ख्यातो मथुराधिपतिः किल । ययातिवंशसम्भूतो राजा माथुरमण्डले
He is known as Ugrasena, the lord of Mathurā. Born in the lineage of Yayāti, he is the king in the region of Mathurā.
उग्रसेनात्मजः कंसः सुरद्वेषी महाबलः । दैत्यांशः पितरं सोऽपि कारागारं न्यवेशयत्
Ugrasena's son is Kaṃsa, a powerful enemy of the gods, a portion of a demon. He imprisoned his own father.
स्वयं राज्यं चकारासौ नृपाणां मदगर्वितः । मेदिनी चातिभारार्ता ब्रह्माणं शरणं गता
He himself ruled as king, intoxicated by pride among the rulers; and the earth, overwhelmed by excessive burden, sought refuge with Brahmā.
दुष्टराजन्यसैन्यायां भारेणातिसमाकुला । अंशावतरणं तत्र गदितं सुरसत्तमैः
Distressed by the weight of wicked kings and their armies, the earth was greatly troubled; and the highest gods spoke there of partial incarnations.
वासुदेवः समुत्पन्नः कृष्णः कमललोचनः । देवक्यां देवरूपिण्यां योऽसौ नारायणो मुनिः
Vāsudeva was born, Kṛṣṇa with lotus-like eyes, in Devakī, who was divine in form; he is that sage Nārāyaṇa.
तपश्चचार दुःसाध्यं धर्मपुत्रः सनातनः । गङ्गातीरे नरसखः पुण्ये बदरिकाश्रमे
The eternal son of Dharma performed arduous austerities on the banks of the Ganges, accompanied by his friend, in the sacred Badarikāśrama.
सोऽवतीर्णो यदुकुले वासुदेवोऽपि विश्रुतः । तेनासौ निहतः पापः कंसः कृष्णेन सत्तम
He too descended in the Yadu lineage, renowned as Vāsudeva; by him, the wicked Kaṃsa was slain, O best of the virtuous.
उग्रसेनाय राज्यं वै दत्तं हत्वा खलं सुतम् । कंसस्य श्वशुरः पापो जरासन्धो महाबलः
Having killed his evil son, the kingdom was given to Ugrasena; Kaṃsa's father-in-law, the sinful Jarāsandha, possessed great strength.
आगत्य मथुरां क्रोधाच्चकार सङ्गरं मुदा । कृष्णेनासौ जितः संख्ये जरासन्धो महाबलः
Coming to Mathurā in anger, he joyfully engaged in battle; Jarāsandha, mighty in strength, was defeated by Kṛṣṇa in combat.
प्रेषयामास युद्धाय सबलं यवनं ततः । श्रुत्वाऽऽयान्तं महाशूरं ससैन्यं यवनाधिपम्
Then he sent the Yavana, with his forces, to fight; hearing that the mighty Yavana king was approaching with his army,
[कृष्णस्तु मथुरां त्यक्त्वा पुरीं द्वारावतीमगात् । प्रभग्नां तां पुरीं कृष्णः शिल्पिभिः सह सङ्गतैः ॥ कारयामास दुर्गाढ्यां हट्टशालाविमण्डिताम् । जीर्णोद्धारं पुरः कृत्वा वासुदेवः प्रतापवान् । उग्रसेनं च राजानं चकार वशवर्तिनम् ॥] यादवान्स्थापयामास द्वारवत्यां यदूत्तमः । वासुदेवस्तु तत्राद्य वर्तते बान्धवैः सह
The foremost of the Yadus established the Yādavas in Dvāravatī; and Vāsudeva remains there today with his relatives.
तास्याग्रतः स विख्यातो बलदेवो हलायुधः । शेषांशो मुसली वीरो वरोऽस्तु तव सम्मतः
Before him stands the renowned Baladeva, wielder of the plough; a portion of Śeṣa, the mighty mace-bearer, let him be your chosen one.