CHAPTER CLXXXVI
(KRISHNA FINDS ANIRUDDHA: GIVES THE KINGDOM TO KUMBHANDA AND FIGHTS WITH VARUNA FOR COWS)
Vaishampāyana said:—Having thus obtained a number of boons Vāna was highly pleased. And having attained to the dignity of Mahākala he went with Rudra (1). Vāsudeva too, on the other hand, repeatedly asked Nārada, saying:—"O reverend sir, my mind is overpowered with affection. I wish to know truly where Aniruddha is waiting bound with the noose of serpents. The heroic Aniruddha being taken away stealthily the city of Dwārakā is filled with anxiety. I will therefore soon release him for whom I have come here. O sir, I wish to see even to-day Aniruddha who has his enemies slain. Tell me if you know the place." Thus addressed by Krishna Nārada replied: (2-5). "O Mādhava, the prince Aniruddha is waiting, bound with serpents, in the female appartment." In the meantime quickly coming there Chitralekhā said:—"O lord, this is the female appartment of the high-souled and energetic king of Daityas Vāna. Do thou enter here at ease." (6-7). Thereupon Baladeva, Krishna, Pradyumna, Narada and Suparna entered into the female appartment for releasing Aniruddha. Seeing Garuda, all the huge serpents, which stuck to Aniruddha's person in the shape of arrows, at once left him. Coming out of his body those serpents dropped on the ground as arrows. Afterwards observed and addressed by Krishna the highly illustrious Aniruddha, delighted and with folded hands, said (8-11):—"O god of gods, O Keshava, thou art always victorious over thy enemies: even the performer of hundred sacrifices cannot stand before thee." Thereupon with a delighted mind the noble-minded Aniruddha saluted the highly powerful and illustrious Balabhadra. Afterwards with folded hands he bowed unto the great Garuda. Afterwards the powerful Makaraketana, holding variegated shafts, approached his father Pradyumna and saluted him. Ushā too, encircled by her friends, saluted the highly powerful and irrepressible Vāshudeva and Suparna of unimpeded course. And with bashfulness she also bowed unto the holder of the flowery bow (12-17).
Thereupon as requested by Indra the highly effulgent Narada smiling approached Vasudeva's son the slayer of his enemies. And having showered blessings on him he said:—"O Govinda, by good luck thou hast been united with Pradyumna," Thereupon all the Yadavas with Aniruddha saluted the celestial saint Nārada. Having honored them all in return he said to Krishna:—"O Lord, celebrate a marriage acquired by prowess for Aniruddha. I have a great desire to see exchange of jokes between the parties of bridegroom and bride." Hearing the words of Nārada all laughed and Krishna said:—"O revered Sir, it will soon be accomplished." In the meantime Kumbhānda, with all the articles for the wedding, arrived before Krishna and saluted him. Kumbhānva said:—"O Krishna, O thou of large arms, do thou promise me safety. With folded hands I seek refuge with thee." (18–24).
Krishna, at Nārada's request, had already stopped his going. Now seeing the high-souled Kumbhānda before and promising him protection he said:—"O Kumbhānda, I have been pleased with hearing of your good deeds. You will now become the king of this kingdom. I confer this kingdom on you. Live you for ever under my protection and be happy and self-controlled with all your kinsmen." Having thus conferred the kingdom on the high-souled Kumbhānda Janārddana celebrated the wedding festival of Aniruddha. The Divine Regent of fire was present there in person (25–28). After Aniruddha, along with his wife, had bathed himself and been adorned with various ornaments the Apsaras began to cut diverse jokes with him. The Gandharvas sang melodious and auspicious songs and the Apsaras danced thus beautifying that marriage party. Having thus celebrated Aniruddha's nuptials and honored Rudra, the giver of boons, adored even by the celestials the greatly wise Upendra, the victor of enemy's cities and the slayer of his enemies, desired to go away accompanied by the celestials. Beholding Krishna, the destroyer of his enemies, about to start for Dwārakā Kumbhānda, with folded hands, said:—"Hear, O lotus-eyed slayer of Madhu, I have something to communicate unto thee. O Mādhava, Vāna has some cows in charge of Varuna. They give nectar-like milk, drinking which a man becomes highly powerful and invincible in battle" (29–35). After Kumbhānda had said this Hari's mind was filled with joy. And bent on going there he expressed his desire. Thereupon having blessed Keshava the divine Brahmā departed for his own region with the inhabitants thereof. Indra and Maruts, desirous of achieving victory, set out for Dwārakā where Krishna resides. Seated by the goddess on a peacock Ushā, encircled by her friends, started also for Dwārakā. Thereupon Baladeva, Krishna, the highly powerful Pradyumna and energetic Aniruddha sat on Garuda's back. Uprooting the trees and shaking the earth, Garuda, the foremost of birds, went on. When Garuda proceeded all the quarters were agitated, the sky was filled with dust and the sun was shorn of its rays. Having thus vanquished Vāna and ridden on Garuda those foremost of men wended a long distance. Proceeding a long way towards Varuna's region by the etherial way they saw those cows yielding celestial milk. Those cows, of various colours, were grazing in a forest situate on the bank of an ocean. Reading the signs described by Kumbhānda they at once recognized them. Beholding those cows of Vāna the eternal Krishna, the prime cause of the universe, well read in the essence of things and the foremost of strikers, felt a desire for possessing them and said to Garuda (36–46).
Krishna said:—"O Garuda, those are the precious kine of Vāna drinking whose milk a man becomes immortal. Do thou soon go there. Satyabhāmā has asked me to take those cows drinking whose milk the great Asuras are not possessed by decrepitude and creatures are freed from fever. She has asked me to take these kine if it does not eface virtue and not to be covetous if it stands in the way of my work. O son of Vinatā, surely these are the kine of which Satyā spoke to me" (47-50).
Garuda said:—"These are the kine no doubt. I had seen them before in Varuna's abode. O Keshava, seeing me all on a sudden they are entering into Varuna's palace. Therefore thou shouldst do some thing at once for possessing them." Saying this Vinata's son agitated the ocean with the flapping of his wings and entered into Varuna's abode. Thereupon seeing Garuda enter by force into Varuna's residence all his followers were stricken with fear and bewildered. Afterwards when Varuna's irrepressible army, with diverse weapons, appeared before Vāsudeva, they had to fight a terrible fight with Garuda the enemy of serpents. Although thousands of Varuna's irrepressible soldiers came to the battle-field they were all routed by the high-souled Keshava. The sixty thousand cars of Varuna with burning weapons, that had come to fight there, all fled away and entered into Varuna's abode. Consumed entirely by Krishna with his arrows they broke down seeing nobody to protect them. That army was completely killed with arrows by powerful and heroic Baladeva, Janārddana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Garuda (51-58).
Seeing thus his own army routed by Krishna of unwearied actions Varuna was greatly worked up with anger and went where Keshava was. He was seen in the battle-field eulogised by the gods, Rishis, Gandharvas and bands of Apsaras. A beautiful yellow-colored umbrella, with water streaming from it, was held over his head. The lord of waters, followed by his sons, grand-sons and soldiers, took up his bow in anger, stringed it and invited Hari for battle. Thereupon blowing his conch-shell the lord of waters, in anger, ran towards Hari like Hara and covered him with arrows. Then the highly powerful Janārddana blew his conch-shell Pānchajanya and agitated all the quarters with shafts. Although assailed with clean shafts in the battle-field Varuna smilingly fought with Krishna (59-65). Seeing it Janārddana got ready in the battle-field the dreadful Vaishnava weapon and said to the intelligent Varuna who stood before him "Wait here for a moment: for killing you this dreadful Vaishnava weapon, destructive of enemies, has been taken up by me." Seeing the Vaishnava weapon upheld the highly powerful Varuna took up his Varuna weapon and sent up a leonine shout. O Victor of armies, when that Varuna weapon was discharged for counteracting Vaishnava weapon from it streamed down profuse water. However with the energy of Vaishnava weapon that water was ablaze. Thus when Varuna weapon was burnt down and Vaishnava weapon grew ablaze again all, filled with fear, fled away on all sides. Seeing it ablaze Varuna said to Krishna (66–71):—"O great one, remember the manifest Prakriti which was unmanifest before, O Lord of yoga, thou art always pervaded by Sattwa (goodness) still why are you possessed by the (disorganising) tendency? Cast off Tama (disorganising tendency) O god, throw off your egoism and other weaknesses begotten by the five elements. I am the eldest of thy Vaishnava form. Though I deserve thy respect, being the elder brother, still why dost thou wish to consume me? O foremost of warriors, fire does not display its power towards another fire. Therefore do thou relinquish your anger directed towards me. Thou art the primary cause of the universe and there is none who can lord over thee. Prakriti, capable of manifestating herself, was formerly created by thee. That Prakriti, subject to an end, resorted to thy energy on account of thine, being the origin of the universe. Through Prakriti thou didst create this universe identical with Vishnu, Agni, and Soma; and why dost thou then attack it now? Salutation unto thee who art the origin of elements, self-born, eternal, undecaying and identical with all, manifested and unmanifested. Do thou protect me, O thou of great effulgence, who am worthy of being protected. Thou art the prime cause of the universe. Through thee the creation has multiplied itself. As the boy plays with his toys so thou dost play with thy creations. I am not against Prakriti nor do I contaminate it. Thou dost put an end to the changes of Nature when she is subject to them. That, which creates change even in changes, cannot create any change in thee. Thou dost create changes in the impious and wicked. When the world is pervaded by the sinful tendencies, begotten by Nature, namely, the qualities of Raja (self-concentration) and Tama (disorganization) then stupefication possesses her. O lord, thou art the fountain of supreme knowledge, omniscient and the creator: why dost thou stupify me?" (72–84) Thus addressed by Varuna, Krishna, the omniscient hero, the creator of the world, was filled with joy. Thus spoken to Krishna smilingly said:—"O hero of dreadful prowess, do give me these kine for pacifying me." Thus addressed by Krishna, Varuna, clever in speaking, again said:—"Hear, O slayer of Madhu (85–87). O lord, I had made a contract with Vāna. How can I break it now? O Keshava, thou canst make every one break his promise. But O Sire, if a person's character is lost he becomes an object of censure unto the pious. O slayer of Madhu, only the pious always deserve respect from all. But the sinful breaker of his promise does not attain to any (blissful) region. Be thou propitiated therefore, O slayer of Madhu and do that by which my virtue may not be lost. O Mādhava, it does not behove thee to engage me in a work which will lead to a breach of promise. O thou having eyes like those of a bull, I had formerly promised, that if alive I would never give away these kine. If thou dost wish to possess these kine kill me and take them away. O thou of large arms, O king of the celestials, O slayer of Madhu, I have thus described unto thee my promise. Not a single portion of it is false. Every bit of it is true. O Mādhava, if thou hast any pity for me, save me. If, O thou of large arms, dost thou wish to take these kine away, kill me and take them." (88–94).
Vaishampāyana said:—Thus addressed by Varuna Krishna, the multiplier of the Yadu race thought, that what Varuna had said about the kine could not be gainsaid and was accordingly silenced. Thereupon Keshava, who could understand all, smilingly said to Varuna:—"O Lord Varuna, on account of your contract with Vāna you are saved. Specially you have expressed the truth in sweet and charming words. How can I then perform an iniquity by you? O lord of water, you are truthful and therefore for pleasing you I let loose Vāna's cows. And you too are released. There is no doubt about it. Depart now." Thereupon sounding bugles Varuna adored Keshava with Arghya. After the Yadu chief Keshava had accepted it from Varuna, the lord of waters, adored Baladeva with a controlled mind. Giving protection unto Varuna, Shouri, the heroic descendant of Shura, with Sachi’s lord set out for Dwārakā. The Devas, Maruts, Sāddhyas, Siddhas, Chāranas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Kinnaras followed Krishna, the eternal lord of all creatures in the etherial way, (95–102). When Keshava, on acquiring victory and fame, proceeded the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, the two Ashwinis, Yakshas, Rākshasas, Siddhas, Chāranas, and Vidyadharas followed him. Pleased at seeing Vāna and Varuna defeated the great and ever quarrelsome Nārada, set out for Dwārakā. Thus proceeding Keshava, the holder of discus and club, saw from a distance the city of Dwarakā having many doors and adorned with blue-turreted, beautiful palaces resembling the summits of the mount Kailāsha and blew his conch-shell Pānchajanya. As the blare of Pānchajanya used to indicate Keshava's arrival and departure he, with it, communicated the news of his approach to the citizens of Dwārakā. Hearing the sound of Pānchajanya the inhabitants of Dwaraka adorned their respective habitations with profuse flowers, jars full of water and fried paddy. The streets of that prosperous city, abounding in many jems, were cleansed; the Brāhmanas and the elderly persons with arghya and exclaiming his many victories adored Mādhava. People bowed unto Krishna, highly beautiful and resembling a mass of collyrium who sat on Vinatā's son. The Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras in order adored the highly powerful Ananta, the slayer of Keshi. Waiting in a garden of Dwārakā, the lotus-eyed Mādhava was eulogised by the Rishis, gods, Gandharvas and Chāranas. Seeing those wonders and the large-armed Krishna the great Dāshārhas attained to an excess of joy. Beholding the great Purusottama return after defeating Vāna, the inhabitants of Dwārakā began to talk on diverse topics. After the great Krishna, the greatest car-warrior amongst the Yadavas, had returned from that long distance whither he had gone through the help of Suparna they conversed amongst themselves. "Blessed and favoured are we since the kind lord of the universe, the long and mighty-armed Krishna is our protector. Riding on Vinatā's son the lotus-eyed deity defeated the irrepressible Vāna: and now returning to Dwārakā he has gladdened our hearts." While the inhabitants of Dwārakā thus conversed, the gods, the car-warriors, entered into Vasudeva’s palace. Then coming down from Garuda's back Vāsudeva, Baladeva, Pradyumna and Aniruddha entered into the palace. Celestial cars of various forms were then seen moving about in the sky. Drawn by swans, bulls, deer, elephants, horses, Sarasas and peacocks, those thousands of cars displayed a great beauty there (103-121).
Thereupon in sweet words Krishna addressed Pradyumna and other princes:—"Salute them in due order—those Rudras, Adityas who have come here. Do you all salute the thousand-eyed Nāga who has come here with his followers and dreadful Dānavas. The seven great Rishis, other saints, and those holders of discuses have all come here for pleasing me—do ye adore them all. The oceans and other quarters have come here for satisfying me. Do you adore them in due order. The great Nāgas headed by Vāsuki and cows have come here for pleasing me: do you adore them in due order. The Yakshas, Rākshasas, Kinnaras, stars and other luminous bodies have come here for pleasing me: do you adore them in due order." Hearing the words of Vasudeva the princes, in due order, saluted the high-souled gods and stood before them. Beholding the celestials the citizens, filled with surprise, soon collected articles for Puja and said:—"Oh I under the protection of Vasudeva, we have, even here, witnessed this great wonder." Afterwards showering flowers, scents and powdered sandal they adored the gods. Controlling their senses and intellectual faculties the other inhabitants of Dwārakā worshipped the gods with fried paddy, incense and prostration. Thereupon Vāsava embraced Ahuka, Vasudeva, Shamva, Satyaki, Nishatha, Ulmukha, the highly powerful Viprithu and the great Akrura and smelt their heads. Afterwards aiming at the slayer of Keshi, worthy of being eulogised, the great Shakra, in the midst of the Yādavas, gave vent to the following most excellent words:—"This foremost of Sātwatas and Yadus has displayed his glory and manliness in the battle field whilst releasing Aniruddha. Having vanquished Vāna in the battle-field before Mahadeva and Guha he has returned to Dwarakā. His thousands arms were reduced by him into two (122-139). Having left him only with two arms Hari has returned to his own city. All the works, for which the high-souled Krishna has been born in the land of men, have been accomplished and we too have been divested of sorrow. Without any anxiety do you drink Madhvika wine. Thus attached to worldly objects you will be able to spend your days happily. Under the protection of this high-souled one, I too, shorn of grief, will live happily with the celestials." Having thus chanted the glories of the great Keshava the destroyer of Dānavas and adored of the world, the thousand-eyed Purandara, encircled by the gods, embraced him. Thereupon obtaining his permission, he, along with the gods and Marutas, set out for the celestial region. Having honored the highly powerful Keshava with blessings of victory the great Rishis, along with Yakshas, Rakshasas and Kinnaras, repaired to their respective quarters.
After the departure of Purandara for the celestial region the highly powerful and great lotus-navelled deity enquired after their well-being. Thereupon there arose on all sides tumult of persons for seeing the moon-like countenance of Keshava. Seeing their devotion the sinless Keshava was highly pleased. Having thus returned to Dwārakā, Krishna, obtaining all objects of desire, riches and prosperity, lived happily with the Yādavas (140-148).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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