Parva 2 Chapter 7: yamalārjunabhaṅgaḥ - The snapping of Yamala-arjuna trees

vaiśaṁpāyana said: As time passed, the two gentle boys, named as kṛṣṇa and saṅkarṣaṇa, began to crawl on their knees. tāvanyonyagatau bālau bālyādevaikatāṁ gatau | ekamūrtidharau kāntau bālacandrārkavarchasau ||2-7-2 The two boys, in their childhood, moved together as one. They were of identical bodies, appearing like young moon and sun. ekanirmāṇanirmuktāvekaśayyāsanāśanau | ekaveṣaharāvekaṁ puṣyamānau shishuvratam ||2-7-3 They were of the same physique. They shared the same bed, seat and food. They dressed in the same way and showed similar childish tendencies. ekakāryāntaragatāvekadehau dvidhākṛtau | ekacaryau mahāvīryāvekasya śiśutāṁ gatau ||2-7-4 They did the same thing. They appeared as if one body was divided in two parts. The boys having great power worked in the same way. They were sons of the same father. = ekapramāṇau lokānāṁ devavṛttāntamānuṣau | kṛtsnasya jagato gopā saṁvṛttau gopadārakau ||2-7-5 For people, they appeared the same. They were humans meant for carrying out the mission of gods. They were protectors of the world who appeared as cowherd boys. anyonyavyatiṣaktābhiḥ krīḍābhirabhiśobhitau | anyonyakiraṇagrastau candrasūryāvivāṁbare ||2-7-6 They dazzled by playing between themselves. They looked like moon and sun in the sky whose rays fell on each other. visarpantau tu sarvatra sarpabhogabhujāvubhau | rejatuḥ pāṁsudigdhāṅgau dṝptau kalabhakāviva ||2-7-7 They had long arms like snakes. They moved everywhere. With dust on their bodies, they shone like baby elephants. kvachidbhasmapradīptāṅgau karīṣaprokṣitau kvachit | tau tatra paryadhāvetāṁ kumārāviva pāvakī ||2-7-8 Sometimes their bodies were covered with ashes and sometimes with cow dung. They ran around like the sons of fire god. kvachijjānubhirudghṛṣṭaiḥ sarpamānau virejatuḥ | krīḍantau vatsaśālāsu śakṛddigdhāṅgamūrdhajau ||2-7-9 As they crawled on their knees in some places, they looked enchanting. They went to cowsheds for playing and their bodies were covered with cow dung. śuśubhāte śriyā juṣṭāvānandajananau pituḥ | janaṁ ca viprakurvāṇau vihasantau kvachitkvachit ||2-7-10 They were blessed with śrī. They gave great pleasure to their parents. They would do some mischief some times on people and laugh. tau tatra kautūhalinau mūrdhajavyākulekṣanau | rejatushcandravadanau dārakau sukumārakau ||2-7-11 Most of the time, they played. Their long curly hair fell on their eyes. The handsome boys had faces like moon. atiprasaktau tau dṛṣṭvā sarvavrajavicāriṇau | nāśakattau vārayituṁ nandagopaḥ sudurmadau ||2-7-12 They roamed around vraja doing various pranks. Nandagopa was unable to control them. tato yaśodā saṅkruddhā kṛṣṇaṁ kamalalocanam | ānāyya śakaṭīmūle bhartsayantī punaḥ punaḥ ||2-7-13 Once, yaśodā became very angry with the lotus-eyed kṛṣṇa. She brought him by the side of a cart and scolded him again and again. dāmnā chaivodare baddhvā pratyabandhadulūkhale | yadi