Source
Texts:
The
Deliverance of Mucukunda
Text
1-6:
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Seeing
Him coming out
[see 50:
57]
like
the moon rising, most beautiful to behold, with a dark
complexion, a yellow silk garment, the s'rîvatsa on His
chest, the brilliant kaustubha-gem decorating His neck, His
mighty, long four arms and eyes as pink as newly grown lotuses;
His always effulgent, clean, joyful smile to His beautiful
cheeks, His lotuslike face and the display of His shark-shaped
earrings, thought he
[Kâlayavana]:
'This person indeed must be Vâsudeva with the
s'rîvatsa, the four arms, the lotus-eyes, the wearing of
forest-flowers and with the great beauty. From the marks
Nârada mentioned can He be no one else, going there
without weapons on foot; I'll fight Him without weapons!' The
yavana thus decided, pursuing wanted to catch Him, who had His
face turned away and fled; He, who is unattainable even to the
mystic yogi's.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Kâlayavana saw the Lord come
out from Mathurâ like the rising moon. The Lord was
most beautiful to behold, with His dark-blue complexion and
yellow silk garment. Upon His chest He bore the mark of
S'rîvatsa, and the Kaustubha gem adorned His neck. His
four arms were sturdy and long. He displayed His ever-joyful
lotuslike face, with eyes pink like lotuses, beautifully
effulgent cheeks, a pristine smile and glittering
shark-shaped earrings. The barbarian thought, "This person
must indeed be Vâsudeva, since He possesses the
characteristics Nârada mentioned: He is marked with
S'rîvatsa, He has four arms, His eyes are like
lotuses, He wears a garland of forest flowers, and He is
extremely handsome. He cannot be anyone else. Since He goes
on foot and unarmed, I will fight Him without weapons."
Resolving thus, he ran after the Lord, who turned His back
and ran away. Kâlayavana hoped to catch Lord Krishna,
though great mystic yogîs cannot attain Him.
Text
7
With
every step He brought Himself almost within the reach of his
hands and thus going far confronted He that lord of the yavanas
with a mountain cave.
Appearing
virtually within reach of Kâlayavana's hands at every
moment, Lord Hari led the King of the Yavanas far away to a
mountain cave.
Text
8
In his pursuit
insulting Him with words like 'Fleeing is for You being born in
the Yadu-dynasty improper!', could he, whose mischief had not
found its end [yet], not reach Him.
While
chasing the Lord, the Yavana cast insults at Him, saying
"You took birth in the Yadu dynasty. It's not proper for You
to run away!" But still Kâlayavana could not reach
Lord Krishna, because his sinful reactions had not been
cleansed away.
Text
9
Even
though He was thus abused, entered the Supreme Lord the
mountain cave and as he also entered saw he lying there another
man.
Although
insulted in this way, the Supreme Lord entered the mountain
cave. Kâlayavana also entered, and there he saw
another man lying asleep.
Tex
10:
'And
now, bringing me this long distance is He lying down here like
a saint!' and thus erroneously thinking him to be Acyuta,
struck he him full force with his foot.
"So,
after leading me such a long distance, now He is lying here
like some saint!" Thus thinking the sleeping man to be Lord
Krishna, the deluded fool kicked him with all his
strength.
Text
11
He,
awaking after a long period of sleep, slowly opened his eyes
and, looking about in every direction, saw him standing at his
side.
The
man awoke after a long sleep and slowly opened his eyes.
Looking all about, he saw Kâlayavana standing beside
him.
Text
12
O
descendant of Bharata he as such, was by the glance, the
angered man cast on him, in a moment burnt to ashes by a fire
that generated from within his own body
[*].'
The
awakened man was angry and cast his glance at
Kâlayavana, whose body burst into flames. In a single
moment, O King Parîkchit, Kâlayavana was burnt
to ashes.
Text
13
The honorable
king [Parîkchit] said: 'Who in particular was
that person, o brahmin, of which family was he and of what
powers; why had he gone into the cave to sleep and of whose
seed was he born that destroyer of the yavana?'
King
Parîkchit said: Who was that person, O brâhmana?
To which family did he belong, and what were his powers? Why
did that destroyer of the barbarian lie down to sleep in the
cave, and whose son was he?
Text
14
S'rî
S'uka said: 'He is known as Mucukunda, born in the
Ikshvâku dynasty as a son of Mândhâtâ
[see 9.6:
38 and
9.7];
a great personality devoted to the brahminical and true to his
vow in battle.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Mucukunda was the name of this
great personality, who was born in the Ikshvâku
dynasty as the son of Mândhâtâ. He was
devoted to brahminical culture and always true to his vow in
battle.
Text
15
He, on the
request of the godly headed by Indra who were terrified of the
asuras, was for a long time of service to assure them their
protection.
Begged
by Indra and the other demigods to help protect them when
they were terrorized by the demons, Mucukunda defended them
for a long time.
Text
16
They,
obtaining Guha ['from the cave'; Skanda or
Kârttikeya] as their protector of heaven, then said
to Mucukunda: 'O King, please desist from the trouble your good
self has to protect us.
When
the demigods obtained Kârttikeya as their general,
they told Mucukunda, "O King, you may now give up your
troublesome duty of guarding us.
Text
17
You
forgetting all your personal desires have, with abandoning a
kingdom in the world of man, for our protection removed those
[asura] thorns, o hero.
"Abandoning
an unopposed kingdom in the world of men, O valiant one, you
neglected all your personal desires while engaged in
protecting us.
.
Text
18
Your children,
your queens and your other relatives, ministers, advisers and
subjects are not alive now, are not of this time anymore; time
separates.
"The
children, queens, relatives, ministers, advisers and
subjects who were your contemporaries are no longer alive.
They have all been swept away by time.
Text
19
Time, more
powerful than the powerful, is the Supreme Inexhaustible Lord
in Control who, playing a game of herdsman and flock, sets the
mortal beings in motion.
"Inexhaustible
time, stronger than the strong, is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead Himself. Like a herdsman moving his animals
along, He moves mortal creatures as His pastime.
Text
20
All good
fortune to you, choose today any benediction from us except for
the one of liberation, as only the Supreme Inexhaustible Lord
S'rî Vishnu is capable of that.'
"All
good fortune to you! Now please choose a benediction from us
- anything but liberation, since only the infallible Supreme
Lord, Vishnu, can bestow that."
Text
21
He, for his
great fame thus addressed indeed by the demigods, respectfully
saluted them and laid himself down in a cave to enjoy the sleep
the gods had granted him [**].
Addressed
thus, King Mucukunda took his respectful leave of the
demigods and went to a cave, where he lay down to enjoy the
sleep they had granted him.
Text
22
After the
barbarian was turned into ashes revealed the Supreme Lord, the
great hero of the Sâtvatas, Himself to the wise
Mucukunda.
After
the Yavana was burnt to ashes, the Supreme Lord, chief of
the Sâtvatas, revealed Himself to the wise
Mucukunda.
Text
23-26
Looking at Him
- dark as a cloud, in a yellow silk garment, the
s'rîvatsa on His chest, the brilliant kaustubha gem
glowing, the four arms and the beautifying vaijayantî
garland; His attractive calm face and glittering shark-shaped
earrings, His affectionate smile appealing to all mankind, His
glance, His youthful handsome form, His noble gait and fire
like that of a lion - was he, so highly intelligent,
overwhelmed by His effulgence, which was a splendor
unassailable indeed, and posed he in doubt hesitantly a
question.
As
he gazed at the Lord, King Mucukunda saw that He was dark
blue like a cloud, had four arms, and wore a yellow silk
garment. On His chest He bore the S'rîvatsa mark and
on His neck the brilliantly glowing Kaustubha gem. Adorned
with a Vaijayantî garland, the Lord displayed His
handsome, peaceful face, which attracts the eyes of all
mankind with its shark-shaped earrings and affectionately
smiling glance. The beauty of His youthful form was
unexcelled, and He moved with the nobility of an angry lion.
The highly intelligent King was overwhelmed by the Lord's
effulgence, which showed Him to be invincible. Expressing
his uncertainty, Mucukunda hesitantly questioned Lord
Krishna as follows.
Text
27
Sr'î
Mucukunda said: 'Who are You to join me in the forest in a
mountain cave, with Your feet like the petals of a lotus
walking the thorny ground.
S'rî
Mucukunda said: Who are You who have come to this mountain
cave in the forest, having walked on the thorny ground with
feet as soft as lotus petals?
Text
28
Maybe
you're the Supreme Lord, the origin of all empowered beings, or
else the god of fire, the sungod, the moongod, the king of
heaven or perhaps a ruler from another planet.
Perhaps
You are the potency of all potent beings. Or maybe You are
the powerful god of fire, or the sun-god, the moon-god, the
King of heaven or the ruling demigod of some other
planet.
Text
29
I
think You're the God of the three personalities of the
demigods, the Greatest, because You dispel the darkness of the
cave [the 'heart'] like a lamp with its
light.
I
think You are the Supreme Personality among the three chief
gods, since You drive away the darkness of this cave as a
lamp dispels darkness with its light.
Text
30
O Most Eminent
Among Man, if you like, if you can, veraciously describe for us
eager to hear, Your birth, activities and
lineage.
O
best among men, if You like, please truly describe Your
birth, activities and lineage to us, who are eager to
hear.
Text
31
We from our
side, o tiger among men, are descendants of Ikshvâku, a
family of kshatriyas with me, born from the son of
Yuvanâs'va, called Mucukunda o Lord.
As
for ourselves, O tiger among men, we belong to a family of
fallen kshatriyas, descendants of King Ikshvâku. My
name is Mucukunda, my Lord, and I am the son of
Yauvanâs'va.
Text
32
Because I
remained awake for a long time was I, fatigued in my senses and
overwhelmed by sleep, to my comfort lying in this solitary
place and have I now been awakened by someone.
I
was fatigued after remaining awake for a long time, and my
senses were overwhelmed by sleep. Thus I slept comfortably
here in this solitary place until, just now, someone woke
me.
Text
33
That
person turned to ashes indeed out of his own sinful conduct
only, and Your good Self so glorious, o Chastiser of Enemies, I
saw following immediately thereafter.
The
man who woke me was burned to ashes by the reaction of his
sins. Just then I saw You, possessing a glorious appearance
and the power to chastise Your enemies.
Text
34
Because
of Your unbearable effulgence are we, diminished in our
faculties, not able to behold You, o most Gracious One; You are
to be honored by all embodied beings!'
Your
unbearably brilliant effulgence overwhelms our strength, and
thus we cannot fix our gaze upon You. O exalted one, You are
to be honored by all embodied beings.
Text
35
Thus
addressed by the king replied the Supreme Lord and Origin of
All Creation, smiling broadly, with words deep as the rumbling
of clouds.
[S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî continued:] Thus addressed by the
King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, origin of all
creation, smiled and then replied to him in a voice as deep
as the rumbling of clouds.
Text
36
The
Supreme Lord said: 'My births, activities and names are there
by the thousands, My dearest, limitless as they are they cannot
even be enumerated by Me!
The
Supreme Lord said: My dear friend, I have taken thousands of
births, lived thousands of lives and accepted thousands of
names. In fact My births, activities and names are
limitless, and thus even I cannot count them.
Text
37
Some
time, after many lives, one might count the particles of dust
on earth, but never ever so My many qualities, activities,
names and births.
After
many lifetimes someone might count the dust particles on the
earth, but no one can ever finish counting My qualities,
activities, names and births.
Text
38
Not
even the greatest sages counting My births and activities
taking place to the three of time [past, present,
future], o King, can reach the end of them [compare
8.5:
6
and 8.23:
29].
O
King, the greatest sages enumerate My births and activities,
which take place throughout the three phases of time, but
never do they reach the end of them.
Text
39-40
Nonetheless, o
friend, just hear from Me about the current one, this Speaker.
