When Krishna said this, Ugrasena, out of fear for his son's misdeeds, entered lowering his head along with other Yadavas (16). In that assembly of the Yadus he addressed to the lotus-eyed Krishna the following poor words, sullied by the vapour of grief and becoming the occasion (17):—"O my son, your anger has been pacified, your enemy has been led to the abode of Yama, your glory has followed your own duties and your name has become celebrated in this world (18). By this action you have established your glory amongst the pious, terrified your enemies, made strong the position of the Yādavas and rendered your friends proud (19). Your glory has spread itself amongst the neighbouring chiefs and now they will all seek alliance with you and your friendship (20). O hero, your subjects will be devoted to you, the Brāhmanas will sing your glories and the ministers, well read in peace and dissension making, will bow unto you (21). O Krishna, accept this immortal army of Kansa abounding in elephants, horses, chariots and infantry (22). O Mādhava, let your men take Kansa's wealth, corn, jewels, covers, gold, clothes, women and all that he possessed (23). O Krishna, the slayer of your enemies, by the Yoga, to which you have resorted on behalf of the Yādavas, all dissensions have been put a stop to and the earth has been established. O descendant of Yadu, from you now will proceed the happiness or misery of the Yadavas (24). Hear, what they are saying with a depressed heart. If you please, O Govinda, they may perform the obsequial rites of Kansa, of sinful deeds, who has been consumed by the fire of your anger. Having performed the after-death ceremonies of that king who has met with this calamity, I shall, along with my wife and daughters-in-law, range in the forest with the animals. To perform the obsequial rites of the dead is the duty of men (26–28). By performing this, Krishna, people are freed from their social obligations. Therefore having made his funeral pyre, putting fire to it and offering oblation of water I shall have discharged debt to Kansa (29). This is my only prayer, O Krishna. Show me kindness in this matter. With the performance of his after-death rites let sinful Kansa attain to a blessed state (30)."
Hearing the words of Ugrasena, Krishna was filled with surprise. And consoling him he said (31). "O sire, O foremost of kings, what you have said behoves your age and family and becomes your nature (32). While the inevitable work is over, why do you say so? Although dead, Kansa will receive funeral honors befitting a king (33). O sire, you are born in a great race and know every thing that should be known. Why do you not then understand that destiny is inevitable (34)? O king, pristine deeds of all creatures, mobile and immobile, attain to fullness in time (55). O foremost of kings, even the liberal, beautiful and rich sovereigns, always kind to the poor, endued with prowess like that of Mahendra, well read in Srutis, laws and knowledge of Brahman, and like unto the regents of quarters, are carried away by Death (36–37). You know too that many a pious king, ever intent on protecting their subjects, devoted to Kshitriya dutes, self-controlled and well-read in all, meet with death in time (38). When the proper time comes men, by enjoyment or suffering, can understand whether his actions have been good or bad (39). O king, even the gods cannot understand the true nature of Māyā that exists in the hearts of all. Karma is the instrument of people's being stupified thereby (40). Urged on by his pristine deeds Kansa has met with death in time; I am not the cause thereof. Karma (pristine action) and Kāla (Time) are the instruments thereof (41). This universe, consisting of the sun and moon, mobile and immobile creations, meets with dissolution in time and springs up into existence again in time (42). Time subdues and favours all and therefore all the creatures are subject to time (43). O king, your son has been consumed by his own sin. I am not the instrument thereof but Time is the cause (44). Your son has been slain by his own actions; I am surely the instrument no doubt (45). Powerful is Time and it is difficult to know its course. This is known to persons who impartially look into the essence of things (46). That is the course of Time by which everything comes within its ken. Let it go, do what I say now (47).
"I do not care for the kingdom or the royal throne. I did not slay Kansa for a territory (48). For the behoof of all the worlds and for establishing my glory your son, the curse of this family, has been slain by me along with all his attendants (49). Like unto a bird coursing at will, I shall again delightedly range in the forest in the midst of kine along with the Gopas (50). O foremost of kings, I swear a hundred times, that I stand in no need of the kingdom. Communicate this to all (51) O foremost of kings, you are the leader and the lord of the Yadavas and therefore deserve respect from me. Therefore place yourself on the throne and acquire victory by becoming the king (52). If you think it proper to do what pleases me, and if it does not pain you, do you accept for ever this kingdom abdicated by me (53)."
Vaishampāyana said:—Hearing those words of Krishna in the assembly of Yadus Ugrasena bent down his head in bashfulness and could give no reply (54). Then Govinda, well read in laws, installed him on the throne. With the crown on his head the beautiful and effulgent king Ugrasena, along with Krishna, performed the funeral ceremonies of Kansa (55). As the celestials follow their king (Indra) so all the leading Yadavas, at the command of Krishna, followed Ugrasena in the high-way of the city (56). Thereupon when the night passed away and the sun rose, the leading Yadavas began to perform the funeral ceremonies of Kansa (57). Thereupon desirous of performing the obsequial rites of king Kansa according to the ritualastic laws they placed his body in a palanquin and took it to the northern bank of Yamunā. And in due order they performed his funeral rites by setting fire to the pyre (58–59). With the consent of Krishna the Yādavas also performed the funeral ceremonies of the large-armed brother of Kansa by name Sunāma (60). Then repeatedly exclaiming. "May the departed attain to an eternal course" the Vrishnis, Andhakas and Yadavas offered oblations of water in their honor (61). Having then offered water to Kansa and his brother, all the Yadavas, preceded by Ugrasena, returned to Mathura with a sorrowful heart (62).
CHAPTER LXXXVIII. KRISHNA BRINGS BACK HIS PRECEPTOR'S SON FROM THE OCEAN.
Vaishampayana said:—Thereupon united with Rohini's son the heroic and powerful Krishna began to live in the city of Mathurā filled with Yadavas (1). Gradually his body began to shine in royal and youthful grace and he began to range in the city of Mathurā adorned with the ocean-like Yamunā (2).
After a few days, with a view to learn Danurveda (science of war) Rāma and Krishna, adorned with vedic study and good conduct, went to this preceptor Sāndipani of the city of Avanti in the province of Kashi and communicated to him their family (3-4). When they, shorn of pride began to serve him he recognised Janārddana and Rāma as his pupils and began to instruct them in that useful science (5). The heroic Rāma and Janārddana could learn anything as soon as they heard it; and therefore within sixty-four days and nights they studied and mastered all the Vedas with their various Angas[267] (6). In no time their preceptor taught them Danurveda, consisting of four divisions[268] and the mysterious use of various other weapons (7). Thinking of their superhuman merit he used to consider them as the moon and the sun (8). And when he offered adoration to those two high-souled deities in Parva he used to see Siva and Vishnu before him (9). Thereupon, O descendant of Bharata, having finished their education Baladeva and Krishna said to their preceptor Sāndipani:—"What fee shall we offer thee for your acting as our preceptor (19)?" The preceptor knew their power and so with a delighted heart said "I wish you to return me the son who died in the ocean of salt-water (11). O Krishna, I had only one son. When I had gone out on a pilgrimage to Pravāsa a Timi fish carried away my son. Do you bring me back my that son (12)." With Rāma's consent Krishna said "it will be so." And then going to the ocean Hari entered into its water (13). With folded hands the regent of the ocean came to Vāsudeva, who said "Where is Sāndipani's son (14)?" The ocean replied, "O Mādhava, a huge-bodied demon, by name Panchajana, has devoured that boy, in the form of a Timi fish (15)."
Hearing it the eternal Purusha Achyuta (Krishna) went to Panchajana and killed him. But he did not get his preceptor's son (16). The conch, which Janārddana obtained after slaying Panchajana, is known amongst gods and men as Panchajanya (17).
Thereupon that foremost of Purushas repaired to the abode of Vaivaswan (Yama). Then approaching him Yama saluted Gadādhara (18). Krishna said to him:—"Give me my preceptor's son." Thereat there took place a terrible encounter between them both (19). Thereupon having vanquished the fearful son of Vivaswan, the foremost of Purusha Achyuta obtained the child son of his preceptor (20). He then brought from Yama's abode his preceptor's son lost for a long time. By the power of Krishna of peerless energy Sāndipani’s son, dead long ago, returned in his bodily form. Beholding this highly wonderful feat which cannot be thought of or performed by any all the creatures were filled with surprise. Taking his preceptor's son, Panchajanya and diverse precious jewels, Mādhava, the Lord of the universe, returned (21–23). Having brought all those precious jewels through Yama's servants the Rakshasas Vāsava's younger brother (Krishna) dedicated them to his preceptor (24). Having handed over to their preceptor Sāndipani, his son, of the same age and beauty, as before, together with all the jewels the highly intelligent Rāma and Keshava, the foremost of all the warriors, in all the worlds, in the use of clubs, swords and various other weapons, were pleased (25–26). Being greatly pleased with the reconciliation with his son, who had been lost for a long time Kashyas's son Sāndipani honored greatly Rāma and Keshava (27). Having acquired mastery in the use of all weapons and honored their preceptor, those two vow-observing and heroic sons of Vasudeva returned to Mathurā (28). Hearing of the approach of the two scions of the Yadu race, all the Yādavas, boys and old men, headed by Ugrasena, delightedly went out of the city to receive them (29). All the subjects, old and young, the priests and the ministers stood before the city in rows (30). Bugles were sounded, people began to chant the glories of Janārddana, and all the streets were adorned with flags and garlands (31). With Govinda's return all the houses were filled with joy as on the occasion of an Indra-Yajna (32). The songsters began to sing, in high ways, songs of blessings and eulogy, highly liked by the Yadavas (33). They made the announcement, "The two brothers, Rāma and Govinda, celebrated all over the world, have returned to their city. Let all fearlessly sport with their friends" (34). O king, when Govinda arrived at Mathurā, there was none who was poorly, sorrowful or insensible (35). The birds began to pour sweet notes, and the horses, elephants and cows were all cheerful. And men and women attained to mental felicity (36). Delightful winds began to blow and the ten quarters were freed from dust and all the tutelary deities in the temples became delighted (37). What more when Janārddana arrived at the city all the signs, that were visible in the golden age, appeared there (38).
Thereupon in an auspicious moment ascending a car drawn by horses, Janārddana, the slayer of his enemies, entered the city of Mathurā (39). As the gods follow Sakra so all the Yadavas followed Upendra when he entered the charming city of Mathurā (40). Thereafter as the sun and moon enter into the setting mountain so those two descendants of Yadu delightedly entered into Vasudevā's house (41). Keeping all their arms in their own house those high-souled sons of Vasudeva, ranging at will along with the Yādavas, began to range in woods full of fruits and flowers and in streamlets of clear water near the Raivata mountain beautified with lotus leaves and Kārandavas. Thus Rāma and Keshava, of beautiful faces and having one heart enjoyed there a few days under Ugrasena (42–45).