Parva 2 Chapter 14: pralambavadhaḥ - The Elimination of Pralamba

vaiśaṁpāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Afterwards, the two sons of vasudeva, left the forest of palm trees and returned to bhāṇḍīra happily. cārayantau vivṛddhāni godhanāni śubhāṇi ca | sphītasasyaprarūḍhāni vīkṣamāṇau vanāni ca ||2-14-2 They (kṛṣṇa and rāma) were engaged in tending the healthy cows, while enjoying the beauty of the forest which was full of trees and plants. kṣveḍayantau pragāyantau prachinvantau ca pādapān | nāmabhirvyāharantau ca savatsā gāḥ paraṁtapau ||2-14-3 The chastisers of their enemies, would sometimes challenge each other, sing together, search for trees, and sometimes call the cows and calves by their names. niyogapāśairāsaktaiḥ skandhābhyāṁ śubhalakṣaṇāu | vanamālākuloraskau bālaśṛṅgāvivarṣabhāu ||2-14-4 With ropes for tying the cows on their shoulders, with auspicious marks and garlands of forest flowers adorning their chests, they looked like two young bulls with horns. suvarṇāṣjanacūrṇābhāvanyonyasadṛśāmbarau | mahendrāyudhasaṁsaktau śuklakṛśṇāvivāmbudau ||2-14-5 One (balarāma) was having complexion of gold powder and the other was having complexion of dark blue (aṣjana) powder. Each, wearing dresses having other's complexion, dazzled like white and dark rain clouds with rainbows. (balarāma wearing dark blue dress (having kṛṣṇa's complexion) and kṛṣṇa wearing yellow dress (having rāma's complexion)). kuśāgrakusumānaāṁ ca karṇapūrau manoramau | vanamārgeṣu kurvāṇau vanyaveṣadharāvubhau ||2-14-6 They walked along the forest paths, wearing wild dresses. They appeared enchanting with their ears adorning wild flowers and tips of kusha grass. govardhanasyānucharau vane sānucharau tu tau | ceraturlokasiddhābhiḥ krīḍābhiraparājitau ||2-14-7 Followed by many cow tending boys, they roamed in the forest near the govardhana hill. They were engaged in many popular games. They remained undefeated in games. tāveva mānuṣīṁ dīkṣāṁ vahantau surapūjitau | tajjātiguṇayuktābhiḥ krīḍābhiśceraturvanam ||2-14-8 Even though they were worshipped by deva-s, they had taken human forms. They roamed in the forest, engaging in games suitable for human beings. tau tu bhāṇḍīramāśritya bālakrīḍānuvartinau | prāptau paramaśākhāḍhyaṁ nyagrodhaṁ śākhināṁ varam ||2-14-9 While engaging in their plays, they came near the bhāṇḍīra. They assembled below the great banyan tree having many large branches. tatra spandolikābhiścha yuddhamārgaviśāradau | aśmabhiḥ kṣepaṇīyaiścha tau vyāyamamakurvatām ||2-14-10 There, the two brothers, experts in fighting, were engaged in exercising by swinging and throwing stones. yuddhamārgaiścha vividhairgopālaiḥ sahitāvubhau | muditau siṁhavikrāntau yathākāmaṁ viceratuḥ ||2-14-11 Along with their cow tending friends, the two lion like valiant brothers, roamed as they liked joyfully, displaying various fighting methods. tayo ramayatorevaṁ tallipsurasurottamaḥ | pralambo'bhyāgamattatra cchidrānveṣī tayostadā ||2-14-12 While they were playing like this, pralamba, the best among asurā-s who wanted to take them away and create a quarrel, came there. gopālaveṣamāsthāya vanyapuṣpavibhūṣitaḥ | lobhayānaḥ sa tau vīrau hāsyaiḥ krīḍanakaistathā ||2-14-13 He was disguised as a cow tender, decorated with wild flowers. Smiling and playing, he tempted the valiant brothers. so'vagāhata niśśaṅkasteṣāṁ madhyamamānuṣaḥ | mānuṣaṁ vapurāsthāya pralambo dānavottamaḥ ||2-14-14 pralamba, the best among dānava-s, disguised as a human being, mingled with others without any hesitation. prakrīḍitāścha te sarve saha tenāmarāriṇā | gopālavapuṣaṁ gopā manyamānāḥ svabāndhavam ||2-14-15 All the cow tenders played with the enemy of deva-s, disguised as a cow tender, considering him as their acquaintance. sa tu cchidrāntaraprepsuḥ pralambo gopatāṁ gataḥ | dṛṣṭiṁ praṇidadhe kṛṣṇe rauhiṇeye ca dāruṇām ||2-14-16 pralamba, who became a cow tender, was looking for an opportunity of weakness. He cast a wicked eye on kṛṣṇa and the son of rohiṇī (balatāma). aviṣahyaṁ tato matvā kṛṣṇamadbhutavikramam | rauhiṇeyavadhe yatnamakaroddānavottamaḥ ||2-14-17 Considering kṛṣṇa to be astonishingly valiant and invincible, the best among asurā-s attempted to kill the son of rohiṇī (balarāma). hariṇākrīḍanaṁ nāma bālakrīḍanakaṁ tātaḥ | prakrīḍitāstu te sarve dvau dvau yugapadutpatan ||2-14-18 All the cow tending boys decided to play a game called "deer jumping" played in pairs. kṛṣṇaḥ śrīdāmasahitaḥ pupluve gopasūnunā | saṅkarṣaṇastu plutavānpralambena sahānagha ||2-14-19 O sinless one (janamejaya)! kṛṣṇa jumped with śrīdāma, son of a cow tender. ṣaṅkarṣaṇa jumped with pralamba. gopālāstvapare dvandvaṁ gopālairaparaiḥ saha | pradrutā laṅghayanto vai te'nyonyaṁ laghuvikramāḥ ||2-14-20 Other cow tending boys jumped in pairs with other cow tending boys. The valiant boys jumped quickly across. śrīdāmamajayatkṛṣṇaḥ pralambaṁ rohṇīsutaḥ | gopālaiḥ kṛṣṇapakṣīyairgopālāstvapare jitāḥ ||2-14-21 In the game, kṛṣṇa defeated śrīdāma and son of rohiṇi (balarāma) defeated pralamba. The cow tending boys on kṛṣṇa's side defeated boys on the opposite side. te vāhayantastvanyonyaṁ saṁharṣātsahasā drutāḥ | bhāṇḍīraskandhamuddiśya maryādāṁ punarāgaman ||2-14-22 The defeated boys ran quickly carrying their excited opponents. They ran till the trunk of bhāṇḍira tree (as the limit) and returned again. saṅkarṣaṇaṁ tu skandhena śīghramutkṣipya dānavaḥ | drutaṁ jagāma vimukhaḥ sacandra iva toyadaḥ || 2-14-23 Quickly carrying saṅkarṣaṇa on his shoulder, the dānava ran in an opposite direction like a cloud carrying the moon. sa bhāramasahaṁstasya rauhiṇeyasya dhīmataḥ | vavṛdhe sumahākāyaḥ śakrākānta ivāmbudaḥ ||2-14-24 Unable to bear the weight of the intelligent son of rohiṇī (balarāma), the dānava enlarged his great body, looking like a large cloud carrying the order of indra. sa bhāṇḍīravaṭaprakhyaṁ dagdhāṣjanagiriprabham | svaṁ vapurdarśayāmāsa pralambo dānavottamaḥ ||2-14-25 The body of pralamba, the best of dānavā-s appeared like the giant banyan tree of bhāṇḍīra, like a black mountain on fire. paṣchastabakalambena mukuṭenārkavarchasā | dīpyamānānano daityaḥ sūryākrānta ivāmbudaḥ||2-14-26 The daitya's face dazzled like sun, decorated with a crown, having five flower buds like a rain cloud shining with sun's rays. mahānano mahāgrīvaḥ sumahānantakopamaḥ | raudraḥ śakaṭacakrākṣo namayaṁścharaṇairmahīm ||2-14-27 With his giant face and neck, he was looking formidable as the god of death. He was ferocious, with large eyes rolling like wheels of a cart. The earth trembled with his steps. sragdāmalambābharaṇaḥ pralambāmbarabhūṣaṇaḥ | vīraḥ pralambaḥ prayayau lambatoya ivāmbudaḥ ||2-14-28 A large garland of flowers was adorning his neck. His dress and ornaments were also large. He was proceeding as fast as a large rain cloud pouring water down. sa jahārātha vegena rauhiṇeyaṁ mahāsuraḥ | sāgaropaplavagataṁ kṛtsnaṁ lokamivāntakaḥ ||2-14-29 The great asura carried the son of rohiṇī as fast as the god of death carries the worlds immersed in the ocean (at the time of pralaya (deluge)). hriyamāṇaḥ pralambena sa tu saṅkarṣaṇo babhau | uhyamāna ivākāśe kālameghena candramāḥ ||2-14-30 saṅkarṣaṇa, being carried away by pralamba, dazzled, as the moon being carried away by a dark cloud in the sky. sa saṁdigdhamivātmānaṁ mene saṅkarṣaṇastadā | daityaskandhagataḥ śrīmānkṛṣṇaṁ chedamuvāca ha ||2-14-31 Then saṅkarṣaṇa realized that he was in a precarious condition. Sitting on the shoulders of the daitya (pralamba), the auspicious balarāma spoke to kṛṣṇa. hriye'haṁ kṛṣṇa daityena parvatodagravarṣmaṇā | pradarśayitvā mahatīṁ māyāṁ mānuṣarūpiṇīm ||2-14-32 kṛṣṇa, I am being carried away by a gigantic mountain like daitya. He has taken the form of a human being. He is confounding me with his illusion. kathamasya mayā kāryaṁ śāsanaṁ duṣṭachetasaḥ | pralambasya pravṛddhasya darpāddviguṇavarchasaḥ ||2-14-33 With his power, pralamba has expanded his body to double the size. What should I do to control this wicked soul? tamāha sasmitaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ sāmnā harṣākulena vai | abhijṣo rauhiṇeyasya vṛttasya ca balasya ca ||2-14-34 Then kṛṣṇa, who is fully aware of the features and strength of the son of rohiṇī (balarāma) spoke amicably and joyfully with a smile. aho'yaṁ mānuṣo bhāvo vyaktamevānupālyate | yastvaṁ jaganmayaṁ devaṁ guhyādguhyataraṁ gataḥ ||2-14-35 Alas! You are clearly acting as a human being. The entire universe is pervaded by you. You are the secret of secrets. smara nārāyaṇātmānaṁ lokānāṁ tvaṁ viparyaye | avagachcātmanātmānaṁ samudrāṇāṁ samāgame ||2-14-36 Remember and experience that form of nārāyaṇa (lying on śeṣa) which you take at the time of deluge (pralaya) when all the worlds disappear and the oceans become one. purātanānāṁ devānāṁ brahmaṇaḥ salilasya ca | ātmavṛttaprabhāvāṇāṁ saṁsmarādyaṁ ca vai vapuḥ ||2-14-37 Remember your original form which is the cause of ancient gods, brahma and water as well as your own features and splendour. śiraḥ khaṁ te jalaṁ mūrttiḥ kṣamā bhūrdahano mukham | vāyurlokāyuruchvāso manaḥsraṣṭā hyabhūttava ||2-14-38 The sky is your head, water your body, earth your legs and fire your mouth. The air which sustains all living entities is your breath. The creator is your mind. sahasrāsyaḥ sahasrāṅgaḥ sahasracharaṇekṣaṇaḥ | sahasrapadmanābhastvaṁ sahasrāṁśudharo'rihā ||2-14-39 You have thousands of bodies, thousands of arms, thousands of legs and thousands of eyes. You have thousands of navels, from which thousands of lotus flowers sprout. Using the sun with thousand rays, you destroy the enemies. yattvayā darśitaṁ loke tatpashyanti divaukasaḥ | yattvayā noktapūrvaṁ hi kastadanveṣṭumarhati ||2-14-40 What is shown by you in the world is seen by gods. Who can discover what is not told by you before? yadveditavyaṁ loke'smiṁstattvayā samudāhṛtam | viditaṁ yattavaikasya devā api na tadviduḥ ||2-14-41 Whatever there is in this world to be known is already said by you. Even the gods and the intelligent people do not know what is known to you. ātmajaṁ te vapurvyomni na paśyantyātmasaṁbhavam | yattu te kṛtrimaṁ rūpaṁ tadarchanti divaukasaḥ ||2-14-42 The deva-s do not see or understand your self-manifested form which pervades the space. They worship your artificial form in which you appear in this world. devairna dṛṣṭaścāntaste tenānanta iti smṛtaḥ | tvaṁ hi sūkṣmo mahānekaḥ sūkṣmairapi durāsadaḥ ||2-14-43 Even deva-s have not seen your limit. Hence you are considered as without having end (ananta). You are minute among minute and greatest of the greatest. You are one and only one. You are difficult to be realized with senses and mind. tvayyeva jagataḥ stambhe śāśvatī jagatī sthitā | achalā prāṇinaṁ yonirdhārayatyakhilaṁ jagat ||2-14-44 You are the foundation pillar of the universe. The universe is permanently installed on you which maintains all non-moving and moving beings. chatuḥsāgarabhogastvaṁ cāturvarṇyavibhāgavit | caturyugeṣu lokānāṁ cāturhotraphalāśanaḥ ||2-14-45 The four seas are your expansion. You are the creator of the four classes. You are the object and enjoyer of the four sacrifices practiced in the four yugas. yathāhamapi lokānāṁ tathā tvaṁ taccha me matam | ubhāvekaśarīrau svo jagadarthe dvidhākṛtau ||2-14-46 Just as I am the soul of the universe, you are also the soul of universe. This is my opinion. We are of one body, which is divided into two for the benefit of the universe. ahaṁ vā śāhsvataḥ kṛṣṇastvaṁ vā śeśaḥ purātanaḥ | lokāṇāṁ śāśvato devastvaṁ hi śeṣaḥ sanātanaḥ | āvayordehamātreṇa dvidhedaṁ dhāryate jagat |2-14-47 I am the eternal kṛṣṇa (viṣṇu) and you are the ancient śeṣa. You are the eternal god, sanātana śeṣa of the universe. Our eternal form (of viṣṇu or ananta) governs the world by taking two bodies. ahaṁ yaḥ sa bhavāneva yastvaṁ so'haṁ sanātanaḥ | dvāveva vihitau hyāvāmekadehau mahābalau ||2-14-48 Who am I, you are and who are you, I am, eternal. We, having great power and single body, exist as two bodies. tadāsse mūḍhavattvaṁ kiṁ prāṇena jahi dānavam | mūrdhni devaripuṁ deva vajrakalpena muṣṭinā ||2-14-49 Why are you behaving like an ignorant person? Kill the asura (dānava). Strike the enemy of deva-s forcefully on his head with your fist, strong as vajra. vaiśampāyana uvāca saṁsmāritastu kṛṣṇena rauhiṇeyaḥ purātanam | balenāpūryata tadā trailokyāntaracāriṇā ||2-14-50 vaiśaṁpāyana said: (O janamejaya!) When kṛṣṇa reminded the son of rohiṇī (balarāma) thus about his ancient status, he became full of power, carrying the three worlds with him. tataḥ pralambaṁ durvṛttaṁ sa baddhena mahābhujaḥ | muṣṭinā vajrakalpena mūrdhni chainaṁ samāhanat ||2-14-51 Then balarāma, having powerful arms struck the wicked pralamba on his head with his folded fist, strong as vajra. tasyottamāṅgaṁ sve kāye vikapālaṁ vivesha ha | jānubhyāṁ cāhataḥ shete gatāsurdānavottamaḥ ||2-14-52 His skull cracked and the head was pushed into the body. Struck by the knees, the best of dānava-s fell down dead. jagatyāṁ viprakīrṇasya tasya rūpamabhūttadā | pralambasyāmbarasthasya meghasyeva vidīryataḥ ||2-14-53 The body of pralamba fell down, broken in pieces like a cloud in the sky scattered in pieces. tasya bhagnottamāṅgasya dehātsusrāva śoṇitam | bahugairikasaṁyuktaṁ śailaśṛṅgādivodakam ||2-14-54 Blood began to flow from the body with broken head, like a red coloured stream, flowing from the peak of a mountain. te nihatya pralambaṁ tu saṁhṛtya balamātmanaḥ | paryaṣvajata vai kṛṣṇaṁ rauhiṇeyaḥ pratāpavān ||2-14-55 After killing pralamba and controlling his power, the great son of rohiṇī embraced kṛṣṇa affectionately. taṁ tu kṛṣṇaścha gopāścha divisthāścha divaukasaḥ | tuṣṭuvurnihate daitye jayāśīrbhirmahābalam ||2-14-56 Then kṛṣṇa, gopa-s and the gods in the sky happily praised the powerful balarāma who killed the asura. balenāyaṁ hato daityo bālenākliṣṭakarmaṇā | vivadantyaśarīriṇyo vācaḥ surasamīritāḥ ||2-14-57 A voice was heard in the sky as said by the gods: The daitya was killed by bala. bala can perform tough tasks easily. baladeveti nāmāsya devairuktaṁ divi sthitaiḥ | The gods in the sky pronounced the name baladeva. balantu baladevasya tadā bhuvi janā viduḥ ||2-14-58 karmajaṁ nihate daitye devairapi durāsade ||2-14-59 Since that time, when he killed the daitya who was unconquerable even by the gods, people of the world came to know of baladeva's strength. iti śrimahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi śiśucaryāyāṁ pralambavadhe caturdaśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus ends the translation of the fourteenth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, elimination of pralamba. nīlakaṇṭha commentary asmin caturdaśe'dhyāye pralambavadha Iryate | tenaiva balabhadreṇa kṛṣṇādeśena tiṣṭatā || 1 · 2-14-3 kṣeḍayantau bāhū āsphoṭayantau vyāharantau ākārayantau || · 2-14-4 niyogapāśaiḥ annaśikyaiḥ || · 2-14-5 anyonyasadṛśāṁbarau anyonyadīptisaṁvalanena sadṛśāṁbarāviva || · 2-14-6 kusumānāṁ kusumaiḥ karṇapūrau kurvāṇau || · 2-14-8 dīkṣāṁ rītim || · 2-14-10 spandolikābhirdolāvalambaiḥ kṣepaṇīyairvīṭikādyaiḥ || · 2-14-12 "viṣṭambho divo dharuṇāḥ pṛthivyā viśvā uta kṣitayo haste asya asatta utso gṛṇate niyutvānmadhvo aṁśuḥ pavata indriyāya" ityetaṁ mantramupabṛṁhayati | tayo ramayatorevamityādinā | mantrārthastu he soma te tava madhvo brahmasvarūpiṇaḥ aṁśurivāṁśuḥ aṁśaḥ pṛthivyā dharuṇaḥ bhūmerdharthā rāmarūpadhārī śeṣaḥ te tvayā asat antaryāmiṇā prabhodhitaḥ sandīpyamānaḥ ata eva utsaḥ tvadājṣākaraṇe utkaṇṭhitaḥ niyuktvān jagataḥ prāṇavāyurūpī sūtrātmā san gṛṇate ātmanaḥ svarūpaṁ tvadvākyādavagataṁ bhāvayati ahaṁ parameśvarādananyo'smi devakāryārthamavatīrṇo'smītyālochayatītyarthaḥ | tato hetoḥ divah dyulokamaṇḍapasya viṣṭambhaḥ staṁbhā iva bhavanti te viṣṭambhaḥ | kvibantasyedaṁ dvitīyābahuvacanam | atyucchritān pralambādīn | bahutvaṁ vibhūtyarthe | indriyāya tadvadhena svavīryaṁ pradarśayituṁ parvate gacchanti | kimasyāyudhaṁ tadāha | viśvā iti | sarvā kṣitayaḥ nāśāsādhanānyāyudhāni asya hasta eva santi ato muṣṭimātreṇa taṁ jaghānetyarthaḥ | viṣṇo sarvadevatāmayatvādatra somarūpeṇaivāsya stutirboddhavyā | evamanyatrāpi | ślokārthaḥ spaṣṭaḥ | · 2-14-31 dehāveśāt pramādyatīti nyāyena sutrāṁśo'pi rāmo mumohetyāha | sa saṁdigdhamiti | · 2-14-34 śrīkṛṣṇastvenam pūrvarūpasmaraṇena prabodhayatītyāha | tamāhetyādinā || · 2-14-38 asyaiva sutrātmatvam vivṛṇoti | śiraḥ khaṁ ityādinā || · 2-14-40 "prāṇasya prāṇamuta cakṣuṣaścakṣuḥ" ityādiśrutiprasiddhaṁ śuddhaṁ brahmāpi tvamevāsītyāha | yattvayeti | yattvayā noktetyādinā'sya vedakartṛtvamuktam | · 2-14-44 śeṣarūpeṇa varṇayati | tvayyeveti || · 2-14-46 yatheti | ahaṁ antaryāmī tvaṁ sutrātmā sarvajṣtvādikaṁ dvayo samamevetyarthaḥ || · 2-14-48 atyantaṁ sāmyalakṣaṇamabhedamāha | ahamiti || · 2-14-50 saṁsmārita iti | uktimātreṇa baladevavat viśuddhāntaḥkaraṇa ātmano brahmabhāvamavagacchatītyarthaḥ || iti śrimahābharate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ caturdaśo'dhyāyaḥ |