SHREE SHOOKDEO JEE said,—O great king! when Shree Krishnù Chund and Bulram Jee were at Hustinapoor, a demon, named Salub, a follower of Sissoopal, who, at the marriage of Rookmunee, had been wounded by Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, and had run away, began to perform a penance in honour of Muhadeo Jee, saying to himself, "I will now take revenge upon the descendants of Judoo." He conquered and brought under subjection his eleven organs of action and perception: he endured hunger, thirst and all changes of season. In this manner he began to perform penance, keeping in remembrance the feet of Muhadeo: he constantly rose up and eat a handful of sand; and performed difficult penance, fixing his thoughts upon Shivù. One year passed away thus, then Muhadeo granted him a boon. "From today, thou shalt not be subject to the infirmities of age, and shalt not die; and the demon Mye shall make for you a ruth of delusive power, which shall carry you wherever you wish: it shall have power, through the efficacy of my blessing, to go every where like a chariot in the three worlds."
O great king! as Sudashivù Jee granted this boon, a ruth came and stood before Salub; who, having made a salutation
to Shivù Jee and mounted upon the ruth, proceeded with tumultuous haste to the city of Dwarka. Having gone there, he began to occasion all sorts of troubles to the inhabitants of the city: sometimes he used to pour down fire upon them, sometimes water: he sometimes uprooted trees, and threw them upon the city, and sometimes hills; from dread of him, all the inhabitants running off in great alarm, went to Raja Oogursen, and called out to him for mercy and protection. "O great king! a demon has come into the city, and caused the greatest confusion; and if he continue to commit the same acts of violence he has already committed, not a soul will be left alive."
O great king! on hearing these words, Raja Oogursen sent for Purdiyomun Jee and Sumboo, and said, "Behold! this demon has come to watch Huri, and to vex the inhabitants; form some plan for remedying the distresses he has caused." On receiving the Raja's orders, Purdiyomun Jee took all his army; and, having gone in a chariot outside the city, was ready for battle. Seeing, that Sumboo was terrified, he said, Be not at all anxious; I will, by the glorious favour of Huri, destroy this demon in a second." Having thus spoken, when Purdiyomun Jee taking his army with him, and seizing his weapons, came opposite to the demon; the demon exercised his delusive power in such a manner, that the day was changed into a very dark night. Purdiyomun, upon this, discharged arrows of fire, and dissipated the thick darkness, just as the rays of the sun would disperse a fog. After this he discharged several arrows with such force, that the demon's ruth was sent helter skelter; and he, being frightened, sometimes ran off; and sometimes returning, fought, exercising delusive power in various demoniacal ways; and gave great annoyance to the subjects of Purdiyomun.
Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja Pureechit,—O great king! there was a great battle raging on both sides; in the midst of which, Doobid, the minister of Salub, came all at once, and struck
[paragraph continues] Purdiyomun with such violence on the chest with a club, that he fell senseless. On his falling, Doobid screamed out, "I have killed Shree Krishnù's son, Purdiyomun."
O great king! while the descendants of Judoo were carrying on a mighty contest with the demons, the son of the charioteer, Daruk; seeing that Purdiyomun Jee had fainted, threw him into a chariot, and ran off with him from the field of battle, and brought him into the city. On recovering his senses, Purdiyomun Jee was greatly enraged, and said to the charioteer, "It was not right in you, knowing me to be senseless, to make me run from the field of battle. You left the field, and brought me home: this is not the act of a brave man. There is not in the family of Judoo a single member, who would abandon, and run from the field of battle. What! didst thou ever see me fly, that thou hast to-day brought me away, and made me leave the battle? Whoever hears of this, will laugh at, and reproach me. You have not done well, in fixing a stain upon my reputation without necessity."
On hearing these words, O great king! the charioteer, having descended from the chariot, stood up in the presence of Purdiyomun; and with joined hands, and bowing his head, said, "Lord! you know all customs and usages; and there is not in the world a right practice, with which you are not acquainted. It is said, 'When a brave warrior in a chariot falls wounded, his charioteer will carry him off from the field of battle. If the charioteer should be wounded and fall; the warrior in the chariot ought to save and take him away.' You received a very severe blow from a powerful club, and fainted, and were senseless. I, then, went off with you from the battle. I feared lest my master might be injured, or dishonoured. You have taken about an hour's rest: now go, and fight again. You know what is right and proper: do not cast a thought upon the laughter and jeering of the world. Destroy all the evil spirits immediately, and seize forcibly upon the delusive power of the demon."
O great king! having thus spoken, the charioteer took some water to Purdiyomun Jee; who, having washed his hands and face, and being fully recovered, putting on a coat of mail and helmet, and taking in his hand his bow and arrows, said to the charioteer, "Well! what has happened, has happened; but take me now to the spot, where Doobid has continued to fight with the descendants of Judoo." On hearing this, the charioteer instantly took him to where Doobid was fighting. On going there, Purdiyomun called out to him, and said, "Why are you fighting here and there, come and confront me, that I may send you to Sissoopal?" When, on hearing this challenge, Doobid rushed upon Purdiyomun Jee, Purdiyomun discharged several arrows, which struck, and brought him to the ground: and Sumboo, having also cut into pieces the army of the demons, filled the sea with them.
Having proceeded thus far in the narrative, Shree Shookdeo Jee said,—O great king! when the descendants of Judoo had been engaged twenty-seven days in fighting at Dwarka with the army of the demons, Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, acquainted with the secrets of the heart, remaining at Hustinapoor, and beholding the condition of Dwarka, said to Raja Joodisthur, "O great king! I beheld in a dream, during the night, that great violence was being perpetrated at Dwarka, and that all the descendants of Judoo were grievously afflicted; I will, therefore, with your permission, take my departure for Dwarka." On hearing this Raja Joodisthur, having joined his hands, said, "Do as you please." When the Raja had thus spoken Shree Krishnù and Bulram took leave of all; and when they came outside the city, beheld a doe running towards them on the left hand, and a dog standing in front of them shaking his head. When Huri had seen these bad omens, he said to Bulram, "Brother! come after me with all the rest of the party, and I will go on in advance."
Raja! Shree Krishnù Chund, after thus speaking to his brother, went on to the field of battle, and there saw, that the demons had, in every direction, committed great slaughter on the descendants of Judoo, who were carrying on the contest in very great confusion, whilst Huri was standing there, and reflecting thoughtfully on this state of affairs, Buldeo Jee also arrived; at that time Shree Krishnù said to Bulram, "Brother! go and protect the city and the inhabitants, I will come after I have destroyed these demons." Having received Krishnù's order, Buldeo Jee went into the city, and Huri to the field of battle, where Purdiyomun was contending with Salub. The shell was sounded on the arrival of the lord of the Judoos, when all knew that Shree Krishnù Chund had come.
O great king! when Krishnù went upon the field of battle, Salub flew off with his chariot to the sky, and began to pour down arrows of fire from thence like rain. Then Shree Krishnù Chund Jee counted sixteen arrows, and discharged them with such force, that Salub's chariot and driver were utterly destroyed, and he fell reeling down; recovering himself after his fall, Salub's struck Huri on the left arm with an arrow, and called out, "Ho Krishnù! I wish to make trial of your strength, and fight with you; you have by fraud or force killed Sunkhasoor, Bhomasoor, Sissoopal and other very powerful men: but it will be a difficult matter for you to escape now from my hands; you have now to deal with me, lay aside deceit and begin the contest; the powerful Banasoor and Bhomasoor are expecting you, Huri, I will send you where you will not be able to come back from; if you run away, you will not gain greatness." When Krishnù, in reply to this speech, had said, "O stupid, proud, cowardly fool! Chutrees and firm, resolute, brave men do not begin with talking in a high sounding strain to any one;" the demon rushed upon Huri, and aimed a very
furious blow with a club at him, which Krishnù easily warded off; then Shree Krishnù Chund Jee struck him with a club; and on receiving the blow, he remained senseless for two hours under the protection of his delusive power; he afterwards assumed a disguise, and coming into the presence of Krishnù said, "Your mother, Dewukee, who is in a state of great agitation, has sent me here: your enemy Salub has seized and carried off Basoodeo."
O great king! the demon having thus spoken, went thence; and having made an illusory Basoodeo, brought it bound into the presence of Shree Krishnù and said, "Behold! Krishnù, I have brought your father bound, and I will now cut off his head, and destroy all the descendants of Judoo, and fill the sea with them, afterwards I will kill you and hold universal dominion."
O great king! when he had thus spoken, he abased the head of the imaginary Basoodeo and cut it off in sight of Shree Krishnù Jee, and having placed it upon the point of a spear, showed it publicly. On beholding this act of the delusive power, Krishnù at first became faint; but afterwards recovering, began to say to himself, "How has it happened that he has seized and brought Basoodeo Jee from Dwarka, whilst Bulram was there, what! is he more powerful than Bulram, that he should have carried off Basoodeo from before him and brought him here?"
O great king! many thoughts of this kind passed for a long time through the mind of Krishnù, whilst he was under the influence of the demon's delusive power, and he was absorbed in reflection; at length whilst Huri was considering and looking at the demon's illusory apparition, he found out the secret of the contrivance, and called out to Salub. On hearing Krishnù's challenge, he mounted into the air, and began to discharge weapons thence upon Krishnù; in the mean while Shree Krishnù Chund Jee struck him with several arrows with such force, that the demon fell with his ruth into the sea;
recovering from the fall, he rushed upon Huri with a club; upon which Krishnù was greatly enraged and killed and brought him to the ground with the quoit, Soodursun; just as the lord of the gods killed and brought down Britasoor.
O great king! on the fall of the demon, the jewel of his head fell out upon the ground, and the splendour of it was concentrated in the mouth of Shree Krishnù Chund.