भ्रांत्वा सरथवर्यस्तु नभसि त्वरयान्वितः । यावत्स्थितिं न लभते तावन्मुक्तोऽपरः शरः
After spinning rapidly in the sky with his excellent chariot, before he could regain his position, another arrow was released.
पुनश्च परिबभ्राम रथः सूतसमन्वितः । तत्कर्मवीक्ष्य पुत्रस्य राज्ञो विस्मयमाप सः
Again, the chariot, along with its charioteer, spun around; seeing this feat of his son, the king was astonished.
कथंचित्स्थितिमप्याप पुष्कलः परवीरहा । रथं जघान बाणैश्च ससूतहयमस्य च
Somehow regaining his composure, Puṣkala, destroyer of enemy heroes, struck his opponent’s chariot, along with its charioteer and horses, with arrows.
सभग्नस्यंदनो वीरः पुनरन्यं समाश्रितः । सोऽपि भग्नः शरैराशु पुष्कलेन रणांगणे
The valiant one, with his chariot broken, took refuge in another; but that too was swiftly shattered by Puṣkala’s arrows on the battlefield.
पुनरन्यं समास्थाय यावदायाति संमुखम् । तावद्बभंज निशितैः सायकैस्तद्रथं पुनः
Again mounting another chariot and advancing to face him, that too was broken by sharp arrows.
एवं दश रथा भग्ना नृपतेरात्मजस्य हि । पुष्कलेन तु वीरेण महासंयुगशालिना
Thus, ten chariots of the king’s son were destroyed by Puṣkala, the heroic one, master of great battles.
तदा चित्रांगकः संख्ये रथे स्थित्वा विचित्रिते । आजगाम ह वेगेन पुष्कलं प्रति योधितुम्
Then Citrāṅgaka, standing on a splendid chariot in the battle, rushed swiftly toward Puṣkala to fight.
पुष्कलं पंचभिर्बाणैस्ताडयामास संयुगे । तैर्बाणैर्निहतोऽत्यतं विव्यथे भरतात्मजः
He struck Puṣkala with five arrows in the fight; wounded by those arrows, the son of Bharata was greatly tormented.
सक्रुद्धश्चापमुद्यम्य बाणान्दश शितान्महान् । मुमोच हृदये तस्य स्वर्णपुंखसुशोभितान्
Enraged, the mighty one raised his bow and released ten sharp arrows, adorned with golden feathers, at his heart.
ते बाणाः पपुरेतस्य रुधिरं बहुदारुणाः । पीत्वा पेतुः क्षितौ कूटसाक्षिणः पूर्वजा इव
Those arrows, fierce and dreadful, drank his blood and fell to the earth, as if bearing witness like the ancestors of old.
तदा चित्रांगकः क्रुद्धो भल्लान्पंच समाददे । मुमोच भाले पुत्रस्य भरतस्य महौजसः
Then Citrāṅgaka, enraged, took up five arrows and released them at the forehead of the mighty son of Bharata.
तैर्भल्लैराहतः क्रुद्धः शरासनवरे शरम् । दधत्प्रतिज्ञामकरोच्चित्रांगनिधनं प्रति
Struck by those arrows, the furious hero, wielding his excellent bow, made a vow concerning the death of Citrāṅga.
शृणु वीर मम क्षिप्रं प्रतिज्ञां त्वद्वधाश्रिताम् । तज्ज्ञात्वा सावधानेन योद्धव्यं च त्वयात्र हि
Hear, O hero, my swift vow, which is aimed at your destruction; knowing this, you must fight here with full attention.
बाणेनानेन चेत्त्वां वै न कुर्यां प्राणवर्जितम् । सतीं संदूष्य वनितां शीलाचारसुशोभिताम्
If with this arrow I do not make you lifeless—having violated a virtuous woman adorned with good conduct—
यो लोकः प्राप्यते लोकैर्यमस्य वशवर्तिभिः । स लोको मम वै भूयात्सत्यं मम प्रतिश्रुतम्
—then may I attain that world which is reached by those under Yama’s sway; let that world be mine—this is my solemn promise.
इति श्रेष्ठं वचः श्रुत्वा जहास परवीरहा । उवाच मतिमान्वीरः पुष्कलं वचनं शुभम्
Hearing these noble words, the slayer of enemies laughed, and the wise hero Puṣkala spoke auspicious words.
मृत्युर्वै प्राणिनां भाव्यः सर्वत्रैव च सर्वदा । तस्मान्मे निधने दुःखं नास्ति शूरशिरोमणे
Death is certain for all living beings, everywhere and always; therefore, O foremost of heroes, there is no sorrow for me in death.
प्रतिज्ञा या कृता वीर त्वया वीरत्वशालिना । सा सत्यैव पुनर्मेऽद्य श्रूयतां व्याहृतं महत्
The vow you have made, O hero endowed with valor, is indeed true; now hear in turn the great vow I declare today.
त्वद्बाणं मद्वधोद्युक्तं न च्छिंद्यां यदि चेदहम् । तदा प्रतिज्ञां शृणु मे सर्ववीराभिमानिनः
If I do not cut down your arrow, aimed at my death, then hear my vow, O pride of all heroes.
तीर्थं जिगमिषोर्यो वै कुर्यात्स्वांतविखंडनम् । एकादशीव्रतादन्यज्जानाति व्रतमुच्चकैः
Whoever, desiring to go on pilgrimage, breaks his own resolve, or knows any vow greater than the Ekādaśī fast—
तस्य पापं ममैवास्तु प्रतिज्ञापरिघातिनः । इति वाक्यमुदीर्यैव तूष्णींभूतो धनुर्दधे
—let the sin of breaking a vow fall upon me; having spoken thus, he became silent and readied his bow.
तदानेन निषंगात्स्वादुद्धृत्य सायकं वरम् । कथयामास विशदं वाक्यं शत्रुवधावहम्
Then, drawing a splendid arrow from his quiver, he spoke clear words, bringing death to his enemy.
पुष्कल उवाच। यदि रामांघ्रियुगुलं निष्कापट्येन चेतसा । उपासितं मया तर्हि मम वाक्यमृतं भवेत्
Puṣkala said: If I have worshipped the pair of Rāma’s feet with a sincere heart, then let my words become true.
यदि स्वमहिलां भुक्त्वा नान्यां जानामिचेतसा । तेन सत्येन मे वाक्यं सत्यं भवतु संगरे
If, after enjoying my own wife, I have not thought of another woman, then by that truth let my words be fulfilled in battle.
इति वाक्यमुदीर्याशु बाणं धनुषि संधितम् । कालानलोपमं वीरशिरश्छेदनमाक्षिपत्
Having spoken thus, he swiftly fitted the arrow to his bow, and, like the fire of destruction, aimed it to sever the hero’s head.
तं बाणं मुक्तमालोक्य स तु राजसुतो बली । बाणं शरासने धत्त तीक्ष्णं कालानलोपमम्
Seeing that arrow released, the powerful prince fitted a sharp arrow, blazing like the fire of doom, to his own bow.
तेन बाणेन संछिन्नो बाणः स्ववधउद्यतः । हाहाकारो महानासीच्छिन्ने तस्मिञ्छरे तदा
With that arrow, he cut down the arrow aimed at his own death; as it was severed, a great outcry arose.
परार्धं पतितं भूमौ पूर्वार्धं फलसंयुतम् । शिरोधरां चकर्ताशु पद्मनालमिव क्षणात्
One half fell to the ground, the other half, with its head, swiftly severed the neck like a lotus stalk in an instant.
तदा भूमौ पतंतं तु दृष्ट्वा तत्तस्यसैनिकाः । हाहाकृत्वा भृशं सर्वे पलायनपरागताः
Then, seeing him falling to the ground, all his soldiers cried out in distress and, overwhelmed by fear, turned to flee.
पृथ्व्यां तन्मस्तकं श्रेष्ठं सकिरीटं सकुंडलम् । शुशुभेऽतीव पतितं चंद्रबिंबं दिवो यथा
His excellent head, adorned with a crown and earrings, lay on the earth, shining greatly like the disc of the moon fallen from the sky.