Post by Jagannāth Miśra Dās on Jun 13, 2024 2:17:41 GMT -6
Water Sports In Dvārakā
Vaiśampāyan continues talking to Janamejaya:
“O son of Bharata, Krishna, the possessor of matchless splendour, after consigning the reigns of governance to Ugrasena, leaves Dvārakā aboard a pleasure-boat to visit a sacred shrine at piṇḍāraka-tīrtha together with Balarāma and all the Yadu princes. The illustrious Yādava princes set sail in their own private vessels, and thousands of dancing-girls arrayed in beautiful costumes and adorned in the finest jewellery, accompanied each prince (4-7.) These valiant Yādava heroes conquered innumerable demonic kings and secured, for their own amorous indulgence, the courtesans from the harems of those vanquished monarchs (8.) They were escorted back to Dvārakā, and became the common play-things for the Yādu princes. All of them could be made use of by the princes, who could desire and resort to any one of them. To insure that the Yādu chieftains would not suffer from any internal feuds over women, the intelligent Krishna established this practice among his Yādava clan. Referred to as rājanya-veśa-yoṣita (royal courtesans) they were reserved for the exclusive pleasure of the princes alone (9-10.) The glorious Balārama, foremost of the Yadu’s, inebriated with wine and laden with garlands of wild-flowers, delighted himself only in the society of his beloved Revati. Together they appear like two love-drunk cakravāka-birds, as they gently embark for water-sports on the ocean (11-12.) Elsewhere, lotus-eyed Govinda enjoys water sports with sixteen thousand beauties, taking as many forms as are the number of damsels. On that particular evening, every queen of Krishna believed that she was surely the most beloved of lord Keśava as (each one of the queens felt that) he was enjoying water sports with her alone (13-14.) All of Krishna’s sixteen thousand consorts held him in their utmost regard, and were thrilled to observe that every one of them was laden with indiscreet love-marks incurred during their amorous encounters with him (15.) All the queens spoke of their utmost joy (in having Krishna as her married Lord) and whilst mutually praising their own good fortunes, they further declaring that each and every one of them was truly loved by Krishna (16.) Krishna’s lotus-eyed brides, were charmed and amused as they gazed at each others breasts, clearly mantled with his nail scratches, and upon his teeth marks left on each others lips (17.) And as they all lovingly gazed upon him whose eyes and face resemble the lotus flower, they burst forth once again into joyful songs in praise of him (18.) These dearly beloveds of Krishna, whose hearts and eyes were habitually devoted to him, now looked even more beautiful than ever before (decorated as they are with Krishna’s love-scratches whilst they sing for him in unison) (19.) It was after all Lord Nārāyana himself who kept them content by fulfilling all their inner longings, and by devoting their hearts to one person alone, they never felt jealous of one another (20.) All of them appeared most charming, and conscious of their own worth in being the beloveds of Krishna, they held their heads high with graceful dignity (21.) Śri Krishna, who is the master of his own self, enjoyed, by appearing in countless forms, water-sports with all his queens in the spotlessly pure water. (22.) Obedient to the mandate of Vāsudeva, the ocean was now entirely free from salt, full of delectable fragrances, immaculate, tasteful and auspicious (23.) To serve and facilitate the frolicsome requirements of those damsels, the water of the ocean became at times knee-deep, at other times thigh-deep, and sometimes it rose (according to the wishes of the queens) to the level of their lotus-breasts. Now, from each and every direction, the queens of Lord Krishna began splashing water over him, and as they did so, they looked like rows of pearly-white waves; and when Krishna sprays them back in return, he appears somewhat like a monsoon-cloud, drenching, with torrential outbursts, many blossoming flowery vines (24-25.) A certain doe-eyed bride, circled her arms around Krishna’s neck, and spoke to him saying: “O mighty warrior, kindly embrace me. Entwine me in your arms, otherwise, I will drown you in the water (26.)” Some of those fair-limbed princesses floated at ease upon boats designed in the shape of turtles, serpents and peacocks, while others boarded wooden boats that had been curiously fashioned in the shape of crocodiles, fish and other such creatures. Some other queens, for the sole delight of Lord Krishna, swam in such a manner that their pitcher-like breasts were clearly exposed (27-29.) The best of gods, Krishna, blissfully enjoyed himself, lost in the joy of water-sport with his principal queen, Rukmiṇī. All his other pretty-brides behaved in such a way that would bring joy to Krishna; and those lotus-eyed beauties, attired in exquisitely fine cloth, also began to play in various ways with Krishna in the water (30-31.) Whatever desires happen to arise in the minds