Bhagavata Purana

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consciousness after a moment, Kārṣṇi said to his charioteer: 'Ah, how improper it is, O charioteer, that you have withdrawn me from the battle!'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

रथं प्रापय मे सूत शाल्वस्यान्तिकमाशु वै । सम्भ्रमस्ते न कर्तव्यो मायावी सौभराडयम्

'Charioteer, bring my chariot quickly to Shalva's presence; do not be alarmed, for this king of Saubha is a master of illusion.'

इत्युक्तश्चोदयामास रथमास्थाय दारुकः । विशन्तं ददृशुः सर्वे स्वे परे चारुणानुजम्

Thus addressed, Daruka mounted the chariot and drove forth; all, both friend and foe, saw Arjuna's younger brother entering.

शाल्वश्च कृष्णमालोक्य हतप्रायबलेश्वरः । प्राहरत् कृष्णसूताय शक्तिं भीमरवां मृधे

Shalva, whose forces were nearly destroyed, seeing Krishna, hurled a spear with a terrible roar at Krishna's charioteer in battle.

तामापतन्तीं नभसि महोल्कामिव रंहसा । भासयन्तीं दिशः शौरिः सायकैः शतधाच्छिनत्

That weapon, blazing through the sky like a great meteor and illuminating the quarters, was shattered into a hundred pieces by Shauri's arrows.

तं च षोडशभिर्विद्ध्वा बाणैः सौभं च खे भ्रमत् । अविध्यच्छरसन्दोहैः खं सूर्य इव रश्मिभिः

Then, piercing Shalva with sixteen arrows and Saubha as it moved in the sky, he struck the aerial city with showers of arrows, as the sun does with its rays.

शाल्वः शौरेस्तु दोः सव्यं शार्ङ्‌गं शार्ङ्‌गधन्वनः । बिभेद न्यपतद् हस्तात् शार्ङ्‌गमासीत् तदद्‌भुतम्

Shalva struck the left arm of Shauri, the wielder of Sharnga, and broke the Sharnga bow from his hand; this was a wondrous sight.

हाहाकारो महानासीद्‌ भूतानां तत्र पश्यताम् । निनद्य सौभराडुच्चैः इदमाह जनार्दनम्

A great outcry arose among the beings who witnessed it; the king of Saubha, roaring loudly, spoke these words to Janardana.

यत्त्वया मूढ नः सख्युः भ्रातुर्भार्या हृतेक्षताम् । प्रमत्तः स सभामध्ये त्वया व्यापादितः सखा

'Fool, because of you, our friend—my brother-in-law—was slain in the assembly, his wife abducted, while you acted recklessly.'

तं त्वाद्य निशितैर्बाणैः अपराजितमानिनम् । नयाम्यपुनरावृत्तिं यदि तिष्ठेर्ममाग्रतः

'Today, with sharp arrows, I will send you—who think yourself invincible—on a path of no return, if you dare stand before me.'

श्रीभगवानुवाच - वृथा त्वं कत्थसे मन्द न पश्यस्यन्तिकेऽन्तकम् । पौरुषं दर्शयन्ति स्म शूरा न बहुभाषिणः

The Blessed Lord said: 'In vain you boast, dull-witted one; you do not see Death standing near. True heroes show their valor in deeds, not in many words.'

इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् शाल्वं गदया भीमवेगया । तताड जत्रौ संरब्धः स चकम्पे वमन्नसृक्

Having spoken thus, the Lord struck Shalva, in his fury, on the chest with his mace of terrible force; Shalva trembled and vomited blood.

गदायां सन्निवृत्तायां शाल्वस्त्वन्तरधीयत । ततो मुहूर्त आगत्य पुरुषः शिरसाच्युतम् । देवक्या प्रहितोऽस्मीति नत्वा प्राह वचो रुदन्

When the mace was repelled, Shalva vanished; after a moment, a man approached Achyuta, bowed, and, weeping, spoke these words: 'I am sent by Devaki.'

कृष्ण कृष्ण महाबाहो पिता ते पितृवत्सल । बद्ध्वापनीतः शाल्वेन सौनिकेन यथा पशुः

'Krishna, Krishna, mighty-armed one, your father, who loves you dearly, has been bound and carried away by Shalva and his men, like a beast.'