Janamejaya said:—O foremost of Munis, I am not able to attain to the
consummation of my satisfaction listening again and again to the sacred
theme of Lord Krishna’s influence on Mathura (1). Thou art conversant
with the six divisions of Krishna’s history while Mādhava lived in
Dwarka after marrying his wives. Do thou describe it to me now (2).
Vaishampāyana said:—O Janamejaya, O descendant of Bharata, all the deeds
which the powerful Krishna performed after taking his wives are all
becoming to him. Listen, I shall relate them (3). O king, after his
marriage, the highly energetic and powerful Vasudeva once went to the
mount Raivataka with Rukshmini (4). Madhusudana went there personally
because there was to take place a great festival on the day of the
termination of Rukshmini’s vow and that he would gratify the Brāhmanas
(5). O king, according to Narada’s command, Vāsudeva’s sons and brothers
had already been sent there (6). The sixteen thousand wives of the
intelligent Madhava with splendour befitting their rank, had gone there.
(7). There the lord of subdued senses, conferred on the twice-borns all
their desired-for objects, as well as on the beggars, on those who
always practise religious rites and on all those who sought his
well-being (8). Arriving there, O descendant of Kuru with Youna,²⁷⁷
Shrouna²⁷⁸ and Moukh,²⁷⁹ friends, pure, always performing great
religious rites and born in great families, the Lord, ever fond of his
votaries and the refuge of the pious, satisfied the Brāhmanas with
sacrifice and his kinsmen according to their rank (9-10). At the
termination of the fasting, the Lord highly honored his beloved spouse
Rukshmini, the daughter of Bhishmaka.
While residing there, once the highly powerful Krishna, sat on a seat
with Rukshmini encircled by his other wives when the ascetic Nārada
arrived there (12). When that best of Munis came there, Vasava’s younger
brother of immeasurable energy Keshava, duly adored him with rites laid
down in the Scriptures (13). O descendant of Bharata, adored by
Vasudeva’s son Krishna, that foremost of Munis, Nārada, adored of the
pious, gave him a Pārijata flower (14). O king, Bhoja’s daughter
Rukshmini was by him, so Hari gave her that Parijata flower (15). Taking
that lovely flower and following Krishna’s hint, that blameless lady the
object of his love, put it on her head (16). At that time Bhishmaka’s
daughter, the very collection of the beauties of the three worlds, ever
captivating Narayana, was doubly beautified by that celestial flower
(17).
Thereafter Prajapati’s son Nārada said to Kama’s mother (Rukshmini):—"O
goddess, O chaste lady, the flower is worthy of thee (18). O thou of
firm vows, methinks thou art worthy of wearing this flower, for coming
in thy contact, it has been perfectly adorned (19). O thou, endowed with
auspicious qualities, O thou ever fond of thy husband, this flower never
withers away (20). O thou of many qualities, O thou, conversant with the
knowledge of time, the flower emits wished-for fragrance for one year
(21). O beautiful lady of sweet speech, this flower affords heat and
cold as desired, and from it come out various wished-for juices (22). O
beautiful lady, when sought for, this Parijata flower gives good luck
and emits delightful fragrance (23). O goddess, what more, whatever
flowers thou shalt wish for, this flower of the king of trees the
Pārijata will give thee (24). O auspicious and pious lady, it is the
root of good luck and confers piety, and when won, it does not allow the
mind, to wend any evil path (25). Whatever colour thou shalt wish to
see, it will assume, and according to thy will, it will become thin or
plump (26). O thou, having lotus eyes, dispelling unwholesome smell, it
increases fragrance, and it serves the purpose of a lamp in night (27).
Moreover it will give thee a garland of Santanaka flowers, the most
excellent of flowers, and undecaying clothes whenever thou shalt think
of them (28). Whenever thou wilt use the flower like a very goddess thou
wilt be the mistress of hunger, thirst, exhaustion and decrepitude (29).
As desired by thee, it will sing songs in accompaniment with good
musical instruments (30). O goddess, as is the rule with this flower, it
will go away from thee when the term of one full year will be completed
(31). O fair one, may good betide thee! in order to please the gods the
Creator has invested the Parijāta flower with such a character (32). The
beloved spouse of Mahadeva, the foremost of gods, Himalaya’s daughter
Uamā is the mistress of the universe: and therefore she always uses this
flower (33). O thou endued with accomplishments, the mother of Mahendra
and other gods, Aditi, Puloma’s daughter Sachi, Savitri, the mother of
gods and the goddess Sree too, always use this flower. Even for the
wives of the gods and the leading celestial Vasus and others its period
of duration does not exceed more than a year (34-35).
"O Bhoja’s daughter, among the sixteen thousand wives of Vāsudeva, I
consider thee as the foremost and the most beloved. O accomplished lady,
O thou the beloved wife of the lord of all, thou hast sprinkled to-day
the other wives of thy husband with the water of dishonor. Krishna, the
slayer of Madhu having conferred on thee this Mandāra flower, thy good
luck and fame have become manifest (136–38). O fair lady, the fortunate
and chaste Satyabhāmā, the daughter of Satrajit who always considers
herself as greatly lucky, will come to know of thy good fortune today
(39). Samva’s mother Jāmvuvati, Gāndhāri and other wives of the
high-souled Vāsudeva will forsake to-day their great desire for a good
luck (40). O goddess, such a victorious car of thy good fortune has come
out to-day that even a thousand mental cars will not be able to vanquish
it (41). O beautiful and glorious daughter of Bhoja, I know thee to-day
as the other soul of Krishna (42). O beloved wife of Hari, blessed is
thy life since Achyuta has conferred on thee, this flower identical with
the best collection of jewels of the three worlds" (43).
O Emperor, the female servants, that had been sent there by Satyabhāma
heard the words of Nārada (44). O king, the other wives of Krishna had
sent there, their respective maid servants. Seeing them Nārada said so,
about Rukshmini (45). Hearing all this in particular, the assembled maid
servants out of their feminine nature, carried the news to the inner
appartments of Krishna (46). Hearing that, the goddesses began to speak
into the ears of one another delightedly about Rukshmini’s
accomplishments befitting her family. Amongst the assembled wives of
Dāmodara almost all said:—"Why should not this be? Rukshmini is
Keshava’s first wife, and is the mother of his son. So she is worthy of
such a respect (47-48)". But the highly proud Satyabhāma, ever beloved
of Vishnu, could not bear the accession of such a good fortune unto the
other wife of her husband (49). That youthful and beautiful goddess was
always proud of her good luck, and too much sensitive. So hearing of
such a good fortune of the other wife she was possessed by jealousy
(50). Worked up with anger like the flame of fire, that one of pure
smiles cast off her cloth dyed with red powder and put on a white one
(51). Thereupon as a star enters into a cloud, so burning with the
increasing fire of jealousy and shorn of her lustre, she entered into
the lonely apartment of anger (52). To put sandal on the forehead, to
wear two pieces of raiment white like snow and to put on red sand on the
outskirts of the fore-head, are marks of showing anger on the husband.
So the goddess Satyabhāma did not forget them. She threw off her
ornaments on the bed having a big pillow; and then wearing only a single
braid of hair and remembering again and again the good fortune of his
co-wife, she sat there and shook her head in anger. Although Keshava
caressed her dearly, she worked up with ire, at the report of her
maid-servants, bent her eye-brow, began to sigh heavily and tore off her
sporting lotus with her nails (53-55).
²⁷⁷ Those connected by female marriage &c.
²⁷⁸ Those with whom he studied together.
²⁷⁹ Priests and sacrifices.