Chapter Eleven Kubjā-kuvalayāpīḍa-varṇaṇa The Stories of Kubjā and Kuvalayāpīḍa

26 verses

Verse text

śrī-bahulāśva uvāca
sairandhryā kiṁ kṛtaṁ pūrvam
tapaḥ parama-durghaṭam
yena prasannaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇo
devair api su-durlabhaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-bahulāśva uvāca — Śrī Bahulāśva said ; sairandhryā — by the maidservant Kubjā ; kim — what? ; kṛtam — done ; pūrvam — before ; tapaḥ — austerities ; parama-durghaṭam — very difficult ; yena — by which ; prasannaḥ — pleased ; śrī-kṛṣṇaḥ — Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; devaiḥ — bythe demigods ; api — even

Translation

Śrī Bahulāśva said: What severe austerities did the maidservant Kubjā perform in her previous birth that she so pleased Lord Kṛṣṇa, whom even the demigods cannot attain?

Verse text

pañcavatyāṁ sthitaṁ rāmaṁ
koṭi-kandarpa-sannibham
vīkṣya śūrpanakhā nāmnī
rakṣasī mohitā bhṛśam

Synonyms

pañcavatyām — in Pancavati ; sthitam — situated ; rāmam — Lord Rāma ; koṭi-kandarpa-sannibham — splendid as millions of Kāmadevas ; vīkṣya — seeing ; śūrpanakhā — Śūrpanakhā ; nāmnī — named ; rakṣasī — demoness ; mohitā — bewildered ; bhṛśam — greatly.

Translation

Gazing at Lord Rāma in Pañcavatī forest, a demonness name Śūrpanakhā fell passionately in love with Him.

Verse text

nirmohaṁ rāghavaṁ dṛṣṭvā-
thaika-patnī-vrata-sthitaṁ
krodhāt sītāṁ bhakṣayituṁ
dhāvatī rāvaṇa-svasā

Synonyms

nirmoham — not falling in love with her ; rāghavam — Lord Rāma ; dṛṣṭvā — seeing ; atha — then ; eka-patnī-vrata-sthitam — taking a vow of accepting only one wife ; krodhāt — out of anger ; sītām — Sītā ; bhakṣayitum — to devour ; dhāvatī — running

Translation

Seeing that Lord Rāma had vowed to accept only one wife, and had not fallen in love with her, Rāvaṇa's sister Śūrpanakhā angrily ran to devour Sītā-devī.

Verse text

khaḍgena śita-dhāreṇa
lakṣmaṇo rāghavānujaḥ
jahāra tasyāḥ karṇau ca
nāsaṁ sadyo ruṣānvitaḥ

Synonyms

khaḍgena — with a sword ; śita-dhāreṇa — with a sharp edge ; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa ; rāghavānujaḥ — Lord Rāma's younger brother ; jahāra — took ; tasyāḥ — of her ; karṇau — the ears ; ca — and ; nāsam — nose ; sadyaḥ — at once ; ruṣānvitaḥ — angry.

Translation

At this Lord Rāma's younger brother Lakṣmaṇa became angry and with a sharp-edged sword quickly cut away her ears and nose.

Verse text

chinna-nāsā gatā laṅkāṁ
ravanāya nyavedayat
bhūyaḥ puṣkara-tīrthe sā
jagāma vimanā bhṛśam

Synonyms

chinna-nāsā — cut away nose ; gatā — attained ; laṅkām — to Lanka ; ravanāya — for Ravana ; nyavedayat — informed ; bhūyaḥ — greatly ; puṣkara-tīrthe — at Puskara-tirtha ; sa — she ; jagāma — went ; vimanā — disconsolate ; bhṛśam — very.

Translation

Her nose cut away, she went to Laṅkā and told Rāvaṇa what had happened. Then, unhappy at heart, she went to Puṣkara-tīrtha.

Verse text

tapaś cakre śūrpanakhā
varṣāṇām ayutaṁ jale
dhyāyantī try-ambakaṁ devaṁ
śrī-rāmaṁ varam icchatī

Synonyms

tapaḥ — austerities ; cakre — did ; śūrpanakhā — Śūrpanakhā ; varṣāṇām — of years ; ayutam — ten thousand ; jale — in the water ; dhyāyantī — meditating ; try-ambakaṁ devam — on Lord Śiva ; śrī-rāmam — Lord Rāma ; varam — husband ; icchatī — wishing.

Translation

Wishing to get Lord Rāma as her husband, for ten thousand years Śūrpanakhā stayed underwater and meditated on Lord Śiva.

Verse text

tataḥ prasanno bhagavān
deva-deva uma-patiḥ
etya tat puṣkaraṁ tīrthaṁ
varaṁ brūhīty uvāca ha

Synonyms

prasannaḥ — pleased ; bhagavān — the Lord ; deva-deva — the master of the demigods ; uma-patiḥ — the husband of Umā ; etya — coming ; tat — that ; puṣkaraṁ tīrtham — to Puṣkara-tīrtha ; varam — blessing ; brūhi — speak ; iti — thus ; uvāca — said ; ha — indeed.

Translation

Pleased by this, Lord Śiva, who is the master of the demigods and the husband of Umā, came to Puṣkara-tīrtha and said, "Ask for a boon."

Verse text

śūrpanakhovāca śrī-rāmo me varo bhūyād
varaṁ dehi satāṁ priyaḥ
tvaṁ deva-deva paramaḥ
sarvāsām āśiṣāṁ prabhuḥ

Synonyms

śūrpanakhā uvāca — Śūrpanakhā said ; śrī-rāmaḥ — Śrī rāma ; me — of me ; varaḥ — the husbvand ; bhūyāt — may be ; varam — boon ; dehi — please give ; satām — of the saintly persons ; priyaḥ — dear ; tvam — you ; deva-deva — the master ofthe demigods ; paramaḥ — great ; sarvāsām — of all ; āśiṣām — blessings ; prabhuḥ — the master.

Translation

Śūrpanakhā said: You are the great master of the demigods. You are dear to the great saints. You have the power to give all benedictions. Please grant me that Śrī Rāma will become my husband.

Verse text

śrī-śiva uvāca
adyaiva sa-phalo na syād
varas te śṛṇu rākṣasi
dvāparānte māthure ca
bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-śiva uvāca — Lord śuva said ; adya — today ; eva — indeed ; sa-phalaḥ — fruitful ; na — not ; syāt — may be ; varaḥ — boon ; te — of you ; śṛṇu — please hear ; rākṣasi — O demonness ; dvāparānte — at the end of Dvapara-yuga ; māthure — in Mathurā ; ca — and ; bhaviṣyati — will be ; na — no ; saṁśayaḥ — doubt.

Translation

Lord Śiva said: O demonness, please listen. At the present time your boon cannot be granted. In the future, at the end of Dvāpara-yuga, in Mathurā City, it will be granted to you. Of this there is no doubt.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
saiva śūrpanakhā nāma rākṣasī kāma-rūpiṇī
abhūc chrī-mathurāyāṁ tu
kubjā-nāma mahā-mate

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; sā — she ; eva — indeed ; śūrpanakhā — Śūrpanakhā ; nāma — named ; rākṣasī — demonness ; kāma-rūpiṇī — taking any form she wished ; abhūt — became ; śrī-mathurāyām — in Śrī Mathurā ; tu — indeed ; kubjā-nāma — named Kubjā ; mahā-mate — O noble-hearted one.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: O noble-hearted one, in Mathurā City the demonness Śūrpanakhā, who could assume any form at will, became the girl named Kubjā.

Verse text

mahādeva-vareṇāpi
śrī-kṛṣṇasya priyābhavat
idaṁ mayā te kathitaṁ
kiṁ bhūyaḥ śrotum icchasi

Synonyms

mahādeva-vareṇa — by Lord Śiva's boon ; api — also ; śrī-kṛṣṇasya — of Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; priyā — the beloved ; abhavat — became ; idam — this ; mayā — by me ; te — to you ; kathitam — spoken ; kim — what? ; bhūyaḥ — more ; śrotum — to hear ; icchasi — you wish.

Translation

By Lord Śiva's blessing she became Lord Kṛṣṇa's beloved. Now I have explained this to you. What more do you wish to hear?

Verse text

śrī-bahulāśva uvāca
ko 'yaṁ kuvalayāpīḍaḥ
pūrva-janmani nārada
kathaṁ gajatvam āpannaḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇe līnatāṁ gataḥ

Synonyms

śrī-bahulāśva uvāca — Śrī Bahulāśva said ; kaḥ — who? ; ayam — he ; kuvalayāpīḍaḥ — Kuvaslayapida ; pūrva-janmani — in his previous birth ; nārada — O Nārada ; katham — why? ; gajatvam — the status of an elephant ; āpannaḥ — attained ; śrī-kṛṣṇe — in Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; līnatām — merged ; gatah — attained.

Translation

Śrī Bahulāśva said: O Nārada, who was Kuvalayāpīḍa in his previous birth? Why did he become an elephant? Why did he merge into Śrī Kṛṣṇa?

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
bali-putro mahā-kāyo
nāmnā mandagatir balī
sarva-śastra-bhṛtāṁ śreṣṭho
lakṣa-nāga-samo balī

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; bali-putraḥ — the son of Bali ; mahā-kāyaḥ — with a great body ; nāmnā — by name ; mandagatiḥ — Mandagati ; balī — powerful ; sarva-śastra-bhṛtām — of they who wield weapons ; śreṣṭhaḥ — the best ; lakṣa-nāga-samaḥ — equal to a hundred thousand elephants ; balī — strong.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: Bali Mahārāja's son was a giant named Mandagati. Strong as a hundred thousand elephants, he was the best of warriors bearing weapons.

Verse text

ekadā nirgataḥ so 'pi
raṅga-yātrāṁ janeṣu ca
mattebha-vaj janān vegād
bhujābhyāṁ parimardayan

Synonyms

ekadā — one day ; nirgataḥ — gone ; saḥ — he ; api — also ; raṅga-yātrām — on a pilgrimage to Ranga-ksetra ; janeṣu — among the people ; ca — and ; mattebha-vaj — like a maddened elephant ; janān — the people ; vegāt — forcibly ; bhujābhyām — with both arms ; parimardayan — crushing.

Translation

One day, when he was on a pilgrimage to Raṅga-kṣetra, he pushed his way through a crowd, pressing people with both arms as if he were a maddened wild elephant.

Verse text

tad-bahu-vegāt patitaḥ
pathi vṛddhas trito muniḥ
kruddhaḥ saśāpa taṁ mattaṁ
baliṣṭhaṁ bali-nandanam

Synonyms

tad-bahu-vegāt — by the power of his arms ; patitaḥ — fallen ; pathi — on the path ; vṛddhaḥ — elderly ; tritaḥ — Trita ; muniḥ — Muni ; kruddhaḥ — angry ; saśāpa — cursed ; tam — him ; mattam — maddened ; baliṣṭham — powerful ; bali-nandanam — the son of Bali.

Translation

Pushed to the ground in this way, the elderly sage Trita Muni became angry and cursed Bali's wild and powerful son.

Verse text

śrī-trita uvāca
gajavat tvaṁ madonmatto
'bhūr janān parimardayan
vicaran raṅga-yatrāyāṁ
tvaṁ gajo bhava durmate

Synonyms

śrī-trita uvāca — Śrī Trita said ; gajavat — like an elephant ; tvam — you ; madonmattaḥ — wild ; abhūḥ — have become ; janān — the people ; parimardayan — pushing ; vicaran — going ; raṅga-yatrāyām — an a pilgrimage ot Raṅga-kṣeyra ; tvam — you ; gajaḥ — an elephant ; bhava — become ; durmate — fool.

Translation

Śrī Trita said: Pushing the people on the way to Raṅga-kṣetra, you have become like a wild elephant. Fool, then I curse you to become an elephant.

Verse text

evaṁ śaptas tadā daityo
nāmnā mandagatir balī
patat kañcuka-vad deho
bhraṣṭa-teja babhūva ha

Synonyms

evam — thus ; śaptaḥ — cursed ; tadā — then ; daityaḥ — the Daitya ; nāmnā — by name ; mandagatiḥ — Mandagati ; balī — powerful ; patat — falling ; kañcuka-vat — like a garment ; dehaḥ — the body ; bhraṣṭa-teja — lost its splendor ; babhūva — became ; ha — indeed.

Translation

Cursed in this way, the powerful Daitya named Mandagati at once shed his body as one sheds a garment. Now his power and splendor were all gone.

Verse text

muneḥ prabhāva-vit sadyo
daityo bhūtvā kṛtāñjaliḥ
natvā pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya
tritaṁ munim uvāca ha

Synonyms

muneḥ — of the sage ; prabhāva-vit — knowing the power ; sadyaḥ — at once ; daityaḥ — the Daitya ; bhūtvā — becoming ; kṛtāñjaliḥ — with folded hands ; natvā — bowing ; pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya — circumambulating ; tritam — Trita ; munim — Muni ; uvāca — said ; ha — indeed.

Translation

Now aware of the sage's great power, Mandagati bowed with folded hands before him, circumambulated him, and then spoke.

Verse text

mandagatir uvāca
he mune he kṛpā-sindho
tvaṁ yogīndro dvijottamaḥ
gajatvān me kadā muktir
bhaviṣyati vadāśu mām

Synonyms

mandagatiḥ — Mandagati ; uvāca — said ; he — O ; mune — sage ; he — O ; kṛpā-sindhaḥ — ocean of mercy ; tvam — you ; yogīndraḥ — the king of yogis ; dvijottamaḥ — the best of brāhmaṇas ; gajatvāt — from being an elephant ; me — of me ; kadā — when? ; muktiḥ — freedom ; bhaviṣyati — will be ; vada — please tell ; āśu — now ; mām — to me.

Translation

Mandagati said: O sage, O ocean of mercy, You are the king of yogīs. You are the the best of brāhmaṇas. When will I become free from being an elephant. Please tell me.

Verse text

tvādṛśānāṁ satāṁ mābhūd
dhelanaṁ me kvacin mune
tvādṛśā munayo brahman
samarthā vara-śapayoḥ

Synonyms

tvādṛśānām — like you ; satām — of saints ; mā — should not ; abhūt — have been ; helanam — offense ; me — of me ; kvacin — at any time ; mune — O sage ; tvādṛśā — like you ; munayaḥ — sages ; brahman — O brāhmaṇa ; samarthā — able ; vara-śapayoḥ — to bless or to curse.

Translation

O sage, I should never have offended a great saint like yourself. O brāhmaṇa, sages like yourself have the power to bless or to curse.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
evaṁ prasāditas tena
trito nāma mahā-muniḥ
gata-krodho 'bravīd daityaṁ
kṛpālur brāhmaṇottamaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; evam — thus ; prasāditaḥ — pacified ; tena — by that ; tritaḥ — Trita ; nāma — named ; mahā-muniḥ — the great sage ; gata-krodhaḥ — his anger gone ; abravīt — spoke ; daityam — to the Daitya ; kṛpāluḥ — merciful ; brāhmaṇottamaḥ — the best of brāhmaṇas.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: Pacified by this, and his anger now gone, the kind and exalted brāhmaṇa sage Trita Muni spoke to the Daitya.

Verse text

śrī-trita uvāca
vacanaṁ me mṛṣā na syāt
tvad-bhaktyā harṣito 'smy aham
te dāsyāmi varaṁ divyaṁ
devānām api durlabham

Synonyms

śrī-trita uvāca — Śrī Trita said ; vacanam — words ; me — of me ; mṛṣā — false ; na — not ; syāt — may be ; tvad-bhaktyā — by your devotion ; harṣitaḥ — pleased ; asmi — am ; aham — I ; te — to youi ; dāsyāmi — I will give ; varam — blessing ; divyam — transcendental ; devānām — by the demigods ; api — even ; durlabham — unattainable.

Translation

Śrī Trita said: I am pleased by your devotion. Still, my words cannot become false. I will give you a transcendental blessing even the demigods cannot attain.

Verse text

mā śokaṁ kuru daityendra
mathurāyāṁ hareḥ puri
śrī-kṛṣṇa-hastāt te muktir
bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ

Synonyms

mā — don't ; śokam — lamentation ; kuru — do ; daityendra — O king of the Daityas ; mathurāyām — in Mathurā ; hareḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; puri — the city ; śrī-kṛṣṇa — of Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; hastāt — by the hand ; te — of you ; muktiḥ — liberation ; bhaviṣyati — will be ; na — no ; saṁśayaḥ — doubt.

Translation

O king of the Daityas, don't lament. In Lord Kṛṣṇa's city of Mathurā you will attain liberation from Lord Kṛṣṇa's own hand.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
so 'yaṁ mandagatir daityo
gajo 'bhūd vindhyā-parvate
nāmnā kuvalayāpīḍo
nāgāyuta-samo bale

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; saḥ — he ; ayam — he ; mandagatiḥ — mandagati ; daityaḥ — the Daitya ; gajaḥ — an elephant ; abhūt — became ; vindhyā-parvate — in the Vindya mountains ; nāmnā — by the name ; kuvalayāpīḍaḥ — Kuvalayapida ; nāgāyuta-samaḥ — equao to tne thousand elephants ; bale — in strength.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: In this way the Daitya Mandagati became an elephant in the Vindhyā Hills. He was as strong as ten thousand other elephants.

Verse text

gṛhīto māgadhendreṇa
balāl lakṣa-gajair vane
so 'yaṁ dattas tu kaṁśāya
pāribarhe videha-rāṭ

Synonyms

gṛhītaḥ — taken ; māgadhendreṇa — by the king of Magadha ; balāl — forcibly ; lakṣa-gajaiḥ — with a hundred thousand elephants ; vane — in the forest ; so 'yam — he ; dattaḥ — given ; tu — indeed ; kaṁśāya — to Kaṁsa ; pāribarhe — as a wedding present ; videha-rāṭ — O king of Videha.

Translation

O king of Videha, with the aid of a hundred thousand elephants King Jarāsandha captured him and eventually gave him to Kaṁsa as a wedding present.

Verse text

trita-vākyāt tasya dhāma
śrī-kṛṣṇe līnatāṁ gatam
idaṁ mayā te kathitaṁ
kiṁ bhūyaḥ śrotum icchasi

Synonyms

trita — of Trita ; vākyāt — from the statement ; tasya — of him ; dhāma — the abode ; śrī-kṛṣṇe — in Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; līnatām — merging ; gatam — attained ; idam — this ; mayā — by me ; te — to you ; kathitam — spoken ; kim — what? ; bhūyaḥ — more ; śrotum — to hear ; icchasi — you wish.

Translation

Because of the blessing spoken by Trita Muni, he merged into Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Now I have told you this pastime. What more do you wish to hear?