Bhagavatapurana 10.84

10.84.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
śrutvā pṛthā subala-putry atha yājñasenī $ mādhavy atha kṣitipa-patnya uta sva-gopyaḥ &
śrutvā pṛthā subala-putry atha yājñasenī $ mādhavy atha kṣitipa-patnya uta sva-gopyaḥ &
kṛṣṇe 'khilātmani harau praṇayānubandhaṃ % sarvā visismyur alam aśru-kalākulākṣyaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / Hearing of this bond of love for Kṛṣṇa, Hari, the Self of all, / Pṛthā, the daughter of Subala, Draupadī, / Mādhavī, the wives of the kings, and the women of the cowherds / were all greatly amazed, their eyes filled with tears.

1. Sri Suka said:— Kunti, Gandhari, Draupadi, Subhadra, the queens of the many kings and the Gopis devoted to Krishna—all were cast in wonder, tears rising in their eyes to hear of the ties of affection which His consorts bore to Sri Krishna, the Atman of all.

10.84.2

* //
iti sambhāṣamāṇāsu strībhiḥ strīṣu nṛbhir nṛṣu /
āyayur munayas tatra kṛṣṇa-rāma-didṛkṣayā //

As the women were conversing thus among women, and the men among men, / sages arrived there, / desiring to see Kṛṣṇa and Rāma:

2. When they were thus conversing, women with women and men with men, Rishis came to that spot, yearning to see Sri Krishna and Rama,—

10.84.3

dvaipāyano nāradaś ca cyavano devalo 'sitaḥ /
viśvāmitraḥ śatānando bharadvājo 'tha gautamaḥ //

Dvaipāyana, Nārada, Cyavana, Devala, Asita, / Viśvāmitra, Śatānanda, Bharadvāja, Gautama,

3. to 5. —Dwaipayana, Narada, Chyavana, Devala, Asita, Visvamitra, Satananda, Bharadhwaja, Gautama, Parasara with his disciples, worshipful Vasishta, Galava, Bhrigu, Pulastya, Kasyapa, Atri, Markandeya, Brihaspati, Dwita, Trita, Ekata, the sons of Brahma (Sanaka and others), Angiras, Agastya, Yagnavalkya, Vamadeva and many others.

10.84.4

rāmaḥ sa-śiṣyo bhagavān vasiṣṭho gālavo bhṛguḥ /
pulastyaḥ kaśyapo 'triś ca mārkaṇḍeyo bṛhaspatiḥ //

Lord Paraśurāma with his disciples, Vasiṣṭha, Gālava, Bhṛgu, / Pulastya, Kaśyapa, Atri, Mārkaṇḍeya, Bṛhaspati,

3. to 5. —Dwaipayana, Narada, Chyavana, Devala, Asita, Visvamitra, Satananda, Bharadhwaja, Gautama, Parasara with his disciples, worshipful Vasishta, Galava, Bhrigu, Pulastya, Kasyapa, Atri, Markandeya, Brihaspati, Dwita, Trita, Ekata, the sons of Brahma (Sanaka and others), Angiras, Agastya, Yagnavalkya, Vamadeva and many others.

10.84.5

dvitas tritaś caikataś ca brahma-putrās tathāṅgirāḥ /
agastyo yājñavalkyaś ca vāmadevādayo 'pare //

Dvita, Trita, Ekata, the sons of Brahmā, and Aṅgiras, / Agastya, Yājñavalkya, Vāmadeva, and others.

3. to 5. —Dwaipayana, Narada, Chyavana, Devala, Asita, Visvamitra, Satananda, Bharadhwaja, Gautama, Parasara with his disciples, worshipful Vasishta, Galava, Bhrigu, Pulastya, Kasyapa, Atri, Markandeya, Brihaspati, Dwita, Trita, Ekata, the sons of Brahma (Sanaka and others), Angiras, Agastya, Yagnavalkya, Vamadeva and many others.

10.84.6

tān dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya prāg āsīnā nṛpādayaḥ /
pāṇḍavāḥ kṛṣṇa-rāmau ca praṇemur viśva-vanditān //

Seeing them, the kings and others, who had been seated before, stood up at once; / the Pāṇḍavas, Kṛṣṇa, and Rāma / bowed down to those worshiped by the universe.

6. On seeing them the kings at once rose (first) from their seats: Pandavas, Krishna and Rama all bowed to the Rishis worshipped by the world.

10.84.7

tān ānarcur yathā sarve saha-rāmo 'cyuto 'rcayat /
svāgatāsana-pādyārghya- mālya-dhūpānulepanaiḥ //

Acyuta, along with Rāma, worshiped them, as did everyone, / with welcoming words, seats, water for the feet, respectful offerings, / garlands, incense, and ointments.

7. Rama, Achyuta and all duly honoured them with words of welcome, seats, water to wash their feet and Arghya, flowers, scented fumes and Chandana.

10.84.8

uvāca sukham āsīnān bhagavān dharma-gup-tanuḥ /
sadasas tasya mahato yata-vāco 'nuśṛṇvataḥ //

When they were comfortably seated, the Lord, whose body protects dharma, / addressed them while that great assembly fell silent and listened:

8. When they were comfortably seated, the Almighty Lord, who in a personal form was in the world for the protection of Dharma, spoke to them while the large assembly (concourse) was silently listening.

10.84.9

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
aho vayaṃ janma-bhṛto labdhaṃ kārtsnyena tat-phalam /
devānām api duṣprāpaṃ yad yogeśvara-darśanam //

The Lord said: / Ah, our birth has borne fruit, its full reward is attained, / since we have gained the sight of the masters of yoga, which is difficult even for the gods to obtain.

9. The Lord said:— Highly blessed are we to be born and fruit thereof is completely attained, to enjoy a visit from the great Yogins, which is not easily gained even by the gods.

10.84.10

kiṃ svalpa-tapasāṃ nṝṇām arcāyāṃ deva-cakṣuṣām /
darśana-sparśana-praśna- prahva-pādārcanādikam //

How much less [can it be attained] by men of meager austerities, who see the divine only in an image— / this seeing, touching, inquiring, bowing, worshiping their feet, and the rest?

10. Much more so are the mortals of poor tapas, accustomed to worship the idol as God, who have now the fortunate chance to enjoy your sight, to touch and converse with you, to bow to you, to worship your feet and so on.

10.84.11

na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devā mṛc-chilā-mayāḥ /
te punanty uru-kālena darśanād eva sādhavaḥ //

For sacred waters consisting of water and deities consisting of clay or stone / purify only after a long time, but virtuous devotees purify by merely being seen.

11. Indeed those are not holy waters that are in the form of sheets of water, the gods are not those that are made of earth and stone, for they purify the man only through a long process of time, but the righteous purify him at the very sight.

10.84.11.p1

nāgnir na sūryo na ca candra-tārakā $ na bhūr jalaṃ khaṃ śvasano 'tha vāṅ manaḥ &

Neither fire, nor the sun, nor the moon and stars, nor earth, water, space, wind, speech, or mind,

12. Agni, Surya, Chandra, Stars and planets, the Earth, Water, the Heavens, Vayu, Speech, Mind—these being worshipped, cannot remove sin, since they promote the sense of difference (the sin of that man who indulges in the notion of difference): whereas men of wisdom, worshipped even for a short while, remove it completely.

10.84.12

upāsitā bheda-kṛto haranty aghaṃ % vipaścito ghnanti muhūrta-sevayā //

worshiped by one who makes distinctions, remove sin; but the wise destroy it through even a moment's service.

10.84.12.p2

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke $ sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ &

He who thinks of this corpse of three humors as the self, who thinks of wife and kin as his own, who regards an earthen idol as an object of worship,

13. He indeed is a donkey among brutes of men, who regards the lifeless body of three humours as Atman (self), the wife and other relations as his own self, a piece of moulded earth as the god to be worshipped, dull water to be the holy thing, but does not regard men of wisdom to be Atman, or his own or the object of worship, or the holy thing (waters or place).

10.84.12.p3

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke $ sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ &

He who thinks of this corpse of three humors as the self, who thinks of wife and kin as his own, who regards an earthen idol as an object of worship,

10.84.13

yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij % janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ //

and who considers a sacred place to consist of water, but never in wise people—he is indeed an ass among cows.

10.84.14

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
niśamyetthaṃ bhagavataḥ kṛṣṇasyākuṇtha-medhasaḥ /
vaco duranvayaṃ viprās tūṣṇīm āsan bhramad-dhiyaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / Hearing these words of the Lord Kṛṣṇa of unhindered intelligence, / words hard to fathom, the brāhmaṇas fell silent, their minds bewildered.

14. Sri Suka said:— Listening to such words from the lips of the glorious Krishna of infinite wisdom, which they could not properly make out, the wise sages were confounded and kept silence.

10.84.15

ciraṃ vimṛśya munaya īśvarasyeśitavyatām /
jana-saṅgraha ity ūcuḥ smayantas taṃ jagad-gurum //

Pondering for a long time on the Lord acting as if subordinate to others, / the sages realized, 'This is for guiding the people,' and smiling, they addressed that teacher of the universe.

15. For a long while the sages thought over how the Supreme Lord behaved like a creature under His control, smiled and said to the Father of the world, ‘this is a teaching to the world.’

10.84.16

/0 śrī-munaya ūcuḥ
yan-māyayā tattva-vid-uttamā vayaṃ vimohitā viśva-sṛjām adhīśvarāḥ /
yad īśitavyāyati gūḍha īhayā aho vicitram bhagavad-viceṣṭitam //

The sages said: / By whose creative power we, foremost knowers of truth and masters of the world-creators, are completely bewildered, / who, though hidden, acts through His endeavor as if subject to rule—ah, wondrous are the Lord's deeds!

16. Sages said:—Most wonderful is the work of the Almighty Lord under the power of whose Maya we, foremost among those that know the truth, great progenitors of the world as we are, stand deluded when by His behaviour the Lord conceals Himself and seems to be a poor creature of the world.

