10.63.1

śṛī-śuka uvāca

apaśyatāḿ cāniruddhaḿ

tad-bandhūnāḿ ca bhārata

catvāro vārṣikā māsā

vyatīyur anuśocatām

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; apaśyatām — who did not see; ca — and; aniruddham — Aniruddha; tat — His; bandhūnām — for the relatives; ca — and; bhārata — O descendant of Bharata (Parīkṣit Mahārāja); catvāraḥ — four; vārṣikaḥ — of the rainy season; māsāḥ — the months; vyatīyuḥ — passed; anuśocatām — who were lamenting.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O descendant of Bharata, the relatives of Aniruddha, not seeing Him return, continued to lament as the four rainy months passed.

 

10.63.2

nāradāt tad upākarṇya

vārtāḿ baddhasya karma ca

prayayuḥ śoṇita-puraḿ

vṛṣṇayaḥ kṛṣṇa-daivatāḥ

 

nāradāt — from Nārada; tat — that; upākarṇya — hearing; vārtām — news; baddhasya — about Him who was captured; karma — actions; ca — and; prayayuḥ — they went; śoṇita-puram — to Śoṇitapura; vṛṣṇayaḥ — the Vṛṣṇis; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa; daivatāḥ — having as their worshipable Deity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After hearing from Nārada the news of Aniruddha's deeds and His capture, the Vṛṣṇis, who worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa as their personal Deity, went to Śoṇitapura.

 

10.63.3-4

pradyumno yuyudhānaś ca

gadaḥ sāmbo 'tha sāraṇaḥ

nandopananda-bhadrādyā

rāma-kṛṣṇānuvartinaḥ

 

akṣauhiṇībhir dvādaśabhiḥ

sametāḥ sarvato diśam

rurudhur bāṇa-nagaraḿ

samantāt sātvatarṣabhāḥ

 

pradyumnaḥ yuyudhānaḥ ca — Pradyumna and Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki); gadaḥ sāmbaḥ atha sāraṇaḥ — Gada, Sāmba and Sāraṇa; nanda-upananda-bhadra — Nanda, Upananda and Bhadra; ādyāḥ — and others; rāma-kṛṣṇa-anuvartinaḥ — following Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa;

 

akṣauhiṇībhiḥ — with military divisions; dvādaśabhiḥ — twelve; sametāḥ — assembled; sarvataḥ diśam — on all sides; rurudhuḥ — they besieged; bāṇa-nagaram — Bāṇāsura's city; samantāt — totally; sātvata-ṛṣabhāḥ — the chiefs of the Sātvatas.

 

TRANSLATION

 

With Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa in the lead, the chiefs of the Sātvata clan — Pradyumna, Sātyaki, Gada, Sāmba, Sāraṇa, Nanda, Upananda, Bhadra and others — converged with an army of twelve divisions and laid siege to Bāṇasura's capital, completely surrounding the city on all sides.

 

10.63.5

bhajyamāna-purodyāna-

prākārāṭṭāla-gopuram

prekṣamāṇo ruṣāviṣṭas

tulya-sainyo 'bhiniryayau

 

bhajyamāna — being broken; pura — of the city; udyāna — the gardens; prākāra — elevated walls; aṭṭāla — watchtowers; gopuram — and gateways; prekṣamāṇaḥ — seeing; ruṣā — with anger; āviṣṭaḥ — filled; tulya — equal; sainyaḥ — with an army; abhiniryayau — went out toward them.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bāṇāsura became filled with anger upon seeing them destroy his city's suburban gardens, ramparts, watchtowers and gateways, and thus he went out to confront them with an army of equal size.

 

10.63.6

bāṇārthe bhagavān rudraḥ

sa-sutaḥ pramathair vṛtaḥ

āruhya nandi-vṛṣabhaḿ

yuyudhe rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ

 

bāṇa-arthe — for Bāṇa's sake; bhagavān rudraḥ — Lord Śiva; sa-sutaḥ — together with his son (Kārtikeya, the general of the demigods' army); pramathaiḥ — by the Pramathas (mystic sages who always attend Lord Śiva, appearing in a multitude of forms); vṛtaḥ — accompanied; āruhya — riding; nandi — on Nandi; vṛṣabham — his bull; yuyudhe — he fought; rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ — with Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Rudra, accompanied by his son Kārtikeya and the Pramathas, came riding on Nandi, his bull carrier, to fight Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa on Bāṇa's behalf.

 

10.63.7

āsīt su-tumulaḿ yuddham

adbhutaḿ roma-harṣaṇam

kṛṣṇa-śańkarayo rājan

pradyumna-guhayor api

 

āsīt — there occurred; su-tumulam — very tumultuous; yuddham — a fight; adbhutam — astonishing; roma-harṣaṇam — causing bodily hair to stand on end; kṛṣṇa-śańkarayoḥ — between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Śiva; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); pradyumna-guhayoḥ — between Pradyumna and Kārtikeya; api — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A most astonishing, tumultuous and hair-raising battle then commenced, with Lord Kṛṣṇa matched against Lord Śańkara, and Pradyumna against Kārtikeya.

 

10.63.8

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇābhyāḿ

balena saha saḿyugaḥ

sāmbasya bāṇa-putreṇa

bāṇena saha sātyakeḥ

 

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇābhyām — by Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa; balena saha — with Lord Balarāma; saḿyugaḥ — a fight; sāmbasya — of Sāmba; bāṇa-putreṇa — with the son of Bāṇa; bāṇena saha — with Bāṇa; sātyakeḥ — of Sātyaki.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Balarāma fought with Kumbhāṇda and Kūpakarṇa, Sāmba with Bāṇa's son, and Sātyaki with Bāṇa.

 

10.63.9

brahmādayaḥ surādhīśā

munayaḥ siddha-cāraṇāḥ

gandharvāpsaraso yakṣā

vimānair draṣṭum āgaman

 

brahma-ādayaḥ — headed by Lord Brahmā; sura — of the demigods; adhīśāḥ — the rulers; munayaḥ — great sages; siddha-cāraṇāḥ — the Siddha and Cāraṇa demigods; gandharva-apsarasaḥ — the Gandharvas and Apsarās; yakṣāḥ — the Yakṣas; vimānaiḥ — in airplanes; draṣṭum — to see; āgaman — came.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Brahmā and the other ruling demigods, along with Siddhas, Cāraṇas and great sages, as well as Gandharvas, Apsarās and Yakṣas, all came in their celestial airplanes to watch.

 

10.63.10-11

śańkarānucarān śaurir

bhūta-pramatha-guhyakān

ḍākinīr yātudhānāḿś ca

vetālān sa-vināyakān

 

preta-mātṛ-piśācāḿś ca

kuṣmāṇḍān brahma-rākṣasān

drāvayām āsa tīkṣṇāgraiḥ

śaraiḥ śārńga-dhanuś-cyutaiḥ

 

śańkara — of Lord Śiva; anucarān — the followers; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhūta-pramatha — Bhūtas and Pramathas; guhyakān — Guhyakas (servants of Kuvera who help him guard the treasury of heaven); ḍākinīḥ — female demons who attend Goddess Kālī; yātudhānān — man-eating demons, also known as Rākṣasas; ca — and; vetālān — vampires; sa-vināyakān — together with Vināyakas;

 

preta — ghosts; mātṛ — maternal demons; piśācān — meat-eating demons who live in the middle regions of outer space; ca — also; kuṣmāṇḍān — followers of Lord Śiva who engage in breaking the meditation of yogīs; brahma-rākṣasān — the demoniac spirits of brāhmaṇas who have died sinfully; drāvayām āsa — He drove away; tīkṣṇa-agraiḥ — sharp-pointed; śaraiḥ — with His arrows; śārńga-dhanuḥ — from His bow, named Śārńga; cyutaiḥ — discharged.

 

TRANSLATION

 

With sharp-pointed arrows discharged from His bow Śārńga, Lord Kṛṣṇa drove away the various followers of Lord Śiva — Bhūtas, Pramathas, Guhyakas, Ḍākinīs, Yātudhānas, Vetālas, Vināyakas, Pretas, Mātās, Piśācas, Kuṣmāṇḍas and Brahma-rākṣasas.

 

10.63.12

pṛthag-vidhāni prāyuńkta

piṇāky astrāṇi śārńgiṇe

praty-astraiḥ śamayām āsa

śārńga-pāṇir avismitaḥ

 

pṛthak-vidhāni — of various kinds; prāyuńkta — engaged; piṇākī — Lord Śiva, the holder of the trident; astrāṇi — weapons; śārńgiṇe — against Lord Kṛṣṇa, the holder of Śārńga; prati-astraiḥ — with counterweapons; śamayām āsa — neutralized them; śārńga-pāṇiḥ — the carrier of Śārńga; avismitaḥ — not perplexed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śiva, wielder of the trident, shot various weapons at Lord Kṛṣṇa, wielder of Śārńga. But Lord Kṛṣṇa was not in the least perplexed: He neutralized all these weapons with appropriate counterweapons.

 

10.63.13

brahmāstrasya ca brahmāstraḿ

vāyavyasya ca pārvatam

āgneyasya ca pārjanyaḿ

naijaḿ pāśupatasya ca

 

brahma-astrasya — of the brahmāstra; ca — and; brahma-astram — a brahmāstra; vāyavyasya — of the wind weapon; ca — and; parvatam — a mountain weapon; āgneyasya — of the fire weapon; ca — and; pārjanyam — a rain weapon; naijam — His own weapon (the nārāyaṇāstra); pāśupatasya — of Lord Śiva's own pāśupatāstra; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa counteracted a brahmāstra with another brahmāstra, a wind weapon with a mountain weapon, a fire weapon with a rain weapon, and Lord Śiva's personal pāśupatāstra weapon with His own personal weapon, the nārāyaṇāstra.

 

10.63.14

mohayitvā tu giriśaḿ

jṛmbhaṇāstreṇa jṛmbhitam

bāṇasya pṛtanāḿ śaurir

jaghānāsi-gadeṣubhiḥ

 

mohayitvā — bewildering; tu — then; giriśam — Lord Śiva; jṛmbhaṇa-astreṇa — with a yawning weapon; jṛmbhitam — made to yawn; bāṇasya — of Bāṇa; pṛtanām — the army; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; jaghāna — struck; asi — with His sword; gadā — club; iṣubhiḥ — and arrows.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After bewildering Lord Śiva by making him yawn with a yawning weapon, Lord Kṛṣṇa proceeded to strike down Bāṇāsura's army with His sword, club and arrows.

 

10.63.15

skandaḥ pradyumna-bāṇaughair

ardyamānaḥ samantataḥ

asṛg vimuñcan gātrebhyaḥ

śikhināpakramad raṇāt

 

skandaḥ — Kārtikeya; pradyumna-bāṇa — of Pradyumna's arrows; oghaiḥ — by the torrents; ardyamānaḥ — distressed; samantataḥ — on all sides; asṛk — blood; vimuñcan — exuding; gātrebhyaḥ — from his limbs; śikhinā — on his peacock carrier; apākramat — went away; raṇāt — from the battlefield.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kārtikeya was distressed by the flood of Pradyumna's arrows raining down from all sides, and thus he fled the battlefield on his peacock as blood poured from his limbs.

 

10.63.16

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇaś ca

petatur muṣalārditau

dudruvus tad-anīkani

hata-nāthāni sarvataḥ

 

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇaḥ ca — Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa; petatuḥ — fell; muṣala — by the club (of Lord Balarāma); arditau — distressed; dudruvuḥ — fled; tat — their; anīkāni — armies; hata — killed; nāthāni — whose leaders; sarvataḥ — in all directions.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa, tormented by Lord Balarāma's club, fell down dead. When the soldiers of these two demons saw that their leaders had been killed, they scattered in all directions.

 

10.63.17

viśīryamāṇam sva-balaḿ

dṛṣṭvā bāṇo 'ty-amarṣitaḥ

kṛṣṇam abhyadravat sańkhye

rathī hitvaiva sātyakim

 

viśīryamāṇam — being torn apart; sva — his; balam — military force; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇāsura; ati — extremely; amarṣitaḥ — infuriated; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; abhyadravat — he attacked; sańkhye — on the battlefield; rathī — riding on his chariot; hitvā — leaving aside; eva — indeed; sātyakim — Sātyaki.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bāṇāsura was furious to see his entire military force being torn apart. Leaving his fight with Sātyaki, he charged across the battlefield on his chariot and attacked Lord Kṛṣṇa.

 

10.63.18

dhanūḿṣy ākṛṣya yugapad

bāṇaḥ pañca-śatāni vai

ekaikasmin śarau dvau dvau

sandadhe raṇa-durmadaḥ

 

dhanūḿṣi — bows; ākṛṣya — pulling back; yugapat — simultaneously; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇa; pañca-śatāni — five hundred; vai — indeed; eka-ekasmin — upon each one; śarau — arrows; dvau dvau — two for each; sandadhe — he fixed; raṇa — due to the fighting; durmadaḥ — mad with pride.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Excited to a frenzy by the fighting, Bāṇa simultaneously pulled taut all the strings of his five hundred bows and fixed two arrows on each string.

 

10.63.19

tāni ciccheda bhagavān

dhanūḿsi yugapad dhariḥ

sārathiḿ ratham aśvāḿś ca

hatvā śańkham apūrayat

 

tāni — these; ciccheda — split; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; dhanūḿsi — bows; yugapat — all at once; hariḥ — Śrī Kṛṣṇa; sārathim — the chariot driver; ratham — the chariot; aśvān — the horses; ca — and; hatvā — after hitting; śańkham — His conchshell; apūrayat — He filled.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śrī Hari split every one of Bāṇāsura's bows simultaneously, and also struck down his chariot driver, chariot and horses. The Lord then sounded His conchshell.

 

10.63.20

tan-mātā koṭarā nāma

nagnā makta-śiroruhā

puro 'vatasthe kṛṣṇasya

putra-prāṇa-rirakṣayā

 

tat — his (Bāṇāsura's); mātā — mother; koṭarā nāma — named Koṭarā; nagnā — naked; mukta — loosened; śiraḥ-ruhā — her hair; puraḥ — in front; avatasthe — stood; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; putra — her son's; prāṇa — life; rirakṣayā — hoping to save.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just then Bāṇāsura's mother, Koṭarā, desiring to save her son's life, appeared before Lord Kṛṣṇa naked and with her hair undone.

 

10.63.21

tatas tiryań-mukho nagnām

anirīkṣan gadāgrajaḥ

bāṇaś ca tāvad virathaś

chinna-dhanvāviśat puram

 

tataḥ — then; tiryak — turned away; mukhaḥ — His face; nagnām — the naked woman; anirīkṣan — not looking at; gadāgrajaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇa; ca — and; tāvat — with that opportunity; virathaḥ — deprived of his chariot; chinna — broken; dhanvā — his bow; āviśat — entered; puram — the city.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Gadāgraja turned His face away to avoid seeing the naked woman, and Bāṇāsura — deprived of his chariot, his bow shattered — took the opportunity to flee into his city.

 

10.63.22

vidrāvite bhūta-gaṇe

jvaras tu trī-śirās trī-pāt

abhyadhāvata dāśārhaḿ

dahann iva diśo daśa

 

vidrāvite — having been driven away; bhūta-gaṇe — all the followers of Lord Śiva; jvaraḥ — the personification of fever who serves him, Lord Śiva; tu — but; tri — three; śirāḥ — having heads; tri — three; pāt — having feet; abhyadhāvata — ran toward; dāśārham — Lord Kṛṣṇa; dahan — burning; iva — as if it were; diśaḥ — the directions; daśa — ten.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After Lord Śiva's followers had been driven away, the Śiva-jvara, who had three heads and three feet, pressed forward to attack Lord Kṛṣṇa. As the Śiva-jvara approached, he seemed to burn everything in the ten directions.

 

10.63.23

atha nārāyaṇaḥ devaḥ

taḿ dṛṣṭvā vyasṛjaj jvaram

māheśvaro vaiṣṇavaś ca

yuyudhāte jvarāv ubhau

 

atha — thereupon; nārāyaṇaḥ devaḥ — Lord Nārāyaṇa (Kṛṣṇa); tam — him (the Śiva-jvara); dṛṣṭvā — seeing; vyasṛjat — released; jvaram — His personified fever (of extreme cold, as opposed to the extreme heat of the Śiva-jvara); māheśvaraḥ — of Lord Māheśvara; vaiṣṇavaḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; ca — and; yuyudhāte — fought; jvarau — the two fevers; ubhau — against each other.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Seeing this personified weapon approach, Lord Nārāyaṇa then released His own personified fever weapon, the Viṣṇu-jvara. The Śiva-jvara and Viṣṇu-jvara thus battled each other.

 

10.63.24

māheśvaraḥ samākrandan

vaiṣṇavena balārditaḥ

alabdhvābhayam anyatra

bhīto māheśvaro jvaraḥ

śaraṇārthī hṛṣīkeśaḿ

tuṣṭāva prayatāñjaliḥ

 

māheśvaraḥ — (the fever weapon) of Lord Śiva; samākrandan — crying out; vaiṣṇavena — of the Vaiṣṇava-jvara; bala — by the strength; arditaḥ — tormented; alabdhvā — not obtaining; abhayam — fearlessness; anyatra — elsewhere; bhītaḥ — frightened; māheśvaraḥ jvaraḥ — the Māheśvara-jvara; śaraṇa — for shelter; arthī — hankering; hṛṣīkeśam — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of everyone's senses; tuṣṭāva — he praised; prayata-añjaliḥ — with palms joined in supplication.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Śiva-jvara, overwhelmed by the strength of the Viṣṇu-jvara, cried out in pain. But finding no refuge, the frightened Śiva-jvara approached Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses, hoping to attain His shelter. Thus with joined palms he began to praise the Lord.

 

10.63.25

jvara uvāca

namāmi tvānanta-śaktiḿ pareśam

sarvātmānaḿ kevalaḿ jñapti-mātram

viśvotpatti-sthāna-saḿrodha-hetuḿ

yat tad brahma brahma-lińgam praśāntam

 

jvaraḥ uvāca — the fever weapon (of Lord Śiva) said; namāmi — I bow down; tvā — to You; ananta — unlimited; śaktim — whose potencies; para — Supreme; īśam — the Lord; sarva — of all; ātmānam — the Soul; kevalam — pure; jñapti — of consciousness; mātram — the totality; viśva — of the universe; utpatti — of the creation; sthāna — maintenance; saḿrodha — and dissolution; hetum — the cause; yat — which; tat — that; brahma — Absolute Truth; brahma — by the Vedas; lingam — indirect reference to whom; praśāntam — perfectly peaceful.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Śiva-jvara said: I bow down to You of unlimited potencies, the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul of all beings. You possess pure and complete consciousness and are the cause of cosmic creation, maintenance and dissolution. Perfectly peaceful, You are the Absolute Truth to whom the Vedas indirectly refer.

 

10.63.26

kālo daivaḿ karma jīvaḥ svabhāvo

dravyaḿ kṣetraḿ prāṇa ātmā vikāraḥ

tat-sańghāto bīja-roha-pravāhas

tvan-māyaiṣā tan-niṣedhaḿ prapadye

 

kālaḥ — time; daivam — destiny; karma — the reactions of material work; jīvaḥ — the individual living entity; svabhāvaḥ — his propensities; dravyam — the subtle forms of matter; kṣetram — the body; prāṇaḥ — the life air; ātmā — the false ego; vikāraḥ — the transformations (of the eleven senses); tat — of all this; sańghāṭaḥ — the aggregate (as the subtle body); bīja — of seed; roha — and sprout; pravāhaḥ — the constant flow; tvat — Your; māyā — material illusory energy; eṣā — this; tat — of it; niṣedham — the negation (You); prapadye — I am approaching for shelter.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Time; fate; karma; the jīva and his propensities; the subtle material elements; the material body; the life air; false ego; the various senses; and the totality of these as reflected in the living being's subtle body — all this constitutes your material illusory energy, māyā, an endless cycle like that of seed and plant. I take shelter of You, the negation of this māyā.

 

10.63.27

nānā-bhāvair līlayaivopapannair

devān sādhūn loka-setūn bibharṣi

haḿsy unmārgān hiḿsayā vartamānān

janmaitat te bhāra-hārāya bhūmeḥ

 

nānā — various; bhāvaiḥ — with intentions; līlayā — as pastimes; eva — indeed; upapannaiḥ — assumed; devān — the demigods; sādhūn — the saintly sages; loka — of the world; setūn — the codes of religion; bibharṣi — You maintain; haḿsi — You kill; ut-mārgān — those who stray beyond the path; hiḿsayā — by violence; vartamānān — living; janma — birth; etat — this; te — Your; bhāra — the burden; hārāya — to relieve; bhūmeḥ — of the earth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

With various intentions, You perform pastimes to maintain the demigods, the saintly persons and the codes of religion for this world. By these pastimes You also kill those who stray from the right path and live by violence. Indeed, your present incarnation is meant to relieve the earth's burden.

 

10.63.28

tapto 'ham te tejasā duḥsahena

śāntogreṇāty-ulbaṇena jvareṇa

tāvat tāpo dehināḿ te 'nghri-mūlaḿ

no severan yāvad āśānubaddhāḥ

 

taptaḥ — burned; aham — I; te — Your; tejasā — by the power; duḥsahena — insufferable; śānta — cold; ugreṇa — yet burning; ati — extremely; ulbaṇena — terrible; jvareṇa — fever; tāvat — for so long; tāpaḥ — the burning torment; dehinām — of embodied souls; te — Your; ańghri — of the feet; mūlam — the sole; na — do not; u — indeed; severan — serve; yāvat — as long as; āśā — in material desires; anubaddhāḥ — continuously bound.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I am tortured by the fierce power of Your terrible fever weapon, which is cold yet burning. All embodied souls must suffer as long as they remain bound to material ambitions and thus averse to serving Your feet.

 

10.63.29

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

tri-śiras te prasanno 'smi

vyetu te maj-jvarād bhayam

yo nau smarati saḿvādaḿ

tasya tvan na bhaved bhayam

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said; tri-śiraḥ — O three-headed one; te — with you; prasannaḥ — satisfied; asmi — I am; vyetu — may it go away; te — your; mat — My; jvarāt — of the fever weapon; bhayam — fear; yaḥ — whoever; nau — our; smarati — remembers; saḿvādam — the conversation; tasya — for him; tvat — of you; na bhavet — there will not be; bhayam — fear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Lord said: O three-headed one, I am pleased with you. May your fear of My fever weapon be dispelled, and may whoever remembers our conversation here have no reason to fear you.

 

10.63.30

ity ukto 'cyutam ānamya

gato māheśvaro jvaraḥ

bāṇas tu ratham ārūḍhaḥ

prāgād yotsyan janārdanam

 

iti — thus; uktaḥ — addressed; acyutam — to Kṛṣṇa, the infallible Supreme Lord; ānamya — bowing down; gataḥ — went; māheśvaraḥ — of Lord Śiva; jvaraḥ — the fever weapon; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇāsura; tu — but; ratham — his chariot; ārūḍhaḥ — riding; prāgāt — came forward; yotsyan — intending to fight; janārdanam — Lord Kṛṣṇa.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus addressed, the Māheśvara-jvara bowed down to the infallible Lord and went away. But Bāṇāsura then appeared, riding forth on his chariot to fight Lord Kṛṣṇa.

 

10.63.31

tato bāhu-sahasreṇa

nānāyudha-dharo 'suraḥ

mumoca parama-kruddho

bāṇāḿś cakrāyudhe nṛpa

 

tataḥ — thereupon; bāhu — with his arms; sahasreṇa — one thousand; nānā — numerous; āyudha — weapons; dharaḥ — carrying; asuraḥ — the demon; mumoca — released; parama — supremely; kruddhaḥ — angry; bāṇān — arrows; cakra-āyudhe — at Him whose weapon is the disc; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Carrying numerous weapons in his thousand hands, O King, the terribly infuriated demon shot many arrows at Lord Kṛṣṇa, the carrier of the disc weapon.

 

10.63.32

tasyāsyato 'strāṇy asakṛc

cakreṇa kṣura-neminā

ciccheda bhagavān bāhūn

śākhā iva vanaspateḥ

 

tasya — of him; asyataḥ — who was throwing; astrāṇi — weapons; asakṛt — repeatedly; cakreṇa — with His disc; kṣura — razor-sharp; neminā — whose circumference; ciccheda — cut off; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; bāhūn — the arms; śākhāḥ — branches; iva — as if; vanaspateḥ — of a tree.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As Bāṇa continued hurling weapons at Him, the Supreme Lord began using His razor-sharp cakra to cut off Bāṇāsura's arms as if they were tree branches.

 

10.63.33

bāhuṣu chidyamāneṣu

bāṇasya bhagavān bhavaḥ

bhaktānakampy upavrajya

cakrāyudham abhāṣata

 

bāhuṣu — the arms; chidyamāneṣu — as they were being severed; bāṇasya — of Bāṇāsura; bhagavān bhavaḥ — the great Lord Śiva; bhakta — toward his devotee; anukampī — compassionate; upavrajya — approaching; cakra-āyudham — to Lord Kṛṣṇa, wielder of the disc weapon; abhāṣata — he spoke.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śiva felt compassion for his devotee Bāṇāsura, whose arms were being cut off, and thus he approached Lord Cakrāyudha [Kṛṣṇa] and spoke to Him as follows.

 

10.63.34

śrī-rudra uvāca

tvaḿ hi brahma paraḿ jyotir

gūḍhaḿ brahmaṇi vāń-maye

yaḿ paśyanty amalātmāna

ākāśam iva kevalam

 

śrī-rudraḥ uvāca — Lord Śiva said; tvam — You; hi — alone; brahma — the Absolute Truth; param — supreme; jyotiḥ — light; gūḍham — hidden; brahmaṇi — in the Absolute; vāk-maye — in its form of language (the Vedas); yam — whom; paśyanti — they see; amala — spotless; ātmānaḥ — whose hearts; ākāśam — the sky; iva — like; kevalam — pure.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Rudra said: You alone are the Absolute Truth, the supreme light, the mystery hidden within the verbal manifestation of the Absolute. Those whose hearts are spotless can see You, for You are uncontaminated, like the sky.

 

0.63.35-36

nābhir nabho 'gnir mukham ambu reto

dyauḥ śīrṣam āśāḥ śrutir ańghrir urvī

candro mano yasya dṛg arka ātmā

ahaḿ samudro jaṭharaḿ bhujendraḥ

 

romāṇi yasyauṣadhayo 'mbu-vāhāḥ

keśā viriñco dhiṣaṇā visargaḥ

prajā-patir hṛdayaḿ yasya dharmaḥ

sa vai bhavān puruṣo loka-kalpaḥ

 

nābhiḥ — the navel; nabhaḥ — the sky; agniḥ — fire; mukham — the face; ambu — water; retaḥ — the semen; dyauḥ — heaven; śīrṣam — the head; āśāḥ — the directions; śrutiḥ — the sense of hearing; ańghriḥ — the foot; urvī — the earth; candraḥ — the moon; manaḥ — the mind; yasya — whose; dṛk — sight; arkaḥ — the sun; ātmā — self-awareness; aham — I (Śiva); samudraḥ — the ocean; jaṭharam — the abdomen; bhuja — the arm; indraḥ — Indra;

 

romāṇi — the hairs on the body; yasya — whose; oṣadhayaḥ — herbal plants; ambu-vāhāḥ — water-bearing clouds; keśāḥ — the hairs on the head; viriñcaḥ — Lord Brahmā; dhiṣaṇā — the discriminating intelligence; visargaḥ — the genitals; prajā-patiḥ — the progenitor of mankind; hṛdayam — the heart; yasya — whose; dharmaḥ — religion; saḥ — He; vai — indeed; bhavān — Your good self; puruṣaḥ — the primeval creator; loka — the worlds; kalpaḥ — produced from whom.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The sky is Your navel, fire Your face, water Your semen, and heaven Your head. The cardinal directions are Your sense of hearing, herbal plants the hairs on Your body, and water-bearing clouds the hair on Your head. The earth is Your foot, the moon Your mind, and the sun Your vision, while I am Your ego. The ocean is Your abdomen, Indra Your arm, Lord Brahmā Your intelligence, the progenitor of mankind Your genitals, and religion Your heart. You are indeed the original puruṣa, creator of the worlds.

 

10.63.37

tavāvatāro 'yam akuṇṭha-dhāman

dharmasya guptyai jagato hitāya

vayaḿ ca sarve bhavatānubhāvitā

vibhāvayāmo bhuvanāni sapta

 

tava — Your; avatāraḥ — descent; ayam — this; akuṇṭha — unrestricted; dhāman — O You whose power; dharmasya — of justice; guptyai — for the protection; jagataḥ — of the universe; hitāya — for the benefit; vayam — we; ca — also; sarve — all; bhavatā — by You; anubhāvitāḥ — enlightened and authorized; vibhāvayāmaḥ — we manifest and develop; bhuvanāni — the worlds; sapta — seven.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Your current descent into the material realm, O Lord of unrestricted power, is meant for upholding the principles of justice and benefiting the entire universe. We demigods, each depending on Your grace and authority, develop the seven planetary systems.

 

10.63.38

tvam eka ādyaḥ puruṣo 'dvitīyas

turyaḥ sva-dṛg dhetur ahetur īśaḥ

pratīyase 'thāpi yathā-vikāraḿ

sva-māyayā sarva-guṇa-prasiddhyai

 

tvam — You; ekaḥ — one; ādyaḥ — original; puruṣaḥ — Supreme Person; advitīyaḥ — without a second; turyaḥ — transcendental; sva-dṛk — self-manifesting; hetuḥ — the cause; ahetuḥ — having no cause; īśaḥ — the supreme controller; pratīyase — You are perceived; atha api — nonetheless; yathā — according to; vikāram — various transformations; sva — by Your own; māyayā — illusory potency; sarva — of all; guṇa — material qualities; prasiddhyai — for the complete manifestation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

You are the original person, one without a second, transcendental and self-manifesting. Uncaused, you are the cause of all, and You are the ultimate controller. You are nonetheless perceived in terms of the transformations of matter effected by Your illusory energy — transformations You sanction so that the various material qualities can fully manifest.

 

10.63.39

yathaiva sūryaḥ pihitaś chāyayā svayā

chāyāḿ ca rūpāṇi ca sañcakāsti

evaḿ guṇenāpihito guṇāḿs tvam

ātma-pradīpo guṇinaś ca bhūman

 

yathā eva — just as; sūryaḥ — the sun; pihitaḥ — covered; chāyayā — by the shade; svayā — its own; chāyām — the shade; ca — and; rūpāṇi — visible forms; ca — also; sañcakāsti — illuminates; evam — similarly; guṇena — by the material quality (of false ego); apihitaḥ — covered; guṇān — the qualities of matter; tvam — You; ātma-pradīpaḥ — self-luminous; guṇinaḥ — the possessors of these qualities (the living entities); ca — and; bhūman — O almighty one.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O almighty one, just as the sun, though hidden by a cloud, illuminates the cloud and all other visible forms as well, so You, although hidden by the material qualities, remain self-luminous and thus reveal all those qualities, along with the living entities who possess them.

 

10.63.40

yan-māyā-mohita-dhiyaḥ

putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu

unmajjanti nimajjanti

prasaktā vṛjinārṇave

 

yat — of whom; māyā — by the illusory energy; mohita — bewildered; dhiyaḥ — their intelligence; putra — with regard to children; dāra — wife; gṛha — home; ādiṣu — and so on; unmajjanti — they rise to the surface; nimajjanti — they become submerged; prasaktāḥ — fully entangled; vṛjina — of misery; arṇave — in the ocean.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Their intelligence bewildered by Your māyā, fully attached to children, wife, home and so on, persons immersed in the ocean of material misery sometimes rise to the surface and sometimes sink down.

 

10.63.41

deva-dattam imaḿ labdhvā

nṛ-lokam ajitendriyaḥ

yo nādriyeta tvat-pādau

sa śocyo hy ātma-vañcakaḥ

 

deva — by the Supreme Lord; dattam — given; imam — this; labdhvā — attaining; nṛ — of human beings; lokam — the world; ajita — uncontrolled; indriyaḥ — his senses; yaḥ — who; na ādriyeta — will not honor; tvat — Your; pādau — feet; saḥ — he; śocyaḥ — pitiable; hi — indeed; ātma — of himself; vañcakaḥ — a cheater.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One who has attained this human form of life as a gift from God, yet who fails to control his senses and honor Your feet, is surely to be pitied, for he is only cheating himself.

 

10.63.42

yas tvāḿ visṛjate martya

ātmānaḿ priyam īśvaram

viparyayendriyārthārthaḿ

viṣam atty amṛtaḿ tyajan

 

yaḥ — who; tvām — You; visṛjate — rejects; martyaḥ — mortal man; ātmānam — his true Self; priyam — dearmost; īśvaram — Lord; viparyaya — which are just the opposite; indriya-artha — of sense objects; artham — for the sake; viṣam — poison; atti — he eats; amṛtam — nectar; tyajan — avoiding.

 

TRANSLATION

 

That mortal who rejects You — his true Self, dearmost friend, and Lord — for the sake of sense objects, whose nature is just the opposite, refuses nectar and instead consumes poison.

 

10.63.43

ahaḿ brahmātha vibudhā

munayaś cāmalāśayāḥ

sarvātmanā prapannās tvām

ātmānaḿ preṣṭham īśvaram

 

aham — I; brahmā — Brahmā; atha — and also; vibudhāḥ — the demigods; munayaḥ — the sages; ca — and; amala — pure; āśayāḥ — whose consciousness; sarva-ātmanā — wholeheartedly; prapannāḥ — surrendered; tvām — unto You; ātmānam — the Self; preṣṭham — the dearmost; īśvaram — the Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I, Lord Brahmā, the other demigods and the pure-minded sages have all surrendered wholeheartedly unto You, our dearmost Self and Lord.

 

10.63.44

taḿ tvā jagat-sthity-udayānta-hetuḿ

samaḿ prasāntaḿ suhṛd-ātma-daivam

ananyam ekaḿ jagad-ātma-ketaḿ

bhavāpavargāya bhajāma devam

 

tam — Him; tvā — You; jagat — of the universe; sthiti — of the maintenance; udaya — the rise; anta — and the demise; hetum — the cause; samam — equipoised; praśāntam — perfectly at peace; suhṛt — the friend; ātma — Self; daivam — and worshipable Lord; ananyam — without a second; ekam — unique; jagat — of all the worlds; ātma — and all souls; ketam — the shelter; bhava — of material life; apavargāya — for the cessation; bhajāma — let us worship; devam — the Supreme Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Let us worship You, the Supreme Lord, to be freed from material life. You are the maintainer of the universe and the cause of its creation and demise. Equipoised and perfectly at peace, You are the true friend, Self and worshipable Lord. You are one without a second, the shelter of all the worlds and all souls.

 

10.63.45

ayaḿ mameṣṭo dayito 'nuvartī

mayābhayaḿ dattam amuṣya deva

sampādyatāḿ tad bhavataḥ prasādo

yathā hi te daitya-patau prasādaḥ

 

ayam — this; mama — my; iṣṭaḥ — favored; dayitaḥ — very dear; anuvartī — follower; mayā — by me; abhayam — fearlessness; dattam — given; amuṣya — his; deva — O Lord; sampādyatām — please let it be granted; tat — therefore; bhavataḥ — Your; prasādaḥ — grace; yathā — as; hi — indeed; te — Your; daitya — of the demons; patau — for the chief (Prahlāda); prasādaḥ — grace.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This Bāṇāsura is my dear and faithful follower, and I have awarded him freedom from fear. Therefore, my Lord, please grant him Your mercy, just as You showed mercy to Prahlāda, the lord of the demons.

 

10.63.46

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

yad āttha bhagavaḿs tvaḿ naḥ

karavāma priyaḿ tava

bhavato yad vyavasitaḿ

tan me sādhv anumoditam

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said; yat — what; āttha — have spoken; bhagavan — O lord; tvam — you; naḥ — to Us; karavāma — We should do; priyam — the gratifying; tava — of you; bhavataḥ — by you; yat — what; vyavasitam — determined; tat — that; me — by Me; sādhu — well; anumoditam — agreed with.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Lord said: My dear lord, for your pleasure We must certainly do what you have requested of Us. I fully agree with your conclusion.

 

10.63.47

avadhyo 'yaḿ mamāpy eṣa

vairocani-suto 'suraḥ

prahrādāya varo datto

na vadhyo me tavānvayaḥ

 

avadhyaḥ — not to be killed; ayam — he; mama — by Me; api — indeed; eṣaḥ — this; vairocani-sutaḥ — son of Vairocani (Bali); asuraḥ — demon; prahrādāya — to Prahlāda; varaḥ — the benediction; dattaḥ — given; na vadhyaḥ — not to be killed; me — by Me; tava — your; anvayaḥ — descendants.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I will not kill this demonic son of Vairocani, for I gave Prahlāda Mahārāja the benediction that I would not kill any of his descendants.

 

10.63.48

darpopaśamanāyāsya

pravṛkṇā bāhavo mayā

sūditaḿ ca balaḿ bhūri

yac ca bhārāyitaḿ bhuvaḥ

 

darpa — the false pride; upaśamanāya — for subduing; asya — his; pravṛkṇāḥ — severed; bāhavaḥ — arms; mayā — by Me; sūditam — slain; ca — and; balam — the military force; bhūri — huge; yat — which; ca — and; bhārāyitam — having become a burden; bhuvaḥ — for the earth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

It was to subdue Bāṇāsura's false pride that I severed his arms. And I slew his mighty army because it had become a burden upon the earth.

 

10.63.49

catvāro 'sya bhujāḥ śiṣṭā

bhaviṣyaty ajarāmaraḥ

pārṣada-mukhyo bhavato

na kutaścid-bhayo 'suraḥ

 

catvāraḥ — four; asya — his; bhujāḥ — arms; śiṣṭāḥ — remaining; bhaviṣyati — will be; ajara — unaging; amaraḥ — and immortal; pārṣada — an associate; mukhyaḥ — principal; bhavataḥ — of yourself; na kutaścit-bhayaḥ — having no fear on any account; asuraḥ — the demon.

 

TRANSLATION