KARNA PARVA: Chapter 23

The encounter between Shahadeva and Dushasana

संजय उवाच सहदेवं तथा क्रुद्धं दहन्तं तव वाहिनीम्। दुःशासनो महाराज भ्राता भ्रातरमभ्ययात्॥
Sanjaya said O great monarch, Dushasana rushed against Shahadeva, that is, brother against brother, who was highly enraged and blasted your army.

तौ समेतौ महायुद्धे दृष्ट्वा तत्र महारथाः। सिंहनादरवांश्चक्रुर्वासांस्यादुधुवुश्च ह॥
In the field of battle, the mighty carwarriors, seeing those two thus engaged in a encounter, began to uiter shouts resembling the roars of lions and to wave their cloths.

ततो भारत कुद्धेन तव पुत्रेण धन्विना। पाण्डुपुत्रस्त्रिभिर्बाणैर्वक्षस्यभिहतो बली॥
Thereupon, O descendant of the Bharata race, the most powerful son of Pandu was decply struck in the chest with three shafts by the bowman, your son, who was highly enraged.

सहदेवस्तौ राजन् नाराचेन तवात्मजम्। विद्ध्वा विव्याध सप्तत्या सारथिं च त्रिभिः शरै॥
Then, O monarch, Shahadeva, after having first pierced your son, again struck him with seventy shafts, as well as his charioteer with threc others.

दुःशासनस्ततश्चापं छित्वा राजन् महाहवे। सहदेवं त्रिसप्तत्या बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत्॥
Thereupon, O king, Dushasana, after having severed his bow in that dreadful battle, struck Shahadeva with seventy-three arrows both in the arms and the chest.

सहदेवस्तु संक्रुद्धः खड्गं गृह्य महाहवे। आविध्य प्रासृजत् तूर्णं तव पुत्ररथं प्रति॥
Then the highly enraged Shahadeva, after having taken up his sword and turned it round, had hurled it immediately towards the ear of your son in that fierce encounter.

समार्गणगुणं चापं छित्वा तस्य महानसिः। निपपात ततो भूमौ च्युतः सर्प इवाम्बरात्॥
Thus having severed his (Dusasana's) bow along with its string and arrow, then that fearful sword fell down upon the earth, even as a snake falls down from heaven upon the ground.

अधान्यद् धनुरादाय सहदेवः प्रतापवान्। दुःशासनाय चिक्षेप बाणमन्तकरं ततः॥
Thereupon Shahadeva, possessed of immerise prowess, having taken up another bow, hurled at Dushasana a shaft, capable of bringing about death.

तमापतन्तं विशिखं यमदण्डोपमत्विषम्। खड्गेन शितधारेण द्विधा चिच्छेद कौरवः॥
Then the son of Kuru had severed into two fragments, with his keen-edged sword, that shaft, which was as resplendent as the very rod of Death himself, directed towards him.

ततस्तं निशित खड्गमाविध्य युधि सत्वरः। धनुश्चान्यत् समादाय शरं जग्राह वीर्यवान्॥
Then having turned round that sharp-edged sword in the field of battle, the most powerful one took up another bow most rapidly and grasped an arrow.

तमापतन्तं सहसा निस्त्रिंशं निशितैः शरैः। पातयामास समरे सहदेवो हसन्निव॥
On the other hand, Shahadeva, as if laughing, had suddenly thrown down that sword with keen arrows, that was directed towards him.

ततो बाणांश्चतुःष्टिं तव पुत्रो महारणे। सहदेवरथं तूर्णं प्रेषयामास भारत॥
Thereupon, O descendant of the Bharata race, your son most rapidly directed sixty-four arrows against the car of Shahadeva, in that dreadful battle.

ताञ्छरान् समरे राजन् वेगेनापततो बहून्। एकैकं पञ्चभिर्बाणैः सहदेवो न्यकृन्तत॥
Then Shahadeva, O monarch, cut-off every one of these innumerable arrows, that were falling with speed (upon him) with five shafts of his own in that battle.

संनिवार्य महाबाणांस्तवं पुत्रेण प्रेषितान्। अथास्मै सुबहून् बाणान् प्रेषयामास संयुगे॥
Having thus restrained those powerful arrows, shot by your son, he (Shahadeva) sent away innumerable shafts against him (his antagonist) in that dreadful battle.

तान् बाणांस्तव पुत्रोऽपि छित्त्वैकैकं त्रिभिः शरैः। ननाद सुमहानादं दारयाणो वसुन्धराम्॥
Your son, too, having severed every one of these arrows with three shafts of his own, sent out a great uproar; and thereby caused the whole earth echo with it.

ततोदुःशासनो राजन् विद्ध्वा पाण्डुसुतं रणे। सारथिं नवभिर्बाणैर्माद्रेयस्य समार्पयत्॥
Thereupon, O monarch, Dushasana, having pierced the son of Pandu in that battle, had struck the charioteer of the Madraya chief with nine shafts.

तत: क्रुद्धो महाराज सहदेवः प्रतापवान्। समाधत्त शरं घोरं मृत्युकालान्तकोपमम्॥
O mighty monarch, the most powerful Shahadeva, being highly enraged at this, fixed an arrow on his bow, that was as deadly as Death himself.

विकृष्य बलवञ्चापं तव पुत्राय सोऽसृजत्। स तं निभिद्य वेगेन भित्त्वा च कवचं महत्॥ प्राविशद् धरणी राजन् वल्मीकमिव पन्नगः। ततः सम्मुमुहे राजस्तव पुत्रो महारथः॥
Then having stretched his bow with great force, he shot that arrow at your son. O monarch, that shaft, after having successively pierced with great force through his body and his strong armour, itself entered into the earth, even as the snakes enter into the ant-hill. Thereupon, O king, your son, that mighty carwarrior, became senseless.

मूढ चैनं समालोक्य सारथिस्त्वरितो रथम्। अपोवाह भृशं त्रस्तो वध्यमानः शितैः शरैः॥
Having seen him thus senseless and himself being deeply struck with sharp arrows, his charioteer with great rapidity carried away the car.

पराजित्य रणे तं तु कौरव्यं पाण्डुनन्दनः। दुर्योधनबलं दृष्ट्वा प्रममाथ समन्ततः॥
Having defeated that Kuru warrior in battle, the son of Pandu looked at the army of Duryodhana and crushed it on all sides.

पिपीलिकपुटं राजन् यथा मृद्गन्नरो रुषा। तथा सा कौरवी सेना मृदिता तेन भारत॥
O descendant of the Bharata race, O monarch, that force belonging to the Kurus was crushed by the son of Pandu, even as a swarm of ants is crushed to death by a man with great rage.