Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 10 · Chapter 34
श्रीशुक उवाच एकदा देवयात्रायां गोपाला जातकौतुका: । अनोभिरनडुद्युक्तै: प्रययुस्तेऽम्बिकावनम् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca ekadā deva-yātrāyāṁ gopālā jāta-kautukāḥ anobhir anaḍud-yuktaiḥ prayayus te ’mbikā-vanam
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: One day the cowherd men, eager to take a trip to worship Lord Śiva, traveled by bullock carts to the Ambikā forest.
तत्र स्नात्वा सरस्वत्यां देवं पशुपतिं विभुम् । आनर्चुरर्हणैर्भक्त्या देवीं च नृपतेऽम्बिकाम् ॥ २ ॥
tatra snātvā sarasvatyāṁ devaṁ paśu-patiṁ vibhum ānarcur arhaṇair bhaktyā devīṁ ca ṇṛpate ’mbikām
O King, after arriving there, they bathed in the Sarasvatī and then devotedly worshiped with various paraphernalia the powerful Lord Paśupati and his consort, goddess Ambikā.
गावो हिरण्यं वासांसि मधु मध्वन्नमादृता: । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददु: सर्वे देवो न: प्रीयतामिति ॥ ३ ॥
gāvo hiraṇyaṁ vāsāṁsi madhu madhv-annam ādṛtāḥ brāhmaṇebhyo daduḥ sarve devo naḥ prīyatām iti
The cowherd men gave the brāhmaṇas gifts of cows, gold, clothing and cooked grains mixed with honey. Then the cowherds prayed, “May the lord be pleased with us.”
ऊषु: सरस्वतीतीरे जलं प्राश्य यतव्रता: । रजनीं तां महाभागा नन्दसुनन्दकादय: ॥ ४ ॥
ūṣuḥ sarasvatī-tīre jalaṁ prāśya yata-vratāḥ rajanīṁ tāṁ mahā-bhāgā nanda-sunandakādayaḥ
Nanda, Sunanda and the other greatly fortunate cowherds spent that night on the bank of the Sarasvatī, strictly observing their vows. They fasted, taking only water.
कश्चिन्महानहिस्तस्मिन् विपिनेऽतिबुभुक्षित: । यदृच्छयागतो नन्दं शयानमुरगोऽग्रसीत् ॥ ५ ॥
kaścin mahān ahis tasmin vipine ’ti-bubhukṣitaḥ yadṛcchayāgato nandaṁ śayānam ura-go ’grasīt
During the night a huge and extremely hungry snake appeared in that thicket. Slithering on his belly up to the sleeping Nanda Mahārāja, the snake began swallowing him.
स चुक्रोशाहिना ग्रस्त: कृष्ण कृष्ण महानयम् । सर्पो मां ग्रसते तात प्रपन्नं परिमोचय ॥ ६ ॥
sa cukrośāhinā grastaḥ kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahān ayam sarpo māṁ grasate tāta prapannaṁ parimocaya
In the clutches of the snake, Nanda Mahārāja cried out, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, my dear boy! This huge serpent is swallowing me! Please save me, who am surrendered to You!”
तस्य चाक्रन्दितं श्रुत्वा गोपाला: सहसोत्थिता: । ग्रस्तं च दृष्ट्वा विभ्रान्ता: सर्पं विव्यधुरुल्मुकै: ॥ ७ ॥
tasya cākranditaṁ śrutvā gopālāḥ sahasotthitāḥ grastaṁ ca dṛṣṭvā vibhrāntāḥ sarpaṁ vivyadhur ulmukaiḥ
When the cowherd men heard the cries of Nanda, they immediately rose up and saw that he was being swallowed. Distraught, they beat the serpent with blazing torches.
अलातैर्दह्यमानोऽपि नामुञ्चत्तमुरङ्गम: । तमस्पृशत्पदाभ्येत्य भगवान्सात्वतां पति: ॥ ८ ॥
alātair dahyamāno ’pi nāmuñcat tam uraṅgamaḥ tam aspṛśat padābhyetya bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ
But even though the firebrands were burning him, the serpent would not release Nanda Mahārāja. Then the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, master of His devotees, came to the spot and touched the snake with His foot.
स वै भगवत: श्रीमत्पादस्पर्शहताशुभ: । भेजे सर्पवपुर्हित्वा रूपं विद्याधरार्चितम् ॥ ९ ॥
sa vai bhagavataḥ śrīmat pāda-sparśa-hatāśubhaḥ bheje sarpa-vapur hitvā rūpaṁ vidyādharārcitam
The snake had all his sinful reactions destroyed by the touch of the Supreme Lord’s divine foot, and thus he gave up his serpent body and appeared in the form of a worshipable Vidyādhara.
तमपृच्छद् धृषीकेश: प्रणतं समवस्थितम् । दीप्यमानेन वपुषा पुरुषं हेममालिनम् ॥ १० ॥
tam apṛcchad dhṛṣīkeśaḥ praṇataṁ samavasthitam dīpyamānena vapuṣā puruṣaṁ hema-mālinam
The Supreme Lord Hṛṣīkeśa then questioned this personality, who was standing before Him with his head bowed, his brilliantly effulgent body bedecked with golden necklaces.
को भवान् परया लक्ष्म्या रोचतेऽद्भुतदर्शन: । कथं जुगुप्सितामेतां गतिं वा प्रापितोऽवश: ॥ ११ ॥
ko bhavān parayā lakṣmyā rocate ’dbhuta-darśanaḥ kathaṁ jugupsitām etāṁ gatiṁ vā prāpito ’vaśaḥ
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] My dear sir, you appear so wonderful, glowing with such great beauty. Who are you? And who forced you to assume this terrible body of a snake?
सर्प उवाच अहं विद्याधर: कश्चित्सुदर्शन इति श्रुत: । श्रिया स्वरूपसम्पत्त्या विमानेनाचरन् दिश: ॥ १२ ॥ ऋषीन् विरूपाङ्गिरस: प्राहसं रूपदर्पित: । तैरिमां प्रापितो योनिं प्रलब्धै: स्वेन पाप्मना ॥ १३ ॥
sarpa uvāca ahaṁ vidyādharaḥ kaścit sudarśana iti śrutaḥ śriyā svarūpa-sampattyā vimānenācaran diśaḥ ṛṣīn virūpāṅgirasaḥ prāhasaṁ rūpa-darpitaḥ tair imāṁ prāpito yoniṁ pralabdhaiḥ svena pāpmanā
The serpent replied: I am the well-known Vidyādhara named Sudarśana. I was very opulent and beautiful, and I used to wander freely in all directions in my airplane. Once I saw some homely sages of the lineage of Aṅgirā Muni. Proud of my beauty, I ridiculed them, and because of my sin they made me assume this lowly form.
शापो मेऽनुग्रहायैव कृतस्तै: करुणात्मभि: । यदहं लोकगुरुणा पदा स्पृष्टो हताशुभ: ॥ १४ ॥
śāpo me ’nugrahāyaiva kṛtas taiḥ karuṇātmabhiḥ yad ahaṁ loka-guruṇā padā spṛṣṭo hatāśubhaḥ
It was actually for my benefit that those merciful sages cursed me, since now I have been touched by the foot of the supreme spiritual master of all the worlds and have thus been relieved of all inauspiciousness.
तं त्वाहं भवभीतानां प्रपन्नानां भयापहम् । आपृच्छे शापनिर्मुक्त: पादस्पर्शादमीवहन् ॥ १५ ॥
taṁ tvāhaṁ bhava-bhītānāṁ prapannānāṁ bhayāpaham āpṛcche śāpa-nirmuktaḥ pāda-sparśād amīva-han
My Lord, You destroy all fear for those who, fearing this material world, take shelter of You. By the touch of Your feet I am now freed from the curse of the sages. O destroyer of distress, please let me return to my planet.
प्रपन्नोऽस्मि महायोगिन् महापुरुष सत्पते । अनुजानीहि मां देव सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वर ॥ १६ ॥
prapanno ’smi mahā-yogin mahā-puruṣa sat-pate anujānīhi māṁ deva sarva-lokeśvareśvara
O master of mystic power, O great personality, O Lord of the devotees, I surrender to You. Please command me as You will, O supreme God, Lord of all lords of the universe.
ब्रह्मदण्डाद्विमुक्तोऽहं सद्यस्तेऽच्युत दर्शनात् । यन्नाम गृह्णन्नखिलान् श्रोतृनात्मानमेव च । सद्य: पुनाति किं भूयस्तस्य स्पृष्ट: पदा हि ते ॥ १७ ॥
brahma-daṇḍād vimukto ’haṁ sadyas te ’cyuta darśanāt yan-nāma gṛhṇann akhilān śrotṝn ātmānam eva ca sadyaḥ punāti kiṁ bhūyas tasya spṛṣṭaḥ padā hi te
O infallible one, I was immediately freed from the brāhmaṇas’ punishment simply by seeing You. Anyone who chants Your name purifies all who hear his chanting, as well as himself. How much more beneficial, then, is the touch of Your lotus feet?
इत्यनुज्ञाप्य दाशार्हं परिक्रम्याभिवन्द्य च । सुदर्शनो दिवं यात: कृच्छ्रान्नन्दश्च मोचित: ॥ १८ ॥
ity anujñāpya dāśārhaṁ parikramyābhivandya ca sudarśano divaṁ yātaḥ kṛcchrān nandaś ca mocitaḥ
Thus receiving the permission of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the demigod Sudarśana circumambulated Him, bowed down to offer Him homage and then returned to his heavenly planet. Nanda Mahārāja was thus delivered from peril.
निशाम्य कृष्णस्य तदात्मवैभवं व्रजौकसो विस्मितचेतसस्तत: । समाप्य तस्मिन् नियमं पुनर्व्रजं नृपाययुस्तत् कथयन्त आदृता: ॥ १९ ॥
niśāmya kṛṣṇasya tad ātma-vaibhavaṁ vrajaukaso vismita-cetasas tataḥ samāpya tasmin niyamaṁ punar vrajaṁ ṇṛpāyayus tat kathayanta ādṛtāḥ
The inhabitants of Vraja were astonished to see the mighty power of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Dear King, they then completed their worship of Lord Śiva and returned to Vraja, along the way respectfully describing Kṛṣṇa’s powerful acts.
कदाचिदथ गोविन्दो रामश्चाद्भुतविक्रम: । विजह्रतुर्वने रात्र्यां मध्यगौ व्रजयोषिताम् ॥ २० ॥
kadācid atha govindo rāmaś cādbhuta-vikramaḥ vijahratur vane rātryāṁ madhya-gau vraja-yoṣitām
Once Lord Govinda and Lord Rāma, the performers of wonderful feats, were playing in the forest at night with the young girls of Vraja.
उपगीयमानौ ललितं स्त्रीजनैर्बद्धसौहृदै: । स्वलङ्कृतानुलिप्ताङ्गौ स्रग्विनौ विरजोऽम्बरौ ॥ २१ ॥
upagīyamānau lalitaṁ strī-janair baddha-sauhṛdaiḥ sv-alaṅkṛtānuliptāṅgau sragvinau virajo-’mbarau
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma wore flower garlands and spotless garments, and Their limbs were beautifully decorated and anointed. The women sang Their glories in a charming way, bound to Them by affection.
निशामुखं मानयन्तावुदितोडुपतारकम् । मल्लिकागन्धमत्तालि जुष्टं कुमुदवायुना ॥ २२ ॥
niśā-mukhaṁ mānayantāv uditoḍupa-tārakam mallikā-gandha-mattāli- juṣṭaṁ kumuda-vāyunā
The two Lords praised the nightfall, signaled by the rising of the moon and the appearance of stars, a lotus-scented breeze and bees intoxicated by the fragrance of jasmine flowers.
जगतु: सर्वभूतानां मन:श्रवणमङ्गलम् । तौ कल्पयन्तौ युगत्स्वरमण्डलमूर्च्छितम् ॥ २३ ॥
jagatuḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ manaḥ-śravaṇa-maṅgalam tau kalpayantau yugapat svara-maṇḍala-mūrcchitam
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma sang, producing the entire range of musical sounds simultaneously. Their singing brought happiness to the ears and minds of all living beings.
गोप्यस्तद्गीतमाकर्ण्य मूर्च्छिता नाविदन्नृप । स्रंसद्दुकूलमात्मानं स्रस्तकेशस्रजं तत: ॥ २४ ॥
gopyas tad-gītam ākarṇya mūrcchitā nāvidan nṛpa sraṁsad-dukūlam ātmānaṁ srasta-keśa-srajaṁ tataḥ
The gopīs became stunned when they heard that song. Forgetting themselves, O King, they did not notice that their fine garments were becoming loose and their hair and garlands disheveled.
एवं विक्रीडतो: स्वैरं गायतो: सम्प्रमत्तवत् । शङ्खचूड इति ख्यातो धनदानुचरोऽभ्यगात् ॥ २५ ॥
evaṁ vikrīḍatoḥ svairaṁ gāyatoḥ sampramatta-vat śaṅkhacūḍa iti khyāto dhanadānucaro ’bhyagāt
While Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma thus played according to Their own sweet will and sang to the point of apparent intoxication, a servant of Kuvera named Śaṅkhacūḍa came upon the scene.
तयोर्निरीक्षतो राजंस्तन्नाथं प्रमदाजनम् । क्रोशन्तं कालयामास दिश्युदीच्यामशङ्कित: ॥ २६ ॥
tayor nirīkṣato rājaṁs tan-nāthaṁ pramadā-janam krośantaṁ kālayām āsa diśy udīcyām aśaṅkitaḥ
O King, even as the two Lords looked on, Śaṅkhacūḍa brazenly began driving the women off toward the north. The women, who had accepted Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as their Lords, began to cry out to Them.
क्रोशन्तं कृष्ण रामेति विलोक्य स्वपरिग्रहम् । यथा गा दस्युना ग्रस्ता भ्रातरावन्वधावताम् ॥ २७ ॥
krośantaṁ kṛṣṇa rāmeti vilokya sva-parigraham yathā gā dasyunā grastā bhrātarāv anvadhāvatām
Hearing Their devotees crying out “Kṛṣṇa! Rāma!” and seeing that they were just like cows being stolen by a thief, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma began to run after the demon.
मा भैष्टेत्यभयारावौ शालहस्तौ तरस्विनौ । आसेदतुस्तं तरसा त्वरितं गुह्यकाधमम् ॥ २८ ॥
mā bhaiṣṭety abhayārāvau śāla-hastau tarasvinau āsedatus taṁ tarasā tvaritaṁ guhyakādhamam
The Lords called out in reply, “Do not fear!” Then They picked up logs of the śala tree and quickly pursued that lowest of Guhyakas, who swiftly ran away.
स वीक्ष्य तावनुप्राप्तौ कालमृत्यू इवोद्विजन् । विषृज्य स्त्रीजनं मूढ: प्राद्रवज्जीवितेच्छया ॥ २९ ॥
sa vīkṣya tāv anuprāptau kāla-mṛtyū ivodvijan viṣṛjya strī-janaṁ mūḍhaḥ prādravaj jīvitecchayā
When Śaṅkhacūḍa saw the two of Them coming toward him like the personified forces of Time and Death, he was filled with anxiety. Confused, he abandoned the women and fled for his life.
तमन्वधावद् गोविन्दो यत्र यत्र स धावति । जिहीर्षुस्तच्छिरोरत्नं तस्थौ रक्षन् स्त्रियो बल: ॥ ३० ॥
tam anvadhāvad govindo yatra yatra sa dhāvati jihīrṣus tac-chiro-ratnaṁ tasthau rakṣan striyo balaḥ
Lord Govinda chased the demon wherever he ran, eager to take his crest jewel. Meanwhile Lord Balarāma stayed with the women to protect them.
अविदूर इवाभ्येत्य शिरस्तस्य दुरात्मन: । जहार मुष्टिनैवाङ्ग सहचूडमणिं विभु: ॥ ३१ ॥
avidūra ivābhyetya śiras tasya durātmanaḥ jahāra muṣṭinaivāṅga saha-cūḍa-maṇiṁ vibhuḥ
The mighty Lord overtook Śaṅkhacūḍa from a great distance as if from nearby, my dear King, and then with His fist the Lord removed the wicked demon’s head, together with his crest jewel.
शङ्खचूडं निहत्यैवं मणिमादाय भास्वरम् । अग्रजायाददात्प्रीत्या पश्यन्तीनां च योषिताम् ॥ ३२ ॥
śaṅkhacūḍaṁ nihatyaivaṁ maṇim ādāya bhāsvaram agrajāyādadāt prītyā paśyantīnāṁ ca yoṣitām
Having thus killed the demon Śaṅkhacūḍa and taken away his shining jewel, Lord Kṛṣṇa gave it to His elder brother with great satisfaction as the gopīs watched.
