CHAPTER CVIII
(CONVERSATION BETWEEN KRISHNA AND BHISHMAKA)
Bhishmaka said:—"O Lord of gods, out of his childish nature, my son wishes to give away his sister in a Swayamvara, but I do not like it (1). He is entirely childish; I do not like to give away (my daughter in this way). I wish that my daughter may select the only person whom she sees (2). O Lord, I propitiate thee, for this my son’s bad conduct. Be thou propitiated and forgive (him)" (3).
Krishna said:—"While your son, as a boy, has worked up all these kings, I do not know how arrogant he will be when he will be advanced in years (4). He who, born in a great royal family in this earth, speaks a falsehood, even before one king, consumes with the fire of Yama's tortures: his own-self and all the regions effulgent like the rays of the sun acquired by his asceticism (5–6). O Lord, I know this to be the religious duty of the kings, and even Brahmā, in the days of yore, pointed it out as the foremost duty of men (7). Under these circumstances, O king, how can your son give utterance to a lie before the kings in this assembly (8). Let it go, I doubt also very much your statement that you do not know anything of the great assemblage of the kings invited by your son (9). O king, you have offered hospitality and welcome duly to the kings, assembled like the sun and moon; cars, elephants, horses and the infantry have made a wild dance in your city, and still you do not know anything of your son's work. How may this be (10-11)? I doubt very much, O king, how you were not able to know of the arrival of four-fold forces though it might not have been a source of anxiety (12). O king, perhaps thinking that my arrival was not conducive to your well-being, you did not offer hospitality to such an unworthy person (13). O you of large arms, why should you not give away your daughter (in Swayamvara) for the very sin of my arrival here. Leaving me aside, do you confer your daughter on a good husband (14). Manu and other leading Law-givers have ordained that he who puts obstacles in the way of a maiden, wastes himself in hell (15). O king, for this, I did not enter into the assembly-hall and accept hospitality (16). O king, when possessed greatly by bashfulness, I prayed for giving rest to my followers in the city of Vidarbha, Kaishika, ever fond of guests, offered us proper hospitality. I too, in the company of Garuda, am living here as in the city of gods" (17–18).
Vaishampāyana said:—When Krishna, effulgent like burning fire, showered these thunder-like words, king Bhishmaka, sprinkling him with sweet words, consoled him (19).
Bhishmaka said:—"Be thou propitiated, O Lord of the celestial region. Do thou forgive me, O Lord of the land of mortals. I am possessed by the darkness of ignorance; do thou give me eyes of wisdom (20). We are men of perverse understanding, gifted with fleshy eyes. Therefore whatever we do without judging is not accomplished (21). However we have obtained thee now who art the God of gods. May my vision grow wise and works be accomplished (22). The wise, like great commanders, render fruitful unaccomplished works by the discernment of moral laws (23). Having obtained thy shelter, I do not entertain any fear. Listen to what I wish to accomplish now (24). O king of gods, I do not wish to allow my daughter to hold her Swayamvara lest she may choose another. Be thou propitiated with me, O Lord of celestials. Do not be angry with me" (25).
Krishna said:—"O king of great intelligence, O sinless one, I do not perceive the utility of your sayings. Who can adjust whether you will give away your daughter or not (26). O king, the goddess-like form of Rukshmini has brought me to this place. But I should not say that you should give her to me and not to anybody else (27). When in the days of yore the gods assembled on the summit of the mount Sumeru for incarnating their portions they said to her: 'O thou of spacious hip, do thou with thy husband go to the world of men. And having been born in the house of Bhishmaka in the city of Kundina, be thou united with Keshava (28–29)'. I tell you this plainly, O king; do what ever you think proper after due consideration (30). O king, truly your daughter Rukshmini is not a woman; she is the very goddess Sree. For some object and at the words of Brahmā she is born (as a woman) (31). She should not be given away in a Swayamvara where all the kings will be assembled. She must remain alone, and inviting one bride groom, you should confer her on him. It will be thus performing a Kshatriya's duties (32). O king, you cannot give away Lakshmi in a Swayamvara. Selecting a good bridegroom, you should give her away according to proper religious rites (33). In order to put impediments in Swayamvara Vinata's son has been despatched by the king of gods and has come to the city of Kundina (34). I too have come here to witness this Swayamvara festivity of the kings and your daughter, the beautiful Kamala without lotuses (35). Your saying before me 'Forgive me' is considered by me as proper. And I do not find any folly in it, O king (36). O lord, I have already been pacified. Know me as conciliated since I have come to your territory in a gentle form (37). O king, to cast off one's shortcomings is forgiveness and it is endued with many virtues. So, how can the mind of one like myself be possessed by the sin of non-forgiveness (38). How can sin, O king, be attached to you who are moral, truthful and born in a family possessing the quality of goodness (39). Know me conciliated particularly as I have come with my army, for with them I never confront my enemies (40). When I cherish no forgiveness in my heart I go on the back of my carrier, Garuda, the foremost of birds, with weapons effulgent like the sun in my hand (41), O king, you are of the same age with my father and are therefore adorable unto me like him. Behaving with me, as a father treats his son, govern your kingdom well (42). How can that sin, which resides in the heart of a coward, find room in the heart of a pure-souled hero (43)? Know my conduct as pure as a father's feeling towards his son. Treating us with hospitality, these two kings of Vidarbha have given us their kingdom. By the fruit of this gift their ancestral manes of ten generations upwards have gone to the celestial region (44-45) And ten succeeding generations too of their royal line from son to grandson will also repair to the celestial region (46). And they two, enjoying their kingdom for many long years, without any thorns, will attain to emancipation when they will wish it (47). And those noble kings, who were present at my Abhisheka, will in time repair to the celestial region (40). O king, may you fare well! I shall now with Vinatā's son go to the charming city of Mathura protected by the king Bhoja" (49).
Vaishampāyana said:—Saying this to the king Bhishmaka, welcoming all other kings and issuing out of the Hall with Kratha and Kaishika, the lords of Vidarbha, Krishna, the foremost of gods and Yadus, went to his car (50). Beholding the departure of Keshava, the faces of the royal saint Bhishmaka and of other kings were stricken with sorrow (51). At that time beholding the prime and self-sprung Krishna, having eyes like red lotuses, thousand feet, thousand eyes, thousand arms, thousand lustrous crowns, thousand heads, adorned with celestial garlands, raiments, scents, unguents and ornaments, holding uplifted celestial weapons and having three eyes of the sun, moon and fire, the king Bhishmaka bowed unto him and began to eulogise his glories, with his body, mind and speech (52–55).
Bhishmaka said:—O God of gods, O Nārāyana, O Parāyana, thou hast no origin or destruction. Thou art the eternal prime Deity, I bow unto thee (56). Thou art the self-sprung Deity, art identical with the universe, lotus navelled, hast clotted hairs, dost hold a staff and art of coppery hue. I bow unto thee (57). Thou art Hansa, the discus, Vaikuntha, unborn and the great Atman. I bow unto thee (58). Thou art Yogin, the existent and non-existent, the ancient Purusha, the foremost of Purushas, above three-fold qualities. I bow unto thee (59). O Lord, O foremost of the celestials, that alone art the lord of all the worlds and the lord of those who have acquired a know fledge of the soul. I am thy votary. Be thou propitiated and confer on me a boon (60).
Vaishampāyana said:—Having thus chanted the glories of the great God Krishna in the presence of the king, Bhishmaka made a present of precious gems, pearls, and plates of Vaidurja unto him. Thereupon he saluted in this way the highly powerful son of Vinatā too (61–62).
Bhishmaka said:—I bow unto that celestial bird, the son of Kashya endued with the velocity of the wind who can assume various forms at will (63).
Vaishampāyana said:—Having thus chanted, in brief, the glories of Vinatā's son Bhismaka offered him various sorts of most excellent raiment. After the lotus-eyed Krishna, the younger brother of Vāsava, on taking leave, had departed all the kings followed him. Having thus received honors, taken farewell of all the kings, placed Vinatā's son the foremost of birds, of a gentle form before him, been encircled by huge cars, and lighted up all the quarters the energetic Krishna set out for Mathurā. At that time there arose a great tumult consisting of the sound of bugles, trumpets, conches, the hissing of the serpents, the neighing of horses, and the rattle of the wheels of the cars resembling the muttering of huge clouds.
After the departure of the highly powerful Krishna the gods repaired to the celestial region with that assembly hall and the most excellent seat. Encircled by their huge four-fold forces the kings followed Janārddana, a distance of two miles and afterwards at his command returned to Swayamvara (64–69).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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