CHAPTER CXXXI
(THE FIGHT BETWEEN GARUDA AND AIRAVATA)
Vaishampāyana said:—Then Krishna, mounted on his car, went to the Pārijātra mountain where the mighty Lord of the immortals was remaining on the back of the Airāvata (1). Then that foremost of mountains, the Pārijatra, that knew the powers of the high-souled son of Valadeva, on beholding Janārddana approach, entered into the earth, becoming as small as a stone for grinding sandal. O foremost of kings, Keshava was then highly pleased with the mountain (2-3).
O delighter of the Kurus, when Krishna proceeded to renew the fight, Garuda, with Pārijāta on its back, followed him from behind (4). The highly powerful Sātyaki and Pradyumna, those two subduers of their foes, also went there on the back of Garuda in order to protect the Pārijāta tree (5). By that time the sun went down the horizon and night set in. But the battle between Sakra and Keshava commenced anew, O king (6) The highly powerful Krishna, then beholding the elephant Airāvata sorely afflicted with the wounds inflicted on him, thus addressed the king of the celestials (7):—
"O mighty-armed one, the foremost of elephants Airāvata has been sorely wounded by Garuda: night also grows on apace (8). Let us refrain from fighting (now). Do as thou wishest to-morrow morning again." Thereupon the mighty king of the celestials replied to him saying "Let it be so then (9)."
O foremost of kings, the king of the gods Purandara of illustrious soul then, erecting a temporary shade with stones, stopped there near the Puskara for the night (10). Then Brahmā, the mighty sage Kasyapa, Aditi, and other gods and sages came to him there (11). O ruler of men, O descendant of the Kuru dynasty, the Sādhyas, Viswadevas, the Aswini Kumaras, the Adityas, the Rudras, and the Vasus also assembled there (12).
On the other hand, O Bhārata, Nārāyana also remained on that delightful mountain Pārijātra accompanied by his son and Sātyaki (13). The highly effulgent one then bestowed a boon on the mountain Pārijātra that, out of regard for him, O king, had assumed the shape of a grinding stone (14). "O mighty mountain, thou shalt be called Sānapada; and thou shalt be auspicious and holy like the Himalaya Mountain (15). O foremost of mountains, be thou thus great; and abounding in numerous kinds of gems, do thou outvie the celebrated Meru mountain. I shall ever be glad to see thee full of different kinds of precious stones" (16).
Thus having bestowed the boon on that mountain, Keshava, after due salutation to the God having the emblem of the bull, remembered that foremost of rivers, the Ganges (17). O Bhārata, thus remembered by Krishna, the river Vishnupadi (having the feet of Vishnu for its source) came there, and Krishna, having worshipped her, performed his ablutions in her waters (18). Then the Eternal Hari, taking up the water of that sacred river Gangā and leaves of Bilwa, invited therewith the god Rudra, lord of all lords of all things (19). Thereupon the God Mahādeva, accompanied by Umā and attended by their followers, revealed himself there on the Ganga's water and the Bel leaves (20). Keshava worshipped him with the flowers of the Pārijāta tree and that eloquent speaker then began to eulogise that lord of lords, the creator of all thus (21):—
The auspicious Krishna said:—"O God, thou confinest the beings (of thy creations) in Māyā and destroyest it; because thou manifestest thyself through sound that pervades the universe to beings as soon as they are born—for this reason thou art called Rudra; thou art self manifest, O Lord; I entirely resign myself to thy benign protection. Do thou crown me, devoted to thy devotees, and beloved of thy beloved—with fame (22). As thou art the lord of all creatures both of those who are attached to the followers of life and those that have renounced them—thou art designated Pasupati—(Lord of all creatures). Thou art the performer of all acts. O god of gods! There exists no master of the universe superior to thyself that slayeth foes of the celestial heroes (23). In as much as thou art, O lord, the beginning, the giver of life and the cause of contentment of all the great divine masters, therefore art thou called the God of gods, by the learned and the pious who are conversant with the essential meaning of all the Shastras (24). Because O source of all intelligence, O lord of all manifest creation, the visible world is begotten of thee thou art the self-create, the creator of all creators—the benign bestower of boons and designated Bhava (the source from which any thing is born) (25). O God over all gods, in as much as thou wert coronated by all the defeated gods and Asuras and all other creatures, therefore art thou denominated Maheswara (the highest divinity) the maker of the universe (26). O bestower of boons, O thou of immeasurable prowess, thou art the object of adoration of everybody and therefore, it is that gods, desirous of their own welfare, always worship thee, and for this reason again thou art celebrated by the name Bhagavān that is loved by the pious; and it indicates thy presence in the soul of all creatures (27). O foremost of the lords of the Paradise, O Infinite one! O god, in as much as thou art the cause of production and of the thirteen elements (such as earth, sky, space, sun, fire and the wind, &c., &c.) therefore art thou principally called Tryambaka of immeasurable fame (28). Thou art designated Sarva for thou subduest thy foes and Aprameya for none can overpower thee. Thou art called all-pervading for thou rulest everything by such principles as Raja, &c.; thou art designated Sankara for thou art the source of pleasure; thou art the Lord of sound for the Veda is thy word and Arkāgrateja for thy effulgence is more than that of the sun (29). O Lord of all, as thou dost ever crown them with bliss who are thy devotees and dost instruct even thy foes the Asuras for their good, it is for thy this universal blissful aspect that the pious, conversant with the essence of virtue, call thee the self-manifest Sankara of infinite prowess (30). O Ishvar of immense prowess! In the days of yore the lord of the celestials struck thee on the throat with his thunder; but although capable of retaliating it thou didst, out of affection, suffer thy throat to be rendered blue; for this reason thou art celebrated by the name of the Blue-throated (31). O Somadeva, thou art identical with all the male and female indications amongst the mobile and immobile creation, therefore do the Brāhmanas, conversant with the essence of things, call thee the ever adorable Amvicā, the protectress of the universe and also call thee the source of qualified existence (as opposed to absolute one) (32). Thou art that Mahattatwu which the mysterious force known as Māyā in the Vedas produceth, and that is endowed with conceptual and active energies. Thou art the Yajna of those initiated into those ceremonies, their prime energy, and the great atman of the Yogis; therefore there has not been, does not exist, and will not be, such a being as thyself (33). O God of gods, Myself, Brahmā, Kapila, Antadeva, and the illustrious sons of Brahmā have all been produced by thy parts; and thou art the lord of all, the essential cause of all and the only absolute One that deservest homage" (34).
Thus eulogised the god Mahādeva, having the bull for his emblem, extended his right arm and thus spoke to Nārāyana (35):—"O best of gods, thou shalt obtain the things desired by thee; thou shalt carry away the Pārijāta tree; and thy mind shall not feel the least pain (of disappointment) (36). O powerful Krishna, do thou compose thyself remembering the austerities thou didst practise on the Maināka mountain and the boon I bestowed on thee on that occasion (37). 'Thou shalt be incapable of being slain', 'Thou shalt be invincible,' and 'Thou shalt be ever more indomitable than myself'—these and such words which I spoke to thee then-shall be so and not otherwise (i.e. they shall be true to the letter) (38). Moreover, O foremost and virtuous among the gods—he, that will pray to me with this hymn of praise composed by thee, shall attain the highest virtue and victory ever his foes in battle and homage of the highest kind (39). O sinless one, O lord of the gods, worshipped here by thyself, I shall be called Villodakesara and fulfill the desire of all that will approach me (40). O Keshava, O Janārddana, whatsoever learned and worshipful devotee will pass three nights here, observing fast, shall attain to such regions as he may desire (41). Here also shall the Ganges (sacred river) be called Avindhyā; and ablutions, performed in its water after due recitation of Mantras, will be equally meritorious with those performed in the Ganges itself (42). O mighty Janārddana, on the summit of this mountain, within the caves underneath the ground there is a stronghold of the Dānavas called Satpura. Hidden inside that fastness live mighty Dānavas of wicked soul—who are so many thorns in the ways of the gods and in the universe (43-44). O sinless one, through the virtue of a boon bestowed on them by Brahmā, they are, O God, incapable of being slain by the celestials; therefore do thou, O Keshava, slay them, disguised as thou art now in a human semblance" (45).
Having thus spoken and after embracing Vāsudeva, O ruler of men, the god Mahādeva disappeared on the spot (46). Thus after Mahadeva's departure, and on the dawn of day, O ruler of men, Govinda, addressing the mountain (Pārijātra) said:—"O foremost of mountains, underneath you live mighty Asuras, incapable of being slain by the gods, by virtue of a boon bestowed on them by Brahmā (47-48). Although highly powerful they shall not be able to come out when I confine them (within the Earth underneath you); and their avenues thus cut off they shall die in that place (49). O mighty mountain, I shall also be enshrined on you—and O mountain, I shall live on your heights holding in check the dreadful Asuras (50). O foremost of mountains, who ever climbing upon your top shall behold my image there, he shall attain to the merit of giving away a thousand cows (51). Those, that will every day devoutly worship me constructing an emblem of mine with your stones, shall attain to my condition" (52).
Thus the boon-giving Vishnu favored that master and thenceforward that infallible God is enshrined there (53). And there, O descendant of Kurus, persons of purified souls always worship him having constructed a image with the stone of that mountain, with a view to attain to the Vishnu Loka (54).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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