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.
ततो दुन्दुभयो नेदुर्वादित्राणि च सस्वनुः । जयशब्दस्तु सर्वेषामुत्पन्नस्तत्र संसदि
Then drums resounded and musical instruments played; cries of victory arose among all those assembled there.
प्रसाद्य कंसं प्रतिमोच्य देवकीं महायशाः शूरसुतस्तदानीम् । जगाम गेहं स्वजनानुवृत्तो नवोढया वीतभयस्तरस्वी
Having appeased Kamsa and released Devaki, the illustrious son of Shura then went home, accompanied by his people and his newly-wedded wife, fearless and swift.
कंसेन देवकीप्रथमपुत्रवधवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच अथ काले तु सम्प्राप्ते देवकी देवरूपिणी । गर्भं दधार विधिवद्वसुदेवेन सङ्गता
The killing of Devaki's firstborn by Kamsa—Vyasa said: Then, when the time had come, Devaki, divine in form, united with Vasudeva according to the rites, conceived.
पूर्णेऽथ दशमे मासे सुषुवे सुतमुत्तमम् । रूपावयवसम्पन्नं देवकी प्रथमं यदा
When the tenth month was complete, Devaki gave birth to an excellent son, endowed with beauty and perfect limbs, her first child.
तदाऽऽह वसुदेवस्तां सत्यवाक्यानुमोदितः । भावित्वाच्च महाभागो देवकीं देवमातरम्
Then Vasudeva, having reflected and assented to truthful words, addressed Devaki, the blessed mother of the gods.
वरोरु समयं मे त्वं जानासि स्वसुतार्पणे । मोचिता त्वं महाभागे शपथेन मया तदा
O fair-waisted one, you know the agreement I made to give our children; O blessed one, at that time I freed you by my oath.
इमं पुत्रं सुकेशान्ते दास्यामि भ्रातृसूनवे । (खले कंसे विनाशार्थं दैवे किं वा करिष्यसि ।)
I will give this son, with beautiful hair, to your brother's son; (What can you do against fate, or for the destruction of the wicked Kamsa?)
सर्वेषां किल जीवानां कालपाशानुवर्तिनाम् । भोक्तव्यं स्वकृतं कर्म शुभ वा यदि वाशुभम्
For all living beings, bound by the noose of time, must experience the results of their own actions, whether good or bad.
प्रारब्धं सर्वथैवात्र जीवस्य विधिनिर्मितम् । देवक्युवाच स्वामिन् पूर्वं कृतं कर्म भोक्तव्यं सर्वथा नृभिः
Indeed, what has been set in motion for a living being is always ordained by fate. Devaki said: O lord, everyone must experience the karma they have previously performed.
तीर्थैस्तपोभिर्दानैर्वा किं न याति क्षयं हि तत् । लिखितो धर्मशास्त्रेषु प्रायश्चित्तविधिर्नृप
Why does it not perish through pilgrimages, austerities, or gifts? For, O king, the method of atonement is prescribed in the scriptures.