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.
तामेव समुपासन्ते देवीं विश्वेश्वरीं शिवाम् । यद्भक्तिलेशलेशांशलेशलेशलवांशकम्
They worship that very Goddess, the Lady of the Universe, the Auspicious One, even with the tiniest fragment of devotion.
लब्ध्वा मुक्तो भवेज्जन्तुस्तां न सेवेत को जनः । भुवनेशीत्येव वक्त्रे ददाति भुवनत्रयम्
Having obtained even a trace of devotion to her, a being becomes liberated; who indeed would not serve her? She, called the Mistress of the Worlds, grants the three worlds from her mouth.
मां पाहीत्यस्य वचसो देयाभावादृणान्विता । विद्याविद्येति तस्या द्वे रूपे जानीहि पार्थिव
Because there is no one else to whom the words 'Protect me!' can be addressed, she is bound by obligation; know, O King, that she has two forms: knowledge and ignorance.
विद्यया मुच्यते जन्तुर्बध्यतेऽविद्यया पुनः । ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च सर्वे तस्या वशानुगाः
By knowledge a being is freed, by ignorance bound again; Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra—all are under her control.
अवताराः सर्व एव यन्त्रिता इव दामभिः । कदाचिच्च सुखं भुंक्ते वैकुण्ठे क्षीरसागरे
All incarnations are indeed constrained, as if by cords; sometimes they enjoy happiness in Vaikuṇṭha or in the Ocean of Milk.
कदाचित्कुरुते युद्धं दानवैर्बलवत्तरैः । हरिः कदाचिद्यज्ञान्वै विततान्प्रकरोति च
Sometimes he engages in battle with powerful Dānavas; sometimes Hari performs the sacrifices that have been arranged.
कदाचिच्च तपस्तीव्रं तीर्थे चरति सुव्रत । कदाचिच्छयने शेते योगनिद्रामुपाश्रितः
Sometimes, observing strict vows, he practices intense austerity at holy places; sometimes he lies on his bed, absorbed in yogic sleep.
न स्वतन्त्रः कदाचिच्च भगवान्मधुसूदनः । तथा ब्रह्मा तथा रुद्रस्तथेन्द्रो वरुणो यमः
The blessed Madhusūdana is never independent; likewise Brahmā, likewise Rudra, and so also Indra, Varuṇa, and Yama.
कुबेरोऽग्नी रवीन्दू च तथान्ये सुरसत्तमाः । मुनयः सनकाद्याश्च वसिष्ठाद्यास्तथापरे
Kubera, Agni, the Sun, the Moon, and other excellent gods, as well as sages like Sanaka and others, and Vasiṣṭha and others as well.
सर्वेऽम्बावशगा नित्यं पाञ्चालीव नरस्य च । नसि प्रोता यथा गावो विचरन्ति वशानुगाः
All are always under the power of the Mother, like Draupadī was to her husbands, or like cows tied with a rope, moving as directed.