अथाहांतर्हितो विप्र नारदो जलदे स्थितः । केशिनं निहतं दृष्ट्वा हर्षनिर्भरमानसः
Then I, O sage, Narada, hidden and standing in the clouds, saw Keshi slain and my heart was filled with joy.
साधुसाधु जगन्नाथ लीलयैव यदच्युत । निहतोऽयं त्वया केशी क्लेशदस्त्रिदिवौकसाम्
Well done, well done, Lord of the world! By your play alone, O Achyuta, this Keshi, who brought suffering to the gods, has been slain by you.
युद्धोत्सुकोहमत्यर्थं नरवाजिमहाहवम् । अभूतपूर्वमन्यत्र द्रष्टुं स्वर्गादिहागतः
Eager for battle, I came here from heaven to witness this great, unprecedented contest of men and horses.
कर्माण्यऽत्रावतारे ते कृतानि मधुसूदन । यानि तैर्विस्मितं चेतस्तोषमेतेन मे गतम्
The deeds you have performed in this descent, O slayer of Madhu, have filled my mind with wonder and satisfaction.
तुरंगस्यास्य शक्रोपि कृष्ण देवाश्च बिभ्यति । धुतकेसरजालस्य ह्रेषतोऽभ्रावलोकिनः
Even Indra and the gods were afraid of this horse, O Krishna, as he shook his mane and neighed, gazing up at the clouds.
यस्मात्त्वयैष दुष्टात्मा हतः केशी जनार्दन । तस्मात्केशवनाम्ना त्वं लोके ख्यातो भविष्यसि
Because you have slain this wicked Keshi, O Janardana, you will therefore be renowned in the world by the name 'Kesava.'
स्वस्त्यस्तु ते गमिष्यामि कंसयुद्धेऽधुना पुनः । परश्वोऽहं समेष्यामि त्वया केशिनिषूदन
May all be well with you; I shall go now, and will return again at the battle with Kamsa. Tomorrow I will come to you, O slayer of Keshi.
उग्रसेनसुते कंसे सानुगे विनिपातिते । भारावतारकर्त्ता त्वं पृथिव्या पृथिवीधर
When Kamsa, son of Ugrasena, is slain along with his followers, you, upholder of the earth, will be the one who relieves the burden of the world.
तत्रानेकप्रकाराणि युद्धानि पृथिवीक्षिताम् । द्रष्टव्यानि मया युष्मत्प्रणीतानि जनार्दन
There, many kinds of battles, wondrous to behold, will be led by you, O Janardana, and I must witness them.
सोऽहं यास्यामि गोविंद देवकार्यं महत्कृतम् । त्वयैव विदितं सर्वं स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु व्रजाम्यहम्
So now I go, O Govinda; a great task for the gods has been accomplished. All is known to you; may good fortune be yours, I take my leave.
नारदे गते कृष्णस्सह गोपैस्सभाजितः । विवेश गोकुलं गोपीनेत्रपानैकभाजनम्
When Narada had departed, Krishna, honored by the cowherds, entered Gokula, the sole object of the gopis' gaze.
अक्रूरोऽपि विनिष्कम्य स्यन्दनेनाशुगामिना । कृष्णसन्दर्शनायैकः प्रययौ नन्दगोकुलम् ।। ५-१७-
Akrura too set out, departing alone in a swift chariot, journeying to Nanda's Gokula to see Krishna.
चिन्तयामास चाक्रूरो नास्ति धन्यतरो मया । योऽहमंशावतीर्णास्य मुखं द्रक्ष्यामि चक्रिणः ।। ५-१७-
Akrura reflected, 'There is no one more fortunate than I, for I shall behold the face of the wielder of the discus, who has descended in his own portion.'
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म सुप्रभाता च मे निशा । यदुन्नदाब्जपत्राक्षं विष्णोद्र क्ष्याम्यहं मुखम् ।। ५-१७-
Today my birth is fulfilled, my night has been truly auspicious, for I shall see the face of Vishnu, whose eyes are like blooming lotus petals.
अद्य मे सफले नेत्रे अद्य मे सफला गिरः । यन्मे परस्परालापो दृष्ट्वां विष्णुं भविष्यति ।। ५-१७-
Today my eyes are fulfilled, today my words are fulfilled, for my conversation will occur after seeing Vishnu.
पापं हरति यत् पुंसां स्मृतं सङ्कल्पनामयम् । तत् पुण्डरीकनयनं विष्णोद्र क्ष्याम्यहं मुखम् ।। ५-१७-
That face of Vishnu, whose lotus eyes dispel the sin of men when remembered in thought, I shall see.
निर्जग्मुश्व यतो वेदा वेदाङ्गन्यखिलानि च । द्रक्ष्यामि तत्प्रं धाम धाम्रां भगवतो मुखम् ।। ५-१७-
From whom the Vedas and all their limbs have emerged, I shall see that supreme abode, the radiant face of the Blessed One.
यज्ञेषु यज्ञपुरुषः पुरुषैः पुरुषोत्तमः । इच्यते योऽखिलाधारस्तं द्रक्ष्यामि जगत्पातिम ।। ५-१७-
He who is called the Purusha in sacrifices, the Supreme Person among men, the support of all—him, the Lord of the world, I shall see.
इष्ट्वा यमिन्द्रो यज्ञानां शतेनामरराजताम् । अवाप तमन्नादिमहं द्रक्ष्यामि केशवम् ।। ५-१७-
Indra, having worshipped him with a hundred sacrifices, attained the sovereignty of the immortals; I shall see that beginningless Kesava.
न ब्रह्मा नेन्द्र-रुद्रा-श्वि-वस्वा-दित्य-मरुदूगणाः । यस्य स्वरूपं जानन्ति स्प्रक्ष्यत्यङ्ग स मे हरिः ।। ५-१७-
Neither Brahma, nor Indra, nor Rudra, nor the Ashvins, Vasus, Adityas, nor the hosts of Maruts know his true form; yet he, Hari, will touch me.
सर्व्वात्मा सर्व्ववित् सर्व्वः सर्व्वभूतेष्ववस्थितः । यो वितत्यात्ययो व्यापी स वक्ष्यति मया सह ।। ५-१७-
He who is the soul of all, who knows all, who is all, who dwells in all beings, who pervades and extends beyond everything—he will speak with me.
मत्स्य-कूर्म-पराहा-श्व-सिंहरूपादिभिः स्थितिम् । चकार जगतो योऽजः सोऽद्य मामालपिष्यति ।। ५-१७-
He who, in the forms of fish, tortoise, boar, horse, lion, and others, has preserved the world, the unborn one—today he will converse with me.
साम्प्रतञ्च जगत्स्वामी कार्य्यमात्मह्टदि स्थितम् । कर्त्तु मनुष्यतां प्राप्तः स्वेच्छादेहधृगव्ययः ।। ५-१७-
Now, the Lord of the world, having assumed humanity by his own will, has taken a body for the sake of his work, remaining unchanged.
योऽनन्तः पृथिवीं धत्ते शेखरस्थितिसंस्थिताम् । सोऽवतीर्णो जगत्यर्थे मामक्रूरेति वक्ष्यति ।। ५-१७-
He who is infinite, who supports the earth in its established position, has descended for the sake of the world; he will address me as 'Akrura.'
पितृ-पुत्र-सुह्टदू-भ्रातृ-मातृ-बन्धुमयीमिमाम् । यन्मायां नालमुत्तर्त्तु जगत् नमो नमः ।। ५-१७-
This illusion, composed of father, son, friend, brother, mother, and kin, cannot be overcome by the world; I bow again and again.
तरत्यविद्यां विततां ह्टदि यस्मिन् निवेशिते । योगी मायाममेयाय तस्मै विद्यात्मने नमः ।। ५-१७-
He in whom, when the mind is placed, one crosses the vast ignorance—salutations to that immeasurable yogi, the embodiment of knowledge.
यज्विभिर्यज्ञपुरुषो वासुदेवश्व सात्वतैः । वेदान्तवेदिभिर्विष्णुः प्रोच्यते यो नतोऽस्मि तम् ।। ५-१७-
He who is called the Purusha of sacrifice by sacrificers, Vāsudeva by the Sātvatas, and Vishnu by those who know the Vedanta—I bow to him.
यथा तत्र जगद्धाम्रि धातर्य्योतत् प्रतिष्ठितम् । सदसत् तेन सत्येन मय्यसौ यातु सौम्यताम् ।। ५-१७-
Just as the abode of the world is established in that foundation, the existent and non-existent rest upon that truth—may he show me kindness.
स्मृते सकलकल्याण-भाजनं यत्र जायते । पुरुषस्तमजं नित्यं व्रजामि शरणं हरिम् ।। ५-१७-
Where remembrance brings all auspiciousness, to that eternal, unborn Purusha, Hari, I go for refuge.
इत्थं सञ्चिन्तयन् विष्णु भक्तिनम्रात्ममानसः । अक्रूरो गोकुल प्राप्तः किञ्चित् सूर्य्ये विराजति ।। ५-१७-
Thus contemplating Vishnu with a mind humbled in devotion, Akrura arrived at Gokula as the sun was beginning to shine.