Special Call Prof. Jay L. Garfield Commemorative Volume · Submissions Open
Announcements Newsletters About Us Contact
Search
MBh
Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 78

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 78

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 78

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 78 of the classical Mahābhārata with 40 verses.

Total: 40 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.78.1–40 • 250 Lexicon Terms
श्रुत्वा तु नृपतिर्वीरं पितरं बभ्रुवाहनः । निर्ययौ विनयेनार्यो ब्राह्मणार्घ्यपुरःसरः ॥
English Translation
Hearing that his father Arjuna had arrived within his kingdom, the king of Manipura, Babhruvahana went out with humility, with a number of Brahmanas and some treasure in his van.
मणिपूरेश्वरं त्वेवमुपयातं धनंजयः । नाभ्यनन्दत मेधावी क्षत्रधर्ममनुस्मरन् ॥
English Translation
Remembering, however, the duties of Kshatriyas, the highly intelligent Dhananjaya, seeing the king of Manipura arrive in that guise, did not approve of it.
उवाच चैनं धर्मात्मा समन्युः फल्गुनस्तदा । प्रक्रियेयं न ते युक्ता बहिस्त्वं क्षत्रधर्मतः ॥
English Translation
The righteous-souled Phalguna angrily said, Your conduct is not proper. You have certainly fallen away from Kshatriya duties.
संरक्ष्यमाणं तुरगं यौधिष्ठिरमुपागतम् । यज्ञियं विषयान्ते मां नायोत्सीः किं नु पुत्रक ॥
English Translation
I have come here as the protector of Yudhishthira's sacrificial horse. Why, O son, will you not fight me, seeing that I have come within your territories?
धिक्त्वामस्तु सुदुर्बुद्धिं क्षत्रधर्माविशारदम् । यो मां युद्धाय संप्राप्तं साम्नैवाथो त्वमग्रहीः ॥
English Translation
Fie on you, O you of foolish understanding, Fie on you who have deviated from Kshatriya duties! Fie on you who would receive me peacefully even though I have come here for fighting with you.
न त्वया पुरुषार्थश्च कश्चिदस्तीह जीवता । यस्त्वं स्त्रीवद्युधा प्राप्तं साम्ना मां प्रत्यगृह्णथाः ॥
यद्यहं न्यस्तशस्त्रस्त्वामागच्छेयं सुदुर्मते । प्रक्रियेयं ततो युक्ता भवेत्तव नराधम ॥
तमेवमुक्तं भर्त्रा तु विदित्वा पन्नगात्मजा । अमृष्यमाणा भित्त्वोर्वीमुलूपी तमुपागमत् ॥
सा ददर्श ततः पुत्रं विमृशन्तमधोमुखम् । संतर्ज्यमानमसकृद्भर्त्रा युद्धार्थिना विभो ॥
ततः सा चारुसर्वाङ्गी तमुपेत्योरगात्मजा । उलूपी प्राह वचनं क्षत्रधर्मविशारदा ॥
उलूपीं मां निबोध त्वं मातरं पन्नगात्मजाम् । कुरुष्व वचनं पुत्र धर्मस्ते भविता परः ॥
English Translation
Know that I am your mother Ulupi that am the daughter of a snake. Do you perform my order, O son for you would then acquire great merit. Fight your father, this foremost one of Kuru's race, this hero who is irresistible in battle. Forsooth, he will then be pleased with you.
युध्यस्वैनं कुरुश्रेष्ठं धनंजयमरिंदम । एवमेष हि ते प्रीतो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥
एवमुद्धर्षितो मात्रा स राजा बभ्रुवाहनः । मनश्चक्रे महातेजा युद्धाय भरतर्षभ ॥
संनह्य काञ्चनं वर्म शिरस्त्राणं च भानुमत् । तूणीरशतसंबाधमारुरोह महारथम् ॥
सर्वोपकरणैर्युक्तं युक्तमश्वैर्मनोजवैः । सुचक्रोपस्करं धीमान्हेमभाण्डपरिष्कृतम् ॥
परमार्चितमुच्छ्रित्य ध्वजं सिंहं हिरण्मयम् । प्रययौ पार्थमुद्दिश्य स राजा बभ्रुवाहनः ॥
English Translation
Raising his standard which was decorated most beautifully and which bore the device of a lion in gold, the beautiful prince Babhruvahana proceeded against this father for battle.
ततोऽभ्येत्य हयं वीरो यज्ञियं पार्थरक्षितम् । ग्राहयामास पुरुषैर्हयशिक्षाविशारदैः ॥
English Translation
Coming upon the sacrificial horse which was protected by Partha, the heroic prince caused it to be seized by persons well-versed in veterinary science.
गृहीतं वाजिनं दृष्ट्वा प्रीतात्मा स धनंजयः । पुत्रं रथस्थं भूमिष्ठः संन्यवारयदाहवे ॥
English Translation
Seeing the horse seized, Dhananjaya become filled with joy. Standing on the earth, that hero began to oppose the advance of his son who was on his car.
ततः स राजा तं वीरं शरव्रातैः सहस्रशः । अर्दयामास निशितैराशीविषविषोपमैः ॥
English Translation
The king afflicted the hero with repeated showers of arrows gifted with whetted points and resembling snakes of dreadful poison.
तयोः समभवद्युद्धं पितुः पुत्रस्य चातुलम् । देवासुररणप्रख्यमुभयोः प्रीयमाणयोः ॥
English Translation
Incomparable was the battle which took place between the father and son. It resembled the battle between the celestials and the Asuras of old. Each was pleased with obtaining the other for an antagonist. arrow a
किरीटिनं तु विव्याध शरेण नतपर्वणा । जत्रुदेशे नरव्याघ्रः प्रहसन्बभ्रुवाहनः ॥
English Translation
Then Babhruvahana, laughing, cut the diadem-decked Arjuna, that foremost of men, in the shoulder with a straight arrow.
सोऽभ्यगात्सह पुङ्खेन वल्मीकमिव पन्नगः । विनिर्भिद्य च कौन्तेयं महीतलमथाविशत् ॥
English Translation
Equipped with feathers, that penetrated Arjuna's body like snake penetrating on an anthill. Piercing the son of Kunti through, the arrow went deep into the Earth.
स गाढवेदनो धीमानालम्ब्य धनुरुत्तमम् । दिव्यं तेजः समाविश्य प्रमीत इव संबभौ ॥
English Translation
Feeling acute pain, the intelligent Dhananjaya rested awhile, supporting himself on his excellent bow. He stood, having recourse to his celestial energy and seemed externally like one dead.
स संज्ञामुपलभ्याथ प्रशस्य पुरुषर्षभः । पुत्रं शक्रात्मजो वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते ॥
English Translation
That foremost of men, then regaining consciousness, lauded his highly. Possessed of great splendour, the son of Shakra said, Excellent, Excellent, O mighty-armed one, O son of Chitrangada! O son, seeing this feat, so worthy of you, I am highly pleased son with you.
साधु साधु महाबाहो वत्स चित्राङ्गदात्मज । सदृशं कर्म ते दृष्ट्वा प्रीतिमानस्मि पुत्रक ॥
English Translation
That foremost of men, then regaining consciousness, lauded his highly. Possessed of great splendour, the son of Shakra said, Excellent, Excellent, O mighty-armed one, O son of Chitrangada! O son, seeing this feat, so worthy of you, I am highly pleased son with you.
विमुञ्चाम्येष बाणांस्ते पुत्र युद्धे स्थिरो भव । इत्येवमुक्त्वा नाराचैरभ्यवर्षदमित्रहा ॥
English Translation
I shall now discharge these arrows at you, O son! Stand for fight (without running away). Having said these words, that destroyer of enemies shot a shower of arrows on the prince.
तान्स गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तान्वज्राशनिसमप्रभान् । नाराचैरच्छिनद्राजा सर्वानेव त्रिधा त्रिधा ॥
English Translation
King Babhruvahana, however, with his own broad-headed arrows, cut all those arrows, which were discharged from Gandiva and which resembled the thunderbolt of Indra in splendour, some in two, and some into three, parts.
तस्य पार्थः शरैर्दिव्यैर्ध्वजं हेमपरिष्कृतम् । सुवर्णतालप्रतिमं क्षुरेणापाहरद्रथात् ॥
English Translation
Then the standard, decked with gold and resembling a golden Palmyra, on the king's car was cut off by Partha with some excellent arrows of his.
हयांश्चास्य महाकायान्महावेगपराक्रमान् । चकार राज्ञो निर्जीवान्प्रहसन्पाण्डवर्षभः ॥
English Translation
The son of Pandu, laughing, next killed the king's horses of large size and great speed.
स रथादवतीर्याशु राजा परमकोपनः । पदातिः पितरं कोपाद्योधयामास पाण्डवम् ॥
English Translation
Descending from his car, the king, worked up with rage, fought his father on foot.
संप्रीयमाणः पाण्डूनामृषभः पुत्रविक्रमात् । नात्यर्थं पीडयामास पुत्रं वज्रधरात्मजः ॥
English Translation
Pleased with the prowess of his son, that foremost one of the sons of Pritha, viz., the son of the wielder of the thunderbolt, began to afflict him greatly.
स हन्यमानो विमुखं पितरं बभ्रुवाहनः । शरैराशीविषाकारैः पुनरेवार्दयद्बली ॥
English Translation
The powerful Babhruvahana, thinking that his father was no longer able to face him, again afflicted him with many arrows resembling snakes of dreadful poison.
ततः स बाल्यात्पितरं विव्याध हृदि पत्रिणा । निशितेन सुपुङ्खेन बलवद्बभ्रुवाहनः ॥
English Translation
From a spirit of childishness he then vigorously cut his father in the breast with a whetted arrow having excellent wings.
स बाणस्तेजसा दीप्तो ज्वलन्निव हुताशनः । विवेश पाण्डवं राजन्मर्म भित्त्वातिदुःखकृत् ॥
स तेनातिभृशं विद्धः पुत्रेण कुरुनन्दनः । महीं जगाम मोहार्तस्ततो राजन्धनंजयः ॥
तस्मिन्निपतिते वीरे कौरवाणां धुरंधरे । सोऽपि मोहं जगामाशु ततश्चित्राङ्गदासुतः ॥
व्यायम्य संयुगे राजा दृष्ट्वा च पितरं हतम् । पूर्वमेव च बाणौघैर्गाढविद्धोऽर्जुनेन सः ॥
भर्तारं निहतं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रं च पतितं भुवि । चित्राङ्गदा परित्रस्ता प्रविवेश रणाजिरम् ॥
English Translation
Hearing that her husband had been killed and that her son had fallen down on the Earth, Chitrangada, in great agitation of mind, went to the field of battle.
शोकसंतप्तहृदया रुदती सा ततः शुभा । मणिपूरपतेर्माता ददर्श निहतं पतिम् ॥
English Translation
Her heart burning with sorrow, weeping piteously the while, and trembling all over, the mother of the king of Manipura saw her killed husband.
← Previous (Ch. 1912) Full Table of Contents Next (Ch. 1914) →