Chapter LXXI

SHRI SHUKADEVA JEE, said,—O great king! on one occasion Shri Krishna Chund was diverting himself with Rookmunee during the night, and she was sitting in a state of ecstatic delight, and feasting her partridge-like eyes by gazing on the moon-like countenance of her beloved, when in the mean while the night passed away, birds chirped, there was a red colour in the sky; the chukoor suffered from separation; ruddy geese were in pairs, the lotus bloomed and water lilies withered, the beauty of the moon was diminished, and the splendour of the sun increased; all people were awake and began to occupy themselves with their domestic affairs, at that time Rookmunee Jee, quitting Hari’s side, began to engage thoughtfully and modestly in household matters; and Shri Krishna Jee, having performed his ablutions, washed his hands and face, bathed and finished his prayers, meditations, adoration and oblations of water, having given gifts of various kinds to brahmins, completed his daily work, received the daily offering presented to him early in the morning, and eaten it with cloves, cardamums, mace and nutmegs, arrayed himself in elegant clothes and ornaments; and putting on arms, went to the Raja Ugrasena, and having afterwards come into the court of the descendants of Yadu, sat upon a jewelled throne.

O great king! at that time a brahmin went and said to the door-keepers, "Go and tell Shri Krishna Chund Jee, that a brahmin is standing at the gate, who is desirous of seeing him; and with his permission, the brahmin will come in." On hearing what the brahmin said, a door-keeper went and informed Bhagavan, "O great king! a brahmin is standing at the gate, desirous of seeing you; and, with your permission, he will come into your presence." Hari replied, "Bring him immediately." On Krishna uttering these words the door-keepers ushered the brahmin quickly into his presence; and, on seeing him, Shri Krishna Chund descended from his throne, and, having made an obeisance, and advancing and taking him by the hand, brought him into the palace, and having seated him by his side on the jewelled throne, thus addressed him, "Say, O divinity! whence and for what purpose hast thou come?" The brahmin replied, "O sea of compassion and brother of the poor! I have come from the Mugudh country, and bring a message from twenty thousand Rajas." Krishna enquired, "What message?" The brahmin replied, "O great king! the twenty thousand Rajas, whom Jurasindhu has forcibly confined, putting handcuffs and leg-irons upon them, have, with the utmost submissiveness, sent this message by me to you. O lord of the poor! this is your custom that whenever demons vex your worshippers you descend upon the earth and afford them protection. O lord! in the same manner, that you released Purhlad from Hirunkusyp, and an elephant from the shark, be pleased, compassionately, to release us also now from this great affliction; we are in grievous trouble; and, with exception of you, no one has power to rescue and deliver us from this heavy calamity."

O great king! on hearing these words, Krishna being mercifully disposed towards them, said to the brahmin, "O divinity! do not suffer anxiety any more on their account, it shall now be my office to remove their afflictions." The brahmin was gratified by this speech of Shri Krishna Chund’s, and began to give him a blessing. In the mean while Narada Ji made his appearance there, and Shri Krishna Chund, having made a salutation to him, enquired, "Narada Ji! you go and come every where, tell me how are Yudhishthira and the other Pandoos, my five brothers, getting on now-a-days, and what are they about? It is long since I heard any thing about them; and for this reason my thoughts are occupied with them." Narada Ji replied, "O great king! I am just come from them, they are quite well, but are much, and anxiously occupied in making preparations for a royal sacrifice, and are saying repeatedly, 'Without Shri Krishna Chund’s assistance, our sacrifice will not be complete.' For this reason, O great king! be pleased to adopt my suggestion, and first make arrangements for their sacrifice, and afterwards proceed elsewhere."

O great king! on hearing this speech of Narada Ji’s, Krishna sent for Oodho Jee, and said to him, "Oodho! you are my friend, never absent from my mind or sight, there is an immense crowd at both places; to which will you go first O brave warrior? so many Rajas, suffering grievous misfortune, are expecting my approach and here the Pandoos have prepared a sacrifice." Thus did Krishna address Oodho.