Description of the Harivamsha

Verse 1 (garuda.1.144.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । हरिवंशं प्रवक्ष्यामि कृष्णमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । वसुदेवात्तु देवक्यां वासुदेवो बलोऽभवत्

brahmovāca harivaṁśaṁ pravakṣyāmi kṛṣṇamāhātmyamuttamam vasudevāttu devakyāṁ vāsudevo balo'bhavat

Brahma said: I shall relate the Harivamsha, the supreme glory of Krishna. From Vasudeva, through Devaki, were born Vasudeva, that is Krishna, and Bala, that is Balarama.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.144.2)

धर्मादिरक्षणार्थाय ह्यधर्मादिविनष्टये । कृष्णः पीत्वा स्तनौ गाढं पूतनामनयत्क्षयम्

dharmādirakṣaṇārthāya hyadharmādivinaṣṭaye kṛṣṇaḥ pītvā stanau gāḍhaṁ pūtanāmanayatkṣayam

For the protection of dharma and the destruction of adharma, Krishna, sucking hard at her breast, brought Putana to her destruction.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.144.3)

शकटः परिवृत्तोऽथ भग्नौ च यमलार्जुनौ । दमितः कालियो नागो धेनुको विनिपातितः

śakaṭaḥ parivṛtto'tha bhagnau ca yamalārjunau damitaḥ kāliyo nāgo dhenuko vinipātitaḥ

He overturned the cart-demon, broke the twin Arjuna trees, subdued the serpent Kaliya, and struck down the demon Dhenuka.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.144.4)

धृतो गोवर्धनः शैल इन्द्रेण परिपूजितः । भारावतरणं चक्रे प्रतिज्ञां कृतवान्हरिः

dhṛto govardhanaḥ śaila indreṇa paripūjitaḥ bhārāvataraṇaṁ cakre pratijñāṁ kṛtavānhariḥ

He held up Mount Govardhana, for which Indra worshipped him fully. Hari, fulfilling his own vow, accomplished the lightening of the earth's burden.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.144.5)

रक्षणायार्जुनादेश्च ह्यरिष्टादिर्निपातितः । केशी विनिहतो दैत्यो गोपाद्याः परितोषिताः

rakṣaṇāyārjunādeśca hyariṣṭādirnipātitaḥ keśī vinihato daityo gopādyāḥ paritoṣitāḥ

For the protection of Arjuna and others, he struck down Arishta and other demons; he slew the demon Keshi; he brought contentment to the cowherds and others.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.144.6)

चाणूरो मुष्टिको मल्लः कंसो मञ्चान्निपातितः । रुक्मिणीसत्यभामाद्याः ह्यष्टौ पत्न्यो हरेः पराः

cāṇūro muṣṭiko mallaḥ kaṁso mañcānnipātitaḥ rukmiṇīsatyabhāmādyāḥ hyaṣṭau patnyo hareḥ parāḥ

He slew the wrestlers Chanura and Mushtika, and hurled Kamsa down from his platform. Rukmini, Satyabhama, and others were the eight chief wives of Hari —

Verse 7 (garuda.1.144.7)

षोढश स्त्रीसहस्राणि ह्यन्यान्यास महात्मनः । तासां पुत्राश्च पौत्राद्याः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः

ṣoḍhaśa strīsahasrāṇi hyanyānyāsa mahātmanaḥ tāsāṁ putrāśca pautrādyāḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

and the great-souled one had sixteen thousand other wives besides. Their sons, grandsons, and others numbered in the hundreds and thousands.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.144.8)

रुक्मिण्याञ्चैव प्रद्युम्नो न्यवधीच्छंबरञ्च यः । तस्य पुत्रोऽनिरुद्धोऽभूदुषाबाणसुतापतिः

rukmiṇyāñcaiva pradyumno nyavadhīcchaṁbarañca yaḥ tasya putro'niruddho'bhūduṣābāṇasutāpatiḥ

Through Rukmini was born Pradyumna, who slew the demon Shambara. His son was Aniruddha, husband of Usha, daughter of the demon Bana.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.144.9)

हरिशकरयोर्यत्र महायुद्धं बभूव ह । बाणबाहुसहस्रञ्च च्छिन्नं बाहुद्वयं ह्यभूत्

hariśakarayoryatra mahāyuddhaṁ babhūva ha bāṇabāhusahasrañca cchinnaṁ bāhudvayaṁ hyabhūt

There a great battle took place between Hari and Shankara; of Bana's thousand arms, only two remained — the rest were cut away.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.144.10)

नरको निहतो येन पारिजातं जहार यः । बलश्च शिसुपालश्च हतश्च द्विविदः कपिः

narako nihato yena pārijātaṁ jahāra yaḥ balaśca śisupālaśca hataśca dvividaḥ kapiḥ

By him Naraka was slain, and he carried off the Parijata tree; and Bala, Shishupala, and the monkey Dvivida were slain by him as well.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.144.11)

अनिरुद्धादभूद्वज्रः स च राजा गते हरौ । सन्दीपनिं गुरुञ्चक्रे सपुत्रञ्च चकार सः । मथुरायां चोग्रसेनं पालनं च दिवौकसाम्

aniruddhādabhūdvajraḥ sa ca rājā gate harau sandīpaniṁ guruñcakre saputrañca cakāra saḥ mathurāyāṁ cograsenaṁ pālanaṁ ca divaukasām

From Aniruddha was born Vajra, who became king after Hari's departure from the earth. Krishna had made Sandipani his guru and restored his son to him; and he established Ugrasena's rule in Mathura, along with the protection of the celestials.