Brahma Purana — Chapter 208
BrP 208.1
श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे भूयो बलभद्रस्य धीमतः मुने पराक्रमं शौर्यं तन् नो व्याख्यातुम् अर्हसि ॥
śrotum icchāmahe bhūyo balabhadrasya dhīmataḥ mune parākramaṃ śauryaṃ tan no vyākhyātum arhasi //
We wish to hear further, O sage, of the prowess and valour of wise Balabhadra; you ought to expound that to us.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.2
यमुनाकर्षणादीनि श्रुतान्य् अस्माभिर् अत्र वै तत् कथ्यतां महाभाग यद् अन्यत् कृतवान् बलः ॥
yamunākarṣaṇādīni śrutāny asmābhir atra vai tat kathyatāṃ mahābhāga yad anyat kṛtavān balaḥ //
The dragging of the Yamunā and the rest have been heard by us here; let that be told, O greatly fortunate one, which Bala did besides.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.3
शृणुध्वं मुनयः कर्म यद् रामेणाभवत् कृतम् अनन्तेनाप्रमेयेन शेषेण धरणीभृता ॥
śṛṇudhvaṃ munayaḥ karma yad rāmeṇābhavat kṛtam anantenāprameyena śeṣeṇa dharaṇībhṛtā //
Hear, sages, the deed that was done by Rāma, who is Ananta, the immeasurable, Śeṣa, the bearer of the earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.4
दुर्योधनस्य तनयां स्वयंवरकृतेक्षणाम् बलाद् आदत्तवान् वीरः साम्बो जाम्बवतीसुतः ॥
duryodhanasya tanayāṃ svayaṃvarakṛtekṣaṇām balād ādattavān vīraḥ sāmbo jāmbavatīsutaḥ //
The hero Sāmba, son of Jāmbavatī, carried off by force the daughter of Duryodhana, who had cast her glance (upon him) at her own choosing.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.5
ततः क्रुद्धा महावीर्याः कर्णदुर्योधनादयः भीष्मद्रोणादयश् चैव बबन्धुर् युधि निर्जितम् ॥
tataḥ kruddhā mahāvīryāḥ karṇaduryodhanādayaḥ bhīṣmadroṇādayaś caiva babandhur yudhi nirjitam //
Then Karṇa, Duryodhana and the others, and Bhīṣma, Droṇa and the rest, greatly powerful and enraged, bound him, defeated in battle.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.6
तच् छ्रुत्वा यादवाः सर्वे क्रोधं दुर्योधनादिषु मुनयः प्रतिचक्रुश् च तान् विहन्तुं महोद्यमम् ॥
tac chrutvā yādavāḥ sarve krodhaṃ duryodhanādiṣu munayaḥ praticakruś ca tān vihantuṃ mahodyamam //
Hearing that, all the Yādavas, O sages, turned their anger upon Duryodhana and the others, and made a great effort to destroy them.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.7
तान् निवार्य बलः प्राह मदलोलाकुलाक्षरम् मोक्ष्यन्ति ते मद्वचनाद् यास्याम्य् एको हि कौरवान् ॥
tān nivārya balaḥ prāha madalolākulākṣaram mokṣyanti te madvacanād yāsyāmy eko hi kauravān //
Restraining them, Bala spoke, his syllables unsteady and confused with drink: "At my word they will release him; I alone shall go to the Kauravas."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.8
बलदेवस् ततो गत्वा नगरं नागसाह्वयम् बाह्योपवनमध्ये ऽभून् न विवेश च तत् पुरम् ॥
baladevas tato gatvā nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam bāhyopavanamadhye 'bhūn na viveśa ca tat puram //
Then Baladeva went to the city named after the elephant and stayed in the midst of an outer grove, and did not enter that city.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.9
बलम् आगतम् आज्ञाय तदा दुर्योधनादयः गाम् अर्घम् उदकं चैव रामाय प्रत्यवेदयन् गृहीत्वा विधिवत् सर्वं ततस् तान् आह कौरवान् ॥
balam āgatam ājñāya tadā duryodhanādayaḥ gām argham udakaṃ caiva rāmāya pratyavedayan gṛhītvā vidhivat sarvaṃ tatas tān āha kauravān //
Learning that Bala had come, Duryodhana and the others then presented to Rāma a cow, the honorific offering, and water; and having accepted it all according to rule, he then said to those Kauravas:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.10
आज्ञापयत्य् उग्रसेनः साम्बम् आशु विमुञ्चत ॥
ājñāpayaty ugrasenaḥ sāmbam āśu vimuñcata //
"Ugrasena commands: release Sāmba at once."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.11
ततस् तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भीष्मद्रोणादयो द्विजाः कर्णदुर्योधनाद्याश् च चुक्रुधुर् द्विजसत्तमाः ॥
tatas tadvacanaṃ śrutvā bhīṣmadroṇādayo dvijāḥ karṇaduryodhanādyāś ca cukrudhur dvijasattamāḥ //
Then, hearing that speech of his, O twice-born, O best of the twice-born, Bhīṣma, Droṇa and the rest, and Karṇa, Duryodhana and the others, grew angry.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.12
ऊचुश् च कुपिताः सर्वे बाह्लिकाद्याश् च भूमिपाः अराजार्हं यदोर् वंशम् अवेक्ष्य मुशलायुधम् ॥
ūcuś ca kupitāḥ sarve bāhlikādyāś ca bhūmipāḥ arājārhaṃ yador vaṃśam avekṣya muśalāyudham //
And all of them, enraged, and the kings, Bāhlika and the rest, spoke, regarding the club-armed one's line of Yadu as unfit for kingship:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.13
भो भोः किम् एतद् भवता बलभद्रेरितं वचः आज्ञां कुरुकुलोत्थानां यादवः कः प्रदास्यति ॥
bho bhoḥ kim etad bhavatā balabhadreritaṃ vacaḥ ājñāṃ kurukulotthānāṃ yādavaḥ kaḥ pradāsyati //
"Ho there! What is this word uttered by you, Balabhadra? What Yādava shall issue a command to those sprung from the Kuru line?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.14
उग्रसेनो ऽपि यद्य् आज्ञां कौरवाणां प्रदास्यति तद् अलं पाण्डुरैश् छत्त्रैर् नृपयोग्यैर् अलंकृतैः ॥
ugraseno 'pi yady ājñāṃ kauravāṇāṃ pradāsyati tad alaṃ pāṇḍuraiś chattrair nṛpayogyair alaṃkṛtaiḥ //
If even Ugrasena is to issue commands to the Kauravas, then enough of the white parasols, adorned and fit for kings!
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.15
तद् गच्छ बलभद्र त्वं साम्बम् अन्यायचेष्टितम् विमोक्ष्यामो न भवतो नोग्रसेनस्य शासनात् ॥
tad gaccha balabhadra tvaṃ sāmbam anyāyaceṣṭitam vimokṣyāmo na bhavato nograsenasya śāsanāt //
So go, Balabhadra: Sāmba, whose conduct was unlawful, we shall not release at your bidding, nor at Ugrasena's.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.16
प्रणतिर् या कृतास्माकं मान्यानां कुकुरान्धकैः न नाम सा कृता केयम् आज्ञा स्वामिनि भृत्यतः ॥
praṇatir yā kṛtāsmākaṃ mānyānāṃ kukurāndhakaiḥ na nāma sā kṛtā keyam ājñā svāmini bhṛtyataḥ //
That obeisance which was made to us, the honourable ones, by the Kukuras and Andhakas—that was surely not (really) made. What is this command (given) to a master by a servant?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.17
गर्वम् आरोपिता यूयं समानासनभोजनैः को दोषो भवतां नीतिर् यत् प्रीणात्य् अनपेक्षिता ॥
garvam āropitā yūyaṃ samānāsanabhojanaiḥ ko doṣo bhavatāṃ nītir yat prīṇāty anapekṣitā //
You have been raised into pride by equal seats and equal meals. What is the fault of you (Yādavas)?—it is (our) policy that pleases (you), though unlooked for.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 208.18
अस्माभिर् अर्च्यो भवता यो ऽयं बल निवेदितः प्रेम्णैव न तद् अस्माकं कुलाद् युष्मत्कुलोचितम् ॥
asmābhir arcyo bhavatā yo 'yaṃ bala niveditaḥ premṇaiva na tad asmākaṃ kulād yuṣmatkulocitam //
That which was offered to you by us, Bala, as something to be honoured by you, (was offered) out of affection alone—it is not something from our family befitting your family.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 208.19
इत्य् उक्त्वा कुरवः सर्वे नामुञ्चन्त हरेः सुतम् कृतैकनिश्चयाः सर्वे विविशुर् गजसाह्वयम् ॥
ity uktvā kuravaḥ sarve nāmuñcanta hareḥ sutam kṛtaikaniścayāḥ sarve viviśur gajasāhvayam //
Having said this, all the Kurus did not release Hari's son; all of them, having made a single resolve, entered the city named after the elephant (Hastināpura).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.20
मत्तः कोपेन चाघूर्णं ततो ऽधिक्षेपजन्मना उत्थाय पार्ष्ण्या वसुधां जघान स हलायुधः ॥
mattaḥ kopena cāghūrṇaṃ tato 'dhikṣepajanmanā utthāya pārṣṇyā vasudhāṃ jaghāna sa halāyudhaḥ //
