CHAPTER XCV
(KRISHNA MEETS WITH PARASURAMA)
VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Hearing the words of Vikadru the highly illustrious Vasudeva, with a delighted mind, said: - "O Krishna, what the intelligent Vikadru, the foremost of royal speakers, and conversant with the meaning of royal counsels has said, is true and well meaning. He has related royal duties and truths conducive to the well-being of the universe. Do what that foremost of Yadus has said (1-3).
Hearing the words of his father and of the high-souled Vikadru, Krishna, the foremost of men, gave vent to the following reasonable words (4). "I have listened to what you have said, surveying (the course of) the Providence according to reason, order, logic and scriptures (5). Hear the reply that I give and accept it after hearing. The king should behave according to order and moral laws (6). A king daily meditates on peace, quarrel, conveyance, seats, dissension-making and help (7). A learned king should not place himself before a powerful enemy, but rather should fly away. And in proper time and according to his strength he should engage in fight (8). Therefore although I am capable, I shall, at this very moment, fly away with the worshipful Baladeva for saving my life like one incapable (9). Ascending the mount Sahya beautiful like myself along with my reverend elder brother, I shall enter into Deccan and we shall behold the charming cities of Karavira and Krounch and the foremost of mountains Gomanta (10–11). Hearing of this our departure that Emperor, elated with success, will not enter into this city but rather will pursue us in pride. And repairing to the forest of Sahya with his followers he will endeavour to arrest us (12-13). Therefore this our departure is conducive to the well-being of the race of Yadu. By this, the Province, the city and the citizens will fare well (14). When an enemy flies away from his kingdom, the kings, desirous of achieving victory while in another kingdom, do not desist from fighting without killing the enemies" (15).
After this conversation, the heroic Krishna and Sangkarshana, although capable, set out for the south without experiencing the least anxiety in mind (16). Assuming forms at will they began to travel in hundreds of southern kingdoms (17). Thereupon getting upon the charming mountain of Sahya and experiencing joy they reached the road leading to the south (18). Going by that road they, within a short time, reached the city of Karavira, presided over by the members of their own family and adorned with the mount Sahya. They saw there a huge fig tree on the bank of the river Venā (19-20). They saw there the eternal great ascetic Rāma, the descendant of Bhrigu who is never exhausted and like the sun on the mount Mandara milching his sacrificial cow with her calf ever giving milk whenever desired and white as the milky Arani tree near the mount Mahendra. He was seated at the foot of that tree, had his axe on his shoulder, wore bark and matted locks, was white as the flames of fire, effulgent like the sun, the destroyer of the Kshatriyas, motionless like the ocean, was preserving the three sacred fires, was emaciated with the performance of three oblations a day and was like the very preceptor of gods (21-26).
Thereupon Krishna, the foremost of speakers and conversant with the history of men, addressed that foremost of Rishis, in sweet words saying (27): - "O Reverend Sir, I have known thee as the foremost of Rishis, Rāma, the son of Jamadagni born in the race of Bhrigu, and the destroyer of the Kshatriyas (28). O descendant of Bhrigu, having agitated the ocean with the velocity of thy shafts thou hast laid out a city by name Surpāra, two thousand cubits in breadth and one thousand in length. Thou hast laid out a great province in the prosperous groves of the Sahya mountain situated on the bank of the great ocean. Remembering the destruction of thy sire thou didst, with thy axe, chop off the thousand arms of Kārtavirya resembling a forest. Even now the Earth has her mud covered with the cool blood of the Kshatryas who were killed by thy axe and were shorn of effulgence. O son of Renukā, the axe remains here in the same way in which thou didst hold it in battle on earth out of anger against the Kshatryas. O Vipra, we wish to hear from thee something. Do thou reply to it without any hesitation of mind. O foremost of Munis, perhaps thou mightest have heard of two Yādavas living on the bank of the Yamuna. We are those two Yadavas living in Mathurā. From the very commencement of our birth, our father Vasudeva, the foremost of Yadus and ever observant of vows, afraid of Kansa, placed us in Vraja. There we grew up without any fear (29-37). As soon as we came of age we entered into Mathurā and powerfully destroyed the haughty Kansa in the assembly (38). Thereupon placing his father Ugrasena in his royal office we again, as before, engaged in the work of cow-herd boys (39). O thou of firm vows, thereafter when Jarāsandha laid siege to our city for many times and fought we, although capable, in the interest of our city and subjects, in fear of his preparations, left our city on foot, for we are not powerful, have made no preparations and have so soldiers, carts, coats of mail and weapons (40-42). Thus, O foremost of Munis, we have come to thee. Do thou welcome us with good counsels (43)." Hearing those their becoming words Renuka's son Rāma, born in the race of Bhrigu, replied in words pregnant with morality (44).
"O lord Krishna, in order to give you counsels I have just alone come to this place without my disciples (45). O thou having lotus-eyes, I know thy habitation in Vraja and the destruction of the vicious-souled Kansa and other Dānavas (46). Coming to know now of thine and Rama's quarrel with Jarāsandha I have come here, O thou having a beautiful face, O foremost of men (47). O Krishna, I know, though not a boy, thou, the eternal lord of the universe, hast become a boy, for encompassing the work of the gods (48).
Although there is nothing in the three worlds which thou dost not know still listen to what I say out of devotion (49). O Govinda, thy predecessors laid out and established this city of Karavirapura (50). O Krishna, now in this city reigns the highly wrathful, illustrious and celebrated king Vasudeva Shrigāla (51). Out of jealousy towards the heroes that king has destroyed all thy kinsmen and the kings born in thy race (52). O Govinda, the king Shrigāla is greatly proud, of uncontrolled mind, cannot look at other's prosperity, is elated with the pride of his kingdom and riches and is even oppressive towards his own sons (53). Methinks, O foremost of men, thou shouldst not live in this dreadful Karavirapura, censured by all the kings (54). Hear, now, I shall describe the place stationed where thou wouldst be able to obstruct and fight with thy enemy Jarāsandha puffed up with power (55). Mayst thou fare well, O Mādhava. Let us this very day cross the sacred river Venā with our arms and spend the night on the impassable mountain situated at the boundary of this kingdom (56). Spending a night on one of the minor ranges of the Sahya mountain named Yajnagiri the abode of dreadful beasts living upon flesh, abounding in trees and creepers and adorned with blossoming trees and crossing the river Khatāngi, resembling the water-fall of Gangā issuing out of the great mountain and adorned with golden lotuses we shall see the water-falls of the Ganges adorned with various woods of the ascetics. Repairing to that hill we shall behold there the ascetics who do not care for honors although worthy of them. Then crossing the river we shall go to the charming city of Krouncha (57-61). O Krishna, the lord of that province is the pious king Mahākapi born in thy race (62). Without paying a visit to that king we shall repair to the eternally sacred shrine Andhuha for spending the night (63). Issuing therefrom we shall go to the celebrated hill Gomanta consisting of many summits situate in the valley of the mount Sahya (64).
O Krishna, one of the summits has risen so high up into the sky that even the birds cannot get on it. It is the resting-place of the gods, enveloped with luminous bodies, high as an etherial house and like the stare-case of the celestial region; (what more) that mountain is like the second Sumeru and the landing stage for all the celestial conveyances (65-66). Getting upon that high summit ye will range there seeing the sun and the moon, the effulgent lords of the luminous bodies, at the time of their rising and setting and the great ocean of heaving waves and adorning the insular continent of Apara (67-68). Ranging in the forest situate on the summit of the mount Gomanta if you obstruct Jarāsandha by fighting with him in the fort you will be able to conquer him (69). Beholding you on the summit of the mountain Jarāsandha will become incapable of fighting in the rocks. I see before me the weapons that you will acquire when that terrible battle will set in (70-71). O Krishna, as ordained by the gods, such a battle will take place there between other kings and the Yadavas that the earth will be filled with the mud of flesh and blood (72). Appearing as if in the very forms of death, the discus, plough-share, the club Koumodaki, the mace Saunada and other Vaishana weapons will, in that battle, drink the blood of the kings urged on by death (73–74). O Krishna, O thou the stay of the celestials, in that battle of discus and mace, as ordained by the gods and brought on by Time, the celestials and thy enemies will behold thine Vishnu form (75-76). For accomplishing the work of the gods, which has not come within thy recollection for a long time, do thou, in thy Vishnu form, take up that discus and club (77). Let Rohini's son, the stay of the world, take up, for destroying the enemies of the gods, dreadful mace and plough-share capable of grinding the enemies (78). As spoken by the gods at their meeting held for relieving the earth of her burden this will be thy first battle in the world with the kings (79). In this battle thou shalt attain to thy Vishnu form, weapons, prosperity and energy and destroy the army of the enemies (80). O Krishna, this battle will sow the seeds of the great battle, abounding in weapons, that will be named Bharata (81). Do thou therefore go to that best of mountains Gomanta. From the signs it appears that Jarāsandha is on the verge of ruin (82). Drinking the ambrosia-like milk of this sacrificial cow do ye proceed by the way pointed out by me. May good betide ye (83).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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