> > 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)

> > *******

> > Canto 11: 'General History'

> > *******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.'

> > ******

> > TEXT 4

> > naivânyatah paribhavo 'sya bhavet kathan'cin

> > 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; kathan'cit - 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.'

> > ******

> > TEXT 5

> > evam vyavasito râjan

> > satya-sankalpa îs'varah

> > s'âpa-vyâjena viprânâm

> > san'jahre 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; san'jahre - 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.

> > ******

> > 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 an'jasâ 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; an'jasâ - 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.

> > ******

> > 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?

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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 san'janayishyati

> > 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?); san'janayishyati - 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.'

> > ******

> > 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.'

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > tac copanîya sadasi

> > parimlâna-mukha-s'riyah

> > râjn'a 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; râjn'e - 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > 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.

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > bhagavân jn'âta-sarvârtha

> > îs'varo 'pi tad-anyathâ

> > kartum naicchad vipra-s'âpam

> > kâla-rûpy anvamodata

> > bhagavân - the Supreme Lord; jn'âta - 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.

> > Back to the running text