Harivamsha

by Bibek Debroy

  Chapter 72

  Vaishampayana said, ‘The extender of the Bhoja lineage thought about the bow being shattered. He quickly went to the arena to see the viewing gallery. The supreme among kings saw that everything had been arranged in the arena. Arrays of firm platforms had been fixed, without any gaps. There were excellent walls, decorated with galleries. There were extensive shades, all supported on a single pillar. Everything had been arranged properly and the arena was superb. There were fountains of water and excellent steps for climbing on to the galleries. Seats had been spread around for the king and there were paths to walk along. The galleries were so spread out that they could accommodate large numbers of people. On seeing that the arena had been decorated, the intelligent one said, “Let colourful garlands and flags be used tomorrow. Let there be beautiful covers and fragrances. Let the canopy and the arena be strewn with flowers. Let the arena be wiped clean with cow dung. Let the gallery be decorated with beautiful curtains. In due order, let there be pots filled with drinking water. Everywhere, let there be excellent and golden pots filled with water. Let us think of offerings and pots filled with drinks. Let wrestlers be invited and let them be seated ahead of all the arrays. Accordingly, instruct the wrestlers and the spectators. Let the arena and the gallery be decorated properly.” The king thus instructed that excellent arrangements should be made. Having left the arena, he entered his own house.

  ‘There, he summoned the two invincible wrestlers, Chanura and Mushtika. Those two wrestlers were extremely brave and strong, skilful in fighting. Heeding Kamsa’s instructions, they cheerfully entered. He saw that those two wrestlers, famous in the world, had arrived. Kamsa addressed them in words that explained what he meant. “You are my famous wrestlers. You hold aloft the standard of valour. As is proper, you are therefore worshipped and, in particular, shown respect. Remember the good deeds I have done and the honour I have shown you. Using your own energy, you must now perform a great task for me. There are two cowherds who have been reared in Vraja—Samkarshana and Krishna. Though they are children, they have conquered all exhaustion. Those two roam around in the forest. They have come here, to this arena for fighting, desiring to fight. There is no doubt that you should bring them down quickly and kill them. You should not act towards them as if they are fickle children. You should not ignore them. You must make efforts. In the encounter that follows when they come to the arena, if you restrain those two gopas, you will ensure what is best for me, now and in the future.” Chanura and Mushtika heard the affectionate words of the king and became cheerful in their minds. The wrestlers were revered for their fighting and said, “When those two, the worst among gopas, stand in front of us, they will head towards their death. Those two ascetics have already gone to the land of the dead. If they fight against us, they will face a great calamity. We will be full of anger at those two foremost ones, who dwell in the forest.” In this way, those two bulls among wrestlers uttered words that were full of poison. Having taken the permission of the Indra among men, they returned to their own houses.’

  Chapter 73

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Kamsa spoke to Mahamatra, who earned a living through elephants.796 “Summon the elephant Kuvalayapida and station him at the gate. He is strong. His eyes are crazy with intoxication. He is fickle and angry with men. He becomes fierce and terrible when he sees a rival elephant. Urge him towards those two residents of the forest. Arrange it so that those two inferior sons of Vasudeva lose their lives. In the arena, I wish to see that you and that king among elephants are fierce and kill those two, who earn subsistence through cows. On seeing that those two have been brought down, the foundations of Vasudeva and his relatives will be severed. He will be without a support. With his wife, he will be destroyed. All the foolish Yadavas have sought refuge with Krishna. On seeing that Krishna has been brought down, all their hopes will be destroyed. They will be killed by that king of elephants, by the wrestlers, or by me. With the city bereft of Yadavas, I will roam around happily. My father is an extender of the Yadava lineage and I have abandoned him. I have abandoned the remaining Yadavas who have taken Krishna’s side. Ugrasena desired to have a son. But Narada has told me that I have not been born through a man who is limited in valour. There is a mountain named Suyamuna. When my mother was in her season, because she was curious, she went to the forest with other women. There were beautiful and lovely trees on that summit. She roamed around on the summit of the mountain and in caverns and rivers. She heard the sweet songs of the kinnaras resounding. She heard words that were pleasant to hear and excited desire. Having heard the calls of the peacocks and the chirping of the birds and seen all this, she desired to follow the dharma of women. At this time, a breeze wafted through the forest. It carried the scent of flowers and ignited desire. Adorned with bees, the kadamba trees were stirred by the breeze. This increased their fragrances and it was enough to drive one senseless. Kesara trees797 showered down flowers that ignited desire. Decorated with flowers and thorns, the nipa trees were like shining lamps. The earth was covered by new grass and seemed to be adorned with shakragopas. It assumed a form that looked like that of a young woman. The handsome lord of Soubha, the danava named Drumila, arrived there. Assuming Ugrasena’s form, he raped my mother. Taking him to be her husband, she submitted to him. However, she subsequently suspected and thought that she had been dishonoured. When she arose, she was frightened and said, ‘It is certain that you are not my husband. Who are you? Why did you violate me in this disguised form? I follow the vow of a single husband and have been tainted by you. O wicked one! You have assumed the form of my husband and perpetrated an inferior deed. O worst of your lineage! What will my relatives angrily tell me? I will have to live, derided by my husband’s family. Since you have acted in this way, shame on you. You come from a wicked lineage. Your senses have made you deviate. You cannot be trusted. Driven by desire, you have violated another person’s wife.’ When she censured him in this way, the danava became angry. He wrathfully retorted, ‘My name is Drumila and I am the energetic lord of Soubha. O foolish one! Taking yourself to be learned, why are you reprimanding me? You have taken a man as your husband and he is inferior in energy and valour. O one who prides herself on being a woman! Women are not tainted by adultery. The learned ones do not restrain women, especially those who are human, in this way. I have heard of many women who have transgressed by committing adultery. They have given birth to infinitely valourous sons who are like the gods. In this world, you take yourself to be the only one who follows the dharma of being excessively devoted to her husband. You take yourself to be pure, brandish your hair,798 and speak whatever you wish. O one who wished to have intercourse! You asked me, who am I? I will tell you. You will have a son named Kamsa and he will destroy his enemies.’ At this, she was again enraged and cursed this boon. Distressed, the queen spoke to the danava, who had spoken in this evil way. ‘O extremely wicked one! Shame on your conduct. You have criticized all women. There are women who are wicked in conduct and there are women who follow the vow of being devoted to their husbands. O worst of your lineage! Those are the women who hold up all the worlds. You have granted me a son who will be the destroyer of good conduct. I do not approve of this. Listen to what I have to say. A man will be born in my husband’s lineage. He will cause the death of the son you have bestowed on me.’ Thus addressed, Drumila departed through the sky. Grieving, my mother returned to the city on the same day. O one who looks after the elephant! I am Ugrasena’s kshetraja son.799 Having been abandoned by my mother and my father, I have established myself through my own energy. Both of them hate me and my relatives especially do so. I will slay those two cowherds. Go. Ascend the elephant and equip it with a goad, a spear and a spike. O Mahamatra! Be steady and quickly station yourself at the gate.”’

  Chapter 74

  Vaishampayana said, ‘That day was over. When the second day presented itself, the great arena was filled with citizens who wished to see the encounter. The stage was supported on eight co
lourful pillars. There were walls and altars at the gates. There were windows in the shape of the half-moon and the excellent platform was decorated. The beautiful eastern gate was thrown open and adorned with garlands and ropes. It was ornamented and radiant, like a cloud in the autumn sky. The wrestling arena was prepared well and was equipped with everything required for fighting. The beautiful wrestling arena looked like a mass of clouds, or like the ocean. There were rows of people in the gallery, which was as resplendent as a mountain. Those from the inner quarters were not very far from the spectators’ gallery. Their gallery blazed in gold and was adorned with nets of jewels. Decorated by those jewels, they looked like the summits of mountains. With blazing curtains as covers, they looked like mountains with wings. There were whisks and the sounds of laughter and the tinkling of ornaments. There were many kinds of gems, colourful in their rays. There was a separate gallery for the courtesans, draped with clean covers. With the best of courtesans seated there, they were as resplendent as celestial vehicles. There were the best of seats and golden couches. Colourful cushions were strewn around and there were bouquets and trees. The place was decorated with golden pots filled with water for drinking. There were baskets filled with fruit and arrangements were made for drinks. There were many other galleries, bound down with piles of wood. There were many such sparkling galleries, strewn with covers. There were other excellent galleries, shrouded in fine nets through which one could see. These viewing galleries for women sparkled like swans in the sky. The beautiful eastern gate was as radiant as the summit of Meru. The colourful pillars were inlaid with gold leaves. Kamsa’s viewing gallery blazed even more. It was decorated with garlands of flowers and bore all the signs of his residence. The entire arena was full of people and resounded with the noise of crowds of people. The wrestling arena bore the complexion of a turbulent ocean.

  ‘It quietened down when the king arrived in his viewing gallery and instructed that the elephant Kuvalayapida should be stationed at the arena’s gate. He was attired in white garments and was fanned with sparkling fans and whisks. With a white crown, he dazzled, like the moon surrounded by white clouds. The intelligent one happily seated himself on his throne. On seeing his unmatched beauty, the citizens pronounced benedictions for his victory. Brandishing their garments in the air, the wrestlers entered the arena. Having entered the arena, those powerful ones seated themselves in three rows. Trumpets were sounded. Slapping their chests, Vasudeva’s two sons happily presented themselves at the gate of the arena. As those handsome ones quickly entered, they were halted by the crazy elephant, which had been severely goaded for this purpose. The evil-souled and maddened elephant curled its trunk. Carefully goaded, it sought to kill Bala and Keshava. When the elephant tried to scare him, Krishna laughed. He censured the evil-souled Kamsa’s intolerance. “Indeed, Kamsa will quickly go to Vaivasvata’s abode, since he desires to use this elephant to attack me.” Having approached, the elephant roared like a cloud. The lord Govinda suddenly leapt up and clapped his hands. With the elephant in front of him, he slapped his chest and created a noise. Shridhara800 seized the trunk and pressed it against his chest. He passed between the elephant’s tusks and between its legs. Krishna teased the elephant, like the wind teasing the clouds. Krishna avoided the trunk and passed through the tusker’s tusks. Emerging from between the legs, he seized it by the tail. Though it wished to kill Krishna, that gigantic animal was incapable and stupefied. As its body was crushed, the elephant began to trumpet. It sank down on to the ground on its knees and its tusks struck the ground. It exuded musth in its rage, like a cloud at the end of the summer. Like a child, Krishna played with the elephant. Because of the hatred towards Kamsa, he then made up his mind to kill it. Placing his right foot against its temple, he uprooted both its tusks and struck it with those. The elephant was struck by its own tusks, which were like the vajra. Thus struck, it released urine and excrement and screamed in pain. Its limbs mangled by Krishna, the elephant’s senses were afflicted. Copious streams of blood began to flow from its temples. Halayudha801 powerfully tugged at its tail, like Vinata’s son802 pulling at a serpent that is hidden in the slope of a mountain. Krishna slew the elephant with a tusk. With another stroke of that same tusk, he slew the one who was astride the elephant.803 Deprived of its tusks, the supreme elephant emitted a mighty shriek. With Mahamatra, it fell down, like a mountain shattered by the vajra. Having killed the supreme elephant that roared, Pundarikaksha entered the arena, which was like an ocean, with his elder brother.’

  Chapter 75

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Placing his elder brother ahead of him, the lotus-eyed Krishna powerfully entered the arena, his garments waving around in the wind. Devaki’s son carried the elephant’s tusks in his excellent hands. The fat and the blood seemed to have created playful armlets on his arms. He leapt like a lion and was like a thundering cloud. He seemed to move the earth with the slapping of his hands. Ugrasena’s son saw him, holding up the elephant’s tusk as a weapon. Extremely pale in fear, he angrily looked towards Krishna. Keshava was resplendent, with the elephant’s tusk in his hand. He looked like a mountain with a single peak, with the half-moon just above it. When Govinda leapt around, that entire arena, which was like an ocean, was filled with sounds made by that mass of people. As had been decided earlier, Kamsa commanded Chanura. “You should make efforts to fight with Krishna.” Chanura’s eyes became coppery red with rage. He advanced to fight, like a cloud that was full of water. The assembled people were instructed to be quiet. The assembled Yadavas collectively spoke these words. “There will be a wrestling match in this arena. Let no questions be raised. Let there be no cowardice. It was decided earlier that the strength of arms will be shown, without the use of weapons. Those who know about the progress of time have laid down the rules. What must be done has also been instructed. For exhaustion, there must always be water. Dried cow dung must always be kept ready for the wrestlers.804 The judges have instructed that the duel must be one by one, stationed on the ground, or stationed in any other mode.805 If a person is stationed in the arena, depending on whether he is a child, middle-aged, old, thin or strong, a rival must be found for him from within that same category. It has been decreed that a wrestling bout must be fought on the basis of strength or techniques. The learned know that once a rival has been brought down, nothing further must be done to him. In the arena, the wrestling match between Krishna and the one from Andhra806 is about to commence. Krishna is a child and the one from Andhra is massive. We should reflect about this.” At this, an uproar arose among the assembled people.

  ‘Govinda leapt around and spoke these words. “I am a child. The one from Andhra is massive, with a body that is like a mountain. I take delight at the prospect of wrestling with someone who has strength in his arms. So far as I am concerned, there will be no deviation from the rules set for wrestling. It is my view that one should not sully those who wrestle with bare arms. There is the dharma of dried cow dung and there is the dharma of water. One must attire oneself in ochre garments. These rules have been thought of for the arena. When one follows the vow of fighting in an arena, success comes from self-control, firmness, valour, exercise, good conduct and strength. However, if anyone brings a trace of enmity to this wrestling match here, it will be my task to suppress him and satisfy the universe. He has been born in Karusha and has the name of Chanura. Though he fights with the strength in his arms, one needs to think about the deeds he has done. Invincible in the duel, he has slain many wrestlers. By exhibiting that power in the arena, he has tainted the path followed by wrestlers. Warriors who are accomplished in the use of weapons must fight with weapons in the field of battle. However, for a wrestler who is accomplished in the arena, bringing down his rival represents success. A person who is victorious in a battle obtains eternal fame. Even if a person is slain by weapons in the field of battle, the vault of heaven has been earmarked for him. The slayer and the slain, both obtain success in a battle. That is a great journey that leads to the l
oss of one’s life and it is one that is worshipped by the virtuous. But along this path, success comes from strength and techniques. If a person dies in an arena, where is the heaven for him? What love can the victor have for such a victory? Because of the sins of a king who prides himself on being learned, if a wrestler exhibits his power and kills another wrestler, he is nothing but a murderer.” Having conversed in this way, an extremely terrible duel took place between them. It was as terrible as two elephants fighting in the forest. They used their arms to engage with each other and countered each other in wonderful ways. They raised the opponent and brought him down. They pushed and tugged. They struck each other with fists and made sounds like boars. They rained blows, which were like the vajra, on each other. They used their nails as spikes. They used terrible kicks. They struck with their thighs and butted with their hands, making sounds like stones striking against stones. There was a fierce duel, using the strength of arms and without resorting to weapons. In the midst of the assembly, those brave ones used their strength alone. Everyone present was delighted and roars of approval arose. Other people in the galleries uttered words of praise.