Parva 3 Chapter 95: sātyakipauṇḍrakayoḥ saṁvādaḥ - sātyaki-pauṇḍraka conversation

vaiśampāyana said: As the armies (of yādava-s) left (the battle field) and also the valiant vṛṣṇi-s became afraid, O great king (O janamejaya!), and got killed all over, dīpikāsu praśāntāsu niḥśabde sati sarvataḥ | jitamityeva yanmatvā vṛṣṇīnāṁ balamuttamam||3-95-2 as the torches became extinguished and all around became devoid of sound (silent), pauṇḍraka considered that he has conquered the best army of the vṛṣṇis. tataḥ pauṇḍro mahāvīryo babhāṣe sainikānsvakān | Then the highly valiant pauṇḍraka spoke to his soldiers: śīghraṁ gacchata rājendrāṣṭaṅkaiḥ kuntaiḥ purīmimām ||3-95-3 kuṭhāraiḥ kuntalaishcaiva pāṣāṇaiḥ sarvatodisham | karṣaṇasthaiḥ supāṣāṇaiḥ sarvato yāta bhūmipāḥ ||3-95-4 Proceed quickly! O the indras of kings! Along with hatchets and spears, axes, ploughs and stones, rocks and stones, let the kings enter the city all around. bhidyantāṁ prākārachayā prāsādāścha samantataḥ | gṛhyantāṁ kanyakāḥ sarvā dāsyaścaiva samantataḥ ||3-95-5 gṛhyantāṁ vasumukhyāni dhanāni subahūnyatha | Let them break all the surrounding walls and buildings all over. Let them take all maiden. Let them take all the servant maids. Let them take all the important jewels and many varieties of wealth. te tatheti mahātmāno rājānaḥ sarva eva tu ||3-95-6 All the great souls, the kings, said: Let it be so. kuṭhāraiḥ sarvatashcaiva cicchiduḥ pauṇḍrakājṣayā | prākārāṁścaiva sarvatra prāsādānnarasaṣchayān ||3-95-7 According to the order of king pauṇḍraka, they cut all over with axes. All over they broke the forts and groups of buildings. atha tatra mahāśabdaḥ prādurāsītsamantataḥ | ṭaṅkeṣu pātyamāneṣu prākāreṣu mahābalaiḥ ||3-95-8 Then there were loud noises all over, as the highly powerful fighters made the hatchets fall on the forts. pūrvadvāre mahārāja bhinnāḥ prākārasaṣchayāḥ | śrutvā śabdaṁ mahāghoraṁ sātyakiḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ ||3-95-9 O great king! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) All the fortifications on the eastern entrance were broken. Hearing that highly terrible sound, sātyaki became terribly angered. mayi sarvaṁ samāropya keshavo yādaveśvaraḥ | gataḥ kailāsaśikharaṁ draṣṭuṁ śaṅkaramavyayam ||3-95-10 "keshava (kṛṣṇa), the lord of yādava-s, after assigning all (responsibility to protect the city), has gone to the peak of kailāsa to see śanṅkara, the auspicious lord who causes prosperity and who has no decline. avaśyaṁ hi mayā rakṣyā purī dvāravatī tviyam | iti saṣchintya manasā dhanurādāya satvaram ||3-95-11 Necessarily, the city of doors (dvāravatī) is to be protected by me". Thinking thus in his mind, (sātyaki) quickly took up the bow. rathaṁ mahāntamāruhya dārukasya mahātmanaḥ | putreṇa saṁskṛtaṁ ghoraṁ yantā ca svayameva hi ||3-95-12 Mounting himself on the great and huge chariot, yoked by the son of the great soul dāruka, dhanurmahattadādāya śarāṁścāśīviśopamān | Amucya kavacaṁ ghoraṁ śastrasaṁpātaduḥsaham ||3-95-13 taking up the great bow as well as arrows having poison comparable to that of the serpents, wearing the terrible shield which is not affected by striking weapons, aṅgadī kuṇḍalī tūṇī śarī cāpī gadāsimān | yayau yuddhāya śaineyaḥ saṁsmarankaiśavaṁ vacaḥ ||3-95-14 having bracelets on the upper arm, wearing ear rings, taking the quiver, arrows, bow, mace as well as sword, the son of shini (sātyaki) proceeded for the battle, remembering the words of keshava (kṛṣṇa). dīpikādīpite deshe yayau sātyakiruttamaḥ | The best one, sātyaki went to the place (battle field) lighted by the torches. tathaiva baladevo'pi rathamāruhya bhāsvaram ||3-95-15 gadī śarī mahāvīryaḥ prāyādraṇachikīrṣayā | siṁhanādaṁ prakurvanto muṣchanto bhairavaṁ ravam ||3-95-16 In the same way, the highly valiant baladeva (balarāma) also, mounting on a dazzling chariot, taking up the mace and arrows proceeded with the desire to fight, shouting loudly with the voice of the lion, producing a terrible sound. uddhavo'pi balī sākṣādgajamāruhya satvaraṁ | mattaṁ mahāravaṁ ghorāṁ saṅgrāme nītimattaram ||3-95-17 yayau nītiṁ vichinvānaḥ parāṁ prītiṁ mahābalaḥ | The powerful uddhava himself, the best among the people having political wisdom, the highly powerful one, who seeks wise policies that pleases all, quickly mounting on an elephant in rut, producing a terrible sound, proceeded to the battle. anye ca vṛṣṇayaḥ sarve yayuḥ saṅgrāmalālasāḥ ||3-95-18 rathāngajānsamāruhya hārdikyapramukhyāstathā | All the other important vṛṣṇi-s such as hārdikya (kṛtavarma), mounting on chariots and elephants, desiring for battle, proceeded to the battle field. dīpikābhiścha sarvatra purovṛttābhirīśvarāḥ ||3-95-19 siṁhanādaṁ prakurvantaḥ smarantaḥ kāiśavaṁ vacaḥ | The lords (vṛṣṇi-s) surrounded by torches all around in the front, roaring in the voice of lion, remembering the words of keshava (kṛṣṇa), pūrvadvāraṁ samāgamya vṛṣṇayo yuddhalālasāḥ ||3-95-20 te sametya yathāyogaṁ sthitāstatra mahābalāḥ | arrived at the eastern entrance. The highly powerful vṛṣṇi-s, desiring for battle arrived there and positioned themselves as required. sthite sainye mahāghore dīpikādīpite pathi ||3-95-21 śinirvīraḥ śarī cāpī gadī tūṇīravānvibho | As the highly terrible army was stationed and the ways were lighted by the torches, the valiant shini (sātyaki) , the lord, took up arrows, bows, mace and quiver. vāyavyāstraṁ samādāya yojayitvā mahāśaram ||3-95-22 ākarṇaṁ pūrṇamākṛṣya dhanuḥ pravaramuttamam | mumocha parasainyeṣu śinirvīraḥ pratāpavān ||3-95-23 sātyaki took up the weapon of vāyu and placed the great arrow on the bow, the great among the best, and pulled the string up to his ear. The splendorous, valiant shini (sātyaki) released the arrow on the army of the enemy. vāyavyāstreṇa te sarve tatrasthā narasattamāḥ | vijitā hyastravīryeṇa yatra tiṣṭhati pauṇḍrakaḥ ||3-95-24 tatra gatvā sthitāḥ sarve nirdhūtā vātaraṁhasā | Due to the valiance of the arrow, the weapon of vāyu, all the best among men (kings) were conquered. All of them, swayed by the force of the wind, went to the place where pauṇḍraka was stationed. yatra pūrvaṁ sthitāḥ sarve vidrutā rājasattamāḥ ||3-95-25 tatra sthitvā ca śaineyaḥ śaramādāya satvaram | niśitaṁ sarpabhogābhaṁ babhāṣe sātyakistadā ||3-95-26 Standing at the place, to where all the best among kings ran away before, the son of shini, sātyaki, taking up a sharp and serpentine arrow, spoke as follows: kva idānīṁ mahābuddhiḥ pauṇḍrako rājasattamaḥ | sthito'sti vyavasāyena śarī cāpī mahābalaḥ ||3-95-27 (sātyaki said) Where is the one with great intellect, pauṇḍRaka, the best among kings? I, the highly powerful one, am standing here, ready with arrows and bow. yadi draṣṭā durātmānaṁ tato hantā nṛpādhamam | bhṛtyo'smi keśavasyāhaṁ jighāṁsuḥ pauṇḍrakaṁ śitaḥ ||3-95-28 If I see the one with wicked soul (pauṇḍraka ) I will kill the vile king. I, the servant of keshava (kṛṣṇa) am standing here for killing pauṇḍraka. cittvā shirastu tasyāsya sarvakṣatrasya paśyataḥ | baliṁ dāsyāmi gṛdhrebhyaḥ shvabhyashcaiva durātmanaḥ ||3-95-29 Cutting away the head of the wicked soul (pauṇḍraka), I will offer it as feed to the vultures and dogs, as all the kṣatriyas are watching. ko nāma īdṛśaṁ karma cauravaccha samācaret | supteṣu nishi sarvatra yādaveṣu mahātmasu ||3-95-30 Who will do a deed like this, like the thieves do when all the yādava-s, the great souls are sleeping in the night? chauro'yaṁ sarvathā rājā na hi rājā balānvitaḥ | yadi shakto na kuryāccha chauryamevaṁ nṛpādhamaḥ ||3-95-31 This king with a powerful army is a thief by all means. He is not a king. If this vile king is powerful, he will not do a trickery like this. aho'sya balino rājṣaścaurakāryaṁ prakurvataḥ | sarvathāgamanaṁ tasya na hi paśyāmi sāṁpratam ||3-95-32 Alas! I do not see this powerful king who is doing a thievery like this, coming near. ityuktvā sātyakirvīraḥ prajahāsa mahābalaḥ | visphārya sudṛḍhaṁ cāpaṁ saṁdadhe kārmuke sharam ||3-95-33 (vaiśampāyana continued: O janamejaya!) Speaking thus, the highly powerful, the valiant sātyaki, laughed. Twanging the powerful bow, he placed the arrow on the bow. ākarṇya vacanaṁ vīraḥ sātyakestasya dhīmataḥ | kva nu kṛṣṇaḥ kva gopālaḥ kutaḥ so'tha pravartate ||3-95-34 The valiant king (pauṇḍraka) hearing the words of sātyaki with intellect, said: Where is kṛṣṇa? Where is the cowherd? What is he doing there? strīhantā paśuhantā ca kva ca svāmīti sevitaḥ | sa idānīṁ kva varteta gṛhītvā mama nāma tat ||3-95-35 Where is the killer of women, the killer of animals, now? Where is he served as a master? Where is he now, who has taken up my name? hantā sakhyurmahāvīryo narakasya mahātmanaḥ | mamaiva tāta yuddhe'sminhate tasmin durātmani ||3-95-36 He is the one who killed my friend, the highly valiant naraka, the great soul. O child! That wicked soul shall be killed in this battle with me. gaccha tvaṁ kāmato vīra yoddhuṁ na kṣamate bhavān | atha vā tiṣṭha kiṣchittu tato draṣṭāsi me balam ||3-95-37 O valiant! You may go as you like. You are not capable of fighting. Otherwise, stay for a while and see my strength. shiraste pātayiṣyāmi śarairghorairdurāsadaiḥ | hatasya tava vīreha bhūmiḥ pāsyati śoṇitam ||3-95-38 I will make your head fall with terrible arrows which are difficult to overcome. O valiant! After you are killed, the earth will drink your blood. śroṣyate sa tathā gopo hataḥ sātyakirityapi | yo garvastasya gopasya sarvadā vartate mahān ||3-95-39 vinashyati sa nu kṣipraṁ hate tvayi yadūttama | Thus that cowherd will hear that sātyaki has been killed. O the best among yādava-s! If you are killed, then the great pride that the cowherd (kṛṣṇa) has will quickly be destroyed. tvayi rakṣāṁ samādiśya gopaḥ kailāsaparvatam ||3-95-40 gata ityevamasmābhiḥ śrutaṁ pūrvaṁ mahāmate | O the one with great intellect! I have heard before that keeping the responsibility of protecting (the city) on you, the cowherd (kṛṣṇa) has gone to the mountain kailāsa. śaraṁ gṛhāṇa niśitaṁ yadi śakto'si sātyake | ityuktvā bāṇamādāya yayau yoddhuṁ vyavasthitaḥ ||3-95-41 O sātyaki! If you are powerful, take up a sharp arrow. Speaking thus, king pauṇḍraka, ready for battle, took up arrows and proceeded. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi pauṇḍrakavadhe rātriyuddhe sātyakipauṇḍrakabhāṣaṇe paṣchanavatitamo'dhyāyaḥ This is the ninety-fifth chapter of bhaviṣyaparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahabhārata, in the killing of pauṇḍraka, in the midnight battle, sātyaki challenges pauṇḍraka nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 3-95-1 nivṛtteṣviti || · 3-95-6 vasumukhyāni ratnāni || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ pauṇḍrakavadhe paṣchanavatitamo'dhyāyaḥ ||