Thereupon worked up with great anger Andhaka, proud of his boon, set up a terrible leonine shout and said:—"O mountain, although requested by me you have not shown me sufficient honor. Now witness my strength—I will crush you within this very moment." Saying it the powerful Andhaka, elated with the pride of the boon, uprooted, with the help of the Asuras, a summit extending over many yojanas and began to grind it. O hero, for this all the streams of that huge mountain were blockaded. When Rudra came to know of all this he showed him such a special favour, that it appeared in the same beauty abounding in infuriated elephants, deer, various streams and variegated gardens, which it possessed before it was uprooted by Andhaka (13–18).
Thereupon by the power of the Lord, the dreadful summits, uprooted by Andhaka, brought about the destruction of the Asuras themselves (19). O king, the mountain summits crushed those Asuras to death who uprooting them were flying away (20). Those Asuras however, who were sitting at ease on the table-land of the mount Mandara, were not killed thereby. Seeing his soldiers thus crushed down Andhaka set up a terrible leonine shout and said:—"O mountain, there is no need of fighting with you. I invite him who is the owner of the garden situate on your elevation. Let him come forward to fight. What is the use of carrying on the work of destruction remaining in disguise in the battle-field" (21–23).
Thus addressed the Lord Maheswara, desirous of killing him, took up his mace and arrived there riding on his bull (24). The intelligent, three-eyed deity, the lord of goblins came there encircled by ghosts and goblins. At that time when Mahādeva was worked up with anger the entire world shook and the rivers flew in contrary courses with burning water (25–26), O king, by Hara's energy all the quarters were consumed with fire and the planets began to fight with one another. O descendant of Kuru, at that time all the mountains were moved and the god of rains sent down showers of char-coals accompanied with smoke. And the moon became hot and the sun cool. The Brahmavādins forgot the Vedas. O sinless one, at that time the asses gave birth to cows and the cows to horses. The trees were reduced to ashes and fell down on earth. The bulls began to oppress the kine and the kine began to ride on the bulls. All the quarters were filled with Rakshasas, Yatudhānas and Pishācas. Beholding the universe in such an altered condition the Divine Mahādeva cast off his mace effulgent like fire. O king, that dreadful mace, discharged by Hara, fell on the breast of the Asura Andhaka, the thorn of the pious, and immediately reduced him to ashes (27-33).
When the enemy of the world was slain, the gods and the Munis, having asceticism for their wealth, began to propitiate Shankara (34). Celestials bugles were sounded and showers of flowers fell down. O king, the three worlds were freed from anxiety and enjoyed rest (35). The gods and Gandharvas began to sing and the Apsaras began to dance. The Brāhmanas began to recite the Vedas and perform sacrifices (36). The planets resumed their natural positions and the rivers flew in their proper courses. Fire did not burn in water. All people began to cherish hopes (37). The foremost of mountains Mandara again shone in beauty—adorned with its pristine prosperity and effulgence (38). Having thus benefitted the gods the Lord Hara began to sport with Umā again in the garden of Pārijāta (39).
CHAPTER CCXXXV. THE YADAVAS SPORT IN THE OCEAN.
Janamejaya said:—O Muni, I have thus listened to an account of the necessary destruction of Andhaka, by which the intelligent Mahadeva restored peace in the three worlds. It behoves thee to describe to me why the second body of Nikumbha was destroyed by Krishna, the holder of discus (1-2).
Vaishampāyana said:—O sinless king, you have the greatest reverences for listening to the history of Hari, the highly powerful lord of the universe. I should therefore describe it to you (3). O king, while living in the city of Dwārkā Hari, of incomparable energy, sailed by sea for the sacred shrine of Pindaraka (4). O descendant of Bharata, at that time Ugrasena and Vasudeva remained as the governors of the city. All others followed Nārāyana (5). O king, Baladeva, Janārddana, and the parties of other princes, energetic like the immortals, set out separately (6). O king, thousands of dancing girls accompanied the beautiful Vrishni princes adorned with ornaments (7). O hero, removing the ocean from its own bed the powerful Yadavas had settled those thousands of dancing girls in Dwāravati (8). Those beautiful dancing girls, on account of their accomplishments, became the objects of enjoyment to the princes (9). O lord, thinking that the Yadavas might not suffer from an internal feud for women the intelligent Krishna established this practice amongst the Bhaimas (10). While sporting in the water, the powerful Baladeva, the foremost of Yadus, inebrite with drinking wine and adorned with a garland of wild flowers, was enjoying only with Revati like a Chakravāka bird. Making an enclosure with his own persons Govinda, the creator of all, having eyes black like a cloud, was sporting separately in the ocean with his sixteen thousand wives. O king, at that time, amongst the women of Keshava every one thought:—"I am the most favourite of Keshava: he is sporting only with me" (11-14). All those damsels, having signs of sporting all over their person, were flirting with Govinda (15). Amongst those good women the beautiful damsels of Nārāyana felt conceited by thinking "I alone am the most favourite of Keshava." Krishna’s women, as if with their eyes, were drinking the ambrosia of Keshava's countenance. All those damsels, whose minds and eyes were fixed only on Keshava, looked more beautiful than before. The Lord Nārāyana, having pleased them all, those women, having their minds and eyes fixed on one man, did not cherish jealousy against one another. As if possessed entirely by Keshava those beautiful women began to shake their heads with pride (116-121). In pursuance of the ways of his universal form the self-controlled Hari began to sport with those women in this way in the pure water of the ocean (22). O hero, at that time at the command of Vāsudeva the water of the ocean was freed from salt and the great ocean began to carry transparent water, possessing all sorts of fragrance (23). The ocean yielded its water to whatever extent the women wanted, either up to their knees, thighs or breast (24). As the rivers pour their watery contents down into the ocean, and as the clouds pour water on the blossoming creepers, so in that watery sport Keshava's women sprinkled him with water (25). Some of them, having eyes like a deer, held Hari by the neck, and said:—"O Hari, I am being drowned, save me" (26). Some handsome damsels began to row in wooden boats of the shape of herons and serpents (27). Some began to row in Makara-shaped boats and others in boats of various shapes (28). In order to please Janārddana in the water of the ocean some women swam depending on their own breast and some on water jars. (29). Krishna himself, filled with joy, began to sport with Rukshmini. Nārāyana's wives did what pleased most Keshava, the foremost of immortals (30). There amongst those thin-built damsels, having cloud like eyes and wearing clothes of fine texture some imitated the movements of Vāsudeva. Entering into the minds of those women, Keshava, conversant with the mental desire of all, satisfied whatever they wanted (31–33). Although lord of all self-controlled persons, the powerful, eternal, divine Hrishikesha, according to the exigencies of time, brought himself under the control of his beloved wives (33). Wonder! the damsels regarded Janāddana remaining there in human guise as their becoming husband both as regards birth and accomplishments. In this way those clever women began to seek with devotion and offer sufficient honor to Krishna endued with kindliness and always smiling before speaking (34-35).
In order to sport with the women in water the princes formed a separate party. Those heroes, the mines of accomplishments, were sporting under water (36), O king, the women, proficient in the art of singing and dancing whom the princes had brought there by force, were pleased with their kind behaviour. Seeing the charming acting of those beautiful women, and hearing the music of bugles and their songs the Yadu heroes were greatly pleased (37–38). Thereupon on account of his universal form when Lord Krishna, the master of the world and of immeasurable energy, sent for the most beautiful Apsaras such as Panchachudā, Kouveri and Mahendri, they came with folded hands and saluted him. Consoling them, he said.
Mahadeva said:—"O ye beautiful Apsaras, for satisfying me do you enter here without any anxiety and please the Yādavas as their playing maids. Show them all the accomplishments that you possess in various musical instruments, dancing, singing and other mysterious arts. They are all like my limbs. If you please them therefore you will meet with your well-being." Having accepted that command of Hari's with lowering heads those Apsaras joined the Yādavas as their playful maids (39–44).
O sinless one, as clouds in the sky are lighted up by a lightning so the water of the ocean was ablaze as soon as they entered there (45). Standing in the water as if on land they played many notes on water as in the celestial region (46). Those women, having expansive eyes, pilfered the minds of the Bhaimas with garlands of celestial fragrance, raiments, sportive smiles, gestures, movements of eyes, anger and service after their own hearts (47–48). Those leading Apsaras repeatedly threw up the inebriete Bhaimas into the sky and brought them down (49). In order to please the Yadavas the powerful Krishna too, with his sixteen thousand wives, began to sport happily in the sky (50). The heroic Bhaimas knew the power of Krishna of immeasurable energy and so they were not surprised at this feat of his; rather they observed perfect gravity (51). O Bhārata, O slayer of enemies, amongst them some, of their own accord, returned to Raivataka, some to their own houses, and some to desired for forests. The water of the ocean, which no one else can drink, was, by the command of the powerful lord of the world Vishnu, converted into a good drink for all (52–53). Holding the damsels, having lotus eyes, by the hand they began to move about freely in the water as on land and dive again into the water (54). Various sorts of edibles and drinks were brought before them as soon they thought of them. In this way, those damsels, wearing garlands of fresh flowers, began to sport with those Yadu princes in that solitary place (55–56).