Vayu Purana

ययातिवंशजस्याथ वसुदेवस्य धीमतः। कुलं पुण्यं यतः कर्म भेजे नारायणः प्रभुः ।। ३४.

Then, of the lineage of Yayāti, the virtuous Vasudeva’s family, due to its merit, was chosen by the Lord Nārāyaṇa for his deeds.

सागराः समकम्पन्त चेलुश्च धरणीधराः। जज्वलुश्चाग्निहोत्राणि जायमाने जनार्दने ।। ३४.

The oceans trembled, the mountains shook, and the sacrificial fires blazed brightly at the birth of Janārdana.

शिवाश्च प्रववुर्वाताः प्रशान्तिमभवद्रजः। ज्योतींष्यभ्यधिकं रेजुर्जायमाने जनार्दने ।। ३४.

Auspicious winds blew, the dust became calm, and the lights shone with greater brilliance at the birth of Janārdana.

अभिजिन्नाम नक्षत्रं जयन्ती नाम शर्वरी। मुहूर्त्तो विजयो नाम यत्र जातो जनार्दनः ।। ३४.

The star named Abhijit, the night called Jayantī, and the victorious moment—at that time Janārdana was born.

अव्यक्तः शाश्वतः कृष्णो हरिर्नारायणः प्रभुः। जायते स्मैव भगवान् नयनैर्मोहयन् प्रजाः ।। ३४.

Kṛṣṇa, eternal, imperceptible, Hari, Nārāyaṇa, the Lord, was indeed born, deluding people with his appearance.

आकाशात् पुष्पवृष्टीश्च ववर्ष त्रिदशेश्वरः। गीर्भिर्मङ्गलयुक्ताभिः स्तुवन्तो मधुसूदनम्। महर्षयः सगन्धर्वा उपतस्थुः सहस्रशः ।। ३४.

From the sky, the lord of the gods showered a rain of flowers; thousands of great sages and Gandharvas, singing auspicious praises, honored Madhusudana.

वसुदेवस्तु तं रात्रौ जातं पुत्रमधोक्षजम्। श्रीवत्सलक्षणं दृष्ट्वा दिवि दिव्यैः सुलक्षणैः। उवाच वसुदेवः स्वं रूपं संहर वै प्रभो ।। ३४.

But Vasudeva, seeing his son, the transcendent one, born that night with the mark of Śrīvatsa and other divine signs, said: 'O Lord, withdraw your true form.'

भीतोऽहं कंसतस्तात एतदेव ब्रवीम्यहम्। मम पुत्रा हतास्तेन ज्येष्ठास्तेऽद्भुतदर्शनाः ।। ३४.

'Father, I am afraid of Kamsa; this alone I say. My elder sons, wondrous to behold, have been slain by him.'

वसुदेववचः श्रुत्वा रूपं स हृतवान् प्रभुः। अनुज्ञातः पिता त्वेनं नन्दगोपगृहं गतः। उग्रसेनमते तिष्ठन् यशोदायै तदा ददौ ।। ३४.

Hearing Vasudeva's words, the Lord withdrew his form; permitted by his father, he went to the house of Nandagopa, and, following Ugrasena's counsel, then gave him to Yashoda.

तुल्यकालन्तु गर्भिण्यौ यशोदा देवकी तथा। यशोदा नन्दगोपस्य पत्नी सा नन्दगोपतेः ।। ३४.

At the same time, both Yashoda and Devaki were pregnant; Yashoda was the wife of Nandagopa, the lord of the cowherds.

यामेव रजनीं कृष्णो जज्ञे वृष्णिकुलप्रभुः। तामेव रजनीं कन्यां यशोदापि व्यजायत ।। ३४.

On the very night when Krishna, the lord of the Vrishni clan, was born, Yashoda too gave birth to a daughter.

तं जातं रक्षमाणस्तु वसुदेवो महायशाः। प्रादात् पुत्रं यशोदायै कन्यान्तु जगृहे स्वयम् ।। ३४.

Vasudeva, famed for his greatness, protected the newborn and gave the son to Yashoda, while he himself took the daughter.

दत्त्वैनं नन्दगोपस्य रक्षमामिति चाब्रवीत्। सुतस्ते सर्व्वकल्याणो यादवानां भविष्यति। अयं स गर्भो देवक्या अस्मत्क्लेशान् हनिष्यति ।। ३४.

Giving him to Nandagopa, he said, 'Protect him. Your son, auspicious in every way, will become the glory of the Yadavas. This is the child of Devaki who will end our suffering.'

उग्रसेनात्मजायाञ्च कन्यामानकदुन्दुभेः। निवेदयामास तदा कन्येति शुभलक्षणा ।। ३४.

