O great king! on seeing Bulram, they came running to him with the greatest delight; and making obeisance, surrounded him on all sides; and with joined hands, began to question him, and say, “Tell us, O Bulram! the abode of happiness, where does our soul, the lovely Krishnù, now dwell? Does Beharee ever think of us, or has he forgotten all his former love, since he obtained a throne? Since he went hence, he has once sent us a message through Oodho to perform penance; and has taken no further thought of any one; and as he has now gone to take up his abode in the sea, why should he make enquiries about any of us?” On hearing these words, one of the cowherdesses said, “Friend! who would regret the love of Huri, after seeing the manner he has treated us all? He is not beloved by any one, he who has turned his back upon his father and mother; he does not remain an hour without Radha, and it is she, who has made him stay away; again what have you and I gained by leaving our homes, sacrificing all respect for our families, and for the world, abandoning our sons and husbands, and fixing our affections upon Huri; having embarked us on the boat of love, he has altogether left us in the midst of the sea of separation; and we hear, that Krishnù has now gone to Dwarka, and contracted many marriages; and that he has also married sixteen thousand one hundred and eight Rajas’ daughters, whom Bhomasoor had kept confined. They have had sons and grandsons, why should he leave them and come here?” Another cowherdess said, “Friend! do not regret in any way on account of the reports about Huri, because Oodho Jee came and mentioned all his good qualities.” She again said, “Friends! act now according to my suggestion—let us, having been allowed to touch the feet of Bulram, continue to sing in praise of his good qualities. He is fair, and not of black-coloured body, he will not practise deceit.” Bulram said in reply, “I have made this journey for your sakes. I have come here to tell you; and for this purpose Krishnù sent me to Bruj; I will stay two months with you, and dance the circular dance, and fulfil all your expectations.”
O great king! Bulram Jee, having thus spoken, gave a command to the women of Bruj, “As this is the night of the full moon of Chuetrù, adorn yourselves, and go into the forest; and I will engage in festive songs and dance with you.” Having thus said, Bulram Jee went in the evening to the forest, and all the women of Bruj followed him, wearing elegant dresses, and ornaments? and adorned from head to foot, came to Buldeo, they all remained bending their heads. The beauty of Buldeo cannot be described; of the colour of gold, he was dressed in a blue dress; his moon-like countenance and lotus eyes captivated all hearts; a ear-ring shone with lustrous beauty in one of his ears; as though the sun and moon dwelt together; the other ear had drank of the flavour of the celebrity of Huri; and he did not fasten an ear-ring in it. Jewels in profusion were fastened on all parts of his body, the splendour of which baffles description. The women fell at his feet, saying, “Engage in sports and delightful festive songs and dances with us.”
O great king! on hearing this request, Bulram Jee made the mystical sound of “hoon,” on uttering which, all the materials necessary for the festival were immediately produced. The cowherdesses then abandoning all care and modesty, giving themselves up to the passion of love, began to sing and play upon lutes, drums, cymbals, pipes and other musical instruments of all kinds, and gratify Bulram by their merry-making and dancing, and blandishments.
On hearing them play and sing, and seeing them dance, Buldeo Jee was delighted; and, having drank some spirituous liquor, began to sing and dance, and engage in every kind of sport, and enjoy mutual pleasure; at that time the gods, celestial musicians and choristers, and the demi-gods, accompanied by their wives, and sitting in chariots, singing the praises of Bulram, rained flowers from the sky. The moon and the assembly of the stars, beholding the happiness of the festive assembly, poured down nectar from their rays, the air became still, and the course of water was stopped.
Having recited thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—O great king! in this manner Bulram Jee engaged at night in festive songs and dances with the women of Bruj, during the months of Chuetrù and Bysakh, and in the day-time made Nund and Jusodha happy by relating the history of Huri. One night, whilst engaging in festivities, Bulram Jee having gone and reposed on the banks of the river, said angrily, “Jumna! flow thou here, and forming a thousand streams, bathe me with thy waters; if thou obeyest not my command, thy waters shall be divided into several portions.” When, O great king, the Jumna through pride would not attend to what Bulram Jee said, he drew her towards him with his plough and bathed, and from that day the Jumna has been bent at that spot. Having bathed and got rid of all his fatigue, Bulram Jee made all the cowherdesses happy; and, taking them with him, went from the forest to the city; there the cowherdesses said, “O lord of the Judoos, take us hence with you.”
Having heard this request, Bulram Jee encouraged the hopes of the cowherdesses; and, having inspired them with confidence, allowed them to take leave, and went himself to take leave of Nund and Jusodha. He then explained to them and gave them comfort also; and after a stay of some days took leave, and set off for Dwarka, where he soon arrived.
CHAPTER LXVII.
Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—O great king! there was a Raja, named Pounrik, in the city of Kasee, a very powerful and glorious monarch, who assumed the appearance of Vishnù and imposed upon all people by deceit and force; he constantly wore a yellow dress, a necklace composed of five jewels, produced from the elements of nature, a garland of pearls, and a garland, composed of various jewels; and carrying about with him a shell, quoit, club and lotus, he made two wooden hands for himself; and having placed upon a horse a wooden sovereign of the feathered race, he went about, mounted upon it. He called himself Basoodeo Pounrik, and caused himself to be worshipped by all men; whatsoever Raja did not obey his order, he attacked him; and, having fought, reduced him to subjection.
Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—Raja! seeing and hearing of his practices, people began to say in every country, city, village and house, “One Basoodeo has appeared in the country of Bruj, in the family of Judoo, and he dwells in the city of Dwarka, another has now come to Kasee, which of the two shall we look upon and respect as the true one?” Such was the talk in every country; when, having made some discovery, Basoodeo Pounrik came one day into his own court, and said, “Who is Krishnù that lives at Dwarka, whom the world calls Basoodeo? He has come upon the earth for the sake of his worshippers, and has there assumed an appearance like mine.” Having thus spoken, he sent for a messenger; and, entering into very minute explanations with him, despatched him to Dwarka to Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, saying, “Tell all persons, who are wandering about in an appearance like mine, to relinquish that appearance and if they do not relinquish it, prepare to fight with them.” On receiving the order the messenger, taking leave, started from Kasee, and arrived at the city of Dwarka; and appeared in the court of Shree Krishnù Chund Jee. Krishnù asked him, “Who he was, and whence he had come?” He replied, “I am a messenger of Raja Pounrik, of the city of Kasee, I am come to deliver a message to you from my master, which, with your permission, I will mention.” Shree Krishnù Chund granted permission. When he had done so, the messenger standing up with joined hands, began to say, “O great king! Basoodeo Pounrik says, ‘That he is lord of the three worlds and creator of the universe, and asks who you are, who having assumed his appearance, and fled from fear of Joorasindhoo, have come to live at Dwarka; you must either immediately give over imitating him in outward appearance and seek his protection; or he will come and destroy you, together with all the descendants of Judoo; and, having removed the burthens of the earth, will cherish his own worshippers, I am Pounrik, the unseen, the invisible, the without form; gods, sages, saints and men offer prayers, penance, sacrifice and gifts continually to me. I, as Bruhmù, am the creator, as Vishnù, the preserver, and as Shivù, the destroyer. In the form of a fish I rescued the sinking Vedas, in the form of a tortoise I supported a hill, as a boar I upheld the earth, descending upon the earth as half man and half lion, I destroyed the demon Hirunkusyp, in the incarnation of a dwarf, I deceived Buli, when I descended as Ram, I destroyed the great devil, Rawun. This is my occupation, that, whenever demons vex my worshippers, I descend upon the earth, and remove its burthens.’ ”
Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja Pureechit,—O great king! the messenger of Basoodeo Pounrik was thus speaking, and Shree Krishnù Chund, the root of joy, seated on a jewelled throne amidst an assemblage of Judoos was listening and laughing, when one of the descendants of Judoo exclaimed, “Has the regent of the dead come to take thee away, that thou speakest thus; we will kill thee, thou low wretch! Thou hast come as the go-between of a deceitful man; if you were not an ambassador, we would certainly put you to death, it is not right to kill a messenger.”