(O janamejaya!) The one who eats flesh (the pishAcha), saw the Lord of the universe, the preceptor of the universe, hari, on the earth, as he had seen the lord in his meditation.

The one who eats flesh said: Here is viShNu! Here is viShNu! He is also seen here as I have seen him during meditation!

ayaM sa chakrI sharashAr~NgadhanvA
gAdI rathI sadhvajatUNapANiH
sahasramUrdhA sakalAmaresho
jagatprasUtirjagatAM nivAsaH ||3-82-3

(ghaNTAkarNa said:) Here is the one who holds the chakra, arrows, the bow shAr~Nga and the mace in his hands, who rides the chariot having a flagstaff and a quiver, the one with thousand heads, the Lord of all gods, the one who delivered the universe, the one who is the abode of the universe.

Here is viShNu, here is the conqueror (jiShNu), the Lord of the universe, the ancient lord, the best among the puruSha-s, the soul of the world, the creator of the world, here is the eternal lord (viShNu).

asyaiva devasya hareH stanAntare
virAjate kaustubharatnadIpaH |
yasya prasAdAjjagadetadAdau
virAjate chandramaseva rAtriH ||3-82-5

Between the breasts of lord hari, the jewel kaustubha sparkles as a lamp. Due to his pleasure, the universe is dazzling as the night dazzles due to the moon.

Here is the lord, who uplifted the earth from the ocean on the tip of his fang. Here is the lord hari who took up the real form of the great varAha.

baddhvA tathA dAnavamugrapauruShaM
dadau cha shakrAya tato.anurAjyam |
baliM balAdeSha hariH sa vAmanaH
stutashcha bhaktyA munibhiH purAtanaiH ||3-82-7

Tying up the son of danu, bali of terrible power, by force, hari (viShNu), the ancient one, praised with devotion by sages, in the form of vAmana, gave shakra, his sovereignty.

(Taking the form of narasimha having) terrible fangs and slaying the great sons of danu in the battle, janArdana (viShNu) made the entire world devoid of sorrow.

Adau dadhAraikabhujena mandaraM
nirjitya sarvAnasurAnmahArNave |
dadau cha shakrAya sudhAmayaM mahA-
nsa eSha sAkShAdiha mAmavasthitaH ||3-32-9

In the beginning, holding the mandara mountain with his one arm, conquering all the sons of diti (asura-s) in the great ocean, the great lord (viShNu) who gave sudha (nectar) to shakra, is standing in front me in his true form.

This great lord (viShNu) is lying comfortably on the serpent (ananta) along with lakShmi, in the ocean. He is the lord who killed the two terrible sons of danu, named madhu and kaiTabha.

yamAhurAdyaM vibudhA jagatpatiM
sarvasya dhAtAramajaM janitram |
aNoraNIyAMsamatipramANaM
sthUlAtsthaviShThaM harimeva viShNum ||3-82-11

The lord of the universe is the one to be worshipped first - So say the wise. He is the constituent of all, He is the unborn lord, the origin of all. He is the subtle (minute) of the subtle, the most fundamental measure. (At the same time) hari, viShNu is the gross of the gross.

All this (world) is fixed in the lord. On destruction, all this world goes to the lord (viShNu). All the world was born from him. That lord (viShNu) is standing here.

yasyechChayA sarvamidaM pravR^ittaM
pravartate chApi janArdanasya |
ayaM sa viShNuH puruShottamaH shivaH
pravartate mAmiha yAdaveshvaraH ||-82-13

All the world is born and all the world function due to the desire of the lord janArdana (viShNu). That lord viShNu, the best among men, shiva, is here as the lord of yAdava-s (kR^iShNa).

The one who is born in the race of bhR^igu, known as the son of jamadagni, who became the disciple of mR^igavyAdha (hunter of deer, shiva) is standing here.

jaghAna vIryAdbalinaM mahAraNe
kuThArashastreNa girIshashiShyaH |
sahasrabAhuM kR^itavIryasaMbhavaM
hayairgajaishchaiva rathaishcha nirgatam ||3-82-15

The lord (viShNu), disciple of girIsha (shiva), holding the axe with his hand, with his valiance, killed the powerful son of kR^itavIrya, having thousand arms along with chariots, horses and elephants, in the great battle.

Entering kurukShetra, the same lord (viShNu) performed the rites for the pit^Ri-s. The lord made the world devoid of kShatriya-s, twenty-one times.

janArdana (viShNu) was born in the race of raghu with the name rAma. He was yoked with sIta, goddess shrI, with lakShmaNa as follower.

kR^itvA cha setuM jaladhau janArdano
hatvA cha rakShaHpatimAshugaiH sharaiH |
dattvA cha rAjyaM sa vibhiShaNAya
dashAshvamedhairayajachcha yo.asau ||3-82-18

janArdana (viShNu) made a bridge across the ocean (to lankA), killed the lord of rAkShasa-s by shooting swift moving arrows, gave the land to vibhIShaNa and performed ten ashvamEdha.

The lord (viShNu), pronounced as vAsudeva, was born in the race of vasudeva. He played in gokula along with sa~NkarShaNa (balarAma).

uttAnashAyI shiShurUpadhArI
pItvA stanaM pUtanikApradattam |
vyasuM chakArAshu janArdanastadA
danoH sutAM tAmavasatsukhaM hariH ||3-82-20

As a small child, lying on his back, the lord drank the breast (milk) given by pUtana. Then janArdana, hari, took away the life of the daughter of danu (pUtana) and lived there comfortably.

The lord (viShNu) drank milk and ate the butter obtained by churning the thick sour milk. His mother became angry and bound him strongly on his waist with a rope.

tatashcha dAmnA sudR^iDhena baddho
jaghAna yo.asau yamalArjunau cha |
krIDanharirgokulavAsavAsI
gopIbhirAsvAdya mukhaM stanaM cha ||3-82-22

The lord who was bound tightly with a rope, struck down the twin trees of Terminalia Arjuna. The lord hari, living and playing in gokula enjoyed the faces along with the breasts of gopI-s.

Lord viShNu who lived in gokula with gopa-s, lived in vR^indAvana. O king! (janamejaya! vaishampAyana continued). There, he sparkled like the sun, killing the horse (keshI).

yaH krIDate nAgaphaNau janArdano
niShevyamANaH saha gopadArakaiH |
mahAhrade nAgapatiM jagatpati-
rmamarda vIryAtishayaM pradarshayan ||3-82-24

The lord janArdana (viShNu, kR^iShNa), danced on the hood of serpent (kAliya). The gopa boys served him. The lord of the universe (viShNu, kR^iShNa) crushed the lord of serpents in the great pool, exhibiting valiance.

The lord broke dhenuka in the forest of pAlmyra trees (tAla) along with their fruits and killed the terrible son of danu and provided happiness to the gopa-s.

dadhAra yo godharamugrapauruShA-
nmahAmatirmeghasamAgame sati |
viDambayachChkrabalaM pramodayan
gopAMshcha gopIshcha sa gokulaM hariH ||3-82-26

With great power, the lord, with great intellect, lifted up the mountain (govardhana) as the rains approached. Deriding the power of shakra, hari provided happiness to the gopa-s and gopI-s in gokulam.

The lord played in the hearts of gopI-s as he desired (See nIlakaNTha commentary). Taking up the body of a man by illusion, the lord drank their lips.

gopIbhirAsvAdya mukhaM vivikte
shete sma ratrau sukhameva keshavaH |
stanAntareShveva tadA cha tAsAM
kAmIva kAntAdharapallavaM piban ||3-82-28

Enjoying the faces of gopI-s in solitude, keshava slept comfortably in the night. Like one who has desires, the lord played among their breasts and drank the lips of the dear ones.

Called by akrUra (as directed by kaMsa), on the way (to mathura), the lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) was worshipped by him in the world of serpents, in the river, Yamuna.

tatashcha gachChanbalavA~njanArdano
hatvA tamugraM rajakaM balAtpathi |
hR^itvA cha vastrANi yatheShTamIshvaro
yayau sarAmo mathurAM purIM hariH ||3-82-30

Afterwards, as he was proceeding on the way, the powerful lord janArdana (viShNu, kR^iShNa), killed the terrible washer-man by force. The lord hari (viShNu, kR^iShNa) took clothes as he liked and reached the city of mathura along with (bala)rAma.

labdhvA cha dAmAni bahUni kAmado
dattvA varaM mAlyakR^ite mahAntam |
labdhvAnulepaM surabhiM cha yAdavaH
kubjAM chakArAshu mahArharUpAm ||3-82-31

The one who fulfils the desires of the devotees (viShNu, kR^iShNa) received many garlands and gave great boons to the maker of garlands. The yAdava (viShNu, kR^iShNa) received fragrant pastes from kubja (the one with hunch) and gave her a beautiful form.

The lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) took up the great bow and broke it in the middle. The lord roared aloud in a lion's voice, like a water bearing cloud at the end of the world.

hatvA gajaM ghoramudagrarUpaM
viShANamAdAya tato.anu keshavaH |
nanarta ra~Nge bahurUpamIshvaraH
kaMsasya dattvA bhayamugravIryaH ||3-82-33

Then keshava (kR^iShNa), killed the elephant kuvalayApIDa having a terrible and towering form. Taking his great tusk, the lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) danced in a variety of forms on the stage (wrestling arena). The lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) having high valiance, gave terror to kaMsa.

The lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) killed the great wrestler chANUra and provided pleasure to the yAdava-s, as kaMsa was watching.

jaghANa kamsaM ripupakShaghAtinaM
pitR^idviShaM yAdavanAmadheyam |
saMsthApya rAjye harirugrasenaM
sAMdIpanaM kAshyamupAgato yaH ||3-82-35

The lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) killed kaMsa, the killer of enemies, the one who hated his father, the one who belonged to the yAdava-s only by name. The lord hari (viShNu, kR^iShNa), installed ugrasena as the king of the land and arrived at the side of sAMdIpani, the one from kashi.

After obtaining all knowledge and giving the son to the great sage (sAndIpani), the lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) along with his elder brother (balarAma), went to mathura, the city of the yAdava-s.

hatvA nishumbhaM narakaM mahAmatiH
kR^itva sa ghoraM kadanaM janArdanaH |
rarakSha viprAnmunivIrasaMghA-
ndevAMshcha sarvA~njagato jagatpatiH ||3-82-37

The lord with great intellect, janArdana, the lord of the universe (viShNu, kR^iShNa), killed nishumbha and naraka, who created terrible sorrow, and protected the brahmins, sages, the valiant deva-s and all the world.

He is that lord viShNu. I am able to see the lord janArdana (viShNu, kR^iShNa), today. I have become the one who has done what is to be done. I have attained communion with the lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa).

The one who has seen hari (viShNu, kR^iShNa) in the real form, his deleiverance is in his hands. To him, hari in the real form is appearing here.

It is sure that I have gathered merit in my other births before. Due to the outcome of that merit, I am seeing the lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa) here.

What item shall I offer the lord? What shall I tell the lord (viShNu, kR^iShNa)? O viShNu (kR^iShNa)! What shall I do? Please tell me what you desire.

O king! (janamejaya! vaishampAyana continued) I bow to you hari! I bow to you kr^iShNa!, the lord of yAdava-s! keshava! Saying this, the flesh eater danced in front of hari (viShNu, kR^iShNa) in many forms.

This is the eighty-second lesson of bhaviShyaparva, harivaMsha, khila of mahabhArata, in kalAsayAtra, ghaNTAkarNa's Hymn to ViShNu

3-82-1 pishitAsheti ||
3-82-11 janitraM janayitAram ||
3-82-16 pitR^ikriyAM pitrR^itarpaNaM rudhireNeti sheShaH ||
3-82-24 phaNAvAkramyeti sheShaH |
phaNA dvayo ityamaraH |
puMsi dvivachanamidam ||
3-82-26 godharaM shailam ||
3-82-27 stanamadhye hR^idaye ||
3-82-31 dAmAni puShpamAlAH | mAlyakR^ite mAlAkArAya ||
3-82-33 gajaM kuvalayApIDaM viShANaM dantam ||
3-82-35 yAdavanAmadheyaM natu yAdavaM drumilajatvAt ||
3-82-36 putraM naShTamiti sheShaH ||
3-82-43 keshavetyantaM pathan ||

iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe bhaviShyaparvaNi TIkAyAM dvyashItitamo.adhyAyaH || 82 ||

##Itranslated by G. Shchhaufelberger, schhaufel@wanadoo.fr July 30, 2008
Proof-read by K S Rmachandran, ramachandran_ksr @ yahoo.ca.
If you find any errors compared to Chitrashala Press edition, send corrections to A. Harindranath harindranath_a @ yahoo.com
Translated to English by A. Purushothaman [purushothaman_avaroth @ yahoo.com] and A. Harindranath
February 15. 2013##