"End of Fifth Section of Vishnu Puranam"

 

 

Balarama and The River Yamuna :

 

 

 Now that there was peace, Balarama went on a trip to Gokula. There he met all his old friends and throughly enjoyed himself.

 

 

 One day he found that there was wine issuing out of a kadamba tree. Balarama drank a lot of the wine and became drunk. Since he was drunk he had lost control of his senses. He, therefore, told the river Yamuna, "River Yamuna, I feel like having a bath. Change your course and come here so that I may fulfil my desire."

 

 

 Yamuna ignored this instruction. At this, Balarama was enraged and took up his plough. With his plough he grasped the river and pulled her towards himself, "You won’t come , will you?", he said. "Let me see how you can flow where you wish."

 The course of the river was changed.

 

 

 Yamuna appeared before Balarama and begged for forgiveness.

 This was granted.

 

 

 When Balarama’s bath was over, Lakshmi appeared before him and gave a garland of lotuses which never fade. She also gave him two pieces of blue clothing.

 

 Balarama returned to Dvaraka after having spent two months in Gokula. He married King Raivata’s daughter Revati and had two sons named Nishatha and Ulmuka.

 Rukmini and Rukmi

 

 There was a king named Bhishmaka who ruled in the kingdom of Kundina. The king had a son named Rukmi and a daughter named Rukmimi. Krishna and Rukmini wished to marry each other. But Rukmi did not like Krishna, so he refused to get his sister married off to Krishna.

 

 Bhishmaka was also an ally of Jarasandha’s. So he agreed with Rukmi and decided to marry his daughter to Shishupala. All these allies of Jarasandha’s went to Kundina to witness the marriage and Krishna and the Yadavas also went there. But one day before the marriage was due to take place, Krishna abducted Rukmini.

 

 Thereupon several kings like Poundraka, Dantavakra, Viduratha, Shishupala, Jarasandha and Shalva attacked the Yadavas so as to kill Krishna. But they were defeated by Balarama and the other Yadavas.

 

 Rukmi resolved, "I will not return to Kundina without killing Krishna." He followed Krishna with many soldiers, horses, elephants,and chariots. But Krishna easily defeated Rukmi.

 

 When Krishna was about to kill Rukmi, Rukmini said, "I have only one brother. Please spare his life."

 

 Krishna spared Rukmi’s life. But Rukmi had resolved that he would not return to Kundina without killing Krishna. So he had to build a new city known as Bhojakata where he began to live.

 

 Krishna married Rukmini according to the rakshasa form of marriage. They had a son called Pradyumna who was kidnapped by Shambarasura as soon as he was born. But later, Pradyumna was to kill Shambarasura.

 

 "Tell me this story," asked Maitreya of Parashara.

 

 Shambarasua knew that Pradyumna was destined to kill him. So six days after Pradyumna’s birth, he kidnapped the newly born baby and threw it into the ocean. The ocean was full of sharks and crocodiles. The baby might have died, but a fish swallowed it up and the baby was saved. Later on, some fishermen caught the fish and brought it to Shambarasura’s kitchen.

 

 Shambarasura had a housekeeper named Mayavati. When the fish was cut, Mayavati found the baby inside. She was very surprised. "Who is this boy and how did he come to be here?’, she wondered. She went to Narada to find out who the boy was and Narada told her the entire story. He also told her to ensure that the boy was brought up properly.

 

 This Mayavati proceeded to do. She was well versed in the techniques of maya or illusions and these she taught to Pradyumna. When Pradyumna grew up, she told him the entire story of his birth and kidnapping. Hearing this, Pradyumna challenged Shambarasura to a duel. Shambarasura used a lot of maya, but thanks to Mayavati, Pradyumna had also learnt the use of maya. So he did manage to kill Shambarasura.

 

 After this, Pradyumna and Mayavati returned to Krishna and Rukmini. Everyone was happy and Pradyumna married Mayavati.

 

 Apart from Pradyumna, Krishna and Rukmini had eight other sons and a daughter. And apart from Rukmini, Krishna had seven other major wives. Their names were Kalindi, Mitravinda, Satya, Jambavati or Rohini, Sushila, Satyabhama, and Lakshmana. The total number of Krishna’s wives was sixteen thousand.

 

 Pradyumna married King Rukmi’s daughter and had a son named Aniruddha. Aniruddha married Rukmi’s grand-daughter. On the occasion of this marriage, Krishna, Balarama and the other Yadavas arrived at Rukmi’s capital Bhojakata.

 

 After the marriage was over, some kings told Rukmi, "Balarama is addicted to playing dice, although he cannot play it at all well. Why not arrange match of dice in which we can defeat Balarama?"

 

 Rukmi agreed to this proposition and a match was arranged in which Rukmi played with Balarama. In the first round, Rukmi won four thousand gold pieces off Balarama. This happened a second time and a third time as well. At this, the king of Kalinga and Rukmi began to laugh at Balarama.

 

 Balarama got angry and placed four crores of gold pieces as a bet. Rukmi threw the dice, but this time Balarama won.

 "I have won," said Balarama.

 "No, you haven’t", replied Rukmi. "You did place the bet, but I did not accept it. So you have not really won."

 

 Words were then heard from heaven which said that it was Balarama who was in the right. Although Rukmi had not verbally accepted the bet, his throwing of the dice meant that the bet was acceptable to him.

 

 This roused Balarama’s anger and he picked up a dice and killed Rukmi with it. He also caught hold of the king of Kalinga and broke off the king’s teeth. It was with these teeth that the king of Kalinga had laughed at Balarama. Many were the other kings whom Balarama killed on this occasion.

 

 

 The Killing of Narakasura :  

 

 

 Once Indra came to Davaraka on the elephant Airavata. He met Krishna and complained about the behaviour of a daitya named Narakasura.

 

 This Narakasura was the son of Prithivi and the king of Pragjyotishapura. He was oppressing all living beings. He was kidnapping the daughters of devas, asuras and kings and imprisoning them in his house. Naraka had also stolen Varuna’s umbrella from which the rains came, and the peak of Mount Mandara. In addition he had robbed Indra’s mother Aditi of her earrings and was now threatening to steal Airavata.

 

 Krishna decided to do something about Naraksura. He thought of Garuda and immediately, Garuda appeared before him. Krishna and Satyabhama got onto Garuda and flew towards Pragjyotishapura. There was an asura named Muru who had installed many sharp stakes around Naraka’s city. But Krishna sliced off these stakes with his sudarshana chakra. And when Muru attacked him, Krishna killed Muru and his seven thousand sons with the chakra. He also killed two others. Hayagriva and Panchajana, and arrived at Pragyotishapura.

 

 A terrible war raged between the armies of Narakasura and Krishna. Krishna killed thousands and thousands of asuras and sliced Narakasura in two with his chakra.

 

 Inside Narakasura’s palace Krishna found sixteen thousand and one hundred women whom Narakasura had imprisoned. There were also several horses and six thousand elephants with four tusks each. All of these Krishna sent to Dvaraka. Krishan put the other things that Naraka had stolen on Garuda and proceeded towards heaven to return them to their rightful owners.

 

 The Taking of Parijata :  

 

 

Krishna arrived at the gates of heaven and blew upon his conch shell. The gods came out to worship Krishna. Krishna first went to Aditi’s house and returned her earrings. Aditi blessed Satyabhama and gave her the boon that Satyabhama would never grow old or ugly, she would be in a state of perpetual youth.

 

 Aditi also told Indra to worship Krishna. But Indra’s wife Shachi thought that Satyabhama was a mere human, so she did not give Satyabhama any parijata flowers, although she wore them herself.

 

 Krishna and Satyabhama went for a stroll in the gardens and there they saw the parijata tree. The leaves of the tree were of copper colour and the bark was of gold. Satyabhama said, "Why don’t you take this tree to Dvaraka?" And she persisted, "If you really love me, please take this tree to our house. I will wear the flowers on my hair."

 

 Krishna laughed. He uprooted the tree and placed it on Garuda’s back. The guards said, "Please don’t take this tree. It belongs to Shachi, the wife of Indra." They also pointed out that the taking of the tree would arouse the wrath of the gods.

 

 At this, Satyabhama grew angry. "Who is Indra and who is Shachi?", she said. "This tree came out of the churning of the ocean, so it belongs to everyone. Why should Indra alone enjoy it? My husband is taking away this tree, go and tell Shachi this. Let me see if her husband can prevent it from happening. Go and tell Shachi that a mere human is taking the tree away."

 

 The guards went and told Shachi what was happening. Incited by Shachi, Indra attacked Krishna with all the soldiers that the gods could muster. Indra had his vajra for a weapon, the other devas had clubs, swords, maces and spears. On seeing Indra on Airavata, Krishna blew on his conch shell and let loose thosuands and thousands arrows. The gods flung many weapons at him, but Krishna repelled all these weapons. Garuda also helped in the fight. With a mace Krishna destroyed Yama’s weapon. With his chakra he destroyed Kubera’s palanquin. With a glance he robbed the sun of all energy. Agni was defeated with Krishna’s arrows. The vasus, the rudras, the maruts and the gandharvas had to flee.

 

 Indra and Krishna fought with each other while Garuda fought with Airavata. Indra finally took up his vajra and Krishna took up his chakra. Everyone in the worlds was frightened because the worlds might be annihilated. But when Indra hurled his vajra, Krishna simply caught the weapon in his hand. He did not fling the chakra. Indra started to run away.

 

 Satyabhama taunted him. "Indra, king of the gods, why are you running away?", she said. "Aren’t you Shachi’s husband? Fleeing does not become you! Don’t run away. Here , take the parijata tree. Let the minds of the gods be at rest."

 

 Indra then apologised for all that had happened. He also said that there was no shame in losing to Krishna. For Krishna was, after all, nothing but Vishnu.

 

 Krishna smiled and returned the parijata tree, as well as Indra’s vajra. But Indra refused to take the tree back. He requested Krishna to take the tree to Dvaraka. Once Krishna died, the tree would return on its own to heaven. This Krishna agreed to do and the tree got the pride of place in Krishna’s garden in Dvaraka. All the Yadavas came to see it.

 

 Narakasura’s elephants, horses and other wealth had also been brought to Dvaraka. The sixteen thousand and one hundred women that Narakasura had imprisoned had come to Dvaraka. Krishna married all of them.

 

Usha and Vanasura : 

 

 Krishna had more than one lakh and eighty thousand sons. But the best of them was Pradyumna and Pradyumna’s son was Aniruddha.

 

 Vali’s son was Vanasura and Vanasura’s daughter was Usha. Usha once met Parvati and Shiva. She asked Parvati who her husband would be. Parvati replied that in the month of Vaishakha a person would appear in Usha’s dreams. And this person would be her husband.

 

 As promised by Parvati, Usha did see a person in her dreams. But she did not know how this person was. She told her friend Chitraleka about this. Chitralekha thought that the only way to find out was to show Usha the protraits of various important personages amongst the devas, gandharvas and asuras. But the required person could not be identified from these portraits. Usha was then shown the portraits of humans and immediately she identified Aniruddha."

 

 Many years ago, Vanasura had prayed to Mahadeva," he had said, "please grant me fights. I have ten thousand arms. What will I do with all these arms if I don’t get a chance to fight?"

 

 "Be patient," replied Mahadeva. "One day you will find your flag lying broken. When that happens, you will get the opportunity to fight as much as you wish."

 

 At this Vanasura was happy.

 

 Meanwhile, once Aniruddha’s identity had been established, Chitralekha wondered what could be done. She went to Dvaraka and secretly brought Aniruddha to meet Usha. That was the very day on which Vanasura found his flag lying broken. The guards also came and informed him that Aniruddha was with Usha. Vanasura sent his soldiers to fight with Aniruddha, but Aniruddha killed them all with a club.

 

 Then Vanasura himself entered the fray. Initially, he was beaten by Aniruddha. But he used maya to tie Aniruddha up.

 

 Narada went to Dvaraka and told the Yadavas this. So Krishna, Balarama and Pradyumna came to rescue Aniruddha. Many were the soldiers that Krishna killed before entering the city. Also at the gate was a demon known as Jvara, a demon with a huge body, three arms and three legs. This demon had been born out of Mahadeva’s body. The demon was so powerful that it even caused Balarama some discomfort. But Krishna created a demon from his own body which killed the demon Jvara.

 

 Krishna killed many asura soldiers. Vanasura himself came out to fight. Mahadeva and Kartikeya fought on Vana’s side and Vanasura’s chariot was driven by Nandi. Terrible was the war between Krishna and Mahadeva and everyone thought that the world would come to an end. But Krishna tired out Mahadeva. Pradyumna defeated Kartikeya, and Balarama killed many of Vanasura’s soldiers. Krishna and Vanasura shot arrows at each other. Then Krishna took up this sudharshana chakra and sliced of all Vanasura’s arms. But when he was about to kill Vanasura, Mahadeva intervened and begged for Vana’s life. This boon Krishna granted.

 

 At the end of the war, Aniruddha and Usha too returned to Dvaraka with the other Yadavas.

 

 

 The Slaying of Pundraka:  

 

 There was a king named Poundraka who suffered from the illusion that he was Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu on earth. He adopted the name of Vasudeva and sent a messenger to Krishna saying, "Stop pretending that you are Vishnu. It is I who am Vasudeva. Come to me and beg for your life."

 

 Poundraka was a friend of the king of Kashi. Krishna told the messenger tha the would leave for Kashi the very next day.

 

 Hearing the message, Poundraka got ready with his army. Krishna arrived in Kashi on Garuda. Krishna killed the enemy soldiers with his arrows, mace and chakra. He sliced Poundraka’s body with his chakra and eventually killed him with a mace. He also killed Poundraka’s friend, the king of Kashi. He cut of fthe king’s head with his arrows and flung it into the city of Kashi. After that, Krishna returned to Dvaraka.

 

 When the head of the king of Kashi fell inside the city, the inhabitants were surprised at this strange phenomenon. But the king’ son found out that Krishna was responsible for this and prayed to Mahadeva. When as a result of the yajna Mahadeva appeared before him, the son begged, "Please create a demon that will kill Krishna, my father’s murderer."

 

 Mahadeva agreed and created such a demon fromt he fire of the yajna. This demon arrived in Dvaraka wishing to kill Krishna. Flames issued out of its mouth and its hair was also like fire. Krishna flung his sudarshana chakra at the demon. The demon turned and ran, but whereever the demon went, the chakra followed. Finally, the demon arrived in Kashi. But the chakra followed it there and burnt up the entire city. All the kings, servants, horses, elephants and cattle thee were burnt.

 

 Having achieved its purpose, the chakra returned to Krishna.

 

 Shamba’s Wedding : 

 

 Krishna’ son Shamba wanted to marry Duryodhana’s daughter. He kidnapped her. But Karna, Duryodhana, Bhishma, Drona and other warriors fought with Shamba and managed to imprison him. On learning the news, the Yadavas got ready to fight with the Kauravas.

 

 But Balarama restrained the Yadavas. "Leave it to me," he said. "Let me go alone. The Kauravas will listen to me and will let Shamba go." Balarama went to Hastinapura but did not enter the city. Duryodhana and the others learnt of this and came to pay thier respects. Balarama then told them that King Ugrasena had requested that Shamba might be released.

 

 But this request made the Kauravas angry. "Balarama, what are you saying?" they asked. "How dare the Yadavas order the Kauravas?" This is a bit like a servant ordering a master.

 

 Refusing to release Shamba, the Kauravas returned to Hastinapura. This angered Balarama. He grasped the foundations of Hastinapura city with his plough and prepared to hurl the city into the Bhagirathi river. This brought the Kauravas to their senses and they begged for forgiveness.

 

 Shamba and his wife were brought to Balarama and he forgave the

 

 Kauravas. Ever since tha tday, Hastinapura leans towards the river on one side.

 

The Death of Dvivida :

 

 The asura known as Naraka was opposed to the devas. And Naraka had a monkey friend named Dvivida. Dvivida fought with the devas and became particularly belligerent after Naraka was killed by Krishna. He destroyed all the yajnas and persecuted the sages. He also destroyed cities, villageas and forests. He even tore up mountains and flung them into the ocean. The ocean overflowed and flooded cities and villages.

 

 One day, Balarama was busy drinking in a garden. Dvivida arrived there and began to make a general nuisance of himself. He picked up Balarama’s plough and club. And despire Balarma’s warning him, he continued to laugh at him. Greatly angered, Balarama picked up his club and the monkey also picked up a huge boulder. Balarama broke up the monkey’s boulder with his club. The monkey then began to hit Balarama on the chest. But Balarama brought down his fists on the monkey’s head and the monkey died.

 

 

The End of the Yadavas:

 

 There was a place of pilgrimage known as Pindaraka. Some Yadava youths once met the sages Kanva, Vishvamitra and Narada there. The Yadava youths dressed Shamba up as a woman and brought him to the sages. "Sages," they asked, "tell us whether this woman will have a son or a daughter."

 

 The sages saw through the game and were angered at the insult. "This person will give birth to a club," they said. "And that club will destroy your clan."

 

 In due course a club came out of Shamba’s body. But learning of the curse, King Ugrasena pulverised the club and had the dust scattered in the ocean. But the dust got changed into sharp reeds that grew on the shores of the ocean.

 

 A small part of the club could not be crushed. This was thrown into the ocean as it was, and a fish swallowed this piece. When the fish was caught, this piece of the club came out of the fish’s stomach and a hunter named Jara acquired the piece.

 

 There was a place of pilgrimage known as Prabhasa and eventually the Yadavas went there. Only one Yadava named Uddhava went off to do tapasya on Mount Gandhamadana. In Prabhasa, the Yadavas began to drink and soon lost all control of their senses. They started to fight and picked up the reeds that were growning on the shores as weapons. Krishna did try to restrain them, but the Yadavas were in no mood to listen. Soon, Krishna and Daruka were the only Yadavas who were left alive.

 

 Krishna and Daruka were wandering around and found Balarama seated under the tree. A huge snake came out of Balarama’s mouth and disappeared into the sea. This meant that Balarama died.

 

 Krishna told Daruka, "Go and tell King Ugrasena all this. Soon I too will die. And soon the sea will swallow up the city of Dvaraka. Go and tell the Yadavas who are left in Dvaraka that they should wait for Arjuna’s arrival and that they should leave the city with Arjuna. And go and tell Arjuna to protect my people as best as he can. Vajra is to be made the king the Yadavas."

 

 Daruka paid his respects to Krishna and left.

 

 Krishna sat down to meditate. The hunter named Jara arrived there. He had fashioned an arrow-head out of the piece of the club. Seeing Krishna’s feet, he thought that it was part of a deer and let loose an arrow. When he came up to see what happened, he found that his arrow had pierced the body of a man. He begged for forgiveness and Krishna assured him that Jara would go to heaven. In fact, a chariot immediately arrive to take Jara to heaven.

 

 Krishna died. He was a hundred years old.

 

 Arjuna found the dead bodies of Krishna, Balarama and other important Yadavas and performed their shraddha ceremonies. Krishna’s eight major wives died on Krishna’s funeral pyre. Revati did the same on Balarama’s . Urgasena, Rohini, Devaki and Vasudeva also entered a fire. The others left Dvaraka with Arjuna.

 

 As soon as Krishna died, the parijata tree and the assembly hall named Sudharma returned to heaven. The kali era began. And the city of Dvaraka was swallowed up by the sea, with the exception of Krishna’s own dwelling.

 

 Arjuna settled some of the Yadavas in the Punjab. But when he was taking the Yadava women with him, the party was set upon by a band of dacoits. Arjuna tried to repel the dacoits but found that he had lost all his powers. His strength had left him with Krishna’s death.

 

 This is the end of the fifth section of the Vishnu Purana.