On hearing this, the Raja Pureechit said to Shookdeo the sage, “O great king! give me some account of Narud, the sage, who was the cause of so many crimes being committed, in order that the doubts of my mind may disappear.” Shree Shookdeo replied, “Raja! Narud Jee thought rightly, that Kuns would commit very many crimes, in consequence of which Shree Bhugwan would speedily appear upon the earth.”
CHAPTER III.
Again Shookdeo Jee began to say to the Raja Pureechit,—O Raja! I will now narrate how Huri came into the womb, and how Bruhmù and the other gods sung the praises of the fœtus, and how Dewee took Buldeo Jee to Gokool—One day the Raja Kuns came and sat in his court, and having summoned all his demons said to them, “All the gods have been born upon the earth, and amongst them Krishnù will also make his descent. Narud, the sage, has explained this secret to me; for this reason, it is right, that you should go, and utterly destroy all the family of Judoo, so that not one of them may be left alive.”
Having obtained this order, all made their obeisance and departed, and after coming to the city, searching for and seizing the members of the family of Judoo, they began to bind them,—and whether they were eating, drinking, standing, sitting, asleep, awake, or going to and fro from place to place, they did not let go a single one; and having surrounded them, they brought them into one place, and put them all to death by burning, drowning, dashing them against stones, and other tortures.—In this manner, all the devils both great and small, assuming various frightful shapes, began to search every city, village, lane, and house for the members of the family of Judoo, and to destroy them; and the family of Judoo being distressed, and abandoning their country, fled, taking only their lives with them. All this time, all the other wives of Basoodeo came with Rohnee from Muttra to Gokool, where Basoodeo’s chief friend, Nund Jee was dwelling, who received them with great affection, and restored them to confidence, and they dwelt in his house with great delight. When Kuns began thus to vex the gods, and to commit great crimes, Vishnù created an illusive form from his eyes, which, joining its hands, came before him. Vishnù said to it, “Go thou now, and make a descent into the city of Muttra, where the demon Kuns is causing distress to my worshippers, and Kusyp and Adit, that is, Jusodha and Dewukee, have gone; Kuns has closely confined them, and put six of their children to death; the seventh in the womb now is Luchman Jee, whom having taken from the womb of Dewukee, and carried to Gokool, place in such a manner in the womb of Rohnee, that no devil may know of it, and all the people of that part of the country will celebrate your praises.”
Having thus instructed the illusive form, Shree Narayun said, “Having first gone, and completed this work, be born in the house of Nund, and afterwards in that of Basoodeo; I also will come to Nund’s house.” On hearing this, the illusive form came quickly to Muttra, and entered the house of Basoodeo, in the form of Mohnee. The fœtus she took away secretly, she went and gave to Rohnee; all people thought it her first pregnancy—Bhugwan was born from Rohnee.
In this manner on the fourteenth of the light part of the month Sawun, on a Wednesday, Buldeo Jee was born in Gokool; and the illusion caused Basoodeo and Dewukee to dream, that she had carried away their child from the womb of Dewukee, and given it to Rohnee, and told them not to be at all anxious. On hearing this in their dream, Basoodeo and Dewukee awoke from sleep, and began to say to each other, “Bhugwan has done well in this, but we must now inform Kuns of the circumstance; otherwise, there is no knowing what pain he may inflict on us hereafter.” Thinking thus, they informed their guards, who went and said to Kuns, “O great king! Dewukee has miscarried; no child has been born.” On hearing this Kuns said in alarm, “Be very careful this time, because I have a dread of the eighth pregnancy, which the voice from heaven spoke of.” Having narrated thus much, Shree Shookdeo Jee said, Raja! Buldeo Jee having thus appeared, when Shree Krishnù came into the womb of Dewukee, the illusion went and took up its abode in the womb of Jusodha, the wife of Nund. Both were pregnant, when Dewukee during a festival went to the Jumna to bathe; by chance Jusodha came, and met her there—They began to talk of their mutual troubles: suddenly, Jusodha said to Dewukee, “I will keep your child, and give you mine.” After this conversation, they both returned to their respective homes. Afterwards, when Kuns learnt that Dewukee was pregnant with her eighth child, he surrounded Basoodeo’s house; he placed guards of devils on all four sides, and having sent for Basoodeo, said to him, “Do not deceive me this time, bring your child to me; because on a former occasion I believed what you said.” Having thus spoken, he placed fetters and handcuffs on Basoodeo and Dewukee; and having shut them up in one room, placing locks upon locks to prevent access, Kuns came to his own house, and fasting through fear went to sleep; and again very early in the morning went to the place, where Basoodeo and Dewukee were. Seeing that the pregnancy was clearly manifest, he exclaimed, “In this cave of death, my destruction is contained; I could kill the mother, but I am afraid of the infamy which would attach to me from the act, because it would not be right for me, who am so powerful, to kill a woman—well, I will destroy her son.” Saying this, and coming outside, he placed as guards elephants, lions, dogs, and his own powerful warriors—and he himself watched constantly—but did not obtain a moment’s ease. Wherever he looked, he beheld during the eight puhurs and sixty-four ghurees Krishnù in the form of death, from dread of which, he spent every night and day in most anxious thought. This was the state of Kuns; while Basoodeo and Dewukee in great affliction, the time for the birth having arrived, were propitiating Shree Krishnù, when Bhugwan came, and caused them to dream, and banished all their care by telling them, that he would soon be born, and put an end to all their anxiety, and told them not to indulge in regrets. On hearing this, Basoodeo and Dewukee awoke. At this time Bruhmù, Roodrù, Indrù and all the gods, having left their chariots in mid air, and being invisible, came to Basoodeo’s house, and joining their hands, and singing the Vedas, they began to celebrate the praises of the child in the womb. At which time, no one saw them, but all heard the musical sounds of the singing of the Vedas. All the guards were amazed at this strange circumstance, and Basoodeo and Dewukee were certain, that Bhugwan would quickly put an end to their troubles.
CHAPTER IV.
Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—Raja! At the time Shree Krishnù Chund was about to be born, such joy arose in the minds of all men, that the name even of grief did not remain. Through delight the forests and groves being green began to produce flowers and fruits; the rivers, nullahs and ponds to be filled with water; birds of different kinds to sport and hop about; and there were rejoicings in every city, village and house; Brahmins offered up sacrifices; the guardians of the ten quarters were delighted; clouds rolled over Brujmundul; the gods seated in their chariots rained flowers from the sky, the celestial dancers, musicians, bands, playing upon drums and pipes began to sing praises; and in one quarter Oorbusee and all the celestial courtezans were dancing. Under such a combination of circumstances on the eighth of the dark part of the month of Bhadon, in the Rohnee division of the zodiack, on a Wednesday at midnight, Shree Krishnù Jee was born; and being of the colour of a cloud, with a face like the moon, lotus-eyed, wearing a yellow vest, with a crown on his head, and adorned with the byjuntee—necklace, composed of jewels, produced from the five elements of nature, and having ornaments studded with jewels, in a form with four arms, holding a shell, quoit, club, and a lotus, he appeared before Basoodeo and Dewukee. On seeing him, both being amazed imagined him to be the first mortal; then joining their hands, they submissively said, “Great is our good fortune, that you have shown yourself to us, and given us a release from birth and death.”
Having thus spoken, they narrated the first part of the history, how Kuns had caused them affliction; upon this, Shree Krishnù Chund, said, “Do not now suffer any anxiety of mind, because I have descended upon the earth to dispel your griefs, but carry me now to Gokool; and at this very time Jusodha has had a daughter, which take and deliver to Kuns; listen to the reason of my going, which I will explain. Nund and Jusodha have performed religious penance; fixing their affections upon me, they desire to see their child’s happiness: I will go and stay some days with them. Hereafter, after having killed Kuns, I will return to you: keep up your confidence.”
Having made this explanation to Basoodeo and Dewukee, Shree Krishnù being transformed into an infant, began to cry, and dissipated his delusion—And upon this, all the knowledge of Basoodeo and Dewukee departed, and they supposed the infant to be their own son. Thinking thus, and having made a vow in their minds to offer up ten thousand cows, they took the child in their arms and fondled it. On looking at its face, both heaving deep sighs, began to say to each other, “Let us contrive some means of carrying off this infant, that he may escape from the hands of that sinner Kuns.” Basoodeo said, “Without the assistance of Bruhmù, no one will be able to support him; whatever has been written in fate, that will happen.” Then joining her hands Jusodha said, “Your friend Nund lives at Gokool:—Jusodha will dispel our troubles, and there is your wife Rohnee.—Take this infant there.” On hearing this, Basoodeo said with agitation, “How shall I escape from these strong fastenings?” Upon this, all their handcuffs and chains upon their legs fell off; the doors flew open on all four sides: the watchmen, off their guard, were fast asleep.