वर्षत्रयांते च बभ्रूग्रसेनप्रभृतिभिर्यादवैर्न तद्र त्नं कृष्णेनाऽपहृतमिति कृतावगतिभिर्विदेहनगरीं गत्वा बलदेवस्संप्रत्याय्य द्वारकामानीतः
After three years, Babhrū and the Yādavas led by Ugrasena, having realized that the jewel had not been taken away by Kṛṣṇa, went to the city of Videha, convinced Baladeva, and brought him back to Dvārakā.
अक्रूरोप्युत्तममणिसमुद्भूतसुवर्णेन भगवद्ध्यानपरोऽनवरतं यज्ञानियाज
Akrūra, absorbed in constant meditation on the Blessed Lord, performed sacrifices unceasingly with the finest gold produced from the supreme jewel.
सवनगतौ हि क्षत्रियवैश्यौ निघ्नन्ब्रह्महा भवतीत्येवंप्रकारं दीक्षाकवचं प्रविष्ट एव तस्थौ
Indeed, when the Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas went to the sacrificial ground, the slayer of a brāhmaṇa would be destroyed; thus, protected by the consecration and its armor, he remained there.
द्विषष्टिवर्षाण्येवं तन्मणिप्रभावात्तत्रोपसर्गदुर्भिक्षमारिकामरणादिकं नाभूत्
For sixty-two years, due to the power of that jewel, there was no calamity, famine, pestilence, or death in that place.
अथाक्रूरपक्षीयैर्भोजैश्शत्रुघ्ने सात्वतस्य प्रपौत्रे व्यापादिते भोजैस्सहाक्रूरो द्वारकामपहायापक्रान्तः
Then, when Śatrughna, the great-grandson of Sātvata, was slain by the Bhojas allied with Akrūra's faction, Akrūra, along with the Bhojas, abandoned Dvārakā and departed.
तदपक्रांतिदिनादारभ्य तत्रोपसर्गदुर्भिक्षव्यालानावृष्टिमारिकाद्युपद्र वा बभूवुः
From the very day of that departure, calamities, famine, wild beasts, drought, pestilence, and other afflictions arose there.
अथ यादवा बलभद्रो ग्रसेनसमवेता मंत्रममंत्रयन्
Then the Yādavas, together with Balabhadra and Ugrasena, assembled and deliberated.
भगवानुरगारिकेतनः किमिदमेकदैव प्रचुरोपद्र वागमनमेतदालोच्यतामित्युक्तेंधकनामा यदुवृद्धः प्राह
The Blessed Lord, the beloved of all, said: 'What is this? Why have so many calamities come at once? Let this be considered.' At this, a Yadu elder named Āndhaka spoke.
अस्याक्रूरस्य पितृश्वफल्को यत्र यत्राभूत्तत्रतत्र दुर्भिक्षमारिकानावृष्ट्यादिकं नाभूत्
Wherever this Akrūra's father, Śvaphalka, was present, there was never famine, pestilence, drought, or the like.
काशीराजस्य विषये त्वनावृष्ट्या च श्वफल्को नीतः ततश्च तत्क्षणाद्देवो ववर्ष
When Śvaphalka was brought to the land of the king of Kāśī during a drought, from that very moment the gods sent rain.
काशीराजपत्न्याश्च गर्भे कन्यारत्नं पूर्वमासीत्
And previously, the wife of the king of Kāśī bore a precious daughter in her womb.
सा च कन्या पूर्णेपि प्रसूतिकाले नैव निश्चक्राम
But even when the time for her full-term birth arrived, that daughter did not come forth.
एवं च तस्य गर्भस्य द्वादशवर्षाण्यनिष्क्रामतो ययुः
Thus, twelve years passed with that child remaining in the womb without being born.
काशीराजश्च तामात्मजां गर्भस्थामाह
Then the king of Kāśī spoke to his daughter, who was still in the womb.
पुत्रि कस्मान्न जायसे निष्क्रम्य तामास्यं ते द्र ष्टुमिच्छामि एतां च मातरं किमिति चिरं क्लेशयिष्यसीत्युक्ता गर्भस्थैव व्याजहार
‘Daughter, why do you not come forth and be born? I wish to see your face. Why do you trouble your mother for so long?’ Thus addressed, the unborn child spoke from the womb.
तात यद्येकैकां गां दिनेदिने ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छसि तदहमन्यैस्त्रिभिर्वर्षैरस्माद्गर्भात्ततोऽवश्यं निष्क्रमिष्यामीत्येद्वचनमाकर्ण्य राजा दिनेदिने ब्राह्मणाय गां प्रादात्
‘Father, if you give one cow each day to a brāhmaṇa, then within three more years I will certainly emerge from this womb.’ Hearing these words, the king gave a cow to a brāhmaṇa every day.
सापि तावता कालेन जाता
And in that time, she was born.
ततस्तस्याः पिता गांदिनीति नाम चकार
Then her father gave her the name Gāndinī.
तां च गांदिनीं कन्यां श्वफल्कायोपकारिणे गृहमागतायार्घ्यभूतां प्रादात्
And that maiden, Gāndinī, was given as a gift to Śvaphalka, who had rendered assistance, when he arrived at their house, and she became the object of ceremonial hospitality.
तस्यामयमक्रूरः श्वफल्काज्जज्ञे
From Śvaphalka and her, Akūra was born.
तस्यैवंगुणमिथुनादुत्पत्तिः
From their union, offspring was produced.
तत्कथमस्मिन्नपक्रान्ते अत्र दुर्भिक्षमारिकाद्युपद्र वा न भविष्यंति
Therefore, how could there not be calamities such as famine and pestilence in this place, if this is not resolved?
तदयमत्रानीयतामलमतिगुणवत्यपराधान्वेषणेनेति यदुवृद्धस्यांधकस्यैतद्वचनमाकर्ण्य केशवोग्रसेनबलभद्र पुरोगमैर्यदुभिः कृतापराधतितिक्षुभिरभयं दत्त्वा श्वफल्कपुत्रः स्वपुरमानीतः
Hearing these words of the elder Yadu, Āndhaka, 'Let this one be brought here, enough of seeking excessive faults in the supremely virtuous,' Keśava, Ugrasena, Balabhadra, and the other Yadus, who were tolerant even towards those who had committed offenses, granted safety and brought Śvaphalka's son back to his city.
तत्र चागतमात्र एव तस्य स्यमंतकमणेः प्रभावादनावृष्टिमारिकादुर्भिक्षव्यालाद्युपद्र वोपशमा बभूवुः
And as soon as he arrived there, by the power of the Syamantaka jewel, the disturbances of drought, pestilence, famine, wild beasts, and so on, were pacified.
कृष्णश्चिंतयामास
Kṛṣṇa began to reflect.
स्वल्पमेतत्कारणं यदयं गांदिन्यां श्वफल्केनाक्रूरो जनितः
This is a minor reason, that Akūra was born to Śvaphalka from Gāndinī.
सुमहांश्चायमनावृष्टिदुर्भिक्षमारिकाद्युपद्र वाप्रतिषेधकारी प्रभावः
But this is a very great power, which wards off calamities such as drought, famine, pestilence, and the like.
तन्नूनमस्य सकाशो! स महामणिः स्यमंतकाख्यस्तिष्ठति
Therefore, surely, that great jewel called Syamantaka is with him.
तस्य ह्येवंविधाः प्रभावाः श्रूयन्ते
Such are the powers that are heard of concerning it.
अयमपि च यज्ञादनंतरमन्यत्क्रत्वंतरं तस्यानंतरमन्यद्यज्ञांतरं चाजस्रमविच्छिन्नं यजतीति
And he, after one sacrifice, immediately performs another, and then yet another, without interruption, continually.