Bhagavata Purana

पेतुः शिरांसि रथिनामश्विनां गजिनां भुवि। सकुण्डलकिरीटानि सोष्णीषाणि च कोटिशः

The heads of the charioteers, horsemen, and elephant riders, adorned with earrings, crowns, and turbans, fell to the earth by the thousands.

हस्ताः सासिगदेष्वासाः करभा ऊरवोऽङ्घ्रयः। अश्वाश्वतरनागोष्ट्र खरमर्त्यशिरांसि च

Arms with swords, maces, and bows, elephants, thighs, feet, horses, mules, camels, oxen, donkeys, and the heads of men—

हन्यमानबलानीका वृष्णिभिर्जयकाङ्क्षिभिः। राजानो विमुखा जग्मुर्जरासन्धपुरःसराः

As their forces were being destroyed by the Vṛṣṇis, who sought victory, the kings, led by Jarāsandha, turned away and departed.

शिशुपालं समभ्येत्य हृतदारमिवातुरम्। नष्टत्विषं गतोत्साहं शुष्यद्वदनमब्रुवन्

Approaching Śiśupāla, who was like a man distressed after his wife had been taken, his brilliance lost, his enthusiasm gone, his mouth parched, they spoke to him.

भो भोः पुरुषशार्दूल दौर्मनस्यमिदं त्यज। न प्रियाप्रिययो राजन्निष्ठा देहिषु दृश्यते

"O best of men, cast off this sorrow! Among embodied beings, O king, no one sees lasting happiness or distress."

यथा दारुमयी योषित्नृत्यते कुहकेच्छया। एवमीश्वरतन्त्रोऽयमीहते सुखदुःखयोः

"Just as a wooden puppet woman dances by the will of the magician, so too, one under the control of the Lord acts in happiness and sorrow."

शौरेः सप्तदशाहं वै संयुगानि पराजितः। त्रयोविंशतिभिः सैन्यैर्जिग्ये एकमहं परम्

"For seventeen days I was defeated in battle by Śauri, but on the eighteenth day, with twenty-three armies, I gained victory over him."

तथाप्यहं न शोचामि न प्रहृष्यामि कर्हिचित्। कालेन दैवयुक्तेन जानन्विद्रावितं जगत्

"Still, I neither grieve nor rejoice at any time, knowing that the world is driven by time joined with destiny."

अधुनापि वयं सर्वे वीरयूथपयूथपाः। पराजिताः फल्गुतन्त्रैर्यदुभिः कृष्णपालितैः

"Even now, all of us, chiefs of mighty warriors, have been defeated by the Yadus, protected by Kṛṣṇa, through their cunning strategies."

रिपवो जिग्युरधुना काल आत्मानुसारिणि। तदा वयं विजेष्यामो यदा कालः प्रदक्षिणः

"Now our enemies have prevailed, for time follows its own course; when time turns in our favor, then we shall be victorious."

श्रीशुक उवाच। एवं प्रबोधितो मित्रैश्चैद्योऽगात्सानुगः पुरम्। हतशेषाः पुनस्तेऽपि ययुः स्वं स्वं पुरं नृपाः

Śrī Śuka said: Thus consoled by his friends, the king of Cedi departed for his city with his followers, and the other kings who had survived also returned each to his own city.

रुक्मी तु राक्षसोद्वाहं कृष्णद्विडसहन्स्वसुः। पृष्ठतोऽन्वगमत्कृष्णमक्षौहिण्या वृतो बली

But Rukmī, unable to bear the marriage of his sister to a Rākṣasa (by force), and hating Kṛṣṇa, followed behind Kṛṣṇa, powerful and surrounded by his army.

रुक्म्यमर्षी सुसंरब्धः शृण्वतां सर्वभूभुजाम्। प्रतिजज्ञे महाबाहुर्दंशितः सशरासनः

Rukmī, enraged and greatly agitated, in the hearing of all the kings, made a vow, his great arms trembling, bow in hand.

अहत्वा समरे कृष्णमप्रत्यूह्य च रुक्मिणीम्। कुण्डिनं न प्रवेक्ष्यामि सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि वः

"Unless I kill Kṛṣṇa in battle and recover Rukmiṇī, I will not enter Kuṇḍina. This I declare to you truly."

इत्युक्त्वा रथमारुह्य सारथिं प्राह सत्वरः। चोदयाश्वान्यतः कृष्णः तस्य मे संयुगं भवेत्

Having spoken thus, he quickly mounted his chariot and said to his charioteer, "Drive the horses! Let me face Kṛṣṇa in battle!"

