सूर्यवंशक्षये तां तु यादवाः प्रतिपेदिरे । मथुरां मुक्तिदा राजन् ययातितनयः पुरा
When the Solar dynasty declined, the Yādavas took possession of that Mathurā, O king, which once belonged to Yayāti's son and granted liberation.
शूरसेनाभिधः शूरस्तत्राभून्मेदिनीपतिः । माथुराञ्छूरसेनांश्च बुभुजे विषयान्नृप
There, Śūra, called Śūrasena, became the lord of the earth; he ruled over the lands of Mathurā and Śūrasena, O king.
तत्रोत्पन्नः कश्यपांशः शापाच्च वरुणस्य वै । वसुदेवोऽतिविख्यातः शूरसेनसुतस्तदा
There was born, from the line of Kaśyapa and due to Varuṇa's curse, the highly renowned Vasudeva, son of Śūrasena.
वैश्यवृत्तिरतः सोऽभून्मृते पितरि माधवः । उग्रसेनो बभूवाथ कंसस्तस्यात्मजो महान्
After his father died, Mādhava engaged in the occupation of the Vaiśyas; then Ugrasena became king, and his great son was Kaṃsa.
अदितिर्देवकी जाता देवकस्य सुता तदा । शापाद्वै वरुणस्याथ कश्यपानुगता किल
Aditi, who became Devakī, was then born as the daughter of Devaka; due to a curse from Varuṇa, she indeed came under Kaśyapa's care.
दत्ता सा वसुदेवाय देवकेन महात्मना । विवाहे रचिते तत्र वागभूद् गगने तदा
She was given to Vasudeva by the noble Devaka; when the marriage was arranged, a voice arose in the sky at that time.
कंस कंस महाभाग देवकीगर्भसम्भवः । अष्टमस्तु सुतः श्रीमांस्तव हन्ता भविष्यति
"Kaṃsa, Kaṃsa, greatly fortunate one, the eighth splendid son born from Devakī's womb will become your slayer."
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं कंसो विस्मितोऽभून्महाबलः । देववाचं तु तां मत्वा सत्यां चिन्तामवाप सः
Hearing that statement, Kaṃsa, mighty in strength, was astonished; considering that voice to be divine and true, he fell into deep anxiety.
किं करोमीति सञ्चिन्त्य विमर्शमकरोत्तदा । निहत्यैनां न मे मृत्युर्भवेदद्यैव सत्वरम्
Thinking, 'What should I do?' he deliberated then: 'If I kill her quickly today, death will not come to me.'
उपायो नान्यथा चास्मिन्कार्ये मृत्युभयावहे । इयं पितृष्वसा पूज्या कथं हन्मीत्यचिन्तयत्
'There is no other way in this matter, which brings the fear of death; but she is my father's sister and worthy of respect—how can I kill her?' he thought.
पुनर्विचारयामास मरणं मेऽस्त्यहो स्वसा । पापेनापि प्रकर्तव्या देहरक्षा विपश्चिता
Again he considered, 'Alas, if I do not kill my sister, I will die; even by committing sin, the wise must protect their own bodies.'
प्रायश्चित्तेन पापस्य शुद्धिर्भवति सर्वदा । प्राणरक्षा प्रकर्तव्या बुधैरप्येनसा तथा
'By atonement, sin is always purified; even the wise, when necessary, must protect their lives, even through wrongdoing.'
विचिन्त्य मनसा कंसः खड्गमादाय सत्वरः । जग्राह तां वरारोहां केशेष्वाकृष्य पापकृत्
Thinking thus in his mind, Kaṃsa, acting swiftly, took up his sword and, committing a wicked deed, seized that beautiful woman by her hair.
कोशात्खड्गमुपाकृष्य हन्तुकामो दुराशयः । पश्यतां सर्वलोकानां नवोढां तां चकर्ष ह
Drawing his sword from its sheath, with evil intent to kill, he dragged the newly-wed woman before the eyes of all the worlds.
हन्यमानाञ्च तां दृष्ट्वा हाहाकारो महानभूत् । वसुदेवानुगा वीरा युद्धायोद्यतकार्मुकाः
Seeing her about to be killed, a great outcry arose; the heroic followers of Vasudeva, with bows ready, prepared for battle.
मुञ्च मुञ्चेति प्रोचुस्तं ते तदाद्भुतसाहसाः । कृपया मोचयामासुर्देवकीं देवमातरम्
They shouted, 'Release her! Release her!'—those wondrously brave men; out of compassion, they freed Devakī, the mother of the gods.
तद्युद्धमभवद् घोरं वीराणाञ्च परस्परम् । वसुदेवसहायानां कंसेन च महात्मना
Then there was a terrible battle between the heroes, Vasudeva's allies and the great Kaṃsa.
वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे दारुणे लोमहर्षणे । कंसं निवारयामासुर्वृद्धा ये यदुसत्तमाः
As that fierce and hair-raising battle raged on, the elder, foremost Yadus restrained Kaṃsa.
पितृष्वसेयं ते वीर पूजनीया च बालिशा । न हन्तव्या त्वया वीर विवाहोत्सवसङ्गमे
"This is your father's sister, O hero, and she is to be honored, O simple one; she must not be killed by you, O hero, at the time of her wedding celebration."
स्त्रीहत्या दुःसहा वीर कीर्तिघ्नी पापकृत्तमा । भूतभाषितमात्रेण न कर्तव्या विजानता
"The killing of a woman is unbearable, O hero, it destroys fame and is the worst of sins; a wise person should not act merely on the basis of a spoken prophecy."
अन्तर्हितेन केनापि शत्रुणा तव चास्य वा । उदितेति कुतो न स्याद्वागनर्थकरी विभो
"By some hidden enemy of yours or hers, or when it arises, how can a voice not be meaningless, O lord?"
यशसस्ते विघाताय वसुदेवगृहस्य च । अरिणा रचिता वाणी गुणमायाविदा नृप
"It would bring ruin to your reputation and to Vasudeva's house; such words may have been spoken by an enemy, O king, skilled in the power of illusion."
बिभेषि वीरस्त्वं भूत्वा भूतभाषितभाषया । यशोमूलविघातार्थमुपायस्त्वरिणा कृतः
You, though a hero, are afraid, speaking as if possessed by spirits; this was a hasty scheme devised to destroy the root of your fame.
पितृष्वसा न हन्तव्या विवाहसमये पुनः । भवितव्यं महाराज भवेच्च कथमन्यथा
One must not kill one's paternal aunt at the time of marriage; O great king, this is how it should be—how could it be otherwise?
एवं तैर्बोध्यमानोऽसौ निवृत्तो नाभवद्यदा । तदा तं वसुदेवोऽपि नीतिज्ञः प्रत्यभाषत
Though thus instructed by them, he did not desist; then Vasudeva, wise in policy, addressed him.
कंस सत्यं ब्रवीम्यद्य सत्याधारं जगत्त्रयम् । दास्यामि देवकीपुत्रानुत्पन्नांस्तव सर्वशः
Kamsa, I speak the truth today—truth upholds the three worlds; I will give you all the children of Devaki, not yet born.
जातं जातं सुतं तुभ्यं न दास्यामि यदि प्रभो । कुम्भीपाके तदा घोरे पतन्तु मम पूर्वजाः
If, O lord, I do not give you each child as it is born, then may my ancestors fall into the dreadful hell called Kumbhipaka.
श्रुत्वाथ वचनं सत्यं पौरवा ये पुरःस्थिताः । ऊचुस्ते त्वरिताः कंसं साधु साधु पुनः पुनः
Hearing these truthful words, the Pauravas who stood before spoke quickly to Kamsa, 'Well done, well done,' again and again.
न मिथ्या भाषते क्वापि वसुदेवो महामनाः । केशं मुञ्च महाभाग स्त्रीहत्या पातकं तथा
Vasudeva, great of mind, never speaks falsely anywhere; O fortunate one, release Keshini and avoid the sin of killing a woman.
व्यास उवाच एवं प्रबोधितः कंसो यदुवृद्धैर्महात्मभिः । क्रोधं त्यक्त्वा स्थितस्तत्र सत्यवाक्यानुमोदितः
Vyasa said: Thus instructed by the noble elders of the Yadus, Kamsa, abandoning his anger, remained there, agreeing to their truthful words.