पुरा नभोगिरा कंसो देवक्यष्टमगर्भतः । ज्ञात्वात्ममृत्युं पापो मां सभार्यां न्यरुणद्भिया
Long ago, by the word of heaven, Kamsa, learning that his own death would come from Devaki's eighth child, wickedly imprisoned me and my wife out of fear.
कारागारेऽहमवसं देवक्या सह भार्यया । जातं जातं समवधीत्पुत्रं कंसोऽपि पापकृत्
I dwelled in the prison together with Devaki, my wife, while Kamsa, the evildoer, killed each son as soon as he was born.
षट् पुत्रा निहतास्तेन तदा शोकाकुला भृशम् । अतप्यद्देवकी देवी नक्तंदिवमनिन्दिता
Six sons were slain by him, and at that time Devaki, the noble lady, was overwhelmed with grief and suffered day and night.
तदाऽहं गर्गमाहूय मुनिं नत्वाऽभिपूज्य च । निवेद्य देवकीदुःखमवोचं पुत्रकाम्यया
Then, summoning the sage Garga, I bowed and honored him, and, desiring a son, I revealed Devaki's sorrow to him.
भगवन्करुणासिन्धो यादवानां गुरुर्भवान् । आयुष्मत्पुत्रसंप्राप्तिसाधनं वद मे मुने
O revered one, ocean of compassion, you are the guru of the Yadavas; tell me, O sage, the means to obtain a long-lived son.
ततो गर्गः प्रसन्नात्मा मामुवाच दयानिधिः । वसुदेव महाभाग शृणु तत्साधनं परम्
Then Garga, whose heart was pleased, spoke to me, the treasury of mercy: 'O Vasudeva, greatly fortunate, listen to the supreme means.'
या सा भगवती दुर्गा भक्तदुर्गतिहारिणी । तामाराधय कल्याणीं सद्यः श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यसि
That blessed Goddess Durga, who removes the misfortune of devotees—worship her, the auspicious one, and you will quickly attain prosperity.
यदाराधनतः सर्वे सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयुः । न किचिद्दुर्लभं लोके दुर्गार्चनवतां नृणाम्
By worshipping her, all people obtain every desire; nothing is difficult in this world for those who worship Durga.
इत्युक्तोऽहं मुदा युक्तः सभार्यो मुनिपुङ्गवम् । प्रणम्य परया भक्त्या प्रावोचं विहितांजलिः
Thus addressed, I, filled with joy, together with my wife, bowed to the eminent sage with utmost devotion and spoke with hands joined.
वसुदेव उवाच। यद्यस्ति भगवन्प्रीतिर्मयि ते करुणानिधे । तदा पुरा मदर्थे त्वं समाराधय चण्डिकाम्
Vasudeva said: 'If you, O Lord, ocean of mercy, have affection for me, then for my sake please worship Chandika.'
निरुद्धः कंसगेहेऽहं न किंचित्कर्तुमुत्सहे । अतस्त्वमेव दुःखाब्धेर्मामुद्धर महामते
Imprisoned in Kamsa's house, I am unable to do anything; therefore, O wise one, you alone must rescue me from this ocean of sorrow.
इत्युक्तस्तु मया प्रीतः प्रोवाच मुनिपुङ्गवः । वसुदेव तव प्रीत्या करिष्यामि हितं तव
Thus addressed by me, the eminent sage, pleased, said: 'O Vasudeva, out of affection for you, I will do what is beneficial for you.'
अथ गर्गमुनिः प्रीत्या मया संप्रार्थितोऽगमत् । आरिराधयिषुर्दुर्गां विंध्याद्रिं ब्राह्मणैः सह
Then, requested by me with affection, the sage Garga departed, intending to worship Durga, together with the Brahmins, at Mount Vindhya.
तत्र गत्वा जगद्धात्रीं भक्ताभीष्टप्रदायिनीम् । आराधयामास मुनिर्जपपाठपरायणः
There, having arrived, the sage, devoted to recitation and prayer, worshipped the World-Mother, who grants the wishes of devotees.
यतः समाप्ते नियमे वागुवाचाशरीरिणी । प्रसन्नाऽहं मुने कार्यसिद्धिस्तव भविष्यति
When the observance was completed, a bodiless voice spoke: 'I am pleased, O sage; your purpose will be accomplished.'
