रथाङ्गवदसर्वार्थं भ्रमणं सर्वदा स्मृतम् । विष्णोरप्यवताराणां संख्यां जानाति कः पुमान्
Like the turning of a chariot wheel, all things are ever remembered as revolving; who knows the number of Vishnu's incarnations?
विततेऽस्मिंस्तु संसारे उत्तमाधमयोनिषु । नारायणो हरिः साक्षान्मात्स्यं वपुरुपाश्रितः
In this vast world, among higher and lower births, Narayana, Hari himself, assumed the form of a fish.
कामठं सौकरं चैव नारसिंहञ्च वामनम् । युगे युगे जगन्नाथो वासुदेवो जनार्दनः
He took the forms of tortoise, boar, man-lion, and dwarf; in every age, the Lord of the world, Vasudeva, Janardana.
अवतारानसंख्यातान्करोति विधियन्त्रितः । वैवस्वते महाराज सप्तमे भगवान्हरिः
He makes countless incarnations, compelled by destiny; in the seventh of Vaivasvata, O king, Bhagavan Hari.
मन्वन्तरेऽवतारान्वै चक्रे ताञ्छ्रुणु तत्त्वतः । भृगुशापान्महाराज विष्णुर्देववरः प्रभुः
In the Manvantara, he truly made incarnations; listen to them in detail, O king, due to Bhrigu's curse, Vishnu, the lord of the gods.
अवताराननेकांस्तु कृतवानखिलेश्वरः । राजोवाच सन्देहोऽयं महाभाग हृदये मम जायते
The Lord of all made many incarnations; the king said: O illustrious one, a doubt arises in my heart.
भृगुणा भगवान्विष्णुः कथं शप्तः पितामह । हरिणा च मुनेस्तस्य विप्रियं किं कृतं मुने
How was Bhagavan Vishnu cursed by Bhrigu, O ancestor? And what offense did Hari commit against that sage, O sage?
यद्रोषाद् भृगुणा शप्तो विष्णुर्देवनमस्कृतः । व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि भृगोः शापस्य कारणम्
By what anger was Vishnu cursed by Bhrigu, the one revered by the gods? Vyasa said: Hear, O king, I will tell you the cause of Bhrigu's curse.
पुरा कश्यपदायादो हिरण्यकशिपुर्नृपः । यदा तदा सुरैः सार्धं कृतं संख्यं परस्परम्
Long ago, O King, when Hiraṇyakaśipu, descendant of Kaśyapa, was alive, a great battle took place between him and the gods.
कृते संख्ये जगत्सर्वं व्याकुलं समजायत । हते तस्मिन्नृपे राजा प्रह्लादः समजायत
When that battle occurred, the entire world became agitated; after that king was slain, Prahlāda became king.
देवान्स पीडयामास प्रह्लादः शत्रुकर्षणः । संग्रामो ह्यभवद् घोरः शक्रप्रह्लादयोस्तदा
Prahlāda, the subduer of enemies, began to oppress the gods; then there was a fierce war between Śakra and Prahlāda.
पूर्णं वर्षशतं राजँल्लोकविस्मयकारकम् । देवैर्युद्धं कृतं चोग्रं प्रह्रादस्तु पराजितः
For a full hundred years, O King, a terrible war was waged by the gods, astonishing the worlds, and at last Prahlāda was defeated.
निर्वेदं परमं प्राप्तो ज्ञात्वा धर्मं सनातनम् । विरोचनसुतं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठाप्य बलिं नृप
Having attained supreme dispassion, and realizing the eternal Dharma, Prahlāda installed Bali, the son of Virocana, on the throne.
जगाम स तपस्तप्तुं पर्वते गन्धमादने । प्राप्य राज्यं बलिः श्रीमान्सुरैर्वैरं चकार ह
He went to perform austerities on Mount Gandhamādana; Bali, having gained the kingdom, entered into enmity with the gods.
यतः परस्परं युद्धं जातं परमदारुणम् । ततः सुरैर्जिता दैत्या इन्द्रेणामिततेजसा
Because of this, a most dreadful war broke out between them; then the Daityas were defeated by the gods, led by Indra of immeasurable brilliance.
विष्णुना च सहायेन राज्यभ्रष्टाः कृता नृप । ततः पराजिता दैत्याः काव्यस्य शरणं गताः
With Viṣṇu as their ally, O King, the gods deprived the Daityas of their kingdom; thus defeated, the Daityas sought refuge with Kāvya.
किं त्वं न कुरुषे ब्रह्मन् साहाय्यं नः प्रतापवान् । स्थातुं न शक्नुमो ह्यत्र प्रविशामो रसातलम्
"O powerful Brāhmaṇa, why do you not help us? We are unable to remain here; let us enter the netherworld."
यदि त्वं न सहायोऽसि त्रातुं मन्त्रविदुत्तम । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तः सोऽब्रवीद्दैत्यान्काव्यः कारुणिको मुनिः
"If you, O foremost knower of mantras, will not assist us and protect us, then—" Vyāsa said: Thus addressed, the compassionate sage Kāvya spoke to the Daityas.
मा भैष्ट धारयिष्यामि तेजसा स्वेन भोऽसुराः । मन्त्रैस्तथौषधीभिश्च साहाय्यं वः सदैव हि
"Do not fear, O Asuras; I will protect you with my own power, and always aid you with mantras and herbs."
करिष्यामि कृतोत्साहा भवन्तु विगतज्वराः । व्यास उवाच ततस्ते निर्भया जाता दैत्याः काव्यस्य संश्रयात्
"I will help you with all my effort; let your distress be gone." Vyāsa said: Then, by taking refuge in Kāvya, the Daityas became fearless.
देवैः श्रुतस्तु वृत्तान्तः सर्वैश्चारमुखात्किल । तत्र संमन्त्र्य ते देवाः शक्रेण च परस्परम्
The gods learned all these events from their spies; thereupon, they held counsel together with Śakra.
मन्त्रं चक्रुः सुसंविग्नाः काव्यमन्त्रप्रभावतः । योद्धुं गच्छामहे तूर्णं यावन्न च्यावयन्ति वै
Greatly disturbed by the power of Kāvya's mantras, they devised a plan: "Let us go quickly to fight, before they recover."
प्रसह्य हत्वा शिष्टांस्तु पातालं प्रापयामहे । दैत्याञ्जग्मुस्ततो देवाः संरुष्टाः शस्त्रपाणयः
"Let us forcibly slay the survivors and send them to Pātāla." Then the gods, enraged and armed, marched against the Daityas.
जग्मुस्तान्विष्णुसहिता दानवान् हरिणोदिताः । वध्यमानास्तु ते दैत्याः सन्त्रस्ता भयपीडिताः
Accompanied by Viṣṇu, the gods, urged on by Hari, attacked the Dānavas; as they were being slain, the Daityas, terrified and afflicted by fear,
काव्यस्य शरणं जग्मू रक्ष रक्षेति चाब्रुवन् । ताञ्छुक्रः पीडितान्दृष्ट्वा देवैर्दैत्यान्महाबलान्
sought refuge with Kāvya, crying, "Protect us, protect us!" Seeing the mighty Daityas oppressed by the gods,
मा भैष्टेति वचः प्राह मन्त्रौषधिबलाद्विभुः । दृष्ट्वा काव्यं सुराः सर्वे त्यक्त्वा तान्प्रययुः किल
Śukra, empowered by mantras and herbs, said, "Do not fear." When the gods saw Kāvya, they withdrew and left the Daityas.
शुक्रमातुर्वधवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच तथा गतेषु देवेषु काव्यस्तान्प्रत्युवाच ह । ब्रह्मणा पूर्वमुक्तं यच्छ्रुणुध्वं दानवोत्तमाः
Vyasa said: When the gods had departed, Kavi addressed them thus: Hear what was formerly spoken by Brahma, O foremost among the Danavas.
विष्णुर्दैत्यवधे युक्तो हनिष्यति जनार्दनः । वाराहरूपं संस्थाय हिरण्याक्षो यथा हतः
Vishnu, intent on the destruction of the demons, will slay them, O Janardana; assuming the form of the boar, he killed Hiranyaksha.
यथा नृसिंहरूपेण हिरण्यकशिपुर्हतः । तथा सर्वान्कृतोत्साहो हनिष्यति न चान्यथा
Just as, in the form of Narasimha, he killed Hiranyakashipu, so, being fully determined, he will slay all; it cannot be otherwise.
न मे मन्त्रबलं सम्यक्प्रतिभाति यथा हरिम् । जेतुं यूयं समर्थाः स्थ मया त्राताः सुरानथ
My power of mantra does not seem sufficient to overcome Hari; you are capable of victory, having been protected by me, O lord of the gods.