कालेन गच्छता तौ तु सप्तवर्षौ महाव्रजे । सर्व्वस्य जगतः पालौ वत्सपालौ बभूवतुः ।। ४-६-
As time passed, those two, in the great Vraja, reached seven years of age and became cowherds, protectors of the whole world.
प्रावृटूकालस्ततोऽतीव मेघौघस्थगिताम्बरः । बभूव वारिधाराभिरैक्यं कुर्व्वन् दिशामिव ।। ४-६-
Then the rainy season arrived, with the sky covered by masses of clouds, and streams of water united as if joining the directions.
प्ररूढ़नवशस्याञया शक्रगोपाचिता मही । तदा मारकतीवासीत् पद्मरागविभूषिता ।। ४-६-
The earth, adorned with new, flourishing crops and filled with Indra's insects, appeared like emerald, decorated with ruby.
जग्मुरुन्मार्गवाहानि निम्रगाम्भांसि सर्व्वतः । मनांसि दुव्विनीतानां प्राप्य लक्ष्मीं नवामिव ।। ४-६-
The wandering rivers, with deep waters everywhere, seemed to have attained new beauty, like the minds of the ill-mannered upon gaining wealth.
न रेजेऽन्तरितश्वन्द्रो निर्म्मलो मलिनैर्घनैः । सद्राक्यवादो मूर्खाणां प्रगलूभाभिरिवोक्तिभिः ।। ४-६-
Indra, whose horses are not obstructed, did not shine forth, pure, amidst the sullied clouds, just as the words of fools, full of excessive boldness, do not shine in the presence of those skilled in debate.
निगु णोनापि चापेन शक्रस्य गगने पदम् । अवाप्यताविवेकस्य नृपस्येव परिग्रहे ।। ४-६-
Even with a powerful bow, the path of Indra in the sky could not be attained, just as a king lacking discernment cannot properly acquire possessions.
मेघपृष्ठे बलाकानां रराज विमला ततिः । दुर्वृत्ते वृत्त्चेष्टेव कुलीनस्यातिशोभना ।। ४-६-
Upon the back of the clouds, the pure line of cranes shone, just as the conduct of a noble person stands out amidst the actions of the wicked.
न बबन्धाम्बरे स्थैर्य्य विद्यु दत्यन्तचञ्चला । मैत्रीव प्रवरे पुंसि दुर्ज्जनेन प्रयोजिता ।। ४-६-
The lightning, extremely fickle, did not bind stability in the sky, just as friendship, when offered to a noble man by a wicked person, does not endure.
मार्गा बभूवुरस्पष्टा नवशस्यचयावृताः । अर्थान्तरमनुप्राप्ताः प्रजड़ानामिवोक्तयः ।। ४-६-
The paths became unclear, covered by heaps of new grain, just as the words of people, having acquired a different meaning, become obscure.
क्वचिदू गोपैः समं रम्यं गेयनृत्यरतावुभौ । चेरतुः क्कचिदत्यर्थं शीतवृक्षतलाश्रयौ ।। ४-६-
At times, together with the cowherds, both delighted in singing and dancing; at other times, they sought shelter under trees, greatly chilled.
क्वचित् कदम्बस्रक्-चित्रौ मयूरस्त्रग्धरौ क्वचित् । विचित्रौ क्वचिदास्येतां विविधैर्गिरिधातुभिः ।। ४-६-
Sometimes adorned with garlands of kadamba flowers, sometimes wearing peacock feathers, sometimes decorated with various mountain pigments, they appeared in diverse ways.
पर्णशय्यासु संसुप्तौ क्वचिन्नद्रान्तरैषिणौ । क्वचिद् गर्ज्जति जीमूते हाहाकारखादृतौ ।। ४-६-
At times, they slept on beds of leaves; sometimes, they wandered among the trees; at times, when the clouds thundered, they cried out in fear.
गायतामन्यगोपानां प्रशंसापरमौ क्वचित् । मयूरकेकानुगतौ गोपवेषुप्रवादकौ ।। ४-६-
Sometimes, they praised the singing of other cowherds; sometimes, they imitated the cries of peacocks and the speech of cowherd women.
गाः पालयन्तौ च पुनः सहितौ बल-केशवौ । भ्रममाणौ वने तस्मिन् रम्यं तालवनं गतौ ।। ५-८-
Again, Bala and Keshava, tending the cows together, wandered in that forest and arrived at the delightful grove of palm trees.
तत्तु तालवनं दिव्यं धेनुको नाम दानवः । मृगमांसकृताहारः सदाध्यास्ते खराकृतिः ।। ५-८-
In that palm grove, the demon named Dhenuka, who always ate the flesh of animals, dwelled there, taking the form of an ass.
तत्तु तालवन पक्क-फलसम्पत्समन्वितम् । दृष्ट्वा स्पृहान्विता गोपाः फलादानेऽब्रु वन्, वचः ।। ५-८-
Seeing that palm grove, abundant with ripe fruit, the cowherds, filled with longing, spoke words desiring to obtain the fruit.
हे राम! हे कृष्ण! सदा धेनुकेनैष रक्ष्यते । भूप्रदेशो यतस्तस्मात् पक्कानीमानि सन्ति वै ।। ५-८-
O Rama! O Krishna! This place is always guarded by Dhenuka; therefore, these ripe fruits are here.
फलानि पश्य तालानां गन्धामोदितदींशि च । वयमत्तुमभीप्सामः पात्यन्तां यदि रोचसे ।। ५-८-
See the fruits of the palm trees and their fragrance spreading far; we wish to eat them, let them be brought down if you desire.
इति गोपकुमाराणां श्रुत्वा सङ्कर्षणो वचः । कृष्णश्व पातयामास भुवि तालफलानि वै ।। ५-८-
Hearing the words of the cowherd boys, Sankarshana, along with Krishna, caused the palm fruits to fall to the ground.
फलानां पततां शब्दमाकर्ण्य स दुरासदः । आजगाम सुदुष्टात्मा कोपादू दैतेयगर्द्दभः ।। ५-८-
Hearing the sound of the falling fruits, that difficult-to-approach demon, the wicked ass-shaped Daitya, came in anger.
पद्भयामुभाभ्यां स तदा पश्विमाभ्यां बली बलम् । जघानोरसि ताभ्याञ्च स च तेनाप्यगृह्यत ।। ५-८-
Then, with his two hind legs, the powerful Bala struck him on the chest, and even so, he was not seized by that blow.
गृहीत्वा भ्रामणेनैव सोऽम्बरे गतजीवितम् । तस्मिन्नेव च चिक्षेप वेगेन तृणराजनि ।। ५-८-
Seizing him, Bala spun him around, and his life departed in the air; then, with force, he threw him onto the king of grasses.
ततः फलान्यनेकानि तालाग्रान्निपतन् खरः । पृथिव्यां पातयामास महावातोऽम्बुदानिव ।। ५-८-
Then, a fierce wind caused many fruits from the tops of the palm trees to fall to the ground, just as a great wind scatters clouds.
अन्यानप्यस्य वै ज्ञातीनागतान् दैत्यगर्द्दभान् । कृष्णाश्विक्षेप तालाग्र बलभद्रश्व लीलया ।। ५-८-
Balabhadra, with ease, threw to the ground the other donkey-shaped Daityas, relatives of Dhenuka, who had come there.
क्षणेनालङ्कृता पृथ्वी पक्कस्तालफलैस्तथा । दैत्यगर्द्दभदेहैश्व मैत्रेय! शुशुभेऽधिकम् ।। ५-८-
In a moment, O Maitreya, the earth was adorned with ripe palm fruits and the bodies of the donkey-demons, and shone even more beautifully.
ततो गावो निराबाधास्तस्मिंस्तालवने द्रिज! नवशस्य सुख चेरुर्यन्न भुक्तमभूत् पुरा ।। ५-८-
Then, O twice-born one, the cows, free from fear, grazed happily in that palm grove, eating the fresh grass that had never been enjoyed before.
श्रीपराशर उवाच तस्मिन्रासभदैतेये सानुगे विनिपातिते । सौम्यं तद्गोपगोपीनां रम्यं तालवनं बभौ ॥ ५,९.
Śrī Parāśara said: With that donkey-demon and his followers destroyed, the delightful palm grove appeared charming to the cowherds and the cowherd women.
ततस्तौ जातहर्षौ तु वसुदेवसुतावुभौ । हत्वा धेनुकदैतेयं भाण्डीरवटमागतौ ॥ ५,९.
Then, both sons of Vasudeva, filled with joy after slaying Dhenuka the demon, went to the banyan tree named Bhāṇḍīra.
क्ष्वेलमानौ प्रगायन्तौ विचिन्वन्तौ च पादपान् । चारयन्तौ च गा दूरे व्याहरन्तौ च नामभिः ॥ ५,९.
Calling out, singing, searching for trees, tending the cows at a distance, and calling each other by name, they wandered about.
निर्योगपाशस्कन्धौ तौ वनमालाविभूषितौ । शुशुभाते महात्मानौ बालशृङ्गाविवर्षभौ ॥ ५,९.
With the ropes for binding calves on their shoulders and adorned with garlands of forest flowers, those great souls shone like young bullocks with budding horns.