S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 11
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)
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Canto 11: 'General History'
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Chapter: The Curse Upon the Yadu Dynasty
TEXT 1
s'rî-s'uka uvâca
kritvâ daitya-vadham krishnah
sa-râmo yadubhir vritah
bhuvo 'vatârayad bhâram
javisthham janayan kalim
s'rî-s'ukah uvâca - S'rî S'uka said; kritvâ - having performed; daitya - of the demons; vadham - the killing; krishnah - Lord Krishna; sa-râmah - accompanied by Balarâma; yadubhih - by the Yadus; vritah - surrounded; bhuvah - of the earth; avatârayat - caused to be lessened; bhâram - the burden; javisthham - most sudden, leading to violence; janayan - raising; kalim - a state of quarrel.
TRANSLATION
S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said - Lord S'rî Krishna, accompanied by Balarâma and surrounded by the Yadu dynasty, executed the killing of many demons. Then, further to remove the burden of the earth, the Lord arranged for the great Battle of Kurukshetra, which suddenly erupted in violence between the Kurus and the Pândavas.
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TEXT 2
ye kopitâh su-bahu pându-sutâh sapatnair
durdyûta-helana-kaca-grahanâdibhis tân
kritvâ nimittam itaretaratah sametân
hatvâ nripân niraharat kshiti-bhâram îs'ah
ye - they who; kopitâh - were angered; su-bahu - excessively, time and time again; pându-sutâh - the sons of Pându; sapatnaih - by their enemies; duh-dyûta - by duplicitous gambling; helana - insults; kaca-grahana - grabbing the hair (of Draupadî); âdibhih - and other impetuses; tân - them (the Pândavas); kritvâ - making; nimittam - the immediate cause; itara-itaratah - confronting one another on opposite sides; sametân - all assembled; hatvâ - killing; nripân - the kings; niraharat - took away once and for all; kshiti - of the earth; bhâram - the burden; îs'ah - the Supreme Lord.
TRANSLATION
Because the sons of Pându were enraged by the numerous offenses of their enemies, such as duplicitous gambling, verbal insults, the seizing of Draupadî's hair, and many other cruel transgressions, the Supreme Lord engaged those Pândavas as the immediate cause to execute His will. On the pretext of the Battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna arranged for all the kings who were burdening the earth to assemble with their armies on opposite sides of the battlefield, and when the Lord killed them through the agency of war, the earth was relieved of its burden.
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TEXT 3
bhû-bhâra-râja-pritanâ yadubhir nirasya
guptaih sva-bâhubhir acintayad aprameyah
manye 'vaner nanu gato 'py agatam hi bhâram
yad yâdavam kulam aho avishahyam âste
bhû-bhâra - existing as the burden of the earth; râja - of the kings; pritanâh - the armies; yadubhih - by the Yadus; nirasya - eliminating; guptaih - protected; sva-bahubhih - by His own arms; acintayat - He considered; aprameyah - the unfathomable Lord; manye - I think; avaneh - of the earth; nanu - one may say; gatah - it is gone; api - but; agatam - it is not gone; hi - indeed; bhâram - the burden; yat - because; yâdavam - of Yadus; kulam - the dynasty; aho - ah; avishahyam - intolerable; âste - remains.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead used the Yadu dynasty, which was protected by His own arms, to eliminate the kings who with their armies had been the burden of this earth. Then the unfathomable Lord thought to Himself, 'although some may say that the earth's burden is now gone, in My opinion it is not yet gone, because there still remains the Yâdava dynasty itself, whose strength is unbearable for the earth.'
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TEXT 4
naivânyatah paribhavo 'sya bhavet kathañcin
mat-sams'rayasya vibhavonnahanasya nityam
antah kalim yadu-kulasya vidhâya venu-
stambasya vahnim iva s'ântim upaimi dhâma
na - not; eva - certainly; anyatah - from another cause; paribhavah - defeat; asya - of this (dynasty); bhavet - there can be; kathañcit - by any means; mat-sams'rayasya - which has fully taken shelter of Me; vibhava - with its power; unnahanasya - unrestricted; nityam - always; antah - within; kalim - a quarrel; yadu-kulasya - the Yadu dynasty; vidhâya - inspiring; venu-stambasya - of a clump of bamboo plants; vahnim - a fire; iva - as; s'ântim - peace; upaimi - I shall achieve; dhâma - My eternal personal abode.
