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2024-05-08, 8:43 AM |
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Chapter 73: Lord Krishna Blesses the Liberated
Kings
(1-6) S'rî
S'uka said: 'The twenty thousand eight hundred [kings] who in battle
were defeated [by Jarâsandha] came out of the fortress of
Giridronî [the capital] being dirty and with dirty clothes.
Emaciated of hunger, with dried up faces and because of their
imprisonment being greatly weakened drank they Him in with their eyes
and were they as if licking with their tongues, as if smelling Him with
their nostrils and embracing Him with their arms. He the One dark gray
like a cloud, in yellow clothing, marked by the S'rîvatsa, by
four arms, charming eyes pinkish as the whorl of a lotus, a pleasant
face, the gleaming makara [seamonster shaped] earrings; with a
lotus, a club, a conchshell and a disc in His hands; a helmet,
necklace, golden bracelets, a belt and armlets decorating Him and with
the splendid brilliant jewel and a forest flower garland around His
neck. They, whose sins were destroyed, bowed, with their heads down at
His feet. (7) And while the kings with joined palms
with their words praised the Master of the Senses was by the ecstasy of
seeing Krishna the weariness of their imprisonment dispelled.
(8) The kings said: 'Obeisances to You, o God of
the Gods, o Lord of the Surrendered and Remover of Distress, o
Inexhaustible One; please o Krishna save us, the surrendered ones who
are so despondent about the terrible of a material existence. (9) O Madhusûdana, we do not point
our finger, o Master, at the ruler of Magadha since it is by Your
furthering of the good, o Almighty One, that kings [in defiance] fall
from their position. (10) Exhilarated
and clamoring with the sovereignty and opulence does a king not obtain
the real benefit in his being deluded by Your mâyâ
thinking that the temporary assets would be permanent. (11) The same way as a child considers a
mirage a reservoir of water, do those lacking in discrimination see the
illusory subject to transformation as substantial. (12-13) We who before in our lusting about the
wealth lost our sight and quarreling with each other about ruling this
earth very mercilessly harassed our own citizens o Master, have with
[You as] death standing before us arrogantly disregarded You. We o
Krishna, have been forced to part from our opulence in our pride being
hurt by Your mercy in the form of the irresistible power of the Time
which moves so mysteriously. We beg You to allow us please to live in
the remembrance of Your feet. (14)
Henceforward we no longer hanker for a kingdom that appearing like a
mirage must constantly be served by the material body that subjected to
demise is a source of disease; nor do we, o Almighty One, hanker for
the fruit of pious work in an hereafter so attractive to the ears
[compare B.G. 1: 32-35]. (15) Please
instruct us in the means by which we may remember Your lotuslike feet,
even though we time and again keep returning to this world [see B.G. 8:
14]. (16) Over and over our obeisances for
Krishna the son of Vasudeva, the Lord and Supersoul of the ones of
salute; to Govinda, the Destroyer of the Distress.'
(17) S'rî
S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord, the Giver of Shelter, commendably
praised by the kings freed from their bondage, my dear, mercifully
spoke to them with gentle words. (18) The
Supreme Lord said: 'I assure you, as from now, o Kings, as you wish
will rise your very firm devotion to Me, the Self and Controller of
All. (19) Your resolve is fortunate, o rulers,
for I see you truthfully speak about the impudent infatuation one can
have with the opulence and power that is so maddening to the human
being. (20) Haihaya [or
Kârtavîryârjuna 9.15: 25], Nahusha
[9.18: 1-3], Vena
[see 4.14],
Râvana [9.10],
Naraka [or Bhauma 10.59: 2-3] and others fell from their positions as gods, demons and
men because of their being intoxicated by the opulence. (21) You, understanding that this material
body and such is subject to birth and finality, should, in being
connected to Me in worship with sacrifices, protect your citizens
according the dharma. (22) Facing
the facts of happiness and distress, birth and death, should you engage
in begetting generations of progeny, while you in the spirit are fixed
in accepting Me. (23) Neutral
in relation to the body and all that and, steadfast in keeping to the
vows, being satisfied within, will you, fully concentrating your minds
upon Me, in the end reach Me, the Absolute of the Truth [compare B.G. 4:
9; 8:
7; 9:
28; 12:
3-4].'
(24) S'rî
S'uka said: 'Krishna, the Supreme Lord and Controller of All the
Worlds, who thus had instructed the kings, engaged menservants and
women in bathing them. (25) O
descendent of Bharata, He took care that Sahadeva [Jarâsandha's
son] served them befittingly with clothing, ornaments, garlands and
sandalwood paste. (26) Properly
bathed and well decorated were they fed with excellent food and
bestowed with various pleasures worthy of kings like bethelnut etc. (27) Honored by Mukunda shone the kings
freed from their distress splendidly with their gleaming earrings like
they were the planets at the end of the rainy season. (28) Having them mount chariots with fine
horses adorned with gold and jewels sent He, gratifying them with
pleasing words, off to their own kingdoms. (29) They,
the greatest of personalities, who thus by Krishna were liberated from
all difficulty went away thinking of nothing but the deeds of Him, the
Lord of the Living Being that is the Universe. (30) To their ministers and other associates
they spoke of the activities of the Supreme Personality and just as the
Lord had instructed carried they out His orders diligently. (31) Having had Jarâsandha killed by
Bhîmasena, departed, after being worshiped by Sahadeva, Kes'ava,
accompanied by the two sons of Prithâ. (32) Arriving in Indraprastha blew they the
conchshells that brought discomfiture to the enemies they defeated but
now brought delight to their well-wishers. (33) The residents of Indraprastha pleased
in their heart to hear that, understood that Jarâsandha was put
to rest and that the king [Yudhishthhira] his objectives were met. (34) Arjuna, Bhîma and Janârdana
then recounted, after having offered the king their obeisances,
everything they had done. (35) The
king of the dharma couldn't speak a word when he heard that. In ecstasy
over Krishna's mercy shed he tears out of love.'
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