Srimad Bhagavatam, Book One, Chapter 7

SB.1.7

(Saunaka said)

Suta! when Badarayana had heard,

Attentive to god-like Narada's word,

And when the latter his presence withdrew,

What did the sage Badarayana do? 1

(Suta said)

On the west bank of Saraswati's flood,

A sacred and holy hermitage stood,

Where great sages prolong each holy rite;

A calm retreat as Samyaprasa hight. 2

In his own cottage Vyasa sate at ease,

Beneath shady Badari berry trees;

He touched water for purification,

Then fixed his mind in deep meditation. 3

In loving communion he fixed his mind,

In contemplation, taintless and refined,

He then beheld the Perfect Being Great,

And saw Maya in her dependent state; 4

Whose power of three attributes controls

With deluded notions, the jiva souls;

Who though transcendent think themselves to be

Independent, and suffer misery. 5

The means direct this notion to assuage,

Is in devotion-yoga to engage,

Of this the ignorant are unaware,

Thus he this holy text composed with care. 6

Indeed, who hear this text great welfare gain,

And love for Krishna, the Great One, attain;

Such devotion affords to them relief,

From apprehension, delusion and grief. 7

When he a final and fair copy made,

Of this Bhagavatam, he then conveyed

The study of this text to his own son

Suka, stablished in renunciation. 8

(Saunaka said)

Fixed in renunciation, why did he,

Though indifferent and everywhere free,

Who in the self exclusive joy did take,

The study of this vast text undertake? 9

(Suta said)

Those wise sages who in the self take bliss,

Who are beyond restrictions, practice this;

Devotion to the Lord of Mighty Strides,

Such quality in Sri Hari abides. 10

In Hari's divine qualities immersed,

The son of Badarayana rehearsed

This sacred text, delectable to hear,

And always to Vishnu's devotees dear. 11

Now I will tell that royal sage's worth,

The king Pariksit's noble deeds and birth;

How Pandu's sons attained beatitude,

Which to the accounts of Krishna allude. 12

When all those heroes gathered in the strife,

Had met an heroes end, resigning life;

When there was hardly left a single man,

Of Kauravas and the Srinjaya clan;

When Vrikodara shattered the thigh bone,

With his dread mace, of Dhritarastra's son;

When Drona's son in vengeance did proceed

To do his master's pleasure, a foul deed;

He slew the sons of Krishna* in their beds,

And brought as prize their severed dripping heads,

But e'en his master was not pleased to see

This most despicable atrocity. 13/14

*Draupadi

When of her sons' slaughter the mother heard,

She was to grief and lamentation stirred,

And from her eyes the tears came rolling down;

Then Kireeti, who wears a radiant crown,

Observing her distressed, disquieted,

In words of consolation to her said. 15

Then only dear, will you be comforted,

When I bring that degraded brahman's head;

When I with my bow Gandeeva assay

To lop his head and the vile caitiff slay;

You may upon his head make ablution,

And of your sons perform the cremation;

And then, good lady, only then I say,

Will I your tears of lament wipe away. 16

Thus he with consolation sought to cheer

His queen, then with his friend and charioteer,

Lord Acyuta, he clad him for the fray,

Then on a mighty car they held their way,

Whereon the emblem of the monkey shone,

And hastened toward the preceptors' son. 17

When he beheld their impetuous course,

And he was stung with the bitter remorse

Of child slaughter, upon his car he sped,

As Brahma once in fear of Rudra fled. 18

As the son of the brahman away flew,

He at that time no other recourse knew,

The Brahma-crest he invoked as he drave,

Seeing no other means his life to save. 19

He touched water for purification,

And chanting hymns invoked the dread weapon;

He now made ready, as his danger saw,

But he know not how the dart to withdraw. 20

Whereon flashed out a light with scorching rays,

Involving every side in the fierce blaze,

Tormenting creatures as around it spread,

Then unto the Lord Vishnu, Jishnu said, 21

(Arjuna said)

O Krishna, Krishna, of the mighty arms!

Who save devotees from dread dire alarms,

'Tis you alone can save from burning pain

Of existence, whence they salvation gain. 22

You are the Primal Purusha adored,

Above Nature, Nature's ruler and Lord,

You are as one who casts Maya aside,

And in your pure self consciousness abide. 23

But in this world where dwell the jiva souls,

Whom Maya by her enchantment controls,

You undertake heroic enterprise,

Which welfare and virtue characterise. 34

Thus by your descension you incarnate,

The burthen of the earth to mitigate,

And specially to please and favour those

Devotees who in you their minds repose. 25

O what is this approaching fast I see?

O God of gods, it is not known to me.

It radiates increasing far and wide,

And threatens destruction on every side! 26

(The Illustrious One said)

Know this to be the dread Brahma-weapon,

Invoked and launched rashly by Drona's son;

He knows not how the weapon to retract;

Afraid of death he has performed this act. 27

No other arm this arm can intercept,

Yet you are in the art of arms adept;

Therefore, with your own dart this dart pursue,

And counteract its power and subdue! 28

(Suta said)

Thus having heard the Lord, Phalguna rose,

Who wreaks destruction on valiant foes,

And touched water, paced round him reverent,

And raised his Brahma-dart to act intent. 29

Then with redoubled heat the darts collide,

And scatter scorching fire on each side;

The vault of heaven and the firmament,

Blazed as when Arka rises radiant. 30

All beings in the three worlds were distressed

At such a sight, and by the heat oppressed;

The people thought that destruction was nigh,

When Samvartaka billows fill the sky. 31

Observing consternation general,

And devastation vast afflicting all,

As Vasudeva advised him to act,

Arjuna both those missiles did retract. 32

Then with expedience he forward pressed,

Gautami's wicked son thence to arrest;

In rage glowed red his coppery eye balls,

And bound him as one binds up animals. 33

And as back to the camp they held their course,

Dragging the caitiff bound by rope with force,

Touched with anger as on their way they sped,

The Lotus-eyed One to Arjuna said. 34

O Pritha's son! you must not mercy show,

And let this degenerate brahman go!

For he has done a deed exceeding ill,

Boys innocent asleep at night to kill. 35

The knowers of righteousness do not slay

A fool, madman, sleeper nor one astray;

Women, boys, one who has surrender made,

One from his car dismounted and dismayed. 36

A cruel one who his own life maintains,

Afflicting upon others grievous pains,

To slay him would bring welfare upon him,

Who otherwise must suffer for his sin. 37

And in promise to Panchali you said,

That you would bring to her the severed head

Of him who had her sleeping children killed,

And this promise must surely be fulfilled. 38

This evil wight for his sin must be slain,

Who brings upon the clan this blot and stain;

For by his hand fond relatives have died,

And e'en his master was dissatisfied. 39

(Suta said)

So spoke he to Pritha's son to discern,

And of his sense of righteousness to learn;

But Arjuna considered it were ill,

The son of the preceptor thus to kill. 40

Now when back in the camp he did appear,

With Govinda, his friend and charioteer,

To his beloved, much distressed in mind,

The slayer of her children he consigned. 41

When Krishna* had her sons' murderer viewed,

Silent, and like a beast with ropes subdued,

Who did the despicable act commit,

She was with pity and compassion smit;

In pious awe she made salutation,

To him who was the preceptor's own son. 42

*Draupadi

Seeing him bound like a beast to her brought,

She was with pain insufferable fraught,

And said, This is the teachers' son in woe,

Oh, unbind him, release, and let him go! 43

'Twas his father who taught you martial art,

To discharge and retract to pointed dart;

Who did upon you secret arms bestow,

All which to his grace and teaching you owe! 44

Though Drona, the illustrious is gone,

He stands here represented by his son!

His wife Kripi to live her life persists,

Since in her hero son he still exists. 45

Those who righteous conduct deliberate,

O you who are blessed and fortunate!

Should not dishonour those who honour claim,

Nor occasion relatives woe and pain. 46

Do not cause his dear mother Gautami

To weep for her dead son even as me!

Though I bewail my sons, nevertheless,

You should not bring upon her such distress! 47

If haughty princes in their proud excess,

The society of brahmans oppress,

Adversity will then upon them turn,

And the whole family destroy and burn! 48

(Suta said)

The son of Dharma, the king, was impressed,

As justice blent with mercy she expressed,

O twice-born ones, the queen had stated thus,

According to the codes of righteousness. 49

Nakula, Sahadeva, all agree,

Yuyudhan, and the son of Devaki;

And Dhanajaya by her speech was moved,

And all the ladies there also approved. 50

But Bhima urged his death and was appalled,

And to them there the heinous crime recalled,

That served neither his own nor masters' aim,

By having helpless sleeping children slain. 51

Thus having heard Bhima and Draupadi,

The Four-armed One was curious to see,

And glancing upon his friends' face the while,

He wisely spoke to him with a sweet smile. 52

(The Illustrious One said)

A brahman relative should not be slain,

An aggressor must be slain, texts ordain;

Since both of these rulings are right and true,

You must decide what would be best to do.

The promise made to your beloved one,

You must fulfil to her satisfaction;

Consider Panchali and Bhima's wish,

And mine, and the right duty accomplish. 53/54

Arjuna understood the deep intent

Of Hari, and knew what it was he meant,

He took his sword and cut the tuft of hair,

And the gem confiscated that was there. 55

Thus released and expelled he left that place,

Bearing guilt of child slaughter and disgrace,

Deprived of his rare gem, fraught with remorse,

He was expelled with much disdain and force. 56

The guilty brahman never must be slain;

Some forms of punishment the texts ordain,

Are such as he be banished from the state,

His property and wealth expropriate. 57

The sons of Pandu and Krishna their wife,

Lamented their sons' sorry loss of life,

And with postmortem rites and sanctities,

They did for the departed obsequies. 58

Thus ends Chapter seven in Book One

of the great and glorious

Bhagavata Purana,

the text beloved of swan-like saints,

sung by the son of Vyasa.