Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe

by Shivaji Sawant

  My searching eyes saw an indistinct figure lying in the corner, for ages. It had become possible for him only because he had acquired control over his breathing through severe penance. An anthill had formed up to his throat on his supine body. He was the royal sage Muchkunda, the forefather of one of the branches of the Yadavas in the south. Thinking of something I laughed to myself.

  Stepping forward I humbly put my head on his feet which were not visible due to the anthill, with utmost respect. Untying the long blue scarf around my waist I held it in my hand, and opened the knot of Paanchajanya. Touching the divine conch to my forehead first, I put it near the feet of the royal ascetic. Then with caution I gently spread the shawl on his body without disturbing his meditation. Paying obeisance to him again I squeezed my body in a corner and hid there. Apart from the sixty-four art forms, I had already mastered this special skill of hiding myself in small places. Who knew when and where else this skill was going to come in handy for me?

  Some time passed by in the wait for Yavana chasing Kala. After some time, a few intimidating Yavani words echoed. They meant, “How far are you going to run, you cowherd of Mathura? Where can you hide?” Deep, heavy breaths followed. Within a moment, Kalayavana, who I was only able to hear appeared in the midst of the cavern. Dark black, tall, red-eyed, with a ferocious face. Even at that moment, watching him from a distance I strongly felt that there was no resemblance between him and our graceful Gargamuni.

  Furiously moving his neck in a circular motion, blabbering constantly, the tall, giant Yavana got excited when he saw my blue scarf. His loud, roaring shriek reverberated in the interior of the cavern, “Sleeping! You, shameless cowherd. Get up! Are you going to get up or not? Get ready for a duel.” Shouting at the top of his lungs, thinking it was I who was sleeping there, he threw a single hard kick. Breaking the anthill around, his kick reached the chest of the royal ascetic Muchkunda. He sharply stood up straight due to the interruption in his prolonged Yoganidra. The light in the cavern seemed brighter. Then he picked up his Agnikankana weapon lying at his feet that he had kept before beginning his Yoganidra. Muchkunda was a Yadava, and expert in Agnikankana war. He roared while taking a stance, “Insolent Yavana, you interrupted my Yoganidra. Now pay for it!”

  Instantly he turned his Agnikankana weapon with such lightning-like speed, that when its sharp edges pierced Kalayavana’s skull, he screamed with agony. Following that the royal sage Muchkunda struck him on his chest, arms, wherever he could strike. For the first time, streams of Yavana’s blood touched the auspicious grounds of that holy place. Kalayavana fell down. Whimpering with agony in his Yavani tongue finally he lay dead. I came forward and put my head on sage Muchkunda’s feet. Pulling me up, he embraced me. As we were related through the Yadava lineage he commanded me, “Srikrishna, pick up your life-saver Paanchajanya conch. Then go to the entrance of the cavern and blow it with your soul in this barren land. I would have handed it to you myself but my hands are soiled with a Yavana’s blood!”

  Mesmerized, I picked up the Paanchajanya conch, and came to the entrance of the cavern. Raising my head high I blew that divine conch effusively. Its inspirational sound kept resonating in the atmosphere of Dhaulgiri, Dhaulpura, Arbudagiri, Marusthali and the nearby expanse. Kala had finally taken over Yavana. One storm of a foreign invasion on Aaryavarta had been pacified.

  We dispatched Kalayavana’s immeasurable treasure to the Kushasthali Island. It mainly contained hefty Gandhara horses, and plenty of camels. It also had many bullions of gold that Kalayavana had amassed by ransacking many kingdoms along the west coast after coming here.

  Aacharya Sandipani and Gargamuni chose an auspicious day for performing the formal rituals of land-worship for commencement of construction of the royal city on the Kushasthali Island. It was a Saturday, with the auspicious Rohini Nakshatra. Dada, Uddhava and I went there with the royal minister, both commanders and select Yadavas. Vasudevababa and Devakimata also arrived on Kushasthali island in time. The rituals of the land-worship were performed at the holy hands of our parents.

  Now the enormous undertaking of construction of the new royal city commenced officially. Gargamuni invited Maya, an accomplished Asura architect, for assistance in the project. Vishwakarma, a creator from the Kurujangal region was also summoned. In a chamber on the shore of the island, both of them created a clay replica of the city with the aid of many experts from various kingdoms. Dada and I went there ourselves and examined it thoroughly. Simply ingenious, it was creativity at its best! Impressed with the replica, I put my arm on Maya’s shoulder and tried to assess his knowledge of architecture saying, “The royal city and the royal palace will be erected here on the Kushasthali Island. On the adjacent twin island the Queens’ mansions will be constructed. I have examined all the details in your plan of the city. They are very good. Not a single flaw in the design. I will be looking forward to see my residence in the royal city, especially how you build my spacious resting chamber, connected by a special stairway as I want it. I have a special design of a stairway – a ‘Krishnasopana’ – in my mind, leading to the resting chamber in the upper section of the residence. It is going to be the most significant part of this design.”

  “Your wish is my command, Maharaja. I will raise the ‘Krishnasopana’ as per your wish, using my expertise in architecture to the best of my ability. I will never back off.” Maya said with the innate pride of his expertise, but in a humble manner. He and Gargamuni kept listening to me. I gave them a detailed idea about the unique stairway leading to my resting chamber in the upper part of the residence. I told them, “I want this stairway built from mainly the broad planks of the Krishnashisam wood. These wooden steps will be covered in gold-plated, thick copper sheets. To begin with, this stairway will have only twenty-five steps. The first eighteen steps in memory of the eighteen royal families of the Yadavas. The next four will be for both my fathers and mothers. The next two will be for dada and Revativahini. The remaining one will be for Aacharya Sandipani.” Thus, initially there will be only twenty-five steps of the Krishnasopana.

  “Only twenty-five? Your life is going to begin here. Many more people will come into your life. What about them?” Gargamuni asked. Smiling at him I said, “For that, sufficient space will be left between every two steps. Steps will be added in that space as needed. Besides, the top passage will be raised higher as and when necessary. Probably you yourself will have to complete that task!” Then for a long time I provided details of the Krishnasopana design in my mind to Gargamuni, Vishwakarma, and Maya. I clearly read the question reflecting in their eyes. They were wondering, in this enormous undertaking on the twin islands, I didn’t show any interest at all in the royal palace, the royal council, the Queens’ residences, or the temples or gymnasiums; then why was I so focused on this particular stairway? Before they could ask me any question I distracted them by saying, “From today onwards dada and I will travel frequently from Mathura to Kushasthali. We will supply the necessary materials on time. Let the project begin!”

  Now from all over the region of Brahmavarta hundreds and thousands of craftsmen like ironsmiths, wood-cutters, coppersmiths, carpenters, goldsmiths etc. assembled on Kushasthali Island. A great part of this island was covered with the thick meadows of Kusha grass. All the labourers had to clear these thick meadows to begin with. After that many sounds of cutting, banging, creaking coming from various workshops began merging with the sounds of the western ocean. In the wood-cutting workshop huge and tall trees like Teak, Shisham, Katahal, Ain, Khair, and Kikar were getting cut by the sharp teeth of the saws. One after the other, wooden planks in various shades of dark yellow, dark black, white, with concentric ring patterns were getting stacked in a pile. On top of them black ants crawled around briskly. Huge furnaces set up in different places started glowing and metals like copper, iron, lead and gold began melting and boiling in them. Enormous, hot swaying clouds of smoke started rising high in the sky. Victorious slogans, sometimes in the name of Goddess ‘Id
a’, and sometimes in the name of our forefathers Yadu and Kroshtu were being shouted. In the echoing sounds of the slogans fresh, hot molten metals were being poured in the tall moulds using huge pincers. As the iron, copper and gold sheets got ready after a certain time they were picked up with giant pincers and put up against big boulders to cool down. The heat waves generated from these sheets made the ironsmiths sweat profusely. The land of Kushasthali was soaked in the sweat of the striving labourers. Every moment hundreds of hands offered the oblations of sweat, essential for any kind of creativity, to the Goddess of Labour. The sculptors got engaged in shaping red Jambha rocks with their chisels. The labourers got engrossed in rotating the stone wheels, crushing burnt limestone while shouting slogans. The carpenters got busy in erecting well-designed, floating wooden bridges.

  Many seasons passed by. The enormous undertaking of creating the Yadava royal city lasted for many years. During this period when the task got demanding Maya invited his skilled colleagues Taraksha, Kamalaksha, and Vidyunmali for assistance. When they also felt overloaded with the task at hand, Maya’s proficient sons, Dundubhi, Mayavin, Ajakarna and Kalika promptly came to assist them. Dada and I supervised all of them. Every time taking skilled Yadavas with us we made many trips to Kachchha, Saurashtra. One day a special envoy of Gargamuni and Maya stood in front of us in Mathura with the much-awaited message, ‘The construction of the royal city has been completed. Maharaja should choose an auspicious day for his coronation. He should come with the senior Yadavas and take a look at the city. If he observes any defects those would be fixed as per his instruction. We are sure he won’t find a single defect. Actually, we are confident that when Srikrishna sees the ‘Krishnasopana’ that he has desired, he will surely give a pat on our backs. Veteran Twashtta has also arrived to offer his guidance’.

  One day I left with dada and Uddhava from the western gate of Mathura in Garudadhwaja, steered by Daruka. Behind us were the chariots of both the commanders, followed by the cavalry. We were now well acquainted with the route from Mathura to Kushasthali. Crossing the rivers and passing through the forests along our way we arrived at the coast of the western ocean.

  We looked at the Kushasthali Island in front of us. What an unbelievable sight it was! At first glance the golden fortification spread from one end to the other, glistening in the sunrays dazzled our eyes. Its long, yellowish, wobbling reflection in the water didn’t stay steady even for a single moment. It kept dancing on the waves. As a narrow strip of land had gone under the water in the ocean, the twin island on the right couldn’t be seen. All of us arrived in the royal city on the Kushasthali Island in large boats dispatched by Gargamuni. After walking for some time, we stood in front of the gigantic, golden main entrance on the east. It was about five purusha tall, made from the sturdy Kikar wood. It had two doors covered in thick gold-plated, copper sheets with beautiful engravings. It was difficult to keep one’s eyes open in the bright light reflecting from it. The majestic, graceful Garuda on its surface, spreading its golden wings as if about to soar in the sky was eye-catching. It had sharp, golden talons. It was the motivational insignia on the Yadava pennant. The onlookers would halt right in front of the gate in awe. It had effortlessly balanced the golden replica of the full moon on its head. It was the emblem of the Yadavas of Somavansha. On the right door, the little golden star, Arundhati, was shining next to a crescent moon. The remaining surface was covered with golden figures of the weapons used by Yadavas – the sword, the chakra, the mace, the trident, the pestle, Bhrushundi, Agnikankana, the bow and the arrow. A single fearless, serene, healthy cow and a lion looking at her in the same way could also be seen.

  After we finished observing it, the gatekeepers opened the gigantic gate. To pay obeisance to my Karmabhumi I touched the land with my right hand, then touched it to my chest and head. Dada followed suit. We followed Maya, Vishwakarma and Gargamuni to the top of the stairway near the gate. Gargamuni and Maya opened two in-built eye-shaped windows on the right and left side of the golden fortification wall. Providing information about it both of them said, “If at all there is any concern of assault on our royal city, it is only from the eastern side. The other three directions are protected by the western ocean. These two eyes for surveillance of the eastern direction are a precautionary measure for the royal city. From here one can see a ten yojana stretch of the ocean and land in a single glance.” While hearing that I commended Maya for his creativity and put forth some more food for thought for him saying, “There must be a western gate on the opposite side of this gate. We must select a perfect place for surveillance of the ocean from that gate. Not on the island, but in the ocean, by locating a huge boulder in the ocean itself.”

  “I didn’t get it, sire. A watch-post in the ocean?”

  “For what Dhakalya?” Dada asked out of curiosity.

  “Dada, this is not going to be merely a new royal city of the Yadavas. You may have forgotten, but I haven’t. Kalayavana came by way of the ocean. We will have to protect this city by building a new naval force. A few kingdoms are located on the west side of the ocean too. To communicate with them we will have to develop a harbour in the city. To guide the ships towards the harbour we will have to erect a lighthouse. We will have to keep a tall torch of Karanjel oil constantly burning in the lighthouse after sunset. During the day, of course its golden dome shining in the sunrays will be visible from far away.”

  Listening to my talk dada, Uddhava, Gargamuni, Vishwakarma, Maya – all were lost deep in thought. I was also engrossed in thinking about what suitable name should I announce for this eastern gate in the first royal council here?

  I looked at the temple on the left with satisfaction. The orange pennant was fluttering on its golden dome. It was the golden temple of our family goddess Ida; much grander than the stone temple in Mathura. Uddhava, dada, and I entered the temple along with others. Standing in the heart of the temple, Goddess Ida with ten hands, holding weapons in each of them was vividly visible from the square outside. The temple was not yet inaugurated officially. Therefore, to pay obeisance, we all brought our palms together in prayer while standing outside. Observing the pillars and arches inside with beautiful carvings on them, we walked around the temple and sipped the holy water given by the temple priest.

  Looking at the large corral for the cows I asked Gargamuni, “How many more gates does the city have?” He answered, “Three more gates in the three directions, sire. Each main gate has wicket gates too. Besides, taking into account the structure of the island, some small gates have also been built at various places.” Satisfied by the well-built cow corrals I asked Gargamuni, Maya, Twashtta, Vishwakarma, and the craftsmen leaders around, “It is excellent that you have raised the corrals, but what about grazing the cattle?” A Yadava leader from the group answered zealously, “Sire, for that purpose there are grazing prairies beyond the trench outside the fortification wall. If those fall short, we can sail our cows in boats to the land of Saurashtra for grazing.” I admired his enthusiasm.

  “How are the cows going to cross over the trench every day?” I questioned. “For that we have built wide, floating bridges.” An expert woodcutter, a gopa Yadava leader provided the information.

  I laughed with satisfaction. Looking at dada I winked and asked the next question to the sentry of the fortification, “Can’t the same floating bridges be used by the enemy to cross over the trenches?”

  “Not at all. The floating bridges can be removed in case of an attack by the enemy. Once that is done, the island will be completely cut off from the outside world. Besides, the deep and wide trench inundated with salty water is also secured. Meshes of thorny water creepers are spread throughout the trench. Also, huge, alligators and crocodiles chased from the ocean have been trapped in the trench by placing iron grids between the trench and the ocean. They cannot return to the ocean. Roaming around in the trench they keep feeding themselves on the small fish that pass through the iron grid. In addition to that food remainders after the
craftsmen finish their meals are also tossed in the trench to feed them. These huge alligators and crocodiles are in fact the real protectors of the trench.” The sentry answered proudly.

  Now all kinds of troop leaders, craftsmen chiefs, skilled sculptors, and armed warriors had started walking along with us. We came to the southern gate. The dark black boulders bathing in the pure white foam of the ocean water on this side of the coast looked so wonderful! For a long time, I kept watching along with others the foamy waves colliding with the boulders.

  From there we left for the western gate. From this direction, the deluge from huge rainy clouds caused by the ocean winds was going to descend upon the island. As soon as we reached here, I looked at a huge boulder visible far away in the ocean. Pointing at its peak with my forefinger I said to the royal minister, “On that rock the lighthouse for this harbour will be raised.” While everybody was thinking about it dada asked a relevant question, “Dhakalya, what about the deluge of rain that will thrash this western gate?”

  I smiled at Dada. Putting my hand on the royal minister Vipruthu’s shoulder, walking towards the northern gate I said, “Minister, there are heaps of sun-dried Kusha grass spread all over the island. Get thick dry grass sheets made and cover the wings of the golden eagle on the western gate well in time.” Now the last gate, the northern gate, was in sight. Only this door was going to connect this island to the twin island with the Queens’ residences by way of sea. Standing at the gate, I was immersed in my own thoughts for a long time looking at the gulf spread before us. I said to dada, “Somewhere far away in the north, even beyond Kurukshetra there lies the monumental snow mountain reaching high up in the sky – Mount Himavana. Kailas, the residence of the greatest ascetic Shiva is located on that mountain.”

  “Dhakalya, do you remember how we built a Shivapindi of sand with our hands in our childhood?”