Bhagavatapurana 10.79: athaikonāśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ

10.79.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
tataḥ parvaṇy upāvṛtte pracaṇḍaḥ pāṃśu-varṣaṇaḥ /
bhīmo vāyur abhūd rājan pūya-gandhas tu sarvaśaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said:
Then, when the change of the moon arrived, a violent, fierce wind arose,
raining down dust, O King, and the smell of pus was everywhere.

1. Sri Suka said:- On the next Full moon day a violent and formidable wind blew showering dust and wafting very bad odour on all sides.

10.79.2

tato 'medhya-mayaṃ varṣaṃ balvalena vinirmitam /
abhavad yajña-śālāyāṃ so 'nvadṛśyata śūla-dhṛk //

Then a downpour of impure filth created by Balvala
fell upon the sacrificial arena, and he appeared, holding a trident.

2. Next followed a shower of impurities caused by Balvala, all over the sacrificial ground and he also appeared with a trident in his hand. 3. Seeing the asura who, with his huge body, looked like a heap of well-mixed collyrium, with hair and mustashes like red-hot copper, with a face terrific with tusks and knit brows.

10.79.3

taṃ vilokya bṛhat-kāyaṃ bhinnāñjana-cayopamam /
tapta-tāmra-śikhā-śmaśruṃ daṃṣṭrogra-bhru-kuṭī-mukham //

Beholding him with his immense body resembling a heap of crushed black collyrium,
with hair and beard like molten copper, and a face of terrible fangs and furrowed brows,

10.79.4

sasmāra mūṣalaṃ rāmaḥ para-sainya-vidāraṇam /
halaṃ ca daitya-damanaṃ te tūrṇam upatasthatuḥ //

Rāma remembered his club, the tearer of enemy armies,
and his plow, the subduer of daityas; they both presented themselves quickly.

4. At once Balarama remembered his Musala (rod) that shatters enemies' army and the plough that puts down the Daityas; and they both instantly presented themselves.

10.79.5

tam ākṛṣya halāgreṇa balvalaṃ gagane-caram /
mūṣalenāhanat kruddho mūrdhni brahma-druhaṃ balaḥ //

Dragging down with the tip of his plow that Balvala who moved through the sky,
Bala in his fury struck that hater of brāhmaṇas on the head with his club.

5. With the point of his plough he Bala drew down Balvala (Palvala) who was walking through the sky and in a rage hit him, the sinner against brahmins, on his head with his musala—

10.79.6

so 'patad bhuvi nirbhinna- lalāṭo 'sṛk samutsṛjan /
muñcann ārta-svaraṃ śailo yathā vajra-hato 'ruṇaḥ //

He fell to the ground, his forehead split open, pouring forth blood,
uttering an agonizing cry, like a red mountain struck by a thunderbolt.

6. With his forehead split open and bleeding profusely he (the asura) fell on the ground, uttering a helpless cry and looked like a (red) mountain struck down with Vajra.

10.79.7

saṃstutya munayo rāmaṃ prayujyāvitathāśiṣaḥ /
abhyaṣiñcan mahā-bhāgā vṛtra-ghnaṃ vibudhā yathā //

Having praised Rāma and bestowed upon him unfailing blessings,
the blessed sages consecrated him, just as the gods consecrated the slayer of Vṛtra.

7. The blessed sages applauded him and pronounced true benedictions; and sprinkled holy waters on him, just as the gods did on Indra who vanquished Vritra.

10.79.8

vaijayantīṃ dadur mālāṃ śrī-dhāmāmlāna-paṅkajāṃ /
rāmāya vāsasī divye divyāny ābharaṇāni ca //

They gave him the Vaijayantī garland of unfading lotuses, the abode of Śrī,
and to Rāma they gave two divine garments and divine ornaments.

8. To Rama they gave a most beautiful garland, of unfading lotuses, called Vaijayanti and two excellent clothes and most valuable ornaments.

10.79.9

atha tair abhyanujñātaḥ kauśikīm etya brāhmaṇaiḥ /
snātvā sarovaram agād yataḥ sarayūr āsravat //

Then, permitted by those brāhmaṇas, he went to the Kauśikī,
and having bathed, proceeded to the lake from which the Sarayū flows.

9. Next, with their leave he went to the Kausiki, together with the brahmins and having bathed in it, he journeyed on to the fountain-head from which Sarayu issues.

10.79.10

anu-srotena sarayūṃ prayāgam upagamya saḥ /
snātvā santarpya devādīn jagāma pulahāśramam //

Following the course of the Sarayū, he reached Prayāga,
and having bathed and offered libations to the gods and others, went to the hermitage of Pulaha.

10. From the source, travelling alongside of the Sarayu, he reached Prayaga; there he bathed and poured oblations to the gods and others and then repaired to the hermitage of Pulaha.

10.79.11

gomatīṃ gaṇḍakīṃ snātvā vipāśāṃ śoṇa āplutaḥ /
gayāṃ gatvā pitṝn iṣṭvā gaṅgā-sāgara-saṅgame //

Having bathed in the Gomatī, the Gaṇḍakī, and the Vipāśā, and immersed himself in the Śoṇa,
he went to Gayā and worshipped the ancestors; then, at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the ocean,

11. He bathed in Gomati, Gandaki, Vipasa, Sona and visited Gaya, and there made offerings to the Pitris, at the mouth of the Ganges where she meets the sea.

10.79.12

upaspṛśya mahendrādrau rāmaṃ dṛṣṭvābhivādya ca /
sapta-godāvarīṃ veṇāṃ pampāṃ bhīmarathīṃ tataḥ //

having performed his ablutions, he saw and bowed to Rāma on Mount Mahendra;
then [he visited] the Sapta-Godāvarī, the Veṇā, the Pampā, and the Bhīmarathī.

12. Having bathed in the holy waters of the Mahendra hill and met Parasurama and bowed to him, he then, went to the tract watered by the seven branches of the Godavari, to the Vena, Pampa, and Bhimarathi.

10.79.13

skandaṃ dṛṣṭvā yayau rāmaḥ śrī-śailaṃ giriśālayam /
draviḍeṣu mahā-puṇyaṃ dṛṣṭvādriṃ veṅkaṭaṃ prabhuḥ //

Having seen Skanda, Rāma went to Śrī-Śaila, the abode of the Mountain-Dweller;
and in the Draviḍa lands, the Lord saw the supremely sacred Mount Veṅkaṭa,

13. Rama paid a visit to Skanda, and then Srisaila, the abode of Siva; and the lordly Rama saw the holy mountain of Venkata in the Dravida country.

10.79.14

kāma-koṣṇīṃ purīṃ kāñcīṃ kāverīṃ ca sarid-varām /
śrī-rangākhyaṃ mahā-puṇyaṃ yatra sannihito hariḥ //

the Kāmakoṣṇī river, the city of Kāñcī, the Kāverī, the best of rivers,
and the supremely holy place named Śrī-Raṅga, where Hari is ever present,

14. And the city of Kanchi known as Kamakoshneem (Kamakoti) and the Kaveri, one of the great rivers and the very holy place of Sriranga which Hari fills with His special presence. 15. Rishabhadri, a holy place dedicated to Hari and the southern Mathura and visited the Setu or the dam across the sea where people are purged of all sorts of heinous sin.

10.79.15

ṛṣabhādriṃ hareḥ kṣetraṃ dakṣiṇāṃ mathurāṃ tathā /
sāmudraṃ setum agamat mahā-pātaka-nāśanam //

Mount Ṛṣabha, the sacred field of Hari, as well as southern Mathurā,
and went to the ocean bridge, the destroyer of the greatest sins.

10.79.16

tatrāyutam adād dhenūr brāhmaṇebhyo halāyudhaḥ /
kṛtamālāṃ tāmraparṇīṃ malayaṃ ca kulācalam //

There the plow-armed Lord gave ten thousand cows to the brāhmaṇas;
[he visited] the Kṛtamālā, the Tāmraparṇī, and the Malaya mountain range.

16. There Balarama gave to brahmins ten thousand cows; then visited Kritamala, Tamraparni and Mount Malaya, a chain of mountains.

10.79.17

tatrāgastyaṃ samāsīnaṃ namaskṛtyābhivādya ca /
yojitas tena cāśīrbhir anujñāto gato 'rṇavam /
dakṣiṇaṃ tatra kanyākhyāṃ durgāṃ devīṃ dadarśa saḥ //

There, having bowed and paid homage to Agastya, who was seated,
and having been honored with blessings by him and given leave, he went to the southern ocean;
there he saw the goddess Durgā named Kanyā.

17. There he bowed (also) to Agastya seated on the mountain and having received his blessings and permission, he went to the sea on the south and there he visited the goddess Durga, known by the name Kanya.

10.79.18

tataḥ phālgunam āsādya pañcāpsarasam uttamam /
viṣṇuḥ sannihito yatra snātvāsparśad gavāyutam //

Then, having reached Phālguna and the excellent Pañcāpsaras
where Viṣṇu is present, he bathed and touched ten thousand cows [in gift].

18. Next he went to the holy waters called Phalguna and the great lake of Panchapsaras (five Apsaras) wherein Vishnu is specially present; he bathed in this and gave ten thousand cows to brahmins.

10.79.19

tato 'bhivrajya bhagavān keralāṃs tu trigartakān /
gokarṇākhyaṃ śiva-kṣetraṃ sānnidhyaṃ yatra dhūrjaṭeḥ //

Proceeding from there, the Lord went to the lands of the Keralas and the Trigartas,
and to the sacred place of Śiva called Gokarṇa, where Dhūrjaṭi is ever present.

19. & 20. Then he went forward to the Keralas, Trigartas, (Satagartas) Gokarna sacred to Siva where Siva's presence is special; and having visited Parvati in the island, Balarama went to Surparaka; having bathed in the Tapi, Payoshni and Nirvindhya he entered Dandaka.

10.79.20

āryāṃ dvaipāyanīṃ dṛṣṭvā śūrpārakam agād balaḥ /
tāpīṃ payoṣṇīṃ nirvindhyām upaspṛśyātha daṇḍakam //

Having seen Āryā Dvaipāyanī, Bala went to Śūrpāraka;
having sipped the waters of the Tāpī, the Payoṣṇī, and the Nirvindhyā, he entered Daṇḍaka,

10.79.21

praviśya revām agamad yatra māhiṣmatī purī /
manu-tīrtham upaspṛśya prabhāsaṃ punar āgamat //

and then went to the Revā, where the city of Māhiṣmatī stands;
having performed ablutions at Manu-tīrtha, he came again to Prabhāsa.

21. Having crossed the Narmada on the banks of which stands the city of Mahishmati and having bathed in the Manu-teertha, he came back to Prabhasa.

10.79.22

śrutvā dvijaiḥ kathyamānaṃ kuru-pāṇḍava-saṃyuge /
sarva-rājanya-nidhanaṃ bhāraṃ mene hṛtaṃ bhuvaḥ //

Hearing what was told by the twice-born regarding the battle between the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas,
and the destruction of all kings, he considered the burden of the earth removed.

22. When he heard of the destruction of all the princes in the Kuru-Pandava war described by brahmins, Balarama thought that the earth's burden was removed.

10.79.23

sa bhīma-duryodhanayor gadābhyāṃ yudhyator mṛdhe /
vārayiṣyan vinaśanaṃ jagāma yadu-nandanaḥ //

Wishing to stop Bhīma and Duryodhana who were fighting with maces in battle,
that joy of the Yadus went to Vinaśana.

23. Balarama, the delight of Yadus, went to Kurukshetra with the hope of stopping Bhima and Duryodhana from the single combat they were engaged in with their maces.

10.79.24

yudhiṣṭhiras tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā yamau kṛṣṇārjunāv api /
abhivādyābhavaṃs tuṣṇīṃ kiṃ vivakṣur ihāgataḥ //

Seeing him, Yudhiṣṭhira, the twins, and also Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna,
bowed to him and fell silent, wondering: 'What does he wish to say, having come here?'

24. Yudhishtira, Nakula, Sahadeva, Krishna and Arjuna bowed to him as soon as they saw him and kept silent to see what he had come thither to say.

10.79.25

gadā-pāṇī ubhau dṛṣṭvā saṃrabdhau vijayaiṣiṇau /
maṇḍalāni vicitrāṇi carantāv idam abravīt //

Seeing both of them mace in hand, furious and eager for victory,
moving in various circles, he spoke this:

25. He saw both with gada in their hands, burning with rage, bent on victory, making their wonderful manouvres and said this.

10.79.26

yuvāṃ tulya-balau vīrau he rājan he vṛkodara /
ekaṃ prāṇādhikaṃ manye utaikaṃ śikṣayādhikam //

'You two are heroes of equal strength, O King, O Vṛkodara!
One, I consider, is superior in bodily power, and the other superior in technique.

26. "O Warriors, both of you are equal in strength, O king, O Vrikodara, one I think great by strength and one great by training.

10.79.27

tasmād ekatarasyeha yuvayoḥ sama-vīryayoḥ /
na lakṣyate jayo 'nyo vā viramatv aphalo raṇaḥ //

Therefore, between the two of you of equal prowess,
victory or otherwise for one of you is not foreseen here; let this fruitless battle cease!'

27. "Therefore to either of you of equal strength there seems to be no possibility of victory or defeat; so let the fruitless combat stop."

10.79.28

na tad-vākyaṃ jagṛhatur baddha-vairau nṛpārthavat /
anusmarantāv anyonyaṃ duruktaṃ duṣkṛtāni ca //

Locked in enmity, O King, they did not accept that statement as meaningful,
recalling to mind each other's harsh words and wicked deeds.

28. Full of deep-seated enmity, both (the princes) did not accept his word though full of meaning, as they remembered their mutual reproaches and cruel treatment.

10.79.29

diṣṭaṃ tad anumanvāno rāmo dvāravatīṃ yayau /
ugrasenādibhiḥ prītair jñātibhiḥ samupāgataḥ //

Considering that to be destiny, Rāma went to Dvāravatī,
welcomed by Ugrasena and the other delighted kinsmen.

29 Balarama thought that it was their destiny and returned to Dwaraka, where he was received by Ugrasena and other relations who were delighted at his return:

10.79.30

taṃ punar naimiṣaṃ prāptam ṛṣayo 'yājayan mudā /
kratv-aṅgaṃ kratubhiḥ sarvair nivṛttākhila-vigraham //

When he reached Naimiṣa again, the sages joyfully engaged him in sacrifice—
him who is the embodiment of sacrifice, with all sacrifices, his every conflict ceased.

30. Balarama went a second time to Naimisha where the Rishis gladly acting as his priests, assisted Balarama, who had completely kept aloof from the war, in performing all the sacrifices.

10.79.31

tebhyo viśuddhaṃ vijñānaṃ bhagavān vyatarad vibhuḥ /
yenaivātmany ado viśvam ātmānaṃ viśva-gaṃ viduḥ //

To them the all-pervading Lord imparted purified realization,
by which they perceived this universe within the self, and the self pervading the universe.

31. & 32. To those sages the almighty Balarama imparted pure wisdom by virtue of which they realised in themselves all this Universe and the Atman present in all the Universe: with his consort, with all his kith and kin and friends, he performed Avabhrita ablutions, dressed in fine clothes and being well-adorned, shone like the moon in her own light.

10.79.32

sva-patyāvabhṛtha-snāto jñāti-bandhu-suhṛd-vṛtaḥ /
reje sva-jyotsnayevenduḥ su-vāsāḥ suṣṭhv alaṅkṛtaḥ //

Having taken the final sacrificial bath with his wife, surrounded by relatives, kin, and friends,
well-dressed and exquisitely adorned, he shone like the moon with its own moonlight.

10.79.33

īdṛg-vidhāny asaṅkhyāni balasya bala-śālinaḥ /
anantasyāprameyasya māyā-martyasya santi hi //

Innumerable indeed are deeds of this kind performed by the mighty Bala,
the infinite, immeasurable one, who has assumed a human form through his creative power.

33. Innumerable are the exploits and deeds of this kind, of the powerful Balarama of infinite and incomprehensible nature, a mortal only in form.

10.79.34

yo 'nusmareta rāmasya karmāṇy adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ /
sāyaṃ prātar anantasya viṣṇoḥ sa dayito bhavet //

Whoever recalls the deeds of Rāma, whose actions are wonderful,
evening and morning, shall become beloved of the infinite Viṣṇu.

34. He who remembers the deeds of Balarama of wonderful work, both morning and evening, would become the most beloved of the unlimited Lord Vishnu.