VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 75
Concluding the Râjasûya and Duryodhana Laughed at
(Duryodhana Humiliated)
This chapter describes the glorious conclusion of the Rājasūya sacrifice, and how Prince Duryodhana was humiliated in King Yudhiṣṭhira's palace.
At the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's Rājasūya sacrifice, many of his relatives and well-wishers endeavored to please him by performing necessary services. When the sacrifice was complete, the King adorned the priests, the exalted members of the assembly and his own relatives with fragrant sandalwood paste, flower garlands and fine clothing. Then they all went to the banks of the Ganges to perform the ritual bathing that marks the end of the sponsor's period of initiation for the sacrifice. Before the final bathing, there was much sporting in the river among the male and female participants. Sprinkled with aromatic water and other liquids, Draupadī and the other ladies appeared most beautiful, their faces shining with bashful laughter.
After the priests had executed the final rituals, the King and his queen, Śrīmatī Draupadī, bathed in the Ganges. Then all those present who belonged to the orders of varṇāśrama bathed. Yudhiṣṭhira put on new clothes and worshiped the learned brāhmaṇas, his family, friends and well-wishers, each in the particular manner suitable for them, and offered them all various gifts. The guests then departed for their homes. But King Yudhiṣṭhira was so anxious about his imminent separation from those who were dear to him that he compelled several of his relatives and closest friends, including Lord Kṛṣṇa, to remain in Indraprastha a bit longer.
King Yudhiṣṭhira's royal palace had been constructed by Maya Dānava, who had endowed it with many wonderful features and opulences. King Duryodhana burned with envy when he saw these riches. One day, Yudhiṣṭhira was seated with Lord Kṛṣṇa in his royal assembly hall. Attended by his subordinates and family members, he was manifesting magnificence equal to that of Lord Indra. At that time Duryodhana entered the hall in a fitful mood. Bewildered by the mystic craft of Maya Dānava, Duryodhana mistook parts of the solid floor for water and thus lifted his garment, while in one place he fell into the water, mistaking it for the solid floor. When Bhīmasena, the ladies of the court and the royal princes present saw this, they began to laugh. Although Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira tried to stop them, Lord Kṛṣṇa encouraged their laughter. Thoroughly embarrassed, Duryodhana left the assembly hall in a fury and immediately departed for Hastināpura.
10.75.1-2
śrī-rājovāca
rājasūya-mahodayam
(1-2) The honorable king said: 'All the human divinity, o brahmin, that assembled at the Râjasûya sacrifice of Ajâtas'atru [he whose enemy was never born, or Yudhishthhira], were delighted with the great festiveness they saw: the kings, the sages and the godly, thus I heard my lord, except for Duryodhana; please enlighten us on the reason for that.'
10.75.3
tasyāsan prema-bandhanāḥ
(3) The son of Vyâsa said: 'At the Râjasûya sacrifice of the great soul of your grandfather were the family members who were bound in divine love, engaged in humbly serving him.
King Yudhiṣṭhira did not force his relatives to accept different tasks at the sacrifice. Rather, out of their love for him they volunteered for such duties.
10.75.4-7
bhīmo mahānasādhyakṣo
dhanādhyakṣaḥ suyodhanaḥ
kṛṣṇaḥ pādāvanejane
yuyudhāno vikarṇaś ca
hārdikyo vidurādayaḥ
(4-7) Bhîma was in charge of the kitchen, Duryodhana supervised the finances, Sahadeva did the reception and Nakula procured the needed items. Arjuna served the preceptors, Krishna washed the feet, the daughter of Drupada served the food and the magnanimous Karna handed out the gifts. Yuyudhâna, Vikarna, Hârdikya, Vidura and others like the sons of Bâhlîka headed by Bhûris'ravâ and Santardana, were, eager to please the king, willing to engage in the diversity of duties at the time of the elaborate sacrifice, o best of kings.
10.75.8
caidye ca sātvata-pateś caraṇaḿ praviṣṭe
cakrus tatas tv avabhṛtha-snapanaḿ dyu-nadyām
(8) The priests, the prominent officials, the highly learned and all the best well-wishers, being well honored with pleasing words, auspicious offerings and gifts of gratitude, executed, after the king of Cedi had entered the feet of the master of the Sâtvatas, the avabhritha bathing in the river of heaven [the Yamunâ].
The gifts offered to the distinguished guests included valuable jewelry.
10.75.9
nedur āvabhṛthotsave
(9) To begin with the avabhritha celebration sounded the music of a variety of gomukha horns, kettledrums, large drums, mridangas, smaller drums and conch shells.
10.75.10
nārtakyo nanṛtur hṛṣṭā
(10) Women dancers danced and singers sang joyfully in groups as the loud sound of their vînâs, flutes and hand cymbals touched the heavens.
10.75.11
ibhendra-syandanārvabhiḥ
(11) The kings with necklaces of gold took off [to the Yamunâ] with footsoldiers, flags and banners of different colors, excellent majestic elephants, chariots and horses that were finely caparisoned.
10.75.12
kampayanto bhuvaḿ sainyair
(12) The Yadus, Sriñjayas, Kâmbojas, Kurus, Kekayas and Kos'alas with their armies, headed by [the king,] the performer of the sacrifice, made the earth tremble.
10.75.13
(13) The ones officiating, the priests and the brahmins of excellence loudly vibrated the vedic mantras, while the gods and sages, the forefathers and singers of heaven recited praises and rained down flowers.
10.75.14
sv-alaṇkṛtā narā nāryo
gandha-srag-bhūṣaṇāmbaraiḥ
vilimpantyo 'bhisiñcantyo
vijahrur vividhai rasaiḥ
(14) Men and women nicely adorned with sandalwood paste, garlands, jewelry and clothes, smeared and sprinkled each other playing with various liquids.
10.75.15
taila-gorasa-gandhoda-
pumbhir liptāḥ pralimpantyo
(15) The courtesans were by the men playfully smeared with yogurt and perfumed water with plenty of turmeric and vermilion powder, and so smeared they in return [*].
it is described this scene as follows: "The men and women of Indraprastha, their bodies smeared with scents and floral oils, were nicely dressed in colorful garments and decorated with garlands, jewels and ornaments. They were all enjoying the ceremony, and they threw on each other liquid substances like water, oil, milk, butter and yogurt. Some even smeared these on each other's bodies. In this way, they were enjoying the occasion. The professional prostitutes were also engaged by jubilantly smearing these liquid substances on the bodies of the men, and the men reciprocated in the same way. All the liquid substances had been mixed with turmeric and saffron, and their color was a lustrous yellow."
10.75.16
guptā nṛbhir niragamann upalabdhum etad
(16) The queens guarded by soldiers went, just as did the wives of the gods in their celestial chariots in the sky, out to witness this firsthand and as they by their cousins and friends were sprinkled, was it a beautiful sight to see their faces blossoming with shy smiles.
The maternal cousins referred to here are Lord Kṛṣṇa and such brothers of His as Gada and Sāraṇa, and the friends mentioned are such persons as Bhīma and Arjuna.
10.75.17
tā devarān uta sakhīn siṣicur dṛtībhiḥ
(17) They, their brothers-in-law, their friends and so on, all squirted with syringes to which their arms, breasts, thighs and waists due to the excitement became visible with their dresses drenched and loosened, and the braids of small flowers in their hair slipped; and so did they in the process of their charming play agitate the ones impure of mind.
"Such behavior between pure males and females is enjoyable, but persons who are materially contaminated become lustful."
10.75.18
kriyābhiḥ kratu-rāḍ iva
(18) He, the emperor mounted his chariot with excellent horses and shone, hung with gold, forth with his wives as the king of sacrifices, the Râjasûya with all its rituals, in person.
