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.
ततो वृष्णिप्रवीरा ये ममासन्सैनिकास्तदा। ते भयर्ता दिशः सर्वे सहसा विप्रदुद्रुवुः
Then all the foremost Vṛṣṇis who were my soldiers at that time, seized by fear, suddenly fled in all directions.
ततो हाहाकृतमभूत्सर्वं किल विशांपते। द्यौश्च भूमिश्च खं चैवादृश्यमाने तथा मयि
Then, O lord of men, all was filled with cries of 'Alas!', as neither sky, earth, nor heavens could be seen because of me.
ततो विषण्णमनसो मम राजन्सुहृज्जनाः। रुरुदुश्चुक्रुशुश्चैव दुःखशोकसमन्विताः
Then, O king, my friends, their minds dejected, wept and wailed, overcome with grief and sorrow.
द्विषतां च प्रहर्षोऽभूदार्तिश्च सुहृदामपि। एवं विजितवान्वीर पश्चादश्रौषमच्युत
There was joy among the enemies and distress even among friends; thus, O hero, having conquered, I later heard, O Acyuta.
ततोऽहमिन्द्रदयितं सर्वपाषाणभेदनम्। वज्रमुद्यम्य तान्सर्वान्पर्वतान्समशातयम्
Then, raising the thunderbolt beloved of Indra, which shatters all rocks, I smashed all those mountains.
ततः पर्वतभारार्ता मन्दप्राणविचेष्टिताः। हया मम महाराज वेपमाना इवाभवन्
Then, O great king, my horses, weighed down by the mass of mountains, moved with faint breath, trembling as if in fear.
मेघजाल इवाकाशे विदार्याभ्युदितं रविम्। दृष्ट्वा मां बान्धवाः सर्वे हर्षमाहारयन्पुनः
Just as the sun, rising, pierces through a mass of clouds in the sky, seeing me, all my kinsmen rejoiced again.
ततः पर्वतभारार्तान्मन्दप्राणविचेष्टितान्। हयान्संदृश्य मां सूतः प्राह तात्कालिकं वचः
Then, seeing the horses weighed down by the mass of mountains, moving with faint breath, my charioteer spoke timely words to me.
साधु संपश्य वार्ष्णेय साल्वं सौभपतिं स्थितम्। अलं कृष्णावमन्यैनं साधु यत्नं समाचर
"Well done! Behold, O Vārṣṇeya, Sālva, lord of Saubha, stands there. Do not underestimate him, Kṛṣṇa—exert yourself well!"
मार्दवं सखितां चैव साल्वादद्य व्यपाहर। जहि साल्वं महाबाहो मैनं जीवय केशव
"Cast aside gentleness and friendship towards Sālva today. Slay Sālva, mighty-armed one! Do not let him live, Keśava!"