The Battle Between Salva and the Vrishnis

In the seventy sixth chapter, Salva, obtaining a boon from Siva, enters battle. Dyuman strikes Pradyumna so that he must leave the battle field.

Hear the exploits of Krsna, who took a human form and performed playful pastimes (krida nara sarirasya). It is comparable to the compound saka parthivah, vegetable king, a king who enjoys vegetables.

After a year, Siva, subdued (chandayam asa) Salva by the gift that Salva desired be given to him.

Maya made a city of iron called Saubha and gave it to Salva.

Salva with troops destroyed walls (tolika) and amusement areas (viharan). From the excellent Saubha aircraft he threw various weapons on the city.

Though Balaram wanted to go out and fight, Pradumnya said, “We will kill Salva. You should remain inside comfortably.” Saying this he went out with Samba and others.

Just as the sun (usnanda) destroys darkness (naisam) so Pradumnya destroyed the magical illusions of Salva.

He pierced the leaders of the armies (dhvajinipalan) with twenty five arrows with smooth joints.

With ten arrows each he pierced the charioteers (netrn).

21.The saubha aircraft (tat) could sometimes be seen and sometimes became invisible. Sometimes it was in one form and sometimes in many forms.

Both the flying city of saubha and the troops of Salva were afflicted by arrows which had the touch of fire and the sun, and were intolerable like snake venom, shot by the Yadavas. Thus he became bewildered.

Having been first struck by a hand weapon of Pradumnya, Dyumna attacked Pradumnya with a club made of black iron (maurvya).

Actually the spiritual chest of Pradumnya cannot be pierced by the material club of Dyuman . However the lila sakti quickly arranged all of this in order to increase his taste for energetic fighting. His driver, thinking that he had actually been pierced in the chest, took him from the battle field somewhere else. He did this because he was knowledgeable of the proper action: the scriptures say that the charioteer should protect the warrior in danger. However by the rules of sandhi the charioteer can also be described as adharma vit, not knowing the truth, since he was not aware that Pradumnya had a body which was sac cid ananda. But his ignorance in this matter is also very suitable, for he was the son of Daruka. The Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu says that Parikit, Daruka and Uddhava had raga bhakti for the Lord. The son of Daruka, who had such great prema, therefore had very great affection for Pradyumna, and therefore took him from the field.

When he regained full consciousness (samyak jna) in a moment , he realized that he had been taken from the battle field. Or the meaning can be :having obtained the communication of what happened (sam jna), being informed by the charioteer that he had fainted and was therefore taken away, he became angry at the charioteer and spoke to him.

Only I have abandoned the battlefield, because of this infamous act created by my feeble charioteer.

On meeting Krsna and Balarama, what is a suitable (ksamam) answer when I am asked about this?

The wives of my brothers will ask while laughing, “O warrior, lease tell us how you become cowardly in fighting with others?” Katham is repeated twice to show their astonishment.

“You were taken away by me. Afflicted by the beating of his club, you then fainted. Knowing that, I took you away. Unfortunately you fainted, so you did not recognize me.”