Krishna Meets Uttanka and Is Threatened with a Curse

Verse 1 (14.53.1)

तथा प्रयान्तं वार्ष्णेयं द्वारकां भरतर्षभाः । परिष्वज्य न्यवर्तन्त सानुयात्राः परंतपाः ॥

tathā prayāntaṃ vārṣṇeyaṃ dvārakāṃ bharatarṣabhāḥ | pariṣvajya nyavartanta sānuyātrāḥ paraṃtapāḥ

As Vrishni's son went on his way to Dvaraka, the bulls of the Bharatas, those scorchers of foes, embraced him and turned back with their retinues.

Verse 2 (14.53.2)

पुनःपुनश्च वार्ष्णेयं पर्यष्वजत फल्गुनः । आचक्षुर्विषयाच्चैनं स ददर्श पुनःपुनः ॥

punaḥpunaśca vārṣṇeyaṃ paryaṣvajata phalgunaḥ | ācakṣurviṣayāccainaṃ sa dadarśa punaḥpunaḥ

Phalguna embraced the Vrishni again and again, and as far as the eye could reach he kept looking at him, again and again.

Verse 3 (14.53.3)

कृच्छ्रेणैव तु तां पार्थो गोविन्दे विनिवेशिताम् । संजहार ततो दृष्टिं कृष्णश्चाप्यपराजितः ॥

kṛcchreṇaiva tu tāṃ pārtho govinde viniveśitām | saṃjahāra tato dṛṣṭiṃ kṛṣṇaścāpyaparājitaḥ

With difficulty Partha drew back his gaze, which was fixed on Govinda; and the unconquered Krishna too turned his eyes away.

Note on the text: Corrected पार्तो → पार्थो (misprint in Wikisource; the name is Partha). Wikisource's तु / ततो differ from the critical edition's ca / tadā (recension variants, kept).

Verse 4 (14.53.4)

तस्य प्रयाणे यान्यासन्निमित्तानि महात्मनः । बहून्यद्भुतरूपाणि तानि मे गदतः शृणु ॥

tasya prayāṇe yānyāsannimittāni mahātmanaḥ | bahūnyadbhutarūpāṇi tāni me gadataḥ śṛṇu

Listen as I tell you of the many wondrous omens that appeared as that great-souled one journeyed.

Verse 5 (14.53.5)

वायुर्वेगेन महता रथस्य पुरतो ववौ । कुर्वन्निःशर्करं मार्गं विरजस्कमकण्टकम् ॥

vāyurvegena mahatā rathasya purato vavau | kurvanniḥśarkaraṃ mārgaṃ virajaskamakaṇṭakam

A wind blew with great force ahead of the chariot, making the road free of gravel, dust and thorns.

Verse 6 (14.53.6)

ववर्ष वासवश्चैव तोयं शुचि सुगन्धि च । दिव्यानि चैव पुष्पाणि पुरतः शाङ्गधन्वनः ॥

vavarṣa vāsavaścaiva toyaṃ śuci sugandhi ca | divyāni caiva puṣpāṇi purataḥ śāṅgadhanvanaḥ

Vasava rained pure and fragrant water, and divine flowers fell before the wielder of the Sharnga bow.

Verse 7 (14.53.7)

स प्रयातो महाबाहुः समेषु मरुधन्वसु । ददर्शाथ मुनिश्रेष्ठमुदङ्कममितौजसम् ॥

sa prayāto mahābāhuḥ sameṣu marudhanvasu | dadarśātha muniśreṣṭhamudaṅkamamitaujasam

The mighty-armed one went on across the level desert lands and then saw the best of sages, Uttanka, of boundless vigour.

Verse 8 (14.53.8)

महर्षिं सिद्धतपसं सर्वलोकान्तविश्रुतम् । स तं सम्पूज्य तेजस्वी मुनिं पृथुललोचनः । पूजितस्तेन च तदा पर्यपृच्छदनामयम् ॥

maharṣiṃ siddhatapasaṃ sarvalokāntaviśrutam | sa taṃ sampūjya tejasvī muniṃ pṛthulalocanaḥ | pūjitastena ca tadā paryapṛcchadanāmayam

He saw the great seer, perfected in austerity, renowned to the ends of all the worlds. The radiant, broad-eyed Krishna honoured the sage, was honoured by him in turn, and asked after his well-being.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 14.52.7d*0104_01 (not in the constituted text); lines 2–3 = CE 14.52.8a,c. Stray backticks and quote mark around line 1 removed.

Verse 9 (14.53.9)

स पृष्टः कुशलं तेन सम्पूज्य मधुसूदनम् । उदङ्को ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठस्ततः पप्रच्छ माधवम् ॥

sa pṛṣṭaḥ kuśalaṃ tena sampūjya madhusūdanam | udaṅko brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhastataḥ papraccha mādhavam

Asked about his welfare by him, and having honoured Madhusudana, Uttanka, best of Brahmins, then questioned Madhava.

Verse 10 (14.53.10)

कच्चिच्छौरे त्वया गत्वा कुरुपाण्डवसद्म तत् । कृतं सौभ्रात्रमचलं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥

kaccicchaure tvayā gatvā kurupāṇḍavasadma tat | kṛtaṃ saubhrātramacalaṃ tanme vyākhyātumarhasi

"Did you, O descendant of Shura, go to the house of the Kurus and the Pandavas and make a firm brotherly peace? Please tell me of it.

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka's own words (the page prints no heading for him; the input carried over वैशम्पायन from verse 1).

Verse 11 (14.53.11)

अपि सन्धाय तान्वीरानुपावृत्तोऽसि केशव । सम्बन्धिनः स्वदयितान्सततं वृष्णिपुङ्गव ॥

api sandhāya tānvīrānupāvṛtto'si keśava | sambandhinaḥ svadayitānsatataṃ vṛṣṇipuṅgava

Have you come back, O Keshava, after reconciling those heroes, your kinsmen, who are always dear to you, O bull of the Vrishnis?

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka's own words (the page prints no heading for him; the input carried over वैशम्पायन from verse 1). Corrected सम्बन्दिनःक → सम्बन्धिनः (misprint in Wikisource: द for ध, and a stray क that is a manuscript siglum run into the text; the critical edition reads saṃbandhinaḥ) and उपावृत्तोसि → उपावृत्तोऽसि (missing avagraha). Wikisource's अपि सन्धाय … स्वदयितान् are recension variants of the critical edition's abhisaṃdhāya … sudayitān, kept.

Verse 12 (14.53.12)

कच्चित्पाण्डुसुताः पञ्च धृतराष्ट्रस्य चात्मजाः । लोकेषु विहरिष्यन्ति त्वया सह परंतप ॥

kaccitpāṇḍusutāḥ pañca dhṛtarāṣṭrasya cātmajāḥ | lokeṣu vihariṣyanti tvayā saha paraṃtapa

Will the five sons of Pandu and the sons of Dhritarashtra live together in the world with you, O scorcher of foes?

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka's own words (the page prints no heading for him; the input carried over वैशम्पायन from verse 1).

Verse 13 (14.53.13)

स्वराष्ट्रे ते च राजानः कच्चित्प्राप्स्यन्ति वै सुखम् । कौरवेषु प्रशान्तेषु त्वया नाथेन केशव ॥

svarāṣṭre te ca rājānaḥ kaccitprāpsyanti vai sukham | kauraveṣu praśānteṣu tvayā nāthena keśava

And will those kings find happiness in their own realms, O Keshava, now that the Kurus are at peace and you are their protector?

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka's own words (the page prints no heading for him; the input carried over वैशम्पायन from verse 1).

Verse 14 (14.53.14)

या मे सम्भावना तात त्वयि नित्यमवर्तत । अपि सा सफला तात कृता ते भरतान्प्रति ॥

yā me sambhāvanā tāta tvayi nityamavartata | api sā saphalā tāta kṛtā te bharatānprati

The hope I always held in you, dear friend: has it borne fruit, dear one, in what you have done for the Bharatas?"

