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.
एवं त्रिनवरात्रं तु महद्युद्धमभूत्तयोः । कृष्णागमप्रतीक्षास्ते तस्थुर्द्वारि पुरौकसः
Thus, for twenty-one days, a great battle took place between the two; the citizens waited at the cave entrance, expecting Krishna's return.
द्वादशाहं ततो भीत्या प्रतिजग्मुर्निजालयम् । तत्र ते कथयामासुर्वृत्तांतं सर्वमादितः
After twelve days, out of fear, they returned to their own homes; there, they narrated the entire story from the beginning.
सत्राजितं शपंतस्ते सर्वे शोकाकुला भृशम् । वासुदेवो महाभागः श्रुत्वा पुत्रस्य तां कथाम्
All of them cursed Satrājit, overwhelmed with deep sorrow. The illustrious Vāsudeva, upon hearing the story concerning his son,
मुमोह सपरीवारस्तदा परमया शुचा । चिन्तयामास बहुधा कथं श्रेयो भवेन्मम
became unconscious along with his family, stricken by intense grief. He pondered in many ways how he might attain what is best for himself.
अथाजगाम भगवान्देवर्षिर्ब्रह्मलोकतः । उत्थाय तं प्रणम्यासौ वसुदेवोऽभ्यपूजयत्
Then the revered sage Nārada arrived from the world of Brahma. Rising and bowing to him, Vāsudeva honored him.
नारदोऽनामयं पृष्ट्वा वासुदेवं महामतिम् । प्रपच्छ च यदुश्रेष्ठं किं चितयसि तद्वद
Nārada, after inquiring about Vāsudeva's well-being, questioned the foremost among the Yadus: 'What are you thinking about? Tell me.'
वसुदेव उवाच। पुत्रो मेऽतिप्रियः कृष्णः प्रसेनान्वेषणाय तु । पौरैः साकं वनं गत्वा निहतं तं तदैक्षत
Vasudeva said: 'My son Kṛṣṇa, who is exceedingly dear to me, went with the townspeople into the forest to search for Prasena, and there he saw him slain.'
प्रसेनघातकं दृष्ट्वा बिलद्वारे मृतं हरिम् । द्वारि पौरानधिष्ठाय बिलांतर्गतवान्स्वयम्
Seeing Hari, the killer of Prasena, dead at the entrance of the cave, the townspeople stood at the door while he himself entered within.
बहवो दिवसा याता नायात्यद्यापि मे सुतः । अतः शोचामि तद् ब्रूहि येन लप्स्ये सुतं मुने
Many days have passed, and my son has still not returned. Therefore I grieve; tell me, O sage, by what means I may recover my son.
नारद उवाच। पुत्रप्राप्त्यै यदुश्रेष्ठ देवीमाराधयांबिकाम् । तस्या आराधनेनैव सद्यः श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यसि
Nārada said: 'O foremost of the Yadus, to obtain your son, worship the goddess Ambikā. By her worship alone, you will immediately attain what is best.'