Parva 2 Chapter 106: shambaravadhe nāradavākyam - nārada's message

vaiśampāyana said: O the lord of earth (janamejaya)! Then the angry shambara told his charioteer: O valiant! Take my chariot quickly towards the enemy. yāvadenaṁ sharairhanmi mama vipriyakārakam | With these arrows I shall kill the one who does what I do not like. tato bhartṛvacaḥ śrutvā sūtastatpriyakārakaḥ ||2-106-2 rathaṁ saṁchodayāmāsa cāmīkaravibhūṣitam | Then hearing the words of his master, the charioteer, who does what his master likes, drove the chariot decorated with gold. taṁ dṛṣtvā rathamāyāntam pradyumnaḥ phullalocanaḥ ||2-106-3 sandadhe cāpamādāya śaraṁ kanakabhūṣitam | Seeing that chariot approaching, pradyumna, with his eyes wide open, took up his bow and fixed an arrow decorated with gold. tenāhanatsusaṅkruddhaḥ kopayaṣśambaraṁ raṇe ||2-106-4 He shot the arrow so that shambara will get angry in the battle. hṛdaye tāḍitastena devaśatruḥ suviklavaḥ | rathaśaktiṁ samāśritya tasthau so'tha vichetanaḥ ||2-106-5 That enemy of deva-s (shambara) took up that arrow aimed at his heart with distress. He lost his consciousness and stood leaning on the chariot's flagstaff (see nīlakaṇṭha commentary). sa chetanāṁ punaḥ prāpya dhanurādāya śambaraḥ | vivyādha kārṣṇiṁ kupitaḥ saptabhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||2-106-6 Afterwards, regaining his consciousness, shambara took up his bow. He became angry and shot seven sharp arrows at the son of kṛṣṇa (pradyumna). tānaprāptāṣśarānso'tha saptabhiḥ saptadhācchinat | śambaraṁ ca jaghānātha saptatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||2-106-7 Before the arrows reached the target, pradyumna cut the seven arrows in seven parts. Then pradyumna shot seventy sharp arrows at shambara. punaḥ śarasahasreṇa kaṅkabarhiṇavāsasā | ahanacchambaraṁ krodhāddhārābhiriva parvatam ||2-106-8 Again he became angry and shot shambara with thousands of arrows adorned with peacock's feathers like rain showers on a mountain. pradisho vidishashcaiva śaradhārāsamāvṛtā | [sa disho vidishashcaiva śaradhārā samāvṛṇot] || 2-106-9 All the directions were fully covered with the shower of arrows. andhakārīkṝtaṁ vyoma dinakartā na dṛśyate | tato'ndhakāramutsārya vaidyutāstreṇa śambaraḥ ||2-106-10 The sky became dark and the sun was not to be seen. Then, with the arrow of vaidyuta shambara removed the darkness. pradyumnasya rathopasthe śaravarṣaṁ mumocha ha | shambara released a shower of arrows on the chariot of pradyumna. tadastrajālaṁ pradyumnaḥ śareṇānataparvaṇā ||2-106-11 ciccheda bahudhā rājandarśayanpāṇilāghavam | O king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) pradyumna cut those arrows to many pieces with soft heads, showing the swiftness of his hands. hate tasminmahāvarṣe śarāṇāṁ kārṣṇinā tadā ||2-106-12 drumavarṣaṁ mumocātha māyayā kālaśambaraḥ | When the son of kṛṣṇa destroyed that group of arrows, kālaśambara released a shower of trees with his illusion. drumavarṣocchritaṁ dṛṣṭvā pradyumnaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ ||2-106-13 āgneyāstraṁ mumocāṭha tena vṛkṣānanāśayat | Seeing the rising shower of trees, pradyumna was charged with anger. He destroyed the trees with the astra of fire. bhasmībhūte vṛkṣavarṣe śilāsaṅghātamutsṛjat ||2-106-14 When the shower of trees became ashes, he (shambara) started the shower of stones. pradyumnastaṁ tu vāyavyaiḥ protsārayata saṁyuge | pradyumna destroyed that with the astra of wind in the battle. tato māyāṁ parāṁ cakre devaśatruḥ pratāpavān ||2-106-15 Then the splendorous enemy of deva-s (shambara) created great illusions. siṁhānvyāghrānvarāhāṁścha tarakśūnṛkṣavānarān | vāraṇānvāridaprakhyānhayānuṣṭrānviśāṁpate ||2-106-16 mumocha dhanurāyamya pradyumnasya rathopari | Then, O the lord of earth (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued), taking up a bow, shambara showered lions, tigers, boars as well as hyenas, bears, monkeys, elephants as large as rain clouds, horses and camels on the chariot of pradyumna. gandharvāstreṇa ciccheda sarvāṁstānkhaṇḍaśastadā ||2-106-17 pradyumna cut them into pieces with the astra of gandharva. pradyumnena tu sā māyā hatā tāṁ vīkṣya śambaraḥ | anyāṁ māyāṁ mumocātha śambaraḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ ||2-106-18 shambara saw that pradyumna has destroyed the illusion. shambara became charged with anger and he released other ill usions. gajendrānbhinnavadanānṣaṣṭihāyanayauvanān | mahāmātrottamārūḍhānkalpitānraṇakovidān ||2-106-19 shambara released sixty year old king elephants in rut, skilled in warfare, with mahouts mounted on them. tāmāpatantīṁ māyāṁ tu kārṣniḥ kamalalocanaḥ | saiṁhīṁ māyāṁ samutsraṣṭuṁ cakre buddhiṁ mahāmanāḥ ||2-106-20 The son of kṛṣṇa (pradyumna) with eyes as beautiful as lotus, saw that illusion. The one with great intellect (pradyumna) decided to use the illusion of lion. sā sṛṣṭā siṁhamāyā tu raukmiṇeyena dhīmatā | māyā nāgavatī naṣṭā Adityeneve śarvarī ||2-106-21 By the illusion of lion, created by the son of rukmiṇī, having intellect, the illusion of elephants was destroyed, like the darkness is destroyed by the sun. nihitāṁ hastimāyāṁ tu tāṁ samīkṣya mahāsuraḥ | anyāṁ saṁmohinīṁ māyāṁ so'sṛjaddānavottamaḥ ||2-106-22 The great demon saw that the illusion of elephants was destroyed. The best among the demons created another illusion named mohinī (one which confuses). tāṁ dṛṣṭvā mohinīṁ nāma māyāṁ mayavinirmitām | samjṣāstreṇa tu pradyumno nāśayāmāsa vīryavān ||2-106-23 Seeing the illusion named mohinī, made by māya, the valiant pradyumna destroyed it with the arrow of samjṣā. shambarastu tataḥ kruddho hatayā māyayā tadā | saiṁhīṁ māyāṁ mahātejāḥ so'sṛjaddānaveśvaraḥ ||2-106-24 When that illusion was destroyed, shambara became angry. The lord of demons with great splendor created the illusion of lions. siṁhānāpatato dṛṣṭvā raukmiṇeyaḥ pratāpavān | astraṁ gāndharvamādāya śarabhānasṛjattadā | Seeing the lions rushing towards him, the son of rukmiṇī, with splendor, took up the arrow of gandharva and created sharabha-s with eight legs. te'ṣṭāpadā balodagrā nakhadaṁṣṭrāyudhā raṇe ||2-106-25 siṁhānvidrāvayāmāsurvāyurjaladharāniva | Those powerful animals with eight legs having nails and sharp teeth quickly made the lions ran away like the wind drives away the rain clouds. siṁhānvidravato dṛṣṭvā māyayāṣṭapadena vai ||2-106-26 śambaraścintayāmāsa kathamenaṁ nihanmi vai | Seeing that the lions are driven away by the eight legged sharaba-s of illusion, shambara started thinking: How can I kill him? aho mūrkhasvabhāvo'haṁ yanmayā na hataḥ śiśuḥ ||2-106-27 prāptayauvanadehastu kṛtāstraścāpi durmatiḥ | Alas! I am stupid, not to kill him when he was a child. Becoming a youth, the one with intellect has become skilled in the use of arrows. tatkathaṁ nihaniṣyāmi śatruṁ raṇaśiraḥsthitam ||2-106-28 Then, how can I kill the enemy who is fighting against me in the battle field? māyā sā tiṣṭhate tīvrā pannagī nāma bhīṣaṇā | dattā me devadevena hareṇāsuraghātinā ||2-106-29 There is a strong terrible illusion named pannagī which was given to me by hara (shiva) the Lord of gods, the slayer of demons. tāṁ sṛjāmi mahāmāyāmāśīviṣasamākulām | tayā dahyeta duṣṭātmā hyeṣa māyāmayo balī ||2-106-30 I will create that great illusion comprising of poisonous snakes. The powerful one, the creator of illusions, the wicked soul (pradymna) will burn in that illusion. sā sṛṣṭā pannagī māyā viṣajvālāsamākulā | Then he created the illusion of pannagī comprising of poisonous flames. tayā pannagamayyā tu sarathaṁ sahavājinam ||2-106-31 sasūtaṁ sa hi pradyumnaṁ babandha śarabandhanaiḥ | With the illusion of serpents, he tied up the chariot along with the horses, the charioteer and also pradyumna with the tie of arrows. badhyamānaṁ tadā dṛṣṭvā ātmānaṁ vṛṣṇivaṁśajaḥ ||2-106-32 māyāṁ saṣcintayāmāsa sauparṇīṁ sarpanāśinīm | The one who was born in the race of vṛṣṇi-s, (pradyumna) finding himself bound, thought about the illusion sauparṇi, which destroys the serpents. sā chintitā mahāmāyā pradyumnena mahātmanā ||2-106-33 suparṇā vicaranti sma sarpā naṣṭā mahāviṣāḥ | As the great soul pradyumna thought about the great illusion (sauparṇi), suparṇa-s (garuḍa-s) circled and the serpents of strong poison were destroyed. bhagnāyāṁ sarpamāyāyāṁ praśaṁsanti surāsurāḥ || 2-106-34 As the illusion of serpents was broken (by pradyumna) the deva-s and demons praised: sādhu vīra mahābāho rukmiṇyānandavardhana | yattvayā dharṣitā māyā tena sma paritoṣitāḥ ||2-106-35 Well done! O valiant! O the one with powerful arms! O the one who increases the happiness of rukmiṇī! We are happy that you have destroyed this illusion. hatāyāṁ sarpamāyāyāṁ śambaraścintayatpunaḥ | asti me kāladaṇḍābho mudgaro hemabhūṣitaḥ ||2-106-36 When the illusion of serpents was destroyed, shambara again thought: I have that weapon of death, a hammer, decorated with gold. tamapratihataṁ yuddhe devadānavamānavaiḥ | purā yo mama pārvatyā dattaḥ paramatuṣṭayā ||1-106-37 That weapon cannot be repelled in the battle by gods, demons and men. That was given to me long ago by pārvatī with great happiness. gṛhāṇa śambaremaṁ tvaṁ mudgaraṁ hemabhūṣitam | mayā sṛṣṭaṁ svadehe vai tapaḥ paramadushcharam ||2-106-38 (pārvatī said:) Take it, shambara, this hammer decorated with gold, created by me from my own body with most difficult penance. māyāntakaraṇaṁ nāma sarvāsuravināśanam | anena dānavau raudrau balinau kāṁarūpiṇau ||2-106-39 This is named as the destroyer of all illusions. This destroys all demons. With this I destroyed terrible demons, the powerful ones, those who could take any form that they desire, shumbhashcaiva nishumbhashcha sagaṇau sūditau mayā | prāṇasaṁśayamāpanne tvayā mokṣyaḥ sa shatrave ||2-106-40 shumbha as well as nishumbha along with their followers. You may use it against your enemy, when your life is in doubt (danger). ityuktvā pārvatī devī tatraivāntaradhīyata | tadahaṁ mudgaraṁ śreṣṭhaṁ mochayiṣyāmi shatrave ||2-106-41 Saying this, Goddess pārvatī disappeared there itself. I will release that best weapon, that hammer on the enemy. tasya vijṣāya chittaṁ tu devarājo'bhyabhāṣata | gaccha nārada śīghraṁ tvaṁ pradyumnasya rathaṁ prati ||2-106-42 Knowing his mind, the king of deva-s (indra) said: nārada! proceed fast towards the chariot of pradyumna. saṁbodhaya mahābāhuṁ pūrvajātiṁ ca mokṣaya | vaiṣṇavāstraṁ prayachcāsmai vadhārthaṁ shambarasya ca ||2-106-43 abhedyaṁ kavacaṁ cāsya prayachcāsurasūdana | Remind the one with powerful arms about his earlier life and relieve him. Give him the vaiṣṇava astra for killing shambara and an unbreakable shield for the slayer of demons. evamukto maghavatā nāradaḥ prayayau tvaram ||2-106-44 nārada who was told thus by indra went immediately. ākāśe'dhiṣṭhito'vochanmakaradhvajaketanam | Based in the sky, he told the one who has fish on his flag (pradyumna) as follows: kumāra pashya māṁ prāptaṁ devagandharvanāradam | preṣitaṁ devarājena tava saṁbodhanāya vai ||2-106-45 (nārada said) O son! See that, I, nārada, dear to the deva-s and gandharva-s has come. I was sent here by the king of deva-s (indra) to tell you something. smara tvaṁ pūrvakaṁ bhāvaṁ kāmadevo'si mānada | harakopānalāddagdhastenānaṅga ihocyate ||2-106-46 Remember your earlier nature! O the one who respects others! You are the god of love, who was burned in the fire of anger of hara (shiva) and hence is known as anaṅga (the one without any limbs). tvaṁ vṛṣṇivaṁśajāto'si rukmiṇyā garbhasaṁbhavaḥ | jāto'si keshavena tvaṁ pradyumna iti kīrtyase ||2-106-47 You are born in the race of vṛṣṇi-s, born from the womb of rukmiṇī to keshava (kṛṣṇa). You are known as pradyumna. āhṛtya śambareṇa tvamihānīto'si mānada | saptarātre tvasaṁpūrṇe sūtikāgāramadhyataḥ ||2-106-48 O the one who respects others! You were brought here by shambara from the house of delivery when seven nights were completed after you were born. vadhārthaṁ shambarasya tvaṁ hriyamāṇo hyupekṣitaḥ | keshavena mahābāho devakāryārthasiddhaye ||2-106-49 O the one with powerful arms! shamabara was spared from death by keshava (kṛṣṇa), when you were taken away by him, for fulfilling the purpose of devas. yaiṣā māyāvatī nāma bhāryā vai shambarasya tu | ratiṁ tāṁ viddhi kalyāṇīṁ tava bhāryāṁ purātanīm ||2-106-50 The one with the name of māyāvatī, who is the wife of shambara, is that auspicious woman rati, your ancient wife. tava saṁrakṣaṇārthāya shambarasya gṛhe'vasat | māyāṁ śarīrajāṁ tasya mohanārthaṁ durātmanaḥ ||2-106-51 rateḥ saṁpādanārthāya preṣayatyaniśaṁ tadā | She lived in the house of shambara for your protection. She sent the illusion born from her body for enjoyment and to confuse the wicked soul (shambara). evaṁ pradyumna buddhvā vai tatra bhāryā pratiṣṭhitā ||2-106-52 Understanding this, pradyumna, your wife stayed here. hatvā taṁ śambaraṁ vīra vaiṣṇavāstreṇa saṁyuge | gṛhya māyāvatīṁ bhāryāṁ dvārakāṁ gantumarhasi ||2-106-53 O valiant! After slaying shambara in the battle with the vaiṣṇava astra, you may proceed to dvāraka taking your wife māyāvatī. gṛhāṇa vaiṣṇavaṁ cāstraṁ kavacaṁ ca mahāprabham | śakreṇa tava saṅgṛhya preṣitaṁ śatrusūdana ||2-106-54 O slayer of enemies! Take the vaiṣṇava astra and the splendorous shield, collected and sent by śakra (indra) for you. śṛṇu me hyaparaṁ vākyam kriyatāmaviśaṅkayā | asya devaripostāta mudgaro nityamūrjitaḥ ||2-106-55 Hear my other words as well, do accordingly without any doubt. O son! This enemy of deva-s (shambara) has an eternally powerful hammer. pārvatyāṁ parituṣṭāyāṁ dattaḥ śatrunibarhaṇaḥ | amoghashcaiva saṅgrāme devadānavamānavaiḥ ||2-106-56 This unfailing weapon, that cannot be opposed in the battle by gods, demons and men in the battle, which destroys the enemies was given by pāravatī who was highly pleased. tadastrapravighātārthaṁ devīṁ tvaṁ smartumarhasi | stavyā caiva namasyā ca mahādevī raṇotsukaiḥ ||2-106-57 The Goddess has to be remembered by you to block this weapon. Remember that the great Goddess shall be praised and paid obeisance by those who battle. tatra vai kriyatāṁ yatnaḥ saṅgrāme ripuṇā saha | ityuktvā nārado vākyaṁ prayayau yatra vāsavaḥ ||2-106-58 Do accordingly, as you battle with the enemy. Saying these words, nārada went to the place where vāsava (indra) was. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi shambaravadhe nāradavākye ṣaḍadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the one hundred and sixth chapter of viṣṇuparva, harivamsha, khila of mahābhārata, nārada's message. nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 2-106-1 shambara iti || · 2-106-5 rathaśaktiṁ rathasyotsāhahetuṁ dhvajaṁ - śaktirastrāntare sauryāmusahādau bale striyām iti medinī || · 2-106-16 vāridaprakhyān meghavat mṛjyamānān - prakhyā bṛhatprekṣaṇe buddhau iti viśvaḥ || · 2-106-45 devaṁ gandharvapriyo nārado devagandharvanāradastam || · 2-106-51 taveti | ratireva māyamāyaṁ śarīrāntaraṁ svasadṛśaṁ kṛtvā māyāvatīsaṁjṣaṁ kṛtvā daityaṁ ramayatītyarthaḥ || · 2-106-52 rateḥ prīteḥ etena rateḥ pātivratyabhaṅgo nāstīti darshitam || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṣaḍadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ || Note: 1. the title for this Chapter has to be supplied 2. Verse 44. It should be ...sūdane, as is typed here.