CHAPTER LXXXII
(KRISHNA'S ARRIVAL)
VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Thereupon yoking (the horses to the) car and ascending thereon the liberal giver Akrura set out with Krishna and Sangkarshana and reached the charming city of Mathurā protected by Kansa. And before evening when the sun was in its crimson colour he entered that beautiful city (1-2).
Taking the heroic Krishna and Sangkarshana of beautiful colour first to his own house the intelligent giver of liberal presents, effulgent like the sun, said to them : "O sire, for the present you are to relinquish the desire of going to Vasudeva's house (3-4). For you, your old father is being day and night chided by Kansa. So you should not wait here long (5). You should do such a good and pleasant work on his behalf that your father may attain to happiness (6)."
Hearing this Krishna said : If you like O pious (Akrura) we, while visiting Mathura and her highways, will enter unperceived into Kansa's house (7)."
VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Bowing unto Krishna in his mind Akrura too, with a delighted mind, went to Kansa (8). Thus instructed those two heroes went on visiting all the high-ways like two elephants let free from their posts and desirous of fighting (9). Seeing a washer-man on the way they asked of him beautiful clothes (10). The washer man replied to them, saying "Who are you? Out of ignorance you have been fearlessly wanting the robes of the king. It seems you are rangers of the forest (11). I dye, as he desires, all the clothes of the king Kansa which he gets from various countries (12). Methinks, born in a forest you have grown up with the deer. Otherwise why do long for and pray for the various dyed clothes (13). You are stupid and of inferior intellect, or else why do you desire for king's clothes. Perhaps giving up all hopes of your life you have come here (14)."
Destiny was against that stupid washer-man of feeble understanding and therefore he discharged such poisonous words. Krishna grew offended with him and struck him on the head with his fist strong as the thunder-bolt. With his head sundered he fell down lifeless on earth (15-16). Thereupon the wives of that washer-man, bewailing for their dead husband indignantly and with dishevelled hairs, soon approached Kansa's house (17).
Like two elephants attracted by smell those two sweet-speeched brothers went to a shop for garlands (18). There lived a wealthy, sweet-speeched and good-looking garland dealer by name Gunaka. He had a large stock of garlands (19). Desirous of having garlands Krishna, with sweet words and without any hesitation, said to the shop-keeper "Give me some garlands (20)." Hearing this the garland-dealer was pleased and conferred upon those two beautiful brothers a number of garlands and said "These are all yours (21)." Being pleased Krishna conferred upon Gunaka a boon saying "O gentle one, the goddess of prosperity, who is my dependant, shall always live by you with profuse riches (22)." With his head bending low and touching the feet of Krishna that garland-dealer patiently accepted the boon (23). Then thinking "They are Yakshas," the garland-dealer, stricken with great fear, did not give any reply (24).
Thereupon again going to the high-way the two sons of Vasudeva espied Kuvjā with pastes in her hands (25). Seeing her Krishna said: - "O lotus-eyed Kuvjā, tell me quickly for whom you are carrying these unguents" (26). Hearing this Kuvjā, going obliquely like a lightning, with delightful eyes and smiles said to the lotus-eyed Krishna in words grave as the clouds (27). "May you fare-well. I was going to the king's bath-room. I am waiting here because you are a darling of my heart; come and accept this unguent. O you of lotus-eyes, of you of a beautiful face, seeing you I am filled with surprise (28-29). O gentle one, whence have you come that you do not know me. I am a favourite of the king and engaged in the work of smearing his body" (30).
Krishna then replied to Kuvjā who stood there smiling: "Give us unguents befitting our body (31). O you of a beautiful face, we are wrestlers who travel over the countries. We have come here at present to see this happy and prosperous kingdom and to witness this bow-sacrifice (32).
She said to Krishna "No sooner I have seen you than you have become my favourite. Without any hesitation accept this unguent becoming a king (33)." Thereupon besmearing their beautiful persons with unguents those two brothers shone like two bulls covered all over their body with the mud of Yamuna (34). Thereupon Krishna, conversant with the art of arranging for sports, softly touched the haunch of Kuvjā with his fingers (35). Knowing her haunch (thus) broken, the beautiful and sweet smiling Kuvjā, like unto a straight creeper, said with love to Krishna displaying her gestures and laughing aloud "Where wilt thou go? Wait here, requested by me. Take me (36-37). The eternal Krishna and Rāma had a knowledge of Kuvjā's accomplishments and therefore looking at each other they began to laugh striking their palms (38). Thereupon smiling a little Krishna sent away Kuvjā who was stricken with desire. Thus liberated from Kuvjā's (grasp) they set out for the court (39).
Thereupon those two brothers, dressed like milk-men and brought up in Vraja, entered the palace without betraying the designs they had at heart by the gestures of their faces (40). Like two proud lions, born in the Himalaya forests, those two boys, unnoticed, reached the house of bows (41). Desirous of seeing that bow embellished with celebrity those two heroes said to the keeper of the house of weapons (42). "O keeper of Kansa's bows, hear our words. O gentle one, where is that bow for which this sacrifice is being celebrated (43)? If you like, show us that celebrated bow." He then showed them the bow resembling a pillar, to which even the gods headed by Vāsava cannot set a string and which cannot be broken down. The powerful Krishna took it up with his hand (44-45). Taking up with his hand with a delighted mind that bow worshipped of the Daityas the powerful lotus-eyed Krishna stretched and bent it continually. Bent with force by Krishna that celebrated bow, resembling a serpent, broke in twain. Having thus broken that best of bows, the quick-coursing youth Vasudeva issued out of that room along with Sangkarshana (46-48). At that time all the quarters were filled with the sound of the snapping of the bow resembling that of the wind and the entire inner appartment shook at it (49). Thereupon terrified the guard, coming out of the room of weapons, speedily approached the king and breathing like a crow said "Hear, I shall relate what wonderful incident, like unto the dissolution of the world, has taken place in the house of bows. Two heroic men, capable of assuming forms at will and resembling the sons of gods, clad in blue and and yellow raiments and besmeared with such unguents, at once entered into the inner appartment unnoticed by men. The effulgence of their body is like new fire and their locks are adorned with spreading tufts of hair (50-53). They were adorned with beautiful raiments and garlands. Those two gentle heroes, as is at once came, down from the sky and stationed themselves in the bow-room. I have seen this myself distinctly (54). Of them the lotus-eyed and dark-hued hero, who wore yellow apparel and garlands, took up that best of bows which even the gods cannot (55). O king, although a boy, he easily and speedily with force stringed and bent that huge iron bow (56). When that large armed heroe drew that bow without arrows with a great sound it broke into two pieces in its middle (57). With the sound of the snapping of that bow the sun was shorn of its effulgence, the earth was agitated and the sky was as if displaced (58). O you, a terror of your enemies, beholding this great super-human deed I am filled with surprise and in fear come have to communicate to you this news. Of those two heroes of unmitigated prowess, one is like the mount Kailāsa and the other is like a mountain of collyrium in hue. I do not know who they are. As an elephant breaks down a pillar so that heroe, of great prowess, shattered that precious bow in twain and went away speedily like air with his companion. I do not know who he is, O king" (59-61).
Kansa knew everything from before, so hearing of the breaking of the bow he did not say any thing. Dismissing the guard he entered into his most excellent room (62).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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