चन्द्रादित्यौ ग्रहाश्चैव नक्षत्राणि च भारत। वायुरग्निस्तथा चापः पृथिवी च जनार्दनात्
The moon, the sun, the planets, the stars, O Bharata, the wind, fire, water, and earth—all originate from Janardana.
यस्य देशस्य हानिं वा वृद्धिं वा कर्तुमिच्छति। तस्मिन्देशे निमित्तानि तानि तानि करोत्ययम्
Wherever he wishes to cause loss or gain for a region, he produces these omens in that place.
सोसौ चेदिपतेस्तात विनाशं समुपस्थितम्। निवेदयति गोविन्दः स्वैरुपायैर्न संशयः
When the destruction of the king of Cedi approaches, Govinda announces it by his own means, without doubt.
इयं प्रचलिता भूमिरशिवा वान्ति मारुताः। राहुश्चाप्यपतत्सोममपर्वणि विशाम्पते
This earth has begun to shake, inauspicious winds blow, and Rahu has struck the moon on an inauspicious day, O lord of the people.
सनिर्घाताः पतन्त्युल्कास्तमः सञ्जायते भृशम्। चेदिराजविनाशाय हरिरेष विजृम्भते
Meteors fall accompanied by thunder, darkness arises intensely; Hari expands for the destruction of the king of Cedi.
एवमुक्त्वा तु देवर्षिर्नारदो विरराम ह। ताभ्यां पुरुषसिंहाभ्यां तस्मिन्युद्ध उपस्थिते
Having spoken thus, the divine sage Narada became silent, as those two lion-like men prepared for battle.
ददृशुर्भूमिपालास्ते घोरानौत्पातिकान्बहून्।। तत्र वै दृश्यमानानां दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत
The kings saw many terrible omens appearing everywhere in all directions, O Bharata.
अश्रूयन्त तदा राजञ्छिवानामशिवा रवाः।। ररास च मही कृत्स्ना सवृक्षवनपर्वता
At that time, O King, inauspicious cries of jackals were heard, and the whole earth, with its forests, groves, and mountains, trembled.
अपर्वणि च मध्याह्ने मूर्यं स्वर्भानुरग्रसत्।। ध्वजाग्रे चेदिराजस्य सर्वरत्नपरिष्कृते
At midday, though it was not the time of an eclipse, Svarbhanu seized the sun; and on the Cedi king’s banner, adorned with all gems, a vulture with a sharp beak fell from the sky.
अपतत्खाच्च्युतो गृध्रस्तीक्ष्णतुण्डः परन्तप।। आरण्यैः सहसा हृष्टा ग्राम्याश्च मृगपक्षिणः
A vulture with a sharp beak fell from the sky onto the Cedi king’s banner, O scorcher of foes; and both wild and domestic animals and birds became suddenly agitated.
चुक्रुशुर्भैरवं तत्र तस्मिन्युद्ध उपस्थिते।। एवमादिनि घोराणि भौमानि च स्वगानि च
There, as the battle approached, those animals and birds cried out fearfully; such dreadful terrestrial and celestial omens appeared.
औत्पातिकान्यदृश्यन्त सङ्क्रुद्धे शार्ङ्गधन्वनि
Such portents were seen as the wielder of the Sharnga bow became enraged.
ततो विष्फारयन्राजा महच्चैदिपतिर्धनुः। अभियास्यन्हृषीकेशमुवाच मधुसूदनम्
Then the great lord of the Cedis, drawing his mighty bow, approached Hrishikesha and spoke to Madhusudana.
एकस्त्वमसि मे शत्रुस्तत्त्वां हत्वाऽद्य माधव। ततः सागरपर्यन्तां पालयिष्यामि मेदिनीम्
You alone are my enemy; having slain you today, O Madhava, I will rule the earth bounded by the ocean.
द्वैरथं काङ्क्षितं यद्वै तदिदं पर्युपस्थितम्। चिरस्य वत मे दिष्ट्या वासुदेव सह त्वया। अद्य त्वां निहनिष्यामि भीष्मं च सह पाण्डवैः
This long-desired duel has now come to pass; by good fortune, O Vasudeva, I face you today. Now I will slay you, along with Bhishma and the Pandavas.
