None: Chapter 140

Continuous The slaughter of Alambusha

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच अहन्यहनि मे दीप्तं यशः पतति संजय। हता मे बहवो योधा मन्ये कालस्य पर्ययम्॥
Dhritarashtra said Day by day, O Sanjaya, by blazing fame is dwindling away. Numerous warriors of my side are being slain. I consider all this to be due to the adverse influence of Fate.

धनंजयः सुसंकुद्धः प्रविष्टो मामकं बलम्। रक्षितं द्रौणिकर्णाभ्यामप्रवेश्यं सुरैरपि॥
Inflamed with wrath, Dhananjaya has entered into my host which is protected by Drona's son and Karna and which is therefore incapable of being penetrated into by the very celestials.

ताभ्यामूर्जितवीर्याभ्यामाप्यायितपराक्रमः। सहितः कृष्णभीमाभ्यां शिनीनामृषभेण च॥
Dhananjaya's prowess has increased in consequence of his being united with that foremost of the Sinis and those two of burning energy, namely Krishna and Bhima.

तदाप्रभृति मां शोको दहत्यग्निरिवाशयम्। ग्रस्तानिव प्रपश्यामि भूमिपालान् ससैन्धवान्।॥
Like fire burning down a heap of dry grass, grief is corroding my heart since I have heard of Dhananjaya's entrance into my army. I see that all the king's of the earth with the ruler of the Sindhus amongst them, are under the influence of adverse Fate.

अप्रियं सुमहत् कृत्वा सिन्धुराजः किरीटिनः। चक्षुर्विषयमा यमापन्नः कथं जीवितमाप्नुयात्॥
Having inflicted a terrible injury to the diadem-checked Arjuna, how could the ruler of the Sindhu's escape with his life, when he would become the object of Arjuna's sight?

अनुमानाच पश्यामि नास्ति संजय सैन्धवः। युद्धं तु तद् यथावृत्तं तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वतः॥
O Sanjaya, I can imagine even now that the king of the Sindhus no longer lives. Therefore, tell me how in reality did that battle rage then.

यश्च विक्षोभ्य महतीं सेनामालोड्य चासकृत्। एकः प्रविष्टः संक्रुद्धो नलिनीमिव कुञ्जरः॥
He that had single-handed and unsupported entered into and agitated my army, even as an infuriate elephant enters and crushes a group of lotuses.

तस्य मे वृष्णिवीरस्य ब्रूहि युद्धं यथातथम्। धनंजयार्थे यत्तस्य कुशलो ह्यसि संजय॥
Tell me of the feats of that Vrishnipero, as he achieved them, struggling to help Dhananjaya in battle. O Sanjaya, you are an expert in narration.

संजय उवाच तथा तु वैकर्तनपीडितं तं भीमं प्रयान्तं पुरुषप्रवीरम् समीक्ष्य राजन् नरवीरमध्ये शिनिप्रवीरोऽनुययौ रथेन।॥
Sanjaya said Seeing that foremost of men namely Bhima, proceed, although pierced with the arrows of Vikartana's son in the midst of so many heroes, O monarch, that excellent warrior of the Sini race, followed him on his chariot.

नदन् यथा वज्रधरस्तपान्ते ज्वलन् यथा जलदान्ते च सूर्येः। निघ्नन्नमित्रान् धनुषा दृढेन स कम्पयंस्तव पुत्रस्य सेनाम्॥
Uttering thundering roars like the clouds at the expiration of the summer season or burning like the sun at the end of the rainy season, he began to slaughter his foes by means of his tough bow and caused the troops of your son repeatedly to tremble.

तं यान्तमश्वै रजतप्रकाशैरायोधने वीरवरं नदन्तम्। नाशक्नुवन् वारयितुं त्वदीयाः सर्वे तथा भारत माधवाग्रयम्॥
When that foremost of Madhu's race careered on the field on his chariot drawn by horses of argentine hue and roared fiercely, O Bharata, there was none amongst your troops who could then check him.

अमर्षपूर्णस्त्वनिवृत्तयोधी शरासनी काञ्चनवर्मधारी। अलम्बुषः मवारयद् राजवरोऽभिपत्य॥
Then that foremost of kings namely Alambusha excited with wrath, untreatreating in battle, armed with a bow and covered in a golden coat of mail, advancing against Satyaki checked his carreer in battle.

तयोरभूद् भारत सम्प्रहारो यथाविधो नैव बभूव कश्चित्। प्रेक्षन्त एवाहवशोभिनौ तौ योधास्त्वदीयाश्च परे च सर्वे॥
Then encounter that thereupon raged between them was unparalleled. Your soldiers and the enemy's troops, giving up the fight became spectators of that battle.

रलम्बुषो राजवरः प्रसा। अनागतानेव तु तान् पृषत्कां श्चिच्छेद बाणैः शिनिपुङ्गवोऽपि॥
The foremost of all kings viz., king Alambusha, then sped at Satyaki ten shafts; but that foremost of scions of the Sini race, cut-off all those shafts, with those of his own, before they could reach him.

राकर्णपूर्णैर्निशितैः सपुकैः। विव्याध देहावरणं विदार्य ते सात्यकेराविविशुः शरीरम्॥
Thereupon, Alambusha pierced Satyaki with three sharp arrows furnished with beautiful wings blazing as fire and discharged from the bow drawn back to the very ear. These arrows penetrating through Satyaki's coat of mail mangled his body.

विदार्य बाणैर्निशितैर्व्वलद्भिः। नश्वांश्चतुर्भिश्चतुरः प्रसा॥
Then piercing Satyaki's body with those keen pointed and effulgent arrows, poisoned and of the energy of fire or the wind, Alambusha, with four other shafts, struck the four silver-white steeds of Satyaki with great force.

तथा तु तेनाभिहतस्तरस्वी। नप्ता शिनेश्चक्रधरप्रभावः। रश्वांश्चतुर्भिनिजघान बाणैः॥
Possessing prowess and activity equal to those of that bearer of the discus (Krishna), the grandson of Sini, thus struck by Alambusha, slew the latter's fours steeds with four keen arrows.

अथास्य सूतस्य शिरो निकृत्य भल्लेन कालानलसंनिभेन। सकुण्डलं पूर्णशशिप्रकाशं भ्राजिष्णु वक्त्रं निचकर्त देहात्॥
Then cutting off the head of Alambusha's charioteer, he severed with a broad-headed arrows fierce as the yoga-fire from the former's trunk his head graced with excellent ear-rings and beautiful as the full moon.

निहत्य तं पार्थिवपुत्रपौत्रं संख्ये यदूनामृषभः प्रमाथी। ततोऽन्वयादर्जुनमेव वीरः। सैन्यानि राजंस्तव संनिवार्य॥
Having slain that scion of a mace whose descendants are all kings, the illustrious descendant of the Yadu race that hero capable of crushing the hostile army, advanced towards Arjuna, o king, checking in his progress of soldiers of the enemy.

अन्वागतं वृष्णिवीरं समीक्ष्य तथारिमध्ये परिवर्तमानम्। मन्तं कुरूणामिषुभिर्बलानि पुनः पुनर्वायुमिवाभ्रपूगान्॥
O monarch, thus careering amongst his enemies, the Vrishni hero, when following in the track of Arjuna, was seen with his shafts to destroy repeadly the Kuru host, like the raging tempest scattering masses of clouds.

ततोऽवहन् सैन्धवाः साधुदान्ता गोक्षीरकुन्देन्दुहिमप्रकाशाः। सुवर्णजालावतताः सदश्वा यतो यतः कामयते नृसिंहः॥
Where-ever that foremost of men desired to go, he was borne thither by those best steeds of his that were of Sindhu breed, well-broken, tame, white as milk or the Kunda flower or the moon or the snow and that were decked with housings and traces of gold.

रन्ये च योधास्त्वरितास्त्वदीयाः। कृत्वा मुखं भारत योधमुख्यं दुःशासनं त्वत्सुतमाजमीढ॥
Then, O descendant of Ajamidas race, yours sons, united with other soldiers of your army, quickly rushed against Satyaki, making that foremost of warrior's viz., Dushasana their leader.

ते सर्वतः सम्परिवार्य संख्ये शैनेयमाजघ्नुरनीकसाहाः। स चापि तान् प्रवरः सात्वतानां न्यवारयद् बाणजालेन वीरः॥
Those commanders of divisions surrounding the grandson of Sini on all sides, began to wound him viz., that foremost of the Satwata's; that hero Satyaki resisted them with showers of his arrows.

निवार्य तांस्तूर्णममित्रघाती नप्ता शिनेः पत्रिभिरग्निकल्पैः। नुद्यम्य बाणासनमाजमीढ॥ ततोऽर्जुनो हर्षमवाप संख्ये कृष्णश्च दृष्ट्वा पुरुषप्रवीरम्॥
Resisting them all quickly with his shafts of fiery energy, that slayer of hostile heroes, the grandson of Sini uplifting his bow, slew the horses of Dushasana's chariot; then Arjuna and Krishna seeing that foremost of men Satyaki thus fight in battle became highly delighted.