Bhagavatapurana 10.34: atha catustriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

10.34.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
ekadā deva-yātrāyāṃ gopālā jāta-kautukāḥ /
anobhir anaḍud-yuktaiḥ prayayus te 'mbikā-vanam //

Śrī Śuka said: / Once, on the occasion of a pilgrimage to a deity, the cowherds, curious, / set out for the forest of Ambikā in carts yoked to oxen.

1. Sri Suka said:— On a certain occasion, during a festival, the Gopa youths full of curiosity rode (drove) in carts drawn by oxen to a holy place known as Ambikavana (The forest of Durga).

10.34.2

tatra snātvā sarasvatyāṃ devaṃ paśu-patiṃ vibhum /
ānarcur arhaṇair bhaktyā devīṃ ca ṇṛpate 'mbikām //

Bathing there in the Sarasvatī, they worshipped the all-pervading god, the Lord of beasts, / and the goddess Ambikā, O king, with offerings in devotion.

2. O king! There they bathed in the Saraswati and with offerings and devotion, worshipped god Pasupati, the Lord of the world as also the goddess Ambika.

10.34.3

gāvo hiraṇyaṃ vāsāṃsi madhu madhv-annam ādṛtāḥ /
brāhmaṇebhyo daduḥ sarve devo naḥ prīyatām iti //

With reverence they all gave cows, gold, garments, honey, and honeyed food / to the brāhmaṇas, praying, "May the god be pleased with us."

3. Cows, Gold, Cloths, honey, sweet-meats,—all, with great kindness and attention they bestowed on brahmins praying, "May the gods be pleased with us."

10.34.4

ūṣuḥ sarasvatī-tīre jalaṃ prāśya yata-vratāḥ /
rajanīṃ tāṃ mahā-bhāgā nanda-sunandakādayaḥ //

Those most fortunate ones, Nanda, Sunandaka, and the others, strictly keeping their vow / and drinking only water, passed that night on the bank of the Sarasvatī.

4. The highly blessed Nanda, Sunandaka and others observed a rigid vow, subsisted only on water and spent that night on the banks of the Saraswati.

10.34.5

kaścin mahān ahis tasmin vipine 'ti-bubhukṣitaḥ /
yadṛcchayāgato nandaṃ śayānam ura-go 'grasīt //

A huge serpent, ravenously hungry in that forest, / came there by chance, and the reptile seized Nanda as he lay asleep.

5. A gigantic serpent of that forest, pinched with severe hunger, came by chance and swallowed the sleeping Nanda.

10.34.6

sa cukrośāhinā grastaḥ kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahān ayam /
sarpo māṃ grasate tāta prapannaṃ parimocaya //

Seized by the snake, he cried out: "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, this huge / serpent is swallowing me! Father, rescue me, for I have taken refuge with you!"

6. Nanda who was being swallowed, loudly screamed out, "O Krishna, Krishna, a great serpent devours me, O child, rescue me, looking to Thee for help."

10.34.7

tasya cākranditaṃ śrutvā gopālāḥ sahasotthitāḥ /
grastaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā vibhrāntāḥ sarpaṃ vivyadhur ulmukaiḥ //

Hearing his cry of distress, the cowherds jumped up at once; / and seeing him seized, bewildered, they struck the serpent with burning firebrands.

7. Hearing that cry Gopalas awoke at once and burnt the gigantic animal with fire-brands and when they saw Nanda in the mouth of the serpent, they were at a loss to know what to do.

10.34.8

alātair dahyamāno 'pi nāmuñcat tam uraṅgamaḥ /
tam aspṛśat padābhyetya bhagavān sātvatāṃ patiḥ //

Though being burned with the firebrands, the serpent would not let him go; / then the Lord, master of the Sātvatas, approached and touched him with His foot.

8. Though burnt with fire-brands the serpent did not give up Nanda; then the glorious Lord of Satwatas came up and touched it with His foot.

10.34.9

sa vai bhagavataḥ śrīmat pāda-sparśa-hatāśubhaḥ /
bheje sarpa-vapur hitvā rūpaṃ vidyādharārcitam //

His sins struck down by the touch of the Lord’s glorious foot, / he cast off the body of a serpent and attained a form worshipped by Vidyādharas.

9. Being absolved indeed from his sin at the very touch of the foot of the glorious Lord, he cast off his serpent body and appeared in his real person praised by Vidyadharas.

10.34.10

tam apṛcchad dhṛṣīkeśaḥ praṇataṃ samavasthitam /
dīpyamānena vapuṣā puruṣaṃ hema-mālinam //

Hṛṣīkeśa questioned that man, who bowed low and stood before Him / with a radiant body, wearing a necklace of gold:

10. As he came near and fell on His feet with a brilliant body adorned with a wreath of gold, the glorious Lord asked him.

10.34.11

ko bhavān parayā lakṣmyā rocate 'dbhuta-darśanaḥ /
kathaṃ jugupsitām etāṃ gatiṃ vā prāpito 'vaśaḥ //

"Who are you, shining with supreme beauty, wonderful to behold? / And how did you, helpless, come to meet such a loathsome fate?"

11. "Who art thou of wonderful (beautiful) form shining with great splendour? How didst thou, losing self-control, attain to this detestable life?

10.34.12

/0 sarpa uvāca
ahaṃ vidyādharaḥ kaścit sudarśana iti śrutaḥ /
śriyā svarūpa-sampattyā vimānenācaran diśaḥ //

The serpent said: / "I am a certain Vidyādhara known as Sudarśana. / endowed with wealth and personal beauty, I used to traverse the directions in a celestial chariot.

12. The serpent said:— I am the Vidhyadhara Sudarsana endowed with splendour and a beautiful form and in my aerial car I was going about in every direction.

10.34.13

ṛṣīn virūpāṅgirasaḥ prāhasaṃ rūpa-darpitaḥ /
tair imāṃ prāpito yoniṃ pralabdhaiḥ svena pāpmanā //

Proud of my beauty, I laughed at the deformed sages of the lineage of Aṅgiras; / derided by me, through my own sin they caused me to attain this species of birth.

13. Proud of my personal beauty I laughed at the sages Angirasas on account of their ugly form, and by them so derided I was for my sin cursed down into this life.

10.34.14

śāpo me 'nugrahāyaiva kṛtas taiḥ karuṇātmabhiḥ /
yad ahaṃ loka-guruṇā padā spṛṣṭo hatāśubhaḥ //

The curse laid by those compassionate souls was truly for my favor, / since I have been touched by the foot of the Guru of the universe and my sins are destroyed.

14. It is really a blessing to me that those merciful sages pronounced a curse on me; for I am touched by the Father of the Universe with His own foot and absolved from all sin.

10.34.15

taṃ tvāhaṃ bhava-bhītānāṃ prapannānāṃ bhayāpaham /
āpṛcche śāpa-nirmuktaḥ pāda-sparśād amīva-han //

I take leave of You, who dispel the fear of those who have surrendered in dread of cyclic existence; / freed from the curse by the touch of Your foot, O destroyer of sorrow,

15. O Lord that puttest an end to all misery (sin)! Released from the curse on coming in contact with Thy feet, I pray for Thy permission; for Thou removest the fear of those who, terrified at Samsara, resort to Thee for protection.

10.34.16

prapanno 'smi mahā-yogin mahā-puruṣa sat-pate /
anujānīhi māṃ deva sarva-lokeśvareśvara //

I have taken refuge in You, O great yogin, O Supreme Person, O lord of the virtuous devotees! / Grant me leave, O Lord, Sovereign over the rulers of all worlds!

