Canto 16 - Shri Krishna Resolves to Kill Jarasandha

1. Thus, reaching the town governed by the eldest son of Kunti and the chief of the Yadus, Krishna, whose mind was absorbed with the emotions of affection coming from the heart experienced bliss by heart.

2. He who did not give much importance to his welcome entered the town which was evidence of the affection of Yudhishthira and which was adorned with beautiful gateway that possessed flag from the same gateway.

3. The chariot going obliquely that was adorned with the charioteer who was obedient and skillful about horses and that was made up of gold and that resonated with the charming sound of hundreds of tinkling, swinging gold bells, slowly resounded on the road.

4. Which lady did not touch the ears for a moment in front with the hands possessing bangles that were scattered by the big sound of uncountable gold bells that had delicate sound.

5. Then hearing that Krishna has come, the urban ladies afflicted by cupid, as if to drink the sweetness of the countenance of the beloved, blissfully running came out of the house quickly.

6. Leaving aside their own work, the ladies those were hit by the cupid on their vital parts, stayed on the sides of the palaces drinking Krishna with their sight as if the Chakoris to the moon.

7. Some young lady whose eyes were like a lotus and who was adorning herself by placing mirror, did not tie her falling hair.

8. Some beautiful lady even if desiring to see the beloved’s face, did not open her eyes that were full of anjana and were closed due to shyness, that were guarding the good conduct and were proving deep love inside.

9. Some lady who was eager to see the beloved eliminating the long lasting intense heat, eliminating the long lasting intense heat applied laksha juice that was desirous for the touch of the feet.

10. One woman having the unsteady eyes, leaving aside the lilies on the ears for a moment, like a female dear ran like a very much thirsty person to drink the nectar of the sight of beloved for a long time.

11. One of the ladies whose breasts hardened hearing about the coming of Krishna, even when told, did not tie the bodice that had the rows of design on the beautiful breasts like balls.

12. Some lady the one with a slow gait due to the heavy buttocks yet quick, whose round hips were visible due to the wet clothes, recollecting the intense lovemaking recollecting the intense lovemaking of Krishna did not wear the clothes even if she had finished her bath.

13. One lady whose youth was shining, and the one who was unsteady, who was perplexed due to the intoxication of the arrival of the most beloved, whose lower lip was slightly red, even if prepared the 'Tambula' did not have it.

14. The woman whose west was as slim as an antelope, and who was not able to free her mind on the arrival of Krishna, chose the braid tied together even if with efforts she had arranged her hair.

15. Some lady leaving the necklace, colourful with nine jewels tied even more tightly the strip that was already tight, that was as if the table land of the mountain of her breasts and made it having a single necklace.

16. Some lady who was making the braid of her hair beautifully with the desire to see the beloved held the garland of lotus which was brought by her friend, hastily in the hand like a lotus.

17. One of the ladies was somehow able to carry the big jewel that was swinging and glowing in the neck, and sank between the two large breasts, which she wore to please the beloved.

18. One lady whose stomach was as soft as the newly bloomed lotus, looking for a moment reddened the knot that was falling slowly from the beautiful heavy thies as delicate as the leaf of fully bloomed lotus with sprouts like fingers.

19. One lady who was tormented by love could not somehow carry the girdle, made up of gold, hanging from the bank in the form of hips that were wet continually like the tides of ocean of cupid.

20. The lady with beautiful hips who surpassed the moon and who banked upon cupid due to excessive love, with crooked glance as if kissing the face of the beloved kissed the bloomed lotus.

21. A woman forgot to blink and with fixed eyes, watching from a round window, thinking about the union with Krishna as if drank the beloved with the glasses in the form of her senses for a long time.

22. Some lady, who has raised her creeper like hands to tie together her black hair as dense as the clouds, kissing the sides of hips, whose bottom of the breast was seen from the armpits, approached the beloved.

23. A lady throwing her limbs bearing the west as if broken down briefed the affliction of cupid to whoever that went to Krishna from her house.

24. Some lady whose eyes resembled with that of deer, continually drinking the sweetness of Krishna with one eye which was closed a bit, slightly appearing in the gallery approached him as if to a lover in the privacy.

25. Some charming lady, whose crooked glace was like a row of ants on the lotus, aiming at Krishna, with the pretext of looking at lotus, smiling a bit, closed her mouth again.

26. Seeing a long line of clouds, a lady whose breasts were trembling with affliction of cupid as if frightened slowly stuck even more together pair of thighs resembling the stem of banana tree with each other.

27. A woman very much tormented by love as if wandering in the forest of bloomed youth whose fortitude was loosened by intoxication due to cupid touched the finger ring in her hand again and again.

