Krishna's Boyhood Deeds, from Kaliya to the Death of Kamsa

Verse 1 (2.53.1)

ततः कदाचिद्गोविन्दो ज्येष्ठं सङ्कर्षणं विना । चचार तद्वनं रम्यं सुस्वरूपो वराननः ॥

tataḥ kadācidgovindo jyeṣṭhaṃ saṅkarṣaṇaṃ vinā | cacāra tadvanaṃ ramyaṃ susvarūpo varānanaḥ

Then one day Govinda, without his elder brother Sankarshana, wandered through that lovely forest, beautiful of form and fair of face,

Note on the text: Corrected कदचिद् → कदाचिद् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ा). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0789–0790).

Verse 2 (2.53.2)

काकपक्षधरः श्रीमाञ्छ्यामः पद्मनिभेक्षणः । श्रीवत्सेनोरसा युक्तः शशाङ्क इव लक्ष्मणा ॥

kākapakṣadharaḥ śrīmāñchyāmaḥ padmanibhekṣaṇaḥ | śrīvatsenorasā yuktaḥ śaśāṅka iva lakṣmaṇā

wearing side-locks, glorious, dark, with eyes like lotuses, his chest marked with the Shrivatsa like the moon with its mark.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0791–0792).

Verse 3 (2.53.3)

रज्जुयज्ञोपवीती स पीताम्बरधरो युवा । श्वेतचन्दनलिप्ताङ्गो नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजः ॥

rajjuyajñopavītī sa pītāmbaradharo yuvā | śvetacandanaliptāṅgo nīlakuñcitamūrdhajaḥ

The youth wore a sacred thread of rope and a yellow garment, his limbs smeared with white sandal paste, his hair dark and curling,

Note on the text: Corrected श्वेतचन्द्रनलिप्राङ्गो → श्वेतचन्दनलिप्ताङ्गो (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र in चन्दन and प्र for प्त in लिप्त). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0793–0794).

Verse 4 (2.53.4)

राजता बर्हिपत्रेण मन्दमारुतकम्पिना । क्वचिद्गायन्क्वचित्क्रीडन्क्वचिन्नृत्यन्क्वचिद्धसन् ॥

rājatā barhipatreṇa mandamārutakampinā | kvacidgāyankvacitkrīḍankvacinnṛtyankvaciddhasan

a gleaming peacock feather trembling in the gentle breeze; now singing, now playing, now dancing, now laughing,

Note on the text: Corrected क्वञ्चित्क्रीडन् → क्वचित्क्रीडन् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray ञ्). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0795–0796).

Verse 5 (2.53.5)

गोपवेणुं सुमधुरं कामं तदपि वादयन् । प्रह्लादनार्थं च गवां क्वचिद्वनगतो युवा ॥

gopaveṇuṃ sumadhuraṃ kāmaṃ tadapi vādayan | prahlādanārthaṃ ca gavāṃ kvacidvanagato yuvā

playing the cowherd's flute most sweetly as he pleased; and to gladden the cows the youth would sometimes go into the woods.

Note on the text: Corrected गवां क क्वचिद् → गवां क्वचिद् (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled akshara क). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0797–0798).

Verse 6 (2.53.6)

गोकुले मेघकाले तु चचार द्युतिमान्प्रभुः । बहुरम्येषु देशेषु वनस्य वनराजिषु ॥

gokule meghakāle tu cacāra dyutimānprabhuḥ | bahuramyeṣu deśeṣu vanasya vanarājiṣu

In the rainy season the radiant lord wandered about the cattle settlement, through many lovely places and among the rows of trees in the forest.

Note on the text: Corrected वनराजिपु → वनराजिषु (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0799–0800).

Verse 7 (2.53.7)

तासु कृष्णो मुदा युक्तः क्रीडयन्भरतर्षभ । स कदाचिद्वने तस्मिन्गोभिः सह परिव्रजन् ॥

tāsu kṛṣṇo mudā yuktaḥ krīḍayanbharatarṣabha | sa kadācidvane tasmingobhiḥ saha parivrajan

Among them Krishna played joyfully, O bull of the Bharatas. Once, as he roamed that forest with the cows,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0801–0802).

Verse 8 (2.53.8)

भाण्डीरं नाम दृष्ट्वाऽथ न्यग्रोधं केशवो महान् । तच्छायायां मतिं चक्रे निवासाय तदा प्रभुः ॥

bhāṇḍīraṃ nāma dṛṣṭvā'tha nyagrodhaṃ keśavo mahān | tacchāyāyāṃ matiṃ cakre nivāsāya tadā prabhuḥ

the great Keshava saw a banyan tree named Bhandira, and the lord resolved to stay in its shade.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0803–0804).

Verse 9 (2.53.9)

स तत्र वयसा तुल्यैर्वत्सपालैस्तदाऽनघ । रेमे स दिवसं कृष्णः पुरा स्वर्गगतो यथा ॥

sa tatra vayasā tulyairvatsapālaistadā'nagha | reme sa divasaṃ kṛṣṇaḥ purā svargagato yathā

There, O sinless one, Krishna spent the day at play with calf-herds of his own age, as he once did when he dwelt in heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected बत्सपालै → वत्सपालै (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0805–0806).

Verse 10 (2.53.10)

तं क्रीडमानं गोपालाः कृष्णं भाण्डीरवासिनः । रमयन्ति स्म बहवो मान्यैः क्रीडनकैस्तदा ॥

taṃ krīḍamānaṃ gopālāḥ kṛṣṇaṃ bhāṇḍīravāsinaḥ | ramayanti sma bahavo mānyaiḥ krīḍanakaistadā

As Krishna played, the many cowherds who lived at Bhandira entertained him with fine toys.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0807–0808).

Verse 11 (2.53.11)

अन्ये स्म परिगायन्ति गोपा मुदितमानसाः । गोपालकृष्णमेवान्ये गायन्ति स्म वनप्रियाः ॥

anye sma parigāyanti gopā muditamānasāḥ | gopālakṛṣṇamevānye gāyanti sma vanapriyāḥ

Some cowherds sang around him with glad hearts; others, lovers of the forest, sang of Krishna the cowherd himself.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0809–0810).

Verse 12 (2.53.12)

तेषां सङ्गायतामेव वादयामास केशवः । पर्णवाद्यान्तरे वेणुं तुम्बवीणां च तत्र वै ॥

teṣāṃ saṅgāyatāmeva vādayāmāsa keśavaḥ | parṇavādyāntare veṇuṃ tumbavīṇāṃ ca tatra vai

While they sang, Keshava played the flute between the tunes of the leaf-pipes, and the gourd-lute as well.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0811–0812).

Verse 13 (2.53.13)

एवं क्रीडान्तरैः कृष्णो गोपालैर्विजहार सः । तेन बालेन कौन्तेय कृतं लोकहितं तदा ॥

evaṃ krīḍāntaraiḥ kṛṣṇo gopālairvijahāra saḥ | tena bālena kaunteya kṛtaṃ lokahitaṃ tadā

Thus Krishna amused himself with the cowherds in game after game. And that boy, O son of Kunti, then did a deed for the good of the world:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0813–0814).

Verse 14 (2.53.14)

पश्यतां सर्वभूतानां वासुदेवेन भारत । ह्रदे निपतता तत्र क्रीडितं नागमूर्धनि ॥

paśyatāṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ vāsudevena bhārata | hrade nipatatā tatra krīḍitaṃ nāgamūrdhani

in the sight of all beings, O Bharata, Vasudeva leapt down into the pool there and sported on the serpent's head.

Note on the text: Corrected निपातता → निपतता (misprint in Wikisource; निपातता is not a valid form; the smallest fix gives the participle निपतता, "leaping down" (the critical edition's apparatus reads नीपवने here)). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0815–0816).

Verse 15 (2.53.15)

शासयित्वा तु कालीयं सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः । विजहार ततः कृष्णो बलदेवसहायवान् ॥

śāsayitvā tu kālīyaṃ sarvalokasya paśyataḥ | vijahāra tataḥ kṛṣṇo baladevasahāyavān

Having subdued Kaliya while the whole world looked on, Krishna then roamed about with Baladeva as his companion.

Note on the text: Corrected बलेदवसहायवान् → बलदेवसहायवान् (misprint in Wikisource; transposed vowel signs). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0817–0818).

Verse 16 (2.53.16)

धेनुको दारुणो राजन्दैत्यो रासभविग्रहः । तदा तालवने राजन्बलदेवेन वै हतः ॥

dhenuko dāruṇo rājandaityo rāsabhavigrahaḥ | tadā tālavane rājanbaladevena vai hataḥ

The dreadful Daitya Dhenuka, O king, who had the form of an ass, was slain then in the palm grove by Baladeva.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0819–0820).

Verse 17 (2.53.17)

ततः कदाचित्कौन्तेय रामकृष्णौ वनं गतौ । चारयन्तौ प्रवृद्धानि गोधनानि शुभाननौ ॥

tataḥ kadācitkaunteya rāmakṛṣṇau vanaṃ gatau | cārayantau pravṛddhāni godhanāni śubhānanau

Then one day, O son of Kunti, Rama and Krishna, fair of face, went to the forest grazing the cattle, whose numbers had grown,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0821–0822).

Verse 18 (2.53.18)

विहरन्तौ मुदा युक्तौ वीक्षमाणौ वनानि वै । क्ष्वेलयन्तौ प्रगायन्तौ विचिन्वन्तौ च पादपान् ॥

viharantau mudā yuktau vīkṣamāṇau vanāni vai | kṣvelayantau pragāyantau vicinvantau ca pādapān

roaming happily, gazing at the woods, shouting and singing, and searching among the trees,

Note on the text: Corrected श्वेलयन्तौ → क्ष्वेलयन्तौ (misprint in Wikisource; श्वेल for क्ष्वेल; क्ष्वेलयन्तौ as in the critical edition's apparatus). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0823–0824).

Verse 19 (2.53.19)

नामभिर्व्याहरन्तौ च वत्सान्गाश्च परन्तपौ । चेरतुर्लोकसिद्धाभिः क्रीडाभिरपराजितौ ॥

nāmabhirvyāharantau ca vatsāngāśca parantapau | ceraturlokasiddhābhiḥ krīḍābhiraparājitau

calling the calves and cows by their names; the two scorchers of foes, never defeated, roamed about playing the games that people play.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0825–0826).

Verse 20 (2.53.20)

तौ देवौ मानुषीं दीक्षां वहन्तौ सुरपूजितौ । तज्जातिगुणयुक्ताभिः क्रीडाभिश्चेरतुर्वनम् ॥

tau devau mānuṣīṃ dīkṣāṃ vahantau surapūjitau | tajjātiguṇayuktābhiḥ krīḍābhiśceraturvanam

Those two gods, worshipped by the gods, having taken on the vow of human life, roamed the forest in games befitting the nature of that birth.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0827–0828).

Verse 21 (2.53.21)

एवं बाल्येऽपि गोपालैः क्रीडाभिश्च विजह्रतुः ॥

evaṃ bālye'pi gopālaiḥ krīḍābhiśca vijahratuḥ

Thus, even in boyhood, they amused themselves in games with the cowherds.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, line 0856).

Verse 22 (2.53.22)

ततः कृष्णो महातेजास्तदा गत्वा तु गोव्रजम् । गिरियज्ञं तमेवैष प्रवृत्तं गोपदारकैः ॥

tataḥ kṛṣṇo mahātejāstadā gatvā tu govrajam | giriyajñaṃ tamevaiṣa pravṛttaṃ gopadārakaiḥ

Then Krishna, of great splendor, went to the cattle pen, to the mountain sacrifice that the cowherd boys had begun,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0829–0830).

Verse 23 (2.53.23)

बुभुजे पायसं शौरिरीश्वरः सर्वभूतकृत् । तं दृष्ट्वा गोपकाः सर्वे कृष्णमेव समर्चयन् ॥

bubhuje pāyasaṃ śaurirīśvaraḥ sarvabhūtakṛt | taṃ dṛṣṭvā gopakāḥ sarve kṛṣṇameva samarcayan

and Shauri, the Lord, maker of all beings, ate the rice pudding. Seeing this, all the cowherds worshipped Krishna himself.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0831–0832).

Verse 24 (2.53.24)

पूज्यमानस्तदा देवैर्दिव्यं वपुरधारयत् । धृतो गोवर्धनो नाम सप्ताहं पर्वतो धृतः ॥

pūjyamānastadā devairdivyaṃ vapuradhārayat | dhṛto govardhano nāma saptāhaṃ parvato dhṛtaḥ

Worshipped then by the gods, he took on a divine form. The mountain called Govardhana was held up — held up for seven days —

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0833–0834).

Verse 25 (2.53.25)

शिशुना वासुदेवेन गवार्थमरिमर्दन । क्रीडमानस्तदा कृष्णः कृतवान्कर्म दुष्करम् ॥

śiśunā vāsudevena gavārthamarimardana | krīḍamānastadā kṛṣṇaḥ kṛtavānkarma duṣkaram

by the child Vasudeva for the sake of the cows, O crusher of foes. At play as he was, Krishna accomplished that hard deed.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0835–0836).

Verse 26 (2.53.26)

तदद्भुतमतीवासीत्सर्वलोकस्य भारत । देवदेवः क्षितिं गत्वा कृष्णं नत्वा मुदान्वितः ॥

tadadbhutamatīvāsītsarvalokasya bhārata | devadevaḥ kṣitiṃ gatvā kṛṣṇaṃ natvā mudānvitaḥ

It was an exceeding wonder to the whole world, O Bharata. The god of gods, coming down to earth and bowing to Krishna in joy,

Note on the text: Corrected क्षितं → क्षितिं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ि). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0837–0838).

Verse 27 (2.53.27)

गोविन्द इति तं ह्युक्त्वा ह्यभ्यषिञ्चत्पुरन्दरः । इत्युक्त्वाश्लिष्य गोविन्दं पुरुहूतोऽभ्ययाद्दिवम् ॥

govinda iti taṃ hyuktvā hyabhyaṣiñcatpurandaraḥ | ityuktvāśliṣya govindaṃ puruhūto'bhyayāddivam

— Purandara named him "Govinda" and consecrated him. Having said this and embraced Govinda, Puruhuta went back to heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected पुरुहूतोभ्ययाद्दिवम् → पुरुहूतोऽभ्ययाद्दिवम् (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha in पुरुहूतः + अभ्ययात्). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0839–0840).

Verse 28 (2.53.28)

अथारिष्ट इति ख्यातं दैत्यं वृषभविग्रहम् । जघान तरसा कृष्णः पशूनां हितकाम्यया ॥

athāriṣṭa iti khyātaṃ daityaṃ vṛṣabhavigraham | jaghāna tarasā kṛṣṇaḥ paśūnāṃ hitakāmyayā

Then Krishna swiftly slew the Daitya named Arishta, who had the form of a bull, out of concern for the welfare of the cattle.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0841–0842).

Verse 29 (2.53.29)

केशिनामा ततो दैत्यो राजंस्तुरगविग्रहः । तथा वनगतं पार्थ गजायुतबलं हयम् ॥

keśināmā tato daityo rājaṃsturagavigrahaḥ | tathā vanagataṃ pārtha gajāyutabalaṃ hayam

Then, O king, the Daitya named Keshin, in the form of a horse — that horse, son of Pritha, roaming the forest with the strength of ten thousand elephants —

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0843–0844).

Verse 30 (2.53.30)

कराम्भोरुहवज्रेण जघान मधुसूदनः । अथ मल्लं तु चाणूरं निजघान महाऽसुरम् ॥

karāmbhoruhavajreṇa jaghāna madhusūdanaḥ | atha mallaṃ tu cāṇūraṃ nijaghāna mahā'suram

Madhusudana slew with his lotus hand, hard as a thunderbolt. Then he slew the wrestler Chanura, a mighty Asura.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0845–0846).

Verse 31 (2.53.31)

सुदामानममित्रघ्न सर्वसैन्यपुरस्कृतम् । बालरूपेण गोविन्दो निजघान च भारत ॥

sudāmānamamitraghna sarvasainyapuraskṛtam | bālarūpeṇa govindo nijaghāna ca bhārata

Sudaman too, O slayer of foes, whom the whole army held in honor, Govinda slew in the form of a boy, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0847–0848).

Verse 32 (2.53.32)

बलदेवेन चायत्नात्समाजे मुष्टिको हतः । ताडितश्च सहामात्यः कंसः कृष्णेन भारत ॥

baladevena cāyatnātsamāje muṣṭiko hataḥ | tāḍitaśca sahāmātyaḥ kaṃsaḥ kṛṣṇena bhārata

Mushtika was slain without effort by Baladeva in the arena, and Kamsa with his ministers was struck down by Krishna, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0849–0850).

Verse 33 (2.53.33)

हत्वा कंसममित्रघ्नः सर्वेषां पश्यतां तदा । अभिषिच्योग्रसेनं तं पित्रोः पादमवन्दत ॥

hatvā kaṃsamamitraghnaḥ sarveṣāṃ paśyatāṃ tadā | abhiṣicyograsenaṃ taṃ pitroḥ pādamavandata

Having slain Kamsa while all looked on, the slayer of foes consecrated Ugrasena as king and bowed at the feet of his parents.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, lines 0853–0854).

Verse 34 (2.53.34)

एवमादीनि कर्माणि कृतवान्वै जनार्दनः ॥

evamādīni karmāṇi kṛtavānvai janārdanaḥ

Such were the deeds that Janardana performed.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this southern passage only in its apparatus, Appendix I No. 21 after 2.35.29, line 0855).