Shalva's Illusion of Vasudeva's Fall

Verse 1 (3.21.1)

एवं स पुरुषव्याघ्रः साल्वो राज्ञां महारिपुः । युध्यमानो मया सङ्ख्ये वियदभ्यगमत्पुनः ॥

evaṃ sa puruṣavyāghraḥ sālvo rājñāṃ mahāripuḥ | yudhyamāno mayā saṅkhye viyadabhyagamatpunaḥ

Thus Shalva, that tiger among men and great enemy of kings, fighting with me in battle, rose into the sky once more.

Note on the text: Corrected राज्ञं → राज्ञां (misprint in Wikisource; genitive plural, as in the critical edition's rājñāṃ).

Verse 2 (3.21.2)

ततः शतघ्नीश्च महागदाश्च । दीप्ताश्च शूलान्मुसलानसींश्च । चिक्षेप रोषान्मयि मन्दबुद्धिः । साल्वो महाराज जयाभिकाङ्क्षी ॥

tataḥ śataghnīśca mahāgadāśca | dīptāśca śūlānmusalānasīṃśca | cikṣepa roṣānmayi mandabuddhiḥ | sālvo mahārāja jayābhikāṅkṣī

Then, great king, the dull-witted Shalva, eager for victory, angrily hurled at me shataghnis and great maces, blazing pikes, pestles and swords.

Verse 3 (3.21.3)

तानाशुगैरापततोऽहमाशु । निवार्य तूर्णं खगमान्ख एव । द्विधा त्रिधा चाच्छिनमाशु मुक्तै- । स्ततोऽन्तरिक्षे निनदो बभूव ॥

tānāśugairāpatato'hamāśu | nivārya tūrṇaṃ khagamānkha eva | dvidhā tridhā cācchinamāśu muktai- | stato'ntarikṣe ninado babhūva

As they came flying at me, I swiftly checked them with my swift arrows while they were still in the air, and with arrows quickly loosed I cut them in two and in three; at that a roar went up in the sky.

Note on the text: Corrected त्रिता → त्रिधा (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads tridhā).

Verse 4 (3.21.4)

ततः शतसहस्रेण शराणां नतपर्वणाम् । दारुकं वाजिनश्चैव रथं च समवाकिरत् ॥

tataḥ śatasahasreṇa śarāṇāṃ nataparvaṇām | dārukaṃ vājinaścaiva rathaṃ ca samavākirat

Then he covered Daruka, the horses and the chariot with a hundred thousand smooth-jointed arrows.

Verse 5 (3.21.5)

ततो मामब्रवीद्वीर दारुको विह्वलन्निव । स्थातव्यमिति तिष्ठामि साल्वबाणप्रपीडितः । अवस्थातुं न शक्नोमि अङ्गं मे व्यवसीदति ॥

tato māmabravīdvīra dāruko vihvalanniva | sthātavyamiti tiṣṭhāmi sālvabāṇaprapīḍitaḥ | avasthātuṃ na śaknomi aṅgaṃ me vyavasīdati

Then Daruka, as if faltering, said to me, O hero: 'I stand here because I must stand, though Shalva's arrows torment me; but I cannot hold my place much longer, my body is giving way.'

Note on the text: The third line is not in the critical edition's text; it appears in its apparatus as passage *86 after 3.22.5 (found in the vulgate recension). Lines 1–2 = 3.22.5.

Verse 6 (3.21.6)

इति तस्य निशम्याहं सारथेः करुणं वचः । अवेक्षमाणो यन्तारमपश्यं शरपीडितम् ॥

iti tasya niśamyāhaṃ sāratheḥ karuṇaṃ vacaḥ | avekṣamāṇo yantāramapaśyaṃ śarapīḍitam

Hearing these pitiful words of my charioteer, I looked at him and saw that he was tormented by arrows.

Verse 7 (3.21.7)

न तस्योरसि नो मूर्ध्नि न काये न भुजद्वये । अन्तरं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ पश्याम्यनिचितं शरैः ॥

na tasyorasi no mūrdhni na kāye na bhujadvaye | antaraṃ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha paśyāmyanicitaṃ śaraiḥ

On his chest, on his head, on his body and on his two arms, best of the Pandavas, I could see no spot not covered with arrows.

Verse 8 (3.21.8)

स तु बाणवरोत्पीडाद्विस्रवत्यसृगुल्बणम् । अभिवृष्टो यथा मेघैर्गिरिर्गैरिकधातुमान् ॥

sa tu bāṇavarotpīḍādvisravatyasṛgulbaṇam | abhivṛṣṭo yathā meghairgirirgairikadhātumān

Blood streamed thickly from the wounds of those fine arrows, like a mountain veined with red chalk when the clouds rain on it.

Verse 9 (3.21.9)

अभीशुहस्तं तं दृष्ट्वा सीदन्तं सारथिं रणे । अस्तम्भयं महाबाहो साल्वबाणप्रपीडितम् ॥

abhīśuhastaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā sīdantaṃ sārathiṃ raṇe | astambhayaṃ mahābāho sālvabāṇaprapīḍitam

Seeing my charioteer, reins in hand, sinking in the battle, tormented by Shalva's arrows, I steadied him, mighty-armed one.

Verse 10 (3.21.10)

अथ मां पुरुषः कश्चिद्द्वारकानिलयोऽब्रवीत् । त्वरितो रथमारोप्य सौहृदादिव भारत ॥

atha māṃ puruṣaḥ kaściddvārakānilayo'bravīt | tvarito rathamāropya sauhṛdādiva bhārata

Then a man who lived in Dvaraka came up in haste on a chariot and spoke to me, Bharata, as if out of friendship.

Verse 11 (3.21.11)

आहुकस्य वचो वीर तस्यैव परिचारकः । विषण्णः सन्नकण्ठेन तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥

āhukasya vaco vīra tasyaiva paricārakaḥ | viṣaṇṇaḥ sannakaṇṭhena tannibodha yudhiṣṭhira

He was Ahuka's own attendant, O hero, and he brought Ahuka's message; downcast, his voice choking, he spoke. Hear it, Yudhishthira.

Verse 12 (3.21.12)

द्वारकाधिपतिर्वीर आह त्वामाहुको वचः । केशवैहि विजानीष्व यत्त्वां पितृसखोऽब्रवीत् ॥

dvārakādhipatirvīra āha tvāmāhuko vacaḥ | keśavaihi vijānīṣva yattvāṃ pitṛsakho'bravīt

"Hero, Ahuka, lord of Dvaraka, has sent you a message. Come, Keshava, and learn what your father's friend says to you:

Verse 13 (3.21.13)

उपयात्वा तु साल्वेन द्वारकां वृष्णिनन्दन । विषक्ते त्वयि दुर्धर्ष हतः शूरसुतो बलात् ॥

upayātvā tu sālvena dvārakāṃ vṛṣṇinandana | viṣakte tvayi durdharṣa hataḥ śūrasuto balāt

'Joy of the Vrishnis, while you were engaged elsewhere, invincible one, Shalva came to Dvaraka and killed Shura's son by force.

Note on the text: Corrected इतः → हतः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ह — the critical edition reads hataḥ, and Krishna repeats हतः शूरसुतः in verse 20).

Verse 14 (3.21.14)

तदलं साधुयुद्धेन निवर्तस्व जनार्दन । द्वारकामेव रक्षस्व कार्यमेतन्महत्तव ॥

tadalaṃ sādhuyuddhena nivartasva janārdana | dvārakāmeva rakṣasva kāryametanmahattava

So enough of fighting, good sir; turn back, Janardana. Protect Dvaraka itself; that is your great task.'"

Verse 15 (3.21.15)

इत्यहं तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा परमदुर्मनाः । निश्चयं नाधिगच्छामि कर्तव्यस्येतरस्य च ॥

ityahaṃ tasya vacanaṃ śrutvā paramadurmanāḥ | niścayaṃ nādhigacchāmi kartavyasyetarasya ca

Hearing his words, I was deeply dejected and could not decide what I should do and what I should not.

Verse 16 (3.21.16)

सात्यकिं बलदेवं च प्रद्युम्नं च महारथम् । जगर्हे मनसा वीर तच्छ्रुत्वा महदप्रियम् ॥

sātyakiṃ baladevaṃ ca pradyumnaṃ ca mahāratham | jagarhe manasā vīra tacchrutvā mahadapriyam

Hearing that grievous news, O hero, I blamed Satyaki, Baladeva and the great chariot-fighter Pradyumna in my mind.

Note on the text: Corrected महांरथम् → महारथम् (misprint in Wikisource; intrusive anusvara).

Verse 17 (3.21.17)

अहं हि द्वारकायाश्च पितुश्च कुरुनन्दन । तेषु रक्षां समाधाय प्रयातः सौभयातने ॥

ahaṃ hi dvārakāyāśca pituśca kurunandana | teṣu rakṣāṃ samādhāya prayātaḥ saubhayātane

For, joy of the Kurus, I had entrusted them with the protection of Dvaraka and of my father when I set out to destroy Saubha.

Verse 18 (3.21.18)

बलदेवो महाबाहुः कच्चिज्जीवति शत्रुहा । सात्यकी रौक्मिणेयश्च चारुदेष्णश्च वीर्यवान् । साम्बप्रभृतयश्चैवेत्यहमासं सुदुर्मनाः ॥

baladevo mahābāhuḥ kaccijjīvati śatruhā | sātyakī raukmiṇeyaśca cārudeṣṇaśca vīryavān | sāmbaprabhṛtayaścaivetyahamāsaṃ sudurmanāḥ

'Is the mighty-armed Baladeva, slayer of foes, still alive? And Satyaki, the son of Rukmini, the valiant Charudeshna, and Samba and the others?' So I wondered, sick at heart.

Verse 19 (3.21.19)

एतेषु हि नरव्याघ्र जीवत्सु न कथंचन । शक्यः शूरसुतो हन्तुमपि वज्रभृता स्वयम् ॥

eteṣu hi naravyāghra jīvatsu na kathaṃcana | śakyaḥ śūrasuto hantumapi vajrabhṛtā svayam

For while they lived, tiger among men, Shura's son could not possibly be killed, not even by the wielder of the thunderbolt himself.

Verse 20 (3.21.20)

हतः शूरसुतो व्यक्तं व्यक्तं चैते परासवः । बलदेवमुखाः सर्व इति मे निश्चिता मतिः ॥

hataḥ śūrasuto vyaktaṃ vyaktaṃ caite parāsavaḥ | baladevamukhāḥ sarva iti me niścitā matiḥ

'Shura's son has clearly been killed, and clearly Baladeva and all the others with him are dead too': so my mind concluded.

Verse 21 (3.21.21)

सोऽहं सर्वविनाशं तं चिन्तयानो मुहुर्मुहुः । अविह्वलो महाराज पुनः साल्वमयोधयम् ॥

so'haṃ sarvavināśaṃ taṃ cintayāno muhurmuhuḥ | avihvalo mahārāja punaḥ sālvamayodhayam

Brooding again and again on that total destruction, great king, I nevertheless fought Shalva once more, unshaken.

Note on the text: Corrected सोहं → सोऽहं (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha).

Verse 22 (3.21.22)

ततोऽपश्यं महाराज प्रपतन्तमहं तदा । सौभाच्छूरसुतं वीर ततो मां मोह आविशत् ॥

tato'paśyaṃ mahārāja prapatantamahaṃ tadā | saubhācchūrasutaṃ vīra tato māṃ moha āviśat

Then, great king, I saw Shura's son falling from Saubha, O hero, and at that a swoon came over me.

Note on the text: Corrected तदोऽपश्यं → ततोऽपश्यं (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads tato 'paśyaṃ).

Verse 23 (3.21.23)

तस्य रूपं प्रपततः पितुर्मम नराधिप । ययातेः क्षीणपुण्यस्य स्वर्गादिव महीतलम् ॥

tasya rūpaṃ prapatataḥ piturmama narādhipa | yayāteḥ kṣīṇapuṇyasya svargādiva mahītalam

As my father fell, lord of men, he looked like Yayati falling from heaven to the earth when his merit was spent.

Note on the text: Corrected भहीतलम् → महीतलम् (misprint in Wikisource; भ for म).

Verse 24 (3.21.24)

विशीर्णमलिनोष्णीषप्रकीर्णाम्बरमूर्धजः । प्रपतन्दृश्यते ह स्म क्षीणपुण्य इव ग्रहः ॥

viśīrṇamalinoṣṇīṣaprakīrṇāmbaramūrdhajaḥ | prapatandṛśyate ha sma kṣīṇapuṇya iva grahaḥ

His turban torn and soiled, his clothes and hair flying loose, he was seen falling like a planet whose merit is spent.

Note on the text: Corrected उष्णीप → उष्णीष (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष).

Verse 25 (3.21.25)

ततः शार्ङ्गं धनुःश्रेष्ठं करात्प्रपतितं मम । मोहापन्नश्च कौन्तेय रथोपस्थ उपाविशम् ॥

tataḥ śārṅgaṃ dhanuḥśreṣṭhaṃ karātprapatitaṃ mama | mohāpannaśca kaunteya rathopastha upāviśam

Then Sharnga, the best of bows, fell from my hand, son of Kunti, and overcome by a swoon I sank down on the floor of the chariot.

Verse 26 (3.21.26)

ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं सैन्यं मे गतचेतनम् । मां दृष्ट्वा रथनीडस्थं गतासुमिव भारत ॥

tato hāhākṛtaṃ sarvaṃ sainyaṃ me gatacetanam | māṃ dṛṣṭvā rathanīḍasthaṃ gatāsumiva bhārata

Then my whole army, its spirit gone, cried out in dismay, Bharata, seeing me sitting in the chariot's seat as if lifeless.

Verse 27 (3.21.27)

प्रसार्य बाहू पततः प्रसार्य चरणावपि । रूपं पितुर्मे विबभौ शकुनेः पततो यथा ॥

prasārya bāhū patataḥ prasārya caraṇāvapi | rūpaṃ piturme vibabhau śakuneḥ patato yathā

Arms and legs spread wide as he fell, my father looked like a falling bird.

Note on the text: Corrected शकुने- → शकुनेः (misprint in Wikisource; hyphen in place of visarga; the critical edition reads śakuneḥ).

Verse 28 (3.21.28)

तं पतन्तं महाबाहो शूलपट्टसपाणयः । अभिघ्नन्तो भृशं वीर मम चेतो ह्यकम्पयन् ॥

taṃ patantaṃ mahābāho śūlapaṭṭasapāṇayaḥ | abhighnanto bhṛśaṃ vīra mama ceto hyakampayan

As he fell, mighty-armed one, warriors with pikes and pattishas in their hands struck at him savagely, O hero, and that shook my heart.

Note on the text: Corrected चोतोह्यकम्पयन् → चेतो ह्यकम्पयन् (misprint in Wikisource; चोतो for चेतो, and word division; the critical edition reads ceto).

Verse 29 (3.21.29)

ततो मुहूर्तात्प्रतिलभ्य संज्ञा- । महं तदा वीर महाविमर्दे । न तत्र सौभं न रिपुं च साल्वं । पश्यामि वृद्धं पितरं न चापि ॥

tato muhūrtātpratilabhya saṃjñā- | mahaṃ tadā vīra mahāvimarde | na tatra saubhaṃ na ripuṃ ca sālvaṃ | paśyāmi vṛddhaṃ pitaraṃ na cāpi

Then, after a moment, O hero, I came to my senses in that great battle; and there I saw neither Saubha nor my enemy Shalva, nor my aged father.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्रसौमं → तत्र सौभं (misprint in Wikisource; म for भ in Saubha, and word division; the critical edition reads tatra saubhaṃ).

Verse 30 (3.21.30)

ततो ममासीन्मनसि मायेयमिति निश्चितम् । प्रबुद्धोऽस्मि ततो भूयः शतशो वाऽकिरं शरान् ॥

tato mamāsīnmanasi māyeyamiti niścitam | prabuddho'smi tato bhūyaḥ śataśo vā'kiraṃ śarān

Then it became certain in my mind: 'This is an illusion.' Fully awake now, I again scattered arrows by the hundreds.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रबुद्धोस्मि → प्रबुद्धोऽस्मि (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha).