Chapter 1: The Advent of Lord Kṛṣṇa: Introduction

 

10.1.1

śrī-rājovāca

kathito vaḿśa-vistāro

bhavatā soma-sūryayoḥ

rājñāḿ cobhaya-vaḿśyānāḿ

caritaḿ paramādbhutam

 

śrī-rājā uvāca — King Parīkṣit said; kathitaḥ — has already been described; vaḿśa-vistāraḥ — a broad description of the dynasties; bhavatā — by Your Lordship; soma-sūryayoḥ — of the moon-god and the sun-god; rājñām — of the kings; ca — and; ubhaya — both; vaḿśyānām — of the members of the dynasties; caritam — the character; parama — exalted; adbhutam — and wonderful.

 

TRANSLATION

 

King Parīkṣit said: My dear lord, you have elaborately described the dynasties of both the moon-god and the sun-god, with the exalted and wonderful character of their kings.

 

10.1.2

yadoś ca dharma-śīlasya

nitarāḿ muni-sattama

tatrāḿśenāvatīrṇasya

viṣṇor vīryāṇi śaḿsa naḥ

 

yadoḥ — of Yadu or the Yadu dynasty; ca — also; dharma-śīlasya — who were strictly attached to religious principles; nitarām — highly qualified; muni-sattama — O best of all munis, king of the munis (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); tatra — in that dynasty; aḿśena — with His plenary expansion Baladeva; avatīrṇasya — who appeared as an incarnation; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; vīryāṇi — the glorious activities; śaḿsa — kindly describe; naḥ — unto us.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O best of munis, you have also described the descendants of Yadu, who were very pious and strictly adherent to religious principles. Now, if you will, kindly describe the wonderful, glorious activities of Lord Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, who appeared in that Yadu dynasty with Baladeva, His plenary expansion.

 

10.1.3

avatīrya yador vaḿśe

bhagavān bhūta-bhāvanaḥ

kṛtavān yāni viśvātmā

tāni no vada vistarāt

 

avatīrya — after descending; yadoḥ vaḿśe — in the dynasty of Yadu; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhūta-bhāvanaḥ — who is the cause of the cosmic manifestation; kṛtavān — executed; yāni — whatever (activities); viśva-ātmā — the Supersoul of the entire universe; tāni — all of those (activities); naḥ — unto us; vada — kindly say; vistarāt — elaborately.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the cause of the cosmic manifestation, appeared in the dynasty of Yadu. Please tell me elaborately about His glorious activities and character, from the beginning to the end of His life.

 

10.1.4

nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād

bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt

ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt

pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt

 

nivṛtta — released from; tarṣaiḥ — lust or material activities; upagīyamānāt — which is described or sung; bhava-auṣadhāt — which is the right medicine for the material disease; śrotra — the process of aural reception; manaḥ — the subject matter of thought for the mind; abhirāmāt — from the pleasing vibrations from such glorification; kaḥ — who; uttamaśloka — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guṇa-anuvādāt — from describing such activities; pumān — a person; virajyeta — can keep himself aloof; vinā — except; paśu-ghnāt — either a butcher or one who is killing his own personal existence.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the paramparā system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self?

 

10.1.5-7

pitāmahā me samare 'marañjayair

devavratādyātirathais timińgilaiḥ

duratyayaḿ kaurava-sainya-sāgaraḿ

kṛtvātaran vatsa-padaḿ sma yat-plavāḥ

 

drauṇy-astra-vipluṣṭam idaḿ mad-ańgaḿ

santāna-bījaḿ kuru-pāṇḍavānām

jugopa kukṣiḿ gata ātta-cakro

mātuś ca me yaḥ śaraṇaḿ gatāyāḥ

 

vīryāṇi tasyākhila-deha-bhājām

antar bahiḥ pūruṣa-kāla-rūpaiḥ

prayacchato mṛtyum utāmṛtaḿ ca

māyā-manuṣyasya vadasva vidvan

 

pitāmahāḥ — my grandfathers, the five Pāṇḍavas (Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva); me — my; samare — on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra; amaram jayaiḥ — with fighters who could gain victory over the demigods on the battlefield; devavrata-ādya — Bhīṣmadeva and others; atirathaiḥ — great commanders in chief; timińgilaiḥ — resembling great timińgila fish, which can easily eat large sharks; duratyayam — very difficult to cross; kaurava-sainya-sāgaram — the ocean of the assembled soldiers of the Kauravas; kṛtvā — considering such an ocean; ataran — crossed it; vatsa-padam — exactly as one steps over a small hoofprint of a calf; sma — in the past; yat-plavāḥ — the shelter of the boat of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet;

 

drauṇi — of Aśvatthāmā; astra — by the brahmāstra; vipluṣṭam — being attacked and burned; idam — this; mat-ańgam — my body; santāna-bījam — the only seed left, the last descendant of the family; kuru-pāṇḍavānām — of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas (because no one but me lived after the Battle of Kurukṣetra); jugopa — gave protection; kukṣim — within the womb; gataḥ — being placed; ātta-cakraḥ — taking in hand the disc; mātuḥ — of my mother; ca — also; me — my; yaḥ — the Lord who; śaraṇam — the shelter; gatāyāḥ — who had taken;

 

vīryāṇi — the glorification of the transcendental characteristics; tasya — of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); akhila-deha-bhājām — of all the materially embodied living entities; antaḥ bahiḥ — inside and outside; pūruṣa — of the Supreme Person; kāla-rūpaiḥ — in the forms of eternal time; prayacchataḥ — who is the giver; mṛtyum — of death; uta — it is so said; amṛtam ca — and eternal life; māyā-manuṣyasya — of the Lord, who appeared as an ordinary human being by His own potency; vadasva — kindly describe; vidvan — O learned speaker (Śukadeva Gosvāmī).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Taking the boat of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, my grandfather Arjuna and others crossed the ocean of the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, in which such commanders as Bhīṣmadeva resembled great fish that could very easily have swallowed them. By the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, my grandfathers crossed this ocean, which was very difficult to cross, as easily as one steps over the hoofprint of a calf. Because my mother surrendered unto Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, the Lord, Sudarśana-cakra in hand, entered her womb and saved my body, the body of the last remaining descendant of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, which was almost destroyed by the fiery weapon of Aśvatthāmā. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, appearing within and outside of all materially embodied living beings by His own potency in the forms of eternal time — that is, as Paramātmā and as virāṭ-rūpa — gave liberation to everyone, either as cruel death or as life. Kindly enlighten me by describing His transcendental characteristics.

 

10.1.8

rohiṇyās tanayaḥ prokto

rāmaḥ sańkarṣaṇas tvayā

devakyā garbha-sambandhaḥ

kuto dehāntaraḿ vinā

 

rohiṇyāḥ — of Rohiṇīdevī, the mother of Baladeva; tanayaḥ — the son; proktaḥ — is well known; rāmaḥ — Balarāma; sańkarṣaṇaḥ — Balarāma is none other than Sańkarṣaṇa, the first Deity in the quadruple group (Sańkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Vāsudeva); tvayā — by you (it is so said); devakyāḥ — of Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa; garbha-sambandhaḥ — connected with the womb; kutaḥ — how; deha-antaram — transferring bodies; vinā — without.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Śukadeva Gosvāmī, you have already explained that Sańkarṣaṇa, who belongs to the second quadruple, appeared as the son of Rohiṇī named Balarāma. If Balarāma was not transferred from one body to another, how is it possible that He was first in the womb of Devakī and then in the womb of Rohiṇī? Kindly explain this to me.

 

10.1.9

kasmān mukundo bhagavān

pitur gehād vrajaḿ gataḥ

kva vāsaḿ jñātibhiḥ sārdhaḿ

kṛtavān sātvatāḿ patiḥ

 

kasmāt — why; mukundaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, who can award liberation to everyone; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pituḥ — of His father (Vasudeva); gehāt — from the house; vrajam — to Vrajadhāma, Vrajabhūmi; gataḥ — went; kva — where; vāsam — placed Himself to live; jñātibhiḥ — His relatives; sārdham — with; kṛtavān — did so; sātvatām patiḥ — the master of all Vaiṣṇava devotees.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Why did Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, leave the house of His father, Vasudeva, and transfer Himself to the house of Nanda in Vṛndāvana? Where did the Lord, the master of the Yadu dynasty, live with His relatives in Vṛndāvana?

 

10.1.10

vraje vasan kim akaron

madhupuryāḿ ca keśavaḥ

bhrātaraḿ cāvadhīt kaḿsaḿ

mātur addhātad-arhaṇam

 

vraje — at Vṛndāvana; vasan — while residing; kim akarot — what did He do; madhupuryām — in Mathurā; ca — and; keśavaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, the killer of Keśī; bhrātaram — the brother; ca — and; avadhīt — killed; kaḿsam — Kaḿsa; mātuḥ — of His mother; addhā — directly; a-tat-arhaṇam — which was not at all sanctioned by the śāstras.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa lived both in Vṛndāvana and in Mathurā. What did He do there? Why did He kill Kaḿsa, His mother's brother? Such killing is not at all sanctioned in the śāstras.

 

10.1.11

dehaḿ mānuṣam āśritya

kati varṣāṇi vṛṣṇibhiḥ

yadu-puryāḿ sahāvātsīt

patnyaḥ katy abhavan prabhoḥ

 

deham — body; mānuṣam — exactly like a man; āśritya — accepting; kati varṣāṇi — how many years; vṛṣṇibhiḥ — in the company of the Vṛṣṇis, those who were born in the Vṛṣṇi family; yadu-puryām — in Dvārakā, in the residential quarters of the Yadus; saha — with; avātsīt — the Lord lived; patnyaḥ — wives; kati — how many; abhavan — were there; prabhoḥ — of the Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no material body, yet He appears as a human being. For how many years did He live with the descendants of Vṛṣṇi? How many wives did He marry, and for how many years did He live in Dvārakā?

 

10.1.12

etad anyac ca sarvaḿ me

mune kṛṣṇa-viceṣṭitam

vaktum arhasi sarvajña

śraddadhānāya vistṛtam

 

etat — all these details; anyat ca — and others also; sarvam — everything; me — unto me; mune — O great sage; kṛṣṇa-viceṣṭitam — the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vaktum — to describe; arhasi — you are able; sarva-jña — because you know everything; śraddadhānāya — because I am not envious but have all faith in Him; vistṛtam — in full detail.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O great sage, who know everything about Kṛṣṇa, please describe in detail all the activities of which I have inquired and also those of which I have not, for I have full faith and am very eager to hear of them.

 

10.1.13

naiṣātiduḥsahā kṣun māḿ

tyaktodam api bādhate

pibantaḿ tvan-mukhāmbhoja-

cyutaḿ hari-kathāmṛtam

 

na — not; eṣā — all this; ati-duḥsahā — extremely difficult to bear; kṣut — hunger; mām — unto me; tyakta-udam — even after giving up drinking water; api — also; bādhate — does not hinder; pibantam — while drinking; tvat-mukha-ambhoja-cyutam — emanating from your lotus mouth; hari-kathā-amṛtam — the nectar of topics concerning Kṛṣṇa.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because of my vow on the verge of death, I have given up even drinking water, yet because I am drinking the nectar of topics about Kṛṣṇa, which is flowing from the lotus mouth of Your Lordship, my hunger and thirst, which are extremely difficult to bear, cannot hinder me.

 

10.1.14

sūta uvāca

evaḿ niśamya bhṛgu-nandana sādhu-vādaḿ

vaiyāsakiḥ sa bhagavān atha viṣṇu-rātam

pratyarcya kṛṣṇa-caritaḿ kali-kalmaṣa-ghnaḿ

vyāhartum ārabhata bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ

 

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; niśamya — hearing; bhṛgu-nandana — O son of the Bhṛgu dynasty, Śaunaka; sādhu-vādam — pious questions; vaiyāsakiḥ — Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva; saḥ — he; bhagavān — the most powerful; atha — thus; viṣṇu-rātam — unto Parīkṣit Mahārāja, who was always protected by Viṣṇu; pratyarcya — offering him respectful obeisances; kṛṣṇa-caritam — topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa; kali-kalmaṣa-ghnam — which diminish the troubles of this age of Kali; vyāhartum — to describe; ārabhata — began; bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ — Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the chief among the pure devotees.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Sūta Gosvāmī said: O son of Bhṛgu [Śaunaka Ṛṣi], after Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the most respectable devotee, the son of Vyāsadeva, heard the pious questions of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he thanked the King with great respect. Then he began to discourse on topics concerning Kṛṣṇa, which are the remedy for all sufferings in this age of Kali.

 

10.1.15

śrī-śuka uvāca

samyag vyavasitā buddhis

tava rājarṣi-sattama

vāsudeva-kathāyāḿ te

yaj jātā naiṣṭhikī ratiḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; samyak — completely; vyavasitā — fixed; buddhiḥ — intelligence; tava — of Your Majesty; rāja-ṛṣi-sattama — O best of rājarṣis, saintly kings; vāsudeva-kathāyām — in hearing about the topics of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa; te — your; yat — because; jātā — developed; naiṣṭhikī — without cessation; ratiḥ — attraction or ecstatic devotional service.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Your Majesty, best of all saintly kings, because you are greatly attracted to topics of Vāsudeva, it is certain that your intelligence is firmly fixed in spiritual understanding, which is the only true goal for humanity. Because that attraction is unceasing, it is certainly sublime.

 

10.1.16

vāsudeva-kathā-praśnaḥ

puruṣāḿs trīn punāti hi

vaktāraḿ pracchakaḿ śrotṝḿs

tat-pāda-salilaḿ yathā

 

vāsudeva-kathā-praśnaḥ — questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa; puruṣān — persons; trīn — three; punāti — purify; hi — indeed; vaktāram — the speaker, such as Śukadeva Gosvāmī; pracchakam — and an inquisitive hearer like Mahārāja Parīkṣit; śrotṝn — and, between them, the listeners hearing about the topics; tat-pāda-salilam yathā — exactly as the entire world is purified by the Ganges water emanating from the toe of Lord Viṣṇu.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Ganges, emanating from the toe of Lord Viṣṇu, purifies the three worlds, the upper, middle and lower planetary systems. Similarly, when one asks questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, three varieties of men are purified: the speaker or preacher, he who inquires, and the people in general who listen.

 

10.1.17

bhūmir dṛpta-nṛpa-vyāja-

daityānīka-śatāyutaiḥ

ākrāntā bhūri-bhāreṇa

brahmāṇaḿ śaraṇaḿ yayau

 

bhūmiḥ — mother earth; dṛpta — puffed up; nṛpa-vyāja — posing as kings, or the supreme power personified in the state; daitya — of demons; anīka — of military phalanxes of soldiers; śata-ayutaiḥ — unlimitedly, by many hundreds of thousands; ākrāntā — being overburdened; bhūri-bhāreṇa — by a burden of unnecessary fighting power; brahmāṇam — unto Lord Brahmā; śaraṇam — to take shelter; yayau — went.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Once when mother earth was overburdened by hundreds of thousands of military phalanxes of various conceited demons dressed like kings, she approached Lord Brahmā for relief.

 

10.1.18

gaur bhūtvāśru-mukhī khinnā

krandantī karuṇaḿ vibhoḥ

upasthitāntike tasmai

vyasanaḿ samavocata

 

gauḥ — the shape of a cow; bhūtvā — assuming; aśru-mukhī — with tears in the eyes; khinnā — very much distressed; krandantī — weeping; karuṇam — piteously; vibhoḥ — of Lord Brahmā; upasthitā — appeared; antike — in front; tasmai — unto him (Lord Brahmā); vyasanam — her distress; samavocata — submitted.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mother earth assumed the form of a cow. Very much distressed, with tears in her eyes, she appeared before Lord Brahmā and told him about her misfortune.

 

10.1.19

brahmā tad-upadhāryātha

saha devais tayā saha

jagāma sa-tri-nayanas

tīraḿ kṣīra-payo-nidheḥ

 

brahmā — Lord Brahmā; tat-upadhārya — understanding everything rightly; atha — thereafter; saha — with; devaiḥ — the demigods; tayā saha — with mother earth; jagāma — approached; sa-tri-nayanaḥ — with Lord Śiva, who has three eyes; tīram — the shore; kṣīra-payaḥ-nidheḥ — of the ocean of milk.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, having heard of the distress of mother earth, Lord Brahmā, with mother earth, Lord Śiva and all the other demigods, approached the shore of the ocean of milk.

 

10.1.20

tatra gatvā jagannāthaḿ

deva-devaḿ vṛṣākapim

puruṣaḿ puruṣa-sūktena

upatasthe samāhitaḥ

 

tatra — there (on the shore of the ocean of milk); gatvā — after going; jagannātham — unto the master of the entire universe, the Supreme Being; deva-devam — the Supreme God of all gods; vṛṣākapim — the Supreme Person, Viṣṇu, who provides for everyone and diminishes everyone's suffering; puruṣam — the Supreme Person; puruṣa-sūktena — with the Vedic mantra known as puruṣa-sūkta; upatasthe — worshiped; samāhitaḥ — with full attention.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After reaching the shore of the ocean of milk, the demigods worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, the master of the whole universe, the supreme God of all gods, who provides for everyone and diminishes everyone's suffering. With great attention, they worshiped Lord Viṣṇu, who lies on the ocean of milk, by reciting the Vedic mantras known as the Puruṣa-sūkta.

 

10.1.21

giraḿ samādhau gagane samīritāḿ

niśamya vedhās tridaśān uvāca ha

gāḿ pauruṣīḿ me śṛṇutāmarāḥ punar

vidhīyatām āśu tathaiva mā ciram

 

giram — a vibration of words; samādhau — in trance; gagane — in the sky; samīritām — vibrated; niśamya — hearing; vedhāḥ — Lord Brahmā; tridaśān — unto the demigods; uvāca — said; ha — oh; gām — the order; pauruṣīm — received from the Supreme Person; me — from me; śṛṇuta — just hear; amarāḥ — O demigods; punaḥ — again; vidhīyatām — execute; āśu — immediately; tathā eva — just so; mā — do not; ciram — delay.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While in trance, Lord Brahmā heard the words of Lord Viṣṇu vibrating in the sky. Thus he told the demigods: O demigods, hear from me the order of Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the Supreme Person, and execute it attentively without delay.

 

10.1.22

puraiva puḿsāvadhṛto dharā-jvaro

bhavadbhir aḿśair yaduṣūpajanyatām

sa yāvad urvyā bharam īśvareśvaraḥ

sva-kāla-śaktyā kṣapayaḿś cared bhuvi

 

purā — even before this; eva — indeed; puḿsā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avadhṛtaḥ — was certainly known; dharā-jvaraḥ — the distress on the earth; bhavadbhiḥ — by your good selves; aḿśaiḥ — expanding as plenary portions; yaduṣu — in the family of King Yadu; upajanyatām — take your birth and appear there; saḥ — He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); yāvat — as long as; urvyāḥ — of the earth; bharam — the burden; īśvara-īśvaraḥ — the Lord of lords; sva-kāla-śaktyā — by His own potency the time factor; kṣapayan — diminishing; caret — should move; bhuvi — on the surface of the earth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Brahmā informed the demigods: Before we submitted our petition to the Lord, He was already aware of the distress on earth. Consequently, for as long as the Lord moves on earth to diminish its burden by His own potency in the form of time, all of you demigods should appear through plenary portions as sons and grandsons in the family of the Yadus.

 

10.1.23

vasudeva-gṛhe sākṣād

bhagavān puruṣaḥ paraḥ

janiṣyate tat-priyārthaḿ

sambhavantu sura-striyaḥ

 

vasudeva-gṛhe — in the house of Vasudeva (who would be the father of Kṛṣṇa when the Lord appeared); sākṣāt — personally; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has full potency; puruṣaḥ — the original person; paraḥ — who is transcendental; janiṣyate — will appear; tat-priya-artham — and for His satisfaction; sambhavantu — should take birth; sura-striyaḥ — all the wives of the demigods.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.

 

10.1.24

vāsudeva-kalānantaḥ

sahasra-vadanaḥ svarāṭ

agrato bhavitā devo

hareḥ priya-cikīrṣayā

 

vāsudeva-kalā anantaḥ — the plenary expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa known as Anantadeva or Sańkarṣaṇa Ananta, the all-pervasive incarnation of the Supreme Lord; sahasra-vadanaḥ — having thousands of hoods; svarāṭ — fully independent; agrataḥ — previously; bhavitā — will appear; devaḥ — the Lord; hareḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; priya-cikīrṣayā — with the desire to act for the pleasure.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The foremost manifestation of Kṛṣṇa is Sańkarṣaṇa, who is known as Ananta. He is the origin of all incarnations within this material world. Previous to the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa, this original Sańkarṣaṇa will appear as Baladeva, just to please the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa in His transcendental pastimes.

 

10.1.25

viṣṇor māyā bhagavatī

yayā sammohitaḿ jagat

ādiṣṭā prabhuṇāḿśena

kāryārthe sambhaviṣyati

 

viṣṇoḥ māyā — the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; bhagavatī — as good as Bhagavān and therefore known as Bhagavatī; yayā — by whom; sammohitam — captivated; jagat — all the worlds, both material and spiritual; ādiṣṭā — being ordered; prabhuṇā — by the master; aḿśena — with her different potential factors; kārya-arthe — for executing business; sambhaviṣyati — would also appear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The potency of the Lord, known as viṣṇu-māyā, who is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will also appear with Lord Kṛṣṇa. This potency, acting in different capacities, captivates all the worlds, both material and spiritual. At the request of her master, she will appear with her different potencies in order to execute the work of the Lord.

 

10.1.26

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity ādiśyāmara-gaṇān

prajāpati-patir vibhuḥ

āśvāsya ca mahīḿ gīrbhiḥ

sva-dhāma paramaḿ yayau

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; ādiśya — after informing; amara-gaṇān — all the demigods; prajāpati-patiḥ — Lord Brahmā, the master of the Prajāpatis; vibhuḥ — all-powerful; āśvāsya — after pacifying; ca — also; mahīm — mother earth; gīrbhiḥ — by sweet words; sva-dhāma — his own planet, known as Brahmaloka; paramam — the best (within the universe); yayau — returned.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After thus advising the demigods and pacifying mother earth, the very powerful Lord Brahmā, who is the master of all other Prajāpatis and is therefore known as Prajāpati-pati, returned to his own abode, Brahmaloka.

 

10.1.27

śūraseno yadupatir

mathurām āvasan purīm

māthurāñ chūrasenāḿś ca

viṣayān bubhuje purā

 

śūrasenaḥ — King Śūrasena; yadu-patiḥ — the chief of the Yadu dynasty; mathurām — at the place known as Mathurā; āvasan — went to live; purīm — in that city; māthurān — at the place known as the Māthura district; śūrasenān ca — and the place known as Śūrasena; viṣayān — such kingdoms; bubhuje — enjoyed; purā — formerly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Formerly, Śūrasena, the chief of the Yadu dynasty, had gone to live in the city of Mathurā. There he enjoyed the places known as Māthura and Śūrasena.

 

10.1.28

rājadhānī tataḥ sābhūt

sarva-yādava-bhūbhujām

mathurā bhagavān yatra

nityaḿ sannihito hariḥ

 

rājadhānī — the capital; tataḥ — from that time; sā — the country and the city known as Mathurā; abhūt — became; sarva-yādava-bhūbhujām — of all the kings who appeared in the Yadu dynasty; mathurā — the place known as Mathurā; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yatra — wherein; nityam — eternally; sannihitaḥ — intimately connected, living eternally; hariḥ — the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Since that time, the city of Mathurā had been the capital of all the kings of the Yadu dynasty. The city and district of Mathurā are very intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, for Lord Kṛṣṇa lives there eternally.

 

10.1.29

tasyāḿ tu karhicic chaurir

vasudevaḥ kṛtodvahaḥ

devakyā sūryayā sārdhaḿ

prayāṇe ratham āruhat

 

tasyām — in that place known as Mathurā; tu — indeed; karhicit — some time ago; śauriḥ — the demigod, descendant of Śūra; vasudevaḥ — who appeared as Vasudeva; kṛta-udvahaḥ — after being married; devakyā — Devakī; sūryayā — his newly married wife; sārdham — along with; prayāṇe — for returning home; ratham — the chariot; āruhat — mounted.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Some time ago, Vasudeva, who belonged to the demigod family [or to the Śūra dynasty], married Devakī. After the marriage, he mounted his chariot to return home with his newly married wife.

