20. SRI KRISHNA-SHAALWA BATTLE

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > ARJUNAABHIGAMANA PARVA > CHAPTER 20 - SRI KRISHNA-SHAALWA BATTLE

“Vaasudeva said, ‘When Shaalwa had left the city of the Aanarttas (Aanartta Nagaram in Sanskrit), I returned to it, O king (Yudhishthira), on the completion of your great Raajasooya yagna! On my arrival, I found Dwaaraka cut of its splendour, and, O Maharaja (Yudhishthira), there were not sounds of Vedic recitation or sacrificial offering (Vashtkaaram in Sanskrit), and the excellent ladies were all devoid of ornaments, and the gardens were devoid of beauty. Alarmed by the aspect, I asked the son of Hridika saying, ‘Why is it that the men and women of the city of the Vrishnis are so troubled, O tiger among men?’

“O you best of kings (Yudhishthira), thus asked the son of Hridika (Kritavarma) narrated to me in detail the invasion of the city by Shaalwa, and his subsequent departure from it. O you foremost of Bharatas, hearing all, then I made up my mind to slay Shaalwa. Encouraging the citizens, O best of Bharatas (Yudhishthira), I cheerfully addressed king Aahuka (Akrura – Sri Krishna’s uncle), Aanakdundubhi (Vasudeva – Sri Krishna’s father), and the chief heroes (Veera in Sanskrit) of the Vrishni race, saying, ‘You do, O bulls among the Yaadavaas, stay in the city, taking every care, and know that I go to slay Shaalwa! I will not return to the city of Dwaaravati without slaying him. I will again come to you having accomplished the destruction of Shaalwa together with his Saubha (chariot of precious metals). You do strike up the sharp, middle and flat notes of the Dundubhi so dreadful to enemies!’

“O you bull of the Bharata race (Yudhishthira), thus adequately encouraged by me, those heroes cheerfully said to me, ‘Go and slay the enemies!’ Thus, receiving blessing of those warriors with glad hearts, causing the Brahmanas to utter auspicious words and bowing down to the best of Dwijas, and to (Lord) Shiva also, I set out on my chariot to which were attached the horses Shaibya and Sugreeva, filling all sides with the clatter (of my chariot wheels) and blowing that best of conchs (Shankha in Sanskrit), the Paanchajanya! O king (Yudhishthira), O tiger among men, accompanied by my strong and victorious army consisting of the four kinds of the forces (Chariots, Elephants, Cavalry and Infantry) so determined in battle, I set out.

“Leaving many countries, mountains, crowned with trees, pieces of water, and streams, I at last arrived at the country of Maartikaavata. It is there, O you tiger among men (Yudhishthira), that I heard that Shaalwa was travelling on his Saubha near the ocean, and I followed in his pursuit. O you slayer of your enemies (Yudhishthira), having reached the main, Shaalwa on his Saubha was in the middle of the deep ocean heaving with billows! On seeing me from a distance, O Yudhishthira, that one of wicked soul (Duraatma in Sanskrit) himself challenged me repeatedly to the fight. Many arrows capable of piercing quickly, discharged from my bow did not reached his city. At this I was angry!

“O king (Yudhishthira), that essentially sinful wretch (Paapa in Sanskrit) of a Daitya’s son of irrepressible energy (Shaalwa), on his part began to shoot thousand upon thousands of arrows in shower! O Bharata (Yudhishthira), he rained arrows upon my soldiers, upon my charioteer and upon my horses! But without thinking of the arrows, we continued the conflict. Then the warriors following Shaalwa poured on me straight arrows by thousands. The Asuras covered my horses, my chariot and Daaruka (charioteer) with arrows capable of piercing the very vitals. O hero (Veera in Sanskrit), I could not at that time see either my horses, or my chariot, or my charioteer Daaruka! I with my army was covered with weapons. O son of Kunti (Yudhishthira), superhumanly skilled in weapons, I also let fly from my bow arrows by tens of thousands, powering them with mantras! But as that Saubha was in the sky, for a full krosha (~3.07 km), it could not, O Bharata, be seen by my troops. They could therefore only remaining on the battlefield look on like spectators in a place of amusement, cheering me on by shouts loud as the roar of the lion, and also by the sound of their clapping.

“The coloured arrows shot by the fore-part of hand penetrated into the bodies of the Daanavaas like biting insects. Then arose cries in the Saubha from those that were dying of wounds by those sharp arrows and falling into the waters of the mighty ocean. The Daanavaas deprived of their arms, necks, and wearing the form of Kabandhaas – fell, sending up tremendous roars. As they fell they were eaten by animals living in the waters of the ocean. Then I powerfully blew the Paanchajanya (Conch of Sri Krishna) obtained from the waters, graceful as the lotus-stalk and white as milk or the Kunda flower (Botanical name is Jasminum multiflorum) or the moon or silver. Seeing his soldiers fall, Shaalwa the possessor of Saubha, began to battle with the help of illusion (Maayaa in Sanskrit). Then he began to at non-stop pace hurl at me maces (Gada in Sanskrit), ploughshares (Halaa in Sanskrit), winged arrows and lances, javelins, battle-axes, swords and arrows blazing like javelins and thunderbolts (Kuli in Sanskrit), nooses (Paasha in Sanskrit), broad swords, bullets from barrels, shafts, axes and rockets. Permitting them to come towards me, I soon destroyed them all by counter-illusion.

“As these illusions being rendered ineffectual, he began the contest with mountain peaks. O Bharata (Yudhishthira), then there was darkness and light alternately, the day was at one time fair, another time gloomy, another time hot, another time cold. There was a perfect shower of coals, ashes and weapons. Creating such illusion, the enemy fought with me. Discovering it, I destroyed his illusion by counter-illusion. In the due time, I showered arrows all round. Then, O mighty king (Yudhishthira), the sky blazed as with a hundred suns, and, O son of Kunti, with one hundred moons, and thousands and ten thousands of stars! Then none could discover whether it was day or night, or distinguish the points of the horizon. Becoming bewildered, I fixed on my bowstring the weapon called Pragnaastra. O son of Kunti (Yudhishthira), the weapon went like to flakes of pure cotton blown away by the winds! A great fight took place, calculated to make the down on one’s body stand on end. O best of monarchs (Yudhishthira), having regained, light, I again fought with the enemy!’”