Chapter 34: Nanda Mahārāja Saved and Śańkhacūḍa Slain

 

10.34.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

ekadā deva-yātrāyāḿ

gopālā jāta-kautukāḥ

anobhir anaḍud-yuktaiḥ

prayayus te 'mbikā-vanam

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ekadā — once; deva — (to worship) the demigod, Lord Śiva; yatrāyām — on a trip; gopālāḥ — the cowherd men; jāta-kautukāḥ — eager; anobhiḥ — with wagons; anaḍut — to oxen; yuktaiḥ — yoked; prayayuḥ — went forth; te — they; ambikā-vanam — to the Ambikā forest.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: One day the cowherd men, eager to take a trip to worship Lord Śiva, traveled by bullock carts to the Ambikā forest.

 

10.34.2

tatra snātvā sarasvatyāḿ

devaḿ paśu-patiḿ vibhum

ānarcur arhaṇair bhaktyā

devīḿ ca ṇṛpate 'mbikām

 

tatra — there; snātvā — bathing; sarasvatyām — in the river Sarasvatī; devam — the demigod; paśu-patim — Lord Śiva; vibhum — the powerful; ānarcuḥ — they worshiped; arhaṇaiḥ — with paraphernalia; bhaktyā — devotedly; devīm — the goddess; ca — and; nṛ-pate — O King; ambikām — Ambikā.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, after arriving there, they bathed in the Sarasvatī and then devotedly worshiped with various paraphernalia the powerful Lord Paśupati and his consort, goddess Ambikā.

 

10.34.3

gāvo hiraṇyaḿ vāsāḿsi

madhu madhv-annam ādṛtāḥ

brāhmaṇebhyo daduḥ sarve

devo naḥ prīyatām iti

 

gāvaḥ — cows; hiraṇyam — gold; vāsāḿsi — clothing; madhu — sweet-tasting; madhu — mixed with honey; annam — grains; ādṛtāḥ — respectfully; brāhmaṇebhyaḥ — to the brāhmaṇas; daduḥ — they gave; sarve — all of them; devaḥ — the lord; naḥ — with us; prīyatām — may be pleased; iti — thus praying.

TRANSLATION

The cowherd men gave the brāhmaṇas gifts of cows, gold, clothing and cooked grains mixed with honey. Then the cowherds prayed, "May the lord be pleased with us."

 

10.34.4

ūṣuḥ sarasvatī-tīre

jalaḿ prāśya yata-vratāḥ

rajanīḿ tāḿ mahā-bhāgā

nanda-sunandakādayaḥ

 

ūṣuḥ — they stayed; sarasvatī-tīre — on the bank of the Sarasvatī; jalam — water; prāśya — subsisting on; yata-vratāḥ — taking strict vows; rajanīm — the night; tām — that; mahā-bhāgāḥ — the greatly fortunate ones; nanda-sunandaka-ādayaḥ — Nanda, Sunanda and the others.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nanda, Sunanda and the other greatly fortunate cowherds spent that night on the bank of the Sarasvatī, strictly observing their vows. They fasted, taking only water.

 

10.34.5

kaścin mahān ahis tasmin

vipine 'ti-bubhukṣitaḥ

yadṛcchayāgato nandaḿ

śayānam ura-go 'grasīt

 

kaścit — a certain; mahān — great; ahiḥ — snake; tasmin — in that; vipine — area of the forest; ati-bubhukṣitaḥ — extremely hungry; yadṛcchayā — by chance; āgataḥ — came there; nandam — Nanda Mahārāja; śayānam — who was lying asleep; ura-gaḥ — moving on his belly; agrasīt — swallowed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

During the night a huge and extremely hungry snake appeared in that thicket. Slithering on his belly up to the sleeping Nanda Mahārāja, the snake began swallowing him.

 

10.34.6

sa cukrośāhinā grastaḥ

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahān ayam

sarpo māḿ grasate tāta

prapannaḿ parimocaya

 

saḥ — he, Nanda Mahārāja; cukrośa — shouted; ahinā — by the snake; grastaḥ — seized; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa; mahān — large; ayam — this; sarpaḥ — serpent; mām — me; grasate — is swallowing; tāta — my dear boy; prapannam — who is surrendered; parimocaya — please deliver.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the clutches of the snake, Nanda Mahārāja cried out, "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, my dear boy! This huge serpent is swallowing me! Please save me, who am surrendered to You!"

 

10.34.7

tasya cākranditaḿ śrutvā

gopālāḥ sahasotthitāḥ

grastaḿ ca dṛṣṭvā vibhrāntāḥ

sarpaḿ vivyadhur ulmukaiḥ

 

tasya — his; ca — and; ākranditam — the crying out; śrutvā — hearing; gopālāḥ — the cowherds; sahasā — suddenly; utthitāḥ — rising up; grastam — seized; ca — and; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; vibhrāntāḥ — disturbed; sarpam — the snake; vivyadhuḥ — they beat; ulmukaiḥ — with flaming torches.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the cowherd men heard the cries of Nanda, they immediately rose up and saw that he was being swallowed. Distraught, they beat the serpent with blazing torches.

 

10.34.8

alātair dahyamāno 'pi

nāmuñcat tam urańgamaḥ

tam aspṛśat padābhyetya

bhagavān sātvatāḿ patiḥ

 

alātaiḥ — by the firebrands; dahyamānaḥ — being burned; api — although; na amuñcat — did not release; tam — him; urańgamaḥ — the snake; tam — that snake; aspṛśat — touched; padā — with His foot; abhyetya — coming; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; sātvatām — of the devotees; patiḥ — the master.

 

TRANSLATION

 

But even though the firebrands were burning him, the serpent would not release Nanda Mahārāja. Then the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, master of His devotees, came to the spot and touched the snake with His foot.

 

10.34.9

sa vai bhagavataḥ śrīmat

pāda-sparśa-hatāśubhaḥ

bheje sarpa-vapur hitvā

rūpaḿ vidyādharārcitam

 

saḥ — he; vai — indeed; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śrī-mat — divine; pāda — of the foot; sparśa — by the touch; hata — destroyed; aśubhaḥ — all inauspiciousness; bheje — assumed; sarpa-vapuḥ — his snake body; hitvā — giving up; rūpam — a form; vidyādhara — by the Vidyādharas; arcitam — worshiped.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The snake had all his sinful reactions destroyed by the touch of the Supreme Lord's divine foot, and thus he gave up his serpent body and appeared in the form of a worshipable Vidyādhara.

 

10.34.10

tam apṛcchad dhṛṣīkeśaḥ

praṇataḿ samavasthitam

dīpyamānena vapuṣā

puruṣaḿ hema-mālinam

 

tam — from him; apṛcchat — inquired; hṛṣīkeśaḥ — the Supreme Lord Hṛṣīkeśa; praṇatam — who was offering obeisances; samavasthitam — standing before Him; dīpyamānena — brilliantly shining; vapuṣā — with his body; puruṣam — the personality; hema — golden; mālinam — wearing necklaces.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Lord Hṛṣīkeśa then questioned this personality, who was standing before Him with his head bowed, his brilliantly effulgent body bedecked with golden necklaces.

 

10.34.11

ko bhavān parayā lakṣmyā

rocate 'dbhuta-darśanaḥ

kathaḿ jugupsitām etāḿ

gatiḿ vā prāpito 'vaśaḥ

 

kaḥ — who; bhavān — your good self; parayā — with great; lakṣmyā — beauty; rocate — shine; adbhuta — wonderful; darśanaḥ — to see; katham — why; yugupsitām — terrible; etām — this; gatim — destination; vā — and; prāpitaḥ — made to assume; avaśaḥ — beyond your control.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] My dear sir, you appear so wonderful, glowing with such great beauty. Who are you? And who forced you to assume this terrible body of a snake?

 

10.34.12-13

sarpa uvāca

ahaḿ vidyādharaḥ kaścit

sudarśana iti śrutaḥ

śriyā svarūpa-sampattyā

vimānenācaran diśaḥ

 

ṛṣīn virūpāńgirasaḥ

prāhasaḿ rūpa-darpitaḥ

tair imāḿ prāpito yoniḿ

pralabdhaiḥ svena pāpmanā

 

sarpaḥ uvāca — the serpent said; aham — I; vidyādharaḥ — a Vidyādhara; kaścit — certain; sudarśanaḥ — Sudarśana; iti — thus; śrutaḥ — well known; śriyā — with opulence; svarūpa — of my personal form; sampattyā — with the asset; vimānena — in my airplane; ācaran — wandering; diśaḥ — the directions;

 

ṛṣīn — sages; virūpa — deformed; āńgirasaḥ — of the disciplic succession of Āńgirā Muni; prāhasam — I ridiculed; rūpa — because of beauty; darpitaḥ — overly conceited; taiḥ — by them; imām — this; prāpitaḥ — made to assume; yonim — the birth; pralabdhaiḥ — who were laughed at; svena — because of my own; pāpmanā — sinful action.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The serpent replied: I am the well-known Vidyādhara named Sudarśana. I was very opulent and beautiful, and I used to wander freely in all directions in my airplane. Once I saw some homely sages of the lineage of Ańgirā Muni. Proud of my beauty, I ridiculed them, and because of my sin they made me assume this lowly form.

 

10.34.14

śāpo me 'nugrahāyaiva

kṛtas taiḥ karuṇātmabhiḥ

yad ahaḿ loka-guruṇā

padā spṛṣṭo hatāśubhaḥ

 

śāpaḥ — the curse; me — my; anugrahāya — for the benediction; eva — certainly; kṛtaḥ — created; taiḥ — by them; karuṇa-ātmabhiḥ — who are merciful by nature; yat — since; aham — I; loka — of all the worlds; guruṇā — by the spiritual master; padā — with His foot; spṛṣṭaḥ — touched; hata — destroyed; aśubhaḥ — all inauspiciousness.

 

TRANSLATION

 

It was actually for my benefit that those merciful sages cursed me, since now I have been touched by the foot of the supreme spiritual master of all the worlds and have thus been relieved of all inauspiciousness.

 

10.34.15

taḿ tvāhaḿ bhava-bhītānāḿ

prapannānāḿ bhayāpaham

āpṛcche śāpa-nirmuktaḥ

pāda-sparśād amīva-han

 

tam — that same person; tvā — You; aham — I; bhava — of material existence; bhītānām — for those who are afraid; prapannānām — who are surrendered; bhaya — of fear; apaham — the remover; āpṛcche — I request permission; śāpa — from the curse; nirmuktaḥ — freed; pāda-sparśāt — by the touch of Your foot; amīva — of all distress; han — O destroyer.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My Lord, You destroy all fear for those who, fearing this material world, take shelter of You. By the touch of Your feet I am now freed from the curse of the sages. O destroyer of distress, please let me return to my planet.

 

10.34.16

prapanno 'smi mahā-yogin

mahā-puruṣa sat-pate

anujānīhi māḿ deva

sarva-lokeśvareśvara

 

prapannaḥ — surrendered; asmi — I am; mahā-yogin — O greatest of all possessors of mystic power; mahā-puruṣa — O greatest of all personalities; sat-pate — O master of the devotees; anujānīhi — please order; mām — me; deva — O God; sarva — of all; loka — of the worlds; īśvara — of the controllers; īśvara — O supreme controller.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O master of mystic power, O great personality, O Lord of the devotees, I surrender to You. Please command me as You will, O supreme God, Lord of all lords of the universe.

 

10.34.17

brahma-daṇḍād vimukto 'haḿ

sadyas te 'cyuta darśanāt

yan-nāma gṛhṇann akhilān

śrotṝn ātmānam eva ca

sadyaḥ punāti kiḿ bhūyas

tasya spṛṣṭaḥ padā hi te

 

brahma — of the brāhmaṇas; daṇḍāt — from the punishment; vimuktaḥ — freed; aham — I am; sadyaḥ — immediately; te — You; acyuta — O infallible Lord; darśanāt — by seeing; yat — whose; nāma — name; gṛhṇan — chanting; akhilān — all; śrotṝn — hearers; ātmānam — oneself; eva — indeed; ca — also; sadyaḥ — immediately; punāti — purifies; kim bhūyaḥ — what more, then; tasya — His; spṛṣṭaḥ — touched; padā — by the foot; hi — indeed; te — Your.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O infallible one, I was immediately freed from the brāhmaṇas' punishment simply by seeing You. Anyone who chants Your name purifies all who hear his chanting, as well as himself. How much more beneficial, then, is the touch of Your lotus feet?

 

10.34.18

ity anujñāpya dāśārhaḿ

parikramyābhivandya ca

sudarśano divaḿ yātaḥ

kṛcchrān nandaś ca mocitaḥ

 

iti — thus; anujñāpya — taking permission; dāśārham — from Lord Kṛṣṇa; parikramya — circumambulating; abhivandya — offering obeisances; ca — and; sudarśanaḥ — Sudarśana; divam — to heaven; yātaḥ — went; kṛcchrāt — from his difficulty; nandaḥ — Nanda Mahārāja; ca — also; mocitaḥ — was delivered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus receiving the permission of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the demigod Sudarśana circumambulated Him, bowed down to offer Him homage and then returned to his heavenly planet. Nanda Mahārāja was thus delivered from peril.

 

10.34.19

niśāmya kṛṣṇasya tad ātma-vaibhavaḿ

vrajaukaso vismita-cetasas tataḥ

samāpya tasmin niyamaḿ punar vrajaḿ

ṇṛpāyayus tat kathayanta ādṛtāḥ

 

niśāmya — seeing; kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; tat — that; ātma — personal; vaibhavam — opulent display of power; vraja-okasaḥ — the inhabitants of Vraja; vismita — amazed; cetasaḥ — in their minds; tataḥ — then; samāpya — finishing; tasmin — at that place; niyamam — their vow; punaḥ — again; vrajam — to the cowherd village; nṛpa — O King; āyayuḥ — they returned; tat — that display; kathayantaḥ — describing; ādṛtāḥ — with reverence.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The inhabitants of Vraja were astonished to see the mighty power of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Dear King, they then completed their worship of Lord Śiva and returned to Vraja, along the way respectfully describing Kṛṣṇa's powerful acts.

 

10.34.20

kadācid atha govindo

rāmaś cādbhuta-vikramaḥ

vijahratur vane rātryāḿ

madhya-gau vraja-yoṣitām

 

kadācit — on one occasion; atha — then; govindaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma; ca — and; adbhuta — wonderful; vikramaḥ — whose deeds; vijahratuḥ — the two of Them played; vane — in the forest; rātryām — at night; madhya-gau — in the midst; vraja-yoṣitām — of the women of the cowherd community.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Once Lord Govinda and Lord Rāma, the performers of wonderful feats, were playing in the forest at night with the young girls of Vraja.

 

10.34.21

upagīyamānau lalitaḿ

strī-janair baddha-sauhṛdaiḥ

sv-alańkṛtānuliptāńgau

sragvinau virajo-'mbarau

 

upagīyamānau — Their glories being sung; lalitam — charmingly; strī-janaiḥ — by the womenfolk; baddha — bound; sauhṛdaiḥ — in affection for Them; su-alańkṛta — finely decorated; anulipta — and anointed with (sandalwood pulp); ańgau — whose limbs; srak-vinau — wearing flower garlands; virajaḥ — spotless; ambarau — whose garments.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma wore flower garlands and spotless garments, and Their limbs were beautifully decorated and anointed. The women sang Their glories in a charming way, bound to Them by affection.

 

10.34.22

niśā-mukhaḿ mānayantāv

uditoḍupa-tārakam

mallikā-gandha-mattāli-

juṣṭaḿ kumuda-vāyunā

 

niśā-mukham — the beginning of night; mānayantau — the two of Them honoring; udita — having risen; uḍupa — the moon; tārakam — and stars; mallikā — of the jasmine flowers; gandha — by the fragrance; matta — intoxicated; ali — by the bees; juṣṭam — liked; kumuda — from the lotuses; vāyunā — with the breeze.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The two Lords praised the nightfall, signaled by the rising of the moon and the appearance of stars, a lotus-scented breeze and bees intoxicated by the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

 

10.34.23

jagatuḥ sarva-bhūtānāḿ

manaḥ-śravaṇa-mańgalam

tau kalpayantau yugapat

svara-maṇḍala-mūrcchitam

 

jagatuḥ — They sang; sarva-bhūtānām — of all living beings; manaḥ — for the mind; śravaṇa — and ears; mańgalam — happiness; tau — the two of Them; kalpayantau — producing; yugapat — simultaneously; svara — of musical tones; maṇḍala — by the entire scale; mūrcchitam — augmented.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma sang, producing the entire range of musical sounds simultaneously. Their singing brought happiness to the ears and minds of all living beings.

 

10.34.24

gopyas tad-gītam ākarṇya

mūrcchitā nāvidan nṛpa

sraḿsad-dukūlam ātmānaḿ

srasta-keśa-srajaḿ tataḥ

 

gopyaḥ — the gopīs; tat — of Them; gītam — the singing; ākarṇya — hearing; mūrcchitāḥ — stunned; na avidan — were not aware of; nṛpa — my dear King; sraḿsat — slipping; dukūlam — the fine cloth of their garments; ātmānam — themselves; srasta — disheveled; keśa — their hair; srajam — the garlands; tataḥ — (slipping) from that.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The gopīs became stunned when they heard that song. Forgetting themselves, O King, they did not notice that their fine garments were becoming loose and their hair and garlands disheveled.

 

10.34.25

evaḿ vikrīḍatoḥ svairaḿ

gāyatoḥ sampramatta-vat

śańkhacūḍa iti khyāto

dhanadānucaro 'bhyagāt

 

evam — thus; vikrīḍatoḥ — as the two of Them were playing; svairam — as They desired; gāyatoḥ — singing; sampramatta — to the point of intoxication; vat — as if; śańkhacūḍaḥ — Śańkhacūḍa; iti — thus; khyātaḥ — named; dhana-da — of the treasurer of the demigods, Lord Kuvera; anucaraḥ — a servant; abhyagāt — arrived.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma thus played according to Their own sweet will and sang to the point of apparent intoxication, a servant of Kuvera named Śańkhacūḍa came upon the scene.

 

10.34.26

tayor nirīkṣato rājaḿs

tan-nāthaḿ pramadā-janam

krośantaḿ kālayām āsa

diśy udīcyām aśańkitaḥ

 

tayoḥ — the two of Them; nirīkṣatoḥ — as They looked on; rājan — O King; tat-nātham — having Them as their Lords; pramadā-janam — the assemblage of women; krośantam — crying out; kālayām āsa — he drove; diśi — in the direction; udīcyām — northern; aśańkitaḥ — without fear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, even as the two Lords looked on, Śańkhacūḍa brazenly began driving the women off toward the north. The women, who had accepted Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as their Lords, began to cry out to Them.

 

10.34.27

krośantaḿ kṛṣṇa rāmeti

vilokya sva-parigraham

yathā gā dasyunā grastā

bhrātarāv anvadhāvatām

 

krośantam — crying out; kṛṣṇa rāma iti — "Kṛṣṇa! Rāma!"; vilokya — seeing; sva-parigraham — Their devotees; yathā — just as; gāḥ — cows; dasyunā — by a thief; grastāḥ — seized; bhrātarau — the two brothers; anvadhāvatām — ran after.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Hearing Their devotees crying out "Kṛṣṇa! Rāma!" and seeing that they were just like cows being stolen by a thief, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma began to run after the demon.

 

10.34.28

mā bhaiṣṭety abhayārāvau

śāla-hastau tarasvinau

āsedatus taḿ tarasā

tvaritaḿ guhyakādhamam

 

mā bhaiṣṭa — do not fear; iti — thus calling; abhaya — giving fearlessness; ārāvau — whose words; śāla — stones; hastau — in Their hands; tarasvinau — moving quickly; āsedatuḥ — They approached; tam — that demon; tarasā — with haste; tvaritam — who was moving swiftly; guhyaka — of Yakṣas; adhamam — the worst.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Lords called out in reply, "Do not fear! "Then They picked up logs of the śala tree and quickly pursued that lowest of Guhyakas, who swiftly ran away.

 

10.34.29

sa vīkṣya tāv anuprāptau

kāla-mṛtyū ivodvijan

viṣṛjya strī-janaḿ mūḍhaḥ

prādravaj jīvitecchayā

 

saḥ — he, Śańkhacūḍa; vīkṣya — seeing; tau — the two; anuprāptau — approached; kāla-mṛtyū — Time and Death; iva — as; udvijan — becoming anxious; visṛjya — leaving aside; strī-janam — the women; mūḍhaḥ — confused; prādravat — ran away; jīvita — his life; icchayā — with the desire of preserving.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Śańkhacūḍa saw the two of Them coming toward him like the personified forces of Time and Death, he was filled with anxiety. Confused, he abandoned the women and fled for his life.

 

10.34.30

tam anvadhāvad govindo

yatra yatra sa dhāvati

jihīrṣus tac-chiro-ratnaḿ

tasthau rakṣan striyo balaḥ

 

tam — after him; anvadhāvat — ran; govindaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; yatra yatra — wherever; saḥ — he; dhāvati — was running; jihīrṣuḥ — desiring to take away; tat — his; śiraḥ — upon the head; ratnam — the jewel; tasthau — stood; rakṣan — protecting; striyaḥ — the women; balaḥ — Lord Balarāma.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Govinda chased the demon wherever he ran, eager to take his crest jewel. Meanwhile Lord Balarāma stayed with the women to protect them.

 

10.34.31

avidūra ivābhyetya

śiras tasya durātmanaḥ

jahāra muṣṭinaivāńga

saha-cūḍa-maṇiḿ vibhuḥ

 

avidūre — nearby; iva — as if; abhyetya — coming toward; śiraḥ — the head; tasya — of him; durātmanaḥ — the wicked one; jahāra — took away; muṣṭinā — with His fist; eva — simply; ańga — my dear King; saha — together with; cūḍa-maṇim — the jewel upon his head; vibhuḥ — the almighty Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The mighty Lord overtook Śańkhacūḍa from a great distance as if from nearby, my dear King, and then with His fist the Lord removed the wicked demon's head, together with his crest jewel.

 

10.34.32

śańkhacūḍaḿ nihatyaivaḿ

maṇim ādāya bhāsvaram

agrajāyādadāt prītyā

paśyantīnāḿ ca yoṣitām

 

śańkhacūḍam — the demon Śańkhacūḍa; nihatya — killing; evam — in this manner; maṇim — the jewel; ādāya — taking; bhāsvaram — brilliant; agra-jāya — to His elder brother (Lord Balarāma); adadāt — gave; prītyā — with satisfaction; paśyantīnām — as they were watching; ca — and; yoṣitām — the women.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Having thus killed the demon Śańkhacūḍa and taken away his shining jewel, Lord Kṛṣṇa gave it to His elder brother with great satisfaction as the gopīs watched.