Parva 3 Chapter 115: dūtasya saṁdeśanivedanam - janārdana conveys the demands of hamsa and ḍimbhaka

vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) The best among the twice- born, the one with a soul of dharma, janārdana who has submitted all to the lord of gods (kṛṣṇa) and allowed in by the door keeper, then entered sudharma (the assembly hall). apaśyaddevadeveśaṁ sudharmākṛtisaṁsthitam | balabhadreṇa samyuktamadhyāsitamahāsanam ||3-115-2 There he saw the Lord of gods (kṛṣṇa), the bodily form of dharma, who was seated on the great seat, along with balabhadra (rāma). agrataḥ sthitaśaineyaṁ pārśvataḥ sthitanāradam | durvāsasā kṛtakathamugrasenapuraskṛtam ||3-115-3 The son of shini (sātyaki) was seated in front of kṛśṇa. On the side was nārada who was in conversation with sage durvāsa, respected by king ugrasena. gāyadgandharvamukhyaiścha nṛtyadapsarasām gaṇaiḥ | sevyamānaṁ mahārāja sūtamāgadhabandibhiḥ ||3-115-4 udgīyamānayaśasaṁ mādhavaṁ madhusūdanam | udgīyamanaṁ vipraishcha sāmabhiḥ sāmagairharim | dṛṣṭvā prītamanā viṣṇuṁ prodbhūtapulakacchaviḥ ||3-115-5 O great king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued): Seeing kṛṣṇa, viṣṇu, who was served by prominent gandharva-s who were singing, groups of dancing divine women, bards, poets and singers who were praising the fame of mādhava, the slayer of madhu, brāhmins who were praising the lord by singing the sāma veda, janārdana became pleased and his body was filled with excitement. nāmnā janārdano'smīti nanāma charaṇau hareḥ | balabhadraṁ tato devaṁ vavande śirasā dvijaḥ ||3-115-6 Saying that my name is janārdana, he bowed to the feet of hari (kṛṣṇa, viṣṇu). Then the twice born (janārdana) bowed to lord balabhadra (rāma) as well. dūto'smi devadevesha haṁsasya ḍimbhakasya ca | iti bruvāṇaṁ viprendramidamāha sa mādhavaḥ ||3-115-7 To the indra among brahmins (janārdana) who said: "O lord of gods! I am the messenger of haṁsa and ḍimbhaka", mādhava (kṛṣṇa) spoke as follows: āsvedaṁ viṣṭaraṁ pūrvaṁ paścādbrūhi prayojanam | tatheti cābravīdvipro mahadāsanamāsthitaḥ ||3-115-8 "First be seated on this seat and then tell about the purpose of your visit". The brahmin (janārdana) said "let it be so" and sat on the great seat. vācā saṁpūjya viprendramapṛcchatkuśalaṁ hariḥ | brahmadattasya rājendra haṁsasya ḍimbhakasya ca ||3-115-9 Then, O the indra of kings! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyna continued) hari (viṣṇu, kṛṣṇa) honoured the indra of brahmins (janārdana) and enquired about the welfare of (king) brahmadatta, haṁsa and ḍimbhaka: śrutaṁ cāpi tayorvīryaṁ prayojanamato dvija | api vā kuśalaṁ vipra pitustava janārdana ||3-115-10 O twice born! I have heard about their valiance and other matters. O Brahmin! O janārdana! Is your father well? janārdana uvāca kuśalaṁ brahmadattasya pitushcha mama keshava | tayoreva jagannātha haṁsasya ḍimbhakasya ca ||3-115-11 janārdana said: O keshava (kṛṣṇa)! king brahmadatta as well my father are well. O lord of the universe! They as well as haṁsa and ḍimbhaka are well. śrībhagavānuvāca kimāhaturmahīpalau tau haṁsaḍimbhakau nṛpau | brūhi sarvamaśeṣena nātra śaṅkā dvijottama ||3-115-12 The auspicious lord said: What did the lords of earth, both the kings, haṁsa and ḍimbhaka say? O the best among the twice born! Tell me all without leaving anything. You need not have any hesitation. vācyaṁ vāpyatha vāvācyam kartavyamatha chetarat | śrutvā tasya vidhāsyāmo yuktarūpaṁ dvijottama ||3-115-13 Whatever they have said, whether it is suitable to be spoken or not to be spoken, whether it is suitable to be done or not to be done, O the best among brahmins, after hearing all that, I shall do what is appropriate. dūto'si sarvathā vipra na vācyāvācyakalpanā | yatkarmakāranirdiṣṭaṁ tadvācyaṁ dūtajanmanā ||3-115-14 O brahmin! By all means you are a messenger. You need not worry about what is to be spoken or not spoken. The messenger shall say what he was directed to say. nātra śaṅkā tvayā kāryā vaktavyasyetarasya ca | ato vada yathā proktaṁ tābhyāmiha janārdana ||3-115-15 You need not hesitate even though it is not worthy of speaking. O janārdana! You may speak here what was told to you. keshavenaivamuktastu provāca sa janārdanaḥ | ajānanniva kiṁ brūṣe sarvaṁ pratyakṣadarśivān ||3-115-16 (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) janārdana who was told thus by keshava (kṛṣṇa) spoke as follows: Why are you, who can see all in front of your eyes, speaking like this as if you do not know? na cāsti te parokṣaṁ tu jagadvṛttāntamachyuta | sarvaṁ hi manasā paśyankiṁ tvamāttha vadeti mām ||3-115-17 O the one who does not have a fall! There is no incident in the world which is invisible to you. After seeing everything in your mind why are you speaking like this to me? vidvadbhirgīyase viṣṇo tvameva jagatīpate | icchayā sarvamāpnoṣi dṛṣṭādṛṣṭavivechanam ||3-115-18 O the lord of the universe! O viśṇu! You are the one praised by those who are knowledgeable. By your will, you distinguish between what is seen and what is unseen. tvamevedaṁ jagatsarvaṁ jagaccha tvayi tiṣṭhati | na tvayā rahito hyekaḥ padārthaḥ sacarācaraḥ ||3-115-19 All this universe is you. All the three worlds are established in you. Among all the moveable and fixed beings, there is no substance in this world without you. nāsti kimchidavedyaṁ te sarvago'si jagatpate | tvamindraḥ sarvabhutānāṁ rudraḥ saṁhārakarmakṛt ||3-115-20 There is nothing that is unknown to you. O lord of the universe! You manifest everywhere. For all beings, you are indra and you are rudra who destroys all. rakṣitāsi sadā viṣṇuḥ sarvalokasya mādhava | saṁsārasya bhavānsraṣṭā kiṁ tvamāttha vadeti mām ||3-115-21 O mādhava (kṛṣṇa)! You are viṣṇu who protects all the world always. You are the creator of the world. What are you asking me to say? vidvadbhirgīyase nityaṁ jṣānātmeti ca mādhava | prāṇaṁ prānavidaḥ prāhustvāmeva puruṣottama ||3-115-22 O mādhava (kṛṣṇa)! All those who are knowledgeable, praise you always as the soul of knowledge. O the best among puruṣa-s! The experts of the life forces say that you are the life force. śabdaṁ śabdavidaḥ prāhustvāmeva purushottama | tathā sati hṛṣīkeśa kiṁ tvamāttha vadeti mām ||3-115-23 O the best among puruṣa-s! The experts of sound say that you are the sound. Then, O the lord of senses! What are you asking me to say? tathāpi śṛṇu devesha chodito'smi yatastvayā | vadetyasakṛdevaitattasmādvakṣyāmi mādhava ||3-115-24 Even then, O lord of gods! Hear! O mādhava! I am saying this since you are prompting me several times to say. rājasūyena yajṣena brahmadatto'dya yakṣyate | tadarthaṁ preṣitastābhyāṁ haṁsena ḍimbhakena ca ||3-115-25 (king) brahmadatta will now perform the royal sacrifice (rājasūya). I came here for that, sent by haṁsa and ḍimbhaka. karārthaṁ yadumukhyebhyastava cāmantraṇāya hi | lavaṇaṁ bahu deyaṁ te yajṣārthaṁ tasya keshava ||3-115-26 I came here to invite you to offer tribute by the prominent among the yadava race (to the royal sacrifice). O keshava (kṛṣṇa)! You shall also offer lots of salt for that sacrifice. ityarthaṁ preṣitastābhyāṁ karaṁ dehi tadājṣayā | idaṁ tvamaparaṁ tābhyāmuktaṁ śṛṇu jagatpate ||3-115-27 I was sent for this. By their order, pay tribute to them. O the lord of the universe! They have told some other things as well. lavaṇāni bahūnyāśu pragṛhya tvaritaṁ bhavān | āgacchatu tayo rājṣoḥ seyaṁ keshava vāgvibho ||3-115-28 "You shall quickly bring lots of salt!" O lord! O keshava! These are also the words of those kings. Ityuktavati viprendre dūte tatra tayornṛpa | prahasya suciraṁ kṛṣṇo babhāṣe dūtamiśvaraḥ ||3-115-29 O king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) When their messenger, the indra of brahmins spoke thus, kṛṣṇa laughed for a long time. Then the lord (kṛṣṇa) spoke to the messenger. śṛṇu dūta vacho mahyaṁ yuktamuktaṁ dvijottama | karaṁ dadāmi tābhyāṁ tu karado'smi yato nṛpa ||3-115-30 (kṛṣṇa said) O messenger! O the best among the twice born! Hear my words which are most appropriate. I shall pay them tribute since I am bound to offer them tribute. dhārṣṭyametattayorvipra matto yastu karagrahaḥ | aho dhārṣṭyamaho dhārṣṭyaṁ tayoḥ kṣatriyabījayoḥ ||3-115-31 O brahmin! It is audacity that they (who have originated from kṣatriya seeds) are asking tribute from us. Alas! It is the height of their audacity to ask tribute from us. idamaśrutapūrvaṁ me matto yastu karagrahaḥ | ityuktvā keshavo dūtamidamāha sma yādavān ||3-115-32 I have never heard before, asking tribute from me. Saying thus to the messenger, keshava (kṛṣṇa) spoke to the yādava-s as follows: hāsyametadyaduśreṣṭhā matto yastu karagrahaḥ | yaṣṭāsau rājasūyasya brahmadatto mahīpatiḥ ||3-115-33 O the prominent among the yādava-s! Asking tribute from me is ridiculous. It is said that the lord of the earth brahmadatta is going to perform the royal sacrifice (rājasūya). tau tu yājayitārau hi haṁso ḍimbhaka eva ca | voḍhā kila yaduśreṣṭho lavaṇasya durātmanaḥ ||3-115-34 It is said that haṁsa and ḍimbhaka are conducting the sacrifice. It is said that the best among the yādava-s will offer salt as tribute to the wicked souls. karado vāsudevo hi jito'smi yadusattamāḥ | hāsyaṁ hāsyamidaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇudhvaṁ yādavā vacaḥ ||3-115-35 O the best among yādava-s! It is said that the defeated vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) will pay tribute. O yādava-s! Hear these highly laughable words again. ityuktavati deveshe balabhadrapurogamāḥ | yādavāḥ sarva evaite hāsāya samavasthitāḥ ||3-115-36 (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) When the Lord of gods (kṛṣṇa) spoke thus, all the yādava-s, beginning with balabhadra (rāma) started laughing. karadaḥ kṛṣṇa ityevaṁ bruvantaḥ sarvasātvatāḥ | hāsaṁ mumuchuratyarthaṁ talaṁ dattvā parasparaṁ ||3-115-37 All those of the sātvata race started laughing aloud and clapping hands saying that kṛṣṇa is paying tribute. talashabdo hāsaśabdo rodasī paryapūrayat | sa ca vipro nṛpaśreṣṭha nindayanmitramātmanaḥ ||3-115-38 The sound of the laughing and clapping filled up the earth and sky. O the best among kings (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The brahmin (janārdana) was ashamed of his own friendship (with haṁsa and Dimbahka). aho kaṣṭamaho kaṣṭaṁ dautyaṁ yatkṛtavānaham | iti lajjāsamāviṣṭastūṣṇīmāsīdavāṅmukhaḥ ||3-115-39 Alas! Highly miserable! It is highly miserable that I have taken up this assignment. Saying this, janārdana, became silent and lowered his head due to shame. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi haṁsaḍimbhakopākhyāne vāsudevavākye paṣchadaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ This is the one hundred and fifteenth chapter of bhaviṣyaparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahabhārata, in the episode of haṁsa and ḍimbhaka, janārdana conveys the demands of hamsa and ḍimbhaka nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 3-115-1 saḥ niveditam iśvare'rpitaṁ sarvasvaṁ yena tādṛśo dvāḥsthena dvārā pravishya sudharmāṁ sabhām apashyat || · 3-115-2 sudharmaḥ yogadharmo sākṣāttadākāreṇa saṁsthitiḥ saṁsthānaṁ yasya taṁ sudharmākṛtisaṁsthitam || īti srīnīlakaṇṭhakṛtau bhāratabhāvadīpe khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ haṁsaḍimbhakopākhyāne vāsudevavākye paṣchadaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