भूभारहरणार्थाय मया संप्रेषितो हरिः । वसुदेवस्य देवक्यां स्वांशेनावतरिष्यति
For the removal of the burden of the earth, Hari has been sent by me; he will descend, by his own portion, into Devaki, wife of Vasudeva.
कंसभीत्या तमादाय बालमानकदुंदुभिः । प्रापयिष्यति सद्यस्तु गोकुले नन्दवेश्मनि
Out of fear of Kamsa, Anakadundubhi will take the child and immediately deliver him to Nanda's house in Gokula.
यशोदातनयां नीत्वा स्वगृहे कंसभूभुजे । दास्यत्यथ च तां हंतुं कंस आक्षेप्स्यति क्षितौ
Taking Yashoda's daughter to his own house, Kamsa, ruler of the earth, will attempt to kill her, but she will escape.
सा तद्धस्ताद्विनिर्गत्य सद्यो दिव्यवपुर्द्धरा । मदंशभूता विंध्याद्रौ करिष्यति जगद्धितम्
She, emerging at once from his hand, assumed a divine form, and, becoming the embodiment of intoxication, will accomplish the good of the world on Mount Vindhya.
इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रणम्य जगदम्बिकाम् । गर्गो मुनिः प्रसन्नात्मा मथुरामगमत्पुरीम्
Hearing these words, the sage Garga, with a serene heart, bowed to the Mother of the Universe and went to the city of Mathura.
वरदानं महादेव्या गर्गाचार्यसुखावहम् । श्रुत्वा सभार्यः संप्रीतः परं मुदमथागमत्
Hearing of the boon granted by the great Goddess, which brought happiness to Garga the teacher, he, together with his wife, became filled with joy.
तदारभ्य परं जाने देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । अधुनापि हि देवर्षे श्रुतं तव मुखांबुजात्
From that time onward, O divine sage, I have known the supreme glory of the Goddess, which even now I have heard from your lotus mouth.
अतो भागवतं देव्यास्त्वमेव श्रावय प्रभो । मद्भाग्यादेव देवर्षे संप्राप्तोऽसि दयानिधे
Therefore, O Lord, you alone should recite the Bhāgavata of the Goddess; by my good fortune, O ocean of compassion, you have come to me, O divine sage.
वसुदेववचः श्रुत्वा नारदः प्रीतमानसः । सुदिने शुभनक्षत्रे कथारंभमथाकरोत्
Hearing Vasudeva’s words, Nārada, his mind delighted, began the narration on an auspicious day under a favorable star.
कथाविघ्नविघातार्थं द्विजा जेपुर्नवाक्षरम् । मार्कण्डेयपुराणोक्तं पेठुर्देव्याः स्तवं तथा
To remove obstacles to the narration, the twice-born recited the nine-syllabled mantra and also the hymn to the Goddess as spoken in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa.
प्रथमस्कंधमारभ्य श्रीनारदमुखोद्गतम् । शुश्राव वसुदेवश्व भक्त्या भागवतामृतम्
Beginning with the first Skandha, Vasudeva listened with devotion to the nectar of the Bhāgavata as it flowed from the mouth of Śrī Nārada.
नवमेऽह्नि कथापूर्तौ पुस्तकं वाचकं तथा । प्रसन्न: पूजयामास वसुदेवो महामनाः
On the ninth day, when the narration was completed, Vasudeva, of noble mind, worshipped the book and the reciter with satisfaction.
अथ तत्र बिलस्यांतः कृष्णजांबवतोर्मृधे । कृष्णमुष्टिविनिष्पातश्लथाङ्गो जांबवानभूत्
Then, within the cave, in the battle between Krishna and Jāmbavat, Jāmbavat became weakened in body from Krishna’s blows.
अथागतस्मृतिः सो हि भगवंतं प्रणम्य च । उवाच परया भक्त्या स्वापराधं क्षमापयन्
Regaining his memory, he bowed to the Blessed Lord and, with deep devotion, begged forgiveness for his offense.
ज्ञातोऽसि रघुवर्यस्त्वं यद्रोषात्सरितां पतिः । क्षोभं जगाम लंकां च रावणः सानुगो हतः
I have recognized you as the best of the Raghus, who, out of anger, agitated the lord of rivers and destroyed Rāvaṇa with his followers in Laṅkā.