Harivamsha — Chapter 48

HV 48.1

एवं तु तां समादिश्य गतो ऽन्तर्धानम् ईश्वरः सा चापि तं नमस्कृत्य तथास्त्व् इति विनिर्गता ॥ ह्व्_४७।५७ यश् चैतत् पठते स्तोत्रं शृणुयाद् वाप्य् अभीक्ष्णशः । सर्वार्थसिद्धिं लभते नरो नास्त्य् अत्र संशयः । कृते गर्भविधाने तु देवकी देवतोपमा जग्राह सप्त तान् गर्भान् यथावत् समुदाहृतान्

evaṃ tu tāṃ samādiśya gato 'ntardhānam īśvaraḥ sā cāpi taṃ namaskṛtya tathāstv iti vinirgatā // HV_47.57 yaś caitat paṭhate stotraṃ śṛṇuyād vāpy abhīkṣṇaśaḥ | sarvārthasiddhiṃ labhate naro nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ | kṛte garbhavidhāne tu devakī devatopamā jagrāha sapta tān garbhān yathāvat samudāhṛtān

Having thus instructed her, the Lord vanished; and she too, having bowed to him and said 'let it be so', went forth. (47.57) And whoever recites this hymn, or hears it constantly, that man attains the accomplishment of all his aims — there is no doubt in this. And when the arrangement of the conception had been made, Devakī, like a goddess, received those seven embryos, just as they had been designated.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.2

षड्गर्भान् निःसृतान् कंसस् ताञ् जघान शिलातले आपन्नं सप्तमं गर्भं सा निनायाथ रोहिणीम्

ṣaḍgarbhān niḥsṛtān kaṃsas tāñ jaghāna śilātale āpannaṃ saptamaṃ garbhaṃ sā nināyātha rohiṇīm

Kaṃsa struck down those six embryos as they came forth, on a slab of stone; but the seventh embryo, once conceived, she then conveyed to Rohiṇī.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.3

सार्धरात्रे स्थितं गर्भं शातयन्ती रजस्वला निद्रया सहसाविष्टा पपात धरणीतले

sārdharātre sthitaṃ garbhaṃ śātayantī rajasvalā nidrayā sahasāviṣṭā papāta dharaṇītale

At midnight, while causing the settled embryo to be dislodged, she, being in her menses, was suddenly seized by sleep and fell to the ground.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

HV 48.4

सा स्वप्नम् इव तं दृष्ट्वा गर्भं निःसृतम् आत्मनः अपश्यन्ती च तं गर्भं मुहूर्तं व्यथिताभवत्

sā svapnam iva taṃ dṛṣṭvā garbhaṃ niḥsṛtam ātmanaḥ apaśyantī ca taṃ garbhaṃ muhūrtaṃ vyathitābhavat

Seeing, as though in a dream, that embryo gone out of herself, and not seeing that embryo (there), she was distressed for a moment.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.5

ताम् आह निद्रा संविग्नां नैशे तमसि रोहिणीम् रोहिणीम् इव सोमस्य वसुदेवस्य रोहिणीम्

tām āha nidrā saṃvignāṃ naiśe tamasi rohiṇīm rohiṇīm iva somasya vasudevasya rohiṇīm

To her, Rohiṇī, agitated in the darkness of the night — to Vasudeva's Rohiṇī, like Soma's Rohiṇī — Nidrā (Sleep) said:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.6

कर्सणेनास्य गर्भस्य स्वगर्भे चाहितस्य वै संकर्षणो नाम शुभे तव पुत्रो भविष्यति

karsaṇenāsya garbhasya svagarbhe cāhitasya vai saṃkarṣaṇo nāma śubhe tava putro bhaviṣyati

"Because of the dragging over of this embryo, which has been placed in your own womb, your son, O auspicious one, will be named Saṃkarṣaṇa."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.7

सा तं पुत्रम् अवाप्यैव हृष्टा किंचिद् अवाङ्मुखी विवेश रोहिणी वेश्म सुप्रभा रोहिणी यथा

sā taṃ putram avāpyaiva hṛṣṭā kiṃcid avāṅmukhī viveśa rohiṇī veśma suprabhā rohiṇī yathā

Having thus obtained that son, delighted, her face a little downcast, Rohiṇī entered the house, radiant like the star Rohiṇī.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.8

तस्य गर्भस्य मार्गेण गर्भम् आधत्त देवकी यदर्थं सप्त ते गर्भाः कंसेन विनिपातिताः

tasya garbhasya mārgeṇa garbham ādhatta devakī yadarthaṃ sapta te garbhāḥ kaṃsena vinipātitāḥ

By the way of that embryo Devakī conceived the embryo for whose sake those seven embryos had been struck down by Kaṃsa.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.10

तं तु गर्भं प्रयत्नेन ररक्षुर् तस्य रक्षिणः जाग्रतः प्रयताः सर्वे मासान् संख्याय शस्त्रिणः । स तत्र गर्भवसतिं वसत्य् आत्मेच्छया हरिः ॥ ह्व्_४८।९ यस्मिन्न् अहनि देवेशं गर्भम् आदत्त देवकी । यशोदापि समाधत्त गर्भं तदहर् एव तु विष्णोः शरीरजां निद्रां विष्णोर् निर्देशकारिणीम्

taṃ tu garbhaṃ prayatnena rarakṣur tasya rakṣiṇaḥ jāgrataḥ prayatāḥ sarve māsān saṃkhyāya śastriṇaḥ | sa tatra garbhavasatiṃ vasaty ātmecchayā hariḥ // HV_48.9 yasminn ahani deveśaṃ garbham ādatta devakī | yaśodāpi samādhatta garbhaṃ tadahar eva tu viṣṇoḥ śarīrajāṃ nidrāṃ viṣṇor nirdeśakāriṇīm

His guards guarded that embryo with care, all of them watchful, diligent, bearing weapons, counting off the months. There Hari dwells in that womb-dwelling by his own will. (48.9) On the very day when Devakī conceived the lord of gods as her embryo, on that same day Yaśodā too conceived as her embryo Nidrā (Sleep), born of Viṣṇu's body, the executrix of Viṣṇu's command.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.11

गर्भकाले त्व् असंपूर्णे अष्टमे मासि ते स्त्रियौ देवकी च यशोदा च सुषुवाते समं तदा

garbhakāle tv asaṃpūrṇe aṣṭame māsi te striyau devakī ca yaśodā ca suṣuvāte samaṃ tadā

With the term of pregnancy not complete, in the eighth month, those two women, Devakī and Yaśodā, then gave birth at the same time.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.12

याम् एव रजनीं कृष्णो जज्ञे वृष्णिकुले प्रभुः ताम् एव रजनीं कन्यां यशोदापि व्यजायत नन्दगोपस्य भार्या वै कंसगोपस्य संमता

yām eva rajanīṃ kṛṣṇo jajñe vṛṣṇikule prabhuḥ tām eva rajanīṃ kanyāṃ yaśodāpi vyajāyata nandagopasya bhāryā vai kaṃsagopasya saṃmatā

On that very night on which Kṛṣṇa, the lord, was born in the Vṛṣṇi family, on that same night Yaśodā too brought forth a girl — she being the wife of Nanda the cowherd, and approved of by the cowherd of Kaṃsa.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

HV 48.13

तुल्यकालं हि गर्भिण्यौ यशोदा देवकी तथा अष्टम्यां श्रावणे मासे कृष्णपक्षे महातिथौ । रोहिण्याम् अर्धरात्रे च सुधांशोर् उदये तथा । देवक्य् अजनयद् विष्णुं यशोदा तां तु कन्यकाम् मुहूर्ते ऽभिजिते प्राप्ते सार्धरात्रे विभूषिते

tulyakālaṃ hi garbhiṇyau yaśodā devakī tathā aṣṭamyāṃ śrāvaṇe māse kṛṣṇapakṣe mahātithau | rohiṇyām ardharātre ca sudhāṃśor udaye tathā | devaky ajanayad viṣṇuṃ yaśodā tāṃ tu kanyakām muhūrte 'bhijite prāpte sārdharātre vibhūṣite

For Yaśodā and Devakī were pregnant at the same time. On the eighth day, in the month of Śrāvaṇa, in the dark fortnight, on that great lunar day, under (the asterism) Rohiṇī, at midnight, at the rising of the moon, Devakī gave birth to Viṣṇu, and Yaśodā to that girl — when the Abhijit hour had come, at the adorned midnight.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.14

सागराः समकम्पन्त चेलुश् च धरणीधराः जज्वलुश् चाग्नयः शान्ता जायमाने जनार्दने

sāgarāḥ samakampanta celuś ca dharaṇīdharāḥ jajvaluś cāgnayaḥ śāntā jāyamāne janārdane

The oceans shook and the mountains trembled, and fires that had gone out blazed up, as Janārdana was being born.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.22

शिवाः संप्रववुर् वाताः प्रशान्तम् अभवद् रजः ज्योतींसि च प्रकाशन्त जायमाने जनार्दने ॥ ह्व्_४८।१५ अभिजिन् नाम नक्षत्रं जयन्ती नाम शर्वरी । मुहूर्तो विजयो नाम यत्र जातो जनार्दनः ॥ अव्यक्तः शाश्वतः सूक्ष्मो हरिनारायणः प्रभुः । जायते भगवांस् तत्र नयनैर् मोहयञ् जगत् । अनाहता दुंदुभयो देवानां प्राणदन् दिवि आकाशात् पुष्पवर्षं च ववर्ष त्रिदिवेश्वरः ॥ ह्व्_४८।१६ अन्तर्धानगताः सर्वे मुनयः संशितव्रताः । अस्तुवन् निशि देवेशं जायमानं जनार्दनम् ॥ एष एव जगत्स्वामी वसुदेवस्य वेश्मनि । बाल्यं वपुः समास्थाय तूष्णीम् आस्ते ऽथ पश्यत ॥ पश्यतैनं सुविश्रब्धाः साक्षाल् लोकेश्वरं प्रभुम् । मानुषीं तनुम् आस्थाय लम्बन्तं देवकीकरे ॥ एष हन्तुं दुरात्मानं कंसम् आविर्भविष्यति ॥ नमस् तस्मै जगद्धात्रे विष्णवे कृष्णरूपिणे । अचिन्त्यविभवे तस्मै विश्वकर्त्रे नमो नमः । गीर्भिर् मङ्गलयुक्ताभिः स्तुवन्तो मधुसूदनम् अर्थ्याभिर् गीर्भिर् एवं तं जायमानं जनार्दनम् । महर्षयः सगन्धर्वा उपतस्थुः सहाप्सराः ॥ ह्व्_४८।१७ जायमाने हृषीकेशे प्रहृष्टम् अभवज् जगत् । इन्द्रश् च त्रिदशैः सार्धं तुष्टाव मधुसूदनम् ॥ वसुदेवस् तु तं रात्रौ जातं पुत्रम् अधोक्षजम् । श्रीवत्सलक्षणं दृष्ट्वा युतं दिव्यैश् च लक्षणैः । देवकी च ततो दीना तम् उवाच शुचिस्मिता । उपसंहर सर्वासु दिव्यं रूपम् इदं हरे ॥ जानातु मावतारं ते कंसो ऽयं दितिजान्तक । उवाच वसुदेवस् तं रूपं संहर वै प्रभो । भीतो ऽहं देव कंसस्य तस्माद् एवं वदाम्य् अहम् । मम पुत्रा हतास् तेन तव ज्येष्ठाम्बुजेक्षण ॥ वसुदेववचः श्रुत्वा रूपं संहरद् अच्युतः । अनुज्ञाप्य पितृत्वेन नन्दगोपगृहं नय । उग्रसेनमते तिष्ठन् यशोदायै ददौ तदा । एवं समाकुले काले सुषुपू रक्षिणस् तदा ॥ न केवलं रक्षितारः सायुधा मोहिताः किल । सा पुरी मधुरा सर्वा सुष्वाप हरिमायया । वसुदेवाद् ऋते तस्माद् देवक्याश् च महीपते ॥ वसुदेवस् ततो गत्वा देवकीगर्भवेश्म तत् । ददर्श देवदेवेशं रात्रौ जातम् अधोक्षजम् ॥ नीलकुञ्चितकेशान्तम् उन्निद्राम्बुजवक्त्रकम् । नीलमेघनिभं कान्तं तेजोरशिम् अमानुषम् ॥ शयानम् अम्बुजे पत्रे वटपत्रे यथा पुरा । प्राचीनशिरसं कृष्णं पश्चिमन्यस्तपादकम् ॥ तत्र दृष्टो जरायुर् न न च प्रसववेदना ॥ देवकी सुमुखी दृष्ट्वा सासीना पुत्रलोकिनी । अत्यन्तविस्मयाविष्टा वसुदेवेन साभवत् । वसुदेवस् तु संगृह्य दारकं क्षिप्रम् एव तु शयानम् अङ्के देवक्या रात्राव् आदाय यादवः । यशोदाया गृहं भीतो विवेश सुतवत्सलः ॥ ह्व्_४८।१८ तया हृतप्रत्ययसर्ववृत्तिषु ।द्वाःस्थेषु पौरेष्व् अनुशायितेष्व् अथ ।द्वारस् तु सरवाः पिहिता दुरत्यया ।बृहत्कपाटायसकीलशृङ्खलैः ॥ताः कृष्णवाहे वसुदेव आगते ।स्वयं विशीर्यन्त तमो यथा रवेः ।ववर्ष पर्जन्य उपांशुगर्जितं ।शेषो ऽन्वगाद् वारि निवारयन् फणैः ॥मघो ऽतिवर्षत्य् असकृद् यमानुजा ।गम्भीरतोयौघजवोर्मिफेनिला ।भयानकावर्तशताकुला नदी ।मार्गं ददौ सिन्धुर् इव श्रियः पतेः ॥नन्दव्रजं शौरिर् उपेत्य तत्र तान् ।गोपान् प्रसुप्तान् उपलभ्य निद्रया ।सुतं यशोदाशयने निधाय तम् ।सुताम् उपादाय पुनर् गृहान् अगात् ॥ यशोदायास् त्व् अविज्ञातं तत्र निक्षिप्य दारकम् गृह्य तां दारिकां चापि देवकीशयने ऽन्यसत् ॥ ह्व्_४८।१९ सुप्ता एव तदा सर्वे रक्षिणो विष्णुमायया । परिवर्ते कृते ताभ्यां गर्भाभ्यां भयविक्लवः वसुदेवः कृतार्थो वै निर्जगाम निवेशनात् ॥ ह्व्_४८।२० बहिर् अन्तः पुरद्वारः सर्वाः पूर्ववद् आवृताः । ततो बालध्वनिं श्रुत्वा गृहपालाः समुत्थिताः ॥ ते तु तूर्णम् उपव्रज्य देवक्या गर्भजन्म तत् । आचख्युर् भोजराजाय यद् उद्विग्नः प्रतीक्षते । उग्रसेनसुतायाथ कंसायानकदुंदुभिः निवेदयाम्_आस तदा कन्यां तां वरवर्णिनीम् ॥ ह्व्_४८।२१ भीतो निवेदयाम् आस जाता नः कन्यकेति ह । तच् छ्रुत्वा त्वरितः कंसो रक्षिभिः सह वेगितः आजगाम गृहद्वारं वसुदेवस्य वीर्यवान्

śivāḥ saṃpravavur vātāḥ praśāntam abhavad rajaḥ jyotīṃsi ca prakāśanta jāyamāne janārdane // HV_48.15 abhijin nāma nakṣatraṃ jayantī nāma śarvarī | muhūrto vijayo nāma yatra jāto janārdanaḥ || avyaktaḥ śāśvataḥ sūkṣmo harinārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | jāyate bhagavāṃs tatra nayanair mohayañ jagat | anāhatā duṃdubhayo devānāṃ prāṇadan divi ākāśāt puṣpavarṣaṃ ca vavarṣa tridiveśvaraḥ // HV_48.16 antardhānagatāḥ sarve munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | astuvan niśi deveśaṃ jāyamānaṃ janārdanam || eṣa eva jagatsvāmī vasudevasya veśmani | bālyaṃ vapuḥ samāsthāya tūṣṇīm āste 'tha paśyata || paśyatainaṃ suviśrabdhāḥ sākṣāl lokeśvaraṃ prabhum | mānuṣīṃ tanum āsthāya lambantaṃ devakīkare || eṣa hantuṃ durātmānaṃ kaṃsam āvirbhaviṣyati || namas tasmai jagaddhātre viṣṇave kṛṣṇarūpiṇe | acintyavibhave tasmai viśvakartre namo namaḥ | gīrbhir maṅgalayuktābhiḥ stuvanto madhusūdanam arthyābhir gīrbhir evaṃ taṃ jāyamānaṃ janārdanam | maharṣayaḥ sagandharvā upatasthuḥ sahāpsarāḥ // HV_48.17 jāyamāne hṛṣīkeśe prahṛṣṭam abhavaj jagat | indraś ca tridaśaiḥ sārdhaṃ tuṣṭāva madhusūdanam || vasudevas tu taṃ rātrau jātaṃ putram adhokṣajam | śrīvatsalakṣaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā yutaṃ divyaiś ca lakṣaṇaiḥ | devakī ca tato dīnā tam uvāca śucismitā | upasaṃhara sarvāsu divyaṃ rūpam idaṃ hare || jānātu māvatāraṃ te kaṃso 'yaṃ ditijāntaka | uvāca vasudevas taṃ rūpaṃ saṃhara vai prabho | bhīto 'haṃ deva kaṃsasya tasmād evaṃ vadāmy aham | mama putrā hatās tena tava jyeṣṭhāmbujekṣaṇa || vasudevavacaḥ śrutvā rūpaṃ saṃharad acyutaḥ | anujñāpya pitṛtvena nandagopagṛhaṃ naya | ugrasenamate tiṣṭhan yaśodāyai dadau tadā | evaṃ samākule kāle suṣupū rakṣiṇas tadā || na kevalaṃ rakṣitāraḥ sāyudhā mohitāḥ kila | sā purī madhurā sarvā suṣvāpa harimāyayā | vasudevād ṛte tasmād devakyāś ca mahīpate || vasudevas tato gatvā devakīgarbhaveśma tat | dadarśa devadeveśaṃ rātrau jātam adhokṣajam || nīlakuñcitakeśāntam unnidrāmbujavaktrakam | nīlameghanibhaṃ kāntaṃ tejoraśim amānuṣam || śayānam ambuje patre vaṭapatre yathā purā | prācīnaśirasaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ paścimanyastapādakam || tatra dṛṣṭo jarāyur na na ca prasavavedanā || devakī sumukhī dṛṣṭvā sāsīnā putralokinī | atyantavismayāviṣṭā vasudevena sābhavat | vasudevas tu saṃgṛhya dārakaṃ kṣipram eva tu śayānam aṅke devakyā rātrāv ādāya yādavaḥ | yaśodāyā gṛhaṃ bhīto viveśa sutavatsalaḥ // HV_48.18 tayā hṛtapratyayasarvavṛttiṣu |dvāḥstheṣu paureṣv anuśāyiteṣv atha |dvāras tu saravāḥ pihitā duratyayā |bṛhatkapāṭāyasakīlaśṛṅkhalaiḥ ||tāḥ kṛṣṇavāhe vasudeva āgate |svayaṃ viśīryanta tamo yathā raveḥ |vavarṣa parjanya upāṃśugarjitaṃ |śeṣo 'nvagād vāri nivārayan phaṇaiḥ ||magho 'tivarṣaty asakṛd yamānujā |gambhīratoyaughajavormiphenilā |bhayānakāvartaśatākulā nadī |mārgaṃ dadau sindhur iva śriyaḥ pateḥ ||nandavrajaṃ śaurir upetya tatra tān |gopān prasuptān upalabhya nidrayā |sutaṃ yaśodāśayane nidhāya tam |sutām upādāya punar gṛhān agāt || yaśodāyās tv avijñātaṃ tatra nikṣipya dārakam gṛhya tāṃ dārikāṃ cāpi devakīśayane 'nyasat // HV_48.19 suptā eva tadā sarve rakṣiṇo viṣṇumāyayā | parivarte kṛte tābhyāṃ garbhābhyāṃ bhayaviklavaḥ vasudevaḥ kṛtārtho vai nirjagāma niveśanāt // HV_48.20 bahir antaḥ puradvāraḥ sarvāḥ pūrvavad āvṛtāḥ | tato bāladhvaniṃ śrutvā gṛhapālāḥ samutthitāḥ || te tu tūrṇam upavrajya devakyā garbhajanma tat | ācakhyur bhojarājāya yad udvignaḥ pratīkṣate | ugrasenasutāyātha kaṃsāyānakaduṃdubhiḥ nivedayām_āsa tadā kanyāṃ tāṃ varavarṇinīm // HV_48.21 bhīto nivedayām āsa jātā naḥ kanyaketi ha | tac chrutvā tvaritaḥ kaṃso rakṣibhiḥ saha vegitaḥ ājagāma gṛhadvāraṃ vasudevasya vīryavān

Auspicious winds blew forth, the dust grew still, and the lights shone out, as Janārdana was being born. // The constellation was named Abhijit, the night was named Jayantī, the hour was named Vijaya, in which Janārdana was born. The unmanifest, eternal, subtle Hari-Nārāyaṇa, the Lord — the Blessed One is born there, bewildering the world with his eyes. Unstruck kettledrums of the gods sounded in heaven, and the lord of the third heaven rained a rain of flowers from the sky. // All the sages of stern vows, having become invisible, praised in the night the Lord of gods, Janārdana, as he was being born: "This very one, the master of the world, in Vasudeva's house, having taken on the body of a child, sits silent — now look! Look upon him with full trust, the lord of the worlds in person, the Master, who, having taken on a human body, hangs on Devakī's arm. He will appear in order to slay the evil-souled Kaṃsa. Homage to him, the world's sustainer, to Viṣṇu in the form of Kṛṣṇa; to him of inconceivable power, the maker of the universe, homage and homage again." Praising Madhusūdana with words full of blessing, with fitting words thus (praising) him, Janārdana as he was being born, the great seers together with the gandharvas and the apsarases attended upon him. // When Hṛṣīkeśa was born the world became joyful, and Indra together with the thirty gods praised Madhusūdana. But Vasudeva, seeing that son born in the night, Adhokṣaja, bearing the śrīvatsa mark and endowed with divine marks — and then Devakī, in distress, of pure smile, said to him: "Withdraw this divine form entirely, O Hari. Let this Kaṃsa, destroyer of Diti's sons, not know of your descent." Vasudeva said to him: "Withdraw the form, O Lord; I am afraid of Kaṃsa, O god, and therefore I speak thus; my sons, your elder brothers, were slain by him, O lotus-eyed one." Hearing Vasudeva's words Acyuta withdrew the form. "Having given leave by (your) fatherhood, carry (me) to the house of Nanda the cowherd"; abiding by Ugrasena's counsel, he then gave (her) to Yaśodā. At such a confused hour the guards then fell asleep. Not only were the guards with their weapons deluded; that whole city of Mathurā slept through Hari's māyā, except only Vasudeva and Devakī, O lord of the earth. Then Vasudeva, going to that birth-chamber of Devakī, saw the God of gods, Adhokṣaja, born in the night: with dark curling locks, his face a lotus in full bloom, like a dark cloud, lovely, a mass of splendour, more than human, lying upon a lotus leaf as formerly upon a banyan leaf — Kṛṣṇa with his head to the east and his feet laid to the west. No afterbirth was seen there, nor any pain of delivery. Devakī of fair face, seated, gazing at her son, beholding him, was filled with utter amazement, together with Vasudeva. But Vasudeva, quickly taking up the child that lay in Devakī's lap, the Yādava, in fear and fond of his son, entered by night the house of Yaśodā. // While the doorkeepers and townsmen, all their faculties of awareness taken away by her (māyā), lay asleep, the doors, all shut and hard to pass, with their great panels, iron bolts and chains — these, when Vasudeva came bearing Kṛṣṇa, burst apart of themselves, as darkness does before the sun. Parjanya rained with muffled thunder, and Śeṣa followed behind, warding off the water with his hoods. As Magha rained excessively again and again, the younger sister of Yama (the Yamunā), foaming with waves swift with deep floods of water, that river troubled with a hundred fearful whirlpools, gave way — as the ocean did to the lord of Śrī. Coming to Nanda's cattle-station, Śauri found the cowherds there fast asleep in slumber, laid his son on Yaśodā's bed, and taking up her daughter went back home again. Having set down the boy there unknown to Yaśodā, and having taken that girl too, he laid her on Devakī's bed. // All the guards were then still asleep through Viṣṇu's māyā; the exchange of the two infants having been made, Vasudeva, shaken with fear, his purpose accomplished, went out from the dwelling. // The city gates, outer and inner, were all shut as before. Then, hearing the sound of the child, the house-guards rose up. They, going quickly, announced that birth from Devakī's womb to the Bhoja king, who was waiting for it in agitation; then Ānakadundubhi announced to Kaṃsa, Ugrasena's son, that girl of fair complexion. // In fear he announced, "A girl has been born to us"; and hearing that, Kaṃsa in haste, hurrying with his guards, the valiant one, came to the door of Vasudeva's house.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.23

स तत्र त्वरितो द्वारि किं जातम् इति चाब्रवीत् दीयतां शीघ्रम् इत्य् एवं वाग्भिः समभितर्जयत्

sa tatra tvarito dvāri kiṃ jātam iti cābravīt dīyatāṃ śīghram ity evaṃ vāgbhiḥ samabhitarjayat

