Bhagavata Purana

सहदेवं दक्षिणस्यां आदिशत् सह सृञ्जयैः । दिशि प्रतीच्यां नकुलं उदीच्यां सव्यसाचिनम् । प्राच्यां वृकोदरं मत्स्यैः केकयैः सह मद्रकैः

He dispatched Sahadeva with the Sṛñjayas to the southern quarter; Nakula to the west; Arjuna to the north; Bhīma to the east, along with the Matsyas, Kekayas, and Madras.

ते विजित्य नृपान् वीरा आजह्रुर्दिग्भ्य ओजसा । अजातशत्रवे भूरि द्रविणं नृप यक्ष्यते

Those heroes, having conquered the kings in all directions by their strength, brought abundant wealth to Ajātaśatru, who would perform the sacrifice.

श्रुत्वाजितं जरासन्धं नृपतेर्ध्यायतो हरिः । आहोपायं तमेवाद्य उद्धवो यमुवाच ह

Hearing that Jarāsandha remained unconquered, as the king pondered, Hari spoke of the means, the very one that Uddhava had previously described.

भीमसेनोऽर्जुनः कृष्णो ब्रह्मलिङ्‌गधरास्त्रयः । जग्मुर्गिरिव्रजं तात बृहद्रथसुतो यतः

Bhīmasena, Arjuna, and Kṛṣṇa—three who bore the marks of Brahmins—went to Girivraja, where the son of Bṛhadratha dwelled.

ते गत्वाऽऽतिथ्यवेलायां गृहेषु गृहमेधिनम् । ब्रह्मण्यं समयाचेरन् राजन्या ब्रह्मलिङ्‌गिनः

Arriving at the proper time for guests, they entered the house of the householder, and, disguised as Brahmins, the royal men acted according to custom.

राजन् विद्ध्यतिथीन् प्राप्तान् अर्थिनो दूरमागतान् । तन्नः प्रयच्छ भद्रं ते यद्‌ वयं कामयामहे

O king, know that guests have arrived—seekers who have come from afar. Grant us, O fortunate one, what we desire.

किं दुर्मर्षं तितिक्षूणां किं अकार्यं असाधुभिः । किं न देयं वदान्यानां कः परः समदर्शिनाम्

What is unbearable for the patient? What is improper for the unrighteous? What is not to be given by the generous? Who is superior to those who see all equally?

योऽनित्येन शरीरेण सतां गेयं यशो ध्रुवम् । नाचिनोति स्वयं कल्पः स वाच्यः शोच्य एव सः

He who, with his impermanent body, does not himself earn lasting fame among the virtuous, though able, is to be spoken of as truly pitiable.

हरिश्चन्द्रो रन्तिदेव उञ्छवृत्तिः शिबिर्बलिः । व्याधः कपोतो बहवो ह्यध्रुवेण ध्रुवं गताः

Hariścandra, Rantideva, Śibi, Bali, the hunter, the pigeon—many have attained the eternal by means of the impermanent.

श्रीशुक उवाच - स्वरैराकृतिभिस्तांस्तु प्रकोष्ठैर्ज्याहतैरपि । राजन्यबन्धून् विज्ञाय दृष्टपूर्वानचिन्तयत्

Śuka said: By their voices, appearances, and even their hands marked by bowstring scars, he recognized the royal guests, having seen them before, and pondered.

राजन्यबन्धवो ह्येते ब्रह्मलिङ्‌गानि बिभ्रति । ददानि भिक्षितं तेभ्य आत्मानमपि दुस्त्यजम्

These relatives of the royal order are bearing the marks of Brahmins; I will give even my own self, which is difficult to relinquish, as alms to them.

बलेर्नु श्रूयते कीर्तिः वितता दिक्ष्वकल्मषा । ऐश्वर्याद्‌ भ्रंशितस्यापि विप्रव्याजेन विष्णुना

It is heard that the fame of Bali, pure and widespread in all directions, remained even after he was deprived of his wealth by Vishnu, who took the guise of a Brahmin.

श्रियं जिहीर्षतेन्द्रस्य विष्णवे द्विजरूपिणे । जानन्नपि महीं प्रादाद्‌ वार्यमाणोऽपि दैत्यराट्

Desiring the wealth of Indra, Vishnu, appearing as a Brahmin, received the earth from the king of the Daityas, who, though aware and restrained, still gave it.

जीवता ब्राह्मणार्थाय को न्वर्थः क्षत्रबन्धुना । देहेन पतमानेन नेहता विपुलं यशः

What purpose does the body of a kshatriya relative serve, if living only for the sake of Brahmins? When the body falls here, great fame is attained.

इत्युदारमतिः प्राह कृष्णार्जुनवृकोदरान् । हे विप्रा व्रियतां कामो ददाम्यात्मशिरोऽपि वः

Thus, with noble intent, he spoke to Krishna, Arjuna, and Bhimasena: 'O Brahmins, choose your desire; I will give even my own head to you.'

श्रीभगवानुवाच - युद्धं नो देहि राजेन्द्र द्वन्द्वशो यदि मन्यसे । युद्धार्थिनो वयं प्राप्ता राजन्या नान्यकाङ्‌क्षिणः

The Blessed Lord said: 'O king, grant us battle, if you consider it fitting to fight in pairs. We have come seeking combat, desiring nothing else but battle with the royal order.'

असौ वृकोदरः पार्थः तस्य भ्रातार्जुनो ह्ययम् । अनयोर्मातुलेयं मां कृष्णं जानीहि ते रिपुम्

This is Bhimasena, O Partha; his brother is Arjuna. Know me, Krishna, as their maternal uncle and your enemy.

एवमावेदितो राजा जहासोच्चैः स्म मागधः । आह चामर्षितो मन्दा युद्धं तर्हि ददामि वः

Thus informed, the king of Magadha laughed loudly and, angered, said: 'Then, I will grant you battle, O fools.'

न त्वया भीरुणा योत्स्ये युधि विक्लवतेजसा । मथुरां स्वपुरीं त्यक्त्वा समुद्रं शरणं गतः

I will not fight with you, coward, whose valor is uncertain; you abandoned your own city, Mathura, and took refuge by the sea.

अयं तु वयसा तुल्यो नातिसत्त्वो न मे समः । अर्जुनो न भवेद् योद्धा भीमस्तुल्यबलो मम

This one is equal to me in age, but not in strength; Arjuna is not fit to fight, but Bhima is equal in might to me.

इत्युक्त्वा भीमसेनाय प्रादाय महतीं गदाम् । द्वितीयां स्वयमादाय निर्जगाम पुराद् बहिः

Having spoken thus, he gave a great mace to Bhimasena, took another himself, and went out from the city.

ततः समे खले वीरौ संयुक्तावितरेतरौ । जघ्नतुर्वज्रकल्पाभ्यां गदाभ्यां रणदुर्मदौ

Then, the two heroes, equally matched, met on the field; wild with battle, they struck each other with maces as mighty as thunderbolts.

मण्डलानि विचित्राणि सव्यं दक्षिणमेव च । चरतोः शुशुभे युद्धं नटयोरिव रङ्‌गिणोः

The fight shone as they moved in intricate circles, to the left and right, like dancers on a stage.

ततश्चटचटाशब्दो वज्रनिष्पेषसन्निभः । गदयोः क्षिप्तयो राजन् दन्तयोरिव दन्तिनोः

Then, the sound of their maces striking was like the crash of thunderbolts, O king, as they hurled them, like the tusks of elephants clashing.

( वसंततिलका ) ते वै गदे भुजजवेन निपात्यमाने अन्योन्यतोंऽसकटिपादकरोरुजत्रून् । चूर्णीबभूवतुरुपेत्य यथार्कशाखे संयुध्यतोर्द्विरदयोरिव दीप्तमन्व्योः

With the speed of their arms, the maces struck each other's shoulders, hips, feet, knees, and heads, and were shattered, just as the branches of the sun are broken when two blazing elephants fight.

इत्थं तयोः प्रहतयोर्गदयोर्नृवीरौ क्रुद्धौ स्वमुष्टिभिरयःस्परशैरपिष्टाम् । शब्दस्तयोः प्रहरतोरिभयोरिवासीन् निर्घातवज्रपरुषस्तलताडनोत्थः

Thus, as the two heroes struck with their maces, angry, they also battered each other with their iron-hard fists; the sound of their blows, fierce as thunderbolts, arose from the slapping of their palms.

( अनुष्टुप् ) तयोरेवं प्रहरतोः समशिक्षाबलौजसोः । निर्विशेषमभूद् युद्धं अक्षीणजवयोर्नृप

As the two struck each other, equal in skill, strength, and vigor, the battle was indistinguishable, for neither's speed diminished, O king.

एवं तयोर्महाराज युध्यतोः सप्तविंशतिः । दिनानि निरगंस्तत्र सुहृद्‌वन् निशि तिष्ठतोः

Thus, O great king, as they fought, twenty-seven days passed there, while their friends stood by at night.

एकदा मातुलेयं वै प्राह राजन् वृकोदरः । न शक्तोऽहं जरासन्धं निर्जेतुं युधि माधव

Once, O King, Vṛkodara said to his maternal cousin: 'O Mādhava, I am not able to defeat Jarāsandha in battle.'