Shree Shookdeo Jee said,--O great king! when Shree Krishnù Chund
and Bulram Jee were at Hustinapoor, a demon, named Salub, a follower
of Sissoopal, who, at the marriage of Rookmunee, had been wounded by
Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, and had run away, began to perform a penance
in honour of Muhadeo Jee, saying to himself, “I will now take revenge
upon the descendants of Judoo.” He conquered and brought under
subjection his eleven organs of action and perception: he endured
hunger, thirst and all changes of season. In this manner he began to
perform penance, keeping in remembrance the feet of Muhadeo: he
constantly rose up and ate a handful of sand; and performed difficult
penance, fixing his thoughts upon Shivù. One year passed away thus,
then Muhadeo granted him a boon. “From to-day, thou shalt not be
subject to the infirmities of age, and shalt not die; and the demon
Mye shall make for you a ruth of delusive power, which shall carry you
wherever you wish: it shall have power, through the efficacy of my
blessing, to go every where like a chariot in the three worlds.”
O great king! as Sudashivù Jee granted this boon, a ruth came and
stood before Salub; who, having made a salutation to Shivù Jee and
mounted upon the ruth, proceeded with tumultuous haste to the city of
Dwarka. Having gone there, he began to occasion all sorts of troubles
to the inhabitants of the city: sometimes he used to pour down fire
upon them, sometimes water: he sometimes uprooted trees, and threw
them upon the city, and sometimes hills; from dread of him, all the
inhabitants running off in great alarm, went to Raja Oogursen, and
called out to him for mercy and protection. “O great king! a demon has
come into the city, and caused the greatest confusion; and if he
continue to commit the same acts of violence he has already committed,
not a soul will be left alive.”
O great king! on hearing these words, Raja Oogursen sent for
Purdiyomun Jee and Sumboo, and said, “Behold! this demon has come to
watch Huri, and to vex the inhabitants; form some plan for remedying
the distresses he has caused.” On receiving the Raja’s orders,
Purdiyomun Jee took all his army; and, having gone in a chariot
outside the city, was ready for battle. Seeing, that Sumboo was
terrified, he said, “Be not at all anxious; I will, by the glorious
favour of Huri, destroy this demon in a second.” Having thus spoken,
when Purdiyomun Jee taking his army with him, and seizing his weapons,
came opposite to the demon; the demon exercised his delusive power in
such a manner, that the day was changed into a very dark night.
Purdiyomun, upon this, discharged arrows of fire, and dissipated the
thick darkness, just as the rays of the sun would disperse a fog.
After this he discharged several arrows with such force, that the
demon’s ruth was sent helter skelter; and he, being frightened,
sometimes ran off; and sometimes returning, fought, exercising
delusive power in various demoniacal ways; and gave great annoyance to
the subjects of Purdiyomun.
Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to
the Raja Pureechit,--O great king! there was a great battle raging on
both sides; in the midst of which, Doobid, the minister of Salub, came
all at once, and struck Purdiyomun with such violence on the chest
with a club, that he fell senseless. On his falling, Doobid screamed
out, “I have killed Shree Krishnù’s son, Purdiyomun.”
O great king! while the descendants of Judoo were carrying on a mighty
contest with the demons, the son of the charioteer, Daruk; seeing that
Purdiyomun Jee had fainted, threw him into a chariot, and ran off with
him from the field of battle, and brought him into the city. On
recovering his senses, Purdiyomun Jee was greatly enraged, and said to
the charioteer, “It was not right in you, knowing me to be senseless,
to make me run from the field of battle. You left the field, and
brought me home: this is not the act of a brave man. There is not in
the family of Judoo a single member, who would abandon, and run from
the field of battle. What! didst thou ever see me fly, that thou hast
to-day brought me away, and made me leave the battle? Whoever hears of
this, will laugh at, and reproach me. You have not done well, in
fixing a stain upon my reputation without necessity.”
On hearing these words, O great king! the charioteer, having descended
from the chariot, stood up in the presence of Purdiyomun; and with
joined hands, and bowing his head, said, “Lord! you know all customs
and usages; and there is not in the world a right practice, with which
you are not acquainted. It is said, ‘When a brave warrior in a chariot
falls wounded, his charioteer will carry him off from the field of
battle. If the charioteer should be wounded and fall; the warrior in
the chariot ought to save and take him away.’ You received a very
severe blow from a powerful club, and fainted, and were senseless. I,
then, went off with you from the battle. I feared lest my master might
be injured, or dishonoured. You have taken about an hour’s rest: now
go, and fight again. You know what is right and proper: do not cast a
thought upon the laughter and jeering of the world. Destroy all the
evil spirits immediately, and seize forcibly upon the delusive power
of the demon.”
O great king! having thus spoken, the charioteer took some water to
Purdiyomun Jee; who, having washed his hands and face, and being fully
recovered, putting on a coat of mail and helmet, and taking in his
hand his bow and arrows, said to the charioteer, “Well! what has
happened, has happened; but take me now to the spot, where Doobid has
continued to fight with the descendants of Judoo.” On hearing this,
the charioteer instantly took him to where Doobid was fighting. On
going there, Purdiyomun called out to him, and said, “Why are you
fighting here and there, come and confront me, that I may send you to
Sissoopal?” When, on hearing this challenge, Doobid rushed upon
Purdiyomun Jee, Purdiyomun discharged several arrows, which struck,
and brought him to the ground: and Sumboo, having also cut into pieces
the army of the demons, filled the sea with them.
Having proceeded thus far in the narrative, Shree Shookdeo Jee
said,--O great king! when the descendants of Judoo had been engaged
twenty-seven days in fighting at Dwarka with the army of the demons,
Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, acquainted with the secrets of the heart,
remaining at Hustinapoor, and beholding the condition of Dwarka, said
to Raja Joodisthur, “O great king! I beheld in a dream, during the
night, that great violence was being perpetrated at Dwarka, and that
all the descendants of Judoo were grievously afflicted; I will,
therefore, with your permission, take my departure for Dwarka.” On
hearing this Raja Joodisthur, having joined his hands, said, “Do as
you please.” When the Raja had thus spoken Shree Krishnù and Bulram
took leave of all; and when they came outside the city, beheld a doe
running towards them on the left hand, and a dog standing in front of
them shaking his head. When Huri had seen these bad omens, he said to
Bulram, “Brother! come after me with all the rest of the party, and I
will go on in advance.”
Raja! Shree Krishnù Chund, after thus speaking to his brother, went
on to the field of battle, and there saw, that the demons had, in
every direction, committed great slaughter on the descendants of
Judoo, who were carrying on the contest in very great confusion,
whilst Huri was standing there, and reflecting thoughtfully on this
state of affairs, Buldeo Jee also arrived; at that time Shree Krishnù
said to Bulram, “Brother! go and protect the city and the inhabitants,
I will come after I have destroyed these demons.” Having received
Krishnù’s order, Buldeo Jee went into the city, and Huri to the field
of battle, where Purdiyomun was contending with Salub. The shell was
sounded on the arrival of the lord of the Judoos, when all knew that
Shree Krishnù Chund had come.
O great king! when Krishnù went upon the field of battle, Salub flew
off with his chariot to the sky, and began to pour down arrows of fire
from thence like rain. Then Shree Krishnù Chund Jee counted sixteen
arrows, and discharged them with such force, that Salub’s chariot and
driver were utterly destroyed, and he fell reeling down; recovering
himself after his fall, Salub’s struck Huri on the left arm with an
arrow, and called out, “Ho Krishnù! I wish to make trial of your
strength, and fight with you; you have by fraud or force killed
Sunkhasoor, Bhomasoor, Sissoopal and other very powerful men: but it
will be a difficult matter for you to escape now from my hands; you
have now to deal with me, lay aside deceit and begin the contest; the
powerful Banasoor and Bhomasoor are expecting you, Huri, I will send
you where you will not be able to come back from; if you run away, you
will not gain greatness.” When Krishnù, in reply to this speech, had
said, “O stupid, proud, cowardly fool! Chutrees and firm, resolute,
brave men do not begin with talking in a high sounding strain to any
one;” the demon rushed upon Huri, and aimed a very furious blow with a
club at him, which Krishnù easily warded off; then Shree Krishnù
Chund Jee struck him with a club; and on receiving the blow, he
remained senseless for two hours under the protection of his delusive
power; he afterwards assumed a disguise, and coming into the presence
of Krishnù said, “Your mother, Dewukee, who is in a state of great
agitation, has sent me here: your enemy Salub has seized and carried
off Basoodeo.”
O great king! the demon having thus spoken, went thence; and having
made an illusory Basoodeo, brought it bound into the presence of Shree
Krishnù and said, “Behold! Krishnù, I have brought your father
bound, and I will now cut off his head, and destroy all the
descendants of Judoo, and fill the sea with them, afterwards I will
kill you and hold universal dominion.”
O great king! when he had thus spoken, he abased the head of the
imaginary Basoodeo and cut it off in sight of Shree Krishnù Jee, and
having placed it upon the point of a spear, showed it publicly. On
beholding this act of the delusive power, Krishnù at first became
faint; but afterwards recovering, began to say to himself, “How has it
happened that he has seized and brought Basoodeo Jee from Dwarka,
whilst Bulram was there, what! is he more powerful than Bulram, that
he should have carried off Basoodeo from before him and brought him
here?”
O great king! many thoughts of this kind passed for a long time
through the mind of Krishnù, whilst he was under the influence of the
demon’s delusive power, and he was absorbed in reflection; at length
whilst Huri was considering and looking at the demon’s illusory
apparition, he found out the secret of the contrivance, and called out
to Salub. On hearing Krishnù’s challenge, he mounted into the air,
and began to discharge weapons thence upon Krishnù; in the mean while
Shree Krishnù Chund Jee struck him with several arrows with such
force, that the demon fell with his ruth into the sea; recovering from
the fall, he rushed upon Huri with a club; upon which Krishnù was
greatly enraged and killed and brought him to the ground with the
quoit, Soodursun; just as the lord of the gods killed and brought down
Britasoor.
O great king! on the fall of the demon, the jewel of his head fell out
upon the ground, and the splendour of it was concentrated in the mouth
of Shree Krishnù Chund.