28. As a part of the love of the women with beautiful hips, that was born due to love seeing the arrival of Krishna like a cuckoo that is pleased with 'rasa' made charming, slow and soft sound.

29. Like parched 'chataka' bird who is looking forward for fresh water droplets of 'swati nakshatra', some lady, as if unconscious, drank him, her lord of life and her abode of love, with unblinking eyes for a long time.

30. Thus Krishna, in the abode of the lotus of whose love, all the urban ladies are like bees, soaking with love, with the streams of emotions in the form of gentle smile, the most charming in the world went.

31. From the ocean of cupid the lord whose mind plunged properly in the ocean of the emotion of love for a moment embracing those beautiful ladies himself elevated those beloveds from the ocean of cupid.

32. Somewhere offered a bow with joining hands, joining the hands satisfying people with the streams of nectar of the eyes and somewhere threw the arrows of glances on the hearts, intoxicating, the beautiful ladies with gentle smiles.

33-34. Thus the supporter of three worlds whose fame was sung about in the world wandering reached which was the best in the world whose stream of sweetness of the countenance is drank by the beautiful ladies of the town having beautiful hips with fixed eyes appeared as if surrounded by attendants praised by the enthusiastic people of Magadha, in the course of whose welcome, the road was scattered with the parched grains, went to the royal palace.

35. Hearing that Krishna has arrived who was the ocean of the nectar of friendship, the great one who eradicated the confusions of the heart, Yudhishthira instantly came out of his palace.

36. There the son of Dharma followed by the younger brothers went near the Krishna who was descending from chariot step by step and embraced him tightly. Indeed, the formality is inappropriate in friendship.

37. Meeting the dear friend of him properly, Krishna slowly bringing him by holding his hand, he made the greatest king to take a seat and he took a seat.

38. Krishna who was supporter of those guarding the good people and imperishable resource of the world, the imperishable one, governing the world, asked Yudhishthira, the greatest of kings and his brothers, are the subjects doing well?

39. "Tell me, is your government managed well along with the other federal kings, whom you have bound together with friendship due to your soft nature.

40. "In your government, oh king, in the land that is successful, in the state that is prosperous with abundance of wealth and grains, the lord showers according to the course."

41. When Krishna uttered these formal words, pausing for a while, the son of Kunti who was affectionate one, answered with false anger. Indeed, only near ones can be the object of anger.

42. "Oh friend, here everything is fine due to your favour. Why you have not approved yet what I had briefed about the Rajasuya.

43. "Oh lord, if such a disregard is offered to the friends like us, then my efforts for the great sacrifice are now mostly useless.

44. "Hence oh Lord, since, displeasing words are never uttered to the dear ones, please undertake according to your choice. In this world, who is mightier than the lord?"

45. Hearing this speech that was with anger owing to love, from Yudhishthira who always spoke the truth, as soon as the king stopped, smiling gently Krishna said his answering speech. Really, the sweetness is adornment of good people.

46. "Oh my friend, please don’t speak incorrectly with intellect that is not that firm. I may have behaved with disregard but the reason is absolutely different.

47-48. "Oh friend, something unpredictable occurred that I will tell you instantly to which you should pay attention. The messenger of the evil minded king of Pundra, who calls himself Vasudeva had come there and announced, "Oh Krishna, you do not have the name, Vasudeva. Anyone who suits as Vasudeva here is the Lord with four hands, the king of Pundra.

49-50. "Hence O Krishna, immediately leave the false name Vasudeva modestly. Ascertaining this in your heart, place all four of your weapons with worship in the cage in the form of lotus like feet of actual Vasudeva, always invoke that lord, the king of Paundraka, possessing four arms, and a pair of forearms as strong as a wall.

51. "Or else, in the war face defeat by the divine great weapons that adorn the arms of Paundraka king and thus killed by the lord, on your own reach the heaven."

52. When messenger went saying this absolutely unbarred extensive speech spoken by his master, I thought in my mind, by meeting him, its easy to know the foolishness.

53. Then through the messenger, quickly that false Krishna Paundraka king was called upon for war by me and the friend of Magadha king was killed. Even if the enemy is foolish, he is not for good.

54. "Thus, for your sacrifice, this is the auspicious beginning arranged by me. Hence oh friend, before the 'digvijaya', according to the practice, kill the enemy, king of Paundraka."

55. "Thinking these proficient thoughts, deciding in my mind, O Yudhisthira, I thought staying there that why not your work should be achieved O dear!

56. "This only is the unreasonable reason of your friend’s sudden arrival. Please understand this and not otherwise. The fate acts unpredictably."

57. When saying this, Krishna was silent, giving a meaningful smile the king answered, the actions of the friends can be inferred from the gesture.

58. "O lord, you are telling me the whole incidence as it occurred merely as a formality, however, that is not sinking my intellect because your narrations about the fate are beyond the capacity of a man.

59. "O protector of the world, the scholars of the scriptures and the sages have praised your majesty, the lord of movables and immovables, as the one capable of doing anything, not doing anything or doing differently.

60. "O lord, considering you as a mere friend, and with a false anger and with extreme friendliness, in vein I uttered that was inappropriate. Hence, o lord, please forgive me and favour us.

61. "At proper time or at improper time, I spoke in a soft or harsh manner. When the unpleasant incidence is over, please remove the memory also because in a close friendship, even the things against rule become a rule."

62. When he, the one having no enemies, said this, Krishna smiling slightly said, "Great people no more associate with their own people who due to bad fate have lost control on themselves."

63. "O friend, hence I think, don’t express regrets in vein, even in case of enemies. You are my close friend. Anger is objected to our own people.

64. "Hence O friend, consider our dispute as arisen out of affectionate friendship. Now tell me what particulars you have to state about Rajasuya."

65. Hearing this admirable speech of Krishna, Yudhishthira, with mind absorbed with the emotion of friendship, bowing down to Krishna who was a great ocean of compassion, said this afterwards.

66. "O Krishna, that time after advising me, you went to Dvarika. Hence now know what is decided about Rajasuya.

67. "Some kings who agree to the course of sacrifice modestly, with affection obey my government; this harmony is the result of your influence.

68. "Some arrogant kings like Shalva, intoxicated with pride, encouraged by Magadha king who is blind with pride with rivalry, do not agree with the course of sacrifice; do not stand in front of me.

69. "Remaining there is the king of Magadha who openly opposes my sacrifice. Hence please understand that his destruction that is planned by you is somehow for my, your friend’s sake."

70. Saying these words, modestly to Krishna who was the endpoint of all the calamities, who was the lord of all the worlds and, the king of the earth, the excellent speaker the enemy of Mura stopped.

71. The lord of the world hearing that clear speech of the king of the earth, Yudhishthira, instantly smiling gently Krishna looked at Draupadi.

72. Draupadi bowed down told blissfully with heart full of devotion to Krishna who eradicate the desire of devotees, “O lord of lords, the work of people like us can be achieved by you only.”

73. "Indeed, O lord, before this everywhere and every time, I am protected by your majesty. O Krishna, now and here also you should be the same.

74. "Hence the sacrifice of the son of Dharma should be accomplished properly. The king of Magadha, who is dishonest, should be killed deceitfully.

75. "As you had said earlier to kill any evil deceitfully."

76. "O friend, where the lord of the worlds Krishna himself appears continually there variety of troops of army and abundance of weapons are of no use.

77. "Where there are Krishna, Arjuna and Bhima like three fires, who eradicate enemy and are prepared to kill the enemy, there every desired thing is achieved.

78. "Then approach the one that is hard to be defeated, with the army, don’t increase the dispute that is unnecessary. In the duel combat, all you three who are conquerors of all directions, the Magadha king should be defeated

79. "If you three like three 'diggajas', who prepared to win all the directions, who do not have any enemy with an equal strength, are surely capable of killing that enemy whose enmity is without any reason. Who will doubt this?

80. "O enemy of Madhu, Krishna, when the enemy is killed according to your opinion, will not be the success sure in the sacrifice.

81. "Thus, as long as the son of Dharma is the supreme ruler due to your favour, I will also achieve the position of supreme queen

82. "O Krishna, hence I, the one included by you in your own people soon, firmly request with devotion only one thing that this my desire which is a desire of all the people, should be immediately accomplished by you.

83. "O Krishna, soon bestow favour on myself and arrange for this plan properly. You three almighty taking the disguise of Brahmana, should go to Magadha.

84. "O lord of three worlds, this only thing is being requested by me again and again. O god, henceforth your majesty is the authority. In this world, who is mightier than the lord of the universe?"

85. Hearing this miserable speech of Draupadi, lord Krishna who was overwhelmed with compassion, answered with pleasing speech.

86. "I am extremely pleased by your devotion and you will surely be the sovereign queen. I myself will go to the Magadha for you surely."

87. Saying this, the Lord Krishna who was requested by heart by daughter of Drupada with devotion, was ready to kill the king of Magadha.

88. Then seeing Krishna prepared to kill the enemy, the two, son of wind and son of Indra, when asked by the king to be present with all the weapons quickly, were also prepared.

89. Thus Krishna, the lord of three worlds, lord of living beings, when requested and called upon with dedication by Draupadi instantly wished to do to Magadha to kill the Magadha King. Indeed, the heart of people melts due to the request of the dear ones.