Harivamsha 92

English (machine translation) 92

Language: English

92.1

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: / Having slain Naraka, the son of the Earth, Viṣṇu, of valor equal to Vāsava's / and younger brother of Vāsava, surveyed Naraka's abode.

92.2

Then, having reached Naraka's treasury, Janārdana / beheld inexhaustible wealth and diverse gems:

92.3

jewels, pearls, and corals, and heaps of cat's-eye gems, / masses of silver, and heaps of diamonds;

92.4

and there costly couches and thrones made of Jāmbūnada gold / and fashioned of Śātakumbha gold, / shining like blazing fire and gleaming like the cool-rayed moon.

92.5

He also saw a great parasol, gold-hued and beautiful, / with a luster like the cool-rayed moon, raining down like a cloud

92.6

showers of bright gold in hundreds and thousands; / it had previously been carried off from Varuṇa by Naraka, so we have heard.

92.7

Such abundant wealth as was seen in Naraka's house / had never been seen before nor heard of by King Kubera, / nor by Śakra, nor by Yama—such a collection of gems!

92.8

When the son of the Earth was slain, and Nisunda, and the Dānava Hayagrīva, / they then brought forth those gems and the inner quarters.

92.9

The Dānavas who remained after the slaughter, guardians of the amassed treasury, / brought precious things worthy of Keśava, which Janārdana deserved.

92.10

The Dānavas said: / “Here are these jewels and gems and various riches, / and fearsome elephants equipped with coral-adorned goads,

92.11

with great girths of golden cord, carrying bows and lances, / draped with diverse trappings bearing handsome banners.

92.12

There are twenty thousand of them, and twice as many female elephants; / eight hundred thousand excellent horses native to fine lands.

92.13

And whatever desire you have for cattle, Janārdana, / that many we shall deliver to the dwelling of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas.

92.14

And fine woolen garments, couches, and seats, / and sweet-speaking birds of pleasant appearance,

and sandalwood, agallochum timbers, as well as yellow sandal— / whatever wealth in the three worlds you have acquired through righteousness, / all that we shall deliver to the dwelling of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas.

92.16

The treasures of gods and gandharvas, and whatever riches belonged to the serpents, / all those are here in Naraka's abode.”

92.16x1065

Thus addressed by those Dānavas, Janārdana,

92.17

Hṛṣīkeśa, having accepted and inspected all of it, / had it all conveyed by the Dānavas to the city of Dvārakā.

92.18

Then Mādhava, having himself raised up that parasol of Varuṇa / which rained down showers of gold, mounted the bird,

92.19

Garuḍa, foremost among winged creatures, like an embodied cloud. / Then he approached the foremost mountain, the Gem Mountain, round about.

92.20

There auspicious breezes blew, and spotless radiances shone forth / from the gold-hued gems, outshining the sun.

92.21

There Madhusūdana saw couches and gates adorned with archways and banners, / shining with the color of cat's-eye gems.

92.22

Resembling a cloud threaded with lightning, the jewel-mountain shone,
adorned with mansions and celestial cars variegated with gold.

92.23

There Madhusūdana saw those women of fine golden lustre,
the beloved daughters of the foremost Gandharvas and Asuras.

92.24

He saw the broad-hipped maidens confined within a mountain cave,
brought there by Naraka and guarded on all sides,

92.25

dwelling as happy goddesses free from desire,
standing undefeated in a place resembling heaven.

92.26

The women, wearing their hair in a single braid,
all clad in reddish-ochre garments and all with senses restrained, surrounded the mighty-armed one.

92.27

Their bodies slender from vows and fasting, longing to behold Kṛṣṇa,
they gathered together and all the women folded their hands to the lion of the Yadus.

92.28

Knowing that Naraka had been slain, and also the great Asura Mura,
and Hayagrīva and Nisunda, they surrounded Kṛṣṇa.

92.29

And their aged guards, the Dānavas advanced in years,
all bowed down to the delight of the Yadus with folded hands.

92.30

Beholding him with the eyes of a bull, in all those excellent women
there arose the resolve to take him as their husband.

92.31

Looking upon his moon-like face, with senses restrained,
they rejoiced greatly and spoke these words to the mighty-armed one:

92.32

“Truly, indeed, the wind spoke to us here long ago,
as did the divine seer Nārada, who understands the cries of all beings:

92.33

‘The god Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, bearer of the conch, discus, mace, and sword,
having slain Naraka, the son of the earth, shall surely become your husband.’

92.34

Ah, we behold our dearest one, heard of long ago, the tamer of foes!
By the sight of the great-souled one, we have attained our goal today.”

92.35

Then the younger brother of Vāsava, Mādhava, consoled those women,
all of them lotus-petal-eyed, with his look and with his speech.

92.36

Having consoled and spoken to them as was fitting, Keśava,
Madhusūdana, transported them in carriages drawn by attendants.

92.37

A great roaring sound arose from the thousands of attendant
rākṣasas, swift as the wind, as they carried the litters.

92.38

The foremost peak of that prime mountain, most highly revered,
resembling the spotless sun and moon, having archways of jewels and gold,

92.39

with flocks of birds and elephants, accompanied by carnivores, deer, and serpents,
frequented by troops of monkeys, with excellent stone plateaus,

92.40

inhabited by nyaṅku deer, boars, and ruru deer,
with cascades and vast ridges, and trees of diverse crests,

92.41

exceedingly wonderful, unimaginable, stirred by herds of deer,
and made resonant with flocks of pheasant-birds and peacocks—

92.42

even that radiant peak the exceedingly strong Viṣṇu uprooted with both arms,
and placed it upon Garuḍa, the foremost of birds.

92.43

The bird Garuḍa, foremost among the winged ones,
easily carried the peak of the jewel-mountain and Janārdana along with his wife.

92.44

With the strokes of his powerful wings, resembling the peak of a great mountain,
the king of birds produced a crashing sound in all directions.

92.45

Crushing mountain tops and tearing up trees,
he dispersed some great clouds and traversed through others.

92.46

Passing far beyond the realm of the two gods, the sun and the moon,
the wind-swift bird flew on, subject to Janārdana's command.

92.47

Reaching Mount Meru, frequented by gods and Gandharvas,
Madhusūdana saw all the dwellings of the gods.

92.48

O king, the scorcher of foes passed beyond the shining abodes
of the Viśvedevas, the Maruts, the Sādhyas, and the two Aśvins.

92.49

Attaining the realms of those of virtuous deeds, the world of the gods,
Janārdana, the tamer of foes, reached and entered Śakra's abode.

92.50

Descending from the son of Tṛkṣa, he saw the lord of the gods,
and Śatakratu, the king of the gods, happily welcomed him.

92.51

Having handed over the two celestial earrings, Acyuta then bowed to him;
along with his wife, Janārdana, the foremost of men, [saluted] the foremost of gods.

92.52

He was honoured by the king of the gods and gifted with jewels,
and Satyabhāmā was suitably welcomed by the daughter of Puloman.

92.52x1066-1

The two world-renowned ladies embraced each other, O great king.

92.52x1066-2

The daughter of Puloman said this to Satyabhāmā, beloved of Hari:

92.52x1066-3

“I am pleased by the sight of you, O lady; what more may I do for you?

92.52x1066-4

By good fortune the evil-minded Naraka has been slain by you.”

92.52x1066-5

Thus addressed, the lady then said to her, “It is already done.”

92.53

Then Vāsava and Vāsudeva went together
to the auspicious and opulent abode of Aditi, the mother of the gods.

92.54

There the two great-souled ones saw the illustrious Aditi, endowed with ascetic heat,
being served on all sides by apsarases.

92.55

Then, having presented the two earrings, the lord of Śacī bowed to her;
putting Janārdana forward, he recounted that deed.

92.55x1067-1

Having presented [the earrings], the son of Aditi,

92.55x1067-2

Puraṃdara, the husband of Śacī, bowed to his mother.

92.56

Affectionately embracing both sons and welcoming them,
Aditi then spoke to them both with fitting blessings.

92.57

The daughter of Puloman and Satyabhāmā, filled with supreme joy,
grasped the auspicious feet of that goddess worthy of boons.

92.58

The renowned mother of the gods also greeted them with affection,
and spoke to Janārdana these words in due manner:

92.59

“You shall be unassailable by all beings and incapable of being slain,
just as this king of the gods is unconquered and worshipped by the world.

92.59x1068-1

And this fair-hipped woman of yours, ever delightful to behold,

92.59x1068-2

renowned in all worlds, endowed with divine fragrance, captivating—

92.59x1069

you shall be the lord of the gods headed by him.

92.60

Satyabhāmā, the best of women, fortunate and of unchanging youth,
this young wife shall not suffer old age as long as you, Kṛṣṇa, remain mortal.”

92.61

Thus honoured by the mother of the gods, the mighty Kṛṣṇa,
permitted by the king of the gods and honoured with jewels,

92.62

mounted the son of Vinatā together with Satyabhāmā,
traversing the pleasure-groves of the gods while being worshipped by divine seers.

92.63

In the pleasure-grove of Vāsava, the mighty-armed one saw
the heavenly, worshipped caitya tree, the great Pārijāta,

92.64

which bears blossoms constantly, divine, of unsurpassed holy fragrance,
upon approaching which every person remembers their previous birth.

92.65

Though it was guarded by the gods, Viṣṇu of boundless valor
uprooted that great tree by force and loaded it [upon Garuḍa].

92.66

Hari looked at Satyabhāmā, and at the divine apsaras; / and behind him, Satyabhāmā gazed at the divine woman. / Then he set out for Dvāravatī along the path frequented by the wind.

92.67

Hearing of that deed of Kṛṣṇa, the king of the gods, / mighty-armed, assented and said, “The deed is done.”

92.68

Honoured by the thirty [gods] and praised by hosts of great seers, / Kṛṣṇa, subduer of foes, set out for Dvārakā from the world of the gods.

92.69

Flying swiftly across the long distance as if it were short, / the mighty-armed one then reached the city of Dvāravatī; / honoured by the king of the gods, he saw the city of the Yādavas.

92.69x1072-1

Having slain Naraka, born of the earth, and given back the excellent earrings,

92.69x1072-2

and having taken the pārijāta tree and bowed to the mother of the gods,

92.70

having thus accomplished a great deed, the blessed younger brother of Vāsava, / glorious Viṣṇu, mounted on Garuḍa, approached Dvārakā.

Linked texts (1)

Harivaṃśa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit