Thursday 25 June 2020

INDRA COMES AND EULOGISES KRISHNA | VISHNU PARVA SECTION - 74 - 019

CHAPTER LXXIV

(INDRA COMES AND EULOGISES KRISHNA)


Indra worships Lord Krishna

VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Beholding the mount Govardhana thus held up and the kine saved Purandara, the king of the celestials, was filled with great surprise and felt a desire for seeing Krishna (1). And seated on his elephant Airavata with temporal juice trickling down and resembling a cloud without water he came down on earth (2). Purandara saw Krishna, of unwearied actions, seated at the foot of the Govardhana hill (3). He saw there the immortal Vishnu, assuming the guise of a milk-man and shining in his great effulgence and attained to great delight (4). Sakra, having many eyes, saw, with all his eyes, Krishna bearing the mystic mark of Srivatsa and resembling a dark-blue lotus in hue (5). Beholding him seated happily at the foot of the hill who was gifted with beauty and was like an immortal in the land of mortals Sakra was ashamed (6). Disappearing from view, that foremost of birds (Garuda), feeding on serpents, was protecting him, seated at ease, against the rays of the sun with his wings (7). Leaving behind his elephant, Indra, the slayer of Bala, approached Krishna who was playing in the forest being engaged in human actions (8). His face was embellished with a crown effulgent like the sun that gives lustre to lightning, and with a pair of celestial ear-rings. His breast was adorned with a neck-lace of five layers of Padmakānta jewel constituting the ornament of the body. Beholding Vāsudeva with his thousand eyes the powerful Vasava, the wielder of thunder-bolt, approached Upendra and looked more beautiful with his celestial garlands and pastes (9-11). Then with his sweet voice, deep as the muttering of clouds that always issues commands to the deities, he said (12): -

"O Krishna, O thou of large arms, O thou the enhancer of the delight of thy kinsmen, what, thou hast accomplished on thy being pleased with thy kine, is beyond the power of the gods (13). I have been highly pleased with thy saving the kine from the clouds created by me which bring about the dissolution of the world (14). Whose mind is not filled with surprise on seeing thee hold up this best of mountains by thy own-begotten Yoga power like a house in the sky(15)? O Krishna, I was enraged on account of the suppression of my sacrifice. And therefore I sent down this excessive rain extending over seven nights and destructive of the kine which even the Devas and Dānavas cannot withstand. But thou hast, by thy own power, put down this terrible shower in my very presence (16-17). I am highly pleased, O Krishna, for thy, in anger, settling the entire Vaishnava energy in thy human form (18). On account of thy being endued with thy own energy although in a human form, the work of the gods appears to have been well accomplished (19). O heroe, while thou art at the head of all the works of the gods and their guide, forsooth, everything will be accomplished and nothing will remain undone (20). Thou art alone eternal amongst the gods and in all other worlds. I do not see a second capable of carrying the weight thou hast held (21). As the best of wheels is placed before a pole so dost thou engage in relieving the distress of the gods sunk in an ocean of misery, O thou having a bird for thy carrier (22). O Krishna, as gold is among the metals, so this universe, created by the Grand-father (Brahma) exists, in thy body (23). As a cripple cannot follow one who runs fast so even the Lord, Self-sprung (Brahma) cannot follow thee in intelligence or age (24). As the Himalaya is amongst the mountains, as the great ocean is amongst the watery expanses, as Garuda is amongst the birds so thou art the foremost of the celestials (25). O Krishna, underneath all is the region of water; above it are afloat the pillars of the earth; above them is the region of man; above it is the etherial region ; above it is the effulgent region of the sun constituting the gate of heaven; above it is the great region of the gods forming the abode of the celestials; here I occupy the position of the king of gods; above it is the Brahmaloka where the Brahmarshis live and where move about the high-souled Soma (moon) and other luminous bodies. Above it is the Goloka stationed in the great etherial region. O Krishna, Goloka is the foremost of all regions and is protected by the Sadhyas. There dost thou live carrying on Tapas which we cannot learn even when accosting the Grand-Father about it (26–31). This earth is the region of actions for those who engage in them. Underneath it is the dreadful region of the iniquitous (32). The etherial region is the refuge of moving objects like the air and heaven is the excellent refuge of the pious endued with the qualities of sell-control and forbearance (33). Those, who worship Brahma, live in the Brahmaloka. Goloka is attainable only by the kine; even by hard austerities no one else can obtain it (34). O intelligent and heroic Krishna, in order to protect these kine, thou didst hold up the mount Govardhana and suppress the calamities sent down by me (35). Therefore at the request of the Grand-Father and the cows and out of respect for thee I have come here (36).

O Krishna, I am the lord of Bhutas [1] and of the gods and I am Purandara. Being born of Aditi I am thy elder brother (37). Do thou forgive me for displaying my own energy in the shape of clouds which is but the outcome of thy power (38). O Krishna of the gait of an elephant, be thou delighted now by thy own gentle energy and listen to the words given vent to by Brahma and the cows (39). Pleased with thy heavenly deeds, hymning of their glories and with the work of protection the Lord Brahma and the cows of the sky have communicated this unto thee (40). Thyself protecting the great Goloka region and all the cows, our race, through the help of the bulls, will multiply itself (41). We all, coursing at our will, shall propitiate the cultivators with bulls, their beasts of burden, the celestials with the oblation of Havi and Sri with the profusely increasing corns (42). O lord, O thou of great strength, thou art our preceptor and saviour. Becoming our king and lord do thou sprinkle thyself to-day with this golden jar full of heavenly water brought by me with my own hands (43-44).

[1] A demi-god of a particular class.

I am the king of the celestials and thou hast, although eternal, become now the king of the cows. Therefore the people of this world will hymn thee as Govinda (45). As the dignity of Indra has been bestowed on me so thou art the king of cows. O Krishna, the gods will celebrate thy name as Upendra (46). Of the four months of my rainy season, I confer the latter half constituting the autumn on thee (47). From to-day people will recognize the first two months as mine. After the termination of the rains they will take down my flag and thou shalt receive adoration. Shorn of excitement and emitting notes occasionally the peacocks will give up their pride begotten by my clouds. And all other creatures, ranging in my season and emitting notes at the view of clouds, will be silent (48-49). Agastya, the regent of the star Canopus, will range like a bird in the southern quarter and the sun, of thousand rays, will distress all with his own effulgence (50). Thus with the beginning of autumn the peacocks will become silent, the birds will hanker after water, the frogs will desist from leaping, the brinks of the rivers will be filled with swans and Sārasas, the Krounchas will emit their notes, the bulls will become excited, the cows will be pleased and yield profuse milk, the clouds will disappear after filling the earth with water, the cranes will range in the dark sky, the picturesque lakes, pools and rivers will be adorned with clean water and new grown lotuses, the dark blue fields will be full of corns, the rivers will have waters flowing in their middle[2] the hermitages of the ascetics will also be filled with beautiful corns, the earth, abounding in many provinces, will grow charming after the rains, the roads will look beautiful, the trees will be covered with fruits, the country will be full of sugarcane and Vājapeya and other sacrifices will be undertaken. And thus the sacred autumn will set in. Thou shalt then get up from thy bed. Men in this world and the immortals in the celestial region will worship me as Mahendra and thee as Upendra in the flag-staffs on the earth (51-59). The man, who reciting the great and eternal theme of our conduct as Mahendra and Upendra, will bow unto us, will not be visited by any misery" (60).

[2] i.e. the waters will not over flood their banks as in the rainy season.

Thereupon taking those jars full of heavenly water the king of gods, conversant with Yoga, sprinkled [3] Govinda (61). Beholding the eternal Krishna thus anointed, the cows, stationed in the celestial region, along with the bulls, sprinkled him also with a downpour of their milk through clouds (62). The clear clouds in the sky sprinkled him with nectarine showers. From trees fell down moon-like drops of water. And from the sky the gods set up a leonine sound, made a downpour of flowers and blew the bugles (63–64). The Maharshis, who always follow mantras, chanted his glories with becoming verses and the body of the earth was separated from one all-extending ocean (65). The seas grew delightful and the winds began to blow for bringing about the well-being of the world. And the sun and the moon accompanied by stars stood in their respective roads (66). The kings were freed of their enemies and the calamity of excessive rain was pacified. And the trees were embellished with leaves and powers of various colours. The deer grew delighted in the forest and the elephants began to yield temporal juice and the mountains shone with trees grown on them and with metals (67–68). And the land of mortals was satisfied with ambrosia-like juice like unto the celestial region. Thus when the ceremony of the royal unction, of the Lord Krishna, accompanied by the nectarine showers coming down from the celestial region, was over the king of gods Purandara said to the eternal Govinda, wearing celestial garlands and installed in the sovereignty of the cows (69-70).

[3] i.e installed him as the king of cows. At the time of installation sacred water is sprinkled on the head of a king.

"O Krishna, the first work, of installing thee as the king of cows, is now over. Listen now to the next object of my coming here (71). Slaying speedily Kansa, the wretch of a horse Keshi, and Aristha, always committing mischief do thou engage in governing thy own kingdom (72). From thy father's sister, a portion of my energy is born as a son by name Arjuna. Contracting friendship with him do thou always protect him (73). Thou shalt favour him and he, too, acting on thy advice and following thee, will acquire great fame (74). He will be the foremost of bowmen among the descendants of Bharata and will take after thee. And without thy help he alone will never be pleased with his work (75). This future war of Bharata [4] depends on him and thee the foremost of men. When you both will be united all the kings will be slain (76). O Krishna, I have spoken to the gods and Rishis, that the son, begotten by me on Kunti, will be an adept in the use of weapons, the foremost of archers and the greatest of the Kurus. All the warrior-kings will speak of his learning (77-78). Ever abiding by the duties of a Kshatrya he alone will be able to kill one Akshouhini of kings skilled in fighting (79). Save thee there is none among the kings or gods who will be able to weaken the power of his bow or follow the path of his weapons, O lord (80). O Govinda, he will be thy friend and help in battle. Therefore at my request, do thou instruct him in spiritual knowledge (81). Thou dost know well Arjuna and all the worlds. So thou shouldst always regard and take care of him as thou dost me (82). If thou dost protect him in the great battle Death will not be able to extend its influence over him (83). O Krishna, know Arjuna as me and me as identical with thy own self. As I am at one with thee, so is Arjuna (84).

[4] It refers to the battle of Kurukshetra in which all the kings of the world took part.

I am thy elder brother and therefore thou didst, in the days of yore, acquiring the three worlds from Bali with thy three footsteps, install me in the sovereignty over the gods (85). I know thee as fond of truth, as having truth for thy prowess and as identical with truth. And because thou art bound to the gods by a promise they have engaged thee in this work of the destruction of their enemies (86). O Krishna, Arjuna, the son of thy father's sister, is my son. As he did become thy companion in the days of yore [5] and so now he will contract friendship with thee (87). O Madhava, as a bull carries a burden, so thou shalt always take care of him when either living in his house, your house or while fighting with the enemies in the battle-field (88). When Kansa will be slain by thee, ever observant of the real purpose of things there will take place a great war of the kings (89). Arjuna will vanquish those heroic men of superhuman deeds and thou shalt adorn him with glory (90). O Keshava, if truth, myself and the celestials are thy favourites thou shouldst carry out whatever I have said" (91).

[5] When Vishnu assumed the form of Nārāyana Arjuna became his companion as Nara.

Hearing the words of Sakra, Krishna, who had become a cow-keeper, with a delighted mind replied (92). "O lord of Sachi, I am happy to see you. Nothing, of whatever you have said, will be left off (93). O Sakra, I know your heart. It is not unknown to me that my father's sister has been given away to the high-souled Pandu and that she has given birth to Arjuna (94). I know also the prince Yudhisthira begotten by Dharma. I know Bhimasena, the multiplier of Vāyu's (wind-god's) race. I know also Nakula and Sahadeva begotten on Mādri by the two Aswinis [6] (95-96). I know also Karna, now known as a charioteer's son, begotten on my father's sister in her maidenhood by the Sun [7] (97).

[6] For a detailed account of the birth of all these sons see chapter CXXIII of Adi Parva of Mahabharata.

[7] Kunti, while a maid, obtained a boon from the Rishi Durvasa that whomever she would wish to have as her consort, he would at once come to her. To make an experiment she invoked the sun and Karna is the issue of her union with him. The account of his birth is described in one hundred and eleventh chapter of Adi Parva in the Mahabharata.

That Pandu is dead on account of the thunder like imprecation [8] and that the sons of Dhritarashtra are desirous of fighting are all known to me (98). O king of gods, returning now to the city of the celestials increase their delight. No enemy will be able to trouble Arjuna when he will be before me (99). When the great war of Bhārata will come to its close, I shall, on account of Arjuna, consign unscathed unto Kunti all the sons of Pandu (100). O king of gods, I am bound by affection and therefore I shall accomplish like a servant what your son Arjuna will command me (101)." Hearing these words of truthful Krishna, the king of gods returned to the city of the celestials (102).

[8] Once on a time Pandu went out into a forest for hunting. He struck a Rishi's son who was coupling with his mate in the form of a deer. He imprecated a curse on Pandu saying "As you have killed me in the form of a deer when I was full of desire, so you, O foolish man, will certainly meet with the fate that has fallen me. When you will go to your dear one, full of desire as was the case with me, you will at that time, certainly go to the land of the dead. Your wife will also follow you." See slokas 30, 31, in chapter CXVIII in Sambhava Parva of Adi Parva in the Mahabharata.

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