०८८

प्रागेवाचार्यपुत्राहृतिनिशमनया स्वीयषट्सूनुवीक्षां
कांक्षन्त्या मातुरुक्त्या सुतलभुवि बलिं प्राप्य तेनार्चितस्त्वम् ।
धातुश्शापाद्धिरण्यान्वितकशिपुभवान्शौरिजान् कंसभग्ना
नानीयैनान् प्रदर्श्य स्वपदमनयथाः पूर्वपुत्रान्मरीचेः ॥ ८८१॥

प्रागेवाचार्यपुत्राहृतिनिशमनया स्वीयषट्सूनुवीक्षां
कांक्षन्त्या मातुरुक्त्या सुतलभुवि बलिं प्राप्य तेनार्चितस्त्वम् ।
धातुश्शापाद्धिरण्यान्वितकशिपुभवान्शौरिजान् कंसभग्ना
नानीयैनान् प्रदर्श्य स्वपदमनयथाः पूर्वपुत्रान्मरीचेः ॥ ८८१॥

Thy mother, Devaki, whose six sons, born before Thee, had been killed by Kamsa, had been thirsting to see them. On learning about Thy feat of bringing back the son of Thy preceptor, Sage Sandipani, (who had been given up for dead), and restoring him to his parents, she expressed her desire to Thee. Thou didst go to the region, Sutala, from where, after being honoured by Mahabali, Thou didst bring back those six sons to Thy mother. They were originally born to Marichi, and were reborn as the sons of Hiranyakashipu owing to a curse of Brahma. Having satisfied Thy mother’s wish, Thou didst lead those six sons to Thy own abode (heaven).

श्रुतदेव इति श्रुतं द्विजेन्द्रं बहुलाश्वं नृपतिं च भक्तिपूर्णम् ।
युगपत्त्वमनुग्रहीतुकामो मिथिलां प्रापिथ तापसैः समेतः ॥ ८८२॥

श्रुतदेव इति श्रुतं द्विजेन्द्रं बहुलाश्वं नृपतिं च भक्तिपूर्णम् ।
युगपत्त्वमनुग्रहीतुकामो मिथिलां प्रापिथ तापसैः समेतः ॥ ८८२॥

Being desirous of conferring Thy blessings on the noble Brahmana, famed as Srutadeva, and Thy great devotee, King Bahulaswa, at one and the same time, Thou didst arrive at Mithila, accompanied by sages.

गच्छन्द्विमूर्तिरुभयोर्युगपन्निकेतम्
एकेन भूरिविभवैर्विहितोपचारः ।
अन्येन तद्दिनभृतैश्च फलौदनाद्यै
स्तुल्यं प्रसेदिथ ददाथ च मुक्तिमाभ्याम् ॥ ८८३॥

गच्छन्द्विमूर्तिरुभयोर्युगपन्निकेतम्
एकेन भूरिविभवैर्विहितोपचारः ।
अन्येन तद्दिनभृतैश्च फलौदनाद्यै
स्तुल्यं प्रसेदिथ ददाथ च मुक्तिमाभ्याम् ॥ ८८३॥

Assuming two similar forms, Thou didst visit both their houses simultaneously. One (the King) entertained Thee with an abundance of valuable gifts, while the other offered to Thee fruits and (cooked) rice procured that very day (by begging). Thou wert equally pleased with them both and didst grant salvation to both of them.

भूयोऽथ द्वारवत्यां द्विजतनयमृतिं तत्प्रलापानपि त्वं
को वा दैवं निरुन्ध्यादिति किल कथयन्विश्ववोढाऽप्यसोढाः ।
जिष्णोर्गर्वं विनेतुं त्वयि मनुजधिया कुण्ठितां चास्य बुद्धिं
तत्त्वारूढां विधातुं परमतमपदप्रेक्षणेनेति मन्ये ॥ ८८४॥

भूयोऽथ द्वारवत्यां द्विजतनयमृतिं तत्प्रलापानपि त्वं
को वा दैवं निरुन्ध्यादिति किल कथयन्विश्ववोढाऽप्यसोढाः ।
जिष्णोर्गर्वं विनेतुं त्वयि मनुजधिया कुण्ठितां चास्य बुद्धिं
तत्त्वारूढां विधातुं परमतमपदप्रेक्षणेनेति मन्ये ॥ ८८४॥

When, in Dwaraka, a Brahmana saw his sons dying one after the other and was loudly lamenting their loss, Thou, who art the sustainer of the entire Universe, didst merely say, “Who can avert fate ?”. I believe that this attitude was deliberately assumed by Thee in order to humble the pride of Arjuna and elevate his intellect (blunted by the wrong notion of Thy being but a human being) to the knowledge and realisation of the highest Truth, by showing him Thy abode, Vaikunttha.

नष्टा अष्टास्य पुत्राः पुनरपि तव तूपेक्षया कष्टवादः
स्पष्टो जातो जनानामथ तदवसरे द्वारकामाप पार्थः ।
मैत्र्या तत्रोषितोऽसौ नवमसुतमृतौ विप्रवर्यप्ररोदं
श्रुत्वा चक्रे प्रतिज्ञामनुपहृतसुतस्सन्निवेक्ष्ये कृशानुम् ॥ ८८५॥

नष्टा अष्टास्य पुत्राः पुनरपि तव तूपेक्षया कष्टवादः
स्पष्टो जातो जनानामथ तदवसरे द्वारकामाप पार्थः ।
मैत्र्या तत्रोषितोऽसौ नवमसुतमृतौ विप्रवर्यप्ररोदं
श्रुत्वा चक्रे प्रतिज्ञामनुपहृतसुतस्सन्निवेक्ष्ये कृशानुम् ॥ ८८५॥

As the Brahmana had already lost eight sons, people went about insinuating that thy indifference towards this matter was a pity. At this juncture, Arjuna, who had arrived in Dwaraka and was staying with Thee as Thy friend, heard the lamentations of the Brahmana over the loss of his ninth son too in a similar manner. Stung to the quick, Arjuna took a vow that, in case he did not succeed in saving the Brahmana’s next child, he would immolate himself by fire.

मानी स त्वामपृष्ट्वा द्विजनिलयगतो बाणजालैर्महास्त्रै
रुन्धानः सूतिगेहं पुनरपि सहसा दृष्टनष्टे कुमारे ।
याम्यामैन्द्रीं तथायास्सुरवरनगरीर्विद्ययाऽसाद्य सद्यो
मोघोद्योगः पतिष्यन्हुतभुजि भवता सस्मितं वारितोऽभूत् ॥ ८८६॥

मानी स त्वामपृष्ट्वा द्विजनिलयगतो बाणजालैर्महास्त्रै
रुन्धानः सूतिगेहं पुनरपि सहसा दृष्टनष्टे कुमारे ।
याम्यामैन्द्रीं तथायास्सुरवरनगरीर्विद्ययाऽसाद्य सद्यो
मोघोद्योगः पतिष्यन्हुतभुजि भवता सस्मितं वारितोऽभूत् ॥ ८८६॥

Proud of his prowess, Arjuna went to the Brahmana’s house without Thy knowledge and, by using divine weapons and arrows, he created a (presumably) impregnable fortress around the labour room, blocking all approaches to it. However, when the child, immediately after birth, vanished by demolishing the fortress, Arjuna sped to the abodes of Yama, Indra and other gods, by employing his Yogic powers, but met with total failure in his attempt to bring the child back. As he was on the point of jumping into the fire (to fulfil his vow), Thou didst prevent him from his act, with a gentle smile on Thy face.

सार्धं तेन प्रतीचीं दिशमतिजविना स्यन्दनेनाभियातो
लोकालोकं व्यतीतस्तिमिरभरमथो चक्रधाम्ना निरुन्धन् ।
चक्रांशुक्लिष्टदृष्टिं स्थितमथ विजयं पश्य पश्येति वारां
पारे त्वं प्राददशः किमपि हि तमसां दूरदूरं पदं ते ॥ ८८७॥

सार्धं तेन प्रतीचीं दिशमतिजविना स्यन्दनेनाभियातो
लोकालोकं व्यतीतस्तिमिरभरमथो चक्रधाम्ना निरुन्धन् ।
चक्रांशुक्लिष्टदृष्टिं स्थितमथ विजयं पश्य पश्येति वारां
पारे त्वं प्राददशः किमपि हि तमसां दूरदूरं पदं ते ॥ ८८७॥

Speeding westward with Arjuna, in a fast chariot, Thou didst cross the mountain, Lokaloka and, then, dispelling the intense darkness with the brilliance of Thy disc, Sudarshana, and telling Arjuna “Look, look”, Thou didst unveil to him (whose eyes were dazzled by the rays issuing from Thy disc) that indescribably wonderful abode of Thine, in the far distance beyond the Seven Seas, and entirely transcending the touch of Tamoguna and Rajoguna.

तत्रासीनं भुजङ्गाधिपशयनतले दिव्यभूषायुधाद्यै
रावीतं पीतचेलं प्रतिनवजलदश्यामलं श्रीमदङ्गम् ।
मूर्तीनामीशितारं परमिह तिसृणामेकमर्थं श्रुतीनां
त्वामेव त्वं परात्मन् प्रियसखसहितो नेमिथ क्षेमरूपम् ॥ ८८८॥

तत्रासीनं भुजङ्गाधिपशयनतले दिव्यभूषायुधाद्यै
रावीतं पीतचेलं प्रतिनवजलदश्यामलं श्रीमदङ्गम् ।
मूर्तीनामीशितारं परमिह तिसृणामेकमर्थं श्रुतीनां
त्वामेव त्वं परात्मन् प्रियसखसहितो नेमिथ क्षेमरूपम् ॥ ८८८॥

O Supreme Being, Thou along with Thy dear friend, Arjuna, didst, there, pay Thy respects to (prostrate before) the Supreme Overlord of the Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, who was seated on the cushion of the Serpent King, Adisesha, bedecked with divine ornaments and weapons, attired in a yellow silk robe, dark-blue in complexion, like a newly-formed rain-cloud, possessed of an auspicious presence (in the person of Goddess Lakshmi), who is the sole subject and meaning of the Vedas, and is Moksha (salvation) personified, and who is none other than Thyself.

युवां मामेवद्वावधिकविवृतान्तर्हिततया
विभिन्नौ सुन्द्रष्टुं स्वयमहमहार्षं द्विजसुतान् ।
नयेतं द्रागेनानिति खलु वितीर्णान्पुनरमून्
द्विजायादायादाः प्रणुतमहिमा पाण्डुजनुषा ॥ ८८९॥

युवां मामेवद्वावधिकविवृतान्तर्हिततया
विभिन्नौ सुन्द्रष्टुं स्वयमहमहार्षं द्विजसुतान् ।
नयेतं द्रागेनानिति खलु वितीर्णान्पुनरमून्
द्विजायादायादाः प्रणुतमहिमा पाण्डुजनुषा ॥ ८८९॥

Lord Mahavishnu handed over the Brahmana’s children to Thee, saying that He had brought them in order to bring Thee and Arjuna to his abode, as He wished to see both of you, who were, in truth, He Himself, though appearing different, His divinity being fully manifest in one (Krishna) and latent or obstructed in the other (Arjuna). Commanded by Him to take the children quickly, Thou didst return with them and restore them to the Brahmana, while Thy glory was extolled by Arjuna.

