वैशम्पायन उवाच प्राग्ज्योतिषमथाभ्येत्य व्यचरत् स हयोत्तमः। भगदत्तात्मजस्तत्र निर्ययौ रणकर्कशः॥
That foremost of horses then proceeded to the kingdom of Pragjyotisha and began to wander there. At this, Bhagadatta's son, who was greatly courageous in battle, came out.
स हयं पाण्डुपुत्रस्य विषयान्तमुपागतम्। युयुधे भरतश्रेष्ठ वज्रदत्तो महीपतिः॥
King Vajradata, O chief of the Bharatas, finding the (sacrificial) horse arrived within his kingdom, fought (for detaining it).
सोऽभिनिर्याय नगराद् भगदत्तसुतो नृपः। अश्वमायान्तमुन्मथ्य नगराभिमुखो ययौ॥
The royal son of Bhagadatta, coming out of his city, afflicted the horse which was coming (and seizing it), marched back towards his own place.
तमालक्ष्य महाबाहुः कुरूणामृषभस्तदा। गाण्डीवं विक्षिपस्तूर्णं सहसा समुपाद्रवत्॥
Marking this, the mighty armed chief of the Kuru-race, speedily stretched his Gandiva, and suddenly rushed towards his enemy.
ततो गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तैरिषुभिर्मोहितो नृपः। हयमुत्सृज्य तं वीरस्ततः पार्थमुपाद्रवत्॥
Stupefied by the arrows shot from Gandiva, the heroic son of Bhagadatta, letting loose the horse, fled from Partha.
पुनः प्रविश्य नगरं दंशितः स नृपोत्तमः। आरुह्य नागप्रवरं निर्ययौ रणकर्कशः॥
Once more entering his capital, that foremost of kings, irresistible in battle, cased himself in mail, and mounting on his prince of elephants, came out.
पाण्डुरेणातपत्रेण ध्रियमाणेन मूर्धनि। दोधूयता चामरेण श्वेतेन च महारथः॥
That powerful car-warrior had a white umbrella held over his head, and was fanned with a milk-white yak-tails.
ततः पार्थं समासाद्य पाण्डवानां महारथम्। आह्वयामास बीभत्सुं बाल्यान्मोहाच्च संयुगे॥
Moved by childishness and folly, he challenged Partha, the powerful car warrior of the Pandavas, famed for dreadful deeds in battle, to an encounter with him.
स वारणं नगप्रख्यं प्रभिन्नकरटामुखम्। प्रेषयामास संक्रुद्धः श्वेताश्वं प्रति पार्थिवः॥
The enraged prince then urged towards Arjuna that elephant of his, which resembled a veritable mountain, and from whose temples and mouth came out streams of juice showing excitement.
विक्षरन्तं महामेधं परवारणवारणम्। शास्त्रवत् कल्पितं संख्ये विवशं युद्धदुर्मदम्॥
Indeed, that elephant showered its secretions like a great mass of clouds pouring rain. Capable of resisting hostile feats of its own species, it had been equipped according to the ordinances of the treatises (on warelephants). Irresistible in battle, it had become so infuriate as to be beyond control.
प्रचोद्यमानः स गजस्तेन राज्ञा महाबलः। तदाकडुशेन विबभावुत्पतिष्यन्निवाम्बरम्॥
Urged on by the prince with the iron-hook, that powerful elephant then scemed as if it would cut through the sky (like a flying hill).
तमापतन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य क्रुद्धो राजन् धनंजयः। भूमिष्ठो वारणगतं योधयामास भारत॥
Seeing it advance towards him, o king, Dhananjaya, filled with anger and standing on the earth, O Bharata, met the prince on its back.
वज्रदत्तस्ततः क्रुद्धो मुमोचाशु धनंजये। तोमरानग्निसंकाशाशलभानिव वेगितान्॥
Filled with anger, Vajradatta quickly shed at Arjuna a number of broad headed arrows gifted with the energy of fire and resembling (as they coursed through the air) a cloud of speedily moving locusts.
अर्जुनस्तानसम्प्राप्तान् गाण्डीवप्रभवैः शरैः। द्विधा त्रिधा च चिच्छेद ख एव खगभैस्तदा॥
Arjuna, however, with arrows sped from Gandiva, cut off those arrows, come into tow, and some into three, pieces. He cut them off in the sky itself with those arrows of his passing through the sky.
स तान् दृष्ट्वा तथा छिन्नांस्तोमरान् भगदत्तजः। इषूनसक्तांस्त्वरितः प्राहिणोत् पाण्डवं प्रति॥
The son of Bhagadatta, seeing his broadheaded arrows thus cut off, quickly sped at Arjuna a number of other arrows in a continuous line.
ततोऽर्जुनस्तूर्णतरं रुक्मपुवानजिह्मगान्। प्रेष्यामास संक्रुद्धो भगदत्तात्मजं प्रति॥
Filled with anger at this, Arjuna more quickly than before, shot at Bhagadatta's son a number of straightly coursing arrows equipped with golden wings.
स तैर्विद्धो महातेजा वज्रदत्तो महामृधे। भृशाहतः पपातोयॊ न त्वेनमजहात् स्मृतिः॥
Vajradatta of powerful energy, struck with great force and pierced with those arrows in that fierce encounter, fell down on the Earth. Consciousness, however, did not leave him.
ततः स पुनरारुह्य वारणप्रवरं रणे। अव्यग्रः प्रेषयामास जयार्थी विजयं प्रति॥
Mounting on his prince of elephants again in the midst of that battle, the son of Bhagadatta, desirous of victory, very coolly shot a number of arrows at Arjuna.
तस्मै बाणांस्ततो जिष्णुर्निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान्। प्रेषयामास संक्रुद्धो ज्वलितज्वलनोपमान्॥
Filled with anger, Jishnu then shot at the prince a number of arrows which looked like burning flames of fire and which appeared to be so many snakes of dreadful poison.
स तैर्विद्धो महानागो विस्रवन् रुधिरं बभौ। गौरिकाक्तमिवाम्भोऽद्रिर्बहुप्रस्रवणं तदा।॥
Pierced therewith, the powerful elephant, emitting a large quantity of blood, looked like a mountain of many springs discharging rillets of water coloured with red chalk.