In the past I was beseeched by Lord Brahmâ
[see
3.9 and also
10.14]
to secure the dharma and destroy the demons who are a burden to
the earth, and so I descended into the Yadu-dynasty in the home
of Vasudeva and do the people indeed call Me Vâsudeva,
the son of Vasudeva.
Nonetheless,
O friend, I will tell you about My current birth, name and
activities. Kindly hear. Some time ago, Lord Brahmâ
requested Me to protect religious principles and destroy the
demons who were burdening the earth. Thus I descended in the
Yadu dynasty, in the home of Ânakadundubhi. Indeed,
because I am the son of Vasudeva, people call Me
Vâsudeva.
Text
41
Kâlanemi
I killed [see
10.8:
56], Kamsa
[10.44],
Pralamba [10.18]
and
others envious of the virtuous, and this yavana, o King was
burned by your scorching glance.
I
have killed Kâlanemi, reborn as Kamsa, as well as
Pralamba and other enemies of the pious. And now, O King,
this barbarian has been burnt to ashes by your piercing
glance.
Text
42
I,
that very same person caring for the devotees, approached this
cave for the sake of favoring you as you before have often
prayed for it.
Since
in the past you repeatedly prayed to Me, I have personally
come to this cave to show you mercy, for I am affectionately
inclined to My devotees.
Text
43
Just
choose your benedictions, o saintly King, I will give you all
that you desire; any person who has satisfied Me, never again
needs to lament.'
Now
choose some benedictions from Me, O saintly King. I will
fulfill all your desires. One who has satisfied Me need
never again lament.
Text
44
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thus being addressed bowing down to Him spoke
Mucukunda reminiscent of the words of
Garga
[***],
filled with joy knowing He was Nârâyana the
[original] Godhead.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Mucukunda bowed down to the Lord
when he heard this. Remembering the words of the sage Garga,
he joyfully recognized Krishna to be the Supreme Lord,
Nârâyana. The King then addressed Him as
follows.
Text
45
S'rî
Mucukunda said: 'This person, not of worship for You, can,
bewildered by Your own mâyâ o Lord, not see his own
benefit when he, wishing for happiness, gets cheated as a
family man or woman entangled going for things that bring
misery.
S'rî
Mucukunda said: O Lord, the people of this world, both men
and women, are bewildered by Your illusory energy. Unaware
of their real benefit, they do not worship You but instead
seek happiness by entangling themselves in family affairs,
which are actually sources of misery.
Text
46
The
person that somehow or other attaining to what is rarely
obtained in this world - a human form and not the paws, but not
worshiping not tries, o sinless one, for Your lotuslike feet,
has, impure in his mentality, like an animal fallen in the
blind well of his home.
That
person has an impure mind who, despite having somehow or
other automatically obtained the rare and highly evolved
human form of life, does not worship Your lotus feet. Like
an animal that has fallen into a blind well, such a person
has fallen into the darkness of a material home.
Text
47
O
Unconquerable One, wasting my time in this, I built a kingdom
and opulence now all gone; intoxicated as an earthly ruler who
mistakes the mortal frame for himself, suffered I endless
anxieties getting attached to children, wives, riches and
land.
I
have wasted all this time, O unconquerable one, becoming
more and more intoxicated by my domain and opulence as an
earthly king. Misidentifying the mortal body as the self,
becoming attached to children, wives, treasury and land, I
suffered endless anxiety.
Text
48
Minding
this body, which is a confinement like a pot or a wall, I thus
thought myself to be a god among man, surrounded by chariots,
elephants, horses, infantry and generals traveling the earth
without seriously regarding You in my great
pride.
With
deep arrogance I took myself to be the body, which is a
material object like a pot or a wall. Thinking myself a god
among men, I traveled the earth surrounded by my
charioteers, elephants, cavalry, foot soldiers and generals,
disregarding You in my deluding pride.
Text
49
Forgetful
about what needs to be done, hankering for sense objects
endlessly ruminating with an ever growing greed, is one
suddenly confronted with You, the one that does mind; the death
to a mouse in front of a hungry snake licking its
fangs.
A
man obsessed with thoughts of what he thinks needs to be
done, intensely greedy, and delighting in sense enjoyment is
suddenly confronted by You, who are ever alert. Like a
hungry snake licking its fangs before a mouse, You appear
before him as death.
Text
50
Previously
named 'the king' riding chariots furnished with gold or fierce
elephants is that same one unavoidably with the Time of Your
body called 'feces', 'worms' and 'ashes' [see also
16.4:
2-6].
The
body that at first rides high on fierce elephants or
chariots adorned with gold and is known by the name "king"
is later, by Your invincible power of time, called "feces,"
"worms," or "ashes."
Text
51
Full
circle Having conquered the directions with no opposition to
fear seated on a throne and praised by kings alike is the
person in his home like a pet led about, sexually borrowing his
happiness from women, o Lord.
Having
conquered the entire circle of directions and being thus
free of conflict, a man sits on a splendid throne, receiving
praise from leaders who were once his equals. But when he
enters the women's chambers, where sex pleasure is found, he
is led about like a pet animal, O Lord.
Text
52
In
that with an odd eye reaching for more, one with penance
performs one's duties strictly avoiding pleasures, but thinking
of himself as 'I the greater sovereign' can he, whose urges are
so pronounced, not attain happiness.
A
king who desires even greater power than he already has
strictly performs his duties, carefully practicing austerity
and forgoing sense enjoyment. But he whose urges are so
rampant, thinking "I am independent and supreme," cannot
attain happiness.
Text
53
When
it happens that the wandering person reaches the end of his
material existence will at that time o Infallible One, the
association of the good and honest, the sat-sanga, be found
after which next the devotion is born for Him who for the
virtuous is the only goal as the Lord of the Higher
[cause] and Lower [effects].
When
the material life of a wandering soul has ceased, O Acyuta,
he may attain the association of Your devotees. And when he
associates with them, there awakens in him devotion unto
You, who are the goal of the devotees and the Lord of all
causes and their effects.
Text
54
I
think o Lord that, with the spontaneous removal of the
attachment to my kingdom, you've been of mercy with me: for
that do the saintly rulers of endless stretches of land pray
when, wishing to be on themselves, they enter the
forest.
My
Lord, I think You have shown me mercy, since my attachment
to my kingdom has spontaneously ceased. Such freedom is
prayed for by saintly rulers of vast empires who desire to
enter the forest for a life of solitude.
Text
55
I
do not desire anything other but the service to Your feet who
to those not desiring a material life are the object of desire,
the boon sought, o Almighty one; what faithful man of worship
for You, the Bestower of the Path of Emancipation, o Lord,
would as a boon choose for that which causes his
bondage?
O
all-powerful one, I desire no boon other than service to
Your lotus feet, the boon most eagerly sought by those free
of material desire. O Hari, what enlightened person who
worships You, the giver of liberation, would choose a boon
that causes his own bondage?
Text
56
Therefore
o Lord, entirely putting aside the worldly blessings from which
one is entangled in the modes of passion, ignorance and
goodness, am I approaching You, the Original Person of Pure
Knowledge free from mundane designations Who is nondual and
supreme above the modes.
Therefore,
O Lord, having put aside all objects of material desire,
which are bound to the modes of passion, ignorance and
goodness, I am approaching You, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, for shelter. You are not covered by mundane
designations; rather, You are the Supreme Absolute Truth,
full in pure knowledge and transcendental to the material
modes.
Text
57
For
long was I full of remorse distressed in the world being
tormented by disturbances; with my six enemies [the senses
and the mind] never satiated there was no way to find peace
o Bestower of the Shelter, please o Lord protect me who facing
these dangers, o Supreme Soul, approached Your lotus feet, the
truth free from sorrow ridding of fear.'
For
so long I have been pained by troubles in this world and
have been burning with lamentation. My six enemies are never
satiated, and I can find no peace. Therefore, O giver of
shelter, O Supreme Soul, please protect me. O Lord, in the
midst of danger I have by good fortune approached Your lotus
feet, which are the truth and which thus make one fearless
and free of sorrow.
Text
58
The
Supreme Lord said: 'O great King, emperor of all, even though
being tempted with benedictions were you capable of mind
spotless in not being spoiled by desires.
The
Supreme Lord said: O emperor, great ruler, your mind is pure
and potent. Though I enticed You with benedictions, your
mind was not overcome by material desires.
Text
59
Please
know that the fact that you were enticed with benedictions was
to prove your freedom from bewilderment; never is the
exclusive[-ly to Me devoted] intelligence of the
bhakta's diverted by material blessings.
Understand
that I enticed you with benedictions just to prove that you
would not be deceived. The intelligence of My unalloyed
devotees is never diverted by material blessings.
Text
60
With those who,
not devoted to Me, occupy themselves with breath-exercises and
such, is, since they did not eliminate the traces of material
desire [the vâsanâs], o King, observed that
again their minds awaken [to
sense-gratification].
The
minds of nondevotees who engage in such practices as
prânâyama are not fully cleansed of material
desires. Thus, O King, material desires are again seen to
arise in their minds.
Text
61
Wander
this earth as you like and may, with your mind fixed in Me,
there thus always be the devotion to Me for you that does not
fail.
Wander
this earth at will, with your mind fixed on Me. May you
always possess such unfailing devotion for Me.
Text
62
Following
the dharma of the ruling class you've killed living beings as
you were hunting and with other actions; that sin you should
eradicate fully concentrated in penances taking shelter of
Me.
Because
you followed the principles of a kshatriya, you killed
living beings while hunting and performing other duties. You
must vanquish the sins thus incurred by carefully executing
penances while remaining surrendered to Me.
Text
63
In
the birth immediately hereafter o King, will you, becoming a
supreme well-wisher to all living beings, be a fine brahmin and
indeed will come to Me only [see also B.G.
5:29].
O
King, in your very next life you will become an excellent
brâhmana, the greatest well-wisher of all creatures,
and certainly come to Me alone.
*
Mucukunda, the man asleep, as stated hereafter fought for a
long time on behalf of the demigods and finally took as his
benediction the right to sleep undisturbed. The paramparâ
by S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî quotes the
Hari-vams'a that explains he secured the further benediction of
being able to destroy anyone who disturbed his sleep. He
further elucidates that Mucukunda made this rather morbid
request to scare Lord Indra, who, so Mucukunda thought, might
otherwise wake him up repeatedly to request his help in
fighting Indra's cosmic enemies. Indra's consent to Mucukunda's
request is described in the S'rî Vishnu Purâna as
follows: "The
demigods declared, 'Whoever awakens you from sleep will
suddenly be burnt to ashes by a fire generated from his own
body.' "
**
S'rîla Bhaktisiddhânta Sarasvatî
Thâkura gives the following lines from an alternate
reading of this chapter. These lines are to be inserted between
the two halves of this verse:
nidrâm
eva tato vavre
sa râjâ s'rama-karshitah
yah kas'cin mama nidrâyâ
bhangam kuryâd surottamâh
sa hi bhasmî-bhaved âs'u
tathoktas' ca surais tadâ
svâpam yâtam yo madhye tu
bodhayet tvâm acetanah
sa tvayâ drishtha-mâtras tu
bhasmî-bhavatu tat-kshanât
"The
King, exhausted by his labor, then chose sleep as his
benediction. He further stated, 'O best of the demigods, may
whoever disturbs my sleep be immediately burned to ashes.' The
demigods replied, 'So be it,' and told him, 'That insensitive
person who wakes you in the middle of your sleep will
immediately turn to ashes simply by your seeing him.
***
The paramparâ states: 'S'rîla S'rîdhara
Svâmî informs us that Mucukunda was aware of the
prediction of the ancient sage Garga that in the twenty-eighth
millennium the Supreme Lord would descend. According to
Âcârya Vis'vanâtha, Garga Muni further
informed Mucukunda that he would personally see the Lord. Now
it was all happening.'
