Saturday 23 May 2020

AN ACCOUNT OF SANTANU'S FAMILY | HARIVAMSA PARVA SECTION - 53

CHAPTER LIII

(AN ACCOUNT OF SANTANU'S FAMILY)

Lord Brahma

VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Thereupon hearing the words of the earth and thinking minutely on her object the gods said to the grandfather (1). "O Lord, thou hast created the bodies of all creatures. Thou art the lord of all the worlds. Do thou therefore relieve the earth of her load. O lord, if thou dost wish to accomplish the object of the earth in this her calamity do thou, without delay, ascertain the duties of Mahendra, Yama, Varuna, the king of riches, Nārāyana, the moon, the sun, the air, the Adityās, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Patriarchs of the world, the celestial physicians, the Aswinis, of the Sāddhyas, of Vrihaspati, preceptor Sukra, of Kāla, of Kali, of Maheswara, of Kartikeya, of Yakshas,  Rākshasas, Gandharvas, Chāranas, great serpents, of birds, huge mountains and oceans consisting of great waves of rivers headed by Gangā (2—8). O grand-father, how shall we send down our portions? Let us create bodies, not born of any woman, in the family of those kings who range in the sky, in that of the kings who tread the earth and in that of courtier Brāhmanas and other princes (9-10).

Hearing this great resolution of the gods assembled together for one common cause the grand-father of all, eulogised by the celestials, said to them (11). "O ye leading celestials, I like very much your resolution. Do you create portions of your body on earth with your energy (12). Ye are all leading celestials, do ye, with your energy, descend on earth. And acquiring the prosperity of the three worlds do you relieve the earth of her burden (13). Listen to what I did in the days of yore for removing the load of her burden when I was informed of it (14).

In the days of yore I was seated on the western bank of the eastern ocean along with my grand-son the great Kashyapa (15). I was describing various themes relating to the Vedas described before, as well as many other episodes of the Purānas (16). While I was thus discoursing, you all, accompanied by Maruts and the ocean and Gangā in their forms, came to me (17). With rushing waves, clad in a variegated raiment of acquatic animals, with a body shinning with shells and pearls, adorned with corals and jewels, accompanied by the moon and roaring like a cloud surcharged with water, the ocean, as if vanquishing me, came to its bank. And throwing up its salt waters he greatly distressed that place (18-20). When the ocean was about to assail that place with his water I said to him in angry words "be quiet'' (21). No sooner I said "be quiet" than he assumed a form. And with all his waves stilled he shone there in right regal grace (22). Desirous of encompassing your well-being and relieving the earth of her burden I imprecated a curse on the ocean and Gangā, saying "O ocean, since you have come in a regal form, go, you will be a king. Performing many feats with your own power on earth, you will be born in the race of the great Bharata and be a protector of men. Although impatient you assumed a form as soon as I asked you to be quiet. Therefore gifted with a beautiful person you will be celebrated on earth by the name of Shāntanu. And this foremost of rivers, Gangā, of unblemished limbs and expansive eyes, will go to you in a beautiful form (23—27. 

When I said this, the ocean, being depressed at heart, looked at me. He said "O Lord, O god of gods, why dost thou imprecate a curse on me? I always obey thy commands. I have been made by thee and am always under thy protection. I am therefore thy son. Why hast thou then cursed me in unbecoming words? (28-29). O lord, by thy favour, my waves increased with the tides and so I was agitated. O Brahmā, how am I to blame for this? (30). If during that time thou hast been touched by water thrown up by the wind, what reason is there for thy imprecating a curse on me (31)? I was agitated by three-fold instruments namely the blowing wind, the increasing cloud and Parva accompanied by the moon (32). O Brahman, if I have committed any offence for these three instruments set to work by thee it behoves thee to forgive me and let there be an end of this curse (33). If dost thou find any evidence, O lord of gods, do thou show me mercy who have been depressed by a curse for no offence of mine (34). O lord, by thy command, this Gangā will descend on earth. I am guilty but thou shouldst show mercy on this innocent one" (35).

Thereupon I said in sweet accents to the great ocean who had been terrified and moved by the curse of the gods who were innocent of the cause thereof. "O you of great mind, O lord of rivers, be thou at ease, do not fear, I have been propitiated with thee. Listen now to the future object of this imprecation (36-37). O lord, renouncing this thy ocean body, go to the race of Bharata. Then, O great ocean, O great king, you will be enveloped with regal grace. There, O lord of waters, you will govern the four Varnas and be pleased (38-39). And assuming, a beautiful form of a woman, this Gangā, the foremost of rivers, will serve you (40). Sporting with Jānhavi, by my command you will not experience human miseries (41). O ocean, be you soon united with Gangā in wed-lock and carry out my command (42). Exiled from the celestial region the Vasus have entered the Rasātala. I appoint you for procreating them (43). Let Jānhavi, for having offspring, conceive those eight Vasus who are effulgent like fire and increase the joy of the celestials (44). Having procreated the Vasus, multiplied the Kuru race and cast off your human body, you will, in no time, assume your ocean body" (45).

"O foremost of gods, thus in the days yore beholding the future burden of the earth, I sowed the seeds of Shāntanu's race for your well-being in which have been born the Vasus who live in the celestial region (46-47). Even now in the celestial region exists Gangā's son Bhishma as the eighth Vasu. The seven other Vasus have repaired to their respective regions and only Vishnu is now living (48). The king Shāntanu begat on his second wife the highly effulgent and powerful king Vichitravirya (49). The two sons of Vichitravirya were the two famous kings of the world Dhritarāstra and Pandu, the two foremost of men (50). Of them Pandu had two beautiful and youthful wives. The first was named Kunti and the second was named Mādri. And both of them were like the wives of the celestials (51). Dhritarāstra had one wife, by name Gāndhāri, who, by stead-fastly serving her husband, became celebrated in the world (52). Herein that house will be divided into two hostile parties and a terrible dissension will take place amongst the sons of those two kings (53). On account of the internal dissensions of these kings all the royal families will be destroyed. A terrible fear, like the hour of universal dissolution will then prevail (54). When all the kings, with their armies, will be slain by one another the cities and kingdoms will be shorn of their inhabitants and Earth will enjoy relief (55). I have read in the Puranas that in the end of the Dwāpara Yuga, all the kings, with their armies, will be destroyed by weapons. Then Ashwathāmā, a portion incarnate of Sankara, with the fire of weapon, will consume the remnant of humanity in battle lying unconscious, at night, in sleep (56-57). When that one of cruel deeds, the like of death himself, will desist, this story relating to the Dwāpara Yuga, will come to a close (58). When Ashwathāmā, a portion of Siva, will disappear, the dreadful Kali Yuga of Maheswara will set in (59). In this Yuga people will perpetrate many iniquities and there will flourish only a portion of virtue. Truth will disappear and falsehood will be stored up (60). In this Yuga, people will worship only Maheswara and Skanda; old and long-lived men will not exist on the earth (61). I have thus described the most excellent annihilation of the kings of this world. Therefore, O ye celestials, descend on earth, without delay in your respective portions (62). Let Kunti and Mādri conceive portions of Dharma and let Gāndhāri conceive Kali the instrument of all dissensions (63). These kings, urged on by destiny, will form two parties and being desirous of securing the earth, will seek a war (64). Let Earth, who upholds all the worlds, enter into her own native source. This sacred and well-known means of the kings is thus created (65)." Hearing the words of the Grand-father Earth with Kāla went away happily for encompassing the destruction of the kings (66).

Thereupon Brahmā despatched the gods for slaying their enemies. The ancient Rishi Nara, the (Serpent) Sesha, that upholds the earth, Sanatkumār, the Sadhyas, Agni, and other gods, Varuna, the Vasus, the sun, the moon, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Rudras, the Viswas, the two Aswinis all descended on earth in their respective portions (67-69). As described by me before the incarnations of the portions of gods, those foremost of Purushas were born, through women or otherwise, on earth as the destroyers of the Daityas and Dānavas. Some of them multiplied their families like fig-trees. And some of them were hard-bodied like thunder-bolts (70—71). Some of them were endued with the strength of a million of elephants. Some of them were powerful like mighty currents and some were capable of handling clubs, Parighas and other weapons (72). All of them were capable of striking with the summits of the mountains. Hundreds and thousands of men, having arms like Parighas, were born in the race of Vrishnis. And the gods were born in the races of Kuru and Panchala as kings. There were born in the prosperous family of Yadus and those of Brāhmanas many sacrificers of pious deeds, well read in the scriptures, mighty bow-men, observant of Vedic rituals and endued with prosperity and accomplishments (73-75). Whenever angry they could shake the mountains, the rivers, the surface of the earth, rise up in the sky and agitate the mighty deep" (76).

Having thus commanded the gods the Grand-father Brahma, the master of present, past, and future, consigned all the worlds to Nārāyana and attained peace (77). Listen again to what the Omnipotent Nārāyana, Vishnu, of sacred fame, the lord of wealth and life, did for the behoof of creatures after incarnating himself on earth and taking birth in the family of the intelligent Vasudeva, the descendant of Yayāti (78-79).

Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh

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அக்ரூரன் அக்னி அங்கிரஸ் அசமஞ்சன் அதிதி அதிரதன் அநிருத்தன் அந்தகன் அரிஷ்டன் அருந்ததி அர்ஜுனன் அனு அஜபார்ஷன் அஜமீடன் அஸ்தி ஆபவர் ஆயு ஆரியா தேவி ஆஹுகன் இந்திரன் இளை உக்ரசேனன் உக்ராயுதன் உசீநரன் உதங்கர் உத்தவர் உபரிசரவசு உமை உல்பணன் உஷை ஊர்வசி ஊர்வர் ஏகலவ்யன் ஔர்வர் கக்ஷேயு கங்கை கசியபர் கண்டரீகர் கண்டாகர்ணன் கண்டூகன் கதன் கபிலர் கமலாதேவி கம்ஸன் கருடன் கர்க்கர் கர்ணன் காதி காந்திதேவி கார்த்தவீர்யார்ஜுனன் காலநேமி காலயவனன் காலவர் காளியன் கிருஷ்ணன் குசிகன் குணகன் குணவதி கும்பாண்டன் குரோஷ்டு குவலயாபீடம் குவலாஷ்வன் கூனி கைசிகன் கைடபன் கோடவி சகடாசுரன் சக்ரதேவன் சங்கன் சததன்வன் சத்யகர்ணன் சத்யகர்மன் சத்யபாமா சத்ருக்னன் சத்வதன் சந்தனு சந்திரவதி சந்திரன் சம்பரன் சரஸ்வதி சனத்குமாரர் சன்னதி சாணூரன் சாத்யகி சாந்தீபனி சாம்பன் சால்வன் சிசுபாலன் சித்திரலேகை சித்திராங்கதன் சிருகாலன் சிவன் சுக்ரன் சுசீமுகி சுநாபன் சுனீதன் சூரன் சூரியன் சைசிராயணர் சௌதி டிம்பகன் தக்ஷன் தசரதன் தந்தவக்ரன் தமகோஷன் தரதன் தன்வந்தரி தாரை திதி திதிக்ஷு திரிசங்கு திரிவிக்ரை திருமிலன் திரையாருணன் திலீபன் திவோதாஸன் துந்து துந்துமாரன் துருவன் துர்வாசர் துஷ்யந்தன் தூம்ரவர்ணன் தேவகன் தேவகி தேவாவ்ருதன் தேனுகன் நந்தன் நந்தி நரகாசுரன் நரசிம்மன் நஹுஷன் நாரதர் நாராயணன் நாராயணி நிகும்பன் நிசுந்தன் நித்ராதேவி நீபன் பஞ்சஜனன் பத்மாவதி பத்ரன் பப்ரு பயோதன் பரசுராமர் பரதன் பரத்வாஜர் பலராமன் பலி பாணன் பார்வதி பானு பானுமதி பிரதீபன் பிரத்யும்னன் பிரபாவதி பிரமர்த்தனன் பிரம்மதத்தன் பிரம்மன் பிரலம்பன் பிரவரன் பிரஸேனன் பிரஹலாதன் பிராசேதஸ் பிராப்தி பிருது பிருதை பிருஹதாஷ்வன் பிருஹஸ்பதி பீஷ்மகன் பீஷ்மர் புதன் புரூரவன் பூதனை பூமாதேவி பூரு பூஜனி பௌண்டரகன் மதிராதேவி மது மதுமதி மயன் மனு மஹாமாத்ரன் மாயாதேவி மாயாவதி மார்க்கண்டேயர் மித்ரஸஹர் முசுகுந்தன் முரு முருகன் முஷ்டிகன் யசோதை யது யயாதி யுதிஷ்டிரன் ரஜி ராமன் ருக்மவதி ருக்மி ருக்மிணி ரேவதி ரைவதன் ரோஹிணி லவணன் வசிஷ்டர் வராகம் வருணன் வஜ்ரநாபன் வஸு வஸுதேவன் வாமனன் வாயு விகத்ரு விசக்ரன் விதர்ப்பன் விப்ராஜன் விப்ருது வியாசர் விரஜை விருஷ்ணி விஷ்ணு விஷ்வாசி விஷ்வாமித்ரர் விஷ்வாவஸு விஸ்வகர்மன் வேனன் வைசம்பாயனர் வைவஸ்வத மனு ஜயந்தன் ஜராசந்தன் ஜனமேஜயன் ஜனார்த்தனன் ஜஹ்னு ஜாம்பவான் ஜியாமோகன் ஜ்வரம் ஸகரன் ஸத்யபாமா ஸத்யவிரதன் ஸத்ராஜித் ஸத்வான் ஸஹஸ்ரதன் ஸ்ரீதாமன் ஸ்ரீதேவ ஸ்வேதகர்ணன் ஹம்சன் ஹயக்ரீவன் ஹரி ஹரியஷ்வன் ஹரிஷ்சந்திரன் ஹிரண்யகசிபு ஹிரண்யாக்ஷன்