Harivamsa

ugrasenasutāyātha kamsāyānakadundubhiḥ |

nivedayāmāsa tadā tāṁ kanyāṁ varavarṇinīm ||2-4-28

Anakadundubhi (vasudeva) informed kaṁsa, son of ugrasena about (the birth of) his beautiful daughter.

tacchrutvā tvaritaḥ kaṁso rakṣibhiḥ saha vegibhiḥ |

ājagāma gṛhadvāraṁ vasudevasya vīryavān ||2-4-29

Hearing this, mighty kaṁsa, along with guards, quickly reached the entrance of the house of vasudeva.

sa tatra tvaritaṁ dvāri kiṁ jātamiti cābravīt |

dīyatāṁ śīghramityevaṁ vāgbhiḥ samatarjayat ||2-4-30

At the entrance, immediately, he spoke the harsh words: "Who is born? Hand over the new-born to me quickly".

tato hāhākṛtāḥ sarvā devakībhavane striyaḥ |

uvāca devakī dīnā bāśpagadgadayā girā ||2-4-31

Then the women of devakī's house wailed loudly. devakī, lamenting and weeping, spoke with faltering voice.

dārikā tu prajāteti kaṁsaṁ samabhiyācatī |

śrīmanto me hatāḥ sapta putragarbhāstvayā vibho ||2-4-32

She begged kaṁsa: This child is a girl. Lord! My seven boys were killed by you as soon as they were born.

dārikeyaṁ hataivaiṣā pashyasva yadi manyase |

dṛṣṭvā kaṁsastu tāṁ kanyāmākṛṣyata mudā yutaḥ ||2-4-33

This is a girl. She looks as though she is dead. If you please, kindly give her to me. Seeing the girl, kaṁsa was attracted to her and he felt happy within.

hataivaiṣā yadā kanyā jātetyuktvā vṛthāmatiḥ |

The heartless (vṛthāmati) kaṁsa said: As she is born, this girl is dead.

sā garbhashayane kliṣṭā garbhāmbuklinnamūrdhajā ||2-4-34

kaṁsasya purato nyastā pṛthivyāṁ pṛthivīsamā |

sa chaināṁ gṛhya puruṣaḥ samāvidhyāvadhūya ca ||2-4-35

The child who was in a pathetic condition in the womb, her hair still wet with the water of the womb, was placed on the earth in front of kaṁsa by devakī who is equal to earth (in patience). The man grabbed the child for throwing her.

udyacchanneva sahasā śilāyāṁ samapothayat |

sāvadhūtā śilāpṛṣṭe'niṣpiṣṭā divamutpatat ||2-4-36

He whirled her around and suddenly threw her against the rock forcefully. The girl, who was thrown against the rock, slipped away and without being hit, rose in the sky.

hitvā garbhatanuṁ sā tu sahasā muktamūrdhajā |

jagāma kaṁsamādiśya divyasraganulepanā ||2-4-37

Suddenly, she gave up the body of the new-born. With disheveled hair, adorned with celestial garlands and pastes, she addressed kaṁsa.

hāraśobhitasarvāṅgī mukuṭojjvalabhūṣitā |

kanyāiva sābhavannityaṁ divyā devairabhiṣṭutā ||2-4-38

All her limbs were shining with garlands. She was adorned with a dazzling crown. The goddess remained kanyā forever. She was praised by all devas.

nīlapītāmbaradharā gajakumbhopamastanī |

rathavistīrṇajaghanā candravaktrā caturbhujā ||2-4-39

She was dressed in blue and yellow. Her breasts were like elephant's heads. Her thighs were as broad as a chariot. Her face was beautiful like the moon. She had four arms.

vidyudvispaṣṭavarṇābhā bālārkasadṛśekṣaṇā |

payodharastanavatī saṁdhyeva sapayodharā ||2-4-40

Her complexion was bright like lightning. Her eyes were red like the morning sun. Her breasts were like rain clouds. She appeared like a cloudy twilight.

sā vai nishi tamograste babhau bhūtagaṇākule |

nṛtyatī hasatī caiva viparītena bhāsvatī ||2-4-41

In the night engulfed by darkness, she dazzled with her bhūtagaṇas. She danced, laughed and manifested with opposites.

vihāyasi gatā raudrā papau pānamanuttamam |

jahāsa ca mahāhāsaṁ kaṁsaṁ ca ruṣitābravīt ||2-4-42

The terrible Goddess rose in the sky. She drank the best drink. She laughed aloud and admonished kaṁsa.

