16. WAR WONDERS BY SAAMBA AND CHAARUDESHNA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > ARJUNAABHIGAMANA PARVA > CHAPTER 16 - WAR WONDERS BY SAAMBA AND CHAARUDESHNA

“Vaasudeva continued, ‘O king of kings (Yudhishthira), Shaalwa, the lord of Saubha, came towards our city with an immense force consisting of infantry, cavalry and elephants! The army headed by king Shaalwa, consisting of four parts of forces (Chariots, Elephants, Cavalry and Infantry), occupied a level ground having an abundant water-supply. Forsaking cemeteries, Temples dedicated to Devas, sacred trees, and grounds covered by ant-hills, that army occupied every other place. The roads (leading to Dwaaraka) were blocked up by the divisions of the army, and the secret entrances also were all blocked up by the enemy’s camp. O Kauravya (Yudhishthira), like to the lord of birds (Garuda), the ruler of Saubha rushed towards Dwaaraka, bringing with him, O bull among men (Yudhishthira), his host equipped with all kinds of weapons, skilled in all weapons, consisting of a dense display of chariots, elephants, cavalry abounding in flags, and well-paid and well-fed foot-soldiers possessed of great strength and bearing every mark of heroism (Veera Lakshanam in Sanskrit) and furnished with wonderful chariots and bows.

“Seeing the army of Salwa, the youthful princess of the Vrishni race resolved to encounter it militarily attacking out of the city. O king (Yudhishthira), Chaarudeshna (son of Sri Krishna and Rukmini), Saamba (son of Sri Krishna and Jaambavati), and the mighty warrior (Maha Ratha in Sanskrit) Pradyumna (son of Sri Krishna and Rukmini), O Kaurava (Yudhishthira), sailed out, ascending on their chariots, clad in armour, and decked with ornaments, with colours flying, resolved to encounter the mighty and countless army of Shaalwa! Saamba taking up his bows eagerly attacked on the battlefield Kshemavriddhi, the commander of Shaalwa’s forces and his chief counsellor also!

“O you foremost of Bharatas (Yudhishthira), the son of Jaambavati (Saamba) then began to shower arrows in a continuous stream as (Lord) Indra showers down rain! O mighty king (Yudhishthira), then Kshemavriddhi, the commander of Shaalwa’s forces, bore that shower of arrows, immovable as the Himavat (present day Himalayas)! O foremost of kings, Kshemavriddhi on his part, discharged at Saamba mightier number of arrows, aided by his powers of illusion! Dispersing by counter illusion (Maayaa in Sanskrit) that discharge inspired by illusion, Saamba showered on his chariot a thousand arrows! Then pierced by arrows on Saamba and overwhelmed there with Kshemavriddhi, the commander of the hostile army, left the field by the help of his fleet-horse!

“When the wicked (Kroora in Sanskrit) general of Salwa had left the field, a mighty Daitya called Vegavaan rushed at my son! O best of monarchs (Yudhishthira), thus attacked, the heroic Saamba, the preserver of the Vrishni race, bore that onset of Vegavaan, keeping his ground. O son of Kunti, the heroic Saamba, of prowess incapable of being baffled, whirling a quickly-going mace (Gada in Sanskrit), hurled it speedily at Vegavaan! O king (Yudhishthira), struck with that mace, Vegavaan fell down on the ground, like a weather-beaten and faded lord of the forest of decayed roots! On that heroic Asura of mighty energy, being slain with the mace, my son entered within that mighty army and began to fight with all.

“O great king (Yudhishthira), a well-known Daanava named Vivindhya, a mighty warrior wielding a large and powerful bow, encountered Chaarudeshna! O monarch, the encounter between Chaarudeshna and Vivindhya was as fierce as that in ancient days between Vritra and Vaasava (Lord Indra)! Enraged with each other the combatants pierced each other with their arrows, uttering loud roars like to two powerful lions! Then the son of Rukmini (Chaarudeshna) fixed on his bow-string a mighty weapon possessing the splendour of fire or the sun, and capable of destroying all enemies, having first vivified it with mantras! Then, O monarch (Yudhishthira), that mighty warrior my son (Chaarudeshna), fired with anger, challenged Vivindhya and discharged the weapon at him. The Daanava struck with that weapon, fell down on the ground a lifeless corpse! Seeing Vivindhya slain, and the whole army waver, Shaalwa advanced again on his Saubha (meaning beautiful chariot) capable of going everywhere.

“O king of mighty arms (Yudhishthira), seeing Shaalwa on Saubha of his, the combatants of Dwaaraka wavered with fear! But, O you of the Kuru race (Yudhishthira), Pradyumna sailed out, and, O great king, bidding the Aanarttaas be of good cheer, said, ‘You waver not, and staying see me fight. I shall, by force, repell that Saubha with Shaalwa on it! O Yaadavaas, this day, I shall, with my weapons like to snakes discharged from my bow with my hand, destroy this army of the lord of Saubha (Shaalwa)! Be of good cheer, you all! Fear not! The lord of Saubha will be slain today! Attached by me, the wretch (Dushtaatmaa in Sanskrit) will meet with destruction together with his chariot!’ O Paandavaa (Yudhisthira), upon Pradyumna speaking thus with cheerful heart, the Yaadavaa army, O hero, remained on the field, and began to fight cheerfully!’”