16. I lay myself at Thy feet, O great Yogin, O perfect Person, O Protector of the righteous, pray permit me, O Krishna, O Ruler of the Rulers of all the worlds, O Achyuta, at Thy sight, O wonderful one, I am released from the brahmin curse.

10.34.17

brahma-daṇḍād vimukto 'haṃ sadyas te 'cyuta darśanāt /
yan-nāma gṛhṇann akhilān śrotṝn ātmānam eva ca /
sadyaḥ punāti kiṃ bhūyas tasya spṛṣṭaḥ padā hi te //

O Acyuta, I was instantly freed from the brāhmaṇas' punishment by the sight of You; / chanting whose name immediately purifies all listeners and oneself as well— / what more then for one touched by Your foot?"

17. Whoever utters the name of that Lord purifies at once all those that listen to him as well as himself; much more so is the person who is touched by Thy very glorious foot.

10.34.18

ity anujñāpya dāśārhaṃ parikramyābhivandya ca /
sudarśano divaṃ yātaḥ kṛcchrān nandaś ca mocitaḥ //

Having thus taken leave of the descendant of Daśārha, circumambulating and bowing to Him, / Sudarśana departed to heaven, and Nanda was rescued from peril.

18. Having thus taken leave of Sri Krishna, and gone round Him and bowed to Him, Sudarsana soared away to the celestial region and Nanda was rescued from peril.

10.34.18.p1

niśāmya kṛṣṇasya tad ātma-vaibhavaṃ $ vrajaukaso vismita-cetasas tataḥ &

Having witnessed that majesty of Kṛṣṇa's self, the dwellers of Vraja, their minds astonished, then,

19. Having seen that glorious nature of Sri Krishna, the people of Vraja with wondering minds completed their religious observances at that holy place and, O king, they returned to Vraja devoutly discoursing on His exploits and greatness.

10.34.19

samāpya tasmin niyamaṃ punar vrajaṃ % ṇṛpāyayus tat kathayanta ādṛtāḥ //

O King, completed their ritual observance there and returned to Vraja, recounting it with devotion.

10.34.20

kadācid atha govindo rāmaś cādbhuta-vikramaḥ /
vijahratur vane rātryāṃ madhya-gau vraja-yoṣitām //

Then one day Govinda and Rāma of wondrous valor / sported in the forest at night, moving in the midst of the women of Vraja.

20. And on another night both Govinda and Rama of wonderful prowess were sporting in the midst of Gopa women. (V. of cows and Gopa women).

10.34.21

upagīyamānau lalitaṃ strī-janair baddha-sauhṛdaiḥ /
sv-alaṅkṛtānuliptāṅgau sragvinau virajo-'mbarau //

They were sung to sweetly by the women whose affection was bound to them; / their limbs were finely adorned and anointed, wearing garlands and spotless garments.

21. Being affectionately praised by the women full of deep love, they shone in their pure clothes and adorned with garlands of flowers, ornaments and pigments.

10.34.22

niśā-mukhaṃ mānayantāv uditoḍupa-tārakam /
mallikā-gandha-mattāli- juṣṭaṃ kumuda-vāyunā //

They honored the commencement of the night, when the moon and stars had risen, / frequented by bees intoxicated by the fragrance of jasmine, and blown upon by the water-lily breeze.

22. In appreciation they were enjoying the evening tide as the moon and the stars were rising into view and as the breezes blew from lily beds with the bees drawn in by the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

10.34.23

jagatuḥ sarva-bhūtānāṃ manaḥ-śravaṇa-maṅgalam /
tau kalpayantau yugapat svara-maṇḍala-mūrcchitam //

They both sang music that was auspicious to the minds and ears of all beings, / executing together modulating sweeps across the full musical scale.

23. Together they sang such ravishing airs and in such grades of pitch of the various notes as were most auspicious and delightful to the mind and ears of all beings.

10.34.24

gopyas tad-gītam ākarṇya mūrcchitā nāvidan nṛpa /
sraṃsad-dukūlam ātmānaṃ srasta-keśa-srajaṃ tataḥ //

Hearing their singing, O king, the gopīs were so enraptured that they were not aware / of their garments slipping down or their hair-garlands coming undone.

24. Hearing that music the Gopis fell into a trance and could not know of their dress, braids or wreaths getting loosened.

10.34.25

evaṃ vikrīḍatoḥ svairaṃ gāyatoḥ sampramatta-vat /
śaṅkhacūḍa iti khyāto dhanadānucaro 'bhyagāt //

As the two were thus sporting freely and singing like intoxicated lovers, / a servant of the Lord of Wealth, known as Śaṅkhacūḍa, approached.

25. When they were both sporting and singing thus, as it listed them, there came in as if in self-forgetfulness a follower of Kubera, the well-known Sankhachuda.

10.34.26

tayor nirīkṣato rājaṃs tan-nāthaṃ pramadā-janam /
krośantaṃ kālayām āsa diśy udīcyām aśaṅkitaḥ //

While the two were looking on, O King, that thief, without hesitation, / drove that company of women, whose protectors were those two, crying out toward the north.

26. Before their eyes he fearlessly drove, O king, the screaming women who enjoyed their protection towards the north.

10.34.27

krośantaṃ kṛṣṇa rāmeti vilokya sva-parigraham /
yathā gā dasyunā grastā bhrātarāv anvadhāvatām //

Seeing their own dependents crying out, "Kṛṣṇa! Rāma!", / the two brothers ran after them, as if pursuing cows seized by a bandit.

27. Seeing His own people crying out, 'O Rama, O Krishna,' like cows that are seized by a thief, the brothers ran to them. 28. The two powerful brothers, Rama and Krishna, shouted out their promise of protection, saying, 'fear not', made haste with Sala (Tala) trees in their hands and speedily overtook the wretch of a Guhyaka.

10.34.28

mā bhaiṣṭety abhayārāvau śāla-hastau tarasvinau /
āsedatus taṃ tarasā tvaritaṃ guhyakādhamam //

Shouting, "Do not fear!", holding śāla branches in their hands, the two swift heroes / rushed with great speed upon that vilest of Guhyakas.

10.34.29

sa vīkṣya tāv anuprāptau kāla-mṛtyū ivodvijan /
viṣṛjya strī-janaṃ mūḍhaḥ prādravaj jīvitecchayā //

Seeing those two arrived like Time and Death, trembling with agitation, / the fool abandoned the women and fled, wishing to save his life.

29. On seeing them both at his heels like two gods of death, he shuddered, abandoned the women and in confusion took to his heels to save his life.

10.34.30

tam anvadhāvad govindo yatra yatra sa dhāvati /
jihīrṣus tac-chiro-ratnaṃ tasthau rakṣan striyo balaḥ //

Govinda pursued him wherever he ran, / desiring to take the jewel from his head, while Bala stood guarding the women.

30. To every corner he was running to, Govinda pursued him in order to deprive him of the jewel on his head, while Balarama stood guard over the women.

10.34.31

avidūra ivābhyetya śiras tasya durātmanaḥ /
jahāra muṣṭinaivāṅga saha-cūḍa-maṇiṃ vibhuḥ //

Coming close as if without effort, with a single blow of His fist the all-powerful Lord / struck off the evil-minded one’s head, O King, along with the crest-jewel.

31. At no great distance Krishna confronted him and with His fist deprived him of his head together with the jewel on it, O beloved king.

10.34.32

śaṅkhacūḍaṃ nihatyaivaṃ maṇim ādāya bhāsvaram /
agrajāyādadāt prītyā paśyantīnāṃ ca yoṣitām //

Having thus slain Śaṅkhacūḍa and taken the radiant jewel, / He gave it with affection to His elder brother, while the women looked on.

32. Having thus slain Sankhachuda and brought the brilliant jewel He presented it to His elder brother, before the witnessing women.