Canto 10 - Chapter 63: Aniruddha brought back (to Dwaraka)

Discourse LXIII

Aniruddha brought back (to Dwārakā)

Śrī Śuka began again : On this side the four rainy months slipped by the relations (Śrī Kṛṣṇa and others) of Aniruddha, who (sorely) missed him and had been sorrowing for him (all the time), O scion of Bharata ! (1)
Hearing from Nārada the (whole) story as to how he had been taken prisoner as well as of his doings (viz., how he had disposed of a whole contingent of Bāṇāsura's army), the Vṛṣṇis, who looked upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa as a deity, proceeded to Śoṇitapura. (2)
Accompanied by (an army consisting of) twelve Akṣauhiṇis and united under the command of Balarāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Pradyumna, Sātyaki, Gada, Sāmba and Sāraṇa, as well as the (other) jewels among the Yadus—Nanda, Upananda, Bhadra and others—closely besieged the capital of Bāṇa from every side. (3-4)
Beholding the city with its urban gardens, fortifications, towers and gates being shattered, Bāṇa, full of rage, sallied forth to meet them with an equally strong army. (5)
Surrounded by (His followers known by the name of) Pramathas, including His son (Lord Kārtikeya), and riding on His bull, Nandi, Lord Rudra (too) fought with Balarāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa for the sake (on the side) of Bāṇa. (6)
A most tumultuous and astounding encounter took place between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Lord Śaṅkara—an encounter which made one's hair stand on end; and another between Pradyumna and Kārtikeya. (7)
Another combat (similarly) raged between Balarāma (on the one hand) and Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa (on the other). A (similar) duel took place between Sāmba and Bāṇa's son, and another between Bāṇa and Sātyaki. (8)
Rulers of gods headed by Brahmā, ascetics, Siddhas and Cāraṇas, Gandharvas, Apsarās and Yakṣas came forth in their aerial cars to witness the conflict. (9)
Śrī Kṛṣṇa (a scion of Śūra) put to flight, with His sharp-pointed arrows discharged from the Śārṅga bow, the followers of Lord Śiva, viz., the Bhūtas, Pramathas, Guhyakas (Yakṣas), Dākinis and Yātudhānas, Vetālas and Vināyakas, Pretas, Mātrkās and Piśācas, Kūṣmāṇḍas and Brahmarākṣasas. (10-11)
Lord Śiva (the Wielder of the Pināka bow) discharged various kinds of missiles at Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Wielder of the Śārṅga bow); the latter (however) unconcernedly neutralized them all with counter-missiles. (12)
Against Brahmāstra He employed Brahmāstra; against Vāyavyāstra He employed the Pārvatāstra; against the fiery missile He employed the Pārijanyāstra and against the Pāśupatāstra He employed His own (Nārāyaṇāstra). (13)
Then, stupefying with Jṛmbhaṇāstra Lord Śaṅkara, who (forthwith) began to yawn, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (a scion of Śūra) began to strike down the army of Bāṇāsura with His sword, mace and arrows. (14)
Being beaten on all sides by the volleys of arrows discharged by Pradyumna, and emitting blood from every limb, Skanda escaped from the battle-field on the back of His peacock. (15)
Struck by (Balarāma's) pestle, Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa also fell down. With their generals killed, Bāṇāsura's troops fled in all directions. (16)

Highly indignant to see his army being scattered, Bāṇa, rushed towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa on the battle-field in a chariot, leaving Sātyaki alone. (17)
Drawing five hundred bows all at once, Bāṇāsura, who ran amuck on the battle-field, applied a pair of arrows to each. (18)
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (however) split all those bows at once and, striking down the charioteer and the horses as well as the chariot, blew His conch. (19)
Bāṇa's mother, Koṭarā by name, (now) stood naked with dishevelled hair before Śrī Kṛṣṇa with intent to save her son's life. (20)
Making it a point not to look at the nude lady, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the elder Brother of Gada) turned His face aside. Meanwhile Bāṇa, who had been deprived of his chariot and had his bows broken, retreated into the city. (21)

On the host of Bhūtas (genii) having been put to flight, the three-headed and three-legged Jwara (the spirit presiding over fever and despatched by Lord Śiva, who had now recovered from His stupefaction) rushed towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa (a scion of Daśārha) as if burning the ten directions. (22)
Beholding him, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (who was no other than Lord Nārāyaṇa) sent forth His (own) Jwara and both the Jwaras, the one belonging to Lord Śiva (the supreme Ruler of the universe) and the other belonging to Lord Viṣṇu, began to grapple with each other. (23)
Beaten with violence by the Jwara commanded by Lord Viṣṇu and terrified not to find asylum anywhere else, the Jwara commanded by Lord Śiva loudly screamed and, seeking shelter with Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Ruler of the senses), glorified Him with joined palms (as follows). (24)

The Jwara said : I salute You, endowed (as You are) with infinite power, the Ruler (even) of the highest gods, the Soul of the universe, the one without a second, absolute Consciousness, the Cause of the appearance, subsistence and dissolution of the universe, comprising whatever there is, the most tranquil Brahma, who are (only) inferred (and not directly known) by the Vedas. (25)
The Time-Spirit (which disturbs the equilibrium of the three Guṇas), Destiny, Karma, Swabhāva (the tendencies produced by the latter), the individual soul, the (five) subtle elements, the body, the vital breath, the ego, the evolutes (viz., the five gross elements and the eleven Indriyas), the subtle body (a combination of the aforesaid evolutes) and the process of mutual causation going on in a cycle between the Liṅga body and Karma as between a seed and the sprout—all this constitutes Your Māyā (deluding potency). I take refuge in You, in whom the said Māyā finds its negation. (26)
Appearing in diverse forms, assumed by way of mere sport, You protect the gods and the pious, uphold the standards of morality that maintain the world order, and kill those who deviate from the path of virtue and live by violence. Your present descent (too) is intended to relieve the burden of the earth. (27)
I stand scorched by Your radiance in the form of this fever, which is most terrible and hard to bear, and which, though mild (before), has grown (so) severe (now). Embodied beings undergo suffering only so long as they remain bound by desire and do not seek the soles of Your lotus-feet. (28)

The glorious Lord said : "I am pleased with you, O three-headed one ! Let your fear of My Jwara cease (now). There will be no more (cause of) fear from you to him who remembers this dialogue of ours." (29)
Thus addressed (reassured) and bowing to Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the infallible Lord), the Jwara under the command of Lord Śiva departed. Mounting a chariot in the meanwhile, Bāṇāsura returned (to the field of battle) to contend with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (30)
Highly enraged, the demon, who wielded various weapons in his thousand arms, then showered arrows on Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Wielder of a discus), O protector of men ! (31)
While he was (thus) discharging missiles again and again the Lord with His discus, keen-edged like a razor, cut off his arms like the boughs of a tree. (32)
(Even) as the arms of Bāṇa were being lopped off, Lord Śiva (the Source of the universe), who took compassion on His devotee, approached Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Wielder of a discus) and submitted to Him (as follows). (33)

Śrī Rudra prayed : Indeed You are the supreme effulgence lying hidden in the Veda (which is no other than the Supreme revealed as the Word of God) and known as Brahma (the Infinite), that men of purified intellect realize as all-pervading (like the sky) and absolute. (34)
The firmament is Your navel; fire, Your mouth; water, Your generative fluid; the celestial region, Your head; the quarters, Your ears; the earth, Your feet; the moon, Your mind; the sun, Your eye; myself, Your ego; the ocean, Your belly; and Indra (and the other guardians of the sphere), Your arms. (35)
Herbs and plants are the hair on Your body; clouds are Your (flowing) locks and Brahmā (the creator) is Your intellect, Prajāpati (the lord of creation) is Your organ of generation and Dharma (the god of virtue) is Your heart. Thus You are the Supreme Person with whom all the spheres are connected (as so many limbs). (36)
O Lord of undiminished glory, You have taken this form for the vindication of virtue and advancement of the world. Endowed with power derived from You, we rule the seven regions (of the universe). (37)
You are the one secondless, most ancient Person beyond the three states (brought about by Māyā viz., the waking, dream and dreamless states), self-luminous, the Cause and Ruler (of all), Himself uncaused; yet, in order to reveal the diversities of the three Guṇas, You appear through Your own Māyā in divergent forms (such as those of gods, men, birds, beasts and various other beings). (38)
Just as the sun gets concealed (in others' eyes) by its own shadow (the clouds) and reveals the clouds as well as all other forms, even so, O Perfect One, self-luminous Yourself, You get as if covered by the Ego (which has its origin in You) and yet make the Guṇas and all beings, who are qualified by the Guṇas, shine (in Your light). (39)

(O Lord,) with their mind deluded by Your Māyā people get attached to children, wife, house etc., and begin to sink and float in the ocean of misery. (40)
He who, having obtained the human body (so graciously) granted by You, does not control his senses and worship Your feet, is no doubt pitiable creature who is deceiving himself. (41)
O Lord, he who neglects You, the beloved Self, the Supreme Ruler, for the sake of sense-objects, which are just the reverse of You, (is a fool, who) swallows poison rejecting nectar. (42)
Myself, Brahmā (the creator) and the (other) gods and (all) sages of pure mind have taken refuge in You with our whole being, because You are our dearest soul and supreme Lord. (43)
You are responsible for the appearance, continuance and dissolution of the universe, alike to everyone, unperturbed, the beloved friend and deity, nay, the very Self of all. You are One without a second, the support of the worlds as also of the individual souls. O Lord, we adore You for release from the bondage of transmigration. (44)
Lord, this Bāṭāsura is a beloved devotee of mine and is (much) liked by me; I have assured him of my protection. Therefore, (kindly) extend Your favour to him even as You did to (his great grandfather) Prahrāda (the ruler of the Daityas). (45)

The glorious Lord replied: O Worshipful One, We shall do whatever You have said and that which is pleasing to You. I have fully approved of what You have decided (about him). (46)
(I know that) Bāṭāsura is a grandson of Virocana (Prahrāda's son). I cannot kill him inasmuch as a boon has been granted by Me to Prahrāda that no one born in his line would be killed by Me. (47)
His arms have been cut off by Me only to curb his pride, and his huge army has been exterminated simply because it was a burden on the earth. (48)
Four arms are left to him; they will be proof against age or destruction. He will be the foremost among Your attendants. Though an Asura, he will henceforward have nothing to fear from any quarter. (49)

Obtaining this assurance of security, the said demon saluted Śrī Kṛṣṇa with his head (bent low) and duly brought Aniruddha back together with his bride (Ūṣā), placing them on a chariot. (50)
(Thereupon) with Bhagavān Śaṅkara's congratulation Śrī Kṛṣṇa departed placing in the van Aniruddha and his wife—who were finely dressed and fully adorned with ornaments—and were followed by an army consisting of one Akṣauhiṇī. (51)
Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered His capital—artistically decorated with flags and ornamental arches, with its streets and quadrangles sprinkled with water—and was met by the citizens, His (own) relations and Brāhmaṇas, who came forth to receive Him with the sounding of conchs, drums and kettledrums. (52)

(Parikṣit!) he who, rising from his bed in the morning, duly recalls the story of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's combat with Lord Śaṅkara and His victory, will never meet with discomfiture. (53)

Thus ends the sixty-third discourse entitled "Aniruddha brought back (to Dvārakā)," in the latter half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārīsa-Sarhītā.