अद्याहं निशितैर्बाणैर्गोपालस्य सुदुर्मतेः। नेष्ये वीर्यमदं येन स्वसा मे प्रसभं हृता

"Today, with sharp arrows, I will humble the pride of that wicked cowherd who has forcibly taken my sister."

विकत्थमानः कुमतिरीश्वरस्याप्रमाणवित्। रथेनैकेन गोविन्दं तिष्ठ तिष्ठेत्यथाह्वयत्

Boasting thus, ignorant of the Lord's greatness, he challenged Govinda, calling out, "Stop! Stop!" as he approached with his single chariot.

धनुर्विकृष्य सुदृढं जघ्ने कृष्णं त्रिभिः शरैः। आह चात्र क्षणं तिष्ठ यदूनां कुलपांसन

Drawing his strong bow, he struck Kṛṣṇa with three arrows and said, "Wait a moment, O disgrace of the Yadu clan!"

यत्र यासि स्वसारं मे मुषित्वा ध्वाङ्क्षवद्धविः। हरिष्येऽद्य मदं मन्द मायिनः कूटयोधिनः

"Where are you going, having stolen my sister like a jackal snatching sacrificial offerings? Today I will break your pride, O deceitful, treacherous fighter!"

यावन्न मे हतो बाणैः शयीथा मुञ्च दारिकाम्। स्मयन्कृष्णो धनुश्छित्त्वा षड्भिर्विव्याध रुक्मिणम्

Until you have struck me down with your arrows and made me fall, release the maiden! Smiling, Krishna broke his bow and pierced Rukmi with six arrows.

अष्टभिश्चतुरो वाहान्द्वाभ्यां सूतं ध्वजं त्रिभिः। स चान्यद्धनुराधाय कृष्णं विव्याध पञ्चभिः

With eight arrows he struck the four horses, with two the charioteer, with three the banner; then, taking up another bow, Rukmi wounded Krishna with five arrows.

तैस्तादितः शरौघैस्तु चिच्छेद धनुरच्युतः। पुनरन्यदुपादत्त तदप्यच्छिनदव्ययः

Assailed by those showers of arrows, Achyuta cut Rukmi’s bow to pieces; again Rukmi took up another, but the imperishable Lord cut that too.

परिघं पट्टिशं शूलं चर्मासी शक्तितोमरौ। यद्यदायुधमादत्त तत्सर्वं सोऽच्छिनद्धरिः

Whatever weapon Rukmi took up—mace, spear, trident, shield and sword, javelin, or tomara—Hari cut them all to pieces.

ततो रथादवप्लुत्य खड्गपाणिर्जिघांसया। कृष्णमभ्यद्रवत्क्रुद्धः पतङ्ग इव पावकम्

Then, leaping down from his chariot, sword in hand and intent on killing, Rukmi rushed at Krishna in anger, like a moth toward a flame.

तस्य चापततः खड्गं तिलशश्चर्म चेषुभिः। छित्त्वासिमाददे तिग्मं रुक्मिणं हन्तुमुद्यतः

As he charged, Krishna shattered his sword and shield into fragments with arrows; then, drawing his own sharp sword, he prepared to slay Rukmi.

दृष्ट्वा भ्रातृवधोद्योगं रुक्मिणी भयविह्वला। पतित्वा पादयोर्भर्तुरुवाच करुणं सती

Seeing her husband about to kill her brother, Rukmini, overwhelmed with fear, fell at her husband’s feet and spoke to him in distress.

श्रीरुक्मिण्युवाच। योगेश्वराप्रमेयात्मन्देवदेव जगत्पते। हन्तुं नार्हसि कल्याण भ्रातरं मे महाभुज

Śrī Rukmiṇī said: O Lord of yoga, immeasurable one, God of gods, Lord of the world, you should not kill my brother, O mighty-armed, bringer of good.

श्रीशुक उवाच। तया परित्रासविकम्पिताङ्गया शुचावशुष्यन्मुखरुद्धकण्ठया। कातर्यविस्रंसितहेममालया गृहीतपादः करुणो न्यवर्तत

Śuka said: Her body trembling with fear, her face dried with grief, her throat choked, her golden necklace slipping in her anxiety, she clasped his feet; moved by compassion, he desisted.

चैलेन बद्ध्वा तमसाधुकारिणं सश्मश्रुकेशं प्रवपन्व्यरूपयत्। तावन्ममर्दुः परसैन्यमद्भुतं यदुप्रवीरा नलिनीं यथा गजाः

Binding that wicked man with a cloth, shaving off his hair and beard, Krishna disfigured him; meanwhile, the Yadu heroes routed the enemy army like elephants trampling a lotus pond.