Chapter 10: Dhruva Mahārāja's Fight With the Yakṣas

 

4.10.1

 

maitreya uvāca

prajāpater duhitaraṃ

śiśumārasya vai dhruvaḥ

upayeme bhramiṃ nāma

tat-sutau kalpa-vatsarau

 

maitreyaḥ uvāca — the great sage Maitreya continued; prajāpateḥ — of the Prajāpati; duhitaram — daughter; śiśumārasya — of Śiśumāra; vai — certainly; dhruvaḥ — Dhruva Mahārāja; upayeme — married; bhramim — Bhrami; nāma — named; tat-sutau — her sons; kalpa — Kalpa; vatsarau — Vatsara.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The great sage Maitreya said: My dear Vidura, thereafter Dhruva Mahārāja married the daughter of Prajāpati Śiśumāra, whose name was Bhrami, and two sons named Kalpa and Vatsara were born of her.

 

4.10.2

 

ilāyām api bhāryāyāṃ

vāyoḥ putryāṃ mahā-balaḥ

putram utkala-nāmānaṃ

yoṣid-ratnam ajījanat

 

ilāyām — unto his wife named Ilā; api — also; bhāryāyām — unto his wife; vāyoḥ — of the demigod Vāyu (controller of air); putryām — unto the daughter; mahā-balaḥ — the greatly powerful Dhruva Mahārāja; putram — son; utkala — Utkala; nāmānam — of the name; yoṣit — female; ratnam — jewel; ajījanat — he begot.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The greatly powerful Dhruva Mahārāja had another wife, named Ilā, who was the daughter of the demigod Vāyu. By her he begot a son named Utkala and a very beautiful daughter.

 

4.10.3

 

uttamas tv akṛtodvāho

mṛgayāyāṃ balīyasā

hataḥ puṇya-janenādrau

tan-mātāsya gatiṃ gatā

 

uttamaḥ — Uttama; tu — but; akṛta — without; udvāhaḥ — marriage; mṛgayāyām — on a hunting excursion; balīyasā — very powerful; hataḥ — was killed; puṇya-janena — by a Yakṣa; adrau — on the Himalaya Mountains; tat — his; mātā — mother (Suruci); asya — of her son; gatim — way; gatā — followed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja's younger brother Uttama, who was still unmarried, once went on a hunting excursion and was killed by a powerful Yakṣa in the Himalaya Mountains. Along with him, his mother, Suruci, also followed the path of her son [she died].

 

4.10.4

 

dhruvo bhrātṛ-vadhaṃ śrutvā

kopāmarṣa-śucārpitaḥ

jaitraṃ syandanam āsthāya

gataḥ puṇya-janālayam

 

dhruvaḥ — Dhruva Mahārāja; bhrātṛ-vadham — the killing of his brother; śrutvā — hearing this news; kopa — anger; amarṣa — vengeance; śucā — lamentation; arpitaḥ — being filled with; jaitram — victorious; syandanam — chariot; āsthāya — getting on; gataḥ — went; puṇya-jana-ālayam — to the city of the Yakṣas.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Dhruva Mahārāja heard of the killing of his brother Uttama by the Yakṣas in the Himalaya Mountains, being overwhelmed with lamentation and anger, he got on his chariot and went out for victory over the city of the Yakṣas, Alakāpurī.

 

4.10.5

 

gatvodīcīṃ diśaṃ rājā

rudrānucara-sevitām

dadarśa himavad-droṇyāṃ

purīṃ guhyaka-sańkulām

 

gatvā — going; udīcīm — northern; diśam — direction; rājā — King Dhruva; rudra-anucara — by followers of Rudra, Lord Śiva; sevitām — inhabited; dadarśa — saw; himavat — Himalayan; droṇyām — in a valley; purīm — a city; guhyaka — ghostly persons; sańkulām — full of.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja went to the northern direction of the Himalayan range. In a valley he saw a city full of ghostly persons who were followers of Lord Śiva.

 

4.10.6

 

dadhmau śańkhaṃ bṛhad-bāhuḥ

khaṃ diśaś cānunādayan

yenodvigna-dṛśaḥ kṣattar

upadevyo 'trasan bhṛśam

 

dadhmau — blew; śańkham — conchshell; bṛhat-bāhuḥ — the mighty-armed; kham — the sky; diśaḥ ca — and all directions; anunādayan — causing to resound; yena — by which; udvigna-dṛśaḥ — appeared very anxious; kṣattaḥ — my dear Vidura; upadevyaḥ — the wives of the Yakṣas; atrasan — became frightened; bhṛśam — greatly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, as soon as Dhruva Mahārāja reached Alakāpurī, he immediately blew his conchshell, and the sound reverberated throughout the entire sky and in every direction. The wives of the Yakṣas became very much frightened. From their eyes it was apparent that they were full of anxiety.

 

4.10.7

 

tato niṣkramya balina

upadeva-mahā-bhaṭāḥ

asahantas tan-ninādam

abhipetur udāyudhāḥ

 

tataḥ — thereafter; niṣkramya — coming out; balinaḥ — very powerful; upadeva — of Kuvera; mahā-bhaṭāḥ — great soldiers; asahantaḥ — unable to tolerate; tat — of the conchshell; ninādam — sound; abhipetuḥ — attacked; udāyudhāḥ — equipped with various weapons.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O hero Vidura, the greatly powerful heroes of the Yakṣas, unable to tolerate the resounding vibration of the conchshell of Dhruva Mahārāja, came forth from their city with weapons and attacked Dhruva.

 

4.10.8

 

sa tān āpatato vīra

ugra-dhanvā mahā-rathaḥ

ekaikaṃ yugapat sarvān

ahan bāṇais tribhis tribhiḥ

 

saḥ — Dhruva Mahārāja; tān — all of them; āpatataḥ — falling upon him; vīraḥ — hero; ugra-dhanvā — powerful bowman; mahā-rathaḥ — who could fight with many chariots; eka-ekam — one after another; yugapat — simultaneously; sarvān — all of them; ahan — killed; bāṇaiḥ — by arrows; tribhiḥ tribhiḥ — by threes.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja, who was a great charioteer and certainly a great bowman also, immediately began to kill them by simultaneously discharging arrows three at a time.

 

4.10.9

 

te vai lalāṭa-lagnais tair

iṣubhiḥ sarva eva hi

matvā nirastam ātmānam

āśaṃsan karma tasya tat

 

te — they; vai — certainly; lalāṭa-lagnaiḥ — intent upon their heads; taiḥ — by those; iṣubhiḥ — arrows; sarve — all of them; eva — certainly; hi — without fail; matvā — thinking; nirastam — defeated; ātmānam — themselves; āśaṃsan — praised; karma — action; tasya — of him; tat — that.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the heroes of the Yakṣas saw that all their heads were being thus threatened by Dhruva Mahārāja, they could very easily understand their awkward position, and they concluded that they would certainly be defeated. But, as heroes, they lauded the action of Dhruva.

 

4.10.10

 

te 'pi cāmum amṛṣyantaḥ

pāda-sparśam ivoragāḥ

śarair avidhyan yugapad

dvi-guṇaṃ pracikīrṣavaḥ

 

te — the Yakṣas; api — also; ca — and; amum — at Dhruva; amṛṣyantaḥ — being intolerant of; pāda-sparśam — being touched by the feet; iva — like; uragāḥ — serpents; śaraiḥ — with arrows; avidhyan — struck; yugapat — simultaneously; dvi-guṇam — twice as much; pracikīrṣavaḥ — trying to retaliate.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just like serpents, who cannot tolerate being trampled upon by anyone's feet, the Yakṣas, being intolerant of the wonderful prowess of Dhruva Mahārāja, threw twice as many arrows — six from each of their soldiers — and thus they very valiantly exhibited their prowess.

 

4.10.11-12

 

tataḥ parigha-nistriṃśaiḥ

prāsaśūla-paraśvadhaiḥ

śakty-ṛṣṭibhir bhuśuṇḍībhiś

citra-vājaiḥ śarair api

 

abhyavarṣan prakupitāḥ

sarathaṃ saha-sārathim

icchantas tat pratīkartum

ayutānāṃ trayodaśa

 

tataḥ — thereupon; parigha — with iron bludgeons; nistriṃśaiḥ — and swords; prāsa-śūla — with tridents; paraśvadhaiḥ — and lances; śakti — with pikes; ṛṣṭibhiḥ — and spears; bhuśuṇḍībhiḥ — with bhuśuṇḍī weapons; citra-vājaiḥ — having various feathers; śaraiḥ — with arrows; api — also;

 

abhyavarṣan — they showered Dhruva; prakupitāḥ — being angry; sa-ratham — along with his chariot; saha-sārathim — along with his charioteer; icchantaḥ — desiring; tat — Dhruva's activities; pratīkartum — to counteract; ayutānām — of ten-thousands; trayodaśa — thirteen.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Yakṣa soldiers were 130,000 strong, all greatly angry and all desiring to defeat the wonderful activities of Dhruva Mahārāja. With full strength they showered upon Mahārāja Dhruva, along with his chariot and charioteer, various types of feathered arrows, parighas [iron bludgeons], nistriṃśas [swords], prāsaśūlas [tridents], paraśvadhas [lances], śaktis [pikes], ṛṣṭis [spears] and bhuśuṇḍī weapons.

 

4.10.13

 

auttānapādiḥ sa tadā

śastra-varṣeṇa bhūriṇā

na evādṛśyatācchanna

āsāreṇa yathā giriḥ

 

auttānapādiḥ — Dhruva Mahārāja; saḥ — he; tadā — at that time; śastra-varṣeṇa — by a shower of weapons; bhūriṇā — incessant; na — not; eva — certainly; adṛśyata — was visible; ācchannaḥ — being covered; āsāreṇa — by constant rainfall; yathā — as; giriḥ — a mountain.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja was completely covered by an incessant shower of weapons, just as a mountain is covered by incessant rainfall.

 

4.10.14

 

hāhā-kāras tadaivāsīt

siddhānāṃ divi paśyatām

hato 'yaṃ mānavaḥ sūryo

magnaḥ puṇya-janārṇave

 

hāhā-kāraḥ — tumult of disappointment; tadā — at that time; eva — certainly; āsīt — became manifest; siddhānām — of all the residents of Siddhaloka; divi — in the sky; paśyatām — who were observing the fight; hataḥ — killed; ayam — this; mānavaḥ — grandson of Manu; sūryaḥ — sun; magnaḥ — set; puṇya-jana — of the Yakṣas; arṇave — in the ocean.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the Siddhas from the higher planetary systems were observing the fight from the sky, and when they saw that Dhruva Mahārāja had been covered by the incessant arrows of the enemy, they roared tumultuously, "The grandson of Manu, Dhruva, is now lost!" They cried that Dhruva Mahārāja was just like the sun and that now he had set within the ocean of the Yakṣas.

 

4.10.15

 

nadatsu yātudhāneṣu

jaya-kāśiṣv atho mṛdhe

udatiṣṭhad rathas tasya

nīhārād iva bhāskaraḥ

 

nadatsu — while exclaiming; yātudhāneṣu — the ghostly Yakṣas; jaya-kāśiṣu — proclaiming victory; atho — then; mṛdhe — in the fighting; udatiṣṭhat — appeared; rathaḥ — the chariot; tasya — of Dhruva Mahārāja; nīhārāt — from the mist; iva — like; bhāskaraḥ — the sun.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Yakṣas, being temporarily victorious, exclaimed that they had conquered Dhruva Mahārāja. But in the meantime Dhruva's chariot suddenly appeared, just as the sun suddenly appears from within foggy mist.

 

4.10.16

 

dhanur visphūrjayan divyaṃ

dviṣatāṃ khedam udvahan

astraughaṃ vyadhamad bāṇair

ghanānīkam ivānilaḥ

 

dhanuḥ — his bow; visphūrjayan — twanging; divyam — wonderful; dviṣatām — of the enemies; khedam — lamentation; udvahan — creating; astra-ogham — different types of weapons; vyadhamat — he scattered; bāṇaiḥ — with his arrows; ghana — of clouds; anīkam — an army; iva — like; anilaḥ — the wind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja's bow and arrows twanged and hissed, causing lamentation in the hearts of his enemies. He began to shoot incessant arrows, shattering all their different weapons, just as the blasting wind scatters the assembled clouds in the sky.

 

4.10.17

 

tasya te cāpa-nirmuktā

bhittvā varmāṇi rakṣasām

kāyān āviviśus tigmā

girīn aśanayo yathā

 

tasya — of Dhruva; te — those arrows; cāpa — from the bow; nirmuktāḥ — released; bhittvā — having pierced; varmāṇi — shields; rakṣasām — of the demons; kāyān — bodies; āviviśuḥ — entered; tigmāḥ — sharp; girīn — mountains; aśanayaḥ — thunderbolts; yathā — just like.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The sharp arrows released from the bow of Dhruva Mahārāja pierced the shields and bodies of the enemy, like the thunderbolts released by the King of heaven, which dismantle the bodies of the mountains.

 

4.10.16

 

dhanur visphūrjayan divyaṃ

dviṣatāṃ khedam udvahan

astraughaṃ vyadhamad bāṇair

ghanānīkam ivānilaḥ

 

dhanuḥ — his bow; visphūrjayan — twanging; divyam — wonderful; dviṣatām — of the enemies; khedam — lamentation; udvahan — creating; astra-ogham — different types of weapons; vyadhamat — he scattered; bāṇaiḥ — with his arrows; ghana — of clouds; anīkam — an army; iva — like; anilaḥ — the wind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja's bow and arrows twanged and hissed, causing lamentation in the hearts of his enemies. He began to shoot incessant arrows, shattering all their different weapons, just as the blasting wind scatters the assembled clouds in the sky.

 

4.10.17

 

tasya te cāpa-nirmuktā

bhittvā varmāṇi rakṣasām

kāyān āviviśus tigmā

girīn aśanayo yathā

 

tasya — of Dhruva; te — those arrows; cāpa — from the bow; nirmuktāḥ — released; bhittvā — having pierced; varmāṇi — shields; rakṣasām — of the demons; kāyān — bodies; āviviśuḥ — entered; tigmāḥ — sharp; girīn — mountains; aśanayaḥ — thunderbolts; yathā — just like.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The sharp arrows released from the bow of Dhruva Mahārāja pierced the shields and bodies of the enemy, like the thunderbolts released by the King of heaven, which dismantle the bodies of the mountains.

 

4.10.18-19

 

bhallaiḥ sañchidyamānānāṃ

śirobhiś cāru-kuṇḍalaiḥ

ūrubhir hema-tālābhair

dorbhir valaya-valgubhiḥ

 

hāra-keyūra-mukuṭair

uṣṇīṣaiś ca mahā-dhanaiḥ

āstṛtās tā raṇa-bhuvo

rejur vīra-mano-harāḥ

 

bhallaiḥ — by his arrows; sañchidyamānānām — of the Yakṣas who were cut to pieces; śirobhiḥ — with heads; cāru — beautiful; kuṇḍalaiḥ — with earrings; ūrubhiḥ — with thighs; hema-tālābhaiḥ — like golden palm trees; dorbhiḥ — with arms; valaya-valgubhiḥ — with beautiful bracelets;

 

hāra — with garlands; keyūra — armlets; mukuṭaiḥ — and helmets; uṣṇīṣaiḥ — with turbans; ca — also; mahā-dhanaiḥ — very valuable; āstṛtāḥ — covered; tāḥ — those; raṇa-bhuvaḥ — battlefield; rejuḥ — began to glimmer; vīra — of the heroes; manaḥ-harāḥ — bewildering the minds.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, the heads of those who were cut to pieces by the arrows of Dhruva Mahārāja were decorated very beautifully with earrings and turbans. The legs of their bodies were as beautiful as golden palm trees, their arms were decorated with golden bracelets and armlets, and on their heads there were very valuable helmets bedecked with gold. All these ornaments lying on that battlefield were very attractive and could bewilder the mind of a hero.

 

4.10.20

 

hatāvaśiṣṭā itare raṇājirād

rakṣo-gaṇāḥ kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ

prāyo vivṛkṇāvayavā vidudruvur

mṛgendra-vikrīḍita-yūthapā iva

 

hata-avaśiṣṭāḥ — the remaining soldiers who were not killed; itare — others; raṇa-ajirāt — from the battlefield; rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ — the Yakṣas; kṣatriya-varya — of the greatest of the kṣatriyas, or warriors; sāyakaiḥ — by the arrows; prāyaḥ — mostly; vivṛkṇa — cut to pieces; avayavāḥ — their bodily limbs; vidudruvuḥ — fled; mṛgendra — by a lion; vikrīḍita — being defeated; yūthapāḥ — elephants; iva — like.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The remaining Yakṣas who somehow or other were not killed had their limbs cut to pieces by the arrows of the great warrior Dhruva Mahārāja. Thus they began to flee, just as elephants flee when defeated by a lion.

 

4.10.21

 

apaśyamānaḥ sa tadātatāyinaṃ

mahā-mṛdhe kañcana mānavottamaḥ

purīṃ didṛkṣann api nāviśad dviṣāṃ

na māyināṃ veda cikīrṣitaṃ janaḥ

 

apaśyamānaḥ — while not observing; saḥ — Dhruva; tadā — at that time; ātatāyinam — armed opposing soldiers; mahā-mṛdhe — in that great battlefield; kañcana — any; mānava-uttamaḥ — the best of the human beings; purīm — the city; didṛkṣan — wishing to see; api — although; na āviśat — did not enter; dviṣām — of the enemies; na — not; māyinām — of the mystics; veda — knows; cikīrṣitam — the plans; janaḥ — anyone.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja, the best of human beings, observed that in that great battlefield not one of the opposing soldiers was left standing with proper weapons. He then desired to see the city of Alakāpurī, but he thought to himself, "No one knows the plans of the mystic Yakṣas."

 

4.10.22

 

iti bruvaṃś citra-rathaḥ sva-sārathiṃ

yattaḥ pareṣāṃ pratiyoga-śańkitaḥ

śuśrāva śabdaṃ jaladher iveritaṃ

nabhasvato dikṣu rajo 'nvadṛśyata

 

iti — thus; bruvan — talking; citra-rathaḥ — Dhruva Mahārāja, whose chariot was very beautiful; sva-sārathim — to his charioteer; yattaḥ — being on guard; pareṣām — from his enemies; pratiyoga — counterattack; śańkitaḥ — being apprehensive; śuśrāva — heard; śabdam — sound; jaladheḥ — from the ocean; iva — as if; īritam — resounded; nabhasvataḥ — because of wind; dikṣu — in all directions; rajaḥ — dust; anu — then; adṛśyata — was perceived.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the meantime, while Dhruva Mahārāja, doubtful of his mystic enemies, was talking with his charioteer, they heard a tremendous sound, as if the whole ocean were there, and they found that from the sky a great dust storm was coming over them from all directions.

 

4.10.23

 

kṣaṇenācchāditaṃ vyoma

ghanānīkena sarvataḥ

visphurat-taḍitā dikṣu

trāsayat-stanayitnunā

 

kṣaṇena — within a moment; ācchāditam — was covered; vyoma — the sky; ghana — of dense clouds; anīkena — with a mass; sarvataḥ — everywhere; visphurat — dazzling; taḍitā — with lightning; dikṣu — in all directions; trāsayat — threatening; stanayitnunā — with thundering.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Within a moment the whole sky was overcast with dense clouds, and severe thundering was heard. There was glittering electric lightning and severe rainfall.

 

4.10.24

 

vavṛṣū rudhiraughāsṛk-

pūya-viṇ-mūtra-medasaḥ

nipetur gaganād asya

kabandhāny agrato 'nagha

 

vavṛṣuḥ — showered; rudhira — of blood; ogha — an inundation; asṛk — mucus; pūya — pus; viṭ — stool; mūtra — urine; medasaḥ — and marrow; nipetuḥ — began to fall; gaganāt — from the sky; asya — of Dhruva; kabandhāni — trunks of bodies; agrataḥ — in front; anagha — O faultless Vidura.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear faultless Vidura, in that rainfall there was blood, mucus, pus, stool, urine and marrow falling heavily before Dhruva Mahārāja, and there were trunks of bodies falling from the sky.

 

4.10.25

 

tataḥ khe 'dṛśyata girir

nipetuḥ sarvato-diśam

gadā-parigha-nistriṃśa-

musalāḥ sāśma-varṣiṇaḥ

 

tataḥ — thereafter; khe — in the sky; adṛśyata — was visible; giriḥ — a mountain; nipetuḥ — fell down; sarvataḥ-diśam — from all directions; gadā — clubs; parigha — iron bludgeons; nistriṃśa — swords; musalāḥ — maces; sa-aśma — great pieces of stone; varṣiṇaḥ — with a shower of.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Next, a great mountain was visible in the sky, and from all directions hailstones fell, along with lances, clubs, swords, iron bludgeons and great pieces of stone.

 

4.10.26

 

ahayo 'śani-niḥśvāsā

vamanto 'gniṃ ruṣākṣibhiḥ

abhyadhāvan gajā mattāḥ

siṃha-vyāghrāś ca yūthaśaḥ

 

ahayaḥ — serpents; aśani — thunderbolts; niḥśvāsāḥ — breathing; vamantaḥ — vomiting; agnim — fire; ruṣā-akṣibhiḥ — with angry eyes; abhyadhāvan — came forward; gajāḥ — elephants; mattāḥ — mad; siṃha — lions; vyāghrāḥ — tigers; ca — also; yūthaśaḥ — in groups.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dhruva Mahārāja also saw many big serpents with angry eyes, vomiting forth fire and coming to devour him, along with groups of mad elephants, lions and tigers.

 

4.10.27

 

samudra ūrmibhir bhīmaḥ

plāvayan sarvato bhuvam

āsasāda mahā-hrādaḥ

kalpānta iva bhīṣaṇaḥ

 

samudraḥ — the sea; ūrmibhiḥ — with waves; bhīmaḥ — fierce; plāvayan — inundating; sarvataḥ — in all directions; bhuvam — the earth; āsasāda — came forward; mahā-hrādaḥ — making great sounds; kalpa-ante — (the dissolution) at the end of a kalpa; iva — like; bhīṣaṇaḥ — fearful.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Then, as if it were the time of the dissolution of the whole world, the fierce sea with foaming waves and great roaring sounds came forward before him.

 

4.10.28

 

evaṃ-vidhāny anekāni

trāsanāny amanasvinām

sasṛjus tigma-gataya

āsuryā māyayāsurāḥ

 

evam-vidhāni — (phenomena) like this; anekāni — many varieties of; trāsanāni — fearful; amanasvinām — to the less intelligent men; sasṛjuḥ — they created; tigma-gatayaḥ — of heinous nature; āsuryā — demoniac; māyayā — by illusion; asurāḥ — the demons.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The demon Yakṣas are by nature very heinous, and by their demoniac power of illusion they can create many strange phenomena to frighten one who is less intelligent.

 

4.10.29

 

dhruve prayuktām asurais

tāṃ māyām atidustarām

niśamya tasya munayaḥ

śam āśaṃsan samāgatāḥ

 

dhruve — against Dhruva; prayuktām — inflicted; asuraiḥ — by the demons; tām — that; māyām — mystic power; ati-dustarām — very dangerous; niśamya — after hearing; tasya — his; munayaḥ — the great sages; śam — good fortune; āśaṃsan — giving encouragement for; samāgatāḥ — assembled.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the great sages heard that Dhruva Mahārāja was overpowered by the illusory mystic tricks of the demons, they immediately assembled to offer him auspicious encouragement.

 

4.10.30

 

munaya ūcuḥ

auttānapāda bhagavāṃs tava śārńgadhanvā

devaḥ kṣiṇotv avanatārti-haro vipakṣān

yan-nāmadheyam abhidhāya niśamya cāddhā

loko 'ñjasā tarati dustaram ańga mṛtyum

 

munayaḥ ūcuḥ — the sages said; auttānapāda — O son of King Uttānapāda; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tava — your; śārńga-dhanvā — one who bears the bow called Śārńga; devaḥ — the Lord; kṣiṇotu — may He kill; avanata — of the surrendered soul; ārti — the distresses; haraḥ — who removes; vipakṣān — enemies; yat — whose; nāmadheyam — holy name; abhidhāya — uttering; niśamya — hearing; ca — also; addhā — immediately; lokaḥ — persons; añjasā — fully; tarati — overcome; dustaram — insurmountable; ańga — O Dhruva; mṛtyum — death.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the sages said: Dear Dhruva, O son of King Uttānapāda, may the Supreme Personality of Godhead known as Śārńgadhanvā, who relieves the distresses of His devotees, kill all your threatening enemies. The holy name of the Lord is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Therefore, simply by chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, many men can be fully protected from fierce death without difficulty. Thus a devotee is saved.