CHAPTER LII
(THE ASSEMBLY OF THE GODS)
VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Saying 'so be it' the Lord, having the hue of a cloud and voice like its muttering in an unfair day, went away with the gods like a mountain covered with clouds (1). At that time Hari, having a dark-blue person, put on shinning matted locks crested with gems and pearls like a cloud with the moon (2). On his spacious breast, the hairs whereof stood erect, there was the mystic mark of Srivatsa (3). Wearing two pieces of yellow raiment that eternal Hari, the preceptor of the world, looked like a mountain covered with evening clouds (4). When he began to proceed on the back of Garuda the Lotus-born Deity (Brahmā) and the gods, having their eyes fixed on him, began to follow him (5). Having reached the jewelled mountain in no time they saw the assembly hall built after their own hearts (6). It was built on the summit of the mount Sumeru, and was effulgent like the sun. Its pillars were made of gold and its gateways were crested with diamonds. It contained diverse paintings on account of its being constructed by the mind and hundreds of cars. Its windows were covered with the jewelled nets. It could go anywhere at will and was embellished with gems. It was filled with many sorts of jewels and flowers made of various metals. That celestial assembly hall, filled with celestial illusion, was constructed by Viswakamān [1] (7-9). All the gods, with delighted minds, sat duly on the seats properly assigned to each of them, in that auspicious assembly hall (10). They sat on cars, seats, Bhadrāsanas, [2] Pithas, [3] and seats of Kutha [4] (11). Thereupon at the command of Brahmā, the wind Prabhanjana began to patrol on all sides of the assembly hall so that there might not arise any sound (12). When everything was silent and calm in that assembly of the gods the Earth plaintively began to address them in piteous accounts (13).
Hearing my words the Omnipotent Lord said "let it be so." Thereupon he gave me away to Manu, the king of men (53). Thereupon obtaining the god-like kings of the Ikshāku race, originating from Manu, I, under the influence of powerful time, passed from the hands of one king to those of another (54). When the Lord bestowed me upon the intelligent Manu, the king of men, many kings, born in the families of great saints, ruled over me (55). Having conquered me many heroic Kshatriyas have gone to the celestial region. Under the influence of time they have disappeared in me (56). The powerful Kshatriyas, ever victorious in battle, fought for me in this world with one another and they have been still fighting even now (57). This is the end of destiny despatched by thee. If thou hast com-misseration for me, if thou dost wish to relieve me of my burden do thou organise a war for the destruction of the kings for the behoof of the world. May the beautiful holder of discus alone grant me protection (58-59). May Nārāyana command me to whom I have come for help oppressed with a load, if he thinks proper to relieve me of it (60).
[1] He was the architect of the gods.[2] Most excellent seat.[3] The seat of the religious student made properly of Kusa grass.[4] A kind of tree.
THE EARTH said: - O god, do thou uphold me. By thee the whole universe has been sustained. Thou art protecting the creatures and three worlds (1.4). Whatever thou dost sustain by thy energy and strength, I do afterwards hold it by thy favour (15). Whatever thou dost hold I do hold it and whatever thou dost not sustain I too do not keep it. There is no element in the universe which thou canst not sustain (16). O lord Nārāyana, at various cycles thou dost relieve me of my burthen for the behoof of the world (17). Being possessed by thy energy I have gone to the region underneath. O foremost of gods, I am at thy mercy. Do thou save me (18). I have been assailed by the wicked Dānavas and Rākshasas. Thou art my eternal saviour and I am always at thy mercy (19). I know it for hundred times that as long as I shall not seek refuge with Nārāyana who relieves me of all loads so long I shall be under the influence of a mighty fear (20). Before agriculture, merchandise and other means of livelihood were instituted by the lotus-sprung Brahmā, in the days of yore, I was reduced in dimension. Binding me two great Asuras, made of earth, were born before (21). While this high-souled Vishnu was sleeping in the mighty deep they originated from the dirt of his ears and remained like two logs of wood (22). Despatched by the Grand-Father, air, in the shape of vital breath, entered into the body of those two Dānavas. Thereupon covering the sky those two great Asuras began to grow up (23). Brahmā gradually touched them both who were gifted with vital breaths. One of them appeared to be soft and the other hard (24). The water-born Lord Brahmā then gave them names. The one, who was soft, was named Madhu and the other, who was hard, was called Kaitava (25). When those two Daityas were thus named they, elated with the pride of their strength and being fearless, began to range in the world converted into one sheet of water, seeking battle (26). Beholding them thus approach Brahmā, the grand-father of all, disappeared in the water of the universal ocean (27). The four-mouthed grand-father desired to live secretly in the lotus sprung from the navel of the lotus-navelled Vishnu (28). When Nārāyana's grand-sons, Madhu and Kaitava thus lived in the water, they, living there for many long years, were not the least agitated (29). Thereupon after many years, those two demons, Madhu and Kaitava, came where Brahmā was stationed (30). Beholding those two dreadful, huge-bodied and irrepressible Dānavas, Brahma, with the stalk of the lotus, disturbed Nārāyana. Thereat the highly-effulgent lotus-navelled Deity rose up from his bed (31). At that time the three worlds were covered with water and so in that one sheet of water there took place a terrible encounter between Nārāyana and Madhu and Kaitava (32). That dreadful battle continued for thousand years and those two Dānavas did not experience least exhaustion in the encounter (33). After a long time those two Dānavas, dreadful in battle, with a delighted heart, said to the Lord Nārāyana, "We have been greatly pleased with fighting with thee. Thou art our most desirable death. Do thou bring about our destruction at a place on earth which is not filled with water (34-35). O foremost of gods, slain by thee we shall become thy sons who vanquishes us in battle" (36).
Catching these two demons with his arms in battle Nārāyana assailed them. Thereat Madhu and Kaitava met with death (37). Thus killed those two Daityas were saturated with water. Their two bodies were then fused into one. And then churned by the waves of the water they began to discharge fat. The water was covered with fat.
O sinless one, thereupon they disappeared and the Lord Nārāyana again engaged in the work of creation (38–39). On account of my being covered with the fat of the demons Madhu and Kaitava I have passed by the name of Medini. I have become the eternal universe by the power of the lotus-navelled deity (40).
Again assuming the form of a boar in the presence of the Muni Mārkandeya the Lord raised me up from the water with one tusk (41). Again at another time before your fiery presence the powerful Vishnu released me from the Daitya chief Bali (42). Now being oppressed and having none, to protect me I have sought refuge with the Lord of the universe Gadādhara who is ever fond of his votaries (43). Fire is the cause of gold, the sun is the cause of stars and so Nārāyana is my support (44). I am alone holding this universe consisting of mobile and immobile creations. And Gadādhara is supporting all these held by me (45). Desirous of relieving me of my burden Jamadagni's son Rāma, out of anger, divested me, for twenty-one times, of the Kshatriyas (46). Raising up a pillar of victory, Bhrigu's son Rāma propitiated me with royal blood at the obsequial rites of his father and then communicated it to Kashyapa (47). Filled with a bad stench coming out of fat, flesh and bones and saturated with the blood of the Kshatriyas I appeared before Kashyapa like a youthful damsel in her course (48). The Brāhmana saint Kashyapa then said to me:-"O earth, why art thou so depressed? Why dost thou, being the wife of a heroe, observe the vow of humiliation" (49). Thereat I said to Kashyapa, the Patriarch of the world: - "O Brāhman, the great Bhārgava has killed all my husbands (50). I have been divested of all the powerful Kshatriyas who live on arms, and have lost my husband. I do not wish to carry on me empty cities (51). Therefore, O Reverend Sir, confer upon me such a king as will be able to protect me abounding in villages and cities and engarlanded by oceans" (52).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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