kaṁsa kaṁsātmanāśāya yadahaṁ ghātitā tvayā |

sahasā ca samutkṣipya śilāyāmabhipothitā ||2-4-43

kaṁsa, for your own destruction, you tried to kill me. You threw me all of a sudden against the rock.

tasmāttavāntakāle'haṁ kṛṣyamāṇasya śatruṇā |

pāṭayitvā karairdehamuṣṇaṁ pāsyāmi śoṇitam ||2-4-44

Hence, at the time of your death, when your body is dragged by your enemy, I will tear it apart with my hands and drink the warm blood.

evamuktvā vacho ghoraṁ sā yatheṣṭena vartmanā |

svaṁ sā devālayaṁ devī sagaṇā vicacāra ha ||2-4-45

Uttering these terrible words, the goddess along with her followers, roamed in her celestial abode as she pleased.

sā kanyā vavṛdhe tatra vṛṣṇīsaṅghasupūjitā |

putravatpālyamānā sā vasudevājṣayā tadā ||2-4-46

That girl grew up there, worshipped by the vṛṣṇīs. As ordered by vasudeva, she was looked after like a son.

viddhi chaināmathotpannāmamśāddevīṁ prajāpateḥ |

ekānaṁśāṁ yogakanyāṁ rakṣārthaṁ keshavasya tu ||2-4-47

(janamejaya !) Understand that this Goddess is born from a portion of prajāpati (brahmā). Hence she is simultaneously ekānaṁśā - one and without having any portion (division) (with brahma). The yogakanyā appeared for the protection of keshava.

tāṁ vai sarve sumanasaḥ pūjayanti sma yādavāḥ |

devavaddivyavapuṣā kṛṣṇaḥ saṁrakṣito yayā ||2-4-48

All yadava-s with good mind worshipped her since she protected kṛṣṇa with her divine body.

tasyāṁ gatāyāṁ kaṁsastu tāṁ mene mṛtyumātmanaḥ |

vivikte devakīṁ caiva vrīḍitaḥ samabhāṣata ||2-4-49

After she disappeared, kaṁsa thought that she was indeed his death. He met devakī alone and spoke to her, ashamed.

kaṁsa uvāca

mṛtyoḥ svasuḥ kṛto yatnastava garbhā mayā hatāḥ |

anya evānyatā devi mama mṛtyurupasthitaḥ ||2-4-50

kaṁsa said:

Sister, in trying to avoid my death, I killed your children. devi, it now appears that my death is due from somewhere else.

nairāśyena kṛto yatnaḥ svajane prahṛtaṁ mayā |

daivaṁ puruṣakāreṇa na cātikrāntavānaham ||2-4-51

I lost hope and hence I tried and killed my own people. I was unable to overcome fate with my efforts.

tyaja garbhakṛtāṁ cintāṁ saṁtāpaṁ putrajaṁ tyaja |

hetubhūtastvahaṁ teṣāṁ sati kālaviparyaye ||2-4-52

Do not worry about your children. Do not lament about your sons. They are dead because of Time and I am only an instrument.

kāla eva nṛṇāṁ śatruḥ kālaścha pariṇāmakaḥ |

kālo nayati sarvaṁ vai hetubhūtastu madvidhaḥ ||2-4-53

Time is the only enemy of human beings. Time constantly changes their situation and finally consumes all. People like me are only instruments (of Time).

āgamiṣyanti vai devi yathābhāgamupadravāḥ |

idaṁ tu kaṣṭaṁ yajjantuḥ kartāhamiti manyate ||2-4-54

According to our deeds, we face troubles and difficulties. It is unfortunate that beings consider themselves as the doers of everything.

mā kārṣīḥ putrajāṁ cintāṁ vilāpaṁ śokajaṁ tyaja |

evaṁprāyo nṛṇāṁ yonirnāsti kālasya saṁsthitiḥ ||2-4-55

Leave all thoughts about your sons. Abandon all worries about them. That is how human life is. It is impossible to avoid the influence of Time.

eṣa te pādayormūrdhnā putravattava devaki |

madgatastyajyatāṁ roṣo jānāmyapakṛtaṁ tvayi ||2-4-56

devaki, I am falling at your feet like a son. I have committed a grave offense. Please abandon your anger on me.

