॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ पञ्चमोऽध्यायः - ५ ॥
|
Discourse V
Festivities connected with the Birth of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa at Gokula (Preamble)
|
श्रीशुक उवाच ।
नन्दस्त्वात्मज उत्पन्ने जाताह्लादो महामनाः ।
आहूय विप्रान् वेदज्ञान् स्नातः शुचिरलङ्कृतः ॥ १॥
वाचयित्वा स्वस्त्ययनं जातकर्मात्मजस्य वै ।
कारयामास विधिवत्पितृदेवार्चनं तथा ॥ २॥
धेनूनां नियुते प्रादाद्विप्रेभ्यः समलङ्कृते ।
तिलाद्रीन् सप्त रत्नौघशातकौम्भाम्बरावृतान् ॥ ३॥
कालेन स्नानशौचाभ्यां संस्कारैस्तपसेज्यया ।
शुध्यन्ति दानैः सन्तुष्ट्या द्रव्याण्यात्माऽऽत्मविद्यया ॥ ४॥
सौमङ्गल्यगिरो विप्राः सूतमागधवन्दिनः ।
गायकाश्च जगुर्नेदुर्भेर्यो दुन्दुभयो मुहुः ॥ ५॥
|
Śrī Śuka resumed : Calling in Brāhmaṇas, well-versed in the art of fortune-telling and having made them repeat benedictory hymns, the high-souled Nanda, on the other hand, who was rejoiced at the thought of a son having been born to him (in his ripe old age), and who had just bathed and attained purity (thereby) and was (duly) adorned, had the Jātakarma* ceremony actually performed with respect to the Babe according to precept and (also) caused the manes and gods (in the form of Nāndi-Śrāddha and so on) to be worshipped. (1-2)
He gave away to the Brāhmaṇas two lakhs of newly calved and richly adorned cows as well as seven mountain-like piles of sesamum seeds† studded with a vast number of precious stones and covered with a piece of gold cloth. (3)
Material substances get purified through passage of time, bath and washing, sacraments, asceticism, sacrificial performances, charitable gifts and contentment; while the soul is purified through Self-knowledge (alone). (4)
Brāhmaṇas as well as Sūtas,‡ Māgadhas and Vandis uttered benedictory words; songsters sang songs, while kettledrums and larger drums sounded again and again. (5) (1-5)
|
|
व्रजः सम्मृष्टसंसिक्तद्वाराजिरगृहान्तरः ।
चित्रध्वजपताकास्रक् चैलपल्लवतोरणैः ॥ ६॥
गावो वृषा वत्सतरा हरिद्रातैलरूषिताः ।
विचित्रधातुबर्हस्रग्वस्त्रकाञ्चनमालिनः ॥ ७॥
महार्हवस्त्राभरणकञ्चुकोष्णीषभूषिताः ।
गोपाः समाययू राजन् नानोपायनपाणयः ॥ ८॥
|
Vraja had its doorways, courtyards and interiors of houses well swept and duly sprinkled with water, and was decorated with flags and buntings of various colours as well as with arches made of wreaths, textiles and leaves. (6)
Cows, bulls and grown up calves were daubed with oil mixed with termeric, painted with minerals of various colours and decked with peacock plumes, wreaths, cloth and gold necklaces. (7)
Cowherds dressed in costly loin-cloths, coats and turbans and adorned with valuable jewels flocked (in the house of Nanda), carrying presents of various kinds in their hands, O Parikṣit ! (8)
- This ceremony consists in touching the tongue of a new-born male child thrice with ghee after appropriate prayers.