TRANSLATION
Lord Krishna thought, 'No outside force could ever bring about the defeat of this family, the Yadu dynasty, whose members have always been fully surrendered to Me and are unrestricted in their opulence. But if I inspire a quarrel within the dynasty, that quarrel will act just like a fire created from the friction of bamboo in a grove, and then I shall achieve My real purpose and return to My eternal abode.'
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TEXT 5
evam vyavasito râjan
satya-sankalpa îs'varah
s'âpa-vyâjena viprânâm
sañjahre sva-kulam vibhuh
evam - in this way; vyavasitah - deciding for certain; râjan - O King; satya-sankalpah - whose desire always proves true; îs'varah - the Supreme Lord; s'âpa-vyâjena - by the pretext of a curse; viprânâm - of brâhmanas; sañjahre - withdrew; sva-kulam - His own family; vibhuh - the almighty.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Parîkshit, when the supreme almighty Lord, whose desire always comes to pass, had thus made up His mind, He withdrew His own family on the pretext of a curse spoken by an assembly of brâhmanas.
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TEXTS 6&7
sva-mûrtyâ loka-lâvanya-
nirmuktyâ locanam nrinâm
gîrbhis tâh smaratâm cittam
padais tân îkshatâm kriyâh
âcchidya kîrtim su-s'lokâm
vitatya hy añjasâ nu kau
tamo 'nayâ tarishyantîty
agât svam padam îs'varah
sva-mûrtyâ - by His own form; loka - of all the material worlds; lâvanya - the beauty; nirmuktyâ - which takes away; locanam - (He attracted) the eyes; nrinâm - of men; gîrbhih - by His words; tâh smaratâm - of those who remembered them; cittam - the mind; padaih - by His feet; tân îkshatâm - of those who saw them; kriyâh - the physical activities (walking, etc.);
âcchidya - having attracted; kîrtim - His glories; su-s'lokâm - praised by the best verses; vitatya - having spread; hi - certainly; añjasâ - easily; nu - indeed; kau - upon the earth; tamah - ignorance; anayâ - by those (glories); tarishyanti - people will cross over; iti - thus thinking; agât - He obtained; svam padam - His own desired position; îs'varah - the Lord.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the reservoir of all beauty. all beautiful things emanate from Him, and His personal form is so attractive that it steals the eyes away from all other objects, which then seem devoid of beauty in comparison to Him. When Lord Krishna was on the earth, He attracted the eyes of all people. When Krishna spoke, His words attracted the minds of all who remembered them. By seeing the footsteps of Lord Krishna, people became attracted to Him, and thus they wanted to offer their bodily activities to the Lord as His followers. In this way Krishna very easily spread His glories, which are sung throughout the world by the most sublime and essential Vedic verses. Lord Krishna considered that simply by hearing and chanting those glories, conditioned souls born in the future would cross beyond the darkness of ignorance. Being satisfied with this arrangement, He left for His desired destination.
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TEXT 8
s'rî-râjovâca
brahmanyânâm vadânyânâm
nityam vriddhopasevinâm
vipra-s'âpah katham abhûd
vrishnînâm krishna-cetasâm
s'rî-râjâ uvâca - the King said; brahmanyânâm - of them who were respectful to the brâhmanas; vadânyânâm - charitable; nityam - always; vriddha-upasevinâm - engaged in serving elders; vipra-s'âpah - the brâhmanas' curse; katham - how; abhût - did it come about; vrishnînâm - of the Vrishnis; krishna-cetasâm - whose minds were totally absorbed in thought of Lord Krishna.
TRANSLATION
King Parîkshit inquired - How could the brâhmanas curse the Vrishnis, who were always respectful to the brâhmanas, charitable, and inclined to serve senior and exalted personalities and whose minds were always fully absorbed in thought of Lord Krishna?
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TEXT 9
yan-nimittah sa vai s'âpo
yâdris'o dvija-sattama
katham ekâtmanâm bheda
etat sarvam vadasva me
yat-nimittah - arising by what cause; sah - that; vai - indeed; s'âpah - curse; yâdris'ah - what kind; dvija-sat-tama - O purest of twice-born brâhmanas; katham - how; eka-âtmanâm - of those who shared the same soul (S'rî Krishna); bhedah - the disagreement; etat - this; sarvam - all; vadasva - please tell; me - to me.
TRANSLATION
King Parîkshit continued inquiring - What was the motive for this curse? What did it consist of, O purest of the twice-born? and how could such a disagreement have arisen among the Yadus, who all shared the same goal of life? Please tell me all these things.
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TEXT 10
s'rî-bâdarâyanir uvâca
bibhrad vapuh sakala-sundara-sannives'am
karmâcaran bhuvi su-mangalam âpta-kâmah
âsthâya dhâma ramamâna udâra-kîritih
samhartum aicchata kulam sthita-kritya-s'eshah
s'rî-bâdarâyanih - S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, the son of Bâdarâyana; uvâca - said; bibhrat - bearing; vapuh - a divine body; sakala - of all; sundara - beautiful things; sannives'am - the amalgamation; karma - activities; âcaran - performing; bhuvi - on the earth; su-mangalam - very auspicious; âpta-kâmah - being satisfied in all His desires; âsthâya - residing; dhâma - in His abode (Dvârakâ); ramamânah - enjoying life; udâra-kîrtih - He whose glories are very magnanimous in themselves; samhartum - to destroy; aicchata - He wanted; kulam - His dynasty; sthita - there remaining; kritya - of His business; s'eshah - some remnant.
TRANSLATION
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said - The Lord, who bore His body as the amalgamation of everything beautiful, dutifully executed the most auspicious activities while on the earth, although He was, in fact, without any endeavor already satisfied in all desires. Residing in His abode and enjoying life, the Lord, whose glorification is in itself magnanimous, now wanted to annihilate His dynasty, as there still remained some small part of His duty to be carried out.
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TEXTS 11&12
karmâni punya-nivahâni su-mangalâni
gâyaj-jagat-kali-malâpaharâni kritvâ
kâlâtmanâ nivasatâ yadu-deva-gehe
pindârakam samagaman munayo nisristhâh
vis'vâmitro 'sitah kanvo
durvâsâ bhrigur angirâh
kas'yapo vâmadevo 'trir
vasisthho nâradâdayah
karmâni - fruitive rituals; punya - piety; nivahâni - which bestow; su-mangalâni - most auspicious; gâyat - chanting (about which); jagat - for the whole world; kali - of the current, degraded age; mala - the impurities; apaharâni - which take away; kritvâ - having performed; kâla-âtmanâ - by Him who is the very personification of time; nivasatâ - residing; yadu-deva - of the lord of the Yadus (King Vasudeva); gehe - in the home; pindârakam - to the pilgrimage site known as Pindâraka; samagaman - they went; munayah - the sages; nisristhâh - being let out;
vis'vâmitrah asitah kanvah - the sages Vis'vâmitra, asita and Kanva; durvâsâh bhriguh angirâh - Durvâsâ, Bhrigu and angirâ; kas'yapah vâmadevah atrih - Kas'yapa, Vâmadeva and atri; vasishthhah nârada-âdayah - Vasishthha, Nârada and others.
TRANSLATION
The sages Vis'vâmitra, asita, Kanva, Durvâsâ, Bhrigu, angirâ, Kas'yapa, Vâmadeva, atri and Vasishthha, along with Nârada and others, once performed fruitive rituals that award abundant pious results, bring great happiness and take away the sins of Kali-yuga for the whole world by merely being recounted. The sages duly executed these rituals in the home of the chief of the Yadus, Vasudeva, the father of Lord Krishna. after Lord Krishna, who was staying in Vasudeva's house as time personified, respectfully sent the sages off at the conclusion of the ceremonies, they went to the holy place called Pindâraka.
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SB 11.1.13-15
TEXTS 13&15
krîdantas tân upavrajya
kumârâ yadu-nandanâh
upasangrihya papracchur
avinîtâ vinîta-vat
te veshayitvâ strî-veshaih
sâmbam jâmbavatî-sutam
eshâ pricchati vo viprâ
antarvatny asitekshanâ
prasthum vilajjatî sâkshât
prabrûtâmogha-dars'anâh
prasoshyantî putra-kâmâ
kim svit sañjanayishyati
krîdantah - playing; tân - them (the sages); upavrajya - approaching; kumârâh - the young boys; yadu-nandanâh - the sons of the Yadu dynasty; upasangrihya - taking hold of the sages' feet; papracchuh - they asked; avinîtâh - not humble; vinîta-vat - acting as if humble;
te - they; veshayitvâ - dressing; strî-veshaih - in a woman's clothes and ornaments; sâmbam jâmbavatî-sutam - Sâmba, the son of Jâmbavatî; eshâ - this woman; pricchati - is asking; vah - you; viprâh - O learned brâhmanas; antarvatnî - pregnant; asita-îkshanâ - black-eyed; prasthum - to ask; vilajjatî - embarrassed; sâkshât - directly herself;
prabrûta - please speak; amogha-dars'anâh - O you whose vision is never bewildered; prasoshyantî - she who is just about to give birth; putra-kâmâ - and desirous of getting a son; kim svit - what indeed (a son or daughter?); sañjanayishyati - will she give birth to.
TRANSLATION
To that holy place, the young boys of the Yadu dynasty had brought Sâmba, son of Jâmbavatî, dressed in woman's garb. Playfully approaching the great sages gathered there, the boys grabbed hold of the sages' feet and impudently asked them with feigned humility, 'O learned brâhmanas, this black-eyed pregnant woman has something to ask you. She is too embarrassed to inquire for herself. She is just about to give birth and is very desirous of having a son. Since all of you are great sages with infallible vision, please tell us whether her child will be a boy or a girl.'
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TEXT 16
evam pralabdhâ munayas
tân ûcuh kupitâ nripa
janayishyati vo mandâ
mushalam kula-nâs'anam
evam - thus; pralabdhâh - tricked; munyayah - the sages; tân - to those boys; ûcuh - they spoke; kupitâh - angered; nripa - O King Parîkshit; janayishyati - she will give birth; vah - for you; mandâh - O fools; mushalam - to a club; kula-nâs'anam - which will destroy the dynasty.
TRANSLATION
Thus ridiculed by deceit, the sages became angry, O King, and told the boys, 'Fools! She will bear you an iron club that will destroy your entire dynasty.'
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TEXT 17
tac chrutvâ te 'ti-santrastâ
vimucya sahasodaram
sâmbasya dadris'us tasmin
mushalam khalv ayasmayam
tat - that; s'rutvâ - having heard; te - they; ati-santrastâh - extremely afraid; vimucya - uncovering; sahasâ - hastily; udaram - the belly; sâmbasya - of Sâmba; dadris'uh - they saw; tasmin - within it; mushalam - a club; khalu - indeed; ayah-mayam - made of iron.
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing the curse of the sages, the terrified boys quickly uncovered the belly of Sâmba, and indeed they observed that therein was an iron club.
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TEXT 18
kim kritam manda-bhâgyair nah
kim vadishyanti no janâh
iti vihvalitâ gehân
âdâya mushalam yayuh
kim - what; kritam - has been done; manda-bhâgyaih - who are very unfortunate; nah - by us; kim - what; vadishyanti - will they say; nah - to us; janâh - the family; iti - thus speaking; vihvalitâh - overwhelmed; gehân - to their homes; âdâya - taking; mushalam - the club; yayuh - they went.
TRANSLATION
The young men of the Yadu dynasty said, 'Oh, what have we done? We are so unfortunate! What will our family members say to us?' Speaking thus and being very disturbed, they returned to their homes, taking the club with them.
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TEXT 19
tac copanîya sadasi
parimlâna-mukha-s'riyah
râjña âvedayâm cakruh
sarva-yâdava-sannidhau
tat - that club; ca - and; upanîya - bringing; sadasi - into the assembly; parimlâna - completely faded; mukha - of their faces; s'rîyah - the beauty; râjñe - the King; âvedayâm cakruh - they informed; sarva-yâdava - of all the Yadus; sannidhau - in the presence.
TRANSLATION
The Yadu boys, the luster of their faces completely faded, brought the club into the royal assembly, and in the presence of all the Yâdavas they told King Ugrasena what had happened.
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TEXT 20
s'rutvâmogham vipra-s'âpam
dristhvâ ca mushalam nripa
vismitâ bhaya-santrastâ
babhûvur dvârakaukasah
s'rutvâ - hearing about; amogham - infallible; vipra-s'âpam - the curse of the brâhmanas; dristhvâ - seeing; ca - and; mushalam - the club; nripa - O King; vismitâh - amazed; bhaya - with fear; santrastâh - distraught; babhûvuh - they became; dvârakâ-okasah - the inhabitants of Dvârakâ.
TRANSLATION
O King Parîkshit, when the inhabitants of Dvârakâ heard of the infallible curse of the brâhmanas and saw the club, they were astonished and distraught with fear.
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TEXT 21
tac cûrnayitvâ mushalam
yadu-râjah sa âhukah
samudra-salile prâsyal
loham câsyâvas'eshitam
tat - that; cûrnayitvâ - having ground to bits; mushalam - club; yadu-râjah - the King of the Yadus; sah - he; âhukah - âhuka (Ugrasena); samudra - of the ocean; salile - in the water; prâsyat - he threw; loham - the iron; ca - and; asya - of the club; avas'eshitam - the remnant.
TRANSLATION
after having the club ground to bits, King âhuka [Ugrasena] of the Yadus personally threw the pieces, along with the remaining lump of iron, into the water of the ocean.
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TEXT 22
kas'cin matsyo 'grasîl loham
cûrnâni taralais tatah
uhyamânâni velâyâm
lagnâny âsan kilairakâh
kas'cit - a certain; matsyah - fish; agrasît - swallowed; loham - the iron; cûrnâni - the bits of powder; taralaih - by the waves; tatah - from that place; uhyamânâni - being carried; velâyâm - on the shore; lagnâni - becoming stuck; âsan - they became; kilu - indeed; erakâh - a particular species of grass with long, sharp-edged blades.
TRANSLATION
a certain fish swallowed the iron lump, and the bits of iron, carried back to the shore by the waves, implanted themselves there and grew into tall, sharp canes.
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TEXT 23
matsyo grihîto matsya-ghnair
jâlenânyaih sahârnave
tasyodara-gatam loham
sa s'alye lubdhako 'karot
matsyah - the fish; grihîtah - being seized; matsya-ghnaih - by fishermen; jâlena - with a net; anyaih saha - along with other fish; arnave - within the ocean; tasya - of the fish; udara-gatam - contained in the stomach; loham - lump of iron; sah - he (Jarâ); s'alye - on his arrow; lubdhakah - a hunter; akarot - placed.
TRANSLATION
The fish was caught in the ocean along with other fish in a fishermen's net. The iron lump in the fish's stomach was taken by the hunter Jarâ, who fixed it as an arrowhead at the end of his shaft.
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TEXT 24
bhagavân jñâta-sarvârtha
îs'varo 'pi tad-anyathâ
kartum naicchad vipra-s'âpam
kâla-rûpy anvamodata
bhagavân - the Supreme Lord; jñâta - knowing; sarva-arthah - the meaning of everything; îs'varah - quite capable; api - although; tat-anyathâ - otherwise; kartum - to make; na aicchat - He did not desire; vipra-s'âpam - the brâhmanas' curse; kâla-rûpî - exhibiting His form of time; anvamodata - He gladly sanctioned.
TRANSLATION
Knowing fully the significance of all these events, the Supreme Lord, though capable of reversing the brâhmanas' curse, did not wish to do so. Rather, in His form of time, He gladly sanctioned the events.
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