vaishaMpAyana uvAcha: vaishampAyana continued

bADhjam iti eva saha taiH durdina aMbhoda niHsvanaH |
pratasthe durdina-AkAraH sa durdina iva achalaH ||1-52-1
sa muktA-maNi-vidyotaM sa chandra aMbhoda varchasam |
sa jaTA-maNDalaM kR^itsnaM sa bibhrat shrIdharo hariH ||1-52-2
sa cha asya urasi vistIrNe roma-a~ncha-udgata-rAjimAn |
srIvatso rAjate shrImAn stana-dvaya-mukha-a~nchitaH ||1-52-3
pIte vasAno vasane lokAnAM guruH avyayaH |
hariH saH abhavat AlakShyaH sa sandhya abhra iva achalaH ||1-52-4
taM vrajantaM suparNena padma-yoni-gata-anugam |
anujagmuH surAH sarve tat gatA sakta chakShuShaH ||1-52-5

Saying 'so be it…', viShNu, whose hue and voice are like the rumblings of a loury cloud, proceeded afore the gods like a mountain shrouded in dark clouds… he that shrIhari who is always endowed with celestial grandeur shrI, dark-blue in his physique, shinning with hair-locks, crested with gems and pearls like a cloud inlaid with moon… from whose spacious chest hosts of self-effulgent rays are radiating like hairs standing erect, within which the mystic mark of shrIvatsa is there… who is wearing two pieces of yellow raiment, who is the preceptor of the worlds, who looked like a mountain covered with evening clouds, when proceeded on the back of garuDa, his eagle-vehicle, on hearing the plea of brahma, while brahma and other gods began to follow him fixing their eyes on him alone…

na ati-dIrgheNa-kAlena saMprAptA ratna-parvatam |
dadR^ishuH devatAH tatra tAM sabhAM kAma-rUpiNIm ||1-52-6

Reaching the jewelly mountain Mt. meru in no time, gods saw an assembly hall built to change its form according to the wishes of its occupiers…

meroH shikhra vinyastAM samyuktAM sUrya varchasA |
kA~nchana staMbha rAchitAM vajra sandhAna toraNAm ||1-52-7

That effulgent hall with pillars crafted in golden, archways crested with diamonds, is shimmering on a summit of the Mt. sumeru like sun…

mano nirmANa-chitra-ADhyAM vimAna shata mAlinIm |
ratna-jAla-antara-vatIM kAma-gAM ratna bhUShitAm ||1-52-8

It amazingly changes its architecture, or auto-mobile, at the wish of the chairperson presently incumbent, adorned with hundreds of domes, window-blinds and other drapes are with the lace-work of diamonds…

kL^ipta-ratna-samAkIrNAM sarva R^itu-kusuma utkaTAm |
deva-mAyA-dharAM divyAM vihitAM vishvakarmaNA ||1-52-9

Filled with many sorts of other diamond-work and flourishing with flowers of any season, that celestial assembly hall, a construction of the celestial architect vishva-karma, appeared as an abstract of celestial illusion…

tAM hR^iShTa-manasaH sarve yathA sthAnaM yathA vidhi |
yathA nideshaM tridashA vivishuste sabhAM shubhAm ||1-52-10

All the gods delightedly entered hall and assumed seats according to their rank, entitlement and protocol…

te niSheduH yathA ukteShu vimAneShu AsaneShu cha |
bhadra-AsaneShu pITheShu kuthAsu AstaraNeShu cha ||1-52-11

Some of the gods assumed seats on docked aircraft-modules, some on regular seats, some on seats of judgement, some on one-seat-planks, some on variegated decorative cloth with gold and silver embroidery – kuthA-s – usually spread under the howdahs of elephants, and some on carpets, according as they are assigned…

The ‘my-fi’ of participants seated in dockable aircraft modules has been shown in the film Starwars, sequel II.

tataH prabha~njano vAyuH brahmaNA sadhu choditaH |
mA shabdam iti sarvatra prachakrAma atha tAM sabhAm ||1-52-12
niHshabda stimite tasmin samAje tridivaukasAM |
babhAShe dharaNI vAkyaM khedAt karuNa-bhAShinI ||1-52-13

Then prabhaujana, the airgod, renowned for his silent participation anywhere, has announced “silence please…” when brahma instructed him to do so… then that assembly of gods became calm and quite, whereupon mother earth, whose talk will always be touching, talked this touchingly…

dharaNi uuvAcha: mother earth said

tvayA dhAryA tu ahaM deva tvayA vai dhAryate jagat |
tvaM dhArayasi bhUtAni bhuvanAni bibharShi cha ||1-52-14

“O god, you bear the burden of universe, all beings, and skies too… such as you are you harbour me and my burden, too…

yat tvayA dhAryate ki~nchit tejasA cha balena cha |
tataH tava prasAdena mayA yatnAt cha dhAryate |1-52-15
tvayA dhR^itaM dhArayAmi na a-dhR^itaM dhArayAmi aham |
na hi tat vidyate bhUtaM yat tvayA na an-udhAryate ||1-52-16

Whatever you sustain by your energy and strength, I do afterwards hold it by thy grace… I do not hold whatever you do not, and whatever you will not sustain I too do not keep it… yet, there is no element in the universe which you do not sustain…

tvam eva kuruShe deva nArAyaNa yuge yuge |
mama bhAra avataraNaM jagato hitakAMyayA ||1-52-17

You alone relieve me of my burden, oh, nArAyaNa, from era to era, for the well-being of the world…

tava eva tejasA krAntAM rasAtalatalaM gatAm |
trAyasva mAM surashreShTha tvAm eva sharaNaM gatAm ||1-52-18

Once when I lurched into nether-regions you upraised with your magnificence… now when I am lurching into a place to turn… oh, god viShNu, won’t you save me…

dAnavaiH pIDyamAnA ahaM rAkShasaiH cha durAtmabhiH |
tvAm eva sharaNaM nityam upAyAsye sanAtanam ||1-52-19

Evilminded demons and monsters are ever assailing me, and I am ever and ever seeking the shelter of an everlasting entity, that is what you are…

tAvat me asti bhayaM bhUyo yAvat na tvAM kakudminam |
sharaNaM yAmi manasA shatasho hi upalakShaye ||1-52-20

I surmise in a hundred ways that as long as I shall not come under the bulwark of yours, because you are – kakudmi - the wielder of terrible bow shAra~Ngam and the reliever of all my burdens, so long I shall be under the influence of a dreadful fear…” then mother earth started narrating a legend to the members of that assembly…

aham Adau purANasya saMkShiptA padmayoninA |
mA avarundhAM kR^itau pUrvaM mR^inmayau dvau mahAsurau ||1-52-21

“In the days of yore when agriculture, merchandise and other means of commercial livelihood spinning money are not instituted, as is the maxim of kArSha paNa nyAyam, I was a sight for the gods, especially for the lotus-sprung brahma – aham padmayoninA; saMkShiptA= covered well, well looked after by brahma… but, two great demons made of clay beleaguered me…

karNa-srota udbhavau tau hi viShNoH asya mahAtmanaH |
mahArNave pra-svapataH kAShTha kuDya samau sthitau ||1-52-22

While this high-souled viShNu is reposing in the mighty deep they originated from the glue ears of viShNu and fell insensate in water like underwater logs or ramparts…

tau vivesha svayaM vAyuH brahmanA sAdhu choditaH |
divaM prachChAdayantau tu vavR^idhAte mahAsurau ||1-52-23
vAyu prANau tu tau gR^ihya brahmA paryamR^ishat shanaiH |
ekaM mR^idutaraM mene kaThinaM veda cha aparam ||1-52-24
nAmanI tu tayoH chakre sa vibhuH salila-udbhavaH |
mR^idustvayaM madhuH nAma kaThinaH kaiTabho.abhavat ||1-52-25

Airgod entered into their bodies at the behest of brahma and breathed his expansive factor into them, whereupon those two great demons began to grow up in huge proportion as if they are covering whole of the sky, because they both are touched off by brahma -= brahma parAmarshayA - further gifted with vital breaths from no less than airgod… one of them appeared to be soft and the other hard, whereby the water-born god brahma gave them names... the demon who is softish is named as madhu and the other who is hardish is called kaiTabha…

tau daityau kR^ita nAmAnau cheratur bala darpitau |
sarvam ekArNavaM lokaM yoddhu kAmau su-durjayau ||1-52-26

When those two demons are named thus, they are elated with the pride of their strength, and being unassailable demons they began to range as warmongers in a world which at that time is converted into a single sheet of water…

tAu Agatau samAlokya brahmA lokapitAmahaH |
eka arNava ambu nichaye tatra eva antaradhIyata ||1-52-27

On seeing those two demons affronting face to face, brahma disappeared to hide himself under the mass of water in that single-sheeted-universal ocean…

sa padme padmanAbhasya nAbhi madhyAt samutthite |
rochayAmAsa vasatiM guhyAM brahmA chaturmukhaH ||1-52-28

Because he sprang from the lotus that sprang from the naval of viShNu, brahma deemed it safe to stay where he is, i.e. inside the corolla of lotus…

tau ubhau jala-garbha-sthau nArAyaNa pitAmahau |
bahUn varSha gaNAn apsu shayAnau na chakaMpatuH ||1-52-29

Those two nArAyaNa and brahma, one reposing on water, and another hiding in the deep of water, have not bestirred themselves for many years…

atha dIrghasya kAlasya tau ubhau madhukaiTabhau |
AjagmatuH tam uddeshaM yatra brahmA vyavasthitaH ||1-52-30

After some years those two demons madhu and kaiTabha came to the place where brahma is hiding…

dR^iShTvA tau asurau ghorau mahAkAyau durAsadau |
brahmaNA tADito viShNuH padma nAlena vai tadA |
utpapAta atha shayanAt padmanAbho mahAdyutiH ||1-52-31

Beholding the approach of those two dreadful, huge-bodied and irrepressible demons, brahma cowering within the corolla of lotus started shivering with which the stalk of lotus started to vibrate whereby the highly-effulgent nArAyaNa woke up abruptly…

tat yuddham abhavat ghoraM tayoH tasya cha vai tadA |
ekArNave tadA loke trailokye jalatAM gate ||1-52-32

There ensued a terrible encounter between nArAyaNa and those two demons, madhu and kaiTabha, at that time when the three worlds are under one sheet of water…

tat AbhUt tumulaM yuddhaM varSha saMkhyA sahasrashaH |
na cha tau asurau yuddhe tadA shramam avApatuH ||1-52-33
atha ataH dIrgha-kAlasya tau daityau yuddha-durmadau |
UchatuH prIta-manasau devaM nArAyaNaM harim ||1-52-34

That dreadful battle continued for thousand years and those tsvo demons did not experience least exhaustion in the encounter… after a long time those two demons, dreadful in battle, delightedly said this to nArAyaNa…

prItau svas tava yuddhena shlAghyaH tvaM mR^ityur AvayoH |
AvAM jahi na yatra urvI salilena pariplutA ||1-52-35
hatau cha tava putratvaM prApnuyAvaH surottama |
yaH hi AvAM yudhi nirjetA tasya  avAM vihitau sutau ||1-52-36

We are pleased with the fight you have given to us, and appreciate your becoming our death, if a situation calls for it… but, we are predestined to become the sons of our eliminators… as such we suggest that you may vanquish us at a waterless place on earth, whereby we can take rebirth as your sons…

sa tu gR^ihya mR^idhe dorbhyAM daityau tau abhyapIDayat |
jagmatur nidhanaM chApi tau ubhau madhukaiTabhau ||1-52-37

Then nArAyaNa dished them up into the bowl of his palms – a waterless plane; stuck those two demons, madhu and kaiTabha, under his armpits; crushed them to death and threw their remains into water available around him…

tau hatau cha Aplutau toye vapurbhyAm ekatAM gatau |
medaH mumuchatur daityau mathyamAnau jala UrmibhiH ||1-52-38
medasA tajjalaM vyAptaM tAbhyAm antardadhe anaghaH |
nArAyaNaH cha bhagavAn asR^ijat sa punaH prajAH ||1-52-39

Thus killed and thrown in water those two dead bodies of demons floating on water fused into one, which by tide rips discharged bodily fat into that water, spreading fatty lather on whole of the surface of water, whereupon those two bodies of demons disappeared… O sinless janamejaya, thereupon nArAyaNa again engaged in the work of creation…

daityayoH medhasA chChannA medini iti tataH smR^itA |
prabhAvAt padmanAbhasya shAshvatI jagatI kR^itA ||1-52-40

Consolidated with some of that fat of demons I have been solidified for ever, while the remaining fat vanished with the vanishing demons…. consequently I acquired the name medini because the medas, fat of demons, has been overlaid on me…

vArAheNa purA bhUtvA mArkaNDeyasya pashyataH |
viShANena aham ekena toya madhya Atsam uddhR^itA ||1-52-41

Such as I am, an inspissated clod called earth, I am again submersed under water when universe is under deluge, and again viShNu upraised me with a single fang of ritual-boar incarnation… an incarnation he took up just for my sake…

hR^ita ahaM kramataH bhUyaH tadA yuShmAkam agrataH |
baleH sakAshAt daityasa viShNunA prabhaviShNunA ||1-52-42

Again, when I am about to be enslaved by daitya emperor bali, right in presence of viShNu, it is viShNu who has trodden on me and saved me from that daitya…

sAmprataM khidyamAnA aham enam eva gadAdharam |
anAthA jagato nAthaM sharaNyaM sharaNaM gatA ||1-52-43

Again, I am oppressed now and I do not have any to protect me, except nArAyaNa, I am now seeking refuge with god nArAyaNa who is ever fond of his votaries…

agniH suvarNasya guruH gavAM sUryo guruH smR^itaH |
nakShatrANAM guruH somo mama nArAyaNo guruH ||1-52-44
yat ahaM dhArayAmi ekA jagat sthAvara-ja~NgamaM |
mayA dhR^itaM dhArayate sarvam etat gadAdharaH ||1-52-45

As to how fire, sun and moon are enliveners of gold, rays, and stars… so is nArAyaNa to me… while I am the lone sustainer of world with mobile and immobile beings, sequentially it is viShNu who sustains me…

jAmadagnyena rAmeNa bhAra avataraNa IpsayA |
roShAt triH=sapta-krittvA ahaM kShatriyaiH vi-prayojitA ||1-52-46
sA asmi vedyAM samAropya tarpitA nR^ipa shoNitaiH |
bhArgaveNa pituH shrAddhe kashyapAya niveditA ||1-52-47
mAmsa-meda-asthi durgandhA digdhA kShatriya shoNitaiH |
rajasvala iva yuvatiH kashyapaM samupasthitA ||1-52-48

Again when I am overburdened parashu-rAma, the son of sage jamadagni, had relieved me of it by putting those aberrant kshatriya kings to rout… at that time he used me as if I am a sacrificial altar for placing those kings, as if they are sacrificial animals destined for a hecatomb, as if he is oblating his manes with their blood he shed, that too for twenty-one times…

After which parsashu-rAma bequeathed me to sage kashyapa, in whose holy presence I stood as if I am a damsel in menses with stench from my body that is begrimed with flesh, fat, and bones of slain kshatriyA-s…

sa mAM brahmarShiH api Aha kim urvi tvam avA~NmukhI |
vIra-patnI-vratam idaM dhArayantI viShIdasi ||1-52-49

Then that brahma-sage kashyapa cheered me up by saying, “how is that, girly earth, your face is downcast… you undertake the vow of wifehood of heroes, yet you are downhearted…”

sA ahaM vij~nApitavatI kashyapaM lokabhAvanam |
patayo me hatA brahman bhArgaveNa mahAtmanA ||1-52-50
sA ahaM vihInA vikrAntaiH kShatriyaiH shastra-vR^ittibhiH |
vidhavA shUnya nagarA na dhArayitum utsahe ||1-52-51
tat mahyaM dIyatAM bhartA bhagavan tvat samo nR^ipaH |
rakShet sa grAma nagarAM yaH mAM sAgara-mAlinIm ||1-52-52

 “I am bereaved of my husbands, oh, sage, because parashu-rAma exterminated all my husbands who are valiant kshatriyA-s wedded to martial life, foisted widowhood on me… such as I am I am downhearted to bear empty cities divested of urbanity and urbanism any more… therefore, O reverend sir, confer upon me, who am enwreathed with oceans, such a king as will be able to protect me abounding in rural and urban areas, as well…" I requested kashyapa prajApati in this way…

sa shrutvA bhagavAn vAkyaM bADham iti abravIt prabhuH |
tataH mAM mAnava-indrAya manave sa pradattavAn ||1-52-53

On hearing my words that godly kashyapa said "very good…” and he then gave me to prajApati manu, the king of humankind…

sA manuprabhavaM divyaM prApyekShvAkukulaM nR^ipam |
vipulena asmi kAlena pArthivAt pArthivaM gatA ||1-52-54

Thereupon obtaining the godlike kings originating from viShNu and belonging to ikShvAku dynasty as my husbands, I am handed down from one king to the other, aeon after aeon…

evaM datta asmi manave mAnavendrAya dhImate |
bhuktA rAja-sahasraiH cha maharShi-kula-saMmitaiH ||1-52-55

Bequeathed like this by manu the originator of humans to the human kings, I have been enjoyed by thousands of such kings conformable to exalted sages…

bahavaH kShatriyAH shUrA mAM jitvA divam AshritAH |
te cha kAla-vashaM prApya mayi eva pralayaM gatAH ||1-52-56

Many valiant kshatriyA-s who won and ruled me went to heavens, while many more are graved in me when they are time-worn…

mat kR^ite vigrahA loke vR^ittA vartanta eva cha |
kShatriyANAM balavatAM saMgrAmeShu a-nivartinAm ||1-52-57

Because of me battles have been fought, still being fought, in the world… and I am what they the mighty kshatriyA-s who will not lose ground, fought each other for…

etat yuShmat pravR^ittena daivena paripAlyate |
jagat hitArthaM kuruta rAj~nAM hetuM raNa-kShaye ||1-52-58

And these are the kings whom you gods brought into this world, and the are thriving because of divine providence you bestowed… if world’s well-being is cherished, please make these kings responsible for war-miseries…

yadi asti mayi kAruNyaM bhAra-shaithilya-kAraNAt |
ekaH chakra-dharaH shrImAn abhayaM me prayachChatu ||1-52-59
yam ahaM bhAra-saMtaptA saMprAptA sharaNArthinI |
bhAro yadi avaroptavyo viShNuH eSha bravItu mAm ||1-52-60

If you have any mercy on me, a downtrodden one by insufferable weight, let shrIhari, the one and only wielder of disc, give me an assurance… if it is deemed that I am disconcerted with encumbrance, if it is deemed that I am true shelter-seeker, if it is deemed proper to unburden me of my burden, then let something be said to me by him in whose audience I am present, namely viShNu…

 --o)0(o--

iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe harivaMshaparvaNi
dharaNI-vAkye dvipa~nchAshattamo.adhyAyaH

Thus, this is the fifty-second chapter of first canto called harivamsha-parva, in harivamsha-purANa, the sequel of mahAbhArata, narrating the appeal of mother earth.