निष्कम्याल्पपरीवारावुभौ राम-जनार्द्दनौ । युयुधातौ समं तस्य बलिनौ बलिसैनिकैः ।। ५-२२-
Rama and Janardana, with only a small retinue, went out and fought equally against his mighty warriors in battle.
ततो बलश्व कृष्णश्व चक्राते मतिमुत्तमाम् । आयुधानां पुराणानामादाने मुनिसत्तम ।। ५-२२-
Then, O best of sages, Bala and Krishna resolved to obtain the ancient weapons.
अनन्तरं हरेः शाङ्ग तूणौ चाक्षयसायकौ । आकाशादागतौ वीर!तथा कौमोदकी गदा ।। ५-२२-
Immediately, O hero, the inexhaustible quivers and the bow Shārnga of Hari, as well as the mace Kaumodaki, descended from the sky.
हलञ्च बलभद्रस्य गगनादागतं कवे ! मनसोऽभिमतं विप्र!सौनन्दं मुसलं तथा ।। ५-२२-
And, O poet, the plough of Balabhadra and the Saunanda pestle, both desired in their minds, also came from the sky, O Brahmin.
ततो युद्धे पराजित्य ससैन्यं मगधाधिपम् । पुरीं विविशतुर्वीरावुभौ राम-जनार्द्दनौ ।। ५-२२-
Then, having defeated the king of Magadha and his army in battle, the two heroes, Rama and Janardana, entered the city.
जते तस्मिन् सुदुर्वृत्ते जरासन्धे महामुने ! जीवमाने गते कृष्णस्तं नामन्यत निर्ज्जितम् ।। ५-२२-
Although Jarasandha, of exceedingly wicked conduct, survived, O great sage, Krishna did not consider him conquered.
पुनरप्याजगामाथ जरासन्धो बलान्वितः । जितश्व राम-कृष्णाभ्यामपक्रान्तो द्रिजोत्तम।। ५-२२-
Then again Jarasandha, accompanied by his forces, came; but defeated by Rama and Krishna, he withdrew, O best of twice-born.
दश चाष्टौ च संग्रामानेवमत्यन्तदुर्म्मदः । यदुभिर्मागधो राजा चक्र कृष्णापुरोगमैः ।। ५-२२-
Thus, in eighteen battles, the Magadhan king, exceedingly arrogant, fought with the Yadus, Krishna at their head.
सर्व्वेष्वेतेषु युद्धेषु यादवैः स पराजितः । अपक्रान्तो जरासन्धः स्वल्पसैन्यैर्बलाधिकः ।। ५-२२-
In all those battles, Jarasandha, though possessing superior strength, was defeated by the Yadavas and withdrew with only a few soldiers.
तदू बल यादवानां तैरर्ज्जितं यदनेकशः । तत्तु सन्निधिमाहात्म्यं विष्णोरंशस्य चक्रिणः ।। ५-२२-
O Bala, whatever victories the Yadavas gained over him again and again, that was due to the presence and greatness of Vishnu, the wielder of the discus.
मनुष्यधर्म्मशीलस्य लीला सा जगतः पतेः । अस्त्रणयनेकरूपाणि यदरातिषु मुञ्चति ।। ५-२२-
Such is the play of the Lord of the world, who, though possessing human conduct, releases weapons of many forms against his enemies.
मनसैव जगत्सृष्टिं संहारञ्च करोति यः । तस्यारिपक्षक्षपणे कोऽयमुद्यमविस्तरः ।। ५-२२-
He who creates and destroys the world by mind alone—what need is there for such elaborate effort in destroying his enemies?
तथापि यो मनुष्याणां धर्म्मस्तमनुवर्त्तते । कुर्व्वने बलवता सन्धिं हीनैर्युद्धं करोत्यसौ ।। ५-२२-
Nevertheless, the dharma that pertains to human beings is followed by him: he makes alliances with the powerful, and wages war with the weak.
साम चोपप्रदानञ्च तथा भेदं प्रदर्शयन् । करोति दण्डपातञ्च क्बचिदेव पलायनम् ।। ५-२२-
He employs conciliation and gifts, and likewise demonstrates division; he also inflicts punishment, and sometimes resorts to retreat.
मनुष्यदेहिनां चेष्टामित्येवमनुवर्त्ततः । लीला जगतूपतेस्तस्य च्छन्दतः सम्प्रवर्त्तते।। ५-२२-
Thus, by following the conduct of embodied humans, the play of the Lord of the universe unfolds according to his will.
श्रीपराशर उवाच इत्थंस्तुतस्तदा तेन मुचुकुन्देन धीमता । प्राहेशः सर्वभूतानामनादिनिधनो हरिः ॥ ५,२४.
Śrī Parāśara said: Thus praised at that time by the wise Mucukunda, the Lord Hari, eternal and the master of all beings, spoke.
श्रीभगवानुवाच यथाभिवाञ्छितान्दिव्यान्गच्छलोकान्नराधिप । अव्याहतपरैश्वर्यो मत्प्रसादोपबृंहितः ॥ ५,२४.
The Blessed Lord said: Go, O king, to the divine worlds as you desire, endowed with unobstructed supreme sovereignty, increased by my grace.
भुक्त्वा दिव्यन्महा भोगान्भविष्यसि महाकुले । जातिस्मरो मत्प्रसादात्ततोमोक्षमवाप्स्यसि ॥ ५,२४.
Having enjoyed great celestial pleasures, you will be born in a noble family, retaining memory of your past lives by my grace, and then you will attain liberation.
श्रीपराशर उवाच इत्युक्तः प्रणिपत्येशं जगतामच्युतं नृपः । गुहामुखाद्विनिष्क्रान्ततःस ददर्शाल्पकान्नरान् ॥ ५,२४.
Śrī Parāśara said: Addressed thus, the king bowed to the infallible Lord of the worlds, and, emerging from the mouth of the cave, saw men who ate little.
ततः कलियुगं मत्वा प्राप्तं तप्तुं नृपस्तपः । नरनारायणस्थानं प्रययौ गन्धमादनम् ॥ ५,२४.
Then, realizing that the Kali age had arrived, the king set out to perform austerities and went to Gandhamādana, the abode of Nara and Nārāyaṇa.
कृष्णोपि घातयित्वारिमुपायेन हि तद्वलम् । जग्राह मथुरामेत्य हस्त्यश्वस्यन्दनोज्ज्वलम् ॥ ५,२४.
And Kṛṣṇa, having destroyed the enemy's force by strategy, entered Mathurā and took possession of the splendid elephants, horses, and chariots.
आनीय चोग्रसेनाय द्वारवत्वां न्यवेदयत् । पराभिभवनिः शङ्कं बभूव च यदोः कुलम् ॥ ५,२४.
Bringing them to Ugrasena, he presented them at Dvārakā; and the Yadu clan no longer feared being overpowered.
बलदेवोऽपि मैत्रेय प्रशान्ताखिलविग्रहः । ज्ञातिदर्शनसोत्कण्ठः प्रययौ नन्दगोकुलम् ॥ ५,२४.
And Baladeva, O Maitreya, his conflicts all calmed, longing to see his kinsmen, went to Nandagokula.
ततो गोपाश्च गोप्यश्च यथा पूर्वममित्रजित् । तथैवाभ्यवदत्प्रम्णा बहुमानपुरःसरम् ॥ ५,२४.
Then the cowherds and cowherd women, O conqueror of foes, greeted him as before, with great respect and honor.
स कैश्चित्संपरिष्वक्तः कांश्चिच्च परिषस्वजे । हास्यं चक्रे समं कैश्चिद्गोपैर्गोपीजनैस्तथा ॥ ५,२४.
He embraced some, and was embraced by others; he joked together with some of the cowherds and likewise with the cowherd women.
प्रियाण्यनेकान्यवदन् गोपास्तत्र हलायुधम् । गोप्यश्च प्रेमकुपिताः प्रोचुःसेर्ष्यमथापराः ॥ ५,२४.
The cowherds there spoke many affectionate words to Baladeva; the cowherd women, some with loving anger, others with jealousy, also spoke.
गोप्यः पप्रच्छुरपरा नागरीजनवल्लभम् । कच्चिदास्ते सुखं कृष्णश्चलप्रेमलवात्मकः ॥ ५,२४.
Some of the cowherd women questioned him about Kṛṣṇa, beloved of the city women: 'Does fickle-hearted Kṛṣṇa dwell happily?'
अस्मच्चेष्टामपहसन्न कच्चित्पुरयोषिताम् । सौभाग्यमान मधिकं करोति क्षणसौहृदः ॥ ५,२४.
'Does he, mocking our actions, now grant greater fortune and honor to the city women, though his friendship with them lasts but a moment?'
कच्चित्स्मरति नः कृष्णो गीतानुगमनं कलम् । अप्यसौ मातरं द्रष्टु सकृदप्यागमिष्यति ॥ ५,२४.
'Does Kṛṣṇa remember our singing and dancing? Will he ever come, even once, to see his mother?'
अथ वा किं तदालापैः क्रियन्तामपराः कथाः । यस्यास्मभिर्विना तेन विनास्माकं भविष्यति ॥ ५,२४.
'But why speak of such matters? Let other topics be discussed. For just as we are without him, so he will be without us.'