CHAPTER XCVI
(A DESCRIPTION OF THE MOUNT GOMANTA)
VAISHAMPAYANA said: - Thereupon drinking the milk of the sacrificial cow along with Bhrigu's descendant the two foremost of speakers and Yādavas Rāma and Keshava, endued with the gait of infuriated elephants proud of their strength, set out by the path pointed out by Jāmadghni for beholding the mount Gomanta (1–2). As the gods beautify the celestial region so those two heroes, with Jāmadagnya as the third, beautified the road like three fires (3). As the gods come to the mount Mandara, so they, passing over the road frequented by men, reached the mount Gomanta in the evening. It was covered with charming creepers, adorned with various trees, scented with incense, variegated with a row of beautiful peacocks, entirely filled with bees, and rocks abounding in trees, and resonant with the notes of peacocks imitating the muttering of clouds (4–6). The summits of that mountain were attached to the sky, the trees were covered with clouds, the rocks were scratched with the tusks of the infuriated elephants, the places around the water-fall were covered with green grass and creepers and were resonant with the notes of birds (7–8). With dark-blue rocks that foremost of mountains assumed various colours like a cloud. Its body was besmeared with metalic discharges. It was adorned with table-lands and springs, was filled with beautiful celestials like the mount Maināka coursing at will, was elevated and of high summits. Its base was filled with water. Its caves were adorned with forest, and white clouds and covered with, Panasa, mango, Amrataka, cane, Syandana, sandal, Hintāla, Tamala and Ela woods. It was adorned with Marichakshupa, Pippali, Inguda, Sāla, Nimva, Arjuna, Pātali and Ponnaga trees. The water was adorned with water-born lotuses and the ground with ground-born ones. It was adorned with Drumashanda, Jamva, and Jamvula trees and completely embellished with Kanda, Kandala, Champaka, Ashoka, Vilwa, Tinduka, Kutaja and Naga flowers. It was filled with elephants and deer-herds. The spacious valleys of that foremost of mountains were resorted to by Siddhas, Chāranas and Rakshasas, the rocks were continually filled with Vidyadharas, and echoed with the roars of lions and tigers. It was sprinkled with currents of water and adorned with moon trees. That mountain was highly spoken of by the gods and Gandharvas, adorned with Apsaras and covered with flowers of celestial trees. Its summits had no experience of the strokes of Indra's thunder, forest-fire and fear of high winds. The tops of the summits were beautified with streams of powerful water-falls and shone greatly with the beauty of water and moss. All the passages were inhabited by deer and the sides of that best of mountains were adorned with rocks dark-blue like clouds. As the wives beautify a husband so it was beautified by forests abounding in gentle trees covered with blossoming flowers. At some places its summits, beautified with caves and forests like a man with his wife, burning in effulgence with herbs and inhabited by ascetics, it appeared as if it was adorned with artificial golden forests. It appeared as if with its spacious root and rising summit that mountain was agitating the earth and the sky (9-27).
Having reached the charming mount Gomanta, the three immortal-like heroes felt a desire for living there (28). Thereupon as the birds rise high up into the sky so like Vinatā's son with their course not obstructed any where they, with great force and power, got upon that best of mountains (29). Ascending like gods that most excellent summit of the mountain, they, without any delay, built a habitation there after their own heart (30).
Seeing the Yadavas stationed on the summit of the mountain the great son of Jamadagni, Rāma, with a view to express his liberal views said (31): - "O my child lord Krishna, I shall now repair to the city of Surpāraka. Even if you enter upon a battle with the gods you will not be defeated (32). O Mādhava, by the delight that I acquired on the way by your following me, this my immortal body has been blessed (33). The battle, in which you will acquire the weapons and which is intended for the after-life behoof of the kings, as ordained by the gods, shall take place here (34). O Vishnu, O Krishna, eulogised by the gods and the foremost of men do thou listen to the moral words of men in general (35). This present battle with Jarāsandha, as ordained by Time, is the first instalment of thy human actions which thou hast begun to perform in the world assuming a human form (36–37). Do thou thyself, O Krishna, by thy own power, hold thy weapon and assume thy form terrible in battle (38). When thou shalt, with thy uplifted discus and mace, stand in the battle-field, beholding thy well-formed eight arms even the king of gods will be stricken with fear (39). O foremost of the pious, as settled in the city of the celestials from to-day commences thy march for establishing thy glory in the world in the interest of the gods (40). O foremost of speakers, O large-armed Govinda, do thou speedily send for Vinatās son for waiting on the flag staff of thy car (41). For the kings, whose object of life is to fight under the subjection of Dhritarashtra's sons, are waiting for battle as if with their faces turned towards the city of the celestials (42). As if beholding the future destruction of the kings, possessed by widowhood and with one braid of hairs the Earth is waiting for thee (43). O Krishna, O thou the slayer of thy enemies, when assuming a human form thou shalt be present in the battle-field the Kshatryas, possessed by hostile stars, without shrinking, will assume a joyous attitude (44). Therefore O Mādhava, do thou soon engage in fight for grinding the host of Dānavas, for the attainment of the celestial region by the kings and the happiness of the gods (45). O Krishna, honored by thee who art honored by the universe I consider myself honored by the entire world, mobile and immobile (46). O thou of large arms, forsooth thou shalt remember me when thou wilt fight with the assembled kings. I shall endeavour for the accomplishment of thy object (47)."
Having said this to Krishna who never experiences weariness in work, and showered blessings on him Jamadagni's son Rāma set out for his wished-for quarter (48).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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