Canto Ten - Chapter 62

The king said: The foremost Yadu married Uṣā, Bāṇa's daughter, and a great and terrible battle took place there between Hari and Śaṅkara. Great yogī, please relate this entire story.

Śrī Śuka said: Bāṇa was the eldest of the hundred sons of the great Bali, who gave the earth to Hari when the Lord assumed the form of Vāmana.

Bāṇa was Bali's own son. Always devoted to Śiva, he was honorable, generous, intelligent, true to his word, and firm in his vows.

Long ago he ruled in the beautiful city named Śoṇita. By Śambhu's grace the gods served him like attendants. With his thousand arms he played instruments and pleased Mṛḍa during the Lord's tāṇḍava dance.

The Supreme Lord Śiva, master of all beings, refuge of all and affectionate to His devotees, invited Bāṇa to choose a boon. Bāṇa chose Him as guardian of his city.

Once, intoxicated by his own power, Bāṇa approached Giriśa, who stood beside him, and touched the Lord's lotus feet with his sun-bright crown.

'I bow to You, Mahādeva, the spiritual master and lord of all worlds. You are a wish-fulfilling celestial tree for people whose desires remain unfulfilled.

'The thousand arms You gave me have become only a burden, for throughout the three worlds I find no opponent equal to me except You.

'My arms itch for battle. When I went forth to fight the elephants of the directions, I crushed mountains along the way, but even those elephants fled in fear.'

Hearing this, the Supreme Lord became angry and said, 'Fool, when your banner breaks, you will meet one equal to Me in battle, and he will destroy your pride.'

O King, hearing this, the foolish Bāṇa was delighted and returned home. Bereft of good sense, he awaited Giriśa's command that would bring about the destruction of his strength.

His daughter, named Uṣā, dreamed that she made love with Aniruddha, a handsome young man she had never before seen or heard of.

When she could no longer see him in the dream, she cried, 'Where are you, my beloved?' and awoke among her companions, distraught and deeply ashamed.

Bāṇa's minister was Kumbhāṇḍa, whose daughter Citralekhā was Uṣā's friend. Filled with curiosity, Citralekhā questioned her companion.

'Beautiful-browed princess, whom are you searching for? What is your desire? I see that no one has yet taken your hand in marriage.'

Uṣā said: 'In my dream I saw a certain man, dark-complexioned and lotus-eyed, dressed in yellow, mighty-armed, and captivating to women's hearts.

'I seek that beloved who made me drink the honey of his lips. Leaving me yearning in an ocean of distress, he has disappeared somewhere.'

Citralekhā said: 'I shall remove your sorrow if he is to be found anywhere in the three worlds. I shall bring you the bridegroom who stole your heart. Point him out to me.'

Having said this, Citralekhā drew faithful likenesses of the gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, serpents, Daityas, Vidyādharas, Yakṣas, and human beings.

Among humans she drew the Vṛṣṇis, Śūra, Ānakadundubhi, Balarāma, and Kṛṣṇa. When Uṣā saw Pradyumna, she became bashful.

O King, when she saw Aniruddha's portrait she lowered her face in shyness and said with a smile, 'That is he! That is he!'

The yoginī Citralekhā recognized him as Kṛṣṇa's grandson and traveled through the sky, O King, to Dvārakā, which Kṛṣṇa protected.

Employing her yogic power, she found Aniruddha asleep upon a fine bed, carried him to Śoṇitapura, and showed her friend her beloved.

Seeing that most handsome man, Uṣā's face blossomed with joy. In her private chamber, inaccessible to men, she enjoyed with Pradyumna's son.

She worshiped and attended him with priceless garments, garlands, fragrances, incense, lamps, seats, drinks, meals, delicacies, loving words, and personal service.

Hidden in the maiden's quarters and loved by Uṣā with ever-growing affection, Aniruddha's senses were captivated by her, and he lost awareness of the passing days.

The guards noticed unmistakable signs that her maidenly vow had been broken and that she was being enjoyed by the Yadu hero, for changes impossible to conceal had appeared in her.

The guards reported: 'O King, we have observed conduct in your daughter that disgraces the family.

'Master, we never leave her unguarded within the palace, and no man can even see her. We do not know how the princess has been compromised.'

Deeply disturbed on hearing of his daughter's disgrace, Bāṇa hurried to the maiden's chambers and saw the foremost Yadu there.

He saw the son of Cupid, the one beauty of the universe: dark-complexioned, lotus-eyed, dressed in yellow, with mighty arms and a face adorned by shining earrings and curls, a smile and loving glances.

Aniruddha sat before Uṣā, playing dice with his beloved, whom he had elevated to womanhood. Around his arms he wore a jasmine garland stained by the kuṅkuma from her breasts. Bāṇa beheld him in amazement.

Seeing armed troops of attackers enter and surround him, Mādhava's grandson raised a heavy iron club and stood ready to kill them like Death holding his rod of punishment.

As they closed in from every side to capture him, he struck them like a leader of wild boars attacking dogs. With heads, thighs, and arms broken, those who survived fled from the palace.

Enraged as Aniruddha destroyed his army, mighty Bāṇa, Bali's son, bound him with serpent nooses. When Uṣā heard that he had been captured, she was overcome with grief and despair and wept, her eyes filled with tears.