Philosophy and Religion / Harivamsa

Harivaṃśa

163. Shamvara comes to the battle-field

VAISHAMPAYANA said:—O king, thereupon filled with anger Shamvara said to his charioteer:—“O heroe, do you soon take my car to the enemy. With arrows I will kill him who has done me wrong.”

Hearing the words of his master, the charioteer, always doing good to him, drove the car adorned with gold. Beholding the chariot approach him,

Pradyumna, having delightful eyes, took up in anger his bow and set to it golden arrows. He then struck Shamvara with it and excited his anger in battle (1–4).

That arrow cutting to his very vitals, Shamvara, the enemy of gods, was greatly bewildered. And holding the reins of the car he lost consciousness.

Regaining his consciousness a few moments after the Dānava Shamvara took up his bow in anger and struck Krishna's son with seventy sharpened arrows.

Pradyumna, with seven shafts, cut off those arrows into seven parts before they could reach him. And with seventy sharpened winged arrows he struck Shamvara.

As a cloud covers a mountain with its showers so he struck Shamvara again with a thousand beautiful winged arrows.

Thereupon all the quarters being covered with arrows the sky was so enshrouded by darkness that even the sun was not visible. Seeing it Shamvara dispelled that darkness with his thunderbolt and showered arrows on Pradyumna's car.

O king, Pradyumna too, displaying light handedness, cut off those arrows into many pieces with his knotty shafts. When that great downpour of arrows was stopped by Krishna's son, Shamvara, by his illusory powers, showered trees.

Behold those trees Pradyumna was beside himself with anger and destroyed them all by discharging fiery weapons. When all the trees were reduced to ashes Shamvara made a downpour of stones which Pradyumna removed from the battlefield by means of airy weapons.

O king, thereupon, Shamvara, the enemy of gods, took up his bow and created a great illusory display by throwing on Pradyumna's car lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, horses, camels, asses and cloud-like elephants. Kāma however, with Gāndharva weapons, cut them off into many pieces (5–17).

Beholding his illusion dispelled by Pradyumna Shamvara, beside himself with anger, displayed another feat. He showered youthful, well-decked elephants with sixty heads each, mad after fighting and ridden by expert drivers.

Beholding those illusory creations about to fall on him the great lotus-eyed (Pradyumna) having the emblem of a fish on his flag, desired to create illusory lions.

O king, as the sun sends away the night so the illusory lions, created by the intelligent son of Rukshmini, destroyed the illusory elephants.

Beholding his illusory elephants killed, Shamvara, the king of Dānavas, created Sunmohini Māyā. Beholding that Mohini (facinating) Māyā the creation of Maya, discharged by Shamvara, the powerful Pradyumna obstructed it with his Sanjnā (consciousness) weapon (18–23).

Greatly exercised with anger on account of his illusion being destroyed the highly powerful king of Dānavas, Shamvara displayed an illusion of lions.

Beholding the lions about to fall on him the powerful son of Rukshmini took up Gandharva weapons and created Sharabhas.¹ As the wind scatters clouds so those Sharabhas, having eight legs, claws and teeth, pursued the lions.

Beholding the lions pursued by the illusory eight legged animals Shamvara began to think of measures for killing them. He thought:

“Alas! how stupid I am. Why did I not kill him in his infancy? Now this wicked-minded one has attained to youth and mastered all the weapons.

How shall I kill this enemy stationed at the head of the battle? The dreadful illusion of serpents, which the great god Hara, the destroyer of Asuras, instructed me in, is only known to me.

Let me now spread that great illusion of serpents. Methinks this powerful and wicked Māyāvin will be consumed thereby” (24–30).

Thinking thus Shamvara displayed that illusion of serpents full of burning venom, which fettered Pradyumna with his car, horses and charioteer.

Beholding himself thus bound with illusory serpents and about to be killed Pradyumna thought of the illusion of Garudas that could kill the serpents.

As soon as the high-souled Pradyumna thought of it Garudas began to move about and destroy the venomous serpents.

When the illusion of serpents was dispelled the gods and

A fabulous beast supposed to have eight legs and to inhabit particularly the snowy regions.

Asuras, eulogising him said “Well done ! Well done ! O mighty-armed son of Rukshmini. On account of the illusion being dispelled by you we have been pleased” (31-35).

O Janamejaya, when the illusion of serpents was dispelled, Shamvara again thought: “I have a golden club resembling the rod of Death which even the gods and Asuras cannot withstand in the battle-field.

Formerly pleased the goddess Umā conferred that on me and said ‘O Shamvara, take the golden club. Practising hard austerities I produced from my own body this club which can dispell all forms of illusion and kill all the Asuras.

I have with this club despatched to the abode of Yama with all their followers, the powerful sky-ranging and dreadful Danavas Shumbha and Nishumbha.

When your life will be in peril, hurl this club at your enemy.' Saying this goddess Pārvati disappeared from that place. I will hurl it now aiming at my enemy” (36-41).

Thereupon informed of his motive the king of gods said to Nārada —“Do you soon approach the car of the large armed Pradyumna, make him conscious and remind him of his pristine birth.

Give that of slayer of Asura this invincible coat of mail and Vaishnava weapons.” Thus addressed by Maghavān Nārada speedily went away (42—44).

And stationed in the sky he said to Pradyumna :—“O prince, know me as the celestial songster Nārada. The king of gods has sent me here to make yourself conscious. O giver of honor, remember your pristine birth.

O heroe, you are Kāma. Reduced to ashes by Hara's ire you became limbless. You have been begotten by Keshava on Rukshmini in the Vrishni race, and are known there by the name of Pradyumna.

Before the completion of the seventh night Shamvara had stolen you away from the lying-in-room. O large-armed heroe, when Shamvara carried you away Keshava disregarded him in the interest of the great work of the gods namely the destruction of Shamvara.

Know as your former wife Rati the spouse of Shamvara by name Māyāvati. She was living on Shamvara's house for protecting you.

In order to create pleasure and forgetfulness in that wicked Dānava she sends Rati to him, created, by illusion, of her own person.

O Pradyumna, having killed Shamvara in the battle-field with Vaishnava weapons take your own wife Māyāvati and go to Dwārakā.

O slayer of your enemies, do you take this Vaishanava weapon and highly lustrous coat of mail. The king of gods has sent them for you.

Hear another word of mine and carry it out without any fear. Pleased Pārvati gave this enemy of gods a club which is always very powerful and can grind all enemies;

and none amongst the gods, Dānāvas and men, can withstand it in battle. In order to counteract this weapon you should remember the goddess.

Besides, those, who are anxious to fight, should always bow unto and chant the glories of the great goddess. You should be careful when you fight with your enemy.” Having said this Naradã returned where Vāsava was (45–58).

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