Krishna Rescues Nanda Maharaja from the Abode of Varuna

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.28.1)

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच एकादश्यां निराहारः समभ्यर्च्य जनार्दनम् । स्नातुं नन्दस्तु कालिन्द्यां द्वादश्यां जलमाविशत् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca ekādaśyāṁ nirāhāraḥ samabhyarcya janārdanam snātuṁ nandas tu kālindyāṁ dvādaśyāṁ jalam āviśat

Śrī Bādarāyani said: Having fasted on the eleventh day and worshiped Janardana, Nanda, on the twelfth, entered the waters of the Kalindi to bathe.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.28.2)

तं गृहीत्वानयद् भृत्यो वरुणस्यासुरोऽन्तिकम् । अवज्ञायासुरीं वेलां प्रविष्टमुदकं निशि ॥ २ ॥

taṁ gṛhītvānayad bhṛtyo varuṇasyāsuro ’ntikam avajñāyāsurīṁ velāṁ praviṣṭam udakaṁ niśi

Because he entered the water at night, disregarding the hour sacred to the demons, a servant of Varuna seized him and carried him before his master.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.28.3)

चुक्रुशुस्तमपश्यन्तः कृष्ण रामेति गोपकाः । भगवांस्तदुपश्रुत्य पितरं वरुणाहृतम् । तदन्तिकं गतो राजन्स्वानामभयदो विभुः ॥ ३ ॥

cukruśus tam apaśyantaḥ kṛṣṇa rāmeti gopakāḥ bhagavāṁs tad upaśrutya pitaraṁ varuṇāhṛtam tad-antikaṁ gato rājan svānām abhaya-do vibhuḥ

Not seeing him, the cowherds cried out, "Krishna! Rama!" Hearing this, the Lord understood that his father had been taken by Varuna, and, O king, the mighty one who grants his devotees fearlessness went at once to Varuna's presence.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.28.4)

प्राप्तं वीक्ष्य हृषीकेशं लोकपालः सपर्यया । महत्या पूजयित्वाह तद्दर्शनमहोत्सवः ॥ ४ ॥

prāptaṁ vīkṣya hṛṣīkeśaṁ loka-pālaḥ saparyayā mahatyā pūjayitvāha tad-darśana-mahotsavaḥ

Seeing that Hrishikesha had arrived, the guardian of that realm worshiped him with great ceremony, and, overjoyed at the very sight of him, spoke as follows.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.28.5)

श्रीवरुण उवाच अद्य मे निभृतो देहोऽद्यैवार्थोऽधिगतः प्रभो । त्वत्पादभाजो भगवन्नवापुः पारमध्वनः ॥ ५ ॥

śrī-varuṇa uvāca adya me nibhṛto deho ’dyaivārtho ’dhigataḥ prabho tvat-pāda-bhājo bhagavann avāpuḥ pāram adhvanaḥ

Śrī Varuna said: Today my body has found its fulfilment, O Lord; today, indeed, my life's purpose is attained. Those who take refuge at your feet, O Lord, reach the farther shore of this journey.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.28.6)

नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने । न यत्र श्रूयते माया लोकसृष्टिविकल्पना ॥ ६ ॥

namas tubhyaṁ bhagavate brahmaṇe paramātmane na yatra śrūyate māyā loka-sṛṣṭi-vikalpanā

Obeisance to you, the Lord, the Absolute, the Supreme Self, in whom there is no trace of that maya which fashions the manifold creation of the worlds.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.28.7)

अजानता मामकेन मूढेनाकार्यवेदिना । आनीतोऽयं तव पिता तद्भवान् क्षन्तुमर्हति ॥ ७ ॥

ajānatā māmakena mūḍhenākārya-vedinā ānīto ’yaṁ tava pitā tad bhavān kṣantum arhati

This father of yours was brought here by a foolish servant of mine, who did not know what should and should not be done; may you therefore be pleased to forgive.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.28.8)

ममाप्यनुग्रहं कृष्ण कर्तुमर्हस्यशेषदृक् । गोविन्द नीयतामेष पिता ते पितृवत्सल ॥ ८ ॥

mamāpy anugrahaṁ kṛṣṇa kartum arhasy aśeṣa-dṛk govinda nīyatām eṣa pitā te pitṛ-vatsala

O Krishna, who sees all things, be gracious to me as well; O Govinda, so devoted to your father, take him home now.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.28.9)

