लोकापवादाच्च परं ततस्तत्याज तां प्रियाम् । अदूष्यां दूषितां मत्वा सीतां दशरथात्मजः
Because of public reproach, the son of Daśaratha abandoned his beloved, considering Sītā, though innocent, to be defiled.
न ज्ञातौ स्वसुतौ तेन रामेण च कुशीलवौ । मुनिना कथितौ तौ तु तस्य पुत्रौ महाबलौ
Rāma did not know his own sons, Kuśa and Lava; only when the sage told him did he learn that those two, mighty in strength, were his sons.
पातालगमनं चैव जानक्या ज्ञातवान्न च । राघवः कोपसंयुक्तो भ्रातरं हन्तुमुद्यतः
He did not know of Jānaki's descent into the netherworld; Rāghava, filled with anger, was ready to slay his brother.
कालस्यागमनञ्चैव न विवेद खरान्तकः । मानुषं देहमाश्रित्य चक्रे मानुषचेष्टितम्
He did not perceive the coming of Time, O slayer of Khara; having assumed a human body, he acted as a human.
तथैव मानुषान्भावान्नात्र कार्या विचारणा । पूर्वं कंसभयात्प्राप्तो गोकुले यदुनन्दनः
In the same way, there is no need to consider the human circumstances here; formerly, out of fear of Kaṃsa, the son of Yadu came to Gokula.
जरासन्धभयात्पश्चाद् द्वारवत्यां गतो हरिः । अधर्मं कृतवान्कृष्णो रुक्मिण्या हरणञ्च यत्
Later, out of fear of Jarāsandha, Hari went to Dvāravatī; and Krishna committed unrighteousness in the abduction of Rukmiṇī.
शिशुपालवृतायाश्च जानन्धर्मं सनातनम् । शुशोच बालकं कृष्णः शम्बरेण हृतं बलात्
Knowing the eternal dharma regarding the betrothal of Śiśupāla, Krishna grieved for the child who was forcibly taken by Śambara.
मुमोद जानन्पुत्रं तं हर्षशोकयुतस्ततः । सत्यभामाज्ञया यत्तु युयुधे स्वर्गतः किल
Then, knowing that child to be his son, he rejoiced, filled with both joy and sorrow; and, by the command of Satyabhāmā, he fought, it is said, in heaven.
इन्द्रेण पादपार्थं तु स्त्रीजितत्वं प्रकाशयन् । जहार कल्पवृक्षं यः पराभूय शतक्रतुम्
There, with Indra, he revealed his conquest over women by striking the Pārijāta tree; he took the wish-fulfilling tree, having defeated Śatakratu.
मानिनीमानरक्षार्थं हरिश्चित्रधरः प्रभुः । बद्ध्वा वृक्षे हरिं सत्या नारदाय ददौ पतिम्
Hari, the illustrious lord, for the sake of protecting the pride of the proud lady, bound Hari to a tree, and Satyā gave her husband to Nārada.
दत्त्वाथ कानकं कृष्णं मोचयामास भामिनी । दृष्ट्वा पुत्रान्पुरुगुणान्प्रद्युम्नप्रमुखानथ
Then, having given gold, Bhāminī released Krishna; seeing the sons, foremost among whom was Pradyumna, endowed with many virtues,
कृष्णं जाम्बवती दीना ययाचे सन्ततिं शुभाम् । स ययौ पर्वतं कृष्णस्तपस्याकृतनिश्चयः
Jāmbavatī, afflicted, begged Krishna for a blessed son; so Krishna went to the mountain, intent on austerity, his mind made up.
उपमन्युर्मुनिर्यत्र शिवभक्तः परन्तपः । उपमन्युं गुरु कृत्वा दीक्षां पाशुपतो हरिः
There was the sage Upamanyu, a great ascetic devoted to Śiva; making Upamanyu his guru, Hari received the Pāśupata initiation.
जग्राह पुत्रकामस्तु मुण्डी दण्डी बभूव ह । उग्रं तत्र तपस्तेपे मासमेकं फलाशनः
Desiring a son, he became shaven-headed and staff-bearing; there he performed severe austerity for a month, subsisting on fruits.
जजाप शिवमन्त्रं तु शिवध्यानपरो हरिः । द्वितीये तु जलाहारस्तिष्ठन्नेकपदा हरिः
Hari recited the mantra of Śiva, absorbed in meditation on Śiva; in the second month, he lived on water alone, standing on one foot.
