CHAPTER LXXII
(THE REPLY OF THE GOPAS)
VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Hearing the words of Dāmodara the Gopas were greatly delighted; and being informed of the true import of his nectarine words they unhesitatingly replied (1):
"O boy, we have been highly pleased seeing this thy understanding conducive to the multiplication of the kine and the well-being of the milk-men (2). O Krishna, thou art our course, delight and refuge. Thou dost understand our hearts and art our saviour in great disasters. Thou art the friend of our friends (3). By thy favour, this entire hamlet of milk-men the delightful Gokula[1] has been shorn of her enemies. And filled with auspiciousness she is living with joy and happiness like the city of the celestials (4). Witnessing these thy deeds worthy of being seen and which it is impossible for others to perform, beginning with thy birth and hearing thy haughty words our minds have been filled with surprise (5). As Purandara is amongst the celestials so thou hast acquired supremacy amongst men by thy matchless strength, power, and fame (6). By thy fierce power and consummate effulgence thou hast acquired superiority amongst the mortals like unto the sun amongst the deities (7). As is the moon amongst the gods, so thou hast acquired prominence amongst men by thy grace, beauty, delightful countenance and smiles (8). In strength, energy, body, and feats performed in boyhood only Kartikeya[2] can equal thee. There is none to match thee amongst men (9). As the great ocean cannot overleap its bank so who can disregard your proposal regarding the performance of a yajna in honor of the mountain (10)? Let now for the well-being of the kine and milkmen the Giri-yajana,[3] instituted by thee, be undertaken by us in the place of the Indra-yajna (11). Let delightful viands of milk be prepared and let beautiful jars be placed at the drinking place[4] (12). Let spacious rivers and Dronis[5] be filled with milk and take such a quantity of fried meat and various sorts of food and drink to the mountain that the Gopas may spend three nights (13-14). Let this yajna, consisting of all milkmen and abounding in the meat of buffaloe and other beasts, be at once undertaken (15).
[1] Gokula is another name of Vraja, the village of milk-men. There is still now a village of the same name about five or six miles from Mathura. It is very doubtful whether this is the site of the ancient Gokula which is described to have been situate near Govardhana mountain.[2] The deity of war and son of Siva. Derived from Kirtika the personified Pleiades according to the legend having been fostered and brought up by the nymphs so called. He was so great an adept in the art of war that he was ap pointed the commander of the celestial army in the war between the gods and demons.[3] A sacrifice in honor of the mount Govardhana.[4] The word in the text is Udapana - from Uda water, and the root pa to drink. It may also mean a well. Here it means a place where water is drunk. Near a well, as is still seen in many place, there is a spacious pavement where people may sit at ease and drink.[5] Any real vessel made of wood, stone and in the shape of a boat and used for holding or pouring out water, as a bathing tub, a bathing vessel, a bucket or watering pot &c.
Thereupon the entire village of milkmen was filled with glee along with the delighted kine. Then with the sound of trumphets, the roar of the bulls and the cries of the calves the Gopas were greatly rejoiced. Lakes of curd, whirlpools of clarified butter and rivers of milk were made there. A heap of meat and a mountain-like collection of boiled rice were taken to the mountain. Thus the Giri-Yajna was undertaken by all the milkmen there. There were present the delighted Gopas and the beautiful milk-women. Hundreds of eating-places were set up there. It abounded in garlands, various sorts of perfumeries and incense. Various articles of sacrifice were spread there duly. And thus in the auspicious hour the Gopas, along with the Brahmanas, celebrated the Giri-Yajna (16—20). After the termination of the yajna, Krishna, assuming, by his illusive energy, the form of a mountain, feasted on that most excellent rice, meat, curd and milk (21). The Brahmanas too were pleased with eating there and all their desires were accomplished. And uttering there delightedly the verses of benediction they went away (22). Assuming a celestial form and partaking of the food and drink after his own heart in that sacrifice the Lord Krishna smilingly said 'I am satisfied' (23). Then beholding on the top of the hill Krishna in the form of a mountain embellished with celestial garlands and pastes, the leading Gopas, bowing, sought refuge with him (24). The omnipotent Lord Krishna, having his true form hidden by the mountain, himself adored his own self along with the bowing Gopas (25).
The Gopas, filled with surprise, said to that god stationed on the best of mountains: "O lord, we are thy devoted servants, command us what we are to do" (26). He replied to them in words originating from the mountain: - "If you have compassion for the kine, engage in my worship from to-day (27). I am your well-meaning first deity who grant all objects of desire and by my favour you have got, in your possession, ten millions of precious kine (28). If you all become my votaries, I will encompass your well-being in the forest and enjoy, as in the celestial region, in your company (29). Being delighted I will confer on Nanda and other leading Gopas immense wealth that is worthy of being acquired by milk-men (30). Let the cows along with their calves circumambulate me. I will forsooth then attain to highest felicity" (31).
Thereupon to embellish that best of mountains the cows, with all the bulls, in flocks, encircled it (32). Thereupon with their horns adorned with garlands and be-decked with chaplets on their heads and flowery Angadas, numberless cows delightedly began to circumambulate it quickly (33). Having their limbs pasted with pastes of diverse colors and clad in red, crimson and yellow raiments the milk-men followed those cows in order to govern them (34). In that wonderful assembly shone there the milk-men adorned with peacock-feathered Angadas, and chords well arranged for tying their hairs and with weapons in their hands. Some milk-men hastened to control the kine, some danced in joy and some rode the bulls. Thus in due order when that festivity terminated the incarnate god of the hill all on a sudden disappeared and Krishna, too, with the Gopas, returned to Vraja. Thus when the Giri-Yajna was instituted all the milk-men, boys and elderly people were filled with surprise, on witnessing that wonderful scene and began to chant the glories of Madhusudana (35-39).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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