Parva 2 Chapter 46: rāmasya gokulgamanaṁ yamunākarṣaṇaṁ ca -ṣankarṣana Drags the Yamuna to Vraja

vaiśampāyana said: After some time, remembering the friendship and affection with gopa-s, (bala)rāma went to vraja alone, with kṛṣṇa's consent. sa gatastatra ramyāṇi dadarsha vipulāni vai | bhuktapūrvāṇyaraṇyāni sarāṁsi surabhīṇi ca ||2-46-2 Going there, he saw the vast, beautiful and fragrant forest, lake etc, which he had enjoyed before. sa praviṣṭastu vegena taṁ vrajaṁ kṛṣṇapūrvajaḥ | vanyena ramaṇīyena veṣeṇālaṅkṛtaḥ prabhuḥ ||2-46-3 Entering vraja, kṛṣṇa's elder brother, the lord, quickly decorated himself with beautiful wild dress. sa tānabhāṣata prītyā yathāpūrvamariṁdamaḥ | gopāṁstenaiva vidhinā yathānyāyaṁ yathāvayaḥ ||2-46-4 The oppressor of enemies (balarāma) spoke, pleased as before, to the gopa-s according to the age and order. tathaiva prāha tānsarvāṁstathaiva pariharṣayan | tathaiva saha gopībhiryojayanmadhurāḥ kathāḥ ||2-46-5 In the same manner he spoke to all of them. In the same manner he made them happy. In the same manner, he told sweet stories to gopa women as well. tamūcuḥ sthavirā gopāḥ priyaṁ madhurabhāṣiṇaḥ | rāmaṁ ramayatāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ pravāsātpunarāgatam ||2-46-6 Then the elderly gopa-s told (bala)rāma, who had returned (to vraja) after residing abroad and who was speaking sweetly in a pleasing way. svāgataṁ te mahābāho yadūnāṁ kulanandana | adya sma nirvṛtāstāta yattvāṁ paśyāmahe vayam |2-46-7 (Elderly gopa-s said:) O the son of yādava race! O one with great arms! Son! Welcome to you. We are satisfied and happy to see you like this. prītāścaiva vayaṁ vīra yattvaṁ punarihāgataḥ | vikhyātastriṣu lokeṣu rāmaḥ śatrubhayaṅkaraḥ ||2-46-8 O valiant! We are pleased since you came again. rāma! You are famous in three worlds, causing fear to the enemies. vardhanīyā vayaṁ vīra tvayā yādavanandana | atha vā prāṇinastāta ramante janmabhūmiṣu ||2-46-9 O son of yādava-s! We are to be uplifted by you. Otherwise, son! We are only people who are happy in their land of birth. tridaśānāṁ vayaṁ mānyā dhruvamadyāmalānana | ye sma dṛṣṭāstvayā tāta kāṅkṣamāṇāstavāgamam ||2-46-10 O one with stainless face! Son! Today we, who were waiting for your arrival, are respectable even by deva-s, due to your blessings. diṣṭyā te nihatā mallāḥ kaṁsaścha vinipātitaḥ | ugraseno'bhiṣiktaścha māhātmyena janena vai ||2-46-11 By good fortune the wrestlers were killed by you. kaṁsa was also killed by you. With your magnanimity, ugrasena was consecrated as the king. samudre ca śruto'smābhistiminā saha vigrahaḥ | vadhaḥ paṣchajanasyaiva jarāsaṁdhena vigrahaḥ ||2-46-12 We also heard about the battle with the whale at sea, the killing of paṣchajana and the battle with jarāsandha. gomante ca śruto'smābhiḥ kṣatryaiḥ saha vigrahaḥ | daradasya vadhashcaiva jarāsaṁdhaparājayaḥ | We also heard about the battle with kṣatriya (kings) at gomanta, the killing of darada and the defeat of jarāsandha. tatrāyudhāvataraṇaṁ śrutaṁ naḥ paramāhave ||2-46-13 We heard about the appearance of weapons in the great battle. vadhashcaiva śṛgālasya karavīrapurottame | tatsutasyābhiṣekaścha nāgarāṇāṁ ca sāntvanam ||2-46-14 (We heard about) the killing of śṛgāla, the consecration of his son (as the king) and the consoling of citizens with kind words at the city of karavīra. mathurāyāṁ praveshashcha kīrtanīyaḥ surottamaiḥ | pratiṣṭhitā ca vasudhā pārthivāścha vaśīkṛtāḥ ||2-46-15 (We heard about) your entrance to mathurā which is (worthy) to be praised by the best of deva-s, the establishment of (yādava) land and controlling of the kings. tava cāgamanaṁ dṛṣṭvā sabhāgyāḥ sma yathā purā | tena sma parituṣṭā vai hṛṣitāścha sabāndhavāḥ ||2-46-16 We are fortunate to see your arrival as before. We, along with our relatives, are immensely happy and satisfied. pratyuvāca tato rāmaḥ sarvāṁstānabhitaḥ sthitān | yādaveṣvapi sarveṣu bhavanto mama bāndhavāḥ ||2-46-17 (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) Then (bala)rāma replied to all who gathered around: You are our relatives more than all the yādavas. ihāvayorgataṁ bālyamiha chaivāvayo ratam | bhavadbhirvarddhitāścaiva yāsyāmo vikriyāṁ katham ||2-46-18 Our childhood was spent here. Also our enjoyment was here. We were brought up by you. Then how can our behaviour be different? gṛheṣu bhavatāṁ bhuktaṁ gāvaścha parirakṣitāḥ | asmākam bāndhavāḥ sarve bhavanto baddhasauhṛdāḥ ||2-46-19 We ate at your houses. We looked after your cattle. All of you are friends and relatives for us. bruvatyevam yathatattvaṁ gopamadhye halāyudhe | saṁhṛṣṭavadanā bhūyo babhūvurvrajayoṣitaḥ ||2-46-20 As the one with plough as weapon (balarāma) was speaking thus among the gopa-s, the faces of the women at vraja became happy. tato vanāntaragato reme rāmo mahābalaḥ | Then (bala)rāma of great power, went to the interior of the forest and enjoyed. etasminnantare prāpte rāmāya viditātmane ||2-46-21 gopālairdeśakālajṣairupānīyata vāruṇī | Meanwhile, gopa-s, knowledgeable about the place and time, presented the liquor, vāruṇi to bala(rāma ), the learned soul. so'pibatpāṇḍurābhrābhastatkālaṁ jṣātibhirvṛtaḥ ||2-46-22 At that time, bala(rāma) drank (the liquor) surrounded by the acquaintances. vanāntaragato rāmaḥ pānaṁ madasamīraṇam | (bala)rāma, who had gone to the interior of the forest drank the stimulating liquor. upaninyustatastasmai vanyāni vividhāni ca ||2-46-23 They (gopa-s) presented many forest products to him (balarāma). pratyagraramaṇīyāni puṣpāṇi ca phalāni ca | medhyāṁścha vividhāngandhānbhakṣyāṁścha hṛdayaṅgamān ||2-46-24 Many new beautiful flowers and fresh fruits, eatables having varieties of fragrance and taste, sadyo hṛtāni padmāni vikacānyutpalāni ca | freshly plucked lotus and blooming water lilies (were presented to balarāma). śirasā cārukeśena kiṣchidāvṛtamaulinā | śravaṇaikāvalambena kuṇdalena virājatā ||2-46-25 with his bunch of hair tied around head, a slanting crown and a sparkling ear ring hanging in one ear, candanārdreṇa pītena vanamālāvalambinā | vibabhāvurasā rāmaḥ kailāseneva mandaraḥ ||2-46-26 chest smeared with sandalwood paste adorning a garland of wild flowers, (bala)rāma dazzled like mount mandara in kailāsa. nīle vasāno vasane pratyagrajaladaprabhe | rarāja vapuṣa śubhrastimiraughe yathā śaśī ||2-46-27 Wearing blue dress sparkling like a ran cloud, bala(rāma) dazzled like the white moon among the dark clouds. lāṅgalenāvasiktena bhujagābhogavartinā | tathā bhujāgraśliṣṭena musalena ca bhāsvatā ||2-46-28 Holding the plough in his hand, strong like a snake and sparkling with the mace in the (other) hand, sa matto balināṁ śreṣṭho rarājāghūrṇitānanaḥ | śaiśirīṣu triyāmāsu yathā svedālasaḥ śaśī ||2-46-29 the intoxicated (balarāma), the best among the powerful, sparkled with his face swaying (due to intoxication), like moon swaying in the nights of cold season. rāmastu yamunāmāha snātumicche mahānadi | ehi māmabhigaccha tvaṁ rūpiṇī sāgaraṅgame ||2-46-30 rāma told yamunā: O great river! I wish to take bath. O the one who goes to the sea! Come to me in your form. saṅkarṣaṇasya mattoktāṁ bhāratīṁ paribhūya SA | nābhyavartata taṁ deśaṁ strīsvabhāvena mohitā ||2-46-31 Rejecting the words spoken by the intoxicated saṅkarṣaṇa (balarāma), stupefied by her womanly nature, she did not go to that place. tatashchukrodha balavānrāmo madasamīritaḥ | cakāra sa halaṁ haste karṣaṇādhomukhaṁ balī ||2-46-32 Then the powerful (bala)rāma, stirred by intoxication, became angry. He took up the plough in his hand, keeping its point down, ready for dragging. tasyāmupari medinyāṁ petustāmarasasrajaḥ | mumuchuḥ puṣpakośaiścha vāsareṇvaruṇaṁ jalam ||2-46-33 Then the garland of lotus flowers fell on earth. The flower buds were released and the water became red with the pollen of flowers. sa halenānatāgreṇa kūle gṛhya mahānadīm | chakarṣa yamunāṁ rāmo vyutthitāṁ vanitāmiva ||2-46-34 Using the plough with its point down, (bala)rāma dragged the great river yamunā as though the river was a woman swerving from her duty. sā vihvalajalasrotā hradaprasthitasaṣchayā | vyāvartata nadī bhītā halamārgānusāriṇī ||2-46-35 The frightened river along with its perturbed water and many ponds deviated along the route made by the plough. lāṅgalādiṣṭavartmā sā vegagā vakragāmiṇī | saṅkarṣaṇabhayatrastā yoṣevākulatāṁ gatā ||2-46-36 That river flowing forcefully in a curved manner as indicated by the plough was distressed like a woman, due to the fear of saṅkarṣaṇa (balarāma). pulinaśroṇibimbauṣṭhī mṛditaistoyatāḍitaiḥ | phenamekhalasūtraiścha ccinnairambudagāminī ||2-46-37 With her banks similar to thighs, bimbāh (the fruit of the Momordica Monadelpha) as lips, splashing water and broken foam as her girdle, the river was distressed, as the water breached its banks. According to Monier Williams bibmāh: the fruit of the Momordica Monadelpha (to which the lips of women are often compared) taraṅgaviṣamāpīḍā cakravākonmukhastanī | vegagaṁbhīravakrāṅgī trastamīnavibhūṣaṇā ||2-46-38 With the troubled rows of waves, having cakravāka (Anas Casarca) birds as her breasts, splendorous with her fast flowing currents, decorated by the distressed fish, sitahaṁsekṣaṇāpāṅgī kāśakṣaumocchritāmbarā | tīrajodbhūtakeśāntā jalaskhalitagāminī ||2-46-39 along with groups of swans, with a loose dress of linen of grass, her beautiful hair of trees on her banks, with the distressed flow of water, lāṅgūlollikhitāpāṅgī kṣubhitā sāgaraṅgamā | matteva kuṭilā nārī rājamārgeṇa gacchatī ||2-46-40 angry, due to the plough tearing her limbs, the river going to the sea, like an intoxicated dishonest woman, who goes along the royal path, kṛṣyate sātivegena srotaḥskhalitagāminī | unmārgā nītamārgā sā yena vṝndāvanaṁ vanam ||2-46-41 was dragged quickly with force. Her currents diverted before, she was re-routed through the forest of vṛndāvana. vṛndāvanasya madhyena sā nītā yamunā nadī | rorūyamāṇeva khagairanvitā toyavāsibhiḥ ||2-46-42 The river yamunā, brought to the middle of vṛndāvana forest , full of sounds of aquatic birds, appeared like crying. sā yadā samatikrāntā nadī vṛndāvanaṁ vanam | tadā strīrūpiṇī bhūtvā yamunā rāmamabravīt ||2-46-43 The great river yamunā, breaching the forest of vṛndāvana, taking the form of a woman told bala(rāma): prasīda nātha bhītāsmi pratilomena karmaṇā | viparītamidaṁ rūpam toyaṁ ca mama jāyate ||2-46-44 (yamunā said): O lord! Be pleased. I am afraid due to my opposing action. My aquatic form is also getting diverted. asatyahaṁ nadīmadhye rauhiṇeya tvayā kṛtā | karṣaṇena mahābāho svamārgavyabhicāriṇī ||2-46-45 O son of rohiṇi (balarāma)! You made me unchaste among rivers. O the one with great arms! By dragging I have diverted from my route. prāptāṁ māṁ sāgare pūrvaṁ sapatyno vegagarvitāḥ | phenahāsairhasiṣyanti toyavyāvṛttagāminīm ||2-46-46 My fast co-wives will reach the sea quickly before me, If my route is diverted, I will be laughed at by the water foams. prasādaṁ kuru me vīra yāce tvāṁ kṛṣṇapūrvaja | suprasannamanā nityaṁ bhava tvaṁ surasattama ||2-46-47 O valiant! Be pleased with me. O elder brother of kṛṣṇa, I appeal to you. O the best among deva-s, Be pleased always with me. ‘ karṣaṇāyudhakṛṣṭāsmi roṣo'yaṁ vinivartyatām | I was dragged by the plough. Please refrain from the anger. mūrdhnā gachcāmi charaṇau tavaiṣā lāṅgalāyudha | mārgamādiṣṭamicchāmi kva gachcāmi mahābhuja ||2-46-48 O the one with plough as weapon! I keep my head on your feet (I surrender to you). O the one with great arms! I wish to go along the route directed by you. vaiśampāyana uvāca praṇayāvanatāṁ dṛṣṭvā yamunāṁ lāṅgalāyudhaḥ | pratyuvācārṇavavadhūṁ madaklānta idaṁ vacaḥ ||2-46-49 vaiśampāyana said: The one with plough as weapon (balarāma) saw the river yamunā surrendering to him. Exhausted with intoxication, he spoke these words to the bride of ocean: lāṅgalādiṣṭamārgā tvamimaṁ me priyadarshane | deśamambupradānena plāvayasvākhilaṁ śubhe ||2-46-50 (balarāma said:) O beautiful at sight! Auspicious lady! Kindly give water at all places along the route indicated by my plough. eṣa te subhru saṁdeśaḥ kathitaḥ sāgaraṅgame | śāntiṁ vraja mahābhāge gamyatām ca yathāsukham ||2-46-51 O one with beautiful brows! This is my order to you, who goes to the ocean. O illustrious woman! Be calm. You can now proceed as you wish. yāvatsthāsyati loko'yaṁ tāvattiṣṭhatu me yaśaḥ | My fame shall be established as long as the world exists. yamunākarṣaṇaṁ dṛṣṭvā sarve te vrajavāsinaḥ ||2-46-52 sādhu sādhviti rāmāya praṇāmaṁ cakrire tadā | (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) Seeing the dragging of yamunā, all the residents of vraja, paid obeisance to balarāma saying good! well done! tāṁ visṛjya mahābhāgāṁ tāṁścha sarvānvrajaukasaḥ ||2-46-53 Then rāma left the illustrious woman (river yamunā) and all the residents of vraja. tataḥ saṣchintya manasā rāmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ | punaḥ pratijagāmāśu mathurāṁ rohiṇīsutaḥ ||2-46-54 Then (bala)rāma, the best among those who strikes, decided mentally (to return). Then the son of rohiṇī (balarāma) returned to mathurā. sa gatvā mathurāṁ rāmo bhavane madhusūdanam | parivartamānaṁ dadṛśe pṛthivyāṁ sāramavyayam ||2-46-55 Then (bala)rāma went to mathurā. There he saw the killer of madhu (kṛṣṇa), the eternal essence of earth as he was living in his house. tathaivādhvanyaveṣeṇa sopaśliṣya janārdanam | pratyagravanamālena vakṣasābhivirājatā ||2-46-56 (bala)rāma went straight to janārdana (kṛṣṇa) in the traveler's dress, wearing a new garland of wild flowers on his chest. sa dṛṣṭvā tūrṇamāyāntaṁ rāmaṁ lāṅgaladhāriṇam | sahasotthāya govindo dadāvāsanamātmanaḥ ||2-46-57 Seeing (bala)rāma, holder of the plough, arriving fast, govinda (kṛṣṇa) got up suddenly and offered him the best seat. upaviṣṭaṁ tadā rāmaṁ papraccha kuśalaṁ vraje | bāndhaveṣu ca sarveṣu goṣu caiva janārdanaḥ ||2-46-58 janārdana (kṛṣṇa) enquired the seated (bala)rāma about the well being of (the residents of) vraja, all the relatives as well as the cows. pratyuvāca tato rāmo bhrātaraṁ sādhubāṣiṇam | sarvatra kuśalaṁ kṛṣṇa yeṣāṁ kuśalamicchasi ||2-46-59 (bala)rāma replied to the well speaking brother: kṛṣṇa! All, about whom you enquire, are well and comfortable. tatastayorvicitrārthāḥ paurāṇyaścābhavankathāḥ | vasudevāgrataḥ puṇyā rāmakeśavayostadā ||2-46-60 Then in front of vasudeva, many wonderful and holy incidents occurred in the past related to (bala)rāma and kṛṣṇa were narrated. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi yamunākarṣaṇe ṣaṭcatvāriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the forty-sixth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, sankarṣaṇa drags the yamunā to vraja nīlakaṇṭha commentary ṣatcatvāriṁśake'dhyāye rāmasya gokulāgamaḥ | krīḍanaṁ gopanārībhiḥ kālindyā karṣaṇaṁ tathā || 1 || · 2-46-1 kasyeti || · 2-46-7 nirvṛtā sma sukhinaḥ sma || · 2-46-12 timinā timitulyena paṣchajanena || · 2-46-18 rataṁ krīḍanaṁ || · 2-46-25 āvṛtamaulinā vakrībhūtā kirīṭena || · 2-46-30 snātuṁ snānapūrvakaṁ tvāṁ pariṇetum icche icchāmi rūpiṇī mūrtimatī bhūtveti śeṣaḥ || · 2-46-31 mattauktāṁ mattenauktāmiti hetunā tāṁ bhāratīṁ paribhūya nābhyavartata || · 2-46-32 karṣaṇāya adhomukhaṁ karṣaṇādhomukham || · 2-46-33 tasyāṁ halākṛṣṭāyāṁ yāḥ srajaḥ petuḥ puṣpakośaiḥ karaṇaiḥ vāsareṇvaruṇaṁ sugandhiparāgāruṇaṁ madirārūpaṁ jalaṁ mumuchuḥ udvemurityarthaḥ || · 2-46-35 hṛdaprasthitasamjṣayā hṛdāt prasthitāḥ prachalitāḥ saṁchayā matsyādayo yasyāḥ sā || · 2-46-37 pulinaṁ śroṇiriva yasyāḥ bimbaṁ raktapadmamaṇḍalameva Oṣṭho yasyāḥ ambudagāminī sāgaragāminī || · 2-46-51 saṁdeśa ājṣā || iti śrīharivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi tīkāyāṁ ṣatcatvāriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ ||