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.
वैराटी नंदपत्नी च यशोदाऽजीजनत्सुताम् । पुत्रं पद्मकरं पद्मनाभं पद्मदलेक्षणम्
Vairati, wife of Nanda, Yashoda, gave birth to a daughter; the son, lotus-handed, lotus-naveled, lotus-marked-eyed.
तदा हर्षितुमारेभे दृष्ट्वा ह्यानकदुंदुभिः । कंसासुरभयत्रस्ता प्रोवाच देवकी तदा
Then, seeing the auspicious drums, she began to rejoice; terrified by the fear of the demon Kamsa, Devaki spoke at that time.
वैराटीं गच्छ भो नाथ सुतं प्रत्यर्पितं किल । पुत्रं दत्वा यशोदायै सुतां तस्याः समानय
'Go to Vairati, O lord, and return the son; having given the son to Yashoda, bring her daughter back.'
तस्या वचः समाकर्ण्य वसुदेवोऽपि दुःखितः । अंके कुमारमादाय वैराट्यभिमुखंययौ
Hearing her words, Vasudeva, sorrowful, took the boy in his arms and went toward Vairati.
यमुनाजलसंपूर्णा तत्पथे मध्यवर्त्मनि । आसीद्घोरा महादीर्घा गम्भीरोदकपूरभाक्
On the path, the Yamuna was full of water; in the middle of the way, there was a terrifying, vast, deep flood.
एवं दृष्ट्वा तटे स्थित्वा यमुनामवलोकयन् । वसुदेवोऽपि दुःखार्तो विललापातिचिंतया
Seeing this, standing on the bank and gazing at the Yamuna, Vasudeva, afflicted by sorrow, lamented with deep anxiety.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि विधिनापि हि वंचितः । कथमत्र गमिष्यामि वैराटीं नंदमंदिरम्
'What shall I do? Where shall I go? Even by fate I am deceived; how shall I reach Vairati, the house of Nanda, here?'
हरिणा तत्र सानंदं मायया वंचितः पिता । क्षणमात्रं तटे स्थित्वा यमुनामवलोकयन्
There, by Hari's illusion, the father was deceived with joy; standing for a moment on the bank, gazing at the Yamuna.
तेन दृष्टा पुनः सापि क्षणाज्जानुवहाभवत् । तां दृष्ट्वा हृष्ट उत्तस्थौ प्रस्थानमकरोद्यथा
When he saw it, the river at once became knee-deep; seeing that, delighted, he rose and prepared to depart as before.
मायां कृत्वा जगन्नाथः पितुरंकाज्जलेऽपतत् । तं पुत्रं पतितं दृष्ट्वा हाहाकृत्वा सुदुःखितः
Creating illusion, the Lord of the Universe fell from his father's lap into the water; seeing his son fallen, he cried out in distress, greatly afflicted.
महोपायं पुनः कर्तुं विधिना तेन वंचितः । त्राहि मां जगतां नाथ सुतं रक्ष सुरोत्तम
Again, to undertake a great scheme, he was deceived by fate; protect me, Lord of the worlds, preserve my son, O best of gods.
जनकक्रंदितं दृष्ट्वा कंसारिः कृपया मुहुः । जलक्रीडां समाचर्य पितुःक्रोडमगात्पुनः
Seeing his father weeping, the enemy of Kamsa, moved by compassion, repeatedly played in the water and then returned to his father's lap.
यथा तेन यदुश्रेष्ठो जगाम नंदमंदिरम् । सुतं दत्त्वा यशोदायै सुतां तस्याः समानयत्
Just as he did, the foremost of the Yadus went to Nanda's house, gave his son to Yashoda, and brought her daughter in exchange.
निजागारं ततः प्राप्य पत्न्यै प्रत्यर्पिता सुता । देवकी च प्रसूतेति वार्ता प्राप्ता सुरारिणा
Then, having reached his own home, he entrusted the daughter to his wife; and news arrived from the enemy of the gods that Devaki had given birth.
आनेतुं प्रस्थिता दूताः सुतं दुहितरं तदा । आगत्य कंसदूतास्ते सुतां नेतुं प्रचक्रमुः
Messengers were dispatched to bring the son and daughter; upon arrival, Kamsa's messengers began to take the daughter away.
बलादेनां समाकृष्य देवकी वसुदेवयोः । कंसदूतैर्गृहीत्वा सा अर्पिता तु सुरारये
By force, the messengers of Kamsa seized the daughter of Devaki and Vasudeva, and delivered her to the enemy of the gods.
स धृत्वा तां महाराजः सभयोऽभूद्दुरासदः । शुद्धकांचनवर्णाभां पूर्णेंदुसदृशाननाम्
Holding her, the king became fearful and difficult to approach; her face shone like pure gold and resembled the full moon.
कंसो हसंतीं तां दृष्ट्वा विद्युत्स्फुरितलोचनाम् । आदिदेशासुरश्रेष्ठो जहि नीत्वा शिलोपरि
Kamsa, seeing her laughing with eyes flashing like lightning, commanded, 'Take her and kill her upon a stone,' O chief of demons.
आज्ञां लब्ध्वाऽसुरास्ते वै निष्पेष्टुं तां प्रवर्तिताः । विद्युच्छीघ्रतया गौरी जगाम शंकरांतिकम्
Receiving the order, the demons proceeded to crush her; but Gauri, swift as lightning, went to the presence of Shankara.
गौर्युवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्रास्ते शत्रुरुत्तमः । नंदस्य निलये गुप्तस्तव हंताऽसुरोत्तम
Gauri said: 'Hear, O king, I will tell you where your supreme enemy dwells: hidden in Nanda's house is your killer, O best of demons.'