वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वा तु नृपतिः प्राप्तं पितरं बभ्रुवाहनः। निर्ययौ विनयेनाथ ब्राह्मणार्थपुरःसरः॥
Hearing that his father Arjuna had arrived within his kingdom, the king of Manipura, Babhruvahana went out with humility, with a number of Brahmanas and some treasure in his van.
मणिपूरेश्वरं त्वेवमुपयातं धनंजयः। नाभ्यनन्दत् स मेधावी क्षत्रधर्ममनुस्मरन्॥
Remembering, however, the duties of Kshatriyas, the highly intelligent Dhananjaya, seeing the king of Manipura arrive in that guise, did not approve of it.
उवाच च स धर्मात्मा समन्युः फाल्गुनस्तदा। प्रक्रियेयं न ते युक्ता बहिस्त्वं क्षत्रधर्मतः॥
The righteous-souled Phalguna angrily said, Your conduct is not proper. You have certainly fallen away from Kshatriya duties.
संरक्ष्यमाणं तुरगं यौधिष्ठिरमुपागतम्। यज्ञियं विषयान्ते मां नायौत्सी: किं नु पुत्रक॥
I have come here as the protector of Yudhishthira's sacrificial horse. Why, O son, will you not fight me, seeing that I have come within your territories?
धिक् त्वामस्तु सुदुर्बुद्धिं क्षत्रधर्मबहिष्कृतम्। यो मा युद्धाय सम्प्राप्तं साम्नैव प्रत्यगृह्णथाः॥
Fie on you, O you of foolish understanding, Fie on you who have deviated from Kshatriya duties! Fie on you who would receive me peacefully even though I have come here for fighting with you.
न त्वया पुरुषार्थो हि कश्चिदस्तीह जीवता। यस्त्वं स्त्रीवद् यथाप्राप्तं मां साम्ना प्रत्यगृह्णथाः॥ यद्यहं न्यस्तशस्त्रस्त्वामागच्छेयं सुदुर्मते। प्रक्रियेयं भवेद् युक्ता तावत् तव नराधम॥ तमेवमुक्तं भ; तु विदित्वा पन्नगात्मजा। अमृष्यमाणा भित्त्वोर्वीमुलूपी समुपागमत्॥
In thus receiving me peacefully you act like a woman. O you of wretched understanding, if I had come to you, leaving aside my arms, then would this conduct of yours have been fit, O worst of men!" Learning that these words were addressed by her husband, the daughter of the Snake King, viz., Ulupi, unable to tolerate it, pierced through the Earth and came up there.
सा ददर्श ततः पुत्रं विमृशन्तमधोमुखम्। संतय॑मानमसकृत् पित्रा युद्धार्थिना प्रभो॥ ततः सा चारुसर्वाङ्गी समुपेत्योरगात्मजा। उलूपी प्राह वचनं धन॑ धर्मविशारदम्॥
She saw her son standing there perfectly cheerless and with face hanging down. Indeed, the prince was repeatedly rebuked by his father who was desirous of battle with him, O monarch! The daughter of the Snake, possessed of beautiful limbs, viz., Ulupi, said these words consistent with righteousness and duty to the prince who himself was conversant with righteousness and duty.
उलूपी मां निबोध त्वं मातरं पन्नगात्मजाम्। कुरुष्व वचनं पुत्र धर्मस्ते भविता परः॥ युध्वस्वैनं कुरुश्रेष्ठं पितरं युद्धदुर्मदम्। एवमेष हि ते प्रीतो भविष्यति न संशयः॥
Know that I am your mother Ulupi that am the daughter of a snake. Do you perform my order, O son for you would then acquire great merit. Fight your father, this foremost one of Kuru's race, this hero who is irresistible in battle. Forsooth, he will then be pleased with you.
एवं दुर्मर्षितो राजा स मात्रा बभ्रुवाहनः । मनश्चक्रे महातेजा युद्धाय भरतर्षभ।॥ संना काञ्चनं वर्म शिरस्त्राणं च भानुमत्। तूणीरशतसम्बाधमारुरोह रथोत्तमम्॥ सर्वोपकरणोपेतं युक्तमश्वैर्मनोजवैः। स चक्रोपस्करं श्रीमान् हेमभाण्डपरिष्कृतम्॥
Thus was king Babhruvahana incited against his father by his (step) mother. At last, gifted as he was with great energy, he made up his mind, O chief of the Bharatas, to fight Dhananjaya, Putting on his armour of bright gold and his shining head-dress, he got upon an excellent car which had hundreds of quivers ready on it. That car was equipped with necessaries for battle and had horses yoked to it which were fleet like the mind. It had excellent wheels and a strong Upashkara, and was adorned with golden ornaments of every sort.
परमार्चितमुच्छ्रित्य ध्वजं सिंहं हिरण्मयम्। प्रययौ पार्थमुद्दिश्य स राजा बभ्रुवाहनः॥
Raising his standard which was decorated most beautifully and which bore the device of a lion in gold, the beautiful prince Babhruvahana proceeded against this father for battle.
ततोऽभ्येत्य हयं वीरो यज्ञियं पार्थरक्षितम्। ग्राहयामास पुरुषैर्हयशिक्षाविशारदैः॥
Coming upon the sacrificial horse which was protected by Partha, the heroic prince caused it to be seized by persons well-versed in veterinary science.
गृहीतं वाजिनं दृष्ट्वा प्रीतात्मा स धनंजयः। पुत्रं रथस्थं भूमिष्ठः संन्यवारयदाहवे॥
Seeing the horse seized, Dhananjaya become filled with joy. Standing on the earth, that hero began to oppose the advance of his son who was on his car.
स तत्र राजा तं वीरं शरसंधैरनेकशः। अर्दयामास निशितैराशीविषविषोपमैः॥
The king afflicted the hero with repeated showers of arrows gifted with whetted points and resembling snakes of dreadful poison.
तयोः समभवद् युद्धं पितुः पुत्रस्य चातुलम्। देवासुररणप्रख्यमुभयोः प्रीयमाणयोः॥
Incomparable was the battle which took place between the father and son. It resembled the battle between the celestials and the Asuras of old. Each was pleased with obtaining the other for an antagonist. arrow a
किरीटिनं प्रविव्याध शरेणानतपर्वणा। जत्रुदेशे नरव्याघ्र प्रहसन् बभ्रुवाहनः॥
Then Babhruvahana, laughing, cut the diadem-decked Arjuna, that foremost of men, in the shoulder with a straight arrow.
सोऽभ्यगात् सह पुड्वेन वल्मीकमिव पन्नगः। विनिर्मिद्य च कौन्तेयं प्रविवेश महीतलम्॥
Equipped with feathers, that penetrated Arjuna's body like snake penetrating on an anthill. Piercing the son of Kunti through, the arrow went deep into the Earth.
स गाढवेदनो धीमानालम्ब्य धनुरुत्तमम्। दिव्यं तेजः समाविश्य प्रमीत इव साऽभवत्॥
Feeling acute pain, the intelligent Dhananjaya rested awhile, supporting himself on his excellent bow. He stood, having recourse to his celestial energy and seemed externally like one dead.
स संज्ञामुपलभ्याथ प्रशस्य पुरुषर्षभः। पुत्रं शक्रात्मजो वाक्यमिदमाह महाद्युतिः॥ साधु साधु महाबाहो वत्स चित्राङ्गदात्मजा सदृशं कर्म ते दृष्ट्वा प्रीतिमानस्मि पुत्रक॥
That foremost of men, then regaining consciousness, lauded his highly. Possessed of great splendour, the son of Shakra said, Excellent, Excellent, O mighty-armed one, O son of Chitrangada! O son, seeing this feat, so worthy of you, I am highly pleased son with you.
विमुञ्चाम्येष ते बाणान् पुत्र युद्धे स्थिरो भव। इत्येवमुक्त्वा नाराचैरभ्यवर्षदमित्रहा॥
I shall now discharge these arrows at you, O son! Stand for fight (without running away). Having said these words, that destroyer of enemies shot a shower of arrows on the prince.
तान् स गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तान् वज्राशनिसमप्रभान्। नाराचानच्छिनद् राजा भल्लैःसर्वास्त्रिधा द्विधा॥
King Babhruvahana, however, with his own broad-headed arrows, cut all those arrows, which were discharged from Gandiva and which resembled the thunderbolt of Indra in splendour, some in two, and some into three, parts.
तस्य पार्थः शरैर्दिव्यैर्ध्वजं हेमपरिष्कृतम्। सुवर्णतालप्रतिमं क्षुरेणापाहरद् रथात्॥
Then the standard, decked with gold and resembling a golden Palmyra, on the king's car was cut off by Partha with some excellent arrows of his.
हयांश्चास्य महाकायान् महावेगानरिंदम। चकार राजन् निर्जीवान् प्रहसन्निव पाण्डवः॥
The son of Pandu, laughing, next killed the king's horses of large size and great speed.
स रथादवतीर्याथ राजा परमकोपनः। पदातिः पितरं क्रुद्धो योधयामास पाण्डवम्॥
Descending from his car, the king, worked up with rage, fought his father on foot.
सम्प्रीयमाणः पार्थानामृषभः पुत्रविक्रमात्। नात्यर्थं पीडयामास पुत्रं वज्रधरात्मजः॥
Pleased with the prowess of his son, that foremost one of the sons of Pritha, viz., the son of the wielder of the thunderbolt, began to afflict him greatly.
स मन्यमानो विमुखं पितरं बभ्रुवाहनः। शरैराशीविषाकारैः पुनरेवार्दयद् बली॥
The powerful Babhruvahana, thinking that his father was no longer able to face him, again afflicted him with many arrows resembling snakes of dreadful poison.
ततः स बाल्यात् पितरं विव्याध हृदि पत्रिणा। निशितेन सुपुढेन बलवद् बभ्रुवाहनः॥
From a spirit of childishness he then vigorously cut his father in the breast with a whetted arrow having excellent wings.
विवेश पाण्डवं राजन् मर्म भित्त्वातिदुःखकृत्। स तेनातिभृशं विद्धः पुत्रेण कुरुनन्दनः॥ महीं जगाम मोहार्तस्ततो राजन् धनंजयः। तस्मिन् निपतिते वीरे कौरवाणां धुरंधरे॥ सोऽपि मोहं जगामाथ ततश्चित्राङ्गदासुतः। व्यायम्य संयुगे राजा दृष्ट्वा च पितरं हतम्॥
That arrow, O king, penetrated the body of Pandu's son and reaching his very vitals caused him great pain. The delighter of the Kurus, Dhananjaya, deeply pierced therewith by his son, then dropped down in a swoon on the Earth, O king! When that hero, that bearer of the burthens of the Kurus, fell down, the son of Chitrangada also became unconscious. The latter's swoon was owing to his exertions in battle as also to his grief at seeing his father killed.
पूर्वमेव स बाणौधैर्गाढविद्धोऽर्जुनेन ह। पपात सोऽपि धरणीमालिङ्ग्य रणमूर्धनि॥
He had been pierced deeply by Arjuna with clouds of arrows. He, therefore dropped down at the van of battle embracing the Earth.
भर्तारं निहतं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रं च पतितं भुवि। चित्राड्दा परित्रस्ता प्रविवेश रणाजिरे॥
Hearing that her husband had been killed and that her son had fallen down on the Earth, Chitrangada, in great agitation of mind, went to the field of battle.
शोकसंतप्तहृदया रुदती वेपती भृशम्। मणिपूरपतेर्माता ददर्श निहतं पतिम्॥
Her heart burning with sorrow, weeping piteously the while, and trembling all over, the mother of the king of Manipura saw her killed husband.