The Birth of Shishupala and Krishna's Promise

Verse 1 (2.66.1)

चेदिराजकुले जातस्त्र्यक्ष एष चतुर्भुजः । रासभारावसदृशं ररास च ननाद च ॥

cedirājakule jātastryakṣa eṣa caturbhujaḥ | rāsabhārāvasadṛśaṃ rarāsa ca nanāda ca

Born into the royal house of Chedi, this man had three eyes and four arms, and he brayed like an ass and roared.

Note on the text: Corrected जातख्यक्ष → जातस्त्र्यक्ष (misprint in Wikisource; ख्य for स्त्र्य, "born with three eyes"; CE jātas tryakṣa). Wikisource's ररास ("brayed") differs from the CE's rurāva; kept as printed.

Verse 2 (2.66.2)

तेनास्य मातापितरौ त्रेसतुस्तौ सबान्धवौ । वैकृतं तस्य तौ दृष्ट्वा त्यागायाकुरुतां मतिम् ॥

tenāsya mātāpitarau tresatustau sabāndhavau | vaikṛtaṃ tasya tau dṛṣṭvā tyāgāyākurutāṃ matim

At this his mother and father and their kinsmen were terrified, and seeing his deformity, the two resolved to abandon him.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्यत → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a stray त makes the line a syllable too long).

Verse 3 (2.66.3)

ततः सभार्यं नृपतिं सामात्यं सपुरोहितम् । चिन्तासंमूढहृदयं वागुवाचाशरीरिणी ॥

tataḥ sabhāryaṃ nṛpatiṃ sāmātyaṃ sapurohitam | cintāsaṃmūḍhahṛdayaṃ vāguvācāśarīriṇī

Then, as the king sat with his wife, his ministers and his priest, his heart bewildered with worry, a bodiless voice spoke to him:

Note on the text: Corrected अशरीरेणी → अशरीरिणी (misprint in Wikisource; े for ि; CE aśarīriṇī).

Verse 4 (2.66.4)

एष ते नृपते पुत्रः श्रीमाञ्जातो बलाधिकः । तस्मादस्मान्न भेतव्यमव्यग्रः पाहि वै शिशुम् ॥

eṣa te nṛpate putraḥ śrīmāñjāto balādhikaḥ | tasmādasmānna bhetavyamavyagraḥ pāhi vai śiśum

"This son of yours, O king, is born fortunate and surpassing in strength. So do not fear him; rear the child with a quiet mind."

Note on the text: Wikisource prints no heading; the verse is the bodiless voice's speech, announced in the verse before.

Verse 5 (2.66.5)

न च वै तस्य मृत्युस्त्वं न कालः प्रत्युपस्थितः । यश्च शस्त्रेण हन्ताऽस्य स चोत्पन्नो नराधिप ॥

na ca vai tasya mṛtyustvaṃ na kālaḥ pratyupasthitaḥ | yaśca śastreṇa hantā'sya sa cotpanno narādhipa

"You will not be the cause of his death, nor has his time yet come. The one who will kill him with a weapon is already born, O lord of men."

Note on the text: The voice's speech continues (no heading in Wikisource). Wikisource's second line (यश्च शस्त्रेण हन्ताऽस्य) differs in wording from the CE's (mṛtyur hantāsya śastreṇa); kept as printed.

Verse 6 (2.66.6)

संश्रुत्योदाहृतं वाक्यं भूतमन्तर्हितं ततः । पुत्रस्नेहाभिसन्तप्ता जननी वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

saṃśrutyodāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ bhūtamantarhitaṃ tataḥ | putrasnehābhisantaptā jananī vākyamabravīt

When the words had been heard, the being that spoke them vanished. Then the mother, burning with love for her son, said:

Verse 7 (2.66.7)

येनेदमीरितं वाक्यं ममैतं तनयं प्रति । प्राञ्जलिस्तं नमस्यामि ब्रवीतु स पुनर्वचः ॥

yenedamīritaṃ vākyaṃ mamaitaṃ tanayaṃ prati | prāñjalistaṃ namasyāmi bravītu sa punarvacaḥ

"To whoever spoke these words about my son I bow with folded hands. Let him speak once more."

Note on the text: Wikisource prints no heading; the verse is the mother's speech, announced in the verse before.

Verse 8 (2.66.8)

याथातथ्येन भगवान्देवो वा यदि वेतरः । श्रोतुमिच्छामि पुत्रस्य कोऽस्य मृत्युर्भविष्यति ॥

yāthātathyena bhagavāndevo vā yadi vetaraḥ | śrotumicchāmi putrasya ko'sya mṛtyurbhaviṣyati

"Be he a blessed god or some other being, I wish to hear truly: who will be the death of this son of mine?"

Note on the text: The mother's speech continues (no heading in Wikisource). Line 1 is in the CE only as an interpolation, star passage 380* (after 2.40.7); line 2 = CE 2.40.8ab. (Wikisource's verse division runs half a verse behind the CE's from verse 8 to verse 14, because of the added line in verse 8.)

Verse 9 (2.66.9)

अन्तर्भूतं ततो भूतमुवाचेदं पुनर्वचः । यस्योत्सङ्गे गृहीतस्य भुजावभ्यधिकावुभौ ॥

antarbhūtaṃ tato bhūtamuvācedaṃ punarvacaḥ | yasyotsaṅge gṛhītasya bhujāvabhyadhikāvubhau

Then the unseen being spoke these words once more: "He in whose lap, when the child is taken up, both its extra arms

Note on the text: = CE 2.40.8cd + 2.40.9ab. Wikisource reads अन्तर्भूतं ("the hidden being") where the CE has antarhitaṃ; kept as printed. The verse passes from Bhishma's narration into the voice's words, so it stays with Bhishma.

Verse 10 (2.66.10)

पतिष्यतः क्षितितले पञ्चशीर्षाविवोरगौ । तृतीयमेतद्बालस्य ललाटस्थं तु लोचनम् ॥

patiṣyataḥ kṣititale pañcaśīrṣāvivoragau | tṛtīyametadbālasya lalāṭasthaṃ tu locanam

"fall to the ground like five-headed serpents, and at the sight of whom this third eye on the child's forehead

Note on the text: = CE 2.40.9cd + 2.40.10ab. The voice's speech (no heading in Wikisource).

Verse 11 (2.66.11)

निमज्जिष्यति यं दृष्ट्वा सोऽस्य मृत्युर्भविष्यति । त्र्यक्षं चतुर्भुजं श्रुत्वा तथा च समुदाहृतम् ॥

nimajjiṣyati yaṃ dṛṣṭvā so'sya mṛtyurbhaviṣyati | tryakṣaṃ caturbhujaṃ śrutvā tathā ca samudāhṛtam

sinks away, he will be his death." Hearing of a child with three eyes and four arms, and of what had been foretold,

Note on the text: = CE 2.40.10cd + 2.40.11ab. The voice's words end mid-verse and Bhishma's narration resumes, so the verse stays with Bhishma.

Verse 12 (2.66.12)

पृथिव्यां पार्थिवाः सर्वे अभ्यागच्छन्दिदृक्षवः । तान्पूजयित्वा सम्प्राप्तान्यथार्हं स महीपतिः ॥

pṛthivyāṃ pārthivāḥ sarve abhyāgacchandidṛkṣavaḥ | tānpūjayitvā samprāptānyathārhaṃ sa mahīpatiḥ

all the kings of the earth came, eager to see him. The king received them as they arrived, honouring each as was fitting,

Note on the text: = CE 2.40.11cd + 2.40.12ab.

Verse 13 (2.66.13)

एकैकस्य नृपस्याङ्के पुत्रमारोपयत्तदा । एवं राजसहस्राणां पृथक्त्वेन यथाक्रमम् ॥

ekaikasya nṛpasyāṅke putramāropayattadā | evaṃ rājasahasrāṇāṃ pṛthaktvena yathākramam

and set his son on the lap of each king in turn. So, on the laps of thousands of kings, one by one in due order,

Note on the text: Corrected राजसहस्राणा → राजसहस्राणां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara of the genitive plural; CE rājasahasrāṇāṃ). = CE 2.40.12cd + 2.40.13ab.

Verse 14 (2.66.14)

शिशुरङ्के समारूढो न तत्प्राप निदर्शनम् । एतदेव तु संश्रुत्य द्वारवत्यां महाबलौ ॥

śiśuraṅke samārūḍho na tatprāpa nidarśanam | etadeva tu saṃśrutya dvāravatyāṃ mahābalau

the child was seated, but the sign did not appear. Hearing of this very thing in Dvaravati, the two mighty ones,

Note on the text: Corrected प्राय → प्राप (misprint in Wikisource; य for प; CE prāpa). Line 1 = CE 2.40.13cd; line 2 is in the CE only as an interpolation, star passage 382* (after 2.40.13).

Verse 15 (2.66.15)

ततश्चेदिपुरं प्राप्तौ सङ्कर्षणजनार्दनौ । यादवौ यादवीं द्रष्टुं स्वसारं तौ पितुस्तदा ॥

tataścedipuraṃ prāptau saṅkarṣaṇajanārdanau | yādavau yādavīṃ draṣṭuṃ svasāraṃ tau pitustadā

Sankarshana and Janardana, the two Yadavas, came to the city of Chedi to see the Yadava lady, their father's sister.

Note on the text: Corrected द्रुष्टुं → द्रष्टुं (misprint in Wikisource; a stray ु on र; CE draṣṭuṃ).

Verse 16 (2.66.16)

अभिवाद्य यथान्यायं यथाश्रेष्ठं नृपं च ताम् । कुशलानामयं पृष्ट्वा निषण्णौ रामकेशवौ ॥

abhivādya yathānyāyaṃ yathāśreṣṭhaṃ nṛpaṃ ca tām | kuśalānāmayaṃ pṛṣṭvā niṣaṇṇau rāmakeśavau

Rama and Keshava greeted the king and her as was proper, in order of rank, asked after their health and welfare, and sat down.

Verse 17 (2.66.17)

साऽभ्यर्च्य तौ तदा वीरौ प्रीत्या चाभ्यधिकं ततः । पुत्रं दामोदरोत्सङ्गे देवी संन्यदधात्स्वयम् ॥

sā'bhyarcya tau tadā vīrau prītyā cābhyadhikaṃ tataḥ | putraṃ dāmodarotsaṅge devī saṃnyadadhātsvayam

She honoured the two heroes with more than usual affection, and then the queen herself set her son in Damodara's lap.

Verse 18 (2.66.18)

न्यस्तमात्रस्य तस्याङ्के भुजावभ्यधिकावुभौ । पेततुस्तच्च नयनं न्यमज्जत ललाटजम् ॥

nyastamātrasya tasyāṅke bhujāvabhyadhikāvubhau | petatustacca nayanaṃ nyamajjata lalāṭajam

The moment he was placed in his lap, both extra arms fell away, and the eye that had grown on his forehead sank in.

Verse 19 (2.66.19)

तद्दृष्ट्वा व्यथिता त्रस्ता वरं कृष्णमयाचत । ददस्व मे वरं कृष्ण भयार्ताया महाभुज ॥

taddṛṣṭvā vyathitā trastā varaṃ kṛṣṇamayācata | dadasva me varaṃ kṛṣṇa bhayārtāyā mahābhuja

Seeing this, she was distressed and afraid, and begged Krishna for a boon: "Grant me a boon, Krishna, for I am stricken with fear, mighty-armed one.

Note on the text: The verse passes from narration into the mother's plea, so it stays with Bhishma.

Verse 20 (2.66.20)

त्वं ह्यार्तानां समाश्वासो भीतानामभयप्रदः । एवमुक्तस्ततः कृष्णः सोऽब्रवीद्यदुनन्दनः ॥

tvaṃ hyārtānāṃ samāśvāso bhītānāmabhayapradaḥ | evamuktastataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ so'bravīdyadunandanaḥ

For you are the refuge of the afflicted and the giver of safety to the frightened." Thus addressed, Krishna, the joy of the Yadus, said:

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 2.40.19ab; line 2 is in the CE only as an interpolation, star passage 385* (after 2.40.19ab). The mother's plea ends mid-verse and the narration resumes.

Verse 21 (2.66.21)

मा भैस्त्वं देवि धर्मज्ञे न मत्तोऽस्ति भयं तव । ददामि कं वरं किं च करवाणि पितृष्वसः ॥

mā bhaistvaṃ devi dharmajñe na matto'sti bhayaṃ tava | dadāmi kaṃ varaṃ kiṃ ca karavāṇi pitṛṣvasaḥ

"Do not be afraid, lady who knows dharma; you have nothing to fear from me. What boon shall I give you, or what shall I do for you, my father's sister?

Note on the text: Line 1 is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; it takes the place of CE 2.40.19cd, pitṛṣvasāraṃ mā bhaiṣīr ity uvāca janārdanaḥ); line 2 = CE 2.40.20ab. Wikisource prints no heading; the verse is Krishna's reply, announced in the verse before.

Verse 22 (2.66.22)

शक्यं वा यदि वाऽशक्यं करिष्यामि वचस्तव । एवमुक्ता ततः कृष्णमब्रवीद्यदुनन्दनम् ॥

śakyaṃ vā yadi vā'śakyaṃ kariṣyāmi vacastava | evamuktā tataḥ kṛṣṇamabravīdyadunandanam

Possible or impossible, I shall do as you ask." Thus addressed, she said to Krishna, the joy of the Yadus:

Note on the text: Corrected करिष्याणि → करिष्यामि (misprint in Wikisource; ण for म; CE kariṣyāmi). = CE 2.40.20cd + 2.40.21ab. Krishna's words end mid-verse and the narration resumes, so the verse stays with Bhishma.

Verse 23 (2.66.23)

शिशुपालस्यापराधान्क्षमेथास्त्वं महाबल । मत्कृते यदुशार्दूल विद्ध्येनं मे वरं प्रभो ॥

śiśupālasyāparādhānkṣamethāstvaṃ mahābala | matkṛte yaduśārdūla viddhyenaṃ me varaṃ prabho

"For my sake, mighty one, tiger of the Yadus, forgive Shishupala his offences. Know this to be my boon, my lord."

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 2.40.21cd; line 2 is in the CE only as an interpolation, star passage 388* (after 2.40.21). Wikisource prints no heading; the verse is the mother's request, announced in the verse before.

Verse 24 (2.66.24)

अपराधशतं क्षाम्यं मया ह्यस्य पितृष्वसः । पुत्रस्य ते वधार्हस्य मा त्वं शोके मनः कृथाः ॥

aparādhaśataṃ kṣāmyaṃ mayā hyasya pitṛṣvasaḥ | putrasya te vadhārhasya mā tvaṃ śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ

"A hundred offences of this son of yours, my father's sister, I shall forgive, even though he deserve death for them. Do not set your mind on grief."

Verse 25 (2.66.25)

स जानन्नात्मनो मृत्युं कृष्णं यदुसुखावहम् । एवमेष नृपः पापः शिशुपालः सुमन्दधीः । त्वां समाह्वयते वीर गोविन्दवरदर्पितः ॥

sa jānannātmano mṛtyuṃ kṛṣṇaṃ yadusukhāvaham | evameṣa nṛpaḥ pāpaḥ śiśupālaḥ sumandadhīḥ | tvāṃ samāhvayate vīra govindavaradarpitaḥ

Though he knows that his death is Krishna, who brings joy to the Yadus, this wicked king Shishupala, dull of wit, challenges you, hero, made proud by Govinda's boon.

Note on the text: Corrected शिशुपाः → शिशुपालः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara ल, the line is a syllable short; CE śiśupālaḥ). Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) around line 1. Line 1 is in the CE only as an interpolation, star passage 391* (after 2.40.22); lines 2–3 = CE 2.40.23.