Ūṣā-Haraṇa, Bāṇāsura’s Pride, and Aniruddha’s Capture
Prelude to Hari–Śaṅkara Conflict
श्रीराजोवाच बाणस्य तनयामूषामुपयेमे यदूत्तम: । तत्र युद्धमभूद् घोरं हरिशङ्करयोर्महत् । एतत् सर्वं महायोगिन् समाख्यातुं त्वमर्हसि ॥ १ ॥
śrī-rājovāca bāṇasya tanayām ūṣām upayeme yadūttamaḥ tatra yuddham abhūd ghoraṁ hari-śaṅkarayor mahat etat sarvaṁ mahā-yogin samākhyātuṁ tvam arhasi
El rey Parīkṣit dijo: El mejor de los Yadus se casó con la hija de Bāṇāsura, Ūṣā, y como resultado se produjo una gran y temible batalla entre el Señor Hari y el Señor Śaṅkara. Por favor, explica todo sobre este incidente, oh el más poderoso de los místicos.
This verse states that the best of the Yadus, Aniruddha, married Ūṣā, the daughter of Bāṇa, setting the stage for the ensuing events.
Parīkṣit highlights that a great and terrible battle occurred between Hari (Kṛṣṇa) and Śaṅkara (Śiva) and requests the expert narrator, Śukadeva, to explain the full account.
A sincere seeker asks qualified saints to explain divine pastimes carefully and completely, cultivating humble inquiry and attentive hearing (śravaṇam) as a path of bhakti.