Harivamsha MahA PurANam - ViShNu Parva
    atha dvipa~nchAshattamo.adhyAyaH
    kAlayavanaM prati shAlavagamanam
    harivamsha in the mahAbharata - viShNuparva
    Chapter 52 - shAlva sent to seek kAlayavana's help
vaishampAyana uvAcha
tataH prayAte vasudevaputre
narAdhipA bhUShaNabhUShitA~NgAH |
sabhAM samAjagmursurendrakalpAH
prabodhanArthaM gamanotsavAste ||2-52-1
vaishampAyana said:
As the son of vasudeva (kR^iShNa) left, the rulers of men (kings), with their limbs decorated with ornaments, like the indra of deva-s, returned to the assembly, happily, to inform the king about the developments.
sabhAgatAnsomaraviprakAshAn
sukhopaviShTAnruchirAsaneShu |
samIkShya rAjA sunayArthavAdI
jagAda vAkyaM nararAjasiMhaH ||2-52-2
Seeing the kings who came to the assembly, dazzling like the moon and sun, sitting on their seats comfortably, lion like king of men, bhIShmaka, following good policies, spoke these words:
svayaMvarakR^itaM doShaM viditvA vo narAdhipAH |
kShantavyo mama vR^iddhasya durdagdhasya phalodayam ||2-52-3
O kings! Conducting the svayaMvara mode of marriage will be harmful to you. Please pardon me, an old man. How can a tree burned in a wild fire be fruitful?
vaishampAyana uvAcha
evamAbhAShya tAnsarvAnsatkR^itya cha yathAvidhi |
tato visarjayAmAsa nR^ipAMstAnmadhyadeshajAn ||2-52-4
vaishampAyana said:
(O janamejaya!) Saying this and offering hospitality as required, the king bade farewell to all the kings of the middle region.
pUrvapashchimajAMshchaiva uttarApathikAnapi |
te.api sarve maheShvAsAH prahR^iShTamanaso narAH ||2-52-5
The king also bade farewell to the kings of east, west as well as the north regions. All the great wielders of bow became mentally happy.
yathArheNa cha saMpUjya jagmuste narapu~NgavAH |
The kings, the leaders of men, honoured as deserved, left.
jarAsaMdhaH sunIthashcha dantavaktrashcha vIryavAn ||2-52-6
jarAsaMdha, sunItha, the valiant dantavaktra,
shAlvaH saubhapatishchaiva mahAkUrmahscha pArthivaH |
krathakaishikamukhyAshcha nR^pAH pravaravaMshajAH ||2-52-7
the lord of saubha, shAlva, the king mahAkUrma, the kings kratha and kaishika born in great races,
vaiNudArishcha rAjarShiH kAshmIrAdhipatistathA |
ete chAnye cha bahavo dakShiNApathikA nR^ipAH ||2-52-8
the royal sage veNudAri, the king of kAshmIrA as well as many other kings of the south,
shrotukAmA raho vAkyaM sthitA vai bhIShmakAntike |
tAnvai samIkShya rAjendraH sa rAjA bhIShmako balI ||2-52-9
stayed near bhIShmaka to hear his words. Seeing these leaders among kings, the powerful king bhIShmaka,
snehapUrNena manasA sthitAMstAnavanIshvarAn |
trivargasahitaM shlakShNaM ShaDguNAlaMkR^itaM shubham ||2-52-10
uvAcha nayasaMpannaM snigdhagambhIrayA girA |
with a mind full of affection, spoke gently and proudly, these auspicious words to the lords of earth, with three kinds, six qualities, enriched by good policies.
bhIShmaka uvAcha
bhavatAmavanIshAnAM samAlokya nayAnvitam ||2-52-11
vachanaM vyAhR^itaM shRutvA kR^itavA~NkAryamIdR^isham |
bhIShmaka said:
Considering your position, O lords of kings, and hearing the words with policies, I proceeded in this manner.
kShantavyaM bhavatAM sadbhirvayaM nityAparAdhinaH ||2-52-12
Please pardon me. You are good men while, we are habitual sinners.
vaishampAyana uvAcha
evamuktvA tu rAjA sa bhIShmako nayakovidaH |
uvAcha sutamuddishya vachanaM rAjasaMsadi ||2-52-13
vaishampAyana said:
(O janamejaya!) Speaking thus, king bhIShmaka, expert of policies, spoke these words, about his son in the assembly of kings.
bhIShmaka uvAcha
putrasya cheShTAmAlokya trAsAkulitalochanaH |
manye bAlAnimA.NllokAnsa eva puruShaH paraH ||2-52-14
bhIShmaka said:
Thinking about the actions of my son, my eyes have become worried with fear. I consider men like my son, childish. I consider kR^iShNa as the supreme person.
kIrtiH kIrtimatAM shreShTho yashashcha yashabhAgbalI |
sthApitA bhuvi martye.asminsvabAhubalamUrjitam ||2-52-15
He is the fame for famous. He is the powerful, for those who praise. It is definite that he will establish his power of arms on the earth.
dhanyA khalu mahAbhAgA devakI yoShitAM varA |
putraM tribhuvanashreShThaM kR^itvA garbheNa keShavam ||2-52-16
devakI, the best among women, is fortunate, eminent and illustrious. She carried her son keshava (kR^iShNa), the best in the three worlds, in her womb.
kR^iShNaM kamalapatrAkShaM shrIpu~njamamarArchitam |
netrAbhyAM snehapUrNAbhyAM vIkShate mukhapa~Nkajam ||2-52-17
She sees kR^iShNa's face, beautiful as lotus, with her eyes, full of tears of affection. kR^iShNa, with eyes as beautiful as lotus, the abode of shrI, is worshipped by deva-s.
vaishampAyana uvAcha
evaM lAlapyamAnaM tu rAjAnaM rAjasaMsadi |
uvAcha shlakShNayA vAchA shAlvarAjo mahAdyutiH ||2-52-18
vaishampAyana said:
(O janamejaya!) King shAlva of great splendour spoke gently the following words to the king (bhIShmaka) who was lamenting like this, in the assembly of kings.
shAlva uvAcha
alaM khedena rAjendra sutAya ripumardine |
kShatriyasya raNe rAjandhruvaM jayaparAjayau ||2-52-19
shAlva said:
O leader (indra) of kings! Do not be sad about your son, the oppressor of enemies. O King! Victory and defeat are certain for kShatriya in war.
niyatA gatirmartyAnAmeSha dharmaH sanAtanaH |
balakeshavayoranyastR^itIyaH kaH pumAniha ||2-52-20
This is the definite fate of men. This is the eternal dharma. Except bala(rAma) and keshava (kR^iShNa), who is the third person here,
raNe yodhayituM shaktastava putraM mahAbalam |
rathAtirathavR^indAnAmeka eva raNAjire ||2-52-21
who is able to fight in the war with your most powerful son? In the battlefield, among the chariots and great chariots, alone,
ripUnbAdhayituM shakto dhanurgR^ihya mahAbhujaH |
bhArgavAstraM mahAraudraM devairapi durAsadam ||2-52-22
capable of attacking the enemies, holding the bow in his powerful arms, as he shoots the highly terrible arrow given by bhArgava, which even the deva-s cannot defeat,
sR^ijato bAhuvIryeNa kaH pumAnprasahiShyati |
ayaM tu puruShaH kR^iShNo hyanAdinidhano.avyayaH ||2-52-23
with his power of arms, who can match him? He is kR^iShNa, who is without the beginning and end, the eternal.
taM vijetA nR^iloke.asminnApi shUladharaH svayam |
tava putro mahArAja sarvashAstrArthatattvavit ||2-52-24
Even shiva himself who holds the trident cannot defeat him (kR^iShNa). O great king! Your son, an expert, knowing the meanings of all principles of the scriptures,
viditvA devamIshAnaM na yodhayati keshavam |
adya tasya raNe jetA yavanAdhipatirnR^ipa ||2-52-25
considering kR^iShNa to be the lord and the master, will not fight with him. O king! Today, the king of yavana will defeat kR^iShNa in war.
sa kAlayavano nAma avadhyaH keshavasya ha |
taptvA sudAruNaM ghoraM tapaH paramadushcharam ||2-52-26
The one named kAlayavana cannot be killed even by kR^iShNa. Performing a harsh, terrible and most difficult penance,
rudramArAdhayAmAsa dvAdashAbdAnayo.ashanaH |
putrakAmena muninA toShya rudrAtsuto vR^itaH ||2-52-27
sage gArgya (see nIlakaNTha commentary), worshipped rudra (shiva) for twelve years, eating iron powder. Desiring a son, the sage pleased rudra (shiva) and obtained a son from the lord.
mAthurANAmavadhyo.ayaM bhavediti cha sha~NkarAt |
evamastviti rudro.api pradadau munaye sutam ||2-52-28
The sage prayed sha~Nkara (shiva) that the son shall not be killed by the residents of mathurA. Saying let it be so, rudra gave the son to the sage.
evaM gArgyasya tanayaH shrImAnrudravarodbhavaH |
mAthurANAmavadhyo.yaM mathurAyAM visheShataH ||2-52-29
Thus the son of gArgya, was born due to the boon given by auspicious shiva, who cannot be killed by the residents of mathurA, specially in the city of mathurA.
kR^iShNo.api balavAneSha mAthure jAtavAnayam |
sa jeShyati raNe kR^iShNa mathurAyAM samAgataH ||2-52-30
kR^iShNa, even though he is powerful, is born in mathurA. He (kAlayavana) will go to mathurA and conquer kR^iShNa in the war.
manyadhva yadi vA yuktAM nR^ipA vAchaM mayeritAm |
tatra dUtaM visR^ijadhvaM yavanendrapuraM prati ||2-52-31
O kings! If you consider the words spoken by me as suitable, then send a messenger to the city of the yavana king.
vaishampAyana uvAcha
shrutvA saubhapatervAkyaM sarve te nR^pasattamAH |
kurma ityabruvanhR^iShTA jarAsaMdhaM mahAbalam ||2-52-32
vaishampAyana said:
(O jamnamejaya!) Hearing the words of the lord of saubha, all of them, the best of the kings, became happy and said, let us do so, to the highly powerful jarAsaMdha.
sa teShAM vachanaM shrutvA jarAsaMdho mahIpatiH |
babhUva vimanA rAjanbrahmaNo vachanaM smaran ||2-52-33
(vaishampAyana said:) O king (janamejaya)! Hearing their words, the lord of earth, jarAsaMdha, lost his mind, remembering the words of brahma (words spoken by the body-less voice to balarAma).
jarAsaMdha uvAcha
mAM samAshritya pUrvasminnR^ipA nR^ipabhayArditAH |
prApnuvantu hR^itaM rAjyaM sabhR^ityabalavAhanam ||2-52-34
jarAsaMdha said:
Before today, all kings, used to come to me due to the fear of other kings. They used to regain their lost kingdom along with servants, army and chariots.
ihAhaM chodyate bhUpaiH parasaMshrayahetunA |
kanyeva svapatidhveShAdanyaM ratiparAyaNA ||2-52-35
Now, here, kings are telling me to depend on some one else, like a sex-loving maiden, hating her husband, goes to some one else.
aho subalavaddaivamashakyaM vinivartitum |
yadahaM kR^iShNabhIto.anyaM saMshrayAmi balAdhikam ||2-52-36
Alas! Fate is highly powerful. It cannot be reversed. Fearing kR^iShNa, I am depending on one who is more powerful.
nUnaM yogavihIno.ahaM kArayiShye parAshrayam |
shreyo hi maraNam mahyaM na chAnyaM saMshraye nR^ipAH ||2-52-37
Surely, I do not have any other option. Hence I have to depend on others. O kings! Death is more preferable than depending on others.
kR^iShNo vA baladevo vA yo vAsau vA narAdhipaH |
hantAraM pratiyotsyAmi yathA brAhmaprachoditaH ||2-52-38
O kings! As prompted by brahma, I will fight with the person who tries to kill me, even if he is kR^iShNa, baladeva (balarAma) or someone else.
eShA me nishchitA buddhiretatsatpuruShavratam |
ato.anyathA na shakto.ahaM kartuM parasamAshrayam ||2-52-39
This is my firm decision. This is the conduct of good men. Except this, I am unable to do something else, like depending on others.
bhavatAM sAdhuvR^ittANAmAbAdhaM na karoti saH |
tena dUtaM pradAsyAmi nR^ipANAM rakShaNAya vai ||2-52-40
I will accept sending the messenger for the protection of the kings so that kR^iShNa does not affect the kings of good conduct.
vyomamArgeNa yAtavyaM yathA kR^iShNo na bAdhate |
gachChantamanuchintyaivaM preShayadhvaM nR^ipottamAH ||2-52-41
The messenger shall travel through the sky route so that kR^iShNa does not affect him. O the best of kings! Think about one who can travel in this manner and send him on the errand.
ayaM saubhapatiH shrImAnanalArkenduvikramaH |
rathenAdityavarNena prayAti svapuraM balI ||2-52-42
This lord of saubha is auspicious, valiant as the fire god, sun and the moon. The powerful king goes to his city in a chariot having the colour of the sun.
yavanendro yathAbhyeti narendrANAM samAgamam |
vachanaM cha tathAsmAbhirdUtye naH kR^iShNavigrahe ||2-52-43
Let him speak to the yavana king so that he comes as desired by the best of the kings. He should convey our message for killing kR^iShNa.
vaishampAyana uvAcha
punarevAbravIdrAjA saubhasya patimUrjitam |
gachCha sarvanarendrANAM sAhAyyaM kuru mAnada ||2-52-44
vaishampAyana said:
(O janamejaya) Again the king (jarAsaMdha) spoke forcefully to the lord of saubha: O one who respects others! Proceed and do help all the kings.
yavanendro yathA yAti yathA kR^iShNaM vijeShyati |
yathA vayaM cha tuShyAmastathA nItirvidhIyatAm ||2-52-45
Conduct yourself in a way that the yavana king comes, conquers kR^iShNa, all of us are happy and justice is done.
evaM saMdishya sarvAMstAnbhIShmakaM pUjya dharmataH |
prayayau svapuraM rAjA svena sainyena saMvR^itaH ||2-52-46
Speaking thus to all and honouring bhIShmaka as required, the king (jarAsaMdha) returned to his city, accompanied by his army.
shAlvo.api nR^ipatishreShThastAbhyAM saMpUjya dharmataH |
jagAmAkAshamArgeNa rathenAnilaraMhasA ||2-52-47
king shAlvaH honoured the best of the kings as required and left by the sky in his chariot moving with the speed of wind.
te.api sarve mahIpAlA dakShiNApathavAsinaH |
anuvrajya jarAsaMdhaM gatAH svanagaraM prati ||2-52-48
All the kings residing in the south direction, following jarAsaMdha, reached their cities.
bhIShmakaH saha putreNa tAvubhau chintya durnayam |
sve gR^ihe nyavasaddInaH kR^iShNamevAnuchintayan ||2-52-49
bhIShmaka, along with his son, thinking about his son's bad policies, lived in his house, worried, thinking about kR^iShNa.
viditA rukmiNI sAdhvI svayaMvaranivartanam |
kR^iShNasyAgamanAddhetornR^ipANAM doShadarshanam ||2-52-50
rukmiNI, the good woman, knew about the stoppage of the svayaMvara mode of marriage, and the harm seen by the kings due to the arrival of kR^iShNa.
gatvA tu sA sakhImadhye uvAcha vrIDitAnanA |
She went among her friends and said, lowering her face:
na chAnyeShAM narendrANAM patnI bhavitumutsahe |
kR^iShNAtkamalapatrAkShAtsatyametadvacho mama ||2-52-51
I am not ready to be the wife of the best kings. I am speaking the truth that I will be the wife of only kR^iShNa, with eyes as beautiful as lotus.
iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe viShNuparvaNi rukmiNIsvayaMvare dvipa~nchAshattamo.adhyAyaH
Thus this is the fifty-second chapter of viShNuparva of harivaMsha, khila of shrimahAbhArata, shAlva sent to seek kAlayavana's help.
    nIlakaNTha commentary
dvipa~nchAsattame.adhyAye mAgadhAdiprachoditaH |
shAlvo.agAdyavaendraM taM kR^iShNamAnApanuttaye || 1 ||
iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe viShNuparvaNi TIkAyAM dvipa~nchAshatamo.adhyAyaH ||
Note: sloka 27, line 1: avagraha should be there, right?
sloka 30, line 2: kR^iShNaM - pl check
itranlslated by K S Ramachandran, September 10, 2008
Further proof-read by Gilles Schaufelberger, schaufel @ wanadoo.fr
If you find any errors compared to Chitrashala Press edition, send corrections to A. Harindranath, harindranath_a @ yahoo.com
Translated to English by A. Purushothaman [purushothaman_avaroth @ yahoo.com] and A. Harindranath
March 6, 2010 ##