तमायान्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य नृवीरं दृढवैरिणम् । भीमसेनः सुसंक्रुद्ध इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Seeing that warrior, steadfast in enmity, advancing, Bhimasena, greatly enraged, spoke these words:
अयं स कालः संप्राप्तो वर्षपूगाभिवाञ्छितः । अद्य त्वां निहनिष्यामि यदि नोत्सृजसे रणम्
This is the moment long awaited through many years; today I will kill you, unless you flee the field.
अद्य कुन्त्याः परिक्लेशं वनवासं च कृत्स्नशः। द्रौपद्याश्च परिक्लेशं प्रणेष्यामि हते त्वयि
Today, when you are slain, I will end all the suffering and exile of Kunti, and the hardship of Draupadi.
यत्पुरा मत्सरीभूत्वा पाण्डवानवमन्यसे । तस्य पापस्य गान्धारे पश्य व्यसनमागतम्
O Gandhari's son, see now the ruin that has come for your past wickedness, when, driven by envy, you scorned the Pandavas.
कर्णस्य मतमास्थाय सौबलस्य च यत्पुरा । अचिन्त्य पाण्डवान्कामाद्यथेष्टं कृतवानसि
Following the counsel of Karna and Saubala, you acted as you wished, heedless of the Pandavas, out of desire.
याचमानं च यन्मोहाद्दाशार्हमवमन्यसे। उलूकस्य समादेशं यद्ददासि च हृष्टवत्
In your delusion, you scorned Krishna when he pleaded, and you gladly accepted Uluka's message.
तेन त्वां निहनिष्यामि सानुबन्धं सबान्धवम् । शमीकरिष्ये तत्पापं यत्पुरा कृतवानसि
For all this, I will slay you, along with your kin and followers, and put an end to the evil you once committed.
एवमुक्त्वा धनुर्घोरं विकृष्योद्भ्राम्य चासकृत् । समाधत्त शरान्घोरान्महाशनिसमप्रभान्
Having spoken thus, he drew his terrible bow, whirled it repeatedly, and set fierce arrows shining like thunderbolts.
षड्विंशतिमसं क्रुद्धो मुमोचाशु सुयोधने । ज्वलिताग्निशिखाकारान्वज्रकल्पानजिह्मगान्
In his wrath, he swiftly released twenty-six arrows at Suyodhana, blazing like tongues of fire, straight as thunderbolts.
ततोऽस्य कार्मुकं द्वाभ्यां सूतं द्वाभ्यां च विव्यधे । चतुर्भिरश्वाञ्जवनाननयद्यमसादनम्
Then with two arrows he struck his bow, with two more his charioteer, and with four he sent Duryodhana's swift horses toward the abode of Yama.
द्वाभ्यां च सुविकृष्टाभ्यां शराभ्यामरिमर्दनः । छत्रं चिच्छेद समरे राज्ञस्तस्य नरोत्तम्
And the crusher of foes, with two well-aimed arrows, cut down the king's umbrella in battle, O best of men.
षङ्भिश्च तस्य चिच्छेद ज्वलन्तं ध्वजमुत्तमम् । छित्त्वा तं च ननादोच्चैस्तव पुत्रस्य पश्यतः
And with six more, he cut down his blazing, excellent banner; having cut it, he loudly roared as your son looked on.
रथाच्च स ध्वजः श्रीमान्नानारत्नविभूषितात्। पपात सहसा भूमौ विद्युञ्जलधरादिव
Then that glorious banner, adorned with various gems, suddenly fell to the earth from the chariot, like lightning from a raincloud.
ज्वलन्तं सूर्यसंकाशं नागं मणिमयं शुभम् । ध्वजं कुरुपतेश्छिन्नं ददृशुः सर्वपार्थिवाः
All the kings saw the Kuru chief’s banner, shining like the sun, made of jewels and beautiful, cut down and fallen.
अथैनं दशभिर्बाणैस्तोत्रैरिव महाद्विपम् । आजघान रणे वीरं स्मयन्निव महारथः
Then, as if smiling, the great chariot-warrior struck that hero in battle with ten arrows, like goads upon a mighty elephant.
स गाढविद्धो व्यथितो भीमसेनेन संयुगे । निषसाद रथोपस्थे मूर्च्छाभिहतचेतनः
Struck deeply and tormented in the fight by Bhimasena, he sank down upon the chariot seat, his senses overcome by faintness.
ततः स राजा सिन्धूनां रथश्रेष्ठो महाबलः । दुर्योधनस्य जग्राह पार्ष्णिं स्वपुरुषैर्वृतः
Then that king of the Sindhus, supreme among charioteers and mighty in strength, seized Duryodhana’s rear with his own men.
कृपश्च रथिनां श्रेष्ठस्तव पुत्रमचेतनम् । आरोपयद्रथं राजन्दुर्योधनममर्षणम्
And Kripa, best of chariot-warriors, placed your son Duryodhana, who had lost consciousness, upon his chariot, O king.
परिवार्य ततो भीमं जेतुकामो जयद्रथः । रथैरनेकसाहस्रैर्भीमस्यावारयद्दिशः
Then Jayadratha, desiring to conquer Bhima, surrounded him and blocked his directions with many thousands of chariots.
धृष्टकेतुस्ततो राजन्नभिमन्युश्च वीर्यवान्। केकया द्रौपदेयाश्च तव पुत्रानयोधयन्
Then, O king, Dhrishtaketu and the valiant Abhimanyu, along with the Kekayas and the sons of Draupadi, fought your sons.
चित्रसेनः सुचित्रश्च चित्राङ्गश्चित्रदर्शनः । चारुचित्रः सुचारुश्च तथा नन्दोपनन्दकौ
Citrasena, Sucitra, Citranga, Citradarshana, Carucitra, Sucaru, and likewise Nanda and Upananda—
अष्टावेते महेष्वासाः सुकुमारा यशस्विनः । अभिमन्युरथं राजन्समन्तात्पर्यवारयन्
These eight, great archers, tender and renowned, surrounded Abhimanyu’s chariot on all sides, O king.
आजघान ततस्तूर्णमभिमन्युर्महामनाः । एकैकं पञ्चभिर्बाणैः शितैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
Then Abhimanyu, high-minded, swiftly struck each one of them with five sharp, well-feathered arrows.
वज्रमृत्युप्रतीकाशैर्विचित्रायुधनिःसृतैः । अमृष्यमाणास्ते सर्वे सौभद्रं रथसत्तमम्
With weapons flashing like thunderbolts and death, they, unable to bear it, showered the excellent chariot-warrior Saubhadra.
ववृषुर्मार्गणैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गिरिं मेरुमिवाम्बुदाः । स पीड्यमानः समरे कृतास्त्रो युद्धदुर्मदः
They rained sharp arrows upon him like clouds upon Mount Meru; pressed hard in battle, he, skilled in arms and fierce in war—
अभिमन्युर्महाराज तावकान्समकम्पयत्। यथा देवासुरे युद्धे वज्रपाणिर्महासुरान्
Abhimanyu, O great king, shook your forces, just as the wielder of the thunderbolt shook the great asuras in the gods’ war.
विकर्णस्य ततो भल्लान्प्रेषयामास भारत। चतुर्दश रथश्रेष्ठो घोरानाशीविषोपमान्
Then, O Bharata, the best of chariot-warriors sent fourteen terrible arrows, like deadly serpents, at Vikarna.
स तैर्विकर्णस्य रथात्पातयामास वीर्यवान् । ध्वजं सूतं हयांश्चैव नृत्यमान इवाहवे
With those, the valiant one struck down from Vikarna’s chariot the banner, the charioteer, and the horses, as if dancing in the battle.
पुनश्चान्याञ्शरान्पीतानकुण्ठाग्राञ्शिलाशितान्। प्रेषयामास संक्रुद्धो विकर्णाय महाबलः
Once again, the mighty Abhimanyu, enraged, sent forth other arrows, yellow-tipped and stone-sharpened, toward Vikarṇa.
ते विकर्णं समासाद्य कङ्कबर्हिणवाससः। भित्त्वा देहं गता भूमिं ज्वलन्त इव पन्नगाः
Those arrows, striking Vikarṇa—who wore garments of crane feathers—pierced his body and fell to the earth, blazing like serpents.