He, in haste there at the door, said, "What has been born?" — and with words such as "Let it be handed over at once!" he threatened (them).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.24

ततो हाहाकृताः सर्वा देवकीप्रमुखाः स्त्रियः उवाच देवकी दीना बाष्पविक्लवया गिरा । दारिका पुत्र जातेति कंसं तूवाच देवकी

tato hāhākṛtāḥ sarvā devakīpramukhāḥ striyaḥ uvāca devakī dīnā bāṣpaviklavayā girā | dārikā putra jāteti kaṃsaṃ tūvāca devakī

Then all the women, with Devakī at their head, cried out "Alas!"; and Devakī in distress spoke with a voice broken by tears — Devakī said to Kaṃsa, "A girl has been born, my son."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.25

श्रीमन्तो मे हताः सप्त पुत्रगर्भास् त्वया विभो दारिकेयं हतैवैषा पश्यस्व यदि मन्यसे

śrīmanto me hatāḥ sapta putragarbhās tvayā vibho dārikeyaṃ hataivaiṣā paśyasva yadi manyase

"Seven glorious sons of my womb have been killed by you, lord; this girl is as good as killed — look at her, if you think so."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.26

दृष्ट्वा कंसस् तु तां कन्याम् अहृष्यत मुदा युतः हतैवैषा यदा कन्या जातेत्य् उक्त्वा वृथामतिः

dṛṣṭvā kaṃsas tu tāṃ kanyām ahṛṣyata mudā yutaḥ hataivaiṣā yadā kanyā jātety uktvā vṛthāmatiḥ

But Kaṃsa, seeing that girl, was delighted and filled with joy, saying, "She is as good as killed, since what is born is a girl" — he of vain understanding.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.27

सा गर्भशयने क्लिष्टा गर्भाम्बुक्लिन्नमूर्धजा कंसस्य पुरतो न्यस्ता पृथिव्यां पृथिवीसमा

sā garbhaśayane kliṣṭā garbhāmbuklinnamūrdhajā kaṃsasya purato nyastā pṛthivyāṃ pṛthivīsamā

She, distressed on the birth-bed, her hair wet with the fluid of the womb, was set down before Kaṃsa upon the ground, she who was the equal of the earth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.28

पादे तां गृह्य पुरुषः समाविध्यावधूय च उद्यच्छन्न् एव सहसा शिलायां समपोथयत् सावधूता शिलापृष्ठे ऽनिष्पिष्टा दिवम् उत्पतत्

pāde tāṃ gṛhya puruṣaḥ samāvidhyāvadhūya ca udyacchann eva sahasā śilāyāṃ samapothayat sāvadhūtā śilāpṛṣṭhe 'niṣpiṣṭā divam utpatat

The man seized her by the foot, swung her about and shook her, and lifting her up dashed her violently against a rock; but she, flung off, uncrushed on the rock's surface, flew up to the sky.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.29

हित्वा गर्भतनुं चापि सहसा मुक्तमूर्धजा जगामाकाशम् आविश्य दिव्यस्रगनुलेपना हारशोभितसर्वाङ्गी मुकुटोज्ज्वलभूषिता । कन्यैव चाभवन् नित्यं दिव्या देवैर् अभिष्टुता

hitvā garbhatanuṃ cāpi sahasā muktamūrdhajā jagāmākāśam āviśya divyasraganulepanā hāraśobhitasarvāṅgī mukuṭojjvalabhūṣitā | kanyaiva cābhavan nityaṃ divyā devair abhiṣṭutā

And casting off the infant body, suddenly, with her hair loosed, she went and entered the sky, with divine garlands and unguents, all her limbs shining with necklaces, adorned with a blazing diadem; and she became forever a maiden, divine, praised by the gods.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.30

नीलपीताम्बरधरा गजकुम्भोपमस्तनी रथविस्तीर्णजघना चन्द्रवक्त्रा चतुर्भुजा

nīlapītāmbaradharā gajakumbhopamastanī rathavistīrṇajaghanā candravaktrā caturbhujā

Wearing blue and yellow garments, her breasts like the frontal lobes of an elephant, her hips broad as a chariot, moon-faced, four-armed;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.31

विद्युद्विस्पष्टवर्णाभा बालार्कसदृशेक्षणा पयोधरस्वनवती संध्येव सपयोधरा

vidyudvispaṣṭavarṇābhā bālārkasadṛśekṣaṇā payodharasvanavatī saṃdhyeva sapayodharā

her colour bright as lightning, her eyes like the newly risen sun, her voice like (the thunder of) a rain-cloud — like the twilight with its clouds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.32

सा वै निशि तमोग्रस्ते बभौ भूतगणाकुले नृत्यती हसती चैव विपरीतेन भास्वती

sā vai niśi tamograste babhau bhūtagaṇākule nṛtyatī hasatī caiva viparītena bhāsvatī

In the night swallowed by darkness, crowded with hosts of spirits, she shone, dancing and laughing, blazing in a contrary manner.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.33

विहायसगता रौद्रा पपौ पानम् अनुत्तमम् जहास च महाहासं कंसं च रुषिताब्रवीत्

vihāyasagatā raudrā papau pānam anuttamam jahāsa ca mahāhāsaṃ kaṃsaṃ ca ruṣitābravīt

Moving through the air, terrible, she drank a most excellent drink, and laughed a great laugh, and in anger said to Kaṃsa:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.34

कंस कंस विनाशाय यद् अहं घातिता त्वया सहसा च समुत्क्षिप्य शिलायां विनिपातिता

kaṃsa kaṃsa vināśāya yad ahaṃ ghātitā tvayā sahasā ca samutkṣipya śilāyāṃ vinipātitā

"Kaṃsa, Kaṃsa! Since I have been put to death by you for your own destruction, and suddenly lifted up and hurled down upon a rock —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.35

तस्मात् तवान्तकाले ऽहं कृष्यमाणस्य शत्रुणा पाटयित्वा करैर् देहम् उष्णं पास्यामि शोणितम्

tasmāt tavāntakāle 'haṃ kṛṣyamāṇasya śatruṇā pāṭayitvā karair deham uṣṇaṃ pāsyāmi śoṇitam

therefore, at your final hour, when you are being dragged by your enemy, I shall tear open your body with my hands and drink the warm blood."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.37

एवम् उक्त्वा वचो घोरं सा यथेष्टेन वर्त्मना खं सा देवालयं देवी सगणा विचचार ह ॥ ह्व्_४८।३६ सा कन्या ववृधे अत्र वृष्णिसद्मनि पूजिता । पुत्रवत् पाल्यमाना सा देवी देवाज्ञया तदा ॥ विद्धि चैनां अथोत्पन्नाम् अंशाद् देवीं प्रजापतेः । एकानंशां योगकन्यां रक्षार्थं केशवस्य तु ॥ तां वै सर्वे सुमनसः पूजयन्ति सा यादवाः । देववद्दिव्यवपुषं कृष्णः संरक्षितो यया । एकानंशेति याम् आहुर् उत्पन्नां मानवा भुवि । तस्यां गतायां कंसस् तु तां मेने मृत्युम् आत्मनः विविक्ते देवकीं चैव व्रीडितः प्रत्यभाषत

evam uktvā vaco ghoraṃ sā yatheṣṭena vartmanā khaṃ sā devālayaṃ devī sagaṇā vicacāra ha // HV_48.36 sā kanyā vavṛdhe atra vṛṣṇisadmani pūjitā | putravat pālyamānā sā devī devājñayā tadā || viddhi caināṃ athotpannām aṃśād devīṃ prajāpateḥ | ekānaṃśāṃ yogakanyāṃ rakṣārthaṃ keśavasya tu || tāṃ vai sarve sumanasaḥ pūjayanti sā yādavāḥ | devavaddivyavapuṣaṃ kṛṣṇaḥ saṃrakṣito yayā | ekānaṃśeti yām āhur utpannāṃ mānavā bhuvi | tasyāṃ gatāyāṃ kaṃsas tu tāṃ mene mṛtyum ātmanaḥ vivikte devakīṃ caiva vrīḍitaḥ pratyabhāṣata

Having spoken this terrible speech, the goddess with her troop roamed by a path at will through the sky to the dwelling of the gods. // That girl grew up here in the house of the Vṛṣṇis, honoured, reared like a son, that goddess, then by the command of the gods. And know her to be the goddess born from a portion of Prajāpati, Ekānaṃśā, the maiden of yoga, for the protection of Keśava. All the Yādavas with glad hearts honour her, she by whom Kṛṣṇa of divine body was guarded as a god is guarded, she whom men on earth call Ekānaṃśā, born (in that way). When she had gone, Kaṃsa considered her to be his own death, and in private, ashamed, he spoke in reply to Devakī.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.38

पितृष्वसः कृतो यत्नस् तव गर्भा हता मया अन्यथैवान्यतो देवि मम मृत्युः समुत्थितः

pitṛṣvasaḥ kṛto yatnas tava garbhā hatā mayā anyathaivānyato devi mama mṛtyuḥ samutthitaḥ

"Father's sister, the effort was made, your children were killed by me; but quite otherwise and from elsewhere, O lady, has my death arisen.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.39

नैराश्येन कृतो यत्नः स्वजने प्रहृतं मया दैवं पुरुषकारेण न चातिक्रान्तवान् अहम्

nairāśyena kṛto yatnaḥ svajane prahṛtaṃ mayā daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa na cātikrāntavān aham

Out of despair the effort was made; I struck at my own kin; and I have not overcome fate by human effort.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.40

त्यज गर्भकृतां चिन्तां त्वम् इमां शोककारिकाम् हेतुभूतस् त्व् अहं तेषां सति कालविपर्यये

tyaja garbhakṛtāṃ cintāṃ tvam imāṃ śokakārikām hetubhūtas tv ahaṃ teṣāṃ sati kālaviparyaye

Give up this anxiety over the children, which brings only grief; I was but the instrumental cause of them, when the reversal wrought by time had come.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.42

