rule



 

 

Canto 10

Nārada Muni

 


 

Chapter 77: S'ālva and the Saubha fortress Finished

(1) S'rī S'uka said: 'After touching water, fastening His armor and picking up His bow, He [Pradyumna] said to His charioteer: 'Take Me to the warrior Dyumān.' (2) Dyumān [in His absence] had decimated His troops, but now the son of Rukminī with a smile counterattacking struck back with eight nārāca arrows [made of iron]. (3) With four of them He struck the four horses, with one the driver, with two the bow and flag, and with one his head. (4) Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba and others killed the army of the master of Saubha. All occupants of Saubha fell into the ocean with their throats cut. (5) Thus for twenty-seven days and nights the tumultuous and fearsome fight continued between the Yadus and the followers of S'ālva striking one another. (6-7) Krishna, who was called away by [Yudhishthhira,] the son of Dharma, stayed in Indraprastha [see 10.71] and noticed there, after the Rājasūya was completed and S'is'upāla had been killed, very bad omens. He took leave of the Kuru elders, the sages and Prithā and her sons, and headed for Dvārakā. (8) He said to Himself: 'With Me coming to this place accompanied by My honorable elder brother, the kings siding with S'is'upāla very well may be attacking My city.'

(9) When He saw king S'ālva's Saubha and the destruction of all He had, Kes'ava arranged for the protection of the city and said to Dāruka: (10) 'Get My chariot, oh driver, and quickly take Me near S'ālva; and take care not to be outsmarted by this lord of Saubha, he is a great magician.'

(11) Dāruka with that command taking the reigns drove the chariot forward, so that, with Him arriving there, all of His own men and the soldiers of the opposing party could see [the emblem of] Garuda ['the younger brother of Aruna']. (12) S'ālva, who as the chief of a practically completely destroyed army, saw Lord Krishna on the battlefield, hurled his spear, which made a scary sound, at Krishna's charioteer. (13) In its flight illumining all directions like it was a great meteor, it was by Krishna midair swiftly cut into a hundred pieces. (14) Like being the sun with its rays in the sky, He pierced him with six arrows and struck the Saubha fortress that was moving about with torrents of them. (15) But when S'ālva struck S'auri's left arm, the arm with His bow, most amazingly, the S'ārnga fell from the hand of S'ārngadhanvā. (16) From all the living beings witnessing it a great cry of dismay arose. The lord of Saubha roared loudly and said this to Janārdana: (17-18) 'Because You, oh fool, straight in front of our eyes stole away the bride of our brother and friend [S'is'upāla 10.53], and he unsuspecting by You in the assembly was killed [10.74], You Yourself, who are so convinced of Your invincibility, today with my sharp arrows will be sent to the land of no return, provided You have the guts to stand in front of me!'

(19) The Supreme Lord said: 'You, dullard, boast in vain not seeing your impending death. Heroes do not prattle, they rather demonstrate their prowess!'

(20) Having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord, infuriated with a frightening power and speed, struck S'ālva with His club on the collarbone, so that he reeled and had to vomit blood. (21) But when He lifted His club again, S'ālva had disappeared, and a moment later a man bowing his head appeared before Krishna who lamenting spoke the words: 'Mother Devakī has sent me! (22) Krishna, oh Krishna, oh Mighty-armed One so full of love for Your parents, Your father has been captured and led away by S'ālva, like a domestic animal by a butcher being led to the slaughterhouse.'

(23) Hearing these disturbing words, Krishna, who had assumed the nature of a human being, said out of love, disconsolate and with compassion like He was a normal man: (24) 'How could that petty S'ālva abduct My father and defeat Balarāma who is never confounded or defeated by Sura or Asura? Fate indeed is powerful!' 

(25) After Govinda had said this, the master of Saubha approached Krishna like he was leading Vasudeva before Him and then said the following: (26) 'He here is the one who begot You and for whom You live in this world. I will kill him straight in front of Your eyes. Save him if You can, You ignoramus!' 



(27) The magician thus mocking Him, cut off the head of the 'Ānakadundubhi', took the head and climbed in the Saubha vehicle hovering in the sky. (28) In spite of His full knowledge and great powers of perception He, out of love for the ones dear to Him, for a moment remained absorbed in His normal humanity. But then it dawned on Him that S'ālva had used a demoniac, magic trick designed by Maya Dānava. (29) Alerted on the battlefield, as if He awoke from a dream, He saw neither the messenger nor His father's body anywhere. Noticing His enemy sitting in his Saubha, moving about in the sky, Acyuta prepared to kill him. (30) This is how some sages say it who do not reason correctly, oh seer among the kings. They most certainly then contradict the words they once spoke but have forgotten again [compare e.g. 10.3: 15-17; 10.11: 7; 10.12: 27; 10.31: *; 10.33: 37; 10.37: 23; 10.38: 10; 10.50: 29; 10.52: 7 and 10.60: 58].  (31) How can the lamentation, bewilderment, affection or fear that are all born from ignorance, belong to the Infinite One in whom one by contrast finds the undivided complete of wisdom, spiritual knowledge and opulence? (32) Those who, encouraged by service in self-realization at His feet, dispel the bodily concept of life that bewildered man since time immemorial, attain the eternal glory in a personal relationship with Him [svarūpa] - so how can there be any bewilderment then with Him, the Supreme Destination of Truthful Souls? (33) And while S'ālva with great force attacked Him with torrents of weapons, Lord Krishna, whose prowess never fails, pierced his armor, bow and crest jewel with His arrows, and smashed the Saubha vehicle of His enemy with His club. (34) Shattered into thousands of pieces by the club in Krishna's hand, it fell into the water. S'ālva thereupon abandoned it, took position and rushed forward with his club in his hands towards Acyuta. (35) As he ran toward Him carrying his club, Krishna severed his arm with a bhalla cutting arrow. In order to kill S'alva, He next raised His wonderful disc weapon. Looking like a mountain beneath a rising sun, He shone with a radiation resembling the light at the end of time. (36) The Lord severed with it the head of that master of great magic, complete with earrings and crown, the way lord Indra with his thunderbolt severed Vritrāsura's head [see 6.12]. From his men then rose a loudly voiced 'alas, alas!'

(37) After the sinner had fallen and the Saubha fortress was destroyed by the club, kettledrums sounded in the sky, oh King, played by a host of demigods. And then... it was Dantavakra who, in order to avenge his friends, furiously ran forward.'

 

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  Third revised edition, loaded October 16, 2021. 

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

S'rī S'uka said: 'After touching water, fastening His armor and picking up His bow, He [Pradyumna] said to His charioteer: 'Take Me to the warrior Dyumān.'
S'rī S'uka said: 'Touching water, fastening His armor and picking up His bow He [Pradyumna] said to His charioteer: 'Take Me to where the warrior Dyumān is.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

Dyumān [in His absence] had decimated His troops, but now the son of Rukminī with a smile counterattacking struck back with eight nārāca arrows [made of iron].

With Dyumān devastating His troops struck the son of Rukminī back with a smile, counterattacking with eight nārāca arrows [iron types]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 3

With four of them He struck the four horses, with one the driver, with two the bow and flag, and with one his head.

He struck with four for the four horses, one for the driver, with two for the bow and flag and with one for his head. (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba and others killed the army of the master of Saubha. All occupants of Saubha fell into the ocean with their throats cut.

Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba and others finished off the army of the master of Saubha; all inside Saubha fell into the ocean with their throats cut.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

Thus for twenty-seven days and nights the tumultuous and fearsome fight continued between the Yadus and the followers of S'ālva striking one another.

The fight between the Yadus and the followers of S'ālva striking one another, that was thus tumultuous and fearsome, went on for twenty-seven days and nights. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6-7

Krishna, who was called away by [Yudhishthhira,] the son of Dharma, stayed in Indraprastha [see 10.71] and noticed there, after the Rājasūya was completed and S'is'upāla had been killed, very bad omens. He took leave of the Kuru elders, the sages and Prithā and her sons, and headed for Dvārakā.

Krishna who upon the call of the son of Dharma had gone to Indraprastha [see 10.71] then, with the Rājasūya completed, with S'is'upāla being killed and with noticing very bad omens, took leave of the Kuru elders, the sages and Prithā and her sons, and went to Dvārakā. (Vedabase)

     

Text 8

He said to Himself: 'With Me coming to this place accompanied by My honorable elder brother, the kings siding with S'is'upāla very well may be attacking My city.'

He said to Himself: 'With Me accompanied by My illustrious elder brother coming to this place, may the kings siding with S'is'upāla well be attacking My city.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

When He saw king S'ālva's Saubha and the destruction of all He had, Kes'ava arranged for the protection of the city and said to Dāruka:

Kes'ava, when He saw king S'ālva's Saubha and the destruction going on of all that belonged to Him, arranged for the protection of the city and said to Dāruka: (Vedabase)

  

Text 10

'Get My chariot, oh driver, and quickly take Me near S'ālva; and take care not to be outsmarted by this lord of Saubha, he is a great magician.'

'Bring Me My chariot o driver, and quickly take Me near S'ālva; and mind not to be outsmarted by this lord of Saubha, he's a great magician.'  (Vedabase)

 

Text 11

Dāruka with that command taking the reigns drove the chariot forward, so that, with Him arriving there, all of His own men and the soldiers of the opposing party could see [the emblem of] Garuda ['the younger brother of Aruna'].

Thus commanded taking control drove he forward the chariot, so that, with Him arriving there, all of His troops and the soldiers of the opposing party caught sight of the emblem [of Garuda]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 12

S'ālva, who as the chief of a practically completely destroyed army, saw Lord Krishna on the battlefield, hurled his spear, which made a scary sound, at Krishna's charioteer.

When S'ālva, as the master of a practically completely destroyed army, saw Lord Krishna on the battlefield, hurled he his spear with a scary roar at Krishna's charioteer. (Vedabase)

 

Text 13

In its flight illumining all directions like it was a great meteor, it was by Krishna midair swiftly cut into a hundred pieces.

In its flight illumining all directions like it was a great meteor, was it by Krishna midair swiftly cut in a hundred pieces. (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

Like being the sun with its rays in the sky, He pierced him with six arrows and struck the Saubha fortress that was moving about with torrents of them.

Like the sun with its rays in the sky, pierced He him with six penetrating arrows and aimed He torrents of them at the Saubha-fortress that was moving about. (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

But when S'ālva struck S'auri's left arm, the arm with His bow, most amazingly, the S'ārnga fell from the hand of S'ārngadhanvā.

But when S'ālva struck S'auri's left arm, the arm with His bow, fell, most amazingly, the S'ārnga from the hand of S'ārngadhanvā. (Vedabase)

 

Text 16

From all the living beings witnessing it a great cry of dismay arose. The lord of Saubha roared loudly and said this to Janārdana:

While there from all the living beings witnessing arose a great cry of dismay, roared the lord of Saubha and said he this to Janārdana: (Vedabase)

 

Text 17-18

'Because You, oh fool, straight in front of our eyes stole away the bride of our brother and friend [S'is'upāla 10.53], and he unsuspecting by You in the assembly was killed [10.74], You Yourself, who are so convinced of Your invincibility, today with my sharp arrows will be sent to the land of no return, provided You have the guts to stand in front of me!'

'Since by You, o fool, right from under our eyes the bride of Your brother [nephew factually], a friend [S'is'upāla], was stolen [10.53] and he, my friend thus, in his heedlessness by You within the assembly was killed [10.74], will You Yourself, who are so convinced of Your invincibility, today with my sharp arrows be sent to the land of no return, if You dare to stand in front of me!' (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

The Supreme Lord said: 'You, dullard, boast in vain not seeing your impending death. Heroes do not prattle, they rather demonstrate their prowess!'

The Supreme Lord said: 'You moron, boast in vain not seeing death impending; heroes rather demonstrate their prowess, they don't prattle!'  (Vedabase)

  

Text 20

Having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord, infuriated with a frightening power and speed, struck S'ālva with His club on the collarbone, so that he reeled and had to vomit blood.

Thus having spoken struck the Supreme Lord S'ālva him infuriated with frightening power and speed with His club on the collarbone so that he trembling had to vomit blood. (Vedabase)

 

Text 21

But when He lifted His club again, S'ālva had disappeared, and a moment later a man bowing his head appeared before Krishna who lamenting spoke the words: 'Mother Devakī has sent me!

But when he lifted His club again had S'ālva disappeared and appeared a moment later a man bowing his head before Krishna who lamenting spoke the words: 'Mother Devakī has sent me! (Vedabase)

   

 Text 22

Krishna, oh Krishna, oh Mighty-armed One so full of love for Your parents, Your father has been captured and led away by S'ālva, like a domestic animal by a butcher being led to the slaughterhouse.'

Krishna, o Krishna, o Mighty-armed One so full of love for Your parents, Your father has been captured and led away by S'ālva like it was a butcher taking a domestic animal to the slaughterhouse.' (Vedabase)

   

Text 23

Hearing these disturbing words, Krishna, who had assumed the nature of a human being, said out of love, disconsolate and with compassion like He was a normal man:

Hearing these disturbing words spoke Krishna, having assumed the nature of a human being, out of love with compassion [acting] disconsolate, like He was a normal man: (Vedabase)

 

Text 24

'How could that petty S'ālva abduct My father and defeat Balarāma who is never confounded or defeated by Sura or Asura? Fate indeed is powerful!'

'With Balarāma who is never confounded and invincibly defeats Sura and Asura, how could that petty S'ālva abduct My father; how mighty fate is!'  (Vedabase)

 

 Text 25

After Govinda had said this, the master of Saubha approached Krishna like he was leading Vasudeva before Him and then said the following:

With Govinda speaking thus came the master of Saubha closer to Krishna as if he was leading Vasudeva before Him and said he the following: (Vedabase)

 

 Text 26

'He here is the one who begot You and for whom You live in this world. I will kill him straight in front of Your eyes. Save him if You can, You ignoramus!'

'This is the one who begot You and for whose sake You live in this world; I'll kill him right before Your eyes; save him if You can, You infant!' (Vedabase)

 

 Text 27

The magician thus mocking Him, cut off the head of the 'Ānakadundubhi', took the head and climbed in the Saubha vehicle hovering in the sky.

The magician thus mocking Him cut off the head of 'Ānakadundubhi' and climbed, taking the head, in the Saubha-vehicle that hovered in the sky.  (Vedabase)

 

 Text 28

In spite of His full knowledge and great powers of perception He, out of love for the ones dear to Him, for a moment remained absorbed in His normal humanity. But then it dawned on Him that S'ālva had used a demoniac, magic trick designed by Maya Dānava.

Even though He knew all about it was He for a moment absorbed in His normal faith of love for the ones dear to Him, but then it dawned on Him, with His great powers of perception, that it had been a demoniac, magic trick that by S'ālva was used according the designs of Maya Dānava.  (Vedabase)

 

 Text 29

Alerted on the battlefield, as if He awoke from a dream, He saw neither the messenger nor His father's body anywhere. Noticing His enemy sitting in his Saubha, moving about in the sky, Acyuta prepared to kill him.

Alert on the battlefield as if He awoke from a dream seeing nor the messenger nor His father's body anywhere and noticing that His enemy sitting in his Saubha moved about in the sky, prepared Acyuta to kill him. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 30

This is how some sages say it who do not reason correctly, oh seer among the kings. They most certainly then contradict the words they once spoke but have forgotten again [compare e.g. 10.3: 15-17; 10.11: 7; 10.12: 27; 10.31: *; 10.33: 37; 10.37: 23; 10.38: 10; 10.50: 29; 10.52: 7 and 10.60: 58].

That is how some sages say it who don't reason correctly, o seer among the kings; they most certainly are contradicting themselves with what they say when they fail to remember the way it is [compare e.g. 10.3: 15-17; 10.11: 7; 10.12: 27; 10.31: *; 10.33: 37; 10.37: 23; 10.38: 10; 10.50: 29; 10.52: 7 and 10.60: 58]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 31

How can the lamentation, bewilderment, affection or fear that are all born from ignorance, belong to the Infinite One in whom one by contrast finds the undivided complete of wisdom, spiritual knowledge and opulence?

The lamentation, bewilderment, affection or fear that are all the product of ignorance, simply do not relate to the infinite perception, knowledge and opulence of the Infinite One, do they? (Vedabase)

 

 Text 32

Those who, encouraged by service in self-realization at His feet, dispel the bodily concept of life that bewildered man since time immemorial, attain the eternal glory in a personal relationship with Him [svarūpa] - so how can there be any bewilderment then with Him, the Supreme Destination of Truthful Souls?

At His feet do those who encouraged by service in self-realization dispel the bodily concept of life that bewildered man since time immemorial and attain they in a personal relationship the eternal glory - how in the world can there be bewilderment for Him, the Supreme Destination of the Truthful?  (Vedabase)

 

 Text 33

And while S'ālva with great force attacked Him with torrents of weapons, Lord Krishna, whose prowess never fails, pierced his armor, bow and crest jewel with His arrows, and smashed the Saubha vehicle of His enemy with His club.

And while S'ālva with great force was attacking Him with torrents of weapons, pierced Lord Krishna unerring in His prowess, with His arrows his armor, bow and crest-jewel and smashed He with His club the Saubha-vehicle of His enemy. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 34

Shattered into thousands of pieces by the club in Krishna's hand, it fell into the water. S'ālva thereupon abandoned it, took position and rushed forward with his club in his hands towards Acyuta.

Shattered into thousands of pieces by the club wielded by Krishna's hand, fell it into the water. S'ālva thereupon abandoned, rose to his feet and rushed with his club in his hands forward to attack Acyuta. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 35

As he ran toward Him carrying his club, Krishna severed his arm with a bhalla cutting arrow. In order to kill S'alva, He next raised His wonderful disc weapon. Looking like a mountain beneath a rising sun, He shone with a radiation resembling the light at the end of time.

Running toward Him carrying his club was his arm severed with a bhalla cutting arrow and held He, shining like a mountain against the rising sun, in order to kill S'ālva next up His disc-weapon that appeared exactly like the burst of light at the end of time. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 36

The Lord severed with it the head of that master of great magic, complete with earrings and crown, the way lord Indra with his thunderbolt severed Vritrāsura's head [see 6.12]. From his men then rose a loudly voiced 'alas, alas!' 

With it severed the Lord the head of that master of great magic, complete with earrings and crown, just like lord Indra with his thunderbolt did with Vritrāsura [see 6.12]. From his men then rose a loudly voiced 'alas, alas!' (Vedabase)

 

 Text 37

After the sinner had fallen and the Saubha fortress was destroyed by the club, kettledrums sounded in the sky, oh King, played by a host of demigods. And then... it was Dantavakra who, in order to avenge his friends, furiously ran forward.'

With the sinner fallen and the Saubha-fortress destroyed by the club, sounded kettledrums in the sky, o King, played by groups of demigods. Next was it Dantavakra who furiously, in order to revenge his friends, ran forward.' (Vedabase)

 

 

 

 

 Creative Commons License
The text and audio are offered under the conditions of the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
The picture is titled: "Krishna kills an enemy".
Courtesy of Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time.


 

 

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