ततोऽस्त्रेणैव चान्योन्यं निकृत्य च शरान्बहून्। शरवर्षैस्तदा चैद्यमन्तर्धातुं प्रचक्रमे
Then, with weapons, both struck down many arrows of each other; and with showers of arrows, Chedi began to vanish from sight.
अन्तर्धानगतौ वीरौ शुशुभाते महारथौ। तौ दृष्ट्वा सर्वभूतानि साधुसाध्वित्यपूजयन्
The two mighty warriors, masters of chariots, shone as they moved in and out of visibility; seeing them, all beings praised them, saying 'Excellent, excellent!'
न दृष्टपूर्वमस्माभिर्युद्धमीदृशकं पुरा। ततः कृष्णं जघानाशु शुशुपालस्त्रिभिः शरैः
Never before have we seen such a battle as this; then Shishupala swiftly struck Krishna with three arrows.
कृष्णोऽपि बाणैर्विव्याध सुनीथं पञ्चभिर्युधि। ततः सुनीथं सप्तत्या नाराचैर्दयद्बली
Krishna, in turn, struck Sunitha with five arrows in battle; then the powerful one wounded Sunitha with seventy iron arrows.
ततोऽतिविद्धः कृष्णेन सुनीथः क्रोधमूर्छितः। विव्याध निशितैर्बाणैर्वासुदेवं स्तनान्तरे
Then, pierced excessively by Krishna, Sunitha, overwhelmed by anger, struck Vasudeva in the chest with sharp arrows.
पुनः कृष्णं त्रिभिर्विद्ध्वा ननादावसरे नृपः। तोऽतिदारुणं युद्धं सहसा चक्रतुस्तदा
Again, after wounding Krishna with three arrows, the king roared at the right moment; then, suddenly, they engaged in a most fierce battle.
नौ नखैरिव शार्दूलौ दन्तैरिव महागजौ। दंष्ट्राभिरिव पञ्चास्यौ चरणैरिव कुक्कुटौ
Like two tigers with claws, like two great elephants with tusks, like two five-mouthed serpents with fangs, like two roosters with feet—
दारयेतां शरैस्तीक्ष्णैरन्योन्यं युधि तावुभौ। ततो मुमुचतुः क्रुद्धौ शरवर्षमनुत्तमम्
The two of them tore at each other in battle with sharp arrows; then, enraged, they released an unparalleled shower of arrows.
शरैरेव शराञ्छित्वा तावुभौ पुरुषर्षभौ। चक्रातेऽस्त्रमयं युद्धं घोरं तदतिमानुषम्
Both, best among men, struck down arrows with arrows; they created a dreadful, superhuman battle made entirely of weapons.
आग्नेयमस्त्रं मुमुचे शिशुपालः प्रतापवान्। वारुणास्त्रेण तच्छ्रीघ्रं नाशयामास केशवः
Shishupala, the valiant, released the fire weapon; swiftly, Kesava destroyed it with the water weapon.
कौबेरमस्त्रं सहसा चेदिराट् प्रमुमोच ह। रणैव सहसाऽनाशयत्तं जगत्प्रभुः
Suddenly, the king of Chedi released the Kubera weapon; in battle, the lord of the world immediately destroyed it.
याम्यमस्त्रं ततः क्रुद्धो मुमुचे कालमोहितः। याम्येनैवास्त्रयोगेन याम्यमस्त्रं व्यनाशयत्
Then, enraged and deluded by time, he released the Yama weapon; by the power of the Yama weapon, he destroyed the Yama weapon.
गान्धर्वेण च गान्धर्वं मानवं मानवेन च। वायव्येन च वायव्यं रौद्रं रौद्रेण चाभिभूः
With the Gandharva weapon you countered the Gandharva weapon, with the Manava weapon the Manava, with the Vayavya weapon the Vayavya, and with the Raudra weapon you subdued the Raudra.
ऐन्द्रमैन्द्रेण भगवान्वैष्णवेन च वैष्णवम्। एवमस्त्राणि कुर्वाणौ युयुधाते महाबलौ
The blessed one countered the Aindra weapon with the Aindra, and the Vaishnava with the Vaishnava; thus, as they wielded their weapons, the two mighty warriors fought.
ततो मायां विकुर्वाणो दमगोषसुतो बली। गदामुसलसंयुक्ताञ्छक्तितोमरसायकान्
Then, employing illusion, the powerful son of Damaghosha conjured up clubs, maces, spears, javelins, and arrows.
परश्वथमुसण्डीश्च ववर्ष युधि केशवम्। अमोघास्त्रेण भगवान्नाशयामास केशिहा
He rained down battle-axes and maces upon Keshava in the fight; but the blessed slayer of Keshi destroyed them with his unfailing weapon.
शिलावर्षं महाघोरं ववर्ष युधि चेदिराट्। वज्रास्त्रेणाभिसङ्क्रुद्धश्चूर्णं तदकरोत्प्रभुः
The king of Cedi poured forth a terrible shower of stones in battle; but, enraged, the mighty one pulverized it with the Vajra weapon.
जलवर्षं ततो घोरं व्यस़जच्चेदिपुङ्गवः। वायव्यास्त्रेण भगवान्व्याक्षिपच्छतशो हि तत्
Then the foremost of the Cedis unleashed a dreadful rain of water; but the blessed one scattered it in hundreds with the Vayavya weapon.
निहत्य सर्वमायां वै सुनीतस्य जनार्दनः। स मुहूर्तं चकाराशु द्वन्द्वयुद्धं महारथः
Janardana, having destroyed all the illusions of Sunita's son, at once engaged in single combat for a moment, that great chariot-warrior.
स बाणयुद्धं कुर्वाणो भर्त्सयामास चेदिराट्। दमघोषसुतो धृष्टमुवाच यदुपुङ्गवम्
As he fought with arrows, the king of Cedi taunted the foremost of the Yadus, the son of Damaghosha boldly addressing him.
अद्य कृष्णमकृष्णं तु कुर्वन्तु मम सायकाः। इत्येवमुक्त्वा दुष्टात्मा शरवर्षं जनार्दने
"Today, let my arrows make Krishna un-Krishna!" Thus spoke the wicked-hearted one, and unleashed a shower of arrows upon Janardana.
मुमोच पुरुषव्याघ्रो घोरं वै चेदिपुङ्गवः। शरसंङ्कृत्तगात्रस्तु क्षणेन यदुनन्दनः
Then the tiger among men, the foremost of the Cedis, released a terrible volley; and in a moment, the son of Yadu was wounded all over by arrows.
रुधिरं परिसुस्राव मदं मत्त इव द्विपः। न यन्ता न रथो वापि न चाश्वाः पर्वतोपमाः
Blood flowed from him, like intoxicating juice from an excited elephant; neither charioteer, nor chariot, nor the horses, massive as mountains, could be seen, covered as they were by arrows.
दृश्यन्ते शरसञ्छन्नाः केशवस्य महात्मनः। केशवं तदवस्थं तु दृष्ट्वा भूतानि चक्रुशुः
All were hidden by the arrows covering the great-souled Keshava; seeing Keshava in that state, the beings were amazed.
दारुकस्तु तदा प्राह कृष्णं यादवनन्दनम्। नेदृशो दृष्टपूर्वो हि सङ्ग्रामो वै पुरा मया
Then Daruka spoke to Krishna, the joy of the Yadus: "Never before have I seen such a battle as this."
स्थातव्यमिति तिष्ठामि त्वत्प्रभावेण माधव। अन्यथा न च मे प्राणा धरायेयुर्जनार्दन
"I will stand firm by your power, O Madhava; otherwise, Janardana, my life would not remain on earth."
अतः सञ्चिन्त्य गोविन्द क्षिप्रमस्य वधं कुरु। एवमुक्तस्तु सूतेन केशवो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
"Therefore, Govinda, consider this and quickly bring about his death." Thus addressed by the charioteer, Keshava spoke these words.
एष ह्यतिबलो दैत्यो हिरण्यकशिपुः पुरा। रिपुः सुराणामभवद्वरदानेन गर्वितः
"This exceedingly powerful Daitya was once Hiranyakashipu, proud from the boon he received, and an enemy of the gods."
तथाऽऽसीद्रावणो नाम राक्षसो ह्यतिवीर्यवान्। तेनैव बलवीर्येण बलं नागणयन्मम
"Likewise, there was a Rakshasa named Ravana, of immense might; with that very strength and power, he did not regard my strength at all."
अहं मृत्युश्च भविता काले काले दुरात्मनः। न भेतव्यं तथा सूत नैष कश्चिन्मयि स्थिते
"I am death and will become so for this evil-minded one, again and again, in due time; do not be afraid, O charioteer, for as long as I am here, none can prevail."