CHAPTER LXXXI
(AKRURA DESCRIBES TO HIM THE MISERIES OF HIS PARENTS)
VAISHAMPAYANA said: - That giver of liberal gifts, having entered Nanda's house with Keshava and collected all the elderly milk-men, said delightedly to Krishna and Rohini's son "O my sons, early in the morning to-morrow, we will all repair to Mathurā (1-2). Under Kansa's command, the Gopa inhabitants of Vraja, with their family and annual tributes, are to go there (3). Kansa is celebrating there a prosperous bow-sacrifice. You will all witness it and be united with your kinsmen (4). O my sons, your father Vasudeva is overwhelmed with sorrow consequent upon the destruction of his sons. You will be united with him there (5). O Krishna, he has grown old and all his limbs have become lean on, account of decrepitude. And he is being always oppressed by Kansa of sinful designs (6). Out of Kansa's fear and your absence his mind is always burning in anxiety (7). O Govinda, you will also see the sorrowful and goddess-like Devaki. Her breast has not been handled by her sons and she is growing lean out of grief for her sons. She is anxious to see you. And stricken with the sorrow of separation she is there like a cow without her calf (8-9). Like unto the moon possessed by Rāhu her eyes have run into their sockets and clad in a soiled raiment she is poorly spending her days (10). O Krishna, that ascetic lady is being exhausted with your sorrow. She is anxious to see you. And the desire for your return is reigning supreme in her mind (11). O lord, being separated from thee from thy very infancy she could not listen to thy child-like talks nor could she see the beauty of thy moon-like countenance (12). If by giving birth to thee Devaki is to repent thus what necessity had she then of a son? It would have been better for her not to have any offspring (13). Women, having no children, are subject to one grief only - but there is no end of their miseries, if they, on having offspring, have not their ends accomplished and fie on such sons (14). O Mādhava, thou art the saviour of even thy enemies, art gifted with prowess like unto that of Indra and art endued with matchless accomplishments. She does not desire such a grief whose son thou art (15). Although aged thy parents are now serving another man and Kansa, of a sinful mind, is now insulting them on thy account (16). If like unto earth who holds thee Devaki deserves thy respect it behoves thee to save that goddess sunk into the water of sorrow (17). O Krishna, subjecting old Vasudeva, ever fond of his son and used to luxuries, to sorrow consequent upon the separation of his sons what religious merit wilt thou acquire (18)? O Mādhava, as thou didst vanquish the wicked Nāga Kālya in the lake of Yamuna, as thou didst uproot the mount Govardhana for the behoof of the cows, destroy the powerful Arishtha elated with pride, kill the wicked-minded Keshi ever intent upon killing others so do thou now make such an exertion with great care for saving thy aged parents overwhelmed with grief that thou mayst acquire piety (19-21). Those, who saw thy father insulted in the court of Kansa, are all, laden with sorrow, continually shedding tears (22). Brought under the control of Kansa thy mother is suffering diverse miseries as the destruction of her sons (23). A son, born of his parents, should satisfy all the debts due by him as laid down in the scriptures (24). O sinless Krishna, if dost thou show this favour towards thy parents they will cast off their grief and thou shalt too satisfy thy duty" (25).