एवमुक्त्वा स तं बाणैर्निशितैरत्ततेजनैः। विव्याध युधि तीक्ष्णाग्रैश्चेदिराड्यपुङ्गवम्?
Having spoken thus, the Cedi king, best of warriors, struck Krishna in battle with sharp, well-feathered arrows.
कङ्कपत्रच्छदा बाणाश्चेदिराजधनुश्च्युताः। विविशुस्ते तदा कृष्णं भुजङ्गा इव पर्वतम्?
The arrows released from the Cedi king’s bow, with peacock-feathered shafts, entered Krishna like serpents into a mountain.
नाददानस्य चैद्यस्य शरानत्यस्यतोपि वा। दधृशुर्विवरं केचिद्गतिं वायोरिवाम्बरे?
Even as the Cedi king loosed his arrows without pause, none could see any gap or opening, just as one cannot see the path of the wind in the sky.
चेदिराजमहामेधः शरजालाम्बुमांस्तदा। अभ्यवर्षद्धृषीकेशं पयोद इव पर्वतम्?
Then the Cedi king, like a raincloud pouring on a mountain, showered Hrishikesha with a torrent of arrows, forming a dense mass.
ततः शार्ङ्गममित्रघ्नः कृत्वा सशरमच्युतः। आबभाषे महबाहुः सुनीथं परवीरहा
Then Achyuta, the destroyer of foes, stringing the Sharnga bow with arrows, addressed Sunitha, the slayer of enemy heroes, with mighty arms.
अयं त्वं भामकस्तीक्ष्णश्चेदिराज महाशरः। भेत्तुमर्हति वेगेन महाशनिरिवाचलम्
You are fierce and sharp, O Cedi king, wielder of great arrows; you are fit to shatter by force, like a thunderbolt breaking a mountain.
एवं ब्रुवति गोविन्दे ततश्चेदिपतिः पुनः। मुमोच निशितानन्यान्कृष्णं प्रति शरान्बहून्
As Govinda spoke thus, the Cedi king again released many sharp arrows at Krishna.
अथ बाणार्दितः कृष्णः शार्ङ्गमायम्य दीप्तिमान्। मोच निशितान्बाणाञ्छतशोथ सहस्रशः
Then Krishna, struck by arrows, drew the Sharnga bow and released hundreds and thousands of sharp arrows.
ताञ्छरांस्तु स चिच्छेद शरवर्षैस्तु चेदिराट्। षड्भिश्चान्यैर्जघानाशु केशवं चेदिपुङ्गवः
The Cedi king cut down those arrows with a shower of his own, and swiftly struck Keshava with six other arrows.
ततोऽस्रं सहसा कृष्णः प्रमुमोच जगद्गुरुः। अस्त्रेण तन्महाबाहुर्वारयामास चेदिराट्
Then Krishna, the teacher of the world, swiftly released a weapon; with that weapon, the mighty-armed one checked the king of Chedi.
ततः शतसहस्रेण शराणां नतपर्वणाम्। सर्वतः समवाकीर्य शौरिं दामोदरं तदा
Then, with a hundred thousand arrows, all with curved tips, he covered Shauri, Damodara, from every side.
ननाद बलवान्क्रुद्धः शिशुपालः प्रतापवान्। इदं चोवाच संरब्धः केशवं परवीरहा
The powerful and valiant Shishupala, enraged, roared loudly; and, incensed, he spoke these words to Kesava, the slayer of enemy heroes.
अद्याङ्गं मामका बाणा भेत्स्यन्ति तव संयुगे। हत्वा त्वां समुतामात्यं पाण्डवांश्च तरस्विनः
Today, my arrows will pierce your body in battle; after killing you, I will destroy the mighty Pandavas as well.
अनृण्यमद्यय यास्यामि जरासन्धस्य धीमतः। कंसस्य केशिनश्चैव नरकस्य तथैव ह
Today, I will depart free of debt to the wise Jarasandha, to Kamsa, to Keshi, and likewise to Naraka.
इत्युक्त्वा क्रोधताम्राक्षः शिशुपालो जनार्दनम्। अदृश्यं शरवर्षेण सर्वतः स चकार ह
Having spoken thus, Shishupala, his eyes reddened with anger, made Janardana invisible from all sides with a shower of arrows.