When some time had elapsed, and Prasena did not appear, the Yádavas* began to whisper, one to another, and to say: "This is Krishna's doing. Desirous of the jewel, and not obtaining it, he has perpetrated the murder of Prasena, in order to get it into his possession." When these calumnious rumours came to the knowledge of Krishna, he collected a number of the Yádavas, and, accompanied by them, pursued the course of Prasena by the impressions of his horse's hoofs. § Ascertaining, by this means, that he and his horse had been killed by a lion, he was acquitted, by all the people, of any share in his death. Desirous of recovering the gem, he thence followed the steps of the lion, and, at no great distance, came to the place where the lion had been killed by the bear. Following the footmarks of the latter, he arrived at the foot of a mountain, where he desired the Yádavas to await him, whilst he continued the track. Still guided by the marks of the feet, he discovered a cavern, and had scarcely entered it, when he heard the nurse of Sukumáraka saying to him: "The lion killed Prasena; the lion has been killed by Jámbavat. Weep not, Sukumáraka. The Syamantaka is your own." Thus assured of his object, Krishna advanced into the cavern, and saw the brilliant jewel in the hands of the nurse, who * Yadulokak. + कर्णाकर्ण्यकथयत् । Bhagavat, in the original. § The scene of this hunt of Krishna's was, according to the Vayupuráňa, the Rikshavat and Vindhya mountains. || इत्याकर्ण्य लब्धस्यमन्तकोदन्तः । was giving it, as a plaything, to Sukumaraka. The nurse soon descried his approach, and, marking his eyes fixed upon the gem with eager desire, called loudly for help. Hearing her cries, Jámbavat, full of anger, came to the cave; and a conflict ensued between him and Achyuta, which lasted twenty-one days. The Yadavas who had accompanied the latter waited seven or eight days, in expectation of his return; but, as the foe of Madhu still came not forth, they concluded that he must have met his death in the cavern. "It could not have required so many days," they thought, "to overcome an enemy;" and, accordingly, they departed, and returned to Dwáraká, and announced that Krishna had been killed. When the relations of Achyuta heard this intelligence, they performed all the obsequial rites suited to the occasion. The food and water thus offered to Krishna, in the celebration of his Śráddha, served to support his life and invigorate his strength in the combat in which he was engaged; whilst his adversary, wearied by daily conflict with a powerful foe, bruised and battered, in every limb, by heavy blows, and enfeebled by want of food, became unable longer to resist him. Overcome by his mighty antagonist, Jámbavat cast himself before him, and said: "Thou, mighty being, art, surely, invincible by all the demons, and by the spirits of heaven, earth, or hell; much less art thou to be vanquished by mean and powerless creatures in a human shape, and, still less, by such as we are, who are born of brute origin.* Undoubtedly, * असुरसुरयक्षगन्धर्वराक्षसादिभिरप्यखिलैर्भगवान्न जेतुं शक्यः कि thou art a portion of my sovereign lord, Nárayana, the defender of the universe." Thus addressed by Jámbavat, Krishna explained to him, fully, that he had descended to take upon himself the burthen of the earth, and kindly alleviated the bodily pain which the bear suffered from the fight, by touching him with his hand. Jámbavat again prostrated himself before Krishna, and presented to him his daughter, Jámbavatí, as an offering suitable to a guest. He also delivered to his visitor the Syamantaka jewel. Although a gift from such an individual was not fit for his acceptance, yet Krishna+ took the gem, for the purpose of clearing his reputation. He then returned, along with (his bride) Jámbavatí, to Dwáraká. * When the people of Dwáraká beheld Krishna alive and returned, they were filled with delight, so that those who were bowed down with years recovered youthful vigour; and all the Yádavas, men and women, assembled round Ánakadundubhi, (the father of the hero), and congratulated him. Krishna: related to the whole assembly of the Yádavas all that had happened, exactly as it had befallen, and, restoring the Syamantaka jewel to Sattrájita, was exonerated from the crime of which he had been falsely accused. He then led Jámbavatí into the inner apartments. When Sattrájita reflected that he had been the cause मुतावनिगोचरैरल्पवीर्यैर्नरावयवभूतैश्च तिर्यग्योन्यनुसृतिभिः किं पुन रस्मद्विधैः । * जाम्बवतीं नाम कन्यां गृहागमनार्घभूतां ग्राहयामास । Achyuta, in the Sanskrit. The original has Bhagavat. * of the aspersions upon Krishna's character, he felt alarmed; and, to conciliate the prince, he gave him to wife his daughter, Satyabhámá. The maiden had been, previously, sought in marriage by several of the most distinguished Yádavas, as Akrúra, Kritavarman, and Satadhanwan, who were highly incensed at her being wedded to another, and leagued in enmity against Sattrájita. The chief amongst them, with Akrúra and Kritavarman, said to Satadhanwan:+ "This caitiff Sattrájita has offered a gross insult to you, as well as to us, who solicited his daughter, by giving her to Krishna. Let him not live. Why do you not kill him, and take the jewel? Should Achyuta therefore enter into feud with you, we will take your part." Upon this promise, Satadhanwan undertook to slay Sattrájita. When news arrived that the sons of Pándu had been burned in the house of wax,1§ Krishna,|| who knew the real truth, set off for Várańávata, to allay the ani 1 + 1 This alludes to events detailed in the Mahábhárata. T * तां चाक्रूरकृतवर्मशतधन्वप्रमुखा यादवाः पूर्वं वरयामासुः । + अक्रूरकृतवर्मप्रमुखाश्च शतधन्वानमूचुः । In the passage quoted in the last note, pramukha is rendered "most distinguished"; here, "chief”. Read: "Akrúra, Kritavarman, Satadhanwan, and other Yadavas"; and "Akrúra, Kritavarman, and others." + एवमुक्तस्तथेत्य सावप्याह । § Jatu, 'lac'. The house referred to was smeared and stocked with lac and other combustibles, with the intention of burning Kunti and her sons in it. The design fell through, so far as they were concerned. Bhagavat, in the original. Ádi-parvan, CXLI.-CLI. These chapters comprise a section bearing the title of Jatugriha-parvan. mosity of Duryodhana, and to perform the duties his relationship required. Satadhanwan, taking advantage of his absence, killed Sattrájita in his sleep, and took possession of the gem. Upon this coming to the knowledge of Satyabhámá, she immediately mounted her chariot, and, filled with fury at her father's murder, repaired to Várańávata, and told her husband how Sattrájita had been killed by Satadhanwan, in resentment of her having been married to another, and how he had carried off the jewel; and she implored him to take prompt measures to avenge such heinous wrong. Krishna, who is ever internally placid, being informed of these transactions, said to Satyabhámá, as his eyes flashed with indignation: "These are, indeed, audacious injuries: but I will not submit to them from so vile a wretch.* They must assail the tree, who would kill the birds that there have built their nests.† Dismiss excessive sorrow: it needs not your lamentations to excite any wrath." Returning, forthwith, to Dwáraká, Krishna § took Baladeva apart, and said to him: "A lion slew Prasena, hunting in the forests; and now Sattrájita has been murdered by Satadhanwan. As both these are removed, the jewel which belonged to them is our common right. Up, then; ascend and your car; Satadhanwan to death!" put Being thus excited by his brother, Balaráma engaged resolutely in the enterprise. But Satadhanwan, • सत्ये ममैषावहासना । नाहमेतां तस्य दुरात्मनः सहिष्ये । § Vasudeva, in the Sanskrit. |