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.'
तत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा मन्त्रं चक्रुः समाहिताः । देवक्यां वसुदेवस्य भार्यायां सुरसत्तमः
There, Brahma and the other gods, fully concentrated, held council. O best of gods, regarding Devaki, the wife of Vasudeva.
वधार्थं तव विष्णुश्च जन्म चात्र करिष्यति । तत्कथं न हतः पुत्रस्त्वया नीतिं विजानता
For your destruction, Vishnu will be born there. So how is it that the child was not killed by you, knowing the policy?
कंस उवाच अष्टमं च हनिष्येऽहं मृत्युं मे देवभाषितम् । नारद उवाच न जानासि नृपश्रेष्ठ राजनीतिं शुभाशुभा
Kamsa said: 'I will kill the eighth one; death has been foretold to me by the gods.' Narada said: 'You do not know, O best of kings, the royal policy regarding good and bad.'
मायाबलं च देवानां न त्वं वेत्सि वदामि किम् । रिपुरल्पोऽपि शूरेण नोपेक्ष्यः शुभमिच्छता
Nor do you know the power of the gods' illusion; what more can I say? Even a minor enemy should not be disregarded by one who desires good.
सम्मेलनक्रियायां तु सर्वे ते ह्यष्टमाः स्मृताः । मूर्खस्त्वमरिसन्त्यागः कृतोऽयं जानता त्वया
In the ritual of gathering, all those children are considered the eighth. You are foolish; abandoning enemies is not wise, yet you did so knowingly.
इत्युक्त्वाशु गतः श्रीमान्नारदो देवदर्शनः । गतेऽथ नारदे कंसः समाहूयाथ बालकम् । पाषाणे पोथयामास सुखं प्राप च मन्दधीः
Having said this, the illustrious Narada, seer of the gods, departed swiftly. After Narada had gone, Kamsa summoned the child and struck him against a stone, and the dull-minded one felt satisfied.
देवदानवानामंशावतरणवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच किं कृतं पातकं तेन बालकेन पितामह । यज्जातमात्रो निहतस्तथा तेन दुरात्मना
Description of the descent of the portions of gods and demons. Janamejaya said: What sin did that child commit, O grandfather, that he was killed immediately after birth by that wicked one?
नारदोऽपि मुनिश्रेष्ठो ज्ञानवान्धर्मतत्परः । कथमेवंविधं पापं कृतवान्ब्रह्मवित्तमः
Even Narada, the foremost sage, wise and devoted to righteousness, how did he commit such a sin, O knower of Brahman?
कर्ता कारयिता पापे तुल्यपापौ स्मृतौ बुधैः । स कथं प्रेरयामास मुनिः कंसं खलं तदा
The doer and the instigator of sin are regarded as equally sinful by the wise. So how did the sage urge Kamsa, the wicked one, at that time?
संशयोऽयं महान्मेऽत्र ब्रूहि सर्वं सविस्तरम् । येन कर्मविपाकेन बालको निधनं गतः
This is a great doubt for me; tell me everything in detail, by what result of karma the child met his death.
व्यास उवाच नारदः कौतुकप्रेक्षी सर्वदा कलहप्रियः । देवकार्यार्थमागत्य सर्वमेतच्चकार ह
Vyasa said: Narada, always eager for spectacle and fond of quarrel, came for the gods' purpose and did all this.
न मिथ्याभाषणे बुद्धिर्मुनेस्तस्य कदाचन । सत्यवक्ता सुराणां स कर्तव्ये निरतः शुचिः
Never does that sage's mind incline to false speech; he is truthful, pure, and devoted to the gods' duty.
एवं षड् बालकास्तेन जाता जाता निपातिताः । षड् गर्भाः शापयोगेन सम्भूय मरणं गताः
Thus, six children were killed by him, one after another; six embryos, by the power of a curse, were born and met their death.
शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि तेषां शापस्य कारणम् । स्वायम्भुवेऽन्तरे पुत्रा मरीचेः षण्महाबलाः
Listen, O king, I will tell you the cause of their curse. In the interval of Svayambhuva, six mighty sons of Marichi...
ऊर्णायां चैव भार्यायामासन्धर्मविचक्षणाः । ब्रह्माणं जहसुर्वीक्ष्य सुतां यभितुमुद्यतम्
When Brahmā, intent on violating his own daughter, was seen by the wise sons born of Ūrṇā, his wife, they laughed at him.
शशाप तांस्तदा ब्रह्मा दैत्ययोनिं विशन्त्वधः । कालनेमिसुता जातास्ते षड्गर्भा विशाम्पते
Then Brahmā, enraged, cursed them: 'Enter the womb of a demon!' Thus, O ruler of men, they were born as the six sons of Kālanemi.
अवतारे परे ते तु हिरण्यकशिपोः सुताः । जातास्ते ज्ञानसंयुक्ताः पूर्वशापभयान्नृप
In another birth, they became the sons of Hiraṇyakaśipu, endowed with knowledge, but fearful of the previous curse.
तस्मिञ्जन्मनि शान्ताश्च तपश्चक्रुः समाहिताः । तेषां प्रीतोऽभवद् ब्रह्मा षड्गर्भाणां वरान्ददौ
In that life, they were peaceful and engaged in austerities with focused minds; Brahmā, pleased with them, granted boons to the six sons.
ब्रह्मोवाच शप्ता यूयं मया पूर्वं क्रोधयुक्तेन पुत्रकाः । तुष्टोऽस्मि वो महाभागा ब्रुवन्तु वाञ्छितं वरम्
Brahmā said: 'Previously, I cursed you, my sons, in anger. Now I am pleased with you, O greatly fortunate ones; speak your desired boon.'
व्यास उवाच ते तु श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य ब्रह्मणः प्रीतमानसाः । ब्रह्माणमब्रुवन्कामं सर्वे कार्यार्थतत्पराः
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words of Brahmā, their hearts gladdened, all of them intent on their purpose, addressed Brahmā as they wished.