CHAPTER CLIV
(THE DESTRUCTION OF VAJRANABHA)
Vaishampāyana said:—Thereupon after the sun, the eye of the world, had risen for three Muhurttas the deity Hari came there riding on Garuda, the enemy of the serpents (1). O descendant of Kuru, the king of birds Garuda, coursing more quickly than even the swans, air and the wind, went to Sakra in the etherial region (2). Coming near Vāsava, the lord Krishna duly blew the conch Panchajunya which increased the fear of the Daityas (3). Hearing that sound Pradyumna, the slayer of his enemies, came near His father Keshava who said to him "Speedily kill Vajraalbha" (4). Afterwards he again said to him "Go there on Garuda's back" Saluting the foremost of celestials Indra and Upendra he did so. O emperor Bhārata, riding on Garuda, fleet like the mind Pradyumna approached his great rival Vajranābha (5–6). Seated on Garuda firmly the the heroic Pradyumna, well read in the use of all weapons, struck Vajranābha (7). The highly powerful Vrajranābha was wounded on the breast with a club by the high-souled Krishna's son seated on Garuda. That Daitya hero, sorely mailed by Pradyumna with his club, lost consciousness; and bewildered like one dead he vomitted blood again and again (9). Thereat Krishna's son, irrepressible in battle, told him "Be consoled". Thereupon on regaining his consciousness in a moment the heroic Vajranabha said to Pradyumna:—"Well done! Oh highly powerful Yadava. By your prowess you have become an illustrious enemy of mine. Now is the time for me to strike you in return; wait here firmly (10-11)." Saying this and roaring like a hundred clouds the king of Daityas discharged, with great force, a huge club adorned with bells. (12). O king wounded sorely on his forehead with that club that foremost of Yadus, Pradyumna, vomitted blood and lost his conciousness (13). Seeing it the divine Krishna, the slayer of his enemies, blew his Panchajanya conch as if consoling his son. At the sound of that Panchanjanya bow the highly powerful Pradyumna revived and stood up. O Bhārata, beholding Pradyumna consoled, all the worlds especially Indra and Keshava were greatly delighted (14-15).
O Janamejaya, afterwards according to Krishna's desire his discus, set with thousands of sharpened axles and destructive of the Daityas, came into the hand of his son. Saluting the high souled Indra and Upendra he discharged it for destroying his enemy. O Bhārata, that discus, discharged by Nārāyana’s son, separated Vajranābha's head from his body before the very presence of the Daityas (16–18). The dreadful Sunābha, bent upon killing his enemies and taking delight in battles, was killed by Gada in the battle-field although he was very careful. With sharpened arrows Shāmva, the aggrandiser of his enemies, converted in the battle-field, the enemies of the immortals into the family members of Yama. After the destruction of the great Asura Vajranābha, Nikumbha, in fear of Nārāyana, fled to the city of Shatpura (19–21).
In this way, after the irrepressible enemy of the gods, Vajranabha had been slain, the two high-souled Haris came down to the city of Vajra (22). Having consoled the boys and old persons stricken with fear those two foremost of celestials established peace there (23). O king, thereupon following Vrihaspati's advice and consulting (with him) about the present and future (arrangements) the highly powerful and great Indra and Upendra divided Vajranābha's kingdom into four parts. O king, one-fourth of that kingdom, gained by conquest, was given to Jayanta's son Vijaya, one-fourth to Pradyumna's son, one-fourth to Shāmva's son and the remaining one-fourth to Gada's son Chandraprabha (24–26). O king, with great pleasure Sakra and Keshava divided into four parts also the four koti villages and one thousand prosperous branch cities like the town of Vajra of the kingdom of Vajranābha. O hero, the heroic Vāsava and Keshava also divided, into four parts, various warm clothings, deer-skin, cloths and jewels (27–28). Thereupon those heroic kings, the great descendants of Sakra and Mādhava, were annointed there before the Rishis by the gods Sakra and Krishna with the water of Gangā issuing from Vishnu's feet, accompanied with the music of celestial bugles (29–30). Vijaya, from before, could range in the etherial region, Mādhava's descendants, on account of the virtues inherited from their mother, practised it also (31).
Having thus installed them all the Divine Vāsava said to Jayanta "O heroic victor of armies, it behoves you to protect all these kings. O sinless one, of them one is a perpetuator of my race and the other three are born in the family of Keshava. By my command none amongst creatures will be able to kill them. They will acquire practice of going to the celestial region and Dwarakā protected by the Bhaimas through the etherial way. Give them, as they like, elephants born from those of the quarter, horses born from the race of Ucchaisrava and chariots constructed by the celestial Architect himself (32–35). O hero, give Gada and Shāmva two sons of the elephant Airavata capable of coursing in the sky named Shatrunjaya and Ripunjaya by which these two Bhaimas may come here by the etherial way for seeing their sons and may return to the city of Dwaravati protected by the Bhaimas" (36–37).
Having issued this command the divine Purandara returned to the celestial city and the Lord Keshava to Dwarakā (38). The highly powerful Pradyumna, Gada and Shāmva waited there for six months. And after the kingdoms of their sons had been firmly established they returned to Dwārakā (39). O immortal-like king, those kingdoms still exist by the side of the mount Sumeru and will flourish so long the world subsists (40). After the termination of the war of clubs and the departure of the Vrishnis to the celestial region Gada, Pradyumna and Shāmva repaired to the city of Vajra (41). O king, after living there for a long time, they, by their respective virtuous deeds and the favour of Janārddana, the Creator of the world, again returned to the celestial region. O king, I have thus described the history of Pradyumna. It showers blessings, fame and long life and destroys the enemies. Dwaipayana has said that the sons and grandsons, of the persons who reads or hears it, become freed from diseases and multiply riches and health. He also attains to great fame (42-44).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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