S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 10
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

 

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Canto 10: 'Summum Bonum'

 

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Chapter Seventy-seven: Lord Krishna Slays the Demon S'âlva

 

 

TEXT 1

s'rî-s'uka uvâca

sa upaspris'ya salilam

dams'ito dhrita-kârmukah

naya mâm dyumatah pârs'vam

vîrasyety âha sârathim

s'rî-s'ukah uvâca - S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said; sah - He (Pradyumna); upaspris'ya - touching; salilam - water; dams'itah - fastening His armor; dhrita - taking up; kârmukah - His bow; naya - take; mam - Me; dyumatah - of Dyumân; pârs'vam - to the side; vîrasya - of the hero; iti - thus; âha - He spoke; sârathim - to His driver.

TRANSLATION

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: After refreshing Himself with water, putting on His armor and picking up His bow, Lord Pradyumna told His driver, "Take Me back to where the hero Dyumân is standing."

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TEXT 2

vidhamantam sva-sainyâni

dyumantam rukminî-sutah

pratihatya pratyavidhyân

nârâcair ashthabhih smayan

vidhamantam - smashing; sva - His; sainyâni - soldiers; dyumantam - Dyumân; rukminî- sutah - the son of Rukminî (Pradyumna); pratihatya - counterattacking; pratyavidhyât - He struck back; nârâcaih - with special arrows made of iron; ashthabhih - eight; smayan - while smiling.

TRANSLATION

In Pradyumna's absence, Dyumân had been devastating His army, but now Pradyumna counterattacked Dyumân and, smiling, pierced him with eight nârâca arrows.

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TEXT 3

caturbhis' caturo vâhân

sûtam ekena câhanat

dvâbhyam dhanus' ca ketum ca

s'arenânyena vai s'irah

caturbhih - with four (arrows); caturah - four; vâhân - carriers; sûtam - the driver; ekena - with one; ca - and; ahanat - He struck; dvâbhyâm - with two; dhanuh - the bow; ca - and; ketum - the flag; ca - and; s'arena - with an arrow; anyena - another; vai - indeed; s'irah - the head.

TRANSLATION

With four of these arrows He struck Dyumân's four horses, with one arrow, his driver, with two more arrows, his bow and chariot flag, and with the last arrow, Dyumân's head.

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TEXT 4

gada-sâtyaki-sâmbâdyâ

jaghnuh saubha-pater balam

petuh samudre saubheyâh

sarve sañchinna-kandharâh

gada-sâtyaki-sâmba-âdyâh - Gada, Sâtyaki, Sâmba and others; jaghnuh - they killed; saubha-pateh - of the master of Saubha (S'âlva); balam - the army; petuh - they fell; samudre - into the ocean; saubheyâh - those who were standing inside Saubha; sarve - all; sañchinna - cut through; kandharâh - whose necks.

TRANSLATION

Gada, Sâtyaki, Sâmba and others began killing S'âlva's army, and thus all the soldiers inside the airship began falling into the ocean, their necks severed.

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TEXT 5

evam yadûnâm s'âlvânâm

nighnatâm itaretaram

yuddham tri-nava-râtram tad

abhût tumulam ulbanam

evam - thus; yadûnâm - of the Yadus; s'âlvânâm - and the followers of S'âlva; nighnatâm - striking; itara-itaram - one another; yuddham - fight; tri - three times; nava - nine; râtram - for nights; tat - that; abhût - was; tumulam - tumultuous; ulbanam - fearsome.

TRANSLATION

As the Yadus and S'âlva's followers thus went on attacking one another, the tumultuous, fearsome battle continued for twenty-seven days and nights.

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TEXTS 6 - 7

indraprastham gatah krishna

âhûto dharma-sûnunâ

râjasûye 'tha nivritte

s'is'upâle ca samsthite

 

kuru-vriddhân anujñâpya

munîms' ca sa-sutâm prithâm

nimittâny ati-ghorâni

pas'yan dvâravatîm yayau

indraprastham - to Indraprastha, the capital of the Pândavas; gatah - gone; krishnah - Lord Krishna; âhûtah - called; dharma-sûnunâ - by the son of Yamarâja, religion personified (King Yudhishthhira); râjasûye - the Râjasûya sacrifice; atha - then; nivritte - when it was complete; s'is'upâle - S'is'upâla; ca - and; samsthite - when he had been killed;

kuru-vriddhân - of the elders of the Kuru dynasty; anujñâpya - taking leave; munîn - of the sages; ca - and; sa - with; sutâm - her sons (the Pândavas); prithâm - of Queen Kuntî; nimittâni - bad omens; ati - very; ghorâni - terrible; pas'yan - seeing; dvâravatîm - to Dvârakâ; yayau - He went.

TRANSLATION

Invited by Yudhishthhira, the son of Dharma, Lord Krishna had gone to Indraprastha. Now that the Râjasûya sacrifice had been completed and S'is'upâla killed, the Lord began to see inauspicious omens. So He took leave of the Kuru elders and the great sages, and also of Prithâ and her sons, and returned to Dvârakâ.

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TEXT 8

âha câham ihâyâta

ârya-mis'râbhisangatah

râjanyâs' caidya-pakshîyâ

nûnam hanyuh purîm mama

âha - He said; ca - and; aham - I; iha - to this place (Indraprastha); âyâtah - having come; ârya - by My elder (brother Balarâma); mis'ra - the distinguished personality; abhisangatah - accompanied; râjanyâh - kings; caidya- pakshîyâh - siding with Caidya (S'is'upâla); nûnam - certainly; hanyuh - must be attacking; purîm - city; mama - My.

TRANSLATION

The Lord said to Himself: Because I have come here with My respected elder brother, kings partial to S'is'upâla may well be attacking My capital city.

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TEXT 9

vîkshya tat kadanam svânâm

nirûpya pura-rakshanam

saubham ca s'âlva-râjam ca

dârukam prâha kes'avah

vîkshya - seeing; tat - that; kadanam - destruction; svânâm - of His own men; nirûpya - arranging; pura - of the city; rakshanam - for protection; saubham - the vehicle Saubha; ca - and; s'âlva-râjam - the King of the S'âlva province; ca - and; dârukam - to Dâruka, His chariot driver; prâha - spoke; kes'avah - Lord Krishna.

TRANSLATION

[S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued:] After He arrived at Dvârakâ and saw how His people were threatened with destruction, and also saw S'âlva and his Saubha airship, Lord Kes'ava arranged for the city's defense and then addressed Dâruka as follows.

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TEXT 10

ratham prâpaya me sûta

s'âlvasyântikam âs'u vai

sambhramas te na kartavyo

mâyâvî saubha-râd ayam

ratham - chariot; prâpaya - bring; me - My; sûta - O driver; s'âlvasya - of S'âlva; antikam - into the proximity; âs'u - quickly; vai - indeed; sambhramah - bewilderment; te - by you; na kartavyah - should not be experienced; mâyâ-vî - a great magician; saubha-râth - lord of Saubha; ayam - this.

TRANSLATION

[Lord Krishna said:] O driver, quickly take My chariot near S'âlva. This lord of Saubha is a powerful magician; don't let him bewilder you.

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TEXT 11

ity uktas' codayâm âsa

ratham âsthâya dârukah

vis'antam dadris'uh sarve

sve pare cârunânujam

iti - thus; uktah - told; codayâm âsa - he drove forward; ratham - the chariot; âsthâya - taking control of it; dârukah - Dâruka; vis'antam - entering; dadris'uh - saw; sarve - everyone; sve - His own men; pare - the opposite party; ca - also; aruna-anujam - the younger brother of Aruna (Garuda, on Lord Krishna's flag).

TRANSLATION

Thus ordered, Dâruka took command of the Lord's chariot and drove forth. As the chariot entered the battlefield, everyone there, both friend and foe, caught sight of the emblem of Garuda.

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TEXT 12

s'âlvas' ca krishnam âlokya

hata-prâya-bales'varah

prâharat krishna-sûtaya

s'aktim bhîma-ravâm mridhe

s'âlvah - S'âlva; ca - and; krishnam - Lord Krishna; âlokya - seeing; hata - destroyed; prâya - virtually; bala - of an army; îs'varah - the master; prâharat - he cast; krishna-sûtâya - at Krishna's chariot driver; s'aktim - his spear; bhîma - frightening; ravâm - whose roaring sound; mridhe - on the battlefield.

TRANSLATION

When S'âlva, the master of a decimated army, saw Lord Krishna approaching, he hurled his spear at the Lord's charioteer. The spear roared frighteningly as it flew across the battlefield.

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TEXT 13

tâm âpatantîm nabhasi

maholkâm iva ramhasâ

bhâsayantîm dis'ah s'aurih

sâyakaih s'atadhâcchinat

tâm - that; âpatantîm - flying toward; nabhasi - in the sky; mahâ - great; ulkâm - a meteor; iva - like; ramhasâ - swiftly; bhâsayantîm - illuminating; dis'ah - the directions; s'aurih - Lord Krishna; sâyakaih - with His arrows; s'atadhâ - in hundreds of pieces; acchinat - cut.

TRANSLATION

S'âlva's hurtling spear lit up the whole sky like a mighty meteor, but Lord S'auri tore the great weapon into hundreds of pieces with His arrows.

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TEXT 14

tam ca shodas'abhir viddhvâ

bânaih saubham ca khe bhramat

avidhyac chara-sandohaih

kham sûrya iva ras'mibhih

tam - him, S'âlva; ca - and; shodas'abhih - with sixteen; viddhvâ - piercing; bânaih - arrows; saubham - Saubha; ca - also; khe - in the sky; bhramat - wandering; avidhyat - He struck; s'ara - of arrows; sandohaih - with torrents; kham - the sky; sûryah - the sun; iva - as; ras'mibhih - with its rays.

TRANSLATION

Lord Krishna then pierced S'âlva with sixteen arrows and struck the Saubha airship with a deluge of arrows as it darted about the sky. Firing His arrows, the Lord appeared like the sun flooding the heavens with its rays.

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TEXT 15

s'âlvah s'aures tu doh savyam

sa-s'ârngam s'ârnga-dhanvanah

bibheda nyapatad dhastâc

chârngam âsît tad adbhutam

s'âlvah - S'âlva; s'aureh - of Lord Krishna; tu - but; doh - the arm; savyam - left; sa - with; s'ârngam - the Lord's bow, called S'ârnga; s'ârnga-dhanvanah - of Him who is called S'ârnga-dhanvâ; bibheda - struck; nyapatat - fell; hastât - from His hand; s'ârngam - the S'ârnga bow; asît - was; tat - this; adbhutam - amazing.

TRANSLATION

S'âlva then managed to strike Lord Krishna's left arm, which held His bow S'ârnga, and, amazingly, S'ârnga fell from His hand.

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TEXT 16

hâhâ-kâro mahân âsîd

bhûtânâm tatra pas'yatâm

ninadya saubha-râd uccair

idam âha janârdanam

hâhâ-kârah - a cry of dismay; mahân - great; âsît - arose; bhûtânâm - among the living beings; tatra - there; pas'yatâm - who were witnessing; ninadya - roaring; saubha-râth - the lord of Saubha; uccaih - loudly; idam - this; âha - said; janârdanam - to Lord Krishna.

TRANSLATION

Those who witnessed this all cried out in dismay. Then the master of Saubha roared loudly and addressed Lord Janârdana.

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TEXTS 17 - 18

yat tvayâ mûdha nah sakhyur

bhrâtur bhâryâ hritekshatâm

pramattah sa sabhâ-madhye

tvayâ vyâpâditah sakhâ

 

tam tvâdya nis'itair bânair

aparâjita-mâninam

nayâmy apunar-âvrittim

yadi tishthher mamâgratah

yat - since; tvayâ - by You; mûdha - O fool; nah - our; sakhyuh - of the friend (S'is'upâla); bhrâtuh - of (Your) brother (or more exactly, cousin); bhâryâ - the bride; hritâ - taken away; îkshatâm - as (we) looked on; pramattah - inattentive; sah - he, S'is'upâla; sabhâ - the assembly (of the Râjasûya sacrifice); madhye - within; tvayâ - by You; vyâpâditah - killed; sakhâ - my friend;

tam tvâ - You Yourself; adya - today; nis'itaih - sharp; bânaih - with arrows; aparâjita - invincible; mâninam - who presume Yourself; nayâmi - I will send; apunah-âvrittim - to the realm of no return; yadi - if; tishthheh - You will stand; mama - of me; agratah - in front.

TRANSLATION

[S'âlva said:] You fool! Because in our presence You kidnapped the bride of our friend S'is'upâla, Your own cousin, and because You later murdered him in the sacred assembly while he was inattentive, today with my sharp arrows I will send You to the land of no return! Though You think Yourself invincible, I will kill You now if You dare stand before me.

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TEXT 19

s'rî-bhagavân uvâca

vrithâ tvam katthase manda

na pas'yasy antike 'ntakam

paurusam dars'ayanti sma

s'ûrâ na bahu-bhâshinah

s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Lord said; vrithâ - in vain; tvam - you; katthase - boast; manda - O dull one; na pas'yasi - you do not see; antike - near; antakam - death; paurusham - their prowess; dars'ayanti - demonstrate; sma - indeed; s'ûrâh - heroes; na - not; bahu - much; bhâshinah - speaking.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord said: O dullard, you boast in vain, since you fail to see death standing near you. Real heroes do not talk much but rather show their prowess in action.

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TEXT 20

ity uktvâ bhagavân' châlvam

gadayâ bhîma-vegayâ

tatâda jatrau samrabdhah

sa cakampe vamann asrik

iti - thus; uktvâ - speaking; bhagavân - the Lord; s'âlvam - S'âlva; gadayâ - with His club; bhîma - fearsome; vegayâ - whose force and speed; tatâda - struck; jatrau - on the collarbone; samrabdhah - infuriated; sah - he; cakampe - trembled; vaman - vomiting; asrik - blood.

TRANSLATION

Having said this, the furious Lord swung His club with frightening power and speed and hit S'âlva on the collarbone, making him tremble and vomit blood.

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TEXT 21

gadâyâm sannivrittâyâm

s'âlvas tv antaradhîyata

tato muhûrta âgatya

purushah s'irasâcyutam

devakyâ prahito 'smîti

natvâ prâha vaco rudan

gadâyâm - the club; sannivrittâyâm - when it was withdrawn; s'âlvah - S'âlva; tu - but; antaradhîyata - disappeared; tatah - then; muhûrte - after a moment; âgatya - coming; purushah - a man; s'irasâ - with his head; acyutam - to Lord Krishna; devakyâ - by mother Devakî; prahitah - sent; asmi - I am; iti - so saying; natvâ - bowing down; prâha - he spoke; vacah - these words; rudan - crying.

TRANSLATION

But as soon as Lord Acyuta withdrew His club, S'âlva disappeared from sight, and a moment later a man approached the Lord. Bowing his head down to Him, he announced, "Devakî has sent me," and, sobbing, spoke the following words.

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TEXT 22

krishna krishna mahâ-bâho

pitâ te pitri-vatsala

baddhvâpanîtah s'âlvena

saunikena yathâ pas'uh

krishna krishna - O Krishna, Krishna; mahâ-bâho - O mighty-armed one; pitâ - father; te - Your; pitri - to Your parents; vatsala - O You who are so affectionate; baddhvâ - being captured; apanîtah - taken away; s'âlvena - by S'âlva; saunikena - by a butcher; yathâ - as; pas'uh - a domestic animal.

TRANSLATION

[The man said:] O Krishna, Krishna, mighty-armed one, who are so affectionate to Your parents! S'âlva has seized Your father and taken him away, as a butcher leads an animal to slaughter.

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TEXT 23

nis'amya vipriyam krishno

mânusîm prakritim gatah

vimanasko ghrinî snehâd

babhâshe prâkrito yathâ

nis'amya - hearing; vipriyam - disturbing words; krishnah - Lord Krishna; mânushîm - humanlike; prakritim - a nature; gatah - having assumed; vimanaskah - unhappy; ghrinî - compassionate; snehât - out of love; babhâshe - He spoke; prâkritah - an ordinary person; yathâ - like.

TRANSLATION

When He heard this disturbing news, Lord Krishna, who was playing the role of a mortal man, showed sorrow and compassion, and out of love for His parents He spoke the following words like an ordinary conditioned soul.

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TEXT 24

katham râmam asambhrântam

jitvâjeyam surâsuraih

s'âlvenâlpîyasâ nîtah

pitâ me balavân vidhih

katham - how; râmam - Lord Balarâma; asambhrântam - never confused; jitvâ - defeating; ajeyam - undefeatable; sura - by demigods; asuraih - and demons; s'âlvena - by S'âlva; alpîyasâ - very small; nîtah - taken; pitâ - father; me - My; bala-vân - powerful; vidhih - fate.

TRANSLATION

[Lord Krishna said:] Balarâma is ever vigilant, and no demigod or demon can defeat Him. So how could this insignificant S'âlva defeat Him and abduct My father? Indeed, fate is all-powerful!

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TEXT 25

iti bruvâne govinde

saubha-râth pratyupasthitah

vasudevam ivânîya

krishnam cedam uvâca sah

iti - thus; bruvâne - saying; govinde - Lord Krishna; saubha-râth - the master of Saubha (S'âlva); pratyupasthitah - came forward; vasudevam - Vasudeva, Lord Krishna's father; iva - as if; ânîya - leading; krishnam - to Lord Krishna; ca - and; idam - this; uvâca - said; sah - he.

TRANSLATION

After Govinda spoke these words, the master of Saubha again appeared, apparently leading Vasudeva before the Lord. S'âlva then spoke as follows.

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TEXT 26

esha te janitâ tâto

yad-artham iha jîvasi

vadhishye vîkshatas te 'mum

îs'as' cet pâhi bâlis'a

eshah - this; te - Your; janitâ - father who begot You; tâtah - dear; yat-artham - for whose sake; iha - in this world; jîvasi - You live; vadhishye - I shall kill; vîkshatah te - as You witness; amum - him; îs'ah - able; cet - if; pâhi - save him; bâlis'a - O childish one.

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TEXT 27

evam nirbhartsya mâyâvî

khadgenânakadundubheh

utkritya s'ira âdâya

kha-stham saubham samâvis'at

evam - thus; nirbhartsya - mocking; mâyâ-vî - the magician; khadgena - with his sword; ânakadundubheh - of S'rî Vasudeva; utkritya - cutting off; s'irah - the head; âdâya - taking it; kha - in the sky; stham - situated; saubham - Saubha; samâvis'at - he entered.

TRANSLATION

After he had mocked the Lord in this way, the magician S'âlva appeared to cut off Vasudeva's head with his sword. Taking the head with him, he entered the Saubha vehicle, which was hovering in the sky.

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TEXT 28

tato muhûrtam prakritâv upaplutah

sva-bodha âste sva-janânushangatah

mahânubhâvas tad abudhyad âsurîm

mâyâm sa s'âlva-prasritâm mayoditâm

tatah - then; muhûrtam - for a moment; prakritau - in ordinary (human) nature; upaplutah - absorbed; sva-bodhah - (although) fully self-cognizant; âste - He remained; sva-jana - for His dear ones; anushangatah - due to His affection; mahâ-anubhâvah - the possessor of great powers of perception; tat - that; abudhyat - recognized; âsurîm - demoniac; mâyâm - the illusory magic; sah - He; s'âlva - by S'âlva; prasritâm - utilized; maya - by Maya Dânava; uditâm - developed.

TRANSLATION

By nature Lord Krishna is full in knowledge, and He possesses unlimited powers of perception. Yet for a moment, out of great affection for His loved ones, He remained absorbed in the mood of an ordinary human being. He soon recalled, however, that this was all a demoniac illusion engineered by Maya Dânava and employed by S'âlva.

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TEXT 29

na tatra dûtam na pituh kalevaram

prabuddha âjau samapas'yad acyutah

svâpnam yathâ câmbara-cârinam ripum

saubha-stham âlokya nihantum udyatah

na - not; tatra - there; dûtam - the messenger; na - nor; pituh - of His father; kalevaram - the body; prabuddhah - alert; âjau - on the battlefield; samapas'yat - saw; acyutah - Lord Krishna; svâpnam - in a dream; yathâ - like; ca - and; ambara - in the sky; cârinam - moving; ripum - His enemy (S'âlva); saubha- stham - sitting in the Saubha plane; âlokya - seeing; nihantum - to kill him; udyatah - He prepared.

TRANSLATION

Now alert to the actual situation, Lord Acyuta saw before Him on the battlefield neither the messenger nor His father's body. It was as if He had awakened from a dream. Seeing His enemy flying above Him in his Saubha plane, the Lord then prepared to kill him.

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TEXT 30

evam vadanti râjarshe

rishayah ke ca nânvitâh

yat sva-vâco virudhyeta

nûnam te na smaranty uta

evam - so; vadanti - say; râja-rishe - O sage among kings (Parîkchit); rishayah - sages; ke ca - some; na - not; anvitâh - reasoning correctly; yat - since; sva - their own; vâcah - words; virudhyeta - are contradicted; nûnam - for certain; te - they; na smaranti - do not remember; uta - indeed.

TRANSLATION

Such is the account given by some sages, O wise King, but those who speak in this illogical way are contradicting themselves, having forgotten their own previous statements.

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TEXT 31

kva s'oka-mohau sneho vâ

bhayam vâ ye 'jña-sambhavâh

kva câkhandita-vijñâna-

jñânais'varyas tv akhanditah

kva - where; s'oka - lamentation; mohau - and bewilderment; snehah - material affection; vâ - or; bhayam - fear; vâ - or; ye - those which; ajñâ - out of ignorance; sambhavâh - born; kva ca - and where, on the other hand; akhandita - infinite; vijñâna - whose perception; jñâna - knowledge; ais'varyah - and power; tu - but; akhanditah - the infinite Supreme Lord.

TRANSLATION

How can lamentation, bewilderment, material affection or fear, all born out of ignorance, be ascribed to the infinite Supreme Lord, whose perception, knowledge and power are all similarly infinite?

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TEXT 32

yat-pâda-sevorjitayâtma-vidyayâ

hinvanty anâdyâtma-viparyaya-graham

labhanta âtmîyam anantam ais'varam

kuto nu mohah paramasya sad-gateh

yat - whose; pâda - of the feet; sevâ - by service; ûrjitayâ - made strong; âtma- vidyayâ - by self-realization; hinvanti - they dispel; anâdi - beginningless; âtma - of the self; viparyaya-graham - the misidentification; labhante - they attain; âtmîyam - in a personal relationship with Him; anantam - eternal; ais'varam - glory; kutah - how, nu - indeed; mohah - bewilderment; paramasya - for the Supreme; sat - of saintly devotees; gateh - the destination.

TRANSLATION

By virtue of self-realization fortified by service rendered to His feet, devotees of the Lord dispel the bodily concept of life, which has bewildered the soul since time immemorial. Thus they attain eternal glory in His personal association. How, then, can that Supreme Truth, the destination of all genuine saints, be subject to illusion?

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TEXT 33

tam s'astra-pûgaih praharantam ojasâ

s'âlvam s'araih s'aurir amogha-vikramah

viddhvâcchinad varma dhanuh s'iro-manim

saubham ca s'atror gadayâ ruroja ha

tam - Him; s'astra - of weapons; pûgaih - with torrents; praharantam - attacking; ojasâ - with great force; s'âlvam - S'âlva; s'araih - with His arrows; s'aurih - Lord Krishna; amogha - never exhibited in vain; vikramah - whose prowess; viddhvâ - piercing; acchinat - He broke; varma - the armor; dhanuh - the bow; s'irah - on the head; manim - the jewel; saubham - the Saubha vehicle; ca - and; s'atroh - of His enemy; gadayâ - with His club; ruroja - He broke; ha - indeed.

TRANSLATION

While S'âlva continued to hurl torrents of weapons at Him with great force, Lord Krishna, whose prowess never fails, shot His arrows at S'âlva, wounding him and shattering his armor, bow and crest jewel. Then with His club the Lord smashed His enemy's Saubha airship.

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TEXT 34

tat krishna-hasteritayâ vicûrnitam

papâta toye gadayâ sahasradhâ

visrijya tad bhû-talam âsthito gadâm

udyamya s'âlvo 'cyutam abhyagâd drutam

tat - that (Saubha); krishna-hasta - by Lord Krishna's hand; îritayâ - wielded; vicûrnitam - shattered; papâta - it fell; toye - into the water; gadayâ - by the club; sahasradhâ - into thousands of pieces; visrijya - abandoning; tat - it; bhû- talam - on the ground; âsthitah - standing; gadâm - his club; udyamya - taking up; s'âlvah - S'âlva; acyutam - Lord Krishna; abhyagât - attacked; drutam - swiftly.

TRANSLATION

Shattered into thousands of pieces by Lord Krishna's club, the Saubha airship plummeted into the water. S'âlva abandoned it, stationed himself on the ground, took up his club and rushed toward Lord Acyuta.

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TEXT 35

âdhâvatah sa-gadam tasya bâhum

bhallena chittvâtha rathângam adbhutam

vadhâya s'âlvasya layârka-sannibham

bibhrad babhau sârka ivodayâcalah

âdhâvatah - running toward Him; sa-gadam - carrying his club; tasya - his; bâhum - arm; bhallena - with a special kind of arrow; chittvâ - severing; atha - then; ratha-angam - His disc weapon; adbhutam - wonderful; vadhâya - for the killing; s'âlvasya - of S'âlva; laya - at the time of universal annihilation; arka - the sun; sannibham - exactly resembling; bibhrat - holding; babhau - He shone; sa-arkah - together with the sun; iva - as if; udaya - of the sunrise; acalah - the mountain.

TRANSLATION

As S'âlva rushed at Him, the Lord shot a bhalla dart and cut off his arm that held the club. Having finally decided to kill S'âlva, Krishna then raised His Sudars'ana disc weapon, which resembled the sun at the time of universal annihilation. The brilliantly shining Lord appeared like the easternmost mountain bearing the rising sun.

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TEXT 36

jahâra tenaiva s'irah sa-kundalam

kirîtha-yuktam puru-mâyino harih

vajrena vritrasya yathâ purandaro

babhûva hâheti vacas tadâ nrinâm

jahâra - He removed; tena - with it; eva - indeed; s'irah - the head; sa - with; kundalam - earrings; kirîtha - crown; yuktam - wearing; puru - vast; mâyinah - of the possessor of magical powers; harih - Lord Krishna; vajrena - with his thunderbolt weapon; vritrasya - of Vritrâsura; yathâ - as; purandarah - Lord Indra; babhûva - there arose; hâ-hâ iti - "alas, alas"; vacah - voices; tadâ - then; nrinâm - of (S'âlva's) men.

TRANSLATION

Employing His disc, Lord Hari removed that great magician's head with its earrings and crown, just as Purandara had used his thunderbolt to cut off Vritra's head. Seeing this, all of S'âlva's followers cried out, "Alas, alas!"

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TEXT 37

tasmin nipatite pâpe

saubhe ca gadayâ hate

nedur dundubhayo râjan

divi deva-ganeritâh

sakhînâm apacitim kurvan

dantavakro rushâbhyagât

tasmin - he; nipatite - having fallen; pâpe - sinful; saubhe - the Saubha vehicle; ca - and; gadayâ - by the club; hate - being destroyed; neduh - there resounded; dundubhayah - kettledrums; râjan - O King (Parîkchit); divi - in the sky; deva- gana - by groups of demigods; îritâh - played; sakhînâm - for his friends; apacitim - revenge; kurvan - intending to carry out; dantavakrah - Dantavakra; rûshâ - angrily; abhyagât - ran forward.

TRANSLATION

With the sinful S'âlva now dead and his Saubha airship destroyed, the heavens resounded with kettledrums played by groups of demigods. Then Dantavakra, wanting to avenge the death of his friends, furiously attacked the Lord.

 

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