Saturday 21 November 2020

WAR BETWEEN KRISHNA AND ASURAS | VISHNU PARVA SECTION - 141 - 085

CHAPTER CXLI

(WAR BETWEEN KRISHNA AND ASURAS)

The Maya of Pradyumna


Vaishampāyana said:—Within a moment of the clear sun coming within the range of people's vision, Baladeva, Krishna and Satyaki delightedly got upon Garuda's back. Having bathed in the water of the sacred river Avarta, who had obtained a boon from Rudra and who by his words had been made holy like the Ganges, and having put on coats of mail, finger-protectors and armours, those heroes, desirous of fighting, worshipped the god Siva, the lord of bel leaves and water. At that time having placed Pradyumna above in front of the army, the Pandavas in charge of the Yajna and the remaining soldiers at the door of the cave, the Lord Krishna, the giver of honors and the refuge of the pious, thought of Jayanta and Pravara. O descendant of Bharata, they arrived there as soon as they were recollected. The Lord only could see them and they were kept above along with Pradyumna (1-6).

Thereupon at Krishna's mandate, war-bugles, Jalaja, Muraja and other musical instruments were sounded. O descendant of Bharata, Sāmva and Gada arranged the soldiers in the shape of a Makara. Shārana, Uddhava, Vaitarana of Bhoja's race, the virtuous Anādhrishti, Viprithu, Prithu, Kritavarmā, Sudangsthra, Vichakshu, the grinder of enemies, the pious Sanatkumar and Chārudeshna began to help Aniruddha and protect the rear of the army (7-10). O thou the glory of thy race, the remaining portion of the Yadava army, consisting of cars, elephants, horses and men, remained in battle-array. Adorned with crowns, head-gears, bracelets and other ornaments and armed with various weapons, the Dānavas too, dreadful in battle, came out of Shatpura, emitting a roar like the muttering of clouds, on asses, elephants, crocodiles, hares, horses, buffaloes, lions and tortoises. Many of their cars were drawn by those animals. O king, as the lord of gods issues out at the head of the celestial host so Nikumbha came out at the head of that Asura army setting up a noise like the muttering of clouds produced by the sound of trumpets, rattle of car wheels, and the blowing of conches (11-16). Sending up again and again shouts of various sorts and leonine roars the highly powerful Dānavas filled the earth and sky with them. O Janamejaya, the soldiers of the Chedi and other kings were bent upon assisting the Asuras with great care. O heroic king, amongst the followers of the Chedi king Shishupāla, the hundred brothers headed by Duryodhana stood there with their cars, making a great rattle and coursing quickly like unto the city of Gandharva. Making up their mind to fight and moving their beautiful bows like unto two palm trees Rukshmi and Ahvati joined them. With a view to fight with the Yadavas and acquire victory the king Bhagadatta, Shalya, Shakuni, Jarāsandha, Trigarta, Virāta, Uttara and the Asuras headed by Nikumbha got themselves ready for the encounter (17–22).

Thereupon when in battle Nikumbha began to assail the dreadful army of the Bhaimas with arrows like serpents, Anādhristhi, the commander-in-chief of the Yadu army, could not bear it. He too, with shafts, adorned with variegated feathers and whetted on stone, began to slay the enemy's army (23–24). At that time when everything was covered with arrows, Nikumbha, his chariot, standard and horses became invisible. Seeing it the heroic Nikumbha, the fore most of those possessed of illusive powers, was filled with anger. And he, by his illusive powers, startled the Bhaima chief Anādhristhi (25–26). Resorting to his illusive powers, bewildering Anadhristhi and bringing him to the cave named Shatpura the heroic Nikumbha imprisoned him there. And returning again to the battle-field, he, by his illusive powers, took there Kritavarmā, Chārudeshna, Vaitarana of Bhoja's race, Sanatkumār, Jāmvavati’s son Arksha, Nishatha, Ulmuku and numerous other Yādavas (27–29). O king, when he led the Yadavas to the dreadful cave of Shatpura he so covered himself by his illusive powers that no body could see him. Beholding that fearful onslaught of the Bhaimas the Lord Krishna, Baladeva, Sātyaki, Sāmva, the slayer of inimical heroes, the irrepressible Aniruddha and numerous other Bhaimas, especially Pradyumna, were greatly filled with anger (30-32).

Thereupon, O king, setting string to his Srānga bow and shooting arrows the holder of the Srānga (Krishna) began to move about amongst the Dānavas as the god of fire ranges on grass (33). Seeing him, taking up thousands of Sataghnis, Parighas, fiery lances, burning axes, dreadful rocks, and huge stones and throwing up infuriated elephants, cars and horses the Danavas ran towards the effulgent god as the locusts, drawn by the noose of Death, run towards the burning fire. However, O hero, Narayana-fire consumed all those things. And smiling the highly effulgent Yadu chief, the slayer of his enemies and the benefactor of the world, baffled them all with the fire of his arrows. And as a bull suffers the downpour of rain in the autumn so he bore the shower of their arrows. In this way, when the battle continued for some time the Asuras could not withstand the arrows shot off Nārāyan's bow as a sandy bridge cannot stand showers (34–39). O descendant of Bharata, as the bulls cannot stand before the five-mouthed god Siva with his mouths wide open so the Asuras could not stand before Krishna (40).

O Janamejaya, while thus slain by Nārāyana Krishna the Asuras, stricken with fear, rose up into the sky. O Lord, as soon as they rose up into the sky Jayanta and Pravara killed them all with arrows burning like fire (41–42). At that time the heads of the Asuras, fell down on earth like palm fruits from the tree (43). Like five headed serpents killed by Time the arms of the Daityas dropped on the surface of the earth (44). Having created another dreadful illusory cave for the destruction of the Kshatriyas the heroic and virtuous son of Rukshmini imperceptibly came out by the route by which Gada, Shārana, Shatha, Shāmva and other heroes had entered there. As soon he came out the powerful son of Krishna began to assail Nikumbha, although careful, who was ranging hither and thither in front of the battle-field (45–47). Thereupon, O king, resounding the cave with his leonine shouts he said to the king Duryodhana, Virat, Drupada, Shakuni, Shalya, Neela, Bhishma, Vinda, Anuvinda, Jarāsandha, the kings of Trigarta and Mālava, the highly powerful Vāsālyas, Dhristadyumna and other princes of the Panchala country, conversant with the use of arms, Ahvriti, his uncle Rukshmi, emperor Shishupala, and Bhagadatta:—"O kings, in consideration of your superior position and relationship with me I am not throwing you into this dreadful cave. Even the intelligent, trident-handed God of bel leaves and water has ordered me to throw you all into this cave. I shall exert my best to release the Yādavas who have been imprisoned by the highly powerful Nikumbha resorting to his Shamvari Māyā (48–54)".

Thus addressed the Commander-in-Chief of the kings, Shishupāla struck the Bhaimas, especially Pradyumna, with arrows. Thereupon saluting Siva Rukshmini’s son began to pierce the emperor Shishupāla. In the meantime taking up a thousand of nooses, the foremost of Siva's ghostly followers Nandi came there and said to the highly powerful and heroic son of Rukshmini. "O descendant of Yadu, Vilwodakeshwara (Siva) has ordered you to do what he had told you in the night. Bind these kings with nooses who have been bribed with jewels for the maidens. To release them also depends on you. O hero, O you of large arms, destroy all the Asuras leaving none behind. And communicate this news to Janārddana (55–60)."

O descendant of Kuru, thereupon binding the king Bhagadatta, Shishupāla, Ahvati, Rukshmi and other kings, like hissing serpents, with the nooses given by Hara Rukshmini’s son, endued with most excellent energy, took them all to the illusory cave. O descendant of Bharata, having kept there his own son Aniruddha as the guard of the cave, Yadu's descendant Pradyumna took away the elephants, horses and cars of the Kshatriyas and put the remaining commanders and guards in charge of treasury in chain. O lord, thereupon when Krishna’s son was ready to slay the Asuras, he, with the coat of mail on, said to Brahmadatta, the foremost of the twice-born "See, Dhananjaya has undertaken to help you. You have no fear. Celebrate your work with a confident heart. O foremost of the twice-born, when the Pandavas have been engaged as your protectors you need not fear the gods, Asuras or any other beings. The Asuras have not been able to touch your daughters even with their mind; see, by my illusory powers I have kept them in the sacrificial ground (61–68)."

Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh

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அக்ரூரன் அக்னி அங்கிரஸ் அசமஞ்சன் அதிதி அதிரதன் அநிருத்தன் அந்தகன் அரிஷ்டன் அருந்ததி அர்ஜுனன் அனு அஜபார்ஷன் அஜமீடன் அஸ்தி ஆபவர் ஆயு ஆரியா தேவி ஆஹுகன் இந்திரன் இளை உக்ரசேனன் உக்ராயுதன் உசீநரன் உதங்கர் உத்தவர் உபரிசரவசு உமை உல்பணன் உஷை ஊர்வசி ஊர்வர் ஏகலவ்யன் ஔர்வர் கக்ஷேயு கங்கை கசியபர் கண்டரீகர் கண்டாகர்ணன் கண்டூகன் கதன் கபிலர் கமலாதேவி கம்ஸன் கருடன் கர்க்கர் கர்ணன் காதி காந்திதேவி கார்த்தவீர்யார்ஜுனன் காலநேமி காலயவனன் காலவர் காளியன் கிருஷ்ணன் குசிகன் குணகன் குணவதி கும்பாண்டன் குரோஷ்டு குவலயாபீடம் குவலாஷ்வன் கூனி கைசிகன் கைடபன் கோடவி சகடாசுரன் சக்ரதேவன் சங்கன் சததன்வன் சத்யகர்ணன் சத்யகர்மன் சத்யபாமா சத்ருக்னன் சத்வதன் சந்தனு சந்திரவதி சந்திரன் சம்பரன் சரஸ்வதி சனத்குமாரர் சன்னதி சாணூரன் சாத்யகி சாந்தீபனி சாம்பன் சால்வன் சிசுபாலன் சித்திரலேகை சித்திராங்கதன் சிருகாலன் சிவன் சுக்ரன் சுசீமுகி சுநாபன் சுனீதன் சூரன் சூரியன் சைசிராயணர் சௌதி டிம்பகன் தக்ஷன் தசரதன் தந்தவக்ரன் தமகோஷன் தரதன் தன்வந்தரி தாரை திதி திதிக்ஷு திரிசங்கு திரிவிக்ரை திருமிலன் திரையாருணன் திலீபன் திவோதாஸன் துந்து துந்துமாரன் துருவன் துர்வாசர் துஷ்யந்தன் தூம்ரவர்ணன் தேவகன் தேவகி தேவாவ்ருதன் தேனுகன் நந்தன் நந்தி நரகாசுரன் நரசிம்மன் நஹுஷன் நாரதர் நாராயணன் நாராயணி நிகும்பன் நிசுந்தன் நித்ராதேவி நீபன் பஞ்சஜனன் பத்மாவதி பத்ரன் பப்ரு பயோதன் பரசுராமர் பரதன் பரத்வாஜர் பலராமன் பலி பாணன் பார்வதி பானு பானுமதி பிரதீபன் பிரத்யும்னன் பிரபாவதி பிரமர்த்தனன் பிரம்மதத்தன் பிரம்மன் பிரலம்பன் பிரவரன் பிரஸேனன் பிரஹலாதன் பிராசேதஸ் பிராப்தி பிருது பிருதை பிருஹதாஷ்வன் பிருஹஸ்பதி பீஷ்மகன் பீஷ்மர் புதன் புரூரவன் பூதனை பூமாதேவி பூரு பூஜனி பௌண்டரகன் மதிராதேவி மது மதுமதி மயன் மனு மஹாமாத்ரன் மாயாதேவி மாயாவதி மார்க்கண்டேயர் மித்ரஸஹர் முசுகுந்தன் முரு முருகன் முஷ்டிகன் யசோதை யது யயாதி யுதிஷ்டிரன் ரஜி ராமன் ருக்மவதி ருக்மி ருக்மிணி ரேவதி ரைவதன் ரோஹிணி லவணன் வசிஷ்டர் வராகம் வருணன் வஜ்ரநாபன் வஸு வஸுதேவன் வாமனன் வாயு விகத்ரு விசக்ரன் விதர்ப்பன் விப்ராஜன் விப்ருது வியாசர் விரஜை விருஷ்ணி விஷ்ணு விஷ்வாசி விஷ்வாமித்ரர் விஷ்வாவஸு விஸ்வகர்மன் வேனன் வைசம்பாயனர் வைவஸ்வத மனு ஜயந்தன் ஜராசந்தன் ஜனமேஜயன் ஜனார்த்தனன் ஜஹ்னு ஜாம்பவான் ஜியாமோகன் ஜ்வரம் ஸகரன் ஸத்யபாமா ஸத்யவிரதன் ஸத்ராஜித் ஸத்வான் ஸஹஸ்ரதன் ஸ்ரீதாமன் ஸ்ரீதேவ ஸ்வேதகர்ணன் ஹம்சன் ஹயக்ரீவன் ஹரி ஹரியஷ்வன் ஹரிஷ்சந்திரன் ஹிரண்யகசிபு ஹிரண்யாக்ஷன்