Parva 2 Chapter 22: akrūraprasthānam - A Mission for Akrura

vaiśaṁpāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Hearing that kṛṣṇa was growing up in vraja like a blazing fire, kaṁsa became anxious and doubtful due to fear. pūtanāyāṁ hatāyāṁ ca kāliye ca parājite | dhenuke pralayaṁ nīte pralambe ca nipātite ||2-22-2 pūtanā was killed and kāliyā was defeated. Dhenuka was destroyed and pralmaba was felled. dhṛte govardhane shaile viphale śakraśāsane | goṣu trātāsu ca tathā spṛhaṇīyena karmaṇā ||2-22-3 govardhana hill was lifted and orders of śakra were nullified. The cows were protected by desirable actions. kakudmini hate'riṣṭe gopeṣu muditeṣu ca | dṛśyamāne vināśe ca saṁnikṛṣṭe mahābhaye || 2-22-4 The bull, ariṣṭā, was killed making the gopa-s happy. It appears as though a terrible time of destruction is approaching. karṣaṇe vṛkṣayoścaiva śakaṭasya tathaiva ca | acintyaṁ karma tacchrutvā vardhamāneṣu śatruṣu ||2-22-5 The trees were dragged (and uprooted) and the cart was broken. I hear about the unimaginable actions and growth of the enemy. prāptāriśṭāmivātmānaṁ mene sa mathureśvaraḥ | visaṁjṣendriyabhūtātmā gatāsupratimo babhau ||2-22-6 The king of mathura (kaṁsa) realized that danger is approaching for him. His senses, mind and intelligence were stunned and he became like a statue. tato jṣātīnsamānāyya pitaraṁ chograśāsanaḥ | nishi stimitamūkāyāṁ mathurāyāṁ janādhipaḥ ||2-22-7 In the night when mathura became silent, the king summoned his father ugrasena and relatives and friends. vasudevaṁ ca devābhaṁ kaṅkaṁ cāhūya yādavam | satyakaṁ dārukaṁ caiva kaṅkāvarajameva ca ||2-22-8 He called vasudeva, dazzling like a god, kaṅka the yādava, satyaka, dāruka and kaṅka's brother; bhojaṁ vaitaraṇaṁ caiva vikadruṁ ca mahābalam | bhayaśaṅkhaṁ ca dharmajṣaṁ vipṛthuṁ ca pṛthuśriyam ||2-22-9 bhoja the vaitaraṇa, powerful vikadru, bhayaśaṅkha knowledgeable about dharma-s, vipṛthu and pṛthu blessed by śrī, babhruṁ dānapatiṁ caiva kṛtavarmāṇameva ca | bhūritejasamakṣobhyaṁ bhūriśravasameva ca ||2-22-10 babhru, dānapati (akrūra), kṛtavarma, the unprovokable bhūriteja and bhūriśrava, etāṇ sa yādavānsarvānābhāṣya śṛṇuteti ca | ugrasenasuto rājā provāca mathureśvaraḥ ||2-22-11 The king, son of ugrasena, lord of mathura called all the yādava~s and said: Listen to me. bhavantaḥ sarvakāryajṣā vedeṣu pariniṣṭhitāḥ | nyāyavṛttāntakuśalāstrivargasya pravartakāḥ ||2-22-12 You are knowledgeable about all matters. You are learned in Vedas. You are experts in the model ways of life. You demonstrate how to conduct the three methods (trivarga - dharma, artha and kāma) of life. kartavyānāṁ ca kartāro lokasya vibudhopamāḥ | tasthivāṁso mahāvṛtte niṣkampā iva parvatāḥ ||2-22-13 You perform your duties to the people. You are like deva-s in maintaining good conduct, you are immovable like a mountain. adambhavṛttayaḥ sarve sarve gurukuloṣitāḥ | rājamantradharāḥ sarve sarve dhanuṣi pāragāḥ ||2-22-14 All of you act humbly. All of you were educated by serving teachers. All of you are trained in various techniques and all of you are experts in archery. yaśaḥpradīpā lokānāṁ vedārthānāṁ vivakṣavaḥ | āśramāṇāṁ nisargajṣā varṇānāṁ kramapāragāḥ ||2-22-15 Your fame lights up the world. You understand the meanings of Vedas. You are aware of the duties of the orders and the social classes. pravaktāraḥ suniyatāṁ netāro nayadarśinām | bhettāraḥ pararāṣṭrāṇāṁ trātāraḥ śaraṇārthinām ||2-22-16 You are experts in directing those who lack understanding. You are leaders of moral people. You penetrate the secrets of enemies and protect those who depend on you. evamakṣatacāritraiḥ śrīmadbhiruditoditaiḥ | dyaurapyanugṛhītā syādbhavadbhiḥ kiṁ punarmahī ||2-22-17 You characters are faultless. You, auspicious men, are great leaders. You are sufficient to protect heaven. Then what is there about protecting the earth? ṛṣīṇāmiva vo vṛttaṁ prabhāvo marutāmiva | rudrāṇāmiva vaḥ krodho dīptiraṅgirasāmiva ||2-22-18 You behave like sages. Your splendour is like maruts. Your anger is similar to rudras. You dazzle as the fire god. vyāvartamānaṁ sumahadbhavadbhiḥ khyātakīrtibhiḥ | dhṛtaṁ yadukulaṁ vīrairbhūtalaṁ parvatairiva ||2-22-19 Whenever the great yadu dynasty faces difficulties, famous and glorious kings like you appeared to restore its glories like mountains sustain earth. evaṁ bhavatsu yukteṣu mama chittānuvartiṣu | vardhamāno mamānartho bhavadbhiḥ kimupekṣitaḥ ||2-22-20 You are talented people and you have worked for my benefit. In spite of your presence, I now face great difficulty. How is it that you have ignored my situation? eṣa kṛṣṇa iti khyāto nandagopasuto vraje | vardhamāna ivāmbhodhirmūlaṁ naḥ parikṛntati ||2-22-21 This son of nandagopa, known as kṛṣṇa is growing like a rain cloud in vraja. He is steadily trying to cut off the roots of our existence. anamātyasya śūnyasya cārāndhasya mamaiva tu | kāraṇānnandagopasya sa suto gopito gṛhe ||2-22-22 I do not have ministers (giving advice). I can not do anything. I am blind since I do not have good spies. Because of all this, the son of nandagopa, lives peacefully at home. upekṣita iva vyādhiḥ pūryamāṇa ivāmbudaḥ | nadanmegha ivoṣṇānte sa durātmā vivardhate ||2-22-23 That wicked soul is growing like a neglected disease, like a cloud full of water and like a thundering cloud at the end of summer. tasya nāhaṁ gatiṁ jāne na yogaṁ na parākramam | nandagopasya bhavane jātasyādbhutakarmaṇaḥ ||2-22-24 I do not know the future, situation and power of the boy born in the house of nandagopa, who performed wonderful actions. kiṁ tadbhūtaṁ samudbhūtaṁ devāpatyaṁ na vidmahe | atidevairamānuṣyaiḥ karmabhiḥ so'numīyate ||2-22-25 I do not know who has come as the boy. Is he the son of a god (deva)? He appears to be more powerful than the gods by his superhuman actions. pūtanā śakunī bālye śiśunottānaśāyinā | stanapānepsunā pītā prāṇaiḥ saha durāsadā ||2-22-26 When pūtanā, the terrible bird, went to feed the sucking child her breast milk, he sucked out her life and killed her. yamunāyā hrade nāgaḥ kāliyo damitastathā | rasātalacharo nītaḥ kṣaṇenādarśanaṁ hradāt ||2-22-27 This boy defeated the serpent kāliya who lived in a lake of yamunā. As directed by kṛṣṇa, the resident of rasātala was forced to leave the lake. nandagopasuto yogaṁ kṛtvā sa punarutthitaḥ | dhenukastālaśikharātpātito jīvitaṁ vinā ||2-22-28 (Breaking free from the serpent and) rising up again, the son of nandagopa killed dhenuka by throwing him on to the tāla trees. pralambaṁ yaṁ mṛdhe devā na shekurativartitum | bālena muṣṭinaikena sa hataḥ prākṛto yathā ||2-22-29 The boy killed pralamba, whom even the gods are unable to overcome, with a punch of his fist. vāsavasyotsavaṁ bhaṅktvā varṣaṁ vāsavaroṣajam | nirjitya gogṛhārthāya dhṛto govardhano giriḥ ||2-22-30 He stopped the festival of vāsava (indra) and protected vraja from the torrential rain created by vāsava (indra) by holding the govardhana hill. hatastvariṣṭo balavānniḥśṛṅgaścha kṛto vraje | abālo bālyamāsthāya ramate śiśulīlayā ||2-22-31 The powerful boy killed ariṣṭa in vraja by breaking