Site menuChapter 68: The Marriage of Sâmba and the Kuru City Dragged Trembling of His Anger
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'O King, the daughter of Duryodhana named Lakshmanâ was by Sâmba ['with the mother'], the son of Jâmbavatî who was always victorious in battle, abducted from her svayamvara. (2) The Kauravas said angered: 'How ill-behaved this boy insulting us is, in his by force taking the maiden against her will. (3) Arrest him who is so undisciplined; what can the Vrishnis do against it? By our grace they acquired the land we gave them to enjoy! (4) If the Vrishnis, learning that their son was captured, get over here, will we break their pride so that they will find peace the way the senses will when they're properly brought under control.'(5) Having said this set Karna, S'ala, Bhûri, Yajñaketu [or Bhuris'ravâ] and Duryodhana, with the permission of the Kuru-eldest [Bhîshma], out to fight Sâmba. (6) As soon as the great warrior Sâmba saw the followers of Dhritarâshthra rushing toward him, took he up his splendid bow and stood he singlehanded his ground like a lion. (7) Determined to capture him said they who were headed by Karna full of anger: 'You stand, stand and fight', upon which the bowmen, getting before him, showered him with arrows. (8) He the son of the Yadus, o best of the Kurus, unjustly by the Kurus [- by the lot of them -] attacked, could, as the child of the Inconceivable One [Krishna], not tolerate that anymore than a lion would tolerate such a thing of lower animals. (9-10) Twanging his wonderful bow pierced the hero all by himself, in one move, six warriors of Karna using as many arrows for their chariots: four arrows were there for each team of four horses and one arrow for each its charioteer and warrior. For that feat of arms was he by the great bowmen then honored. (11) With four of them striking his horses, one his charioteer and one splitting his bow, drove they him out of his chariot. (12) Once they in the fight had the young boy out of his chariot, tied the Kurus him up and turned they, with their girl, victoriously back to their city.
(13) When they heard from Nârada Muni about this o King, got they [the Yadus] angry with the Kurus [see also 10.49: 27] and prepared they, on the command of Ugrasena, for war. (14-15) But Râma, He who purifies the Age of Quarrel [Kali-yuga], not wishing a quarrel between the Vrishnis and Kurus, calmed down the Vrishni heroes and went with His chariot, that shone like the sun, to Hastinâpura. Surrounded by the brahmins and the elders of the family looked He like the moon with the seven planets [then known, see also 5.22]. (16) Reaching Hastinâpura remained Râma outside in a park and sent He Uddhava ahead to find out what Dhritarâshthra had in mind. (17) He, offering his respects to the son of Ambikâ [Dhritarâshthra], to Bhîshma and Drona, Bâhlika and Duryodhana, informed them that Râma had arrived. (18) They, extremely pleased to hear that He, Balarâma, their Dearest Friend had arrived, all, after duly paying him their respects, went forth to meet Him with auspicious offerings in their hands. (19) Going up to Balarâma presented they, as was proper, cows and water to welcome Him and bowed they who knew of His power their heads down. (20) Inquiring with one another whether their relatives were hale and hearty spoke Râma next straight from His heart the words: (21) 'With undivided attention having taken notice of what Ugrasena our master, the ruler of the rulers of the earth, has demanded of you, should you without delay act accordingly. [He has said:] (22) 'Your in defiance of the rules with the many of you defeating and tying up but a single man who did follow the codes [of war], do I, wishing to keep unity among relatives, tolerate... [but I do not wish to see that continued and thus want you to release Sâmba].'
(23) Hearing the words of Baladeva that befitting His own power were filled with potency, courage and strength answered the Kauravas enraged: (24) 'Oh what a great wonder the inescapable movement of Time is; now is that what is a shoe trying to climb on top of the head that is ornamented with a crown! (25) With these Vrishnis who are connected to us by marriage ties, we share our beds, seats and meals. We treated them as equals and gave them their thrones. (26) Because we looked the other way could they enjoy the pair of yak-tail fans, the conchshell, the white sunshade, the crown, the throne and the royal bed [compare: 10.60: 10-20]. (27) Enough with us allowing the Yadus the symbols of the gods among men. Those symbols work as much to the disadvantage of the giver [that we are] as giving nectar to snakes. The Yadus, who could prosper by our grace, now assuming the command have lost all shame indeed. (28) How would even Indra dare to appropriate what is not given by Bhîshma, Drona, Arjuna or the other Kurus: it's like a sheep claiming a lions kill!'
(29)
The
son of Vyâsa said: 'They who in their arrogance over the
birth, relations and the opulences that made them great, o best
of the Bharatas, as rude men with harsh words made this clear
to Râma, then returned to the city. (30)
Faced with the bad character of the Kurus and hearing their
unbecoming words said the Infallible Lord infuriated,
repeatedly laughing and without presenting Himself nicely:
(31)
'Driven by their various passions having a big mouth are these
dishonest people truly not desiring the peace. They evidently
need to be pacified with physical punishment like animals one
has to beat with a stick! (32-33)
Oh, looking for peace with these people I came here, tactfully
having calmed the Yadus who boiled with anger as also Krishna
who was mad; and those very same dull-headed people addicted to
quarreling now full of conceit have the audacity to use, in
their wickedness of not repecting Him - Me thus -, this kind of
harsh words! (34)
And Ugrasena wouldn't be fit to command the Bhojas, Vrishnis
and Andhakas while S'akra ['the powerful one' or Indra]
and other rulers follow his orders?? (35)
And He [Krishna], sitting in Sudharmâ [the
heavenly council-hall], thanks to whom the
pârijâta tree brought down from the immortals is
enjoyed [see 10.59:
38-39], that same
One wouldn't even be fit an elevated seat??? (36)
He, the Ruler of the Complete, whose two feet the Goddess of
Fortune herself worships; He, truly the Lord of S'rî,
wouldn't deserve the paraphernalia of a human king?!?!
(37)
He of whom all the exalted rulers of the world on their helmets
hold the dust of His lotuslike feet; the place of worship of
all holy places of whom Brahmâ, S'iva and I also next to
the goddess, as portions of a portion, also constantly carry
the dust with care; where would His royal throne be?????!
(38)
The Vrishnis would enjoy but a small piece of land granted to
them by the Kurus? And We to that would be the so-called shoes,
while the Kurus would be the head then?!!!? (39)
Ah those proud madmen intoxicated by their would-be power of
rule, what man in command can tolerate their inconsistent,
dismal drivel? (40)
Today I'll rid the earth of the Kauravas!', and thus speaking
took He enraged His plow and rose He up as if he would set fire
to the three worlds.(41) With the tip of His plow He infuriated tore close the city of Hastinâpura and dragged her along with the intention to throw her into the Ganges. (42-43) When the Kauravas saw how the city, about to fall in the Ganges, being dragged tumbled about like a raft, became they very agitated and went they, in order to save their lives, with their families to the Master for shelter. With Lakshmanâ and Sâmba put in front folded they their hands: (44) 'Râma, o Râma, o Foundation of Everything [Akhilâdhâra], us the infatuated, who poor of understanding do not know Your Majesty, You should forgive the offense. (45) Of the generation, continuation and reuniting [of this universe] are You alone the unique cause; the worlds accordingly are, so one says, the playthings of Your playing, o Heavenly Lord. (46) You alone, o Unlimited one, carry on Your head playfully the globe of the earth, o Thousand-headed One [see also 5.25] and when the creation ends are You the One who lies down to remain the One Without a Second who within His own body has withdrawn the universe [see also 6.16: 29-64]. (47) The anger of You meant for the instruction of everyone, o Bhagavân, Sustainer of the Mode of Goodness, is not there out of hatred or envy but is there for the purpose of sustaining and protecting the living being. (48) I offer You my obeisances, o Soul of All Beings, o Holder of [the symbols of] All Energies, o Inexhaustible One, Maker of the Universe; let there be the reverence for You whom we sought for shelter.'
(49) S'rî S'uka said: 'Lord Bala thus propitiated by the surrendered souls who were distressed because of the trembling of their place of residence, then relieved them very calm and graciously of their fear with the words: 'Do not fear'. (50-51) As a dowry for his daughter gave Duryodhana as a loving father away twelve hundred sixty-year-old elephants and hundred and twenty thousand horses, sixty thousand golden chariots shining like the sun and a thousand maidservants with jeweled lockets around their necks. (52) The Supreme Lord, the chief of all the Sâtvatas, after accepting that gift then departed with His son and daughter-in-law, bid farewell by His well-wishers. (53) After reaching His city and having met the relatives who carried Him, the Wielder of the Plow, in their hearts, related He in the midst of the assembly of leaders of the Yadus everything that had passed between Him and the Kurus. (54) And truely, even today shows this city the signs of Râma's prowess, the way it can be seen down by the Ganges being prominently elevated to the south.'