 

10.1.30

ugrasena-sutaḥ kaḿsaḥ

svasuḥ priya-cikīrṣayā

raśmīn hayānāḿ jagrāha

raukmai ratha-śatair vṛtaḥ

 

ugrasena-sutaḥ — the son of Ugrasena; kaḿsaḥ — by the name Kaḿsa; svasuḥ — of his own sister Devakī; priya-cikīrṣayā — to please her on the occasion of her marriage; raśmīn — the reins; hayānām — of the horses; jagrāha — took; raukmaiḥ — made of gold; ratha-śataiḥ — by hundreds of chariots; vṛtaḥ — surrounded.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kaḿsa, the son of King Ugrasena, in order to please his sister Devakī on the occasion of her marriage, took charge of the reins of the horses and became the chariot driver. He was surrounded by hundreds of golden chariots.

 

10.1.31-32

catuḥ-śataḿ pāribarhaḿ

gajānāḿ hema-mālinām

aśvānām ayutaḿ sārdhaḿ

rathānāḿ ca tri-ṣaṭ-śatam

 

dāsīnāḿ sukumārīṇāḿ

dve śate samalańkṛte

duhitre devakaḥ prādād

yāne duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ

 

catuḥ-śatam — four hundred; pāribarham — dowry; gajānām — of elephants; hema-mālinām — decorated with garlands of gold; aśvānām — of horses; ayutam — ten thousand; sārdham — along with; rathānām — of chariots; ca — and; tri-ṣaṭ-śatam — three times six hundred (eighteen hundred);

 

dāsīnām — of maidservants; su-kumārīṇām — very young and beautiful unmarried girls; dve — two; śate — hundred; samalańkṛte — fully decorated with ornaments; duhitre — unto his daughter; devakaḥ — King Devaka; prādāt — gave as a gift; yāne — while going away; duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ — who was very fond of his daughter Devakī.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Devakī's father, King Devaka, was very much affectionate to his daughter. Therefore, while she and her husband were leaving home, he gave her a dowry of four hundred elephants nicely decorated with golden garlands. He also gave ten thousand horses, eighteen hundred chariots, and two hundred very beautiful young maidservants, fully decorated with ornaments.

 

10.1.33

śańkha-tūrya-mṛdańgāś ca

nedur dundubhayaḥ samam

prayāṇa-prakrame tāta

vara-vadhvoḥ sumańgalam

 

śańkha — conchshells; tūrya — bugles; mṛdańgāḥ — drums; ca — also; neduḥ — vibrated; dundubhayaḥ — kettledrums; samam — in concert; prayāṇa-prakrame — at the time of departure; tāta — O beloved son; vara-vadhvoḥ — of the bridegroom and the bride; su-mańgalam — for the purpose of their auspicious departure.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O beloved son, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, when the bride and bridegroom were ready to start, conchshells, bugles, drums and kettledrums all vibrated in concert for their auspicious departure.

 

10.1.34

pathi pragrahiṇaḿ kaḿsam

ābhāṣyāhāśarīra-vāk

asyās tvām aṣṭamo garbho

hantā yāḿ vahase 'budha

 

pathi — on the way; pragrahiṇam — who was managing the reins of the horses; kaḿsam — unto Kaḿsa; ābhāṣya — addressing; āha — said; a-śarīra-vāk — a voice coming from someone whose body was invisible; asyāḥ — of this girl (Devakī); tvām — you; aṣṭamaḥ — the eighth; garbhaḥ — pregnancy; hantā — killer; yām — her whom; vahase — you are carrying; abudha — you foolish rascal.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While Kaḿsa, controlling the reins of the horses, was driving the chariot along the way, an unembodied voice addressed him, "You foolish rascal, the eighth child of the woman you are carrying will kill you!"

 

10.1.35

ity uktaḥ sa khalaḥ pāpo

bhojānāḿ kula-pāḿsanaḥ

bhaginīḿ hantum ārabdhaḿ

khaḍga-pāṇiḥ kace 'grahīt

 

iti uktaḥ — thus being addressed; saḥ — he (Kaḿsa); khalaḥ — envious; pāpaḥ — sinful; bhojānām — of the Bhoja dynasty; kula-pāḿsanaḥ — one who can degrade the reputation of his family; bhaginīm — unto his sister; hantum ārabdham — being inclined to kill; khaḍga-pāṇiḥ — taking a sword in his hand; kace — hair; agrahīt — took up.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kaḿsa was a condemned personality in the Bhoja dynasty because he was envious and sinful. Therefore, upon hearing this omen from the sky, he caught hold of his sister's hair with his left hand and took up his sword with his right hand to sever her head from her body.

