०८६

साल्वो भैष्मीविवाहे यदुबलविजितश्चन्द्रचूडाद्विमानं
विन्दन्सौभं स मायी त्वयि वसति कुरूंस्त्वत्पुरीमभ्यभाङ्क्षीत् ।
प्रद्युम्नस्तं निरुन्धन्नखिलयदुभटैर्न्यग्रहीदुग्रवीर्यं
तस्यामात्यं द्युमन्तं व्यजनि च समरस्सप्तविंशत्यहान्तः ॥ ८६१॥

साल्वो भैष्मीविवाहे यदुबलविजितश्चन्द्रचूडाद्विमानं
विन्दन्सौभं स मायी त्वयि वसति कुरूंस्त्वत्पुरीमभ्यभाङ्क्षीत् ।
प्रद्युम्नस्तं निरुन्धन्नखिलयदुभटैर्न्यग्रहीदुग्रवीर्यं
तस्यामात्यं द्युमन्तं व्यजनि च समरस्सप्तविंशत्यहान्तः ॥ ८६१॥

During Thy sojourn in Indraprastha, Thy city, Dwaraka, was invaded by Salva, who after tasting defeat by the Yadava army during the wedding of Rukmini, had obtained from Lord Siva, an aerial vehicle by name Saubha, and was also endowed with magical powers. Pradyumna, with the entire Yadava army, repelled the attack and, in the ensuing battle that lasted for 27 days, killed his (Salva’s) powerful minister, Dyuman.

तावत्त्वं रामशाली त्वरितमुपगतः खण्डितप्रायसैन्यं
सौभेशं तं न्यरुन्धाः स च किल गदया शार्ङ्गमभ्रंशयत्ते ।
मायातातं व्यहिंसीदपि तव पुरतस्तत्त्वयापि क्षणार्धं
नाज्ञायीत्याहुरेके तदिदमवमतं व्यास एव न्यषेधीत् ॥ ८६२॥

तावत्त्वं रामशाली त्वरितमुपगतः खण्डितप्रायसैन्यं
सौभेशं तं न्यरुन्धाः स च किल गदया शार्ङ्गमभ्रंशयत्ते ।
मायातातं व्यहिंसीदपि तव पुरतस्तत्त्वयापि क्षणार्धं
नाज्ञायीत्याहुरेके तदिदमवमतं व्यास एव न्यषेधीत् ॥ ८६२॥

Returning quickly to Dwaraka along with Balarama, Thou didst join battle with Salva. In that battle, when Salva knocked down Thy bow, Sarnga, with his mace, and, further, staged an illusive killing of Thy father, by killing a likeness of his, created by his magical powers, it is held by some that Thou wert, for a monment, taken aback; but, Sage Vyasa, has refuted this canard.

क्षिप्त्वा सौभं गदाचूर्णितमुदकनिधौ मङ्क्षु साल्वेऽपि चक्रे
णोत्कृत्ते दन्तवक्त्रः प्रसभमभिपतन्नभ्यमुञ्चद्गदां ते ।
कौमोदक्या हतोऽसावपि सुकृतनिधिश्चैद्यवत्प्रापदैक्यं
सर्वेषामेष पूर्वं त्वयि धृतमनसां मोक्षणार्थोऽवतारः ॥ ८६३॥

क्षिप्त्वा सौभं गदाचूर्णितमुदकनिधौ मङ्क्षु साल्वेऽपि चक्रे
णोत्कृत्ते दन्तवक्त्रः प्रसभमभिपतन्नभ्यमुञ्चद्गदां ते ।
कौमोदक्या हतोऽसावपि सुकृतनिधिश्चैद्यवत्प्रापदैक्यं
सर्वेषामेष पूर्वं त्वयि धृतमनसां मोक्षणार्थोऽवतारः ॥ ८६३॥

When, after pulverising the aerial vehicle, Saubha, with Thy mace and consigning the pieces to the sea, Thou didst quickly behead Salva with Thy disc, Dantavaktra attacked Thee by hitting Thee violently with his mace. Then, Thou didst, with Thy mace, kill him too, that repository of good deeds, and like Sisupala, he too attained union with Thee. The purpose of this incarnation of Thine as Krishna was the final deliverance of all those whose minds were set on Thee for long.

त्वय्यायातेऽथ जाते किल कुरुसदसि द्यूतके संयतायाः
क्रन्दन्त्या याज्ञसेन्याः सकरुणमकृथाश्चेलमालामनन्ताम् ।
अन्नान्तप्राप्तशर्वांशजमुनिचकितद्रौपदी चिन्तितोऽथ
प्राप्तश् शाकान्नमश्नन् मुनिगणमकृथास्तृप्तिमन्तं वनान्ते ॥ ८६४॥

त्वय्यायातेऽथ जाते किल कुरुसदसि द्यूतके संयतायाः
क्रन्दन्त्या याज्ञसेन्याः सकरुणमकृथाश्चेलमालामनन्ताम् ।
अन्नान्तप्राप्तशर्वांशजमुनिचकितद्रौपदी चिन्तितोऽथ
प्राप्तश् शाकान्नमश्नन् मुनिगणमकृथास्तृप्तिमन्तं वनान्ते ॥ ८६४॥

During Thy absence, (when Thou wert away in Dwaraka), a fraudulent game of dice took place in the Kaurava court, to which Draupadi was dragged by her tresses, weeping and wailing loudly. Then, Thou didst, out of great compassion, endow her with an endless garment (to foil her disrobing by Dussasana). Again, when Draupadi, finding herself in a predicament of being unable to provide food to Sage Durvasa (a part incarnation of Siva) who had arrived when the food had been exhausted, and fearing his curse, prayed to Thee for succour, Thou didst promptly reach her side and, by eating a bit of leaf left in the cooking vessel, assuage the hunger of Durvasa and the sages accompanying him.

युद्धोद्योगेऽथ मन्त्रे मिलति सति वृतः फल्गुनेन त्वमेकः
कौरव्ये दत्तसैन्यः करिपुरमगमो दूत्यकृत्पाण्डवार्थम् ।
भीष्मद्रोणादिमान्ये तव खलु वचने धिक्कृते कौरवेण
व्यावृण्वन्विश्वरूपं मुनिसदसि पुरीं क्षोभयित्वागतोऽभूः ॥ ८६५॥

युद्धोद्योगेऽथ मन्त्रे मिलति सति वृतः फल्गुनेन त्वमेकः
कौरव्ये दत्तसैन्यः करिपुरमगमो दूत्यकृत्पाण्डवार्थम् ।
भीष्मद्रोणादिमान्ये तव खलु वचने धिक्कृते कौरवेण
व्यावृण्वन्विश्वरूपं मुनिसदसि पुरीं क्षोभयित्वागतोऽभूः ॥ ८६५॥

Soon after, when consultations and preparations for the impending war were under way, granting Arjuna’s prayer for Thy assistance, Thou didst entrust the Yadava army to Duryodhana, and decide to steer Arjuna’s chariot without Thyself taking up arms. When, on Thy peace mission on behalf of the Pandavas to Hastinapura, Thy words were listened to with respect by Bhishma, Drona and others, but were spurned by Duryodhana, Thou didst reveal Thy Cosmic Form in that assembly of sages, and, thus, shaking the whole city, return to the Pandavas.

जिष्णोस्त्वं कृष्ण सूतः खलु समरमुखे बन्धुघाते दयालुं
खिन्नं तं वीक्ष्य वीरं किमिदमयि सखे नित्य एकोऽयमात्मा ।
को वध्यः कोऽत्र हन्ता तदिह वधभियं प्रोज्झ्य मय्यर्पितात्मा
धर्म्यं युद्धं चरेति प्रकृतिमनयथा दर्शयन्विश्वरूपम् ॥ ८६६॥

जिष्णोस्त्वं कृष्ण सूतः खलु समरमुखे बन्धुघाते दयालुं
खिन्नं तं वीक्ष्य वीरं किमिदमयि सखे नित्य एकोऽयमात्मा ।
को वध्यः कोऽत्र हन्ता तदिह वधभियं प्रोज्झ्य मय्यर्पितात्मा
धर्म्यं युद्धं चरेति प्रकृतिमनयथा दर्शयन्विश्वरूपम् ॥ ८६६॥

Then, O Krishna, in the capacity of Arjuna’s charioteer, seeing that warrior grief-stricken and dejected at the prospect of having to kill all these relations in the impending war, Thou didst impart to him the knowledge of the Ultimate Reality or Truth, in these words: “O friend, what are you grieving for ? This Soul is Eternal, One without a Second; it has neither birth nor death. That being the Reality, who is the slayer and who is the slain ? Hence, abandoning the notion of your killing your relations, and with your mind totally dedicated to me, get up and fight this righteous war and do your duty as a Kshatriya.” Thou didst, then, reveal to him Thy Cosmic Form, and thereby restored his equipoise.

