SECTION XXIX.
Parāçara said:—Thereupon Sakra, the lord of the three worlds, came mounted on his infuriated elephant Airāvata to visit Sauri at Dwārakā. Having entered Dwārakā and been welcomed by Hari he communicated unto him the actions of the demon Naraka. (He said) "O slayer of Madhu, by thee, the lord of the deities, although situated in mortal condition, all afflictions have been soothed; thou hast slain Arishta, Dhenuka, Chānura, Mushtika, Kesin,—all the demons who were slaying the ascetics. Kansa, Kavalayapida and child-destroying Putanā, as well as other oppressors of the world have all been slain by thee. The three worlds being protected by thy valour and wisdom, the deities, obtaining the share of sacrifices undertaken by the devout, enjoy satisfaction. Hear, O Janārddana, for why I have come to thee and try to remedy it. O slayer of enemies, residing in the city of Pragyotish, the demon Naraka, son of Bhumi, has been inflicting the creatures. Carrying off the maidens of the celestials, saints, demons and kings he shuts them up in his own palace. He has carried away the umbrella of Varuna, always producing water, the jewel mountain crest of Mandara, and the nectar-dropping ear-rings of my mother Aditi; and he now demands my elephant Airāvat. O Govinda, I have thus related unto thee the oppressions of the demon Naraka—do thou now consider what thou shouldst do in this". Having heard this, the illustrious son of Devaki gently smiled and taking Vāsava by the hand rose up from the excellent seat. Thereupon the lord thinking of the eater of serpents Garuda, he immediately appeared there. And having first placed Satyabhāmā on his back he ascended and flew to the city of Pragyotish. Having ascended the elephant Airivat, Indra, the lord of the celestials, set out for his city in the sight of the inhabitants of Dwārakā.
O foremost of twice-born ones, the four sides of the city Pragyotish to the extent of a yojana were environed by nooses made by the demon Mura, whose edges were as sharp as razors. But throwing his discus Sudarshana amongst them Hari sundered them into pieces. Thereupon Mura rose up but Krishna killed him and burnt his seven thousand sons like so many moths with the flame of the edge of his discus. Having slain Mura, Hayagriva, and Panchajana the wise Hari soon reached the city of Pragyotish. There ensued a dreadful conflict with Naraka's troops in which Govinda slew thousands of demons. And the annihilator of the demon tribe cut in two with his discus Bhumi's son Naraka who came there showering arrows and weapons upon the celestials. The demon Naraka being slain, Earth, taking the two ear-rings of Aditi, approached the lord of the world and said "O lord, when I was upheld by thee in the shape of a boar, then this my son was engendered by thy contact. Thou didst confer this son upon me and thou hast slain him now. Do thou now take this pair of ear-rings and protect his progeny. Thou, O lord, whose aspect is ever pleasing, hast incarnated on this sphere a portion of thyself to lighten my burden. Thou art the eternal creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe, the origin of all the worlds and identical with the universe; how can we worthily chant thy glories? Thou art the pervader and that which is pervaded, the act, the agent and the effect—thou art the soul of all creatures and how can we sufficiently chant thy glories? Thou art the great soul—the sentient and living soul of all beings and imperishable—there is no praise worthy of thee—how can we chant thy glories? Have pity, O universal soul and forgive the iniquities which Naraka has committed. Verily it is for his purification that he hath been killed by thee".
Parāçara said Having replied to the Earth saying "so be it" the lord, who is the substance of all creatures, took various jewels from Naraka's abode. Having entered the female apartment the highly powerful Krishna saw sixteen thousand and one hundred damsels. He also found in the palace sixteen thousand huge elephants each having four tusks, twenty-one lakhs of horses of Kāmboja and other excellent breeds. All those Govinda sent to Dwārakā in charge of the servants of Naraka. Thereupon he placed Varuna's umbrella and the golden mountain on Garuda's back, And having ascended with Satyabhāmā he repaired to the city of celestials to restore to Aditi her ear-rings.
SECTION XXX.
Carrying the umbrella of Varuna, the jewel mountain and Hrishikesh with his spouse on his back, Garuda went along lightly and sportively. When Hari arrived at the gate of Swarga he blew his conch on which the celestials came forward to meet him bearing respectful offerings. Having received the homage of the celestials he proceeded to the palace of the mother of gods whose turrets resembled the white clouds and found Aditi there. Thereupon having bowed unto her along with the king of celestials he conferred the pair of ear-rings upon her and related unto her the destruction of the demon Naraka. Well-pleased, Aditi, the mother of Gods with her thoughts wholly devoted unto Hari, the protector of the universe, began to chant his glories:—"Salutation unto thee, O thou having lotus eyes, who removest all fear of the devotees, who art eternal, the soul of all creatures, the creator of all and identical with all. Thou art at one with the three qualities and the creator of mind, intellect and senses. Thou art beyond the three qualities, exempt from contraries, pure, residing in the hearts of all; void of colour, extension and every transient modification and uninfluenced by the changes of birth and death and sleep and waking. Thou art evening, night and day, earth, sky, air, water and fire, mind, intellect and individuality. Thou art the agent of creation, preservation and destruction and the lord over the agent—thou appearest in various forms which are Brahmā, Vishnu and Siva—and thou art the master of all these thy forms. Thou art Gods, Yakshas, Daityas, Rākshasas, Sidhas, Pannagas, Kushmandas, Pisāchas, Gandharvas, men, animals, deer, elephants, reptiles, trees, shrubs, creepers, climbers, and grasses—all things, large, middling, and small, immense or minute; thou art all bodies whatsoever composed of aggregated atoms. Those who are ignorant of thy true nature cannot understand thy illusion—the fools (only) follow the illusion and think 'this is mine'. O Lord, thy illusion is the mother of the world—and the notions 'I am, this is mine' are but delusions. O Lord, those men, who attentive to their duties, worship thee, obtain salvation after traversing these illusions. Brahmā and all the celestials, men and animals are alike enshrouded by the thick darkness of delusion in the abyss of the illusions of Vishnu. This is also thy delusion, O lord, that men having worshipped thee seek the gratification of desires and their own preservation. That people having worshipped thee desire for the total annihilation of themselves is but the outcome of thy delusion. That I have worshipped thee for son and the destruction of the enemies and not for salvation is also the result of thy fascination. It is the fruit of the iniquitous acts of the impious (to pray for vain things to one who is able to give better things) like asking for a rag to cover nakedness from the tree that confers whatever is solicited from it. Be propitious with me, O thou imperishable, who hast deceived the whole universe with thy delusion. O lord of creatures, do thou remove this ignorance of mine—the notion that I am wise; salutation unto thee, the holder of discus; salutation unto thee the wielder of bow; salutation unto thee, the holder of a club; salutation unto thee, the holder of a conch. O god, I do perceive thy perceptible form—but cannot perceive thy real form; do thou therefore be propitious with me".
Parāçara said:—The mother of gods, having thus chanted the glories of Vishnu, he smiling said:—"Thou art our mother, O goddess, be thou propitious and confer upon me a boon".
Aditi said:—"So be it, ever as thou wilt; O foremost of men, as long as shalt thou dwell in the land of mortals thou shalt be invincible by celestials and demons". Thereupon Satyabhāmā, along with Sachi, bowed unto Aditi again and again and said, "Be thou pleased". Whereto Aditi replied saying:—"Fair-browed dame, by my favour thou shalt never experience decrepitude or loss of beauty; thou shalt be of a blameless person and asylum of all graces".
Parāçara said:—Being commanded by Aditi, the lord of the celestials duly honored Janārddana. Thereupon Krishna, accompanied by Satyabhāmā beheld Nandana and other pleasant gardens of the celestials. There Kesava, the lord of the universe and the slayer of Kesi, saw Pārijāta, the favourite of Sachi, having golden bark, young sprouting leaves of a copper colour and bearing numerous fragrant clusters of flowers, and which was produced when the ocean was churned for ambrosia. Beholding that tree, O foremost of twice-born ones, Satyabhāmā said to Govinda. "Why should not this celestial tree be taken to Dwārakā. If what you always say is true that I am really dear to you then take this tree from here for the gardens of my dwelling. O Krishna, you always say 'O Satya, neither Rukmini nor Jāmbavati is beloved unto me like thee,' if this is true and not mere flattery then let this Pārijāta be the ornament of my dwelling. Wearing the flowers of this tree in the braids of my hair I wish to appear graceful amidst my fellow queens".
Parāçara said:—Thus requested by Satyabhāmā Hari, smiled and taking the Pārijāta plant placed it upon Garuda.