Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 10 · Chapter 52
श्रीशुक उवाच इत्थं सोऽनग्रहीतोऽङ्ग कृष्णेनेक्ष्वाकुनन्दन: । तं परिक्रम्य सन्नम्य निश्चक्राम गुहामुखात् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca itthaṁ so ’nagrahīto ’nga kṛṣṇenekṣvāku nandanaḥ taṁ parikramya sannamya niścakrāma guhā-mukhāt
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, thus graced by Lord Kṛṣṇa, Mucukunda circumambulated Him and bowed down to Him. Then Mucukunda, the beloved descendant of Ikṣvāku, exited through the mouth of the cave.
संवीक्ष्य क्षुल्लकान् मर्त्यान् पशून्वीरुद्वनस्पतीन् । मत्वा कलियुगं प्राप्तं जगाम दिशमुत्तराम् ॥ २ ॥
saṁvīkṣya kṣullakān martyān paśūn vīrud-vanaspatīn matvā kali-yugaṁ prāptaṁ jagāma diśam uttarām
Seeing that the size of all the human beings, animals, trees and plants was severely reduced, and thus realizing that the Age of Kali was at hand, Mucukunda left for the north.
तप:श्रद्धायुतो धीरो नि:सङ्गो मुक्तसंशय: । समाधाय मन: कृष्णे प्राविशद् गन्धमादनम् ॥ ३ ॥
tapaḥ-śraddhā-yuto dhīro niḥsaṅgo mukta-saṁśayaḥ samādhāya manaḥ kṛṣṇe prāviśad gandhamādanam
The sober King, beyond material association and free of doubt, was convinced of the value of austerity. Absorbing his mind in Lord Kṛṣṇa, he came to Gandhamādana Mountain.
बदर्याश्रममासाद्य नरनारायणालयम् । सर्वद्वन्द्वसह: शान्तस्तपसाराधयद्धरिम् ॥ ४ ॥
badary-āśramam āsādya nara-nārāyaṇālayam sarva-dvandva-sahaḥ śāntas tapasārādhayad dharim
There he arrived at Badarikāśrama, the abode of Lord Nara-Nārāyaṇa, where, remaining tolerant of all dualities, he peacefully worshiped the Supreme Lord Hari by performing severe austerities.
भगवान् पुनराव्रज्य पुरीं यवनवेष्टिताम् । हत्वा म्लेच्छबलं निन्ये तदीयं द्वारकां धनम् ॥ ५ ॥
bhagavān punar āvrajya purīṁ yavana-veṣṭitām hatvā mleccha-balaṁ ninye tadīyaṁ dvārakāṁ dhanam
The Lord returned to Mathurā, which was still surrounded by Yavanas. Then He destroyed the army of barbarians and began taking their valuables to Dvārakā.
नीयमाने धने गोभिर्नृभिश्चाच्युतचोदितै: । आजगाम जरासन्धस्त्रयोविंशत्यनीकप: ॥ ६ ॥
nīyamāne dhane gobhir nṛbhiś cācyuta-coditaiḥ ājagāma jarāsandhas trayo-viṁśaty-anīka-paḥ
As the wealth was being carried by oxen and men under Lord Kṛṣṇa’s direction, Jarāsandha appeared at the head of twenty-three armies.
विलोक्य वेगरभसं रिपुसैन्यस्य माधवौ । मनुष्यचेष्टामापन्नौ राजन् दुद्रुवतुर्द्रुतम् ॥ ७ ॥
vilokya vega-rabhasaṁ ripu-sainyasya mādhavau manuṣya-ceṣṭām āpannau rājan dudruvatur drutam
O King, seeing the fierce waves of the enemy’s army, the two Mādhavas, imitating human behavior, ran swiftly away.
विहाय वित्तं प्रचुरमभीतौ भीरुभीतवत् । पद्भ्यां पद्मपलाशाभ्यां चेलतुर्बहुयोजनम् ॥ ८ ॥
vihāya vittaṁ pracuram abhītau bhīru-bhīta-vat padbhyāṁ palāśābhyāṁ celatur bahu-yojanam
Abandoning the abundant riches, fearless but feigning fear, They went many yojanas on Their lotuslike feet.
पलायमानौ तौ दृष्ट्वा मागध: प्रहसन्बली । अन्वधावद् रथानीकैरीशयोरप्रमाणवित् ॥ ९ ॥
palāyamānau tau dṛṣṭvā māgadhaḥ prahasan balī anvadhāvad rathānīkair īśayor apramāṇa-vit
When he saw Them fleeing, powerful Jarāsandha laughed loudly and then pursued Them with charioteers and foot soldiers. He could not understand the exalted position of the two Lords.
प्रद्रुत्य दूरं संश्रान्तौ तुङ्गमारुहतां गिरिम् । प्रवर्षणाख्यं भगवान् नित्यदा यत्र वर्षति ॥ १० ॥
pradrutya dūraṁ saṁśrāntau tuṅgam āruhatāṁ girim pravarṣaṇākhyaṁ bhagavān nityadā yatra varṣati
Apparently exhausted after fleeing a long distance, the two Lords climbed a high mountain named Pravarṣaṇa, upon which Lord Indra showers incessant rain.
गिरौ निलीनावाज्ञाय नाधिगम्य पदं नृप । ददाह गिरिमेधोभि: समन्तादग्निमुत्सृजन् ॥ ११ ॥
girau nilīnāv ājñāya nādhigamya padaṁ nṛpa dadāha girim edhobhiḥ samantād agnim utsṛjan
Although he knew They were hiding on the mountain, Jarāsandha could find no trace of Them. Therefore, O King, he placed firewood on all sides and set the mountain ablaze.
तत उत्पत्य तरसा दह्यमानतटादुभौ । दशैकयोजनात्तुङ्गान्निपेततुरधो भुवि ॥ १२ ॥
tata utpatya tarasā dahyamāna-taṭād ubhau daśaika-yojanāt tuṅgān nipetatur adho bhuvi
The two of Them then suddenly jumped from the burning mountain, which was eleven yojanas high, and fell to the ground.
अलक्ष्यमाणौ रिपुणा सानुगेन यदूत्तमौ । स्वपुरं पुनरायातौ समुद्रपरिखां नृप ॥ १३ ॥
alakṣyamāṇau ripuṇā sānugena yadūttamau sva-puraṁ punar āyātau samudra-parikhāṁ nṛpa
Unseen by Their opponent or his followers, O King, those two most exalted Yadus returned to Their city of Dvārakā, which had the ocean as a protective moat.
सोऽपि दग्धाविति मृषा मन्वानो बलकेशवौ । बलमाकृष्य सुमहन्मगधान् मागधो ययौ ॥ १४ ॥
so ’pi dagdhāv iti mṛṣā manvāno bala-keśavau balam ākṛṣya su-mahan magadhān māgadho yayau
Jarāsandha, moreover, mistakenly thought that Balarāma and Keśava had burned to death in the fire. Thus he withdrew his vast military force and returned to the Magadha kingdom.
आनर्ताधिपति: श्रीमान् रैवतो रैवतीं सुताम् । ब्रह्मणा चोदित: प्रादाद् बलायेति पुरोदितम् ॥ १५ ॥
ānartādhipatiḥ śrīmān raivato raivatīṁ sutām brahmaṇā coditaḥ prādād balāyeti puroditam
As ordered by Lord Brahmā, Raivata, the opulent ruler of Ānarta, gave Lord Balarāma his daughter Raivatī in marriage. This has already been discussed.
भगवानपि गोविन्द उपयेमे कुरूद्वह । वैदर्भीं भीष्मकसुतां श्रियो मात्रां स्वयंवरे ॥ १६ ॥ प्रमथ्य तरसा राज्ञ: शाल्वादींश्चैद्यपक्षगान् । पश्यतां सर्वलोकानां तार्क्ष्यपुत्र: सुधामिव ॥ १७ ॥
bhagavān api govinda upayeme kurūdvaha vaidarbhīṁ bhīṣmaka-sutāṁ śriyo mātrāṁ svayaṁvare pramathya tarasā rājñaḥ śālvādīṁś caidya-pakṣa-gān paśyatāṁ sarva-lokānāṁ tārkṣya-putraḥ sudhām iva
O hero among the Kurus, the Supreme Lord Himself, Govinda, married Bhīṣmaka’s daughter, Vaidarbhī, who was a direct expansion of the goddess of fortune. The Lord did this by her desire, and in the process He beat down Śālva and other kings who took Śiśupāla’s side. Indeed, as everyone watched, Śrī Kṛṣṇa took Rukmiṇī just as Garuḍa boldly stole nectar from the demigods.
श्रीराजोवाच भगवान् भीष्मकसुतां रुक्मिणीं रुचिराननाम् । राक्षसेन विधानेन उपयेम इति श्रुतम् ॥ १८ ॥
śrī-rājovāca bhagavān bhīṣmaka-sutāṁ rukmiṇīṁ rucirānanām rākṣasena vidhānena upayema iti śrutam
King Parīkṣit said: The Supreme Lord married Rukmiṇī, the beautiful-faced daughter of Bhīṣmaka, in the Rākṣasa style — or so I have heard.
भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि कृष्णस्यामिततेजस: । यथा मागधशाल्वादीन् जित्वा कन्यामुपाहरत् ॥ १९ ॥
bhagavan śrotum icchāmi kṛṣṇasyāmita-tejasaḥ yathā māgadha-śālvādīn jitvā kanyām upāharat
My lord, I wish to hear how the immeasurably powerful Lord Kṛṣṇa took away His bride while defeating such kings as Māgadha and Sālva.
ब्रह्मन् कृष्णकथा: पुण्या माध्वीर्लोकमलापहा: । को नु तृप्येत शृण्वान: श्रुतज्ञो नित्यनूतना: ॥ २० ॥
brahman kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ puṇyā mādhvīr loka-malāpahāḥ ko nu tṛpyeta śṛṇvānaḥ śruta-jño nitya-nūtanāḥ
What experienced listener, O brāhmaṇa, could ever grow satiated while listening to the pious, charming and ever-fresh topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which cleanse away the world’s contamination?
श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच राजासीद् भीष्मको नाम विदर्भाधिपतिर्महान् । तस्य पञ्चाभवन् पुत्रा: कन्यैका च वरानना ॥ २१ ॥
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca rājāsīd bhīṣmako nāma vidarbhādhipatir mahān tasya pancābhavan putrāḥ kanyaikā ca varānanā
Śrī Bādarāyaṇi said: There was a king named Bhīṣmaka, the powerful ruler of Vidarbha. He had five sons and one daughter of lovely countenance.
रुक्म्यग्रजो रुक्मरथो रुक्मबाहुरनन्तर: । रुक्मकेशो रुक्ममाली रुक्मिण्येषा स्वसा सती ॥ २२ ॥
rukmy agrajo rukmaratho rukmabāhur anantaraḥ rukmakeśo rukmamālī rukmiṇy eṣā svasā satī
Rukmī was the first-born son, followed by Rukmaratha, Rukmabāhu, Rukmakeśa and Rukmamālī. Their sister was the exalted Rukmiṇī.
सोपश्रुत्य मुकुन्दस्य रूपवीर्यगुणश्रिय: । गृहागतैर्गीयमानास्तं मेने सदृशं पतिम् ॥ २३ ॥
sopaśrutya mukundasya rūpa-vīrya-guṇa-śriyaḥ gṛhāgatair gīyamānās taṁ mene sadṛśaṁ patim
Hearing of the beauty, prowess, transcendental character and opulence of Mukunda from visitors to the palace who sang His praises, Rukmiṇī decided that He would be the perfect husband for her.
तां बुद्धिलक्षणौदार्यरूपशीलगुणाश्रयाम् । कृष्णश्च सदृशीं भार्यां समुद्वोढुं मनो दधे ॥ २४ ॥
tāṁ buddhi-lakṣaṇaudārya- rūpa-śīla-guṇāśrayām kṛṣṇaś ca sadṛśīṁ bhāryāṁ samudvoḍhuṁ mano dadhe
Lord Kṛṣṇa knew that Rukmiṇī possessed intelligence, auspicious bodily markings, magnanimity, beauty, proper behavior and all other good qualities. Concluding that she would be an ideal wife for Him, He made up His mind to marry her.
बन्धूनामिच्छतां दातुं कृष्णाय भगिनीं नृप । ततो निवार्य कृष्णद्विड् रुक्मी चैद्यममन्यत ॥ २५ ॥
bandhūnām icchatāṁ dātuṁ kṛṣṇāya bhaginīṁ nṛpa tato nivārya kṛṣṇa-dviḍ rukmī caidyam amanyata
O King, because Rukmī envied the Lord, he forbade his family members to give his sister to Kṛṣṇa, although they wanted to. Instead, Rukmī decided to give Rukmiṇī to Śiśupāla.
तदवेत्यासितापाङ्गी वैदर्भी दुर्मना भृशम् । विचिन्त्याप्तं द्विजं कञ्चित् कृष्णाय प्राहिणोद्द्रुतम् ॥ २६ ॥
tad avetyāsitāpāṅgī vaidarbhī durmanā bhṛśam vicintyāptaṁ dvijaṁ kañcit kṛṣṇāya prāhiṇod drutam
Dark-eyed Vaidarbhī was aware of this plan, and it deeply upset her. Analyzing the situation, she quickly sent a trustworthy brāhmaṇa to Kṛṣṇa.
द्वारकां स समभ्येत्य प्रतीहारै: प्रवेशित: । अपश्यदाद्यं पुरुषमासीनं काञ्चनासने ॥ २७ ॥
dvārakāṁ sa samabhyetya pratīhāraiḥ praveśitaḥ apaśyad ādyaṁ puruṣam āsīnaṁ kāñcanāsane
Upon reaching Dvārakā, the brāhmaṇa was brought inside by the gatekeepers and saw the primeval Personality of Godhead sitting on a golden throne.
दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मण्यदेवस्तमवरुह्य निजासनात् । उपवेश्यार्हयां चक्रे यथात्मानं दिवौकस: ॥ २८ ॥
dṛṣṭvā brahmaṇya-devas tam avaruhya nijāsanāt upaveśyārhayāṁ cakre yathātmānaṁ divaukasaḥ
Seeing the brāhmaṇa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord of the brāhmaṇas, came down from His throne and seated him. Then the Lord worshiped him just as He Himself is worshiped by the demigods.
तं भुक्तवन्तं विश्रान्तमुपगम्य सतां गति: । पाणिनाभिमृशन् पादावव्यग्रस्तमपृच्छत ॥ २९ ॥
taṁ bhuktavantaṁ viśrāntam upagamya satāṁ gatiḥ pāṇinābhimṛśan pādāv avyagras tam apṛcchata
After the brāhmaṇa had eaten and rested, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the goal of saintly devotees, came forward, and while massaging the brāhmaṇa’s feet with His own hands, He patiently questioned him as follows.
कच्चिद् द्विजवरश्रेष्ठ धर्मस्ते वृद्धसम्मत: । वर्तते नातिकृच्छ्रेण सन्तुष्टमनस: सदा ॥ ३० ॥
kaccid dvija-vara-śreṣṭha dharmas te vṛddha-sammataḥ vartate nāti-kṛcchreṇa santuṣṭa-manasaḥ sadā
[The Supreme Lord said:] O best of exalted brāhmaṇas, are your religious practices, sanctioned by senior authorities, proceeding without great difficulty? Is your mind always fully satisfied?
सन्तुष्टो यर्हि वर्तेत ब्राह्मणो येन केनचित् । अहीयमान: स्वद्धर्मात् स ह्यस्याखिलकामधुक् ॥ ३१ ॥
santuṣṭo yarhi varteta brāhmaṇo yena kenacit ahīyamānaḥ svad dharmāt sa hy asyākhila-kāma-dhuk
When a brāhmaṇa is satisfied with whatever comes his way and does not fall away from his religious duties, those very religious principles become his desire cow, fulfilling all his wishes.
असन्तुष्टोऽसकृल्लोकानाप्नोत्यपि सुरेश्वर: । अकिञ्चनोऽपि सन्तुष्ट: शेते सर्वाङ्गविज्वर: ॥ ३२ ॥
asantuṣṭo ’sakṛl lokān āpnoty api sureśvaraḥ akiñcano ’pi santuṣṭaḥ śete sarvāṅga-vijvaraḥ
An unsatisfied brāhmaṇa wanders restlessly from one planet to another, even if he becomes King of heaven. But a satisfied brāhmaṇa, though he may possess nothing, rests peacefully, all his limbs free of distress.
विप्रान् स्वलाभसन्तुष्टान् साधून् भूतसुहृत्तमान् । निरहङ्कारिण: शान्तान् नमस्ये शिरसासकृत् ॥ ३३ ॥
viprān sva-lābha-santuṣṭān sādhūn bhūta-suhṛttamān nirahaṅkāriṇaḥ śāntān namasye śirasāsakṛt
I repeatedly bow My head in respect to those brāhmaṇas who are satisfied with their lot. Saintly, prideless and peaceful, they are the best well-wishers of all living beings.
कच्चिद् व: कुशलं ब्रह्मन् राजतो यस्य हि प्रजा: । सुखं वसन्ति विषये पाल्यमाना: स मे प्रिय: ॥ ३४ ॥
kaccid vaḥ kuśalaṁ brahman rājato yasya hi prajāḥ sukhaṁ vasanti viṣaye pālyamānāḥ sa me priyaḥ
O brāhmaṇa, is your King attending to your welfare? Indeed, that king in whose country the citizens are happy and protected is very dear to Me.
यतस्त्वमागतो दुर्गं निस्तीर्येह यदिच्छया । सर्वं नो ब्रूह्यगुह्यं चेत् किं कार्यं करवाम ते ॥ ३५ ॥
yatas tvam āgato durgaṁ nistīryeha yad-icchayā sarvaṁ no brūhy aguhyaṁ cet kiṁ kāryaṁ karavāma te
Whence have you come, crossing the impassable sea, and for what purpose? Explain all this to Us if it is not a secret, and tell Us what We may do for you.
एवं सम्पृष्टसम्प्रश्नो ब्राह्मण: परमेष्ठिना । लीलागृहीतदेहेन तस्मै सर्वमवर्णयत् ॥ ३६ ॥
evaṁ sampṛṣṭa-sampraśno brāhmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinā līlā-gṛhīta-dehena tasmai sarvam avarṇayat
Thus questioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who incarnates to perform His pastimes, the brāhmaṇa told Him everything.
श्रीरुक्मिण्युवाच श्रुत्वा गुणान् भुवनसुन्दर शृण्वतां ते निर्विश्य कर्णविवरैर्हरतोऽङ्गतापम् । रूपं दृशां दृशिमतामखिलार्थलाभं त्वय्यच्युताविशति चित्तमपत्रपं मे ॥ ३७ ॥
śrī-rukmiṇy uvāca śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṁ te nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato ’ṅga-tāpam rūpaṁ dṛśāṁ dṛśimatām akhilārtha-lābhaṁ tvayy acyutāviśati cittam apatrapaṁ me
Śrī Rukmiṇī said [in her letter, as read by the brāhmaṇa]: O beauty of the worlds, having heard of Your qualities, which enter the ears of those who hear and remove their bodily distress, and having also heard of Your beauty, which fulfills all the visual desires of those who see, I have fixed my shameless mind upon You, O Kṛṣṇa.
का त्वा मुकुन्द महती कुलशीलरूप- विद्यावयोद्रविणधामभिरात्मतुल्यम् । धीरा पतिं कुलवती न वृणीत कन्या काले नृसिंह नरलोकमनोऽभिरामम् ॥ ३८ ॥
kā tvā mukunda mahatī kula-śīla-rūpa- vidyā-vayo-draviṇa-dhāmabhir ātma-tulyam dhīrā patiṁ kulavatī na vṛṇīta kanyā kāle nṛ-siṁha nara-loka-mano-’bhirāmam
O Mukunda, You are equal only to Yourself in lineage, character, beauty, knowledge, youthfulness, wealth and influence. O lion among men, You delight the minds of all mankind. What aristocratic, sober-minded and marriageable girl of a good family would not choose You as her husband when the proper time has come?
तन्मे भवान् खलु वृत: पतिरङ्ग जाया- मात्मार्पितश्च भवतोऽत्र विभो विधेहि । मा वीरभागमभिमर्शतु चैद्य आराद् गोमायुवन्मृगपतेर्बलिमम्बुजाक्ष ॥ ३९ ॥
tan me bhavān khalu vṛtaḥ patir aṅga jāyām ātmārpitaś ca bhavato ’tra vibho vidhehi mā vīra-bhāgam abhimarśatu caidya ārād gomāyu-van mṛga-pater balim ambujākṣa
Therefore, my dear Lord, I have chosen You as my husband, and I surrender myself to You. Please come swiftly, O almighty one, and make me Your wife. My dear lotus-eyed Lord, let Śiśupāla never touch the hero’s portion like a jackal stealing the property of a lion.
पूर्तेष्टदत्तनियमव्रतदेवविप्र- गुर्वर्चनादिभिरलं भगवान् परेश: । आराधितो यदि गदाग्रज एत्य पाणिं गृह्णातु मे न दमघोषसुतादयोऽन्ये ॥ ४० ॥
pūrteṣṭa-datta-niyama-vrata-deva-vipra gurv-arcanādibhir alaṁ bhagavān pareśaḥ ārādhito yadi gadāgraja etya pāṇiṁ gṛhṇātu me na damaghoṣa-sutādayo ’nye
If I have sufficiently worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead by pious works, sacrifices, charity, rituals and vows, and also by worshiping the demigods, brāhmaṇas and gurus, then may Gadāgraja come and take my hand, and not Damaghoṣa’s son or anyone else.
श्वोभाविनि त्वमजितोद्वहने विदर्भान् गुप्त: समेत्य पृतनापतिभि: परीत: । निर्मथ्य चैद्यमगधेन्द्रबलं प्रसह्य मां राक्षसेन विधिनोद्वह वीर्यशुल्काम् ॥ ४१ ॥
śvo bhāvini tvam ajitodvahane vidarbhān guptaḥ sametya pṛtanā-patibhiḥ parītaḥ nirmathya caidya-magadhendra-balaṁ prasahya māṁ rākṣasena vidhinodvaha vīrya-śulkām
O unconquerable one, tomorrow when my marriage ceremony is about to begin, You should arrive unseen in Vidarbha and surround Yourself with the leaders of Your army. Then crush the forces of Caidya and Magadhendra and marry me in the Rākṣasa style, winning me with Your valor.
अन्त:पुरान्तरचरीमनिहत्य बन्धून्- त्वामुद्वहे कथमिति प्रवदाम्युपायम् । पूर्वेद्युरस्ति महती कुलदेवयात्रा यस्यां बहिर्नववधूर्गिरिजामुपेयात् ॥ ४२ ॥
antaḥ-purāntara-carīm anihatya bandhūn tvām udvahe katham iti pravadāmy upāyam pūrve-dyur asti mahatī kula-deva-yātrā yasyāṁ bahir nava-vadhūr girijām upeyāt
Since I will be staying within the inner chambers of the palace, You may wonder, “How can I carry you away without killing some of your relatives?” But I shall tell You a way: On the day before the marriage there is a grand procession to honor the royal family’s deity, and in this procession the new bride goes outside the city to visit Goddess Girijā.
यस्याङ्घ्रिपङ्कजरज:स्नपनं महान्तो वाञ्छन्त्युमापतिरिवात्मतमोऽपहत्यै । यर्ह्यम्बुजाक्ष न लभेय भवत्प्रसादं जह्यामसून्व्रतकृशान् शतजन्मभि: स्यात् ॥ ४३ ॥
yasyāṅghri-paṅkaja-rajaḥ-snapanaṁ mahānto vāñchanty umā-patir ivātma-tamo-’pahatyai yarhy ambujākṣa na labheya bhavat-prasādaṁ jahyām asūn vrata-kṛśān śata-janmabhiḥ syāt
O lotus-eyed one, great souls like Lord Śiva hanker to bathe in the dust of Your lotus feet and thereby destroy their ignorance. If I cannot obtain Your mercy, I shall simply give up my vital force, which will have become weak from the severe penances I will perform. Then, after hundreds of lifetimes of endeavor, I may obtain Your mercy.
ब्राह्मण उवाच इत्येते गुह्यसन्देशा यदुदेव मयाहृता: । विमृश्य कर्तुं यच्चात्र क्रियतां तदनन्तरम् ॥ ४४ ॥
brāhmaṇa uvāca ity ete guhya-sandeśā yadu-deva mayāhṛtāḥ vimṛśya kartuṁ yac cātra kriyatāṁ tad anantaram
The brāhmaṇa said: This is the confidential message I have brought with me, O Lord of the Yadus. Please consider what must be done in these circumstances, and do it at once.
