The Sanskrit Epics

by Delphi Classics

  16. Seated on the high seat in front of the slayer of Kamsa ( Krishna ) having the lustre of a big slab of sapphire, he stole ( assumed ) the beauty of the moon resting on the rising mountain at the approach of evening.

  17. He, beloved of sacrificers, was highly gratified, having worshipped him who was quite pleased. The noble-minded are always exceedingly anxious to win over the venerable by worship.

  18. Hari took on his head, bent low, the waters poured on his hand from his gourd-waters that had been collected at all the holy places and that were potent enough to destroy multitudes of sins.

  19. The golden seat, on which he, with a body dark like a fresh cloud, sat with the permission of the sage, surpassed in the beauty the ( golden ) peak of Sumeru, rendered lovely with Jambul-fruit.

  20. He, with a garment glowing like molten gold, and of a complexion dark like the spot on the full moon, shone like the repository of waters ( the ocean ) clasped by the flames of the Vâdava, ( submarine ) fire.

  21. The radiance of the sage, tinged with the mass of the discus-wielder’s lustre, looked as lovely as the beams of the moon appearing in the interstices of the moving leaves of a tree.

  22. At that time, both appeared to be of the same colour, their clear complexions being tinged with each other, on account of the bright beams, that were dark like full-blown Tamala flowers, of the one, mingling with those, that were white like the pollen of the Saptach-chhada flowers, of the other.

  23. The great joy that the enemy of Kaitabha ( i.e.., Krishna ) felt at the visit of the ascetic, could not be contained in his body, in which all the worlds rest in their fall development, when he withdraws the creation into himself at end of a cycle.

  24. That he was Pundarîkâksha ( ‘One having eyes like white lotuses’) was clearly evident when, at the sight of the sage, resplendent like the sun, his eyes-were dilated in joy and were invested with fresh charm.

  25. Achyuta spoke with a pure smile ( on his lips ) making the white body of the sage still whiter with the-beams of the moon in the guise of his row of teeth, just as a ( white ) mansion is made whiter with whitewash.

  26. “A sight of thee reveals the worthiness of the embodied beings at all three times, — it removes their sin in the present, it is the source of the blessings to come, and it is the outcome of meritorious actions performed in the past.

  27. “That deepest gloom (of ignorance), which, could not be quelled by the sun with his thousand yet insufficient rays, has been forcibly dispelled by thee with thy countless splendours.

  28. “Thou hast been made a spiritual head and an inexhaustible repository of the Vedas, — inexhaustible though constantly drawn upon, -by the creator who loots after the well-being of the created beings, and whose mind was thus set at ease by entrusting it to a fit person (like thee),just as a great store of wealth, inexhaustible though expended, is laid up by a father as a provision for his children and is deposited in a secure receptacle, with his heart relieved of all anxiety on their account., 29. “By a mere sight of thee, O sage, I feel blessed-sight of thee that has removed all my sin. Yet, I am anxious to listen to thy weighty words; for who rests satisfied with blessedness ( however great it may be)?

  30. “It is this momentous visit of thine, giving rise to a sense of importance in me, that makes me bold enough to say to thee, ‘Tell me the object of thy visit, though thou art free from all desire 31. “Thou art the final goal, affording permanent shelter, of the steady-minded man, who has reached the path of absolution, which is beset with obstacles in the form of impetuous passions ( also, infested with violent robbers ), and which is exceedingly difficult to traverse, not being frequently trodden by men.

  32. “The sages, conversant with the past, know thee to be the Purusha ( Primeval Spirit ), who takes no part in the creation of the universe, who is beyond all Vikâras ( transformations ), who is quite distinct from the Prakriti, and who is realised with great difficulty by the-self-controlled by means of spiritual insight.

  33. “Thou, the sole architect of the three worlds, didst place, on the high branching tops of the pillar in the form of the king of serpents, the earth, raised up with ease, to serve as the one single roof for the abode of the serpents.

  34. “By whom can be understood the greatness of thy primeval self, than whom there is nothing greater? For thou, though born as man, dost surpass the gods and the demons in thy powers that cut off the bonds of worldly life ( or prevent recurrence of birth ).

  35. “Thou earnest down from heaven to the earth, with the object of lightening the earth, ready to break under a heavy burden; but she is now weighted down by thy person that cames within it all the three worlds.

  36. “Hadst thou not come down to the surface of the earth to extirpate the enemies of the world, how, O Lord, wonldst thou, that art not seen even by the meditative, have been an object of sight to persons like me?

  37. “Thou alone, O sustainer of the universe, art powerful enough to protect this universe, that is harrassed by those that are swollen with overweening pride. Who but the sun is able to clear the sky, that is darkened by the pitchy darkness of the night?

  38. “That the people praise thee, O Hari, ( also, O lion ) for killing Kamsa and other kings who were like so many deer, is but a disparagement of thee, that hast slain Hiranyâksha and other demons, (who were) like so many elephants.

  39. “Thou, ever tireless, art always engaged in crushing the enemies of the worlds, one by one. Still, my mind, extremely eager to converse with you, makes me loquacious.

  40. “Therefore, O Upendra ( younger brother of Indra ), thou, who hast taken the lead in all the undertakings of Indra, should listen to the message sent by Indra-message that concerns the welfare of the universe.

  41. “There once lived a son of Diti, of sun-like splendour, who was never a subject of fear arising from enemies and whom, the destroyer of the meaning of the epithet Indra, they call Hiranyakasipu, 42. “By whom, possessed of might and filled with jealousy, the very first to receive the epithet Asura, were laid, after a long time, the first beginnings of fear in the minds of the denizens of heaven.

  43. “It is from that time, when the four lords of the quarters served him, having left the gods, being drawn by love for him, that Fortune has received the depreciatory epithet ‘fickle ‘.

  “.— “Dreading him, the hosts of gods, for the first time, made their cities impregnable, their weapons sharp, their armies valiant, and their armours invulnerable, all these that had hitherto only served as mere embellishments.

  45. “At all the three Samdhuas ( i.e.., at morn, noon, and eve ), the gods made obeisance, with their hands slipping from the gems in their crowns, to that quarter to which he, the abode of glory and always going from one world to another, happened to repair at his own sweet will.

  46. “By thee, O lion among men ( also Man-lion ), was he killed, his breast being torn open with thy nails crooked by contact with the lovely breasts of thy beloved, — by thee that hadst then assumed the huge body of a lion, scattering the clouds with his streaming mane.

  47. “Wishing to satisfy his prurient ambition, born of pride, by warring with the gods, he was again born as a most terrible demon named Râvana, who reduced heaven to a defenceless condition, 48. “Who, wishing to become the master of the three worlds, when about to cut off his tenth head in excessive zeal, considered, reckless that he was, S’iva’s favour, answering his desire, as an obstacle, 49. “Who, by heaving up the best of mountains ( Kailasa ), requited the Trident-holder for his gift of a boon by (affording him) the pleasure of a voluntary embrace by the lightened Pârvatî ( lit., the daughter of the mountain of snow ), 50. “Who, mighty, besieged the capital, cut down Nandana, carried off the choicest treasures, and abducted the celestial damsels. Thus warring with the enemy of Namuchi ( i.e.., Indra ), he caused unrest day and night in heaven.

  51. “Pursued by whom in fight, the enemy of Bala (i.e.., Indra ) appreciated only the swiftness, and not the graceful movements, of Airâvata no
r the varied stepping of Uchchaisravas.

  52. “Unable to bear the eight of whom, as of the sun, Indra ( also the owl ), with eyes restless, passed his days in fright in the inner apartments of his palace, as in the caves of the Golden mountain ( Meru ).

  53. “The resistless discus of Vishnu, the lord of the worlds, failed against the neck of that enemy of the gods, only throwing out flying sparks of fire by impact with it, as hard as a big rock.

  54. “He, in his overweening pride, bursting open the Samkha treasure, very violently shook the mind of Kubera, which had ( thus ) lost its equanimity, being greatly perturbed, and had given up the Pushpaka ( aerial car ), just as an elephant in rut violently agitates the Mânasa lake to its very depths, breaking to pieces the conches in it, making it turbid with his ichor, and scattering about the lotuses ( growing in it ).

  55. “The chords twisted of mighty serpents ( i, e., the serpent-noose), cast at him by Varuna in fights, hastily retreated in fright to the neck of the hurler, being turned back by his angry growl.

  56. “The buffalo of the lord of the dead ( Yama ), with the coil of his horns plucked out by him for making a bow, carried his head with great difficulty, bent very low on account of the heavy weight of shame, relieved though it had been of its burden.

  57. “The sun, even in summer, touching hesitatingly his ( Ravana’s ) wives with the tips of his rays falling not in their entirety, decked them with pearls in the form of cool drops of perspiration.

  58. “The moon, possessed of all arts ( also, with all his digits ) and skilled in making haughty women long for their lovers, became the voluptuary’s confidant in love-affairs, never leaving his palace and ever giving zest to his pleasures.

  59. “That one task of Vinâyaka ( Ganesa ), once plucked out by him to make ear-ornaments of, fit for his sprightly, graceful damsels, does not yet grow out again.

  60. “Evidently guilty though he was of blowing off the garments of the ladies of the harem, Vâyu ( the Wind-god ) became a favourite of him, whose eyes were ever eager to see the exposed thighs, and could, therefore, make him take pity on the gods who were being harrassed, though quite innocent.

  61. “Agni ( the Fire-god ), constantly overpowered, and therefore, dimmed, by the greatness of his mighty splendour, overwhelming all men, bore a canopy ( cloud ) of smoke, doubled by the vapours of his sighs born of anguish.

  62. “To propitiate him, blazing in glory, the multitudes of serpents no longer followed the bent of their nature ( also, crafty nature ), in as much as they gave up their natural defect of having two tongues ( also, wickedness ), viz:, that of striking at the vitals of others ( also, that of scandal-mongering ), no longer moved crookedly ( also, no longer practised deceit, ) and provided themselves with ears (also, had him for their ruler).

  63. “Being broken by the arrays of his elephants, the elephants of the quarters, with their ichor disappearing from their broad temples, resorted to the quarters, not to return again for a long time, and thus proved true to their name.

  64. “The body of him, hot with passion, was cooled, not so much by the winds of the wetted fans, agreeable on account of sprays of water mixed with sandal, as with the extremely hot sighs of the captive damsels belonging to Indra.

  65. “In his capital, the seasons took up ( permanent ) residence as householders,-the Rains uniting with Summer, Hemanta with Autumn, and Winter with Vernal Glory, and bearing at all times a profusion of flowers.

  66. “Who did not give up Jânakî, although he knew thee, no man and never born, yet born in the family of Mann, to be his destined slayer. For to the proud, their pride is their sole wealth.

  67. “Do you remember that, born as the son of Dasaratba, you killed him, the abductor of your beloved wife from the forest region, near Lamkâ, having crossed the ocean, with its rolling waters made turbid by being bridged over?

  68. “And this same deceitful demon, taking another birth like an actor taking a new part, and concealing his identity under the name S’isupâla, is now taken by others as not-he, though it is he (himself).

  69. “While yet a boy, he was, in body, four-armed (like Vishnu); in face, like the full moon, and three-eyed( like the three-eyed god, S’iva ). Now he, being a youth, who has made kings subject to tributes, is, to be sure, pre-eminently like the sun who covers the mountains with his rays.

  70. “Disposing at will favour or dis-favour to gods, Daityas and Rakshasas, he laughs at Ravana and others on whom extra-ordinary power had been conferred by deities propitiated by them.

  71. “Even now, as formerly, the world is being oppressed, through pride of power, by him, ambitious of conquest.

  72. “Therefore, make him, who has violated the ordinance of Brahmâ, a guest at the house of Yama. For the wicked, whose misfortunes are the consequences of their unrighteous deeds, should be overthrown by the good.

  73. “Let the heart of Indra, made firm at the death of the enemy, regain its capacity to bear the pressure of the eager embrace of the pointed breasts of S’achî, horripilated with joy 74. When the divine sage, having addressed these words ( to Krishna ), flew up into the sky, wearing the beauty of the moon, in front of the S’ârnga-bearer (Krishna ) who had uttered ‘Om (expressing his assent), a comet, ever foreboding the destruction of enemies, appeared in the guise of a frown on the face of Krishna, as in the sky — Krishna, who was now enraged against the king of Chedi (S’isupâla ).

  Canto II.

  1. SOON AFTER, the enemy of Mura ( Krishna ), being invited by Pârtha ( Yudhishthira ) who was going to celebrate a sacrifice, was perplexed between too duties, desirous as he was of marching against the king of Chedi.

  2. He, therefore, accompanied by Uddhava and Balarâma, betook himself to the council-chamber, bearing the beauty of the Moon, attended by Venus and Jupiter, shining in the sky.

  3. Blazing on the altar in the form of the council-hall, shone in all splendour this triad of fires in the form of the trio of men that had met together for restoring peace to the world.

  4. Reflected in the gem-pillars ( of the hall ), they though unattended, appeared as if surrounded by a number of attendants.

  5. The high seats of gold on which they sat bore resemblance to the ( three ) peaks of Trikuta, occupied by ( three ) lions.

  6. Then the astute Hari explained to his two elders the conflict of the two duties, both of which were equally important.

  7. Saraswatî ( speech ) of him with teeth like the tips of Kunda buds, was bathed, as it were, so clean as to have a clear complexion ( also, so pure as to have all its letters quite correct ), in his smiles that lit up the interior of the council-hall.

  8. “My speech is intended to serve as an introduction to yours, just as the prologue is to the plot of a drama.

  9. “The son of Dharma (Yudhishthira), with all the kings made his tributaries by his brothers, the conquerors of quarters, is puissant enough to perform the sacrifice successfully.

  10. “But an enemy that is rising (growing in power) should not be ignored by one wishing one’s own good. For he ( an enemy ) and a disease are regarded by the wise as the same ( in their fatal effects ).

  11. “It pains me not that the son of Sâtvatî ( S’isupâla ) inflicts wrongs on me. But what grieves me is that he harasses the world.

  12. “This, for the present, is my view; let me hear yours too. Verily, even he, that has got at the essence of a matter, does hesitate to give, by himself, a decision on it”, 13. Having made this succint speech, Mâdhava stopped. The great are by nature measured in this speach.

  14. Thereupon spoke Balarâma, his lower lip throbbing ( quivering ) in indignation at the memory of the enemy’s wrongs-lip that was clever at kissing the bimba-like lower lip of his wife, 15. Giving the character of the refuting argument to the speech of Pavanavyâdhi ( Uddhava ), learned in politics, that was held back the very moment it was about to be delivered, 16. Rolling his eyes reddened by inebriation and purified by the leavings from the mouth of Revatî, 17. Withering, by the exh
alations from his mouth, hot through excitement, the garland of sylvan flowers and leaves, that bore testimony to the hardness of the breasts of his wife, always eager for his embrace, 18. Bearing drops of perspiration that stood on his body reddened by his wrath against the enemy, 19. Turning to dark-red, like the tender mango-leaves, the ( dark ) hue of his upper garment by the ( red ) lustre of the flashing rubies set in his ear-ornaments, 20. Emitting the sweet odour of his mouth, blended with the smell of the wine that had been scented by dwelling ( for a time ) in the mouth of the daughter of Kakudmin ( i.e.., Revati ), 21. Spoke, imparting whiteness, with the exceedingly bright rays from his teeth, to the black bees hovering round the lotus in the guise of his face, 22. “Immediate execution of what Vâsudeva has spoken so fearlessly and faultlessly is the only decision on it.

  23. “This speech, though short, cannot be surpassed by a longer one. Fire, though burning piles of fuel, can never outshine the sun.

  24. “Let, therefore, my words, more prolix as they are, serve as a commentary on his very brief yet pregnant speech.

  25. “Words of the wise strike dumb even the eloquent and make their supporters, dull though they be, very verbose speakers.

  26. “Even dull-witted men, after having studied the works on polities, are able to expound that ( in polities ) there are six expedients, three powers, three ends, and three aspects of position.

  27. The verbose talk of a speaker, who has not fully deliberated over the question, is as vain as the bragging of an archer whose arrow has missed its mark.

  28. “Kings, in all their works, have no counsel ( council-deliberation ) other than the five Angas (constituent elements of policy ), just as the Saugatas ( Buddhists ), have ( recognise ), in all embodied beings, no soul apart from the five Shandhas ( forms of mundane consciousness).

  29. “Like a warrior, wanting in courage, Counsel, though all its constituent elements ( also, limbs ) are well-guarded (also, covered with armour), cannot remain secret ( also, stand on the battlefield ), on account of the danger of being betrayed to the enemies ( also, through fear of being wounded by others ).