jala-yānam ivāghūrṇaṁ
gaṅgāyāṁ nagaraṁ patat
ākṛṣyamāṇam ālokya
kauravāḥ jāta-sambhramāḥ
tam eva śaraṇaṁ jagmuḥ
sa-kuṭumbā jijīviṣavaḥ
sa-lakṣmaṇaṁ puras-kṛtya
sāmbaṁ prāñjalayaḥ prabhum
jala-yānam - a raft; iva - as if; āghūrṇam - tumbling about; gaṅgāyām - into the Ganges; nagaram - the city; patat - falling; ākṛṣyamāṇam - being dragged; ālokya - seeing; kauravāḥ - the Kauravas; jāta - becoming; sambhramāḥ - excited and bewildered; tam - to Him, Lord Balarāma; eva - indeed; śaraṇam - for shelter; jagmuḥ - they went; sa - with; kuṭumbaḥ - their families; jijīviṣavaḥ - wanting to remain alive; sa - with; lakṣmaṇam - Lakṣmaṇā; puraḥ-kṛtya - placing in front; sāmbam - Sāmba; prāñjalayaḥ - with palms joined in supplication; prabhum - to the Lord.
The city of Hastināpura began to roll about like a raft in a stormy sea. The frightened Kauravas, to quickly appease the Lord, immediately brought Sāmba and Lakṣmaṇā and placed them in front.