Parva 2 Chapter 111: vāsudevamāhātmyam - arjuna's narration of greatness of vāsudeva - 1

janamejaya said: O the best among the twice born (vaiśampāyana!) I would like to hear further about the greatness of kṛṣṇa, the lord of the world, having powerful arms. na hi me tṛptirastīha śṛṇvatastasya dhīmataḥ | karmaṇāmanusandhānaṁ purāṇasya mahātmanaḥ ||2-111-2 I am not yet satisfied by hearing about the actions performed by the great soul, having intellect, praised in purāṇas. vaiśampāyana uvāca nāntaḥ śakyaḥ prabhāvasya vaktuṁ varṣaśatairapi | govindasya mahārāja śrūyatāmidamadbhutaṁ ||2-111-3 vaiśampāyana said: O great king (janamejaya)! It is not possible to fully describe the splendor of govinda (kṛṣṇa) even in hundred years. But then, hear about this wonder. sharatalpe śayānena bhīṣmeṇa parichoditaḥ | gāṇḍīvadhanvā bībhatsurmāhātmyaṁ keshavasya yat ||2-111-4 As prompted by bhīṣma lying on the bed of arrows, the one who holds gāṇḍīva, the one who is loathed (in battle), (arjuna) described the greatness of keshava (kṛṣṇa). rājṣāṁ madhye mahārāja jyeṣṭhaṁ bhrātaramabravīt | yudhiṣṭhiraṁ jitāmitramiti tacchṛṇu kaurava ||2-111-5 O the one of kuru race (O janamejaya)! Hear about the incident described by arjuna to his elder brother yudhiṣṭhira, the conqueror of enemies, in presence of kings. arjuna uvāca purāhaṁ dvārakāṁ yātaḥ saṁbandhīnavalokakaḥ | nyavasaṁ pūjitastatra bhojavṛṣṇyandhakottamaiḥ ||2-111-6 arjuna said: I had gone to the city of dvāraka to see my relatives. I lived there respected by the bhoja-s, vṛṣṇi-s and andhakas. tataḥ kadāciddharmātmā dīkṣito madhusūdanaḥ | ekāhena mahābāhuḥ śāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā || 2-111-7 During this time, once, the slayer of madhu, the soul fixed in dharma, the one with great arms (kṛṣṇa) was observing a vow lasting for one day (ekāha), according to the scriptures. tato dīkṣitamāsīnamabhigamya dvijottamaḥ | kṛṣṇaṁ vijṣāpayāmāsa trāhi trāhīti cābravīt ||2-111-8 Then, a brāhmaṇa, the best among the twice born, announced to kṛṣṇa, who was observing the vow, saying save me, save me. brāhmaṇa uvāca rakṣādhikāro bhavataḥ paritrāyasva māṁ vibho | caturthāṁśaṁ hi dharmasya rakṣitā labhate phalam ||2-111-9 brāhmaṇa said: You have the right to protect. O lord! Protect me. One fourth of the results of doing one's duty will go to the protector. vāsudeva uvāca na bhetavyaṁ dvijaśreṣṭha rakṣāmi tvāṁ kuto bhayam | brūhi tattvena bhadraṁ te yadyapi syātsuduṣkaram ||2-111-10 The son of vasudeva said: O the best among the twice born! I shall protect you, even if it is difficult. What are you afraid of? Tell me the details. Let there be good to you. brāhmaṇa uvāca jāto jāto mahābāho putro me hriyate'nagha | trayo hṛtāścaturthaṁ tvaṁ kṛṣṇa rakṣitumarhasi ||2-111-11 brāhmaṇa said: O the one with powerful arms! O the one without any stain! The sons who are born to me are lost as soon as they are born. I have lost three sons. kṛṣṇa! My fourth deserves to be protected by you. brāhmanyāḥ sūtikālo'dya tatra rakṣā vidhīyatām | yathā dhriyedapatyaṁ me tathā kuru janārdana ||2-111-12 O the one who respects brāhmins! The time of delivery has approached. Please arrange for the protection. O the one who agitates men! Please do the needful so that my son will be alive. arjuna uvāca tato māmāha govindo dīkṣito'haṁ kratāviti | rakṣā ca brāhmaṇe kāryā sarvāvasthāgatairapi ||2-111-13 arjuna said: Then govinda (kṛṣṇa) told me: I am observing the vow. Even then, under all circumstances, brāhmaṇa's situation needs to be protected. śrutvāhamevaṁ kṛṣṇasya vacho'vocaṁ narādhipa | māṁ niyojaya govinda rakṣiṣye'haṁ dvijaṁ bhayāt ||2-111-14 O the ruler of men (yudhiṣṭhira)! Hearing these words spoken by kṛṣṇa, I said: Govinda! Assign me for this (work). I shall protect the twice-born from the fear. ityuktaḥ sa smitaṁ kṛtvā māmuvāca janārdanaḥ | rakṣasītyevamuktastu vrīḍito'smi narādhipa ||2-111-15 Hearing the words spoken by me, the one who agitates men (kṛṣṇa) smiled and said: Will you protect? O the ruler of men (yudhiṣṭhira)! Then I was ashamed. tato māṁ vrīḍitaṁ matvā punarāha janārdanaḥ | gamyatāṁ kauravaśreṣṭha shakyate yadi rakṣitum ||2-111-16 Then the one who agitates men (janārdana) again told me who was feeling ashamed: O the best among the kuru race (arjuna)! Please proceed, if you can protect. tvatpurogāścha rakṣantu vṛṣṇyandhakamahārathāḥ | ṛte rāmaṁ mahābāhuṁ pradyumnaṁ ca mahābalam ||2-111-17 Keeping the great chariot fighters of the vṛṣṇi and andhaka races, you shall protect the Brahmin, without (bala)rāma having powerful arms and the powerful pradyumna. tato'haṁ vṛṣṇisainyena mahatā parivāritaḥ | tamagrato dvijaṁ kṛtvā prayātaḥ saha senayā ||2-111-18 Then, followed by the great army of vṛṣṇi and andhaka races, lead by the twice-born (brāhmaṇa), I proceeded along with the army. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi vāsudevamāhātmye ekādaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the one hundred and one chapter of viṣṇuparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, arjuna's narration of greatness of vāsudeva. nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 2-111-1 bhūya eveti || pūrvaṁ dhanyopākhyāne yajṣānāmāścaryabhūtaḥ kṛṣṇa ityuktam | idānīṁ yajṣabhoktuḥ śvetadvīpapotarīpa kṛṣṇa āścaryabhūta ityucyata ākhyāyikāmukhena tena * kṛṣṇastu bhagavān svayaṁ ityetadupapāditaṁ bhavati | · 2-111-2 anusaṁdhānam anukramam || · 2-111-6 saṁbandhīn saṁbandhinaḥ avalokakaḥ avalokayitum || · 2-111-7 ekāhena ekasutyāvatā somayāgena || · 2-111-12 dhriyet jīvet || · 2-111-15 rakṣasīti | kākūktyā na rakṣasītyābhiprāya unneyaḥ || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāmekādaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ ||