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.
इति तेभ्यः स्तुतिं श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच जनार्द्दनः । देवान्क्लिष्टमुखान्सर्वान्भवद्भिरागतं कथम्
Hearing their praise, Janardana replied to them: 'All you gods, your faces troubled—why have you all come?'
ब्रह्मोवाच-। शृणु देव जगन्नाथ यस्मादस्माकमागतम् । कथयामि सुरश्रेष्ठ तदहं लोकभावन
Brahma said: Hear, O Lord, sustainer of the worlds, why we have come; I shall tell you, O best of gods, for the sake of the worlds.
शूलिदत्तवरोन्मत्तः कंसो राजा दुरासदः । वसुधा ताडिता तेन करघातेन पीडिता
King Kamsa, intoxicated by the boon granted by Shiva, was formidable and difficult to overcome; the earth was struck and oppressed by his blows.
वरं दत्वा पुराप्यग्रे मायया तु प्रवंचितः । भागिनेयं विना शंभो मरणं भविता न मे
Though he had previously granted a boon, he was deceived by illusion; without the nephew of Shambhu, my death shall not occur.
तस्माद्गच्छ स्वयं देव कंसं हंतुं दुरासदम् । देवकीजठरे जन्म लब्ध्वा गत्वा च गोकुलम्
Therefore, O god, go yourself to slay the difficult-to-defeat Kamsa; having obtained birth in Devaki's womb, proceed to Gokula.
ब्रह्मणा प्रेरितो देवः प्रत्युवाच च शूलिनम् । पार्वतीं देहि देवेश अब्दं स्थित्वा गमिष्यति
Prompted by Brahma, the god replied to Shiva: 'O lord of gods, give Parvati; after staying for a year, she will depart.'
उमया रक्षया सार्द्धं शंखचक्रगदाधरः । उद्दिश्य मथुरां चक्रे प्रयाणं कमलासनः
Together with Uma's protection, the bearer of the conch, discus, and mace, aiming for Mathura, set out, guided by the lotus-seated one.
देवकीजठरे जन्म लेभे तत्र गदाधरः । यशोदाकुक्षिमध्यास्ते शर्वाणी मृगलोचना
The wielder of the mace was born in Devaki's womb there; Sharvani, doe-eyed, dwelled in Yashoda's belly.
नवमासांश्च विश्रम्य कुक्षौ नवदिनांतकान् । भाद्रे मास्यसिते पक्षे चाष्टमीसंज्ञका तिथिः
Having rested for nine months in the womb, and for nine days thereafter, in the month of Bhadra, on the eighth day of the dark fortnight,
रोहिणीतारकायुक्ता रजनीघनघोषिता । तस्यां जातो जगन्नाथः कंसारिर्वसुदेवजः
When the night was joined with the star Rohini and resounded with thunder, the Lord of the Universe, enemy of Kamsa, son of Vasudeva, was born.