So saying, the wielder of the club, Baladeva, his eyes red with rage, plunged the blade of his ploughshare downwards, beneath the ramparts of the city, and drew them towards him. When the Kauravas beheld Hastinápura tottering, they were much alarmed, and called loudly on Ráma, saying, "Ráma, Ráma! hold, hold! suppress your wrath! have mercy upon us! Here is Śámba, and his wife also, delivered up to thee. Forgive our sins, committed in ignorance of thy wondrous power." Accordingly, issuing hurriedly from the city, the Kauravas delivered Śámba and his bride to the mighty Balaráma, who, bowing to Bhíshma, Drońa, and Kripa, who addressed him in conciliatory language, said, "I am satisfied;" and so desisted. The city bears the marks of the shock it received, even to the present day--such was the might of Ráma--proving both his strength and prowess. The Kauravas then offering homage to Śámba and to Bala, dismissed the former with his wife and a bridal portion 1.

Footnotes

603:1 This adventure is related in the Bhágavata, and very briefly noticed in the Hari Vanśa; but I have not found any mention of it in the Mahábhárata. It may have been suggested originally by Hastinápura having sustained some injury either from an earthquake or from the encroachments of the river, which, as is recorded, compelled the removal of the capital to Kausámbí (p. 461).

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Hinduism

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