उपयात्वा तु साल्वेन द्वारकां वृष्णिनन्दन। विषक्ते त्वयि दुर्धर्ष इतः शूरसुतो बलात्
'O joy of the Vṛṣṇis, while you are engaged here with Śālva, the son of Śūra has forcefully attacked Dvārakā in your absence.'
तदलं साधुयुद्धेन निवर्तस्व जनार्दन। द्वारकामेव रक्षस्व कार्यमेतन्महत्तव
'Enough of this noble battle, O Janārdana; turn back and protect Dvārakā. This is your great duty now.'
इत्यहं तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा परमदुर्मनाः। निश्चयं नाधिगच्छामि कर्तव्यस्येतरस्य च
Hearing these words, I became deeply troubled and could not decide what should or should not be done.
सात्यकिं बलदेवं च प्रद्युम्नं च महांरथम्। जगर्हे मनसा वीर तच्छ्रुत्वा महदप्रियम्
O hero, upon hearing that grievous news, I inwardly blamed Sātyaki, Baladeva, and Pradyumna, the mighty charioteer.
अहं हि द्वारकायाश्च पितुश्च कुरुनन्दन। तेषु रक्षां समाधाय प्रयातः सौभयातने
For I, O joy of the Kurus, having entrusted the protection of Dvaraka and my father to them, departed for the battle with Saubha.
बलदेवो महाबाहुः कच्चिज्जीवति शत्रुहा। सात्यकी रौक्मिणेयश्च चारुदेष्णश्च वीर्यवान्। साम्बप्रभृतयश्चैवेत्यहमासं सुदुर्मनाः
Is Baladeva, the mighty-armed destroyer of enemies, still alive? And Satyaki, Rukmini's son, and the valiant Charudesna, and Samba and the others? Thus I was greatly troubled in mind.
एतेषु हि नरव्याघ्र जीवत्सु न कथंचन। शक्यः शूरसुतो हन्तुमपि वज्रभृता स्वयम्
For, O tiger among men, while these live, it is not possible for the son of Sura to be slain, even by the wielder of the thunderbolt himself.
हतः शूरसुतो व्यक्तं व्यक्तं चैते परासवः। बलदेवमुखाः सर्व इति मे निश्चिता मतिः
The son of Sura has surely been killed, and surely all these, led by Baladeva, have been defeated; such was my firm conviction.
सोहं सर्वविनाशं तं चिन्तयानो मुहुर्मुहुः। अविह्वलो महाराज पुनः साल्वमयोधयम्
Thinking again and again of that total destruction, O great king, I, undisturbed, returned to the city of Saubha.
तदोऽपश्यं महाराज प्रपतन्तमहं तदा। सौभाच्छूरसुतं वीर ततो मां मोह आविशत्
Then, O king, I saw the son of Sura falling from Saubha, and at that moment, confusion seized me.
तस्य रूपं प्रपततः पितुर्मम नराधिप। ययातेः क्षीणपुण्यस्य स्वर्गादिव भहीतलम्
The form of my father, O lord of men, as he fell, appeared like Yayati, whose merit was exhausted, descending from heaven to earth.
विशीर्णमलिनोष्णीपप्रकीर्णाम्बरमूर्धजः। प्रपतन्दृश्यते ह स्म क्षीणपुण्य इव ग्रहः
Disheveled, dirty, with torn garments and scattered hair, he was seen falling, like a planet whose merit is spent.
ततः शार्ङ्गं धनुःश्रेष्ठं करात्प्रपतितं मम। मोहापन्नश्च कौन्तेय रथोपस्थ उपाविशम्
Then, O son of Kunti, my best bow Sharnga slipped from my hand, and overcome by bewilderment, I sat down in the chariot.
ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं सैन्यं मे गतचेतनम्। मां दृष्ट्वा रथनीडस्थं गतासुमिव भारत
Then all my army, making cries of 'Alas!', lost consciousness, seeing me seated in the chariot as if lifeless, O Bharata.
प्रसार्य बाहू पततः प्रसार्य चरणावपि। रूपं पितुर्मे विबभौ शकुने- पततो यथा
Stretching out his arms and legs as he fell, my father's form shone like a bird falling from the sky.
तं पतन्तं महाबाहो शूलपट्टसपाणयः। अभिघ्नन्तो भृशं वीर मम चोतोह्यकम्पयन्
As he fell, O mighty-armed one, warriors wielding spears and swords struck him fiercely, and they also shook me with their shouts.
ततो मुहूर्तात्प्रतिलभ्य संज्ञा- महं तदा वीर महाविमर्दे। न तत्रसौमं न रिपुं च साल्वं पश्यामि वृद्धं पितरं न चापि
Then, after a moment, regaining consciousness amid that great battle, O hero, I saw neither Saubha, nor the enemy Salva, nor my aged father.
ततो ममासीन्मनसि मायेयमिति निश्चितम्। प्रबुद्धोस्मि ततो भूयः शतशो वाऽकिरं शरान्
Then it was certain in my mind: this is illusion. Awakened, I again showered hundreds of arrows.
ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रगृह्यरुचिरं धनुः। शरैरपातयं सौभाच्छिरांसि विबुधद्विषाम्
Then, O best of Bharatas, grasping my splendid bow, I struck down the heads of Saubha's enemies with arrows.
शरांश्चाशीविषाकारानूर्ध्वगांस्तिग्मतेजसः। प्रैषयं साल्वराजाय शार्ङ्गमुक्तान्सुवाससः
Arrows shaped like serpents, ascending upward with sharp brilliance, I sent forth from Sharnga, clad in fine cloth, against King Salva.
ततो नादृश्यत तदा सौभं कुरुकुलोद्वह। अन्तर्हितं माययाऽभूत्ततोऽहं विस्मितोऽभवम्
Then, O uplifter of the Kuru line, Saubha was no longer visible; it vanished by illusion, and I was astonished.
अथ दानवसङ्घास्ते विकृताननमूर्धजाः। उदक्रोशन्महाराज धिष्ठिते मयि भारत
Then, O king, those hosts of Danavas, with distorted faces and hair, cried out loudly while I stood firm, O Bharata.
ततोऽस्त्रं शब्दसाहं वै त्वरमाणो महारणे। अयोजयं तद्वधाय ततः शब्द उपारमत्
Then, hastening in the great battle, I employed the weapon of sound to destroy them, and thus the sound ceased.
हतास्ते दानवाः सर्वे यैः स शब्द उदीरितः। शरैरादित्यसंकशैर्ज्वलितैः शब्दसाधनैः
All those Dānavas who had produced that sound were slain by arrows blazing like the sun, arrows empowered by sound.
तस्मिन्नुपरते शब्दे पुनरेवान्यतोऽभवत्। शब्दोऽपरो महाराज तत्रापि प्राहरं शरैः
When that sound had ceased, another sound arose from elsewhere, O King, and there too I struck with arrows.
एवं दश दिशः सर्वास्तिर्यगूर्ध्वं च भारत। नादयामासुरसुरास्ते चापि निहता मया
Thus, in all ten directions, across and above, O Bhārata, the Asuras and Suras resounded, and they too were slain by me.
ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषं गत्वा पुनरेव व्यदृश्यत। सौभं कामगमं वीर मोहयन्मम चक्षुषी
Then, going to Prāgjyotiṣa, once again I saw the Saubha, moving at will, bewildering my sight, O hero.
ततो लोकान्तकरणो दानवो दारुणाकृतिः। शिलावर्षेण महता सहसा मां समावृणोत्
Then a Dānava, dreadful in form and bringer of destruction to worlds, suddenly covered me with a great shower of stones.
सोहं पर्वतवर्षेण वध्यमानः समन्ततः। वल्मीक इव राजेन्द्र पर्वतोपचितोऽभवम्
Assailed on all sides by a mountain-like downpour, I became, O king, like an anthill heaped up by mountains.
ततोऽहं पर्वतचितः सहयः सहसारथिः। अप्रख्यातिमियां राजन्सध्वजः पर्वतैश्चितः
Then, covered by mountains, with my allies and charioteer, I, with my banner, moved on, O king, unrecognizable, buried in mountains.