एवमुक्तः स तु मया विस्तरेणेदमब्रवीत्। रोधं मोक्षं च साल्वेन हार्दिक्यो राजसत्तम
Thus addressed by me, Hārdikya, the best of kings, described in detail the captivity and release by Śālva.
ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ श्रुत्वा सर्वमशेषतः। विनाशे साल्वराजस्य तदैवाकरवं मतिम्
Then, O best of the Bharatas, having heard everything completely about the destruction of the king of Śālva, I made up my mind at that very moment.
ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ समाश्वास्य पुरे जनम् ।। राजानमाहुकं चैव तथैवाकनदुन्दुभिम्
Then, O best of the Bharatas, after consoling the people in the city, as well as King Āhuka and Akrūra, I spoke to them.
सर्वान्वृष्णिप्रवीरांश्च हर्षयन्नब्रुवं तदा। अप्रमादः सदा कार्यो नगरे यादवर्षभाः
At that time, cheering all the foremost of the Vṛṣṇis, I said: 'Constant vigilance must always be maintained in the city, O bulls among the Yādavas.'
साल्वराजविनाशाय प्रयातं मां निबोधत। नाहत्वा तं निवर्तिष्ये पुरीं द्वारवतीं प्रति
Know that I am going forth for the destruction of the king of Śālva; I will not return to Dvārakā without slaying him.
ससाल्वं सौभनगरं हत्वा द्रष्टास्मि वः पुनः। त्रिःसामा हन्यतामेषा दुन्दुभिः शत्रुभीषणा
Having slain Śālva together with the city of Saubha, I shall see you again; let this dreadful war-drum, terrifying to enemies, be sounded three times.
ते मयाऽऽश्वासिता वीरा यथावद्भरतर्षभ। सर्वे मामब्रुवन्हृष्टाः प्रयाहि जहिशात्रवान्
Those heroes, thus reassured by me as was proper, all said to me with joy, 'Go forth, slay the enemies!'
तैः प्रहृष्टात्मभिर्वीरैराशीर्भिरभिनन्दितः। वाचयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान्प्रणम्य शिरसा भवम्
Honored with blessings by those heroes whose hearts were gladdened, I had the foremost brahmins recite benedictions and bowed my head to you.
शैब्यसुग्रीवयुक्तेन रथेनानादयन्दिशः। प्रध्माय शङ्खप्रवरं पाञ्चजन्यमहं नृप
Then, O king, mounting my chariot yoked with Śaibya and Sugrīva, resounding in all directions, I blew the excellent conch Pāñcajanya.
प्रयातोस्मि नरव्याघ्र बलेन महता वृतः। क्लृप्तेन चतुरङ्गेण यत्तेन जितकाशिना
I set out, O tiger among men, surrounded by a great army, with a well-arranged fourfold force led by the victorious Yadus.
समतीत्य बहून्देशान्गिरींश्च बहुपादपान्। सरांसि सरितश्चैव मार्तिकावतमासदम्
Crossing many lands and mountains covered with many trees, and lakes and rivers, I reached Mārtikāvata.
तत्राश्रौषं नरव्याघ्र साल्वं सागरमन्तिकात्। प्रयान्तं सौभमास्थाय तमहं पृष्ठतोऽन्वगाम्
There, O tiger among men, I heard that Śālva, having boarded the Saubha, was moving near the ocean; I followed him from behind.
दृष्टवानस्मि राजेन्द्र साल्वराजमथान्तिके।' ततः सागरमासाद्य कुक्षौ तस्य महोर्मिणः। समुद्रनाभ्यां साल्वोऽभूत्सौभमास्थाय शत्रुहन्
I saw, O king, the king of Śālva close at hand; then, reaching the ocean with its great waves, Śālva, the slayer of enemies, boarded the Saubha at the ocean's navel.
स मामालोक्य सहसा सेनां स्वां प्राहिणोन्मृधे। मद्बाहुना च सेनायां शिष्टायां किंचिदेव च
Seeing me suddenly, he sent forth his army to battle; by my arms, only a small part of his army remained.
स समालोक्य सहसा स्मयन्निव युधिष्ठिर। आह्वयामास दुष्टात्मा युद्धायैव मुहुर्मुहुः
Seeing me thus, O Yudhiṣṭhira, he, wicked-minded, repeatedly challenged me to battle, as if smiling.
तस्य शार्ङ्गविनिर्मुक्तैर्बहुभिर्मर्मभेदिभिः। पुरं नासाद्यत शरैस्ततो मां रोष आविशत्
With many arrows released from the Śārṅga bow, piercing the vital points, I could not reach his city; then anger arose in me.
स चापि पापप्रकृतिर्दैतेयापशदो नृप। मय्यवर्षत दुर्धर्षः शरधाराः सहस्रशः
And he, of evil nature, a descendant of the Daityas, O king, that invincible one showered thousands of streams of arrows upon me.
सैनिकान्मम सूतं च हयांश्च स समाकिरत्। अचिन्तयन्तस्तु शरान्वयं युध्याम भारत
He covered my soldiers, my charioteer, and my horses with arrows; yet, disregarding the arrows, we continued to fight, O Bhārata.
ततः शतसहस्राणि शराणां नतपर्वणाम्। चिक्षिपुः समरे वीरा मयि साल्वपदानुगाः
Then, O son of Kunti, the warriors who followed Salva hurled hundreds of thousands of arrows with curved tips at me in battle.
ते हयांश्च रथं चैव ध्वजं दारुकमेव च। छादयामासुरसुरास्तैर्बाणैर्मर्मभेदिभिः
With those arrows that pierced the vital points, those mighty ones covered my horses, chariot, banner, and even Daruka.
न हया न रथो वीर न ध्वजो न च दारुकः। अदृश्यन्त शरैश्छन्नास्तथाऽहं सैनिकाश्च मे
Neither the horses, nor the chariot, nor the banner, nor Daruka, nor I, nor my soldiers could be seen, so thickly were we covered by arrows.
ततोऽहमपि कौन्तेय शराणामयुतान्बहून्। आमन्त्रितानां धनुषा दिव्येन विधिनाऽक्षिपम्
Then I too, O son of Kunti, using my divine bow according to the proper method, shot many tens of thousands of arrows at those who had challenged me.
न तत्रविषयस्त्वासीन्मम सैन्यस्य भारत। खे विषक्तं हि तत्सौभं क्रोशमात्र इवाभवत्
There was no place there for my army, O Bharata; for that Saubha, suspended in the sky, seemed to be only a shout's distance away.
ततस्ते प्रेक्षकाः सर्वे देवा वै दिवमास्थिताः। हर्षयामासुरुच्चैर्मां सिंहनादतलस्वनैः
Then all the gods, who were watching from heaven, cheered me loudly with lion-roars and the sounds of drums.
मत्कार्मुकविनिर्मुक्ता दानवानां महारणे। अङ्गेषु रुधिराक्तास्ते विविशुः शलभा इव
The arrows released from my bow entered the bodies of the Danavas in that great battle, stained with blood, just like locusts.
ततो हलहलाशब्दः सौभमध्ये व्यवर्धत। वध्यतां विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैः पततां च महार्णवे
Then, within Saubha, a tumultuous noise arose, as they were being struck down by sharp arrows and falling into the great ocean.
ते निकृत्तभुजस्कन्धाः कबन्धाकृतिदर्शनाः। नदन्तो भैरवान्नादान्निपतन्ति स्म दानवाः। पतितास्तेऽपि भक्ष्यन्ते समुद्रांभोनिवासिभिः
Those Danavas, with arms and shoulders severed, appearing as headless trunks, fell down making terrifying cries, and even as they fell, they were devoured by the dwellers of the ocean.
ततो गोक्षीरकुन्देन्दुमृणालरजतप्रभम्। जलजं पाञ्चजन्यं वै प्राणेनाहमपूरयम्
Then I filled the conch named Pancajanya, which was as bright as cow's milk, jasmine, the moon, lotus-fiber, and silver, with my breath.
तान्दृष्ट्वा पतितांस्तत्र साल्वः सौभपतिस्ततः। मायायुद्धेन महता योधयामास मां युधि
Seeing his followers fallen there, Salva, the lord of Saubha, then fought me in battle using great illusion.
ततो गदा हलाः प्रासाः शूलशक्तिपरश्चथाः। असयः शक्तिकुलिशपाशर्ष्टिकनपाः शराः। पट्टसाश्च भुशुण्ड्यश्च प्रपतन्त्यनिशं मयि
Then, maces, ploughs, spears, tridents, darts, swords, javelins, thunderbolts, nooses, clubs, arrows, broadswords, and slings continuously fell upon me.