Critical Edition
वासुदेव उवाच तां तूपयात्वा राजेन्द्र शाल्वः सौभपतिस्तदा प्रभूतनरनागेन बलेनोपविवेश ह
M. N. Dutt: Krishna said : O king of kings, the lord of Saubha Shalva, came to the city of Dvarka with numerous men, elephants and soldiers.
समे निविष्टा सा सेना प्रभूतसलिलाशये चतुरङ्गबलोपेता शाल्वराजाभिपालिता
M. N. Dutt: The army, headed by king Shalva, consisting of four kinds of troops, occupied a level ground where there was plentiful supply of water.
वर्जयित्वा श्मशानानि देवतायतनानि च वल्मीकांश्चैव चैत्यांश्च तन्निविष्टमभूद्बलम्
M. N. Dutt: Avoiding cremation-grounds, temples of gods, sacred trees and grounds covered with ant-hills, his army occupied every other places.
अनीकानां विभागेन पन्थानः षट्कृताभवन् प्रवणा नव चैवासञ्शाल्वस्य शिबिरे नृप
M. N. Dutt: O king, the roads (leading to Dvarka) were all blocked up by the (various) divisions of his army and the secret passages (from the city) were also all blocked up by the encampment of Shalva's troops.
सर्वायुधसमोपेतं सर्वशस्त्रविशारदम् रथनागाश्वकलिलं पदातिध्वजसंकुलम्
AI Translation: endowed with all weapons, skilled in all weapons, crowded with chariots, elephants, and horses, crowded with infantry and flags,
तुष्टपुष्टजनोपेतं वीरलक्षणलक्षितम् विचित्रध्वजसंनाहं विचित्ररथकार्मुकम्
AI Translation: endowed with contented and nourished people, marked with the characteristics of heroes, adorned with various flags and armor, with various chariots and bows,
संनिवेश्य च कौरव्य द्वारकायां नरर्षभ अभिसारयामास तदा वेगेन पतगेन्द्रवत्
AI Translation: Having settled in Dvārakā, O descendant of Kuru, the bull among men, he then sent them off with speed, like the king of birds.
तदापतन्तं संदृश्य बलं शाल्वपतेस्तदा निर्याय योधयामासुः कुमारा वृष्णिनन्दनाः
M. N. Dutt: Seeing the army of the king Shalva approached, the youthful princes of the Vrishni race sallied out with the desire of giving him battle.
असहन्तोऽभियानं तच्छाल्वराजस्य कौरव चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बश्च प्रद्युम्नश्च महारथः
AI Translation: Unable to bear the advance of the king of Shalva, O Kourava, Charudeshna, Samba, and the great warrior Pradyumna,
ते रथैर्दंशिताः सर्वे विचित्राभरणध्वजाः संसक्ताः शाल्वराजस्य बहुभिर्योधपुंगवैः
AI Translation: All of them were mounted on chariots, adorned with various ornaments and flags. They were engaged with the king of Shalva and many other great warriors.
गृहीत्वा तु धनुः साम्बः शाल्वस्य सचिवं रणे योधयामास संहृष्टः क्षेमवृद्धिं चमूपतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Samba, taking up his bow, eagerly attacked on the field of battle Kshemavriddhi, the minister and the commander of Shalva's army.
तस्य बाणमयं वर्षं जाम्बवत्याः सुतो महत् मुमोच भरतश्रेष्ठ यथा वर्षं सहस्रदृक्
AI Translation: The son of Jambavati released a great rain of arrows, O best of the Bharatas, like the thousand-eyed one releasing rain.
तद्बाणवर्षं तुमुलं विषेहे स चमूपतिः क्षेमवृद्धिर्महाराज हिमवानिव निश्चलः
AI Translation: The leader of the army endured that tumultuous rain of arrows, like the great king Kshemavrddhi, immovable like the Himalayas.
ततः साम्बाय राजेन्द्र क्षेमवृद्धिरपि स्म ह मुमोच मायाविहितं शरजालं महत्तरम्
M. N. Dutt: O king of kings, thereupon Kshemavriddhi, aided by his power of illusion, poured a great shower of arrows.
ततो मायामयं जालं माययैव विदार्य सः साम्बः शरसहस्रेण रथमस्याभ्यवर्षत
M. N. Dutt: Then dispersing by counter illusion that shower of arrows aided by illusion, Samba showered on his (adversary's) car one thousand arrows.
ततः स विद्धः साम्बेन क्षेमवृद्धिश्चमूपतिः अपायाज्जवनैरश्वैः साम्बबाणप्रपीडितः
M. N. Dutt: Then pierced and overwhelmed by the arrows of Samba, the commander of (Shalva's) forces, Kshemavriddhi fled from the field with the help of his fleet steeds.
तस्मिन्विप्रद्रुते क्रूरे शाल्वस्याथ चमूपतौ वेगवान्नाम दैतेयः सुतं मेऽभ्यद्रवद्बली
M. N. Dutt: When the crooked-minded commander of Shalva's army fled from the field, a powerful Daitya, named Vegavan, rushed at my son.
अभिपन्नस्तु राजेन्द्र साम्बो वृष्णिकुलोद्वहः वेगं वेगवतो राजंस्तस्थौ वीरो विधारयन्
M. N. Dutt: O king of kings, thus attacked the heroic Samba, the perpetuator of the Vrishni race, withstanding the attack of Vegavan, kept his ground.
स वेगवति कौन्तेय साम्बो वेगवतीं गदाम् चिक्षेप तरसा वीरो व्याविध्य सत्यविक्रमः
M. N. Dutt: O son of Kunti, the heroic and irresistibly powerful Samba, whirling a swift-going club, soon hurled it at Vegavan.
तया त्वभिहतो राजन्वेगवानपतद्भुवि वातरुग्ण इव क्षुण्णो जीर्णमूलो वनस्पतिः
M. N. Dutt: O king, thus struck with it, Vegavan fell on the ground like a faded, weather beaten and decayed-rooted lord of the forest (banian tree).
तस्मिन्निपतिते वीरे गदानुन्ने महासुरे प्रविश्य महतीं सेनां योधयामास मे सुतः
M. N. Dutt: When that heroic and great Asura was killed with the club, my son rushed into (enemy's) troops and began to fight with all.
चारुदेष्णेन संसक्तो विविन्ध्यो नाम दानवः महारथः समाज्ञातो महाराज महाधनुः
M. N. Dutt: O great king, a well-known Danava, named Vivindha, a great car-warrior and a great bowman, then rushed upon Charudeshna.
ततः सुतुमुलं युद्धं चारुदेष्णविविन्ध्ययोः वृत्रवासवयो राजन्यथा पूर्वं तथाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: O king, the battle between Charudeshna and Vivindha was as fierce as that in the days of yore between Vitra and Vasava (Indra).
अन्योन्यस्याभिसंक्रुद्धावन्योन्यं जघ्नतुः शरैः विनदन्तौ महाराज सिंहाविव महाबलौ
M. N. Dutt: Enraged with each other, the combatants pierced each other with their arrows and uttered loud roars like two powerful lions.
रौक्मिणेयस्ततो बाणमग्न्यर्कोपमवर्चसम् अभिमन्त्र्य महास्त्रेण संदधे शत्रुनाशनम्
M. N. Dutt: Having first vivified it with incantations the son of Rukmini fixed on his bow-string a powerful weapon which possessed possessed the splendour of the sun or the fire and which was capable of destroying all foes.
स विविन्ध्याय सक्रोधः समाहूय महारथः चिक्षेप मे सुतो राजन्स गतासुरथापतत्
M. N. Dutt: O king, that great car-warrior, my son, inflamed with anger, challenged Vivindha and discharged the weapon at him. He (thus struck) fell dead.
विविन्ध्यं निहतं दृष्ट्वा तां च विक्षोभितां चमूम् कामगेन स सौभेन शाल्वः पुनरुपागमत्
M. N. Dutt: Seeing Vivindha killed and his army (very much) agitated, Shalva came back again on his (car) Saubha, capable of going everywhere at will.
ततो व्याकुलितं सर्वं द्वारकावासि तद्बलम् दृष्ट्वा शाल्वं महाबाहो सौभस्थं पृथिवीगतम्
M. N. Dutt: O mighty-armed king, thereupon seeing Shalva seated on his (car) Saubha, the warriors of Dvarka became very much alarmed.
ततो निर्याय कौन्तेय व्यवस्थाप्य च तद्बलम् आनर्तानां महाराज प्रद्युम्नो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Kuru, Pradyumna sallied out and asked the Anarthas not to lose courage. He then thus spoke.
सर्वे भवन्तस्तिष्ठन्तु सर्वे पश्यन्तु मां युधि निवारयन्तं संग्रामे बलात्सौभं सराजकम्
M. N. Dutt: "(O warriors), do not lose courage; stay and see me fight. I shall repel with force (the car) Saubha with the king (Shalva) on it.
अहं सौभपतेः सेनामायसैर्भुजगैरिव धनुर्भुजविनिर्मुक्तैर्नाशयाम्यद्य यादवाः
M. N. Dutt: O Yadavas, I shall this day destroy the army of the lord of Saubha with my serpent-like weapons discharged from my bow with my hand.
आश्वसध्वं न भीः कार्या सौभराडद्य नश्यति मयाभिपन्नो दुष्टात्मा ससौभो विनशिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Be of good cheer, Fear not. I shall today kill him. Attacked by me, the wicked-minded (Shalva) with (his car) SAubha will be destroyed."
एवं ब्रुवति संहृष्टे प्रद्युम्ने पाण्डुनन्दन विष्ठितं तद्बलं वीर युयुधे च यथासुखम्
M. N. Dutt: O son of Pandu, O hero, when Pradyumna thus spoke with a cheerful heart, the Yadava warriors stood on the field and began to fight cheerfully.