Chapter 90

SHREE SHOOKDEO JEE said, --O great king! Shree Krishnù Chund constantly dwelt in the city of Dwarka, where increase and plenty flourished in the houses of all the descendants of Judoo; the men and women were decorated with jewels and ornaments, and had a lively appearance; they applied scents, sandal and perfumes to their bodies; the mahajuns had places cleanly swept and sprinkled with water in the markets, roads and cross-roads, where traders of different countries brought all kinds of articles of merchandize for sale. Here and there the inhabitants of the city amused themselves.

In different places brahmins read the Vedas, and in every house persons recited the Pooranù s; holy and virtuous men sung, the praises of Huri during the eight watches. Charioteers brought chariots, horses and bullocks, harnessed to the royal gate. Brave, bold, resolute, powerful descendants of Judoo in chariots and carriages, and mounted on elephants and horses came to pay their respects to the Raja. Persons of skill amused him by dancing, singing and playing upon musical instruments. Bards and panegyrists received elephants, horses, dresses, arms, grain, money and golden ornaments, studded with jewels, for celebrating his renown.

Having narrated thus much, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja, O great king! whilst Raja Oogursen engaged thus in various diversions in the metropolis of his empire, Shree Krishnù Chund, the root of joy, constantly amused himself with his sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives.

Sometimes the wives being overcome by their passion, made a figure in the likeness of Krishnù; and sometimes Huri, powerless from love, dressed his wives; and the sports and diversions they carried on together cannot be described. I cannot speak of them, they required to be seen. Shookdeo Jee after this said, --

O great king! one night Shree Krishnù Chund was amusing himself with his women, when the celestial musicians and choristers, having beheld the various pastimes and diversions of Krishnù, played upon lutes, timbrels, pipes and kettle-drums, and sang of his excellent attributes; there was an harmonious concert, when, upon a thought occurring to Krishnù, whilst engaged in diversion, he took them all with him, and went to the banks of a tank, and going into the water began to sport and carry on pastimes in it; after this, his wives, whilst thus amusing themselves in the water, were overjoyed with love for Krishnù, and forgetting every thing, said, on seeing a ruddy goose and its mate, calling out to each other from opposite sides of the tank,

" O Chukwee! why do you call out mournfully, and not sleep during the night, whilst separated from your mate? You call upon him in a very troubled and restless manner, you discourse of your beloved to us, we have become Krishnù 's slave girls. " Having thus spoken they went on. They then began to say to the sea, O sea! thou who heavest deep sighs and remainest awake day and night, art thou afflicted at being separated from any one or grieved for the loss of thy fourteen jewels? " They then addressed the moon, " O moon! why dost thou continue emaciated and in low spirits, what! hast thou consumption, that thy form. diminishes and increases daily, and thy body and mind are fascinated, as ours are on beholding Shree Krishnù Chund. "

Having recited thus much Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja, --O great king! the women, in like manner, addressed all kinds of speeches to the air, clouds, cuckoos, hills, rivers and geese. Afterwards all his wives diverted themselves with Shree Krishnù Chund, and constantly attended upon him and sang of his excellences, and obtained whatever they desired and Krishnù carried on his domestic affairs in the manner prescribed for all virtuous house-keeper.

O great king! the sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives of Shree Krishnù Chund whom I mentioned before, had each ten sons and one daughter, and their progeny was numberless, I have not the power to describe it; but I know so much, that there were three crores, eighty-eight thousand one hundred schools for instructing the offspring of Shree Krishnù Chund and the same number of schoolmasters. None of Shree Krishnù Chund's sons or grandsons was deficient in beauty, strength, physical power, wealth or moral and religious merit, each one excelled and surpassed the other, how shall I attempt to describe them. The sage proceeded to say, O great king! I have sung of the games of Bruj and Dwarka, which confer pleasure upon all. Whoever shall sing of them with affection, shall undoubtedly obtain supreme and eternal happiness, and salvation. Whatever benefit is derived from, religious penance, sacrifice, gifts, fasting, pilgrimage and bathing at holy places, the same benefit is derived from hearing, and reciting the history of Huri.

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