Bhagavatapurana 10.52: atha dvipañcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ

10.52.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
itthaṃ so 'nagrahīto 'nga kṛṣṇenekṣvāku nandanaḥ /
taṃ parikramya sannamya niścakrāma guhā-mukhāt //

Śrī Śuka said:
Favored in this way by Kṛṣṇa, my dear [king], that son of Ikṣvāku / circumambulated Him, bowed low, and went forth from the mouth of the cave.

1. Sri Suka said:— O beloved prince, thus blessed by the Lord Krishna, that glorious son of Ikshvakus went round and bowed to Him, and departed from the cave.

10.52.2

saṃvīkṣya kṣullakān martyān paśūn vīrud-vanaspatīn /
matvā kali-yugaṃ prāptaṃ jagāma diśam uttarām //

Observing that men, animals, creepers, and trees had grown diminutive, / and knowing that the Kali age had arrived, he departed toward the northern direction.

2. He saw the pigmies of mortals, cattle, creepers and trees and perceiving the advent of Kaliyuga, went towards the north.

10.52.3

tapaḥ-śraddhā-yuto dhīro niḥsaṅgo mukta-saṃśayaḥ /
samādhāya manaḥ kṛṣṇe prāviśad gandhamādanam //

Endowed with asceticism and faith, resolute, free from attachment, free of doubt, / with his mind fixed upon Kṛṣṇa, he entered Gandhamādana.

3. Possessed of tapas and faith, the wise and brave king, rid of attachments and doubt, concentrated his mind on Krishna and betook himself to the Mountain Gandhamadana.

10.52.4

badary-āśramam āsādya nara-nārāyaṇālayam /
sarva-dvandva-sahaḥ śāntas tapasārādhayad dharim //

Having reached the hermitage of Badarī, the abode of Nara and Nārāyaṇa, / enduring all dualities and peaceful, he worshiped Hari through asceticism.

4. He went to the hermitage of Badari and to the shrine of Nara Narayana: putting up with all the conflicting conditions, with serenity of mind, he propitiated Hari by means of meditation (tapas).

10.52.5

bhagavān punar āvrajya purīṃ yavana-veṣṭitām /
hatvā mleccha-balaṃ ninye tadīyaṃ dvārakāṃ dhanam //

The Lord, having returned to the city surrounded by the Yavanas / and slain the barbarian army, brought their wealth to Dvārakā.

5. Returning to the city (Mathura) beleagured by the Yavanas, the glorious Krishna crushed the army of Mlechchas and sent all their wealth to Dwaraka.

10.52.6

nīyamāne dhane gobhir nṛbhiś cācyuta-coditaiḥ /
ājagāma jarāsandhas trayo-viṃśaty-anīka-paḥ //

While the wealth was being carried by oxen and by men impelled by Acyuta, / Jarāsandha arrived, leading twenty-three armies.

6. When, under the direction of Achyuta, the wealth was being removed on the backs of men and cattle, Jarasandha came up with his army of twenty thousand Akshauhinis.

10.52.7

vilokya vega-rabhasaṃ ripu-sainyasya mādhavau /
manuṣya-ceṣṭām āpannau rājan dudruvatur drutam //

Beholding the impetuous speed of the enemy host, the two descendants of Madhu / assumed human conduct, O King, and quickly fled.

7. Observing the voilent rush of attack attempted by the enemy’s army, [and seeing Jarasandha rushing on with his princes and their forces, and Themselves covered with volleys of arrows like two young parrots overtaken by heavy rain, destitute of chariots and weapons and armours and troops],— the two sons of Madhu’s race behaving like human beings, O king, quickly fled.

10.52.8

vihāya vittaṃ pracuram abhītau bhīru-bhīta-vat /
padbhyāṃ palāśābhyāṃ celatur bahu-yojanam //

Abandoning their abundant wealth, fearlessly acting like timid men afraid, / they walked many leagues on their lotus feet.

8. The fearless brothers, like cowards among cowards, neglected the vast property and on foot, tender like lotus leaves, ran many yojanas.

