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Core:Death of Chitrangada, Vichitraveerya ascends the throne.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tataḥ vivāhe nirvṛtte sa rājā śantanuḥ nṛpaḥ. tāṁ kanyāṁ rūpa-sampannāṁ sva-gṛhe saṁnyaveśayat ॥1॥
Then, after the marriage was completed, King Śantanu settled that beautiful maiden in his own house.
tataḥ śāntanavaḥ dhīmān satyavatyām ajāyata. vīraḥ citrāṅgadaḥ nāma vīryeṇa manujān ati ॥2॥
Then the wise son of Śantanu was born to Satyavatī — a hero named Citrāṅgada, who surpassed men in prowess.
atha aparam maheṣvāsam satyavatyām punaḥ prabhuḥ. vicitravīryaṁ rājānaṁ janayām āsa vīryavān ॥3॥
Then the Lord (Śantanu) again begot in Satyavatī a powerful son, the king Vicitravīrya, a great archer.
aprāptavati tasmin ca yauvanam bharata-ṛṣabha. sa rājā śantanur dhīmān kāla-dharmam upeyivān ॥4॥
Before he (Vicitravīrya) had attained youth, that wise king Śantanu, O best of the Bharatas, approached the law of time — he died.
svargate śantanau bhīṣmaḥ citrāṅgadam ariṁdamam. sthāpayām āsa vai rājye satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ ॥5॥
When Śantanu had gone to heaven, firm Bhīṣma, established Citrāṅgada, the subduer of foes, on the throne with the consent of Satyavatī.
sa tu citrāṅgadaḥ śauryāt sarvān cikṣepa pārthivān. manuṣyam na hi mene sa kañcit sadṛśam ātmanaḥ ॥6॥
Indeed, Citrāṅgada, through valor, defeated all the kings and considered no man to be his equal.
tam kṣipantam surān ca eva manuṣyān asurān tathā. gandharva-rājo balavān tulya-nāmā abhyayāt tadā॥ tena asya su-mahad yuddham kurukṣetre babhūva ha ॥7॥
As he attacked gods, humans, and demons alike, then the powerful king of Gandharvas, bearing the same name, approached him. Indeed, A very great battle took place in Kurukṣetra with him.
tayoḥ balavatoḥ tatra gandharva-kuru-mukhyayoḥ. nadyāḥ tīre hiraṇvatyāḥ samāḥ tisraḥ abhavat raṇaḥ ॥8॥
There, on the bank of the Hiraṇvatī river, a battle between the mighty Gandharva and Kuru chief continued for three years.
tasmin vimarde tumule śastra-vṛṣṭi-samākule. māyā-adhikaḥ avadhīt vīram gandharvaḥ kuru-sattamam ॥9॥
In that tumultuous clash filled with weapon - showers, the Gandharva, superior in illusion, killed the heroic best of the Kurus.
citrāṅgadaṁ kuru-śreṣṭham vicitra-śara-kārmukam. antāya kṛtvā gandharvaḥ divam ācakrame tataḥ ॥10॥
Having brought to end Citrāṅgada — the best of the Kurus, wielder of a wondrous bow—the Gandharva then ascended to heaven.
tasmin nṛpati-śārdūle nihate bhūri-varcasi. bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavaḥ rājan preta-kāryāṇi akārayat ॥11॥
When that tiger among kings, full of great glory, was slain, Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, O King, caused the funeral rites to be performed.
vicitravīryaṁ ca tadā bālam aprāpta-yauvanam. kuru-rājye mahā-bāhuḥ abhyaṣiñcat anantaram ॥12॥
Then Bhīṣma, the mighty-armed, anointed the boy Vicitravīrya, not yet come of age, to the throne of the Kurus.
vicitravīryaḥ tu tadā bhīṣmasya vacane sthitaḥ. anv-aśāsan mahā-rāja pitṛ-paitāmaham padam ॥13॥
Vicitravīrya, then remaining in Bhīṣma’s counsel, ruled, O great king, in the position held by his father and grandfather.
sa dharma-śāstra-kuśalaḥ bhīṣmaṁ śāntanavaṁ nṛpaḥ. pūjayām āsa dharmeṇa sa ca enam pratyapālayat ॥14॥
The king, skilled in the law of righteousness, duly honored Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, and followed his guidance in rule.
