King Khatvang welcomes Shri Hari in Karyayan.
King Khatvang welcomes Shri Hari in Karyayan.
Having celebrated Prabodhini festival in Sharadharapura, keeping His promise, Sri Hari proceeded to Karyayan. 1.
Having heard the news of Shri Hari’s long awaited arrival, King Khatvang was overwhelmed with joy and hastened to welcome Him. 2.
Along with a number of horse-riders, a band of musicians and instrument players, their loud sound filling the quarters, when he came forward to greet the Lord, he saw Him riding on a splendid speedy horse, surrounded by groups of celibates and being worshipped by the people with sandal paste and rich floral wreathes, and being lovingly glanced by sages and commoner devotees who followed Him. Saluting Him and the accompanying members, he took them to his mansion. 3 - 4.
He accommodated the Lord comfortably in his mansion having excellent facilities, and His devotees were accommodated at other suitable places in the town. 5.
Along with his relatives and servants, the royal king promptly attended upon Shri Hari like a servant with great love. The others emulated him. 6.
The most respected Brahmins headed by Raghava and Vaikuntha, and Ksatriyas like Vasta, Ramji, Velaji, Vikram and others, and men of merchant class like Viradas, Kamji, Raghav, Karna, Devji, Govar, Panchayan, Herji and others humbly served Him. 7 - 8.
Ladies, sinless and pure at heart, like Devika and others served Him agreeably according to their ability and wealth, devotedly. 9.
O King, on the full moon day of Kartik month, led by Khatvang, they all happily worshipped Him elaborately with 40
ingredients like sandal paste, garlands of flowers, tufts, fine clothes and wealth with great devotion. Then they prostrated before Him respectfully. 10-11.
Then they stood before Him with folded palms, looking at Shri Hari intently who was in the form of a celibate. Instantly they saw himself as Krishna playing flute in His hand. 12.
Wonder-struck again they bowed before Him and looked. He was the Lord as they had seen Him before, the celibate- supreme. 13.
Then knowing Him to be the Supreme godhead Sri Krishna, taking incarnations in different forms, Khatvang began to extol Him. 14.
Khatvang extols Shri Hari.
Khatvang said:-
‘O Sri Nilakanth, hail, victory unto thee, the reliever of bound souls, the ever-pure, the treasure-trove of self-willed intellect, deluding the Asuras, born of Bhakti, O the vital breath of the surrendered ones, O Lord Krishna, I adore thee forever! 15.
Residing in Aksharadhama, the imperishable abode, eloquently sung by the scriptures as ‘Aksarat Parah’ - The highest spirit - even higher than the imperishable, O Nilakanth, having attained that supreme being, I have today lived the purpose of my life. 16.
Even to the men who have abandoned all attachments to worldly objects and their effects like desire, anger, envy, ego, etc., and to those who have reached the state of the highest Brahman on the merit of their manifold spiritual accomplishments, you are the most adorable one, the all-pervading supreme Brahman. 17.
From your power of Satva arose Vishnu, the bestower of fruits of all sacrifices and the protector of the worlds, the holy men and righteousness; from your power of Rajas arose Brahma, Daksha and other deities in the beginning of the process of universal creation; from your Tamas arose Rudra and Shesa for the dissolution of the universe. 18.
In the individuals bound by these three adjuncts (Sattva etc.), you the indwelling one is the supreme master of them all. In the course of the ages, O absolute Brahman, you should take divine forms out of your own free will, as you are self-willed, to restore, protect and promote the order of the Vedic-religion lost in the course of time, and protect the holy men from the evil- doers. 19.
Varah Avatar:
In the incarnation of the Cosmic Boar, you destroyed the mighty son of Diti-Hiranyaksha and brought the earth out of his abode, the underneath Rasatal by mounting it on your tusk – the earth full of mountains and woods – without causing any damage to her, and placed it on the celestial waters. 20.
Yagna Avarat:
O the wish-fulfilling one, the well-wisher of all, you are born to Ruchi (Prajapati) who prayed and adored you intently for long in the form of sacrifice (yajna) with Lakshmi in the form of Dakshina. You saved Manu and the three worlds killing the multitude of demons. 21.
Nar-Narayan Avatar:
On this earth you took the form of Nar-Narayan to enhance virtues like knowledge, detachment etc. in the hearts of the meritorious holy-minded men engaged in devotional services and born in the land of Bharat. 22.
Kapil Avatar:
In a past incarnation, you being Kapila the son of sage Kardama, you conferred the knowledge of Samkhya philosophy, which had faded away in the course of time, to your mother (Devahuti). Then you gave it to your disciple Asuri. You then went to the island in the eastern sea and performed severe penance for the welfare of the world. 23.
Dattatrey Avatar:
In the past, born to Atri as Dattatreya, you established social and religious order for the four castes and four stages of life on this earth. You bestowed earthly happiness as well as salvation to the sovereign kings - Haihaya and Yadu. 24.
Dhruva Avatar:
In the form of Vasudev, blue complexioned as of a new raincloud, and with the divine disk, lotus, mace and conch in your four hands, you appeared before Dhruva and gave a boon to that kid. You are the giver of the fulfillment of the four objectives in human life by your four hands. 25.
Pruthu Avatar:
You were manifest as Pruthu, the first sovereign king on the earth, who milked as it were, from the earth, flora (the plants and all natural resources that were hidden within her) and leveled the uneven surface of the earth and turned it into plains. The tyrant King Vena (who was consigned to hell), your father, was taken to the heavens by your righteous acts. 26.
Rusabha Avatar:
Born of King Nabhi and his wife Sudevi (Merudevi) as Rusabha, performing hundred sacrifices in perfect ways and instructing his sons and other seekers the virtues such as knowledge, renunciation and devotion, He Himself wandered in the state of Paramhansa (the state of highest enlightenment) free from ego, delusion and attachment. 27.
Hayagriva Avatar:
You appeared in the form of Hayagriva (the horse-necked one, an embodiment of sacrifice and Vedic) at the end of the era of Brahma (Kalpanta-the deluge at the end of the cosmic cycle) when the Vedas fell out of Brahma’s mouth, took the form of a Fish and fetched the Vedas back for him.
Again you rescued the Vedas from the demon (Hayagriva) in the same way in the form of fish, you saved Satyavrata Manu and imparted him the knowledge of religious code. 28.
Kurma Avatar:
When Indra was cursed by sage (Durvasa) and as a consequence he and all three worlds lost their luck and luster, to save them from the miseries and gloom you took the form of a tortoise at the time of churning of the ocean (by gods and the demons) to support mount Mandara on your huge, expansive back; and when the resultant nectar was carried away by the demons, you took the form of Mohini, an enchanting beautiful lady, deluded them and distributed the nectar among the gods. 29.
Narsimah Avatar:
Assuming the wonderful form of Man-Lion with face formidably fierce, roaring so loud that it seemed to crack the cosmic shell, you tore open the chest of the foremost demon (Hiranyakashapu) insolent with overflowing ego with your claws and enthroned your dear devotee (Prahlada) totally free from attachments. 30.
Vaman Avatar:
Assuming the form of Vamana (dwarf) a young Brahmin boy (Brahmacharin) who approached Bali modestly seeking his favour for three feet of land, you took back the sovereignty of three worlds from him for Indra and offered the vast realm of Sutala to Bali as a kingdom of Asuras. 31.
Hari Avatar:
In each Manvantra (of four ages i.e. Yugas), the distinctive set of officiating divinities as Manus (the principal rulers), the seven sages (Saptarshis), the guardian deities and their King Indra are appointed by you through Brahma to protect and promote the progress of the three worlds. From time to time you incarnate as Rajraj to keep them vigilant in performing their duties. 32.
Dhanavantari Avatar:
You manifested as Dhanvantari, (the physician of gods) promulgating Ayurveda, the science of health, the uttering of whose name cures all diseases. With your eminence, you won back your share in the sacrificial offerings, which was seized by the gods and later returned by them. 33.
Parshuram Avatar:
Born as Parashuram to sage Jamadagni, holding a sharp axe in his hand, eyes reddened with anger, you destroyed Kartavirya and his progeny and effaced the entire Ksatriya clans who had become tyrants and persecutors of holy men from the face of the earth. 34.
Rama Avatar:
O you are Rama, born to Dasharatha, who annihilated Tadaka and numerous other demons who were trying to destroy the sacrifice (being done by Visvamitra), you relieved Ahalya from her stony-state, you broke the mighty bow of Shiva (Purabhid) and married Sita. Then submitting to the command of you father, you went on exile to the forest accompanied by your wife and younger brother; there you mutilated (the lustful Shurpanakha) sister of the king of demons (Ravana) and decimated an army of demons-the enemies of sages.
You were grief-stricken about Sita (Janaksuta) being abducted by the demon-king Ravana, you delivered Jatayu, Kabandha and Shabari - a tribal woman to liberation, you made friendship with Sugriva who was exiled by his brother Vali and through his emissaries looked for Sita’s whereabouts, you built an extensive bridge across the sea to reach Lanka with the army of monkeys and bears and destroyed the ten-headed Ravana in war and you returned to Ayodhya to ascend the throne for the benefit of mankind. 35-36.
Vyasa Avatar:
Born (of Parashara and Satyavati) as (Veda-)Vyasa, you divided the tree of Veda into several branches (Yajus, Sama and Atharva). Visualizing the diminishing intelligence of men, you delivered those (Vedas) to your disciples Paila and others for propagation. You also composed texts like BrahmaSutra and Puranas and the extensive Mahabharat, elucidating the unfathomable, unintelligible meaning of the Vedas for the common man. 37.
Krishna Avatar:
O Shri Hari, to lighten the burden of the earth you are born as Krishna of holy fame. In your infancy in Gokula you brought about the death of Putana, the female monster, and destroyed the demons Trnavarta and Shakatasura in a child-play.
You are the one who showed the whole universe in your yawning mouth to mother Yashoda. You enjoyed playing child like pranks (with the Gopas and Gopis).
When you broke the churning pot, Yashoda the mother tied you to the husking mortar. Dragging it along, you moved through the two huge Arjun trees and uprooted them (to liberate the two Guhyakas).
In Vrndavana you killed the demons Baka - the monster crane, Agha-an embodiment of sin and Vatsasura-who had come in the disguise of a calf. At times donning the guise of Krishna and at other times as calves and cowherd boys, you confused Brahma with your magical powers over a year.
In Vrndavan you adored the beauty of the mountain Govardhana, the trees and birds there and trampled Kalia (by dancing on his hood). You consumed the fierce-forest fire.
You bestowed on the maidens of Vrndavan the fruit of their rite of worshiping Goddess Katyayani, you blessed the pious wives of the brahmin priests, you protected Vraja, the cowherd settlement, by lifting and holding your favourite Govardhana mountain. Thus you humbled the pride of Indra.
You are the one who freed Nandaraj from the fear of the shackles of Varuna (Pracheta). It is you who revealed to the Gopas the transcendental realm-Vaikuntha.
Through Your pastime of Rasa-dance with Gopis, You regaled the principal Gopi-Radhika.
You saved Nanda from the jaws of a python, destroyed Shankhachuda (son of Mayasura), an ox-demon (named Arista), Vyomasura (in the form of Cyclone) and Keshi (horse-demon). You then left Vrndavan (and went to Mathura) at the request of Akrura.
(Coming to Mathura) You blessed the weaver, the hunchback maid-kubja and Sudama (the garland maker) and fulfilled the desire of his preceptor (restoring his son from the abode of Yama).
You consoled the Gopis (Sending Uddhava to Vraja), pleased Kubja, Akrura and Prtha (Kunti) (by accepting their adoration).
You founded the city of Dwaraka, decimated the army of (Kala) Yavana and Jarasandha the King of Magadha, defeated a multitude of rulers in battle and married eight princesses as principal queens and sixteen thousand other women.
You redeemed Nurga (from the state of Lizard), cut the arms of Banasura, destroyed Chaidya (Shishupal), Shalva and other antagonists, protected the (Rajasuya) sacrifice of Yudhisthira and his brothers (sons of Partha).
You quelled the poverty of thy Brahmin friend (Sridama), went to the holy Kuruksetra with your relatives and kinsmen and enjoyed the festivity and restored Devaki’s sons (Your elder brothers) to her joy.
Imparting spiritual knowledge you removed delusion of the Brahmin of Videha (Shrtadeva), Arjun and Uddhava. 38
Buddha Avatar:
When a person of demoniac nature becomes a strong adherent to the Vedic rituals (and thereby becoming powerful) and harassed the creatures in the three worlds, you as Buddha incarnate – the enlightened one – attracted and deluded them (by propounding atheistic philosophies in order to draw them away from the misuse of Vedic rites). 39.
Kalki Avatar:
Towards the end of the Kali age, you will be born as Kalki the son of the Brahmin Vishnuyasha, you will come riding on a horse, and bearing a formidable sword in hand you will course through the earth destroying multitudes of sinners and wicked minded barbarians. 40.
You manifest in one or other form whenever you find religion waning from the earth by the evil acts of the enemies of gods. Sometimes you are born to parents, sometimes from only one of them (as Partha from King Vena’s body), sometimes by your own mystic ways and on your own will at other times. 41.
O Lord, you manifest yourself to protect the religious tradition endangered by evildoers; and you institute it in a perfect way. 42.
O You self-willed, whatever incarnation you assume and whatever you do, every act of yours is for the good of the people tormented by three kinds of afflictions (physical, mental and natural). 43.
O Supreme Being, your birth and deeds are divine and infinite. None can ever enumerate them. 44.
Thus praising Shri Hari with great love, that eminent devotee of good intellect ever eager to serve Him, humbly bowing his head before Him, prayed: 45.
‘O Lord, be merciful to me having utmost devotion to you; please stay here comfortably for a few months more, O the master of the good!’ 46.
The Lord said:-
‘I will stay here till the spring-festival (Vasant Panchami) for your pleasure O King-sage, for you are very sincere in your religious and devotional duties.’ 47.
Suvrat said:-
Then, served by Khatvang and others with veneration, Shri Hari stayed there happily giving delight to His devotees. 48.
Writing a letter (to King Abhay), the King-sage Khatvang sent it to Durgapur with a speedy messenger, who went there and gave it to King Abhay. 49.
Thus ends the twenty seventh chapter entitled ‘Narration of Shri Hari’s stay in Karyayan; His eulogy by Khatvang’ in the second Prakarana of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 27
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