śakto'si gaccheti tamuktvā karma sākarot ||2-7-14 Tying a rope around his stomach, she bound him to a mortar. Saying "go around if you can", she returned to her household chores. vyagrāyāṁ tu yaśodāyāṁ nirjagāma tato'ṅgaṇāt | śiśulīlāṁ tataḥ kurvankṛṣṇo vismāpayanvrajam ||2-7-15 While yaśodā was busy with her work, kṛṣṇa, who amused vraja with his pranks, left the courtyard. so'ṅgaṇānnissṛtaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ karṣamāṇa ulūkhalam | yamalābhyāṁ pravṛddhābhyāmarjunābhyāṁ caranvane | madhyānniścakrāma tayoḥ karṣamāṇa ulūkhalam ||2--7-16 Leaving the courtyard, kṛṣṇa moved in the forest, dragging the mortar behind him. There were a pair of tall trees, yamala and arjuna. kṛṣṇa pulled the mortar between the two trees. tattasya karṣato bhaddhaṁ tiryaggatamulūkhalam | lagnaṁ tābhyāṁ sumūlābhyāmarjunābhyāṁ chakarṣa ca ||2-7-17 As he pulled, the bound mortar fell and struck horizontally across the trees. kṛṣṇa pulled the trees along with roots. tāvarjunau kṛṣyamāṇau tena bālena raṁhasā | samūlaviṭapau bhagnau sa tu madhye jahāsa vai ||2-7-18 The two arjuna trees, pulled forcefully by the boy, broke and fell down along with their roots and branches. He laughed standing between (the trees). nidarśanārthaṁ gopāṇāṁ divyaṁ svabalamāsthitaḥ | taddāma tasya bālasya prabhāvādabhavddṛḍham ||2-7-19 He took up his own divine power to show the gopas. Due to the splendour of that boy, the rope became strong. yamunātīramārgasthā gopyastaṁ dadṛśuḥ shishum | krandantyo vismayantyashcha yaśodāṁ yayuraṅganāḥ ||2-7-20 gopi-s on the way along the banks of yamunā saw the child. Calling loudly with astonishment, the women rushed to yaśodā. tāstu saṁbhrāntavadanā yaśodāmūcuraṅganāḥ | ehyāgaccha yashode tvaṁ saṁbhramātkiṁ vilambase ||2-7-21 Te women with worried faces told yaśodā: "come yaśodā, come fast. Why are you delayed due to confusion?" yau tāvarjunavṛkṣau tu vraje satyopayācanau | putrasyopari tāvetau patitau te mahīruhau ||2-7-22 The two arjuna trees in vraja used to fulfill our wishes. Those trees fell upon your son. dṛḍhena dāmnā tatraiva baddho vatsa ivodare | jahāsa vṛkṣayormadhye tava putraḥ sa bālakaḥ ||2-7-23 There, like a calf, tied on belly strongly with rope, your son is standing between the trees, laughing. uttiṣṭha gaccha durmedhe mūḍhe paṇḍitamānini | putramānaya jīvantaṁ muktaṁ mṛtyumukhādiva || 2-7-24 Get up, go, you ignorant fool, you think you are wise. Bring back your live son, who has just escaped from the mouth of death. sā bhītā sahasotthāya hāhākāraṁ prakurvatī | taṁ deshamagamadyatra pātitau tāvubhau drumau || 2-7-25 Struck with fear, she got up immediately, crying aloud. She rushed to the place, where the two trees had fallen down. sā dadarsha tayormadhye drumayorātmajaṁ shishum | dāmnā nibaddhamudare karṣamāṇamulūkhalam ||2-7-26 Between the trees, she saw her beloved son, pulling the mortar, tied to his belly with ropes. sā gopī gopavṛddhaścha samuvāca vrajastadā | paryāgacchanta te draṣtuṁ gopeṣu mahadadbhutam ||2-7-27 Then the gopi-s told the young and elderly gopa-s in vraja about the incident. They went to see the great wonder in vraja. jajalpuste yathākāmaṁ gopā vanavicāriṇaḥ | kenemau pātitau vṛkṣau ghoṣasyāyatanopamau ||2-7-28 The gopa-s living in the forest chattered among themselves as they wished: "How did the trees fall down, which were like temples to vraja? vinā vātaṁ vinā varṣam vidyutprapatanaṁ vinā | vinā hastikṛtaṁ doṣam kenemau pātitau drumau ||2-7-29 without strong winds, without heavy rain, without lightning, without pushing by elephants, how did the trees fall down? aho bata na śobhetāṁ vimūlāvarjunāvibhau | bhūmau nipatitau vṛkṣau vitoyau jaladāviva | The two trees have fallen down on the ground, completely uprooted. The trees do not look healthy like clouds without water. yadīmau ghoṣarachitau ghoṣakalyāṇakāriṇau ||2-7-30 nandagopa prasannau te drumāvevaṁ gatāvapi | yaccha te dārako mukto vipulābhyāmapi kṣitau ||2-7-31 If these two trees were planted in vraja and these are beneficial to vraja, then, nandagopa, these trees are pleased with you. Your son was left free (from any harm), even while these big trees fell down on the ground. autpātikamidaṁ ghoṣe tṛtīyaṁ vartate tviha | pūtanāyā vināśaścha drumayoḥ śakaṭasya ca ||2-7-32 This is the third ill omen that has occurred in vraja. Putana was killed, the cart upturned and now the trees fell down. asminsthāne ca vāso'yaṁ ghoṣasyāsya na yujyate | utpātā hyatra dṛshyante kathayanto na shobhanam ||2-7-33 Staying in such a place is not suitable for our vraja. Many ill omens are seen here which are considered not good." nandagopastu sahasā muktvā kṛṣṇamulūkhalāt | niveshya cāṣke suciraṁ mṛtaṁ punarivāgatam ||2-7-34 nandagopa quickly freed kṛṣṇa from the mortar and placed him on his lap, as if he has returned from the dead. nātṛpyatprekṣamāṇo vai kṛṣṇaṁ kamalalocanam | He was not satisfied looking at the lotus-eyed kṛṣṇa. tato yaśodāṁ garhanvai nandagopo vivesha ha | sa ca gopajanaḥ sarvo vrajameva jagāma ha ||2-7-35 Then nandagopa scolded yaśodā severely and returned home. All the gopa-s returned home. sa ca tenaiva nāmnā tu kṛṣṇo vai dāmabandhanāt | gohṣṭhe dāmodara iti gopībhiḥ parigīyate ||2-7-36 Because of being bound with rope (dāma) (on the belly (udara)), in vraja, kṛṣṇa was called dāmodara by gopa women. etadāścaryabhūtaṁ hi bālasyāsīdvicheṣṭitam | kṛṣṇasya bharataśreṣṭha ghoṣe nivasatastadā ||2-7-37 O the great among bharata (janamejaya), this is a wonderful childhood pastime of kṛṣṇa, while he was staying in vraja. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivāṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi śiśucaryāyāṁ yamalārjunabhaṅge nāma saptamo'dhyāya Thus this is the seventh chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, the snapping of yamala-arjuna trees. nīlakaṇṭha commentary athāsminsaptame'dhyāye yamalārjunayorbhidā | madhyaṁgatena kṛṣṇena dhvastāveveti varṇyate || · 2-7-1 kāle riṅgiṇau jānubhyāṁ raṁhaṇaśīlau || · 2-7-2 anyonyagatau parasparasminnantamūrtau ekamūrtidharau ekaśarirāviva || · 2-7-3 ekarūpau abhinnau santau nirmāṇanirmuktau janmahīnau || · 2-7-4 ekasya kāryasya antaraṁ rahasyaṁ gatau ekakāryaniṣṭhāvityarthaḥ || · 2-7-5 devānāṁ vṛttāntaḥ siddhāntaḥ pāpiṣṭhā hantavyā yajṣadānādikaṁ ca pravarttanīyamityevaṁrūpastadarthaṁ mānuṣabhūtau devavṛttāntamānuṣau || · 2-7-6 vyatiṣakttābhirmiśrābhiḥ grastau pūrṇamāsyāṁ chandrodaye sūryāstamayaḥ tadudaye indoriti tayoranyonyakiraṇagrastatvam || · 2-7-7 sarpabhogabhujau sarpadehatulyabāhū | kalabhasadṛśau kalabhakāviva svārthe vā kaḥ || · 2-7-8 pāvakī agniputrau dvau kārtikeyāvivetyabhūtopamā || · 2-7-10 viprakurvāṇau navanītachauryādinā upakāraṁ kurvāṇau || · 2-7-17 tattasyeti | arjunābhyām arjunau uddhartumityarthaḥ | atredamāmnāyate "yatra manthāṁ vibaghnate raśmīn yamitavā iva | ulūkhalasutānāmavendvindra jalgulaḥ | tā no adya vanaspatī ṛṣvāvṛṣvebhiḥ sotṛbhiḥ | indrāya madhumatsutam" iti | yatra ulūkhale manthāṁ manthānamiva manthānaṁ lokakleśakaraṁ māṁ vibaghnate viśeṣeṇa baghnanti mātaraḥ raśmīnādāya raśmibhirityarthaḥ | yamitavā iva vinigrahītumiva na tu vastuto nigrahītuṁ mātṛtvena mayi snigdhatvāt tena ulūkhalena sutānāṁ pīḍitānāṁ karmaṇi ṣaṣṭhī | ulūkhalapīḍitān asmān he indra mochanasamartha ava rakṣa | pādāditvādādyudāttamākhyātam | indu evameva tvaṁ jalgulo'si enaṁ muncāmīti jalpituṁ māṁ ca gopituṁ trātuṁ lātum ādātuṁ svādhīnaṁ kartuṁ ca samartho'si yataḥ ato'va māmityarthaḥ | evaṁ yadā sarvān prārthayannapi na mochanaṁ labhate tadā vanaspatyorantarā gatvā bandhanadāma troṭituṁ yāvadbalaṁ karoti tāvadvanaspatī eva unmūlitau dṛṣṭvā vadati | tā no iti | trātau no'smākaṁ vrajavāsināṁ vanaspatibhūtau atiprasiddhau yamalau arjunātīyau bho vanaspatī adya indrāya indraṁ prati gantuṁ sutaṁ tadunmūlanena atmānaṁ pīḍayantaṁ tadeva madhumat amṛtayuktam atisamyagityarthaḥ | yata ṛṣvo gatimantau yuvāṁ sthāvaratvānmuktau stha ityrathaḥ | ṛṣvebhirgatimadbhirjaṅgamaiḥ | janaiḥ sotṛbhirasmadbandhanakarairūpalakṣitau || · 2-7-22 satyopayācanau prārthitapradatvena devatābhūtau || · 2-7-31 vipulābhyāmarjunābhyām || · 2-7-37 etaditi | evamādityarthaḥ | atra tṛṇāvarttavadhopi purāṇāntarādupasaṁharttavyaḥ | tadupabṛṁhikā shrutistu - "sākaṁ yakṣma prayata cāṣeṇa kikidīvinā sākaṁ vā tasya dhrājyā sākaṁ nashya nihākayā" iti || khecharatvena yakṣaṁ pūjyamivātmānaṁ manute mimīte tolayati vā yakṣmaḥ he yakṣma rākṣasa tadvatpīḍaketi vā cāṣeṇa tadvarṇena hariṇā tava hantrā sākaṁ prayataḥ bhūmāviti śeṣaḥ | kikidīvinā jnaḥ san divyatīti kikidīviḥ | kidhātorbāhulakāt kipratyaye liṅbhāve ca kikivirdvān tena vā tasya vāyordhrājyā gatyā yayā dhūlivātyārūpayā enaṁ upari nītavānasi tayā sākaṁ nasya nāśaṁ prāpnuhi | nihākayā gatyā ca sākaṁ vā sāhityaṁ patana eva natu nāśe atastena sahaḥ patitaḥ san svayameka eva nāśaṁ prāpnuhityarthaḥ | evaṁ devairukte tṛṇāvartaḥ papāta mamāretyarthaḥ || iti śrīharivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi tīkāyāṁ saptamo'dhyāyaḥ |