Chapter 34 - Sudarśana emancipated and slaying of Śaṅkhacūḍa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. On one occasion, the cowherds had their curiosity aroused in participating in a pilgrimage to god (Śiva) and they set out in carts drawn by bullocks to a place known as Ambikāvana (the grove of goddess Pārvatī).

2. Having performed ablutions in the river Sarasvatī, they devoutly worshipped the god Śiva as well as the goddess Pārvatī with various articles of worship.

3. Most reverentially, they donated cows, gold, garments, honey, sweet-meats to Brāhmaṇas as gifts, praying “May god Śiva be propitious unto us.”

4. The highly fortunate Nanda, Sunandaka and others observed a vow of subsisting on the waters of the river (the whole day) and passed that night on the bank of the Sarasvatī.

5. A certain big boa-constricter of that forest, being pinched with extreme hunger, came there by chance and began to swallow up Nanda who was asleep.

6. While being swallowed by the serpent, Nanda screamed out “Oh Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, this big serpent is devouring me, Oh child! please save me who have approached you for rescue.”

7. Hearing his shriek, cowherds suddenly awoke. Beholding Nanda swallowed by the serpent, they got bewildered and struck the serpent with fire-brands.

8. Though it was scorched by burning fuel, the serpent did not let go Nanda. At that time Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of Sātvatas, approached the reptile and touched it with his foot.

9. With all his sins absolved by the touch of the glorious Lord of Lakṣmī, he cast off his serpentine body and assumed a form that was worshipped by Vidyādharas.

10. The Lord (of senses), Kṛṣṇa, asked the man with resplendent personality decorated with a wreath of gold, as he reverentially bowed down to him.

11. “Who are you of miraculous form resplendent with supreme splendour? How is it that you lost your self-control and were forced into this disgustful form of life?”

The serpent (now a Vidyādhara) answered:

12. “I am a certain (famous) Vidyādhara known as Sudarśana. Endowed with divine splendour and excellent beauty, I ranged in my aerial car in all directions.

13. Puffed with pride of my beautiful form, I jeered at the ugly forms of the sages Aṅgiras. For my sin of deriding them, I was brought down to this species by them.

14. I now find that this curse was pronounced upon me to show me grace, by those merciful sages, inasmuch as I am absolved of all sins by being touched with foot by the preceptor of the world.

15. Oh destroyer of sins! I am relieved of the curse by the touch of Your foot. You are the dispeller of the fears of beings who resort to you through fear of saṃsāra. Kindly give me permission to take leave of You.

16. Oh great yogin! Oh supreme Person! I approach you most humbly, Oh Protector of the righteous people! Oh. resplendent God! Oh Supreme Ruler of the rulers of worlds! Be pleased to grant me permission (to return to my region). Oh Acyuta! Instantaneously at your very sight, I am released from the curse of the Brāhmaṇa.

17. A person who utters your name at once purifies all the listeners (of the Name) as well as himself. What more need be said that a person who is touched by your foot gets absolved of all his sins instantaneously.”

18. Taking leave of Kṛṣṇa (the descendant of Daśārha) with these words, circumabulating him and playing obeisance to him, Sudarśana went to heaven and Nanda was thus rescued from that precarious situation.

19. Having seen the special personal glory of Kṛṣṇa, the inhabitants of Vraja with astonished minds, completed their religious observance of Śivarātri. They returned to Vraja reverentially discussing his glorious exploits.

20. On another occasion, Govinda (Kṛṣṇa) and Balarāma of wonderful prowess, sauntered in the forest at night in the company of damsels of Vraja.

21. Being melodiously extolled by damsels, who were deeply attached to them, with their persons well adorned and beautifully painted with sandal-paste and pigments, they wore beautiful wreaths and were dressed in fine garments.

22. They hailed the advent of the night, as the moon and the stars were rising and appeared in view and as a gentle breeze was blowing over the bed of lilies to which were attracted swarms of bees intoxicated with the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

23. Going simultaneously through the whole scale of musical notes with modulations of their voices, both of them presented vocal music which was auspicious and delightful to the mind and ears of all beings in the world.

24. Hearing that ravishing music, the cowherd women fell in a trance and were not aware of their garments slipping away from their persons, loosening of their braids and dropping of wreaths from them, Oh Protector of the people!

25. While they both were thus sporting as they pleased and singing at will like intoxicated persons, a servant of Kubera known as Śaṅkhacūḍa approached them.

26. Before their very eyes (and in defiance of them), he dauntlessly drove the screaming young women who were under their protection, towards the north, Oh king!

27. Beholding their women crying out (for their succour), “Oh Kṛṣṇa! Oh Balarāma” like cows when seized by a robber, the two brothers rushed in pursuit.

28. Shouting out the promise of protection, “Don’t be afraid” the two brothers armed themselves with a Śāla tree and rushing hastily, they overtook the wretch of a Guhyaka (Yaksa)

29. Terrified to see them both close on his heels like the time-spirit and god of death incarnate, the foolish fellow let the women go and took to his heels with the intention of saving his own life.

30. In order to deprive the Yakṣa of the jewel on his head, Kṛṣṇa pursued him wherever he ran, while Balarāma stayed on protecting the women.

31. Within a short distance, the Lord confronted him and with a blow of his fist sundered off his head along with the jewel.

32. Killing Śaṅkhacūḍa in this way and taking from him the brilliant gem, Kṛṣṇa gave it, out of affection, to his elder brother, before the very eyes of the damsels.