Dashaka 53

अतीत्य बाल्यं जगतां पते त्वमुपेत्य पौगण्डवयो मनोज्ञं ।
उपेक्ष्य वत्सावनमुत्सवेन प्रावर्तथा गोगणपालनायाम् ॥१॥

O Lord of the universe! Having passed childhood Thou attained the charming age of boyhood (6 to 10 years). Then Thou gave up the tending of the calves and enthusiastically promoted to herding cows and cattle.

उपक्रमस्यानुगुणैव सेयं मरुत्पुराधीश तव प्रवृत्ति: ।
गोत्रापरित्राणकृतेऽवतीर्णस्तदेव देवाऽऽरभथास्तदा यत् ॥२॥

O Lord! This occupation that Thou took up was the fit and proper beginning for the work which lay ahead. O Lord of Guruvaayur! Thy incarnation was for the protection of 'Gotra', the earth, and tending 'Gotras', the cows, was a first step towards that end.

कदापि रामेण समं वनान्ते वनश्रियं वीक्ष्य चरन् सुखेन ।
श्रीदामनाम्न: स्वसखस्य वाचा मोदादगा धेनुककाननं त्वम् ॥३॥

Once, with Balaraam, as Thou were happily roaming about in the woods and admiring the beauty of the woods, on Thy friend Sudaamaa's suggestion, Thou enthusiastically entered the Dhenuka forest.

उत्तालतालीनिवहे त्वदुक्त्या बलेन धूतेऽथ बलेन दोर्भ्याम् ।
मृदु: खरश्चाभ्यपतत्पुरस्तात् फलोत्करो धेनुकदानवोऽपि ॥४॥

At Thy words, Balaraam shook the cluster of tall palm trees with the force of both his strong arms. A bunch of soft and ripe and hard and unripe fruits fell in front of Thee. Just then, the demon Dhenukaasura, in the form of a donkey also appeared.

समुद्यतो धैनुकपालनेऽहं कथं वधं धैनुकमद्य कुर्वे ।
इतीव मत्वा ध्रुवमग्रजेन सुरौघयोद्धारमजीघनस्त्वम् ॥५॥

I am engaged in protecting the cows (Dhenuka), how can I now kill the Dhenuka (cow) asura?' Thus interpreting, as it were, Thou made Balaraam Thy elder brother kill Dhenukaasura who was an enemy of the gods.

तदीयभृत्यानपि जम्बुकत्वेनोपागतानग्रजसंयुतस्त्वम् ।
जम्बूफलानीव तदा निरास्थस्तालेषु खेलन् भगवन् निरास्थ: ॥६॥

Dhenukaasura's servants had also come in the form of jackals. O Lord! Thou and Thy elder brother, as if in mere play, smashed them effortlessly against the palm trees as though they were mere black-berries.

विनिघ्नति त्वय्यथ जम्बुकौघं सनामकत्वाद्वरुणस्तदानीम् ।
भयाकुलो जम्बुकनामधेयं श्रुतिप्रसिद्धं व्यधितेति मन्ये ॥७॥

Then when Thou were killing the pack of jackals, Jambukas, Varuna, the water god, whose name is famous in the Vedas as Jambuka, hid it in the Vedas only, for the fear of being killed. I believe that it is for this reason that Varuna's name as 'Jambuka' is not known.

तवावतारस्य फलं मुरारे सञ्जातमद्येति सुरैर्नुतस्त्वम् ।
सत्यं फलं जातमिहेति हासी बालै: समं तालफलान्यभुङ्क्था: ॥८॥

O Slayer of Mura! The gods praised Thee saying that the fruit of Thy incarnation has now appeared. Thou laughingly said that 'indeed the fruits of the palm tree have been got now', and saying so, ate the fruits with the boys.

मधुद्रवस्रुन्ति बृहन्ति तानि फलानि मेदोभरभृन्ति भुक्त्वा ।
तृप्तैश्च दृप्तैर्भवनं फलौघं वहद्भिरागा: खलु बालकैस्त्वम् ॥९॥

Thou ate the nectar like juice dripping luscious and fleshy fruits with the boys to Thy heart's content. Fully satisfied and triumphant Thou returned to the house carrying along loads of such fruits.

हतो हतो धेनुक इत्युपेत्य फलान्यदद्भिर्मधुराणि लोकै: ।
जयेति जीवेति नुतो विभो त्वं मरुत्पुराधीश्वर पाहि रोगात् ॥१०॥

O Omnipresent and Omnipotent Lord! The people approached Thee cheering that Dhenukaasura was killed. They praised Thee saying, 'Victory to Thee', 'May Thou live long', as they ate the sweet fruits. O Lord of Guruvaayur! Do save me from my ailments.