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.
गर्भा ऊचुः पितामहाद्य तुष्टोऽसि देहि नो वाञ्छितं वरम् । अवध्या दैवतैः सर्वैर्मानवैश्च महोरगैः
The embryos said: 'Grandfather, now that you are pleased, grant us the boon we desire: let us not be slain by any gods, humans, or great serpents.'
गन्धर्वसिद्धपतिभिर्वधो माभूत्पितामह । व्यास उवाच तानुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा सर्वमेतद्भविष्यति
'Let us not be killed, O Grandfather, by Gandharvas, Siddhas, or their lords.' Vyāsa said: Then Brahmā replied to them, 'All this shall be.'
गच्छन्तु वो महाभागाः सत्यमेव न संशयः । दत्त्वा वरं गतो ब्रह्मा मुदितास्ते तदाभवन्
'Go, O greatly fortunate ones, it will be so, without doubt.' Having granted the boon, Brahmā departed, and they became joyful.
हिरण्यकशिपुः क्रुद्धस्तानुवाच कुरूद्वह । यस्माद्विहाय मां पुत्रास्तोषितो वै पितामहः
Hiraṇyakaśipu, enraged, spoke to them: 'Because you, my sons, have pleased Grandfather, abandoning me—'
वरेण प्रार्थितोऽत्यर्थं बलवन्तो यतोऽभवन् । युष्माभिर्हापितः स्नेहस्ततो युष्मांस्त्यजाम्यहम्
'—and earnestly sought a boon, becoming powerful, you have cast aside affection for me; therefore, I renounce you.'
यूयं व्रजन्तु पाताले षड्गर्भा विश्रुता भुवि । पाताले निद्रयाविष्टास्तिष्ठन्तु बहुवत्सरान्
'You six, renowned on earth, go to Pātāla; remain there, overcome by sleep, for many years.'
ततस्तु देवकीगर्भे वर्षे वर्षे पुनः पुनः । पिता वः कालनेमिस्तु तत्र कंसो भविष्यति
'Then, year after year, you will again enter the womb of Devakī; your father will be Kālanemi, who will be born there as Kaṃsa.'
स एव जातमात्रान्वो वधिष्यति सुदारुणः । व्यास उवाच एवं शप्तांस्तदा तेन गर्भे जातान्पुनः पुनः
'He, most cruel, will slay you as soon as you are born.' Vyāsa said: Thus cursed by him, they were again and again born in the womb.
जघान देवकीपुत्रान्षड्गर्भाञ्छापनोदितः । शेषांशः सप्तमस्तत्र देवकीगर्भसंस्थितः
He killed the six sons born to Devakī, as foretold by the curse; the seventh, a portion of Śeṣa, was in Devakī's womb.
विस्रंसितश्च गर्भोऽसौ योगेन योगमायया । नीतश्च रोहिणीगर्भे कृत्वा संकर्षणं बलात्
That embryo was withdrawn by yogic power and, through Yogamāyā, transferred into the womb of Rohiṇī, becoming Saṃkarṣaṇa by force.