Narayana Grants a Boon

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.4.17.1)

जनमेजय उवाच । वाराङ्गनास्त्वयाख्याता नरनारायणाश्रमे । एकं नारायणं शान्तं कामयाना स्मरातुराः ॥

janamejaya uvāca | vārāṅganāstvayākhyātā naranārāyaṇāśrame | ekaṁ nārāyaṇaṁ śāntaṁ kāmayānā smarāturāḥ ||

Janamejaya said: "You have told me of the celestial women who, love-stricken, desired the tranquil Narayana alone, at the hermitage of Nara and Narayana."

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.4.17.2)

शप्तुकामस्तदा जातो मुनिर्नारायणश्च ताः । निवारितो नरेणाथ भ्रात्रा धर्मविदा नृप ॥

śaptukāmastadā jāto munirnārāyaṇaśca tāḥ | nivārito nareṇātha bhrātrā dharmavidā nṛpa ||

"The sage Narayana then wished to curse them, but was restrained by his brother Nara, the knower of dharma, O king."

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.4.17.3)

किं कृतं मुनिना तेन व्यसने समुपस्थिते । ताभिः सङ्कल्पितेनाथ कामार्थाभिर्भृशं मुने ॥

kiṁ kṛtaṁ muninā tena vyasane samupasthite | tābhiḥ saṅkalpitenātha kāmārthābhirbhṛśaṁ mune ||

"What did that sage do, O Muni, when this difficulty arose, on account of those women, resolved by desire —"

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.4.17.4)

शक्रेणोत्पादिताभिश्च बहुप्रार्थनया पुनः । याचितेन विवाहार्थं किं कृतं तेन जिष्णुना ॥

śakreṇotpāditābhiśca bahuprārthanayā punaḥ | yācitena vivāhārthaṁ kiṁ kṛtaṁ tena jiṣṇunā ||

"— women brought forth by Indra, and sent with much entreaty, seeking marriage — what did that Jishnu then do, when so besought?"

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.4.17.5)

इत्येतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि चरितं तस्य मोक्षदम् । नारायणस्य मे ब्रूहि विस्तरेण पितामह ॥

ityetacchrotumicchāmi caritaṁ tasya mokṣadam | nārāyaṇasya me brūhi vistareṇa pitāmaha ||

"This I wish to hear — that liberation-giving story of Narayana. Tell it to me in detail, O grandfather."

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.4.17.6)

व्यास उवाच । शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा तस्य महात्मनः । धर्मपुत्रस्य धर्मज्ञ विस्तरेण वदामि ते ॥

vyāsa uvāca | śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi yathā tasya mahātmanaḥ | dharmaputrasya dharmajña vistareṇa vadāmi te ||

Vyasa said: "Listen, O king; I shall relate, O knower of dharma, in detail, the story of that great-souled son of Dharma."

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.4.17.7)

शप्तुकामस्तु सन्दृष्टो नरेणाथ यदा हरिः । वारितोऽसौ समाश्वास्य मुनिर्नारायणस्तदा ॥

śaptukāmastu sandṛṣṭo nareṇātha yadā hariḥ | vārito'sau samāśvāsya munirnārāyaṇastadā ||

"When Hari was seen wishing to curse them, and was restrained by Nara, then the sage Narayana, consoling them —"

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.4.17.8)

शान्तकोपस्तदोवाच तास्तपस्वी महामुनिः । स्मितपूर्वमिदं वाक्यं मधुरं धर्मनन्दनः ॥

śāntakopastadovāca tāstapasvī mahāmuniḥ | smitapūrvamidaṁ vākyaṁ madhuraṁ dharmanandanaḥ ||

"— his anger stilled, that ascetic great sage, son of Dharma, then spoke these words to them, sweet and preceded by a smile."

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.4.17.9)

अस्मिञ्जन्मनि चार्वङ्ग्यः कृतसङ्कल्पवानहम् । आवाभ्याञ्च न कर्तव्यः सर्वथा दारसङ्ग्रहः ॥

asmiñjanmani cārvaṅgyaḥ kṛtasaṅkalpavānaham | āvābhyāñca na kartavyaḥ sarvathā dārasaṅgrahaḥ ||

"'In this birth, O fair-limbed ones, I have taken a vow; by us both, the taking of wives is not to be done in any way.'"

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.4.17.10)

तस्माद् गच्छन्तु त्रिदिवं कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि । धर्मज्ञा न प्रकुर्वन्ति व्रतभङ्गं परस्य वै ॥

tasmād gacchantu tridivaṁ kṛpāṁ kṛtvā mamopari | dharmajñā na prakurvanti vratabhaṅgaṁ parasya vai ||

"'Therefore go to the heavens, showing grace to me; those who know dharma never cause another's vow to be broken.'"

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.4.17.11)

शृङ्गारेऽस्मिन् रसे नूनं स्थायीभावो रतिः स्मृतः । कथं करोमि सम्बन्धं तदभावे सुलोचनाः ॥

śṛṅgāre'smin rase nūnaṁ sthāyībhāvo ratiḥ smṛtaḥ | kathaṁ karomi sambandhaṁ tadabhāve sulocanāḥ ||

"'In this rasa of love, desire alone is remembered as the abiding emotion; how, O fair-eyed ones, can I form a bond in its absence?'"

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.4.17.12)

कारणेन विना कार्यं न भवेदिति निश्चयः । कविभिः कथितं शास्त्रे स्थायीभावो रसः किल ॥

kāraṇena vinā kāryaṁ na bhavediti niścayaḥ | kavibhiḥ kathitaṁ śāstre sthāyībhāvo rasaḥ kila ||

"'It is a settled principle that an effect cannot occur without its cause; the poets have declared in the treatises that the abiding emotion is indeed the very essence of rasa.'"

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.4.17.13)

धन्यः सुचारुसर्वाङ्गः सभाग्योऽहं धरातले । प्रीतिपात्रं यतो जातो भवतीनामकृत्रिमम् ॥

dhanyaḥ sucārusarvāṅgaḥ sabhāgyo'haṁ dharātale | prītipātraṁ yato jāto bhavatīnāmakṛtrimam ||

"'Blessed am I, of fully beautiful limbs, fortunate upon this earth, since I have become the sincere object of your affection.'"

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.4.17.14)

भवतीभिः कृपां कृत्वा रक्षणीयं व्रतं मम । भविष्यामि महाभागाः पतिरप्यन्यजन्मनि ॥

bhavatībhiḥ kṛpāṁ kṛtvā rakṣaṇīyaṁ vrataṁ mama | bhaviṣyāmi mahābhāgāḥ patirapyanyajanmani ||

"'Showing me grace, my vow ought to be preserved by you; O most fortunate ones, in another birth I shall indeed become your husband.'"

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.4.17.15)

अष्टाविंशे विशालाक्ष्यो द्वापरेऽस्मिन्धरातले । देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं प्रभविष्यामि सर्वथा ॥

aṣṭāviṁśe viśālākṣyo dvāpare'smindharātale | devānāṁ kāryasiddhyarthaṁ prabhaviṣyāmi sarvathā ||

"'In the twenty-eighth Yuga, O wide-eyed ones, in this Dvapara upon this earth, for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose, I shall wholly manifest myself.'"

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.4.17.16)

तदा भवत्यो मद्दाराः प्राप्य जन्म पृथक्पृथक् । भूपतीनां सुता भूत्वा पलीभावं गमिष्यथ ॥

tadā bhavatyo maddārāḥ prāpya janma pṛthakpṛthak | bhūpatīnāṁ sutā bhūtvā palībhāvaṁ gamiṣyatha ||

"'Then you, having each obtained a separate birth as my wives, becoming the daughters of kings, shall come to be my wives.'"

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.4.17.17)

इत्याश्वास्य हरिस्तास्तु प्रतिश्रुत्य परिग्रहम् । व्यसर्जयत्स भगवाञ्जग्मुश्च विगतज्वराः ॥

ityāśvāsya haristāstu pratiśrutya parigraham | vyasarjayatsa bhagavāñjagmuśca vigatajvarāḥ ||

Thus, having consoled them, and having promised acceptance, Hari dismissed them; and that Lord, and they, went away, freed from their torment.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.4.17.18)

एवं विसर्जितास्तेन गताः स्वर्गं तदाङ्गनाः । शक्राय कथयामासुः कारणं सकलं पुनः ॥

evaṁ visarjitāstena gatāḥ svargaṁ tadāṅganāḥ | śakrāya kathayāmāsuḥ kāraṇaṁ sakalaṁ punaḥ ||

Thus dismissed by him, those celestial women went then to heaven, and told Shakra the entire reason once more.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.4.17.19)

आश्रुत्य मघवांस्ताभ्यो वृत्तान्तं तस्य विस्तरात् । तुष्टाव तं महात्मानं नारीर्दृष्ट्वा तथोर्वशीः ॥

āśrutya maghavāṁstābhyo vṛttāntaṁ tasya vistarāt | tuṣṭāva taṁ mahātmānaṁ nārīrdṛṣṭvā tathorvaśīḥ ||

Having heard the account from them in detail, Maghavan, seeing Urvashi and the other women, praised that great soul.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.4.17.20)

इन्द्र उवाच । अहो धैर्यं मुनेः कामं तथैव च तपोबलम् । येनोर्वश्यः स्वतपसा तादृग्रूपाः प्रकल्पिताः ॥

indra uvāca | aho dhairyaṁ muneḥ kāmaṁ tathaiva ca tapobalam | yenorvaśyaḥ svatapasā tādṛgrūpāḥ prakalpitāḥ ||

Indra said: "Ah, the fortitude of the sage, and likewise the power of his austerity, by which, through his own tapas, women of such beauty as Urvashi were fashioned!"

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.4.17.21)

इति स्तुत्वा प्रसन्नात्मा बभूव सुरराट् ततः । नारायणोऽपि धर्मात्मा तपस्यभिरतोऽभवत् ॥

iti stutvā prasannātmā babhūva surarāṭ tataḥ | nārāyaṇo'pi dharmātmā tapasyabhirato'bhavat ||

Having thus praised him, the lord of the gods became gladdened in mind; and Narayana, the righteous-souled one, remained devoted to his austerities.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.4.17.22)

इत्येतत्सर्वमाख्यातं मुनेर्वृत्तान्तमद्भुतम् । नारायणस्य सकलं नरस्य च महामुनेः ॥

ityetatsarvamākhyātaṁ munervṛttāntamadbhutam | nārāyaṇasya sakalaṁ narasya ca mahāmuneḥ ||

Thus has been told this entire wondrous account of the sage — of Narayana, and of the great sage Nara, in full.

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.4.17.23)

तौ हि कृष्णार्जुनौ वीरौ भूभारहरणाय च । जातौ तौ भरतश्रेष्ठ भृगोः शापवशादिह ॥

tau hi kṛṣṇārjunau vīrau bhūbhāraharaṇāya ca | jātau tau bharataśreṣṭha bhṛgoḥ śāpavaśādiha ||

"They indeed — Krishna and Arjuna, the two heroes — were born here, O best of the Bharatas, for the removal of the earth's burden, by the power of Bhrigu's curse."

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.4.17.24)

राजोवाच । कृष्णावतारचरितं विस्तरेण वदस्व मे । सन्देहो मम चित्तेऽस्ति तं निवारय मानद ॥

rājovāca | kṛṣṇāvatāracaritaṁ vistareṇa vadasva me | sandeho mama citte'sti taṁ nivāraya mānada ||

The king said: "Relate to me in detail the story of Krishna's avatar; there is a doubt in my mind — remove it, O giver of honor."

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.4.17.25)

ययोः पुत्रत्वमापन्नौ हर्यनन्तौ महाबलौ । देवकीवसुदेवौ तौ दुःखभाजौ कथं मुने ॥

yayoḥ putratvamāpannau haryanantau mahābalau | devakīvasudevau tau duḥkhabhājau kathaṁ mune ||

"Those two who became sons — Hari and Ananta, both of great strength — Devaki and Vasudeva, those two, how, O Muni, did they become subject to sorrow?"

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.4.17.26)

कंसेन निगडे बद्धौ पीडितौ बहुवत्सरान् । ययोः पुत्रो हरिः साक्षात्तपसा तोषितोऽभवत् ॥

kaṁsena nigaḍe baddhau pīḍitau bahuvatsarān | yayoḥ putro hariḥ sākṣāttapasā toṣito'bhavat ||

"Bound in fetters by Kamsa, they were tormented for many years — those whose son, Hari himself, became pleased through austerity."

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.4.17.27)

जातोऽसौ मथुरायां तु गोकुले स कथं गतः । कंसं हत्वा द्वारवत्यां निवासं कृतवान्कथम् ॥

jāto'sau mathurāyāṁ tu gokule sa kathaṁ gataḥ | kaṁsaṁ hatvā dvāravatyāṁ nivāsaṁ kṛtavānkatham ||

"He was born in Mathura, but how did he go to Gokula? Having slain Kamsa, how did he take up residence in Dvaravati?"

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.4.17.28)

पित्रादिसेवितं देशं समृद्धं पावनं किल । त्यक्त्वा देशान्तरेऽनार्ये गतवान्स कथं हरिः ॥

pitrādisevitaṁ deśaṁ samṛddhaṁ pāvanaṁ kila | tyaktvā deśāntare'nārye gatavānsa kathaṁ hariḥ ||

"Abandoning the land served by his forefathers, prosperous and sacred, why did that Hari go to an alien land elsewhere?"

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.4.17.29)

कुलञ्च द्विजशापेन कथमुत्सादितं हरेः । भारावतारणं कृत्वा वासुदेवः सनातनः ॥

kulañca dvijaśāpena kathamutsāditaṁ hareḥ | bhārāvatāraṇaṁ kṛtvā vāsudevaḥ sanātanaḥ ||

"And how was Hari's own lineage destroyed by a Brahmin's curse? Having accomplished the removal of the earth's burden, the eternal Vasudeva —"

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.4.17.30)

देहं मुमोच तरसा जगाम च दिवं हरिः । पापिष्ठानाञ्च भारेण व्याकुलाभूच्च मेदिनी ॥

dehaṁ mumoca tarasā jagāma ca divaṁ hariḥ | pāpiṣṭhānāñca bhāreṇa vyākulābhūcca medinī ||

"— swiftly relinquished his body, and Hari went to heaven. And the earth had, in earlier times, become distressed by the burden of the most wicked."

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.4.17.31)

ते हता वासुदेवेन पार्थेनामितकर्मणा । लुण्ठिता यैर्हरेः पत्न्यस्ते कथं न निपातिताः ॥

te hatā vāsudevena pārthenāmitakarmaṇā | luṇṭhitā yairhareḥ patnyaste kathaṁ na nipātitāḥ ||

"Those were slain by Vasudeva and by Partha of boundless prowess; yet those by whom Hari's wives were later plundered — why were they not struck down?"

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.4.17.32)

भीष्मो द्रोणस्तथा कर्णो बाह्लिकोऽप्यथ पार्थिवः । वैराटोऽथ विकर्णश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्थिवः ॥

bhīṣmo droṇastathā karṇo bāhliko'pyatha pārthivaḥ | vairāṭo'tha vikarṇaśca dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pārthivaḥ ||

"Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, and Bahlika the king, the son of Virata, and Vikarna, and Dhrishtadyumna the king —"

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.4.17.33)

सोमदत्तादयः सर्वे निहताः समरे नृपाः । तेषामुत्तारितो भारश्चौराणां न हृतः कथम् ॥

somadattādayaḥ sarve nihatāḥ samare nṛpāḥ | teṣāmuttārito bhāraścaurāṇāṁ na hṛtaḥ katham ||

"— Somadatta and other kings, all slain in battle — this burden indeed was lifted, but why was that of thieves not removed?"

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.4.17.34)

कृष्णपत्न्यः कथं दुःखं प्राप्ताः प्रान्ते पतिव्रताः । सन्देहोऽयं मुनिश्रेष्ठ चित्ते मे परिवर्तते ॥

kṛṣṇapatnyaḥ kathaṁ duḥkhaṁ prāptāḥ prānte pativratāḥ | sandeho'yaṁ muniśreṣṭha citte me parivartate ||

"How did Krishna's wives, chaste as they were, come to suffer sorrow at the end? This doubt, O best of sages, revolves in my mind."

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.4.17.35)

वसुदेवस्तु धर्मात्मा पुत्रदुःखेन तापितः । त्यक्तवान्स कथं प्राणानपमृत्युं जगाम ह ॥

vasudevastu dharmātmā putraduḥkhena tāpitaḥ | tyaktavānsa kathaṁ prāṇānapamṛtyuṁ jagāma ha ||

"Vasudeva, the righteous-souled, tormented by grief for his son — how did he give up his life-breath and meet an untimely death?"

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.4.17.36)

पाण्डवा धर्मसंयुक्ताः कृष्णे च निरताः सदा । ते कथं दुःखभोक्तारो ह्यभवन्मुनिसत्तम ॥

pāṇḍavā dharmasaṁyuktāḥ kṛṣṇe ca niratāḥ sadā | te kathaṁ duḥkhabhoktāro hyabhavanmunisattama ||

"The Pandavas, devoted to dharma and ever attached to Krishna — how did they become the sufferers of sorrow, O best of sages?"

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.4.17.37)

द्रौपदी च महाभागा कथं दुःखस्य भागिनी । वेदीमध्याच्च सञ्जाता लक्ष्म्यंशसम्भवा किल ॥

draupadī ca mahābhāgā kathaṁ duḥkhasya bhāginī | vedīmadhyācca sañjātā lakṣmyaṁśasambhavā kila ||

"And how did the most fortunate Draupadi become a sharer in sorrow — she who arose from the middle of the sacrificial altar, born of a portion of Lakshmi herself?"

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.4.17.38)

सभायां सा समानीता रजोदोषसमन्विता । बाला दुःशासनेनाथ केशग्रहणकर्शिता ॥

sabhāyāṁ sā samānītā rajodoṣasamanvitā | bālā duḥśāsanenātha keśagrahaṇakarśitā ||

"She was brought into the assembly hall while afflicted by her impurity; that maiden, seized by the hair by Duhshasana, was tormented —"

Verse 39 (devibhagavatam.4.17.39)

पीडिता सिन्धुराज्ञाथ वनमध्यगता सती । तथैव कीचकेनापि पीडिता रुदती भृशम् ॥

pīḍitā sindhurājñātha vanamadhyagatā satī | tathaiva kīcakenāpi pīḍitā rudatī bhṛśam ||

"— she was afflicted by the king of Sindhu too, that chaste woman, while dwelling in the forest; and she was likewise tormented by Kichaka, weeping bitterly."

Verse 40 (devibhagavatam.4.17.40)

पुत्राः पञ्चैव तस्यास्तु निहता द्रौणिना गृहे । सुभद्रायाः सुतो युद्धे बाल एव निपातितः ॥

putrāḥ pañcaiva tasyāstu nihatā drauṇinā gṛhe | subhadrāyāḥ suto yuddhe bāla eva nipātitaḥ ||

"Her five sons alone were slain by Drauni in their own house; and Subhadra's son, though a mere boy, was struck down in battle."

Verse 41 (devibhagavatam.4.17.41)

तथा च देवकीपुत्रा षट् कंसेन निषूदिताः । समर्थेनापि हरिणा दैवं न कृतमन्यथा ।

tathā ca devakīputrā ṣaṭ kaṁsena niṣūditāḥ | samarthenāpi hariṇā daivaṁ na kṛtamanyathā |

"So too, the six sons of Devaki were slain by Kamsa; even though Hari was capable, fate was not made otherwise."

Verse 42 (devibhagavatam.4.17.42)

यादवानां तथा शापः प्रभासे निधनं पुनः । कुलक्षयस्तथा तीव्रस्तत्पत्नीनाञ्च लुण्ठनम् ॥

yādavānāṁ tathā śāpaḥ prabhāse nidhanaṁ punaḥ | kulakṣayastathā tīvrastatpatnīnāñca luṇṭhanam ||

"So too the curse upon the Yadavas, and their destruction at Prabhasa; the terrible destruction of the clan, and the plundering of their wives."

Verse 43 (devibhagavatam.4.17.43)

विष्णुना चेश्वरेणापि साक्षान्नारायणेन च । उग्रसेनस्य सेवा वै दासवत्सततं कृता ॥

viṣṇunā ceśvareṇāpi sākṣānnārāyaṇena ca | ugrasenasya sevā vai dāsavatsatataṁ kṛtā ||

"And by Vishnu himself, the Lord, verily Narayana himself — service was rendered to Ugrasena continually, like a servant."

Verse 44 (devibhagavatam.4.17.44)

सन्देहोऽयं महाभाग तत्र नारायणे मुनौ । सर्वजन्तुसमानत्वं व्यवहारे निरन्तरम् ॥

sandeho'yaṁ mahābhāga tatra nārāyaṇe munau | sarvajantusamānatvaṁ vyavahāre nirantaram ||

"This is my doubt, O great one, concerning that sage Narayana: is there the same regard toward all creatures, continually, in his conduct?"

Verse 45 (devibhagavatam.4.17.45)

हर्षशोकादयो भावाः सर्वेषां सदृशाः कथम् । ईश्वरस्य हरेर्जाता कथमप्यन्यथा गतिः ॥

harṣaśokādayo bhāvāḥ sarveṣāṁ sadṛśāḥ katham | īśvarasya harerjātā kathamapyanyathā gatiḥ ||

"How could feelings such as joy and sorrow arise alike in all, in the case of the Lord Hari? How has his course come to be otherwise in any way?"

Verse 46 (devibhagavatam.4.17.46)

तस्माद्विस्तरतो ब्रूहि कृष्णस्य चरितं महत् । अलौकिकेन हरिणा कृतं कर्म महीतले ॥

tasmādvistarato brūhi kṛṣṇasya caritaṁ mahat | alaukikena hariṇā kṛtaṁ karma mahītale ||

"Therefore relate to me in detail the great story of Krishna — the deeds accomplished by that extraordinary Hari upon this earth."

Verse 47 (devibhagavatam.4.17.47)

हता आयुःक्षये दैत्याः क्लेशेन महता पुनः । क्वैश्वर्यशक्तिः प्रथिता हरिणा मुनिसत्तम ॥

hatā āyuḥkṣaye daityāḥ kleśena mahatā punaḥ | kvaiśvaryaśaktiḥ prathitā hariṇā munisattama ||

"The Daityas were slain again through great affliction, at the end of their lifespan; where, O best of sages, was the power of his lordship then manifested by Hari?"

Verse 48 (devibhagavatam.4.17.48)

रुक्मिणीहरणे नूनं गृहीत्वाथ पलायनम् । कृतं हि वासुदेवेन चौरवच्चरितं तदा ॥

rukmiṇīharaṇe nūnaṁ gṛhītvātha palāyanam | kṛtaṁ hi vāsudevena cauravaccaritaṁ tadā ||

"In the abduction of Rukmini, having seized her and fled — Vasudeva indeed then acted like a thief."

Verse 49 (devibhagavatam.4.17.49)

मथुरामण्डलं त्यक्त्वा समृद्धं कुलसम्मतम् । जरासन्धभयात्तेन द्वारकागमनं कृतम् ॥

mathurāmaṇḍalaṁ tyaktvā samṛddhaṁ kulasammatam | jarāsandhabhayāttena dvārakāgamanaṁ kṛtam ||

"Abandoning the prosperous, ancestrally-honored region of Mathura, out of fear of Jarasandha, he made his way to Dvaraka."

Verse 50 (devibhagavatam.4.17.50)

तदा केनापि न ज्ञातो भगवान्हरिरीश्वरः । किञ्चित्प्रब्रूहि मे ब्रह्मन् कारणं व्रजगोपनम् ॥

tadā kenāpi na jñāto bhagavānharirīśvaraḥ | kiñcitprabrūhi me brahman kāraṇaṁ vrajagopanam ||

"Then the Lord Hari, the very ruler, was known to none. Tell me something, O Brahmin, of the reason for his being hidden away at Vraja."

Verse 51 (devibhagavatam.4.17.51)

एते चान्ये च बहवः सन्देहा वासवीसुत । नाशयाद्य महाभाग सर्वज्ञोऽसि द्विजोत्तम ॥

ete cānye ca bahavaḥ sandehā vāsavīsuta | nāśayādya mahābhāga sarvajño'si dvijottama ||

"These and many other doubts, O sage, dispel today, O great one; you are all-knowing, O best of the twice-born."

Verse 52 (devibhagavatam.4.17.52)

गोप्यस्तथैकः सन्देहो हृदयान्न निवर्तते । पाञ्चाल्याः पञ्चभर्तृत्वं लोके किं न जुगुप्सितम् ॥

gopyastathaikaḥ sandeho hṛdayānna nivartate | pāñcālyāḥ pañcabhartṛtvaṁ loke kiṁ na jugupsitam ||

"And there is one doubt regarding the cowherd-women that does not leave my heart: is it not condemned in the world for Panchali to have had five husbands?"

Verse 53 (devibhagavatam.4.17.53)

सदाचारं प्रमाणं हि प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः । पशुधर्मः कथं तैस्तु समर्थैरपि संश्रितः ॥

sadācāraṁ pramāṇaṁ hi pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ | paśudharmaḥ kathaṁ taistu samarthairapi saṁśritaḥ ||

"The wise declare good conduct to be the true standard; how then was the way of beasts resorted to by them, even though capable of better?"

Verse 54 (devibhagavatam.4.17.54)

भीष्मेणापि कृतं किं वा देवरूपेण भूतले । गोलकौ तौ समुत्पाद्य यत्तु वंशस्य रक्षणम् ॥

bhīṣmeṇāpi kṛtaṁ kiṁ vā devarūpeṇa bhūtale | golakau tau samutpādya yattu vaṁśasya rakṣaṇam ||

"And what was done also by Bhishma, in the guise of a righteous man upon this earth — begetting those two sons through the levirate rite, for the sake of preserving the lineage?"

Verse 55 (devibhagavatam.4.17.55)

धिग्धर्मनिर्णयः कामं मुनिभिः परिदर्शितः । येन केनाप्युपायेन पुत्रोत्पादनलक्षणः ॥

dhigdharmanirṇayaḥ kāmaṁ munibhiḥ paridarśitaḥ | yena kenāpyupāyena putrotpādanalakṣaṇaḥ ||

"Fie upon such a determination of dharma, indeed, as shown by the sages — that by whatever means, the mark of begetting sons alone is deemed justified!"