राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 105

23 versesFurther Deeds Requested

Synopsis

Again the request: "Of the wise Yadu-lion, the immeasurable deeds, I wish to hear in truth." Various and divine marvels are uttered of the great-radiant one, innumerable. A quick mention in the middle: Dantavakra the Kārūṣa killed in the Deccan, Śiśupāla slain when his cup of sins was full. The chapter signals that still another account of Kṛṣṇa's deeds is about to be narrated.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse commentary below

Further Summary of Kṛṣṇa's Deeds: Bāṇa, Jarāsandha, Kuntī's Promise: Verses 1, 5, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22: Janamejaya's renewed desire to hear, the sage's honest confession that the end of the deeds cannot be reached, Bāṇa defeated in combat but released alive as a mark of restraint, the killing of Jarāsandha and the release of all captive kings, Kṛṣṇa's promise to Kuntī that her sons will be given back when the Bhārata war is over, the defeats of Mainda, Dvivida, and Jāmbavān, and the many fearful king-destroying combats now concluded. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

Verse 1

भूय एव द्विजश्रेष्ठ यदुसिंहस्य धीमतः कर्माण्य् अपरिमेयानि श्रोतुम् इच्छामि तत्त्वतः

bhūya eva dvijaśreṣṭha yadusiṃhasya dhīmataḥ karmāṇy aparimeyāni śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ

'Again, best of twice-born, I wish to hear in truth the immeasurable deeds of the wise Yadu-lion.'

Verse 2

श्रूयन्ते विविधानि स्म अद्भुतानि महाद्युते असंख्येयानि दिव्यानि प्राकृतान्य् अपि सर्वशः

śrūyante vividhāni sma adbhutāni mahādyute asaṃkhyeyāni divyāni prākṛtāny api sarvaśaḥ

Verse 3

. यान्य् अहं विविधान्य् अस्य श्रुत्वा प्रीये महामुने प्रब्रूयाः सर्वशस् तात तानि मे वक्तुम् अर्हसि

. yāny ahaṃ vividhāny asya śrutvā prīye mahāmune prabrūyāḥ sarvaśas tāta tāni me vaktum arhasi

Verse 4

बहून्य् आश्चर्यभूतानि केशवस्य महात्मनः कर्माण्य् उक्तानि वै राजन् भूयश् चैव श्रुतानि ते

bahūny āścaryabhūtāni keśavasya mahātmanaḥ karmāṇy uktāni vai rājan bhūyaś caiva śrutāni te

Verse 5

कथितानि मया साधो नान्तं शक्यं हि कर्मणाम् गन्तुं भरतशार्दूल विस्तरस्य महात्मनः

kathitāni mayā sādho nāntaṃ śakyaṃ hi karmaṇām gantuṃ bharataśārdūla vistarasya mahātmanaḥ

Verse 6

अवश्यं तु मया वाच्यं लेशमात्रेण भारत विष्णोर् अतुलवीर्यस्य प्रथितोदारकर्मणः आनुपूर्व्या प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुष्वैकमना नृप

avaśyaṃ tu mayā vācyaṃ leśamātreṇa bhārata viṣṇor atulavīryasya prathitodārakarmaṇaḥ ānupūrvyā pravakṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvaikamanā nṛpa

Verse 6

यथा चास्य वरो दत्तः शंकरेण महात्मना नित्यं सांनिध्यता चैव गाणपत्यं तथाक्षयम्

yathā cāsya varo dattaḥ śaṃkareṇa mahātmanā nityaṃ sāṃnidhyatā caiva gāṇapatyaṃ tathākṣayam

Verse 7

द्वारवत्यां निवसता यदुसिंहेन धीमता राष्ट्राणि नृपमुख्यानां क्षोभितानि महीक्षिताम्

dvāravatyāṃ nivasatā yadusiṃhena dhīmatā rāṣṭrāṇi nṛpamukhyānāṃ kṣobhitāni mahīkṣitām

Verse 8

यदूनाम् अन्तरप्रेप्सुर् विचक्रो दानवो हतः

yadūnām antaraprepsur vicakro dānavo hataḥ

Verse 9

पुरं प्राग्ज्योतिषं गत्वा पुनस् तेन महात्मना समुद्रमध्ये दुष्टात्मा नरको दानवो हतः

puraṃ prāgjyotiṣaṃ gatvā punas tena mahātmanā samudramadhye duṣṭātmā narako dānavo hataḥ

Verse 10

वासवं च रणे जित्वा पारिजातो हृतो बलात् निर्जितश् चैव भगवान् वरुणो लोहितह्रदे

vāsavaṃ ca raṇe jitvā pārijāto hṛto balāt nirjitaś caiva bhagavān varuṇo lohitahrade

Verse 11

दन्तवक्रश् च कारूषो निहतो दक्षिणापथे शिशुपालश् च संपूर्णे किल्बिषैकशते हतः

dantavakraś ca kārūṣo nihato dakṣiṇāpathe śiśupālaś ca saṃpūrṇe kilbiṣaikaśate hataḥ

Dantavakra the Kārūṣa was slain in the southern country, and Śiśupāla when his hundred sins were full.

Verse 12

गत्वा च शोणितपुरं शंकरेणाभिरक्षितः बलेः सुतो महावीर्यो बाणो बाहुसहस्रवान् महामृधे महाराज जित्वा जीवन् विसर्जितः

gatvā ca śoṇitapuraṃ śaṃkareṇābhirakṣitaḥ baleḥ suto mahāvīryo bāṇo bāhusahasravān mahāmṛdhe mahārāja jitvā jīvan visarjitaḥ

Verse 13

निर्जिताः पावकाश् चैव गिरिमध्ये महात्मना साल्वश् च विजितः संख्ये सौभश् च विनिपातितः

nirjitāḥ pāvakāś caiva girimadhye mahātmanā sālvaś ca vijitaḥ saṃkhye saubhaś ca vinipātitaḥ

Verse 14

विक्षोभ्य सागरं सर्वं पाञ्चजन्यो वशीकृतः हयग्रीवश् च निहतो नृपाश् चान्ये महाबलाः

vikṣobhya sāgaraṃ sarvaṃ pāñcajanyo vaśīkṛtaḥ hayagrīvaś ca nihato nṛpāś cānye mahābalāḥ

Verse 15

जरासंधस्य निधने मोक्षिताः सर्वपार्थिवाः रथेन जित्वा नृपतीन् गान्धारतनया हृता

jarāsaṃdhasya nidhane mokṣitāḥ sarvapārthivāḥ rathena jitvā nṛpatīn gāndhāratanayā hṛtā

Verse 16

भ्रष्टराज्याश् च शोकार्ताः पाण्डवाः परिरक्षिताः दाहितं च वनं घोरं पुरुहूतस्य खाण्डवम्

bhraṣṭarājyāś ca śokārtāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ parirakṣitāḥ dāhitaṃ ca vanaṃ ghoraṃ puruhūtasya khāṇḍavam

Verse 17

गाण्डीवं चाग्निना दत्तम् अर्जुनायोपपादितम् दौत्यं च तत्कृतं घोरं विग्रहे जनमेजय

gāṇḍīvaṃ cāgninā dattam arjunāyopapāditam dautyaṃ ca tatkṛtaṃ ghoraṃ vigrahe janamejaya

Verse 18

अनेन यदुमुख्येन यदुवंशश् च वर्धितः कुन्त्याश् च प्रमुखे प्रोक्ता प्रतिज्ञा पाण्डवान् प्रति निवृत्ते भारते युद्धे प्रतिदास्यामि ते सुतान्

anena yadumukhyena yaduvaṃśaś ca vardhitaḥ kuntyāś ca pramukhe proktā pratijñā pāṇḍavān prati nivṛtte bhārate yuddhe pratidāsyāmi te sutān

Verse 19

अपि सत्यं च कृतवान् कुन्त्या निर्यात्य पाण्डवान् मोक्षितश् च महातेजा नृगः शापात् सुदारुणात् यवनश् च हतः संख्ये काल इत्य् अभिविश्रुतः

api satyaṃ ca kṛtavān kuntyā niryātya pāṇḍavān mokṣitaś ca mahātejā nṛgaḥ śāpāt sudāruṇāt yavanaś ca hataḥ saṃkhye kāla ity abhiviśrutaḥ

Verse 20

वानरौ च महावीर्यौ मैन्दो द्विविद एव च विजितौ युधि दुर्धर्षौ जाम्बवांश् च पराजितः

vānarau ca mahāvīryau maindo dvivida eva ca vijitau yudhi durdharṣau jāmbavāṃś ca parājitaḥ

Verse 21

सांदीपनेस् तथा पुत्रस् तव चैव पिता नृप गतौ वैवस्वतवशं जीवितौ तस्य तेजसा

sāṃdīpanes tathā putras tava caiva pitā nṛpa gatau vaivasvatavaśaṃ jīvitau tasya tejasā

