VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 62
Ûshâ in Love and Aniruddha Apprehended
This chapter recounts the meeting of Aniruddha and Ūṣā, and also Aniruddha's battle with Bāṇāsura.
Of the one hundred sons of King Bali, the oldest was Bāṇāsura. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, who favored Bāṇa so much that even demigods like Indra would serve him. Bāṇāsura once satisfied Śiva by playing musical instruments with his one thousand hands while Śiva danced his tāṇḍava-nṛtya. In response, Śiva offered Bāṇa whatever benediction he chose, and Bāṇa asked Śiva to become the guardian of his city.
One day when Bāṇa was feeling an urge to do battle, he told Lord Śiva: "Except for you, in the whole world there is no warrior strong enough to fight me. Therefore these thousand arms you've given me are merely a heavy burden." Angered by these words, Lord Śiva replied, "Your pride will be crushed in battle when you meet my equal. Indeed, your chariot flag will fall to the ground, broken."
Bāṇāsura's daughter, Ūṣā, once had an encounter with a lover in her sleep. Several nights in a row this occurred, until one night she failed to see Him in her dreams. She suddenly awoke, speaking aloud to Him in a state of agitation, but when she noticed her maidservants around her, she felt embarrassed. Ūṣā's companion Citralekhā asked her who she had been addressing, and Ūṣā told her everything. Hearing of Ūṣā's dreamlover, Citralekhā tried to relieve her friend's distress by drawing pictures of Gandharvas and other celestial personalities, as well as various men of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty. Citralekhā asked Ūṣā to pick out the man she had seen in her dreams, and Ūṣā pointed to the picture of Aniruddha. Citralekhā, who had mystic powers, knew at once that the young man her friend had pointed out was Lord Kṛṣṇa's grandson Aniruddha. Then, using her mystic powers, Citralekhā flew through the sky to Dvārakā, found Aniruddha and brought Him back with her to Śoṇitapura, Bāṇāsura's capital. There she presented Him to Ūṣā.
Having obtained the man of her desires, Ūṣā began serving Him very affectionately within her private quarters, which were supposed to be strictly off limits to men. After some time the female guards of the inner palace noticed symptoms of sexual activity on Ūṣā's person, and they went to Bāṇāsura to inform him. Greatly disturbed, Bāṇāsura rushed to his daughter's apartments with many armed guards and, to his great surprise, saw Aniruddha there. As the guards attacked Him, Aniruddha took up His club and succeeded in killing a few before the powerful Bāṇa could capture Him with his mystic nāga-pāśa ropes, filling Ūṣā with lamentation.
10.62.1
śrī-rājovāca
upayeme yadūttamaḥ
(1) The honorable king said: 'Bâna's daughter named Ûshâ ['dawn'] married the best of the Yadus [Aniruddha] and because of that took a great and terrible battle place between the Lord and S'ankara [S'iva as 'the auspicious']; o great yogi, I give it to you to explain all this.'
10.62.2
baler āsīn mahātmanaḥ
tasyaurasaḥ suto bānaḥ
śoṇitākhye pure ramye
(2) S'rî S'uka said: 'Bâna ['arrow'], the eldest son of the one hundred sons born from the semen of Bali ['gift'] - the great soul who donated the earth to the Lord who had appeared in the form of Vâmana [see 8.19-22] -, was, respectable and magnanimous, intelligent and truthful in his vows, always fixed in his devotion for Lord S'iva. In the charming city known as S'onita ['resin'] made he his kingdom, where the immortals served him as if they were menial servants. They did so because in the past S'ambhu ['the beneficent' or S'iva] had been pleased by him as he, having a thousands arms, had played musical instruments while Mrida [S'iva as 'the gracious'] was dancing.
10.62.3
(3) He, the great lord and master of all created beings, the compassionate giver of shelter to his devotees, rewarded him with a benediction to his choice and he chose for him [S'iva] as the guardian of his city.
10.62.4
kirīṭenārka-varṇena
saḿspṛśaḿs tat-padāmbujam
(4) He, intoxicated by his strength, with a helmet bright as the sun once present at his side said to Giris'a [S'iva as the lord of the mountain] touching his lotusfeet:
10.62.5
kāma-pūrāmarāńghripam
(5) 'I bow down to you Mahâdeva [great god], o controller and spiritual master of the worlds who like a tree from heaven fulfills all the wishes of the people who feel unfulfilled.
10.62.6
(6) The one thousand arms you gave me have become but a burden to me and except for you do I in the three worlds not find an equal opponent.
According to the ācāryas, Bāṇāsura's subtle implication here is this: "And so when I have defeated you, Lord Śiva, my world conquest will be complete and my desire for battle satisfied."
10.62.7
kaṇḍūtyā nibhṛtair dorbhir
ādyāyāḿ cūrṇayann adrīn
bhītās te 'pi pradudruvuḥ
(7) With my arms itching to pulverize mountains I went to fight the elephants of all directions o primeval one, but terrified of me they all ran away.'
