सहदेव का युद्ध

Sanjaya said The king of Madra, with a down-pours of arrow, covered on all sides Virata, who, accompanied by his division, was proceeding quickly for (the slaughter ot) Drona.

(And) between those two strong bowmen ensued a battle, Oking, like that which had taken place between Bali and Vasava in days of yore.

The king of Madra, O great monarch, displaying great alacrity, quickly wounded Virata, the chief of a great force, with straight arrows.

King (Virata also) pierced him in returm with nine sharpened arrows, again with seventy-three and once more with a hundred.

The king of Madra, (also) destroying the four horses of his car, cut down with two shafts, in that engagement, the umbrella and the standard (of Virata).

That lord of the earth (i.e., Virata) jumping down from his car, the steeds of which were destroyed, stood, drawing his bow and shooting keen darts.

Witnessing the destruction of his brother's steeds, Shatanika quickly came up (there), in the very sight of all the troops.

That lord of the earth, that is, the king of Madra, having with numerous shafts pierced Shatanika who was advancing (against him), sent him to the abode of Yama.

The heroic (Shatanika) being slain, Virata, the chief of a great force, (abandoning his steed-less car, ascended to that (of his brother). Then, his eyes rolling (in ire) and his strength doubled with indignation, (he) quickly covered the car of the king of Madra with arrows.

Therefore the king of Madra, inflamed with wrath, struck Virata, the chief of a large force, furiously in the chest with a hundred straight arrows.

The mighty car-warrior Virata thus pierced home by the puissant (Shalya) sat down on the terrace of his car and soon fainted away.

His charioteer then bore him (i.e. Virata) away who was mangled with arrows in battle. Then, O Bharata, during that night, that large army (of Virata) began to take to flight.

Slaughtered with hundreds of arrows by Shalya, that ornament of battle, witnessing the flight of that army, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya.

Came to that spot, O king of kings, where Shalya was. Against them both, O king, advanced Alambusha, the lord of the Rakshasas. wide open

Riding on an excellent eight-wheeled car drawn by terrible-looking Pishachas having faced like those of cows.

That terrible car was furnished with bloodred banners, adorned with garlands made of black iron and covered with bear skins.

And it was furnished with a tall standard on which sat a fierce vulture of spotted wings, having eyes wide open and shrieking incessantly.

That Rakshasa, who, O monarch, looked like a loose heap of antimony, checked the Aadvancing Arjuna as the mountain Meru (resists) a hurricane.

By incessant discharges of arrows, O king, on the head of Arjuna. The battle that commenced between the man (i.e. Arjuna) and the Rakshasa was exceedingly hot and furious.

Causing delight to all the lookers on there, O Bharata and filling the vultures and the crows and the ravens and the owls and the Kankas and the jackals with joy.

Arjuna, (then), struck Alamvusa with his arrows and with ten keen darts cut down his standard.

(And) with three darts he cut-off his charioteer, with three more his Trivenu, with one his bow and with four his horses.

(The Rakshasa) took up another stringed bow again but (Arjuna) cut it off in two fragments. Then O foremost of the Bharatas, with four sharpened arrows.

The son of Pritha pierced the lord of the Rakshasas, who, thus pierced, took to flight in terror. Having defeated him, Arjuna quickly advanced towards Drona.

Discharging numerous arrows, O king, at men, elephants and horses. O mighty monarch, slaughtered by that renowned Pandava.

The soldiers fell down like trees levelled (on the ground) by a storm. Thus slaughtered by that renowned Pandava all the soldiers (of your son) ran away like a terror-stricken herd of deer.