राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 79

40 versesThe Yādavas Gather Home

Synopsis

Kṛṣṇa summons home all his scattered kinfolk - Yadus, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, Madhus, Daśārhakas, Kukuras - who had been tormented by Kaṃsa's fear and driven into exile. He soothes them, provides wealth, settles them in their own houses, the all-maker acting as patron. Then Nanda himself is embraced by both brothers: "You two raised us, cherished us with tenderness; a father's love for his sons is above love of self." Also in the chapter, Mādhava receives back his guru's son, the Pāñcajanya, and priceless jewels. The brothers move through the pleasure-gardens by rivers clear with lotuses and waterbirds.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

सर्वान् स्वजातिसंबन्धान् दिग्भ्यः कंसभयार्दितान् यदुवृष्ण्यन्धकमधु दाशार्हकुकुरादिकान् सभाजितान् समाश्वास्य विदेशावासकर्शितान् न्यवासयत् स्वगेहेषु वित्तैः संतर्प्य विश्वकृत् कृष्णसंकर्षणभुजैर् गुप्ता लब्धमनोरथाः स्वगृहे रेमिरे सिद्धाः कृष्णरामगतज्वराः वीक्षन्तो ऽहर् अहः प्रीता मुकुन्दवदनाम्बुजम् नित्यप्रमुदितं श्रीमान् सदयस्मितवीक्षणम् स कृष्णस् तत्र बलवान् रौहिणेयेन संगतः मथुरां यादवाधीनां पुरीं तां सुखम् आवसत्

sarvān svajātisaṃbandhān digbhyaḥ kaṃsabhayārditān yaduvṛṣṇyandhakamadhu dāśārhakukurādikān sabhājitān samāśvāsya videśāvāsakarśitān nyavāsayat svageheṣu vittaiḥ saṃtarpya viśvakṛt kṛṣṇasaṃkarṣaṇabhujair guptā labdhamanorathāḥ svagṛhe remire siddhāḥ kṛṣṇarāmagatajvarāḥ vīkṣanto 'har ahaḥ prītā mukundavadanāmbujam nityapramuditaṃ śrīmān sadayasmitavīkṣaṇam sa kṛṣṇas tatra balavān rauhiṇeyena saṃgataḥ mathurāṃ yādavādhīnāṃ purīṃ tāṃ sukham āvasat

The maker of all settled in their own houses all the kin who had been tormented from every direction by the fear of Kaṃsa — Yadus, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dāśārhakas, Kukuras and others — honoring them, consoling them, worn by life in foreign lands, satisfying them with wealth: enjoying this by the arms of Kṛṣṇa and Saṃkarṣaṇa.

Verse 2

अथ नन्दं समासाद्य भगवान् देवकीसुतः संकर्षणश् च राजेन्द्र परिष्वज्येदम् ऊचतुः पितुर् युवाभ्यां स्निग्धाभ्यां पोषितौ ललितौ भृशम् पित्रोर् अभ्यधिका प्रीतिर् आत्मजेष्व् आत्मनो ऽपि हि स पिता सा च जननी यौ पुष्णीतां स्वपुत्रवत् शिशून् बन्धुभिर् उत्सृष्टान् आकल्पैः पोषरक्षणैः यात यूयं व्रजं तात वयं च स्नेहदुःखितान् ज्ञातीन् वो द्रष्टुम् एष्यामो विधाय सुहृदां सुखम् एवं सान्त्वय्य भगवान् स नन्दव्रजम् अच्युतः वासोलंकाररूपाग्र्यै रञ्जयाम् आस सादरम् इत्य् उक्तस् तौ परिष्वज्य नन्दः प्रणयविह्वलः पूरयन्न् अश्रुभिर् नेत्रे सह गोपैर् व्रजं ययौ प्राप्तयौवनदेहस् तु युक्तो राजश्रिया ज्वलन् चकार मथुरां वीरह्. स रत्नाकरभूषणाम्

atha nandaṃ samāsādya bhagavān devakīsutaḥ saṃkarṣaṇaś ca rājendra pariṣvajyedam ūcatuḥ pitur yuvābhyāṃ snigdhābhyāṃ poṣitau lalitau bhṛśam pitror abhyadhikā prītir ātmajeṣv ātmano 'pi hi sa pitā sā ca jananī yau puṣṇītāṃ svaputravat śiśūn bandhubhir utsṛṣṭān ākalpaiḥ poṣarakṣaṇaiḥ yāta yūyaṃ vrajaṃ tāta vayaṃ ca snehaduḥkhitān jñātīn vo draṣṭum eṣyāmo vidhāya suhṛdāṃ sukham evaṃ sāntvayya bhagavān sa nandavrajam acyutaḥ vāsolaṃkārarūpāgryai rañjayām āsa sādaram ity uktas tau pariṣvajya nandaḥ praṇayavihvalaḥ pūrayann aśrubhir netre saha gopair vrajaṃ yayau prāptayauvanadehas tu yukto rājaśriyā jvalan cakāra mathurāṃ vīrah. sa ratnākarabhūṣaṇām

