S'rî
S'uka said: 'In this manner, my dear, being graced by Krishna
circumambulated the descendant of Ikshvâku Him bowing
down and left he through the mouth of the cave.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: My dear King, thus graced by Lord
Krishna, Mucukunda circumambulated Him and bowed down to
Him. Then Mucukunda, the beloved descendant of
Ikshvâku, exited through the mouth of the cave.
(Vedabase)
Text
2
Noticing
that the human beings, the animals, plants and trees were all
in a poor condition concluded he that Kali-yuga had arrived and
went he in the northern direction [compare
1.15:
44].
Seeing
that the size of all the human beings, animals, trees and
plants was severely reduced, and thus realizing that the age
of Kali was at hand, Mucukunda left for the north.
(Vedabase)
Text
3
With
faith in the process of penance was he, seriously detached from
a materially motivated association with people, freed from
doubts and thus having fixed his mind upon Krishna he reached
the mountain Gandhamâdana ['the nice
smell'].
The
sober King, beyond material association and free of doubt,
was convinced of the value of austerity. Absorbing his mind
in Lord Krishna, he came to Gandhamâdana Mountain.
(Vedabase)
Text
4
Reaching
Badarikâs'rama [see e.g. 3.4:
4;
4.12:
16;
5.4:
5;
7.11:
6],
the residence of Nara-Nârâyana, worshiped he, with
respecting all duality, the Lord from the peace he had found
with his austerity.
There
he arrived at Badarikâs'rama, the abode of Lord
Nara-Nârâyana, where, remaining tolerant of all
dualities, he peacefully worshiped the Supreme Lord Hari by
performing severe austerities. (Vedabase)
Text
5
The Supreme
Lord turned back to His city Mathurâ that was surrounded
by the Yavanas and brought, after killing the barbarian army,
their riches to Dvârakâ.
The
Lord returned to Mathurâ, which was still surrounded
by Yavanas. Then He destroyed the army of barbarians and
began taking their valuables to Dvârakâ.
(Vedabase)
Text
6
As
Acyuta by oxen and men was engaged in taking the wealth,
arrived there Jarâsandha leading twenty-three
armies.
As
the wealth was being carried by oxen and men under Lord
Krishna's direction, Jarâsandha appeared at the head
of twenty-three armies. (Vedabase)
Text
7
Seeing
the powerful waves of soldiers of the enemy armies ran the two
Mâdhavas, adopting a human course, o King, quickly
away.
O
King, seeing the fierce waves of the enemy's army, the two
Mâdhavas, imitating human behavior, ran swiftly away.
(Vedabase)
Text
8
Abandoning
the load of goods acting like cowards who are afraid, covered
They, actually not afraid at all, with Their lotuspetal feet
many yojanas.
Abandoning
the abundant riches, fearless but feigning fear, They went
many yojanas on Their lotuslike feet. (Vedabase)
Text
9
Seeing
the Two fleeing laughed the mighty ruler of Mâghada
loudly and pursued he with charioteers and soldiers the Lords,
not being quite aware of Their special nature.
When
he saw Them fleeing, powerful Jarâsandha laughed
loudly and then pursued Them with charioteers and foot
soldiers. He could not understand the exalted position of
the two Lords. (Vedabase)
Text
10
Having
put Their powers to a test full speed having run a long
distance, climbed They a very high mountain known as
Pravarshana where the mighty one [Indra] is always
showering rains.
Apparently
exhausted after fleeing a long distance, the two Lords
climbed a high mountain named Pravarshana, upon which Lord
Indra showers incessant rain. (Vedabase)
Text
11
Knowing
that They were hiding on the mountain, but not exactly where o
King, set he, with firewood igniting fires on all sides, the
mountain ablaze.
Although
he knew They were hiding on the mountain, Jarâsandha
could find no trace of Them. Therefore, O King, he placed
firewood on all sides and set the mountain ablaze.
(Vedabase)
Text
12
Quickly
leaping down from it being eleven yojanas high and
burning on all sides, fell They to the ground.
The
two of Them then suddenly jumped from the burning mountain,
which was eleven yojanas high, and fell to the ground.
(Vedabase)
Text
13
Not being seen
by Their opponent or his helpers returned the two finest Yadus
to Their city which had the ocean as its moat, o
King.
Unseen
by Their opponent or his followers, O King, those two most
exalted Yadus returned to Their city of Dvârakâ,
which had the ocean as a protective moat. (Vedabase)
Text
14
The king of the
Magadhas on his part mistakenly thought that Balarâma and
Kes'ava had burned in the fire and went to Magadha pulling back
his huge force.
Jarâsandha,
moreover, mistakenly thought that Balarâma and Kes'ava
had burned to death in the fire. Thus he withdrew his vast
military force and returned to the Magadha kingdom.
(Vedabase)
Text
15
As previously
stated gave the opulent sovereign of Ânarta, named
Raivata, on the order of Brahmâ Balarâma his
daughter Raivatî in marriage [9.3:
33-36]
As
ordered by Lord Brahmâ, Raivata, the opulent ruler of
Ânarta, gave Lord Balarâma his daughter
Raivatî in marriage. This has already been discussed.
(Vedabase)
Text
16-17
Govinda
the Supreme Lord Himself, married, o hero among the Kurus,
Vaidarbhî [Rukminî] the daughter of
Bhîshmaka, to her own choice. She was a plenary portion
of the goddess of fortune. By force overruling S'âlva and
other kings in support of S'is'upâla, accomplished He
this [by stealing her away] before the eyes of all the
people, just like the son of Târkshya [Garuda,
stole] the nectar of heaven.'
O
hero among the Kurus, the Supreme Lord Himself, Govinda,
married Bhîshmaka's daughter, Vaidarbhî, who was
a direct expansion of the goddess of fortune. The Lord did
this by her desire, and in the process He beat down
S'âlva and other kings who took S'is'upâla's
side. Indeed, as everyone watched, S'rî Krishna took
Rukminî just as Garuda boldly stole nectar from the
demigods. (Vedabase)
Text
18
The honorable
king said: 'In the manner of a Râkshasa [by
kidnapping thus], so I heard, married the Supreme Lord thus
Rukminî, the daughter of Bhîshmaka with the
charming face.
King
Parîkshit said: The Supreme Lord married
Rukminî, the beautiful-faced daughter of
Bhîshmaka, in the Râkshasa style - or so I have
heard. (Vedabase)
Text
19
O lord, I'd
like to hear about how Krishna stole away the bride, with His
immeasurable potency defeating such kings as Jarasândha
and S'âlva.
My
lord, I wish to hear how the immeasurably powerful Lord
Krishna took away His bride while defeating such kings as
Magadha and S'âlva. (Vedabase)
Text
20
O brahmin! Who
can ever all understand what is said and get enough of hearing
about the always new [see 10.45:
48]
propitious, delightful topics of Krishna which remove the
contamination of the world?'
What
experienced listener, O brâhmana, could ever grow
satiated while listening to the pious, charming and
ever-fresh topics of Lord Krishna, which cleanse away the
world's contamination? (Vedabase)
Text
21
The son of
Vyâsa said: 'There was a king named Bhîshmaka, the
great ruler of Vidarbha, of whom there were five sons and one
daughter with an exceptionally pretty face.
S'rî
Bâdarâyani said: There was a king named
Bhîshmaka, the powerful ruler of Vidarbha. He had five
sons and one daughter of lovely countenance.
(Vedabase)
Text
22
Rukmî was
the first born son, followed by
Rukmaratha,
Rukmabâhu, Rukmakes'a and Rukmamâlî;
Rukminî their sister was of a saintly character
[rukma means: 'what is bright or
radiant'].
Rukmî
was the first-born son, followed by Rukmaratha,
Rukmabâhu, Rukmakes'a and Rukmamâlî. Their
sister was the exalted Rukminî. (Vedabase)
Text
23
She,
from hearing Mukunda's beauty, prowess, character and opulences
being sung by those who came to her family home, deemed Him a
suitable husband.
Hearing
of the beauty, prowess, transcendental character and
opulence of Mukunda from visitors to the palace who sang His
praises, Rukminî decided that He would be the perfect
husband for her. (Vedabase)
Text
24
Krishna,
finding her as a repository of intelligence, auspicious marks,
magnanimity, beauty, good behavior and other qualities a
suitable wife, then took the decision to marry
her.
Lord
Krishna knew that Rukminî possessed intelligence,
auspicious bodily markings, beauty, proper behavior and all
other good qualities. Concluding that she would be an ideal
wife for Him, He made up His mind to marry her.
(Vedabase)
Text
25
Even
though the family wanted to give the sister to Krishna o King,
was this by Rukmî, who hated Krishna, prevented; he
thought more of S'is'upâla.
Because
Rukmî envied the Lord, O King, he forbade his family
members to give his sister to Krishna, although they wanted
to. Instead, Rukmî decided to give Rukminî to
S'is'upâla. (Vedabase)
Text
26
The princess of
Vidarbha with her dark eyes unhappy with that knowledge, pained
her mind and quickly sent a certain dependable brahmin to
Krishna.
Dark-eyed
Vaidarbhî was aware of this plan, and it deeply upset
her. Analyzing the situation, she quickly sent a trustworthy
brâhmana to Krishna. (Vedabase)
Text
27
He, arriving at
Dvârakâ, brought inside by the gatekeepers saw the
Original Person seated on a golden throne.
Upon
reaching Dvârakâ, the brâhmana was brought
inside by the gatekeepers and saw the primeval Personality
of Godhead sitting on a golden throne. (Vedabase)
Text
28
The Lord Good
to the Brahmins seeing him got down from His throne, seated him
and performed worship the way the residents of heaven worship
Him.
Seeing
the brâhmana, S'rî Krishna, Lord of the
brâhmanas, came down from His throne and seated him.
Then the Lord worshiped him just as He Himself is worshiped
by the demigods. (Vedabase)
Text
29
With
him having eaten and rested approached the Goal of the Saintly
Devotees him in order to personally give him a massage for his
feet and asked He him patiently:
After
the brâhmana had eaten and rested, S'rî Krishna,
the goal of saintly devotees, came forward, and while
massaging the brâhmana's feet with His own hands, He
patiently questioned him as follows. (Vedabase)
Text
30
'My
best, are the religious practices sanctioned by your
first-class, twice-born seniors, proceeding without too much
difficulty and are you always happy within?
[The
Supreme Lord said:] O best of exalted brâhmanas,
are your religious practices, sanctioned by senior
authorities, proceeding without great difficulty? Is your
mind always fully satisfied? (Vedabase)
Text
31
When
a brahmin satisfied carries on with whatever [comes his
way], not falling short in his religious duty, will those
[practices] for him every way be the cow of
plenty.
When
a brâhmana is satisfied with whatever comes his way
and does not fall away from his religious duties, those very
religious principles become his desire cow, fulfilling all
his wishes. (Vedabase)
Text
32
Dissatisfied
will he, even though he is the master of the godly, again and
again end up in various worlds; but satisfied will he, even
though destitute, rest with all his limbs free from pain and
fever.
An
unsatisfied brâhmana wanders restlessly from one
planet to another, even if he becomes King of heaven. But a
satisfied brâhmana, though he may possess nothing,
rests peacefully, all his limbs free of distress.
(Vedabase)
Text
33
To
the learned who are satisfied with their progress [in
self-realization] I bow My head again and again because
they, void of false ego, are of the saintly and of all living
beings, peaceful as they are the best well-wishers [see
also B.G. 2:
71,
12:
13-14].
I
repeatedly bow My head in respect to those brâhmanas
who are satisfied with their lot. Saintly, prideless and
peaceful, they are the best well- wishers of all living
beings. (Vedabase)
Text
34
Are
you faring well with what the king all does, o brahmin? For the
king whose subjects are happy to live protected in his state is
very dear to Me.
O
brâhmana, is your King attending to your welfare?
Indeed, that king in whose country the citizens are happy
and protected is very dear to Me. (Vedabase)
Text
35
From where,
crossing the [ocean of] troubles, did you arrive here
and for what purpose; please tell Us everything, if its not a
secret; what is it We may do for you?'
Whence
have you come, crossing the impassable sea, and for what
purpose? Explain all this to Us if it is not a secret, and
tell Us what We may do for you. (Vedabase)
Text
36
With
the Supreme Being, who for the sake of His pastimes assumes His
bodies, thus asking these questions, related the brahmin
everything to Him:
Thus
questioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
incarnates to perform His pastimes, the brâhmana told
Him everything. (Vedabase)
Text
37
'S'rî
Rukminî has said: 'O Most Beautiful One of all the
Worlds, hearing that for all those who hear about Your
qualities You, entering through the openings of their ears,
remove the distress of their bodies and that they who have eyes
to see the beauty of You, obtain the complete fulfillment of
all desires, have I without shame installed You in my
mind!
S'rî
Rukminî said [in her letter, as read by the
brâhmana]: O beauty of the worlds, having heard of
Your qualities, which enter the ears of those who hear and
remove their bodily distress, and having also heard of Your
beauty, which fulfills all the visual desires of those who
see, I have fixed my shameless mind upon You, O Krishna.
(Vedabase)
Text
38
Who,
o Mukunda, is Your equal in aristocratic background, character,
beauty, knowledge, youth, property and influence? What sober
and marriageable girl of a good family would, coming of age,
not choose for her husband You, o lion among men, who are so
delightful to the minds of all mankind?
O
Mukunda, You are equal only to Yourself in lineage,
character, beauty, knowledge, youthfulness, wealth and
influence. O lion among men, You delight the minds of all
mankind. What aristocratic, sober-minded and marriageable
girl of a good family would not choose You as her husband
when the proper time has come? (Vedabase)
Text
39
Therefore
have I chosen Your good Self, dear Lord, for my husband and
offer I myself as a wife to You, o Omnipotent One, please
accept me; may the king of Cedi [S'is'upâla]
never, like a jackal away with what belongs to the king of the
animals, touch what is allotted to the hero.
Therefore,
my dear Lord, I have chosen You as my husband, and I
surrender myself to You. Please come swiftly, O almighty
one, and make me Your wife. My dear lotus-eyed Lord, let
S'is'upâla never touch the hero's portion like a
jackal stealing the property of a lion. (Vedabase)
Text
40
Let
with the Supreme Lord, the Highest Controller sufficiently
worshiped by means of pious works, sacrifices, charity,
observances, vows, honoring the gods, the gurus and the learned
and other activities, the elder brother of Gada
[9.24:
46]
come and take my hand and not the son of Damaghosha or others
like him.
If
I have sufficiently worshiped the Supreme Personality of
Godhead by pious works, sacrifices, charity, rituals and
vows, and also by worshiping the demigods, brâhmanas
and gurus, then may Gadâgraja come and take my hand,
and not Damaghosha's son or anyone else. (Vedabase)
Text
41
The day before
the marriage takes place You must come to Vidarbha, o
Invincible One, in secret surrounded by Your officers to crush
fighting the armed resistance of the kings of Caidya and
Magadha and take me in marriage in the râkshasa
style as the reward for Your valor.
O
unconquerable one, tomorrow when my marriage ceremony is
about to begin, You should arrive unseen in Vidarbha and
surround Yourself with the leaders of Your army. Then crush
the forces of Caidya and Magadhendra and marry me in the
Râkshasa style, winning me with Your valor.
(Vedabase)
Text
42
How
to carry me, moving within my quarters, away without killing my
relatives, You might say; let me tell You how to: on the day
before is there for the presiding deity of the family a large
ceremonial procession outside in which the new bride approaches
the goddess Girijâ [Ambikâ
in her temple].
Since
I will be staying within the inner chambers of the palace,
You may wonder, "How can I carry you away without killing
some of your relatives?" But I shall tell You a way: On the
day before the marriage there is a grand procession to honor
the royal family's deity, and in this procession the new
bride goes outside the city to visit Goddess Girijâ.
(Vedabase)
Text
43
Great
souls, like the husband of Ûma [S'iva], in order
to overcome their own ignorance hanker to bathe in the dust of
Your lotus feet; when I, o Lotus-eyed One, cannot obtain Your
mercy I ought to give up my life in being weakened by vows, so
that I [finally] obtain You after a hundred births
more.'
O
lotus-eyed one, great souls like Lord S'iva hanker to bathe
in the dust of Your lotus feet and thereby destroy their
ignorance. If I cannot obtain Your mercy, I shall simply
give up my vital force, which will have become weak from the
severe penances I will perform. Then, after hundreds of
lifetimes of endeavor, I may obtain Your mercy.
(Vedabase)
Text
44
[The
brahmin ended with:] This is the confidential message
brought by me, o Lord of the Yadus, so please consider what
immediately following up on this matter needs to be
done.
The
brâhmana said: This is the confidential message I have
brought with me, O Lord of the Yadus. Please consider what
must be done in these circumstances, and do it at once.
(Vedabase)