CHAPTER CLVIII
(NARADA DESCRIBES THE FEAT OF KRISHNA)
Krishna said:—"Ye pious Yādavas, by virtue of your ascetic power and that of mental concentration, and on account of his own sin Bhumi's son Naraka has been slain. Many beautiful maidens have been released from his inner appartment and the summit of the mount Mani has been uprooted and brought here. My servants have also brought this collection of riches. You are now the masters of all these things."
Having said this the Lord stopped. Hearing the words of Vasudeva, the Bhojas, Andhakas and Vrishnis, having their hairs stand erect in joy, worshipped Janārddana. Afterwards those heroic men, with folded hands, said to them: "O large-armed son of Devaki, it is no wonder to thee that thou hast accomplished, for the gods, a highly difficult feat and hast propitiated thy own people with riches and other objects of pleasure acquired by thy own power" (1-6).
Thereupon the wives of the Dāshārhas and Ahuka, filled with joy, repaired to the Hail for seeing Krishna. The seven queens of Vasudeva, headed by Devaki and the beautiful-faced Rohini saw the large-armed Rāma and Krishna seated at ease. Having saluted first Rohini Rama and Krishna afterwards saluted Devaki. As Aditi, the mother of gods, looks beautiful in the company of Mitra and Varuna so the goddess shone in the company of her two lotus-eyed-sons (7–10).
Thereupon, the illusory daughter of Yashoda, whom the people describe as one and without any parts, with whom, the Purusottam Krishna, the king of gods, was born at the same moment and for whom he slew Kansa with his relatives, appeared before Krishna and Rāma, the foremost of men. Up to this time she was being adored in the Vrishni family and was being brought up and maintained like a daughter. She, whom the people of the world know as the irrepressible Yoga maiden, and as one and without any parts, was born for the protection of Keshava. Because she protected Keshava with her goddess-like celestial body the Yadavas used to worship her with great pleasure. As soon as she entered the Hall, Mādhava approached her, like unto a man his beloved female friend and held her by the hand. The highly powerful Rāma too held her by his right hand, embraced her and smelt her head. The Vrishni women then saw her between her two brothers Rāma and Krishna like unto the goddess Sree, with golden lotuses in her hands and seated on a lotus too. They then showered fried paddy and diverse flowers and repaired to their respective quarters (11-19).
Afterwards speaking highly of the wonderful deeds of Janarddana and honoring him the Yadavas sat delightedly on their respective thrones. Thus adored by his god-like kinsmen the mighty-armed and highly illustrious Mādhava, the enhancer of the joy of the citizens, began to live there happily with them (20–21).
After the Yadavas had all taken their seats, the worshipful saint Nārada, according to the order of the king of gods, came to Janārddana at the meeting. Then worshipped by the heroic Yadu chiefs and shaking hands with Govinda he sat on a most excellent throne. Seated at ease he said to the Vrishnis:—"O foremost of men, know that I have come here at the mandate of the king of gods. O leading kings, hear now of all the heroic deeds which Krishna, the slayer of Keshi, has performed from his boyhood (22–25).
"Having oppressed the Yadavas and put in chains his father Ahuka, the wicked son of Ugrasena, Kansa secured for himself the kingdom. Seeking refuge with his father-in-law Jarāsandha, that wicked-minded wretch, the curse of his family, used to hate the other Bhojas, Vrishnis and Andhakas. In order to accomplish a good work for his kinsmen and protect Ugrasena the powerful Vasudeva preserved his own son (26–28). You have all heard of the highly wondrous deeds which the slayer of Madhu performed before Shurasena and others while living with the milkmen in the suburb of Mathurā. One day while Janārddana was sporting under a cart, the highly powerful, dreadful, grim-visaged She-demon Putanā, under the guise of a bird, wished to make him suck her poisoned breast. He however killed her. Beholding however the dreadful, grim-visaged daughter of Bali, Putanā slain, the forest-ranging Gopas regarded him as one born again and gave him the name of Adhokhshaja. The Purusottama, in his infancy, performed another wonderful feat. While playing he upset a cart with his feet. He injured some of the boys for which Yashodā tied him to a wooden mortar. He, in that condition, uprooted two Arjuna trees for which he obtained the name of Dāmodara. The highly powerful and irrepressible Kālya Nāga was vanquished by him in the lake of Yamunā while sporting. Adored by the Nāgas in their house in the presence of Akrura the Lord assumed a celestial body. Observing the cows assailed by cold and wind, the high-souled and intelligent son of Vasudeva, Krishna, although a child, held up, for saving them, the mount Govardhana for seven nights (29–38). The wicked, highly powerful, huge-bodied great Asura Aristha, the destroyer of men, has been killed by Vāsudeva. When Sunamā came with his army to arrest him he assailed him through wolves. For protecting the cows, the highly powerful, huge-bodied Dānava Dhenuka has been slain by Keshava. Ranging in the forest with Rohini's son under the guise of a milkman he created terror in Kansa. While living in Vraja, Purusottaina Shouri killed the powerful horse of the Bhoja king Kansa that had his teeth for it's weapon and was a great help to him (39–43). Kansa’s courtier the highly powerful Dānava Pralamva, was killed by Rohini's son with one stroke of his fist. These two highly powerful sons of Vasudeva, resembling celestial youths, were initiated at that time by the Brāhmana Gārgya. The great saint knew who they really are and so they have been tutored by him from their very birth (44–46).
"Thereupon those two highly powerful, foremost of men, like unto two infuriated young lions living on the Himalaya, attaining to youth, pilfered the hearts of milk-women. While those two heroic and effulgent sons of the milk-man Nanda used to move about in the pasture land the other boys, what to speak of equalling them in sport and strength, could not even look at them. Hearing of those two large-armed brothers, of firm shoulders, Bala and Keshava grow up like a Shāla tree Kansa was pained and consulted with his ministers. And when he could not arrest them by any means he oppressed Vasudeva with all his kinsmen. Fettered like a felon along with Ugrasena Anakadundubhi began to spend his days in great misery. Having thus kept in prison his father, Kansa, with the help of Jarāsandha, Ahbriti and Bhishmaka, governed Shurasena's kingdom (47-53).
"After few days had passed in this way, the king Kansa, undertook a great festival in Mathura in honor of the trident-handed deity. In that festival, O king, wrestlers, songsters and clever dancers had assembled there from various countries. In that festival, the highly powerful Kansa had built there a rich arena, by clever and well-trained artizans. Thousands of seats were occupied by citizens and villagers as the sky is crested with luminous bodies (54–57). As the performer of pious deeds ascends the celestial chariot so the Bhoja king Kansa ascended the well-decorated platform of the arena. At the entrance of that arena the powerful Kansa had kept a mad elephant ridden by heroes and covered with weapons. Thinking of Rāma and Krishna the highly powerful Kansa had no sleep even in the night previous, and hearing now of the arrival of those two foremost of men, like unto the sun and moon he became more careful for protecting himself (58–60). Hearing of that most excellent arena those two foremost of men, the heroic Rama and Krishna, the slayers of their enemies, attempted to enter there as a tiger goes to the pasture of cows. And although prevented by the warders they entered there after killing the elephant Kuvalayāpida. Having entered that arena the irrepressible Bala and Krishna first powdered Chanura and Andhra and then killed the wicked son of Ugrasena with his younger brother (61–64). Who else but Yadu's descendant could accomplish such a feat which even the gods could not do (65)? Keshava has brought for you all these riches which Pralhāda, Bali and even Shamvara could not obtain before. He has killed the Daityas Muru and Pānchajana. And coming out of his mountainous fastness Nisunda has been slain with all his kinsmen (66–67). Having killed Bhumi's son Naraka and brought back the beautiful pair of Aditi's ear-rings Keshava attained to great fame from the celestials in their region (68). O ye Yadavas, depending upon the strength of Krishna’s arms and shorn of pride, fear, sorrow and other impediments do you celebrate various sacrifices. A great work of the gods has been performed by the intelligent Krishna. May you fare-well. I have come here to communicate to you this glad tidings, O ye chiefs, Vāsava has said that he would with great care procure what ever you would like to have. He is yours and you are his. Know it for certain, that the foremost of gods, the chastiser of Pāka has despatched me here to inform Krishna that the gods have been highly pleased. There lives advancement where reign the goddesses of prosperity and modesty. In the high-souled Vāsudeva all the three exist (69–73)".
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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