Bhagavata Purana

शिशुपालसखः शाल्वो रुक्मिण्युद्‌वाह आगतः । यदुभिर्निर्जितः सङ्ख्ये जरासन्धादयस्तथा

Shalva, friend of Shishupala, came to the wedding of Rukmini; he was defeated in battle by the Yadus, as were Jarasandha and others.

शाल्वः प्रतिज्ञामकरोत् श्रृण्वतां सर्वभूभुजाम् । अयादवां क्ष्मां करिष्ये पौरुषं मम पश्यत

Shalva made a vow before all the kings: 'I will make the earth free of the Yadavas—witness my valor.'

इति मूढः प्रतिज्ञाय देवं पशुपतिं प्रभुम् । आराधयामास नृपः पांसुमुष्टिं सकृद् ग्रसन्

Thus, having made such a foolish vow, the king worshipped the Lord, the master of creatures, by swallowing a handful of dust just once.

संवत्सरान्ते भगवान् आशुतोष उमापतिः । वरेण च्छन्दयामास शाल्वं शरणमागतम्

At the end of a year, the gracious Lord, the husband of Uma, being easily pleased, offered a boon to Shalva, who had come to him for refuge.

देवासुरमनुष्याणां गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् । अभेद्यं कामगं वव्रे स यानं वृष्णिभीषणम्

He chose a vehicle, terrifying to the Vrishnis, which could go anywhere at will and could not be broken by gods, demons, humans, Gandharvas, serpents, or Rakshasas.

तथेति गिरिशादिष्टो मयः परपुरंजयः । पुरं निर्माय शाल्वाय प्रादात् सौभमयस्मयम्

‘So be it,’ said Girisha, and as instructed by him, Maya, the conqueror of enemy cities, constructed an iron city called Saubha and gave it to Shalva.

स लब्ध्वा कामगं यानं तमोधाम दुरासदम् । ययस्द्‌वारवतीं शाल्वो वैरं वृष्णिकृतं स्मरन्

Having obtained that wish-fulfilling, formidable, and impenetrable vehicle, Shalva set out for Dvaravati, remembering the enmity caused by the Vrishnis.

निरुध्य सेनया शाल्वो महत्या भरतर्षभ । पुरीं बभञ्जोपवनान् उद्यानानि च सर्वशः

O best of the Bharatas, Shalva besieged the city with his great army and destroyed all the suburbs and gardens.

सगोपुराणि द्वाराणि प्रासादाट्टालतोलिकाः । विहारान् स विमानाग्र्यान् निपेतुः शस्त्रवृष्टयः

The gates with their towers, the palaces, balconies, pleasure grounds, and lofty mansions—all were struck by showers of weapons.

शिला द्रुमाश्चाशनयः सर्पा आसारशर्कराः । प्रचण्डश्चक्रवातोऽभूत् रजसाच्छादिता दिशः

Stones, trees, thunderbolts, serpents, and showers of gravel fell, and a fierce whirlwind arose, covering the directions with dust.

इत्यर्द्यमाना सौभेन कृष्णस्य नगरी भृशम् । नाभ्यपद्यत शं राजन् त्रिपुरेण यथा मही

Thus, as Krishna’s city was being severely harassed by Saubha, O King, it found no peace, just as the earth did when attacked by Tripura.

प्रद्युम्नो भगवान् वीक्ष्य बाध्यमाना निजाः प्रजाः । म भैष्टेत्यभ्यधाद्‌ वीरो रथारूढो महायशाः

Seeing his own people afflicted, the glorious and heroic Pradyumna mounted his chariot and said, ‘Do not fear!’

सात्यकिश्चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बोऽक्रूरः सहानुजः । हार्दिक्यो भानुविन्दश्च गदश्च शुकसारणौ

Satyaki, Charudeshna, Samba, Akrura with his younger brother, Hardikya, Bhanuvinda, Gada, Shuka, and Sarana—

अपरे च महेष्वासा रथयूथपयूथपाः । निर्ययुर्दंशिता गुप्ता रथेभाश्वपदातिभिः

And others, great archers and commanders of chariot divisions, went out, armed and protected, with chariots, elephants, horses, and infantry.

ततः प्रववृते युद्धं शाल्वानां यदुभिः सह । यथासुराणां विबुधैः तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम्

Then a tumultuous and hair-raising battle began between the Shalvas and the Yadus, just like that between the gods and the demons.

ताश्च सौभपतेर्माया दिव्यास्त्रै रुक्मिणीसुतः । क्षणेन नाशयामास नैशं तम इवोष्णगुः

The son of Rukmini, with divine weapons, destroyed in a moment all the magical illusions of the lord of Saubha, just as the sun dispels the darkness of night.

विव्याध पञ्चविंशत्या स्वर्णपुङ्खैरयोमुखैः । शाल्वस्य ध्वजिनीपालं शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः

He pierced the commander of Shalva’s army with twenty-five arrows, whose shafts were golden and tips of iron, and whose joints were well made.

शतेनाताडयच्छाल्वं एकैकेनास्य सैनिकान् । दशभिर्दशभिर्नेतॄन् वाहनानि त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः

With a hundred arrows he struck Shalva, with single arrows his soldiers, with ten arrows each their leaders, and with three arrows each their vehicles.

तदद्‌भुतं महत् कर्म प्रद्युम्नस्य महात्मनः । दृष्ट्वा तं पूजयामासुः सर्वे स्वपरसैनिकाः

Seeing that wondrous and mighty feat of the great-souled Pradyumna, all the soldiers, both friend and foe, honored him.

बहुरूपैकरूपं तद् दृश्यते न च दृश्यते । मायामयं मयकृतं दुर्विभाव्यं परैरभूत्

That creation of Maya, made of illusion, appeared in many forms and in one form, was seen and not seen, and was impossible for the enemy to comprehend.

क्वचिद्‌भूमौ क्वचिद्‌ व्योम्नि गिरिमूर्ध्नि जले क्वचित् । अलातचक्रवद्‌ भ्राम्यत् सौभं तद् दुरवस्थितम्

At times on the ground, at times in the sky, on the mountain peaks, and sometimes in the water, that Saubha, in its dire condition, spun about like a wheel of firebrands.

यत्र यत्रोपलक्ष्येत ससौभः सहसैनिकः । शाल्वः ततस्ततोऽमुञ्चन् शरान् सात्वतयूथपाः

Wherever Śālva, together with his Saubha and his army, was perceived, there the chiefs of the Sātvatas would release their arrows.

शरैरग्न्यर्कसंस्पर्शैः आशीविषदुरासदैः । पीड्यमानपुरानीकः शाल्वोऽमुह्यत् परेरितैः

Afflicted by arrows blazing like fire and the sun, and as deadly as venomous serpents, Śālva’s forces became bewildered, driven by those missiles.

शाल्वानीकपशस्त्रौघैः वृष्णिवीरा भृशार्दिताः । न तत्यजू रणं स्वं स्वं लोकद्वयजिगीषवः

Though greatly tormented by the torrents of weapons from Śālva’s army, the heroic Vṛṣṇis did not abandon the battle, each intent on conquering both worlds.

शाल्वामात्यो द्युमान् नाम प्रद्युम्नं प्राक् प्रपीडितः । आसाद्य गदया मौर्व्या व्याहत्य व्यनदद् बली

Dyumān, a minister of Śālva, had previously overpowered Pradyumna; approaching with a heavy mace, he struck him and roared mightily.

प्रद्युम्नं गदया शीर्ण वक्षःस्थलमरिंदमम् । अपोवाह रणात् सूतो धर्मविद् दारुकात्मजः

Pradyumna, the subduer of enemies, his chest shattered by the mace, was carried away from the battlefield by his charioteer, the righteous son of Dāruka.

लब्धसंज्ञो मुहूर्तेन कार्ष्णिः सारथिमब्रवीत् । अहो असाध्विदं सूत यद् रणान्मेऽपसर्पणम्

Regaining consciousness after a moment, Kārṣṇi said to his charioteer: 'Ah, how improper it is, O charioteer, that you have withdrawn me from the battle!'

न यदूनां कुले जातः श्रूयते रणविच्युतः । विना मत्क्लीबचित्तेन सूतेन प्राप्तकिल्बिषात्

Never has it been heard that one born in the Yadu dynasty has left the battlefield—except for a charioteer whose mind is unmanly and who has incurred sin.

किं नु वक्ष्येऽभिसङ्‌गम्य पितरौ रामकेशवौ । युद्धात् सम्यगपक्रान्तः पृष्टस्तत्रात्मनः क्षमम्

What shall I say when I approach my fathers, Rāma and Keśava, having retreated from battle? When questioned there, what answer will be fitting for me?