Canto
3
Chapter 3: The Lord's Pastimes Outside of Vrindâvana
(1) Uddhava said: 'After that time when the Lord came to the city of Mathurâ, He wished His parents all well [freeing them from imprisonment], after together with Baladeva having dragged down from the throne the leader of public enmity [Kamsa] and having killed him by pulling him to the ground with great strength. (2) He learned all of the Vedas after only once having heard about them, having studied them in detail under the instruction of His teacher Sândîpani Muni, whom He rewarded the benediction of bringing back his own deceased son from the region of the departed souls [Yamaloka] that is within. (3) Invited by the daughter of King Bhîshmaka [Rukminî], all those who according custom were candidates to marry her and likewise had come expecting that fortune, Lord Krishna took away His own share by carrying her away like Garuda does with the feet of the Lord on his head. (4) In an open competition for the selection of the bridegroom for Princess Nâgnajitî He subdued seven wild bulls and won her hand, but the fools who nevertheless wanted her in their disappointment, He killed and wounded without getting hurt Himself, well equipped as He was with all weapons. (5) Because of the fact that He, like an ordinary living being just tried to please His dear wife, who wished that He brought the Pârijâta flower shrub [from heaven], went Indra the King of Heaven with all his strength against Him, being blind of anger, henpecked of course by his own wives.
(6) The son of Narakâsura who physically wanted to rule the sky was killed by His Sudars'ana Cakra [the disc], but being prayed for by mother earth, He returned what was taken from him to his son and then entered his house. (7) There all the princesses that were kidnapped by the demon, upon seeing the Lord, the friend of the distressed, at once got up from there and accepted Him joyfully and shy in the attachment of their eager glances. (8) He accepted the hands of all women at the same time, although they lived in different apartments, with perfect ritual matching with them exactly through His internal potency. (9) Desiring to expand Himself, from each and every one of them He begot about ten children that were all alike Himself in all respects.
(10) Kâlayavana, the king of Magadha [Jarâsandha], King S'âlva and others who with their soldiers had surrounded Mathurâ, He, personally proving the power of His kind, did not kill. (11) Of S'ambara, Dvivida, Bâna, Mura, Balvala and others like Dantavakra and assorted as well, He killed some, while others He caused to be killed [by Balarâma e.g.].
(12) Thereafter were of both parties of the nephews in the battle of Kurukshetra the kings killed of whom the earth shook by the strength of their traversing. (13) He did not take pleasure in the sight of seeing Karna, Duhs'âsana and Saubala, who were bereft of fortune and lifespan by the ill advice of Duryodhana, with their followers and all of their power lying down with broken limbs. (14) 'What is this', the Lord said when with the help of Bhîshma, Drona, Arjuna and Bhîma and eighteen akshauhinîs [an army consisting of ten anikinis, or 21.870 elephants, 21.870 chariots, 65.610 horses, and 109.350 foot soldiers] He had abated the earth's enormous burden, 'There is still the unbearable of the great strength of the Yadu-dynasty. (15) They will disappear when, intoxicated from drinking, a quarrel among them will take place which turns their eyes red like copper; there is no other alternative to ensure this on My disappearance.' (16) Thus thinking to Himself the Supreme Lord installed Yudhishthhira to his own kingdom, gladdening His friends by indicating the path of the saints.
(17) The descendant of Pûru [Parîkchit] conceived from the womb of Uttarâ by the hero Abhimanyu, surely would have been burnt by the weapon of the son of Drona if the Supreme Lord hadn't averted it protecting him [see S.B. 1: 7 & 8]. (18) The Almighty induced the son of Dharma [Yudhishthhira] to perform also three horse-sacrifices and with that assisted by his brothers he protected and enjoyed the earth as a constant follower of Krishna.
(19) The Supreme Lord and Supersoul of the Universe customarily following the path of vedic principles, enjoyed the lusts of life in the city of Dvârakâ, without, conform to the analytical of yoga [Sânkhya], getting attached. (20) Gentle and with His sweet glances and words compared to nectar, He, with His flawless character, resided there in fortune by His transcendental body. (21) He, pleasing the Yadus, enjoyed this earth and certainly also the other worlds, in the leisure of the night with the women, being of friendship in conjugal love. (22) Thus, for many many years, He enjoyed household life to the [sensual] union of which His detachment awakened. (23) Like with Himself, is the enjoyment of the senses of whatever living entity controlled by the divine, in which one can have faith through joining oneself in the service of the Lord of Yoga.
(24) In the city of Dvârakâ once the princely descendants of Yadu and Bhoja had been sporting and thus had angered the wise who then cursed them as was desired by the Supreme Lord. (25) A few months later the descendants of Vrishni, Bhoja and others like the sons of Andhaka went, bewildered by Krishna, to the place of pilgrimage called Prabhâsa with great pleasure. (26) There they took a bath and also were sure to offer by that water their respects to their forefathers, the gods and the great sages. Then they gave in royal charity cows to the brahmins. (27) For their livelihood they also provided them with gold, gold coins, bedding, clothing, seatcovers, blankets, horses, chariots, elephants, girls and land. (28) After supplying the brahmins with highly delicious food that was first offered to the Supreme Lord, the valiant representatives offered, for the sake of their good life, the cows and the brahmins their obeisances by touching the ground with their heads.
Second edition, loaded 10 May, 2006.
Source texts:
The Lord's Pastimes Out of Vrindâvana
Uddhava said: 'After that time when the Lord came to the city of Mathurâ, He wished His parents all well [freeing them from imprisonment], after together with Baladeva having dragged down from the throne the leader of public enmity [Kamsa] and having killed him by pulling him to the ground with great strength.S'rî Uddhava said: Thereafter Lord Krishna went to Mathurâ City with S'rî Baladeva, and to please Their parents They dragged Kamsa, the leader of public enemies, down from his throne and killed him, pulling him along the ground with great strength. (Vedabase)
Text 2
He learned all of the Vedas after only once having heard about them, having studied them in detail under the instruction of His teacher Sândîpani Muni, whom He rewarded the benediction of bringing back his own deceased son from the region of the departed souls [Yamaloka] that is within.
The Lord learned all the Vedas with their different branches simply by hearing them once from His teacher, Sândîpani Muni, whom He rewarded by bringing back his dead son from the region of Yamaloka. (Vedabase)
Invited by the daughter of King Bhîshmaka [Rukminî], all those who according custom were candidates to marry her and likewise had come expecting that fortune, Lord Krishna took away His own share by carrying her away like Garuda does with the feet of the Lord on his head.
Attracted by the beauty and fortune of Rukminî, the daughter of King Bhîshmaka, many great princes and kings assembled to marry her. But Lord Krishna, stepping over the other hopeful candidates, carried her away as His own share, as Garuda carried away nectar. (Vedabase)
In an open competition for the selection of the bridegroom for Princess Nâgnajitî He subdued seven wild bulls and won her hand, but the fools who nevertheless wanted her in their disappointment, He killed and wounded without getting hurt Himself, well equipped as He was with all weapons.
By subduing seven bulls whose noses were not pierced, the Lord achieved the hand of Princess Nâgnajitî in the open competition to select her bridegroom. Although the Lord was victorious, His competitors asked the hand of the princess, and thus there was a fight. Well equipped with weapons, the Lord killed or wounded all of them, but He was not hurt Himself. (Vedabase)
Because of the fact that He, like an ordinary living being just tried to please His dear wife, who wished that He brought the pârijâta flower shrub [from heaven], went Indra the King of Heaven with all his strength against Him, being blind of anger, henpecked of course by his own wives.
Just to please His dear wife, the Lord brought back the pârijâta tree from heaven, just as an ordinary husband would do. But Indra, the King of heaven, induced by his wives. (henpecked as he was), ran after the Lord with full force to fight Him. (Vedabase)
The son of Narakâsura who physically wanted to rule the sky was killed by His Sudars'ana Cakra [the disc], but being prayed for by mother earth, He returned what was taken from him to his son and then entered his house.
Narakâsura, the son of Dharitrî, the earth, tried to grasp the whole sky, and for this he was killed by the Lord in a fight. His mother then prayed to the Lord. This led to the return of the kingdom to the son of Narakâsura, and thus the Lord entered the house of the demon. (Vedabase)
There all the princesses that were kidnapped by the demon, upon seeing the Lord, the friend of the distressed, at once got up from there and accepted Him joyfully and shy in the attachment of their eager glances.
There in the house of the demon, all the princesses kidnapped by Narakâsura at once became alert upon seeing the Lord, the friend of the distressed. They looked upon Him with eagerness, joy and shyness and offered to be His wives. (Vedabase)
He accepted the hands of all women at the same time, although they lived in different apartments, with perfect ritual matching with them exactly through His internal potency.
All those princesses were lodged in different apartments, and the Lord simultaneously assumed different bodily expansions exactly matching each and every princess. He accepted their hands in perfect rituals by His internal potency. (Vedabase)
Desiring to expand Himself, from each and every one of them He begot about ten children that were all alike Himself in all respects
Just to expand Himself according to His transcendental features, the Lord begot in each and every one of them ten offspring with exactly His own qualities. (Vedabase)
Kâlayavana, the king of Magadha [Jarâsandha], King S'âlva and others who with their soldiers had surrounded Mathurâ, He, personally proving the power of His kind, did not kill.
Kalayavana, the King of Magadha and S'âlva attacked the city of Mathurâ, but when the city was encircled by their soldiers, the Lord refrained from killing them personally, just to show the power of His own men. (Vedabase)
Of S'ambara, Dvivida, Bâna, Mura, Balvala and others like Dantavakra and assorted as well, He killed some, while others He caused to be killed [by Balarâma e.g.].
Of kings like S'ambara, Dvivida, Bâna, Mura, Balvala and many other demons, such as Dantavakra, some He killed Himself, and some He caused to be killed by others [S'rî Baladeva, etc.]. (Vedabase)
Thereafter were of both parties of the nephews in the battle of Kurukshetra the kings killed of whom the earth shook by the strength of their traversing.
Then, O Vidura, the Lord caused all the kings, both the enemies and those on the side of your fighting nephews, to be killed in the Battle of Kurukshetra. All those kings were so great and strong that the earth seemed to shake as they traversed the warfield. (Vedabase)
He did not take pleasure in the sight of seeing Karna, Duhs'âsana and Saubala, who were bereft of fortune and lifespan by the ill advice of Duryodhana, with their followers and all of their power lying down with broken limbs.
Duryodhana was bereft of his fortune and duration of life because of the intricacy of ill advice given by Karna, Duhs'âsana and Saubala. When he lay on the ground with his followers, his thighs broken although he was powerful, the Lord was not happy to see the scene. (Vedabase)
'What is this', the Lord said when with the help of Bhîshma, Drona, Arjuna and Bhîma and eighteen akshauhinîs [an army consisting of ten anikinis, or 21.870 elephants, 21.870 chariots, 65.610 horses, and 109.350 foot soldiers] He had abated the earth's enormous burden, 'There is still the unbearable of the great strength of the Yadu-dynasty.
[After the end of the Battle of Kurukshetra, the Lord said:] The abatement of the earth's great burden, eighteen âkshauhinîs, has now been effected with the help of Drona, Bhîshma, Arjuna en Bhîma. But what is this? There is still the great strength of the Yadu dynasty, born of Myself, which may be a more unbearable burden. (Vedabase)
They will disappear when, intoxicated from drinking, a quarrel among them will take place which turns their eyes red like copper; there is no other alternative to ensure this on My disappearance.'
When they quarrel among themselves, influenced by intoxication, with their eyes red like copper because of drinking [madhu], then only will they disappear; otherwise, it will not be possible. On My disappearance, this incident will take place. (Vedabase)
Thus thinking to Himself the Supreme Lord installed Yudhishthhira to his own kingdom, gladdening His friends by indicating the path of the saints.
Lord S'rî Krishna, thus thinking to Himself, established Mahârâja Yudhishthhira in the position of supreme control of the world in order to show the ideal of administration on the path of piety. (Vedabase)
The descendant of Pûru [Parîkchit] conceived from the womb of Uttarâ by the hero Abhimanyu, surely would have been burnt by the weapon of the son of Drona if the Supreme Lord hadn't averted it protecting him [see S.B. 1: 7 & 8].
The embryo of Pûru's descendant begotten by the great hero Abhimanyu in the womb of Uttarâ, his wife, was burnt by the weapon of the son of Drona, but later he was again protected by the Lord. (Vedabase)
The Almighty induced the son of Dharma [Yudhishthhira] to perform also three horse-sacrifices and with that assisted by his brothers he protected and enjoyed the earth as a constant follower of Krishna.
The Supreme Lord induced the son of Dharma to perform three horse sacrifices, and Mahârâja Yudhishthhira, constantly following Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, protected and enjoyed the earth, assisted by his younger brothers. (Vedabase)
The Supreme Lord and Supersoul of the Universe customarily following the path of vedic principles, enjoyed the lusts of life in the city of Dvârakâ, without, conform to the analytical of yoga [Sânkhya], getting attached.
Simultaneously, the Personality of Godhead enjoyed life in the city of Dvârakâ, strictly in conformity with the Vedic customs of society. He was situated in detachment and knowledge, as enunciated by the Sânkhya system of philosophy. (Vedabase)
Gentle and with his sweet glances and words compared to nectar, He, with His flawless character, resided there in fortune by His transcendental body.
The Lord was thus engaged in household life for many, many years, but at last His detachment from ephemeral sex life was fully manifested. (Vedabase)He, pleasing the Yadus, enjoyed this earth and certainly also the other worlds, in the leisure of the night with the women, being of friendship in conjugal love.
The Lord enjoyed His pastimes, both in this world and in other worlds [higher planets], specifically in the association of the Yadu dynasty. At leisure hours offered by night, He enjoyed the friendship of conjugal love with women. (Vedabase)
Thus, for many many years, He enjoyed household life to the [sensual] union of which His detachment awakened.
The Lord was thus engaged in household life for many, many years, but at last His detachment from ephemeral sex life was fully manifested. (Vedabase)
Like with Himself, is the enjoyment of the senses of whatever living entity controlled by the divine, in which one can have faith through joining oneself in the service of the Lord of Yoga.
Every living entity is controlled by a supernatural force, and thus his sense enjoyment is also under the control of that supernatural force. No one, therefore, can put his faith in Lord Krishna's transcendental sense activities but one who has become a devotee of the Lord by rendering devotional service. (Vedabase)
In the city of Dvârakâ once the princely descendants of Yadu and Bhoja had been sporting and thus had angered the wise who then cursed them as was desired by the Supreme Lord.
Once upon a time, great sages were made angry by the sporting activities of the princely descendants of the Yadu and Bhoja dynasties, and thus, as desired by the Lord, the sages cursed them. (Vedabase)
A few months later the descendants of Vrishni, Bhoja and others like the sons of Andhaka went, bewildered by Krishna, to the place of pilgrimage called Prabhâsa with great pleasure.
A few months passed, and then, bewildered by Krishna, all the descendants of Vrishni, Bhoja and Andhaka who where incarnations of demigods went to Prabhâsa, while those who were eternal devotees of the Lord did not leave but remained in Dvârakâ. (Vedabase)
There they took a bath and also were sure to offer by that water their respects to their forefathers, the gods and the great sages. Then they gave in royal charity cows to the brahmins.
After arriving there, all of them took bath, and with the water of this place of pilgrimage they offered their respects to the forefathers, demigods and great sages and thus satisfied them. They gave cows to the brâhmanas in royal charity. (Vedabase)
For their livelihood they also provided them with gold, gold coins, bedding, clothing, seatcovers, blankets, horses, chariots, elephants, girls and land.
The brâhmanas were not only given well-fed cows in charity, but also gold, gold coins, bedding, clothing, animal-skin seats, blankets, horses, elephants, girls and sufficient land for maintenance. (Vedabase)
After supplying the brahmins with highly delicious food that was first offered to the Supreme Lord, the valiant representatives offered, for the sake of their good life, the cows and the brahmins their obeisances by touching the ground with their heads.
Thereafter they offered the brâhmanas highly delicious foodstuffs first offered to the Personality of Godhead and offered their respectful obeisances by touching their heads to the ground. They lived perfectly by protecting the cows and the brâhmanas. (Vedabase)
For
this original translation a one-volume printed copy
has been used with an extensive commentary.
ISBN: o-91277-27-7
See the
S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
links-page
for this and more books of Prabhupâda.
The image of Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra on this page is by
Ramadasa-abhirama
dasa
Production: Filognostic
Association
of The
Order of Time
Feed-back | Links | Downloads | Music | Pictures | What's New | Search | Donations
