Harivamsha 107
English (machine translation) 107
- Language
- English
107.1
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: / Once Bhava was engaged in playful diversion / along with the goddess on a delightful, splendid riverbank, that lord.
107.2
Hundreds of apsarases played there on all sides / in the lovely forest blooming in all seasons, and likewise the lords of the Gandharvas.
107.3
With blossoms of the pārijāta and flowers of the saṃtānaka, / the sky and the riverbank everywhere were, as it were, wildly fragrant.
107.4
With flutes, vīṇās, mṛdaṅgas, and thousands of paṇavas / being played, he then heard the singing of the apsarases.
107.5
Like bards and panegyrists, the troops of apsarases praised / the god of gods, handsome of body, wearing a garland, clad in red garments.
107.5x1160
Delightful women gave pleasure to Hara, who was with Umā, the giver of boons.
107.6
Then the excellent apsaras Chitralekhā, in the form of the goddess, / pleased Bhava, and the goddess then laughed aloud.
107.6x1161-1
As she pleased Īśāna, the troops of apsarases laughed.
107.6x1161-2
The divine attendants of Bhava, having various forms and great splendor,
107.6x1161-3
all played here and there with the goddess's permission.
107.6x1161-4
Then those attendants there, well-versed in secret lore,
107.6x1161-5
taking on the form of Mahādeva and assuming his characteristic insignia,
107.6x1162
the lords of the bhūtas danced, performing diverse dramatic gestures.
107.7
Then, mimicking the goddess's appearance, playful grace, and expression, / the goddess burst into laughter, as did those apsarases.
107.8
Then a joyous shout of 'kili-kili' arose on all sides, / and Bhava, delighted in mind, experienced incomparable joy.
107.9
Bāṇa's daughter, a maiden there named the lovely Uṣā, / having seen the god sporting in the river with the goddess,
107.9x1163-1
Mahādeva blazing with the splendor of twelve suns,
107.9x1163-2
assuming various forms with the desire to please the goddess,
107.10
Uṣā then formed a desire in the presence of Pārvatī: / 'Fortunate indeed are those who, united with a husband, sport thus together!'
107.10x1164
And the intention formed in her mind and thus spoken by Uṣā,
107.11
perceiving that intention of Uṣā, the mountain's daughter, / the goddess then gently spoke words to delight Uṣā:
107.12
'Uṣā, soon you too shall sport with a husband in this way, / just as the god Śaṃkara, slayer of foes, does with me.'
107.13
When these words were thus spoken by the goddess, her eyes troubled by thought, / Uṣā formed a longing in her heart: 'When shall I sport with a husband?'
107.14
Then the daughter of Himavat, smiling, spoke these words: / 'Uṣā, listen, blessed one, to when you shall attain union.
107.15
He who shall violate you in a dream on the twelfth day in the month of Vaiśākha, / at the end of the day while you are in your palace, he shall be your husband.'
107.16
Thus addressed, the Daitya's daughter, surrounded by a group of maidens, / departed with joy, sporting at her pleasure.
107.16x1165-1
Then, made to laugh by her companions, her eyes wide with joy,
107.16x1165-2
and with clappings of hands, the lively [maidens] struck one another.
107.16x1165-3
Kiṃnarīs, daughters of Yakṣas, daughters of Nāgas and Daitya lords,
107.16x1165-4
and the maidens of the apsaras-hosts were companions of Uṣā.
107.16x1165-5
And she was told there by them: 'O fair-faced one, your husband
107.16x1165-6
will come before long, appointed by the word of the goddess.
107.16x1165-7
For the word of the goddess will never prove false;
107.16x1165-8
a husband endowed with beauty and high birth has been ordained by her.'
107.16x1165-9
Uṣā, duly honoring those words of her friends,
107.16x1165-10
remained meditating on the wish granted by the goddess.
107.17
Then, having enjoyed that playful recreation together with Umā, / the lord god, the destroyer of Tripura, went to his own city; / the god of gods, the lord of the world, Hara then ceased [sporting]. / When the day had passed, all those wondrous women went away again.
107.17x1168
All went to their own dwellings, and the goddess disappeared.
107.18
Some on horses and other conveyances, others on elephants and chariots, / entered the city rejoicing, while some took to the sky.
107.19
Then, as that lovely woman was lying in the palace in the month of Vaiśākha, / on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight, surrounded by her troop of friends,
107.20
the man as described, impelled by the goddess's word, / violated that Uṣā in a dream as she tossed about and wept.
107.21
Violated by him in the dream and brought to womanhood, / stained with blood and weeping loudly, she suddenly started up in the night.
107.22
Seeing her weeping thus, overcome with fear, / her friend Citralekhā spoke tender and most wonderful words:
107.23
'Uṣā, do not fear! Why are you grieving and weeping like this? / You are the son's daughter of Bali, renowned—why are you afraid?
107.24
There is no fear in the world for you, O fair-browed one, in particular; / your father, who brings fear [to others], O fair-thighed one, destroys the gods in battle.
107.25
Arise, arise, blessings upon you! Do not give way to despair, auspicious one! / In dwellings such as these there is no fear, O fair-faced one.
107.26
More than once Śacī's husband, the lord of gods, accompanied by the gods, / was crushed in battle by your father before even reaching the city; / this father of yours brings fear to the host of gods in battle.
107.26x1169-1
Even Airāvata was crushed by his mace, O lovely woman;
107.26x1169-2
the thunderbolt-wielder, along with the immortals, despaired of life.
107.26x1170-1
He is the foremost of great asuras, glorious, the mighty son of Bali.'
107.26x1170-2
Thus addressed by her friend, the renowned daughter of Bāṇa,
107.26x1170-3
the blameless girl, reported the appearance of the dream just as she had seen it.
107.27
Uṣā said: / 'Defiled in this way, how can I, a virtuous girl, bear to live? / What will I tell my father, the enemy of gods and subduer of foes?
107.28
Having brought such disgrace to this lineage of mighty power, / I consider death to be better; life is not good for me today.
107.28x1171-1
Or whatever desired man came to me,
107.28x1171-2
this condition was brought upon me as if I were awake!
107.28x1171-3
Or by whom was I brought to this state while awake in the night?
107.29
How can a maiden made so bear to live? / Bringing reproach upon the family, a ruin to the family, without refuge, / how could a woman desire to live, standing before virtuous women?'
107.30
Thus, her eyes filled with tears, surrounded then by her company of friends, / the lotus-eyed Uṣā lamented for a long time.
107.31
Seeing her weeping like one without a protector, all her friends, distraught, / their eyes filled with tears, assembled and all spoke to Uṣā:
107.32
'Whether good or bad is done with an impure mind, O lady— / but your mind, O fair-browed one, was surely not impure.
107.32x1172
If you were enjoyed by force through union, O lady, O lovely one,
107.33
through a connection in a dream, auspicious one, there is no breach of vow; / on your part, O lady, there is no transgression through misconduct.
107.33x1173-1
Nor does any fault incurred in a dream exist in the mortal world, beautiful one;
107.33x1173-2
thus indeed the brahmin seers who know dharma declare, O lady.
107.34
She who is corrupted in mind, in speech, and especially in action— / only she who is corrupted in these three is called sinful on earth.
107.35
Your mind is not corrupted, timid one; it is ever pure. / How could you be corrupted by fault, you who are restrained and observe chaste studentship?
107.36
If you, being virtuous, good, pure-minded, and wise, / were brought to this condition while asleep, dharma is in no way violated.
107.37
She whose mind is first corrupted and then confirmed by deed, / her they call unchaste; you are chaste, O lovely woman!
107.38
Born of noble family, endowed with beauty, restrained and observing chaste studentship, / you have been brought to this state; for time is hard to overcome.'
107.39
To her who was thus spoken to, weeping with eyes veiled in tears, / the daughter of Kumbhāṇḍa spoke these excellent words:
107.39x1174-1
'Cast away grief, large-eyed one! You are sinless, O fair-faced one.
107.39x1174-2
I remember these words; hear them as they truly were.
107.40
Remember the words, lovely one, that you were told by the goddess / as you meditated on a husband near the god of gods:
107.41
"He who on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaiśākha at night / shall bring you to womanhood as you lie weeping in the palace..."'
107.42
"He will indeed be your husband, a hero, a slayer of foes."
Thus spoke the goddess then, delighted, [reading] your mind:
107.43
"Indeed, that word which Pārvatī uttered cannot be false.
In truth, why do you weep so exceedingly, O moon-faced one?"
107.44
Addressed with these words, recalling the goddess's statement then,
Bāṇa's daughter of fair eyes became free of grief.
107.44x1175
Recalling the words of the goddess, she replied to her friend then.
107.45
Uṣā said:
"I remember, O splendid lady, the words of the goddess when Bhava was engaged in sport.
Everything has happened to me upon the roof of the mansion exactly as stated.
107.46
If he is indeed my husband designated by the wife of the lord of the worlds,
how is he to be known? Let what is necessary be done in this matter."
107.47
When these words had been spoken, Kumbhāṇḍa's daughter, skilled in the truth of things,
spoke once more in proper fashion:
107.48
"Indeed, no one truly knows his lineage, O princess,
nor his fame, nor even his virility. Why do you distress yourself in this way?
107.49
Unseen and unheard of, he was seen by you only in a dream, O blameless one.
How can that thief of pleasure be known by us, O timid girl?
107.50
He by whom you, O dark-cornered-eyed, alluring woman, were forcefully enjoyed
by valor, after entering the inner chambers while you wept, O friend!
107.51
For he is no ordinary man who, alone, a destroyer of foes,
has forcefully entered our city, world-renowned.
107.52
The Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, and the two Aśvins of great splendor,
though of terrible valor, are not able to enter Śoṇitapura,
107.52x1176
while Bāṇa rules the city, having conquered Śakra, the husband of Śacī.
107.53
This destroyer of foes, superior to them a hundredfold,
has entered Śoṇitapura, treading upon Bāṇa's head!
107.53x1177-1
Who indeed in this world, while the great asura [rules],
107.53x1177-2
rules this city, O princess—what mortal desiring his life—
107.53x1177-3
would dare enter, showing contempt for that Bāṇa, or inflict an assault?
107.54
For a woman who has no such husband skilled in battle,
what purpose is there in her life or pleasures, O fair-eyed one?
107.55
Blessed are you, favored are you, to have such a husband
obtained through the grace of the goddess Pārvatī, O alluring woman!
107.56
Listen, however, to what is most necessary for you, as spoken by me:
it must be discovered whose son he is, what his name is, and what his lineage is."
107.57
When these words were thus spoken, Uṣā, bewildered by desire,
pierced by his arrows, agitated with rolling eyes,
arriving at the final stage [of lovesickness], enchanted by the pleasure of sleep,
said to Kumbhāṇḍa's daughter: "How shall we know, O friend?
107.57x1179-1
Think of it yourself, my friend; no answer occurs to me.
107.57x1179-2
People are confounded in their own affairs; [devise] how I may keep my life."
107.57x1179-3
Hearing Uṣā's words, that lovely woman again [spoke] this speech;
107.57x1179-4
Kumbhāṇḍa's daughter said to her weeping friend:
107.57x1179-5
"She is skilled in all respects, O wide-eyed one, in matters of peace and war—
107.57x1179-6
let the apsaras Citralekhā be informed at once, O friend!
107.57x1179-7
To her, the entire three worlds are always known in full."
107.57x1179-8
Having been spoken to thus, Uṣā, struck with wonder and joy,
107.57x1179-9
summoned that apsaras Citralekhā, her dear friend,
107.57x1179-10
and with folded hands, distressed, Uṣā spoke these words.
107.57x1180-1
Having heard those words uttered by Uṣā,
107.57x1180-2
she consoled her friend, the renowned daughter of Bāṇa.
107.58
Then she, overcome with anxiety, out of affection addressed a difficult speech
to the apsaras Citralekhā, friend to friend:
107.59
"Listen to my supreme word which I shall tell you, O splendid lady:
if you do not bring to me today my beloved husband,
107.60
my handsome lover with eyes like lotus petals and the prowess of a rutting elephant,
then, O lotus-eyed one, I will abandon my dear life!"
107.61
Citralekhā said gently to Uṣā, smiling faintly:
"This matter cannot be known by us, O lady of good vows!
107.61x1181-1
Neither by family, nor by appearance, nor by character, nor by form,
107.61x1181-2
nor by country is that thief known by me, O friend!
107.62
Yet this task can be deliberately accomplished by me, O friend;
listen to my word so that you may obtain [him] according to your desire,"
107.62abcx1182-1
comforting Uṣā gently,
107.62abcx1182-2
"and as it can be done by us.
107.63
Of the gods, dānavas, yakṣas, gandharvas, serpents, and rākṣasas,
those who are pre-eminent in power, in beauty, and in birth,
107.64
I shall paint them all according to their prominence, O friend,
as well as those in the world of mortals who are foremost and world-renowned.
107.65
Within seven nights I will show them to you, O timid one;
then, recognizing him on the canvas, you will regain your husband.
107.65x1183
If I do not show him, O friend, then I shall enter the fire!"
107.65x1184-1
Addressed by Citralekhā, who wished to do what was good for Uṣā,
107.65x1184-2
she said to her dear friend Citralekhā, "Let it be done so."
107.65x1184-3
Then, due to her skilled hands, drawing them all around,
107.66
having spoken thus, within seven nights that lovely woman brought the foremost ones
depicted in painting, placed upon an illustrated canvas.
107.67
Then, spreading out the canvas made by herself,
exceedingly brilliant, full of wonderful pictures, adorned with golden hues,
Citralekhā showed it to Uṣā and especially to her friends:
107.68
"These are the foremost among the gods, and those born of the dānava lineage,
and of the kinnaras, serpents, yakṣas, and rākṣasas of every sort,
107.68x1186
of the gandharvas, asuras, and daityas, and whoever else are known as serpent-lords,
107.69
and of all men, those mortals who are most distinguished.
So see all of these as depicted by me!
107.70
Whichever is your husband, whatever his form, however he was desired, O friend,
recognize him whom you saw in your dream."
107.71
Then, having seen all of them in turn, that alluring woman,
passing over the hosts of gods, dānavas, gandharvas, vidyādharas,
and all the Yadus, saw the delight of the Yadus.
107.71x1188-1
Having seen Balabhadra, then Pradyumna, then Sātyaki,
107.71x1188-2
she saw that lion of the Yadus, the grandson of great-souled Viṣṇu,
107.71x1188-3
Aniruddha, unhindered in battle, standing like the Five-Arrowed One [Kāma].
107.71x1188-4
Having seen that heroic Yadu standing on the canvas in painted form,
107.72
Seeing Aniruddha there, her eyes wide with astonishment, / she said to Citralekhā: “Friend, truly this is that thief!
107.73
By him I was previously violated in a dream while in my mansion; / this is he whose form is recognized by me. Where is this thief from, fair one?
107.74
Citralekhā, tell me truly of him, lovely lady: / what is his virtue, conduct, lineage, and what is his name, radiant woman?
107.74x1189
Then, afterwards, I shall make a decision regarding this matter.”
107.75
Citralekhā said: / “This is the grandson of wise Kṛṣṇa, the lord of the three worlds, / the god of gods, the lord of the universe, who visibly bears the discus and mace, / the slayer of Dānavas in battle, Viṣṇu, victorious, lord of the world. / He who, as lord of the universe, stepped through the three worlds with all that moves and is still, / the all-pervading one who concealed it within a single lotus-foot of his— / of that god of gods, bearer of conch, discus, and mace, / of Kṛṣṇa, this is the grandson, renowned in all worlds, radiant lady: / your husband, large-eyed one, Pradyumna's son of terrible valor.
107.76
For there is no one equal to him in prowess in the three worlds; / uprooting mountains, he could shatter them with mountains alone.
107.77
You are blessed, you are favored, you whose noble husband / was indicated by the Three-eyed God’s wife as a bull of the Yadu race, your match.”
107.78
Uṣā said: / “If this god-like one is my husband, large-eyed one, / then be suitable in this matter, large-eyed, fair-faced lady! / For no other recourse is possible; be the recourse for me who have none. / You travel through the atmosphere, a yoginī capable of changing form at will, / skilled in arts of contrivance: quickly bring my beloved! / Let a means be devised, timid one; inconceivable is the happiness with the beloved! / Return with your purpose achieved by whatever means, beautiful one. / The friend who stands by in times of misfortune is praised as a true friend by the wise. / I am stricken with desire, fair-hipped one; preserve my life! / If you do not bring him quickly today, fair one, I will abandon my life.”
107.79
Hearing Uṣā's words, Citralekhā spoke these words: / “You ought to hear my words, auspicious one with a pure smile.
107.80
Just as Bāṇa's city is guarded on all sides, princess, / even so is Dvārakā especially unassailable, timid one.
107.80x1193-1
That city is covered with iron, and its gates are concealed,
107.80x1193-2
guarded by the Vṛṣṇi princes and by the dwellers of Dvārakā.
107.80x1193-3
Bordered by water at its edge, constructed by Viśvakarman,
107.80x1193-4
it is guarded by terrible men under Padmanābha’s command.
107.80x1193-5
It has moats with ramparts of rock, entered by difficult roads,
107.80x1193-6
fashioned with seven ramparts of mountains adorned with minerals.
107.81
Nor is it possible for unrecognized persons to enter the city of Dvārakā; / you will not hold me to task, princess, in this rash undertaking. / Therefore, turn your mind away from that dream-object, difficult to attain; / protect yourself, me, and especially your father.”
107.82
Uṣā said: / “Friend, Aniruddha's face is like the full moon; / entry is possible there through the power of your yoga. / What is the use of my prolonged lament? Hear the reason, friend: / if I do not see him, I will go to Yama's abode.
107.82x1196-1
Success in enterprises comes from securing an envoy, radiant one;
107.82x1196-2
therefore, go on an embassy for me if you wish me to live.
107.83
If you recognize friendship with me and what was spoken with love, / quickly bring my beloved, or I shall abandon my dear life!
107.83x1197-1
Indeed, danger to life and destruction of family—
107.83x1197-2
those stricken with desire do not see the taint to family.
107.83x1197-3
‘Effort should be applied to undertakings’ is the teaching of scripture.
107.83x1197-4
And you, large-eyed one, are capable of entering Dvārakā.
107.83x1197-5
You have been praised by me, timid one; grant me the sight of my beloved.”
107.84
Citralekhā said: / “Here I go, timid one, having entered the city of Dvārakā! / I have been praised by you in every way with words like nectar, / and impelled to make the attempt by affectionate, pleasing speech; / today I will bring your husband, the upholder of the Vṛṣṇi race,
107.84x1199
mighty-armed Aniruddha, having entered the city of Dvārakā.”
107.85
Having spoken that true word, unpropitious and fear-inducing to the Dānavas / and equally arising from what was born of the Yādava family, / Citralekhā, swift as thought, quickly vanished.
Linked texts (1)
- Harivaṃśa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit