Usha's Story Continued

Sanatkumara said

Hear another account of Shiva, the supreme self, which gives great pleasure and concerns his affection for devotees. In earlier times the asura Bana danced the tandava and pleased Shankara, but, through destiny's taint, he grew proud. Knowing that Shiva, Parvati's beloved, was pleased, Banasura folded his hands, lowered his shoulders and spoke. He said that he was strong by Shiva's favour, that Shiva had given him a thousand hands, but they were a great burden, because besides Shiva himself he could find no equal in the three worlds to fight. His arms were like mountains, but without an opponent what use were a thousand hands? When they itched he wished to fight the elephants of the quarters. He had crushed cities and mountains, but they were frightened and fled. He had fought Yama and the great Vahni, made Varuna a cowherd who tends his cows, Kubera the superintendent of elephants and Nirriti the keeper of the women. He had conquered Indra's world, which paid him tribute. He asked Shiva to tell him of a battle where his arms would be mangled by weapons from an enemy's hands, so that he would either fall to an enemy or break the enemy into a thousand fragments, and to grant this wish.

Hearing this, Rudra grew angry and laughed aloud, remover of his devotees' obstacles though he was. He said: shame on him in every way, the worst of the daitya line, proud in every way; such words did not suit a devotee who was Bali's son. His insolence would soon be quieted in a terrible fight, and he would meet a great battle with a powerful person who was Shiva's equal. His mountain-like hands would be cut by shastras and astras and fall to the ground like plantain trees or wood eaten by fire. His standard bore the mark of a peacock with a human head and was now kept in his armoury. When it fell without the wind causing it, that would be a cause of fear and mark the downfall of an evil-souled person like him, and then he should know a great, terrible battle was near. He would advance to that fight with all his soldiers. Now he should go home, where Shiva was present, and there he would see great evil portents. Having said this, the one who is affectionate but also removes pride fell silent. Hearing him, Bana cupped his hands like divine flower buds, worshipped Mahadeva, bowed and went home. When Kumbhanda asked, he told him cheerfully what had happened, and Banasura eagerly waited for these events to come together.

One day, by chance, he saw that the standard had broken. Delighted, Banasura came out to fight. He summoned his soldiers, divided them into eight divisions, performed a sacrifice for battle and checked that liquor was ready. Seeing every direction auspicious, he set out. Bali's great charioteer son was valiant and full of enthusiasm. He wondered who would come, and from where, whether that warrior would love to fight and be skilled in many shastras and astras, whether he would cut off his hands as fire consumes wood, or whether he himself would cut his opponent into a hundred pieces with sharp weapons.

Meanwhile the auspicious time came. Bana's excellent daughter performed all the auspicious rites and worshipped during that great night in the month of Madhava or Magha. When her monthly course was over she slept in the guarded inner quarters. By Gouri's divine maya, Krishna's grandson was brought there. She wept like one without a protector, and the text says he used force to enjoy her; then Parvati's friends, by divine yoga, carried him back to Dvaraka in an instant. Bruised, she woke and lamented in many voices, told her friends, and decided it was time to give up her body. But a friend reminded her of the offence she had earlier committed, and she realised everything had happened as the earlier account foretold. In a sweet voice Usha asked Chitralekha: if he was her husband, as Parvati had ordained, by what lawful but secret means could she now get him, since he had stolen her mind, and into what lineage had he been born? Chitralekha replied that Usha had seen the man in a dream, so how could she bring him? She did not know. Hearing this, the daitya's daughter, blind with love, wanted to die, but on that first day her friend saved her.

Chitralekha, very intelligent, said she would remove her hardship: if such a man existed in the three worlds she would bring him, and Usha should tell her about him. When he was described, Chitralekha drew pictures on a cloth: gods, daityas, danavas, gandharvas, siddhas, nagas, yakshas and others, and then men, the Vrishnis, the brave Anakadundubhi, Rama, Krishna and Pradyumna, best of men. When she drew Aniruddha, Pradyumna's son, Usha was ashamed, her heart filled with joy, and she lowered her face. She said: this was the thief who had come to her in the night and quickly stolen her jewel; as soon as he touched her she seemed deluded. She asked Chitralekha to tell her everything: his family and his name. The yogini told her his name and family, and Usha, eager, asked her friend, out of love, to devise a way for her to get at once the one dearer than her life, saying she did not wish to live without him even for a moment, and to bring him and make her happy. The minister's daughter was amazed and thought hard about it.

Chitralekha, who travelled as fast as thought, knew he was Krishna's grandson and got ready for Dvaraka. On the tritiya following krishna chaturdashi in Jyeshtha, a muhurta before dawn, she reached Dvaraka, crossing the sky in an instant by her knowledge of divine yoga. She saw Pradyumna's son in a grove in the inner quarters, playing with women and drinking madhvi, dark and pleasant in every limb, smiling and newly youthful. In the dark she made him climb onto a cot. With her tamas yoga she wrapped Madhava in darkness, put the cot on her head and vanished. She arrived at Shonitapura where Bana's daughter was, afflicted by desire and trying to beguile her intoxicated mind in various ways. Seeing that he had been brought, Usha was frightened. She hid him well in the inner quarters and their union began afresh. But as soon as it began, it was soon known. The doorkeepers of the inner quarters were old men with canes. By signs and inference they learned of the maiden's improper conduct, and saw the man there with a divine body, young, handsome, brave and fond of fighting. The brave guards of the daughter's quarters went and told Bana everything: that someone had forced his way in secretly and unknown to anyone, had himself seized and wronged his daughter, and that Bana should go and look and decide what to do; they were not to blame. Hearing this, the strong danava lord was amazed that his daughter had been defiled.