Sunday 5 July 2020

AKRURA DESCRIBES TO HIM THE MISERIES OF HIS PARENTS | VISHNU PARVA SECTION - 81 - 026

CHAPTER LXXXI

(AKRURA DESCRIBES TO HIM THE MISERIES OF HIS PARENTS)


Akrura sees Lord Vishnu under water

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).

VAISHAMPAYANA said: - The powerful Krishna knew everything so without taking any offence at the words of the liberal prince he said "so be it" (26). Hearing the words of Akrura, all the Gopas, headed by Nanda, desired to follow the orders of Kansa (27). Determined upon going to Mathurā the elderly Gopa inhabitants of Vraja dressed themselves. And arranging their presents they all proceeded along (28). Desiring of offering tributes unto Kansa, the heads of the various Gopa clans arranged according to their herds and quality, buffaloes and bull, curd, milk and clarified butter. And with these their tributes they all set out (29-30).

Conversing with Krishna and Rohini's son Akrura spent the night without sleep (31). Thereupon in the dawn resonant with the notes of the birds and after the termination of the night all the rays of the moon were withdrawn. All the luminous bodies disappeared from the welkin covered with the rays of the sun. The earth was soaked with drops of dews driven by the morning breeze. The fading stars fell asleep on their beds of sky and were shorn of lustre. Thus did the night disappear and the sun rose. As if seeing the increasing body of the sun, the moon, of cool rays, withdrew his own form in shame. Thereupon the outskirts of Vraja were filled with cows, the churning vessels were setting up a sound, the young ones were bound down with ropes and the high-ways of Vraja were filled with Gopas. At that time placing on carts their vessels filled with various materials and themselves also getting on them the Gopas set out speedily (32-38).

Thereupon Krishna, Rohini's son, and Akrura, the giver of liberal presents proceeded on chariots like three Patriarchs (39). When they reached the bank of Yamunā Akrura said to Krishna "Stop the carriage here and look after the horses (40). Offer with care barley to the horses in the vessel that is on the car and wait for me for a moment (41). Ananta, the king of serpents and the protector of all the worlds, is the lord of the universe. Therefore going to the river Yamunā, I shall, with celestial mantras, worship him (42). When I shall bow unto that mystic lord Ananta, clad in blue a apparel, having an auspicious crown and a thousand heads, nectarine poison will come out of the mouth of that god and I shall drink it like unto the celestials drinking ambrosia (43-44). For the peace of the serpents Shesha will convene a meeting and let me behold that king of serpents endued with prosperity and the very abode of auspiciousness (45). As long as I do not come back from the lake of the king of serpents you both wait here for me" (46).

Hearing this Krishna was pleased and said "Go but do not delay; for without you, we shall not be able to wait here" (47).

Thereupon sinking into the lake of Yamunā the liberal prince saw the region of Nāgas in Rasātala like unto this world (48). He saw there the thousand-headed Deity Ananta having a golden ball for his insignia. In his hand was a plough-share and by his belly was a mace (49). He was of yellow hue and was seated on a yellow seat. He was clad in a dark-blue raiment and on his ear was shining a Kundala resembling the bud of a lotus. And his lotus-like eye-lids were closed (50). That serpent was embellished with two Swastikas [1] and he was seated at ease on a beautiful white seat made by his own body (51). His breast was adorned with a garland of golden lotuses and his head was decked with a golden tiara bent a little towards left (52). The body, resembling a white cloud of that large-armed king of serpents the slayer of his enemies, was besmeared with crimson-coloured sandal and adorned with lotus garlands. The four quarters were filled with the lustre (of his person) (53). Vāsuki and other leading serpents were worshipping their only king, the powerful Sesha, master of one all spreading ocean (54). The two Nāgas, Kamvala and Ashwatara, by name, were fanning with chowries that king of Nāgas, seated on a throne of righteousness (55). The Pannaga king Vāsuki, encircled by his serpent ministers, headed by Karkotaka, was shining near him (56). With celestial and golden jars covered with lotuses other leading Nagas were sprinkling that king already bathed in one sheet of water (57). He saw there the dark-blue hued Vishnu [2] clad in a yellow raiment and bearing the mystic mark of Srivatsa, seated at ease on the lap of that king of serpents (58). Another powerful celestial form, resembling Sankarshana, gifted with the beauty of the moon, was seated there without any seat (59). That giver of presents was about to address a few words to Krishna there but his power of speech was suppressed by his (Krishna's) prowess (60).

[1] A kind of mystical figure the inscription of which on any person or thing is generally considered to be lucky. The Sesha Naga was the couch of Vishnu on whose thousand hoods he lay asleep.

[2] The Vaishnava writers have variously interpreted this incident. According to them the anecdote is that when Vasudeva was carrying Krishna he slipped off his hand and fell into the water. He however at once picked up the boy. But this time Krishna did not come but Vishnu in Krishna form. When Akrura went to bathe in the Yamuna Krishna came out and went to Mathura while Vishnu lived in Gokula.

Beholding such eternal and divine prosperity in the serpents that giver of liberal presents was filled with surprise. And coming to the bank from the water he saw Rama and Krishna of wonderful forms seated on the car and looking towards each other (61-62). Seeing this Akrura, again out of curiosity, plunged into the lake and saw that the king of gods, Ananta, having a white face and clad in a blue raiment, was being worshipped as before; and that the powerful Krishna too was seated on the lap of that thousand-headed king of serpents and being worshipped as before (63–64). Then again coming out all on a sudden and reciting in his mind that mantra he went to the car by the same way by which he had come (65). Thereupon Krishna delightedly said to Akrura who was before him "What did you see of the Naga region situate in this Bhagavat lake? I think you have seen something wonderful for you waited for a long time in the lake and your mind too has been agitated (66–67)."

Hearing the words of Krishna Akrura replied: - "O Krishna, what wonder is there in the entire world, mobile and immobile, which can be accomplished without thee (68)? The wonder which I saw there, although rare on earth, I am seeing here and enjoying delight. O Krishna, I am united with the wonder incarnate in the world and therefore do not like to see a greater wonder than this. O lord, let us go to the city of king Kansa before the sun sets (69—71)."

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