The Slaying of the Washerman and the Blessing of the Garland-Maker

Verse 1 (vishnu.5.19.1)

एवमन्तर्जले विष्णुमभिष्टूय स यादवः। अर्ज्जयामास सर्व्वेशं पुष्पैर्धूपैर्मनोरमैः

evamantarjale viṣṇumabhiṣṭūya sa yādavaḥ arjjayāmāsa sarvveśaṁ puṣpairdhūpairmanoramaiḥ

Thus, having praised Vishnu within the water, that Yadava worshipped the Lord of all with lovely flowers and incense.

Verse 2 (vishnu.5.19.2)

परित्यक्तान्यविषयो मनस्तत्र निवेश्य सः। ब्रह्मभूते चिरं स्थित्वा विरराम समाधितः

parityaktānyaviṣayo manastatra niveśya saḥ brahmabhūte ciraṁ sthitvā virarāma samādhitaḥ

Having abandoned every other object of the senses and fixed his mind there alone, he remained long established in the state of union with Brahman, and then arose from that meditation.

Verse 3 (vishnu.5.19.3)

कृतकृत्यमिवात्मानं मन्यमानो महामतिः। आजगाम रथं भूयो निगम्य यमुनाम्भसः

kṛtakṛtyamivātmānaṁ manyamāno mahāmatiḥ ājagāma rathaṁ bhūyo nigamya yamunāmbhasaḥ

Considering himself now fulfilled in every purpose, that wise one came forth from the waters of the Yamuna and returned again to the chariot.

Verse 4 (vishnu.5.19.4)

रामकृष्णौ च ददृशे यथापूर्व्वं रथे स्थितौ। विस्मिताक्षस्तदाक्रूरस्तं च कृष्णोऽभ्यभाषत

rāmakṛṣṇau ca dadṛśe yathāpūrvvaṁ rathe sthitau vismitākṣastadākrūrastaṁ ca kṛṣṇo'bhyabhāṣata

He saw Rama and Krishna seated upon the chariot just as before; and Krishna then spoke to Akrura, whose eyes were wide with astonishment.

Verse 5 (vishnu.5.19.5)

नूनं ते दृष्टमाश्वर्य्यमक्रूरयमुनाजले। विस्मयोतूफूल्लनयनो भवान् संलक्ष्यते यतः

nūnaṁ te dṛṣṭamāśvaryyamakrūrayamunājale vismayotūphūllanayano bhavān saṁlakṣyate yataḥ

'Surely, O Akrura, you have witnessed some wonder in the waters of the Yamuna, for you appear to me with eyes wide open in astonishment.'

Verse 6 (vishnu.5.19.6)

अन्तर्जले यदाश्वर्य्यं दृष्टं तत्र मयाच्युत तदत्रापि हि पश्यामि मूत्तिंमत् पुरतः स्थितम्

antarjale yadāśvaryyaṁ dṛṣṭaṁ tatra mayācyuta tadatrāpi hi paśyāmi mūttiṁmat purataḥ sthitam

'O Achyuta, the very wonder I witnessed there within the water — that very thing I now see here too, standing embodied right before me.'

Verse 7 (vishnu.5.19.7)

जगदेतन्महाश्वर्य्य रूपं यस्य महात्मनः। तेनाश्वर्य्यवरेणाहं भवता कृष्णसङ्गतः

jagadetanmahāśvaryya rūpaṁ yasya mahātmanaḥ tenāśvaryyavareṇāhaṁ bhavatā kṛṣṇasaṅgataḥ

'This entire universe itself is but the great and wondrous form of that same great soul — and by that very finest wonder of his I have now come together with you, O Krishna.'

Verse 8 (vishnu.5.19.8)

तत् किमेतेन मथुरां व्रजामो मधुसूदन बिभेमि कंसाद्धिग् जन्म परपिण्डोपजीविनाम्

tat kimetena mathurāṁ vrajāmo madhusūdana bibhemi kaṁsāddhig janma parapiṇḍopajīvinām

'But what more of this? O Madhusudana, let us go on to Mathura; I fear Kamsa — shame upon the birth of those who live off another's bread.'

Verse 9 (vishnu.5.19.9)

इत्युक्त्वा चोदयामास तान् हयान् वातरंहसः। सम्प्राप्तश्चातिसायाह्ने सोऽक्रूरो मथुरां पुरीम्

ityuktvā codayāmāsa tān hayān vātaraṁhasaḥ samprāptaścātisāyāhne so'krūro mathurāṁ purīm

Having said this, he urged on those wind-swift horses, and Akrura arrived at the city of Mathura well into the evening.

Verse 10 (vishnu.5.19.10)

विलोक्य मथुरां रामं कृष्णं चाह स यादवः। पद्भ्यां यातं महावीर्यौ रथेनैको विशाम्यहम्

vilokya mathurāṁ rāmaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ cāha sa yādavaḥ padbhyāṁ yātaṁ mahāvīryau rathenaiko viśāmyaham

Seeing Mathura before them, that Yadava said to Rama and Krishna: 'O you two of great might, go on foot; I alone shall enter by chariot.'

Verse 11 (vishnu.5.19.11)

गन्तव्यं वसुदेवस्य भवद्भ्यां न तथा गृहम्। युवयोर्हि कृते वृद्धः स कंसेन निरस्यते

gantavyaṁ vasudevasya bhavadbhyāṁ na tathā gṛham yuvayorhi kṛte vṛddhaḥ sa kaṁsena nirasyate

'It would not be right for you two to go now to Vasudeva's house; it is on your account alone that that aged man has been cast out by Kamsa.'

Verse 12 (vishnu.5.19.12)

इत्युक्त्वा प्रविवेशाथ सोऽक्रूरो मथुरां पुरीम्। प्रविष्टौ रामकृष्णौ च राजमार्गमुपागतौ

ityuktvā praviveśātha so'krūro mathurāṁ purīm praviṣṭau rāmakṛṣṇau ca rājamārgamupāgatau

Having said this, Akrura entered the city of Mathura, and Rama and Krishna too, entering, came upon the royal high road.

Verse 13 (vishnu.5.19.13)

स्त्रीभिर्नरैश्च सानन्दं लोचनैरभिवीक्षितौ। जग्मतुर्लीलया वीरौ मत्तौ बालगजाविव

strībhirnaraiśca sānandaṁ locanairabhivīkṣitau jagmaturlīlayā vīrau mattau bālagajāviva

Gazed upon with joy by the eyes of both women and men, those two heroes walked on at their ease, like two young elephants in the exuberance of their strength.

Verse 14 (vishnu.5.19.14)

भ्रममाणौ तु तौ दृष्ट्वा रजकं रङ्गकारकम्। अयाचेतां सुरूपाणि वासांसि रुचिराननौ

bhramamāṇau tu tau dṛṣṭvā rajakaṁ raṅgakārakam ayācetāṁ surūpāṇi vāsāṁsi rucirānanau

As they wandered thus, they saw a washerman engaged in dyeing garments; those two, of lovely countenance, asked him for some fine clothes.

Verse 15 (vishnu.5.19.15)

कंसस्य रजकः सोऽथ प्रसादारूढ़विस्मयः। बहून्याक्षेपवाक्यानि प्राहोच्चै रामकेशवौ

kaṁsasya rajakaḥ so'tha prasādārūr̤havismayaḥ bahūnyākṣepavākyāni prāhoccai rāmakeśavau

That washerman of Kamsa, puffed up with pride in his king's favor, in astonishment spoke many taunting, insolent words to Rama and Keshava.

Verse 16 (vishnu.5.19.16)

ततस्तलप्रहारेण कृष्णस्तस्य दुरात्मनः। पातयामास कोपेन रजकस्य शिरो भुवि

tatastalaprahāreṇa kṛṣṇastasya durātmanaḥ pātayāmāsa kopena rajakasya śiro bhuvi

Then Krishna, in anger, with a single blow of his palm, struck that evil-souled man's head to the ground.

Verse 17 (vishnu.5.19.17)

हत्वादाय च वस्त्राणि पीतनीलाम्बरौ ततः। कृष्णरामौ मुदा युक्तौ मालाकारगृहं गतौ

hatvādāya ca vastrāṇi pītanīlāmbarau tataḥ kṛṣṇarāmau mudā yuktau mālākāragṛhaṁ gatau

Having slain him and taken his garments, Krishna and Rama, now clad in yellow and blue, went on joyfully to the house of the garland-maker.

Verse 18 (vishnu.5.19.18)

विकासिनेत्रयुगलो मालाकारोऽतिविस्मितः। एतौ कस्य कुतो वैतौ मैत्रेयाचिन्तयत्तदा

vikāsinetrayugalo mālākāro'tivismitaḥ etau kasya kuto vaitau maitreyācintayattadā

Seeing their two shining, wide-open eyes, that garland-maker too was struck with wonder; he thought, O Maitreya, 'Whose are these two, and whence have they come?'

Verse 19 (vishnu.5.19.19)

पीतनीलाम्बरधरौ तौ दृष्ट्वातिमनोहरौ। स तर्कयामास तदा भुवं देवावुपागतौ

pītanīlāmbaradharau tau dṛṣṭvātimanoharau sa tarkayāmāsa tadā bhuvaṁ devāvupāgatau

Seeing those two, clad in yellow and blue and utterly enchanting, he then reasoned that surely some gods had come down to earth.

Verse 20 (vishnu.5.19.20)

विकाशिमुखपद्माभ्यां ताभ्यां पुष्पाणि याचितः। भुवं विष्टभ्य हस्ताभ्यां पस्पर्श शिरसा महीम्

vikāśimukhapadmābhyāṁ tābhyāṁ puṣpāṇi yācitaḥ bhuvaṁ viṣṭabhya hastābhyāṁ pasparśa śirasā mahīm

With their own blossoming lotus-faces, those two asked him for flowers; and he, steadying himself upon the ground with both hands, touched the earth with his head.

Verse 21 (vishnu.5.19.21)

प्रसादपरमौ नाथौ मम गेहमुपागतौ। धन्योऽहमर्चयिष्यामीत्याह तौ माल्यजीवकः

prasādaparamau nāthau mama gehamupāgatau dhanyo'hamarcayiṣyāmītyāha tau mālyajīvakaḥ

'These two most gracious lords have come to my house; I am truly blessed — I shall worship them,' said that flower-seller to them.

Verse 22 (vishnu.5.19.22)

ततः प्रहृष्टवदनस्तयोः पुष्पाणि कामतः। चारूण्येतान्यथैतानि प्रददौ स विलोभयन्

tataḥ prahṛṣṭavadanastayoḥ puṣpāṇi kāmataḥ cārūṇyetānyathaitāni pradadau sa vilobhayan

Then, his face brimming with delight, eager to please, he offered them, willingly and freely, these lovely, brightly-colored flowers.

Verse 23 (vishnu.5.19.23)

पुनः पुनः प्रणम्यासौ मालाकारौ नरोत्तमौ। ददौ पुष्पाणि चारूणि गन्धवन्त्यमलानि च

punaḥ punaḥ praṇamyāsau mālākārau narottamau dadau puṣpāṇi cārūṇi gandhavantyamalāni ca

That garland-maker, bowing again and again to those two finest of men, kept offering fragrant, pure, and beautiful flowers.

Verse 24 (vishnu.5.19.24)

मालाकाराय कृष्णोऽपि प्रसन्नः प्रददौ वरान्। श्रीस्त्वां मत्संश्रया भद्र न कदाचित् त्यजिष्यति

mālākārāya kṛṣṇo'pi prasannaḥ pradadau varān śrīstvāṁ matsaṁśrayā bhadra na kadācit tyajiṣyati

Pleased with that garland-maker, Krishna in turn granted him boons: 'O gentle one, having taken shelter in you, Shri herself shall never abandon you.'

Verse 25 (vishnu.5.19.25)

बलहानिर्न ते सौम्य धनहानिस्तथैव च। यावद्दिनानि तावच्च न नशिष्यति सन्ततिः

balahānirna te saumya dhanahānistathaiva ca yāvaddināni tāvacca na naśiṣyati santatiḥ

'O gentle one, neither your strength nor your wealth shall ever fail; as long as day and night endure, your lineage shall never perish.'

Verse 26 (vishnu.5.19.26)

भुक्त्वा च विपुलान् भोगांस्त्वमन्ते मत्प्रसादजम्। ममानुस्मरणं प्राप्य दिव्यं लोकमवाप्स्यसि

bhuktvā ca vipulān bhogāṁstvamante matprasādajam mamānusmaraṇaṁ prāpya divyaṁ lokamavāpsyasi

'Having enjoyed abundant pleasures, at the last, through my grace, you shall attain remembrance of me, and thereby win the divine world.'

Verse 27 (vishnu.5.19.27)

धर्मे मनश्च ते भद्र सर्वकालं भविष्यति। युष्मत्सन्ततिजातानां दीर्घमायुर्भविष्यति

dharme manaśca te bhadra sarvakālaṁ bhaviṣyati yuṣmatsantatijātānāṁ dīrghamāyurbhaviṣyati

'O gentle one, your mind shall be forever fixed upon dharma; and those born of your line shall likewise enjoy long life.'

Verse 28 (vishnu.5.19.28)

नोपसर्गादिकं दोषं युष्मत्सन्ततिसम्भवः। सम्प्राप्स्यति महाभाग यावत् सूर्यो धरिष्यति

nopasargādikaṁ doṣaṁ yuṣmatsantatisambhavaḥ samprāpsyati mahābhāga yāvat sūryo dhariṣyati

'O illustrious one, as long as the sun continues to hold up the sky, no calamity or fault of any kind shall ever befall those born of you.'

Verse 29 (vishnu.5.19.29)

इत्युक्त्वा तद्गृहात् कृष्णो बलदेवसहायवान्। निर्जगाम मुनिश्रेष्ठ मालाकारेण पूजितः

ityuktvā tadgṛhāt kṛṣṇo baladevasahāyavān nirjagāma muniśreṣṭha mālākāreṇa pūjitaḥ

Having said this, Krishna, with Baladeva at his side, set out from that garland-maker's house, O best of sages, duly honored by him.