वीर्यवद्भिस्ततस्तैस्तु पीडितो राक्षसोत्तमः । यथा युगक्षये घोरे चन्द्रमाः पञ्चभिर्ग्रहैः
Oppressed by those mighty warriors, the foremost of Rākṣasas was afflicted, like the moon by five planets at the dreadful end of an age.
प्रतिविन्ध्यस्ततो रक्षो बिभेद निशितैः शरैः । सर्वपारशवैस्तूर्णमकुण्ठाग्रैर्महाबलः
Then Prativindhya swiftly pierced the Rākṣasa with sharp arrows, all with iron heads and unblunted points, being of great strength.
स तैर्भिन्नतनुत्राणः शुशुभे राक्षसोत्तमः । मरीचिभिरिवार्कस्य संस्यूतो जलदो महान्
With his armor shattered by those blows, the foremost of Rakshasas shone like a great cloud pierced by the rays of the sun.
विषक्तैः सशरैश्चापि तपनीयपरिच्छदैः । आर्श्यशृङ्गिर्बभौ राजन्दीप्तशृङ्ग इवाचलः
Struck with arrows adorned with gold, he, Arshya-shringa, gleamed, O King, like a blazing mountain peak.
ततस्ते भ्रातरः पञ्च राक्षसेन्द्रं महाहवे। विव्यधुर्निशितैर्बाणैस्तपनीयविभूषितैः
Then those five brothers, in that great battle, struck the king of the Rakshasas with sharp arrows adorned with gold.
स निर्भिन्नः शरैर्घोरैर्भुजगैः कोपितैरिव । अलम्बुसो भृशं राजन्नागेन्द्र इव चुक्रुधे
Pierced by those fierce arrows, like enraged serpents, Alambusa grew exceedingly angry, O King, like a lord of serpents.
सोऽतिविद्धो महाराज मुहूर्तमथ मारिष । प्रविवेश तमो दीर्घं पीडितस्तैर्महारथैः
Thus wounded, O King, the Rakshasa, overwhelmed by those great warriors, entered into deep darkness for a moment.
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञां क्रोधेन द्विगुणीकृतः । चिच्छेद सायकैस्तेषां ध्वजांश्चैव धनूंषि च
Regaining his senses, his anger doubled, he cut down their banners and bows with his arrows.
एकैकं पञ्चभिर्बाणैराजघान स्मयन्निव । अलम्बुसो रथोपस्थे नृत्यन्निव महारथः
Alambusa, the great chariot-warrior, as if smiling, struck each of them with five arrows while dancing on his chariot.
त्वरमाणः सुसंबद्धो हयांस्तेषां महात्मनाम् । जघान राक्षसः क्रुद्धः सारथींश्च सहस्रशः
Hastening, well-prepared, the enraged Rakshasa struck the horses of those great-souled ones, and thousands of their charioteers.
बिभेद च सुसंरब्धः पुनश्चैनान्सुतांशितैः। शरैर्बहुविधाकारैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Highly agitated, he again pierced them with sharp, well-feathered arrows of many kinds, by the hundreds and thousands.
विरथांश्च महेष्वासान्कृत्वा तत्र स राक्षसः । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन हन्तुकामो निशाचरः
Having rendered those mighty archers chariotless, the night-wandering Rakshasa charged at them swiftly, intent on killing.
तानर्दितान्रणे तेन राक्षसेन दुरात्मना । दृष्ट्वाऽर्जुनसुतः सङ्ख्ये राक्षसं समुपाद्रवत्
Seeing those heroes tormented in battle by that wicked Rakshasa, Arjuna's son rushed at the Rakshasa on the field.
तयोः समभवद्युद्धं वृत्रवासवयोरिव। ददृशुस्तावकाः सर्वे पाण्डवाश्च परस्परम्
Between the two, a battle arose like that of Vritra and Indra; all the Kauravas and Pandavas watched each other.
तौ समेतौ महायुद्धे क्रोधदीप्तौ परस्परम्। महाबलौ महाराज क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनौ
Those two, meeting in great battle, their eyes reddened with rage, confronted each other, O King, both mighty in strength.
परस्परमवेक्षेतां कालानलसमौ युधि। `आशीविषाविव क्रुद्धौ नेत्राभ्यामितरेतरम् ।' तयोः समागमो घोरो बभूव कटुकोदयः
They gazed at each other in battle, both like fires of destruction, like enraged serpents, their eyes fixed on one another; their encounter was fierce and bitter.
यथा देवासुरे युद्धे शक्रशम्बरयोः पुरा
Just as in the ancient war between gods and asuras, between Shakra and Shambara.
आर्जुनं समरे शूरं विनिघ्नन्तं महारथान्। अलम्बुसः कथं युद्धे प्रत्ययुध्यत सञ्जय
How did Alambusa, in battle, fight against Arjuna, the valiant one who was slaying great chariot-warriors, O Sanjaya?
आर्श्यशृङ्गिं कथं चैव सौभद्रः परवीरहा। तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन यथावृत्तं स्म संयुगे
And how did Saubhadra, the destroyer of enemy heroes, fight against Arshya-shringa? Tell me truly how it happened in the battle.
धनंजयश्च किं चक्रे मम सैन्येषु संयुगे । भीमो वा रथिनां श्रेष्ठो राक्षसो वा घटोत्कचः
And what did Dhananjaya do among my troops in the battle? Or Bhima, the foremost of chariot-warriors, or Ghatotkacha, the Rakshasa?
नकुलः सहदेवो वा सात्यकिर्वा महारथः । एतदाचक्ष्व मे सत्यं कुशलो ह्यसि सञ्जय
Was it Nakula, Sahadeva, or the great warrior Satyaki? Tell me this truthfully, Sanjaya, for you are skilled.
हन्ते तेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि संग्रामं रोमहर्षणम्। यथाऽभूद्राक्षसेन्द्रस्य सौभद्रस्य च मारिष
Indeed, I shall tell you of that hair-raising battle, O Marisha, as it happened between the king of the Rakshasas and Subhadra’s son.
अर्जुनश्च यथा सङ्ख्ये भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः । नकुलः सहदेवश्च रणे चक्रुः पराक्रमम्
In that battle, Arjuna and Bhimasena, the sons of Pandu, as well as Nakula and Sahadeva, displayed their valor.
तथैव तावकाः सर्वे भीष्मद्रोणपुरःसराः। अद्भुतानि विचिन्राणि चक्रुः कर्माण्यभीतवत्
Likewise, all your warriors, with Bhishma and Drona at the forefront, performed wondrous and fearless deeds.
अलम्बुसस्तु समरे अभिमन्युं महारथम् । विनद्य सुमहानादं तर्जयित्वा मुहुर्मुहुः
But Alambusa, the great chariot-warrior, challenged Abhimanyu in battle, roaring loudly and threatening him again and again.
अभिदुद्राव वेगेन तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् । अभिमन्युश्च वेगेन सिंहवद्विनदन्मुहुः
He rushed at him with speed, shouting, 'Stand, stand!' And Abhimanyu, too, roared like a lion as he advanced swiftly.
आर्श्यशृङ्गिं महेष्वासि पितुरत्यन्तवैरिणम् । ततः समीपतुः सङ्ख्ये त्वरितौ नरराक्षसौ
The mighty archer, son of Arjuna, who was the sworn enemy of his father’s foe, then hastened toward the Rakshasa in battle.
रथाभ्यां रथिनौ श्रेष्ठौ यथा वै देवदानवौ । मायावा राक्षसश्रेष्ठो दिव्यास्त्रश्चैव फाल्गुनिः
Both were foremost among chariot-warriors, advancing in their chariots like gods and demons; the Rakshasa was a master of illusion, and Arjuna’s son wielded celestial weapons.
ततः कर्ष्णिर्महाराज निशितैः सायकैस्त्रिभिः। आर्श्यशृङ्गिं रणे विद्ध्वा पुनर्विव्याव पञ्चभिः
Then Krishna’s son, O King, struck Arshyaśṛṅgi in battle with three sharp arrows, and again wounded him with five more.
अलम्बुरोऽपि संक्रुद्धः कार्ष्णि नवभिराशुगैः । हृदि विव्याध वेगेन तोत्रैरिव महाद्विपम्
But Alambusa, enraged, pierced Krishna’s son swiftly in the heart with nine keen arrows, as an elephant is struck by goads.