The Bhagavata Purana 3

by Bibek Debroy

  ‘The illustrious Rama heard about the arrangements made by the enemy kings. Since Krishna had gone alone to abduct the maiden, he suspected that there might be an encounter. He was overcome with affection towards his brother. With a large army consisting of elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers, he quickly went to Kundina. Bhishmaka’s beautiful daughter wished for Hari’s arrival. But since she did not see the brahmana return, she started to think. “Alas! My fortune is limited. Only a night 424 remains before my wedding. The lotus-eyed one has not arrived and I do not know the reason. The brahmana who went with my message has also not returned so far. Perhaps the one with the unblemished atman noticed something reprehensible in me. Why has he not made efforts to come and accept my hand? I am unfortunate. The creator 425 and Maheshvara are not favourably disposed towards me. The virtuous goddess, Gouri, Rudrani, Girija, is also unfavourable.” With her mind stolen by Govinda, the maiden thought in this way. Though she knew that there was time, her eyes were filled with tears and she did not open them. O king! In this way, the bride waited for Govinda’s arrival. Her left thigh, arm and eye started to twitch, indicating something pleasant. Instructed by Krishna, that excellent brahmana came and saw the divine princess in the inner quarters, where she was confined. The virtuous one with the beautiful smile knew about the signs and could see his cheerful face and confident stride. She asked. He told her that the descendant of the Yadu lineage had arrived and that he had uttered truthful words about taking her away. Hearing that he had arrived, the princess of Vidarbha was delighted in her mind. Since she could not see anything agreeable to offer to the brahmana, she bowed down before him. 426

  ‘Hearing that Rama and Krishna had arrived, eager to witness his daughter’s marriage, to the sound of the blaring of trumpets, he 427 went forward to receive them, bearing appropriate gifts. He presented them with madhuparka, drinks, sparkling garments and other desired gifts, worshipping them in the decreed way. The immensely intelligent one arranged a handsome place for them to reside in. As is appropriate, he arranged for the hospitality of the soldiers and the companions. He also honoured the assembled kings with all the objects of desire, according to valour, age, strength and wealth. The residents of the city of Vidarbha heard that Krishna had arrived. They came and drank in his lotus face, using their eyes like cupped hands. “Rukmini deserves to be his wife and not anyone else’s. 428 His form is without any blemish. He is the appropriate husband for Bhishmaka’s daughter. May the creator of the three worlds be satisfied with whatever little good deeds we have performed. May Achyuta show us his favours and may he accept the hand of the princess of Vidarbha.” Bound to her in their love, the citizens of the city spoke in this way. Protected by soldiers, the maiden left the inner quarters to go to Ambika’s shrine. Meditating entirely on Mukunda’s lotus feet, she went out on foot to see Bhavani’s tender feet. She was silent and was accompanied by her mothers and surrounded by her female friends. The king’s brave and armoured guards protected her, their weapons upraised. Drums, conch shells, kettledrums, trumpets and other drums were sounded. There were thousands of foremost courtesans, bearing many kinds of gifts and offerings. The wives of brahmanas were decorated with garlands, fragrances, garments and ornaments. Sutas, magadhas and bandis also advanced, surrounding the bride. Reaching the shrine of the goddess, she washed her lotus hands and feet. She touched water and purified herself. Tranquil, she entered and approached Ambika. Aged wives of brahmanas were accomplished in the rituals and showed her how to worship Bhavani, Bhava’s wife, and Bhava himself. “O Ambika! 429 O Shiva’s wife! I constantly bow down before you and your children. Please allow the illustrious Krishna to become my husband.” She separately used water, fragrances, unbroken grain, incense, garments, necklaces, garlands, ornaments and many kinds of presents, offerings and rays of lamps for the worship. The married wives 430 of the brahmanas also worshipped her with salt, fried cakes, betel leaf, kanthasutras, 431 fruits and sugar cane. The women gave her 432 what remained of their offerings and pronounced benedictions over her. The bride bowed down to them and to the queens and accepted the remnants of the offerings.

  ‘Completing the vow of silence, she emerged from Ambika’s shrine. She held on to a female servant’s hand with her hand, ornamented with jewels. She was like the god’s maya and confounded those who were patient. She was slender of waist and her face was ornamented with earrings. She was shyama 433 and a bejewelled girdle encircled her hips. She had budding breasts and her darting eyes seemed to be scared of her own hair. Her smile was sweet and her red lips were like bimba fruit, glowing against teeth that were like jasmine buds. She walked with the stride of a supreme swan. Jingling and well-crafted anklets beautified her feet. On seeing her, all the brave and famous kings who had assembled lost their senses. Their hearts were afflicted at the sight of her. The kings looked at her broad smiles and bashful looks. The desire for her made them lose their senses. Bewildered, they fell down on the ground from their elephants, chariots and horses. Using the guise of the procession, she displayed her own beauty to Hari alone. She advanced slowly on feet that were like lotus buds. She was waiting for the arrival of the illustrious one and used the nails of her left hand to brush away her hair. As she cast bashful and sidelong glances towards the kings, she saw Achyuta. The princess was eager to mount his chariot and while the enemies looked on, Krishna abducted her. He raised her up on to his chariot, marked with the signs of Suparna. Madhava repulsed that circle of kings. With Rama at the forefront, he slowly left, like a lion seizing his share from the midst of jackals. The proud enemies, with Jarasandha at the forefront, could not tolerate their own defeat and the destruction of their fame. “Alas! Shame on our fame. We are armed with bows. Yet, the gopas have taken her away, like deer taking something away from lions.”’

  Chapter 10(54)

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘All of them were greatly enraged. Armouring themselves, they ascended their vehicles, each of them surrounded by his own respective army. Holding aloft raised bows, they followed. The leaders of the Yadava army saw them descend. O king! They stood there and faced them, twanging their own bows. They 434 were accomplished in the use of weapons. Mounted on the backs of horses and elephants and astride chariots, they released showers of arrow, like clouds pouring down water on mountains. The slender-waisted one saw that her lord’s army was enveloped with arrows and her eyes were agitated with fear. Ashamed, she glanced at his face. The illustrious one laughed and said, “O one with the beautiful eyes! Do not be scared. Those on your side will instantly destroy the enemy’s forces.” The brave ones, Gada, Samkarshana and the others, could not tolerate this display of valour. They used iron arrows to slaughter the horses, elephants and chariots. The heads of crores of charioteers, horses and elephants fell down on the ground, along with earrings, diadems and headdresses. Hands with swords, clubs, bows and arrows, arms, thighs, legs and the heads of horses, donkeys, elephants, camels, asses and mortals were strewn around. The Vrishnis desired victory. Seeing that their soldiers and forces were slaughtered, the kings, with Jarasandha at the forefront, were disheartened and left. They approached Shishupala, who was afflicted at his promised wife having been abducted. His colour had faded. His enterprise was gone and his face was dry. They spoke to him. “O tiger among men! Give up this distress in your mind. O king! Among embodied beings, the agreeable and the disagreeable are not seen to be permanent. This is like the wooden image of a woman being made to dance according to the wishes of the puppeteer. In that way, happiness and misery in this world are under the control of the lord.” “In encounters with Shouri, with twenty-three akshouhinis, I have been defeated seventeen times and have been victorious only once. 435 Nevertheless, I never rejoice or grieve. I know that everything in this world is driven by time and destiny. All of us are lords of leaders of valiant ones. However, we have now been defeated by a small number of Yadus who are protected by Krishna. The enemy has triumphed because destiny favours them now. Like that, when time turns and becomes f
avourable towards us, we will be victorious.” Thus comforted by his friends, Chedi and his followers returned to his city. The remaining kings also left for their own respective cities.

  ‘Rukmi hated Krishna and could not tolerate that Krishna had married his sister through the rakshasa mode. Surrounding himself with an akshouhini, the powerful one followed Krishna from the rear. The intolerant Rukmi was armoured. In the hearing of all the kings, the mighty-armed one had armoured himself. With a bow and an arrow, he had taken a pledge. “I will kill Krishna in a battle and bring Rukmini back. Otherwise, I will not enter Kundina. I am stating this truthfully.” Having said this, he mounted his chariot and told the charioteer, “Quickly urge the horses towards the spot where Krishna is, so that there can be an encounter with him. Today, using sharp arrows, I will take away the pride that the evil-minded cowherd has about his valour. He has used violence to abduct my sister.” The boastful and evil-minded one did not know about the measure of the lord’s prowess. Govinda was alone on his chariot and he challenged him, “Wait. Stay.” He drew his bow back extremely firmly and struck Krishna with three arrows. He said, “O worst of the Yadu lineage! Wait for a while. You are stealing my sister, like a crow taking away oblations. O wicked one! O one who uses maya! O one who fights using deceit! Today, I will rob you of your pride. Before you are struck with my arrows and forced to lie down, release the maiden.” Krishna smiled and used six arrows to pierce and shatter Rukmi’s bow. He struck the four horses with eight arrows, the charioteer with two and the standard with three. Picking up another bow, he pierced Krishna with five arrows. Despite being struck with floods of arrows, Achyuta severed his bow again. He picked up another one, but the undecaying one severed that too. Whatever be the weapon he chose to pick up, club, spear, trident, shield, sword, lance, javelin—Hari severed all these. At this, he angrily leapt down from his chariot. Wishing to kill him, with a sword in his hand, he rushed towards Krishna, like an insect towards a fire. As he descended, he 436 used arrows to shatter the sword and the shield into fragments that were like sesamum seeds. He seized a sharp sword and got ready to kill Rukmi. On seeing that he was getting ready to kill her brother, Rukmini became agitated with fear. The virtuous one fell down at her husband’s feet and piteously spoke these words. “O lord of yoga! O one whose atman is immeasurable! O god of the gods! O lord of the universe! O fortunate one! O mighty-armed one! You should not kill my brother.” Because of her fear, her limbs trembled. The grief made her mouth dry up and tears choked her throat. Because of her fright, her necklace, made out of molten gold, was dislodged. She seized his feet and out of compassion, he desisted. He tied up that evil-acting person with a piece of cloth. He disfigured him by shaving him, but left some of his beard and hair untouched.

  ‘Like elephants destroying lotuses, the foremost and valiant ones among the Yadus crushed the extraordinary enemy soldiers. Having approached Krishna’s presence, they saw Rukmi there. He was in a condition that was close to having been killed. 437 The lord, Samkarshana, was filled with compassion and freed the one who had been bound. He told the illustrious Krishna, “O Krishna! What you have done is wicked. It is contemptible. He is a relative and you have disfigured him by shaving off his hair and beard. This is tantamount to killing him. O virtuous lady! 438 Concerned and thinking about your brother’s disfigurement, you should not hate us. A man enjoys the fruits of what he himself has done and no one else is responsible for his happiness or unhappiness. Even if a relative commits a crime that deserves his being killed, a relative should not be killed. Instead, he should be cast aside. Since he has been killed because of his own sin, what is the need to kill him again? Prajapati 439 determined a dharma for kshatriyas, following which, a brother must kill his own brother. Nothing is more terrible than this. Those who are proud and blind because of their prosperity and intoxication disrespect others because of kingdoms, land, wealth, women, honour, power, or other reasons. Your perception is not level-headed. 440 He has harboured ill intentions towards all creatures. He has always acted against your well-wishers. Yet, like an ignorant person, you are thinking of behaving kindly towards him. Fashioned by the god’s maya, men are bewildered about the atman. Taking the body to be the atman, they think of friends, enemies and neutral parties. There is only one supreme atman, existent in all bodies. However, like the illumination in the sky, foolish people perceive them as many. 441 Composed of material elements, the breath of life and gunas, the body has a beginning and an end. The body does not know about the atman, and samsara is imposed on it. O virtuous lady! Since nothing else is real, the atman has no association or disassociation with anything else. It is the cause of its own perception, just as the sun gives perception to its form through the sense of vision. 442 The body goes through birth and other transformations, but this is not true of the atman. This is like the waxing and the waning of the moon through its kalas 443 and its death during kuhu. 444 When a man is asleep, he sees himself and enjoys objects and the fruits of these, though these are not real. In that way, an ignorant person experiences material existence. The grief that is drying you up and confounding you arises out of ignorance. O one with the sweet smiles! Destroy it with true knowledge and regain your natural self.” The illustrious and slender one was thus enlightened by Rama. She cast aside her distress and used her intelligence to steady her mind.

  ‘The adversaries only left him 445 his life. His forces and radiance were destroyed. His own wishes were frustrated and he remembered his disfigurement. He constructed a great city named Bhojapura, 446 so that he could live there. “I will not enter Kundina until I have killed the evil-minded Krishna and brought back my younger sister.” Having pledged this, he angrily resided there. O extender of the Kuru lineage! Defeating the lords of the earth, the illustrious one brought Bhishmaka’s daughter back to the city. He followed the rites and married her. At that time, in every house in the city of the Yadus, men observed great festivities. O king! Their minds were only devoted to Krishna, the lord of the Yadus. Men and women rejoiced, adorned in earrings studded with jewels and brought many kinds of gifts to the bride and the groom, who were attired in excellent garments. Flags to Indra were raised in the city of the Vrishnis. There were colourful garlands, garments and arches encrusted with gems. The city was beautiful. Auspicious arrangements were made at every door. There were pots filled with water, aloe, incense and lamps. The roads were sprinkled with musth from elephants belonging to the beloved kings who had been invited. The elephants were used to decorate the entrances with areca nut and plantain trees. The Kurus, Srinjayas, Kaikeyas, Vidarbhas, Yadus and Kuntis roamed around here and there, happily meeting each other. Here and there, they heard the account of Rukmini’s abduction being sung and the kings and the princesses were extremely amazed. O king! The residents of the city of Dvaraka were extremely delighted to see Krishna, Shri’s consort, united with Rukmini, who was Rama 447 herself.’

  Chapter 10(55)

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘Kama was part of Vasudeva’s portion and was earlier, burnt down by Rudra in his rage. 448 So that he might get his body back, he resorted to him. 449 Through Krishna’s seed, he was born as the son of the princess of Vidarbha. He was known as Pradyumna and he was not inferior to his father in any way. Shambara recognized him to be his enemy. 450 He could assume any form at will and abducted the child when he was not ten days old. Having hurled him into the sea, he returned to his own house. An extremely powerful fish swallowed him. Along with others, this fish was caught in a large net cast by fishermen. The fishermen brought the extraordinary fish as a gift to Shambara. The cooks took it to the kitchen and started to cut it up with a knife. Finding the child in the stomach, they took him to Mayavati. 451 Her mind was suspicious, but Narada arrived and told her everything, about the boy’s birth and about how he had entered the stomach of the fish. She was Kama’s illustrious wife, known by the name of Rati. When her husband’s body had been burnt down, she had been waiting for him to get back his body. Shambara had entrusted her with
the task of preparing rice in the kitchen. Knowing that the infant was Kamadeva, she started to feel love towards the child. Within a short period of time, Krishna’s son became a youth. All the women who looked at him were captivated. O dear one! His eyes were as large as the petals of a lotus and his arms were long. He was the most handsome in the world of men. Rati glanced at him with bashful and loving glances, with her eyebrows arched. She lovingly approached him, desiring intercourse. Krishna’s illustrious son told her, “O mother! Your mind is perverse. You have transgressed the sentiments of a mother and are behaving like a lover.” Rati replied, “You are Narayana’s son. Shambara abducted you from your home. O lord! You are Kama and I am Rati, your rightful wife. When you were not even ten days old, the asura Shambara hurled you into the ocean. You were swallowed by a fish. O lord! I have got you back from its stomach. This enemy of yours is invincible. He knows one hundred different kinds of maya and is impossible to defeat. However, using maya, stupefaction and other techniques, you will slay him. With her son gone, your mother is grieving like a female curlew. Overwhelmed with affection towards her son, she is distressed, like a cow afflicted on account of its calf.” Mayavati knew about mahamaya, 452 which was capable of destroying all other kinds of maya. She bestowed this knowledge on the great-souled Pradyumna.

  ‘He approached Shambara and challenged him to an encounter. He hurled all kinds of abuses at him, using this abuse to generate a conflict. He was provoked by these demeaning words, like a serpent struck with the foot. He emerged, with a club in his hand. His eyes were coppery red with rage. He swiftly whirled his club around and hurled it at the great-souled Pradyumna, roaring and making a sound that was like the bolt of thunder. As it descended, the illustrious Pradyumna repulsed the club with his own club. O king! Then, filled with anger, he hurled his club towards the enemy. The asura resorted to the maya of the daityas that had been taught to him by Maya. He took to the sky and showered down weapons on Krishna’s son. Obstructed by this shower of weapons, Rukmini’s maharatha son used the great knowledge, full of sattva, which could crush all kinds of maya. The daitya used hundreds of modes used by guhyakas, gandharvas, pishachas, 453 serpents and rakshasas. However, Krishna’s son destroyed all of these. He raised his sharp sword and used force to severe Shambara’s head, with a copper-coloured beard, diadem and earrings, from his body. The residents of heaven praised him and showered down flowers. His wife could travel through the sky. Through the sky, she took him back to the city. 454