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Shri-Shuka said, ‘The gopis lamented and chanted in these colourful ways. O king! Desiring to see Krishna, they wept in loud voices. Shouri appeared in their midst, a smile on his lotus face. He was attired in yellow garments and wore a garland. He was capable of confounding Manmatha’s mind. ²¹² The women saw that their beloved had arrived. Their eyes dilated in delight. They simultaneously stood up, as if life had returned to all their bodies. One joyfully clasped Shouri’s lotus hands in her joined hands. Another placed his arm, smeared with sandalwood paste, on her shoulder. A slender one accepted the betel leaf chewed by him in her cupped palms. Another tormented one placed his lotus feet on her breasts. One was filled with both love and rage and furrowed her eyebrows. She bit her lips with her teeth and cast sidelong glances at him, as if to injure him. Another glanced fixedly at him, savouring his lotus face. She drank it in but was not satisfied, just as virtuous people aren’t with his feet. Another placed him in her heart through the apertures in her eyes and closed them. When she embraced him mentally, her body hair stood up, like that of a yogi who is flooded with bliss. Seeing Keshava, all of them were satisfied, as if there were great festivities. They gave up the torment they had suffered from the separation, like people when they attain wisdom. ²¹³ They were free of all misery and the illustrious Achyuta was surrounded by them. O son! He became even more resplendent, like Purusha with his powers. Collecting them, the lord went to the sandy banks of the Kalindi. The breeze bore the fragrance of blooming kunda and mandara flowers and attracted bees. The auspicious beams of the autumn moon dispelled the taints of the darkness. There was soft sand, which the river with the dark waters had placed there, using her waves like hands. On seeing him, the joy banished all the grief in their hearts. It was as if the sacred texts had attained their ultimate wishes. ²¹⁴ Their upper garments were smeared with the kunkuma from their breasts. They spread these out and created a seat for the one who was loved more than their own selves. The illustrious lord, who is in the hearts of all the lords of yoga, seated himself on the seat that had been fashioned. In that assembly of the gopis, his resplendent body, the reservoir of all the prosperity in the three worlds, was worshipped.

‘He had ignited love in them and they worshipped him accordingly. They cast smiling and playful glances at him and arched their eyebrows. They pressed his hands and feet and placed them on their laps. They praised him. But they also pretended to be slightly angry and said the following. The gopis said, “Some show favours to those who love them, others act in a contrary way. But there are those who do not do either. Please explain this to us properly.” The illustrious one said, “O friends! Those who reciprocate each other’s love do it for their own selfish reasons. It has nothing to do with affection or dharma. It is selfishness and nothing else. Those who love those who do not love them back are truly compassionate. They are like parents. O slender-waisted ones! That kind of affection and dharma is without blemish. There are some who do not love those who love them, not to speak of those who do not love them. They are satisfied in their own atmans, have accomplished all their desires, are ungrateful, or hate their superiors. O friends! Even when I am loved by living beings, I do not love them back. That is because I wish to urge their propensities to love me. ²¹⁵ When a person who is poor obtains some riches and that is destroyed, he can think of nothing else and know nothing else. O women! For my sake, you have given up the commonly held views on the Vedas and your own relatives and have followed me. You loved me even when I vanished and was not in sight. O loved ones! You should not seek to harm someone you love. You have acted out of your own virtuous intentions and you are free of all blemish. Even if I possess the lifespan of the gods, I cannot pay you back. ²¹⁶ You have loved me after severing the bonds of the household, which are so very difficult to give up. May that virtuous deed be rewarded.”’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘In this way, the gopis heard his extremely enchanting words. O dear one! They cast aside the torment of separation. Having touched him, their wishes were fulfilled. With those jewels among women, Govinda started the pastime of rasa krida. They happily linked their ams with each other. ²¹⁷ The festival of rasa commenced and Krishna, the lord of yoga, was in the midst of that circle of gopis, ornamenting it. He entered in between every couple of gopis. ²¹⁸ He clasped his hands around the neck and each woman took herself to be the closest to him. The minds of the residents of heaven were captivated by the sight. Along with their wives, they assembled to witness it and the firmament was filled with hundreds of vimanas. Kettledrums were sounded and flowers were showered down. The lords among the gandharvas, along with their women, chanted about his blemishless glories. As the women sported with their beloved in that circle of rasa, a tumultuous sound arose from their bangles, anklets and the bells around their waists. Devaki’s illustrious son appeared in an extremely resplendent form. He was like a giant emerald, in the midst of gold-encrusted jewels. Krishna’s young female companions sang, as radiant as flashes of lightning in a circle of clouds. ²¹⁹ Their feet moved in measured treads and they moved their hands. They smiled and arched their eyebrows. They bent their waists and their breasts and garments moved. Their earrings swung against their cheeks. Their faces perspired and the braids on their hair and their garments were loosened. As they danced, they sang loudly. Loving the pleasure, they clung to his neck. They were delighted at being able to touch Krishna and the sound of their singing permeated everything. One sang along with Mukunda and her pitch did not mingle with his, but rose above it. Pleased at this, he honoured her by uttering words of praise. As her voice vibrated in the introductory words of the song, ²²⁰ he showed her even greater honours. One got exhausted from rasa. Her bangles and mallika flowers slipped. The wielder of the club was standing next to her. He clasped her and placed her arm on his shoulder. Krishna’s arm was on another one’s shoulder and was fragrant with the smell of blue lotus and the anointment of sandalwood paste. She smelt it and kissed it, her body hair standing up. As she danced, another gopi’s glittering earrings moved. She placed her cheek alongside his cheek and he gave her the betel leaf that he was chewing. Another sang and danced, her anklets and the bells on her girdle jingling. Achyuta was by her side. When she was exhausted, she placed his auspicious lotus hands on her breasts. The gopis had obtained their beloved Achyuta, dearly loved by Shri alone. With his arms around their necks, they sang about him and rejoiced. Their cheeks were rendered beautiful by the lotus flowers on their ears, the locks that hung down and the perspiration. There was the musical sound from bangles and anklets. The gopis danced with the illustrious one and the garlands dropped from their hair. Swarms of bees joined in as additional singers. In this way, Rama’s lord sported himself with the beautiful women of Vraja. He embraced and touched them with his hands. He cast gentle glances at them and laughed enticingly. It was as if a child was playing with its own reflection. O extender of the Kuru lineage! At the physical association with him, they were delighted and their senses were overwhelmed. The women of Vraja could not prevent their hair, garments and coverings on their breasts from becoming dishevelled and loosened. Their garlands and ornaments were scattered. On witnessing Krishna’s pastimes, the celestial women in the sky were captivated. They were afflicted by desire. The moon, along with its companions, ²²¹ was amazed. He assumed as many different forms as there were gopa women. Satisfied completely within himself, the illustrious one playfully sported with them. O dear one! When he saw that their faces were exhausted from the pleasures and pastimes, he was full of compassion and lovingly wiped their faces with his hands. The gold earrings worn by the gopis dazzled. The shining locks of curly hair enhanced the beauty of their cheeks. Their glances were full of sweet smiles. They honoured the powerful one and sang about his auspicious deeds. They were delighted at having been touched by his finger nails. He was exhausted from the physical association with them. His garland was crushed and smeared with the kunkuma from their breasts. Along with them, he entered the water, like an elephant that has broken down dams, ²²² along with female elephants. He was followed by bees that were like leaders among the gandharvas. ²²³ O dear one! In the water, the young women splashed him with water. They laughed and cast loving glances at him. Completely satisfied within himself, he played with them, like a king among elephants. Those in vimanas praised him and showered down flowers. Krishna then strolled in a grove along the banks. The breeze was fragrant with the scent of flowers that grew on land and in the water. He was surrounded by bees and by the women. He was like an intoxicated elephant, in the company of female elephants. The night dazzled because of the moon’s beams. The one who makes all desires come true was constantly followed by a large number of women. Those autumn nights provide the material for poetic compositions and narrations. He enjoyed them all, but controlled all desire within himself.’ ²²⁴

The king asked, ‘The illustrious lord of the universe descended in his own portion for the sake of establishing dharma and subduing anything that was contrary. He is the one who enunciated the ordinances of dharma and he is the one who protects them. O brahmana! By associating with the wives of others, how could he then act in this perverse way? O one who is excellent in vows! The lord of Yadu has accomplished all his desires. Why did he act in this reprehensible manner? What was his intention? Please sever our doubt about this.’

Shri-Shuka replied, ‘The best among lords do commit the audacious act of transgressing dharma. Like the fire which devours everything, ²²⁵ those who are full of energy are not tainted by this. However, someone who is not a lord should never act in this way, not even in his mind. If a foolish person acts in this way, he will destroy himself, just as a person who is not Rudra will destroy himself if he consumes poison generated from the ocean. The words of the lords are always correct. But that is only sometimes true of their deeds. Therefore, an intelligent person should act in conformity with their words. They are accomplished in conduct and are not driven by selfish motives. O lord! Since they have no sense of ahamkara, it does not lead to any calamity or undesirable effects. He is the controller of all those who are controlled, all creatures, inferior species, mortals and the residents of heaven. Notions of what is pious and what is not pious do not apply to him. Those who have cleansed all the bonds of karma through powers of yoga are satisfied by serving the dust of his lotus feet. Those sages act according to their wishes and are not bound down. How can there be any bondage for the one who has voluntarily assumed a physical body? He is the controller who resides within the gopis, their husbands and all those with bodies. For the sake of his pastimes, he has assumed a body. He assumed a human body to show favour to his devotees. He engages in such pastimes so that those who hear about it become devoted to him. Since they were confounded by Krishna’s maya, the residents of Vraja did not become inimical towards him. They thought that their own respective wives were with them, by their sides. When brahma muhurta ²²⁶ was over, Vasudeva instructed the unwilling gopis, who loved the illustrious one, to return to their own homes. In this way, Vishnu sported with the maidens of Vraja. If a person listens to it faithfully or describes it, he develops great devotion towards the illustrious one. Within a short period of time, such a persevering person drives away desire and all the other ailments of the heart.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘Once, the cowherds were eager to go on a trip to visit the god. ²²⁷ They yoked bulls to their carts and left for Ambika’s forest. O king! They bathed in the Sarasvati there. With the appropriate objects, they worshipped the lord and god Pashupati and the goddess Ambika. They respectfully gave brahmanas cows, gold, garments, honey and food mixed with honey. All of them said, “Let the god be pleased with us.” The immensely fortunate Nanda, Sunandaka and others spent the night on the banks of the Sarasvati. They observed a vow of subsisting only on water. A giant serpent appeared in that desolate forest. It was extremely hungry. Roaming around as it willed, the serpent arrived there and started to swallow Nanda, who was asleep. As he was being devoured by the snake, he screamed, “O Krishna! O son! O Krishna! This snake is devouring me. I am seeking refuge with you. Please free me.” Hearing his screams, the cowherds suddenly woke up. They were bewildered to see him being devoured. They struck the snake with flaming torches. Though it was scorched by the firebrands, the serpent did not let him go. The illustrious lord of the Satvatas arrived and touched it with his foot. The touch of the illustrious and prosperous one’s foot removed everything inauspicious.

‘It abandoned the form of a snake and assumed the form of a worshipped vidyadhara. The resplendent being stood before him, with his head bowed down. He was adorned with a golden necklace. Hrishikesha asked him. “Who are you? You are supreme and radiant in your prosperity, extraordinary to behold. How were you rendered incapable and made to assume this condemned state?” The snake replied, “I am a vidyadhara and used to be known by the name of Sudarshana. I was prosperous, handsome and opulent. I used to roam the directions in my vimana. Proud of my beauty, I laughed at rishis of the Angiras lineage, because they were malformed. Because of my own wicked deed, they made me assume a status as this particular species. They were compassionate by nature and have actually done me a favour through the curse. After all, the preceptor of the worlds has touched me with his foot and has destroyed everything inauspicious. You are the one who dispels fear and those who are scared of samsara seek refuge with you. You are the dispeller of distresses. Through the touch of your feet, I have been freed from the curse. I seek your permission to leave. O great yogi! O great being! O lord of the virtuous! O god! O lord of all the lords of the worlds! Please grant me permission. O Achyuta! As soon as I saw you, I have been instantly freed from the curse of the brahmanas. Chanting your name and hearing it, instantly purifies the reciter and the hearer. What need be said about someone who has been touched by your feet?” Having obtained his permission, Sudarshana honoured and circumambulated Dasharha. He left for heaven. Nanda was also freed from his hardship. The minds of the residents of Vraja were astonished to witness Krishna’s great powers. O king! Having completed their rituals, they returned to Vraja, respectfully talking about this along the journey.

‘On one occasion, in the midst of the women of Vraja, Govinda and Rama, extraordinary in valour, were sporting in the forest in the night. The women, bound to them in affection, sung about them in enchanting tones. They ²²⁸ were ornamented and smeared all over their limbs. They wore garlands and sparkling garments. They applauded the beginning of the night, when the lord of the stars and the stars arose. A gentle breeze blew, bearing the fragrance of jasmine and night lotuses, intoxicating the bees. The two of them sang together, bringing everything auspicious to the minds and the ears of all creatures. Their melody covered the entire scale of all musical notes. O king! Hearing the singing, the gopis lost their senses. They did not realize that their fine garments were slipping and that the garlands on their hair were getting dislodged. As they wished, the two of them sported and sang in this way, as if they were intoxicated. Dhanda had a companion named Shankhachuda and he arrived there. O king! While the two of them looked on, he fearlessly started to drive the screaming women, as if they were without a protector, in a northern direction. They were like cows seized by bandits and screamed, “O Krishna! O Rama!” Seeing that their own followers were being taken away, the two brothers rushed after him. Those two spirited ones grabbed sala trees in their hands and shouted, “Do not be afraid.” They quickly approached the worst of the guhyakas, ²²⁹ who was hurriedly trying to run away. He saw that they were about to reach him, like destiny and death. Therefore, the foolish one became anxious. Wishing to save his own life, he let the women go and started to flee. Wherever he ran, Govinda followed him there. He desired to take away the jewel from his head. Bala remained there, protecting the women. Within a short distance, the lord reached the evil-souled one. He struck him on the head with a blow of his fist and severed his head, along with the jewel that was on it. He killed Shankhachuda and gathered the shining jewel. While the women looked on, he lovingly gave it to his elder brother.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘When Krishna left for the forest, the minds of the gopis followed him. They spent those days in misery and sang about Krishna’s pastimes.

