एवम् आश्वासितस् तेन वैराटिः सव्यसाचिना ॥
व्यगाहत रथानीकं भीमं भीष्मस्य धीमतः ॥
तम् आयान्तं महाबाहुं जिगीषन्तं रणे परान् ॥
अभ्यवारयद् अव्यग्रः क्रूरकर्मा धनंजयम् ॥
तं चित्रमाल्याभरणाः कृतविद्या मनस्विनः ॥
आगच्छन् भीमधन्वानं मौर्वीं पर्यस्य बाहुभिः ॥
दुःशासनो विकर्णश् च दुःसहो ऽथ विविंशतिः ॥
आगत्य भीमधन्वानं बीभत्सुं पर्यवारयन् ॥
दुःशासनस् तु भल्लेन विद्ध्वा वैराटिम् उत्तरम् ॥
द्वितीयेनार्जुनं वीरः प्रत्यविध्यत् स्तनान्तरे ॥
तस्य जिष्णुर् उपावृत्य पृथुधारेण कार्मुकम् ॥
चकर्त गार्ध्रपत्रेण जातरूपपरिष्कृतम् ॥
अथैनं पञ्चभिः पश्चात् प्रत्यविध्यत् स्तनान्तरे ॥
सो ऽपयातो रणं हित्वा पार्थबाणप्रपीडितः ॥
तं विकर्णः शरैस् तीक्ष्णैर् गार्ध्रपत्रैर् अजिह्मगैः ॥
विव्याध परवीरघ्नम् अर्जुनं धृतराष्ट्रजः ॥
ततस् तम् अपि कौन्तेयः शरेणानतपर्वणा ॥
ललाटे ऽभ्यहनत् तूर्णं स विद्धः प्रापतद् रथात् ॥
ततः पार्थम् अभिद्रुत्य दुःसहः सविविंशतिः ॥
अवाकिरच् छरैस् तीक्ष्णैः परीप्सन् भ्रातरं रणे ॥
ताव् उभौ गार्ध्रपत्राभ्यां निशिताभ्यां धनंजयः ॥
विद्ध्वा युगपद् अव्यग्रस् तयोर् वाहान् असूदयत् ॥
तौ हताश्वौ विविद्धाङ्गौ धृतराष्ट्रात्मजाव् उभौ ॥
अभिपत्य रथैर् अन्यैर् अपनीतौ पदानुगैः ॥
सर्वा दिशश् चाभ्यपतद् बीभत्सुर् अपराजितः ॥
किरीटमाली कौन्तेयो लब्धलक्षो महाबलः ॥
evam āśvāsitas tena vairāṭiḥ savyasācinā ||
vyagāhata rathānīkaṃ bhīmaṃ bhīṣmasya dhīmataḥ ||
tam āyāntaṃ mahābāhuṃ jigīṣantaṃ raṇe parān ||
abhyavārayad avyagraḥ krūrakarmā dhanaṃjayam ||
taṃ citramālyābharaṇāḥ kṛtavidyā manasvinaḥ ||
āgacchan bhīmadhanvānaṃ maurvīṃ paryasya bāhubhiḥ ||
duḥśāsano vikarṇaś ca duḥsaho 'tha viviṃśatiḥ ||
āgatya bhīmadhanvānaṃ bībhatsuṃ paryavārayan ||
duḥśāsanas tu bhallena viddhvā vairāṭim uttaram ||
dvitīyenārjunaṃ vīraḥ pratyavidhyat stanāntare ||
tasya jiṣṇur upāvṛtya pṛthudhāreṇa kārmukam ||
cakarta gārdhrapatreṇa jātarūpapariṣkṛtam ||
athainaṃ pañcabhiḥ paścāt pratyavidhyat stanāntare ||
so 'payāto raṇaṃ hitvā pārthabāṇaprapīḍitaḥ ||
taṃ vikarṇaḥ śarais tīkṣṇair gārdhrapatrair ajihmagaiḥ ||
vivyādha paravīraghnam arjunaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrajaḥ ||
tatas tam api kaunteyaḥ śareṇānataparvaṇā ||
lalāṭe 'bhyahanat tūrṇaṃ sa viddhaḥ prāpatad rathāt ||
tataḥ pārtham abhidrutya duḥsahaḥ saviviṃśatiḥ ||
avākirac charais tīkṣṇaiḥ parīpsan bhrātaraṃ raṇe ||
tāv ubhau gārdhrapatrābhyāṃ niśitābhyāṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
viddhvā yugapad avyagras tayor vāhān asūdayat ||
tau hatāśvau vividdhāṅgau dhṛtarāṣṭrātmajāv ubhau ||
abhipatya rathair anyair apanītau padānugaiḥ ||
sarvā diśaś cābhyapatad bībhatsur aparājitaḥ ||
kirīṭamālī kaunteyo labdhalakṣo mahābalaḥ ||
Vaishampayana said: "Thus reassured by Savyasachin, the son of Virata plunged into the terrible array of chariots belonging to the wise Bhishma. As the great-armed Arjuna came on, bent on conquering his foes in battle, the cruel-deeded Karna, undisturbed, moved to block Dhananjaya's path. Then, decked in bright garlands and ornaments, learned and high-spirited, Duhshasana, Vikarna, Duhsaha and Vivimshati came on, whirling their bowstrings in their hands to meet the fearsome-bowed archer. They came and surrounded Bibhatsu, the terrible-bowed one. Duhshasana struck Uttara, the son of Virata, with a broad-headed arrow, and with a second, valiant as he was, pierced Arjuna between the breasts. Jishnu wheeled about and, with a broad-edged, vulture-feathered arrow, cut down his gold-adorned bow, then with five more arrows pierced him again between the breasts; tormented by Partha's arrows, Duhshasana fled the field, abandoning the fight. Vikarna, son of Dhritarashtra, struck Arjuna, the slayer of enemy heroes, with sharp, straight-flying, vulture-feathered arrows. Then the son of Kunti struck him swiftly on the forehead with an arrow of unbent joints; pierced, he fell from his chariot. Then Duhsaha, together with Vivimshati, rushed at Partha, showering him with sharp arrows in an effort to save their brother in battle. Dhananjaya, undisturbed, pierced both of them at once with two sharp, vulture-feathered arrows and slew their horses. Their steeds killed, their bodies pierced all over, both sons of Dhritarashtra were carried away by their own footmen upon other chariots. And Bibhatsu, the unconquered son of Kunti, crowned with his diadem, mighty and sure of his mark, ranged unopposed toward every quarter."
22a5a7d312a6 · published Jul 16, 2026, 6:42:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The approach to Bhishma passes through Dhritarashtra's sons: before he meets his grandfather, Arjuna once again shows the young Kurus the price of their allegiance.