CHAPTER CXVIX
(BALADEVA'S GLORIOUS DEEDS DESCRIBED)
Janamejaya said:—O Saint, I wish to listen again to the glorious deeds of the intelligent Baladeva, the personification of Shesa, the upholder of the earth (1). Sages, well-read in Puranas, designate Baladeva, full of effulgence as highly noble and the highly powerful prime deity Ananta. O Vipra, therefore I wish to listen accurately to his deeds. (2-3).
Vaishampāyana said:—In the Puranas this highly energetic and powerful Baladeva is described as the Naga king Sesha, the mine of lustre, who holds up the earth, as the foremost of Purushas, as a teacher of Yoga and as the foremost of those who are well-read in the Mantras of the Vedas. Many times he defeated Jarāsandha while fighting with clubs but he did not kill him (4-5). The other celebrated kings, of earth who followed the Maagdha emperor, were defeated by him in battle (6). In wrestling with him even Bhima, of dreadful prowess, endued with the strength of an Ayuta elephant, was defeated by him (7). On account of his stealing awaya Duryodhana's daughter Lakshmanā, Jamvavati's son Shāmva was confined by those princes in the city of Hastina. Hearing of his confinement the highly powerful Rāma went to that city for releasing him, but did not find him. Thereat worked up with anger that powerful hero performed the following wonderful feat. Taking up his invincible, incomparable, and celestial weapon, plough-share, powerful like that of Brahma and fixing it on the wall of the city he thought of, throwing that city of the Kauravas into the Ganges (8-12).
Beholding his city thus whirled the king Duryodhana sent Shamva with his wife to the highly powerful Rāma and presented himself for his discipleship. Rāma too accepted the Kuru king as his disciple in club fighting. O king, from that time, this whirling city is seen bent towards the ocean. O king, formerly in the Birandirava forest, Halāyudha, the son of a hero, killed Pralamva, with one stroke of his fist. This too is one of his deeds well-known on earth. He hurled up the huge-bodied demon, Dhenuka, coming under the disguise of an ass and threw him up on the top of a tree. And he too fell down dead on the surface of the earth (13-17). The holder of plough-share made the great river Yamuna, the sister of Yama, of quick-current and going towards the ocean of salt water, turn her course towards the city. This too is one of his wonderful deeds (18). O king, I have thus described to you the powerful deeds of Baladeva of matchless strength, the personation of Sesha passing under the name of Ananta. You shall, while listening to the Purānas, hear of many other most excellent feats of Haladara, the foremost of Purushas, which have not been described by me to day (19–20).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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