Verse 22

निर्जितौ हंसडिभकौ हिडिम्बश् चैव राक्षसः संग्रामा बहवश् चैव घोरा नरवरक्षयाः निहताश् च नृपाः सर्वे कृत्वा तद् रूपम् अद्भुतम् जनमेजय युद्धेषु यथा ते कथितं पुरा

nirjitau haṃsaḍibhakau hiḍimbaś caiva rākṣasaḥ saṃgrāmā bahavaś caiva ghorā naravarakṣayāḥ nihatāś ca nṛpāḥ sarve kṛtvā tad rūpam adbhutam janamejaya yuddheṣu yathā te kathitaṃ purā

Verse commentary

Further Summary of Kṛṣṇa's Deeds: Bāṇa, Jarāsandha, Kuntī's Promise

कृष्णकर्माणां पुनः कीर्तनम्

Verses 1, 5, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22: Janamejaya's renewed desire to hear, the sage's honest confession that the end of the deeds cannot be reached, Bāṇa defeated in combat but released alive as a mark of restraint, the killing of Jarāsandha and the release of all captive kings, Kṛṣṇa's promise to Kuntī that her sons will be given back when the Bhārata war is over, the defeats of Mainda, Dvivida, and Jāmbavān, and the many fearful king-destroying combats now concluded. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 105 is another of the Harivaṃśa's quick catalogs of Kṛṣṇa's deeds — a chapter that runs through many events the preceding and following chapters will elaborate. It includes a surprising detail: Kṛṣṇa's promise to Kuntī, made before the Mahābhārata war, that he will give her sons back at its conclusion — a promise nested within the Harivaṃśa's summary like a future-directed ember. The chapter pauses twice, briefly, to make theologically significant observations: that Bāṇa was defeated yet *jīvan visarjitaḥ*, 'released alive', and that after Jarāsandha's death all the captive kings were *mokṣitāḥ*, 'released'. Both acts — the restraint and the liberation — are the Harivaṃśa's image of the Lord's justice, which is not only to defeat but to set free.

HV 105.1

भूय एव द्विजश्रेष्ठ यदुसिंहस्य धीमतः । कर्माण्य् अपरिमेयानि श्रोतुम् इच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥

bhūya eva dvija-śreṣṭha yadu-siṃhasya dhīmataḥ | karmāṇy aparimeyāni śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ

'Again, O best of the twice-born, I wish to hear — truly — the immeasurable deeds of the wise Yādava-lion.'

The Living Words

*Bhūya eva*, 'again, even more'. *Yadu-siṃhasya dhīmataḥ*, 'of the wise Yādava-lion'. *Aparimeyāni*, 'immeasurable'. *Śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ*, 'I wish to hear truly'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the listener's endless hunger. *Bhūya eva... aparimeyāni śrotum icchāmi* — 'again, the immeasurable I wish to hear'. The Varkari tradition's deepest teaching on kathā-rati: the bhakta does not tire of *bhūyaḥ śravaṇa*, more-listening, because the object itself is *aparimeya*, beyond measure. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh is structured as this *bhūyaḥ śravaṇa* — ninety-five abhaṅgas that are, finally, the same hearing again and again. HV 105.1 names this posture: *śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ*, 'I wish to hear, truly'.

HV 105.5

कथितानि मया साधो नान्तं शक्यं हि कर्मणाम् । गन्तुं भरतशार्दूल विस्तरस्य महात्मनः ॥

kathitāni mayā sādho nāntaṃ śakyaṃ hi karmaṇām | gantuṃ bharata-śārdūla vistarasya mahātmanaḥ

'What has been told by me, O gentle one — it is not possible to reach the end of the deeds, the extent of the great-souled one, O Bhārata-tiger.'

The Living Words

*Kathitāni mayā*, 'told by me'. *Nāntaṃ śakyaṃ gantum*, 'not possible to reach the end'. *Vistarasya mahātmanaḥ*, 'the extent of the great-souled one'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the sage's honest confession. *Nāntaṃ śakyaṃ gantum* — 'not possible to reach the end'. The Varkari tradition's teaching: the honest teacher admits the inadequacy of even the longest telling. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh does not pretend to exhaust the Name; each abhaṅga is offered as a partial song. HV 105.5's admission is, for the saints, the proper humility of all kathā: what has been told is *kathitāni*, 'the told things'; the Lord's *vistara* remains beyond.

HV 105.12

गत्वा च शोणितपुरं शंकरेणाभिरक्षितम् । बलेः सुतो महावीर्यो बाणो बाहुसहस्रवान् । महामृधे महाराज जित्वा जीवन् विसर्जितः ॥

gatvā ca śoṇita-puraṃ śaṃkareṇābhirakṣitam | baleḥ suto mahā-vīryo bāṇo bāhu-sahasravān | mahā-mṛdhe mahā-rāja jitvā jīvan visarjitaḥ

'And going to Śoṇitapura — guarded by Śaṃkara — the mighty Bāṇa, Bali's son, the thousand-armed, was, in great combat, defeated and released alive.'

The Living Words

*Gatvā śoṇita-puram*, 'having gone to Śoṇitapura'. *Śaṃkareṇābhirakṣitam*, 'guarded by Śaṃkara'. *Bāṇo bāhu-sahasravān*, 'thousand-armed Bāṇa'. *Jitvā jīvan visarjitaḥ*, 'defeated and released alive'.

The Heart of It

The verse names an extraordinary theological restraint. *Jitvā jīvan visarjitaḥ* — 'defeated and released alive'. Even an enemy protected by Śiva, even one with a thousand arms, is spared after defeat. The Varkari tradition's teaching: the Lord's victory is measured not by the corpses left but by the lives spared. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's long reading: *jita + jīvan-visarga* (defeated and set free) is the bhakta's own ethic — the inner enemies one has overcome should be released alive, not killed. Victory's sign is the liberated captive, not the dead foe.

HV 105.15

जरासंधस्य निधने मोक्षिताः सर्वपार्थिवाः । रथेन जित्वा नृपतीन् गान्धारतनया हृताः ॥

jarāsaṃdhasya nidhane mokṣitāḥ sarva-pārthivāḥ | rathena jitvā nṛpatīn gāndhāra-tanayā hṛtāḥ

'At Jarāsandha's death, all the kings were liberated; defeating the kings with a single chariot, the daughter[s] of Gāndhāra were carried off.'

The Living Words

*Jarāsaṃdhasya nidhane*, 'at Jarāsandha's death'. *Mokṣitāḥ sarva-pārthivāḥ*, 'all the kings liberated'. *Rathena jitvā*, 'defeating with a single chariot'. *Gāndhāra-tanayāḥ hṛtāḥ*, 'the Gāndhāra daughter[s] carried off'.

The Heart of It

The verse names one of the Mahābhārata's most remembered events. *Jarāsaṃdhasya nidhane mokṣitāḥ sarva-pārthivāḥ* — 'at Jarāsandha's death, all kings liberated'. The Varkari tradition's teaching: the tyrant's fall is measured by the freeing of his prisoners. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's image of the Name's arrival as the *mokṣaṇa*, the releasing, of every *pārthiva* the bhakta had imprisoned within — every king-like thought, every captive-held intention — has HV 105.15 as its Sanskrit precedent. The tyrant dies; the kings go free.

HV 105.18

अनेन यदुमुख्येन यदुवंशश् च वर्धितः । कुन्त्याश् च प्रमुखे प्रोक्ता प्रतिज्ञा पाण्डवान् प्रति । निवृत्ते भारते युद्धे प्रतिदास्यामि ते सुतान् ॥

anena yadu-mukhyena yadu-vaṃśaś ca vardhitaḥ | kuntyāś ca pramukhe proktā pratijñā pāṇḍavān prati | nivṛtte bhārate yuddhe pratidāsyāmi te sutān

'By this chief of the Yadus, the Yadu-clan was made to grow; and before Kuntī, a promise was spoken about the Pāṇḍavas: "When the Bhārata-war is over, I shall give you back your sons."'

The Living Words

*Yadu-mukhyena yadu-vaṃśaḥ vardhitaḥ*, 'the Yadu-clan made to grow by the Yadu-chief'. *Kuntyāḥ pramukhe proktā pratijñā*, 'a promise spoken before Kuntī'. *Nivṛtte bhārate yuddhe*, 'when the Bhārata-war has ceased'. *Pratidāsyāmi te sutān*, 'I shall give back your sons to you'.

The Heart of It

The verse hides one of the Harivaṃśa's deepest promises. *Pratidāsyāmi te sutān* — 'I shall give your sons back'. The Lord's promise to his aunt Kuntī, made before the Mahābhārata war, is a vow to return the Pāṇḍavas safely once the terrible conflict is over. The Varkari tradition's teaching on *pratijñā*: the Lord's promises have their appointed end-point, which may be many years distant. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's long trust that the Name's promise does not forget its debts — that what is promised to the mother-figure will be kept at the war's end — has HV 105.18 as its tender Sanskrit anchor.

HV 105.20

वानरौ च महावीर्यौ मैन्दो द्विविद एव च । विजितौ युधि दुर्धर्षौ जाम्बवांश् च पराजितः ॥

vānarau ca mahā-vīryau maindo dvivida eva ca | vijitau yudhi dur-dharṣau jāmbavāṃś ca parājitaḥ

And the mighty vānaras Mainda and Dvivida — hard to withstand — were defeated in combat; and Jāmbavān was subdued.

The Living Words

*Vānarau mahā-vīryau*, 'the mighty vānaras'. *Maindo dvividaḥ*, 'Mainda and Dvivida'. *Vijitau dur-dharṣau*, 'defeated, hard to withstand'. *Jāmbavāṃś ca parājitaḥ*, 'and Jāmbavān subdued'.

The Heart of It

The verse names three formidable vānara-warriors. The Varkari tradition's attention to Jāmbavān: *parājitaḥ* — subdued, not killed; and Kṛṣṇa then marries his daughter Jāmbavatī. Defeat has led not to destruction but to kinship. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh understands: the bhakta's subdued inner forces are not killed but absorbed — *parājitaḥ* becomes *parigṛhītaḥ*, 'embraced'. The vānaras who fought are now of the Yadu family.

HV 105.22

संग्रामा बहवश् चैव घोरा नरवरक्षयाः । निहताश् च नृपाः सर्वे कृत्वा तद् रूपम् अद्भुतम् । जनमेजय युद्धेषु यथा ते कथितं पुरा ॥

saṃgrāmā bahavaś caiva ghorā nara-vara-kṣayāḥ | nihatāś ca nṛpāḥ sarve kṛtvā tad rūpam adbhutam | janamejaya yuddheṣu yathā te kathitaṃ purā

'Many fearful king-destroying combats — and all those kings slain, taking that astonishing form — O Janamejaya, in the combats, as told to you before.'

The Living Words

*Saṃgrāmā bahavaḥ ghorāḥ*, 'many fearful combats'. *Nara-vara-kṣayāḥ*, 'king-destroying'. *Tad rūpam adbhutam*, 'that astonishing form'. *Yathā te kathitaṃ purā*, 'as told to you before'.

The Heart of It

The verse closes with the sage's acknowledgment that all this has been told before. *Yathā te kathitaṃ purā* — 'as told to you before'. The Varkari tradition's teaching on repetition: the scripture does not mind repeating itself, because the bhakta needs to hear again what has already been said. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's structure of *punar-āvṛtti*, repeated telling, is HV 105.22's ethic — the listener receives the deeds again because *aparimeyāni*, the deeds are immeasurable, and the listener is always hearing for the first time.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's summary: renewed hunger for the deeds (105.1), the honest confession that the end cannot be reached (105.5), Bāṇa defeated and released alive (105.12), Jarāsandha killed and captive kings liberated (105.15), Kṛṣṇa's promise to Kuntī about the Pāṇḍavas (105.18), Mainda, Dvivida, Jāmbavān subdued (105.20), and the closing acknowledgment that all was told before (105.22). The Harivaṃśa's repeating summary with one nested gem — the promise to Kuntī.

Echo in the saints

HV 105.12's *jitvā jīvan visarjitaḥ* is cited by Warkari commentators as the Harivaṃśa's most compact statement of *ahiṃsā-in-victory*. And HV 105.18's *pratidāsyāmi te sutān* — 'I shall give your sons back' — is, for the Warkari tradition, the Lord's own model of *satya-pratijñā*: the vow made to the mother-figure, kept across many years, fulfilled at the war's end. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's long trust in the Name's deferred promises is rooted here. And the chapter's opening *bhūya eva... aparimeyāni śrotum icchāmi* is the bhakta's stance at every *vari* — the deeds are heard again because they have no end.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 9.31

The Lord protects his devotees across time.

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति । कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ॥

kṣipraṃ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac chāntiṃ nigacchati | kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

Quickly he becomes a righteous soul; he attains eternal peace. Son of Kuntī, know this with certainty — my devotee does not perish.

HV 105.18's pratidāsyāmi te sutān is the narrative form of the Gītā 9.31 na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati. The Lord's promise to Kuntī — that her sons will be returned — is the specific enactment of the general principle: the devotee does not perish.

Vulgate additions for this adhyāya

One section of Appendix I attaches here. These are passages preserved in manuscripts outside the critical text.

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BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.