भारापहरणं चास्याः कर्तव्यं भुवनेश्वरि । देवानामीष्मित कार्यमेतदेवाधुना शिवे
'O Sovereign of the world, the burden must be removed from her. O Auspicious One, this is now the task of the gods.'
घातितस्तु पुरा मातस्त्वया महिषरूपभृत् । दानवोऽतिबलाक्रान्तस्तत्सहायाश्च कोटिशः
'In former times, O Mother, you slew the demon who took the form of a buffalo, along with his countless powerful allies.'
तथा शुम्भो निशुम्भश्च रक्तबीजस्तथापरः । चण्डमुण्डौ महावीर्यौ तथैव धूम्रलोचनः
'Likewise, Śumbha and Niśumbha, and another, Raktabīja, as well as the mighty Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, and also Dhūmralocana.'
दुर्मुखो दुःसहश्चैव करालश्चाति वीर्यवान् । अन्ये च बहवः क्रूरास्त्वयैव च निपातिताः
'Durmukha, Duḥsaha, and Karāla, exceedingly powerful, and many other cruel ones were also slain by you.'
तथैव च सुरारींश्च जहि सर्वान्महीश्वरान् । (भारं हर धरायाश्च दुर्धरं दुष्टभूभुजाम् ।)
'In the same way, destroy all the enemies of the gods, O Sovereign of the earth. Remove the unbearable burden of the wicked kings from the earth.'
सम्प्रहस्यासितापाङ्गी मेघगम्भीरया गिरा । श्रीदेव्युवाच मयेदं चिन्तितं पूर्वमंशावतरणं सुराः
Smiling, her eyes dark as collyrium, with a voice deep as a cloud, the blessed Goddess said: 'O gods, I have already considered the descent of portions.'
भारावतरणं चैव यथा स्याद्दुष्टभूभुजाम् । मया सर्वे निहन्तव्या दैत्येशा ये महीभुजः
'And also how the burden of the wicked kings may be removed. All the great demon-lords who are kings must be slain by me.'
मागधाद्या महाभागाः स्वशक्त्या मन्दतेजसः । भवद्भिरपि स्वैरंशैरवतीर्य धरातले
'The illustrious ones beginning with the Magadhas, though weak in brilliance, must be opposed by you as well, descending to earth with your own portions.'
मच्छक्तियुक्तैः कर्तव्यं भारावतरणं सुराः । कश्यपो भार्यया सार्धं दिविजानां प्रजापतिः
'O gods, the removal of the burden must be accomplished by those endowed with my power. Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures among the gods, together with his wife—'
यादवानां कुले पूर्वं भविताऽऽनकदुन्दुभिः । तथैव भृगुशापाद्वै भगवान्विष्णुरव्ययः
'In the clan of the Yādavas, Anakadundubhi will be born. Likewise, by the curse of Bhṛgu, the imperishable Lord Viṣṇu—'
अंशेन भविता तत्र वसुदेवसुतो हरिः । तदाहं प्रभविष्यामि यशोदायां च गोकुले
'Hari, the son of Vasudeva, will be born there as a portion. Then I will manifest in Gokula, in the house of Yaśodā.'
कार्यं सर्वं करिष्यामि सुराणां सुरसत्तमाः । कारागारे गतं विष्णुं प्रापयिष्यामि गोकुले
'O best of gods, I will accomplish all the tasks of the gods. I will transfer Viṣṇu, who is in prison, to Gokula.'
शेषं च देवकीगर्भात्प्रापयिष्यामि रोहिणीम् । मच्छक्त्योपचितौ तौ च कर्तारौ दुष्टसंक्षयम्
The remainder from Devakī's womb I will transfer to Rohiṇī; by my power, those two will bring about the destruction of the wicked.
दुष्टानां भूभुजां कामं द्वापरान्ते सुनिश्चितम् । इन्द्रांशोऽप्यर्जुनः साक्षात्करिष्यति बलक्षयम्
At the end of Dvāpara, it is certain that Arjuna, the portion of Indra, will directly bring about the destruction of the wicked rulers.
धर्मांशोऽपि महाराजो भविष्यति युधिष्ठिरः । वाय्वंशो भीमसेनश्चाश्विन्यंशौ च यमावपि
Yudhiṣṭhira will be the portion of Dharma, Bhīmasena of Vāyu, and the twins, Yamā, will be portions of the Aśvins.
वसोरंशोऽथ गाङ्गेयः करिष्यति बलक्षयम् । व्रजन्तु च भवन्तोऽद्य धरा भवतु सुस्थिरा
The portion of Vasu, Gāṅgeya, will also bring about the destruction of strength; now, let you all depart, and may the earth become stable.
भारावतरणं नूनं करिष्यामि सुरोत्तमाः । कृत्वा निमित्तमात्रांस्तान्स्वशक्त्याहं न संशयः
Certainly, O best of gods, I will accomplish the removal of the burden; having made them mere instruments, I will act by my own power, without doubt.
कुरुक्षेत्रे करिष्यामि क्षत्त्रियाणां च संक्षयम् । असूयेर्ष्या मतिस्तृष्णा ममताभिमता स्पृहा
On Kurukṣetra, I will bring about the destruction of the kṣatriyas; envy, jealousy, desire, attachment, pride, and longing,
जिगीषा मदनो मोहो दोषैर्नक्ष्यन्ति यादवाः । ब्राह्मणस्य च शापेन वंशनाशो भविष्यति
The desire to conquer, passion, delusion—by these faults the Yādavas will perish; and by the curse of a brāhmaṇa, the lineage will be destroyed.
भगवानपि शापेन त्यक्ष्यत्येतत्कलेवरम् । भवन्तोऽपि निजाङ्गैश्च सहायाः शार्ङ्गधन्वनः
Even the Lord, by a curse, will abandon this body; and you all, with your own limbs, will be companions of the wielder of Śārṅga.
प्रभवन्तु सनारीका मथुरायां च गोकुले । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे देवी योगमाया परात्मनः
Let all of you, with women, manifest in Mathurā and Gokula; Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus, the goddess, Yogamāyā of the Supreme Self, disappeared.
सधरा वै सुराः सर्वे जग्मुः स्वान्यालयानि च । धरापि सुस्थिरा जाता तस्या वाक्येन तोषिता
With the earth, all the gods departed to their own abodes; the earth became stable, satisfied by her words.
ओषधीवीरुधोपेता बभूव जनमेजय । प्रजाश्च सुखिनो जाता द्विजाश्चापुर्महोदयम् । सन्तुष्टा मुनयः सर्वे बभूबुर्धर्मतत्पराः
The earth became full of herbs and plants, O Janamejaya; the people became happy, the twice-born attained great prosperity, and all the sages, satisfied, became devoted to dharma.
कृष्णावतारकथोपक्रमवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच शृण भारत वक्ष्यामि भारावतरणं तथा । कुरुक्षेत्रे प्रभासे च क्षपितं योगमायया
The narration of the beginning of the story of Kṛṣṇa's incarnation. Vyāsa said: Listen, O Bhārata, I will describe the removal of the burden, and how it was accomplished by Yogamāyā in Kurukṣetra and Prabhāsa.
यदुवंशे समुत्पत्तिर्विष्णोरमिततेजसः । भृगुशापप्रतापेन महामायाबलेन च
The birth of Viṣṇu, of immeasurable brilliance, in the Yadu lineage, was caused by the power of Bhṛgu's curse and the strength of Mahāmāyā.
क्षितिभारसमुत्तारनिमित्तमिति मे मतिः । मायया विहितो योगो विष्णोर्जन्म धरातले
My thought is that Viṣṇu's birth on earth was arranged by Māyā for the purpose of lifting the burden of the earth.
किं चित्रं नृप देवी सा ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरानपि । नर्तयत्यनिशं माया त्रिगुणानपरान्किमु
What wonder is there, O king, that the goddess Māyā, who is threefold, makes even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and the gods dance ceaselessly—how much more so others?
गर्भवासोद्भवं दुःखं विण्मूत्रस्नायुसंयुतम् । विष्णोरापादितं सम्यग्यया विगतलीलया
The suffering of dwelling in the womb, mixed with excrement, urine, and sinews, was fully experienced by Viṣṇu, without any playfulness.
पुरा रामावतारेऽपि निर्जरा वानराः कृताः । विदितं ते यथा विष्णुर्दुःखपाशेन मोहितः
Previously, even in the incarnation of Rāma, the gods were made into monkeys; as you know, Viṣṇu was bound by the fetters of suffering.
अहं ममेति पाशेन सुदृढेन नराधिप । योगिनो मुक्तसङ्गाश्च भुक्तिकामा मुमुक्षवः
By the strong fetter of 'I' and 'mine', O king, even yogis free from attachment, those desiring enjoyment or liberation, are bound.