Harivamsha

by Bibek Debroy

  ‘Having reached Dvaraka with the Vrishni army, the lord Rama followed the prescribed rites and had Keshava and Rukmini married. With his beloved wife, he obtained supreme delight, like in earlier times, Rama with Sita and Poulami with Purandara.911 This beautiful one was Krishna’s eldest wife. She had the trait of being devoted to her husband and possessed the qualities of beauty and good conduct. Through her, he had ten maharatha sons—Charudeshna, Sudeshna, the immensely strong Pradyumna, Sushena, Charugupta, the brave Charubahu, Charuvinda, Sucharu, Bhadracharu and Charu, supreme among strong ones. There was also a daughter named Charumati. They were accomplished in dharma and artha. They were skilled in the use of weapons and were indomitable in battle. Madhusudana had seven other fortunate wives. The mighty-armed one married those who were born in noble lineages and possessed qualities—Kalindi, Mitravinda, Satya, the daughter of Nagnajit, the daughter of Jambavat, Rohini, who was beautiful in form, the daughter of the king of Madra, who possessed good conduct and auspicious eyes, the daughter of Satrajit, Satyabhama, Lakshmana, whose smiles were beautiful, and Sudatta, the daughter of Shaibya, who was like an apsara in her beauty.912 The infinitely valorous one also had another sixteen thousand wives. Hrishikesha married all of these at the same time. All of them possessed supreme garments and ornaments and deserved to enjoy pleasure. Through them, thousands of brave sons were born. All of them were powerful maharathas, accomplished in the use of all weapons. These immensely fortunate and immensely strong ones performed sacrifices and other sacred tasks.’

  Chapter 89

  Vaishampayana said, ‘After some time had passed, the valiant Rukmi, the scorcher of enemies, arranged for his daughter’s svayamvara. The kings and the princes were summoned there by Rukmi. From many directions, those prosperous and immensely valorous ones assembled there. Surrounded by princes, Pradyumna went there. The maiden desired him and he desired the one with the auspicious eyes. This lady from Vidarbha possessed beauty and radiance and her name was Shubhangi. At that time, Rukmi’s daughter was famous on earth. All the great-souled kings seated themselves. The maiden from Vidarbha chose Pradyumna, the slayer of enemies. That youth was accomplished in the use of all weapons and was capable of withstanding a lion. Keshava’s son was unmatched in the world in his beauty. The princess also possessed the qualities of age and beauty and desired him, just as Narayani Chandrasena desired her husband.913 When the svayamvara was over, the kings left for their own cities. With the maiden from Vidarbha, Pradyumna left for Dvaraka. There, he had a son who was like an offspring of the gods. He was famous as Aniruddha and his deeds were unmatched on earth. He was accomplished in dhanurveda, the Vedas and the sacred texts of policy. O king! When Aniruddha came of age, he chose Rukmi’s granddaughter, named Rukmavati, as his wife. She was like Rukmini and possessed the complexion of gold.914 The king was of the view that Aniruddha possessed the qualities. Hence, Rukmi was affectionately disposed towards the alliance with Rukmini’s descendant.915 He forgot about his rivalry and enmity with Krishna. O Janamejaya! He happily said that he would bestow her.

  ‘With their forces, Keshava, Rukmini’s son and his son,916 Samkarshana and the other Vrishnis went to Vidarbha. All Rukmi’s relatives and well-wishers were also invited by Rukmi and those kings also went there. O great king! When an auspicious nakshatra was in ascendance in the sky, that grand festival of Aniruddha’s marriage was concluded honourably. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Aniruddha accepted the hand of the maiden from Vidarbha. The Vrishnis were honoured like the immortals and enjoyed themselves there.

  ‘The intelligent king of Ashmaka, Venudari, Aksha, Shrutarva, Chanura, Kratha, Amshuman, Jayatsena, the immensely strong king of Kalinga, the king of Pandya and the prosperous king of Rishika—all these great kings from the southern region assembled. All of them secretly approached the lord Rukmi and told him, “You are skilled in playing with the dice and we also wish to play. Despite not being that skilled, Rama loves to play with the dice. With you at the forefront, we wish to defeat him.” Thus addressed, the idea of playing with the dice appealed to maharatha Rukmi. There was an auspicious assembly hall with golden pillars. It was decorated with flowers and had been sprinkled with sandalwood water. All of them happily entered that place, smearing themselves with fragrant pastes. Desiring victory, all of them seated themselves on golden seats. The deceitful ones, who were accomplished in playing with the dice, challenged Baladeva, who cheerfully said, “Let us play. What is your stake?” The kings from the southern regions wished to win through deceit and brought thousands of pearls, jewels and gold. The game of dice, which would destroy all their delight, commenced. It always leads to terrible conflict and brings destruction to those who are evil-minded. In the match with Rukmi, Baladeva offered ten thousand golden coins as stake. Though the maharatha tried, Rukmi defeated him. With a similar stake, he again defeated Baladeva. Rukmi defeated Keshava’s great-souled elder brother several times and won the stakes of one crore of gold coins. Cheerfully, the deceitful one said, “I have won.” He prided himself and laughed at the one who has the plough as a weapon. “Today, in the game with the dice, I have defeated the prosperous Baladeva and have won an unlimited quantity of gold. He is invincible, but is weak and ignorant.” On hearing this, the king of Kalinga laughed a lot, exhibiting his teeth. The one with the plough as his weapon was enraged. He heard the words spoken by Rukmi about his defeat, the sharp words of insult uttered by Bhishmaka’s son. However, though he was angry, the one who knew about dharma conquered his rage. That censure made him wrathful. But Rohini’s immensely strong son mentally resorted to patience. Controlling himself, he spoke these words. “My next stake is of ten thousand crores.917 O lord of men! Accept this stake and throw the black dice and the red dice in this place that is full of dust.”918 Speaking these words, Rohini’s son challenged Rukmi, who didn’t say anything, but offered a stake again. King Rukmi cheerfully threw the dice and when the four-sided dice had stopped rolling, the king had been defeated.919 However, he told Bala, “Baladeva has not followed dharma in defeating me.” Baladeva resorted to the patience in his mind and controlling himself, did not say anything. Rukmi smiled and told Baladeva, “I have really won.” Baladeva heard the words spoken by the king, about him having resorted to deceit. Though he was again overwhelmed by rage, he did not say anything in reply. At this time, a deep and invisible voice that spoke the truth was heard from the sky and this increased the great-souled Baladeva’s rage. “The prosperous Bala has won through the use of dharma. Even though he has not said anything, he has obtained success through his deeds.920 It should indeed be considered that he mentally accepted it.” On hearing the words thus spoken from the sky, the powerful Samkarshana arose and grabbed the gold-red board. Using this, he beat Rukmini’s elder brother921 down on the earth. Rama, bull among the Yadu lineage, was enraged at the cruel words spoken by the one who abused him and laughed at him. He slew him with the ashtapada board. Withdrawing a bit, he angrily uprooted the teeth of the king of Kalinga and in his rage, roared like a lion. Raising his sword, he terrified the kings. The supreme among strong ones uprooted a golden pillar. Dragging it like a giant elephant, he went out through the gates of the assembly hall, frightening the Krathas and the Kaishikas. The bull among the Yadava lineage killed Rukmi, who was skilled in deceit. Like a lion amidst small animals, he frightened all the enemies. Surrounded by his own relatives, Rama went to his camp and told Krishna everything that had happened. The immensely radiant Krishna did not tell Rama anything at the time. He controlled himself and shed tears of rage.922 Vasudeva, the slayer of enemy heroes, had not killed him earlier. However, that powerful king, who was like the wielder of the vajra, was slain by the ashtapada in Rama’s hands, in that gathering over gambling with the dice. That great king, Bhishmaka’s son, had studied under Druma and Bhargava923 and was equal to Druma and Bhargava. He was accomplished in battle and always performed sacrifices. When he was brought down, all the Vrishnis and Andhakas were distressed in their minds. O bul
l among the Bharata lineage! I have thus told you everything about Rukmi’s death and about how his enmity with the Vrishnis arose. O great king! The Vrishnis gathered together all the different kinds of riches. Seeking refuge with Rama and Krishna, they left for the city of Dvaravati.’

  Chapter 90

  Janamejaya said, ‘O brahmana rishi! I wish to again hear about the greatness of the intelligent Baladeva, who is Shesha who holds up the earth. He was extremely strong and a mass of energy. He couldn’t be vanquished. People who know about the ancient accounts speak about the great-souled one. O brahmana! I wish to hear the truth about his deeds. He is known as the immensely energetic and original god, the serpent Ananta.’

  Vaishampayana replied, ‘In the Puranas, one reads about him as the king of the serpents, the one who holds up the earth. He is the handsome Shesha, the store of energy. He is the Purushottama who does not tremble. He is the preceptor of yoga. He is great in valour. He is immensely strong. He is supremely strong among the strong. He defeated Jarasandha in a duel with the clubs, but did not kill him. O lord of the earth! There were many kings and lords of the earth who followed Magadha in the battle, but all of them were defeated in the encounter. Bhima was terrible in his valour and possessed the strength of ten thousand elephants. However, he was defeated by Baladeva in a wrestling bout. When Samba, Jambavati’s son, abducted Duryodhana’s daughter, he was imprisoned in the city of Nagasahvya.924 Hearing this, the one with the plough as his weapon angrily went there. Rama went there to free him, but did not get him.925 The powerful one was overcome by great rage. The powerful one raised his plough, which was invincible, impenetrable, divine, unmatched and like Brahma’s staff. He invoked it with mantras. The immensely strong one fixed the plough against the wall of the Kourava city and pushed it towards the Ganga river. On seeing that the city was being whirled around, the intelligent King Duryodhana released Samba and his wife. The extremely great-souled Rama offered himself to the king of the Kurus and accepting him as a disciple in fighting with the clubs. O Indra among kings! O king! Since that time, when the city had been whirled around, it became tilted towards the Ganga. This extraordinary deed of Rama’s is famous on earth. O king! In earlier times, what Shouri926 did in Bhandira has already been recounted. With a single blow of his fist, the one with the plough as his weapon killed Pralamba. He flung the gigantic Dhenuka on the top of a tree. The great river Yamuna is Yama’s sister, with a forceful flow of water and a garland of waves. She is the one who flows towards the store of saline water. Dragged by the plough, she was brought towards the city. I have spoken about all these aspects of Baladeva’s greatness. He is the immeasurable Ananta. He is the extremely great-souled Shesha. This is the supreme among men, the wielder of the plough, who performed many other such supreme deeds. I have spoken about these deeds and they can be gleaned in detail from the Puranas.’

  Chapter 91

  Janamejaya said, ‘O great sage! When Rukmi was killed, the mighty-armed and valiant Vishnu returned to Dvaraka. Tell me what he did thereafter.’

  Vaishampayana replied, ‘Surrounded by all of them, the illustrious and valiant Vishnu, the descendant of the Yadava lineage, returned to the city of Dvaraka. Pundarikaksha returned with jewels and many kinds of riches and in the proper way, made arrangements for the Nairittas927 to be repulsed. The daityas and danavas caused many hurdles. The mighty-armed one slew these great asuras, who were the recipients of boons. The danava named Naraka created an obstacle at the time. He was a great enemy of the king of the gods and terrified large numbers of gods. He dwelt in Murtilinga and obstructed all the gods, acting against sages and men.928 Tvashta’s daughter, Kasheru, was beautiful in her limbs. When she was fourteen years old, Bhouma assumed the form of an elephant and had intercourse with her. Having violated that beautiful one, Naraka, the lord of Pragjyotisha, confounded and lacking any fear about his own destruction, spoke these words. “There are many kinds of riches amidst gods and men and there is the radiant wealth on earth and in the oceans. From today, all the Nairittas, accompanied by the daityas and the danavas, will seize those for me.” In this way, Bhouma accumulated supreme jewels and many kinds of garments. But he did not use them. The powerful Naraka also abducted gandharva maidens, those from gods and men, and seven categories of apsaras. There were fourteen thousand and twenty-one hundred of these. All of them wore a single braid and followed the vows of the virtuous. Not distressed in his soul, on the mountain known as Mani, Bhouma built a supreme city for them.929 This was in Alaka, in the kingdom of Mura. Ten of Mura’s sons and the best among the Nairittas worshipped the lord of Pragjyotisha and protected this city. Having obtained a boon, the great asura lived beyond the city.930 For the sake of her earrings, the great asura oppressed Aditi.931 With all those large numbers of asuras, the great asura perpetrated terrible deeds, the likes of which had not been done earlier. He was born from the goddess earth and owned the city of Pragjyotisha. He had four guards who were invincible in battle—Hayagriva, Nisunda, Vira and Panchajana. The great asura, Mura, and his one thousand sons, had obtained boons. With malformed rakshasas, they thus obstructed the path of the gods and terrified the performers of good deeds. It was to kill them that the mighty-armed Janardana, the wielder of the conch shell, chakra, mace and sword, was born in the lineage of the Vrishnis through Devaki and Vasudeva. To think of a means to accomplish the objective of the gods, the Indra among men, famous in the world for his energy, resided in Dvaraka.

  ‘The city of Dvaraka was more beautiful than Vasava’s eternal abode. It was protected by the giant ocean and adorned by five mountains. There was an assembly hall with golden gates there and it possessed the complexion of a city of the gods. It was known by the name of Sudasharha. It was extensive and one yojana wide. With Rama and Krishna at the forefront, all the Vrishnis and Andhakas resided there, protecting the entire progress of the worlds. O bull among the Bharata lineage! On one occasion, all of them were seated there. A breeze with divine fragrances began to blow and flowers showered down. In the midst of a net of radiance, a joyous sound arose in the firmament. In an instant, this settled down on the ground. Vasava was seen in the centre of this energy, astride a white elephant and surrounded by a large number of gods. Rama, Krishna, the king932 and the Vrishnis and Andhakas arose and worshipped the great-souled lord of the gods. He swiftly descended from the elephant and embraced Janardana, then embracing Baladeva and King Ahuka. Paying regard to their ages, he embraced the other Vrishnis, seated in their respective places. Worshipped by Rama and Krishna, he entered the auspicious assembly hall. The lord of the gods seated himself there, akin to an ornament in that assembly hall. As is proper, he accepted the rituals of arghya. Touching his auspicious face with a hand of assurance, the immensely energetic Vasava then spoke to Vasava’s younger brother. “O Devaki’s son! O Madhusudana! Listen to the words I speak. O afflicter of enemies! Listen to the reason why I have come here now. There is a Nairitta named Naraka. Having obtained a boon from Brahma, he has become insolent. In his confusion, that son of Diti has seized Aditi’s earrings. He always engages in tasks that are disagreeable to the gods and the rishis. Finding an opportunity, slay that wicked and harsh person. This Garuda can go wherever he wants and will take you there. Vinata’s son is extremely energetic and travels in the sky. He possesses the valour of being able to go wherever he wants. Bhouma, the asura Naraka, cannot be killed by any creature.933 Having slain that wicked one, you should swiftly return.” Pundarikaksha Keshava was addressed by the king of the gods in this way. The mighty-armed one took a pledge that he would destroy Naraka. Assisted by Satyabhama and with Shakra, the wielder of the conch shell, chakra, mace and sword, the lord of Garuda, made arrangements for departure. As the lions among the Yadus looked on, with Vasava, the powerful one rose up, on the shoulders of the seven winds. Indra was astride the supreme of elephants, Janardana was astride Garuda. From a distance, they were as radiant as the sun and the moon. Praised by the gandharvas and the apsaras, Madhava and Shakra gradual
ly disappeared in the sky. Having decided on what needed to be done, Vasava, the lord of the gods, returned to his own residence and Krishna left for Pragjyotisha.

  ‘He slew the large numbers of rakshasas who were at the forefront of Naraka’s large army. He then saw six thousand of Mura’s followers, armed with nooses. Destroying all those nooses, he killed Mura and his aides with razor-sharp arrows. He crossed the mass of rocks and uprooted Nisunda. He uprooted the one who had single-handedly fought against the gods for one thousand years. O bull among the Bharata lineage! A terrible encounter, using many kinds of weapons, ensued, like that between the gods and the asuras. Basing himself on Garuda, the mighty-armed one shot multicoloured and large arrows and killed the great asuras. Clashing against Janardana, the shrieking danavas were brought down by arrows and the sword and mangled by the plough. Burnt down by the fire, some danavas fell down from the sky. Some were dragged close and, malformed in face, gave up their lives. He killed the extremely terrible and great asura, Hayagriva. The descendant of the Yadava lineage was infinite in his energy and invincible before everyone. In the middle of Lohitaganga,934 in Alaka, the illustrious Purushottama, Devaki’s son, killed the evil-souled Virupaksha. The tiger among men, the scorcher of enemies, killed eight hundred thousand danavas and attacked Pragjyotisha. He killed Naraka’s terrible and great asura, Panchajana. He next approached the city of Pragjyotisha, blazing in its prosperity, and a battle resulted. There was an extremely terrible encounter with Naraka. I will briefly tell you about it. Listen attentively. Naraka, who terrified large numbers of gods, fought with Purushottama, as if he was the energetic Madhu935 fighting with Madhusudana. Madhusudana fought with Naraka for some time. After this, using his blazing and fierce chakara, he severed him into two. Divided into two parts by the chakra, his body fell down on the ground. Like the summit of a mountain, it was severed into two parts by the chakra. On seeing that her son had fallen down, the earth picked up the earrings. She gave them to Govinda and said, “O Govinda! He was given by you and he has been taken away by you. O god! These are the earrings. Please protect his subjects.”’