 

10.1.36

taḿ jugupsita-karmāṇaḿ

nṛśaḿsaḿ nirapatrapam

vasudevo mahā-bhāga

uvāca parisāntvayan

 

tam — unto him (Kaḿsa); jugupsita-karmāṇam — who was ready to commit such an offensive act; nṛśaḿsam — very cruel; nirapatrapam — shameless; vasudevaḥ — Vasudeva; mahā-bhāgaḥ — the greatly fortunate father of Vāsudeva; uvāca — said; parisāntvayan — pacifying.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Wanting to pacify Kaḿsa, who was so cruel and envious that he was shamelessly ready to kill his sister, the great soul Vasudeva, who was to be the father of Kṛṣṇa, spoke to him in the following words.

 

10.1.37

śrī-vasudeva uvāca

ślāghanīya-guṇaḥ śūrair

bhavān bhoja-yaśaskaraḥ

sa kathaḿ bhaginīḿ hanyāt

striyam udvāha-parvaṇi

 

śrī-vasudevaḥ uvāca — the great personality Vasudeva said; ślāghanīya-guṇaḥ — a person who possesses praiseworthy qualities; śūraiḥ — by great heroes; bhavān — your good self; bhoja-yaśaḥ-karaḥ — a brilliant star in the Bhoja dynasty; saḥ — one such as your good self; katham — how; bhaginīm — your sister; hanyāt — can kill; striyam — especially a woman; udvāha-parvaṇi — at the time of the marriage ceremony.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Vasudeva said: My dear brother-in-law Kaḿsa, you are the pride of your family, the Bhoja dynasty, and great heroes praise your qualities. How could such a qualified person as you kill a woman, your own sister, especially on the occasion of her marriage?

 

10.1.38

mṛtyur janmavatāḿ vīra

dehena saha jāyate

adya vābda-śatānte vā

mṛtyur vai prāṇināḿ dhruvaḥ

 

mṛtyuḥ — death; janma-vatām — of the living entities who have taken birth; vīra — O great hero; dehena saha — along with the body; jāyate — is born (one who has taken birth is sure to die); adya — today; vā — either; abda-śata — of hundreds of years; ante — at the end; vā — or; mṛtyuḥ — death; vai — indeed; prāṇinām — for every living entity; dhruvaḥ — is assured.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O great hero, one who takes birth is sure to die, for death is born with the body. One may die today or after hundreds of years, but death is sure for every living entity.

 

10.1.39

dehe pañcatvam āpanne

dehī karmānugo 'vaśaḥ

dehāntaram anuprāpya

prāktanaḿ tyajate vapuḥ

 

dehe — when the body; pañcatvam āpanne — turns into five elements; dehī — the proprietor of the body, the living being; karma-anugaḥ — following the reactions of his own fruitive activities; avaśaḥ — spontaneously, automatically; deha-antaram — another body (made of material elements); anuprāpya — receiving as a result; prāktanam — the former; tyajate — gives up; vapuḥ — body.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the present body turns to dust and is again reduced to five elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether — the proprietor of the body, the living being, automatically receives another body of material elements according to his fruitive activities. When the next body is obtained, he gives up the present body.

 

10.1.40

vrajaḿs tiṣṭhan padaikena

yathaivaikena gacchati

yathā tṛṇa-jalaukaivaḿ

dehī karma-gatiḿ gataḥ

 

vrajan — a person, while traveling on the road; tiṣṭhan — while standing; padā ekena — on one foot; yathā — as; eva — indeed; ekena — by another foot; gacchati — goes; yathā — as; tṛṇa-jalaukā — a worm on a vegetable; evam — in this way; dehī — the living entity; karma-gatim — the reactions of fruitive activities; gataḥ — undergoes.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just as a person traveling on the road rests one foot on the ground and then lifts the other, or as a worm on a vegetable transfers itself to one leaf and then gives up the previous one, the conditioned soul takes shelter of another body and then gives up the one he had before.

 

10.1.41

svapne yathā paśyati deham īdṛśaḿ

manorathenābhiniviṣṭa-cetanaḥ

dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyāḿ manasānucintayan

prapadyate tat kim api hy apasmṛtiḥ

 

svapne — in a dream; yathā — as; paśyati — one sees; deham — the kind of body; īdṛśam — similarly; manorathena — by mental speculation; abhiniviṣṭa — is fully absorbed; cetanaḥ — he whose consciousness; dṛṣṭa — by whatever has been experienced by seeing with the eyes; śrutābhyām — and by hearing a description of something else; manasā — by the mind; anucintayan — thinking, feeling and willing; prapadyate — surrenders; tat — to that situation; kim api — what to speak of; hi — indeed; apasmṛtiḥ — experiencing forgetfulness of the present body.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Having experienced a situation by seeing or hearing about it, one contemplates and speculates about that situation, and thus one surrenders to it, not considering his present body. Similarly, by mental adjustments one dreams at night of living under different circumstances, in different bodies, and forgets his actual position. Under this same process, one gives up his present body and accepts another [tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ].