Verse 3

कस्यचित् त्व् अथ कालस्य सहितौ रामकेशवौ गुरुं संदीपनिं काश्यम् अवन्तिपुरवासिनम् धनुर्वेदचिकीर्षार्थम् उभौ ताव् अभिजग्मतुः

kasyacit tv atha kālasya sahitau rāmakeśavau guruṃ saṃdīpaniṃ kāśyam avantipuravāsinam dhanurvedacikīrṣārtham ubhau tāv abhijagmatuḥ

Verse 4

निवेद्य गोत्रं स्वाध्यायाम् आचारेणाभ्यलंकृतौ शुश्रूशू निरहंकाराव् उभौ रामजनार्दनौ चक्रतुः पुण्डरीकाक्षौ विद्याग्रहणलालसौ प्रतिजग्राह ताउ काश्यो विद्याः प्रादाच् च केवलाः

nivedya gotraṃ svādhyāyām ācāreṇābhyalaṃkṛtau śuśrūśū nirahaṃkārāv ubhau rāmajanārdanau cakratuḥ puṇḍarīkākṣau vidyāgrahaṇalālasau pratijagrāha tāu kāśyo vidyāḥ prādāc ca kevalāḥ

Verse 5

तौ च श्रुतिधरौ वीरौ यथावत् प्रतिपद्यताम् अहोरात्रैश् चतुःषष्ट्या साङ्गं वेदम् अधीयताम्

tau ca śrutidharau vīrau yathāvat pratipadyatām ahorātraiś catuḥṣaṣṭyā sāṅgaṃ vedam adhīyatām

Verse 6

साङ्गं वेदम् अधीयतां चतुःषष्ट्या दिनैस् तथा चतुष्पादे धनुर्वेदे चास्त्रग्रामे ससंग्रहे लेख्यं च गणितं चोभौ प्राप्नुतां यदुनन्दनौ गान्धववेदं कृत्स्नं च तथा लेख्याश् च ताव् उभौ हस्तिशिक्षाश्वशिक्षाश् च द्वादशाहेन चाप्नुताम् ताव् उभौ जग्मतुर् वीरौ गुरुं सांदीपनिं ततः धनुर्वेदचिकीर्षार्थं धर्मज्ञौ धर्मचारिणौ ताव् इष्वासवराचार्यम् अभिगम्य प्रणम्य च तेन तौ सत्कृतौ राजन् विचरन्ताव् अवन्तिषु पञ्चाशद्भिर् अहोरात्रैर् दशाङ्गं सुप्रतिष्ठितम् सरहस्यं धनुर्वेदं सकलं ताव् अवाप्नुताम् अचिरेणैव कालेन गुरुस् ताव् अभ्यषिक्षयत्

sāṅgaṃ vedam adhīyatāṃ catuḥṣaṣṭyā dinais tathā catuṣpāde dhanurvede cāstragrāme sasaṃgrahe lekhyaṃ ca gaṇitaṃ cobhau prāpnutāṃ yadunandanau gāndhavavedaṃ kṛtsnaṃ ca tathā lekhyāś ca tāv ubhau hastiśikṣāśvaśikṣāś ca dvādaśāhena cāpnutām tāv ubhau jagmatur vīrau guruṃ sāṃdīpaniṃ tataḥ dhanurvedacikīrṣārthaṃ dharmajñau dharmacāriṇau tāv iṣvāsavarācāryam abhigamya praṇamya ca tena tau satkṛtau rājan vicarantāv avantiṣu pañcāśadbhir ahorātrair daśāṅgaṃ supratiṣṭhitam sarahasyaṃ dhanurvedaṃ sakalaṃ tāv avāpnutām acireṇaiva kālena gurus tāv abhyaṣikṣayat

Verse 7

अतीवमानुषीं मेधां तयोश् चिन्त्य गुरुस् तदा मेने ताव् आगतौ देवाव् उभौ चन्द्रदिवाकरौ

atīvamānuṣīṃ medhāṃ tayoś cintya gurus tadā mene tāv āgatau devāv ubhau candradivākarau

Verse 8

ददर्श च महात्मानाव् उभौ ताव् अपि पर्वसु पूजयन्तौ महादेवं साक्षात् त्र्यक्षम् अवस्थितम्

dadarśa ca mahātmānāv ubhau tāv api parvasu pūjayantau mahādevaṃ sākṣāt tryakṣam avasthitam

Verse 9

गुरुं सांदीपनिं कृष्णः कृतकृत्यो ऽभ्यभाषत गुर्वर्थं किं ददानीति रामेण सह भारत

guruṃ sāṃdīpaniṃ kṛṣṇaḥ kṛtakṛtyo 'bhyabhāṣata gurvarthaṃ kiṃ dadānīti rāmeṇa saha bhārata

Verse 10

तयोः प्रभावं स ज्ञात्वा गुरुः प्रोवाच हृष्टवत् पुत्रम् इच्छाम्य् अहं दत्तं यो मृतो लवणाम्भसि

tayoḥ prabhāvaṃ sa jñātvā guruḥ provāca hṛṣṭavat putram icchāmy ahaṃ dattaṃ yo mṛto lavaṇāmbhasi

Verse 11

पुत्र एको हि मे जातः स चापि तिमिना हृतः प्रभासे तीर्थयात्रायां तं मे त्वं पुनर् आनय

putra eko hi me jātaḥ sa cāpi timinā hṛtaḥ prabhāse tīrthayātrāyāṃ taṃ me tvaṃ punar ānaya

Verse 12

तथेत्य् एवाब्रवीत् कृष्णो रामस्यानुमते स्थितः गत्वा समुद्रं तेजस्वी विवेशान्तर्जलं हरिः

tathety evābravīt kṛṣṇo rāmasyānumate sthitaḥ gatvā samudraṃ tejasvī viveśāntarjalaṃ hariḥ

Verse 13

समुद्रः प्राञ्जलिर् भूत्वा दर्शयाम् आस तं तदा तम् आह कृष्णः क्वासौ भोः पुत्रः सांदीपनेर् इति

samudraḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā darśayām āsa taṃ tadā tam āha kṛṣṇaḥ kvāsau bhoḥ putraḥ sāṃdīpaner iti

Verse 14

समुद्रस् तम् उवाचेदं दैत्यः पञ्चजनो महान् तिमिरूपेण तं बालं ग्रस्तवान् इति माधव

samudras tam uvācedaṃ daityaḥ pañcajano mahān timirūpeṇa taṃ bālaṃ grastavān iti mādhava

Verse 15

उन्मथ्य सलिलाद् अस्माद् ग्रस्तवान् इति भारत स पञ्चजनम् आसाद्य जघान पुरुषोत्तमः न चाससाद तं बालं गुरुपुत्रं तदाच्युतः

unmathya salilād asmād grastavān iti bhārata sa pañcajanam āsādya jaghāna puruṣottamaḥ na cāsasāda taṃ bālaṃ guruputraṃ tadācyutaḥ

Verse 16

स तु पञ्चजनं हत्वा शङ्खं लेभे जनार्दनः यः स देवमनुष्येषु पाञ्चजन्य इति श्रुतः

sa tu pañcajanaṃ hatvā śaṅkhaṃ lebhe janārdanaḥ yaḥ sa devamanuṣyeṣu pāñcajanya iti śrutaḥ

Verse 17

गत्वा यमपुरं विष्णुः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः आसनस्थं ततो विष्णुः प्रोवाच यमम् ऊर्जितम् दीयतां पुत्र इत्य् एवं काश्यसांदीपनेर् इति तम् उवाच ततो विष्णुं मृत्युना चाहृतो हरे एवम् उक्तस् तदा कृष्णो यमेनामितविक्रमः अहो धार्ष्ट्यं ततो मृत्योर् इत्य् उक्त्वा धनुर् आददे आदाय निशितं बाणं दीयताम् इति चाब्रवीत् क्रुद्धं विष्णुं समाज्ञाय दत्तवान् किल बालकम् ततो वैवस्वतं देवं निर्जित्य पुरुषोत्तमः आससाद च तं बालं गुरुपुत्रं तदाच्युतः शङ्खम् आपूर्य गोविन्दस् त्रासयाम् आस वै जनम् ततो यमो ऽभ्युपागम्य ववन्दे तं गदाधरम् किम् आगमनकृत्यं ते किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत् तम् उवाचाथ वै कृष्णो गुरुपुत्रः प्रदीयताम् तयोस् तत्र तदा युद्धम् आसीद् घोरतरं महत् आनिनाय गुरोः पुत्रं चिरनष्टं यमक्षयात्

gatvā yamapuraṃ viṣṇuḥ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ āsanasthaṃ tato viṣṇuḥ provāca yamam ūrjitam dīyatāṃ putra ity evaṃ kāśyasāṃdīpaner iti tam uvāca tato viṣṇuṃ mṛtyunā cāhṛto hare evam uktas tadā kṛṣṇo yamenāmitavikramaḥ aho dhārṣṭyaṃ tato mṛtyor ity uktvā dhanur ādade ādāya niśitaṃ bāṇaṃ dīyatām iti cābravīt kruddhaṃ viṣṇuṃ samājñāya dattavān kila bālakam tato vaivasvataṃ devaṃ nirjitya puruṣottamaḥ āsasāda ca taṃ bālaṃ guruputraṃ tadācyutaḥ śaṅkham āpūrya govindas trāsayām āsa vai janam tato yamo 'bhyupāgamya vavande taṃ gadādharam kim āgamanakṛtyaṃ te kiṃ karomīti cābravīt tam uvācātha vai kṛṣṇo guruputraḥ pradīyatām tayos tatra tadā yuddham āsīd ghorataraṃ mahat ānināya guroḥ putraṃ ciranaṣṭaṃ yamakṣayāt

Verse 18

ततः सांदीपनेः पुत्रः प्रसादाद् अमितौजसः दीर्घकालगतः प्रेतः पुनर् आसीच् छरीरवान्

tataḥ sāṃdīpaneḥ putraḥ prasādād amitaujasaḥ dīrghakālagataḥ pretaḥ punar āsīc charīravān

Verse 19

तद् अशक्यम् अचिन्त्यं च दृष्ट्वा सुमहद् अद्भुतम् सर्वेषाम् एव भूतानां विस्मयः समजायत

tad aśakyam acintyaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā sumahad adbhutam sarveṣām eva bhūtānāṃ vismayaḥ samajāyata

Verse 20

स गुरोः पुत्रम् आदाय पाञ्चजन्यं च माधवः रत्नानि च महार्हाणि पुनर् आयाज् जगत्पतिः

sa guroḥ putram ādāya pāñcajanyaṃ ca mādhavaḥ ratnāni ca mahārhāṇi punar āyāj jagatpatiḥ

Taking the preceptor's son and the Pāñcajanya conch and most precious jewels, Mādhava the Lord of the world came back.

Verse 21

रक्षसस् तस्य रत्नानि महार्हाणि बहूनि च आनाय्यावेदयाम् आस गुरवे वासवानुजः

rakṣasas tasya ratnāni mahārhāṇi bahūni ca ānāyyāvedayām āsa gurave vāsavānujaḥ

Verse 22

गदापरिघयुद्धेषु सर्वास्त्रेषु च ताव् उभौ अचिरान् मुख्यतां प्राप्तौ सर्वलोके धनुर्भृताम्

gadāparighayuddheṣu sarvāstreṣu ca tāv ubhau acirān mukhyatāṃ prāptau sarvaloke dhanurbhṛtām

Verse 23

ततः सांदीपनेः पुत्रं तद्रूपवयसं तदा प्रादात् कृष्णः प्रतीताय सह रत्नैर् उदारधीः

tataḥ sāṃdīpaneḥ putraṃ tadrūpavayasaṃ tadā prādāt kṛṣṇaḥ pratītāya saha ratnair udāradhīḥ

Verse 24

चिरनष्टेन पुत्रेण काश्यः सांदीपनिस् तदा समेत्य मुमुदे राजन् पूजयन् रामकेशवौ

ciranaṣṭena putreṇa kāśyaḥ sāṃdīpanis tadā sametya mumude rājan pūjayan rāmakeśavau

Verse 25

कृतास्त्रौ ताव् उभौ वीरौ गुरुम् आमन्त्र्य सुव्रतौ आयातौ मथुरां भूयो वसुदेवसुताव् उभौ

kṛtāstrau tāv ubhau vīrau gurum āmantrya suvratau āyātau mathurāṃ bhūyo vasudevasutāv ubhau

Verse 26

ततः प्रत्युद्ययुः सर्वे यादवा यदुनन्दनौ सबाला हृष्टमनस उग्रसेनपुरोगमाः

tataḥ pratyudyayuḥ sarve yādavā yadunandanau sabālā hṛṣṭamanasa ugrasenapurogamāḥ

Verse 27

श्रेण्यः प्रकृतयश् चैव मन्त्रिणो ऽथ पुरोहिताः सबालवृद्धा सा चैव पुरी समभिवर्तत

śreṇyaḥ prakṛtayaś caiva mantriṇo 'tha purohitāḥ sabālavṛddhā sā caiva purī samabhivartata

Verse 28

नन्दितूर्याण्य् अवाद्यन्त तुष्टुवुश् च जनार्दनम् रथ्याः पताकामालिन्यो भ्राजन्ति स्म समन्ततः

nanditūryāṇy avādyanta tuṣṭuvuś ca janārdanam rathyāḥ patākāmālinyo bhrājanti sma samantataḥ

Verse 29

प्रहृष्टमुदितं सर्वम् अन्तःपुरम् अशोभत गोविन्दागमने ऽत्यर्थं यथैवेन्द्रमहे तथा

prahṛṣṭamuditaṃ sarvam antaḥpuram aśobhata govindāgamane 'tyarthaṃ yathaivendramahe tathā

Verse 30

मुदिताश् चाप्य् अगायन्त राजमार्गेषु गायनाः स्तवाशीःप्रथमा गाथा यादवानां प्रियंकराः

muditāś cāpy agāyanta rājamārgeṣu gāyanāḥ stavāśīḥprathamā gāthā yādavānāṃ priyaṃkarāḥ

Verse 31

गोविन्दरामौ संप्राप्तौ भ्रातरौ लोकविश्रुतौ स्वे पुरे निर्भयाः सर्वे क्रीडध्वं सह बान्धवैः

govindarāmau saṃprāptau bhrātarau lokaviśrutau sve pure nirbhayāḥ sarve krīḍadhvaṃ saha bāndhavaiḥ

Verse 32

तेभ्यो ऽगच्छन् विदेशेभ्यः कंसेनोद्विजिताश् च ये न तत्र कश् चिद् दीनो वा मलिनो वा विचेतनः मथुरायां बभौ राजन् गोविन्दे समुपस्थिते

tebhyo 'gacchan videśebhyaḥ kaṃsenodvijitāś ca ye na tatra kaś cid dīno vā malino vā vicetanaḥ mathurāyāṃ babhau rājan govinde samupasthite

Verse 33

वयांसि साधुवाक्यानि प्रहृष्टा गोहयद्विपाः नरनारीगणाः सर्वे भेजिरे मनसः सुखम्

vayāṃsi sādhuvākyāni prahṛṣṭā gohayadvipāḥ naranārīgaṇāḥ sarve bhejire manasaḥ sukham

Verse 34

शिवाश् च वाताः प्रववुर् विरजस्का दिशो दश दैवतानि च सर्वाणि हृष्टान्य् आयतनेष्व् अपि

śivāś ca vātāḥ pravavur virajaskā diśo daśa daivatāni ca sarvāṇi hṛṣṭāny āyataneṣv api

Verse 35

यानि लिङ्गानि लोकस्य बभुः कृतयुगे पुरा तानि सर्वाण्य् अदृश्यन्त पुरीं प्राप्ते जनार्दने

yāni liṅgāni lokasya babhuḥ kṛtayuge purā tāni sarvāṇy adṛśyanta purīṃ prāpte janārdane

Verse 36

ततः काले शिवे पुण्ये स्यन्दनेनारिमर्दनः हरियुक्तेन गोविन्दो विवेश मथुरां पुरीम्

tataḥ kāle śive puṇye syandanenārimardanaḥ hariyuktena govindo viveśa mathurāṃ purīm

Verse 37

विशन्तं मथुरां रम्यां तम् उपेन्द्रम् अरिंदमम् अनुजग्मुर् यदुगणाः शक्रं देवगणा इव

viśantaṃ mathurāṃ ramyāṃ tam upendram ariṃdamam anujagmur yadugaṇāḥ śakraṃ devagaṇā iva

Verse 38

वसुदेवस्य भवनं ततस् तौ यदुनन्दनौ प्रविष्टौ हृष्टवदनौ चन्द्रादित्याव् इवाचलम्

vasudevasya bhavanaṃ tatas tau yadunandanau praviṣṭau hṛṣṭavadanau candrādityāv ivācalam

Verse 39

परेण तेजसोपेतौ सुरेन्द्राव् इव रूपिनौ ताव् आयुधानि विन्यस्य गृहे स्वे स्वैरचारिणौ मुमुदाते यदुवरौ वसुदेवसुताव् उभौ

pareṇa tejasopetau surendrāv iva rūpinau tāv āyudhāni vinyasya gṛhe sve svairacāriṇau mumudāte yaduvarau vasudevasutāv ubhau

Verse 40

उद्यानेषु विचित्रेषु फलपुष्पावनामिषु चेरतुः सुमहात्मानौ यादवैः परिवारितौ रैवतस्य समीपेषु सरित्सु विमलासु च पद्मपत्रसमृद्धासु कारण्डवयुतासु च एवं तौ बाल्यम् उत्तीर्णौ बलभद्रजनार्दनौ एवं ताव् एकनिर्माणौ मथुरायां शुभाननौ उग्रसेनानुगौ भूत्वा कं चित् कालं मुमोदतुः

udyāneṣu vicitreṣu phalapuṣpāvanāmiṣu ceratuḥ sumahātmānau yādavaiḥ parivāritau raivatasya samīpeṣu saritsu vimalāsu ca padmapatrasamṛddhāsu kāraṇḍavayutāsu ca evaṃ tau bālyam uttīrṇau balabhadrajanārdanau evaṃ tāv ekanirmāṇau mathurāyāṃ śubhānanau ugrasenānugau bhūtvā kaṃ cit kālaṃ mumodatuḥ

In varied parks, laden with flowers and fruits, the two great-souled ones moved surrounded by the Yādavas; in the regions of Raivata, along pure rivers rich with lotus-leaves and karaṇḍava-ducks, so the two, having crossed their boyhood, Balabhadra and Janārdana, played.

Verse commentary

The Study with Sāndīpani and the Guru-Dakṣiṇā

सांदीपनिगुरुकुलवासः गुरुदक्षिणा च

Verses 3, 5, 10, 11, 16, 18, 24: Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma going to the Kāśya-born guru Sāndīpani in Avanti, learning the Veda with auxiliaries in sixty-four days, the guru-dakṣiṇā request for his drowned son, the telling of the son's loss at Prabhāsa, Kṛṣṇa's killing of the Dānava Pañcajana and the receipt of the Pāñcajanya conch, the boy restored to his body, and the guru's joy at the reunion with his long-lost son. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 79 is the chapter of Kṛṣṇa as student. After the Mathurā-upheaval (HV 72–78), and before the Jarāsandha campaigns, the two brothers apprentice themselves to the Kāśya-born guru Sāndīpani in Avanti. They learn the whole Veda with its six auxiliaries in sixty-four days, the dhanurveda in fifty, the gāndharvaveda and hasti- and aśva-śikṣā in twelve. And when the guru, recognizing his two students as divine, is asked what dakṣiṇā he wishes, he asks for his drowned son back. Kṛṣṇa enters the ocean, kills the conch-demon Pañcajana, goes to Yama's city, wins the boy from death, and returns him. The chapter is the Harivaṃśa's portrait of the God who submits to a human teacher, and whose payment for the teaching is the undoing of death.

HV 79.3

कस्यचित् त्व् अथ कालस्य सहितौ रामकेशवौ । गुरुं संदीपनिं काश्यम् अवन्तिपुरवासिनम् । धनुर्वेदचिकीर्षार्थम् उभौ ताव् अभिजग्मतुः ॥

kasyacit tv atha kālasya sahitau rāma-keśavau | guruṃ saṃdīpaniṃ kāśyam avanti-pura-vāsinam | dhanurveda-cikīrṣārtham ubhau tāv abhijagmatuḥ

After some time, Rāma and Keśava together went to the guru Sāndīpani, the Kāśya-born dweller of Avantipura, for the sake of studying the science of archery.

The Living Words

*Rāma-keśavau*, 'Rāma and Keśava'. *Guruṃ saṃdīpanim*, 'to the guru Sāndīpani'. *Kāśyam*, 'the Kāśya-born' — born in Kāśī. *Avanti-pura-vāsinam*, 'the dweller in the city of Avanti' (Ujjain). *Dhanurveda-cikīrṣārtham*, 'for the desire of studying the science of archery'. *Ubhau tāv abhijagmatuḥ*, 'both of them went'.

The Heart of It

The verse names something the Varkari tradition has treasured above almost everything else: that the Lord himself chose a human guru. *Ubhau tāv abhijagmatuḥ* — 'both of them went'. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma travel, approach, and submit. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's constant refrain that *guru* is first-named and Name-bestowing has this verse as one of its deepest sources. If even *Kṛṣṇa* went to Sāndīpani, the devotee has no excuse for going guruless. And the detail *Avanti-pura-vāsinam* — the guru does not come to the student; the student travels to the guru's city. The Varkari *vari* walks to Paṇḍharpūr for the same reason.

HV 79.5

तौ च श्रुतिधरौ वीरौ यथावत् प्रतिपद्यताम् । अहोरात्रैश् चतुःषष्ट्या साङ्गं वेदम् अधीयताम् ॥

tau ca śruti-dharau vīrau yathāvat pratipadyatām | aho-rātraiś catuḥ-ṣaṣṭyā sāṅgaṃ vedam adhīyatām

Those two heroes, bearers-of-śruti, learned correctly; in sixty-four days and nights they studied the Veda with its auxiliaries.

The Living Words

*Śruti-dharau*, 'bearers-of-śruti' — able to retain what is heard once. *Yathāvat pratipadyatām*, 'learned correctly'. *Aho-rātraiś catuḥ-ṣaṣṭyā*, 'in sixty-four days and nights'. *Sāṅgaṃ vedam*, 'the Veda with its auxiliaries' (the six vedāṅgas). *Adhīyatām*, 'studied'.

The Heart of It

The verse makes a subtle theological point. The boys who are themselves the source of Veda submit to the forms of learning the Veda: sitting, reciting, repeating, retaining. *Śruti-dharau* is a technical epithet; it is also the sign that Kṛṣṇa, who will speak the Gītā, first sits and listens. The Varkari tradition's long defense of *śravaṇa*, listening, as the root of all bhakti has this verse as its Harivaṃśa seed. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh is unintelligible without *śravaṇa*; and even the Lord of the Name began by listening.

HV 79.10

तयोः प्रभावं स ज्ञात्वा गुरुः प्रोवाच हृष्टवत् । पुत्रम् इच्छाम्य् अहं दत्तं यो मृतो लवणाम्भसि ॥

tayoḥ prabhāvaṃ sa jñātvā guruḥ provāca hṛṣṭavat | putram icchāmy ahaṃ dattaṃ yo mṛto lavaṇāmbhasi

Knowing the two's majesty, the guru said, as if gladdened: 'I wish for the son, given [to me], who died in the salt-sea.'

The Living Words

*Tayoḥ prabhāvam*, 'their majesty'. *Hṛṣṭavat*, 'as if gladdened' — the hṛṣṭa hides the grief. *Putram icchāmy ahaṃ dattam*, 'I wish for the son given [to me]'. *Mṛto lavaṇāmbhasi*, 'died in the salt-sea'. The guru is asking for the one thing no student can ordinarily give.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's most tender theology of guru-dakṣiṇā. The guru who has recognised his students as gods asks not for wealth, not for the world — he asks for his son back. *Putram icchāmi* — 'I wish for the son'. The Varkari tradition's teaching that the true guru asks only for what the student's divinity can restore — not objects, not praise, but the undoing of grief — is in this verse. Jñāneśvar's Nivṛttināth, Tukaram's Vitthala, each guru asks of the devotee only what bhakti itself accomplishes: the re-gathering of what grief has lost.

HV 79.11

पुत्र एको हि मे जातः स चापि तिमिना हृतः । प्रभासे तीर्थयात्रायां तं मे त्वं पुनर् आनय ॥

putra eko hi me jātaḥ sa cāpi timinā hṛtaḥ | prabhāse tīrtha-yātrāyāṃ taṃ me tvaṃ punar ānaya

'One son was born to me, and he too was carried off by a timi-fish at Prabhāsa, on a pilgrimage. Bring him back to me.'

The Living Words

*Putra eko hi me jātaḥ*, 'only one son was born to me'. *Timinā hṛtaḥ*, 'carried off by a timi'. *Prabhāse tīrtha-yātrāyām*, 'at Prabhāsa, on a tīrtha-yātrā'. *Taṃ me tvaṃ punar ānaya*, 'bring him back to me'. The grief is specific: one son, taken at a sacred place during a sacred journey.

The Heart of It

The verse holds the anguish of the pilgrim whose pilgrimage became the site of loss. The Varkari tradition's tenderness toward those whose tīrtha-yātrā has ended in bereavement is rooted in verses like this. The guru asks not to alter the past — he asks for restoration, *punar ānaya*. The bhakta's prayer is likewise: not explanation, not justification, but *punar ānaya*: bring back. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh teaches that the Name is the answer to this very cry: *punar-āgamanam*, the return of what was thought lost.

HV 79.16

स तु पञ्चजनं हत्वा शङ्खं लेभे जनार्दनः । यः स देवमनुष्येषु पाञ्चजन्य इति श्रुतः ॥

sa tu pañcajanaṃ hatvā śaṅkhaṃ lebhe janārdanaḥ | yaḥ sa deva-manuṣyeṣu pāñcajanya iti śrutaḥ

Having killed Pañcajana, Janārdana obtained the conch — the one that is heard of among gods and men as Pāñcajanya.

The Living Words

*Pañcajanaṃ hatvā*, 'having killed Pañcajana'. *Śaṅkhaṃ lebhe*, 'obtained the conch'. *Pāñcajanya iti śrutaḥ*, 'heard of as Pāñcajanya'. This is the origin of Kṛṣṇa's conch.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's own narration of how Kṛṣṇa came by his conch. Every reader of the Gītā knows the first line of its first chapter: *pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśaḥ*. Here is where the conch enters Kṛṣṇa's hand. The Varkari tradition's love of the Nāma-sound — the conch-note that summons the world to its own attention — is traceable to this verse. Pāñcajanya is the weapon won in the act of rescuing a guru's son. The Name, likewise, is the sound that has been won by grief, for grief.

HV 79.18

ततः सांदीपनेः पुत्रः प्रसादाद् अमितौजसः । दीर्घकालगतः प्रेतः पुनर् आसीच् छरीरवान् ॥

tataḥ sāṃdīpaneḥ putraḥ prasādād amitaujasaḥ | dīrgha-kāla-gataḥ pretaḥ punar āsīc charīravān

Then Sāndīpani's son, by the grace of the one of immeasurable energy, though long-gone a preta, again came to possess a body.

The Living Words

*Prasādāt amitaujasaḥ*, 'by the grace of the immeasurable-in-energy'. *Dīrgha-kāla-gataḥ*, 'long-time-gone'. *Pretaḥ*, 'a preta' (a departed soul in the between). *Punar āsīt śarīravān*, 'again became bodied'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the miracle stated plainly. *Punar āsīt śarīravān* — 'again became bodied'. No theological machinery, no explanation; the preta, by *prasāda*, becomes embodied again. The Varkari tradition's deep teaching that *prasāda* — not effort, not merit — is what reverses what grief has done, is in this verse. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's central word for the Name's effect is *prasāda*: the gift-from-above that re-embodies what death has disembodied.

HV 79.24

चिरनष्टेन पुत्रेण काश्यः सांदीपनिस् तदा । समेत्य मुमुदे राजन् पूजयन् रामकेशवौ ॥

cira-naṣṭena putreṇa kāśyaḥ sāṃdīpanis tadā | sametya mumude rājan pūjayan rāma-keśavau

Then the Kāśya Sāndīpani, meeting again his long-lost son, rejoiced, O king, worshiping Rāma and Keśava.

The Living Words

*Cira-naṣṭena putreṇa*, 'with the long-lost son'. *Sametya*, 'having met'. *Mumude*, 'rejoiced'. *Pūjayan rāma-keśavau*, 'worshiping Rāma and Keśava'. The guru, who began as a teacher, ends as a worshiper.

The Heart of It

The chapter closes with an image beloved of the Varkaris: the teacher worshiping his students. *Pūjayan rāma-keśavau* — 'worshiping Rāma and Keśava' — inverts the expected direction. The Varkari tradition's teaching that a true guru is the one who knows when to worship the student — when Pāṇḍuraṅga has come into the house of teaching — is rooted in this verse. And the guru's joy is *cira-naṣṭena putreṇa*, with the long-lost son: what was lost, is found; what was dead, lives; what was a pupil, is adored.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's shape: the brothers' travel to Sāndīpani (79.3), their sixty-four-day mastery of Veda (79.5), the guru's strange dakṣiṇā-request (79.10), his naming of the grief (79.11), Kṛṣṇa's winning of the Pāñcajanya by killing the conch-demon (79.16), the preta's return to body by prasāda (79.18), and the guru's joyful worship of his own students (79.24). The Harivaṃśa's portrait of grace as a circle: the God submits as student, earns by study, is asked for the impossible, and delivers — and the teacher, so served, worships.

Echo in the saints

HV 79 is perhaps the Harivaṃśa's most beloved chapter in the Warkari lineage. Jñāneśvar's own guru-bhāva — his total love of Nivṛttināth — has been read by his commentators as modeled on this chapter. The Lord who could bypass the human teacher chose to sit at his feet, and the teacher who could have asked for anything asked only for his son. Tukaram's constant naming of Viṭṭhala as the one who *brings back*, *punar-ānayati*, what grief has taken has as its scriptural hinge this chapter. And the shared image — the guru who, at the end, worships — is also Jñāneśvar's closing gesture in the Jñāneśvarī: the disciple pouring honor onto the teacher is completed only when the teacher, in turn, bows.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 4.34

Learn this by prostration, by inquiry, by service.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया । उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥

tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā | upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

Know that by prostration, by questioning, by service; the wise, the seers of truth, will teach you knowledge.

The Gītā's injunction to approach the teacher in praṇipāta is narratively given form in HV 79: Kṛṣṇa himself approaches Sāndīpani with gotra-nivedana and śuśrūṣā, then pays the dakṣiṇā that undoes death.

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