Vaishampāyana said:—Within a moment of the clear sun coming within the
range of people’s vision, Baladeva, Krishna and Satyaki delightedly got
upon Garuda’s back. Having bathed in the water of the sacred river
Avarta, who had obtained a boon from Rudra and who by his words had been
made holy like the Ganges, and having put on coats of mail,
finger-protectors and armours, those heroes, desirous of fighting,
worshipped the god Siva, the lord of _bel_ leaves and water. At that
time having placed Pradyumna above in front of the army, the Pandavas in
charge of the Yajna and the remaining soldiers at the door of the cave,
the Lord Krishna, the giver of honors and the refuge of the pious,
thought of Jayanta and Pravara. O descendant of Bharata, they arrived
there as soon as they were recollected. The Lord only could see them and
they were kept above along with Pradyumna (1-6).
Thereupon at Krishna’s mandate, war-bugles, Jalaja, Muraja and other
musical instruments were sounded. O descendant of Bharata, Sāmva and
Gada arranged the soldiers in the shape of a Makara. Shārana, Uddhava,
Vaitarana of Bhoja’s race, the virtuous Anādhrishti, Viprithu, Prithu,
Kritavarmā, Sudangsthra, Vichakshu, the grinder of enemies, the pious
Sanatkumar and Chārudeshna began to help Aniruddha and protect the rear
of the army (7-10). O thou the glory of thy race, the remaining portion
of the Yadava army, consisting of cars, elephants, horses and men,
remained in battle-array. Adorned with crowns, head-gears, bracelets and
other ornaments and armed with various weapons, the Dānavas too,
dreadful in battle, came out of Shatpura, emitting a roar like the
muttering of clouds, on asses, elephants, crocodiles, hares, horses,
buffaloes, lions and tortoises. Many of their cars were drawn by those
animals. O king, as the lord of gods issues out at the head of the
celestial host so Nikumbha came out at the head of that Asura army
setting up a noise like the muttering of clouds produced by the sound of
trumpets, rattle of car wheels, and the blowing of conches (11-16).
Sending up again and again shouts of various sorts and leonine roars the
highly powerful Dānavas filled the earth and sky with them. O
Janamejaya, the soldiers of the Chedi and other kings were bent upon
assisting the Asuras with great care. O heroic king, amongst the
followers of the Chedi king Shishupāla, the hundred brothers headed by
Duryodhana stood there with their cars, making a great rattle and
coursing quickly like unto the city of Gandharva. Making up their mind
to fight and moving their beautiful bows like unto two palm trees
Rukshmi and Ahvati joined them. With a view to fight with the Yadavas
and acquire victory the king Bhagadatta, Shalya, Shakuni, Jarāsandha,
Trigarta, Virāta, Uttara and the Asuras headed by Nikumbha got
themselves ready for the encounter (17–22).
Thereupon when in battle Nikumbha began to assail the dreadful army of
the Bhaimas with arrows like serpents, Anādhristhi, the
commander-in-chief of the Yadu army, could not bear it. He too, with
shafts, adorned with variegated feathers and whetted on stone, began to
slay the enemy’s army (23–24). At that time when everything was covered
with arrows, Nikumbha, his chariot, standard and horses became
invisible. Seeing it the heroic Nikumbha, the fore most of those
possessed of illusive powers, was filled with anger. And he, by his
illusive powers, startled the Bhaima chief Anādhristhi (25–26).
Resorting to his illusive powers, bewildering Anadhristhi and bringing
him to the cave named Shatpura the heroic Nikumbha imprisoned him there.
And returning again to the battle-field, he, by his illusive powers,
took there Kritavarmā, Chārudeshna, Vaitarana of Bhoja’s race,
Sanatkumār, Jāmvavati’s son Arksha, Nishatha, Ulmuku and numerous other
Yādavas (27–29). O king, when he led the Yadavas to the dreadful cave of
Shatpura he so covered himself by his illusive powers that no body could
see him. Beholding that fearful onslaught of the Bhaimas the Lord
Krishna, Baladeva, Sātyaki, Sāmva, the slayer of inimical heroes, the
irrepressible Aniruddha and numerous other Bhaimas, especially
Pradyumna, were greatly filled with anger (30-32).
Thereupon, O king, setting string to his Srānga bow and shooting arrows
the holder of the Srānga (Krishna) began to move about amongst the
Dānavas as the god of fire ranges on grass (33). Seeing him, taking up
thousands of Sataghnis, Parighas, fiery lances, burning axes, dreadful
rocks, and huge stones and throwing up infuriated elephants, cars and
horses the Danavas ran towards the effulgent god as the locusts, drawn
by the noose of Death, run towards the burning fire. However, O hero,
Narayana-fire consumed all those things. And smiling the highly
effulgent Yadu chief, the slayer of his enemies and the benefactor of
the world, baffled them all with the fire of his arrows. And as a bull
suffers the downpour of rain in the autumn so he bore the shower of
their arrows. In this way, when the battle continued for some time the
Asuras could not withstand the arrows shot off Nārāyan’s bow as a sandy
bridge cannot stand showers (34–39). O descendant of Bharata, as the
bulls cannot stand before the five-mouthed god Siva with his mouths wide
open so the Asuras could not stand before Krishna (40).
O Janamejaya, while thus slain by Nārāyana Krishna the Asuras, stricken
with fear, rose up into the sky. O Lord, as soon as they rose up into
the sky Jayanta and Pravara killed them all with arrows burning like
fire (41–42). At that time the heads of the Asuras, fell down on earth
like palm fruits from the tree (43). Like five headed serpents killed by
Time the arms of the Daityas dropped on the surface of the earth (44).
Having created another dreadful illusory cave for the destruction of the
Kshatriyas the heroic and virtuous son of Rukshmini imperceptibly came
out by the route by which Gada, Shārana, Shatha, Shāmva and other heroes
had entered there. As soon he came out the powerful son of Krishna began
to assail Nikumbha, although careful, who was ranging hither and thither
in front of the battle-field (45–47). Thereupon, O king, resounding the
cave with his leonine shouts he said to the king Duryodhana, Virat,
Drupada, Shakuni, Shalya, Neela, Bhishma, Vinda, Anuvinda, Jarāsandha,
the kings of Trigarta and Mālava, the highly powerful Vāsālyas,
Dhristadyumna and other princes of the Panchala country, conversant with
the use of arms, Ahvriti, his uncle Rukshmi, emperor Shishupala, and
Bhagadatta:—"O kings, in consideration of your superior position and
relationship with me I am not throwing you into this dreadful cave. Even
the intelligent, trident-handed God of _bel_ leaves and water has
ordered me to throw you all into this cave. I shall exert my best to
release the Yādavas who have been imprisoned by the highly powerful
Nikumbha resorting to his _Shamvari Māyā_ (48–54)".
Thus addressed the Commander-in-Chief of the kings, Shishupāla struck
the Bhaimas, especially Pradyumna, with arrows. Thereupon saluting Siva
Rukshmini’s son began to pierce the emperor Shishupāla. In the meantime
taking up a thousand of nooses, the foremost of Siva’s ghostly followers
Nandi came there and said to the highly powerful and heroic son of
Rukshmini. "O descendant of Yadu, Vilwodakeshwara (Siva) has ordered you
to do what he had told you in the night. Bind these kings with nooses
who have been bribed with jewels for the maidens. To release them also
depends on you. O hero, O you of large arms, destroy all the Asuras
leaving none behind. And communicate this news to Janārddana (55–60)."
O descendant of Kuru, thereupon binding the king Bhagadatta, Shishupāla,
Ahvati, Rukshmi and other kings, like hissing serpents, with the nooses
given by Hara Rukshmini’s son, endued with most excellent energy, took
them all to the illusory cave. O descendant of Bharata, having kept
there his own son Aniruddha as the guard of the cave, Yadu’s descendant
Pradyumna took away the elephants, horses and cars of the Kshatriyas and
put the remaining commanders and guards in charge of treasury in chain.
O lord, thereupon when Krishna’s son was ready to slay the Asuras, he,
with the coat of mail on, said to Brahmadatta, the foremost of the
twice-born "See, Dhananjaya has undertaken to help you. You have no
fear. Celebrate your work with a confident heart. O foremost of the
twice-born, when the Pandavas have been engaged as your protectors you
need not fear the gods, Asuras or any other beings. The Asuras have not
been able to touch your daughters even with their mind; see, by my
illusory powers I have kept them in the sacrificial ground (61–68)."