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.
तथैव देवताः सर्वाः कालपाशनियन्त्रिताः । हर्षशोकादयो भावा निद्रातन्द्रालसादयः
In the same way, all the deities are bound by the noose of time; feelings like joy and sorrow, sleep, drowsiness, and laziness—
सर्वेषां सर्वदा राजन्देहिनां देहसंश्रिताः । अमरा निर्जराः प्रोक्ता देवाश्च ग्रन्थकारकैः
O King, these are always present in all embodied beings; those called immortals, deathless ones, and gods by the authors of scriptures—
अभिधानतश्चार्थतो न ते नूनं तादृशाः क्वचित् । उत्पत्तिस्थितिनाशाख्या भावा येषां निरन्तरम्
By name and in meaning, they are certainly not truly such anywhere, for they constantly experience birth, existence, and destruction.
अमरास्ते कथं वाच्या निर्जराश्च कथं पुनः । कथं दुःखाभिभूता वा जायन्ते विबुधोत्तमाः
How can they be called immortals, or again, deathless ones? How do the best of the gods come to be afflicted by suffering?
कथं देवाश्च वक्तव्या व्यसने क्रीडनं कथम् । क्षणादुत्पत्तिनाशश्च दृश्यतेऽस्मिन्न संशयः
How can the gods be said to play in adversity? The appearance and disappearance of them is seen in a moment—there is no doubt.
जलजानां च कीटानां मशकानां तथा पुनः । उपमा न कथं चैषामायुषोऽन्ते मराः स्मृताः
And just as with aquatic creatures, insects, and mosquitoes, their lives are likewise compared; at the end of their lifespan, they are called mortals.
ततो वर्षायुषश्चापि शतवर्षायुषस्तथा । मनुष्या ह्यमरा देवास्तस्माद् ब्रह्मापरः स्मृतः
Thus, there are those with lifespans of a year, and those with lifespans of a hundred years; humans are called mortals, gods are called immortals, and beyond them is Brahmā.
रुद्रस्तथा तथा विष्णुः क्रमशश्च भवन्ति हि । नश्यन्ति क्रमशश्चैव वर्धन्ति चोत्तरोत्तरम्
So too are Rudra and Viṣṇu, each in their own order; they perish in succession and grow greater, one after another.
नूनं देहवतो नाशो मृतस्योत्पत्तिरेव च । चक्रवद् भ्रमणं राजन् सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः
Surely, for those who possess a body, destruction is certain, and for the dead, birth indeed follows; O King, for all beings, this cycle of wandering is like a wheel—there is no doubt about this.
मोहजालावृतो जन्तुर्मुच्यते न कदाचन । मायायां विद्यमानायां मोहजालं न नश्यति
A creature enveloped by the net of delusion is never released; as long as Māyā exists, the net of delusion does not perish.