of any one of Krishna’s queens, the Lord, comprehending the hearts of all of them, acted in a way to please them, and thus he captured each and every one of them. But yet, even although he is Hrisikeśa (Lord of the senses) he fell, according to the exigencies of time, under the sway and subjugation of his beloveds (32-33.) Every queen upheld the chaste honour of her family, considered Janārdana alone a most fitting and suitable spouse for her, and their union with him likewise agreeable with the particular expectations of her own family traditions. Those talented and prudent females possessed nothing but devotion and honour for Krishna, and it was noted that they always smiled before addressing him (34-35.) Each Yādava prince was like a mine of bright virtue, and each one of them amused themselves in their own distinct parties, and within their own harems, which comfortably hosted thousands of pleasing courtesans. The very presence (of the Yādava princes and their entourages of imperial sing-song-girls) aboard their majestic sailing-ships added to the beauty of the ocean (36.) O king, those royal ladies, accomplished in the fine art of dance and song, were themselves deeply drawn towards the glorious Yādu princes (who had rescued them from the harems of demonic kings) and the princes were likewise charmed by the magnanimous hearts and sophisticated expertise of those courtly-maidens (37.) The heroic Yādu princes were spellbound by the songs they heard from their royal courtesans, which were sung to the accompaniment of the sweetest musical strains (38.) Next, Śrī Krishna, summoned the most beautiful Apsarās from Indra’s abode, headed by Pañcacūḍā, Kouveri and Mahendrī, who all then approached him with folded hands (39.) The eternal Jagadīśvara-Krishna, lifted up the Apsarās who had fallen at his feet with folded hands, and spoke reassuringly to them as he raised them in his arms (40.) “O beautiful damsels, mingle freely with these princes of the Yādava clan, and by purveying pleasure to them as their amusement-maids, you will thereby please me. Show them all the talents you possess in playing musical instruments, besides your dancing, singing, acting and other mysterious arts. Please know that all the Yadavās are different forms of my body, and by pleasing them, I shall bestow on you whatever you may desire (41-43.)” At once, complying with the request of Śrī Krishna, all the Apsarās entered the water and joined the damsels who were sporting with the Yadu princes (44.) O sinless king, when the divine Apsarās from heaven united with the courtesans of the Yādava princes, the ocean itself, now full of damsels, became most resplendent, as the clouds are set ablaze when lightening flashes in the firmament (45.) The Apsarās were able to stand on the surface of the water, as if it were land, and they began singing heavenly-songs, just as they are naturally accustomed to do in the celestial region, accompanied with music and the befitting dance to compliment their musical notes (46.) Those Apsarās, with long-tapering eyes, adorned with divine fragrant pastes, flower garlands and stunningly beautiful costumes, began to exhibit their celestial sports and amusing pageants, and thereby captured the minds of the Yādava princes (47.) Employing their curvaceous eyebrows, suggestive indications, disarming smiles, feigned disapproval and theatrical exuberance, they began to allure the minds of the princes with this astonishing spectacle (48.) The Apsarās themselves also took delight in the company of the Yādava princes, and even carried them through the air up into the sky, which intoxicated the heroic princes, who now honoured those heavenly Apsarās immensely (49.) Lord Krishna, to delight the Yādava princes, enjoyed merry-making in the sky as well, accompanied with his sixteen thousand voluptuous brides (50.) Those valorous Yādava warriors themselves possessed unfathomable strength, and were already acquainted with the astounding power of Ṣrī Krishna, and thus they felt no real wonder that they were all now suddenly sporting in the sky. They remained calm, even while experiencing this wonderful phenomenon (51.) O destroyer of the enemies and son of Bharata’s race, some of the Yadu princes even ventured to the Raivata mountain and other far away places (by the grace of the Apsaras who transported them through the airways) returning, after a short excursion, once again to Dvārakā (52.) By the grace of the effulgent Vishnu, the Lord of this universe, the salty water of the ocean had turned palatable, and once again, taking the lotus-eyed damsels by the hand, the princes freely roamed and played, sometimes in the water, and sometimes on the land. (53-54.) At the mere wish of the Yadu warriors, endless varieties of delectable eatables and sweet beverages would miraculously appear before them (55.) The Apsarās, laden with fragrant garlands of ever-fresh flowers, then provided the opportunity to the Yadu princes to enjoy them in seclusion, and in accordance with the style of love-sports they offer to the gods in heaven (56.) After the sun had set, the Andhaka clan, who can never be vanquished in battle, along with the warriors of the Vrisni clan, smeared copious amounts of aromatic pastes all over their bodies, and filled with untold delight, continued their amorous revelry, aboard ship, within the pleasure-houses (57.) O son of the Kuru race, Viśvakarma also built several types of palaces in the ships, some of which were rectangular, square, circular, or in the shape of a swastika (58.) The palaces themselves could take to any shape at will, and some appeared like mount Kailash, others like mount Mandara, and yet others like mount Meru. They could even assume the form of various species of birds, stags and wolves (59.) These floating palaces had breath-taking arches fabricated entirely from lapis-lazuli, which further added to the magnificent grandeur of the architecture. There were astonishing types of leisure-beds studded with invaluable gems like emerald, crystal and moonstones. Indeed, thousands of various jewel-encrusted pleasure-cots were strewn here and there, further enhancing the aesthetic grace of the palatial vessels (60.) Each and every love-chamber was plated in gold and deftly constructed to resemble shapes of eagles, heron-birds, parrots and elephants (61.) The boats themselves, navigated by dexterous sailors, were luminous like gold, and add to the beauty of the ocean as they gracefully sail upon the rising waves (62.) And as they sailed upon the ocean, the many golden ships of the Yādus appeared radiantly magnificent, quite like the cities of the Gandarvas in the sky (63-64.) O Bharta, within the ships themselves, Viśvakarma had also constructed gardens with trees, lakes, fountains and chariots, identical in all ways with the celestial gardens of paradise. Some ships in particular, engineered by Viśvakarma at the behest of Lord Nārāyana, boasted all the divine facilities available in the heavenly regions (65-67.) The Yādavas took particular delight in the birds of those gardens, whose sweet singing enchanted their minds. White-hued cuckoo-birds, natives of the celestial realm, now lived in the gardens and sang, for the sole pleasure of the Yādavas, in the most pleasing manner. Many peacocks also danced and mellifluously cried aloud whilst perched upon the soaring white turrets of the buildings which resembled moon-beams in colour. Several other birds flocked together and rested upon the canopies of their pleasure-boats, from which strings of aromatic flowers hung, alluring black-bees which hovered and swarmed around them (68-71.) O Lord of the earth, to alleviate the fatigue of their love-sports, a cool and pleasant breeze, carrying the scent of sandalwood, gently blew here and there further exciting amorous fancy. The finest attributes of each season perpetually surrounded the boats, and the trees (within the celestial-gardens onboard their ships) continually showered upon them a rain of fragrant flowers. To augment the delight of their love-sports, the Yādavas could even alter the temperature around them from warm and sultry, to cool and fresh, or vis-versa, in fact, they could do everything to their liking (72-74.) By the unfailing influence of Lord Cakrapāni (the Lord who wields a discus) the princes of the Yādu clan had no awareness of hunger, thirst, remorse, worry or grief (75.) The graceful wonder of the Yādava’s water-dalliances continued without disruption, the musical instruments played without interval, and there was no cessation to their dancing (76.) Each one of the Yādu princes was comparable with Indra, the Lord of Paradise, and whenever they entered the sea to amuse themselves with water-games, they made the water of the ocean perfectly still and calm for the distance of several yojanas around them (77.) Visvakarma had built one enormous vessel especially to accommodate Krishna’s sixteen thousand brides. The finest and most exquisite gems in the three worlds had been used in the construction of this vessel. For the exclusive resort of Krishna’s princesses, private amusement-chambers, which looked radiantly beautiful, had been fabricated from gold and studded with lapis lazuli and other rare gems of inestimable valuable. Within these imperial garden chambers of the princesses, richly perfumed by the flowers that grew therein, and which blossomed in all seasons, the mighty and glorious Lord of Yādavas, Krishna, along with the sweetly singing birds of paradise, revelled in delight. (78-81)
(Thought: The courtesans in Dvārakā who were allocated to pander and cater to the communal gratification of the Yādava princes were not common street-corner prostitutes. They were not so much “working-girls” but sophisticated and highly polished aristocratic escorts. They were not, or had ever been, obliged to take fees for purveying intimate favours, but were high-class talented females, disciplined in the fine arts of music, song and dance, and who roamed at will, and in accordance with Krishna’s mandate, the royal courts, pleasure-pavilions and imperial harems of the Yādava princes.)