† It is customary among the Hindus to give away heaps of sesamum seeds on the auspicious occasion of the birth of a son
‡ These terms have been defined in the following couplet —
(6-8)
|
|
मृताः पौरणिकाः प्रोक्ता भागधा श्रेष्ठशर्मकाः ।
वन्दिनस्त्वमन्तपन्नाः प्रस्तावस्यदृशोक्तयः ॥
|
- Sutas are those who recite stories from the Purānas; Māgadhas are no other than bards reciting the glories of ancestors of kings, while Vandis are those who make observations suited to particular occasions *
(Preamble)
|
|
गोप्यश्चाकर्ण्य मुदिता यशोदायाः सुतोद्भवम् ।
आत्मानं भूषयाञ्चक्रुर्वस्त्राकल्पाञ्जनादिभिः ॥ ९॥
नवकुङ्कुमकिञ्जल्कमुखपङ्कजभूतयः ।
बलिभिस्त्वरितं जग्मुः पृथुश्रोण्यश्चलत्कुचाः ॥ १०॥
गोप्यः सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलनिष्ककण्ठ्य-
श्चित्राम्बराः पथि शिखाच्युतमाल्यवर्षाः ।
नन्दालयं सवलया व्रजतीर्विरेजु-
र्व्यालोलकुण्डलपयोधरहारशोभाः ॥ ११॥
ता आशिषः प्रयुञ्जानाश्चिरं पाहीति बालके ।
हरिद्राचूर्णतैलाद्भिः सिञ्चन्त्योऽजनमुज्जगुः ॥ १२॥
|
Rejoiced to hear of the birth of a son to Yaśodā, cowherd women too beautified their person with clothes, ornaments, collyrium and so on. (9)
The charm of their lotus face heightened by (decorations of) fresh saffron paste, corresponding to the filaments of a lotus, they despite their bulky buttocks walked hurriedly with presents (in the shape of gold-rings, necklaces of jewels, raiments, fruits and blades of panic grass etc.,) their breasts shaking (on account of their rapid movement). (10)
Adorned with well-polished bejewelled ear-rings and a string of gold coins worn about their neck as well as with bangles, and clad in raiments of various colours, the cowherd women shone brightly while proceeding to the palace of Nanda, flowers fallen from their braids being strewn in a shower on the way, and looked graceful with the ear-rings and the necklaces, hanging on their breasts, swinging about rapidly. (11)
Invoking (divine) blessings on the boy in the words "May You protect the babe for long (O Lord!)" and sprinkling the multitude with water mixed with turmeric powder and oil, they sang in a high pitch. (12) (9-12)
|
|
अवाद्यन्त विचित्राणि वादित्राणि महोत्सवे ।
कृष्णे विश्वेश्वरेऽनन्ते नन्दस्य व्रजमागते ॥ १३॥
गोपाः परस्परं हृष्टा दधिक्षीरघृताम्बुभिः ।
आसिञ्चन्तो विलिम्पन्तो नवनीतैश्च चिक्षिपुः ॥ १४॥
नन्दो महामनास्तेभ्यो वासोऽलङ्कारगोधनम् ।
सूतमागधवन्दिभ्यो येऽन्ये विद्योपजीविनः ॥ १५॥
तैस्तैः कामैरदीनात्मा यथोचितमपूजयत् ।
विष्णोराराधनार्थाय स्वपुत्रस्योदयाय च ॥ १६॥
रोहिणी च महाभागा नन्दगोपाभिनन्दिता ।
व्यचरद्दिव्यवासस्रक्कण्ठाभरणभूषिता ॥ १७॥
तत आरभ्य नन्दस्य व्रजः सर्वसमृद्धिमान् ।
हरेर्निवासात्मगुणै रमाक्रीडमभून्नृप ॥ १८॥
|
Now that the immortal Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Ruler of the universe, had come down to Vraja, musical instruments of various kinds were played upon on that occasion of great rejoicing. (13)
Spraying with curds, milk, clarified butter and water and besmearing (the face of) one another with handfuls of fresh butter, the merry cowherds threw one another of the feet (in mirth). (14)
For the purpose of propitiating Lord Viṣṇu as well as for the welfare of his son, the high-souled and liberal-minded Nanda conferred on them as well as on the Sūtas, the Māgadhas and the Vandis and others who lived by their art or science (such as musicians, physicians, astrologers, dancers and interpreters of omens) raiment, ornaments and cattle-wealth, and suitably honoured them with gifts desired by them. (15-16)
Felicitated by Nanda, the cowherd chief, the highly blessed Rohini too (who excelled all the other wives of Vasudeva in that she had the rare good fortune of witnessing the childlike pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa) moved about as the virtual mistress of Nanda's household (receiving female guests and ordering servants), decked with supernal clothes, garlands and necklaces (forgetting the distress of her captive husband). (17)
Thenceforward Nanda's Vraja became the seat of all prosperity turning into the (very) playground of Goddess Ramā by virtue of its native excellences peculiar to an abode of Lord Śrī Hari, O protector of men! (18) (13-18)
|
|
गोपान् गोकुलरक्षायां निरूप्य मथुरां गतः ।
नन्दः कंसस्य वार्षिक्यं करं दातुं कुरूद्वह ॥ १९॥
वसुदेव उपश्रुत्य भ्रातरं नन्दमागतम् ।
ज्ञात्वा दत्तकरं राज्ञे ययौ तदवमोचनम् ॥ २०॥
तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय देहः प्राणमिवागतम् ।
प्रीतः प्रियतमं दोर्भ्यां सस्वजे प्रेमविह्वलः ॥ २१॥
पूजितः सुखमासीनः पृष्ट्वानामयमादृतः ।
प्रसक्तधीः स्वात्मजयोरिदमाह विशाम्पते ॥ २२॥
|
Having charged the cowherds with the protection of Gokula, Nanda went to Mathurā in order to pay his annual tribute to Kamsa, O jewel of the Kurus! (19)
Reliably hearing of his friend, Nanda, having come (to Mathurā) and coming to know that he had paid his tribute, Vasudeva repaired to his camp (to see him and enquire about his own sons, Balarāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa). (20)
Rejoiced to see him come and at once rising to his feet even as a body (lying unconscious) would do on consciousness returning to it, Nanda folded his most beloved friend in the arms, overwhelmed as he was with affection. (21)
Welcomed (by Nanda) and honoured with an enquiry after his health, and comfortably seated, Vasudeva, whose mind was deeply attached to his sons, spoke as follows, O protector of the people:—(22) (19-22)
|
|
दिष्ट्या भ्रातः प्रवयस इदानीमप्रजस्य ते ।
प्रजाशाया निवृत्तस्य प्रजा यत्समपद्यत ॥ २३॥
दिष्ट्या संसारचक्रेऽस्मिन् वर्तमानः पुनर्भवः ।
उपलब्धो भवानद्य दुर्लभं प्रियदर्शनम् ॥ २४॥
नैकत्र प्रियसंवासः सुहृदां चित्रकर्मणाम् ।
ओघेन व्यूह्यमानानां प्लवानां स्रोतसो यथा ॥ २५॥
कच्चित्पशव्यं निरुजं भूर्यम्बुतृणवीरुधम् ।
बृहद्वनं तदधुना यत्रास्से त्वं सुहृद्वृतः ॥ २६॥
भ्रातर्मम सुतः कच्चिन्मात्रा सह भवद्व्रजे ।
तातं भवन्तं मन्वानो भवद्भ्यामुपलालितः ॥ २७॥
पुंसस्त्रिवर्गो विहितः सुहृदो ह्यनुभावितः ।
न तेषु क्लिश्यमानेषु त्रिवर्गोऽर्थाय कल्पते ॥ २८॥
|
"It is a matter for congratulation, O brother, that an issue has now been vouchsafed to you, aged and issueless as you were, and had been shut out from all hopes of getting a progeny. (23)
Through good luck you have been perceived today like one reborn (revolving all along) on this whirligig of mundane existence; for the sight of a loved one is (so) difficult to obtain. (24)
The living together at one and the same place of friends engaged in diverse occupations, which is so agreeable, is not (always) possible any more than that of wooden planks etc., swept along by the current of a river. (25)
Is that Vṛhadvana (Gokula) where you are residing at present surrounded (accompanied) by your kith and kin, favourable to cattle, free from diseases and provided with abundant water, grass and plants? (26)
Cherished by you both (your wife and yourself) and recognizing you as his father, is my son (Balarāma), O brother, doing well with his mother (Rohini) in your Vraja? (27)
Indeed the threefold object of human pursuit (viz., religious merit, wealth and sensuous pleasure) is recommended only in so far as it is shared with one's near and dear ones. When the latter are in distress, such threefold pursuit does not make for happiness (the goal of all sentient beings). (28) (23-28)
|
नन्द उवाच ।
अहो ते देवकीपुत्राः कंसेन बहवो हताः ।
एकावशिष्टावरजा कन्या सापि दिवं गता ॥ २९॥
नूनं ह्यदृष्टनिष्ठोऽयमदृष्टपरमो जनः ।
अदृष्टमात्मनस्तत्त्वं यो वेद न स मुह्यति ॥ ३०॥
|
Nanda replied : Born of Devaki, (O friend,) many a son of yours has been killed alas! by Kamsa. (Only) one daughter, subsequently born, was left (having escaped death at his cruel hands). But she too ascended to heaven. (29)
Indeed a created being depends on its destiny and is controlled by destiny. He who knows destiny to be his (very) essence (the unfailing cause of his happiness and misery) does not get infatuated. (30) (29-30)
|
वसुदेव उवाच ।
करो वै वार्षिको दत्तो राज्ञे दृष्टा वयं च वः ।
नेह स्थेयं बहुतिथं सन्त्युत्पाताश्च गोकुले ॥ ३१॥
|
Vasudeva said : The annual tribute has actually been paid to the king and we (too) have been seen by you. You should not (therefore) stay here long; (for) there are startling occurrences at Gokula too. (31) (31)
|
श्रीशुक उवाच ।
इति नन्दादयो गोपाः प्रोक्तास्ते शौरिणा ययुः ।
अनोभिरनडुद्युक्तैस्तमनुज्ञाप्य गोकुलम् ॥ ३२॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
दशमस्कन्धे पूर्वार्धे नन्दवसुदेवसम्मेलनं नाम पञ्चमोऽध्यायः ॥ ५॥
|
Śrī Śuka continued : Thus exhorted by Vasudeva (the son of Śūra) and taking leave of him, the said cowherds, headed by Nanda, returned to Gokula riding on their carts drawn by bullocks. (32)
Thus ends the fifth discourse entitled "The meeting of Nanda and Vasudeva", in the first half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhāgavata Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (32)
|