Parva 2 Chapter 52: kālayavanaṁ prati śālavagamanam - śālva sent to seek kālayavana's help

vaiśampāyana said: As the son of vasudeva (kṛṣṇa) left, the rulers of men (kings), with their limbs decorated with ornaments, like the indra of deva-s, returned to the assembly, happily, to inform the king about the developments. sabhāgatānsomaraviprakāśān sukhopaviṣṭānrucirāsaneṣu | samīkṣya rājā sunayārthavādī jagāda vākyaṁ nararājasiṁhaḥ ||2-52-2 Seeing the kings who came to the assembly, dazzling like the moon and sun, sitting on their seats comfortably, lion like king of men, bhīṣmaka, following good policies, spoke these words: svayaṁvarakṛtaṁ doṣaṁ viditvā vo narādhipāḥ | kṣantavyo mama vṛddhasya durdagdhasya phalodayam ||2-52-3 O kings! Conducting the svayaṁvara mode of marriage will be harmful to you. Please pardon me, an old man. How can a tree burned in a wild fire be fruitful? vaiśampāyana uvāca evamābhāṣya tānsarvānsatkṛtya ca yathāvidhi | tato visarjayāmāsa nṛpāṁstānmadhyadeśajān ||2-52-4 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Saying this and offering hospitality as required, the king bade farewell to all the kings of the middle region. pūrvapaśchimajāṁścaiva uttarāpathikānapi | te'pi sarve maheṣvāsāḥ prahṛṣṭamanaso narāḥ ||2-52-5 The king also bade farewell to the kings of east, west as well as the north regions. All the great wielders of bow became mentally happy. yathārheṇa ca saṁpūjya jagmuste narapuṅgavāḥ | The kings, the leaders of men, honoured as deserved, left. jarāsaṁdhaḥ sunīthaścha dantavaktrashcha vīryavān ||2-52-6 jarāsaṁdha, sunītha, the valiant dantavaktra, śālvaḥ saubhapatishcaiva mahākūrmahscha pārthivaḥ | krathakaiśikamukhyāścha nṛ+pāḥ pravaravaṁśajāḥ ||2-52-7 the lord of saubha, śālva, the king mahākūrma, the kings kratha and kaishika born in great races, vaiṇudāriścha rājarṣiḥ kāśmīrādhipatistathā | ete cānye ca bahavo dakṣiṇāpathikā nṛpāḥ ||2-52-8 the royal sage veṇudāri, the king of kāśmīrā as well as many other kings of the south, śrotukāmā raho vākyaṁ sthitā vai bhīṣmakāntike | tānvai samīkṣya rājendraḥ sa rājā bhīṣmako balī ||2-52-9 stayed near bhīṣmaka to hear his words. Seeing these leaders among kings, the powerful king bhīṣmaka, snehapūrṇena manasā sthitāṁstānavanīśvarān | trivargasahitaṁ ślakṣṇaṁ ṣaḍguṇālaṁkṛtaṁ śubham ||2-52-10 uvāca nayasaṁpannaṁ snigdhagambhīrayā girā | with a mind full of affection, spoke gently and proudly, these auspicious words to the lords of earth, with three kinds, six qualities, enriched by good policies. bhīṣmaka uvāca bhavatāmavanīśānāṁ samālokya nayānvitam ||2-52-11 vacanaṁ vyāhṛtaṁ śrutvā kṛtavāṅkāryamīdṛśam | bhīṣmaka said: Considering your position, O lords of kings, and hearing the words with policies, I proceeded in this manner. kṣantavyaṁ bhavatāṁ sadbhirvayaṁ nityāparādhinaḥ ||2-52-12 Please pardon me. You are good men while, we are habitual sinners. vaiśampāyana uvāca evamuktvā tu rājā sa bhīṣmako nayakovidaḥ | uvāca sutamuddishya vacanaṁ rājasaṁsadi ||2-52-13 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Speaking thus, king bhīṣmaka, expert of policies, spoke these words, about his son in the assembly of kings. bhīṣmaka uvāca putrasya ceṣṭāmālokya trāsākulitalocanaḥ | manye bālānimā.