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.
अनल्पोपादानं चास्यासंशयमत्राऽसौ मणिवरस्तिष्ठितीति कृताध्यवसायोऽन्यत्प्रयोजनमुद्दिश्य सकलयादवसमाजमात्मगृह एवाचीकरत्
And there is no lack of resources for him; without doubt, that best of jewels is present here—having come to this conclusion, with another purpose in mind, he gathered all the Yadus at his own house.
तत्र चोपविष्टेष्वखिलेषु यदुषु पूर्वं प्रयोजनमुपन्यस्य पर्यवसिते च तस्मिन् प्रसंगांतरपरिहासकथामक्रूरेण कृत्वा जनार्दनस्तमक्रूरमाह
And when all the Yadus were seated there, after first stating his purpose and, when that was concluded, engaging in other casual and jesting conversation, Janārdana addressed Akūra.
दानपते जानीम एव वयं यथा शतधन्वना तदिदमखिलजगत्सारभूतं स्यमंतकं रत्नं भवतः तदश्षोराष्ट्रोपकरकं भवत्सकाशो! तिष्ठति तिष्ठतु सर्व एव वयं तत्प्रभावफलभुजः किं त्वेष बलभद्रो ऽस्मानाशंकितवांश्तदस्मत्प्रीतये दर्शयस्वेत्यभिधाय जोषं स्थिते भगवति वासुदेवे सरत्नस्सोचिंतयत्
O generous one, we know well that this Syamantaka jewel, the essence of the whole world, was given to you by Śatadhanvan, and that it remains with you, benefiting the kingdom; let it remain with you, and may we all enjoy the fruit of its power. However, Balabhadra has become suspicious of us—so, to reassure us, please show it to us, having thus spoken, while Bhagavān Vāsudeva remained silent, the jewel-owner pondered.
किमत्रानुष्ठेयमन्यथा चेद्ब्रवीम्यहं तत्केवलांबरतिरोधानमन्विष्यंतो रत्नमेते द्र क्ष्यंति अतिविरोधो न क्षम इति संचिंत्य तमखिलजगत्कारणभूतं नारायणमाहक्रूरः
What should be done here? If otherwise, I will say so. If they search for the jewel, seeking only to conceal it, they will see it; but such open opposition is not proper. Thinking thus, Akūra addressed Nārāyaṇa, the cause of the whole world.
भगवन्ममैतत्स्यमंतकरत्नं शतधनुषा समर्पितमपगते च तस्मिन्नद्य श्वः परश्वो वा भगवान् याचयिष्यतीति कृतमतिरतिकृच्छ्रेणैतावंतं कालमधारयम्
O Lord, this Syamantaka jewel was entrusted to me by Śatadhanvan, and after he departed, I have endured this difficult time, thinking that the Lord would ask for it today, tomorrow, or the day after.
तस्य च धारणश्क्लोए!नाहमश्षोओ!पभोगेष्वसंगिमानसो न वेद्मि स्वसुखकलामपि
And in the difficulty of keeping it, I have no attachment to its enjoyment, nor do I know even a fraction of happiness for myself.
एतावन्मात्रमप्यश्षोराष्ट्रोपकारी धारयितुं न शक्नोति भवान्मन्यत इत्यात्मना न चोदितवान्
Even to this extent, you, who are the benefactor of the kingdom, are not able to bear it, thinking thus you did not urge yourself.
तदिदं स्यमंतकरत्नं गृह्यतामिच्छया यस्याभिमतं तस्य समर्प्यताम्
Therefore, let this Syamantaka jewel be taken up as desired, and let it be given to whomever it is most pleasing.
ततः स्वोदरवस्त्रनिगोपितमतिलघुकनकसमुद्गकगतं प्रकटीकृतवान्
Then, having concealed it in the fold of his own garment, he revealed the exceedingly small casket of gold containing it.
ततश्च निष्क्राम्य स्यमंतकमणिं तस्मिन्यदुकुलसमाजे मुमोच
Then, stepping forth, he released the Syamantaka jewel in that assembly of the Yadus.