Having recited thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja Pureechit,—O great king! the demon Mye had contrived in the midst of a square enclosure, that whoever entered it, should mistake dry land for water, and water for dry land. O great king! when the Raja Doorjodhun entered the enclosure, on seeing dry land, he thought that it was water, and pulled off all his clothes; having then gone a little further and seeing water, he mistook it for dry land; and, as he advanced, his clothes wetted. On observing this mistake of his, all the courtiers burst out laughing, and Raja Joodisthur turned his head aside to prevent himself from laughing. O great king! having heard them all laughing, Raja Doorjodhun was very much ashamed and went away in great wrath. Having sat down in the court, he began to say, “Since Joodisthur has obtained the support of Krishnù’s strength, he has become very proud. To-day, while he was sitting in the court, he made all the courtiers laugh at me; I will revenge myself on him for this, and chastise his pride, otherwise my name is not Doorjodhun.”
CHAPTER LXXVII.
Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—O great king! when Shree Krishnù Chund and Bulram Jee were at Hustinapoor, a demon, named Salub, a follower of Sissoopal, who, at the marriage of Rookmunee, had been wounded by Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, and had run away, began to perform a penance in honour of Muhadeo Jee, saying to himself, “I will now take revenge upon the descendants of Judoo.” He conquered and brought under subjection his eleven organs of action and perception: he endured hunger, thirst and all changes of season. In this manner he began to perform penance, keeping in remembrance the feet of Muhadeo: he constantly rose up and ate a handful of sand; and performed difficult penance, fixing his thoughts upon Shivù. One year passed away thus, then Muhadeo granted him a boon. “From to-day, thou shalt not be subject to the infirmities of age, and shalt not die; and the demon Mye shall make for you a ruth of delusive power, which shall carry you wherever you wish: it shall have power, through the efficacy of my blessing, to go every where like a chariot in the three worlds.”
O great king! as Sudashivù Jee granted this boon, a ruth came and stood before Salub; who, having made a salutation to Shivù Jee and mounted upon the ruth, proceeded with tumultuous haste to the city of Dwarka. Having gone there, he began to occasion all sorts of troubles to the inhabitants of the city: sometimes he used to pour down fire upon them, sometimes water: he sometimes uprooted trees, and threw them upon the city, and sometimes hills; from dread of him, all the inhabitants running off in great alarm, went to Raja Oogursen, and called out to him for mercy and protection. “O great king! a demon has come into the city, and caused the greatest confusion; and if he continue to commit the same acts of violence he has already committed, not a soul will be left alive.”
O great king! on hearing these words, Raja Oogursen sent for Purdiyomun Jee and Sumboo, and said, “Behold! this demon has come to watch Huri, and to vex the inhabitants; form some plan for remedying the distresses he has caused.” On receiving the Raja’s orders, Purdiyomun Jee took all his army; and, having gone in a chariot outside the city, was ready for battle. Seeing, that Sumboo was terrified, he said, “Be not at all anxious; I will, by the glorious favour of Huri, destroy this demon in a second.” Having thus spoken, when Purdiyomun Jee taking his army with him, and seizing his weapons, came opposite to the demon; the demon exercised his delusive power in such a manner, that the day was changed into a very dark night. Purdiyomun, upon this, discharged arrows of fire, and dissipated the thick darkness, just as the rays of the sun would disperse a fog. After this he discharged several arrows with such force, that the demon’s ruth was sent helter skelter; and he, being frightened, sometimes ran off; and sometimes returning, fought, exercising delusive power in various demoniacal ways; and gave great annoyance to the subjects of Purdiyomun.
Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja Pureechit,—O great king! there was a great battle raging on both sides; in the midst of which, Doobid, the minister of Salub, came all at once, and struck Purdiyomun with such violence on the chest with a club, that he fell senseless. On his falling, Doobid screamed out, “I have killed Shree Krishnù’s son, Purdiyomun.”
O great king! while the descendants of Judoo were carrying on a mighty contest with the demons, the son of the charioteer, Daruk; seeing that Purdiyomun Jee had fainted, threw him into a chariot, and ran off with him from the field of battle, and brought him into the city. On recovering his senses, Purdiyomun Jee was greatly enraged, and said to the charioteer, “It was not right in you, knowing me to be senseless, to make me run from the field of battle. You left the field, and brought me home: this is not the act of a brave man. There is not in the family of Judoo a single member, who would abandon, and run from the field of battle. What! didst thou ever see me fly, that thou hast to-day brought me away, and made me leave the battle? Whoever hears of this, will laugh at, and reproach me. You have not done well, in fixing a stain upon my reputation without necessity.”
On hearing these words, O great king! the charioteer, having descended from the chariot, stood up in the presence of Purdiyomun; and with joined hands, and bowing his head, said, “Lord! you know all customs and usages; and there is not in the world a right practice, with which you are not acquainted. It is said, ‘When a brave warrior in a chariot falls wounded, his charioteer will carry him off from the field of battle. If the charioteer should be wounded and fall; the warrior in the chariot ought to save and take him away.’ You received a very severe blow from a powerful club, and fainted, and were senseless. I, then, went off with you from the battle. I feared lest my master might be injured, or dishonoured. You have taken about an hour’s rest: now go, and fight again. You know what is right and proper: do not cast a thought upon the laughter and jeering of the world. Destroy all the evil spirits immediately, and seize forcibly upon the delusive power of the demon.”
O great king! having thus spoken, the charioteer took some water to Purdiyomun Jee; who, having washed his hands and face, and being fully recovered, putting on a coat of mail and helmet, and taking in his hand his bow and arrows, said to the charioteer, “Well! what has happened, has happened; but take me now to the spot, where Doobid has continued to fight with the descendants of Judoo.” On hearing this, the charioteer instantly took him to where Doobid was fighting. On going there, Purdiyomun called out to him, and said, “Why are you fighting here and there, come and confront me, that I may send you to Sissoopal?” When, on hearing this challenge, Doobid rushed upon Purdiyomun Jee, Purdiyomun discharged several arrows, which struck, and brought him to the ground: and Sumboo, having also cut into pieces the army of the demons, filled the sea with them.
Having proceeded thus far in the narrative, Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—O great king! when the descendants of Judoo had been engaged twenty-seven days in fighting at Dwarka with the army of the demons, Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, acquainted with the secrets of the heart, remaining at Hustinapoor, and beholding the condition of Dwarka, said to Raja Joodisthur, “O great king! I beheld in a dream, during the night, that great violence was being perpetrated at Dwarka, and that all the descendants of Judoo were grievously afflicted; I will, therefore, with your permission, take my departure for Dwarka.” On hearing this Raja Joodisthur, having joined his hands, said, “Do as you please.” When the Raja had thus spoken Shree Krishnù and Bulram took leave of all; and when they came outside the city, beheld a doe running towards them on the left hand, and a dog standing in front of them shaking his head. When Huri had seen these bad omens, he said to Bulram, “Brother! come after me with all the rest of the party, and I will go on in advance.”