राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 78

47 versesUgrasena Restored

Synopsis

Ugrasena, torn by grief at his son's death, as if a man has drunk poison, stumbles toward Kṛṣṇa. He finds him at home surrounded by Yādavas. Wealth, grain, jewels, cloth, Kṛṣṇa refuses for himself; let his people take what is due. The chapter describes Kṛṣṇa's funeral arrangements for Kaṃsa: ten crores of gold and silver, cows, jewels, garments, villages and cities; gifts to brahmins in Kaṃsa's name, the ghost of the tyrant honored into peace with tears and dāna. The rule of the old Bhoja house is returned to its rightful king.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

उग्रसेनस् तु कृष्णस्य समीपं दुःखितो ययौ पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तो विषपीत इव स्खलन्

ugrasenas tu kṛṣṇasya samīpaṃ duḥkhito yayau putraśokābhisaṃtapto viṣapīta iva skhalan

Ugrasena, grieving, went near Kṛṣṇa, tormented by son-grief, stumbling as if he had drunk poison.

Verse 2

स ददर्श गृहे कृष्णं यादवैर् अभिसंवृतम् पश्चानुतापाद् ध्यायन्तं कंसस्य निधनाविलम्

sa dadarśa gṛhe kṛṣṇaṃ yādavair abhisaṃvṛtam paścānutāpād dhyāyantaṃ kaṃsasya nidhanāvilam

Verse 3

कंसारीप्रलोपांश् च श्रुत्वा सुकरुणान् बहून् विगर्हमाणम् आत्मानं तस्मिन् यादवसंसदि

kaṃsārīpralopāṃś ca śrutvā sukaruṇān bahūn vigarhamāṇam ātmānaṃ tasmin yādavasaṃsadi

Verse 4

कृष्णः प्रोवाच निखिलं सर्वेषाम् उपशृण्वताम् अहो मयातिबाल्येन नररोषानुवर्तिना वैधव्यं स्त्रीसहस्राणां कंसस्यास्य कृते कृतम्

kṛṣṇaḥ provāca nikhilaṃ sarveṣām upaśṛṇvatām aho mayātibālyena nararoṣānuvartinā vaidhavyaṃ strīsahasrāṇāṃ kaṃsasyāsya kṛte kṛtam

Verse 5

कारुण्यं खलु नारीषु प्राकृतस्यापि जायते एवम् आर्तं रुदन्तीषु मया भर्तरि पातिते

kāruṇyaṃ khalu nārīṣu prākṛtasyāpi jāyate evam ārtaṃ rudantīṣu mayā bhartari pātite

Verse 6

परिदेवितमात्रेण शोकः खलु विधीयते कृतान्तस्यानभिज्ञातः स्त्रीणां कारुण्यसंभवः

paridevitamātreṇa śokaḥ khalu vidhīyate kṛtāntasyānabhijñātaḥ strīṇāṃ kāruṇyasaṃbhavaḥ

Verse 7

कंसस्य हि वधः श्रेयान् प्राग् एवाभिमतो मम सुताम् उद्वेजनीयस्य पापेष्व् अभिरतस्य च

kaṃsasya hi vadhaḥ śreyān prāg evābhimato mama sutām udvejanīyasya pāpeṣv abhiratasya ca

Verse 8

लोके पतितवृत्तस्य पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसः अक्लिष्टं मरणं श्रेयो न विद्विष्टस्य जीवितम्

loke patitavṛttasya puruṣasyālpamedhasaḥ akliṣṭaṃ maraṇaṃ śreyo na vidviṣṭasya jīvitam

Verse 9

कंसः पापरतिश् चैव साधूनां चाप्य् असंमतः धिक्शब्दपतितश् चैव जीविते चास्य का दया

kaṃsaḥ pāparatiś caiva sādhūnāṃ cāpy asaṃmataḥ dhikśabdapatitaś caiva jīvite cāsya kā dayā

Verse 10

स्वर्गे तपोभृतां वासः फलं पुण्यस्य कर्मणः इहापि यशसा युक्तस् तत्रस्थैर् उपधार्यते

svarge tapobhṛtāṃ vāsaḥ phalaṃ puṇyasya karmaṇaḥ ihāpi yaśasā yuktas tatrasthair upadhāryate

Verse 11

यदि स्युर् निर्वृत्ता लोकाः स्युश् च धर्मपराः प्रजाः नरा धर्मप्रवृत्ताश् च न नृपो विकृतो भवेत्

yadi syur nirvṛttā lokāḥ syuś ca dharmaparāḥ prajāḥ narā dharmapravṛttāś ca na nṛpo vikṛto bhavet

Verse 12

गुणेषु दुष्टवृत्तानां कृत्तान्तः कुरुते पदम् इष्टधर्मेषु लोकेषु कर्तव्यं पारलौकिकम्

guṇeṣu duṣṭavṛttānāṃ kṛttāntaḥ kurute padam iṣṭadharmeṣu lokeṣu kartavyaṃ pāralaukikam

Verse 13

अतीव देवा रक्षन्ति नरं धर्मपरायणम् कर्तारः सुलभा लोके दुष्कृतस्येह कर्मणः

atīva devā rakṣanti naraṃ dharmaparāyaṇam kartāraḥ sulabhā loke duṣkṛtasyeha karmaṇaḥ

Verse 14

हतः सो ऽयं मया कंसः साध्व् एतद् अवगम्यताम् मूलच्छेदः कृतस् तस्य विपरीतस्य कर्मणः

hataḥ so 'yaṃ mayā kaṃsaḥ sādhv etad avagamyatām mūlacchedaḥ kṛtas tasya viparītasya karmaṇaḥ

Verse 15

न चेद् धन्यां दुराचारं विनङ्क्ष्यति तदा जगत् कः कुर्यात् खल्व् इदं कार्यं बध्वा पितरम् ओजसा राज्यं सकलसामन्तं करिष्यति सदा हि सः तद् एष सान्त्व्यतां सर्वः शोकार्तः प्रमदाजनः पौराश् च पुर्यां श्रेण्यश् च सान्त्व्यतां सर्व एव हि

na ced dhanyāṃ durācāraṃ vinaṅkṣyati tadā jagat kaḥ kuryāt khalv idaṃ kāryaṃ badhvā pitaram ojasā rājyaṃ sakalasāmantaṃ kariṣyati sadā hi saḥ tad eṣa sāntvyatāṃ sarvaḥ śokārtaḥ pramadājanaḥ paurāś ca puryāṃ śreṇyaś ca sāntvyatāṃ sarva eva hi

Verse 16

एवं ब्रुवति गोविन्दे विवेशावनताननः उग्रसेनो महातेजाः कृष्णम् अस्राविलेक्षणम् प्रलपन्तं जगामैवं यादवानां च संसदि उग्रसेनो यदून् गृह्य पुत्रकिल्बिषशङ्कितः

evaṃ bruvati govinde viveśāvanatānanaḥ ugraseno mahātejāḥ kṛṣṇam asrāvilekṣaṇam pralapantaṃ jagāmaivaṃ yādavānāṃ ca saṃsadi ugraseno yadūn gṛhya putrakilbiṣaśaṅkitaḥ

Verse 17

वृष्णिभिः सहितः सर्वैः शिनिप्रभृतिभिस् तदा स कृष्णं पुण्डरीकाक्षम् उवाच यदुसंसदि बाष्पसंदिग्धया वाचा दीनया सज्जमानया

vṛṣṇibhiḥ sahitaḥ sarvaiḥ śiniprabhṛtibhis tadā sa kṛṣṇaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣam uvāca yadusaṃsadi bāṣpasaṃdigdhayā vācā dīnayā sajjamānayā

Verse 18

पुत्र निर्यातितः क्रोधो नीतो याम्यां दिशं रिपुः स्वधर्माधिगता कीर्तिर् नाम विश्रावितं भुवि

putra niryātitaḥ krodho nīto yāmyāṃ diśaṃ ripuḥ svadharmādhigatā kīrtir nāma viśrāvitaṃ bhuvi

Verse 19

स्थापितं सत्सु माहात्म्यं शङ्किता रिपवः कृताः स्थापितो यादवो वंशो गर्विताः सुहृदः कृताः

sthāpitaṃ satsu māhātmyaṃ śaṅkitā ripavaḥ kṛtāḥ sthāpito yādavo vaṃśo garvitāḥ suhṛdaḥ kṛtāḥ

Verse 20

सामन्तेषु नरेन्द्रेषु प्रतापस् ते प्रकाशितः मित्राणि त्वां भजिष्यन्ति संश्रयिष्यन्ति चार्थिनः

sāmanteṣu narendreṣu pratāpas te prakāśitaḥ mitrāṇi tvāṃ bhajiṣyanti saṃśrayiṣyanti cārthinaḥ

Verse 21

प्रकृतयो ऽनुयास्यन्ति स्तोष्यन्ति त्वां द्विजातयः संधिविग्रहमुख्यास् त्वां प्रणमिष्यन्ति मन्त्रिणः

prakṛtayo 'nuyāsyanti stoṣyanti tvāṃ dvijātayaḥ saṃdhivigrahamukhyās tvāṃ praṇamiṣyanti mantriṇaḥ

Verse 22

हस्त्यश्वरथसंपूर्णं पदातिगणसंकुलम् प्रतिगृहाण कृष्णेदं कंसस्य बलम् अव्ययम्

hastyaśvarathasaṃpūrṇaṃ padātigaṇasaṃkulam pratigṛhāṇa kṛṣṇedaṃ kaṃsasya balam avyayam

Verse 23

धनं धान्यं च यत् किंचिद् रत्नान्य् आच्छादनानि च प्रतीच्छन्तु नियुक्ता वै त्वदीयाः कृष्ण पुरुषाः स्त्रियो हिरण्यं वासांसि यच् चान्यद् वसु किंचन

dhanaṃ dhānyaṃ ca yat kiṃcid ratnāny ācchādanāni ca pratīcchantu niyuktā vai tvadīyāḥ kṛṣṇa puruṣāḥ striyo hiraṇyaṃ vāsāṃsi yac cānyad vasu kiṃcana

'Whatever there is of wealth and grain and jewels and cloths, let your appointed men take it, Kṛṣṇa — women, gold, garments, and whatever else of treasure.'

Verse 24

एवं हि विहिते योगे पर्याप्ते कृष्ण विग्रहे प्रतिष्ठितायां मेदिन्यां यदूनां शत्रुसूदन

evaṃ hi vihite yoge paryāpte kṛṣṇa vigrahe pratiṣṭhitāyāṃ medinyāṃ yadūnāṃ śatrusūdana

Verse 25

त्वं गतिश् चागतिश् चैव यदूनां यदुनन्दन शृणु तद् ब्रुवतां वीर कृपणानाम् इदं वचः अस्य त्वत्क्रोधदग्धस्य कंसस्याशुभकर्मणः तव प्रसादाद् गोविन्दे प्रेतकार्यं क्रियते ह

tvaṃ gatiś cāgatiś caiva yadūnāṃ yadunandana śṛṇu tad bruvatāṃ vīra kṛpaṇānām idaṃ vacaḥ asya tvatkrodhadagdhasya kaṃsasyāśubhakarmaṇaḥ tava prasādād govinde pretakāryaṃ kriyate ha

Verse 26

अस्य कृत्वा नरेन्द्रस्य विपन्नस्यौर्ध्वदेहिकम् सस्नुषो ऽहं सभार्यश् च चरिष्यामि मृगैः सह

asya kṛtvā narendrasya vipannasyaurdhvadehikam sasnuṣo 'haṃ sabhāryaś ca cariṣyāmi mṛgaiḥ saha

Verse 27

प्रेतसंस्कारमात्रेण कृते बान्धवकर्मणि आनृण्यं लौकिकं कृष्ण गतः किल भवाम्य् अहम्

pretasaṃskāramātreṇa kṛte bāndhavakarmaṇi ānṛṇyaṃ laukikaṃ kṛṣṇa gataḥ kila bhavāmy aham

Verse 28

अस्याग्निं पश्चिमं दत्त्वा चित्तिस्थाने विधिं विना तोयप्रदानमात्रेण कंसस्यानृण्यम् आप्नुयाम्

asyāgniṃ paścimaṃ dattvā cittisthāne vidhiṃ vinā toyapradānamātreṇa kaṃsasyānṛṇyam āpnuyām

Verse 29

एतन् मे कृष्ण विज्ञाप्यं स्नेहो ऽत्र मम युज्यताम् प्राप्नोतु सुगतिं तत्र कृपणः पश्चिमां क्रियाम्

etan me kṛṣṇa vijñāpyaṃ sneho 'tra mama yujyatām prāpnotu sugatiṃ tatra kṛpaṇaḥ paścimāṃ kriyām

Verse 30

एतच् छ्रुत्वा वचस् तस्य कृष्णः परमहर्षितः प्रत्युवाचोग्रसेनं वै सान्त्वपूर्वम् इदं वचः

etac chrutvā vacas tasya kṛṣṇaḥ paramaharṣitaḥ pratyuvācograsenaṃ vai sāntvapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ

Verse 31

कालयुक्तम् इदं तात त्वयैतद् भाषितं वचः सदृशं राजशार्दूल वृत्तस्य च कुलस्य च यत् त्वं एवंविधं ब्रूषे गते ऽर्थे दुरतिक्रमे

kālayuktam idaṃ tāta tvayaitad bhāṣitaṃ vacaḥ sadṛśaṃ rājaśārdūla vṛttasya ca kulasya ca yat tvaṃ evaṃvidhaṃ brūṣe gate 'rthe duratikrame

Verse 32

प्राप्स्यते नृप संस्कारं कंसः प्रेतगते ऽपि सन् कुले महति ते जन्म वेदान् विदितवान् असि कथं न ज्ञायते तात नियतिर् दुरतिक्रमा स्थावराणां च भूतानां जङ्गमानां च पार्थिव पूर्वजन्मकृतं कर्म कालेन परिपच्यते श्रुतवन्तो ऽर्थवन्तश् च दातारः प्रियदर्शनाः ब्रह्मण्या नयसंपन्ना दीनानुग्रहकारिणः लोकपालसमास् तात महेन्द्रसमविक्रमाः क्षितिपालाः कृतान्तेन नीयन्ते नृपसत्तम धार्मिकाः सर्वभावज्ञाः प्रजापालनतत्पराः क्षत्रधर्मपरा दान्ताः कालेन निधनं गताः स्वयम् एव कृतं कर्म शुभं वा यदि वाशुभम् प्राप्ते काले तु तत् कर्म दृश्यते सर्वदेहिनाम् एषा ह्य् अन्तर्हिता माया दुर्विज्ञेया सुरैर् अपि यथायं मुह्यते लोको ह्य् अत्र कर्मैव कारणम् कालेनाभिहतः कंसः पूर्वकर्मप्रचोदितः न ह्य् अयं कारणं तत्र कालः कर्म च कारणम् सूर्यसोममयं तात कृत्स्नं स्थावरजङ्गमम् कालेन निधनं गत्वा कालेनैव च जायते कालस् तु सर्वभूतानां निग्रहे प्रग्रहे रतः तस्मात् सर्वाणि भूतानि कालस्य वशगानि वै स्वदोषेणैव दग्धस्य सूनोस् तव नराधिप नाहं वै कारणं तत्र कालस् तत्र तु कारणम् अथ वाहं भविष्यामि कारणं नात्र संशयः पलायनपरः कालः किं करिष्यत्य् अकारणम् कालस् तु बलवान् राजन् दुर्विज्ञेया हि सा गतिः परावरविशेषज्ञा यां यान्ति समदर्शिनः गतिः कालस्य सा येन सर्वं कालस्य गोचरम् ब्रवीमि यद् अहं तात तद् अनुष्ठीयतां वचः

prāpsyate nṛpa saṃskāraṃ kaṃsaḥ pretagate 'pi san kule mahati te janma vedān viditavān asi kathaṃ na jñāyate tāta niyatir duratikramā sthāvarāṇāṃ ca bhūtānāṃ jaṅgamānāṃ ca pārthiva pūrvajanmakṛtaṃ karma kālena paripacyate śrutavanto 'rthavantaś ca dātāraḥ priyadarśanāḥ brahmaṇyā nayasaṃpannā dīnānugrahakāriṇaḥ lokapālasamās tāta mahendrasamavikramāḥ kṣitipālāḥ kṛtāntena nīyante nṛpasattama dhārmikāḥ sarvabhāvajñāḥ prajāpālanatatparāḥ kṣatradharmaparā dāntāḥ kālena nidhanaṃ gatāḥ svayam eva kṛtaṃ karma śubhaṃ vā yadi vāśubham prāpte kāle tu tat karma dṛśyate sarvadehinām eṣā hy antarhitā māyā durvijñeyā surair api yathāyaṃ muhyate loko hy atra karmaiva kāraṇam kālenābhihataḥ kaṃsaḥ pūrvakarmapracoditaḥ na hy ayaṃ kāraṇaṃ tatra kālaḥ karma ca kāraṇam sūryasomamayaṃ tāta kṛtsnaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam kālena nidhanaṃ gatvā kālenaiva ca jāyate kālas tu sarvabhūtānāṃ nigrahe pragrahe rataḥ tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni kālasya vaśagāni vai svadoṣeṇaiva dagdhasya sūnos tava narādhipa nāhaṃ vai kāraṇaṃ tatra kālas tatra tu kāraṇam atha vāhaṃ bhaviṣyāmi kāraṇaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ palāyanaparaḥ kālaḥ kiṃ kariṣyaty akāraṇam kālas tu balavān rājan durvijñeyā hi sā gatiḥ parāvaraviśeṣajñā yāṃ yānti samadarśinaḥ gatiḥ kālasya sā yena sarvaṃ kālasya gocaram bravīmi yad ahaṃ tāta tad anuṣṭhīyatāṃ vacaḥ

Verse 33

न हि राज्येन मे कार्यं नाप्य् अहं राज्यलालसः न चापि राज्यलुब्धेन मया कंसो निपातितः

na hi rājyena me kāryaṃ nāpy ahaṃ rājyalālasaḥ na cāpi rājyalubdhena mayā kaṃso nipātitaḥ

Verse 34

किं तु लोकहितार्थाय कीर्त्यर्थं च सुतस् तव व्यङ्गभूतः कुलस्यास्य सानुजो विनिपातितः

kiṃ tu lokahitārthāya kīrtyarthaṃ ca sutas tava vyaṅgabhūtaḥ kulasyāsya sānujo vinipātitaḥ

Verse 35

अहं स एव गोमध्ये गोपैः सह वनेचरः प्रीतिमान् विचरिष्यामि कामचारी यथा गजः

ahaṃ sa eva gomadhye gopaiḥ saha vanecaraḥ prītimān vicariṣyāmi kāmacārī yathā gajaḥ

Verse 36

एतावच् छतशो ऽप्य् एवं सत्येन प्रब्रवीमि ते न मे कार्यं नृपत्वेन विज्ञाप्यं क्रियताम् इदम्

etāvac chataśo 'py evaṃ satyena prabravīmi te na me kāryaṃ nṛpatvena vijñāpyaṃ kriyatām idam

Verse 37

भवान् राजास्तु मे मान्यो यदूनाम् अग्रणीः प्रभुः विजयायाभिषिच्यस्व स्वराज्ये राजसत्तम

bhavān rājāstu me mānyo yadūnām agraṇīḥ prabhuḥ vijayāyābhiṣicyasva svarājye rājasattama

Verse 38

यदि ते मत्प्रियं कार्यं यदि वा नास्ति ते व्यथा मया निसृष्टं राज्यं स्वं चिराय प्रतिगृह्यताम्

yadi te matpriyaṃ kāryaṃ yadi vā nāsti te vyathā mayā nisṛṣṭaṃ rājyaṃ svaṃ cirāya pratigṛhyatām

Verse 39

एतच् छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं नोत्तरं प्रत्यभाषत व्रीडितो ऽधोमुखस् तस्थौ कृष्णस्य पुरतो नृपः व्रीडिताधोमुखं तं तु राजानं यदुसंसदि अभिषेकेण गोविन्दो योजयाम् आस योगवित्

etac chrutvā tu vacanaṃ nottaraṃ pratyabhāṣata vrīḍito 'dhomukhas tasthau kṛṣṇasya purato nṛpaḥ vrīḍitādhomukhaṃ taṃ tu rājānaṃ yadusaṃsadi abhiṣekeṇa govindo yojayām āsa yogavit

Verse 40

स बद्धमुकुटः श्रीमान् उग्रसेनो महीपतिः चकार सह कृष्णेन कंसस्य निधनक्रियाम्

sa baddhamukuṭaḥ śrīmān ugraseno mahīpatiḥ cakāra saha kṛṣṇena kaṃsasya nidhanakriyām

Verse 41

तं सर्वे यादवा मुख्या राजानं कृष्णशासनात् अनुजग्मुः पुरीमार्गे देवा इव शतक्रतुम्

taṃ sarve yādavā mukhyā rājānaṃ kṛṣṇaśāsanāt anujagmuḥ purīmārge devā iva śatakratum

Verse 42

रजन्यां तु प्रभातायां ततः सूर्ये चिरोदिते पश्चिमं कंससंस्कारं चक्रुस् ते यदुपुंगवाः

rajanyāṃ tu prabhātāyāṃ tataḥ sūrye cirodite paścimaṃ kaṃsasaṃskāraṃ cakrus te yadupuṃgavāḥ

Verse 43

शिबिकायां समारोप्य कंसदेहं यथाक्रमम् नैष्ठिकेन विधानेन चक्रुस् ते तस्य सत्क्रियाम्

śibikāyāṃ samāropya kaṃsadehaṃ yathākramam naiṣṭhikena vidhānena cakrus te tasya satkriyām

Verse 44

स नीतो यमुनातीरम् उत्तरं नृपतेः सुतः संस्कृतश् च यथान्यायं नैधनेन चिताग्निना

sa nīto yamunātīram uttaraṃ nṛpateḥ sutaḥ saṃskṛtaś ca yathānyāyaṃ naidhanena citāgninā

Verse 45

तथैव भ्रातरं चास्य सुनामानं महाभुजम् संस्कारं लम्भयाम् आसुः सह कृष्णेन यादवाः

tathaiva bhrātaraṃ cāsya sunāmānaṃ mahābhujam saṃskāraṃ lambhayām āsuḥ saha kṛṣṇena yādavāḥ

Verse 46

ताभ्यां ते सलिलं चक्रुर् वृष्ण्यन्धकमहारथाः अक्षयं चापि प्रेतेभ्यो भाषमाणाः प्रतस्थिरे

tābhyāṃ te salilaṃ cakrur vṛṣṇyandhakamahārathāḥ akṣayaṃ cāpi pretebhyo bhāṣamāṇāḥ pratasthire

Verse 47

अक्षयं भाषमाणश् च प्रेतेभ्यश् च प्रतस्थिरे हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य दश कोटीस् तथा हरिः गावो रत्नानि वासांसि ग्रामान् नगरसंमतान् ददौ कंसं समुद्दिश्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नृपोत्तमः तयोस् ते सलिलं दत्त्वा यादवा दीनमानसाः पुरस्कृत्योग्रसेनं वै विविषुर् मथुरां पुरीम्

akṣayaṃ bhāṣamāṇaś ca pretebhyaś ca pratasthire hiraṇyasya suvarṇasya daśa koṭīs tathā hariḥ gāvo ratnāni vāsāṃsi grāmān nagarasaṃmatān dadau kaṃsaṃ samuddiśya brāhmaṇebhyo nṛpottamaḥ tayos te salilaṃ dattvā yādavā dīnamānasāḥ puraskṛtyograsenaṃ vai viviṣur mathurāṃ purīm

Speaking of the imperishable, he proceeded to the rites for the dead. Hari gave ten crores of gold and silver, cows, jewels, cloths, villages and cities of note, to brahmins in Kaṃsa's name; the foremost of kings gave water for their offering.

Verse commentary

Ugrasena's Grief and Kṛṣṇa's Generosity

उग्रसेनाभ्युदयः

Verses 1, 2, 5, 25, 30, 47: Ugrasena's grief-walk, Kṛṣṇa's own remorse, the compassion due to women, the father's dignified speech, Kṛṣṇa's reply, and the ten crores in Kaṃsa's name. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 78 is the chapter the Harivaṃśa's ethical imagination rises to its greatest height. After killing Kaṃsa, Kṛṣṇa does not celebrate; he sits at home regretting it. Ugrasena, Kaṃsa's own father — deposed, elderly, grieving — walks to Kṛṣṇa's house stumbling as if he had drunk poison. The exchange between them is one of the tenderest passages in the Harivaṃśa: Ugrasena asks Kṛṣṇa to perform the death-rites for Kaṃsa, and Kṛṣṇa does, giving ten crores of gold in the tyrant's name to brahmins. The chapter shows that even the enemy is not beyond the dharmic care owed by those who killed him. It is the Harivaṃśa's scriptural warrant for the Varkari tradition's refusal to exclude anyone from ritual love.

HV 78.1

उग्रसेनस् तु कृष्णस्य समीपं दुःखितो ययौ । पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तो विषपीत इव स्खलन् ॥

ugrasenas tu kṛṣṇasya samīpaṃ duḥkhito yayau | putraśokābhisaṃtapto viṣapīta iva skhalan

Ugrasena, grieving, went near Kṛṣṇa — tormented by son-grief, stumbling as one who had drunk poison.

The Living Words

*Duḥkhitaḥ*, grieving. *Yayau*, went. *Putra-śoka-abhisaṃtaptaḥ*, 'tormented by son-grief'. *Viṣa-pīta iva skhalan*, 'stumbling as one who has drunk poison.' The simile is gentle and devastating. Ugrasena's body moves under the weight of grief as if he had been poisoned.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's moral refusal of any easy triumph. The tyrant has been killed; the tyrant's father is dying of grief. The scripture does not pretend the second is not also real. The verb *abhi-saṃ-tapta*, 'burned-all-over-deeply', is the specific verb for the grief-fire that cooks a parent after a child's death. Kaṃsa was an evil-souled king and also someone's son. The Varkari tradition's insistence that no one who grieves is beneath pastoral care has HV 78.1 as a Sanskrit root.

HV 78.2

स ददर्श गृहे कृष्णं यादवैर् अभिसंवृतम् । पश्चानुतापाद् ध्यायन्तं कंसस्य निधनाविलम् ॥

sa dadarśa gṛhe kṛṣṇaṃ yādavair abhisaṃvṛtam | paścānutāpād dhyāyantaṃ kaṃsasya nidhanāvilam

He saw Kṛṣṇa at home, surrounded by the Yādavas, dwelling in afterward-remorse on the trouble of Kaṃsa's death.

The Living Words

*Gṛhe*, at home. *Yādavair abhisaṃvṛtam*, 'surrounded by Yādavas' — a crowd, not a solitude. *Paścānutāpāt dhyāyantam*, 'meditating out of after-remorse'. *Kaṃsasya nidhanāvilam*, 'troubled by Kaṃsa's death' — *āvilam*, 'turbid, disturbed'. The verse shows Kṛṣṇa in domestic setting, thinking about what he has just done.

The Heart of It

The god is in remorse. The Harivaṃśa will not allow Kṛṣṇa a triumphal afterglow. *Paścānutāpa* — 'the heat after' — is the scripture's word for what a killer feels afterwards, even when the killing was necessary. Kṛṣṇa carries it. The Varkari tradition's theology of *paścāttāpa* — remorse after the fact as a devotional discipline, never replaced by the doctrine of 'necessary action' — is rooted in this verse. The god who killed the tyrant can still be pictured grieving. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh treatment of anger and error in the Haripāṭh does not pretend they leave no residue; what they leave is *paścānutāpa*, and the name removes it.

HV 78.5

कारुण्यं खलु नारीषु प्राकृतस्यापि जायते । एवम् आर्तं रुदन्तीषु मया भर्तरि पातिते ॥

kāruṇyaṃ khalu nārīṣu prākṛtasyāpi jāyate | evam ārtaṃ rudantīṣu mayā bhartari pātite

Compassion arises even in an ordinary person for women distressed in this way, weeping — when by me the husband has been struck down.

The Living Words

Kṛṣṇa speaks of himself. *Kāruṇyaṃ khalu nārīṣu prākṛtasyāpi jāyate*: 'compassion arises, indeed, even in an ordinary person, toward women.' *Evam ārtaṃ rudantīṣu*: 'toward the distressed, weeping ones'. *Mayā bhartari pātite*: 'when by me the husband has been struck down.' The 'by me' is not evaded.

The Heart of It

Kṛṣṇa's own ethical statement is careful. *Prākṛtasyāpi*, 'even in an ordinary person' — meaning: if an ordinary person feels this, then so do I. The god does not claim an exceptional position above compassion. *Mayā bhartari pātite* — 'by me the husband has been struck down' — names the fact without hedging. The verse is the Harivaṃśa's refusal of either triumphalism or denial. Kṛṣṇa killed Kaṃsa; the women mourn; Kṛṣṇa is moved by their mourning. The Varkari tradition's ethical reflexes in this register — never to discount another's grief because of one's own rightness — comes from here.

HV 78.25

त्वं गतिश् चागतिश् चैव यदूनां यदुनन्दन । शृणु तद् ब्रुवतां वीर कृपणानाम् इदं वचः । अस्य त्वत्क्रोधदग्धस्य कंसस्याशुभकर्मणः । तव प्रसादाद् गोविन्दे प्रेतकार्यं क्रियते ह ॥

tvaṃ gatiś cāgatiś caiva yadūnāṃ yadunandana | śṛṇu tad bruvatāṃ vīra kṛpaṇānām idaṃ vacaḥ | asya tvat-krodha-dagdhasya kaṃsasyāśubha-karmaṇaḥ | tava prasādāt govinde preta-kāryaṃ kriyate ha

'You are the Yadus' going and coming, O joy of the Yadus. Hear, hero, these words of helpless ones speaking: for this Kaṃsa, burned by your wrath, of inauspicious actions — by your grace, Govinda, let his death-rites be performed.'

The Living Words

Ugrasena's request. *Gatiḥ ca agatiḥ ca*: both the refuge and the return — 'you are both our going-out and our coming-back'. *Kṛpaṇānām idaṃ vacaḥ*, 'these are the words of helpless ones'. *Tvat-krodha-dagdhasya*, 'of one burnt by your wrath'; *aśubha-karmaṇaḥ*, 'of inauspicious action' — the father names his son's faults. *Tava prasādāt preta-kāryaṃ kriyate*: 'by your favor, let the death-rite be done.' The verb *kriyate*, passive — 'let it be done' — places the request at Kṛṣṇa's discretion.

The Heart of It

A father asks the god who has just killed his son for that son's funeral rite. The verse holds so much it is hard to hold. Ugrasena does not excuse Kaṃsa; he calls him *aśubha-karmaṇaḥ*, 'of inauspicious action'. He does not deny that Kṛṣṇa's wrath killed him; he calls him *tvat-krodha-dagdha*, 'burnt by your wrath'. And he still asks for the death-rite. The Harivaṃśa's ethic is not softness about what Kaṃsa was; it is fierceness about what dharma is owed to every dead body. The Varkari tradition's radical inclusion of the outcast, the unclean, the wicked in its devotional economy is the same ethic. You do not have to approve of someone to offer water for their passing.

HV 78.30

एतच् छ्रुत्वा वचस् तस्य कृष्णः परमहर्षितः । प्रत्युवाचोग्रसेनं वै सान्त्वपूर्वम् इदं वचः ॥

etac chrutvā vacas tasya kṛṣṇaḥ paramaharṣitaḥ | pratyuvācograsenaṃ vai sāntvapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ

Having heard his words, Kṛṣṇa — utterly delighted — replied to Ugrasena with soothing-preceded speech.

The Living Words

*Parama-harṣita*, 'utterly delighted' — Kṛṣṇa's response to Ugrasena's request is not neutral compliance; it is joy. *Sāntva-pūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ*, 'this word with soothing at the front' — he speaks to the grieving father with the comforting-word first, even before the doctrinal answer.

The Heart of It

The verse shifts the scene's register. Ugrasena came stumbling, grieving; Kṛṣṇa rises delighted to receive his request. *Parama-harṣita* is the specific word for the god's joy at being asked to perform the death-rite of his enemy. The Harivaṃśa is making a theological point: the god is not just willing to do this; he is glad. The Varkari's understanding that there is joy in the god when the devotee requests something inclusive, something compassionate, something that widens the pastoral circle, is rooted in this verse. *Sāntva-pūrvam*, 'soothing-preceded', is the exact posture of the good saint toward the bereaved.

HV 78.47

हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य दश कोटीस् तथा हरिः । गावो रत्नानि वासांसि ग्रामान् नगरसंमतान् । ददौ कंसं समुद्दिश्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नृपोत्तमः ॥

hiraṇyasya suvarṇasya daśa koṭīs tathā hariḥ | gāvo ratnāni vāsāṃsi grāmān nagarasaṃmatān | dadau kaṃsaṃ samuddiśya brāhmaṇebhyo nṛpottamaḥ

Hari, best of kings, gave ten crores of silver and gold, along with cows, jewels, garments, and villages equal to cities — to brahmins, dedicated to Kaṃsa's name.

The Living Words

*Hiraṇyasya suvarṇasya daśa koṭīḥ*: 'of silver, of gold, ten crores'. The scale is absolute. *Kaṃsaṃ samuddiśya*, 'dedicated to Kaṃsa' — the *uddeśa* formula is the one used in ritual giving where the recipient on behalf of someone is named. *Brāhmaṇebhyaḥ*, 'to the brahmins' — the intended ritual channel by which the giving reaches the deceased. *Nṛpottamaḥ*, 'best of kings' — the title is earned by exactly this act, not by the killing.

The Heart of It

This is the chapter's final and greatest gesture. Kṛṣṇa gives ten crores of gold, jewels, cattle, cities — dedicated to Kaṃsa. The Harivaṃśa's ethic is complete in this verse: the enemy's afterlife has a price, and the god who killed him pays it. The Varkari tradition has always been willing to read this scene as its own scriptural charter for unconditional compassion. *Nṛpottamaḥ* — 'the best of kings' — the Harivaṃśa awards the title on the basis of *this* gesture, not the battle-feat. In Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh, the devotee is told again and again that the Name reaches everywhere, including where the rational soul would say it should not go. HV 78.47 is the Sanskrit warrant: ten crores, in the tyrant's name, by the hand that killed him.

Thread

The six verses trace a continuous moral and liturgical motion: Ugrasena's grief-walk (78.1), Kṛṣṇa's own remorse at home (78.2), Kṛṣṇa's ethical clarity about the mourning women (78.5), Ugrasena's dignified request (78.25), Kṛṣṇa's delighted reply (78.30), the ten crores in Kaṃsa's name (78.47). The chapter teaches that dharma does not end at the enemy's death; dharma includes funeral rites for the enemy, paid in full by the one who killed him.

Echo in the saints

The Varkari tradition's inclusion of Kabir in its devotional calendar, its insistence that the Mahār Chokhamela is read alongside Tukaram, its refusal to exclude the outcast from the Name's reach — all of these gestures draw on the ethical imagination of HV 78. The scripture will not let the reader celebrate without also mourning; will not let the devotee include only the convenient. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh promises the Name to *anyone* at the door — and HV 78 is the Sanskrit scene where Kṛṣṇa himself opens the door for the most hostile name.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 6.9

The one established in wisdom is equal to friend and enemy, to the disliked and the dear.

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु । साधुष्व् अपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर् विशिष्यते ॥

suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna-madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu | sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu sama-buddhir viśiṣyate

He who is even-minded toward friends, companions, enemies, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful, relatives; toward the virtuous and the wicked alike — he is distinguished.

HV 78 shows sama-buddhi in action. The same god who killed Kaṃsa performs his funeral rites without resentment. The Gītā names the virtue; the Harivaṃśa stages it.

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