Gopa Balaram(Ananga Manjari) as Saṃkarṣaṇa / Lakshmana / Patanjali / SheshaAnanta / Nityananda / Ramanujacharya
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Friday, July 23, 2021
Gomanta War
https://www.google.com/search?q=Gomanta
98. Jarāsandha's instructions to the kings
VAISHAMPAYANA said:—Surrounded by his four-fold forces moving like the ocean, the highly effulgent'and powerful king Jarāsandha, observant of vows and the leader of kings, arrived there.
He had with him war-chariots drawn by spirited horses, trained by expert warriors whose course was not impeded any where, cloud-like elephants, adorned with bells,
carrying a golden room with warriors proud of battle and driven by clevor drivers, horses leaping and fleet like the wind governed by clever drivers and numberless infantry armed with swords,
daggers and leathern fences who could leap even high up into the the sky. A host of kings also followed him (1-6).
All the caves of that best of mountains and all the quarters echoing with the clatter of car wheels resembling the muttering of clouds, the noise of the elephants in rut,
the neighings of the horses and the leonine shouts of the infantry, the emperor Jarāsandha, with his army, was seen there like an ocean (7-8).
Striking this palms against each other and slapping their arms that army of the kings, abounding in delighted warriors, shone there like an army of clouds (9).
That army, variegated with cars, fleet like the wind, with elephants resembling the clouds, with horses resembling white clouds and with well dressed infantry, shone like clouds kissing the ocean after the termination of the rainy season (10–11).
Thereupon those powerful kings, headed by Jarāsandha, encambed encircling that mountain (12).
At that time the encampment of those kings lying outside shone like the full ocean during the full moon (13).
After the expiration of the night, the kings, having performed the auspicious ceremony of Koutuka, rose up for ascending the hill for fight (14).
Having assembled at the valley of the mountain they, out of curiosity, began to hold counsels befitting the hour of battle (15).
There was heard thus a great tumult like that of the upheaving of the ocean at the time of the dissolution of the world (16).
With Kanchika turbans on their heads and canes in their hands the warders began to move about on all sides exclaiming “Ma” i.e. (do not make noise) (17).
That army, hushed into silence, imitated the form of the ocean abounding in fishes and huge serpents (18).
When informed of the mandate of the king that ocean-like army stood silent and motionless the king Jarāshdha, like the preceptor of the gods, addressed them, saying (19):
—"United soon let the armies of the kings completely besiege this mountain (20).
Let rocky weapons and clubs be got ready and prāshas and Tomaras be placed on high (21).
Inorder to throw up let artizans make ready means of obstructing the speedy fall of weapons (22).
Let what, the king of Chedi speaks to heroes engaged in fighting with one another, and inebriete with desire for battle, be carried out (23).
Rive this foremost of mountains with Tankas and Khanitras and let kings, expert in fighting, be placed at no distance (24).
As long as I do not kill the two sons of Vasudeva let my army remain besieging the mountain (25).
You will so besiege this mountain sprung from rocks and you will so obstruct the sky with arrows that even the birds may not go out of it (26).
Let the kings, at my command, wait at the base of the mountain and get up on it as soon as an opportunity presents itself (27).
Let Madra, the king of Kalinga, Chekitān, the king of Valhika, Gonarda the king of Kāshmira, the king of Karusha, Druma of Kimpurushā, and mountainous tribes ascend the mountain from the other side (28–29).
Let Venudāri of the Puru race, Vidarbha, king Somaka, Bhoja, king Rukshmi, Mālava, Suryaksha, Drupada, the king of Panchala, Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti province, the emergetic Dantavakra, Chhāgali, Purumitra, the emperor Virat, the king of Koushāmvi, Mālava, Shrutadhanwā, Veduratha, the king of Trigarta, Bhurisrava, Vana and Panchnava,
let these kings, powerful like thunderbolt and expert in capturing a fort, get up on this mountain from the north and assail it (30-33).
Let Ansumāna's heroic son Kaitaveya, Uluka, Ekalavya, Dridāksha, Jayadratha, ever observant of Kshatriya duties, Uttamoujā, Shālwa, the king of Kerala, Koushika, Vāmadeva, the king of Vidishā and powerful Sukeshi get upon the mountain from the east and rive it as the wind dissipates the clouds (34–36).
Myself, Darada and the powerful king of Chedi, shall rive the western side of the mountain (37).
In this way let the mountain be beseiged completely on all sides by our men and entertain a terrible fright as from the fall of a thunder-bolt (38).
Let the holders of clubs with clubs, Parigha-holders with Parighas and othor warriors with diverse other weapons rend this foremost of mountains (39).
O ye kings, you shall have, even to day to level this mountain abounding in high, uneven and dangerous rocks” (40).
As the oceans lie encircling the earth, so those kings, at the command of Jarāsandha, stood encircling the mount Gomanta (41).
Thereupon the king of Chedi, like unto Indra the king of gods, said:—“What is the use of capturing like a fort this foremost of mountains Gomanta impassable with high trees and abounding in high summits.
Covering it on all sides with twigs and woods we shall burn it even this very day. What is the use of making any other effort?
Besides the Kshatriyas are tender and they fight with arrows in battle. We should not engage them to fight on foot in a mountain.
By beseiging or rising above it even the gods cannot rend this mountain. O king, to lay a siege is proper when capturing a fort (42–46).
Those, who take shelter on a mountain, yield when they fall short of food, water and fuels. Although we are many in number we should not disregard the two Yādavas stationed in fight.
This is not a wise policy. We do not know the strength of those two Yādavas. By their actions they have acquired celestial reputation. And although they are boys they accomplish many difficult feats (47–49).
Placing all round this mountain dried grass and woods we shall set fire to them. Consumed thereby they will give up their life (50).
If on being burnt they come out of the mountain and approach us we shall, all united, kill them and they too will meet with death” (51).
The kings with all the soldiers liked what the king of Chedi said for their well-being (52).
Thereupon as a cloud is stricken with the rays of the sun so that mountain was ablaze with with dried woods, grass and twigs (53).
According to the course of the wind and place the light-handed kings set fire on all sides of that mountain (54).
Then the fire, excited by the wind, conflagrated on all sides, and with the lustre its flames, accompanied by smokes, beautified the sky (55).
Thus the fire, begotten by the collection of woods, began to burn up the beautiful mountain Gomanta abounding in beautiful trees (56).
And that burning mountain being rent assunder into a hundred (pieces) huge rocks began to come out from all sides, looking like huge fire brands (57).
As the sun, with its lustre, lights up the clouds, so the fire lighted up the mountain with its rising flames (58).
It appeared as if pained with molten metals, burning trees and agitated beasts that mountain was weeping (59).
From that heated mountain which was being consumed by fire began to come out molten metals of golden, dark-blue and silvery hues (60).
With its half enshrouded with the darkness of smoke, that mountain, covered with flames of fire, was shorn of beauty like disappearing clouds (61).
With the detached collection of rocks and the dreadful down-pour of embers that mountain appeared like a cloud accompanied by a shower of fire-brands (62).
With springs of water rising up and enveloped with smokes the mount Gomanta appeared to have been consumed by the fire of dissolution (63).
With half of this body burnt, serpents, having huge hoods, overwhelmed, with anxious eyes and sighing, began again and again to leap up and fall down with their heads bent downwards (64).
Assailed by fire and excited the lions and tigers began to cry and the trees began to yeild juice consequent upon burning (65).
Rendered coppery with ashes and embers the wind began to rise and cover the sky, with smokes, like clouds (67).
On account of the spread of fire the birds and beasts left the table-lands and the mountain became agitated (68).
As if rent by the thunder-bolt of Vāsava that mountain, abounding in shaken and high rocks, began to throw out rocks (69).
Thus setting fire to that mountain and themselves distressed by it the Kshatriyas retreated to a distance of a mile (70).
When that foremost of mountains was thus burnt the great trees were so scorched that none could look at them, and the root (of the mountain) was slackened, Rāma in anger, said to the lotus-eyed Krishna, the slayer of Madhu (71–72).
“O my brother Krishna, on account of their enmity towards us the enemies are consuming this mountain along with its table-lands, summits and trees (73).
Behold O Krishna, the leading twice-born ones, who are living in the forest of the mountain assailed by fire and covered with smokes, are as if weeping (74).
O brother, if this Gomanta is burnt down on our account we shall acquire great censure and blame in the world (75).
Therefore O foremost of warriors, in order to satisfy our debt to this mountain whose shelter we have taken we shall destroy the Kshatriyas with our very arms (76).
Setting fire to this mountain these foremost of car-warriors, the Kshatriays, well armed, are signifying their desire for battle. (We shall despatch them to the abode Yama)” (77).
Saying this Keshava's elder brother, bedecked with a garland of wild flowers, beautiful Kundalas and crown, inebriete with Kādamvari wine, resembling an autumnal moon, clad in a blue raiment, of white face,
the beautiful Baladeva jumped down in the midst of kings from the summit of Gomanta like the moon from the summit of Sumeru (78-80).
When Rāma leaped down, the beautiful Krishna, too of incomparable energy, resembling a dark-blue cloud, jumped down from the summit of Gomanta (81).
Thereat the divine Hari, assailing that foremost of mountains with his two feet, its four sides were broken down (82).
Thereupon, water, issuing from its rocks, resembling elephants in rut, immediately extinguished that fire as the sun, at the end of a cycle, puts down the fire of dissolution with showers.
Having thus put down the fire the powerful lotus-eyed Krishna, of a gentle face and leonine voice, carrying a beautiful diadem like that of the thousand eyed deity and bearing the mystic mark of Srivatsa on his breast, followed Rāma by jumping.
When they got down the foremost of mountains, assailed with their foot-steps, began to yield water for extinguishing the flaming fire.
Beholding that fire extinguished by water the kings too grew terrified (83–87).
99. Krishna meets his enemy
VAISHAMPAYANA said: —Beholding the two sons of Vasudeva come down from the mountain the soldiers of the kings grew terrified and the animals bewildered (1).
Although they had no other weapons but their arms they began to move about there in anger like two Makaras that agitate the ocean (2).
When they began to range there desirous of fighting there arose in them their respective ancient intelligence regarding the handling of weapons (3).
The weapons, which they had obtained before in their encounter at Mathurā, came down from the sky like burning flames before the very eyes of the assembled kings.
The huge bodily weapons, which the two Yādavas obtained, came down from the sky, as if filled with thirst and the desire of feeding upon human flesh.
They, adorned with celestial garlands, lighted up the ten quarters with their lustre and terrified the sky-ranging ones. Beasts of prey followed them with a view to feed upon royal flesh (4–8).
When in that great battle came down for the two Yādavas four powerful Vaishnava weapons namely, the plough-share Samvartaka, the mace Sounanda, the discus Sudarshana, and the club Koumodaki the powerful Rāma,
the foremost of Sātwatas, first of all, took up with his left hand the plough-share embellished with celestial garlands and moving obliquely like a serpent and with his right hand, the best of maces Saunanda that creates depression in the enemies (9-12).
Keshava, with delight, took up the discus Sudarshana which is worthy of being looked at by all the worlds and effulgent like the sun (13).
The other hand of Krishna, the necessity of whose incarnation was known to the gods, was bedecked with the club Koumodaki (14).
Thus armed the heroic Rāma and Govinda, the very incarnations of Vishnu, began to withstand the enemies in battle (15).
Displaying their prowess like two gods, the two heroic sons of Vasudeva, designated as the younger and the elder brothers and although one in Vishnu, divided into two as men under the names of Rāma and Govinda and dependant on each other, began to range in the battle-field withstanding the enemies (16-17).
Thereupon raising up his plough-share in anger, resembling the belly of a crow the heroic Rāma began to move about in the battle-field like the very Death of the enemies.
And dragging the cars of the highly powerful Kshatriyas he began to give effect to his anger on the horses and the elephants (18–19).
Ranging in that battle-field and assailing with the strokes of his mace mountain-like elephants thrown up with his plough-share he began as if to churn them (20).
Thereupon the leading Kshatriyas, who were on the point of being slain by Rāma, left their cars in fear, and went to Jarāsandha.
Thereat the king Jarāsandha, ever observant of Kshatriya duties, said to them: —“O fie on your conduct as Kshatriyas grown tired of battle (21–22).
The sages say that those, who albeit powerful fly away from the battle field leaving their cars behind, are visited by the sin of destroying an embroyo. Do you not know this (23)?
Fie on your conduct as Kshatriyas. Why do ye fly away in fear of a milk-herd of limited power who fights on foot (24)?
Do ye return soon according to my order, or you need not fight, but wait in the battle-field as spectators. I shall myself despatch those two cow-herd boys to the abode of Yama (25).”
Thus excited by Jarāsandha the Kshatryas delightedly rallied round and engaged in fight with a downpour of arrows (26).
With coats of mail, Nishtringsas, weapons, quivers, arrows and bows, set with strings, horses adorned with golden reins, cars of moon-like lustre and cloud-like elephants driven by Mahāmātras they again set out for the battle-field (27-28).
Covered with rising umbrellas and fanned with beautiful chowries the kings, stationed on cars, shone greatly in beauty in the battle-field (29).
The foremost of warriors, the two heroic sons of Vasudeva, Rāma and Keshava were seen ranging about with a desire of fighting as soon as they got down in the battle-field (30).
Thereupon there took place a terrible encounter between them and the kings, accompanied with a profuse discharge of shafts and strokes of clubs (31).
Those two heroic descendants of the Yadu race bore thousands of arrows shot by the kings like two mountains sprinkled with rain. Although assailed by heavy clubs and maces they did not tremble (32-33).
Thereupon the highly-powerful Krishna, resembling a cloud and holding conch, discus and club in his hand, increased his body like a cloud accompanied by wind.
And with his discus effulgent like the sun he began to cut down men, horses, elephants and mighty car-warriors (34–35).
On the other side, Rāma too so dragged the kings with his plough share and so struck them with his club, that they, deprived of consciousness, could not stand in the battle field (36).
The car-wheels being obstructed the variegated chariots of the kings were broken down aud could not go on in the battle-field (37).
Having their tusks broken down with the strokes of maces, Hastihānaya1 elephants began to fly away from the battle-field with a great noise like the autumnal clouds (38).
Assailed by the flames of the fire wrought by the discus, the cavalry and the infantry began to breathe their last like those struck down by thunder-bolts (39).
Struck and grinded with the plough-share the entire host of the royal army appeared like creatures at the time of the universal dissolution (40).
What to speak of fighting the kings could not even look at the battle-field, the sporting ground of the celestial weapons of Vishnu incarnate (41).
Some of the cars were completely crushed down, of some the kings were killed and some, with one wheel broken down, lay upset on the surface of the earth (42).
In that dreadful battle of discus and plough-share portendous Rākshasas were seen (43).
So great was the number of upturned cars, elephants, horses, and men, who, on being assailed, were plaintively bewailing that even with great care it could not be ascertained (44).
Saturated with the blood of the wounded kings the battle-field appeared like a damsel besmeared with sandal paste (45).
The battle-field was covered with the hairs, bones, fat, entrails and blood of horses, elephants and men (46).
The battle-field was destructive of the men and animals of the kings, was filled with inauspicious cries and bewailings of the jackals, was crested with lakes of blood, was like the sporting-ground of Death,
was covered with the bones of elephants, with warriors having their arms cut off and wounded horses and was echoing with the cries of vultures and wolves (47-49).
In that battlefield in which the kings were killed and death was common Krishna, looking like Death himself, moved about for killing his enemies (50).
Thereupon taking up his discus effulgent like the sun at the time of the universal dissolution and his dark iron club Keshava stood there in the midst of the army and said (51).
“O ye heroes of firm resolution who are clever hands in the use of weapons, though I, a foot-soldier, stand before you with my elder brother, why do you fly away (52)?
Why does not that king Jarāsandha, ill-fated as he is, come before us by whom you are being protected in the battle-field? (53)”
On his saying this the powerful king Darada ran towards Rāma of coppery eyes with a plough-share in his hand who was in the midst of the army and adressed him, like a cultivator calling a bull, saying:
—“O Rāma, O slayer of enemies, come and fight with me” (54–55).
Thereupon there began an encounter between Rāma and Darada, the foremost of men, like unto two powerful elephants (56).
Placing his plough-share on Darada's shoulder, Baladeva, the foremost of those endued with strength, struck him with his mace (57).
Thereupon grinded by that mace and with his head cut off the king Darada fell down on earth like a mountain, with its half rent assunder (58).
When that foremost of kings Darada was slain by Rāma a dreadful, hair-stirring encounter took place between Rāma and Jarāsandha like that between Vitra and Mahendra.
When those two heroes, taking up huge clubs, ran towards each other with great vigior shaking the earth they looked like two mountain summits (59–61).
When those two highly powerful heroes, celebrated in the world as being most proficient in club-fighting, ran towards each in anger like two infuriated elephants all came away from the battle-field to them (62–63).
Thereupon thousands of Gandharvas Siddhas, saints, Yakshas, Apsarās and Devas came there (64).
O king, at that time adorned with Gandharvas and great saints the welkin shone greatly in beauty as if crested with luminous bodies (65).
Thereat as an elephant strikes, with his two tusks, his antagonist so amongst those two heroes proficient in club fighting the king Jarāsandha took possession of the eastern side and Baladeva of the southern side; and filling the ten quarters with their leonine shouts they struck each other (66–67).
In that encounter the sound of Rāmā's club was heard like the clapping of a thunder-bolt, and that of Jarāsandha was like that of the riving of a mountain (68).
The club, slipped off Jarāsandha's hand, could not agitate Rāma the fore most of the wielders of club and (firm as) the mount Vindhvā (69).
By vritue of his great endurance and learning Jarāsandha, the king of Magadha, bore the strokes of Rāma's club and baffled them (70).
Thereupon was heard in the sky a sweet voice, the witness of the world:—“O Rāma, O conferrer of honors, there is is no use of toiling any more.
The king of Magadha is not to be slain by thee. As ordained by me the king of Magadha will, in no time, meet with his death” (71–72).
Hearing this Jarāsandha was possessed by absent-mindedness and Baladeva too did not strike him. Then the Vrishnis and other kings retired from the battle-field (73).
Thus, O great king, when after slaying one another for a long time, Jarāsandha was defeated and fled away and when the other great car-warriors took to their heels, the army was shorn of soldiers (74).
Then with their elephants, horses and cars, all those kings, like unto herds of deer pursued by a tiger, fled away in fear (75).
That dreadful battle-field, when left off by the royal car-warriors whose pride was humilated, was filled with beasts of prey and grew exceedingly terrible (76).
O sinless one, after the mighty car-warriors had fled away, the highly effulgent king of Chedi, remembering his relationship with the Yādavas, approached Krishna encircled by his Kārusha and Chedi detachments.
In order to make closer the tie of relationship he said to Govinda (77-78):
—“O lord, O descendant of Yadu, I am the husband of thy father's sister. Thou art an object of affection unto me and therefore I have come to thee with my army (79).
O Krishna, I had told king Jarāsandha of limited understanding “O you of vicious intellect, do not quarrel with Krishna and desist from battle” (80).
Jarāsandha however disregarded my words. He is therefore flying away unsuccessful from the battle-field with his followers. I have also left him to-day.
That king is not returning to his city shorn of hostile feelings. He will again disturb thee with his sinful attack (81–82).
Therefore, O Mādhava, do thou speedily leave this place, strewn over with dead bodies of men, filled with beasts of prey and resorted to by ghosts and goblins (83).
Let us go with our army and followers to the city of Karavira and visit the king Vāsudeva Shrigāla (84).
I have got these two cars ready for you drawn by fleet horses and consisting of daggers, discuses, axles and poles (85).
May good betide thee, O Krishna; do ye get on them speedily and let us go to visit the king of Karavira” (86).
Hearing the words of the king of Chedi, the husband of his father's sister Krishna, the preceptor of the world, with a delighted mind, said (87):
—“Alas! we were assailed with the fire of battle. But thou hast sprinkled us with the water of thy words according to place and time as befits a friend (88).
O foremost of Chedis, rare in the world is a person who gives vent to well-meaning and sweet words in pursunance of time and place (89).
O king of Chedi, beholding thee now we think that we have got a master. There will be nothing unattainable by us since a king, like thyself, is our friend (90).
O thou the perpetuater of the Chedi race, while thou hast become our help we shall be able to slay Jarāsandha and other kings like him (91).
O lord of Chedi, amongst kings, thou art the first friend of the Yadus and therefore thou shouldst superintend all other battles which will take place hereafter (92).
Amongs the war-like kings who will survive us those, who will describe this battle of discus and mace and the defeat of the kings on the mount Gomanta, will repair to the celestial region. And they too, who will think of it, will also go (93–94).
O king of Chedi, by the way pointed out by thee, we shall repair to the city of Karavira for our own well being” (95).
Thereupon mounting a car drawn by horses fleet like the wind they passed over a long distance like three fires incarnate (96).
Spending three nights on the way those three celestial-like heroes reached the foremost of cities Karavira on the fourth day and entered the auspicious place for their well-being (97).
Thursday, July 22, 2021
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
Monday, July 12, 2021
Sunday, July 11, 2021
Leaving first to serve first
Before Ram / Krishna leaves Lakshman / Balaram leave this world
so as to welcome Ram / Krishna in Spiritual world
Killing Kamsa's Brothers
Text 12
sri-bahulacva uvaca
kamsanuja bhrataro 'stau
kagka-nyagrodhakadayah
te ke purvam vada mune
ye 'pi moksam param gatah
Sri Bahulacva said: Kamsa's had eight younger brothers, headed by Kagka and Nyagrodha, who attained liberation. Who were they in their previous births. O sage, please tell me this.
Text 13
sri-narada uvaca
alakayam pura yakso
devayaksa iti smrtah
jnani jnana-paro manyah
civa-bhaktya maha-dyutih
Sri Narada said: In ancient times there was a Yaksa named Devayak_sa, who lived in Alaka-puri. He was wise, learned, glorious, and sincerely devoted to Lord Siva.
Text 14
tasya castau suta jata
devakuto mahagirih
gando dandah pracandac ca
khando 'khandah prthus tatha
He had eight sons, who were named Devakuta, Mahagiri, Ganda, Danda, Pracanda, Khanda, Akhanda, and Prthu.
Text 15
ekada civa-pujayam
devayaksena noditah
sahasram pundarikani
cahartum arunodaye
One time Devayaksa sent them to pick, for the worship of Lord Siva, a thousand lotus flowers at sunrise.
Text 16
puspani manasan nitva
cabditani madhu-vrataih
aghraya gandha-lobhena
dadus te janakaya vai
From Manasa-sarovara, they took many flowers filled with the humming of bees. After greedily smelling them, they gave them to their father.
Text 17
ucchisti-krta-dosena
civa-puja tiras-krta
asurim yonim apanna
mudhas te janmabhis tribhih
The worship of Lord Siva became ruined by offering these already-smelled flowers. The foolish sons became demons for three births.
Text 18
hastabhyam sagkarabhyam ca
baladevasya maithila
param moksam gatas te vai
dosan mukta videha-rat
O king of Videha, by the touch of Lord Balarama's auspicious hands the sons became free of their sin and attained liberation.
Text 19
kamsanujanam vyakhyanam
purva-janma-bhavam nrpa
idam maya te kathitam
kim bhuyah crotum icchasi
O king, in this way I have described to you the previous births of Kamsa's eight younger brothers. What more do you wish to hear?
Sunday, July 4, 2021
Friday, July 2, 2021
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