काल एव नृणां शत्रुः कालश् च परिणामकः कालो नयति सर्वं वै हेतुभूतश् च मद्विधः ॥ ह्व्_४८।४१ आगमिष्यन्ति वै देवि यथाभागम् उपद्रवः । इदं तु कष्टं यज् जन्तुः कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते । मा कार्षीः पुत्रजां चिन्तां विलापं शोकजं त्यज एवंप्राया नृणां योनिर् नास्ति कालस्य संस्थितिः

kāla eva nṛṇāṃ śatruḥ kālaś ca pariṇāmakaḥ kālo nayati sarvaṃ vai hetubhūtaś ca madvidhaḥ // HV_48.41 āgamiṣyanti vai devi yathābhāgam upadravaḥ | idaṃ tu kaṣṭaṃ yaj jantuḥ kartāham iti manyate | mā kārṣīḥ putrajāṃ cintāṃ vilāpaṃ śokajaṃ tyaja evaṃprāyā nṛṇāṃ yonir nāsti kālasya saṃsthitiḥ

Time alone is the enemy of men, and time is what brings change; time carries everything away, and one like me is only its instrument. // Calamities will come, O lady, each according to its share. But this is the misery — that a creature thinks, "I am the doer." Do not grieve for your sons; give up the lamenting born of sorrow. Such, for the most part, is the birth of men; there is no fixity in time.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.44

पतामि पादयोर् मूर्ध्ना पुत्रवत् तव देवकि मद्गतस् त्यज्यतां रोषो जानाम्य् अपकृतं स्वयम् ॥ ह्व्_४८।४३ इत्य् उक्तवन्तं कंसं सा देवकी वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् । साश्रुपूर्णमुखी दीना भर्तारम् अभिवीक्षती उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ वत्सेति कंसं मातेव जल्पती

patāmi pādayor mūrdhnā putravat tava devaki madgatas tyajyatāṃ roṣo jānāmy apakṛtaṃ svayam // HV_48.43 ity uktavantaṃ kaṃsaṃ sā devakī vākyam abravīt | sāśrupūrṇamukhī dīnā bhartāram abhivīkṣatī uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha vatseti kaṃsaṃ māteva jalpatī

I fall with my head at your feet like a son, O Devakī; let the anger you bear toward me be laid aside; I myself know the wrong that was done." // To Kaṃsa who had spoken thus Devakī spoke these words, her face full of tears, wretched, looking toward her husband, saying to Kaṃsa like a mother, "Rise, rise, my child."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.45

ममाग्रतो हता गर्भा ये त्वया कालरूपिणा कारणं त्वं न वै पुत्र कृतान्तो ह्य् अत्र कारणम्

mamāgrato hatā garbhā ye tvayā kālarūpiṇā kāraṇaṃ tvaṃ na vai putra kṛtānto hy atra kāraṇam

"The embryos that were slain before my eyes by you in the form of Time — you are not the cause, my son; it is Death that is the cause in this."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.46

गर्भकृन्तनम् एतन् मे सहनीयं त्वया कृतम् मूर्ध्ना पद्भ्यां निपतता स्वं च कर्म जुगुप्सता

garbhakṛntanam etan me sahanīyaṃ tvayā kṛtam mūrdhnā padbhyāṃ nipatatā svaṃ ca karma jugupsatā

"This cutting away of my embryos, done by you, is to be borne by me, since you fall at my feet with your head and loathe your own deed."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.48

गर्भे ऽपि नियतो मृत्युर् बाल्ये ऽपि न निवर्तते युवापि मृत्योर् वशगः स्थविरो मृत एव तु ॥ ह्व्_४८।४७ कालमूलम् इदं सर्वं हेतुभूतस् त्वम् एव हि । अजाते दर्शनं नास्ति यथा नास्ति तथैव सः जातो ऽप्य् अजाततां याति विधात्रा यत्र नीयते

garbhe 'pi niyato mṛtyur bālye 'pi na nivartate yuvāpi mṛtyor vaśagaḥ sthaviro mṛta eva tu // HV_48.47 kālamūlam idaṃ sarvaṃ hetubhūtas tvam eva hi | ajāte darśanaṃ nāsti yathā nāsti tathaiva saḥ jāto 'py ajātatāṃ yāti vidhātrā yatra nīyate

"Even in the womb death is fixed; in childhood too it does not turn back; the young man too is in death's power, and the old man is as good as dead already. All this has Time as its root; you are merely the occasion. For one unborn there is no being seen: just as he does not exist, so indeed he is not; and even one who is born goes to the state of the unborn, wherever the Ordainer leads him."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 48.49

तद् गच्छ पुत्र मा ते भून् मद्गतं मन्युकारणम् मृत्युनापहृते पूर्वं शेषो हेतुः प्रवर्तते

tad gaccha putra mā te bhūn madgataṃ manyukāraṇam mṛtyunāpahṛte pūrvaṃ śeṣo hetuḥ pravartate

"So go, my son; let there be no cause of anger in me toward you. When (a life) has already been carried off by death, what remains proceeds as the cause."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

HV 48.50

विधिना पूर्वदृष्टेन प्रजासर्गेण तत्त्वतः मातापित्रोस् तु कार्येण जन्मतस् तूपपद्यते

vidhinā pūrvadṛṣṭena prajāsargeṇa tattvataḥ mātāpitros tu kāryeṇa janmatas tūpapadyate

"By the ordinance foreseen beforehand, in truth, through the creation of offspring; but through the act of mother and father it comes about by birth."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain