English (machine translation)

Translation of Balacarita (Bālacarita)

Language: English
Extent: 376 passages, 21,154 words
Text: complete digital text
Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-10) of in.lit.plays.bhasa.balacarita · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

Text

p11

Viṣṇu's weapons: the conch, sword Nandaka, discus, bow Śārṅga

p25

Kāliya, the great serpent dwelling in the Yamunā

p28

Female door-keeper — door-keeper of Devakī

p29

Nurse — foster mother of the illusory maiden

p34

Madhukarikā, female door-keeper — door-keeper of Kaṃsa

p35

Yaśodharā, female door-keeper — door-keeper of Kaṃsa

p37

(At the end of the benedictory verse, the stage-manager enters.)

p38

Stage-manager: He whose form was like a conch and milk in the Kṛta age, named Nārāyaṇa;

p39

in the Tretā age Viṣṇu of golden radiance, who spanned the three worlds with three strides;
Rāma, dark as Dūrvā grass, at the slaying of Rāvaṇa; and in the Dvāpara age

1

ever resembling collyrium in the Kali age—may that Dāmodara protect you! .. 1 ..

1_40

Thus I make representation to the noble spectators. Ah, why indeed, while I am intent on my representation, does a sound seem to be heard? Well, let me look.
Behind the scenes)

3

I roam the heavens.
Nārada: I roam the heavens, renowned in the three worlds; / arrived here from the world of Brahmā, Nārada fond of strife. .. 3 ..

1_41

Stage-manager: Very well, I understand.
A shower of flowers falls,

1_42

and the instruments of the gods resound;
to see Hari born into the Vṛṣṇi race,

2

here Nārada has swiftly arrived. .. 2 ..

Ah! / When the wars between gods and Asuras have waned, / I take no pleasure in the perpetually tranquil sky; / indeed, in the intervals between studying the Veda, / I strike the strings and strike up enmities. .. 4 ..

5

Moreover, / supreme is my devotion to the words spoken by the Grandfather; / highly esteemed by me are all penance-groves; / in truth I say, the vīṇā struck with the tips of fingernails, / fierce enmities, and harsh quarrels are dear to me. .. 5 ..

6

So I have come here to see the Lord Nārāyaṇa, origin of the world, without end, imperishable, born into the Vṛṣṇi race for the welfare of the world and the slaying of Kaṃsa. Ah, here the noble lady Devakī, holding the Lord of the three worlds who has taken babyhood by cosmic illusion, quietly steps out of her house together with Vasudeva. She who, / bearing in her arms, like Mount Mandara, the discus-bearer, / who brings fearlessness to the worlds, the preceptor of the gods, / the bringer of death to the Daityas, / [she] moon-faced, afflicted with grief, in the peaceful night… .. 6 ..

6_46

This, this is the Lord Nārāyaṇa:

7

of boundless valor, lotus-wide eyes, / lord of the kings of gods, slayer of the Asuras' might, / banner of the three worlds, maker of the universe, / sustainer of mankind, the primeval Person. .. 7 ..

8

Ah! The root of strife is born! Meanwhile, I too, having circumambulated the Lord Nārāyaṇa, will go straight to the world of Brahmā. Homage to the Lord, cause of the three worlds! / Homage to the supreme one, to Nārāyaṇa the refuge of mortal men, / the face of the universe, with eyes immaculate as the lotus; / to Rāma the overthrower of Rāvaṇa and Virocana, / the hero, the abode of valor! .. 8 ..

9

(Exit.)
(Then enters Devakī with the child in her arms.)
Devakī: Alas, witnessing the great omens that arose at the time of birth portending my little son's majesty, yet thinking on the cruelty of the wretched Kaṃsa, I, ill-fated, cannot believe it at all. Where indeed has my noble lord gone? (Walking around and looking ahead) Oh, here comes my noble lord right this way, his eyes wide with joy and wonder.
(Then enters Vasudeva.)
Vasudeva: (Reflectively) Ah! What indeed is this?
Lightning wanders in the sky, pierced by fierce winds, / the earth trembles with the rumbles of fresh rainclouds; / surely here in this world, for the protection of living beings, / Viṣṇu, slayer of the host of Asuras, has descended today. .. 9 ..

10

(Looking) Here is Devakī,
her distress unreckoned for the loss of her six sons,
going about to protect the seventh;
her yearning roused at his birth by omens,
carrying Kaṃsa’s death styled as a son. .. 10 ..

11

Devakī— (Approaching) Victory to my noble lord!
Vasudeva— Devakī! It is midnight. All the people in Mathurā are asleep. Therefore, before anyone sees, I shall take the child and depart.
Devakī— Where will my noble lord take him?
Vasudeva— Devakī! You speak the truth. I too do not know. But the wicked Kaṃsa commands the earth under a single parasol. Where indeed can this long-lived one be taken? Or rather, wherever fate decrees, there I will take the child and depart.
Devakī— Noble lord, I wish first to look closely at him.
Vasudeva— Ah, you who are overly fond of your child!
Why should this moon be looked at in the circle of Rāhu’s mouth?
Even if you look closely at him, Kaṃsa will become his death. .. 11 ..

11_47

Devakī— By no means will that happen.
Vasudeva— What you have said, may that be ordained by all the deities. Give him here.
Devakī— Let my noble lord take him.

12

Vasudeva— (Taking him) Oh, the weight of the child! Truly,
This lotus-petal-eyed boy possesses the strength of Mount Mandara and the Vindhyas.
By her who bore this glorious one in her womb, ah, what fortitude of a woman! .. 12 ..

13

Devakī! Go inside.
Devakī— Here I go, ill-fated as I am. (Exit.)
Vasudeva— Here goes Devakī,
as if split in two—here with her heart, there with her limbs,
just as a crescent moon is divided in the sky and in the water. .. 13 ..

14

Well, Devakī has gone inside. Now I too shall make for the city gate. Ah,
grief-stricken by the destruction of my former sons,
terrified by fear of the king, holding the child,
I hasten away very quickly along the road,
bearing him in my arms like Mount Mandara. .. 14 ..

15

(Walking about) This is the city gate. Let me go out. (Going out) Ah, everyone in Mathurā is asleep. Let me depart. (Walking about) I have departed from Mathurā. Oh, how powerful is this darkness! For now,
The darkness seems to smear the limbs, the sky seems to rain collyrium;
sight has become useless, like service to a wicked man. .. 15 ..

16

Oh, the power of darkness!
The quarters are as if devoid of light, the trees as if turned solid;
of this world firmly settled, the appearance is inverted. .. 16 ..

17

I am not able to go on. Ah, the light of a torch! Could the wicked Kaṃsa, having discovered my departure, have arrived surrounded by torches to seize me? Very well, I shall crush his pride. (He draws his sword. Turning and looking) Ah, no one is seen. Ah, I shall... (He draws his sword. Turning and looking) Ah, no one is seen. Ah, I shall... (He draws his sword. Turning and looking) Ah, no one is seen. Ah,
When the world was veiled in darkness and I could not see my path,
for the sake of my departure, light was created by the prince. .. 17 ..

18

Here is the path. Let me depart. Ah, here is the divine Yamunā, swollen by the seasonal rains. Oh, my labor has been in vain! What shall I do now? Very well, I see.
This river, filled with alligators and water-snakes,
with its garlands of great waves impassable even in thought—
with the swimming of my arms, distressed with purpose gone,
I cross it quickly, if the deity remains with me. .. 18 ..

18_48

(Doing so, with amazement) Ah, the water is cleft in two; on this side it stands still, on that side it rushes on! The goddess has granted me a passage. Let me depart. (Crossing over) I have emerged from the Yamunā. Ah, a sound of bellowing is heard. Clearly an unfortunate one is near a cowherd settlement. Ah, and in the nearby settlement lives my friend Nandagopa. He was fettered and beaten with whips by order of Kaṃsa. Let me enter. Or rather, the cowherds will become suspicious, thinking Vasudeva has entered at night. Therefore, beneath this banyan tree, I shall await the dawn of night. O deities of the banyan tree! If this boy is born in the Vṛṣṇi race for the good of the world and for the slaying of Kaṃsa, let someone come here from the settlement. No, no—let only my friend Nandagopa come!
(Then Nandagopa enters carrying a female child.)

19

Nandagopa— (With sorrow) Little girl! Little girl! Why do you not rejoice in our household fortune, and abandon us and go? For now, the darkness is as powerful as a herd of a hundred buffaloes colliding.
The night, its moonlight destroyed by stormy weather, has a closed appearance,
like a sleeping cowherd woman wrapped in a dark garment. .. 19 ..

19_49

For today at midnight, our housewife Yaśodā gave birth, and this poor little girl, as soon as she was born, lost her breath of life. Tomorrow is our settlement's customary festival called the sacrifice to Indra. Lest this sorrow be felt by the cowherds, I have come away alone with this little girl, my feet heavy with chains. Poor Yaśodā, having fainted, does not even know whether a boy or a girl was born. Little girl! Little girl! (Little girl! Little girl! Why now, not taking pleasure in the fortune of our house, do you abandon us and go? For now the darkness is indeed powerful, like the charge of a hundred buffaloes.
The night, its moonlight destroyed by stormy weather, has a closed appearance,
like a sleeping cowherd woman wrapped in a dark garment. .. 19 ..

19_50

[Sanskrit chāyā:] For today at midnight a child was born to my housewife Yaśodā, and this poor little girl, as soon as she was born, lost her breath of life. Tomorrow the festival called the Indra sacrifice, usual for our settlement, will take place. Lest this grief be felt by the cowherds, I have come away alone, taking this little girl, my feet heavy with chains. And poor Yaśodā, having fallen into a faint, does not even know whether a boy or a girl was born. Little girl! Little girl!)
Vasudeva: Who indeed is this lamenting in the night? This poor man is surely a fellow-sufferer of ours.
Nandagopa: Why do you now depart, not delighting in our household's prosperity, and leaving us? (Why do you now depart, not delighting in our household's prosperity, and leaving us?)
Vasudeva: I recognize him by his voice. It must be my friend Nandagopa. Let me call out to him. Friend Nandagopa! Over this way!
Nandagopa: (In fear) Alas, who is this calling out to me, “Nandagopa! Nandagopa!”, with a tone of voice that sounds familiar? Can it be a rākṣasa or a piśāca? On such a terrifying night, a dead baby girl is in my hands. What ever shall I do? (Alas, who is this calling out to me, “Nandagopa! Nandagopa!”, with a tone of voice that sounds familiar?

19_51

Can it be a rākṣasa or a piśāca? On such a terrifying night, a dead baby girl is in my hands. What ever shall I do?)
Vasudeva: Friend Nandagopa! Have no fear of anyone else. Over this way!
Nandagopa: (Lending an ear, attentively) Ah, by the tone of his voice I know it is master Vasudeva. Let me approach. Or rather, what business have I there? Having heard the command of King Kaṃsa on his account, I was blamed, beaten with whips, and bound in chains. So I will not go. Or rather, shame on my cruelty! He has done me a thousand kindnesses; he grieves in my sorrow and rejoices in my joy, yet I still remember that single imprisonment made by the king’s decree. Let me approach. This little girl—what shall I do? Well, I will do it this way first. (Approaching and looking; in wonder) The night has turned into day! Here stands master Vasudeva holding a baby boy. (Approaching) Victory to the master, victory! (Ah, by the tone of his voice I know it is master Vasudeva. Let me approach. Or rather, what business have I there? Having heard the command of King Kaṃsa on his account, I was blamed, beaten with whips, and bound in chains. So I will not go. Or rather, shame on my cruelty! He has done me a thousand kindnesses; he grieves in my sorrow and rejoices in my joy, yet I still remember that single imprisonment made by the king’s decree.

19_52

Let me approach. This little girl—what shall I do? Well, I will do it this way first. The night has turned into day! Here stands master Vasudeva holding a baby boy. Victory to the master, victory!)
Vasudeva: Friend Nandagopa! Is all well with the sacred cows?
Nandagopa: Yes, master, all is well. (Yes, master, all is well.
Nandagopa: Yes, master, all is well. (Yes, master, all is well.))
Vasudeva: And is all well with your household?
Nandagopa: With the household? Yes, master, all is well. (With the household? Yes, master, all is well.)
Vasudeva: Friend! Why are you hiding something now?

19_53

Nandagopa: Master, it is nothing. (Master, it is nothing.)
Vasudeva: By my very life you are adjured, if you do not tell the truth.

20

Nandagopa: What choice is there? Listen, master. Tonight at midnight, my wife—no, no, your servant-woman Yaśodā—gave birth, and this poor little girl died the very moment she was born. Tomorrow our settlement's customary festival called the Indra sacrifice will take place. Thinking, 'Let this sorrow not be experienced by the cowherd folk,' I have come out all alone, with my feet heavy like iron fetters, carrying this baby girl. The poor woman Yaśodā does not even know whether a boy or a girl was born, having fallen into a swoon.
Vasudeva: Alas, indeed! It is not possible to elude Death, the ruler of the world. Friend, abandon this body that has turned to wood.
Nandagopa: I cannot, master! I cannot.
Vasudeva: Such is the law of the world. Abandon it.
Nandagopa: As the master commands. Little girl! Little girl! (He weeps.)
Vasudeva: Friend, enough, enough with weeping! Rise, rise!
Nandagopa: (Doing so and approaching) Victory to the master! What should this servant do?
Vasudeva: Friend, surely you also know that my six sons were brought to their end by the wicked Kaṃsa.
Nandagopa: I know, master, I know.
Vasudeva: Then may this seventh one live long. There is no fortune for me in my sons. Through your fortune, let him live; take him.
Nandagopa: I am afraid, master, I am afraid! If King Kaṃsa hears, 'Vasudeva's boy was placed as a deposit in the hands of Nandagopa,' in short, my head is as good as gone!
Vasudeva: (To himself) Alas, the undertaking is ruined. Cruel men indeed know what has been said. Therefore I will say this: (Aloud) Friend Nandagopa!
If any favor was done by me for you in the past, / the time for you to return that favor has now arrived. (20)

20_54

Nandagopa: What, what, 'return of a favor'? Let it be Kaṃsa, or let it be Kaṃsa's father Ugrasena! Let the master bring the boy.
Vasudeva: Friend, take him.
Nandagopa: Master, I am impure; I have touched a dead baby girl. Let the master wait a moment while I go to the water of the Yamunā and perform purification.
Vasudeva: Friend, from living in the settlement, you are pure by nature.
Nandagopa: In that case, I will perform purification with dust as is proper for our settlement.
Vasudeva: What harm is there in that? Perform the purification.
Nandagopa: As the master commands. (Doing so, with astonishment) A wonder, a wonder, master! A wonder! As I was searching for dust, a stream of water thick as a yoke rose up, bursting through the earth!
Vasudeva: It is the power of the child alone. Perform your purification.
Nandagopa: Master, so be it. (Having done so, approaching) Master, here I am.
Vasudeva: Take him.
Nandagopa: Master, my arms are utterly weak; they are not able to hold this boy who is like Mount Mandara!
Vasudeva: Friend, you possess great strength and prowess.

21

Nandagopa: Listen, master, to my strength and prowess. When bulls gore each other, I seize their horns and separate them! I haul out merchandise carts stuck in the mud! Such as I am, now I am not able to hold the boy.
(Then enter the five divine weapons and Garuḍa)
Garuḍa: I am the fair-winged bird Garuḍa of great speed, / the chariot and the banner of this bearer of the bow Śārṅga. / Formerly, in the conflicts between gods and Asuras, / I bore Viṣṇu, O sir, by Viṣṇu's own might! (21)

22

Cakra: I am Kṛṣṇa's discus, adorning the tip of his hand, / of fierce splendor resembling the midday sun. / In the three strides and at the churning of the nectar, / the hosts of Dānavas and Daityas were slain by me. (22)

23

Śārṅga: I am the bow Śārṅga, resting in Viṣṇu's hand, shapely at the middle, / a woman by embodiment, yet exceedingly proud of a man's heroism and strength; / for his sake, in the forefront of battles, hosts of enemies / were broken by me, their elephants, chariots, horses, and men fallen scattered. (23)

24

Kaumodakī—
I am Hari's mace, named Kaumodakī,
crushing all enemies at his command.
I have made sport in rivers of blood
of the Dānavas slain by me in battle. (24)

24_55

Conch—
I am indeed the conch, raised up by Viṣṇu himself from the Ocean of Milk.
By my sound those enemies of the gods perish in battle. (25)

26

Nandaka—
I am Nandaka; no one ever turns his back to me in battles.
I go the moment I am remembered by the all-powerful Viṣṇu. (26)

27

Discus—
We, the Discus, the Bow Śārṅga, the Mace, the Conch, and Nandaka, destroyers of Daityas,
have arrived as attendants for the sake of Vāsudeva's mission. (27)

28

Therefore, come along. We too, disguised in cowherd dress, will descend to the cowherd station to follow the childhood deeds of the Lord Viṣṇu who has descended to the world of mortals.
All—So be it. (They attend upon Viṣṇu.)
Vasudeva—Friend, bow down to the child himself.
Nandagopa—Lord, so be it. Little prince, homage to you, homage to you! Ah, let it be; protect yourself by yourself! What strength and prowess do we cowherds possess to take hold of you?
Discus—Homage to the Lord Nārāyaṇa. Lord! Great Viṣṇu!
Many deeds, both what should and should not be done to gods and Asuras,
will be done by you in the world.
Therefore, in consideration of this person's unworthiness,
grant your grace, O banner of Yadu's lineage! (28)

28_56

Vasudeva—Take him.
Nandagopa—As the lord commands. (Takes him.)
Vasudeva—Friend, the night has grown light. You should turn back.
Nandagopa—A wonder, a wonder, lord! A wonder! These two bonds have fallen off.
Vasudeva—All this is the power of the prince. You should turn back.
Nandagopa—As the lord commands.
Vasudeva—Or rather, come here a moment.
Nandagopa—Lord, here I am.
Vasudeva—
I know you are always affectionate by nature,
and your deep love for him is also requested.
At this time, the remaining seed of the Yādavas,
left over when most has been burned, is deposited [with you] to be protected. (29)

28_57

What will you do for the prince?
Nandagopa—Listen, lord. Going to one house, he will drink milk; going to another house, he will eat curds; going to yet another house, he will swallow butter; going to another house, he will enjoy milk-rice pudding; going to another house, he will look at the buttermilk pot. In short, he will become the master of our cowherd station.
Vasudeva—May it be so. You should turn back.
Nandagopa—As the lord commands. (Exit.)
Vasudeva—Nandagopa has departed indeed. Meanwhile, I too will go back to Mathurā. (Walking around.) A sound of weeping seems to be heard. Could Nandagopa have turned back out of fear of Kaṃsa? (Walking around.) Ah, this little girl has regained life. I will take her, place her in Devakī's hands, and deceive the evil-minded Kaṃsa. (Taking her.) Ah, her heaviness! This too is a great being, differing but little from the prince. I will depart. Ah, this divine Yamunā stands just as before. I will depart. I have crossed the Yamunā. This is the city gate. All the people in Mathurā are asleep just as before. I will enter. (Entering.) This house of the evil-minded Kaṃsa indeed looks as though inhabited by misfortune. This house of ours looks as though mounted by fortune. Meanwhile, I will enter the inner quarters and console Devakī. May the lords grant well-being.
(Exit.)

28_58

First Act.

28_59

Second Act

28_60

(Then enter young Caṇḍāla women.)

28_61

All—Come, lord, come! Let our maidens marry you!
(Then enters the King.)
King—Ah! What can this really be?
Since the earth shakes and the tops of palaces fall,
like a ferryboat scattered by rows of huge waves,
judging by these omens, which must be addressed by their chief qualities and effects,
does misfortune lie before me, or is it prosperity? (1)

28_62

All—Come, lord, come! Let our young maidens marry you!
King—
Because no guards patrol,
because no women carrying lamps move about,
for that reason have these terrifying Caṇḍāla women,
resembling blue lotuses and collyrium, entered my palace. (2)

28_63

All—Come, lord, come! Let our young maidens marry you!
King—Ah, these young Caṇḍāla women are bold indeed:
By my wrath my enemies' side is always destroyed;
the sun, the moon, and fire remain under my control.
I who am Death even to Death, inspiring fear in fear itself,
me they insult with words of reproach! (3)

28_64

All: Come, master! Come.
King: Ah, be damned! How did they vanish all of a sudden? Now I shall just enter the interior.
(Then enters the Curse.)
Curse: Ha! Where are you entering now? This has indeed become my dwelling.
King: Who is this plunging into the inner chamber and rushing out,
grasping a torch, having suddenly the color of a heap of collyrium,
with a face of terrifying, fierce fangs, and eyes yellow as a serpent's,
as if fury arrived upon the earth from the face of the Great Lord?

28_65

Who are you?
Curse: Do you not know me? I am indeed the curse of the sage Madhūka, named Vajrabāhu.
From the midst of the cremation ground I have come,
fiercely misshapen in the guise of a Caṇḍāla,
wearing a most bizarre attire of a garland of skulls,
to enter the heart of King Kaṃsa.

28_66

Kaṃsa: You ask for an impossible thing.
The wind from the wings of a crow does not shake Mount Meru,
whose caves, peaks, and bowers are exceedingly lovely with gold.
You are ridiculous, sir, who wish with the hollow of your hands
to drink up the ocean, agitated with rows of waves along with sea monsters!

28_67

Curse: You will know in time.
King: Ah, how did he vanish all of a sudden? I too will go to bed and divert my eyes. (He sleeps.)
Curse: Ah, he has fallen fast asleep. Alakṣmī! Khalati! Kālarātri! Mahānidrā! Piṅgalākṣī! So come, let us enter within.
All: So be it.
(Having entered)
Royal Fortune: You must not enter!
Curse: Who are you, lady?
Fortune: Do you not know me? I am indeed his royal fortune.

28_68

Curse: So. Royal Fortune! Please depart. This has indeed become my dwelling.
Fortune: Ha!
Without considering my house, which is like Laṅkā, you fool,
under whose patronage do you brush me aside and enter at night?
What need is there of much speaking? Today it is not possible
for you even to look at or enter this [place], cherished by me.

28_69

Curse: Revered goddess dwelling in the lotus! Depart, it is said, from Kaṃsa's body. Viṣṇu commands.
Fortune: How? Viṣṇu commands, you say? Alas, what misery!
And I am not able to abandon the king due to long cohabitation.
He is mighty, grasping virtues, and intensely torments me.

28_70

So be it. Viṣṇu's command cannot be transgressed. Therefore I too will go straight into Viṣṇu's presence. (She exits.)
Curse: Royal Fortune has departed. Joy! Now this has become our abode. Alakṣmī! Khalati! Kālarātri! Mahānidrā! Piṅgalākṣī! Having entered the interior, let sport suitable to our kind be made.
All: From this day forward, may you be stripped of righteousness and good conduct.
Curse: I embrace you tightly, who are ever intent on unrighteousness;
I, the sage's curse, reach you; you shall come to ruin before long.

28_71

(He vanishes.)
(Having entered)
Female Door-keeper: Victory to the master!
King: Ha!
Female Door-keeper: Master! I am Yaśodharā.
King: Yaśodharā, did you not see the entrance of the Mātaṅgī women?
Female Door-keeper: Ha, the Mātaṅgī women, you say? Entrance here is difficult even for one who constantly attends at the master's feet; how much more for Mātaṅgī women?
King: Was a dream experienced by me? Yaśodharā! Go. Let Bālāki, the chamberlain, be admitted.
Female Door-keeper: As the master commands. (She exits.)
(Then enters the chamberlain.)
Chamberlain: Victory to the great king!
King: Noble Bālāki! The astrologer and the royal priest should be asked: why were winds whirling, earthquakes, falling meteors, and idols of the gods appearing this night?
Chamberlain: Great king, the astrologer and the royal priest submit:
King: What?
Chamberlain: Let it be heard.
A being who dwells in the sky, O king, has always,
for another purpose, descended here into the world of men.

28_72

With the sounds of celestial drums along with earthquakes,
this is the distinctive perturbation at his birth.

28_73

King: Upon the birth of whom has this earth with its lordly mountains been shaken?
Let it be discovered whose son this is, or what the purpose of his birth is.

28_74

Chamberlain: As the great king commands. (Exiting and re-entering) Victory to the great king! Devakī, it is said, has given birth.
King: What was born?
Chamberlain: A girl was born.
King: Surely not! Do these great portents arise merely by the birth of a girl?
Chamberlain: May the great king be gracious. Untruth was never spoken before by me. She was seen in the hands of the maidservant who was surrounded by your attendants.
King: Or rather, I see a brahmin's word as true even if untrue. Go, let Vasudeva be summoned first.
Chamberlain: As the great king commands. (He exits.)
King: Vasudeva is virtuous in conduct and speaks the truth. Surely he will not speak an untruth in my presence. Well, we shall listen first.
(Then enters Vasudeva.)
Vasudeva: Having met with the destruction of my six sons,
carrying this body emaciated with grief,
summoned by the pitiless king,
I go like a dependent servant.

28_75

Ah, such is the way of the world.
Whether remembering fear or not remembering fear,
the king must be approached by both,
from fear as well as from fearlessness.

28_76

(Approaching) Son of the Śūrasena queen, please be seated!
King: Son of the Yādava queen, please be seated!
Vasudeva: Very well. (Sitting down) Son of the Śūrasena queen, for what purpose have I been summoned?
King: Son of the Yādava queen, it is said that Devakī has given birth.
Vasudeva: What else? She has given birth.
King: What was born?
Vasudeva: (To himself) Must I too utter an untruth? Or rather, to protect the child, I view even untruth as truth. What shall I do now? So be it, I have it. (Aloud)
A daughter was born to her.
King: Be it a girl or a boy, it must be slain by me in every way. / I will surely cheat destiny through human effort! .. 14 ..

28_77

(Entering)
Female door-keeper: Victory to the master! Our mistress entreats: "Let the great king show pity, for she is a girl, a child!"

28_78

Vasudeva: Son of the Śūrasena queen, grant the word of poor Devakī! Women have greater affection for female children.
King: Do you remember the agreement?
Having heard the curse of the sage Madhūka, then my agreement / was made by you, saying: "I will deliver the embryos borne by Devakī." .. 14 ..

28_79

Vasudeva: "The agreement", so be it. I shall say no more.
Female door-keeper: Master, what should be reported to our mistress?
King: Yaśodharā, say to Devakī: "It is not proper to insist at this time. I will do whatever other very pleasant thing [you wish]."
Female door-keeper: As the master commands.
King: Yaśodharā, let it be done so.
Female door-keeper: May the master enter in happiness.
Vasudeva: (To himself) Desiring safety, must I too lead another's child to destruction? Shall I really bring and hand over the boy himself? Or rather:
This girl died previously and rose up once again; / through the greatness of that boy, she will not meet with slaughter. .. 16 ..

28_80

Meanwhile, I too shall comfort Devakī.
(Exit.)
King: Yaśodharā, let that girl be brought in!
Female door-keeper: As the master commands.
(Exit.)
(Then enters the nurse holding the female child, and the guards.)
All: Slowly, slowly, noble lady! This is the middle door. Please enter, noble lady.
Nurse: (Entering) Victory to the master! This girl has been protected by us for a long time.
King: Ah, this girl is worthy to be seen by a king! Must even the killing of a woman be done by me?
Nurse: Gently, gently, master!
King: This is the stone of Kaṃsa. I will now perform this rash deed.
For this is the seventh womb, risen by the power of the sage's curse; / when this womb has gone to destruction, there will be peace for me. .. 17 ..

28_81

(Seizing and striking [her]) Ah!
One part has fallen to the ground, one part has risen up to heaven, / manifested here to slay me, with hands brilliant with weapons! .. 18 ..

28_82

Ah, she now,
grasping a sharp-pointed trident, yawns wide in terrible guise, / like the Night of Destruction arisen when the time of ruin has arrived! .. 19 ..

28_83

(Then enters Kātyāyanī with her retinue.)
Kātyāyanī:
Having slain Śumbha and Niśumbha, and Mahiṣa, / having made those gods safe with their enemies' side destroyed, / I have been born in the lineage of Vasudeva, / as Kātyāyanī, for the destruction of Kaṃsa's clan! .. 20 ..

28_84

Kuṇḍodara:
I am Kuṇḍodara, unconquered, doing fierce deeds in battle, / making a terrible, great roar born of the goddess's birth; / I go swiftly from the sky to the vast earth, / desiring to slay the haughty Asuras, arrogant with extreme power. .. 21 ..

28_85

Trident: I am the trident, arrived here on the surface of the earth as a spirit, / having a radiant, beautiful appearance born of the goddess's grace; / having slain Kaṃsa in battle, I will drag him down / like Kārtikeya [plucking up] that tree from the ocean. .. 22 ..

28_86

Nīla: For I am Nīla, the maker of strife, / a hero in battle and never turning my back; / I shall slay insolent Kaṃsa in combat, / just as the spear-bearer [pierced] mount Krauñca in excellence! .. 23 ..

28_87

Manojava:
I am Manojava, with speed equal to the wind, / arrived here for the purpose of the goddess; / I shall make the Daityas at the heads of battle / just as fire makes an abode of reeds! .. 24 ..

28_88

Kātyāyanī: Kuṇḍodara! Śaṅkukarṇa! Mahānīla! Manojava! Come then. In order to experience the boyhood deeds of the lord Viṣṇu, let us descend to the cowherd station itself, disguised in the garb of cowherds.
All: As the goddess commands. (Exit Kātyāyanī with her retinue.)
King: Ah, night has brightened into dawn.
Therefore, having entered the house suited for rites of pacification for the sake of peace, / I shall perform an extensive pacification; there will be peace for me. .. 25 ..

28_89

(Exeunt omnes.)

28_90

Second Act.

28_91

Third Act.

28_92

(Then enters an old cowherd.)

28_93

OLD COWHERD: Hey, Meghadatta! Hey, Vṛṣabhadatta! Hey, Kumbhadatta! Hey, Ghoṣadatta! Drive on, drive on the cattle! Having drunk water to their fill in this Vṛndāvana, let the cattle come lowing loudly. This bull, having stepped out from the cattle-pens, rubbing against the roots of an anthill, looks magnificent with snakes of bad color clinging to its horns as if they were garlands of blue lotuses. And this other bull, with its tail raised and stretched out, its knees bent, with a white body like the moon, looks magnificent as if lifting the earth with the tips of its horns. Meanwhile, I will call Dāmaka. Hey, Dāmaka! Having brought the revered [cows] together with their calves down to a safe place, come here yourself.
(Then enter Dāmaka.)

127.1

DĀMAKA: Ah, how vast is the pasture of our master Nandagopa! Ever since the day his son was born, a greater wondrous joy keeps growing. Well, let the cattle stay here while I approach my maternal uncle. (Approaching) Uncle, I salute you.
OLD COWHERD: May there be peace, may there be peace to us and to our cattle!
DĀMAKA: Uncle, from the time Nandagopa's son was born, our cattle have become free from disease. Does not joy increase among all the cowherds? Moreover, roots are found in every pit, fruits on every bush; as much milk as is milked is sweet, and just that much clarified butter is produced.
OLD COWHERD: And here is another wonder: when Nandagopa's son was ten nights old, a Dānavī named Pūtanā, her breasts filled with poison, arrived having assumed the form of Nandagopī. Then, taking the boy, she placed her breast in his mouth. Then, recognizing her, he sucked [her life out] and knocked her down; turning into a Dānavī reduced to mere skin, she died right there. Then, when Nandagopa's son was seven months old, a Dānava named Śakaṭa arrived having assumed the form of a cart. Recognizing him as well, he crushed him with a single kick of his foot; and he too, turning into a Dānava, died right there. Then, when his month had turned,

127.2

Nandagopa's son goes to one house and drinks milk; he goes to another house and eats curd; he goes to one house and swallows fresh butter; he goes to another house and eats milk-rice pudding; and he goes to yet another house and overturns the buttermilk pot. Then the angry young cowherd women complained to Nandagopī. Thereupon the angry Nandagopī took a rope, bound his waist, and tied the rest of it to a mortar. Then, seeing him drag that mortar along, the Dānavas named Yamalārjuna were cast [before him]. Then the two stood together. As Nandagopa's son walked between them, dragging [the mortar], he crushed them down to their roots and branches; they too, turning into Dānavas, died right there. Then the cowherds said: 'Let him be named Lord Dāmodara of mighty power and valor from this day forth!' Then, when Nandagopa's son had merely learned to run about, a Dānava named Pralamba arrived, having taken the disguise of Nandagopa. Then, seeing him carrying off Saṅkarṣaṇa upon his neck, the Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa recognized him and dealt a blow with his fist upon that Dānava's head. Struck by that blow, his eyes knocked out, he too turned into a Dānava and died right there. Surrounded by cowherds, [Dāmodara] went to the palm forest to fetch palm fruits. There in the palm forest, a Dānava named Dhenuka arrived having taken the form of a donkey. Then, recognizing him as well, Lord Dāmodara seized his left leg, hurled him up, and brought down the palm fruits. He too, turning into a Dānava, died right there. Then a Dānava named Keśin arrived, having taken the form of a horse. Then, recognizing him as well, Lord Dāmodara thrust his elbow into his mouth. By that, the horse was split in two and knocked down. He too, turning into a Dānava, died right there. These and other deeds were performed by Lord Dāmodara.

127.3

[Dāmaka: …] when Nandagopa's son was ten nights old, a Dānava woman named Pūtanā, her breasts filled with poison, assumed the form of Nandagopī and came. Then, taking the child, her breast was thrust into his mouth. Recognizing her, he cast her down while sleeping, and she, turning back into a Dānava woman, died right there. Then, when Nandagopa's son was only a month old, a Dānava named Śakaṭa assumed the form of a cart and came. Knowing him too, he crushed him with a kick of one foot; he too turned back into a Dānava and died right there. Then, as the months turned, Nandagopa's son would go into one house and drink milk, go into another house and eat curds, go into one house and swallow the fresh butter, go into another house and eat sweet rice-milk, and go into another house and peer into the pot of buttermilk. Then the angered cowherd maidens told Nandagopī. Then angry Nandagopī took a rope, bound it around his middle, and tied the rest to a mortar. Then, seeing him dragging even that mortar, he threw it between the two Dānavas named Yamala and Arjuna. Then the two became one [tangled together]. Passing between them, dragging [the mortar], Nandagopa's son crushed their trunks along with their roots. They too became Dānavas and died right there. Then the cowherds said: 'He is of mighty strength and prowess; from this day forth let his name be Lord Dāmodara.' Then, when Nandagopa's son was just able to run this way and that, a Dānava named Pralamba assumed the form of Nandagopa and came. Then, seeing him walking off with Saṅkarṣaṇa on his neck, Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa struck that Dānava on the head with a blow of his fist. With eyes thrown out by that blow, he too became a Dānava and died right there. Surrounded by the cowherds, he went to the palm grove to gather palm fruits. There in the palm grove a Dānava named Dhenuka,

127.4

having assumed the form of a donkey, knocked down palm fruits by hurling himself up. He too became a Dānava and died right there. Then a Dānava named Keśin came, having assumed the form of a horse. Then, knowing him too, Lord Dāmodara seized his left foot, flung him up, and knocked down palm fruits. He too became a Dānava and died right there. Then a Dānava named Keśin came, having assumed the form of a horse. Then, knowing him too, Lord Dāmodara thrust his elbow into his mouth. Then by him the horse was torn in two. He too became a Dānava and died right there. These and other deeds were performed by Lord Dāmodara.)
Dāmaka: Uncle! Let all that be for now. Today Lord Dāmodara is coming to this Vṛndāvana to dance the hallīsaka dance with the cowherd girls.
Old Cowherd: In that case, let us watch Lord Dāmodara's hallīsaka dance together with all the cowherd folk.
Dāmaka: As uncle commands.
(Both exit.)
Interlude.
(Entering)
Old Cowherd: The sun having barely risen, bow your head with all reverence / constantly to the cows, the mothers of the world, filled with nectar. (1)

28_95

Ah, the prosperity of our settlements! Ready with pomp, dressed in costume with drums, let us go to sport. O cowherd girls of ours! Ghoṣasundarī! Vanamālā! Candrarekhā! Mṛgākṣī! Come, come quickly!
(The sun having barely risen, bow your head with all reverence / constantly to the cows, the mothers of the world, filled with nectar. (1)

28_96

Ah, the prosperity of our settlements! Ready with pomp, dressed in costume with drums, let us go to sport. O cowherd girls of ours! Ghoṣasundarī! Vanamālā! Candrarekhā! Mṛgākṣī! Come, come quickly!)
(Then enter all [the girls].)
All: Uncle, we greet you.
Old Cowherd: Girls! Here comes Lord Dāmodara, accompanied by Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, pale as cow's milk, and surrounded by cowherds, like a lion bursting from a cave, right in this direction.
(Then enters Dāmodara, accompanied by Saṅkarṣaṇa, surrounded by cowherd folk.)
Dāmodara: (With wonder) Ah, the splendid embellishment of costume assumed by these naturally lovely cowherd girls!
With faces and eyes like blooming lotuses and water-lilies, / these cowherd maidens, fair as golden campaka blossoms, / in robes of various dyed colors, uttering sweet chatter, / sport with their thick masses of hair filled with wild flowers. (2)

28_97

Saṅkarṣaṇa: Here have arrived the cowherd boys.
Delighted with their red flutes and drums, some stand making music; / some, with eyes and faces like lotus petals, play in diverse ways; / awakened in the settlement, exceedingly joyful amid the loud sounds of lowing, / having gone into the Vṛndā forest, some stand singing with equal delight. (3)

28_98

Old Cowherd: Yes, master! Everyone has arrived prepared.
Dāmaka: Victory to the master!
Saṅkarṣaṇa: Dāmaka! Have all the cowherd boys arrived?
Dāmaka: Yes, master! Everyone has arrived prepared.
Dāmodara: Ghoṣasundarī! Vanamālā! Candrarekhā! Mṛgākṣī! Let this hallīsaka round dance, suited to life in the cowherd settlement, be performed.
All the women: As the master commands.
Saṅkarṣaṇa: Dāmaka! Meghanāda! Sound the musical instruments.
Both: As you say, master.
Old Cowherd: Master! You are all going to dance the hallīsaka. What shall I do here?
Dāmodara: Surely you are a spectator.
Old Cowherd: As you say, master.
(All dance)
Old Cowherd: Aha, well sung! Well played! Well danced! Let me dance too. Oh, I am exhausted!
(Entering)

28_99

Cowherd: Alas, alas, master, get away from this place!
Dāmodara: Dāmaka! Why are you alarmed?
Cowherd: That Dānava named Ariṣṭarṣabha, taking the form of a solid thunderclap, is scratching the surface of the earth with the tips of his hooves; his roar is mistaken for the rumble of a thundercloud.
Dāmodara: So, Ariṣṭarṣabha has arrived. Taking these cowherd girls and boys, the noble one should ascend this mountain peak and watch the combat between me and that evil-minded one. I shall quell his pride.
(Saṅkarṣaṇa exits with them.)
Dāmodara: Here, here is the evil-minded Ariṣṭarṣabha!
Tearing up the surface of the earth with his hooves / and casting down riverbanks with his horns, / watched by the fear-stricken cowherds, / roaring, the king of bulls rushes forward. (4)

28_100

(Then enters Ariṣṭarṣabha.)
Ariṣṭarṣabha: Here I am!
As if scratching the sky with the rays of the tips of my horns, / having assumed the form of a bull to slay the enemy, / attacking the enemy who roars in return gracefully in Vṛndāvana, / today I wander at ease. (5)

28_101

At my roaring sound here in the settlement, / the wombs of women miscarry; / marked with crescents by the falls of my hoof-tips, / the earth trembles along with its trees and forests. (6)

28_102

Where on earth has the son of Nandagopa gone? Ho, son of Nandagopa! Where are you?
Dāmodara: Ho, vile bull! Over here, over here. Here I stand.
Ariṣṭarṣabha: (Looking) Oh!
This boy is indeed full of vigor, who, seeing me endowed with great strength, / of fierce form and great roar, / is neither frightened nor astonished. (7)

28_103

Dāmodara: What is this, ho! The word "fear" has been heard by me from you today.
I have arisen on the surface of the earth / to grant freedom from fear to the frightened. (8)

28_104

Ariṣṭarṣabha: Ho! You are a boy. Therefore indeed you do not know fear.
Dāmodara: Ho, vile bull! Why do you insult me saying, "a boy"?
Is one not killed when bitten by a young black cobra? / For by the boy Skanda, Krauñca was brought to destruction of old. (9)

28_105

Ariṣṭarṣabha: Ho, son of Nandagopa! What have you resolved?
Dāmodara: To bring you to your death.
Ariṣṭarṣabha: Are you capable?
Dāmodara: What doubt is there?
Ariṣṭarṣabha: In that case, take up a weapon suited to your kind.
Dāmodara: A weapon? Ha, ho!
These two arms of mine have shoulders as hard as a mountain crag; / a further weapon is only for weaklings like you. / Now, being crushed by my staff-like arms, / if you do not instantly fall to the ground, I am not Dāmodara! (11)

28_106

Ariṣṭarṣabha: In that case, let the fight begin.
Dāmodara: Ho, vile bull! If you have the strength, shake me from my spot as I stand on one foot.
Ariṣṭarṣabha: What doubt is there about this? (Trying to do so, he faints and falls.)
Dāmodara: Ho, bull! Take heart. You were proud of this prowess?
Ariṣṭarṣabha: (Reviving, to himself) Oh, this boy is hard to withstand!
Could this be Rudra, or could it be Śakra, or could it be Viṣṇu himself? / In my clear discernment, he is indeed that Supreme Being. (12)

28_107

Ah! Wherever we are born, right there the Supporter of the Three Worlds, / Madhusūdana, is present / for the destruction of the Dānavas. (13)

28_108

Be that as it may. Even if slain by Viṣṇu, imperishable worlds will be mine. Therefore I will fight. (Aloud) Ho, son of Nandagopa! My pride has risen again.
Dāmodara: Ha! Stand, stand now!
Why do you roar, having come into my grasp, king of bulls, / like an autumn-rain cloud swollen with rainfall? / Come, I will hurl you down; go to the surface of the earth / like a slope of Mount Añjana struck by Indra's bolt! (14)

28_109

(Having done so) Here is the evil-minded Ariṣṭarṣabha!
His nostrils, mouth, and eyes soaked by streams of spreading blood, / his hump and tail limp, his legs and ears twitching, / lifeless he falls to the ground, the bull, king of Dānavas, / like a mountain shivered by a thunderbolt [falling] with the peaks of its crests. (15)

28_110

(Entering)
Dāmaka: Victory to the master! Master Saṅkarṣaṇa, hearing that a great serpent named Kāliya has risen from the mountain into the pool of the Yamunā, has gone against him. Stop him, stop master Saṅkarṣaṇa!
Dāmodara: I too hear of the proud lord of serpents named Kāliya. Well then, I will subdue his arrogance.
Indeed, cattle, brahmins, and other subjects are tormented by him. / From this day forward, his spirit quieted, he shall lose his luster. .. 16 ..

28_111

(Both exit.)

28_112

Third Act.

28_113

Fourth Act

28_114

(Then enters Dāmodara.)
Dāmodara: With eyes like intoxicated young cakora birds, with blossoming charming breasts, / lovely, the luster of their lower lips trembling, with flower garlands slipping from their hair, / bewildered, their upper garments sliding off, cries stammered with terror, / terrified just at seeing the serpent's course, these cowherd maidens follow after me. .. 1 ..

28_115

(Then enter the cowherd maidens.)
All: Do not, master, do not enter this pool! This is indeed the abode of a brood of wicked great serpents.
Dāmodara: You must not despair at all. Look, ladies:
Entering and churning the deep pool of glossy waters, resembling an ocean, / its flocks of birds and hordes of beasts driven off, its waters looked upon by herds of elephants trembling in fear, / though restrained by the anxious cowherd maidens with affectionate, well-wishing, and gentle words, / I shall overpower the mighty serpent Kāliya, who delights in dwelling in the Kālindī. .. 2 ..

28_116

All: Master Saṅkarṣaṇa! Stop, stop master Dāmodara!
Saṅkarṣaṇa: Enough, enough of fear and sorrow! Your devotion has been shown. Look, ladies:
Seeing Kṛṣṇa rushing violently toward him, / the fierce serpent, fearful, bends down his inner coils with his head— / he from whose mouth issuing flames of burning poison, / inauspicious, have turned the circle of the quarters tawny. .. 3 ..

28_117

All: Ah, master Dāmodara too is just like that.
Dāmodara: For the welfare of all creatures, I shall quickly bring the serpent under my control. (Thus he enters the pool.)
All: Alas, alas, smoke has risen!
Dāmodara: Oh, the depth of the pool! For here,
Its waves resembling molten sapphire, / possessing the luster of curved dark silk cloth, / this Yamunā, filled with the fire of poison within, / I turn gray with Kāliya's smoke. .. 4 ..

28_118

(He exits.)
(Then enters an old cowherd.)
Old cowherd: Alas, master! Held back by the maidens, he has entered the pool of the Yamunā. He must not act rashly and enter! Here tigers, boars, and elephants, having drunk the water, die right on the spot. Why is he not seen? What shall I do now? Well, I shall climb this kumbhapalāśa tree and watch. (Climbing up and looking) Alas, alas, smoke has risen!

28_119

Saṅkarṣaṇa: Look, ladies:
Dāmodara here, seizing the serpent / and churning its water to the very depths, / standing on the coil of the black serpent, / shines like Indra standing upon a cloud. .. 5 ..

28_120

Old cowherd: Ah, bravo, master, bravo!
(Then enters Dāmodara holding Kāliya.)
Dāmodara: Look here!
Rebuking the writhing Kāliya, / one foot curved upon his head, my waving arms like banners, / upon the coil of the great serpent with hoods fierce with poison, / I perform a graceful, lovely hallīsaka dance. .. 6 ..

28_121

All: A wonder, master, a wonder! Trampling on the five hoods of Kāliya, he dances the hallīsaka!
Dāmodara: Meanwhile, I shall even pluck flowers.
Kāliya: Ah!
As the expanse of the universe [is encircled] by the Lokāloka mountain, and Mount Mandara / in the ocean of aquatic monsters by the serpent who was the string for Śiva's bow, / so, tightly wrapped around by my coil, hard as the stout, unbroken trunk of an elephant, / I shall at once send you now to the abode of the gods! .. 7 ..

28_122

Old cowherd: Alas, master! Master Dāmodara, with his flower-like feet, trampling with his foot the great serpent who resembles the Yamunā pool endowed with form, plucks flowers. (Climbing down) Bravo, master, bravo! Tear him, tear him! I too shall be your helper. Oh, I am afraid, master, I am afraid! I will go and report this matter to Nandagopa. (Exits.)
Dāmodara: From the depths of the Yamunā pool, whose fish and makaras are destroyed, / violently hissing with a great swelling of pride, / this venomous snake, foul, with long and rounded coils, / I now seize by force and fling swiftly onto the ground. .. 8 ..

28_123

Kāliya: Look here!
The earth goes to burning by him / whose body smokes with wrath; / so I shall burn you with rows of flames— / let the worlds together with the host of Maruts protect you! .. 9 ..

28_124

Dāmodara: Kāliya, if you have the power, burn one of my arms!
Kāliya: Ha, ha, ha!
Bounded by four oceans, with the seven primary mountain chains,
I could burn the entire earth—how should I not burn your arm? (10)

28_125

Ha, stand still now! Hey, I will reduce you to ashes! (He emits poisonous fire)
Dāmodara: Well, your prowess has been shown!
Kāliya: Be gracious, be gracious, Lord Nārāyaṇa!
Dāmodara: With this prowess you were arrogant.
Kāliya: Be gracious, Lord!
Lord of gods! Which raised Govardhana, of unequalled majesty,
your arm whose strength is equal to Mount Mandara—
what power have I to burn this mighty [arm],
on which, Lord of the three worlds, all the worlds depend? (11)

28_126

Lord, through ignorance I transgressed; together with my inner attendants, I have come to you for refuge.
Dāmodara: Kāliya, why have you now entered the pool of the Yamunā?
Kāliya: Terrified of Garuḍa, the Lord's noble mount, I entered here. Therefore I desire freedom from fear of Garuḍa through the Lord's grace.
Dāmodara: So be it, so be it.
Marked upon your head, lord of serpents, by my foot,
seeing this very [mark], Garuḍa will grant you freedom from fear. (12)

28_127

Kāliya: I am favored.
Dāmodara: Enter [back into the waters].
Kāliya: As Lord Nārāyaṇa commands.
Dāmodara: Or rather, come here a moment.
Kāliya: Lord, here I am.
Dāmodara: From this day forward, you must cause no harm to any beings, headed by cows and brahmins.
Kāliya: Lord, this water is polluted by my poison. Therefore, drawing back my poison this very moment, I depart from the pool of the Yamunā.
Dāmodara: Return, sir.
Kāliya: As Lord Nārāyaṇa commands.
(He exits with his retinue.)
Dāmodara: Meanwhile, I too will give to the cowherd maidens the flowers taken from the pool.
All [the maidens]: Hey, our master comes right this way, gladdening our hearts, with his body uninjured! Victory to our master!
Saṅkarṣaṇa: Let the flowers be taken!
All: Master! These flowers were never before gathered by hosts of sages; they have been touched [only] by the rays of the moon and the sun, not crushed [by anyone]. We are afraid, master!
Dāmodara: Having seen terror before, the poor girls are frightened. Do not fear, do not fear! Now, indeed, through the touch of my hands they have attained a gentle nature; take them!

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