मासि भाद्रपदे शुक्ले चतुर्थ्यां चंद्रदर्शनम् । मिथ्याभिदूषणं प्राहुस्तस्मात्तत्परिवर्जयेत्
On the fourth day of the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada, the moon is seen; they say that false accusations should be avoided on that day.
प्राप्यते दर्शनं तत्र चतुर्थ्यां शीतगोर्नरः । स्यमंतस्य कथां श्रुत्वा मिथ्यावादात्प्रमुच्यते
On that fourth day, whoever sees the cool-rayed moon and hears the story of Syamantaka is freed from false accusations.
सुलक्ष्मणां नाग्नजितीं सुशीलां च यशस्विनीम् । मद्रराजसुतास्तिस्रः कन्यकास्ताः शुभाननाः
Sulakshmana, Nagna-jiti, and the virtuous and renowned Sushila—these three daughters of the king of Madra, all with auspicious faces,
स्वयंवरस्थास्ताः कृष्णं वरयामासुरुज्ज्वलाः । एकस्मिन्दिवसे तास्तु उपयेमे यदूद्वहः
While present at their own svayamvara, those radiant maidens chose Krishna, and on a single day the descendant of Yadu married them.
अष्टौ महिष्यस्ताः सर्वा रुक्मिण्याद्या महात्मनः । रुक्मिणी सत्यभामा च कालिंदी च शुचिस्मिता
All eight queens of the great-souled one, beginning with Rukmini, are: Rukmini, Satyabhama, Kalindi of the pure smile,
मित्रविंदा जांबवती नाग्नजित्यः सुलक्ष्मणा । सुशीला नाम तन्वंगी महिषी चाष्टमी स्मृता
Mitravinda, Jambavati, Nagna-jiti, Sulakshmana, and the slender-waisted Sushila—these are remembered as his eight queens.
भूमिपुत्रो महावीर्यो नरको नाम राक्षसः । जित्वा देवपतिं शक्रं सर्वांश्चैव सुरान्रणे
There was a mighty son of the earth named Naraka, a demon, who conquered Indra, the lord of the gods, and all the other gods in battle.
अदित्या देवमातुश्च कुंडले च सुवर्चसी । बलाज्जग्राह देवानां रत्नानि विविधानि च
He forcefully seized the radiant earrings of Aditi, the mother of the gods, and various jewels belonging to the gods.
ऐरावतं महेंद्रस्य तथैवोच्चैःश्रवं हयम् । माणिक्यादि धनेशस्य शंखपद्मनिधिं तथा
He took Airavata, the elephant of Mahendra, and also the horse Ucchaihshravas, the jewels of Kubera such as the mani, and the conch and lotus treasures.
स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसश्चैव हृतवान्क्षितिनंदनः । वज्रादिहेतीस्तेषां च बलाद्धृत्वा दिवौकसाम्
The son of the earth also carried off the celestial nymphs and women, and by force took the thunderbolt and other weapons from the gods.
तैरेव स सुरान्हत्वा सभां मयविनिर्मिताम् । उवास व्योमगो दिव्यो नगर्यां विमलेंबरे
With those very weapons, he slew the gods and remained in the assembly conjured by his magic, dwelling in the pure sky-city, clad in radiant garments.
ततो देवगणाः सर्वे पुरस्कृत्य शचीपतिम् । भयार्ताः शरणं जग्मुः कृष्णमक्लिष्टकारिणम्
Then all the hosts of gods, led by the lord of Śacī, terrified and distressed, sought refuge with Kṛṣṇa, the doer of blameless deeds.
कृष्णोऽपि तदुपश्रुत्य सर्वं नरकचेष्टितम् । देवानामभयं दत्वा वैनतेयं व्यचिंतयत्
Kṛṣṇa, having heard of all the actions of Naraka, granted safety to the gods and then considered Garuḍa.
तस्मिन्क्षणे हरेस्तस्य वैनतेयो महाबलः । प्रांजलिः पुरतस्तस्थौ सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः ५० 6.249.
At that moment, Garuḍa, mighty and honored by all the gods, stood before Hari with joined palms.
तमारुह्य द्विजश्रेष्ठं सत्यया सह केशवः । संस्तूयमानो मुनिभिः प्रययौ राक्षसालयम्
Mounting the best of birds together with Satyā, Keśava, praised by the sages, set out for the abode of the demons.
प्रदीप्यमानमाकाशे यथा सूर्यस्य मंडलम् । राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्युक्तं दिव्यैराभरणैर्युतम्
He saw that city blazing in the sky like the orb of the sun, filled with many demons adorned with divine ornaments.
ददर्श तत्पुरं कृष्णो दुर्भेद्यं त्रिदशैरपि । तदावरणानि भगवान्वीक्ष्य चक्रेण वीर्यवान्
Kṛṣṇa beheld that city, impregnable even to the gods; seeing its fortifications, the mighty Lord prepared his discus.
चिच्छेद तेजसा दीप्त्या तमांसि च दिवाकरः । ततस्ते राक्षसाः सर्वे शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
With his radiance and brilliance, he cut through the darkness as the sun does; then all the demons, by the hundreds and thousands—
उद्यम्य शूलानि तदा युद्धायाभिमुखं ययुः । ततस्तु तोमरैर्दिव्यैर्भिण्डिपालैः सुपट्टिशैः
At that time, raising their spears, they advanced to battle; then, with divine javelins, clubs, and well-strapped maces—
केशवं ताडयामासुः पलालैरिव पावकम् । ततस्तु शार्ङ्गमादाय भगवान्गरुडध्वजः
They struck Keśava as straw strikes fire; then the Lord, bearer of the Garuḍa banner, took up his bow Śārṅga.
दिव्यशस्त्राणि चिच्छेद बाणैरग्निशिखोपमैः । तेषां शिरोधरा नागानश्वांश्चैव तरस्विनः
With arrows blazing like tongues of fire, he cut down their divine weapons; the necks of their elephants and swift horses—
चक्रेणैव प्रचिच्छेद वीर्यवान्पुरुषोत्तमः । केचिच्चक्रेण संछिन्नास्तथान्ये शरताडिताः
With his discus alone, the mighty best of men severed them; some were cut down by the discus, others struck by arrows.
गदया निहताः केचिद्राक्षसास्तद्रणाजिरे । एवं ते राक्षसाः सर्वे पातिता धरणीतले
Some demons were slain with the mace on that battlefield; thus all the demons were cast down upon the earth.
शक्रोत्सृष्टेन वज्रेण निर्भिन्ना इव भूधराः । निहत्य दानवान्सर्वान्पुंडरीकायतेक्षणः
Split as mountains are by the thunderbolt released by Śakra, having slain all the Dānavas, the lotus-eyed Lord—
पाञ्चजन्यं महाशंखं प्रदध्मौ पुरुषोत्तमः । ततः स नरको दैत्यो धनुरादाय वीर्यवान्
The supreme person blew the great conch Pāñcajanya; then Naraka, the mighty demon, took up his bow.
दिव्यं स्यंदनमारुह्य ययौ युद्धाय केशवम् । तयोर्युद्धमभूद्घोरं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम्
Mounting his divine chariot, he went to battle with Keśava; their combat was fierce, tumultuous, and hair-raising.
बहुभिर्बाणसाहस्रैर्मेघयोरिव वर्षतोः । ततोऽर्द्धचंद्र बाणेन वासुदेवः सनातनः
With thousands of arrows from both sides, like clouds pouring rain; then Vāsudeva, the eternal one, with a crescent-shaped arrow—
तस्य राक्षसमुख्यस्य धनुश्चिच्छेद वीर्यवान् । ससर्जास्त्रं महादिव्यं नरकस्य महोरसि
The mighty Lord cut the bow of that foremost demon; he released a great divine weapon at Naraka’s broad chest.
स तेन भिन्नहृदयः पपातोर्व्यां महासुरः । शक्रवज्रेण निर्भिन्नो महाचल इवोन्नदन्
That great demon, his heart pierced by it, fell to the earth—struck by Indra's thunderbolt, he crashed down like a mighty mountain roaring.
उपगम्य ततः कृष्णः समीपं तस्य रक्षसः । भूम्या संप्रार्थितः प्राह वरं वृण्विति राक्षसम् । स चाह राक्षसः कृष्णं गरुडोपरि संस्थितम्
Then Kṛṣṇa approached that Rākṣasa as he lay on the ground, and, urged by the earth, said to the demon, 'Choose a boon.'