None: Chapter 14

Words of Srikrishna

कृष्ण उवाच सर्वैर्गुणैर्महाराज राजसूयं त्वमर्हसि। जानतस्त्वेव ते सर्वं किंचिद् वक्ष्यामि भारत॥
Krishna said O great king, you are endued with all accomplishments, and you are worthy of performing the Rajasuya. O descendant of Bharata, you know everything, (therefore) I shall tell you only something. were

जामदग्न्येय रामेण क्षत्रं यदवशेषितम्। तस्मादवरजं लोके यदिदं क्षत्रसंज्ञितम्॥
The men now know as Kshatriyas are inferior to those Kshatriyas that exterminated by Rama, the son of Jamadagni.

कृतोऽयं कुलसंकल्पः क्षत्रियैर्वसुधाधिप। निदेशवाग्भिस्तत् ते ह विदितं भरतर्षभ॥
O lord of earth, O best of the Bharata race, you are aware of the rules that those Kshatriyas established amongst their order, guided by the traditions (coming down from generations to generations).

ऐलस्येक्ष्वाकुवंशस्य प्रकृतिं परिचक्षते। राजानः श्रेणिबद्धाश्च तथान्ये क्षत्रिया भुवि॥
All the numerous royal dynasties and other Kshatriyas in the world claim to be descended from Aila and Ikshaku,

ऐलवंश्याश्च ये राजंस्तथैवेक्ष्वाकवो नृपाः। तानि चैकशतं विद्धि कुलानि भरतर्षभ।॥
O king, O best of the Bharata race the monarchs (the descendants) of Aila and those of Ikshaku became divided into one hundred separate dynasties.

ययातेस्त्वेव भोजानां विस्तरो गुणतो महान्। भजतेऽद्य महाराज विस्तरं स चतुर्दिशम्॥
O great king, the descendants of Yayati and the Bhoja are also great in birth number and accomplishments. They are scattered in all directions.

तेषां तथैव तां लक्ष्मी सर्वक्षत्रमुपासते। इदानीमेव वै राजञ्जरासंधो महीपतिः॥
O king, all the Kshatriyas worship the wealth and prosperity of all these kings. At the present time the king Jarasandha,

अभिभूय श्रियं तेषां कुलानामभिषेचितः। स्थितो मूर्ध्नि नरेन्द्राणामोजसाऽऽक्रम्य सर्वशः॥
Having overcome that prosperity ever revered by the whole (Kshatriya) order, and also having overcome them by his prowess, has set himself up over the heads of all the kings.

सोऽवनिं मध्यामां भुक्त्वा मिथोभेदममन्यत। प्रभुर्यस्तु परो राजा यस्मिन्नेकवशे जगत्॥ स साम्राज्यं महाराज प्राप्तो भवति योगतः। तं स राजा जरासंधं संश्रित्य किल सर्वशः॥ राजन् सेनापतिर्जातः शिशुपालः प्रतापवान्। तमेव च महाराज शिष्यवत् समुपस्थितः॥ वक्रः करूषाधिपतिर्मायायोधी महाबलः। अपरौ च महावीरों महात्मानौ समाश्रितौ॥
Enjoying the sovereignty of the middle portion of thirteenth, he tried to create disunion among ourselves. O great-king, the monarch, who is the lord of all kings and whose sway extends over the whole earth, is the proper person to be an Emperor. O king, the powerful Shisupala having every way placed himself under his protection, has become his commander-in-chief. great king, the powerful king of the Karushas, Vakra, who fight with the power of illusion, also waits upon him as his disciple. The two other greatly powerful and illustrious monarchs have taken the protection.

जरासंधं महावीर्यं तौ हंसडिम्भकावुभौ। दन्तवक्रः करूषश्च करभो मेघवाहनः। मूर्धा दिव्यमणिं बिभ्रद् यमद्भुतमणि विदुः॥
Of the greatly powerful Jarasandha, namely Hansa and Dimbhaka. Dantavakra, Karusha, Karabha (also wait upon Jarasandha). He who bears on his head the gem which is knows as the most wonderful gem in the world.

मुरं च नरकं चैव शास्ति यो यवनाधिपः। अपर्यन्तबलो राजा प्रतीच्यां वरुणो यथा।॥
That king of the Yavanas who is chastised Mura and Naraka and who is the matchlessly powerful king of the west like a (second) Varuna.

भगदत्तो महाराज वृद्धस्तव पितुः सखा। स वाचा प्रणतस्तस्य कर्मणा च विशेषतः॥
O great king, who is called Bhagadatta and who was your father's old friend, has also lowered his head (to Jarasandha) by his speech and specially by his acts.

स्नेहबद्धश्च मनसा पितृवद् भक्तिमांस्त्वयि। प्रतीच्या दक्षिणं चान्तं पृथिव्याः प्रति यो नृपः॥
But he is in his heart tied to you by affection. He loves you as a father loves his son. The king, who has his kingdom on the west and south of the earth,

मातुलो भवतः शूरः पुरुजित् कुन्तिवर्धनः। स ते सन्नतिमानेकः स्नेहतः शत्रुसूदनः॥
Who is your maternal uncle, that heroic Purujit, the spreader of the Kunti race, that chastiser of foes, is the only one king who is on your side.

जरासंधं गतस्त्वेव पुरा यो न मया हतः। पुरुषोत्तमविज्ञातो योऽसौ चेदिषु दुर्मतिः॥ आत्मानं प्रतिजानाति लोकेऽस्मिन् पुरुषोत्तमम्। आदत्ते सततं मोहाद् यः स चिह्नं च मामकम्॥
That wicked wreath amongst the Chedis, whom I did not kill before, who has become known in the world as the Supreme Being, who gives himself out as such and who out of foolishness always bears all my signs, has gone over to the side of Jarasandha.

वङ्गपुण्ड्रकिरातेषु राजा बलसमन्वितः। पौण्ड्रको वासुदेवेति योऽसौ लोकेऽभिविश्रुतः॥
The powerful king of Vanga, Pundra and the Kiratas who is known by the name of Pundraka and Vasudeva, (also waits upon Jarasandha).

चतुर्थभाग महाराज भोज इन्द्रसखो बली। विद्याबलाद् यो व्यजयत् सपाण्ड्यक्रथकैशिकान्॥२१ भ्राता यस्याकृतिः शूरो जामदग्न्यसमोऽभवत्। स भक्तो मागधं राजा भीष्मकः परवीरहा।॥
O great king, that mighty king of the Bhojas, Bhishmaka, who is a friend of Indra, that chastiser of foes, who governs a fourth part of the world, who has conquered by his learning the Pandayas and Krathakaishikas, and whose brother Atri is like the son of Jamadagni Rama has (also) become a servitor to the king of Magadha (Jarasandha).

प्रियाण्याचरतः प्रह्वान् सदा सम्बन्धिनस्ततः। भजतो न भजत्यस्मानप्रियेषु व्यवस्थितः॥
We are his (Bhishmaka's) relatives and therefore, we are always engaged in doing what is agreeable to him. But though we respect and regard him much yet he doesn't at all regard us. He is always doing us ill.

न कुलं स बलं राजन्नभ्यजानात् तथाऽऽत्मनः। एश्यमानो यशो दीप्तं जरासंधमुपस्थितः॥
O king, without knowing his own strength and the dignity of the race to which he belongs, he (Bhishmaka) has placed himself under Jarasandha's shelter only seeing his blazing fame.

उदीच्याश्च तथा भोजाः कुलान्यष्टादश प्रभो। जरासंधभयादेव प्रतीची दिशमास्थिताः॥ शूरसेना भद्रकारा बोधाः शाल्वाः पटच्चराः। सुस्थलाश्च सुकुटाश्च कुलिन्दाः कुन्तिभिः सह॥
O lord, the eighteen tribes of the Bhojas from the fear of Jarasandha, have fled to the west; so also have fled the Shurasenas, the Bhadrakas, the Bodhas, the Shalvas, the patachharas, the Susthalas the Sukuttas, the Kulindas and the Kuntis.

शाल्वायनाश्च राजानः सोदर्यानुचरैः सह। दक्षिणाये च पञ्चालाः पूर्वाः कुन्तिषु कोशलाः॥ तथोत्तरां दिशं चापि परित्यज्य भयार्दिताः। मत्स्याः संन्यस्तपादाश्च दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रिताः॥
The kings of the Shalvayana, with their brothers and followers, the southern Panchalas and the eastern Kosalas have also fled to the country of the Kuntis. So also the Matsyas and the Samyastapadas have left their kingdoms in the north and have all fled from fear to the Southern country.

तथैव सर्वपञ्चाला जरासंधभयार्दिताः। स्वराज्यं सम्परित्यज्य विद्रुताः सर्वतो दिशम्॥
Afflicted with the fear of Jarasandha all the Panchalas have left their own Kingdoms and fled in all directions.

कस्यचित् त्वथ कालस्य कंसो निर्मथ्य यादवान्। बार्हद्रथसुते देव्यावुपागच्छद् वृथामतिः॥
Sometime before, the foolish minded Kansa, having persecuted the Yadavas married two of the daughters of the son of Brihadratha (Jarasandha).

अस्तिः प्राप्तिश्च नाम्ना ते सहदेवानुजेऽबले। बलेन तेन स्वज्ञातीनभिभूय वृथामतिः॥
They are named Asti and Prapti and they are the sisters of Sahadeva. Strengthened by such an alliance, the fool (Kansa) persecuted his relatives and gained an ascendancy over them all.

श्रेष्ठ्यं प्राप्तः स तस्यासीदतीवापनयो महान्। भोजराजन्यवृद्धैश्च पीड्यमानैर्दुरात्मना॥
By his such acts he earned a very bad repute. The wicked wretch persecuted the old chiefs of the Bhoja race.

ज्ञातित्राणमभीप्सद्भिरस्मत्सम्भावना कृता। दत्त्वाक्रूराय सुतनुं तामाहुकसुतां तदा॥
These chiefs sought our protection from the persecution of their relative (Kansa). Having bestowed upon Akrura the beautiful daughter of Ahuka, Satrinka.

संकर्षणद्वितीयेन ज्ञातिकार्यं मया कृतम्। हतौ कंससुनामानौ मया रामेण चाप्युत॥
I did a service to my relatives. Making Samkarasiana (Baladeva) my second, I killed both Kansa and Sunama with the assistance of Rama.

भये तु समतिक्रान्ते जरासंधे समुद्यते। मन्त्रोऽयं मन्त्रितो राजन् कुलैरष्टादशावरैः॥
O king, though the immediate cause of our fear was thus removed, yet Jarasandha (Kansa's father-in-law) took up arms. We eighteen branches of the Yadavas consulted together;

अनारभन्तो निघ्नन्तो महास्त्रैः शत्रुघातिभिः। न हन्यामो वयं तस्य त्रिभिर्वर्षशतैर्बलम्॥
And we came to the conclusion that even if we continually strike at our enemy with weapons capable of killing the foe, we shall not be able to do any thing of him in three hundred years.

तस्य ह्यमरसंकाशौ बलेन बलिनां वरौ। नामभ्यां हंसडिष्भकावशस्त्रनिधनावुभौ॥ तावुभौ सहितौ वीरौ जरासंधश्च वीर्यवान्। त्रयस्त्रयाणां लोकानां पर्याप्ता इति मे मतिः॥
He had two friends, who were like the two immortals; and they were as powerful as the foremost men of all powerful men. They were named Hansa and Dimbhaka who were incapable of being slain by any weapons. When the powerful Jarasandha was united with them, he was incapable of being defeated by the weapons of all the world. This was my opinion.

न हि केवलमस्माकं यावन्तोऽन्ये च पार्थिवाः। तथैव तेषामासीच्च बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतां वर॥
O foremost of all intelligent men, this was not only our opinion, but all the other kings were of the same opinion.

अथ हंस इति ख्यातः कश्चिदासीन्महान् नृपः। रामेण स हतस्तत्र संग्रामेऽष्टादशावरे॥
There was a great king named Hansa, he was killed by Rama in a battle which lasted for eighteen days.

हतो हंस इति प्रोक्तमथ केनापि भारत। तच्छ्रुत्वा डिम्भको राजन् यमुनाम्भस्यमज्जत॥ विना हंसेन लोकेऽस्मिन् नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे। इत्येतां मतिमास्थाय डिम्भको निधनं गतः॥
O descendant of Bharata, O king, hearing people say that Hansa had been killed, Dimbhaka thought that he could not live without Hansa. He went to the Yamuna, jumped into its water and thus killed himself.

तथा तु डिम्भकं श्रुत्वा हंसः परपुरंजयः। प्रपेदे यमुनामेव सोऽपि तस्यां न्यमज्जत॥
Thereupon when that subjugator of hostile cities, Hansa heard what Dimbhaka had done, he too went to the Yamuna, jumped into its water and drowned himself.

तौ स राजा जरासंधः श्रुत्वा च निधनं गतौ। पुरं शून्येन मनसा प्रययौ भरतर्षभ॥
O descendant of Bharata, when Jarasandha heard of the death of the two heroes, he returned to his city with an empty heart.

ततो वयममित्रघ्न तस्मिन् प्रतिगते नृपे। पुनरानन्दिनः सर्वे मथुरायां वसामहे॥
O slayer of all foes, on the departure of the King (Jarasandha), we were filled with great joy, and we continued to live at Mathura.

यदा त्वभ्येत्य पितरं सा वै राजीवलोचना। कंसभार्या जरासंधं दुहिता मागधं नृपम्। चोदयत्येव राजेन्द्र पतिव्यसनदुःखिता॥ पतिनं मे जहीत्येवं पुनः पुनररिंदम। ततो वयं महाराज तं मन्त्रं पूर्वमन्त्रितम्॥
But when the wife of Kansa and the daughter of Jarasandha, that lotus-eyed lady (Prapti) went to her father lamenting for the death of her husband, and when, O king, she again and again urged the king of Magadha, saying, “O chastiser of foes, kill the murderer of my husband," then, O great king, we thought of acting according to the conclusion we came to before.

संस्मरन्तो विमनसो व्यपयाता नराधिप। पृथक्त्वेन महाराज संक्षिप्य महतीं श्रियम्॥ पलायामो भयात् तस्य ससुतज्ञातिबान्धवाः। इति संचिन्त्य सर्वे स्म प्रतीची दिशमाश्रिताः॥
We became exceedingly cheerless and we became ready to fly. We divided our great wealth into small portions to make it portable. We then fled from the fear of Jarasandha with out sons, cousins and relatives. After reflecting thus over every thing, we flew towards the west.

कुशस्थली पुरीं रम्यां रैवतेनोपशोभिताम्। ततो निवेशं तस्यां च कृतवन्तो वयं नृप॥
O king, there is a charming city, named Kushasthali, adorned by the adorned by the Raivatake (mountain). In this city we took up our abode.

तथैव दुर्गसंस्कारं देवैरपि दुरासदम्। स्त्रियोऽपि यस्यां युध्येयुः किमु वृष्णिमहारथाः॥
We repaired its fort and made it so strong that it became impregnable even to the celestialss. Even women could fight from within it, not to speak of the great car-warriors of the Vrishni race.

तस्यां वयममित्रघ्न निवसामोऽकुतोभयाः। आलोच्य गिरिमुख्यं तं मागधं तीर्णमेव च॥ माधवाः कुरुशार्दूलं परां मुदमवाप्नुवन्। एवं वयं जरासंधादभितः कृतकिल्बिधाः॥
O slayer of all foes, we are now living in that city without fear of any kind. O best of the Kuru race, thinking of the inaccessibility of that foremost of hills (Raivataka), and considering that they had no longer any fear of Jarasandha, the descendants of Madhu (Yadavas) have become exceedingly glad.

सामर्थ्यवन्तः सम्बन्धाद् गोमन्तं समुपाश्रिताः। त्रियोजनायतं सद्म त्रिस्कन्धं योजनावधि॥
Though we were capable of defending ourselves (from the attacks of Jarasandha), yet we have taken shelter on the Gomanta mountain which is three Yojanas in length. Within its each Yojana have been placed twenty one posts of armed men.

योजनान्ते शतद्वारं वीरविक्रमतोरणम्। अष्टादशावरैर्नद्धं क्षत्रियैर्युद्धदुर्मदैः॥
At the intervals of each Yojana have been made one hundred gates, the heroism of the Vrishni heroes are the arches of these gates. They are always) protected by the heroes of the eighteen branches of the Yadavas.

अष्टादश सहस्राणि भ्रातृणां सन्ति नः कुले। आहुकस्य शतं पुत्रा एकैकस्त्रिदशावरः॥
There are eighteen thousand brothers and cousins in our race. Ahuka has been hundred sons, each of whom is like the best of the celestialss.

चारुदेष्णः सह भ्रात्रा चक्रदेवोऽथ सात्यकिः। अहं च रौहिणेयश्च साम्बः प्रद्युम्न एव च॥
Charudeshna with his brother Chakradeva, Satyaki, myself, the son of Rohini(Baladeva), Samba, as heroic as myself.

एवमतिरथाः सप्त राजन्नन्यान् निबोध मे। कृतवर्मा ह्यनाधृष्टिः समीकः समिर्तिजयः॥
O king, these seven are Atirathas, Besides these there are others, whom I shall (Presently) mention. Kritavarma, Anadhrishti, Samika, Samitinajaya.

कङ्कः शङ्कुच कुन्तिश्च सप्तैते वै महारथाः। पुत्रौ चान्धकभोजस्य वृद्धो राजा च ते दश॥
Kanka, Shanku, Kunti these seven are Maharathas. The old king Andhakabhoja has two sons, and the king himself, these ten (arc Maharathas).

वज्रसंहनना वीरा वीर्यवन्तो महारथाः। स्मरन्तो मध्यमं देशं वृष्णिमध्ये व्यवस्थिताः॥
Possessing great prowess, all these heroes are as mighty as the thunderbolt. These Maharathas, choosing the middle country, now live among the Vrishnis.

स त्वं सम्राड्गुणैर्युक्तः सदा भरतसत्तम। क्षत्रे सम्राजमात्मानं कर्तुमर्हसि भारत॥
O best of the Bharata race, O descendant of Bharata, you alone are worthy of becoming an emperor. You should establish your empire over all Kshatriyas.

न तु शक्यं जरासंधे जीवमाने महाबले। राजसूयस्त्वयावाप्तुमेषा राजन् मतिर्मम॥
O king, but it is my opinion that you will not be able to perform the Rajasuya (Sacrifice), so long the greatly powerful Jarasandha remains alive.

तेन रुद्धा हि राजानः सर्वे जित्वा गिरिव्रजे। कन्दरे पर्वतेन्द्रस्य सिंहनेव महाद्विपाः॥
Many kings have been kept imprisoned in Girivraja(his city), as dead carcasses of elephants are kept in the cave of a great mountains by the lion.

स हि राजा जरासंधो यियक्षुर्वसुधाधिपैः। महादेवं महात्मानमुमापतिमरिंदम॥ आराध्य तपसोग्रेण निर्जितास्तेन पार्थिवाः। प्रतिज्ञायाश्च पारं स गतः पार्थिवसत्तम॥
Chastiser of foes, having been desirous of performing a great sacrifice by (offering) kings (to the sacrificial fire), the king Jarasandha, has adored with fierce ascetic penances the illustrious god of gods, the husband of Uma (Shiva). He has by this means been able to defeat many kings of the earth and to fulfill his VOW.

स हि निर्जित्य निर्जित्य पार्थिवान् पृतनागतान्। पुरमानीय बद्धवा च चकार पुरुषव्रजम्॥
By defeating all the kings, one after the other and their soldiers, he has brought them all as prisoners to his city; and he has thus daily swelled the crowd (of kings).

वयं चैव महाराज जरासंधभयात् तदा। मथुरां सम्परित्यज्य गता द्वारवतीं पुरीम्॥
O great kings, we too from the fear of Jarasandha left Mathura and fled to the city of Dvaravati.

यदि त्वेनं महाराज यज्ञं प्राप्तुमभीप्ससि। यतस्व तेषां मोक्षाय जरासंधवधाय च॥
O great king, if you desire to perform the sacrifice, try to release those (the kings) kept prisoners by Jarasandha and try to kill him.

समारम्भो न क्योऽयमन्यथा कुरुनन्दन। राजसूयश्च कात्स्येंन कर्तुं मतिमतां वर॥
O descendant of Kuru, O foremost of all intelligent men, if you do not try to do it, your undertaking can never be successful. If you wish to perform Rajasuya (sacrifice), you must do it.

इत्येषा मे मती राजन् यथा वा मन्यसेऽनघ। एवंगते ममाचक्ष्व स्वयं निश्चित्य हेतुभिः॥
O king, O sinless one, this is my opinion. Do as you think (proper)after reflecting over everything, nothing the causes and effects of all. Tell us what you yourself think proper to do.