The Lord’s Pastimes Out of Vṛndāvana
VERSE 3.3.1
uddhava uvāca
tataḥ sa āgatya puraṁ sva-pitroś
cikīrṣayā śaṁ baladeva-saṁyutaḥ
nipātya tuṅgād ripu-yūtha-nāthaṁ
hataṁ vyakarṣad vyasum ojasorvyām
SYNONYMS
uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; tataḥ — thereafter; saḥ — the Lord; āgatya — coming; puram — to the city of Mathurā; sva-pitroḥ — own parents; cikīrṣayā — wishing well; śam — well-being; baladeva-saṁyutaḥ — with Lord Baladeva; nipātya — dragging down; tuṅgāt — from the throne; ripu-yūtha-nātham — leader of public enemies; hatam — killed; vyakarṣat — pulled; vyasum — dead; ojasā — by strength; urvyām — on the ground.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Uddhava said: Thereafter Lord Kṛṣṇa went to Mathurā City with Śrī Baladeva, and to please Their parents They dragged Kaṁsa, the leader of public enemies, down from his throne and killed him, pulling him along the ground with great strength.
VERSE 3.3.2
sāndīpaneḥ sakṛt proktaṁ
brahmādhītya sa-vistaram
tasmai prādād varaṁ putraṁ
mṛtaṁ pañca-janodarāt
SYNONYMS
sāndīpaneḥ — of Sāndīpani Muni; sakṛt — once only; proktam — instructed; brahma — all the Vedas with their different branches of knowledge; adhītya — after studying; sa-vistaram — in all details; tasmai — unto him; prādāt — rewarded; varam — a benediction; putram — his son; mṛtam — who was already dead; pañca-jana — the region of the departed souls; udarāt — from within.
TRANSLATION
The Lord learned all the Vedas with their different branches simply by hearing them once from His teacher, Sāndīpani Muni, whom He rewarded by bringing back his dead son from the region of Yamaloka.
VERSE 3.3.3
samāhutā bhīṣmaka-kanyayā ye
śriyaḥ savarṇena bubhūṣayaiṣām
gāndharva-vṛttyā miṣatāṁ sva-bhāgaṁ
jahre padaṁ mūrdhni dadhat suparṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
samāhutāḥ — invited; bhīṣmaka — of King Bhīṣmaka; kanyayā — by the daughter; ye — all those; śriyaḥ — fortune; sa-varṇena — by a similar sequence; bubhūṣayā — expecting to be so; eṣām — of them; gāndharva — in marrying; vṛttyā — by such a custom; miṣatām — carrying so; sva-bhāgam — own share; jahre — took away; padam — feet; mūrdhni — on the head; dadhat — placed; suparṇaḥ — Garuḍa.
TRANSLATION
Attracted by the beauty and fortune of Rukmiṇī, the daughter of King Bhīṣmaka, many great princes and kings assembled to marry her. But Lord Kṛṣṇa, stepping over the other hopeful candidates, carried her away as His own share, as Garuḍa carried away nectar.
VERSE 3.3.4
kakudmino ’viddha-naso damitvā
svayaṁvare nāgnajitīm uvāha
tad-bhagnamānān api gṛdhyato ’jñāñ
jaghne ’kṣataḥ śastra-bhṛtaḥ sva-śastraiḥ
SYNONYMS
kakudminaḥ — bulls; aviddha-nasaḥ — whose noses were not pierced; damitvā — subduing; svayaṁvare — in the open competition to select the bridegroom; nāgnajitīm — Princess Nāgnijitī; uvāha — married; tat-bhagnamānān — in that way all who were disappointed; api — even though; gṛdhyataḥ — wanted; ajñān — the fools; jaghne — killed and wounded; akṣataḥ — without being wounded; śastra-bhṛtaḥ — equipped with all weapons; sva-śastraiḥ — by His own weapons.
TRANSLATION
By subduing seven bulls whose noses were not pierced, the Lord achieved the hand of Princess Nāgnijitī in the open competition to select her bridegroom. Although the Lord was victorious, His competitors asked the hand of the princess, and thus there was a fight. Well equipped with weapons, the Lord killed or wounded all of them, but He Himself was not hurt.
VERSE 3.3.5
priyaṁ prabhur grāmya iva priyāyā
vidhitsur ārcchad dyutaruṁ yad-arthe
vajry ādravat taṁ sa-gaṇo ruṣāndhaḥ
krīḍā-mṛgo nūnam ayaṁ vadhūnām
SYNONYMS
priyam — of the dear wife; prabhuḥ — the Lord; grāmyaḥ — ordinary living being; iva — in the manner of; priyāyāḥ — just to please; vidhitsuḥ — wishing; ārcchat — brought about; dyutarum — the pārijāta flower tree; yat — for which; arthe — in the matter of; vajrī — Indra, the King of heaven; ādravat tam — went forward to fight with Him; sa-gaṇaḥ — with full strength; ruṣā — in anger; andhaḥ — blind; krīḍā-mṛgaḥ — henpecked; nūnam — of course; ayam — this; vadhūnām — of the wives.
TRANSLATION
Just to please His dear wife, the Lord brought back the pārijāta tree from heaven, just as an ordinary husband would do. But Indra, the King of heaven, induced by his wives (henpecked as he was), ran after the Lord with full force to fight Him.
VERSE 3.3.6
sutaṁ mṛdhe khaṁ vapuṣā grasantaṁ
dṛṣṭvā sunābhonmathitaṁ dharitryā
āmantritas tat-tanayāya śeṣaṁ
dattvā tad-antaḥ-puram āviveśa
SYNONYMS
sutam — son; mṛdhe — in the fight; kham — the sky; vapuṣā — by his body; grasantam — while devouring; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; sunābha — by the Sudarśana wheel; unmathitam — killed; dharitryā — by the earth; āmantritaḥ — being prayed for; tat-tanayāya — to the son of Narakāsura; śeṣam — that which was taken from; dattvā — returning it; tat — his; antaḥ-puram — inside the house; āviveśa — entered.
TRANSLATION
Narakāsura, the son of Dharitrī, the earth, tried to grasp the whole sky, and for this he was killed by the Lord in a fight. His mother then prayed to the Lord. This led to the return of the kingdom to the son of Narakāsura, and thus the Lord entered the house of the demon.
VERSE 3.3.7
tatrāhṛtās tā nara-deva-kanyāḥ
kujena dṛṣṭvā harim ārta-bandhum
utthāya sadyo jagṛhuḥ praharṣa-
vrīḍānurāga-prahitāvalokaiḥ
SYNONYMS
tatra — inside the house of Narakāsura; āhṛtāḥ — kidnapped; tāḥ — all those; nara-deva-kanyāḥ — daughters of many kings; kujena — by the demon; dṛṣṭvā — by seeing; harim — the Lord; ārta-bandhum — the friend of the distressed; utthāya — at once got up; sadyaḥ — then and there; jagṛhuḥ — accepted; praharṣa — joyfully; vrīḍa — shyness; anurāga — attachment; prahita-avalokaiḥ — by eager glances.
TRANSLATION
There in the house of the demon, all the princesses kidnapped by Narakāsura at once became alert upon seeing the Lord, the friend of the distressed. They looked upon Him with eagerness, joy and shyness and offered to be His wives.
VERSE 3.3.8
āsāṁ muhūrta ekasmin
nānāgāreṣu yoṣitām
sa-vidhaṁ jagṛhe pāṇīn
anurūpaḥ sva-māyayā
SYNONYMS
āsām — all those; muhūrte — at one time; ekasmin — simultaneously; nānā-āgāreṣu — in different compartments; yoṣitām — of the women; sa-vidham — with perfect rituals; jagṛhe — accepted; pāṇīn — hands; anurūpaḥ — exactly to match; sva-māyayā — by His internal potency.
TRANSLATION
All those princesses were lodged in different apartments, and the Lord simultaneously assumed different bodily expansions exactly matching each and every princess. He accepted their hands in perfect rituals by His internal potency.
VERSE 3.3.9
tāsv apatyāny ajanayad
ātma-tulyāni sarvataḥ
ekaikasyāṁ daśa daśa
prakṛter vibubhūṣayā
SYNONYMS
tāsu — unto them; apatyāni — offspring; ajanayat — begot; ātma-tulyāni — all like Himself; sarvataḥ — in all respects; eka-ekasyām — in each and every one of them; daśa — ten; daśa — ten; prakṛteḥ — for expanding Himself; vibubhūṣayā — so desiring.
TRANSLATION
Just to expand Himself according to His transcendental features, the Lord begot in each and every one of them ten offspring with exactly His own qualities.
VERSE 3.3.10
kāla-māgadha-śālvādīn
anīkai rundhataḥ puram
ajīghanat svayaṁ divyaṁ
sva-puṁsāṁ teja ādiśat
SYNONYMS
kāla — Kālayavana; māgadha — the King of Magadha (Jarāsandha); śālva — King Śālva; ādīn — and others; anīkaiḥ — by the soldiers; rundhataḥ — being encircled; puram — the city of Mathurā; ajīghanat — killed; svayam — personally; divyam — transcendental; sva-puṁsām — of His own men; tejaḥ — prowess; ādiśat — exhibited.
TRANSLATION
Kālayavana, the King of Magadha and Sālva attacked the city of Mathurā, but when the city was encircled by their soldiers, the Lord refrained from killing them personally, just to show the power of His own men.
VERSE 3.3.11
śambaraṁ dvividaṁ bāṇaṁ
muraṁ balvalam eva ca
anyāṁś ca dantavakrādīn
avadhīt kāṁś ca ghātayat
SYNONYMS
śambaram — Śambara; dvividam — Dvivida; bāṇam — Bāṇa; muram — Mura; balvalam — Balvala; eva ca — as also; anyān — others; ca — also; dantavakra-ādīn — like Dantavakra and others; avadhīt — killed; kān ca — and many others; ghātayat — caused to be killed.
TRANSLATION
Of kings like Śambara, Dvivida, Bāṇa, Mura, Balvala and many other demons, such as Dantavakra, some He killed Himself, and some He caused to be killed by others [Śrī Baladeva, etc.].
VERSE 3.3.12
atha te bhrātṛ-putrāṇāṁ
pakṣayoḥ patitān nṛpān
cacāla bhūḥ kurukṣetraṁ
yeṣām āpatatāṁ balaiḥ
SYNONYMS
atha — thereafter; te — your; bhrātṛ-putrāṇām — of the nephews; pakṣayoḥ — of both sides; patitān — killed; nṛpān — kings; cacāla — shook; bhūḥ — the earth; kurukṣetram — the Battle of Kurukṣetra; yeṣām — of whom; āpatatām — traversing; balaiḥ — by strength.
TRANSLATION
Then, O Vidura, the Lord caused all the kings, both the enemies and those on the side of your fighting nephews, to be killed in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. All those kings were so great and strong that the earth seemed to shake as they traversed the warfield.
VERSE 3.3.13
sa karṇa-duḥśāsana-saubalānāṁ
kumantra-pākena hata-śriyāyuṣam
suyodhanaṁ sānucaraṁ śayānaṁ
bhagnorum ūrvyāṁ na nananda paśyan
SYNONYMS
saḥ — He (the Lord); karṇa — Karṇa; duḥśāsana — Duḥśāsana; saubalānām — Saubala; kumantra-pākena — by the intricacy of ill advice; hata-śriya — bereft of fortune; āyuṣam — duration of life; suyodhanam — Duryodhana; sa-anucaram — with followers; śayānam — lying down; bhagna — broken; ūrum — thighs; ūrvyām — very powerful; na — did not; nananda — take pleasure; paśyan — seeing like that.
TRANSLATION
Duryodhana was bereft of his fortune and duration of life because of the intricacy of ill advice given by Karṇa, Duḥśāsana and Saubala. When he lay on the ground with his followers, his thighs broken although he was powerful, the Lord was not happy to see the scene.
VERSE 3.3.14
kiyān bhuvo ’yaṁ kṣapitoru-bhāro
yad droṇa-bhīṣmārjuna-bhīma-mūlaiḥ
aṣṭādaśākṣauhiṇiko mad-aṁśair
āste balaṁ durviṣahaṁ yadūnām
SYNONYMS
kiyān — what is this; bhuvaḥ — of the earth; ayam — this; kṣapita — abated; uru — very great; bhāraḥ — burden; yat — which; droṇa — Droṇa; bhīṣma — Bhīṣma; arjuna — Arjuna; bhīma — Bhīma; mūlaiḥ — with the help; aṣṭādaśa — eighteen; akṣauhiṇikaḥ — phalanxes of military strength (vide SB 11634); mat-aṁśaiḥ — with My descendants; āste — are still there; balam — great strength; durviṣaham — unbearable; yadūnām — of the Yadu dynasty.
TRANSLATION
[After the end of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, the Lord said:] The abatement of the earth’s great burden, eighteen akṣauhiṇīs, has now been effected with the help of Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Arjuna and Bhīma. But what is this? There is still the great strength of the Yadu dynasty, born of Myself, which may be a more unbearable burden.
VERSE 3.3.15
mitho yadaiṣāṁ bhavitā vivādo
madhv-āmadātāmra-vilocanānām
naiṣāṁ vadhopāya iyān ato ’nyo
mayy udyate ’ntardadhate svayaṁ sma
SYNONYMS
mithaḥ — one another; yadā — when; eṣām — of them; bhavitā — will take place; vivādaḥ — quarrel; madhu-āmada — intoxication by drinking; ātāmra-vilocanānām — of their eyes being copper-red; na — not; eṣām — of them; vadha-upāyaḥ — means of disappearance; iyān — like this; ataḥ — besides this; anyaḥ — alternative; mayi — on My; udyate — disappearance; antaḥ-dadhate — will disappear; svayam — themselves; sma — certainly.
TRANSLATION
When they quarrel among themselves, influenced by intoxication, with their eyes red like copper because of drinking [madhu], then only will they disappear; otherwise, it will not be possible. On My disappearance, this incident will take place.
VERSE 3.3.16
evaṁ sañcintya bhagavān
sva-rājye sthāpya dharmajam
nandayām āsa suhṛdaḥ
sādhūnāṁ vartma darśayan
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; sañcintya — thinking within Himself; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sva-rājye — in his own kingdom; sthāpya — installing; dharmajam — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; nandayām āsa — gladdened; suhṛdaḥ — the friends; sādhūnām — of the saints; vartma — the path; darśayan — by indicating.
TRANSLATION
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, thus thinking to Himself, established Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira in the position of supreme control of the world in order to show the ideal of administration on the path of piety.
VERSE 3.3.17
uttarāyāṁ dhṛtaḥ pūror
vaṁśaḥ sādhv-abhimanyunā
sa vai drauṇy-astra-sampluṣṭaḥ
punar bhagavatā dhṛtaḥ
SYNONYMS
uttarāyām — unto Uttarā; dhṛtaḥ — conceived; pūroḥ — of Pūru; vaṁśaḥ — descendant; sādhu-abhimanyunā — by the hero Abhimanyu; saḥ — he; vai — certainly; drauṇi-astra — by the weapon of Drauṇi, the son of Droṇa; sampluṣṭaḥ — being burnt; punaḥ — again, for the second time; bhagavatā — by the Personality of Godhead; dhṛtaḥ — was protected.
TRANSLATION
The embryo of Pūru’s descendant begotten by the great hero Abhimanyu in the womb of Uttarā, his wife, was burnt by the weapon of the son of Droṇa, but later he was again protected by the Lord.
VERSE 3.3.18
ayājayad dharma-sutam
aśvamedhais tribhir vibhuḥ
so ’pi kṣmām anujai rakṣan
reme kṛṣṇam anuvrataḥ
SYNONYMS
ayājayat — made to perform; dharma-sutam — by the son of Dharma (Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira); aśvamedhaiḥ — by horse sacrifices; tribhiḥ — three; vibhuḥ — the Supreme Lord; saḥ — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; api — also; kṣmām — the earth; anujaiḥ — assisted by his younger brothers; rakṣan — protecting; reme — enjoyed; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead; anuvrataḥ — constant follower.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord induced the son of Dharma to perform three horse sacrifices, and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, constantly following Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, protected and enjoyed the earth, assisted by his younger brothers.
VERSE 3.3.19
bhagavān api viśvātmā
loka-veda-pathānugaḥ
kāmān siṣeve dvārvatyām
asaktaḥ sāṅkhyam āsthitaḥ
SYNONYMS
bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; api — also; viśva-ātmā — the Supersoul of the universe; loka — customary; veda — Vedic principles; patha-anugaḥ — follower of the path; kāmān — the necessities of life; siṣeve — enjoyed; dvārvatyām — in the city of Dvārakā; asaktaḥ — without being attached; sāṅkhyam — knowledge in Sāṅkhya philosophy; āsthitaḥ — being situated.
TRANSLATION
Simultaneously, the Personality of Godhead enjoyed life in the city of Dvārakā, strictly in conformity with the Vedic customs of society. He was situated in detachment and knowledge, as enunciated by the Sāṅkhya system of philosophy.
VERSE 3.3.20
snigdha-smitāvalokena
vācā pīyūṣa-kalpayā
caritreṇānavadyena
śrī-niketena cātmanā
SYNONYMS
snigdha — gentle; smita-avalokena — by a glance with a sweet smile; vācā — by words; pīyūṣa-kalpayā — compared to nectar; caritreṇa — by character; anavadyena — without flaw; śrī — fortune; niketena — residence; ca — and; ātmanā — by His transcendental body.
TRANSLATION
He was there in His transcendental body, the residence of the goddess of fortune, with His usual gentle and sweetly smiling face, His nectarean words and His flawless character.
VERSE 3.3.21
imaṁ lokam amuṁ caiva
ramayan sutarāṁ yadūn
reme kṣaṇadayā datta-
kṣaṇa-strī-kṣaṇa-sauhṛdaḥ
SYNONYMS
imam — this; lokam — earth; amum — and the other worlds; ca — also; eva — certainly; ramayan — pleasing; sutarām — specifically; yadūn — the Yadus; reme — enjoyed; kṣaṇadayā — by night; datta — given by; kṣaṇa — leisure; strī — with women; kṣaṇa — conjugal love; sauhṛdaḥ — friendship.
TRANSLATION
The Lord enjoyed His pastimes, both in this world and in other worlds [higher planets], specifically in the association of the Yadu dynasty. At leisure hours offered by night, He enjoyed the friendship of conjugal love with women.
VERSE 3.3.22
tasyaivaṁ ramamāṇasya
saṁvatsara-gaṇān bahūn
gṛhamedheṣu yogeṣu
virāgaḥ samajāyata
SYNONYMS
tasya — His; evam — thus; ramamāṇasya — enjoying; saṁvatsara — years; gaṇān — many; bahūn — great many; gṛhamedheṣu — in household life; yogeṣu — in sex life; virāgaḥ — detachment; samajāyata — awakened.
TRANSLATION
The Lord was thus engaged in household life for many, many years, but at last His detachment from ephemeral sex life was fully manifested.
VERSE 3.3.23
daivādhīneṣu kāmeṣu
daivādhīnaḥ svayaṁ pumān
ko viśrambheta yogena
yogeśvaram anuvrataḥ
SYNONYMS
daiva — supernatural; adhīneṣu — being controlled; kāmeṣu — in sense enjoyment; daiva-adhīnaḥ — controlled by supernatural force; svayam — himself; pumān — living entity; kaḥ — whoever; viśrambheta — can have faith in; yogena — by devotional service; yogeśvaram — the Supreme Lord; anuvrataḥ — serving.
TRANSLATION
Every living entity is controlled by a supernatural force, and thus his sense enjoyment is also under the control of that supernatural force. No one, therefore, can put his faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental sense activities but one who has become a devotee of the Lord by rendering devotional service.
VERSE 3.3.24
puryāṁ kadācit krīḍadbhir
yadu-bhoja-kumārakaiḥ
kopitā munayaḥ śepur
bhagavan-mata-kovidāḥ
SYNONYMS
puryām — in the city of Dvārakā; kadācit — once upon a time; krīḍadbhiḥ — by sporting activities; yadu — the descendants of Yadu; bhoja — the descendants of Bhoja; kumārakaiḥ — princes; kopitāḥ — became angry; munayaḥ — the great sages; śepuḥ — cursed; bhagavat — the Personality of Godhead; mata — desire; kovidāḥ — cognizant.
TRANSLATION
Once upon a time, great sages were made angry by the sporting activities of the princely descendants of the Yadu and Bhoja dynasties, and thus, as desired by the Lord, the sages cursed them.
VERSE 3.3.25
tataḥ katipayair māsair
vṛṣṇi-bhojāndhakādayaḥ
yayuḥ prabhāsaṁ saṁhṛṣṭā
rathair deva-vimohitāḥ
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; katipayaiḥ — a few; māsaiḥ — months passing; vṛṣṇi — the descendants of Vṛṣṇi; bhoja — the descendants of Bhoja; andhaka-ādayaḥ — and others, like the sons of Andhaka; yayuḥ — went; prabhāsam — the place of pilgrimage named Prabhāsa; saṁhṛṣṭāḥ — with great pleasure; rathaiḥ — on their chariots; deva — by Kṛṣṇa; vimohitāḥ — bewildered.
TRANSLATION
A few months passed, and then, bewildered by Kṛṣṇa, all the descendants of Vṛṣṇi, Bhoja and Andhaka who were incarnations of demigods went to Prabhāsa, while those who were eternal devotees of the Lord did not leave but remained in Dvārakā.
VERSE 3.3.26
tatra snātvā pitṝn devān
ṛṣīṁś caiva tad-ambhasā
tarpayitvātha viprebhyo
gāvo bahu-guṇā daduḥ
SYNONYMS
tatra — there; snātvā — by taking bath; pitṝn — forefathers; devān — demigods; ṛṣīn — great sages; ca — also; eva — certainly; tat — of that; ambhasā — by the water; tarpayitvā — by pleasing; atha — thereupon; viprebhyaḥ — unto the brāhmaṇas; gāvaḥ — cows; bahu-guṇāḥ — greatly useful; daduḥ — gave in charity.
TRANSLATION
After arriving there, all of them took bath, and with the water of this place of pilgrimage they offered their respects to the forefathers, demigods and great sages and thus satisfied them. They gave cows to the brāhmaṇas in royal charity.
VERSE 3.3.27
hiraṇyaṁ rajataṁ śayyāṁ
vāsāṁsy ajina-kambalān
yānaṁ rathān ibhān kanyā
dharāṁ vṛtti-karīm api
SYNONYMS
hiraṇyam — gold; rajatam — gold coins; śayyām — bedding; vāsāṁsi — clothing; ajina — animal skin for seats; kambalān — blankets; yānam — horses; rathān — chariots; ibhān — elephants; kanyāḥ — girls; dharām — land; vṛtti-karīm — to provide livelihood; api — also.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇas were not only given well-fed cows in charity, but also gold, gold coins, bedding, clothing, animal-skin seats, blankets, horses, elephants, girls and sufficient land for maintenance.
VERSE 3.3.28
annaṁ coru-rasaṁ tebhyo
dattvā bhagavad-arpaṇam
go-viprārthāsavaḥ śūrāḥ
praṇemur bhuvi mūrdhabhiḥ
SYNONYMS
annam — foodstuff; ca — also; uru-rasam — highly delicious; tebhyaḥ — unto the brāhmaṇas; dattvā — after supplying; bhagavat-arpaṇam — which was first offered to the Personality of Godhead; go — cows; vipra — brāhmaṇas; artha — purpose; asavaḥ — purpose of living; śūrāḥ — all the valiant kṣatriyas; praṇemuḥ — offered obeisances; bhuvi — touching the ground; mūrdhabhiḥ — with their heads.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter they offered the brāhmaṇas highly delicious foodstuffs first offered to the Personality of Godhead and offered their respectful obeisances by touching their heads to the ground. They lived perfectly by protecting the cows and the brāhmaṇas.