Harivamsha — Chapter 52

HV 52.1

एवं तौ बाल्यम् उत्तीर्णौ कृष्णसंकर्षल्णावुभौ तस्मिन्न् एव व्रजस्थाने सप्तवर्षौ बभूवतुः

evaṃ tau bālyam uttīrṇau kṛṣṇasaṃkarṣalṇāvubhau tasminn eva vrajasthāne saptavarṣau babhūvatuḥ

Thus the two, Kṛṣṇa and Saṃkarṣaṇa, passed beyond infancy, and in that very cattle-station place they became seven years old.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.2

नीलपीताम्बरधरौ पीतश्वेतानुलेपनौ बभूवतुर् वत्सपालौ काकपक्षधराव् उभौ

nīlapītāmbaradharau pītaśvetānulepanau babhūvatur vatsapālau kākapakṣadharāv ubhau

Wearing blue and yellow garments, anointed with yellow and white unguents, the two became calf-herders, both wearing side-locks of hair.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.3

पर्णवाद्यं श्रुतिसुखं वादयन्तौ वराननौ गोपवीथ्यां सुमधुरं गायन्तौ कामरूपिणौ । शुशुभाते वनगतौ त्रिशीर्षाव् इव पन्नगौ

parṇavādyaṃ śrutisukhaṃ vādayantau varānanau gopavīthyāṃ sumadhuraṃ gāyantau kāmarūpiṇau | śuśubhāte vanagatau triśīrṣāv iva pannagau

The two fair-faced ones, playing leaf-pipes that were pleasant to hear, singing very sweetly in the cowherds' lane, able to take any form at will — they shone when they went into the forest like two three-headed serpents.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.4

मयूराङ्गदबाहू तौ बल्लवापीडधारिणौ वनमालाकृतोरस्कौ द्रुमपोताव् इवोद्गतौ

mayūrāṅgadabāhū tau ballavāpīḍadhāriṇau vanamālākṛtoraskau drumapotāv ivodgatau

With peacock-(feather) armlets on their arms, both wearing cowherds' chaplets, their chests decked with forest garlands, they were like two young trees shot up.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.8

अरविन्दकृतापीडौ रज्जुयज्ञोपवीतिनौ सशिक्यतुम्बकरकौ गोपवेणौप्रवादकौ ॥ ह्व्_५२।५ पर्णवाद्यसमायुक्तौ दध्योदनकरौ कृती । किंकिणीजालसंबद्धकटिदेशविभूषितौ ॥ कक्षकूटसमालम्बिशिक्यस्थधृतपायसौ । कालयन्तौ च दण्डेन वत्सान् वत्सौ दिशं प्रति ॥ गुल्मेषु मधुमाध्वीकं मार्गमाणावितस् ततः । खादन्तौ वन्यमूलानि पिबन्तौ मधुमाक्षिकम् ॥ ददतौ मधुमूलानि दारकेभ्यः समन्ततः । खादन्तौ खादयन्तौ च मूलानि च फलानि च ॥ तिन्दुकं भक्षयन्तु च गोपैर् आपत्य भूतले । कीलैर् आपत्य वृक्षेभ्यः खादयन्तु फलानि च । क्वचिद् धसन्ताव् अन्योन्यं क्रीडमानौ क्वचित् क्वचित् दध्योदनं प्रभुञ्जानौ क्वचित् कक्षविलम्बितम् । क्वचिच् च पानसंभ्रान्तौ क्वचित् पायसमोदितौ । क्वचिद् वृक्षेषु विश्रान्तौ स्थलीष्व् इव यथासुखम् । पर्णशय्यासु संसुप्तौ क्वचिन् निद्रान्तरैषिणौ ॥ ह्व्_५२।६ वत्सान् अनु यथाकामं चरन्तौ वत्सपालकौ । वत्सपुच्छान् समाधूय विक्षिप्तन्तौ पृथक् पृथक् । एवं वत्सान् पालयन्तौ शोभयन्तौ महावनम् एवं तु वत्सपालौ तौ शोभयाम् आसतुर् वनम् । चञ्चूर्यन्तौ रमन्तौ स्म किशोराव् इव चञ्चलौ ॥ ह्व्_५२।७ गायन्तु च क्वचिद् गेयान् सुस्वरं मधुरस्वरम् । उत्कर्णं मृगसंघं च कुर्वन्तौ गीतनिस्वनैः ॥ गजान् परवशान् गेयैः कुर्वन्तौ च गहावने । लोकम् इत्थं चरन्तौ च रमयन्तौ च चेष्टितैः । अथ दामोदरः श्रीमान् संकर्षणम् उवाच ह आर्य नास्मिन् वने शक्यं गोपालैः सह क्रीडितुम्

aravindakṛtāpīḍau rajjuyajñopavītinau saśikyatumbakarakau gopaveṇaupravādakau // HV_52.5 parṇavādyasamāyuktau dadhyodanakarau kṛtī | kiṃkiṇījālasaṃbaddhakaṭideśavibhūṣitau || kakṣakūṭasamālambiśikyasthadhṛtapāyasau | kālayantau ca daṇḍena vatsān vatsau diśaṃ prati || gulmeṣu madhumādhvīkaṃ mārgamāṇāvitas tataḥ | khādantau vanyamūlāni pibantau madhumākṣikam || dadatau madhumūlāni dārakebhyaḥ samantataḥ | khādantau khādayantau ca mūlāni ca phalāni ca || tindukaṃ bhakṣayantu ca gopair āpatya bhūtale | kīlair āpatya vṛkṣebhyaḥ khādayantu phalāni ca | kvacid dhasantāv anyonyaṃ krīḍamānau kvacit kvacit dadhyodanaṃ prabhuñjānau kvacit kakṣavilambitam | kvacic ca pānasaṃbhrāntau kvacit pāyasamoditau | kvacid vṛkṣeṣu viśrāntau sthalīṣv iva yathāsukham | parṇaśayyāsu saṃsuptau kvacin nidrāntaraiṣiṇau // HV_52.6 vatsān anu yathākāmaṃ carantau vatsapālakau | vatsapucchān samādhūya vikṣiptantau pṛthak pṛthak | evaṃ vatsān pālayantau śobhayantau mahāvanam evaṃ tu vatsapālau tau śobhayām āsatur vanam | cañcūryantau ramantau sma kiśorāv iva cañcalau // HV_52.7 gāyantu ca kvacid geyān susvaraṃ madhurasvaram | utkarṇaṃ mṛgasaṃghaṃ ca kurvantau gītanisvanaiḥ || gajān paravaśān geyaiḥ kurvantau ca gahāvane | lokam itthaṃ carantau ca ramayantau ca ceṣṭitaiḥ | atha dāmodaraḥ śrīmān saṃkarṣaṇam uvāca ha ārya nāsmin vane śakyaṃ gopālaiḥ saha krīḍitum

Wearing chaplets made of lotuses, with sacrificial threads of rope, with gourd water-pots in slings, players of the cowherds' flute; equipped with leaf-instruments, with curd-and-rice in their hands, skilful, adorned about the waist which was girt with a net of little bells; with milk-rice held in slings hanging at their armpits — the two young ones driving the calves with a staff in one direction; searching here and there among the thickets for honey-liquor, eating wild roots, drinking bees' honey; giving honey-roots to the boys all around, eating and feeding (others) roots and fruits; and eating tinduka fruits, having dropped down on the ground with the cowherds, and knocking them down from the trees with sticks and feeding (others) the fruits; sometimes laughing at each other, sometimes playing; sometimes eating curd-and-rice, sometimes what hung at the armpit; sometimes giddy with drink, sometimes delighted with milk-rice; sometimes resting up in the trees as comfortably as on level ground; sometimes fast asleep on beds of leaves, seeking sleep in the intervals; roaming at will after the calves, the calf-herders, shaking the calves' tails and scattering them apart one by one — thus guarding the calves and gracing the great forest, thus did the two calf-herders make the forest beautiful, roving about and enjoying themselves like two restless colts; and sometimes singing songs to be sung, with fair and sweet voice, and making the herds of deer prick up their ears with the sounds of their singing; and making the elephants in the deep forest fall under their sway by their songs — thus wandering the world and delighting it with their doings. Then the glorious Dāmodara said to Saṃkarṣaṇa: "Noble one, in this forest it is not possible to play with the cowherd boys."

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

HV 52.9

अवगीतम् इदं सर्वम् आवाभ्यां भुक्तभोजनम् प्रक्षीणतृणकाष्ठं च गोपैर् मथितपादपम्

avagītam idaṃ sarvam āvābhyāṃ bhuktabhojanam prakṣīṇatṛṇakāṣṭhaṃ ca gopair mathitapādapam

All this has been sung out (i.e. used up), the food eaten by us two; its grass and firewood are exhausted, and its trees battered by the cowherds.

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

HV 52.10

गहनानीह यान्य् आसन् काननानि वनानि च तान्य् आकाशनिकाशानि दृश्यन्ते ऽद्य यथासुखम्

gahanānīha yāny āsan kānanāni vanāni ca tāny ākāśanikāśāni dṛśyante 'dya yathāsukham

The thickets, groves and woods that were here are today seen to be, comfortably enough, like open sky.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.11

गोवातेष्व् अपि ये वृक्षाः परिवृत्तार्गलेषु च सर्वे गोष्ठाग्निषु गताः क्षयम् अक्षयवर्चसः

govāteṣv api ye vṛkṣāḥ parivṛttārgaleṣu ca sarve goṣṭhāgniṣu gatāḥ kṣayam akṣayavarcasaḥ

And the trees that stood in the cow-pens and at the turning gate-bars, all of them, though of inexhaustible vigour, have gone to destruction in the fires of the cattle-station.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.12

संनिकृष्टानि यान्य् आसन् काष्ठानि च तृणानि च तानि दूरावकृष्टानि मार्गितव्यानि भूमिषु

saṃnikṛṣṭāni yāny āsan kāṣṭhāni ca tṛṇāni ca tāni dūrāvakṛṣṭāni mārgitavyāni bhūmiṣu

This wilderness has little water, little brushwood, no shelter; its resting-places have to be searched out; it is harsh, its trees sparse; the birds that perched on its useless trees have gone away; because of this great settlement its trees have been destroyed by the people; it is without joy, without savour, its cries are to no purpose; it is birdless, empty, like food without seasoning.

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

HV 52.14

अरण्यम् इदम् अल्पोदम् अल्पकक्षं निराश्रयम् अन्वेषितव्यविश्रामं दारुणं विरलद्रुमम् अकर्मण्येषु वृक्षेषु स्थितविप्रस्थितद्विजम् ॥ ह्व्_५२।१३ संवासस्यास्य महतो जनेनोत्सादितद्रुमम् । निरानन्दं निरास्वादं निष्प्रयोजनम् आरुतम् निर्विहंगम् इदं शून्यं निर्व्यञ्जनम् इवाशनम्

araṇyam idam alpodam alpakakṣaṃ nirāśrayam anveṣitavyaviśrāmaṃ dāruṇaṃ viraladrumam akarmaṇyeṣu vṛkṣeṣu sthitaviprasthitadvijam // HV_52.13 saṃvāsasyāsya mahato janenotsāditadrumam | nirānandaṃ nirāsvādaṃ niṣprayojanam ārutam nirvihaṃgam idaṃ śūnyaṃ nirvyañjanam ivāśanam

With its wood and its forest-grown vegetables being sold off, its stores of grass used up, this cowherd station is turning into a town.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.15

विक्रीयमाणैः कष्ठैश् च शाकैश् च वनसंभवैः उत्सन्नसंचयतृणो घोषो ऽयं नगरायते

vikrīyamāṇaiḥ kaṣṭhaiś ca śākaiś ca vanasaṃbhavaiḥ utsannasaṃcayatṛṇo ghoṣo 'yaṃ nagarāyate

The ornament of the hills is the cowherd station; the ornament of the cowherd stations is the forest; the ornament of the forests is the cows, and they are our highest resort. Therefore let us go to another forest, one with fresh young grass and fuel.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.16

शैलानां भूषणं घोषो घोषाणां भूषणं वनम् वनानां भूषणं गावस् ताश् चास्माकं परा गतिः । तस्माद् अन्यद् वनं यामः प्रत्यग्रवयसेन्धनम्

śailānāṃ bhūṣaṇaṃ ghoṣo ghoṣāṇāṃ bhūṣaṇaṃ vanam vanānāṃ bhūṣaṇaṃ gāvas tāś cāsmākaṃ parā gatiḥ | tasmād anyad vanaṃ yāmaḥ pratyagravayasendhanam

Cows wish to eat grasses that have not been fed upon; therefore let the wealthy cattle-stations go to a forest with new grass.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.17

इच्छन्त्य् अनुपभुक्तानि भोक्तुं गावस् तृणानि च तस्माद् वनं नवतृणं गच्छन्तु धनिनो व्रजाः

icchanty anupabhuktāni bhoktuṃ gāvas tṛṇāni ca tasmād vanaṃ navatṛṇaṃ gacchantu dhanino vrajāḥ

Not those shut in with door-fastenings, nor likewise those that hold houses and fields — the cattle-stations that are praised in the world are rather those that move in circuits.

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

HV 52.18

न द्वारबन्धावरणा न गृहक्षेत्रिणस् तथा प्रशस्ता वै व्रजा लोके यथा वै चक्रचारिणः

na dvārabandhāvaraṇā na gṛhakṣetriṇas tathā praśastā vai vrajā loke yathā vai cakracāriṇaḥ

In those very places, amid the dung and urine, a saline preparation has arisen; the cows do not eat the grass, nor is it good for their milk.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.19

शकृन्मूत्रेषु तेष्व् एव जातं क्षाररसायनम् न तृणं भुञ्जते गावो नापि तत्पयसो हितम्

śakṛnmūtreṣu teṣv eva jātaṃ kṣārarasāyanam na tṛṇaṃ bhuñjate gāvo nāpi tatpayaso hitam

— tr. refused: cyber

HV 52.20

स्थलीप्रायासु रम्यासु नवासु वनराजिषु चरामः सहिता गोभिः क्षिप्रं संवाह्यतां व्रजः

sthalīprāyāsu ramyāsu navāsu vanarājiṣu carāmaḥ sahitā gobhiḥ kṣipraṃ saṃvāhyatāṃ vrajaḥ

Let us roam together with the cows over the pleasant, mostly open uplands and the fresh rows of woodland; let the camp be moved off at once.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.21

श्रूयते हि वनं रम्यं पर्याप्ततृणसंस्तरम् नाम्ना वृन्दावनं नाम स्वादुवृक्षफलोदकम्

śrūyate hi vanaṃ ramyaṃ paryāptatṛṇasaṃstaram nāmnā vṛndāvanaṃ nāma svāduvṛkṣaphalodakam

For a pleasant forest is spoken of, spread with abundant grass, named Vṛndāvana by name, with sweet trees, fruits and water.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.22

अझिल्लिकण्टकवनं सर्वैर् वनगुणैर् युतम् कदम्बपादपप्रायं यमुनातीरसंश्रितम्

ajhillikaṇṭakavanaṃ sarvair vanaguṇair yutam kadambapādapaprāyaṃ yamunātīrasaṃśritam

a forest free of crickets and thorns, endowed with all the virtues of a forest, consisting mostly of kadamba trees, lying along the bank of the Yamunā;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.23

स्निग्धशीतानिलवनं सर्वर्तुनिलयं शुभम् गोपीनां सुखसंचारं चारुचित्रवनान्तरम्

snigdhaśītānilavanaṃ sarvartunilayaṃ śubham gopīnāṃ sukhasaṃcāraṃ cārucitravanāntaram

a forest of smooth cool breezes, an auspicious abode for every season, easy and pleasant for the cowherd women to move about in, with lovely and varied woodland recesses.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.24

तस्य गोवर्धनो नाम नातिदूरे गिरिर् महान् भ्राजते दीर्घशिखरो नन्दनस्येव मन्दरः

tasya govardhano nāma nātidūre girir mahān bhrājate dīrghaśikharo nandanasyeva mandaraḥ

Not far from it shines a great mountain named Govardhana, with a long peak, like Mandara beside Nandana.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.25

मध्ये चास्य महाशाखो न्यग्रोधो योजनोच्छ्रितः भाण्डीरो नाम शुशुभे नीलमेघ इवाम्बरे

madhye cāsya mahāśākho nyagrodho yojanocchritaḥ bhāṇḍīro nāma śuśubhe nīlamegha ivāmbare

And in its middle a great-branched banyan, a league high, named Bhāṇḍīra, shone like a dark cloud in the sky.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.26

मध्येन चास्य कालिन्दी सीमन्तमिव कुर्वती प्रयाता नन्दनस्येव नलिनी सरितां वरा

madhyena cāsya kālindī sīmantamiva kurvatī prayātā nandanasyeva nalinī saritāṃ varā

And through the middle of it the Kālindī, best of rivers, has passed, making as it were a parting-line, like the lotus-stream of Nandana.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.28

तत्र गोवर्धनं चैव भाण्डीरं च वनस्पतिम् कालिन्दीं च नदीं रम्यां द्रक्ष्यावश् चरतः सुखम् ॥ ह्व्_५२।२७ सुखं चरन्तं द्रक्ष्यावः कालिन्दीं च नदीं शुभाम् । तत्रायं वसतां घोषस् त्यज्यतां निर्गुणं वनम् संवाहयाम भद्रं ते किंचिद् उत्पाद्य कारणम्

tatra govardhanaṃ caiva bhāṇḍīraṃ ca vanaspatim kālindīṃ ca nadīṃ ramyāṃ drakṣyāvaś carataḥ sukham // HV_52.27 sukhaṃ carantaṃ drakṣyāvaḥ kālindīṃ ca nadīṃ śubhām | tatrāyaṃ vasatāṃ ghoṣas tyajyatāṃ nirguṇaṃ vanam saṃvāhayāma bhadraṃ te kiṃcid utpādya kāraṇam

There we two shall see Govardhana, and the great tree Bhāṇḍīra, and the lovely river Kālindī, as we range about at ease. (52.27) We shall see (it) ranging happily, and the auspicious river Kālindī; let this camp dwell there, let this forest without merit be abandoned. Let us move on — good fortune to you — after producing some pretext.

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

HV 52.29

एवं कथयतस् तस्य वासुदेवस्य धीमतः प्रादुर्बभूवुः शतशो रक्तमांसवसाशनाः

evaṃ kathayatas tasya vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ prādurbabhūvuḥ śataśo raktamāṃsavasāśanāḥ

As the wise Vāsudeva was speaking thus, there appeared by hundreds (creatures) that feed on blood, flesh and fat.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.31

घोराश् चिन्तयतस् तस्य स्वतनूरुहजास् तदा विनिष्पेतुर् भयकराः सर्वतः शतशो वृकाः ॥ ह्व्_५२।३० निष्पतन्ति स्म बहवो व्रजस्योत्सादनाय वै । वृकान् निष्पतितान् दृष्ट्वा गोषु वत्सेष्व् अथो नृषु गोपीषु च यथाकामं व्रजे त्रासो ऽभवन् महान्

ghorāś cintayatas tasya svatanūruhajās tadā viniṣpetur bhayakarāḥ sarvataḥ śataśo vṛkāḥ // HV_52.30 niṣpatanti sma bahavo vrajasyotsādanāya vai | vṛkān niṣpatitān dṛṣṭvā goṣu vatseṣv atho nṛṣu gopīṣu ca yathākāmaṃ vraje trāso 'bhavan mahān

As he thought (of it), then terrible, fear-causing wolves, born from the hairs of his own body, sprang forth by hundreds on every side. (52.30) Many were springing forth to devastate the camp. Seeing the wolves that had sprung forth, among the cows, the calves, and also among the men and the cowherd women at will, there arose a great terror in the camp.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.33

ते वृकाः पन्चबद्धाश् च दशबद्धास् तथापरे त्रिंशद्विंशतिबद्धाश् च शतबद्धास् तथापरे ॥ ह्व्_५२।३२ पञ्चाशत्षष्टिबद्धाश् च चत्वारिंशत् तथैव च । निश्चेरुस् तस्य गात्राद् धि श्रीवत्सकृतलक्षणाः कृष्णस्य कृष्णवदना गोपानां भयवर्धनाः

te vṛkāḥ pancabaddhāś ca daśabaddhās tathāpare triṃśadviṃśatibaddhāś ca śatabaddhās tathāpare // HV_52.32 pañcāśatṣaṣṭibaddhāś ca catvāriṃśat tathaiva ca | niścerus tasya gātrād dhi śrīvatsakṛtalakṣaṇāḥ kṛṣṇasya kṛṣṇavadanā gopānāṃ bhayavardhanāḥ

Those wolves (came) bound in fives, others in tens, others in thirties and twenties, and others in hundreds, (52.32) and in fifties and sixties, and likewise in forties; they issued forth from Kṛṣṇa's body, bearing the mark of the śrīvatsa, black-faced, increasing the fear of the cowherds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.34

भक्षयद्भिश् च तैर् वत्सांस् त्रासयद्भिश् च गोव्रजान् निशि बालान् हरद्भिश् च वृकैर् उत्साद्यते व्रजः

bhakṣayadbhiś ca tair vatsāṃs trāsayadbhiś ca govrajān niśi bālān haradbhiś ca vṛkair utsādyate vrajaḥ

With those (wolves) devouring the calves, terrifying the herds of cattle, and carrying off children by night, the camp is being destroyed by the wolves.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 52.36

न वनं शक्यते गन्तुं न गाश् च परिरक्षितुम् न वनात् किंचिद् आहर्तुं न च वा तरितुं नदीम् ॥ ह्व्_५२।३५ त्रस्ता ह्य् उद्विग्नमनसो गतास् तस्मिन् वने ऽवसन् । एवं वृकैर् उदीर्णैस् तु व्याघ्रतिल्यपराक्रमैः व्रजो निष्पन्दचेष्टः स एकस्थानचरः कृतः

na vanaṃ śakyate gantuṃ na gāś ca parirakṣitum na vanāt kiṃcid āhartuṃ na ca vā tarituṃ nadīm // HV_52.35 trastā hy udvignamanaso gatās tasmin vane 'vasan | evaṃ vṛkair udīrṇais tu vyāghratilyaparākramaiḥ vrajo niṣpandaceṣṭaḥ sa ekasthānacaraḥ kṛtaḥ

It is not possible to go to the forest, nor to guard the cows, nor to fetch anything from the forest, nor indeed to cross the river. (52.35) Terrified, with agitated minds, they went and dwelt in that forest. Thus, with the wolves grown rampant, of a prowess like that of tigers, that camp was made motionless in its activity, moving about in one place only.

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