Chapter 70 - Deputation from Captive Kings of Jarāsandha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: Kṛṣṇa’s Daily Observances: Deputation from Captive Kings of Jarāsandha]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. Now, at the approach of the dawning day, the queens of Māḍhava, each of whom was sleeping with the arms of their Lord round their necks, cursed the cocks crowing at dawn, as they were nervously anxious about their (prospective) separation from him.

2. Aroused from sleep by the breezes wafting through Mandāra groves while the black bees were humming sweetly, birds began to sing and warble like bards to wake up Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

3. Closely hugged within the arms of her lover, even Rukmiṇī would not tolerate that extremely auspicious period (called Brāhma muhūrta) for fear of separation from his embrace.

4. Getting up in the Brāhma period (two hours before the sun-rise), Śrī Kṛṣṇa would wash his hands and feet and rinse his mouth. Sipping three spoonfuls of water as ācamana, he with a serene mind, used to meditate on the Self (ātman) who is beyond the range of darkness (i.e. Prakṛti).

5. He used to contemplate upon Ātman also designated as Brahman, Who is one without any limiting condition (upādhi), self-luminous, immutable; Who has been eternally free from the taint of Avidyā (Nescience) by virtue of His being established in His own self; Whose existence and blissfulness of nature are revealed by His own potencies that bring about the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe.

6. After meditation, he took bath in clean water after Śāstric injunctions. Putting on two garments, he performed the Twilight-prayer (Sandhya), and other (prescribed observances. The prominent one among the righteous persons then offered oblations to sacrificial fire and silently repeated the Gāyatrī mantra.

7. He used to offer prayers to the rising sun and pour out water libations to gods, sages, his ancestors (pitṛs)—all of whom were his own rays—and with a controlled mind, he used to worship the elderly persons and Brāhmaṇas.

8-9. To Brāhmaṇas who were adorned with ornaments, along with silken cloth, deer-hide (Kṛṣṇājina) and sesamum seeds, he used to give every day thirteen thousand and eighty- four cows, all of them docile, with horns capped with gold tops and hoofs plated in silver and necks adorned with pearl-necklaces, yielding abundant milk, with only one freshly yeaned calf, accompanied by their calves, beautifully caparisoned.

10. He used to pay respects to cows, Brāhmaṇas, elderly persons, preceptors and all beings who were his own manifestations, and he used to touch auspicious things (like a towny coloured cow, etc.).

11. He himself was one of the ornaments of the world. He used to adorn himself with his special garments (e.g. yellow silken loin cloth or pītāmbara) and adornments (e.g. the Kaustubha gem) and his special excellent garlands (e.g. the Vanamālā) and pigments.

12. Seeing the reflection of his face in liquid ghee and a mirror and cast his (first) glances at cows, bulls, Brāhmaṇas and gods, he used to take delight in granting the boons and desired objects to people belonging to all classes inhabiting in his city or dwelling in his harem (alike), and satisfying their requirements by supplying the needs of his counsellors and courtiers.

13. He would first distribute garlands, betel-leaves and sandal-pastes to Brāhmaṇas; then he would honour his friends, ministers and queens with them, and lastly he would accept them for himself.

14. By that time, the charioteer used to bring his most wonderful chariot drawn by Sugrīva and other horses and bowing down to him, he used to stand before him.

15. Thereupon, holding the charioteer’s hand by his own, he used to mount his chariot along with Sātyaki and Uddhava, like unto the sun ascending the eastern mountain.

16. Gazed at by the ladies in the harem with their bashful and affectionate looks and permitted unwillingly by them, he would proceed captivating their hearts with his bewitching smiles.

17. O king Parīkṣit then surrounded by all Vṛṣṇis, he would enter the assembly-hall called Sudharmā the occupants—members—of which are not subject to six ‘waves’ i.e. changes in human life (viz. hunger, thirst, grief, delusion, old age and death).

18. Seated there on an excellent, exalted throne, the Almighty Lord shone illuminating all the cardinal points by his personal lustre. Surrounded by lion-like prominent Yadus, Kṛṣṇa, the best of Yadus, appeared like the moon in the midst of the hosts of constellations and stars.

19. O King! There, the court-jesters waited upon the Lord by providing amusements of various kinds. So did the masters in dancing with their manly dances as well as dancing girls with their special performances severally.

20. Bards—sūtas, Māgadhas and Bandins danced, sang and extolled him in accompaniment to tabors, lutes, tambourines, flutes, cymbals and conchs.

21. There were seated some Brāhmaṇas well-versed in the exposition of the Vedas. They elucidated Vedic verses as well as told the stories of ancient kings of sanctifying glory.

22. There arrived a stranger not ever seen before. With the permission of the Lord, he was ushered in his presence by the guards at the door.

23. Having bowed to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, he, with his palms folded, submitted to him the miserable plight of kings who were kept in captivity by Jarāsandha.

24. Those twenty thousand kings who did not submissively acknowledged Jarāsandha’s sovereignty during his conquest of all the quarters (of the world), had been taken captive per force and are incarcerated at Girivraja (mod. Rajgir in Bihar).

(The message of the detained kings:)

25. “O Kṛṣṇa who attract the minds of devotees and of incomprehensible nature. You are the destroyer of the fear of those who seek resort in you. We are of poor intellect and are mortally afraid of Saṃsāra. We seek asylum in you.

26. We bow to that ever-vigilant Time-Spirit viz. you who are all powerful and who suddenly cut short the desire for long life of this world while it is deeply involved in doing prohibited acts and is careless and negligent in performing auspicious actions such as your worship and devotion as enjoined by you.

27. O Lord, You are the controller of the Universe. You have incarnated in this world by a ray of yours (i.e. Balarāma) for the protection of the righteous and chastisement and destruction of the wicked. We do not understand how somebody else (like Jarāsandha) transgresses your orders (with impunity) and why persons (though protected by you) still take to the path of their Karmas (and experience misery).

28. The happiness of Kingship contingent as it is on so many conditions, is an empty dream. We carry on the burden of saṃsāra (and the anxiety and responsibility of wife, children, etc.), with our body which is as good as dead and stands constantly in fear of death. We are extremely miserable inasmuch as we abandon the spiritual bliss which is obtainable from you by those who renounce all desires and undergo miseries due to (the inexorable force of) your Māyā.

29. The pair of feet of your Lordship destroy the miseries of those who surrender to them humbly. We are at present imprisoned. Be pleased to set us free from the bondage of Karma now called Jarāsandha, the king of Magadhas. Possessed as he is of the strength of ten thousand elephants, he singlehandedly took us, kings, captive and imprisoned us in his palace as a king of beasts (a lion) would do to sheep.

30. O Lord with uplifted discus (Sudarśana), Jarāsandha who was defeated by you eighteen times in the battle, has grown insolent by somehow defeating you in one of them. Though you possess infinite prowess you behave like a human being. But Jarāsandha is grinding us, knowing us to be your subjects. O unconquerable Lord, May you be pleased to do whatever you think proper to do (under these circumstances).

31. (The messenger concludes:) Thus the kings who are imprisoned by Jarāsandha are desirous of seeing your Lordship. They have submitted themselves to the soles of Your feet. Be pleased to bestow happiness on those hapless kings.

Śrī Śuka said:

32. While the messenger of the kings was thus delivering the message of the kings, there manifested like the sun, the divine sage Nārada of supreme lustre, wearing gold-coloured matted locks of hair.

[Bhāgavata Candrikā’s Text:]

32(A). Nārada entered singing of the exploits and incarnations of his beloved Kṛṣṇa making Kṛṣṇa, his followers and the world as if melt (with the sweet music) and filling them with great delight.

[Padaratnāvalī’s Text:]

32(B). (Nārada came in) singing in sweet voice and expressions the delightful acts and incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa liquidating heaps of sins and filling the world with extreme joy.

33. Seeing him, the glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Ruler of the rulers of the worlds, rose from his seat and bowed him with his head with great delight, along with the members of the assembly and his followers.

34. Having worshipped him with due formalities and seating him comfortably, he addressed him in sweet words, pleasing the sage with his devotion and sincerity.

35. He enquired, “Are all the three worlds now free from fear from all quarters? It is certainly a great advantage to us that your worship ranges over all the worlds (as we are thereby in a position to know what goes on in the world).

36. To be sure, nothing is unknown to you in all the creation of the Lord. We, therefore, enquire of you what Pāṇḍavas now intend to do.

Nārada replied:

37. O All-pervading almighty Lord, I have witnessed to a great extent a variety of your deluding potencies (māyās)^[1] which are, inscrutable and insuperable, and which delude even god Brahmā, the great conjuror, the creator of the universe. O Perfect one I By your powers you abide in all created beings and yet you remain with your splendour undisclosed like fire remaining latent in the logs of wood. (Although you are omniscient, you assume ignorance like a human being). Hence your query causes me no surprise.

38. Who is capable of knowing comprehensively what you intend to do, for you create as well as destroy this universe by your Māyā Potency. The universe appears to exist due to your Māyā (though it is unreal). I bow to you who are in essence distinct from everything else and are thus of incomprehensible nature.

39. O Lord! I seek asylum in you who have enkindled the brilliant lamp (beacon-light) of your glory by sportively assuming various incarnations. This light is for those jīvas who wander in the cycle of saṃsāra and do not know the way to Final Emancipation from the bondage of the body which is the source of all evil.

40. Though yourself the Supreme Brahman, you imitate the ways of human beings in the world. I, however, report to you what king Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of your-paternal aunt and your devotee plans to do.

41. King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Pāṇḍu, aspires to be a sovereign ruler of the world. He, therefore, wishes to worship you with Rājasūya, the greatest of all sacrifices. You may therefore, be pleased to grant your approval (to their plan).

42. Gods, sages and illustrious kings will certainly attend that grand sacrifice with eagerness to see you.

43. O Lord! Even (cāṇḍālas and other) outcastes become purified by listening to your stories, muttering your name or glorifying you and by contemplating on you who are Brahman incarnate. What need be said of those who perceive you directly and come in personal contact with you?

44. Your glory which is absolutely pure has enveloped like a canopy all the quarters and has spread out all over the heavenly regions, the earth and the subterranean regions and it renders the world absolutely pure. O Lord! Your very presence is auspicious to the world. The waters that wash your feet are known as the Mandākinī in the heavens, the Bhogavatī in lower regions and as the Gaṅgā in this world and they hallow the universe.

Śrī Śuka said:

45. When Yādavas, the clansmen of Kṛṣṇa, being fired with the ambition of vanquishing Jarāsandha were not in a mood to approve of Nārada’s words (but insisted on an expedition against Jarāsandha) instead of going to Ṛājasūya. Kṛṣṇa smilingly spoke in soft words to Uddhava, his devoted and loyal servant.

The Lord said:

46. “You are our best eye, a well-wisher and knower of the crux of political deliberations. Therefore, advise us what we should do under the circumstances. We believe in you and shall abide by your advice.”

47. When thus called upon to tender advice by his Master, the Omniscient Lord, as if he were an ignorant person, Uddhava respected his order with his head, bowed down and replied (as follows):

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

VT: Māyās i.e. the creations or products of these māyās viz. a number of Brahmāṇḍas with all various gods such as Brahmās, Viṣṇus who possess their own māyās which are nothing but the powers imparted to them by you.—I have witnessed these etc.