Hari-vamsa

Harivamsa

bhūyaścha sahasotthāya taṁ mantram manasā japan |

rathaṁ tenaiva mārgeṇa jagāmāmitadakṣiṇaḥ ||2-26-65

akrūra again rose up quickly from the water. Chanting the mantra in his mind, the one who gives much in carity (akrūra), returned to the chariot along the same way.

tamāha keshavo hṛṣṭaḥ sthitamakrūramāgamat |

kīdṛśaṁ nāgalokasya vṛttaṁ bhāgavate hrade ||2-26-66

When akrūra arrived there, kṛṣṇa asked happily: "O bhāgavata! What is happening in the nāga world, at the lake of yamunā?

ciraṁ ca bhavatā kālo vyākṣepeṇa vilambitaḥ |

manye dṛṣṭaṁ tvayāścaryaṁ hṛdayaṁ te yathācalam ||2-26-67

You took a long time and you are delayed due to some diversion. You might have seen some wonder there. Your mind is excited."

pratyuvāca sa taṁ kṛṣṇamāścaryaṁ bhavatā vinā |

kiṁ bhaviṣyati lokeṣu sthāvareṣu chareṣu ca ||2-26-68

He replied to kṛṣṇa: "What wonder occurs in this world of fixed and moving beings, without you?

tatrāścaryaṁ mayā dṛṣṭaṁ kṛṣṇa yadbhuvi durlabham |

tadihāpi yathā tatra paśyāmi ca ramāmi ca ||2-26-69

kṛṣṇa, there I saw a wonder, rare in this world. I see it here as I saw there and I am immensely happy.

saṅgataścāpi lokānāmāścharyeṇeha rūpiṇā |

ataḥ parataraṁ kṛṣṇa nāścaryaṁ draṣṭumutsahe ||2-26-70

I am involved with a most wonderful incident in this world. kṛṣṇa, I do not want to see anything more wonderful than this.

tadāgaccha gamiṣyāmaḥ kaṁsarājapurīṁ prabho |

yāvannāstaṁ vrajatyeṣa divasānte divākaraḥ ||2-26-71

Now, lord! let us proceed to the city of kaṁsa, and reach there, before the sun sets at the end of the day.

iti srīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi akrūrakṛtanāgalokakathane ṣaḍviṁśo'dhyāyaḥ

Thus this is the translation of the twenty-sixth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, akrūra has a vision.

Note 1

ḥarivamśa, Vol. 1, critically edited by P.L.Vaidya, The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona (1969), page 451

After sloka 3, N 2,3 , V2, B1.2, Ds, D4, T3.4 ins.,

vayaṁ caiva pragantāro rathamāsthāya saṁgatāḥ |

Hence let us also board a chariot and go there together.

The ṁalayalam translation of this line is given in bhāṣābhārataṁ, vol 6, page 406, sloka 4 , kuṣṣikkuṭṭan taṁpurān, DC Books, Kottayam , 2007.

nīlakaṇṭha commentary

ṣaḍviṁśatitamo'dhyāye sarvagoanimantraṇam |

darśanaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ cāṁbhasyakrūrasyeti varṇyate || 1 ||

· 2-26-1 sa nandagopasya amitadakṣiṇo dānapatiḥ |

· 2-26-6 daśānte vārddhakye śoṣitaṁ kṣīṇaraktamāṁsaṁ yato vṛddhaṁ jarāgrastam ||

· 2-26-8 putrairamuditastanīmiti kaṁsāparādhaṁ sadyojātaśiśuvadharūpaṁ sūchayati krodhoddīpanāya ||

· 2-26-24 jīvato vākyakaraṇādṛṇaṁ pratikartavyamityarthaḥ ||

· 2-26-27 cheluḥ prasthānaṁ cakruḥ ||

· 2-26-29 aupanāyikān upahārārthān ||

· 2-26-35 nāśayate adarśanaṁ nayati | vapustejaḥ ||

· 2-26-38 gurukaṁ bhārayuktaṁ bhāṇḍaṁ upakaraṇasāmagrī ||

· 2-26-41 hayabhāṇḍe asvabhūṣaṇādau ||

· 2-26-42 bhujageśvaraṁ śeṣamanantākhyam ||

· 2-26-44 dharmadevasya dharmādhiṣṭhātuḥ anugrahavaśāt viṣasyāpyamṛtam ||

· 2-26-45 svastikasyāyatanabhūtaṁ svastikāyatanaṁ śeṣaṁ tatra śeṣasamīpe ||

· 2-26-58 tasyotsaṅga ityādigranthaḥ

"sapta te sapta śākina ekamekāśatā daduḥ| yamunāyāmadhiśrutamudrādho gavyaṁ mṛje nirādho aśvyaṁ mṛje"

ityetaṁ mantramupabṛṁhayati | mantrārthastu mārutaṁ sūktaṁ aghamarṣaṇakāle bhagavantaṁ dṛṣṭvā taddevatāṁ marutaṁ evaṁ stauti | sapta sapta ekonapaṣcāśat śākinaḥ shaknuvanti te iti vā shaknuvantyetairiti vā śākinaḥ śaktimantaḥ śaktipradā vā marutaḥ ekamekā pratyekaṁ śatā śatamaiśvaryaṁ bhavatīti yāskaḥ | aiśvaryāṇi dadauḥ yat,aohaṁ śrutaṁ evāsya paramā saṁpaditi vedaśirobhya ākarṇitaṁ rādho dhanaṁ sūtrāntyaryāmirūpaṁ yamunāyāṁ adhi madhye mṛje mṛgayāmi paśyāmītyarthaḥ | tadeva rādhaḥ ut ūrdhvaṁ gavyaṁ goṣu sūryaraśmiṣu sthitaṁ gavyaṁ mṛje tathā ashvyam ashvavati rathe sthitaṁ ca devarājani mṛje adho'pi bhūloke paśyāmītyarthaḥ ||

· 2-26-59 viṣṭaraṁ āsanaṁ vinā bhūmāmeva ||

· 2-26-67 vyākṣepeṇa vyāsaṅgena ||

· 2-26-70 rūpiṇā mūrtimatā ||

īti śrīmahābhārate harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ ṣadviṁśo'dhyāyaḥ

27 - kaṁsadhanurbhaṅgaḥ - Breaking Kamsa's Bow

vaiśampāyana uvāca

te tu yuṅktvā rathavaraṁ sarva evāmitaujasaḥ |

kṛṣṇena sahitāḥ prāyaṁstathā saṅkarṣaṇena ca ||2-27-1

vaisahṁpāyana said:

(O janamejaya!) After setting up a best chariot, all of them, along with kṛṣṇa and saṅkarṣaṇa proceeded further.

Aseduste purīṁ ramyāṁ mathurāṁ kaṁsapālitām |

vivishuste purīṁ ramyāṁ kāle raktadivākare ||2-27-2

They arrived at the beautiful city of mathura protected by kaṁsa. They reached inside the city when the sun was red (about to set).

tau tu svabhavanaṁ vīrau kṛṣṇasaṅkarṣaṇāvubhau |

praveshitau buddhimatā hyakrūreṇārkavarchasau ||2-27-3

The intelligent akrūra took the valiant kṛṣṇa and saṅkarṣaṇa, brilliant as sun, to his home.

tāvāha varavarṇābhau bhīto dānapatistadā |

tyaktavyā tāta gamane vasudevagṛhe spṛhā ||2-27-4

The dānapati (akrūra) was worried. He told the two attractive boys: Sons! You should abandon your desire to go to vasudeva's house.

yuvayorhi kṛte vṛddhaḥ kaṁsena sa nirasyate |

bhartsyate ca divā rātrau neha sthātavyamityapi ||2-27-5

Because of you, kaṁsa is harassing the old man (vasudeva) there. Day and night kaṁsa is abusing saying that he should leave this place.

tadyuvābhyāṁ hi kartavyaṁ pitrarthaṁ sukhamuttamam |

yathā sukhamavāpnoti tadvai kāryaṁ hitānvitam ||2-27-6

Hence your duty is to bring the best comfort to your father. You should do the things to his liking so as to bring him comfort.

tamuvāca tataḥ kṛṣṇo yāsyāvāvāmatarkitau |

prekṣantau mathurāṁ vīra rājamārgaṁ ca dhārmika |

tasyaiva tu gṛhaṁ sādho gachcāvo yadi manyase ||2-27-7

Then kṛśṇa told akrūra: O man of righteous path! we do not want to debate with you. We shall proceed to see the city of mathura and the royal path. We shall go to his (vasudeva's) house only if you agree.

vaiśampāyana uvāca

akrūro'pi namaskṛtya manasā kṛṣṇamavyayam |

jagāma kaṁsapārśvaṁ tu prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā ||2-27-8

vaiśaṁpāyana said:

(O janamejaya!) akrūra mentally offered obeisance to the eternal kṛṣṇa and went to see kaṁsa with a joyful mind.

anuśiṣṭāu ca tau vīrau prasthitau prekṣakāvubhau |

ālānābhyāmivonmuktau kuṣjarau yuddhakāṅkṣiṇau ||2-27-9

Both the valiant youth, permitted by akrūra, left to see the city, like two elephants, released, desiring for fighting.

tau tu mārgagataṁ dṛṣṭvā rajakaṁ raṅgakārakam |

ayācetāṁ tatastau tu vāsāṁsi rucirāṇi vai || 2-27-10

On the way they saw a washerman carrying clothes that he had dyed. They asked him for colourful clothes.

rajakaḥ sa tu tau prāha yuvāṁ kasya vanecharau |

rājavāsāṁsi yau mauḍyādyācethāṁ nirbhayāvubhau ||2-27-11

The washerman asked them: Who are you, residents of forest? Out of foolishness, you are asking for royal clothes without any fear.

ahaṁ kaṁsasya vāsāṁsi nānādeśodbhavāni vai |

kāmarāgāṇi shatasho raṣjayāmi viśeṣataḥ ||2-27-12

I mix hundreds of beautiful colours specially for kamsa's clothes, made in different places.

yuvāṁ kasya vane jātau mṛgaiḥ saha vivarddhitau |

jātarāgāvidaṁ dṛṣṭvā raktamāccādanaṁ bahu ||2-27-13

Whose sons are you? In which forest you were born and bought up with animals? You are attracted by seeing many blood-red clothes.

aho vāṁ jīvitaṁ tyaktaṁ yau bhavantāvihāgatau |

mūrkhau prākṛtavijṣānau vāso yācitumicchataḥ ||2-27-14

Alas! you have lost your lives! You are fools and ignorant people to come here and ask for clothes as you wish.

tasmai cukopa vai kṛṣṇo rajakāyālpamedhase |

prāptāriṣṭāya mūrkhāya sṛjate vāṅmayaṁ visham ||2-27-15

kṛṣṇa became angry on the washerman of evil mind, who was a fool speaking poisonous words, whose time of death had come.

talenāśanikalpena sa taṁ mūrddhanyatāḍayat |

sa gatāsuḥ papātorvyāṁ rajako vyastamastakaḥ ||2-27-16

With his hand, like a thunderbolt, kṛṣṇa gave a blow to the washerman's head. The washerman fell dead on the ground, with his head broken.

taṁ hataṁ paridevantyo bhāryāstasya vichukruśuḥ |

tvaritaṁ muktakeshyashcha jagmuḥ kaṁsaniveśanam ||2-27-17

When the washerman's wives saw him dead, they cried loudly and went to kaṁsa's house with their hair loosened.

tāvapyubhau suvasanau jagmaturmālyakāraṇāt |

vīthīmālyāpaṇānāṁ vai gandhāghrātau dvipāviva ||2-27-18

Both the brothers selected good clothes. For garlands, they went to a street of flower garlands like two elephants attracted by the fragrance.

guṇako nāma tatrāsīnmālyavṛttiḥ priyaṁvadaḥ |

prabhūtamālyāpaṇavā.ṇllakṣmīvānpriyadarśanaḥ ||2-27-19

There was a person named guṇaka, selling garlands, who spoke sweetly. Many flower garlands were available there. He was wealthy and handsome.

taṁ kṛṣṇaḥ ślakṣṇayā vācā mālyārthamabhisṛṣṭayā |

dehītyuvāca tatkāle mālākāramakātaram ||2-27-20

Then kṛṣṇa spoke politely to the seller of garlands: Please give us garlands.

tābhyāṁ prīto dadau mālyaṁ prabhūtaṁ mālyajīvanaḥ |

bhavatoḥ svamidaṁ cheti provāca priyadarshanau ||2-27-21

That seller of garlands was pleased and gave many garlands to them. He told the two handsome boys: All my garlands are yours.

prītaḥ sumanasā kṛṣṇo guṇakāya varaṁ dadau |

śrīstvāṁ matsaṁbhavā saumya dhanaughairabhipatsyate ||2-27-22

kṛśṇa of good mind was pleased. He gave a boon to guṇaka: O Gentle one! You will be blessed with śrī and wealth.

sa labdhvā varamavyagro mālyavṛttiradhomukhaḥ |

kṛṣṇasya patito mūrdhnā pratijagrāha taṁ varam ||2-27-23

That seller of garlands was very happy to receive the boon. Bowing at the feet of kṛṣṇa with his head lowered, he received the boon.

yakṣāvimāviti tadā sa mene mālyajīvakaḥ |

sa bhṛśaṁ bhayasaṁvigno nottaraṁ pratyapadyata ||2-27-24

That seller of flower garlands thought that the two boys may be yakṣas. Since he was slightly frightened, he did not utter anything as answer.