Devi Bhagavata Purana

प्रसेनेऽनागते चाथ सत्राजित्पर्यतप्यत । न जाने केन निहतः प्रसेनो मणिमिच्छता

When Prasena did not return, Satrajit was greatly troubled: 'I do not know by whom Prasena was killed, desiring the jewel.'

अथ लोकमुखोद्गीर्णा किंवदन्ती पुरेऽभवत् । कृष्णेन निहतो नूनं प्रसेनो मणिलिप्सुना

Then, a rumor spread among the people in the city: 'Prasena was surely killed by Krishna, who desired the jewel.'

स तं शुश्राव कृष्णोपि दुर्यशो लिप्तमात्मनि । मार्ष्टुं तत्तस्य पदवीं पुरौकोभिः सहागमत्

Krishna heard this, his own reputation stained with evil; to clear it, he set out with the citizens to trace the path.

गत्वा स विपिनेऽपश्यत्प्रसेनं हरिणा हतम् । ययौ मृगेन्द्रमन्विष्यन्नसृग्बिंद्वंकिताध्वना

Going into the forest, he saw Prasena slain by a lion; following the trail marked with drops of blood, he went in search of the king of beasts.

अथ कृष्णो हतं सिंहं बिलद्वारि विलोक्य च । उवाच भगवान्वाचं कृपया पुरवासिनः

Then Krishna saw the lion killed at the entrance of the cave; out of compassion, the Blessed One addressed the city dwellers.

तिष्ठध्वं यूयमत्रैव यावदागमनं मम । प्रविशामि बिलं त्वेतन्मणिहारकलब्धये

Remain here until I return; I will enter this cave to recover the jewel from its thief.

तथेत्युक्त्वा तु ते तस्थुस्तत्रैव द्वारकौकसः । जगामांतर्बिलं कृष्णो यत्र जाम्बवतो गृहम्

Having said 'so be it,' the citizens of Dvaraka stayed there; Krishna entered the cave where Jāmbavān's house was.

ऋक्षराजसुतं दृष्ट्वा कृष्णो मणिधरं तदा । हर्तुमैच्छन्मणिं तावद्धात्री चुक्रोश भीतवत्

Seeing the son of the king of bears holding the jewel, Krishna wished to take it; the nurse cried out in fear.

श्रुत्वा धात्रीरवं सद्यः समागत्यर्थक्षराट् तदा । युयुधे स्वामिना साकमविश्राममहर्निशम्

Hearing the nurse's cry, the king of bears immediately came; he fought with Krishna, his master, without rest day and night.

एवं त्रिनवरात्रं तु महद्युद्धमभूत्तयोः । कृष्णागमप्रतीक्षास्ते तस्थुर्द्वारि पुरौकसः

Thus, for twenty-one days, a great battle took place between the two; the citizens waited at the cave entrance, expecting Krishna's return.

द्वादशाहं ततो भीत्या प्रतिजग्मुर्निजालयम् । तत्र ते कथयामासुर्वृत्तांतं सर्वमादितः

After twelve days, out of fear, they returned to their own homes; there, they narrated the entire story from the beginning.

सत्राजितं शपंतस्ते सर्वे शोकाकुला भृशम् । वासुदेवो महाभागः श्रुत्वा पुत्रस्य तां कथाम्

All of them cursed Satrājit, overwhelmed with deep sorrow. The illustrious Vāsudeva, upon hearing the story concerning his son,

मुमोह सपरीवारस्तदा परमया शुचा । चिन्तयामास बहुधा कथं श्रेयो भवेन्मम

became unconscious along with his family, stricken by intense grief. He pondered in many ways how he might attain what is best for himself.

अथाजगाम भगवान्देवर्षिर्ब्रह्मलोकतः । उत्थाय तं प्रणम्यासौ वसुदेवोऽभ्यपूजयत्

Then the revered sage Nārada arrived from the world of Brahma. Rising and bowing to him, Vāsudeva honored him.

नारदोऽनामयं पृष्ट्वा वासुदेवं महामतिम् । प्रपच्छ च यदुश्रेष्ठं किं चितयसि तद्वद

Nārada, after inquiring about Vāsudeva's well-being, questioned the foremost among the Yadus: 'What are you thinking about? Tell me.'

वसुदेव उवाच। पुत्रो मेऽतिप्रियः कृष्णः प्रसेनान्वेषणाय तु । पौरैः साकं वनं गत्वा निहतं तं तदैक्षत

Vasudeva said: 'My son Kṛṣṇa, who is exceedingly dear to me, went with the townspeople into the forest to search for Prasena, and there he saw him slain.'

प्रसेनघातकं दृष्ट्वा बिलद्वारे मृतं हरिम् । द्वारि पौरानधिष्ठाय बिलांतर्गतवान्स्वयम्

Seeing Hari, the killer of Prasena, dead at the entrance of the cave, the townspeople stood at the door while he himself entered within.

बहवो दिवसा याता नायात्यद्यापि मे सुतः । अतः शोचामि तद् ब्रूहि येन लप्स्ये सुतं मुने

Many days have passed, and my son has still not returned. Therefore I grieve; tell me, O sage, by what means I may recover my son.

नारद उवाच। पुत्रप्राप्त्यै यदुश्रेष्ठ देवीमाराधयांबिकाम् । तस्या आराधनेनैव सद्यः श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यसि

Nārada said: 'O foremost of the Yadus, to obtain your son, worship the goddess Ambikā. By her worship alone, you will immediately attain what is best.'

वसुदेव उवाच। भगवन्का हि सा देवी किंप्रभावा महेश्वरी । कथमाराधनं तस्या देवर्षे कृपया वद

Vasudeva said: 'O revered one, who is this goddess, what is her power, O great lord? Tell me, O divine sage, by what method her worship is performed.'

नारद उवाच। वसुदेव महाभाग शृणु संक्षेपतो मम । देव्या माहात्म्यमतुलं को वक्तुं विस्तरात्क्षमः

Nārada said: 'O Vasudeva, illustrious one, listen briefly to me. Who is capable of describing in detail the incomparable greatness of the goddess?'

या सा भगवती नित्या सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणी । परात्परतरा देवी यया व्याप्तमिदं जगत्

She is the eternal, blessed one, whose form is existence, consciousness, and bliss; the goddess who is higher than the highest, by whom this world is pervaded.

यदाराधनतो ब्रह्मा सृजतीदं चराचरम् । यां च स्तुत्वा विनिर्मुक्तो मधुकैटभजाद्भयात्

By whose worship Brahmā creates this moving and unmoving world; whom he praised and thereby was freed from fear of Madhu and Kaitabha.

विष्णुर्यत्कृपया विश्वं बिभर्ति भगवानिदम् । रुद्रः संहरते यस्याः कृपापांगनिरीक्षणात्

By whose grace the blessed Viṣṇu sustains this universe; and Rudra, by a glance of her compassion, brings about its dissolution.

संतारबंधहेतुर्या सैव मुक्तिप्रदायिनी । सा विद्या परमा देवी सैव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरी

She is the cause of bondage and liberation, the giver of freedom; she is the supreme knowledge, the highest goddess, the ruler of all rulers.

नवरात्रविधानेन सम्पूज्य जगदंबिकाम् । नवाहोभिः पुराणं च देव्या भागवतं शृणु

By worshipping the World-Mother according to the rite of Navarātra, and listening for nine days to the ancient Bhāgavata of the goddess,

यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण सद्यः पुत्रमवाप्स्यसि । भुक्तिर्मुक्तिर्न दूरस्था पठतां शृण्वतां नृणाम्

By merely hearing it, you will immediately obtain a son; for those who recite or listen, enjoyment and liberation are not far off.

इत्युक्तो नारदेनासौ वसुदेवः प्रणम्य तम् । उवाच परया प्रीत्या नारदं मुनिसत्तमम्

Thus addressed by Nārada, Vasudeva bowed to him and, with great affection, spoke to the eminent sage Nārada.

वसुदेव उवाच। भगवंस्तव वाक्येन संस्मृतं वृत्तमात्मनः । श्रूयतां तच्च वक्ष्यामि देवीमाहात्म्यसंभवम्

Vasudeva said: 'O revered one, by your words I have recalled the events of my life. Listen as I now relate the origin of the goddess's greatness.'