तृतीये वायुभक्षस्तु पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रसंस्थितः । षष्ठे तु भगवान् रुद्रः प्रसन्नो भक्तिभावतः
In the third month, he subsisted on air, standing on the tip of his big toe; in the sixth month, the blessed Rudra, pleased by his devotion,
दर्शनञ्च ददौ तत्र सोमः सोमकलाधरः । आजगाम वृषारूढः सुरैरिन्द्रादिभिर्वृतः
There, Soma, the bearer of the lunar digit, granted him a vision; he arrived mounted on a bull, surrounded by the gods, Indra and others.
ब्रह्मविष्णुयुतः साक्षाद्यक्षगन्धर्वसेवितः । सम्बोधयन्वासुदेवं शङ्करस्तमुवाच ह
Accompanied by Brahmā and Viṣṇu, directly attended by Yakṣas and Gandharvas, Śaṅkara, awakening Vāsudeva, spoke to him.
तुष्टोऽस्मि कृष्ण तपसा तवोग्रेण महामते । ददामि वाच्छितान्कामान्ब्रूहि यादवनन्दन
"I am pleased, Krishna, by your severe austerity, O wise one; I grant you the boons you desire—speak, O delight of the Yadus."
मयि दृष्टे कामपूरे कामशेषो न सम्भवेत् । व्यास उवाच तं दृष्ट्वा शङ्करं तुष्टं भगवान्देवकीसुतः
"When I am seen, all desires are fulfilled; no desire remains." Vyāsa said: Seeing Śaṅkara pleased, the blessed son of Devakī
पपात पादयोस्तस्य दण्डवत्प्रेमसंयुतः । स्तुतिं चकार देवेशो मेघगम्भीरया गिरा
Fell at his feet in prostration, filled with love; the Lord of the gods offered praise with a voice deep as a cloud.
स्थितस्तु पुरतः शम्भोर्वासुदेवः सनातनः । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच देवदेव जगन्ताथ सर्वभूतार्तिनाशन
Standing before Śambhu, Vāsudeva, the eternal one, spoke: Śrī Krishna said: "O God of gods, Lord of the worlds, destroyer of all beings' suffering..."
विश्वयोने सुरारिघ्न नमस्त्रैलोक्यकारक । नीलकण्ठ नमस्तुभ्यं शूलिने ते नमो नमः
O source of the universe, destroyer of the gods’ enemies, obeisance to you, creator of the three worlds; O blue-throated one, I bow to you, O wielder of the trident, again and again I bow.
शैलजावल्लभायाश्च यज्ञघ्नाय नमोऽस्तु ते । धन्योऽहं कृतकृत्योऽहं दर्शनात्तव सुव्रत
Obeisance to you, beloved of the daughter of the mountain, destroyer of sacrifice; I am blessed, I am fulfilled, having seen you, O steadfast one.
जन्म मे सफलं जातं नत्वा ते पादपङ्कजम् । बद्धोऽहं स्त्रीमयैः पाशैः संसारेऽस्मिञ्जगद्गुरो
My birth has become fruitful by bowing to your lotus feet; I am bound by the snares of womanhood in this world, O teacher of the universe.
शरणं तेऽद्य सम्प्राप्तो रक्षणार्थं त्रिलोचन । सम्प्राप्य मानुषं जन्म खिन्नोऽहं दुःखनाशन
Today I have come to your refuge, O three-eyed one, for protection; having attained human birth, I am afflicted, O remover of sorrow.
त्राहि मां शरणं प्राप्तं भवभीतं भवाधुना । गर्भवासे महद्दुःखं प्राप्तं मदनदाहक
Rescue me, who has come to your refuge, fearful of existence, O destroyer of Kāma; I have suffered great pain in the womb.
जन्मतः कंसभयजमनुभूतं च गोकुले । जातोऽहं नन्दगोपालो बल्लवाज्ञाकरस्तथा
From birth I have experienced the fear of Kaṃsa in Gokula; I was born as Nandagopa’s son and obeyed the commands of the cowherds.
गोरजःकीर्णकेशस्तु भ्रमन्वृन्दावने घने । म्लेच्छराजभयत्रस्तो गतो द्वारवतीं पुनः
With hair covered in cow-dust, I wandered in the dense Vṛndāvana; terrified by the threat of the barbarian king, I went again to Dvāravatī.
त्यक्त्वा पित्र्यं शुभं देशं माधुरं दुर्लभं विभो । ययातिशापबद्धेन तस्मै दत्तं भयाद्विभो
Abandoning my ancestral, auspicious, and rare land of Mathurā, O Lord, I gave it to him, bound by Yayāti’s curse, out of fear, O Lord.