एवं नानाविहारैर्जगदभिरमयन्वृष्णिवंशं प्रपुष्ण
न्नीजानो यज्ञभेदैरतुलविहृतिभिः प्रीणयन्नेणनेत्राः ।
भूभारक्षेपदम्भात् पदकमलजुषां मोक्षणायावतीर्णः
पूर्णं ब्रह्मैव साक्षाद्यदुषु मनुजतारूषितस्त्वं व्यलासीः ॥ ८८१०॥

एवं नानाविहारैर्जगदभिरमयन्वृष्णिवंशं प्रपुष्ण
न्नीजानो यज्ञभेदैरतुलविहृतिभिः प्रीणयन्नेणनेत्राः ।
भूभारक्षेपदम्भात् पदकमलजुषां मोक्षणायावतीर्णः
पूर्णं ब्रह्मैव साक्षाद्यदुषु मनुजतारूषितस्त्वं व्यलासीः ॥ ८८१०॥

Delighting the world by Thy multifarious exploits, strengthening the Vrishni race, performing various sacrifices, entertaining Thy beloved, gazelle-eyed wives with matchless sportive diversions, Thou, who art, verily, the Infinite Brahman, overspread by a human form among the Yadus, didst shine in glory, giving liberation to Thy devotees, on the pretext of mitigating the burden on the earth.

प्रायेण द्वारवत्यामवृतदयि तदी नारदस्त्वद्रसार्द्र
स्तस्माल्लेभे कदाचित्खलु सुकृतनिधिस्त्वत्पिता तत्त्वबोधम् ।
भक्तानामग्रयायी स च खलु मतिमानुद्धवस्त्वत्त एव
प्राप्तो विज्ञानसारं स किल जनहितायाधुनाऽस्ते वदर्याम् ॥ ८८११॥

प्रायेण द्वारवत्यामवृतदयि तदी नारदस्त्वद्रसार्द्र
स्तस्माल्लेभे कदाचित्खलु सुकृतनिधिस्त्वत्पिता तत्त्वबोधम् ।
भक्तानामग्रयायी स च खलु मतिमानुद्धवस्त्वत्त एव
प्राप्तो विज्ञानसारं स किल जनहितायाधुनाऽस्ते वदर्याम् ॥ ८८११॥

O Lord, the Sage NArada, forever immersed in the Bliss of service to Thee, stayed in Dwaraka most of the time. From him, Thy father, Vasudeva (who had acquired considerable merit by performing good deeds) received knowledge of the Ultimate Reality. The wise and intelligent Uddhava, the foremost of Thy devotees, learnt from Thee Thyself, the essence of spiritual knowledge and wisdom. He is widely believed to be abiding even now at Badarikashrama, for the welfare of humanity.

सोऽयं कृष्णावतारो जयति तव विभो यत्र सौहार्दभीति
स्नेहद्वेषानुरागप्रभृतिभिरतुलैरश्रमैर्योगभेदैः ।
आर्तिं तीर्वा समस्ताममृतपदमगुस्सर्वतः सर्वलोकाः
स त्वं विश्वार्तिशान्त्यै पवनपुरपते भक्तिपूर्त्यै च भूयाः ॥ ८८१२॥

सोऽयं कृष्णावतारो जयति तव विभो यत्र सौहार्दभीति
स्नेहद्वेषानुरागप्रभृतिभिरतुलैरश्रमैर्योगभेदैः ।
आर्तिं तीर्वा समस्ताममृतपदमगुस्सर्वतः सर्वलोकाः
स त्वं विश्वार्तिशान्त्यै पवनपुरपते भक्तिपूर्त्यै च भूयाः ॥ ८८१२॥

O Lord of Infinite Glory, this incarnation of Thine as Krishna surpasses and outshines all other incarnations. In it, all people, everywhere, overcame all sorrows and attained salvation by diverse, matchless, effortless Yogas (means or practices) like friendship, fear, love, hatred, attachment, etc. O Lord of Guruvayur, may Thou deign to eradicate all afflictions of the world and infuse everyone with perfect devotion to Thee.