Janamejaya said:—O Saint, I wish to listen again to the glorious deeds
of the intelligent Baladeva, the personification of Shesa, the upholder
of the earth (1). Sages, well-read in Puranas, designate Baladeva, full
of effulgence as highly noble and the highly powerful prime deity
Ananta. O Vipra, therefore I wish to listen accurately to his deeds.
(2-3).
Vaishampāyana said:—In the Puranas this highly energetic and powerful
Baladeva is described as the Naga king Sesha, the mine of lustre, who
holds up the earth, as the foremost of Purushas, as a teacher of Yoga
and as the foremost of those who are well-read in the Mantras of the
Vedas. Many times he defeated Jarāsandha while fighting with clubs but
he did not kill him (4-5). The other celebrated kings, of earth who
followed the Maagdha emperor, were defeated by him in battle (6). In
wrestling with him even Bhima, of dreadful prowess, endued with the
strength of an Ayuta elephant, was defeated by him (7). On account of
his stealing awaya Duryodhana’s daughter Lakshmanā, Jamvavati’s son
Shāmva was confined by those princes in the city of Hastina. Hearing of
his confinement the highly powerful Rāma went to that city for releasing
him, but did not find him. Thereat worked up with anger that powerful
hero performed the following wonderful feat. Taking up his invincible,
incomparable, and celestial weapon, plough-share, powerful like that of
Brahma and fixing it on the wall of the city he thought of, throwing
that city of the Kauravas into the Ganges (8-12).
Beholding his city thus whirled the king Duryodhana sent Shamva with his
wife to the highly powerful Rāma and presented himself for his
discipleship. Rāma too accepted the Kuru king as his disciple in club
fighting. O king, from that time, this whirling city is seen bent
towards the ocean. O king, formerly in the Birandirava forest,
Halāyudha, the son of a hero, killed Pralamva, with one stroke of his
fist. This too is one of his deeds well-known on earth. He hurled up the
huge-bodied demon, Dhenuka, coming under the disguise of an ass and
threw him up on the top of a tree. And he too fell down dead on the
surface of the earth (13-17). The holder of plough-share made the great
river Yamuna, the sister of Yama, of quick-current and going towards the
ocean of salt water, turn her course towards the city. This too is one
of his wonderful deeds (18). O king, I have thus described to you the
powerful deeds of Baladeva of matchless strength, the personation of
Sesha passing under the name of Ananta. You shall, while listening to
the Purānas, hear of many other most excellent feats of Haladara, the
foremost of Purushas, which have not been described by me to day
(13–20).