by Bibek Debroy
Suta said, ‘This account about the supreme being emanated from the fragrant lotus mouth of the sage’s son. 920 It is glorious nectar that destroys the fear of samsara. If a traveller 921 constantly drinks it in, using his ears as cups, all the exhaustion from his journey is destroyed.’
Shri-Shuka continued, ‘O descendant of the Bharata lineage! On one occasion, in Dvaravati, a brahmana’s wife gave birth to a son. However, as soon as he was born and touched the ground, he died. The brahmana took the dead infant and came to the king’s 922 gate. Distressed in his mind and suffering, he lamented in these words. “My child has died and left because of the evil deeds of a kshatra-bandhu. 923 He hates brahmanas. He is deceitful in his intelligence. He is greedy and is attached to material objects. He sports and indulges in violence. He has not been able to conquer his senses and his conduct is wicked. Subjects who serve him will suffer. They will always be poor and miserable.” In this way, the brahmana rishi went through a similar suffering for a second and a third child. He left them at the king’s gate and chanted the same lamentation. On one occasion, when he was in Keshava’s presence, Arjuna heard the brahmana, when his ninth child had died. He asked him, “O brahmana! Is there no one in your residence who can wield a bow? These kshatra-bandhus are like brahmanas undertaking a sacrifice. 924 If brahmanas have to grieve because they lose their wealth, wives and sons, these are actors who are seeking to subsist in the garb of royalty. O illustrious one! You are suffering and I will protect your offspring. If I am unable to accomplish my pledge, I will enter the fire and atone for my sins.” The brahmana replied, “Samkarshana, Vasudeva, the supreme archer Pradyumna and the unrivalled charioteer, Aniruddha, have been unable to save me. The lords of the world have found this task to be impossible. You are foolishly speaking about this feat. We do not believe you.” Arjuna said, “O brahmana! I am not Samkarshana, Krishna, or Krishna’s son. My name is Arjuna and my bow is Gandiva. O brahmana! Do not slight my valour, which has satisfied the three-eyed one. 925 O lord! I will defeat Death in a battle and bring your sons back.” O scorcher of enemies! The brahmana was thus assured by Phalguna. Having heard about Partha’s valour, he was happy and returned to his own house.
‘When the time for his wife’s delivery arrived, the excellent and suffering brahmana told Arjuna, “Save my child from Death.” He touched water and purified himself, bowing down to Maheshvara. He strung Gandiva and remembered the divine weapons. He invoked arrows with many weapons and covered the delivery chamber from all sides. Above, below and diagonally, Partha created a cage made out of arrows. The brahmana’s wife gave birth to a son who cried repeatedly. However, he suddenly vanished into the sky, along with his body. In Krishna’s presence, the brahmana reprimanded Vijaya. 926 “Behold. I was a fool to trust you. You boasted, but are impotent. When Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Rama and Keshava are unable to save a person, who else is capable of protecting him? Shame on Arjuna. Shame on that boastful one’s bow. When touched by destiny, it is only a foolish and evil-minded person who thinks of bringing someone back.” The brahmana rishi cursed him in this way. Phalguna resorted to his learning and instantly went to Samyamani, 927 where the illustrious Yama was. Unable to see the brahmana’s son there, with his weapons raised, he went to the cities of other lords—Indra, Agni, Nairrita, Soma, Vayu, Varuna, rasatala and the vault of heaven. However, not having obtained the brahmana’s son anywhere, he was unable to fulfil his promise. Therefore, he got ready to enter the fire. However, Krishna restrained him and addressed him in these words. “Do not degrade yourself in this way. I will show you the brahmana’s sons. We will soon establish our spotless deeds among men.” The illustrious lord addressed Arjuna in this way. Along with him, he ascended his divine chariot and left for the western direction.
‘It crossed the seven dvipas, the seven rivers and the seven ranges of mountains that separate them. It then crossed Lokaloka 928 and entered extremely great darkness. O bull among the Bharata lineage! The horses, Shaibya, Sugriva, Meghapushpa and Balahaka, lost their sense of direction in that darkness and could not proceed. Seeing this, the illustrious Krishna, the great yogi and the lord of all the lords of yoga, sent his own chakra on ahead, blazing like one thousand suns. With its great and radiant energy, it cut through that extremely terrible, dense and great darkness. Just as Rama’s arrows released from the bow cut through the enemy army, Sudarshana penetrated with the speed of thought. Through the path created by the chakra through the darkness, beyond all this, Phalguna saw a pervasive, infinite and dazzling light. His eyes were pained by this and he closed them. After this, he entered water that was buffeted by extremely powerful winds. The resultant waves were like ornaments. He saw a supremely resplendent and wonderful mansion there. There were thousands of pillars, radiant with gems. The great and wonderful serpent, Ananta, was there. There were brilliant gems on each of his one thousand hoods. This radiance reflected on his two thousand fiery eyes. He was white, like the white mountain, 929 but his neck and tongues were dark. He saw the lord, the great and supreme being, Purushottama, reclining happily on the coils of the serpent. His beautiful complexion was like that of a cloud. His beautiful garment was yellow. His face was pleasant and his eyes were long and beautiful. His diadem and earrings were studded with many clusters of precious gems. The illumination from this reflected off his dense locks of hair, with thousands of strands. His eight handsome arms were long. He wore the Koustubha gem and the shrivatsa mark was on his chest. He was adorned with a garland of wild flowers. The lord was served by his own attendants, Sunanda and Nanda being the foremost. His own weapons, chakra and the others, stood around him in personified form. Pushti, shri, kirti, ajaya 930 and all the other potencies served the supreme Parameshthi. Achyuta bowed down to himself, in the form of Ananta. Jishnu 931 was astonished at the sight. Both of them 932 stood there, their hands joined in salutation. The lord, the controller of all the other Parameshthis, 933 smiled and addressed them in a deep voice. “I brought the brahmana’s sons here because I wished to see the two of you. You are my portions, born on earth to protect dharma. When you have killed the asuras and the earth has been divested of her burden, you will again return into me. The two of you are the rishis Nara and Narayana and have already accomplished all your wishes. O bulls among rishis! However, for the sake of instructing people, you are there, observing dharma.” The two Krishnas 934 were thus instructed by the illustrious Parameshthi. They uttered “Oum” 935 and bowed down before the lord. They took the brahmana’s sons with them and rejoicing, returned to their own abode along the route they had come by. They gave the brahmana his sons, in the same age and the same appearance that they had been lost. Having seen Vishnu’s abode, Partha was greatly surprised. He decided that a man can only exhibit that much of manliness that Krishna seeks to favour him with. There are many other such deeds of valour that he 936 exhibited in this world. Like an ordinary person, he enjoyed material objects and undertook potent sacrifices. The illustrious one resorted to his own supremacy and showered down all the objects of desire on subjects, brahmanas and others, just like Indra showering down at the appropriate time. He slew the kings who were addicted to adharma and had the others killed through Arjuna and the others. Through Dharma’s son 937 and others, he easily established the path of dharma.’
Chapter 10(90)
Shri-Shuka said, ‘Shri’s consort was residing happily in his own city of Dvaraka. It was full of every kind of prosperity and wealth and the bulls among the Vrishnis. The women were attired in excellent garments. They were beautiful because of newly bloomed youth. As they played with balls in their mansions, they were like flashes of lightning. The roads were always crowded with crazy elephants exuding musth, ornamented soldiers and horses and chariots that blazed with gold. The gardens and groves were filled with large numbers of blossoming trees. From every side, the sounds of bees humming and birds calling could be heard. He was the sole beloved of sixteen thousand wives and enjoyed himself with them in their extremely expensive houses,
assuming as many wonderful forms. The pure water in those homes was fragrant with pollen from blooming water lilies, white lotuses, night lotuses and day lotuses. Flocks of birds called. The powerful one immersed himself in the waters of those pools and amused himself. When the women embraced him, his body was smeared with the kunkuma from their breasts. Accompanied by the sound of drums, kettledrums and larger drums, gandharvas sang his praises. Delighted, sutas, magadhas and bandis played on veenas and other musical instruments. The women laughed and used syringes to sprinkle Achyuta with water. Like a king of yakshas with female yakshas, he sprinkled them back and played with them. Because their garments were wet, the region around their thighs and breasts became exposed. Wishing to take away the syringe and sprinkle him, they embraced their beloved and flowers were loosened from the braids in their hair. Desire was ignited in them and because of their smiling faces, they were resplendent. Krishna’s garland was smeared with the kunkuma from their breasts. Since he was engaged in sporting, his locks of hair were dishevelled. He repeatedly sprinkled the young women and they sprinkled him back. He sported with them, like a king of elephants with female elephants. Krishna and the women gave the ornaments and garments used in sporting, 938 to the male and female performers who earned a living from singing and the playing of musical instruments. While Krishna was engaged in sporting in this way, his gait, conversation, glances, smiles, jesting, joking and embraces stole the hearts of the women. With their minds on Mukunda, they were like those who were mad and dumb. Their thoughts were on the lotus-eyed one. I will tell you about the words they spoke. Listen.
‘The queens said, “O female osprey! Why are you lamenting? Why are you without sleep and why can’t you rest? It is night in the world. The lord has covered his understanding and has gone to sleep. O friend! Like us, has your heart also been pierced deeply by the generous and smiling glances of the one whose eyes are like lotuses? O female chakravaka! You close your eyes in the night, but cannot see your beloved. Therefore, you are weeping piteously. Like us, have you obtained Achutya’s servitude? Do you want to wear the garland that touched his feet in the braids of your hair? O ocean! You are always roaring. You do not get to sleep in the night and suffer from insomnia. Is that because Mukunda has taken away your signs? 939 Have you been reduced to a state from which it is impossible to recover? O moon! You have been seized by the powerful disease of consumption. You have become so emaciated that your beams can no longer dispel the darkness. Like us, can you no longer remember what Mukunda told you? It seems to us that your power of speech has been numbed. O wind that blows from the Malaya mountain! What disagreeable act have we performed towards you? Our hearts have been shattered by Govinda’s glances. Why are you igniting desire in them? O handsome cloud! You are indeed loved by the Indra among the Yadavas, adorned with the shrivatsa mark. Like us, bound to him in bonds of love, you are meditating. Like us, your heart must be distraught and extremely anxious. Repeatedly remembering this, you are shedding profuse tears. Association with him leads to misery. O cuckoo! Your notes are sweet. Your voice can revive those who are dead. You are uttering sounds that have been spoken by our beloved. 940 What can I do now to please you? Tell me. O mountain! O one who is extensive in intelligence! You do not move or speak. You must be thinking about something of great import. Or perhaps, just like us, you desire to hold the feet of Vasudeva’s son against your breasts? 941 O wives of the ocean! 942 Your lakes have dried up now and the beauty of your lotuses has been lost, just as we are completely dried up now. We can no longer obtain the beloved glances of our husband, the lord of Madhu. Our hearts have been deceived. O swan! Welcome. Please be seated here and drink some milk. O dear one! Tell us about Shouri’s account. Indeed, we know that you are his messenger. Is the unvanquished one well? Does he remember what he told us long ago? His affections are fickle. Why should we worship him? O inferior servant of the one who satisfies desires! Tell him to come here without Shri. Is she the only woman who can serve him faithfully?”’
Shri-Shuka continued, ‘Krishna is the lord of the lords of yoga and behaving with such sentiments, Madhava’s wives attained the supreme destination. His numerous deeds are sung about and he attracts the mind of women who have only heard about him. What need be said about those who have seen him? He is the preceptor of the universe. Taking him to be a husband, they lovingly served him, by massaging his feet and doing other things. How can one describe the austerities they must have performed? He is the destination of the virtuous and he observed the dharma spoken about in the Vedas. He repeatedly demonstrated how dharma, artha and kama can be pursued, even in the state of a householder. In his status of a householder, Krishna performed supreme dharma. He had more than sixteen thousand and one hundred queens. O king! Among these jewels among women, eight were the chief, Rukmini and the others. I have already described them progressively, along with their sons. Through each of the wives, Krishna had ten sons, who were exactly like him. The lord’s progress is invincible. Among these large numbers of valiant sons, eighteen were maharathas. Their fame was pervasive. Hear about their names from me. They were Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Diptiman, Bhanu, Samba, Madhu, Brihadbhanu, Chitrabhanu, Vrika, Aruna, Pushkara, Vedabahu, Shrutadeva, Sunandana, Chitrabahu, Virupa, Kavi and Nyagrodha. O Indra among kings! These were the sons of Madhu’s enemy. Among them, the first was Pradyumna, Rukmini’s son, and he was like his father. The maharatha married Rukmi’s daughter. 943 Her son was Aniruddha, who possessed the strength of ten thousand elephants. He 944 was the son of Rukmi’s daughter and he married the daughter of Rukmi’s son. 945 Their son was Vajra and he was the only one who was left after the clash with the clubs. 946 Vajra’s son was Pratibahu and Pratibahu’s son was Subahu. Subahu’s son was Shantasena and Shantasena’s son was Shatasena. No one born in this lineage was poor and there was no one who did not have many children. There was no one who was limited in lifespan. There was no one who was limited in valour. No one was born who was not devoted to brahmanas. Many men born in the Yadu lineage were famous for their deeds. O king! Even in tens of thousands of years, one is incapable of enumerating them. It has been heard that three crores, eighty eight thousand and eight hundred teachers were employed to teach the sons of the Yadu lineage. Who is capable of enumerating the great-souled Yadavas? Ahuka had ten thousand times ten thousand lakhs. 947 There were extremely terrible daityas who were killed in the battle between the gods and the asuras. They were born as humans and were insolent, making the subjects suffer. O king! To chatise them, Hari asked the gods to be born in Yadu’s lineage. There were more than one hundred and one branches in the lineage. The illustrious and powerful lord, Hari, was their authority. Among all the Yadavas, those who followed him flourished. The minds of the Vrishnis were so immersed in Krishna that they were not conscious of their own selves when sleeping, seating, walking, conversing, playing, bathing and performing other deeds. O king! The divine river 948 is a tirtha because it washed his feet. However, when he was born in the lineage of the Yadus, her fame was diminished. Those who hated him and those who loved him attained union with him. He is unvanquished and supreme. Others make efforts to obtain Shri, but she is only his. Whenever his name is heard or spoken about, it destroys everything inauspicious. Krishna created the dharma for different gotras. It is wonderful that he wields the wheel of time as a chakra to remove the burdens of the earth. Though he is spoken about as the one who was born from Devaki, the victorious one resides in all people. Though he was served by the best among the Yadu lineage, it was his own arms that destroyed adharma. For everything mobile and immobile, he destroys sins. His handsome and smiling face ignited the god of love among the women in the city of Vraja. For the sake of protecting his own path, 949 in his pastimes, he assumes different forms and imitates conduct that is appropriate to those. The deeds of the supreme one among the Yadus destroy all the consequences of karma. If a person desires to follow in his footsteps, he should hear about these. Through constant hearing, chanting and meditating on Mukunda’s b
eautiful account, with increasing devotion, a mortal person obtains his abode. Death, which is irresistible, loses its force there. For the sake of obtaining him, from ordinary homes people went to the forest, and so did kings.’