॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ दशमोऽध्यायः - १० ॥
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Discourse X
Uttama's death at the hands of the Yakṣas and Dhruva's encounter with them (Preamble)
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मैत्रेय उवाच ।
प्रजापतेर्दुहितरं शिशुमारस्य वै ध्रुवः ।
उपयेमे भ्रमिं नाम तत्सुतौ कल्पवत्सरौ ॥ १॥
इलायामपि भार्यायां वायोः पुत्र्यां महाबलः ।
पुत्रमुत्कलनामानं योषिद्रत्नमजीजनत् ॥ २॥
उत्तमस्त्वकृतोद्वाहो मृगयायां बलीयसा ।
हतः पुण्यजनेनाद्रौ तन्मातास्य गतिं गता ॥ ३॥
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Maitreya continued : Dhruva married Bhrami, daughter of Śiṣumāra, a lord of created beings, and the couple were blessed with two sons, Kalpa and Vatsara. (1)
Through his (other) wife, Ilā, daughter of Vāyu (the wind-god), too, the mighty Dhruva begot a son, Utkala by name, and a daughter, a very jewel among women. (2)
Uttama (Dhruva's half-brother), however, who was yet unmarried, was killed in the course of a hunting expedition on the Himālaya mountain by a Yakṣa, who was stronger than he, and his mother (Suruci, Dhruva's stepmother) followed him (to the abode of Yama). (3) (1-3)
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ध्रुवो भ्रातृवधं श्रुत्वा कोपामर्षः शुचार्पितः ।
जैत्रं स्यन्दनमास्थाय गतः पुण्यजनालयम् ॥ ४॥
गत्वोदीचीं दिशं राजा रुद्रानुचरसेविताम् ।
ददर्श हिमवद्द्रोण्यां पुरीं गुह्यकसङ्कुलाम् ॥ ५॥
दध्मौ शङ्खं बृहद्बाहुः खं दिशश्चानुनादयन् ।
येनोद्विग्नदृशः क्षत्तरुपदेव्योऽत्रसन् भृशम् ॥ ६॥
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Overcome with anger, indignation and grief at the news of his brother's death, Dhruva mounted his victorious car and marched against the city of Alakā (the abode of the Yakṣas). (4)
Proceeding in a northerly direction, the king (Dhruva) saw in a valley of the Himālayas the city (of Alakā) crowded with the Guhyakas (Yakṣas) and inhabited by spirits and ghosts (the attendants of Lord Rudra). (5)
The stout-armed Dhruva blew his conch, causing the heavens as well as the quarters to resound, and the women of the demigods, O Vidura, were greatly alarmed at the sound and cast a bewildered look. (6) (4-6)
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ततो निष्क्रम्य बलिन उपदेवमहाभटाः ।
असहन्तस्तन्निनादमभिपेतुरुदायुधाः ॥ ७॥
स तानापततो वीर उग्रधन्वा महारथः ।
एकैकं युगपत्सर्वानहन् बाणैस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः ॥ ८॥
ते वै ललाटलग्नैस्तैरिषुभिः सर्व एव हि ।
मत्वा निरस्तमात्मानमाशंसन् कर्म तस्य तत् ॥ ९॥
तेऽपि चामुममृष्यन्तः पादस्पर्शमिवोरगाः ।
शरैरविध्यन् युगपद्द्विगुणं प्रचिकीर्षवः ॥ १०॥
ततः परिघनिस्त्रिंशैः प्रासशूलपरश्वधैः ।
शक्त्यृष्टिभिर्भुशुण्डीभिश्चित्रवाजैः शरैरपि ॥ ११॥
अभ्यवर्षन् प्रकुपिताः सरथं सह सारथिम् ।
इच्छन्तस्तत्प्रतीकर्तुमयुतानि त्रयोदश ॥ १२॥
औत्तानपादिः स तदा शस्त्रवर्षेण भूरिणा ।
न उपादृश्यतच्छन्न आसारेण यथा गिरिः ॥ १३॥
हाहाकारस्तदैवासीत्सिद्धानां दिवि पश्यताम् ।
हतोऽयं मानवः सूर्यो मग्नः पुण्यजनार्णवे ॥ १४॥
नदत्सु यातुधानेषु जयकाशिष्वथो मृधे ।
उदतिष्ठद्रथस्तस्य नीहारादिव भास्करः ॥ १५॥
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Impatient at the blast, the mighty and great warriors among the demigods sallied forth from their stronghold with uplifted weapons and proceeded (against Dhruva). (7)
As they rushed towards him, O valiant Vidura, Dhruva (the great car-warrior), who was armed with a fierce bow, hit them all at once with three shafts each. (8)
With the arrows planted in their brow, they all thought themselves vanquished and applauded that feat of his. (9)
Intolerant of his valour like serpents, who cannot tolerate being trodden on, they in their anxiety to achieve twice as much as he had done simultaneously struck him (with six arrows each). (10)
Full of rage and eager to return his volleys, the Yakṣas, numbering one hundred and thirty thousand, rained on him as well as on his car and charioteer iron clubs, swords, lances, pikes and axes, javelins, double-edged swords, Bhuśuṇḍīs and arrows with many-coloured feathers. (11-12)
Screened with the thick volley of weapons, even as a hill is covered with a torrential shower. Dhruva (the son of Uttānapāda) could not be seen at that time. (13)
That very moment arose a plaintive cry raised by the Siddhas who had been witnessing the scene from heaven: "Drowned in the sea of the Puṇyajana (Yakṣa) host, this sun of Manu's race has set !" (14)
Then, in the midst of the roaring of the Rākṣasas (Yakṣas) * who were proclaiming their own triumph on the field of battle, Dhruva's car came into view, like the sun from behind (a cloud of) mist. (15) (7-15)
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धनुर्विस्फूर्जयन् दिव्यं द्विषतां खेदमुद्वहन् ।
अस्त्रौघं व्यधमद्बाणैर्घनानीकमिवानिलः ॥ १६॥
तस्य ते चापनिर्मुक्ता भित्त्वा वर्माणि रक्षसाम् ।
कायानाविविशुस्तिग्मा गिरीनशनयो यथा ॥ १७॥
भल्लैः सञ्छिद्यमानानां शिरोभिश्चारुकुण्डलैः ।
ऊरुभिर्हेमतालाभैर्दोर्भिर्वलयवल्गुभिः ॥ १८॥
हारकेयूरमुकुटैरुष्णीषैश्च महाधनैः ।
आस्तृतास्ता रणभुवो रेजुर्वीर मनोहराः ॥ १९॥
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Twanging his celestial bow and inspiring terror into (the heart of) the enemies, Dhruva tore to pieces their host of missiles even as a blast disperses an army of clouds. (16)
Piercing the armour of the Rākṣasas, the sharp arrows discharged from his bow disappeared into their bodies as thunderbolts into mountains. (17)
Strewn all over with the heads adorned with beautiful ear-rings, thighs resembling gold palmyras, arms graced with bracelets as well as with the necklaces, armlets, diadems and costly turbans of the enemies, who were being mowed down with the shafts (of Dhruva), the fields of battle, which ravished the mind of heroes, looked very charming. (18-19)
- Here as well as in the subsequent verses the Yakṣas have been promiscuously referred to as 'Rākṣasas' and 'Asuras'-obviously because all these species are akin to one another and the population of Alakā was a mixture of all these.
(16-19)
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हतावशिष्टा इतरे रणाजिरा-
द्रक्षोगणाः क्षत्रियवर्यसायकैः ।
प्रायो विवृक्णावयवा विदुद्रुवुः
मृगेन्द्रविक्रीडितयूथपा इव ॥ २०॥
अपश्यमानः स तदाततायिनं
महामृधे कञ्चन मानवोत्तमः ।
पुरीं दिदृक्षन्नपि नाविशद्द्विषां
न मायिनां वेद चिकीर्षितं जनः ॥ २१॥
इति ब्रुवंश्चित्ररथः स्वसारथिं
यत्तः परेषां प्रतियोगशङ्कितः ।
शुश्राव शब्दं जलधेरिवेरितं
नभस्वतो दिक्षु रजोऽन्वदृश्यत ॥ २२॥
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Hosts of other Rākṣasas, who had escaped death, yet who had most of their limbs cut off with the arrows of Dhruva (the foremost of the Kṣatriyas), fled from the field of battle like troop-leaders of elephants disturbed in their sport by the king of beasts. (20)
Not finding then anyone left with a weapon in that extensive field of battle, Dhruva (the foremost of Manu's race) felt inclined to behold the city of the enemies, yet he refrained from entering it (and said,) "No man can know the intention of those skilled in enchantment!" (21)
Addressing his charioteer as above, Dhruva (who rode in a wonderful chariot) remained on his guard, apprehending renewed opposition from the enemy, when he heard a (loud) noise like the roaring of an ocean, and further beheld in every direction the dust raised by a blast. (22) (20-22)
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क्षणेनाच्छादितं व्योम घनानीकेन सर्वतः ।
विस्फुरत्तडिता दिक्षु त्रासयत्स्तनयित्नुना ॥ २३॥
ववृषू रुधिरौघासृक्पूयविण्मूत्रमेदसः ।
निपेतुर्गगनादस्य कबन्धान्यग्रतोऽनघ ॥ २४॥
ततः खेऽदृश्यत गिरिर्निपेतुः सर्वतोदिशम् ।
गदापरिघनिस्त्रिंशमुसलाः साश्मवर्षिणः ॥ २५॥
अहयोऽशनिनिःश्वासा वमन्तोऽग्निं रुषाक्षिभिः ।
अभ्यधावन् गजा मत्ताः सिंहव्याघ्राश्च यूथशः ॥ २६॥
समुद्र ऊर्मिभिर्भीमः प्लावयन् सर्वतोभुवम् ।
आससाद महाह्रादः कल्पान्त इव भीषणः ॥ २७॥
एवं विधान्यनेकानि त्रासनान्यमनस्विनाम् ।
ससृजुस्तिग्मगतय आसुर्या माययासुराः ॥ २८॥
ध्रुवे प्रयुक्तामसुरैस्तां मायामतिदुस्तराम् ।
निशाम्य तस्य मुनयः समाशंसन् समागताः ॥ २९॥
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In an instant the sky was overcast on all sides with a canopy of clouds accompanied by flashes of lightning and alarming claps of thunder in every direction. (23)
They rained torrent of blood as well as phlegm etc., pus, ordure, urine and fat and before him fell headless trunks from the sky, O sinless Vidura. (24)
Then appeared a mountain in the air and there rained on all sides maces, iron clubs, swords and Musalas (a particular type of arrow), as well as showers accompanied with volleys of stones. (25)
Serpents ran up to him hissing with a thunder-like roar and discharging fire from their eyes in rage, and there came rushing in herds mad elephants, lions and tigers. (26)
Assuming a threatening aspect as at the time of universal dissolution and roaring deeply, the terrible ocean approached on all sides deluging the earth with waves. (27)
By their conjuring tricks, peculiar to the demons, the Yakṣas, who are noted for their cruel disposition, displayed many such phenomena which inspired terror into (the heart of) the pusillanimous. (28)
Seeing the conjuring trick employed by the Yakṣas against Dhruva—a trick which was so very difficult to counteract—a number of hermits that had assembled there prayed for his welfare (in the following words). (29) (23-29)
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मुनय ऊचुः ।
औत्तानपादे भगवांस्तव शार्ङ्गधन्वा
देवः क्षिणोत्ववनतार्तिहरो विपक्षान् ।
यन्नामधेयमभिधाय निशम्य चाद्धा
लोकोऽञ्जसा तरति दुस्तरमङ्ग मृत्युम् ॥ ३०॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां
संहितायां चतुर्थस्कन्धे दशमोऽध्यायः ॥ १०॥
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The hermits said : O son of Uttānapāda may the almighty Lord Viṣṇu (the Wielder of the famous Śārṅga bow), who relieves the agony of His suppliants, wipe out your enemies! By uttering and hearing His very Name people easily succeed in this very life in conquering death, which is so hard to overcome, O dear Dhruva. (30)
Thus ends the tenth discourse in Book Four of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (30)
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