Bhagavatapurana 1.10: atha daśamo'dhyāyaḥ

1.10.1

/0 śaunaka uvāca
hatvā svarikthaspṛdha ātatāyino yudhiṣṭhiro dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhaḥ /
sahānujaiḥ pratyavaruddhabhojanaḥ kathaṃ pravṛttaḥ kim akāraṣīt tataḥ //

Śaunaka said:
Having slain the assailants who coveted his inheritance, how did Yudhiṣṭhira, the foremost upholder of dharma,
his eating restrained alongside his younger brothers, take up [rule], and what did he do thereafter?

1. Saunaka said:—When Yudhishtira, the foremost among the defenders of righteousness, after vanquishing the ruffians that had aspired to and fought for (usurped) his own property, was forced to enjoy worldly blessings along with his brothers,—what was the course of his life, or what did he do then?

1.10.2

/0 sūta uvāca
vaṃśaṃ kurorvaṃśadavāgninirhṛtaṃ saṃrohayitvā bhavabhāvano hariḥ /
niveśayitvā nijarājya īśvaro yudhiṣṭhiraṃ prītamanā babhūva ha //

Sūta said:
Hari, the creator of the world, having caused the lineage of Kuru—destroyed by the forest fire of family strife—to sprout anew,
and having established Yudhiṣṭhira in his own kingdom, became joyful in heart.

2. Suta said:—Sri Hari, the Lord (of all) who maintains the world, revived the race of Kuru that had been consumed by the forest fire born of Vamsa (bamboo called the race), and was rejoiced at having established Yudhishtira in his own kingdom (on his throne).

1.10.3

niśamya bhīṣmoktam athācyutoktaṃ pravṛttavijñānavidhūtavibhramaḥ /
śaśāsa gām indra ivājitāśrayaḥ paridhyupāntām anujānuvartitaḥ //

Having heard what Bhīṣma said and then what Acyuta said, his delusion dispelled by aroused wisdom,
he, taking refuge in the Unconquered One and followed by his younger brothers, ruled the earth to the edge of the oceans like Indra.

3. Having listened to what Bhishma as well as Sri Krishna said, and having rid himself of the confusion (in his mind) by the force of wisdom he gained thereby, Yudhishtira, who was like unto Indra, ruled over the earth (as far as the sea) always depending upon (devoted to) Sri Krishna, and assisted by his own obedient brothers.

1.10.4

kāmaṃ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarvakāmadughā mahī /
siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ payasodhasvatīrmudā //

Parjanya rained down to their desires, the earth yielded all wishes,
and cows with swollen udders joyfully showered the pastures with milk.

4. Parjanya, the god of rain, abundantly sent down showers; the earth yielded all that was desired,; cows of capacious udders gladly sprinkled their stalls with milk.

1.10.5

nadyaḥ samudrā girayaḥ savanaspativīrudhaḥ /
phalantyoṣadhayaḥ sarvāḥ kāmam anvṛtu tasya vai //

The rivers, oceans, mountains, trees, and creeping plants,
and all the herbs bore fruit according to desires in every season for him.

5. Rivers, seas, mountains, trees and plants, roots and herbs, all bore him abundant products in due season.

1.10.6

nādhayo vyādhayaḥ kleśā daivabhūtātmahetavaḥ /
ajātaśatrāvabhavan jantūnāṃ rājñi karhicit //

No mental agonies, physical diseases, or afflictions caused by the gods, elements, or oneself
ever befell creatures during the reign of the king who had no enemy.

6. Neither anxieties nor diseases nor difficulties caused by the deities or elements, nor those arising in the body, ever afflicted living beings, when Ajatasatru (Dharmaraja) was king.

1.10.7

uṣitvā hāstinapure māsān katipayān hariḥ /
suhṛdāṃ ca viśokāya svasuśca priyakāmyayā //

Having resided in Hāstinapura for some months
to dispel the sorrow of his friends and out of a desire to please His sister,

7-8. Having spent a few months at Hastinapura for the solace of His friends and for the satisfaction of His sister, Sri Hari told Yudhishtira of His desire to go home, embraced him and bowed to him, obtained his leave, and, Himself embraced by some and bowed to by others, mounted His chariot.

1.10.8

āmantrya cābhyanujñātaḥ pariṣvajyābhivādya tam /
āruroha rathaṃ kaiścit pariṣvakto 'bhivāditaḥ //

and having asked permission and received leave, embracing Yudhiṣṭhira and saluting him,
He mounted His chariot, while embraced and saluted by some.

1.10.9

subhadrā draupadī kuntī virāṭatanayā tathā /
gāndhārī dhṛtarāṣṭraśca yuyutsurgautamo yamau //

Subhadrā, Draupadī, Kuntī, as well as the daughter of Virāṭa,
Gāndhārī and Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Gautama, the twins,

9. Subhadra, Draupadi, Kunti, Virata's daughter, Gandhari and Dhritarashtra, Yuyutsu, Kripa, Nakula and Sahadeva, Bhimasena;

1.10.10

vṛkodaraśca dhaumyaśca striyo matsyasutādayaḥ /
na sehire vimuhyanto virahaṃ śārṅgadhanvanaḥ //

Vṛkodara, Dhaumya, and women such as Uttarā,
faint with grief, could not endure separation from the wielder of the Śārṅga bow.

10. Dhaumya, the daughter of Matsya and other women were almost beside their senses (confused in mind) and could not bear separation from Sri Krishna.

1.10.11

satsaṅgān muktaduḥsaṅgo hātuṃ notsahate budhaḥ /
kīrtyamānaṃ yaśo yasya sakṛdākarṇya rocanam //

A wise man, freed from bad company through the company of the virtuous, is not able to abandon
Him whose pleasing renown he has once heard sung;

11. A wise man who has rescued himself from bad associations by the company of the good, cannot bear to lose

it; having once heard Hari's charming renown sung, who could bear His separation?

1.10.12

tasmin nyastadhiyaḥ pārthāḥ saheran virahaṃ katham /
darśanasparśasaṃlāpa śayanāsanabhojanaiḥ //

how then could the sons of Pṛthā, whose minds were set upon Him through seeing, touching, conversing,
sleeping, sitting, and dining together, endure separation?

12. How could the sons of Kunti bear separation from Him, to whom they had given their mind and heart, after having enjoyed the blessing of seeing Him, embracing Him, conversing with Him, bedding with Him, sitting by Him and eating with Him?

1.10.13

sarve te 'nimiṣairakṣaistam anu drutacetasaḥ /
vīkṣantaḥ snehasambaddhā vicelustatra tatra ha //

All of them, with unwavering eyes and hearts running after Him,
gazing, bound by affection, wandered here and there.

13. They were all bound to Him by affection, their hearts ever drawn to him, and they looked towards Him with unwinking eyes, and busily went hither and thither (to fetch the gifts to be presented to Him).

1.10.14

nyarundhann udgaladbāṣpam autkaṇṭhyāddevakīsute /
niryātyagārān no 'bhadram iti syādbāndhavastriyaḥ //

As Devakī's son set forth from the palace, the kinswomen held back
their welling tears out of yearning, thinking, "May there be no ill omen for us."

14. When Sri Krishna was leaving their house, the women among His relations restrained (in their eyes) the tears which rose by force of their anxious affection, (knowing) that it would be inauspicous to shed them.

1.10.15

mṛdaṅgaśaṅkhabheryaśca vīṇāpaṇavagomukhāḥ /
dhundhuryānakaghaṇṭādyā nedurdundubhayastathā //

Mṛdaṅgas, conches, bherīs, vīṇās, paṇavas, gomukhas,
dhundhuris, car-bells, and kettle-drums resounded.

15. Then were sounded tabors, conches, kettle-drums, Veenas, cymbals, horns, (or trumpets) and Dhunduri, Anaka, and bells and other instruments, and also large kettle-drums.

1.10.16

prāsādaśikharārūḍhāḥ kurunāryo didṛkṣayā /
vavṛṣuḥ kusumaiḥ kṛṣṇaṃ premavrīḍāsmitekṣaṇāḥ //

Mounted upon the roofs of the palaces in their eagerness to see him, / the Kuru women, their eyes alight with love, bashfulness, and smiles, showered flowers on Kṛṣṇa.

