वासुदेव उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु कौन्तेय सूतपुत्रस्ततोऽब्रवीत्। प्रद्युम्नं बलिनां श्रेष्ठं मधुरं श्लक्ष्णमञ्जसा॥
Krishna said: O son of Kunti, having been thus addressed, the son of Suta (the charioteer) then replied to Pradyumna, that foremost of heroes, in these sweet words.
न मे भयं रौक्मिणेय संग्रामे यच्छतो हयान्। युद्धज्ञोऽस्मि च वृष्णीनां नात्र किंचिदतोऽन्यथा॥
The Charioteer said: O son of Rukmani, I am not afraid to guide horses in battle. I am acquainted with the usage of the Vrishnis in war. It is in no way otherwise.
आयुष्मन्नुपदेशस्तु सारथ्ये वर्ततां स्मृतः। सर्वार्थेषु रथी रक्ष्यस्त्वं चापि भृशपीडितः॥
O hero of long life, those that are placed as charioteers (on the cars) are taught to protect the warriors on their chariots. You were greatly afflicted.
त्वं हि शाल्वप्रयुक्तेन शरेणाभिहतो भृशम्। कश्मलाभिहतो वीर ततोऽहमपयातवान्॥
O hero, you were very much wounded by the arrows shot by Shalva, you were also deprived of your senses. Therefore I retired (with you) from the field of battle.
स त्वं सात्वतमुख्याध लब्धसंज्ञो यदृच्छया। पश्य मे हयसंयाने शिक्षा केशवनन्दन॥
O foremost of the Satyatas, O son of Keshava, now that you have regained your senses, without further trouble you will now see my skill in guiding the horses.
दारुकेणाहमुत्पन्नो यथावच्चैव शिक्षितः। वीतभीः प्रविशाम्येतां शाल्वस्य प्रथितां चमूम्॥
I am born of Daruka and I have been duly trained (in my art); I shall now enter into the well-arranged army of Shalva without the least fear.
वासुदेव उवाच एवमुक्त्वा ततो वीर हयान् संचोद्य संगरे। रश्मिभिस्तु समुद्यम्य जवेनाभ्यपतत् तदा॥
Krishna said: O hero, having said this, the charioteer pulled the reins and led the horses with great speed to the field of battle.
मण्डलानि विचित्राणि यमकानीतराणि च। सव्यानि च विचित्राणि दक्षिणानि च सर्वशः॥ प्रतोदेनाहता राजन् रश्मिभिश्च समुद्यताः। उत्पतन्त इवाकाशे व्यचरंस्ते हयोत्तमाः॥
O king, struck with the whip and pulled by the reins, those excellent horses, appeared as if they were flying in the air by performing various beautiful motions, now circular, now similar, now dissimilar, now going to the right and now going to the left.
ते हस्तलाघवोपेतं विज्ञाय नृप दारुकिम्। दह्यमाना इव तदा नास्पृशंश्चरणैर्महीम्॥
O king, those horses, understanding as it were the desire of the son of Daruka, became as if burned with energy and seemed to fly without touching the ground with their feet.
सोऽपसव्यां चमूं तस्य शाल्वस्य भरतर्षभ। चकार नातियत्नेन तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
O foremost of men, he wheeled round Shalva's army so easily that they who witnessed it became very much surprised.
अमृष्यमाणोऽपसव्यं प्रद्युम्नेन च सौभराट्। यन्तारमस्य सहसा त्रिभिर्बाणैः समार्दयत्॥
Being unable to bear that manouvere of Pradyumna, the king of Saubha, instantly discharged three arrows at the charioteer (of his adversary).
दारुकस्य सुतस्तत्र बाणवेगमचिन्तयन्। भूय एव महाबाहो प्रययावपसव्यतः॥ ततो बाणान् बहुविधान् पुनरेव स सौभराट्। मुमोच तनये वीर मम रुक्मिणिनन्दने॥ तानप्राप्ताञ्छितैर्बाणैश्चिच्छेद परवीरहा। रौक्मिणेयः स्मितं कृत्वा दर्शयन् हस्तलाघवम्॥ छिन्नान् दृष्ट्वा तु तान् बाणान् प्रद्युम्नेन च सौभराट्। आसुरीं दारुणीं मायामास्थाय व्यसृजच्छरान्॥
O mighty-armed hero, without taking any notice of the force of those arrows the son of Daruka, continued to lead the chariot round the (Shalva's) army as he was doing (from the start). O hero, thereupon the king Shalva, again discharged at my son, the son born of Rukmani, a shower of various kinds of weapons. But that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Rukmani, smilingly showed the lightness of his hand and cut off all those weapons before they reached him. Secing all his weapons cut down, the Saubha king, taking recourse of the terrible illusion, natural to the Asuras, poured a shower of weapons.
प्रयुज्यमानमाज्ञाय दैतेयास्त्रं महाबलम्। ब्रह्मास्त्रेणान्तराच्छित्त्वा मुमोचान्यान् पतत्रिणः।
Cutting off those greatly powerful weapon of the Daitya in the mid-air by means of the Brahma weapon, he (Pradyumna) discharged winged weapons of other kinds.
ते तदस्त्रं विधूयाशु विव्यधू रुधिराशनाः। शिरस्युरसि वक्त्रे च स मुमोह पपात च॥
These (weapons), which ever delight (in tasting) blood, warded off the arrows of the Daitya and pierced his head, bosom and face. Thereupon he (Shalva) fell down senseless.
तस्मिन् निपतिते क्षुद्रे शाल्वे बाणप्रपीडिते। रौक्मिणेयो परं बाणं संदधे शत्रुनाशनम्॥
When wounded by arrows, the meanminded Shalva fell down, the son of Rukmani discharged at him another arrows capable destroying every enemy.
राशीविषाग्निज्वलनप्रकाशम्। दृष्ट्वा शरं ज्यामभिनीयमानं बभूव हाहाकृतमन्तरिक्षम्॥
When that arrow, which was worshipped by all the Dashaharas, which was flaming like the fire and which was as fatal as a venomous snake, was fixed on the bowstring, that sight filled the air with cries of "Oh" and "Alas."
ततो देवगणाः सर्वे सेन्द्राः सहधनेश्वराः। नारदं प्रेषयामासुः श्वसनं च मनोजवम्॥
Thereupon all the celestials with Indra and the lord of wealth (Kubera) at their head sent (to Pradyumna) Narada and the god of wind (Vayu) with the speed of mind.
तौ रौक्मिणेयमागम्य वचोऽब्रूतां दिवौकसाम्। नैष वध्यस्त्वया वीर शाल्वराजः कथंचन॥
These two (celestials), coming to the son of Rukmani, thus told him the message (sent) by the celestials. They said "O hero, the king Shalva is never to be killed by you.
संहरस्व पुनर्बाणमवध्योऽयं त्वया रणे। एतस्य च शरस्याजौ नावध्योऽस्ति पुमान् क्वचित्।।
There is none who cannot be killed by that arrow. He is however unslayable by you in battle, therefore draw back the arrow.
मृत्युरस्य महाबाहो रणे देवकिनन्दनः। कृष्णः संकल्पितोधात्रा तन्मिथ्या न भवेदिति॥
"O mighty-armed hero, the creator has ordained that he will be killed by Krishna, the son of Devaki. Let it not be falsified."
ततः परमसंहृष्टः प्रद्युम्नः शरमुत्तमम्। संजहारधनुःश्रेष्ठात् तूणे चैव न्यवेशयत्॥
Thereupon that excellent hero, Pradyumna, withdrew that foremost of arrows from his excellent bow and kept it back into his quiver.
तत उत्थाय राजेन्द्र शाल्वः परमदुर्मनाः। व्यपायात् सबलस्तूर्णं प्रद्युम्नशरपीडितः॥
O king of kings, then the mighty Shalva, pierced with the arrows of Pradyumna, rose up disheartened; and he then speedily fled away.
स द्वारकां परित्यज्य क्रूरो वृष्णिभिरादितः। सौभमास्थाय राजेन्द्र दिवमाचक्रमे तदा।॥
O king of kings, the wicked-minded (Shalva), thus defeated by the Vrishni, ascended (his car) Saubha made of precious metals; and leaving Dvarka he disappeared through the skies.