उद्यमः खलु कर्तव्यः फलं दैववशानुगम् । त्रिविधानीह कर्माणि संसारेऽत्र पुराविदः
Indeed, effort must be made, but the result follows the will of fate; in this world, the ancient sages speak of three kinds of actions.
प्रवदन्तीह जीवानां पुराणेष्वागमेषु च । सञ्चितानि च जीर्णानि प्रारब्धानि सुमध्यमे
They declare in the Purāṇas and Āgamas that for living beings, there are accumulated, exhausted, and commenced actions, O most virtuous one.
वर्तमानानि वामोरु विविधानीह देहिनाम् । शुभाशुभानि कर्माणि बीजभूतानि यानि च
O slender-waisted one, there are also present actions of various kinds for embodied beings, both auspicious and inauspicious, which serve as seeds.
बहुजन्मसमुत्थानि काले तिष्ठन्ति सर्वथा । पूर्वदेहं परित्यज्य जीवः कर्मवशानुगः
Arising from many births, they remain in every way for a time; abandoning the previous body, the soul proceeds according to its karma.
स्वर्गं वा नरकं वापि प्राप्नोति स्वकृतेन वै । दिव्यं देहञ्च सम्प्राप्य यातनादेहमर्थजम्
By its own actions, it attains either heaven or hell, and, obtaining a divine body or a body born for suffering—
भुनक्ति विविधान् भोगान्स्वर्गे वा नरकेऽथवा । भोगान्ते च यदोत्पत्तेः समयस्तस्य जायते
—it experiences various enjoyments, whether in heaven or in hell; and when the time for its next birth arrives at the end of those enjoyments—
लिङ्गदेहेन सहितं जायते जीवसंज्ञितम् । तदैव सञ्चितेभ्यश्च कर्मभ्यः कर्मभिः पुनः
—it is born again, together with its subtle body, as what is called a living being; and then, from the accumulated karmas, with those actions once more—
योजयत्येव तं कालं कर्माणि प्राक्कृतानि च । देहेनानेन भाव्यानि शुभानि चाशुभानि च
—it is again joined to that time, with the actions done previously, and with this body, it experiences both auspicious and inauspicious results.
प्रारब्धानि च जीवेन भोक्तव्यानि सुलोचने । प्रायश्चित्तेन नश्यन्ति वर्तमानानि भामिनि
O bright-eyed one, the karmas that have begun must be experienced by the living being; present karmas are destroyed by expiation, O beautiful one.
सञ्चितानि तथैवाशु यथार्थं विहितेन च । प्रारब्धकर्मणां भोगात्संक्षयो नान्यथा भवेत्
In the same way, accumulated karmas are quickly exhausted by proper actions; but the enjoyment of karmas that have begun cannot be avoided otherwise.
तेनायं ते कुमारो वै देयः कंसाय सर्वथा । न मिथ्या वचनं मेऽस्ति लोकनिन्दाभिदूषितम्
Therefore, this son of yours must certainly be given to Kamsa; my word is never false, nor tainted by the blame of public censure.
अनित्येऽस्मिंस्तु संसारे धर्मसारे महात्मनाम् । दैवाधीनं हि सर्वेषां मरणं जननं तथा
In this impermanent world, the essence of righteousness is found in the great-souled; for birth and death for all are indeed subject to fate.
तस्माच्छोको न कर्तव्यो देहिना हि निरर्थकः । सत्यं यस्य गतं कान्ते वृथा तस्यैव जीवितम्
Therefore, grief should not be indulged by the embodied, for it is useless; truly, for one whose beloved is gone, life itself is in vain.
इहलोको गतो यस्मात्परलोकः कुतस्ततः । अतो देहि सुतं सुभ्रु कंसाय प्रददाम्यहम्
Since this world has been lost, how can there be a next world? Therefore, O lovely-browed one, give me the son, I shall hand him over to Kamsa.
सत्यसंस्तरणाद्देवि शुभमग्रे भविष्यति । कर्तव्यं सुकृतं पुम्भिः सुखे दुःखे सति प्रिये
O goddess, by upholding truth, good will come in the future; a man must do righteous deeds, whether in happiness or in sorrow, dear one.
(सत्यसंरक्षणाद्देवि शुभमेव भविष्यति) ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तवति कान्ते सा देवकी शोकसंयुता । ददौ पुत्रं प्रसूतं च वेपमाना मनस्विनी
(O goddess, by protecting truth, only good will result.) Vyasa said: When her beloved had spoken thus, Devaki, filled with sorrow, trembling, and steadfast in mind, gave her newborn son.
वसुदेवोऽपि धर्मात्मा आदाय स्वसुतं शिशुम् । जगाम कंससदनं मार्गे लोकैरभिष्टुतः
Vasudeva, righteous-souled, taking his own infant son, went to Kamsa's palace, praised by the people along the way.
लोका ऊचुः पश्यन्तु वसुदेवं भो लोका एवं मनस्विनम् । स्ववाक्यमनुरुध्यैव बालमादाय यात्यसौ
The people said: Let the people see Vasudeva, so resolute, who, keeping his word, is carrying his child.
मृत्यवे दातुकामोऽद्य सत्यवागनसूयकः । सफलं जीवितं चास्य धर्मं पश्यन्तु चाद्भुतम्
Desiring to give his son today to death, truthful and free from deceit; let them see his wondrous righteousness, and that his life is fulfilled.
यः पुत्रं याति कंसाय दातुं कालात्मनेऽपि हि । व्यास उवाच इति संस्तूयमानस्तु प्राप्तः कंसालयं नृप
He who goes to give his son even to Kamsa, the very embodiment of death—Vyasa said: Thus praised, he reached Kamsa's palace, O King.
ददावस्मै कुमारं तं जातमात्रममानुषम् । कंसोऽपि विस्मयं प्राप्तो दृष्ट्वा धैर्यं महात्मनः
He gave to him that just-born, extraordinary boy; and Kamsa, seeing the great one's courage, was filled with wonder.
गृहीत्वा बालकं प्राह स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः । धन्यस्त्वं शूरपुत्राद्य ज्ञातः पुत्रसमर्पणात्
Taking the child, Kamsa spoke these words with a smile: 'You are blessed today, son of Sura, known for offering your son.'
मम मृत्युर्न चायं वै गिरा प्रोक्तस्तु चाष्टमः । न हन्तव्यो मया कामं बालोऽयं यातु ते गहम्
'My death is not this one, for it was foretold to be the eighth; I need not kill this child—let him go home with you.'
अष्टमस्तु प्रदातव्यस्त्वया पुत्रो महामते । इत्युक्त्वा वसुदेवाय ददावाशु खलः शिशुम्
'But the eighth son must be given by you, O wise one.' Having said this to Vasudeva, the wicked one quickly returned the infant.
गच्छत्वयं गृहे बालः क्षेमं व्याहृतवान्नृपः । तमादाय तदा शौरिर्जगाम स्वगृहं मुदा
'Let this child go home and be safe,' the king declared. Then Sauri, taking him, joyfully returned to his own house.
कंसोऽपि सचिवानाह वृथा किं घातये शिशुम् । अष्टमाद्देवकीपुत्रान्मम मृत्युरुदाहृतः
Kamsa also said to his ministers, 'Why should I kill this child in vain? My death is said to come from Devaki's eighth son.'
अतः किं प्रथमं बालं हत्वा पापं करोम्यहम् । साधुसाध्विति तेऽप्युक्त्वा संस्थिता मन्त्रिसत्तमाः
Therefore, why should I commit sin by killing the child first? Even after you said 'good' or 'bad', the excellent ministers remained silent.
विसर्जितास्तु कंसेन जग्मुस्ते स्वगृहान्प्रति । गतेषु तेषु सम्प्राप्तो नारदो मुनिसत्तमः
Dismissed by Kamsa, they departed to their own homes. After they had gone, the eminent sage Narada arrived.
अभ्युत्थानार्घ्यपाद्यादि चकारोग्रसुतस्तदा । पप्रच्छ कुशलं राजा तत्रागमनकारणम्
The fierce son then performed the customary offerings of water for washing feet and hands. The king inquired about his welfare and the reason for his arrival.
नारदस्तं तदोवाच स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः । कंस कंस महाभाग गतोऽहं हेमपर्वतम्
Narada spoke to him, first with a smile: 'Kamsa, Kamsa, greatly fortunate one, I have gone to the golden mountain.'