Lord Kṛṣṇa Fights with Bāṇāsura
VERSE 10.63.1
śṛī-śuka uvāca
apaśyatāṁ cāniruddhaṁ
tad-bandhūnāṁ ca bhārata
catvāro vārṣikā māsā
vyatīyur anuśocatām
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.2
nāradāt tad upākarṇya
vārtāṁ baddhasya karma ca
prayayuḥ śoṇita-puraṁ
vṛṣṇayaḥ kṛṣṇa-daivatāḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.3-4
pradyumno yuyudhānaś ca
gadaḥ sāmbo ’tha sāraṇaḥ
nandopananda-bhadrādyā
rāma-kṛṣṇānuvartinaḥ
akṣauhiṇībhir dvādaśabhiḥ
sametāḥ sarvato diśam
rurudhur bāṇa-nagaraṁ
samantāt sātvatarṣabhāḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.5
bhajyamāna-purodyāna-
prākārāṭṭāla-gopuram
prekṣamāṇo ruṣāviṣṭas
tulya-sainyo ’bhiniryayau
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.6
bāṇārthe bhagavān rudraḥ
sa-sutaḥ pramathair vṛtaḥ
āruhya nandi-vṛṣabhaṁ
yuyudhe rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.7
āsīt su-tumulaṁ yuddham
adbhutaṁ roma-harṣaṇam
kṛṣṇa-śaṅkarayo rājan
pradyumna-guhayor api
SYNONYMS
āsīt — there occurred; su-tumulam — very tumultuous; yuddham — a fight; adbhutam — astonishing; roma-harṣaṇam — causing bodily hair to stand on end; kṛṣṇa-śaṅkarayoḥ — 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 Śaṅkara, and Pradyumna against Kārtikeya.
VERSE 10.63.8
kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇābhyāṁ
balena saha saṁyugaḥ
sāmbasya bāṇa-putreṇa
bāṇena saha sātyakeḥ
SYNONYMS
kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇābhyām — by Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa; balena saha — with Lord Balarāma; saṁyugaḥ — a fight; sāmbasya — of Sāmba; bāṇa-putreṇa — with the son of Bāṇa; bāṇena saha — with Bāṇa; sātyakeḥ — of Sātyaki.
TRANSLATION
Lord Balarāma fought with Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa, Sāmba with Bāṇa’s son, and Sātyaki with Bāṇa.
VERSE 10.63.9
brahmādayaḥ surādhīśā
munayaḥ siddha-cāraṇāḥ
gandharvāpsaraso yakṣā
vimānair draṣṭum āgaman
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.10-11
śaṅkarānucarān śaurir
bhūta-pramatha-guhyakān
ḍākinīr yātudhānāṁś ca
vetālān sa-vināyakān
preta-mātṛ-piśācāṁś ca
kuṣmāṇḍān brahma-rākṣasān
drāvayām āsa tīkṣṇāgraiḥ
śaraiḥ śārṅga-dhanuś-cyutaiḥ
SYNONYMS
śaṅkara — 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; śārṅga-dhanuḥ — from His bow, named Śārṅga; cyutaiḥ — discharged.
TRANSLATION
With sharp-pointed arrows discharged from His bow Śārṅga, Lord Kṛṣṇa drove away the various followers of Lord Śiva — Bhūtas, Pramathas, Guhyakas, Ḍākinīs, Yātudhānas, Vetālas, Vināyakas, Pretas, Mātās, Piśācas, Kuṣmāṇḍas and Brahma-rākṣasas.
VERSE 10.63.12
pṛthag-vidhāni prāyuṅkta
piṇāky astrāṇi śārṅgiṇe
praty-astraiḥ śamayām āsa
śārṅga-pāṇir avismitaḥ
SYNONYMS
pṛthak-vidhāni — of various kinds; prāyuṅkta — engaged; piṇākī — Lord Śiva, the holder of the trident; astrāṇi — weapons; śārṅgiṇe — against Lord Kṛṣṇa, the holder of Śārṅga; prati-astraiḥ — with counterweapons; śamayām āsa — neutralized them; śārṅga-pāṇiḥ — the carrier of Śārṅga; avismitaḥ — not perplexed.
TRANSLATION
Lord Śiva, wielder of the trident, shot various weapons at Lord Kṛṣṇa, wielder of Śārṅga. But Lord Kṛṣṇa was not in the least perplexed: He neutralized all these weapons with appropriate counterweapons.
VERSE 10.63.13
brahmāstrasya ca brahmāstraṁ
vāyavyasya ca pārvatam
āgneyasya ca pārjanyaṁ
naijaṁ pāśupatasya ca
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.14
mohayitvā tu giriśaṁ
jṛmbhaṇāstreṇa jṛmbhitam
bāṇasya pṛtanāṁ śaurir
jaghānāsi-gadeṣubhiḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.15
skandaḥ pradyumna-bāṇaughair
ardyamānaḥ samantataḥ
asṛg vimuñcan gātrebhyaḥ
śikhināpakramad raṇāt
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.16
kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇaś ca
petatur muṣalārditau
dudruvus tad-anīkani
hata-nāthāni sarvataḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.17
viśīryamāṇam sva-balaṁ
dṛṣṭvā bāṇo ’ty-amarṣitaḥ
kṛṣṇam abhyadravat saṅkhye
rathī hitvaiva sātyakim
SYNONYMS
viśīryamāṇam — being torn apart; sva — his; balam — military force; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇāsura; ati — extremely; amarṣitaḥ — infuriated; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; abhyadravat — he attacked; saṅkhye — 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.
VERSE 10.63.18
dhanūṁṣy ākṛṣya yugapad
bāṇaḥ pañca-śatāni vai
ekaikasmin śarau dvau dvau
sandadhe raṇa-durmadaḥ
SYNONYMS
dhanūṁṣi — 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.
VERSE 10.63.19
tāni ciccheda bhagavān
dhanūṁsi yugapad dhariḥ
sārathiṁ ratham aśvāṁś ca
hatvā śaṅkham apūrayat
SYNONYMS
tāni — these; ciccheda — split; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; dhanūṁsi — bows; yugapat — all at once; hariḥ — Śrī Kṛṣṇa; sārathim — the chariot driver; ratham — the chariot; aśvān — the horses; ca — and; hatvā — after hitting; śaṅkham — 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.
VERSE 10.63.20
tan-mātā koṭarā nāma
nagnā makta-śiroruhā
puro ’vatasthe kṛṣṇasya
putra-prāṇa-rirakṣayā
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.21
tatas tiryaṅ-mukho nagnām
anirīkṣan gadāgrajaḥ
bāṇaś ca tāvad virathaś
chinna-dhanvāviśat puram
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.22
vidrāvite bhūta-gaṇe
jvaras tu trī-śirās trī-pāt
abhyadhāvata dāśārhaṁ
dahann iva diśo daśa
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.23
atha nārāyaṇaḥ devaḥ
taṁ dṛṣṭvā vyasṛjaj jvaram
māheśvaro vaiṣṇavaś ca
yuyudhāte jvarāv ubhau
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.24
māheśvaraḥ samākrandan
vaiṣṇavena balārditaḥ
alabdhvābhayam anyatra
bhīto māheśvaro jvaraḥ
śaraṇārthī hṛṣīkeśaṁ
tuṣṭāva prayatāñjaliḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.25
jvara uvāca
namāmi tvānanta-śaktiṁ pareśam
sarvātmānaṁ kevalaṁ jñapti-mātram
viśvotpatti-sthāna-saṁrodha-hetuṁ
yat tad brahma brahma-liṅgam praśāntam
SYNONYMS
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; saṁrodha — 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.
VERSE 10.63.26
kālo daivaṁ karma jīvaḥ svabhāvo
dravyaṁ kṣetraṁ prāṇa ātmā vikāraḥ
tat-saṅghāto bīja-roha-pravāhas
tvan-māyaiṣā tan-niṣedhaṁ prapadye
SYNONYMS
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; saṅghāṭaḥ — 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.
VERSE 10.63.27
nānā-bhāvair līlayaivopapannair
devān sādhūn loka-setūn bibharṣi
haṁsy unmārgān hiṁsayā vartamānān
janmaitat te bhāra-hārāya bhūmeḥ
SYNONYMS
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; haṁsi — You kill; ut-mārgān — those who stray beyond the path; hiṁsayā — 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.
VERSE 10.63.28
tapto ’ham te tejasā duḥsahena
śāntogreṇāty-ulbaṇena jvareṇa
tāvat tāpo dehināṁ te ’nghri-mūlaṁ
no severan yāvad āśānubaddhāḥ
SYNONYMS
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; aṅghri — 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.
VERSE 10.63.29
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
tri-śiras te prasanno ’smi
vyetu te maj-jvarād bhayam
yo nau smarati saṁvādaṁ
tasya tvan na bhaved bhayam
SYNONYMS
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; saṁvādam — 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.
VERSE 10.63.30
ity ukto ’cyutam ānamya
gato māheśvaro jvaraḥ
bāṇas tu ratham ārūḍhaḥ
prāgād yotsyan janārdanam
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.31
tato bāhu-sahasreṇa
nānāyudha-dharo ’suraḥ
mumoca parama-kruddho
bāṇāṁś cakrāyudhe nṛpa
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.32
tasyāsyato ’strāṇy asakṛc
cakreṇa kṣura-neminā
ciccheda bhagavān bāhūn
śākhā iva vanaspateḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.33
bāhuṣu chidyamāneṣu
bāṇasya bhagavān bhavaḥ
bhaktānakampy upavrajya
cakrāyudham abhāṣata
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.34
śrī-rudra uvāca
tvaṁ hi brahma paraṁ jyotir
gūḍhaṁ brahmaṇi vāṅ-maye
yaṁ paśyanty amalātmāna
ākāśam iva kevalam
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.35-36
nābhir nabho ’gnir mukham ambu reto
dyauḥ śīrṣam āśāḥ śrutir aṅghrir urvī
candro mano yasya dṛg arka ātmā
ahaṁ samudro jaṭharaṁ bhujendraḥ
romāṇi yasyauṣadhayo ’mbu-vāhāḥ
keśā viriñco dhiṣaṇā visargaḥ
prajā-patir hṛdayaṁ yasya dharmaḥ
sa vai bhavān puruṣo loka-kalpaḥ
SYNONYMS
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; aṅghriḥ — 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.
VERSE 10.63.37
tavāvatāro ’yam akuṇṭha-dhāman
dharmasya guptyai jagato hitāya
vayaṁ ca sarve bhavatānubhāvitā
vibhāvayāmo bhuvanāni sapta
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.38
tvam eka ādyaḥ puruṣo ’dvitīyas
turyaḥ sva-dṛg dhetur ahetur īśaḥ
pratīyase ’thāpi yathā-vikāraṁ
sva-māyayā sarva-guṇa-prasiddhyai
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.39
yathaiva sūryaḥ pihitaś chāyayā svayā
chāyāṁ ca rūpāṇi ca sañcakāsti
evaṁ guṇenāpihito guṇāṁs tvam
ātma-pradīpo guṇinaś ca bhūman
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.40
yan-māyā-mohita-dhiyaḥ
putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu
unmajjanti nimajjanti
prasaktā vṛjinārṇave
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.41
deva-dattam imaṁ labdhvā
nṛ-lokam ajitendriyaḥ
yo nādriyeta tvat-pādau
sa śocyo hy ātma-vañcakaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.42
yas tvāṁ visṛjate martya
ātmānaṁ priyam īśvaram
viparyayendriyārthārthaṁ
viṣam atty amṛtaṁ tyajan
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.43
ahaṁ brahmātha vibudhā
munayaś cāmalāśayāḥ
sarvātmanā prapannās tvām
ātmānaṁ preṣṭham īśvaram
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.44
taṁ tvā jagat-sthity-udayānta-hetuṁ
samaṁ prasāntaṁ suhṛd-ātma-daivam
ananyam ekaṁ jagad-ātma-ketaṁ
bhavāpavargāya bhajāma devam
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.45
ayaṁ mameṣṭo dayito ’nuvartī
mayābhayaṁ dattam amuṣya deva
sampādyatāṁ tad bhavataḥ prasādo
yathā hi te daitya-patau prasādaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.46
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
yad āttha bhagavaṁs tvaṁ naḥ
karavāma priyaṁ tava
bhavato yad vyavasitaṁ
tan me sādhv anumoditam
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.47
avadhyo ’yaṁ mamāpy eṣa
vairocani-suto ’suraḥ
prahrādāya varo datto
na vadhyo me tavānvayaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.48
darpopaśamanāyāsya
pravṛkṇā bāhavo mayā
sūditaṁ ca balaṁ bhūri
yac ca bhārāyitaṁ bhuvaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 10.63.49
catvāro ’sya bhujāḥ śiṣṭā
bhaviṣyaty ajarāmaraḥ
pārṣada-mukhyo bhavato
na kutaścid-bhayo ’suraḥ
SYNONYMS
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
This demon, who still has four arms, will be immune to old age and death, and he will serve as one of your principal attendants. Thus he will have nothing to fear on any account.
VERSE 10.63.50
iti labdhvābhayaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ
praṇamya śirasāsuraḥ
prādyumniṁ ratham āropya
sa-vadhvo samupānayat
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; labdhvā — attaining; abhayam — freedom from fear; kṛṣṇam — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; praṇamya — bowing down; śirasā — with his head; asuraḥ — the demon; pradyumnim — Aniruddha, the son of Pradyumna; ratham — on His chariot; āropya — placing; sa-vadhvaḥ — with His wife; samupānayat — he brought them forward.
TRANSLATION
Thus attaining freedom from fear, Bāṇāsura offered obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa by touching his head to the ground. Bāṇa then seated Aniruddha and His bride on their chariot and brought them before the Lord.
VERSE 10.63.51
akṣauhiṇyā parivṛtaṁ
su-vāsaḥ-samalaṅkṛtam
sa-patnīkaṁ puras-kṛtya
yayau rudrānumoditaḥ
SYNONYMS
akṣauhiṇyā — by a full military division; parivṛtam — surrounded; su — fine; vāsaḥ — whose clothing; samalaṅkṛtam — and adorned with ornaments; sa-patnīkam — Aniruddha with His wife; puraḥ-kṛtya — putting in front; yayau — He (Lord Kṛṣṇa) went; rudra — by Lord Śiva; anumoditaḥ — given leave.
TRANSLATION
At the front of the party Lord Kṛṣṇa then placed Aniruddha and His bride, both beautifully adorned with fine clothes and ornaments, and surrounded them with a full military division. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa took His leave of Lord Śiva and departed.
VERSE 10.63.52
sva-rājadhānīṁ samalaṅkṛtāṁ dhvajaiḥ
sa-toraṇair ukṣita-mārga-catvarām
viveśa śaṅkhānaka-dundubhi-svanair
abhyudyataḥ paura-suhṛd-dvijātibhiḥ
SYNONYMS
sva — His own; rājadhānīm — capital; samalaṅkṛtām — fully decorated; dhvajaiḥ — with flags; sa — and with; toraṇaiḥ — victory arches; ukṣita — sprinkled with water; mārga — whose avenues; catvarām — and crossroads; viveśa — He entered; śaṅkha — of conchshells; ānaka — side drums; dundubhi — and kettledrums; svanaiḥ — with the resounding; abhyudyataḥ — greeted respectfully; paura — by the people of the city; suhṛt — by His relatives; dvijātibhiḥ — and by the brāhmaṇas.
TRANSLATION
The Lord then entered His capital. The city was lavishly decorated with flags and victory arches, and its avenues and crossways were all sprinkled with water. As conchshells, ānakas and dundubhi drums resounded, the Lord’s relatives, the brāhmaṇas and the general populace all came forward to greet Him respectfully.
VERSE 10.63.53
ya evaṁ kṛṣṇa-vijayaṁ
śaṅkareṇa ca saṁyugam
saṁsmaret prātar utthāya
na tasya syāt parājayaḥ
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — whoever; evam — thus; kṛṣṇa-vijayam — the victory of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śaṅkareṇa — with Lord Śaṅkara; ca — and; saṁyugam — battle; saṁsmaret — remembers; prātaḥ — at dawn; utthāya — rising from sleep; na — not; tasya — for him; syāt — there will be; parājayaḥ — defeat.
TRANSLATION
Whoever rises early in the morning and remembers Lord Kṛṣṇa’s victory in His battle with Lord Śiva will never experience defeat.