Chapter 45 - Restoration of Preceptor Sāndīpani’s son

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka continued:

1. Noticing that his parents, Vasudeva and Devakī, had realized the truth (of their Divine Nature) prematurely (before enjoying the filial bliss in loving them as their children), the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, cast over them his divine Māyā (the spell of his deluding faculty) which infatuates the world, so that this realization (of his God-hood) should not continue (as it would not give scope to their parental love and affect their affectionate filial behaviour).

2. Kṛṣṇa, the bull (prominent person) among the Sātvatas, approached along with his elder brother to his parents. He bowed down with great modesty, and respectfully addressed them: “Oh Mother” and “Oh father.”

3. “Father! Though both of you have been all along longing earnestly for it, we could not, at any time, give you the pleasure of witnessing the infancy, childhood and boyhood of your sons.

4. Unfortunate as we are, we had not the good luck of staying near you nor could we enjoy the bliss of being caressed by parents which children dwelling in their parent’s home experience.

5. It is not possible for a mortal being, even within the full span of human life of hundred years, to repay the obligations of parents who brought forth and nourished his body whereby all the four objects in life (like dharma, artha etc.) are achieved.

6. If he (the son) be (physically and financially) competent but does not maintain them by rendering personal service or financial help, he is made to eat his own flesh (in hell) after his death, by servants of Yama.

7. He who, in spite of his competence (to support) his old mother, father, chaste wife and infant son, his preceptor, (learned) Brāhmaṇa and one seeking his resort, is as good as dead though breathing.

8. With our minds ever in terror of Kaṃsa and due to our inability to worship you both, all these days have been sheerly wasted away.

9. It behoves you, Oh father and mother, to forgive us, since we were dependants and unable to render service to you, even though you were.mercilessly harassed by that wicked- hearted fellow Kaṃsa.”

Śrī Śuka said:

10. Fascinated by the charming words of Lord Hari who, though the soul of the universe, had assumed a human form through his Māyā Potency, they placed him on their lap, embraced him and felt greatly delighted.

11. Oh King! Bound with ties of (filial) affection, they bathed him profusely with their tears. Being bewildered and with their throats choked with tears and emotions, they could utter nothing.

12. Having thus comforted his parents, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, (immediately) installed his maternal grandfather as the king of Yadus.

13. He addressed him (Ugrasena): “Oh great king! May Your Majesty be pleased to command us (Yadus) as well as the subjects (of the Śūrasena country). Owing to an imprecation from Yayāti, Yadus are not entitled to occupy a throne.^[1]

14. When I attend upon you as your servant, even gods (and other supernatural beings) will submissively offer worship to you. What then to speak of other chiefs of human beings? They will definitely do so.

15-16. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Creator of the Universe, brought back his kith and kin—Yadus, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, Dāśārhas, Kukuras and others, who being overcome with the fear from Kaṃsa, had fled to different directions and had undergone suffering in foreign lands. He consoled them, providing them with sufficient wealth and wherewithals and rehabilitated them in their homes.

17. Protected by the arms of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and with all their agonies removed by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, they enjoyed themselves in their homes with all their desire accomplished.

18. (Having the opportunity of) seeing daily the lotus-like countenance of Kṛṣṇa graced with splendour and beauty and beaming with smiles and compassionate looks, all of them were delighted.

19. Even aged persons thereof, who could drink with their eyes the nectarine beauty of his lotus-face, became rejuvenated with abundant strength and energy.

20. Thereupon, the glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Son of Devakī, and Balarāma approached Nanda, and embracing him, spoke to him as follows, Oh King of kings.

21. “Father! Both of us have been extremely fondled and nourished by you both (Nanda and Yaśodā) who have been highly affectionate to us. Parents cherish more love towards their children than to their own selves.

22. He is the real father and she is the (de facto) mother who nourish and caress like their own sons, other babes who are abandoned by their relatives, due to their incapacity to feed and protect them.

23. Father! Now all of you return to your Vraja. After looking to the welfare and felicity of friends hereof, we shall come to visit you, our kith and kin who due to our separation from them are grieved through their love for us.”

24. Having consoled Nanda along with the residents of Vraja in this way, the glorious Immutable Lord (Kṛṣṇa) respectfully worshipped them with garments, ornaments, utensils (of copper, brass etc. as milk-containers) and other gifts.

25. Nanda who was addressed thus (by Kṛṣṇa) was overwhelmed with filial love. With his eyes streaming with tears, he hugged them both and returned to Vraja along with Gopas.

26. Thereafter, Vasudeva, the son of Śūra caused as per Śāstric prescriptions, the ceremony of the investiture of the sacred thread^[2] (essential for the status of the ‘twice-borns’) (of their sons) by his family priest Garga and other Brāhmaṇas.

27. After adorning the Brāhmaṇas with ornaments, he worshipped them and gave as dakṣiṇā (fee for performing this ceremony) cows with their calves, decorated with gold chains and other ornaments and covered with silk-cloth.

28. The noble-minded Vasudeva recollected the cows which he donated mentally, according to the constellation that was in ascendance at the time of the birth of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa but (which he could not give, as they) were seized illegally and unrighteously by Kaṃsa. And he gave those cows also (which he intended to give).

29. Thereupon, being consecrated (through the investiture of the sacred thread) and attaining the status of the ‘twice- borns’, those two staunch observers of vows adopted the vow of celibacy (lit. vow pertaining to the Gayatrī mantra) from the sage Garga, the family priest of Yadus.

30. Though both of them were the source of all lores, and the omniscient Lords of the worlds, they concealed their unclouded spiritual knowledge which is in-born and not borrowed from others, by behaving like common men.

31. Desirous of having a residence in a preceptor’s house for their education, they approached (and served Sāndīpani who was originally a resident of Kāśī^[3] but was now a citizen of Avantī.

32. The self-controlled brothers formally approached him with due humility and respect, and set a model of faultless behaviour with the teacher, (for others to emulate). Both of them who were respectfully treated, served their teacher with devotion, as if he were a god.

33. Being highly pleased with their pure-hearted devoted services, the eminent Brāhmaṇa teacher, Sāndīpani taught them all the Vedas along with their Upaniṣads (the philosophical works) and the accessory branches (viz. Śikṣā—phonetics, chandas—prosody, Vyākaraṇa—grammar, Jyotiṣa—Astronomy, Kalpa—science of Vedic ritualism and Nirukta—etymology).

34. He taught them Military science (lit. the Veda pertaining to archery) along with the mystic formulae (mantras) of discharging and retracting astras (missiles), dharma-śāstra (Law incorporated into the codes of Manu etc.), Mīmāṃsā, Logic and political science along with its six branches^[4] (viz. techniques regarding peace-treaties, warfare, expedition, encampment, spreading sedition and dis-array among enemies and consolidation of alliance).

35. Those two greatest among the great, who were themselves the progenitors of all lores mastered everything that the teachers uttered but once to them (while teaching), Oh protector of men!

36. Within a period of sixty-four days and nights, those brothers, with controlled minds, mastered as many (i.e. sixty-four) arts and crafts [see notes], and persuaded their preceptor to accept whatever he liked as his fee of teaching.

37. Noticing their miraculous capacity and greatness and their super human intelligence, the Brāhmaṇa, after consultation with his wife, sought (the restoration to life of) his son who died in the ocean at Prabhāsa (paṭṭaṇa [paṭṭana?] in Saurāṣṭra), as his fee.

38. Complying with his request with the word, “So be it”, those two great heroes (who could single-handedly fight with ten thousand warriors) and were of unlimited prowess, then mounted their chariot, arrived at Prabhāsa and going to the beach thereof, sat there for a moment. Having come to know of the arrival of those divine personages, the god presiding over the ocean, worshipped them with valuable presents.

39. The glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa spoke to him: “Let the son of my preceptor who was swallowed up by you in a big wave, be restored immediately.”

The Presiding Deity of the sea replied:

40-41. “Oh refulgent Lord Kṛṣṇa! I have never carried away that son of your preceptor. But there is a formidable demon called Pañcajana who moves through the waters. He is an Asura who has assumed the form of a conch As a matter of fact, the boy has been carried away by him.” Hearing that, the glorious Lord instantly plunged into the water, killed the demon (Pañcajana) but could not trace the child in his bowels.

42-44. Taking the conch which formed his body, he returned to his chariot. He went with Balarāma to Saṃya- manī, the beloved city of Yama, the god of death and blew his conch. Hearing the loud blast of the conch, Yama, the chastiser of all beings, offered them worship on a grand scale and with deep devotion. Bowing down in humility, he submitted to Kṛṣṇa who abides in the hearts of all beings, “Oh Viṣṇu who have assumed a human form out of sport! What can I do for you both?”

The glorious Lord replied:

45. Oh great Ruler! Even if the son of my preceptor is brought here due to the force of his Karma, bring him here in obedience to and under the sanction of my command.

46. The preceptor’s son who, in compliance of his command, was brought back by the god of Death, was restored to their preceptor by those two eminent Yadus who requested him, “Be pleased to ask for any other boon.”

The Preceptor (Sāndīpani) said:

47. Child Kṛṣṇa! The obligations of the preceptors have been richly and properly repaid by you both respectable pupils. What desire of your preceptor can remain unfulfilled?

48. Oh heroes! You return to your homes! May your glory be purifying to the world! May your memory and knowledge of the Vedas remain afresh here and hereafter.

49. Oh child parīkṣit! Being thus permitted to return home, both of them returned to their capital in their chariot which had the speed of the wind and the thundering of the cloud.

50. All the subjects who missed Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa for many days, were highly rejoiced to see them both, like persons who have recovered their lost wealth.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Despite Yadu’s refusal to transfer his youth to his father for enjoying his mother (a serious moral problem), Yadu was given the southern part of his kingdom by his father (vide Supra 9.19.22). Bhāvāratha Dīpikā explains: ‘Though you belong to the Yadu clan, you will not incur any sin as you occupy the throne by my command.’

[2]:

As the presence of mother is essential in the sacred thread ceremony, it is obvious that Balarāma’s mother, Rohiṇī was brought from Vraja—VT.

[3]:

Kāśyam [Kāśya]—belonging to Kāśyapa gotra.

[4]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā and Padaratnāvalī quote the following verse enumerating these branches—

sandhiṃ ca vigrahaṃ caiva yānam āsanam eva ca /
dvaidhī-bhāvaṃ saṃśrayañ ca ṣaḍ-guṇāḥ kavayo viduḥ //