Babhruvahana Fights Arjuna

Verse 1 (14.79.1)

श्रुत्वा तु नृपतिः प्राप्तं पितरं बभ्रुवाहनः । निर्ययौ विनयेनाथ ब्राह्मणार्यपुरःसरः ॥

śrutvā tu nṛpatiḥ prāptaṃ pitaraṃ babhruvāhanaḥ | niryayau vinayenātha brāhmaṇāryapuraḥsaraḥ

On hearing that his father had arrived, King Babhruvahana went out humbly to meet him, with Brahmins and respected elders walking before him.

Verse 2 (14.79.2)

मणलूरेश्वरं त्वेवमुपयातं धनंजयः । नाभ्यनन्दत्स मेधावी क्षत्रधर्ममनुस्मरन् ॥

maṇalūreśvaraṃ tvevamupayātaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ | nābhyanandatsa medhāvī kṣatradharmamanusmaran

But Dhananjaya, the wise, seeing the lord of Manalura approach in this way, did not welcome him, for he kept in mind the duty of a warrior.

Verse 3 (14.79.3)

उवाच च स धर्मात्मा समन्युः फल्गुनस्तदा । प्रक्रियेयं न ते युक्ता बहिस्त्वं क्षत्रधर्मतः ॥

uvāca ca sa dharmātmā samanyuḥ phalgunastadā | prakriyeyaṃ na te yuktā bahistvaṃ kṣatradharmataḥ

Then the righteous-souled Phalguna, full of anger, said: "This conduct of yours is not fitting; in it you stand outside the duty of a kshatriya.

Verse 4 (14.79.4)

संरक्ष्यमाणं तुरगं यौधिष्ठिरमुपागतम् । यज्ञियं विषयान्ते मां नायोत्सीः किंनु पुत्रक ॥

saṃrakṣyamāṇaṃ turagaṃ yaudhiṣṭhiramupāgatam | yajñiyaṃ viṣayānte māṃ nāyotsīḥ kiṃnu putraka

When the sacrificial horse of Yudhishthira, under guard, came to the border of your realm, why did you not fight me, my son?

Verse 5 (14.79.5)

धिक्त्वामस्तु सुदुर्बुद्धिं क्षत्रधर्माविशारदम् । यो मां युद्धाय सम्प्राप्तं साम्नैव प्रत्यगृह्णथाः ॥

dhiktvāmastu sudurbuddhiṃ kṣatradharmāviśāradam | yo māṃ yuddhāya samprāptaṃ sāmnaiva pratyagṛhṇathāḥ

Shame on you, foolish one, ignorant of the warrior's duty, who met me with mere conciliation when I had come for battle!

Verse 6 (14.79.6)

न त्वया पुरुषार्थो हि कश्चिदस्तीह जीवता । यस्त्वं स्त्रीवद्युधा प्राप्तं मां साम्ना प्रत्यगृह्णथाः ॥

na tvayā puruṣārtho hi kaścidastīha jīvatā | yastvaṃ strīvadyudhā prāptaṃ māṃ sāmnā pratyagṛhṇathāḥ

Your living achieves nothing worthy of a man, you who received me, come to fight, with soft words, like a woman.

Verse 7 (14.79.7)

यद्यहं न्यस्तशस्त्रस्त्वामागच्छेयं सुदुर्मते । प्रक्रियेयं भवेद्युक्ता तावत्तव नराधम ॥

yadyahaṃ nyastaśastrastvāmāgaccheyaṃ sudurmate | prakriyeyaṃ bhavedyuktā tāvattava narādhama

Had I come to you with my weapons laid down, ill-minded one, then this conduct of yours would have been fitting, you lowest of men."

Note on the text: Corrected तावतव → तावत्तव (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped conjunct; the critical edition has a different reading here, "tato yuktā bhavet tava", "then it would be fitting for you", which confirms the sense).

Verse 8 (14.79.8)

तमेवमुक्तं भर्त्रा तु विदित्वा पन्नगात्मजा । अमृष्यमाणा भित्त्वोर्वीमुलूपी समुपागमत् ॥

tamevamuktaṃ bhartrā tu viditvā pannagātmajā | amṛṣyamāṇā bhittvorvīmulūpī samupāgamat

Learning that her husband had spoken to him thus, the serpent's daughter Ulupi, unable to bear it, split the earth and came up.

Verse 9 (14.79.9)

सा ददर्श ततः पुत्रं विमृशन्तमधोमुखम् । संतर्ज्यमानमसकृत्पित्रा युद्धार्थिना विभो ॥

sā dadarśa tataḥ putraṃ vimṛśantamadhomukham | saṃtarjyamānamasakṛtpitrā yuddhārthinā vibho

There she saw her son standing with lowered face, deep in thought, rebuked again and again by his father, who longed for battle, O mighty king.

Note on the text: Corrected तत → ततः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped visarga; the critical edition reads "tataḥ").

Verse 10 (14.79.10)

ततः सा चारुसर्वाङ्गी समुपेत्योरगात्मजा । उलूपी प्राह वचनं क्षत्रधर्मविशारद ॥

tataḥ sā cārusarvāṅgī samupetyoragātmajā | ulūpī prāha vacanaṃ kṣatradharmaviśārada

Then that lovely-limbed daughter of the serpents came close and spoke these words, O you versed in the duty of a warrior.

Verse 11 (14.79.11)

उलूपीं मां निबोध त्वं मातरं पन्नगात्मजाम् । कुरुष्व वचनं पुत्र धर्मस्ते भविता परः ॥

ulūpīṃ māṃ nibodha tvaṃ mātaraṃ pannagātmajām | kuruṣva vacanaṃ putra dharmaste bhavitā paraḥ

"Know that I am Ulupi, your mother, a daughter of the serpents. Do as I say, my son, and you will gain the highest merit.

Verse 12 (14.79.12)

युध्यस्वैनं कुरुश्रेष्ठं धनंजयमरिन्दमम् । एवमेष हि ते प्रीतो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥

yudhyasvainaṃ kuruśreṣṭhaṃ dhanaṃjayamarindamam | evameṣa hi te prīto bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

Fight this best of the Kurus, Dhananjaya, the tamer of foes; in this way he will surely be pleased with you."

Verse 13 (14.79.13)

एवमुद्धर्षितो राजा स मात्रा बभ्रुवाहनः । मनश्चक्रे महातेजा युद्धाय भरतर्षभ ॥

evamuddharṣito rājā sa mātrā babhruvāhanaḥ | manaścakre mahātejā yuddhāya bharatarṣabha

Thus urged on by his mother, King Babhruvahana, of great splendour, made up his mind to fight, O best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Corrected उद्धार्षितो → उद्धर्षितो (misprint in Wikisource; a spurious long ā; the critical edition reads "uddharṣito").

Verse 14 (14.79.14)

सन्नह्य काञ्चनं वर्म शिरस्त्राणं च भानुमत् । तूणीरशतसंबाधमारुरोह रथोत्तमम् ॥

sannahya kāñcanaṃ varma śirastrāṇaṃ ca bhānumat | tūṇīraśatasaṃbādhamāruroha rathottamam

He put on a golden coat of mail and a shining helmet, and mounted his excellent chariot, which was crowded with hundreds of quivers.

Verse 15 (14.79.15)

सर्वोपकरणोपेतं युक्तमश्वैर्मनोजवैः । सचक्रोपस्करं श्रीमान्हेमभाण्डपरिष्कृतम् ॥

sarvopakaraṇopetaṃ yuktamaśvairmanojavaiḥ | sacakropaskaraṃ śrīmānhemabhāṇḍapariṣkṛtam

That chariot was furnished with every equipment, yoked to horses swift as thought, with fine wheels and fittings, and adorned with golden ornaments.

Verse 16 (14.79.16)

परमार्चितमुच्छ्रित्य ध्वजं हंसं हिरण्मयम् । प्रययौ पार्थमुद्दिश्य स राजा बभ्रुवाहनः ॥

paramārcitamucchritya dhvajaṃ haṃsaṃ hiraṇmayam | prayayau pārthamuddiśya sa rājā babhruvāhanaḥ

Raising a richly honoured golden banner with the emblem of a goose, King Babhruvahana set out toward Partha.

Verse 17 (14.79.17)

ततोऽभ्येत्य हयं वीरो यज्ञियं पार्थरक्षितम् । ग्राहयामास पुरुषैर्हयशिक्षाविशारदैः ॥

tato'bhyetya hayaṃ vīro yajñiyaṃ pārtharakṣitam | grāhayāmāsa puruṣairhayaśikṣāviśāradaiḥ

Then the hero went up to the sacrificial horse guarded by Partha and had it seized by men skilled in the training of horses.

Note on the text: Corrected ततोऽभ्योत्य → ततोऽभ्येत्य (misprint in Wikisource; abhi-√i gerund, "having approached"; the critical edition reads "tato 'bhyetya").

Verse 18 (14.79.18)

गृहीतं वाजिनं दृष्ट्वा प्रीतात्मा स धनंजयः । पुत्रं रथस्थं भूमिष्ठः संन्यवारयदाहवे ॥

gṛhītaṃ vājinaṃ dṛṣṭvā prītātmā sa dhanaṃjayaḥ | putraṃ rathasthaṃ bhūmiṣṭhaḥ saṃnyavārayadāhave

Seeing the horse seized, Dhananjaya was pleased at heart; standing on the ground, he checked his son, who was on his chariot, in the fight.

Verse 19 (14.79.19)

स तत्र राजा तं वीरं शरसङ्घैरनेकशः । अर्दयामास निशितैराशीविषविषोपमैः ॥

sa tatra rājā taṃ vīraṃ śarasaṅghairanekaśaḥ | ardayāmāsa niśitairāśīviṣaviṣopamaiḥ

Then the king afflicted that hero over and over with swarms of sharp arrows, like the venom of poisonous snakes.

Verse 20 (14.79.20)

तयोः समभवद्युद्धं पितुः पुत्रस्य चातुलम् । देवासुररणप्रख्यमुभयोः प्रीयमाणयोः ॥

tayoḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ pituḥ putrasya cātulam | devāsuraraṇaprakhyamubhayoḥ prīyamāṇayoḥ

A matchless battle then took place between father and son, like the war of the gods and asuras, with both of them taking delight in it.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रस्यक चातुलम् → पुत्रस्य चातुलम् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क; the critical edition reads "putrasya cātulam").

Verse 21 (14.79.21)

किरीटिनं प्रविव्याध शरेणानतपर्वणा । जत्रुदेशे नरव्याघ्रं प्रहसन्बभ्रुवाहनः ॥

kirīṭinaṃ pravivyādha śareṇānataparvaṇā | jatrudeśe naravyāghraṃ prahasanbabhruvāhanaḥ

Laughing, Babhruvahana pierced Kiritin, that tiger among men, at the collarbone with an arrow with straight joints.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रविव्याघ → प्रविव्याध (misprint in Wikisource; घ for ध; the verb is √vyadh, and the critical edition reads "vivyādha").

Verse 22 (14.79.22)

सोभ्यगात्सहपुङ्खेन वल्मीकमिव पन्नगः । विनिर्भद्य च कौन्तेयं प्रविवेश महीतलम् ॥

sobhyagātsahapuṅkhena valmīkamiva pannagaḥ | vinirbhadya ca kaunteyaṃ praviveśa mahītalam

The arrow, shaft and feathers together, went in as a snake enters an anthill; having pierced the son of Kunti, it entered the ground.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रविवेशि → प्रविवेश (misprint in Wikisource; a stray ि; third-person perfect "praviveśa").

Verse 23 (14.79.23)

स गाढवेदनो धीमानालम्ब्य धनुरुत्तमम् । दिव्यं तेजः समाविश्य प्रमीत इव सोभवत् ॥

sa gāḍhavedano dhīmānālambya dhanuruttamam | divyaṃ tejaḥ samāviśya pramīta iva sobhavat

Gravely wounded, the wise Arjuna leaned on his excellent bow; pervaded by a divine radiance, he seemed to be dead.

Verse 24 (14.79.24)

स संज्ञामुपलभ्याथ प्रशस्य पुरुषर्षभः । पुत्रं शक्रात्मजो वाक्यमिदमाह महाद्युतिः ॥

sa saṃjñāmupalabhyātha praśasya puruṣarṣabhaḥ | putraṃ śakrātmajo vākyamidamāha mahādyutiḥ

Then, regaining consciousness, that best of men, the son of Shakra, of great splendour, praised his son and spoke these words.

Verse 25 (14.79.25)

साधुसाधु महाबाहो वत्स चित्राङ्गदात्मज । सदृशं कर्म ते दृष्ट्वा प्रीतिमानस्मि पुत्रक ॥

sādhusādhu mahābāho vatsa citrāṅgadātmaja | sadṛśaṃ karma te dṛṣṭvā prītimānasmi putraka

"Well done, well done, mighty-armed child, son of Chitrangada! Seeing a deed worthy of you, I am pleased, my son.

Verse 26 (14.79.26)

विमुञ्चाम्येष ते बाणान्पुत्र युद्धे स्थिरो भव । इत्येवमुक्त्वा नाराचैरभ्यवर्षदमित्रहा ॥

vimuñcāmyeṣa te bāṇānputra yuddhe sthiro bhava | ityevamuktvā nārācairabhyavarṣadamitrahā

I now let fly my arrows at you, my son; stand firm in the fight." Having said this, the destroyer of enemies showered him with iron arrows.

Verse 27 (14.79.27)

तान्स गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तान्वज्राशनिसमप्रभान् । नाराचानच्छिनद्राजा भल्लैः सर्वांस्त्रिधा द्विधा ॥

tānsa gāṇḍīvanirmuktānvajrāśanisamaprabhān | nārācānacchinadrājā bhallaiḥ sarvāṃstridhā dvidhā

The king cut down all those iron arrows, shot from the Gandiva and shining like thunderbolts, with broad-headed arrows, into three pieces or two.

Note on the text: Corrected नाराचानच्छिनद्राज → नाराचानच्छिनद्राजा (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ā; the subject is the king, and the critical edition reads "acchinad rājā").

Verse 28 (14.79.28)

तस्य पार्थः शरैर्दिव्यैर्ध्वजं हेमपरिष्कृतम् । सुवर्णतालप्रतिमं क्षुरेणापाहरद्रथात् ॥

tasya pārthaḥ śarairdivyairdhvajaṃ hemapariṣkṛtam | suvarṇatālapratimaṃ kṣureṇāpāharadrathāt

With divine arrows Partha struck down from the chariot his golden-adorned banner, which was like a golden palm tree, with a razor-headed arrow.

Verse 29 (14.79.29)

हयांश्चास्य महाकायान्महावेगानरिंदम । चकार राजन्निर्जीवान्प्रहसन्निव पाण्डवः ॥

hayāṃścāsya mahākāyānmahāvegānariṃdama | cakāra rājannirjīvānprahasanniva pāṇḍavaḥ

And, O tamer of foes, the Pandava, as if laughing, made his huge and very swift horses lifeless, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected निर्जावान् → निर्जीवान् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ī-matra; "nirjīvān", lifeless, as the critical edition reads).

Verse 30 (14.79.30)

स रथादवतीर्याथ राजा परमकोपनः । पदातिः पितरं क्रुद्धो योधयामास पाण्डवम् ॥

sa rathādavatīryātha rājā paramakopanaḥ | padātiḥ pitaraṃ kruddho yodhayāmāsa pāṇḍavam

Then the king, exceedingly angry, got down from his chariot and, on foot and enraged, fought his father, the Pandava.

Verse 31 (14.79.31)

सम्प्रीयमाणः पार्थानामृषभः पुत्रविक्रमात् । नात्यर्थं पीडयामास पुत्रं वज्रधरात्मजः ॥

samprīyamāṇaḥ pārthānāmṛṣabhaḥ putravikramāt | nātyarthaṃ pīḍayāmāsa putraṃ vajradharātmajaḥ

Delighted by his son's valour, the bull of the Pandavas, the son of the wielder of the thunderbolt, did not press his son too hard.

Verse 32 (14.79.32)

स हन्यमानोऽभिमुखं पितरं बभ्रुवाहनः । शरैराशीविषाकारैः पुनरेवार्दयद्बली ॥

sa hanyamāno'bhimukhaṃ pitaraṃ babhruvāhanaḥ | śarairāśīviṣākāraiḥ punarevārdayadbalī

Though struck in front by his father, mighty Babhruvahana again tormented him with arrows like venomous snakes.

Verse 33 (14.79.33)

ततः स बाल्यात्पितरं विव्याध हृदि पत्रिणा । निशितेन सुपुङ्खेन बलवद्बभ्रुवाहनः ॥

tataḥ sa bālyātpitaraṃ vivyādha hṛdi patriṇā | niśitena supuṅkhena balavadbabhruvāhanaḥ

Then, in his youthful rashness, Babhruvahana struck his father hard in the heart with a sharp, well-feathered arrow.

Note on the text: Corrected निशेतेन → निशितेन (misprint in Wikisource; a wrong vowel; "niśitena", sharp, as the critical edition reads).

Verse 34 (14.79.34)

स बाणस्तेजसा दीप्तो ज्वलन्निव हुताशनः । विवेश पाण्डवं राजन्मर्म भित्त्वाऽतिदुःखकृत् ॥

sa bāṇastejasā dīpto jvalanniva hutāśanaḥ | viveśa pāṇḍavaṃ rājanmarma bhittvā'tiduḥkhakṛt

That arrow, blazing with its own brilliance like a flaming fire, pierced the Pandava's vital spot, O king, and caused him dreadful pain.

Verse 35 (14.79.35)

स तेनातिभृशं विद्धः पुत्रेण कुरुनन्दनः । महीं जगाम मोहार्तस्ततो राजन्धनंजयः ॥

sa tenātibhṛśaṃ viddhaḥ putreṇa kurunandanaḥ | mahīṃ jagāma mohārtastato rājandhanaṃjayaḥ

Pierced very deeply by his son, the joy of the Kurus, Dhananjaya then fell to the ground in a swoon, O king.

Verse 36 (14.79.36)

तस्मिन्निपतिते वीरे कौरवाणां धुरंधरे । सोपि मोहं जगामाथ ततश्चित्राङ्गदासुतः ॥

tasminnipatite vīre kauravāṇāṃ dhuraṃdhare | sopi mohaṃ jagāmātha tataścitrāṅgadāsutaḥ

When that hero, the bearer of the Kauravas' burden, had fallen, Chitrangada's son too then lost consciousness.

Note on the text: Removed stray 'ष' (printed as '।ष' at the end of the second line) and set the verse-end mark: Wikisource has 'चित्राङ्गदासुतः।ष' (a mangled ‘।।’).

Verse 37 (14.79.37)

व्यायम्य संयुगे राजा दृष्ट्वा च पितरं हतम् । पूर्वमेव स बाणौघैर्गाढविद्धोऽर्जुनेन ह । पपात सोपि धरणीमालिङ्ग्य रणमूर्धनि ॥

vyāyamya saṃyuge rājā dṛṣṭvā ca pitaraṃ hatam | pūrvameva sa bāṇaughairgāḍhaviddho'rjunena ha | papāta sopi dharaṇīmāliṅgya raṇamūrdhani

Having strained himself in the fight, and seeing his father struck down, the king, who had already been deeply wounded by Arjuna's volleys of arrows, himself fell too, embracing the earth at the head of the battle.

Note on the text: Corrected बाणौर्घर्गाढविद्धो → बाणौघैर्गाढविद्धो (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct; the critical edition reads "bāṇaughair gāḍhaviddho"). Three-line verse (14-79-37a,b,c): lines 1–2 = critical edition 14.78.37a–d (line 2 ends "…arjunena saḥ" there, "…arjunena ha" here, a variant); line 3 = the critical edition's star passage *154_01 after 14.78.37d ("papāta so 'pi dharaṇīm āliṅgya raṇamūrdhani").

Verse 38 (14.79.38)

भर्तारं निहतं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रं च पतितं भुवि । चित्राङ्गदा परित्रस्ता प्रविवेश रणाजिरे ॥

bhartāraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā putraṃ ca patitaṃ bhuvi | citrāṅgadā paritrastā praviveśa raṇājire

Seeing her husband slain and her son fallen on the ground, Chitrangada, terrified, entered the battlefield.

Verse 39 (14.79.39)

शोकसंतप्तहृदया रुदती वेपती भृशम् । मणलूरपतेर्माता ददर्श निहतं पतिम् ॥

śokasaṃtaptahṛdayā rudatī vepatī bhṛśam | maṇalūrapatermātā dadarśa nihataṃ patim

With a heart burning with grief, weeping and trembling violently, the mother of the lord of Manalura saw her husband lying slain.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this verse as two single-line verses (14-79-39a and 14-79-40a); joined as one śloka (first line ‘शोकसंतप्तहृदया रुदती वेपती भृशम्’, second line ‘मणलूरपतेर्माता ददर्श निहतं पतिम्’), which matches the critical edition's single verse 14.78.39 (variant wording: 'rudatī sā tataḥ śubhā' / 'maṇipūrapater mātā dadarśa nihataṃ patim'). Verse-end mark moved to the end of the second line; wikisource_number is that of the first row (39).