Parva 2 Chapter 44: śṛgālākhyarājavadhaḥ - The Slaying of King Shrigala

vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Knowing that they (balarāma and kṛṣṇa) have arrived, śṛgāla, full of false pride of fighting, valiant as indra, came out thinking that the city was under assault. rathenādityavarṇena bhāsvatā raṇagāminā | āyudhapratipūrṇena neminirghoṣahāsinā ||2-44-2 His chariot was sparkling with the brightness of sun, ready to engage in battle, complete with weapons, accompanied by the sound of horses. mandarācalakalpena citrābharaṇabhūṣiṇā | akṣayyasāyakaistūrṇaiḥ pūrṇenārṇavaghoṣiṇā ||2-44-3 His chariot was huge like the mountain mandara, decorated with strange ornaments, with quiver of unending arrows, complete with the sound of ocean. haryaśvenāśugatinā saktena śikhareṣvapi | hemakūbaragarbheṇa dṛḍhākṣeṇātiśobhinā ||2-44-4 The chariot was with fast running bay horses, which could not be blocked by peaks of mountains, having a golden carriage, sparkling with strong axle. subandhureṇa dīptena patattrivaragāminā | khagateneva śakrasya haryashvena rathādriṇā ||2-44-5 It was shining with diadems, with the speed of the king of birds, similar to the chariot of indra with bay horses running in the sky. sāvitre niyame pūrṇe yam dadau savitā svayam | ādityarashmibhiriva rashmibhiryo nigṛhyate ||2-44-6 The sun (savitā) had given this chariot (to the king) when he completed the vow of savitra. The chariot was having bright rays equal to the rays of sun. tena syandanamukhyena dviṣatsyandanaghātinā | sa śṛgālo'bhyayātkṛṣṇaṁ śalabhaḥ pāvakaṁ yathā ||2-44-7 With that best chariot capable of breaking the chariot of enemies, śṛgāla confronted kṛṣṇa, like a moth attracted by fire. cāpapāṇiḥ sutīkṣṇeṣuḥ kavacī hemamālikaḥ | sitaprāvaraṇoṣṇīṣaḥ pāvakākāralocanaḥ ||2-44-8 Holding a bow, armed with sharp arrows, wearing a golden shield, in a ceremonial white dress, having eyes red as fire, muhurmuhurjyācapalaṁ vikṣipanduḥsahaṁ dhanuḥ | nirvamanroṣajaṁ vāyuṁ sānalajvālamaṇḍalam ||2-44-9 he was capable of pulling the string of the huge bow whose string was swinging again and again. His sighs of anger were hot like the flames of fire. bhābhirbhūṣaṇapaṅktīnāṁ dīpto merurivācalaḥ | rathastha iva śailendraḥ śṛgālaḥ pratyadṛśyata ||2-44-10 Sparkling with the brightness of ornaments, like the mountain meru, śṛgāla, mounted on the chariot appeared like a mountain in the sky. tasyārasitaśabdena rathanemisvanena ca | gurutvena ca nāmyantī cacālorvī bhayāturā ||2-44-11 With his lion's voice, the sound of the wheels of his chariot and the weight, the earth was frightened and became lowered. tamāpatantaṁ śrīmantaṁ mūrtimantamivācalam | śṛgālaṁ lokapālābhaṁ dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇo na vivyathe ||2-44-12 kṛṣṇa was not affected by seeing that śṛgāla, having the splendour of the protectors of the world, auspicious, appearing huge as if a mountain has arrived. śṛgālaścāpi saṁrabdhaḥ syandanenāśugāminā | samīpe vāsudevasya yuyutsuḥ pratyadṛśyata ||2-44-13 śṛgāla was seen near vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa), ready to fight, with his fast moving chariot. vāsudevaṁ sthitaṁ dṝṣṭvā śṛgālo yuddhalālasaḥ | abhidudrāva vegena megharāśirivācalam ||2-44-14 Seeing that vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) was standing still, śṛgāla, keen to fight approached fast, like the rain clouds approach a mountain. vāsudevaḥ smitaṁ kṛtvā pratiyuddhāya tasthivān | vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) smiled and stood ready to fight. tadyuddhamabhavattābhyāṁ samare ghoradarshanam | ubhābhyāmiva mattābhyāṁ kuṣjarābhyāṁ yathā vane ||2-44-15 Then there was a terrific battle between the two, like a battle in the forest between two elephants in rut. śṛgālastvabravītkṛṣṇaṁ samare samupasthitam | yuddharāgeṇa tejasvī mohācchalitagauravaḥ ||2-44-16 Then śṛgāla, keen to fight, with a false pride, said to kṛṣṇa, who was standing in front for fighting. gomante yuddhamārgeṇa yattvayā kṛṣṇa cheṣṭitam | anāyakānāṁ mūrkhāṇāṁ nṛpāṇāṁ durbale bale ||2-44-17 (śṛgāla said:) kṛṣṇa! (I know) what you did in the battle on the gomanta mountain among the weak armies of the foolish, leaderless kings. sa me suviditaḥ kṛṣṇa kṣatriyāṇāṁ parājayaḥ | kṛpaṇānāmasattvānāmayuddhānāṁ raṇotsave ||2-44-18 kṛṣṇa! I know very well about the defeat of the undefeatable, weak and powerless kṣatriya kings in the battle. tiṣṭhedānīṁ yathākāmaṁ sthito'haṁ pārthive pade | kva yāsyasi mayā ruddho raṇeṣvapariniṣṭhitaḥ ||2-44-19 You stand as you wish. I stand as the king. Stopped by me, where can you go who have no experience of battle? na cāhamekaṁ sabalo yuktastvāṁ yoddhumāhave | ahamekastvamapyeko dvau yuddhyāva raṇe sthitau ||2-44-20 I will not fight you who are alone, with my army. I alone will fight with you who are alone. Now let us both fight. kiṁ janena nirastena tvaṁ vāhaṁ ca rane sthitaḥ | dharmayuddhena nidhanaṁ vrajatvekataro raṇe ||2-44-21 When you and I are fighting, what is the use of other lesser people? Let one of us be killed in the (dharmayuddha) fight, as per rules. loke'sminvāsudevo'haṁ bhaviṣyāmi hate tvayi | hate mayi tvamapyeko vāsudevo bhaviṣyasi ||2-44-22 If you are killed, then I will be the only vāsudeva in the world. If I am killed, you will be the only vāsudeva. śṛgālasya vacaḥ śrutvā vāsudevaḥ kṣamāparaḥ | īrṣayntaṁ praharasveti tamuktvā cakramādade ||2-44-23 (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) Hearing the words of śṛgāla, vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) who has utmost patience, took the discus, saying: Let me beat those having anger. tataḥ sāyakajālāni śṛgālaḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ | cikṣepa kṛṣṇe ghorāṇi yuddhāya laghuvikramaḥ ||2-44-24 Then the quick and valiant śṛgāla, who was full of anger, shot many terrible arrows towards kṛṣṇa in the fight. śastrāṇi yāni cānyāni musalādyāni saṁyuge | pātayāmāsa govinde sa śṛgālaḥ pratāpavān ||2-44-25 In the fight the splendorous śṛgāla also struck govinda (kṛṣṇa) with other weapons such as musala (club) etc. śṛgālaprahitairastraiḥ pāvakajvālamālibhiḥ | nirdayābhihataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sthito giririvācalaḥ ||2-44-26 Bearing the weapons struck by śṛgāla, which were emitting flames of fire, kṛṣṇa stood like a still, best mountain, undefeated. so'straprahārābhihataḥ kiṣchidroṣasamanvitaḥ | cakramudyamya govindaḥ śṛgālasya parikṣipat ||2-44-27 govinda (kṛṣṇa) was angered by the arrows shot (by śṛgāla). He took the discus and send it towards śṛgāla. taṁ rathasthaṁ pramāṇasthaṁ śṛgālaṁ yuddhadurmadam | jaghāna samare cakraṁ jātadarpaṁ mahābalam ||2-44-28 Entering the chariot quickly, the discus killed the powerful śṛgāla, who was full of false pride of fighting, in the fight. tataḥ sudarśanaṁ cakram punarāyādguroḥ kare | Then the discus sudarshana returned again to the hand of the preceptor. cakreṇorasi nirbhinnaḥ sa gatāsurgatotsavaḥ | papāta kṣatajasrāvī śṛgālo'dririvāhataḥ ||2-44-29 The discus struck on śṛgāla's chest and split it. Losing his life, śṛgāla fell down like a mountain, with blood flowing out. nishamya taṁ nipatitaṁ vajrapātādivācalam | tasya sainyānyapayayurvimanāṁsi hate nṛpe ||2-44-30 Seeing that śṛgāla has fell down like a mountain struck by vajra (thunderbolt), his army retreated, lamenting the king's death. kechitpravishya nagaraṁ kaśmalābhihatā bhṛśam | rurudurduḥkhasaṁtaptā bhartṛśokābhipīḍitāḥ ||2-44-31 Some of them entered the city, struck by the sorrow on the death, went on crying, affected by the sorrow of the death of their king. kechittatraiva śochantaḥ smarantaḥ sukṛtāni ca | patitaṁ bhūpatiṁ bhūmau na tyajanti sma duḥkhitāḥ ||2-44-32 Some of them who gained the benefit of good deeds, lamented there itself. The grieving men did not leave the king who fell dead on the earth. tato meghaninādena svareṇārivimardanaḥ | kṛṣṇaḥ kamalapatrākṣo janānāmabhayaṁ dadau ||2-44-33 Then kṛṣṇa, with eyes beautiful as the lotus flower, the oppressor of enemies, provided protection to people in a voice, as loud as the thunder of (rain)cloud. cakrochitena hastena rājatāṅguliparvaṇā | na bhetavyam na bhetavyamiti tānabhyabhāṣata ||2-44-34 kṛṣṇa, whose hands had strong fingers capable of holding the discus told the people: Do not be afraid, do not get afraid. nāsya pāpasya doṣeṇa nirābādhakaraṁ janam | ghātayiṣyāmi samare nedaṁ śūravrataṁ matam ||2-44-35 (kṛṣṇa said:) Due to the crime committed by this sinful person, I will not kill people who are innocent. Nor this is suitable for the conduct of valiant. aśrupūrṇamukhā dīnāḥ krandamānā bhṛśaṁ tadā | patito vai śṛgālākhyo bhraṣṭaḥ sandīnamānasaḥ ||2-44-36 With tears flowing on their face, the people lamented crying. śṛgāla, with a pathetic face fell from grace. te sma pashyanti patitaṁ dharaṇyāṁ dharaṇīpatim | cakranirdāritoraskaṁ bhinnaśṛṅgamivācalam ||2-44-37 They looked at the lord of earth (king śṛgāla) who had fallen on earth. With his chest split by the discus, he appeared like a mountain with its peak split. vilapanti sma te sarve sachivāḥ saprajā bhṛśam | sāśrupātekṣaṇā dīnāḥ shokasya vaśmāgatāḥ ||2-44-38 All the ministers cried along with the people. Overcome with sorrow, they lamented with their eyes filled with tears. teṣāṁ ruditashabdena paurāṇāṁ visvaraiḥ svaraiḥ | mahiṣyastasya niṣpetuḥ saputrā ruditānanāḥ ||2-44-39 Hearing the sound of the citizens crying in a discordant voice, his wives arrived with crying faces accompanied by sons. tāstaṁ nipatitaṁ dṛṣṭvā ślāghyaṁ bhūmipatiṁ patim | stanānārujya karajairbhṛśārtāḥ paryadevayan ||2-44-40 Seeing their fallen husband, the lord of earth (king śṛgāla), they scratched their breasts with their nails, lamenting pathetically. urāṁsyurasijāṁścaiva śirojānyākulānyapi | nirdayaṁ tāḍayantyastā visvaram ruruduḥ striyaḥ ||2-44-41 The women cried in a discordant voice, beating mercilessly their chests, breast and heads with hairs spread out. tasyorasi suduḥkhārtā mṛditāḥ klinnalochanāḥ | peturūrdhvabhujāḥ sarvāścinnamūlā latā iva ||2-44-42 Overcome by sorrow, with their eyes wet and running, their (hearts) crushed, raising their arms, all of them fell on his chest, like creepers with severed roots. tāsāṁ bāṣpāmbupūrṇāni netrāṇi nṛpayoṣitām | vāriviprahatānīva paṅkajāni cakāśire ||2-44-43 The eyes of the women of the king, full of tears, sparkled like lotus flowers, full of water. tāḥ patiṁ patitaṁ bhūmau rudantyo hṛdi tāḍitāḥ | lālapyamāṇāḥ karuṇaṁ yoṣitaḥ paryadevayan ||2-44-44 The women cried pathetically, beating their chests, lamenting about their husband, fallen on earth. putraṁ chasya puraskṛtya bālaṁ prasrutalocanam | śakradevaṁ pituḥ pārśve dviguṇaṁ ruruduḥ striyaḥ ||2-44-45 Keeping his son śakradeva in front, a child with his eyes full of tears, by the side of his father, the women lamented more. ayaṁ te vīra vikrānto bālaḥ putro na paṇḍitaḥ | tvadvihīnaḥ kathamayaṁ pade sthāsyati paitṛke ||2-44-46 (The wives of śṛgāla said:) O valiant! Your son is only a child, and not a knowledgable person. Without you, how can he reign on the ancestral position? kathamekapade tyaktvā gato'syantaḥpuraṁ param | atṛptāstava saukhyānāṁ kiṁ kurmo vidhavā vayam ||2-44-47 Why did you leave suddenly (the women) who live in the female apartments? What shall we, the widows, do who are still eager for the comforts given by you? tasya padmāvatī nāma mahiṣī pramadottamā | rudatī putramādāya vāsudevamupasthitā ||2-44-48 (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya !) His queen named padmāvatī, the best among women, came, crying to vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) along with her son. yastvayā pātito vīra raṇaproktena karmaṇā | tasya pretagatasyāyaṁ putrastvāṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ ||2-44-49 (padmāvatī said :) O valiant! The son of the one who was felled by you in the battle and who is dead has come to you for protection. yadi tvāṁ praṇametāsau kuryādvā śāsanaṁ tava | nāyamekaprahāreṇa janastapyeta dāruṇam ||2-44-50 If the king had paid obeisance to you or carried out your orders in one stroke, the people would not have suffered terribly. yadi kuryādayaṁ mūḍhastvayi bāndhavakaṁ vidhim | naivaṁ parītaḥ kṛpaṇaḥ seveta dharaṇītalam ||2-44-51 If the expired, miserable, foolish king had established proper relations with you, he would not have fallen down on earth. ayamasya vipannasya bāndhavasya tavānagha | santatī rakṣyatāṁ vīra putraḥ putra ivātmajaḥ ||2-44-52 This is the only son of your relative who is dead. O One without any sin! Please protect him, O valiant, as if he is your own son. tasyāstadvacanam śrutvā mahiṣyā yadunandanaḥ | mṛdupūrvamidaṁ vākyamuvāca vadatāṁ varaḥ ||2-44-53 (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) Hearing the words of the queen, the son of yadu (kṛṣṇa), the best among speakers, spoke these words sweetly. rājapatni gato roṣaḥ sahānena durātmanā | prakṛtisthā vayaṁ jātā devi saiṣo'smi bāndhavaḥ ||2-44-54 (kṛṣṇa said!) O king's wife! My anger has gone along with this evil soul. We are of the same nature. O queen! I am your best relative. roṣo me vigataḥ sādhvi tava vākyairakalmaṣaiḥ | yo'yam putraḥ śṛgālasya mamāpyeṣa na saṁśayaḥ ||2-44-55 O virtuous woman! My anger has gone with your sinless words. There is no doubt that this son of śṛgāla is my son as well. abhayaṁ chabhiṣekaṁ ca dadāmyasmai sukhāya vai | āhūyantāṁ prakṛtayaḥ purodhā mantriṇastathā ||2-44-56 I will protect him. I will also install him (as the king) comfortably. We shall summon the preceptors, ministers etc., (for the installation). pitṛpaitāmahe rājye tava putro'bhiṣicyatām | Let us install your son as the king of the land of his ancestors. tataḥ prakṛtayaḥ sarvāḥ purodhā mantriṇastathā ||244-57 abhiṣekārthamājagmuryato vai rāmakeśavau | (vaiśampāyana said: O janamejaya!) Then all the preceptors, ministers etc., arrived for the installation (of the king) to the place where (bala)rāma and keshava (kṛṣṇa) were staying. tataḥ simhāsanasthaṁ tu rājaputraṁ janārdanaḥ ||2-44-58 abhiṣekeṇa divyena yojayāmāsa vīryavān | Then valiant janārdana (one who excites men, kṛṣṇa) installed, in the divine manner as required, the son of the king, who was seated on the throne, as the king. abhiṣicya śṛgālasya karavīrapure sutam | kṛṣṇastadaharevāśu prasthānamabhyarochayat ||2-44-59 Installing śṛgāla's son (as the king of) the city of karavīra, kṛṣṇa prepared for his journey on the same day. rathena hariyuktena tena yuddhārjitena vai | keśavaḥ prasthito'dhvānaṁ vṛtrahā tridivaṁ yathā ||2-44-60 Mounting on the chariot (of śṛgāla) yoked with horses, which he won in the battle, keshava (kṛṣṇa) started his journey, like the killer of vṛtra (indra) goes to heaven. śakradevo'pi dharmātmā saha mātrā paraṁtapaḥ | sabālavṛddhayuvatīmukhyāḥ prakṛtayastathā ||2-44-61 (vaiśampāyana said:) O the destroyer of foes (janamejaya) The righteous soul, śakradeva, along with his mother, young and old men and women and the chief preceptors, śibikāyāmathāropya śṛgālaṁ yuddhadurmadam | saṁhatā dūramārgeṇa paśchimābhimukhā yayuḥ ||2-44-62 kept the body of śṛgāla, who was having false pride in battle, on a palanquin, and took it far away towards the western side. naidhanasya vidhānena cakruste tasya satkriyām | satkāraṁ kārayāmāsuḥ pitṝṇāṁ pāralaukikam ||2-44-63 All the funeral rites were performed for the king as required. All the rites for the ancestors were also performed. uddishyoddishya rājānaṁ śrāddhaṁ kṛtvā sahasraśaḥ | Various rites were performed for the king. tataste salilaṁ dattvā nāmagotrādikīrtanaiḥ ||2-44-64 pitaryuparate ghore śokasamvignamānasaḥ | Offering water, pronouncing the name, race etc, with his mind lamenting on the terrible death of his father, kṛtvodakam tadā rājā pravivesha purottamam ||2-44-65 the king performed the last rites of his father and returned to the best of cities. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇī śṛgālavadho nāma catuścatvāriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the translation of the forty-fourth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, the slaying of king sṛgāla. nīlakaṇṭha commentary catuścatvāriṁśake'tha śṛgālavadha Iryate | · 2-44-1 tānāgatamiti || · 2-44-5 śakrasya rathādriṇā samāna iti śeṣaḥ || · 2-44-12 arasitashabdena garjitadhvaninā || · 2-44-27 parikṣipat paryakṣipat || · 2-44-28 pramāṇastaṁ cakrabhayādapalāyitamityarthaḥ || · 2-44-40 Arujya vidārya || · 2-44-45 asya śṛgālasya || · 2-44-48 mahiṣī pattarājṣī || · 2-44-59 parītaḥ kravyādairiti śeṣaḥ || · 2-44-60 tena rathena śṛgālāya saviṛdattena || iti śrīharivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ caruścatvāriṁśo adhyāyaḥ