yadhavabhyudhaya-chapter11

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Chapter-11- Battle with Jarasandha and building of Dvaraka

 

Jarasandha, the father- in- law of Kamsa, attacked Mathura eighteen times and was defeated by Krishna and Balarama, who acquired their weapons, the disc, chakra and the plough respectively. Krishna did not kill jarasandha because he was destined to be killed by Bhima. Then Mathura was besieged by Kalayavana , who was created by Garga maharshi out of spite for yadhavas who insulted him. Krishna didi not kill him due to respect for the power of the sage Garga but he was destroyed by Muchukunda when he chased Krishna who went inside the cave where Muchukunda was sleeping. These episodes are described in more detailed manner in Srimadbhagavatha but Desika only make s a fleeting mention to it.

 

Then in consideration of the people of Mathura who were constantly troubled by the attacks from enemy kings, Krishna wished to construct a city which would be invincible and decided to leave Mathura.Here it should be noted that he city which is known as Mathura in modern times might have been called Madhura in ancient times because in Srimadbhagavatham it is mentioned as Madhura only.Desika also mentions it so and says that Krishhna left the city of his ancestors as Parasurama left the earth conquered by him and as Rama left Ayodhya. But the city retained its glory because Krishna manifested there and his presence in the city became permanent for the devotees. But the city lost its mAdhurya,sweeteness and remained as madhura only in a name, 'nAmnaivamAdhuryavathee thadhAseeth'.It became divested of its glamour as all the people and things there were transported to the new city and Desika compares it poetically to a river devoid of swans and lotuses, 'ahamsapadhmAm iva vAhineem', the night bereft of moon and the stars,'veethEndhuthArAmiva vAsathEyeem' and the place of yajna after the rituals are over, 'samApthakAryAm iva sathra SAlAm.'

 

Srimadbhagavatham says that Krishna transported all in Mathura to Dvaraka in a single night by His yoga maya after creating it in a moment through Visvakarma but Desika describes the travel to the seashore by Krishna with his army elaborately.

 

prAcheem anadhrthya nivAsa bhoomim

prthyangmukheem paddhathim AdhdhAnA

sTHiram padham prApthum iyEsha senA

satthvAdhikA dheeriva sAthvathAnAm ( Yad.11.15)

 

The army,which was strong, satthvAdhikA, left its residence, nivAsabhoomi, in the east,prAchee, and went towards the west,prathyang,wishing for a permanent residence, sTHiram padham.Desika, the vedanthacharya, compares this to the intellect, DHee of the devotees which filled with satthvaguna, satthvADhika, leave the inferior path of worldliness which is prAchee, followed from time immemorial, and proceeds towards the path of the self, prathyang, meaning prathyagAthma to attain salvation, sThiram padham.

 

The mighty army resembled a sea by its elephants roaming like the crocodiles, the horses galloping like the waves and thus it was apoorva like the sea ( apoorva means west as well as 'unseen before') and the sea itself was agitated as though fearing that it was no river,vAhinee coming to join it but an army. (vAhinee means river as well as an army.. And hence it looked as though two forces were preparing to fight each other.The poetic fervour of Desika surfaces by the description of the sea. The sound of the waves was subdued by that of the army as though the sea accepted defeat and by the rising waves, the sea seemed to offer arghya with its hands and welcome the Lord with folded hands who returned to His residence after a long time.

 

Krishna called the king of the sea and commanded him to provide an island resembling the land of the devas and in that island Visvakarma, the celestial architect constructed a city by the order of Brahma and other devas. The city was incomparable and Krishna made all people from Mathura enter the new city.Desika says that it was even superior to Vaikunta. The devas seeing the city on the sea and their own city, Amaravathi in the sky, thought that one is the reflection of the other.

Desika gives a luxurious description of the city at length.