10.84.17

anīha etad bahudhaika ātmanā sṛjaty avaty atti na badhyate yathā /
bhaumair hi bhūmir bahu-nāma-rūpiṇī aho vibhūmnaś caritaṃ viḍambanam //

Desireless, alone, by Himself He creates, protects, and consumes this [universe] in many ways, yet is not bound, / just as the earth is not bound by earthly things of manifold names and forms; ah, the conduct of the limitless one is mere play!

17. The Lord of whom no activity can be predicated, is by Himself still in these many forms and creates, protects and swall-

ows up this universe: but He is not limited by it, just as the one earth has many names and forms through her own products. Ah! most wonderful is the course of the Perfect One which is but imitation.

10.84.18

athāpi kāle sva-janābhiguptaye bibharṣi sattvaṃ khala-nigrahāya ca /
sva-līlayā veda-pathaṃ sanātanaṃ varṇāśramātmā puruṣaḥ paro bhavān //

Nevertheless, in time You assume purity to protect Your own people and subdue the wicked, / maintaining by Your divine play the eternal path of the Vedas—You, the Supreme Person who embody the classes and stages of life.

18. Still at times, for the protection of Thy people and for putting down the wicked, Thou assumest the pure Satvika form and by Thine own example maintainest the eternal Vedic path—Thou art the Highest Person, the embodiment of Varna and Asrama duties.

10.84.19

brahma te hṛdayaṃ śuklaṃ tapaḥ-svādhyāya-saṃyamaiḥ /
yatropalabdhaṃ sad vyaktam avyaktaṃ ca tataḥ param //

Brahman is Your pure heart, [revealed] by austerity, study of scripture, and self-restraint, / wherein is perceived reality, manifest, unmanifest, and beyond.

19. The Veda is Thy absolutely pure heart: for by means of study, tapas and self-control Brahman is therein realised as the pure existence, as the effected world and as the subtle cause beyond them.

10.84.20

tasmād brahma-kulaṃ brahman śāstra-yones tvam ātmanaḥ /
sabhājayasi sad dhāma tad brahmaṇyāgraṇīr bhavān //

Therefore, O Brahman, You honor the brāhmaṇa community, who have the scriptures as their origin, as Your own true abode, / and thus You are the foremost champion of the brāhmaṇas.

20. Therefore, O Perfect Lord, Thou honourest the brahmin race which is the best shrine for Thee to be known through the Sastras. Therefore Thou art the First and Foremost Patron of brahmanas.

10.84.21

adya no janma-sāphalyaṃ vidyāyās tapaso dṛśaḥ /
tvayā saṅgamya sad-gatyā yad antaḥ śreyasāṃ paraḥ //

Today our birth, our learning, our austerity, and our vision have borne fruit / by meeting with You, the goal of the virtuous, which is the ultimate end of all blessings.

21. To-day in having met Thee, goal of the righteous, we have gained the full benefit of our birth, our learning, tapas and eyes, for in Thee culminate the series of great blessings.

10.84.22

namas tasmai bhagavate kṛṣṇāyākuṇṭha-medhase /
sva-yogamāyayācchanna- mahimne paramātmane //

Obeisance to that Lord Kṛṣṇa of unhindered intellect, / the Supreme Self whose majesty is concealed by His own power of illusion!

22. We bow to Thee, Almighty Lord, Krishna of unlimited wisdom, whose glory is kept concealed by Thine own Yogamaya and who art the Paramatman.

10.84.23

na yaṃ vidanty amī bhū-pā ekārāmāś ca vṛṣṇayaḥ /
māyā-javanikācchannam ātmānaṃ kālam īśvaram //

Whom these kings and Vṛṣṇis, indulging in outer pleasures, do not know— / the Self, Time, and the Lord concealed by the curtain of creative power.

23. These kings, and the Vrishnis who live in the same place, do not realise that Thou art the all-powerful Iswara and Time and Paramatman hidden behind Thine own Maya.

10.84.24

yathā śayānaḥ puruṣa ātmānaṃ guṇa-tattva-dṛk /
nāma-mātrendriyābhātaṃ na veda rahitaṃ param //

Just as a sleeping person, observing the reality of the dream qualities, / knows only what appears to his senses of mere names, and does not know the supreme [self] free [from them],

24. Just as a person, having true insight into the real nature of the gunas, knows in a state of dream Atman revealed by the

senses only as a name, but not the Atman who is nameless and distinct from name.

10.84.25

evaṃ tvā nāma-mātreṣu viṣayeṣv indriyehayā /
māyayā vibhramac-citto na veda smṛty-upaplavāt //

so one whose mind is bewildered by creative power in objects of mere names through sensory exertion / does not know You, due to the loss of memory.

25. Similarly through his sense-activity, which is the deluding power, Maya, directed to objects existing but in name, man gets his mind deluded and, thereby having lost the power of discernment, fails to realise Thee.

10.84.25.p1

tasyādya te dadṛśimāṅghrim aghaugha-marṣa- $ tīrthāspadaṃ hṛdi kṛtaṃ su-vipakva-yogaiḥ &

Today we have beheld Your foot, which destroys heaps of sins and is the abode of sacred waters, held in the heart by those of fully matured yoga;

26. Today we have seen the feet of that Almighty Lord, Thyself, from which flow the holy waters that wash off the entire heap of sin, which are always enthroned in the heart of those whose yoga practices are well ripe. Only those who through their overflowing devotion have got rid of the evil tendencies in their self have attained delight in Thee: therefore pray, be gracious unto Thy devotees.

