Chapter 119 - Usha Meets Her Lover While Asleep

[Full title: Usha Meets Her Lover While Asleep and Exhorts Her Friends to Bring Him].

1-3. Vaishampayana said:—Thereupon on the twelfth day of the light fortnight of the month of Vaishakha fair Usha was sleeping encircled by her companions. At that time a man, as spoken of, ravished that beautiful maiden in a dream who was excited with the words of the goddess, weeping and motionless. The man so ravished her in the night that she got up bathed in blood all on a sudden.

4-9. Thereupon beholding her friend stricken with fear and thus weeping Citralekha gave vent to the following highly wonderful and consoling words:—"Do not fear, O Usha: why are you weeping and bewailing thus? Being the grand daughter of the celebrated Bali, why are you assailed with fear? O you of fair eye-brows, you have no fear in the three worlds. Besides your father is the destroyer of all the celestials in battle. Why do you fear then? O fair one, there is no fear in such a room, as this. Rise up, rise up, do not be sorry. Do you not know, that Saci’s Lord the king of gods was several times defeated by your father and could not come to this city. Your father, the son of the highly powerful Asura Bali, is the source of fear to all the gods".

10-15. Thus addressed by her friend the immaculate daughter of Vana described to her what she had seen in a dream. Usha said:—"Thus contaminated how can a chaste maiden dare keep her life? What shall I say to my father the enemy of the gods and the slayer of his enemies? While I have sullied this powerful family death is preferable to me. There is no happiness in my living. Alas! I have been reduced to such a plight that as if I co-habited, while awake, with a desired-for person. Although I was sleeping in the night, who brought me to this condition as if I was wide awake? When a maiden is reduced to such a condition how can she dare live (in this world)? The woman, who is the foremost of chaste damsels, can long for living but how can a helpless woman, who has sullied her family, desire so?"

16-32. Thus the lotus-eyed Usha, encircled by her friends and with eyes full of tears, bewailed for some time. The friends, who were there, lost themselves seeing Usha weep like one having none to look after her. And with eyes full of tears they said to her:—"O you of fair eye-brows, if you had done something with a mad motive your mind would have been contaminated. O auspicious lady, while you have been ravished by force in a dream your vow will not come to an end. Besides, O fair lady, no sin is comitted in a dream in the land of mortals. So you have not transgressed any regulation by such a conduct. The saints, well-read in scriptures, hold that the woman who commits sin by mind, words and especially by deeds, is considered as fallen. O timid girl, you have always observed celibacy and even your mind has not been seen to give way, so how can you be regarded sullied? You are a chaste, pure and noble woman. You were reduced to this plight while you were asleep and so your virtue will not suffer by this. She is called an unchaste woman, whose sinful mind leads her to sinful actions. But, O lady, you are chaste; you are born in a great family and beautiful. You have always observed celibacy still you have been reduced to such a condition. Alas! it is difficult to tide over destiny." Having said this with tearful eyes to weeping Usha Kumbhanda’s daughter again spoke the following precious words:—"O you of large eyes, cast off your grief. O you of a beautiful face, I remember an incident which will prove that you are innocent. Hear I will describe it truly. Remember what the goddess Parvati, before Mahadeva, said to you when you thought of having a husband. At that time with delight the goddess said to you the following words after your own heart. 'When you will sleep in your palace on the twelfth day of the fortnight of the month of Vaishakha, the man, who will co-habit with you weeping, that hero, that slayer of enemies will be your husband'. O you having a moon-like face, what Parvati said can never be untrue. Forgetting the truth you are weeping." Hearing the words of her friend and recollecting the words of the goddess Vana’s daughter cast off her sorrow.

33-34. Usha said:—"O fair lady, I remember now what the goddess said while sporting with Bhava. What she said exactly happened in my room. If the wife of Bhava, the lord of the world, wishes him to be my husband then arrange how I can know his whereabouts".

35-39. After Usha had said this Kumbhanda’s daughter, well-read in the study of words, gave vent to the following reasonable words:—"Why are you so overwhelmed, O lady? Nobody knows the glories of his race and his manliness. How can we know that thief, that unseen and unheard of person whom you saw in dream? O you of red eyes, he, all on a sudden, entered into our inner appartment and ravished you by force although you were weeping. That subduer of enemies, who has been able to enter, by force, this celebrated city of ours, is not an ordinary man.

49-44. The Adityas, Rudras and Vasus of dreadful prowess and even the effulgent Ashvinis cannot enter the city of Shonita. So that slayer of enemies, who has entered Shonitpura and kicked Vana on his head, is indeed a hundred times more powerful than they. O you of fair eyes, of what use are life and objects of enjoyment to that woman who has not got such a heroic husband. When by the favour of the goddess you have obtained such a Cupid-like husband consider yourself as lucky and blessed. Hear, what you shall have to do now. We are to know his name, in what family he has been born and who his father is".

45-46. After Kumbhanda’s daughter had said this Usha, stricken with love, said: "O friend, how will you be able to know all this? People often find themselves overpowered in their own actions. I cannot therefore find out what reply to give. Find out the measure by which I may keep my life."

47-50. Hearing it, the beautiful daughter of Kumbhanda said again to her weeping friend Usha:—"O friend, O you having spacious eyes, Apsara Citralekha is an expert in the work of making peace and sowing dissensions. Therefore communicate this to her very soon." Thus addressed Usha was filled with great surprise and delight. And to her friend the Apsara Citralekha poor Usha, with folded hands, said:. "

57-60. O fair lady, hear, I am communicating to you a most important subject. If you do not bring here my beloved, lotus-eyed husband having the gait of an infuriated elephant I will give up my life." Hearing it Citralekha, gladdening Usha, slowly said:—"O you of firm vows, he, of whom you speak, is not known to me. I do not know the family, character, colour and accomplishments of that thief, nor the country where he resides. But hear, now, my friend, the words suited to the time, what I will be able to accomplish with my intelligence and how you will acquire your wished-for object. O friend, I will paint the likenesses of those who are prominent by virtue of their beauty and birth amongst the gods, Danavas, Yakshas, Uragas and Rakshasas, as well as of those who are leading and well-known in the land of men. O timid girl, within seven nights I will show you their portraits and you will recognise the portrait of your beloved husband and obtain him".

61-67. Thus addressed by Citralekha who was anxious to please her Usha asked her loving friend Citralekha to do the same. Saying "So be it" beautiful Citralekha too, by virtue of her imagination and clever hand, painted the likenesses of all leading men within seven nights. Thereupon spreading all the portraits painted by her she said to Usha before all her friends:—"Look here, I have painted the likenesses of all leading persons amongst the gods, Danavas, Kinnaras, Uragas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Daityas, and of other various Naga families as also of the leading figures amongst mankind. I have painted their likenesses all exactly. Do you now find out that of your husband whom you saw in the dream."

68-71. Thereupon gradually passing from one to another Usha saw that of Keshava, the Yadu king, amongst the Yadavas. Seeing Aniruddha by him her eyes grew expanded with surprise. She said to Citralekha:—"This is the thief who, while I was sleeping on the turret of my palace, ravished me in dream, a chaste lady as I am. I can recognize him by his beauty. He is the thief. O beautiful Citralekha, describe to me at length his name, accomplishments, character and family. We should do what is proper afterwards".

72-74. Citralekha said:—"O you of expansive eyes, this your husband, of dreadful prowess, is the grand-son of the intelligent Krishna, the lord of the three worlds and the son of Pradyumna. There is none in the three worlds equal to him in prowess. He uproots the mountains and crushes them. Blessed and favoured you are, O friend, since Bhavani has selected such a great Yadu prince as your husband".

75-79. Usha said:—"O you of large eyes, O you of a beautiful face, you alone are capable of making us a pair. Do find out some refuge for me who am helpless. You are capable of ranging in the sky and assuming various forms. You are also clever in finding out means. Do you soon bring here my love. O friend, O fair one, think of the measure by which you will be able to accomplish this work. The learned speak highly of a friend who helps us in adversity. O you of fair waist, I am stricken with lust. Give me my life. If you do not even to-day bring soon my immortal-like husband I will forsake my life".

80-85. Hearing Usha’s words Citralekha said:—"O auspicious and sweet-smiling lady, hear what I say: O timid lady, as Vana’s city is protected so the city of Dvaravati is equally invincible. That city is girt with iron walls and the Vrishni princes and inhabitants of Dvaraka protect it. Around that city constructed by the Celestial Architect Visvakarma lies a ditch full of water and at the mandate of the lotus-navelled deity great heroes protect it. There are mountain walls around the city and one is to enter there through a fort way. With seven mountains full of metals seven ditches have been made there. A stranger cannot enter that city. Therefore, save me, your self and specially your father".

86-92. Usha said:—"You will undoubtedly be able to enter there through your Yoga power. O friend, what more shall I say? Hear what I speak. If I do not behold the moon-like countenance of Aniruddha, I shall forsooth repair to the temple of Yama. O generous lady, if works like these are undertaken readily they prove a success. If you therefore wish to see me alive proceed soon on your errand. If you regard me as your friend, I seek your help and ask you with love to bring soon my lover. If one cherishes fear against her life her family meets with extinction. The woman, who is striken with love, does not see the defect of her family. Those, which conduce to her pleasure, are the favourite objects of one stricken with love. And they always carefully seek for them. Such is the sanction of the Shastras. You will surely be able to enter into Dvaraka, O you of large eyes. I request you again and again. Bring my love here.".

93-94. Citralekha said:—"I have been propitiated by you with nectarine words. You have, with your sweet words, made arrangements for your own work. I am just going to the city of Dvaraka. Entering that city even to-day I will bring your husband Aniruddha born in the family of Vrishnis."

95-98. Giving vent to those truthful words dreadful to the Danavas, Citralekha, fleet like the mind, disappeared therefrom. In order to please her friend she, in the third Muhurtta, reached Dvaraka governed by Krishna. She saw there Dvaraka, adorned with palaces huge as the summits of the mount Kailasha, like a star stationed in the sky.