A few days before Kartiki Paurnima, our troops left the borders of Mathura, moving towards Dandakaranya again. Once before I had passed through this dense forest with the intense urge to meet Parashurama. This time I was going to pass through it again, for obtaining the Vidarbha princess whom I had not seen so far.
Our army included select warriors from the eighteen royal families of Yadavas – Anadhrishti, Satyaki, Uddhava, Avagaha, Shini and many more. This time we followed a different route, crossing river Charmanvati in the Kuntibhoja kingdom and passing through the Nishadha kingdom. Again, we made an arduous journey through Dandakaranya. After a month’s time, we entered the Vidarbha kingdom of the Aandhrabhrutya dynasty.
Kundinpura! The royal capital of the Aandhrabhrutyas. On the outskirts of the city many kings invited for the Swayamwar had settled in their camps. Among those were kings like Jarasandha, Shishupala and Shalva. Also, kings of southern and eastern kingdoms like Panchala, Vatsa, Matsya, Videha, Kosala, Anga, Vanga, Tripura and Uttkala were assembled there. Spies were active in gathering news from the rival camps. Various kings were being named as the prospective ‘Son-in-law of Vidarbha’ in all the camps. The name of Yadavas of the Shursena kingdom was not even being mentioned in any of the camps. If at all it came up, it was instantly rejected by bringing up the old curse and the subject was changed. The tension increased as the Swayamwar ceremony was only four days away. We got hopeful news from only one camp – the camp of King Krathakaishika!
He did not approve of the fact that we were being excluded from the Swayamwar based on the rumour of the eradication of our Kshatriya status. King Krathakaishika dispatched his minister to us and invited us honourably to his city. There in the presence of Satyaki and Anadhrishti, Krathakaishika bestowed his kingdom upon me. In the presence of everyone in the royal council, he crowned me in a proper ceremony at the hands of the royal priests.
After coming so far after crossing the Dandakaranya it would have been degrading to the valour of the Yadavas accompanying me, to return for such a trivial reason. Therefore, I accepted the kingdom of King Krathakaishika. For once in my life I sat on the royal throne. Honouring Krathakaishika’s earnest affection I became a formally instated king, and returned to the frontiers of Kundinpura along with our united armies.
Now we were officially eligible for participating in the Swayamwar ceremony of the Vidarbha princess. We were waiting in our camp for the next day’s Swayamwar ceremony.
In reality the Swayamwar did not take place at all. That very night Jarasandha, Shishupala and Shalva turned the wheels of a conspiracy. They organized a council of all the assembled kings, in which Jarasandha and Shishupala vilified me intensively.
After the council, they sent a message to Bhishmaka’s son Rukmi – ‘If Srikrishna, a cowherd who was defeated in war and who was made king by somebody else is treated the same way as us in the Swayamwar ceremony we will never approve it. Srikrishna is not a Kshatriya! He is a worthless, low-life cowherd! He has no right to be in the Swayamwar ceremony at all. His participation is the Swayamwar is an insult to us.’
King Bhishmaka got utterly confused by this message. Rukmi advised him, “Order Srikrishna to go back, and organize the Swayamwar ceremony for the rest of the kings who are assembled. He was on the verge of convincing Bhishmaka to do so. As Krathakaishika reached there on time and presented our side to Bhishmaka, he had a change of heart. He was ready to invite the Yadavas to the Swayamwar ceremony.
As that news spread among the kings assembled on the outskirts of Kundinpura, they lost their temper. Jarasandha and Shishupala were the first ones to abandon their camps and return to their kingdoms. Following them Shalva and all other kings left their camps.
We were the only ones left on the desolate land of Vidarbha – the Yadavas of the Shursena kingdom and our closest ally Krathakaishika. That day at our camp base I was at a loss of words to communicate with Krathakaishika. How obstinate were the kings of Aaryavarta! Finally, with resolve I said to our strongest supporter, “Dear friend, let us return to your royal city now. Let our warriors take some rest. Then we will return to Mathura. From today onwards you have become our closest ally.”
On our return to Krathakaishika’s kingdom, the first thing I did was to reinstate his royal crown to him in a formal ceremony. Putting the crown back on his head I returned his kingdom to him. The burden on my head was released and I felt so liberated at that time. While returning in the embellished chariot gifted to us by Krathakaishika I said to Uddhava, “Udho, you always admire your dada and feel so proud of him. But see how he was humiliated by the trio of Jarasandha, Shishupala and Shalva!”
“Whatever you say dada, only you can take such a decision to return Krathakaishika’s kingdom to him, and it befits you perfectly. You did not let anything tarnish your pure reputation. I am indeed proud of you.” Satyaki and Anadhrishti were following us in Garudadhwaja. In front of them Uddhava and I were in the decorated chariot gifted by Krathakaishika.
At this time, deep down in the recesses of my mind the mantras of Sudarshan chakra were resonating vaguely. But at the surface of my mind only two names were revolving. I could clearly see the faces associated with those names in the natural surroundings around me – one was of Krathakaishika and the second was of the not yet seen Vidarbha princess, Rukmini! Really, what did she look like and how was she in person?
On our return to Mathura we faced a very bizarre situation regarding our elderly royal priest Gargamuni. Even I didn’t know what to ask him and how to ask it. Gargamuni was the father of our probably foremost enemy, and that bitter truth came to our notice just now!
Jarasandha had repeatedly failed in his attempts to uproot us from Mathura. So, he had played a very astute game this time. He had formed an alliance with Shalva, the ruler of the Saubha kingdom. To annihilate the Yadavas, rather to destroy me for good, he had summoned to Aaryavarta, Kalayavana, our enemy from near the faraway kingdom of Gandhara!
Shalva himself was not naïve. He owned a high-speed aircraft, a sky-travelling machine that could easily travel thousands of yojanas. It was named ‘Saubha’ in honour of his kingdom. His royal capital Martikavati was located on Mount Arbuda between the borders of Aanarta and Marusthali. He had flown to the Gandhara kingdom in his Saubha aircraft along with his minister and commander and invited Kalayavana to assault us.
Kalayavana used to reside in his state within the Gandhara country for some time and at other times in the southern kingdom of Aaryavarta in the Ajitanjaya city with his foster father Yavanaraja. He was in fact a biological son of our royal priest Gargamuni!
How did all these shocking, improbable things come to be? During one of Gargamuni’s travels the Yavanaraja of Ajitanjaya city approached him, and served him humbly to obtain his blessings. Gargamuni had blessed him to bear a son. In spite of having many wives the Yavanaraja did not have any progeny, and was not going to have any. When he brought the fact to Gargamuni’s attention he felt bewildered at first. Then getting hold of himself he said to the king with strong determination, “My word will never be untrue. You will obtain a son. Though you cannot become a father yourself, you will be the foster father of my own son!”
To keep his promise, when a gopa woman named Gopali gave birth to Gargamuni’s son in Mathura he gave off his son to Yavanaraja right after his birth. Kalayavana was that same son!
Just as calmly as he had done all this, he told us the whole story calmly and fearlessly. How was it possible to get irate with him? We put forth the complicated situation about his son, Kalayavana. He calmly said, “The day I gave him away as a foster child to Yavana he became Yavana’s family. I gave up my right as his father. As the Yadava leaders you are free to take any necessary action against him. I will raise no objections about it. I have always been loyal to the Yadavas and will remain so in future.”
Gargamuni was an exemplar for us. The most erudite person, he was an expert in horoscope-reading and architecture. For many years, he had imparted all-round know
ledge of life to the young and the old Yadavas. It was impossible for us to blame him or do anything that would hurt him.
“We might have to eliminate Kalayavana, which you may not approve.” Dada opened up with Gargamuni truthfully.
Looking at him I smiled and said, “You are wrong dada, aacharya would never feel that way!” I looked at aacharya expectantly.
He also smiled and said, “Srikrishna is right! Balarama, you did not understand me correctly.” He clearly affirmed his decision in this matter. Now we got ready to face any kind of ordeal. Jarasandha was not going to be content unless and until he uprooted all Yadavas along with dada and me. His ego was now badly hurt due to the humiliating defeat on Mount Gomanta. He had expanded the circle of his allies by inviting Shalva and Kalayavana. Again, a joint council was held to plan an attack on Mathura. Along with my paternal cousins Shishupala and Dantavakra he was getting assistance from his new ally Kalayavana. Bhishmaka was also going to help him secretly in the plan.
Assaulting us from three sides – Shishupala and Jarasandha from the east, Shalva from the west and Bhishmaka from the south, they were going to slaughter Mathura. Jarasandha felt that the Yadavas were an obstruction in the path of his Naramedha – a Yajna with human sacrifice. He was only fifteen kings short of completing the required number of hundred captive kings for the human sacrifice in the yajna.
We started getting news of various powerful armies of our enemies assembling in Girivraja from all sides. Accompanied by minister Vipruthu, Uddhava, dada and I immediately approached King Kakudmin of Raivataka kingdom. With his assistance, taking a few divers with us, for one week we thoroughly inspected the ocean from the Prabhas region of the Aanarta kingdom to Kushasthali. For hours, we scrutinized the expanse along the ocean coast till the island where Shankhasura was executed.
Fortunately, in the region of Mount Raivataka we came across an undisturbed large island near Kushasthali. Covered with a multitude of trees the green island looked beautiful like an emerald stone fixed in the blue socket of the ocean. Luckily, it was connected to the island Shankhoddhara by a tail-shaped passage of about twenty kosa long, running under the ocean surface. It was not a single island. In fact, these were twin islands attached to each other by means of a tabor-shaped passage in the ocean. It was easily possible to reach the Kushasthali island by crossing the distance of a yojana through the ocean creek. A perfect place to keep a watchful eye on the ocean!
The twin islands were convenient to get in touch with the Aanarta, Saurashtra, Bhrigukachchha, Marusthala, and Avanti kingdoms located at the rear. Adjoining these islands on the north there was a desolate region that stretched for thousands
of yojanas – the desert land of Kachchha. It meant that from
three directions – the South, the West and the North – no assault was possible on these islands. The western ocean had spread around all the three sides. Only from the fourth direction, the eastern side, these islands were connected to the land of Saurashtra.
Sailing in a boat I surveyed both islands scrupulously along with dada, Uddhava, Satyaki and Vipruthu. Both islands were quite capacious. We sat on a huge boulder at the centre of the Kushasthali island. It had survived the surge of the sun’s heat and the impact of ocean water for millions of years. Shining brightly in the rays of the sun it was almost blinding to the eyes. Don’t know how but sitting here I inadvertently went into the meditative trance taught by Aacharya Sandipani.
Instantly I broke away from the island around me, dada, Uddhava and Vipruthu. For a long time, I silently communicated with the continuous sound of the ocean. The mantras of Sudarshan and the sound of the ocean fused into each other. I felt that the eternal sound had been well known to me since before. I have a ceaseless and unbreakable bond with it. No, in fact it is my own sound! The sound and I are not two separate entities! The resonating, rhythmic Sudarshan mantras within me and the sound are one.
That eternal sound was speaking to me with a roar now, “Srikrishna! This is your Karmabhumi! Oh, son of Vasudeva! Erect the first glorious, majestic golden city of the Aaryavarta! Raise the first harbour of Aaryavarta that will become home to many magnificent ships. Right here, on the coast of the vibrant ocean! This is the place of your duty, your ascetic abode, and your ultimate accomplishment!
“Arise, oh descendant of Vrushnis and Andhakas, the son of Vasudeva, Achyuta, make such a firm, sky-high resolution that the whole world will remember it forever. Take a vow right now to build a mammoth, formidable, organized, secure golden city for the Yadavas on the land of Kushasthali!”
I opened my eyes peacefully, and automatically stood up as if entranced. I untied the Paanchajanya conch tied in a scarf around my waist and held it in my fist. Momentarily touching it to my forehead, I raised my head high towards the sky and blew my precious, auspicious, divine Paanchajanya conch at the top of my lungs to pronounce my resolve. Its hair-raising sounds mingled with the roaring sounds of the western ocean. With a desire to listen to that sound many a huge silver fish sprang out of the ocean water, glistened and disappeared in a trice.
Uddhava, a possessor of presence of mind, rushed forward and promptly brought a palmful of water from the western ocean and let it trickle on the gleaming, white Paanchajanya; it dripped on the land of Kushasthali. Uddhava rapidly uttered some mantras for land-worship. We all prayed humbly. A promise was made to erect a secure, grand, and inhabitable golden royal city of the Yadavas on the land of Kushasthali on the coast of the western ocean to raise a new, powerful welfare state!
