महाभारतम् — ९.१९

संजय उवाच ।

संनिवृत्ते बलौघे तु शाल्वो म्लेच्छगणाधिपः ।
अभ्यवर्तत संक्रुद्धः पाण्डूनां सुमहद्बलम् ॥

M N Dutt Sanjaya said After the (Kuru) army had been gathered Shalya, the king of the Mlechchhas, filled with rage, rushed against the large army of the Pandavas, riding on a gigantic clephant, with temporal juice trickling, looking like a hill, elated with pride, resembling Airavata himself and capable of crushing large numbers of foes.

९.१९.२

आस्थाय सुमहानागं प्रभिन्नं पर्वतोपमम् ।
दृप्तमैरावतप्रख्यममित्रगणमर्दनम् ॥

९.१९.३

योऽसौ महाभद्रकुलप्रसूतः
सुपूजितो धार्तराष्ट्रेण नित्यम् ।
सुकल्पितः शास्त्रविनिश्चयज्ञैः
सदोपवाह्यः समरेषु राजन् ॥

M N Dutt Shalya's animal was of a good breed, was always adored by Dhritarashtra's sons and was properly equipped and properly trained for battle, O king, by persons well conversant with the science of elephant training. Riding on that elephant, that foremost of kings looked like the morning sun at the close of summer.

९.१९.४

तमास्थितो राजवरो बभूव; यथोदयस्थः सविता क्षपान्ते ।
स तेन नागप्रवरेण राज;न्नभ्युद्ययौ पाण्डुसुतान्समन्तात् ।
शितैः पृषत्कैर्विददार चापि; महेन्द्रवज्रप्रतिमैः सुघोरैः ॥

९.१९.५

ततः शरान्वै सृजतो महारणे; योधांश्च राजन्नयतो यमाय । नास्यान्तरं ददृशुः स्वे परे वा; यथा पुरा वज्रधरस्य दैत्याः ॥

९.१९.६

ते पाण्डवाः सोमकाः सृञ्जयाश्च
तमेव नागं ददृशुः समन्तात् ।
सहस्रशो वै विचरन्तमेकं
यथा महेन्द्रस्य गजं समीपे ॥

M N Dutt The Pandavas, the Somakes and the Srinjayas, saw one elephant look like a thousand elephants moving around them as the enemies of the gods had in days of yore seen the elephant of Indra in battle.

९.१९.७

संद्राव्यमाणं तु बलं परेषां
परीतकल्पं विबभौ समन्तात् ।
नैवावतस्थे समरे भृशं भया
द्विमर्दमानं तु परस्परं तदा ॥

M N Dutt The army so driven by thai elephant seemed as if trapped from all sides. It could not stay for moments in the battle-field on account of sheer fright. All soldiers started crushing in hue and cry over mutual pull and push.

९.१९.८

ततः प्रभग्ना सहसा महाचमूः; सा पाण्डवी तेन नराधिपेन । दिशश्चतस्रः सहसा प्रधाविता; गजेन्द्रवेगं तमपारयन्ती ॥

M N Dutt Agitated by that animal, the hostile army looked life-less. Unable to stand in battle, they then fled away in great fear, crushing one another. Then the huge army of the Pandavas, routed by king Shalya, suddenly fled on all sides unable to stand the vigor of that elephant.

९.१९.९

दृष्ट्वा च तां वेगवता प्रभग्नां
सर्वे त्वदीया युधि योधमुख्याः ।
अपूजयंस्तत्र नराधिपं तं
दध्मुश्च शङ्खाञ्शशिसंनिकाशान् ॥

M N Dutt Seeing the Pandava army routed and flying away quickly all your leading warriors worshipped king Shalya and blew their moonwhite conchs.

९.१९.१०

श्रुत्वा निनादं त्वथ कौरवाणां
हर्षाद्विमुक्तं सह शङ्खशब्दैः ।
सेनापतिः पाण्डवसृञ्जयानां
पाञ्चालपुत्रो न ममर्ष रोषात् ॥

M N Dutt Hearing the war-cries of the Kauravas uttered in joy and the blare of their conchs, the commander of the Pandava and the Srinjaya forces, viz., the Panchala prince Dhrishtadyumna could not, from wrath, bear it.

९.१९.११

ततस्तु तं वै द्विरदं महात्मा
प्रत्युद्ययौ त्वरमाणो जयाय ।
जम्भो यथा शक्रसमागमे वै
नागेन्द्रमैरावणमिन्द्रवाह्यम् ॥

M N Dutt The illustrious Dhrishtadyumna then quickly proceeded for defeating that elephant, as the Asura Jainbha had proceed against Airavata, the carrier of Indra, while he fought with Indra.

९.१९.१२

तमापतन्तं सहसा तु दृष्ट्वा
पाञ्चालराजं युधि राजसिंहः ।
तं वै द्विपं प्रेषयामास तूर्णं
वधाय राजन्द्रुपदात्मजस्य ॥

M N Dutt Beholding the king of the Pandavas proceed against him, Shalya, the foremost of kings, quickly urged his elephant, O king, for the destruction of Drupada's son.

९.१९.१३

स तं द्विपं सहसाभ्यापतन्त
मविध्यदर्कप्रतिमैः पृषत्कैः ।
कर्मारधौतैर्निशितैर्ज्वलद्भि
र्नाराचमुख्यैस्त्रिभिरुग्रवेगैः ॥

M N Dutt Seeing the animal approaching the latter struck it with three best arrows, polished, keen, blazing, powerful and resembling fire itself in effulgence and force.

९.१९.१४

ततोऽपरान्पञ्च शितान्महात्मा
नाराचमुख्यान्विससर्ज कुम्भे ।
स तैस्तु विद्धः परमद्विपो रणे
तदा परावृत्य भृशं प्रदुद्रुवे ॥

M N Dutt Then that illustrious hero struck the animal on the trunk with five other whetted and best arrows. Struck therewith, that prince of elephants, turning away from the battle, ran quickly away.

९.१९.१५

तं नागराजं सहसा प्रणुन्नं
विद्राव्यमाणं च निगृह्य शाल्वः ।
तोत्त्राङ्कुशैः प्रेषयामास तूर्णं
पाञ्चालराजस्य रथं प्रदिश्य ॥

M N Dutt Suddenly checking that foremost of elephants which had been greatly wounded and compelled to retreat Shalya, however, caused it to turn back and with hooks and keen lances urged it forward against the car of the Panchala king, pointing it out to the infuriate animal.

९.१९.१६

दृष्ट्वापतन्तं सहसा तु नागं
धृष्टद्युम्नः स्वरथाच्छीघ्रमेव ।
गदां प्रगृह्याशु जवेन वीरो
भूमिं प्रपन्नो भयविह्वलाङ्गः ॥

M N Dutt Beholding the animal rushing forcibly at him, the heroic Dhrishtadyumna, taking up a mace, quickly leaped down on the Earth from his car, his limbs benumbed with fear.

९.१९.१७

स तं रथं हेमविभूषिताङ्गं
साश्वं ससूतं सहसा विमृद्य ।
उत्क्षिप्य हस्तेन तदा महाद्विपो
विपोथयामास वसुंधरातले ॥

M N Dutt That huge elephant, meanwhile, suddenly crushing that gold-decked car with its horses and driver, raised it up in the air with his trunk and then dashed it down on the Earth.

९.१९.१८

पाञ्चालराजस्य सुतं स दृष्ट्वा
तदार्दितं नागवरेण तेन ।
तमभ्यधावत्सहसा जवेन
भीमः शिखण्डी च शिनेश्च नप्ता ॥

M N Dutt Beholding the driver of Panchala king thus crushed by that best of elephants. Bhima and Shikhandin and the grandson of Shini rushed with great force against that animal.

९.१९.१९

शरैश्च वेगं सहसा निगृह्य
तस्याभितोऽभ्यापततो गजस्य ।
स संगृहीतो रथिभिर्गजो वै
चचाल तैर्वार्यमाणश्च संख्ये ॥

M N Dutt With their arrows they quickly restrained that animal. Thus restrained by them in battle, the elephant began to tremble.

९.१९.२०

ततः पृषत्कान्प्रववर्ष राजा
सूर्यो यथा रश्मिजालं समन्तात् ।
तेनाशुगैर्वध्यमाना रथौघाः
प्रदुद्रुवुस्तत्र ततस्तु सर्वे ॥

M N Dutt Meanwhile king Shalya began to discharge arrows like the Sun shedding his rays on all sides. Struck with those arrows, the (Pandava) car-warriors began to fly away.

९.१९.२१

तत्कर्म शाल्वस्य समीक्ष्य सर्वे
पाञ्चालमत्स्या नृप सृञ्जयाश्च ।
हाहाकारैर्नादयन्तः स्म युद्धे
द्विपं समन्ताद्रुरुधुर्नराग्र्याः ॥

M N Dutt Beholding that feat of Shalya, the Panchalas, the Srinjayas and the Matsyas. O king, bewailed aloud in that battle. All those foremost of men however, surrounded the animal entirely.

९.१९.२२

पाञ्चालराजस्त्वरितस्तु शूरो
गदां प्रगृह्याचलशृङ्गकल्पाम् ।
असंभ्रमं भारत शत्रुघाती
जवेन वीरोऽनुससार नागम् ॥

M N Dutt Then, taking up his mace resembling the crest of a mountain, the brave Panchalas appeared there. Fearlessly, O king, that hero, that striker of foes, rushed quickly against the clephant.

९.१९.२३

ततोऽथ नागं धरणीधराभं
मदं स्रवन्तं जलदप्रकाशम् ।
गदां समाविध्य भृशं जघान
पाञ्चालराजस्य सुतस्तरस्वी ॥

M N Dutt The active prince of the Panchala, approaching, began to strike with his mace that animal which was huge as a hill and which shed temporal juice like a mass of pouring clouds.

९.१९.२४

स भिन्नकुम्भः सहसा विनद्य
मुखात्प्रभूतं क्षतजं विमुञ्चन् ।
पपात नागो धरणीधराभः
क्षितिप्रकम्पाच्चलितो यथाद्रिः ॥

M N Dutt Its trunk cut open, the animal cried aloud; and vomiting enough blood, the animal, huge as a hill, suddenly dropped down as a mountain falling down during an earthquake.

९.१९.२५

निपात्यमाने तु तदा गजेन्द्रे
हाहाकृते तव पुत्रस्य सैन्ये ।
स शाल्वराजस्य शिनिप्रवीरो
जहार भल्लेन शिरः शितेन ॥

M N Dutt While that best of elephants was falling down and while your son's ariny were bewailing at the spectacle, that best of warriors among the Shinis cut off the head of king Shalya with a sharp and broad-headed arrow.

९.१९.२६

हृतोत्तमाङ्गो युधि सात्वतेन
पपात भूमौ सह नागराज्ञा ।
यथाद्रिशृङ्गं सुमहत्प्रणुन्नं
वज्रेण देवाधिपचोदितेन ॥

M N Dutt His head having been sundered by the Satwata hero, Shalya dropped down on the Earth along with his best of elephants, like a mountain summit suddenly clapped by the thunder-bolt discharged by the best of the celestials.

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