the horns. He is playing as a small boy, even though he is not a small boy. prabandhaḥ karmaṇāmevaṁ tasya govrajavāsinaḥ | sannikṛṣṭaṁ bhayaṁ caiva keshino mama ca dhruvam ||2-22-32 These are the actions of that boy who lives in vraja. I am sure that danger is approaching keshi and me. bhūtapūrvaścha me mṛtyuḥ satataṁ pūrvadaihikaḥ | yuddhākāṅkṣī ca sa yathā tiṣṭhatīha mamāgrataḥ ||2-22-33 Previously (In my earlier births), I am sure that he was the cause of my death always. It is as if he is standing in front of me, ready to fight. kva ca gopatvamaśubhaṁ mānuṣyaṁ mṝtyudurbalam | kva ca devaprabhāveṇa krīḍitavyaṁ vraje mayā ||2-22-34 Why is he appearing in the human form as an inauspicious, cow tender, weakened by death? Why is he playing in my vraja, dazzling as a god? aho nīchena vapuṣā''cchādayitvātmano vapuḥ | ko'pyeṣa ramate devaḥ śmaśānasya ivānalaḥ ||2-22-35 Alas! He is concealing his own body in a low form (of a cow tender.s body). Like fire in a crematorium, this god is playing among us. śrūyate hi purā viṣṇuḥ surāṇāṁ kāraṇāntare | vāmanena tu rūpeṇa jahāra pṛthivīmimām ||2-22-36 I have heard that earlier viṣṇu in the form of vāmana had conquered the earth for the gods. kṛtvā kesariṇo rūpaṁ viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | hato hiraṇyakaśipurdānavānāṁ pitāmahaḥ ||2-22-37 The dazzling viṣṇu, taking the form of a lion, killed hiraṇyakaśipu, the great grandfather of dānavas. acintyarūpamāsthāya śvetashailasya mūrdhani | bhavena chyāvitā daityāḥ purā tattripuraṁ ghnatā ||2-22-38 Assuming an unthinkable form on the top of the white mountain, becoming bhava, he destroyed the tripura of daityas. cālito guruputreṇa bhārgavo'ṅgirasena vai | pravishya dārdurīṁ māyāmanāvṛṣṭiṁ cakāra ha ||2-22-39 Using dārdurī māya, the son of bṛhaspati (kacha) had made aṅgiras the bhārgava (śukra) change his pledge and created draught (anāvṛṣṭi). anantaḥ śāśvato devaḥ sahasraśiraso'vyayaḥ | vārāhaṁ rūpamāsthāya projjahārārṇavānmahīm ||2-22-40 The eternal deva without any end, with thousand heads, having no decline, took the form of varāha and recovered this earth from the ocean. amṛte nirmite pūrvaṁ viṣṇuḥ strīrūpamāsthitaḥ | surāṇāmasurāṇāṁ ca yuddhaṁ cakre sudāruṇam ||2-22-41 When nectar was produced in ancient times, viṣṇu took the form of a beautiful woman and caused a terrible war between the gods and asuras. amṛtārthe purā cāpi devadaityasamāgame | dadhāra mandaraṁ viṣṇurakūpāra iti śrutiḥ ||2-22-42 It is heard that, in ancient times, even during combine effort of deva-s and daitya-s for getting amṛta, viṣnu carried the mandaraṁ (mountain) in the form of a giant tortoise. vapurvāmanamāsthāya nandanīyaṁ purā baleḥ | tribiḥ kramaistu trī.ṇllokāṣjahāra tridivālayam ||2-22-43 (Note 1) Taking the form of vāmana, with his three steps, viṣṇu won the three worlds including heaven from the respectable bali. caturdhā tejaso bhāgaṁ kṛtvā dāśarathe gṛhe | sa eva rāmasaṁjṣo vai rāvaṇaṁ vyanaśattadā ||2-22-44 Then, splitting his splendour in four parts, in the abode of dasaratha, under the name of rāma, he destroyed rāvaṇa. evameṣa nikṛtyā vai tattadrūpamupāgataḥ | sādhayitvā''tmanaḥ kāryaṁ surāṇāmarthasiddhaye||2-22-45 Thus by cheating and taking the forms as required, he accomplished the tasks for the benefit of devas. tadeṣa nūnaṁ viṣṇurvā shakro vā marutāṁ patiḥ | matsādhanecchaya prāpto nārado māṁ prayuktavān ||2-22-46 Is he really viṣṇu or is he śakra, the king of marut-s who has come to kill me? Earlier, nārada had told me (about him). atra me śaṅkate buddhirvasudevaṁ prati dhruvā | asya buddhiviśeṣeṇa vayaṁ kātaratāṁ gatāḥ ||2-22-47 Definitely, I have doubts about vasudeva now. Because of his intellect, we are afraid. ahaṁ hi khaṭvāṅgavane nāradena samāgataḥ | dvitīyaṁ sa hi māṁ vipraḥ punarevābravīdvacaḥ ||2-22-48 I met nārada in the forest of khaṭvāṅga. That brāhmaṇa had told me the following again for a second time. yastvayā hi kṛto yatnaḥ kaṁsa garbhakṛte mahān | vasudevena te rātrau tatkarma viphalīkṛtam ||2-22-49 kaṁsa, you had tried very hard to destroy the conception (of devakī). vasudeva had nullified all your efforts in the night. dārikā yā tvayā rātrau śilāyāṁ kamsa pātitā | tāṁ yaśodāsutāṁ viddhi kṛṣṇaṁ ca vasudevajam ||2-22-50 kaṁsa, know that the girl you threw on the rock in the night is the daughter of yaśodā and kṛṣṇa is the son of vasudeva. rātrau vyāvartitāvetau garbhau tava vadhāya vai | vasudevena saṁdhāya mitrarūpeṇa śatruṇā ||2-22-51 vasudeva, your enemy, appearing as a friend, exchanged both conceptions in the night for killing you. sā tu kanyā yaśodāyā vindhye parvatasattame | hatvā shumbhanishumbhau dvau dānavau nagacāriṇau ||2-22-52 That girl of yaśodā, killed the dānava-s, shumbha and nishumba in the forest, on the mountain of vindhya. kṛtābhiṣekā varadā bhūtasaṅghaniṣevitā | arcyate dasyubhirghorairmahābalipaśupriyā ||2-22-53 abhiṣeka was done on that Goddess, served by bhūtas. She grants boons (to her devotees). She receives worship also from terrible dasyus. She is fond of animal sacrifices. surāpiśitapūrṇābhyāṁ kumbhābhyāmupaśobhitā | mayurāṅgadacitraiścha barhabhārairvibhūṣitā ||2-22-54 She dazzles with two pots of liquor and meat. She is adorned with peacock feathers. hṛṣṭakukkuṭasaṁnādaṁ vanaṁ vāyasanāditam | mṛgasaṅghaiścha saṁpūṛnāmaviruddhaiścha pakṣibhiḥ ||2-22-55 The forest is full of sounds made by crows and happy cocks. The forest is full of animals and birds who do not fight among themselves. simhavyāghravarāhāṇāṁ nādena pratināditam | vṛkṣagambhīranibiḍaṁ kāntāraiḥ sarvato vṛtam ||2-22-56 The forest echoes with the sounds of lions, tigers and boars. The forest is full of giant trees everywhere. divyabhṛṅgāruchamarairādarśairupaśobhitam | devatūryaninādaiścha śataśaḥ pratināditam ||2-22-57 Divine bees act as her fans and mirrors increasing her beauty. The place echoes with the sound of divine musical instruments. sthānaṁ tasyā nage vindhye nirmitaṁ svena tejasā | ripūṇāṁ trāsajananī nityaṁ tatra manorame ||2-22-58 The place in the vindhya mountain is made by her splendour There, the beautiful goddess terrifies her enemies. vasate paramaprītā devatairapi pūjitā | Worshipped by even the gods, the Goddess stays there, highly pleased. yastvayaṁ nandagopasya kṛṣṇa ityucyate sutaḥ ||2-22-59 atra me nāradaḥ prāha sumahatkarmakāraṇam | Regarding the son of nandagopa, named kṛṣṇa, nāradā told a very great reason. dvitīyo vasudevādvai vāsudevo bhaviṣyati ||2-22-60 The second son of vasudeva will be known as vāsudeva. sa hi te sahajo mṛtyurbāndhavaścha bhaviṣyati | sa eva vāsudevo vai vasudevasuto balī | bān dhavo dharmato mahyaṁ hṛdayenāntako ripuḥ ||2-22-61 He will be your death and your relative. That vāsudeva is the powerful son of vasudeva. By dharma he is related. By within, he is death, your enemy. yathā hi vāyaso mūrdhni padbhyāṁ yasyāvatiṣṭhati | netre tudati tasyaiva vaktreṇābhiṣagṛddhinā ||2-22-62 How a crow sits, keeping its legs on one's head and strikes on the eyes with its beaks like a vulture, vasudevastathaivāyaṁ saputrajṣātibāndhavaḥ | Chinatti mama mūlāṇi bhuṅkte ca mama pārśvataḥ ||2-22-63 In the same manner, vasudeva, along with his sons, friends and relatives depends on me for his survival and severs my roots. bhrūṇahatyāpi saṁtāryā govadhaḥ strīvadho'pi vā | na kṛtaghnasya loko'sti bāndhavasya viśeṣataḥ ||2-22-64 One may get absolved from the sin of killing of embryo, cow and woman. An ungrateful person, especially a relative is unfit to live in this world. patitānugataṁ mārgaṁ niṣevatyachireṇa saḥ | yaḥ kṛtaghno'nubandhena prītiṁ vahati dāruṇām ||2-22-65 He will follow the path of fallen down men, without any delay. The ungrateful are pleased to seek a terrible end. narakādhyuṣitaḥ panthā gantavyastena dāruṇaḥ | apāpe pāpahṛdayo yaḥ pāpamanutiṣṭhati ||2-22-66 He shall follow the terrible path of hell. He sins on the people who are devoid of sins. ahaṁ vā svajanaḥ ślāghyaḥ sa vā ślāghyataraḥ sutaḥ | niyamairguṇavṛttena tvayā bāndhavakāmyayā ||2-22-67 Am I praiseworthy by my people or is that son (of vasudeva) praiseworthy by conditions, qualifications and desire for relations? hastināṁ kalahe ghore vadhamṛcchanti vīrudhaḥ | yuddhavyuparame te tu sahāśnanti mahāvane |2-22-68 When elephants fight against each, the trees will be destroyed. When their quarrel ends, they eat together in the forest. bāndhavānāmapi tathā bhedakāle samutthite | badhyate yo'ntaraprepsuḥ svajano yadi vetaraḥ ||2-22-69 In the same way, when there is a fight among relatives, those who are in between, whether they are relatives or others, get killed. kālastvaṁ hi vināśāya mayā puṣṭo vijānatā | vasudevakulasyāsya yadvirodhayase bhṛśam ||2-22-70 I brought you up, unknowingly for my destruction. vasudeva! Are you not standing against our race? amarṣī vairaśīlaścha sadā pāpamatiḥ śaṭhaḥ | sthāne yadukulaṁ mūḍha śochanīyaṁ tvayā kṛtam ||2-22-71 You are always angry, you behave as an enemy, you are sinful and stubborn. Fool, you have made the status of yadukula deplorable. vasudeva vṛthā vṛddha yanmayā tvaṁ puraskṛtaḥ | śvetena śirasā vṛddho naiva varṣaśatairbhavet ||2-22-72 vasudeva, you are an old man, brought to the forefront by me. Even if one lives for hundred years with white hair on his head, he does not become old. yasyabuddhiḥ pariṇatā sa vai vṛddhataro nṛṇām | na tena vṛddho bhavati yenāsya palitaṁ śiraḥ ||2-22-73 One becomes old among men, whose intellect is matured. Even if one's hairs turn completely white he does not become old. tvaṁ ca karkaśaśīlaścha buddhyā ca na bahuśrutaḥ | kevalaṁ vayasā vṛddho yathā śaradi toyadaḥ ||2-22-74 Your nature is stubborn. You are not learned. Like a rain cloud of winter only, you are an old man. kiṁ ca tvaṁ sādhu jānīṣe vasudeva vṛthāmate | mṛte kaṁse mama suto mathurāṁ pālayiṣyati ||2-22-75 vasudeva, your intellect is useless. Are you not thinking: my son will become the king of mathura when kaṁsa is dead. cinnāśastvaṁ vṛthāvṛddho mithyā tvevaṁ vicāritam | jijīviṣurna so'pyasti yo. avatiṣṭhenmamāgrataḥ||2-22-76 It is useless for a mere old man with all hopes lost to think in this way. No one who hopes to live will stand before me. prahartukāmo viśvaste yastvaṁ duṣṭena chetasā | tatte pratikariṣye'haṁ putrayostava paśyataḥ ||2-22-77 With an evil mind, you plan to apply (your methods) on a trusted person. As you watch I will take revenge on your sons. na me vṛddhavadhaḥ kaśchiddvijastrīvadha eva ca | kṛtapūrvaḥ kariṣye vā viśeṣeṇa tu bāndhave ||2-22-78 Neither I have killed old men, brahmins and women, nor shall I kill, especially a relative. iha tvaṁ jātasaṁvṛddho mama pitrā vivardhitaḥ | pitṛṣvasuścha me bhartā yadūnāṁ prathamo guruḥ ||2-22-79 You were born here and brought up by my father. You are husband of my father's daughter and principal preceptor of yadu race. kule mahati vikhyātaḥ prathite cakravartinām | gurvarthaṁ pūjitaḥ sadbhirmahadbhirdharmabuddhibhiḥ ||2-22-80 You are famous in the great race of kings. You are respected as a preceptor. You are honoured as an intellectual by people. kiṁ kariṣyāmahe sarve satsu vaktavyatāṁ gatāḥ | yadūnāṁ yūthamukhyasya yasya te vṛttamīdṛśam ||2-22-81 What can we do? We, good men, have to point out and tell you, the leader of yadu-s about your (wrong) actions. madvadho vā jayo vātha vasudevasya durnayaiḥ | satsu yāsyanti puruṣā yadūnāmavaguṇṭhitāḥ || 2-22-82 Due to the bad policies of vasudeva, I may die. The yadu-s may be victorious. The good leaders of yadu-s are moving with their heads covered. tvayā hi madvadhopāyaṁ tarkamāṇena vai mṛdhe | aviśvāsyaṁ kṛtaṁ karma vācyāścha yadavaḥ kṛtāḥ ||2-22-83 You look for an opportunity to kill me in fight. You carry out untrustworthy acts and earn bad name among yadus. aśāmyaṁ vairamutpannaṁ mama kṛṣṇasya chobhayoḥ | śāntimekatare śāntiṁ gate yāsyanti yādavāḥ ||2-22-84 Between me and kṛṣṇa, there is unending enmity. Only if someone tries to remove the enmity, yadava-s will have peace. gaccha dānapate kṣipram tāvihānayituṁ vrajāt | nandagopaṁ ca gopāṁścha karadānmama śāsanāt ||2-22-85 On my order, let this dānapati (akrūra) go quickly to vraja and bring nandagopa and other gopa-s who pay tribute to me. vācyaścha nandagopo vai karamādāya vārṣikam | śīghramāgaccha nagaraṁ gopaiḥ saha samanvitaḥ ||2-22-86 Tell nandagopa that he should come to the city quickly along with other gopa-s and give the yearly tribute. kṛṣṇasaṅkarṣaṇau caiva vasudevasutāvubhau | draśṭumicchati vai kaṁsaḥ sabhṛtyaḥ sapurohitaḥ ||2-22-87 kaṁsa along with his servants and priests wishes to see both kṛṣṇa and saṅkarṣaṇa, sons of vasudeva. etau yuddhavidau raṅge kālanirmāṇayodhinau | dṛḍhau ca kṛtinau caiva śṛṇomi vyāyatodyamau ||2-22-88 They are experts in the fighting ring. They fight as demanded by the occasion. I hear that they are firm, full of enthusiasm and accomplished (fighters). asmākamapi mallau dvau sajjau yuddhakṛtotsavau | tābhyāṁ saha niyotsyete tau yuddhakuśalāvubhau ||2-22-89 We also have two wrestlers, enthusiastic and ready for fighting. Those boys, experts in fighting, shall fight with them (our wrestlers). draṣṭavyau ca mayāvaśyaṁ bālau tāvamaropamau | pitṛṣvasuḥ sutau mukhyau vrajavāsau vanecharau ||2-22-90 I also insist to see those boys, looking like deva-s, sons of my father's sister, staying in the vraja, moving in the forest. vaktavyaṁ ca vraje tasminsamīpe vrajavāsinām | rājā dhanurmakhaṁ nāma kārayiṣyati vai sukhī ||2-22-91 You shall go to vraja and tell the residents of vraja: The well settled king is conducting a bow sacrifice. sannikṛṣṭaṁ vane te tu nivasantu yathāsukham | janasyāmantritasyārthe yatha syātsarvamavyayam ||2-22-92 Let them stay comfortably in the nearby forest. Everything will be provided for all the invited people without any deficiency. payasaḥ sarpiṣaścaiva dadhno dadhyuttarasya ca | yathākāmapradānāya bhojyādhiśrayaṇāya ca ||2-22-93 Let them be given milk, ghee, curd and butter milk. Whatever they want shall be provided along with condiments for foods. akrūra gaccha śīghraṁ tvaṁ tāvānaya mamājṣayā | saṅkarṣaṇaṁ ca kṛṣṇaṁ ca draṣṭuṁ kautūhalaṁ hi me ||2-22-94 akrūra, you proceed and bring them as ordered by me. I am curious to see saṅkarṣaṇa and kṛṣṇa. tayorāgamane prītiḥ paramā matkṛtā bhavet | dṛṣṭvā tu tau mahāvīryau tadvidhāsyāmi yaddhitam ||2-22-95 I shall be greatly pleased by their coming. When I see those great heroes (vīrā-s) I shall do what they like. śāsanaṁ yadi vā śrutvā mama tau paribhāṣitam | nāgacchetām yathākālaṁ nigrāhyāvapi tau mama ||2-22-96 If they do not come on time even after hearing the order pronounced by me, they will be slain by me. sāntvameva tu bāleṣu pradhānaṁ prathamo nayaḥ | madhureṇaiva tau mandau svayamevānayāśu vai ||2-22-97 The best and important way is to speak to the boys in a loving manner. Hence you bring those wrestlers here by speaking to them in sweet words. akrūra kuru me prītimetāṁ paramadurlabhām | yadi vā nopajapto'si vasudevena suvrata ||2-22-98 tathā kartavyametaddhi yatha tāvāgamiṣyataḥ | ākrūra, please do as I say and receive my pleasure, which is rare. O man of good vows! If vasudeva has not yet gone, please do the needful so that they will come here. evamākṣipyamāṇo'pi vasudevo vasūpamaḥ | sāgarākāramātmānaṁ niṣprakampamadhārayat ||2-22-99 Even after being abused thus, vasudeva , like earth, kept his soul still like the ocean, without any movement. vākchalyaistāḍyamānastu kaṁsenādīrghadarśinā | kṣamāṁ manasi saṁdhāya nottaraṁ pratyabhāṣata ||2-22-100 kaṁsa who lacked foresight, spoke harsh words (to vasudeva). Keeping patience in his mind, he did not answer in reply. ye tu taṁ dadṛśustatra kṣipyamāṇamanekadhā | dhigdhigityasakṛtte vai śanairūcuravāṅmukhāḥ ||2-22-101 Those who watched vasudeva being abused in many ways, said shame! shame! and lowered their faces. akrūrastu mahātejā jānandivyena cakṣuṣā | jalaṁ dṛṣṭveva tṛṣitaḥ preṣitaḥ prītimānabhūt |2-22-102 akrūra having great splendour, knew all with his divine vision. As a thirsty person, who sees water, he was pleased to be sent on this mission. tasminneva muhūrte tu mathurāyāḥ sa niryayau | prītimānpuṇḍarīkākṣaṁ drasṣṭuṁ dānapatiḥ svayam ||2-22-103 Highly pleased, the dānapati (akruṛa) left mathura at that moment itself to see puṇḍarīkāsḍha (kṛṣṇa). iti srimahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi akrūraprasthāne dvāviṁśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the twenty-second chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, a mission for akrūra. Note 1 After sloka 43, harivaṁśa, vol.ī, edited by P.L.Vaidya, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, 1969 gives the following lines after sloka 43 on page 427. After 43, D6, S ( except T3.4 ) ins. sa eva bhagavānviṣṇurbhūtvā bhārgavanandanaḥ | parashvadhena śātena jaghāna kṛtavīryajam || The same lord viṣṇu became the son of bhārgava and killed kṛtavīrya with his axe. triḥsaptakṛtvaḥ pṛthivīṁ hatvā kṣatriyapuṁgavān | hayamedhe tadā yajṣe kāśyapāya dadau kila || He travelled on earth twentyone times, killed the kṣatriya kings and gave the earth to kashyapa in the horse sacrifice. The malayālaṁ translation of these lines are given in slokas 44 and 45 on page 393, volume 6, bhāṣābhārataṁ, kuṣṣikkuṭṭan taṁpurān, DC Books edition 2007. nīlakaṇṭha commentary dvāviṁśatitame'dhyāye kaṁsenāhūya yādavān | vasudevamadhikṣipya akrūraḥ preṣito vrajam || 1 || · 2.22.1 kṛṣṇamiti || · 2.22.6 prāptāriṣṭam prāptamṛtyum ata eva visaṁjṣāni indriyāṇi bhūtātmā jīvaścha yasya || · 2.22.7 sthitamitaṁ nidrayā mūkāyāmiva rātrau niḥśabde kāle ityarthaḥ || · 2.22.10 babhrureva dānapatistamakrūram || · 2.22.11 ābhāṣya pratyekaṁ saṁbodhya || · 2.22.13 mahāvṛ+tte mahatyācāre || · 2.22.15 ṇisargajṣāḥ svābhāvikakarmajṣāḥ || · 2.22.16 suniyatāṁ śobhanānāṁ vidhīnāṁ || · 2.22.17 uditiditaiḥ kathāprasaṅgena udbhaṭaiḥ || · 2.22.18 āṅgirasāṁ agnīnām || · 2.22.19 vyāvarttamānaṁ bhrashyat || · 2.22.22 śūnyasya tad hṛdayaśūnyasya cārāndhasya cāracakṣurvarjitasya | "rājānaścāracakṣuṣa" ityukteḥ | mama kāranāt madīyaprabhāvāt nandagopasya gṛhe vasudevasya suto gopitaḥ || · 2.22.23 pūryamāṇaḥ parvaṇi ambudaḥ samudraḥ || · 2.22.24 gatiṁ sattvaṁ yogaṁ vaśīkaraṇopāyam || · 2.22.25 devairapīti devebhyopyadhika iti so'numīyate || · 2.22.28 yogaṁ nāgapāśabandhaṁ kṛ+tvā citvā || · 2.22.32 prabandhaḥ ghaṭanāprakāraḥ || · 2.22.34 mṛtyudurbalaṁ mṛtyuyogena durbalam || · 2.22.38 bhavena rudrarūpiṇā viṣṇunā tatprasiddhaṁ brahmaṇo varadānātabhedyamāsīttadityarthaḥ || · 2.22.39 cālita iti | guruputreṇa kachena bhārgavaḥ śukraḥ cālitaḥ mṛtasaṁjīvinīṁ vidyāṁ kasmaichidapi na dāsyamityetasmānniyamāt bhraṁśitaḥ | kathamityata āha - dārdurīṁ māyāṁ pravishyeti | yathā darduro mṛtvā punaḥ punaruttiṣṭhati evaṁ kachopi dānavebhyo.ssakṛnmṛtyumāsādya gurūdaraṁ praveshitastato guroḥ sakāśāt vidyāṁ prāpya tadudaraṁ bhitvā punaruthitaḥ mṛtaṁ ca guruṁ punarjīvitavān | tatastāmeva dānavaiḥ kṛtāṁ kachahatyāṁ nimittīkṛtya dānaveṣu devo na vavarṣītyarthaḥ || evaṁ dānavānāṁ vināśaḥ rudradvārā tripurasyeva kachadvārā'pyanenaiva kṛta iti bhāvaḥ | sahasrashirasa ityadantatvamārṣam || · 2-22-41 cakre kāritavān || · 2-22-42 akūpāre samudre kacchapo bhūtveti śeṣaḥ || · 2.22.43 lokān ākramamāṇastridivālayaṁ svargaṁ jahāra || · 2.22.44 vyanashat vināśitavān || · 2.22.45 nikṛtyā Chalena || · 2.22.46 matsādhanecchayā madvadhecchayā || · 2-22-48 dvitīyaṁ dvitīyavāram || · 2.22.57 bhṛṅgāruḥ kanakapātraṁ gaḍukam || · 2.22.60 mahatāṁ karmaṇāṁ pūtanāvadhādīnāṁ kāraṇaṁ hetum | dvitīya iti rāmāpekṣayā so'pi vāsudevājjāta iti vāsudevo bhavatyeva || · 2-22-65 anubandhena kāryānurodhena | dāruṇāṁ dāruṇodarkāṁ || · 2.22.67 bāndhavakāmyayā mitrecchayā mitrakāmenetyarthaḥ || · 2.22.68 hastināmiti | yathā hastināṁ kalahe vīrudho nashyanti| na tu hasinaḥ evaṁ mama ca kṛṣṇasya ca kalahe vasudevādaya eva naṅkṣyanti na tvāvāmiti ślokadvayasyārthaḥ || · 2.22.71 śaṭho mithyāvinītaścha | "śaṭho gūḍhāparādhakṛt" iti kośāt | tvayā kulaṁ yat śochanīyaṁ tatsthāne yuktamityarthaḥ || · 2.22.72 he ! vṛddha yat yato mayā tvaṁ puraskṛto'to'haṁ vṛ+thā vyarthajanmāsmītyarthaḥ || · 2.22.78 me mayā || · 2.22.79 jātaścāsau saṁvṛddhascha jātasaṁvṛddhaḥ | pitṛṣvasuriti pitṛvyasaṁbandhinyāḥ svasuriti || · 2.22.80 cakravartināṁ - "yasya mūrdhani dṛśyeta vinā catreṇa bhūpateḥ | padmānukāriṇī cāyā tamāhuścakravartinam ||" ityuktalakṣaṇānām || · 2.22.81 jayo vā'stviti śeṣaḥ | ubhayathā vilajjayā avaguṇṭhitā āccāditamukhāḥ yadūnāṁ puruṣā yāsyanti | ekena kapaṭinā sarveṣu kapaṭitvāpavādaprasaṅgāditi bhāvaḥ || · 2.22.82 tadevāha - tvayeti | vācyā nindyāḥ || · 2-22-85 dānapate he akrūra || · 2.22.86 vācyastvayā vaktavyaḥ || · 2.22.88 kālanirmāṇayodhinau samayānusāri yuddhakushalau vyāyatodhyamau dīrghayatnau || · 2.22.89 mallau cāṇūramuṣṭikau niyotsyete yuddhaṁ kariṣyataḥ || · 2.22.90 pitṛṣvasuriti pitṛṣyasaṁbandhinyāḥ svasuriti jṣeyaṁ | kālabhedena yathāśrutamevāstu || · 2.22.93 dadhyuttarasya dadhimaṇḍasya takrasya vā bhojyādhiśrayaṇāya ca bhojyaṁ pāyasavadannaṁ kartuṁ yat adhiśrayaṇaṁ kṣīrasya tasmai || · 2.22.98 upajapto bheditaḥ || · 2.22.99 sāgarākāraṁ atigambhīram | ātmānaṁ manaḥ || · 2.22.103 tasminneva muhūrtaṁ madhyarātre || iti śrīmahābhārate harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ dvāviṁśo'dhyāyaḥ