English
Thereupon when the night set in the Divine Upendra asked all present in the party to go on with the song. _Chhālikya_ of various tunes sung by the gods and Gandharvas (67). O king, then Narada began to play on his Vinā which with six scales and _Ragas_³⁰² brings about the concentration of mind, Krishna began to perform _Hallishaka_³⁰³ accompanied with the music of his flute and Pārtha began to play on his _Mridanga_:³⁰⁴ other leading Apsaras played on various other instruments. Thereupon after Asārita, the beautiful Rambhā, a clever actress, rose up, played and pleased Rāma and Keshava. Afterwards, O king, Urvashi, having beautiful and expansive eyes, Himā, Mishrakeshi, Tilottamā, Menakā and other celestial actresses rose up in order and pleased Hari with singing and dancing. Having his mind attracted by their charming singing and dancing Vāsudeva pleased them all with presents after their own heart. O prince, those honorable and leading Apsaras, who had been brought there, were honored with betel leaves at the desire of Krishna (68–72). O king, thus the various fragrant fruits and the song Chhālikya, which were brought from the celestial region out of Krishna's desire and his favour towards mankind, were known only to the intelligent son of Rukshmini. It was he who could use them: and it was he who distributed betel leaves at that time (73–74). The Chhālikya song, conducive to the well-being, nourishment, and prosperity of Nārāyana of glorious deeds, and which was great, auspicious and productive of fame and piety to mankind, was sung in chorus by Indra-like Krishna, Rāma, Pradyumna, Anuvindha and Shamva (75–76). This Chhalikya, which was sung there, was capable of bearing the axle of virtue and destructive of sorrow and sin. Repairing to the celestial region and hearing this Chhālikya song the illustrious king Revata regarded four thousand Yugas as one day. From it originated the various divisions of the Gandharvas as _Kumarajati_, &c., (77–78), O king, as hundreds of lights are produced by one light so various classes of Gandharvas have emanated from Chhālikya. O king, with Pradyumna and other leading Bhaimas Krishna and Nārada knew all this (79). Like unto streams and the water of the ocean people of this world knew Chhalikya only by illustration. It is possible to know the virtues and weight of the Himalaya but it is not so, without practising hard austerities to know the _Murchanā_³⁰⁵ and time of Chhalikya (80–81). O king, what of Chhālikya with six scales and _Ragas_ men, with great difficulty, cannot even come to the end of its eleventh division _Sukumarajati_. Know it for certain, O king, that the slayer of Madhu had so arranged that the gods, Gandharvas and great Rishis might attain to a devotional spirit on account of the virtues of Chhālikya (82–83). On account of its being sung by the god, amongst men, Krishna, before the Bhaimas for showing favour unto the world, Chhālikya, sung by the immortals only, attained to such a celebrity, that formerly on the occasion of a festivity Bhaima boys used to cite it as an example. And the elders used to approve of their saying and the boys, youths and old men used to sing it in a chorus. "Love is the test and not age"—to remind the mortals of this virtue of their own race, the heroic Yādavas, the ordainers of ancient religious rites, did so in the land of mortals. O king, friendship is known by love; therefore keeping love before them, the other Vrishnis, Andhakas and Dāsharhas, except Keshava, used to treat their own sons even as friends. Thereupon saluting the delighted Madhusudana, the slayer of Kansa, the contented Apsaras returned to the celestial region which too was (accordingly) filled with joy (84–88).