Then Anakadundubhi presented the girl, daughter of Ugrasena's wife, declaring her to be a maiden of auspicious marks.

स्वासायां तनयं कंसो जातं नैवावधारयत्। अथ तामपि दुष्टात्मा ह्युत्ससर्ज मुदान्वितः ।। ३४.

Kamsa did not realize that his own wife had given birth to a son; then, that wicked-hearted one, rejoicing, also released the girl.

हता वै या यदा कन्या जपत्येष वृथामतिः। कन्या सा ववृधे तत्र वृष्णिसद्मनि पूजिता ।। ३४.

He thought the girl was dead, but she survived; that maiden, honored in the house of the Vrishnis, grew up there.

पुत्रवत्परिपाल्यन्तो देवा देवान् यथा तदा । तामेव विधिनोत्पन्नामाहुः कन्यां प्रजापतिम् ।। ३४.

They cared for her as for a son, just as the gods care for the goddesses; she, born according to the rite, was called the daughter of Prajapati.

एकादशा तु जज्ञे वै रक्षार्थं केशवस्य ह। तां वै सर्वे सुमनसः पूजयिष्यन्ति यादवाः। देवदेवो दिव्यवपुः कृष्णः संरक्षितोऽनया ।। ३४.

Eleven were born to protect Keshava; all the Yadavas, with joyful hearts, would honor her. Krishna, the god of gods with a divine form, was protected by her.

ऋषय ऊचुः ।। किमर्थं वसुदेवस्य भोजः कंसो नराधिपः। जघान पुत्रान् बालान् वै तन्नो व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ।। ३४.

The sages said: 'For what reason did Kamsa, the Bhoja king, kill the sons and children of Vasudeva? Please explain this to us.'

सूत उवाच।। श्रृणुध्वं वै यथा कंसः पुत्रानानकदुन्दुभेः। जाताञ्जाताञ्चिशून् सर्व्वान् निष्पिपेष वृथामतिः ।। ३४.

Suta said: 'Listen to how Kamsa, with a futile mind, crushed all the sons born to Anakadundubhi, one after another.'

भयाद्यथा महाबाहुर्जातः कृष्णो विवासितः। तथा च गोषु गोविन्दः संवृद्ध- पुरुषोत्तमः ।। ३४.

Out of fear, the mighty-armed Krishna was sent away at birth; thus Govinda, the best of men, was raised among the cows.

उक्तं हि किल देवक्या वसुदेवस्य धीमतः । सारथ्यं कृतवान् कंसो युवराजस्तदाऽभवत् ।। ३४.

It is said that Devaki, wife of wise Vasudeva, once had Kamsa as her charioteer; at that time, he was the crown prince.

ततोऽन्तरिक्षे वागासीद्दिव्या भूतस्य कस्यचित्। कंसो यया सदा भीतः पुष्कला लोकसाक्षिणी ।। ३४.

Then, in the sky, a divine voice was heard, belonging to some being; Kamsa was always afraid of it, for it was powerful and witnessed by all worlds.

यामेतां वहसे कंस रथेन परकारणात्। अस्या यः सप्तमो गर्भः स ते मृत्युर्भविष्यति ।। ३४.

O Kaṃsa, you drive this chariot for her for another’s purpose; her seventh pregnancy will become your death.

तां श्रुत्वा व्यथितो वाणीं तदा कंसो वृथामतिः। निष्क्रम्य खड्गं तां कन्यां हन्तुकामोऽभवत्तदा ।। ३४.

Hearing that speech, Kaṃsa, disturbed and foolish, went out, sword in hand, desiring to kill that maiden.

तमुवाच महाबाहुर्वसुदेवः प्रतापवान्। उग्रसेनात्मजं कंसं सौहृदात्प्रणयेन च ।। ३४.

The mighty Vasudeva, full of valor, spoke to Kaṃsa, son of Ugrasena, with friendship and affection.

नस्त्रियं क्षत्रियो जातु हन्तुमर्हति कश्चन। उपायः परिदृष्टोऽत्र मया यादवनन्दन ।। ३४.

No Kṣatriya is ever fit to kill a woman; I have devised a means here, O joy of the Yadus.

योऽस्याः सम्भवते गर्भः सप्तमः पृथिवी पते। तमहन्ते प्रयच्छामि तत्र कुर्य्या यथाक्रमम् ।। ३४.

O lord of the earth, the seventh pregnancy that arises in her, I will hand over to you; do as you wish with it.

त्वं त्विदानीं यथेष्टत्वं वर्तेथा भूरिदक्षिण। सर्वानस्यास्तु वै गर्भान् सत्यं नेष्यामि ते वशम् ।। ३४.

Now, act as you desire, O generous one; all her pregnancies will be yours, I will truly deliver them to your control.