श्रीशुक उवाच ।
अथान्यदपि कृष्णस्य शृणु कर्माद्भुतं नृप ।
क्रीडानरशरीरस्य यथा सौभपतिर्हतः ॥ १॥
शिशुपालसखः शाल्वो रुक्मिण्युद्वाह आगतः ।
यदुभिर्निर्जितः सङ्ख्ये जरासन्धादयस्तथा ॥ २॥
शाल्वः प्रतिज्ञामकरोच्छृण्वतां सर्वभूभुजाम् ।
अयादवीं क्ष्मां करिष्ये पौरुषं मम पश्यत ॥ ३॥
इति मूढः प्रतिज्ञाय देवं पशुपतिं प्रभुम् ।
आराधयामास नृपः पांसुमुष्टिं सकृद्ग्रसन् ॥ ४॥
संवत्सरान्ते भगवानाशुतोष उमापतिः ।
वरेण च्छन्दयामास शाल्वं शरणमागतम् ॥ ५॥
देवासुरमनुष्याणां गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् ।
अभेद्यं कामगं वव्रे स यानं वृष्णिभीषणम् ॥ ६॥
तथेति गिरिशादिष्टो मयः परपुरञ्जयः ।
पुरं निर्माय शाल्वाय प्रादात्सौभमयस्मयम् ॥ ७॥
स लब्ध्वा कामगं यानं तमोधाम दुरासदम् ।
ययौ द्वारवतीं शाल्वो वैरं वृष्णिकृतं स्मरन् ॥ ८॥
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Śrī Śūka began again : Parikṣit, now hear the story of still another wonderful achievement of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who had sportfully assumed a human semblance. This relates to the death of Śālva, owner of the celebrated aerial car called Saubha. (1)
Śālva was a friend of Śiṣupāla and accompanied the latter (as a member of the bridegroom's party) for his (proposed) wedding with Rukmiṇī. At that time he, alongwith Jarāsandha and others, was completely routed in battle by the Yadus. (2)
Within the hearing of all the princes (assembled there) Śālva took a vow saying, "I shall rid the earth of the Yādavas; you will then witness my prowess." (3)
Parikṣit, having thus pledged himself, the fool began to worship the god of gods, Śaṅkara, taking by way of nourishment only a handful of dust once a day. (4)
At the end of a year the almighty Spouse of Umā, Lord Śaṅkara, (who is propitiated very soon), offered to confer a boon on Śālva, who had sought his protection. (5)
Śālva requested the Lord to confer on him an aerial car which could be taken wherever he liked, and which could not be broken by the gods, Asuras, men, Gandharvas and Rākṣasas, and which would be a terror to the Yadus. (6)
Śaṅkara said, "Be it so !" Under his command, the demon Maya, who could (easily) bring about the fall of an enemy's stronghold, constructed an aerial car, called Saubha, which was made of steel, and handed it over to Śālva. It was not a car, but a city in miniature. (7)
Full of darkness within, it was inaccessible (to others). It could be taken wherever one liked. Obtaining this car, Śālva proceeded against Dvārakā remembering the old grudge against the Yadus. (8) (1-8)
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निरुध्य सेनया शाल्वो महत्या भरतर्षभ ।
पुरीं बभञ्जोपवनान्युद्यानानि च सर्वशः ॥ ९॥
स गोपुराणि द्वाराणि प्रासादाट्टालतोलिकाः ।
विहारान् स विमानाग्र्यान्निपेतुः शस्त्रवृष्टयः ॥ १०॥
शिला द्रुमाश्चाशनयः सर्पा आसारशर्कराः ।
प्रचण्डश्चक्रवातोऽभूद्रजसाऽऽच्छादिता दिशः ॥ ११॥
इत्यर्द्यमाना सौभेन कृष्णस्य नगरी भृशम् ।
नाभ्यपद्यत शं राजंस्त्रिपुरेण यथा मही ॥ १२॥
प्रद्युम्नो भगवान् वीक्ष्य बाध्यमाना निजाः प्रजाः ।
मा भैष्टेत्यभ्यधाद्वीरो रथारूढो महायशाः ॥ १३॥
सात्यकिश्चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बोऽक्रूरः सहानुजः ।
हार्दिक्यो भानुविन्दश्च गदश्च शुकसारणौ ॥ १४॥
अपरे च महेष्वासा रथयूथपयूथपाः ।
निर्ययुर्दंशिता गुप्ता रथेभाश्वपदातिभिः ॥ १५॥
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं शाल्वानां यदुभिः सह ।
यथासुराणां विबुधैस्तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम् ॥ १६॥
ताश्च सौभपतेर्माया दिव्यास्त्रै रुक्मिणीसुतः ।
क्षणेन नाशयामास नैशं तम इवोष्णगुः ॥ १७॥
विव्याध पञ्चविंशत्या स्वर्णपुङ्खैरयोमुखैः ।
शाल्वस्य ध्वजिनीपालं शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः ॥ १८॥
शतेनाताडयच्छाल्वमेकैकेनास्य सैनिकान् ।
दशभिर्दशभिर्नेतॄन् वाहनानि त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः ॥ १९॥
तदद्भुतं महत्कर्म प्रद्युम्नस्य महात्मनः ।
दृष्ट्वा तं पूजयामासुः सर्वे स्वपरसैनिकाः ॥ २०॥
बहुरूपैकरूपं तद्दृश्यते न च दृश्यते ।
मायामयं मयकृतं दुर्विभाव्यं परैरभूत् ॥ २१॥
क्वचिद्भूमौ क्वचिद्व्योम्नि गिरिमूर्ध्नि जले क्वचित् ।
अलातचक्रवद्भ्राम्यत्सौभं तद्दुरवस्थितम् ॥ २२॥
यत्र यत्रोपलक्ष्येत ससौभः सह सैनिकः ।
शाल्वस्ततस्ततोऽमुञ्चञ्छरान् सात्वतयूथपाः ॥ २३॥
शरैरग्न्यर्कसंस्पर्शैराशीविषदुरासदैः ।
पीड्यमानपुरानीकः शाल्वोऽमुह्यत्परेरितैः ॥ २४॥
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Parikṣit, Śālva besieged the city with a large army and engaged himself in the wholesale destruction of its gardens and parks, the gateways with their massive superstructures, the mansions with their upper chambers and compound wall and the places of recreation. Volleys of destructive weapons rained from that huge aerial car. (9-10)
Blocks of stone, trees, thunderbolts serpents and hailstones were showered on the city, and a fearful tornado was let loose over it, filling the quarters with dust. (11)
Just as in the days of yore the earth suffered under the scourge of the demon Tripura, even so the city of Dwārakā was subjected to untold suffering by Śālva's aerial car, Saubha. The people could not find respite (even for a moment). (12)
Observing the distress of the people, the renowned warrior, Bhagavān Pradyumna, mounted his chariot and cheered them by saying 'Fear not'. (13)
Sātyaki, Cārudeṣṇa, Sāmba, Akrūra and his younger brothers, Kṛtavarmā, Bhānuvinda, Gada, Śuka, Sāraṇa and many other big generals followed him with mighty bows in their hands. They were all protected with armours and were guarded by chariots, elephants, horses and foot-soldiers. (14-15)
Just as in the days of yore there was a bitter conflict between the Devas and Asuras, even so a fierce and thrilling battle ensued between the soldiers of Śālva and the Yādavas. (16)
With the help of his celestial weapons Pradyumna broke in an instant the magic spell of Śālva, the owner of Saubha, even as the sun dispels the darkness of the night. (17)
With twenty-five arrows having feathers of gold and iron tips and with the knots of their wood well polished, he pierced the commander-in-chief of Śālva's army. (18)
With a hundred more he struck Śālva (himself) and discharged one arrow each at his soldiers, ten each at his charioteers and three each at his horses. (19)
Seeing this great and wonderful feat of arms exhibited by the valiant Pradyumna, the soldiers on both sides admired him. (Parikṣit,) the aerial car of Śālva constructed by Maya contained such magical contrivances that now it appeared as many, and now as only one, now it appeared in the sky, and now disappeared altogether. The Yādavas, therefore, found it difficult to discover where it was at a particular moment. (20-21)
Now it descended on the ground, now flew into the air, now perched on the summit of a hill, and now began to float on water. Like a rotating firebrand it went round and round hardly stopping at any point. (22)
Wherever Śālva with his car and soldiers came within their sight, the generals of the Yādava army showered their arrows on them. (23)
Struck by those arrows, which burned like the sun and fire and were unapproachable like venomous snakes, Śālva's floating city and army sustained a severe blow, and Śālva himself fainted. (24) (9-24)
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शाल्वानीकपशस्त्रौघैर्वृष्णिवीरा भृशार्दिताः ।
न तत्यजू रणं स्वं स्वं लोकद्वयजिगीषवः ॥ २५॥
शाल्वामात्यो द्युमान् नाम प्रद्युम्नं प्राक्प्रपीडितः ।
आसाद्य गदया मौर्व्या व्याहत्य व्यनदद्बली ॥ २६॥
प्रद्युम्नं गदया शीर्णवक्षःस्थलमरिन्दमम् ।
अपोवाह रणात्सूतो धर्मविद्दारुकात्मजः ॥ २७॥
लब्धसम्ज्ञो मुहूर्तेन कार्ष्णिः सारथिमब्रवीत् ।
अहो असाध्विदं सूत यद्रणान्मेऽपसर्पणम् ॥ २८॥
न यदूनां कुले जातः श्रूयते रणविच्युतः ।
विना मत्क्लीबचित्तेन सूतेन प्राप्तकिल्बिषात् ॥ २९॥
किं नु वक्ष्येऽभिसङ्गम्य पितरौ रामकेशवौ ।
युद्धात्सम्यगपक्रान्तः पृष्टस्तत्रात्मनः क्षमम् ॥ ३०॥
व्यक्तं मे कथयिष्यन्ति हसन्त्यो भ्रातृजामयः ।
क्लैब्यं कथं कथं वीर तवान्यैः कथ्यतां मृधे ॥ ३१॥
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(Parikṣit,) the Yādava warriors too were equally harassed by the volleys of arms showered by the generals of Śālva's army; but they did not abandon their respective positions on the battle-field; for they thought that death in battle would secure happiness in the other world, whereas victory would establish their supremacy on the earth. (25)
(Parikṣit), there was a minister of Śālva (and a mighty warrior) Dyumān by name, to whom Pradyumna had previously dealt severe blows; he now suddenly attacked Pradyumna with a steel mace and striking a heavy blow with it gave a loud roar. (26)
The blow smashed the chest of Pradyumna, the chastiser of foes. Thereupon Dāruka's son, his charioteer, knowing the canons of warfare, carried him away from the field. (27)
Regaining consciousness after about an hour, Pradyumna said to his charioteer, "Oh, charioteer, you have done me a disservice by removing me from the field of battle. (28)
No one born in Yadu's race except me is known to have abandoned the battle-field. You are a weak-minded charioteer: you have certainly wronged me. (29)
What reply befitting my position shall I give to my uncle, Śrī Balarāma, and my father, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, when I see them and when they question me, now that I have cleverly managed to flee away from the battle-field? (30)
My sisters-in-law will laugh at me and openly say, 'Please do tell us, O warrior, how you lost your manliness in the encounter with your enemy'. (31) (25-31)
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सारथिरुवाच ।
धर्मं विजानताऽऽयुष्मन् कृतमेतन्मया विभो ।
सूतः कृच्छ्रगतं रक्षेद्रथिनं सारथिं रथी ॥ ३२॥
एतद्विदित्वा तु भवान् मयापोवाहितो रणात् ।
उपसृष्टः परेणेति मूर्च्छितो गदया हतः ॥ ३३॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
दशमस्कन्धे उत्तरार्धे शाल्वयुद्धे षट्सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः ॥ ७६॥
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The charioteer replied : O long-lived one, I did all this knowingly, considering it to be the proper duty of a charioteer. Lord, the rule of battle is that the charioteer should come to the rescue of the warrior when the latter's life is in danger, and similarly the warrior should save the life of the charioteer in peril. (32)
Cognizant of this rule, I removed you from the battle-field when I found that, struck by the enemy with a mace, you had sustained a fatal injury and fainted. (33)
Thus ends the seventy-sixth discourse, bearing on the (Yadus') encounter with Śālva, in the latter half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhhitā. (32-33)
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