भक्तोत्तंसेऽथ भीष्मे तव धरणिभरक्षेपकृत्यैकसक्ते
नित्यं नित्यं विभिन्दत्ययुतसमधिकं प्राप्तसादे च पार्थे ।
निश्शस्त्रत्वप्रतिज्ञां विजहदरिवरं धारयन्क्रोधशाली
वाधावन्प्राञ्जलिं तं नतशिरसमथो वीक्ष्य मोदादपागाः ॥ ८६७॥

भक्तोत्तंसेऽथ भीष्मे तव धरणिभरक्षेपकृत्यैकसक्ते
नित्यं नित्यं विभिन्दत्ययुतसमधिकं प्राप्तसादे च पार्थे ।
निश्शस्त्रत्वप्रतिज्ञां विजहदरिवरं धारयन्क्रोधशाली
वाधावन्प्राञ्जलिं तं नतशिरसमथो वीक्ष्य मोदादपागाः ॥ ८६७॥

When Bhishma, the foremost of Thy devotees, who was also desirous of executing Thy mission of mitigating the burden (of evil and injustice) on this earth, was killing more than 10,000 soldiers day by day, and when Arjuna had also become exhausted by the ferocity of the fighting, Thou didst charge towards Bhishma with Thy Sudarshana disc in hand, as if enraged, and at the sight of Bhishma standing with his head bowed and palms folded in submission to Thee, Thou didst withdraw in great joy. Thy happiness was due to the fact that, even though Thy vow (not to take up arms in the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas) was broken, Thou didst fulfil Thy devotee’s resolution that he would compel Thee to break Thy vow.

युद्धे द्रोणस्य हस्तिस्थिररणभगदत्तेरितं वैष्णवास्त्रं
वक्षस्याधत्त चक्रस्थगितरविमहाः प्रार्दयन्सिन्धुराजम् ।
नागास्त्रे कर्णमुक्ते क्षितिमवनमयन्केवलं कृत्तमौलिं
तत्रे तत्रापि पार्थं किमिव न हि भवान् पाण्डवानामकार्षीत् ॥ ८६८॥

युद्धे द्रोणस्य हस्तिस्थिररणभगदत्तेरितं वैष्णवास्त्रं
वक्षस्याधत्त चक्रस्थगितरविमहाः प्रार्दयन्सिन्धुराजम् ।
नागास्त्रे कर्णमुक्ते क्षितिमवनमयन्केवलं कृत्तमौलिं
तत्रे तत्रापि पार्थं किमिव न हि भवान् पाण्डवानामकार्षीत् ॥ ८६८॥

In the battle with Drona, Thou didst receive on Thy chest, the Narayana missile discharged by Bhagadatta (son of Narakasura, who was fighting on the Kaurava’s side firmly seated on the only four-tusked elephant that was allowed to remain with him in Thy battle against Narakasura) and thereby didst save Arjuna. By masking the sun’s rays with Thy disc (before sunset) Thou didst create the opportunity for Arjuna to kill Jayadratha (and, thereby, fulfil his vow). Again, when the Naga (serpent) missile, discharged by Karna, was speeding towards Arjuna’s head, Thou didst save Arjuna by pressing down with Thy foot Arjuna’s chariot, whereby Arjuna’s head was lowered below the path of the missile, which merely broke Arjuna’s crown, and his head was left unharmed. What, indeed, hast Thou not done for the Pandavas ?

युद्धादौ तीर्थगामी स खलु हलधरो नैमिशक्षेत्रमृच्छ
न्नप्रत्युत्थायिसूतक्षयकृदथ सुतं तत्पदे कल्पयित्वा ।
यज्ञघ्नं बल्वलं पर्वणि परिदलयन् स्नाततीर्थो रणान्ते
सम्प्राप्तो भीमदुर्योधनरणमशमं वीक्ष्य यातः पुरीन्ते ॥ ८६९॥

युद्धादौ तीर्थगामी स खलु हलधरो नैमिशक्षेत्रमृच्छ
न्नप्रत्युत्थायिसूतक्षयकृदथ सुतं तत्पदे कल्पयित्वा ।
यज्ञघ्नं बल्वलं पर्वणि परिदलयन् स्नाततीर्थो रणान्ते
सम्प्राप्तो भीमदुर्योधनरणमशमं वीक्ष्य यातः पुरीन्ते ॥ ८६९॥

Balarama, who had left on a pilgrimage at the commencement of the hostilities, visited the holy place of Naimisaranya, and, after killing a bard, (Suta) for failing to rise on his approach and show due respect to him, and installing his son in his place, he also killed the demon, Valkala, who used to hinder sacrifices every full moon and new moon day. After completing his pilgrimage, Balarama arrived in Kurukshetra towards the end of the war. The fight between Bhima and Duryodhana showing no signs of an early end, he repaired to Thy city, Dwaraka.

संसुप्तद्रौपदेयक्षपणहतधियं द्रौणिमेत्य त्वदुक्त्या
तन्मुक्तं ब्राह्ममस्त्रं समहृत विजयो मौलिरत्नं च जह्रे ।
उच्छित्त्यै पाण्डवानां पुनरपि च विशत्युत्तरागर्भमस्त्रे
रक्षन्नङ्गुष्ठमात्रः किल जठरमगाश्चक्रपाणिर्विभो त्वम् ॥ ८६१०॥

संसुप्तद्रौपदेयक्षपणहतधियं द्रौणिमेत्य त्वदुक्त्या
तन्मुक्तं ब्राह्ममस्त्रं समहृत विजयो मौलिरत्नं च जह्रे ।
उच्छित्त्यै पाण्डवानां पुनरपि च विशत्युत्तरागर्भमस्त्रे
रक्षन्नङ्गुष्ठमात्रः किल जठरमगाश्चक्रपाणिर्विभो त्वम् ॥ ८६१०॥

Confronting the wicked Aswatthama, who appeared to have lost his reason, because of the enormity of his dastardly act of massacre of Draupadi’s sons when they were asleep, Arjuna, in obedience to Thy command, checked and neutralised the Brahmastra discharged by Aswatthama, and, further, scooped out from his head, the jewel (with which he was born). When the powerful missile again discharged by Aswatthama, with the object of exterminating the Pandava clan, approached Uttara (who was carrying Abhimanyu’s child in her womb), Thou didst, with discus in hand, enter the womb of Uttara, assuming the size of a thumb, and protect the foetus.

धर्मौघं धर्मसूनोरभिदधदखिलं छन्दमृत्युः स भीष्म
स्त्वां पश्यन्भक्तिभूम्नैव हि सपदि ययौ निष्कलब्रह्मभूयम् ।
संयाज्याथाश्वमेधैस्त्रिभिरतिमहितैर्धर्मजं पूर्णकामं
सम्प्राप्तो द्वारकां त्वं पवनपुरपते पाहि मां सर्वरोगात् ॥ ८६११॥

धर्मौघं धर्मसूनोरभिदधदखिलं छन्दमृत्युः स भीष्म
स्त्वां पश्यन्भक्तिभूम्नैव हि सपदि ययौ निष्कलब्रह्मभूयम् ।
संयाज्याथाश्वमेधैस्त्रिभिरतिमहितैर्धर्मजं पूर्णकामं
सम्प्राप्तो द्वारकां त्वं पवनपुरपते पाहि मां सर्वरोगात् ॥ ८६११॥

Bhishma (who had been vested by his father, Santanu with the power to choose the moment of his death) instructed Yudhishtira in all the Dharmas (virtues, duties, etc) from his bed of arrows. Then, on beholding Thee before him, that great devotee of Thine attained the state of identity with the Supreme Brahman, through the intensity of his devotion to Thee. Thereafter, Thou didst cause Yudhishtira to perform three very exalted Aswamedha sacrifices, without any desire to reap the fruits thereof. Thou didst, then, return to Dwaraka. O Lord of Guruvayur, may Thou save me from all my ailments.