Sūta said: Sāttvata endowed with the sattva guṇa begot four sons: Bhajana the brilliant, the divine king Devāvṛdha, Andhaka the highly blessed one and Vṛṣṇi the delighter of all the descendants of Yadu. Hear in detail the families of these four.

Sūta said: Sāttvata endowed with the sattva guṇa begot four sons: Bhajana the brilliant, the divine king Devāvṛdha, Andhaka the highly blessed one and Vṛṣṇi the delighter of all the descendants of Yadu. Hear in detail the families of these four.

Sūta said: Ayutāyus, Śatāyus and the powerful Harṣakṛt were born to Sṛñjayī and Bhajana the brilliant.

Sūta said: Among the four sons of Sāttvata, king Devāvṛdha performed a great penance desiring, “I shall have a son endowed with good qualities.”

Sūta said: It is heard that those who are conversant with the mythology of the race of Anu sing that his son was known as Babhru. He was an excellent king of meritorious renown.

Sūta said: Noble men glorify the qualities of Devāvṛdha the great soul. Just as we hear about them from far we see them from near.

Sūta said: Babhru is the best among men and Devāvṛdha was equal to Devas. Fourteen thousand and sixty-five persons had attained immortality, thanks to Babhru and Devāvṛdha. He performed sacrifices. He was charitably inclined. He was a hero favourably disposed towards brahmins. He was steady in holy rites. He was famous. He had great splendour. Among the Sāttvatas he was a great hero. It was in his family that the Bhojas equal to Devas were born.

Sūta said: Babhru is the best among men and Devāvṛdha was equal to Devas. Fourteen thousand and sixty-five persons had attained immortality, thanks to Babhru and Devāvṛdha. He performed sacrifices. He was charitably inclined. He was a hero favourably disposed towards brahmins. He was steady in holy rites. He was famous. He had great splendour. Among the Sāttvatas he was a great hero. It was in his family that the Bhojas equal to Devas were born.

Sūta said: Babhru is the best among men and Devāvṛdha was equal to Devas. Fourteen thousand and sixty-five persons had attained immortality, thanks to Babhru and Devāvṛdha. He performed sacrifices. He was charitably inclined. He was a hero favourably disposed towards brahmins. He was steady in holy rites. He was famous. He had great splendour. Among the Sāttvatas he was a great hero. It was in his family that the Bhojas equal to Devas were born.

Sūta said: Gāndhārī and Mādrī were the wives of Vṛṣṇi. Gāndhārī gave birth to Sumitra and Mitranandana.

Sūta said: Mādrī obtained from him the son Devamīḍhuṣa at first and then two excellent heroes Anamitra and Śini.

Sūta said: Anamitra’s son was Nighna. Nighna had two sons the highly blessed Prasena and Satrājit.

Sūta said: The sun was an intimate friend of Satrājit. He gave him the jewel Syamantaka.[1]

Sūta said: This jewel was the best among all the jewels in the world. Once he went for hunting along with Prasena. He was killed there by a terrible lion as he was helpless. From Śini the youngest son of Vṛṣṇi a son Satyaka was born. He was faithful in words and was richly endowed with truthfulness. His son was the valorous Yuyudhāna, the grandson of Śini.

Sūta said: This jewel was the best among all the jewels in the world. Once he went for hunting along with Prasena. He was killed there by a terrible lion as he was helpless. From Śini the youngest son of Vṛṣṇi a son Satyaka was born. He was faithful in words and was richly endowed with truthfulness. His son was the valorous Yuyudhāna, the grandson of Śini.

Sūta said: This jewel was the best among all the jewels in the world. Once he went for hunting along with Prasena. He was killed there by a terrible lion as he was helpless. From Śini the youngest son of Vṛṣṇi a son Satyaka was born. He was faithful in words and was richly endowed with truthfulness. His son was the valorous Yuyudhāna, the grandson of Śini.

Sūta said: Asaṅga was the son of Yuyudhāna. Kuṇi was his son. The son of Kuṇi was Yugandhara. Thus the descendants of Śini (Śaineyas) have been described.

Sūta said: A son was born to Yudhājit the son of Vṛṣṇi and Mādri. He was known as Śvaphalka. He was the benefactor of the three worlds.

Sūta said: Wherever the pious king Śvaphalka was present, there was no fear of either ailment or of drought.

Sūta said: Śvaphalka took as his wife, Gāndinī the daughter of the king of Kāśī, who gave him his daughter.

Sūta said: For many years she remained in the womb of her mother without being born. The father spoke to her even as she was within the womb. “Be born, quickly. Welfare unto thee. Why dost thou tarry.” Then the girl Gāndinī stationed within the womb replied to him—“O father, everyday you must give a cow to a brahmin. If you give thus for three years I will come out of the womb of my mother.”

Sūta said: For many years she remained in the womb of her mother without being born. The father spoke to her even as she was within the womb. “Be born, quickly. Welfare unto thee. Why dost thou tarry.” Then the girl Gāndinī stationed within the womb replied to him—“O father, everyday you must give a cow to a brahmin. If you give thus for three years I will come out of the womb of my mother.”

Sūta said: For many years she remained in the womb of her mother without being born. The father spoke to her even as she was within the womb. “Be born, quickly. Welfare unto thee. Why dost thou tarry.” Then the girl Gāndinī stationed within the womb replied to him—“O father, everyday you must give a cow to a brahmin. If you give thus for three years I will come out of the womb of my mother.”

Sūta said: For many years she remained in the womb of her mother without being born. The father spoke to her even as she was within the womb. “Be born, quickly. Welfare unto thee. Why dost thou tarry.” Then the girl Gāndinī stationed within the womb replied to him—“O father, everyday you must give a cow to a brahmin. If you give thus for three years I will come out of the womb of my mother.”

Sūta said: Akrūra married Ratnā the daughter of Śaiva. He begot of her Upamanyu, Māṅgu, Vṛta, Janamejaya, Girirakṣa, Upekṣa, Śatrughna, Arimardana, Dharmabhṛt, Vṛṣṭadharmā, Godhana, Vara, Āvāha and Prativāha. He had also an excellent daughter Sudhārā. Two sons who delighted the family were born of Ugrasenī (daughter of Ugrasena) to Akrūra, They were Devavān and Upadeva equal to Devas.

Sūta said: Akrūra married Ratnā the daughter of Śaiva. He begot of her Upamanyu, Māṅgu, Vṛta, Janamejaya, Girirakṣa, Upekṣa, Śatrughna, Arimardana, Dharmabhṛt, Vṛṣṭadharmā, Godhana, Vara, Āvāha and Prativāha. He had also an excellent daughter Sudhārā. Two sons who delighted the family were born of Ugrasenī (daughter of Ugrasena) to Akrūra, They were Devavān and Upadeva equal to Devas.

Sūta said: Akrūra married Ratnā the daughter of Śaiva. He begot of her Upamanyu, Māṅgu, Vṛta, Janamejaya, Girirakṣa, Upekṣa, Śatrughna, Arimardana, Dharmabhṛt, Vṛṣṭadharmā, Godhana, Vara, Āvāha and Prativāha. He had also an excellent daughter Sudhārā. Two sons who delighted the family were born of Ugrasenī (daughter of Ugrasena) to Akrūra, They were Devavān and Upadeva equal to Devas.

Sūta said: Akrūra married Ratnā the daughter of Śaiva. He begot of her Upamanyu, Māṅgu, Vṛta, Janamejaya, Girirakṣa, Upekṣa, Śatrughna, Arimardana, Dharmabhṛt, Vṛṣṭadharmā, Godhana, Vara, Āvāha and Prativāha. He had also an excellent daughter Sudhārā. Two sons who delighted the family were born of Ugrasenī (daughter of Ugrasena) to Akrūra, They were Devavān and Upadeva equal to Devas.

Sūta said: Akrūra married Ratnā the daughter of Śaiva. He begot of her Upamanyu, Māṅgu, Vṛta, Janamejaya, Girirakṣa, Upekṣa, Śatrughna, Arimardana, Dharmabhṛt, Vṛṣṭadharmā, Godhana, Vara, Āvāha and Prativāha. He had also an excellent daughter Sudhārā. Two sons who delighted the family were born of Ugrasenī (daughter of Ugrasena) to Akrūra, They were Devavān and Upadeva equal to Devas.

Sūta said: The following were the sons of Citraka—Vipṛthu, Pṛthu, Aśvagrīva. Subāhu, Sudhāsūka, Gavekṣaṇa, Ariṣṭanemi, Aśva, Dharma, Adharmabhṛt, Subhūmi and Bahubhūmi. He had two daughters Śraviṣṭhā and Śravaṇā.

Sūta said: The following were the sons of Citraka—Vipṛthu, Pṛthu, Aśvagrīva. Subāhu, Sudhāsūka, Gavekṣaṇa, Ariṣṭanemi, Aśva, Dharma, Adharmabhṛt, Subhūmi and Bahubhūmi. He had two daughters Śraviṣṭhā and Śravaṇā.

Sūta said: To Andhaka the daughter of the king of Kāśī bore four sons viz:—Kukura, Bhajamāna, Śuci and Kambalabarhis.

Sūta said: Vṛṣṇi was the son of Kukura. Śūra was the son of Vṛṣṇi. The highly powerful Kapotaromā was his son and his son was Vilomaka.

Sūta said: He had a scholarly son Nala who was a comrade of Tumburu. He is known by the name Candanānaka Dundubhi.

Sūta said: From him was born the son Abhijit. His son was Punarvasu. That king performed a horse sacrifice for obtaining a son,

Sūta said: In the course of that sacrifice when Atirātra mantras were being chanted in the middle of the assembly of priests the child Punarvasu was born. Later on he became a scholar, omniscient, charitable and a performer of sacrifices.

Sūta said: Twins were born to Abhijit also. They were well known as Āhuka and Āhukī. They were the best among renowned people.

Sūta said: Two sons were born to the daughter of the king of Kāśī and Āhuka:—viz. Devaka and Ugrasena. Both of them were equal to the sons of Devas.

Sūta said: Childern equal to Devas were born to Devaka. They were Devavān, Upadeva, Sudeva and Devarakṣita.

Sūta said: They had seven, sisters. The king gave them to Vasudeva. They were Vṛṣadevā, Upadevā, Devarakṣitā, Śrīdevā, Śāntidevā, Sahadevā and Devakī of slender waist and the best among them.

Sūta said: They had seven, sisters. The king gave them to Vasudeva. They were Vṛṣadevā, Upadevā, Devarakṣitā, Śrīdevā, Śāntidevā, Sahadevā and Devakī of slender waist and the best among them.

Sūta said: Ugrasena had nine sons. Kaṃsa was the eldest among them. Their sons and grandsons were hundreds and thousands.

Sūta said: The daughter of Devaka and the wife of Vasudeva was worthy of being honoured and worshipped even by Devas.

Sūta said: The other two wives of Ānakadundubhi, (Vasudeva) viz. the blessed Rohiṇī and Pauravī the daughter of Bāhlika were also worthy of being worshipped by Devas.

Sūta said: Rohiṇī gave birth to Rāma who wielded the ploughshare as his weapon and had great strength. Due to the fear of Kaṃsa he had resorted to his own tranquil self.

Sūta said: After the six innocent children had been killed, and after Balarāma had been born. the intelligent Vasudeva, begot Kṛṣṇa of Devakī.

Sūta said: He alone is the supreme soul. He is Viṣṇu the lord of Devas. Balarāma was the lord Śeṣa with silver lustre.

Sūta said: Under the pretext of the curse of Bhṛgu, Viṣṇu agreed to take a human body and was born of Devakī as the son. of Vasudeva.

Sūta said: At the same time the Yogic slumber Kauśikī originating from the body of Umā became the daughter of Yaśodā at the behest of the lord of Devas.

Sūta said: She alone is the Prakṛti bowed to by all Devas. Lord Kṛṣṇa is Puruṣa the bestower of the fruit of virtue and salvation.

Sūta said: Saving his own son from Kaṃsa, Vasudeva took the daughter of Yaśodā and instead gave her his own fourarmed, wide-eyed son who was marked by the scar Śrīvatsa and who held the conch, discus, iron club and lotus.

Sūta said: Saving his own son from Kaṃsa, Vasudeva took the daughter of Yaśodā and instead gave her his own fourarmed, wide-eyed son who was marked by the scar Śrīvatsa and who held the conch, discus, iron club and lotus.

Sūta said: After giving to Nanda (the husband of Yaśodā) his son Viṣṇu the protector of the worlds who had taken up a physical form out of his own will, he said to Nanda—“May he be protected.”

Sūta said: It was due to the grace of Śiva the lord of Devas of immense splendour that Viṣṇu assumed the physical body. Along with Rāma he handed over the lord the bestower of boons, the great Īśvara, the preceptor of the universe, who had incarnated for dispelling the burden of the earth, saying “Hereby the Yādavas will attain all auspicious results. This child of Devakī will remove all our distresses.”

Sūta said: It was due to the grace of Śiva the lord of Devas of immense splendour that Viṣṇu assumed the physical body. Along with Rāma he handed over the lord the bestower of boons, the great Īśvara, the preceptor of the universe, who had incarnated for dispelling the burden of the earth, saying “Hereby the Yādavas will attain all auspicious results. This child of Devakī will remove all our distresses.”

Sūta said: Ānakadundubhi then intimated to Kaṃsa the son of Ugrasena that a daughter endowed with good signs had been born. There had been an aerial announcement—“O Kaṃsa of good holy rites the eighth child of Devakī will no doubt be the cause of your death.” Hence, Kaṃsa attempted to kill the child. But that child (of Nanda) the goddess of eight arms slipped from his hands and crossed to the sky. She said in a voice as majestic as the rumbling sound of the cloud. “Save your own skin. Your death has come.

Sūta said: Ānakadundubhi then intimated to Kaṃsa the son of Ugrasena that a daughter endowed with good signs had been born. There had been an aerial announcement—“O Kaṃsa of good holy rites the eighth child of Devakī will no doubt be the cause of your death.” Hence, Kaṃsa attempted to kill the child. But that child (of Nanda) the goddess of eight arms slipped from his hands and crossed to the sky. She said in a voice as majestic as the rumbling sound of the cloud. “Save your own skin. Your death has come.

Sūta said: Ānakadundubhi then intimated to Kaṃsa the son of Ugrasena that a daughter endowed with good signs had been born. There had been an aerial announcement—“O Kaṃsa of good holy rites the eighth child of Devakī will no doubt be the cause of your death.” Hence, Kaṃsa attempted to kill the child. But that child (of Nanda) the goddess of eight arms slipped from his hands and crossed to the sky. She said in a voice as majestic as the rumbling sound of the cloud. “Save your own skin. Your death has come.

Sūta said: Ānakadundubhi then intimated to Kaṃsa the son of Ugrasena that a daughter endowed with good signs had been born. There had been an aerial announcement—“O Kaṃsa of good holy rites the eighth child of Devakī will no doubt be the cause of your death.” Hence, Kaṃsa attempted to kill the child. But that child (of Nanda) the goddess of eight arms slipped from his hands and crossed to the sky. She said in a voice as majestic as the rumbling sound of the cloud. “Save your own skin. Your death has come.

Sūta said: O foolish Kaṃsa, even as you were guarding your own body you have committed sins. Indeed your destroyer is already born.”

Sūta said: It is said that due to his fear of Devakī, Kaṃsa killed the eighth child. But the eighth son. of Devakī was really the cause of his death.

Sūta said: O leading sages, all attempts of Bhoja to take revenge on. him became futile due to Kṛṣṇa’s power. Moreover he was rendered insentient by the Māyā Kauśikī.

Sūta said: Thus Kaṃsa was killed by Kṛṣṇa of unimpeded activity. Many other destroyers of Devas and brahmins too were killed.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa’s sons Pradyumna and others have already been enumerated. They were many and all of them were experts in battle.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa’s sons were equal to Kṛṣṇa. Among all these sons Cārudeṣṇa and his brothers are of special importance. They were the sons of Rukmiṇī. They were the destroyers of their enemies. Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand and one hundred wives. The most beloved and the eldest of them all was Rukmiṇī.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa’s sons were equal to Kṛṣṇa. Among all these sons Cārudeṣṇa and his brothers are of special importance. They were the sons of Rukmiṇī. They were the destroyers of their enemies. Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand and one hundred wives. The most beloved and the eldest of them all was Rukmiṇī.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa’s sons were equal to Kṛṣṇa. Among all these sons Cārudeṣṇa and his brothers are of special importance. They were the sons of Rukmiṇī. They were the destroyers of their enemies. Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand and one hundred wives. The most beloved and the eldest of them all was Rukmiṇī.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa’s sons were equal to Kṛṣṇa. Among all these sons Cārudeṣṇa and his brothers are of special importance. They were the sons of Rukmiṇī. They were the destroyers of their enemies. Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand and one hundred wives. The most beloved and the eldest of them all was Rukmiṇī.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa’s sons were equal to Kṛṣṇa. Among all these sons Cārudeṣṇa and his brothers are of special importance. They were the sons of Rukmiṇī. They were the destroyers of their enemies. Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand and one hundred wives. The most beloved and the eldest of them all was Rukmiṇī.

Sūta said: On seeing those heroic sons of Rukmiṇī as well as Rukmiṇī, Jāmbavatī the wife of Kṛṣṇa once spoke to him thus.

Sūta said: O lotus-eyed one, it behoves you, if you are delighted, to give me a son equal to Devas, a son endowed with superior qualities.

Sūta said: On hearing the words of Jāmbavatī, Kṛṣṇa the lord of the universe and a real storehouse of penance began to perform penance.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa Nārāyaṇa, the wielder of the conch, discus and iron club, went to the excellent hermitage of the sage Vyāghrapāda. After bowing to the sage, Kṛṣṇa obtained the divine Pāśupata Yoga. At his behest he shaved off the beard, moustache and the hair on the head, applied ghee all over the body and wore the girdle of the Muñja grass. Thus initiated, lord Kṛṣṇa the scorcher of foes performed a great penance.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa Nārāyaṇa, the wielder of the conch, discus and iron club, went to the excellent hermitage of the sage Vyāghrapāda. After bowing to the sage, Kṛṣṇa obtained the divine Pāśupata Yoga. At his behest he shaved off the beard, moustache and the hair on the head, applied ghee all over the body and wore the girdle of the Muñja grass. Thus initiated, lord Kṛṣṇa the scorcher of foes performed a great penance.

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa Nārāyaṇa, the wielder of the conch, discus and iron club, went to the excellent hermitage of the sage Vyāghrapāda. After bowing to the sage, Kṛṣṇa obtained the divine Pāśupata Yoga. At his behest he shaved off the beard, moustache and the hair on the head, applied ghee all over the body and wore the girdle of the Muñja grass. Thus initiated, lord Kṛṣṇa the scorcher of foes performed a great penance.

Sūta said: He performed the penance in various poses. He stood with arms raised up and without support, he stood on the tips of his toes. He spent three seasons sustaining himself on fruits, water and air.

Sūta said: Satisfied with his penance, lord Śiva granted him boons. He gave Sāmba the son of Jāmbavatī to Kṛṣṇa the noble soul.

Sūta said: On getting the son Sāmba from Kṛṣṇa, his wife Jāmbavatī became highly delighted in the same way as Aditi when she obtained Āditya.

Sūta said: O leading sages, by the curse[2] of Lord Śiva the thousand hands of Bāṇa were cut off by Kṛṣṇa.

Sūta said: Then with Balarāma to assist him he carried out the destruction of Daityas. He sportively killed several wicked kings in the battlefield.

Sūta said: He killed the leading Daitya Naraka born of Devas, thanks to a boon granted by the noble brahmin Ūrdhvacakra.[3]

Sūta said: The excessively strong one, of unequalled exploit, Kṛṣṇa took up sixteen thousand one hundred girls for his own pleasure.

Translation not available.

Sūta said: More than hundred years elapsed thus even as Kṛṣṇa ruled over Dvārakā[5] removing the distress due to old age. He acceded to the curses of Viśvāmitra, Kaṇva and Nārada,[6] as also the words of Durvāsas (and stayed) in Piṇḍāraka.[7]

Sūta said: More than hundred years elapsed thus even as Kṛṣṇa ruled over Dvārakā[5] removing the distress due to old age. He acceded to the curses of Viśvāmitra, Kaṇva and Nārada,[6] as also the words of Durvāsas (and stayed) in Piṇḍāraka.[7]

Sūta said: Kṛṣṇa abandoned the human form under the pretext of the arrow of the hunter Jaraka, and after blessing that hunter he returned to heaven.

Sūta said: Due to the curse of Aṣṭāvakra[8] as also due to his own Māyā (power) the wives of lord Kṛṣṇa were abducted by thieves.

Sūta said: Balarāma abandoned his human form and assuming that of Śeṣa went to his heavenly abode. The auspicious queens of Kṛṣṇa—Rukmiṇī and others—entered fire along with the body of their lord. O brahmins, the gentle lady Revatī too entered the pyre along with her husband Balarāma and followed his path. The extremely powerful Arjuna performed the obsequies of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and also of other Vṛṣṇis. O men of good holy rites, with bulbous roots, fruits and roots he performed the rites of oblation, for want of wealth.

Sūta said: Balarāma abandoned his human form and assuming that of Śeṣa went to his heavenly abode. The auspicious queens of Kṛṣṇa—Rukmiṇī and others—entered fire along with the body of their lord. O brahmins, the gentle lady Revatī too entered the pyre along with her husband Balarāma and followed his path. The extremely powerful Arjuna performed the obsequies of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and also of other Vṛṣṇis. O men of good holy rites, with bulbous roots, fruits and roots he performed the rites of oblation, for want of wealth.

Sūta said: Balarāma abandoned his human form and assuming that of Śeṣa went to his heavenly abode. The auspicious queens of Kṛṣṇa—Rukmiṇī and others—entered fire along with the body of their lord. O brahmins, the gentle lady Revatī too entered the pyre along with her husband Balarāma and followed his path. The extremely powerful Arjuna performed the obsequies of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and also of other Vṛṣṇis. O men of good holy rites, with bulbous roots, fruits and roots he performed the rites of oblation, for want of wealth.

Sūta said: Balarāma abandoned his human form and assuming that of Śeṣa went to his heavenly abode. The auspicious queens of Kṛṣṇa—Rukmiṇī and others—entered fire along with the body of their lord. O brahmins, the gentle lady Revatī too entered the pyre along with her husband Balarāma and followed his path. The extremely powerful Arjuna performed the obsequies of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and also of other Vṛṣṇis. O men of good holy rites, with bulbous roots, fruits and roots he performed the rites of oblation, for want of wealth.

Sūta said: Then Arjuna too went to heaven together with his brothers. Thus, the exploits and end of the noble Kṛṣṇa of unimpaired activity, who adopted human form out of his own free will, has been succinctly mentioned to you. O brahmins, he who reads this narrative of the kings of lunar race or listens to it or narrates it to others undoubtedly goes to the world of Viṣṇu.

Sūta said: Then Arjuna too went to heaven together with his brothers. Thus, the exploits and end of the noble Kṛṣṇa of unimpaired activity, who adopted human form out of his own free will, has been succinctly mentioned to you. O brahmins, he who reads this narrative of the kings of lunar race or listens to it or narrates it to others undoubtedly goes to the world of Viṣṇu.

Sūta said: Then Arjuna too went to heaven together with his brothers. Thus, the exploits and end of the noble Kṛṣṇa of unimpaired activity, who adopted human form out of his own free will, has been succinctly mentioned to you. O brahmins, he who reads this narrative of the kings of lunar race or listens to it or narrates it to others undoubtedly goes to the world of Viṣṇu.