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.
सङ्कर्षणाय देह्याशु कन्यां कमललोचनाम् । रेवतीं बलभद्राय विवाहविधिना ततः
Quickly give the lotus-eyed maiden to Saṅkarṣaṇa; let Revati be wed to Balabhadra according to the marriage rites.
दत्त्वा पुत्रीं नृपश्रेष्ठ गच्छ त्वं बदरिकाश्रमम् । तपस्तप्तुं सुरारामं पावनं कामदं नृणाम्
Having given your daughter, O best of kings, go to Badarikāśrama; perform austerities in that abode of the gods, purifying and granting desires to men.
व्यास उवाच - इति राजा समादिष्टो ब्रह्मणा पद्मयोनिना । जगाम तरसा राजन् द्वारकां कन्ययान्वितः
Vyāsa said: Thus instructed by Brahmā, the lotus-born, the king swiftly departed, O ruler, to Dvārakā, accompanied by his daughter.
ददौ तां बलदेवाय कन्यां वै शुभलक्षणाम् । ततस्तप्त्वा तपस्तीव्रं नृपतिः कालपर्यये
He gave that auspicious maiden to Baladeva; then, after performing intense austerities, the king, in due course of time,
जगाम त्रिदशावासं त्यक्त्वा देहं सरित्तटे । राजोवाच - भगवन्महदाश्चर्यं भवता समुदाहृतम्
Abandoning his body on the riverbank, he went to the abode of the gods; the king said: O Lord, you have narrated a great and wondrous story.
रेवतस्तु स्थितस्तत्र ब्रह्मलोके सुतार्थतः । युगानां तु गतं तत्र शतमष्टोत्तरं किल
Revata remained there in Brahmā's world for the sake of his son; indeed, a hundred and eight ages passed there.
कन्या वृद्धा न सञ्जाता राजा वातितरां नु किम् । एतावन्तं तथा कालमायुः पूर्णं तयोः कथम्
The maiden did not become aged; O king, how is it that their lifespan remained full for such a long time?
व्यास उवाच - न जरा क्षुपित्पासा वा न मृत्युर्न भयं पुनः । न तु ग्लानिः प्रभवति ब्रह्मलोके सदानघ
Vyāsa said: There is no old age, thirst, hunger, death, or fear; nor does fatigue prevail in Brahmā's world, O sinless one.
मेरुं गतस्य शर्यातेः सन्तती राक्षसैर्हता । गताः कुशस्थलीं त्यक्त्वा भयभीता इतस्ततः
When Śaryāti went to Mount Meru, his lineage was destroyed by the Rākṣasas; terrified, they abandoned Kuśasthalī and scattered in all directions.
मनोश्च क्षुवतः पुत्र उत्पन्नो वीर्यवत्तरः । इक्ष्वाकुरिति विख्यातः सूर्यवंशकरस्तु सः
From Manu's sneeze was born a son of great strength, renowned as Ikṣvāku, who became the founder of the Solar dynasty.
वंशार्थं तप आतिष्ठद्देवीं ध्यात्वा निरन्तरम् । नारदस्योपदेशेन प्राप्य दीक्षामनुत्तमाम्
For the sake of his lineage, he undertook austerities, constantly meditating on the Goddess, and, by Nārada's instruction, received the highest initiation.
तस्य पुत्रशतं राजन्निक्ष्वाकोरिति विश्रुतम् । विकुक्षिः प्रथमस्तेषां बलवीर्यसमन्वितः
That Ikṣvāku, famed among kings, had a hundred sons; the first among them was Vikukṣi, endowed with great strength and valor.
अयोध्यायां स्थितो राजा इक्ष्वाकुरिति विश्रुतः । शकुनिप्रमुखाः पुत्रा पञ्चाशद्बलवत्तराः
The king Ikṣvāku, renowned, resided in Ayodhyā; his sons, led by Śakuni, fifty in number, were even mightier.
उत्तरापथदेशस्य रक्षितारः कृताः किल । दक्षिणस्यां तथा राजन्नादिष्टास्तेन ते सुताः
It is said that these sons were appointed as protectors of the northern regions; likewise, O king, others were assigned by him to the southern lands.
चत्वारिंशत्तथाष्टौ च रक्षणार्थं महात्मना । अन्यौ द्वौ संस्थितौ पार्श्वे सेवार्थं तस्य भूपतेः
Forty-eight were assigned for protection, and two others remained at his side to serve the king.
मान्धातोत्पत्तिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - कदाचिदष्टकाश्राद्धे विकुक्षिं पृथिवीपतिः । आज्ञापयदसंमूढो मांसमानय सत्वरम्
The Origin of Māndhātṛ
मेध्यं श्राद्धार्थमधुना वने गत्वा सूतादरात् । उत्युक्तोऽसौ तथेत्याशु जगाम वनमस्त्रभृत्
Told by the charioteer to fetch pure meat for the śrāddha, he agreed and swiftly went to the forest, armed with weapons.
गत्वा जघान बाणैः स वराहान्सूकरान्मृगान् । शशांश्चापि परिश्रान्तो बभूवाथ बुभूक्षितः
There he killed boars, pigs, and deer with arrows; exhausted and hungry, he also slew hares.
विस्मृता चाष्टका तस्य शशं चाददसौ वने । शेषं निवेदयामास पित्रे मांसमनुत्तमम्
Forgetting the aṣṭakā, he ate a hare in the forest; the rest of the excellent meat he offered to his father.
प्रोक्षणाय समानीतं मांसं दृष्ट्वा गुरुस्तदा । अनर्हमिति तज्ज्ञात्वा चुकोप मुनिसत्तमः
When the guru saw the meat brought for consecration, he realized it was unsuitable and, knowing this, the great sage became angry.