10.62.8
(8) Hearing that said the great lord incensed: 'Your flag will be broken when, o fool, your pride is vanquished in battle with someone equal to me.'
Lord Śiva could have immediately chastised Bāṇāsura and personally destroyed his pride, but since Bāṇāsura had been such a faithful servant of his, Śiva did not do so.
10.62.9
ity uktaḥ kumatir hṛṣṭaḥ
pratīkṣan giriśādeśaḿ
(9) Thus addressed went the poorminded one filled with delight home, o king, not so intelligent awaiting his heroism to be crushed as the lord of the mountain had predicted [compare 2.1: 4].
Here Bāṇāsura is described as ku-dhī ("having bad intelligence") and ku-mati ("foolish") because he completely misunderstood the actual situation. This demon was so arrogant that he was convinced no one could defeat him. He was delighted to hear that someone as powerful as Lord Śiva would come to fight with him and satisfy his itching for battle. Even though Śiva had said that this person would break Bāṇa's flag and destroy his prowess, the demon was too foolish to take this statement seriously and eagerly awaited the fight.
At the present moment materialistic people are delighted by the many unprecedented facilities for sense gratification. Although it is clear that death, both individual and collective, is quickly approaching them, modern sense gratifiers are oblivious to their inevitable destruction. As stated in the Bhāgavatam (2.1.4), paśyann api na paśyati: Even though their imminent destruction is apparent, they are too blind to see it, being intoxicated by sex enjoyment and family attachment. Similarly, Bāṇāsura was intoxicated with his material prowess and could not believe that he was about to be cut down to size.
10.62.10
kanyālabhata kāntena
(10) His virgin daughter named Ûshâ in a dream had an amorous encounter with the son of Pradyumna while she never before had seen or heard of the lover she thus had found [see *].
the following verses from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, which explain Ūṣā's dream:
ūṣā bāṇa-sutā vipra
krīḍantīm upalakṣyoccaiḥ
"O brāhmaṇa, when Ūṣā, the daughter of Bāṇa, happened to see Pārvatī playing with her husband, Lord Śambhu, Ūṣā intensely desired to experience the same feelings."tataḥ sakala-citta-jña
"At that time Goddess Gaurī [Pārvatī], who knows everyone's heart, told the sensitive young girl, 'Don't be so disturbed! You will have a chance to enjoy with your own husband.' "
ity uktā sā tadā cakre
"Hearing this, Ūṣā thought to herself, 'But when? And who will my husband be?' In response, Pārvatī addressed her once more."
vaiśākha-śukla-dvādaśyāḿ
" 'The man who approaches you in your dream on the twelfth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month Vaiśākha will become your husband, O princess.' "
10.62.11
kvāsi kānteti vādinī
(11) She, not seeing him [anymore] in her dream, disturbed rose to her feet while she was in the midst of her girlfriends and felt greaty embarrassed hearing herself say 'Where are you my lover?'
Coming to her senses and remembering that she was surrounded by her girlfriends, Ūṣā was naturally very embarrassed to have cried out in that way. At the same time she was disturbed by attachment to the beloved man who had appeared in her dream.
10.62.12
(12) The daughter Citralekhâ ['the fine sketch-artist'] of a minister of Bâna named Kumbhânda, thereupon as a friend of hers most curiously questioned her companion Ûshâ.
10.62.13
kīdṛśas te manorathaḥ
rāja-putry upalakṣaye
(13) 'Who is it you're looking for o beautiful eyebrows, and what is it that you expect from him, for we as yet haven't seen anyone winning your hand o princess.'
10.62.14
dṛṣṭaḥ kaścin naraḥ svapne
(14) 'In my dream I saw a certain man with a dark complexion, lotuslike eyes, yellow garments and mighty arms - one of the kind stirring a woman's heart.
10.62.15
pāyayitvādharaḿ madhu
(15) Him I am seeking, that lover who made me drink the honey of His lips and who, gone elsewhere, has left me, hankering for Him, in an ocean of distress.'
10.62.16
citralekhovāca
(16) Citralekhâ said: 'I'll take away your distress; if He's to be found anywhere in the three worlds, I'll bring Him to you, that husband-to-be, that thief who stole your heart - please point Him out to me.'
Interestingly, the name Citralekhā indicates a person skilled in the art of drawing or painting. Citra means "excellent" or "variegated," and lekhā means "the art of drawing or painting." Citralekhā, as described in the following verse, will now utilize the talent indicated by her name.
10.62.17
manujāḿś ca yathālikhat
(17) Thus having spoken she accurately drew for her the demigod and the heavenly singer, the one perfected, the venerable one and the lowlife serpent, the demon, the magician, the supernatural and the human being.
10.62.18-19
(18-19) Of the humans she drew Vrishnis like S'ûrasena, Vasudeva, Balarâma and Krishna but seeing Pradyumna Ûshâ became bashful and with Aniruddha being drawn she bent down her head in embarrassment o great lord, and said smiling: 'That's Him, that one here!'
10.62.20
(20) Citralekhâ, the yoginî, recognizing Him as Krishna's grandson [Aniruddha] then went, o King, by the higher spheres [the mystical way] to Dvârakâ, the city under the protection of Krishna.
10.62.21
(21) Pradyumna's son asleep on a fine bed did she, using her yogic power, take from there to S'onitapura in order to show her girlfriend her Beloved.
"It is stated here that Citralekhā resorted to mystic power (yogam āsthitā). As explained in the Hari-vaḿśa and other literatures, she needed to employ her powers because when she arrived at Dvārakā she found herself unable to enter Lord Kṛṣṇa's city. At that time Śrī Nārada Muni instructed her in the mystic art of entering. Some authorities also say that Citralekhā is herself an expansion of Yogamāyā."
10.62.22
vilokya muditānanā
duṣprekṣye sva-gṛhe pumbhī
(22) Upon seeing Him, that most beautiful man, lit her face up and had she a good time together with the son of Pradyumna in her private quarters, a place forbidden to the sight of men.
10.62.23-24
dhūpa-dīpāsanādibhiḥ
vākyaiḥ śuśrūṣaṇārcitaḥ
ūṣayāpahṛtendriyaḥ
(23-24) With priceless garments, garlands, fragrances, lamps, sitting places and such; with beverages, liquid and solid food and with words she worshiped Him in faithful service. And thus continuously keeping Him hidden in the maiden quarters lost He, because of her greatly increasing affection, the count of days, the way He in His senses was diverted by Ûshâ.
10.62.25-26
hetubhir lakṣayāḿ cakrur
āpṛītāḿ duravacchadaiḥ
viceṣṭitaḿ lakṣayāma
(25-26) She thus enjoyed by the Yadu-hero in breaking her vow [of chastity] could not conceal the symptoms of her extreme happiness that were noticed by her governesses who reported [to Bâna, her father]: 'O King, we've noticed that your daughter is of the for an unmarried girl faulty conduct that besmirches the family.
the word bhaṭāḥ as "female guards," whereas Jīva Gosvāmī defines it as "eunuchs and others." Grammatically, the word can function both ways.
The guards feared that if Bāṇāsura found out about Ūṣā's activities from some other source, he would severely punish them, and thus they personally informed him that his young daughter was no longer innocent.
10.62.27
anapāyibhir asmābhir
kanyāyā dūṣaṇaḿ pumbhir
(27) Well guarded by us within the palace and never having left, o master, have we no idea how she, hidden from the looks of men, could have been deflowered.'
The ācāryas explain that the word anapāyibhiḥ can mean either "never going away" or "never deluded." Also, if we take the alternate reading duṣpreṣyāyāḥ instead of duṣprekṣyāyāḥ, the guards refer to Ūṣā as "she whose wicked girlfriend has been sent on a mission."
10.62.28
tataḥ pravyathito bāṇo
tvaritaḥ kanyakāgāraḿ
prāpto 'drākṣīd yadūdvaham
(28) Bâna upon hearing of the defilement of his daughter most disturbed quickly headed for the maiden quarters where he upon his arrival saw the most eminent of the Yadus.
10.62.29-30
śyāmaḿ piśańgāmbaram ambujekṣaṇam
smitāvalokena ca maṇḍitānanam
(29-30) He stood perplexed to behold sitting in front of her that son of Cupid, the exclusive beauty of all the worlds, dark-skinned in yellow clothes, with His lotuseyes, mighty arms, earrings and locks, smiling with the glow and glances from His adorned face, as He played dice with His all-auspicious sweetheart, of whom the red of the kunkuma of her breasts was smeared all over the by her manufactured springtime jasmine garland that hung between His arms.
Bāṇāsura was amazed at Aniruddha's boldness: the prince was calmly sitting in the young girl's quarters, playing with Bāṇa's supposedly unmarried daughter! In the context of the strict Vedic culture, this was an unbelievable thing to witness.
10.62.31
sa taḿ praviṣṭaḿ vṛtam ātatāyibhir
yathāntako daṇḍa-dharo jighāḿsayā
(31) Seeing him entering surrounded by many an armed guard raised the Sweet Lord His club made of muru [a type of iron] to stand firm, ready to strike like death personified with the rod of punishment.
10.62.32
nirbhinna-mūrdhoru-bhujāḥ pradudruvuḥ
(32) They, closing in from all sides to apprehend Him, were by Him struck like a dominant boar faced with a pack of dogs so that they all being hit ran to escape from the palace with their heads, arms and legs crushed.
10.62.33
(33) But as He was striking down the guards, did the son of Bali furiously himself capture Him with the [mystical] snake-ropes [of Varuna, see also 8.21: 28]. Ûshâ then was utterly defeated and discouraged, overwhelmed by sorrow crying bitter tears when she heard of the arrest.'
The ācāryas explain that Bāṇāsura could not actually capture the powerful grandson of Lord Kṛṣṇa. However, the Lord's līla-śakti, or pastime potency, allowed this to happen so that the events described in the next chapter could take place.
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Sixty-second Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Meeting of Ūṣā and Aniruddha."
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