Aśvamedha-khaṇḍa · Chapter 28
Sourceगर्ग उवाच - कृत्वा तु शौचादिकमेव कर्म प्रभातकाले यदुनन्दनश्च ॥ जगाम पारं यदुभिश्च सिंधो रामो यथा वै कपिभिर्नृपेन्द्र ॥१॥ ददृशुस्तत्र ते गत्वानिरुद्धाद्याश्च यादवाः ॥ उपद्वीपं पांचजन्यं शतयोजनविस्तृतम् ॥२॥ राजते तत्र राजेन्द्र नाम्ना वै चासुरी पुरी ॥ विंशद्योजनविस्तीर्णा दैत्यवृन्दसमाकुला ॥३॥ पुन्नागैर्नागचंपैश्च तिलकैर्देवदारुभिः ॥ अशोकैः पाटलैराम्रैर्मंदारैः कोविदारकैः ॥४॥ निंबुजंबूकदंबैश्च प्रियालपनसैस्तथा ॥ सालैस्तालैस्तमालैश्च मल्लिकाजातियूथिकैः ॥५॥ नीपैः कदंबैर्बकुलैश्चंपकैर्मदनाभिधैः ॥ शोभिता नगरी रम्या रत्नप्रासादसंयुता ॥६॥ यदून्समागताञ्छ्रुत्वा मयं मायाविनं खलः ॥ प्रेषयामास गणितुं यादवानां महात्मनाम् ॥७॥ स चापि शुकरुपेण गत्वा दृष्ट्वा यदूत्तमान् ॥ आगत्य स्वपुरीमध्ये बल्वलं विस्मितोऽब्रवीत् ॥८॥ मय उवाच - कः करिष्यति संख्यां वै वृष्णीनां बलिनां नृप ॥ नियुतानां च नियुतकोटिनाऽऽस्ते स कार्ष्णिजः ॥९॥ सेतुं कृत्वा शरैः सिन्धोः प्राप्ताः सर्वे तवोपरि ॥ तेषां पश्य बलं राजन्देवविस्मयकारकम् ॥१०॥ सागरस्य शरैः सेतुं न दृष्टं न श्रुतं कृतम् ॥ वृद्धेन च मया राजंस्त्वदग्रेऽद्य विलोकितम् ॥११॥ राघवेण पुरा सेतुं पाषाणैर्द्रुमवेष्टितम् ॥ स्वनाम्नश्च प्रतापेन लंकाया निकटे कृतम् ॥१२॥ तत्सर्वं च मया दृष्टमद्य दृष्टं हि चाद्भुतम् ॥ श्रीकृष्णेन पुरा राजन्कंसाद्याः शकुनादयः ॥१३॥ मारिताः संगरे दैत्या नृपाः सर्वे विनिर्जिताः ॥ कृष्णस्तु भगवान्साक्षाद्ब्रह्मणा प्रार्थितः पुरा ॥१४॥ गोलोकादागतो भूमौ भक्तानां रक्षणाय च ॥ अकृतानां च नाशाय कुशस्थल्यां विराजते ॥१५॥ तस्माद्यदूत्तमाः सर्वेऽनिरुद्धाद्या महाबलाः ॥ भीषणं च बकं जित्वा ह्यन्याञ्जित्वात्र चागताः ॥१६॥ पुत्राः पौत्राश्च कृष्णस्य ज्ञातयश्च यदूत्तमाः ॥ आकाशं जेतुमिच्छंति का वार्ता भूतलस्य च ॥१७॥ अनिरुद्धाय तस्माद्वै तुरगं देहि बल्वल ॥ दैत्यानां हतशेषाणां कुलकौशल्यहेतवे ॥१८॥ ततोऽनिरुद्धाय हयं च दत्वा- सुरद्विषां वै सुखहेतवे च ॥ श्रीकृष्णचंद्रं प्रभजंश्च भुंक्ष्व राज्यं स्वकीयं तपसा नु लब्धम् ॥१९॥ एवं शुभैश्च वचनैर्बोध्यमानोऽपि बल्वलः ॥ निःश्वस्योवाच रोषेण मयं कृष्णपराङ्मुखः ॥२०॥ बल्वल उवाच - विना युद्धेन त्वं दैत्य कथं भीतो भविष्यसि ॥ वदिष्यसि ममाग्रे त्वं शूरहास्यकरं वचः ॥२१॥ त्वं बुद्धिबलहीनश्च वृद्धत्वाच्छठतां गतः ॥ तस्मात्त्वदीयं वचनं नाहं गृह्णामि सांप्रतम् ॥२२॥ यदि कृष्णो हरिः साक्षादेते कृष्णस्य वंशजाः ॥ ममाग्रे शिवभक्तस्य किं करिष्यंति पौरुषम् ॥ २३॥ भयं मा कुरु तस्मात्वं मायाः कुत्र गतास्तव ॥ अहं तवाश्रयेणापि युद्धं कर्तुं व्रजामि वै ॥२४॥ अनिरुद्धो महाशूरः शूराः किं न वयं स्मृताः ॥ स्थिते मयि महीमध्ये कोऽयं गर्वोऽभवन्महत् ॥२५॥ फलं गर्वस्य प्राप्नोतु मम निर्मुक्तसायकैः ॥ अद्य मे निशिता बाणा अनिरुद्धं च मानिनम् ॥२६॥ प्रकुर्वंति रणे दैत्य रक्तांगं छिन्नकंचुकम् ॥ यथा किंशुकवृक्षं वै वसंतदिवसाः किल ॥२७॥ दारयंतु कपोलानि नाराचा मम हस्तिनाम् ॥ हयान्पश्यंतु शतशो रुधिरौघपरिप्लुतान् ॥२८॥ पिबंतु योगिनीवृंदा रुधिराणि नृमस्तकैः ॥ काली भवतु संतुष्टा मद्वैरिक्रव्यभक्षणैः ॥ २९॥ मम बाहुबलं सर्वे पश्यंतु सुभटाः किल ॥ महाकोदंडनिर्मुक्तभल्लकोटीर्विमुंचतः ॥३०॥ इति तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य मयो मायी महामतिः ॥ जानन्कृष्णस्य माहात्म्यं मदांधं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥३१॥ मय उवाच - यदा विजेष्यसि रणे कृष्णपुत्रांश्च यादवान् ॥ आगमिष्यति श्रीकृष्णो जेतुं त्वां वा बलश्च वै ॥३२॥ इति श्रुत्वा महादैत्यः सत्यं हितकरं वचः ॥ कालपाशेन संबद्धो न जग्राह रुषा ज्वलन् ॥३३॥ बल्वल उवाच - ममारी रामकृष्णौ च शत्रवो वृष्णयश्च मे ॥ तान्सर्वान्मारयिष्यामि यैर्मे मित्राश्च मारिताः ॥ ३४॥ हत्वा च यादवानत्र पश्चाद्यज्ञं करोम्यहम् ॥ तस्य दिग्विजयेनापि विजेष्यामि हरेः पुरीम् ॥३५॥ मय उवाच - मानं मा कुरु दैत्येन्द्र कालरूपसस्तुरंगमः ॥ प्राप्तस्तव पुरे हंतुं हतशेषान्महासुरान् ॥३६॥ अनिरुद्धशराः सर्वे सद्यस्तव पुरीं नृप ॥ छिन्नां भिन्नां शूरहीनां करिष्यंति न संशयः ॥३७॥ हिरण्याक्षादयो दैत्या रावणाद्या निशाचराः ॥ मारिता येन सः कृष्णो जातो यदुकुले श्रुतम् ॥३८॥ किंचिद्राज्यस्य मानेन त्वं न जानासि बल्वल ॥ प्रयच्छ तुरगं तस्मै न युद्धसमयोऽस्ति हि ॥३९॥ बल्वल उवाच - अहं जानामि त्वद्वार्तां युद्धं तैर्न करिष्यसि ॥ अनिरुद्धं गच्छ तस्मात्त्वं विभीषणवत्किल ॥४०॥ गर्ग उवाच - बल्वलस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मयो मायाविदां वरः ॥ प्रतिव्योढुं तत्र दुखमिदमेवान्वपद्यत ॥४१॥ वैरभावेन पूर्वं वै वैकुण्ठं बहवो गताः ॥ निशाचराश्च दैत्याश्च तं भावं यः करोति हि ॥४२॥ इत्थं विचार्य सहसा स उवाच महासुरम् ॥ मय उवाच - अद्य त्वां च महावीरं न निषेधं करोम्यहम् ॥४३॥ युद्धं कुरु रणे गत्वा यदून्मारय सायकैः ॥ अहमेव करिष्यामि युद्धं त्वद्वाक्यतो मृधे ॥ इत्युक्त्वा वचनं सोऽपि विरराम प्रहर्षयन् ॥४४॥ ऊर्ध्वकेशो नदः सिंहः कुशाम्बाद्याश्च मंत्रिणः ॥ ऊचुः प्रकुपिताः सर्वे चत्वारो बल्वलं नृप ॥४५॥ मंत्रिण ऊचुः पूर्वं वयं गमिष्यामो हंतुं सर्वान् यदूत्तमान् ॥ बहुभिर्दिवसै राजन्संग्रामं न कृतं यतः ॥४६॥ चिन्तां मा कुरु राजेन्द्र मयदैत्येन संयुतः ॥ क्षणेन मारयिष्यामो कोटिशः कोटिशो नरान् ॥४७॥ गर्ग उवाच - तेषां भाषितमाकर्ण्य बल्वलस्तु मुदान्वितः ॥ चकाराज्ञां नृपश्रेष्ठ रणार्थे रणकोविदः ॥४८॥ इति श्रीगर्गसंहितायां हयमेधखण्डे दैत्यमन्त्रवर्णनं नामाष्टाविंशोऽध्यायः ॥२८॥ हरिः ॐ तत्सत् श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु ॥
garga uvāca - kṛtvā tu śaucādikameva karma prabhātakāle yadunandanaśca || jagāma pāraṃ yadubhiśca siṃdho rāmo yathā vai kapibhirnṛpendra ||1|| dadṛśustatra te gatvāniruddhādyāśca yādavāḥ || upadvīpaṃ pāṃcajanyaṃ śatayojanavistṛtam ||2|| rājate tatra rājendra nāmnā vai cāsurī purī || viṃśadyojanavistīrṇā daityavṛndasamākulā ||3|| punnāgairnāgacaṃpaiśca tilakairdevadārubhiḥ || aśokaiḥ pāṭalairāmrairmaṃdāraiḥ kovidārakaiḥ ||4|| niṃbujaṃbūkadaṃbaiśca priyālapanasaistathā || sālaistālaistamālaiśca mallikājātiyūthikaiḥ ||5|| nīpaiḥ kadaṃbairbakulaiścaṃpakairmadanābhidhaiḥ || śobhitā nagarī ramyā ratnaprāsādasaṃyutā ||6|| yadūnsamāgatāñchrutvā mayaṃ māyāvinaṃ khalaḥ || preṣayāmāsa gaṇituṃ yādavānāṃ mahātmanām ||7|| sa cāpi śukarupeṇa gatvā dṛṣṭvā yadūttamān || āgatya svapurīmadhye balvalaṃ vismito'bravīt ||8|| maya uvāca - kaḥ kariṣyati saṃkhyāṃ vai vṛṣṇīnāṃ balināṃ nṛpa || niyutānāṃ ca niyutakoṭinā''ste sa kārṣṇijaḥ ||9|| setuṃ kṛtvā śaraiḥ sindhoḥ prāptāḥ sarve tavopari || teṣāṃ paśya balaṃ rājandevavismayakārakam ||10|| sāgarasya śaraiḥ setuṃ na dṛṣṭaṃ na śrutaṃ kṛtam || vṛddhena ca mayā rājaṃstvadagre'dya vilokitam ||11|| rāghaveṇa purā setuṃ pāṣāṇairdrumaveṣṭitam || svanāmnaśca pratāpena laṃkāyā nikaṭe kṛtam ||12|| tatsarvaṃ ca mayā dṛṣṭamadya dṛṣṭaṃ hi cādbhutam || śrīkṛṣṇena purā rājankaṃsādyāḥ śakunādayaḥ ||13|| māritāḥ saṃgare daityā nṛpāḥ sarve vinirjitāḥ || kṛṣṇastu bhagavānsākṣādbrahmaṇā prārthitaḥ purā ||14|| golokādāgato bhūmau bhaktānāṃ rakṣaṇāya ca || akṛtānāṃ ca nāśāya kuśasthalyāṃ virājate ||15|| tasmādyadūttamāḥ sarve'niruddhādyā mahābalāḥ || bhīṣaṇaṃ ca bakaṃ jitvā hyanyāñjitvātra cāgatāḥ ||16|| putrāḥ pautrāśca kṛṣṇasya jñātayaśca yadūttamāḥ || ākāśaṃ jetumicchaṃti kā vārtā bhūtalasya ca ||17|| aniruddhāya tasmādvai turagaṃ dehi balvala || daityānāṃ hataśeṣāṇāṃ kulakauśalyahetave ||18|| tato'niruddhāya hayaṃ ca datvā- suradviṣāṃ vai sukhahetave ca || śrīkṛṣṇacaṃdraṃ prabhajaṃśca bhuṃkṣva rājyaṃ svakīyaṃ tapasā nu labdham ||19|| evaṃ śubhaiśca vacanairbodhyamāno'pi balvalaḥ || niḥśvasyovāca roṣeṇa mayaṃ kṛṣṇaparāṅmukhaḥ ||20|| balvala uvāca - vinā yuddhena tvaṃ daitya kathaṃ bhīto bhaviṣyasi || vadiṣyasi mamāgre tvaṃ śūrahāsyakaraṃ vacaḥ ||21|| tvaṃ buddhibalahīnaśca vṛddhatvācchaṭhatāṃ gataḥ || tasmāttvadīyaṃ vacanaṃ nāhaṃ gṛhṇāmi sāṃpratam ||22|| yadi kṛṣṇo hariḥ sākṣādete kṛṣṇasya vaṃśajāḥ || mamāgre śivabhaktasya kiṃ kariṣyaṃti pauruṣam || 23|| bhayaṃ mā kuru tasmātvaṃ māyāḥ kutra gatāstava || ahaṃ tavāśrayeṇāpi yuddhaṃ kartuṃ vrajāmi vai ||24|| aniruddho mahāśūraḥ śūrāḥ kiṃ na vayaṃ smṛtāḥ || sthite mayi mahīmadhye ko'yaṃ garvo'bhavanmahat ||25|| phalaṃ garvasya prāpnotu mama nirmuktasāyakaiḥ || adya me niśitā bāṇā aniruddhaṃ ca māninam ||26|| prakurvaṃti raṇe daitya raktāṃgaṃ chinnakaṃcukam || yathā kiṃśukavṛkṣaṃ vai vasaṃtadivasāḥ kila ||27|| dārayaṃtu kapolāni nārācā mama hastinām || hayānpaśyaṃtu śataśo rudhiraughapariplutān ||28|| pibaṃtu yoginīvṛṃdā rudhirāṇi nṛmastakaiḥ || kālī bhavatu saṃtuṣṭā madvairikravyabhakṣaṇaiḥ || 29|| mama bāhubalaṃ sarve paśyaṃtu subhaṭāḥ kila || mahākodaṃḍanirmuktabhallakoṭīrvimuṃcataḥ ||30|| iti tadvākyamākarṇya mayo māyī mahāmatiḥ || jānankṛṣṇasya māhātmyaṃ madāṃdhaṃ cedamabravīt ||31|| maya uvāca - yadā vijeṣyasi raṇe kṛṣṇaputrāṃśca yādavān || āgamiṣyati śrīkṛṣṇo jetuṃ tvāṃ vā balaśca vai ||32|| iti śrutvā mahādaityaḥ satyaṃ hitakaraṃ vacaḥ || kālapāśena saṃbaddho na jagrāha ruṣā jvalan ||33|| balvala uvāca - mamārī rāmakṛṣṇau ca śatravo vṛṣṇayaśca me || tānsarvānmārayiṣyāmi yairme mitrāśca māritāḥ || 34|| hatvā ca yādavānatra paścādyajñaṃ karomyaham || tasya digvijayenāpi vijeṣyāmi hareḥ purīm ||35|| maya uvāca - mānaṃ mā kuru daityendra kālarūpasasturaṃgamaḥ || prāptastava pure haṃtuṃ hataśeṣānmahāsurān ||36|| aniruddhaśarāḥ sarve sadyastava purīṃ nṛpa || chinnāṃ bhinnāṃ śūrahīnāṃ kariṣyaṃti na saṃśayaḥ ||37|| hiraṇyākṣādayo daityā rāvaṇādyā niśācarāḥ || māritā yena saḥ kṛṣṇo jāto yadukule śrutam ||38|| kiṃcidrājyasya mānena tvaṃ na jānāsi balvala || prayaccha turagaṃ tasmai na yuddhasamayo'sti hi ||39|| balvala uvāca - ahaṃ jānāmi tvadvārtāṃ yuddhaṃ tairna kariṣyasi || aniruddhaṃ gaccha tasmāttvaṃ vibhīṣaṇavatkila ||40|| garga uvāca - balvalasya vacaḥ śrutvā mayo māyāvidāṃ varaḥ || prativyoḍhuṃ tatra dukhamidamevānvapadyata ||41|| vairabhāvena pūrvaṃ vai vaikuṇṭhaṃ bahavo gatāḥ || niśācarāśca daityāśca taṃ bhāvaṃ yaḥ karoti hi ||42|| itthaṃ vicārya sahasā sa uvāca mahāsuram || maya uvāca - adya tvāṃ ca mahāvīraṃ na niṣedhaṃ karomyaham ||43|| yuddhaṃ kuru raṇe gatvā yadūnmāraya sāyakaiḥ || ahameva kariṣyāmi yuddhaṃ tvadvākyato mṛdhe || ityuktvā vacanaṃ so'pi virarāma praharṣayan ||44|| ūrdhvakeśo nadaḥ siṃhaḥ kuśāmbādyāśca maṃtriṇaḥ || ūcuḥ prakupitāḥ sarve catvāro balvalaṃ nṛpa ||45|| maṃtriṇa ūcuḥ pūrvaṃ vayaṃ gamiṣyāmo haṃtuṃ sarvān yadūttamān || bahubhirdivasai rājansaṃgrāmaṃ na kṛtaṃ yataḥ ||46|| cintāṃ mā kuru rājendra mayadaityena saṃyutaḥ || kṣaṇena mārayiṣyāmo koṭiśaḥ koṭiśo narān ||47|| garga uvāca - teṣāṃ bhāṣitamākarṇya balvalastu mudānvitaḥ || cakārājñāṃ nṛpaśreṣṭha raṇārthe raṇakovidaḥ ||48|| iti śrīgargasaṃhitāyāṃ hayamedhakhaṇḍe daityamantravarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ ||28|| hariḥ oṃ tatsat śrīkṛṣṇārpaṇamastu ||
English translation
The Yadavas' move to the Panchajanya peninsula; the mutual counsel of the daityas; Mayasura's advice to Balval to return the horse; but Balwal's steadfastness in his resolve to fight
Srigarji says - Nripendra! Yadunandan with Aniruddha Yadavas after a morning of defecation. In the same way, he went across the ocean, just as Sriramchandraji had gone with the Kapis in the past. It was there that the Yadavas, including Aniruddha, saw the Panchajanya peninsula, which spanned a hundred yojanas. Rajendra! The peninsula was adorned with monsters, which spanned twenty yojanas. Communities of demons lived in it. Trees and flowers named Punnag, Nagkesar, Champa, Tilak, Deodar, Ashoka, Patal, Mango, Mandar, Kovidar, Neem, Jambu, Kadamb, Priyal, Panas (Jackfruit), Sal, Tal, Tamal, Mallika, Jati (Jasmine), Juhi, Neep, Moulashri, Champak, and Madan adorned the picturesque city. It housed the palaces of jewels. 1 - 6.
Hearing of the arrival of the Yadavas, the evil Balwal sent the elusive Mayako to count the army of the Mahatma Yadavas. He disguised himself as a parrot and went there to see all the Yadavas and, upon returning, was amazed and said to Balwale inside Puri. 7 - 8.
Thus, even after being explained with auspicious words, Balvala spoke angrily to me, taking a deep breath, estranged from Lord Krishna. 20. (Ashwamedh Khand Chapter 26 to 30)
Balwal said, "Demon! How are you being intimidated without a fight, and speaking to me in a manner that is ridiculous to knights? You have become inferior both in intellect and strength because of your old age; therefore, at this time, I cannot take your word for it. Though Shri Krishna is the true God and these Yadavs are descendants of Shri Krishna himself, I am a devotee of Shiva. What will they do in front of me? So do not be afraid. Where have your illusions gone? I am only going to fight with your help. Aniruddha is a great knight, so are we not endowed with valour? What is the great pride of the Yadavas in this world where I live? May Aniruddha reap the fruits of his heroic pride through the psalm left by my bow. Oh dear Lord! Today, in the battlefield, my sharp arrows will tear apart Aniruddha's armor and make him bloody. Today the flocks of yoginis should drink blood filled with human skulls. May Mahakali be satisfied today by chewing on the raw flesh of enemies. May all eyes be upon the armour of my hero, showering millions of bows and arrows with his great staff. 21-30 |
Hearing this, Balvalki spoke thus to the blind demon, knowing the greatness of the elusive Lord Krishna. 31.
Though the oracle was true and beneficial, the great tyrant, bound by time, did not even listen to it and accepted it; on the contrary, he burned with rage. 33.
Balwal said - I understand what you are saying. You will not go to war with the Yadavas. Therefore, as Ravana's brother Vibhishana went to Shri Rama in the past, so go to Aniruddha. 40.
Srigarji says - Rajan! Hearing this, Balvalki, considered the best of the illusions, to relieve his mental suffering there, thus thinking: "In the past, many nocturnal beings and demons went to Vaikuntha Dham because they contemplated God with enmity. So whoever gives that emotion a place in his heart, it certainly has excellent speed. Thinking this, Mayasura suddenly said to the great demon. 41-42 |
Mayasura said, "Balwaal! You are a great hero. Now I am not going to stop you from fighting. You go to the battlefield and fight and kill the Yadavas with your weapons. Now I too will go to the battlefield and fight at your behest. 43.
Saying this, Mayasura fell silent, cheering Balavala. The king. Then the four ministers, Uttarkesha, Nada, Singha, and Kushamba, were very angry and said Balvala. 44-45 |
The minister said - Daitya Raj. First we will go to the brink of war to slay all the best Yadavas; for we have not had the opportunity to wage war for a long time. Rajendra. Don't worry. We will live with death and kill millions of people in an instant. 46-47 |
Sriganganji says - "Nripa Shrestha! Balwal was overjoyed to hear the speeches of the ministers. The demon Ranakovida gave them orders to fight. 48.
Thus was completed the twenty-eighth chapter in the Ashvamedha Khanda under the Srigarghasamhita, titled "Description of the Counseling of the Daityas." 28.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 32040, revision 230424 (2020-04-15T03:58:59Z). English was rendered from the complete Hindi chapter at https://www.mahakavya.com/ashwamedh-khand-chapter-26-to-30/ as a transparent machine-assisted translation using the pinned IndicTrans2 Indic–English Distilled 200M model and retained without claiming verse-by-verse alignment.