by Bibek Debroy
Chapter 63
Vaishampayana said, ‘When Shakra left, the residents of Vraja honoured Krishna, who had held up Govardhana. The handsome one then entered Vraja. The aged and the kin were delighted and honoured him. They said, “We are blessed that you held up the mountain. The cows overcame their fear of the rain. We have been able to tide over a great fear. O Govinda! O immensely radiant one! You are like a god. O lord of the cows! We have witnessed your superhuman deed. O Krishna! O undecaying one! We have seen how you held up the mountain. O immensely strong one! Who are you, a Rudra, a Marut, or a Vasu? Why did Vasudeva become your father? You have censured us through your childhood actions in the forest and your birth.741 O Krishna! Your deeds are divine. There is a doubt in our minds. Why are you censuring us by finding delight in the attire of a gopa? You are like a guardian of the world. Why are you protecting cows? Whether you are a god, a danava, a yaksha or a gandharva, you have been born as our relative. You are who you are. We bow down before you. For some reason, depending on your wishes, you have decided to reside with us. All of us are devoted to you. We seek refuge in you.” On hearing the words of the gopas, the lotus-eyed Krishna smiled and replied to all the kin who had assembled. “All of you think that I am terrible in valour. That is not how you should think of me. I am your kin and relative. However, if you really wish to hear the truth, wait for an appropriate time. It is then that you will be able to hear about, and see, my true nature. If you now take pride in your relative being like a god in his radiance, you have shown me your favours. What is the need to know anything more?” When they were addressed by Vasudeva’s son in this fashion, the gopas were silent. They covered their faces and went away, in different directions.
‘In the night, Krishna saw the new and young moon. It was an autumn night and his mind turned towards enjoying himself. The roads of Vraja were tinged with dust from dried cow dung. The valiant one desired to organize a duel among the bulls. The valiant one also organized a contest among the cowherds to see who was the strongest. The brave lord proposed that cows should be seized from the forest.742 The one who knew about time was in his youth. In the night, having regard to the time and showing proper respect, he invited the young gopa maidens and enjoyed himself with them. His face was beautiful, as if the moon had descended on earth. In the night, the gopa women drank in the beauty of his face with their eyes. Krishna was attired in excellent yellow silk garments and this made him even more beautiful. He looked like a wet haritala bird.743 He was adorned in armlets and a colourful garland made of wild flowers. Govinda was handsome and enhanced Vraja’s beauty. The gopa maidens said, “We bow down before Damodara.” They had witnessed his wonderful deeds in Vraja and knew about his glorious truth. They crushed him against their thick breasts. The beautiful women rolled their eyes and looked at his face. Though they were restrained by their fathers, brothers and mothers, the gopa women were driven by desire and searched Krishna out in the night. All of them stood in lines and sported. The gopa maidens organized contests, in which they sang about Krishna’s character. With their eyes fixed on Krishna, they mimicked Krishna. The young maidens imitated Krishna’s gait. With palm leaves in their hands, some playfully struck each other. The women of Vraja talked about Krishna’s character. They danced, sang, sported and looked at him. Delighted, the women of Vraja played in this way. Overcome by their sentiments, the beautiful women sang in sweet voices. Devoted to Damodara, they were delighted at having come to Vraja. With dried cow dung smeared on their limbs, they surrounded Krishna. They gave him pleasure, like she-elephants do to a male elephant. They were completely immersed in him, their eyes showing their attachment and their faces smiling. With eyes like black antelopes, the women drank in Krishna with their eyes, but were not satisfied. Thirsting with desire, the gopa maidens glanced at his face. In the night, even when intercourse was over, driven by desire, they continued to drink him in. The women laughed in delight. They were content when Damodara spoke some words. While thinking about intercourse, the partings in their hair were disturbed. The hair came loose and hung over the breasts of the gopa women. In this way, Krishna was like an ornament for the multitude of gopa women. In the moonlit night of autumn, he sported happily.’
Chapter 64
Vaishampayana said, ‘One morning, when Krishna was engaged in pleasure, there was terror in Vraja, because Arishta showed himself. He was as dark as coal that has been burnt, or a cloud. His horns were sharp and his eyes were like the sun. He was black and his hooves were sharp at the tips. He was like the personified form of Death. He repeatedly licked his lips and gnashed his teeth. He insolently raised his tail. His hump was large and hard. His hump was extremely large. He was impossible to measure. His limbs were covered with urine and excrement and he severely terrified the cows. His waist was thick and his face was large. His knees were firm and his stomach was huge. As he walked, he shook his horns. The skin hung down from his neck. He was eager to mount the cows. There were marks on his face.744 The tips of his horns were ready, poised for fighting. He was the slayer of enemy bulls. His name was Arishta. To the cows, Arishta seemed to be terrible in form. This was a daitya in the form of a bull and he dashed around Vraja. He caused miscarriages from the wombs of cows. He had intercourse with sick cows. He was so eager to mate that he attacked young cows. He was fearsome and used his horns as weapons. His weapons were impossible for the cattle to withstand. That bull found no pleasure unless he could fight with the cows in Vraja. On this occasion, this cow arrived before Krishna. The evil-souled one sought to terrify everyone, but he was on the path to Vaivasvata’s745 abode. The great bull roared, like Indra’s vajra, or like a cloud. He wished to destroy all the bulls in Vraja, including young calves that would become bulls. Krishna clapped his hands and confused him by roaring like a lion. In the form of a bull, the daitya then rushed towards Govinda. Raising his tail, the bull looked at Krishna with his eyes. He was enraged at the clapping of the hands. Desiring to fight, he bellowed. Krishna saw that the danava, in the form of a bull, was rushing towards him. But he remained immobile, like an immoveable mountain. The bull fixed his glance on his flanks and raised his head. It attacked quickly, desiring to slay Krishna. Krishna’s complexion was like that of collyrium. He was like a bull against another bull. When the invincible bull advanced, he seized him. Krishna, who was himself like a bull, engaged with the great bull. As he746 made a great noise, froth issued from his curved mouth. In the encounter, Krishna and the bull sought to counter each other. It was as if two quivering clouds had clashed against each other. He747 destroyed the insolence of his strength. He kicked him between the horns with his feet. He squeezed Arishta’s throat, as if it was a wet cloth. He uprooted the left horn, which was like Yama’s staff. He then struck him on the face. Severely struck, he died. His horns were shattered and his bones were broken. The danava’s shoulder buckled. Vomiting blood, he fell down, like a cloud releasing water. Govinda killed the insolent danava, who was in the form of a bull. On seeing this, everyone was extremely satisfied and uttered words of praise. Upendra, the one with a beautiful face, killed the bull at the end of the night. With eyes like a lotus, he again glittered in his radiance. All the gopas cheerfully worshipped the lotus-eyed Krishna, like the immortals worshipping Shakra in heaven.’
Chapter 65
Vaishampayana said, ‘On hearing that Krishna was in Vraja and that he was growing like a fire, Kamsa became anxious. He was worried and afraid. Putana had been killed and Kaliya had been defeated. Dhenuka had been destroyed and Pralamba had been brought down. Govardhana had been raised and Shakra’s instructions had been countered. Through praiseworthy deeds, the cows had been protected. Arishta, the humped bull, had been killed and the gopas were delighted. He could foresee his destruction and suffered from great fear. The child had performed an unchildlike deed and had dragged the trees down. He heard about these unthinkable deeds and the prosperity of his enemy. The lord of Mathura thought that his own harm was close. He lost his consciousness, sen
ses and mind and became like a lifeless image. In the night, when all was quiet and still in Mathura, the lord of men summoned his kin and his father, Ugrasena. He called Vasudeva,748 who was like a god, the Yadava Kamhvya, Satyaka, Daruka, Kamhvya’s younger brother, Bhoja, Vaitarana, the immensely strong Vikadru, Bhayesakha, King Viprithu, Prithushriya, Babhru, Danapati,749 Kritavarma, Bhuriteja, who was never agitated, and Bhurishrava. The lord of Mathura, the king who was Ugrasena’s son, summoned all these Yadavas and said, “Listen. All of you know about every course of action. You are accomplished in all the sacred texts. You are skilled in matters connected with policy. You know about pursuing the three objectives.750 In this world, in determining action and in acting, you are like the gods. In observing great conduct, you are as immobile as mountains. You show no insolence in conduct. You are always ready to perform the tasks of your seniors. All of you are skilled in counselling the king. All of you are accomplished archers. Your fame is a light to the worlds. You are conversant with the meanings of the Vedas. You know about the creation of the ashramas and the due order of the varnas. You are the ones who enunciate good policy. You are the leaders who show the paths towards good policy. You are the ones who shatter other kingdoms. You are the ones who save those who seek refuge. In this way, your characters are faultless. You are prosperous and at the forefront. Your favours can take care of heaven, not to speak of this mere earth. Your conduct is like that of the rishis. Your power is like that of the Maruts. Your anger is like that of the Rudras. You blaze like Angiras. Extremely great ones like you, famous in deeds, have upheld the Yadu lineage. On earth, your bravery is like that of mountains. You possess such qualities and have followed my inclination. Despite you being here, my misfortune is increasing. How can you ignore that? This son of Nandagopa, is famous as Krishna in Vraja. He is prospering like a cloud and is destroying my foundations. I have been deserted by advisers. In the absence of spies, I am blind. Because of this, Nandagopa’s son is protected in his house. He is like a disease that has been neglected. He is like a full cloud. He is like a thundering cloud at the end of summer. That evil-souled one is prospering. A performer of extraordinary deeds has been born in Nandagopa’s house. I do not know what will come of him, nor about his yoga and his intentions. I do not know how he has been generated. Is he the son of a god? His deeds surpass those of gods and men. The bird, Putana, fed the infant child milk at her breasts. In the course of drinking the invincible one’s milk, he sucked out her life. In the lake in Yamuna, he crushed the serpent Kaliya. In an instant, he vanished from the lake and was conveyed to rasatala. Nandagopa’s son performed this yoga and arose again.751 Dhenuka was flung on the tops of palm trees and killed. In an encounter, even the gods were incapable of looking at Pralamba. However, the child struck him with a blow of his fists and killed him, like an ordinary person. He destroyed Vasava’s festival. When Vasava showered down in anger, he held up Mount Govardhana and removed the water from Gokula. In Vraja, he uprooted the powerful Arishta’s horns and killed him. He sports like a child. But though he assumes the form of a child, these are not the feats of a child. These are the deeds of the one who lives in Vraja with the cows. It is certain that misfortune confronts me and Keshi. I am certain that in earlier lives and bodies, he was the cause of my death. It is as if he is standing in front of me, desiring to fight. Who is this inauspicious one, in the form of a gopa, in the form of a man who is weakened by death? Who is the one with the powers of a god, playing in my Vraja? He is hiding his own form in an inferior body. Like a fire in a cremation ground, this is a god who is sporting. I have heard that in ancient times, to accomplish the tasks of the gods, Vishnu had conquered the entire earth in the form of a vamana. Vishnu displayed Vishnu’s powers in a maned form.752 He killed Hiranyakashipu, the grandfather of the danavas. In ancient times, he assumed the unthinkable form of Bhava753 atop the white mountain and destroyed Tripura of the daityas. Bhargava Angiras gave refuge to his preceptor’s son, using the maya of asuras to create a drought.754 That god is infinite and eternal. He is undecaying and possesses one thousand faces. He assumed the form of a boar and raised the earth from the ocean. Earlier, for the sake of amrita, Vishnu assumed the form of a woman and ensured an extremely terrible battle between the gods and the asuras.755 In ancient times, the gods and the daityas had gathered together for the sake of amrita. It has been heard that Vishnu adopted the form of a tortoise and bore Mandara. In Dasharatha’s house, he divided his energy into four parts. Rama was born in this way and destroyed Ravana. Thus, he assumed different forms and deceived. He accomplished his own tasks and was successful in accomplishing the tasks of the gods. Therefore, it is certain that Vishnu, Shakra or a supreme Marut has arrived to destroy me. This is what Narada had told me earlier. O lords! Therefore, my mind is suspicious about Vasudeva756 now. In particular, it is because of his intelligence that we face this difficulty. Narada met me in the forest of Khatvanga. For the second time, the brahmana again told me these words. “O Kamsa! You made great efforts to destroy the embryo. However, in the night, Vasudeva rendered all your efforts unsuccessful. O Kamsa! In the night, you flung a daughter against the rocks. Know that she was Yashoda’s daughter. Krishna is Vasudeva’s son. Vasudeva is an enemy in the form of a friend. For the sake of your death, in the night, he exchanged the two infants. Yashoda’s daughter is in the Vindhyas, supreme among mountains. She roams around in the mountains and will kill the two danavas, Shumbha and Nishumbha. Her consecration has been done and her attendants are large numbers of spirits.757 She loves great sacrifices of animals and she is worshipped by the bandits. She is adorned with two pots, one full of liquor and the other full of meat. She has colourful armlets made out of peacock feathers and she is decorated with the feathers of peacocks. That forest resounds with the noise of proud cocks and crows. It is full of herds of goats and the birds do not fight amongst themselves. The roars of lions, tigers and boars echo. On every side, the forests are covered by thick trees. Celestial bees are her whisks and there are divine mirrors there. There is the noise of hundreds of divine trumpets. Using her own energy, she has created that spot in Mount Vindhya. Causing terror to her enemies, the beautiful mother always resides there. She lives there in great delight, worshipped by the gods. This leaves Nandagopa’s son, the one who is spoken of as Krishna. In this connection, Narada told me about an extremely important reason. ‘Vasudeva’s second son will be known as Vaasudeva.758 He will be your relative, but will be the natural reason for your death. This Vaasudeva will be Vasudeva’s powerful son.’ Under dharma, he is my relative. However, inside his heart, he is my enemy. He is like a crow that plants its feet on your head and desiring flesh, pecks out your eyes with its beak. Vasudeva, with his sons and relatives, is like that. He enjoys being at my side, but severs my foundations. One may be freed from the sins of killing a foetus, a cow or a woman. But in this world, there is no salvation for someone who is ungrateful, especially if he is a relative. Such a person follows a path that leads downwards. An ungrateful person is attached to a path that leads to a terrible end. He treads the terrible path that leads to hell. Such a person has evil in his heart and acts in a wicked way towards those who have caused no injury. Should my relatives praise me more, or should they praise his son more? I have sought the welfare of my relatives and have followed the rules laid down by the seniors. When elephants desire to fight a terrible duel, they ensure the destruction of the herbs. After the duel is over, they eat together, in the great forest. In the same way, when there is conflict among kin, injury is caused to relatives. Those who are caught in the middle are killed. O Vasudeva! Ignorantly, I nurtured you, ensuring this evil destruction. You have caused this terrible harm to the lineage. You are intolerant and like enmity. You are always evil in intelligence and deceitful. O foolish one! You have made the lineage of the Yadus miserable. O Vasudeva! Because of your age, I have fruitlessly revered you. One does not become aged because one has grey hair on the head, or because one lives for one hundred years. When the int
elligence matures, that is when one becomes the most aged among men. Your intelligence is addicted to harshness. You are not extremely learned. You are only aged in age, like a cloud during autumn.759 O Vasudeva! The virtuous know that your intelligence is futile. You think that once Kamsa has been killed, your son will rule over Mathura. Your hopes will be belied. Your age is futile. Your intentions will be rendered false. No one who stands before me will live. You use your intelligence to remain as a trusted person and strike me. While you look on, I will act against both your sons. I have never killed an aged person, a brahmana or a woman. In particular, I have never killed a relative. You have been born and reared here, nurtured by my father.760 You are the husband of my father’s sister. You are the most senior among the Yadus. You belong to this great and famous lineage of emperors. The virtuous revere you as a senior. So do the Yadus, because your intelligence is presumed to be based on dharma. What can we virtuous people do, except to point out that this conduct is not appropriate for someone who is foremost among the Yadu clan. Because of Vasudeva’s evil action, I may be killed or defeated. The virtuous men among the Yadus now go around with their faces covered. In discussions, you are thinking of a means to kill me in an encounter. The Yadavas speak about the untrustworthy acts that you have committed. Conflict and enmity has arisen between me and Krishna. The Yadavas desire peace and an end to this conflict. Let Danapati quickly go to Vraja. Let him bring Nandagopa and the other gopas who will offer me tribute here. Let him tell Nandagopa that the annual taxes should be paid to me. Let him quickly go and bring all the gopas to this city. Let him say that Kamsa wishes to see Krishna and Samkarshana, Vasudeva’s two sons, together with their servants and priests. They are accomplished in fighting in the arena and can fight according to the needs of the occasion. I have heard that they are firm in disposition and are great in their enterprise. We have two wrestlers who are ready, spirited and victorious. Let those two, who are accomplished in fighting, engage with them. I must see those two children, who are like the immortals. They are the foremost sons of my father’s sister, though they roam around in the forest and dwell in Vraja. Go to Vraja and tell the residents of Vraja, “The cheerful king wishes to organize a sacrifice with a bow.” Let them come here from Vraja and reside nearby, wherever they wish. Everything will be properly organized for all those who are invited. Let payasam, ghee, curds and other milk products be given. As is desired, let all kinds of food be offered. O Akrura! Follow my instructions. Go swiftly and bring them here. I am curious to see Samkarshana and Krishna. If they come, I will be supremely delighted. After I see those extremely valorous ones, I will do whatever is best. If they do not come, after hearing the words that I have spoken, I will crush them at the appropriate time. With children, it is good policy to use conciliation first. Quickly bring them here, after speaking sweet and gentle words. O Akrura! Do this and ensure my pleasure, which is extremely difficult to obtain. O one excellent in vows! Unless Vasudeva has instigated them to the contrary, ensure this.” Vasudeva was like the earth in his patience. His soul was like the ocean. Despite being abused in this way, he did not lose his patience. Kamsa, lacking in foresight, struck him with words that were like stakes. However, fixing his mind on forgiveness, he did not reply. There were several there, who saw him abused in this fashion. They softly uttered words of “shame” and lowered their faces. Akrura was immensely energetic and possessed the knowledge of divine sight. Like a thirsty person who sees water, he was delighted at having been sent in this way. He instantly left Mathura. Danapati was happy that he would himself get to see Pundarikaksha.’