Parva 2 Chapter 93: vajranābhapure pradyumnapraveśaḥ - pradyumna enters vajranābhapura

vaiśampāyana said: O the ruler of men! (O janamejaya!) Afterwards, vajranābha ordered the demons residing in his city that the best of the houses shall be provided, ātithyam kriyatāmeṣāṁ bahuratnamupāyanam | vāsāmsi suvicitrāṇi sukhāya janaraṣjanam ||2-93-2 hospitality shall be offered, many jewels, wonderful clothes and comfort for those who entertain the people (actors) shall provided. bharturājṣām samālabhya tathā cakrushcha sarvaśaḥ | pūrvāśruto naṭaḥ prāptaḥ kautūhalamajījanat ||2-93-3 Obeying the order of the master, all did as ordered. The actor (bhadra) who was heard about before, arrived and generated curiosity. naṭasyātha dadurdaityāḥ satkāraṁ parayā mudā | paryāyārthe daduścāpi ratnāni subahūnyatha ||2-93-4 The demons offered the best hospitality to the actor happily and also gave many jewels for acting. tataḥ sananṛtetatra varadatto naṭastathā | svapure puravāsīnāṁ paraṁharṣaṁsamādadhat ||2-93-5 Then the actor who received boons performed so that the citizens of the city enjoyed the most. rāmāyaṇaṁ mahākāvyam uddeśyaṁ nāṭakīkṛtam | janmaviṣṇorameyasya rākṣasendravadhepsayā ||2-93-6 They presented the great poem rāmāyanaṁ as a play featuring the birth of viṣṇu of immeasurable splendor for slaying the indra of rākṣasa-s (rāvaṇa). lomapādo daśaratha ṛśyaśṛṅgaṁ mahāmunim | śāntāmapyānayāmāsa gaṇikābhiḥ sahānagha ||2-93-7 O the one without any sin! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) daśaratha invited the great sage ṛśyaśṛṇga, the son of lomapāda and also śāntā along with courtesans. rāmalakṣmaṇaśatrughnā bharatashcaiva bhārata | ṛśyaśṛṅgaścha śāntā ca tathārūpaiḥ naṭaiḥ kṛtāḥ ||2-93-8 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The actors became rāma, lakṣmaṇa, shatrughna and bharata, Riśyaśṛṇga as also śāntā. tatkāla jīvinovṛddhā dānavā vismayaṁ gatāḥ | ācacakṣuśchateṣāṁ vai rūpatulyatvamachyutam ||2-93-9 The old demons who were alive at that time were astonished, seeing the equality in form (of the actors) without any deficiency. saṁskārābhinayau teṣāṁ prastāvānāṁ ca dhāraṇam | dṛṣṭvā sarvepraveśaṁ ca dānavā vismayaṁ gatāḥ ||2-93-10 The demons were astonished by the statement of the story, the appearance of the actors and the refined acting by the actors. teraktā vismayaṁ nedurasurāḥ parayā mudā | utthāyotthāya nāṭyasya viṣayeṣu punaḥ punaḥ ||2-93-11 The demons were astonished and enraptured by the acting. Enjoying the superb acting, the demons got up again and again (for encouraging the actors). dadur vastrāṇi tuṣṭāścha graiveyavalayāni ca | hārānmanoharāṁścaiva hema vaiḍūrya bhūṣitān ||2-93-12 Happy with the performance, the demons gave clothes, bangles and necklaces and also beautiful garlands decorated by jewels such as hema and vaiḍūrya. pṛthagartheṣu datteṣu lokaiste tuṣṭuvurnaṭāḥ | asurāṁśchamunīṁścaiva gotrairabhijanairapi ||2-93-13 When the gifts were given separately, the actors praised the demons and sages referring to the races and families. preṣitaṁ vajranābhasyaśākhānagaravāsibhiḥ | naṭasya divyarūpasya narendrāgamanaṁ tadā ||2-93-14 O the indra of men! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The residents of the satellite city sent message to vajranābha about the arrival of the divine actors. purāśrutārtho daityendraḥ preśayāmāsa bhāratā | ānīyatāṁ vajrapuraṁ nato'sāvitiharṣitaḥ ||2-93-15 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The indra of demons (vajranābha) who had heard about it before, became happy. He sent a messenger to take the actors to the city of vajra. dānavendra vacaḥśrutvā śākhānagaravāsibhiḥ | nītā vajrapuraṁ ramyaṁ naṭaveṣeṇa yādavāḥ ||2-93-16 Hearing the words of the indra of demons, the residents of the satellite city took the actors who were yādava-s, to the beautiful city of vajra. āvāsaścha tato dattaḥ sukṛto viśvakarmaṇā | eṣṭavyaṁ yaccha tatsarvaṁ dattaṁ śataguṇottaram ||2-93-17 They were provided with houses, made excellently by viśvakarma. All they needed were provided more than hundred times. ātha kālotsavaṁ cakre vajranābho mahāsuraḥ | kārayāmāsa ramyaṁ ca chamūvāṭaṁ prahṛṣṭavān ||2-93-18 Afterwards, the great demon vajranābha performed a festival named kālotsavaṁ (in the honour of shiva). He happily constructed a beautiful building for the entertainment of his soldiers. tatastān pariviśrāntān prekṣārthāya prachodayat | dattvā ratnānibhūrīṇi vajranābho mahābalaḥ ||2-93-19 After the actors took full rest, he persuaded them to perform. The greatly powerful vajranābha gave them jewels in large quantities. upaviṣṭaśchatān draṣṭuṁ sahajṣātibhirātmavān | channecāntaḥpuraṁ sthāpyacakṣurdṛśye narādhipaḥ ||2-93-20 He sat along with his relatives and friends to watch the performance. The ruler of men (king) installed a place so that the women of the inner quarters can watch the performance, concealed. bhaimāpi baddhanepathyā naṭaveṣadharāstathā | kāryārthaṁ bhīmakarmāṇo nṛtyārthamupacakramuḥ ||2-93-21 The bhaima-s (yādava-s), performers of difficult tasks, put on the costumes of actors and began the performance for achieving their purpose. tato ghanaṁ sasuṣiraṁ murajānaka bhūṣitam | tantrīsvaragaṇairviddhānātodyānanvavādayan ||2-93-22 Then they played the musical instruments, ghanaṁ (idiophones such as cymbals), suṣiraṁ (aerophones such as pipes, flutes), muraja (mṛdaṅga) and Anaka (large drum) along with musical instruments producing groups of sounds from strings (chordophones such as vīṇā). tatastu devagāndhāraṁ cālikyaṁ śravaṇāmṛtam | bhaimastriyaḥ prajagiremanaḥ śrotrasukhāvaham ||2-93-23 Afterwards, the yādava women (courtesans brought by yādava-s) sang the devagāndhāraṁ, cālikyaṁ, sweet to hear like nectar for the ears, providing happiness to the mind as well as ears. āgāndhāragrāmarāgam gaṅgāvataraṇaṁ tathā | viddhamāsāritaṁ ramyaṁ jagiresvarasampadā ||2-93-24 Expanding the grāma tunes (such as śaḍja, madhyama and gāndhāra), they sang the song, the descent of gaṅgā (gaṅgvataraṇam), beautifully, with āsāritaṁ, in a variety of tunes, enriched with beautiful sounds. layatālasamaṁ śrutvā gaṅgāvataraṇaṁ śubham | asurāṁstoṣayāmāsa utthāyotthāya bhārata ||2-93-25 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The yādava-s, singing the auspicious song, the descent of gaṅgā with appropriate rhythm and tunes, arose great happiness in the demons. nandiṁ ca vādayāmāsapradyumnogadaeva ca | sāmbaśchavīryasampannaḥkāryārthaṁnaṭatāṁgataḥ ||2-93-26 pradyumna, gada and the valiant sāmba, who became actors for achieving their task, performed the preliminaries by playing nandi. nāndyante ca tadā ślokaṁ gaṅgāvataraṇāśritam | raukmiṇeyastadovāca samyak svabhinayānvitam ||2-93-27 At the conclusion of preliminary rituals, the son of rukmiṇī, pradyumna recited a śloka in full, beautifully, based on the descent of gaṅgā, along with acting. rambhābhisāraṁ kauberaṁ nāṭakaṁ nanṛtustataḥ | śūro rāvaṇarūpeṇa rambhāveṣaṁ manovatī ||2-93-28 Afterwards, they performed a play named rambhābhisāraṁ, regarding kubera. śūra acted as rāvaṇa and manovatī acted as rambhā. Note 1 nalakūbarastu pradyumnaḥ sāmbastasya vidūṣakaḥ | kailāsorūpitaścāpi māyayā yadunandanaiḥ ||2-93-29 pradyumna became nalakūbara and sāmba acted as the vidūṣaka (the comic sidekick). The yādava-s also presented kailāsa, with illusion. śāpaścha dattaḥ kruddhena rāvaṇasya durātmanaḥ | nalakūbareṇa ca yathā ramyā cāpyathasāntvitā ||2-93-30 They acted how the wicked soul rāvaṇa was cursed by the angry nalakūbara and also how the beautiful rambha was consoled. etat prakaraṇaṁ vīrān anṛtur yadunandanāḥ | nāradasya muneḥ kīrtiṁ sarvajṣasya mahātmanaḥ ||2-93-31 The valiant yādava-s enacted this episode, by which the fame of the wise great soul, sage nārada is presented. pādoddhāreṇa nṛtyena tathaivābhinayena ca | tuṣṭuvur dānavā vīrā bhaimānāmatitejasām ||2-93-32 The valiant demons were pleased by the foot work, dancing as well as acting of the splendorous bhaima-s (yādava-s). tedadur vastramukhyāni ratnānyābharaṇāni ca | hārāṁstaralaviddhāṁścha vaiḍūryamaṇibhūṣitān ||2-93-33 They presented best clothes, jewels as well as ornaments and garlands decorated with vaidūrya and maṇi to the yādavas. vimānāni vicitrāṇi rathāṁścākāśagāminaḥ | gajānākāśagāṁścaiva divyanāgakulodbhavān ||2-93-34 The demons presented wonderful aerial vehicles, chariots capable of travelling in the sky and elephants, moving in the sky, born in the races of divine elephants, candanāni ca divyāni śītāni rasavanti ca | gurūṇyagurumukhyāni gandhāḍhyāni ca bhārata ||2-93-35 and O the one born in the race of bharata (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued), cool as well as fragrant divine sandals, the best aguru (akil) and the best fragrances, cintāmaṇīnudārāṁścha chintitesarvakāmadān | prekṣāsu tāsu bahvīṣu dadanto dānavāstathā ||2-93-36 groups of jewels named cintāmaṇi which provide all desires merely by thinking and many other gifts. dhanaratnairvirahitāḥ kṛtāḥ puruṣasattama | striyodānavamukhyānāṁ tathaiva ca janeshvara ||2-93-37 O the best among men! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) By giving these presents, the demons became devoid of wealth and jewels. O the lord of men! The women of the prominent demons also became likewise. tato haṁsī prabhāvatyāḥ sakhī prāha prabhāvatīm | gatāsmi dvārakāṁ ramyāṁ bhaimaguptāmanindite ||2-93-38 Then the swan, friend of prabhāvatī, told prabhāvatī. (śuchimukhī said) O the one who is not despised! I went to the beautiful dvārakā protected by the bhaimas. pradyumnashcha mayā dṛṣṭo vivikte cārulochane | bhaktishcha kathitā tasya mayā tava shuchismite |2-93-39 O the one with beautiful eyes! I also saw pradyumna alone. O the one with beautiful smile! I told him about your devotion. tenah ṛṣṭena kālascha kṛtaḥ kamalalochane | adya pradoṣasamaye tvayā saha samāgame ||2-93-40 O the one with eyes as beautiful as lotus! He happily fixed the time for meeting you. He fixed the time of today evening (pradoṣa) as the time for meeting with you. tadadya ruciraśroṇi tavapriya samāgamaḥ | nahyātmavārtāṁ bhāṣanti mithyā bhaimakulodbhavāḥ ||2-93-41 Hence, O the one with beautiful hair! Today is the time for meeting your beloved. Those born in the race of yādava-s (bhaima-s) do not speak falsehood. tataḥ prabhāvatī hṛṣṭā haṁsīṁ tāmidamabravīt | uṣitāsi mamā''vāse svaptumarhasi sundari ||2-93-42 (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) Then prabhāvatī became happy. She told the swan as follows: O beautiful! Stay with me and sleep at my residence tonight. tvayāhaṁ sahitāvāse draṣṭumicchāmi kaishavim | niḥsādhvasā bhaviṣyāmi tvayāsaha vihaṅgame ||2-93-43 I want to see the son of keshava (pradyumna) at my residence along with you. O the one who travels in the sky! With you, I will be fearless. haṁsī tatheti chovāca sakhīṁ kamalalochanām | āruroha ca taddharmyaṁ prabhāvatyā vihaṅgamā ||2-93-44 Then the swan, (śuchimukhī) said, "let it be" to her friend (prabhāvatī) with eyes as beautiful as the lotus. The one who travels in the sky (the swan) entered the beautiful residence of prabhāvatī. viśvakarmakṛte tatra harmyapṛṣṭhe prabhāvatī | saṁvidhānaṁ cakārāśu pradyumnāgamanakṣamam ||2-93-45 Then at the backside of the beautiful residence made by viśvakarma, prabhāvatī made suitable arrangements for the arrival of pradyumna. tasminkṛte saṁvidhāne kāmamānayituṁ yayau | prabhāvatīmanujṣāpya haṁsī vāyusamā gatau ||2-93-46 After making suitable arrangements, the swan went away, as permitted by prabhāvatī, with a speed equal to wind to bring kāma (pradyumna). naṭaveṣadharaṁ kāmaṁ gatvovāca śuchismitā | adya bhūtaḥ sabhagavansamayo vartate nishi ||2-93-47 The one with a beautiful smile (the swan śuchimukhī), went to kāma (pradyumna), who was in the form of the actor and said: O lord! The time fixed by you before is today night. tatheti prāha tāṁ kāmaḥ sānivṛttātha pakṣiṇī | abhyāgatā ca sāhaṁsī prabhāvatimathābravīt | kāma (pradyumna) said: "let it be". Then the swan returned. On her return, the swan told prabhāvatī as follows: abhyeti raukmiṇeyo'sāvāśvasāyatalochane ||2-93-48 The son of rukmiṇī is coming now. O the one with long eyes! Be relieved and be comfortable. pradyumno nīyamānaṁtu dadṛśe mālyamātmavān | bhramarairāvṛtaṁ vīraḥ sugandhamarimardanaḥ ||2-93-49 Then the oppressor of enemies, valiant pradyumna with great soul, saw a garland of fragrant flowers, surrounded by bees being taken. nililye tatra mālyetu bhūtvā madhukarastadā | prabhāvatyā nīyamāne viditārthaḥ pratāpavān ||2-93-50 The one with great splendor, the wise pradyumna, knowing that the garland was being taken to prabhāvatī, becoming a honey bee, hid in the garland. praveśitaṁ ca tanmālyaṁ strībhir madhukarāyutam | upanītaṁ prabhāvatyaistrībhistadbhramarāvṛtam ||2-93-51 The women took the garland of flowers along with the honey bees. The women presented the garland of flowers, surrounded by bees to prabhāvatī. avidūre ca vinyastaṁ prabhāvatyā janādhipa | bhramarāste yayuḥ saumya sandhyākālehyupasthite ||2-93-52 O the ruler of men! The garland was kept not far from prabhāvatī. O gentle one! As the evening arrived, all the bees went away. sabhaimapravarovīrastaiḥ sahāyairvihīnataḥ | karṇotpale prabhāvatyā nililye shanakairiva ||2-93-53 That valiant chief of bhaima-s (yādava-s), without his companions, attached himself, with hesitation, on to the lotus flower, decorating the ear of prabhāvatī. tataḥ prabhāvatī haṁsīmuvāca vadatāṁ varā | udyataṁ pūrṇacandraṁ sāsamīkṣyātimanoharam ||2-93-54 Then the best among speakers, prabhāvatī, told the swan, looking at the beautiful full moon, rising in the sky. sakhidahyatime'ṅgāni mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati | autsukyaṁ hṛdi cātīvako'yaṁ vyādhiranauṣadhaḥ ||2-93-55 (prabhāvatī said) O friend! My limbs are burning. My face is becoming dry as well. I have extreme anxiety in my heart. What is this disease, without any medicine? dadhaddviguṇamautsukyam asau pūrṇaniśākaraḥ | navoditaḥ śītaraśmiḥ sakhyaṁ harati ca priyaḥ ||2-93-56 The full moon, lord of the night, has risen, doubling my anxiety. I will like it, if the rising moon withdraws his cool rays completely. nadṛṣṭapūrvo hi mayā śrutamātreṇa kāṅkṣitaḥ | ahodhūmayate'ṅgāni strīsvabhāvasya dhikkhalu | pradyumna was not seen by me before. I desired him only by hearing about him. Oh! My limbs are fuming. This behavior of women is despicable. kalpayāmi yathā buddhyā yadi nābhyeti me priyaḥ ||2-93-57 kumudvatī gataṁ mārgaṁ hā gamiṣyāmyakiṣchanā | I am imagining with my intellect that if my beloved does not come, perhaps, I will follow the path of kumudvatī (I will die young). madanāśī viṣeṇāsmi hā hā daṣṭā manasvinī ||2-93-58 O the one with a good mind! The serpent of kāma (desire) has bitten me. śītavīryāḥ prakṛtyaiva jagatau hrādanāḥ sukhāḥ | dahanti mama gātrāṇi kiṁ nu candragabhastayaḥ ||2-93-59 Why are the rays of moon, having the power to cool and provide happiness to the world, by its nature, burning my body? prakṛtyā śītalo vāyur nānāpuṣparajo vahaḥ | dāvāgnisadṛśo me'dya dandahīti śubhāṁ tanum ||2-93-60 The wind, cool by nature, carrying the pollen of many flowers, is now burning my good body like a forest fire. tataḥsaṅkalpaye evasthairyaṁ kāryamivātmanaḥ | nāvatiṣṭhati nirvīryaṁ manaḥsaṅkalpadharṣitam ||2-93-61 I wish that I should be fixed in mind. My mind, devoid of any power, does not obey my wish. vimanaskāsmi muhyāmi vepathurme mahān hṛdi | babhramīti ca me dṛṣṭir hā hā yāmi dhruvaṁ kṣayam ||2-93-62 Losing my will power, I hope for my desires. I have great anxiety in my heart. My eyes are rolling. Oh! Oh! I will definitely perish. itiśrīmahābhāratekhileṣuharivaṁśeviṣṇuparvaṇi vajranābhapurepradyumnagamanetrinavatitamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus, this is the ninety-third chapter of viṣṇuparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābharata, pradyumna enters the city of vajranābha. Note 1 The ākyāna involving rāvaṇa, raṁbhā and nalakūbara is mentioned in the rāmāyaṇa section of mahābhārata. The whole incident is described in adhyāya 26, uttara kāṇḍa, rāmāyaṇa. nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 2- 93-1 tataḥ pūrvaśruto bhadranāmā naṭa evātra prāpta iti teṣāṁ buddhirabhūdityarthaḥ || · 2-93-4 paryāyārthe veṣadhāraṇārtham || · 2-93-5 vāsīnāṁ dairghyamārṣam || · 2-93-7 achyuta he rājan || · 2-93-10 saṁskāraḥ veṣadhāraṇam abhinayaḥ kriyādarśanaṁ prastāvaḥ kriyāṇāṁ prasaṁjanaṁ praveśaṁ pātrāṇāṁ prathamadarshanam || · 2-93-11 vismayaṁ savismayaṁ sāścaryam || · 2-93-18 kālotsavaṁ mahākālarudrasyotsavaṁ cakre naṭadvārā chamūvāṭaṁ sainikāhvānaṁ prekṣaṇārtham || · 2-93-20 Channe jālajavanikāpihitasthāne ata eva cakṣudṛśya cakṣuḥ saṁnihitaṁ dṛśyaṁ nāṭyaṁ yatra tattathābhūte || · 2-93-21 bhaimā apīti sandhirārṣaḥ || · 2-93-22 ghanaṁ kāṁsyatālādikaṁ sasuṣiraṁ saccidraṁ venuprabhṛtikaṁ murajā mardalāḥ Anaka paṭahaḥ tantrīti rudravīnādikānāmupalakṣaṇaṁ evamādīnātodyān vādyaviśeṣān || · 2-93-23 bhaimastriyaḥ bhaimairānītā vāranāryaḥ || · 2-93-24 āgāndhāramiti | niṣādarṣabhagāndhāraṣaḍjamadhyamadhaivatākhyān saptasvarān vyāpyaḥ grāmaḥ katipayasvarsaṁghaḥ | te ca trayaḥ | rāgo vasantādiḥ | sāklyena gāndhārādayo yatra tat gaṅgvataraṇaṁ nāma gītaviśehaviddhaṁ rāgāntaramiśraṁ āsāritaṁ mūrcchitaṁ jagire gītaṁ kṛtavatyā || · 2-93-26 nāndiṁ nandikeśvaramukhaṁ charmakośamayaṁ vādyāḥ viśeṣam | dvādaśspaṭaha shabdo nāndirityanye nāndīmiti pāṭhe nāndīṁ devadvijādīnāṁ śubhaśaṁsinīṁ aṣṭabhirdaśsbirva avāntaravākyayuktāṁ pūrvaraṅgapradhānāṁ vākyāvalīṁ vādayāmāsa papāṭheti kechit || · 2-93-27 nāndyante maṅgalapadyapāṭhānte || · 2-93-28 kubero nalakūbaraḥ tatsaṁbandhinaṁ kauberaṁ manovatī nāma kācidvārāṅganā || · 2-93-29 rūpitaḥ kalpitaḥ || · 2-93-32 nṛtyena rāvaṇaśāpajāhlādapravṛtena || · 2-93-33 taralo vartulo maniḥ || · 2-93-40 samāgame kālaḥ kṛta iti sabandhaḥ || · 2-93-41 ātmavati ātmabhakte || · 2-93-45 saṁvidhānaṁ saṅketam || · 2-93-46 kāmaṁ pradyumnaṁ gatau gatyām || · 2-93-48 āśvāseti cchedaḥ || · 2-93-50 prabhāvatyā prabhāvatyarthaṁ nīyamāne mālye || · 2-93-56 priyo'pi sakhyaṁ harati apriyavadbhavatītyarthaḥ || · 2-93-58 kumudvatīgataṁ mārgaṁ jīvatyeva bhartari yauvane maraṇam || · 2-93-61 kalpaye eva kalpayāmyeva ātmano manasaḥ sthairthe kāryamityetamarthaṁ kalpaye na tu siddhayatītyarthaḥ || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi tīkāyāṁ trinavatitamo'dhyāyaḥ