Bhagavatapurana 10.28: athāṣṭaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

10.28.1

/0 śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
ekādaśyāṃ nirāhāraḥ samabhyarcya janārdanam /
snātuṃ nandas tu kālindyāṃ dvādaśyāṃ jalam āviśat //

1. Sri Suka said:—On an Ekadasi (day) Nanda kept fast and worshipped Janardana. On Dvadasi he descended into the water of Yamuna for performing ablutions.

10.28.2

taṃ gṛhītvānayad bhṛtyo varuṇasyāsuro 'ntikam /
avajñāyāsurīṃ velāṃ praviṣṭam udakaṃ niśi //

2. An asura, a servant of Varuna, seized and took him to the presence of Varuna; for Nanda, not knowing the Asura hour, had entered the river at dead of night.

10.28.3

cukruśus tam apaśyantaḥ kṛṣṇa rāmeti gopakāḥ /
bhagavāṃs tad upaśrutya pitaraṃ varuṇāhṛtam /
tad-antikaṃ gato rājan svānām abhaya-do vibhuḥ //

3. The Gopas missed Nanda and began to cry out, O Rama, O Krishna. On hearing them, the Lord saw that Nanda had been carried away to Varuna and went thither, for He is the Lord who affords protection to his dependants.

10.28.4

prāptaṃ vīkṣya hṛṣīkeśaṃ loka-pālaḥ saparyayā /
mahatyā pūjayitvāha tad-darśana-mahotsavaḥ //

4. Varuna saw that Hari, the Lord of the senses, was come and highly rejoiced at it, offered His worship on a grand scale and said:—

10.28.5

/0 śrī-varuṇa uvāca
adya me nibhṛto deho 'dyaivārtho 'dhigataḥ prabho /
tvat-pāda-bhājo bhagavann avāpuḥ pāram adhvanaḥ //

5. Varuna said:—Today I own a body full of purpose and to day my purpose is gained. [My eyes and tongue have become fruitful, O Lord, on seeing Thee]. Those that resorted to Thy feet, O Lord, have got to the end of their life's journey (attained salvation.)

10.28.6

namas tubhyaṃ bhagavate brahmaṇe paramātmane /
na yatra śrūyate māyā loka-sṛṣṭi-vikalpanā //

6. I bow to Thee, O glorious Lord, the Perfect Paramatman Omnipresent; and in Thee, it is said, Maya, the cause of the various creation, has no place.

10.28.7

ajānatā māmakena mūḍhenākārya-vedinā /
ānīto 'yaṃ tava pitā tad bhavān kṣantum arhati //

7. By an ignorant and foolish messenger of mine, not knowing what to do, Thy father has been brought here. May Thou be pleased to pardon me!

10.28.8

mamāpy anugrahaṃ kṛṣṇa kartum arhasy aśeṣa-dṛk /
govinda nīyatām eṣa pitā te pitṛ-vatsala //

8. O Krishna, Omniscient Lord, pray, be gracious unto me also, O Govinda full of filial love; here is Thy father, he may be taken back; [because Thy father was brought here it has been our fortunate lot to see Thee.]

10.28.9

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
evaṃ prasāditaḥ kṛṣṇo bhagavān īśvareśvaraḥ /
ādāyāgāt sva-pitaraṃ bandhūnāṃ cāvahan mudam //

9. Sri Suka said:—Thus propitiated, Krishna, the glorious Ruler of Rulers, took back His father to the great delight of His kith and kin.

10.28.10

nandas tv atīndriyaṃ dṛṣṭvā loka-pāla-mahodayam /
kṛṣṇe ca sannatiṃ teṣāṃ jñātibhyo vismito 'bravīt //

10. Having seen what is beyond the range of mortal sense as well as the wealth and grandeur of the protectors of the world, like Varuna and their submission to Krishna, Nanda wonderingly related all that to his people.

10.28.11

te cautsukya-dhiyo rājan matvā gopās tam īśvaram /
api naḥ sva-gatiṃ sūkṣmām upādhāsyad adhīśvaraḥ //

11. Those Gopas too with a still more wondering mind believed him to be the Supreme Lord, O king, and wished at heart, “May that Supreme Lord be pleased to grant unto us that subtle and eternal state and place.”

10.28.12

iti svānāṃ sa bhagavān vijñāyākhila-dṛk svayam /
saṅkalpa-siddhaye teṣāṃ kṛpayaitad acintayat //

12. Perceiving the wish at the heart of His people and in order to fulfil it, the Omniscient and glorious Lord graciously thought (thus.)

10.28.13

jano vai loka etasminn avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ /
uccāvacāsu gatiṣu na veda svāṃ gatiṃ bhraman //

13. “In this world creatures passing through higher and lower courses of life under the force of ignorance, desire and Karma, do not indeed in their wanderings perceive what their goal must be.”

10.28.14

iti sañcintya bhagavān mahā-kāruṇiko hariḥ /
darśayām āsa lokaṃ svaṃ gopānāṃ tamasaḥ param //

14. Having thus considered, the glorious Hari in overflowing mercy, afforded the Gopas a vision of His heavenly region which lies beyond darkness.

10.28.15

satyaṃ jñānam anantaṃ yad brahma-jyotiḥ sanātanam /
yad dhi paśyanti munayo guṇāpāye samāhitāḥ //

15. He revealed to them His own essential nature which is absolutely real, subject to no change or destruction, mere consciousness, distinct from the unintelligent principle and unlimited, self-luminous, eternal and perfect existence, realised by the wise when the influence (bondage) of gunas comes to an end.

10.28.16

te tu brahma-hradam nītā magnāḥ kṛṣṇena coddhṛtāḥ /
dadṛśur brahmaṇo lokaṃ yatrākrūro 'dhyagāt purā //

16. They were now taken to Brahmahrada, made to plunge in it and taken out by Krishna; and there they saw the region of

Brahman (realised the nature of Brahman) in the very spot where Akrura had previously enjoyed the grace.

10.28.17

nandādayas tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā paramānanda-nivṛtāḥ /
kṛṣṇaṃ ca tatra cchandobhiḥ stūyamānaṃ su-vismitāḥ //

17. Nanda and others were most happy to enjoy a vision of that region and there to see Krishna being sung with Vedic hymns and were thus filled with astonishment.