धृतराष्ट्र उवाच यथा वदसि मे सूत एकस्य बहुभिः सह। संग्रामं तुमुलं घोरं जयं चैव महात्मनः॥ अश्रद्धेयमिवाश्चर्यं सौभद्रस्याथ विक्रमम्। किं तु नात्यद्भुतं तेषां येषां धर्मो व्यपाश्रयः॥
Dhritarashtra said What you are saying to me, O Suta, about the fierce and awful battle between one and the many and the victory of that high-souled one, this story of the prowess of Subhadra's son is wonderful and none the less incredible. But I do not regard it altogether impossible with respect of them whose sole refuge is virtue.
दुर्योधने च विमुखे राजपुत्रशते हते। सौभद्रे प्रतिपत्ति का प्रत्यपद्यन्त मामकाः॥
After Duryodhana had been repulsed and the hundred princes slain, what measure was adopted by my warriors against Subhadra's son.
संजय उवाच संशुष्कास्याश्चलन्नेत्राः प्रस्विन्ना लोमहर्षणाः। पलायनकृतोत्साहा निरुत्साहा द्विषज्जये॥
Sanjaya said Their mouths were parched up and their eyes began to roll. They perspired and their hair stood erect. Desponding of conquering the enemy, they exerted their best to fly away.
हतान् भ्रातॄन् पितॄन् पुत्रान् सुहत्सम्बन्धिबान्धवान्। उत्सृज्योत्सृज्य संजग्मुस्त्वरयन्तो हयद्विपान्॥
Abandoning their slain brothers, fathers, sons, friends, relatives and kinsmen, they fled urging their elephants and steeds on.
तान् प्रभग्नांस्तथा दृष्ट्वा द्रोणो द्रौणिर्वृहद्बलः। कृपो दुर्योधनः कर्णः कृतवर्माऽथ सौबलः॥
Beholding then the troops thus broken, Drona and his son and Brihadbala, Kripa, Duryodhana, Karna, Kritavarman and Subala's son.
अभ्यधावन् सुसंक्रुद्धाः सौभद्रमपराजितम्। ते तु पौत्रेण ते राजन प्रायशो विमुखीक़ताः॥
All these warriors excited with rage rushed against the invincible son of Subhadra. Then those warriors also, O king, were almost beat back by your grandson (Abhimanyu).
एकस्तु सुखसंवृद्धो बाल्याद् दर्पाच्च निर्भयः। इष्वस्त्रविन्महातेजा लक्ष्मणोऽऽर्जुनिमभ्ययात्॥
A single warrior only, viz., Lakshmana, brought up in luxury, versed in the use of arrows and weapons, endued with great energy and dauntless through pride and youth, rushed against Arjuna's son.
तमन्वगेवास्य पिता पुत्रगृद्धी न्यवर्तत। अनुदुर्योधनं चान्ये न्यवर्तन्त महारथाः॥
Preyed upon by anxiety on account of his son, his father (Duryodhana) turned back: and other mighty car-warriors also followed Duryodhana's example.
तं तेऽभिषिषिचुर्बाणैर्मेघा गिरिमिवाम्बुभिः। स तु तान् प्रममाथैको विष्वग्वातोयथाम्बुदान्॥
These warriors all showered arrows of him (Abhimanyu), like clouds showering in torrents rains on mountains; he, in return, though single-handed, routed them like the dry and confused wind scattering masses of clouds.
पौत्रं तव च दुर्धर्षे लक्ष्मणं प्रियदर्शनम्। पितुः समीपे तिष्ठन्तं शूरमुद्यतकार्मुकम्॥ अत्यन्तसुखसंवृद्धं धनेश्वरसुतोपमम्। आससाद रणे कार्ष्णिमत्तो मत्तमिव द्विपम्॥
Then like one infuriate elephant meeting another in the same state, Krishna's nephew encountered your grandson Lakshmana, invincible, of great personal beauty, standing near his father with his bow ready for use, endued with heroism, brought up in all luxury and resembling the son of the God or wealth.
लक्ष्मणेन तु संगम्य सौभद्रः परवीरहा। शरैः सुनिशितैस्तीक्ष्णैर्बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पितः॥
Encountering Lakshmana, that slayer of hostile heroes, that son of Subhadra, was pierced on the breast and the arms with exceedingly sharp shafts.
संक्रुद्धो वै महाराज दण्डाहत इवोरगः। पौत्रस्तव महाराज तव पौत्रमभाषत।॥
Then that mighty-armed grandson of yours (Abhimanyu), O mighty monarch, excited with rage like a snake struck with a rod, addressing
सुदृष्टः क्रियतां लोको ह्यमुं लोकं गमिष्यसि। पश्यतां बान्धवानां तवां नयामि यमसादनम्॥
Look well on this earth, for you shall be required soon to go to another world. I will dispatch you to the abode of Death even before the very eyes of your on-looking friends.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो भल्लं सौभद्रः परवीरहा। उद्वबर्ह महाबाहुर्निर्मुक्तोरगसंनिभम्॥
Having thus spoken, that slayer of hostile heroes, that mighty-armed hero, viz., Subhadra's son, took out a broad-headed shaft that resembled a snake that had recently cast its slough off.
स तस्य भुजनिर्मुक्तो लक्ष्मणस्य सुदर्शनम्। सुनसं सुझुकेशान्तं शिरोऽहार्षीत् सकुण्डलम्॥
That shaft sped by the force of his arms, cut-off the beautiful head of Lakshmana, graced with ear-rings and a beautiful nose and charming locks and eye-brows.
लक्ष्मणं निहतं दृष्ट्वा हाहेत्युच्चुक्रुशुर्जनाः। ततो दुर्योधनः क्रुद्धः प्रिये पुत्रे निपातिते॥
Bcholding Lakshmana slain, people began to wail aloud saying 'Oh' and 'Alas.' Thereupon at the death of his dear-loved son, Duryodhana became inflamed with rage.
नतैनमिति चुक्रोश क्षत्रियान् क्षत्रियर्षभः। ततो द्रोण: कृपः कर्णो द्रोणपुत्रो बृहद्बलः॥
And then that foremost of the Kshatriyas commanded his other Kshatriya warriors saying 'Slay him.' Thereupon Drona, his son, Kripa, Karna and Brihadbala and.
कृतवर्मा च हार्दिक्य: षड् रथाः पर्यवारयन्। तांस्तु विद्ध्वा शितैर्बाणैर्विमुखीकृत्य चार्जुनिः॥
Kritavarman the son of Hridika, these six warriors surrounded Subhadra's son. But the son of Arjuna piercing them with whetted shafts and bcating them back.
वेगेलाभ्यपतत् क्रुद्धः सैन्धवस्य महद् बलम्। आवQस्तस्य पन्थानं गजानीकेन दंशिताः॥ कलिङ्गाश्च निषादाश्च क्राथपुत्रश्च तत् प्रसक्तमिवात्यर्थं युद्धमासीद् विशाम्पते॥
Angrily and with vehemence, fell upon the mighty division of the ruler of the Sindhus. Thereupon the Kalingas, the Nishadhas and the
वीर्यवान्।
puissant son of Kratha, clad in mail, covered his path with their mighty elephant division. The battle then that commenced between Abhimanyu and the other warriors was dreadful and fierce to the extreme.
ततस्तत् कुञ्जरानीकं व्यधमद् धृष्टमार्जुनिः। यथा वायुर्नित्यगतिर्जलदाशतशोऽम्बरे॥
Then the son of Arjuna began to crush that division of elephants, like the wind that blows in all directions destroying masses of clouds in the heaven.
ततः क्राथः शरव्रातैरार्जुनिं समवाकिरत्। अथेतरे संनिवृत्ताः पुनर्दोणमुखा रथाः॥
Thereafter Kratha covered Arjuna's son with showers of arrows; meanwhile many other car-warriors headed by Drona, turning back to the field of battle,
परमास्त्राणि धुन्वानाः सौभद्रमभिदुद्रुवुः। तान् निवार्यार्जुनिर्वाणैः क्राथपुत्रमथार्दयत्॥
Rushed at Subhadra's son, discharging numerous weapons of celestial make. Beating back all of them with arrows, Arjuna's son afflicted Kratha's son,
शरौघेणाप्रमेयेण त्वरमाणो जिघांसया। सधनुर्बाणकेयूरो बाहू समुकुटं शिरः॥
With innumerable groups of arrows, in all haste and inflamed with a desire for slaying his antagonist. Then the bow, the arrows, the bracelets, the arms and the head decked with a diadem, of Kratha's son,
सच्छत्रध्वजयन्तारं रथं चाश्वान् न्यपातयत्। कुलशीलश्रुतिबलैः कीर्त्या चास्त्रबलेन च। युक्ते तस्मिन् हते वीराः प्रायशो विमुखाऽभवन्॥
His umbrella, standards, charioteer and horses, were all felled by Abhimanyu. When that one (Kratha's son) possessed of a high lineage and character, acquainted with the Srutis and endued with wealth of weapons and fame was thus slain, almost all the remaining heroic warriors turned away from the field of battle.