 

10.1.42

yato yato dhāvati daiva-coditaḿ

mano vikārātmakam āpa pañcasu

guṇeṣu māyā-rociteṣu dehy asau

prapadyamānaḥ saha tena jāyate

 

yataḥ yataḥ — from one place to another or from one position to another; dhāvati — speculates; daiva-coditam — impelled by accident or deliberation; manaḥ — the mind; vikāra-ātmakam — changing from one type of thinking, feeling and willing to another; āpa — at the end, he obtains (a mentality); pañcasu — at the time of death (when the material body turns totally into matter); guṇeṣu — (the mind, not being liberated, becomes attached) to the material qualities; māyā-rociteṣu — where the material energy creates a similar body; dehī — the spirit soul who accepts such a body; asau — he; prapadyamānaḥ — being surrendered (to such a condition); saha — with; tena — a similar body; jāyate — takes birth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

At the time of death, according to the thinking, feeling and willing of the mind, which is involved in fruitive activities, one receives a particular body. In other words, the body develops according to the activities of the mind. Changes of body are due to the flickering of the mind, for otherwise the soul could remain in its original, spiritual body.

 

10.1.43

jyotir yathaivodaka-pārthiveṣv adaḥ

samīra-vegānugataḿ vibhāvyate

evaḿ sva-māyā-raciteṣv asau pumān

guṇeṣu rāgānugato vimuhyati

 

jyotiḥ — the luminaries in the sky, such as the sun, the moon and the stars; yathā — as; eva — indeed; udaka — in water; pārthiveṣu — or in other liquids, like oil; adaḥ — directly; samīra-vega-anugatam — being forced by the movements of the wind; vibhāvyate — appear in different shapes; evam — in this way; sva-māyā-raciteṣu — in the situation created by one's mental concoctions; asau — the living entity; pumān — person; guṇeṣu — in the material world, manifested by the modes of nature; rāga-anugataḥ — according to his attachment; vimuhyati — becomes bewildered by identification.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the luminaries in the sky, such as the moon, the sun and the stars, are reflected in liquids like oil or water, they appear to be of different shapes — sometimes round, sometimes long, and so on — because of the movements of the wind. Similarly, when the living entity, the soul, is absorbed in materialistic thoughts, he accepts various manifestations as his own identity because of ignorance. In other words, one is bewildered by mental concoctions because of agitation from the material modes of nature.

 

10.1.44

tasmān na kasyacid droham

ācaret sa tathā-vidhaḥ

ātmanaḥ kṣemam anvicchan

drogdhur vai parato bhayam

 

tasmāt — therefore; na — not; kasyacit — of anyone; droham — envy; ācaret — one should act; saḥ — a person (Kaḿsa); tathā-vidhaḥ — who has been advised in such a way (by Vasudeva); ātmanaḥ — his own; kṣemam — welfare; anvicchan — if he desires; drogdhuḥ — of one who is envious of others; vai — indeed; parataḥ — from others; bhayam — there is a cause of fear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, since envious, impious activities cause a body in which one suffers in the next life, why should one act impiously? Considering one's welfare, one should not envy anyone, for an envious person must always fear harm from his enemies, either in this life or in the next.

 

10.1.45

eṣā tavānujā bālā

kṛpaṇā putrikopamā

hantuḿ nārhasi kalyāṇīm

imāḿ tvaḿ dīna-vatsalaḥ

 

eṣā — this; tava — your; anujā — younger sister; bālā — innocent woman; kṛpaṇā — completely dependent on you; putrikā-upamā — exactly like your own daughter; hantum — to kill her; na — not; arhasi — you deserve; kalyāṇīm — who is under your affection; imām — her; tvam — you; dīna-vatsalaḥ — very compassionate to the poor and innocent.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As your younger sister, this poor girl Devakī is like your own daughter and deserves to be affectionately maintained. You are merciful, and therefore you should not kill her. Indeed, she deserves your affection.

 

10.1.46

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaḿ sa sāmabhir bhedair

bodhyamāno 'pi dāruṇaḥ

na nyavartata kauravya

puruṣādān anuvrataḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — in this way; saḥ — he (Kaḿsa); sāmabhiḥ — by attempts to pacify him (Kaḿsa); bhedaiḥ — by moral instructions that one should not be cruel to anyone else; bodhyamānaḥ api — even being pacified; dāruṇaḥ — he who was the most fiercely cruel; na nyavartata — could not be stopped (from the grievous act); kauravya — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; puruṣa-adān — the Rākṣasas, man-eaters; anuvrataḥ — following in their footsteps.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O best of the Kuru dynasty, Kaḿsa was fiercely cruel and was actually a follower of the Rākṣasas. Therefore he could be neither pacified nor terrified by the good instructions given by Vasudeva. He did not care about the results of sinful activities, either in this life or in the next.

 

10.1.47

nirbandhaḿ tasya taḿ jñātvā

vicintyānakadundubhiḥ

prāptaḿ kālaḿ prativyoḍhum

idaḿ tatrānvapadyata