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.
राज्यं सुपुष्टमपि च धर्मरक्षापरेण च । उग्रसेनस्य दासत्वं कृतं वै सर्वदा मया
Even though the kingdom was prosperous and devoted to the protection of dharma, I always accepted servitude to Ugrasena.
राजासौ यादवानां वै कृतो नः पूर्वजैः किल । गार्हस्थ्यं दुःखदं शम्भो स्त्रीवश्यं धर्मखण्डनम्
He was made king of the Yādavas by our forefathers; household life brings sorrow, O Śambhu, being subject to women leads to the destruction of dharma.
पारतन्त्र्यं सदा बन्धमोक्षवार्तात्र दुर्लभा । रुक्यिण्यास्तनयान्दृष्ट्वा भार्या जाम्बवती मम
Dependence is always bondage, and talk of liberation here is rare; seeing the sons of Rukmiṇī, my wife Jāmbavatī—
प्रेरयामास पुत्रार्थं तपसे मदनान्तक । सकामेन मया तप्तं तपः पुत्रार्थमद्य वै
She urged me, O destroyer of Kāma, to undertake austerity for the sake of a son; with desire, I have performed austerity today for the sake of a son.
लज्जा भवति देवेश प्रार्थनायां जगद्गुरो । कस्त्वामाराध्य देवेशं मुक्तिदं भक्तवत्सलम्
There is shame, O Lord of the gods, in making requests, O teacher of the world; who, after worshipping you, O Lord of the gods, bestower of liberation, lover of devotees—
प्रसन्नं याचते मूढः फलं तुच्छं विनाशि यत् । सोऽयं मायाविमूढात्मा याचे पुत्रसुखं विभो
—would foolishly ask you, when pleased, for some trivial, perishable fruit? Yet, deluded by Māyā, I ask you, O Lord, for the happiness of a son.
कामिन्या प्रेरितः शम्भो मुक्तिदं त्वां जगत्पते । जानामि दुःखदं शम्भो संसारं दुःखसाधनम्
Urged by a woman, O Śambhu, I seek you, Lord of the world, bestower of liberation; I know, O Śambhu, that worldly existence is a source of sorrow and suffering.
अनित्यं नाशधर्माणं तथापि विरतिर्न मे । शापान्नारायणांशोऽहं जातोऽस्मि क्षितिमण्डले
It is impermanent and subject to destruction, yet still I have no detachment; by a curse, I, a portion of Nārāyaṇa, was born on earth.
भोक्तुं बहुतरं दुःखं मायापाशेन यन्त्रितः । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तवन्तं गोविन्दं प्रत्युवाच महेश्वरः
Compelled by the bonds of Māyā, I have endured much suffering; Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus, Govinda was addressed by Maheśvara.
बहवस्ते भविष्यन्ति पुत्राः शत्रुनिषूदन । स्त्रीणां षोडशसाहस्रं भविष्यति शतार्धकम्
You will have many sons, O destroyer of enemies; and sixteen thousand one hundred women will be yours.