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—
भर्तारं वव्रिरे सर्वाः पतिं विश्वस्य सर्वगम् । एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु गोविंदोऽनंतरूपवान्
—they all chose him as their husband, the all-pervading Lord of the universe. At that very moment, Govinda, assuming manifold forms—
तासां करग्रहं चक्रे विधिना पुरुषोत्तमः । नरकस्य सुताः सर्वे पुरस्कृत्य महीं तदा
—the supreme person, took each of them by the hand according to custom. Then, bringing forward all the daughters of Naraka—
गोविंदं शरणं जग्मुस्तानरक्षद्घृणानिधिः । तद्राज्ये स्थाप्य तान्सर्वान्पृथिव्या वाक्य गौरवात्
—they sought refuge in Govinda, the ocean of compassion who had slain Naraka. Establishing them all in his kingdom, out of respect for their words—
ऐन्द्रं विमानमारोप्य ताश्च सर्वा वरस्त्रियः । देवदूतैर्महाभागैर्द्वारवत्यां न्यवेशयत्
—he placed all those noble women in Indra's celestial chariot, and, with the help of divine messengers, settled them in Dvārakā.
वैनतेयं समारुह्य सत्यया सह केशवः । स्वर्लोकं प्रययौ तूर्णं द्रष्टुं तां देवमातरम्
Mounting Vinatā's son with Satyā, Keśava swiftly went to the world of the gods to see the divine mother.
प्रविश्य नगरीं तत्र देवराज्ञो जनार्दनः । अवरुह्य द्विजश्रेष्ठात्पत्न्या सह महाबलः
There, entering the city of the king of the gods, Janārdana, the mighty one, descended from Garuḍa with his wife.
ववंदे मातरं तत्र वंद्यां तां त्रिदिवौकसाम् । संपरिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यामदितिः पुत्रवत्सला
There, he bowed to his mother, revered among the dwellers of heaven; Aditi, affectionate as a mother to her son, embraced him with her arms.
निवेश्यासनमुख्ये तु पूजयामास भक्तितः । आदित्या वसवो रुद्राः शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः
Seating her in the chief place, he worshipped her with devotion; the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, and Indra at their head.
तत्र संपूजयामासुर्यथार्हं परमेश्वरम् । शचीगृहं समागम्य सत्यभामा यशस्विनी
There, he duly worshipped the supreme lord; Satyabhama, illustrious, entered Shaci's house.
तया समर्चिता देव्या समासीना सुखासने । तस्मिन्काले सुपुष्पाणि पारिजातस्य किंकराः
Honored by the goddess, Satyabhama sat comfortably; at that time, the attendants of the Parijata brought splendid flowers.