ityuktavantaṁ kaṁsaṁ sā devakī vākyamabravīt |

sāśrupūrṇamukhā dīnā bhartāramupavīkṣatī |

While kaṁsa was speaking thus, the aggrieved devakī with weeping face, looked at her husband and said these words.

uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha vatseti kaṁsaṁ māteva jalpatī ||2-4-57

Like a mother, she spoke to kaṁsa, "get up, my son".

devakyuvāca

mamāgrato hatā garbhā ye tvayā kāmarūpiṇā |

kāraṇaṁ tvaṁ na vai putra kṛtānto'pyatra kāraṇam ||2-4-58

devakī said:

In the killing (by you) of my sons delivered earlier, you are not the only reason, Time is also responsible.

garbhakartanametanme sahanīyaṁ tvayā kṛtam |

pādayoḥ patatā mūrdhnā svaṁ ca karma jugupsatā ||2-4-59

By falling down at my feet and condemning your actions, you have made me somehow bear the pain that I felt as a result of your killing my sons.

garbhe tu niyato mṛtyurbālye'pi na nivartate |

yuvāpi mṛtyorvaśagaḥ sthaviro mṛta eva tu ||2-4-60

Death cannot be avoided by those in conception or in childhood. Youth is also affected by death. The old is simply dead.

kālabhūtamidaṁ sarvaṁ hetubhūtastu tadvidhaḥ |

ajāte darśanaṁ nāsti yathā vāyustathaiva ca ||2-4-61

Everything is affected by Time. People like you are only instruments . An unborn child is not seen just as air can not be seen.

jāto'pyajātatāṁ yāti vidhātrā yatra nīyate |

tadgaccha putra mā te bhūnmadgataṁ mṛtyukāraṇam ||2-4-62

Those who are born, will cease to be seen after death. He will go wherever the creator leads him. Son, you may go now. Do not think of my worries due to the death (of my children).

mṛtyunā'pahṛte pūrvaṁ śeṣo hetuḥ pravartate |

vidhinā pūrvadṛṣṭena prajāsargeṇa tattvataḥ ||2-4-63

mātāpitrostu kāryeṇa janmatastūpapadyate |

Death can happen due to fate, karma, time of creation, other reasons, contaminated food consumed by parents, inherited reasons etc.

vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca

nishamya devakīvākyaṁ sa kaṁsaḥ svaṁ niveshanam ||2-4-64

pravivesha sa saṁrabdho dahyamānena chetasā |

kṛtye pratihate dīno jagāma vimanā bhṛśam ||2-4-65

vaiśaṁpāyana said:

Hearing devakī's words, kaṁsa went to his house. He was depressed. His mind was burning. He was upset that his efforts were in vain.

iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi śrīkṛṣṇajanmani caturtho'dhyāyaḥ

Thus this is the fourth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, the sequel to śrīmahābhārata, viṣṇu's incarnation.

nīlakaṇṭha commentary

asmiṁścaturthe tvadhyāye devakyāṁ vasudevataḥ |

śrīkṛṣṇasyocyate tāvajjanma lokaviḍambhanam ||

· 2-4-1 kṛte garbhavidāne garbhādhāne | samudāhṛtān yogamāyāyai viṣṇunā proktān ||

· 2-4-2 āpannaṁ devakyāṁ prāptaṁ sā yogamāyā rohiṇīṁ prati nītavatī atha devakyāḥ sapatamo garbhe galita iti loakapravādānantaram ||

· 2-4-3 rajasvalā rohiṇī svodare sthitaṁ gharbhaṁ pātayantī papāta |

· 2-4-4 patitamapi garbhaṁ apaśyantī yogamāyayā tasyāntardhānaṁ nītatvāt

· 2-4-5 athaitāṁ yoganidrā samāśvāsayadityāha - tāmiti | rohiṇīṁ vaṁśavR+ddhikarīm |

·

· 2-4-6 karṣaṇeneti | pūravaṁ devakyā sve garbhe Ahitasya garbhasya saṁprati tvadudaraṁ prāpitasya garbhasya karṣaṇena ākarṣaṇāddhetostava saṁkarṣaṇo nāma putro bhaviṣyati ||

· 2-4-7 rohiṇī somapatnī yathā budhakroḍā tadvat ||

· 2-4-8 mārgeṇa mārgaṇena saptamo garbho devakyāḥ kva gataḥ kadā patita iti mārgamaṇeśveva kaṁso yeṣu aṣṭamaṁ nūtanaṁ garbhaṁ devakī ādhatta |

