Pārijāta Haraṇa (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa)

The Pārijāta is the wish-fulfilling tree of svarga (heaven). Nārada gave a flower of this tree to Rukmiṇī, and Satyabhāmā then asked Bhagavān Kṛshṇa for the whole tree. Kṛshṇa gave his word. After the slaying of Narakāsura he uprooted the Pārijāta in Nandanavana, Indra’s garden, and carried it away on Garuḍa. Indra fought to stop him, and in the end peace was made. The tree was planted in Satyabhāmā’s garden in Dvārakā. The Harivaṃśa tells this in the Vishṇu Parva.

Nārada brings the Pārijāta flower

The ṛshi Nārada, who loves to arrange divine play, brought a Pārijāta flower from svarga. He gave it to Rukmiṇī, the first queen of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, in Dvārakā. The Pārijāta, also called the haricandana of svarga, is the wish-fulfilling tree that rose when the cosmic ocean was churned. Its scent fills the three worlds and its blossoms never fade.

Satyabhāmā’s wish

Satyabhāmā was Kṛshṇa’s dear queen and the daughter of the noble Satrājita. She learned that the Pārijāta flower had gone to Rukmiṇī and not to her. Her pride was deeply hurt. This was prāṇasakopa, the jealous grief of a beloved. It came not from smallness but from the strength of her love for Kṛshṇa and her wish to be loved as much as the other queen.

Satyabhāmā said what she longed for. If Kṛshṇa truly loved her, he should bring not one flower but the whole Pārijāta tree and plant it in her garden. Kṛshṇa loved Satyabhāmā without limit, and he gave his word that he would do just this.

Taking the Pārijāta from Nandanavana

The time came when the slaying of Narakāsura was over. Kṛshṇa had given Aditi’s kuṇḍalas back in svarga. Satyabhāmā was still beside him on Garuḍa. Kṛshṇa entered Nandanavana, the divine pleasure garden of Indra. There he pulled up the great Pārijāta tree and placed it on Garuḍa to be carried to Dvārakā.

Indra’s resistance

The guardians of Nandanavana were alarmed at the loss of the tree and raised a cry. Indra’s army, the deva-senā, came forward to stop the taking. A fierce battle followed. Kṛshṇa’s son Pradyumna fought Jayanta, the son of Indra. The great warrior Sātyaki fought Pravara, one of Indra’s champions. Garuḍa himself flew against Airāvata, Indra’s divine elephant. All of Kṛshṇa’s companions fought bravely, and one by one Indra’s commanders were beaten.

Kṛshṇa worships Śiva at Pāriyātra

On the way back Kṛshṇa stopped at the Pāriyātra mountain. At the holy shrine of Bilvodakeśvara he offered pūjā to Bhagavān Śiva. Here Kṛshṇa, the avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu, did pūjā to Śiva. Bhagavān Śiva was pleased and blessed Kṛshṇa for the rest of the journey.

The last battle and peace

Indra himself then came to fight Kṛshṇa. The fight between them was great, for Indra carried the vajra (thunderbolt) and led the whole army of the devas. But Kṛshṇa’s power was beyond all measure.

At the height of the battle the ṛshi Kaśyapa and his wife Aditi came between them. They are the parents of the devas, and this very avatāra is part of the plan they share in. They spoke to Indra with wisdom. They told him that to stand against Kṛshṇa’s will was useless and that peace was the right course. Indra accepted their counsel, gave up the fight and made peace with Kṛshṇa.

The Pārijāta in Dvārakā

Kṛshṇa reached Dvārakā with the Pārijāta tree. The ṛshi Nārada, who had set all these events moving with his gift to Rukmiṇī, now performed a dāna (giving) ceremony for the formal planting of the tree. The Pārijāta was planted in the garden of Satyabhāmā’s palace. Its divine scent and unfading blossoms gave joy to all of Dvārakā. Satyabhāmā’s wish was met, and Kṛshṇa had kept his word to her.

Sources

  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapters 67–68 (Nārada’s flower)
  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapters 67–69 (Satyabhāmā’s wish and Kṛshṇa’s promise)
  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapter 66 (the taking of the Pārijāta from Nandanavana)
  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapter 75 (Indra’s army and the battle)
  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapter 76 (pūjā to Śiva at Pāriyātra)
  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapter 77 (Indra’s last battle, Kaśyapa and Aditi, peace)
  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapter 78 (the Pārijāta planted in Dvārakā)
  • Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, chapters 74 and 76 (also cited, in a second volume of the Harivaṃśa)