Brahma Purana — Chapter 207
BrP 207.1
चक्रे कर्म महच् छौरिर् बिभ्रद् यो मानुषीं तनुम् जिगाय शक्रं शर्वं च सर्वदेवांश् च लीलया ॥
cakre karma mahac chaurir bibhrad yo mānuṣīṃ tanum jigāya śakraṃ śarvaṃ ca sarvadevāṃś ca līlayā //
Śauri, who was bearing a human body, performed a great deed: he conquered Śakra and Śarva and all the gods in play.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.2
यच् चान्यद् अकरोत् कर्म दिव्यचेष्टाविघातकृत् कथ्यतां तन् मुनिश्रेष्ठ परं कौतूहलं हि नः ॥
yac cānyad akarot karma divyaceṣṭāvighātakṛt kathyatāṃ tan muniśreṣṭha paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi naḥ //
"And whatever other deed he did that thwarted the doings of the gods — tell that, best of sages, for our curiosity is very great."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.3
गदतो मे मुनिश्रेष्ठाः श्रूयताम् इदम् आदरात् नरावतारे कृष्णेन दग्धा वाराणसी यथा ॥
gadato me muniśreṣṭhāḥ śrūyatām idam ādarāt narāvatāre kṛṣṇena dagdhā vārāṇasī yathā //
"Listen attentively to this as I tell it, best of sages: how, in his descent as a man, Vārāṇasī was burned by Kṛṣṇa."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.4
पौण्ड्रको वासुदेवश् च वासुदेवो ऽभवद् भुवि अवतीर्णस् त्वम् इत्य् उक्तो जनैर् अज्ञानमोहितैः ॥
pauṇḍrako vāsudevaś ca vāsudevo 'bhavad bhuvi avatīrṇas tvam ity ukto janair ajñānamohitaiḥ //
And Pauṇḍraka Vāsudeva became 'Vāsudeva' on earth, being told by people deluded by ignorance, "You are (he) descended (here)."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.5
स मेने वासुदेवो ऽहम् अवतीर्णो महीतले नष्टस्मृतिस् ततः सर्वं विष्णुचिह्नम् अचीकरत् दूतं च प्रेषयाम् आस स कृष्णाय द्विजोत्तमाः ॥
sa mene vāsudevo 'ham avatīrṇo mahītale naṣṭasmṛtis tataḥ sarvaṃ viṣṇucihnam acīkarat dūtaṃ ca preṣayām āsa sa kṛṣṇāya dvijottamāḥ //
He thought, "I am Vāsudeva descended upon the surface of the earth"; then, his memory lost, he had every mark of Viṣṇu made (for himself), and he sent a messenger to Kṛṣṇa, O best of brahmins.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.6
त्यक्त्वा चक्रादिकं चिह्नं मदीयं नाम मात्मनः वासुदेवात्मकं मूढ मुक्त्वा सर्वम् अशेषतः ॥
tyaktvā cakrādikaṃ cihnaṃ madīyaṃ nāma mātmanaḥ vāsudevātmakaṃ mūḍha muktvā sarvam aśeṣataḥ //
"Abandoning the discus and the other marks that are mine, and my name, and giving up entirely, fool, everything that belongs to Vāsudeva —"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.7
आत्मनो जीवितार्थं च तथा मे प्रणतिं व्रज ॥
ātmano jīvitārthaṃ ca tathā me praṇatiṃ vraja //
"— and for the sake of your own life, come thus to obeisance before me."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.8
इत्य् उक्तः स प्रहस्यैव दूतं प्राह जनार्दनः ॥
ity uktaḥ sa prahasyaiva dūtaṃ prāha janārdanaḥ //
Addressed thus, Janārdana, laughing outright, said to the messenger:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.9
निजचिह्नम् अहं चक्रं समुत्स्रक्ष्ये त्वयीति वै वाच्यश् च पौण्ड्रको गत्वा त्वया दूत वचो मम ॥
nijacihnam ahaṃ cakraṃ samutsrakṣye tvayīti vai vācyaś ca pauṇḍrako gatvā tvayā dūta vaco mama //
"I shall indeed hurl at you the discus, my own mark. And you, messenger, having gone, must speak these words of mine to Pauṇḍraka:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.10
ज्ञातस् त्वद्वाक्यसद्भावो यत् कार्यं तद् विधीयताम् गृहीतचिह्न एवाहम् आगमिष्यामि ते पुरम् ॥
jñātas tvadvākyasadbhāvo yat kāryaṃ tad vidhīyatām gṛhītacihna evāham āgamiṣyāmi te puram //
'The real substance of your words is understood; let what must be done be done. I shall come to your city bearing the very marks (you speak of),
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.11
उत्स्रक्ष्यामि च ते चक्रं निजचिह्नम् असंशयम् आज्ञापूर्वं च यद् इदम् आगच्छेति त्वयोदितम् ॥
utsrakṣyāmi ca te cakraṃ nijacihnam asaṃśayam ājñāpūrvaṃ ca yad idam āgaccheti tvayoditam //
and I shall hurl at you the discus, my own mark, without doubt. And as for this that you said in the form of a command, "Come!" —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.12
संपादयिष्ये श्वस् तुभ्यं तद् अप्य् एषो ऽविलम्बितम् शरणं ते समभ्येत्य कर्तास्मि नृपते तथा यथा त्वत्तो भयं भूयो नैव किंचिद् भविष्यति ॥
saṃpādayiṣye śvas tubhyaṃ tad apy eṣo 'vilambitam śaraṇaṃ te samabhyetya kartāsmi nṛpate tathā yathā tvatto bhayaṃ bhūyo naiva kiṃcid bhaviṣyati //
I shall accomplish that for you tomorrow, and he (I) too without delay; coming to you for refuge, O king, I shall act so that from you there will never again be any fear at all.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 207.13
इत्य् उक्ते ऽपगते दूते संस्मृत्याभ्यागतं हरिः गरुत्मन्तं समारुह्य त्वरितं तत्पुरं ययौ ॥
ity ukte 'pagate dūte saṃsmṛtyābhyāgataṃ hariḥ garutmantaṃ samāruhya tvaritaṃ tatpuraṃ yayau //
When this had been said and the messenger had departed, Hari, calling to mind Garuḍa, who came at once, mounted him and swiftly went to that (king's) city.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.14
तस्यापि केशवोद्योगं श्रुत्वा काशिपतिस् तदा सर्वसैन्यपरीवारपार्ष्णिग्राहम् उपाययौ ॥
tasyāpi keśavodyogaṃ śrutvā kāśipatis tadā sarvasainyaparīvārapārṣṇigrāham upāyayau //
Hearing of Keśava's undertaking against him, the lord of Kāśi then came up as his rear-guard, surrounded by his whole army.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.15
ततो बलेन महता काशिराजबलेन च पौण्ड्रको वासुदेवो ऽसौ केशवाभिमुखं ययौ ॥
tato balena mahatā kāśirājabalena ca pauṇḍrako vāsudevo 'sau keśavābhimukhaṃ yayau //
Then, with a great force and with the force of the king of Kāśi, that Pauṇḍraka Vāsudeva went to face Keśava.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.16
तं ददर्श हरिर् दूराद् उदारस्यन्दने स्थितम् चक्रशङ्खगदापाणिं पाणिना विधृताम्बुजम् ॥
taṃ dadarśa harir dūrād udārasyandane sthitam cakraśaṅkhagadāpāṇiṃ pāṇinā vidhṛtāmbujam //
From afar Hari saw him standing on a lofty chariot, with discus, conch and mace in his hands, holding a lotus in (another) hand,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.17
स्रग्धरं धृतशार्ङ्गं च सुपर्णरचनाध्वजम् वक्षस्थलकृतं चास्य श्रीवत्सं ददृशे हरिः ॥
sragdharaṃ dhṛtaśārṅgaṃ ca suparṇaracanādhvajam vakṣasthalakṛtaṃ cāsya śrīvatsaṃ dadṛśe hariḥ //
wearing a garland, holding the Śārṅga bow, with a banner fashioned with (the image of) Garuḍa; and Hari saw the Śrīvatsa (mark) made upon his chest,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.18
किरीटकुण्डलधरं पीतवासःसमन्वितम् दृष्ट्वा तं भावगम्भीरं जहास मधुसूदनः ॥
kirīṭakuṇḍaladharaṃ pītavāsaḥsamanvitam dṛṣṭvā taṃ bhāvagambhīraṃ jahāsa madhusūdanaḥ //
wearing a diadem and earrings, provided with yellow garments; seeing him, deep in his (assumed) pose, Madhusūdana laughed.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.19
युयुधे च बलेनास्य हस्त्यश्वबलिना द्विजाः निस्त्रिंशर्ष्टिगदाशूलशक्तिकार्मुकशालिना ॥
yuyudhe ca balenāsya hastyaśvabalinā dvijāḥ nistriṃśarṣṭigadāśūlaśaktikārmukaśālinā //
And he fought, O brahmins, with that (king's) army, strong in elephants and horses, bristling with swords, spears, maces, lances, javelins and bows.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.20
क्षणेन शार्ङ्गनिर्मुक्तैः शरैर् अग्निविदारणैः गदाचक्रातिपातैश् च सूदयाम् आस तद्बलम् ॥
kṣaṇena śārṅganirmuktaiḥ śarair agnividāraṇaiḥ gadācakrātipātaiś ca sūdayām āsa tadbalam //
In a moment, with arrows released from the Śārṅga bow that split (like) fire, and with blows of mace and discus, he destroyed that army.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.21
काशिराजबलं चैव क्षयं नीत्वा जनार्दनः उवाच पौण्ड्रकं मूढम् आत्मचिह्नोपलक्षणम् ॥
kāśirājabalaṃ caiva kṣayaṃ nītvā janārdanaḥ uvāca pauṇḍrakaṃ mūḍham ātmacihnopalakṣaṇam //
And having brought the army of the king of Kāśi to destruction, Janārdana said to the fool Pauṇḍraka, who was marked with his (Viṣṇu's) own emblems:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.22
पौण्ड्रकोक्तं त्वया यत् तद् दूतवक्त्रेण मां प्रति समुत्सृजेति चिह्नानि तत् ते संपादयाम्य् अहम् ॥
pauṇḍrakoktaṃ tvayā yat tad dūtavaktreṇa māṃ prati samutsṛjeti cihnāni tat te saṃpādayāmy aham //
"Pauṇḍraka, that which was spoken by you to me through the mouth of a messenger — 'Give up the insignia!' — that I now bring about for you:"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.23
चक्रम् एतत् समुत्सृष्टं गदेयं ते विसर्जिता गरुत्मान् एष निर्दिष्टः समारोहतु ते ध्वजम् ॥
cakram etat samutsṛṣṭaṃ gadeyaṃ te visarjitā garutmān eṣa nirdiṣṭaḥ samārohatu te dhvajam //
This discus is hurled forth, this mace is released at you, and this Garuḍa is assigned (to you)—let him mount upon your banner.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.24
इत्य् उच्चार्य विमुक्तेन चक्रेणासौ विदारितः पोथितो गदया भग्नो गरुत्मांश् च गरुत्मता ॥
ity uccārya vimuktena cakreṇāsau vidāritaḥ pothito gadayā bhagno garutmāṃś ca garutmatā //
— tr. refused: cyber
BrP 207.25
ततो हाहाकृते लोके काशीनाम् अधिपस् तदा युयुधे वासुदेवेन मित्रस्यापचितौ स्थितः ॥
tato hāhākṛte loke kāśīnām adhipas tadā yuyudhe vāsudevena mitrasyāpacitau sthitaḥ //
— tr. refused: cyber
BrP 207.26
ततः शार्ङ्गविनिर्मुक्तैश् छित्त्वा तस्य शरैः शिरः काशिपुर्यां स चिक्षेप कुर्वंल् लोकस्य विस्मयम् ॥
tataḥ śārṅgavinirmuktaiś chittvā tasya śaraiḥ śiraḥ kāśipuryāṃ sa cikṣepa kurvaṃl lokasya vismayam //
Then, having cut off his head with arrows released from the Śārṅga bow, he flung it into the city of Kāśi, causing amazement in the people.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.27
हत्वा तु पौण्ड्रकं शौरिः काशिराजं च सानुगम् रेमे द्वारवतीं प्राप्तो ऽमरः स्वर्गगतो यथा ॥
hatvā tu pauṇḍrakaṃ śauriḥ kāśirājaṃ ca sānugam reme dvāravatīṃ prāpto 'maraḥ svargagato yathā //
But having slain Pauṇḍraka and the king of Kāśi together with his followers, the Śauri, on reaching Dvāravatī, took his pleasure like an immortal gone to heaven.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.28
तच्छिरः पतितं तत्र दृष्ट्वा काशिपतेः पुरे जनः किम् एतद् इत्य् आह केनेत्य् अत्यन्तविस्मितः ॥
tacchiraḥ patitaṃ tatra dṛṣṭvā kāśipateḥ pure janaḥ kim etad ity āha kenety atyantavismitaḥ //
— tr. refused: cyber
BrP 207.29
ज्ञात्वा तं वासुदेवेन हतं तस्य सुतस् ततः पुरोहितेन सहितस् तोषयाम् आस शंकरम् ॥
jñātvā taṃ vāsudevena hataṃ tasya sutas tataḥ purohitena sahitas toṣayām āsa śaṃkaram //
Knowing that he had been slain by Vāsudeva, his son thereupon, together with the family priest, propitiated Śaṃkara.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.30
अविमुक्ते महाक्षेत्रे तोषितस् तेन शंकरः वरं वृणीष्वेति तदा तं प्रोवाच नृपात्मजम् ॥
avimukte mahākṣetre toṣitas tena śaṃkaraḥ varaṃ vṛṇīṣveti tadā taṃ provāca nṛpātmajam //
In Avimukta, the great sacred field, Śaṃkara, being propitiated by him, then said to that son of the king: "Choose a boon."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.31
स वव्रे भगवन् कृत्या पितुर् हन्तुर् वधाय मे समुत्तिष्ठतु कृष्णस्य त्वत्प्रसादान् महेश्वर ॥
sa vavre bhagavan kṛtyā pitur hantur vadhāya me samuttiṣṭhatu kṛṣṇasya tvatprasādān maheśvara //
He chose (this): "O Lord, let a Kṛtyā arise for me, by your grace, O Maheśvara, for the slaying of Kṛṣṇa, my father's killer."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.32
एवं भविष्यतीत्य् उक्ते दक्षिणाग्नेर् अनन्तरम् महाकृत्या समुत्तस्थौ तस्यैवाग्निनिवेशनात् ॥
evaṃ bhaviṣyatīty ukte dakṣiṇāgner anantaram mahākṛtyā samuttasthau tasyaivāgniniveśanāt //
— tr. refused: cyber
BrP 207.33
ततो ज्वालाकरालास्या ज्वलत्केशकलापिका कृष्ण कृष्णेति कुपिता कृत्वा द्वारवतीं ययौ ॥
tato jvālākarālāsyā jvalatkeśakalāpikā kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇeti kupitā kṛtvā dvāravatīṃ yayau //
— tr. refused: cyber
BrP 207.34
ताम् अवेक्ष्य जनः सर्वो रौद्रां विकृतलोचनाम् ययौ शरण्यं जगतां शरणं मधुसूदनम् ॥
tām avekṣya janaḥ sarvo raudrāṃ vikṛtalocanām yayau śaraṇyaṃ jagatāṃ śaraṇaṃ madhusūdanam //
— tr. refused: cyber
BrP 207.35
काशिराजसुतेनेयम् आराध्य वृषभध्वजम् उत्पादिता महाकृत्या वधाय तव चक्रिणः जहि कृत्याम् इमाम् उग्रां वह्निज्वालाजटाकुलाम् ॥
kāśirājasuteneyam ārādhya vṛṣabhadhvajam utpāditā mahākṛtyā vadhāya tava cakriṇaḥ jahi kṛtyām imām ugrāṃ vahnijvālājaṭākulām //
"By the son of the king of Kāśi, having propitiated the bull-bannered god, this great Kṛtyā was brought forth for the slaying of you, the discus-bearer. Kill this fierce Kṛtyā, matted about with flames of fire!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.36
चक्रम् उत्सृष्टम् अक्षेषु क्रीडासक्तेन लीलया तद् अग्निमालाजटिलं ज्वालोद्गारातिभीषणम् ॥
cakram utsṛṣṭam akṣeṣu krīḍāsaktena līlayā tad agnimālājaṭilaṃ jvālodgārātibhīṣaṇam //
The discus was hurled, playfully, by him (Kṛṣṇa) who was (at that moment) engaged in a game of dice — that (discus) shaggy with wreaths of fire, exceedingly terrible with the flames it belched forth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.37
कृत्याम् अनुजगामाशु विष्णुचक्रं सुदर्शनम् ततः सा चक्रविध्वस्ता कृत्या माहेश्वरी तदा ॥
kṛtyām anujagāmāśu viṣṇucakraṃ sudarśanam tataḥ sā cakravidhvastā kṛtyā māheśvarī tadā //
— tr. refused: cyber
BrP 207.38
जगाम वेगिनी वेगात् तद् अप्य् अनुजगाम ताम् कृत्या वाराणसीम् एव प्रविवेश त्वरान्विता ॥
jagāma veginī vegāt tad apy anujagāma tām kṛtyā vārāṇasīm eva praviveśa tvarānvitā //
Swift-moving, she went with speed, and that (discus) too followed her; the Kṛtyā, filled with haste, entered Vārāṇasī itself,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.39
विष्णुचक्रप्रतिहतप्रभावा मुनिसत्तमाः ततः काशिबलं भूरि प्रमथानां तथा बलम् ॥
viṣṇucakrapratihataprabhāvā munisattamāḥ tataḥ kāśibalaṃ bhūri pramathānāṃ tathā balam //
her power beaten back by Viṣṇu's discus, O best of sages. Then the great army of Kāśī, and likewise the army of the Pramathas,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.40
समस्तशस्त्रास्त्रयुतं चक्रस्याभिमुखं ययौ शस्त्रास्त्रमोक्षबहुलं दग्ध्वा तद् बलम् ओजसा ॥
samastaśastrāstrayutaṃ cakrasyābhimukhaṃ yayau śastrāstramokṣabahulaṃ dagdhvā tad balam ojasā //
Equipped with every weapon and missile, and loosing weapons and missiles in abundance, (that army) advanced to face the discus; and (the discus), having burnt up that army by its own force,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.41
कृत्वाक्षेमाम् अशेषां तां पुरीं वाराणसीं ययौ प्रभूतभृत्यपौरां तां साश्वमातङ्गमानवाम् ॥
kṛtvākṣemām aśeṣāṃ tāṃ purīṃ vārāṇasīṃ yayau prabhūtabhṛtyapaurāṃ tāṃ sāśvamātaṅgamānavām //
having made the whole of that city Vārāṇasī unsafe, (the discus) went on (through) it, with its many servants and townsmen, with its horses, elephants, and people,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.42
अशेषदुर्गकोष्ठां तां दुर्निरीक्ष्यां सुरैर् अपि ज्वालापरिवृताशेषगृहप्राकारतोरणाम् ॥
aśeṣadurgakoṣṭhāṃ tāṃ durnirīkṣyāṃ surair api jvālāparivṛtāśeṣagṛhaprākāratoraṇām //
(It burned) that (city) with all its forts and store-chambers, hard to look upon even for the gods, all whose houses, ramparts and gateway-arches were wrapped in flames.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 207.43
ददाह तां पुरीं चक्रं सकलाम् एव सत्वरम् अक्षीणामर्षम् अत्यल्पसाध्यसाधननिस्पृहम् तच् चक्रं प्रस्फुरद्दीप्ति विष्णोर् अभ्याययौ करम् ॥
dadāha tāṃ purīṃ cakraṃ sakalām eva satvaram akṣīṇāmarṣam atyalpasādhyasādhananispṛham tac cakraṃ prasphuraddīpti viṣṇor abhyāyayau karam //
The discus swiftly burned that whole city entire—its wrath undiminished, having no appetite for tasks accomplished by too little effort; that discus, its brilliance flashing, came back to Viṣṇu's hand.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition