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.'
न मे कृत्यं वरेणास्ति नरकोऽहं तथापि च । अन्यलोकहितार्थाय वृणेऽहं वरमुत्तमम्
The demon, standing atop Garuḍa, replied to Kṛṣṇa: 'I have no need for a boon, for I am Naraka; yet, for the good of other worlds, I will ask for the highest boon.'
मृताहनि तु मे कृष्ण सर्वभूतेश्वरेश्वर । ये नरा मंगलस्नानं कुर्वंति मधुसूदन । न तेषां निरयप्राप्तिर्भवत्वेवं भयापह
'O Kṛṣṇa, Lord of all beings and lords, on the day of my death, may those men who perform the auspicious bath, O Madhusūdana, never attain hell—let it be so, O remover of fear.'
महादेव उवाच- एवमस्त्विति गोविंदो ददौ तस्मै वरं प्रभुः । ततः पश्यन्हरेः साक्षाच्छरदंबुज सन्निभौ
Mahādeva said: 'So be it,' and Govinda, the Lord, granted him that boon. Then, gazing upon Hari's feet, radiant as autumn lotuses—
चरणौ वज्रवैडूर्य्यनूपुराभ्यां विराजितौ । अर्चितौ विधिरुद्राद्यैस्त्रिदशैर्मुनिभिस्तथा
—adorned with anklets of thunderbolt-gem and cat's-eye, worshipped by Brahmā, Rudra, and other gods, as well as sages—
त्यक्त्वा प्राणान्महीपुत्रः सारूप्यमगमद्धरेः । ततो देवगणाः सर्वे हर्षनिर्भरमानसाः
—the son of the earth, giving up his life, attained resemblance to Hari. Then all the hosts of gods, their hearts overflowing with joy—
ववृषुः पुष्पवर्षाणि तुष्टुवुश्च महर्षयः । प्रविश्य नगरं तस्य कृष्णः कमललोचनः
—showered down rains of flowers, and the great sages offered praise. Entering his city, Kṛṣṇa, lotus-eyed, then—
बलात्तेन गृहीतानि रत्नानि त्रिदिवौकसाम् । कुंडले देवमातुश्च तथैवोच्चैःश्रवो हयम्
—by force took the jewels of the gods, the earrings of the divine mother, and likewise the horse Uccaiḥśravas.
ऐरावतं गजश्रेष्ठं प्रदीप्तं मणिपर्वतम् । सर्वमेतद्यदुश्रेष्ठो ददौ शक्राय वज्रिणे
He took Airāvata, the foremost elephant, the blazing mountain of gems—all this the best of the Yadus gave to Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt.
पार्थिवान्सर्वराष्ट्रेभ्यो जित्वाऽसौ नरको बली । कन्याषोडशसाहस्रं हृतवान्नरकस्तदा
Having conquered all the kings of every realm, mighty Naraka then carried off sixteen thousand maidens.
सन्निरुद्धास्तु ताः सर्वा नरकांतःपुरे तदा । दृष्ट्वा कृष्णं महावीर्यं कंदर्पशतसंनिभम्
All those maidens were confined within Naraka's inner palace; seeing Kṛṣṇa, of great valor, radiant as a hundred Cupids—