Krishnavatara

Contents Kulapati's Preface v Introduction ix Invocation xv Prologue xvii 1 The Marriae of Vasudeva and Devaki 1 2 Kamsa's Wrath 5 3 Kamsa makes a Plan 10 4 Akrura, the Saintly 15 5 Kamsa's Predicament 20 6 The Prophecy of Veda Vyasa 24 7 The Time draws near in Hastinapura 28 8 Nanda visits Mathura 36 9 Balarama is Born 43 10 The Eighth Child 49 11 Kamsa's Strategy 55 12 And He was named Krishna 62 13 Putana Masi goes to Gokul 68 14 Trinavrit 82 15 Krishna's Musings 93 16 How Women Feel about Clothes ! 101 17 The Miracle of the Twin Trees 108 18 Vasudeva and Devaki return to Mathura 119 19 Radha 131 20 As the Years Passed 142 21 A Mad Adventure 149 22 Kaliya of the Poisonous Pool 160 23 The Betrothal of Radha 172 24 Aiyyan Returns from the Wars 183 25 The Lifting of Govardhan 190 26 The Dying Minister 197 27 Kamsa's Summons 205 28 Summoned to Mathura 213 29 The Goddess of Joy and Beauty 222 30 Krishna Leaves for Mathura 233 31 Andhaka's Warning 242 32 Trivakra, the Thrice Crooked 252 33 The Sacred Bow 261 34 Master of the Elephants 270 35 Kuvalayapida : the Angry Elephant 280 36 Chanur, the Champion 289 37 The Prophecy Comes True 299 Notes 308 Volume II Contents Kulapati's Preface v Introduction ix Invocation xv Prologue xvi Characters in this story xix 1 A Crown Rejected 1 2 Guru Sandipani 11 3 In the Vortex 20 4 The Five Brothers 30 5 As a Brahmachari 39 6 The Wandering School of Sandipani 47 7 The Punyajan Ship 55 8 Securing the Panchajanya coach 68 9 The City of Light 80 10 A Nagakanya Belongs to Her Mother 92 11 'Asika, Come Back' 104 12 The Flight 118 13 On the way 127 14 Bhargava Rama of the Battle Axe 137 15 Brihadbala Plays the Diplomat 146 16 'Stand up, Garuda' 162 17 Gomantaka Hill 176 18 Balaram's Plough 190 19 Uddhava in 'Hell' 202 20 Shvetaketu's Fall 216 21 Krishna at the Gate 231 22 Shaibya's Wrath 241 23 Jarasandha's New Strategy 250 24 Rukmini on the War-path 260 25 A Warrior Princess 270 26 Bakarana Embanks on an adventure 278 27 Uddhava's Trials 286 28 Balarama on the High Seas 300 29 Bakarama Wins a Bride 307 30 "He is Coming" 317 31 The Triumphant March 330 32 The Honour of the Yadavas 344 33 Brihadbala's Difficulties 356 34 Shaibya Spurns Shvetaketu 369 35 Shaibya's Revenge 382 36 Conquest of Hate 392 37 Women Conspire 405 38 Rukmini on 'The Bater of Cows' 414 39 Shvetaketu's Pledge 422 40 Arrival in Kundinapura 434 41 How Rukmini Wooed Krishna 442 42 Now What ? 457 43 The Yadavas Lose Faith 468 44 The Fateful Decision 478 45 The Exodus 493 46 The Caves of Muchukunda 502 47 Rukmini's Grim Resolve 518 48 He Came and Gave Her Life 526 Epilogue 536 Notes 550 Appendices 554 Glossary 559 Volume III Contents Kulapati's Preface v Introduction ix Characters in this story xv Prologue xvi 1 King Drupada's Resolve 1 2 Sandipani Arrives 11 3 The Teacher and the Pupil 19 4 Dronacharya's Decision 27 5 The Uncle's Commands 40 6 Banishment 52 7 The Blow 62 8 Duryodhana is Afraid 71 9 Grandfather Bhishma 79 10 A Gopi in Hastinapura 90 11 Gouri Puja 98 12 The Dowager Empress 110 13 The Best of Munis 118 14 Kampily 132 15 The Loyal Daughter 146 16 Uddhava among the Nagas 161 17 Uddhava's Trials 173 18 In the Land of the Demons 183 19 King Vrikodara 200 20 King Vrikodara Wins a Wife 208 21 King Vrikidara Makes a Decision 221 22 The Miraculous Victory 234 23 The Last Wish of Aryaka 251 24 The Boy who was a Girl 263 25 Invitation to the Swayamvara 280 26 Bhanumati's Devotion 291 27 Uddhava's Mission 305 28 The Master in Rakshasavarta 321 29 King Vrikodara relinquishes the Sceptre 327 30 Krishna is a Predicament 344 31 "What is Dharma?" 354 32 "Dharma has Seized Me" 365 33 Big Brother is Angry 373 34 The Charming Kidnapper 382 35 The Kidnapper's Secret 392 36 Dharma Wins 401 37 Bhanumati Secures a Promise 412 38 How to Win the Bride 418 39 How to Carry off the Bride 429 40 Drupada's Dilemma 442 41 A Gift from the Enemy 454 42 "Share My Burden with Me, Krishnaa" 468 43 Shikhandin Intervenes 484 44 The Night Before 502 45 "Your Pledge shall be Fulfilled" 516 46 Draupadi Goes to the Swayamvara Mandap 522 47 The All Too Familiar Laughter 532 48 Vaasudeva, You have kept your Promise 540 49 The Master Decides 554 Epilogue 570 Notes 590 Appendices 593 Glossary 599 Volume IV Contents Introduction ix Prologue The Yadavas xvii The Kurus xxii The Five Brothers xxvi 1 Draupadi’s Bridal Night 1 2 Bhima Takes over 14 3 Arjuna’s Ordeal 25 4 Bhima prepares for the journey 35 5 The Princess with the Flying Feet 47 6 Bhima comes to his own rescue 56 7 Duryodhana Threatens Suicide 67 8 Duhshasana Threatens 78 9 The Decision of the Grandfather 87 10 Bhanumati in Distress 93 11 The Sisters 102 12 Duryodhana Receives the Bridal Procession 110 13 Baliya’s Akhada 117 14 Rekhaa’s Mission 125 15 Shadows of the coming strife 133 16 Jaladharaa Has Her way 141 17 The Aghori’s Hut 148 18 Journey to Kailas 155 19 The Miracle 164 20 Grandfather in Action 171 21 Krishna Gives a Promise 178 22 Bhanumati’s Plight 188 23 Krishna meets Bhanumati 194 24 The Master’s Advice 201 25 The Rajya Sabha 210 26 Yudhishthira’s Pledge 219 27 "He is Gone" 227 28 Bhima in a Fury 235 29 A Dream City 245 30 How to Build a Dream city 252 31 The Strange Award 260 32 How Krishna kept his promise 267 Epilogue 277 Notes 285 Glossary 287 Volume V Contents Introduction ix 1 Satrajit's Daughter 1 2 Uri, the Cat 12 3 An Empty World 21 4 The Rajya Sabha of the Yadavas 30 5 Satrajit Offers a Deal 44 6 Kshaatra Dharma 53 7 A Strange Happening 63 8 "Leave It to Me" 71 9 Syamantaka is Stolen 80 10 Krishna's Vow of Self-immolation 89 11 Satyaa Disappears 94 12 The Missing Lines of the Song 100 13 Krishna Disappears 109 14 Prasena's Fate 118 15 Uri Does It 125 16 The Sacred Cave 134 17 A Ghost 141 18 The Singing Ghost 151 19 In the Bear-world 161 20 The Black God's Ordinances 172 21 Rohini Wants to Enter the Fire 183 22 Rohini's Wedding 193 23 The Magic of Syamantaka 203 24 The Trail 212 25 The Black God 219 26 Satrajit Throws Away Syamantaka 223 Appendix 230 Notes 232 Glossary 233 Contents Kulapati's Preface V Introduction IX Foreword XIII Prologue XIX 1 Come, Father, Come' 1 2 The Parting 10 3 The Field of Ashes 21 4 Dvaipaayana is Reborn 36 5 What Dvaipa learned from his Father 47 6 Visit to Kalpi Islet 57 7 The Field of Wolves 68 8 Maha Atharvan Jaabaali 78 9 Dvaipaayan Eludes the Death Charm 87 10 Empress Meets Dvaipaayana 98 11 Gangeya's Vows 114 12 The Rajya Sabha 123 13 "Here is That Son" 128 14 An Unexpected Ally 137 15 Maha Atharvan Lalys a Deadlier Charm 148 16 Vatikaa Feels Unhappy 162 17 Arrivals 174 18 The Magic Circle 184 19 The Ascent to Heaven 194 20 The Venerable Mother in Distress 206 21 The Master on the Scene 215 22 The Master's Decision 226 23 Take me to Godhuli 236 24 "If The Mother Leaves?" 245 25 "I Bow to your Commands" 250 26 Shuka Creates a Problems 257 27 The son of Mahishaasura, The Buffalo God 266 28 The Mandate of the Gods 278 29 At the Tribal Headquarters 289 30 Mosa Invokes the Divine Buffalo 298 31 Mosa Expiates His Sin 304 32 Mother Sharmi Assumes Charge 310 33 There is Something in a Name 316 34 Mother Sharmi cannot be Disobeyed 325 35 Enter Shakuni 335 36 The Master's Mission 343 Glossary 351 Volume VII Contents Kulapati's Preface v Introduction ix Prologue xv Characters in this story xix 1 Yudhishthira's Dilemma 1 2 The Father's Message 9 3 Rajasuya-To Be Performed Or Not To Be Performed 20 4 Meghasandhi's Message 28 5 The Three Visitors 38 6 The Wrath of the Gods 48 7 Bhima Plans A Digvijaya 58 8 A Strange Arrival 67 9 Agrapuja to shree Krishna 77 10 The Chakra 84 11 The Prediction 90 12 Uncle Vidura Brings A Message 98 13 A Challenge to the Master's Prediction 105 14 Draupadi Protests 115 15 Duryodhana Makes a Request 119 16 Yudhishthira seeks a Favour 125 17 The Throne Hall 131 18 Let the Game Begin 315 19 Shakuni at his Best 139 20 We have won 145 21 Draupadi is Dragged into the Throne Hall 152 22 Krishna! Krishna! Where are you ? 159 23 The Supreme Mandate 166 24 To The Forest 169 Volume VIII Contents 1 Agrapura 181 2 The Challenge 187 3 The New Shape of Dwaraka 193 4 Mayavati 200 5 Through the Desert 206 6 Face to Face 212 7 The Mugg Fort 218 8 The Prison of Rose Buds 223 9 The Mandate 230 10 On the Battle-Field 238 11 Shalva Laughs 244 12 Prabhavati Makes up her Mind 250 13 The Mother Arrives 257