None: Chapter 175

The slaughter of Alambusha

संजय उवाच दृष्ट्वा घटोत्कचं राजन् सूतपुत्ररथं प्रति। आयान्तं तु तथा युक्तं जिबांसुं कर्णमाहवे॥
Sanjaya said Then, O monarch, beholding the mightyarmed Ghatotkacha, rush against the car of Suta's son Karna, with a view to slaughter him,

अब्रवीत् तत्र पुत्रस्ते दुःशासनमिदं वचः। एतद् रक्षो रणे तूर्णं दृष्ट्वा कर्णस्य विक्रमम्॥
Your Duryodhana addressing Dushasana said these works "Beholding Karna's prowess in battle, yonder does the Rakshasa

अभियाति द्रुतं कर्णं तद् वारय महास्थम्। वृतः सैन्येन महता याहि यत्र महाबलः॥
Rush against that mighty car-warrior, Do you check the Rakshasa's progress; supported by mighty divisions do you go to the spot where the highly powerful.

कर्णो वैकर्तनो युद्धे राक्षसेन युयुत्सति। रक्ष कर्णं रणे यत्तो वृतः सैन्येन मानद॥
Karna the son of Vikartana is fighting with the Rakshasa. O bestower of honor, putting forth your best energies in battle and supported by the troops do you protect Karna in battle.

मा कर्ण राक्षसो घोरः प्रमादानाशयिष्यति। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजञ्जटासुरसुतो बली॥
Let not the dreadful Rakshasa succeed, through our negligence, in slaying Karna. Meanwhile, O monarch, the highly puissant son of Jatasura.

दुर्योधनमुपागम्य प्राह प्रहरतां वरः। दुर्योधन तवामित्रान् प्रख्यातान् युद्धदुमदान्॥ पाण्डवान् हन्तुमिच्छामि त्वयाऽऽज्ञप्तः सहानुगान्। जटासुरो मम पिता रक्षसां ग्रामणीः पुरा॥
That best of smiters, approaching Duryodhana said these words-"O Duryodhana, with your permission, do I intend to slay the Pandava brothers and their followers who are your inveterate enemies and who are regarded as indomitable in battle. My father was Jatasura that foremost of the Rakshasas, endued with great prowess.

प्रयुज्य कर्म रक्षोघ्नं क्षुद्रैः पार्थेनिपातितः। तस्यापचितिमिच्छामि शत्रुशोणितपूजया। शत्रुमांसैश्च राजेन्द्र मामनुज्ञातुमर्हसि॥
In days gone by, through some Rakshasaslaying charms, the puny sons of Pritha slew him. I now desire to render satisfaction to his departed spirit by worshipping him with the blood of his foes.

तमब्रवीत् ततो राजा प्रीयमाणः पुनः पुनः। द्रोणकर्णादिभिः सार्धं पर्याप्तोऽहं द्विषद्वधे॥
As also with their flesh. O foremost of kings, it behoves you to accord me your permission.” Thereupon king Duryodhana, highly gratified, repeatedly told these words to

त्वं तु गच्छ मयाऽऽज्ञप्तो जहि युद्धे घटोत्कचम्। राक्षसं क्रूरकर्माणं रक्षोमानुषसम्भवम्॥
“Supported by Drona and Karna and others, I am competent enough to conquer my enemies. With my leave, do you go and slay the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha.

पाण्डवानां हितं नित्यं हस्त्यश्वरथघातिनम्। वैहायसगतं युद्धे प्रेषयेर्यमसादनम्॥
That Rakshasa of fierce feats, born of men, ever devoted to the interests of the Pandavas and always slaying our elephants, horses and charioteer in battle.

तथेत्युक्त्वा महाकाय: समाहूय घटोत्कचम्। जाटासुरिभैंमसेनि नानाशस्त्रैरवाकिरत्॥
Staying himself all the while in the firmament, go dispatch him to Yama's (dreary) place.” Then that huge-bodied son of Jatasura saying “yea' to his words, challenged Ghatotkacha.

अलम्बुषं च कर्णं च कुरुसैन्यं च दुस्तरम्। हैडिम्बिः प्रममाथैको महावातोऽमबुदानिव॥ ततो मायाबलं दृष्ट्वा रक्षस्तूर्णंमलम्बुषः। घटोत्कचं शरव्रातैर्नानालिङ्गैः समार्पयत्॥
Thereafter the son of Jatasura covered the son of Bhimasena with various kind of weapons. But the son of Hidimba, singlehanded, crushed Alambusha, Karna and the unfordable ocean of Kuru soldiers, like a furious tempest agitating the clouds. Thereafter the Rakshasa Alambusha seeing the potency of the illusion of Ghatotkacha.

विद्ध्वा च बहुभिर्बाणैर्भमसेनि महाबलः। व्यद्रावयच्छरवातैः पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्॥
Quickly covered him with myriads of shafts. Piercing the son of Bhimasena with numerous arrows, Alambusha.

तेन विद्राव्यमाणनि पाण्डुसैन्यानि भारत। निशीथे विप्रकीर्यन्ते वातनुन्ना घना इव॥
With his arrows, caused the Pandava armies to be routed. Routed by him the Pandavas troops, O Bharata.

घटोत्कचशरैर्नुना तथैव तव वाहिनी। निशीथे प्राद्रवद् राजन्नुत्सृज्योल्काः सहस्रशः॥
Began to disperse in that night, like masses of clouds torn away by a furious gale. Similarly your troops mangled with the arrows of Ghatotkacha.

अलम्बुषस्ततः क्रुद्धो भैमसेनि महामृधे। आजघ्ने दशभिर्बाणैस्तोत्रैरिव महाद्विपम्॥ तिलशस्तस्य संवाहं सूतं सर्वायुधानि च। घटोत्कचः प्रचिच्छेद प्रणदंश्चातिदारुणम्॥ ततः कर्णं शरवातैः कुरुनन्यान् सहस्रशः। अलम्बुषं चाभ्यवर्षन्मेघो मेरुमिवाचलम्॥ ततः संचुक्षुभे सैन्यं कुरूणां राक्षसार्दितम्। उपर्युपरि चान्योन्यं चतुरङ्गं ममर्द ह॥
Fled away in that night throwing, O monarch, all their flambeaus down. Thereafter wrought up with rage, Alambusha struck Bhima's son in that fierce battle, with numerous arrows, like a guide striking an elephant with the goad. Then Ghatotkacha cutoff into small fragments the chariot, the driver and the weapons of his opponent and laughed terrible. Then like clouds showering torrents of rain on the Meru mountain, Ghatotkacha poured showers of shafts of Karna, Alambusha and all the rest of Kurus. Afflicted by the Rakshasa, the Kuru troops became greatly agitated.

जाटासुरिर्महाराज विरथो हतसारथिः। घटोत्कचं रणे क्रुद्धो मुष्टिनाभ्यहनद् दृढम्॥
The four kinds of forces of which your army consisted, began to press and crush one another. Then the son of Jatasura deprived of his car and driver.

मुष्टिनाभ्याहतस्तेन प्रचचाल घटोत्कचः। क्षितिकम्पे यथा शैलः सवृक्षस्तृणगुल्मवान्॥
Wrathfully struck Ghatotkacha in that battle with his bare fists. Thus struck Ghatotkacha trembled.

ततः स परिघाभेन द्विट्संघनेन बाहुना। जाटासुरिं भैमसेनिरवधीन्मुष्टिना भृशम्॥ तं प्रमथ्य ततः क्रुद्धस्तूर्णं हैडिम्बिराक्षिपत्। दोामिन्द्रध्वजाभाभ्यां निष्पिपेष च भूतले॥
Like a mountain with its trees, creepers and grass at the time of an earth-quake. Then the son of Bhimasena furious with rage, raising his own foe-slaying arm that resembled bludgeon, dealt a severe blow to Jatasura's son; thus furiously crushing him, the son of Hidimba quickly threw him down.

जाटासुरिर्मोक्षयित्वा आत्मानं च घटोत्कचात्। पुनरुत्थाय वेगेन घटोत्कचमुपाद्रवत्॥
a And then seizing him by his two arms began to press him with great force against the earth. Then the son of Jatasura freeing himself from the grasp of Ghatotkacha.

अलम्बुषोऽपि विक्षिप्य समुत्क्षिप्य च राक्षसम्। घटोत्कचं रणे रोषानिष्पिपेष च भूतले॥
Once more rose up quickly and rushed furiously upon the latter. Alambusha also, throwing down and dragging the Rakshasa.

तयोः समभवद् युद्धं गर्जतोरतिकाययोः। घटोत्कचालम्बुषयोस्तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम्॥ विशेषयन्तावन्योन्यं मायाभिरतिमायिनौ। युयुधाते महावीर्याविन्द्रवैरोचनाविव॥
Ghatotkacha, out of rage began to press him against the earth. Then between those two roaring heroes of huge proportion, namely Ghatotkacha and Alambusha, a battle raged that was extremely terrible and horripilating. Then those highly proud heroes, each desirous of getting advantage over the other by means of their illusive powers.

पावकाम्बुनिधी भूत्वा पुनर्गरुडतक्षको। पुनर्मेघमहावातौ पुनर्वज्रमहाचलौ।॥
Fought on with great fury like the puissant Indra and the son of Virochana. Becoming fire and the ocean, again Garuda and Takshaka.

पुनः कुञ्जरशार्दूलौ पुनः स्वर्भानुभास्करौ। एवं मायाशतसृजावन्योन्यवधकाङ्गिणौ॥
And once a cloud and a tempest and again thunder and a mighty mountain and an elephant and a tiger and Rahu and the sun.

भृशं चित्रमयुध्येतामलम्बुषघटोत्कचौ। परिघैश्च गदाभिश्च प्रासमुद्गरपट्टिशैः॥ मुसलैः पर्वताग्रैश्च तावन्योन्यं विजनतुः।
They thus exhibited a hundred different kinds of illusions, desirous of compassing each other's destruction. Indeed Alambusha and Ghatotkacha fought most wonderfully, with bludgeons and maces and lances and mallets and battle axes and clubs and crests of mountains, they then struck each other.

हयाभ्यां च गजाभ्यां च रथाभ्यां च पदातिभिः॥ युयुधाते महामायौ राक्षसप्रवरौ युधि।
Riding on the back of elephants or horses or on their chariots, those foremost of Rakshasas both possessed of potent illusive powers, fought with each other in that battle.

ततो घटोत्कचो राजन्नलम्बुषवधेप्सया॥ उत्पपात भृशं क्रुद्धः श्येनवनिपपात च।
Thereafter, king Ghatotkacha, impelled by a desire for killing Alambusha and excited to the highest pitch of fury soared aloft and then came down even like a hawk.

गृहीत्वा च महाकायं राक्षसेन्द्रमलम्बुषम्॥ उद्यम्य न्यवधीद् भूमौ मयं विष्णुरिवाहवे।
Then seizing that foremost of the Rakshasas, namely, the huge-bodied Alambusha, he raised him high and then dashed him against the earth, like Vishnu dashing Maya against the ground.

ततो घटोत्कचः खङ्गमुद्धृत्याद्भुतदर्शनम्॥ रौद्रस्य काशिद्ध शिरो भीमं विकृतदर्शनम्। स्फुरतस्तस्य समरे नदतश्चातिभैरवम्॥ निचकर्त महाराज शत्रोरमितविक्रमः।
Then with a sword of beautiful appearance, Ghatotkacha of infinite prowess cut-off, 0 king, from the trunk of his fierce and mighty foe, his terrible head that was even then uttering Creadful roars and that looked frightful, O mighty monarch.

शिरस्तच्चापि संगृह्य केशेषु रुधिरोक्षितम्॥ ययौ घटोत्कचस्तूर्णं दुर्योधनस्थं प्रति।
Then holding that blood-stained head by the hair, Ghatotkacha quickly proceeded towards the chariot of Duryodhana.

अभ्येत्य च महाबाहुः स्मयमानः च राक्षसः॥ शिरो रथेऽस्य निक्षिप्य विकृताननमूधजम्।
Then the mighty-armed Rakshasa, approaching the car, smilingly threw that head with contorted aspect and dishevelied hair in that car of the king.

प्राणदद् भैरवं नादं प्रावृषीव बलाहकः॥ अब्रवीच ततो राजन् दुर्योधनमिदं वचः।
Then like clouds during the rainy season, he uttered a tremendous roar; and then O king,

एष ते निहतो बन्धुस्त्वया दृष्टोऽस्य विक्रमः॥ पुनर्देष्टासि कर्णस्य निष्ठामेतां तथाऽऽत्मनः।
Here is your friend slain whose prowess you have witnessed yourself. You are destined to see the death of Karna and that of your ownself.

स्वधर्ममर्थं कामं च त्रितयं योऽभिवाञ्छति॥ रिक्तपाणिर्न पश्यत राजानं ब्राह्मणं स्त्रियम्।
There is a saying, O king, that no one, desirous of keeping his morality, profit and pleasure unprejudiced should never approach a king a Brahmana and a female with empty hands (i.e., without presents.)

तिष्ठस्तव तावत् सुप्रीतो यावत् कर्ण वधाम्यहम्॥ एवमुक्त्वा ततः प्रायात् कर्णं प्रति नरेश्वर।
Do you live without any anxiety whatever up to the time I do not slay Karna." Having thus spoken, O foremost of men, he rushed against Karna.

किरज्छरगणांस्तीक्ष्णान् रुषितो रणमूर्धनि॥ ततः समभवद् युद्धं घोररूपं भयानकम्। विस्मापनं महाराज नरराक्षसयोर्मधे॥
Scattering hundreds of sharp arrows and directing them at the head of Karna. Then, O mighty monarch, a battle of terrible aspect and great fierceness commenced between the human hero and the Rakshasa-battle that filled every heart with great admiration.