VERSE 4.10.1
maitreya uvāca
prajāpater duhitaraṁ
śiśumārasya vai dhruvaḥ
upayeme bhramiṁ nāma
tat-sutau kalpa-vatsarau
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.2
ilāyām api bhāryāyāṁ
vāyoḥ putryāṁ mahā-balaḥ
putram utkala-nāmānaṁ
yoṣid-ratnam ajījanat
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.3
uttamas tv akṛtodvāho
mṛgayāyāṁ balīyasā
hataḥ puṇya-janenādrau
tan-mātāsya gatiṁ gatā
SYNONYMS
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 Himālaya 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 Himālaya Mountains. Along with him, his mother, Suruci, also followed the path of her son [she died].
VERSE 4.10.4
dhruvo bhrātṛ-vadhaṁ śrutvā
kopāmarṣa-śucārpitaḥ
jaitraṁ syandanam āsthāya
gataḥ puṇya-janālayam
SYNONYMS
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 Himālaya Mountains, being overwhelmed with lamentation and anger, he got on his chariot and went out for victory over the city of the Yakṣas, Alakāpurī.
VERSE 4.10.5
gatvodīcīṁ diśaṁ rājā
rudrānucara-sevitām
dadarśa himavad-droṇyāṁ
purīṁ guhyaka-saṅkulām
SYNONYMS
gatvā — going; udīcīm — northern; diśam — direction; rājā — King Dhruva; rudra-anucara — by followers of Rudra, Lord Śiva; sevitām — inhabited; dadarśa — saw; himavat — Himālayan; droṇyām — in a valley; purīm — a city; guhyaka — ghostly persons; saṅkulām — full of.
TRANSLATION
Dhruva Mahārāja went to the northern direction of the Himālayan range. In a valley he saw a city full of ghostly persons who were followers of Lord Śiva.
VERSE 4.10.6
dadhmau śaṅkhaṁ bṛhad-bāhuḥ
khaṁ diśaś cānunādayan
yenodvigna-dṛśaḥ kṣattar
upadevyo ’trasan bhṛśam
SYNONYMS
dadhmau — blew; śaṅkham — 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.
VERSE 4.10.7
tato niṣkramya balina
upadeva-mahā-bhaṭāḥ
asahantas tan-ninādam
abhipetur udāyudhāḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.8
sa tān āpatato vīra
ugra-dhanvā mahā-rathaḥ
ekaikaṁ yugapat sarvān
ahan bāṇais tribhis tribhiḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.9
te vai lalāṭa-lagnais tair
iṣubhiḥ sarva eva hi
matvā nirastam ātmānam
āśaṁsan karma tasya tat
SYNONYMS
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; āśaṁsan — 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.
VERSE 4.10.10
te ’pi cāmum amṛṣyantaḥ
pāda-sparśam ivoragāḥ
śarair avidhyan yugapad
dvi-guṇaṁ pracikīrṣavaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.11-12
tataḥ parigha-nistriṁśaiḥ
prāsaśūla-paraśvadhaiḥ
śakty-ṛṣṭibhir bhuśuṇḍībhiś
citra-vājaiḥ śarair api
abhyavarṣan prakupitāḥ
sarathaṁ saha-sārathim
icchantas tat pratīkartum
ayutānāṁ trayodaśa
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereupon; parigha — with iron bludgeons; nistriṁśaiḥ — 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], nistriṁśas [swords], prāsaśūlas [tridents], paraśvadhas [lances], śaktis [pikes], ṛṣṭis [spears] and bhuśuṇḍī weapons.
VERSE 4.10.13
auttānapādiḥ sa tadā
śastra-varṣeṇa bhūriṇā
na evādṛśyatācchanna
āsāreṇa yathā giriḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.14
hāhā-kāras tadaivāsīt
siddhānāṁ divi paśyatām
hato ’yaṁ mānavaḥ sūryo
magnaḥ puṇya-janārṇave
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.15
nadatsu yātudhāneṣu
jaya-kāśiṣv atho mṛdhe
udatiṣṭhad rathas tasya
nīhārād iva bhāskaraḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.16
dhanur visphūrjayan divyaṁ
dviṣatāṁ khedam udvahan
astraughaṁ vyadhamad bāṇair
ghanānīkam ivānilaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.17
tasya te cāpa-nirmuktā
bhittvā varmāṇi rakṣasām
kāyān āviviśus tigmā
girīn aśanayo yathā
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.18-19
bhallaiḥ sañchidyamānānāṁ
śirobhiś cāru-kuṇḍalaiḥ
ūrubhir hema-tālābhair
dorbhir valaya-valgubhiḥ
hāra-keyūra-mukuṭair
uṣṇīṣaiś ca mahā-dhanaiḥ
āstṛtās tā raṇa-bhuvo
rejur vīra-mano-harāḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.20
hatāvaśiṣṭā itare raṇājirād
rakṣo-gaṇāḥ kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ
prāyo vivṛkṇāvayavā vidudruvur
mṛgendra-vikrīḍita-yūthapā iva
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.21
apaśyamānaḥ sa tadātatāyinaṁ
mahā-mṛdhe kañcana mānavottamaḥ
purīṁ didṛkṣann api nāviśad dviṣāṁ
na māyināṁ veda cikīrṣitaṁ janaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.”
VERSE 4.10.22
iti bruvaṁś citra-rathaḥ sva-sārathiṁ
yattaḥ pareṣāṁ pratiyoga-śaṅkitaḥ
śuśrāva śabdaṁ jaladher iveritaṁ
nabhasvato dikṣu rajo ’nvadṛśyata
SYNONYMS
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; śaṅkitaḥ — 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.
VERSE 4.10.23
kṣaṇenācchāditaṁ vyoma
ghanānīkena sarvataḥ
visphurat-taḍitā dikṣu
trāsayat-stanayitnunā
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.24
vavṛṣū rudhiraughāsṛk-
pūya-viṇ-mūtra-medasaḥ
nipetur gaganād asya
kabandhāny agrato ’nagha
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.25
tataḥ khe ’dṛśyata girir
nipetuḥ sarvato-diśam
gadā-parigha-nistriṁśa-
musalāḥ sāśma-varṣiṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
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; nistriṁśa — 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.
VERSE 4.10.26
ahayo ’śani-niḥśvāsā
vamanto ’gniṁ ruṣākṣibhiḥ
abhyadhāvan gajā mattāḥ
siṁha-vyāghrāś ca yūthaśaḥ
SYNONYMS
ahayaḥ — serpents; aśani — thunderbolts; niḥśvāsāḥ — breathing; vamantaḥ — vomiting; agnim — fire; ruṣā-akṣibhiḥ — with angry eyes; abhyadhāvan — came forward; gajāḥ — elephants; mattāḥ — mad; siṁha — 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.
VERSE 4.10.27
samudra ūrmibhir bhīmaḥ
plāvayan sarvato bhuvam
āsasāda mahā-hrādaḥ
kalpānta iva bhīṣaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.28
evaṁ-vidhāny anekāni
trāsanāny amanasvinām
sasṛjus tigma-gataya
āsuryā māyayāsurāḥ
SYNONYMS
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.
VERSE 4.10.29
dhruve prayuktām asurais
tāṁ māyām atidustarām
niśamya tasya munayaḥ
śam āśaṁsan samāgatāḥ
SYNONYMS
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; āśaṁsan — 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.
VERSE 4.10.30
munaya ūcuḥ
auttānapāda bhagavāṁs tava śārṅgadhanvā
devaḥ kṣiṇotv avanatārti-haro vipakṣān
yan-nāmadheyam abhidhāya niśamya cāddhā
loko ’ñjasā tarati dustaram aṅga mṛtyum
SYNONYMS
munayaḥ ūcuḥ — the sages said; auttānapāda — O son of King Uttānapāda; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tava — your; śārṅga-dhanvā — one who bears the bow called Śārṅga; 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; aṅga — O Dhruva; mṛtyum — death.
TRANSLATION
All the sages said: Dear Dhruva, O son of King Uttānapāda, may the Supreme Personality of Godhead known as Śārṅgadhanvā, 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.
