उक्तवांस्तौ यदा विप्र ब्राह्मणौ जातहर्षकौ । पुत्रायाकारणं कृत्वा गतावेतौ बहिः क्षणात्
When the sage had spoken thus, the two brāhmaṇas, filled with joy, immediately went outside to see their son.
मुनेर्वचनसिद्धित्वात्तत्क्षणं लोचनं तयोः । आलोकं तु गतं तूर्णं पुत्रस्य दर्शनादपि
By the power of the sage's words, at that very moment, their sight returned swiftly, even before seeing their son.
पुत्रस्य मुखपद्मं तौ लोचनैरलिसंनिभैः । पीत्वा मुनिं चिरंतं च नमस्कृत्य पुनः पुनः
With eyes like bees, they drank in the lotus-face of their son; and again and again, they bowed deeply to the sage.
प्रोचतुर्वचनं विप्रा ब्राह्मणौ प्रियवादिनौ । अहो मुने जीवदानमावयोः सुकृतं किल
The two brāhmaṇas, speaking kindly, said: 'O sage, you have truly restored our lives—this is our great good fortune.'
तयोरेव वचः श्रुत्वा स मुनिः करुणार्णवः । दत्वाशिषं च तौ विप्र जगाम निजमाश्रमम्
Hearing their words, the sage, ocean of compassion, gave them his blessing and returned to his own hermitage.
मुनिः करगतं चैव कृत्वा विष्णोः परं पदम् । तपस्तेपे महाभागो दैवतैरपि दुर्ल्लभम्
The sage, holding in his hand the supreme abode of Viṣṇu, performed austerities—so great that even the gods find them hard to attain.
किंचित्काले गते विप्र तस्य राज्ञोऽभवत्सुतः । सुंदरो राजयोग्यश्च इंदुःक्षीरनिधाविव । पुत्रोत्सवे सोऽपि विप्र राजा दत्वा धनानि वै
After some time, O brāhmaṇa, that king had a son—handsome and fit to rule, like the moon in the ocean of milk. At the festival for his son, the king gave away much wealth.
बुभुजे देववद्भूम्यां विशोको जातकौतुकः । विप्रान्पालयते यस्तु प्राणान्दत्वा धनान्यपि
He enjoyed the earth like a god, free from sorrow and filled with joy. He protected the brāhmaṇas, giving them even his life and wealth.
स याति विष्णुभवनं पुनरावृत्तिदुर्ल्लभम् । पठंति येऽत्र भक्त्या च शृण्वंति विप्रतः कथाम्
He attains the abode of Viṣṇu, which is rarely returned from. Those who recite or listen with devotion to this story from a brāhmaṇa—
आख्यानं श्लोकमेकं वा गच्छंति विष्णुमंदिरम्
—even a single verse of this tale—go to the temple of Viṣṇu.
शौनक उवाच- कृष्णजन्माष्टमी सूत तस्या माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ चोद्धरस्व महार्णवात्
Śaunaka said: 'O Sūta, tell us of the most excellent glory of Kṛṣṇa's birth on the eighth day—lift it up from the great ocean, O wise one.'
सूत उवाच- कृष्णजन्माष्टमीं ब्रह्मन्भक्त्या करोति यो नरः । अंते विष्णुपुरं याति कुलकोटियुतो द्विज
Sūta said: 'O brāhmaṇa, whoever observes Kṛṣṇa's birth-eighth with devotion, at the end goes to Viṣṇu's city, along with countless generations.'
अष्टमी बुधवारे च सोमे चैव द्विजोत्तम । रोहिणीऋक्षसंयुक्ता कुलकोटिविमुक्तिदा
O best of brāhmaṇas, if the eighth falls on a Wednesday or Monday, joined with the Rohiṇī star, it grants liberation to countless families.
महापातकसंयुक्तः करोति व्रतमुत्तमम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तश्चांते याति हरेर्गृहम्
Even one burdened with great sins, if he observes this supreme vow, is freed from all sins and at the end goes to the house of Hari.
कृष्णजन्माष्टमीं ब्रह्मन्न करोति नराधमः । इह दुःखमवाप्नोति स प्रेत्य नरकं व्रजेत्
O Brahmin, the vile man who does not observe Krishna's birth-ashtami here suffers misery, and after death, he goes to hell.
न करोति च या नारी कृष्णजन्माष्टमीव्रतम् । वर्षे वर्षे तु सा मूढा नरकं याति दारुणम्
And any woman who does not perform the vow of Krishna's birth-ashtami—year after year, that deluded one goes to a dreadful hell.
जन्माष्टमीदिने यो वै नरोऽश्नाति विमूढधीः । महानरकमश्नाति सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
On the day of Krishna's birth-ashtami, the man of confused mind who eats—he truly partakes of great hell; I speak the truth, the truth indeed.
दिलीपेन पुरा पृष्टो वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः । तच्छृणुष्व महाप्राज्ञ सर्वपातकनाशनम्
Once, the eminent sage Vasishtha was questioned by Dilipa; listen to that, O greatly wise one, which destroys all sins.
दिलीप उवाच- भाद्रे मास्यसिताष्टम्यां यस्यां जातो जनार्द्दनः । तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथयस्व महामुने
Dilipa said: In the month of Bhadra, on the dark eighth day, when Janardana was born—this I wish to hear, please tell me, O great sage.
कथं वा भगवान्जातः शंखचक्रगदाधरः । देवकीजठरे विष्णुः किं कर्तुं केन हेतुना
How was the Lord born, the bearer of conch, discus, and mace? For what purpose, and by what cause, did Vishnu enter Devaki's womb?
वसिष्ठ उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि कस्माज्जातो जनार्द्दनः । पृथिव्यां त्रिदिवं त्यक्त्वा भवते कथयाम्यहम्
Vasishtha said: Listen, O King, I will tell you why Janardana was born, having left heaven for earth; I shall recount it to you.
पुरा वसुंधरा ह्यासीत्कंसादिनृपपीडिता । स्वाधिकारप्रमत्तेन कंसदूतेन ताडिता
Long ago, the earth was oppressed by kings like Kamsa, struck by Kamsa's messengers, who were intoxicated with power.
क्रंदती क्रंदती सा तु ययौ घूर्णितलोचना । यत्र तिष्ठति देवेश उमाकांतो वृषध्वजः
Crying and crying, her eyes rolling in distress, she went to where the Lord of the gods, Shiva, consort of Uma, the bull-bannered one, resides.
कंसेन ताडिता नाथ इति तस्मै निवेदितुम् । बाष्पवारीणि वर्षंति विवर्णा साविमानिता
To inform him, 'I have been struck by Kamsa, O Lord,' she, discolored and humiliated, shed streams of tears.
क्रंदंतीं तां समालोक्य कोपेन स्फुरिताधरः । उमयासहितः सर्वैर्देववृंदैरनुव्रतः
Seeing her weeping, his lips quivering with anger, Shiva, together with Uma and all the hosts of gods, followed her.
आजगाम महादेवो विधातृभवनं रुषा । गत्वा चोवाच ब्रह्माणं कंसध्वंसनहेतवे
Great Shiva, in wrath, went to the abode of the Creator; arriving there, he spoke to Brahma for the destruction of Kamsa.
उपायः सृज्यतां ब्रह्मन्भवता विष्णुना सह । ऐश्वरं तद्वचः श्रुत्वा गंतुं प्राह कृतात्मभूः
'Let a means be devised, O Brahma, together with Vishnu,' he said. Hearing this divine speech, the self-born one agreed to go.
क्षीरोदे यत्र वैकुंठः सुप्तोऽस्ति भुजगोपरि । हंसपृष्ठं समारुह्य हरेरंतिकमाययौ
Where, upon the ocean of milk, Vaikuntha lies asleep upon the serpent—mounting the back of a swan, he went to Hari's presence.
तत्र गत्वा च तं धाता देववृंदैर्हरादिभिः । संयुक्तः स्तूयते वाग्भिः कोमलं वाग्विदांवरः
There, having arrived, the Creator, joined by the hosts of gods, including Shiva, praised him with gentle words, the foremost of eloquent ones.
नमः कमलनेत्राय हरये परमात्मने । जगतः पालयित्रे च लक्ष्मीकांत नमोऽस्तु ते
Salutations to you, lotus-eyed Hari, supreme soul; to you, the protector of the world, beloved of Lakshmi, our reverence.