INDIA. ment in the of Mathura. they first entered Hindústan are alike unknown. HISTORY OF At the birth of Krishna they appear to have settled PART III. in the neighbourhood of the city of Mathurá, the Their encampmodern Muttra, on the banks of the river Jum- neighbourhood ná, and about a hundred and twenty miles to the south of the site of the ancient city of Hastinapur. Had such been their geographical position in the time of the great war of Bharata there would have been less reason to doubt the connection of Krishna with the Pandavas; although as cowherds they were regarded with great contempt by the Kshatriyas, and were supposed to belong to the inferior caste of Vaisyas. But at the time when Krishna is Migration of the said to have first come into contact with the Pán- Mathurá to davas, he and his tribe had already migrated to Dwáraká, on the western coast of the peninsula of Guzerat, which is at least seven hundred miles from Hastinapur as the crow flies. Accordingly, it seems Improbability of impossible that such relations as those said to subsisted between Krishna and the Pándavas really have existed; and this suspicion is confirmed by the mythical character of every event which apparently connects the Yádava Chieftains of Dwáraká with the royal house at Hastinápur.' Yadavas from Dwaraká. intimate rela have tions between could Dwaraka and the Yadavas of theáPándavas of Hastinapur. acter of Krish The personal character of Krishna will be found Personal char clearly indicated in the legends. He was originally 1 The Rajas of Vijaya-nagur, who in the fifteenth century of the Christian era maintained a supremacy over the whole of the country south of the Krishna river, and thus possessed the last great Hindú empire which was established in India, claimed to be descendants of the Yádava tribe; and it is a curious fact that it was from one of the decayed Chieftains of this fallen dynasty that the East India Company obtained in the first half of the seventeenth century the grant of land on the coast of Coromandel, on which stands the modern city of Madras. The original grant engraved on a gold plate appears to have been preserved for more than a century; but was finally lost in 1746, when Madras was captured by the French under Labourdonnais. na. HISTORY OF a mere INDIA. PART III. A cowherd famous for his pranks and amours. mere cowherd, stealing butter and performing other similar pranks when a boy, and rendering himself famous for his amours when he attained the years of manhood. About this time Krishna and his companions left their encampment at a rural village named Vrindávana, and paid a visit to the city of Mathurá, where they appear to have conducted themselves like boors and cowherds as they were. The time however appears to have been a Takes a part in critical one. Kansa, the Raja of Mathurá, was a Raja Kansa and usurper, and seems to have been unpopular with his slay's the tyrant. subjects; and a tumult arose during a festival in which he was slain by Krishna. Henceforth Krishna ble the birth of is represented as a hero, and efforts were made to ennoble his birth by representing him to have been in reality the son of a chieftain of the tribe. How far these efforts were mythical may be gathered from the legends themselves. a popular move ment against Subsequent efforts to enno Krishna. Religious character of Krishna. tion of Krishna both to Siva and Indra. The religious character of Krishna will be discussed hereafter. It will be sufficient to remark Implied opposi- that he appears to have been opposed alike to the worship of Siva and the worship of Indra. The first opposition appears natural enough, for as Krishna was represented as an incarnation of Vishnu, he was of course opposed to the god Siva; the worshippers of Vishnu and those of Siva being in strong antagonism for many centuries. But the opposition to Indra is remarkable, because Krishna induced the Yádavas to worship the mountain Govarddhana in the place of Indra; an incident which would imply a conflict between a low Fetische worship and the Connection of Worship of the Vedic deities. It will however be seen hereafter that Krishna was associated not only with Fetichism, but also with Buddhism; a circumstance Krishna with Fetische worship and Buddhism. INDIA. PART III. which would account for his opposition both to the HISTORY OF worship of the Vedic deities, and to that of the Linga which is emblematical of the god Siva.2 The principal legends connected with the early life of Krishna appear to be seven in number, viz. 1st, Birth of Krishna. 2nd, Infancy and boyhood of Krishna. 3rd, Krishna's opposition to the worship of Indra. 4th, Love adventures of Krishna. 5th, Krishna's adventures in Mathurá. 6th, Krishna's contest with Raja Kansa. 7th, Krishna's life at Dwáraká in Guzerat. These legends of Krishna may be related in their order as follows: 3 1. Birth of Krishna. Seven legends connected with the early life of Krishna. dwelling at Gokula. In days of old the children of Yadu dwelt on both sides Yadava tribe of the river Jumná, that is, in the village of Vrindavana on Vrindavana and the western bank of the river, and in the country of Gokula on the opposite shore. And the Chiefs of that tribe were Sura and VasuSura and his son Vasudeva. deva. of Mathurá, son Kansa. In those days Raja Kansa ruled the Bhojas who dwelt in Ugrasena, Raja the city of Mathurá which is nigh unto Vrindávana. And deposed by his Raja Kansa was a wicked Raja. He had deposed his father Persecution of Ugrasena and reigned in his stead; for Kansa worshipped of Vishnu by the 2 The historical and religious aspect of this question will be discussed in a future volume. It will be sufficient to remark in the present place that the religious wars between the Buddhists and the Linga worshippers of the Dekhan is one of the most important events in Hindú history. 3 The legends in connection with the life of Krishna are to be found in the Khila-Harivansa-Parva, which is comparatively a modern supplement to the Maha Bharata. They are also to be found in the Bhágavat-purána, and its Hindú paraphrase, the Prem Ságur. The narrative in the text has been drawn up from Mr Eastwick's translation of the Prem Ságur, compared with the abridgment in the fifth book of the Vishnu-purána, p. 491, Wilson's translation. The Bhojas are said to have been a branch of the Yadavas, but the relationship is very obscure. the worshippers worshippers of Siva. HISTORY OF Siva, and Ugrasena worshipped Vishnu; and Ugrasena INDIA. would not pray to the god Siva when his son Kansa requested him. PART III. Marriage of Devaki to Vasudeva. Kansa threatens to slay Devaki day. Now Devaka, who was the brother of Ugrasena, had a daughter named Devakí. And Devaka said to his nephew Kansa:-"O Raja, unto whom shall I give my daughter Devakí in marriage?" And Kansa replied :-" Give her in marriage to Vasudeva, the son of Sura, Chief of the Yádavas." So the marriage was agreed upon, and when the day had arrived for the nuptial ceremony, Sura, and his son Vasudeva, and all their kinsmen and friends, proceeded from the village of Vrindavana to the city of Mathurá, and the marriage rites of Vasudeva and Devakí were performed according to the ordinance. When the marriage ceremony was over, the bridegroom on her wedding and the bride ascended a chariot, and Raja Kansa drove the chariot with his own hand in the marriage procession. At that moment there came a voice from heaven, saying:-"O Kansa, the son of Devakí will be your destroyer." Then Kansa was in a great fear, and seized Devakí by her hair and dragged her from the chariot, and drew his sword to slay her. And Vasudeva trembled greatly, and besought up his children Kansa to spare his hand; and he said to Kansa:-" No son of mine shall ever do you hurt, for I will deliver into your hands every infant that is born of Devakí." So Kansa listened to the words of Vasudeva and spared the life of Devakí. Vasudeva en gages to deliver by Devaki to Raja Kansa. Birth of Balaráma, who is brought up in Gokula as the Krishna. After many days Devakí conceived and bore a son who was named Balaráma, but the babe was carried away to the son of Rohini. country of Gokula, which is on the other side of the river Jumná, and brought up as the child of Rohiní, who was anConception of other wife of Vasudeva. And Devakí conceived again, and Kansa heard of it; and he bound Vasudeva and Devakí with gyves and manacles, and he fastened the doors of their dwelling with locks and bars; and he ordered his mightiest warriors to keep constant guard round about the place, with elephants, lions, and dogs. And on a certain night the child Kansa's efforts to secure the infant. INDIA. PART III. Birth of Krish ries the babe Jumná in a Miraculous waters. Sesha-naga pro Krishna. changed for the Krishna was born, and all the marks of Vishnu were seen HISTORY OF upon him; and immediately after his birth the gyves and manacles fell from the hands of Vasudeva and Devakí, and the doors opened of their own accord, and the guards were na. all thrown into a deep slumber. So Vasudeva placed the Vasudeva carbabe in a basket which was used for winnowing corn, and across the set it upon his head, and went to cross the river Jumná to basket. carry the babe to the country of Gokula. Now when Vasu- lowering of the deva entered the river, the waters of the Jumná were very deep, and rose up to his nostrils so that he was sore afraid; and the child Krishna stretched forth his foot and the waters were stayed, and became shallow and fordable. At the same The great snake time the rain began to fall; but the many-headed serpent, teets the infant Sesha-naga, followed Vasudeva, and spread out his hoods so as to cover the divine babe. So Vasudeva crossed the river with the child, and carried it to the house of Nanda, who was a cowherd; and behold on that night Yasoda, who was the wife of Nanda, had given birth to a daughter. And Krishna Vasudeva changed the infants, and Yasoda and Nanda knew infant daughter it not; and Krishna was brought up in the house of Nanda, Yasoda. as his own son; whilst Vasudeva returned across the river, and gave the infant daughter of Yasodá to his wife Devakí. At that moment the doors became locked as before, and Vasudeva and Devakí put on the gyves and manacles; and the infant cried aloud and awoke all the guards. And Kansa Kansa seizes the heard that the child was born, and he rushed on the spot daughter of and seized the babe to slay it; but the infant escaped from escapes to his hands, and ascended to heaven, crying :-" O Kansa, thy foe has already been born, and now thou canst not escape alive." Then Kansa was filled with wrath, and ordered that all the worshippers of Vishnu, young and old, should be Slaughter of the slain; and he commanded his warriors to make search for Vishnu and the all young children throughout that country, and to slay every male child that possessed strength and vigour. And Nanda Nanda and the and the cowherds at Gokula heard that Kansa was slaying tribute to Raja the infants, and they were in great fear; and they loaded their carts with milk, butter, and curds, and they took with of Nanda and supposed Devaki, who heaven. worshippers of male children. Cowherd pay Kansa. |