Bhagavata Purana

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?

व्यक्तं मे कथयिष्यन्ति हसन्त्यो भ्रातृजामयः । क्लैब्यं कथं कथं वीर तवान्यैः कथ्यतां मृधे

Surely, my brothers’ wives will speak of this, laughing: 'How, how did your cowardice, O hero, become known to others in battle?'

सारथिरुवाच - धर्मं विजानताऽऽयुष्मन् कृतमेतन्मया विभो । सूतः कृच्छ्रगतं रक्षेद् रथिनं सारथिं रथी

The charioteer said: 'O lord, knowing righteousness, I did this; a charioteer should protect a warrior in distress, and a warrior his charioteer.'

एतद्‌ विदित्वा तु भवान् मयापोवाहितो रणात् । उपसृष्टः परेणेति मूर्च्छितो गदया हतः

Knowing this, my lord, I withdrew you from the battle, for you were attacked by the enemy and had fallen unconscious, struck by the mace.

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे उत्तरार्धे शाल्वयुद्धे षट्सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the seventy-sixth chapter, 'The Battle with Śālva,' in the tenth book, second half, of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas.

भगवता सौभसहितस्य शाल्वस्य विनाशः - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) स तूपस्पृश्य सलिलं दंशितो धृतकार्मुकः । नय मां द्युमतः पार्श्वं वीरस्येत्याह सारथिम्

The destruction of Śālva, together with his Saubha, by the Lord— Śrī Śuka said: Then, having touched water for purification, with bow in hand, he said to his charioteer, 'Take me to the side of Dyumān, the hero.'

विधमन्तं स्वसैन्यानि द्युमन्तं रुक्मिणीसुतः । प्रतिहत्य प्रत्यविध्यन् नाराचैरष्टभिः स्मयन्

Rukmiṇī’s son, smiling, struck down Dyumān, who was attacking his own troops, with eight iron arrows.

चतुर्भिश्चतुरो वाहान् सूतमेकेन चाहनत् । द्वावाभ्यं धनुश्च केतुं च शरेणान्येन वै शिरः

With four arrows he struck the four horses, with one he struck the charioteer, with two he struck the bow and the banner, and with another arrow he struck the head.

गदसात्यकिसाम्बाद्या जघ्नुः सौभपतेर्बलम् । पेतुः समुद्रे सौभेयाः सर्वे संछिन्नकन्धराः

Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba, and others slew the forces of the lord of Saubha; all the Saubha warriors, their necks severed, fell into the sea.

एवं यदूनां शाल्वानां निघ्नतामितरेतरम् । युद्धं त्रिणवरात्रं तद् अभूत् तुमुलमुल्बणम्

Thus, as the Yadus and Śālvas slaughtered each other, the battle, fierce and tumultuous, lasted for twenty-seven days and nights.

इन्द्रप्रस्थं गतः कृष्ण आहूतो धर्मसूनुना । राजसूयेऽथ निवृत्ते शिशुपाले च संस्थिते

Krishna, having been invited by the son of Dharma, went to Indraprastha; after the Rajasuya sacrifice was completed and Shishupala was slain,

कुरुवृद्धाननुज्ञाप्य मुनींश्च ससुतां पृथाम् । निमित्तान्यतिघोराणि पश्यन् द्वावारवतीं ययौ

Having taken leave of the elders of the Kuru dynasty, the sages, and Pritha with her sons, and seeing exceedingly terrible omens, he then went to Dvaraka.

आह चाहमिहायात आर्यमिश्राभिसङ्‌गतः । राजन्याश्चैद्यपक्षीया नूनं हन्युः पुरीं मम

He said, 'I have come here, joined by noble friends; the kings allied with the Chedi are surely about to attack my city.'

वीक्ष्य तत्कदनं स्वानां निरूप्य पुररक्षणम् । सौभं च शाल्वराजं च दारुकं प्राह केशवः

Observing the slaughter of his own people and arranging for the defense of the city, Keshava spoke to Daruka about Saubha and King Shalva.