The Slaying of Pralamba

Verse 1 (vishnu.5.9.1)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । तस्मिन्रासभदैतेये सानुगे विनिपातिते । सौम्यं तद्गोपगोपीनां रम्यं तालवनं बभौ

śrīparāśara uvāca tasminrāsabhadaiteye sānuge vinipātite saumyaṁ tadgopagopīnāṁ ramyaṁ tālavanaṁ babhau

Parashara said: "When that donkey-demon, with his followers, had been struck down, that palm-grove became gentle and lovely again for the cowherds and cowherd-women."

Verse 2 (vishnu.5.9.2)

ततस्तौ जातहर्षौ तु वसुदेवसुतावुभौ । हत्वा धेनुकदैतेयं भाण्डीरवटमागतौ

tatastau jātaharṣau tu vasudevasutāvubhau hatvā dhenukadaiteyaṁ bhāṇḍīravaṭamāgatau

"Then those two sons of Vasudeva, rejoicing, having slain the Daitya Dhenuka, came to the Bhandira banyan."

Verse 3 (vishnu.5.9.3)

क्ष्वेलमानौ प्रगायन्तौ विचिन्वन्तौ च पादपान् । चारयन्तौ च गा दूरे व्याहरन्तौ च नामभिः

kṣvelamānau pragāyantau vicinvantau ca pādapān cārayantau ca gā dūre vyāharantau ca nāmabhiḥ

"Joking with one another, singing loudly, gathering fruit from the trees, herding the cows far off and calling them each by name."

Verse 4 (vishnu.5.9.4)

निर्योगपाशस्कन्धौ तौ वनमालाविभूषितौ । शुशुभाते महात्मानौ बालशृङ्गाविवर्षभौ

niryogapāśaskandhau tau vanamālāvibhūṣitau śuśubhāte mahātmānau bālaśṛṅgāvivarṣabhau

"With cattle-ropes slung over their shoulders, decked in forest garlands, those two great souls shone like two young bulls just come to their horns."

Verse 5 (vishnu.5.9.5)

सुवर्णाञ्जनचूर्णाभ्यां तौ तदा रूषितांबरौ । महेन्द्रायुधसंयुक्तौ श्वेतकृष्णाविवांबुदौ

suvarṇāñjanacūrṇābhyāṁ tau tadā rūṣitāṁbarau mahendrāyudhasaṁyuktau śvetakṛṣṇāvivāṁbudau

"Their garments dusted with gold and with collyrium, crowned as it were with rainbows, they seemed like two clouds, one white and one dark."

Verse 6 (vishnu.5.9.6)

चेरतुर्लौकसिद्धाभिः क्रीडाभिरितरेतरम् । समस्तलोकनाथानां नाथभूतौ भुवं गतौ

ceraturlaukasiddhābhiḥ krīḍābhiritaretaram samastalokanāthānāṁ nāthabhūtau bhuvaṁ gatau

"Though lords of all the lords of every world, having come down to earth they played with one another in the ordinary games of common folk."

Verse 7 (vishnu.5.9.7)

मनुष्यधर्माभिरतौ मानयन्तौ मनुष्यताम् । तज्जातिगुणयुक्ताभिः क्रीडाभिश्चेरतुर्वनम्

manuṣyadharmābhiratau mānayantau manuṣyatām tajjātiguṇayuktābhiḥ krīḍābhiśceraturvanam

"Devoted to human ways, honoring their human role, they roamed the forest in games fit for the qualities of the cowherd folk."

Verse 8 (vishnu.5.9.8)

ततस्त्वान्दोलिकाभिश्च नियुद्धैश्च महाबलौ । व्यायामं चक्रतुस्तत्र क्षेपणीयैस्तथाश्मभिः

tatastvāndolikābhiśca niyuddhaiśca mahābalau vyāyāmaṁ cakratustatra kṣepaṇīyaistathāśmabhiḥ

"Then those two of great strength took their exercise there — on swings, in wrestling bouts, and throwing stones."

Verse 9 (vishnu.5.9.9)

तल्लिप्सुरसुरस्तत्र ह्युभयो रममाणयोः । आजगाम प्रलंबाख्यो गोपवेषतिरोहितः

tallipsurasurastatra hyubhayo ramamāṇayoḥ ājagāma pralaṁbākhyo gopaveṣatirohitaḥ

"While the two of them were thus at play, an Asura named Pralamba, wishing to seize them, came there disguised as a cowherd."

Verse 10 (vishnu.5.9.10)

सोऽवगाहत निःशङ्कस्तेषां मध्यममानुषः । मानुषं वपुरास्थाय प्रलंबो दानवोत्तमः

so'vagāhata niḥśaṅkasteṣāṁ madhyamamānuṣaḥ mānuṣaṁ vapurāsthāya pralaṁbo dānavottamaḥ

"That foremost of Danavas, Pralamba, taking on human form, mingled fearlessly among them as though one of the boys."

Verse 11 (vishnu.5.9.11)

तयोशिछ्द्रान्तरप्रेप्सुरविषह्यममन्यत । कृष्णं ततो रौहिणेयं हन्तुं चक्रे मनोरथम्

tayośichdrāntaraprepsuraviṣahyamamanyata kṛṣṇaṁ tato rauhiṇeyaṁ hantuṁ cakre manoratham

"Seeking a weakness between the two, he judged Krishna unassailable, and so set his mind on killing Rohini's son instead."

Verse 12 (vishnu.5.9.12)

हरिणाक्रीडनं नाम बालक्रीडनकं ततः । प्रकुर्वन्तो हि ते सर्वे द्वौद्वौ युगपदुत्थितौ

hariṇākrīḍanaṁ nāma bālakrīḍanakaṁ tataḥ prakurvanto hi te sarve dvaudvau yugapadutthitau

"Then all of them began a children's game called the 'deer-game', in which pairs rose up together, two by two."

Verse 13 (vishnu.5.9.13)

श्रीदाम्ना सह गोविन्दः प्रलंबेन तथा बलः । गोपालौरपरैश्चान्ये गोपालाः पुप्लुवुस्ततः

śrīdāmnā saha govindaḥ pralaṁbena tathā balaḥ gopālauraparaiścānye gopālāḥ pupluvustataḥ

"Govinda paired with Shridama, Bala with Pralamba, and the other cowherds paired off with one another, and then they raced."

Verse 14 (vishnu.5.9.14)

श्रीदामानं ततः कृष्णः प्रलंबं रोहिणीसुतः । जितवान्कृष्णपक्षीयैर्गोपैरन्ये पराजिताः

śrīdāmānaṁ tataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ pralaṁbaṁ rohiṇīsutaḥ jitavānkṛṣṇapakṣīyairgopairanye parājitāḥ

"Krishna then defeated Shridama, and Rohini's son defeated Pralamba; and the rest were beaten by the cowherds on Krishna's side."

Verse 15 (vishnu.5.9.15)

ते वाहयन्तस्त्वन्योन्यं भाण्डीरं वटमेत्य वै । पुनर्निववृतुः सर्वे येये तत्र परिजिताः

te vāhayantastvanyonyaṁ bhāṇḍīraṁ vaṭametya vai punarnivavṛtuḥ sarve yeye tatra parijitāḥ

Those who had lost carried the winners on their backs as far as the Bhandira banyan, then all turned back again.

Verse 16 (vishnu.5.9.16)

संकर्षणं तु स्कन्धेन शीघ्रमुत्क्षिप्य दानवः । नभःस्थलं जगामाशु सचन्द्र इव वारिदः

saṁkarṣaṇaṁ tu skandhena śīghramutkṣipya dānavaḥ nabhaḥsthalaṁ jagāmāśu sacandra iva vāridaḥ

"But the Danava, quickly hoisting Sankarshana onto his shoulder, shot up into the sky, like a cloud bearing the moon."

