Gopal Champu

Chapter Twenty-one - Punishing Pauṇḍraka

[1] The next day Madhukaṇṭha spoke at Nanda’s assembly lit by Kṛṣṇa’s moon-like face:

Balarāma stayed in Vraja for Caitra and Vaiśakha months, giving happiness to those who saw and heard him, observing all the festivals according to his pleasure. He then asked to go to Dvārakā and was given permission.

Among the messengers who came and went during his stay, two came and said, “When Pauṇḍraka began causing disturbance, Kṛṣṇa killed the uncivilized fellow as well as the king of Kāśī.”

[2] When Nanda and others became alarmed Balarāma said, “Please tell us the story.”

[3] The two messengers said:

When you came here, one person from the king of Karuṣa, lacking all dharma, came into the Sudharma assembly to see Kṛṣṇa served by the Yadus. The ignorant fellow did not get any obstruction. Since he was a brāhmaṇa, the door keepers did not prevent him. He approached and said, “I have arrived. I have been sent by the ātmā, Paramātmā Vāsudeva who is served by the knowers of the Vedas.”

[4] Thinking he was an imposter everyone laughed and with astonishment said, “If he is known as the ātmā how is he to be known also as Paramātmā? Please explain.”

[5] The brāhmaṇa said with anger, “Ah! You do not know that Paramātmā who has appeared as Pauṇḍraka and is confirmed as such by the learned.”

[6] Balarāma said with laughter and red eyes “Then what happened?”

[7] The messengers said:

The brāhmaṇas in the assembly said, “O brāhmaṇa! How can those who are equal to Bṛhaspati say such nonsense? They are like the rising sun. What more can be said? They know everything completely.”

[8] Kṛṣṇa offered respects to the arrogant, quarrelsome brāhmaṇa by his words. “Let that be. Please reveal the message.”

[9] The brāhmaṇa said:

What is said in the message has been stated by the powerful master:

I am the one and only Lord Vāsudeva, and there is no other. It is I who have descended to this world to show mercy to the living beings. Therefore give up your false name. O Sātvata, give up my personal symbols, which out of foolishness you now carry, and come to me for shelter. If you do not, then you must give me battle.” SB 10.66.5-6

[10] Gripped with laughter, Balarāma said, “Then what happened?”

[11] The two messengers said, “When Ugrasena and the others began looking at the brāhmaṇa with angry glances for a long time, he twisted his limbs with a loud, crooked laugh.”

[12] Kṛṣṇa again said, “Previously I was known by the name Vāsudeva. How can I separate myself from that name?”

[13] Some said with derision, “Who knows this? He should now be in possession of his conch and cakra.”

[14] Stopping them with angry affection, Kṛṣṇa, embarrassed, spoke with smile, “Ah! O comedians, give up your laughter. Best of brāhmaṇas! Please listen. His symbols are visibly with him. If he has the real symbols and I have stolen the symbols, the stolen symbols must be false. Let that be. I will send him the symbols, but I should give them directly. He should accept them in person with great care. He should be eager to come and face me. By that, he will gain land, and the earth will prosper. He will rest peacefully with a great sigh of relief.”

[15] Balarāma said with a smile “Then what happened?”

[16-17] The messengers said, “The messenger was dumbfounded by the power concealed in Kṛṣṇa’s words. Thinking his endeavors useless, the messenger left and, telling Pauṇḍraka what had happened, made Pauṇḍraka’s’ face turn pale. Kṛṣṇa went to Kāśī and Karuṣa to have some fun. He met with five akṣauhiṇīs belonging to Pauṇḍraka and the king of Kāśī.”

[18] Balarāma said, “Then what happened?”

[19] The messengers said, “Seeing Pauṇḍraka dressed like an actor in bad imitation of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa simply laughed uncontrollably and was the covered by showers of the enemy’s weapons.” ||1|| TRDD

[20] Nanda was not even able to say, “What happened next?” The messengers continued speaking on their own:

When the weapons reached the half-way point, Kṛṣṇa released his weapons and demolished the opponents. ||2||

He released arrows like Garuḍas and received arrows as if they were merely air. The arrows of Kṛṣṇa seemed to dance during the battle. ||3||

In the beginning, the enemy field was covered with troops, horses and elephants. In the end,

it was covered with jackals, vultures, crows and ghosts. ||3||

[21] Having defeated all the enemies, Kṛṣṇa began praising Pauṇḍraka with sarcastic words.

I have come according to your order to offer the weapons to you, the king of the three worlds. I have destroyed all those false, mock fighters. Now please carefully take the weapons. Saying this, he shot more arrows and shattered Pauṇḍraka’s chariot into a thousand pieces. He then threw the cakra, which beheaded him. This amused everyone.

[22] The king of Kāśī, already dead, did not have time to glance around to see when Kṛṣṇa would cut off his head with his arrows.

[23] The people of Kāśī came in huge numbers. They set eyes on his head as it landed.

His sons, grandsons, great grandsons, daughters, brothers, wives and others said, “Is that a lotus falling from heaven? It is mine, it is mine.” On seeing that it was the head of the king of Kāśī, severed by the weapons released by Kṛṣṇa, the head became a thunderbolt, giving pain to all. ||5||

[24] Balarāma said with a laugh, “Then what happened?”

[25] The messengers said, “Then Kṛṣṇa went to Dvārakā.”

[26] On another day when two other messengers arrived, the same incident was described.

[27] Balarāma said, “That was excellently done, since two demons were killed. But did he not kill their offspring, according to the saying ‘One should not keep the remains of fire, sickness or enemies.’?”

[28-29] The messengers said, “O Lord! Listen to this. Not wanting to kill them out of hatred, he destroyed their cities. The son of the king of Kāśī named Sudakṣiṇa, seeing his father killed with head turned down, began to worship Śiva. When Śiva revealed himself to the son, the son did not say that Kṛṣṇa was the enemy. He only said that he had an enemy. Taking the son’s request to be useless, Śiva hinted with a smile, ‘All you have is like ashes.’ He then said, ‘The Dakṣiṇa fire worshiped with many brāhmaṇas will fulfill your desires, if you are considering killing an offender of brāhmaṇas.” Saying this, he then said, ‘If you want to kill those who respect brāhmaṇas, the fire will destroy all the brāhmaṇas you employed.’”

[30] Balarāma said, “Then what happened?”

[31] The messengers said, “The fool then worshiped the Dakṣiṇa fire in order to kill people who respect brāhmaṇas. By the worship, the fire became hot with flames, and began growing into a form of Śiva with matted locks of hair. The fire went to Dvārakā and began causing violence. The agitated attendants of Śiva ran in front and behind. The fire emanated streams of lightning between his eyebrows, eyes showering fire, protruding teeth, a harsh face with a frown, and a sharp tongue which licked the edges of his lips. He was naked. The rays from his trident pierced all the directions. His legs were like tāla trees. He shook the whole earth and traversed the path of Śiva’s attendants. With his glance of inexhaustible light that man of fire burned all the trees wherever he looked.” ||6-7||

[32] Nanda said in fear, “Then what happened?”

[33] The messengers said, “The people of Dvārakā were terrified on seeing close up the burning caused by this fiery person. Kṛṣṇa, absorbed in playing dice with his friends, ignored the creature. Ordered by Kṛṣṇa, his cakra made the fiery creature flee and then destroyed Kāśī. Then gently the cakra came back to Kṛṣṇa’s feet.” ||8||

[34] Balarāma said, “Describe a little more.”

[35] The messengers said, “The fire in front of the cakra appeared remarkable. It appeared that fire flies were fleeing in fear from a host of suns causing universal destruction. Some of the attendants of Śiva who came to burn Dvārakā were burned by the Dakṣiṇa fire and some were burned by the fire of the cakra. The fire quickly entered Kāśī and burned Sudakṣiṇa and the priests. The cakra burned them all, and burned the city. Kāśī was burned by the cakra. Do not think otherwise. The whole province along with the city was burned by the sparks from the fire.” ||9-12||

[36] Everyone said with laughter, “That was a very good since Akrūra was no longer living there.”

[37] Balarāma said with a laugh, “Then what happened?”

[38] The messengers said, “The cakra which became the sun at the time of final destruction on departing became like the moon on returning to Kṛṣṇa.” ||13||

[39] Balarāma said, “What happened to the person who claimed he was a brāhmaṇa and spoke harsh words?”

[40] The messengers said with a laugh, “He went to the dancing arena of the Dakṣiṇa fire.”

[41] Everyone said with laughter, “If the brāhmaṇa was burned by the fire of sin, whose fault is that? It is proper to show anger at those who sent the fire to Kṛṣṇa’s invincible fortress.”

[42] Seeing that Balarāma’s face had become eager to help Kṛṣṇa on hearing of these events, Nanda then spoke. “Seeing you many times, I thought I was seeing Kṛṣṇa. Now your mind is disturbed. I know you are Kṛṣṇa’s protector.” ||14||

[43] Balarāma spoke with tears in his eyes, “If my body sees you, my father, and Kṛṣṇa to be the same, let it remain whole. But if it sees you and him as different, then let it be split in two. (I cannot be separated from either of you.)” ||15||

Making this promise, Balarāma desired to go. All the people of Vraja gathered to see him off. Seeing his pleasing love for them, they shed tears for two muhūrtas. Yaśodā constantly embraced him, and though wanting to give instructions for Kṛṣṇa and Rohiṇī, she could say nothing. She entered into a state of the highest communication (where nothing need be said).

[44] What more can be said? Though the condition of intense fever of separation felt by his father, mother, friends and all people of Vraja had to be told to Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma felt useless in this endeavor and withered in shame. ||16||

The gopīs felt both happiness and suffering when Balarāma went, because of the promise that he would bring Kṛṣṇa back, and because of separation from Balarāma. ||17||

Gokula was behind and Dvārakā where Kṛṣṇa resided was far ahead. Balarāma, considering the distance between to be empty of space, reached Dvārakā in one day. ||18||

[45] I accept what Hari-vaṁśa says in this regard:

Hearing that he had arrived, Kṛṣṇa came with Uddhava and met Balarāma who was covered in perspiration. Taking him to a private place, with tears in his eyes and full of longing, he asked him about prosperity of Vraja. ||19||

What more can be said? First he asked about his mother and father and then about others. He asked his brother about the forest plants and animals. Relieved, he then decided that he must go to Vraja. May what he said about each person give us blessings of protection! ||20||

[46] Hari-vaṁśa has these verses:

tathaivādhvanyaveṣeṇa sopaśliṣṭo janārdanam |

pratyagra-vana-mālena vakṣasābhivirājatā ||

sa dṛṣṭvā tūrṇam āyāntaṁ rāmaṁ lāṅgala-dhāriṇam |

sahasotthāya govindo dadāv āsanam uttamam ||

upaviṣṭaṁ tadā rāmaṁ papraccha kuśalaṁ vraje |

bāndhaveṣu ca sarveṣu goṣu caiva janārdanaḥ ||

pratyuvāca tato rāmo bhrātaraṁ sādhu-bhāṣiṇam |

sarveṣāṁ kuśalaṁ kṛṣṇa yeṣāṁ kuśalam icchasi ||

Balarāma, still wearing a traveler’s dress, beautiful with a new garland on his chest, embraced Kṛṣṇa. Seeing Balarāma coming quickly, Kṛṣṇa rose and offered him an excellent seat. Seeing him, Kṛṣṇa asked him about the welfare of all his friends and the cows. Balarāma answered his brother who spoke sweetly, “O Kṛṣṇa! All those for whose good health you desire, are fine.” Hari-vaṁśa 2.46.56-59|

[47] Kṛṣṇa thus understood that all the people of Vraja were fine. Kṛṣṇa then became absorbed in another way: he drank all the milk and fruit that Balarāma brought and began to recollect the names of all the cows. ||20||

[48] Madhukaṇṭha concluded: “O Nanda! How can the words of Kṛṣṇa be untrue? How can the words of Balarāma be untrue? See! Your son, dressed in fine clothing, respecting all of Vraja, is in front of you with Balarāma, cooling your chest.” ||22||

[49] The bards of Vraja then sang:

Smiling, you spoke words with double meaning to Pauṇḍraka. You showed skill in replying to the talkative messenger.

You were eager to see the costume of your enemy. Your voice sounded like a host of conches.

Going in glee, you surveyed his province. You were preoccupied with seeing him.

You destroyed all the troops he gathered and then faced Pauṇḍraka directly.

Seeing his costume, you scolded him sarcastically. You threw your cakra to return it to him.

You cut off his head in the battle. You also killed his friend the king of Kāśī, using iron arrows.

Cutting off the head of the king of Kāśī, you destroyed Kāśī, thus destroying the enemy completely.

Returning to Dvārakā, you played dice with your friends. Hearing about the demon that his son sent, you laughed and continued playing.

Ordering your cakra to go, you continued to play dice. Defeated by your friend you were ashamed.

You defeated all of the son’s black magic and after the cakra burned Kāśī, it returned to you.

Giving up Dvārakā to which you quickly returned, you now shine in Vraja, O lord of Vṛndāvana! ||23||

[50] After completing the talk in the outer assembly, the reciter slightly satisfied the hearts of Rādhā, Kṛṣṇa and others in the inner assembly.

[51] In leaving, Balarāma felt that he had not personally consoled Kṛṣṇa’s beloved gopīs. After spending another night on some pretext, the next morning he carefully went ahead of the crowd following him and met those lamenting gopīs on a forest path to comfort them completely (telling them that he would definitely return with Kṛṣṇa). He told his own gopīs to live in Vraja following the orders of Kṛṣṇa’s beloved gopīs. Taking permission from the intelligent, who accepted his consolation with the conclusion that it was necessary to go periodically to his father’s house, he left. When he left, the gopīs gave him a gift for Kṛṣṇ–a śuka and śārika bird which they had taught to speak:

[52] They taught the parrot:

You should maintain your lives until I return. The cātaka bird remains alive until the monsoon comes. ||24||

They taught the śārika bird:

Waiting for the monsoon, the cātaka birds remain alive. If the monsoon is devoid of clouds, how can the suffering cātaka birds remain alive? ||25||

[53] Balarāma brought many gifts from Vraja and Kṛṣṇa for many days would enjoy them until finally they were finished. But the parrot and śārika bird taught by his beloved gopīs never ceased to teach him thirst and attraction for Vraja in his heart. ||26||

[54] Madhukaṇṭha concluded, “O Rādhā! You and Kṛṣṇa together shine radiantly. Seeing your embrace, with no feelings of separation, I attain bliss.” ||27||

[55] Thus giving bliss to all, after the two reciters retired to their rooms, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa slept in their house which was filled with bliss.