Krishna's Attainment of a Son

Verse 1 (shiva.vayaviya.36.1)

ॐ नमः समस्त संसारचक्रभ्रमणहेतवे । गौरीकुचतटद्वन्द्वकुङ्कुमाङ्कितवक्षसे

oṁ namaḥ samasta saṁsāracakrabhramaṇahetave | gaurīkucataṭadvandvakuṅkumāṅkitavakṣase

Om, salutation to him who is the very cause of the turning of the whole wheel of the world, whose chest bears the mark of vermilion from the two slopes of Gauri's breasts.

Verse 2 (shiva.vayaviya.36.2)

सूत उवाच । उक्त्वा भगवतो लब्धं प्रसादादुपमन्युना । नियमादुत्थितो वायुर्मध्ये प्राप्ते दिवाकरे

sūta uvāca | uktvā bhagavato labdhaṁ prasādādupamanyunā | niyamādutthito vāyurmadhye prāpte divākare

Suta said: Having told all that Upamanyu had obtained through the Lord's grace, Vayu rose from his observance when the sun had reached midday.

Verse 3 (shiva.vayaviya.36.3)

ऋषयश्चापि ते सर्वे नैमिषारण्यवासिनः । अथायमर्थः प्रष्टव्य इति कृत्वा विनिश्चयम्

ṛṣayaścāpi te sarve naimiṣāraṇyavāsinaḥ | athāyamarthaḥ praṣṭavya iti kṛtvā viniścayam

And all those sages dwelling in Naimisharanya, having resolved that this matter must indeed be asked about —

Verse 4 (shiva.vayaviya.36.4)

कृत्वा यथा स्वकं कृत्यं प्रत्यहं ते यथा पुरा । भगवन्तमुपायान्तं समीक्ष्य समुपाविशन्

kṛtvā yathā svakaṁ kṛtyaṁ pratyahaṁ te yathā purā | bhagavantamupāyāntaṁ samīkṣya samupāviśan

having, as every day, completed their daily rites, and seeing the Lord approaching as before, sat down close by him.

Verse 5 (shiva.vayaviya.36.5)

अथासौ नियमस्यान्ते भगवानम्बरोद्भवः । मध्ये मुनिसभायास्तु भेजे कॢप्तं वरासनम्

athāsau niyamasyānte bhagavānambarodbhavaḥ | madhye munisabhāyāstu bheje kḷptaṁ varāsanam

Then, at the end of his observance, that Lord born of the sky took his seat upon the fine seat prepared in the midst of the sages' assembly.

Verse 6 (shiva.vayaviya.36.6)

सुखासनोपविष्टश्च वायुर्लोकनमस्कृतः । श्रीमद्विभूतिमीशस्य हृदि कृत्वेदमब्रवीत्

sukhāsanopaviṣṭaśca vāyurlokanamaskṛtaḥ | śrīmadvibhūtimīśasya hṛdi kṛtvedamabravīt

Seated comfortably, Vayu, honored by all the world, bearing in his heart the resplendent glory of the Lord, spoke as follows.

Verse 7 (shiva.vayaviya.36.7)

तं प्रपद्ये महादेवं सर्वज्ञमपराजितम् । विभूतिः सकलं यस्य चराचरमिदं जगत्

taṁ prapadye mahādevaṁ sarvajñamaparājitam | vibhūtiḥ sakalaṁ yasya carācaramidaṁ jagat

I take refuge in that Mahadeva, all-knowing and unconquered, whose very glory is this entire universe of moving and unmoving things.

Verse 8 (shiva.vayaviya.36.8)

इत्याकर्ण्य शुभां वाणीं ऋषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः । विभूतिविस्तरं श्रोतुमूचुस्ते परमं वचः

ityākarṇya śubhāṁ vāṇīṁ ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ | vibhūtivistaraṁ śrotumūcuste paramaṁ vacaḥ

Hearing these auspicious words, those sages, their sins now spent, spoke this supreme request, wishing to hear of that glory in full.

Verse 9 (shiva.vayaviya.36.9)

ऋषय ऊचुः । उक्तं भगवता वृत्तमुपमन्योर्महात्मनः । क्षीरार्थेनापि तपसा यत्प्राप्तं परमेश्वरात्

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | uktaṁ bhagavatā vṛttamupamanyormahātmanaḥ | kṣīrārthenāpi tapasā yatprāptaṁ parameśvarāt

The sages said: You have told the story of the great-souled Upamanyu — how, through austerity undertaken merely for the sake of milk, he obtained so much from the Supreme Lord.

Verse 10 (shiva.vayaviya.36.10)

दृष्टोऽसौ वासुदेवेन कृष्णेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा । धौम्याग्रजस्ततस्तेन कृत्वा पाशुपतं व्रतम्

dṛṣṭo'sau vāsudevena kṛṣṇenākliṣṭakarmaṇā | dhaumyāgrajastatastena kṛtvā pāśupataṁ vratam

That elder brother of Dhaumya was seen by Vasudeva Krishna, whose deeds never fail; and thereafter he had Krishna undertake the Pashupata vow.

Verse 11 (shiva.vayaviya.36.11)

प्राप्तं च परमं ज्ञानमिति प्रागेव शुश्रुम । कथं स लब्धवान् कृष्णो ज्ञानं पाशुपतं परम्

prāptaṁ ca paramaṁ jñānamiti prāgeva śuśruma | kathaṁ sa labdhavān kṛṣṇo jñānaṁ pāśupataṁ param

We have already heard that he obtained supreme knowledge — but how did that Krishna come to attain this supreme Pashupata knowledge?

Verse 12 (shiva.vayaviya.36.12)

वायुरुवाच । स्वेच्छया ह्यवतीर्णोऽपि वासुदेवः सनातनः । निन्दयन्निव मानुष्यं देहशुद्धिं चकार सः

vāyuruvāca | svecchayā hyavatīrṇo'pi vāsudevaḥ sanātanaḥ | nindayanniva mānuṣyaṁ dehaśuddhiṁ cakāra saḥ

Vayu said: Though the eternal Vasudeva had descended entirely of his own will, he nonetheless performed a purification of his own body — as if disavowing the very condition of being human.

Verse 13 (shiva.vayaviya.36.13)

पुत्रार्थं हि तपस्तप्तुं गतस्तस्य महामुनेः । आश्रमं मुनिभिर्दृष्टं दृष्टवांस्तत्र वै मुनिम्

putrārthaṁ hi tapastaptuṁ gatastasya mahāmuneḥ | āśramaṁ munibhirdṛṣṭaṁ dṛṣṭavāṁstatra vai munim

Going there to perform austerity for the sake of a son, he beheld, in that hermitage of the great sage — a hermitage sought out by sages — that very sage himself.

Verse 14 (shiva.vayaviya.36.14)

भस्मावदातं सर्वाङ्गं त्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कितमस्तकम् । रुद्राक्षमालाभरणं जटामण्डलमण्डितम्

bhasmāvadātaṁ sarvāṅgaṁ tripuṇḍrāṅkitamastakam | rudrākṣamālābharaṇaṁ jaṭāmaṇḍalamaṇḍitam

His whole body gleamed white with sacred ash, his forehead marked with the triple stripe, adorned with a rosary of rudraksha beads and set about with a crown of matted locks.

Verse 15 (shiva.vayaviya.36.15)

तच्छिष्यभूतैर्मुनिभिः शास्त्रैर्वेदमिवावृतम् । शिवध्यानरतं शान्तमुपमन्युं महाद्युतिम्

tacchiṣyabhūtairmunibhiḥ śāstrairvedamivāvṛtam | śivadhyānarataṁ śāntamupamanyuṁ mahādyutim

He was surrounded by sage-disciples, as the Veda is surrounded by its auxiliary sciences — that was Upamanyu, tranquil and greatly radiant, absorbed in meditation on Shiva.

Verse 16 (shiva.vayaviya.36.16)

नमश्चकार तं दृष्ट्वा हृष्टसर्वतनूरुहः । बहुमानेन कृष्णोऽसौ त्रिः कृत्वा तु प्रदक्षिणाम् । स्तुतिं चकार सुप्रीत्या नतस्कन्धः कृताञ्जलिः

namaścakāra taṁ dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭasarvatanūruhaḥ | bahumānena kṛṣṇo'sau triḥ kṛtvā tu pradakṣiṇām | stutiṁ cakāra suprītyā nataskandhaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ

Seeing him, every hair on his body thrilled with delight, and Krishna, with the greatest reverence, circumambulated him three times and bowed; and, his shoulders bent and his palms joined, he offered a hymn of praise with deep affection.

Verse 17 (shiva.vayaviya.36.17)

तस्यावलोकनादेव मुनेः कृष्णस्य धीमतः । नष्टमासीन्मलं सर्वं मायाजं कार्ममेव च

tasyāvalokanādeva muneḥ kṛṣṇasya dhīmataḥ | naṣṭamāsīnmalaṁ sarvaṁ māyājaṁ kārmameva ca

By the mere sight of that sage, all the impurity of the wise Krishna — born both of maya and of karma — was utterly destroyed.

Verse 18 (shiva.vayaviya.36.18)

ततः क्षीणमलं कृष्णमुपमन्युर्यथाविधि । भस्मनोद्धूल्य तं मन्त्रैरग्निरित्यादिभिः क्रमात्

tataḥ kṣīṇamalaṁ kṛṣṇamupamanyuryathāvidhi | bhasmanoddhūlya taṁ mantrairagnirityādibhiḥ kramāt

Then Upamanyu, according to rule, dusted Krishna — now free of impurity — with sacred ash, reciting in order the mantras beginning "agniḥ."

Verse 19 (shiva.vayaviya.36.19)

अथ पाशुपतं साक्षाद् व्रतं द्वादशमासिकम् । कारयित्वा मुनिस्तस्मै प्रददौ ज्ञानमुत्तमम्

atha pāśupataṁ sākṣād vrataṁ dvādaśamāsikam | kārayitvā munistasmai pradadau jñānamuttamam

Then, having had him undertake the actual Pashupata vow for a full twelve months, the sage bestowed upon him that supreme knowledge.

Verse 20 (shiva.vayaviya.36.20)

तदाप्रभृति तं कृष्णं मुनयश्शंसितव्रताः । दिव्याः पाशुपताः सर्वे परिवृत्योपतस्थिरे

tadāprabhṛti taṁ kṛṣṇaṁ munayaśśaṁsitavratāḥ | divyāḥ pāśupatāḥ sarve parivṛtyopatasthire

From that time onward, all the divine Pashupata sages, their vows perfected, gathered around Krishna and remained in attendance upon him.

Verse 21 (shiva.vayaviya.36.21)

ततो गुरुनियोगाद् वै कृष्णः परमशक्तिमान् । तपश्चकार पुत्रार्थं साम्बमुद्दिश्य शङ्करम्

tato guruniyogād vai kṛṣṇaḥ paramaśaktimān | tapaścakāra putrārthaṁ sāmbamuddiśya śaṅkaram

Then, by his teacher's own command, the mighty Krishna performed austerity, directed toward Shankara together with Amba, for the sake of a son.

Verse 22 (shiva.vayaviya.36.22)

तपसो तेन वर्षान्ते दृष्टोऽसौ परमेश्वरः । श्रिया परमया युक्तः साम्बश्च सगणः शिवः

tapaso tena varṣānte dṛṣṭo'sau parameśvaraḥ | śriyā paramayā yuktaḥ sāmbaśca sagaṇaḥ śivaḥ

At the end of a year of that austerity, that Supreme Lord Shiva appeared to him, radiant with the highest splendor, together with Amba and his hosts.

Verse 23 (shiva.vayaviya.36.23)

वरार्थमाविर्भूतस्य हरस्य सुभगाकृतेः । स्तुतिं चकार नत्वाऽसौ कृष्णः सम्यक् कृताञ्जलिः

varārthamāvirbhūtasya harasya subhagākṛteḥ | stutiṁ cakāra natvā'sau kṛṣṇaḥ samyak kṛtāñjaliḥ

Bowing to that Hara, of beautiful form, who had appeared to grant a boon, Krishna, with palms rightly joined, offered him praise.

Verse 24 (shiva.vayaviya.36.24)

साम्बेन सगणेनापि लब्धवान् युत्रमात्मनः । तपसा तुष्टचित्तेन दत्तं विष्णोः शिवेन वै

sāmbena sagaṇenāpi labdhavān yutramātmanaḥ | tapasā tuṣṭacittena dattaṁ viṣṇoḥ śivena vai

Shiva, together with Amba and his hosts, his heart pleased by that austerity, gave to Vishnu one who was his own equal, as a son.

Verse 25 (shiva.vayaviya.36.25)

यस्मात्साम्बो महादेवः प्रददौ पुत्रमात्मनः । तस्माज्जाम्बवतीसूनुं साम्बं चक्रे स नामतः

yasmātsāmbo mahādevaḥ pradadau putramātmanaḥ | tasmājjāmbavatīsūnuṁ sāmbaṁ cakre sa nāmataḥ

Because Mahadeva, together with Amba, had granted him this son of his own, he therefore named that son of Jambavati "Samba."

Verse 26 (shiva.vayaviya.36.26)

तदेतत्कथितं सर्वं कृष्णस्यामितकर्मणः । महर्षेर्ज्ञानलाभश्च पुत्रलाभश्च शङ्करात्

tadetatkathitaṁ sarvaṁ kṛṣṇasyāmitakarmaṇaḥ | maharṣerjñānalābhaśca putralābhaśca śaṅkarāt

Thus has this whole account been told — of Krishna, whose deeds are boundless, his attainment of knowledge from that great sage, and his attainment of a son from Shankara.

Verse 27 (shiva.vayaviya.36.27)

य इदं कीर्तयेन्नित्यं शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेत्तथा । स विष्णोर्ज्ञानमासाद्य तेनैव सह मोदते

ya idaṁ kīrtayennityaṁ śṛṇuyācchrāvayettathā | sa viṣṇorjñānamāsādya tenaiva saha modate

Whoever daily recites this account, or hears it, or causes it to be heard, attains to the knowledge of Vishnu and rejoices in his very company.