राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 111

12 versesThe Vaiṣṇava and Māheśvara Fevers

Synopsis

Thinking Jvara dead, Kṛṣṇa the foe-slayer throws him to the ground with his arm-strength. But the instant released he enters Kṛṣṇa's own body, not abandoning the form of the matchless Kṛṣṇa. A vaiṣṇava-jvara takes him seizing the other with strength; then Hari releases him again. The chapter closes with a hymn to Jvara himself: three-footed, ash-weaponed, three-headed, red-eyed. May Jvara, the lord of all diseases, pleased with me, give happiness. Ancient wise subtle great rulers, may they defeat all fevers.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

मृत इत्य् अभिविज्ञाय ज्वरं शत्रुनिषूदनः कृष्णो भुजबलाभ्यां तं चिक्षेपाथ महीतले

mṛta ity abhivijñāya jvaraṃ śatruniṣūdanaḥ kṛṣṇo bhujabalābhyāṃ taṃ cikṣepātha mahītale

Recognizing that he was dead, the foe-slayer Kṛṣṇa flung the Jvara to the ground with his two arms.

Verse 2

मुक्तमात्रस् तु बाहुभ्यां कृष्णदेहं विवेश सः अमुक्त्वा विग्रहं तस्य कृष्णस्याप्रतिमौजसः

muktamātras tu bāhubhyāṃ kṛṣṇadehaṃ viveśa saḥ amuktvā vigrahaṃ tasya kṛṣṇasyāpratimaujasaḥ

Verse 3

प्रविश्य हृदयं तस्य बबाधे यदुसत्तमम् स ह्य् आविष्टस् तदा तेन ज्वरेणाप्रतिमौजसा कृष्णः स्खलन्न् इव मुहुः क्षितौ समभिवर्तत

praviśya hṛdayaṃ tasya babādhe yadusattamam sa hy āviṣṭas tadā tena jvareṇāpratimaujasā kṛṣṇaḥ skhalann iva muhuḥ kṣitau samabhivartata

Verse 4

जृम्भते च तदा कृष्णः पुनश् च स्खलते भृशम् रोमाञ् चोत्थितगात्रस् तु निद्रया चाभिभूयते

jṛmbhate ca tadā kṛṣṇaḥ punaś ca skhalate bhṛśam romāñ cotthitagātras tu nidrayā cābhibhūyate

Verse 5

तस्य स्थैर्यं समालम्ब्य कृष्णः परपुरंजयः विकुर्वति महायोगी जृम्भमाणः पुनः पुनः ज्वराभिमृष्टम् आत्मानं विज्ञाय पुरुषोत्तमः सो ऽसृजज् ज्वरम् अन्यं तु पूर्वज्वरविनाशनम्

tasya sthairyaṃ samālambya kṛṣṇaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ vikurvati mahāyogī jṛmbhamāṇaḥ punaḥ punaḥ jvarābhimṛṣṭam ātmānaṃ vijñāya puruṣottamaḥ so 'sṛjaj jvaram anyaṃ tu pūrvajvaravināśanam

Verse 6

स वैष्णवज्वरो गृह्य तं च वै ज्वरम् ओजसा कृष्णाय न (?) संप्रयच्छंस् तं जग्राह पुनर् हरिः घोरं वैष्णवम् अत्युग्रं सर्वप्राणिभयंकरं सृष्टवान् अथ तेजस्वी बलवान् भीमविक्रमः ज्वरः कृष्णविसृष्टस् तु गृहीत्वा तं ज्वरं बलात् कृष्णाय हृष्टः प्रायच्छत् तं जग्राह ततो हरिः ततस् तं परमक्रुद्धो वासुदेवो महाबलः स्वगात्रात् स्वज्वरेणैव निष्क्रामयत वीर्यवान् आविध्य भूतले चैनं शतधा कर्तुम् उद्यतः व्याघोषयज् ज्वरस् तत्र भोः परित्रातुम् अर्हसि माहेश्वरो वैष्णवश् च युयुधाते ज्वराव् उभौ माहेश्वरः समाक्रन्दन् वैष्णवेन बलार्दितः कृष्णज्वरो ज्वरं पूर्वं गृहीत्वा स्वेन तेजसा ननाद सुमहानादं वैष्णवः स महाबलः चतुर्भुजश् चतुर्वक्त्रः सर्वप्रहरणोद्यतः तयोस् तु तुमुलं युद्धं ज्वरयोर् बाहुशालिनोः ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा दिविस्था युद्धलालसाः ददृशुश् च महद् युद्धं भूतानि च समन्ततः ततो माहेश्वरो युद्धे ताडयाम् आस वैष्णवम् बाहुना ताडितस् तेन ननाद बहुविस्तरम् स गतो वैष्णवं राजन् रौद्रं भस्मायुधं रणे द्वाभ्याम् अथ च बाहुभ्यां गृहीत्वाताडयद् बली इतराभ्यां समाहत्य बाहुभ्यां वैष्णवो ज्वरः ननाद सुमहानादं सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः ततो रौद्रो ज्वरो राजन् मुष्टिनाथ जघान तम् ददंश दन्तैर् बहुधा ज्वरं केशवम् आहवे बाहुभ्याम् एव तौ राजन् युयुधाते महागदौ अन्योन्यं ताडयन्तौ च मुष्टिभिर् ज्वरसत्तमौ चक्रतुश् च महानादं ज्वरौ तौ लोकविश्रुतौ वैष्णवो ऽथ ज्वरो राजन् ग्रहीतुं रौद्रसंज्ञितम् यतते बहुधा तत्र मुष्टिनाथ जघान तम् आहत्य बाहुना भूयो निष्पिपेष पुनः पुनः निष्पिष्टहृदयस् तूर्णं शूलिनो ज्वरसत्तमः ननाद बहुधा नादं भूमौ विपरिवर्तते गृहीत्वा तु बलाद् रौद्रम् आकृष्य च पुनः पुनः कृष्नाय हृष्तः प्रायच्छत् किं करिष्याम्य् अतः परम् हनिष्ये देवदेवेश भक्षयिष्ये ऽथ वा पुनः इत्य् उक्त्वा सुमहानादं चकार रणमूर्धनि उत्थाय च हृषीकेशो ज्वरं माहेश्वरं रणे हन्तुम् ऐच्छत् तदा लोको निर्ज्वरो ऽस्त्व् इति केशवः व्याविध्यमाने तु तदा ज्वरे तेनामितौजसा अशरीरा ततो वाणी तम् उवाचान्तरिक्षगा

sa vaiṣṇavajvaro gṛhya taṃ ca vai jvaram ojasā kṛṣṇāya na (?) saṃprayacchaṃs taṃ jagrāha punar hariḥ ghoraṃ vaiṣṇavam atyugraṃ sarvaprāṇibhayaṃkaraṃ sṛṣṭavān atha tejasvī balavān bhīmavikramaḥ jvaraḥ kṛṣṇavisṛṣṭas tu gṛhītvā taṃ jvaraṃ balāt kṛṣṇāya hṛṣṭaḥ prāyacchat taṃ jagrāha tato hariḥ tatas taṃ paramakruddho vāsudevo mahābalaḥ svagātrāt svajvareṇaiva niṣkrāmayata vīryavān āvidhya bhūtale cainaṃ śatadhā kartum udyataḥ vyāghoṣayaj jvaras tatra bhoḥ paritrātum arhasi māheśvaro vaiṣṇavaś ca yuyudhāte jvarāv ubhau māheśvaraḥ samākrandan vaiṣṇavena balārditaḥ kṛṣṇajvaro jvaraṃ pūrvaṃ gṛhītvā svena tejasā nanāda sumahānādaṃ vaiṣṇavaḥ sa mahābalaḥ caturbhujaś caturvaktraḥ sarvapraharaṇodyataḥ tayos tu tumulaṃ yuddhaṃ jvarayor bāhuśālinoḥ tato devāḥ sagandharvā divisthā yuddhalālasāḥ dadṛśuś ca mahad yuddhaṃ bhūtāni ca samantataḥ tato māheśvaro yuddhe tāḍayām āsa vaiṣṇavam bāhunā tāḍitas tena nanāda bahuvistaram sa gato vaiṣṇavaṃ rājan raudraṃ bhasmāyudhaṃ raṇe dvābhyām atha ca bāhubhyāṃ gṛhītvātāḍayad balī itarābhyāṃ samāhatya bāhubhyāṃ vaiṣṇavo jvaraḥ nanāda sumahānādaṃ sarvalokasya paśyataḥ tato raudro jvaro rājan muṣṭinātha jaghāna tam dadaṃśa dantair bahudhā jvaraṃ keśavam āhave bāhubhyām eva tau rājan yuyudhāte mahāgadau anyonyaṃ tāḍayantau ca muṣṭibhir jvarasattamau cakratuś ca mahānādaṃ jvarau tau lokaviśrutau vaiṣṇavo 'tha jvaro rājan grahītuṃ raudrasaṃjñitam yatate bahudhā tatra muṣṭinātha jaghāna tam āhatya bāhunā bhūyo niṣpipeṣa punaḥ punaḥ niṣpiṣṭahṛdayas tūrṇaṃ śūlino jvarasattamaḥ nanāda bahudhā nādaṃ bhūmau viparivartate gṛhītvā tu balād raudram ākṛṣya ca punaḥ punaḥ kṛṣnāya hṛṣtaḥ prāyacchat kiṃ kariṣyāmy ataḥ param haniṣye devadeveśa bhakṣayiṣye 'tha vā punaḥ ity uktvā sumahānādaṃ cakāra raṇamūrdhani utthāya ca hṛṣīkeśo jvaraṃ māheśvaraṃ raṇe hantum aicchat tadā loko nirjvaro 'stv iti keśavaḥ vyāvidhyamāne tu tadā jvare tenāmitaujasā aśarīrā tato vāṇī tam uvācāntarikṣagā

That Vaiṣṇava-Jvara grabbed the other Jvara with force and did not give him to Kṛṣṇa; but Hari took him back again. The shining, strong, terrible, all-beings-fearsome Vaiṣṇava-Jvara had been created, most powerful — Jvara was...

Verse 7

कृष्ण कृष्ण महाबाहो यदूनां नन्दिवर्धन मा वधीर् ज्वरम् एतं वै रक्षणीयस् त्वयानघ इत्य् एवम् उक्ते वचने तं मुमोच हरिः स्वयम्

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahābāho yadūnāṃ nandivardhana mā vadhīr jvaram etaṃ vai rakṣaṇīyas tvayānagha ity evam ukte vacane taṃ mumoca hariḥ svayam

Verse 8

भूतभव्यभविष्यस्य जगतः परमो गुरुः एवम् उक्तो हृषीकेशं ज्वरो वाक्यम् अथाब्रवीत् कृष्णस्य पादयोर् मूर्ध्ना शरणं सो ऽगमज् ज्वरः शृणुष्व मम गोविन्द विज्ञाप्यं यदुनन्दन यो मे मनोरथा देव तं त्वं कुरु महाभुज तम् उवाच ज्वरो भूयः साक्षाद् विष्णुर् इव स्वयम् प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिपुटः स्थितः नमः कृष्णाय हरये विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे आदिदेवाय देवाय पुराणाय गदाभृते नमः सहस्रशिरसे सहस्रचरणाय च सहस्राक्ष नमो नित्यं लोकानाम् अभयंकर उद्गीथाय नमो देव यज्ञाधिपतये नमः नमस् ते चक्रिणे नित्यम् असिहस्ताय ते नमः अनन्ताय विरूपाय नमस् ते मधुसूदन नमस् ते देवदेवेश तुभ्यं देव कपर्दिने नमस् ते राक्षसघ्नाय नमो राघवरूपिणे ज्ञानज्ञेयाय देवाय नम आद्याय विष्णवे नमस् ते नरसिंहाय दैत्यराजविहारिणे नमस् तुभ्यं वराहाय दंष्ट्रोद्धृतवसुंधर त्रिविक्रम नमस् तुभ्यं बलियज्ञविनाशन वासुदेवाय देवाय नमः कंसविनाशन नमः सर्वात्मने देव सर्वकर्त्रे नमो नमः प्रसीद देवदेवेश भीतानाम् अभयंकर नमामि देवदेवेशं वरेण्यम् अभयप्रदम् विष्णो त्वां सकलेशेश त्वां गदाधरम् अव्ययम् नमस् ते देवदेवेश भीतो ऽहं भवनाशन इति स्तुत्वा जगन्नाथं नृत्यन्न् इव तदा ज्वरः पपात पादयोर् विष्णोर् निःश्वसन् भीतभीतवत् प्रसीद विष्णो देवेश पीडितो ऽस्मि जनार्दन तम् उवाच ज्वरो भूयस् त्व् अहम् एको ज्वरो भुवि अहम् एको ज्वरस् तात नान्यो लोके ज्वरो भवेत् तव प्रसादान् नान्यः स्याज् ज्वरः समितिशोभन

bhūtabhavyabhaviṣyasya jagataḥ paramo guruḥ evam ukto hṛṣīkeśaṃ jvaro vākyam athābravīt kṛṣṇasya pādayor mūrdhnā śaraṇaṃ so 'gamaj jvaraḥ śṛṇuṣva mama govinda vijñāpyaṃ yadunandana yo me manorathā deva taṃ tvaṃ kuru mahābhuja tam uvāca jvaro bhūyaḥ sākṣād viṣṇur iva svayam praṇamya śirasā devaṃ kṛtāñjalipuṭaḥ sthitaḥ namaḥ kṛṣṇāya haraye viṣṇave prabhaviṣṇave ādidevāya devāya purāṇāya gadābhṛte namaḥ sahasraśirase sahasracaraṇāya ca sahasrākṣa namo nityaṃ lokānām abhayaṃkara udgīthāya namo deva yajñādhipataye namaḥ namas te cakriṇe nityam asihastāya te namaḥ anantāya virūpāya namas te madhusūdana namas te devadeveśa tubhyaṃ deva kapardine namas te rākṣasaghnāya namo rāghavarūpiṇe jñānajñeyāya devāya nama ādyāya viṣṇave namas te narasiṃhāya daityarājavihāriṇe namas tubhyaṃ varāhāya daṃṣṭroddhṛtavasuṃdhara trivikrama namas tubhyaṃ baliyajñavināśana vāsudevāya devāya namaḥ kaṃsavināśana namaḥ sarvātmane deva sarvakartre namo namaḥ prasīda devadeveśa bhītānām abhayaṃkara namāmi devadeveśaṃ vareṇyam abhayapradam viṣṇo tvāṃ sakaleśeśa tvāṃ gadādharam avyayam namas te devadeveśa bhīto 'haṃ bhavanāśana iti stutvā jagannāthaṃ nṛtyann iva tadā jvaraḥ papāta pādayor viṣṇor niḥśvasan bhītabhītavat prasīda viṣṇo deveśa pīḍito 'smi janārdana tam uvāca jvaro bhūyas tv aham eko jvaro bhuvi aham eko jvaras tāta nānyo loke jvaro bhavet tava prasādān nānyaḥ syāj jvaraḥ samitiśobhana

Verse 9

एवं भवतु भद्रं ते यथा त्वं ज्वर काङ्क्षसे वरार्थिनां वरो देयो भवांश् च शरणं गतः एक एव ज्वरो लोके भवान् अस्तु यथासुखम् ततस् तुष्टो हृषीकेशः स्तोत्रेणानेन केशवः प्रीतिमांश् चाभवत् कृष्णो रौद्रज्वरम् उवाच ह अन्तकाले मनुष्याणां भूयाद् भोगाय मामकः यो ऽयं मया ज्वरो सृष्टो मय्य् एवैष प्रलीयताम्

evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ te yathā tvaṃ jvara kāṅkṣase varārthināṃ varo deyo bhavāṃś ca śaraṇaṃ gataḥ eka eva jvaro loke bhavān astu yathāsukham tatas tuṣṭo hṛṣīkeśaḥ stotreṇānena keśavaḥ prītimāṃś cābhavat kṛṣṇo raudrajvaram uvāca ha antakāle manuṣyāṇāṃ bhūyād bhogāya māmakaḥ yo 'yaṃ mayā jvaro sṛṣṭo mayy evaiṣa pralīyatām

Verse 10

एवम् उक्ते तु वचने ज्वरं प्रति महायशाः कृष्णः प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः पुनर् वाक्यम् उवाच ह शृणुष्व ज्वर संदेशं यथा लोके चरिष्यसि सर्वजातिषु विन्यस्तस् तथा स्थावरजङ्गमे त्रिधा विभज्य चात्मानं मत्प्रियं यदि काङ्क्षसे चतुष्पादान् भजैकेन द्वितीयेन च स्थावरान् तृतीयो यश् च ते भागो मानुषेषूपपत्स्यते त्रिधाभूतं वपुः कृत्वा पक्षिषु त्वं भव ज्वर चतुर्धा यस् तृतीयस्य भविष्यति च ते ध्रुवम् एकान्तरश् चतुर्भागः खोरकश् च चतुर्थकः मानुषेष्व् अथ भेदने वस त्वं प्रविभज्य वै जातिष्व् अथावशेषासु निवस त्वं शृणुष्व मे वृक्षेषु कीटरूपेण तथा संकोचपत्रकः पाण्डुपत्रश् च विख्यातः फलेष्व् आतुर्यम् एव च अपां तु नीलिकां विद्याच् छिखोद्भेदश् च बर्हिणाम् पद्मिनीषु हिमो भूत्वा पृथिव्याम् अपि चोषरः गौरिकः पर्वतेष्व् एव मत्प्रसादाद् भविष्यसि गोष्व् अपस्मारको भूत्वा खोरकश् च भविष्यसि एवं विविधरूपेण भविष्यसि महीतले दर्शनात् स्पर्शनाच् चापि प्राणिनां वधम् एष्यसि ऋते देवमनुष्येभ्यो नान्यस् त्वां विसहिष्यति कृष्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ज्वरो हृष्टमना ह्य् अभूत् प्रोवाच वचनं किंचित् प्रणमित्वा कृताञ्जलिः सर्वजातिप्रभुत्वेन कृतो धन्यो ऽस्मि माधव भूयश् च ते वचः कर्तुम् इच्छामि पुरुषर्षभ तद् आज्ञापय गोविन्द किं करोमि महाभुज एवं भवतु भद्रं ते यथा त्वं ज्वर काक्षसे अहम् असुरकुलप्रमाथिना त्रिपुरहरेण हरेण निर्मितः रणशिरसि विनिर्जितस् त्वया प्रभुर् असि मे ऽद्य तवास्मि किंकरः ज्वरस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा वासुदेवो ऽब्रवीद् वचः अभिसंधिं शृणुष्वाद्य यत् त्वा वक्ष्यामि निश्चयात् युवां ज्वरौ च भवतां पीडायां मरणे तथा पीडायां च भवान् स्वामी मरणे मामकस् तथा इहैव लीयतां तावज् ज्वरो मामक एव हि धन्यो ऽस्म्य् अनुगृहीतो ऽस्मि यत् त्वया मत्प्रियं क्र्टं आज्ञापय प्रिअं किं ते चक्रायुध करोम्य् अहम्

evam ukte tu vacane jvaraṃ prati mahāyaśāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ praharatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ punar vākyam uvāca ha śṛṇuṣva jvara saṃdeśaṃ yathā loke cariṣyasi sarvajātiṣu vinyastas tathā sthāvarajaṅgame tridhā vibhajya cātmānaṃ matpriyaṃ yadi kāṅkṣase catuṣpādān bhajaikena dvitīyena ca sthāvarān tṛtīyo yaś ca te bhāgo mānuṣeṣūpapatsyate tridhābhūtaṃ vapuḥ kṛtvā pakṣiṣu tvaṃ bhava jvara caturdhā yas tṛtīyasya bhaviṣyati ca te dhruvam ekāntaraś caturbhāgaḥ khorakaś ca caturthakaḥ mānuṣeṣv atha bhedane vasa tvaṃ pravibhajya vai jātiṣv athāvaśeṣāsu nivasa tvaṃ śṛṇuṣva me vṛkṣeṣu kīṭarūpeṇa tathā saṃkocapatrakaḥ pāṇḍupatraś ca vikhyātaḥ phaleṣv āturyam eva ca apāṃ tu nīlikāṃ vidyāc chikhodbhedaś ca barhiṇām padminīṣu himo bhūtvā pṛthivyām api coṣaraḥ gaurikaḥ parvateṣv eva matprasādād bhaviṣyasi goṣv apasmārako bhūtvā khorakaś ca bhaviṣyasi evaṃ vividharūpeṇa bhaviṣyasi mahītale darśanāt sparśanāc cāpi prāṇināṃ vadham eṣyasi ṛte devamanuṣyebhyo nānyas tvāṃ visahiṣyati kṛṣṇasya vacanaṃ śrutvā jvaro hṛṣṭamanā hy abhūt provāca vacanaṃ kiṃcit praṇamitvā kṛtāñjaliḥ sarvajātiprabhutvena kṛto dhanyo 'smi mādhava bhūyaś ca te vacaḥ kartum icchāmi puruṣarṣabha tad ājñāpaya govinda kiṃ karomi mahābhuja evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ te yathā tvaṃ jvara kākṣase aham asurakulapramāthinā tripurahareṇa hareṇa nirmitaḥ raṇaśirasi vinirjitas tvayā prabhur asi me 'dya tavāsmi kiṃkaraḥ jvarasya vacanaṃ śrutvā vāsudevo 'bravīd vacaḥ abhisaṃdhiṃ śṛṇuṣvādya yat tvā vakṣyāmi niścayāt yuvāṃ jvarau ca bhavatāṃ pīḍāyāṃ maraṇe tathā pīḍāyāṃ ca bhavān svāmī maraṇe māmakas tathā ihaiva līyatāṃ tāvaj jvaro māmaka eva hi dhanyo 'smy anugṛhīto 'smi yat tvayā matpriyaṃ krṭaṃ ājñāpaya priaṃ kiṃ te cakrāyudha karomy aham

Verse 11

स्तुवन् मां भक्तियुक्तेन स्तोत्रेणानेन मानवः ज्वरदेवावयोः सम्यक् चिन्तयन् युद्धम् अद्भुतम् न तस्य ज्वरसंजाता पीडा भुवि भविष्यति महामृधे तव मम च द्वयोर् इमं पराक्रमं भुजबलकेवलास्त्रयोः प्रणम्य माम् एकमनाः पठेत् तु यः स वै भवेज् ज्वर विगतज्वरो नरः

stuvan māṃ bhaktiyuktena stotreṇānena mānavaḥ jvaradevāvayoḥ samyak cintayan yuddham adbhutam na tasya jvarasaṃjātā pīḍā bhuvi bhaviṣyati mahāmṛdhe tava mama ca dvayor imaṃ parākramaṃ bhujabalakevalāstrayoḥ praṇamya mām ekamanāḥ paṭhet tu yaḥ sa vai bhavej jvara vigatajvaro naraḥ

Verse 12

त्रिपाद् भस्मप्रहरणस् त्रिशिरा रक्तलोचनः स मे प्रीतः सुखं दद्यात् सर्वामयपतिर् ज्वरः आद्यन्तवन्तः कवयः पुराणाः सूक्ष्मा बृहन्तो ऽप्य् अनुशासितारः सर्वाञ् ज्वरान् घ्नन्तु ममानिरुद्ध+ +प्रद्युम्नसंकर्षणवासुदेवाः एवम् उक्तस् तु कृष्णेन ज्वरः साक्षान् महात्मना प्रोवाच यदुशार्दूलम् एवम् एतद् भविष्यति वरं लब्ध्वा ज्वरो हृष्टः कृष्णाच् च समयं पुनः एवम् अस्त्व् इति गोविन्दं बभाषे केशवं तदा प्रणम्य शिरसा कृष्णम् अपक्रान्तस् ततो रणात्

tripād bhasmapraharaṇas triśirā raktalocanaḥ sa me prītaḥ sukhaṃ dadyāt sarvāmayapatir jvaraḥ ādyantavantaḥ kavayaḥ purāṇāḥ sūkṣmā bṛhanto 'py anuśāsitāraḥ sarvāñ jvarān ghnantu mamāniruddha+ +pradyumnasaṃkarṣaṇavāsudevāḥ evam uktas tu kṛṣṇena jvaraḥ sākṣān mahātmanā provāca yaduśārdūlam evam etad bhaviṣyati varaṃ labdhvā jvaro hṛṣṭaḥ kṛṣṇāc ca samayaṃ punaḥ evam astv iti govindaṃ babhāṣe keśavaṃ tadā praṇamya śirasā kṛṣṇam apakrāntas tato raṇāt

Three-footed, ash-weaponed, three-headed, red-eyed — may he, pleased with me, give happiness: the Lord of all diseases, Jvara. Ancient wise poets, subtle and great, also rulers — may they defeat all fevers of mine and of Aniruddha and Pradyumna...

Verse commentary

Kṛṣṇa Subdues the Jvara and Gives It Its Office

कृष्णेन ज्वरस्य जयः अधिष्ठानदानं च

Verses 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12: Kṛṣṇa hurling the Māheśvara-Jvara to the ground, the Jvara entering his own body, Kṛṣṇa yawning and releasing a counter-Vaiṣṇava-Jvara, the voice forbidding the killing ('fever must be preserved'), Jvara taking refuge at Kṛṣṇa's feet and praising him, Kṛṣṇa assigning Jvara an office — tripartite among beings (animal, plant, human) — with its reach limited by stotra and bhakti, and the closing image of the three-footed, three-headed, red-eyed fever-lord. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 111 is one of the Harivaṃśa's strangest and most beloved short chapters — only twelve verses, but the etiology of fever in the world. Rudra-Bhava has sent a *Jvara* — a personified Fever-weapon — against Kṛṣṇa. The two grapple: Kṛṣṇa hurls the Māheśvara-Jvara down; the Jvara enters Kṛṣṇa's body; Kṛṣṇa creates a counter-Vaiṣṇava-Jvara. When Kṛṣṇa is about to kill the Jvara, a voice intervenes: *'mā vadhīḥ jvaram, rakṣaṇīyaḥ — do not kill, it must be preserved'*. Kṛṣṇa, pleased by the Jvara's stotra, gives it an office in the world: divided across plants, animals, birds, and humans, with specific rules about what will reduce its grip — *stuvan māṃ bhaktiyuktena stotreṇā... vigata-jvaraḥ*, 'the bhakta who praises me will be free of fever'. The chapter is the Harivaṃśa's mythic origin of fever and the scriptural basis for the Warkari custom of reciting Kṛṣṇa-stotras during illness.

HV 111.1

मृत इत्य् अभिविज्ञाय ज्वरं शत्रुनिषूदनः । कृष्णो भुजबलाभ्यां तं चिक्षेपाथ महीतले ॥

mṛta ity abhivijñāya jvaraṃ śatru-niṣūdanaḥ | kṛṣṇo bhuja-balābhyāṃ taṃ cikṣepātha mahī-tale

Recognizing the fever as [almost] dead, Kṛṣṇa the foe-destroyer — with the strength of both arms — hurled it to the earth-surface.

The Living Words

*Mṛta iti abhivijñāya*, 'recognizing [it as] dead'. *Jvaraṃ śatru-niṣūdanaḥ*, 'Kṛṣṇa the foe-destroyer, the fever'. *Bhuja-balābhyām*, 'with the strength of both arms'. *Cikṣepa mahī-tale*, 'hurled to the earth-surface'.

The Heart of It

The verse names the first move. *Bhuja-balābhyām cikṣepa mahī-tale* — with both arms, he threw Jvara down. The Varkari tradition's reading: the bhakta's first combat with *jvara* (the inward fever of worry, anxiety) is a decisive *cikṣepa*, a hurling-down. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that the first response to inner fever is not negotiation but a firm throw-down, has HV 111.1 as its Sanskrit origin. The Name is thrown *bhuja-balābhyām*, with both arms, against the fever of the mind.

HV 111.2

मुक्तमात्रस् तु बाहुभ्यां कृष्णदेहं विवेश सः । अमुक्त्वा विग्रहं तस्य कृष्णस्याप्रतिमौजसः ॥

mukta-mātras tu bāhubhyāṃ kṛṣṇa-dehaṃ viveśa saḥ | amuktvā vigrahaṃ tasya kṛṣṇasyāpratimaujasaḥ

Merely released from the arms, it entered Kṛṣṇa's body — without letting go of his body, that Jvara of immeasurable power.

The Living Words

*Mukta-mātraḥ tu bāhubhyām*, 'merely released from the arms'. *Kṛṣṇa-dehaṃ viveśa*, 'entered Kṛṣṇa's body'. *Amuktvā vigraham*, 'without letting go of his body'. *Apratimaujasaḥ*, 'of immeasurable power'.

The Heart of It

The verse names what makes fever so hard to expel. *Mukta-mātraḥ tu bāhubhyāṃ kṛṣṇa-dehaṃ viveśa saḥ* — 'merely released, it entered [him]'. The thing thrown down at once entered the thrower's own body. The Varkari tradition's keen reading: the *jvara* we throw down does not stay down; it enters us, especially when *mukta-mātram* — just let go of — one thinks it is gone. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's lived psychological wisdom: the inner fever that seemed thrown off is actually internalized; the real combat is internal.

HV 111.5

तस्य स्थैर्यं समालम्ब्य कृष्णः परपुरंजयः । विकुर्वति महायोगी जृम्भमाणः पुनः पुनः । ज्वराभिमृष्टम् आत्मानं विज्ञाय पुरुषोत्तमः । सो ऽसृजज् ज्वरम् अन्यं तु पूर्वज्वरविनाशनम् ॥

tasya sthairyaṃ samālambya kṛṣṇaḥ para-puraṃ-jayaḥ | vikurvati mahā-yogī jṛmbhamāṇaḥ punaḥ punaḥ | jvarābhimṛṣṭam ātmānaṃ vijñāya puruṣottamaḥ | so 'sṛjaj jvaram anyaṃ tu pūrva-jvara-vināśanam

Taking firm ground, Kṛṣṇa — destroyer of enemy-cities, the great yogin — yawning again and again, made modifications. Recognizing himself as fever-touched, Puruṣottama created another fever — the destroyer of the first.

The Living Words

*Sthairyaṃ samālambya*, 'taking firm ground'. *Jṛmbhamāṇaḥ punaḥ punaḥ*, 'yawning again and again'. *Jvarābhimṛṣṭam ātmānaṃ vijñāya*, 'recognizing himself as fever-touched'. *Asṛjaj jvaram anyaṃ pūrva-jvara-vināśanam*, 'created another fever, the destroyer of the first'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's strangest theological move. *Asṛjaj jvaram anyaṃ pūrva-jvara-vināśanam* — 'created another fever, the destroyer of the first fever'. The Varkari tradition's reading: the Vaiṣṇava-jvara is *fever-against-fever*. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's long teaching that the Name is itself a *jvara* in the bhakta's life — a fever that burns out ordinary fevers — has HV 111.5 as its Sanskrit origin. The Lord fights *jvara* with *jvara*; grace uses the disease's grammar to cure it.

HV 111.7

कृष्ण कृष्ण महाबाहो यदूनां नन्दिवर्धन । मा वधीर् ज्वरम् एतं वै रक्षणीयस् त्वयानघ ॥

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-bāho yadūnāṃ nandi-vardhana | mā vadhīr jvaram etaṃ vai rakṣaṇīyas tvayānagha

'Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, great-armed, joy-increaser of the Yadus — do not kill this fever; it must be preserved by you, sinless one.'

The Living Words

*Mā vadhīḥ jvaram etam*, 'do not kill this fever'. *Rakṣaṇīyaḥ tvayā*, 'it must be preserved by you'. *Anagha*, 'sinless'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the voice forbidding destruction. *Mā vadhīḥ jvaram... rakṣaṇīyaḥ tvayā* — 'do not kill, it must be preserved'. The Varkari tradition's deepest reading: even *jvara*, fever, has a place in the world's economy; the Lord is asked to preserve it, not eliminate it. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's wise understanding that some sufferings must remain in the world as teachers — that fever has its office — is HV 111.7 in devotional form. Grace does not abolish what dukkha teaches; it limits its reach.

HV 111.8

कृष्णस्य पादयोर् मूर्ध्ना शरणं सो ऽगमज् ज्वरः । शृणुष्व मम गोविन्द विज्ञाप्यं यदुनन्दन । यो मे मनोरथा देव तं त्वं कुरु महाभुज ॥

kṛṣṇasya pādayor mūrdhnā śaraṇaṃ so 'gamaj jvaraḥ | śṛṇuṣva mama govinda vijñāpyaṃ yadu-nandana | yo me manorathā deva taṃ tvaṃ kuru mahā-bhuja

That Jvara went for refuge to Kṛṣṇa's feet with his head. 'Hear, Govinda, my petition, Yadu-delight; the wish I have, O god, do you fulfill, great-armed.'

The Living Words

*Kṛṣṇasya pādayor mūrdhnā śaraṇam agamat*, 'went for refuge with [his] head at Kṛṣṇa's feet'. *Jvaraḥ*, 'the fever'. *Śṛṇuṣva vijñāpyam*, 'hear my petition'. *Manorathā*, 'the wish'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's astonishing image: even fever takes refuge. *Pādayor mūrdhnā śaraṇam agamat* — 'went with his head at the feet for refuge'. The Varkari tradition's deep reading: every force in the world, if it is to have a continuing existence, must at some point bow its head at the Name's feet. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's vision that even sicknesses, when they bow at the Name, are given bounded offices — has HV 111.8 as its Sanskrit paradigm. Fever is a bhakta.

HV 111.10

शृणुष्व ज्वर संदेशं यथा लोके चरिष्यसि । सर्वजातिषु विन्यस्तस् तथा स्थावरजङ्गमे । त्रिधा विभज्य चात्मानं मत्प्रियं यदि काङ्क्षसे ॥

śṛṇuṣva jvara saṃdeśaṃ yathā loke cariṣyasi | sarva-jātiṣu vinyastas tathā sthāvara-jaṅgame | tridhā vibhajya cātmānaṃ mat-priyaṃ yadi kāṅkṣase

'Hear, Jvara, the instruction about how you shall move in the world: distributed in all species, among the stationary and the moving, dividing yourself into three — if you desire my pleasure.'

The Living Words

*Śṛṇuṣva jvara saṃdeśam*, 'hear, fever, the instruction'. *Yathā loke cariṣyasi*, 'how you shall move in the world'. *Sarva-jātiṣu vinyastaḥ*, 'distributed in all species'. *Sthāvara-jaṅgame*, 'in the stationary and moving'. *Tridhā vibhajya cātmānam*, 'having divided yourself into three'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's naturalistic etiology. *Tridhā vibhajya... sarva-jātiṣu vinyastaḥ* — 'divided into three, distributed among all species'. This is why fever appears in different forms in animals, plants, humans. The Varkari tradition's respect for this verse: the Lord does not deny disease; he distributes it, regulates it, and names its bounds. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's honest reading of suffering in the world — that fever's appearance in all creatures is not random chance but *mat-priya*, the Lord's pleasure, under specific instruction — has HV 111.10 as its Sanskrit ground. Nothing in the world exists outside the Lord's *saṃdeśa*.

HV 111.12

प्रणम्य माम् एकमनाः पठेत् तु यः स वै भवेज् ज्वर विगतज्वरो नरः । त्रिपाद् भस्मप्रहरणस् त्रिशिरा रक्तलोचनः । स मे प्रीतः सुखं दद्यात् सर्वामयपतिर् ज्वरः ॥

praṇamya mām eka-manāḥ paṭhet tu yaḥ sa vai bhavej jvara vigata-jvaro naraḥ | tri-pād bhasma-praharaṇas tri-śirā rakta-locanaḥ | sa me prītaḥ sukhaṃ dadyāt sarvāmaya-patir jvaraḥ

'Whoever, bowing to me with single-minded, shall recite [this], O Jvara — that man shall become free of fever. Three-footed, ash-weaponed, three-headed, red-eyed — may that fever-lord, pleased, grant me happiness; the lord of all illnesses.'

The Living Words

*Praṇamya mām eka-manāḥ*, 'bowing to me single-mindedly'. *Paṭhet yaḥ*, 'whoever recites'. *Vigata-jvaro naraḥ*, 'the man [becomes] free of fever'. *Tri-pād bhasma-praharaṇaḥ tri-śirā rakta-locanaḥ*, 'three-footed, ash-weaponed, three-headed, red-eyed'. *Sarvāmaya-patiḥ jvaraḥ*, 'lord of all illnesses'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's own promise to the reader. *Praṇamya mām eka-manāḥ paṭhet tu yaḥ sa vai bhavej jvara vigata-jvaro naraḥ* — 'whoever bows to me single-mindedly and recites, that man shall be free of fever'. The Varkari tradition's active use of this verse: the recitation of HV 111's Kṛṣṇa-Jvara stotra is a medical aid recommended by tradition for fever. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh includes the principle: the Name, recited with single-minded bowing, has a bounded but real efficacy against the three-headed fever-lord. The verse describes the Jvara vividly so that the bhakta, in fever, can recognize what is visiting him: three legs, three heads, red eyes, ash for a weapon. Recognition is half the cure.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's brief but astonishing action: Kṛṣṇa hurling Jvara down (111.1), the Jvara entering the thrower's own body (111.2), Kṛṣṇa creating a counter-Vaiṣṇava-jvara (111.5), the voice's 'do not kill — preserve it' (111.7), Jvara taking refuge with head at the Lord's feet (111.8), Kṛṣṇa distributing Jvara across three kinds of beings (111.10), and the verse's own promise that the bhakta who recites it becomes vigata-jvara (111.12). The Harivaṃśa's mythic etiology and medicine-in-one-chapter.

Echo in the saints

HV 111 is one of the Harivaṃśa's most actively-used chapters in the Warkari tradition. The verses are recited at fever-bedside, and the closing stanza (*praṇamya mām eka-manāḥ paṭhet yaḥ... vigata-jvaraḥ*) is itself a *jvara-hara* recitation. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh takes up the general principle: the Name, recited with bowed head and single mind, is *jvara-hara*. And the chapter's theological move — preserving the fever, giving it an office, rather than abolishing it — is the scripture's wise acknowledgment that no suffering is simply to be destroyed. Fever is assigned three-fold work; the bhakta is given a bounded shelter within that assignment. The scripture does not promise a world without sickness; it names the Name as what makes the sickness's office *limited*.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 18.61

The Lord allots each being its specific nature.

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति । भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ॥

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṃ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati | bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

The Lord dwells in the heart-region of all beings, Arjuna, causing all beings to revolve as if mounted on a machine, by māyā.

HV 111.10's tridhā vibhajya... sarva-jātiṣu vinyastaḥ is the narrative form of Gītā 18.61. The Lord distributes Jvara across all species by specific instruction, just as he distributes the whole universe as yantra-ārūḍha. Illness is not outside his arrangement; it is one of the Lord's assigned offices.

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