Krishna's Lineage

by Simon Brodbeck

  42 When the mighty Brahmashiras missile was stripped of its brilliance and potency, Guha picked up a golden spear. 43 That spear looked like the fire at the end of the age. It blazed like a huge meteor and was fitted with lines of bells. Guha, furious, hurled it, 44 and the great spear sped through the sky with its tip blazing, seeking Krishna’s death, as if its mouth was gaping open.

  45 Indra and all the leaders of the immortals saw the flaming spear and were deeply disturbed, saying that Krishna would be incinerated. 46 But just before the great spear reached him in the great battle, he rebuked it and made it fall to the ground with the mere sound of his growling, 47 and when the great spear was struck down shouts of praise were heard on all sides, and Vāsava and all the gods roared like lions.

  48 As the gods roared, majestic Vāsudeva once again took up his discus, the destroyer of beings. 49 But while the immeasurably glorious Krishna was brandishing the discus, Kotavī saw it, and she went and stood in front of him. He stopped and said: Go away! You go away! Shame! Shame!

  50 At that juncture, while musical instruments were playing, kettledrums booming, and Daityas roaring like lions, Bāna came up to Krishna. 51 He’d watched Krishna, the peerlessly powerful bull of the Yadus, advancing through the battle mounted upon the son of Vinatā, and now he intervened.

  52 Bāna said:

  Stand and fight! Stand and fight! You won’t get away from me alive today, and you won’t see Dvārakā again, or your friends who live in Dvārakā. 53 You’ve been summoned by Death, Mādhava, and by the time you see the treetops turn the colour of gold in the light of today’s setting sun, I’ll have defeated you in battle and you’ll wish you were dead. 54 You with the Garuda banner! When you come up against me in battle today, how will you compete with your eight arms against someone who has a thousand? 55 I shall surely defeat you and your relatives in battle today, and when you’ve been struck down in Shonitapura, Dvārakā will be just a memory to you. 56 Today you must learn that when they’re holding all manner of weapons and decorated with all manner of armbands, my thousand arms are like ten million.

  57 As he thundered on, fearsome words flooded out of him like waters flooding out of the sea, or like waves tossed up by the wind, 58 and his eyes became deranged with fury. He was like a massive sun rising into the sky intent on burning up the world.

  59 The lord said:

  Why are you boasting, Bāna? Champions who stand firm in battle don’t boast. Come here, come here into battle and fight. What’s the point of your idle boasting? 60 If wars were won with words, Diti’s darling, you’d be sure to win every time, but you keep on prattling about something that’s not yet happened. 61 Come here, demon Bāna, come here and defeat me, or else you’ll fall face-down onto the ground and lie there at last, defeated and despondent.

  62 After making this speech, Krishna wounded Bāna in battle with swift unerring arrows that blazed with power and cut him to the quick, 63 and then Bāna, smiling, covered Krishna with storms of arrows that came thick and fast and seemed almost to be on fire. In this terrible battle 64 the two adversaries used sharp arrows, and then they used maces, iron bludgeons, and javelins. They careered around vigorously in battle, both of them abusing each other, both of them on their guard.

  65 Bāna enveloped Keshava with clubs and pikes. 66 When the wielder of conch, discus, and mace clashed with Bāna, a man with eight arms fought against a thousand arms.

  67 Bali’s son had a supreme celestial missile that Brahmā had bestowed upon him previously. Created as a result of his austerities, it was huge and irresistible and could destroy all his enemies in battle, and he now launched it. 68 When it was launched all the directions took on a grim appearance, their districts descended into darkness, and nothing could be discerned at all. 69 The Dānavas paid homage to Bāna with exclamations of praise, but the words shouted by the gods were ones of horror and reproach. 70 Then the full power of the missile kicked in, and vicious storms of burning arrows rained down with great force. It was terrible to behold. 71 When Bāna had launched the missile and Keshava was being burned, the wind didn’t stir and the clouds didn’t move.

  72 Then Lord Madhusūdana chose a very swift missile which was like Yama the destroyer in battle. It was called the downpour missile, 73 and after the downpour missile had been activated by its magic words the Dānava’s weapon was neutralised, and all the companies of gods roared and rejoiced.

  74 When his weapon was destroyed, the Daitya swelled up with rage, your majesty, and as Keshava sat upon Garuda, Bāna once again enveloped him with clubs and pikes, not forgetting spears and hammers. 75 But Keshava the destroyer of his enemies quickly warded off Bāna’s entire storm once again, just as it was about to strike.

  76 During the battle there was a duel between the god’s vehicle and the Daitya’s vehicle, a duel between Garuda and the fighting peacock. 77 In their fury the peacock and Garuda both attacked each other with strikes of their wings and beaks, and with the claws on the ends of their feet. 78 The peacock was brilliant and energetic, but Vinatā’s son was angry and angry, and he grabbed it by the head, stabbed it with his beak, 79 and thumped it with his right wing. Mighty Garuda then used his feet to give it several terrible wounds on its sides, 80 and mighty Garuda then pulled it around at speed, pulled it apart, and threw it down senseless like a mountain thrown down from the sky.

  81 When his peacock was felled by the bird Garuda, Bāna thought about the task before him, and he was seriously worried. 82 Lord Rudra saw that Bāna was downhearted and seriously anxious in battle, but when he thought about protecting Bāna, he felt sick. 83 So in a solemn tone of voice the great god Rudra said to Nandin: Little Lord Nandin, go and take the chariot over to where Bāna is. 84 As for me, if I get close to gangs of tormentor fiends, my mind gets unsettled. You’re in charge, my boy. Go and protect Bāna. Off you go.

  85 Nandin the supreme charioteer replied saying that he would, and then he took the chariot over to where Bāna was and softly said to him: 86 Quick, mighty Daitya, come and get on this chariot.

  Bāna agreed, and got up onto the chariot belonging to the great god Rudra. 87 Then, after mounting the chariot belonging to the boundlessly brilliant Bhava, Bāna the supreme missile expert, furious and full of machismo, revealed the fierce and flaming missile that’s called the Brahmashiras. 88 Lotus-born Brahmā had created the Brahmashiras for the purpose of protecting the world, but nonetheless, when it was kindled, the world started trembling.

  89 Majestic Krishna destroyed that weapon with his discus. Then he addressed Bāna, who was peerless in battle, his glory renowned the world over. He said:

  90 Where are those boasts of yours now, Bāna? Why aren’t you boasting? Here I am, ready for battle, so be a man and fight. 91 In the old days there was a powerful man named Arjuna Kārtavīrya. He had a thousand arms, but in battle Rāma Jāmadagnya reduced him to two arms.*92 And since you, too, are arrogant because of the power of your arms, my discus will extinguish your arrogance at the battlefront in exactly the same way. 93 So stand there while I remove the arms that make you arrogant. You’ll not escape from me at the battlefront today!

  94 Then, roaring like a cloud thundering at the end of the hot season, Krishna the man-tiger picked up his discus of a thousand spokes in order to destroy Bāna’s arms. 95 The discus contained all the brilliance of the shining sun, the moon, and the patriarchs, 96 and when it was poised opposite Bāna, filled with that brilliance and blazing brightly with splendour, it sucked all the brilliance out of his body.

  97 Kotavī saw Lord Vāsudeva on the battlefield with the discus in his upraised hand, and she went and stood in front of him with no clothes on. 98 Appointed by the goddess Umā Vijayā in order to save Bāna, she had removed all her clothes while she was invisible again, and now she stood there once more in the midst of battle, with no clothes on, her eyes red with indignation. 99 Intent upon protecting Bāna, she said: Surely, god, you shouldn’t kill Bāna, who’s never been matched in battle.

  10
0 Then strong-armed Krishna, the supreme assailant, lost his temper. As the hostilities continued, he shook his supreme discus and said to Bāna: 101 Fight! Fight in the battle! Kotavī stands here on your behalf, as if you’re incapable of battle. Shame upon your masculinity, Bāna!

  102 After saying this, mighty Krishna, the supreme missile expert, closed his eyes and hurled the discus towards Bāna. 103 Vishnu’s missile certainly had a firm hub, and as it span across the battlefield at speed it went so fast that it couldn’t be discerned, like a firebrand whirled in a circle. 104 The discus cut Bāna down to size at the battlefront, cutting off his one thousand arms one by one in succession. 105 Stripped of his arms and soaked in masses of blood from his streaming body, the great demon looked like a mountain.

  106 Lofty Krishna wanted to throw the discus again, to kill Bāna, but the great god Rudra came up to him with Kumāra and said:

  107 Krishna, great god Krishna, I know that you’re the supreme person, the killer of Madhu and Kaitabha, and the eternal god of gods. 108 You’re the origin of the universe and the process of the worlds. The three worlds wouldn’t be able to defeat you, god, even with all their gods, demons, and humans. 109 So you must withdraw this celestial discus that you’re poised to use. It can’t be resisted or repressed, and it strikes terror into your enemies in battle. 110 I’m asking for your indulgence, killer of Keshin, because I’ve promised security to Bāna here, and I mustn’t go back on my word.

  111 The lord said:

  Bāna here shall remain alive, god. I withdraw the discus. You, god, are to be honoured by all, gods and demons alike. 112 Homage to you, Maheshvara. I shall depart. What needs doing hasn’t yet been done, so you must excuse me.

  113 After telling the great god Rudra that, Krishna quickly departed on Garuda for the place where Pradyumna’s son was beset by arrows.

  114 After Krishna had departed, Nandin helpfully said to Bāna: Bāna! Dance, Bāna, it’ll be the best thing for you.

  115 So, prompted by Nandin’s words, Bāna, with his limbs soaked in masses of blood, did indeed dance for his life in front of Shankara. 116 The Dānava had become terrified, and he cut a pitiful figure as he danced with his mind reeling and his eyes clouded with terror.

  117 Maheshvara said:

  Name your wish, Bāna—whatever stirs in your heart. I’m inclined to be favourable to you. The time has come for you to get your wish.

  118 Bāna said:

  May I always be ageless and immortal, my lord. This shall be my first wish, god, if you approve.

  119 Maheshvara said:

  You’re like the deities, Bāna. You won’t die. Now name another wish. I’ll always oblige you.

  120 Bāna said:

  Bhava, may your devotees be blessed with sons if they carry on dancing as I do, even though I’m troubled by wounds, dripping with blood, and in terrible pain.

  121 Maheshvara said:

  For devotees of mine who fast, practise forgiveness, focus upon honesty and truthfulness, and dance, it will be as you say.

  122 Bāna said:

  Being shorn by the discus has caused me terrible, acute pain. So for my third wish, Bhava, may my pain be eased.

  123 Maheshvara said:

  Bless you, it’ll be as you say. Your pain will abate and your body will become healed and healthy.

  I’ll grant you a fourth wish, demon. Choose whatever you want. I’m not turning my back on you, my boy. Indeed, I’m glad to favour you.

  125 Bāna said:

  May I be the best in the lineage of the tormentor-fiend gangs, my lord and master, and may I become famous by the name of Mahākāla the Great Destroyer.

  126 Maheshvara said:

  Great demon renowned for your strength and your manliness, I’ll grant you yet another wish. Choose whatever it is you might want, if you please.

  127 Bāna said:

  Truest of gods, may my limbs not make me at all ugly. Now that I’ve got just two arms, Bhava, may my body not be ugly.

  128 The great god said to Bāna, who was now standing next to him: It will be so, Bāna, just as you’ve requested.

  129 After the holy three-eyed god had said all this in the midst of his entourage, he disappeared there and then, while all beings looked on.

  113. Return to Dvārakā

  1 Vaishampāyana said:

  The great snakes that had struck Aniruddha’s body in the form of arrows were still enveloping it. But now, as soon as they set eyes upon Garuda, 2 the serpentine arrows all obeyed their nature: they all suddenly withdrew from his body and fled into the earth.

  3 Noble Krishna had a look at Aniruddha and stroked him, and then, standing there with his heart full of joy and his palms together in respect, Aniruddha said: 4 God of gods, you’re always victorious in battle. Who, indeed—and that includes Shatakratu himself—would be able to stand against you?

  5 The lord said:

  Quick, get onto Garuda. We must leave for the city of Dvārakā.

  Hearing this, Aniruddha and the Dānava’s daughter climbed aboard. 6 Then, when they were all mounted on Garuda, those bulls of men set out on their long journey. Having defeated the great demon Bāna, 7 they rose into the sky and headed in a westerly direction.

  Below them, all different colours, grazing in their thousands in the woodlands on the coast, 8 were Bāna’s cows. Sitting on Garuda, the imperishable god who made all the worlds noticed them, and set his heart on them. He said:

  9 Satyabhāmā told me to bring her back some of Bāna’s cows. She said it’s because they drink the milk of those cows that the great demons don’t grow old. 10 She said I should please bring some back for her as long as it didn’t hinder our mission, but that I mustn’t set my heart on them if it would compromise our main task.

  11 Those are the cows that we can see there. But they’ve spotted me, and they’re all grouping together and entering Varuna’s ocean. There’s some work for us to do here!

  12 Garuda agreed, and he immediately put some wind on his wings and dived right down close to the ocean, the lair of Varuna.

  13 Then Varuna’s vicious army came up to Vāsudeva, raised its various weapons, and attacked. 14 But as Varuna’s forces came charging into battle in their thousands, they were quickly broken apart, and they returned to that same lair of Varuna. 15 Varuna sent sixty thousand and sixty hundred chariots into battle with flashing weapons, 16 but when the army was scorched on all sides by Krishna’s floods of arrows it couldn’t hold a position, and it returned, broken, to Varuna.

  17 While the seers, gods, light-elves, and companies of celestial nymphs praised him again and again, Varuna got ready. 18 While a handsome white umbrella was held over him streaming with water, he brandished his best bow and stood ready. 19 The angry lord of the waters was augmented by the armies of his sons and grandsons, and he stretched his great bow as if he were issuing a summons to battle. 20 Blowing on a conch shell, Varuna then charged angrily at Hari just as Hara had, and enveloped him in floods of arrows. 21 So mighty Janārdana blew his ocean-born conch Pānchajanya, and filled all the directions with downpours of arrows in turn.

  22 Although Varuna was troubled again and again by torrents of arrows, Varuna carried on fighting the battle against Krishna with something of a smile. 23 So Vāsudeva, unflinching in battle, intoned the magic words that activated the terrible missile of Vishnu, and then he stood before Varuna and said: 24 This is the deeply vicious missile of Vishnu, which crushes my enemies, and I’ve now primed it to kill you, so stand up and be steadfast.

  25 When the missile of Vishnu was activated, the powerful god Varuna of course shot at it using the missile of Varuna, and gave out a roar. 26 But as the water that unfolded from Varuna’s weapon issued forth, Vishnu’s weapon just soaked it up, winner of wars. 27 Then the mighty missile of Vishnu blazed up again, and all of Varuna’s troops were burned and fled away in all directions in terror.

  28 Varuna saw them burning and said to Krishna:

  Remember the unmanifest primord
ial matrix, of which the manifest world is a sign. Shun the quality of darkness, momentous man. Why are you deluded by the quality of passion? 29 You always used to concentrate upon the quality of clarity, wise lord of yogis. Renounce the vices that stem from the five elements, and renounce the ego!*

  30 I’m definitely older than this manifestation of Vishnu,† and by dint of being your elder I deserve your respect. So why do you want to burn me here? 31 Surely a fire can’t fight against another fire. Put your anger aside, supreme warrior.

  No one will match you, for you’re the source of the world. 32 First, of course, you created the matrix, who dutifully transforms herself, through the ripening of karmic seeds, in accordance with good works that were performed previously. 33 In the beginning, using only the matrix, you created this world that’s made of fire and soma. So why would you, of all people, esteem the likes of me? 34 Brilliant god, you and you alone are forever the unconquerable, eternal, indestructible, changeless, self-born nurturer of beings. 35 So protect me. You should protect me, impeccable god! Homage to you! You’re the world’s prime mover—it was promulgated by you alone.

  36 Great god, are you playing, like a child playing with its toys?

  I’m certainly not hostile towards the matrix, and nor am I harming her. 37 The matrix exists within her transformations, supreme person, and when her transformations have ceased, you, as is your wont, carry on. 38 You’re the transformation of all the transformations in the house of transformation, faultless god, and you always transform the fools who don’t know their duty. 39 For indeed, the matrix is always beset with faults through the quality of darkness, or stained through the quality of passion, and hence delusion occurs. 40 But you know the precedent and the consequent, you know everything, you possess supernormal powers, and you’re practically the patriarch himself, so why do you make us all go astray?