संजय उवाच शरविक्षतगात्रं तु प्रत्यमित्रमवस्थितम्। अभिमन्युः स्मयन् धीमान् दुःशासनमथाब्रवीत्॥
Sanjaya said Then the highly intelligent Abhimanyu with his body mangled with arrow-wounds smilingly addressing his antagonist Dushasana stationed before him, spoke these words.
दिष्ट्या पश्यामि संग्रामे मानिनं शूरमागतम्। निष्ठुरं त्यक्तधर्माणमाक्रोशनपरायणम्॥
"It is by good luck that today I find before me that vain warrior of cruel deeds and lost righteousness who ever brays loudly in his own applause.
यत् सभायांत्वया राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य शृण्वतः। कोपितः परुषैर्वाक्यैर्धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः॥ जयोन्मत्तेन भीमश्च बह्वबद्धं प्रभाषितः। अक्षकूटं समाश्रित्य सौबलस्यात्मनौ बलम्॥
In as much as in the midst of the assembly of courtiers and at the very hearing of king Dhritarashtra, you pierced the very virtuous king Yudhishthira with harsh words and in as much depending on the unfair game at dice and on the skill of Shakuni therein, you, intoxicated with joy, addressed many wild words of Bhima.
तत् त्वयेदमनुप्राप्तं तस्य कोपान्महात्मनः। परवित्तापहारस्य क्रोधस्याप्रशमस्य च॥ लोभस्य ज्ञाननाशस्य द्रोहस्यात्याहितस्य च। पितॄणां मम राज्यस्य हरणस्योगधन्विनाम्॥ तत् त्वयेदमनुप्राप्तं प्रकोपाद् वै महात्मनाम्। स तस्योगमधर्मस्य फलं प्राप्नुहि दुर्मते॥
In consequence of all these acts and in consequence of the wrath of all those illustrious heroes, the present fate has overtaken you. O wicked-minded one, to you now reap the fatal fruits of your robbery of other peoples' possessions, of your wrathful temperaments, of your hatred for peace, of your covetousness, of your ignorance, harmfullness and persecution of others, as also of depriving my sires, all fierce bowmen, of their kingdom and of your own unrighteousness, This day before the eyes of all these warriors I will chastise you with my arrows.
शासिताम्यद्य ते बाणैः सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः। अद्याहमनृणस्तस्य कोपस्त भविता रणे॥
This day I will free myself from the burden of anger I bear against you, as also from the debt I owe to my sires and to the angry Krishna, who ever desire your death.
अमर्षितायाः कृष्णायाः काक्षितस्य च मे पितुः। अद्य कौरव्य भीमस्य भवितास्म्यनृणो युधि॥
Today, O descendant of the Kuru race, I will in battle pay off the debt I owe to Bhima; you shall not this day escape me with life, provided you do not abandon the fight.
न हि मे मोक्ष्यसे जीवन् यदि नोत्सृजसे रणम्। एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुर्बाणं दुःशासनान्तकम्॥
Having thus spoken, that mighty-armed hero, that slayer of hostile heroes, fixed on his bow-string an arrow, endued with with the effulgence of Yama, Fire or the Windgod and calculated to bring about Dushasana's death.
संदधे परवीरघ्नः कालाग्न्यनिलवर्चसम्। तस्योरस्तूर्णमासाद्य जत्रुदेशे विभिद्य तम्॥
Flying towards Dushasana's breast, that arrow pierced his shoulder-joint up to the very bones, like a snake piercing into an ant hill.
जगाम सह पुखेन वल्मीकमिव पन्नगः। अथैनं पञ्चविंशत्या पुनरेव समार्पयत्॥
Then again he struck Dushasana with twenty-five arrows that resembled fire in their away from touch and were shot from his bow drawn back even to his every ears (i.e. fully).
शरैरग्निसमस्पर्शेराकर्णसमचोदितैः। स गाढविद्धो व्यथितो रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्॥
Thus deeply pierced and painted to the extreme, Dushasana squatted down on the terrace of his chariot and, O mighty monarch, he became unconscious in a swoon.
दुःशासनो महाराज कश्मलं चाविशन्महत्। सारथिस्त्वरमाणस्तु दुःशासनमचेतनम्॥
Thereupon his charioteer quickly carried the field the unconscious Dushasana who had been sorely afflicted by Abhimanyu's arrows.
रणमध्यादपोवाह सौभद्रशरपीडितम्। पाण्डवा द्रौपदेयाश्च विराटश्च समीक्ष्य तम्॥
The Pandavas, the sons of Draupadi and Virat and the Kekayas and the Panchalas, beholding that act of Subhadra's son sent up a loud roar like that of a lion.
पञ्चलाः केकयाश्चैव सिंहनादमथानदन्। वादित्राणि च सर्वाणि नानालिङ्गानि सर्वशः॥
Then filled with joy, the troops of the Pandavas struck up numerous musical instruments of various description and shape, from all sides.
प्रावादयन्त संहृष्टाः पाण्डूनां तत्र सैनिकाः। अपश्यन् स्मयमानाश्च सौभद्रस्य विचेष्टितम्॥
Beholding that feat achieved by Subhadra's son, they were amazed. Then seeing their most implacable and arrogant adversary thus worsted,
अत्यन्तवैरिणं दृप्तं दृष्ट्वा शत्रु पराजितम्। धर्ममारुतशक्राणामश्विनोः प्रतिमास्तथा॥ धारयन्तो ध्वजाग्रेषु द्रौपदेया महारथाः। सात्यकिश्चेकितानश्च धृष्टद्युम्नशिखण्डिनौ॥ केकया धृष्टकेतुश्च मत्स्याः पञ्चालसंजयाः। पाण्डवाश्च मुदा युक्ता युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः॥ अभ्यद्रवन्त त्वरिता द्रोणानीकं बिभित्सवः।
The five mighty car-warriors, viz., the five sons of Draupadi bearing on their standards as device the images of Yama, Maruta, Indra and the Asuras, as also Satyaki, Chekitana, Dhrishtadyumna Sikhandin, the Kekaya brothers, Dhristaketu and the Matsyas, the Panchalas and the Srinjayas and the Pandavas, were all enraptured and then headed by Yudhishthira, they rushed to battle desirous of breaking through Drona's division.
ततोऽभवन्महायुद्धं त्वदीयानां परैः सहः॥ जयमाकाङ्क्षमाणानां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्।
Then there commenced a fierce battle between the the foe and your troops, all unretreating heroes, bent on achieving victory.
तथा तु वर्तमाने वै संग्रामेऽतिभयंकरे॥ दुर्योधनो महाराज राधेयमिदमब्रवीत्।
Thus, O king, when the awful battle raged furiously, Duryodhana addressing Radha's son said these words-
पश्य दुःशासनं वीरमभिमन्युवशं गतम्॥ प्रतपन्तमिवादित्यं निघ्नन्तं शात्रवान् रणे।
Behold the heroic Dushasana worsted by Abhimanyu he who had been ere now slaying and scorching the foe like the sun himself.
अथ चैते सुसंरब्धाः सिंहा इव बलोत्कटाः॥ सौभद्रमुद्यतास्त्रातुमभ्यधावन्त पाण्डवाः।
Yonder rushes the infuriate Pandavas, looking like so many mighty lions, with weapons uplifted, to the rescue of Subhadra's son.
ततः कर्ण शरैस्तीक्ष्णैरभिमन्यु दुरासदम्॥ अभ्यवर्षत संक्रुद्धः पुत्रस्य हितकृत् तव।
Thereupon inflamed with wrath Karna ever bent on doing good to your son, covered the arrows.
तस्य चानुचरांस्तीक्ष्णैर्विव्याध परमेषुभिः॥ अवज्ञापूर्वकं शूरः सौभद्रस्य रणाजिरे।
Then as if in contempt, the valiant Karna pierced the followers of Subhadra's son in battle with sharp shafts of excellent make.
अभिमन्युस्तु राधेयं त्रिसप्तत्या शिलीमुखैः॥ अविध्यत्त्वरितो राजन् द्रोणं प्रेप्सुर्महामनाः।
Thereupon the high-souled Abhimanyu, who was longing to meet Drona himself, quickly pierced, o king, Radha's son with seventy-three shafts all whetted on stone.
तं तथा नाशकत् कश्चिद् द्रोणाद्वारयितुंरथी॥ आरुजन्तं रथवातान् वज्रहस्तात्मजात्मजम्।
Then there was no car-warrior save and except Drona himself who could have checked that grandson of the wielder of the thunderbolt, who had then been afflicting the mighty carwarriors sorely.
ततः कर्णो जयप्रेप्सुर्मानी सवधनुष्मताम्॥ सौभद्रं शतशोऽविध्यदुत्तमास्त्राणि दर्शयन्। सोऽस्त्रैरस्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठो रामशिष्यः प्रतापवान्॥ समरे शत्रुदुर्धर्षमभिमन्युमपीडयत्।
Thereafter displaying many many excellent weapons, Karna, that most honoured of all bowmen, desirous of victory pierced Subhadra's son with hundreds of shafts. Then that puissant pupil of Rama, that foremost of all men learned in the use of weapons, began to afflict Abhimanyu who was incapable of being vanquished by the foe.
स तथा पीड्यमानस्तु राधेयेनास्त्रवृष्टिभिः॥ समरेऽमरसंकाशः सौभद्रो न व्यशीर्यत।
Though thus afflicted with showers of weapons hurled by Radha's son, yet the son of Subhadra equal to an immortal, did not flinch.
ततः शिलाशितैस्तीक्ष्णैर्मल्लैरानतपर्वभिः॥ छित्त्वा धनूंषि शूराणामार्जुनिः कर्णमादयत्।
Thereafter having cut-off the bows of warriors, with broad-headed shafts of depressed knots all whetted on stone, Arjuna's son began to afflict Karna in return.
धनुर्मण्डलनिर्मुक्तैः शरैराशीविषोपमैः॥ सच्छत्रध्वजयन्तारं साश्वमाशु स्मयन्निव।
Then with arrows, shot from his bow drawn to a circle and resembling snakes of virulent poison in touch, Abhimanyu quickly cut-off Karna's umbrella, standard, horses and charioteer, smiling all the while.
कर्णोऽपि चास्य चिक्षेप बाणान् संनतपर्वणः॥ असम्भ्रान्तश्च तान् सर्वानगृह्णात् फाल्गुनात्मजः।
Then Karna sped at him five shafts of straight-knots; but the son of Phalguna dauntlessly received all those arrows.
ततो मुहूर्तात् कर्णस्य बाणेनैकेन वीर्यवान्॥ सध्वजं कार्मुकं वीरश्छित्त्वा भूमावपातयत्।
Then that valiant hero in a moment cutting off with a single shaft Karna's bow and standard, felled them to the ground.
ततो कृच्छ्रगतं कर्णे दृष्ट्वा कर्णादनन्तरः॥ सौभद्रमभ्ययात् तूर्णं दृढमुद्यम्य कार्मुकम्। तत उच्चुक्रुशुः पार्थास्तेषां चानुचरा जनाः। वादित्राणि च संजघ्नुः सौभद्रं चापि तुष्टुवुः॥
Seeing Karna in such a plight his younger brother, stretching his bow with great force impetuously rushed at Subhadra's son. At this, the Parthas sent up a loud uproar; their followers beat and blew many musical instruments; and they all applauded the sons of Subhadra.