Harivamsha — Chapter 49

HV 49.1

निशम्य देवकीवाक्यं स कंसः स्वम् निवेशनम् प्रविवेश सुसंरब्धो दह्यमानेन चेतसा । कृत्ये प्रतिहते दीनो जगाम विमना भृशम् ॥ ह्व्_४८।५१ स्ववधं चिन्त्यमानस् तु कन्यावाक्यम् अनुस्मरन् । प्राग् एव वसुदेवस् तु व्रजे शुश्राव रोहिणीम् प्रजातां पुत्रम् एवाग्रे चन्द्रात् कान्ततराननम्

niśamya devakīvākyaṃ sa kaṃsaḥ svam niveśanam praviveśa susaṃrabdho dahyamānena cetasā | kṛtye pratihate dīno jagāma vimanā bhṛśam // HV_48.51 svavadhaṃ cintyamānas tu kanyāvākyam anusmaran | prāg eva vasudevas tu vraje śuśrāva rohiṇīm prajātāṃ putram evāgre candrāt kāntatarānanam

Having heard Devakī's words, that Kaṃsa entered his own dwelling, greatly agitated, with a burning mind; his design thwarted, wretched and much dejected, he went off, brooding on his own death and recalling the girl's words. But earlier Vasudeva had heard that in the cow-station Rohiṇī had given birth, and to a son first of all, with a face lovelier than the moon.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.4

स नन्दगोपं त्वरितः प्रोवाच शुभया गिरा गच्छानया सह त्वं तु व्रजम् एव यशोदया ॥ ह्व्_४९।२ यदा च रोहिणी पुत्रं प्रसूता कमलेक्षणा । यशोदापि तदैवेयं प्रसूता तनयं विभो । तत्रेमौ दारकौ गत्वा जातकर्मादिभिर् गुणैः योजयित्वा व्रजे तात संवर्धय यथासुखम् रौहिणेयं च मे पुत्रं परिरक्ष शिशुं व्रजे ॥ ह्व्_४९।३ पालयस्व तदा तात प्रमादबहुले व्रजे । बाल्ये केलिकिलः सर्वो बाल्ये मूर्च्छन्त्य् अमानुषाः बाल्ये चण्डतमः सर्वस् तत्र यत्नपरो भव

sa nandagopaṃ tvaritaḥ provāca śubhayā girā gacchānayā saha tvaṃ tu vrajam eva yaśodayā // HV_49.2 yadā ca rohiṇī putraṃ prasūtā kamalekṣaṇā | yaśodāpi tadaiveyaṃ prasūtā tanayaṃ vibho | tatremau dārakau gatvā jātakarmādibhir guṇaiḥ yojayitvā vraje tāta saṃvardhaya yathāsukham rauhiṇeyaṃ ca me putraṃ parirakṣa śiśuṃ vraje // HV_49.3 pālayasva tadā tāta pramādabahule vraje | bālye kelikilaḥ sarvo bālye mūrcchanty amānuṣāḥ bālye caṇḍatamaḥ sarvas tatra yatnaparo bhava

In haste he spoke to Nanda the cowherd with kindly speech: "You must go with this Yaśodā to the cow-station itself. And when lotus-eyed Rohiṇī gave birth to a son, at that very time this Yaśodā too gave birth to a son, my lord. Go there, provide these two boys with the birth-rite and the other observances, and in the cow-station, dear friend, raise them up in comfort; and guard well my son, Rohiṇī's child, as an infant in the cow-station. Protect him then, dear friend, in the cow-station where mishaps are many. In childhood everyone is full of play; in childhood even more-than-human ones lose their senses; in childhood everyone is most unruly — be diligent in this.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.5

अहं वाच्यो भविष्यामि पितृपक्षेषु पुत्रिणाम् यो ऽहम् एकस्य पुत्रस्य न पश्यामि शिशोर् मुखम्

ahaṃ vācyo bhaviṣyāmi pitṛpakṣeṣu putriṇām yo 'ham ekasya putrasya na paśyāmi śiśor mukham

"I shall become an object of reproach among those fathers who have sons, I who do not see the face of even one son as an infant."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.6

ह्रियते हि बलात् प्रज्ञा प्राज्ञस्यापि सतो मम अस्माद् धि मे भयं कंसान् निर्घृणाद् वै शिशोर् वधे

hriyate hi balāt prajñā prājñasyāpi sato mama asmād dhi me bhayaṃ kaṃsān nirghṛṇād vai śiśor vadhe

"For my understanding, wise though I am, is being carried off by force; for I have this fear of Kaṃsa the pitiless, that he will kill the child."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.7

तद् यथा रौहिणेयं त्वं नन्दगोप ममात्मजम् गोपायसि यथा तात तत्त्वान्वेषी तथा कुरु विघ्ना हि बहवो लोके बालान् उत्त्रासयन्ति हि

tad yathā rauhiṇeyaṃ tvaṃ nandagopa mamātmajam gopāyasi yathā tāta tattvānveṣī tathā kuru vighnā hi bahavo loke bālān uttrāsayanti hi

"Therefore, Nandagopa, just as you would guard my own son, Rohiṇī's child, so act, dear friend, seeking out the truth of things; for many are the dangers in the world that terrify children."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.8

स च पुत्रो मम ज्यायान् कनीयांस् तव चाप्य् अयम् उभाव् अपि समं प्रेम्णा निरीक्षस्व यथासुखम्

sa ca putro mama jyāyān kanīyāṃs tava cāpy ayam ubhāv api samaṃ premṇā nirīkṣasva yathāsukham

"And that son of mine is the elder, and this one of yours the younger; look upon both alike with affection, as you please."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.9

वर्धमानाव् उभाव् एतौ समानवयसौ यथा शोभेतां गोव्रजे तस्मिन् नन्दगोप तथा कुरु

vardhamānāv ubhāv etau samānavayasau yathā śobhetāṃ govraje tasmin nandagopa tathā kuru

"Act so, Nandagopa, that these two, growing up and of the same age, may be a splendid sight in that cow-station."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.10

न च वृन्दावने कार्यो गवां घोषः कदाचन तत्रासौ वसति क्रूरो मांसभोजी दुरात्मवान् । तत्र वासे तु भेतव्यं केशिनः पापदर्शिनः

na ca vṛndāvane kāryo gavāṃ ghoṣaḥ kadācana tatrāsau vasati krūro māṃsabhojī durātmavān | tatra vāse tu bhetavyaṃ keśinaḥ pāpadarśinaḥ

"And the cow-camp must never be set up in Vṛndāvana: there dwells that cruel, flesh-eating, evil-natured one; dwelling there is to be feared, because of Keśin of malignant look."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.12

सरीसृपेभ्यः कीटेभ्यः शकुनिभ्यस् तथैव च गोष्ठेषु गोभ्यो वत्सेभ्यो रक्ष्यौ ते द्वाव् इमौ शिशू ॥ ह्व्_४९।११ यमुना नैव गन्तव्या तस्यां वसति कालियः । नन्दगोप गता रात्रिः शीघ्रयानो व्रजाशुगः इमे त्वां त्वरयन्तीह पक्षिणः सव्यदक्षिणाः

sarīsṛpebhyaḥ kīṭebhyaḥ śakunibhyas tathaiva ca goṣṭheṣu gobhyo vatsebhyo rakṣyau te dvāv imau śiśū // HV_49.11 yamunā naiva gantavyā tasyāṃ vasati kāliyaḥ | nandagopa gatā rātriḥ śīghrayāno vrajāśugaḥ ime tvāṃ tvarayantīha pakṣiṇaḥ savyadakṣiṇāḥ

"From creeping things, from insects, and likewise from birds, and in the cow-pens from the cows and the calves, these two infants are to be guarded by you. And the Yamunā is not to be gone to at all: Kāliya dwells in it. Nandagopa, the night is gone; go swiftly, moving fast to the cow-station; these birds here, on the left and on the right, are urging you to hurry."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.13

रहिते वसुदेवेन सो ऽनुज्ञातो महात्मना यानं यशोदया सार्धम् आरुरोह मुदा युतः

rahite vasudevena so 'nujñāto mahātmanā yānaṃ yaśodayā sārdham āruroha mudā yutaḥ

In a secluded spot, given leave by the great-souled Vasudeva, he mounted the wagon together with Yaśodā, filled with joy.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.14

कुमारं स्कन्धवाह्यायां शिविकायां समाहितः शयने तं शिशुं चैव संवेश्य मृदुसंस्तरे । संवेशयामास शिशुं शयनीये महामतिः

kumāraṃ skandhavāhyāyāṃ śivikāyāṃ samāhitaḥ śayane taṃ śiśuṃ caiva saṃveśya mṛdusaṃstare | saṃveśayāmāsa śiśuṃ śayanīye mahāmatiḥ

Carefully (he placed) the boy in a shoulder-borne litter, and having laid that infant down on a bed, on a soft spread — that greatly wise one laid the infant down on a couch.

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

HV 49.15

स जगाम विविक्तेन शीतानिलविसर्पिणा बहूदकेन मार्गेन यमुनातीरशोभिना

sa jagāma viviktena śītānilavisarpiṇā bahūdakena mārgena yamunātīraśobhinā

He went by a secluded road over which a cool breeze played, well supplied with water, made lovely by the bank of the Yamunā.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.16

स ददर्श शिवे देशे गोवर्धननगोपगे यमुनातीरसंबद्धं शीतमारुतसेवितम्

sa dadarśa śive deśe govardhananagopage yamunātīrasaṃbaddhaṃ śītamārutasevitam

In an auspicious region, lying close to Mount Govardhana, he saw (a place) adjoining the bank of the Yamunā, visited by cool winds,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.17

विरतश्वापदं रम्यं लतावल्लीमहाद्रुमम् गोभिस् तृणनिमग्नाभिः स्यन्दन्तीभिर् अलंकृतम्

virataśvāpadaṃ ramyaṃ latāvallīmahādrumam gobhis tṛṇanimagnābhiḥ syandantībhir alaṃkṛtam

free of beasts of prey, delightful, with creepers, vines and great trees, adorned with cows sunk in the grass and flowing with milk,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.18

समप्रचारं च गवां समतीर्थजलाशयम् विषाणस्कन्धघातैश् च वृषाणां घृष्टपादपम्

samapracāraṃ ca gavāṃ samatīrthajalāśayam viṣāṇaskandhaghātaiś ca vṛṣāṇāṃ ghṛṣṭapādapam

with level pasture-ground for the cows, with pools having even approaches, and with trees scored by the bulls' blows of horn and shoulder,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.19

भासामिपादानुसृतं श्येनैश् चामिषगृद्धिभिः सृगालमृगसिंहैश् च वसामेदोशिभिर् वृतम्

bhāsāmipādānusṛtaṃ śyenaiś cāmiṣagṛddhibhiḥ sṛgālamṛgasiṃhaiś ca vasāmedośibhir vṛtam

(It was) frequented by bhāsa birds after flesh and by hawks greedy for meat, and ringed about by jackals, deer(?), and lions that feed on fat and marrow.

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

HV 49.20

शार्दूलशब्दाभिरुतं नानापक्षिसमाकुलम् स्वादुपुष्पफलं रम्यं पर्याप्ततृणसंस्तरम्

śārdūlaśabdābhirutaṃ nānāpakṣisamākulam svādupuṣpaphalaṃ ramyaṃ paryāptatṛṇasaṃstaram

resounding with the cries of tigers, thronged with birds of many kinds, (a place) of sweet flowers and fruits, delightful, spread over with ample grass;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.21

गोव्रजं गोरुतशिवं गोपनारीभिर् आवृतम् हम्भारवैश् च वत्सानां सर्वतः कृतनिस्वनम्

govrajaṃ gorutaśivaṃ gopanārībhir āvṛtam hambhāravaiś ca vatsānāṃ sarvataḥ kṛtanisvanam

a cow-station made pleasant by the lowing of cows, filled with cowherd women, and everywhere noisy with the bellowing of the calves;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.22

सकटावर्तविपुलं कण्टकीवाटसंकुलम् पर्यन्तेश्व् आवृतं वन्यैर् बृहद्भिः पतितैर् द्रुमैः

sakaṭāvartavipulaṃ kaṇṭakīvāṭasaṃkulam paryanteśv āvṛtaṃ vanyair bṛhadbhiḥ patitair drumaiḥ

extensive with the circuits of carts, closely set with thorn fences, enclosed at its edges by great forest trees that had fallen;

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

HV 49.23

वत्सानां रोपितैः कीलैर् दामभिश् च विभूषितम् करीषाकीर्णवसुधं कटच्छन्नकुटीमठम्

vatsānāṃ ropitaiḥ kīlair dāmabhiś ca vibhūṣitam karīṣākīrṇavasudhaṃ kaṭacchannakuṭīmaṭham

adorned with pegs planted for the calves and with tethering ropes, its ground strewn with cow-dung, its huts and sheds roofed with mats;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.24

क्षमप्रचारबहुलं हृष्टपुष्टजनायुतम् दामनीप्रायबहुलं गर्गरोद्गारनिस्वनम्

kṣamapracārabahulaṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanāyutam dāmanīprāyabahulaṃ gargarodgāranisvanam

abounding in level grazing ground, filled with glad, well-fed people, with tethering ropes in abundance everywhere, resounding with the gurgling of churning jars;

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

HV 49.25

तक्रनिस्रावबहुलं दधिमण्डार्द्रमृत्तिकम् नवनीतपरिक्षिप्तम् आज्यगन्धविभूषितम् । मन्थानवलयोद्गारैर् गोपीनां जनितस्वनम्

takranisrāvabahulaṃ dadhimaṇḍārdramṛttikam navanītaparikṣiptam ājyagandhavibhūṣitam | manthānavalayodgārair gopīnāṃ janitasvanam

abounding in the flowing of buttermilk, its earth moist with curd-whey, spread about with fresh butter, made fragrant with the smell of ghee, and with the noise made by the churning-sticks and bangles of the cowherd women;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.26

काकपक्षधरैर् बालैर् गोपालैः क्रीडितालयम् दारकैर् दारिकाभिश् च परस्परसमाकुलम् । सार्गलद्वारगोवाटं मध्ये गोस्थानसंकुलम् सर्पिषा पच्यमानेन सुरभीकृतमारुतम्

kākapakṣadharair bālair gopālaiḥ krīḍitālayam dārakair dārikābhiś ca parasparasamākulam | sārgaladvāragovāṭaṃ madhye gosthānasaṃkulam sarpiṣā pacyamānena surabhīkṛtamārutam

its dwellings played in by cowherd boys wearing crow-wing sidelocks, crowded with little boys and girls together; with cow-yards whose gates had bars, and in the middle thick with cow-stalls, its breezes made fragrant by the clarified butter being cooked;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 49.29

नीलपीताम्बराभिश् च तरुणीभिः समन्ततः वन्यपुष्पावतंसाभिर् गोपकन्याभिर् आवृतम् ॥ ह्व्_४९।२७ सीमन्तमधुरालापाः स्मितभ्रूललितेक्षणाः । सीत्कारभ्रूविलासैश् च चेतोबुद्धिमनोहराः । सर्वास् ताश् चन्द्रवदना गोपनार्यः सुशोभनाः ॥ तासां नूपुरशब्देन मेखलानां स्वनेन च । स्वनन्तीनां च शब्देन मयूरा ननृतुस् तदा । शिरसा धृतकुम्भाभिर् बद्धैर् उद्ग्रथिताम्बरैः यमुनातीरमार्गेण जलहारीभिर् आवृतम् ॥ ह्व्_४९।२८ तक्रविक्रययुक्ताभिर् दधिसर्पिःक्रयेषु च । स तत्र प्रविशन् हृष्टो गोव्रजं गोपनादितम् प्रत्युद्गतो गोपवृद्धैः स्त्रीभिर् वृद्धाभिर् एव च निवेशं रोचयामास परिवर्ते सुखाश्रये

nīlapītāmbarābhiś ca taruṇībhiḥ samantataḥ vanyapuṣpāvataṃsābhir gopakanyābhir āvṛtam // HV_49.27 sīmantamadhurālāpāḥ smitabhrūlalitekṣaṇāḥ | sītkārabhrūvilāsaiś ca cetobuddhimanoharāḥ | sarvās tāś candravadanā gopanāryaḥ suśobhanāḥ || tāsāṃ nūpuraśabdena mekhalānāṃ svanena ca | svanantīnāṃ ca śabdena mayūrā nanṛtus tadā | śirasā dhṛtakumbhābhir baddhair udgrathitāmbaraiḥ yamunātīramārgeṇa jalahārībhir āvṛtam // HV_49.28 takravikrayayuktābhir dadhisarpiḥkrayeṣu ca | sa tatra praviśan hṛṣṭo govrajaṃ gopanāditam pratyudgato gopavṛddhaiḥ strībhir vṛddhābhir eva ca niveśaṃ rocayāmāsa parivarte sukhāśraye

and encircled on all sides by young women in blue and yellow garments, by cowherd girls wearing wild flowers as ear-ornaments; (49.27) sweet of speech about their partings of hair, with lovely glances and smiling brows, charming to heart, mind and thought with their sighs and the play of their eyebrows — all those cowherd women were moon-faced and very beautiful; at the sound of their anklets and the jingling of their girdles, and at the sound of them as they sang, the peacocks then danced; (it was) filled with water-carrying women, jars held on their heads, their garments bound and knotted up, going by the road along the Yamunā's bank, (49.28) and with women engaged in selling buttermilk and in the buying of curds and ghee. Entering there, delighted, that cow-station loud with cowherds, and met on the way by the aged cowherds and by the aged women too, he chose his settlement in a pleasant, comfortable spot.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition