S'rî
S'uka said: 'Asti
and Prâpti, the two queens of Kamsa, o hero of the
Bhâratas, unhappy that their husband had been killed,
went distressed to their father's house.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: When Kamsa was killed, O heroic
descendant of Bharata, his two queens, Asti and
Prâpti, went to their father's house in great
distress. (Vedabase)
Text
2
Their
father, the king of Magadha named Jarâsandha, they told
all about the cause of their widowhood.
The
sorrowful queens told their father, King Jarâsandha of
Magadha, all about how they had become widows.
(Vedabase)
Text
3
He hearing
those bad tidings, full of sorrow and indignation o King,
embarked upon the extreme endeavor of ridding the earth of the
Yâdavas.
Hearing
this odious news, O King, Jarâsandha was filled with
sorrow and anger, and he began the greatest possible
endeavor to rid the earth of the Yâdavas.
(Vedabase)
Text
4
With
twenty-three akshauhinîs
amassed he around Mathurâ to besiege the royal capital of
the Yadus on all sides.
With
a force of twenty-three akshauhinî divisions, he laid
siege to the Yadu capital, Mathurâ, on all sides.
(Vedabase)
Text5-6:
When
Krishna, the Supreme Lord Hari, saw how by his force, like an
ocean having overflowed its boundaries, His city lay under
siege and His subjects were confounded of fear, considered He
as the Ultimate Cause in a Human Form what to the purpose of
His descend into this world would be right to the time and
place:
Although
Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the
original cause of this world, when He descended to the earth
He played the role of a human being. Thus when He saw
Jarâsandha's assembled army surrounding His city like
a great ocean overflowing its shores, and when He saw how
this army was striking fear into His subjects, the Lord
considered what His suitable response should be according to
the time, place and specific purpose of His current
incarnation. (Vedabase)
Text
7-8:
'For
sure I will annihilate his army, this burden on earth gathered
by the king of Magadha in which he brought together all who
subservient assumed leadership and now can be counted in
akshauhinîs of infantry, cavalry, chariotry and
elephantry; Jarâsandha however, I should spare so that he
again will try to assemble an army.
[The
Supreme Lord thought:] Since it is such a burden on the
earth, I will destroy Jarâsandha's army, consisting of
akshauhinîs of foot soldiers, horses, chariots
and elephants, which the King of Magadha has assembled from
all subservient kings and brought together here. But
Jarâsandha himself should not be killed, since in the
future he will certainly assemble another army.
(Vedabase)
Text
9
This
is the purpose of My descend: that from this earth the burden
is removed, that the saintly are fully protected and that those
who wage in opposition are killed.
This
is the purpose of My present incarnation - to relieve the
earth of its burden, protect the pious and kill the impious.
(Vedabase)
Text
10
Also other
bodies are by Me assumed for the protection of the dharma as
soon as after a certain period of time injustice predominates
[see also 2.7
and B.G. 4:
7].'
I
also assume other bodies to protect religion and to end
irreligion whenever it flourishes in the course of time.
(Vedabase)
Text
11
While
meditating in this manner appeared the very instant from the
sky [from Vaikunthha] two chariots with an effulgence
like the sun complete with drivers and
equipment.
[S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî continued:] As Lord Govinda was
thinking in this way, two chariots as effulgent as the sun
suddenly descended from the sky. They were complete with
drivers and equipment. (Vedabase)
Text
12
So did also on
their own accord the Lord His weapons ancient and divine, and
seeing them said the Lord of the Senses to
Sankarshana:
The
Lord's eternal divine weapons also appeared before Him
spontaneously. Seeing these, S'rî Krishna, Lord of the
senses, addressed Lord Sankarshana. (Vedabase)
Text
13-14
'Please take
notice, o Respected One, of this imminent danger for the Yadus
who are protected by You Prabhu, and of this chariot that has
arrived with Your favorite weapons. For this purpose indeed
have We been born: to act o Lord, to the benefit of the
saintly; so please remove now the burden of these twenty-three
armies from this earth.'
[The
Supreme Lord said:] My respected elder brother, see this
danger which has beset Your dependents, the Yadus! And see,
dear master, how Your personal chariot and favorite weapons
have come before You. The purpose for which We have taken
birth, My Lord, is to secure the welfare of Our devotees.
Please now remove from the earth the burden of these
twenty-three armies. (Vedabase)
Text
15
Thus inviting
Him did the two descendants of Das'ârha, in armor
resplendent with their weapons, depart from the city in their
chariots accompanied by a very small contingent.
After
Lord Krishna had thus invited His brother, the two
Dâs'ârhas, Krishna and Balarâma, wearing
armor and displaying Their resplendent weapons, drove out of
the city in Their chariots. Only a very small contingent of
soldiers accompanied Them. (Vedabase)
Text
16
As
the Supreme Personality with Dâruka at the reins
appeared, blew He His conchshell which caused the hearts of the
enemy soldiers to tremble in terror.
As
Lord Krishna came out of the city with Dâruka at the
reins of His chariot, He blew His conchshell, and the enemy
soldiers' hearts began to tremble with fear.
(Vedabase)
Text
17
Jarâsandha
looked at the two of Them and said: 'Krishna You worst of
persons, I do not desire to contest with You, a boy only,
hiding in shame! With a fool like You I won't fight, get lost
You murderer of relatives!
Jarâsandha
looked at the two of Them and said: O Krishna, lowest of
men! I do not wish to fight alone with You, since it would
be a shame to fight with a mere boy. You fool who keep
Yourself hidden, O murderer of Your relatives, go away! I
will not fight with You. (Vedabase)
.
Text
18
And if You,
Râma, have the guts to fight, then muster the courage;
either You drop Your body cut by my arrows and go to heaven or
You kill me!'
You,
Râma, should gather Your courage and fight with me, if
You think You can do it. You may either give up Your body
when it is cut to pieces by my arrows, and thus attain to
heaven, or else kill me. (Vedabase)
Text
19
The Supreme
Lord said: 'Truly, heroes don't have to vaunt, they simply show
their prowess; how can We take the words serious, o King, of a
man who with his death impending is delirious?'
The
Supreme Lord said: Real heroes do not simply boast but
rather show their prowess in action. We cannot take
seriously the words of one who is full of anxiety and who
wants to die. (Vedabase)
Text
20
S'rî
S'uka said: 'The son of Jarâ, with his gigantic number of
mighty forces then marched forward to the two descendants of
Madhu, who were then surrounded by the soldiers, chariots,
flags, horses and charioteers like the wind covers the sun with
clouds or a fire with dust.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Just as the wind covers the sun
with clouds or a fire with dust, the son of Jarâ
marched toward the two descendants of Madhu and with his
huge assemblage of armies surrounded Them and Their
soldiers, chariots, flags, horses and charioteers.
(Vedabase)
Text
21
When Hari's and
Râma's two chariot banners marked by the palm tree and
Garuda could not be seen anymore in the battle, did the women
of the city positioned in the watchtowers, palaces and
gateways, swoon stricken by grief.
The
women stood in the watchtowers, palaces and high gates of
the city. When they could no longer see Krishna's and
Balarâma's chariots, identified by banners marked with
the emblems of Garuda and a palm tree, they were struck with
grief and fainted. (Vedabase)
Text
22
When
the Lord saw how His army was harassed by the savage clouds of
arrows the enemy forces repeatedly rained upon Them, twanged He
who is worshiped by Sura and Asura, S'ârnga, His most
excellent bow.
Seeing
His army tormented by the relentless and savage rain of
arrows from the massive opposing forces gathered like clouds
about Him, Lord Hari twanged His excellent bow,
S'ârnga, which both gods and demons worship.
(Vedabase)
Text
23
From His quiver
then fixing, pulling back and releasing floods of sharp arrows,
stroke He, like a burning torch whirled around, the chariots,
elephants, horses and foot soldiers
relentlessly.
Lord
Krishna took arrows from His quiver, fixed them on the
bowstring, pulled back, and released endless torrents of
sharp shafts, which struck the enemy's chariots, elephants,
horses and infantrymen. The Lord shooting His arrows
resembled a blazing circle of fire. (Vedabase)
Text
24
Elephants fell
with their foreheads split open, many a horse of the cavalry
and the chariots simultaneously had their necks and flags
severed by the arrows and the charioteers, their masters and
the foot soldiers had their arms, legs and shoulders
cut.
Elephants
fell to the ground, their foreheads split open, cavalry
horses fell with severed necks, chariots fell with their
horses, flags, drivers and masters all shattered, and foot
soldiers collapsed with severed arms, thighs and shoulders.
(Vedabase)
Text
25-28
Of the limbs of
the two-legged ones, the elephants and the horses being cut,
flowed the blood in hundreds of streams that were filled with
arms looking like snakes, people's heads that were like
turtles, dead elephants like islands and dead horses like
crocodiles. Replete with hands and thighs as fish, human hair
like waterweeds, bows like waves and weapons as separate bushes
were the chariot wheels like frightening whirlpools and the
precious gems and fine jewelry as the stones and gravel.
Terrifying to the timid and inspiring the intelligent with joy,
stroke Sankarshana, with His unbounded potency, one after the
other His furious enemies down with His plow. Those troops
supervised by the king of Magadha for destruction, my dear,
that were unfathomable, frightening and insurmountably
limitless like the ocean, were for the Lords of the Universe,
the two sons of Vasudeva, not more than a
plaything.
On
the battlefield, hundreds of rivers of blood flowed from the
limbs of the humans, elephants and horses who had been cut
to pieces. In these rivers arms resembled snakes; human
heads, turtles; dead elephants, islands; and dead horses,
crocodiles. Hands and thighs appeared like fish, human hair
like waterweeds, bows like waves, and various weapons like
clumps of bushes. The rivers of blood teemed with all of
these. Chariot
wheels looked like terrifying whirlpools, and precious gems
and ornaments resembled stones and gravel in the rushing red
rivers, which aroused fear in the timid, joy in the wise.
With the blows of His plow weapon the immeasurably powerful
Lord Balarâma destroyed Magadhendra's military force.
And though this force was as unfathomable and fearsome as an
impassable ocean, for the two sons of Vasudeva, the Lords of
the universe, the battle was hardly more than play.
(Vedabase)
Text
29
It
is not at all surprising when He, of Unlimited Qualities, who
effects the maintenance, creation and annihilation of the three
worlds, subdues an opposing party, but nevertheless is it
[in response to philosophers who proclaim His being
unconcerned] described as a game of His in imitation of the
human ways.
For
Him who orchestrates the creation, maintenance and
destruction of the three worlds and who possesses unlimited
spiritual qualities, it is hardly amazing that He subdues an
opposing party. Still, when the Lord does so, imitating
human behavior, sages glorify His acts. (Vedabase)
Text
30
The so very
strong Jarâsandha, whose army had been destroyed and who,
deprived of his chariot, was left with his breath only, was
seized by Râma as forcibly as one lion would seize
another lion.
Jarâsandha,
with his chariot lost and all his soldiers dead, was left
with only his breath. At that point Lord Balarâma
forcibly seized the powerful warrior, just as one lion takes
hold of another. (Vedabase)
Text
31
But, in the
process of tying up, with the ropes of Varuna [compare
5.24:
23] and of
normal man, him who had killed so many adversaries, was He
checked by Govinda for He needed him to serve another
purpose.
With
the divine noose of Varuna and other, mortal ropes,
Balarâma began tying up Jarâsandha, who had
killed so many foes. But Lord Govinda still had a purpose to
fulfill through Jarâsandha, and thus He asked
Balarâma to stop. (Vedabase)
Text
32-33
He, honored by
heroes, was ashamed to be released by the two Lords of the
Universe and thought of performing austerities, but was in his
resolve half way home stopped by the rest of the royalty who
explained to him in clear terms, in meaningful words as also
with practical arguments: 'This being defeated by the Yadus has
accrued because of your own karmic bondage'.
Jarâsandha,
whom fighters had highly honored, was ashamed after being
released by the two Lords of the universe, and thus he
decided to undergo penances. On the road, however, several
kings convinced him with both spiritual wisdom and mundane
arguments that he should give up his idea of
self-abnegation. They told him, "Your defeat by the Yadus
was simply the unavoidable reaction of your past karma."
(Vedabase)
Text
34
The son of
Brihadratha
with all his soldiers killed and left alone by the Supreme
Lord, then arrived depressed back in Magadha.
All
of his armies having been killed, and himself neglected by
the Personality of Godhead, King Jarâsandha, son of
Brihadratha, then sadly returned to the kingdom of the
Magadhas. (Vedabase)
Text
35-36
Mukunda
with His forces unbroken having crossed the ocean of the armies
of His enemy, was showered with flowers by the servants of the
three worlds in praise. Being met by the people of
Mathurâ, who with their fever allayed felt great joy, was
His glory sung by bards, heralds and
panegyrists.
Lord
Mukunda had crossed the ocean of His enemy's armies with His
own military force completely intact. He received
congratulations from the denizens of heaven, who showered
Him with flowers. The people of Mathurâ, relieved of
their feverish anxiety and filled with joy, came out to meet
Him as professional bards, heralds and panegyrists sang in
praise of His victory. (Vedabase)
Text
37-38
As
He entered the city with its sprinkled roads and many a banner,
resounded conchshells, kettledrums, drums and horns all
together with vinâs, flutes and mridangas [two-sided
devotional drums] and chanted the elated citizens loudly
vedic verses at the festively decorated
gateways.
As
the Lord entered His city, conchshells and kettledrums
sounded, and many drums, horns, vînâs, flutes
and mridangas played in concert. The boulevards were
sprinkled with water, there were banners everywhere, and the
gateways were decorated for the celebration. The citizens
were elated, and the city resounded with the chanting of
Vedic hymns. (Vedabase)
Text
39
With
eyes wide open full of love gazing affectionately covered the
women Him with flowergarlands, yogurt, parched rice and
sprouts.
As
the women of the city affectionately looked at the Lord,
their eyes wide open with love, they scattered flower
garlands, yogurt, parched rice and newly grown sprouts upon
Him. (Vedabase)
Text
40
The
countless valuables of the heroes fallen on the battlefield
were by the Lord all together presented to the king of the
Yadus [Ugrasena].
Lord
Krishna then presented to the Yadu king all the wealth that
had fallen on the battlefield - namely, the countless
ornaments of the dead warriors. (Vedabase)
Text
41
And
so it happened this way seventeen times that the king of
Magadha with his akshauhinîs fought the Yadus who
were protected by Krishna's military strength.
Seventeen
times the King of Magadha met defeat in this very way. And
yet throughout these defeats he fought on with his
akshauhinî divisions against the forces of the Yadu
dynasty who were protected by S'rî Krishna.
(Vedabase)
Text
42
The Vrishnis by
the power of Krishna entirely destroyed the king his force:
every time his soldiers were dead, was he deserted and went he
away again.
By
the power of Lord Krishna, the Vrishnis would invariably
annihilate all of Jarâsandha's forces, and when all
his soldiers had been killed, the King, released by his
enemies, would again go away. (Vedabase)
Text
43
Just
as the eighteenth battle was about to take place appeared a
foreign fighter [Kâlayavana] sent by
Nârada.
Just
as the eighteenth battle was about to take place, a
barbarian warrior named Kâlayavana, sent by
Nârada, appeared on the battlefield. (Vedabase)
Text
44
Having
heard about the Vrishnis arrived he there with three crores of
barbarians [mlecchas]
and besieged he Mathurâ, as he among the human beings had
found no one to match him.
Arriving
at Mathurâ, this Yavana laid siege to the city with
thirty million barbarian soldiers. He had never found a
human rival worth fighting, but he had heard that the
Vrishnis were his equals. (Vedabase)
Text
45
Seeing
him thought Krishna with Sankarshana His helper: 'Ah, from two
sides; a great problem indeed has risen for the
Yadus!
When
Lord Krishna and Lord Sankarshana saw Kâlayavana,
Krishna thought about the situation and said, "Ah, a great
danger now threatens the Yadus from two sides.
(Vedabase)
Text
46
This
Yavana opposing us today is of the same great strength as
Jarâsandha, who will also get here either today, tomorrow
or the day after tomorrow.
"This
Yavana is besieging us already, and the mighty King of
Magadha will soon arrive here, if not today then tomorrow or
the next day. (Vedabase)
Text
47
While
the two of Us are fighting with him will the son of Jarâ,
when he comes, kill our relatives or else move them to his own
stronghold.
"If
powerful Jarâsandha comes while We two are busy
fighting Kâlayavana, Jarâsandha may kill Our
relatives or else take them away to his capital.
(Vedabase)
Text
48
Let's
therefore today kill the barbarians and build us, for our
intimates to settle there, a fortress impenetrable to the
two-legged.'
"Therefore
We will immediately construct a fortress that no human force
can penetrate. Let Us settle our family members there and
then kill the barbarian king." (Vedabase)
Text
49
The
Supreme Lord thus deliberating arranged for a fortress twelve
yojanas [around] within the sea where He had a
city [called Dvârakâ or 'many-gated', see also
1:
11]
containing all kinds of wonders.
After
thus discussing the matter with Balarâma, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead had a fortress twelve yojanas in
circumference built within the sea. Inside that fort He had
a city built containing all kinds of wonderful things.
(Vedabase)
Text
50-53
Within
it could the science of the architecture of Tvashthâ
[Vis'vakarmâ] be admired who with his expertise
constructed the main avenues, courtyards and service roads to
the ample plots of land. It contained splendid gardens and
parks with the trees and creepers of the godly and gateways
made of quartz with upper levels that with turrets of gold
touched the sky. The service buildings with silver and brass
were decorated with pots of gold, had jeweled rooftops and the
houses had floors with precious emeralds. The households
occupied by the four varnas
of people had temples housing their presiding deities and were
constructed with watchtowers; and most beautiful with it were
the residences of the Yadu godhead.
In
the construction of that city could be seen the full
scientific knowledge and architectural skill of
Vis'vakarmâ. There were wide avenues, commercial roads
and courtyards laid out on ample plots of land; there were
splendid parks, and also gardens stocked with trees and
creepers from the heavenly planets. The gateway towers were
topped with golden turrets touching the sky, and their upper
levels were fashioned of crystal quartz. The gold-covered
houses were adorned in front with golden pots and on top
with jeweled roofs, and their floors were inlaid with
precious emeralds. Beside the houses stood treasury
buildings, warehouses, and stables for fine horses, all
built of silver and brass. Each residence had a watchtower,
and also a temple for its household deity. Filled with
citizens of all four social orders, the city was especially
beautified by the palaces of S'rî Krishna, the Lord of
the Yadus. (Vedabase)
Text
54
Lord
Indra delivered to the Lord the pârijâta
[coral-]tree as also the Sudharmâ-hall ['good
law'] situated in which a mortal is not affected by the
laws of mortality.
Lord
Indra brought S'rî Krishna the Sudharmâ assembly
hall, standing within which a mortal man is not subject to
the laws of mortality. Indra also gave the
pârijâta tree. (Vedabase)
Text
55
Varuna
delivered horses swift as the wind that were colored white and
exclusively dark-grey; the treasurer of the godly delivered the
eight mystic treasures [see nidhi]
and each of the local rulers brought in their own
opulences.
Lord
Varuna offered horses as swift as the mind, some of which
were pure dark-blue, others white. The treasurer of the
demigods, Kuvera, gave his eight mystic treasures, and the
rulers of various planets each presented their own
opulences. (Vedabase)
Text
56
Whatever
powers of control the Supreme Lord had given as their own
perfections were all offered back to Krishna, now He had come
to earth.
The
Supreme Lord having come to the earth, O King, these
demigods now offered Him whatever powers of control He had
previously delegated to them for the exercise of their
particular authority. (Vedabase)
Text
57
Krishna
after bringing over there by the power of His yoga all His
subjects [*],
then on the advise of Balarâma, the protector of the
citizens, unarmed went out of the city gate, wearing a garland
of lotus flowers.'
After
transporting all His subjects to the new city by the power
of His mystic Yogamâyâ, Lord Krishna consulted
with Lord Balarâma, who had remained in Mathurâ
to protect it. Then, wearing a garland of lotuses but
bearing no weapons, Lord Krishna went out of Mathurâ
by its main gate. (Vedabase)
*
S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî to this quotes
the following verses from S'rî Padma Purâna,
Uttara-khanda: "In the middle of the night, as the citizens
of Mathurâ slept, Lord Janârdana suddenly removed
them from that city and placed them in Dvârakâ.
When the men awoke, they were all amazed to find themselves,
their children and their wives sitting inside palaces made of
gold."