Bhagavatapurana 10.44: atha catuścatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

10.44.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
evaṃ carcita-saṅkalpo bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ /
āsasādātha caṇūraṃ muṣṭtikaṃ rohiṇī-sutaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / Having his purpose thus agreed upon, the Lord, Madhusūdana, / confronted Cāṇūra, and the son of Rohiṇī confronted Muṣṭika.

1. Sri Suka said:— When Chanura thus talked about the choice, the glorious Madhusudana made towards Chanura and Balarama towards Mushtika.

10.44.2

hastābhyāṃ hastayor baddhvā padbhyām eva ca pādayoḥ /
vicakarṣatur anyonyaṃ prasahya vijigīṣayā //

Locking hand to hand and foot to foot, / they forcefully dragged one another, eager for victory.

2. In their zeal to overthrow each other they held each other by the hand and by the legs and tugged vehemently at each other with all their strength.

10.44.3

aratnī dve aratnibhyāṃ jānubhyāṃ caiva jānunī /
śiraḥ śīrṣṇorasoras tāv anyonyam abhijaghnatuḥ //

Forearm against forearm, knee against knee, / head against head, and chest against chest, they struck one another.

3. They struggled together striking forearms with their forearms, knees with knees, heads with heads, and chests with chests.

10.44.4

paribhrāmaṇa-vikṣepa- parirambhāvapātanaiḥ /
utsarpaṇāpasarpaṇaiś cānyonyaṃ pratyarundhatām //

By twirling around, tossing, embracing, and throwing down, / by advancing and retreating, they countered one another.

4. Moving in a circle, tossing up each other, clasping each other with their arms, dashing each other to the ground, approaching or receding, they fought.

10.44.5

utthāpanair unnayanaiś cālanaiḥ sthāpanair api /
parasparaṃ jigīṣantāv apacakratur ātmanaḥ //

By lifting up, raising, pushing, and holding firm, / seeking to conquer one another, they wore down their opponent’s body.

5. In their intense desire to score a victory over the antagonist, they subjected their own body to great sufferings by raising, by carrying away, by shaking, by fixing one another to a spot.

10.44.6

tad balābalavad yuddhaṃ sametāḥ sarva-yoṣitaḥ /
ūcuḥ parasparaṃ rājan sānukampā varūthaśaḥ //

Watching that unequal match of the strong and the weak, all the women assembled there, / moved with compassion, spoke to one another in groups, O king:

6. Seeing that struggle between the weak boys and the strong athletes, all the ladies that had assembled in companies observed to

one another in great compassion, O king.

10.44.7

mahān ayaṃ batādharma eṣāṃ rāja-sabhā-sadām /
ye balābalavad yuddhaṃ rājño 'nvicchanti paśyataḥ //

“Alas! Great is the unrighteousness of these members of the king’s court, / who desire an unequal fight while the king looks on!

7. "What great injustice is indulged in by these courtiers of the king, who take delight in the unequal match between the strong and the weak, whereas they ought to dissuade the king who is quietly looking on.

10.44.8

kva vajra-sāra-sarvāṅgau mallau śailendra-sannibhau /
kva cāti-sukumārāṅgau kiśorau nāpta-yauvanau //

Where are these two wrestlers whose limbs are like diamond, resembling mighty mountains, / and where are these two youths of exceedingly tender limbs who have not yet reached youthfulness?

8. "How incompatible it is that the two wrestlers of adamantine frame and huge like hills should be opposed to the two lads of very delicate limbs, not having yet passed their boyhood.

10.44.9

dharma-vyatikramo hy asya samājasya dhruvaṃ bhavet /
yatrādharmaḥ samuttiṣṭhen na stheyaṃ tatra karhicit //

Transgression of dharma will surely befall this gathering; / where unrighteousness arises, one should never remain.

9. "The sin of violating righteousness would certainly accrue to this assembly where unrighteousness thrives, and certainly one should not stop there at all.

10.44.10

na sabhāṃ praviśet prājñaḥ sabhya-doṣān anusmaran /
abruvan vibruvann ajño naraḥ kilbiṣam aśnute //

A wise person should not enter an assembly, remembering the faults of its members; / a person who does not speak, or who speaks falsely, or who remains ignorant incurs sin.”

10. "A wise man ought not to enter a Sabha or assembly when he knows the faults of the members thereof; for an ignorant man is sure to acquire sin either by keeping silence or saying anything against facts.

10.44.11

valgataḥ śatrum abhitaḥ kṛṣṇasya vadanāmbujam /
vīkṣyatāṃ śrama-vāry-uptaṃ padma-kośam ivāmbubhiḥ //

Look at Kṛṣṇa's lotus face as he springs around his enemy, / sprinkled with drops of sweat like a lotus calyx with water!

11. "Mark ye the lotus face of Krishna as He makes His movements about the antagonists, how it is bedecked with drops of sweat like a lotus with drops of water!

10.44.12

kiṃ na paśyata rāmasya mukham ātāmra-locanam /
muṣṭikaṃ prati sāmarṣaṃ hāsa-saṃrambha-śobhitam //

Do you not see the face of Rāma with its reddish eyes, / furious toward Muṣṭika, adorned with smiles and fierce intensity?

12. "Do ye not see Rama's face of reddish eyes, enraged at Mushtika, brightened with a loud laugh and full of impatience?

10.44.12.p1

puṇyā bata vraja-bhuvo yad ayaṃ nṛ-liṅga $ gūḍhaḥ purāṇa-puruṣo vana-citra-mālyaḥ &

How sacred, indeed, are the lands of Vraja, where this ancient person, disguised in human form, wearing varied forest garlands,

13. "Blessed indeed are the tracts of Vraja where this Ancient Person, concealed under a human form, wearing various wild flowers, tending cows with Bala, playing upon His flute, roams about in playfulness, Lakshmi worshipping His feet (Fie upon this gathering where He is so unjustly treated).

10.44.13

gāḥ pālayan saha-balaḥ kvaṇayaṃś ca veṇuṃ % vikrīdayāñcati giritra-ramārcitāṅghriḥ //

tending the cows together with Bala, sounding his flute, / walks about in playful sport, his feet worshipped by Śiva and Ramā!

10.44.13.p2

gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṃ $ lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham &

What austerities did the cowherd women perform, that they drink in his form—the essence of beauty, unequalled and unsurpassed, not achieved by any other means—

14. "What great tapas Gopis must have performed to enjoy with their eyes His beautiful form, the very essence of beauty, without an equal or superior, not set off by anything external, new at every moment, not in the reach of all, the one constant abode of glory and almighty power and splendour.

10.44.13.p3

gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṃ $ lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham &

What austerities did the cowherd women perform, that they drink in his form—the essence of beauty, unequalled and unsurpassed, not achieved by any other means—

10.44.14

dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṃ durāpam % ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śrīya aiśvarasya //

with their eyes, ever fresh at every moment, difficult to attain, / the sole abode of renown, beauty, and sovereignty?

10.44.15

yā dohane 'vahanane mathanopalepa preṅkheṅkhanārbha-ruditokṣaṇa-mārjanādau /
gāyanti cainam anurakta-dhiyo 'śru-kaṇṭhyo dhanyā vraja-striya urukrama-citta-yānāḥ //

Those women of Vraja are blessed, whose minds are borne away by Urukrama, / who with loving hearts and choked, tearful voices sing of him while milking, threshing, churning, smearing [the floor], rocking the cradles, pacifying crying children, sprinkling, and sweeping!

15. "Blessed are the women of Vraja who, while milking, pounding, churning, washing, rocking the cradles, lulling their cry-

ing babes, sprinkling and cleaning, sing in praise of Him with a devoted and loving heart, whose throat is choked with tears and whose mind devoted to Urukrama, brings them every blessing.

10.44.15.p1

prātar vrajād vrajata āviśataś ca sāyaṃ $ gobhiḥ samaṃ kvaṇayato 'sya niśamya veṇum &

When in the morning he departs from Vraja and in the evening returns with the cows, / hearing his flute as he plays it,

16. Possessed of endless merit are the women who see Him and His face bright with smiles, gracious looks and who hear Him playing upon His flute, as He issues out with cows in the morning from, and returns in the evening to, Vraja.

10.44.16

nirgamya tūrṇam abalāḥ pathi bhūri-puṇyāḥ % paśyanti sa-smita-mukhaṃ sa-dayāvalokam //

the women, richly meritorious, swiftly rush out onto the path / and gaze upon his smiling face and compassionate glance.

10.44.17

evaṃ prabhāṣamāṇāsu strīṣu yogeśvaro hariḥ /
śatruṃ hantuṃ manaś cakre bhagavān bharatarṣabha //

While the women were speaking thus, O bull of the Bharatas, / Hari, the Lord of yoga, the Lord, made up his mind to kill his enemy.

17. O best of Bharatas, while the women were thus talking to one another, the Almighty Lord made up His mind to strike down the opponent.

10.44.18

sa-bhayāḥ strī-giraḥ śrutvā putra-sneha-śucāturau /
pitarāv anvatapyetāṃ putrayor abudhau balam //

Hearing the fearful words of the women, the two parents, / stricken with grief born of parental affection and unaware of their sons' power, were filled with sorrow.

18. The parents heard the talks of women with fear, became anxious out of filial love and highly troubled at heart, as they did not perceive the strength of their sons.

10.44.19

tais tair niyuddha-vidhibhir vividhair acyutetarau /
yuyudhāte yathānyonyaṃ tathaiva bala-muṣṭikau //

With various techniques of close combat, Acyuta and his opponent / fought against each other, as did Bala and Muṣṭika.

19. In the various courses of wrestling, according to the rules, Achyuta and Chanura fought with each other; and exactly in the same manner Bala fought with Mushtika.

10.44.20

bhagavad-gātra-niṣpātair vajra-nīṣpeṣa-niṣṭhuraiḥ /
cāṇūro bhajyamānāṅgo muhur glānim avāpa ha //

From the impacts of the Lord's limbs, harsh as thunderbolt blows, / Cāṇūra's limbs were shattered, and he repeatedly fell into faintness.

20. By the repeated attacks with the Lord's hands and feet which were as hard as the hits of Vajra, Chanura had his limbs crushed and often fainted.

10.44.21

sa śyena-vega utpatya muṣṭī-kṛtya karāv ubhau /
bhagavantaṃ vāsudevaṃ kruddho vakṣasy abādhata //

Springing up with the speed of a hawk and balling both hands into fists, / he struck the Lord Vāsudeva furiously on the chest.

21. Swift like the eagle the enraged Chanura sprang, folded both his hands into fists and struck the almighty Vasudeva on the chest.

10.44.22

nācalat tat-prahāreṇa mālāhata iva dvipaḥ /
bāhvor nigṛhya cāṇūraṃ bahuśo bhrāmayan hariḥ //

He did not flinch from that blow, like an elephant struck by a garland of flowers. / Seizing Cāṇūra by both arms and whirling him around many times, Hari

22 & 23. Hari was not shaken by that stroke, like an elephant struck with a garland: He caught hold of him by his arms, violently whirled him several times and dashed him with great force on the ground, almost taking his life out of him: and he fell down like an Indra's flag, with his ornaments scattered, his hair and wreath dishevelled.

10.44.23

bhū-pṛṣṭhe pothayām āsa tarasā kṣīṇa jīvitam /
visrastākalpa-keśa-srag indra-dhvaja ivāpatat //

hurled him forcefully to the ground, his life drained away; / with ornaments, hair, and garland dishevelled, he fell like an Indra banner.

10.44.24

tathaiva muṣṭikaḥ pūrvaṃ sva-muṣṭyābhihatena vai /
balabhadreṇa balinā talenābhihato bhṛśam //

Likewise, Muṣṭika, who had earlier struck powerful Balabhadra / with his fist, was struck severely with the palm of his hand.

24. Similarly struck by the antagonist with his first, the powerful Balabhadra violently beat Mushtika down with his palm.

10.44.25

pravepitaḥ sa rudhiram udvaman mukhato 'rditaḥ /
vyasuḥ papātorvy-upasthe vātāhata ivāṅghripaḥ //

Trembling violently, vomiting blood from his mouth, crushed, / he fell lifeless upon the lap of the earth like a tree struck down by the wind.

25. He shook and was so hard pressed as to vomit blood through the mouth, and fall lifeless on the ground, like a tree blown down by the wind.

10.44.26

tataḥ kūṭam anuprāptaṃ rāmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ /
avadhīl līlayā rājan sāvajñaṃ vāma-muṣṭinā //

Then, as Kūṭa approached, Rāma, the best of strikers, / contemptuously struck him down in sport with his left fist, O King.

26. Then Rama, foremost among those that can deal blows, with his left fist struck down playfully and scornfully the Malla called Kuta who next offered to fight.

10.44.27

tarhy eva hi śalaḥ kṛṣṇa- prapadāhata-śīrṣakaḥ /
dvidhā vidīrṇas tośalaka ubhāv api nipetatuḥ //

At that very moment, Śala's head was smashed by Kṛṣṇa's toe, / and Tośalaka was torn in two; both of them fell dead.

27. Immediately thereafter Sala and Tosalaka both fell with their head broken into two at the touch of Sri Krishna's foot.

10.44.28

cāṇūre muṣṭike kūṭe śale tośalake hate /
śeṣāḥ pradudruvur mallāḥ sarve prāṇa-parīpsavaḥ //

When Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, Kūṭa, Śala, and Tośalaka were slain, / the remaining wrestlers all fled, eager to save their lives.

28. Chanura, Mushtika, Kuta, Sala and Tosalaka having fallen, the remaining wrestlers, all anxious to escape with their life, took to their heels.

10.44.29

gopān vayasyān ākṛṣya taiḥ saṃsṛjya vijahratuḥ /
vādyamāneṣu tūryeṣu valgantau ruta-nūpurau //

Drawing in their cowherd companions, mingling with them, they sported, / prancing about with tinkling anklets while the horns and drums were sounded.

29. They called in Gopalas, their companions and with them they sported, as the trumpets were blown, and danced with their anklets jingling.

10.44.30

janāḥ prajahṛṣuḥ sarve karmaṇā rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ /
ṛte kaṃsaṃ vipra-mukhyāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu sādhv iti //

All the people rejoiced at the deed of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, / except Kaṃsa; the foremost Brahmins and virtuous men cried, “Bravo, bravo!”

30. All the righteous people and the great brahmins except Kamsa were rejoiced at the exploits of Rama and Krishna and shouted, "Well done, well done."

10.44.31

hateṣu malla-varyeṣu vidruteṣu ca bhoja-rāṭ /
nyavārayat sva-tūryāṇi vākyaṃ cedam uvāca ha //

When the foremost wrestlers had been killed and the rest routed, the king of the Bhojas / silenced his drums and spoke these words:

31. When his great wrestlers were struck down, or put to flight, the king of Bhojas ordered the blowing of trumpets to be stopped and spoke as follows:

10.44.32

niḥsārayata durvṛttau vasudevātmajau purāt /
dhanaṃ harata gopānāṃ nandaṃ badhnīta durmatim //

“Expel the two ill-behaved sons of Vasudeva from the city! / Seize the wealth of the cowherds, and bind the foolish Nanda!

32. Drive out of the city these wicked sons of Vasudeva, strip the Gopas and chain down the evil-minded Nanda.

10.44.33

vasudevas tu durmedhā hanyatām āśv asattamaḥ /
ugrasenaḥ pitā cāpi sānugaḥ para-pakṣa-gaḥ //

Let Vasudeva, that evil-minded and most wicked man, be quickly put to death, / and my father Ugrasena too, along with his followers, for he has taken the enemy's side!”

33. Let the evil-minded Vasudeva, the most wicked creature, be soon slain as well as my father Ugrasena, with his attendants, for siding with the enemy.

10.44.34

evaṃ vikatthamāne vai kaṃse prakupito 'vyayaḥ /
laghimnotpatya tarasā mañcam uttuṅgam āruhat //

As Kaṃsa was boasting in this way, the imperishable Lord was enraged; / leaping up with agility, he swiftly climbed onto the elevated dais.

34. When Kamsa was thus prattling, the undecaying Lord got angry and skilfully sprang at once on to the royal seat.

10.44.35

tam āviśantam ālokya mṛtyum ātmana āsanāt /
manasvī sahasotthāya jagṛhe so 'si-carmaṇī //

Seeing him approaching like his own death, the resolute [Kaṃsa] / suddenly rose from his seat and seized his sword and shield.

35. Seeing his death thus seizing upon him, the bold Kamsa rose at once from his seat and snatched up his sword and shield.

10.44.36

taṃ khaḍga-pāṇiṃ vicarantam āśu śyenaṃ yathā dakṣiṇa-savyam ambare /
samagrahīd durviṣahogra-tejā yathoragaṃ tārkṣya-sutaḥ prasahya //

As he moved swiftly right and left in the open space, sword in hand, like a hawk, / [Kṛṣṇa], whose fierce splendour is irresistible, seized him by force, like the son of Tārkṣya seizing a serpent.

36. Him moving about swiftly with sword in hand to right and left, like an eagle, the Lord of irresistible and terrible energy, caught him forcibly just as Garuda seizes a serpent.

10.44.37

pragṛhya keśeṣu calat-kirītaṃ nipātya raṅgopari tuṅga-mañcāt /
tasyopariṣṭāt svayam abja-nābhaḥ papāta viśvāśraya ātma-tantraḥ //

Seizing him by the hair while his crown shook, throwing him down from the high dais onto the arena, / the lotus-navelled Lord, the independent shelter of the universe, jumped down upon him.

37. The Lord caught him by the hair, shaking his crown off his head, and from the high seat He threw him on the floor of the arena: on him sprang down the Lord Abjanabha, the one support of the Universe and the absolute master.

10.44.38

taṃ samparetaṃ vicakarṣa bhūmau harir yathebhaṃ jagato vipaśyataḥ /
hā heti śabdaḥ su-mahāṃs tadābhūd udīritaḥ sarva-janair narendra //

Hari dragged him, dead, along the ground as an elephant [drags a carcass], while the world looked on; / then a great cry of “Alas, alas!” was raised by all the people, O king of men.

38. Even as a lion does the elephant, the Lord dragged him bereft of life, the world witnessing it: and loud shouts and screamings went forth from all people, O great king.

10.44.39

sa nityadodvigna-dhiyā tam īśvaraṃ pibann adan vā vicaran svapan śvasan /
dadarśa cakrāyudham agrato yatas tad eva rūpaṃ duravāpam āpa //

Because with an ever-anxious mind he had envisioned that Lord while drinking, eating, walking, sleeping, or breathing, / seeing the discus-wielder before him, he attained that very form, so difficult to attain.

39. With a fearful heart, he daily thought of, and contempla-

ted, that same Lord while drinking, speaking, walking, sleeping, or breathing and so he saw before him the same Form with Chakra in the hand and attained to it, which is not the lot of all.

10.44.40

tasyānujā bhrātaro 'ṣṭau kaṅka-nyagrodhakādayaḥ /
abhyadhāvann ati-kruddhā bhrātur nirveśa-kāriṇaḥ //

His eight younger brothers, headed by Kaṅka and Nyagrodhaka, / rushed forward in extreme fury, seeking to avenge their brother.

40. His eight brothers Kanka, Nyagrodhaka and others ran to attack Him in a rage in the hope of avenging their brother’s death.

10.44.41

tathāti-rabhasāṃs tāṃs tu saṃyattān rohiṇī-sutaḥ /
ahan parigham udyamya paśūn iva mṛgādhipaḥ //

As they advanced impetuously and prepared for battle, the son of Rohiṇī, / raising his club, struck them down as the king of beasts strikes down animals.

41. Rohini’s son lifted up Parigha and struck down, as the lion does the cattle, those that came in great vehemence and in thorough preparation.

10.44.42

nedur dundubhayo vyomni brahmeśādyā vibhūtayaḥ /
puṣpaiḥ kirantas taṃ prītāḥ śaśaṃsur nanṛtuḥ striyaḥ //

Drums sounded in the sky; Brahmā, Śiva, and other powers, / delighted, praised him and showered him with flowers, and the celestial women danced.

42. In the sky drums were sounded; Brahma, Rudra and others, who depend upon the Lord for their greatness, were highly delighted, showered flowers on Him, praised Him: and the women danced.

10.44.43

teṣāṃ striyo mahā-rāja suhṛn-maraṇa-duḥkhitāḥ /
tatrābhīyur vinighnantyaḥ śīrṣāṇy aśru-vilocanāḥ //

Their wives, O great king, grieving over the death of their kinsmen, / came there beating their heads, their eyes flooded with tears.

43. & 44. Grieved at the death of their friends, O king, their women came thither, beating their heads and shedding tears from their eyes: they embraced in their grief their husbands that lay on the bed of heroes and bewailed them in appropriate tones and showered tears of sorrow.

10.44.44

śayānān vīra-śayāyāṃ patīn āliṅgya śocatīḥ /
vilepuḥ su-svaraṃ nāryo visṛjantyo muhuḥ śucaḥ //

Embracing their husbands lying on the warrior's bed, the sorrowing women / wept aloud, constantly venting their grief:

10.44.45

hā nātha priya dharma-jña karuṇānātha-vatsala /
tvayā hatena nihatā vayaṃ te sa-gṛha-prajāḥ //

“O lord, O dear one, O knower of dharma, compassionate to those without a protector! / By your being slain, we, together with our households and children, have been slain.

45. & 46. Ah! my lord, my dear one versed in dharma, merciful lord, O affectionate one, thou struck down, we are also struck down with our house and children: without thee, her lord, this city, O bull among men, is woeful just as we are, deprived of our joy and auspiciousness.

10.44.46

tvayā virahitā patyā purīyaṃ puruṣarṣabha /
na śobhate vayam iva nivṛttotsava-maṅgalā //

Deprived of you, its lord, O bull among men, / this city, its festivals and auspiciousness ended, does not shine, just like us.

10.44.47

anāgasāṃ tvaṃ bhūtānāṃ kṛtavān droham ulbaṇam /
tenemāṃ bho daśāṃ nīto bhūta-dhruk ko labheta śam //

You committed terrible violence against innocent living beings; / brought by that to this condition, alas, who that injures beings can find peace?

47. Thou didst cause horrible cruelty to beings and innocent creatures: thereby thou hast been brought to this plight. Ah! Could any oppressor of creatures be happy?

10.44.48

sarveṣām iha bhūtānām eṣa hi prabhavāpyayaḥ /
goptā ca tad-avadhyāyī na kvacit sukham edhate //

For he indeed is the origin, dissolution, and protector of all beings here; / one who harbors malice toward him never prospers in happiness.”

48. Such are the beginning and the end of all that are born here and no ruler that thinks evil unto them ever gets on happily.

10.44.49

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
rāja-yoṣita āśvāsya bhagavāṃl loka-bhāvanaḥ /
yām āhur laukikīṃ saṃsthāṃ hatānāṃ samakārayat //

Śrī Śuka said: / Having consoled the royal women, the Lord, the author of the world's welfare, / had the customary worldly rites performed for the slain.

49. Sri Suka said:— The Lord who creates and protects the world, condoled the ladies of the palace and directed them to get through the due course of ceremonies laid down for the dead in this world.

10.44.50

mātaraṃ pitaraṃ caiva mocayitvātha bandhanāt /
kṛṣṇa-rāmau vavandāte śirasā spṛśya pādayoḥ //

Then, releasing their mother and father from their bonds, / Kṛṣṇa and Rāma bowed down to them, touching their feet with their heads.

50. Krishna and Rama released Their mother and father from fetters and bowed to them, touching their feet with Their head.

10.44.51

devakī vasudevaś ca vijñāya jagad-īśvarau /
kṛta-saṃvandanau putrau sasvajāte na śaṅkitau //

Recognizing the two sons who had bowed to them as the Lords of the universe, / Devakī and Vasudeva, filled with awe, did not embrace them.

51. Perceiving their sons who bowed to them to be the Lords of the Universe, Devaki and Vasudeva in their fear did not embrace Them.