Harivamsha — Chapter 53

HV 53.1

ईतिं वृकानां दृष्ट्वा तु वर्धमानां दुरासदाम् सस्त्रीपुंसो ऽथ घोषो वै समस्तो ऽमन्त्रयत् तदा

ītiṃ vṛkānāṃ dṛṣṭvā tu vardhamānāṃ durāsadām sastrīpuṃso 'tha ghoṣo vai samasto 'mantrayat tadā

Seeing the plague of the wolves increasing and hard to withstand, the whole settlement, women and men together, then took counsel.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.2

स्थानेनेह न नः कार्यं व्रजामो ऽन्यन् महद् वनम् यन् निर्भयं सुखकरं सुखसंचारमारुतम् । यच् छिवं च सुखाढ्यं च गवां चैव सुखावहम्

sthāneneha na naḥ kāryaṃ vrajāmo 'nyan mahad vanam yan nirbhayaṃ sukhakaraṃ sukhasaṃcāramārutam | yac chivaṃ ca sukhāḍhyaṃ ca gavāṃ caiva sukhāvaham

We have no business with (staying in) this place; let us go to another great forest — one that is free of fear, that gives comfort, whose winds move pleasantly, that is auspicious and rich in ease and brings comfort to the cows as well.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.3

अद्यैव किं चिरेण स्म व्रजामः सह गोधनैः यावद् वृकैर् वधं घोरं न नः सर्वो व्रजो व्रजेत्

adyaiva kiṃ cireṇa sma vrajāmaḥ saha godhanaiḥ yāvad vṛkair vadhaṃ ghoraṃ na naḥ sarvo vrajo vrajet

This very day — why delay? — let us go with our cattle-wealth, before the whole of our camp goes to a horrible death by the wolves.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.4

एषां धूम्रारुणाङ्गानां दंष्ट्रिणां मुखकर्षिणाम् वृकाणां कृष्णवक्त्राणां बिभीमो निशि गर्जताम्

eṣāṃ dhūmrāruṇāṅgānāṃ daṃṣṭriṇāṃ mukhakarṣiṇām vṛkāṇāṃ kṛṣṇavaktrāṇāṃ bibhīmo niśi garjatām

We are afraid of these wolves with smoky-red bodies, with fangs, that drag (their prey) by the mouth, black-faced, howling in the night.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.5

मम पुत्रो मम भ्राता मम वत्सो ऽथ गौर् मम वृकैर् व्यापादितेत्य् एवं क्रन्दन्ति स्म गृहे गृहे

mama putro mama bhrātā mama vatso 'tha gaur mama vṛkair vyāpāditety evaṃ krandanti sma gṛhe gṛhe

"My son, my brother, my calf, and my cow have been killed by the wolves" — thus they were wailing in house after house.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.6

तासां रुदितशब्देन गवां हम्भारवेण च व्रजस्योत्थापनं चक्रुर् घोषवृद्धाः समागताः

tāsāṃ ruditaśabdena gavāṃ hambhāraveṇa ca vrajasyotthāpanaṃ cakrur ghoṣavṛddhāḥ samāgatāḥ

At the sound of their weeping and at the lowing of the cows, the elders of the settlement came together and made the camp break up (to move).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.7

तेषां मतम् अथाज्ञाय गन्तुं वृन्दावनं प्रति व्रजस्य च निवेशाय गवां चैव सुखाय च

teṣāṃ matam athājñāya gantuṃ vṛndāvanaṃ prati vrajasya ca niveśāya gavāṃ caiva sukhāya ca

Then, learning their decision to go toward Vṛndāvana, both for the settling of the camp and for the comfort of the cows —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.8

वृन्दावननिवेशाय ज्ञात्वा तान् कृतनिश्चयान् नन्दगोपो बृहद्वाक्यं बृहस्पतिर् इवाददे

vṛndāvananiveśāya jñātvā tān kṛtaniścayān nandagopo bṛhadvākyaṃ bṛhaspatir ivādade

Knowing that they had made their decision to settle in Vṛndāvana, Nanda the cowherd took up weighty speech like Bṛhaspati.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.9

