॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः ॥
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Discourse XIV
King Yudhiṣṭhira grows apprehensive at the sight of evil omens and Arjuna returns from Dwārakā (Preamble)
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सूत उवाच ।
सम्प्रस्थिते द्वारकायां जिष्णौ बन्धुदिदृक्षया ।
ज्ञातुं च पुण्यश्लोकस्य कृष्णस्य च विचेष्टितम् ॥ १॥
व्यतीताः कतिचिन्मासास्तदा नायात्ततोऽर्जुनः ।
ददर्श घोररूपाणि निमित्तानि कुरूद्वहः ॥ २॥
कालस्य च गतिं रौद्रां विपर्यस्तर्तुधर्मिणः ।
पापीयसीं नृणां वार्तां क्रोधलोभानृतात्मनाम् ॥ ३॥
जिह्मप्रायं व्यवहृतं शाठ्यमिश्रं च सौहृदम् ।
पितृमातृसुहृद्भ्रातृदम्पतीनां च कल्कनम् ॥ ४॥
निमित्तान्यत्यरिष्टानि काले त्वनुगते नृणाम् ।
लोभाद्यधर्मप्रकृतिं दृष्ट्वोवाचानुजं नृपः ॥ ५॥
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Sūta continued: Arjuna had left for Dwārakā in order to see his relations (Śrī Kṛṣṇa and others) and to know the doings of Śrī Kṛṣṇa of sacred renown. (1)
He, however, did not return from that place even though many months had elapsed. In the meantime Yudhiṣṭhira, the illustrious scion of Kuru, saw portents of a fearful nature. (2)
Time had taken a dreadful turn, (as was clear from the fact that) the characteristics of the seasons had totally changed. People had taken to sinful ways of living, their heart possessed with anger, greed and falsehood. (3)
Their dealings had become crooked; even friendship was marred by deceitfulness; there were quarrels between parents and sons, relations and relations, brothers and brothers, and even between husbands and wives. (4)
At the approach of the Kali age the nature of individuals was vitiated by evils like greed and so on, while omens boding the worst type of calamity appeared (in the cosmic nature). Witnessing all this, king Yudhiṣṭhira spoke to his younger brother (Bhīma) as follows : (5) (1-5)
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युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
सम्प्रेषितो द्वारकायां जिष्णुर्बन्धुदिदृक्षया ।
ज्ञातुं च पुण्यश्लोकस्य कृष्णस्य च विचेष्टितम् ॥ ६॥
गताः सप्ताधुना मासा भीमसेन तवानुजः ।
नायाति कस्य वा हेतोर्नाहं वेदेदमञ्जसा ॥ ७॥
अपि देवर्षिणाऽऽदिष्टः स कालोऽयमुपस्थितः ।
यदाऽऽत्मनोऽङ्गमाक्रीडं भगवानुत्सिसृक्षति ॥ ८॥
यस्मान्नः सम्पदो राज्यं दाराः प्राणाः कुलं प्रजाः ।
आसन् सपत्नविजयो लोकाश्च यदनुग्रहात् ॥ ९॥
पश्योत्पातान् नरव्याघ्र दिव्यान् भौमान् सदैहिकान् ।
दारुणान् शंसतोऽदूराद्भयं नो बुद्धिमोहनम् ॥ १०॥
ऊर्वक्षिबाहवो मह्यं स्फुरन्त्यङ्ग पुनः पुनः ।
वेपथुश्चापि हृदये आराद्दास्यन्ति विप्रियम् ॥ ११॥
शिवैषोद्यन्तमादित्यमभिरौत्यनलानना ।
मामङ्ग सारमेयोऽयमभिरेभत्यभीरुवत् ॥ १२॥
शस्ताः कुर्वन्ति मां सव्यं दक्षिणं पशवोऽपरे ।
वाहांश्च पुरुषव्याघ्र लक्षये रुदतो मम ॥ १३॥
मृत्युदूतः कपोतोऽयमुलूकः कम्पयन् मनः ।
प्रत्युलूकश्च कुह्वानैरनिद्रौ शून्यमिच्छतः ॥ १४॥
धूम्रा दिशः परिधयः कम्पते भूः सहाद्रिभिः ।
निर्घातश्च महांस्तात साकं च स्तनयित्नुभिः ॥ १५॥
वायुर्वाति खरस्पर्शो रजसा विसृजंस्तमः ।
असृग्वर्षन्ति जलदा बीभत्समिव सर्वतः ॥ १६॥
सूर्यं हतप्रभं पश्य ग्रहमर्दं मिथो दिवि ।
ससङ्कुलैर्भूतगणैर्ज्वलिते इव रोदसी ॥ १७॥
नद्यो नदाश्च क्षुभिताः सरांसि च मनांसि च ।
न ज्वलत्यग्निराज्येन कालोऽयं किं विधास्यति ॥ १८॥
न पिबन्ति स्तनं वत्सा न दुह्यन्ति च मातरः ।
रुदन्त्यश्रुमुखा गावो न हृष्यन्त्यृषभा व्रजे ॥ १९॥
दैवतानि रुदन्तीव स्विद्यन्ति ह्युच्चलन्ति च ।
इमे जनपदा ग्रामाः पुरोद्यानाकराश्रमाः ।
भ्रष्टश्रियो निरानन्दाः किमघं दर्शयन्ति नः ॥ २०॥
मन्य एतैर्महोत्पातैर्नूनं भगवतः पदैः ।
अनन्यपुरुषश्रीभिर्हीना भूर्हतसौभगा ॥ २१॥
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Yudhiṣṭhira said : "Arjuna was sent to Dwārakā to see our relations (Śrī Kṛṣṇa and others) as well as to find out what Śrī Kṛṣṇa of sacred renown was doing. (6)
Although seven months have since elapsed, O Bhīmasena, I do not quite understand why your younger brother has not yet returned. (7)
May it not be that the time predicted by the celestial sage has arrived, when the Lord intends to cast off the form assumed by Him for the sake of sport—the Lord to whose grace we owe our fortune, our kingdom, our spouses, our life, the continuance of our race, our progeny, our victory over the enemies and our title to the higher worlds. (8-9)
Observe the fearful portents, O tiger among men, in the heavens as well as on the earth as also in our own person, boding some calamity near at hand, that will distract our mind. (10)
My left thigh, left eye and left arm, dear brother, are throbbing again and again and my heart quakes every now and then: all these will surely bring some unhappy news. (11)
Lo! the she-jackal, vomiting fire, howls at the rising sun and this dog, dear Bhīma, fearlessly bays at me. (12)
Good animals (such as the cow) pass by to my left, while other (inauspicious) animals (as the donkey etc.) turn to my right. Nay, I see my horses weeping, O tiger among men. (13)
This dove, the harbinger of death, as well as the owl and its enemy, the crow, keeping awake all the night, make my heart shudder with their horrible cries and would have the world converted into a desert. (14)
The quarters look smoky; the orbs of the sun and the moon appear with a misty halo encircling them; the earth with the mountains quakes (every now and then); and there are frequent thunder-claps accompanied by violent lightning-strokes, dear brother. (15)
The wind blows very hard, spreading darkness with dust; the clouds rain blood, thus creating a ghastly scene everywhere. (16)
Look at the sun, which has lost its brilliance, and the planets contending against one another in the heavens. The heaven and the earth seem to be set on fire due to multitudes of ghosts and other creatures congregating here and there. (17)
Streams and big rivers no less than lakes and minds (of the people) are (all) agitated. The fire does not burn (even) with clarified butter. I wonder what surprise is this (fateful) time going to spring on us? (18)
Calves refuse to suck the udders and their mother do not allow themselves to be milked. Cows weep, tears trickling down their faces; while bulls too do not rejoice with the herd. (19)
The images of gods appear to weep; nay, they perspire and move from their seats. These outlying districts and villages, cities and gardens, mines and hermitages look cheerless and robbed of their splendour. (God knows) what evil they portend for us. (20)
From these grave forebodings I am led to believe that the earth has undoubtedly lost its charm, having been deprived (of the touch) of the Lord's feet, that possess a grace (graceful marks of a thunderbolt etc.) unknown to the feet of any other person." (21) (6-21)
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इति चिन्तयतस्तस्य दृष्टारिष्टेन चेतसा ।
राज्ञः प्रत्यागमद्ब्रह्मन् यदुपुर्याः कपिध्वजः ॥ २२॥
तं पादयोर्निपतितमयथापूर्वमातुरम् ।
अधोवदनमब्बिन्दून् सृजन्तं नयनाब्जयोः ॥ २३॥
विलोक्योद्विग्नहृदयो विच्छायमनुजं नृपः ।
पृच्छति स्म सुहृन्मध्ये संस्मरन् नारदेरितम् ॥ २४॥
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As the king was thus expressing his concern with a heart full of anxiety at the sight of these portentous phenomena, O Śaunaka, Arjuna (whose banner was emblazoned with the figure of a monkey) returned from Dwārakā (the capital of the Yadus). (22)
Seeing his younger brother fallen at his feet with a strange look about him, lacklustre and ill at ease, his face cast down and tears trickling down from his lotus-like eyes, the king felt anxious at heart and questioned him in the midst of his other kinsmen, recalling the words of Nārada. (23-24) (22-24)
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युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
कच्चिदानर्तपुर्यां नः स्वजनाः सुखमासते ।
मधुभोजदशार्हार्हसात्वतान्धकवृष्णयः ॥ २५॥
शूरो मातामहः कच्चित्स्वस्त्यास्ते वाथ मारिषः ।
मातुलः सानुजः कच्चित्कुशल्यानकदुन्दुभिः ॥ २६॥
सप्त स्वसारस्तत्पत्न्यो मातुलान्यः सहात्मजाः ।
आसते सस्नुषाः क्षेमं देवकीप्रमुखाः स्वयम् ॥ २७॥
कच्चिद्राजाऽऽहुको जीवत्यसत्पुत्रोऽस्य चानुजः ।
हृदीकः ससुतोऽक्रूरो जयन्तगदसारणाः ॥ २८॥
आसते कुशलं कच्चिद्ये च शत्रुजिदादयः ।
कच्चिदास्ते सुखं रामो भगवान् सात्वतां प्रभुः ॥ २९॥
प्रद्युम्नः सर्ववृष्णीनां सुखमास्ते महारथः ।
गम्भीररयोऽनिरुद्धो वर्धते भगवानुत ॥ ३०॥
सुषेणश्चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बो जाम्बवतीसुतः ।
अन्ये च कार्ष्णिप्रवराः सपुत्रा ऋषभादयः ॥ ३१॥
तथैवानुचराः शौरेः श्रुतदेवोद्धवादयः ।
सुनन्दनन्दशीर्षण्या ये चान्ये सात्वतर्षभाः ॥ ३२॥
अपि स्वस्त्यासते सर्वे रामकृष्णभुजाश्रयाः ।
अपि स्मरन्ति कुशलमस्माकं बद्धसौहृदाः ॥ ३३॥
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Yudhiṣṭhira said : "Are our relations, the Madhus, the Bhojas, the Daśārhas, the Arhas, the Sātvatas, the Andhakas and the Vṛṣṇis, happy in Dwārakā (the capital of the Ānartas)?" (25)
Is my revered maternal grandfather, Śūra (Śūrasena) doing well ? And are our maternal uncles, Ānakadundubhi (Vasudeva) and his younger brother, enjoying good health ? (26)
Again, are our maternal aunts, the seven wives of Vasudeva, Devakī and others, who are related to one another as sisters, quite hale themselves as also their sons and daughters-in-law ? (27)
Does king Āhuka (Ugrasena, the father of Devakī), whose son (Kāṁsa) was notorious for his wickedness, and his younger brother (Devaka), still alive ? And are Hṛdika and his son (Kṛtavarmā), Akrūra (a cousin of Vasudeva), Jayanta, Gada and Sāraṇa (Śrī Kṛṣṇa's brothers) as well as Śātrujit and others faring well ? And is the divine Śrī Rāma (Balarāma), the Lord of the Sātvatas (Yādavas), happy ? (28-29)
Is Pradyumna (Śrī Kṛṣṇa's eldest son), the greatest warrior among all the Vṛṣṇis, well ? And is the divine Aniruddha (Pradyumna's son) of marvellous dash (on the field of battle) prospering ? (30)
Suṣeṇa and Cārudeṣṇa (two of the ten sons of Rukmiṇī, of whom Pradyumna was the eldest) and Sāmba born of Jāmbavati, and all the other great sons of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, including Rṣabha, as also their sons, and even so Śrutadeva, Uddhava and the other attendants of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and other principle Sātvatas (Yādavas)—Sunanda and Nanda being the chief of them—are all these doing well, protected by the arms of Śrī Rāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa ? Do they ever enquire after our welfare, bound as they are by ties of affection to us ? (31—33) (25-33)
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भगवानपि गोविन्दो ब्रह्मण्यो भक्तवत्सलः ।
कच्चित्पुरे सुधर्मायां सुखमास्ते सुहृद्वृतः ॥ ३४॥
मङ्गलाय च लोकानां क्षेमाय च भवाय च ।
आस्ते यदुकुलाम्भोधावाद्योऽनन्तसखः पुमान् ॥ ३५॥
यद्बाहुदण्डगुप्तायां स्वपुर्यां यदवोऽर्चिताः ।
क्रीडन्ति परमानन्दं महापौरुषिका इव ॥ ३६॥
यत्पादशुश्रूषणमुख्यकर्मणा
सत्यादयो द्व्यष्टसहस्रयोषितः ।
निर्जित्य सङ्ख्ये त्रिदशांस्तदाशिषो
हरन्ति वज्रायुधवल्लभोचिताः ॥ ३७॥
यद्बाहुदण्डाभ्युदयानुजीविनो
यदुप्रवीरा ह्यकुतोभया मुहुः ।
अधिक्रमन्त्यङ्घ्रिभिराहृतां बला-
त्सभां सुधर्मां सुरसत्तमोचिताम् ॥ ३८॥
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"And is Lord Govinda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), a friend of the Brāhmaṇas and full of affection for His devotees, happy in His famous council-chamber, Sudharmā, at His own capital, in the midst of His kith and kin ? (34)
It is for the protection and prosperity and well-being of all the worlds that the Prime Person (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) is living in the milk ocean of the Yādava race with His constant companion, Lord Ananta (Śrī Balarāma). (35)
Respected by all, the Yādus revel, like the attendants of Lord Viṣṇu, in their own city (of Dwārakā), protected by His long arms. (36)
By virtue of their service to His feet, which they regard as their foremost duty, Satyabhāmā and the other sixteen thousand and odd spouses of the Lord prevailed on the latter to conquer gods on the field of battle and carried by force the objects of sense-enjoyment (such as the celestial Pārijāta tree) sought by the gods themselves and fit to be enjoyed by goddess Śaci (the spouse of Indra, the wielder of a thunderbolt). (37)
Nay, the great Yādava warriors, who depend on the might of His stout arms, always fearlessly tread the council-chamber, known by the name of Sudharmā, which was snatched by force (from Indra) and was worthy of the foremost gods." (38) (34-38)
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कच्चित्तेऽनामयं तात भ्रष्टतेजा विभासि मे ।
अलब्धमानोऽवज्ञातः किं वा तात चिरोषितः ॥ ३९॥
कच्चिन्नाभिहतोऽभावैः शब्दादिभिरमङ्गलैः ।
न दत्तमुक्तमर्थिभ्य आशया यत्प्रतिश्रुतम् ॥ ४०॥
कच्चित्त्वं ब्राह्मणं बालं गां वृद्धं रोगिणं स्त्रियम् ।
शरणोपसृतं सत्त्वं नात्याक्षीः शरणप्रदः ॥ ४१॥
कच्चित्त्वं नागमोऽगम्यां गम्यां वाऽसत्कृतां स्त्रियम् । (वासत्कृतां)
पराजितो वाथ भवान् नोत्तमैर्नासमैः पथि ॥ ४२॥
अपि स्वित्पर्यभुङ्क्थास्त्वं सम्भोज्यान् वृद्धबालकान् ।
जुगुप्सितं कर्म किञ्चित्कृतवान् न यदक्षमम् ॥ ४३॥
कच्चित्प्रेष्ठतमेनाथ हृदयेनात्मबन्धुना ।
शून्योऽस्मि रहितो नित्यं मन्यसे तेऽन्यथा न रुक् ॥ ४४॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
प्रथमस्कन्धे युधिष्ठिरवितर्को नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः ॥ १.१४॥
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"Are you enjoying good health yourself, dear Arjuna? You seem to have lost the brightness of your countenance. Did you fail to receive proper attention or were you ever treated with disrespect during your prolonged stay (at Dwārakā), dear brother? (39)
I hope no one tormented you with words etc., devoid of love and full of inauspicious import. Did you ever fail to grant the prayer of suppliants who approached you with some hope or to give something which you might have promised of your own accord? (40)
I hope you never turned away any Brāhmaṇa, child, cow, aged or ailing man, any woman or any creature whatsoever that might have approached you for protection, noted as you are for affording shelter (to the needy). (41)
I am sure you never shared the bed with a woman unworthy of you nor did you copulate flippantly with a woman worthy of you. I further hope that you were not vanquished, while on your way back, by your equals nor by your inferiors. (42)
Did you ever take your meals ignoring the aged or children deserving to be fed? Or did you perpetrate any loathsome act which was unbecoming of you? (43)
Or is it that you have been torn from your ever most beloved and intimate friend and relation (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) and thus consider yourself desolate; for there can be no other cause of your agony." (44)
Thus ends the fourteenth discourse entitled "Yudhiṣṭhira's Doubt", in Book One of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahāṃsa-Sarhhitā. (39-44)
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