Then, maddened, and shaken with the anger born of that insult, he who bears the plough rose up and struck the earth with his heel.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.21
ततो विदारिता पृथ्वी पार्ष्णिघातान् महात्मनः आस्फोटयाम् आस तदा दिशः शब्देन पूरयन् उवाच चातिताम्राक्षो भ्रुकुटीकुटिलाननः ॥
tato vidāritā pṛthvī pārṣṇighātān mahātmanaḥ āsphoṭayām āsa tadā diśaḥ śabdena pūrayan uvāca cātitāmrākṣo bhrukuṭīkuṭilānanaḥ //
Then the earth was split apart by the heel-blow of that great-souled one; and he slapped his arms, filling the directions with the sound, and spoke, his eyes exceedingly red, his face crooked with a frown:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.22
अहो महावलेपो ऽयम् असाराणां दुरात्मनाम् कौरवाणाम् आधिपत्यम् अस्माकं किल कालजम् ॥
aho mahāvalepo 'yam asārāṇāṃ durātmanām kauravāṇām ādhipatyam asmākaṃ kila kālajam //
"Aho! Great is this arrogance of these worthless, evil-souled Kauravas — that our sovereignty, forsooth, is a product of the times (a mere accident of the age)!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 208.23
उग्रसेनस्य ये नाज्ञां मन्यन्ते चाप्य् अलङ्घनाम् आज्ञां प्रतीच्छेद् धर्मेण सह देवैः शचीपतिः ॥
ugrasenasya ye nājñāṃ manyante cāpy alaṅghanām ājñāṃ pratīcched dharmeṇa saha devaiḥ śacīpatiḥ //
"Those who do not regard Ugrasena's command as not to be transgressed — whose command the lord of Śacī (Indra), together with Dharma and the gods, receives!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.24
सदाध्यास्ते सुधर्मां ताम् उग्रसेनः शचीपतेः धिङ् मनुष्यशतोच्छिष्टे तुष्टिर् एषां नृपासने ॥
sadādhyāste sudharmāṃ tām ugrasenaḥ śacīpateḥ dhiṅ manuṣyaśatocchiṣṭe tuṣṭir eṣāṃ nṛpāsane //
"Ugrasena always sits upon that Sudharmā (hall) of the lord of Śacī. Fie! Their contentment is in a royal seat that is the leftover of hundreds of men."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.25
पारिजाततरोः पुष्पमञ्जरीर् वनिताजनः बिभर्ति यस्य भृत्यानां सो ऽप्य् एषां न महीपतिः ॥
pārijātataroḥ puṣpamañjarīr vanitājanaḥ bibharti yasya bhṛtyānāṃ so 'py eṣāṃ na mahīpatiḥ //
"He whose servants' womenfolk wear the flower-clusters of the pārijāta tree — even he is no king in their eyes."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.26
समस्तभूभुजां नाथ उग्रसेनः स तिष्ठतु अद्य निष्कौरवाम् उर्वीं कृत्वा यास्यामि तां पुरीम् ॥
samastabhūbhujāṃ nātha ugrasenaḥ sa tiṣṭhatu adya niṣkauravām urvīṃ kṛtvā yāsyāmi tāṃ purīm //
"Let that Ugrasena remain the lord of all kings of the earth; today, having made the earth free of Kauravas, I shall go to that city."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.27
कर्णं दुर्योधनं द्रोणम् अद्य भीष्मं सबाह्लिकम् दुःशासनादीन् भूरिं च भूरिश्रवसम् एव च ॥
karṇaṃ duryodhanaṃ droṇam adya bhīṣmaṃ sabāhlikam duḥśāsanādīn bhūriṃ ca bhūriśravasam eva ca //
"Karṇa, Duryodhana, Droṇa, and today Bhīṣma along with Bāhlika, Duḥśāsana and the rest, and Bhūri, and Bhūriśravas as well,"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.28
सोमदत्तं शलं भीमम् अर्जुनं सयुधिष्ठिरम् यमजौ कौरवांश् चान्यान् हन्यां साश्वरथद्विपान् ॥
somadattaṃ śalaṃ bhīmam arjunaṃ sayudhiṣṭhiram yamajau kauravāṃś cānyān hanyāṃ sāśvarathadvipān //
"Somadatta, Śala, Bhīma, Arjuna together with Yudhiṣṭhira, the twins, and the other Kauravas — I would slay them with their horses, chariots and elephants."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.29
वीरम् आदाय तं साम्बं सपत्नीकं ततः पुरीम् द्वारकाम् उग्रसेनादीन् गत्वा द्रक्ष्यामि बान्धवान् ॥
vīram ādāya taṃ sāmbaṃ sapatnīkaṃ tataḥ purīm dvārakām ugrasenādīn gatvā drakṣyāmi bāndhavān //
"Then, taking that hero Sāmba with his wife, I shall go to the city of Dvārakā and see Ugrasena and the rest of my kinsmen."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.30
अथवा कौरवादीनां समस्तैः कुरुभिः सह भारावतरणे शीघ्रं देवराजेन चोदितः ॥
athavā kauravādīnāṃ samastaiḥ kurubhiḥ saha bhārāvataraṇe śīghraṃ devarājena coditaḥ //
"Or else, being swiftly urged by the king of the gods to the removal of the burden (of the earth) consisting of the Kauravas and the rest, together with all the Kurus,"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 208.31
भागीरथ्यां क्षिपाम्य् आशु नगरं नागसाह्वयम् ॥
bhāgīrathyāṃ kṣipāmy āśu nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam //
"I shall quickly hurl the city named after the elephant into the Bhāgīrathī (Ganges)."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.32
इत्य् उक्त्वा क्रोधरक्ताक्षस् तालाङ्को ऽधोमुखं हलम् प्राकारवप्रे विन्यस्य चकर्ष मुशलायुधः ॥
ity uktvā krodharaktākṣas tālāṅko 'dhomukhaṃ halam prākāravapre vinyasya cakarṣa muśalāyudhaḥ //
Having said this, his eyes red with rage, he of the palm-tree emblem, armed with the club, set his plough face-downward in the rampart's earthwork and dragged.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.33
आघूर्णितं तत् सहसा ततो वै हस्तिनापुरम् दृष्ट्वा संक्षुब्धहृदयाश् चुक्रुशुः सर्वकौरवाः ॥
āghūrṇitaṃ tat sahasā tato vai hastināpuram dṛṣṭvā saṃkṣubdhahṛdayāś cukruśuḥ sarvakauravāḥ //
Then, seeing that Hastināpura suddenly set spinning, all the Kauravas cried out with hearts shaken:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.34
राम राम महाबाहो क्षम्यतां क्षम्यतां त्वया उपसंह्रियतां कोपः प्रसीद मुशलायुध ॥
rāma rāma mahābāho kṣamyatāṃ kṣamyatāṃ tvayā upasaṃhriyatāṃ kopaḥ prasīda muśalāyudha //
"Rāma, Rāma, mighty-armed one, let it be forgiven, let it be forgiven by you! Let your anger be withdrawn; be gracious, O wielder of the club!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.35
एष साम्बः सपत्नीकस् तव निर्यातितो बल अविज्ञातप्रभावाणां क्षम्यताम् अपराधिनाम् ॥
eṣa sāmbaḥ sapatnīkas tava niryātito bala avijñātaprabhāvāṇāṃ kṣamyatām aparādhinām //
"Here is Sāmba, with his wife, handed over to you, O Bala. Let the offenders, who did not know your power, be forgiven."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.36
ततो निर्यातयाम् आसुः साम्बं पत्न्या समन्वितम् निष्क्रम्य स्वपुरीं तूर्णं कौरवा मुनिसत्तमाः ॥
tato niryātayām āsuḥ sāmbaṃ patnyā samanvitam niṣkramya svapurīṃ tūrṇaṃ kauravā munisattamāḥ //
Then, O best of sages, the Kauravas came out of their own city and quickly handed over Sāmba together with his wife.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.37
भीष्मद्रोणकृपादीनां प्रणम्य वदतां प्रियम् क्षान्तम् एव मयेत्य् आह बलो बलवतां वरः ॥
bhīṣmadroṇakṛpādīnāṃ praṇamya vadatāṃ priyam kṣāntam eva mayety āha balo balavatāṃ varaḥ //
And when Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa and the others bowed and spoke agreeably, Bala, the best of the strong, said, "It is indeed forgiven by me."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.38
अद्याप्य् आघूर्णिताकारं लक्ष्यते तत् पुरं द्विजाः एष प्रभावो रामस्य बलशौर्यवतो द्विजाः ॥
adyāpy āghūrṇitākāraṃ lakṣyate tat puraṃ dvijāḥ eṣa prabhāvo rāmasya balaśauryavato dvijāḥ //
Even today that city is seen to have a tilted (set-awhirl) shape, O brahmins. Such is the power of Rāma, who possesses strength and valour, O brahmins.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 208.39
ततस् तु कौरवाः साम्बं संपूज्य हलिना सह प्रेषयाम् आसुर् उद्वाहधनभार्यासमन्वितम् ॥
tatas tu kauravāḥ sāmbaṃ saṃpūjya halinā saha preṣayām āsur udvāhadhanabhāryāsamanvitam //
Then the Kauravas, honouring Sāmba together with the Plough-bearer, sent (them) off, (Sāmba) provided with wedding-wealth and a wife.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition