The Vision of the Lord Granted to Rukmangada (Prepared to Slay His Son)

Verse 1

वसिष्ठ उवाच । तत्पुत्रवचनं श्रुत्वा राजा रुक्मांगदस्तदा । संध्यावलीमुखं प्रेक्ष्य प्रहृष्टकमलोपमम् ॥ १ ॥

Vasiṣṭha said: Hearing the words of his son, King Rukmāṅgada then looked upon Saṃdhyāvalī’s face—like a lotus in full bloom with joy.

Verse 2

मोहिनीवचनं श्रृण्वन्भुंक्ष्व मा हन देहजम् । मा भुंक्ष्व तनयं हिंस चेत्याग्रहसमन्वितम् ॥ २ ॥

Hearing Mohinī’s words, he insisted: “Eat—do not kill what is born of your own body. Do not eat your son; kill him instead,” speaking with stubborn insistence.

Verse 3

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु भगवान्कमलेक्षणः । अंतर्द्धानगतस्तस्थौ व्योम्नि धैर्यावलोककः ॥ ३ ॥

At that very moment, the Blessed Lord, lotus-eyed, entered concealment and remained poised in the sky, calmly observing with steady composure.

Verse 4

त्रयाणां नृपशार्दूल मेघश्यामो निरञ्जनः । धर्मांगदस्य वीरस्य तस्य रुक्मांगदस्य तु ॥ ४ ॥

O tiger among kings, of those three, the heroic Dharmāṅgada’s son—namely Rukmāṅgada—was cloud-dark in complexion and stainless in conduct.

Verse 5

संध्यावल्या समेतस्य वीशसंस्थो जनार्दनः । वचने भुंक्ष्व भुंक्ष्वेति मोहिन्या व्याहृते तदा ॥ ५ ॥

Then Janārdana (Lord Viṣṇu), seated upon the sacred seat together with Sandhyāvalī, listened as Mohinī uttered the words, “Eat, eat,” addressing him.

Verse 6

जग्राह विमलं खङ्गं हंतुं धर्मांगदं सुतम् । सुप्रहर्षेण मनसा प्रणम्य गरुडध्वजम् । तं दृष्ट्वा खङ्गहस्तं तु पितरं धर्म्मंभूषणः ॥ ६ ॥

He took up a spotless sword to slay his son, Dharmāṅgada. With a mind filled with great joy, he bowed to the Lord bearing the banner of Garuḍa. Seeing his father with sword in hand, Dharmabhūṣaṇa (the son) responded accordingly.

Verse 7

प्रणम्य मातापितरौ देवं चक्रधरं तथा । वदनं प्रेक्ष्य चादीनं जनन्या नृपपुंगवः ॥ ७ ॥

Having bowed to his mother and father, and likewise to the Lord who bears the discus, the best of kings then looked upon the face of his mother, who was afflicted and helpless.

Verse 8

वृषांगदेन तु तदा स्वग्रीवोर्वीतले कृता । कंबुग्रीवां समानां तु सुवर्णा सुकोमलाम् ॥ ८ ॥

Then Vṛṣāṅgada fashioned upon the earth’s surface a likeness of his own neck—golden, exceedingly tender, and resembling the conch-like neck of sacred beauty.

Verse 9

बहुरेखमथ स्थूलां खङ्गमार्गे ज्यदर्शयत् ॥ । पितृभक्त्या युतेनैव मातृभक्त्याधिकेन वै ॥ ९ ॥

Then, upon the path of the sword, he displayed a thick bowstring traced with many lines—endowed with devotion to the father, and with devotion yet greater to the mother.

Verse 10

ग्रीवाप्रदाने तनयस्य भूप हर्षाकुले चारुसुधांशुवक्त्रे । गृहीतखङ्गे जगदीशनाथे चचाल पृथ्वीं सनगा समग्रा ॥ १० ॥

O king, when the son offered up his own neck in surrender, and the Lord of the universe—His moonlike face overflowing with joy—took up the sword, the whole earth, with all its mountains, trembled.

Verse 11

सिंधुः प्रवृद्धश्च बभूव सद्यो निमज्ज नार्थं भुवनत्रयस्य । निपेतुरुल्काः शतशो धरायां निर्घातयुक्ताः सतडित्खमध्यात् ॥ ११ ॥

At once the ocean swelled mightily, as though to drown the three worlds; and hundreds of blazing meteors, with peals of thunder, fell upon the earth from the lightning-filled mid-sky.

Verse 12

विवर्णरूपा च बभूव मोहिनी न देवकार्यं हि कृतं मयेति । निरर्थकं जन्म ममाधुनाभूत्कृतं तु दैवेन दजगद्विधायिना ॥ १२ ॥

Then Mohinī grew pale and dispirited, thinking, “I have not fulfilled the purpose of the devas.” She lamented, “My birth has now become futile—yet it was brought about by fate, by the divine Disposer who fashions the world.”

Verse 13

विमोहनं रूपमिदं विडंबनं यद्भूमिपालेन न भुक्तमन्नम् । हरेर्दिने पापभयापहे तु तृणैः समाहं भविता त्रिविष्टपे ॥ १३ ॥

This is a deluding appearance—an irony indeed—that the king, protector of the earth, has not eaten food. Yet on Hari’s sacred day, which removes sin and the fear of sin, I shall become as lowly as a heap of grass in the heaven of Triviṣṭapa.

Verse 14

सत्वाधिको यास्यति मोक्षमार्गं गंतास्मि पाप नरकं सुदारुणम् ॥ १४ ॥

One in whom sattva predominates will proceed on the path to liberation (mokṣa); but I, sinful as I am, shall go to a most dreadful hell.

Verse 15

समुद्यते तदा खङ्गे नृपेण नृपपुंगव । मोहिनी मोहसंयुक्ता पपात धरणीतले ॥ १५ ॥

When the king—O best among rulers—raised his sword, Mohinī, overtaken by delusion, fell upon the surface of the earth.

Verse 16

राजापि तेन खङ्गेन भ्राजमानः समुद्यतः । ग्रीवायाश्छेदनार्थाय वृषांगदसुतस्य तु ॥ १६ ॥

Then the king too, raising that gleaming sword aloft, advanced—intent on severing the neck of Vṛṣāṅgada’s son.

Verse 17

सकुंडलं चारु शशिप्रकाशं भ्राजिष्णु वक्त्रं तनयस्य भूपः । प्रचिच्छिदे यावदतीव हर्षाद्धैर्यान्वितो रुक्मविभूषणोऽसौ ॥ १७ ॥

The king, adorned with golden ornaments and steady in courage, driven by overwhelming joy, was about to cut down his son’s radiant face—lovely, moon-bright, and graced with earrings.

Verse 18

तावद्गृहीतः स्वकरेण भूपः क्षीराब्धिकन्यापतिना महीपः । तुष्टोऽस्मि तुष्टोऽस्मि न संशयोऽत्र गच्छस्व लोकं मम लोकनाथ ॥ १८ ॥

Then the king was taken by the Lord’s own hand—the Consort of the Daughter of the Milk-Ocean. He said, “I am pleased, I am pleased—there is no doubt of it. O Lord of the worlds, go now to my own realm.”

Verse 19

प्रियान्वितश्चात्मजसंयुतश्च कीर्तिं समाधाय महीतले तु । त्रैलोक्यपूज्यां विमलां च शुक्लां कृत्वा पदं मूर्ध्नि यमस्य भूप ॥ १९ ॥

O king, accompanied by his beloved and united with his sons, he established his fame upon the earth; and having made it pure, bright, and worthy of worship in the three worlds, he placed his foot upon the head of Yama.

Verse 20

प्रयाहि वासं मम देहसंज्ञं स चक्रिणो भूमिपतिः करेण । संस्पृष्टमात्रो विरजा बभूव प्रियासमेतस्तनयेन युक्तः ॥ २० ॥

“Depart, and dwell in my abode that is known as this very body.” At that word, the king—bearing the discus-mark, a devotee of the Cakrin (Viṣṇu)—touched it with his hand; and by that mere contact he became free from impurity, united with his beloved wife and accompanied by his son.

Verse 21

उपेत्य वेगेन जगाम देहं देवस्य दिव्यं स नृपो महात्मा । विहाय लक्ष्मीमवनीप्रसूतां विहाय दासीःसुधनं स कोशम् ॥ २१ ॥

Having swiftly approached (the Lord), that great-souled king attained the divine body of the Deva. Abandoning earth-born prosperity, abandoning maidservants, abundant wealth, and his treasury, he departed.

Verse 22

विहाय नागांस्तुरगान्रथांश्च स्वदारवर्गं स्वजनादिकांश्च । जगाम देहं मधुसूदनस्य ततोंऽबरात्पुष्पचयः पपात ॥ २२ ॥

Abandoning elephants, horses, and chariots—along with his own household, wife and family-circle, and all his relatives—he went to the divine presence of Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu). Then, from the sky, a shower of flowers fell.

Verse 23

संहृष्टसिद्धैः सुरलोकपालैः संताडिता दुंदुभयो विनेदुः । राजन् जगुर्गीतमतीव रम्यं देवांगनाः संननृतुर्मुदान्विताः ॥ २३ ॥

Struck by the delighted Siddhas and the guardians of the celestial realms, the dundubhi kettledrums resounded. O King, songs of surpassing beauty were sung, and the heavenly maidens danced, filled with joy.

Verse 24

गन्धर्वकन्या नृपकर्मतुष्टास्तदद्भुतं प्रेक्ष्य दिनेशसूनुः । हरेस्तनौ भूमिपतिं प्रविष्टं सदारपुत्रं स्वलिपिं प्रमार्ज्य ॥ २४ ॥

Pleased with the king’s deed, the Gandharva maiden, having witnessed that marvel, reported it to the son of Dineśa (the Sun). He erased his own written record and declared that the lord of the land, together with his wife and son, had entered upon Hari’s bosom.

Verse 25

लोकांश्च सर्वान्नृपदिष्टमार्गे कृत्वा कृतज्ञान्हार्रलोकमार्गान् । भीतः पुनः प्राप्य पितामहांतिकं प्रोवाच देवं चतुराननं रुदन् ॥ २५ ॥

Having guided all the worlds along the path prescribed by the king, and having made the dwellers of Hāra’s realm (Rudra/Śiva) acknowledge their debt of gratitude, he became afraid. Then he returned to the presence of the Grandfather (Brahmā) and, weeping, spoke to the four-faced god.

Verse 26

नाहं नियोगी भविता हि देव आज्ञाविहीनः सुरलोकनाथ । विधेहि चान्यत्प्रकरोमि तात निदेशनं मास्तु मदीय दण्डम् ॥ २६ ॥

O Lord, without Your command I shall not act as an appointed agent, O sovereign of the heavenly worlds. Direct me otherwise, dear Father—I will do as instructed; let no punishment proceed from me without Your explicit order.

Verse 27

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे मोहिनीचरिते सुतवधोद्यतस्य रुक्मांगदस्य भगवद्दर्शनं नाम चतुस्त्रिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ॥ ३४ ॥

Thus ends the thirty-fourth chapter, entitled “The Vision of the Lord granted to Rukmāṅgada, who was prepared to slay his son,” in the Mohinī episode of the Uttara-bhāga of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa.