राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 74

39 versesThe Arena Fills

Synopsis

The second day. The great arena is filling with citizens eager to see the fight, with kings from the outlying territories, with the chief men, and with the Mathurā women, dark, full-breasted. On his lion-throne Kaṃsa's incomparable form draws cries of blessing. The final act of the chapter: the two cowherd brothers, grasping the elephant's limbs, slay its foot-guards, then the elephant itself, and enter the center of the arena "like the two Aśvins descended from heaven."

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

समागतौ च तौ दृष्ट्वा जहि गोपालकाव् उभौ तस्मिन्न् अहनि निर्वृत्ते द्वितीये समुपस्थिते संकीर्यत महारङ्गः पौरैर् युद्धदिदृक्षुभिः

samāgatau ca tau dṛṣṭvā jahi gopālakāv ubhau tasminn ahani nirvṛtte dvitīye samupasthite saṃkīryata mahāraṅgaḥ paurair yuddhadidṛkṣubhiḥ

'Seeing them come together, kill the two cowherds.' With that day ended and the second day arrived, the great arena was filled with townsmen eager to see the fight.

Verse 2

राजभिर् विषयान्तस्थैः प्रधानपुरुषैस् ततः नारीभिर् माथुरीयाभिः श्यामाभिः संघसंस्थिताः पीनस्तनीभिः कंसस्य तथा बिल्वपयोधरैः अपराखण्डिताभिस् तु मञ्जरीसदृशैः स्तनैः भ्रू धनुर्दृष्टिविशिखं नासा ज्या सिञ्जति ततः घ्नन्त्य् आकृष्य च कृष्णं ताः कंसेन विनियोजिताः कन्दलीदण्डकाण्डेन बध्वा तं मोहपाशकैः नाभीह्रदे च गम्भीरे कालयाख्ये पराजिते कंसधात्रीसृतां स्नात्वा दन्तैश् छिन्नस्तनीं ततः पाणिभ्यां तत्कुचौ गोपो न समर्थः प्रधर्षितुम् शकटस्य च भङ्गं स यथा कारितवाञ् शिशुः अस्माकं शकटीभङ्गं युग्मयोः कुचयोस् ततः अरिष्टं हतवान् यो ऽयं ककुदा सदृशौ स्तनौ घातयिष्यति गोपो ऽयं मल्लाभ्यां बलवत्तरः सचित्राष्टास्त्रिचरणाः सार्गलद्वारवेदिकाः सगवाक्षार्धचन्द्राश् च सतलोत्तमभूषिताः

rājabhir viṣayāntasthaiḥ pradhānapuruṣais tataḥ nārībhir māthurīyābhiḥ śyāmābhiḥ saṃghasaṃsthitāḥ pīnastanībhiḥ kaṃsasya tathā bilvapayodharaiḥ aparākhaṇḍitābhis tu mañjarīsadṛśaiḥ stanaiḥ bhrū dhanurdṛṣṭiviśikhaṃ nāsā jyā siñjati tataḥ ghnanty ākṛṣya ca kṛṣṇaṃ tāḥ kaṃsena viniyojitāḥ kandalīdaṇḍakāṇḍena badhvā taṃ mohapāśakaiḥ nābhīhrade ca gambhīre kālayākhye parājite kaṃsadhātrīsṛtāṃ snātvā dantaiś chinnastanīṃ tataḥ pāṇibhyāṃ tatkucau gopo na samarthaḥ pradharṣitum śakaṭasya ca bhaṅgaṃ sa yathā kāritavāñ śiśuḥ asmākaṃ śakaṭībhaṅgaṃ yugmayoḥ kucayos tataḥ ariṣṭaṃ hatavān yo 'yaṃ kakudā sadṛśau stanau ghātayiṣyati gopo 'yaṃ mallābhyāṃ balavattaraḥ sacitrāṣṭāstricaraṇāḥ sārgaladvāravedikāḥ sagavākṣārdhacandrāś ca satalottamabhūṣitāḥ

Verse 3

प्राङ्मुखैश् चारुनिर्मुक्तैः माल्यदामावतंसितैः अलंकृतैर् विराजद्भिः शारदैर् इव तोयदैः

prāṅmukhaiś cārunirmuktaiḥ mālyadāmāvataṃsitaiḥ alaṃkṛtair virājadbhiḥ śāradair iva toyadaiḥ

Verse 4

मञ्चागारैः सुनिर्युक्तैर् युद्धार्थं सुविभूषितैः समाजवाटः शुशुभे स मेघौघैर् इवार्णवः

mañcāgāraiḥ suniryuktair yuddhārthaṃ suvibhūṣitaiḥ samājavāṭaḥ śuśubhe sa meghaughair ivārṇavaḥ

Verse 5

स्वकर्मद्रव्ययुक्ताभिः पताकाभिर् निरन्तरम् श्रेणीनां च गणानां च मञ्चा भान्त्य् अचलोपमाः

svakarmadravyayuktābhiḥ patākābhir nirantaram śreṇīnāṃ ca gaṇānāṃ ca mañcā bhānty acalopamāḥ

Verse 6

अन्तःपुरगतानां च प्रेक्षागाराण्य् अदूरतः रेजुः काञ्चनचित्राणि रत्नज्वालाकुलानि च

antaḥpuragatānāṃ ca prekṣāgārāṇy adūrataḥ rejuḥ kāñcanacitrāṇi ratnajvālākulāni ca

Verse 7

तानि रत्नौघकॢप्तानि ससानुप्रग्रहाणि च रेजुर् जवनिकाक्षेपैः सपक्षा इव खे नगाः

tāni ratnaughakḷptāni sasānupragrahāṇi ca rejur javanikākṣepaiḥ sapakṣā iva khe nagāḥ

Verse 8

तत्र चामरहासैश् च भूषणानां च शिञ्जितैः मणीनां च विचित्राणां विचित्राश् चेरुर् अर्चिषः

tatra cāmarahāsaiś ca bhūṣaṇānāṃ ca śiñjitaiḥ maṇīnāṃ ca vicitrāṇāṃ vicitrāś cerur arciṣaḥ

Verse 9

गणिकानां पृथङ्मञ्चाः शुभैर् आस्तरणाम्बरैः शोभिता वारमुख्याभिर् विमानप्रतिमौजसः

gaṇikānāṃ pṛthaṅmañcāḥ śubhair āstaraṇāmbaraiḥ śobhitā vāramukhyābhir vimānapratimaujasaḥ

Verse 10

तत्रासनानि मुख्यानि पर्यङ्काश् च हिरण्मयः प्रकीर्णाश् च कुथाश् चित्राः सपुष्पस्तबकद्रुमाः

tatrāsanāni mukhyāni paryaṅkāś ca hiraṇmayaḥ prakīrṇāś ca kuthāś citrāḥ sapuṣpastabakadrumāḥ

Verse 11

सौवर्णाः पानकुम्भाश् च पानभूम्यश् च शोभिताः फलावदंशपूर्णाश् च चाङ्गेर् यः पानयोजिताः

sauvarṇāḥ pānakumbhāś ca pānabhūmyaś ca śobhitāḥ phalāvadaṃśapūrṇāś ca cāṅger yaḥ pānayojitāḥ

Verse 12

अन्ये च मञ्चा बहवः काष्ठसंचयबन्धनाः रेजुः प्रस्तरशस् तत्र प्रकाशा मञ्चसंचयाः

anye ca mañcā bahavaḥ kāṣṭhasaṃcayabandhanāḥ rejuḥ prastaraśas tatra prakāśā mañcasaṃcayāḥ

Verse 13

उत्तमागारिकाश् चान्ये सूक्ष्मजालावलोकिनः स्त्रीनां प्रेक्षागृहा भान्ति राजहंसा इवाम्बरे

uttamāgārikāś cānye sūkṣmajālāvalokinaḥ strīnāṃ prekṣāgṛhā bhānti rājahaṃsā ivāmbare

Verse 14

प्राखङ्मुश् चारुनिर्युक्तो मेरुशृङ्गसमप्रभः रुक्मपत्रनिभस्तम्भश् चित्रनिर्योगशोभितः

prākhaṅmuś cāruniryukto meruśṛṅgasamaprabhaḥ rukmapatranibhastambhaś citraniryogaśobhitaḥ

Verse 15

प्रेक्षागारः स कंसस्य प्रचकाशे ऽधिकं श्रिया शोभितो माल्यदामैश् च निवासकृतलक्षणः

prekṣāgāraḥ sa kaṃsasya pracakāśe 'dhikaṃ śriyā śobhito mālyadāmaiś ca nivāsakṛtalakṣaṇaḥ

Verse 16

तस्मिन्न् आनाजनाकीर्णे जनौघप्रतिनादिते समाजवाटे संस्तब्धे कम्पमानार्णवप्रभे

tasminn ānājanākīrṇe janaughapratinādite samājavāṭe saṃstabdhe kampamānārṇavaprabhe

Verse 17

नन्दगोपादयो गोपा भोजराजसमाहृताः निवेदितोपायनास् ते एकस्मिन् मञ्च आविशन् राजा कुवलयापीडो रङ्गस्य द्वारि कुञ्जरः तिष्ठत्व् इति समाज्ञाप्य प्रेक्षागारम् अथाययौ

nandagopādayo gopā bhojarājasamāhṛtāḥ niveditopāyanās te ekasmin mañca āviśan rājā kuvalayāpīḍo raṅgasya dvāri kuñjaraḥ tiṣṭhatv iti samājñāpya prekṣāgāram athāyayau

Verse 18

स शुक्ले वाससी बिभ्रच् छ्वेतव्यजनचामरः शुशुभे श्वेतमुकुटः श्वेताभ्र इव चन्द्रमाः

sa śukle vāsasī bibhrac chvetavyajanacāmaraḥ śuśubhe śvetamukuṭaḥ śvetābhra iva candramāḥ

Verse 19

तस्य सिंहासनस्थस्य सुखासीनस्य धीमतः रूपम् अप्रतिमं दृष्ट्वा पौराः प्रोचुर् जयाशिषः

tasya siṃhāsanasthasya sukhāsīnasya dhīmataḥ rūpam apratimaṃ dṛṣṭvā paurāḥ procur jayāśiṣaḥ

Seeing the unequalled form of the wise one seated at ease on his lion-throne, the citizens spoke auspicious blessings.

Verse 20

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश् च परमर्षयः पुरंदरं पुरस्कृत्य जग्मुर् युद्धदिदृक्षवः विमानस्थास् तु ते सर्वे विरेजुः सितचामराः शक्रो ऽप्य् ऐरावतगतः शुशुभे च समातलिः ऊर्वशीप्रमुखाः सर्वा वारमुख्यास् तदाभवन् शक्रपार्श्वगतास् तास् तु सितचामरपाणयः दिलीपप्रमुखास् ते तु मुनयो राजसत्तमाः अनेकयुगपर्यन्तं स्थिता दिवि च शक्रवत् भगवन्तं जगन्नाथं द्रष्टुं गोपविभूषितम् नारदाद् यास् तु मुनयो युद्धं द्रष्टुं व्यवस्थिताः मल्लाभ्यां देवयोः सार्धं रङ्गमध्ये समुत्थितम् अमरौघैस् तदाकाशं निबिडं समपद्यत रङ्गवाटस् तदा चैव जनैः सर्वैः समावृतः द्यौश् चापि देवसंघैश् च निबिडाभूद् वियच्चरैः एकाकारं समभवद् भूतलं च नभःस्थलम् ततः प्रविविशुर् मल्ला रङ्गम् आवल्गिताम्बराः तिस्रश् च भागशः कक्ष्याः प्राविशन् बलशालिनः

tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ puraṃdaraṃ puraskṛtya jagmur yuddhadidṛkṣavaḥ vimānasthās tu te sarve virejuḥ sitacāmarāḥ śakro 'py airāvatagataḥ śuśubhe ca samātaliḥ ūrvaśīpramukhāḥ sarvā vāramukhyās tadābhavan śakrapārśvagatās tās tu sitacāmarapāṇayaḥ dilīpapramukhās te tu munayo rājasattamāḥ anekayugaparyantaṃ sthitā divi ca śakravat bhagavantaṃ jagannāthaṃ draṣṭuṃ gopavibhūṣitam nāradād yās tu munayo yuddhaṃ draṣṭuṃ vyavasthitāḥ mallābhyāṃ devayoḥ sārdhaṃ raṅgamadhye samutthitam amaraughais tadākāśaṃ nibiḍaṃ samapadyata raṅgavāṭas tadā caiva janaiḥ sarvaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ dyauś cāpi devasaṃghaiś ca nibiḍābhūd viyaccaraiḥ ekākāraṃ samabhavad bhūtalaṃ ca nabhaḥsthalam tataḥ praviviśur mallā raṅgam āvalgitāmbarāḥ tisraś ca bhāgaśaḥ kakṣyāḥ prāviśan balaśālinaḥ

Verse 21

ततस् तूर्यनिनादेन क्ष्वेडितास्फोटितेन च वसुदेवसुतौ हृष्टौ रङ्गद्वारम् उपस्थितौ

tatas tūryaninādena kṣveḍitāsphoṭitena ca vasudevasutau hṛṣṭau raṅgadvāram upasthitau

Verse 22

बल्लवौ वस्त्रसंवीतौ सुरवन्दनभूषितौ ऊर्ध्वपीडौ स्रगापीडौ बाहुशस्त्रकृतोद्यमौ आस्फोटयन्ताव् अन्योन्यं बाहू चैवार्गलापमौ ताव् आपतन्तौ त्वरितौ प्रतिषिद्धौ वराननौ रङ्गद्वारं समासाद्य तस्मिन् गजम् अवस्थितम् अपश्यत् कुवलयापीडं कृष्णो ऽम्बष्ठप्रणोदितम् बद्ध्वा परिकरं शौरिः समुह्य कुटिलालकान् उवाच हस्तिपं वाचा मेघनादगभीरया अम्बष्ठाम्बष्ठ मार्गं नौ देह्य् अपाक्रम मा चिरम् नो चेत् सकुञ्जरं हत्वा नयामि यमसादनम् एवं निर्भर्त्सितो ऽम्बष्ठः कुपितः कोपितं गजम् चोदयाम् आस कृष्णाय कालान्तकयमोपमम् तेन मत्तेन नागेन चोद्यमानेन वै भृशम्

ballavau vastrasaṃvītau suravandanabhūṣitau ūrdhvapīḍau sragāpīḍau bāhuśastrakṛtodyamau āsphoṭayantāv anyonyaṃ bāhū caivārgalāpamau tāv āpatantau tvaritau pratiṣiddhau varānanau raṅgadvāraṃ samāsādya tasmin gajam avasthitam apaśyat kuvalayāpīḍaṃ kṛṣṇo 'mbaṣṭhapraṇoditam baddhvā parikaraṃ śauriḥ samuhya kuṭilālakān uvāca hastipaṃ vācā meghanādagabhīrayā ambaṣṭhāmbaṣṭha mārgaṃ nau dehy apākrama mā ciram no cet sakuñjaraṃ hatvā nayāmi yamasādanam evaṃ nirbhartsito 'mbaṣṭhaḥ kupitaḥ kopitaṃ gajam codayām āsa kṛṣṇāya kālāntakayamopamam tena mattena nāgena codyamānena vai bhṛśam

Verse 23

स मत्तहस्ती दुष्टात्मा कृत्वा कुण्डलिनं करम् चकार चोदितो यत्नं निहन्तुं बलकेशवौ

sa mattahastī duṣṭātmā kṛtvā kuṇḍalinaṃ karam cakāra codito yatnaṃ nihantuṃ balakeśavau

Verse 24

ततः प्रहसितः कृष्णस् त्रास्यमानो गजेन वै कंसस्यमत्सरं चैव जगर्हे स दुरात्मनः

tataḥ prahasitaḥ kṛṣṇas trāsyamāno gajena vai kaṃsasyamatsaraṃ caiva jagarhe sa durātmanaḥ

Verse 25

अनेन गजमुख्येन हन्तुं व्यवसितः किल अहो तु कंसो दुर्मेधाः किम् अतो विस्मयः परः इति संचिन्त्य भगवान् बलभद्रम् उदैक्षत तस्य तां जगृहे बुद्धिं बलभद्रो दुरात्मनः त्वरते खलु कंसो ऽयं गन्तुं वैवस्वतक्षयम् यो माम् अनेन नागेन प्रधर्षयितुम् इच्छति

anena gajamukhyena hantuṃ vyavasitaḥ kila aho tu kaṃso durmedhāḥ kim ato vismayaḥ paraḥ iti saṃcintya bhagavān balabhadram udaikṣata tasya tāṃ jagṛhe buddhiṃ balabhadro durātmanaḥ tvarate khalu kaṃso 'yaṃ gantuṃ vaivasvatakṣayam yo mām anena nāgena pradharṣayitum icchati

Verse 26

संनिकृष्टे ततो नागे गर्जमाने यथा घने सहसोत्पत्य गोविन्दश् चक्रे तालस्वनं प्रभुः

saṃnikṛṣṭe tato nāge garjamāne yathā ghane sahasotpatya govindaś cakre tālasvanaṃ prabhuḥ

Verse 27

क्ष्वेदितास्फोटितरवं कृत्वा नागस्य चाग्रतः करं च श्रीधरस् तस्य प्रतिजग्राह वक्षसा

kṣveditāsphoṭitaravaṃ kṛtvā nāgasya cāgrataḥ karaṃ ca śrīdharas tasya pratijagrāha vakṣasā

Verse 28

विषाणान्तरगो भृत्वा पुनश् चरणमध्यगः बबाधे तं गजं कृष्णः पवनस् तोयदं यथा

viṣāṇāntarago bhṛtvā punaś caraṇamadhyagaḥ babādhe taṃ gajaṃ kṛṣṇaḥ pavanas toyadaṃ yathā

Verse 29

स हस्ताच् च विनिष्क्रान्तो विषाणाग्राच् च दन्तिनः विमुक्तः पादमध्याच् च कृष्णो द्विपम् अमोहयत्

sa hastāc ca viniṣkrānto viṣāṇāgrāc ca dantinaḥ vimuktaḥ pādamadhyāc ca kṛṣṇo dvipam amohayat

Verse 30

सो ऽन्तिकायस् तु संमूढो हन्तुं कृष्णम् अशक्नुवन् गजः स्वेष्व् एव गात्रेषु मथ्यमानो ररास ह

so 'ntikāyas tu saṃmūḍho hantuṃ kṛṣṇam aśaknuvan gajaḥ sveṣv eva gātreṣu mathyamāno rarāsa ha

Verse 31

पपात भूमौ जानुभ्यां दशनाभ्यां तुतोद ह मदं सुस्राव रोषाच् च घर्मापाय यथा घनः

papāta bhūmau jānubhyāṃ daśanābhyāṃ tutoda ha madaṃ susrāva roṣāc ca gharmāpāya yathā ghanaḥ

Verse 32

कृष्णस् तु तेन नागेन क्रीडित्वा शिशुना यथा निधनाय मतिं चक्रे कंसद्विष्टेन चेतसा

kṛṣṇas tu tena nāgena krīḍitvā śiśunā yathā nidhanāya matiṃ cakre kaṃsadviṣṭena cetasā

Verse 33

स तस्य प्रमुखे पादं कृत्वा कुम्भाद् अनन्तरम् दोर्भ्यां विषाणम् उत्पाट्य तेनैव प्राहरत् तदा

sa tasya pramukhe pādaṃ kṛtvā kumbhād anantaram dorbhyāṃ viṣāṇam utpāṭya tenaiva prāharat tadā

Verse 34

स तेन वज्रकल्पेन स्वेन दन्तेन कुञ्जरः हन्यमानः शकृन्मूत्रं चकारार्तो ररास ह

sa tena vajrakalpena svena dantena kuñjaraḥ hanyamānaḥ śakṛnmūtraṃ cakārārto rarāsa ha

Verse 35

कृष्णजर्जरिताङ्गस्य कुञ्जरस्यार्तचेतसः कटाभ्याम् अतिसुस्राव वेगवद् भूरि शोणितम्

kṛṣṇajarjaritāṅgasya kuñjarasyārtacetasaḥ kaṭābhyām atisusrāva vegavad bhūri śoṇitam

Verse 36

लाङ्गूलं चास्य वेगेन निश्चकर्ष हलायुधः शैलपृष्ठार्धसंलीनं वैनतेय इवोरगम्

lāṅgūlaṃ cāsya vegena niścakarṣa halāyudhaḥ śailapṛṣṭhārdhasaṃlīnaṃ vainateya ivoragam

Verse 37

तेनैव गजदन्तेन कृष्णो हत्वा तु कुञ्जरम् जघानैकप्रहारेण गजारोहम् अथोल्बणम्

tenaiva gajadantena kṛṣṇo hatvā tu kuñjaram jaghānaikaprahāreṇa gajāroham atholbaṇam

Verse 38

सो ऽर्तनादं महत् कृत्वा विदन्तो दन्तिनां वरः पपात समहामात्रो वज्रभिन्न इवाचलः

so 'rtanādaṃ mahat kṛtvā vidanto dantināṃ varaḥ papāta samahāmātro vajrabhinna ivācalaḥ

Verse 39

ततस् तौ तु गजाङ्गानि प्रगृह्य रणकर्कशौ गजस्य पादरक्षांश् च जघ्नतुः पुरुषर्षभौ तांश् च हत्वा विविशतुर् मध्यं रङ्गस्य ताव् उभौ नासत्याव् अश्विनौ स्वर्गाद् अवतीर्णाव् इवेच्छया वृष्ण्यन्धकाश् च भोजाश् च ददृसुर् वनमालिनौ क्ष्वेडितोत्क्रुष्टनादेन बाह्वोर् आस्फोटितेन च सिंहनादैश् च तालैश् च हर्षयाम् आसतुर् जनम् तौ दृष्ट्वा भोजराजस् तु विषसाद वृथामतिः पौराणाम् अनुरागं च हर्षं चालक्ष्य भारत तं हत्वा पुण्डरीकाक्षो नदन्तं दन्तिनां वरम् अवतीर्णो ऽर्णवाकारं समाजं सहपूर्वजः

tatas tau tu gajāṅgāni pragṛhya raṇakarkaśau gajasya pādarakṣāṃś ca jaghnatuḥ puruṣarṣabhau tāṃś ca hatvā viviśatur madhyaṃ raṅgasya tāv ubhau nāsatyāv aśvinau svargād avatīrṇāv ivecchayā vṛṣṇyandhakāś ca bhojāś ca dadṛsur vanamālinau kṣveḍitotkruṣṭanādena bāhvor āsphoṭitena ca siṃhanādaiś ca tālaiś ca harṣayām āsatur janam tau dṛṣṭvā bhojarājas tu viṣasāda vṛthāmatiḥ paurāṇām anurāgaṃ ca harṣaṃ cālakṣya bhārata taṃ hatvā puṇḍarīkākṣo nadantaṃ dantināṃ varam avatīrṇo 'rṇavākāraṃ samājaṃ sahapūrvajaḥ

Then the two, ferocious in battle, took the elephant's limbs, killed the foot-guards of the elephant, and having killed them, entered the middle of the arena — like the two Aśvins descended from heaven at will.

Verse commentary

The Arena Fills

रङ्गम् अवतरणम्

Verses 1, 3, 19, 20, 30, 39: the filling of the arena, the citizens with garlands-autumn-cloud-like, the crowd's spontaneous jaya-cry on seeing Kaṃsa on his lion-throne, the gods and gandharvas gathering in aerial chariots, the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa tormented into tearing his own body, and the closing Aśvin-simile of the two brothers entering the arena like the Nāsatyas descended from heaven. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 74 is the Harivaṃśa's preparation chapter for the Kaṃsa-vadha. The arena has been built; the second day of the festival has come; the city pours in; the kings from surrounding territories settle on the tiered stands; the gods themselves descend into the sky above to watch. In the midst of this enormous assembly, an elephant named Kuvalayāpīḍa has been placed at the arena-gate to kill Kṛṣṇa as he enters. The chapter describes the gathering in patient detail — citizens, women, kings, gods, gandharvas — and then, at its close, narrates the elephant's end and the two brothers walking into the arena's center. It is one of the Harivaṃśa's most cinematic chapters.

HV 74.1

समागतौ च तौ दृष्ट्वा जहि गोपालकाव् उभौ । तस्मिन्न् अहनि निर्वृत्ते द्वितीये समुपस्थिते । संकीर्यत महारङ्गः पौरैर् युद्धदिदृक्षुभिः ॥

samāgatau ca tau dṛṣṭvā jahi gopālakāv ubhau | tasminn ahani nirvṛtte dvitīye samupasthite | saṃkīryata mahā-raṅgaḥ paurair yuddha-didṛkṣubhiḥ

'Seeing them come together, kill the two cowherds!' With that day ended and a second day come, the great arena filled with citizens eager to see the fight.

The Living Words

*Samāgatau ca tau dṛṣṭvā jahi gopālakau ubhau*, 'seeing them come together, kill both cowherds' — a direct imperative, Kaṃsa's order carried over from HV 72. *Tasminn ahani nirvṛtte dvitīye samupasthite*, 'with that day ended and a second present'. *Saṃkīryata mahā-raṅgaḥ paurair yuddha-didṛkṣubhiḥ*, 'the great arena was filled by citizens eager to see battle.'

The Heart of It

The verse opens on a dangerous order (*kill both cowherds*) but immediately widens to the crowd's anticipation. The Harivaṃśa's realism: behind any violent plan is a public of spectators, ordinary curious people. The Varkari tradition's awareness that spiritual combats happen in public, in crowded settings, not in isolation, is continuous with this. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh begins at *devāciye dvārīṃ* — at God's door, not in a hermitage — and HV 74 is the scripture's model for that public register: the god enters where people gather.

HV 74.3

प्राङ्मुखैश् चारुनिर्मुक्तैः माल्यदामावतंसितैः । अलंकृतैर् विराजद्भिः शारदैर् इव तोयदैः ॥

prāṅ-mukhaiś cāru-nirmuktaiḥ mālya-dāma-avataṃsitaiḥ | alaṃkṛtair virājadbhiḥ śāradair iva toyadaiḥ

(The citizens) facing east, freely released (carefree), adorned with garland-strings as head-ornaments, decorated and shining — like autumn rain-clouds.

The Living Words

*Prāṅ-mukhaiḥ*, 'east-facing' — the auspicious orientation for arrival. *Cāru-nirmuktaiḥ*, 'lovely-unbound, freely let go' — relaxed, ornamented. *Mālya-dāma-avataṃsitaiḥ*, 'with garland-string-ornaments'. *Alaṃkṛtair virājadbhiḥ*, 'decorated and resplendent'. *Śāradair iva toyadaiḥ*, 'like autumn rain-clouds' — a simile of bright fluffy clouds at festival.

The Heart of It

The Harivaṃśa's attention to the city at festival. The citizens have come east-facing, in garland-strings, decorated — the Sanskrit compares them to autumn clouds. The Varkari tradition's love of the Pandharpur crowd — thousands in their festival-best, white and saffron-and-red, moving as one cloud-like mass toward the temple — has HV 74.3 as its scriptural ancestor. The god's work happens not in a solitary space but in the presence of a crowd decorated for a celebration.

HV 74.19

तस्य सिंहासनस्थस्य सुखासीनस्य धीमतः । रूपम् अप्रतिमं दृष्ट्वा पौराः प्रोचुर् जयाशिषः ॥

tasya siṃhāsanasthasya sukhāsīnasya dhīmataḥ | rūpam apratimaṃ dṛṣṭvā paurāḥ procur jayāśiṣaḥ

Seeing the unequalled form of the wise one — seated on his lion-throne, at ease — the citizens spoke blessings of victory.

The Living Words

*Siṃhāsanasthasya sukhāsīnasya dhīmataḥ*, 'of the wise one, seated at ease on the lion-throne'. *Rūpam apratimaṃ dṛṣṭvā*, 'seeing the unequalled form'. *Paurāḥ procur jayāśiṣaḥ*, 'the citizens spoke blessings of victory'.

The Heart of It

The chapter includes an uncomfortable moment. The citizens, seeing Kaṃsa seated on his lion-throne, call out blessings-of-victory to him. The Harivaṃśa does not excuse this; the scripture is recording what happens. A tyrant's people have gathered to celebrate, and when they see their king they cheer. The Varkari tradition's honesty about how political power looks in its own moment — not easy to oppose, adorned with ceremony, approved by crowds — is consistent with this verse's clear eye. The god will enter soon; the crowd's cheers will shift; but the scripture honors the complicated reality of a tyrant who was loved by the people who lived under him.

HV 74.20

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश् च परमर्षयः । पुरंदरं पुरस्कृत्य जग्मुर् युद्धदिदृक्षवः । विमानस्थास् तु ते सर्वे विरेजुः सितचामराः । शक्रो ऽप्य् ऐरावतगतः शुशुभे च समातलिः । ऊर्वशीप्रमुखाः सर्वा वारमुख्यास् ॥

tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ | puraṃdaraṃ puraskṛtya jagmur yuddha-didṛkṣavaḥ | vimānasthās tu te sarve virejuḥ sita-cāmarāḥ | śakro 'py airāvatagataḥ śuśubhe ca samātaliḥ | ūrvaśī-pramukhāḥ sarvā vāra-mukhyāḥ

Then the gods, along with gandharvas, siddhas, and the great sages, with Puraṃdara (Indra) at their head, came eager to see the fight. All of them, stationed in aerial chariots, shone with white yak-tail fans; Śakra too, mounted on Airāvata, was resplendent with his charioteer Mātali; and all the chief dancers, with Ūrvaśī foremost.

The Living Words

*Devāḥ sa-gandharvāḥ siddhāḥ ca paramarṣayaḥ*, 'gods with gandharvas, siddhas, and great sages'. *Puraṃdaraṃ puraskṛtya*, 'with Puraṃdara (Indra) in front'. *Yuddha-didṛkṣavaḥ*, 'eager to see the fight'. *Vimānasthāḥ*, 'stationed in aerial chariots'. *Śakraḥ airāvatagataḥ*, 'Śakra mounted on Airāvata'. *Ūrvaśī-pramukhāḥ vāra-mukhyāḥ*, 'the chief dancers with Ūrvaśī foremost'.

The Heart of It

The gods above watch. The Harivaṃśa's stage is doubled: the arena below, the sky-chariots above. Every category of celestial being has come — gods, gandharvas, siddhas, ṛṣis, apsarases. What they all want is *yuddha-didṛkṣavaḥ*, 'to see the fight'. The scripture's realism about divine curiosity is tender; the gods are spectators too. The Varkari tradition's sense that devotion is always being watched by a wider assembly — that the gods and the saints of the past are part of the audience of every present act of devotion — is rooted in this verse. The sky above a devotee's practice is not empty.

HV 74.30

सो ऽन्तिकायस् तु संमूढो हन्तुं कृष्णम् अशक्नुवन् । गजः स्वेष्व् एव गात्रेषु मथ्यमानो रराश ह ॥

so 'ntikāyas tu saṃmūḍho hantuṃ kṛṣṇam aśaknuvan | gajaḥ sveṣv eva gātreṣu mathyamāno rarāśa ha

Now near, deluded, unable to kill Kṛṣṇa, the elephant — being tormented in his own limbs — bellowed.

The Living Words

*Antikāyaḥ*, 'near' (to Kṛṣṇa). *Saṃmūḍhaḥ*, 'deluded, confused'. *Hantuṃ kṛṣṇam aśaknuvan*, 'unable to kill Kṛṣṇa'. *Gajaḥ sveṣv eva gātreṣu mathyamānaḥ*, 'the elephant, being churned in his own limbs'. *Rarāśa*, 'bellowed'.

The Heart of It

Another Harivaṃśa demon dying by his own force. Kuvalayāpīḍa, unable to kill Kṛṣṇa, turns against himself — his own limbs being churned. The scripture's same pattern: HV 56 Kāliya crushed under his own hoods, HV 57 Dhenuka killed by his own kick, HV 58 Pralamba collapsed under his own back-load, HV 64 Ariṣṭa by his own horn, HV 67 Keśin by an arm in his own mouth, HV 74 Kuvalayāpīḍa torn by his own body. The meta-teaching: the god's adversary is finally defeated by the force the adversary brought. The Varkari understanding of how the passions dissolve is continuous. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh does not drive the passions out; it lets them turn against themselves in the Name's space.

HV 74.39

ततस् तौ तु गजाङ्गानि प्रगृह्य रणकर्कशौ । गजस्य पादरक्षांश् च जघ्नतुः पुरुषर्षभौ । तांश् च हत्वा विविशतुर् मध्यं रङ्गस्य ताव् उभौ । नासत्याव् अश्विनौ स्वर्गाद् अवतीर्णाव् इवेच्छया ॥

tatas tau tu gajāṅgāni pragṛhya raṇa-karkaśau | gajasya pāda-rakṣāṃś ca jaghnatuḥ puruṣarṣabhau | tāṃś ca hatvā viviśatur madhyaṃ raṅgasya tāv ubhau | nāsatyāv aśvinau svargād avatīrṇāv iva icchayā

Then those two, seizing the elephant's limbs, harsh in combat, killed the elephant's foot-guards — the two bulls-of-men. Having killed them, they entered the middle of the arena — like the two Aśvins, the Nāsatyas, descended from heaven at their own will.

The Living Words

*Gajāṅgāni pragṛhya*, 'seizing the elephant's limbs'. *Raṇa-karkaśau*, 'harsh in combat'. *Gajasya pāda-rakṣāṃś ca jaghnatuḥ*, 'they killed the elephant's foot-guards'. *Puruṣarṣabhau*, 'the two bulls-of-men'. *Viviśatur madhyaṃ raṅgasya*, 'they entered the middle of the arena'. *Nāsatyāv aśvinau svargād avatīrṇāv iva icchayā*, 'like the two Nāsatya-Aśvins descended from heaven at (their own) will.'

The Heart of It

The chapter's closing image is one of the most beautiful similes in the Harivaṃśa. The two brothers, having dispatched the elephant and its foot-guards, enter the center of the arena — and the scripture compares them to the Aśvins, the twin-god healers, descended from heaven by their own will. *Avatīrṇāv iva icchayā* — 'as if by their own desire descended' — is the verse's whole theology. The gods did not arrive reluctantly or under compulsion; they came because they wished to. The Varkari tradition's understanding that the god comes to Pandharpur not summoned but by his own will — that the devotee's task is to be present when the god arrives, not to cause the arrival — is rooted in this closing phrase. The two enter the arena because they wanted to enter, and the whole sky understands why.

Thread

The six verses trace the chapter's arc: the dangerous command and the crowd arriving (74.1), the citizens as autumn-clouds (74.3), the uncomfortable blessings of victory to the tyrant (74.19), the full celestial audience of gods and gandharvas (74.20), the elephant tearing his own body (74.30), and the closing Aśvin-simile of the two brothers entering by their own will. The Harivaṃśa's model: the public arrives, the gods arrive, the adversary unmakes himself, and the god enters because he wills to.

Echo in the saints

HV 74.39's *nāsatyāv aśvinau svargād avatīrṇāv iva icchayā* has been cited by Vaiṣṇava commentators across centuries as the Sanskrit image of avatāra-by-will. The Varkari saints' insistence that Pāṇḍuraṅga came to Pandharpur not summoned but chosen — that Pundalika's brick was the occasion, not the cause — is continuous with this verse's *icchayā*. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh assumes a god who stands at the door from his own wish; HV 74.39 is the Sanskrit scene in which such a god descends.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 4.6

The Lord descends by his own power, under his own will.

अजो ऽपि सन्न् अव्ययात्मा भूतानाम् ईश्वरो ऽपि सन् । प्रकृतिं स्वाम् अधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्य् आत्ममायया ॥

ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san | prakṛtiṃ svām adhiṣṭhāya saṃbhavāmy ātma-māyayā

Though unborn, imperishable-of-self, though the Lord of beings — resting on my own nature, I come into being by my own māyā.

HV 74.39's 'avatīrṇāv iva icchayā' is the Gītā's 'saṃbhavāmy ātma-māyayā' in narrative image. The god descends because he wills to descend.

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