Site menuChapter 70: Krishna's Routines, Troubles and Nârada Pays Another Visit
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Then, as dawn was approaching, were the roosters crowing cursed by the wives of the Sweet Lord who, with their heads being held by their husbands [the One Yogamâyâ Lord in Many], were disturbed over [the consequent] separation. (2) Birds roused from sleep by the breeze from the parijâta trees with their bees woke Krishna noisily singing like they were the poets at the court. (3) But Vaidarbhî [Rukminî] didn't like that most auspicious time of the day because it would deny her the arms of Krishna around her. (4-5) Rising during the brahma-muhûrta [the hour before sunrise] touched Mâdhava water and cleared He His mind to meditate upon the unequaled, exclusive, self-luminous Self beyond all dullness of matter. This True Self dispels, infallible as it is, by its [His] own nature perpetually the impurity and gives the joy of existence. It is known as the Brahman which with its [His] own energies constitutes the cause of creation and destruction in this universe [see also 3.29: 31 & 36-37, B.G. 7: 5 & 6 and *]. (6) Then, according the vidhi having bathed in pure water, performed He, the most truthful One, first dressing in lower and upper garments, the entire sequence of the worship at dawn and such and chanted He, after offering oblations in the fire, quietly controlling His speech the vedic mantra [the Gâyatrî, see also **]. (7-9) Consequently according His own nature propitiated He in worship of the rising sun His own expansions: with due respect for the gods, the sages and forefathers, His elders and the ones of learning, donated He day by day many, many good-natured cows with gold on their horns, silver on the front of their hooves and pearl necklaces, who were rich with milk and had only one calf born from them. They, nicely caparisoned were to the ones of learning presented with linen, deerskins, sesame seeds and ornaments [see also ***]. (10) Paying His respects to the cows, the men of learning, the godly, the elders, the spiritual teachers and to all living beings who were but expansions of Himself, touched He [giving darshan, all persons and] things auspicious. (11) He, the very ornament of society, decorated Himself with the clothes, divine garlands, colors and jewelry befitting Him.
(12) Caring as well for the ghee [used in the
sacrifices] as the mirror, attended He to the cows, the bulls, the
twice-born, the gods and the objects of desire, in arranging for gifts
to the satisfaction of all societal classes living in the city and the
palace and greeted He His ministers answering in full to all their
needs. (13) First distributing garlands, betel nut and
sandalwood paste to the learned, [and then] to His friends, His
ministers and His wives, would He next partake of them Himself. (14) His driver, by then having brought His
supremely wonderful chariot yoked with the horses Sugrîva and so
on [see 10.53: 5], stood
bowing before Him. (15) Holding the
charioteer his hands He then together with Sâtyaki and Uddhava
mounted it like He was the sun rising over the mountains in the east. (16) With difficulty leaving the palace women
behind who looked at Him with glances shy and loving, He left, showing
a smile that seized their minds. (17)
Awaited by all the Vrishnis He entered the assembly hall known as
Sudharmâ [see also 10.50: 54] which for those who entered wards off the six waves, my
dear [see shath-ûrmi]. (18)
The Almighty One, the Best of the Yadus seated there high on His throne
in the midst of the Yadus, the lions among men, illuminated all the
quarters as He with His effulgence shone like the moon in the sky
surrounded by the stars. (19)
There the jesters, o King, served the Almighty One with various forms
of amusement, just as professional entertainers [like magicians] and
women dancing energetic dances did on their turn. (20) They danced to the sounds of vînâs,
mridangas and muraja-drums, flutes, cymbals and conches
while the bards, storytellers and panegyrists sang and offered praise. (21) There recited some brahmins sitting
continually vedic mantras while others recounted stories about kings
from the past famous for their piety.(22) Some day was the arrival announced of a person, o King, who, given access to the Fortunate One by the doorkeepers, had never been seen there before. (23) After his reverence with joined palms before Krishna, the Supreme Lordship, submitted he the suffering of the kings held captive by Jarâsandha. (24) During a conquest by him of all directions were all those kings who did not accept him in complete subservience - about twenty thousand of them - by force detained in the fortress of Girivraja. (25) The kings relayed: 'Krishna, o Krishna, o immeasurable Soul, o You who takes away the fear of the surrendered; being so different in mentality do we, afraid as we are in our material existence, come to You for shelter! (26) The whole world prone to doing it wrong is bewildered about the duties out here that are beneficial in the worship of You to Your command that, in so far one is doing one's own in this, constitutes the power of existence in serving longevity and hope; may there be the obeisances to Him, the Ever Vigilant ['unblinking of Time'] who all of a sudden cuts this all off [at the time of one's death]. (27) You, the predominating authority of this universe, have descended with Your expansion [Balarâma] to protect the saintly and to subdue the wicked; we do not understand o Lord how any other person in transgression with Your law [like Jarâsandha] or else by dint of his own creativity [like us] would achieve that. (28) The conditional happiness of kings, o Lord, is like a dream, always being full of fear with the burden of this mortal frame; in rejecting that happiness of the soul that is obtained by selfless service unto You, do we, with Your bewildering material reality of mâyâ out here, suffer the greatest misery. (29) Therefore, o Goodness whose pair of feet remove the sorrow, please release us, the surrendered, who were bound in the fetters of karma by him carrying the name of Maghada who, like the king of the animals with sheep, alone wielding the prowess of a ten thousand mad elephants imprisoned us in His residence. (30) Eighteen times having raised Your cakra and crushed him defeated he only once in battle You, who confident in Your unlimited power were absorbed in human affairs [see 10.50: 41 & 10.52: 7]; and now, filled with pride, he torments us, Your subjects, o Unconquerable One; please rectify that!' (31) The messenger said: 'Thus do the ones held captive by Jarâsandha and who have surrendered to the base of Your feet hanker for the sight of You; please bestow Your welfare on these poor souls!'
(32)
S'rî S'uka said: 'After the envoy of the
kings thus had spoken, appeared the supreme rishi
[Nârada] who with his yellowish mass of matted locks had an
effulgence like that of the sun. (33) Seeing him offered the Supreme Lord Krishna,
the Supreme Controller of the controllers of all the worlds, with His
head His respects, gladly standing up along with His followers and the
members of the assembly. (34) With him having been of worship according
the rules and his acceptance of a seat, spoke He with truthful,
pleasing words of reverence that pleased the sage:
(35) 'It is a fact that today the three worlds
are completely rid of all fear, for that is the quality of the great
and fortunate one [of you] traveling the worlds.
(36) With the three worlds the way they are
arranged by their Controller is there nothing you don't know; so,
therefore, let's hear from you what the plans of the Pândavas are.'(37) S'rî Nârada said: 'I witnessed the many forms of Your inscrutable mâyâ, o Almighty One, Bewilderer of [even] the Creator of the Universe [see 10.14]; for me it is not that amazing, o All-encompassing One, that You covered by Your own energies move among the created beings like a fire of which the light is covered. (38) Who is able to properly understand the purpose of You who by Your own material energy creates and withdraws this universe which manifests [for its beings] to exist in relation to You; my obeisances for You inconceivable in Your nature. (39) He who for the individual soul in samsâra, not knowing liberation from the trouble that the material body brings, by His avatâras for His pastimes lights His own torch of fame; You, that Lord, I approach for shelter. (40) Nonetheless will I tell You, o Highest Truth imitating the human ways, what Your devotee the king [Yudhishthhira], the son of Your father's sister intends to do. (41) The king, the son of Pându, desiring the top position for Your sake wants to perform the greatest sacrifice known as Râjasûya, please give that Your blessing. (42) O Lord to that best of all sacrifices will all enlightened and likewise souls as well as the kings of glory eager as they are to see You attend. (43) When from hearing, chanting and meditating about You, the Full of the Absolute, even the dregs of society find purification, what then may one expect for those who see You and touch You? (44) The spotless fame of You is, expanding [like a canopy] in all directions, proclaimed in heaven, in the lower regions and on the earth, o Bringer of Good Fortune to All the Worlds. In the form of the water washing from Your feet that purifies the entire unverse, is that grace called the Mandâkinî in the divine spheres, the Bhogavatî in the lower worlds and the Ganges here on earth.'
(45) S'rî S'uka said: 'When His own supporters [the Yâdus] did not agree because they wanted to defeat [Jarâsandha] spoke Kes'ava smiling to His servant Uddhava with a charming use of words. (46) The Fortunate One said: 'You indeed as the apple of Our eye and Our well-wishing friend from that position perfectly know what expression would be of use in this regard, please tell Us what should be done, We have full faith in you and will carry that out.'
(47) Thus requested by his Maintainer who acted as if He, the all-knowing One, was puzzled, gave Uddhava humbly accepting the order on his head, a reply.'
