Sri Garga-samhita

Sri Garga-samhita

Sri Garga-samhita

Chapter Twenty Pralamba-vadha The Killing of Pralamba

Text 1

Verse text

cri-nārada uvāca
iti krsnā-stavam crutvā
mandhātā nrpa-sattamaḥ
ayodhyām prāyayau viro
natvā cri-saubharim munim

Synonyms

cri-nārada uvāca — Sri Nārada said ; iti — thus ; krsna-stavam — Sri Yamunā-stava ; crutvā — hearing ; mandhātā — King Mandhata ; nrpa — of kings ; sattamaḥ — the best ; ayodhyām — to Ayodhyā ; prāyayau — went ; viraḥ — hero ; natvā — bowing down ; cri-saubharim — to Sri Saubhari ; munim — the sage.

Translation

Sri Nārada said: After hearing these prayers glorifying Sri Yamunā, and after offering his respectful obeisances to Sri Saubhari Muni, the great king Mandhātā went to Aytodhyā.
Text 2

Verse text

idam mayā te kathitam
gopinām caritam cubham
mahā-pāpa-haram punyam
kim bhuyaḥ crotum icchasi

Synonyms

idam — this ; mayā — by me ; te — to you ; kathitam — spoken ; gopinām — of the gopis ; caritam — the pastimes ; cubham — beautiful ; mahā-pāpa-haram — removing the greatest sins ; punyam — sacred ; kim — what? ; bhuyaḥ — more ; crotum — to hear ; icchasi — you wish.

Translation

I have now told you the beautiful story of the gopis, a sacred story that removes the greatest sins. What more do you wish to hear?
Text 3

Verse text

cri-bahulācva uvāca
crutam tava mukhād brahman
gopinām varnanam param
yamunāyāc ca pancāggam

Synonyms

cri-bahulācva uvāca — Sri Bahulācva said ; crutam — heard ; tava — from you ; mukhāt — mouth ; brahman — O brāhmana ; gopinām — of the gopis ; varnanam — description ; param — great ; yamunāyāc — of Sri Yamunā ; ca — and ; pancāggam — pancanga ; mahā-pātaka — great sins ; nācanam — destroying.

Translation

mahā-pātaka-nācanam Sri Bahulācva said: O brāhmana, now I have heard from your mouth the story of the gopis and the description of the pa 24āgga worship of Sri Yamunā, worship that destroys the greatest sins.
Text 4

Verse text

cri-krsnaḥ sa-balaḥ sāksād
golokādhipatiḥ prabhuḥ
agre cakāra kam lilām
lalitām vraja-manḍale

Synonyms

cri-krsnaḥ — Sri Krsna ; sa-balaḥ — accompanied by Balarāma ; sāksāt — directly ; golokādhipatiḥ — the king of Goloka ; prabhuḥ — the Lord ; agre — in the presence ; cakāra — did ; kām — what? ; lilām — pastimes ; lalitām — charming ; vraja-manḍale — in the circle of Vraja.

Translation

What charming pastimes did Lord Krsna, the king of Goloka, then enjoy with Balarāma in the circle of Vraja?
Text 5

Verse text

cri-nārada uvāca
ekadā cārayan gāḥ svāḥ
sa-balo gopa-bālakaiḥ
bhānḍire yamunā-tire
bāla-lilām cakāra ha

Synonyms

cri-nārada uvāca — Sri Nārada said ; ekadā — one day ; cārayan — herding ; gāḥ — the cows ; svāḥ — own ; sa-balaḥ — with Balarāma ; gopa-bālakaiḥ — with the gopa boys ; bhānḍire — in Bhandiravana ; yamunā-tire — by the Yamunā's shore ; bāla-lilām — childhood pastimes ; cakāra — did ; ha — indeed.

Translation

Sri Nārada said: One day, as He was herding His cows in Bhānḍiravana forest by the Yamunā's shore, Krsna played many childhood games with Balarāma and the gopa boys.
Text 6

Verse text

vihāram kārayan bālair
vijahāra vane krsno
darcayan gā manoharāḥ

Synonyms

vihāram — playing ; kārayan — doing ; bālaiḥ — with the boys ; vāhya-vāhaka-laksanam — the carried and the carriers ; vijahāra — played ; vane — in the forest ; krsnaḥ — Krsna ; darcayan — showing ; gāḥ — the cows ; manoharāḥ — beautiful.

