Parva 2 Chapter 27: kaṁsadhanurbhaṅgaḥ - Breaking Kamsa's Bow

vaisahṁpāyana said: (O janamejaya!) After setting up a best chariot, all of them, along with kṛṣṇa and saṅkarṣaṇa proceeded further. Aseduste purīṁ ramyāṁ mathurāṁ kaṁsapālitām | vivishuste purīṁ ramyāṁ kāle raktadivākare ||2-27-2 They arrived at the beautiful city of mathura protected by kaṁsa. They reached inside the city when the sun was red (about to set). tau tu svabhavanaṁ vīrau kṛṣṇasaṅkarṣaṇāvubhau | praveshitau buddhimatā hyakrūreṇārkavarchasau ||2-27-3 The intelligent akrūra took the valiant kṛṣṇa and saṅkarṣaṇa, brilliant as sun, to his home. tāvāha varavarṇābhau bhīto dānapatistadā | tyaktavyā tāta gamane vasudevagṛhe spṛhā ||2-27-4 The dānapati (akrūra) was worried. He told the two attractive boys: Sons! You should abandon your desire to go to vasudeva's house. yuvayorhi kṛte vṛddhaḥ kaṁsena sa nirasyate | bhartsyate ca divā rātrau neha sthātavyamityapi ||2-27-5 Because of you, kaṁsa is harassing the old man (vasudeva) there. Day and night kaṁsa is abusing saying that he should leave this place. tadyuvābhyāṁ hi kartavyaṁ pitrarthaṁ sukhamuttamam | yathā sukhamavāpnoti tadvai kāryaṁ hitānvitam ||2-27-6 Hence your duty is to bring the best comfort to your father. You should do the things to his liking so as to bring him comfort. tamuvāca tataḥ kṛṣṇo yāsyāvāvāmatarkitau | prekṣantau mathurāṁ vīra rājamārgaṁ ca dhārmika | tasyaiva tu gṛhaṁ sādho gachcāvo yadi manyase ||2-27-7 Then kṛśṇa told akrūra: O man of righteous path! we do not want to debate with you. We shall proceed to see the city of mathura and the royal path. We shall go to his (vasudeva's) house only if you agree. vaiśampāyana uvāca akrūro'pi namaskṛtya manasā kṛṣṇamavyayam | jagāma kaṁsapārśvaṁ tu prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā ||2-27-8 vaiśaṁpāyana said: (O janamejaya!) akrūra mentally offered obeisance to the eternal kṛṣṇa and went to see kaṁsa with a joyful mind. anuśiṣṭāu ca tau vīrau prasthitau prekṣakāvubhau | ālānābhyāmivonmuktau kuṣjarau yuddhakāṅkṣiṇau ||2-27-9 Both the valiant youth, permitted by akrūra, left to see the city, like two elephants, released, desiring for fighting. tau tu mārgagataṁ dṛṣṭvā rajakaṁ raṅgakārakam | ayācetāṁ tatastau tu vāsāṁsi rucirāṇi vai || 2-27-10 On the way they saw a washerman carrying clothes that he had dyed. They asked him for colourful clothes. rajakaḥ sa tu tau prāha yuvāṁ kasya vanecharau | rājavāsāṁsi yau mauḍyādyācethāṁ nirbhayāvubhau ||2-27-11 The washerman asked them: Who are you, residents of forest? Out of foolishness, you are asking for royal clothes without any fear. ahaṁ kaṁsasya vāsāṁsi nānādeśodbhavāni vai | kāmarāgāṇi shatasho raṣjayāmi viśeṣataḥ ||2-27-12 I mix hundreds of beautiful colours specially for kamsa's clothes, made in different places. yuvāṁ kasya vane jātau mṛgaiḥ saha vivarddhitau | jātarāgāvidaṁ dṛṣṭvā raktamāccādanaṁ bahu ||2-27-13 Whose sons are you? In which forest you were born and bought up with animals? You are attracted by seeing many blood-red clothes. aho vāṁ jīvitaṁ tyaktaṁ yau bhavantāvihāgatau | mūrkhau prākṛtavijṣānau vāso yācitumicchataḥ ||2-27-14 Alas! you have lost your lives! You are fools and ignorant people to come here and ask for clothes as you wish. tasmai cukopa vai kṛṣṇo rajakāyālpamedhase | prāptāriṣṭāya mūrkhāya sṛjate vāṅmayaṁ visham ||2-27-15 kṛṣṇa became angry on the washerman of evil mind, who was a fool speaking poisonous words, whose time of death had come. talenāśanikalpena sa taṁ mūrddhanyatāḍayat | sa gatāsuḥ papātorvyāṁ rajako vyastamastakaḥ ||2-27-16 With his hand, like a thunderbolt, kṛṣṇa gave a blow to the washerman's head. The washerman fell dead on the ground, with his head broken. taṁ hataṁ paridevantyo bhāryāstasya vichukruśuḥ | tvaritaṁ muktakeshyashcha jagmuḥ kaṁsaniveśanam ||2-27-17 When the washerman's wives saw him dead, they cried loudly and went to kaṁsa's house with their hair loosened. tāvapyubhau suvasanau jagmaturmālyakāraṇāt | vīthīmālyāpaṇānāṁ vai gandhāghrātau dvipāviva ||2-27-18 Both the brothers selected good clothes. For garlands, they went to a street of flower garlands like two elephants attracted by the fragrance. guṇako nāma tatrāsīnmālyavṛttiḥ priyaṁvadaḥ | prabhūtamālyāpaṇavā.ṇllakṣmīvānpriyadarśanaḥ ||2-27-19 There was a person named guṇaka, selling garlands, who spoke sweetly. Many flower garlands were available there. He was wealthy and handsome. taṁ kṛṣṇaḥ ślakṣṇayā vācā mālyārthamabhisṛṣṭayā | dehītyuvāca tatkāle mālākāramakātaram ||2-27-20 Then kṛṣṇa spoke politely to the seller of garlands: Please give us garlands. tābhyāṁ prīto dadau mālyaṁ prabhūtaṁ mālyajīvanaḥ | bhavatoḥ svamidaṁ cheti provāca priyadarshanau ||2-27-21 That seller of garlands was pleased and gave many garlands to them. He told the two handsome boys: All my garlands are yours. prītaḥ sumanasā kṛṣṇo guṇakāya varaṁ dadau | śrīstvāṁ matsaṁbhavā saumya dhanaughairabhipatsyate ||2-27-22 kṛśṇa of good mind was pleased. He gave a boon to guṇaka: O Gentle one! You will be blessed with śrī and wealth. sa labdhvā varamavyagro mālyavṛttiradhomukhaḥ | kṛṣṇasya patito mūrdhnā pratijagrāha taṁ varam ||2-27-23 That seller of garlands was very happy to receive the boon. Bowing at the feet of kṛṣṇa with his head lowered, he received the boon. yakṣāvimāviti tadā sa mene mālyajīvakaḥ | sa bhṛśaṁ bhayasaṁvigno nottaraṁ pratyapadyata ||2-27-24 That seller of flower garlands thought that the two boys may be yakṣas. Since he was slightly frightened, he did not utter anything as answer. vasudevasutau tau ca rājamārgagatāvubhau | kubjāṁ dadṛśaturbhūyaḥ sānulepanabhājanām ||2-27-25 The sons of vasudeva (kṛṣṇa and balarāma), walking along the royal path, saw kubjā, carrying a plate of pastes. tāṁāha kṛṣṇaḥ kubjeti kasyedamanulepanam | nayasyambujapatrākṣi kṣipramākhyātumarhasi ||2-27-26 kṛṣṇa said to kubjā: O lotus eyed girl! For whom are you carrying this paste? Tell us quickly. sasmitā saṁmukhī bhūtvā pratyuvācāmbujekṣaṇam | kṛṣṇaṁ jaladagambhīraṁ vidyutkuṭilagāminī ||2-27-27 kubjā who walked in a zig-zag manner like lightning, smiled and replied to kṛṣṇa great as a rain cloud, having lotus eyes. rājṣaḥ snānagṛhaṁ yāmi tadgṛhāṇānulepanam | dṛṣṭvaiva tvāravindākṣa vismitāsmi varānana ||2-27-28 O One with lotus eyes, O one with auspicious face! I am astonished to see you. I am going to the bathing house of the king. You may take the paste. yattvamicchasi me vīra tvaṁ gṛhāṇānulepanam | sthitāsmyāgaccha bhadraṁ te hṛdayasyāsi me priyaḥ ||2-27-29 vīra! You may take the paste as much as you wish. Please come to my house. Let there be good to you. You are my beloved. kutaścāgamyate saumya yanmāṁ tvaṁ nāvabudhyase | mahārājasya dayitāṁ niyuktāmanulepane ||2-27-30 O Gentle one! Where are you from that you are not familiar with me? I am a maidservant, engaged to supply pastes to the king. tāmuvāca hasantīṁ tu kṛṣṇaḥ kubjāmavasthitām | āvayorgātrasadṛśaṁ dīyatāmanulepanam || 2-27-31 Then kṛṣṇa told kubjā who was standing, before him smiling: Please give us pastes similar to our bodies. vayaṁ hi deśātithayo mallāḥ prāptā varānane || draṣṭuṁ dhanurmahaddivyaṁ rāṣṭre caiva mahardhimat ||2-27-32 O lady with beautiful face! We are wrestlers who came as guests of the land to see the divine bow festival and the prosperity of the land. pratyuvācātha sā kṛṣṇaṁ priyo'si mama darshane | rājārhamidamavyagraṁ tadgṛhāṇānulepanam ||2-27-33 She answered kṛṣṇa: You are dear to me at sight. You may take this paste suitable for the king. tāvubhāvanuliptāṅgau cārugātrau virejatuḥ | tīrthagau paṅkadigdhāṅgau yamunāyāṁ yathā vṛṣau ||2-27-34 Those two having handsome bodies sparkled with their bodies smeared with pastes like two bulls standing in yamunā (river) with their bodies smeared with mud. tāṁ ca kubjāṁ sthagormadhye dvyaṅgulenāgrapāṇinā | śanaiḥ saṁpīḍayāmāsa kṛṣṇo līlāvidhānavit ||2-27-35 kṛṣṇa, who knew the schemes of playing, pressed gently on the middle of kubjā's hump with two fingers of his hands. sā ca magnaṁ sthaguṁ matvā svāyatāṅgī śuchismitā | jahāsocchaiḥ stanataṭī ṛjuyaṣṭirlatā yathā || 2-27-36 Seeing that her hump has been straightened, she stood straight smiling beautifully. She laughed loudly. She appeared beautiful with her large breasts like a creeper embracing a tree. praṇayāccāpi kṛṣṇaṁ sā babhāṣe mattakāśinī | kva yāsyasi mayā ruddhaḥ kānta tiṣṭha gṛhāṇa mām ||2-27-37 As though intoxicated, then she spoke to kṛṣṇa with love: Where are you going? I am stopping you. O my dear! Stop! Take me! tau jātahāsāvanyonyaṁ satalākṣepamavyayau | vīkṣamāṇau prahasitau kubjāyāḥ shrutivistarau ||2-27-38 The two looked at each other and smiled. They clapped their hands together. Hearing about this and looking at kubjā, the onlookers laughed. kṛṣṇastu kubjāṁ kāmārtāṁ sasmitaṁ visasarja ha | tatastau kubjayā muktau praviṣṭau rājasaṁsadam ||2-27-39 (Note 1) kṛṣṇa smiled and left kubjā, weakened by desire. Free from kubjā, both of them arrived at the king's assembly. tāvubhau vrajasaṁvṛddhau gopaveṣavibhūṣitau| gūḍhaceṣṭānanau bhūtvā praviṣṭau nṛpaveśma tat ||2-27-40 Both of them, who grew up in the vraja, dressed and decorated as gopa-s, arrived at the king's residence, with their faces concealing the emotions. dhanuḥśālāṁ gatau tatra bālāvaparitarkitau | himavadvanasaṁbhūtau simhāviva madotkaṭau ||2-27-41 Both the boys entered the hall where the bows are kept, without being questioned. They appeared like two intoxicated lions born in the forests of Himalayas. didṛkṣantau mahattatra dhanurāyogabhūṣitam | papraccatuścha tau vīrāvāyudhāgārikaṁ tadā ||2-27-42 There they desired to see the great bow decorated properly. Then the two heroes (vīra) asked the guards of the weapons: bhoḥ kaṁsadhanuṣāṁ pāla śrūyatāmāvayorvacaḥ | katarattaddhanuḥ saumya maho'yaṁ yasya vartate ||2-27-43 "O you who guard the bows of kaṁsa! Listen to our words. O gentle one! Which is the bow here that is used for the bow festival? āyogabhūtaṁ kaṁsasya darshayasva yadīcchasi | sa tayordarśayāmāsa taddhanuḥ stambhasannibham ||2-27-44 Show that famous bow to us if it is acceptable to kaṁsa". Then the guard showed that bow, which was like a pillar, to them. anāropyamasambhedyaṁ devairapi savāsavaiḥ | tadgṛhītvā tadā kṛṣṇastolayāmāsa vīryavān ||2-27-45 Even gods along with indra could not string or break the bow. Powerful kṛṣṇa took it and tossed it playfully. dorbhyāṁ kamalapatrākṣaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā | tolayitvā yathākāmaṁ taddhanurdaityapūjitam ||2-27-46 kṛṣṇa with lotus eyes took the bow with both his hands with a joyful mind. He tossed the bow, worshipped by daitya-s, playfully. āropayāmāsa balī nāmayāmāsa cāsakṛt | ānāmyamānaṁ kṛṣṇena prakarṣāduragopamam | dvidhābhūtamabhūnmadhye dhanurāyogabhūṣitam ||2-27-47 Powerful kṛṣṇa, then strung the bow and tried to bend it several times. The great bow, similar to a snake, did not bend when kṛṣṇa tried. The famous bow broke in two pieces at the middle. bhaṅktvā tu taddhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṁ kṛṣṇastvaritavikramaḥ | niścakrāma mahāvegaḥ sa ca saṅkarṣaṇo yuvā ||2-27-48 Quick and valiant kṛṣṇa broke the great bow. Along with the young saṅkarṣaṇa, he left the place quickly. dhanuṣo bhaṅganādena vāyunirghośakāriṇā | cacālāntaḥpuraṁ sarvaṁ dishashcaiva pupūrire ||2-27-49 The sound of breaking the bow reverberated in the air. The sound filled all directions and shook all inner chambers. nirgamya tvāyudhāgārājjagmaturgopasannidhau | vegenāyudhapālastu gacchansaṁbhrāntamānasaḥ ||2-27-50 Exiting from the hall of weapons, they went to the place where gopa-s were staying. The guard of the weapons also left with troubled mind. samīpaṁ nṛpatergatvā kākocchvāso'bhyabhāṣata | śrūyatāṁ mama vijṣāpyamāścaryaṁ dhanuṣo gṛhe ||2-27-51 The guard approached the king and said breathing heavily like a frightened crow with wavering looks: Listen from me the wonder that took place in the house of bows: nirvṛttamasminkāle yajjagataḥ sambhramopamam | narau kasyāpyasadṛśau śikhāvitatamūrdhajau ||2-27-52 The incidents that took place now can confuse the entire world. Two men who cannot be compared to any one, wearing hair locks, nīlapītāmbaradharau pītaśvetānulepanau | tāvantaḥpuramajṣātau praviṣṭau kāmaveṣiṇau | wearing blue and yellow dresses, with bodies smeared with yellow and white pastes, unknown men, wearing beautiful dresses entered your inner chambers. devaputropamau vīrau bālāviva hutāśanau ||2-27-53 sthitau dhanurgṛhe saumyau sahasā khādivāgatau | The two heroes are comparable to the sons of gods. The youths looked like fire. The two gentle ones stood in the house of bows as if they came suddenly from the sky. mayā dṛṣṭāu parivyaktaṁ rucirācchadanasrajau ||2-27-54 tayorekastu padmākṣaḥ śyāmaḥ pītāmbarasrajaḥ | I saw them with bodies smeared with pastes, wearing beautiful dresses and garlands. Among them, one with lotus eyes, dark, wearing yellow dress and garlands, jagrāha taddhanūratnaṁ durgrāhyaṁ daivatairapi ||2-27-55 tasya bālo mahachcāpaṁ balādyantramivāyasam | took the jewel of the bows, which even the gods can not take. That boy took the great bow with force, easily like a toy. āropayitvā vegena nāmayāmāsa līlayā ||2-27-56 ākṛṣyamāṇaṁ tattena vibāṇaṁ bāhuśālinā | He quickly strung the bow and began to bend it playfully. As the one with strong hands was bending it without any arrow, muṣṭideśe vikūjitvā dvidhābhūtamabhajyata ||2-27-57 tataḥ prachalitā bhūmirnaiva bhāti ca bhāskaraḥ | the bow broke in two pieces with a huge sound at the hand-grip. Immediately, the earth shook and the sun appeared dim. dhanuṣo bhaṅganādena bhramatīva nabhastalam ||2-26-58 tadadbhutaṁ mahaddṛṣṭvā vismayaṁ paramaṁ gataḥ | The sky appeared to spin with the sound of breaking the bow. Seeing this great wonder I am greatly astonished. bhayādbhayadaśatrubhyastadihākhyātumāgataḥ | na jānāmi mahārāja kau tāvamitavikramau ||2-27-59 Frightened, with the fear of enemies, I rushed here to inform you. O King! I do not know who are those great valiant people. ekaḥ kailāsasaṅkāśa eko'ṣjanagiriprabhaḥ | sa tu tachcāparatnaṁ vai bhaṅktvā stambhamiva dvipaḥ ||2-27-60 One is white complexioned like mount kailāsa. The other shone like a black mountain, who broke the jewel of bows like an elephant breaking a pillar. niṣpapātānilagatiḥ sānugo'mitavikramaḥ | agamattaṁ dvidhā kṛtvā na jāne ko'pyasau nṛpa ||2-27-61 That great valiant youth went out quickly like wind along with his companion. He went breaking the bow in two pieces. O King! I do not know who he was. shrutvaiva dhanuṣo bhaṅgaṁ kaṁso viditavistaraḥ | visṛjyāyudhapālaṁ vai pravivesha gṛhottamam ||2-27-62 Hearing about breaking of the bow in detail, kaṁsa dismissed the guard of weapons. He entered his house, which was best. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi kaṁsadhanurbhaṅge saptaviṁśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the twenty-seventh chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, breaking of kaṁsa's bow. Note 1: After 2-27-39(1), harivamśa vol. 1, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (1969), Poona has the following on page 463 After 35 ab, D6, T1-2, G, M, G (ed.) ins. yatheṣṭaṁ gamyataṁ bhadre nāhaṁ tādṛgvidho naraḥ | I am not that type, O good woman! You may proceed as you please. The ṁalayalam translation of this line is given on Page 411, sloka 37, bhāṣābhārataṁ, Vol.6, translation by kuṣṣikkuṭṭan taṁpurān, D.C.Books, Kottayam (2007). nīlakaṇṭha commentary saptaviṁśe'sminnīśena rajako nihataḥ purā | kubjāsvānugraho bhaṅgo dhanuṣaścātra varṇyate || 1 || · 2-27-1 te tu iti | prāyanmathurāṁ prāptāḥ | · 2-27-7 yāsyāveti loḍuttamadvivacanam āvāmiti cchedaḥ | yāsyāvo vāmiti pāṭhaṁ prakalpya ākāralopa ārṣa iti prāṣcho vyācaravyuḥ | tasyaiva kaṁsasyaiva | · 2-27-9 anuśiṣṭau ājṣaptau ālānābhyāṁ gajabandhānābhyāṁ || · 2-27-14 vāṁ yuvayoḥ tyaktaṁ naṣṭam || · 2-27-16 vyastaḥ pṛthakbhūtaḥ mastako yasya || · 2-27-17 paridevantyaḥ śochantyaḥ || · 2-27-19 guṇako grathako nāmatastu śrīdāmākhyaḥ bhavatoḥ || · 2-27-21 svaṁ bhavatīyametaddhanam || · 2-27-22 matsaṁbhavā matprīṇanaprabhāvā || · 2-27-24 uttaraṁ kartavyaṁ kaṁsabhayānna jṣātavān mauḍyādityarthaḥ || · 2-27-34 tīrthagau jalāntargatau ata eva tatpaṅkena digdhāṅgau || · 2-27-35 sthagayati nābhimācchadayatīti sthaguḥ bhugnam pṛṣṭhaṁ | sthaḍu iti ṭavargīyopaghapāṭhe tu mūlaṁ mṛgyam | tasya madhye unnate deshe śanaiḥ saṁpīḍayāmāsa saṁtoḍayāmāseti pāṭhopi sa evārthaḥ | "tuḍa bhedena" iti dhātuḥ | saṁtolayāmāseti pāṭho'pi viṣamaṁ pṛṣṭhaṁ samatayā mitavān || · 2-27-36 ata eva magnamantrārhitam || · 2-27-38 satalākṣepam anyonyaṁ dattatālaṁ yathā syāttathā shrutau shrotragato vistaro guṇakalāpo yayostau || · 2-27-39 rājasaṁsadam upagraham || · 2-27-40 gūḍaceṣṭānanau guptaceṣṭāprārambau || · 2-27-42 A samantāt yujyante yodhā asmāt ityāyogo vikhyātiḥ tayā bhūṣitam || · 2-27-44 āyogabhūtaṁ prakhyātam dhanurmahamityarthaḥ || · 2-27-51 kāka eva kākaḥ bhayachakitatvena chaṣchaladṛṣṭi ucchvasitītyucchvāsaścheti samāsaḥ | kātaraścha socchvāsaśchetyarthaḥ || · 2-27-52 saṁbhramopamam pralayatulyam || · 2-27-56 Ayasamiva anāmyam iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ saptaviṁśo'dhyāyaḥ