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka's own words (the page prints no heading for him; the input carried over वैशम्पायन from verse 1).

Verse 15 (14.53.15)

कृतो यत्नो मया पूर्वं सौशाम्ये कौरवान्प्रति । नाशक्यन्त यदा साम्ये ते स्थापयितुमञ्जसा ॥

kṛto yatno mayā pūrvaṃ sauśāmye kauravānprati | nāśakyanta yadā sāmye te sthāpayitumañjasā

"I made an effort earlier to bring the Kauravas to a good peace; but when they could not be brought to settle on terms of equality by gentle means,

Note on the text: CE 14.52.15 is headed vāsudeva uvāca; the page heading श्रीभगवानुवाच is kept. Wikisource's line 1 (सौशाम्ये … पूर्वं) is a variant of the critical edition's saubhrātre … brahman, and its line 2 is the critical edition's star line 14.52.15d*0105_01 (nāśakyanta yadā sāmye te sthāpayitum añjasā) in place of na cāśakyanta saṃdhātuṃ te 'dharmarucayo mayā; kept as printed.

Verse 16 (14.53.16)

न दिष्टमप्यतिक्रान्तुं शक्यं बुद्ध्या बलेन वा । महर्षे विदितं भूयः सर्वमेतत्तवानघ ॥

na diṣṭamapyatikrāntuṃ śakyaṃ buddhyā balena vā | maharṣe viditaṃ bhūyaḥ sarvametattavānagha

then destiny cannot be overstepped by wit or by strength. All of this is known to you, O great sage, sinless one.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 14.52.16c and 16e (maharṣe viditaṃ nūnaṃ …; Wikisource reads भूयः where the critical edition has nūnaṃ, recension variant, kept); the critical edition's 14.52.16a (tatas te nidhanaṃ prāptāḥ sarve sasutabāndhavāḥ) has no counterpart here, though verse 18 ends with a similar line.

Verse 17 (14.53.17)

तेऽत्यक्रामन्मतिं मह्यं भीष्मस्य विदुरस्य च । ततो यमक्षयं जग्मुः समासाद्येतरेतरम् ॥

te'tyakrāmanmatiṃ mahyaṃ bhīṣmasya vidurasya ca | tato yamakṣayaṃ jagmuḥ samāsādyetaretaram

They disregarded the counsel of me, of Bhishma, and of Vidura; and so they went to Yama's abode, meeting one another in battle.

Verse 18 (14.53.18)

पञ्चैव पाण्डवाः शिष्टा इतमित्रा हतात्मजाः । धार्तराष्ट्राश्च निहताः सर्वे ससुतबान्धवाः ॥

pañcaiva pāṇḍavāḥ śiṣṭā itamitrā hatātmajāḥ | dhārtarāṣṭrāśca nihatāḥ sarve sasutabāndhavāḥ

Only the five Pandavas remain, bereft of friends and sons; and the sons of Dhritarashtra have all been killed, with their sons and kinsmen."

Verse 19 (14.53.19)

इत्युक्तवचने कृष्णे भृशं क्रोधसमन्वितः । उदङ्क इत्युवाचैनं रोषादुत्फुल्ललोचनः ॥

ityuktavacane kṛṣṇe bhṛśaṃ krodhasamanvitaḥ | udaṅka ityuvācainaṃ roṣādutphullalocanaḥ

When Krishna had spoken thus, Uttanka, filled with great anger, his eyes wide with rage, answered him.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (the input carried over श्रीभगवान्; the critical edition also prints no heading until vāsudeva uvāca at 14.52.23).

Verse 20 (14.53.20)

यस्माच्छक्तेन ते कृष्ण न त्राताः कुरुपुङ्गवाः । सम्बन्धिनः प्रियास्तस्माच्छप्स्येऽहं त्वामसंशयम् ॥

yasmācchaktena te kṛṣṇa na trātāḥ kurupuṅgavāḥ | sambandhinaḥ priyāstasmācchapsye'haṃ tvāmasaṃśayam

"Since, though you were able, you did not save the Kuru chiefs, your kinsmen and dear ones, I shall curse you, without a doubt.

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka (the input carried over श्रीभगवान्; verse 19 introduces his speech).

Verse 21 (14.53.21)

न च ते प्रसभं यस्मात्ते निगृह्य निवारिताः । तस्मान्मन्युपरीतस्त्वां शप्स्यामि मधुसूदन ॥

na ca te prasabhaṃ yasmātte nigṛhya nivāritāḥ | tasmānmanyuparītastvāṃ śapsyāmi madhusūdana

And since you did not forcibly seize and hold them back, therefore, gripped by anger, I shall curse you, Madhusudana.

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka (the input carried over श्रीभगवान्).

Verse 22 (14.53.22)

त्वया शक्तेन हि सता मिथ्याचारेण माधव । ते परीताः कुरुश्रेष्ठा नश्यन्तः स्म ह्युपेक्षिताः ॥

tvayā śaktena hi satā mithyācāreṇa mādhava | te parītāḥ kuruśreṣṭhā naśyantaḥ sma hyupekṣitāḥ

You were able, yet you acted deceitfully, O Madhava; those best of the Kurus, hemmed in by their doom, were left unregarded as they perished."

Note on the text: Speaker: Uttanka (the input carried over श्रीभगवान्). Corrected मिथ्याचारेणि → मिथ्याचारेण (misprint in Wikisource; instrumental ending, the critical edition reads mithyācāreṇa). Line 2 is a recension variant of the critical edition's upacīrṇāḥ kuruśreṣṭhā yas tv etān samupekṣathāḥ, kept.

Verse 23 (14.53.23)

शृणु मे विस्तरेणेदं यद्वक्ष्ये भृगुनन्दन । गृहाणानुनयं चापि तपस्वी ह्यसि भार्गव ॥

śṛṇu me vistareṇedaṃ yadvakṣye bhṛgunandana | gṛhāṇānunayaṃ cāpi tapasvī hyasi bhārgava

"Listen to me while I explain this at length, O descendant of Bhrigu, and accept my entreaty, for you are an ascetic, O Bhargava.

Note on the text: Corrected भार्गवम् → भार्गव (misprint in Wikisource; vocative, the critical edition reads bhārgava).

Verse 24 (14.53.24)

श्रुत्वा च मे तदध्यात्मं मुञ्चेथाः शापमद्य वै । न च मां तपसाऽल्पेन शक्तोऽभिभवितुं पुमान् ॥

śrutvā ca me tadadhyātmaṃ muñcethāḥ śāpamadya vai | na ca māṃ tapasā'lpena śakto'bhibhavituṃ pumān

Having heard from me that teaching about the Self, release your curse today. No man can overcome me with a little austerity.

Verse 25 (14.53.25)

न च ते तपसो नाशमिच्छामि तपतां वर । तपस्ते सुमहद्दीप्तं गुरवश्चापि तोषिताः ॥

na ca te tapaso nāśamicchāmi tapatāṃ vara | tapaste sumahaddīptaṃ guravaścāpi toṣitāḥ

And I do not wish the loss of your austerity, O best of ascetics. Your austerity blazes greatly, and your teachers too have been pleased.

Verse 26 (14.53.26)

कौमारं ब्रह्मचर्यं ते जानामि द्विजसत्तम । दुःखार्जितस्य तपसस्तस्मान्नेच्छामि ते व्ययम् ॥

kaumāraṃ brahmacaryaṃ te jānāmi dvijasattama | duḥkhārjitasya tapasastasmānnecchāmi te vyayam

I know your celibacy from boyhood, O best of the twice-born; therefore I do not wish the waste of austerity won with such pain."

Note on the text: Corrected नेच्चामि → नेच्छामि (misprint in Wikisource; च for छ) and तेऽव्ययम् → ते व्ययम् (misprint in Wikisource; the sense is "loss/waste", not "imperishable", and the critical edition reads necchāmi te vyayam).