॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
13 May 2023, Saturday - Srimad Bhagavatam X.a42 - Sri Krishna bestows grace on Kubja and breaks the Dhaunsh placed for Dhanuryajna. Kamsa is terrified.
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Sri Krishna and Balarama continued roaming the main street of Mathura. Then they saw a beautiful-faced woman, bent like a hunchback (Kubja in Sanskrit), carrying sandal paste and other special scents and unguents. Sri Krishna approached her with a sweetly worded enquiry. "Oh, lovely maiden, for whom are you carrying these perfumes? It would be so nice of you to give us these fragrances, I assure you it will augur well for you!"
सैरन्ध्र्युवाच
दास्यस्म्यहं सुन्दर कंससम्मता त्रिवक्रनामा ह्यनुलेपकर्मणि ।
मद्भावितं भोजपतेरतिप्रियं विना युवां कोऽन्यतमस्तदर्हति ॥
T: The maiden, obviously the king's attendant, replied: "I am the servant in Kamsa's court, oh, handome sir! My condition has got me the name "Trivakra (Bent in three places), and my speciality is preparing and applying perfumed unguents and pastes on the king's person. He loves my work very much. However, I do think that there can be no better gentlemen than you two to receive these special perfumes." Saying this, the woman graciously handed over her basket. She was, as could be expected, fascinated by Sri Krishna and Balarama with their divine appearance and qualities. The two took the basket gladly, and happily applied the sandal paste and the red sandal paste respectively all over themselves, and as a result were pictures of fragrant beauty. Sri Krishna now felt most gracious towards the woman and wanted to do her a very loving favour for her generosity.
पद्भ्यामाक्रम्य प्रपदे द्व्यङ्गुल्युत्तानपाणिना । प्रगृह्य चिबुकेऽध्यात्ममुदनीनमदच्युतः ॥
सा तदर्जुसमानाङ्गी बृहच्छ्रोणिपयोधरा । मुकुन्दस्पर्शनात्सद्यो बभूव प्रमदोत्तमा ॥
ततो रूपगुणौदार्यसम्पन्ना प्राह केशवम् । उत्तरीयान्तमाकृष्य स्मयन्ती जातहृच्छया ॥
एहि वीर गृहं यामो न त्वां त्यक्तुमिहोत्सहे । त्वयोन्मथितचित्तायाः प्रसीद पुरुषर्षभ ॥
एवं स्त्रिया याच्यमानः कृष्णो रामस्य पश्यतः । मुखं वीक्ष्यानुगानां च प्रहसंस्तामुवाच ह ॥
एष्यामि ते गृहं सुभ्रूः पुंसामाधिविकर्शनम् । साधितार्थोऽगृहाणां नः पान्थानां त्वं परायणम् ॥
T: Sri Krishna went to the woman, pressed his foot over her feet, and held her chin with the two fingers of his right hand. He gently lifted up her chin, and lo and heold, the woman straightened up completely, all her unwanted body distortions gone, and she stood as an extremely beautiful and attractive woman!
Trivakra at once fell deeply in love with Sri Krishna. Catching the hem of his upper cloth, she spoke smilingly. "My beloved hero! Please come with me home. You have won me over completely. I can't be without you!" Sri Krishna heard this along with Balarama and the Gopas standing by. He spoke, most sincerely, "Oh my beloved beauty! No man can remain uncured of any distress or desire in your company and in your home. We are travellers and can't find a better place than yours to visit! I shall surely come to you, just after finishing some pressing business."
Sri Krishna decided to visit the famous Dhanush on display in the Yajna Mandapa of the Dhauryajna. As the boys entered the arena, they were stopped by armed guards ready to strike at any intruder. Bhagavan simply brushed them aside and went directly to that celebrated Dhanush (divine bow) on display.
करेण वामेन सलीलमुद्धृतं सज्यं च कृत्वा निमिषेण पश्यताम् ।
नृणां विकृष्य प्रबभञ्ज मध्यतो यथेक्षुदण्डं मदकर्युरुक्रमः ॥
धनुषो भज्यमानस्य शब्दः खं रोदसी दिशः । पूरयामास यं श्रुत्वा कंसस्त्रासमुपागमत् ॥
तद्रक्षिणः सानुचराः कुपिता आततायिनः । ग्रहीतुकामा आवव्रुर्गृह्यतां वध्यतामिति ॥
अथ तान् दुरभिप्रायान् विलोक्य बलकेशवौ । क्रुद्धौ धन्वन आदाय शकले तांश्च जघ्नतुः ॥
T: Lifting the bow with his left hand easily, Sri Krishna strung the bow string instantly. As everyone looked on, he bent and broke the bow like a tusker uproots a sugarcane plant. The noise was terrifying. The armed guards were extremely angry and rushed with deadly weapons to attack the brothers. The brothers used the two pieces of that bow itself and destroyed all the guards as well as the contingent of soldiers despatched to capture or kill them. Coolly, brushing themselves off after such a minor exertion, Sri Krishna, Balarama and the Gopas came out of the arena and continued to roam Mathura's main street.
As the brothers and their friends proceeded, they were received with overwhelming cordiality with gifts and celebrations. Shuka says that the effect Sri Krishna had on the Mathura women was precisely the same as had been on the Gopikas.
गोप्यो मुकुन्दविगमे विरहातुरा याः आशासताशिष ऋता मधुपुर्यभूवन् ।
सम्पश्यतां पुरुषभूषणगात्रलक्ष्मीं हित्वेतरान् नु भजतश्चकमेऽयनं श्रीः ॥
T: Just like the Gopika, the Mathura women were entirely captivated by the divine handsomeness of Sr Krishna. Shuka reminds us how when Devi Lakshmi emerged from the Milky Ocean, all the gods rushed to her, coveting her for a bride. But she simply went to Bhagavan Maha Vishnu and garlanded Him, even as He showed not even the slightest desire. She even made His chest her permanent home! Is there therefore any wonder that all the Mathura women were overcome with love for Sri Krishna!?
कंसस्तु धनुषो भङ्गं रक्षिणां स्वबलस्य च । वधं निशम्य गोविन्दरामविक्रीडितं परम् ॥
दीर्घप्रजागरो भीतो दुर्निमित्तानि दुर्मतिः । बहून्यचष्टोभयथा मृत्योर्दौत्यकराणि च ॥
T: Meanwhile, imagine Kamsa's condition. He heard how the brothers had broken the Dhanush easily, and how they had got rid of all the guards and soldiers. The heart-rending, thunderous, noise of Sri Krishna's breaking the Dhaush haunted him. Kamsa kept awake, experiencing nightmares about his own death. He could not see his own head in the mirror. He started seeing everything double. He saw in his own shadow, tatters. He could not hear his own Prana. He saw golden trees (a sign of impending death). He saw in his nightmares his embracing ghosts and riding a donkey after eating poison. He saw a vision where he was naked, smeared with oil, walking with a garland of red hibiscus flowers (animal to the sacrifice).
At daybreak, the king's soldiers announced with drum beats and proclamations that the big wrestling bout was going to happen soon. People started gathering in large numbers from all walks of life in the arena. Kamsa himself came with his retinue and took his high seat. The kings were seated and the wrestlers arrived with their teachers and took their place. Nanda now came with the Gopas, made the offerings they had brought respectfully to Kamsa, and as indicated, sat down with Gopas in the arena.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
