वसिष्ठ उवाच- एवमुक्त्वा तु सा देवी जगाम निजमंदिरम् । श्रुत्वा वाक्यं ततो देव्याः कंसो राजा सुदुःखितः
Vasishtha said: 'Having spoken thus, the goddess returned to her own abode; hearing the words of the goddess, King Kamsa was greatly distressed.'
भगिनीं पूतनामाह गच्छ त्वं नंदमंदिरम् । छद्मना तं सुतं हत्वा गच्छ ते वांच्छितं बहु
He said to his sister Putana: 'Go to Nanda's house; by deception, kill that son, and then you will obtain much of what you desire.'
दास्यामि शत्रुं हंतुं मे व्रज शीघ्रतरं शुभे । आज्ञां प्राप्य राक्षसी सा गोकुलाभिमुखं गता
'I will give you my enemy to slay; go quickly, O auspicious one.' Receiving the command, the demoness headed toward Gokula.
मायया सुंदरी रूपा प्रविष्टा तत्र गोकुले । पयोधरे गरं सा तु धृत्वा हंतुमुपागता
Entering Gokula in the form of a beautiful woman by magic, she approached to kill, holding poison in her breast.
पशुपानां गृहद्वारि प्रविष्टालक्षितेति च । गत्वांतरुत्थाप्य शिशुं स्तनं दत्वापसद्गतिम्
Entering unnoticed at the doorway of the cowherds' house, she went inside, lifted the child, and gave him her breast, intending his destruction.
ततस्तु शकटं क्षिप्त्वा तृणावर्तादिमर्दनम् । कालीयदमनं कृत्वा गतो मधुपुरीं ततः
Then, after hurling the cart, subduing Trinavarta and others, and conquering Kaliya, he went to Mathura city.
गत्वा कंसो हतः क्रूरः कंसमल्लानजीजयत् । एतत्ते कथितं राजन्विष्णोर्जन्मदिनव्रतम्
Arriving there, cruel Kamsa was slain, and he defeated Kamsa's wrestlers; thus, O king, the vow of Vishnu's birth-day has been narrated to you.
श्रुत्वा पापानि नश्यंति कुर्यात्किं वा भविष्यति । य इदं कुरुते मर्त्यो या च नारी हरेर्व्रतम्
Hearing this, sins are destroyed; what more could happen? Whoever performs this vow of Hari, whether man or woman, attains its fruit.
ऐश्वर्यमतुलं प्राप्य जन्मन्यत्र यथेप्सितम् । पूर्वविद्धा न कर्त्तव्या तृतीयाषष्ठिरेव च
Having attained incomparable prosperity and whatever is desired in this life, the previously pierced (days) should not be observed, nor the third or sixth (days).
अष्टम्येकादशीभूता धर्मकामार्थवांच्छुभिः । वर्जयित्वा प्रयत्नेन सप्तमीसंयुताष्टमी
The eighth and eleventh days, when joined, should be carefully avoided by those who desire righteousness, pleasure, or wealth, as should the eighth joined with the seventh.
विना ऋक्षेऽपि कर्तव्या नवमीसंयुताष्टमी । उदये चाष्टमी किंचित्सकला नवमी यदि
Even without the asterism, the eighth joined with the ninth should be observed; if, at sunrise, the eighth is present and the ninth is just beginning.
मुहूर्तरोहिणीयुक्ता संपूर्णा चाष्टमी भवेत् । अष्टमी बुधवारेण रोहिणीसहिता यदि
If the eighth is complete and joined with Rohiṇī during any auspicious period, or if the eighth falls on a Wednesday with Rohiṇī,
सोमेनैव भवेद्राजन्किंकृतैर्व्रतकोटिभिः । नवम्यामुदयात्किंचित्सोमे सापि बुधेऽपि च
O King, if it falls on a Monday, what need is there for countless vows? If, at sunrise, the ninth is present even a little, whether on Monday or Wednesday,
अपि वर्षशतेनापि लभ्यते वा न लभ्यते । विना ऋक्षं न कर्तव्या नवमीसंयुताष्टमी
Even in a hundred years, it may or may not be obtained; the eighth joined with the ninth should not be observed without the asterism.
कार्याविद्धापि सप्तम्यां रोहिणीसंयुताष्टमी । कलाकाष्ठामुहूर्तेऽपि यदा कृष्णाष्टमीतिथिः
Even if pierced by the seventh, the eighth joined with Rohiṇī should be performed; whenever the eighth lunar day of the dark fortnight occurs, even for a moment,
नवम्यां सैव वा ग्राह्या सप्तमीसंयुता न हि । किं पुनर्बुधवारेण सोमेनापि विशेषतः
If that eighth falls on the ninth, it may be accepted, but not if joined with the seventh; how much more so if it falls on Wednesday or especially on Monday.
किं पुर्नर्नवमीयुक्ता कुलकोट्यास्तु मुक्तिदा । पलवेधेन राजेंद्र सप्तम्या अष्टमीं त्यजेत्
What to say if joined with the ninth—it grants liberation to countless families; O King, even by a small error, the eighth joined with the seventh should be abandoned.
सुरायाबिंदुनास्पृष्टं गंगांभः कलशं यथा । दिलीप उवाच- केन चादौ कृतं चेदं केन वा तत्प्रकाशितम् । किं पुण्यं किं फलं देव कथयस्व महामुने
Just as a pot touched by a drop of liquor is like Ganges water, (so is this); Dilīpa said: By whom was this first established, and by whom was it revealed? What merit and what result, O great sage, please tell me.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- चित्रसेनो महाराजा महापापपरो महान् । अगम्यागमनं कृत्वा स्वर्णस्तेयं द्विजस्य च
Vasiṣṭha said: Citraseṇa was a great king, intent on great sins; he committed forbidden acts with women, stole gold from a Brāhmaṇa,
सुरायां च सदा तृप्तो वृथामांसे सदा रतः । एवं पापसमायुक्तो नित्यं प्राणिवधे रतः
He was always satisfied with liquor, always delighted in eating meat without purpose; thus, engaged in sin, he was always intent on taking life.
चांडालैः पतितैः सार्द्धमालापं सर्वदाकरोत् । एतदेवं विधो राजा मृगयायां मनो दधे
He always associated with outcastes and the fallen; such a king set his mind on hunting.
अरण्ये द्वीपिनं ज्ञात्वा वेष्टयित्वा च सर्वतः । सावधानं भटान्सर्वान्वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह
Knowing there was a tiger in the forest, he surrounded it on all sides, and, instructing all his soldiers carefully, he spoke these words:
अहमेव निहन्म्येनं योऽन्योस्मिन्प्रहरिष्यति । स वध्यो नात्र संदेहो व्याघ्रो राज्ञः पथा ययौ
I alone will kill this one; whoever else strikes it shall be executed—there is no doubt of this. The tiger went along the king’s path.
सलज्जोऽपि ततो राजा व्याघ्रं पश्चाज्जगाम ह । अनेकक्लेशदुःखेन व्याघ्रं हंतुं समाहितः
Even though ashamed, the king then followed the tiger, determined to kill it despite much hardship and suffering.
क्षुत्पिपासाकुलक्लेशः संध्यायां यमुनातटे । अष्टमीरोहिणीयुक्ता तद्दिनं जन्मवासरम्
Afflicted by the suffering of hunger and thirst, at dusk on the bank of the Yamunā, it was the day of the eighth joined with Rohiṇī, the day of his birth.
श्वःकन्या यमुनायां वै व्रतं चक्रुर्नराधिप । नानोपहारैर्द्रव्यैश्च धूपदीपैः सुशोभनैः
The next day, on the Yamunā, the king performed a vow with a female dog, with various offerings and beautiful incense and lamps.
गंधपुष्पं तथा द्रव्यं कुंकुमादिमनोहरम् । अन्नं बहुगुणं दृष्ट्वा भोक्तुं तन्मानसंकुलम्
Seeing fragrant flowers, delightful substances like saffron, and food rich in many qualities, the mind becomes agitated with the desire to partake.
राजोवाच- अन्नाभावान्ममाद्याशु प्राणा यास्यंति निश्चितम् । स्त्रिय ऊचुः- जन्माष्टम्यां हरे राजन्न भोक्तव्यं त्वयानघ
The king said: 'Due to lack of food, my life will soon depart, this is certain.' The women said: 'O sinless king, on the birth-eighth of Hari, you must not eat.'
गृध्रमांसं खरं काकं गोमांसमन्नमेव च । भुक्तवान्नात्र संदेहो यो भुंक्ते कृष्णजन्मनि
There is no doubt that one who eats vulture meat, donkey, crow, cow meat, or even food on Krishna's birth day, has consumed these things.
किं किं छिद्रं न संजातं संसारे वसतां नृणाम् । येन देहेस्थिते प्राणे जयंती न कृता नृप
What fault does not arise for men living in this world? While life remains in the body, O king, victories are not achieved.