प्रेषिता देवदेवेन तद्भक्तवत्सलेन च । कृष्णजीमूतसंकाशाः स्फुरद्वदनपंकजाः
Sent by the Lord of the gods, who is ever compassionate to his devotees, they shone like dark rainclouds, their lotus-like faces radiant.
श्रेणीधराश्चारुनासा दिव्यकुंडलभूषिताः । ददृशुः पथि गच्छंतो विष्णोर्दूतामहात्मनः
Wearing beautiful earrings and bearing rows of ornaments, with lovely noses, the messengers of the great-souled Vishnu saw them as they traveled the path.
विष्णुदूता ऊचुः- के यूयं विकृताकारा लक्ष्यंते कर्बुरा इव । इमां विष्णोः प्रियतमां नीत्वा क्व व्रजथोत्तमाम् । इदं वचनमाकर्ण्य तेषां ते तु द्रुतं ययुः
The messengers of Vishnu said: 'Who are you, appearing so misshapen and grim, like shadows? Where are you taking this most beloved of Vishnu?' Hearing these words, they quickly departed.
अथ ते क्रोधसंपन्ना विष्णोर्दूता महाबलाः । जघ्नुस्ते संदेशहरान्यमस्य जगतः प्रभोः
Then, filled with anger, the mighty messengers of Vishnu struck down those couriers of Yama, the lord of the world.
चक्रादिशस्त्रसंघैश्च सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभैः । कृतांतस्य भटाः सर्वे रुदंतस्ते पलायिताः
With weapons such as the discus, shining like millions of suns, all the soldiers of Death wailed and fled.
यमं प्रोचुः सभीताश्च वृत्तांतं सकलं द्विज । यमोऽपि तत्कथां श्रुत्वा चित्रगुप्तमुवाच ह
Frightened, they reported everything to Yama, O twice-born; and Yama, hearing their account, spoke to Chitragupta.
धर्म उवाच- केन पुण्येन भो मंत्रिन्वेश्या मुक्तिं समागता । एतन्मे पृच्छत सर्वं कथयस्व यथार्हतः
Dharma said: 'By what merit, O minister, has this courtesan attained liberation? Tell me everything about this, as is proper.'
चित्रगुप्त उवाच- तया पापान्यर्जितानि जन्मतः सुबहून्यपि । किंत्वाकर्णय लोकेश यदि स्यात्पुण्यमस्ति तत्
Chitragupta said: 'She committed many sins from birth, yet, O lord of the world, listen—if there is any merit, it is this.'
गणिकैकदा धर्म्मराज सर्वालंकारभूषिता । कांचित्पुरीं जगामाशु जारकांक्षी धनार्थिनी
Once, O King of Dharma, the courtesan, adorned with all ornaments, went swiftly to a certain city, desiring a lover and seeking wealth.
तत्र देवालये तस्मिन्स्थित्वा तांबूलभक्षणं । कृत्वा तच्छेषचूर्णं तु ददौ भित्तौ तु कौतुकात्
There, standing in a temple, she chewed betel leaf, and out of curiosity, she placed the leftover powder on the wall.
तेन पुण्यप्रभावेण गणिका गतपातका । वैकुंठं प्रति सा याति निर्गता तव दंडतः
By the power of that merit, the courtesan was freed from sin; she now goes to Vaikuntha, released from your punishment.
सूत उवाच- इति श्रुत्वा ततो दूता यमोऽपि वचनं द्विज । व्यापारे चान्यतश्चित्तं ददौ सा गणिकापि च
Suta said: 'Hearing this, Yama's messengers and Yama himself, O twice-born, turned their attention elsewhere, and so did the courtesan.'
आरूढा स्यंदने दिव्ये राजहंसयुते तथा । विष्णुलोकं ययौ सा च वेष्टिता विष्णुकिंकरैः
Mounted on a divine chariot drawn by royal swans, she went to Vishnu's realm, surrounded by Vishnu's attendants.
श्रीविष्णोराज्ञया साथ कुलकोटियुतापि च । तस्थौ सौधगृहे विप्र नानाभोगं चकार ह
By the command of Lord Vishnu, she remained there, O brahmin, in a splendid palace with countless kin, enjoying various pleasures.
भक्त्या यो वै हरेर्गेहे दद्याच्चूर्णं प्रयत्नतः । पुण्यं किं वा भवेत्तस्य न जाने द्विजपुंगव
O best of twice-born, if someone, with devotion and care, offers even powder in the house of Hari, I do not know what merit could not be his.
भक्त्याध्यायं पठेद्यो वै शृणोति सादरेण च । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो यात्यसौ हरिमंदिरम्
Whoever recites or listens with reverence to this devotional teaching becomes freed from all sins and attains the abode of Hari.
शौनक उवाच- कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ गोलोकं याति कर्मणा । सुमते दुस्तरात्केन जनः संसारसागरात् । राधायाश्चाष्टमी सूत तस्या माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Śaunaka said: O wise one, tell me by what action a person of good mind can reach Goloka, crossing the difficult ocean of worldly existence. Also, Sūta, narrate the supreme greatness of Rādhā's Aṣṭamī.
सूत उवाच- ब्रह्माणं नारदोऽपृच्छत्पुरा चैतन्महामुने । तच्छृणुष्व समासेन पृष्टवान्स इति द्विज
Sūta said: In ancient times, Nārada asked Brahmā this, O great sage. Listen briefly, O twice-born, to what he inquired.
नारद उवाच- पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविदां वर । राधाजन्माष्टमी तात कथयस्व ममाग्रतः
Nārada said: O Grandfather, most wise, foremost among those who know all scriptures, please tell me about Rādhā's birth on the eighth day, right here before me.
तस्याः पुण्यफलं किंवा कृतं केन पुरा विभो । अकुर्वतां जनानां हि किल्बिषं किं भवेद्द्विज
O Lord, what is the merit of that observance, and who performed it in ancient times? What sin is destroyed for those who undertake it, O twice-born?
केनैव तु विधानेन कर्त्तव्यं तद्व्रतं कदा । कस्माज्जाता च सा राधा तन्मे कथय मूलतः
By what method should that vow be performed, and when? Why was Rādhā born? Tell me this from the beginning.
ब्रह्मोवाच- राधाजन्माष्टमीं वत्स शृणुष्व सुसमाहितः । कथयामि समासेन समग्रं हरिणा विना
Brahmā said: O child, listen attentively to the account of Rādhā's birth on the eighth day. I will briefly tell you everything, except for what pertains to Hari.
कथितुं तत्फलं पुण्यं न शक्नोत्यपि नारद । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं ब्रह्महत्यादिकं महत्
O Nārada, even I am unable to fully describe the merit and fruit of that observance; it destroys even the great sins accumulated over millions of births, including the killing of a Brāhmaṇa.
कुर्वंति ये सकृद्भक्त्या तेषां नश्यति तत्क्षणात् । एकादश्याः सहस्रेण यत्फलं लभते नरः
Those who perform it even once with devotion have their sins destroyed at that very moment; the merit gained is equal to that of performing a thousand Ekādaśī fasts.
राधाजन्माष्टमी पुण्यं तस्माच्छतगुणाधिकम् । मेरुतुल्यसुवर्णानि दत्वा यत्फलमाप्यते
Therefore, the merit of Rādhā's birth-eighth observance is a hundred times greater than that; it equals the fruit obtained by giving gold equal to Mount Meru.
सकृद्राधाष्टमीं कृत्वा तस्माच्छतगुणाधिकम् । कन्यादानसहस्रेण यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते जनैः
By performing Rādhā's Aṣṭamī even once, one attains a hundred times the merit gained by giving away a thousand maidens in marriage.
वृषभानुसुताष्टम्या तत्फलं प्राप्यते जनैः । गंगादिषु च तीर्थेषु स्नात्वा तु यत्फलं लभेत्
By observing the eighth day of Vṛṣabhānu's daughter's birth, one attains the merit that comes from bathing at holy places like the Gaṅgā and others.
कृष्णप्राणप्रियाष्टम्याः फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । एतद्व्रतं तु यः पापी हेलया श्रद्धयापि वा
By observing the eighth day dear to Kṛṣṇa's beloved, a person obtains that fruit; whether a sinner performs this vow carelessly or with faith—
करोति विष्णुसदनं गच्छेत्कोटिकुलान्वितः । पुरा कृतयुगे वत्स वरनारी सुशोभना
—he goes to Viṣṇu's abode, accompanied by countless generations. Long ago, in the Kṛta age, O child, there was a most beautiful and excellent woman.
सुमध्या हरिणीनेत्रा शुभांगी चारुहासिनी । सुकेशी चारुकर्णी च नाम्ना लीलावती स्मृता
She had a slender waist, eyes like a doe, auspicious limbs, a lovely smile, beautiful hair, and charming ears; she was known by the name Līlāvatī.