स कालः करालं समादाय दंडं मुमोचाच्युते पश्यतां देवतानाम्
That Kāla, seizing his dreadful staff, hurled it as the gods looked on, with Acyuta present.
ततो देवगंधर्वयक्षा मुनींद्राः परं विस्मयं प्रापुरावीक्ष्य रामम्
Then the gods, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, and great sages were filled with utmost wonder, beholding Rāma.
गृहीते बलेनाहवे कालदंडे मोक्तुकामे पुनः कालनाशाय वै। तूर्णमभ्येत्य तत्रांतरे रणे वारयामास कृष्णं तदा
As Kāla seized the staff of Time with force in battle, intending to hurl it for destruction, Kṛṣṇa swiftly intervened in the midst of the fight to restrain him.
मा मुंचेत्यब्रवीद्वेधाः कालं कालायुधं बल
Do not release it, said the Creator to Kāla, to the wielder of the weapon of Time, with force.
धार्यते शिरसा देव संसारे नास्ति ते समः कोऽन्योस्ति त्वत्समो राम यो जगद्दहने क्षमः
You are borne upon the head, O god; in the world there is none your equal. Who else but you, Rāma, is capable of burning up the universe?
पाल्यते यत्त्वया सोपि विष्णुर्विश्वैकनायकः
Even Viṣṇu, the sole lord of the universe, is protected by you.
ततो वयं त्वदंकस्थविष्णुनाभिभवा यतः
Therefore, we are all overcome by Viṣṇu, who rests in your embrace.
उवाच चतुरास्यस्तु स्तुतिश्च वृतः सुरैः
Then the Four-faced One spoke, praised by the gods.
यतो भवंतमायांतं विष्णुं विश्वैकनायकम् 5.1.27.
For you are the one who comes as Viṣṇu, the sole lord of the universe.
त्वया वै भगवन्पूर्वं यमः संस्थापितः पदे
It was by you, O Lord, that Yama was formerly established in his station.
तस्मादस्य जगन्नाथ क्षम्यतां पुरुषोत्तम
Therefore, O Lord of the universe, O Supreme Person, let this be forgiven.
एतच्छुत्वाऽब्रवीत्कृष्णो धातः शृणु गुरोर्मम
Hearing this, Kṛṣṇa said: 'O Dhātṛ, listen to my teacher’s words.'
समर्प्यतां गुरुश्रेष्ठ श्रेष्ठाय गुरुदक्षिणा
Let the best offering to the guru be presented to the supreme teacher.
एतत्पितामहः श्रुत्वा यमं समरनिर्जितम्
Hearing this, the Grandfather learned that Yama had been defeated in battle.
तच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मराजस्तु विरंचिमिदमब्रवीत्
Upon hearing this, the Lord of Dharma spoke these words to Brahmā.
यमलोकमनुप्राप्य कायहीनः शरीरवान्
Having reached the world of Yama, he who was without a body became embodied again.
तच्छुत्वा हि पुनर्ब्रह्मा विश्वस्यास्य विभुः स्वयम्
Hearing this, Brahmā himself, the Lord of the universe, again spoke.
तस्मादर्पय पुत्रं त्वं मुनेः सांदीपनेश्च यः
Therefore, offer the son to the sage Sāndīpani, O son, as his due.
तच्छुत्वा धर्मराजस्तु पुत्रं सांदीपनेस्तथा 5.1.27.
Hearing this, the Lord of Dharma likewise gave the son to Sāndīpani.
अर्पयामास कृष्णस्य बालं रूपसमन्वितम्
He presented to Krishna the boy endowed with all his features.
ततः प्राप्य गुरोः पुत्रं प्रभुः प्रीतः प्रजापतिम्
Then, having received his son from the guru, the Lord joyfully approached the Lord of Creatures.
अवंत्यामंकपादाख्ये मृता नेक्षंति ते यमम्
In Avanti, at the place called Ankapāda, the dead do not see Yama.
महाकालपुरे देवमाद्यं वै पुरुषोत्तमम्
In the city of Mahākāla is the primeval god, the supreme person.
ये पश्यंति कुशस्थल्यामेतेषां मूर्तिपंचकम्
Those who see the fivefold form at Kuśasthalī—
तथैवागमनादत्र मम रामस्य ना रकाः
Likewise, from the time of my coming here, there is no harm to Rāma.
इत्युक्ते वचने वेधाः प्रोवाच प्रीतिमान्हरिम्
When these words were spoken, the Creator, pleased, addressed Hari.
ये च त्वामादिपुरुषं प्रथमं पुरुषोत्तमम्
And those who recognize you as the original person, the foremost among men—
अधोज्वालं महाकालं सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
He who beholds the blazing Mahākāla below obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
संमान्य वेधसं कालं समारोहद्रथं ततः 5.1.27.
Honoring the Creator and Time, he then ascended the chariot.
नाल्पमृत्युर्भवेत्तस्य न व्याधिर्न च दुर्गतिः 5.1.27.
He will not suffer untimely death, nor disease, nor misfortune.