Parva 2 Chapter 94: prabhāvatīpāṇigrahaṇam - prabhāvatī's marriage

svaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Realising that he has completely possessed the girl, the son of kṛṣṇa (pradyumna), with a pleased mind told the swan as follows: daityendratanayāṁ prāptamavagacchasva māmiha | ṣaṭpadaiḥ saha ṣaṭpādo bhūtvā mālye vilīya hi ||2-94-2 aUnderstand that I have reached (near) the daughter of the indra of demons, along with the six legged ones (bees), becoming a six legged one (bee), hiding in the flower garland. vidheyo'smi prabhāvatyā yatheṣṭaṁ mayivartatām | ityuktvā darśayāmāsa surūporūpamātmanaḥ ||2-94-3 I am under prabhāvatī's control. She can talk to me as she likes. Saying this, the handsome youth revealed his actual form. taddharmyapṛṣṭhaṁ prabhayā dyotitaṁ tasya dhīmataḥ | abhibhūtā prabhācaiva rājaṁśchandrodbhavā śubhā ||2-94-4 aWith the splendor of pradyumna with intellect, the backside of that beautiful building sparkled brightly. O king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The moonlight also became auspicious by his splendor. prabhāvatyāstu taṁdṛṣṭvā vavṛdhe kāmasāgaraḥ | candrasyevodaye prāpte parvaṇyāṁ saritāṁpatiḥ ||2-94-5 Seeing him, prabhāvatī was immersed in the swelling ocean of desire, in the same way as high tide occurs in the lord of rivers (ocean) when the moon rises. salajjādhomukhīkiṣchit kiṣchittiryagavekṣiṇī | prabhāvatī tadā tasthau niśchalaṁ kamalekṣaṇā ||2-94-6 prabhāvatī, the one with eyes as beautiful as lotus, stood still, sometimes blushing with her head lowered and sometimes looking at him sideways with her head tilted. kareṇādhaḥpradeśetāṁ cārubhūṣaṇabhūṣitām | spṛṣṭvovāca varārohāṁ romāṣchitatanustataḥ ||2-94-7 Touching the lower part of the face of the beautiful woman, who was decorated with beautiful ornaments, pradyumna, with his body becoming thrilled, told her: manorathaśatairlabdhaṁ kiṁ pūrṇendusamaprabham | adhomukhaṁ mukhaṁ kṛtvā na māṁ kiṣchit prabhāṣase ||2-94-8 aHaving obtained hundreds of desires, lowering your face, beautiful like the full moon, why are you not speaking to me? prabhopamardam mā kārṣīr vadanasya varānane | sādhvasaṁ tyajyatāṁ bhīru dāsaḥsādhvanugṛhyatām ||2-94-9 aO the one with beautiful face! Do not suppress the brightness of your face in this way. O timid one! Discard your hesitation. Bless your obedient servant. na kālamiva paśyāmi bhīru bhīrutvamutsṛja | yācāmyeśo'ṣjaliṁkṛtvā prāpta kālaṁ nibodha me ||2-94-10 O timid one! I see that this is not the time for timidity. Abandon your timidity. I beseech you with folded hands. Hear from me what is appropriate. gāndharveṇa vivāhena kuruṣvānugrahaṁ mama | deśakālānurūpeṇa rūpeṇāpratimāsatī ||2-94-11 O faithful woman! You are unrivalled in beauty. Bless me by the gāndharva mode of marriage as appropriate to the place and time. upaspṛśya tato bhaimo maṇisthaṁ jātavedasam | juhāva samaye vīraḥ puśpairmantrānudīrayan ||2-94-12 a (vaiśampāyana continued: O janamejaya!) Afterwards, the valiant bhaima (pradyumna) performed oblation and made the fire god present in the jewel appear and offered sacrifice with flowers, pronouncing mantras. jagrāhātha karaṁ tasyā varābharaṇabhūṣitam | cakre pradakṣiṇaṁ caiva taṁ maṇisthaṁ hutāśanam ||2-94-13 Then he held her hand, decorated with best ornaments and circumambulated the partaker of oblations (fire god) present in that jewel. prajajvāla sa tejasvī mānayannachyutātmajam | bhagavāṣ jagataḥ sākṣī śubhasyāthāśubhasya ca ||2-94-14 The one with splendor, the lord (fire god) witness to all auspicious and inauspicious deeds in the world, flamed, respecting the son of the one without any decline (kṛṣṇa). uddishya dakṣiṇāṁ vīro viprāṇāṁ yadunandanaḥ | uvāca haṁsīṁ dvārasthāṁ tiṣṭhāvāṁ rakṣa pakṣiṇi ||2-94-15 The son of yadu, (pradyumna) mentally offered tribute to the Brahmins. He told the swan: O bird! Guard us, standing at the door. tasyāṁ praṇamya yātāyāṁ kāmastāṁ cārulochanām | grahāya dakṣiṇe haste nināya shayanottamam ||2-94-16 a When she bowed and left, kāma (pradyumna) held the right hand of the one with beautiful eyes and lead her to the best reclainer. ūrāvevopaveśyānāṁ sāntvayitvā punaḥ punaḥ | chuchumba śanakairgaṇḍaṁ vāsayan mukhamārutaiḥ ||2-94-17 Then he made her sit on his thigh and consoled her again and again. Then he kissed on her neck, softly breathing on it. tato'syāścha papau vaktra padmaṁ madhukaro yathā | āliliṅge ca suśroṇīṁ krameṇa ratikovidaḥ ||2-94-18 a Then he drank her face, as a honey bee drinks the lotus flower. Gradually, the expert in amorous enjoyment (pradyumna) embraced the woman with beautiful hair (prabhāvatī). arāmayad rahasyenāṁ nachodvejitavāṁstadā | apakṛṣṭaṁ charatyarthaṁ ratikāryaviśāradaḥ | Then he made her enjoy during the night, without boredom. pradyumna, expert in amorous enjoyment, proceeded in a slow manner. uvāsa satayāsārdhaṁ raman kṛṣṇasutaḥ prabhuḥ ||2-94-19 aruṇodayakāle ca yayau yatra naṭālayam | The lord, son of kṛṣṇa stayed and enjoyed with her. At the time of sun rise (in the morning), he returned to the residence of actors. akāmayā prabhāvatyā kathaṣchitsavisarjitaḥ ||2-94-20 tāmeva manasākāntāṁ kāntarūpāṁ samudvahan | prabhāvatī did not want him to be separated from her even for a while. pradyumna was thinking only about his beautiful beloved. ta ūṣur naṭaveṣeṇā kāryārthaṁ bhaimavaṁśajāḥ ||2-94-21 pratīkṣantastadā vākyamindrakeśavayostadā | Those born in the race of bhaima-s (yādava-s), stayed there, in the form of actors, for achieving their purpose, waiting for the instructions of indra and keshava (kṛṣṇa). udyogaṁ vajranābhasya trailokyavijayaṁprati ||2-94-22 pratīkṣanto mahātmāno guhyasaṁrakṣaṇeratāḥ | qThe great souls (yādava-s), concealing their secrets, waited for the preparation of efforts of vajranābha, towards conquering the three worlds. kaśyapasyamuneḥ satraṁ yāvattāvan narādhipa ||2-94-23 devāsurāṇāṁ sarveṣāmavirodho mahātmanām | trailokyavijayārthāya yatatāṁ dharmacāriṇām ||2-94-24 O the ruler of men! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) Whenever a sacrifice of sage kashyapa is conducted, there is no enmity at all between the great souls, the demons who are trying to conquer the three worlds and deva-s who follow the path of dharma. evaṁ kālaṁ pratīkṣāṇāṁ vasatāṁ tatra dhīmatām | saṁprāptaḥ prāvṛṣo ramyaḥ sarvabhūtamanoharaḥ ||2-94-25 As those with intellect were staying there waiting for the appropriate time, the beautiful rainy season, pleasant for all beings arrived. aharniśaṁ ca vṛttāntaṁ prayacchanti manojavāḥ | śakrakeshavayor haṁsāḥ kumārāṇāṁ mahātmanām ||2-94-26 a The swans, having the speed of mind, conveyed the news about the yādava princes, day and night, to śakra (indra) and keshava (kṛṣṇa). reme saha prabhāvatyā pradyumnaścānurūpayā | rātrau rātrau mahātejā dhārtarāṣṭrābhirakṣitaḥ ||2-94-27 pradyumna, the one with great splendor, protected by the dhārtarāṣṭra-s, (swans) enjoyed with prabhāvatī of equal beauty, night after night. tairhi vajrapuraṁ haṁsair vasadbhir vāsavājṣayā | vyāptaṁ nṛpa naṭāṁstāṁstu naviduḥ kālamohitāḥ ||2-94-28 a The swans residing at the city of vajra, as ordered by vāsava, had spread all over. O King! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The demons confused by Time, did not know the truth of the actors. divāpi raukmiṇeyastu prabhāvatyā nṛpālaye | tiṣṭhatyantarhito vīro haṁsasaṅghābhirakṣitaḥ ||2-94-29 The valiant son of rukmiṇī, pradyumna, stayed at prabhavatī's home, the king's palace, concealed, even during the day, protected by the group of swans. māyayāsya pratichcāyā dṛṣyate hi naṭālaye | dehārdhena tu kauravya siṣeve'sau prabhāvatīm ||2-94-30 By illusion, his image was seen at the residence of the actors. O the son of kuru! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) pradyumna served prabhāvatī with half of his body. sannatiṁ vinayaṁ śīlaṁ līlāṁ dākṣyamathārjavam | spṛhayantyasurā dṛṣṭvā vidvattāṁ ca mahātmanām ||2-94-31 a Seeing the humility, modesty, behavior, sport, skill, honesty as well as wisdom of the great souls, the actors, the demons desired for them. rūpaṁ vilāsaṁ gandhaṁ ca maṣjubhāṣāmathāryatām | tāsāṁ yādava nārīṇāṁ spṛhayantyasurastriyaḥ ||2-94-32 a The women of demons desired to have the figure, manifestation, fragrance, sweet talk as well as the honourable behavior of the yādava women. vajranābhasya tu bhrātā sunābho nāma viśrutaḥ | duhitṛdvayaṁ ca nṛpatestasya rūpaguṇānvitam ||2-94-33 O King! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The brother of vajranābha, famous by the name sunābha, has two daughters with beauty and quality. ekā candravatī nāmnā guṇavatyathacāparā | prabhāvatyālayaṁ tetu vrajataḥ khalunityadā ||2-94-34 One daughter is named candravatī and the other is guṇavatī. They used to visit prabhāvatī's residence daily. dadṛśāte tu te tatra ratisaktāṁ prabhāvatīm | paripapraccha tushcaiva visrambhopagatāṁ satīm ||2-94-35 They saw prabhāvatī there, having pleasure. Faithful prabhāvatī trusted them. They asked her about it. sovāca mama vidyāsti yādhītā kāṇkṣitaṁ patim | ratyarthaṁ sānayatyāśu saubhāgyaṁ ca prayacchati ||2-94-36 a She said: I have a knowledge, using which I can bring a husband whom I desire for pleasure and which provides me with good fortune. devaṁ vā dānavaṁ vāpi vivaśaṁ sadya eva hi | sāhaṁ ramāmi kāntena devaputreṇa dhīmatā ||2-94-37 Even if the desired person is a dev or a demon, this knowledge makes him weak and brings him to me. I am enjoying with my beloved, the son of deva, with intellect. dṛśyatāṁ matprabhāveṇa pradyumnaḥ supriyo mama | te dṛṣṭvā vismayaṁ yāte rūpayauvanasampadam ||2-94-38 See, with my splendor, my dear pradyumna is here. They were astonished to see him, with beauty and youth. punarevābravīt te tu bhaginyau cāruhāsinī | prabhāvatī varārohā kālaprāptamidaṁ vacaḥ ||2-94-39 Then the one who smiles beautifully, prabhāvatī, the beautiful women, again spoke to her sisters, these words, suitable to the time, as follows: devā dharmaratā nityaṁ dambhaśīlā mahāsurāḥ | devāstapasiraktā hi sukhe raktā mahāsurāḥ ||2-94-40 (prabhāvatī said): deva-s are always fixed in dharma. The great demons are habitually proud. deva-s are engaged in penance. The great demons are engaged in pleasure. devāḥ satye ratā nityamanṛte ca mahāsurāḥ | dharmastapashcha satyaṁ ca yatra tatra jayodhruvam ||2-94-41 deva-s always remain in truth, while the great demons remain in untruth. Victory is definitely there, where dharma, penance and truth is. devaputro varayatāṁ patividyāṁ dadāmyaham | uchitau matprabhāveṇa sadyaevopalapsyathaḥ ||2-94-42 I will provide you the knowledge to obtain husbands. You shall accept the sons of deva-s (as husbands). With my splendor, you shall obtain suitable husbands, soon. tām tathetyūcaturhṛṣṭe bhaginyau cārulochanām | paripapraccha bhaimaṁ ca kāryaṁtatpatimāninī ||2-94-43 (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The sisters were highly pleased and said, "let it be", to the one with beautiful eyes. Then the one who respects her husband, prabhāvatī, asked pradyumna about this. sapitṛvyaṁ gadaṁ vīraṁ sāmbaṁ cāthābravīt tadā | rūpānvitau suśīlau ca śūrau ca raṇakarmaṇi ||2-94-44 a Then pradyumna named his father's brother gada, the valiant as well as sāmba and said: Both are beautiful, with good habits and valiant in battles. prabhāvatyuvāca parituṣṭena dattā me vidyā durvāsasā purā | parituṣṭena saubhāgyaṁ sadā kanyātvameva ca ||2-94-45 prabhāvatī said: Long ago, this knowledge was given to me by sage durvāsa, who was highly pleased with me. Along with this, he gave me the boons of good fortune as well as permanent maidenhood. devadānavayakṣāṇāṁ yaṁdhyāsyasi sa te patiḥ | bhaviteti mayā caiva vīro'yamabhikāṅkṣitaḥ ||2-94-46 Among the deva-s, demons and yakṣ-s, whom you desire, will become your husband. With this boon, I desired to make this valiant pradyumna as my husband. gṛhṇītaṁ tadimāṁ vidyāṁ sadyovām priyasaṅgamaḥ | tato jagṛhaturhṛṣte tāṁ vidyāṁ bhaginīmukhāt ||2-94-47 a Grasp this knowledge. With this, you will meet your husbands soon. (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued). Then they were highly pleased and took the knowledge from the mouth (words) of their sister. dadhyatur gadasāmbau ca vidyām abhyasyate śubhe | The auspicious maidens exercised the knowledge and thought of gada and sāmba. tau pradyumnena sahitau praviṣṭau bhaimanandanau ||2-94-48 pracchannau māyayā vīrau kārṣṇinā māyinā nṛpa | They, the sons of bhaima-s (yādava-s) entered the residence along with pradyumna. O king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The valiant son of kṛṣṇa (pradyumna) had disguised them with illusion. gāndharveṇa vivāhena tāvapyaribalārdanau ||2-94-49 pāṇiṁ jagṛhaturvīrau mantrapūrvaṁ satāṁ priyau | Those oppressors of the armies of enemies, dear to good men, took the hands of the maidens by the gāndharva mode of marriage, with chanting of mantras. candravatyā gadaḥ sāṁboguṇavatyā ca kaiśaviḥ ||2-94-50 gada married candravatī and the son of keshava (kṛṣṇa), sāmba married guṇavatī. remire'surakanyābhir vīrāste yadupuṅgavāḥ | mārgamāṇāstvanujṣāṁ te śakrakeśavayostadā ||2-94-51 The prominent yādava-s, the valiant, enjoyed with the demon maidens, waiting for the orders of śakra (indra) and keshava (kṛṣṇa). iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi prabhāvatīpāṇigrahaṇe caturnavatitamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the ninetyfourth chapter of viṣṇuparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, prabhāvatī's marriage. nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 2-94-1 āviṣṭeyamiti · 2-94-2 avagacchasvaṁ jṣāpaya | mālye | nilīya prāptaṁ mām || · 2-94-15 āvāṁ daṁpatī || · 2-94-19 apakṛṣṭaṁ arthaṁ charati navoḍatvāditi bhāvaḥ || · 2-94-31 mahātmanāṁ naṭānām || · 2-94-43 bhaimaṁ pradyumnaṁ kāryaṁ kartavyaṁ tasyānayanaṁ kartavyamityevaṁ rūpaṁ tatpatimāninī taṁ patiṁ manyate tathā || · 2-94-48 dadhyatuḥ dhyātavatyau || · 2-94-49 kārṣṇinā pradyumnoktyā māyayā pracchannaṁ yathā syāttathā praviṣṭau || iti śrīharivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīKāyāṁ caturnavatitamo'dhyāyaḥ ||