Adhyaya 77

Verse 1

श्रीशुक उवाच स उपस्पृश्य सलिलं दंशितो धृतकार्मुक: । नय मां द्युमत: पार्श्वं वीरस्येत्याह सारथिम् ॥ १ ॥

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After refreshing Himself with water, putting on His armor and picking up His bow, Lord Pradyumna told His driver, “Take Me back to where the hero Dyumān is standing.”

Verse 2

विधमन्तं स्वसैन्यानि द्युमन्तं रुक्‍मिणीसुत: । प्रतिहत्य प्रत्यविध्यान्नाराचैरष्टभि: स्मयन् ॥ २ ॥

In Pradyumna’s absence, Dyumān had been devastating His army, but now Pradyumna counterattacked Dyumān and, smiling, pierced him with eight nārāca arrows.

Verse 3

चतुर्भिश्चतुरो वाहान् सूतमेकेन चाहनत् । द्वाभ्यं धनुश्च केतुं च शरेणान्येन वै शिर: ॥ ३ ॥

With four of these arrows He struck Dyumān’s four horses, with one arrow, his driver, with two more arrows, his bow and chariot flag, and with the last arrow, Dyumān’s head.

Verse 4

गदसात्यकिसाम्बाद्या जघ्नु: सौभपतेर्बलम् । पेतु: समुद्रे सौभेया: सर्वे सञ्छिन्नकन्धरा: ॥ ४ ॥

Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba and others began killing Śālva’s army, and thus all the soldiers inside the airship began falling into the ocean, their necks severed.

Verse 5

एवं यदूनां शाल्वानां निघ्नतामितरेतरम् । युद्धं त्रिनवरात्रं तदभूत्तुमुलमुल्बणम् ॥ ५ ॥

As the Yadus and Śālva’s followers thus went on attacking one another, the tumultuous, fearsome battle continued for twenty-seven days and nights.

Verse 6

इन्द्रप्रस्थं गत: कृष्ण आहूतो धर्मसूनुना । राजसूयेऽथ निवृत्ते शिशुपाले च संस्थिते ॥ ६ ॥ कुरुवृद्धाननुज्ञाप्य मुनींश्च ससुतां पृथाम् । निमित्तान्यतिघोराणि पश्यन् द्वारवतीं ययौ ॥ ७ ॥

Invited by Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, Lord Kṛṣṇa had gone to Indraprastha. Now that the Rājasūya sacrifice had been completed and Śiśupāla killed, the Lord began to see inauspicious omens. So He took leave of the Kuru elders and the great sages, and also of Pṛthā and her sons, and returned to Dvārakā.

Verse 7

इन्द्रप्रस्थं गत: कृष्ण आहूतो धर्मसूनुना । राजसूयेऽथ निवृत्ते शिशुपाले च संस्थिते ॥ ६ ॥ कुरुवृद्धाननुज्ञाप्य मुनींश्च ससुतां पृथाम् । निमित्तान्यतिघोराणि पश्यन् द्वारवतीं ययौ ॥ ७ ॥

Invited by Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, Lord Kṛṣṇa had gone to Indraprastha. Now that the Rājasūya sacrifice had been completed and Śiśupāla killed, the Lord began to see inauspicious omens. So He took leave of the Kuru elders and the great sages, and also of Pṛthā and her sons, and returned to Dvārakā.

Verse 8

आह चाहमिहायात आर्यमिश्राभिसङ्गत: । राजन्याश्चैद्यपक्षीया नूनं हन्यु: पुरीं मम ॥ ८ ॥

The Lord said to Himself: Because I have come here with My respected elder brother, kings partial to Śiśupāla may well be attacking My capital city.

Verse 9

वीक्ष्य तत् कदनं स्वानां निरूप्य पुररक्षणम् । सौभं च शाल्वराजं च दारुकं प्राह केशव: ॥ ९ ॥

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] After He arrived at Dvārakā and saw how His people were threatened with destruction, and also saw Śālva and his Saubha airship, Lord Keśava arranged for the city’s defense and then addressed Dāruka as follows.

Verse 10

रथं प्रापय मे सूत शाल्वस्यान्तिकमाशु वै । सम्भ्रमस्ते न कर्तव्यो मायावी सौभराडयम् ॥ १० ॥

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] O driver, quickly take My chariot near Śālva. This lord of Saubha is a powerful magician; don’t let him bewilder you.

Verse 11

इत्युक्तश्चोदयामास रथमास्थाय दारुक: । विशन्तं दद‍ृशु: सर्वे स्वे परे चारुणानुजम् ॥ ११ ॥

Thus ordered, Dāruka took command of the Lord’s chariot and drove forth. As the chariot entered the battlefield, everyone there, both friend and foe, caught sight of the emblem of Garuḍa.

Verse 12

शाल्वश्च कृष्णमालोक्य हतप्रायबलेश्वर: । प्राहरत् कृष्णसूताय शक्तिं भीमरवां मृधे ॥ १२ ॥

When Śālva, the master of a decimated army, saw Lord Kṛṣṇa approaching, he hurled his spear at the Lord’s charioteer. The spear roared frighteningly as it flew across the battlefield.

Verse 13

तामापतन्तीं नभसि महोल्कामिव रंहसा । भासयन्तीं दिश: शौरि: सायकै: शतधाच्छिनत् ॥ १३ ॥

Śālva’s hurtling spear lit up the whole sky like a mighty meteor, but Lord Śauri tore the great weapon into hundreds of pieces with His arrows.

Verse 14

तं च षोडशभिर्विद्ध्वा बाणै: सौभं च खे भ्रमत् । अविध्यच्छरसन्दोहै: खं सूर्य इव रश्मिभि: ॥ १४ ॥

Lord Kṛṣṇa then pierced Śālva with sixteen arrows and struck the Saubha airship with a deluge of arrows as it darted about the sky. Firing His arrows, the Lord appeared like the sun flooding the heavens with its rays.

Verse 15

शाल्व: शौरेस्तु दो: सव्यं सशार्ङ्गं शार्ङ्गधन्वन: । बिभेद न्यपतद्धस्ताच्छार्ङ्गमासीत्तदद्भ‍ुतम् ॥ १५ ॥

Śālva then managed to strike Lord Kṛṣṇa’s left arm, which held His bow Śārṅga, and, amazingly, Śārṅga fell from His hand.

Verse 16

हाहाकारो महानासीद् भूतानां तत्र पश्यताम् । निनद्य सौभराडुच्चैरिदमाह जनार्दनम् ॥ १६ ॥

Those who witnessed this all cried out in dismay. Then the master of Saubha roared loudly and addressed Lord Janārdana.

Verse 17

यत्त्वया मूढ न: सख्युर्भ्रातुर्भार्या हृतेक्षताम् । प्रमत्त: स सभामध्ये त्वया व्यापादित: सखा ॥ १७ ॥ तं त्वाद्य निशितैर्बाणैरपराजितमानिनम् । नयाम्यपुनरावृत्तिं यदि तिष्ठेर्ममाग्रत: ॥ १८ ॥

[Śālva said:] You fool! Because in our presence You kidnapped the bride of our friend Śiśupāla, Your own cousin, and because You later murdered him in the sacred assembly while he was inattentive, today with my sharp arrows I will send You to the land of no return! Though You think Yourself invincible, I will kill You now if You dare stand before me.

Verse 18

यत्त्वया मूढ न: सख्युर्भ्रातुर्भार्या हृतेक्षताम् । प्रमत्त: स सभामध्ये त्वया व्यापादित: सखा ॥ १७ ॥ तं त्वाद्य निशितैर्बाणैरपराजितमानिनम् । नयाम्यपुनरावृत्तिं यदि तिष्ठेर्ममाग्रत: ॥ १८ ॥

[Śālva said:] You fool! Because in our presence You kidnapped the bride of our friend Śiśupāla, Your own cousin, and because You later murdered him in the sacred assembly while he was inattentive, today with my sharp arrows I will send You to the land of no return! Though You think Yourself invincible, I will kill You now if You dare stand before me.

Verse 19

श्रीभगवानुवाच वृथा त्वं कत्थसे मन्द न पश्यस्यन्तिकेऽन्तकम् । पौरुषं दर्शयन्ति स्म शूरा न बहुभाषिण: ॥ १९ ॥

The Supreme Lord said: O dullard, you boast in vain, since you fail to see death standing near you. Real heroes do not talk much but rather show their prowess in action.

Verse 20

इत्युक्त्वा भगवाञ्छाल्वं गदया भीमवेगया । तताड जत्रौ संरब्ध: स चकम्पे वमन्नसृक् ॥ २० ॥

Having said this, the furious Lord swung His club with frightening power and speed and hit Śālva on the collarbone, making him tremble and vomit blood.

Verse 21

गदायां सन्निवृत्तायां शाल्वस्त्वन्तरधीयत । ततो मुहूर्त आगत्य पुरुष: शिरसाच्युतम् । देवक्या प्रहितोऽस्मीति नत्वा प्राह वचो रुदन् ॥ २१ ॥

But as soon as Lord Acyuta withdrew His club, Śālva disappeared from sight, and a moment later a man approached the Lord. Bowing his head down to Him, he announced, “Devakī has sent me,” and, sobbing, spoke the following words.

Verse 22

कृष्ण कृष्ण महाबाहो पिता ते पितृवत्सल । बद्ध्वापनीत: शाल्वेन सौनिकेन यथा पशु: ॥ २२ ॥

[The man said:] O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, mighty-armed one, who are so affectionate to Your parents! Śālva has seized Your father and taken him away, as a butcher leads an animal to slaughter.

Verse 23

निशम्य विप्रियं कृष्णो मानुषीं प्रकृतिं गत: । विमनस्को घृणी स्‍नेहाद् बभाषे प्राकृतो यथा ॥ २३ ॥

When He heard this disturbing news, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who was playing the role of a mortal man, showed sorrow and compassion, and out of love for His parents He spoke the following words like an ordinary conditioned soul.

Verse 24

कथं राममसम्भ्रान्तं जित्वाजेयं सुरासुरै: । शाल्वेनाल्पीयसा नीत: पिता मे बलवान् विधि: ॥ २४ ॥

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] Balarāma is ever vigilant, and no demigod or demon can defeat Him. So how could this insignificant Śālva defeat Him and abduct My father? Indeed, fate is all-powerful!

Verse 25

इति ब्रुवाणे गोविन्दे सौभराट् प्रत्युपस्थित: । वसुदेवमिवानीय कृष्णं चेदमुवाच स: ॥ २५ ॥

After Govinda spoke these words, the master of Saubha again appeared, apparently leading Vasudeva before the Lord. Śālva then spoke as follows.

Verse 26

एष ते जनिता तातो यदर्थमिह जीवसि । वधिष्ये वीक्षतस्तेऽमुमीशश्चेत् पाहि बालिश ॥ २६ ॥

[Śālva said:] Here is Your dear father, who begot You and for whose sake You are living in this world. I shall now kill him before Your very eyes. Save him if You can, weakling!

Verse 27

एवं निर्भर्त्स्य मायावी खड्‍गेनानकदुन्दुभे: । उत्कृत्य शिर आदाय खस्थं सौभं समाविशत् ॥ २७ ॥

After he had mocked the Lord in this way, the magician Śālva appeared to cut off Vasudeva’s head with his sword. Taking the head with him, he entered the Saubha vehicle, which was hovering in the sky.

Verse 28

ततो मुहूर्तं प्रकृतावुपप्लुत: स्वबोध आस्ते स्वजनानुषङ्गत: । महानुभावस्तदबुध्यदासुरीं मायां स शाल्वप्रसृतां मयोदिताम् ॥ २८ ॥

By nature Lord Kṛṣṇa is full in knowledge, and He possesses unlimited powers of perception. Yet for a moment, out of great affection for His loved ones, He remained absorbed in the mood of an ordinary human being. He soon recalled, however, that this was all a demoniac illusion engineered by Maya Dānava and employed by Śālva.

Verse 29

न तत्र दूतं न पितु: कलेवरं प्रबुद्ध आजौ समपश्यदच्युत: । स्वाप्नं यथा चाम्बरचारिणं रिपुं सौभस्थमालोक्य निहन्तुमुद्यत: ॥ २९ ॥

Now alert to the actual situation, Lord Acyuta saw before Him on the battlefield neither the messenger nor His father’s body. It was as if He had awakened from a dream. Seeing His enemy flying above Him in his Saubha plane, the Lord then prepared to kill him.

Verse 30

एवं वदन्ति राजर्षे ऋषय: के च नान्विता: । यत् स्ववाचो विरुध्येत नूनं ते न स्मरन्त्युत ॥ ३० ॥

Such is the account given by some sages, O wise King, but those who speak in this illogical way are contradicting themselves, having forgotten their own previous statements.

Verse 31

क्व‍ शोकमोहौ स्‍नेहो वा भयं वा येऽज्ञसम्भवा: । क्व‍ चाखण्डितविज्ञानज्ञानैश्वर्यस्त्वखण्डित: ॥ ३१ ॥

How can lamentation, bewilderment, material affection or fear, all born out of ignorance, be ascribed to the infinite Supreme Lord, whose perception, knowledge and power are all similarly infinite?

Verse 32

यत्पादसेवोर्जितयात्मविद्यया हिन्वन्त्यनाद्यात्मविपर्ययग्रहम् । लभन्त आत्मीयमनन्तमैश्वरं कुतो नु मोह: परमस्य सद्गते: ॥ ३२ ॥

By virtue of self-realization fortified by service rendered to His feet, devotees of the Lord dispel the bodily concept of life, which has bewildered the soul since time immemorial. Thus they attain eternal glory in His personal association. How, then, can that Supreme Truth, the destination of all genuine saints, be subject to illusion?

Verse 33

तं शस्‍त्रपूगै: प्रहरन्तमोजसा शाल्वं शरै: शौरिरमोघविक्रम: । विद्ध्वाच्छिनद् वर्म धनु: शिरोमणिं सौभं च शत्रोर्गदया रुरोज ह ॥ ३३ ॥

While Śālva continued to hurl torrents of weapons at Him with great force, Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose prowess never fails, shot His arrows at Śālva, wounding him and shattering his armor, bow and crest jewel. Then with His club the Lord smashed His enemy’s Saubha airship.

Verse 34

तत् कृष्णहस्तेरितया विचूर्णितं पपात तोये गदया सहस्रधा । विसृज्य तद् भूतलमास्थितो गदा- मुद्यम्य शाल्वोऽच्युतमभ्यगाद्‌द्रुतम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Shattered into thousands of pieces by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s club, the Saubha airship plummeted into the water. Śālva abandoned it, stationed himself on the ground, took up his club and rushed toward Lord Acyuta.

Verse 35

आधावत: सगदं तस्य बाहुं भल्ल‍ेन छित्त्वाथ रथाङ्गमद्भ‍ुतम् । वधाय शाल्वस्य लयार्कसन्निभं बिभ्रद् बभौ सार्क इवोदयाचल: ॥ ३५ ॥

As Śālva rushed at Him, the Lord shot a bhalla dart and cut off his arm that held the club. Having finally decided to kill Śālva, Kṛṣṇa then raised His Sudarśana disc weapon, which resembled the sun at the time of universal annihilation. The brilliantly shining Lord appeared like the easternmost mountain bearing the rising sun.

Verse 36

जहार तेनैव शिर: सकुण्डलं किरीटयुक्तं पुरुमायिनो हरि: । वज्रेण वृत्रस्य यथा पुरन्दरो बभूव हाहेति वचस्तदा नृणाम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Employing His disc, Lord Hari removed that great magician’s head with its earrings and crown, just as Purandara had used his thunderbolt to cut off Vṛtra’s head. Seeing this, all of Śālva’s followers cried out, “Alas, alas!”

Verse 37

तस्मिन् निपतिते पापे सौभे च गदया हते । नेदुर्दुन्दुभयो राजन् दिवि देवगणेरिता: । सखीनामपचितिं कुर्वन्दन्तवक्रो रुषाभ्यगात् ॥ ३७ ॥

With the sinful Śālva now dead and his Saubha airship destroyed, the heavens resounded with kettledrums played by groups of demigods. Then Dantavakra, wanting to avenge the death of his friends, furiously attacked the Lord.