03.017
Pancharatra: Krishna’s various son’s fight Shalva’s army.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said.
tāṃ tūpayātvā rājendra śālvaḥ saubhapatis tadā। prabhūta-nara-nāgena balena upaviveśa ha ॥3-17-1॥
But having approached her, O king, Śālva, the lord of Saubha, then encamped there with a great army of men and elephants. (3-17-1)
same niviṣṭā sā senā prabhūtasalilāśaye। caturaṅgabalopetā śālvarājābhipālitā ॥3-17-2॥
That army, established on level ground in the area full of water, equipped with the fourfold forces, was guarded by King Śālva. (3-17-2)
varjayitvā śmaśānāni devatāyatnāni ca। valmīkāṃścaiva caityāṃśca tanniviṣṭamabhūdbalam ॥3-17-3॥
Having excluded cremation grounds, abodes of deities, anthills, and sanctuaries, the army settled in the remaining area. (3-17-3)
anīkānāṃ vibhāgena panthānaḥ ṣaṭkṛtābhavan। pravaṇā nava caivāsañśālvasya śibire nṛpa ॥3-17-4॥
O king, by the division of the troops, the paths became sixfold. There were indeed nine slopes in the camp of Śālva. (3-17-4)
sarvāyudhasamopetaṃ sarvaśastraviśāradam। rathanāgāśvakalilaṃ padātidhvajasaṅkulam ॥3-17-5॥
Endowed with all kinds of weapons and skilled in all missiles, it was crowded with chariots, elephants, and horses, and filled with foot-soldiers and banners. (3-17-5)
tuṣṭapuṣṭajanopetaṃ vīralakṣaṇalakṣitam। vicitradhvajasaṃnāhaṃ vicitrarathakārmukam ॥3-17-6॥
It was accompanied by satisfied and strong people, distinguished by heroic marks, adorned with wonderful banners and armor, and equipped with splendid chariots and bows. (3-17-6)
saṁniveśya ca kauravya dvārakāyāṁ nararṣabha। abhisārayāmāsa tadā vegena patagendravat ॥3-17-7॥
Having assembled everything in Dvārakā, O descendant of Kuru, the bull among men then set out swiftly, like the king of birds. (3-17-7)
tadāpatantaṃ sandṛśya balaṃ śālvapates tadā। niryāya yodhayāmāsuḥ kumārā vṛṣṇinandanāḥ ॥3-17-8॥
Then, seeing the army of the lord of Śālva advancing, the princes, descendants of Vṛṣṇi, went out and fought. (3-17-8)
asahanto’bhiyānaṃ tacchālvarājasya kaurava। cārudeṣṇaś ca sāmbaś ca pradyumnaś ca mahārathaḥ ॥3-17-9॥
O Kaurava, Cārudeṣṇa, Sāmba, and Pradyumna, the great chariot-warrior, could not endure the attack of that king of Śālva. (3-17-9)
te rathair daṃśitāḥ sarve vicitrābharaṇadhvajāḥ। saṃsaktāḥ śālvarājasya bahubhir yodhapuṅgavaiḥ ॥3-17-10॥
All of them, adorned with chariots, various ornaments, and banners, were joined with the king of Śālva, accompanied by many heroic warriors. (3-17-10)
gṛhītvā tu dhanuḥ sāmbhaḥ śālvasya sacivaṃ raṇe। yodhayāmāsa saṃhṛṣṭaḥ kṣemavṛddhiṃ camūpatim ॥3-17-11॥
But Sāmba, having taken up his bow, joyfully fought in battle with Kṣemavṛddhi, the commander of Śālva's army. (3-17-11)
tasya bāṇamayaṃ varṣaṃ jāmbavatyāḥ suto mahat। mumoca bharataśreṣṭha yathā varṣaṃ sahasradṛk ॥3-17-12॥
O best of the Bharatas, the great son of Jāmbavatī released a shower of arrows, just as the thousand-eyed (Indra) releases rain. (3-17-12)
tad-bāṇa-varṣaṃ tumulaṃ viṣehe sa camūpatiḥ। kṣema-vṛddhir-mahārāja himavān-iva niścalaḥ॥3-17-13॥
O great king, Kṣemavṛddhi, the commander of the army, endured that tumultuous shower of arrows, remaining unmoving like the Himalaya. (3-17-13)
tataḥ sāmbāya rājendra kṣemavṛddhir api sma ha। mumoca māyāvihitaṃ śarajālaṃ mahattaram ॥3-17-14॥
Then, O king, for Sāmba, there was also certainly an increase of prosperity. He released a very great net of arrows created by illusion. (3-17-14)
tato māyāmayaṃ jālaṃ māyayāiva vidārya saḥ। sāmbhaḥ śarasahasreṇa ratham asya abhyavarṣata ॥3-17-15॥
Then, having torn the net made of illusion by illusion itself, Samba showered his (the enemy's) chariot with a thousand arrows. (3-17-15)
tataḥ sa viddhaḥ sāmbena kṣemavṛddhiś camūpatiḥ। apāyāj javanair aśvaiḥ sāmbabāṇaprapīḍitaḥ ॥3-17-16॥
Then Kṣemavṛddhi, the commander of the army, having been pierced by Sāmba and afflicted by Sāmba's arrow, departed quickly on swift horses. (3-17-16)
tasmin vipradrute krūre śālvasya atha camūpatau। vegavān nāma daiteyaḥ sutaṃ me 'abhyadravad balī ॥3-17-17॥
When the cruel army-chief of Śālva was routed, then Vegavān, the powerful Daiteya by name, rushed at my son. (3-17-17)
abhipannastu rājendra sāmbho vṛṣṇikulodvahaḥ। vegaṃ vegavato rājaṃstasthau vīro vidhārayan ॥3-17-18॥
But Sāmba, the foremost of the Vṛṣṇi clan, O king, having approached, stood firm and restrained the speed of the swift one, O heroic king. (3-17-18)
sa vegavatī kaunteya sāmbho vegavatīṃ gadām। cikṣepa tarasā vīro vyāvidhya satyavikramaḥ ॥3-17-19॥
He, O son of Kunti, Sāmba, the hero of true valor, having whirled his swift mace with speed, hurled it with force. (3-17-19)
tayā tv abhihato rājan vegavān apatad bhuvi। vātarugṇa iva kṣuṇṇo jīrṇamūlo vanaspatiḥ ॥3-17-20॥
O king, struck by her, the swift one fell to the ground, like a tree with decayed roots shattered by the wind. (3-17-20)
tasminnipatite vīre gadānunne mahāsure। praviśya mahatīṃ senāṃ yodhayāmāsa me sutaḥ ॥3-17-21॥
When the hero, the great asura with the raised mace, had fallen there, my son entered the great army and fought. (3-17-21)
cārudeṣṇena saṁsakto vivindhyo nāma dānavaḥ। mahārathaḥ samājñāto mahārāja mahādhanuḥ ॥3-17-22॥
O great king, a demon named Vivindhya, a great chariot-warrior and wielder of a mighty bow, well-known, was joined by Cārudeṣṇa. (3-17-22)
tataḥ sutumulaṃ yuddhaṃ cārudeṣṇavivindhyayoḥ। vṛtravāsavayo rājan yathā pūrvaṃ tathābhavat ॥3-17-23॥
Then, O king, a very tumultuous battle took place between Cārudeṣṇa and Vivindhya, just as it had once occurred between Vṛtra and Indra. (3-17-23)
anyonyasyābhisaṅkruddhāv anyonyaṃ jaghnatuḥ śaraiḥ। vinadantau mahārāja siṃhāv iva mahābalau ॥3-17-24॥
O great king, both of them, greatly enraged, struck each other with arrows, roaring like two lions of immense strength. (3-17-24)
raukmiṇeyas tato bāṇam agny-arkopama-varcasam। abhimantr̥ya mahāstreṇa sandadhe śatrunāśanam ॥3-17-25॥
Then the son of Rukmiṇī, having consecrated an arrow as brilliant as fire and the sun with a great missile mantra, fixed the enemy-destroying shaft to his bow. (3-17-25)
sa vivindhyāya sakrodhaḥ samāhūya mahārathaḥ। cikṣepa me suto rājans gatāsur athāpatat ॥3-17-26॥
He, having summoned Vivindhya in anger, the great chariot-warrior hurled (a weapon); my son, O king, lifeless, then fell. (3-17-26)
vivindhyaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā tāṃ ca vikṣobhitāṃ camūm। kāmagena sa saubhena śālvaḥ punarupāgamat ॥3-17-27॥
Seeing Vivindhya slain and his army thrown into confusion, Śālva once again approached in his flying city Saubha. (3-17-27)
tato vyākulitaṃ sarvaṃ dvārakāvāsi tadbalam। dṛṣṭvā śālvaṃ mahābāho saubhasthaṃ pṛthivīgatam ॥3-17-28॥
Then, O mighty-armed one, all the inhabitants of Dvaraka and their army became agitated when they saw Shalva, who had descended to earth from his Saubha vehicle. (3-17-28)
tato niryāya kaunteya vyavasthāpya ca tadbalam। ānartānāṃ mahārāja pradyumno vākyam abravīt ॥3-17-29॥
Then, O son of Kunti, after going out and arranging that army of the Anartas, Pradyumna spoke these words, O great king. (3-17-29)
sarve bhavantastiṣṭhantu sarve paśyantu māṃ yudhi। nivārayantaṃ saṅgrāme balātsaubhaṃ sarājakam ॥3-17-30॥
Let all of you stand, let all see me in battle, as I prevent Saubha and its king by force in the war. (3-17-30)
ahaṃ saubhapateḥ senā māyasair bhujagair iva। dhanurbhuja-vinirmuktair nāśayāmi adya yādavāḥ ॥3-17-31॥
Today, I will destroy the Yādavas with missiles released from my bow, just as the lord of Saubha's magical army used serpents. (3-17-31)
āśvasadhvaṃ na bhīḥ kāryā saubharāḍadya naśyati। mayābhipanno duṣṭātmā sasaubho vinaśiṣyati ॥3-17-32॥
Be reassured; do not be afraid. Today the king of Saubha is perishing. Attacked by me, the wicked-souled one along with Saubha will be destroyed. (3-17-32)
evaṃ bruvati saṃhṛṣṭe pradyumne pāṇḍunandana। viṣṭhitaṃ tadbalaṃ vīra yuyudhe ca yathāsukham ॥3-17-33॥
O son of Pāṇḍu, as Pradyumna, delighted, was speaking thus, that army, having been arrayed, O hero, fought as it pleased. (3-17-33)
