Parva 2 Chapter 84: aniruddhavikramaḥ rājṣāṁ bandhanaṁ ca - aniruddha's valour, kings tied up

vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Well after the sun, without any stain, the eye of the world, rose, balarāma, kṛṣṇa and sātyaki mounted on tārkṣya (garuḍa). baddhagodhāṅgulitrāṇā daṁśitā yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ | bilvodakeśvaraṁ devaṁ namaskṛtya surottamam ||2-84-2 They prepared for the battle, by putting lizard skin covers over the fingers and wearing jackets, worshipping the lord of bilva and water (shiva), the best among deva-s, āvartayā jale snātvā rudreṇa varadattayā | gaṅgāyāḥ kuruśārdūla rudravākyena puṇyayā ||2-84-3 and taking bath in the water of āvarta, blessed with the boon given by rudra (shiva) which is the same as the auspicious water of gaṅga by the words of rudra (shiva), O the tiger of the kuru race! pradyumnamagre sainyasya viyati sthpāya mānadaḥ | rakṣārthaṁ yajṣavāṭasya pāṇḍavānviniyujya ca ||2-84-4 The one who respects others (kṛṣṇa) placed pradyumna at the lead of the army in the sky and directed the pāṇḍava-s to protect the place of sacrifice. śeṣāṁ senāṁ guhādvāri bhagavānviniyujya ca | jayantamatha sasmāra pravaraṁ ca satāṁ gatiḥ ||2-84-5 After placing the remaining army at the entrance of the cave, the refuge of the good people (kṛṣṇa) recalled jayanta as well as pravara. tāvāpetaturevātha svayaṁ cāpaśyatāṁ tathā | viyatyeva niyuktau tau pradyumna iva bhārata ||2-84-6 As recalled by kṛṣṇa, they arrived. O the one of bharata race! (vaiśampāyana continued) Seeing them, they were also directed to the sky as pradyumna. tataḥ kṛṣṇasya vacanādāhato raṇadundubhiḥ | jalajā murajāścaiva vādyānyevāparāṇi ca ||2-84-7 Then upon the word of kṛṣṇa, the battle drum along with other musical instruments such as trumpet (conch shell - jalaja) and tambourine (drum, muraja), were played. makaro rachito vyūhḥ sāmbena ca gadena ca | sāraṇaśchoddhavaścaiva bhojo vaitaraṇastathā ||2-84-8 sāmba and gada arranged the army in the shark (makara) formation. sāraṇa, uddhava, bhoja as well as vaitaraṇa, anādhṛṣṭiścha dharmātmā pṛthurvipṛthureva ca | kṛtavarmā ca daṁṣṭraścha nicakṣurarimardanaḥ ||2-84-9 anādhṛṣṭi, the one with righteous soul, pṛthu, vipṛthu, kṛtavarma, daṁṣtra, nicakṣu, the oppressors of enemies sanatkumāro dharmātmā cārudeṣṇaścha bhārata | aniruddhasahāyau tau pṛṣṭhānīkaṁ rarakṣatuḥ ||2-84-10 sanatkumāra, the one with righteous soul, carudeṣṇa, assisting aniruddha, guarded the army from the back side, O the one of bharata race! śeṣā yādavasenā tu vyūhamadhye vyavasthitā | rathairaśvairnarairnāgairākulā kulavardhana ||2-84-11 O the one who flourishes the race! The remaining yādava army stood in the middle of the formation complete with chariots, horses, men as well as elephants. ṣaṭpurādapi niṣkrāntā dānavā yuddhadurmadāḥ | āruhya meghanādāṁścha gardabhānapi hastinaḥ ||2-84-12 Thereafter, demons, with the false pride of excellence in the battle, came out of ṣaṭpura, mounted on asses and elephants, making sounds as loud as thunder. makarāṣchiśumārāṁścha drutānapi ca bhārata | mahiṣānapi khaḍgāṁścha uṣṭrānapi ca kacchapān ||2-84-13 O the one of bharata race ! Some of them were mounted on fast-moving sharks, crocodiles, horses, buffaloes, rhinos, camels and turtles. etaireva rathairyuktā vividhāyudhapāṇayaḥ | kirīṭāpīḍamukuṭairaṅgadairapi maṇḍitāḥ ||2-84-14 Some were mounted on chariots, holding varieties of weapons, decorated with crowns, having chaplets tied on them, tiaras (diadem) and bracelets, nānardamānairvividhaistūryairnemisvanākulaiḥ | pradhmāyamānaiḥ śaṅkhaiścha mahāmbudasamasvanaiḥ ||2-84-15 accompanied by sounds of various musical instruments and mixed with sounds of the wheels of the chariots. There were sounds of blowing conches as loud as the sound of the thunder clouds. tāsāmasurasenānāmudyatānāṁ janeshvara | nikuṁbho niryayāvagre devānāmiva vāsavaḥ ||2-84-16 O the lord of men! (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) nikuṁbha was leading the army of demons, like vāsava was leading the devas. bhūmiṁ dyāṁ ca vavṛdhire dānavāste balotkaṭāḥ | nadanto vividhānnādānkṣveḍantaścha punaḥ punaḥ ||2-84-17 The demons excited by false pride and strength filled the earth and sky, shouting and making different sounds and clapping again and again. rājasenāpi saṁyattā cedirājapurogamā | asurāṇāṁ sahāyārthaṁ niśchitā janamejaya ||2-84-18 O janamejaya! (vaiśampāyana continued) The army of the kings, with the king of chedi in the lead was ready, determined to assist the demons. duryodhanaṁ bhrātṛśataṁ cedirājānujāgragam | sthitaṁ rathairnaravyāghra gandharvanagaropamaiḥ ||2-84-19 O the lord of men! (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The hundred brothers led by duryodhana, were in the front of the chedi king, mounted on spacious chariots, as large as the sky, O tiger among men. kaṭhinā nādino vīrā drupadasyandanāstathā | rukmī chaivāhvṛtiścaiva tasthaturnishchitau raṇe | tālavṛkṣapratīkāśe dhunvānau dhanuṣī śubhe || 2-84-20 O valiant! The chariot of king drupada was making loud unbearable noise. rukmī and āhṛti stood there, ready to battle, holding their auspicious bows, as huge as the palmyra tree. shalyashcha śakunishchobhau bhagadattashcha pārthivaḥ | jarāsaṁdhastrigartaścha virāṭaścha sahottaraḥ ||2-84-21 shalya as well as śakuni, king bhagadatta, jarāsaṁdha, trigarta, virāṭa along with uttara- yuddhārthamudyatā vīrā nikumbhādyā jayaiṣiṇaḥ | yuyutsamānā yadubhirdevairiva mahāsurāḥ ||2-84-22 All these valiant kings, as well as the demons such as nikumbha, desirous of victory, were ready for battle with yādava-s like great demons were ready for battle with devas. tato nikumbhaḥ samare śarairāśīviṣopamaiḥ | mamarda samare senāṁ bhaimānāṁ bhīmadarśanām ||2-84-23 Then, in the battlefield, by shooting terrible arrows, similar to poisonous snakes, nikumbha started to oppress the army of bhaima-s (yādava-s), which was fearful to see. senāpatiranādhṛṣṭirmamṛṣe tatra yādavaḥ | mamarda ghorairbāṇaughaiścitrapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ ||2-84-24 anādhṛṣṭi, the leader of yādava army was able to bear this attack of nikumbha. He shot terrible arrows sharpened on rocks, having strange feathers. na ratho'suramukhyasya dadṛśe na ca vājinaḥ | na dhvajo na nikumbhastu sarve bāṇābhisaṁvṛtāḥ ||2-84-25 Neither the chariot of the leader of the demon, nor the horses, nor the flagstaff nor nikumbha was to be seen. All were covered with arrows. sa parītya tato vīro nikumbho māyināṁ varaḥ | astambhayadanādhṛṣṭiṁ māyayā bhaimasattamam ||2-84-26 Then the best among the creators of illusion, valiant nikumbha, froze anādhṛṣṭi, the best among yādava-s, by illusion. stambhayitvānayadvīraṁ guhāṁ ṣaṭpurasaṁjṣitām | ruddhvā cābhyagamadvīro māyābalamupāśritaḥ ||2-84-27 Freezing the valiant anādhṛṣti, nikumbha took him to a cave named Shatpura and held him there. Then, depending on the power of illusion, valiant nikumbha returned. punareva nikumbhastu kṛtavarmāṇamāhave | anayachcārudeṣnaṁ ca bhojaṁ vaitaraṇaṁ tathā ||2-84-28 sanatkumāramṛkṣaṁ ca tathaiva niśaṭholmukau | bahūṁśchaivāparānbhojānmāyābalasamāśritaḥ ||2-84-29 Again, based on the power of illusion, nikumbha took away kṛtavarma , cārudeṣṇa, bhoja vaitaraṇa, sanatkumāra, ṛKṣa (the son of jāmbavatī) as well as niśaṭha and ulmuka (sons of balarāma - see nīlakaṇṭha commentary) and many others of bhoja race, from the battlefield. na tasya dadṛśe deho māyācchanno janeshvara | nayato yādavānghorānguhāṁ ṣaṭpurasaṁjṣitām ||2-84-30 O the lord of men! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) While taking the terrible, valiant yādava-s to the cave named ṣaṭpura, the body of the demon was not seen, since it was covered by his illusion. taddṛṣṭvā kadanaṁ ghoraṁ bhaimānām bhayavardhanaḥ | cukopa bhagavānkṛṣṇo balaḥ satyaka eva ca ||2-84-31 Seeing the terrible sorrow of the yādava-s, the one who increases the fear of enemies, lord kṛṣṇa, balarāma and sātyaki became angry. saviśeṣaṁ yathākāmaḥ sāmbaścha paravīrahā | aniruddhashcha durdharṣo bhaimāścha bahavo'pare ||2-84-32 Especially, kāma (pradyumna), sāmba the destroyer of valiant enemies, the unconquerable aniruddha and many other yādava-s became angry. tataḥ śārṅgāyudhaḥ śārṅgaṁ kṛtvā sajyaṁ nareshvara | dānaveṣu pravṛtteṣu tṛṇeṣviva hutāśanaḥ ||2-84-33 O the lord of men! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) Then the one who has the bow śārṅga as weapon (kṛṣṇa), readied the śārṅga bow by tying the string and shot arrows among the demons, like fire among grass. taṁ dṝṣṭvā dānavā devamabhidudruvurīśvaram | śalabhāḥ kālapāśārtāḥ pradīptamiva pāvakam ||2-84-34 Seeing this, the demons fought against the lord of deva-s, like moths, terrified by the rope of time (death) , enter the fire. samutsṛjya śataghnīścha parighāṁścha sahasraśaḥ | śūlāni cāgnitulyāni pradīptāṁścha paraśvadhān ||2-84-35 They threw thousands of śataghnī (cylindrical wooden piece studded with spikes) and iron bludgeons, spears shining like fire and white axes, parvatāgrāṇi vṛkṣāṁścha ghorāścha vipulāḥ śilāḥ | utkṣipya ca gajānmattānrathānapi hayānapi ||2-84-36 mountain peaks, trees, terrible large rocks, as well as elephants in rut, chariots and horses. nārāyaṇāgnistānsarvāndadāha prahasanniva | bāṇārchiṣā mahātejā jagaddhitakaro hariḥ ||2-84-37 But hari, nārāyaṇa, who acts for the benefit of the world, who has great splendor, laughing, shot arrows like fire and burned all of them. śāradaṁ varṣaṇaṁ yadvatsehe dhīro gavāṁ patiḥ | tadvadyaduvṛṣaḥ sehe bāṇavarṣamarindamaḥ ||2-84-38 As a brave bull bears the rain of autumn season, the best among yādava-s, the oppressor of enemies, bore the shower of arrows. na sehire'surā bāṇānnārāyaṇadhanuśchyutān | varṣaṁ parjanyavihitaṁ vālukāsetavo yathā ||2-84-39 The demons could not bear the shower of arrows of narāyaṇa like a dam of sand is not able to bear the rain showered by a rain cloud. na śekuḥ pramukhe sthātuṁ kṛṣṇasyāsurasattamāḥ | vyāditāsyasya siṁhasya vṛṣabhā iva bhārata ||2-84-40 O the one of bharata race! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The best among the demons could not face kṛṣṇa like bulls cannot face the lion with open mouth. te vadhyamānāḥ kṛṣṇena divamācakramustadā | jīvitāśāṁ vahantastu nārāyaṇabhayārditāḥ ||2-84-41 Those demons terrified by the fear of nārāyaṇa, struck by kṛṣṇa, started running in the sky, in the hope for life. tānākāśagatānaindrirjayantaḥ pravarastathā | nijaghnatuḥ śarairghorairjvalitārchisamaiḥ prabho ||2-84-42 O lord! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) as they reached the sky, indra's son jayanta and pravara killed the demons by arrows, terrible like fire. nipeturasurāṇāṁ tu śirāṁsi dharaṇītale | tṛṇarājaphalānīva muktāni śikharāttaroḥ ||2-84-43 The heads of the demons fell on the face of earth like coconuts released from tall coconut tree. nipeturbāhavaścinnāḥ daityānāṁ vasudhātale | kālenopahatā vīrāḥ paṣchavaktrā ivoragāḥ ||2-84-44 The arms cut off from the bodies of demons fell down on the face of earth, like snakes with five hoods, killed by time. raukmiṇeyastataḥ sṛṣṭvā ghorāṁ māyāmayīṁ guhām | adṛśyaniṣkramaṁ vīraḥ kṣatraṁ prakṣeptumudyataḥ ||2-84-45 Then the son of rukmiṇī created a terrible cave of illusion with no exit visible, and prepared to hold the kings there. gadenā saha dharmātmā sāraṇena sutena ca | sāmbena chaparaiścāpi pūrvaṁ yena praveśitaḥ ||2-84-46 Thereafter, along with gada, sāraṇa, (his) son (aniruddha), sāmba and others, whom nikumbha did not hold in his cave before (see ślokas 27,28 and 29 of the same chapter), the righteous soul, pramathya tarasā karṇaṁ yatantaṁ raṇamūrdhani | jagrāha balavānkārṣṇiḥ prasphurantaṁ tatastataḥ ||2-84-47 the powerful son of kṛṣṇa, (pradyumna), at the front of the battle, oppressed karṇa who was trying hard for victory in the battlefield and caught him, who was struggling. vinadya ca guhāṁ vīro ghorāṁ māyāmayīṁ nṛpa | duryodhanaṁ ca rājānaṁ virāṭadrupadāvapi ||2-84-48 O king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) and threw him into the terrible cave of illusion. In the same way (he caught) king duryodhana, virāṭa, drupada, śakuniṁ caiva śalyaṁ ca nīlaṁ cāpi nadīsutam | vindānuvindau rājānau jarāsaṁdhaṁ ca bhārata ||2-84-49 śakuni, and shalya, nīla and also the son of the river (bhīṣma), the kings vinda and anuvinda as well as jarāsaṁdha trigartānmālavāṁścaiva vāsantyāṁścha mahābalān | dhṛṣṭadyumnādikāṁścaiva pāṣcālānastrakovidān ||2-84-50 trigartta, mālava as well as the highly powerful vāsantya, and the expert archers such as dhṛṣṭadyumna as well as pāṣcāla tathā''bhṛtimuvācedaṁ mātulaṁ rukmimeva ca | śiśupālam ca rājānaṁ bhagadattaṁ ca bhārata ||2-84-51 Then O the one of bhārata race! He (pradyumna) called āhṛti as well as his uncle rukmi, śiśupāla and king bhagadatta and told them: sambandhaṁ ca gurutvam ca mānayāmi narādhipāḥ | guhāmimāṁ ghorarūpāṁ yatra prakṣepayāmi vaḥ ||2-84-52 O kings! I respect our relation and your dignity. I am putting you into this terrible cave. bilvodakeśvareṇāhamājṣaptaḥ śūlapāṇinā | prakṣeptavyā narendrāste guhāyāmiti dhīmatā ||2-84-53 The lord of bilva and udaka, the one who holds spear in his hand, (shiva) has ordered me to hold you in a cave. āśritya śāmbarīṁ māyāṁ nikumbhena mahātmanā | prakṣiptānyādavāṁścaiva mokṣayiṣyāmi sarvathā ||2-84-54 By all means, I will now release all the yādava-s, put in the cave by the great soul nikumbha, depending on the illusion of shambari. ityukto śiśupālastu rājā senāpatistathā | śaraistatarda tānbhaimānpradyumnaṁ ca viśeṣataḥ ||2-84-55 Upon hearing this, the king śiśupāla, the chief of the army, shot arrows upon bhaima-s (yādava-s), especially on pradyumna and covered them. bilvodakeśvaraṁ devaṁ raukmiṇeyo namasya ca | ārabhannṛpatiṁ baddhuṁ śiśupālaṁ mahābalam ||2-84-56 Bowing to the deva, the lord of bilva and udaka (shiva), the son of rukmiṇī (pradyumna) started to tie up, the lord of men, king śiśupāla of great power. tataḥ pāśasahasrāṇi gṛhāya pravarottamaḥ | śailādirabravīddhīraṁ raukmiṇeyaṁ mahābalam ||2-84-57 Then the best among the followers (of shiva), nandi (śailādi -- see nīlakaṇṭha commentary) took up thousands of ropes and told the most powerful son of rukmiṇī (pradyumna): bilvodakeshvaro devaḥ prāha tvāṁ yadunandana | sarvaṁ kuru tathā rātryāṁ choktastvaṁ bho yatha mayā ||2-84-58 O the son of yadu (pradyumna)! Do all that is told by the deva, the lord of bilva and udaka (shiva) as I told you in the night. kanyārthaṁ ratnalubdhāṁstu baddhvā cemānnarādhipān | pāśaistvameva moktuṁ ca pramāṇaṁ yadunandana ||2-84-59 O the son of yadu! Now you may tie up all the kings, the rulers of men, who were greedy about maidens and jewels, with ropes. Later, you can decide about releasing them. asurāṁstu mahābāho niḥśeṣānkartumarhasi | evameva ca vaktavyastvayā vīra janārdanaḥ ||2-84-60 O the one with great arms! You shall destroy all the demons. Do not leave even one of them alive. O valiant! You shall tell janārdana (kṛṣṇa) also the same. tataḥ sa bhagadattaṁ ca śiśupālaṁ ca bhūmipa | ābhṛtiṁ caiva rukmiṁ ca śeṣāṁścānyānnarādhipān ||2-84-61 babandha haradattaistaiḥ pāśairuttamavīryadhṛk | Then, O the king of earth! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) The best among the valiant, tied up bhagadatta, śiśupāla, āhṛti, rukmi and all other kings with the ropes given by hara (shiva) and māyāmayīṁ guhāṁ caivamānayatkurunandana ||2-84-62 O the son of kuru! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) held them in the cave of illusion. baddhvā ca raukmiṇeyo'tha niḥśvasanta ivoragān | aniruddhaṁ cakārātha rakṣitāraṁ svamātmajam ||2-84-63 The son of rukmiṇī (pradyumna) tied up the kings who were breathing heavily like serpents and directed his son aniruddha to guard them. teṣāṁ niravaśeṣeṇa babandha yadunandanaḥ | senāpatīnkṣatriyāmścha kośādhyakṣāṁścha bhārata ||2-84-64 O the one of bharata race! (vaiśampāyana continued) The son of yadu (pradyumna) tied them all, leaving no one, including the chief of armies, kṣatriya-s and the treasurers. hastyaśvarathavṛndāṁścha cakāra ca tathā''tmasāt | avyagrastu tato hantumasurānudyataḥ prabho ||2-84-65 He also took elephants, horses and groups of chariots under his custody. O lord (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued), afterwards, the calm pradyumna was ready to kill the demons. sannaddha eva chovāca brahmadattaṁ dvijottamam | visrabdhaṁ vartatāṁ karma mā bhaiḥ pashya dhanaṣjayam ||2-84-66 After getting ready (to kill the demons), he (pradyumna) told brahmadatta, the best among brahmins: Perform the sacrifice, do not be afraid, see dhanaṣjaya (arjuna). na devebhyo nāsurebhyo nāgebhyo dvijasattama | bhayaṁ hi vidyate tasya goptāro yasya pāṇḍavāḥ ||2-84-67 O the best among brahmins! There will not be any fear from deva-s, demons or serpents to the one protected by the pāṇḍavas. na cāsuraistava sutāḥ spṛṣṭāḥ khalvapi chetasā | yajṣavāṭe nirīkṣyantāṁ māyayā nihita mayā ||2-84-68 The demons have not touched your daughters even mentally. Look at the stage of sacrifice. Concealing them by illusion, I have left them there. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṣaṭpuravadhe caturaśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the eighty-fourth chapter of viṣṇuparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, in the slaying of ṣaṭpura demons, aniruddha's valour, kings tied up nīlakaṇṭha commentary caturbhiradhike'śītitame. kāmasya vikramaḥ | rājā baddhvā ripūrjjitvā kanyāstvānīya āgataḥ || 1 || · 2-84-1 muhūrteti || · 2-84-2 tṛṭīyā ṣaṣṭyarthe || · 2-84-4 viyati uparibhāge || · 2-84-9 nicakṣuryādavaḥ || · 2-84-10 sanatkumaro'piyādavaḥ || · 2-84-12 meghānāmiva nādo yeṣāṁ tān || · 2-84-13 drutān javinaḥ || · 2-84-17 bhūmiṁ dyāṁ ca pūrayitveti śeṣaḥ || · 2-84-19 cedirājaḥ siśupālastadanujebhyo'gragam || · 2-84-22 nikuṁbha ādyaḥ pradānaḥ yeṣāṁ te || · 2-84-23 bhaimanāṁ yadūnām || · 2-84-29 sanatkumāraṁ yādavaviśeṣam | ṛkṣaṁ jāṁbavatīputram | niśaṭholmukau balabhadraputrau || · 2-84-33 pravṛtāḥ prakṣiptāḥ iṣavo yena saḥ || · 2-84-43 śikharādagrāt tarostṛṇarājasya || · 2-84-49 nadīsutaṁ bhīṣmam || · 2-84-50 vasantiḥ surāṣtrāvantyorantaraṁ tatra bhavāḥ vāsantyāḥ || · 2-84-57 gṛhāya gṛhītvā || pravarāṇāṁ rudrapārṣadānāṁ madhye uttamaḥ śailādirnandi || · 2-84-63 niḥśvasantaḥ karmāṇi prathamā cāndasī || · 2-84-68 nihitā nidhānavadrakṣitā || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ caturaśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ | Note : verse 39, line 1 : asurā is correct