Part 9: Marriage with Gandharvaṣenā, daughter of Cārudatta

One day Aṅgāraka seized him with her during the night when he was asleep. Awakened, Vasudeva thought, “Who has kidnaped me?” He saw Aṅgāraka, with a face like Śyāmā’s face, and Śyāmā carrying a sword, saying “Halt! Halt!” Aṅgāra cut her in two and Vasudeva, troubled, saw two Śyāmās lighting on both sides of Aṅgāra.

Thinking, “This is sorcery,” Vasudeva struck Aṅgāra on the head with his fist, like Hari striking a mountain with a thunderbolt. Released by him injured by the blow, Vārṣṇeya fell from the sky into a broad pool outside the city Campā. Vasudeva swam across the pool like a haṃsa and wisely entered a shrine to Vāsupūjya situated in a garden on the pool’s bank. He worshipped Vāsupūjya, spent the rest of the night, and went to Campā with a Brahman whom he had met. There he saw young men here and there carrying lutes and he asked the reason for it.

The Brahman explained: “There is a sheth here, Cārudatta, who has a very beautiful daughter, named Gandharvasenā, the sole abode of the arts. She has promised, ‘Whoever can surpass me in music shall be my husband.’ For that reason every one here is devoted to music. Every month an examination takes place before two teachers of music, Sugrīva and Yaśogriva.”

Vṛṣṇi’s son, disguised as a Brāhman, went to Sugrīva, who was pre-eminent there, and said: “I am Skandila, a Brāhman of the Gautamagotra. I wish to study music with you on account of Gandharvasenā. Accept me, a foreigner, as a pupil.” Sugrīva, slow-witted like one who does not recognize a jewel when it is covered with dust, called him approaching, “Fool!” contemptuously. Vārṣṇeya remained near Sugrīva under the pretext of studying music, making the people laugh and hiding his identity by his village-speech.

On the day of the contest Sugrīva’s wife gave a pair of garments of conspicuous beauty to Śauri because of affection for him like a son. Vasudeva put on the two new garments and the ornaments given earlier by Śyāmā, arousing the people’s curiosity. “Come! I think you will surpass Gandharvasenā today in knowledge. You are exceedingly skilled in music,” he was ridiculed by the townspeople in this way. Enjoying their jokes, he went to the assembly and was seated on a high seat by men laughing at him.

Gandharvasenā went there like a goddess moving on earth and she defeated many musicians from her own and foreign countries. When his time in the contest had come, Samudra-vijaya’s younger brother assumed his own form, changing his form at will like a god.

As soon as Gandharvasenā saw his beauty, she trembled; all the people were astonished, discussing, “Who is he?” He cleverly spoiled every lute that was given him by the people and then Gandharvasenā gave him her own lute. Making ready the lute, he said, “Fair lady, what must I sing with this lute?” She replied: “Expert in singing, play the song connected with the three steps of Muni Viṣṇukumāra, elder brother of Cakrin Padma.”^[1] Like Sarasvatī in male attire, Vārṣṇeya sang it in such a way that he defeated Gandharvasenā together with the assembly.

Then Sheth Cārudatta dismissed all the musicians and himself conducted Vasudeva to his house with respect. At the time of the marriage the sheth said, “Son, with reference to what gotra shall I give you my daughter? Speak, fair sir.” Vasudeva smiled and said, “Tell what your family is considered.” The sheth said: “The fuel that she is a merchant’s daughter is the reason for your smile. At the proper time, I shall tell you the whole story of my daughter.” With these words the sheth had the marriage of the bride and groom celebrated. Sugrīva and Yaśogrīva, charmed by his virtues, bestowed their daughters, named Śyāmā and Vijayā, on Vasudeva.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See IV, pp. 90ff. (6. 8. 14-203),