‘The gopis said, “He rests his left cheek on his left arm. His eyebrows dance as he places the flute against his lips. He uses his delicate fingers to stop the holes in it. That is how Mukunda makes it vibrate. Along with the Siddhas, there are women who are travelling through the sky in their vehicles. They are amazed and listen to it. Since their minds thus get attracted to the path of desire, they are ashamed. They are filled with lassitude and forget that their girdles are being loosened. O women! Hear this wonderful account. His smile is as dazzling as a necklace. The fickle lightning ²³⁰ is fixed on his chest. When Nanda’s son plays on his flute, he brings pleasure to people who are afflicted. From a distance, the herds of bulls, deer and cows in Vraja hear the melody of the flute and lose their senses. They hold mouthfuls of grass in their mouths and prick up their ears. They remain stationary there, as if they are asleep, or as if they have been drawn in a painting. Sometimes, he attires himself in the garb of a wrestler and imitates him. He is decorated with peacock feathers, minerals and leaves from a palasha tree. O friends! Sometimes, along with Bala and the gopas, he summons the cows. This is what Mukunda does. The rivers lose their currents, as if they want to touch the dust on his lotus feet when it is borne along by the breeze. However, like us, they are limited in their good deeds. They stop their waters and out of love for him, wave their arms around. ²³¹ His valour has been properly described by his followers. He is the original being and his powers do not change. He is the one who always uses his flute to summon the cows that are grazing in the forest, on the slopes of the mountain and along the banks. The creepers and trees in the forest have Vishnu inside them. They display the abundance of their flowers and fruits. The trees bend down with the burden. Their bodies filled with joy and love, they showered forth flows of honey. The tilaka and the garland of flowers is worth seeing. There is the divine scent of tulasi. Maddened by the honey, the swarms of bees sing loudly. He acknowledges this and places the flute against his lips. The beautiful music steals the hearts of the cranes, swans and other birds in the lakes. Their minds wish to worship Hari. They close their eyes and silently meditate on him. He playfully wears a wreath on his head. Along with Bala, he stands on the summits of the mountain. O beautiful ones from Vraja! The one who delights with the sound of his flute brings delight and joy to the entire universe. The cloud is scared of his great prowess and therefore, the response of its thunder is extremely gentle. He is its friend and it showers down flowers on him. Like an umbrella, it casts its shadow over him. O virtuous one! ²³² Your son is accomplished in all the tasks that gopas undertake. He has himself developed many skills in playing the flute. He places the flute against his lips, which are like bimba fruit, and produces all the different kinds of notes—high, medium and low. When they hear this, the heads and the hearts of the lords among the gods, Shakra, Sharva and Parameshthi as the foremost, bow down. Unable to determine its essence, they are confused. The soles of his lotus feet bear the varied marks of a standard, the vajra, a lotus and an elephant’s goad. His footprints on the grounds of Vraja heal the hurt left by the marks of hooves. As he plays on the flute and moves, his stride is like that of a king among elephants. When he walks, he casts playful glances at us and ignites torrents of passion in us. We are filled with lassitude and do not realize that the braids in our hair and our garments have got dishevelled. Sometimes, when he counts the cows, he wears a jewel and a garland of tulasi, especially loved by him. Sometimes, as he sings, he rests an arm on the shoulder of a beloved friend who is following him. Sometimes, with their hearts stolen by the sounds of the flute, female black antelopes, the wives of male black antelopes, follow him. Like gopis, the does follow that ocean of all the qualities and forget their homes and their hopes. He wears wreaths of kunda flowers and colourful attire. Along the Yamuna, he is surrounded by gopas and the wealth of cattle. O unblemished one! He is your son and that of Nanda. He sports and plays with the companions he loves. An agreeable and pleasant breeze blows. It bears the fragrance of sandalwood and honours him with its touch. Bandis ²³³ and many minor divinities surround him, rendering music, singing and other offerings. Compassionate towards Vraja and the cattle, he held up the mountain. At the end of the day, he returns with the entire wealth of cows, playing on the flute. Aged ones stand along the path, worshipping his feet and chanting his deeds. The hooves raise a dust and smudge his garland. His complexion is affected by the exhaustion. Nevertheless, his appearance is like a festival. Desiring to satisfy the wishes of his well-wishers, he is the moon that has arisen from Devaki’s womb. His eyes roll a little from the intoxication. Vanamali ²³⁴ honours his own well-wishers. His face is pale, like the fruits of a jujube tree. His tender cheeks are rendered radiant by the glitter of his golden earrings. The lord of the Yadus sports like a king among elephants. At the end of the day, his cheerful face is like the lord of the night. ²³⁵ It drives away the heat of the day, which the residents of Vraja and the cows find very difficult to tolerate.”’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘O king! In this way, the women of Vraja sang about Krishna’s pastimes and every day, found pleasure in this. The hearts and minds of those immensely fortunate ones were immersed in him.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘After this, an asura in the form of a bull, Arishta, arrived in the settlement. It possessed a gigantic hump. It tore up the ground with its hooves and made the earth tremble. It bellowed in an extremely harsh tone and scratched the ground with its hooves. It raised its tail and tore up the embankments with the tips of its horns. It released a little bit of urine. It released a little bit of excrement. It stood there, glaring with its eyes. O dear one! That harsh and cruel sound echoed. Terrified, cows and women miscarried and delivered ahead of their time. Taking its hump to be a mountain, clouds gathered around it. On seeing its sharp horns, gopas and gopis were frightened. O king! The animals were scared and ran away, abandoning Gokula. “O Krishna! O Krishna!” Exclaiming this, all of them sought refuge with Govinda. The illustrious one saw that Gokula was scared and was fleeing. “Do not be scared.” Uttering these words of assurance, he challenged the asura in the form of a bull. “O foolish one! O wicked one! Why are you scaring the cowherds and the animals? I am here to chastise wicked and evil-souled ones like you.” Saying this, Achyuta slapped his arms. Hari stood there, extending his arm, which was like a serpent, on the shoulder of a friend. He clapped his hands and enraged Arishta with the sound. Arishta was enraged in this way and scratched on the ground with its hooves. It raised its tail and drove away the clouds. Then it angrily rushed towards Krishna. It pointed the tips of its fierce horns in his direction and glared at Achyuta with blood-shot eyes. It cast sidelong glances and quickly rushed forward, like the vajra released by Indra. The illustrious one seized it by the horns and pushed it back eighteen steps, just as an elephant does against a rival elephant. Thus repulsed by the illustrious one, it soon arose again. It was breathing heavily and perspiring all over its body. Senseless with rage, it attacked again. As it rushed forward, he seized it by the horns and flung it down on the ground. Pressing down with one foot, he wrung it like a wet piece of cloth. He pulled out one of the horns and struck it with this, so that it fell down. It vomited blood and discharged urine and excrement. It kicked its legs and its eyes rolled around. Suffering all this pain, it then went to death’s abode. Praising Hari, the gods showered down flowers. When he thus killed the bull, he was praised by the brahmanas. He entered the settlement with Bala, bringing delight to the eyes of the gopis.

‘When the daitya Arishta was killed, Narada, who possessed divine sight, went and told Kamsa about Krishna’s extraordinary deeds. “Yashoda’s child was a daughter and Krishna is Devaki’s son. Rama is Rohini’s son. Scared, Vasudeva entrusted them with his own friend, Nanda. It is these two who have killed your men.” ²³⁶ Hearing this, the lord of Bhoja was filled with rage. His senses were in a whirl. With a desire to kill Vasudeva, he picked up a sharp sword. Narada restrained him, since it was his two sons who would bring about his death. But knowing this, he bound him ²³⁷ and his wife up in iron chains. When the devarshi ²³⁸ had left, Kamsa summoned Keshi. He despatched him with the order that he should kill Rama and Keshava. He then summoned his advisers, Mushtika, Chanura, Shala, Toshala and others. The king of the Bhojas also summoned the keepers of elephants. He told them, “O brave Mushtika and Chanura! Listen to my words. The sons of Anakadundubhi are residing in Nanda’s Vraja. It has been destined that my death will be at the hands of Rama and Krishna. When they have been brought here, you must kill them in a bout of wrestling. Erect a wrestling arena, with many kinds of galleries. Let all the inhabitants of the city and the countryside see and voluntarily participate in the competition. O Mahamatra! O keeper of the elephant! O fortunate one! Convey the elephant Kuvalayapida to the gate of the arena. Let it kill the two who will cause me injury. With all the rites, let everything commence on the fourteenth lunar day with the sacrifice involving the bow. Let animals be offered in sacrifice to the lord of the bhutas, the one who confers benedictions.” ²³⁹ Having instructed them in this way, he summoned Akrura, the bull among the Yadus, who knew about accomplishing objectives.

‘Taking his hand in his hand, he told him, “O lord of generous ones! ²⁴⁰ Out of respect, do a good deed for me. Among the Bhojas and the Vrishnis, there is no one else who is as interested in my welfare. O amiable one! Therefore, I am depending on you as a person who can accomplish an important task. This is just as the lord Indra took succour with Vishnu for accomplishing his own objective. Go to Nanda’s Vraja. The sons of Anakadundubhi reside there. Without any delay, take this chariot and bring them here. Seeking refuge with Vaikuntha, the gods have sent them here for my death. Bring them here and also bring Nanda and the other gopas, with a tribute of gifts. When they have been brought here, I will have them killed by the elephant, which is like Death. Should they escape, they will be killed by my two wrestlers, who are as quick as lightning. When they have been slain, I will kill their lamenting relatives among the Vrishnis, Bhojas and Dasharhas, with Vasudeva as the foremost. I will also kill my aged father, Ugrasena, who desires the kingdom. I will kill his brother, Devaka, who harbours enmity towards me. O friend! All the thorns will then have been removed from this earth. Jarasandha is my senior ²⁴¹ and Dvivida is my beloved friend. Shambara, Naraka and Bana have fraternal alliances with me. I will use them to kill all the kings who are allied with the gods and enjoy the earth. Now that you have understood this, quickly go and fetch the two boys, Rama and Krishna. Let them see the sacrifice of the bow and the prosperity of the capital of the Yadus.” Akrura replied, “O king! You have thought of a perfect means to ward off your misfortune. However, one must act with indifference towards success or failure. The fruits of any effort depend on destiny. A man may act according to his wishes, but they are thwarted by destiny. He can thus be faced with either joy or misery. But I will do what you have commanded me to.” Having instructed Akrura in this way, Kamsa dismissed his ministers. He entered his house and Akrura also went to his own home.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘Keshi had been sent by Kamsa. It was a gigantic horse, with the speed of thought. It ripped up the ground with its hooves. The hair on its mane drove away the clouds and the multitude of vimanas from the sky. It scared everyone with its neighing. The illustrious one saw that it was terrifying his own Gokula with its neighing. It was dispelling the clouds by the whirling of the hair on its tail. He himself came forward, searching it out. He challenged it and it roared like a lion. On seeing him standing in front, it rushed forward in rage. It seemed to swallow up the sky with its mouth. It was impossible to assail, terrible in its speed and impossible to withstand. With its hind legs, it struck out at the lotus-eyed one. Adhokshaja stepped aside and deceived it. He angrily used his arms to seize it by its hind legs. Contemptuously, he flung it away to a distance of one hundred bow-lengths, just as Tarkshya’s son ²⁴² would do to a serpent. He then stood there. Once it had regained its senses, Keshi arose again. It angrily opened its mouth and rushed towards Hari. However, he smiled and thrust his left arm into the gaping mouth, just as a serpent enters its hole. As soon as they touched the illustrious one’s arm, Keshi’s teeth fell out, as if they had touched hot molten iron. Inside its body, the great-souled one’s arm extended in size, like a disease that has been neglected. Krishna’s arm expanded and stopped its breathing. It flung its legs around. Its body perspired and its eyes rolled around. It fell down lifeless on the ground, releasing excrement. Its body was like karkatika fruit. ²⁴³ When it was killed, the mighty-armed one withdrew his arm. He was not at all surprised that he had managed to kill his enemy in this way. The gods worshipped him by showering down flowers.

‘O king! The devarshi, supreme among devotees of the illustrious one, approached. He privately spoke to Krishna, the performer of unblemished deeds. “O Krishna! O one whose atman is immeasurable! O Krishna! O lord of yoga! O lord of the universe! O Vasudeva, who resides in everything! O foremost among the Satvatas! O lord! You alone are the atman who is in all creatures. You are the creator and you are like the fire in the kindling. You are hidden inside the core of the heart. You are the witness. You are the lord and the great being. You are the refuge of all atmans. Earlier, using your maya, you created the gunas. Your resolution is the truth. You are the lord of creation, preservation and destruction. You have now descended among the creatures on earth, in order to crush the daityas and the rakshasas. You have descended for their destruction and for the protection of the virtuous. It is good fortune that you toyed with and killed the daitya that was in the form of a horse. Its neighing was so terrifying that the gods abandoned their world in heaven. O lord! Day after tomorrow, during the day, I will see that Chanura, Mushtika and other wrestlers, the elephant and Kamsa have been killed by you. After that, you will kill Shankha, Yavana, Mura and Naraka. ²⁴⁴ After that, you will defeat Indra and steal the parijata. After that, with the characteristics of viryashulka, ²⁴⁵ you will marry the daughters of the valiant ones. O lord of the universe! In Dvaraka, you will free Nriga from his curse. ²⁴⁶ You will get the Syamantaka jewel and a wife. You will restore the brahmana’s dead son to his own abode. After this, there will be the slaying of Poundraka, the burning down of the city of Kashi and the slaying of Dantavakra and the king of Chedi in the great sacrifice. While residing in Dvaraka, there will be many brave deeds that you will undertake. I will witness what you do and the poets on earth will sing about them. I will then see you in the form of the destroyer, time. I will see you as Arjuna’s charioteer, slaughtering the akshouhinis. ²⁴⁷ You are full of pure vijnana. You are based in your own nature. You have already accomplished all your objectives. Your wishes are always fulfilled. Through your own energy, you always withdraw from maya and the flow of the gunas. Let us approach the illustrious one. You are the self-contained lord. Through your own maya, you have devised all the different kinds of creation. You have now assumed a human body to carry out your pastimes. I bow down to the greatest in the Yadu, Vrishni and Satvata lineages.” Thus, the sage who was supreme among the devotees of the illustrious one bowed down before Krishna, the lord of Yadu. Delighted at having seen him, he took his permission and left. The illustrious Govinda killed Keshi in the encounter. Along with the other joyous cowherds, he tended to the animals and brought happiness to Vraja.

‘On one occasion, they were herding the animals and wandering around on the slopes of the mountain. They played hide-and-seek. Some of them pretended to be thieves and the others pretended to be guards. O king! Some acted the role of thieves, others the role of guards and still others the role of sheep. They played there, without any fear. Maya’s son was Vyoma and he was great in his use of maya. He donned the garb of a cowherd. He stole almost all those who were in the form of sheep and many who were in the form of thieves. The great asura took them away. Having taken them away, he hurled them into a cave in the mountain and blocked the entrance with a boulder. Finally, only four or five were left. Krishna, the refuge of all those who are virtuous, got to know what he had done. While he was taking the gopas away, he seized him, the way an energetic lion seizes a wolf. The powerful one assumed his own form and it was like an Indra among mountains. But though he tried to free himself, he was incapacitated in that grasp and was unable to do so. Achyuta seized him in his arms and flung him down on the ground. While the gods in heaven looked on, he killed him, the way one kills an animal. He smashed the boulder in front of the cave and released the gopas from their hardship. Praised by the gods and the gopas, he entered his own Gokula.’

Chapter 10(38)

Shri-Shuka said, ‘The immensely intelligent Akrura spent the night in Madhu’s city. He then mounted his chariot and left for Nanda’s Gokula. Along the road, he was filled with great devotion towards the illustrious and lotus-eyed one. He thought in the following way. “What auspicious deeds have I done? What supreme austerities have I tormented myself with? What worship or donations have I done? Why will I be able to see Keshava today? I think that being able to see Uttamashloka is extremely difficult for me. It is just like a person born as a shudra, addicted to material objects, being able to chant about the brahman. But enough of this. Even a wicked person like me will be able to see Achyuta. A person who is borne along by the river of time may sometimes be able to reach the bank. Today, all that is inauspicious in me has been destroyed. My birth has yielded results. I will meditate on the illustrious one’s lotus feet, contemplated by yogis. Indeed, Kamsa has shown me a favour today. He has sent me to see Hari’s lotus feet. He has taken the form of an avatara. Earlier, using the radiance of his circle of toenails, people have crossed the darkness that is so very difficult to cross. They are worshipped by Brahma, Bhava and the other gods, the goddess Shri, the sages and the Satvatas. Using those, along with his followers, he roams around in the forest, herding the cows. They are smeared with kunkuma from the breasts of the gopis. I will certainly see his beautiful cheeks and nose, his smiling glances and his red lotus eyes. Mukunda’s face is covered with curly locks of hair. The deer are circumabulating me. ²⁴⁸ As a result of his own wishes, Vishnu has assumed a human form to reduce the burden of the earth. He is the abode of beauty and I will be able to see him today. Therefore, it is not true that my eyes will not be successful. ²⁴⁹ He is the witness of cause and effect, but he is free from ahamkara. Through his own energy, he dispels all tamas and confusion. It can be deduced that using the glances of his own maya, he fashioned the breaths of life, the senses, intelligence and the abodes ²⁵⁰ they reside in. He destroys everything that is a sin. He is extremely auspicious. His qualities, deeds and births ornament and purify the universe and confer life, and varied words describe them. However, if words do not describe them, it is held that they are like decorations on a dead body. He has descended in the lineage of the Satvatas to delight the noble immortals, who are the guardians of the ordinances he has propounded. The lord resides in Vraja and extends his fame. He is the one who brings auspiciousness to everyone and the gods sing about him. He is certainly the greatest destination and preceptor. He is loved by the three worlds and is a source of great delight to the eyes. The form that he displays is one that is desired by Shri. Since I have been witnessing extremely good omens since dawn, I will see him. I will immediately descend from my chariot. I will seek out the feet of those two lords, the foremost among beings. For the sake of their own self-realization, yogis fix their intelligences on them. I will certainly bow down before them, along with their friends and the other residents of the forest. When I prostrate myself at the base of his lotus feet, the lord will place his own lotus hand on my head. Men, who are greatly agitated by the powerful serpent that is time, seek refuge with him and he grants freedom from fear. By offering worship to him, Koushika ²⁵¹ and Bali obtained the status of being Indra over the three worlds. His touch is as fragrant as a sougandhika flower ²⁵² and, during pastimes, wipes away the exhaustion of the women of Vraja. Though I have been sent as a messenger by Kamsa, he is the one who sees everything in the universe. Therefore, Achyuta’s intelligence will not be such that he regards me as an enemy. He is the kshetrajna ²⁵³ who is inside and outside every heart. Therefore, he will glance at me with a pure vision. With hands joined in salutation, I will remain at the base of his lotus feet. He will glance at me with smiling and affectionate eyes. All my sins will instantly be destroyed. I will enjoy intense bliss and be bereft of every kind of sorrow. My divinity will think of me as the best among well-wishers and relatives. He will embrace me in his mighty arms. He will immediately make my atman like a tirtha. Consequently, all my bondage of karma will be loosened. Having obtained that physical contact with him, I will join my hands in salutation and prostrate myself. The one who is extensive in his fame will address me as Akrura. At that instant, my taking birth will become glorious. If a person is not honoured in this way, he should be ashamed of his birth. He does not love anyone, nor is anyone best among his well-wishers. There is no one whom he does not love. There is no one whom he hates, or is indifferent towards. However, the tree of the gods yields fruits to those who resort to it. In that way, as they deserve, his devotees receive reciprocal treatment. When I stand before him, hands joined in salutation, and bowed down, his elder brother, supreme among the Yadus, will smile and embrace me. Displaying all signs of respect, he will make me enter the house. He will ask about what Kamsa has done to his own relatives.” Thus, Shvaphalka’s son ²⁵⁴ thought about Krishna along the journey. O king! On his chariot, he reached Gokula when the sun was atop Mount Asta.

‘In the settlement, he saw the earth marked with the wonderful signs of the lotus, the barley, the elephant goad and other marks. These are the footprints and the unblemished dust from the feet that all the guardians of the world bow down their diadems before. On seeing this, his joy and respect was enhanced. Because of his love, his body hair stood up and tears started to flow from his eyes. He got down from the chariot and rolled around on the ground, exclaiming, “This is the dust from my lord’s feet.” This is the objective of all those who have bodies, to give up pride, fear and grief and see and hear about Hari’s signs. Because of the order, ²⁵⁵ he experienced this. He saw Krishna and Rama in Vraja. They had gone to milk the cows. They were respectively dressed in yellow and blue garments and their eyes were like autumn lotuses. They were young ²⁵⁶ and their respective complexions were dark blue and fair. They were the abodes of Shri and were mighty-armed. Their faces were excellent and they were supreme among handsome ones. Their strength and valour was like that of elephants. Their feet were marked with the signs of a standard, a vajra, an elephant goad and a lotus. With compassionate and smiling glances, those two great-souled ones beautified the area. Their pastimes were attractive and generous. They wore garlands and other garlands made out of wild flowers. They were smeared with auspicious pastes. Having bathed, they were dressed in sparkling garments. O lord of the earth! Those two foremost among beings, Bala and Keshava, were the cause behind the universe and had descended in their own portions for the sake of the world. O king! Through their own radiance, they dispelled the darkness of the directions. They were respectively like a mountain made out of emeralds and a mountain made out of silver, both encrusted in gold. Akrura quickly descended from his chariot and was flooded with love. Like a rod, he prostrated himself before the feet of Rama and Krishna. On seeing the illustrious one, he was filled with delight and there were tears in his eyes. O king! The body hair on his limbs stood up. He was so eager that he wasn’t even able to explain who he was. The illustrious one recognized him. He was devoted to the ones who loved him. Pleased, he drew him close with a hand that was marked with the sign of the chakra and embraced him. He was bowing down and the great-minded Samkarshana held his hands in his own hands. With his younger brother, he led him home. He asked about his welfare and welcomed him. He offered him an excellent seat. Observing the rites, he washed his feet and respectfully offered him madhuparka. ²⁵⁷ He offered the guest a cow and respectfully massaged him, so as to remove his exhaustion. The lord devotedly offered him food that could be offered, with many qualities. Rama knew about supreme dharma. When he had eaten, he happily gave him mouth fresheners and fragrant garlands and made other arrangements, so that he might obtain great delight. When he had been honourably treated, Nanda asked him, “O Dasharha! How have you been? How have you survived under the oppressive Kamsa? You are like sheep being maintained by a butcher. The evil assassin has killed the children of his own sister, while she shrieked. Indeed, you are his subjects. How can we even ask about your welfare?” He was thus honoured by Nanda in these extremely well-spoken words of inquiry. Akrura recovered from the exhaustion of the journey.’

Chapter 10(39)

Shri-Shuka said, ‘He was happily seated on a couch and greatly honoured by Rama and Krishna. He obtained all the wishes that he had cherished along the journey. O king! The illustrious one is Shri’s abode. If he is pleased, what can not be obtained? Therefore, those who are devoted to him do not wish for anything else. When the evening meal was over, Devaki’s illustrious son asked about how Kamsa had behaved vis-à-vis the relatives and about what he intended to do.

‘The illustrious one said, “O father! ²⁵⁸ O fortunate one! Welcome. It is good fortune that you have come. Are our relatives and kin free from physical and mental pain? However, though he goes by the name of maternal uncle, Kamsa is the disease in our family. As long as he prospers, why should we ask about the welfare of our relatives and their offspring? ²⁵⁹ Alas! Because of me, my noble parents had to undergo a lot of suffering. Because of me, their sons had to die. They were also imprisoned because of that reason. O amiable one! It is good fortune that we have seen a relative like you today. O father! Describe how this has come about. Why have you come?”’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘When the illustrious one asked, Madhava ²⁶⁰ described everything—the bond of enmity towards the Yadus and the attempt to kill Vasudeva. He conveyed the message and the reason why he had himself been sent as a messenger, about how Narada had recounted his own birth as Anakadundubhi’s son. Hearing Akrura’s words, Krishna and Bala, the slayers of enemy heroes, laughed and told their father, Nanda, about the king’s command. He ²⁶¹ commanded the gopas, “Gather all the milk products. Take gifts. Let the carts be yoked. We will leave for Madhu’s city tomorrow and give the king the milk products. We will witness the extremely great festival. The residents of the countryside are going.” In his own Gokula, Nanda gopa had such an announcement made by his governor. When the gopis heard that Akrura had come to Vraja to take Rama and Krishna to the city, they were extremely distressed. Some were tormented in their hearts and sighed, the beauty on their faces faded. For others, their garments were loosened. Their bangles were dislodged and the braids of their hair were dishevelled. Others gave up everything else that they were doing and meditated on him. Like those who have gone to the world of the atman, they did not know what was going on in this world. Others remembered Shouri’s affection and smiles. His wonderfully phrased words had touched their hearts and the women lost their senses. They thought about his extremely charming deeds, his gentle and smiling glances, the pastimes that destroyed all misery and his mighty exploits. Immersed in Achyuta and with tears in their eyes, they collectively assembled and spoke.

‘The gopis said, “Alas! O creator! There is no compassion in you. You bring embodied beings together, in friendship and love. However, before they have accomplished their objectives, you unnecessarily separate them. This pastime of yours is like a child’s game. You have shown us Mukunda’s face, framed by curly hair, with excellent cheeks and a tall nose. The slightest bit of his enchanting smile dispels all grief. You are not acting well. You are acting so that we can no longer see it. Under the name of Akrura, you are extremely cruel. ²⁶² Having given us our eyes, like an ignorant person, you are now taking them away. It is with those that we saw the beauty of all your creation, in the form of Madhu’s slayer. The affection of Nanda’s son is temporary in nature. He does not see us, though we are afflicted on his account. We gave up our homes, our own relatives, our sons and our husbands. However, he is now attached to the gopas, his new loves. The happy morning that follows this night will truly bring benedictions to the women of the city. The lord of Vraja will enter it and they will drink the intoxicating drink of smiling and sidelong glances from his face. Their speech is as sweet as honey. O women! Though Mukunda is devoted to his own, their bashful smiles will entice and confuse him. His mind will be captivated. How can he again return to village women? When they see him, it is now certain that there will be a great festival for the Dasharhas, Bhojas, Andhakas, Vrishnis and Satvatas. He is Shri’s pleasure and is a store of all the qualities. They will see Devaki’s son travel along the road. This one may be named Akrura, but he is not compassionate. He is exceedingly cruel. He is not comforting those who are extremely miserable. He is taking away the one whom we love more than everything else, from beyond our range of vision. His heart does not melt. He has ascended the chariot. These insolent gopas are also hurrying after him in their carts. The elders are indifferent. Today, destiny is working against us. Let us approach Madhava and restrain him. What can the elders of the families and the relatives do? It is impossible to tolerate separation from Mukunda for even half a nimesha. ²⁶³ Destiny has caused this separation and our hearts are distressed. O gopis! He brought us to the rasa in the assembly, with his love, pastimes, charming smiles, sweet conversation, playful glances and embraces. With him, the nights were like a kshana. How can we be separated from him? How will we cross this darkness, which is extremely difficult to surmount? When the day was over, Ananta’s friend ²⁶⁴ would enter Vraja, surrounded by the gopas. The dust from the hooves would cover his hair and his garlands. He would play on his flute and look at us with smiling and sidelong glances, captivating our minds. How can we remain without him?”’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘Severely suffering from the separation, the women of Vraja spoke in this way, their minds attached to Krishna. Casting aside all shame, they wept in loud voices. “O Govinda! O Damodara! O Madhava!” While the women were weeping in this way, the sun arose. Having performed the morning rites, Akrura urged the chariot. In their carts, Nanda and the other gopas followed him, having collected milk products in a large number of pitchers. With their minds fixed on their beloved Krishna, the gopis also followed. Then they stood there, wishing that the illustrious one should instruct them. The supreme among Yadus saw that they were tormented at his own departure. Using messengers, he lovingly comforted them, “I will return.” When he had left, the gopis stood there like figures etched on a painting, as long as the standard and the dust of his chariot could be seen. Without any hope that Govinda would return, they then retreated. To dispel their sorrow, they spent the days in singing about their beloved’s deeds.

‘O king! The chariot moved with the speed of the wind and the illustrious one, Rama and Akrura arrived at the Kalindi, the destroyer of sins. He touched and drank the sweet water, which sparkled like a jewel. Along with Rama, he went to a clump of trees and mounted the chariot. ²⁶⁵ Akrura asked them to be seated on the chariot. Taking their permission, he followed the prescribed rites and went and had a bath in a pool in the Kalindi. He immersed himself in those water and chanted the name of the eternal brahman. Akrura saw that Rama and Krishna were in front of him, together. “Anakadundubhi’s two sons were astride the chariot. How can they be here? If they are here, they cannot be on the chariot.” Thinking this, he arose from the water. However, he saw them seated there on the chariot, as they had been earlier. “When I saw the two of them in the water, wasn’t that true?” Therefore, he submerged himself again and saw the lord of the serpents ²⁶⁶ there, being praised by the Siddhas, the charanas, the gandharvas and the asuras, their heads bowed down. The god possessed one thousand heads and one thousand diademed hoods. He was dressed in a blue garment, which sparkled like a white lotus’s fibres. He was stationed there, like a white mountain. ²⁶⁷ There was another being on his lap and he was attired in yellow silk garments. He was serene and four-armed. His red eyes were like the petals of a lotus. His pleasant face was beautiful. His glance was smiling and enchanting. He possessed excellent eyebrows, a tall nose, handsome ears, excellent cheeks and red lips. His long arms were mighty. His shoulders were raised and Shri was on his chest. His neck was like a conch shell and his navel was deep. His stomach was lined, like a leaf. His hips and loins were large and his well-formed thighs were like those of an elephant. He possessed beautiful knees and calves. His raised ankles reflected the light from the cirele of his toenails, with delicate toes ²⁶⁸ and lotus feet. He was adorned with extremely expensive jewels, a diadem, bracelets, armlets, a girdle, a sacred thread, a necklace, anklets and earrings. In his hands, his resplendent form held a lotus, a conch shell, a chakra and a mace. The shrivatsa mark was on his chest, as was the radiant Koustubha gem. He wore a garland of wild flowers. Separately, with their own respective sentiments and words and with unblemished souls, he was being worshipped by his attendants, Sunanda and Nanda being the foremost, Sanaka and the others, the lords of the gods like Brahma, Rudra and the others, the nine supreme brahmanas ²⁶⁹ and Prahlada, Narada, Vasu ²⁷⁰ and other foremost ones among the illustrious one’s devotees. Divinities like Shri, Pushti, Gira, Kanti, Kirti, Tushti, Ila, Urja, Vidya, Avidya, Shakti and Maya attended upon him. ²⁷¹ On seeing this, he was greatly delighted and filled with supreme devotion. His body hair stood up in joy and, overwhelmed by the sentiments, his eyes were filled with tears. Satvata ²⁷² regained his composure and controlled himself. He joined his hands in salutation and prostrated himself. In a faltering voice, he slowly uttered words of praise.’

Chapter 10(40)

‘Akrura said, “I bow down to you. You are the cause behind all causes. You are Narayana, the original and undecaying being. Brahma appeared from the whorl of the lotus that sprouted from your navel and all the worlds emanated from him. You are the elements, space, water, fire, wind and the earth and the other, ²⁷³ Mahat, that which is not born and the other, ²⁷⁴ the mind, the senses, all the objects of the senses and all the divinities who preside over the senses. You are the cause behind the universe and everything has originated from your limbs. You are the atman and Aja ²⁷⁵ and the others do not know your true form. They have been seized by what is not the atman. Aja is bound by the gunas of that which has not been born. ²⁷⁶ He does not know your true form, which is beyond that of the gunas. Virtuous yogis worship you as the lord and great being, the one who presides over the adhidaivika, adhibhoutika and adhyatmika. ²⁷⁷ Some brahmanas follow the rituals of the three Vedas. Using the rituals of sacrifices, they worship you under many different forms and names. The learned worship you alone through the yajna of knowledge, as the personified form of jnana. They give up all kinds of rites. When these cease, they obtain you. There are others who follow the injunctions enunciated by you. ²⁷⁸ They cleanse themselves and are absorbed in you, conceiving of you as the one who has one form, but manifests himself in many different forms. There are others who accept you in Shiva’s form, following the path spoken about by Shiva. They worship the illustrious one in this form, following the different modes stated by many kinds of preceptors. In this way, all of them worship you, since you are the lord who is in all the gods. O lord! This is despite their minds being on others and they being devoted to other gods. O lord! The rivers are generated from the mountains and are filled up by rain. However, all of them enter the ocean. Like that, all the paths end with you. Sattva, rajas and tamas result from the gunas of your Prakriti. Beginning with Brahma and ending with immobile objects, everything is woven into the warf and woof of Prakriti. I bow down before you. Your vision is not attached. You are in all atmans. You are the one who witnesses all kinds of intelligence. You used ignorance to create this flow of gunas that flows through gods, humans and inferior species. The fire is your mouth. Your feet are the earth. The sun is your eye. The sky is your navel. The directions are your ears. Heaven is your head. The Indras among the gods are your arms. The oceans are your stomach. The wind has been thought of as your breath of life and strength. The trees and plants are your body hair. The clouds are the hair on your head. The mountains are the supreme one’s bones and nails. The blinking of your eye constitutes night and day. Prajapati is your genital organ and the rain is your semen. You are the undecaying Purusha, the atman. You created the worlds, with many kinds of creatures, and the protectors of these worlds. You can be fathomed through the mind. They are in you, just as aquatic creatures exist in water and insects exist in udumbara fruit. For the sake of your pastimes, you manifest yourself in different kinds of forms. Using those, you cleanse impurities from people and delighted, they sing about your fame. I bow down to the original cause. In the form of a fish, you swam around in the ocean of destruction. I bow down to Hayashirsha and to the slayer of Madhu and Kaitabha. I bow down to the giant tortoise that held Mandara up. I bow down to the one who assumed the form of a boar and playfully raised up the earth. I bow down to the one who assumed the extraordinary form of a lion ²⁷⁹ to dispel the fears of virtuous people in the world. I bow down to the dwarf form who strode across the three worlds. I bow down to the lord of the Bhrigus, ²⁸⁰ who severed the forest of insolent kshatriyas. I bow down before the noble Raghu, who brought an end to Ravana. I bow down to Vasudeva. I bow down to Samkarshana. I bow down to Pradyumna and Aniruddha, the lords of the Satvatas. I bow down to the pure Buddha, who will confound daityas and danavas. I bow down to the one who will assume the form of Kalki to destroy kshatriyas who will be almost like mlechchhas. ²⁸¹ O illustrious one! This world of the living is bewildered by your maya. Grasped by notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, people are whirled around, along the path of karma. O lord! I am also foolish and roam around. I, my sons, my home, my wife, my wealth, my relatives and other things are actually as unreal as a dream, but my intelligence takes them to be real. Obsessed with objects that are temporary, my mind follows a contrary path and creates difficulties for me. I am immersed in the opposite pair of sentiments and do not know that you are the one who my atman loves the most. Because water is covered by weeds, an ignorant person ignores it and chases after a mirage. In that way, I have turned away from you. My intelligence is wretched. My mind is agitated by kama and karma. I cannot check it and am dragged here and there by the powerful senses. Therefore, I have approached your lotus feet, which are extremely difficult for the wicked to approach. O lord! However, I think that because of the compassion you will show me, I can approach them. O one with a lotus in your navel! When a man’s mind turns towards the service of virtuous ones, perhaps he deserves to be freed from the cycle of samsara. I bow down before the one who is the embodiment of vijnana, the cause behind all kinds of comprehension. You are Purusha. You are the lord. You are the foremost. You are the brahman. You are infinite in your powers. I bow down to Vasudeva, the refuge of all creatures. O Hrishikesha! O lord! I have surrendered myself to you. Save me.”’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘While he was being praised, the illustrious Krishna, who had displayed his form in the water, withdrew it, just as an actor ends his performance. When he ²⁸² saw the form had vanished, he quickly arose from the water. He was amazed. He finished the necessary rites and returned to the chariot. Hrishikesha asked him, “Did you see anything extraordinary in the sky, on land, or in the water? It seems to us that you did.” Akrura replied, “You are the atman of the universe. Everything extraordinary in the sky, on land, or in the water exists in you. When I have seen you, what have I not seen? O brahman! Everything extraordinary in the sky, on land, or in the water is in you. How can I have seen anything extraordinary?” Saying this, Gandini’s son ²⁸³ urged the chariot and at the end of the day, along with Rama and Krishna, reached Mathura. O king! People from the villages assembled along the path. With delight, they glanced at the two sons of Vasudeva and could not withdraw their eyes. Nanda gopa and the other residents of Vraja reached ahead of them. Having reached the city, they waited at a nearby grove for them. The illustrious one, the lord of the universe, met them. As Akrura humbly bowed down, he clasped his hand in his hand. He seemed to smile as he said, “Take the vehicle and, entering before us, go home. We will get down here. After resting, we will see the city.” Akrura replied, “O lord! Without the two of you, I will not enter Mathura. O protector! O one who is devoted towards your devotees! You should not abandon me. O Adhokshaja! O best among well-wishers! Come. Let us go. Along with your elder brother, the cowherds and the well-wishers, enter the house along with the master of the house. We are householders. Purify my house with the dust of your feet. Through that purification of sins, the ancestors, the fires and the gods will be satisfied. By washing your feet, the great Bali obtained fame and unlimited prosperity. He obtained the destination meant for those who are devoted to you. The waters that emerged after bathing your feet ²⁸⁴ were cleansed and purified the three worlds. Sharva bore them on his head. By touching them, Sagara’s sons went to heaven. O god of the gods! O protector of the universe! Hearing and singing about you is sacred. You are Uttamashloka Narayana. I bow down before you.” The illustrious one said, “With my revered elder brother, I will indeed come to your house. However, I must first kill the one who hates the circle of the Yadus and bring joy to my well-wishers.” When the illustrious one said this, Akrura seemed to be disheartened. He entered the city, told Kamsa that he had accomplished the task, and went home.

‘In the late afternoon, along with Samkarshana and surrounded by the gopas, the illustrious one entered Mathura, so as to see the city. He saw the tall turrets made out of crystal, the large gates, the golden doors and arches, storehouses made out of copper and brass, the impenetrable moats, the beautiful gardens and the adornments of groves. There were golden crossroads, mansions and pleasure gardens. There were assembly halls for guilds ²⁸⁵ and other decorated houses. The panels on the windows, the platforms and floors were encrusted with lapis lazuli, crystal, sapphire, coral, pearls and emeralds. Doves and peacocks joyously called, perched on the openings in the windows. The streets, shopping places and quadrangles were sprinkled with water, and flowers, sprouts, parched grain and unhusked rice were strewn there. The doors to the houses were decorated with pitchers filled with curds, sandalwood, flowers, rows of lamps, and fresh sprouts. There were plantain trees and betel nut trees with bunches of fruit. There were festoons of flags. Surrounded by their friends, Vasudeva’s two sons entered via the royal road. To see them, the women of the city assembled quickly. O king! Eager to see them, some climbed on to the tops of the mansions. Some donned their garments or ornaments the wrong way round. Others forgot and wore only one ornament and not both. ²⁸⁶ Some wore only one earring on the ear, or only one anklet. Others did one eye, ²⁸⁷ but not the other. Some were eating their meals, but happily abandoned them, without finishing eating. Some did not finish their baths. Hearing the noise, they woke up from their sleep. Mothers were feeding their infants, but cast them aside. His valour was like that of a crazy Indra among elephants. The lotus-eyed one’s form is one that brings pleasure to Shri. His bold pastimes and smiling glances stole their minds and was like a festival to their eyes. Having heard about him, their hearts had already melted towards him. They saw him now and they were honoured by his smiling glances, which were like nectar. Having seen him, they mentally embraced the embodiment of bliss. O destroyer of enemies! Their body hair stood up in joy and they abandoned the infinite store of mental distress. ²⁸⁸ Their lotus faces bloomed in delight and they climbed on to the tops of the mansions. Happy, they showered down flowers on Bala and Keshava. The happy brahmanas worshipped them with curds, unbroken grain, pots filled with water, garlands, fragrances and other objects of worship. The female citizens exclaimed, “What great austerities did the gopis perform? They were able to see these two, who are like great festivals in the world of men.”

‘Gada’s elder brother ²⁸⁹ saw a washerman-cum-dyer come in their direction. On seeing him, he asked him for some clean and excellent garments. “O dear one! Please give us garments that are worthy of us. If you give us this, there is no doubt that you will obtain supreme prosperity.” The illustrious one is complete in every possible way. However, the king’s servant was extremely insolent. Thus asked, he angrily replied, “You always roam around in mountains and forests. Do you wear these kinds of garments? You have asked for objects that belong to the king. O foolish ones! Do not ask for these. If you wish to live, quickly leave. If a person is insolent, the king’s servants kill him or loot him.” When he spoke in this way, Devaki’s son became angry. Using the tips of his hands, he severed the washerman’s head from his body. All his followers abandoned the bundles of clothes they had. All of them fled along the road and Achyuta took those garments. Krishna and Samkarshana attired themselves in two pieces of cloth that appealed to them. They distributed the remainder among the gopas and flung some away on the ground. There was a weaver who cheerfully attired them in many colourful garments, with ornaments, that were worthy of them. With many kinds of ornamented garments, Krishna and Rama were radiant. Thus decorated, they resembled two young elephants during a festival, one white, the other dark. The illustrious one was pleased with him and granted him supreme prosperity and form that would be like his own. ²⁹⁰ In this world, he gave him strength, prosperity, memory and sharp senses. They then went to the house of a garland maker named Sudamna. ²⁹¹ On seeing them, he arose and lowered his head down on the ground. He brought seats for them and offered them, and their companions, padya, arghya ²⁹² and other objects of worship, garlands, betel leaves and pastes. He said, “O lord! Through your arrival, my birth has been successful and my lineage has been purified. The ancestors, the gods and the rishis are satisfied with me. The two of you are indeed the supreme cause behind everything created in this universe. For the sake of welfare and prosperity, the two of you have descended here in your portions. You are the atman of the universe. You are well-wishers who are not partial in your vision. Though you are affectionate towards those who worship you, you are impartial towards all creatures. I am your servant. Command me. What shall I do for you? If you engage a man to do something, you show a favour towards him.” O Indra among kings! Discerning their wishes, Sudama was pleased in his mind. He fashioned garlands made out of fresh and fragrant flowers and gave those to them. Thus decorated, along with their companions, Krishna and Rama were pleased. He had sought refuge with them and was bowing down before them. They granted him the best of boons. He sought the boon that he might have unwavering devotion towards the one who is the atman of everything, affection towards his devotees and supreme compassion towards all creatures. He granted him this boon and also prosperity for him and his followers, strength, lifespan, fame and beauty. With his elder brother, he then departed.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘After this, Madhava proceeded along the royal road. He saw a young woman. Her face was beautiful, but she was hunchbacked. She was carrying a vessel with various unguents for the body. As she was proceeding, the one who grants pleasure smiled and asked her. “O one with the beautiful thighs! Who are you? For whose body are these unguents meant? Tell us truthfully. Give us some of the excellent unguents meant for the body. You will then soon obtain supreme benefit.” The sairandhri ²⁹³ replied, “O handsome one! I am Kamsa’s servant-maid and he respects me because of my work with unguents. My name is Trivakra. ²⁹⁴ The lord of Bhoja loves and is attached to what I prepare. However, other than you, who deserves to have these?” She was overwhelmed at their beauty, charm, sweet smiles, conversation and glances. She gave both of them a lot of unguents. When these unguents were smeared on their bodies, they enhanced their own natural complexions. ²⁹⁵ Smeared in this way on the upper parts of their bodies, they were extremely radiant. The illustrious one was pleased with the hunchbacked Trivakra, whose face was beautiful. To demonstrate the fruits of seeing him, he made up his mind to make her straight. He pressed down on the front part of her feet with his feet. He raised his opened palm and held up her chin. In this way, Achyuta straightened her up. Through Mukunda’s touch, she instantly became an extremely beautiful woman. Her limbs became straight and beautiful. She possessed wide hips and large breasts. She thus came to have beauty, quality and nobility, and desire was generated in her. She smiled, dragged Keshava by his upper garment and said, “O brave one! Come. Let us go to my house. I cannot leave you here. O bull among men! You have agitated my mind. Please show me your favours.” Sought by the woman in this way, though Rama was looking on, Krishna glanced at the faces of the gopas. He laughed and replied, “O one with the excellent eyebrows! You are the one who destroys the mental distress of men. I will go to your house after I have accomplished my objective. You are the refuge for wayfarers like us.” Taking leave from her with these sweet words, he proceeded along the road. The merchants along the road worshipped him and his elder brother with many kinds of offerings, betel leaves, garlands and fragrances. Seeing him, the minds of the women were agitated and they could no longer control themselves. Their garments, braids of hair and bracelets were dislodged. They were like figures etched on a painting.

‘Achyuta asked the citizens where the bow was kept. He entered the place and saw the bow, which was as extraordinary as Indra’s bow. ²⁹⁶ It was supremely resplendent and was guarded by many men who were worshipping it. Though those men restrained him, Krishna forcibly seized the bow. While the men looked on, in the twinkling of an eye, he playfully raised it up in his left hand, strung it and drew it. Urukrama snapped it in the middle, just as a crazy elephant breaks a stalk of sugar cane. The sound of the bow breaking echoed in the sky, the space between heaven and earth, and in all the directions. When it filled all this up, Kamsa heard it and was terrified. The guards were enraged and wished to seize him and his companions. Those murderers exclaimed, “Let us seize them. Let us kill them.” Bala and Keshava discerned their wicked intentions. They angrily picked up the two broken parts of the bow and started to slay them. They also killed an army that had been sent by Kamsa. Emerging through the gate of the arena, they happily wandered around, looking at the riches of the city. The residents of the city witnessed their extraordinary valour, energy, boldness and beauty. They thought these two were supreme gods. As they wandered around as they willed, the sun started to set. Therefore, surrounded by the gopas, Krishna and Rama returned to the place where the carts had camped.

‘After Mukunda had left, the gopis suffered because of the separation. They had spoken about the benedictions the city of Madhu would enjoy and these came true. They saw that ornament among men, with Lakshmi ornamenting his body. Abandoning others who worshipped her, Shri sought refuge with him. After their feet had been washed, the two of them ate rice sprinkled with milk. They happily slept during the night, knowing what Kamsa desired. Kamsa heard about the breaking of the bow, the slaying of the guards and his own army and about Govinda and Rama’s supreme pastimes. The evil-minded one was scared. He remained awake for a long time and in both situations, ²⁹⁷ saw many evil portents, as if they were the messengers of death. Though he could see his own reflection, ²⁹⁸ there was no head. Though no stellar body actually possessed a mirror image, he saw them in pairs. There seemed to be holes in his shadow. He could not hear the sound of his breathing. The trees seemed to be made out of gold. He could not see his own footprints. In his sleep, he saw that he was embraced by pretas. ²⁹⁹ He was astride a vehicle drawn by donkeys and was ingesting poison. He was travelling, wearing a garland of nalada flowers. ³⁰⁰ He was naked and was smeared in oil. When he was asleep and when he was awake, he saw many other portents. He saw many other signs of death and was terrified. Because of his thoughts, he could not sleep.

‘O Kouravya! When night was over and the sun arose from the waters, Kamsa ensured that arrangements were carried out for the great festival of wrestling. The men worshipped the arena and blew on trumpets. The galleries were decorated with garlands, flags, ribbons and arches. With brahmanas and kshatriyas at the forefront, residents of the city and the countryside entered and seated themselves comfortably. Seats were earmarked for kings. Surrounded by his advisers, Kamsa seated himself in the royal gallery. Though he was seated amidst the circle of kings, his heart was trembling. The blare of trumpets was surpassed by the sound of wrestlers slapping their palms. The proud and ornamented wrestlers seated themselves, along with their instructors. Pleased and delighted by the music, Chanura, Mushtika, Kuta, Shala and Toshala entered the arena. Nanda gopa and the other gopas had been summoned by the king of the Bhojas. They offered him their gifts and seated themselves in one of the galleries.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘O scorcher of enemies! Krishna and Rama performed their ablutions. They heard the sounds of the wrestlers and the kettledrums, and approached to see what was happening. Krishna approached the gate of the arena and saw the elephant Kuvalayapida stationed there, goaded by the keeper. Shouri girded up his garments and tied his curly hair. In a voice that rumbled like the clouds, he spoke to the elephant keeper. “O elephant keeper! Without any delay, step aside and allow us to pass. O elephant keeper! If you do not do so, I will send you and your elephant to Yama’s abode.” Thus censured, the elephant keeper became angry and goaded his angry elephant, which was like Yama, the destroyer, in Krishna’s direction. The Indra among elephants rushed forwards and violently seized him in its trunk. However, he slipped out from the trunk, struck it and hid under its legs. It was angry and couldn’t see Keshava, though it could smell him. It stretched out and seized him with the tip of its trunk. However, he forcibly freed himself. He seized the extremely strong animal by the tail and dragged it twenty-five bow-lengths away, just as Suparna toys with a serpent. It moved around, to the left and to the right. However, Achyuta held on to the tail and also moved around in that way, just as a boy does with a calf. Krishna then faced the elephant and struck it with his hand. He ran and it followed. But just as it was about to touch him, at every step, he made it fall down. As he ran, he playfully fell down on the ground and instantly arose. However, thinking that he had fallen down, it angrily struck the ground with its tusks. When its own valour was countered, the Indra among elephants became extremely angry. Goaded by the drivers, ³⁰¹ it angrily rushed towards Krishna. As it was descending, the illustrious Madhusudana approached. He seized its trunk with a hand and flung it down on the ground. When it had fallen down, he pressed down on it with his foot. He played like a lion and uprooted a tusk. Hari used this to slay the elephant and its keepers.

‘He left the dead elephant there. With a tusk in his hand, he entered. The tusk was on his shoulder and he was smeared with drops of the elephant’s musth. There were drops of his perspiration. His lotus face was radiant. O king! Baladeva and Janardana were surrounded by some gopas. Holding the tusks as excellent weapons, they entered the arena. As he entered the arena with his elder brother, each one regarded him in different ways—the wrestlers as the vajra, men as the best among men, women as the personified form of the god of love, the gopas as their relative, the wicked kings as a chastiser, his parents as their child, the lord of the Bhojas as death, the ignorant as a weak competitor, the yogis as the supreme truth and the Vrishnis as the great divinity. O king! When Kamsa saw that Kuvalayapida had been killed, he thought that they were invincible and became extremely anxious. Having reached the arena, the two mighty-armed ones were resplendent. They were attired in colourful garments, ornaments and garlands. They seemed to have donned the garb of two excellent actors. The minds of those who looked at them were agitated by their dazzle.

‘O king! The residents of the city and the country, seated in the galleries, looked at those two excellent men. The outburst of joy was so overwhelming that their eyes dilated. They drank their faces in with their eyes, but were not satisfied. They seemed to drink them in with their eyes, lick them with their tongues, smell them with their noses and embrace them with their arms. They spoke to each other about what they had seen and what they had heard, his form, qualities, sweetness and bravery, as if reminding themselves. “These two are portions of the illustrious Hari Narayana himself. They have descended in Vasudeva’s house. This one was born from Devaki and was conveyed to Gokula. All this while, he has secretly resided and grown up in Nanda’s house. He conveyed Putana and the danava who was in the form of a whirlwind ³⁰² to their ends. He destroyed the two arjuna trees, the guhyaka, ³⁰³ Keshi, Dhenuka ³⁰⁴ and others like that. He freed the cows and the cowherds from the forest conflagration. He subdued the snake Kaliya and destroyed Indra’s pride. On one hand, he held up the supreme among mountains for an entire week. He saved Gokula from the showers, storms and thunder. When they looked at his smiling face, the gopis were always delighted. As they looked, they were freed from all the different kinds of torment and exhaustion. It is said that he will make the lineage of the Yadus extremely famous. Protected by him, it will obtain prosperity, fame and greatness. His elder brother is the handsome and lotus-eyed Rama. He is the one who killed Pralamba, Vatsaka, Baka and others.” ³⁰⁵ As the people spoke in this way, the trumpets were sounded. Chanura addressed Krishna and Rama in the following words. “O son of Nanda! O Rama! The two of you are respected as brave. Hearing that you were accomplished in wrestling, the king summoned you here, wishing to see for himself. Subjects who do what the king desires, in thoughts, words and deeds, obtain benefit for themselves. It is the contrary for those who do not act accordingly. It is evident that gopas and cowherds always find pleasure in wrestling, playing at such sports as they graze cattle in the forests. Therefore, let you and us do what will bring pleasure to the king. Since all creatures are in the king, all creatures will also be pleased with us.” Krishna heard these words. He himself liked to wrestle and welcomed these words. He replied in words that were appropriate to the time and the place. “Though we roam around in the forest, we are the subjects of the lord of the Bhojas. We always do what is agreeable to him. That ensures us his great favours. We are boys and we should sport with those who are our equals in strength. Let there be no adharma and let those who have assembled in this wrestling arena be not tainted by that.” Chanura replied, “You or Bala aren’t children or young boys. ³⁰⁶ You are supreme among strong ones. You playfully killed an elephant that possessed the vigour of a thousand elephants. Therefore, you will have to fight with strong ones and there will be no violation in this. O Varshneya! Exhibit your valour against me and Bala will demonstrate it against Mushtika.”’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘When it was decided in this way, the illustrious Madhusudana made up his mind. He was paired against Chanura and Rohini’s son against Mushtika. They grasped the opponent’s hands with their hands and locked their feet against the opponent’s feet. Wishing to be victorious, they powerfully tugged at the opponent. They struck each other—fists against fists, knees agains knees, heads against heads and chests against chests. Each dragged the opponent around in circles, shoved, crushed, flung him down on the ground, withdrew, attacked from the rear and countered the rival’s moves. They raised the opponent up, carried him, or remained stationary. In the process of defeating the rival, they harmed themselves. O king! All the assembled women thought the encounter was between the relatively strong and the relatively weak. Filled with compassion, they spoke to each other in groups. “This is not good policy. The members of the royal assembly have sadly followed adharma. While the king looks on, they desire this encounter between the relatively strong and the relatively weak. On one side, there are the two wrestlers, who are like Indras among mountains. All their limbs are as firm as the vajra. On the other side, there are two young boys who have not yet become adults. Their limbs are extremely delicate. It is certain that there has been a violation of dharma in this assembly. One must never remain in a place where adharma is on the rise. Thinking of the sins committed by an assembly, a wise person should not enter the assembly. Having entered, if a man does not speak, or speaks like an ignorant person, ³⁰⁷ he suffers from sin. Behold Krishna’s lotus face as he leaps around on all sides of the enemy. He is perspiring because of the exhaustion and it looks like drops of water on the whorl of a lotus. Are you not looking at Rama’s face? His eyes are coppery red. He is full of intolerance towards Mushtika, yet that rage is beautified by his smiles. The land of Vraja is indeed sacred. The ancient Purusha has hidden himself there, disguising himself in human form and wearing a colourful garland of wild flowers. Along with Bala, he has herded the cows and has made his flute vibrate, indulging in pastimes. His feet are worshipped by Shiva and Rama. ³⁰⁸ What austerities have the gopas performed? They have used their eyes to drink up his form, which constantly assumed new expressions. He is the essence of beauty and cannot be equalled or surpassed. There is nothing that can enhance his beauty. He is the only abode of fame, prosperity and opulence. This is a sight that is extremely difficult to obtain. Blessed are the women of Vraja. While milking, threshing, churning, smearing, swinging on swings, taking care of weeping infants, sprinkling, cleaning and performing other activities, their minds have been extremely attached to him and they have sung about him, with tears choking their throats. Their minds have been absorbed in Urukrama. Along with the cows, in the morning, he left Vraja and in the evening, he returned again. They could hear him play on the flute. The women quickly emerged on the road and saw his smiling face and his compassionate glances. Their store of good deeds must be great.” O bull among the Bharata lineage! While the women were conversing in this way, the illustrious Hari, the lord of yoga, made up his mind to kill his enemy. Hearing the scared words of the women, the parents, filled with affection towards their sons, were grief-stricken. Since they did not know about the strength of their sons, they suffered from remorse.

‘Using many kinds of techniques, Achyuta and his adversary fought against each other. In that way, Bala and Mushtika also fought against each other. The blows from the illustrious one’s body descended like cruel and crushing strikes of the vajra on Chanura. They shattered his limbs and he repeatedly fell unconscious. However, he got up with the speed of a hawk. He angrily struck the illustrious Vasudeva on the chest with both of his clenched hands. As a result of that blow, like an elephant that has been struck with a garland, he did not budge. Hari seized Chanura by his arms and whirled him around several times. He powerfully flung him down on the ground, so that his life began to ebb away. His garlands and garments were dishevelled, like Indra’s pole when it was brought down. ³⁰⁹ In that way, Mushtika first struck Balabhadra with his own fist. However, he received a blow from the hand and suffered severely. He trembled and, suffering, vomited blood from his mouth. He lost his life and fell down on the ground, like a tree that has been struck by a storm. O king! Rama, supreme among strikers, then faced Kuta. He playfully toyed with him and negligently killed him with a blow of his left fist. In that way, Krishna kicked at Shala’s head with the front of his foot. He did the same with Toshalaka. The heads of both were shattered and they fell down on the ground. When Chanura, Mushtika, Kuta, Shala and Toshalaka were killed, all the remaining wrestlers wished to save their lives and fled.

‘The two of them then dragged their gopa friends in ³¹⁰ and they sported together. While the trumpets blared, the two of them danced, their anklets jingling. With the exception of Kamsa, all the people were delighted at Rama and Krishna’s deed. With brahmanas at the forefront, they uttered words of praise. When the best among the wrestlers had been killed or had fled, the king of Bhoja stopped the playing of the musical instruments. He spoke these words. “Drive Vasudeva’s wicked sons away from the city. Seize the wealth of the gopas and bind up the evil-minded Nanda. Instantly kill the evil-minded Vasudeva, the worst among wicked ones. Also kill my father, Ugrasena, and all those who are on the side of the enemy.” When Kamsa boasted in this way, the undecaying one became angry. He jumped and easily leapt up on to that high gallery. ³¹¹ He ³¹² saw him enter there, like his own death. The spirited one immediately jumped up from his seat and seized a sword and a shield. With that sword in his hand he quickly moved around, to the left and to the right, like a hawk in the sky. However, his fierce strength was irresistible and he powerfully seized him, the way Tarkshya’s son seizes a serpent. He seized him by the hair and his diadem was knocked down. From that high gallery, he flung him down on to the arena. The one with the lotus in his navel is the refuge of the universe and controls himself. He flung himself down on top of him. While the world looked on, he seized him by the hair and like a lion dragging an elephant, dragged him along the ground. O Indra among men! Great sounds of lamentation were uttered by all the people. He had always been anxious and his intelligence had been focused on the lord, when he was drinking, eating, moving, sleeping and breathing. He had always seen the one with a chakra as his weapon in front of him. Therefore, he obtained a form just like him, which is so very difficult to obtain.

‘He had eight younger brothers, Kanka, Nyagrodhaka and others. They wished to repay their brother’s death. Extremely enraged, they attacked. They rushed forward with great force. Rohini’s son controlled himself. He raised a club and killed them, the way the lord of deer kills animals. Kettledrums were sounded in the firmament. Brahma, Isha and the others rejoiced and showered down flowers. The women ³¹³ praised them and danced. O great king! His wives and those of his relatives ³¹⁴ were miserable at their deaths. They approached, beating their heads and with tears in their eyes. The grieving wives embraced them, as they were lying down on a bed meant for heroes. The women lamented in loud tones and repeatedly shed tears. “Alas! O protector! O loved one! O one who knew about dharma! O compassionate and kind protector! With you slain, we, the house and the offspring have also been destroyed. O bull among men! Without you, the city has lost its lord. Like us, it is no longer radiant and the festivities and auspicious signs have ceased. You committed terrible violence against innocent creatures. That is what has reduced you to this state. How can a person who causes harm enjoy peace? He is the one behind the creation and destruction of all creatures. He is the protector too. How can a person who opposes him ever obtain happiness?” The illustrious one, the creator of all the worlds, comforted the royal women. He arranged that the funeral rites of those who had been killed should be performed. He freed his mother and father from their fetters. Krishna and Rama bowed down before them, touching their feet with their heads. Devaki and Vasudeva realized that those two were the lords of the universe and respectfully honoured them. They were scared and did not embrace their own sons.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘Purushottama discerned that his parents had got to know about his true nature. Since this should not happen, he cast his maya, which confounds people, over them. With his elder brother, the bull among the Satvatas approached his parents. He humbly bowed down and affectionately addressed them as “Father” and “Mother”, pleasing them. He said, “O father! The two of you have always been anxious about us. During infancy, boyhood and youth, we were never like sons to you. Suffering from destiny, we could not reside with you. Boys are nurtured in their father’s house and obtain great joy. The parents give birth and nourish. Even if a mortal person with a body tries through every possible means and lives for one hundred years, he cannot repay the debt that is owed to them. If a capable son does not pay this back himself, using his riches and means of subsistence, after he dies, he is made to eat his own flesh. If a capable person does not support his aged mother and father, his virtuous wife, his infant child, his preceptor, a brahmana or a person who seeks refuge, even if he breathes, he is as good as dead. We have been incapable because our minds have always been anxious about Kamsa. Since we have not been able to worship you, these days have been spent in futility. O father! O mother! You should pardon us. We were dependent on others. Since we suffered severely from the evil-hearted one, we have not been able to render you service.” Hari, the atman of the universe, used his maya to assume human form and said this. Bewildered by his words, they placed him on their laps and embraced him, immensely happy. Bound to him by bonds of affection, they sprinkled him with flows of tears. O king! Their throats choked with tears and confused, they could not say anything. Thus, Devaki’s illustrious son comforted his parents. He instated his maternal grandfather, Ugrasena, as the king of the Yadus. He said, “O great king! You should command us and the subjects. Because of the curse inflicted by Yayati, a Yadu should not be seated on a royal throne. ³¹⁵ Since I am present before you as a servant, the gods, not to speak of kings among men, will humbly bring offerings to you.” He then brought back all his kin and relatives who had fled in different directions because of their fear of Kamsa—Yadus, Vrishnis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dasharhas, Kukuras and others. They had suffered from the exile in foreign lands and he respectfully comforted them. The creator of the universe made them dwell in their own houses and satisfied them with wealth. Protected by the arms of Krishna and Samkarshana, they obtained their desires and were successful, finding pleasure in their houses. Their anxieties were removed by Krishna and Rama. Every day, they happily looked at Mukunda’s lotus face. They always rejoiced because of his handsome, compassionate and smiling glances. Even the aged ones there became young and extremely energetic. Their eyes repeatedly drank in the nectar from Mukunda’s lotus face.

‘Devaki’s illustrious son approached Nanda, along with Samkarshana. O Indra among kings! He embraced him and said, “O father! We have been affectionately nourished and loved by the two of you. Parents are more affectionate towards their sons than towards their own selves. Infant children are sometimes abandoned by their relatives because they are incapable of nurturing and protecting them. However, the real father and the real mother are those who nourish them like their own sons. O father! You should now go to Vraja. Because of affection, our relatives here have been miserable. After bestowing happiness on our well-wishers here, we will also go there.” In this way, the illustrious Achyuta comforted Nanda and the others from Vraja. He respectfully honoured them with garments, ornaments, utensils and other things. Thus addressed, Nanda embraced him. He was overwhelmed with love. His eyes were full of tears. With the gopas, he left for Vraja.

‘O king! After this, Shura’s son followed the rites and used a priest and brahmanas to undertake the dvija samskara for his two sons. ³¹⁶ As dakshina, he worshipped and gave them ³¹⁷ cows ornamented with golden necklaces and their ornamented calves, all of them covered with silken garments. At the time of the birth of Krishna and Rama, the immensely intelligent one had mentally resolved to give some. ³¹⁸ However, following adharma, Kamsa had seized these. He remembered that and gave those too. With the samskara completed, the two of them attained the status of being a dvija. They followed excellent vows. They also received the vow of gayatra from Garga, the priest of the lineage of the Yadus. ³¹⁹ Those two lords of the universe were the source of all kinds of knowledge and knew everything. No one else could have imparted this unblemished knowledge to them. However, to ensure the welfare of men, they concealed this. Therefore, desiring to reside in their preceptor’s house, they went to the one named Sandipani, who was from Kashi, but resident of Avantipura. ³²⁰ Having obtained him as a preceptor, those two self-restrained ones served him unwaveringly and with devotion, setting a yardstick. They revered him like a god. The supreme among brahmanas was satisfied with their pure sentiments and humble behaviour. The preceptor spoke to them about all the Vedas, the Vedangas, the secrets of dhanurveda, the texts of dharma, the paths of nyaya, the knowledge of logic and the six methods of political science. ³²¹ O king! Those two were supreme among the best of men. All kinds of knowledge originated with them. Therefore, they assimilated and mastered everything, when it was uttered only once. O king! They controlled themselves and in sixty-four days and nights, learnt sixty-four different arts. ³²² Having satisfied their preceptor, they wished to pay the teacher’s dakshina. O king! The brahmana realized their extraordinary greatness and their superhuman intelligence. He consulted his wife and asked for the boon that his son, who had died in the ocean in Prabhasa, might come back.

‘The two maharathas ³²³ agreed to this and mounted their chariot. Invincible in their valour, they reached Prabhasa. Having reached the shore, they sat down for a while. The ocean recognized them and respectfully brought them offerings. The illustrious one told him, “You used your giant wave to seize a child here. He is our preceptor’s son. Quickly give him back to us.” The ocean replied, “O lord! I did not take him away. It was the great daitya, Panchajana. O Krishna! That asura assumes the form of a conch shell and roams around inside the water. He is the one who has really seized him.” Hearing this, the lord quickly entered the water and killed him. However, he did not see the child inside his stomach. Taking the conch shell that had been his body, he returned to the chariot and went to Yama’s beloved city, known as Samyamani. Along with the one who wields the plough as a weapon, ³²⁴ Janardana went there and blew on the conch shell. Yama, the one who controls all subjects, heard the sound of the conch shell being blown. He worshipped them with a lot of offerings and great devotion. He humbly spoke to Krishna, who resides in the hearts of all creatures. “O Vishnu! In your pastimes, you have assumed human forms. What can I do for you?” The illustrious one said, “Because of the bondage of his own karma, our preceptor’s son was brought here. O great king! Give prime importance to my command and bring him here.” He agreed and brought the preceptor’s son there. The two supreme ones of the Yadu lineage restored him and asked their preceptor to ask for another boon. “O child! ³²⁵ You have completely fulfilled everything that must be done for a preceptor. With disciples like you, what else can a preceptor desire? O brave ones! Return to your own home. May your deeds purify everything. May you remember the hymns of the Vedas in this world and in the next one.” O child! Having taken the permission of the preceptor, they mounted the chariot, which was as swift as the wind. Thundering like a cloud, they returned to their own city. On seeing Rama and Janardana, all the people were delighted. They had not seen them for many days and were like people who had regained lost wealth.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘The foremost minister of the Vrishnis was Uddhava, Krishna’s beloved friend. He was supremely intelligent and was directly Brihaspati’s ³²⁶ disciple. On one occasion, the illustrious Hari, the refuge of all those who are afflicted, spoke to his beloved devotee in private. He held his hand in his own hand and said, “O Uddhava! O amiable one! Go to Vraja and bring pleasure to our parents. As a result of separation from me, the gopis are suffering. Convey my message and relieve them. Their minds and lives have been immersed in me. For my sake, they have given up everything connected with the body. For my sake, they have cast aside the dharma of the worlds. Therefore, I will nurture them. Though I am far away, for the women of Gokula, I am the most loved. O dear one! They remember me and are confounded. Because of the separation, they are anxious and distracted. Their minds are on me. It is because I sent them a message about my return that those cowherd women are managing, somehow or the other, with a great deal of difficulty, to remain alive.” O king! Thus addressed, Uddhava honoured the words of his master. He brought a chariot and mounted it, leaving for Nanda’s Gokula.

‘The prosperous one reached Nanda’s Vraja just as the sun was about to set. His vehicle was covered with dust from the hooves of the animals that were returning. There was the sound of excited bulls fighting with each other to have intercourse with cows that were in heat. Cows with heavy udders rushed here and there, in search of their own calves. The white calves jumped around in different directions. There was the sound of cows being milked, mixed with the notes of flutes. The place was ornamented with shining gopas and gopis, singing about the auspicious deeds of Bala and Krishna. The residences of the gopas were beautiful with fires, the sun, guests, cattle, brahmanas, ancestors and gods being worshipped with incense, lamps and garlands. There were blossoming forests in every direction, resounding with the calls of flocks of birds. The lotus ponds were decorated with swans and karandavas. ³²⁷ As soon as Krishna’s beloved companion arrived, Nanda happily embraced and worshipped him, taking him to be Vasudeva ³²⁸ himself. He ate excellent food and comfortably seated himself on a mat. His feet were massaged and other things were done to remove his exhaustion. He ³²⁹ then asked him, “O dear one! O extremely fortunate one! Is our friend, Shura’s son, ³³⁰ well? Has he been freed and is he surrounded by his well-wishers? It is good fortune that the evil Kamsa has been killed, along with his followers, because of his own sins. He has always hated the virtuous Yadus, who are devoted to dharma. Does Krishna remember us, his mother, his well-wishers, his friends and the gopas? He is the protector of Vraja. Does he remember the cows, Vrindavana and the mountain? Will Govinda return at least once, to see his own people? It is only then that we will be able to see his face, with the excellent nose and the smiling glances. We were saved from the forest conflagration, the storm, the rain, the bull ³³¹ and the snake, deadly dangers extremely difficult to cross, by the extremely great-souled Krishna. O dear one! When we remember Krishna’s valour, his pastimes, sidelong glances, smiles and conversation, all our activities become slack. When we see the rivers, mountains, forests and regions that were adorned by his feet and where he played, our minds become immersed in him. Just as Garga said, I think that Krishna and Rama are two supreme gods who have come to this world for some great purpose of the gods. As if playing, like a king of deer with animals, they killed Kamsa, who possessed the strength of ten thousand elephants, the two wrestlers and the king of elephants. Like a king of elephants with a staff, he shattered an extremely strong bow that was three talas long. ³³² With a single hand, he held the mountain up for seven days. As if he was playing, he killed Pralamba, Dhenuka, Arishta, Trinavarta, Baka and other daityas who had defeated the gods and the asuras.” Thus, with his mind devoted to Krishna, Nanda repeatedly remembered this. Extremely anxious and overwhelmed by the force of his love, he then fell silent. Yashoda heard the description of her son’s conduct. As she heard, tears flowed and the affection made milk flow from her breasts.

‘Uddhava was delighted to see the great devotion Nanda and Yashoda had towards the illustrious Krishna. Uddhava said, “O revered one! The two of you are certainly the most praiseworthy among all those who have bodies in this world. You possess this kind of attachment towards Narayana, the preceptor who created everything. These two, Rama and Mukunda, are Purusha and Pradhana. They were the seed and the womb of the universe. They are the two ancient ones, the lords of knowledge, whose signs can be detected inside all creatures. At the time of death, if a person fixes his mind on him even for an instant, his impurities and store of karma are swiftly destroyed. He obtains the complexion of the sun and full of the brahman, achieves the supreme objective. Narayana is the cause behind everything. He has assumed this mortal form for a specific purpose. You possess greatest devotion towards the great-souled one. How can there be any other good deeds left for the two of you to accomplish? Within a short period of time, Achyuta, the illustrious lord of the Satvatas, will return to Vraja to bring pleasure to his parents. Krishna told you that he would return after killing Kamsa, the enemy of all the Satvatas, in the arena and he will certainly fulfil that pledge. O immensely fortunate ones! Do not be distressed. You will see Krishna in your presence. Just as fire is hidden inside kindling, he exists in the hearts of all creatures. He is beyond attachment. There is no one whom he loves and there is no one whom he hates. He is impartial towards everyone and no one is his superior, inferior or equal. He has no mother or father, no wife, sons, or other relatives. There is no one who is his own. There is no one who is not his own. He has no body and no birth. He has no karma. For his pastimes and to protect the virtuous, he assumes birth in this world as superior, inferior and mixed species. ³³³ Though he is devoid of gunas, he assumes the sattva, rajas and tamas gunas. As part of his pastimes, he uses these gunas to create, preserve and destroy. If one is being whirled around, to the eye it seems as if the ground is revolving. In that way, it is said that because of ahamkara, one takes oneself to be the agent, though the real agent is consciousness. ³³⁴ Indeed, the illustrious Hari is not only your son. He is the lord and is the son, atman, father and mother of everyone. Nothing that has been seen, nothing that has been heard, nothing that has happened, nothing that is happening, nothing that will happen, the mobile and the immobile, the large and the small—do not exist without Achyuta. He cannot be described in words. He is the paramatman, manifested in everything.’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘O king! Nanda and Krishna’s companion conversed in this way and the night passed. The gopis awoke and lit the lamps. They worshipped the household deities and started to churn the milk. As they pulled on the ropes, the light of the lamps reflected on their shining jewels and the rows of bangles on their hands. Their hips, breasts, necklaces and earrings moved. Their cheeks glowed and their faces were red with kunkuma. The women of Vraja loudly sang about the lotus-eyed one and the sound rose up and touched the sky. This mixed with the sound of the churning, and everything inauspicious in the various directions was dispelled. When the illustrious sun rose, the residents of Vraja noticed the chariot made out of molten gold in front of Nanda’s gate. They asked, “Whom does this belong to? Has Akrura, the one who accomplished Kamsa’s task of taking away the lotus-eyed Krishna to Madhu’s city, arrived? What will he accomplish for his master now? Will he perform funeral rites for us?” While the women were speaking in this way, having finished his morning ablutions, Uddhava arrived there.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘Krishna’s companion possessed long arms and his eyes were like freshly bloomed lotuses. He was attired in yellow garments and adorned with a garland of lotuses. As a result of sparkling earrings, his lotus face was radiant. On seeing him, the women of Vraja were exceedingly surprised. “Who is this, so handsome to behold? Where has he come from? Why are his garments and ornaments like those of Achyuta?” Saying this, all of them, who had sought refuge at Uttamashloka’s feet, surrounded him. They humbly bowed down to him and honoured him well, with bashful and smiling glances and delightful words. They understood that he was carrying a message from Rama’s lord. Therefore, once he was seated, they asked him in private. “We know that you are an attendant of the Lord of Yadu. You have come here because you have been so instructed by your master, who wishes to bring pleasure to his parents. Otherwise, there is nothing in this Vraja of cattle that is worth remembering. Even for a sage, the bonds of affection towards a relative are extremely difficult to cast aside. The friendship towards others is mockery, because it is driven by a specific purpose and lasts until the objective has been accomplished. It is like the conduct of men towards women, or that of bees towards flowers. Courtesans abandon a person who possesses nothing and subjects an incompetent king. Once they have obtained the knowledge and paid the dakshina, officiating priests abandon their preceptor. When the fruit has been eaten, birds abandon a tree. Once he has eaten, a guest abandons a household. Animals abandon a forest that has been burnt down. After enjoyment, a lover abandons a devoted woman.” The words, bodies and minds of the gopis were immersed in Govinda. When Uddhava, Krishna’s messenger, arrived, they forgot about worldly norms and met him. They sang about their beloved one’s deeds. Forgetting all shame, they wept. They repeatedly remembered his infancy and childhood.

‘A gopi thought about her union with Krishna. She saw a bee and thought that it was a messenger sent by her beloved. She addressed it in the following words. The gopis ³³⁵ said, “O bee! You are the friend of someone who is deceitful. Do not touch our feet with your beard. ³³⁶ It is stained with kunkuma from his garland, when it pressed against the breasts of our rival. ³³⁷ Let the lord of Madhu show his favours to those proud women. Why has he sent a messenger like you? In an assembly of the Yadus, this will be looked upon as deceit. He confounded us by making us drink the nectar of his lips only once. After that, he immediately abandoned us, like you abandon a flower. How does Padma ³³⁸ serve his lotus feet? Indeed, she must also have lost her mind because of Uttamashloka’s conversation. O one with six legs! We are without homes. Why are you singing so much about the lord of the Yadus in front of us? This is old stuff for us. Sing about these topics before the female friends of Vijaya’s friend. ³³⁹ He is relieving the wounds in their breasts now. They will give you whatever you wish for. No woman in heaven, earth or rasatala ³⁴⁰ is unavailable to him. He is deceitful, with a beautiful smile. His eyebrows are arched. The goddess of prosperity worships the dust of his feet. Who are we? However, wretched people like us have the words about Uttamashloka on their side. Remove your head from my feet. I know you as Mukunda’s messenger. Therefore, you are learned in entreating and flattery. We gave up our husbands, children and everything else in this world. However, his mind is ungrateful and he has himself given us up. What reconciliation is possible with him? Like a hunter, he followed the dharma of a hunter and pierced the Indra among the apes. ³⁴¹ He was vanquished by a woman and disfigured a woman who desired him. ³⁴² Like a crow, he ate Bali’s offerings and thereafter, bound him up. Therefore, even though we can’t give up hearing about him, enough of friendship with that dark one. Hearing about his pastimes and deeds only once is like nectar to the ears. It cleanses and destroys the proclivities of the opposite pair of sentiments. The listeners immediately give up their homes and miserable families. Behaving like many wretched birds, they follow the practice of begging for a living. We trusted him and took his deceitful words to be true. We are like does, the wives of a black antelope, ignorant about the songs sung by a hunter. On many occasions, we have seen and felt the fierce pain of desire, caused by his nails. O messenger! Please speak about something else. O friend of my beloved! Why have you returned? Has he sent you again? O dear one! O respected one! Please ask what you wish for. O amiable one! Union with him is extremely difficult to give up. But how will you take us to his side? Shri, his consort, is always with him, right on his chest. Unfortunately, the son of the noble one ³⁴³ is now in Madhu’s city. O amiable one! Does he remember his father’s house and his friends, the gopas? Does he ever talk about us, his female servants? When will he rest his hands, fragrant with the scent of aloe, on our heads?” The gopis were anxious to see Krishna. Hearing them, Uddhava comforted them and told them about the message sent by their beloved.

‘Uddhava said, “It is certain that you have accomplished your objectives and are worshipped by the worlds. You have dedicated your minds to the illustrious Vasudeva. Devotion towards Krishna is brought about through donations, vows, austerities, oblations, chanting, studying, self-control and many other kinds of superior modes. However, your devotion towards Uttamashloka is supreme. It is through good fortune that you have obtained this devotion, which is extremely difficult for even sages to get. It is through good fortune that you gave up your sons, husbands, bodies, own relatives and houses and sought out the supreme Purusha who is known as Krishna. O immensely fortunate ones! With all your souls, you have obtained this devotion to Adhokshaja as a right, even at a time of separation. You have shown me a favour by displaying it to me. Now listen to the message sent by your beloved. It will bring you pleasure. O fortunate ones! I have come here with my master’s private message. The illustrious one said, ‘Since I am in all atmans, you can never be separated from me. Just as the elements, space, air, fire, water and the earth exist in all beings, I am present in the mind, the breath of life, the senses and the store of gunas in all beings. Through the maya of my own powers, the elements, the senses and the gunas, I use my own self to create, preserve and destroy within my own self. The atman is full of pure jnana and is distinct from the aggregation of the gunas. It can be perceived in the states of wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep, ³⁴⁴ created by maya. The objects of the senses are like what one sees in a dream. Even when one is not asleep, one thinks about them and runs after them in vain. Therefore, one should restrain the senses. The learned say that this is the objective of the traditional texts, yoga, samkhya, renunciation, austerities, self-control and truth—like rivers heading towards the ocean. I, your beloved, am now far distant from your sight. This is with the objective of attracting your minds towards me, while you desire me and meditate on me. The minds of women are such that when a beloved person is nearby, in front of their eyes, they are not as attracted to him as they are when he is far away. Since your minds are completely immersed in me and you have freed yourself from all other pursuits, since you always remember me, within a short while, you will obtain me. O fortunate ones! There were some who had to remain in Vraja. Consequently, they could not enjoy the rasa pastimes with me in the forest in the night. Nevertheless, because they thought about my valour, they will obtain me.’”’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘Thus, the women of Vraja heard the instructions of their beloved. The message revived their memories. Rejoicing, they addressed Uddhava in these words.

‘The gopis said, “It is good fortune that Kamsa, who caused injury to the Yadus, has been killed, along with his followers. It is good fortune that Achyuta has accomplished all his objectives and is now happily residing with his relatives. O amiable one! He brought us pleasure and we worshipped him with gentle and bashful smiles. Is Gada’s elder brother doing that to the women of the city now and are they casting their generous glances on him? He is accomplished in bringing pleasure and he is loved by the women of the city. Worshipped by their words and bewildering behaviour, how can he not be bound down by them? O virtuous one! In the course of conversations, does Govinda remember us? In the midst of an assembly of urban women, is he free to mention those from the village? Does he remember the nights with his beloved ones in Vrindavana, enchanting with night lotuses, jasmine and the moon? In the midst of the rasa assembly, anklets jingling on the feet, he enjoyed himself with us. There was a time when we glorified his charming accounts. Will Dasharha ever come here? Because of what he has himself done, we are tormented and grieving. Will his limbs bring us back to life, just as Indra’s showers do to the forest? But why will Krishna come here? He has won the kingdom and killed those who caused him injury. He has married the daughters of the kings. Surrounded by all his well-wishers, he is happy. The great-souled one is Shri’s lord. He is complete in himself and has accomplished all his desires. What purpose of his can be accomplished by us, who reside in the forest, or by the others? There is supreme bliss when there is no desire left. The svairini Pingala said that. ³⁴⁵ Though we know this, it is impossible to give up the hope of seeing Krishna. Who will be interested in giving up conversations with Uttamashloka? Though he does not desire her, rarely does Shri move away from his body. O lord! With Samkarshana, Krishna roamed around here, in these rivers, the mountain, the forest regions, amidst the cows and the sounds of the flute. Indeed, they repeatedly remind us about Nanda gopa’s son. The place is marked with his footprints, Shri’s refuge. We are incapable of forgetting him. His gait, his charming and generous smiles, his pastimes, his glances and his sweet words have stolen our hearts. How can we forget him? O lord! O Rama’s lord! O lord of Vraja! O destroyer of suffering! O Govinda! Gokula is submerged in an ocean of grief. Please raise us up.”’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘They were suffering from fever because of the separation, and Krishna’s message relieved them. They realized that Uddhava was no different from Adhokshaja and honoured him. ³⁴⁶ He resided there for some months, dispelling the grief of the gopis. Singing about accounts of Krishna’s pastimes, he delighted Gokula. For the residents of Vraja, the days that Uddhava lived in Vraja, speaking about Krishna, seemed to pass like an instant. ³⁴⁷ Hari’s servant found pleasure in looking at the rivers, forest, mountain, valleys and flowering trees and reminded the residents of Vraja about Krishna. He saw that the gopis were disturbed because of their complete absorption in Krishna. Uddhava was greatly delighted. He bowed down to them and said, “Among all those who possess bodies on earth, the gopa women are supreme. They have perfected their sentiments towards Govinda, who is in all atmans. This is a state desired by sages, and us, who are scared of samsara. If one does not savour the account of the infinite one, what is the point of being born as a brahmana? ³⁴⁸ These women roam around in the forest and are contaminated by their improper conduct. ³⁴⁹ But they have perfected their sentiments towards Krishna, the paramatman. The lord himself certainly confers benefit on those who worship him, even if they are ignorant, just as the king of medicines does, ³⁵⁰ even when it is unwillingly imbibed. In the festival of rasa, the necks of the women of Vraja were embraced by his arms and they obtained this great benediction. Though Shri is on his chest and is constantly associated with him, she does not obtain this favour. Nor do celestial women, whose fragrance and beauty are like those of lotuses. What need be said about others? I desire to be the shrubs, creepers and herbs of Vrindavana, since they have been touched by the dust of their feet. ³⁵¹ They gave up the noble path and their own relatives, which are so very difficult to cast aside. They worshipped Mukunda’s footprints, which the sacred texts seek to search out. The illustrious Krishna’s lotus feet are worshipped by Shri, Aja ³⁵² and the lords of yoga, who have accomplished all their desires. In the assembly of rasa, he placed them on their breasts. They embraced these and all their torments were dispelled. I repeatedly bow down to the dust on the feet of the women of Nanda’s Vraja. When they sing about Hari’s account, they purify the three worlds.” After this, Dasharha ³⁵³ took his leave of the gopis, Yashoda, Nanda and the gopas. Ready to leave, he mounted his chariot. As he emerged, Nanda and the others affectionately approached him, with many kinds of gifts in their hands. With tears in their eyes, they said, “May our minds and our deeds seek refuge at Krishna’s lotus feet. May our words utter his names. May our bodies be engaged in bowing down to him. Wherever we are whirled around in our karma, through the wishes of the lord, through our auspicious conduct and gifts, may we be attached to the lord, Krishna.” O lord of men! Uddhava was thus honoured by the gopas, who were driven by their devotion towards Krishna. He again returned to Mathura, protected by Krishna. He bowed down before Krishna and told him about the great devotion of the residents of Vraja. He gave Vasudeva, Rama and the king the gifts.’ ³⁵⁴

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘The illustrious one could see everything and was in all atmans. He knew that the sairindhri ³⁵⁵ was tormented by desire. Desiring to bring her pleasure, he went to her house. It was filled with extremely expensive furnishings. Everything that could be used to satisfy desire was there. There were strings of pearls, flags, canopies, beds and seats. It was decorated with fragrant incense, lamps, garlands and perfumes. Seeing that he was arriving, she was filled with respect and immediately stood up from her seat. With her friends, she came forward to meet Achyuta and respectfully offered him an excellent seat and other objects. As a virtuous person, Uddhava was also honoured. But having touched the seat offered, he sat down on the ground. Krishna followed the conduct observed by people and quickly entered the chamber with an extremely expensive bed. She bathed and anointed herself, attiring herself in garments and ornaments. She prepared garlands, perfumes, betel leaves and fragrant asava and approached Madhava. She glanced at him, with bashful and playful smiles. He summoned the beautiful one, who was bashful and scared because this was a new encounter. He held her by her ornamented hands and made her sit on the bed. Her only good act had been that of offering him unguents. However, he enjoyed himself with the beautiful one. Ananga had led to her breasts, chest and eyes being inflamed. But as soon as she inhaled Ananta’s feet, those wounds were healed. With both arms, she embraced her beloved one against her breasts. He was the embodiment of bliss and she gave away the torment she had suffered from for a long time. Having offered him unguents, she had obtained the lord of kaivalya, the lord who is so difficult to obtain. The unfortunate one entreated him in these words. “O beloved one! Please spend a few days with me. O lotus-eyed one! Enjoy yourself with me. I cannot bear to give up your companionship.” The one who shows honours honoured her and granted her the boon of satisfying desire. With Uddhava, the lord of everything then returned to his own prosperous residence. Vishnu, the lord of all the lords, is extremely difficult to please. Having worshipped him, only an ignorant person will ask for a boon that will please the mind, but is unreal. ³⁵⁶

‘With Uddhava and Rama, the lord Krishna then went to Akrura’s house. He desired to bring pleasure to Akrura and also wished to get a task accomplished. From a distance, he saw those best among men, his relatives, approaching. Delighted, he stood up and embraced and honoured them. He bowed down to Krishna and Rama and was honoured by them. Following the recommended rites, when they had seated themselves, he worshipped them. O king! He bathed their feet and sprinkled that water on his head. He gave them expensive garments, divine fragrances, garlands and excellent ornaments. He lowered his head down and worshipped them, taking their feet on his lap and massaging them. Bent down in humility, Akrura spoke to Krishna and Rama. “It is good fortune that you have killed the wicked Kamsa and his followers. You have saved the lineage from endless suffering and have ensured prosperity. The two of you are Pradhana and Purusha. You are the cause behind the universe and you pervade the universe. Without you, neither cause, nor effect, exists. Using your own powers, you have created this universe and have entered it. O brahman! Through hearing ³⁵⁷ and direct sight, you are perceived in many kinds of ways. The elements, earth and the others, manifest themselves as different species, mobile and immobile objects. In that way, you alone are the source of everything. You are the atman who controls himself and is manifest in diverse forms. Through your own powers and the gunas of sattva, rajas and tamas, you create, preserve and destroy the universe. But you are not bound down by gunas and karma. Your atman consists of jnana. What can cause you bondage? The body and other such restrictions are not noticed for you. The atman has no birth or differentiation. Therefore, there is no bondage or liberation for you. Perhaps we see you in that way because of our lack of discrimination, or because you desire that it should be like that. For the sake of the welfare of the universe, you expounded the ancient path of the Vedas. Whenever that path is restricted by evil heretics, you manifest yourself in your attribute of sattva. You are that lord and you have now descended in Vasudeva’s house in your portion, so as to remove the burden of the earth. You have hence slaughtered one hundred akshouhinis of kings who were the portions of others, and not of the gods. You have done this to extend the fame of the lineage. Today, our homes have indeed been filled with fortune. You are the embodied form of all the gods, ancestors, creatures and kings. The water that washes your feet purifies the three worlds. O Adhokshaja! You are the preceptor of the universe and you have entered our home today. You are affectionate towards your devotees and your words are always true. You are a well-wisher. You are grateful. Which learned person will go to anyone else for refuge? As a well-wisher, you give those who worship you everything that they want, even your own self, which never diminishes, or increases. O Janardana! It is good fortune that you are now manifest before us. This is an objective that the lords of yoga and lords among the gods find very difficult to obtain. Quickly sever the cords of affection towards sons, wives, wealth, homes, bodies and everything else. All this is the result of your maya.” The illustrious Hari was thus worshipped and praised by his devotee. He smiled and enchanted Akrura with his words. The illustrious one said, “You are our preceptor, paternal uncle and a relative who is always praised. We are like your sons, whom you protect and nurture with compassion. Immensely fortunate ones like you are supreme among those who should be worshipped and served. The gods always hanker after what brings them benefit, but virtuous ones are not driven by selfish motives. Unlike the sight of virtuous ones, tirthas with water and gods made out of earth purify after a long period of time. ³⁵⁸ You are our well-wisher. For our benefit and desiring to do benefit to the Pandavas, go to Gajasahvya ³⁵⁹ and ask how they are. When their father passed away, along with their mother, those children were extremely miserable. We have heard that the king ³⁶⁰ brought them to his own city and made them live there. The king, Ambika’s son, is inferior in intelligence and is blind. He is under the control of his wicked son and it is certain that he does not treat his brother’s sons impartially. Go and ascertain his present conduct, whether it is virtuous or wicked. When we have found out, we will act so as to bring welfare to our well-wishers.” The illustrious lord Hari told Akrura this. With Samkarshana and Uddhava, he then left for his own residence.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘He went to Hastinapura, ornamented by the fame of Indras among the Pourava lineage. He saw Ambika’s son, along with Bhishma, Vidura, Pritha, Bahlika and his son, ³⁶¹ Bharadvaja’s descendant, ³⁶² Goutama’s descendant, ³⁶³ Karna, Suyodhana, ³⁶⁴ Drona’s son, ³⁶⁵ the Pandavas and other well-wishers. Gandini’s son ³⁶⁶ met all the relatives in the proper way. He asked the well-wishers about their welfare and in turn, they asked him whether he himself was well. Desiring to find out about the king’s conduct, he lived with them for some months. He had wicked sons. His own mind was feeble and he followed the wishes of deceitful ones. ³⁶⁷ The Parthas were powerful, energetic, strong, humble and possessed excellent qualities. They were loved by the subjects and Dhritarashtra’s sons could not tolerate this. They gave them poison and committed other unworthy acts. Pritha and Vidura told him everything about all this. Pritha approached her brother Akrura, who had come. ³⁶⁸ She remembered the place where she had been born and spoke to him with tears in her eyes. “O amiable one! Do my parents and brothers remember me? What about my sisters, brother’s sons, the women and friends? My brother’s son, the illustrious Krishna, is the refuge of all those who are devoted to him. Does he remember his father’s sister? What about Rama, whose eyes are like lotus petals? I am grieving amidst my enemies, like a doe in the midst of wolves. Will he comfort me and the fatherless sons with his words? O Krishna! O great yogi! O Krishna! O atman of the universe! O creator of the universe! O Govinda! I am seeking refuge with you. Save me. I, and my children, are suffering. Men are scared of death and samsara and you are the lord who confers emancipation. With the exception of your lotus feet, I do not see any other refuge. I bow down to the pure Krishna, the brahman and the paramatman. O lord of yoga! O embodiment of yoga! I seek refuge with you.” In this way, she remembered her own relatives and Krishna, the lord of the universe. O king! Your great grandmother wept in grief. Akrura was indifferent towards joy and misery. He, and the immensely illustrious Vidura, comforted Kunti and told her the reason behind the birth of her sons.

‘The king behaved partially because of affection towards his sons. Before leaving, he ³⁶⁹ approached him when he was in the midst of his well-wishers and told him what his relatives and well-wishers ³⁷⁰ had said. Akrura said, “O son of Vichitravirya! O extender of the fame of the Kuru lineage! After your brother, Pandu, died, you have ascended to the throne. Follow dharma and protect the earth. Delight the subjects with your good conduct. If you act impartially, you will ensure your own benefit and obtain fame. However, if you act in a contrary way, you will be condemned in this world and head towards darkness. Therefore, let your conduct towards the Pandavas and your own sons be impartial. O king! In this world, one can never live permanently with anyone else. That is true of one’s own body, not to speak of wives, sons and others. Every creature is born alone and dies alone. The fruits of good deeds and wicked deeds are enjoyed alone. If a person with limited intelligence acquires wealth through adharma, this is taken away by others, who go by the false name of those who should be nurtured. ³⁷¹ This is like water being taken away from an aquatic creature. An ignorant person uses adharma to nurture his breath of life, wealth, sons and other things, taking these to be his own. But all of these abandon him and he is unsuccessful. He does not know what is good for him. Forsaken by them, he has to himself bear his sins. Withdrawing from his own dharma, his objectives remain unfulfilled and he enters blinding darkness. O king! Therefore, look upon this world as a dream, maya or unreal wishes. O lord! Use your atman to control yourself and be impartial and serene.” Dhritarashtra replied, “O Danapati! ³⁷² The words that you have spoken are beneficial and I am not satisfied with them. I am like a mortal person who has obtained amrita. O amiable one! However, these well-spoken words will not remain fixed in my heart, but are as fickle as lightning in a cloud. I am partial because of affection towards my sons. Who can shake off what the lord has determined? Which man can act in a contrary way? To remove the burden of the earth, he has now descended in the lineage of the Yadus. It is impossible to decipher his path. Using his own maya, he creates the gunas, distributes them and enters them. I bow down before the one who cannot be fathomed. Through his pastimes, he controls this wheel of samsara. He is the supreme lord and destination.” The Yadava thus ascertained the king’s intentions. Taking the permission of the well-wishers, he returned again to the city of the Yadus. O Kouravya! He told Rama and Krishna about Dhritarashtra’s behaviour towards the Pandavas. That is the reason why he had been sent.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘O bull among the Bharata lineage! Kamsa’s two queens were Asti and Prapti. When their husband was dead, they were afflicted by grief and went to their father’s house. Miserable, they told their father, Jarasandha, the king of Magadha, everything about themselves and about how they had become widows. O king! Hearing this unpleasant news, he was filled with sorrow and intolerance. He made a supreme effort to ensure that no Yadavas would be left on earth. He surrounded himself with twenty-three akshouhinis and from every direction, laid siege to Mathura, the capital of the Yadus. Krishna saw that army, which was like an ocean crossing the limits of the shoreline. It had laid siege to his own city and his own relatives were afflicted by fear. Though the illustrious Hari was the cause behind everything, for a specific purpose, he had assumed the form of a human avatara. Therefore, he thought about what would be appropriate to the time and the place. “To remove the earth’s burden, I will destroy the army that has gathered. It has been brought together by the king of Magadha and all the kings are following his command. There are many akshouhinis, consisting of foot soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants. However, since he will make efforts to raise another army again, the king of Magadha should not be killed. ³⁷³ This is the reason I assumed this avatara, to remove the earth’s burden, to protect the virtuous and to destroy the others. For the protection of dharma and to bring an end to adharma, when it becomes powerful on some occasions, I assume other bodies.” While Govinda was thinking in this way, two chariots instantly descended from the sky. They were as radiant as the sun and possessed charioteers and the requisite equipment. On their own, ancient celestial weapons appeared. Seeing these, Hrishikesha spoke to Samkarshana. “O lord! Behold the catastrophe that your own Yadus face. This chariot has arrived, with your beloved weapons. O lord! This is the reason the two of us have taken birth, to ensure benefit to the virtuous. Act so as to remove the earth’s burden, in the form of these twenty-three armies.” Having consulted in this way, the two Dasharhas armoured themselves. With their own resplendent weapons, they emerged from the city on their two chariots. They were only surrounded by a small army.

‘With Daruka as his charioteer, Hari emerged and blew on his conch shell and this made the hearts of the enemy soldiers tremble. Magadha ³⁷⁴ looked at them and said, “O Krishna! O worst among men! I do not wish to fight with you. You are a child and are alone. That would be a shame. You are evil and the slayer of relatives. You have hidden yourself. ³⁷⁵ O Rama! If you have faith and perseverance, muster those and fight. Either kill me, or give up your body, when it is shattered with my arrows, and go to heaven.” The illustrious one replied, “Those who are really brave do not boast. Instead, they exhibit their manliness. O king! We do not accept the words of those who are afflicted ³⁷⁶ and are about to die.” Jara’s son ³⁷⁷ advanced towards the two Madhavas. He surrounded them with an immensely large and powerful army, with soldiers, vehicles, standards, horses and chariots, just as the sun is covered with clouds, or a fire is covered with dust particles raised by the wind. The women of the city were positioned on the tops of houses, mansions and turrets. They could no longer see the chariots of Hari and Rama in the battle, with standards of Garuda and the palm tree. ³⁷⁸ They were afflicted by grief and lost their senses. The army of the enemy was like a mass of clouds that repeatedly showered down sharp arrows, like terrible showers of rain. Hari saw that his own soldiers were suffering as a result of this. He twanged the excellent Sharnga bow, worshipped by gods and asuras. He picked up arrows from his quiver and affixed them. He drew his bow back and released volleys of sharp arrows. Whirling the bow like a circle of fire, he incessantly slew elephants, horses and foot soldiers. With their temples shattered, elephants fell down. Their necks severed by arrows, many horses simultaneously fell down. Chariots were shattered, their horses, standards, charioteers and warriors destroyed. The arms, thighs and necks of foot soldiers were severed. The limbs of bipeds, elephants and horses were mangled and hundreds of streams of blood started to flow. The arms were like snakes. ³⁷⁹ The heads of the men were like tortoises. The slain elephants were like islands. The horses were like crocodiles. The hands and thighs were like fish. The hair of the men was like moss. The bows were like waves and the waves were like tangles of weeds. The wheels ³⁸⁰ were like terrible whirlpools. The extremely expensive and excellent ornaments were like stones and gravel. In the battle, these flows caused terror to cowards and caused delight to those who were spirited. Samkarshana, infinite in his energy, used his club to slay the indomitable enemies. O dear one! That army was protected by the Indra among the Magadhas. It was impossible to penetrate and terrible. It was like an ocean where the distant shore is impossible to reach. However, Vasudeva’s two sons conveyed it to its destruction. Those two supreme lords of the universe toyed with it. He is infinite in his qualities. Through his own pastimes, he brings about the creation, preservation and destruction of the three worlds. Therefore, it was not extraordinary that he should subjugate the enemy’s army. However, when he follows the behaviour of a mortal, this is fit to be described.

‘The immensely strong Jarasandha was without his chariot and Rama seized him, just as a lion forcibly seizes another lion. His army had been destroyed and he was the only one who was alive. He had killed his enemies in the past and was now bound up with human bonds and those of Varuna. However, Govinda still had a task that he desired to use him for. Therefore, he restrained him. ³⁸¹ He was freed by the two protectors of the worlds. Revered by brave ones, he was now ashamed. He resolved to perform austerities. But along the way, he was restrained by kings. They used words that achieve purposes of purification, as well as ordinary norms of good policy. ³⁸² “Your defeat at the hands of the Yadus is because of the bondage of your own karma.” With all his armies destroyed, the king who was Brihadratha’s son returned to Magadha. Having been slighted by the illustrious one, his mind was distressed. Mukunda had crossed the ocean that was the enemy’s army with his own forces unharmed. The residents of heaven approved of what he had done and showered down flowers. Delighted and freed from their anxiety, the residents of Mathura approached him. Sutas, magadhas ³⁸³ and bandis sang about his victory. As the two lords entered the city, there was the sound from many conch shells, kettledrums, other drums, tambourines, veenas and flutes. The women gazed fondly at him, their eyes widened with love. They showered garlands, curds, unbroken grain and tender shoots. The lord gathered the large number of riches left on the battlefield by the warriors and the ornaments of the warriors and presented these to the king of the Yadus.

‘In this way, the king of the Magadhas and his army of askhouhinis fought against the Yadus seventeen times and was defeated, since they were protected by Krishna. Because of Krishna’s energy, the Vrishnis destroyed all those armies. Though his own soldiers were destroyed, the enemy allowed the king to escape. The eighteenth encounter was about to commence. At that time, sent by Narada, the brave Yavana appeared. ³⁸⁴ He arrived and laid siege to Mathura with three crores of mlechchhas. In the world of men, he had heard that the Vrishnis were respected warriors who could fight against him. On seeing him, with Samkarshana as his aide, Krishna started to think. “From two sides, a great difficulty now presents itself before the Yadus. The Yavana has already arrived and has laid siege, with his large army. Either tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, Magadha will also come here. While we are fighting against him, Jara’s powerful son may arrive here and kill our relatives, or capture them and take them to his own city. Hence, we must now construct a fort that bipeds will find impossible to penetrate. When we have settled our relatives there, we will kill Yavana.” Having consulted in this way, the illustrious one had a wonderful city constructed.

‘Its entire circumference was twelve yojanas and it was inside the ocean. Tvashta’s ³⁸⁵ accomplished knowledge of artisanship could be seen there. The roads, quadrangles and avenues were designed in conformity with principles of vastu. ³⁸⁶ There were divine trees and creepers in the gardens and there were wonderful groves. The golden summits reached up and touched the sky. The mansions and turrets were made out of crystal. There were treasure houses and stores made out of silver and brass, ornamented with golden pots. The golden houses had jewels on top. The floors were paved with extremely expensive emeralds. The upper floors of the houses had shrines meant for the gods. It was full of people from the four varnas and there were beautiful houses for the lords of the Yadus. The great Indra gave Hari Sudharma and Parijata. ³⁸⁷ Despite being a mortal, if one dwelt here, one was no longer subject to the dharma of mortals. ³⁸⁸ Varuna gave horses that possessed the speed of thought. These were white, but each possessed one black ear. The lord of riches gave his store of eight treasures. ³⁸⁹ The guardians of the worlds presented their own riches. O king! When he descended on earth, the illustrious one had conferred various kinds of sovereignty and powers on them. They returned all these to Hari. Through his powers of yoga, Hari conveyed all the people there. Krishna advised Rama about protecting the subjects. Wearing a garland of lotuses and without any weapons, he then emerged through the city’s gate.’

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Shri-Shuka said, ‘He ³⁹⁰ saw him emerge, like the rising moon. He was beautiful to behold, dark in complexion and attired in yellow silk garments. The shrivatsa mark was on his chest and his neck was decorated with the radiant Koustubha. His arms were long and mighty and his eyes were red, like a freshly bloomed lotus. He was always cheerful. His excellent cheeks were beautiful and his smile was pure. His lotus face shone, due to the sparkling earrings in the form of makaras. ³⁹¹ “This being is indeed Vasudeva. He has the shrivatsa mark. He is four-armed and lotus-eyed. With a garland of wild flowers, he is exceedingly handsome. He displays the signs mentioned by Narada. It cannot be anyone else. However, he is without weapons and is walking on foot. Therefore, I will also not use weapons to fight with him.” Yavana decided this and ran after him, when he ³⁹² was running away, with his back towards him. He wished to seize the one whom even yogis find it extremely difficult to obtain. At every step, Hari seemed to be within the reach of his hands. He continued to show himself and led the lord of the Yavanas to a mountain cave that was far away. “You have been born in the lineage of the Yadus. It is not proper for you to flee.” Since his inauspicious deeds had not yet been exhausted, he abused him in this way and followed him. Abused in this way, the illustrious one entered a cave in a mountain. ³⁹³ He ³⁹⁴ also entered and saw another man lying down there. “After having brought me to this distant place, he is now lying down, like a virtuous person.” Taking him to be Achyuta, the foolish person struck out with his foot. He had been sleeping for a long period of time and slowly opened his eyes. He looked around in all the directions and saw him standing by his side. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! He glanced at him angrily. A fire was generated from his body and instantly reduced him to ashes.’

The king asked, ‘O brahmana! What was the name of this man, the one who destroyed Yavana? Which lineage did he belong to? What was his valour? Why did he enter a cave and sleep there?’

Shri-Shuka replied, ‘This great one was born in the lineage of the Ikshvakus and was Mandhata’s son. He was known by the name of Muchukunda. He was devoted to brahmanas and to the truth. The large number of gods, led by Indra, were scared of the asuras and requested him to protect them. He protected them for a long period of time. When they obtained Guha ³⁹⁵ as their protector, they told Muchukunda, “O king! We have been protected by you. But you can now give up this hardship. ³⁹⁶ O brave one! You gave up your kingdom in the world of men, which was free of thorns. You gave up all your wishes and protected us. Your contemporary sons, queens, relatives, advisers, ministers and subjects no longer exist. They have faced the onset of time. The illustrious and undecaying lord, in the form of time, is more powerful than the powerful. Like a herder of animals with animals, time toys with subjects. O fortunate one! Ask for a boon from us, anything but kaivalya. The undecaying and illustrious lord, Vishnu, is alone capable of bestowing that.” Thus addressed, the immensely illustrious one honoured the gods. Granted by the gods, he entered the cave and lay down there to sleep. ³⁹⁷ When Yavana was reduced to ashes, the illustrious bull among the Satvatas showed himself to the intelligent Muchukunda. He saw him, as dark as a cloud, attired in yellow silk garments. The shrivatsa mark was on his chest and he dazzled because of the radiant Koustubha. He was four-armed and beautiful, with the vaijayanti garland. His handsome face was pleasant and the earrings, shaped like makaras, were radiant. To the world of men, his affectionate and smiling glances were worth looking at. He was handsome and young. His proud gait was like that of a crazy king of deer. Though he was immensely intelligent, the king was overwhelmed by his indomitable energy. Scared, he asked gently.

‘Muchukunda asked, “You have come to this desolate cave in the mountain. Who are you? This place is full of thorns, but you are wandering around on feet that are as tender as the petals of lotuses. Are you the energy that exists in all energetic beings? Are you the illustrious fire god? Are you Surya, Soma, the great Indra, or a guardian of the world? Or are you someone else? Among the three gods among the gods, ³⁹⁸ I think that you are the bull among beings. ³⁹⁹ As if with the radiance of a lamp, you have destroyed the darkness inside this cave. O bull among men! We wish to hear. If it pleases you, please tell me truthfully about your own birth, deeds, gotra and account. O tiger among men! We are from the Ikshvaku lineage and are kshatra-bandhus. O lord! I am Youvanashva’s son and am known as Muchukunda. ⁴⁰⁰ After remaining awake for a long period of time, I was exhausted. My senses were overwhelmed by sleep. I desired to sleep in a secluded place. But just now, someone woke me up. Indeed, that person was reduced to ashes because of his wicked deed. O destroyer of enemies! After that, I noticed your glorious form. Your energy is extremely difficult to tolerate. We are incapable of looking at you for long. O immensely fortunate one! My energy has been destroyed. You deserve to be respected by all embodied beings.”’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘The illustrious one, the creator of all creatures, was thus addressed by the king. In a deep voice that rumbled like the clouds, he laughed and replied.

‘The illustrious one said, “O dear one! My births, deeds and names run into thousands. Since they are infinite, even if I try, I am incapable of enumerating them. Across many births, it may be possible to count the number of particles of dust on earth. But it is not possible to do that for my qualities, deeds, names and births. O king! The supreme rishis enumerate my births and deeds in three time periods, ⁴⁰¹ but cannot reach the end. O dear one! Nevertheless, listen to my words about the present period. In earlier times, Virinchi asked to protect dharma and destroy the asuras who were causing a burden on earth. I descended in the lineage of the Yadus, in Anakadundubhi’s house. Since I am Vasudeva’s son, I am referred to as Vasudeva. ⁴⁰² I killed Kalanemi, born as Kamsa, and Pralamba and the others who hated the virtuous. O king! I have ensured that Yavana was consumed through your fierce glance. I have come to this cave to show you my favours. I am devoted towards my devotees and, earlier, you have worshipped me a lot. O royal sage! Seek boons from me. I grant all objects of desire. Those who have satisfied me, never deserve to grieve.”’

Shri-Shuka continued, ‘Thus addressed, Muchukunda was filled with delight and bowed down to him. He remembered Garga’s words and knew him to be the god Narayana.

‘Muchukunda said, “O lord! People are confounded by your maya. Not realizing their own benefit, they do not worship you. For the sake of happiness, a man becomes attached to the home and women, which give rise to unhappiness. The state of being a human is extremely difficult to obtain. O unblemished one! Without making efforts, he obtains it and is not disfigured in his limbs. However, evil in his intelligence, he does not worship your lotus feet. Like an animal, he is blind and falls into the pit that is the home. O unvanquished one! This period spent by me has been futile. As a king, I have been intoxicated and have increased the prosperity of the kingdom. My intelligence has taken this mortal body to be the atman and I have been attached, with endless anxiety, to sons, wives, treasures and land. This body of mine is like a pot or a wall. ⁴⁰³ With exaggerated pride at being a lord among men, I have surrounded myself with chariots, elephants, horses, foot soldiers and formations. Ignoring you and extremely indomitable, I have roamed around the earth. An excessively intoxicated person thinks about what needs to be done. He lusts after material objects and his avarice increases. He ignores you and suddenly faces you. Like a hungry snake that licks its tongue and seizes a rat, you appear as a destroyer. Known as a lord of men, earlier, this body roamed around on chariots polished with gold and mad elephants. However, in the form of time, you are impossible to cross and reduce this body to what is known as excrement, worms or ashes. ⁴⁰⁴ Having wheeled around the directions and conquered them, thus having prevented any future fights, a man seats himself on a supreme throne, worshipped by kings who are his equal. O lord! In the home, he finds pleasure in sexual intercourse with women. But he is led around like a domesticated animal. He performs austerities properly and devotes himself to those tasks. He refrains from objects of desire and performs donations in the hope that he might become the king of heaven. In the process, his thirst increases and there is no happiness. O Achyuta! When the material existence ends for such a wanderer, it is only then that there is an association with virtuous people. You are the lord of the superior and the inferior. It is only after association with the virtuous that one obtains the virtuous end of one’s intelligence turning towards you. O lord! I think that you have shown me a favour by automatically severing my attachment towards the kingdom. This is what is desired by virtuous ones who worship you and by kings who rule over the entire earth, desiring the solitude of the forest. I desire nothing other than serving at your feet. O lord! Those who desire nothing crave this as a boon. O Hari! You are the one who grants emancipation. Having worshipped you, which noble person will ask for a boon that leads to the bondage of his atman? O lord! Therefore, I completely cast aside all benedictions that lead to the bonds of the gunas and of sattva, rajas and tamas. You are niranjana. ⁴⁰⁵ You are nirguna. ⁴⁰⁶ You are without duality. You are supreme. You are only knowledge. You are Purusha. I will approach you. For a very long time, I have suffered from the travails of this world and have been tormented by remorse. The six enemies ⁴⁰⁷ are never satiated and I have never obtained peace. O paramatman! I approach you and seek refuge at your lotus feet. O lord! You are freedom from fear. You are immortality. You are freedom from sorrow. I seek refuge with you. Save me.”

‘The illustrious one replied, “O universal emperor! O great king! Your intelligence is clear and without blemish. I tempted you with boons, but you did not fall prey to desire. Know that I tempted you with boons so that you did not get distracted. Those with single-minded devotion towards me are not distracted by benedictions. O king! Those who are not devotees seek to control their minds with pranayama ⁴⁰⁸ and other techniques. But it is seen that their desire is not destroyed and rises again. With your mind immersed in me, roam the earth as you will. May it always be such that your devotion towards me does not waver. You followed the dharma of kshatriyas. Through hunting and other means, you killed creatures. Therefore, controlling yourself and seeking refuge with me, perform austerities so that those sins are destroyed. O king! In your next life, you will be a supreme brahmana who is a well-wisher towards all creatures. You will only then obtain me.”’