Verse 17 (vishnu.5.9.17)

असहन्रौहिणेयस्य स भारं दानवोत्तमः । ववृधे स महाकायः प्रावृषीव बलाहकः

asahanrauhiṇeyasya sa bhāraṁ dānavottamaḥ vavṛdhe sa mahākāyaḥ prāvṛṣīva balāhakaḥ

"Unable to bear the weight of Rohini's son, that foremost of Danavas began to swell, his body growing vast, like a monsoon storm-cloud."

Verse 18 (vishnu.5.9.18)

संकर्षणस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा दग्धशैलोपमाकृतिम् । स्रग्दामलंबाभरणं मकुटाटोपमस्तकम्

saṁkarṣaṇastu taṁ dṛṣṭvā dagdhaśailopamākṛtim sragdāmalaṁbābharaṇaṁ makuṭāṭopamastakam

"Sankarshana beheld him thus — his form now like a scorched mountain, hung about with dangling garlands, his head towering under a crown —"

Verse 19 (vishnu.5.9.19)

रौद्रं शकटचक्राक्षं पादन्यास चलत्क्षितिम् । अभीतमनसा तेन रक्षसा रोहिणीसुतः । ह्रियमाणस्ततः कृष्णमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्

raudraṁ śakaṭacakrākṣaṁ pādanyāsa calatkṣitim abhītamanasā tena rakṣasā rohiṇīsutaḥ hriyamāṇastataḥ kṛṣṇamidaṁ vacanamabravīt

"— terrible, his eyes like cart-wheels, the earth shuddering under his tread; and Rohini's son, though carried off by that demon, his mind unafraid, spoke these words to Krishna."

Verse 20 (vishnu.5.9.20)

कृष्णाकृष्ण ह्रियाम्येष पर्वतोदग्रमूर्तिना । केनापि पश्य दैत्येन गोपालच्छद्मरूपिणा

kṛṣṇākṛṣṇa hriyāmyeṣa parvatodagramūrtinā kenāpi paśya daityena gopālacchadmarūpiṇā

"'Krishna, Krishna! Look — some Daitya, towering as a mountain, hidden in a cowherd's disguise, is carrying me off!'"

Verse 21 (vishnu.5.9.21)

यदत्र सांप्रतं कार्यं मया मधुनिषूदन । तत्कथ्यतां प्रयात्येष दुरात्मातित्वरान्वितः

yadatra sāṁprataṁ kāryaṁ mayā madhuniṣūdana tatkathyatāṁ prayātyeṣa durātmātitvarānvitaḥ

"'O Madhusudana, tell me what I should do now; this evil-souled one is speeding off fast.'"

Verse 22 (vishnu.5.9.22)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । तमाह रामं गोविन्दः स्मितभिन्नोष्ठसंपुटः । महात्मा रौहिणेयस्य बलवीर्यप्रमाणवित्

śrīparāśara uvāca tamāha rāmaṁ govindaḥ smitabhinnoṣṭhasaṁpuṭaḥ mahātmā rauhiṇeyasya balavīryapramāṇavit

Parashara said: "Govinda, his lips parting in a smile, that great soul who knew the full measure of Rohini's son's strength and valor, spoke thus to Rama."

Verse 23 (vishnu.5.9.23)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । किमयं मानुषो भावो व्यक्तमेवावलंब्यते । सर्वात्मन् सर्वगुह्यानां गुह्यगुह्यात्मना त्वया

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca kimayaṁ mānuṣo bhāvo vyaktamevāvalaṁbyate sarvātman sarvaguhyānāṁ guhyaguhyātmanā tvayā

Krishna said: "O Self of all, why do you cling so plainly to this human role, you who are the very secret behind all secrets?"

Verse 24 (vishnu.5.9.24)

स्मराशेषजगद्बीजकारणं कारणाग्रज । आत्मानमेकं तद्वच्च जगत्येकार्णवे च यत्

smarāśeṣajagadbījakāraṇaṁ kāraṇāgraja ātmānamekaṁ tadvacca jagatyekārṇave ca yat

"'Remember, O first-born of all causes, that you are the very seed and cause of the whole universe — the one self who rested, just the same, upon the single ocean at the dissolution.'"