King Yudhiṣṭhira with his queens appeared like the personified Rājasūya sacrifice surrounded by its beautiful rituals.
10.75.19
patnī-samyājāvabhṛthyaiś
(19) After having executed the patnî-samyâja- [**] and avabhritha ceremonies, made the priests him perform the âcamana of sipping water for purification, and bathe in the Ganges together with Draupadî.
10.75.20
deva-dundubhayo nedur
(20) The kettledrums of the gods resounded together with those of the human beings while the godly, the sages, the forefathers and the humans created a rain of flowers.
10.75.21
(21) After this bathed all humans of all classes and orders in that place where even the greatest sinner can instantly be freed from all contamination.
10.75.22
ānarcābharaṇāmbaraiḥ
(22) The king next putting on a new set of silken garments, nicely ornamented honored the priests, the ones officiating and the brahmins with jewelry and clothing.
"The King not only dressed himself and decorated himself, but he also gave clothing and ornaments to all the priests and to the others who had participated in the yajñas. In this way he worshiped them all."
10.75.23
(23) In diverse ways went the king, devoted to Nârâyana, at lengths in proving his respects to the kings, his friends, well-wishers, direct family, more distant relatives as also to others.
10.75.24
(24) All the men, jeweled with earrings, wearing flowers and turbans, jackets and silks as well as the most precious pearl necklaces, shone like the demigods; just as did the women who with the beauty of their faces adorned with pairs of earrings and locks of hair wearing golden belts, radiated brilliantly.
10.75.25-26
rājāno ye samāgatāḥ
(25-26) Then, with his permission, did the priests highly respected, the officials, the vedic experts, the brahmins, the kshatriyas, vais'yas, s'ûdras and the kings who had come and, o king, along with their followers, the local rulers, the spirits, the forefathers and demigods had been worshiped, go back to their own abodes.
10.75.27
rājasūya-mahodayam
naivātṛpyan praśaḿsantaḥ
(27) Like mortal men drinking the amrita had they never enough of glorifying the great celebration of the Râjasûya sacrifice of the saintly king, the servant of Lord Krishna.
10.75.28
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā
(28) In pain because of being separated from Krishna had king Yudhishthhira as said [in 10.74: 48] in his love for his family members and relatives difficulty letting them go.
10.75.29
prasthāpya yadu-vīrāḿś ca
sāmbādīḿś ca kuśasthalīm
(29) My dear, in order to please him stayed the Supreme Lord there. The Yadu heroes who for that purpose were headed by Sâmba he sent off to Dvârakâ.
10.75.30
manoratha-mahārṇavam
(30) This way was the king, the son of Dharma [Yamarâja or Dharma, the lord of the duties] successfully crossing over the so difficult to overcome ocean of his desires, by Krishna freed from the fever [see also 10.63: 23].
The previous chapters of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam clearly explain that King Yudhiṣṭhira intensely desired to demonstrate to the world the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the blessings received by those who surrender to Him. To do this, King Yudhiṣṭhira performed the Rājasūya sacrifice, a very difficult task.
"In the material world, everyone has a particular type of desire to be fulfilled, but one is never able to fulfill his desires to his full satisfaction. But King Yudhiṣṭhira, because of his unflinching devotion to Kṛṣṇa, could fulfill all his desires successfully by the performance of the Rājasūya sacrifice. From the description of the Rājasūya yajña, it appears that such a function is a great ocean of opulent desires. It is not possible for an ordinary man to cross over such an ocean; nevertheless, by the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, King Yudhiṣṭhira was able to cross over it very easily, and thus he became freed from all anxieties."
10.75.31
ekadāntaḥ-pure tasya
atapyad rājasūyasya
mahitvaḿ cācyutātmanaḥ
(31) Duryodhana was pained when he saw within the palace the opulence of the Râjasûya and the greatness of him [Yudhishthhira] whose very soul was Acyuta.
10.75.32
(32) In it were brought together all the different opulences of the kings of men, the kings of demons and the kings of the godly. Being provided by the cosmic architect [Maya Dânava], served that wealth the daughter of king Drupada with her husbands [the Pândavas]. Himself also attracted to her lamented the heart of the Kuru-prince.
10.75.33
(33) The thousands of queens of the lord of Mathurâ were at the time there present, most attractive with their waists and heavy hips, moving around slowly with their feet charmingly tinkling, with their pearl necklaces reddened by the kunkuma from their breasts and with their beautiful faces richly adorned with earrings and locks of hair.
"After looking at such beauties in the palace of King Yudhiṣṭhira, Duryodhana became envious. He became especially envious and lustful upon seeing the beauty of Draupadī because he had cherished a special attraction for her from the very beginning of her marriage with the Pāṇḍavas. In the marriage selection assembly of Draupadī, Duryodhana had also been present, and with other princes he had been very much captivated by the beauty of Draupadī, but he had failed to achieve her."
10.75.34-35
vṛto 'nugair bandhubhiś ca
stūyamānaś ca vandibhiḥ
(34-35) In the assembly hall constructed by Maya it so happened that the son of Dharma, the emperor in person, accompanied by his attendants, his family and also Krishna, his Very Eye, was seated on a throne of gold as if he, with the opulences of supreme rulership, was Indra, joined and being praised by the court poets.
that Lord Kṛṣṇa is described here as Yudhiṣṭhira's special eye since He advised the King on what was beneficial and what was not.
10.75.36
parīto bhrātṛbhir nṛpa
(36) There, o King, then entered Duryodhana surrounded by his brothers. Proud as a peacock wearing a crown and necklace, had he constantly his hand on his sword while angrily insulting [the doorkeepers].
that Duryodhana "was always in an envious and angry mood, and therefore, on a slight provocation, he spoke sharply with the doorkeepers and became angry."
10.75.37
sthale 'bhyagṛhṇād vastrāntaḿ
(37) Bewildered by the magic of Maya taking the solid floor he saw for water, held he the end of his garment high, but further up fell he in water which he took for a solid floor.
10.75.38
striyo nṛpatayo pare
nivāryamāṇā apy ańga
rājñā kṛṣṇānumoditāḥ
(38) Bhîma seeing it laughed out loadly as also did the women, the kings and the rest, who, my dear, even though they were checked by the king, had the approval of Krishna.
that King Yudhiṣṭhira tried to check the laughter by glancing at the women and Bhīma. Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, gave approval with a gesture of His eyebrows. The Lord had come to the earth to remove the burden of wicked kings, and this incident was not unrelated to the Lord's purpose.
10.75.39
(39) He [Duryodhana], burning with anger, embarrassed holding his face low, went hurt inside off to Hastinâpura. When that happened rose from the truthfull a very noisy 'Alas alas!' Ajâtas'atru [the king] felt somewhat disheartened while the Supreme Lord, from whose glance the bewilderment rose, kept silent, being prepared to remove the burden from the earth [see also 1.15: 25-26, 10.2: 38 and 10.63: 27].
"When Duryodhana left in such an angry mood, everyone regretted the incident, and King Yudhiṣṭhira also became very sorry. But despite all occurrences, Kṛṣṇa was silent. He did not say anything against or in favor of the incident. It appeared that Duryodhana had been put into illusion by the supreme will of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and this was the beginning of the enmity between the two sects of the Kuru dynasty. This appeared to be a part of Kṛṣṇa's plan in His mission to decrease the burden of the world."
10.75.40
(40) I've now spoken about what you've asked me, o King, regarding the depravity of Duryodhana during the great Râjasûya sacrifice.'
Thus end of the Tenth Canto Seventy-fifth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Duryodhana Humiliated."
Footnotes:
*: Present day India knows the tradition of the Holi celebrations, the festival of colors once a year on the morning after the full moon in early March every year, where one plays this game. It celebrates the arrival of spring and the death of the demoness Holika. Holika was the sister of Hiranyakas'ipu who fighting Prahlâda couldn't succeed in killing him [see 7.5]. She, said to be fire resistant, sitting with him in a fire couldn't harm him. He remained unscathed, but she burned in the fire to ashes. Thus are with Holi the night before great bonfires lit to commemorate the story. Although Holi is observed all over the north, it's celebrated with special joy and zest at Mathurâ, Vrindâvana, Nandgaon, and Barsnar (the places where Lord Krishna and S'ri Râdhâ grew up). Lord Krishna, while growing up in Vraja, popularized the festival with His ingenious pranks. The gopîs of Vraja responded with equal enthusiasm and the festivities have continued ever since. Role reversal with travesty, feminism etc. are accepted customs for the duration of the festival. Men and women of Vraja clash in a colorful display of a mock battle of the sexes. A naturally occurring orange-red dye, Kesudo, is used to drench all participants.
**: The patnî-samyâja ritual is the ritual performed by the sponsor of the sacrifice and his wife, consisting of oblations to Soma, Tvashthâ, the wives of certain demigods, and Agni.
Canto 10
Chapter 76
The Battle Between S'âlva and the Vrishnis
This chapter relates how the demon Śālva acquired a huge and terrifying airship, how he used it to attack the Vṛṣṇis in Dvārakā, and how Lord Pradyumna was taken from the battlefield during the fighting that ensued.
Śālva was one of the kings who had been defeated at the time of Rukmiṇī-devī's marriage. Having vowed then that he would rid the earth of all the Yādavas, he began worshiping Lord Śiva each day by eating only a palmful of dust. After a year had passed, Śiva appeared before Śālva and asked him to choose a benediction. Śālva begged for a flying machine that could go anywhere and that would strike terror into the hearts of demigods, demons and humans alike. Lord Śiva granted this request and had Maya Dānava construct for Śālva a flying iron city named Saubha. Śālva took this vehicle to Dvārakā, where he and his huge army laid siege to the city. From his airplane Śālva bombarded Dvārakā with tree trunks, boulders and other missiles, and he produced a mighty whirlwind that obscured everything with dust.
When Pradyumna, Sātyaki and the other Yadu heroes saw the plight of Dvārakā and her residents, they went out to do battle with Śālva's forces. Pradyumna, the best of warriors, destroyed with His divine weapons all of Śālva's illusory magic, and He also bewildered Śālva himself. Thus Śālva's airplane began wandering aimlessly on the earth, in the sky and on the tops of mountains. But then a follower of Śālva's named Dyumān struck Pradyumna on the chest with his club, whereupon Pradyumna's chariot driver, thinking his master seriously injured, carried Him from the battlefield. But Pradyumna quickly regained consciousness and sharply criticized His driver for doing this.
10.76.1
athānyad api kṛṣṇasya
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Please, o King, now hear how Krishna, in His body playing the human, in yet another wonderful deed of His killed the lord of Saubha.
10.76.2
jarāsandhādayas tathā
(2) He with the name of S'âlva, came as a friend of S'is'upâla to Rukminî's wedding and was by the Yadus defeated in battle together with Jarâsandha and others [see 10.54 and also 10.50].
10.76.3
(3) Before all the kings listening he made the pledge: 'Wait and see, I'll rid the earth of the Yâdavas with all I can.'
10.76.4
(4) The foolish king vowed thus ate only once a day a handful of dust in worshiping as his master the lord protecting the animallike [pictured as Pas'upati or S'iva with S'âlva praying as a boy together with Yama].
10.76.5
saḿvatsarānte bhagavān
(5) At the end of a year gave the great lord who is quickly pleased [Âs'utosha], the master of Umâ, S'âlva, who had approached him for shelter, the choice of a benediction.
who is famous as Āśutoṣa, "one who is quickly satisfied." And yet Lord Śiva did not come to Śālva for an entire year because, being bhagavān, a great, all-knowing personality, he understood that any benediction given to Lord Kṛṣṇa's enemy would be fruitless. Still, as stated by the words śaraṇam āgatam, Śālva had come to Lord Śiva for shelter, and thus to maintain the standard principle that a worshiper receives a benediction, Lord Śiva offered one to Śālva.
10.76.6
devāsura-manuṣyāṇāḿ
gandharvoraga-rakṣasām
(6) He chose a vehicle terrifying to the Vrishnis with which he could travel at will and which would be indestructible to the gods, the demons, the humans, the singers of heaven, the serpents and the wild men.
10.76.7
tatheti giriśādiṣṭo
(7) With the lord of the mountain saying 'so be it' was Maya Dânava, there for outdoing the cities of the enemies [see 7.10: 53], commissioned to construct for, and offer to S'âlva a [flying] fortress made of iron named Saubha.
10.76.8
yayas dvāravatīḿ śālvo
(8) When he obtained the vehicle that, as an abode of darkness, moving to his liking, was unassailable, went S'âlva to Dvârakâ, bearing in mind the enmity shown by the Vrishnis.
10.76.9-11
mahatyā bharatarṣabha
purīḿ babhañjopavanān
prāsādāṭṭāla-tolikāḥ
śilā-drumāś cāśanayaḥ
pracaṇḍaś cakravāto 'bhūd
rajasācchāditā diśaḥ
(9-11) O best of the Bharatas, S'âlva, besieging the city with a large army, laid in ruins the parks, the gardens and all the towers, gateways, mansions, outer walls, outlook posts and recreational areas surrounding it. From that superior vimâna of his descended torrents of weapons, stones and trees as also thunderbolts, snakes and hailstones, while with the rise of a fierce whirlwind all the directions were covered with dust.
10.76.12
nābhyapadyata śaḿ rājaḿs
(12) The city of Krishna thus terribly tormented by Saubha could, just as the earth with Tripura [see 7.10: 56], o King, find no peace.
10.76.13
ma bhaiṣṭety abhyadhād vīro
(13) The Great Lord Pradyumna seeing how His subjects were being harassed then said to them: 'Do not fear!', after which the great hero who was of an untold glory mounted His chariot.
10.76.14-15
sātyakiś cārudeṣṇaś ca
sāmbo 'krūraḥ sahānujaḥ
hārdikyo bhānuvindaś ca
niryayur daḿśitā guptā
rathebhāśva-padātibhiḥ
(14-15) Sâtyaki, Cârudeshna, Sâmba, Akrûra and his younger brothers, Hârdikya, Bhânuvinda as also Gada, S'uka and Sârana and other leading warrior bowmen of eminence, went out [of the city] in armor and being protected by chariotry, elephantry, cavalry and infantry.
10.76.16
yathāsurāṇāḿ vibudhais
(16) Then a hair-raising battle commenced between the Yadus and the followers of S'âlva, that was as tumultuous as the battle between the demons and the demigods [see 8.10].
10.76.17
(17) The way the warm rays of the sun dissipate the darkness of the night, were by the son of Rukminî in an instant with His divinely empowered weapons the magical tricks destroyed of the master of Saubha.
10.76.18-19
śatenātāḍayac chālvam
ekaikenāsya sainikān
daśabhir daśabhir netṝn
(18-19) With twenty-five iron-tipped, in their joints perfectly smoothened arrows with golden shafts struck He S'âlva's commander-in-chief [Dyumân], with a hundred He pierced S'âlva, with one each his soldiers, with ten each his charioteers and with three each of the carriers [elephants, horses].
10.76.20
(20) Seeing that amazing, mighty feat of Pradyumna, the great personality, was He honored by all of His and the enemy soldiers.
10.76.21
durvibhāvyaḿ parair abhūt
(21) Then seen in many forms, then seen as one only and then again not being seen at all, had that magical illusion created by Maya turned into something that with all its change could impossibly be located by the opponent.
10.76.22
(22) Moving hither and thither like a whirling firebrand, from one moment to the next seen on the earth, then in the sky, on a mountain top and then in the water, remained that Saubha airship never in one place.
10.76.23
yatra yatropalakṣyeta
śālvas tatas tato 'muñcañ
(23) Wherever S'âlva with his soldiers appeared with his Saubha ship, were right at that spot the arrows aimed by the army commanders of the Yadus.
10.76.24
śarair agny-arka-saḿsparśair
pīḍyamāna-purānīkaḥ
śālvo 'muhyat pareritaiḥ
(24) S'âlva lost because of the enemy his grip when his army and fortress unbearably had to suffer from the arrows that, hitting like fire and sun, worked like snake-venom.
that the arrows of the Yadu commanders burned like fire, struck simultaneously from all sides like the sun's rays, and, like snake venom, were lethal by a single touch.
10.76.25
śālvānīkapa-śastraughair
(25) Even though the heroes of Vrishni, eager for the victory in this world and the next, were extremely pained by the floods of weapons launched by the commanders of S'âlva, did they not leave their positions.
"The heroes of the Yadu dynasty were determined to either die on the battlefield or gain victory. They were confident of the fact that if they would die in the fighting they would attain a heavenly planet, and if they would come out victorious they would enjoy the world."
10.76.26
(26) S'âlva's companion named Dyumân - previously hurt by Pradyumna - positioning himself before Him with a club of maura iron, stroke with a powerful roar.
10.76.27
(27) Pradyumna, the subduer of the enemies, knocked unconscious by the mace, was then by His chariot driver, a son of Dâruka, faithful in his duty removed from the battlefield.
that actually Lord Pradyumna has a sac-cid-ānanda body, an eternal, spiritual form that can never be wounded by mundane weapons. Dāruka's son, however, was a great devotee of the Lord, and out of intense love he feared for the safety of his master and thus removed Him from the battlefield.
"The name of Śālva's commander-in-chief was Dyumān. He was very powerful, and although bitten by twenty-five of Pradyumna's arrows, he suddenly attacked Pradyumna with his fierce club and struck Him so strongly that Pradyumna became unconscious. Immediately there was a roaring, 'Now He is dead! Now He is dead!' The force of the club on Pradyumna's chest was very severe, enough to tear asunder the chest of an ordinary man."
10.76.28
yad raṇān me 'pasarpaṇam
(28) Immediately regaining His consciousness, said the son of Krishna to His chariot driver: 'It was a wrong thing to do driver, to remove Me from the battlefield!
10.76.29
(29) Except for Me, has no one born in the house of Yadu ever been known to have abandoned the battlefield; now My reputation is stained because of a driver who thinks like a eunuch!
10.76.30
yuddhāt samyag apakrāntaḥ
pṛṣṭas tatrātmanaḥ kṣamam
(30) What should I who fled from the battlefield say now when I meet My fathers Râma and Krishna? What should I say then in my defense??
Śrī Pradyumna here uses the word pitarau, "fathers," loosely. Lord Balarāma was of course His uncle.
10.76.31
tavānyaiḥ kathyatāḿ mṛdhe
(31) Certainly My sisters-in-law will deride Me saying: 'How o hero, could Your enemies succeed in turning You into a coward in battle?'
10.76.32
sārathir uvāca
dharmaḿ vijānatāyuṣman
(32) The charioteer said: 'O Long-lived One, what I did have I done in faith to the rules of dharma, o Lord; a driver should protect the master who ran into danger, just as the master should protect the driver.
10.76.33
mayāpovāhito raṇāt
upasṛṣṭaḥ pareṇeti
(33) Since You factually were knocked out by the enemy, have I removed You with that in mind from the battlefield. As far as I was concerned had You been wounded!'
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Seventy-sixth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Battle Between Śālva and the Vṛṣṇis."
No comments:
Post a Comment