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Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 74

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 74

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 74

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 74 of the classical Mahābhārata with 21 verses.

Total: 21 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.74.1–21 • 250 Lexicon Terms
प्राग्ज्योतिषमथाभ्येत्य व्यचरत्स हयोत्तमः । भगदत्तात्मजस्तत्र निर्ययौ रणकर्कशः ॥
English Translation
That foremost of horses then proceeded to the kingdom of Pragjyotisha and began to wander there. At this, Bhagadatta's son, who was greatly courageous in battle, came out.
स हयं पाण्डुपुत्रस्य विषयान्तमुपागतम् । युयुधे भरतश्रेष्ठ वज्रदत्तो महीपतिः ॥
English Translation
King Vajradata, O chief of the Bharatas, finding the (sacrificial) horse arrived within his kingdom, fought (for detaining it).
सोऽभिनिर्याय नगराद्भगदत्तसुतो नृपः । अश्वमायान्तमुन्मथ्य नगराभिमुखो ययौ ॥
English Translation
The royal son of Bhagadatta, coming out of his city, afflicted the horse which was coming (and seizing it), marched back towards his own place.
तमालक्ष्य महाबाहुः कुरूणामृषभस्तदा । गाण्डीवं विक्षिपंस्तूर्णं सहसा समुपाद्रवत् ॥
English Translation
Marking this, the mighty armed chief of the Kuru-race, speedily stretched his Gandiva, and suddenly rushed towards his enemy.
ततो गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तैरिषुभिर्मोहितो नृपः । हयमुत्सृज्य तं वीरस्ततः पार्थमुपाद्रवत् ॥
English Translation
Stupefied by the arrows shot from Gandiva, the heroic son of Bhagadatta, letting loose the horse, fled from Partha.
पुनः प्रविश्य नगरं दंशितः स नृपोत्तमः । आरुह्य नागप्रवरं निर्ययौ युद्धकाङ्क्षया ॥
English Translation
Once more entering his capital, that foremost of kings, irresistible in battle, cased himself in mail, and mounting on his prince of elephants, came out.
पाण्डुरेणातपत्रेण ध्रियमाणेन मूर्धनि । दोधूयता चामरेण श्वेतेन च महारथः ॥
English Translation
That powerful car-warrior had a white umbrella held over his head, and was fanned with a milk-white yak-tails.
ततः पार्थं समासाद्य पाण्डवानां महारथम् । आह्वयामास कौरव्यं बाल्यान्मोहाच्च संयुगे ॥
English Translation
Moved by childishness and folly, he challenged Partha, the powerful car warrior of the Pandavas, famed for dreadful deeds in battle, to an encounter with him.
स वारणं नगप्रख्यं प्रभिन्नकरटामुखम् । प्रेषयामास संक्रुद्धस्ततः श्वेतहयं प्रति ॥
English Translation
The enraged prince then urged towards Arjuna that elephant of his, which resembled a veritable mountain, and from whose temples and mouth came out streams of juice showing excitement.
विक्षरन्तं यथा मेघं परवारणवारणम् । शास्त्रवत्कल्पितं संख्ये त्रिसाहं युद्धदुर्मदम् ॥
English Translation
Indeed, that elephant showered its secretions like a great mass of clouds pouring rain. Capable of resisting hostile feats of its own species, it had been equipped according to the ordinances of the treatises (on warelephants). Irresistible in battle, it had become so infuriate as to be beyond control.
प्रचोद्यमानः स गजस्तेन राज्ञा महाबलः । तदाङ्कुशेन विबभावुत्पतिष्यन्निवाम्बरम् ॥
English Translation
Urged on by the prince with the iron-hook, that powerful elephant then scemed as if it would cut through the sky (like a flying hill).
तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य क्रुद्धो राजन्धनंजयः । भूमिष्ठो वारणगतं योधयामास भारत ॥
English Translation
Seeing it advance towards him, o king, Dhananjaya, filled with anger and standing on the earth, O Bharata, met the prince on its back.
वज्रदत्तस्तु संक्रुद्धो मुमोचाशु धनंजये । तोमरानग्निसंकाशाञ्शलभानिव वेगितान् ॥
English Translation
Filled with anger, Vajradatta quickly shed at Arjuna a number of broad headed arrows gifted with the energy of fire and resembling (as they coursed through the air) a cloud of speedily moving locusts.
अर्जुनस्तानसंप्राप्तान्गाण्डीवप्रेषितैः शरैः । द्विधा त्रिधा च चिच्छेद ख एव खगमैस्तदा ॥
English Translation
Arjuna, however, with arrows sped from Gandiva, cut off those arrows, come into tow, and some into three, pieces. He cut them off in the sky itself with those arrows of his passing through the sky.
स तान्दृष्ट्वा तथा छिन्नांस्तोमरान्भगदत्तजः । इषूनसक्तांस्त्वरितः प्राहिणोत्पाण्डवं प्रति ॥
English Translation
The son of Bhagadatta, seeing his broadheaded arrows thus cut off, quickly sped at Arjuna a number of other arrows in a continuous line.
ततोऽर्जुनस्तूर्णतरं रुक्मपुङ्खानजिह्मगान् । प्रेषयामास संक्रुद्धो भगदत्तात्मजं प्रति ॥
English Translation
Filled with anger at this, Arjuna more quickly than before, shot at Bhagadatta's son a number of straightly coursing arrows equipped with golden wings.
स तैर्विद्धो महातेजा वज्रदत्तो महाहवे । भृशाहतः पपातोर्व्यां न त्वेनमजहात्स्मृतिः ॥
English Translation
Vajradatta of powerful energy, struck with great force and pierced with those arrows in that fierce encounter, fell down on the Earth. Consciousness, however, did not leave him.
ततः स पुनरारुह्य वारणप्रवरं रणे । अव्यग्रः प्रेषयामास जयार्थी विजयं प्रति ॥
English Translation
Mounting on his prince of elephants again in the midst of that battle, the son of Bhagadatta, desirous of victory, very coolly shot a number of arrows at Arjuna.
तस्मै बाणांस्ततो जिष्णुर्निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान् । प्रेषयामास संक्रुद्धो ज्वलितानिव पावकान् ॥
English Translation
Filled with anger, Jishnu then shot at the prince a number of arrows which looked like burning flames of fire and which appeared to be so many snakes of dreadful poison.
स तैर्विद्धो महानागो विस्रवन्रुधिरं बभौ । हिमवानिव शैलेन्द्रो बहुप्रस्रवणस्तदा ॥
English Translation
Pierced therewith, the powerful elephant, emitting a large quantity of blood, looked like a mountain of many springs discharging rillets of water coloured with red chalk.
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