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."
इत्येवमुक्त्वा भगवान्ननर्द गरुडध्वजः। पाञ्चजन्यं महाशङ्खं पूरयामास केशवः
Having spoken thus, the blessed Garuda-bannered one, Keshava, sounded the great conch Panchajanya.
संमोहयित्वा भगवांश्चक्रं दिव्यं समाददे। चिच्छेद च सुनीथस्य शिरश्चक्रेण संयुगे
The blessed one, having bewildered them, took up his divine discus and, in battle, severed Sunitha's head with the discus.
स पपात महाबाहुर्वज्राहत इवाचलः। ततश्चेदिपतेर्देहात्तेजोऽग्र्यं ददृशुर्नृपाः
He, mighty-armed, fell like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt; then the kings beheld the excellent energy departing from the body of the lord of the Cedis.
उत्पतन्तं महाराज गगनादिव भास्करम्। ततः कमलपत्राक्षं कृष्णं लोकनमस्कृतम्। ववन्दे तत्तदा तेजो विवेश च नराधिप
O great king, that energy, rising up like the sun from the sky, then worshipped Krishna, lotus-eyed and revered by the worlds, and entered the lord of men.
तदद्भुतममन्यन्त दृष्ट्वा सर्वे महीक्षितः। यद्विवेश महाबाहुं तत्तेजः पुरुषोत्तमम्
All the kings, seeing that wondrous sight—how that energy entered the mighty-armed, supreme person—regarded it as marvelous.
अनभ्रे प्रववर्ष द्यौः पपात ज्वलिताशनिः। कृष्णेन निहते चैद्ये चचाल न वसुन्धरा
The cloudless sky rained, a blazing thunderbolt fell, but when Krishna slew the Cedi, the earth did not tremble.
ततः केचिन्महीपाला नाब्रुवंस्तत्र किञ्चन। अतीतवाक्पथे काले प्रेक्षमाणा जनार्दनम्
Then some kings there said nothing at all, for the time for words had passed, as they gazed upon Janardana.
हस्तैर्हस्ताग्रमपरे प्रत्यपिंषन्नमर्षिताः। अपरे दशनैरोष्ठानदशन्क्रोधमूर्छिताः
Some, in anger, pressed the tips of their fingers with their hands; others, overcome by wrath, bit their lips with their teeth.
रहश्च केचिद्वार्ष्णेयं प्रशशंसुर्नराधिपाः। केचिदेव सुसंरब्धा मध्यस्थास्त्वपरेऽभवन्
Some kings secretly praised the Vrishni, while others were greatly enraged, and yet others remained neutral.
प्रहृष्टाः केशवं जग्मुः संस्तुवन्तो महर्षयः। ब्राह्मणाश्च महात्मानः पार्थिवाश्च महाबलाः। शशंसुर्निर्वृताः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा कृष्णस्य विक्रमम्
Exultant, the great sages, mighty-souled Brahmins, and powerful kings approached Keshava, praising him; all, delighted, extolled Krishna's valor.