The Yadava camp was set up on the northern side of the Suryakunda. As per the instructions of Gargamuni we finished our bath and stood in the Suryakunda. We offered oblations to the Sun god that was getting overshadowed in the sky. Standing on a platform near the Suryakunda, dada, Uddhava and I began offering charities to the pilgrims. Everywhere along the lakeshore such charities were being offered. We too offered holy cows, domestic animals, pots of pure honey, bottles of divine medicinal herb extracts, clothing, food grains, gems like rubies, pearls, corals, golden and silver jewellery in charity. As the bright disk of the Sun was getting shrouded my entire body started shaking. I lost sense of everything around me – my relatives, the minister, the sages, Sanneth sarovar and yes Kurukshetra too. My eyes closed inadvertently. For a moment, it felt like I myself was getting eclipsed! I - the sun itself! Then everything went blank. Bit by bit I got completely eclipsed!
After a few moments Uddhava shook me forcefully. With his eyes enlarged, a strange look in his eyes, he said, “How horrible you looked during the time of the eclipse dada, horribly dark! Please tell me at least once, who are you exactly?”
I diverted his attention by saying, “Will you please first listen to what Akrurakaka has to say?” Then I simply laughed, like nothing had happened at all. Akrurakaka humbly said, “Sire, I just met Vidura, the royal minister of the Kurus. From Hastinapura your aatya Kuntidevi has also arrived here to offer charities, along with her five sons. They have just finished their offerings. When she came to know about your arrival here she has started for here to meet you, along with her sons. I said to dada, “Dada, our charities are already paying off! This is an opportune time to meet our aatya along with her sons, that too on the day of the solar eclipse, near the Suryakunda, at Kurukshetra. Let us go ahead to welcome them.” Now I smiled as usual and started walking ahead with Akrurakaka without looking back to see if both of them were coming or not.
We had barely crossed a small distance of the lush green meadows spread around us, when we saw aatya Kuntidevi in front of us, whose memories father had shared with us from time to time. She had a round moon-like face. She was a little plump, wearing a soft, bright white saree with a bare forehead! She was walking slowly and graciously. Two of her sons were on her right. And one on her left, tall, strong and hefty. Behind her stood two sons looking like a pair of elegant royal swans – coeval, of similar built and height. Behind this royal family of the Pandavas was Mahatma Vidura, the minister of Kurus. He was the same age as our minister Vipruthu and had the same virtuous disposition like him.
Just as I had been drawn towards Aacharya Sandipani and Bhrigu Parashurama I was drawn to Kunti aatya. Walking forward briskly I approached her. Dropping my knees on the ground I put my head on her honourable feet. I intensely felt that the touch of her feet was exactly like the touch of the feet of Thorali in Gokul and Thorali in Mathura. Though she was baba’s blood sister, to my wonder, the touch of her feet was not like the touch of baba’s feet. For a few moments, my head remained on her feet involuntarily. Two warm teardrops fell down and settled on my cheek. My whole body shook just the way it did during the solar eclipse. Her words that she had held back for ages, followed: “Oh Krishna! Arise!”
I stood up, my eyes momentarily met hers. We instantly felt the connection of our hearts for many births. These eyes were so unique. I had never seen such eyes. They were neither like that of both my matas nor my baba. The very next moment, my dear, self-respecting, patient aatya Kuntidevi held my arms and embraced me tightly. Emotionally overwhelmed, her body trembled and she sobbed for quite some time.
After some time, she regained her composure. Holding my shoulders tightly she made me stand in front of her eldest son. Like a proud, and experienced Kshatriya lady that she was, she spoke in a clear, determined voice now, “Yudhishthira, this is your mame bandhu, the son of my elder brother Vasudeva and his wife Devaki. The world calls him Srikrishna, but for me he is only Krishna!”
I stepped forward to bow down and pay obeisance to Yudhishthira. He didn’t let me do so, and simply said, “No no, let it be. Let it be.”
Meanwhile dada and Uddhava had already obtained blessings from Kunti aatya. She held the upper arm of her hefty, fair-skinned son standing on her left, pulled him forward and said, “My son, Bhima! To restrain him is like restraining the stormy wind. Apart from me he may listen only to you someday! Recognizing his mother’s gesture, hefty Bhima pulled the two brothers standing behind him, made them bow down to me and said, “Yadava, they need your guidance more than me. My dear brothers Nakula and Sahadeva.” Pulling both of them up I looked at them. Nakula looked very handsome among the two, with his sharp nose, well-built physique and ruddy fair complexion like Uddhava. The only difference was that Uddhava would have seemed gentler, only to me. Bhima held me in a deep, loving embrace. His face looked peaceful now, like a lion whose hunger is just satiated.
In a single glance, I admiringly observed the faces of my four cousins and noted all their qualities subtly in my mind. Yudhishthira was tall, broad-shouldered, fair and sharp-nosed with a raised chest. His face was very calm. His thick neck was high above his shoulders. His eyebrows extended closer to his ears. His ears were big and long, with fleshy lobules. He was probably just a little older than me.
The edges of Bhima’s eyes were reddish. He looked literally like a mountain and a lion. His chest was so muscular and solid like iron that if one would have struck him on the chest with a powerful blow of a closed fist it would have made a clear metallic sound ‘Thanna’! His thick, curly hair was elegantly resting on his sturdy shoulders. His voice was so thunderous that even while speaking normally it would sound like the thundering clouds of the Mriga Nakshatra, quite suppressive to the listener. He too was older than me.
Nakula and Sahadeva were coeval, with similar height and physique – like a pair of male pigeons. Both looked muscular and fresh. They were a little shorter than me. Bhima was a little taller than both of them, but a bit shorter than me. In this very first meeting with them I strongly noticed that none of them had a crown on their heads. Especially today on their visit to this holy place they were wearing the traditional twisted turbans of the Kurus on their heads.
While observing them again according to their heights I realized that none of them was as tall as me. Mahatma Vidura, the royal minister of the Kurus stood close by. The moment my eyes met his, they sparkled with radiance. His fair, round face became intense with emotions. He was elderly and the royal minister of the Kurus, still he began to bow down in front of me. Promptly pulling him up and embracing him, I whispered, “How are you doing?” One more bond of friendship was recorded in my mind. Finally, turning towards Kunti aatya I asked her the most important question, “How come your fifth son is nowhere to be seen? The one I want to meet!”
“He was right here somewhere.” Looking at me she simply kept smiling. I had no clue what was happening. Till today I used to make fun of the people around me, but Kunti aatya’s smile was teasing me. She just rolled her eyes up towards her eyebrows like the Yogis. I understood that he was standing right behind me. Slowly I turned in a half circle. Waiting for quite a while to see my feet, the bright Kuru warrior standing in front of me moved rapidly. In a blink of an eye putting his left knee on the ground he took the Virasana pose. Such elegance and grace – it completely astonished me! It was such a matchless posture that anybody could have been enamoured by it. How did he appear to me in the Virasana pose? Like the graceful king of the birds, the royal swan, fluttering his pure white wings, while gently alighting on Manasa sarovar! Like the elegant white pigeon sitting on the dome of the Yadava royal palace in Mathura! No! In fact, he did not look like anything else. He looked only and solely like himself, and that too because of his distinct posture of the Virasana.
I caught him by his strong, muscular shoulders tightly and gently pulled him up with warmth and looked deep into his eyes. He smiled momentarily. We recognized the bond connecting us since many previous lives! He
was of the same height as mine, with the same complexion as mine, fish-shaped eyes, a sharp nose like the tip of an arrow! Thick-necked like my horse Sugriva. He was exactly my replica! For a moment, I thought that I was looking at my own reflection in a mirror. The next moment I recognized the slight difference between both of us. I laughed to myself. He also reciprocated with the same smile. I had a double-tooth near my right chin, and he had a double-tooth near his left chin! Kunti aatya stepped forward and putting her hands on both our shoulders she gently pressed them. Before she could say anything, I spoke up, “Aatya, this is your son Arjuna! The one who acquires whatever knowledge that he comes across. The one who considers virtue as wealth and earns it. Dhananjaya, Partha, isn’t it?” Looking into his eyes I questioned him.
“Oh Hrishikesha, you are the one who has conquered all the senses since birth. You need no introduction of any kind! And as far as I am concerned I have already showed you what you mean to me, by taking the Virasana stance at your feet the moment we met.” He said. The next moment I held the handsome, muscular man in front of me in a deep embrace. I heard my dear aatya whispering a few words again, “They look so alike. Can’t figure out who is who! Just stay like this always – inseparable. My blessings to you! May you have a long life; may you be victorious!”
A tranquil night alighted on the shore of Sanneth sarovar in Kurukshetra. From Kunti aatya I intently listened to her trying, turbulent life story. Her four youthful sons fell asleep one after the other. Throughout the night, she kept telling the gripping story of Pandavas’ childhood full of joys and sorrows. I kept listening to her, holding back the divine mantras of Sudarshan rising in my mind again and again. The only witness was Arjuna, smiling sweetly in between. He was Gudakesha, the one who had conquered sleep!
Just like a few select Yadavas, the four horses of my chariot, the western ocean, charioteer Daruka, friend Sudama, dear Uddhava, and the sun in the sky – which was eclipsed a few moments ago, felt like a part of my existence, so did Arjuna. I met my soul-mate Radha in Gokul, Uddhava was my most favourite cousin, but this one was my friend for life, much distinct from all others.
I was an Ashwattha tree, an upside-down tree! But Arjuna was the straight shadow of the upside-down tree! I was a figure of energy – a brilliant flame of life. My young friend Arjuna was the shadow of the same divine flame! Can a flame ever have a shadow? Yes, it can. That too so bright! Dark complexioned Arjuna seemed like that bright shadow to me. I was striving to achieve a particular mission in my life with a relinquishing sentiment. Only ‘Premayoga’, pure love could help me achieve this mission. Therefore, I was looking for a valiant man with utter devotion and loyalty towards me as a medium. I found that man in Arjuna today.
We bade farewell to Kunti aatya and returned to Mathura.
Upon arriving in Mathura commander Satyaki presented a disciple from the aashrama of Bhrigukachchha before me. The news he had brought was not going to give us any time to relax. Kalayavana’s sizeable army had assembled on the western coast by way of the ocean. Coming from the royal city of Girivraja, Jarasandha’s enormous Magadha army had unified with it. From the royal city of Martikavati on Mount Arbuda, Shalva had also joined hands with them. Bhishmaka had already left with his army from Kundinpura to join them. The sea of the united army of the trio had spread along the coast of the roaring western ocean. They planned to surround Mathura from all four sides and annihilate us.
Parashurama’s follower in Bhrigukachchha had immediately conveyed the news to us. Dada and I quickly instructed our army. With no time to waste now Mathura echoed with the cacophony of war drums. Our golden chariots bearing orange pennants with the Garuda emblem were equipped for war, and left for the western ocean through the western gates of Mathura. So to speak the Yadavas numbered in billions, but only a few millions of them were actual warriors. The rest were engaged in the daily chores. A lot of them had already been dispatched to Kushasthali Island to assist in the construction of the new royal city.
During this military journey dada and I had taken all Yadavas of Mathura with us. Many competent warriors like Satrajita, Kritavarma, Akrura, Shini, Avagaha, Yashaswi, Chitraketu, Brihadbala, and Bhankara were with us. After many sojourns, we reached the western ocean coast, near Mount Arbuda in Marusthali. We received information that the rival army had settled in a huge encampment at the base of a mountain near Dhaulpura. As we were approaching Dhaulpura I presented a strategic proposal to dada. Had we launched only a one-pronged attack we would have never succeeded. The combined army of the trio was thrice as big as ours. The western ocean on the one hand, the ocean of the rival army on the other hand, and in between was the widespread Marusthali, such was the scene. I convinced dada and both commanders that it was inevitable and beneficial to divide our army into three sections. Dada should attack Shalva and veer him to Mount Arbuda. Both commanders should con Jarasandha to chase them and divert him towards the Magadha kingdom itself. With a selected troop, I should directly face Kalayavana.
Dhaulpura! A city surrounded by deserts on all four sides. Here I was going to show Kalayavana that though he was the Yavana I was going to be his ‘Kala’ – Death. As planned dada veered Shalva out from one side. From the other side our valiant commander duo challenged the Magadha army of Jarasandha. Kalayavana was left alone on the desert base of Dhaulpura. Now in the cacophony of war drums I directly attacked Kalayavana. Within moments my Garudadhwaja caught up with Kalayavana’s chariot. First, we fought a thrilling battle with Bhrushundis and Shataghnis, propelling rocks at each other. The chariots around us and the horses were barely visible in the deluge of rocks from both sides. But our chariot was sturdy as it was made of iron. Controlling the four horses of our chariot, Daruka rotated it like a spinning top around Kalayavana’s chariot. Both chariots were out of rocks. The bow and arrow battle began now. Kalayavana was a skilled warrior. His charioteer was probably an expert too. As the arrows in our quivers finished we began the javelin war.
Daruka was handling our horses exactly as per my instructions. A single tug of the reins, and all of them would fold their front legs to sit down in unison. With each tug of their reins they were dragging the chariot awkwardly around. Suddenly I ordered Daruka to haul my chariot out of the battlefield. He skilfully steered our dragging chariot out of our army. With a certain idea in my mind I pulled out the Paanchajanya tied in my scarf and raising my head skywards I blew it with a strange, terrifying sound. It was a signal for our army to retreat from the war and run away. The Yadava army under my command was well acquainted with it. Our army retreated and our warriors started running away.
Kalayavana instructed his charioteer in the Yavani tongue. His chariot with seven sand-coloured horses began chasing me. So far everything was going according to my plan. My expert charioteer Daruka kept our chariot ahead. Kalayavana was thrilled to see us running away from war fearing for our lives. His eyes already red by drinking the Gandhara wine became redder while screaming at me with rage. He pulled his charioteer by the collar in the back of the chariot, and himself took the reins of the hefty Gandhar horses in his tight fists and gave them a tug. Screaming something viciously in his incomprehensible Yavani tongue he began chasing me.
Yavana chasing Kala – such was the spectacle on the battlefield of Dhaulpura! I smiled to myself. By this time Daruka had skilfully drawn Yavana many yojanas away from the battlefield.
Now the next phase in the drama of this combat began. As I signalled, Daruka pulled all the eight reins in his hands in a specific way and at the same time he made a peculiar noise with his mouth warning the horses to come to a halt. Picking up their front hooves they neighed loudly and folding their knees sat on the ground instantly. As if our chariot, which was running for life was broken down, and had become useless. Daruka swiftly jumped onto the ground, and immediately untied Sugriva. Shaking his tail, with his ears pricking up he stood up in a trice while snorting. I jumped onto the ground swiftly like a cheetah. Running rapidly, I mounted Sugriva, and prodded hi
m with my heel. That auspicious white animal understood my signal perfectly. Pulling his front legs up, he neighed much louder than before and sprinted ahead swiftly.
In front of us stood Mount Dhaula – average in height, composed of layers of sand amassed over the years and surrounded by small trees and short bushes. Sugriva’s speeding white line kept galloping towards the mountain. After passing quite some distance I looked back. Kalayavana, burning with the fire of vengeance was still after me. He had also untied one of the horses of his chariot and was riding on it. He was not going to stop at any cost. I smiled again. Kala chased by Yavana. Yavana chasing the Kala. This was an excellent opportunity indeed. We rode our horses till we perspired. We reached the summit of Mount Dhaula. Now I let Sugriva go, and started walking on foot. The blazing sun was scorching my skin. Atop was the hot, shining sun and the endless blue sky spread across. The hot, barren desert land was spread everywhere under my feet. I could see in front of me a mouth of a cavern, about nine-ten feet tall and covered with small creepers. I muttered to myself, “This is the place of Rajarshi. This is the place where this war drama is going to end.” I evoked our family goddess Ida, and entered the cavern of sand. I was certain Kalayavana was going to chase me here too. I kept walking, turning left and right through the dark passage. After a long time, I reached the spacious central part of the cavern. This was in fact a safe, auspicious place of meditation for many sages of Marusthali. It was dimly visible due to few sun rays peeking through a few holes in the roof.
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 20