Verse 25 (vishnu.5.9.25)

किं न वेत्सि यथाहं च त्वं चैकं कारणं भुवः । भारावतारणार्थाय मर्त्यलोकमुपागतौ

kiṁ na vetsi yathāhaṁ ca tvaṁ caikaṁ kāraṇaṁ bhuvaḥ bhārāvatāraṇārthāya martyalokamupāgatau

"'Do you not know that you and I are one and the same cause of this earth, and that we have both come into the mortal world only to relieve its burden?'"

Verse 26 (vishnu.5.9.26)

नभश्शिरस्तेंबुवहाश्च केशाः पादौ क्षितिर्वक्त्रमनन्तवह्नि । सोमो मनस्ते श्वसितं समीरणो दिशश्चतस्रोऽव्यय बाहवस्ते

nabhaśśirasteṁbuvahāśca keśāḥ pādau kṣitirvaktramanantavahni somo manaste śvasitaṁ samīraṇo diśaścatasro'vyaya bāhavaste

"'The sky is your head, the water-laden clouds your hair, the earth your feet, boundless fire your face; the moon your mind, the wind your breath, and, O imperishable one, the four quarters your arms.'"

Verse 27 (vishnu.5.9.27)

सहस्रवक्त्रो भगवान्महात्मा सहस्रहस्ताङ्घ्रिशरीरभेदः । सहस्रपद्मोद्भवयोनिराद्यःसहस्रशस्त्वां मुनयो गृणन्ति

sahasravaktro bhagavānmahātmā sahasrahastāṅghriśarīrabhedaḥ sahasrapadmodbhavayonirādyaḥsahasraśastvāṁ munayo gṛṇanti

"'O Lord, great of soul, you are thousand-faced, your body of a thousand hands and feet, the primal source from which a thousand lotuses spring — the sages praise you in a thousand ways.'"

Verse 28 (vishnu.5.9.28)

दिव्यं हि रूपं तव वेत्ति नान्यो देवैरशेषैरवताररूपम् । तदर्च्यते वेत्सि न किं यदन्ते त्वय्येव विश्वं लयमभ्युपैति

divyaṁ hi rūpaṁ tava vetti nānyo devairaśeṣairavatārarūpam tadarcyate vetsi na kiṁ yadante tvayyeva viśvaṁ layamabhyupaiti

"'No one else knows your true, divine form; all the gods worship only your incarnate forms. Do you not know that, in the end, this whole universe returns into dissolution in you alone?'"

Verse 29 (vishnu.5.9.29)

त्वया धृतेयं धरणी बिभर्ति चराचरं विश्वमनन्तमूर्ते । कृतादिभेदैरज कालरूपो निमेषपूर्वो जगदेतदत्सि

tvayā dhṛteyaṁ dharaṇī bibharti carācaraṁ viśvamanantamūrte kṛtādibhedairaja kālarūpo nimeṣapūrvo jagadetadatsi

"'O one of infinite form, this earth, upheld by you, bears the moving and unmoving universe; O unborn one, in the shape of Time, marked out by the Krita and the other ages, beginning from a mere instant, it is you who consume this world.'"

Verse 30 (vishnu.5.9.30)

अत्तं यथा बाडववह्निनांबु हिमस्वरूपं परिगृह्य कास्तम् । हिमाचले भानुमतोंशुसंगाज्जलत्वमभ्येति पुनस्तदेव

attaṁ yathā bāḍavavahnināṁbu himasvarūpaṁ parigṛhya kāstam himācale bhānumatoṁśusaṁgājjalatvamabhyeti punastadeva

"'As water is consumed by the submarine fire, and then, taking the form of snow resting on the Himalaya, that same water, touched by the sun's rays, turns again into water.'"

Verse 31 (vishnu.5.9.31)

एवं त्वया संहरणेऽत्तमेतज्जगत्समस्तं त्वदधीनकं पुनः । तवैव सर्गाय समुद्यतस्य जगत्त्वमभ्येत्यसुकल्पमीश

evaṁ tvayā saṁharaṇe'ttametajjagatsamastaṁ tvadadhīnakaṁ punaḥ tavaiva sargāya samudyatasya jagattvamabhyetyasukalpamīśa

"'So too, O Lord, at the dissolution this whole world, wholly dependent on you, is consumed by you; and when you turn to creation, the world springs forth from you again in a mere instant.'"

Verse 32 (vishnu.5.9.32)

भवानहं च विश्वात्मन्नेकमेव च कारणम् । जगतोस्य जगत्यर्थे भेदेनावां व्यवस्थितौ

bhavānahaṁ ca viśvātmannekameva ca kāraṇam jagatosya jagatyarthe bhedenāvāṁ vyavasthitau

"'You and I, O Self of the universe, are but one single cause; for this world's sake alone do we stand apparently divided.'"

Verse 33 (vishnu.5.9.33)

तत्स्मर्यताममेयात्मस्त्वयात्मा जहि दानवम् । मानुष्यमेवावलंब्य बन्धूनां क्रियतां हितम्

tatsmaryatāmameyātmastvayātmā jahi dānavam mānuṣyamevāvalaṁbya bandhūnāṁ kriyatāṁ hitam

"'So remember this, O immeasurable self, and slay this Danava by your own true power — and, still holding to your human form, do what is good for your kinsmen.'"

Verse 34 (vishnu.5.9.34)

श्री पराशर उवाच । इति संस्मारितो विप्र कृष्णेन सुमहात्मना । विहस्य पीडयामास प्रलंबं बलवान्बलः

śrī parāśara uvāca iti saṁsmārito vipra kṛṣṇena sumahātmanā vihasya pīḍayāmāsa pralaṁbaṁ balavānbalaḥ

Parashara said: "O brahmin, thus reminded by the great-souled Krishna, mighty Bala, laughing, set upon crushing Pralamba."

Verse 35 (vishnu.5.9.35)

मुष्टिना सोहनन्मूर्ध्नि कोपसंरक्तलोचनः । तेन चास्य प्रहारेण बहिर्याते विलोचने

muṣṭinā sohananmūrdhni kopasaṁraktalocanaḥ tena cāsya prahāreṇa bahiryāte vilocane

"His eyes red with fury, he struck him on the head with his fist; and by that blow the demon's eyes started from their sockets."

Verse 36 (vishnu.5.9.36)

स निष्कासितमस्तिष्को मुखाच्छोणितमुद्वमन् । निपपात महीपृष्ठे दत्य वर्यो ममार च

sa niṣkāsitamastiṣko mukhācchoṇitamudvaman nipapāta mahīpṛṣṭhe datya varyo mamāra ca

"His skull broken open, vomiting blood from his mouth, that foremost of Daityas fell to the ground and died."

Verse 37 (vishnu.5.9.37)

प्रलंबं निहतं दृष्ट्वा बलेनाद्भुतकर्मणा । प्रहृष्टास्तुष्टुवुर्गौपाःसाधुसाध्विति चाब्रुवन्

pralaṁbaṁ nihataṁ dṛṣṭvā balenādbhutakarmaṇā prahṛṣṭāstuṣṭuvurgaupāḥsādhusādhviti cābruvan

"Seeing Pralamba slain by Bala of wondrous deeds, the delighted cowherds praised him, crying, 'Well done, well done!'"

Verse 38 (vishnu.5.9.38)

संस्तूयमानो गोपैस्तु रामो दैत्ये निपातिते । प्रलंबं सह कृष्णेन पुनर्गोकुलमाययौ

saṁstūyamāno gopaistu rāmo daitye nipātite pralaṁbaṁ saha kṛṣṇena punargokulamāyayau

"Praised by the cowherds now that the Daitya was struck down, Rama, leaving Pralamba there, returned once more to Gokula with Krishna."