सङ्क्रुद्धान्पाण्डवानेको यद्दधारास्त्रतेजसा। तत्तस्य कर्म भूतानि सर्वाण्येवाभ्यपूजयन्
When he alone withstood the Pandavas, enraged, with the power of weapons, all creatures honored his feat.
सौभद्रेण हतैः पूर्वं सोत्तरायोधिभिर्द्विपैः। पाण्डूनां दर्शितः पन्थाः सैन्धवेन निवारितः
The path shown by the Pandavas, earlier cleared by Subhadra's son with northern elephants, was blocked by the Sindhu king.
यतमानास्तु ते वीरा मात्स्यपाञ्चालकेकयाः। पाण्डवाश्चान्वपद्यन्त प्रतिशेकुर्न सैन्धवम्
Though the Matsyas, Panchalas, Kekayas, and Pandavas strove, they followed but could not overcome the Sindhu king.
यो यो हि यतते भेत्तुं द्रोणानीकं तवाहितः। तत्तमेव वरं प्राप्य सैन्धवः प्रत्यवारयत्
Whoever tried to break your Drona's formation, having gained the best opportunity, was stopped by the Sindhu king.
अर्जुनो तपस्तप्त्वा गन्धर्वेभ्यो यदाहृतम्। तुम्बुरुप्रमुखेभ्यो वै तेनामोहयताहितान्
Arjuna, having performed austerities, obtained from the Gandharvas—led by Tumburu—the weapon that bewildered his foes.
एकधा शतधा राजन्दृश्यते स्म सहस्रधा। अलातचक्रवत्सङ्ख्ये क्षिप्रमस्त्राणि दर्शयन्
O King, it appeared single, a hundredfold, a thousandfold; in battle, he swiftly displayed weapons like fiery wheels.
रथचर्यास्त्रमायाभिर्मोहयित्वा परन्तपः। बिभेद शतधा राजञ्शरीराणि महीक्षिताम्
Having bewildered the kings with chariot maneuvers, weapons, and illusions, the mighty warrior shattered their bodies into a hundred pieces, O King.
प्राणाः प्राणभृतां सङ्ख्ये प्रेषिता निशितैः शरैः। राजन्प्रापुरसुं लोकं शरीराण्यवनिं ययुः
In battle, the lives of living beings were dispatched by sharp arrows; O King, their souls reached the world beyond, while their bodies fell to the earth.
धनूंष्यश्वान्नियन्तॄंश्च ध्वजान्बाहूंश्च साङ्गदान्। सिरांसि च शितैर्बाणैस्तेषां चिच्छेद फाल्गुनिः
Phalguni cut apart their bows, horses, charioteers, banners, and arms adorned with bracelets, as well as their veins, with sharp arrows.
चूतारामो यथा भग्नः पञ्चवर्षः फलोपगः। राजपुत्रशतं तद्वत्सौभद्रेण निपातितम्
Just as a mango grove bearing fruit is destroyed after five years, so too was a hundred princes struck down by Saubhadra.
क्रुद्धाशीविषसङ्काशान्सुकुमारान्सुखोचितान्। एकेन निहतान्दृष्ट्वा भीतो दुर्योधनोऽभवत्
Seeing those delicate, luxury-accustomed youths, fierce as enraged serpents, slain by one man, Duryodhana became afraid.
रथिनः कुञ्जरानश्वान्पदातींश्चावमर्दितान्। दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनः क्षिप्रमुपायात्तममर्षितः
Seeing charioteers, elephants, horses, and foot soldiers crushed, Duryodhana quickly approached him, enraged.
तयोः क्षणमिवापूर्वः सङ्ग्रामः समपद्यत। अथाभवत्ते विमुखः पुत्रः शरशताहतः
Between the two, an unprecedented battle arose for a moment; then the prince, struck by hundreds of arrows, turned away.
अश्रद्धेयमिवाश्चर्यं सौभद्रस्याथ विक्रमम्। किन्तु नात्यद्भुतं तेषां येषां धर्मो व्यपाश्रयः
The valor of Saubhadra was astonishing, almost unbelievable; yet it is not so wondrous for those whose refuge is righteousness.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। अकम्पनस्य कथितं नारदेन पुरा नृप
Here too, they recount an ancient legend, O King: the story of Akampana, once narrated by Narada.
स चापि राजा राजेन्द्र पुत्रव्यसनमुत्तमम्। अप्रसह्यतमं लोके प्राप्तवानिति नः श्रुतम्
That king, O ruler of kings, suffered the greatest misfortune of losing his son, which, we have heard, is the hardest to endure in the world.
तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि मृत्योः प्रभवमुत्तमम्। ततस्त्वं मोक्ष्यसे दुःखात्स्नेहबन्धनसंश्रयात्
I shall now tell you the supreme origin of death; then you will be freed from sorrow, from the bonds of affection.
समस्तपापराशिघ्नं शृणु कीर्तयतो मम। धन्यमाख्यानमायुष्यं शोकघ्नं पुष्टिवर्धनम्
Listen as I recount a story that destroys all heaps of sin, brings fortune, lengthens life, dispels grief, and increases strength.
पवित्रमरिसङ्घघ्नं पङ्गलानां च मङ्गलम्। यथैव वेदाध्ययनमुपाख्यानमिदं तथा
It is pure, destroys hosts of enemies, brings auspiciousness to the afflicted; this tale is as sacred as Vedic study.
श्रवणीयं महाराज प्रातर्नित्यं नृपोत्तमैः। पुत्रानायुष्मतो राज्यमीहमानैः श्रियं तथा
O great king, it should be heard every morning by noble rulers, especially those desiring long-lived sons, sovereignty, and prosperity.
पुरा कृतयुगे तात आसीद्राजा ह्यकम्पनः। स शत्रुवशमापन्नो मध्ये सङ्ग्राममूर्धनि। `योधयामास बलवान्बद्धश्चासीदकम्पनः
Long ago, in the Krita age, O dear one, there was a king named Akampana; he fell into the power of enemies in the midst of battle and was bound.
तस्य पुत्रो हरिर्नाम नारायणसमो बले। श्रीमान्कृतास्त्रो मेधावी युधि शक्रोपमो बली
His son, named Hari, equal to Narayana in strength, glorious, skilled in weapons, wise, and mighty as Indra in battle.
स दृष्ट्वा पितरं युद्धे तदवस्थं महाद्युतिः। अचिन्तयित्वा मरणं शत्रुमध्यं ततोऽविशत्
Seeing his father in such a state in battle, that radiant one, disregarding death, entered the midst of the enemy.
स शत्रुभिः परिवृतो बहुधा रणमूर्धनि। योधयामास तान्सर्वान्सर्वास्त्रकुशलो बली
Surrounded by enemies on all sides in the thick of battle, he fought them all, skilled in every weapon and mighty.
वर्षन्बाणसहस्राणि शत्रुष्वमितविक्रमः। पदातिरथनागाश्वान्प्रममाथ महाबलः
He, of immeasurable valor, rained thousands of arrows upon his enemies and crushed foot soldiers, chariots, elephants, and horses with his great strength.
स शरैराचितश्चक्रैर्गदाभिर्मुसलैरपि। मृद्गन्रथसहस्राणि पदातीन्वाजिवारणान्
Covered with arrows, struck by wheels, maces, and clubs, he shattered thousands of infantry, chariots, horses, and elephants.
परानीकं विभिद्याजौ मोक्षयित्वा च तं नृपम्। पुनरेवाकरोद्युद्धं शत्रुमध्यगतो बली
Having pierced the enemy ranks in battle and released that king, the mighty one again engaged in combat, standing amidst his foes.
ततस्ते रथिनः सर्वे समेत्य पुनराहवे। जघ्नुस्तं परिवार्यैकं तोमरैरिव कुञ्जरम्
Then all the chariot-warriors, gathering together once more on the battlefield, surrounded and struck him alone with spears, as elephants are attacked.
स कर्म दुष्करं कृत्वा सङ्ग्रामे शत्रुतापनः। शत्रुभिर्निहतः सङ्ख्ये पृतानायां युधिष्ठिर
Having performed that difficult deed, tormentor of foes, he was slain in battle by his enemies amid the troops, O Yudhishthira.
द्विषद्भिर्निहतं दृष्ट्वा प्रियं पुत्रमकम्पनः। अमर्षजनितक्रोध आहवात्सहसाऽऽगतः
Seeing his beloved son slain by his enemies, the unshaken one, filled with wrath born of indignation, suddenly entered the battle.