SECTION XXXIV.Maiteya said:—"Having achieved a mortal form Sauri performed mighty achievements and discomfitted Sakra and Siva and all other attendant divinities. O great sir, do thou also describe unto me, his other exploits by which he humiliated the prowess of the celestials; I am desirous to hear them".Parāçara said:—Hear with respectful attention, O Brāhman, as described by me of the burning of Vārānashi by Krishna in the course of his relieving the burden of the earth.There was a king of Pundra, who was known as Vasudeva and flattered by the ignorant people as the descended deity until he thought himself to be the Vāsudeva who had come down upon earth. Forgetting his real character he assumed the emblems of Vishnu and sent an ambassador to the high-minded Krishna with this message. "Give up thy discus, O foolish man, lay aside all my insignia, my name and the character of Vāsudeva and come and do me homage and I shall grant thee, the means of subsistence". Hearing those words and laughing, Janārddana said to the messenger "Go back, messenger to Paundraka and tell him in my name 'I shall hand over my emblem, the discus to him. Thou wilt properly understand my meaning and consider what is to be done; for I shall come to thy city bringing the discus with me and shall surely give it over to thee. If thou dost command me to come I immediately obey and be with thee tomorrow and shall not delay, and having sought thy protection I shall so manage, O king, that I shall not have to fear anything from thee.'" So saying he sent away the messenger to communicate these words unto the sovereign, and summoning Garuda mounted him and started for the city of Paundrāka.When the king of Kāsi heard of the preparations of Kesava he sent his army to help Paundrāka, himself bringing up the rear, and with the army of the king of Kāsi and his own troops, the false Vasudeva marched to meet Krishna. He beheld him at a distance standing in his car holding a disc, a club, a mace, a scimitar and a lotus in his hands adorned with a garland of flowers, and bearing a bow; and having his standard made of gold, he had also the mystical mark Sribatsa on his breast; he was robed in yellow raiment and embellished with ear rings, and a tiara. When the god, whose emblem is Garuda, saw him, he laughed aloud and engaged in encounter with the hostile army of cavalry and elephants fighting with swords, scimitars, maces, tridents spears and bows. Showering upon the enemy the arrows from his Sāranga bow and hurling at them his mace and discus he soon destroyed both the army of Paundrāka and that of the king of Kāsi. He then addressed the former who was foolishly wearing his emblems saying:—"Paundrāka, you wanted me through your messenger, to resign to you all my insignia, I now deliver them to you. Here is my discus; here is my mace; and here is Garuda, let him mount upon thy banner". Saying this he discharged the discus and mace by which Paundrāka was sundered to pieces and cast on the ground; whilst the Garuda which was on the banner of Paundrāka was destroyed by the Garuda of Vishnu. Beholding this the people cried "Alas! alas"; but the brave king still siding the imposture of his friend carried on the encounter till Sauri cut off his head with his arrows and shot into the city of Kāsi to the surprise of all the inhabitants. Having thus destroyed Paundrāka and the king of Kāsi with all their retinue Sauri came back to Dwārakā where he resided enjoying heavenly delights.When the inhabitants of Kāsi beheld the head of their king shot into the city they were much surprised and wondered how it could have been accomplished. Having come to know that the king had been slain by Krishna, the king's son together with the priest of the family propitiated Sankara. Well pleased on account of being worshipped in the sacred place Avimuktā the deity asked the prince to pray for a boon, on which he said:—"O lord, mighty god, through thy favour, let thy mystic spirit slay Krishna, the murderer of my father!""It shall be so" answered Sankara and from out of the southern fire up sprang a vast and formidable female like flame out of fire, blazing with ruddy light and fiery radiance streaming amidst her hair. Worked up with ire she called upon Krishna and departed to Dwārakā. There the people seeing her were struck with terror and fled for protection to the slayer of Madhu the refuge all worlds. Understanding that the fiend had been created by the son of the king of Kāsi through his worship of the deity whose emblem is the bull, the wielder of the discus being engaged in sport and playing at dice said to the discus "Kill this dreadful creature whose tresses are of plaited flame". Accordingly Sudarshana, the discus of Vishnu, attacked the fiend in no time, dreadfully covered with fire and wearing tresses of plaited flame. Terrified at the might of Sudarshana, the creation of Maheswara did not wait for his attack but fled quickly followed by him with equal velocity until she arrived at Varānashi repelled by the superior prowess of the discus of Vishnu.The arms of the king of Kāsi and the whole number of the attendant divinities of Siva armed with various weapons marched out to oppose the discus. But an expert in the use of arms he consumed the whole host by his radiance and then set fire to the city, in which the magic power of Siva had concealed herself. Thus was Varanashi burnt with all its princes and their followers, its inhabitants, elephants, horses and men, treasures and granaries, houses, palaces and markets. The whole of the city that was inaccessible to the celestials was thus covered with flames by the discus of Hari and was totally destroyed. The discus, with unsoothed wrath, blazing fiercely and not satisfied with the accomplishment of so easy a task, then returned to the hands of Vishnu.
SECTION XXXIV.Maiteya said:—"Having achieved a mortal form Sauri performed mighty achievements and discomfitted Sakra and Siva and all other attendant divinities. O great sir, do thou also describe unto me, his other exploits by which he humiliated the prowess of the celestials; I am desirous to hear them".Parāçara said:—Hear with respectful attention, O Brāhman, as described by me of the burning of Vārānashi by Krishna in the course of his relieving the burden of the earth.There was a king of Pundra, who was known as Vasudeva and flattered by the ignorant people as the descended deity until he thought himself to be the Vāsudeva who had come down upon earth. Forgetting his real character he assumed the emblems of Vishnu and sent an ambassador to the high-minded Krishna with this message. "Give up thy discus, O foolish man, lay aside all my insignia, my name and the character of Vāsudeva and come and do me homage and I shall grant thee, the means of subsistence". Hearing those words and laughing, Janārddana said to the messenger "Go back, messenger to Paundraka and tell him in my name 'I shall hand over my emblem, the discus to him. Thou wilt properly understand my meaning and consider what is to be done; for I shall come to thy city bringing the discus with me and shall surely give it over to thee. If thou dost command me to come I immediately obey and be with thee tomorrow and shall not delay, and having sought thy protection I shall so manage, O king, that I shall not have to fear anything from thee.'" So saying he sent away the messenger to communicate these words unto the sovereign, and summoning Garuda mounted him and started for the city of Paundrāka.When the king of Kāsi heard of the preparations of Kesava he sent his army to help Paundrāka, himself bringing up the rear, and with the army of the king of Kāsi and his own troops, the false Vasudeva marched to meet Krishna. He beheld him at a distance standing in his car holding a disc, a club, a mace, a scimitar and a lotus in his hands adorned with a garland of flowers, and bearing a bow; and having his standard made of gold, he had also the mystical mark Sribatsa on his breast; he was robed in yellow raiment and embellished with ear rings, and a tiara. When the god, whose emblem is Garuda, saw him, he laughed aloud and engaged in encounter with the hostile army of cavalry and elephants fighting with swords, scimitars, maces, tridents spears and bows. Showering upon the enemy the arrows from his Sāranga bow and hurling at them his mace and discus he soon destroyed both the army of Paundrāka and that of the king of Kāsi. He then addressed the former who was foolishly wearing his emblems saying:—"Paundrāka, you wanted me through your messenger, to resign to you all my insignia, I now deliver them to you. Here is my discus; here is my mace; and here is Garuda, let him mount upon thy banner". Saying this he discharged the discus and mace by which Paundrāka was sundered to pieces and cast on the ground; whilst the Garuda which was on the banner of Paundrāka was destroyed by the Garuda of Vishnu. Beholding this the people cried "Alas! alas"; but the brave king still siding the imposture of his friend carried on the encounter till Sauri cut off his head with his arrows and shot into the city of Kāsi to the surprise of all the inhabitants. Having thus destroyed Paundrāka and the king of Kāsi with all their retinue Sauri came back to Dwārakā where he resided enjoying heavenly delights.When the inhabitants of Kāsi beheld the head of their king shot into the city they were much surprised and wondered how it could have been accomplished. Having come to know that the king had been slain by Krishna, the king's son together with the priest of the family propitiated Sankara. Well pleased on account of being worshipped in the sacred place Avimuktā the deity asked the prince to pray for a boon, on which he said:—"O lord, mighty god, through thy favour, let thy mystic spirit slay Krishna, the murderer of my father!""It shall be so" answered Sankara and from out of the southern fire up sprang a vast and formidable female like flame out of fire, blazing with ruddy light and fiery radiance streaming amidst her hair. Worked up with ire she called upon Krishna and departed to Dwārakā. There the people seeing her were struck with terror and fled for protection to the slayer of Madhu the refuge all worlds. Understanding that the fiend had been created by the son of the king of Kāsi through his worship of the deity whose emblem is the bull, the wielder of the discus being engaged in sport and playing at dice said to the discus "Kill this dreadful creature whose tresses are of plaited flame". Accordingly Sudarshana, the discus of Vishnu, attacked the fiend in no time, dreadfully covered with fire and wearing tresses of plaited flame. Terrified at the might of Sudarshana, the creation of Maheswara did not wait for his attack but fled quickly followed by him with equal velocity until she arrived at Varānashi repelled by the superior prowess of the discus of Vishnu.The arms of the king of Kāsi and the whole number of the attendant divinities of Siva armed with various weapons marched out to oppose the discus. But an expert in the use of arms he consumed the whole host by his radiance and then set fire to the city, in which the magic power of Siva had concealed herself. Thus was Varanashi burnt with all its princes and their followers, its inhabitants, elephants, horses and men, treasures and granaries, houses, palaces and markets. The whole of the city that was inaccessible to the celestials was thus covered with flames by the discus of Hari and was totally destroyed. The discus, with unsoothed wrath, blazing fiercely and not satisfied with the accomplishment of so easy a task, then returned to the hands of Vishnu.
SECTION XXXIV.Maiteya said:—"Having achieved a mortal form Sauri performed mighty achievements and discomfitted Sakra and Siva and all other attendant divinities. O great sir, do thou also describe unto me, his other exploits by which he humiliated the prowess of the celestials; I am desirous to hear them".Parāçara said:—Hear with respectful attention, O Brāhman, as described by me of the burning of Vārānashi by Krishna in the course of his relieving the burden of the earth.There was a king of Pundra, who was known as Vasudeva and flattered by the ignorant people as the descended deity until he thought himself to be the Vāsudeva who had come down upon earth. Forgetting his real character he assumed the emblems of Vishnu and sent an ambassador to the high-minded Krishna with this message. "Give up thy discus, O foolish man, lay aside all my insignia, my name and the character of Vāsudeva and come and do me homage and I shall grant thee, the means of subsistence". Hearing those words and laughing, Janārddana said to the messenger "Go back, messenger to Paundraka and tell him in my name 'I shall hand over my emblem, the discus to him. Thou wilt properly understand my meaning and consider what is to be done; for I shall come to thy city bringing the discus with me and shall surely give it over to thee. If thou dost command me to come I immediately obey and be with thee tomorrow and shall not delay, and having sought thy protection I shall so manage, O king, that I shall not have to fear anything from thee.'" So saying he sent away the messenger to communicate these words unto the sovereign, and summoning Garuda mounted him and started for the city of Paundrāka.When the king of Kāsi heard of the preparations of Kesava he sent his army to help Paundrāka, himself bringing up the rear, and with the army of the king of Kāsi and his own troops, the false Vasudeva marched to meet Krishna. He beheld him at a distance standing in his car holding a disc, a club, a mace, a scimitar and a lotus in his hands adorned with a garland of flowers, and bearing a bow; and having his standard made of gold, he had also the mystical mark Sribatsa on his breast; he was robed in yellow raiment and embellished with ear rings, and a tiara. When the god, whose emblem is Garuda, saw him, he laughed aloud and engaged in encounter with the hostile army of cavalry and elephants fighting with swords, scimitars, maces, tridents spears and bows. Showering upon the enemy the arrows from his Sāranga bow and hurling at them his mace and discus he soon destroyed both the army of Paundrāka and that of the king of Kāsi. He then addressed the former who was foolishly wearing his emblems saying:—"Paundrāka, you wanted me through your messenger, to resign to you all my insignia, I now deliver them to you. Here is my discus; here is my mace; and here is Garuda, let him mount upon thy banner". Saying this he discharged the discus and mace by which Paundrāka was sundered to pieces and cast on the ground; whilst the Garuda which was on the banner of Paundrāka was destroyed by the Garuda of Vishnu. Beholding this the people cried "Alas! alas"; but the brave king still siding the imposture of his friend carried on the encounter till Sauri cut off his head with his arrows and shot into the city of Kāsi to the surprise of all the inhabitants. Having thus destroyed Paundrāka and the king of Kāsi with all their retinue Sauri came back to Dwārakā where he resided enjoying heavenly delights.When the inhabitants of Kāsi beheld the head of their king shot into the city they were much surprised and wondered how it could have been accomplished. Having come to know that the king had been slain by Krishna, the king's son together with the priest of the family propitiated Sankara. Well pleased on account of being worshipped in the sacred place Avimuktā the deity asked the prince to pray for a boon, on which he said:—"O lord, mighty god, through thy favour, let thy mystic spirit slay Krishna, the murderer of my father!""It shall be so" answered Sankara and from out of the southern fire up sprang a vast and formidable female like flame out of fire, blazing with ruddy light and fiery radiance streaming amidst her hair. Worked up with ire she called upon Krishna and departed to Dwārakā. There the people seeing her were struck with terror and fled for protection to the slayer of Madhu the refuge all worlds. Understanding that the fiend had been created by the son of the king of Kāsi through his worship of the deity whose emblem is the bull, the wielder of the discus being engaged in sport and playing at dice said to the discus "Kill this dreadful creature whose tresses are of plaited flame". Accordingly Sudarshana, the discus of Vishnu, attacked the fiend in no time, dreadfully covered with fire and wearing tresses of plaited flame. Terrified at the might of Sudarshana, the creation of Maheswara did not wait for his attack but fled quickly followed by him with equal velocity until she arrived at Varānashi repelled by the superior prowess of the discus of Vishnu.The arms of the king of Kāsi and the whole number of the attendant divinities of Siva armed with various weapons marched out to oppose the discus. But an expert in the use of arms he consumed the whole host by his radiance and then set fire to the city, in which the magic power of Siva had concealed herself. Thus was Varanashi burnt with all its princes and their followers, its inhabitants, elephants, horses and men, treasures and granaries, houses, palaces and markets. The whole of the city that was inaccessible to the celestials was thus covered with flames by the discus of Hari and was totally destroyed. The discus, with unsoothed wrath, blazing fiercely and not satisfied with the accomplishment of so easy a task, then returned to the hands of Vishnu.
Maiteya said:—"Having achieved a mortal form Sauri performed mighty achievements and discomfitted Sakra and Siva and all other attendant divinities. O great sir, do thou also describe unto me, his other exploits by which he humiliated the prowess of the celestials; I am desirous to hear them".
Parāçara said:—Hear with respectful attention, O Brāhman, as described by me of the burning of Vārānashi by Krishna in the course of his relieving the burden of the earth.
There was a king of Pundra, who was known as Vasudeva and flattered by the ignorant people as the descended deity until he thought himself to be the Vāsudeva who had come down upon earth. Forgetting his real character he assumed the emblems of Vishnu and sent an ambassador to the high-minded Krishna with this message. "Give up thy discus, O foolish man, lay aside all my insignia, my name and the character of Vāsudeva and come and do me homage and I shall grant thee, the means of subsistence". Hearing those words and laughing, Janārddana said to the messenger "Go back, messenger to Paundraka and tell him in my name 'I shall hand over my emblem, the discus to him. Thou wilt properly understand my meaning and consider what is to be done; for I shall come to thy city bringing the discus with me and shall surely give it over to thee. If thou dost command me to come I immediately obey and be with thee tomorrow and shall not delay, and having sought thy protection I shall so manage, O king, that I shall not have to fear anything from thee.'" So saying he sent away the messenger to communicate these words unto the sovereign, and summoning Garuda mounted him and started for the city of Paundrāka.
When the king of Kāsi heard of the preparations of Kesava he sent his army to help Paundrāka, himself bringing up the rear, and with the army of the king of Kāsi and his own troops, the false Vasudeva marched to meet Krishna. He beheld him at a distance standing in his car holding a disc, a club, a mace, a scimitar and a lotus in his hands adorned with a garland of flowers, and bearing a bow; and having his standard made of gold, he had also the mystical mark Sribatsa on his breast; he was robed in yellow raiment and embellished with ear rings, and a tiara. When the god, whose emblem is Garuda, saw him, he laughed aloud and engaged in encounter with the hostile army of cavalry and elephants fighting with swords, scimitars, maces, tridents spears and bows. Showering upon the enemy the arrows from his Sāranga bow and hurling at them his mace and discus he soon destroyed both the army of Paundrāka and that of the king of Kāsi. He then addressed the former who was foolishly wearing his emblems saying:—"Paundrāka, you wanted me through your messenger, to resign to you all my insignia, I now deliver them to you. Here is my discus; here is my mace; and here is Garuda, let him mount upon thy banner". Saying this he discharged the discus and mace by which Paundrāka was sundered to pieces and cast on the ground; whilst the Garuda which was on the banner of Paundrāka was destroyed by the Garuda of Vishnu. Beholding this the people cried "Alas! alas"; but the brave king still siding the imposture of his friend carried on the encounter till Sauri cut off his head with his arrows and shot into the city of Kāsi to the surprise of all the inhabitants. Having thus destroyed Paundrāka and the king of Kāsi with all their retinue Sauri came back to Dwārakā where he resided enjoying heavenly delights.
When the inhabitants of Kāsi beheld the head of their king shot into the city they were much surprised and wondered how it could have been accomplished. Having come to know that the king had been slain by Krishna, the king's son together with the priest of the family propitiated Sankara. Well pleased on account of being worshipped in the sacred place Avimuktā the deity asked the prince to pray for a boon, on which he said:—"O lord, mighty god, through thy favour, let thy mystic spirit slay Krishna, the murderer of my father!"
"It shall be so" answered Sankara and from out of the southern fire up sprang a vast and formidable female like flame out of fire, blazing with ruddy light and fiery radiance streaming amidst her hair. Worked up with ire she called upon Krishna and departed to Dwārakā. There the people seeing her were struck with terror and fled for protection to the slayer of Madhu the refuge all worlds. Understanding that the fiend had been created by the son of the king of Kāsi through his worship of the deity whose emblem is the bull, the wielder of the discus being engaged in sport and playing at dice said to the discus "Kill this dreadful creature whose tresses are of plaited flame". Accordingly Sudarshana, the discus of Vishnu, attacked the fiend in no time, dreadfully covered with fire and wearing tresses of plaited flame. Terrified at the might of Sudarshana, the creation of Maheswara did not wait for his attack but fled quickly followed by him with equal velocity until she arrived at Varānashi repelled by the superior prowess of the discus of Vishnu.
The arms of the king of Kāsi and the whole number of the attendant divinities of Siva armed with various weapons marched out to oppose the discus. But an expert in the use of arms he consumed the whole host by his radiance and then set fire to the city, in which the magic power of Siva had concealed herself. Thus was Varanashi burnt with all its princes and their followers, its inhabitants, elephants, horses and men, treasures and granaries, houses, palaces and markets. The whole of the city that was inaccessible to the celestials was thus covered with flames by the discus of Hari and was totally destroyed. The discus, with unsoothed wrath, blazing fiercely and not satisfied with the accomplishment of so easy a task, then returned to the hands of Vishnu.