महाभारतम् — ८.३८

संजय उवाच ।

M N Dutt Then there took place an encounter for the time being capable of striking terror unto the timid and increasing the delight of the heroes.

८.३८.४

कृपेण शरवर्षाणि विप्रमुक्तानि संयुगे ।
सृञ्जयाः शातयामासुः शलभानां व्रजा इव ॥

M N Dutt The downpour of arrows made by Kripa in the battle covered the Srinjayas like a swarm of locusts.

८.३८.५

शिखण्डी तु ततः क्रुद्धो गौतमं त्वरितो ययौ ।
ववर्ष शरवर्षाणि समन्तादेव ब्राह्मणे ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon Shikhandin, worked up with anger, speedily approached the son of Gautaina and discharged a shower of arrows upon that best of men.

८.३८.६

कृपस्तु शरवर्षं तद्विनिहत्य महास्त्रवित् ।
शिखण्डिनं रणे क्रुद्धो विव्याध दशभिः शरैः ॥

M N Dutt And checking that downpour of arrows Kripa, conversant with the use of mighty weapons and filled with anger, struck in that encounter Shikhandin with ten arrows.

८.३८.७

ततः शिखण्डी कुपीतः शरैः सप्तभिराहवे ।
कृपं विव्याध सुभृशं कङ्कपत्रैरजिह्मगैः ॥

M N Dutt Then Shikhandin, worked up with anger, pierced Kripa and seven straight Kankafeathered arrows.

८.३८.८

ततः कृपः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः सोऽतिविद्धो महारथः ।
व्यश्वसूतरथं चक्रे पार्षतं तु द्विजोत्तमः ॥

M N Dutt Then the Brahmana Kripa, a mighty carwarrior, piercing heavily with sharp arrows, deprived Shikhandin of his horses, charioteer and car.

८.३८.९

हताश्वात्तु ततो यानादवप्लुत्य महारथः ।
चर्मखड्गे च संगृह्य सत्वरं ब्राह्मणं ययौ ॥

M N Dutt Then jumping down from the car, the heroes of which were slain, the mighty carwarrior speedily took up his sword and armour and approached the Brahmana.

८.३८.१०

तमापतन्तं सहसा शरैः संनतपर्वभिः ।
छादयामास समरे तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

८.३८.११

तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम शिलानां प्लवनं यथा ।
निश्चेष्टो यद्रणे राजञ्शिखण्डी समतिष्ठत ॥

M N Dutt Then he covered him suddenly who was approaching with straight arrows. This was indeed wonderful. We then, O king, beheld a wonderful spectacle like the flying of rocks. And Shikhandin remained inactive in that battle.

८.३८.१२

कृपेण छादितं दृष्ट्वा नृपोत्तम शिखण्डिनम् ।
प्रत्युद्ययौ कृपं तूर्णं धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथः ॥

M N Dutt Beholding Shikhandin covered with arrows by Kripa, O foremost of kings, the mighty carwarrior Dhristadyumna speedily approached him.

८.३८.१३

धृष्टद्युम्नं ततो यान्तं शारद्वतरथं प्रति ।
प्रतिजग्राह वेगेन कृतवर्मा महारथः ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon the mighty car-warrior Kritavarma vehemently resisted Dhristadyumna who was advancing towards the son of Sharadvata.

८.३८.१४

युधिष्ठिरमथायान्तं शारद्वतरथं प्रति ।
सपुत्रं सहसेनं च द्रोणपुत्रो न्यवारयत् ॥

M N Dutt Drona's son then resisted Yudhishthira who was advancing with his own son and arms against the son of Sharadvata.

८.३८.१५

नकुलं सहदेवं च त्वरमाणौ महारथौ ।
प्रतिजग्राह ते पुत्रः शरवर्षेण वारयन् ॥

M N Dutt Your son then impeded with a downpour of arrows the approach of the two car-warriors Nakula and Sahadeva.

८.३८.१६

भीमसेनं करूषांश्च केकयान्सहसृञ्जयान् ।
कर्णो वैकर्तनो युद्धे वारयामास भारत ॥

M N Dutt Karna, the son of Vikartana, O descendant of Bharata, then resisted in battle Bhimasena, Karushas, Kaikeyas and Srinjayas.

८.३८.१७

शिखण्डिनस्ततो बाणान्कृपः शारद्वतो युधि ।
प्राहिणोत्त्वरया युक्तो दिधक्षुरिव मारिष ॥

M N Dutt Then in the battle, O Sire, Kripa quickly hurled arrows at Shikhandin as to burn him down.

८.३८.१८

ताञ्शरान्प्रेषितांस्तेन समन्ताद्धेमभूषणान् ।
चिच्छेद खड्गमाविध्य भ्रामयंश्च पुनः पुनः ॥

M N Dutt Whirling his sword repeatedly (Shikhandin) then with his sword cut-off all those golddecked arrows that were discharged at him.

८.३८.१९

शतचन्द्रं ततश्चर्म गौतमः पार्षतस्य ह ।
व्यधमत्सायकैस्तूर्णं तत उच्चुक्रुशुर्जनाः ॥

M N Dutt The son of Gautama then quickly cut-off with his arrows the shield of Prishata's son that was adorned with a hundred moons. At this his people made a loud uproar.

८.३८.२०

स विचर्मा महाराज खड्गपाणिरुपाद्रवत् ।
कृपस्य वशमापन्नो मृत्योरास्यमिवातुरः ॥

M N Dutt Deprived of his shield, O monarch and brought under the influence of Kripa, he, with his sword, advanced like a sick man advancing towards death.

८.३८.२१

शारद्वतशरैर्ग्रस्तं क्लिश्यमानं महाबलम् ।
चित्रकेतुसुतो राजन्सुकेतुस्त्वरितो ययौ ॥

M N Dutt O king, Chitraketu's son Suketu quickly proceeded towards the highly powerful (Shikhandin) who was thus distressed and assailed by the son of Sharadvata.

८.३८.२२

विकिरन्ब्राह्मणं युद्धे बहुभिर्निशितैः शरैः ।
अभ्यापतदमेयात्मा गौतमस्य रथं प्रति ॥

M N Dutt Having covered in battle the Brahmana with sharp arrows, that one of immeasurable energy, advanced towards the car of Gautama's son.

८.३८.२३

दृष्ट्वाविषह्यं तं युद्धे ब्राह्मणं चरितव्रतम् ।
अपयातस्ततस्तूर्णं शिखण्डी राजसत्तम ॥

M N Dutt Beholding that Brahmana, observant of vows thus engaged in battle, Shikhandin, O king, quickly proceeded there.

८.३८.२४

सुकेतुस्तु ततो राजन्गौतमं नवभिः शरैः ।
विद्ध्वा विव्याध सप्तत्या पुनश्चैनं त्रिभिः शरैः ॥

M N Dutt O king, having pierced the son of Gautama with nine arrows Suketu once more pierced him with seventy and again with three.

८.३८.२५

अथास्य सशरं चापं पुनश्चिच्छेद मारिष ।
सारथिं च शरेणास्य भृशं मर्मण्यताडयत् ॥

M N Dutt He then cut-off his bow and arrows; then with another he pierced greatly his driver to the very vitals.

८.३८.२६

गौतमस्तु ततः क्रुद्धो धनुर्गृह्य नवं दृढम् ।
सुकेतुं त्रिंशता बाणैः सर्वमर्मस्वताडयत् ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon worked up with anger Gautama took up a fresh and strong bow and cut-off Suketu to the very vital part with thirty arrows.

८.३८.२७

स विह्वलितसर्वाङ्गः प्रचचाल रथोत्तमे ।
भूमिचाले यथा वृक्षश्चलत्याकम्पितो भृशम् ॥

M N Dutt All his limbs were weakened and he shook on that best of cars as a tree trembles greatly during an earth quake.

८.३८.२८

चलतस्तस्य कायात्तु शिरो ज्वलितकुण्डलम् ।
सोष्णीषं सशिरस्त्राणं क्षुरप्रेणान्वपातयत् ॥

M N Dutt Then with a razor-sharpened arrow he sundered from body his head still trembling with shining ear-rings, crown and headprotector.

८.३८.२९

तच्छिरः प्रापतद्भूमौ श्येनाहृतमिवामिषम् ।
ततोऽस्य कायो वसुधां पश्चात्प्राप तदा च्युतः ॥

M N Dutt His head fell down on the earth like a piece of meant stolen away by a hawk, afterwards his body, O Eternal one, fell down on the earth.

८.३८.३०

तस्मिन्हते महाराज त्रस्तास्तस्य पदानुगाः ।
गौतमं समरे त्यक्त्वा दुद्रुवुस्ते दिशो दश ॥

M N Dutt O Emperor, when he was slain, all his followers, leaving behind the son of Gautama in the battle-field fled, away in ten directions.

८.३८.३१

धृष्टद्युम्नं तु समरे संनिवार्य महाबलः ।
कृतवर्माब्रवीद्धृष्टस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति पार्षतम् ॥

M N Dutt Encircling the highly powerful Dhristadyumna in the battle-field Kritavarma said to him-"Wait! wait!"

८.३८.३२

तदभूत्तुमुलं युद्धं वृष्णिपार्षतयो रणे ।
आमिषार्थे यथा युद्धं श्येनयोर्गृद्धयोर्नृप ॥

M N Dutt Then there took place a terrible and wonderful encounter between the Vrishnis and Parsatas like that of two angry hawks, O king, for a piece of meat.

८.३८.३३

धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे हार्दिक्यं नवभिः शरैः ।
आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धः पीडयन्हृदिकात्मजम् ॥

M N Dutt Worked up with anger, Dhristadyumna, in that battle, assailed Hridika's son violently and struck him on the chest with nine arrows.

८.३८.३४

कृतवर्मा तु समरे पार्षतेन दृढाहतः ।
पार्षतं सरथं साश्वं छादयामास सायकैः ॥

M N Dutt Thus Assailed by a Parohata in battle Kritavarma covered him, his chariot and horses with arrows.

८.३८.३५

सरथश्छादितो राजन्धृष्टद्युम्नो न दृश्यते ।
मेघैरिव परिच्छन्नो भास्करो जलदागमे ॥

M N Dutt O king, thus covered along with his car Dhristadyumna became invisible like the sun enshrouded by clouds surcharged with water.

८.३८.३६

विधूय तं बाणगणं शरैः कनकभूषणैः ।
व्यरोचत रणे राजन्धृष्टद्युम्नः कृतव्रणः ॥

M N Dutt Withstanding him with gold feathered arrows, O king, Dhristadyumna appeared in battle with wounds.

८.३८.३७

ततस्तु पार्षतः क्रुद्धः शस्त्रवृष्टिं सुदारुणाम् ।
कृतवर्माणमासाद्य व्यसृजत्पृतनापतिः ॥

M N Dutt Obtaining Kritavarma, Parsata, the commander of the forces, worked up with anger, made a terrible downpour of arrows.

८.३८.३८

तामापतन्तीं सहसा शस्त्रवृष्टिं निरन्तराम् ।
शरैरनेकसाहस्रैर्हार्दिक्यो व्यधमद्युधि ॥

M N Dutt In that battle Hridika's son with many thousand arrows, all on a sudden, dispelled that highly dreadful shower of arrows that was about to fall on him.

८.३८.३९

दृष्ट्वा तु दारितां युद्धे शस्त्रवृष्टिं दुरुत्तराम् ।
कृतवर्माणमभ्येत्य वारयामास पार्षतः ॥

M N Dutt Beholding in that battle that fearful downpour of arrows thus dispelled by him Prishata's son, approaching Kritavarma, withstood him.

८.३८.४०

सारथिं चास्य तरसा प्राहिणोद्यमसादनम् ।
भल्लेन शितधारेण स हतः प्रापतद्रथात् ॥

M N Dutt With a sharpened spike he dispatched his charioteer to the abode of Death. Slain he fell down from the chariot.

८.३८.४१

धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु बलवाञ्जित्वा शत्रुं महारथम् ।
कौरवान्समरे तूर्णं वारयामास सायकैः ॥

M N Dutt Having vanquished his highly powerful enemy, the mighty Dhristadyumna speedily withstood the Kauravas in battle with arrows.

८.३८.४२

ततस्ते तावका योधा धृष्टद्युम्नमुपाद्रवन् ।
सिंहनादरवं कृत्वा ततो युद्धमवर्तत ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon emitting leonine roars your warriors ran towards Dhristadyumna and again an encounter took place.