The Vrishni Princes Ride Out Against Shalva

Verse 1 (3.16.1)

तां तूपयातो राजेन्द्र साल्वः सौभपतिस्तदा । प्रभूतनरनागेन बलेनोपविवेश ह ॥

tāṃ tūpayāto rājendra sālvaḥ saubhapatistadā | prabhūtanaranāgena balenopaviveśa ha

Shalva, lord of Saubha, then drew near that city, O lord of kings, and encamped there with an army rich in men and elephants.

Verse 2 (3.16.2)

समे निविष्टां सा सेना प्रभूतसलिलाशये । चतुरङ्गबलोपेता साल्वराजाभिपालिता ॥

same niviṣṭāṃ sā senā prabhūtasalilāśaye | caturaṅgabalopetā sālvarājābhipālitā

That army, complete in its four arms and guarded by King Shalva, was camped on level ground by an abundant supply of water.

Verse 3 (3.16.3)

वर्जयित्वा श्मशानानि देवतायतनानि च । वल्मीकांश्चैव चैत्यांश्च संनिविष्टमभूद्बलम् ॥

varjayitvā śmaśānāni devatāyatanāni ca | valmīkāṃścaiva caityāṃśca saṃniviṣṭamabhūdbalam

Avoiding cremation grounds, temples of the gods, anthills and sacred trees, the army settled into its camp.

Verse 4 (3.16.4)

अनीकानां विभागेन पन्थानः सुकृतास्तथा । प्रथमा नवमाश्चैव साल्वस्य शिबिरे नृप ॥

anīkānāṃ vibhāgena panthānaḥ sukṛtāstathā | prathamā navamāścaiva sālvasya śibire nṛpa

Roads were well laid out to divide the troops, the lanes running from the first to the ninth, in Shalva's camp, O king.

Note on the text: Its second half (पन्थानः सुकृतास्तथा । प्रथमा नवमाश्चैव) differs from the critical edition's (panthānaḥ ṣaṭ kṛtābhavan / pravaṇā nava caivāsañ); Wikisource's reading is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 5 (3.16.5)

सर्वायुधसमोपेतं सर्वशस्त्रविशारदम् । रथनागाश्वकलिलं पदातिजनसंकुलम् ॥

sarvāyudhasamopetaṃ sarvaśastraviśāradam | rathanāgāśvakalilaṃ padātijanasaṃkulam

It was furnished with every weapon, skilled in every arm, thronged with chariots, elephants and horses, and crowded with foot-soldiers,

Note on the text: पदातिजनसंकुलम् for the critical edition's padātidhvajasaṃkulam is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 6 (3.16.6)

तुष्टपुष्टबलोपेतं वीरलक्षणलक्षितम् । विचित्रध्वजसन्नाहं विचित्ररथकार्मुकम् ॥

tuṣṭapuṣṭabalopetaṃ vīralakṣaṇalakṣitam | vicitradhvajasannāhaṃ vicitrarathakārmukam

made up of contented, well-fed troops bearing the marks of heroes, with bright banners and armour, and bright chariots and bows.

Verse 7 (3.16.7)

संनिवेश्य च कौरव्य द्वारकायां नरर्षभ । अभिसारयामास तदा वेगेन पतगेन्द्रवत् ॥

saṃniveśya ca kauravya dvārakāyāṃ nararṣabha | abhisārayāmāsa tadā vegena patagendravat

Having encamped near Dvaraka, O Kauravya, O bull among men, he then sent his army forward at speed, like the king of birds.

Note on the text: Corrected वेगैन → वेगेन (misprint in Wikisource; wrong vowel sign, the critical edition reads vegena).

Verse 8 (3.16.8)

तदापतन्तं संदृश्य बलं साल्वपतेस्तदा । निर्याय योधयामासुः कुमारा वृष्णिनन्दनाः ॥

tadāpatantaṃ saṃdṛśya balaṃ sālvapatestadā | niryāya yodhayāmāsuḥ kumārā vṛṣṇinandanāḥ

Seeing that army of Shalva's bearing down on them, the young princes, the pride of the Vrishnis, sallied out and gave battle.

Verse 9 (3.16.9)

असहन्तोऽभियानं तत्साल्वराजस्य कौरव । चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बश्च प्रद्युम्नश्च महारथः ॥

asahanto'bhiyānaṃ tatsālvarājasya kaurava | cārudeṣṇaśca sāmbaśca pradyumnaśca mahārathaḥ

Unable to bear King Shalva's advance, O Kaurava, Charudeshna, Samba and the great chariot-warrior Pradyumna,

Note on the text: Corrected रमहारथः → महारथः (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, the critical edition reads mahārathaḥ).

Verse 10 (3.16.10)

ते रथैर्दंशिताः सर्वे विचित्राभरणध्वजाः । संसक्ताः साल्वराजस्य बहुभिर्योधपुङ्गवैः ॥

te rathairdaṃśitāḥ sarve vicitrābharaṇadhvajāḥ | saṃsaktāḥ sālvarājasya bahubhiryodhapuṅgavaiḥ

all of them armoured on their chariots, with bright ornaments and banners, closed with many of King Shalva's foremost warriors.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (सर्वेविचित्राभरणध्वजाः → सर्वे विचित्राभरणध्वजाः).

Verse 11 (3.16.11)

गृहीत्वा कार्मुकं साम्बः साल्वस्य सचिवं रणे । योधयामास संहृष्टः क्षेमधूर्तिं चमूपतिम् ॥

gṛhītvā kārmukaṃ sāmbaḥ sālvasya sacivaṃ raṇe | yodhayāmāsa saṃhṛṣṭaḥ kṣemadhūrtiṃ camūpatim

Taking up his bow, Samba joyfully gave battle to Shalva's minister, the general Kshemadhurti.

Note on the text: Corrected यीधयामास → योधयामास (misprint in Wikisource; wrong vowel sign, the critical edition reads yodhayām āsa). कार्मुकं and the name क्षेमधूर्तिं for dhanuḥ and kṣemavṛddhiṃ are recension variants and are kept.

Verse 12 (3.16.12)

तस्य बाणमयं वर्षं जाम्बवत्याः सुतो महत् । मुमोच भरतश्रेष्ठ यथावर्षं सहस्रदृक् ॥

tasya bāṇamayaṃ varṣaṃ jāmbavatyāḥ suto mahat | mumoca bharataśreṣṭha yathāvarṣaṃ sahasradṛk

Jambavati's son loosed a great rain of arrows on him, O best of the Bharatas, as thousand-eyed Indra pours down rain.

Verse 13 (3.16.13)

तद्बाणवर्षं तुमुलं विषेहे स चमूपतिः । क्षेमधूर्तिर्महाराज हिमवानिव निश्चलः ॥

tadbāṇavarṣaṃ tumulaṃ viṣehe sa camūpatiḥ | kṣemadhūrtirmahārāja himavāniva niścalaḥ

The general Kshemadhurti withstood that fierce rain of arrows, O great king, unmoved as the Himalaya.

Verse 14 (3.16.14)

ततः साम्बाय राजेन्द्र क्षेमधूर्तिरपि स्वयम् । मुमोच मायाविहितं शरजालं महत्तरम् ॥

tataḥ sāmbāya rājendra kṣemadhūrtirapi svayam | mumoca māyāvihitaṃ śarajālaṃ mahattaram

Then Kshemadhurti himself, O lord of kings, loosed at Samba a still greater net of arrows, wrought by magic.

Note on the text: स्वयम् for the critical edition's sma ha is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 15 (3.16.15)

ततो मायामयं जालं माययैव विदार्य सः । साम्बः शरसहस्रेण रथमस्याभ्यवर्षत ॥

tato māyāmayaṃ jālaṃ māyayaiva vidārya saḥ | sāmbaḥ śarasahasreṇa rathamasyābhyavarṣata

Then Samba, tearing apart that net of illusion by illusion itself, rained a thousand arrows on his chariot.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (विदार्यसः → विदार्य सः).

Verse 16 (3.16.16)

ततः स विद्धः साम्बेन क्षेमधूर्तिश्चमूपतिः । अपायाज्जवनैरश्वैः साम्बबाणप्रपीडितः ॥

tataḥ sa viddhaḥ sāmbena kṣemadhūrtiścamūpatiḥ | apāyājjavanairaśvaiḥ sāmbabāṇaprapīḍitaḥ

Pierced by Samba and tormented by his arrows, the general Kshemadhurti fled on his swift horses.

Verse 17 (3.16.17)

तस्मिन्विप्रद्रुते शूरे साल्वस्याथ चमूपतौ । वेगवान्नाम दैतेयः सुतं मेऽभ्यद्रवद्बली ॥

tasminvipradrute śūre sālvasyātha camūpatau | vegavānnāma daiteyaḥ sutaṃ me'bhyadravadbalī

When Shalva's heroic general had fled, a mighty Daitya named Vegavat rushed upon my son.

Note on the text: Corrected शरे → शूरे (misprint in Wikisource; शर "arrow" gives no sense with चमूपतौ, the critical edition reads śūre).

Verse 18 (3.16.18)

अभिपन्नस्तु राजेन्द्र साम्बो वृष्णिकुलोद्वहः । वेगं वेगवतो राजंस्तस्थौ वीरो विधारयन् ॥

abhipannastu rājendra sāmbo vṛṣṇikulodvahaḥ | vegaṃ vegavato rājaṃstasthau vīro vidhārayan

Attacked, O lord of kings, Samba, the upholder of the Vrishni line, stood his ground, O king, the hero, holding back Vegavat's onrush.

Verse 19 (3.16.19)

स वेगवति कौन्तेय साम्बो वेगवतीं गदाम् । चिक्षेप तरसा वीरो व्याविध्यन्सत्यविक्रमः ॥

sa vegavati kaunteya sāmbo vegavatīṃ gadām | cikṣepa tarasā vīro vyāvidhyansatyavikramaḥ

Whirling a swift mace, O son of Kunti, Samba, the hero true in valour, hurled it with force at Vegavat.

Note on the text: Corrected व्याविद्ध्यन् → व्याविध्यन् (misprint in Wikisource; doubled द, "whirling"; the commentary printed on the page explains the related reading व्याविध्य as भ्रामयित्वा, and the critical edition reads vyāvidhya).

Verse 20 (3.16.20)

तया त्वभिहतो राजन्वेगवान्न्यपतद्भुवि । वातरुग्ण इव क्षुण्णो जीर्णमूलो वनस्पतिः ॥

tayā tvabhihato rājanvegavānnyapatadbhuvi | vātarugṇa iva kṣuṇṇo jīrṇamūlo vanaspatiḥ

Struck by it, O king, Vegavat crashed to the ground, like an old forest tree with rotten roots, broken and battered by the wind.

Note on the text: Corrected वातरुग्णं इव → वातरुग्ण इव (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara, the critical edition reads vātarugṇa iva) and restored a missing word space (जीर्णमूलोवनस्पतिः → जीर्णमूलो वनस्पतिः).

Verse 21 (3.16.21)

तस्मिन्निपतिते वीरे गदारुग्णे महासुरे । प्रविश्य महतीं सेनां योधयामास मे सुतः ॥

tasminnipatite vīre gadārugṇe mahāsure | praviśya mahatīṃ senāṃ yodhayāmāsa me sutaḥ

When that heroic great Asura had fallen, shattered by the mace, my son plunged into the great army and fought on.

Verse 22 (3.16.22)

चारुदेष्णेन संसक्तो विविन्ध्यो नाम दानवः । महारथः समाज्ञातो महाराज महाधनुः ॥

cārudeṣṇena saṃsakto vivindhyo nāma dānavaḥ | mahārathaḥ samājñāto mahārāja mahādhanuḥ

A Danava named Vivindhya, a renowned great chariot-warrior and mighty bowman, O great king, engaged Charudeshna.

Verse 23 (3.16.23)

ततः सुतुमुलं युद्धं चारुदेष्णविविन्ध्ययोः । वृत्रवासवयो राजन्यथापूर्वं तथाऽभवत् ॥

tataḥ sutumulaṃ yuddhaṃ cārudeṣṇavivindhyayoḥ | vṛtravāsavayo rājanyathāpūrvaṃ tathā'bhavat

Then a fierce battle broke out between Charudeshna and Vivindhya, O king, like that of Vritra and Indra long ago.

Verse 24 (3.16.24)

अन्योन्यस्याभिसंक्रुद्धावन्योन्यं जघ्नतुः शरैः । विनदन्तौ महाराज सिंहाविव महाबलौ ॥

anyonyasyābhisaṃkruddhāvanyonyaṃ jaghnatuḥ śaraiḥ | vinadantau mahārāja siṃhāviva mahābalau

Enraged with each other, they struck each other with arrows, roaring, O great king, like two mighty lions.

Verse 25 (3.16.25)

रौक्मिणेयस्ततो बाणमग्न्यर्कोपमवर्चसम् । अभिमन्त्र्य महास्त्रेण संदधे शत्रुनाशनम् ॥

raukmiṇeyastato bāṇamagnyarkopamavarcasam | abhimantrya mahāstreṇa saṃdadhe śatrunāśanam

Then Rukmini's son fitted to his bow an arrow bright as fire or the sun, a destroyer of foes, charging it with the spell of a great divine weapon.

Verse 26 (3.16.26)

स विविन्ध्याय सक्रोधः समाहूय महारथः । चिक्षेप मे सुतो राजन्स गतासुरथापतत् ॥

sa vivindhyāya sakrodhaḥ samāhūya mahārathaḥ | cikṣepa me suto rājansa gatāsurathāpatat

Challenging Vivindhya, my son, the great chariot-warrior, loosed it at him in his wrath, O king, and he fell lifeless.

Verse 27 (3.16.27)

विविन्ध्यं निहतं दृष्ट्वा तां च विक्षोभितां चमूम् । कामगेन स सौभेन साल्वः पुनरुपागमत् ॥

vivindhyaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā tāṃ ca vikṣobhitāṃ camūm | kāmagena sa saubhena sālvaḥ punarupāgamat

Seeing Vivindhya slain and that army thrown into turmoil, Shalva came on again in the Saubha that flies at will.

Note on the text: Corrected निहृतं → निहतं (misprint in Wikisource; "slain", the critical edition reads nihataṃ).

Verse 28 (3.16.28)

ततो व्याकुलितं सर्वं द्वारकावासि तद्बलम् । दृष्ट्वा साल्वं महाबाहो सौभस्थं पृथिवीगतम् ॥

tato vyākulitaṃ sarvaṃ dvārakāvāsi tadbalam | dṛṣṭvā sālvaṃ mahābāho saubhasthaṃ pṛthivīgatam

Then all that army of Dvaraka's people was thrown into confusion, O mighty-armed one, on seeing Shalva in his Saubha come down to earth.

Verse 29 (3.16.29)

ततो निर्याय कौरव्य अवस्थाप्य च तद्बलम् । आनर्तानां महाराज प्रद्युम्नो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

tato niryāya kauravya avasthāpya ca tadbalam | ānartānāṃ mahārāja pradyumno vākyamabravīt

Then Pradyumna went out, O Kauravya, steadied that army, and spoke these words to the Anartas, O great king:

Note on the text: कौरव्य अवस्थाप्य for the critical edition's kaunteya vyavasthāpya is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 30 (3.16.30)

सर्वे भवन्तस्तिष्ठन्तु सर्वे पश्यन्तु मां युधि । निवारयन्तं संग्रामे बलात्सौभं सराजकम् ॥

sarve bhavantastiṣṭhantu sarve paśyantu māṃ yudhi | nivārayantaṃ saṃgrāme balātsaubhaṃ sarājakam

"Stand fast, all of you, and all of you watch me in battle as I hold back by force Saubha and its king.

Note on the text: Speaker: Pradyumna's address to the Anartas, quoted within Krishna's account, fills verses 30–32 without a printed heading.

Verse 31 (3.16.31)

अयं सौभपतेः सेनामायसैर्भुजगैरिव । धनुर्भुजविनिर्मुक्तैर्नाशयाम्यद्य यादवाः ॥

ayaṃ saubhapateḥ senāmāyasairbhujagairiva | dhanurbhujavinirmuktairnāśayāmyadya yādavāḥ

Here I stand, O Yadavas, and today I will destroy the army of Saubha's lord with iron arrows, like serpents, loosed from bow and arm.

Note on the text: Corrected नाशयम्यद्य → नाशयाम्यद्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, the critical edition reads nāśayāmy adya). अयं for the critical edition's ahaṃ is a recension variant and is kept. Speaker: Pradyumna's address to the Anartas, quoted within Krishna's account, fills verses 30–32 without a printed heading.

Verse 32 (3.16.32)

आश्वसध्वं न भीः कार्या सौभराडद्य नश्यति । मयाऽभिपन्नो दुष्टात्मा ससौभो विनशिष्यति ॥

āśvasadhvaṃ na bhīḥ kāryā saubharāḍadya naśyati | mayā'bhipanno duṣṭātmā sasaubho vinaśiṣyati

Take heart, there is nothing to fear: the lord of Saubha perishes today. Attacked by me, the wicked one will be destroyed, Saubha and all."

Note on the text: Speaker: Pradyumna's address to the Anartas, quoted within Krishna's account, fills verses 30–32 without a printed heading.

Verse 33 (3.16.33)

एवं ब्रुवति संहृष्टे प्रद्युम्ने पाण्डुनन्दन । धिष्ठितं तद्बलं द्वारि युयुधे च यथासुखम् ॥

evaṃ bruvati saṃhṛṣṭe pradyumne pāṇḍunandana | dhiṣṭhitaṃ tadbalaṃ dvāri yuyudhe ca yathāsukham

As the delighted Pradyumna spoke thus, O son of Pandu, the army, standing firm at the gate, fought on with good heart.

Note on the text: Corrected धिष्टितं → धिष्ठितं (misprint in Wikisource, ट for ठ; the commentary printed on the page glosses धिष्ठितं as अधिष्ठितम्). द्वारि for the critical edition's vīra is a recension variant and is kept.