Text 20
śrī-śuka uvāca
jarā-sutas tāv abhisṛtya mādhavau
mahā-balaughena balīyasāvṛnot
sa-sainya-yāna-dhvaja-vāji-sārathī
sūryānalau vāyur ivābhra-reṇubhiḥ
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; jarā-sutaḥ — the son of Jarā; tau — the two of Them; abhisṛtya — going up to; mādhavau — the descendants of Madhu; mahā — great; bala — of military prowess; oghena — with a flood; balīyasā — powerful; āvṛṇot — surrounded; sa — with; sainya — soldiers; yāna — chariots; dhvaja — flags; vāji — horses; sārathī — and charioteers; sūrya — the sun; analau — and a fire; vāyuḥ — the wind; iva — as; abhra — by clouds; reṇubhiḥ — and by particles of dust.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Just as the wind covers the sun with clouds or a fire with dust, the son of Jarā marched toward the two descendants of Madhu and with his huge assemblage of armies surrounded Them and Their soldiers, chariots, flags, horses and charioteers.
Ācārya Śrīdhara points out that clouds only seem to cover the sun: the sun remains shining in the vast sky. Nor is the potency of fire affected by a thin covering of dust. Similarly, the “covering” of Jarāsandha’s military strength was only apparent.