Harivamsha — Chapter 69
HV 69.1
स नन्दगोपस्य गृहं प्रविष्टः सहकेशवः गोपवृद्धान् समानीय प्रोवाचामितदक्षिणः
sa nandagopasya gṛhaṃ praviṣṭaḥ sahakeśavaḥ gopavṛddhān samānīya provācāmitadakṣiṇaḥ
He, having entered Nanda the cowherd's house together with Keshava, gathered the elder cowherds and spoke, (he) of boundless skill.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.2
कृष्णं चैवाब्रवीत् प्रीतो रौहिणेयेन संगतम् श्वः पुरीं मथुरां तात गमिष्यामः शिवाय वै
kṛṣṇaṃ caivābravīt prīto rauhiṇeyena saṃgatam śvaḥ purīṃ mathurāṃ tāta gamiṣyāmaḥ śivāya vai
And, pleased, he said to Krishna, who was in the company of Rohini's son: "Tomorrow, dear boy, we shall go to the city of Mathura, for (our) welfare."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.4
यास्यन्ति च व्रजाः सर्वे सगोकुलपरिग्रहाः कंसाज्ञया समुचितं करम् आदाय वार्षिकम् ॥ ह्व्_६९।३ वयं चैव प्रगन्तारो रथम् आस्थाय संगताः । समृद्धस् तस्य कंसस्य भविष्यति धनुर्महः तं द्रक्ष्यथ समृद्धं च स्वजनं च समेष्यथ
yāsyanti ca vrajāḥ sarve sagokulaparigrahāḥ kaṃsājñayā samucitaṃ karam ādāya vārṣikam // HV_69.3 vayaṃ caiva pragantāro ratham āsthāya saṃgatāḥ | samṛddhas tasya kaṃsasya bhaviṣyati dhanurmahaḥ taṃ drakṣyatha samṛddhaṃ ca svajanaṃ ca sameṣyatha
"And all the herding settlements will go, together with their cattle-station households, taking, by Kamsa's order, the proper yearly tax. And we shall go ahead, mounted together on a chariot. That Kamsa's bow-festival will be a rich one; you two will see it in its abundance, and you will meet your own kin."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.5
पितरं वसुदेवं च सततं दुःखभाजनम् दीनं पुत्रवधश्रान्तं युवाम् अथ समेष्यथः
pitaraṃ vasudevaṃ ca satataṃ duḥkhabhājanam dīnaṃ putravadhaśrāntaṃ yuvām atha sameṣyathaḥ
"And you two will then meet (your) father Vasudeva, ever a vessel of sorrow, wretched, worn out by the killing of his sons—"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.6
सततं पीड्यमानं च कंसेनाशुभबुद्धिना दशान्ते शोषितं वृद्धं दुःखैः शिथिलतां गतम्
satataṃ pīḍyamānaṃ ca kaṃsenāśubhabuddhinā daśānte śoṣitaṃ vṛddhaṃ duḥkhaiḥ śithilatāṃ gatam
"—constantly oppressed by Kamsa of evil mind, dried up at the end of his term (of life), old, gone slack with sorrows,"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.7
कंसस्य च भयात् त्रस्तं भवद्भ्यां च विनाकृतम् दह्यमानं दिवा रात्रौ सोत्कण्ठेनान्तरात्मना
kaṃsasya ca bhayāt trastaṃ bhavadbhyāṃ ca vinākṛtam dahyamānaṃ divā rātrau sotkaṇṭhenāntarātmanā
"terrified out of fear of Kamsa, and deprived of you two, burning by day and by night with a longing inner self."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.8
तां च द्रक्ष्यामि गोविन्द पुत्रैर् अमृदितस्तनीम् देवकीं देवसंकाशां सिदन्तीं विहतप्रभाम्
tāṃ ca drakṣyāmi govinda putrair amṛditastanīm devakīṃ devasaṃkāśāṃ sidantīṃ vihataprabhām
"And I shall see her, Govinda—Devaki, whose breasts have not been pressed by (her) sons, godlike, sinking down, her radiance destroyed,"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.9
पुत्रशोकेन शुष्यन्तीं त्वद्दर्शनपरायणाम् वियोगशोकसंतप्तां विवत्साम् इव सौरभीम्
putraśokena śuṣyantīṃ tvaddarśanaparāyaṇām viyogaśokasaṃtaptāṃ vivatsām iva saurabhīm
"withering with grief for her sons, intent on the sight of you, scorched by the grief of separation, like a cow that has lost her calf,"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.10
उपप्लुतेक्षणां नित्यं नित्यं मलिनवाससम् स्वर्भानुवदनग्रस्तां शशाङ्कस्य प्रभाम् इव
upaplutekṣaṇāṃ nityaṃ nityaṃ malinavāsasam svarbhānuvadanagrastāṃ śaśāṅkasya prabhām iva
"with eyes ever flooded (with tears), ever in soiled garments, like the light of the moon swallowed by the mouth of Svarbhanu (the eclipse-demon),"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.11
त्वद्दर्शनपरां नित्यं तवागमनकाङ्क्षिणीम् त्वत्प्रवृत्तेन शोकेन सीदन्तीं वै तपस्विनीम्
tvaddarśanaparāṃ nityaṃ tavāgamanakāṅkṣiṇīm tvatpravṛttena śokena sīdantīṃ vai tapasvinīm
