CHAPTER CLXVII
(NARADA PUTS QUESTIONS: AND THE MYSTERY IS EXPLAINED)
Vaishampāyana said;—In the same month in which Pradyumna was stolen away by Shamvara desirous of killing himself Jāmvavati gave birth to Shāmva (1). From his boyhood he was trained by Rāma in the use of arms and the other Vrishnis used to respect him considering him little inferior to Rāma. From his birth Krishna, shorn of enemies and neighbouring hostile kings, lived in his capital happily as the immortals live in the garden of Nandana (2-3). At that time the hostile kings could not enjoy peace in fear of Janarddana; and witnessing the prosperity of the Yadavas even Vāsava did not like his own riches (4).
Thereupon office on a time Duryodhana undertook the celebration of a sacrifice in Hastināpur and all the kings set out for (that city). Hearing of Janārddana with his sons, his prosperity and the city of Dwārakā situate on the bank of the ocean, those kings, collecting information through their emissaries, arrived at Krishna's palace, who was fond of guests and had controlled his senses, for seeing him (5-7). The king Duryodhana and others who were under the subjection of Dhritarashtra, the sons of Pandu, Dhristadyumna and others, the kings of Pandya, Chola, Kalinga, Vahlika Drāvida and Khasa with eighteen Akshowhinis of soldiers arrived at the city of Yadavas protected by Krishna's arms. After those kings had been accommodated in their respective quarters set apart for them, the lotus-eyed Hrishikesha, with leading Yadavas, went to them. The Yadu king Madhusudana shone in the midst of those kings like the autumnal sun. Thereupon showing them civilities according to their age and place Krishna sat on his golden throne. The kings too occupied seats according to their ranks. As the gods and Asuras shine in Brahma's Durbar-Hall so those kings appeared exquisitely beautiful. Thereupon in the hearing of Keshava, the Yadus and kings discoursed on various themes (8-16). In the meantime there blew a hurricane accompanied with the muttering of clouds charged with lighting. A few moments after riving from that unfair weather, Nārada appeared there covered entirely with matted locks and with the Vinā in his hand (17–18). Sakra's friend, the ascetic Nārada, effulgent like fire, dropped before the kings like a scintillation. As soon as that foremost of ascetics, Nārada touched the ground the unfair weather disappeared. Having entered that ocean-like court of the kings Nārada said to the eternal Yadu king who was seated on his throne:—"O thou of large arms, thou alone hast become an object of wonder to the gods. O Purusottama, there is none blessed like thee in the world." Thus addressed the powerful Krishna, smilingly said:—"Yes I am an object of surprise and good luck, especially in the matter of presents." Thus spoken to in the midst of kings the foremost of Munis, Nārada said, "O Krishna, I have got the proper reply. I now depart for my wished-for region" (19-24).
The kings present in that meeting could not make out the mystery of Nārada's words. Seeing therefore, Nārada, about to start they said to Keshava, the lord of the universe (25):—"O Mādhava, Nārada said 'Wonder and blessed' and you too replied saying 'Presents'. O Krishna, we have not been able to decipher these celestial expressions. If we are worthy of listening to the true import we wish to hear it" (26-27).
Krishna then said to all those leading kings:—"Yes, you are the fit persons to hear it and the twice-born Nārada will relate it (28). O celestial saint, describe to these kings who are anxious to hear the true import of your question and my reply." Thereat Nārada, seated on a white golden seat beautifully embellished, began to explain those words (29-30).
Narada said:—O ye assembled kings, hear how I have mastered this great question. Once on a time when the sun rose after the termination of the night I was alone walking on the bank of the Gangā. I saw a tortoise of the shape of my Vinā, extending over two Krosas. It was huge like a mountain, had four legs, two coatings, was soaked with water, and covered with mosses. Its skin was hard like that of an elephant. Then touching that acquatic animal with my hands I said:—"O tortoise, methinks you have a wonderful body and are fortunate, for you are covered with these two invincible coatings. And not caring for any body you, without any anxiety, range in the water" (31–36). Hearing it that water-ranging tortoise said to me like a man:—"What wonder is there in me, O Muni? And how can I be blessed? This Gangā, flowing downwards, is blessed in whom range hundreds and thousands of animals like myself. What is more wonderful than she?" (37-38) Thereat filled with curiosity I approached the river Gangā and said:—"O foremost of rivers, you have many lakes in you. Adorned with many huge-bodied animals, you, protecting the hermitages, are you going to the ocean. Blessed are you therefore and have many wonders in you" (39-40).
O Janamejaya, thus spoken to Gangā, in her own form, appeared before the foremost of the twice-born, the celestial Gandharva Nārada, the favourite of Indra and said "O celestial songster, O foremost of the twice-born, O you fond of quarrels, do not say so; I am nither blessed nor I do contain wonders. I am afraid of the words of a truthful person like yourself. O twice-born one, that ocean is blessed and full of big wonders where hundreds of rivers like myself are flowing." Hearing the words of (Ganga) flowing in three ways I went to the ocean and said:—"O great ocean, O lord of waters, you are the origin of all waters—therefore you are blessed and full of wonders in the world. Specially, the rivers, full of waters, worshipped by the world and purifying them, come to you as your wives." Thus addressed, riving the waters, by the force of the wind, the ocean rose up and said:—"O celestial songster, O foremost of the twice-born, do not say so; I am neither full of wonders, nor I am blessed. Blessed is the earth on whom I live. What is more wonderful than the earth in the universe?"
Hearing the words of the ocean, I, filled with curiosity, went to the bed of the earth and said to Prithivi the energy of the universe:—"O beautiful earth, endued with great patience, thou art blessed and wonderful in the universe for thou art sustaining all the worlds. Thou hast given birth to the churning rod of men and patience. Thou art the work of the sky-ranging gods." Excited at my words and forsaking her natural patience she replied:—"O celestial songster fond of quarrels, do not say so. I am neither blessed nor wonderful. This my patience is dependant on another. O foremost of the twice-born, the mountains, that are upholding me, are indeed great and wonders are seen in them. They are the bridges of the worlds." O kings, hearing those words I went to the mountains and said "O ye mountains, great you are and full of many great wonders. Besides you are the mines of gold and many precious jems, and you are living on earth for ever." The immobile mountains, adorned with forests, replied to my question in consoling accents. "O Brāhmana saint, we are not great and there is no wonder in us. The creator Brahmā alone is great and wonderful even amongst the celestials" (41-58).
Thereupon thinking that with the Creator Brahmā, this cycle of questions would terminate I went to him. Approaching in order, the four-headed, Self-sprung Deity, the origin of the world I saluted him and said to him, expecting that my words would come to a close:—"Thou art alone great, wonderful and the preceptor of the world. There is no other creature in this world which is equal to thee. From thee has emanated this universe identical with mobile and immobile creations. O king of gods, the gods, Dānavas and other creations of the three worlds, and this universe, manifest and unmanifest, have all emanated from thee. Thou art the eternal king of gods. O God, while thou art the best of gods what wonder is there that thou art the origin of all the worlds." Hearing my words the Grand-Father Brahmā said:—"O Nārada, why do you call me great and wonderful? The Vedas, which are upholding the worlds, are great and wonderful. O Vipra, know me as identical with the truths that lie in Rik, Saman, Yayur and Atharvan. The Vedas are upholding me and I too uphold them" (59–67). Hearing the words of the Self-sprung Parameshtin, I made up my mind for going to the Vedas. According to the words of the Grand-Father I went near the four Vedas worshipped with mantras and said:—"O ye Vedas, the Grand-Father has said that you are great, wonderful and the source of the Brāhmanas. You are superior even to the Self-sprung Deity. There is none in Sruti and Tapas superior to you. Therefore I have come to ask you." Thereupon the Vedas, with their faces towards me, replied:—"The Yajnas are great and wonderful. O Nārada, we have been created for Yajnas and are not masters of ourselves. So the Yajnas lord over us." Hearing that the Vedas are superior to the Self-sprung Deity and the Yajnas are superior to the Vedas I approached the Yajnas headed by the household fire and said (68-74):—"O ye Yajnas, as spoken by the Grand-Father and the Vedas, great effulgence is seen in you. There is nothing in this world more wonderful than you. You are born from the twice-born and are therefore great. By you, with a portion of the sacrificial offerings the gods are pleased, the great saints with mantras and the Agnis with oblations" (75–77). After I had finished my say Agnisthoma and other Yajnas, stationed in the sacrificial grounds, replied:—"O Muni, there is no such word as wonder and great in our midst. Vishnu alone is the great wonder—and he is our supreme refuge. The lotus-eyed Vishnu, manifested as men, offers those oblations into fire on which we feed. As the large-armed Vishnu, having eyes like red lotuses, is great with his consort, so great is a Yajna accompanied with presents." Afterwards I came down on earth to ascertain Vishnu's movements and saw Krishna encircled by kings like your worthy selves. I said to Mādhava surrounded by you all "Thou art great and wonderful" and he too replied saying "with presents." This has put a stop to my words. Pursuing words in order, beginning with the tortoise I have come here—and they have now been verified in this Purusha with Dakshinā. I have thus explained, as questioned by you, the secret of my words. I now go whence I have come.
After the departure of Nārada to the celestial region, the kings, stricken with wonder, repaired to their respective territories with their army and conveyances. The heroic Yadu chief, Janārddana too, with the Yadavas, effulgent like fire, entered into his own palace (78-88).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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