अद्यैव निश्चयप्राप्तिर् यदि गन्तव्यम् एव नः शीघ्रम् आज्ञाप्यतां घोषः सज्जीभवत माचिरम्

adyaiva niścayaprāptir yadi gantavyam eva naḥ śīghram ājñāpyatāṃ ghoṣaḥ sajjībhavata māciram

"If the decision has been reached this very day, and we must indeed go, let the cowherd camp be given the order at once: get ready, without delay!"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.10

ततो ऽवघुष्यत तदा घोषे तत्प्राकृतैर् नरैः शीघ्रम् गावः प्रकाल्यन्तां युज्यन्तां शकटानि च

tato 'vaghuṣyata tadā ghoṣe tatprākṛtair naraiḥ śīghram gāvaḥ prakālyantāṃ yujyantāṃ śakaṭāni ca

Then it was proclaimed aloud in the camp by the men of that place: "Quickly, let the cows be driven forth, and let the carts be yoked!

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.11

वत्सयूथानि काल्यन्तां भाण्द्।अं समधिरोपयताम् वृन्दावनम् इतः स्थानान् निवेशाय च गम्यताम्

vatsayūthāni kālyantāṃ bhāṇd.aṃ samadhiropayatām vṛndāvanam itaḥ sthānān niveśāya ca gamyatām

Let the herds of calves be driven along, let the vessels be loaded up, and let us go from this place to Vṛndāvana for settlement."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.12

तच् छ्रुत्वा नन्दगोपस्य वचनं साधु भाषितम् तच् छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य नन्दगोपस्य भाषितम् । उदतिष्ठद् व्रजः सर्वः शीघ्रं गमनलालसः

tac chrutvā nandagopasya vacanaṃ sādhu bhāṣitam tac chrutvā vacanaṃ tasya nandagopasya bhāṣitam | udatiṣṭhad vrajaḥ sarvaḥ śīghraṃ gamanalālasaḥ

Hearing that well-spoken word of Nanda the cowherd — hearing that word uttered by him, Nanda the cowherd — the whole camp rose up, eager to set out at once.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.13

प्रयाह्य् उत्तिष्ठ गच्छामः किं शेषे याहि योजय उत्तिष्ठति व्रजे तस्मिन् गोपकोलाहलो ह्य् अभूत्

prayāhy uttiṣṭha gacchāmaḥ kiṃ śeṣe yāhi yojaya uttiṣṭhati vraje tasmin gopakolāhalo hy abhūt

"Set out! Get up! Let us go! Why are you lying there? Come on, yoke up!" — as that camp was rising, there arose an uproar of the cowherds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.14

उत्तिष्ठमानः शुशुभे शकटीसंकटस् तु सः व्याघ्रघोषमहाघोषो घोषः सागरघोषवान्

uttiṣṭhamānaḥ śuśubhe śakaṭīsaṃkaṭas tu saḥ vyāghraghoṣamahāghoṣo ghoṣaḥ sāgaraghoṣavān

As it rose up, the camp shone, crowded with carts, its great din a din like tigers' roaring — a camp roaring like the ocean.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.15

गोपीनां गर्गरीभिश् च मूर्ध्नि चोत्तंसितैर् घटैः निष्पपात व्रजात् पङ्क्तिस् तारापङ्क्तिर् इवाम्बरात्

gopīnāṃ gargarībhiś ca mūrdhni cottaṃsitair ghaṭaiḥ niṣpapāta vrajāt paṅktis tārāpaṅktir ivāmbarāt

With the churning-jars of the cowherd women and with the pots poised on their heads, a line of them streamed out from the camp like a line of stars from the sky.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.16

नीलपीतारुणैस् तासां वस्त्रैर् उद्ग्रथितोच्छ्रितैः शक्रचापायते पङ्क्तिर् गोपीनां मार्गगामिनी

nīlapītāruṇais tāsāṃ vastrair udgrathitocchritaiḥ śakracāpāyate paṅktir gopīnāṃ mārgagāminī

With their garments, blue, yellow and red, knotted up and raised high, the line of cowherd women going along the road looked like Indra's bow.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.17

दामनीदामभारैश् च केचित् कायावलम्बिभिः गोपा मार्गगता भान्ति सावरोहा इव द्रुमाः

dāmanīdāmabhāraiś ca kecit kāyāvalambibhiḥ gopā mārgagatā bhānti sāvarohā iva drumāḥ

With their loads of tethering-ropes and cords hanging down along their bodies, some cowherds going along the road looked like trees with aerial roots.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.18

स व्रजो व्रजता भाति शकटौघेन भास्वता ओघैः पवनविक्षिप्तैर् निष्पतद्भिर् इवार्णवः

sa vrajo vrajatā bhāti śakaṭaughena bhāsvatā oghaiḥ pavanavikṣiptair niṣpatadbhir ivārṇavaḥ

That camp, as it moved, shone with its gleaming flood of carts, like the ocean with its floods driven by the wind and rushing down.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.19

क्षणेन तद्व्रजस्थानम् इरिणं समपद्यत द्रव्यावयनिर्धूतं कीर्णं वायसमण्डलैः

kṣaṇena tadvrajasthānam iriṇaṃ samapadyata dravyāvayanirdhūtaṃ kīrṇaṃ vāyasamaṇḍalaiḥ

In a moment that site of the camp became a barren waste, stripped of goods and stores, littered over with flocks of crows.

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

HV 53.20

ततः क्रमेण घोषः स प्राप्तो वृन्दावनं वनम् निवेशं विपुलं चक्रे निवेशाय गवां हितम्

tataḥ krameṇa ghoṣaḥ sa prāpto vṛndāvanaṃ vanam niveśaṃ vipulaṃ cakre niveśāya gavāṃ hitam

Then in due course that cowherd camp reached the forest of Vṛndāvana, and made an extensive settlement, suited for the settling of the cows.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.21

शकटावर्तपर्यन्तं चन्द्रार्धाकारसंस्थितम् मध्ये योजनविस्तारं तावद् द्विगुणम् आयतम्

śakaṭāvartaparyantaṃ candrārdhākārasaṃsthitam madhye yojanavistāraṃ tāvad dviguṇam āyatam

Bounded by an encircling ring of carts, laid out in the shape of a half-moon, a league in breadth in the middle and twice that in length,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.22

कण्टकीभिः प्रवृद्धाभिस् तथा कण्टकितैर् द्रुमैः निखातोच्छ्रितशाखाग्रैर् अभिगुप्तं समन्ततः

kaṇṭakībhiḥ pravṛddhābhis tathā kaṇṭakitair drumaiḥ nikhātocchritaśākhāgrair abhiguptaṃ samantataḥ

guarded on every side by full-grown thorn-bushes and by thorny trees planted (as a fence) with their branch-tips raised up,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.23

मन्थैर् आरोप्यमानैश् च मन्थबन्धानुकर्षणैः अद्भिः प्रक्षाल्यमानाभिर् गर्गरीभिस् ततस् ततः

manthair āropyamānaiś ca manthabandhānukarṣaṇaiḥ adbhiḥ prakṣālyamānābhir gargarībhis tatas tataḥ

with churning-sticks being set up and with the churn-cords being pulled to and fro, with churning-jars being washed out with water here and there,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.24

किलैर् आरोप्यमाणैश् च दामनीपाशपाशितैः स्तम्भनीभिर् धृतैश् चापि शकटैः परिवर्तितैः

kilair āropyamāṇaiś ca dāmanīpāśapāśitaiḥ stambhanībhir dhṛtaiś cāpi śakaṭaiḥ parivartitaiḥ

with pegs being driven in and bound with tether-ropes and nooses, with carts turned about and held up by props,

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

HV 53.25

नियोगपाशैर् आसक्तैर् गर्गरीस्तम्भमूर्धसु छादनार्थं प्रकीर्णैश् च कटैस् तृणगृहैस् तथा

niyogapāśair āsaktair gargarīstambhamūrdhasu chādanārthaṃ prakīrṇaiś ca kaṭais tṛṇagṛhais tathā

with binding-cords fastened on the tops of the churning-jar posts, and with mats and thatch-huts spread out for covering,

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

HV 53.26

शाखाविटङ्कैर् वृक्षाणां क्रियमाणैर् इतस् ततः शोधमानैर् गवां स्थानैः स्थाप्यमानैर् उदूखलैः

śākhāviṭaṅkair vṛkṣāṇāṃ kriyamāṇair itas tataḥ śodhamānair gavāṃ sthānaiḥ sthāpyamānair udūkhalaiḥ

with lofts of tree-branches being made here and there, with the cows' standing-places being cleaned, with mortars being set in place,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.27

प्राङ्मुखैः सिच्यमानैश् च संदीप्यद्भिश् च पावकैः सवत्सचर्मास्तरणैः पर्यङ्कैश् चावरोपितैः

prāṅmukhaiḥ sicyamānaiś ca saṃdīpyadbhiś ca pāvakaiḥ savatsacarmāstaraṇaiḥ paryaṅkaiś cāvaropitaiḥ

with the (grounds) facing east being sprinkled, with fires being kindled, with hides of cows-with-calves spread as rugs, and with couches taken down (from the carts),

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

HV 53.28

तोयम् उत्तारयन्तीभिः प्रोक्षन्तीभिश् च तद्वनम् शाखाश् चाकर्षमाणाभिर् गोपीभिश् च समन्ततः

toyam uttārayantībhiḥ prokṣantībhiś ca tadvanam śākhāś cākarṣamāṇābhir gopībhiś ca samantataḥ

And on every side (there were) cowherd women carrying water up, sprinkling that grove, and pulling down branches.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.29

युवभिः स्थविरैश् चैव गोपैर् व्यग्रकरैर् भृशम् विशसद्भिः कुठारैश् च काष्ठान्य् अपि तरून् अपि

yuvabhiḥ sthaviraiś caiva gopair vyagrakarair bhṛśam viśasadbhiḥ kuṭhāraiś ca kāṣṭhāny api tarūn api

And (there were) cowherds, young men and old, their hands busily at work, cutting with axes both logs and trees as well.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.30

तद् व्रजस्थानम् अधिकं चकाशे काननावृतम् रम्यं वननिवेशं वै स्वभिवृष्ट्यामृतोपमम्

tad vrajasthānam adhikaṃ cakāśe kānanāvṛtam ramyaṃ vananiveśaṃ vai svabhivṛṣṭyāmṛtopamam

That station of the cowherd camp, encircled by woodland, shone exceedingly — a delightful settlement in the forest, like nectar well rained down.

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

HV 53.31

तास् तु कामदुघा गावः सर्वकालतृणं वनम् वृन्दावनम् अनुप्राप्ता नन्दनोपमकाननम्

tās tu kāmadughā gāvaḥ sarvakālatṛṇaṃ vanam vṛndāvanam anuprāptā nandanopamakānanam

Those wish-yielding cows reached Vṛndāvana, a wood with grass in every season, a forest like (Indra's garden) Nandana.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.32

पूर्वम् एव तु कृष्णेन गवां सत्कारकारिणा शिवेन मनसा दृष्टं तद्वनं वनचारिणा

pūrvam eva tu kṛṣṇena gavāṃ satkārakāriṇā śivena manasā dṛṣṭaṃ tadvanaṃ vanacāriṇā

But already before, that wood had been seen with a kindly mind by Kṛṣṇa, the ranger of the forest, who does honour to the cows.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.33

पश्चिमे तु ततः पक्षे घर्ममासि निरामये वर्षतीवामृतं देवे तृणं तत्रव्यवर्धत

paścime tu tataḥ pakṣe gharmamāsi nirāmaye varṣatīvāmṛtaṃ deve tṛṇaṃ tatravyavardhata

Then in the latter fortnight, in the hot month free of affliction, the grass grew there as the god rained down what was like nectar.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

HV 53.34

न तत्र वत्साः सीदन्ति न गावो नेतरे जनाः यत्र तिष्ठति लोकानां भवाय मधुसूदनः

na tatra vatsāḥ sīdanti na gāvo netare janāḥ yatra tiṣṭhati lokānāṃ bhavāya madhusūdanaḥ

There the calves do not languish, nor the cows, nor the other people — where, for the welfare of the worlds, the slayer of Madhu abides.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition