Parva 2 Chapter 29: kuvalayāpīḍamāraṇam - Kuvalayapida Killed

vaiśaṁpāyana said: That day was over. On the second day, the large venue was filled with people who came to see the fight. sacitrāṣṭāsricharaṇāḥ sārgaladvāravedikāḥ | sagavākṣārdhacandrāścha sutalpottamabhūṣitāḥ ||2-29-2 The arena was decorated with pictures. Pillars on eight corners supported the stage. The entrances were beautified with arches. Beautiful beds and pillows were provided. prāṅmukhaiścārunirmuktairmālyadāmāvataṁsitaiḥ | alaṁkṛtairvirājadbhiḥ śāradairiva toyadaiḥ ||2-29-3 The main entrance facing east was decorated with flower garlands looking like rain clouds in autumn. maṣcāgāraiḥ suniryuktairyuddhāya suvibhūṣitaiḥ | samājavāṭaḥ shuśubhe sameghaugha ivārṇavaḥ ||2-29-4 The wrestling arena dazzled with wrestlers dressed for fighting. The entrance of the arena was shining like sea with many clouds. svakarmadravyayuktābhiḥ patākābhirnirantaram | śreṇīnāṁ ca gaṇānāṁ ca maṣcā bhāntyacalopamāḥ ||2-29-5 Always carrying the flags and the tools appropriate for their trades, the rows of groups of artists and craftsmen shone like mountains. antaḥpuracarāṇāṁ ca prekṣāgārāṇyanekaśaḥ | rejuḥ kāṣchanacitrāṇi ratnajvālākulāni ca ||2-29-6 Many viewing places were arranged for ladies. The women dazzled with variety of golden ornaments and jewels. tāni ratnaughakyptāni sasānupragrahāṇi ca | rejurjavanikākṣepaiḥ sapakṣā iva khe nagāḥ ||2-29-7 The viewing places with two floors with curtains, decorated with jewels shone like mountains with wings. tatra cāmarahāraischa bhuṣaṇānāṁ ca siṣjitaiḥ | vāṇīnāṁ ca vicitrāṇāṁ vicitrāścherurarchiṣaḥ ||2-29-8 The sounds of plumes, garlands and ornaments mingled with sweet speech. The strange combination (of sounds) emerged from the area. gaṇikānāṁ pṛthaṅmaṣcāḥ śubhairāstaraṇāmbaraiḥ | śobhitā vāramukhyābhirvimānapratimaujasaḥ ||2-29-9 Places with good clothes were provided for courtesans. Those places dazzled along with courtesans like an aerial car. tatrāsanāni khyātāni paryaṅkāścha hiraṇmayāḥ | prakīrṇāścha kuthāścitrāḥ sapuṣpastabakairvṛtāḥ ||2-29-10 There were beautiful seats and golden couches. Variegated clothes decorated with bunches of flowers were spread on them. sauvarṇāḥ pānakumbhāścha pānabhūmyaścha śobhitāḥ | phalāvadaṁśapūrṇāścha cāṅgeryaḥ pānayojitāḥ ||2-29-11 The place shone with golden pots for drinking. Suitable fruits, condiments and others with sour taste were provided with drinks. anye ca maṣcā bahavaḥ kāṣṭhasaṣchayabandhanāḥ | rejuḥ prastaraṇāstatra śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ||2-29-12 There were many other viewing places made of wood. Hundreds of thousands of such places shone there, spread with clothes. uttamāgārikāścaiva sūkṣmajālāvalokinaḥ | strīṇāṁ prekṣagṛhā bhānti rājahaṁsā ivāṁbare ||2-29-13 Places covered with fine netting were provided for women. They shone like swans in the sky. prāṅmukhaścāruniryukto meruśṛṅgasamaprabhaḥ | rukmapatranibhastambhaścitraniryogaśobhitaḥ ||2-29-14 The east facing entrance shone like the peak of meru mountain. It was beautiful with pillars covered with golden sheets and variety of pictures. prekṣāgāraḥ sa kaṁsasya pracakāśe'dhikaṁ śriyā | shobhito mālyadāmaiścha nivāsakṛtalakṣaṇaḥ ||2-29-15 The viewing place for kaṁsa shone with more splendour. It was decorated with garlands with all signs of royal palace. tasminnānājanākīrṇe janaughapratinādite | samājavāṭe saṁstabdhe kampamānārṇāvaprabhe ||2-29-16 As crowds of people assembled and as their noise reverberated, as the entrances were blocked like an ocean without any movement, rājā kuvalayāpīḍaḥ samājadvāri kuṣjaraḥ | tiṣṭhatviti samājṣāpya prekṣāgāramupāyayau ||2-29-17 the king arrived at his viewing place, ordering: The elephant kuvalayāpīḍa should be kept near the entrance. sa shukle vāsasī bibhracchvetavyajanacāmaraḥ | shuśubhe śvetamukuṭaḥ śvetābhra iva candramāḥ ||2-29-18 The king was dressed in white clothes. Being fanned with white yak plumes and wearing a white crown, he sparkled like the full moon surrounded by white clouds. tasya simhāsanasthasya sukhāsīnasya dhīmataḥ | rūpamapratimam dṛṣṭvā paurāḥ prochurjayāśiṣaḥ ||2-29-19 The intelligent king sat on his throne comfortably. Seeing his incomparable form the citizens shouted victory to him. tataḥ praviviśurmallā raṅgamāvalitāmbarāḥ | tisrashcha bhāgaśaḥ kakṣāḥ prāviśanbalaśālinaḥ ||2-29-20 Then the wrestlers entered the arena, tightening their waists. The powerful men sat in three rows. tatastūryaninadena kṣveḍitāsphoṭitena ca | vasudevasutau hṛṣṭau raṅgadvāramupasthitau ||2-29-21 Then, accompanied by the sounds of tūrya (a musical instrument), shouts and the clapping of hands, the sons of vasudeva, happily arrived at the entrance of the arena. ballavau vastrasaṁvītau suravandanabhūṣitau | ūrdhvapīḍau sragāpīḍau bāhuśastrakṛtau yamau | They were dressed for the occasion. Their bodies were smeared with sandalwood paste. Sandalwood marks were on their foreheads. They were wearing garlands. Both, looking like twins, had their mighty arms as weapons. āsphoṭayaṁtāvanyonyaṁ bāhū chaivārgalopamau ||2-29-22 Slapping on each other's mighty arms and hands (as wide) as doors, they shouted. tāvāpatantau tvaritau pratiṣiddhau varānanau | tena mattena nāgena chodyamānena vai bhṛśam ||2-29-23 As they approached quickly, the handsome (brothers) were blocked by the intoxicated elephant which was stationed there for the purpose. sa matttahastī duṣṭātmā kṛtvā kuṇḍalinaṁ karam | cakāra chodito yatnaṁ nihantuṁ balakeshavau ||2-29-24 The angry, intoxicated elephant raised its trunk and attempted to kill balarāma and keshava as intended. tataḥ prahasitaḥ kṛṣṇastrāsyamāno gajena vai | kaṁsasya tanmataṁ caiva jagarhe sa durātmanaḥ ||2-29-25 kṛṣṇa, whom the elephant was trying to frighten, laughed. kṛṣṇa condemned the wicked soul, kaṁsa's intention. tvarate khalu kaṁso'yaṁ gantuṁ vaivasvatakṣayam | yo māmanena nāgena pradharṣayitumicchati ||2-29-26 "kaṁsa must be eager to go to vaivasvata (god of death) since he wished to attack me with elephant." sannikṛṣṭe tato nāge garjamāne tathā ghane | sahasotpatya govindashcakre tālasvanaṁ prabhuḥ ||2-29-27 As the elephant approached roaring like a rain cloud, lord govinda jumped suddenly and clapped his hands. kṣveḍitāsphoṭitaravaṁ kṛtvā nāgasya cāgrataḥ | karaṁ sasīkaraṁ tasya pratijagrāha vakṣasā ||2-29-28 Roaring and clapping his hands in front of the elephant, he caught the elephant/s trunk, wet with drops of water and pressed it with his chest. viṣāṇāntarago bhūtvā punaścharaṇamadhyagaḥ | babādhe taṁ gajaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ pavanastoyadaṁ yathā ||2-29-29 Going between the elephant's tusks and again between its legs, kṛṣṇa harassed the elephant like the wind harassing the rain clouds. sa hastāgrādviniṣkrānto viṣāṇāgrāccha dantinaḥ | vimuktaḥ padamadhyāccha kṛṣṇo dvijamapothayat ||2-29-30 Escaping from the elephant's trunk and its tusks and coming out from the middle of its legs, kṛṣṇa dragged the elephant by its tail. so'tikāyastu saṁmūḍho hantuṁ kṛṣṇamaśaknuvan | gajah sveṣveva gātreṣu mathyamāno rarāsa ha ||2-29-31 That huge elephant was unable to kill kṛṣṇa. Hit on his body, the elephant trumpeted loudly. papāta bhūmau jānubhyāṁ daśanābhyāṁ tutoda ca | madaṁ susrāva roṣāccha gharmāpāye yathā ghanaḥ ||2-29-32 The elephant fell on his knees and its tusks struck the ground. Angered, water of mada came out as rain from clouds in the rainy season. kṛṣṇastu tena nāgena krīḍitvā śiśulīlayā | nidhanāya matiṁ cakre kaṁsadviṣṭena chetasā ||2-29-33 kṛṣṇa fought the elephant like a child playing. He decided to kill the elephant, with anger in his mind towards kaṁsa. sa tasya pramukhe pādaṁ kṛtvā kumbhādanantaram | dorbhyāṁ viṣāṇamutpāṭya tenaiva prāharattadā ||2-29-34 Placing his right foot on the elephant's forehead, he pulled out both the tusks and stabbed the elephant with the tusks. sa tena vajrakalpena svena dantena kuṣjaraḥ | hanyamānaḥ śakṛnmūtraṁ mumocārto rarāsa ha ||2-29-35 The elephant, stabbed by its own tusks, strong as vajra, screamed and began to pass stool and urine. kṛṣṇajarjaritāṅgasya kuṣjarasyārtachetasaḥ | kaṭābhyāmati susrāva vegavadbhūri śoṇitam ||2-29-36 Its limbs struck by kṛṣṇa, the elephant was in a pathetic condition. Lots of blood oozed out from its wounds. lāṅgūlaṁ cāsya vegena niśchakarṣa halāyudhaḥ | śailapṛṣṭhārdhasaṁlīnaṁ vainateya ivoragam ||2-29-37 halāyudha (balarāma) pulled out its tail quickly like vinata's son (garuda) pulls out a snake whose half body is hidden inside a hill. tenaiva gajadantena kṛṣṇo hatvā tu dantinam | jaghānaikaprahāreṇa gajārohaṇamulbaṇam ||2-29-38 With one powerful strike of the same elephant tusk with which kṛṣṇa killed the elephant, kṛṣṇa killed the strong mahout. sortanādaṁ mahatkṛtvā vidanto dantināṁ varaḥ | papāta sa mahāmātro vajrabhinna ivācalaḥ ||2-29-39 The great elephant, losing its tusks, screamed loudly and fell down along with mahāmātra (mahout) like a mountain split by vajra. tatastau toraṇāṅgāni pragṛhya raṇakarkaśau | gajasya pādarakṣāṁścha jaghnatuḥ puruṣarṣabhau ||2-29-40 Then the two bulls of men, the skilled fighters, picked up broken pillars and killed the attendants guarding the elephant's legs. tāṁścha hatvā viviśaturmadhyaṁ raṅgasya tāvubhau | nāsatyāvaśvinau svargādavatīrṇāvivecchayā ||2-29-41 Killing them, both of them entered the arena like asvinīdeva-s had come down from heaven at their own will. vṛṣṇyandhakāścha bhojāścha dadṛśurvanamālinau | kṣveḍitotkṛṣṭanādena bāhvorāsphoṭitena ca | siṁhanādaiścha tālaiścha harṣayāmāsaturjanam ||2-29-42 Seeing the two wearing flower garlands, the vṛṣṇi-s, andhaka-s and bhoja-s rejoiced by shouting, clapping their hands and roaring. tau dṛṣṭvā bhojarājastu viṣasāda vṛthāmatiḥ | paurāṇāmanurāgaṁ ca harṣaṁ cālakṣya bhārata ||2-29-43 O bhārata (janamejaya)! (vaiśaṁpāyana said) Seeing the two (brothers ), the joy of spectators and their love, the king of bhoja-s (kaṁsa), of vain intelligence, was sad. taṁ hatvā puṇḍarīkākṣo nadantaṁ dantināṁ varam | avatīrṇo'rṇavākāraṁ samājaṁ sahapūrvajaḥ ||2-29-44 killing the roaring great elephant, kṛṣṇa, along with his elder brother (balarāma) entered the arena, vast like an ocean. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi kuvalayāpīḍavadhe ekonatriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the twenty-nineth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrīmahābhārata, Kuvalayapida Killed. nīlakaṇṭha commentary ekonatriṁśe kaṁsebhapramukhasyātha māraṇam || śrīkṛṣṇena kuvalayāpīḍanāmno nirūpyate || · 2-29-1 tasmin iti || · 2-29-2 yatra maṣcāḥ bhānti sa samājavāṭaḥ prāṅmukhairmaṣcāgāraiḥ shuśubhe iti paṣchamacaturthatṛtīyasthānāṁ padānāṁ saṁbandhaḥ | tatra maṣcāḥ kīdṛśā ityata āha dvitīyena shlokena | sacitreti | citrasahitāḥ sacitrāḥ aṣṭāstrayo aṣṭakoṇāścharaṇā yeṣāṁ te sacitrāṣṭāstricharaṇāḥ || · 2-29-3 nirmuktaiḥ viralatantubhirantaḥ paṭairyuktāni maṣcāgārāṇi yeṣu sthitāḥ rājadārāḥ sarvaṁ bahisthaṁ pashyanti bāhyāścha tānna pashyanti tādr+śaiścārunirmuktaiḥ || · 2-29-4 suniryuktaiḥ śobhanāḥ niryuktāḥ mallādayo yeṣu taiḥ || · 2-29-5 svakarmadravyayuktābhiḥ yasya shilpavato yadupakaraṇadravyaṁ tena chihnitābhiḥ śreṇīnām anekajātināmapyekaśilpopajīvinām gaṇānām ekajātinām || · 2-29-7 tāniti | javanikārūpairākṣepairantarddhikaraistirohitādhobhāgāni ratnoghaiḥ kl+iptāni kṛtāni prekṣāgārāṇi sasānupragrahāṇi uparideshe sapatākāni khe sapakṣaparvatavatbhāntītyarthaḥ || · 2-29-8 tatra prekṣāgāreṣu || · 2-29-10 kuthāḥ āstaraṇaviśeṣāḥ || · 2-29-11 phalāvadaṁśāḥ jambhīrādupadaṁśāstaiḥ pūrṇāḥ cāṅgeryaḥ chukrikādipānarasāḥ pānayojitāḥ pānārthaṁ sthāpitāḥ · 2-29-12 prastharaṇāḥ prakṛṣṭāstaraṇāḥ | · 2-29-13 uttamāgārikāḥ gṛhopari gṛhaṁ yattduttamāgāraṁ tatra bhavāḥ | sūkṣmajāladvārāvaloko yastadvantaḥ | prekṣāgṛhāḥ prekṣārtho gṛhāḥ || · 2-29-14 prāṅmukhaḥ prekṣāgāraḥ kaṁsasya cakāro iti dvayoḥ saṁbandhaḥ || · 2-29-17 rājā kaṁsaḥ || · 2-29-20 āvalitāni prasphuritāni ambarāṇi yeṣām || · 2-29-21 kṣveḍitaṁ tatsahitena āsphoṭitena āsphālalena upalakṣitau || · 2-29-24 karaṁ śuṇḍādaṇḍam || · 2-29-27 tālasvanaṁ gajaṁ kopayituṁ karatālikādhvanim || · 2-29-29 babādha vyākulaṁ cakāra || · 2-29-30 apothayat puchcākarṣaṇena bhūmau dharṣitavān || · 2-29-31 saṁmūḍhaḥ vyākulaḥ rarāsa śabdaṁ kṛtavān || · 2-29-32 daśanābhyāṁ mūlato bhagnābhyāṁ tutoda vyathāṁ prāpa || · 2-29-34 pramukhe bhūmadhyadeśe viṣāṇaṁ dantam || · 2-29-39 sārteti sandhirārṣaḥ | 'so'chiti' vā sorlopaḥ | mahanmahāntam || · 2-29-40 toraṇasya bahirdvārasya aṅgāni stambhādīni toraṇaṁ vāhanaṁ gajastasyāṅgānīti dantadvaye dvābhyāṁ gṛhītamityanye || · 2-29-43 bhojarājaḥ kaṁsaḥ viṣasāda viṣādaṁ prāpa | tatra hetvantaraṁ paurāṇāmanurāgaṁ ca kṛṣḥṇe ālakṣya || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivamshe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāmekonatriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ ||