विराटस् तत्र संग्रामे हत्वा पञ्चशतान् रथान् ॥
हयानां च शतान्य् अत्र हत्वा पञ्च महारथान् ॥
चरन् स विविधान् मार्गान् रथेषु रथयूथपः ॥
त्रिगर्तानां सुशर्माणम् आर्च्छद् रुक्मरथं रणे ॥
तौ व्यावहरतां तत्र महात्मानौ महाबलौ ॥
अन्योन्यम् अभिगर्जन्तौ गोष्ठे गोवृषभाव् इव ॥
ततो रथाभ्यां रथिनौ व्यतियाय समन्ततः ॥
शरान् व्यसृजतां शीघ्रं तोयधारा घनाव् इव ॥
अन्योन्यं चातिसंरब्धौ विचेरतुर् अमर्षणौ ॥
कृतास्त्रौ निशितैर् बाणैर् असिशक्तिगदाभृतौ ॥
ततो राजा सुशर्माणं विव्याध दशभिः शरैः ॥
पञ्चभिः पञ्चभिश् चास्य विव्याध चतुरो हयान् ॥
तथैव मत्स्यराजानं सुशर्मा युद्धदुर्मदः ॥
पञ्चाशता शितैर् बाणैर् विव्याध परमास्त्रवित् ॥
ततः सैन्यं समावृत्य मत्स्यराजसुशर्मणोः ॥
नाभ्यजानंस् तदान्योन्यं प्रदोषे रजसावृते ॥
virāṭas tatra saṃgrāme hatvā pañcaśatān rathān ||
hayānāṃ ca śatāny atra hatvā pañca mahārathān ||
caran sa vividhān mārgān ratheṣu rathayūthapaḥ ||
trigartānāṃ suśarmāṇam ārcchad rukmarathaṃ raṇe ||
tau vyāvaharatāṃ tatra mahātmānau mahābalau ||
anyonyam abhigarjantau goṣṭhe govṛṣabhāv iva ||
tato rathābhyāṃ rathinau vyatiyāya samantataḥ ||
śarān vyasṛjatāṃ śīghraṃ toyadhārā ghanāv iva ||
anyonyaṃ cātisaṃrabdhau viceratur amarṣaṇau ||
kṛtāstrau niśitair bāṇair asiśaktigadābhṛtau ||
tato rājā suśarmāṇaṃ vivyādha daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiś cāsya vivyādha caturo hayān ||
tathaiva matsyarājānaṃ suśarmā yuddhadurmadaḥ ||
pañcāśatā śitair bāṇair vivyādha paramāstravit ||
tataḥ sainyaṃ samāvṛtya matsyarājasuśarmaṇoḥ ||
nābhyajānaṃs tadānyonyaṃ pradoṣe rajasāvṛte ||
There in that battle Virata slew five hundred chariots, hundreds of horses, and five great charioteers. That lord of chariot-warriors, ranging along many paths among the chariots, met Susharma of the Trigartas on his golden chariot in the fight. The two great-souled and mighty heroes engaged there, roaring at each other like two bulls in a cow-pen. Then the two charioteers, on their chariots, wheeled around each other on every side and swiftly loosed arrows, like clouds pouring streams of water. Both, utterly enraged and unable to bear one another, wielding their weapons, armed with sharp arrows, swords, javelins, and maces, moved through the battle. Then the king pierced Susharma with ten arrows, and pierced each of his four horses with five arrows apiece. In just the same way Susharma, maddened with battle and versed in the highest weapons, pierced the king of the Matsyas with fifty sharp arrows. Then the armies closed in around the king of the Matsyas and Susharma, and in the dusk, veiled in dust, the two no longer recognized each other.
617341776803 · published Jul 16, 2026, 6:23:48 PM UTC
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The personal duel of the kings grows out of the general chaos. When dust and dusk hide their faces, it becomes clear how easily human resolve turns into blindness.