10.52.9

palāyamānau tau dṛṣṭvā māgadhaḥ prahasan balī /
anvadhāvad rathānīkair īśayor apramāṇa-vit //

Seeing the two of them fleeing, the powerful king of Magadha laughed / and pursued them with his chariot divisions, not knowing the measure of the two Lords.

9. Seeing them running the powerful Magadha laughed out and pursued them with all his army of chariots, not knowing the depth of the plan designed by the Lords.

10.52.10

pradrutya dūraṃ saṃśrāntau tuṅgam āruhatāṃ girim /
pravarṣaṇākhyaṃ bhagavān nityadā yatra varṣati //

Having run far and seemingly exhausted, they climbed a high mountain / named Pravarṣaṇa, where the Lord [Indra] always pours down rain.

10. Having run a long distance and (as if) tired they climbed to the high peak, Pravarshana, where the god perpetually rains.

10.52.11

girau nilīnāv ājñāya nādhigamya padaṃ nṛpa /
dadāha girim edhobhiḥ samantād agnim utsṛjan //

Knowing that they were hiding on the mountain but finding no footprint, O King, / he burned the mountain with firewood, hurling fire all around.

11. Believing that they lay concealed in the mountain, but not finding the spot, he set fire to the mountain, burning piled-up fuel on all sides.

10.52.12

tata utpatya tarasā dahyamāna-taṭād ubhau /
daśaika-yojanāt tuṅgān nipetatur adho bhuvi //

Then, leaping with great speed from the blazing slope / eleven leagues high, both plunged down to the ground.

12. Now, when the hill sides were on fire, They instantly took a leap from the peak eleven yojanas in height and descended on the plain. 13. Unnoticed by the enemy and his followers, the foremost sons of Yadava race returned to their sea-girt city.

10.52.13

alakṣyamāṇau ripuṇā sānugena yadūttamau /
sva-puraṃ punar āyātau samudra-parikhāṃ nṛpa //

Unseen by the enemy or his followers, the two best of the Yadus / returned to their own city, which had the ocean as its moat, O King.

10.52.14

so 'pi dagdhāv iti mṛṣā manvāno bala-keśavau /
balam ākṛṣya su-mahan magadhān māgadho yayau //

He too, falsely believing that Baladeva and Keśava were burned, / withdrew his vast army and returned to Magadha, the Magadhan king.

14. Supposing that Bala and Krishna were burnt, Jarasandha led his army back to Magadhas.

10.52.15

ānartādhipatiḥ śrīmān raivato raivatīṃ sutām /
brahmaṇā coditaḥ prādād balāyeti puroditam //

The glorious Raivata, ruler of Ānarta, instructed by Brahmā, / gave his daughter Revatī to Baladeva, as was told before.

15. The prosperous king of Anartas, Raivata by name, gave, as already told, his daughter Revati to Balarama as instructed by Brahma.

10.52.16

bhagavān api govinda upayeme kurūdvaha /
vaidarbhīṃ bhīṣmaka-sutāṃ śriyo mātrāṃ svayaṃ-vare //

The Lord Govinda also, O best of the Kurus, married / the princess of Vidarbha, daughter of Bhīṣmaka, an incarnation of Śrī, at a bridegroom's choice,

16. The glorious Lord Govinda also, O king of Kuru race, married in swayamvara Vaidarbhi, the daughter of Bhishmaka, who was none but Lukshmi herself.

10.52.17

pramathya tarasā rājñaḥ śālvādīṃś caidya-pakṣa-gān /
paśyatāṃ sarva-lokānāṃ tārkṣya-putraḥ sudhām iva //

crushing by force Śālva and the other kings who took the side of the king of Cedi, / in full view of all people, just as Garuḍa [carried off] the nectar.

17. Having by force routed Salva and other kings on the side of Sisupala, Sri Krishna took Rukmini away, just as Tarkshya's son secured nectar, all the worlds witnessing.

10.52.18

/0 śrī-rājovāca
bhagavān bhīṣmaka-sutāṃ rukmiṇīṃ rucirānanām /
rākṣasena vidhānena upayema iti śrutam //

The king said:
It is heard that the Lord married Rukmiṇī, / the daughter of Bhīṣmaka, who had a lovely face, by the Rākṣasa rite.

18. The king said:- It is said that the glorious Lord married Rukmini, the beautiful daughter of Bhishmaka in the Rakshasa form (of marriage).

10.52.19

bhagavan śrotum icchāmi kṛṣṇasyāmita-tejasaḥ /
yathā māgadha-śālvādīn jitvā kanyām upāharat //

O lord, I wish to hear how Kṛṣṇa of boundless splendor / carried off the maiden after conquering the king of Magadha, Śālva, and others.

19. O worshipful sage, I wish to hear an account of how Krishna of unlimited force and power, vanquished Jarasandha, Salva and others, and carried away the maiden.

10.52.20

brahman kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ puṇyā mādhvīr loka-malāpahāḥ /
ko nu tṛpyeta śṛṇvānaḥ śruta-jño nitya-nūtanāḥ //

O holy one, the sanctifying, honey-sweet accounts of Kṛṣṇa remove the impurity of the world; / what person who knows what is worth hearing could ever be satiated while listening to them, ever new?

20. O holy sage! Who, knowing the value of listening to them, would be satiated to hear the hallowed accounts of Krishna, which are sweet and ever fresh and remove the sins of creatures?

10.52.21

/0 śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
rājāsīd bhīṣmako nāma vidarbhādhipatir mahān /
tasya pancābhavan putrāḥ kanyaikā ca varānanā //

The son of Bādarāyaṇa said:
There was a great king named Bhīṣmaka, the ruler of Vidarbha; / he had five sons and one daughter of fair countenance.

21. Sri Suka said:- There was a king called Bhishmaka, a

great ruler of Vidarbhas: he had five sons and one daughter of exceeding beauty.

10.52.22

rukmy agrajo rukmaratho rukmabāhur anantaraḥ /
rukmakeśo rukmamālī rukmiṇy eṣā svasā satī //

Rukmī was the eldest, then Rukmaratha, Rukmabāhu, / Rukmakeśa, and Rukmamālī; their sister was this virtuous Rukmiṇī.

22. Namely, Rukmini the first born, Rukmaratha, Rukmabahu, Rukmakesa, Rukmamali in due order and Rukmini was their good sister.

10.52.23

sopaśrutya mukundasya rūpa-vīrya-guṇa-śriyaḥ /
gṛhāgatair gīyamānās taṃ mene sadṛśaṃ patim //

Hearing of Mukunda’s beauty, prowess, virtues, and opulence / sung by guests who came to the house, she considered Him a suitable husband.

23. She heard of the beauty, prowess, qualities, lordly splendour of Mukunda, sung by visitors to her palace and considered Him to be her worthy consort.

10.52.24

tāṃ buddhi-lakṣaṇaudārya- rūpa-śīla-guṇāśrayām /
kṛṣṇaś ca sadṛśīṃ bhāryāṃ samudvoḍhuṃ mano dadhe //

And Kṛṣṇa made up His mind to marry her, / a suitable wife, an abode of intelligence, auspicious marks, nobility, beauty, good character, and virtues.

24. Knowing her to be His fit consort by intelligence, good personal characteristics, noble nature, beauty, character, and qualities, Krishna had resolved to marry her.

10.52.25

bandhūnām icchatāṃ dātuṃ kṛṣṇāya bhaginīṃ nṛpa /
tato nivārya kṛṣṇa-dviḍ rukmī caidyam amanyata //

Though her kinsmen wished to give the sister to Kṛṣṇa, O King, / Rukmī, who hated Kṛṣṇa, forbade them and favored the king of Cedi.

25. O king, when his brothers were willing to give their sister to Krishna, Rukmin alone who hated Him prevented it and proposed Chaidya.

10.52.26

tad avetyāsitāpāṅgī vaidarbhī durmanā bhṛśam /
vicintyāptaṃ dvijaṃ kañcit kṛṣṇāya prāhiṇod drutam //

Learning of that, the dark-eyed princess of Vidarbha became deeply dejected; / having reflected, she quickly sent a trusted brāhmaṇa to Kṛṣṇa.

26. On knowing that and seriously anxious about it, the beautiful Vaidarbhi considered over the matter and soon despatched a trusted brahmin to Krishna.

10.52.27

dvārakāṃ sa samabhyetya pratīhāraiḥ praveśitaḥ /
apaśyad ādyaṃ puruṣam āsīnaṃ kāñcanāsane //

Arriving in Dvārakā and ushered in by the doorkeepers, / he saw the primal Person seated on a golden throne.

27. He soon reached Dwaraka and, entered (ushered in) by the sentinels, saw the First Person of the world, seated on a throne of gold.

10.52.28

dṛṣṭvā brahmaṇya-devas tam avaruhya nijāsanāt /
upaveśyārhayāṃ cakre yathātmānaṃ divaukasaḥ //

Seeing him, the God friendly to brāhmaṇas stepped down from His seat, / seated him, and worshiped him, just as the gods worship Him.

28. Krishna, the Deity who loves brahmins, alighted from His seat on seeing him: gave him a seat and worshipped him, as the gods worship Paramatman.

10.52.29

taṃ bhuktavantaṃ viśrāntam upagamya satāṃ gatiḥ /
pāṇinābhimṛśan pādāv avyagras tam apṛcchata //

When he had eaten and rested, the refuge of the virtuous approached him, / stroked his feet with His hand, and unhurriedly asked him:

29. When the brahmin had messed and taken rest, Krishna, the friend of the good, approached him, touched his feet with His hands and with due attention, enquired of him.

10.52.30

kaccid dvija-vara-śreṣṭha dharmas te vṛddha-sammataḥ /
vartate nāti-kṛcchreṇa santuṣṭa-manasaḥ sadā //

“O best among exalted twice-born, does your dharma, approved by elders, / proceed without excessive hardship, your mind ever content?

30. 'O great brahmin of brahmins! Is thy righteous course approved of by the elderly men practised without much trouble, always with a contented heart on thy part?

10.52.31

santuṣṭo yarhi varteta brāhmaṇo yena kenacit /
ahīyamānaḥ svad dharmāt sa hy asyākhila-kāma-dhuk //

When a brāhmaṇa lives content with whatever comes, / not falling away from his dharma, that [dharma] indeed fulfills all his desires.

31. 'A brahmin who is contented with anything he gets by chance and does not swerve from his duty, showers indeed all desired things (blessings) on this world.

10.52.32

asantuṣṭo 'sakṛl lokān āpnoty api sureśvaraḥ /
akiñcano 'pi santuṣṭaḥ śete sarvāṅga-vijvaraḥ //

A discontented person, even if he were the lord of the gods, wanders incessantly through the worlds; / but one who possesses nothing, if content, sleeps free from all fever in every limb.

32. 'If not contented, even a great god, is often tossed from one life to another: but if contented, even the penniless sleep with-

out any touch of anxiety whatever.

10.52.33

viprān sva-lābha-santuṣṭān sādhūn bhūta-suhṛttamān /
nirahaṅkāriṇaḥ śāntān namasye śirasāsakṛt //

I bow my head repeatedly to brāhmaṇas who are satisfied with their own gains, / virtuous, the best friends of all beings, free of egoism, and peaceful.”

33. 'I often bow My head to those wise brahmins who are contented with what the gods give them, who are righteous and best friends of all beings, and who, free from Ahankara, possess a serene mind.

10.52.34

kaccid vaḥ kuśalaṃ brahman rājato yasya hi prajāḥ /
sukhaṃ vasanti viṣaye pālyamānāḥ sa me priyaḥ //

Is it well with you, O brāhmaṇa, from your king? / For that king under whose protection the people live happily in his realm is dear to me.

34. 'O brahmin, are you all prosperous under the king? He (that king) is beloved of Me in whose country subjects protected by him live in happiness.

10.52.35

yatas tvam āgato durgaṃ nistīryeha yad-icchayā /
sarvaṃ no brūhy aguhyaṃ cet kiṃ kāryaṃ karavāma te //

Tell us all—if it is not a secret—from where you have crossed difficult paths to come here out of your own desire. What service may we perform for you?

35. 'Whence hast thou come crossing so many impassable difficulties on the way, and on what errand? Of everything tell Us (Me), if not secret. What is thy purpose? We would get it done for thee.'

10.52.36

evaṃ sampṛṣṭa-sampraśno brāhmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinā /
līlā-gṛhīta-dehena tasmai sarvam avarṇayat //

Thus questioned with inquiries by the Supreme Lord, / who had assumed a body in divine play, the brāhmaṇa recounted everything to Him.

36. Thus enquired on worthy topics by the foremost Lord who had sportfully taken a human form, the brahmin narrated everything to Him.

10.52.37

/0 śrī-rukmiṇy uvāca
śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṃ te $ nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato 'ṅga-tāpam &
śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṃ te $ nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato 'ṅga-tāpam &
rūpaṃ dṛśāṃ dṛśimatām akhilārtha-lābhaṃ % tvayy acyutāviśati cittam apatrapaṃ me //

Śrī Rukmiṇī said:
Hearing your qualities, O beauty of all worlds, which, entering through the ear-holes of those who listen, take away bodily torment, / and [hearing of] your form, the fulfillment of all aims for the eyes of seeing beings, my mind, O Acyuta, enters into you without shame.

37. Rukmini said: 'O Achyuta, O the most beautiful one in all the worlds! hearing of Thy excellent qualities, my heart fearlessly and unhesitatingly goes to Thee, to see whose beautiful form is the one blessing for the eyes of those that have eyes, and who, entering through the ear into those that hear of Thee, removest all their troubles.

10.52.38

* //
kā tvā mukunda mahatī kula-śīla-rūpa- $ vidyā-vayo-draviṇa-dhāmabhir ātma-tulyam &
kā tvā mukunda mahatī kula-śīla-rūpa- $ vidyā-vayo-draviṇa-dhāmabhir ātma-tulyam &
dhīrā patiṃ kulavatī na vṛṇīta kanyā % kāle nṛ-siṃha nara-loka-mano-'bhirāmam //

What noble, high-born girl, steadfast in mind, would not choose you as husband at the proper time, O Mukunda, / who are equal to oneself in family, character, beauty, learning, age, wealth, and brilliance, O lion among men, who delight the hearts of human beings?

38. 'Is there a maiden who, O Mukunda, possessed of worthy qualities and nobly born, full of judgment, could fail, O excellent Person, Nrisimha, to court espousal with Thee who art secondless in excellent qualities, character, beauty, knowledge, youthfulness,

wealth and prowess and art the one source of delight to all intelligent minds.

10.52.39

* //
tan me bhavān khalu vṛtaḥ patir aṅga jāyām $ ātmārpitaś ca bhavato 'tra vibho vidhehi &
tan me bhavān khalu vṛtaḥ patir aṅga jāyām $ ātmārpitaś ca bhavato 'tra vibho vidhehi &
mā vīra-bhāgam abhimarśatu caidya ārād % gomāyu-van mṛga-pater balim ambujākṣa //

Therefore, O Lord, you have indeed been chosen by me as my husband; and as your wife, I have surrendered myself to you. O All-pervading One, take me here! / Let not the king of Cedi touch the portion of the hero from nearby, like a jackal touching the prey of the lion, O lotus-eyed one!

39. 'Therefore indeed Thou art chosen to be my Lord, my self resigned unto Thee, O powerful Lord, accept it as (it is) Thine own. May not Chaidya hastily come and touch the hero's share like a jackal defiling the prey of the lion, O Lord of lotus-like eyes.

10.52.40

* //
pūrteṣṭa-datta-niyama-vrata-deva-vipra $ gurv-arcanādibhir alaṃ bhagavān pareśaḥ &
pūrteṣṭa-datta-niyama-vrata-deva-vipra $ gurv-arcanādibhir alaṃ bhagavān pareśaḥ &
ārādhito yadi gadāgraja etya pāṇiṃ % gṛhṇātu me na damaghoṣa-sutādayo 'nye //

If by wells, sacrifices, gifts, observances, vows, and worship of deities, brāhmaṇas, / and gurus, the Lord, the Supreme Master, has been fully propitiated, let the elder brother of Gada come and take my hand, and not others like the son of Damaghoṣa.

40. 'If the Supreme Deity, the Almighty Lord, is properly propitiated by me by means of constructing wells and tanks, sacrifices, charitable gifts, vows, and self-denying observances, by worshipping the gods, brahmins, preceptors and elders and the like, may the elder brother of Gada be pleased to go over and take my hand, but let not Damagosha's son and those others like him!

10.52.41

* //
śvo bhāvini tvam ajitodvahane vidarbhān $ guptaḥ sametya pṛtanā-patibhiḥ parītaḥ &
śvo bhāvini tvam ajitodvahane vidarbhān $ guptaḥ sametya pṛtanā-patibhiḥ parītaḥ &
nirmathya caidya-magadhendra-balaṃ prasahya % māṃ rākṣasena vidhinodvaha vīrya-śulkām //

Tomorrow, O Unconquered One, when the marriage is to take place, come secretly to Vidarbha surrounded by your army commanders; / crush the forces of the king of Cedi and the king of Magadha, and carry me off by force according to the rākṣasa rite, paying for me with your valor.

41. 'O unconquered One, may Thou secretly go to Vidarbhas with Thy army and its leaders, at the hour of marriage which is to take place to-morrow, rout the forces of Chaidya and Jarasandha, and by force, in the manner of Rakshasa marriage, take me, the prize of prowess.

10.52.42

* //
antaḥ-purāntara-carīm anihatya bandhūn $ tvām udvahe katham iti pravadāmy upāyam &
antaḥ-purāntara-carīm anihatya bandhūn $ tvām udvahe katham iti pravadāmy upāyam &
pūrve-dyur asti mahatī kula-deva-yātrā % yasyāṃ bahir nava-vadhūr girijām upeyāt //

Should you ask, "How shall I carry you off, who wander within the inner apartments, without killing your kinsmen?", I shall tell you the means: / on the previous day there is a great procession to the family deity, during which the new bride goes outside to Girijā.

42. 'Thou mayest hesitate to think, "How could I marry the maiden within the harem without putting her relations to death?" There I tell Thee of an expedient. On the preceding day there is a grand procession to the temple of the titular goddess Parvati (Deity) whereto the bride would openly go.

10.52.43

* //
yasyāṅghri-paṅkaja-rajaḥ-snapanaṃ mahānto $ vāñchanty umā-patir ivātma-tamo-'pahatyai &
yasyāṅghri-paṅkaja-rajaḥ-snapanaṃ mahānto $ vāñchanty umā-patir ivātma-tamo-'pahatyai &
yarhy ambujākṣa na labheya bhavat-prasādaṃ % jahyām asūn vrata-kṛśān śata-janmabhiḥ syāt //

Exalted devotees, like the husband of Umā, desire to bathe in the dust of whose lotus feet to destroy their own darkness; / if I should not attain your favor, O lotus-eyed one, I shall abandon my life-breaths, wasted by vows, [hoping it] may happen over a hundred lifetimes.

43. 'O Lord of lotus-like eyes, if I should not obtain the grace of Thyself in the dust of whose lotus-like feet, the great like the god Siva long to bathe, for the removal (for the washing

off) of their darkness (ignorance), I would give up my life thinned by vows and starvation, through a hundred lives, till I should obtain that grace.’

10.52.44

* //
/0 brāhmaṇa uvāca
ity ete guhya-sandeśā yadu-deva mayāhṛtāḥ /
vimṛśya kartuṃ yac cātra kriyatāṃ tad anantaram //

The brāhmaṇa said:
These are the secret messages brought by me, O deity of the Yadus. / Considering what must be done here, let it be executed immediately thereafter.

44. The Brahmana said:— These are the secret messages, O Lord of Yadus, brought by me: what is fit to be done on consideration may be done without delay.