16. The Kuru ladies went to the top of their mansions to have a look at Him, and, with smiling looks through mingled feelings of affection and bashfulness, showered flowers on Sri Krishna.

1.10.17

sitātapatraṃ jagrāha muktādāmavibhūṣitam /
ratnadaṇḍaṃ guḍākeśaḥ priyaḥ priyatamasya ha //

Guḍākeśa, dear to the one most dear, / took up a white parasol adorned with strings of pearls and a jewel-studded staff.

17. Arjuna the favourite of Sri Krishna gladly held over his most beloved Krishna a white umbrella adorned with wreaths of pearls and supported on a handle set with rubies.

1.10.18

uddhavaḥ sātyakiścaiva vyajane paramādbhute /
vikīryamāṇaḥ kusumai reje madhupatiḥ pathi //

Uddhava and Sātyaki held two wondrous fans, / and scattered with flowers along the road, the Lord of the Madhus shone resplendent.

18. Uddhava and Satyaki fanned Him with two most wonderful Chamaras, and the Lord of Madhus shone (most brilliantly) showered over with flowers on the way.

1.10.19

aśrūyantāśiṣaḥ satyāstatra tatra dvijeritāḥ /
nānurūpānurūpāśca nirguṇasya guṇātmanaḥ //

True blessings uttered by the brahmins were heard here and there, / both inappropriate and appropriate for the one beyond qualities who possesses all qualities.

19. Everywhere were heard benedictions of real force chanted by Brahmins—benedictions which do not become Him as Nirguna (as the Supreme Being), but do so only when He manifests Himself as a Gunatma (a conditioned being.)

1.10.20

anyonyam āsīt sañjalpa uttamaślokacetasām /
kauravendrapurastrīṇāṃ sarvaśrutimanoharaḥ //

There arose among the women of the Kuru king's city, whose minds were set on Him of highest renown, / conversation delightful to all ears:

20. Then began a talk in praise of Sri Krishna delightful to all ears, among the women of the Kaurava capital, who had given their hearts to Sri Krishna of the most blessed name.

1.10.21

sa vai kilāyaṃ puruṣaḥ purātano ya eka āsīdaviśeṣa ātmani /
agre guṇebhyo jagadātmanīśvare nimīlitātman niśi suptaśaktiṣu //

“This is indeed that ancient Person who alone existed, undivided within himself, / prior to the qualities, when the Lord, the soul of the cosmos, absorbed within himself at night, had his powers asleep.

21. The women said:—Remember, my friend, that this Kṛishṇa is indeed that very eternal person who is but one and was in His unmanifested essence, before Satva and other qualities were stimulated to activity when, (i.e. during the night of Pralaya,) the Atman of the world, (i.e. the Jiva) was withdrawn into the Supreme, the forces of Satva, Rajas, etc., becoming latent.

1.10.22

sa eva bhūyo nijavīryacoditāṃ svajīvamāyāṃ prakṛtiṃ sisṛkṣatīm /
anāmarūpātmani rūpanāmanī vidhitsamāno 'nusasāra śāstrakṛt //

He indeed, impelled by his own potency, wishing to produce names and forms / within his nameless and formless self, followed nature, the creative power of his own living beings, as she desired to create, creating the sacred teachings.

22. The self-same Atman again assumed His place in Prakriti which was thrown into activity by His own force or Kala or Time—Prakriti which deludes the Jivas who are of His own essence, and which is disposed to create: for He purposes to give a name and form to Atman that has neither: and He is the maker (author) of shastras (which lay down the rules for the conduct of created beings).

1.10.23

sa vā ayaṃ yat padam atra sūrayo jitendriyā nirjitamātariśvanaḥ /
paśyanti bhaktyutkalitāmalātmanā nanveṣa sattvaṃ parimārṣṭum arhati //

This is indeed he whose abode here the wise, having conquered the senses and conquered the breath, / behold with minds purified and uplifted by devotion. Can he not cleanse our being?

23. My friend, this Kṛishṇa is, indeed, that Supreme Lord whom (or whose feet) wise men see, when they have controlled their senses and breaths, by the mind purified with intense devotion; He alone can purify our understanding; [may He be pleased not to erase His knowledge (memory) from our mind when He goes out of our sight].

1.10.24

sa vā ayaṃ sakhyanugītasatkatho vedeṣu guhyeṣu ca guhyavādibhiḥ /
ya eka īśo jagadātmalīlayā sṛjatyavatyatti na tatra sajjate //

This is indeed he, my friends, whose sacred deeds are sung in the secret Vedas by those who speak of mysteries; / the one Lord who, by his own play, creates, maintains, and consumes the universe, yet is not attached to it.

24. My friend, this Kṛishṇa is, indeed, that Supreme Lord, whose sacred stories are repeatedly sung in the Vedas and in the holy works containing secret truths and by those who know and can tell us of them, (who are versed in the enquiries of Upanishads).

He is the one Lord who in His sportful ways creates, maintains, and devours this world, (and) has no attachment to it.

1.10.25

yadā hyadharmeṇa tamodhiyo nṛpā jīvanti tatraiṣa hi sattvataḥ kila /
dhatte bhagaṃ satyam ṛtaṃ dayāṃ yaśo bhavāya rūpāṇi dadhadyuge yuge //

Whenever kings whose minds are darkened live through unrighteousness, then indeed, out of pure goodness, / he assumes power, truth, cosmic order, compassion, and renown, taking forms age after age for the welfare of the world.

25.* Whenever kings whose understanding is overpowered by Tamas, care only to maintain themselves by unrighteous ways, (then indeed) from age to age this Supreme Lord assumes several forms through Satva in order to sustain the world, and thereby promote prosperity, truthfulness, right knowledge and true precept, showing thus His mercifulness in His glorious activity.

1.10.26

aho alaṃ ślāghyatamaṃ yadoḥ kulam aho alaṃ puṇyatamaṃ madhorvanam /
yadeṣa puṃsām ṛṣabhaḥ śriyaḥ patiḥ svajanmanā caṅkramaṇena cāñcati //

Oh, how exceedingly praiseworthy is the clan of Yadu! Oh, how exceedingly purifying is the forest of Madhu, / which this foremost of men, the Lord of Śrī, honors with his birth and wandering steps!

26. How blessed and praiseworthy is the race of Yadu, how highly consecrated is the forest of Madhu (namely the city of Mathura) which this Purushottama, Lord of Lakshmi, has graced by His Avatara (personal appearance) and by His Lilas!

1.10.27

aho bata svaryaśasastiraskarī kuśasthalī puṇyayaśaskarī bhuvaḥ /
paśyanti nityaṃ yadanugraheṣitaṃ smitāvalokaṃ svapatiṃ sma yatprajāḥ //

Ah, how Kuśasthalī eclipses the glory of heaven and bestows purifying renown upon the earth, / for its subjects ever behold their master looking upon them with a loving smile sent by grace!

27. O blessing of blessings! the fame of Dwaraka eclipses even that of Swarga and brings sanctity and glory to the earth, for here the people always see their true Lord, who out of grace casts His smiling looks upon them, (who stays there out of Grace.)

1.10.28

nūnaṃ vratasnānahutādineśvaraḥ samarcito hyasya gṛhītapāṇibhiḥ /
pibanti yāḥ sakhyadharāmṛtaṃ muhur vrajastriyaḥ sammumuhuryadāśayāḥ //

Surely by those whose hands he has taken in marriage, the Lord was thoroughly worshipped with vows, ritual ablutions, and oblations, / for they repeatedly drink the nectar of his lips, longing for which the cowherd women of Vraja swooned!

28. Certainly, by the observance of vows, ablutions and sacrifices, He, the Lord of Lords, must have been devoutly worshipped by those whose hands have been taken by Him, (in marriage), by those women of Vraja, who, my friend, constantly drink nectar from His lips and often fall into a trance setting their heart on Him;

1.10.29

yā vīryaśulkena hṛtāḥ svayaṃvare pramathya caidyapramukhān hi śuṣmiṇaḥ /
pradyumnasāmbāmbasutādayo 'parā yāścāhṛtā bhaumavadhe sahasraśaḥ //

Those women who were won by the bride-price of valor at their svayaṃvaras, having crushed powerful rivals led by the King of Cedi, / and others like the mothers of Pradyumna and Sāmba, and those brought away by the thousands after the slaying of the earth-born demon—

29. (By those) women who were won as prizes of valour in Swayamvaras, the powerful Chaidya and other princes being vanquished—by those who were the mothers of Pradyumna, Samba and Amba, as well as by those others who were brought in thousands after slaying Narakasura.

