Canto Ten - Chapter 51

Śrī Śuka said: Kālayavana saw Kṛṣṇa emerge, dark-complexioned, supremely beautiful, clad in yellow silk, and appearing like the rising moon.

His chest bore the Śrīvatsa mark, His neck shone with the Kaustubha gem, His four arms were broad and long, and His eyes were reddish like fresh lotuses.

He was eternally joyful and splendid, with graceful cheeks and a pure smile upon His lotus face, while makara-shaped earrings flashed beside it.

Kālayavana thought, 'This must be Vāsudeva. He bears Śrīvatsa, has four arms and lotus eyes, wears a forest garland, and is exceedingly beautiful.'

'The marks Nārada described can belong to no one else. He is unarmed and walks on foot, so I shall fight Him unarmed.'

Having decided this, the Yavana rushed after Kṛṣṇa as He turned away, eager to seize Him although He is unattainable even to yogīs.

Hari seemed within reach at every step, yet continually led the Yavana king farther away, finally drawing him into a mountain cave.

The Yavana pursued Him, taunting, 'Flight is unworthy of one born in the Yadu dynasty!' But because his sins remained undestroyed, he could not catch Him.

Though insulted in this way, Bhagavān entered the mountain cave. The Yavana followed and saw another man sleeping there.

The fool thought, 'He brought me this far and now lies here pretending to be saintly.' Mistaking the sleeper for Acyuta, he kicked him.

The man, who had slept for a long time, rose and slowly opened his eyes. Looking in every direction, he saw Kālayavana standing nearby.

O descendant of Bharata, the angry sleeper's glance released fire from his body, and Kālayavana was instantly burned to ashes.

The king said: Brāhmaṇa, who was that man, whose son was he, and what power did he possess? Why did he enter the cave and sleep there, and by what fiery potency did he destroy the Yavana?

Śrī Śuka said: He was the great Mucukunda, born in the Ikṣvāku dynasty as the son of Māndhātā. He was devoted to the brāhmaṇas and always true to his vows.

Indra and the other gods, terrified by the demons, asked him to protect them, and for a long time he defended the celestial hosts.

When the gods obtained Guha as their commander and protector, they said, 'King, please cease this difficult labor of guarding us.'

'Hero, while protecting us you abandoned the human world and your unobstructed kingdom, sacrificing all your personal desires.'

'Your sons, queens, relatives, ministers, counselors, and contemporaneous subjects no longer exist; Time has carried them away.'

'Time is stronger than the strong. It is Bhagavān, the imperishable Lord, and in play it drives creatures as a herdsman drives animals.'

'May good fortune be yours. Choose any boon from us except final liberation, for only the one imperishable Lord, Bhagavān Viṣṇu, can grant that.'

Thus addressed, the greatly renowned king bowed to the gods, entered a cave, and lay down beneath the sleep they granted him.

After the Yavana had been reduced to ashes, Bhagavān, foremost of the Sātvatas, revealed Himself to wise Mucukunda.

Mucukunda saw Him dark as a rain cloud and dressed in yellow silk, His chest marked with Śrīvatsa and radiant with the brilliant Kaustubha.

His four arms shone, as did His Vaijayantī garland. His charming face was serene, and makara-shaped earrings flashed beside it.

He was the most beautiful sight in the human world, glancing with an affectionate smile, eternally youthful and lovely, and moving with the noble power of an intoxicated lion.

Though overwhelmed by His radiance and uncertain before His unassailable splendor, the highly intelligent king slowly and cautiously questioned Him.

Śrī Mucukunda said: Who are You, who have come into this wilderness and mountain cave and walk with lotus-petal feet across ground thick with thorns?

Are You the light of all luminous beings, the fire-god himself, the sun, the moon, mighty Indra, or some other guardian of the world?

I believe You are the foremost among the three principal gods, for Your brilliance dispels the cave's darkness as a lamp does.

Best of men, if it pleases You, truthfully tell us who wish to serve You about Your birth, deeds, and lineage.

As for me, tiger among men, I am a kṣatriya of the Ikṣvāku line, known as Mucukunda, son of Yuvanāśva's son Māndhātā.

Exhausted by long wakefulness and my senses overcome by sleep, I lay freely within this deserted cave until someone awakened me just now.

He was surely burned to ashes by his own sin. Immediately afterward I perceived Your splendid presence, O chastiser of enemies.

My power has been overwhelmed, and because Your brilliance is unbearable I cannot look at You for long. Greatly fortunate Lord, You are worthy of every embodied being's honor.

Thus addressed by the king, Bhagavān, creator of all beings, laughed and replied in a voice deep as the rumbling of clouds.

Śrī Bhagavān said: My dear king, My births, deeds, and names number in the thousands. Because they are limitless, even I cannot enumerate them all.

Someone might, over many lifetimes, count the particles of earthly dust, but no one could ever count My qualities, deeds, names, and births.

O King, even the greatest sages who chronicle My births and deeds throughout the three divisions of time never reach their end.

Nevertheless, dear king, hear from Me about My present birth. Long ago Brahmā petitioned Me to protect dharma.

I descended into the Yadu dynasty, in the home of Ānakadundubhi, to destroy the demons who burdened the earth. Because I am Vasudeva's son, people call Me Vāsudeva.

I killed Kaṃsa, formerly Kālanemi, and Pralamba and other enemies of the virtuous. And this Yavana, O King, has been burned by your fierce gaze.

I entered this cave to bestow mercy upon you. Long ago you prayed to Me with great devotion, and I am affectionate to My devotees.

Choose whatever boons you desire, royal sage; I shall grant them all. Anyone who receives My grace need never grieve again.

Śrī Śuka said: Thus addressed, Mucukunda remembered Garga's words and recognized the Lord as Nārāyaṇa. Filled with joy, he bowed and spoke.

Śrī Mucukunda said: Lord, people are bewildered by Your māyā and, blind to their true welfare, do not worship You. Deceived, men and women seek happiness by clinging to homes that produce only suffering.

Sinless Lord, a person somehow obtains in this world the rare and unimpaired human body without effort, yet with corrupted intelligence fails to worship Your lotus feet and falls like an animal into the blind well of household life.

Unconquered Lord, my time passed fruitlessly. As a king intoxicated by royal splendor, I identified with a mortal body and remained absorbed in endless anxiety over children, wife, treasury, and land.

Thinking myself a god among men, I became deeply proud of this body, which resembles a clay pot or wall. Surrounded by chariots, elephants, horses, infantry, and armies, I traveled the earth in terrible arrogance and ignored You.

While a person lives heedlessly, absorbed in endless duties, swollen with greed, and craving sense objects, You remain vigilant and suddenly seize him as death, like a hungry snake licking up a mouse.

Formerly a man travels in gold-decorated chariots or upon lordly elephants and is called a king, but through invincible Time that same body later becomes known as excrement, worms, or ashes.

After conquering every direction and becoming free of outward rivals, a king sits upon an excellent throne while other rulers praise him, yet at home he is led about as a plaything by women in the pursuit of sexual pleasure.

A king may practice works and severe austerity, renouncing enjoyment so that he may obtain it later. Thirsting to become an independent ruler again, he cannot attain true happiness.

A wandering soul's escape from material existence begins when, Acyuta, he meets the saintly. At that very moment his mind turns toward You, the supreme destination and Lord of both cause and effect.

Lord, I regard the accidental loss of my attachment to kingship as Your mercy. Solitary saints who rule the entire earth pray for such freedom when they wish to enter the forest alone.

Almighty Lord, I desire no boon apart from service to Your feet, the highest prayer of one who possesses nothing. What noble person, after worshiping You, Hari, the giver of liberation, would choose a boon that binds the self?

Therefore I relinquish every blessing connected with goodness, passion, or ignorance and approach You, the stainless, qualityless, nondual Supreme Person who is pure consciousness alone.

For a long time I have suffered here, scorched by sin and remorse, never satisfied, besieged by the six enemies, and unable to find peace. Giver of shelter and Supreme Self, I now approach Your fearless, immortal, sorrowless lotus feet. Lord, protect me who have surrendered.

Śrī Bhagavān said: Universal emperor and great king, your understanding is pure and powerful. Although I tempted you with boons, material desires did not disturb it.

Know that I offered boons only to test your vigilance. The intelligence of My exclusive devotees can never be diverted by blessings.

O King, nondevotees may discipline the mind through breath control and similar practices, but because its latent desires remain, it is seen to rise again.

Wander freely over the earth with your mind absorbed in Me. May unbroken devotion to Me remain yours forever.

While following kṣatriya duty you killed creatures in hunting and other pursuits. Now, concentrated in austerity and sheltered in Me, destroy that sin.

In your next birth, O King, you will become an eminent brāhmaṇa and the greatest friend of all beings. Then you will attain Me alone.