KRISHNA: THE SAVIOUR

SHUKAVEVA \NAS NARRATING TO PAREEKSHrr THE EVENTS FOLLOWING

THE RA7AS00YA YAJNA OF 'iUDHiSHTHlRA.m m m tm ^
WHILE KRISHMA “□■II 1^
W A S AT IN P R A P R A S W A ,
i/ARAKA WAS ATTACKED,

* SHALVA WAS A FRIEND OF SHISHUPALA'S AND HAP ACCOMPANIED HIM TO THE

SWAyAMVARA OF RUKMlNl. WHEN KRISHNA DEFEATED THEM ALL AND TOOK AWAV
RUKMINI, SHALVA HAD VOWED— p

228
 BHAGAW AT PURANA

“SAUBHA, THE INDESTRUCTIBLE VEHICLE, “ w h e n h e h e a r d o f HIS FRIEND, s h is h u p a l a ’s

MAPE SHALVA ARROGANT. IT COULD DEATH, HE BECAME FURIOUS. SEATED IN SAUBHA,
CARRY THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS. HE ATTACKED DwARAKA.

IT CAM T A K E M E WHEREVER
I IM IS H TO 6 0 . 1 AAA
in v in c ib l e m o w .

“ THOUSANDS OF SO LD IER S GOT DOWN FROM THE VEHICLE

AND SURROUNDED THE CITY.

u FROM H IS AIRBORNE VEHICLE, SHALVA RAINED Do\NN STRANGE OBJECTS

ON THE C ITIZEN S BELOW.

MUCH OF POST AROUNP

U S THAT WE CAM
HARDLY S E E A

a m a r chitra katha
 KRISHNA: THE SAVIOUR
ABSENCE QF KRISHNA, HIS BRAVE SON PRADYUMNA TOOK%.

“ WELL VERSED A S H E WAS IN THE ART * WITH HIS SHARP, IRON-TIPPED ARROWS, HE
OF USING CELESTIAL WEAPONS, WOUNPEP SHALVA'S COMMANPER AS WELL AS HIS
PRAWUMNA PESTROYEP THE ILLUSIONS SOLDIERS.
CREATED BY SHALVA.

230 am a r chitra katha

 BHAGAW AT PURANA
“ BUT 6HALVA IN HIS A/RBORNE VEHICLE **... AND
THEN SUDDENLY APPEAR IN ANOTHER SPOT.
APPEARED TO BE INVINCIBLE. THE ONE MINUTE IT WOULD BE FLYING THROUGH THE A IR ,
THE NEXT IT MOULD B E /N W ATER, I- — — — I---------|

“ WHENEVER IT WAS SIG HTED , THE VAVAVA6 SHOT A VOLLBV O F

ARROWS A T IT CAUS/NGi MUCH DISTRESS TO SHALVA AND HIS
SOLDIERS.

'M r L A S T THEIR. ARROWS FOUND THEIR

MARK AND SHALVA F E U IN TO A FA/NT.

a m a r chitra katha 231

 KRISHNA: THE SAVIOUR
“ NOW P Y U M A N , A M IN IS TE R OF SHALVA, “ PRAWUMNA’S CHARIOTEER. CARRIED HIM AWAY FROM
A TTAC K ED PRAPyUMMA. I THE SPOT. X
M Y M A S T E R H A S FAINTED.
IT IS M Y P tlT Y TO T A K E
H IM AWAY TO SAFETY-

*e WHEN PRAPYUMNA REGAINED

CONSCIOUSNESS, HE WAS FURIOUS.
W H Y P IP YOU B R IM 6
M E AW AY FROM THE
BATTLE F IE L P ? HAS A N Y
YAPAVA EVER RUM AWAY
FROM B A T T L E ? HOW CAM

“ BACK IN THE B ATTLE, PRAPYUMNA ATTACKED

PYUMAN W ITH RENEW ED VIGOUR.

am ar cnitra Kama
 BHAGAWAT PURANA

"s o o n , p yu M M ’6 HORSES AND CHARIOT WERE DESTROYED. FIN A LLY

THE BRAVE VHUMAN TOO F E L L . |

"M EANW HILE THE OTHER >ADAVA WARRIORS INCLUDING 6 ADA

SATYAK! AND S A M B A , KEPT U P THEIR ATTACK ON SHALVA'S
FORCES AND DECIMATED THEIR SO LD IER S, IMHO INERE RAINING
ARROWS ON THEM FROM THE AIRBORNE VEHICLE. FOR TWEA/TY-
SEVEN LONS DAYS. THE FIERCE BATTLE CONTINUED.

a WHEN KRISHNA AND BALA RAMA RETURNED AS SOON AS H E SA\N KRISHNA , SHALVA AIMED THE
FROM 1NDRAPRASTHA, THEY FOUND THEIR POWERFUL \NEAPON, S H A K Tl, A T VAR UK A,
BELOVED C ITY DWARAk A UNDER S IEG E. KRISHNA'S CHARIOTEER, p

a m a r chitra katha 233

 KRISHNA: THE SAVIOUR

* R EFEREH CE 70 RUKM irJI, WHO WA6 B E 7R07H E D 70 S M S H U P A L A .

 BHAGAWAT PURANA
'SHALVA WAS BAPLV INJURED BUT WITH
HIS MAGIC VEHICLE, HE SUPPENLY
DISAPPEARED.

a m ar chitra katha
235
‘ BEFORE KRISHNA COULD L IF T H IS BOW,
SHALVA CUT OFF THE HEAD OF VASUVEVA
AND FLED W ITH I T BACK INTO H IS
1 VEHICLE, S A U B H A .
WHEN KRISHNA RECOVERED FROM THE SHOCK HE
R EA LIS ED TH AT THE WHOLE IN C ID E N T H AD B E E N
A N ILLUSION.
IT HAS AU. PlSAPPEARED
LIK E A PR EAM : THE
M E S S E N G E R , A N P THE
BOPy OF M Y F A TH E R .
IT WAS A CREATION OF

“ EN RASED, KRISHNA ATTACKED SHALVA'S " B U T IN THE HICK OF TIM E, SHALVA JU M PED OFF
VEHICLE WITH H IS M A C E,D LL /7 SHATTERED TO CONFRONT KM 3HNA.
TO BITS AND FELL IN TO THE OCEAN.

“ KRISHNA NOW RELEASED H IS SUDAR SHAN A C H A K R A ..

AND C U T OFF SHALVA HEAD

* IL L U S O R Y P O W ER * * V IS C am ar cHitra katha
 BHAGAWAT PURANA

‘PANTAVAKRA, ANOTHER FRIEND OF \“ THOUGH HE WAS ARMED WITH ONLY A M ACE,

SHISHUPALA’Sr ARRIVED ON W E BATTLE PANTAVAKRA'S HEAVY STEPS MADE THE VERY
FIELD JU S T THEN. EARTH TREMBLE.
THE ONLY WAV
CAN PO
a M UST AVENGE BY KILLING
THE DEATH OF N \y
YOU
F R IE N D S -S H IS H U P A lA
vPAUNDRAKA A M P >
\ SH ALVA. A

“ BUT IN SPITE OF THE HEAVY BLOW, KRISHNA WAS

UNRUFFLED-TAKING CAREFUL AIM, HE HIT DANTAVAKRA
ON THE CHEST... f

"NOW VIDURATHA , THE BROTHER OF VAN7AVAKRA ENTEREZ>

THE FR AY... f

BUT HE TOO WAS SOON

a mar chitra katha

 KRISHNA: THE SAVIOUR

"SUVAM A WAS A BRAHMIN VJHO HAt> t>EEN A

CHILPHOOV FRIEND OF KRISHNA.

IT WAS AFTER
THIS iNCIPENT
THAT SUPAMA
VISITEP KRISHNA VJHO
WAS „
SUPAMA?,

om ar chitra katha
 BHAGAWAT PURANA

••THOUGH SHE WAS ALWAYS IN TATTEREP

CLOTHES ANP STARVING, FOR LONS SUPAMA'S VM«y PON’T
WIFE BORE HER SUFFERING PATIENTLY. ONE 60 AMP MEET
PAY— r HIM ? VMHEN HE
COMES TO KNOW
THAT YOU HAVE A
FAMILY TO SUPPORT,
HE WILL SORELY
HELP YOU.

|“ SliPAMA'G \NIFE R E PEATE P LY

REQUESTED HIM TO G O TO KRISHNA.

o m ar cHitra katha
 KRISHNA: THESAVIOUR
‘QUICKLY SHE COLLECTED A FEW HANDFUL '* WITH THE SMALL BuNPLE, SUDAMA S E T OUT
OF POWA* FROM HER NEIGHBOURS. FOR PWARAKA. r?----------------------------- -----------------------

HERE, TAKE I JU S T "

THIS. CAN’T WAIT
TO M EET '
, KRISHNA.}

AT LAST HE REACHED VWARAKA. HE FOUND KRISHNA IN RUKM/N/’S

BEAUTIFUL P A LA C E I-----------------fTT-------------- tTTI-------------------- H IIIIM B \

MY PEAR
3UPAMAJ

KRISHNA RUSHED FORWARD AND EMBRACED SUDAMA

omor chitra katha

 BHAGAW AT PURANA

" WITH HIS OWN HANDS KRISHNA BATH B P

SUVAMA ’S FEET, WHILE RUKM INI G EN TLY
FANNED HIM .

“ ROKM/NI’S MAIDS W ERE ASTONISHED A T THE SIGHT.

h e is a l l s k i m
ANP B O N E S . LOOKS
LIK E A BEfiG AR.

M I MR
■ wHT W

r ■ fgg* m

H I
si
amar chit pa katha
KRISHNA THE SAVIOUR
 BHAGAWAT PURANA

FORTUNATE T 0 BE
'\AllTH 101A A T W E

a m a r chitra katha 243

 KRISHNA: THE SAVIOUR
BEFORE HE COULD EAT THE SECOND FISTFUL
RUKMINI INTERVENED— |------------- 1=^
' THAT \S >
ENOUGH. NCI LORPI
IT IS SUFFICIENT TO
GIVE A MAN ALL HE
NEEPS IN THIS WORLD,
k ANP THE NEXT.

u SUVAMA SPEN T THE N IGH T IN “ ALTHOUGH HE HAD ASKED FOR NOTHING AND
KRISHNA'S PALACE. RECEIVED NOTHING FROM KRISHNA, SUDAMA WAS
HAPPy WHEN HE L E F T N EXT M ORNING.
WHAT
COMFORT AND f
HOW LUCKY 1
LUXURY! t FEEL
1 AM IN Q J I AM . LORP
L _ HEAVEN, r-* Of KRISHNA TREATEP
\ ME AS IF I WERE
HIS BROTHER, j

THOUGH H E IS
FAMEP FOR HIS W HE KNOWS ^
6ENER06ITY, HE THAT SUDDEN
PURPOSELY PIP NOT WEALTH CAN TURN
GIVE ME WEALTH.. A POOR MAN’S HEAP
ANP MAKE HIM
FORGETFUL OF SOP
k ANP HIS PUT/. _

o m o r c h it r a k a th a ■
 BHAGAWAT PURANA
WHEN HE REACHED HIS VILLAGE A T
last
r I MUST HAVE
LOST MY WAY. I HAVE
NEVER SEEN SUCH
A WONDERFUL PALACE
^ BEFORE. __ ^

“ INDEED n WAS A STUNNING S IG H T- A

RESPLENDENT PALACE STUDDED WITH PRECIOUS
STONES. IN ITS BEAUTIFULLY LAID GARDENS
WERE COLOURFUL BIRDS, AND PONDS FILLED
WITH LOTUSES,

S T :/ '

" J U S T THEN, GUVAM A 'S W IFE CAME O UT FROM THE PALACE TO

RECEIVE HIM . THERE WAS A BIG RETINUE O F SERVANTS.

f I CAN HARDLY
RECOGNIZE YOU IN
THESE FINE CLOTHES
V AND SOLD A
V O R N A M E N TS .

a m ar chitra katha
 KRISHNA: TH E SAVIOUR

246 a m a r chitra katha

 BHAGAWAT PURANA

WHILE KRISHNA ANP &ALARAMA

WERE IN PWARAKA,A TOTAL
ECLIPSE OF TH E SUN WAS PREPICTEP.
A S TRADITION PEMANPEP,THE
VAPAVAS PECIPEP TO 6 0 TO THE
HOLY S P O T OF SAMANTAPANCHAKA
AT KURUKSHETRA,LEAVlNa
ANIRUPPHA ANP THE ARMY
COMMANPER KRJTAVARMA IN
CHAR6E OF PWARAKA.

“ WHEN, BEDECKED IN THEIR FIN EST GARM ENTS, FLOWERS AND ORNAMENTS,
T H E i REACHED KURUKSHETRA, THEy FOUNP THE KINGS OF VARIOUS
REGIONS ASSEM BLED THERE.

a m ar chitra katha

UTHEY iNERE PELI&HTEP TO BEHOLP
AJAN PA, YASHOPA AN P OTHER KINSMEN.
THE KAURAVAS AMD PANDAVAS WERE
ALSO THERE.
" THE WOMEN FOLK OF THE YAPAVA ANP
THE KAURAVA CLANS CHATTEP EXOTEPL'/.
* C0 W H E R P ES 5 ES t rM H A M A R A TA G IV E S A D IFFEREN T V ERSION OF THIS.
KRISIINA THE SAVIOUR
] I “ IT WAS A SCENE OF- JOYOUS REUNION. THE GOP/s*
BEHELP THEIR PEAR KRISHNA AFTER A LONG TIM E
ANP INERE PE LIGHTED BY THE MERE S IG H T O F HIM .
“ ONE BY ONE, SATYABHAMA, RCIKMINT, JAMBA VATl,
SA7YA, KAL/NPI, LAKSHMANA, MlTRAVINPA AN P
BHAPRA NARRATED THE EXCITING EVENTS LEADING
TO THEJR MARRIAGE WITH KRISHNA.
 BHAGAWAT PUKANA

LAKSHMANA CONTINUED — MANY BRAVE MEN

INCLUP1N 6 PURYOPHANA,
BUT IN My JAIW SANDHA, SHISHUPALA
C AS E, TH AT ANP KARNA TRIEP THEIR HAMP
FISH WAS BUT THEY COULP NOT FELLTHE^
COVERED ANP FISH. BUT KRISHNA P IP IT
W AS NOT S O EFFO R TLESSLY.
P lR EC TLy
VISIBLE TO
THE ARCHER.
HE COULP
S EE ONLY ITS
R E FLEC TIO N

“ PRAUPAtH, KUNTI ANP 0ANMAR! WERE MOVEP TO

HEAR. THE DEVOTION SHOWN TO KRISHNA BY HIS MANY
WIVES.

JU S T THEN M ANY REVERED R lS H IS , INCLUDING VEDA VYAsA,

NARADA AND VlBHW AlAITRA CAME THERE.

am or chitra katha 249

 KRISHNA: TH E SAVIOUR

u AFTER OFFERING HOMAGE TO KRISHNA, u NARAVA SA!J> IN A W HISPERED UNDERTONE TO

THE R IS H IS W ERE A B O U T TO TA K E
LEAVE W HEN VASUPEVA STOPPED THEM.
H IS COMPANION R IS H IS .
IS IT N OT S TR A N G E TH AT
HE IS IGNORANT OF TH E
G R EA TN E S S OF HIS SON
KRISHNA ANP A S K S U S
FOR A D V IC E? INDEEP
PROXIM ITY P O ES LEAP
TO IN D IF F E R E N C E .

a m a r chitra Ratha
 BHAG AW AT PURANA
“ UNDER. THE GUIDANCE O F THE RISHIS, " A FTER APPLYIN G CORY LL/UN* IN H IS E Y E S A N D
MASUPEVA B EG AN A YAJNA A T TH E S M E A R IN G H IS B O PY W ITH B U T T E R , VASUPEVA
HOLY S P O T. PERFORM ED THE Y A JN A P R E S S E D IN P E E R S K /N
WHILE H IS W IV E S W ERE P EC K ED IN >S/LKEN GARMENTS
ANP BEJEWELLEP ORNAMENTS. f
m >s

“ A FTE R THE YA TN A, VASUDEVA GAVE GENEROUS G IF T S TO THE R IS H IS A N D

THE A S S E M B L E D K IN G S. KR ISH N A, BALARAM A A N P U G R A S EN A W ORSHIPPED
NANPA AN P OTHER. GOPAS AN D SH O W ER ED THEM W ITH G IF T S .

o m a r chitra katha 251

 KRISHNA THF. SAVIOUR
OM RETURNING TO DWARAKA,
PEVAKI, WHO W AS BV NOW TELL ME HOW MV
CONVINCED ABOUT TH E DIVINE GRANDFATHER ARJUNA
NATURE OF KRISHNA AND M ARRIED MV
BA lARAMA, R EQ UESTED THEM TO GRANDMOTHER SUBHAPRA,
RESTORE HER SO NS WHO HAD WHO W AS K R IS H N A ’S
BEEN KILLED BY THE CRUEL S IS TE R .
KAMSA. KRISHNA AND BALA RAMA
BROUGHT HER SO NS TO LIFE.
THOUGH THEy SOON PlSAPPEAREP
AGAIN, PEVAKI WAS
CONTENT TO HAVE FEASTED
HER EVES ON THEIR
FACES.

“ ONCE WHILE ARJUNA W AS ON A “ ARJUNA H AP HEARD ABOUT SUBHAPRA’S

ye a r 's p il g r im a g e a r o u n d t h e UNSURPASSED BEAUTY AND CHARM.
COUNTRY HE ARRIVED A T PRABHASA.

BUT KRISHNA
AND VASUDEVA DO
NOT AGREE TO THIS
ALLIANCE.
252 I om ar chitra katha
 BHAGAWAT PURANA
“ PISSUlSEP AS A SANYAS/, HE REACHED DWARAKA
HE DEC/VED TO SPEND FOUR M ONTHS OP THE
RAIN Y S EA S O N THERE.

“ BELIEVING HIM TO B E A N A6CET/C. BALARAMA INVITED

HIM FOR A M EAL TO H IS PALACE. \

IT WAS THEN THAT AR JUN A FIR S T **SUBHADRA TOO W AS S M ITTE N B Y LOVE FOR THE
b e h e l d s u &h a d r a w h o , a c c o r d in g HANDSOME FORM O F A R JU N A *
TO TRADITION W AITED O N THE
HONOURED G U E S T8.
how L o v e ry
SHE LOOKS.

\ ACCORPlUG JO A M AHA&HAKATA VERSION, A R JU N A R EV EA LS H IS REAL ID E N TITY TO H E R

 Illustrated Classics From India

Bhagawat - The Krishna Avatar

The Bhagawat Purana sings of the glory of Vishnu and his incarnations. Attributed to Vyasa, the author of 'Mahabharata', the
Bhagawat is one of the most popular of the eighteen major Puranas. Its recitations lasting for a week, called 'Saptaha', are held
all over India.

The narration is in the form of a dialogue between Vyasa's son, Shukadeva, and king Pareekshit, the grandson of Arjuna.

The present series depicts the story of the life of Shri Krishna, based on the tenth chapter of the Bhagawat Purana. Although
composed in the era before Christ, the Bhagawat Purana in its present form is dated by most scholars to the sixth century AD
and its tenth chapter to the tenth century AD.

Editor: Anant Pai

Related Titles
Krishna • The Gita, Krishna and Rukmini
Krishna and (arasandha • Krishna and the False Vasudeva
Sudama • Abhimanyu • Tales of Balarama

ISBN 8 1 - 7 5 0 8 - 1 4 4 - 9

IBH 9 788175 081444

INDIA BOOK HOUSE