· 2-4-9 atra kāle |

· 2-4-14 devakī viṣṇum abhijiti muhūrte'janayat | vibhūṣite vibhoḥ viṣṇoḥ uṣite proṣite vrajaṁ prati pravāse jāte sati sārdharātre caturbhāgāyāḥ rātreḥ sārdhabhāge'vaśiṣṭe sati yaśodā tāṁ kanyakāmajanayadityarthaḥ | ardharātre jātasya viṣṇoryaśodāṁ prati Anayane ardhayāmamātraṁ jātaṁ tadānayanasamakālameva yaśodā dārikāmasūta ata eva tasyāḥ janma navamyāmiti prāguktaṁ saṁgacchate |

· 2-4-15 samakampanta udriktajalā babhūvustatra hetushceluriti | dharaṇīdharāḥ śeṣādayaścheluḥ bhagvato bhāreṇeti bhāvaḥ |

· 2-4-20 apsarā ityadantatvamārṣam | surāṅganā iti vā pāṭhaḥ |

· 2-4-21 vasudevashcha tuṣṭāvetyanuṣaṅgaḥ |

· 2-4-22 tava jyeṣṭhāḥ sandhirārṣaḥ |

· 2-4-23 rūpaṁ caturbhujaṁ Aharat tirohitaṁ kṛtavān |

· 2-4-27 tābhyāṁ tayorityarthaḥ | niveśanātsūtikāgṛhāt |

· 2-4-32 tu prajātetyatra putrajāteti pāṭhe putravajjātā parivartiteti gūḍhobhisandhiḥ | putreti saṁbodhanaṁ vā |

· 2-4-35 gṛhya gṛhītvā āvidhya brāmayitvā avadhūya tuccīkṛtya |

· 2-4-36 utpatat udapatat aniṣpiṣṭeti cchedaḥ

· 2-4-37 Adishya tiraskṛtya jagāma khamiti śeṣaḥ

· 2-4-41 nishi kāle iti śeṣaḥ | viparītena viśeṣeṇa paritaḥ prasarpaṇena |

· 2-4-47 ekā cāsāvataṁśeti ekānamśā bhagavatā ekā sati avibhaktā ajṣastu tenaikaḥ sannapi svāvidyayā tato vibhakto bhavati iyaṁ tu na tatha yataḥ yogakanyā yogena kanyā bhūtā chitkalaiveyamityarthaḥ | iti tāṁ viddhi |

· 2-4-48 sumanasaḥ surāḥ | yādavāḥ yaduṣu jātā |

· 2-4-50 mṛtyoḥ parihārārthamiti śeṣaḥ |

· 2-4-51 nairāśyena kārkaśyena |

· 2-4-52 hetubhūtaḥ śastrḥ vatkālākhyasya Ishvarasya prayojyaḥ |

· 2-4-54 yathābhāgaṁ yathākarmetyarthaḥ | tena īśvar'epi na doṣaḥ | yathoktaṁ -

svakarmaiva naraṁ hanti na śastraripumṛtyavaḥ |

na bhetavyaṁ na vā sabhyaṁ chorahatyāvalambate || iti | evaṁ sati mayi doṣo nāsaṣjanīya iti bhāvaḥ |

· 2-4-55 saṁsthitiḥ khaṇḍanam |

· 2-4-57 vatseti saṁbhodhanāt kaṁsādiyaṁ jyeṣṭheti gamyate |

· 2-4-59 sahanīyaṁ soḍhavyaṁ kṣantavyamityarthaḥ |

· 2-4-62 mṛtyordainyasya kāraṇaṁ bhadraṁ te tava hṛdi mā bhūdityarthaḥ |

· 2-4-63 vidhinā garbhādānādisaṁskāreṇa pūrvadṛṣṭena janmāntarīyeṇa karmaṇā | prajā sṛjatīti prajāsargaḥ kālastena tattvataḥ lokadṛṣṭanimittena steyādinā |

· 2-4-64 kāryeṇa durannādisevanena janmataḥ jātiguṇena ca upapadyate paradrohādikam etaiḥ kāraṇaiste'pi mṛtāḥ eteraiva kāraṇastvaṁ ca kārita iti nātra tava doṣa iti bhāvaḥ |

iti harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi tīkāyāṁ caturtho'dhyāyaḥ |