Harivamsha 113

English (machine translation) 113

Language: English

113.1

Vaiśaṃpāyana said:
Then, merely upon seeing Garuḍa, those who were upon Aniruddha's body—
Having thus obtained many boons, Bāṇa was filled with joy;
Having attained the state of Mahākāla, he went with Rudra.
Vāsudeva too questioned Nārada in many ways:
"Where is the blessed Aniruddha, bound by snake-fetters?
I wish to hear in truth, for my heart is moist with affection.
When the hero Aniruddha was carried off, the city of Dvārakā was agitated.
I shall swiftly release him, for whose sake we have come.
Today we wish to see him whose enemies are destroyed.
Lord, of good vows, that place is known to you."
Thus addressed by Kṛṣṇa, Nārada replied:
"Mādhava, that youth is bound by serpents in the maiden's quarters."
At that moment, Citralekhā swiftly appeared:
"Of Bāṇa, of highest courage, the great-souled lord of Daityas,
this is the inner chamber, Lord; enter at your ease!"
Then they all entered to release Aniruddha—
Bala, Suparṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Pradyumna, and Nārada.
Vāsudeva too immediately entered the enemy's inner chamber.
The great serpents in the form of arrows, which had remained coiled around his body—

113.2

All those hooded serpents, having suddenly emerged from his body,
all fled towards the ground, remaining arrows according to their nature.

113.3

Seen and touched by the great-souled Kṛṣṇa, that Aniruddha,
standing, having become joyful at heart, with joined palms spoke this word:

113.4

"O god of gods, in battle you are always victorious; who
is able to stand before you, even Śatakratu in person?"

113.5

The Blessed One said:
"Mount Garuḍa quickly; let us go to the city of Dvārakā!"
Thus addressed, he mounted along with the daughter of the Dānava.

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Permitted by their elders, they then departed,

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accompanied by Citralekhā, who was his constant beloved.

113.6

Then those bulls among men set out on the long road.
Armed with the discus, having taken Aniruddha then,
striking Bāṇa whose discus was raised,
and having severed the circle of Bāṇa's arms,
armed with the discus, having taken Aniruddha then,
formerly, when the great Bāṇa whose discus was raised […]
was brought down, his body shattered with arms [severed],
mounting Garuḍa, all having conquered Bāṇa, the great Asura—

113.7

Then, standing in the firmament, heading towards the western quarter,
those great-souled ones saw cows that grant divine milk,
wandering in the coastal forests, in their thousands of diverse colors.

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Having recognized their appearance then from hearing the words of Kumbhāṇḍa,

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Kṛṣṇa, best among wielders of weapons, truly skilled in purpose,

113.8

having heard of Bāṇa's cows, then set his mind on them;
mounted on Garuḍa, the imperishable god, the origin of all the worlds [said]:

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The Blessed One said:
"Garuḍa, proceed to the place where Bāṇa's herd of cows is,

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drinking whose milk, it is said, one attains immortality.

113.9

And Satyabhāmā said to me: 'Bring me Bāṇa's cows,
drinking whose milk, it is said, the great Asuras do not age,

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and living beings become free of old age, leaving aging behind.'

113.10

'Bring them to me, may you prosper, if the task is not obstructed;
now, if there should be hindrance to the task, do not set your mind upon them.'

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Thus did Satyā speak to me, and these are known to me.

113.11

These cows are seen; seeing me, they are all together entering
the abode of Varuṇa; let what must be done here be carried out!"

113.12

Saying 'So be it,' Garuḍa plunged into the ocean with the wind of his wings;
he swiftly penetrated near the abode of Varuṇa.

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Seeing Garuḍa arrived with speed at the abode of Varuṇa,

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all the hosts of Varuṇa, bewildered, then advanced.

113.13

Then Varuṇa's army, exceedingly terrible,
raising various weapons, advanced before Vāsudeva.

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That fierce battle took place between Varuṇa's [forces] and the enemy of serpents.

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Then before that wise Vāsudeva,

113.14

as those Vāruṇas rushed forward by thousands in battle,
their bodies illuminated the entire abode of Varuṇa.
With his discus, the blessed Śauri wrought a great slaughter.
The unconquerable army was broken by the great-souled Keśava;
broken, they quickly fled to that very abode of Varuṇa.

113.15

Sixty thousand chariots, and six hundred chariots,
were dispatched by Varuṇa with blazing weapons in the battle.

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They fought against Kṛṣṇa, Pradyumna, and Bala.

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Hari swiftly struck down all of them in battle.

113.16

That army, being consumed on all sides by streams of Kṛṣṇa's arrows,
broken, resorting to Varuṇa, found no standing ground at all.

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That army, by the mighty heroes Baladeva and Janārdana,

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by Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Garuḍa on all sides,

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being slain all around by various sharp volleys of arrows—

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Then, seeing the army broken by Kṛṣṇa of unwearied deeds,

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Varuṇa, enraged, came forth to where Keśava was.

113.17

Being praised in many ways by seers, gods, gandharvas, and hosts of apsarases,
Varuṇa took his stand.

113.18

With a beautiful, pale parasol being held [over him],
raising his excellent bow that dripped with water, he stood.

113.19

The lord of the waters, enraged, accompanied by the army of his sons and grandsons,
strung his great bow as if challenging [him] to battle.

113.20

Blowing his conch, Varuṇa rushed forward;
like Hara [attacking] Hari in wrath, he covered him with nets of arrows.

113.21

Then, blowing the water-born Pāñcajanya, the mighty Janārdana
filled all the directions with a tempest of arrows.

113.22

Then Varuṇa, tormented in many ways in battle by streams of arrows,
as if smiling, fought back against Kṛṣṇa.

113.23

Then, standing in battle, consecrating the terrible Vaiṣṇava missile,
Vāsudeva, standing before him, spoke this word:

113.24

"This most terrible Vaiṣṇava missile that crushes enemies
is raised by me for your slaying; stand now and be firm!"

113.25

Then the god Varuṇa, countering that raised Vaiṣṇava missile
with the Vāruṇa missile, roared, full of great might.

113.26

The waters, spread abroad as his weapon, issued from Varuṇa's mouth / and strove to extinguish the weapon of Viṣṇu, O conqueror in battle.

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Yet the waters of Varuṇa hurled there burst into flames at every cast.

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Then, taking up his discus engulfed in garlands of flames,

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the Lord of the World, desiring to release it, appeared before the lord of waters.

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Then all the followers of Varuṇa blazed up from the fiery energy of the discus.

113.27

As all the followers of Varuṇa were burning and that fiery weapon / of Viṣṇu raged with great power, they fled terrified in all directions.

113.28

Seeing them burning, Varuṇa spoke these words: / 'Recall your primordial nature, unmanifest yet marked by manifest signs; / destroy darkness, O fortunate one! Why are you bewildered by passion?

113.29

You were ever established in purity, O Lord of yoga, O wise one; / cast off egoism and the afflictions grounded in the five elements.

113.30

As for this form of yours belonging to Viṣṇu, I am your elder brother; / I deserve your honor as an elder; why do you wish to burn me?

113.31

Fire indeed has no power over fire; abandon your wrath, O best of warriors! / [Weapons] will have no effect on you, for you are the source of the world.

113.32

For primordial nature, subject to transformation, was formerly emitted by you / as possessing dharma through its seed-state, resting upon primeval dharma.

113.33

Fiery and watery from the beginning by its very nature, / this world was emitted by you; how can you bear fury toward me?

113.34

You alone are invincible, eternal, constant, self-existent, the source of beings, / imperishable and immutable, O you of great splendor!

113.35

Protect me, for I deserve protection by you, O sinless one! Homage to you! / You are the primeval creator of the world; by you alone it was expanded.

113.36

Why do you play, O great god, like a boy with his toys? / For I do not hate nature, nor do I corrupt nature.

113.37

That nature which exists among the modifications, O supreme Puruṣa, / in extinguishing its modifications you act according to rule.

113.38

You are the modification of modifications in the abode of modification, O sinless one; / you continually alter those foolish ones who do not know dharma.

113.39

For this nature is ever joined with faults by darkness, / and corrupted by passion; from that delusion proceeds.

113.40

Knowing the higher and the lower, all-knowing, abiding by the rule of sovereignty, / why do you bewilder us all, like Prajāpati himself?'

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Thus addressed by Varuṇa, Kṛṣṇa, the refuge of the world,

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the heroic knower of all thoughts and all knowledge, then became pleased in mind.

113.41

Thus spoken to, Kṛṣṇa smiled and said: / 'Surrender the cattle to me, O god of terrible prowess, for the sake of peace.'

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Thus addressed by Kṛṣṇa, Varuṇa, skilled in speech,

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spoke once again: 'Hear me, O Madhusūdana!

113.42

Varuṇa said: / "An agreement was previously made by me with Bāṇa, O god; / and having made an agreement, how could I break it otherwise?

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If you yourself, O god of all, should break an agreement,

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conduct is spoiled, my friend, and it is not praised by the virtuous.

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The lord who has a share in dharma ever shuns [this], O Madhusūdana,

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and the sinner who breaks an agreement does not attain the worlds.

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Be gracious, and let there be no lapse of dharma for me, O Madhusūdana!

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You ought not to join me with a breach of agreement, O Mādhava.

113.43

As long as I live I will not yield the cows, O bull-eyed one; / take the cows after killing me—this is the agreement I made.

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And this agreement has been declared by me, O Madhusūdana,

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in truth, O mighty-armed one, and not falsely, O lord of gods.

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If indeed I am to be favored, protect me, O Madhusūdana;

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or if you insist on the cows, kill [me] and take them, O mighty-armed one.

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I honor you as one who knows dharma; you are dear to me;

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because you speak the truth, therefore you are imbued with devotion to me."

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Having been thus petitioned by him, Kṛṣṇa, conqueror of enemies' cities,

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after making known the entire story of Bāṇa, [...]

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honoring Bāṇāsura, the wealth of cattle was given to Kṛṣṇa;

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and having received it from Varuṇa, Hari set out for Dvāravatī.

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Glorious Kṛṣṇa, mounted on Garuḍa, approached Dvārakā;

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he dwelt together with the Vṛṣṇis, being praised by those who had assembled.

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This matter concerning Bāṇa has been related to you, O Janamejaya,

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as you inquired, O king; what do you wish to hear further?

113.44

Thus addressed by Varuṇa, having released the cows, the highly renowned one— / having thus been addressed, releasing Bāṇa's cows, the highly renowned one, / considering the agreement unbreakable and setting aside the dispute over the cows, / smiling, Mādhava paid honor to the god Varuṇa; / then, laughing heartily, skilled in meaning, he spoke this word, / honoring Varuṇa, the god released Bāṇa's cows: / 'Therefore you are released, if indeed an agreement was made with Bāṇa!' / With expansive, sweet words conveying the true meaning: / 'How could I commit a sin against you, O lord Varuṇa? / Go, you are released, Varuṇa; may you remain true to your promise to us! / For your pleasure the cows of Bāṇa have been released by me, without a doubt.' / Then, with the sounds of musical instruments and the great roaring of drums, / Varuṇa took offering-water and worshipped Keśava. / Keśava, the delight of the Yadus, taking the offering from Varuṇa, / the god, unharmed and composed, honored his army. / Having granted safety to Varuṇa, the majestic Vāsudeva [said]: / 'For your sake the cows of the wicked-souled Bāṇa have been released.' / Having said this to Varuṇa, the god, releasing Bāṇa's cows, / departed for Dvārakā, surrounded by the immortals headed by Śakra.

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The god set out for Dvārakā, accompanied by Śacī's lord.

113.45

There the gods together with the Maruts and the Sādhyas, O conqueror in battle, / the gandharvas, apsarases, and the sky-roaming kiṃnaras, / the rich in ascetic heat, the seers headed by Nārada and Vasiṣṭha, / followed the Lord of All, the beginning of all beings, the imperishable one.

113.46

The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, and the two Aśvins of great might, / and the hosts of vidyādharas, and whatever other siddhas and cāraṇas there were, / followed him as he went with renown and victory.

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And the illustrious Nārada set out toward Dvārakā,

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delighted at seeing the conquest of Bāṇa and that Varuṇa had been shown kindness,

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with those [gods] resembling the peaks of Kailāsa and having blue necks.

113.47

Seeing from afar Dvārakā garlanded with gates, / the wielder of the discus and club sounded Pāñcajanya.

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The god gave a signal to the inhabitants of the city of Dvārakā.

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Blown by him, the great conch filled heaven and earth.

113.48

Hearing the blare of the gods' following retinue and the sound of Pāñcajanya, / all Dvāravatī attained matchless joy.

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With filled pitchers and parched grain arranged in many broad arrays,

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having adorned every gate of the whole city of Dvāravatī,

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its streets well paved, beautifully splendid, and decorated with gems,

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the brahmins, taking guest-offerings, and likewise the merchant guilds,

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honored Mādhava with various shouts of victory.

113.49

Seated upon Vinatā's son, resembling a heap of blue collyrium, / the Yādavas saluted Kṛṣṇa, who was endowed with supreme splendor.

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And the three classes in succession honored the exceedingly mighty one,

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the endless slayer of Keśin, as did the guilds headed by the foremen.

113.50

Praised all around by seers, gods, gandharvas, and cāraṇas, / Govinda stood above Dvārakā.

113.51

Then the best of the Dāśārha host beheld that wonder; / they attained matchless joy upon seeing long-armed Kṛṣṇa, / the highest Puruṣa, arriving after conquering Bāṇa and Mahādeva.

113.52

Many words then passed among the dwellers of Dvārakā / when the fortunate Kṛṣṇa, the great car-warrior of the Sātvatas, arrived:

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“Having traversed a long journey, the fair-winged bird has swiftly come.

113.53

Blessed are we, favored are we, whose protector and guardian / is the lord of the universe, the long-armed Janārdana!

113.54

Mounted upon Vinatā's son, having conquered Bāṇa, so hard to defeat, / this lotus-eyed one has arrived, gladdening our hearts as it were.”

113.55

Even as the dwellers of Dvārakā were speaking thus, / those divine, great car-warriors entered the house of Vāsudeva.

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Then Vāsudeva and Bala descended from the fair-winged bird.

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And Pradyumna and Aniruddha then entered the houses.

113.56

Those aerial chariots of theirs moving in the sky / appeared motionless everywhere in diverse forms.

113.57

With lions, bulls, deer, serpents, horses, cranes, and peacocks, / those shining aerial chariots were seen by the thousands.

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Then Kṛṣṇa spoke words to those princes by the thousands,

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to all of them beginning with Pradyumna, smoothly in a sweet voice:

113.58

"These are the Rudras, the Ādityas, the Vasus, and the two Aśvins, / the Sādhyas, and the other gods; salute them in due order.

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The thousand-eyed one, the most fortunate, who strikes terror into the Dānavas—

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salute Śakra, accompanied by his host, who rides an elephant.

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The most fortunate seven seers have come here for my pleasure;

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and the great-souled seers—salute them as you please.

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These are the wheel-bearers; speak to all of them.

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The oceans and lakes have come here for my pleasure;

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and the cardinal and intermediate directions—salute them in due order.

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And the exceedingly powerful serpents headed by Vāsuki,

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and the cows—indeed for my pleasure—salute them in due order.

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The luminaries together with the lunar mansions, the yakṣas, rākṣasas, and kiṃnaras,

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have indeed come for my pleasure; salute them in due order."

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Hearing the words of Vāsudeva, the princes stood bowing down

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in due order to all the great-souled deities.

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Seeing all the sky-dwellers, the citizens were filled with wonder.

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Then, taking up provisions for worship, they quickly arrived.

113.59

"Oh, what a great wonder is obtained by us here / through taking refuge in Vāsudeva!" Such words indeed circulated.

113.60

Then, with sandalwood powder and showers of flowers everywhere, / the citizens scattered them upon all those sky-dwellers, worshipping them.

113.61

With parched grains, prostrations, and incenses, controlling their speech and minds, / all the dwellers of Dvārakā worshipped the sky-dwellers.

113.62

To Āhuka, Vasudeva, Sāmba, the delighter of the Yadus,

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Sātyaki, Ulmuka, and the mighty Vipṛthu,

113.63

the highly fortunate Akrūra, and likewise Niṣadha— / embracing them then and smelling their heads, the valiant / and highly fortunate Śakra then, before the circle of Yadus, / replied with words to the slayer of Keśin who was praising him, / and then spoke words to Andhaka and Śubhākṣa.

113.64

Vāsava [said] to all the Sātvatas: "This delighter of the Yadus, / having joined you with fame and manly strength in battle,

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exceedingly radiant, brings you delight, just as [he does] to the sky-dwellers in heaven.

113.65

Under the very eyes of Mahādeva and likewise of Guha, / having conquered Bāṇa in battle, he has returned to Dvārakā.

113.66

Having brought about the unparalleled destruction of the thousand-armed one's arms / and established him in the state of two arms, Hari has reached his own city.

113.67

That for the sake of which the great-souled Kṛṣṇa was born among mortals / has all been accomplished; we have been made free from grief.

113.68

Drinking sweet madhvīka wine, we shall rejoice, filled with pleasure; / time will pass ceaselessly while indulging in the objects of the senses.

113.69

By taking refuge in the arms of this great-souled one, / all of us immortals, with grief dispelled, shall rejoice happily."

113.70

Having spoken thus and embraced the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, / having thus praised Keśava, the destroyer of Dānavas, / and taken leave of him, the highly fortunate thousand-eyed one, surrounded by all the hosts of gods, / then again embraced Kṛṣṇa, who is revered by the worlds. / Having spoken thus to all the Yādavas and worshipped Kṛṣṇa, Vāsava, / Puraṃdara, departed to heaven surrounded by all the hosts of immortals; / and the great-souled seers, [honoring] the exceedingly energetic one with blessings of victory, / and the yakṣas, rākṣasas, and kiṃnaras departed again as they had come. / When Puraṃdara had gone to heaven, the mighty, highly fortunate Padmanābha / inquired about the unfailing welfare of everyone. / Then, bursting forth with cries of joy by the thousands, / they went to see the Kaumudī festival; he, the sinless one, with his beloved, / having reached Dvārakā, Kṛṣṇa rejoiced surrounded by the hosts of Yadus,

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endowed with all various desires and goals and with supreme splendor.

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Thus Viṣṇu descended to earth, O lord of the earth, / the best of the Yadu lineage, renowned as Vāsudeva.

113.72

And for these reasons the glorious lord was born / in the family of Vasudeva among the Vṛṣṇis to Devakī, as you ask me.

113.73

Now that Nārada's inquiry is concluded, I have spoken to you in brief; / all those details were previously told to you, O Janamejaya.

113.74

Where you had great doubt concerning Viṣṇu's deeds in Mathurā, / that course of Vāsudeva has indeed been fully recounted by me.

113.75

And there is no other wonder, and Kṛṣṇa is the dwelling of wonder; / in all wondrous creations, there is no wonder not of Viṣṇu.

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He alone is the fortunate of the fortunate, the maker of fortune, the promoter of fortune; / even among gods and daityas, none is more fortunate than Acyuta.

113.77

The Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Aśvins, and the Maruts, / the sky, the earth, the directions, the water, and the light—

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all this is the creator of the world, Viṣṇu alone and none other.

113.78

He is the creator, the ordainer, the destroyer, and Time itself, / truth, dharma, ascetic heat, and eternal brahman; / among serpents he is declared to be Ananta, and among Rudras, Śaṃkara; / the moving and unmoving world has its origin in Nārāyaṇa; / and from this Janārdana the entire world is brought forth, / and the lord of gods is the entire world; bow down to him, O Bhārata!

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And this eternal one is constantly to be worshipped by all the gods;

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this lord of the gods of gods is to be worshipped even by those worthy of worship, including Vāsava;

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and the lord of the gods of gods is to be sacrificed to; bow down to him, O Bhārata!

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He is the primal maker and the enjoyer, the origin of beings, and prosperity itself.

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Bow down to the lord of the world again and again, O mighty king!

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Always bow down to Viṣṇu, the Yādava, the origin of beings.

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Let us always bow down to the lord of the world, [the son of] Devakī, to Hari.

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Meditate constantly upon the lord of the world; be intent on effort.

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Viṣṇu will always ordain your welfare, without doubt.

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Direct your reverence toward him; meditate upon that supreme mind.

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And Viṣṇu should always be worshiped in the mind, O best of kings;

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bow again and again to the lord of the world, O lord of the earth!

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Meditate always upon Vāsudeva, Keśava, the slayer of Keśin.

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Meditate with effort upon Nārāyaṇa, the subtly minute, the highest being;

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for meditated upon, he will undoubtedly destroy all sins.

113.79

Thus the battle of Bāṇa has been told to you, and the greatness of Keśava; / from the mere hearing of it, you will obtain matchless lineage-stability.

113.80

And those who retain this unsurpassed battle of Bāṇa / and the greatness of Keśava, adharma will not attend them.

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Dharma shall be theirs, O king; there should be no doubt in this.

113.81

This Vaiṣṇava course of deeds has been recounted to you in full / by me as you asked, dear one, when this sacrifice concluded, O Janamejaya.

113.82

Whoever retains this entire book of wonders, O king, / freed from all sins, he goes to the world of Viṣṇu. / Whoever rises at dawn and continually recites it well-concentrated, / nothing is hard to obtain for him in this world and in the next. / A brahmin becomes knowledgeable of all the Vedas; a kṣatriya becomes victorious; / a vaiśya becomes rich in wealth; and a śūdra attains a good state. / He meets with no misfortune whatsoever and attains a long life.

Linked texts (1)

Harivaṃśa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit