वासुदेव उवाच तां तूपयातो राजेन्द्र शाल्व: सौभपतिस्तदा। प्रभूतनरनागेन बलेनोपविवेश ह॥
Krishna said : O king of kings, the lord of Saubha Shalva, came to the city of Dvarka with numerous men, elephants and soldiers.
समे निविष्टा सा सेना प्रभूतसलिलाशये। चतुरङ्गबलोपेता शाल्वराजाभिपालिता॥
The army, headed by king Shalva, consisting of four kinds of troops, occupied a level ground where there was plentiful supply of water.
वर्जयित्वा श्मशानानि देवताऽऽयतनानि च। वल्मीकांश्चैत्यवृक्षांश्च तन्निविष्टमभूद् बलम्॥
Avoiding cremation-grounds, temples of gods, sacred trees and grounds covered with ant-hills, his army occupied every other places.
अनीकानां विभागेन पन्थानः संवृताऽभवन्। प्रवणाय च नैवासञ्छाल्वस्य शिविरे नृप।॥
O king, the roads (leading to Dvarka) were all blocked up by the (various) divisions of his army and the secret passages (from the city) were also all blocked up by the encampment of Shalva's troops.
सर्वायुधसमोपेतं सर्वशस्त्रविशारदम्। रथनागाश्वकलिलं पदातिध्वजसंकुलम्॥ तुष्टपुष्टबलोपेतं वीरलक्षणलक्षितम्। विचित्रध्वजसन्नाहं विचित्ररथकार्मुकम्॥ संनिवेश्य च कौरव्य द्वारकायां नरर्षभ। अभिसारयामास तदा वेगेन पतगेन्द्रवत्॥
O descendant of Kuru, O best of men, like the king of birds (Garuda), he rushed upon Dvarka, with his army, equipped with every kind of weapons, skilled in all arms, furnished with numerous chariots, elephants and cavalry, full of pennons and banners and strengthened with well-paid, well-fed and greatly powerful foot soldiers who bore every mark of heroism and who used wonderful chariots and bows.
तदापतन्तं संदृश्य बलं शाल्वपतेस्तदा। निर्याय योधयामासुः कुमारा वृष्णिनन्दनाः॥
Seeing the army of the king Shalva approached, the youthful princes of the Vrishni race sallied out with the desire of giving him battle.
असहन्तोऽभियानं तच्छाल्वराजस्य कौरव। चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बश्च प्रद्युम्नश्च महारथः॥ ते रथैर्दशिताः सर्वे विचित्राभरणध्वजाः। संसक्ताः शाल्वराजस्य बहुभिर्योधपुङ्गवैः॥
O descendant of Kuru, without being able to bear the pride of king Shalva, Charudeshna, Samba and the great car-warrior, Pradyumna. Clad in armour and adorned with ornaments with color flying, sallied out on their chariots, with the desire of meeting the numerous great warriors of king Shalva.
गृहीत्वा कार्मुकं साम्बः शाल्वस्य सचिवं रणे। योधयामास संहृष्टः क्षेमवृद्धिं चमूपतिम्॥
Samba, taking up his bow, eagerly attacked on the field of battle Kshemavriddhi, the minister and the commander of Shalva's army.
तस्य बाणमयं वर्ष जाम्बवत्याः सुतो महत्। मुमोच भरतश्रेष्ठ यथा वर्ष सहस्रदृक्॥ तद् बाणवर्षं तुमुलं विषेहे स चमूपतिः। क्षेमवृद्धिर्महाराज हिमवानिव निश्चलः॥
O best of the Bharata race, as Indra shower down rain, so did the son of Jambhavati (Samba) showers down arrows in a continuous stream. O great king, the commander of (Shalva's) forces, Kshemavriddhi, bore that shower of arrows (and stood) as immovable as the Himalayas.
ततः साम्बाय राजेन्द्र क्षेमवृद्धिरपि स्वयम्। मुमोच मायाविहितं शरजालं महत्तरम्॥
O king of kings, thereupon Kshemavriddhi, aided by his power of illusion, poured a great shower of arrows.
ततो मायामयं जालं माययैव विदीर्य सः। साम्बः शरसहस्रेण रथमस्याभ्यवर्षत॥
Then dispersing by counter illusion that shower of arrows aided by illusion, Samba showered on his (adversary's) car one thousand arrows.
ततः स विद्धः साम्बेन क्षेमवृद्धिश्चमूपतिः। अयायाज्जवनैरश्वैः साम्बबाणप्रपीडितः॥
Then pierced and overwhelmed by the arrows of Samba, the commander of (Shalva's) forces, Kshemavriddhi fled from the field with the help of his fleet steeds.
तस्मिन् विप्रदुते क्रूर शाल्वस्याथ चमूपतौ। वेगवान् नाम दैतेयः सुतं मेऽभ्यद्रवद् बली॥
When the crooked-minded commander of Shalva's army fled from the field, a powerful Daitya, named Vegavan, rushed at my son.
अभिपन्नस्तु राजेन्द्र साम्बो वृष्णिकुलोद्बहः। वेगं वेगवतो राजस्तस्थौ वीरो विधारयन्॥
O king of kings, thus attacked the heroic Samba, the perpetuator of the Vrishni race, withstanding the attack of Vegavan, kept his ground.
स वेगवति कौन्तेय साम्बो वेगवती गदाम्। चिक्षेप तरसा वीरो व्याविद्ध्य सत्यविक्रमः॥
O son of Kunti, the heroic and irresistibly powerful Samba, whirling a swift-going club, soon hurled it at Vegavan.
तया त्वभिहतो राजन् वेगवान् न्यपतद् भुवि। वातरुग्ण इव क्षुण्णो जीर्णमूलो वनस्पतिः॥
O king, thus struck with it, Vegavan fell on the ground like a faded, weather beaten and decayed-rooted lord of the forest (banian tree).
तस्मिन् विनिहते वीरे गदानुन्ने महासुरे। प्रविश्य महतीं सेनां योधयामास मे सुतः॥
When that heroic and great Asura was killed with the club, my son rushed into (enemy's) troops and began to fight with all.
चारुदेष्णोन संसक्तो विविन्थ्यो नाम दानवः। महारथः समाज्ञातो महाराज महाधनुः॥
O great king, a well-known Danava, named Vivindha, a great car-warrior and a great bowman, then rushed upon Charudeshna.
ततः सुतुमुलं युद्धं चारुदेष्णविविध्ययोः। वृत्रवासवयो राजन् यथा पूर्वं तथाभवत्॥
O king, the battle between Charudeshna and Vivindha was as fierce as that in the days of yore between Vitra and Vasava (Indra).
अन्योन्यस्याभिसंक्रुद्धावन्योन्यं जनतुः शरैः। विनदन्तौ महारावान् सिंहाविव महाबलौ॥
Enraged with each other, the combatants pierced each other with their arrows and uttered loud roars like two powerful lions.
रौक्मिणेयस्ततो बाणमग्न्यर्कोपमवर्चसम्। अभिमन्त्र्य महास्त्रेण संदधे शत्रुनाशनम्॥
Having first vivified it with incantations the son of Rukmini fixed on his bow-string a powerful weapon which possessed possessed the splendour of the sun or the fire and which was capable of destroying all foes.
स विविन्ध्याय सक्रोधः समाहूय महारथः। चिक्षेप मे सुतो राजन् स गतासुरथापतत्॥
O king, that great car-warrior, my son, inflamed with anger, challenged Vivindha and discharged the weapon at him. He (thus struck) fell dead.
विविध्यं निहतं दृष्ट्वा तां च विक्षोभितां चमूम्। कामगेन स सौभेन शाल्वः पुनरुपागमत्।॥
Seeing Vivindha killed and his army (very much) agitated, Shalva came back again on his (car) Saubha, capable of going everywhere at will.
ततो व्याकुलितं सर्वं द्वारकावासि तद् बलम्। दृष्ट्वा शाल्वं महाबाहो सौभस्थं नृपते तदा॥
O mighty-armed king, thereupon seeing Shalva seated on his (car) Saubha, the warriors of Dvarka became very much alarmed.
ततो निर्याय कौरव्य अवस्थाप्य च तद् बलम्। आनर्तानां महाराज प्रद्युम्नो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
O descendant of Kuru, Pradyumna sallied out and asked the Anarthas not to lose courage. He then thus spoke.
सर्वे भवन्तस्तिष्ठन्तु सर्वे पश्यन्तु मां युधि। निवारयन्तं संग्रामे बलात् सौभं सराजकम्॥
"(O warriors), do not lose courage; stay and see me fight. I shall repel with force (the car) Saubha with the king (Shalva) on it.
अहं सौभपतेः सेनामायसैर्भुजगैरिव। धनुर्भुजविनिर्मुक्तैर्नाशयाम्यद्य यादवाः॥
O Yadavas, I shall this day destroy the army of the lord of Saubha with my serpent-like weapons discharged from my bow with my hand.
आश्वसध्वं न भी: कार्या सौभराडद्य नश्यति। मयाभिपन्नो दुष्टात्मा ससौभो विनशिष्यति॥
Be of good cheer, Fear not. I shall today kill him. Attacked by me, the wicked-minded (Shalva) with (his car) SAubha will be destroyed."
एवं ब्रुवति संहृष्टे प्रद्युम्ने पाण्डुनन्दन। विष्ठितं तद् बलं वीर युयुधे च यथासुखम्॥
O son of Pandu, O hero, when Pradyumna thus spoke with a cheerful heart, the Yadava warriors stood on the field and began to fight cheerfully.