गते दूतेऽथ भगवान्वैकुण्ठात्कामसंयुतः । जगाम धृत्वा तत्राशु वाजिरूपं मनोहरम्
When the messenger departed, the blessed one, filled with desire, left Vaikuṇṭha and swiftly took on a charming horse form.
यत्र सा वडवारूपं कृत्वा तपति सिन्धुजा । विष्णुस्तं देशमासाद्य तामपश्यद्धयीं स्थिताम्
There, where she, the daughter of the ocean, was performing austerities in the form of a mare, Viṣṇu arrived at that place and saw her standing as a horse.
सापि तं वीक्ष्य गोविन्दं हयरूपधरं पतिम् । ज्ञात्वा वीक्ष्य स्थिता साध्वी विस्मिता साश्रुलोचना
She, seeing Govinda, her husband, in the form of a horse, recognized him and stood amazed, with tearful eyes, steadfast and virtuous.
तयोस्तु सङ्गमस्तत्र प्रवृत्तो मन्मथार्तयोः । कालिन्दीतमसासङ्गे पावने लोकविश्रुते
There, union occurred between the two, afflicted by love, in the pure and renowned darkness of the Yamunā.
सगर्भा सा तदा जाता वडवा हरिवल्लभा । सुषुवे सुन्दरं बालं तत्रैव सुगुणोत्तरम्
Then she, the beloved of Hari, became pregnant and gave birth right there to a beautiful child, excellent in virtues.
तामाह भगवान्वाक्यं प्रहस्य समयाश्रितम् । त्यजाद्य वाडवं देहं पूर्वदेहा भवाधुना
The blessed one spoke to her, smiling and bound by agreement: 'Now, abandon the mare’s body; become as you were before.'
गमिष्यावः स्ववैकुण्ठमावां कृत्वा निजं वपुः । तिष्ठत्वत्र कुमारोऽयं त्वया जातः सुलोचने
'We will go to our own Vaikuṇṭha, taking our true forms; let this son you have borne, O beautiful-eyed one, remain here.'
लक्ष्मीरुवाच स्वदेहसम्भवं पुत्रं कथं हित्वा व्रजाम्यहम् । स्नेहः सुदुस्त्यजः कामं स्वात्मजस्य सुरर्षभ
Lakṣmī said: 'How can I leave my son, born from my own body, and depart? The affection for one’s own child, O best of gods, is very hard to give up.'
का गतिः स्यादमेयात्मन् बालस्यास्य नदीतटे । अनाथस्यासमर्थस्य विजनेऽल्पतनोरिह
O unfathomable one, what fate awaits this child, helpless and powerless, abandoned on the riverbank in this desolate place?
अनाश्रयं सुतं त्यक्त्वा कथं गन्तुं मनो मम । समर्थं सदयं स्वामिन् भवेदम्बुजलोचन
How can my mind allow me to leave this son, who has no refuge? O lotus-eyed Lord, may you, who are compassionate and capable, protect him.
दिव्यदेहौ ततो जातौ लक्ष्मीनारायणावुभौ । विमानवरसंविष्टौ स्तूयमानौ सुरैर्दिवि
Then, Lakshmi and Narayana, both with divine forms, appeared, seated in a splendid aerial chariot, praised by the gods in heaven.
गन्तुकामं पतिं प्राह कमला कमलापतिम् । गृहाणेमं सुतं नाथ नाहं शक्तास्मि हापितुम्
Desiring to depart, Kamala spoke to her husband, the Lord of Kamala: 'Take this child, O Lord; I am not able to abandon him.'
प्राणप्रियोऽस्ति मे पुत्रः कान्त्या त्वत्सदृशः प्रभो । गृहीत्वैनं गमिष्यावो वैकुण्ठं मधुसूदन
My son is dearer to me than life itself, O Lord, and in beauty he resembles you. Let us take him and go to Vaikuntha, O slayer of Madhu.
हरिरुवाच मा विषादं प्रिये कर्तुं त्वमर्हसि वरानने । तिष्ठत्वयं सुखेनात्र रक्षा मे विहिता त्विह
Hari said: 'O beloved, do not grieve, O beautiful-faced one. Let this child remain here happily; I have arranged for his protection here.'
