This chapter deals with the battles of kR^iShNa with jaraasandha and his allys; kR^iShNa's going to gomantaka mountain along with his brother; garuDa brings kR^iShNa's crown after defeating bali; routing of jaraasandha and his armies; return of kR^iShNa to mathura after eliminating his enemy caled sRigaala-vaasudeva.
kAle tu etasmin bhUya eva akhilaH cha
nR^ipaiH yukto mAgadho yoddhu kAmaH |
prAyAt yaU.n tatra nitya avyaya iti
bala aishvaryo.api ichchhayA agAt sa kR^ishhNaH || 16\.1||
During that period, when princes are undergoing training, jaraasndha again assembled all the kings and invaded yaadava-s. He who is eternal, imperishable, and who has might and affluence, that kR^iShNa willingly set out to encounter him. [16-1]
sandarshayan balinAm alpa senAt
upaskarANAM bahuLa upaskaraiH cha |
prApte virodhe balibhiH nItim agryAM
yayau sa rAmo daxiNa aashAM rameshaH || 16\.2||
When a war ensues, a faction though mighty but lacks in apparatus, has to deal with other faction that has might as well apparatus in certain political way. Hence, kR^iShNa started towards southern side along with balaraama. [16-2]
so.anantavIryaH paramo.abhayo.api
nItyai gachchhanjAmadagnyaM dadarsha |
krIDArthameko.api tato.atidurgaM
shrutvA gomantaM tatra yayau sahAgrajaH || 16\.3||
He whose valour is high and reigns supreme, and he who although has no fear of anything, has diplomatically gone to parashuraama, and when parashuraama told that the mountain called gomantaka is impasable, kR^iShNa sportingly went to the mountain along with balaraama. [16-3]
tadA dugdhAbdhau saMsR^itisthaiH surAdyaiH
pUjAM prAptuM sthAnameshhAM cha yogyam |
muktasthAnAdApa nArAyaNo.ajo
balishchA.agAttatra sandrashhTumIsham || 16\.4||
When kR^iShNa proceeded to Mt. gomantaka, shriiman naaraayaNa, whose wont is staying in a place called mukt sthaana, an abode of liberated souls in Milky Ocean, has come out of it and presented himself in a place called amukta sthaana in that Milky Ocean, whereat souls still lingering in karmic cycle will be present, in order to receive worship of deities and sages. And emperor bali has come there to see the Almighty. [16-4]
tatra asura aavesham amushhya vishhNuH
sandarshayan supti hIno api nityam |
saMsuptavichchhashya udArakarmA
saJNj~nAyai devAnAM mukhamIxyAprameyaH || 16\.5||
Though viShNu is a sleepless entity he pretended to be in fast sleep when bali is going to enter that place. He who is an unknowble entity, and who does gracious deeds also set eyes on the deities present there, indicating that they too feign sleepiness along with him. This pretence of sleep is to make the aasuric shade of emperor bali known to the world. [16-5]
devAshcha tadbhAvavido.akhilAshcha
nimIlitAxAH shayaneshhu shishyare |
tadA balistasya vishhNoH kirITa
mAdAyAgAjjahasuH sarvadevAH || 16\.6||
Knowing the idea of naaraayaNa, the deities too pretended to be in sleep by closing their eyes. Then bali entered and took away the crown of viShNu, making himself a laughing stock of all available there. [16-6]
nArAyaNe sarvadevaiH samete
brahmAdibhirhAsamAne suparNaH |
gatvA pAtALaM yudhi jitvA baliM cha
kirITamAdAyAbhyayAdyatra kR^ishhNaH || 16\.7||
While gods along naaraayaNa are laughing at bali’s petty thievery, garutmanta, the eagle-vehicle of naaraayaNa, dashed to paataala, netherworld, and fought with bali, retrieved the crown, brought it to Mt. gomantaka and gave it to kR^iShNa. [16-7]
tattasya shIrshhNi pratimuchya natvA
khagaH stutvA devadevaM ramesham |
smR^ita Agachchhetyeva visarjito.amunA
yayau dugdhAbdhiM yatra nArAyaNo.asau || 16\.8||
Placing that crown on the head of kR^iShNa, garuDa reverently eulogised him, and departed to the abode of naaraayaNa, namely Milky Ocean, saying that he would be present as and when kR^iShNa contemplates to summon him. [16-8]
kirITaM tatkR^ishhNamUrdhni pravishhTaM
tattulyamAsIttasya rUpeshhvabhedAt |
tadichchhayA chaiva nArAyaNasya
shIrshhNyapyAsIdyugapaddugdhavArdhau || 16\.9||
Because of the non-difference between kR^iShNa and nārāyaNa that crown lent itself to the head of kR^iShNa, and simultaneously the same crown shone forth on the head of nārāyaNa also, just by the wish of nārāyaNa. [16-9]
pUrvaM prAptAnyeva divyAyudhAni
punarvaikuNThaM lokamitAni bhUyaH |
tadA.avaterU rauhiNeyasya chaivaM
bhAryA.apyAyAdvAruNI nAma pUrvA || 16\.10||
The weapons that have come from the abode of nārāyaNa, vaikuNTha, in the earlier fight of kR^iShNa-jaraasandha, have again reached kR^iShNa from vaikuNTha. The weapons of rauhiNeya, namely balaraama, have also come into possession of balaraama. Further, balaraama's wife in his earlier transfiguration has also come. Her name is vaaruNi. [16-11]
saivAparaM rUpamAsthAya chA.agAt
chhrIrityAkhyaM sendirAveshamagryam |
kAntishchA.agAttasya somasya chAnyA
bhAryA dvayoH pUrvatanA surUpA || 16\.11||
Another lady called shrii has also come to balarama. She is none other than the transfiguration of lady vaaruNi, plus a shade of goddess lakshmi. Besides, another wife of balaraama has also come whose name is kaanti. The name of the wife of soma, or chandra the moon, is also kaanti. But she is a different one. Among those two, lady kaanti, the wife of balaraama is a most beautiful one. [16-11]
tAbhI rAmo mumude tatra tishhThan
chhashAN^kapUgodriktakAntiH sudhAmA |
tasyA vAruNyAH pratimA peyarUpA
kAdambarI vAruNI tAM papau saH || 16\.12||
balaraama, whose sheen excels the shine of numerous moons, has enjoyed on the Mt. gomantaka along with his three wives, namely, vaaruNi, shrii and kaanti. Moreover, that lady vaaruNi, whose affinity is with the liquor dribbled from kadamba flowers, has also manifested herself in the form of such a liquor, which balaraama enjoyed. [16-12]
evaM tayoH krIDatoH svairamatra
rAjanyavR^indAnugato jarAsutaH |
giriM gomantaM parivAryAdahattaM
dR^ishhT.hvA devau pupluvaturbalAbdhau || 16\.13||
While kR^iShNa and balaraama are enjoying on the Mt. gomntaka, jaraasandha surrounded that mountain with hosts of kings, and burnt it. Noticing that the mountain is put on fire, balaraama and kR^iShNa jumped from it. [16-13]
giristAbhyAM pIDitaH sannimagno bhUmau padbhyAM yojanaikAdashaM saH |
nishhpIDitAjjaladhArodgatA.asmAdvahniM vyAptaM shamayAmAsa sarvam || 16\.14||
Owing to their kick-jump that mountain is thrust into earth to a depth of eleven yojana-s. Impacted by its lunge water is sprouted from earth which extinguished the fire set around the mountain by the invaders. [16-14]
senAM pravishhTau sarvarAjanyabR^indaM
vyamathnAtAM devavarau svashastraiH |
tatra haMso DibhakashchaikalavyaH
sakIchakastau shishupAlapauNDrakau || 16\.15||
bhaumAtmajo dantavakrashcha rugmI
saubhAdhipo maindamaindAnujau cha |
anye cha ye pArthivAH sarva eva
krodhAtkR^ishhNaM parivAryAbhyavarshhan || 16\.16||
shastrairastrairdrumapUgaiH shilAbhi
rbhaktAshcha ye shalyabAhlIkamukhyAH |
sasomadattAH saumadattirvirATaH
pAJNchAlarAjashcha jarAsutasya |
bhayAtkR^ishhNaM shastravarshhairavarshhan
kArAgR^ihe vAsitA mAgadhena || 16\.17||
Penetrating into the army of jaraasandha, those two matchless gods, churned it up with their weapons. Besetting those two brothers, invaders like hamsa, Dibhaka, ekalavya, kiichaka, shishupaala, paunDraka vaasudea, bhagadatta, dantavaktra, rukmi, saalva, mainda and his brother vivida, and a host of otter kings, furiously stormed them with weapons, missiles, trees and boulders. And though the kings like shalya and baahliika and others, and some more like somadatta, and his son bhuurishrava, king of viraaTa, king of paanchaala, namely drupada, are devotees of kR^iShNa. But, jaraasnadha imprisoned them once. They too rained arrows on balaraama and kR^iShNa, out of their scare from jaraasandha. [16-15, 16, 17]
sarvAnetAJNchharavarshheNa kR^ishhNo
visUtavAjidhvajashastravarmaNaH |
kR^itvA vamachchhoNitAnArtarUpAn
vidrAvayAmAsa hariryathA mR^igAn || 16\.18||
But kR^iShNa with a fusillade of arrows rendered them all as chariotless, horseless, armourless warriors, and put them to flight while they are agonised and vomiting blood, as if a lion dispels puny animals. [16-18]
hatvA senAM viMshadaxohiNIM tAM
tribhiryuktAM rugmiNaM naiva kR^ishhNaH |
rugmiNyarthe pIDayAmAsa shastrA
Nyasya chchhitvA virathaM drAvayAnaH || 16\.19||
Though kR^iShNa has wiped out an army of twenty akshauhiNi-s, he refrained from the elimination of rukmi and his army of three akshauhiNi-s, in the interest of lady rukmiNi, but rendered shamefaced by shattering his weapons and decharioted, thus made him to flee. [16-19]
jarAsuto rauhiNeyena yuddhaM
chiraM kR^itvA tanmusalena pothitaH |
vimohitaH prAptasaJNj~nashchireNa
kruddho gadAM tadurasyabhyapAtayat || 16\.20||
jaraasandha fought with balaraama for a considerable time, and swooned when he is hit with the mace of balaraama. Recovering from swoon after a long time, jaraasandha furiously thwacked with his mace on the chest of balaraama. [16-20]
tena aahataH subhR^ishaM rauhiNeyaH
papAta mUrchchha abhigataH xaNena |
ajeyatvaM tasya dattaM hi dhAtrA
pUrvaM gR^ihIto vishhNunA rAmagena || 16\.21||
And balaraama immediately swooned and fell when hit with the mace of jaraasandha. jaraasandha has invincibility owing to the boon of brahma. Then, how could balaraama defeat him in the previous combat? It is not balaraama who defeated him in the last battle, but it is silver haired shriihari available in the physique of balaraama. [16-21]
tathAkR^ite balabhadre tu kR^ishhNo
gadAmAdAya svAmagAnmAgadhesham |
tatADa jatrau sa tayA.abhitADito
jagAma gAM mUrchchhayA.abhiplutAN^gaH || 16\.22||
When balabhadra is thus made to swoon, kR^iShNa confronted him taking up his mace, hit hard on jaraasandha's shoulder joints whereby jaraasandha fainted in a moment. [16-22]
athottasthau rauhiNeyaH sahaiva
samuttasthau mAgadho.apyagryavIryaH |
kruddho gR^ihItvA maulimasyA.ashu rAmo
vadhAyodyachchhanmusalaM bAhushhALI || 16\.23||
Both balaraama and the highly valorous jaraasandha are again on their feet recovering from faint. Now balaraama caught hold of jaraasandha by his tuft and lifted his musala weapon, a pounder, readied himself to kill jaraasandha. [16-23]
athAbravIdvAyurenaM na rAma
tvayA hantuM shakyate mAgadho.ayam |
vR^ithA na te bAhubalaM prayojya
mamoghaM te yadbalaM tadvadastram || 16\.24||
Then vaayudeva, airgod, spoke to balaraama, who is all set to eliminate jaraasandha, in this way, "oh, raama, he is unkillable by you… the strength of your arms and weapons are of wondrous nature… let them not be wasted…"
anyo hantA balavAnasya cheti
shrutvA yayau balabhadro vimuchya |
jarAsutaM punarudyachchhamAnaM
jaghAna kR^ishhNo gadayA svayaiva || 16\.25||
"There is someone who is mightier than you to eliminate this jaraasandha…" so said vaayudeva. On listening to these words, balaraama left off jaraasandha and went aside. But, when jaraasandha again tried to attack them, kR^iShNa hit him hard with a mace. [16-25]
tenA.ahataH srastasamastagAtraH
papAta mUrchhAbhigataH sa rAjA |
chirAtsaJNj~nAM prApya chAntarhito.asau
samprAdravadbhItabhItaH salajjaH || 16\.26||
When kR^iShNa hit him, jaraasandha's whole body is mashed, and he again fainted. Recovering from faint after a long time, he took to heels in shame and intimidation. [16-26]
yayau shishhTai rAjabhiH saMyutashcha
puraM jIvetyeva kR^ishhNena muktaH |
punaryuddhaM bahushaH keshavena
kR^itvA jito rAjagaNaiH sametaH || 16\.27||
kR^ishhNo jitvA mAgadhaM rauhiNeya
yukto yayau damaghoshheNa sArddham | [16-28 a]
When kR^iShNa left him saying, "just live for the sake of living…." jaraasandha went away along with other kings, but returned repeatedly to fight kR^iShNa. But he is defeated and repulsed on all instances. And kR^iShNa after defeating jaraasandha on certain occasion, went to karaviirapura, along with balaraama and damaghoSha. [16-27, 28a]
pitR^ishhvasAyAH patinA tena choktaH
pUrvaM jitenApi yudhi sma bAndhavAt || 16\.28 b
||yAmaH puraM karivIrAkhyameva
mahAlaxmyAH xetrasandarshanAya | 16-29a
damaghoSha is the husband of lady shrutashrava, and lady shrutashrava is the sister of kR^iShNa's father. Though damaghoSha is an ally of jaraasandha, and though kR^iShNa defeated him when he attacked along with jaraasandha, because of the familial relation he took sides with kR^iShNa at a later time, and once he advised kR^iShNa to visit a place called karaviirapura, along with him. [16-28b, 29a]
shrutvA vAkyaM tasya yuddhe jitasya
bhItyA yuktasyA.atmanA tadyuto.agAt || 16\.29 b||
Although damaghoSha stands defeated in a combat, his advise to kR^iShNa is in a pleasant and unfeigned manner. So kR^iShNa accepted it and started for karaviirapura along with him. [16-29b]
gandharvo.asau danunAmA naro.abhUt
tasmAtkR^ishhNe bhaktimA.nshchA.asa rAjA |
puraprAptA.nstAnsa vij~nAya pApaH
sR^igAlAkhyo vAsudevaH krudhA.a.agAt || 16\.30||
Originally damaghoSha is gandharva named danu, an ardent devotee of kR^iShNa, who now stands transfigured as a human. On hearing that kR^iShNa and this damaghoSha have arrived at karaviirapura, a malefactor called sRigaala-vaasudeva rushed towards them in all his fury. [16-30]
sUrya pra dattaM ratham Aruhya divyaM
varAt avadhyaH atigma rucheH sa kR^ishhNam |
yoddhuM yaya avamucha cha Astra saN^ghAJN
shiraH tasya atha aashu jahAra kR^ishhNaH || 16\.31||
sRigaala-vaasudeva has got the blessing of indestructibility from the god with scorching shafts, namely sungod, and having come to the fore of kR^iShNa mounting on a divine chariot accorded by that sungod, sRigaala-vasudeva started gushing of arrows. But, kR^iShNa decapitated him. [16-31]
dvidhA kR^itvA dehamasyAriNA cha
putraM bhaktaM tasya rAjye.abhishhichya |
sa shakradevaM mANibhadraH purA yo
yayau purIM svAM sahito.agrajena || 16\.32||
Severing the body of sRigaala-vaasudeva into two with his disc called sudarshana, kR^iShNa enthroned his own devotee and the son of sRigaala-vaasudeva, namely shakra-deva. This shakra-deva is a deity called maNi-bhadra in his earlier form. Then, kR^iShNa returned to his city along with his brother. [16-32]
nItiM balishhThasya vihAya senAM
dUrAdyuddhaM yuddhaM darshayitvaiva guptyai |
svasenAyAH sarvapUrNAtmashaktiH
punaH purIM prApya sa pUjito.avasat || 16\.33||
kR^iShNa did not make a hasty retreat to Mt. gomantaka. He just wanted to detract the mighty jaraasandha from his army, avoiding unnecessary causalities, and to take him on for himself. Demonstrating that kind of detour strategy kR^iShNa took jaraasandha to a distant place and worsted him there. [16-33]
Thus, this is the 16th chapter of mahaabhaarata taatparya nirNaya of shrii aananda tiirtha, shriimanmadhvaachaarya.