Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 10 · Chapter 78

The Killing of Dantavakra, Vidūratha and Romaharṣaṇa

10.78.1-2

श्रीशुक उवाच शिशुपालस्य शाल्वस्य पौण्ड्रकस्यापि दुर्मति: । परलोकगतानां च कुर्वन् पारोक्ष्यसौहृदम् ॥ १ ॥ एक: पदाति: सङ्‌क्रुद्धो गदापाणि: प्रकम्पयन् । पद्‍भ्यामिमां महाराज महासत्त्वो व्यद‍ृश्यत ॥ २ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca śiśupālasya śālvasya pauṇḍrakasyāpi durmatiḥ para-loka-gatānāṁ ca kurvan pārokṣya-sauhṛdam ekaḥ padātiḥ saṅkruddho gadā-pāṇiḥ prakampayan padbhyām imāṁ mahā-rāja mahā-sattvo vyadṛśyata

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Acting out of friendship for Śiśupāla, Śālva and Pauṇḍraka, who had all passed on to the next world, the wicked Dantavakra appeared on the battlefield in a great rage, O King. All alone, on foot and wielding a club in his hand, the mighty warrior shook the earth with his footsteps.

10.78.3

तं तथायान्तमालोक्य गदामादाय सत्वर: । अवप्लुत्य रथात् कृष्ण: सिन्धुं वेलेव प्रत्यधात् ॥ ३ ॥

taṁ tathāyāntam ālokya gadām ādāya satvaraḥ avaplutya rathāt kṛṣṇaḥ sindhuṁ veleva pratyadhāt

Seeing Dantavakra approach, Lord Kṛṣṇa quickly picked up His club, jumped down from His chariot and stopped His advancing opponent just as the shore holds back the ocean.

10.78.4

गदामुद्यम्य कारूषो मुकुन्दं प्राह दुर्मद: । दिष्‍ट्या दिष्‍ट्या भवानद्य मम द‍ृष्टिपथं गत: ॥ ४ ॥

gadām udyamya kārūṣo mukundaṁ prāha durmadaḥ diṣṭyā diṣṭyā bhavān adya mama dṛṣṭi-pathaṁ gataḥ

Raising his club, the reckless King of Karūṣa said to Lord Mukunda, “What luck! What luck — to have You come before me today!

10.78.5

त्वं मातुलेयो न: कृष्ण मित्रध्रुङ्‍मां जिघांससि । अतस्त्वां गदया मन्द हनिष्ये वज्रकल्पया ॥ ५ ॥

tvaṁ mātuleyo naḥ kṛṣṇa mitra-dhruṅ māṁ jighāṁsasi atas tvāṁ gadayā manda haniṣye vajra-kalpayā

“You are our maternal cousin, Kṛṣṇa, but You committed violence against my friends, and now You want to kill me also. Therefore, fool, I will kill You with my thunderbolt club.

10.78.6

तर्ह्यानृण्यमुपैम्यज्ञ मित्राणां मित्रवत्सल: । बन्धुरूपमरिं हत्वा व्याधिं देहचरं यथा ॥ ६ ॥

tarhy ānṛṇyam upaimy ajña mitrāṇāṁ mitra-vatsalaḥ bandhu-rūpam ariṁ hatvā vyādhiṁ deha-caraṁ yathā

“Then, O unintelligent one, I who am obliged to my friends will have repaid my debt to them by killing You, my enemy disguised as a relative, who are like a disease within my body.”

10.78.7

एवं रूक्षैस्तुदन् वाक्यै: कृष्णं तोत्रैरिव द्विपम् । गदया ताडयन्मूर्ध्‍नि सिंहवद् व्यनदच्च स: ॥ ७ ॥

evaṁ rūkṣais tudan vākyaiḥ kṛṣṇaṁ totrair iva dvipam gadayātāḍayan mūrdhni siṁha-vad vyanadac ca saḥ

Thus trying to harass Lord Kṛṣṇa with harsh words, as one might prick an elephant with sharp goads, Dantavakra struck the Lord on the head with his club and roared like a lion.

10.78.8

गदयाभिहतोऽप्याजौ न चचाल यदूद्वह: । कृष्णोऽपि तमहन् गुर्व्या कौमोदक्या स्तनान्तरे ॥ ८ ॥

gadayābhihato ’py ājau na cacāla yadūdvahaḥ kṛṣṇo ’pi tam ahan gurvyā kaumodakyā stanāntare

Although hit by Dantavakra’s club, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the deliverer of the Yadus, did not budge from His place on the battlefield. Rather, with His massive Kaumodakī club the Lord struck Dantavakra in the middle of his chest.

10.78.9

गदानिर्भिन्नहृदय उद्वमन् रुधिरं मुखात् । प्रसार्य केशबाह्वङ्‍‍घ्रीन् धरण्यां न्यपतद् व्यसु: ॥ ९ ॥

gadā-nirbhinna-hṛdaya udvaman rudhiraṁ mukhāt prasārya keśa-bāhv-aṅghrīn dharaṇyāṁ nyapatad vyasuḥ

His heart shattered by the club’s blow, Dantavakra vomited blood and fell lifeless to the ground, his hair disheveled and his arms and legs sprawling.

10.78.10

तत: सूक्ष्मतरं ज्योति: कृष्णमाविशदद्भ‍ुतम् । पश्यतां सर्वभूतानां यथा चैद्यवधे नृप ॥ १० ॥

tataḥ sūkṣmataraṁ jyotiḥ kṛṣṇam āviśad adbhutam paśyatāṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ yathā caidya-vadhe nṛpa

A most subtle and wondrous spark of light then [rose from the demon’s body and] entered Lord Kṛṣṇa while everyone looked on, O King, just as when Śiśupāla was killed.

10.78.11

विदूरथस्तु तद्भ्राता भ्रातृशोकपरिप्लुत: । आगच्छदसिचर्माभ्यामुच्छ्वसंस्तज्जिघांसया ॥ ११ ॥

vidūrathas tu tad-bhrātā bhrātṛ-śoka-pariplutaḥ āgacchad asi-carmābhyām ucchvasaṁs taj-jighāṁsayā

But then Dantavakra’s brother Vidūratha, immersed in sorrow over his brother’s death, came forward breathing heavily, sword and shield in hand. He wanted to kill the Lord.

10.78.12

तस्य चापतत: कृष्णश्चक्रेण क्षुरनेमिना । शिरो जहार राजेन्द्र सकिरीटं सकुण्डलम् ॥ १२ ॥

tasya cāpatataḥ kṛṣṇaś cakreṇa kṣura-neminā śiro jahāra rājendra sa-kirīṭaṁ sa-kuṇḍalam

O best of kings, as Vidūratha fell upon Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa used His razor-edged Sudarśana disc to remove his head, complete with its helmet and earrings.

10.78.13-15

एवं सौभं च शाल्वं च दन्तवक्रं सहानुजम् । हत्वा दुर्विषहानन्यैरीडित: सुरमानवै: ॥ १३ ॥ मुनिभि: सिद्धगन्धर्वैर्विद्याधरमहोरगै: । अप्सरोभि: पितृगणैर्यक्षै: किन्नरचारणै: ॥ १४ ॥ उपगीयमानविजय: कुसुमैरभिवर्षित: । वृतश्च वृष्णिप्रवरैर्विवेशालङ्कृतां पुरीम् ॥ १५ ॥

evaṁ saubhaṁ ca śālvaṁ ca dantavakraṁ sahānujam hatvā durviṣahān anyair īḍitaḥ sura-mānavaiḥ munibhiḥ siddha-gandharvair vidyādhara-mahoragaiḥ apsarobhiḥ pitṛ-gaṇair yakṣaiḥ kinnara-cāraṇaiḥ upagīyamāna-vijayaḥ kusumair abhivarṣitaḥ vṛtaś ca vṛṣṇi-pravarair viveśālaṅkṛtāṁ purīm

Having thus destroyed Śālva and his Saubha airship, along with Dantavakra and his younger brother, all of whom were invincible before any other opponent, the Lord was praised by demigods, human beings and great sages, by Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas and Mahoragas, and also by Apsarās, Pitās, Yakṣas, Kinnaras and Cāraṇas. As they sang His glories and showered Him with flowers, the Supreme Lord entered His festively decorated capital city in the company of the most eminent Vṛṣṇis.

10.78.16

एवं योगेश्वर: कृष्णो भगवान् जगदीश्वर: । ईयते पशुद‍ृष्टीनां निर्जितो जयतीति स: ॥ १६ ॥

evaṁ yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇo bhagavān jagad-īśvaraḥ īyate paśu-dṛṣṭīnāṁ nirjito jayatīti saḥ

Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master all mystic power and Lord of the universe, is ever victorious. Only those of beastly vision think He sometimes suffers defeat.

10.78.17

श्रुत्वा युद्धोद्यमं राम: कुरूणां सह पाण्डवै: । तीर्थाभिषेकव्याजेन मध्यस्थ: प्रययौ किल ॥ १७ ॥

śrutvā yuddhodyamaṁ rāmaḥ kurūṇāṁ saha pāṇḍavaiḥ tīrthābhiṣeka-vyājena madhya-sthaḥ prayayau kila

Lord Balarāma then heard that the Kurus were preparing for war with the Pāṇḍavas. Being neutral, He departed on the pretext of going to bathe in holy places.

10.78.18

स्‍नात्वा प्रभासे सन्तर्प्य देवर्षिपितृमानवान् । सरस्वतीं प्रतिस्रोतं ययौ ब्राह्मणसंवृत: ॥ १८ ॥

snātvā prabhāse santarpya devarṣi-pitṛ-mānavān sarasvatīṁ prati-srotaṁ yayau brāhmaṇa-saṁvṛtaḥ

After bathing at Prabhāsa and honoring the demigods, sages, forefathers and prominent human beings, He went in the company of brāhmaṇas to the portion of the Sarasvatī that flows westward into the sea.

10.78.19-20

पृथूदकं बिन्दुसरस्‍त्रितकूपं सुदर्शनम् । विशालं ब्रह्मतीर्थं च चक्रं प्राचीं सरस्वतीम् ॥ १९ ॥ यमुनामनु यान्येव गङ्गामनु च भारत । जगाम नैमिषं यत्र ऋषय: सत्रमासते ॥ २० ॥

pṛthūdakaṁ bindu-saras tritakūpaṁ sudarśanam viśālaṁ brahma-tīrthaṁ ca cakraṁ prācīṁ sarasvatīm yamunām anu yāny eva gaṅgām anu ca bhārata jagāma naimiṣaṁ yatra ṛṣayaḥ satram āsate

Lord Balarāma visited the broad Bindu-saras Lake, Tritakūpa, Sudarśana, Viśāla, Brahma-tīrtha, Cakra-tīrtha and the eastward-flowing Sarasvatī. He also went to all the holy places along the Yamunā and the Ganges, O Bhārata, and then He came to the Naimiṣa forest, where great sages were performing an elaborate sacrifice.

10.78.21

तमागतमभिप्रेत्य मुनयो दीर्घसत्रिण: । अभिनन्द्य यथान्यायं प्रणम्योत्थाय चार्चयन् ॥ २१ ॥

tam āgatam abhipretya munayo dīrgha-satriṇaḥ abhinandya yathā-nyāyaṁ praṇamyotthāya cārcayan

Recognizing the Lord upon His arrival, the sages, who had been engaged in their sacrificial rituals for a long time, greeted Him properly by standing up, bowing down and worshiping Him.

10.78.22

सोऽर्चित: सपरीवार: कृतासनपरिग्रह: । रोमहर्षणमासीनं महर्षे: शिष्यमैक्षत ॥ २२ ॥

so ’rcitaḥ sa-parīvāraḥ kṛtāsana-parigrahaḥ romaharṣaṇam āsīnaṁ maharṣeḥ śiṣyam aikṣata

After being thus worshiped along with His entourage, the Lord accepted a seat of honor. Then He noticed that Romaharṣaṇa, Vyāsadeva’s disciple, had remained seated.

10.78.23

अप्रत्युत्थायिनं सूतमकृतप्रह्वणाञ्जलिम् । अध्यासीनं च तान् विप्रांश्चुकोपोद्वीक्ष्य माधव: ॥ २३ ॥

apratyutthāyinaṁ sūtam akṛta-prahvaṇāñjalim adhyāsīnaṁ ca tān viprāṁś cukopodvīkṣya mādhavaḥ

Lord Balarāma became extremely angry upon seeing how this member of the sūta caste had failed to stand up, bow down or join his palms, and also how he was sitting above all the learned brāhmaṇas.

10.78.24

यस्मादसाविमान् विप्रानध्यास्ते प्रतिलोमज: । धर्मपालांस्तथैवास्मान् वधमर्हति दुर्मति: ॥ २४ ॥

yasmād asāv imān viprān adhyāste pratiloma-jaḥ dharma-pālāṁs tathaivāsmān vadham arhati durmatiḥ

[Lord Balarāma said:] Because this fool born from an improperly mixed marriage sits above all these brāhmaṇas and even above Me, the protector of religion, he deserves to die.

10.78.25-26

ऋषेर्भगवतो भूत्वा शिष्योऽधीत्य बहूनि च । सेतिहासपुराणानि धर्मशास्‍त्राणि सर्वश: ॥ २५ ॥ अदान्तस्याविनीतस्य वृथा पण्डितमानिन: । न गुणाय भवन्ति स्म नटस्येवाजितात्मन: ॥ २६ ॥

ṛṣer bhagavato bhūtvā śiṣyo ’dhītya bahūni ca setihāsa-purāṇāni dharma-śāstrāṇi sarvaśaḥ adāntasyāvinītasya vṛthā paṇḍita-māninaḥ na guṇāya bhavanti sma naṭasyevājitātmanaḥ

Although he is a disciple of the divine sage Vyāsa and has thoroughly learned many scriptures from him, including the lawbooks of religious duties and the epic histories and Purāṇas, all this study has not produced good qualities in him. Rather, his study of the scriptures is like an actor’s studying his part, for he is not self-controlled or humble and vainly presumes himself a scholarly authority, though he has failed to conquer his own mind.

10.78.27

एतदर्थो हि लोकेऽस्मिन्नवतारो मया कृत: । वध्या मे धर्मध्वजिनस्ते हि पातकिनोऽधिका: ॥ २७ ॥

etad-artho hi loke ’sminn avatāro mayā kṛtaḥ vadhyā me dharma-dhvajinas te hi pātakino ’dhikāḥ

The very purpose of My descent into this world is to kill such hypocrites who pretend to be religious. Indeed, they are the most sinful rascals.

10.78.28

एतावदुक्त्वा भगवान् निवृत्तोऽसद्वधादपि । भावित्वात् तं कुशाग्रेण करस्थेनाहनत् प्रभु: ॥ २८ ॥

etāvad uktvā bhagavān nivṛtto ’sad-vadhād api bhāvitvāt taṁ kuśāgreṇa kara-sthenāhanat prabhuḥ

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Although Lord Balarāma had stopped killing the impious, Romaharṣaṇa’s death was inevitable. Thus, having spoken, the Lord killed him by picking up a blade of kuśa grass and touching him with its tip.

10.78.29

हाहेति वादिन: सर्वे मुनय: खिन्नमानसा: । ऊचु: सङ्कर्षणं देवमधर्मस्ते कृत: प्रभो ॥ २९ ॥

hāheti-vādinaḥ sarve munayaḥ khinna-mānasāḥ ūcuḥ saṅkarṣaṇaṁ devam adharmas te kṛtaḥ prabho

All the sages cried out, “Alas, alas!” in great distress. They told Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, “O master, You have committed an irreligious act!

10.78.30

अस्य ब्रह्मासनं दत्तमस्माभिर्यदुनन्दन । आयुश्चात्माक्लमं तावद् यावत् सत्रं समाप्यते ॥ ३० ॥

asya brahmāsanaṁ dattam asmābhir yadu-nandana āyuś cātmāklamaṁ tāvad yāvat satraṁ samāpyate

“O favorite of the Yadus, we gave him the seat of the spiritual master and promised him long life and freedom from physical pain for as long as this sacrifice continues.

10.78.31-32

अजानतैवाचरितस्त्वया ब्रह्मवधो यथा । योगेश्वरस्य भवतो नाम्नायोऽपि नियामक: ॥ ३१ ॥ यद्येतद् ब्रह्महत्याया: पावनं लोकपावन । चरिष्यति भवाँल्ल‍ोकसङ्ग्रहोऽनन्यचोदित: ॥ ३२ ॥

ajānataivācaritas tvayā brahma-vadho yathā yogeśvarasya bhavato nāmnāyo ’pi niyāmakaḥ yady etad-brahma-hatyāyāḥ pāvanaṁ loka-pāvana cariṣyati bhavāḻ loka- saṅgraho ’nanya-coditaḥ

“You have unknowingly killed a brāhmaṇa. Of course, even the injunctions of revealed scripture cannot dictate to You, the Lord of all mystic power. But if by Your own free will You nonetheless carry out the prescribed purification for this slaying of a brāhmaṇa, O purifier of the whole world, people in general will greatly benefit by Your example.”

10.78.33

श्रीभगवानुवाच चरिष्ये वधनिर्वेशं लोकानुग्रहकाम्यया । नियम: प्रथमे कल्पे यावान् स तु विधीयताम् ॥ ३३ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca cariṣye vadha-nirveśaṁ lokānugraha-kāmyayā niyamaḥ prathame kalpe yāvān sa tu vidhīyatām

The Personality of Godhead said: I will certainly perform the atonement for this killing, since I wish to show compassion to the people in general. Please, therefore, prescribe for Me whatever ritual is to be done first.

10.78.34

दीर्घमायुर्बतैतस्य सत्त्वमिन्द्रियमेव च । आशासितं यत्तद्ब्रूते साधये योगमायया ॥ ३४ ॥

dīrgham āyur bataitasya sattvam indriyam eva ca āśāsitaṁ yat tad brūte sādhaye yoga-māyayā

O sages, just say the word, and by My mystic power I shall restore everything you promised him — long life, strength and sensory power.

10.78.35

ऋषय ऊचु: अस्‍त्रस्य तव वीर्यस्य मृत्योरस्माकमेव च । यथा भवेद्वच: सत्यं तथा राम विधीयताम् ॥ ३५ ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ astrasya tava vīryasya mṛtyor asmākam eva ca yathā bhaved vacaḥ satyaṁ tathā rāma vidhīyatām

The sages said: Please see to it, O Rāma, that Your power and that of Your kuśa weapon, as well as our promise and Romaharṣaṇa’s death, all remain intact.

10.78.36

श्रीभगवानुवाच आत्मा वै पुत्र उत्पन्न इति वेदानुशासनम् । तस्मादस्य भवेद्वक्ता आयुरिन्द्रियसत्त्ववान् ॥ ३६ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca ātmā vai putra utpanna iti vedānuśāsanam tasmād asya bhaved vaktā āyur-indriya-sattva-vān

The Supreme Lord said: The Vedas instruct us that one’s own self takes birth again as one’s son. Thus let Romaharṣaṇa’s son become the speaker of the Purāṇas, and let him be endowed with long life, strong senses and stamina.

10.78.37

किं व: कामो मुनिश्रेष्ठा ब्रूताहं करवाण्यथ । अजानतस्त्वपचितिं यथा मे चिन्त्यतां बुधा: ॥ ३७ ॥

kiṁ vaḥ kāmo muni-śreṣṭhā brūtāhaṁ karavāṇy atha ajānatas tv apacitiṁ yathā me cintyatāṁ budhāḥ

Please tell Me your desire, O best of sages, and I shall certainly fulfill it. And, O wise souls, please carefully determine My proper atonement, since I do not know what it might be.

10.78.38

ऋषय ऊचु: इल्वलस्य सुतो घोरो बल्वलो नाम दानव: । स दूषयति न: सत्रमेत्य पर्वणि पर्वणि ॥ ३८ ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ ilvalasya suto ghoro balvalo nāma dānavaḥ sa dūṣayati naḥ satram etya parvaṇi parvaṇi

The sages said: A fearsome demon named Balvala, the son of Ilvala, comes here every new-moon day and contaminates our sacrifice.

10.78.39

तं पापं जहि दाशार्ह तन्न: शुश्रूषणं परम् । पूयशोणितविन् मूत्रसुरामांसाभिवर्षिणम् ॥ ३९ ॥

taṁ pāpaṁ jahi dāśārha tan naḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṁ param pūya-śoṇita-vin-mūtra- surā-māṁsābhivarṣiṇam

O descendant of Daśārha, please kill that sinful demon, who pours down pus, blood, feces, urine, wine and meat upon us. This is the best service You can do for us.

10.78.40

ततश्च भारतं वर्षं परीत्य सुसमाहित: । चरित्वा द्वादश मासांस्तीर्थस्‍नायी विशुध्यसि ॥ ४० ॥

tataś ca bhārataṁ varṣaṁ parītya su-samāhitaḥ caritvā dvādaśa-māsāṁs tīrtha-snāyī viśudhyasi

Thereafter, for twelve months, You should circumambulate the land of Bhārata in a mood of serious meditation, executing austerities and bathing at various holy pilgrimage sites. In this way You will become purified.