The Birth of Krishna

Verse 1 (vishnu.5.3.1)

एवं संस्तूयमाना सा देवैर्दैवमधारयत् । गर्भेण पुण्डरीकाक्षं जगतस्त्राणकारणम्

evaṁ saṁstūyamānā sā devairdaivamadhārayat garbheṇa puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ jagatastrāṇakāraṇam

Thus praised by the gods, Devaki bore, in her divine nature, in her womb, the lotus-eyed one, the cause of the world's protection.

Verse 2 (vishnu.5.3.2)

ततोऽखिलजगत्पद्मबोधायाच्युतभान्ना । देवकीपूर्व्वसन्ध्यायामाविर्भूतं महात्मना

tato'khilajagatpadmabodhāyācyutabhānnā devakīpūrvvasandhyāyāmāvirbhūtaṁ mahātmanā

Then, to awaken the lotus of the whole world, the great-souled, unfallen sun became manifest in the early dawn hour proper to Devaki.

Verse 3 (vishnu.5.3.3)

तज्जन्मदिनमत्यर्थमाह्लाद्यमलदिङूमुखम् । बभूव सर्वलोकस्य कौमुदी शशिनो यथा

tajjanmadinamatyarthamāhlādyamaladiṅūmukham babhūva sarvalokasya kaumudī śaśino yathā

That day of His birth became exceedingly delightful, the quarters of the sky grown clear, for all the world — like moonlight streaming from the moon.

Verse 4 (vishnu.5.3.4)

सन्तः सन्तोषमधिकं प्रशमं चण्डमारुतः । प्रसादं निम्रगा याता जायमाने जनार्दृने

santaḥ santoṣamadhikaṁ praśamaṁ caṇḍamārutaḥ prasādaṁ nimragā yātā jāyamāne janārdṛne

As Janardana was being born, the virtuous felt exceeding contentment, the fierce winds grew calm, and the rivers ran clear.

Verse 5 (vishnu.5.3.5)

सिन्धवो निजशब्देन वाद्य चक्त र्मनोहरम् । जगुर्गन्धर्व्वपतयो ननृतुश्वाप्सरोगणाः

sindhavo nijaśabdena vādya cakta rmanoharam jagurgandharvvapatayo nanṛtuśvāpsarogaṇāḥ

The oceans, with their own sound, made enchanting music; the lords of the Gandharvas sang, and the hosts of Apsarases danced.

Verse 6 (vishnu.5.3.6)

ससृजुः पुष्पवर्षाणि देवा भुव्यन्तरीक्षगाः । जज्वलुश्वाग्रयः शान्ता जायमाने जनार्द्दने

sasṛjuḥ puṣpavarṣāṇi devā bhuvyantarīkṣagāḥ jajvaluśvāgrayaḥ śāntā jāyamāne janārddane

The gods moving through the sky above the earth rained down showers of flowers, and even the quiet fires blazed bright as Janardana was born.

Verse 7 (vishnu.5.3.7)

मध्यरात्रेऽखिलाधारे जायमाने जनार्दने । मन्द्र जगर्ज्जुर्जलदाः पूष्पचवृष्टिचो द्रिच

madhyarātre'khilādhāre jāyamāne janārdane mandra jagarjjurjaladāḥ pūṣpacavṛṣṭico drica

At midnight, as Janardana, support of all, was being born, the clouds rumbled softly and, with joy, rained down flowers.

Verse 8 (vishnu.5.3.8)

फुल्लेन्दीवरपत्राभं चतुर्बीहुमुदीक्ष्य तम् । श्रीवत्सवक्षसं जातं तुष्टावानकदुन्दुभिः

phullendīvarapatrābhaṁ caturbīhumudīkṣya tam śrīvatsavakṣasaṁ jātaṁ tuṣṭāvānakadundubhiḥ

Beholding the newborn — dark as the petal of a full-blown blue lotus, four-armed, marked with Shrivatsa upon his chest — Anakadundubhi praised him.

Verse 9 (vishnu.5.3.9)

अभिष्टूय च तं वागभिः प्रसन्नप्तभिर्महामतिः । विज्ञापयामास तदा कंसाद्भीतो द्रिजोत्तम

abhiṣṭūya ca taṁ vāgabhiḥ prasannaptabhirmahāmatiḥ vijñāpayāmāsa tadā kaṁsādbhīto drijottama

O best of brahmins, that wise Vasudeva, praising Him with joyful words, made this petition, fearful of Kamsa.

Verse 10 (vishnu.5.3.10)

ज्ञातोऽसि देवदेवेश । शचङ्ख-चक्र-गदाधर । दिव्यरूपमिदं देव प्रसादेनोपसंहर

jñāto'si devadeveśa | śacaṅkha-cakra-gadādhara divyarūpamidaṁ deva prasādenopasaṁhara

"'You are known to me, O Lord of the gods of gods, bearer of conch, discus, and mace. O Lord, kindly withdraw this divine form.'"

Verse 11 (vishnu.5.3.11)

अद्यवै देव । कंसोऽयं कुरुते मम घातनम् । अवतीर्ण इति ज्ञात्वा त्वमस्मिन मम मन्दिरे

adyavai deva | kaṁso'yaṁ kurute mama ghātanam avatīrṇa iti jñātvā tvamasmina mama mandire

"'For, O Lord, should this Kamsa learn that You have descended into this house of mine, he will surely bring about my death this very day.'"

Verse 12 (vishnu.5.3.12)

योऽनन्तरूपोऽखिलविशरूपो गर्भेषु लोकान् वपुषा बिभर्त्ति । प्रसीदतामेष स देवदेवः स्वमाययावुष्कृतबालरूपः

yo'nantarūpo'khilaviśarūpo garbheṣu lokān vapuṣā bibhartti prasīdatāmeṣa sa devadevaḥ svamāyayāvuṣkṛtabālarūpaḥ

"'May that Lord of gods, of infinite form and the form of the whole universe, who bears the worlds within His body even inside wombs, be gracious, having assumed by His own Maya this hidden form of a child.'"

Verse 13 (vishnu.5.3.13)

उपसहर सर्व्वात्मन् । रूपमेज्वतुर्भुजम् । जानातु मावतारं ते कंसोऽयं दितिजाधमः

upasahara sarvvātman | rūpamejvaturbhujam jānātu māvatāraṁ te kaṁso'yaṁ ditijādhamaḥ

"'O Self of all, withdraw this four-armed form. Let not this Kamsa, vilest of Diti's offspring, come to know of Your descent.'"

Verse 14 (vishnu.5.3.14)

ततोऽहं यत् त्वया पूर्व्वं पुत्रार्थिन्या तदद्य ते । सफलं देवि। सञ्जातं जातोऽहं यत् तवोदरात्

tato'haṁ yat tvayā pūrvvaṁ putrārthinyā tadadya te saphalaṁ devi| sañjātaṁ jāto'haṁ yat tavodarāt

"'O goddess, what you desired of old, longing for a son — that wish is fulfilled for you today, in that I have been born from your womb.'"

Verse 15 (vishnu.5.3.15)

इत्युक्त्वा भगवांस्तूष्णीं बभूव मुनिसत्तम । वसुदेवोऽपि तं रात्रावादाय प्रययौ बहिः

ityuktvā bhagavāṁstūṣṇīṁ babhūva munisattama vasudevo'pi taṁ rātrāvādāya prayayau bahiḥ

O best of sages, having said this, the Lord fell silent. Vasudeva then, taking Him up, went forth outside into the night.

Verse 16 (vishnu.5.3.16)

मोहिताश्वाभवंस्तत्र रक्षिणो योगनिद्रया । मथुराद्रारपालाश्व ब्रजत्यानकदुन्दुभौ

mohitāśvābhavaṁstatra rakṣiṇo yoganidrayā mathurādrārapālāśva brajatyānakadundubhau

The guards there, and the gatekeepers of Mathura, were cast into unconsciousness by Yoganidra as Anakadundubhi made his way out.

Verse 17 (vishnu.5.3.17)

वर्षतां जलदानाञ्च तोयमत्युल्वणं निशि । संछाद्यानुययौ शेषः फणेनानकदुन्दुभिम्

varṣatāṁ jaladānāñca toyamatyulvaṇaṁ niśi saṁchādyānuyayau śeṣaḥ phaṇenānakadundubhim

As the clouds poured down torrential rain through the night, Shesha followed along behind, sheltering Anakadundubhi beneath his hood.

Verse 18 (vishnu.5.3.18)

यमुनां चातिगम्भीरां नानावर्त्तसमाकुलाम् । वसुदेवो वहन् विष्णु जानुमात्रबहां ययौ

yamunāṁ cātigambhīrāṁ nānāvarttasamākulām vasudevo vahan viṣṇu jānumātrabahāṁ yayau

The Yamuna, exceedingly deep and thick with whirlpools, Vasudeva crossed while bearing Vishnu — for him it remained no deeper than his knees.

Verse 19 (vishnu.5.3.19)

कंसस्य करमादाय तत्रेवाभ्यागतांस्तटे । नन्दादीन् गोपवृन्दांश्व यमुनाया ददर्श सः

kaṁsasya karamādāya tatrevābhyāgatāṁstaṭe nandādīn gopavṛndāṁśva yamunāyā dadarśa saḥ

There, on the bank of the Yamuna, he saw Nanda and the assembled cowherds, who had come to pay Kamsa's tribute.

Verse 20 (vishnu.5.3.20)

तस्मिन् काले यशोदापि मोहिता योगनिद्रया । तामेव कन्यां मैत्रेय । प्रसूता मोहिते जने

tasmin kāle yaśodāpi mohitā yoganidrayā tāmeva kanyāṁ maitreya | prasūtā mohite jane

O Maitreya, at that same time Yashoda too, cast into unconsciousness by Yoganidra, gave birth, while all the people lay in that stupor, to that very girl.

Verse 21 (vishnu.5.3.21)

वसुदेवोऽपि विन्यस्य बालमादाय दारिकाम् । यसोदाशायने तुर्णमाजगामामितद्यु तिः

vasudevo'pi vinyasya bālamādāya dārikām yasodāśāyane turṇamājagāmāmitadyu tiḥ

And Vasudeva, of measureless splendor, having laid the boy in Yashoda's bed and taken up the girl, swiftly returned.

Verse 22 (vishnu.5.3.22)

ददृशे च प्रबुद्धा सा यशोदा जातमात्मजम् । नीलोतूपलदलश्यामं ततोऽत्यर्थं मुदं ययौ

dadṛśe ca prabuddhā sā yaśodā jātamātmajam nīlotūpaladalaśyāmaṁ tato'tyarthaṁ mudaṁ yayau

And Yashoda, waking, saw her own newborn son, dark as the petal of a blue lotus, and was filled with exceeding joy.

Verse 23 (vishnu.5.3.23)

आदाय वसुदेवोऽपि दारिकां निजमन्दिरम् । देवकीशयने न्यस्य यथापूर्व्वमतिष्ठत

ādāya vasudevo'pi dārikāṁ nijamandiram devakīśayane nyasya yathāpūrvvamatiṣṭhata

Vasudeva too, bringing the girl to his own house, laid her in Devaki's bed and remained there as before.

Verse 24 (vishnu.5.3.24)

ततो बालध्वनिं श्रुत्वा रक्षिणः सहसोत्थिताः । कंसायावेदयामासुर्देवकीप्रसवं द्रिज

tato bāladhvaniṁ śrutvā rakṣiṇaḥ sahasotthitāḥ kaṁsāyāvedayāmāsurdevakīprasavaṁ drija

O brahmin, then, hearing the infant's cry, the guards rose at once and reported Devaki's delivery to Kamsa.

Verse 25 (vishnu.5.3.25)

कंसस्तूर्णमुपेत्यैनां ततो जग्राह बालिकाम् । मुञ्च मुञ्चति देवक्या सन्नकण्ठया निवारितः

kaṁsastūrṇamupetyaināṁ tato jagrāha bālikām muñca muñcati devakyā sannakaṇṭhayā nivāritaḥ

Kamsa then came quickly and seized that infant girl, though Devaki, her throat choked with weeping, restrained him crying, 'Let go, let go!'

Verse 26 (vishnu.5.3.26)

चिक्षेप च शिलापृष्ठे सा क्षिप्ता वियति स्थितिम् । अवाप रूपञ्च महत् सायुधाष्टमहाभुजम्

cikṣepa ca śilāpṛṣṭhe sā kṣiptā viyati sthitim avāpa rūpañca mahat sāyudhāṣṭamahābhujam

And he dashed her against the surface of a rock; but, so flung, she rose to stand in the sky, taking on a great form of eight mighty weapon-bearing arms.

Verse 27 (vishnu.5.3.27)

प्रजहास तथैवोच्चैः कंसञ्च रुषिताब्रवीत् । किं मया क्षिप्तया मूढ़!जातो यस्तवां वधिष्यति

prajahāsa tathaivoccaiḥ kaṁsañca ruṣitābravīt kiṁ mayā kṣiptayā mūr̤ha!jāto yastavāṁ vadhiṣyati

She laughed aloud there and, enraged, said to Kamsa: "What have you gained, fool, by dashing me down? He who will kill you has already been born elsewhere."

Verse 28 (vishnu.5.3.28)

सर्व्वस्वभूतो देवानामासीन्मृत्युः पुरा स ते । तदेतत् सम्प्रधार्य्याशु क्रियतां हितमात्मनः

sarvvasvabhūto devānāmāsīnmṛtyuḥ purā sa te tadetat sampradhāryyāśu kriyatāṁ hitamātmanaḥ

"'He who was once the very death of the gods' enemies stands now as your own death. Consider this well, and quickly do what serves you.'"

Verse 29 (vishnu.5.3.29)

इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ देवी दिंव्यस्त्रगू-गन्ध-भूषणा । पश्यतो भोजराजस्य स्तुता सिद्धैर्विहायसि

ityuktvā prayayau devī diṁvyastragū-gandha-bhūṣaṇā paśyato bhojarājasya stutā siddhairvihāyasi

Having said this, the goddess, adorned with divine garlands, fragrance, and ornaments, departed through the sky, praised by the Siddhas, before the very eyes of the Bhoja king.