The next day Uddhava sought out a knowledgeable elderly priest from Saurashtra, who was well-versed in the Vedas. Under his guidance, we performed a formal ritual of land-worship by chanting mantras. Then we returned to Mathura.
Soon I called for a Yadava royal meeting in Mathura. For many prominent Yadavas it was going to be the last meeting in Mathura. As per my suggestion Maharaja Ugrasena was going to appoint Gargamuni as the chief guest of the meeting. After the meeting, all the Yadavas were going to make loyal efforts for the all-round prosperity of the new city. The meeting was overcrowded like never before and began in a solemn atmosphere.
I greeted everyone warmly and said, “Dear Yadavas! I have delightful news for all of you. Soon a new royal city will be erected for the Yadavas. I have selected an auspicious location for the city, thoroughly examining it with dada and Uddhava. I have returned only after sanctifying that location. This land is located far away on the coast of the western ocean, near Mount Raivataka in the Aanarta kingdom in Saurashtra – the name is Kushasthali.
Gargamuni, the greatest architect of Yadavas will design and raise this spectacular city. I am quite sure that he will raise a city befitting the reputation of the Yadavas. All the craftsmen amongst you – architects, iron smiths, carpenters, masons, and goldsmiths – will have to use your expertise for the construction of this city. Many skilled workers from other kingdoms invited by minister Vipruthu will assist them in the mission. Tomorrow itself we all have to leave for the site in bullock carts. This city will belong to all Yadavas. Therefore, all the citizens should strive to assist through days and nights.
As Mathura is our original kingdom since the time of Maharaja Yadu we cannot desert it completely. Therefore, as per his wish Maharaja Ugrasena will stay back in Mathura for some time, along with a few warriors. All others – young, old, men and women will take off for the western coast. Starting from tomorrow there should be a constant flow of Yadavas travelling from Mathura to Aanarta, Saurashtra. Do you all agree?” I raised my right fist high in the sky and appealed emotionally to the overcrowded council.
“Agreed, we absolutely agree revered Yadava! We all will leave Mathura tomorrow itself. Hail Yadava leader, Maharaja Srikrishna!” There was not a single soul that did not respond spontaneously to my appeal.
A few days passed by. The news of a total solar eclipse predicted by Gargamuni and other royal priests of various kingdoms spread everywhere. As per the traditions the ritual to ward off the
ill effect of this eclipse was to be carried out. For that purpose, the kings of major kingdoms in Brahmavarta and their royal ministries were going to assemble at the holy place Kurukshetra on the shore of Sanneth sarovar near the Suryakunda. The Yadavas were also going to attend. We dispatched a few troops ahead to set up our camp. As it is, our Shursena kingdom was experiencing a total eclipse – a destructive concord of three powerful arch enemies – Kalayavana, Shalva and Jarasandha!
An auspicious day for our departure was selected. A few chosen people like dada, Udho, both commanders, Akrura, Satrajita and I left for Kurukshetra. In this journey dada and Udho were going to steer Garudadhwaja. I don’t know why but this time I felt from the bottom of my heart that I should not be steering the chariot at all. Sitting at the back of the chariot, many thoughts revolved in my mind while observing the eye-capturing nature.
Kurukshetra! A holy place, bursting with lakes! Generations of forefathers of various Kshatriya dynasties like the Yadavas, Kurus, Matsya, Chedi, Panchala, Panchanada, Virata and many more would assemble here without fail, at the time of every solar eclipse, and feel blessed by offering alms in charity at the shore of the Sanneth sarovar.
We were also going for the same purpose. But no matter what, the bird of my mind was not ready to perch on the branch of my body, even for a moment. It restlessly kept fluttering within. I had been hearing the divine mantras of Sudarshan in my mind till today ever since I was blessed with it. But this time all I could feel was the raucous sound of the ocean’s high tide and the shrill cry of female lapwings. Why was it happening? I asked myself the same question countless times, but couldn’t find a satisfactory answer. Finally, smiling to myself I simply shook off all the questions. Looking at my smile Uddhava said, “Dada, what were you thinking about for such a long time?” Pointing towards Sanneth sarovar in front of us, diverting his attention I said, “Uddhava, we have reached our destination, Kurukshetra, the land of Dharma! Let’s get down.”
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 19