Translation

vāhya-vāhaka-laksanam Keeping an eye on the beautiful cows, Krsna played a game of carried and carriers with the boys.
Text 7

Verse text

tatrāgato gopa-rupi
pralambaḥ kamsa-noditaḥ
na jnāto bālakaiḥ so 'pi
harinā vidito 'bhavat

Synonyms

tatra — there ; āgataḥ — come ; gopa-rupi — in the form of a gopa ; pralambaḥ — Pralamba ; kamsa-noditaḥ — sent by Kamsa ; na — not ; jnātaḥ — known ; bālakaiḥ — by the boys ; saḥ — he ; api — although ; harinā — by Krsna ; viditaḥ — known ; abhavat — was.

Translation

Sent by Kamsa, and now assuming the form of a gopa, the demon Pralamba came there. Although the gopas did not know who he really was, Krsna did.
Text 8

Verse text

vihāre vijayam rāmam
netum ko 'pi na manyate
uvāha tam pralambo 'sau
bhānḍirād yamunā-tatam

Synonyms

vihāre — in the game ; vijayam — victorious ; rāmam — Balarāma ; netum — to carry ; ko 'pi — someone ; na — not ; manyate — is considered ; uvāha — carried ; tam — Him ; pralambaḥ — Pralamba ; asau — he ; bhānḍirāt — from Bhānḍiravana ; yamunā-tatam — to the Yamunā's shore.

Translation

When Balarāma won in the game there was no one to carry Him. Pralamba offered to carry Him. Pralamba carried Him out of Bhānḍiravana forest, far away to the Yamunā's shore.
Text 9

Verse text

avarohanato daityo
mathurām gantum udyataḥ
dadhāra ghanavad rupam
girindra iva durgamaḥ

Synonyms

avarohanataḥ — descending ; daityaḥ — the demon ; mathurām — to Mathurā ; gantum — to go ; udyataḥ — beginning ; dadhāra — held ; ghanavat — like a cloud ; rupam — a form ; girindra — the king of mountains ; iva — like ; durgamaḥ — imposing.

Translation

Suddenly assuming a monstrous form like a great cloud or an impassible king of mountains, the demon went in the direction of Mathurā.
Text 10

Verse text

babhau balo daitya-prsthe
sundaro lola-kunḍalaḥ
ākāca-stha purna-candraḥ
sa-taḍij-jalato yathā

Synonyms

babhau — was splendidly manifest ; balaḥ — Balarāma ; daitya-prsthe — on the demon's back ; sundaraḥ — handsome ; lola-kunḍalaḥ — swinging earring ; ākāca — in the sky ; stha — situated ; purna-candraḥ — a full moon ; sa-taḍij-jalataḥ — a cloud with lightning ; yathā — as.

Translation

Riding on the demon's back, handsome Balarāma was splendid as a moving earring, a full moon in the sky, or a glittering lightning flash.
Text 11

Verse text

daityam bhayagkaram viksya
baladevo mahā-balaḥ
rusāhanan mustinā tam
cirasy adrim yathādri-bhit

Synonyms

bhayagkaram — a monstrous form ; viksya — seeing ; baladevaḥ — Balarāma ; mahā-balaḥ — very powerful ; ahanat — hit ; mustinā — with a fist ; tam — him ; cirasy — on the head ; adrim — a mountain ; yathā — like ; adri-bhit — Indra.

Translation

As King Indra hits a mountain with his thundersbolt, so powerful Balarāma, noticing that His carrier had become a monster, punched Pralamba's head with His fist.
Text 12

Verse text

vicirna-mustako daityo
yathā vajra-hato giriḥ
papāta bhumau sahasā
cālayan vasudhā-talam

Synonyms

vicirna — broken ; mustakaḥ — head ; daityaḥ — the demon ; yathā — as ; vajra-hataḥ — hit by a thunderbolt ; giriḥ — a mountain ; papāta — fell ; bhumau — to the ground ; sahasā — at once ; cālayan — shaking ; vasudhā-talam — the earth.

Translation

Falling the ground as a mountain hit by Indra's thunderbolt falls, the demon, his head broken, made the earth tremble.
Text 13

Verse text

taj-jyotir nirgatam dirgham
bale linam babhuva ha
tadaiva vavrsur devāḥ
puspair nandana-sambhavaiḥ

Synonyms

taj-jyotiḥ — his light ; nirgatam — left ; dirgham — long ; bale — in Balarāma ; linam — entered ; babhuva — was ; ha — indeed ; tadā — then ; eva — indeed ; vavrsuḥ — showered ; devāḥ — the demigods ; puspaiḥ — with flowers ; nandana-sambhavaiḥ — grown in the Nandana gardens.

Translation

A great effulgence left the demon and merged into Lord Balarāma. Then the demigods showered flowers from the Nandana gardens.
Text 14

Verse text

abhuj jaya-jayārāvo
divi bhumau nrpecvara
evam cri-baladevasya
caritam paramādbhutam
mayā te kathitam rājan
kim bhutaḥ crotum icchasi

Synonyms

abhut — was ; jaya-jayārāvaḥ — the sound of Victory! Vicotry! ; divi — in the sky ; bhumau — on the earth ; nrpecvara — O king of kjings ; evam — thus ; cri-baladevasya — of zBalarāma ; caritam — the pastime ; paramādbhutam — very wonderful ; mayā — by me ; te — to you ; kathitam — spoken ; rajan — O king ; kim — what? ; bhuyaḥ — more ; crotum — to hear ; icchasi — you wish.

Translation

O king of kings, then sounds of "Victory! Victory!" filled the heaven and earth. O king, now that I have recounted for you this wonderful pastime of Lord Balarāma, what more do you wish to hear?
Text 15

Verse text

cri-bahulācva uvāca
ko 'yam daityaḥ purva-kāle
pralambo rana-durmadaḥ
baladevasya hastena
muktim prāpa katham mune

Synonyms

cri-bahulācva uvāca — Sri Bahulācva said ; kaḥ — who? ; ayam — this ; daityaḥ — demon ; purva-kāle — in previous time ; pralambaḥ — Pralamba ; rana-durmadaḥ — ferocious ; baladevasya — pf Lord Balarāma ; hastena — by the fist ; muktim — liberation ; prāpa — qattained ; katham — how? ; mune — O sage.

Translation

Sri Bahulācva said: O sage, who was the ferocious demon Pralamba in his previous birth that he was able to attain liberation by Lord Balarāma's hand?
Text 16

Verse text

cri-nārada uvāca
civasya pujanārtham hi
yaksa-rāt sva-vane cubhe
kārayām āsa puspānām
raksām yaksair itas tataḥ

Synonyms

cri-nārada uvāca — Sri Nārada said ; civasya — of Lord Suva ; pujanārtham — for the worship ; hi — indeed ; yaksa-rāt — the king of the Yaksas ; sva-vane — in his own forest ; cubhe — beautiful ; kārayām āsa — made ; puspānām — of flowers ; raksām — raksa ; yaksaiḥ — by yaksas ; itas tataḥ — here and there.

Translation

Sri Nārada said: To worship Lord Siva, one day the yaksa-king Kuvera had the yaksas place here and there in his berautiful forest many raksā-amulets made of flowers.
Text 17

Verse text

tad apy asyāpi jagrhuḥ
puspāni prasphuranti ca
tataḥ kruddho dadau cāpam
yaksa-rāḍ dhanado bali

Synonyms

tat — that ; apy — also ; asya — of that ; api — also ; jagrhuḥ — took ; puspāni — flowers ; prasphuranti — maniufest ; ca — and ; tataḥ — then ; kruddhaḥ — angered ; dadau — gave ; cāpam — a curse ; yaksa-rāḍ — the yaksa-king ; dhanadaḥ — Kuvera ; bali — powerful.

Translation

When the some of the flowers were stolen, the powerful yaksa-king Kuvera spoke a curse.
Text 18

Verse text

ye grhnanty asya puspāni
sve cānye sura-mānavāḥ
bhavitāro 'surāḥ sarve
mac-chāpāt sahasā bhuvi

Synonyms

ye — whoever ; grhnanty — takes ; asya — of this ; puspāni — the flowers ; sve — own ; ca — and ; anye — in another ; sura — demigod ; mānavāḥ — or human ; bhavitāraḥ — will become ; asurāḥ — demons ; sarve — all ; mac-chāpāt — by my curse ; sahasā — at once ; bhuvi — on the earth.

Translation

He said: Any demigod or human that takes any of these flowers will become a demon. That is my curse.
Text 19

Verse text

huhu-suto 'atha vijayo
vicarams tirtha-bhumisu
vanam caitraratham prāpto
gāyan visnu-gunān pathi

Synonyms

huhu-sutaḥ — the son of Huhu ; atha — then ; vijayaḥ — Vijaya ; vicaran — walking ; tirtha-bhumisu — to holy places ; vanam — to the forest ; caitraratham — Caitraratha ; prāptaḥ — attained ; gāyan — singing ; visnu-gunān — the glories of Lord Visnu ; pathi — on the path.

Translation

Then the gandharva Vijaya, who was the son of Huhu, walking on a pilgrimage to many holy places, and singing Lord Visnu's glories as he went, came to Caitraratha forest.
Text 20

Verse text

vinā-pānir ajānan vai
gandharvaḥ sumanāmsi ca
grhitvā so 'suro jāto
gandharvatvam vihāya tat

Synonyms

vinā — a vina ; pāniḥ — in his hand ; ajānan — unaware ; vai — indeed ; gandharvaḥ — the gandharva ; sumanāmsi — sumanah flowers ; ca — and ; grhitvā — taking ; saḥ — he ; asuraḥ — a demon ; jātaḥ — born ; gandharvatvam — his gandharvahood ; vihāya — leaving behind ; tat — that.

Translation

Unaware of the curse, the gandharva, vinā in hand, took some of the sumanaḥ flowers there. At once he left his gandharva body and became a demon.
Text 21

Verse text

tadaiva caranam prāptaḥ
kuverasya mahātmanaḥ
natvā tat-prārthanam cakre
krtānjali-putaḥ canaiḥ

Synonyms

tadā — then ; eva — indeed ; caranam — shelter ; prāptaḥ — attained ; kuverasya — of Kuvera ; mahātmanaḥ — the great soul ; natvā — bowing down ; tat-prārthanam — a prayer to him ; cakre — did ; krtānjali-putaḥ — with folded hands ; canaiḥ — slowly.

Translation

At once he took shelter of the great soul Kuvera. With folded hands he bowed down and presented his appeal.
Text 22

Verse text

tasmai prasanno rājendra
kuvero 'pi varam dadau
tvam visnu-bhaktaḥ cāntātmā
mā cokam kuru mānada

Synonyms

tasmai — with him ; prasannaḥ — pleased ; rājendra — O king of kings ; kuveraḥ — Kuvera ; api — also ; varam — a boon ; dadau — gave ; tvam — you ; visnu-bhaktaḥ — a devotee of Lord Visnu ; cāntātmā — peaceful at heart ; mā — don't ; cokam — lament ; kuru — do ; mānada — O respectful one.

Translation

Pleased with him, Kuvera blessed him: You are a peaceful-hearted devotee of Lord Visnu. O respectful one, please don't lament.
Text 23

Verse text

dvaparānte ca te muktir
baladevasya hastataḥ
bhavisyati na sandeho
bhānḍire yamunā-tate

Synonyms

dvaparānte — at the end of Dvapara-yuga ; ca — and ; te — of you ; muktiḥ — liberation ; baladevasya — of Lord Balarāma ; hastataḥ — by the hand ; bhavisyati — will be ; na — not ; sandehaḥ — doubt ; bhānḍire — in Bhanmdiravana ; yamunā-tate — by the Yamunā's shore.

Translation

At the end of Dvāpara-yuga, in Bhānḍiravaana forest by the Yamunā's shore, you will attain liberation by Lord Balarāma's hand. Of this there is no doubt.
Text 24

Verse text

cri-nārada uvāca
huhu-sutaḥ sa gandharvaḥ
pralambo 'bhun mahāsuraḥ
kuverasya varād rājan
param moksam jagāma ha

Synonyms

cri-nārada uvāca — Sri Nārada said ; huhu-sutaḥ — the son of Huhu ; sa — he ; gandharvaḥ — gandharva ; pralambaḥ — Pralamba ; abhut — became ; mahāsuraḥ — a great demon ; kuverasya — of Kuvera ; varāt — by the nl ; rājan — O kingl ; param moksam — liberation ; jagāma — attained ; ha — indeed.

Translation

Sri Nārada said: In this way Huhu's gandharva son became a great demon and, by Kuvera's grace, attained liberation. .pa