English
"O Mukunda, O Nrisinha, where is the girl, however wellborn, modest and great she may be, that will not choose thee as her hus- band, unequalled as thou art in birth, grace, beauty, wisdom and riches, and the most pleasing to all mankind. "Therefore thou art chosen by me as my husband. I offer myself up to thee. Come thou here and make me thy wife. Thou dost deserve to have me soon. Let not Sisupala touch me, like a jackal touching the share of a lion. "If I have done virtuous acts, if I have rightly served the great Lord Siva, then come, O brother of Rama, and hold my hand and let not others do so. The day after to-morrow is fixed for my marriage. Come thou unnoticed. Defeat Sisupala and others and carry me away by force in the Rakshasa form of marriage. "I shall tell you how it will not be necessary to kill my friends Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 347 within the house. The day before the marriage there will be a large gathering outside the town to worship the goddess Durga, and I as bride shall be present there." The message was thus delivered. Sri Krishna vowed to marry Rukmini by force. He ordered Daruka (His charioteer) to bring the chariot. Then he took the Brahmana with him and reached Kundina, the town of Bhishmaka, in one day. Kundina was gay with preparations for the marriage. Dama Ghosa, the father of Sisupala, also made grand preparations. He came with a large retinue to Kundina. Bhishmaka went out to receive him, and led him to his quarters. Salva, Jarasandha, Dantavakra, Vidu- ratha, Paundraka, and many other kings, friendly to Dama Ghosha joined him with large armies. They anticipated a fight with Krishna and Rama and they came well prepared for the occasion. Rama heard that Krishna went all alone and he heard of the preparations made by his enemies. So he lost no time in gathering a large army and marching for Kundina. Bhishmaka heard of the approach of Krishna and Rama. He gladly received them and gave them quarters. Rukmini, guarded by the army, went to the temple of Durga with her companions. She wor- shipped the Goddess and prayed for Krishna as her husband. She then left the temple and was about to get into the chariot when Sri Krishna carried her off by force in his own chariot. Jara Sandha and other kings were defeated by the Yadu chiefs and they took to flight They consoled Sisupala and then each went to his own place. Rukmin vowed that he would not return to Kundina till he had killed Krishna and rescued his sister. He attacked Krishna but was defeated by him. Krishna was about to kill him when Rukmini in- terceded on his behalf. Krishna then partially shaved his head and chin and left him. Being thus disgraced, Rukmin made a town called Bhojukata and lived there. Krishna brought Rukmini to Dvaraka and married her in due form. 348 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana PRADYUMNA. SKANDHA X. CHAP. 55. The god Kama is an aspect of Vasudeva. He had been burnt before by the fire of Rudra’s anger. To get back his body, he was born as the son of Krishna by Rukmini and became known as Pradyumna. He was not unlike his father in any respect The Asura Samvara, who was Kama (or passions) incarnate, (Kama raipin), knew the child to be his enemy and stole him away and threw him into the sea. A big fish swallowed him up. That fish with others was caught in a large net by the fishermen. They presented the fish to Samvara. The servant cut open the fish and the child came out. They made him over to Mayavati. She was frightened but Naroda told her all about the child. This Mayavati, named Rati, had been the wife of Kama. She had been waiting for the reappearance of her husband in a body. She was employed by Samvara as a cook. Knowing the child to be Kama Deva, she nursed him and became attached to him. In time, Kamadeva grew tip and Mayavati approached him with expressions of love. "What is this mother?" asked Kamadeva, "Why this change in your feelings towards me!" "Thou art Kamadeva, O Lord, son of Krishna. Thou hadst been stolen away by Samvara. I am thy wife Rati. The Asura had thrown thee into the sea, when a fish devoured thee. I have got thee back from the stomach of that fish. Samvara is an adept in many forms of Maya. Kill him by means of Delusion and other powers of Maya known to thee." Rati gave to Pradyumna the Vidya known as Mahamaya, the de- stroyer of all other Mayas. Pradyumna fought with Samvara and killed him with the help of Mahamaya. Rati then carried her husband to Dvaraka. There the women mistook him for Krishna and bashfully moved aside. Even Rukmini could only half decide that he was her son. Krishna ap- peared with Vasudeva, Devaki and Rama. Narada related the story of Pradyumna’s adventures. There was great joy at Dvaraka and peo- ple welcomed Pradyumna and his wife. Pradyumna was an image of Krishna. What wonder if even his mother became attached to him! Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 349 THE JEWEL SYAMANTAKA, JAMBAVATI AND SATYABHAMA. SKANDHA X. CHAP. 56. King Satrajit was a votary of the Sun-God. He got a present from his deity of the Syamantaka jewel. He came to Dvaraka with the jewel on his neck. He shone with such a lustre that people took him for the sun. The jewel used to bring forth 16,000 palas of gold every day. Sri Krishna asked the jewel for the king of the Yadus, but Satra- jit would not part with it. One day his brother Prasenajit rode on a hunting excursion into the forests, with the jewel on his neck. A lion killed him and his horse and carried away the jewel. The Bear-chief, Jambavat, killed the lion and took away the jewel into his cave and made it the plaything of his son. When Prasena did not return, Satra- jit thought that he had been killed by Krishna. People also suspected him. To get rid of this unjust reproach, Sri Krishna went on a search himself with his men. He traced out the remains of Prasena, the horse and the lion. He then entered the cave of the Bear-chief, leaving his men outside. The infant son of Jambavat was playing with the jewel. Krishna appeared before the boy. The nurse screamed aloud. Jamba- vat rushed out in anger and attacked Krishna. The fight went on for twenty eight days and at last Jambavat was overpowered. He then knew Sri Krishna as Vishnu, the primal Purusha and prayed to Him. Sri Krishna said the object of his entering the cave was to recover the jewel, as he wanted to remove the suspicion that he himself had taken it. Jambavat gladly offered his daughter Jambavati with the jewel to Sri Krishna. He then returned to Dvaraka with his bride and the jewel. He called an assembly and, in the presence of all, made over the jewel to Satrajit. He also told him how he got it back. Satra- jit felt deeply mortified. He came back to his kingdom and thought how he could best appease Sri Krishna whom he had offended by groundless suspicion. At last he offered his daughter Satyabhama to Krishna and also the jewel. Krishna said:—"We do not want the jewel, O King. Thou art the votary of the Sun-God. Let it remain with thee. We shall partake of its blessings." SYAMANTAKA, AKRURA, KRITAVARMAN AND SATA DHANU: SKANDHA X. CHAP. 57. 350 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana Hearing that the Pandavas had been killed in the Lac-house, Rama and Krishna went to Hastinapura to offer their condolences. Taking advantage of their absence, Akrtira and Kritavarman said to Satadhanu,—"Satrajit promised the Syamantaka jewel also when he made over his daughter to Sri Krishna. Why shall not the jewel be taken from him? Why shall he not share the fate of his brother?" The wicked Satadhanu under this evil inspiration killed Satrajit while he was asleep and carried away the jewel. Satyabhama went to Hastinapura and informed Krishna of the killing of her father. The brothers came back to Dvaraka. Krishna made preparations for killing Satadhanu and for recovering the jewel from him. Satadhanu sought the help of Kritavarman. But he knew too well the might of Sri Krishna and he declined to give any help. Satadhanu then turned to Akrara. Akrira knew Krishna as Atman and he would not do any- thing. Satadhanu however left the jewel with Akrira and fled away on horse-back. Rama and Krishna followed him to Mithila. He left the horse and ran away on foot. Sri Krishna overtook him soon and cut off his head with the Chakra. He then searched for the jewel, but could not find it. Turning to his brother, he said, "For nothing have I killed Satadhanu. The jewel is not with him." Rama replied—"Satadhanu must have left the jewel with some one. Try to find him out. Go back to Dvaraka. I shall in the meantime pass some time with my friend, the king of Mithila." Rama remained at Mithila for a few years. Duryodhana also came there. He learned the art of fighting with the mall from Rama. Sri Krishna went back to Dvaraka and told Satyabhama how he had killed Satadhanu but could not find the jewel. Kritavarman and Akrira heard all that took place and they fled for their lives from Dvaraka. In the absence of Akrtira the people of Dvaraka suffered from bodily and mental pain as well as disturbances from the Devas and the elements. Those who forgot the glory of Sri Krishna at- tributed all this to the absence of Akrtira. But it was not possible that such things should happen where Sri Krishna resided (without His wish.) "Once upon a time there were no rains at Kasi (Benares). The king of Kasi offered his daughter Gandivi to Svafalka and it rained at Kasi. Akrtira is the son of that Svafalka. He has got the powers of Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 351 his father. It rains wherever Akrira lives and the land becomes free from epidemics and calamities." The old people talked thus. Sri Krishna knew it was not so.