Arjuna Defeats Meghasandhi of Magadha

Verse 1 (14.83.1)

स तु वाजी समुद्रान्तां पर्येत्य वसुधामिमाम् । निवृत्तोऽभिमुखो राजन्येन वारणसाह्वयम् ॥

sa tu vājī samudrāntāṃ paryetya vasudhāmimām | nivṛtto'bhimukho rājanyena vāraṇasāhvayam

Having circled this whole earth bounded by the ocean, the horse turned back, O king, toward the city named for the elephants, Hastinapura.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads वारणसाह्वयम् against the critical edition's नागाह्वयं पुरम् (nāgāhvayaṃ puram); both name Hastinapura; recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (14.83.2)

अनुगच्छंश्च तुरगं निवृत्तोऽथ किरीटभृत् । यदृच्छया समापेदे पुरं राजगृहं तदा ॥

anugacchaṃśca turagaṃ nivṛtto'tha kirīṭabhṛt | yadṛcchayā samāpede puraṃ rājagṛhaṃ tadā

As the wearer of the diadem followed the returning horse, he came by chance to the city of Rajagriha.

Verse 3 (14.83.3)

तमभ्याशगतं दृष्ट्वा सहदेवात्मजः प्रभो । क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितो वीरः समरायाजुहाव ह ॥

tamabhyāśagataṃ dṛṣṭvā sahadevātmajaḥ prabho | kṣatradharme sthito vīraḥ samarāyājuhāva ha

Seeing him arrive near, O lord, the heroic son of Sahadeva, firm in the Kshatriya duty, challenged him to battle.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads सहदेवात्मजः प्रभो against the critical edition's राजा जरासंधात्मजात्मजः (rājā jarāsaṃdhātmajātmajaḥ); recension variant, kept.

Verse 4 (14.83.4)

ततः पुरात्स निष्क्रम्य रथी धन्वी शरी तली । मेघसन्धिः पदातिं तं धनंजयमुपाद्रवत् ॥

tataḥ purātsa niṣkramya rathī dhanvī śarī talī | meghasandhiḥ padātiṃ taṃ dhanaṃjayamupādravat

Then Meghasandhi came out of the city on a chariot, with bow, arrows and glove, and rushed at Dhananjaya, who was on foot.

Verse 5 (14.83.5)

आसाद्य च महातेजा मेघसन्धिर्धनंजयम् । बालभावान्महाराज प्रोवाचेदं न कौशलात् ॥

āsādya ca mahātejā meghasandhirdhanaṃjayam | bālabhāvānmahārāja provācedaṃ na kauśalāt

Having reached Dhananjaya, the greatly radiant Meghasandhi spoke these words, O great king, out of boyish rashness and not from skill.

Verse 6 (14.83.6)

किमयं चार्यते वाजी स्त्रीमध्य इव भारत । हयमेनं हरिष्यामि प्रयतस्व विमोक्षणे ॥

kimayaṃ cāryate vājī strīmadhya iva bhārata | hayamenaṃ hariṣyāmi prayatasva vimokṣaṇe

"Why is this horse being guarded like one among women, O Bharata? I shall take this horse; strive to set it free.

Note on the text: Corrected स्इत्रीमध्य → स्त्रीमध्य (misprint in Wikisource; a stray इ breaks the conjunct; the critical edition reads strīmadhya).

Verse 7 (14.83.7)

अदत्तानुनयो युद्धे यदि त्वं पितृभिर्मम । करिष्यामि तवातिथ्यं प्रहर प्रहरामि च ॥

adattānunayo yuddhe yadi tvaṃ pitṛbhirmama | kariṣyāmi tavātithyaṃ prahara praharāmi ca

If you have not been taught a lesson in battle by my fathers, I shall give you hospitality now: strike, and I shall strike you in turn."

Note on the text: Line 2 reads प्रहर प्रहरामि च against the critical edition's प्रहर प्रहरामि वा; recension variant, kept. The critical edition has two star lines after line 1 (14,083.007b*0155_01 and *0156_01) that Wikisource lacks.

Verse 8 (14.83.8)

इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचैनं प्रहसन्निव पाण्डवः । विघ्नकर्ता मया वार्य इति मे व्रतमाहितम् ॥

ityuktaḥ pratyuvācainaṃ prahasanniva pāṇḍavaḥ | vighnakartā mayā vārya iti me vratamāhitam

Thus addressed, the Pandava answered him with something like a smile: "One who creates obstacles must be turned back by me; such is the vow I have taken.

Verse 9 (14.83.9)

भ्रात्रा ज्येष्ठेन नृपते तवापि विदितं ध्रुवम् । प्रहरस्व यथाशक्ति न मन्युर्विद्यते मम ॥

bhrātrā jyeṣṭhena nṛpate tavāpi viditaṃ dhruvam | praharasva yathāśakti na manyurvidyate mama

My elder brother, O king, has surely made this known to you as well. Strike as best you can; I feel no anger."

Verse 10 (14.83.10)

इत्युक्तः प्राहरत्पूर्वं पाण्डवं मगधेश्वरः । किरञ्शरसहस्राणि वर्षाणीव सहस्रदृक् ॥

ityuktaḥ prāharatpūrvaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ magadheśvaraḥ | kirañśarasahasrāṇi varṣāṇīva sahasradṛk

So addressed, the lord of Magadha struck the Pandava first, showering thousands of arrows like the thousand-eyed Indra pouring down rains for years.

Note on the text: Corrected मगधेस्वरः → मगधेश्वरः (misprint in Wikisource; स्व for श्व; the critical edition reads magadheśvaraḥ).

Verse 11 (14.83.11)

ततो गाण्डीवभृच्छूरो गाण्डीवप्रहितैः शरैः । चकार मोघांस्तान्बाणान्सयत्नान्भरतर्षभ ॥

tato gāṇḍīvabhṛcchūro gāṇḍīvaprahitaiḥ śaraiḥ | cakāra moghāṃstānbāṇānsayatnānbharatarṣabha

Then the heroic wielder of Gandiva, with arrows loosed from Gandiva, made those carefully aimed arrows useless, O best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads सयत्नान् against the critical edition's अयत्नात् (ayatnāt); recension variant, kept.

Verse 12 (14.83.12)

स मोघं तस्य बाणौघं कृत्वा वानरकेतनः । शरान्मुमोच ज्वलितान्दीप्तास्यानिव पन्नगान् ॥

sa moghaṃ tasya bāṇaughaṃ kṛtvā vānaraketanaḥ | śarānmumoca jvalitāndīptāsyāniva pannagān

Having made his volley of arrows useless, the one with the monkey banner loosed blazing arrows like fiery-mouthed serpents.

Note on the text: Corrected शरात्मुमोच → शरान्मुमोच (misprint in Wikisource; the sandhi of शरान् + मुमोच requires न्; the critical edition reads śarān mumoca).

Verse 13 (14.83.13)

ध्वजे पताकादण्डेषु रथे यन्त्रे हयेषु च । अन्येषु च रथाङ्गेषु न शरीरे न सारथौ ॥

dhvaje patākādaṇḍeṣu rathe yantre hayeṣu ca | anyeṣu ca rathāṅgeṣu na śarīre na sārathau

They struck his banner, the flagstaffs, the chariot and its fittings, the horses and the other parts of the chariot, but not his body and not his charioteer.

Verse 14 (14.83.14)

संरक्ष्यमाणः पार्थेन शरीरे सव्यसाचिना । मन्यमानः स्ववीर्यं तन्मागधः प्राहिणोच्छरान् ॥

saṃrakṣyamāṇaḥ pārthena śarīre savyasācinā | manyamānaḥ svavīryaṃ tanmāgadhaḥ prāhiṇoccharān

His body spared by Partha, the left-handed archer, and taking it for his own prowess, the Magadhan kept shooting his arrows.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads शरीरे सव्यसाचिना against the critical edition's शरीरे फल्गुनस्य ह (śarīre phalgunasya ha); recension variant, kept.

Verse 15 (14.83.15)

ततो गाण्डीवधन्वा तु मागधेन भृशाहतः । बभौ वसन्तसमये पलासः पुष्पितो यथा ॥

tato gāṇḍīvadhanvā tu māgadhena bhṛśāhataḥ | babhau vasantasamaye palāsaḥ puṣpito yathā

Then the wielder of the Gandiva bow, struck hard by the Magadhan, shone like a flowering palasha tree in the spring.

Note on the text: No alignment above threshold: the critical edition's 14.83.15 (tato gāṇḍīvabhṛc chūro māgadhena samāhataḥ / babhau vāsantika iva palāśaḥ puṣpito mahān) is the same verse in a variant wording (ततो गाण्डीवधन्वा तु मागधेन भृशाहतः; …पलासः पुष्पितो यथा); recension variant, kept.

Verse 16 (14.83.16)

अवध्यमानः सोऽभ्यघ्नन्मागधः पाण्डवर्षभम् । तेन तस्थौ स कौरव्य लोकवीरस्य दर्शने ॥

avadhyamānaḥ so'bhyaghnanmāgadhaḥ pāṇḍavarṣabham | tena tasthau sa kauravya lokavīrasya darśane

Not being struck back, the Magadhan kept striking the best of the Pandavas, and so, O Kauravya, he went on standing in the sight of the hero of the world.

Verse 17 (14.83.17)

सव्यसाची तु संक्रुद्धो विकृष्य बलवद्धनुः । हयांश्चकार निर्जीवान्सारथेश्च शिरोऽहरत् ॥

savyasācī tu saṃkruddho vikṛṣya balavaddhanuḥ | hayāṃścakāra nirjīvānsāratheśca śiro'harat

But Savyasachin, enraged, drew his strong bow, made the horses lifeless and cut off the charioteer's head.

Verse 18 (14.83.18)

धनुश्चास्य महच्चित्रं क्षुरेण प्रचकर्त ह । हस्तावापं पताकां च ध्वजं चास्यन्यपातयत् ॥

dhanuścāsya mahaccitraṃ kṣureṇa pracakarta ha | hastāvāpaṃ patākāṃ ca dhvajaṃ cāsyanyapātayat

With a razor-headed arrow he cut down the king's great and splendid bow, and he struck down the arm-guard, the pennon and the banner as well.

Verse 19 (14.83.19)

स राजा व्यथितो व्यश्वो विधनुर्हतसारथिः । गदामादाय कौन्तेयमभिद्रद्राव वेगवान् ॥

sa rājā vyathito vyaśvo vidhanurhatasārathiḥ | gadāmādāya kaunteyamabhidradrāva vegavān

That king, shaken, horseless, bowless, his charioteer slain, took up a mace and rushed swiftly at Kunti's son.

Verse 20 (14.83.20)

तस्यापतत एवाशु गदां हेमपरिष्कृताम् । शरैश्चकर्त बहुधा बहुभिर्गृध्रवाजितैः ॥

tasyāpatata evāśu gadāṃ hemapariṣkṛtām | śaraiścakarta bahudhā bahubhirgṛdhravājitaiḥ

As it fell upon him, Arjuna quickly cut his gold-adorned mace into many pieces with many arrows fledged with vulture feathers.

Verse 21 (14.83.21)

सा गदा शकलीभूता विशीर्णमणिबन्धना । व्याली विमुच्यमानेन पपात धरणीतले ॥

sā gadā śakalībhūtā viśīrṇamaṇibandhanā | vyālī vimucyamānena papāta dharaṇītale

Shattered, its jewelled wrist-band scattered, that mace fell to the ground like a she-serpent let go.

Note on the text: Corrected विशीर्णिमणिबन्धना → विशीर्णमणिबन्धना (misprint in Wikisource; a stray इ-matra; the critical edition reads viśīrṇamaṇibandhanā). Line 2 reads व्याली विमुच्यमानेन पपात धरणीतले against the critical edition's व्याली निर्मुच्यमानेव पपातास्य सहस्रधा (vyālī nirmucyamāneva papātāsya sahasradhā); recension variant, kept.

Verse 22 (14.83.22)

विरथं विधनुष्कं च गदया परिवर्जितम् । नैच्छत्ताडयितुं धीमानर्जुनः समराग्रणीः ॥

virathaṃ vidhanuṣkaṃ ca gadayā parivarjitam | naicchattāḍayituṃ dhīmānarjunaḥ samarāgraṇīḥ

Seeing him without chariot, without bow, and bereft of his mace, the wise Arjuna, foremost in battle, did not wish to strike him.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick before नैच्छत्. Line 1 reads विरथं विधनुष्कं च against the critical edition's विरथं तं विधन्वानं (virathaṃ taṃ vidhanvānaṃ); recension variant, kept.

Verse 23 (14.83.23)

तत एनं विमनसं क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थितम् । सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्कपिकेतनः ॥

tata enaṃ vimanasaṃ kṣatradharme vyavasthitam | sāntvapūrvamidaṃ vākyamabravītkapiketanaḥ

Then, seeing him downcast though firm in the Kshatriya duty, the one with the monkey banner spoke these words to him gently:

Note on the text: Removed the stray marks (।।') ending line 1 and restored a single danda (the quote mark closes the pair of lines opened by the backtick in the previous verse). Line 1 reads क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थितम् against the critical edition's क्षत्रधर्मे समास्थितम् (kṣatradharme samāsthitam); recension variant, kept.

Verse 24 (14.83.24)

पर्याप्तः क्षत्रधर्मोऽयं दर्शितः पुत्र गम्यताम् । बह्वेतत्समरे कर्म तव बालस्य पार्थिव ॥

paryāptaḥ kṣatradharmo'yaṃ darśitaḥ putra gamyatām | bahvetatsamare karma tava bālasya pārthiva

"This Kshatriya duty has been shown enough; go, my son. This deed in battle is already a great deal for you, a boy, O king.

Verse 25 (14.83.25)

युधिष्ठिरस्य संदेशो न हन्तव्या नृपा इति । तेन जीवसि राजंस्त्वमपराद्धोऽपि मे रणे ॥

yudhiṣṭhirasya saṃdeśo na hantavyā nṛpā iti | tena jīvasi rājaṃstvamaparāddho'pi me raṇe

Yudhishthira's instruction is that kings are not to be killed. By that you live, O king, though you wronged me in battle."

Verse 26 (14.83.26)

इति मत्वा तदाऽऽत्मानं प्रत्यादिष्टं स्म मागधः । तथ्यमित्यभिगम्यैनं प्राञ्जलिः प्रत्यपूजयत् ॥

iti matvā tadā''tmānaṃ pratyādiṣṭaṃ sma māgadhaḥ | tathyamityabhigamyainaṃ prāñjaliḥ pratyapūjayat

Thinking himself thus dismissed, the Magadhan accepted it as true, and approaching him with joined palms, he paid him honour.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads इति मत्वा तदाऽऽत्मानं against the critical edition's इति मत्वा स चात्मानं (iti matvā sa cātmānaṃ); recension variant, kept.

Verse 27 (14.83.27)

परिजितोस्मि भद्रं ते नाहं योद्धुमिहोत्सहे । यद्यत्कृत्यं मया तेऽद्य तद्ब्रूहि कृतमेव तु ॥

parijitosmi bhadraṃ te nāhaṃ yoddhumihotsahe | yadyatkṛtyaṃ mayā te'dya tadbrūhi kṛtameva tu

"I am conquered; blessings on you. I cannot fight here. Whatever I must now do for you, tell me, and it is as good as done."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's numbered text: these two lines are star lines 14,083.026d*0157_01-02 (the star line reads "parājito 'smi" for Wikisource's परिजितोस्मि, and "yac ca kṛtyaṃ mayā te 'dya" for यद्यत्कृत्यं मया तेऽद्य; variants, kept).

Verse 28 (14.83.28)

तमर्जुनः समाश्वास्य पुनरेवेदमब्रवीत् । आगन्तव्यं परां चैत्रीमश्वमेधे नृपस्य नः ॥

tamarjunaḥ samāśvāsya punarevedamabravīt | āgantavyaṃ parāṃ caitrīmaśvamedhe nṛpasya naḥ

Arjuna consoled him and said to him again: "You must come to our king's horse sacrifice at the coming Chaitra full moon."

Verse 29 (14.83.29)

इत्युक्तः स तथेत्युक्त्वा पूजयमास तं हयम् । फल्गुनं च युधिश्रेष्ठं विधिवत्सहदेवजः ॥

ityuktaḥ sa tathetyuktvā pūjayamāsa taṃ hayam | phalgunaṃ ca yudhiśreṣṭhaṃ vidhivatsahadevajaḥ

Thus told, the son of Sahadeva said "So be it," and duly honoured the horse and Phalguna, the best of fighters.

Note on the text: Corrected विदिवत् → विधिवत् (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध; the critical edition reads vidhivat). Line 2 reads युधिश्रेष्ठं against the critical edition's युधां श्रेष्ठं (yudhāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ); युधि श्रेष्ठम् is good Sanskrit, kept.

Verse 30 (14.83.30)

ततो यथेष्टमगमत्पुनरेव स कौरवः । ततः समुद्रतीरेण वङ्गान्पुण्ड्रान्सकेरलान् ॥

tato yatheṣṭamagamatpunareva sa kauravaḥ | tataḥ samudratīreṇa vaṅgānpuṇḍrānsakeralān

Then that Kuru hero went on again as he wished, and from there along the seashore through the Vangas, the Pundras and the Keralas;

Note on the text: Line 1 reads पुनरेव स कौरवः against the critical edition's पुनरेव स केसरी (punar eva sa kesarī); recension variant, kept.

Verse 31 (14.83.31)

तत्रतत्र च भूरीणि म्लेच्छसैन्यान्यनेकशः । विजिग्ये धनुषा राजन्गाण्डीवेन धनंजयः ॥

tatratatra ca bhūrīṇi mlecchasainyānyanekaśaḥ | vijigye dhanuṣā rājangāṇḍīvena dhanaṃjayaḥ

and in place after place, O king, Dhananjaya conquered many armies of the Mlecchas with the Gandiva bow.