 "Krishna in the Golden City (Harivamsha) painted by artists Kesu Kalan and Miskin")
Few epilogues or sequels to great epics have remained as obscure as the Harivamsha. Vedavyasa wrote it as an epilogue to the Mahabharata. But there are many Indians (and quite a few of them could be devout Hindus) who would be simply unaware of the Harivamsha — a sequel in three parts dwelling on the life and times of Krishna. In sharp contrast, the Odyssey, which was in part a sequel to the Iliad, suffered no such obscurity. Indeed, both the epics of Homer have enjoyed almost equal salience and popularity in the world of epics. No such luck for Vedavyasa!
The lack of popularity of the Harivamsha could be attributed to many factors. There are many sections of this short epic that will be found in some other Puranas. To some extent, therefore, the novelty factor is lost. Moreover, such stories are narrated in brief and do not bring out the many elements of drama and action that were seen in those Puranas which originally described them. The three-part structure is also a little unwieldy and does not strictly follow a chronological pattern. There are many battles, but little real action or portrayal of characters bringing out their complexities and shades of human emotion in what is clearly a cosmic setting. In short, after the heady feeling of having experienced great characters and the intense drama of their actions and emotions in the Mahabharata, the rendering of stories and events in the Harivamsha is likely to be a let-down for many readers.
Bibek Debroy, however, has maintained his skilful story-telling ability and the simplicity of language in translating the Harivamsha. If the stories are not that captivating or if they fail to fire your imagination, it is because Vedavyasa failed to do as good a job as he did in the Mahabharata. Debroy explains that he has made no attempt at reinterpreting the epic. He has only translated an epic, originally written in Sanskrit in verse, into English prose and his logic for doing so is unexceptionable. A prose rendering has allowed him to be close to the original text of the Harivamsha. There are annotations in plenty that will help readers understand the context of some incidents or characters and their significance.
Krishna in the Golden City (Harivamsha) painted by artists Kesu Kalan and Miskin
The Harivamsha is divided into three sections: Harivamsha Parva with 45 chapters, Vishnu Parva with 68 chapters and Bhavishya Parva with five chapters. The reason the Harivamsha was conceived is understandable. Critics continue to debate who the central character in the Mahabharata was. Was it Arjuna or Bhishma, his great grandfather, or Krishna? And yet, in spite of Krishna figuring as one of the central characters in the Mahabharata, there is little in that epic that tells you about Krishna’s birth or his famous childhood. Krishna appears in the Mahabharata as an adult — an incarnation of Vishnu.
What happens to Krishna after the Mahabharata ends is also not adequately documented. The Harivamsha fills this critical gap.
The first section dwells on Krishna as the incarnation of Vishnu. The apotheosis of Krishna is complete in this section. Consider what Krishna tells the gods before vanquishing the demons who had been tormenting them in a long battle: “O fortunate ones! Depart in peace. O large numbers of Maruts! Do not be afraid. As soon as I have defeated all the danavas, I will take back the three worlds”. This was a voice of calm and assurance. Vedavyasa’s commentary after this is telling: “Since he always spoke the truth, they [the gods] were content with Vishnu’s words. The gods departed in great delight, as if they had obtained the supreme amrita. The clouds withdrew and were dispelled. Auspicious winds started to blow and the directions turned peaceful.”
The Harivamsha Parva also provides a rare insight into the creation of the earth. The Madhu-Kaitav battle and the formation of the crust of the earth with the fat of these demons (which is why the earth is called Medini in Sanskrit) will be of great interest. These are not new stories as many other Puranas have narrated them. But Vedavyasa has incorporated them to provide a glimpse into the many facets of Krishna as an incarnation of Vishnu. The narrative ease with which Vedavyasa connects Krishna, a resident of Vraja, with Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, is remarkable. He recreates scenes reminiscent of the Pralay (or the Great Dissolution) and brings in Krishna as the saviour. The fusion of the human with the cosmic in Krishna was a hallmark of the Mahabharata. The same theme continues to play out in large parts of the Harivamsha and in particular its first section. Similarly, the Harivamsha dwells on the Ikshvasu lineage that once again underlines the deep connections between the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Once again, the stories of King Sagara, his exploits and his descendants underline how Vedavyasa used the many extant sources of the Puranas to incorporate them in his epilogue to the Mahabharata.
The Vishnu Parva, the second section, is the centrepiece of the Harivamsha. It starts with the birth of Krishna and ends with his growing up as the incarnation of Vishnu. Narada, perhaps the oldest and most original messenger of all epics, makes his appearance in this section. Narada also provides the link between the gods and ordinary mortals. It is important to note that the news of the imminent birth of Krishna is presented to the oppressive king, Kamsa, well in advance with the warning that the newborn would bring about an end to his empire after slaying him. The interest in the 68 chapters in this section is sustained not by curiosity, since much of what is narrated here is widely known. What makes this section rewarding and rich is the understanding that one gains with respect to the context and rationalisation of the many actions of Krishna. Suspense undermines critical appreciation. Advance knowledge of events that are to unfold later enhances critical understanding. The entire section — Vishnu Parva — is a testimony to the validity of that literary maxim.
The final section, the Bhavishya Parva, is a riveting account of what will prevail at the end of the Dwapara Yuga and the advent of the new era — the Kali Yuga. It recounts in great detail what will go wrong and how things will fall apart in the coming age. Readers are likely to wonder if the age being recounted as the Kali Yuga has already arrived. But there is hope as Vedavyasa promises the return of the Satya Yuga at the end of all those imperfections in the system. After reading the Harivamsha, you are likely to be sadder, but perhaps a little wiser.
Harivamsha
Translated by: Bibek Debroy
Publisher: Penguin India
Pages: 441+XVII
Price: Rs 599
