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Prem Sagar: Chapter LXIV

SHREE SHOOKDEO JEE said,--O great king! when Unroodrù had been four months bound, Narud Jee went to the city of Dwarka, and there beheld all the Judoos very sad, disconsolate and emaciated with grief. Shree Krishnù and Bulram were sitting amongst them, very thoughtful and anxious, and saying, "Who has carried off the child hence?" They were talking in this strain, and there was such weeping and lamentation in the female apartments, that no one could hear another speaking. On the arrival of Narud Jee, all persons present, both male and female, rose up to meet him, and came and stood in his presence greatly agitated and emaciated with grief, sad and shedding tears and lamenting. They afterwards joined their hands, and bowed their heads with great submissiveness, and, expressing the deepest emotion, began to enquire from Narud Jee, "Say, truly, O sage! in order that we may preserve our sinking lives, where shall we receive intelligence of Unroodrù? Say, O holy man! so that we may rely on your words." Shree Narud Jee replied, "Suffer not any anxiety of mind, and banish. all sorrow, Unroodrù Jee is alive and well at Shronitpore. He has gone there, and enjoyed amorous pleasure with the daughter of Banasoor; for which reason, he has laid hold of and bound him with a running noose; he will not, on any account,

O great king! Narud Jee departed, when he had given them this intelligence; afterwards all the descendants of Judoo went to the Raja Oogursen, and said, "O great king! we have received exact intelligence that Unroodrù Jee is at Shronitpore, at the house of Banasoor; he has enjoyed the Raja's daughter, and the Raja has, in consequence thereof, kept him bound with a running noose. What are your orders now to us?" On hearing this account, Raja Oogursen said, "Take all my army with you, and use your utmost endeavours to release and bring Unroodrù here."

When Oogursen had thus spoken, all the Judoos, O great king! took the Raja's army with them, and accompanied Bulram, and Shree Krishnù Chund, and Purdiyomun Jee, mounting on the sovereign of the feathered race, arrived before them all at Shronitpore.

Having narrated thus much, Shree Shookdeo Jee said, O great king! when Bulram Jee, taking all the army of Oogursen and sounding the large kettle-drum, went from the city of Dwarka to Shronitpore, it is impossible to describe the splendid appearance of his cavalcade. In front of all were must" elephants in rows, with huge tusks; on which the large; kettle-drum was sounded, and flags and banners were waving. Behind these, was another row of elephants with howdahs, on which the bravest, most heroical and the mightiest of the Judoos were seated, wearing coats of mail and helmets, and completely armed; immediately following, were successive lines of chariots, after them troops of horsemen were moving along on horses of all colours with collars, harness, tasselled ornaments and iron armour, making them pace as in the manege, and move in an artificial manner, and dance about and jump and plunge. In the midst of them, panegyrists were singing songs of praise, and bards were singing war songs. Behind them came the foot soldiers, thick as a host of locusts,

nocturnal animals prowled about, supposing that it was night.

Having recited thus much of' the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee, said,--O great king! when Bulram Jee, advancing with great pomp and noise, with a force of twelve complete armies, and destroying all the forts, strongholds and castles of the Raja, and laying waste his country, arrived at Shronitpore, and Shree Krishnù Chund and Purdiyomun Jee arrived also, some one in great alarm, and distracted with fear, said to Banasoor, with joined hands and bowing his head, "O great king! Krishnù and Bulram have advanced with their whole army, a and they have razed all the strongholds, forts and castles in our country and have encompassed the city on every side. What now are your orders?" Banasoor was greatly enraged at these words; and, having summoned all his great demons, said to them, "Take all; your armies outside the city, and go and oppose Krishnù and Bulram, I will also come by and bye."

On receiving this order, O great king! the demons immediately took with them twelve complete armies, and being fully equipped with arms of all kinds, stood ready to encounter Shree Krishnù and Bulram Jee; and in rear of them, Banasoor worshipping calling to mind, and meditating upon Shree Muhadeo Jee, was also ready for battle.

Shookdeo, the sage, said,--O great king! whilst Shivù Jee was meditating, his seat shook, and his meditation was interrupted; on reflecting upon this, he thought to himself, "A worshipper of

O great king! when Banasoor had thus spoken, on one side, the army of the demons was standing in battle array, and on the other, the descendants of Judoo were in a state of preparation; drums began to sound on both sides; brave, bold, resolute and mighty heroes began to arrange their weapons; and the irresolute eunuchs and cowards to fly for their lives from the field of battle. At that time Shivù Jee appeared before Shree Krishnù Chund in the form of the destroying deity. Banasoor was opposed to Bulram Jee; Uskundh encountered Purdiyomun; and in this manner each man closed

O great king! at that time, drums and tambourines resounded on all sides; bards sang chimes in music, streams of blood gushed forth, as though squirted from wounds; in every

Shree Shookdeo Jee said,--O great king! on seeing this state of the battle field, Banasoor was very sad, and began to feel regret, and afterwards, being deprived of all strength, went to Muhadeo Jee. Then Roodrù, after thinking on the matter, said to him, "You must now endeavour to please and captivate Huri." With these words, Shree Muhadeo Jee, taking Banasoor with him, and reading the Vedas to him on the road, came to the place where Shree Krishnù Chund was standing on the field of battle. Throwing Banasoor down at the feet of Krishnù, Shivù Jee said, with joined hands, "O merciful to those who come for sanctuary! this Banasoor has now come to you for protection; be pleased to look upon him with compassion, and do not retain in your mind a recollection of his crime. You repeatedly descend upon the earth, to remove the burthens of the world, and to destroy the wicked, and to

O great king! when Krishnù had uttered these words, Sudashivù Jee made an obeisance; and, taking leave, went to the mountain Kuelas, accompanied by his army; and Shree Krishnù remained standing where he was; Banasoor then joining his hands and bowing his head, said, submissively, "O lord of the poor! as you have compassionately pardoned me, be pleased now to make pure your servant's house by coming to it, and take away Unroodrù Jee and Ookha with you." On hearing this, Shree Beharee, the benefactor of his worshippers, taking Purdiyomun Jee with him, went to Banasoor's abode.

O great king! Banasoor being then highly delighted, conducted Krishnù, with a warm welcome, to his house, spreading silken cloths on the road, afterwards he washed his feet and took the water with which his feet had been washed, and sipping it in his hand put it on his head. He then began to say, "The water in which his feet have been washed, so difficult to be obtained by all, I have this day obtained by the favour of Huri, and obliterated the sins of each birth, he who has drank of the water of the Ganges will, undoubtedly, obtain heaven; he who has seen the Bhageruttee has gained the whole world."

O great king! having thus spoken and brought Unroodrù Jee and Ookha, he said in the presence of Krishnù, joining his hands, "Be pleased to forgive my fault; what was predestined has happened, I give this Ookha as a servant to you." When he had thus spoken, Banasoor gave his daughter in marriage, according to the injunctions of the Vedas, and bestowed upon her a boundless dowry.

Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said,--O great king! on the marriage taking place, Shree