॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ सप्तसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः - ७७ ॥
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Discourse LXXVII
Śālva's Deliverance (Preamble)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
स तूपस्पृश्य सलिलं दंशितो धृतकार्मुकः ।
नय मां द्युमतः पार्श्वं वीरस्येत्याह सारथिम् ॥ १॥
विधमन्तं स्वसैन्यानि द्युमन्तं रुक्मिणीसुतः ।
प्रतिहत्य प्रत्यविध्यन्नाराचैरष्टभिः स्मयन् ॥ २॥
चतुर्भिश्चतुरो वाहान् सूतमेकेन चाहनत् ।
द्वाभ्यां धनुश्च केतुं च शरेणान्येन वै शिरः ॥ ३॥
गदसात्यकिसाम्बाद्या जघ्नुः सौभपतेर्बलम् ।
पेतुः समुद्रे सौभेयाः सर्वे सञ्छिन्नकन्धराः ॥ ४॥
एवं यदूनां शाल्वानां निघ्नतामितरेतरम् ।
युद्धं त्रिणवरात्रं तदभूत्तुमुलमुल्बणम् ॥ ५॥
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Śrī Śuka began again : (Parikṣit), Pradyumna now washed his hands and face, put on his armour, took up the bow and spoke to his charioteer thus, "Take me (once more) to the warrior, Dyumān." (1)
Dyumān was at that time playing havoc with the Yādava army. First checking his depredations Pradyumna smilingly assailed Dyumān with eight shafts. (2)
With four he struck his four horses, with one the charioteer, and with one shaft each he tore off Dyumān's bow and banner and with the remaining one he struck down Dyumān's head. (3)
Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba and others began to mow down the army of Śālva. The inmates of the aerial car, Saubha, with their necks severed from their bodies, dropped one by one into the sea. (4)
Thus the Yādava army and the army of Śālva began to strike one another, and a fierce hand-to-hand fight raged between them for twenty-seven days and nights (without break). (5) (1-5)
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इन्द्रप्रस्थं गतः कृष्ण आहूतो धर्मसूनुना ।
राजसूयेऽथ निर्वृत्ते शिशुपाले च संस्थिते ॥ ६॥
कुरुवृद्धाननुज्ञाप्य मुनींश्च ससुतां पृथाम् ।
निमित्तान्यतिघोराणि पश्यन् द्वारवतीं ययौ ॥ ७॥
आह चाहमिहायात आर्यमिश्राभिसङ्गतः ।
राजन्याश्चैद्यपक्षीया नूनं हन्युः पुरीं मम ॥ ८॥
वीक्ष्य तत्कदनं स्वानां निरूप्य पुररक्षणम् ।
सौभं च शाल्वराजं च दारुकं प्राह केशवः ॥ ९॥
रथं प्रापय मे सूत शाल्वस्यान्तिकमाशु वै ।
सम्भ्रमस्ते न कर्तव्यो मायावी सौभराडयम् ॥ १०॥
इत्युक्तश्चोदयामास रथमास्थाय दारुकः ।
विशन्तं ददृशुः सर्वे स्वे परे चारुणानुजम् ॥ ११॥
शाल्वश्च कृष्णमालोक्य हतप्रायबलेश्वरः ।
प्राहरत्कृष्णसूताय शक्तिं भीमरवां मृधे ॥ १२॥
तामापतन्तीं नभसि महोल्कामिव रंहसा ।
भासयन्तीं दिशः शौरिः सायकैः शतधाच्छिनत् ॥ १३॥
तं च षोडशभिर्विद्ध्वा बाणैः सौभं च खे भ्रमत् ।
अविध्यच्छरसन्दोहैः खं सूर्य इव रश्मिभिः ॥ १४॥
शाल्वः शौरेस्तु दोः सव्यं सशार्ङ्गं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः ।
बिभेद न्यपतद्धस्ताच्छार्ङ्गमासीत्तदद्भुतम् ॥ १५॥
हाहाकारो महानासीद्भूतानां तत्र पश्यताम् ।
विनद्य सौभराडुच्चैरिदमाह जनार्दनम् ॥ १६॥
यत्त्वया मूढ नः सख्युर्भ्रातुर्भार्या हृतेक्षताम् ।
प्रमत्तः स सभामध्ये त्वया व्यापादितः सखा ॥ १७॥
तं त्वाद्य निशितैर्बाणैरपराजितमानिनम् ।
नयाम्यपुनरावृत्तिं यदि तिष्ठेर्ममाग्रतः ॥ १८॥
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Having been invited by Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa was at that time staying at Indraprastha. Now that the Rājasūya sacrifice had been concluded and Śiṣupāla had been killed, Śrī Kṛṣṇa took leave of the elderly Kurus and Ṛṣis, Kunti and the Pāṇḍavas, and proceeded to Dvārakā. On His way He observed frightful omens. (6-7)
He therefore, said to Himself, "I came away hither with My revered brother, Śrī Balarāma; the kings in alliance with Śiṣupāla must have surely availed themselves of the opportunity to attack Dvārakā." (8)
Reaching there, He found His people in a sad plight. Entrusting Balarāma with the work of defending the city and, observing Śālva and his aerial car, Saubha, He said to (His charioteer), Dāruka, (as follows).(9)
"Take My chariot with great despatch to Śālva, owner of the aerial car, Saubha. Take care that you do not get frightened; for he is a warrior skilled in the use of magic." (10)
Thus instructed, Dāruka mounted the chariot and drove it to the battle-field. As soon as Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered the field of battle, warriors on both sides recognized Him from the emblem of Garuḍa borne on His banner. (11)
(Paṅkṣit !) Śālva's army had mostly been extirpated. Observing Śrī Kṛṣṇa on the battle-field, Śālva discharged a terrible lance aimed at His charioteer. With a terrible noise it rushed through the air with great speed like a meteor illuminating the quarters. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa tore that lance into a hundred pieces with his arrows, hit Śālva with sixteen shafts and pierced the aerial car Saubha, that was wheeling in the sky, with volleys of arrows, even as the sun fills the space with his rays. (12—14)
In the meantime Śālva hit Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the left arm with an arrow. The Śārṅga bow which was being held by that arm fell from Śrī Kṛṣṇa's hand. It was a wonderful feat on the part of Śālva.(15)
A loud outcry of wonder and fear rose from beings who watched the conflict (from the sky or from the ground). Śālva now gave a loud roar and said to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:— (16)
" O deluded fool, you carried away before our very eyes the fiance of our friend and brother, Śiśupāla, and killed him in an assembly, when he was off his guard. (17)
I know you regard yourself as invincible. But if you stand before me in this fight today, I shall, with my sharp arrows, send you to the region from where people do not return." (18) (6-18)
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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
वृथा त्वं कत्थसे मन्द न पश्यस्यन्तिकेऽन्तकम् ।
पौरुषं दर्शयन्ति स्म शूरा न बहुभाषिणः ॥ १९॥
इत्युक्त्वा भगवाञ्छाल्वं गदया भीमवेगया ।
तताड जत्रौ संरब्धः स चकम्पे वमन्नसृक् ॥ २०॥
गदायां सन्निवृत्तायां शाल्वस्त्वन्तरधीयत ।
ततो मुहूर्त आगत्य पुरुषः शिरसाच्युतम् ।
देवक्या प्रहितोऽस्मीति नत्वा प्राह वचो रुदन् ॥ २१॥
कृष्ण कृष्ण महाबाहो पिता ते पितृवत्सल ।
बद्ध्वापनीतः शाल्वेन सौनिकेन यथा पशुः ॥ २२॥
निशम्य विप्रियं कृष्णो मानुषीं प्रकृतिं गतः ।
विमनस्को घृणी स्नेहाद्बभाषे प्राकृतो यथा ॥ २३॥
कथं राममसम्भ्रान्तं जित्वाजेयं सुरासुरैः ।
शाल्वेनाल्पीयसा नीतः पिता मे बलवान् विधिः ॥ २४॥
इति ब्रुवाणे गोविन्दे सौभराट् प्रत्युपस्थितः ।
वसुदेवमिवानीय कृष्णं चेदमुवाच सः ॥ २५॥
एष ते जनिता तातो यदर्थमिह जीवसि ।
वधिष्ये वीक्षतस्तेऽमुमीशश्चेत्पाहि बालिश ॥ २६॥
एवं निर्भर्त्स्य मायावी खड्गेनानकदुन्दुभेः ।
उत्कृत्य शिर आदाय खस्थं सौभं समाविशत् ॥ २७॥
ततो मुहूर्तं प्रकृतावुपप्लुतः
स्वबोध आस्ते स्वजनानुषङ्गतः ।
महानुभावस्तदबुध्यदासुरीं
मायां स शाल्वप्रसृतां मयोदिताम् ॥ २८॥
न तत्र दूतं न पितुः कलेवरं
प्रबुद्ध आजौ समपश्यदच्युतः ।
स्वाप्नं यथा चाम्बरचारिणं रिपुं
सौभस्थमालोक्य निहन्तुमुद्यतः ॥ २९॥
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Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied : " O fool, in vain do you brag. You do not perceive Death standing before you. True heroes do not waste their words, but exhibit their prowess in battle." (19)
Saying this, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa in great rage struck Śālva with tremendous force on the collar-bone with His mace. It made Śālva shake from head to foot and vomit blood. (20)
When the mace returned to the Lord, Śālva for his part (suddenly) disappeared. Then after an hour a certain person came in, bowed with is head bent low to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and bursting into tears, said—" I have brought a message from Devakī. (21)
She says, " O Kṛṣṇa of mighty arms, most devoted to parents, Your father has been captured and carried away by Śālva, just as a butcher drags an animal to be slaughtered." (22)
Hearing this unpleasant news, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa exhibited the play of human emotions. Troubled at heart and full of compassion and filial affection like an ordinary human being, He said: (23)
"How is it that My Brother, who cannot be subdued or daunted even by gods or Asuras, has been overcome by Śālva, who though a pygmy before Him has succeeded in carrying away our father? Indeed, Providence is all-powerful." (24)
While Śrī Kṛṣṇa was saying this, Śālva made his appearance before Him holding Vasudeva as it were, and said to Him (as follows): (25)
"O fool, here is your father who has brought you into being and for whom you live. I shall slay him before your eyes. Save him, if you can." (26)
Uttering this threat, that master of magic, Śālva cut off the head of that (seeming) Vasudeva and, taking it with him, withdrew into his aerial car, Saubha, which stood near him in the air. (27)
(Parikṣit!) Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the embodiment of perfect wisdom by nature and has limitless power. Due to affection for his father, He remained plunged in sorrow, like an ordinary human being, for a moment. But presently He understood that it was nothing but an illusion created by Śālva, who was taught this art by the Asura named Maya. (28)
As He fully recovered from the spell of Maya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa found that both the messenger and the body of His father had vanished from the battle-field like visions seen in a dream. Observing Śālva at this moment in his flying aerial car, the Lord resolved to kill him. (29) (19-29)
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एवं वदन्ति राजर्षे ऋषयः के च नान्विताः ।
यत्स्ववाचो विरुध्येत नूनं ते न स्मरन्त्युत ॥ ३०॥
क्व शोकमोहौ स्नेहो वा भयं वा येऽज्ञसम्भवाः ।
क्व चाखण्डितविज्ञानज्ञानैश्वर्यस्त्वखण्डितः ॥ ३१॥
यत्पादसेवोर्जितयाऽऽत्मविद्यया
हिन्वन्त्यनाद्यात्मविपर्ययग्रहम् ।
लभन्त आत्मीयमनन्तमैश्वरं
कुतो नु मोहः परमस्य सद्गतेः ॥ ३२॥
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Parikṣit, this is the version of a few Ṛṣis, who do not care so much for consistency. Surely they forget that such statements with reference to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa contradict their own statements made on other occasions. (30)
Grief, infatuation, attachment and fear—these find place only in the ignorant. They cannot be attributed to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Perfect Being), the embodiment of perfect knowledge, wisdom and glory. (31)
The greatest of sages worship the lotus-like feet of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa and thereby attain the knowledge of the Self, which roots out ignorance existing from time without beginning in the form of identification of the self with the body and gain infinite spiritual glory. How can the Lord, who is the sole refuge of such sages, be subject to delusion? (32) (30-32)
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तं शस्त्रपूगैः प्रहरन्तमोजसा
शाल्वं शरैः शौरिरमोघविक्रमः ।
विद्ध्वाच्छिनद्वर्म धनुः शिरोमणिं
सौभं च शत्रोर्गदया रुरोज ह ॥ ३३॥
तत्कृष्णहस्तेरितया विचूर्णितं
पपात तोये गदया सहस्रधा ।
विसृज्य तद्भूतलमास्थितो गदा-
मुद्यम्य शाल्वोऽच्युतमभ्यगाद्द्रुतम् ॥ ३४॥
आधावतः सगदं तस्य बाहुं
भल्लेन छित्त्वाथ रथाङ्गमद्भुतम् ।
वधाय शाल्वस्य लयार्कसन्निभं
बिभ्रद्बभौ सार्क इवोदयाचलः ॥ ३५॥
जहार तेनैव शिरः सकुण्डलं
किरीटयुक्तं पुरुमायिनो हरिः ।
वज्रेण वृत्रस्य यथा पुरन्दरो
बभूव हाहेति वचस्तदा नृणाम् ॥ ३६॥
तस्मिन् निपतिते पापे सौभे च गदया हते ।
नेदुर्दुन्दुभयो राजन् दिवि देवगणेरिताः ।
सखीनामपचितिं कुर्वन् दन्तवक्त्रो रुषाभ्यगात् ॥ ३७॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां
संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे उत्तरार्धे सौभवधो
नाम सप्तसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः ॥ ७७॥
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(Now,) Śālva vigorously attacked Śrī Kṛṣṇa with a volley of (destructive) weapons; but Śrī Kṛṣṇa, possessed of unfailing prowess, pierced Śālva with a shower of arrows and broke into pieces his armour, bow and the jewel on his head. With the mace, the Lord smashed Śālva's aerial car, Saubha. (33)
Struck by the powerful blow of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's mace, the car broke into a thousand pieces and fell into the ocean. Leaving the car, Śālva dropped down on land and taking up his mace rushed headlong at Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (34)
When the Lord saw him advancing towards Him, He cut off with a spear the arm with which he held the mace. Then, with a view to killing Śālva, the Lord took up His wonderful discus, dazzling like the sun at the time of universal destruction. Holding the discus in His hand, Śrī Kṛṣṇa vied in splendour with the Eastern Hill bearing the sun on its peak. (35)
With that discus Śrī Kṛṣṇa lopped off the head, adorned with a crown and ear-rings, of that repository of Māyā, Śālva, even as (in the days of yore) Indra with his thunderbolt cut off the head of Vṛtrāsura. The fall of Śālva in battle raised an outcry of distress among his men. (36)
Parikṣit, the gods sounded their drums in heaven when the wicked Śālva was struck down, and his aerial car was smashed to pieces. Now came the turn of Dantavaktra, another friend of Śiśupāla, who marched in great rage against Śrī Kṛṣṇa to avenge the death of his friends, Śiśupāla and Śālva. (37)
Thus ends the seventy-seventh discourse entitled "The Deliverance of Śālva," in the latter half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhitā. (33-37)
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