॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ दशमोऽध्यायः ॥
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Discourse X
Śrī Kṛṣṇa's Departure to Dvārakā (Preamble)
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शौनक उवाच ।
हत्वा स्वरिक्थस्पृध आततायिनो
युधिष्ठिरो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः ।
सहानुजैः प्रत्यवरुद्धभोजनः
कथं प्रवृत्तः किमकारषीत्ततः ॥ १॥
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Śaunaka said : Having got rid of the ruffians who sought to rob him of his lawful heritage, how did Yudhiṣṭhira, the foremost of pious rulers, proceed (to rule his kingdom) with his younger brothers and what did he accomplish later, averse as he was to the gratification of his senses ? (1)
- Out of sympathy for her blind husband Gāndhārī kept her eyes blindfolded till her death ever since her marriage, an instance of wifely devotion which has no parallel in human history.
(1)
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सूत उवाच ।
वंशं कुरोर्वंशदवाग्निनिर्हृतं
संरोहयित्वा भवभावनो हरिः ।
निवेशयित्वा निजराज्य ईश्वरो
युधिष्ठिरं प्रीतमना बभूव ह ॥ २॥
निशम्य भीष्मोक्तमथाच्युतोक्तं
प्रवृत्तविज्ञानविधूतविभ्रमः ।
शशास गामिन्द्र इवाजिताश्रयः
परिध्युपान्तामनुजानुवर्तितः ॥ ३॥
कामं ववर्ष पर्जन्यः सर्वकामदुघा मही ।
सिषिचुः स्म व्रजान् गावः पयसोधस्वतीर्मुदा ॥ ४॥
नद्यः समुद्रा गिरयः सवनस्पतिवीरुधः ।
फलन्त्योषधयः सर्वाः काममन्वृतु तस्य वै ॥ ५॥
नाधयो व्याधयः क्लेशा दैवभूतात्महेतवः ।
अजातशत्रावभवन् जन्तूनां राज्ञि कर्हिचित् ॥ ६॥
उषित्वा हास्तिनपुरे मासान् कतिपयान् हरिः ।
सुहृदां च विशोकाय स्वसुश्च प्रियकाम्यया ॥ ७॥
आमन्त्र्य चाभ्यनुज्ञातः परिष्वज्याभिवाद्य तम् ।
आरुरोह रथं कैश्चित्परिष्वक्तोऽभिवादितः ॥ ८॥
सुभद्रा द्रौपदी कुन्ती विराटतनया तथा ।
गान्धारी धृतराष्ट्रश्च युयुत्सुर्गौतमो यमौ ॥ ९॥
वृकोदरश्च धौम्यश्च स्त्रियो मत्स्यसुतादयः ।
न सेहिरे विमुह्यन्तो विरहं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः ॥ १०॥
सत्सङ्गान्मुक्तदुःसङ्गो हातुं नोत्सहते बुधः ।
कीर्त्यमानं यशो यस्य सकृदाकर्ण्य रोचनम् ॥ ११॥
तस्मिन् न्यस्तधियः पार्थाः सहेरन् विरहं कथम् ।
दर्शनस्पर्शसंलापशयनासनभोजनैः ॥ १२॥
सर्वे तेऽनिमिषैरक्षैस्तमनुद्रुतचेतसः ।
वीक्षन्तः स्नेहसम्बद्धा विचेलुस्तत्र तत्र ह ॥ १३॥
न्यरुन्धन्नुद्गलद्बाष्पमौत्कण्ठ्याद्देवकीसुते ।
निर्यात्यगारान्नोऽभद्रमिति स्याद्बान्धवस्त्रियः ॥ १४॥
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Sūta continued: Having revived the race of Kuru, that had been consumed by the fire of internecine feud—even as the wild fire produced by the rubbing of bamboo stems against one another consumes a whole forest of bamboos—and established Yudhiṣṭhira on his throne, the almighty Śrī Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), the promoter of the world, rejoiced at heart. (2)
Having shaken off his infatuation by force of the wisdom that had dawned on him as a result of his hearing the teachings of Bhiṣma and the exhortation of Lord Acyuta (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), Yudhiṣṭhira ruled over the whole earth, stretching as far as the ocean, like Indra (the lord of paradise), enjoying as he did the protection of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the invincible Lord) and the loyal submission of his younger brothers. (3)
The god of rain poured down copious showers; the earth yielded all that was desired; while cows that had large udders, gladly sprinkled the stalls with milk. (4)
Rivers, seas, mountains, trees and creepers and other herbs and plants, all bore him abundant products in due season. (5)
Living beings had no worries or physical ailment nor afflictions of any kind—whether brought about by a wrathful Providence, any fellow-being or by one's own self (in the form of bodily or mental suffering) at any time whatsoever so long as Yudhiṣṭhira (who regarded none as his enemy) reigned as king. (6)
After spending some months at Hastināpura for the consolation of His friends and relatives as well as for the satisfaction of His sister (Subhadrā, wife of Arjuna), Śrī Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) asked leave of king Yudhiṣṭhira (to return home) and, permitted by him, He embraced him and bowed to him and, embraced or greeted in turn by others (those who were of the same age or younger) mounted His chariot. (7-8)
Subhadrā, Draupadi, Kuntī and Uttarā (the daughter of king Virāṭa), and even so Gāndhārī, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu (the only surviving son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, born of a Vaiśya wife), Kṛpācārya (born in the line of the sage Gotama), Nakula and Sahadeva (the twin-born half-brothers of Yudhiṣṭhira), Bhimasena and Dhaumya, and Satyavati (Bhiṣma's stepmother) and other ladies almost fainted (with sorrow), unable to bear separation from the Lord (who wielded the Śārṅga bow). (9-10)
A wise man, who has abjured evil company through the fellowship of saints cannot even afford to forgo the privilege of listening to His sweet praises being sung by others, having once had the opportunity to hear them. (11)
How, then, could the Pāṇḍavas (the sons of Pṛthā) bear separation from the Lord, on whom they had bestowed their mind and heart, having had the privilege not only of seeing Him (at close quarters), touching His person and conversing with Him, but also of reposing, sitting and dining with Him ? (12)
Regarding Him with unwinking eyes, bound as they were by ties of affection to Him, they all hurried to and fro (to fetch parting presents for Him), their heart running after Him. (13)
As Śrī Kṛṣṇa (son of Devakī) was about to depart from the palace, the ladies who were bound to Him by ties of kinship restrained their tears of affection from trickling down, anxious as they were lest any harm might come to Him (through such shedding of tears, which is regarded as unpropitious at the time of parting from a beloved friend or relation). (14) (2-14)
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मृदङ्गशङ्खभेर्यश्च वीणापणवगोमुखाः ।
धुन्धुर्यानकघण्टाद्या नेदुर्दुन्दुभयस्तथा ॥ १५॥
प्रासादशिखरारूढाः कुरुनार्यो दिदृक्षया ।
ववृषुः कुसुमैः कृष्णं प्रेमव्रीडास्मितेक्षणाः ॥ १६॥
सितातपत्रं जग्राह मुक्तादामविभूषितम् ।
रत्नदण्डं गुडाकेशः प्रियः प्रियतमस्य ह ॥ १७॥
उद्धवः सात्यकिश्चैव व्यजने परमाद्भुते ।
विकीर्यमाणः कुसुमै रेजे मधुपतिः पथि ॥ १८॥
अश्रूयन्ताशिषः सत्यास्तत्र तत्र द्विजेरिताः ।
नानुरूपानुरूपाश्च निर्गुणस्य गुणात्मनः ॥ १९॥
अन्योन्यमासीत्सञ्जल्प उत्तमश्लोकचेतसाम् ।
कौरवेन्द्रपुरस्त्रीणां सर्वश्रुतिमनोहरः ॥ २०॥
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Tabors, conchs, kettledrums, lutes, cymbals, trumpets, Dhundhuris, drums, gongs and other musical instruments sounded, as also Dundubhis (another type of big drums). (15)
Going up to the top of their mansions in order to have a look at Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the ladies of the Kuru race rained flowers on Him, greeting Him with smiling looks through mingled feeling of affection and bashfulness. (16)
The thick-haired Arjuna, the favourite of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, held over his most beloved friend His white umbrella which was bordered with strings of pearls and had a handle of precious stones; while Uddhava and Sātyaki held a pair of most wonderful chowries. Greeted with showers of flowers on the way, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Lord of the Madhus) shone brilliantly. (17-18)
Everywhere were heard true benedictions pronounced by the Brāhmaṇas, which were unsuited to the Lord as viewed in His unqualified (absolute) aspect but were quite appropriate to Him in His qualified or personal form. (19)
Then began a talk which ravished the ears and hearts of all, among the women of Hastināpura (the capital of the Lord of the Kurus), who had rivetted their heart on Śrī Kṛṣṇa of excellent renown :—(20) (15-20)
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स वै किलायं पुरुषः पुरातनो
य एक आसीदविशेष आत्मनि ।
अग्रे गुणेभ्यो जगदात्मनीश्वरे
निमीलितात्मन् निशि सुप्तशक्तिषु ॥ २१॥
स एव भूयो निजवीर्यचोदितां
स्वजीवमायां प्रकृतिं सिसृक्षतीम् ।
अनामरूपात्मनि रूपनामनी
विधित्समानोऽनुससार शास्त्रकृत् ॥ २२॥
स वा अयं यत्पदमत्र सूरयो
जितेन्द्रिया निर्जितमातरिश्वनः ।
पश्यन्ति भक्त्युत्कलितामलात्मना
नन्वेष सत्त्वं परिमार्ष्टुमर्हति ॥ २३॥
स वा अयं सख्यनुगीतसत्कथो
वेदेषु गुह्येषु च गुह्यवादिभिः ।
य एक ईशो जगदात्मलीलया
सृजत्यवत्यत्ति न तत्र सज्जते ॥ २४॥
यदा ह्यधर्मेण तमोधियो नृपा
जीवन्ति तत्रैष हि सत्त्वतः किल ।
धत्ते भगं सत्यमृतं दयां यशो
भवाय रूपाणि दधद्युगे युगे ॥ २५॥
अहो अलं श्लाघ्यतमं यदोः कुल-
महो अलं पुण्यतमं मधोर्वनम् ।
यदेष पुंसामृषभः श्रियः पतिः
स्वजन्मना चङ्क्रमणेन चाञ्चति ॥ २६॥
अहो बत स्वर्यशसस्तिरस्करी
कुशस्थली पुण्ययशस्करी भुवः ।
पश्यन्ति नित्यं यदनुग्रहेषितं
स्मितावलोकं स्वपतिं स्म यत्प्रजाः ॥ २७॥
नूनं व्रतस्नानहुतादिनेश्वरः
समर्चितो ह्यस्य गृहीतपाणिभिः ।
पिबन्ति याः सख्यधरामृतं मुहु-
र्व्रजस्त्रियःसम्मुमुहुर्यदाशयाः ॥ २८॥
या वीर्यशुल्केन हृताः स्वयंवरे
प्रमथ्य चैद्यप्रमुखान् हि शुष्मिणः ।
प्रद्युम्नसाम्बाम्बसुतादयोऽपरा
याश्चाहृता भौमवधे सहस्रशः ॥ २९॥
एताः परं स्त्रीत्वमपास्तपेशलं
निरस्तशौचं बत साधु कुर्वते ।
यासां गृहात्पुष्करलोचनः पति-
र्न जात्वपैत्याहृतिभिर्हृदि स्पृशन् ॥ ३०॥
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"Verily He is the same eternal Person, who abides in His singular undifferentiated Self even during the night of universal dissolution prior to the manifestation of the three Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti), when the individual souls retire into God, the Universal Spirit, and when all the forces of creation (the Mahat and its evolutes) too lie dormant (in the Unmanifest). (21)
It was He who with the intention of endowing with a form and name the Spirit, who has neither, then inspired His Prakṛti—which deludes the Jīvas, who are identical in essence with Him and which, impelled by His own energy (the Time-Spirit), is disposed to create—and revealed the Vedas and other scriptures. (22)
Indeed, He is the same Supreme Spirit whose reality in this world is perceived by seers who have subdued their senses and fully controlled their breath, with a mind yearning for His sight and cleansed of all impurities through Devotion; for it is He alone who can thoroughly cleanse our heart (which cannot be so purified by any other means, such as Yoga etc.). (23)
Again, O friend, He is the same supreme Lord, whose sacred stories have been sung again and again in the Vedas and other esoteric scriptures by seers (like Maharṣi Vyāsa) that have expounded profound truths, and who in His own sportful ways creates, maintains and reabsorbs the universe all by Himself (without any material), and yet does not set attached to the same. (24)
Whenever kings whose intellect is clouded by Tamas (ignorance) live by unrighteousness, verily it is He who by recourse to the quality of pure Sattva (goodness) reveals in Himself the divine attributes of omnipotence etc., as well as truthfulness, righteousness, compassion and superhuman activity, and assumes various forms from age to age for the good of the world. (25)
Oh, how supremely praiseworthy is the race of Yadu, that has been honoured by this Supreme Person, the Lord of Śrī (the goddess of prosperity), through His descent therein. And oh! how supremely sacred is the forest associated with the name of the demon Madhu (the area of Vraja near about the city of Mathurā) that has been graced by Him through His ramblings. (26)
Ah! the city of Kuśasthali (Dwārakā) overshadows the fame of heaven and brings merit and renown to the earth (by its association); for the people of that city always behold their Lord (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) casting His smiling looks on them whenever He graciously moves out of His palace. (27)
Surely God Almighty (who is no other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa) must have been thoroughly propitiated (in some previous birth) through fasts, ablutions (in sacred waters) oblations to the sacred fire etc., by the ladies whose hand has been espoused by Him, in that they constantly drink. O friend, the nectar from His lips, the very thought of which maddened the women of Vraja. (28)
Oh! how blessed are His eight principal consorts, Rukmiṇī (who gave birth to Pradyumna), Jāmbavatī (the mother of Sāmba) and Nāgnājitī (who bore Āmba) and so on—who were carried off as prizes of valour at an assembly of suitors after vanquishing powerful princes like Śīśupāla (the king of the Cedis), and those others who were brought in thousands after slaying the demon Naraka (the son of goddess Earth). (29)
These women have brought sanctity to and exalted womanhood, which has not been allowed freedom and is wanting in purity, inasmuch as their lotus-eyed lord, who ever delight their heart by His charming behaviours and loving presents (like the celestial tree of Pārijāta etc.) and never moves out of their mansions even for a moment." (30) (21-30)
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एवंविधा गदन्तीनां स गिरः पुरयोषिताम् ।
निरीक्षणेनाभिनन्दन् सस्मितेन ययौ हरिः ॥ ३१॥
अजातशत्रुः पृतनां गोपीथाय मधुद्विषः ।
परेभ्यः शङ्कितः स्नेहात्प्रायुङ्क्त चतुरङ्गिणीम् ॥ ३२॥
अथ दूरागतान् शौरिः कौरवान् विरहातुरान् ।
सन्निवर्त्य दृढं स्निग्धान् प्रायात्स्वनगरीं प्रियैः ॥ ३३॥
कुरुजाङ्गलपाञ्चालान् शूरसेनान् सयामुनान् ।
ब्रह्मावर्तं कुरुक्षेत्रं मत्स्यान् सारस्वतानथ ॥ ३४॥
मरुधन्वमतिक्रम्य सौवीराभीरयोः परान् ।
आनर्तान् भार्गवोपागाच्छ्रान्तवाहो मनाग् विभुः ॥ ३५॥
तत्र तत्र ह तत्रत्यैर्हरिः प्रत्युद्यतार्हणः ।
सायं भेजे दिशं पश्चाद्गविष्ठो गां गतस्तदा ॥ ३६॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
प्रथमस्कन्धे श्रीकृष्णद्वारकागमनं नाम दशमोऽध्यायः ॥ १.१०॥
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While the womenfolk of Hastināpura were uttering such words, Śrī Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) went His way, greeting them by His smiling looks. (31)
Apprehending danger from His foes, king Yudhiṣṭhira despatched out of sheer affection an army consisting of all the four limbs, (viz., elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers) to serve as an escort for Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Slayer of the demon Madhu). (32)
Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the grandson of Śūrasena) now sent back the Pāṇḍavas (the descendants of Kuru), who being strongly attached to Him had come very far, distressed at the thought of separation from Him. He then departed for His own city (Dwārakā) with His favourite companions (Uddhava, Sātyaki and others). (33)
Passing through the territories of Kuru-Jāṅgala, Pañcāla and Śūrasena (Mathurā) and the tract stretching along the banks of the Yamunā, as well as Brahmāvarta and Kurukṣetra, the kingdoms of Matsya and Sāraswata (the territory stretching along the banks of the Saraswati) and Marudhanwa, the Lord reached the kingdom of Ānarta (Gujarat), lying beyond the principalities of Sauvīra and Ābhīra, O Śaunaka, His horses being a bit exhausted by that time. (34-35)
In every part of the country He passed through, the people residing there honoured Śrī Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) with presents (of various kinds). At dusk He would alight from His car and, repairing to some lake, say His Sandhyā prayers. (36)
Thus ends the tenth discourse entitled "Śrī Kṛṣṇa's Return to Dwārakā", forming part of the story relating to the Naimiṣa forest, in Book One of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahāṃsa-Sarhhitā. (31-36)
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