None: Chapter 109

The slaughter of Alambusha

संजय उवाच अलम्बुषं तथा युद्धे विचरन्तमभीतवत्। हैडिम्बिः प्रययौ तूर्णे विव्याध निशितैः शरैः॥
Sanjaya said Alambusha then began to career dauntlessly on another part of the field. And when he was thus careering, Hidimba's son rushed against and quickly pierced him with whetted shafts.

तयोः प्रतिभयं युद्धमासीद् राक्षससिंहयोः। कुर्वतोर्विविधा मायाः शक्रशम्बरयोरिव॥
Then like the battle between Shakra and Shambara in the days of yore, the battle between those two foremost of Rakshasas became terrible, as they invoked into existence many illusions.

अलम्बुषो भृशं क्रुद्धो घटोत्कचमताडयत्। तयोर्युद्धं समभवद् रक्षोग्रामणिमुख्ययोः॥
Highly excited, Alambusha began to strike Ghatotkacha. The battle between those two best and foremost of the Rakshasas that then raged.

याहगेव पुरावृत्तं रामरावणयोः प्रभो। घटोत्कचस्तु विंशत्या नाराचानां स्तनान्तरे।४॥ अलम्बुषमथो विद्ध्वा सिंहवद् व्यनदन्मुहुः। तथैवालम्बुषो राजन् हैडिम्बि युद्धदुर्मदम्॥ विद्ध्वा विद्ध्वा नदष्टः पूरयन् खं समनततः। तथा तौ भृशसंक्रुद्धौ राक्षसेन्द्रौ महाबलौ॥
O master, resembled that between Rama and Ravana, that took place in days gone. Thereupon Ghatotkacha piercing Alambusha on the breast with a score of Narachas uttered incessantly lion-like roars; so also, o king, piercing the invincible son son of Hidimba repeatedly, Alambusha became filled with। delight and he roared filling the welkin with his roars. Then those two foremost of the Rakshasas, both endued with might and both excited to the highest pitch of fury.

निर्विशेषमयुध्येतां मायाभिरितरेतरम्। मायाशतसृजौ नित्यं मोहयन्तौ परस्परम्॥
Fought on with each other, displaying numerous illusions and none getting any advantage over the other. Creating hundreds of illusions and therewith confounding each other.

मायायुद्धेषु कुशलौ मायायुद्धमयुध्यताम्। यां यां घटोत्कचो युद्धे मायां दर्शयते नृप॥
Those two Rakshasas, versed in illusive combats, fought on displaying illusions O king; and in in that that battle whatsoever illusions Ghatotkacha created.

तां तामलम्बुषो राजन् माययेव निजनिवान्। तं तथा युध्यमानं तु मायायुद्धविशारदम्॥ अलम्बुषं राक्षसेन्द्रं दृष्ट्वाक्रुध्यन्त पाण्डवाः। त एनं भृशसंविग्नाः सर्वतः प्रवरा रथैः॥ अभ्यद्रवन्त संक्रुद्धा भीमसेनादयो नृप। त एनं कोष्ठकीकृत्य रथवंशेन मारिष॥ सर्वतो व्यकिरन् बाणैरुल्काभिरिव कुञ्जरम्। स तेषामस्त्रेवेगं तं प्रतिहत्यास्त्रमायया॥
Alambusha nullified them with those of his own, O ruler of men. Then beholding that foremost of the Rakshasas, that one versed in the illusive mode of warfare, viz., Alambusha fight in that manner, the Pandavas became greatly enraged. Preyed upon by anxiety and excited with rage, Bhimasena and others, supported by many best car-warriors, assailed him with force. ( sire, then they having completely surrounded him with the host of their cars covered him from all sides, with their arrows, like men covering an elephant with blazing brands. Checking the force of their weapons with the illusive weapons of his own.

तस्माद् रथव्रजान्मुक्तो वनदाहादिय द्विपः। स विस्फार्य धनु।रमिन्द्राशनिसमस्वनम्॥
Alambusha freed himself from the press of those cars, like an elephant freeing himself from a forest-conflagration. Then stretching his bow the twang of which resembled the roar of Indra's thunder, he

मारुतिं पञ्चविंशत्या भैमसेनि च पञ्चभिः। युधिष्ठिरं त्रिभिर्विध्वा सहदेवं च सप्तभिः॥
Pierced Maruta's son (Bhima) with twentyfive, Bhimasena's son with five, Yudhishthira with three and Sahadeva with five arrows.

नकुलं च त्रिसप्तत्या द्रौपदेयांश्च मारिष। पञ्चभिः पञ्चभिर्विद्ध्वा घोरं नादं ननाद ह॥
Then again, O sire, piercing Nakula with seventy-three and the sons of Draupadi, each with five arrows, he uttered a loud and dreadful war-cry.

तं भीमसेनो नवभिः सहदेवस्तु पञ्चभिः। युधिष्ठिरः शतेनैव राक्षसं प्रत्यविध्यत॥
Thereupon Bhimasena pierced the Rakshasa with nine arrows; Sahadeva pierced him with five and Yudhishthira with a hundred shafts.

नकुलस्तुचतुःषष्ट्या द्रौपदेयास्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः। हैडिम्बो राक्षसं विद्ध्वा युद्धे पञ्चाशता शरैः॥
Nakula pierced him with sixty-four and the sons of Draupadi each with three shafts seperately. The son of Hidimba then piercing the Rakshasa (Alambusha), with five hundred arrows.

पुनर्विव्याध सप्तत्या ननाद च महाबलः। तस्य नादेन महता कम्पितेयं वसुंधरु॥
Once more pierced him with seventy arrows; and that highly powerful one sent up a loud roar. In consequence of that roar of his, the earth trembled.

सपर्वतवना राजन् सपादपजलाशया। सोऽतिविद्धो महेष्वासैः सर्वतस्तैर्महारथैः॥
With her mountains, forests trees and watery expanses. O king, pierced deeply by those mighty car-warriors, those fierce bowmen from all sides, Alambusha.

प्रतिविव्याध तान् सर्वान् पञ्चभिः पञ्चभिः शरैः। तं क्रुद्धं राक्षसं युद्धे प्रतिक्रुद्धस्तु राक्षसः॥
Pierced all of them in return with five shafts each. Then the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha became thoroughly enraged upon the enraged Alambusha.

हैडिम्बो भरतश्रेष्ठ शरैर्विव्याघ सप्तभिः। सोऽतिविद्धो बलवता राक्षसेन्द्रो महाबलः॥
And the former (the son of Hidimba) then pierced the latter with seven shafts. O king that foremost of the Rakshasas, endued with might viz., Alambusha, being pierced deeply by his powerful antagonist.

व्यसृजत् सायकांस्तूर्णं रुक्मपुङ्खान् शिलाशितान्। ते शरा नतपर्वाणो विविशू राक्षसं तदा॥
Quickly created numerous arrows, furnished with golden wings and whetted on stone. Those shafts of depressed knots then penetrated into the body of the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha.

रुषिताः पन्नगा यद्वद् गिरिशृङ्गं महाबलाः। ततस्ते पाण्डवा राजन् समन्तानिनशिताशरान्॥ प्रेषयामासुरुद्विग्ना हैडिम्बश्च घटोत्कचः। स विध्यमानः समरे पाण्डवैर्जितकाशिभिः॥
Like angry snakes of great strength entering into a mountain summit. Thereupon, O king, the Pandavas and Ghatotkacha the son of Hidimba, filled with anxiety, began to sped sharp shafts at Alambusha from all sides. Wounded sore in battle by the Pandavas desirous of securing victory, Alambusha.

मर्त्यधर्ममनुप्राप्तः कर्तव्यं नान्वपद्यत। ततः समरशौण्डो वै भैमसेनिर्महाबलः॥
Mortal as he was, knew not what to do. Thereat that foremost combatant, the highly powerful son of Bhimasena.

समीक्ष्य तदवस्थं तं वधायास्य मनो दधे। वेगं चक्रे महान्तं च राक्षसेन्द्ररथं प्रति॥
Beholding him in that state, resolved to slay him. Then he rushed with great vehemence upon the car of that foremost of the Rakshasas (Alambusha).

दग्धाद्रिकूटशृङ्गाभं भिन्नाञ्जनचयोपमम्। रथाद् रथमभिदुत्य क्रुद्धो हैडिम्बिराक्षिपत्॥
Car that resembled in effulgence the summit of a burning hill or a broken heap of antimony. Burning with rage, Hidimba's son flew for his own chariot to that of his adversary and seized the latter.

उद्वबर्ह रथाच्चापि पन्नगं गरुडो यथा। समुत्क्षिप्य च बाहुभ्यामाविध्य च पुनः पुनः॥
He then took the latter up from his chariot like Garuda taking up a snake. Then dragging him up with his arrows and whirling him again and again.

निष्पिपेष क्षितौ क्षिप्रं पूर्णकुम्भमिवाश्मनि। बललाघवसम्पन्नः सम्पन्नो विक्रमेण च॥
Ghatotkacha dashed him against the earth like a man dashing a earthen jar full of water against a stone. Endued with mighty and agility and possessed of prowess.

भैमसेनी रणे क्रुद्धः सर्वसैन्यान्यभीषयत्। स विस्फारितसर्वाङ्गश्शूर्णितास्थिर्विभीषणः॥
The son of Bhimasena inflamed with rage, began to frighten all your troops. With all his limbs crushed, his bones broken and appearing dreadful.

घटोत्कचेन वीरेण हतः शालकटङ्कटः। ततः सुमनसः पार्था हते तस्मिन् निशाचरे॥ चुक्रुशुः सिंहनादांश्च वासांस्यादुधुवुश्च ह। तावकाश्च हतं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसेन्द्रं महाबलम्॥
And slain by the heroic Ghatotkacha the Rakshasa Alambusha looked like a Sala tree broken and uprooted by the wind. Upon the slaughter of that ranger ranger of the night (Alambusha), the Parthas, filled with delight, Uttered loud roars and waived their garments in the air. Beholding that mighty foremost the Rakshasas slain.

अलम्बुषं तथा शूरा विशीर्णमिव पर्वतम्। हाहाकारमकार्षुश्च सैन्यानि भरतर्षभ॥
And crushed like a mountain, your heroic warriors, O foremost of the Bharatas, uttered exclamations of Alas and Oh.

जनाश्च तद् ददृशिरे रक्षः कौतूहलान्विताः। यदृच्छया निपतितं भूमावङ्गारकं यथा॥
Filled with curiosity, people then came to seen that Rakshasa who was lying on the field like a piece of charcoal (no longer capable of burning).

घटोत्कचस्तु तद्धत्वा रक्षो बलवतां वरम्। मुमोच बलचन्नादं बलं हत्वेव वासवः॥
That best of all beings possessed of might viz., the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, slaying Alambusha like Vasava laying Bala, uttered by loud roars.

घटोत्कचः कर्मणि दुष्करे कृते। रिपुं निहत्याभिननन्द वै तदा ह्यलम्बुषं पक्वमलम्बुषं यथा॥
For having achieved that most difficult feat Ghatotkacha was greatly praised by his sires and his other relatives. Indeed having felled his foe Alambusha even like an Alambusha fruit, he became filled with joy.

ततो निनादः सुमहान् समुत्थितः सशङ्खनानाविधबाणघोषवान्। स्ततोध्वनिर्भुवनमथास्पृशद् भृशम्॥
Then there arose among the Pandavas a mighty din produced by the blare of conchs and the whizz of various kinds of weapons. Hearing that din the Kauravas uttered equally loud shouts in reply, filling completely the earth with their resonance. For having achieved that most difficult feat Ghatotkacha was greatly praised by his sires and his other relatives. Indeed having felled his foe Alambusha even like an Alambusha fruit, he became filled with joy.

ततो निनादः सुमहान् समुत्थितः सशङ्खनानाविधबाणघोषवान्। स्ततोध्वनिर्भुवनमथास्पृशद् भृशम्॥
Then there arose among the Pandavas a mighty din produced by the blare of conchs and the whizz of various kinds of weapons. Hearing that din the Kauravas uttered equally loud shouts in reply, filling completely the earth with their resonance.