श्रीशुक उवाच एवं प्रसादितः कृष्णो भगवानीश्वरेश्वरः । आदायागात्स्वपितरं बन्धूनां चावहन्मुदम् ॥ ९ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ prasāditaḥ kṛṣṇo bhagavān īśvareśvaraḥ ādāyāgāt sva-pitaraṁ bandhūnāṁ cāvahan mudam

Śukadeva said: Thus appeased, Krishna, the Lord of lords, took his father and returned home, bringing joy to all his kinsfolk.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.28.10)

नन्दस्त्वतीन्द्रियं दृष्ट्वा लोकपालमहोदयम् । कृष्णे च सन्नतिं तेषां ज्ञातिभ्यो विस्मितोऽब्रवीत् ॥ १० ॥

nandas tv atīndriyaṁ dṛṣṭvā loka-pāla-mahodayam kṛṣṇe ca sannatiṁ teṣāṁ jñātibhyo vismito ’bravīt

Nanda, having seen the transcendent glory of the world-guardian, and the reverence they showed to Krishna, spoke of it to his kinsmen in wonder.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.28.11)

ते चौत्सुक्यधियो राजन् मत्वा गोपास्तमीश्वरम् । अपि नः स्वगतिं सूक्ष्मामुपाधास्यदधीश्वरः ॥ ११ ॥

te cautsukya-dhiyo rājan matvā gopās tam īśvaram api naḥ sva-gatiṁ sūkṣmām upādhāsyad adhīśvaraḥ

O king, on hearing it the cowherds, their minds now filled with longing, took Krishna to be the Supreme Lord, and thought, "Will that supreme master grant us too his own subtle abode?"

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.28.12)

इति स्वानां स भगवान् विज्ञायाखिलदृक्स्वयम् । सङ्कल्पसिद्धये तेषां कृपयैतदचिन्तयत् ॥ १२ ॥

iti svānāṁ sa bhagavān vijñāyākhila-dṛk svayam saṅkalpa-siddhaye teṣāṁ kṛpayaitad acintayat

Knowing this of his own people, since he himself sees all things, the Lord, out of compassion, thus resolved to fulfil their heart's desire.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.28.13)

जनो वै लोक एतस्मिन्नविद्याकामकर्मभिः । उच्चावचासु गतिषु न वेद स्वां गतिं भ्रमन् ॥ १३ ॥

jano vai loka etasminn avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ uccāvacāsu gatiṣu na veda svāṁ gatiṁ bhraman

[The Lord thought:] People in this world, driven by ignorance, desire and action, wander among higher and lower destinies, never knowing their own true goal.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.28.14)

इति सञ्चिन्त्य भगवान् महाकारुणिको हरिः । दर्शयामास लोकं स्वं गोपानां तमसः परम् ॥ १४ ॥

iti sañcintya bhagavān mahā-kāruṇiko hariḥ darśayām āsa lokaṁ svaṁ gopānāṁ tamasaḥ param

Having thus reflected, the supremely compassionate Lord Hari showed the cowherds his own realm, which lies beyond all darkness.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.28.15)

सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं यद् ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनम् । यद्धि पश्यन्ति मुनयो गुणापाये समाहिताः ॥ १५ ॥

satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ yad brahma-jyotiḥ sanātanam yad dhi paśyanti munayo guṇāpāye samāhitāḥ

That eternal effulgence of Brahman — truth, consciousness, and infinity — which sages behold in deep meditation, once freed of the material qualities.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.28.16)

ते तु ब्रह्मह्रदं नीता मग्नाः कृष्णेन चोद्धृताः । ददृशुर्ब्रह्मणो लोकं यत्राक्रूरोऽध्यगात् पुरा ॥ १६ ॥

te tu brahma-hradam nītā magnāḥ kṛṣṇena coddhṛtāḥ dadṛśur brahmaṇo lokaṁ yatrākrūro ’dhyagāt purā

Led to the Brahma-hrada, plunged beneath its water and then raised up by Krishna, they beheld the realm of Brahman — the very realm Akrura had once seen there.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.28.17)

नन्दादयस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा परमानन्दनिवृताः । कृष्णं च तत्रच्छन्दोभिः स्तूयमानं सुविस्मिताः ॥ १७ ॥

nandādayas tu taṁ dṛṣṭvā paramānanda-nivṛtāḥ kṛṣṇaṁ ca tatra cchandobhiḥ stūyamānaṁ su-vismitāḥ

Nanda and the others, seeing that realm, were filled with supreme bliss, and greatly amazed to see Krishna himself there, being praised by the very hymns of the Veda.