॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
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श्रीशुक उवाच
अयुते द्वे शतान्यष्टौ निरुद्धा युधि निर्जिता: । ते निर्गता गिरिद्रोण्यां मलिना मलवासस: ॥
क्षुत्क्षामा: शुष्कवदना: संरोधपरिकर्शिता: । ददृशुस्ते घनश्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् ॥
श्रीवत्साङ्कं चतुर्बाहुं पद्मगर्भारुणेक्षणम् । प्रणेमुर्हतपाप्मानो मूर्धभि: पादयोर्हरे: ॥
T: Sage Shuka narrated: "The 20,800 royals conquered and imprisoned were released from their cavernous prisons spotted along mountains where they had been staying in utter filth, hunger and torment imposed by Jarasandha. Imagine their relief and divine joy on beholding the four-armed Sri Maha Vishnu after Sri Krishna released them. He shone in his complete divine form with weapons and ornaments associated with the Parama Purusha Bhagavan Maha Vishnu. They all bowed, placing their heads at his feet, and experienced all their ills disappear instantly.
राजान ऊचु:
नमस्ते देवदेवेश प्रपन्नार्तिहराव्यय । प्रपन्नान् पाहि न: कृष्ण निर्विण्णान्घोरसंसृते: ॥
नैनं नाथानुसूयामो मागधं मधुसूदन । अनुग्रहो यद् भवतो राज्ञां राज्यच्युतिर्विभो ॥
राज्यैश्वर्यमदोन्नद्धो न श्रेयो विन्दते नृप: । त्वन्मायामोहितोऽनित्या मन्यते सम्पदोऽचला: ॥
वयं पुरा श्रीमदनष्टदृष्टयो जिगीषयास्या इतरेतरस्पृध: ।
घ्नन्त: प्रजा: स्वा अतिनिर्घृणा: प्रभो मृत्युं पुरस्त्वाविगणय्य दुर्मदा: ॥
तं न: समादिशोपायं येन ते चरणाब्जयो: । स्मृतिर्यथा न विरमेदपि संसरतामिह ॥
T: The kings prayed: " Oh Lord of gods! we bow low to you, cleanser of devotees' woes forever. Kindly liberate us, surrendered to you, from our terrible miseries which are Karmic fruits alone. We do not, in fact, blame Jarasandha for imprisoning us because we secured thereby your infinite grace! We have led lives of utter arrogance in power, prosperity and comfort, mistaking these to be everlasting wealth, owing to your Maha Maya! It is very much like how young men lost in the desert mistake the mirage for thirst-quenching water bodies! We were so deluded from the real understanding of what is prosperity (Sri!). We fought one another, grabbing power and tormenting our citizens. We did not even think that one day we would die and lose all this! Now we have just one prayer to you, Lord! Tell us the way we can always remember in prayer your lotus feet, even birth after birth!"
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने । प्रणतक्लेशनाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नम: ॥
"We bow to Sri Krishna, Vasudeva, Sri Hari, the Paramatma! The one who removes the distress of the surrendered devotees, Govinda, we bow down again and again!"
श्रीभगवानुवाच
अद्यप्रभृति वो भूपा मय्यात्मन्यखिलेश्वरे । सुदृढा जायते भक्तिर्बाढमाशंसितं तथा ॥
दिष्ट्या व्यवसितं भूपा भवन्त ऋतभाषिण: । श्रीयैश्वर्यमदोन्नाहं पश्य उन्मादकं नृणाम् ॥
T: In words dripping with compassion and grace, Bhagavan replied to the royals: "From now, you shall always be situated in well-founded devotion to me, the Supreme Lord, as you have wished. I have seen, just as you have now realised, how royals arrogant with power and practising violence are crushed by Time. Examples abound - Nahusha, Ravana, Naraka and so on. Never get attached to passing relationships and material acquisitions."
"Henceforth, you shall rule well, and bring up your successors, all the while situated in Dharma and experiencing the results of your past Karmas as pleasures and pain."
Bhagavan ensured that King Sahadeva treated them well, and they were all washed and accommodated well per royal custom until they all departed to their kingdoms with full honours. They remained in prayer to the Lord who had liberated them thus.
After blessing Sahadeva, the son of Jarasandha anointed by Sri Krishna to succeed to the Magadha throne, Sri Krishna returned to Indraprastha with Bhima and Arjuna. They sounded their divine conches as soon as they approached Indraprastha, and the entire capital erupted in celebration that Jarasandha had been vanquished and the heroes had returned in triumph.
Just as Sri Krishna was honoured by Yudhishthira, he also offered his respects duly to all the elders and Brahmins. Yudhishthira was all ears as Bhima, Arjuna and Sri Krishna narrated in detail their exploits and experiences during their expedition to Magadha.
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