तौ रौक्मिणेयमागम्य वचोऽब्रूतां दिवौकसाम्। नैव वध्यस्त्वया वीर साल्वराजः कथंचन
Those two approached Rukmini's son and spoke the words of the celestials: 'O hero, the king of Salva must not be slain by you under any circumstance.'
संहरस्व पुनर्बाणमवध्योऽयं त्वया रणे। एतस्य च शरस्याजौ नावध्योस्ति पुमान्क्वचित्
'Withdraw your arrow; he cannot be killed by you in battle. And in this war, no man can be killed by this arrow.'
मृत्युरस्य महाबाहो रणे देवकिनन्दनः। कृष्णः संकल्पितो धात्रा तन्मिथ्या न भवेदिति
'His death, O mighty-armed one, in battle is destined to be at the hands of Krishna, son of Devaki, as ordained by the Creator; this cannot be false.'
ततः परमसंहृष्टः प्रद्युम्नः शरमुत्तमम्। संजहार धनुःश्रेष्ठात्तूणे चैव न्यवेशयत्
Then Pradyumna, exceedingly delighted, withdrew the excellent arrow from his best bow and placed it back in the quiver.
तत उत्थाय राजेन्द्र साल्वः परमदुर्मनाः। व्यपायात्सबलस्तूर्णं प्रद्युम्नशरपीडितः
Then, rising up, O king, Salva, greatly distressed, departed swiftly with his forces, afflicted by Pradyumna's arrows.
स द्वारकां परित्यज्य साल्वो वृष्णिभिरार्दितः। सौभमास्थाय राजेन्द्र दिवमाचक्रमे तदा
Abandoning Dvaraka, Salva, harassed by the Vrishnis, mounted his Saubha and at that time ascended to the heavens, O king.
आनर्तनगरं मुक्तं ततोऽहमगमं तदा। महाक्रतौ राजसूये निवृत्ते नृपते तव
Then I went to the city of Anarta, after your great Rajasuya sacrifice had concluded, O king.
अपश्यं द्वारकां चाहं महाराज हतत्विषम्। निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारां निर्भूषणवरस्त्रियम्
I saw Dvaraka, O great king, bereft of splendor, without the sounds of recitation or sacrificial exclamations, and its women without ornaments or fine attire.
अनभिज्ञेयरूपाणि द्वारकोपवनानि च। दृष्ट्वा शङ्कोपपन्नोऽहमपृच्छं हृदिकात्मजम्
I saw the gardens of Dvaraka with forms unrecognizable; filled with anxiety, I questioned Hridaya's son.
अस्वस्थनरनारीकमिदं वृष्णिकुलं भृशम्। किमिदं नरशार्दूल श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः
This Vrishni clan is full of distressed men and women; O tiger among men, what is this? I wish to hear the truth.
एवमुक्तः स तु मया विस्तरेणेदमब्रवीत्। रोधं मोक्षं च साल्वेन हार्दिक्यो राजसत्तम
Thus addressed by me, Hārdikya, the best of kings, described in detail the captivity and release by Śālva.
ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ श्रुत्वा सर्वमशेषतः। विनाशे साल्वराजस्य तदैवाकरवं मतिम्
Then, O best of the Bharatas, having heard everything completely about the destruction of the king of Śālva, I made up my mind at that very moment.
ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ समाश्वास्य पुरे जनम् ।। राजानमाहुकं चैव तथैवाकनदुन्दुभिम्
Then, O best of the Bharatas, after consoling the people in the city, as well as King Āhuka and Akrūra, I spoke to them.
सर्वान्वृष्णिप्रवीरांश्च हर्षयन्नब्रुवं तदा। अप्रमादः सदा कार्यो नगरे यादवर्षभाः
At that time, cheering all the foremost of the Vṛṣṇis, I said: 'Constant vigilance must always be maintained in the city, O bulls among the Yādavas.'
साल्वराजविनाशाय प्रयातं मां निबोधत। नाहत्वा तं निवर्तिष्ये पुरीं द्वारवतीं प्रति
Know that I am going forth for the destruction of the king of Śālva; I will not return to Dvārakā without slaying him.
ससाल्वं सौभनगरं हत्वा द्रष्टास्मि वः पुनः। त्रिःसामा हन्यतामेषा दुन्दुभिः शत्रुभीषणा
Having slain Śālva together with the city of Saubha, I shall see you again; let this dreadful war-drum, terrifying to enemies, be sounded three times.
ते मयाऽऽश्वासिता वीरा यथावद्भरतर्षभ। सर्वे मामब्रुवन्हृष्टाः प्रयाहि जहिशात्रवान्
Those heroes, thus reassured by me as was proper, all said to me with joy, 'Go forth, slay the enemies!'
तैः प्रहृष्टात्मभिर्वीरैराशीर्भिरभिनन्दितः। वाचयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान्प्रणम्य शिरसा भवम्
Honored with blessings by those heroes whose hearts were gladdened, I had the foremost brahmins recite benedictions and bowed my head to you.
शैब्यसुग्रीवयुक्तेन रथेनानादयन्दिशः। प्रध्माय शङ्खप्रवरं पाञ्चजन्यमहं नृप
Then, O king, mounting my chariot yoked with Śaibya and Sugrīva, resounding in all directions, I blew the excellent conch Pāñcajanya.
प्रयातोस्मि नरव्याघ्र बलेन महता वृतः। क्लृप्तेन चतुरङ्गेण यत्तेन जितकाशिना
I set out, O tiger among men, surrounded by a great army, with a well-arranged fourfold force led by the victorious Yadus.
समतीत्य बहून्देशान्गिरींश्च बहुपादपान्। सरांसि सरितश्चैव मार्तिकावतमासदम्
Crossing many lands and mountains covered with many trees, and lakes and rivers, I reached Mārtikāvata.
तत्राश्रौषं नरव्याघ्र साल्वं सागरमन्तिकात्। प्रयान्तं सौभमास्थाय तमहं पृष्ठतोऽन्वगाम्
There, O tiger among men, I heard that Śālva, having boarded the Saubha, was moving near the ocean; I followed him from behind.
दृष्टवानस्मि राजेन्द्र साल्वराजमथान्तिके।' ततः सागरमासाद्य कुक्षौ तस्य महोर्मिणः। समुद्रनाभ्यां साल्वोऽभूत्सौभमास्थाय शत्रुहन्
I saw, O king, the king of Śālva close at hand; then, reaching the ocean with its great waves, Śālva, the slayer of enemies, boarded the Saubha at the ocean's navel.
स मामालोक्य सहसा सेनां स्वां प्राहिणोन्मृधे। मद्बाहुना च सेनायां शिष्टायां किंचिदेव च
Seeing me suddenly, he sent forth his army to battle; by my arms, only a small part of his army remained.
स समालोक्य सहसा स्मयन्निव युधिष्ठिर। आह्वयामास दुष्टात्मा युद्धायैव मुहुर्मुहुः
Seeing me thus, O Yudhiṣṭhira, he, wicked-minded, repeatedly challenged me to battle, as if smiling.
तस्य शार्ङ्गविनिर्मुक्तैर्बहुभिर्मर्मभेदिभिः। पुरं नासाद्यत शरैस्ततो मां रोष आविशत्
With many arrows released from the Śārṅga bow, piercing the vital points, I could not reach his city; then anger arose in me.
स चापि पापप्रकृतिर्दैतेयापशदो नृप। मय्यवर्षत दुर्धर्षः शरधाराः सहस्रशः
And he, of evil nature, a descendant of the Daityas, O king, that invincible one showered thousands of streams of arrows upon me.
सैनिकान्मम सूतं च हयांश्च स समाकिरत्। अचिन्तयन्तस्तु शरान्वयं युध्याम भारत
He covered my soldiers, my charioteer, and my horses with arrows; yet, disregarding the arrows, we continued to fight, O Bhārata.
ततः शतसहस्राणि शराणां नतपर्वणाम्। चिक्षिपुः समरे वीरा मयि साल्वपदानुगाः
Then, O son of Kunti, the warriors who followed Salva hurled hundreds of thousands of arrows with curved tips at me in battle.
ते हयांश्च रथं चैव ध्वजं दारुकमेव च। छादयामासुरसुरास्तैर्बाणैर्मर्मभेदिभिः
With those arrows that pierced the vital points, those mighty ones covered my horses, chariot, banner, and even Daruka.