ṇllokānsa eva puruṣaḥ paraḥ ||2-52-14 bhīṣmaka said: Thinking about the actions of my son, my eyes have become worried with fear. I consider men like my son, childish. I consider kṛṣṇa as the supreme person. kīrtiḥ kīrtimatāṁ śreṣṭho yashashcha yaśabhāgbalī | sthāpitā bhuvi martye'sminsvabāhubalamūrjitam ||2-52-15 He is the fame for famous. He is the powerful, for those who praise. It is definite that he will establish his power of arms on the earth. dhanyā khalu mahābhāgā devakī yoṣitāṁ varā | putraṁ tribhuvanaśreṣṭhaṁ kṛtvā garbheṇa keṣavam ||2-52-16 devakī, the best among women, is fortunate, eminent and illustrious. She carried her son keshava (kṛṣṇa), the best in the three worlds, in her womb. kṛṣṇaṁ kamalapatrākṣaṁ śrīpuṣjamamarārchitam | netrābhyāṁ snehapūrṇābhyāṁ vīkṣate mukhapaṅkajam ||2-52-17 She sees kṛṣṇa's face, beautiful as lotus, with her eyes, full of tears of affection. kṛṣṇa, with eyes as beautiful as lotus, the abode of śrī, is worshipped by devas. vaiśampāyana uvāca evaṁ lālapyamānaṁ tu rājānaṁ rājasaṁsadi | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā śālvarājo mahādyutiḥ ||2-52-18 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) King śālva of great splendour spoke gently the following words to the king (bhīṣmaka) who was lamenting like this, in the assembly of kings. śālva uvāca alaṁ khedena rājendra sutāya ripumardine | kṣatriyasya raṇe rājandhruvaṁ jayaparājayau ||2-52-19 śālva said: O leader (indra) of kings! Do not be sad about your son, the oppressor of enemies. O King! Victory and defeat are certain for kṣatriya in war. niyatā gatirmartyānāmeṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | balakeśavayoranyastṛtīyaḥ kaḥ pumāniha ||2-52-20 This is the definite fate of men. This is the eternal dharma. Except bala(rāma) and keshava (kṛṣṇa), who is the third person here, raṇe yodhayituṁ shaktastava putraṁ mahābalam | rathātirathavṛndānāmeka eva raṇājire ||2-52-21 who is able to fight in the war with your most powerful son? In the battlefield, among the chariots and great chariots, alone, ripūnbādhayituṁ shakto dhanurgṛhya mahābhujaḥ | bhārgavāstraṁ mahāraudraṁ devairapi durāsadam ||2-52-22 capable of attacking the enemies, holding the bow in his powerful arms, as he shoots the highly terrible arrow given by bhārgava, which even the deva-s cannot defeat, sṛjato bāhuvīryeṇa kaḥ pumānprasahiṣyati | ayaṁ tu puruṣaḥ kṛṣṇo hyanādinidhano'vyayaḥ ||2-52-23 with his power of arms, who can match him? He is kṛṣṇa, who is without the beginning and end, the eternal. taṁ vijetā nṛloke'sminnāpi śūladharaḥ svayam | tava putro mahārāja sarvaśāstrārthatattvavit ||2-52-24 Even shiva himself who holds the trident cannot defeat him (kṛṣṇa). O great king! Your son, an expert, knowing the meanings of all principles of the scriptures, viditvā devamīśānaṁ na yodhayati keshavam | adya tasya raṇe jetā yavanādhipatirnṛpa ||2-52-25 considering kṛṣṇa to be the lord and the master, will not fight with him. O king! Today, the king of yavana will defeat kṛṣṇa in war. sa kālayavano nāma avadhyaḥ keshavasya ha | taptvā sudāruṇaṁ ghoraṁ tapaḥ paramadushcharam ||2-52-26 The one named kālayavana cannot be killed even by kṛṣṇa. Performing a harsh, terrible and most difficult penance, rudramārādhayāmāsa dvādaśābdānayo'śanaḥ | putrakāmena muninā toṣya rudrātsuto vṛtaḥ ||2-52-27 sage gārgya (see nīlakaṇṭha commentary), worshipped rudra (shiva) for twelve years, eating iron powder. Desiring a son, the sage pleased rudra (shiva) and obtained a son from the lord. māthurāṇāmavadhyo'yaṁ bhavediti ca śaṅkarāt | evamastviti rudro'pi pradadau munaye sutam ||2-52-28 The sage prayed śaṅkara (shiva) that the son shall not be killed by the residents of mathurā. Saying let it be so, rudra gave the son to the sage. evaṁ gārgyasya tanayaḥ śrīmānrudravarodbhavaḥ | māthurāṇāmavadhyo.yaṁ mathurāyāṁ viśeṣataḥ ||2-52-29 Thus the son of gārgya, was born due to the boon given by auspicious shiva, who cannot be killed by the residents of mathurā, specially in the city of mathurā. kṛṣṇo'pi balavāneṣa māthure jātavānayam | sa jeṣyati raṇe kṛṣṇa mathurāyāṁ samāgataḥ ||2-52-30 kṛṣṇa, even though he is powerful, is born in mathurā. He (kālayavana) will go to mathurā and conquer kṛṣṇa in the war. manyadhva yadi vā yuktāṁ nṛpā vācaṁ mayeritām | tatra dūtaṁ visṛjadhvaṁ yavanendrapuraṁ prati ||2-52-31 O kings! If you consider the words spoken by me as suitable, then send a messenger to the city of the yavana king. vaiśampāyana uvāca śrutvā saubhapatervākyaṁ sarve te nṛ+pasattamāḥ | kurma ityabruvanhṛṣṭā jarāsaṁdhaṁ mahābalam ||2-52-32 vaiśampāyana said: (O jamnamejaya!) Hearing the words of the lord of saubha, all of them, the best of the kings, became happy and said, let us do so, to the highly powerful jarāsaṁdha. sa teṣāṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā jarāsaṁdho mahīpatiḥ | babhūva vimanā rājanbrahmaṇo vacanaṁ smaran ||2-52-33 (vaiśampāyana said:) O king (janamejaya)! Hearing their words, the lord of earth, jarāsaṁdha, lost his mind, remembering the words of brahma (words spoken by the body-less voice to balarāma). jarāsaṁdha uvāca māṁ samāśritya pūrvasminnṛpā nṛpabhayārditāḥ | prāpnuvantu hṛtaṁ rājyaṁ sabhṛtyabalavāhanam ||2-52-34 jarāsaṁdha said: Before today, all kings, used to come to me due to the fear of other kings. They used to regain their lost kingdom along with servants, army and chariots. ihāhaṁ chodyate bhūpaiḥ parasaṁśrayahetunā | kanyeva svapatidhveṣādanyaṁ ratiparāyaṇā ||2-52-35 Now, here, kings are telling me to depend on some one else, like a sex-loving maiden, hating her husband, goes to some one else. aho subalavaddaivamaśakyaṁ vinivartitum | yadahaṁ kṛṣṇabhīto'nyaṁ saṁśrayāmi balādhikam ||2-52-36 Alas! Fate is highly powerful. It cannot be reversed. Fearing kṛṣṇa, I am depending on one who is more powerful. nūnaṁ yogavihīno'haṁ kārayiṣye parāśrayam | śreyo hi maraṇam mahyaṁ na cānyaṁ saṁśraye nṛpāḥ ||2-52-37 Surely, I do not have any other option. Hence I have to depend on others. O kings! Death is more preferable than depending on others. kṛṣṇo vā baladevo vā yo vāsau vā narādhipaḥ | hantāraṁ pratiyotsyāmi yathā brāhmaprachoditaḥ ||2-52-38 O kings! As prompted by brahma, I will fight with the person who tries to kill me, even if he is kṛṣṇa, baladeva (balarāma) or someone else. eṣā me niśchitā buddhiretatsatpuruṣavratam | ato'nyathā na śakto'haṁ kartuṁ parasamāśrayam ||2-52-39 This is my firm decision. This is the conduct of good men. Except this, I am unable to do something else, like depending on others. bhavatāṁ sādhuvṛttāṇāmābādhaṁ na karoti saḥ | tena dūtaṁ pradāsyāmi nṛpāṇāṁ rakṣaṇāya vai ||2-52-40 I will accept sending the messenger for the protection of the kings so that kṛṣṇa does not affect the kings of good conduct. vyomamārgeṇa yātavyaṁ yathā kṛṣṇo na bādhate | gacchantamanuchintyaivaṁ preṣayadhvaṁ nṛpottamāḥ ||2-52-41 The messenger shall travel through the sky route so that kṛṣṇa does not affect him. O the best of kings! Think about one who can travel in this manner and send him on the errand. ayaṁ saubhapatiḥ śrīmānanalārkenduvikramaḥ | rathenādityavarṇena prayāti svapuraṁ balī ||2-52-42 This lord of saubha is auspicious, valiant as the fire god, sun and the moon. The powerful king goes to his city in a chariot having the colour of the sun. yavanendro yathābhyeti narendrāṇāṁ samāgamam | vacanaṁ ca tathāsmābhirdūtye naḥ kṛṣṇavigrahe ||2-52-43 Let him speak to the yavana king so that he comes as desired by the best of the kings. He should convey our message for killing kṛṣṇa. vaiśampāyana uvāca punarevābravīdrājā saubhasya patimūrjitam | gaccha sarvanarendrāṇāṁ sāhāyyaṁ kuru mānada ||2-52-44 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya) Again the king (jarāsaṁdha) spoke forcefully to the lord of saubha: O one who respects others! Proceed and do help all the kings. yavanendro yathā yāti yathā kṛṣṇaṁ vijeṣyati | yathā vayaṁ ca tuṣyāmastathā nītirvidhīyatām ||2-52-45 Conduct yourself in a way that the yavana king comes, conquers kṛṣṇa, all of us are happy and justice is done. evaṁ saṁdiśya sarvāṁstānbhīṣmakaṁ pūjya dharmataḥ | prayayau svapuraṁ rājā svena sainyena saṁvṛtaḥ ||2-52-46 Speaking thus to all and honouring bhīṣmaka as required, the king (jarāsaṁdha) returned to his city, accompanied by his army. śālvo'pi nṛpatiśreṣṭhastābhyāṁ saṁpūjya dharmataḥ | jagāmākāśamārgeṇa rathenānilaraṁhasā ||2-52-47 king śālvaḥ honoured the best of the kings as required and left by the sky in his chariot moving with the speed of wind. te'pi sarve mahīpālā dakṣiṇāpathavāsinaḥ | anuvrajya jarāsaṁdhaṁ gatāḥ svanagaraṁ prati ||2-52-48 All the kings residing in the south direction, following jarāsaṁdha, reached their cities. bhīṣmakaḥ saha putreṇa tāvubhau chintya durnayam | sve gṛhe nyavasaddīnaḥ kṛṣṇamevānucintayan ||2-52-49 bhīṣmaka, along with his son, thinking about his son's bad policies, lived in his house, worried, thinking about kṛṣṇa. viditā rukmiṇī sādhvī svayaṁvaranivartanam | kṛṣṇasyāgamanāddhetornṛpāṇāṁ doṣadarśanam ||2-52-50 rukmiṇī, the good woman, knew about the stoppage of the svayaṁvara mode of marriage, and the harm seen by the kings due to the arrival of kṛṣṇa. gatvā tu sā sakhīmadhye uvāca vrīḍitānanā | She went among her friends and said, lowering her face: na cānyeṣāṁ narendrāṇāṁ patnī bhavitumutsahe | kṛṣṇātkamalapatrākṣātsatyametadvacho mama ||2-52-51 I am not ready to be the wife of the best kings. I am speaking the truth that I will be the wife of only kṛṣṇa, with eyes as beautiful as lotus. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi rukmiṇīsvayaṁvare dvipaṣcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the fifty-second chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, śālva sent to seek kālayavana's help. nīlakaṇṭha commentary dvipaṣcāsattame'dhyāye māgadhādiprachoditaḥ | śālvo'gādyavaendraṁ taṁ kṛṣṇamānāpanuttaye || 1 || · 2-52-1 tataḥ sabhāṁ bhīṣmakamya samāgagmurvisargalopa ārṣaḥ | · 2-52-2 rājā bhīṣmakaḥ || · 2-52-3 svayaṁvare kṛṣṇavirodhākhyo doṣo viśvakṣayakaro bhaviṣyatīti matvā svayaṁvarārthamāhutān nṛpān sāntvayati || svayamiti śeṣaḥ || · 2-52-12 vyāhṛtaṁ kṛṣṇastutirūpaṁ kṛtaḥ kāritaḥ kṛtavānvā || · 2-52-14 imāniti putraṁ pradarśyāha | evaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ || · 2-52-15 yaśabhāgyaśobhogī sthāpitā sthāpayiṣyati || · 2-52-20 gatiḥ vibhaktilopa ārṣaḥ || · 2-52-27 ayośanaḥ lohacūrṇāhāraḥ muninā gārgyeṇa || · 2-52-33 brahmaṇo vacanam anyo'sya mṛtyurastīti baladevaṁ pratyaśarīravākyam || · 2-52-34 pūrvasmin kāle || · 2-52-35 yathā kanyā svapatimapaṁhāya jāramāśrayate evamahaṁ svabalamanāśritya paramāśrayamityarthaḥ || · 2-52-37 yogavihīnaḥ upāyahīnaḥ || · 2-52-38 hantā aramiti cchedaḥ || brāhmeṇa aśarīreṇa vacanena || · 2-52-43 dūtye dūtakarmaṇi yathā'smābhirvacanaṁ vaktavyaṁ tathā'yaṁ vadatvityarthaḥ || naḥ asmākaṁ kṛṣṇavigrahe upasthite sati || · 2-52-44 rājā jarāsaṁdhaḥ · 2-52-49 tāvubhau krathakaishiko durnayaṁ ca putrasyānucintayan || · 2-52-50 viditā jṣātavatī || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ dvipaṣcāśatamo'dhyāyaḥ || Note: sloka 27, line 1: avagraha should be there, right? sloka 30, line 2: kṛṣṇaṁ - pl check