Shloka 31
Śālva–Pradyumna Yuddha: Sārathya-kauśala, Astra-pratikāra, Daiva-niyati
Chapter 20
पतितास्ते5पि भशक्ष्यन्ते समुद्राम्भोनिवासिभि: । ततो गोक्षीरकुन्देन्दुमूणालरजतप्रभम्,जो गिरते थे, उन्हें समुद्रमें रहनेवाले जीव-जन्तु निगल जाते थे। तत्पश्चात् मैंने गोदुग्ध, कुन्दपुष्प, चन्द्रमा, मृणाल तथा चाँदीकी-सी कान्तिवाले पांचजन्य नामक शंखको बड़े जोरसे फूँका। उन दानवोंको समुद्रमें गिरते देख सौभराज शाल्व महान् मायायुद्धके द्वारा मेरा सामना करने लगा। फिर तो मेरे ऊपर गदा, हल, प्रास, शूल, शक्ति, फरसे, खड्ग, शक्ति, वज्र, पाश, ऋष्टि, कनप, बाण, पट्टिश और भुशुण्डी आदि शश्त्रास्त्रोंकी निरन्तर वर्षा होने लगी
patitās te 'pi bhakṣyante samudrāmbhonivāsibhiḥ | tato gokṣīrakundendumuṇālarajataprabhāṃ pañcajanyaṃ nāma śaṅkhaṃ balavān aham apūrayam |
Vāsudeva said: “Even those who fell were swallowed by the creatures that dwell in the ocean. Then I blew with great force the conch named Pāñcajanya, radiant like cow’s milk, the white kunda-flower, the moon, lotus-fibre, and silver. Seeing those Dānavas falling into the sea, Śālva, lord of Saubha, confronted me through a mighty battle of illusion; thereafter a ceaseless shower of weapons—mace, plough, spear, trident, javelin, axe, sword, thunderbolt, noose, and many kinds of missiles—rained down upon me.”
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights steadfastness in the face of deceptive force (māyā) and overwhelming aggression: dharmic resolve is maintained even when the opponent uses illusion and relentless weaponry.
Kṛṣṇa describes a battle episode: enemies who fall into the sea are devoured by sea-creatures; he then blows his conch Pāñcajanya, after which Śālva of Saubha confronts him using illusory warfare and showers him with many weapons.