कुत्रचित्स्थापयामास दानवानां जयाय च । एवमस्मिंश्च संसारे सुखदुःखान्विताः किल
Established him somewhere for the victory over the Dānavas; thus, in this world, all beings are indeed joined with happiness and sorrow.
भवन्ति प्राणिनः सर्वे विधितन्त्रनियन्त्रिताः
All living beings come to be, governed by the ordinance of fate.
नारायणवरदानम् जनमेजय उवाच वाराङ्गनास्त्वयाख्याता नरनारायणाश्रमे । एकं नारायणं शान्तं कामयाना स्मरातुराः
Janamejaya said: O revered one, you have described the women of the forest at the hermitage of Nara and Nārāyaṇa; desiring Nārāyaṇa alone, calm, they were overcome by love and passion.
शप्तुकामस्तदा जातो मुनिर्नारायणश्च ताः । निवारितो नरेणाथ भ्रात्रा धर्मविदा नृप
At that time, the sage Nārāyaṇa became intent on cursing them; but he was restrained by Nara, his brother, who knew righteousness, O King.
किं कृतं मुनिना तेन व्यसने समुपस्थिते । ताभिः संकल्पितेनाथ कामार्थाभिर्भृशं मुने
What did the sage do when those women, driven by desire, approached him in their distress, having resolved upon him for the sake of love?
शक्रेणोत्पादिताभिश्च बहुप्रार्थनया पुनः । याचितेन विवाहार्थं किं कृतं तेन जिष्णुना
And what did he do when, at Indra’s request and after much entreaty, they were again produced for the purpose of marriage, and were sought by Arjuna?
इत्येतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि चरितं तस्य मोक्षदम् । नारायणस्य मे ब्रूहि विस्तरेण पितामह
I wish to hear all this—the story of him who grants liberation; tell me in detail, O Pitāmaha, about Nārāyaṇa.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा तस्य महात्मनः । धर्मपुत्रस्य धर्मज्ञ विस्तरेण वदामि ते
Vyāsa said: Listen, O King, I will tell you in detail the story of that great-souled one, the righteous son of Dharma.
शप्तुकामस्तु संदृष्टो नरेणाथ यदा हरिः । वारितोऽसौ समाश्वास्य मुनिर्नारायणस्तदा
When Hari was about to pronounce a curse and was seen by the man, the sage Nārāyaṇa restrained him, comforting him at that moment.
शान्तकोपस्तदोवाच तास्तपस्वी महामुनिः । स्मितपूर्वमिदं वाक्यं मधुरं धर्मनन्दनः
Then that great ascetic, the illustrious sage, his anger calmed, spoke these sweet words with a smile, O delight of Dharma.
अस्मिञ्जन्मनि चार्वंग्यः कृतसंकल्पवानहम् । आवाभ्याञ्च न कर्तव्यः सर्वथा दारसंग्रहः
In this very birth, O beautiful ones, I have resolved firmly; neither of us should in any way engage in taking a spouse.
तस्माद् गच्छन्तु त्रिदिवं कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि । धर्मज्ञा न प्रकुर्वन्ति व्रतभङ्गं परस्य वै
Therefore, show me your compassion and return to heaven; those who know righteousness do not break another's vow.
शृङ्गारेऽस्मिन् रसे नूनं स्थायीभावो रतिः स्मृतः । कथं करोमि सम्बन्धं तदभावे सुलोचनाः
In this rasa of love, the abiding sentiment is said to be passion; how can I form a union, O fair-eyed ones, in its absence?
कारणेन विना कार्यं न भवेदिति निश्चयः । कविभिः कथितं शास्त्रे स्थायीभावो रसः किल
It is certain that an effect does not arise without a cause; poets have declared in the scriptures that the abiding sentiment is indeed the rasa.
धन्यः सुचारुसर्वाङ्गः सभाग्योऽहं धरातले । प्रीतिपात्रं यतो जातो भवतीनामकृत्रिमम्
Blessed, most handsome in every limb, and fortunate am I on earth, for I have become the true object of your affection.
भवतीभिः कृपां कृत्वा रक्षणीयं व्रतं मम । भविष्यामि महाभागाः पतिरप्यन्यजन्मनि
By your grace, my vow must be protected; in another birth, O highly fortunate ones, I shall become your husband.
अष्टाविंशे विशालाक्ष्यो द्वापरेऽस्मिन्धरातले । देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं प्रभविष्यामि सर्वथा
In the twenty-eighth Dvāpara, O wide-eyed ones, I shall surely be born on earth for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose.
तदा भवत्यो मद्दाराः प्राप्य जन्म पृथक्पृथक् । भूपतीनां सुता भूत्वा पलीभावं गमिष्यथ
Then, you will each be born as my wives, becoming the daughters of kings, and will attain the state of consorts.
इत्याश्वास्य हरिस्तास्तु प्रतिश्रुत्य परिग्रहम् । व्यसर्जयत्स भगवाञ्जग्मुश्च विगतज्वराः
Thus reassuring them, Hari promised to accept them, and the Blessed One dismissed them; they departed, free from distress.
एवं विसर्जितास्तेन गताः स्वर्गं तदाङ्गनाः । शक्राय कथयामासुः कारणं सकलं पुनः
Thus dismissed by him, those women then went to heaven and told Indra the whole reason once again.
आश्रुत्य मघवांस्ताभ्यो वृत्तान्तं तस्य विस्तरात् । तुष्टाव तं महात्मानं नारीर्दृष्ट्वा तथोर्वशीः
Having heard from them in detail the account of what had happened, Maghavan praised that great soul, seeing those women and Urvaśī as well.
इन्द्र उवाच अहो धैर्यं मुनेः कामं तथैव च तपोबलम् । येनोर्वश्यः स्वतपसा तादृग्रूपाः प्रकल्पिताः
Indra said: 'Oh, what fortitude and ascetic power the sage possesses, by whose austerity such beautiful Urvaśīs have been created!'
इति स्तुत्वा प्रसन्नात्मा बभूव सुरराट् ततः । नारायणोऽपि धर्मात्मा तपस्यभिरतोऽभवत्
Having thus praised him, the king of the gods became pleased in heart; and Nārāyaṇa, devoted to righteousness, continued his austerities.
इत्येतत्सर्वमाख्यातं मुनेर्वृत्तान्तमद्भुतम् । नारायणस्य सकलं नरस्य च महामुनेः
Thus has the entire wondrous story of the sage, of Nārāyaṇa and the great sage Nara, been recounted.
तौ हि कृष्णार्जुनौ वीरौ भूभारहरणाय च । जातौ तौ भरतश्रेष्ठ भृगोः शापवशादिह
Indeed, those two heroes, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, were born here under the influence of Bhṛgu's curse, O best of the Bharatas, to relieve the burden of the earth.
राजोवाच कृष्णावतारचरितं विस्तरेण वदस्व मे । सन्देहो मम चित्तेऽस्ति तं निवारय मानद
The king said: 'Tell me in detail the story of Kṛṣṇa's incarnation; there is doubt in my mind—remove it, O bestower of honor.'
ययोः पुत्रत्वमापन्नौ हर्यनन्तौ महाबलौ । देवकीवसुदेवौ तौ दुःखभाजौ कथं मुने
O sage, how is it that Devakī and Vasudeva, whose sons were the mighty Hari and Ananta, became the recipients of suffering?
कंसेन निगडे बद्धौ पीडितौ बहुवत्सरान् । ययोः पुत्रो हरिः साक्षात्तपसा तोषितोऽभवत्
Bound in chains by Kaṃsa, they were tormented for many years; yet their son Hari, directly pleased by their austerity, was born to them.
जातोऽसौ मथुरायां तु गोकुले स कथं गतः । कंसं हत्वा द्वारवत्यां निवासं कृतवान्कथम्
He was born in Mathurā, but how did he go to Gokula? And after killing Kaṃsa, how did he come to dwell in Dvāravatī?
पित्रादिसेवितं देशं समृद्धं पावनं किल । त्यक्त्वा देशान्तरेऽनार्ये गतवान्स कथं हरिः
How did Hari abandon that prosperous and holy land, served by his father and others, and go to another, unrefined country?