Gopal Champu

Chapter Twenty-eight - Destruction of Śālva

[1] As on previous mornings, Snigdhakaṇṭha pleased everyone by speaking.

[2] As long as Kṛṣṇa did not return, he sent messages from Indraprastha, which gave faith to Nanda. When Kṛṣṇa departed from Indraprastha and returned to Dvārakā, he could not enter the city. Two messengers came flying as quick as locusts to Vraja and informed Nanda.

“Coming to Dvārakā we could not enter the gate because the city was surrounded with a huge ream of smoke. Kṛṣṇa quickly entered first. But we heard from Dvārakā a loud, piercing cry. Kṛṣṇa, mounting his chariot entered the city and defeated the power of the smoke with his power, which was like the sun. We confirmed all this from the people who were outside the city.”

[3] Hearing this, and with pale faces, feeling pain in their hearts, Nanda and the others with sorrowful faces, immediately dispatched persons who could move quickly. They went, but while doing so, they could not reach the edge of Vraja. Overcome with grief, they remained motionless on the road. However, the news was true. After Kṛṣṇa stole Rukmiṇī, after the Vṛṣṇis made Jarāsandha and his allies disappear in shame, most cruel Śālva had made allies with Jarāsandha and others when they pacified Śiśupāla who was expecting to marry Rukmiṇī.

[4] “Throwing my weapons while are like forest fires at the Yadus who cause us affliction, I will remove your shame, which is a like a person without clothing.” Making this vow, but blind to the kṣatriya vows, Śālva went off to perform severe austerities. Absorbing himself in austerities for Śiva, every night he ate a handful of ashes to please Śiva. Again and again he ate ashes to achieve his goal.

[5] He followed the accepted conduct with customary actions for future suffering. Śiva knew that he would die by offending Kṛṣṇa. Being easily pleased, Śiva came before Śālva to bestow a benediction after one year, in order that Kṛṣṇa would show his powers and in order to destroy the fault of glorifying those who do not follow surrendered souls. Knowing Śiva was pleased, the wicked Śālva asked for a magical, iron, aerial chariot made by Māyā-dānava, that could not be pierced by the devatās and was unknown to the Yadus. But Śālva was afraid of Kṛṣṇa who had defeated Śiva when he sided with Bāṇa.

[6] When Śiśupāla had died, Śālva, his close friend, knowing that Kṛṣṇa was absent from Dvārakā, attacked the city. He flew around the city in a crooked fashion, and approached close, sometimes on the land and sometimes in the air, causing great disturbance to the city.

As the aerial vehicle approached Dvārakā, clouds of dust arising from its crooked movements mixing with small pieces of stone, trees, rocks, thunderbolts and snakes and fell from the sky to the ground in whirlwinds. All the palaces along with their devatās, parks, walls, courtyards and gates began to crumble. ||1||

When the vehicle entered the city, Pradyumna faced the vehicle because everyone was fleeing. He said, “Do not be afraid.” Seeing him on his chariot, thinking he was Kṛṣṇa, they all became calm and stood there. ||2||

[7] Nanda said, “Did others assist this child?”

[8-10] Snigdhakaṇṭha said: Why would they not help?

He who is independent by qualification is the shelter of all others. In the Vedas the Lord is described as the shelter of the universe. ||3||

But Balarāma had gone to deliver invitations to the sacrifice, and arrived later at Indraprastha. This was described. If he had not gone there but remained at Dvārakā, by pulling his plough and whirling his auspicious pestle, he could have crushed the aerial vehicle quickly.

[11] Nanda said, “Did anyone attain fame by assisting Pradyumna?”

[12] Snigdhakaṇṭha said, “Gada, Sāmba, Sātyaki, and Cārudeṣṇa helped their younger brother. And a huge number headed by Akrūra, Hārdikya, Bhanuvinda, Śuka and Śaraṇa also helped.”

[13] Nanda said, “Then what happened?”

[14] Snigdhakaṇṭha said:

Just as he pierced the iron ship equipped with various weapons made by Māyā-dānava, he pierced Śālva also. Other Yadus also killed Śālva’s supporters. When the Yadus went to destroy the enemy, Dyumān hit Pradyumna on the chest with his club. ||4||

Seeing that his charioteer had taken him from the battle when he became confused by the sudden blow, Pradyumna upbraided the charioteer. ||5||

With his charioteer he then approached Dyumān again. He shredded the foe’s limbs and chariot and smashed his head into a hundred pieces. ||6||

The troops ofŚālva’s supporters were thrashed and fell into an ocean of arrows fired by the Yadus. ||7||

[15] When Pradyumna fought withDyumān for twenty-seven days and nights, people began seeing inauspicious signs such as comets. Taking the permission of elders like Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Kṛṣṇa returned to Dvārakā. Kṛṣṇa, destroyer of demon families, the best of all men, assigned Balarāma, an excellent fighter, to defend the city and went to fight quarrelsome, vicious Śālva, who made clouds cover the daylight with rumbling sounds. Performing pastimes, he made the day appear again.

Arriving at the battle, he was seen by all his relatives and by the enemies, for when the sun arrives in the east, everyone can clearly see it. ||8||

[16] Putting Pradyumna behind him, Śālva demolished many troops and threw a spear at Kṛṣṇa. When Dāruka covered Kṛṣṇa with his body, he aimed at Dāruka. ||9||

When Kṛṣṇa saw the spear approach like a huge comet, his arrows, like Rākṣasas flying in the air, swallowed it. ||10||

[17] Shooting sixteen arrows, Kṛṣṇa surrounded Śālva on all sides with the arrows. He looked like a tree covered with branches sprouting leaves. With his arrows Kṛṣṇa made his vehicle look like a forest of sponges. It was surrounded with a host of evil enemy troops, who had emerged from the vehicle forward or backwards.

[18] After doing this, Kṛṣṇa thought: “My fighting spirit is not aroused by displays of unlimited knowledge and strength. I will assume a nature devoid of intelligence, like persons devoid of bhakti. I will act as if I am foolish and weak.”

Śukadeva has criticized those who declare that Kṛṣṇa was in ignorance because of his material māyā:

Such is the account given by some sages, O wise King, but those who speak in this illogical way are contradicting themselves, having forgotten their own previous statements. SB 10.77.30

[19] Kṛṣṇa then pretended to be indifferent and was touched by the arrogant arrows ofŚālva. His bow fell from his hand. The onlookers shouted in dismay andŚālva praised himself. Kṛṣṇa then hit him with his club, reversing his previous self-glorification. But he did not kill him, in order to have some fun.

[20] Śālva then disappeared, spreading illusion by his power. A man dressed as a messenger of Devakī appeared and, approaching Kṛṣṇa, began speaking cruel words, “Śālva has taken your father and gone away.” Kṛṣṇa then showed that he was full of lamentation and unsteadiness. Śālva brought out from his aerial city someone resembling Vasudeva and cut off is head.

[21] Seeing this, not accepting this illusory figure, knowing that Śālva was in his vehicle from which he could not flee, Kṛṣṇa blocked his way and fought with him. Before fighting, Kṛṣṇa’s said, “O Śālva, endowed with illusory powers! Cheater! How many illusions do you produce in your war?”

[22] The fight:

Though he used all his powers and weapons to fight in all directions, Śālva’s attempts became useless. He became the target of the tips of Kṛṣṇa’s arrows. Though he had his armor and bow, with his head about to split, his future now appeared like his previous state–ashes. ||11||

Kṛṣṇa’s club not only pulverized the Saubha vehicle but pulverized its occupants as well. If a pestle crushes an uḍumbara fruit, how can the insects within escape? ||12||

The vehicle was turned to powder, which could be used by the Apsarās for their eye ointment. The powder fell over the sea and lingered there like mist. ||13-14||

Sālva, having magical powers, had left the vehicle, but on seeing his vehicle pulverized, he could not give any instructions on how to prevent that. As soon as he opened his mouth, Kṛṣṇa’s club could not tolerate any delay. ||15||

Foolish Sālva, seeing Kṛṣṇa’s club, took up his own fearful club with determination. With his arrows, Kṛṣṇa cut off his arm which was holding the club. ||16||

[23] When he attempted fighting with his left arm, filled with false enthusiasm, Kṛṣṇa, whose form was like Sunrise Mountain in contact with the red sun, cut off the Sālva’s head, which was like complete darkness. ||17||

When Saubha and Sālva fell in the ocean, the sound of the waves mixed with the sound of heaven’s drums. ||18||

[24] Snigdhakaṇṭha concluded: “O Nanda! Your son for whom all the people of Gokula became inundated with sorrow on thinking of Kṛṣṇa’s fight with Sālva, shines perfectly on your lap with his effulgence and delights the people of Gokula.” ||19||

[25] The Vraja bards began praising Kṛṣṇa:

You enabled Yudhiṣṭhira to hold the sacrifice. You filled the directions with the attractive sound of your chariot wheels. You spread your influence around Dvārakā.

The sight of the maneuvers of Saubha craft incited your courage. You destroyed the enemy weapons with your arrows.

You covered Saubha with your arrows. You detected Sālva’s false messenger. You bestow ignorance to the ignorant and bestow knowledge to the wise.

You destroyed all his weapons. You deflected his blows with your arrows. You destroyed Saubha with your arrows. You destroyed Sālva’s pride.

You cut off his right arm with your arrows. You cut off his head with your cakra. You thus were victorious in the battle. O dearest of Vraja! You remain here! ||20||

[26] Completing the story and satisfying all, while playing instruments the bards went on their way.

[27] In the evening, in the assembly of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, the reciter spoke. That was completed with one verse:

“O Rādhā! As Kṛṣṇa nourishes your eyes by his presence he nourishes your ears by his talks.” ||21||

[28] When everyone returned to their houses with satisfied hearts, Rādhā met Kṛṣṇa in private.