"ever bent on seeing you, longing for your coming, sinking with the grief that arose on your account—the poor woman,"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.12
त्वत्प्रलापेष्व् अकुशलां त्वया बाल्ये वियोजिताम् अरूपज्ञां तव विभो वक्त्रस्यास्येन्दुवर्चसः
tvatpralāpeṣv akuśalāṃ tvayā bālye viyojitām arūpajñāṃ tava vibho vaktrasyāsyenduvarcasaḥ
"unskilled in prattling with you, parted from you in (your) childhood, not knowing, O mighty one, the form of your face, whose countenance has the splendour of the moon."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.13
यदि त्वां जनयित्वा सा क्लिश्यते कृष्ण देवकी अपत्यार्थो नु कस् तस्या वरं ह्य् एवानपत्यता
yadi tvāṃ janayitvā sā kliśyate kṛṣṇa devakī apatyārtho nu kas tasyā varaṃ hy evānapatyatā
"If, having borne you, that Devaki suffers, Krishna, what then is the purpose of offspring for her? Childlessness would indeed be better."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.14
एकः शोको हि नारीणाम् अपुत्राणां विधीयते सपुत्रा त्व् अफले पुत्रे धिक् प्रजातेन तप्यते
ekaḥ śoko hi nārīṇām aputrāṇāṃ vidhīyate saputrā tv aphale putre dhik prajātena tapyate
"For only one grief is ordained for women who are sonless; but a woman with a son, when the son is fruitless, is tormented by the 'shame on him for being born!'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.15
त्वं तु शक्रसमः पुत्रो यस्यास् त्वत्सदृशो गुणैः परेषाम् अप्य् अभयदो न सा शोचितुम् अर्हति
tvaṃ tu śakrasamaḥ putro yasyās tvatsadṛśo guṇaiḥ pareṣām apy abhayado na sā śocitum arhati
"But you are a son equal to Shakra, one whose qualities are like yours; a giver of safety even to strangers—she does not deserve to grieve."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 69.16
वृद्धौ तवाम्बापितरौ परभृत्यत्वम् आगतौ त्वत्कृते भर्त्स्यमानौ तौ कंसेनादीर्घदर्शिना
vṛddhau tavāmbāpitarau parabhṛtyatvam āgatau tvatkṛte bhartsyamānau tau kaṃsenādīrghadarśinā
"Your mother and father, both aged, have come to servitude under another, and the two of them are reviled on your account by short-sighted Kamsa."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.17
यदि ते देवकी मान्या पृथिवीवात्मधारिणी तां शोकसलिले मग्नाम् उत्तारयितुम् अर्हसि
yadi te devakī mānyā pṛthivīvātmadhāriṇī tāṃ śokasalile magnām uttārayitum arhasi
"If Devaki is to be honoured by you, she who bore you as the earth bears (all), then you ought to lift her out, sunk as she is in the water of sorrow."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.18
तं च वृद्धं प्रियसुतं वसुदेवं महाबलम् पुत्रयोगेन संयोज्य कृष्ण धर्मम् अवाप्स्यसि
taṃ ca vṛddhaṃ priyasutaṃ vasudevaṃ mahābalam putrayogena saṃyojya kṛṣṇa dharmam avāpsyasi
"And that aged Vasudeva of great strength, whose son is dear (to him)—by uniting him with (his) son, Krishna, you will gain merit."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.19
यथा नागः सुदुर्वृत्तो दमिनो यमुनाह्रदे विपुलश् च धृतः शैलो यथा वै भूधरस् त्वया
yathā nāgaḥ sudurvṛtto damino yamunāhrade vipulaś ca dhṛtaḥ śailo yathā vai bhūdharas tvayā
"Just as the very ill-behaved serpent was tamed by you in the pool of the Yamuna, and as the vast mountain that bears the earth was held up by you,"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.20
दर्पोद्वृत्तश् च बलवान् अरिष्टो विनिपातितः परप्राणहरः केशी दुष्टात्मा च हतस् त्वया
darpodvṛttaś ca balavān ariṣṭo vinipātitaḥ paraprāṇaharaḥ keśī duṣṭātmā ca hatas tvayā
"and the strong Arishta, swollen with pride, was struck down, and Keshin, who took the lives of others, evil-souled, was slain by you—"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.21
एतेनैव प्रयत्नेन वृद्धाव् उद्धृत्य दुःखितौ यथा धर्मम् अवाप्नोषि तत् कृष्ण परिचिन्त्यताम्
etenaiva prayatnena vṛddhāv uddhṛtya duḥkhitau yathā dharmam avāpnoṣi tat kṛṣṇa paricintyatām
"by just this same effort, Krishna, let it be considered how, by raising up the two sorrowing old people, you may gain merit."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.23
निर्भर्त्स्यमानो यैर् दृष्टः पिता ते कृष्ण संसदि ते सर्वे चक्रुर् अश्रूणि नेत्रैर् दुःखान्विता भृशम् ॥ ह्व्_६९।२२ अन्धेन किंचिद् उक्त्वैव कंसो निर्भर्त्सितः किल । गर्भावकर्तनादीनि दुःखानि सुबहूनि सा माता ते देवकी कृष्ण कंसस्य सहते ऽवशा
nirbhartsyamāno yair dṛṣṭaḥ pitā te kṛṣṇa saṃsadi te sarve cakrur aśrūṇi netrair duḥkhānvitā bhṛśam // HV_69.22 andhena kiṃcid uktvaiva kaṃso nirbhartsitaḥ kila | garbhāvakartanādīni duḥkhāni subahūni sā mātā te devakī kṛṣṇa kaṃsasya sahate 'vaśā
All those who saw your father being reviled in the assembly, Kṛṣṇa, shed tears from their eyes, deeply stricken with grief. // For merely saying something, Kaṃsa was rebuked by the blind one. And your mother Devakī, Kṛṣṇa, helpless, endures very many sufferings at Kaṃsa's hands, beginning with the cutting away of her unborn children.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 69.24
मातापितृभ्यां सर्वेण जातेन निभृतेन वै ऋणं वै प्रतिकर्तव्यं यथायोगम् उदाहृतम्
mātāpitṛbhyāṃ sarveṇa jātena nibhṛtena vai ṛṇaṃ vai pratikartavyaṃ yathāyogam udāhṛtam
By everyone who is born, a debt is to be repaid to mother and father steadfastly, as is fitting — so it has been declared.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.26
एवं ते कुर्वतः कृष्ण मातापित्रोर् अनुग्रहम् परित्यजेतां तौ शोकं स्याच् च धर्मस् तवातुलः ॥ ह्व्_६९।२५ धर्मस् ते विपुलो ऽनन्तो भविष्यति न संशयः । कृष्णस् तु विदितार्थो वै तम् आहामितदक्षिणम् बाढम् इत्य् एव तेजस्वी न च चुक्रोध केशवः
evaṃ te kurvataḥ kṛṣṇa mātāpitror anugraham parityajetāṃ tau śokaṃ syāc ca dharmas tavātulaḥ // HV_69.25 dharmas te vipulo 'nanto bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ | kṛṣṇas tu viditārtho vai tam āhāmitadakṣiṇam bāḍham ity eva tejasvī na ca cukrodha keśavaḥ
If you act thus, Kṛṣṇa, in kindness to your mother and father, those two will let go of their sorrow, and yours will be incomparable merit. // Your merit will be vast and endless — of that there is no doubt. And Kṛṣṇa, knowing the matter, said to him of boundless generosity, 'So be it' — thus the radiant Keśava spoke, and he did not grow angry.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.27
ते च गोपाः समागम्य नन्दगोपपुरोगमाः अक्रूरवचनं श्रुत्वा संचेलुः कंसशासनात्
te ca gopāḥ samāgamya nandagopapurogamāḥ akrūravacanaṃ śrutvā saṃceluḥ kaṃsaśāsanāt
And those cowherds, with Nanda the cowherd at their head, having come together and heard Akrūra's words, set out in obedience to Kaṃsa's command.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.28
गमनाय च ते सज्जा बभूवुर् व्रजवासिनः सज्जं चोपायनं कृत्वा गोपवृद्धाः प्रतस्थिरे
gamanāya ca te sajjā babhūvur vrajavāsinaḥ sajjaṃ copāyanaṃ kṛtvā gopavṛddhāḥ pratasthire
And those dwellers of the cattle-station made themselves ready to go, and having got the tribute-offering ready, the elders of the cowherds set forth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.29
करं चानडुहः सर्पिर् महिषांश् चोपनायिकान् यथासारं यथायूथम् उपनीय पयो घृतम्
karaṃ cānaḍuhaḥ sarpir mahiṣāṃś copanāyikān yathāsāraṃ yathāyūtham upanīya payo ghṛtam
And (they brought) as tax: bulls, clarified butter, and buffaloes as presents — bringing, each according to his means and according to his herd, milk and ghee.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 69.30
तं सज्जयित्वा कंसस्य करं चोपायनानि च ते सर्वे गोपपतयो गमनायोपतस्थिरे
taṃ sajjayitvā kaṃsasya karaṃ copāyanāni ca te sarve gopapatayo gamanāyopatasthire
Having made that tribute for Kaṃsa ready, along with the presents, all those chiefs of the cowherds stood prepared to set out.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 69.31
अक्रूरस्य कथाभिस् तु सह कृष्णेन जाग्रतः रौहिणेयतृतीयस्य सा निशा व्यत्यवर्तत
akrūrasya kathābhis tu saha kṛṣṇena jāgrataḥ rauhiṇeyatṛtīyasya sā niśā vyatyavartata
That night passed away as (Akrūra) stayed awake with Kṛṣṇa in conversation, with Rohiṇī's son as the third.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition