Mahabharata — Volume II (Dutt edition) — Chapter 17

MBh 2 17.1

वासुदेव उवाच एवमुक्त्वा रौक्मिणेयो यादवान् भरतर्षभ। दंशितैर्हरिभिर्युक्तं रथमाथाय काञ्चनम्॥ उच्छ्रित्य मकरं केतुं व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम्। उत्पतद्भिरिवाकाशं तैर्हयैरन्वयात् परान्॥ विक्षिपन् नादयंश्चापिधनुः श्रेष्ठं महाबलः। तूणखड्गधरः शूरो बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रवान्॥ स विद्युच्छुरितं चापं विहरन् वै तलात् तलम्। मोहयामास दैतेयान् सर्वान् सौभनिवासिनः॥

vāsudeva uvāca evamuktvā raukmiṇeyo yādavān bharatarṣabha| daṃśitairharibhiryuktaṃ rathamāthāya kāñcanam|| ucchritya makaraṃ ketuṃ vyāttānanamivāntakam| utpatadbhirivākāśaṃ tairhayairanvayāt parān|| vikṣipan nādayaṃścāpidhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ mahābalaḥ| tūṇakhaḍgadharaḥ śūro baddhagodhāṅgulitravān|| sa vidyucchuritaṃ cāpaṃ viharan vai talāt talam| mohayāmāsa daiteyān sarvān saubhanivāsinaḥ||

Krishna said: O best of the Bharata race, having thus spoken to the Yadavas, the son of Rukmini (Pradyumna) ascended on his golden car yoked with horses clad in armour. On it (the car) stood a standard, bearing, the figure of a gaping-inouthed Makara.It was as fearful as Yama himself. He rushed upon the his steeds who were rather flying than running over the ground. The hero, equipped with quiver and sword and with his fingers incased in leather, stringed with great strength the bow which possessed the splendour of bow which possessed the splendour of lightning. Transferring it from hand to hand as if in contempt of the enemy, he spread confusion émong the Danavas and the other warriors, the inhabitants of Saubha.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.2

तस्य विक्षिपतश्चापं संदधानस्य चासकृत्। नान्तरं ददृशे कश्चिन्निघ्नत: शात्रवान् रणे॥

tasya vikṣipataścāpaṃ saṃdadhānasya cāsakṛt| nāntaraṃ dadṛśe kaścinnighnata: śātravān raṇe||

As he went on killing the Danavas in battle and as he sat in contempt of the foe (on his car), none could mark the slightest interval between the successive arrows (shot by him.)

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.3

मुखस्य वर्णो न विकल्पतेऽस्य चेलुश्च गात्राणि न चापि तस्य। सिंहोन्नतं चाप्यभिगर्जतोऽस्य शुश्राव लोकोऽद्भुतवीर्यमवयम्॥

mukhasya varṇo na vikalpate'sya celuśca gātrāṇi na cāpi tasya| siṃhonnataṃ cāpyabhigarjato'sya śuśrāva loko'dbhutavīryamavayam||

The color of his face did not change and his limbs did not tremble. People only heard his lion-like roars which indicated his wonderful valour.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.4

जलेचरः काञ्चयष्टिसंस्थो व्यात्ताननः सर्वतिमिप्रमाथी। वित्रासयन् राजति वाहमुख्ये शाल्वस्य सेनाप्रमुखध्वजावयः॥

jalecaraḥ kāñcayaṣṭisaṃstho vyāttānanaḥ sarvatimipramāthī| vitrāsayan rājati vāhamukhye śālvasya senāpramukhadhvajāvayaḥ||

The aquatic creature (Makara), that devourer of all fishes, which was on the golden flag-staff of that best of cars with wide-opened mouth, struck terror into the hearts of all the warriors of (king) Shalva.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.5

ततस्तूर्णं विनिष्पत्य प्रद्युम्नः शत्रुकर्षणः। शाल्वमेवाभिदुद्राव विधित्सुः कलहं नृप॥

tatastūrṇaṃ viniṣpatya pradyumnaḥ śatrukarṣaṇaḥ| śālvamevābhidudrāva vidhitsuḥ kalahaṃ nṛpa||

O king, that chastiser of foes, Pradyumna, rushed there with speed against Shalva himself who was so desirous of fighting with him.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.6

अभियानं तु वीरेण प्रद्युम्नेन महारणे। नामर्षयत संक्रुद्धः शाल्वः कुरुकुलोद्वह॥

abhiyānaṃ tu vīreṇa pradyumnena mahāraṇe| nāmarṣayata saṃkruddhaḥ śālvaḥ kurukulodvaha||

O perpetua or of the Kuru race, challenged by the heroic Pradyumna in that great battle, the angry Shalva could not bear it.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.7

स रोषमदमत्तो वै कामगादवरुह्य च। प्रद्युम्नं योधयामास शाल्वः परपुरंजयः॥

sa roṣamadamatto vai kāmagādavaruhya ca| pradyumnaṃ yodhayāmāsa śālvaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ||

Resolved to fight with Pradyumna and maddened with anger, that conqueror of hostile city, Shalva, then descended from his beautiful car of unchecked speed.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.8

तयोः सुतुमुलं युद्धं शाल्ववृष्णिप्रवीरयोः। समेता ददृशुर्लोका बलिवासवयोरिव॥

tayoḥ sutumulaṃ yuddhaṃ śālvavṛṣṇipravīrayoḥ| sametā dadṛśurlokā balivāsavayoriva||

All the people (as spectators) locked at that battle between Shalva and that foremost of the Vrishni heroes (Pradyumna) which was like the battle between Vasava (Indra) and Bali.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.9

तस्य मायामयो वीर रथो हेमपरिष्कृतः। सपताकः सध्वजश्च सानुकर्षः स तूणवान्॥ स तं रथवरं श्रीमान् समारुह्य किल प्रभो। मुमोच बाणान् कौरव्य प्रद्युम्नाय महाबलः॥

tasya māyāmayo vīra ratho hemapariṣkṛtaḥ| sapatākaḥ sadhvajaśca sānukarṣaḥ sa tūṇavān|| sa taṃ rathavaraṃ śrīmān samāruhya kila prabho| mumoca bāṇān kauravya pradyumnāya mahābalaḥ||

O hero, O lord, O descendant of Kuru, ascending on his beautiful, illusive and best of all chariots, decked with gold and furnished with flags and flag-staffs and (equipped) with quivers, the illustrious and the mighty Shalva began to discharge his arrows at Pradyumna.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.10

ततो बाणमयं वर्ष व्यसृजत् तरसा रणे। प्रद्युम्नो भुजवेगेन शाल्वं सम्मोहयन्निव॥

tato bāṇamayaṃ varṣa vyasṛjat tarasā raṇe| pradyumno bhujavegena śālvaṃ sammohayanniva||

Thereupon Pradyumna also overwhelmed Shalva in the battle by a thick shower of arrows shot by the strength of his arms.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.11

स तैरभिहतः संख्ये नामर्षयत सौभराट्। शरान् दीप्ताग्निसंकाशान् मुमोच तनये मम॥

sa tairabhihataḥ saṃkhye nāmarṣayata saubharāṭ| śarān dīptāgnisaṃkāśān mumoca tanaye mama||

The king of Saubha thus attacked did not endure it. He discharged, at my son, arrows that were like blazing fire.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.12

तमापतन्तं बाणौघं स चिच्छेद महाबलः। ततश्चान्याञ्छरान् दीप्तान् प्रचिक्षेप सुते मम॥

tamāpatantaṃ bāṇaughaṃ sa ciccheda mahābalaḥ| tataścānyāñcharān dīptān pracikṣepa sute mama||

That great warrior (my son) drove off that shower of arrows. Seeing this, he (Shalva) rained on my son other weapons of blazing splendour.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.13

स शाल्वबाणै राजेन्द्र विद्धो रुक्मिणिनन्दनः। मुमोच बाणं त्वरितो मर्मभेदिनमाहवे॥

sa śālvabāṇai rājendra viddho rukmiṇinandanaḥ| mumoca bāṇaṃ tvarito marmabhedinamāhave||

O king of kings, having been thus pierced, the son of Rukmani without loss of time discharged an arrow which was capable of reaching the vitals of a foe.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.14

तस्य वर्म विभिद्याशु स बाणो मत्सुतेरितः। विव्याध हृदयं पत्री स मुमोह पपात च॥

tasya varma vibhidyāśu sa bāṇo matsuteritaḥ| vivyādha hṛdayaṃ patrī sa mumoha papāta ca||

That winged arrow, discharged by my son, pierced his (Shalva's) armour and entered into his heart; whereupon he fell down in a swoon.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.15

तस्मिन् निपतिते वीरे शाल्वराजे विचेतसि। सम्प्राद्रवन् दानवेन्द्रा दारयन्तो वसुंधराम्॥

tasmin nipatite vīre śālvarāje vicetasi| samprādravan dānavendrā dārayanto vasuṃdharām||

When the heroic king Shalva fell down senseless, all the chief Danavas rending the earth beneath their feet fled away.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.16

हाहाकृतमभूत् सैन्यं शाल्वस्य पृथिवीपते। नष्टसंज्ञे निपतिते तदा सौभपतौ नृपे॥

hāhākṛtamabhūt sainyaṃ śālvasya pṛthivīpate| naṣṭasaṃjñe nipatite tadā saubhapatau nṛpe||

O ruler of earth, seeing their king, the lord of Saubha drop down senseless (on the ground), the soldiers of Shalva sent up exclamations of "Oh," and "Alas."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.17

तत उत्थाय कौरव्य प्रतिलभ्य च चेतनाम्। मुमोच बाणान् सहसा प्रद्युम्नाय महाबलः॥

tata utthāya kauravya pratilabhya ca cetanām| mumoca bāṇān sahasā pradyumnāya mahābalaḥ||

O descendant of Kuru, (soon) regaining his consciousness, that greatly powerful hero (Shalva) suddenly discharged arrows at Pradyumna.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.18

तैः स विद्धो महाबाहुः प्रद्युम्नः समरे स्थितः। जत्रुदेशे भृशं वीरो व्यवासीदद् रथे तदा॥

taiḥ sa viddho mahābāhuḥ pradyumnaḥ samare sthitaḥ| jatrudeśe bhṛśaṃ vīro vyavāsīdad rathe tadā||

Thereupon the heroic and the mighty-armed Pradyumna, having been thus severely wounded about his throat by his adversary ink the battle, was enfeebled on his car.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.19

तं स विद्ध्वा महाराज शाल्वो रुक्मिणिनन्दनम्। ननाद सिंहनादं वै नादेनापूरयन् महीम्॥

taṃ sa viddhvā mahārāja śālvo rukmiṇinandanam| nanāda siṃhanādaṃ vai nādenāpūrayan mahīm||

O great king, thus wounding the son of Rukmani, Shalva roared like a lion and filled the entire earth with his roars.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.20

ततो मोहं समापन्ने तनये मम भारत। मुमोच बाणांस्त्वरितः पुनरन्यान् दुरासदान्॥

tato mohaṃ samāpanne tanaye mama bhārata| mumoca bāṇāṃstvaritaḥ punaranyān durāsadān||

O descendant of Bharata, thereupon when my son became senseless, he (Shalva) without losing a moment again discharged at him other weapons, all difficult to withstand.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 17.21

स तैरभिहतो बाणैर्बहुभिस्तेन मोहितः। निश्चेष्टः कौरवश्रेष्ठ प्रद्युम्नोऽभूद् रणाजिरे॥

sa tairabhihato bāṇairbahubhistena mohitaḥ| niśceṣṭaḥ kauravaśreṣṭha pradyumno'bhūd raṇājire||

O best of Kurus, thus pierced with numberless arrows and deprived of his consciousness, Pradyumna fell (on his car) motionless in the field of battle.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)