शिखण्ड्य् अपि महाराज द्रौणिम् आसाद्य संयुगे ॥
आजघान भ्रुवोर् मध्ये नाराचैस् त्रिभिर् आशुगैः ॥
स बभौ नरशार्दूलो ललाटे संस्थितैस् त्रिभिः ॥
शिखरैः काञ्चनमयैर् मेरुस् त्रिभिर् इवोच्छ्रितैः ॥
अश्वत्थामा ततः क्रुद्धो निमेषार्धाच् छिखण्डिनः ॥
सूतं ध्वजम् अथो राजंस् तुरगान् आयुधं तथा ॥
शरैर् बहुभिर् उद्दिश्य पातयाम् आस संयुगे ॥
स हताश्वाद् अवप्लुत्य रथाद् वै रथिनां वरः ॥
खड्गम् आदाय निशितं विमलं च शरावरम् ॥
श्येनवद् व्यचरत् क्रुद्धः शिखण्डी शत्रुतापनः ॥
सखड्गस्य महाराज चरतस् तस्य संयुगे ॥
नान्तरं ददृशे द्रौणिस् तद् अद्भुतम् इवाभवत् ॥
ततः शरसहस्राणि बहूनि भरतर्षभ ॥
प्रेषयाम् आस समरे द्रौणिः परमकोपनः ॥
ताम् आपतन्तीं समरे शरवृष्टिं सुदारुणाम् ॥
असिना तीक्ष्णधारेण चिच्छेद बलिनां वरः ॥
ततो ऽस्य विमलं द्रौणिः शतचन्द्रं मनोरमम् ॥
चर्माच्छिनद् असिं चास्य खण्डयाम् आस संयुगे ॥
शितैः सुबहुशो राजंस् तं च विव्याध पत्रिभिः ॥
शिखण्डी तु ततः खड्गं खण्डितं तेन सायकैः ॥
आविध्य व्यसृजत् तूर्णं ज्वलन्तम् इव पन्नगम् ॥
तम् आपतन्तं सहसा कालानलसमप्रभम् ॥
चिच्छेद समरे द्रौणिर् दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम् ॥
शिखण्डिनं च विव्याध शरैर् बहुभिर् आयसैः ॥
शिखण्डी तु भृशं राजंस् ताड्यमानः शितैः शरैः ॥
आरुरोह रथं तूर्णं माधवस्य महात्मनः ॥
śikhaṇḍy api mahārāja drauṇim āsādya saṃyuge ||
ājaghāna bhruvor madhye nārācais tribhir āśugaiḥ ||
sa babhau naraśārdūlo lalāṭe saṃsthitais tribhiḥ ||
śikharaiḥ kāñcanamayair merus tribhir ivocchritaiḥ ||
aśvatthāmā tataḥ kruddho nimeṣārdhāc chikhaṇḍinaḥ ||
sūtaṃ dhvajam atho rājaṃs turagān āyudhaṃ tathā ||
śarair bahubhir uddiśya pātayām āsa saṃyuge ||
sa hatāśvād avaplutya rathād vai rathināṃ varaḥ ||
khaḍgam ādāya niśitaṃ vimalaṃ ca śarāvaram ||
śyenavad vyacarat kruddhaḥ śikhaṇḍī śatrutāpanaḥ ||
sakhaḍgasya mahārāja caratas tasya saṃyuge ||
nāntaraṃ dadṛśe drauṇis tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||
tataḥ śarasahasrāṇi bahūni bharatarṣabha ||
preṣayām āsa samare drauṇiḥ paramakopanaḥ ||
tām āpatantīṃ samare śaravṛṣṭiṃ sudāruṇām ||
asinā tīkṣṇadhāreṇa ciccheda balināṃ varaḥ ||
tato 'sya vimalaṃ drauṇiḥ śatacandraṃ manoramam ||
carmācchinad asiṃ cāsya khaṇḍayām āsa saṃyuge ||
śitaiḥ subahuśo rājaṃs taṃ ca vivyādha patribhiḥ ||
śikhaṇḍī tu tataḥ khaḍgaṃ khaṇḍitaṃ tena sāyakaiḥ ||
āvidhya vyasṛjat tūrṇaṃ jvalantam iva pannagam ||
tam āpatantaṃ sahasā kālānalasamaprabham ||
ciccheda samare drauṇir darśayan pāṇilāghavam ||
śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca vivyādha śarair bahubhir āyasaiḥ ||
śikhaṇḍī tu bhṛśaṃ rājaṃs tāḍyamānaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
āruroha rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ mādhavasya mahātmanaḥ ||
Shikhandin too, great king, having met Drauni in battle, struck him between the eyebrows with three swift narachas. This tiger among men shone with three arrows lodged in his forehead, like Meru with three golden peaks raised aloft. Then the enraged Ashvatthama, within half a moment's time, felled with many arrows Shikhandin's charioteer, banner, horses, and weapon. Shikhandin, the finest of charioteers, leapt down from his horseless chariot, took up a sharp sword and a bright shield, and, the furious tormentor of foes, began to move like a hawk. While he circled in battle with his sword, Drauni could find no opening for a blow, and it seemed a wonder. Then the utterly furious Drauni sent forth in the battle many thousands of arrows, O bull of the Bharatas. But the foremost of the mighty cut apart with his sharp sword that terrible shower of arrows rushing upon him in the fight. Then Drauni cut through his beautiful bright shield adorned with a hundred moons, shattered his sword, and pierced him again and again with sharp feathered arrows, O king. Shikhandin, swinging the sword that had been shattered by arrows, swiftly hurled it, like a blazing serpent. Drauni, displaying the deftness of his hand, cut through this sword in the battle as it suddenly flew at him, blazing like the fire of doom, and pierced Shikhandin with many iron arrows. Heavily struck by sharp arrows, Shikhandin swiftly mounted the chariot of the great-souled Madhava.
2e84a9d413a1 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:38:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The duel between Shikhandin and Ashvatthama is built as a contest of speed and skill. Even when Shikhandin loses his chariot, his resolve does not break; but Drauni's mastery of arms steadily strips away his footing, his weapons, and his room to maneuver.