Chapter Nine Vasudeva-vivāha-varṇana Description of Vasudeva's Wedding

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca —Śrī Nārada said; tatra —there; ekadā —once; śrī-mathurā-pure —in Mathurā City; vare —excellent; purohitaḥ —the priest; sarva-yaduttamaiḥ —by all the best of the Yadus; kṛtaḥ —done; sura —of the demigods; icchayā —by the desire; gargaḥ —Garga Muni; iti —thus; pramāṇikaḥ —great scholar; samāyayau —came; sundara —handsome; rāja —of the king; mandiram —to the palace.

hira —diamonds; khacit —studded; hema —gold; lasat —glistening; kapāṭakam —door; dvipa —of elephants; indra —king; karṇa —by the ear; āhata —struck; bhrṅga —bee; nāditam —sounded; ibha —elephant; sravat —flowing; nirjhara —streams; gaṇḍa —cheek; dhārayā —with a stream; samardritam —wet; mandapa —pavilion; khaṇḍa —part; maṇḍitam —decorated.

mahodbhaṭaiḥ —great soldiers; vīra-janaiḥ —heroic; sa-ka 24cukaiḥ —wearing armor; dhanur-dharaiḥ —holding bows; carma —shields; kṛpāṇa —and swords; pāṇibhiḥ —in hand; ratha —chariots; dvipa —elephants; aśva —horses; dhvajinī —of an army; bala —the might; ādibhiḥ —beginning with; su —well; rakṣitam —protected; maṇḍala-maṇḍalībhiḥ —with groups.

dadarśa —saw; gargaḥ —Garga; nṛpadevam —the king of kings; āhukam —Ugrasena; śvaphalkinā —by Akrūra; devaka —Deavaka; kaṁsa —Kaṁsa; sevitam —served; śrī-śakra —of Indra; siṁhāsane —on the throne; unnate —raised; pare —great; sthitam —situated; vṛtam —surrounded; chātra —parasol; vitāna —awning; cāmaraiḥ —and cāmaras.

dṛṭṭvā —seeing; munim —sage; tam —the; sahasā —as tonce; āsanāśayāt —from the throne; utthāya —rising; rājā —the king; praṇanāma —bowed; yādavaiḥ —with the Yadus; saṁsthāpya —placing; sampūjya —worshiping; subhadra-pīṭhake —on the throne; stutvā —offering prayers; parikramya —circumambulating; nataḥ —bowing; sthitaḥ —stood; abhavat —was.

dattvā —giving; āśiṣam —benediction; garga-muniḥ —Garga Muni; nṛpāya —to the king; vai —certainly; papraccha —asked; sarvam —all; kuśalam —welfare; nṛpa-ādiṣu —beginning with the king; śrī-devakam —Śrī Devaka; prāha —said; mahā-manā —the great soul; ṛṣiḥ —the sage; mahaujasam —very powerful; nīti-vidam —wise; yadūttamam —the best of the Yadus.

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca —Śrī Nārada said; kṛtvā —having done; tadā —then; eva —indeed; puri —in the city; niścaya —decision; nāgavallim —betelnuts; śrī-devakaḥ —Śrī Devaka; sakala —all; dharma —of religious principles; bhṛtām —of they who possess; variṣṭhaḥ —the best; garga —of Garga Muni; icchayā —by the desire; tu —indeed; vasudeva-varāya —to Vasudeva; putrīm —daughter; kṛtvā —doing; atha —then; maṅgalam —auspiciousness; alam —great; pradadau —gave; vivāhe —in marriage.

kṛta —performed; udvahaḥ —marriage; śauriḥ —Vasudeva; atīva-sundaram —very beautiful; ratham —chariot; prayāne —in the journey; samalaṅkṛtam —decorated; hayaiḥ —horses; sārdham —with; tayā —with her; devaka-rāja-kanyayā —King Devaka's daughter; samāruhat —ascended; kaṣcana —with gold; ratna —and jewels; śobhayā —beautiful.

svasuḥ —to his sister; priyam —a favor; kartum —to do; atīva —very; kaṁsaḥ —Kaṁsa; jagrāha —took; rasmin —the reins; calatām —moving; hayānām —of the horses; uvāha —carried; vāhān —the chariots; caturāṅginībhiḥ —with an army; vṛtaḥ —surrounded; kṛpā-sneha-paraḥ —filled with kindness; atha —then; śaurau —for Vasudeva.

dāsī —of maidservants; sahasram —a thousand; tu —indeed; ayutam —ten thousand; gajanānām —of elephants; sat-pāribarham —a wedding pressent; niyutam —a million; hayānām —of horses; lakṣam —a hundred thousand; rathānām —of chariots; ca —and; gavām —of cows; dvi-lakṣam —two hundred thousand pradāt —gave; duhitre —to his daughter; nṛpa-devaḥ —King Devaka; vai —indeed.

bheri —bheris; mṛdaṅga —mṛdaṅgas; uddhara —uddharas; gomukhānām —and gomukhas; dhundhurya —dhundhuryas; vīnā —vīnāa; anaka —anakas; veṇukānām —and venus; mahat —great; svanaḥ —sound; abhūt —was; calatām —moving; yadūnām —of the Yādavas; prayāna —of departure; kāle —at the time; pathi —on the path; maṅgalam —auspicious; ca —and.

ākāśa —from the sky; vāk —a voice; āha —said; tadā —then; eva —indeed; kaṁsam —to Kaṁsa; tvām —you; aṣṭamaḥ —the eighth; hi —indeed; prasavaḥ —son; aṣjasā —certainly; asyāḥ —of her; hantā —killer; na —not; jānāsi —you know; ca —also; yām —whom; ratha-sthām —staying on the chariot; rāśmīn —the reins; gṛhītvā —taking; vahase —you carry; abudhaḥ —a fool; tvam —you.

ku-saṅga-niṣṭhaḥ —whose friends were demons; ati-khalaḥ —very wicked; hi —indeed; kaṁsaḥ —Kaṁsa; hantum —to kill; svasāram —his sister; dhiṣaṇam —the ground; cakāra —did; kace —by the hair; gṛhitvā —grabbing; sita —sharp; khaḍga —sword; pāṇiḥ —in his hand; gata-trapaḥ —shameless; nirdayaḥ —merciless; ugra —horrible; karmā —deeds.

vaditra —kārāḥ —musicians; rahitāḥ —without; babhūvuḥ —became; agre-sthitāḥ —in the presence; syuḥ —were; cakitāḥ —afraid; hi —indeed; paścāt —behind; sarveṣu —all; vā —or; śveta —white; mukheṣu —faces; satsu —being so; śauriḥ —Vasudeva; tam —to him; āha —said; āśu —at once; satām —of the devotees; variṣṭhaḥ —the best.

śrī-vasudevaḥ uvāca —Śrī Vasudeva said; bhoja-indra —O king of the Bhojas; bhoja-kula —of the Bhoja family; kīrti-karaḥ —the glory; tvam —you; eva —indeed; bhauma —narakāsura; ādi —beginning with; māgadha —the king of Magadha; bakāsura —Bakāsura; vatsa —Vatsa; bāṇaiḥ —by bāṇa; ślāghyāḥ —glorified; guṇāḥ —virtues; tava —your; yudhi —in battle; pratiyoddhu-kāmaiḥ —desiring to fight; saḥ —he; tvam —you; katham —why?; tu —certainly; bhaginīm —sister; asinā —with a sword; atra —here; hanyāt —will kill.

jṣātvā —understanding; striyam —a woman; kila —indeed; bakīm —Pūtanā; pratiyoddhu-kāmām —desiring to fight; yuddham —fight; kṛtam —done; na —not; bhavatā —by you; nṛpa-nīti-vṛttyā —by the proper conduct of a king; sā —she; tu —certainly; tvayā —by you; api —also; bhaginī —a sister; iva —like; kṛtā —made; praśāntyai —to pacify; sākṣāt —directly; iyam —she; tu —certainly; bhaginī —sister; kim u —why?; te —of you; vicārāt —by the thought.

udvāha —of the wedding; parvaṇi —the festival; gatā —gone; ca —also; tava —your; anujā —younger sister; ca —also; bālā —a girl; sutā —daughter; iva —like; kṛpaṇā —object of mercy; śubhadā —auspicious; sadā —always; eṣā —she; yogyaḥ —proper; asi —are; na —not; atra —here; mathurādhipa —O king of Mathurā; hantum —to kill; etām —her; tvam —you; dīna —of the poor; duḥkha —of the sufferings; haraṇe —in the removal; kṛta —done; citta —of the heart; vṛttiḥ —the action.

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca —Śrī Nārada said; na —not; āmanyatha —think; ittham —thus; pratibodhitaḥ —enlightened; api —even; ku-sāṅga-niṣṭhaḥ —whose friends were demons; ati-khalaḥ —very wicked; hi —certainly; kaṁsaḥ —Kaṁsa; tadā —then; hareḥ —of Lord Kṛṣṇa; kāla —of time; gatim —the way; vicārya —considering; śauriḥ —Vasudeva; prasannaḥ —cheerful; punaḥ —again; āha —said; kaṁsam —to Kaṁsa.

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca —Śrī Nārada said; śrutvā —hearing; ca —also; niścitya —considering; vacaḥ —words; atha —then; śaureḥ —of Vasudeva; kaṁsaḥ —Kaṁsa; praśaṁsya —praising; āśu —at once; gṛham —home; gataḥ —went; abhūt —became; śauriḥ —Vasudeva; tadā —then; devaka-rāja-putryā —with the daughter of King Devaka; bhaya-āvṛtaḥ —filled with fear; san —being; gṛham —home; ājagāma —came.