Prayers to Lord Krishna in Bhaumantaka-carita of Barada

Bhaumasura in Kathakali performance

Although we did not have any historical evidence, but the Balinese elders believed Barada Rishi was compiled a Javanese Bhaumantaka-carita. This is also a rare palm leaf manuscript and not so widely read by people as The Yogisvara Ramayana and The Parvas. Bhaumantaka was about the death of Bhaumasura (or Narakasura) but described more elaborately than the same story we found in Bhagavata. Many unknown scenes were told in this work such as the defeat of Arjuna in his battle with Bhaumasura.

Bhaumantaka became interesting literary work for me when I found the prayer of Brahma and other Devas and Rishis to Lord Krishna, after The Lord killed Bhaumasura.

Hyang Brahma sira sighra dhateng
anembaha rarem i Bhatara Kesava.
Bhaktyangastuti ling niran,
Prabhu wisesa kita wasawasitwang bhupati.
Utpati sthiti linaning bhuwana
karana nika kita dadi dewata.
Bhokteng bhogya kitatma suddha
purusottama kita paramartha kewala.
”Lord Brahma came quickly to Lord Kesava’s presence and worships Him. With prayers full of devotion he said, My Lord You are the omnipotent, The Lord whose will never be unfulfilled. You are The Supreme God, the very cause of creation, maintenance, and destruction of the whole cosmic manifestation. The pure blemish-less Supreme Personality. Your very Self was bliss and pleasure personified. There is no other higher destination or goal other than You!”

Yan ring sandhi katattwaning pranawa
dewa kita maka sarirang aksara.
Litning sutra subaddha bandhana binandha
kita paramatattwa durlabha.
Yan ring jyotishatantra tan hana waneh
kita sipati katemwaning pinet.
Sangksepanya wisesa ri tiga
bhatara parama siwa nisti dewata.
“You are the most secret truth of syllable OM (pranava) among all alphabet. You are the thread, the resting place of all beings. The tightest unbreakable rope. The Supreme Absolute Truth uneasily reached. You are the only One who propitiated by all Jyotishas and Tantras to attain their perfection. Conclusively, among these Three Divine Features, certainly You are the Paramasiva.” (Jyotishas are astrological knowledge, consulted for decide good or bad time to perform any activity by mastering the path and movement of star, planet, etc. Tantras are the knowledge of skillful means to attain the goal. Both Jyotishas and Tantras help us to manifest our aspiration. But that was Lord Krishna who sanctioned everything. Without His permission nothing could be gain although we take the injunction of Jyotishas and Tantras very strictly. And with His mere will alone, all success came even without following the Jyotishas and Tantras. The term ri tiga bhatara ~ among Three Divine Manifestation as found in Saiva-agama and the theological concept of the Saiva i.e. Siva or Sivatma, Sadasiva or Isvara, and Paramasiva or Parabrahman, conclusively proclaimed that Lord Krishna is the same Paramasiva of the Saivites or Paravasudeva of Vaishnavas).

Nyang loka hyuni tattwaning hyang
ingapan wruha ri gati bhatara yang wibhuh.
Prajna yan pamasang samahita tathapi wisayanika
tan teke kita Sang Yogiswara towi tan wenang
atarka ri kita umeneng kurang idep
Puja dhyana Samadhi dharma
pitutur pinalimura ring kapanditan
“The lords of worlds (devas) eager to know the truth about You, but they can’t reach Your glorious prowess. Because You are the knowledge and wisdom Himself, so they approached You only by worship. The masters of yogis have no qualification to know You, so they remain in solitary silent. By following the Eternal Law, they took the way of priesthood or penance and performed worship (puja), meditation (dhyana), and unified their consciousness only with You (samadhi).”

After these prayers offered by Lord Brahma, all Prajapatis, Devas, headed by Indra on his elephant vehicle the Airavata, twelve sons of Aditi headed by the Sun God Surya on his chariot, Kuvera the celestial treasurer on his air plane palanquin (vimana) with all his Yakshas and Yamaraja, the lord of death came on his buffalo carrier and holding his Danda (staff of justice) to worship The Supreme Lord Krishna. Then Mahesvara or Siva, famous as Pretaraja, the lord of ghostly beings, also came with his families such as his consort Uma and his son Lord Sena and Lord Ganapati, and many followers such as the Bhutas, Ganas, and Pramathas (kinds of malign supernatural beings). They glorified Lord Hari with thunderous voices and showered the rain of flower and other fragrances.

Supreme Lord of all lords worships by Devas, Rishis, Siddhas, and Humans

The Great Lord then said to all of them,
Nahan lingira,
he Virinchi kita masiheng rat kabeh
Watek hyang iki raksanen
ta nguniweh tika sang rishi
Apan kita bapebuning sakala loka kita
Matangnya hayuning jagat
jagaya tan ya tan linggara.
”Thus The Great Lord said, O my dear Virinchi (Brahma), you are affectionately always protecting the whole creation. So let you continued to protect the gods and the sages as before. Since you are considered as the father and also mother of all universes. Because of your sacrifice the whole world wouldn’t fall to disorder and always in peace.”

Telas mara ilang si Bhauma ya kalengkaning rat kabeh Tewek nika kahawyaning bhuwana dengku tanpopama Kitekana nimittaning tehera tang jagat saswata Marapwaniki tusta sang rishi lawan watek dewata
“The disaster of universe, Bhauma, just already destroyed. By My blessing the indescribable peace has prevailed everywhere. Now it is your turn to keep this condition forever, so the sages and gods could live peacefully ever after.”

Sadrewya nikanang watek hyang
inalap nikang Bhumija
Yateka muliheka dengku
meneher tut karma
Kitatikana ngengeta kramanika
kitaningkaha apan mapiwika
swabhawa nikanghyuni drewya len
“Anything took by force from the gods by this Bhumija (Bhaumasura) has been under My protection. Now I gave them to you. Let you returned them to all devas according to the lawful means. That was not honourable act and very degraded to take what not belong to us.”

Nahan wuwusinghulun
ri sira watek hyang kabeh
Kitatika nimittaning sakala
warna tan sangkara
Teher kita matuta nitya gawayen
tikangarcana marapwanika
tusta tang bhuwana loka bhakti kita
”Thus I spoke to you, O all gods. It was known to everyone, that Lord Brahma was the very creator of this material world. Please never cease to perform your Puja, so everyone in this universe will happily worship you with devotion.”

Wuwusku depenta
aywa ta kita pramadeng ayu
Yananya kita pagwanapageha
ring kadewabratan
Tumema phalaning kasiddhyana
teher musuh tan hana
Nghulun muwahajanma
manusa rikang jagat raksana
“Please remember my message, never abandoned your duty to universal welfare. If all of you performed your duty honestly, by austerities all success will be attained, and there is no more endangering enemy. But whenever the world needs Me, I certainly will descend in My Human Form, and give you protection.”