कार्यं किमपि वामोरु वर्तते महदद्भुतम् । निबोध कथयाम्यद्य सुतस्यात्र विमोचने
O slender-waisted one, a great and wondrous task is at hand. Listen as I tell you now about the deliverance of this child.
तुर्वसुर्नाम विख्यातो ययातितनुजो भुवि । हरिवर्मेति पित्रास्य कृतं नाम सुविश्रुतम्
There is a king on earth, famed as Turvasu, son of Yayati; his father gave him the well-known name Harivarma.
स राजा पुत्रकामोऽद्य तपस्तपति पावने । तीर्थे वर्षशतं जातं तस्य वै कुर्वतस्तपः
That king, desiring a son, is now performing austerities at a sacred place. A hundred years have passed as he continues his penance.
तस्यार्थे निर्मितः पुत्रो मयायं कमलालये । तत्र गत्वा नृपं सुभ्रु प्रेरयिष्यामि साम्प्रतम्
For his sake, O Kamalalaya, I have created this son. I will now go and inspire the king to come here.
तस्मै दास्याम्यहं पुत्रं पुत्रकामाय कामिनि । गृहीत्वा स्वगृहं राजा प्रापयिष्यति बालकम्
O beautiful one, I will give this son to the king who longs for a child. The king will take the boy and bring him to his own house.
व्यास उवाच इत्याश्वास्य प्रियां पद्मां कृत्वा रक्षां च बालके । विमानवरमारुह्य प्रययौ प्रियया सह
Vyasa said: Thus consoling his beloved Padma and ensuring the child's protection, he ascended the splendid aerial chariot and departed with his beloved.
एकवीराख्यानवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच संशयोऽयं महानत्र जातमात्रः शिशुस्तथा । मुक्तः केन गृहीतोऽसावेकाकी विजने वने
The tale of Ekavira
का गतिस्तस्य बालस्य जाता सत्यवतीसुत । व्याघ्रसिंहादिभिर्हिंस्रैर्गृहीतो नातिबालकः
Janamejaya said: A great doubt arises here—how was this newborn child, released and alone in the desolate forest, taken and by whom?
व्यास उवाच लक्ष्मीनारायणौ तस्मात्स्थानाच्च चलितौ यदा । तदैव तत्र चम्पाख्यः प्राप्तो विद्याधरः किल
O son of Satyavati, what became of that boy? Was he not seized by tigers, lions, or other wild beasts, being so young?
विमानवरमारूढः कामिन्या सहितो नृप । मदनालसया कामं क्रीडमानो यदृच्छया
Vyasa said: When Lakshmi and Narayana departed from that place, at that very moment, a Vidyadhara named Campaka arrived there.
विलोक्य तं शिशुं भूमावेकाकिनमनुत्तमम् । देवपुत्रप्रतीकाशं रममाणं यथासुखम्
The king, accompanied by his beloved, mounted on a splendid aerial chariot, was playing, overcome by passion, and happened to arrive there by chance.
विमानात्तरसोत्तीर्य चम्पकस्तं शिशु जवात् । जग्राह च मुदं प्राप निधिं प्राप्य यथाधनः
Seeing that excellent child alone on the ground, resembling a son of the gods and happily playing, Campaka was filled with joy, as one who finds a treasure.
गृहीत्वा चम्पकः प्रादाद्देव्यै तं मदनोपमम् । मदनालसायै तं बालं जातमात्रं मनोहरम्
Campaka took the boy, who was as enchanting as the god of love, and gave him to the goddess, who was languid with desire, the beautiful newborn child.
सा गृहीत्वा शिशुं प्रेम्णा सरोमाञ्चा सविस्मया । मुखं चुचुम्ब बालस्य कृत्वा तु हृदये भृशम्
She took the child with love, her body thrilled and filled with wonder; she kissed the boy's face and held him closely to her heart.
आलिङ्गितश्चुम्बितश्च तयासौ प्रीतिपूर्वकम् । उत्सङ्गे च कृतस्तन्व्या पुत्रभावेन भारत
Embraced and kissed by her with affection, the slender lady placed the boy on her lap as if he were her own son, O Bharata.
कृत्वाङ्के तौ समारूढौ विमानं दम्पती मुदा । पतिं पप्रच्छ चार्वङ्गी प्रहस्य मदनालसा
Having seated both of them on her lap, the delighted couple boarded the celestial chariot; the lovely-limbed, love-struck lady smiled and questioned her husband.