1.10.30

etāḥ paraṃ strītvam apāstapeśalaṃ nirastaśaucaṃ bata sādhu kurvate /
yāsāṃ gṛhāt puṣkaralocanaḥ patir na jātvapaityāhṛtibhirhṛdi spṛśan //

these women indeed make glorious that womanhood, otherwise devoid of charm and purity, / from whose home their lotus-eyed husband never departs, touching their hearts with gifts.”

30. These women have exalted womanhood which has by nature nothing good about it, and which is devoid of purity; for, from the houses of these women the Lord of lotus-like eyes is never absent, and He is ever present in their hearts (as the

subject of their talk of His glorious deeds) such as bringing down the Parijata.

1.10.31

evaṃvidhā gadantīnāṃ sa giraḥ purayoṣitām /
nirīkṣaṇenābhinandan sasmitena yayau hariḥ //

While the women of the city were speaking words of this kind, / Hari, acknowledging them with a smiling glance, departed.

31. (Accepting) thankfully and with a smile these words (eulogies) that the women of the city uttered, Sri Hari left (for Dwaraka).

1.10.32

ajātaśatruḥ pṛtanāṃ gopīthāya madhudviṣaḥ /
parebhyaḥ śaṅkitaḥ snehāt prāyuṅkta caturaṅgiṇīm //

Ajātaśatru, fearing harm from foes out of affectionate love, / deployed a fourfold army to protect the enemy of Madhu.

32. Out of affection for Sri Krishna, Ajatasatru (Yudhish-tira) was afraid of enemies (on the way) and ordered an escort of the fourfold army for His protection.

1.10.33

atha dūrāgatān śauriḥ kauravān virahāturān /
sannivartya dṛḍhaṃ snigdhān prāyāt svanagarīṃ priyaiḥ //

Then Śauri turned back the Kurus, deeply attached and pained by separation, who had followed him from afar, / and proceeded to his own city with his beloved companions.

33. Then, Sri Krishna sent back Pandu's sons who were so strongly attached to Him and had accompanied Him very far, reluctant to be separated from Him—and He went away to His city with His beloved people (Yuyudhana, Satyaki, and others.)

1.10.34

kurujāṅgalapāñcālān śūrasenān sayāmunān /
brahmāvartaṃ kurukṣetraṃ matsyān sārasvatān atha //

Having passed through Kurujāṅgala, the Pāñcālas, the Śūrasenas along the Yamunā, / Brahmāvarta, Kurukṣetra, the Matsyas, the Sarasvatas,

34-35. Having passed through the countries of Kurujan-galas, Panchalas, Surasenas, the countries alongside the Yamuna, Brahmavarta, Kurukshetra, the land of the Matsyas, and the tracts of land on the Sarasvati and those of waterless deserts, (or deserts of scanty water supply), O Saunaka, Sri Krishna reached Anartas, situated beyond Sauvira and Abheera; and just then His horses were somewhat tired.

1.10.35

marudhanvam atikramya sauvīrābhīrayoḥ parān /
ānartān bhārgavopāgāc chrāntavāho manāg vibhuḥ //

and then having crossed the Maru desert, past Sauvīra and Ābhīra, / the all-pervading Lord, whose horses were slightly tired, reached Ānarta, O descendant of Bhṛgu.

1.10.36

tatra tatra ha tatratyairhariḥ pratyudyatārhaṇaḥ /
sāyaṃ bheje diśaṃ paścādgaviṣṭho gāṃ gatastadā //

Here and there Hari was met with offerings by the inhabitants of each place; / then, in the evening, as the sun entered the earth, he reached the western quarter.

36. In every part of the country (kingdom) He passed through, He was met by the inhabitants with presents; Sri Hari reached a certain place in the west in the evening, and just then the sun in the sky touched the waters (in the west.) [Then, as it was evening, He alighted on the ground, and going to a tank performed (worshipped) Sandhya].