Furnished with picturesque eight-sided pillars, with platforms having bolted doors,
with lattice windows and crescents, and adorned with excellent upper levels;

74.3

facing east, beautifully built, garlanded with strings of wreaths,
adorned and resplendent like autumn clouds;

74.4

the enclosure of the arena shone with pavilion pavilions well-appointed and finely decorated for combat,
like the ocean with masses of clouds.

74.5

Continuously marked with banners displaying the symbols of their crafts,
the platforms of guilds and corporations shone like mountains.

74.6

And not far off, the viewing pavilions of the women of the inner apartments
gleamed, decorated with gold and filled with the brilliance of jewels.

74.7

Constructed with heaps of jewels and furnished with sloping roofs and canopies,
they shone with the swaying of curtains like winged mountains in the sky.

74.8

There, with the waving of white chowries and the tinkling of ornaments,
the variegated rays of precious gems moved about.

74.9

The separate platforms for the courtesans, furnished with beautiful carpets and cloths,
adorned by the foremost courtesans, possessed splendour resembling celestial chariots.

74.10

There were principal seats and golden couches,
and colorful carpets were scattered, along with trees bearing clusters of blossoms.

74.11

Golden drinking vessels and drinking grounds were made splendid,
and sorrel salads prepared for drinking were full of fruit savories.

74.12

And many other platforms constructed with piles of wood;
there arrays of platforms shone brightly in strata.

74.13

And other excellent pavilions with fine lattice-windows for viewing;
the viewing-galleries of the women shone like royal swans in the sky.

74.14

Facing east, beautifully constructed, possessing a radiance like the peak of Meru,
with pillars resembling gold leaves, adorned with varied projections,

74.15

Kaṃsa's viewing pavilion shone exceedingly with magnificence,
adorned with garlands of flowers, marked as a royal residence.

74.16

In that arena enclosure crowded with diverse people, resounding with crowds of folk,
firmly erected, resembling a trembling ocean,

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the cowherds headed by Nandagopa, summoned by the Bhoja king,

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having offered their tributes, took their seats on a single platform.

74.17

Having ordered: 'Let the royal elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa
stand at the gate of the arena,' the king then arrived at the viewing pavilion.

74.18

Wearing two white garments, with a white fan and chowrie,
and sporting a white diadem, he shone like the moon in a white cloud.

74.19

Seeing the peerless beauty of that wise one seated comfortably upon his lion throne,
the citizens uttered blessings of victory.

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Then the gods along with the gandharvas, the siddhas, and the supreme seers,

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Placing Puraṃdara in front, eager to see the fight, they departed.

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Stationed in their aerial chariots, bearing white flywhisks, they all shone brilliantly,

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and Śakra too, mounted on Airāvata accompanied by Mātali, looked splendid.

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All the chief courtesans, headed by Ūrvaśī, were there at that time;

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they stood at Śakra's side, holding white flywhisks in their hands.

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Those best of kings, sages headed by Dilīpa,

74.19x829-8

who had remained in heaven like Śakra for many yugas,

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to see the blessed Lord of the World adorned like a cowherd,

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[and] the sages from Nārada onward stationed themselves to watch the duel,

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which had arisen in the midst of the arena between the two gods and the two wrestlers.

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Then the sky became packed thick with crowds of immortals,

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and the wrestling pavilion was completely crowded with all the people;

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the sky too was packed thick with sky-wanderers and hosts of gods.

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The surface of the earth and the firmament assumed one single appearance.

74.20

Then the wrestlers entered the arena, their clothes fluttering, / and those powerful men entered the three enclosures section by section.

74.21

Then, at the sound of the musical instruments and the lion-roars and arm-slaps, / the two sons of Vasudeva arrived delighted at the entrance of the arena.

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The two cowherds, wrapped in garments, adorned with celestial sandalwood paste,

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with topknots and flower chaplets, ready to employ their arms as weapons,

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slapped their arms against each other, [arms] like crossbars.

As those two fair-faced youths rushed quickly forward, they were blocked. / Having reached the entrance of the arena, Kṛṣṇa saw the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa stationed there, / driven by an Ambaṣṭha. / Girding his loins and gathering his curling locks, Śauri / addressed the elephant driver in a voice deep as thunder: / "Ambaṣṭha, Ambaṣṭha! Make way for us two, move aside without delay! / If not, I shall kill you along with the elephant and dispatch you to Yama's abode!" / Thus rebuked, the enraged Ambaṣṭha goaded the elephant, which was [already] infuriated, / against Kṛṣṇa, like the Death-god Yama at the end of time. / Urged vehemently by him, that rutting elephant—

Linked texts (1)

Harivaṃśa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit