ताडयन्तः शितैः प्रासैश् चोदयन्तः परस्परम् ॥
ते शूराः पर्यधावन्त कुर्वन्तो महद् आकुलम् ॥
इरावान् अथ निर्भिन्नः प्रासैस् तीक्ष्णैर् महात्मभिः ॥
स्रवता रुधिरेणाक्तस् तोत्त्रैर् विद्ध इव द्विपः ॥
उरस्य् अपि च पृष्ठे च पार्श्वयोश् च भृशाहतः ॥
एको बहुभिर् अत्यर्थं धैर्याद् राजन् न विव्यथे ॥
इरावान् अथ संक्रुद्धः सर्वांस् तान् निशितैः शरैः ॥
मोहयाम् आस समरे विद्ध्वा परपुरंजयः ॥
प्रासान् उद्धृत्य सर्वांश् च स्वशरीराद् अरिंदमः ॥
तैर् एव ताडयाम् आस सुबलस्यात्मजान् रणे ॥
निकृष्य निशितं खड्गं गृहीत्वा च शरावरम् ॥
पदातिस् तूर्णम् आगच्छज् जिघांसुः सौबलान् युधि ॥
ततः प्रत्यागतप्राणाः सर्वे ते सुबलात्मजाः ॥
भूयः क्रोधसमाविष्टा इरावन्तम् अथाद्रवन् ॥
इरावान् अपि खड्गेन दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम् ॥
अभ्यवर्तत तान् सर्वान् सौबलान् बलदर्पितः ॥
लाघवेनाथ चरतः सर्वे ते सुबलात्मजाः ॥
अन्तरं नाध्यगच्छन्त चरन्तः शीघ्रगामिनः ॥
भूमिष्ठम् अथ तं संख्ये संप्रदृश्य ततः पुनः ॥
परिवार्य भृशं सर्वे ग्रहीतुम् उपचक्रमुः ॥
अथाभ्याशगतानां स खड्गेनामित्रकर्शनः ॥
उपहस्तावहस्ताभ्यां तेषां गात्राण्य् अकृन्तत ॥
आयुधानि च सर्वेषां बाहून् अपि च भूषितान् ॥
अपतन्त निकृत्ताङ्गा गता भूमिं गतासवः ॥
वृषकस् तु महाराज बहुधा परिविक्षतः ॥
अमुच्यत महारौद्रात् तस्माद् वीरावकर्तनात् ॥
tāḍayantaḥ śitaiḥ prāsaiś codayantaḥ parasparam ||
te śūrāḥ paryadhāvanta kurvanto mahad ākulam ||
irāvān atha nirbhinnaḥ prāsais tīkṣṇair mahātmabhiḥ ||
sravatā rudhireṇāktas tottrair viddha iva dvipaḥ ||
urasy api ca pṛṣṭhe ca pārśvayoś ca bhṛśāhataḥ ||
eko bahubhir atyarthaṃ dhairyād rājan na vivyathe ||
irāvān atha saṃkruddhaḥ sarvāṃs tān niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
mohayām āsa samare viddhvā parapuraṃjayaḥ ||
prāsān uddhṛtya sarvāṃś ca svaśarīrād ariṃdamaḥ ||
tair eva tāḍayām āsa subalasyātmajān raṇe ||
nikṛṣya niśitaṃ khaḍgaṃ gṛhītvā ca śarāvaram ||
padātis tūrṇam āgacchaj jighāṃsuḥ saubalān yudhi ||
tataḥ pratyāgataprāṇāḥ sarve te subalātmajāḥ ||
bhūyaḥ krodhasamāviṣṭā irāvantam athādravan ||
irāvān api khaḍgena darśayan pāṇilāghavam ||
abhyavartata tān sarvān saubalān baladarpitaḥ ||
lāghavenātha carataḥ sarve te subalātmajāḥ ||
antaraṃ nādhyagacchanta carantaḥ śīghragāminaḥ ||
bhūmiṣṭham atha taṃ saṃkhye saṃpradṛśya tataḥ punaḥ ||
parivārya bhṛśaṃ sarve grahītum upacakramuḥ ||
athābhyāśagatānāṃ sa khaḍgenāmitrakarśanaḥ ||
upahastāvahastābhyāṃ teṣāṃ gātrāṇy akṛntata ||
āyudhāni ca sarveṣāṃ bāhūn api ca bhūṣitān ||
apatanta nikṛttāṅgā gatā bhūmiṃ gatāsavaḥ ||
vṛṣakas tu mahārāja bahudhā parivikṣataḥ ||
amucyata mahāraudrāt tasmād vīrāvakartanāt ||
Striking with sharp spears and urging one another on, these heroes ran about Iravan, creating great confusion. Iravan was pierced by the sharp spears of these mighty warriors and covered in flowing blood, like an elephant pierced by goads. Struck hard in chest, back and flanks, one against many, he, O king, did not waver, owing to his steadfastness. Then the enraged Iravan, conqueror of enemy cities, piercing all of them with sharp arrows, threw them into confusion in the battle. The subduer of foes pulled all the spears from his own body and with those very spears struck down the sons of Subala in battle. Drawing his sharp sword and taking up a shield, he advanced swiftly on foot against the sons of Saubala, wishing to kill them in battle. Then all the sons of Subala, having recovered their breath and again overcome with fury, attacked Iravan. Iravan, in turn, displaying the swiftness of his hand, advanced with his sword against all the sons of Saubala, exulting in his strength. While he moved with such agility, all the sons of Subala, swift-footed though they were, could find no opening. Seeing him standing on the ground, they again closely surrounded him and began trying to seize him. When they drew near, this tormentor of foes began cutting off their limbs with strokes from above and below. The weapons of all of them, and their adorned arms as well, fell away; with their limbs severed, they collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Only Vrishaka, great king, wounded again and again, escaped from this most dreadful hewer of heroes.
70f1b734e6c1 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:46:25 PM UTC
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Iravan sustains a scene of solitary courage: wounded, surrounded, and on foot, he never loses his composure. His steadfastness does not romanticize war but shows that kshatriya valor begins with an inner stillness before fear.