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Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 76

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 76

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 76

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 76 of the classical Mahābhārata with 33 verses.

Total: 33 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.76.1–33 • 250 Lexicon Terms
सैन्धवैरभवद्युद्धं ततस्तस्य किरीटिनः । हतशेषैर्महाराज हतानां च सुतैरपि ॥
English Translation
There took place a great battle between the diadem decked Arjuna and the hundreds of Saindhavas who still lived after the destruction of their clan.
तेऽवतीर्णमुपश्रुत्य विषयं श्वेतवाहनम् । प्रत्युद्ययुरमृष्यन्तो राजानः पाण्डवर्षभम् ॥
English Translation
Hearing that he of white horses had entered their territories, those Kshatriyas came out against him, unable to bear that foremost one of Pandu's race.
अश्वं च तं परामृश्य विषयान्ते विषोपमाः । न भयं चक्रिरे पार्थाद्भीमसेनादनन्तरात् ॥
English Translation
Those warriors who were as terrible as dreadful poison, finding the horse within their dominion, seized it without being filled with any fear of Partha who was the younger brother of Bhimasena.
तेऽविदूराद्धनुष्पाणिं यज्ञियस्य हयस्य च । बीभत्सुं प्रत्यपद्यन्त पदातिनमवस्थितम् ॥
English Translation
Advancing against Bibhatsu who waited on foot, armed with his bow, upon the sacrificial horse, they attacked him from a near point.
ततस्ते तु महावीर्या राजानः पर्यवारयन् । जिगीषन्तो नरव्याघ्राः पूर्वं विनिकृता युधि ॥
English Translation
Defeated in battle before, those Kshatriyas of great energy, moved by the desire of victory, surrounded that foremost of men.
ते नामान्यथ गोत्राणि कर्माणि विविधानि च । कीर्तयन्तस्तदा पार्थं शरवर्षैरवाकिरन् ॥
English Translation
Proclaiming their names and families and their various feats, they showered their arrows on Partha.
ते किरन्तः शरांस्तीक्ष्णान्वारणेन्द्रनिवारणान् । रणे जयमभीप्सन्तः कौन्तेयं पर्यवारयन् ॥
English Translation
Pouring showers of arrows of such fierce energy as were capable of obstructing the course of hostile elephants, those heroes surrounded the son of Kunti, desirous of defeating him in battle.
तेऽसमीक्ष्यैव तं वीरमुग्रकर्माणमाहवे । सर्वे युयुधिरे वीरा रथस्थास्तं पदातिनम् ॥
English Translation
Themselves seated on cars, they fought Arjuna of dreadful feats who was on foot,
ते तमाजघ्निरे वीरं निवातकवचान्तकम् । संशप्तकनिहन्तारं हन्तारं सैन्धवस्य च ॥
English Translation
From every side they began to strike that hero, that destroyer of the Nivatakavachas, that destroyer of the Samsaptakas, that destroyer of the king of the Sindhus.
ततो रथसहस्रेण हयानामयुतेन च । कोष्ठकीकृत्य कौन्तेयं संप्रहृष्टमयोधयन् ॥
English Translation
Surrounding him on all sides as within a cage by means of a thousand cars and ten thousand horse, those brave warriors expressed their joy.
संस्मरन्तो वधं वीराः सिन्धुराजस्य धीमतः । जयद्रथस्य कौरव्य समरे सव्यसाचिना ॥
ततः पर्जन्यवत्सर्वे शरवृष्टिमवासृजन् । तैः कीर्णः शुशुभे पार्थो रविर्मेघान्तरे यथा ॥
English Translation
Recollecting the destruction by Dhananjaya of Jayadratha in battle, O you of Kuru's race, they poured heavy showers of arrows on that hero like a mass of clouds showering a heavy downpour. Overwhelmed with that arrow shower, Arjuna looked like the sun covered by a cloud.
स शरैः समवच्छन्नो ददृशे पाण्डवर्षभः । पञ्जरान्तरसंचारी शकुन्त इव भारत ॥
English Translation
That foremost son of Pandu, in the midst of that cloud of arrows, resembled a bird in the midst of an iron cage, O Bharata.
ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं कौन्तेये शरपीडिते । त्रैलोक्यमभवद्राजन्रविश्चासीद्रजोरुणः ॥
English Translation
Seeing the son of Kunti thus afflicted with arrows, cries of oh and alas were uticred by the three worlds, and the Sun himself became shorn of his splendour.
ततो ववौ महाराज मारुतो रोमहर्षणः । राहुरग्रसदादित्यं युगपत्सोममेव च ॥
English Translation
Then, O king, a terrible wind began to blow, and Rahu swallowed up both the Sun and the Moon simultaneously.
उल्काश्च जघ्निरे सूर्यं विकीर्यन्त्यः समन्ततः । वेपथुश्चाभवद्राजन्कैलासस्य महागिरेः ॥
English Translation
Many meteors struck the solar disc and then shot in different directions. The prince of mountains, viz., Kailasa, began to tremble.
मुमुचुश्चास्रमत्युष्णं दुःखशोकसमन्विताः । सप्तर्षयो जातभयास्तथा देवर्षयोऽपि च ॥
English Translation
The seven (celestial) Rishis, as also the other Rishis of Heaven, stricken with fear, and afflicted with grief and sorrow, breathed hot sights.
शशश्चाशु विनिर्भिद्य मण्डलं शशिनोऽपतत् । विपरीतस्तदा राजंस्तस्मिन्नुत्पातलक्षणे ॥
रासभारुणसंकाशा धनुष्मन्तः सविद्युतः । आवृत्य गगनं मेघा मुमुचुर्मांसशोणितम् ॥
English Translation
Reddish clouds, with flashes of lightning laying in their midst and the bow of Indra measuring them from side to side, suddenly covered the sky and poured flesh and bloods on the Earth.
एवमासीत्तदा वीरे शरवर्षाभिसंवृते । लोकेऽस्मिन्भरतश्रेष्ठ तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥
English Translation
Such was the aspect which all nature assumed when that hero was overwhelmed with showers of arrows. Indeed, when Phalguna, that foremost one among the Bharatas, was thus afflicted, those marvels were witnessed.
तस्य तेनावकीर्णस्य शरजालेन सर्वशः । मोहात्पपात गाण्डीवमावापश्च करादपि ॥
English Translation
Overwhelmed by that dense cloud of arrows, Arjuna became stupefied. The bow, Gandiva, fell down from his relaxed grip and his leathern hence also dropped down.
तस्मिन्मोहमनुप्राप्ते शरजालं महत्तरम् । सैन्धवा मुमुचुस्तूर्णं गतसत्त्वे महारथे ॥
English Translation
When Dhananjaya became stupefied, the Saindhava warriors once more shot forthwith at that senseless warrior, numberless other arrOWS.
ततो मोहसमापन्नं ज्ञात्वा पार्थं दिवौकसः । सर्वे वित्रस्तमनसस्तस्य शान्तिपराभवन् ॥
English Translation
Understanding that the son of Pritha was insensible, the celestials, with hearts stricken with fear, began to seek his well-being by uttering various benedictions.
ततो देवर्षयः सर्वे तथा सप्तर्षयोऽपि च । ब्रह्मर्षयश्च विजयं जेपुः पार्थस्य धीमतः ॥
English Translation
Then the celestial Rishis, the seven Rishis, and the twice-born Rishis, became engaged in silent recitations from desire of giving victory to the highly intelligent son of Pritha's.
ततः प्रदीपिते देवैः पार्थतेजसि पार्थिव । तस्थावचलवद्धीमान्संग्रामे परमास्त्रवित् ॥
English Translation
When at last the energy of Partha blazed forth through those deeds of the dwellers of the celestial region, that hero, who was conversant with celestial weapons of great efficacy, stood immovable like a hill.
विचकर्ष धनुर्दिव्यं ततः कौरवनन्दनः । यन्त्रस्येवेह शब्दोऽभून्महांस्तस्य पुनः पुनः ॥
English Translation
The delighter of the Kurus then drew his celestial bow. And as he repeatedly stretched the bowstring, the twang that followed resembled the loud sound of some strong machine.
ततः स शरवर्षाणि प्रत्यमित्रान्प्रति प्रभुः । ववर्ष धनुषा पार्थो वर्षाणीव सुरेश्वरः ॥
English Translation
Like Purandara pouring rain, the powerful Arjuna then, with that bow of his, poured incessant showers of arrows on his enemies.
ततस्ते सैन्धवा योधाः सर्व एव सराजकाः । नादृश्यन्त शरैः कीर्णाः शलभैरिव पावकाः ॥
English Translation
Pierced by those arrows, the Saindava warriors with their cuels became invisible like trees covered with locusts.
तस्य शब्देन वित्रेसुर्भयार्ताश्च विदुद्रुवुः । मुमुचुश्चाश्रु शोकार्ताः सुषुपुश्चापि सैन्धवाः ॥
English Translation
Terror-stricken at the very sound of Gandiva and filled with consternation they fled away. In grief of hear they shed tears and cried aloud.
तांस्तु सर्वान्नरश्रेष्ठः सर्वतो विचरन्बली । अलातचक्रवद्राजञ्शरजालैः समर्पयत् ॥
English Translation
The powerful warrior moved a midst that host of enemies with the celerity of a fiery wheel, all the time piercing those warriors with his arrows.
तदिन्द्रजालप्रतिमं बाणजालममित्रहा । व्यसृजद्दिक्षु सर्वासु महेन्द्र इव वज्रभृत् ॥
English Translation
Like the great Indra, the holder of the thunder-bolt, that destroyer of enemies viz., Arjuna, shot from his bow in every direction that shower of arrows which resembled a sight produced by magic.
मेघजालनिभं सैन्यं विदार्य स रविप्रभः । विबभौ कौरवश्रेष्ठः शरदीव दिवाकरः ॥
English Translation
The Kaurava hero, piercing the hostile army with showers of arrows looked resplendent like the autumnal Sun when he disperses the clouds with his powerful rays. once
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