10.84.26

utsikta-bhakty-upahatāśaya jīva-kośā % āpur bhavad-gatim athānugṛhāna bhaktān //

those whose inner sheath of the soul is destroyed by overflowing devotion attain Your state; therefore show grace to Your devotees.

10.84.27

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
ity anujñāpya dāśārhaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram /
rājarṣe svāśramān gantuṃ munayo dadhire manaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / Having thus taken leave of the descendant of Daśārha, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Yudhiṣṭhira, / O royal sage, the sages set their minds on returning to their hermitages.

27. Sri Suka said:— Having thus prayed and taken leave of Sri Krishna, Dhritarashtra and Yudhishtira, O saintly king, the sages thought of returning to their hermitages.

10.84.28

tad vīkṣya tān upavrajya vasudevo mahā-yaśāḥ /
praṇamya copasaṅgṛhya babhāṣedaṃ su-yantritaḥ //

Seeing that, the illustrious Vasudeva approached them, / bowed, took hold [of their feet], and spoke with great restraint:

28. When he saw them setting off, the venerable son of Sura followed them, bowed to them and, taking hold of their feet, with great control over himself, spoke thus.

10.84.29

/0 śrī-vasudeva uvāca
namo vaḥ sarva-devebhya ṛṣayaḥ śrotum arhatha /
karmaṇā karma-nirhāro yathā syān nas tad ucyatām //

Śrī Vasudeva said: / Obeisance to you, embodiments of all the gods! O ṛṣis, please listen: / tell us how the eradication of karmic action by means of karmic action may take place.

29. Vasudeva said:— I bow to you, all the gods, O sages, please listen to me and be pleased to explain how it is possible to get relief from Karma by means of Karma.

10.84.30

/0 śrī-nārada uvāca
nāti-citram idaṃ viprā vasudevo bubhutsayā /
kṛṣṇam matvārbhakaṃ yan naḥ pṛcchati śreya ātmanaḥ //

Śrī Nārada said: / This is not very surprising, O brāhmaṇas, that desiring knowledge, / Vasudeva asks us about his own welfare, considering Kṛṣṇa to be a boy.

30. Narada said:— O great sages, this is the matter for surprise; Vasudeva thinks his Krishna to be a child and desirous of knowledge he puts the question to us for his own good.

10.84.31

sannikarṣo 'tra martyānām anādaraṇa-kāraṇam /
gāṅgaṃ hitvā yathānyāmbhas tatratyo yāti śuddhaye //

In this world, familiarity is the cause of disrespect among mortals, / just as a person dwelling near the Gaṅgā abandons its water and goes to other water for purification.

31. Here proximity is the cause of men’s neglecting (the most valuable things at hand): for a person living on the banks of the Ganges leaves it and goes to some other distant water for the sake of purification.

10.84.32

yasyānubhūtiḥ kālena layotpatty-ādināsya vai /
svato 'nyasmāc ca guṇato na kutaścana riṣyati //

Whose direct experience is never impaired by time, through the dissolution, creation, and so forth of this [universe], / neither by Himself, nor by another, nor by the qualities, nor by anything at all;

32. The unlimited wisdom of the Lord does not suffer any change from any cause whatever by force of time, though it leads to the destruction, creation, etc., of his world or by nature or by some other force, or, by the force of gunas.

10.84.33

taṃ kleśa-karma-paripāka-guṇa-pravāhair avyāhatānubhavam īśvaram advitīyam /
prāṇādibhiḥ sva-vibhavair upagūḍham anyo manyeta sūryam iva megha-himoparāgaiḥ //

Him, whose experience is unimpeded by the streams of afflictions, karmic fruition, and gunas, the peerless Lord, / veiled by His own powers such as the vital breaths, another may consider [limited], like the sun [covered] by clouds, snow, or an eclipse.

33. Though He is the Lord of perfect wisdom unassailed by troubles, Karma and its consequences and the stream of gunas, and

the one Supreme Ruler without a second, an ordinary mortal may regard Him as one like himself, for He is concealed behind the senses and other conditions of his own creation, even as the sun is behind the clouds, mist and Rahu (under eclipse).

10.84.34

athocur munayo rājann ābhāṣyānalsadundabhim /
sarveṣāṃ śṛṇvatāṃ rājñāṃ tathaivācyuta-rāmayoḥ //

Then the sages spoke, O King, addressing Ānakadundubhi, / while all the kings as well as Acyuta and Rāma were listening:

34. Then the sages, O prince, addressed Anakadundubhi (thus), all the kings as well as Rama and Krishna listening.

10.84.35

karmaṇā karma-nirhāra eṣa sādhu-nirūpitaḥ /
yac chraddhayā yajed viṣṇuṃ sarva-yajñeśvaraṃ makhaiḥ //

This is well determined as the eradication of karmic action by karmic action: / that with faith one worships Viṣṇu, the Lord of all sacrifices, through sacrificial rites.

35. How Karma removes Karma is well expounded thus—that is, one should with faith worship Vishnu, the Lord of all sacrifices by means of sacrifices.

10.84.36

cittasyopaśamo 'yaṃ vai kavibhiḥ śāstra-cakṣusā /
darśitaḥ su-gamo yogo dharmaś cātma-mud-āvahaḥ //

This quieting of the mind, indeed, has been revealed by the wise through the eye of scripture / as an easy path of yoga and a dharma that brings joy to the soul.

36. This course is made to be seen by the wise through the eye of Sastra to be the means of tranquility of the mind and this is the easiest course to Moksha and it is the righteous course that necessarily brings delight to Atman.

10.84.37

ayaṃ svasty-ayanaḥ panthā dvi-jāter gṛha-medhinaḥ /
yac chraddhayāpta-vittena śuklenejyeta pūruṣaḥ //

This is the auspicious path for a twice-born householder: / that with faith he worships the Supreme Person with wealth acquired by pure means.

37. This is the most auspicious course for a twice-born living as a house-holder that the worthy man should with faith perform the sacrificial worship with the pure wealth obtained by righteous means.

10.84.38

vittaiṣaṇāṃ yajña-dānair gṛhair dāra-sutaiṣaṇām /
ātma-lokaiṣaṇāṃ deva kālena visṛjed budhaḥ /
grāme tyaktaiṣaṇāḥ sarve yayur dhīrās tapo-vanam //

The wise man should cast off the desire for wealth through sacrifices and charity, the desire for house, wife, and sons through home life, / and, O lord, the desire for one's own heavenly world through time; all the wise, having abandoned desires while in the village, went to the forest of austerities.

38. A wise man should get rid of the thirst for wealth for its own sake by spending it on sacrifices and in gifts; the desire for wife and children only by due enjoyments and the desire for swarga and other celestial abodes, by considering the force of time even upon those regions and on the gods; for all those wise men that have purged themselves of these desires left the village (Deity) for the woods to perform tapas.

10.84.39

ṛṇais tribhir dvijo jāto devarṣi-pitṝṇāṃ prabho /
yajñādhyayana-putrais tāny anistīrya tyajan patet //

A twice-born is born with three debts, to the gods, ṛṣis, and ancestors, O lord; / renouncing without discharging them through sacrifices, study, and sons, he would fall.

39. The twice-born have by birth three debts which they owe to the gods, Rishis and Pitris, O Lord, and which are discharged by sacrifices, study of Vedas and begetting sons. He must fall who abandons house without discharging them.

10.84.40

tvaṃ tv adya mukto dvābhyāṃ vai ṛṣi-pitror mahā-mate /
yajñair devarṇam unmucya nirṛṇo 'śaraṇo bhava //

You, however, O wise one, are today freed from two [debts], those to the ṛṣis and the ancestors; / releasing yourself from the debt to the gods through sacrifices, become free of debt and without worldly shelter.

40. Thou art now free from two debts, O wise one, due to Rishis and Pitris. Do thou pay off the debt due to the gods by means of sacrifices and then free from all debts, leave the house (become an ascetic).

10.84.41

vasudeva bhavān nūnaṃ bhaktyā paramayā harim /
jagatām īśvaraṃ prārcaḥ sa yad vāṃ putratāṃ gataḥ //

Vasudeva, you indeed worshiped Hari, the Lord of the worlds, / with supreme devotion, since He has become the son of you two.

41. O Vasudeva, certainly thou hast worshipped Hari, the Lord of the Universe, with the highest measure of devotion. Hence He has become thy son.

10.84.42

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
iti tad-vacanaṃ śrutvā vasudevo mahā-manāḥ /
tān ṛṣīn ṛtvijo vavre mūrdhnānamya prasādya ca //

Śrī Śuka said: / Having heard those words, the noble-minded Vasudeva / bowed his head, propitiated those ṛṣis, and chose them as his officiating priests.

42. Sri Suka said:—On hearing their words Vasudeva of worthy ideas bowed his head to them, and begged them for grace and requested them to be his Ritvicks (priests in the sacrifices).

10.84.43

ta enam ṛṣayo rājan vṛtā dharmeṇa dhārmikam /
tasminn ayājayan kṣetre makhair uttama-kalpakaiḥ //

O King, chosen according to dharma, the ṛṣis made that righteous man / perform sacrifices in that sacred field with the most excellent rites.

43. The Rishis thus properly requested, enabled the righteous Vasudeva to perform sacrifices on the largest scale (in the best manner) in that holy place.

10.84.44

tad-dīkṣāyāṃ pravṛttāyāṃ vṛṣṇayaḥ puṣkara-srajaḥ /
snātāḥ su-vāsaso rājan rājānaḥ suṣṭhv-alaṅkṛtāḥ //

When that initiation began, the Vṛṣṇis, wearing lotus garlands, / having bathed and clad in fine garments, and the kings, splendidly adorned,

44. & 45. When his conversation was begun the Vrishnis as well as other kings bathed, adorned themselves with lotus wreaths, put on their best clothes and excellent ornaments. O king, their queens also in delight put on pigments, ornaments and best dress and with offerings in their hands went to the consecrated hall.

10.84.45

tan-mahiṣyaś ca muditā niṣka-kaṇṭhyaḥ su-vāsasaḥ /
dīkṣā-śālām upājagmur āliptā vastu-pāṇayaḥ //

and their joyful queens, wearing golden necklaces and fine garments, / anointed and carrying ritual items in their hands, approached the sacrificial hall.

44. & 45. When his conversation was begun the Vrishnis as well as other kings bathed, adorned themselves with lotus wreaths, put on their best clothes and excellent ornaments. O king, their queens also in delight put on pigments, ornaments and best dress and with offerings in their hands went to the consecrated hall.

10.84.46

nedur mṛdaṅga-paṭaha- śaṅkha-bhery-ānakādayaḥ /
nanṛtur naṭa-nartakyas tuṣṭuvuḥ sūta-māgadhāḥ /
jaguḥ su-kaṇṭhyo gandharvyaḥ saṅgītaṃ saha-bhartṛkāḥ //

Mṛdaṅgas, drums, conches, kettle-drums, and ānakas resounded; / actors and dancer-women danced; sūtas and māgadhas sang praises; / sweet-voiced Gandharva women sang in harmony with their husbands.

46. There were sounded Mridanga, Pataha, Sankha, Bheri, Anaka and other musical instruments; men and women versed in the art danced; bards and songsters sang panegyrics; women of sweet voice sang good tunes; gandharva women with their husbands entertained all with their music.

10.84.47

tam abhyaṣiñcan vidhi-vad aktam abhyaktam ṛtvijaḥ /
patnībhir aṣṭā-daśabhiḥ soma-rājam ivoḍubhiḥ //

The officiating priests anointed him with sacred water according to rule, / along with his eighteen wives, after having anointed him with fragrant unguents, just as the moon-king is [anointed] with the lunar mansions.

47. The priests applied collyrium to his eyes and smeared him with butter and according to the rules bathed him who, along with his eighteen wives, shone like unto king Soma with the stars.

10.84.48

tābhir dukūla-valayair hāra-nūpura-kuṇḍalaiḥ /
sv-alaṅkṛtābhir vibabhau dīkṣito 'jina-saṃvṛtaḥ //

He shone forth, invested with the vow of consecration, clad in an antelope skin, / accompanied by them, richly adorned with silk garments, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and earrings.

48. With those wives well adorned with silks and bracelets, wreaths of pearls, anklets and ear-rings the consecrated Vasudeva clad in deer skin looked very charming.

10.84.49

tasyartvijo mahā-rāja ratna-kauśeya-vāsasaḥ /
sa-sadasyā virejus te yathā vṛtra-haṇo 'dhvare //

His officiating priests, O great king, wearing jewels and silken garments, / shone together with the assembly, just like those at the sacrifice of the slayer of Vṛtra.

49. His priests, O great king, who wore jewels and silk clothes and the members of the assembly shone like the priest in the sacrifice of Indra.

10.84.50

tadā rāmaś ca kṛṣṇaś ca svaiḥ svair bandhubhir anvitau /
rejatuḥ sva-sutair dārair jīveśau sva-vibhūtibhiḥ //

Then Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by their respective relatives, / with their sons and wives, shone like the two Lords of all living beings accompanied by their own manifestations of power.

50. Then in the company of their relations, queens and children Rama and Krishna shone like Jiva and Iswara with their numerous manifestations.

10.84.51

īje 'nu-yajñaṃ vidhinā agni-hotrādi-lakṣaṇaiḥ /
prākṛtair vaikṛtair yajñair dravya-jñāna-kriyeśvaram //

He performed each sacrificial rite according to rule, marked by the agnihotra and other offerings, / with primary and secondary sacrifices, worshiping the Lord who is the substance, the knowledge, and the action.

51. According to sastra he performed every sacrifice known as Agnihotra, Ishti, etc., in its main and subsidiary forms and there-

by propitiated the Supreme Lord who controls and owns the sacrificial substance, the knowledge and mantras and the action itself.

10.84.52

athartvigbhyo 'dadāt kāle yathāmnātaṃ sa dakṣiṇāḥ /
sv-alaṅkṛtebhyo 'laṅkṛtya go-bhū-kanyā mahā-dhanāḥ //

Then, at the proper time, he bestowed priestly gifts according to the sacred tradition upon the officiating priests, / who were richly adorned, decorating [them] with cows, land, maiden servants, and immense wealth.

52. Then in due time he gave to the priests dakshinas as laid down in the scriptures and on well-adorned brahmins, he bestowed cows, lands, girls and abundant wealth.

10.84.53

patnī-saṃyājāvabhṛthyaiś caritvā te maharṣayaḥ /
sasnū rāma-hrade viprā yajamāna-puraḥ-sarāḥ //

Having performed the patnīsaṃyāja and avabhṛtha rites, those great sages, / the brāhmaṇas, bathed in the lake of Paraśurāma, with the sacrificer leading the way.

53. Having gone through the sacrificial processes of Patnisamyaga and Avabhritya, those great Rishis along with the sacrificer, performed ablutions in the pools of Parasurama.

10.84.54

snāto 'laṅkāra-vāsāṃsi vandibhyo 'dāt tathā striyaḥ /
tataḥ sv-alaṅkṛto varṇān ā-śvabhyo 'nnena pūjayat //

Having bathed, he gave away ornaments and garments to the bards, as well as the women; / then, finely adorned, he honored all classes down to the dogs with food.

54. After ablutions he gave ornaments and clothes to the bards, and his women also distributed gifts, then well-adorned he propitiated with foodall the castes of people, including the animals down to dogs.

10.84.55

bandhūn sa-dārān sa-sutān pāribarheṇa bhūyasā /
vidarbha-kośala-kurūn kāśi-kekaya-sṛñjayān //

His kinsmen, with their wives and sons, along with [the peoples of] Vidarbha, Kośala, the Kurus, Kāśi, Kekaya, and the Sṛñjayas, [he honored] with copious gifts of farewell;

55. & 56. Also relations, their wives, their sons and daughters with extensive presents: as also the princes of, and the peeple of, Vidarbhas, Kosalas, Kurus, Kasis, Kekayas, Srinjayas, the judges of the sacrifice and the priests: various classes of the gods, human beings, Bhutas, Pitris and Charanas, all took leave of Sri Krisna and praising Him and the sacrifice, went back to their home.

10.84.56

sadasyartvik-sura-gaṇān nṛ-bhūta-pitṛ-cāraṇān /
śrī-niketam anujñāpya śaṃsantaḥ prayayuḥ kratum //

the members of the assembly, the priests, the hosts of gods, men, spirits, ancestors, and cāraṇas, / taking leave of the abode of Śrī and praising his sacrifice, departed.

55. & 56. Also relations, their wives, their sons and daughters with extensive presents: as also the princes of, and the peeple of, Vidarbhas, Kosalas, Kurus, Kasis, Kekayas, Srinjayas, the judges of the sacrifice and the priests: various classes of the gods, human beings, Bhutas, Pitris and Charanas, all took leave of Sri Krisna and praising Him and the sacrifice, went back to their home.

10.84.57

dhṛtarāṣṭro 'nujaḥ pārthā bhīṣmo droṇaḥ pṛthā yamau /
nārado bhagavān vyāsaḥ suhṛt-sambandhi-bāndhavāḥ //

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, his younger brother, the sons of Pṛthā, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Pṛthā, the twins, / Nārada, the lord Vyāsa, friends, relations, and kinsmen,

57. & 58. Dhritarashtra, his brother Vidura, Kunti's sons, Bhishma, Drona, Kunti, (Drauni, Kripa) the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, Nanda, the glorious Vyasa, friends and relations of all kinds, embraced Yadus, their relations and with their hearts softened through affection, and reluctant to leave them, went to their own places, as also other people.

10.84.58

bandhūn pariṣvajya yadūn sauhṛdāklinna-cetasaḥ /
yayur viraha-kṛcchreṇa sva-deśāṃś cāpare janāḥ //

embraced their kinsmen, the Yadus, their hearts melted with affection; / filled with the pain of separation, they and the other people departed for their own lands.

57. & 58. Dhritarashtra, his brother Vidura, Kunti's sons, Bhishma, Drona, Kunti, (Drauni, Kripa) the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, Nanda, the glorious Vyasa, friends and relations of all kinds, embraced Yadus, their relations and with their hearts softened through affection, and reluctant to leave them, went to their own places, as also other people.

10.84.59

nandas tu saha gopālair bṛhatyā pūjayārcitaḥ /
kṛṣṇa-rāmograsenādyair nyavātsīd bandhu-vatsalaḥ //

Nanda, however, along with the cowherds, honored with grand hospitality / by Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Ugrasena, and the others, stayed on, fond of his relatives.

59. But highly honoured by Krishna, Rama, Ugrasena and others Nanda and his Gopalas stayed there.

10.84.60

vasudevo 'ñjasottīrya manoratha-mahārṇavam /
suhṛd-vṛtaḥ prīta-manā nandam āha kare spṛśan //

Vasudeva, having effortlessly crossed the great ocean of his desire, / surrounded by friends, with a delighted mind, took Nanda by the hand and said:

60. When he had very successfully crossed the great sea of his desire and accomplished his purpose, surrounded by friends, with a delighted heart Vasudeva took Nanda by the hand and said:--

10.84.61

/0 śrī-vasudeva uvāca
bhrātar īśa-kṛtaḥ pāśo nṛnāṃ yaḥ sneha-saṃjñitaḥ /
taṃ dustyajam ahaṃ manye śūrāṇām api yoginām //

Śrī Vasudeva said:
Brother, the snare woven by the Lord among men, known as affection— / that, I consider hard to break even for brave men and yogins.

61. Vasudeva said:--Brother, that tie called affection is instituted by the Supreme Being: I think it is very difficult even for warriors (the gods) or yogins to cut off.

10.84.62

asmāsv apratikalpeyaṃ yat kṛtājñeṣu sattamaiḥ /
maitry arpitāphalā cāpi na nivarteta karhicit //

This friendship bestowed by the best of virtuous men upon us, who are ungrateful / and incapable of returning the favor, bears no fruitive expectation, yet never slackens at any time.

62. That tie is formed by the Almighty Being, we think, because of that unsurpassed friendly disposition, which the highly righteous have, for no benefit to them, extended to us, ignorant of its value, would never be withdrawn from us.

10.84.63

prāg akalpāc ca kuśalaṃ bhrātar vo nācarāma hi /
adhunā śrī-madāndhākṣā na paśyāmaḥ puraḥ sataḥ //

For in the past, through our incapacity, brother, we did not render any welfare to you; / and now, our eyes blinded by the intoxication of royal wealth, we do not see those virtuous devotees before us.

63 Formerly being incapable we did, O brother, no good to you and now, being blinded by prosperity, we do not see what is before us. (what we did in the past. V.)

10.84.64

mā rājya-śrīr abhūt puṃsaḥ śreyas-kāmasya māna-da /
sva-janān uta bandhūn vā na paśyati yayāndha-dṛk //

May royal fortune never come to a man seeking the highest good, O bestower of honor, / [a fortune] by which, with eyes blinded, he does not see his own people or his kinsmen!

64. May not the royal fortune fall to the lot of a man who is bent on attaining to the highest purpose (Moksha), O honourable friend, for, blinded by it (pride) he does not see his own (the good) people or even relations!

10.84.65

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
evaṃ sauhṛda-śaithilya- citta ānakadundubhiḥ /
ruroda tat-kṛtāṃ maitrīṃ smarann aśru-vilocanaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said:
Thus, his heart softened by affection, Ānakadundubhi / wept, remembering the friendship shown by him, tears filling his eyes.

65. Sri Suka said:—Thus Vasudeva whose heart melted with feelings of friendship, now remembered the love borne to him by Nanda and wept with tears in his eyes.

10.84.66

nandas tu sakhyuḥ priya-kṛt premṇā govinda-rāmayoḥ /
adya śva iti māsāṃs trīn yadubhir mānito 'vasat //

Nanda, however, doing what was dear to his friend out of love for Govinda and Balarāma, / stayed for three months, saying “today, tomorrow,” honored by the Yadus.

66. And Nanda willing to give his friend the pleasure of his company and on account of his affection to Govinda and Rama, put off his journey from day to day and for three months stayed there, honoured (detained) by Yadus.

10.84.67

tataḥ kāmaiḥ pūryamāṇaḥ sa-vrajaḥ saha-bāndhavaḥ /
parārdhyābharaṇa-kṣauma- nānānarghya-paricchadaiḥ //

Then, showered with whatever he desired, together with his settlement of Vraja and his kinsmen, / with priceless ornaments, silks, and various invaluable accoutrements,

67. & 68. Nanda enjoyed during that period the fill of all comforts together with his Gopas and relations: he was presented with invaluable articles by Vasudeva and Ugrasena, by Krishna, Uddhava, (Arjuna), Bala (Rama) and others: and then carrying with him all the gifts and with the leave of Yadus, Nanda returned home.

10.84.68

vasudevograsenābhyāṃ kṛṣṇoddhava-balādibhiḥ /
dattam ādāya pāribarhaṃ yāpito yadubhir yayau //

taking the farewell gifts given by Vasudeva, Ugrasena, / Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava, Baladeva, and others, seen off by the Yadus, he departed.

67. & 68. Nanda enjoyed during that period the fill of all comforts together with his Gopas and relations: he was presented with invaluable articles by Vasudeva and Ugrasena, by Krishna, Uddhava, (Arjuna), Bala (Rama) and others: and then carrying with him all the gifts and with the leave of Yadus, Nanda returned home.

10.84.69

nando gopāś ca gopyaś ca govinda-caraṇāmbuje /
manaḥ kṣiptaṃ punar hartum anīśā mathurāṃ yayuḥ //

Nanda, the cowherd men, and the cowherd women, unable to withdraw / their minds cast into the lotus feet of Govinda, went to Mathurā.

69. Nanda, Gopas, and Gopis, unable to recall their heart set on the lotus feet of Govinda, tried to reach Mathura.

10.84.70

bandhuṣu pratiyāteṣu vṛṣṇayaḥ kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ /
vīkṣya prāvṛṣam āsannād yayur dvāravatīṃ punaḥ //

When the relatives had departed, the Vṛṣṇis, who held Kṛṣṇa as their supreme deity, / seeing the rainy season near, returned again to Dvāravatī.

70. When the relations had returned Vrishnis also who regard Krishna as their deity noted the approach of the rainy season and returned to Dwaraka.

10.84.71

janebhyaḥ kathayāṃ cakrur yadu-deva-mahotsavam /
yad āsīt tīrtha-yātrāyāṃ suhṛt-sandarśanādikam //

They related to the people the great festival of the Lord of the Yadus, / and whatever took place during the pilgrimage, such as meeting their friends.

71. And there they described to the people the grand festivities of the great Yadavas at the place of pilgrimage as also of the meeting of friends and other things.