14.078
The battle of Babhrū Vāhana.
Vaiśampāyana said;
But when he heard, King Babhrūvāhana, the heroic son, went out humbly, the noble one preceded by Brāhmaṇas carrying the arghya offering. (14-78-1)
Thus, when Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), the intelligent one, approached the lord of Maṇipura, he did not welcome him, recalling the duty of a kṣatriya. (14-78-2)
Then the righteous and passionate Phalguna (Arjuna) said to him: "This procedure is not suitable for you; you are outside of the duty of a kṣatriya (warrior)." (14-78-3)
O dear son, as the consecrated horse of Yudhishthira, being protected, has reached the border of the land, why indeed should you fight with me? (14-78-4)
Fie on you! You of exceedingly wicked mind, unskilled in the warrior’s duty—who seized me, when I came for battle, using only conciliation. (14-78-5)
There is no manly effort in you or any such thing while you live; for you, like a woman, accepted me—won in battle—through conciliation. (14-78-6)
If I were to approach you after laying down my arms, O wicked-minded one, then this action would be appropriate for you, O vilest of men. (14-78-7)
But when the daughter of the serpent, Ulūpī, understood him thus spoken to by her husband, unable to endure it, she pierced the earth and approached him. (14-78-8)
She then saw her son, pondering with his face downcast, being repeatedly rebuked by her husband, who was eager for battle, O lord. (14-78-9)
Then Ulūpī, the serpent's daughter, graceful in every limb and well-versed in the duties of a warrior, approached him and spoke these words. (14-78-10)
"Know me, Ulūpī, as your mother, the daughter of the serpent. Do as I say, son; your duty will thus be supreme." (14-78-11)
Fight him, O best of the Kurus, O Dhananjaya, subduer of enemies. In this way, he will surely be pleased with you, there is no doubt. (14-78-12)
Thus, O best of the Bharatas, the king Babhruvāhana, encouraged by his mother and endowed with great energy, resolved on battle. (14-78-13)
Having donned golden armor and the radiant helmet, he ascended the great chariot filled with hundreds of quivers. (14-78-14)
The intelligent one prepared (a chariot) fitted with all implements, harnessed with horses of mind-like speed, adorned with excellent wheels and fittings, and decorated with gold vessels. (14-78-15)
King Babhruvahana, having raised his most-honored golden banner adorned with a lion and aiming for Arjuna, set forth. (14-78-16)
Then, having come near, the hero had the sacrificial horse that was guarded by Pārtha seized by men expert in the science of horses. (14-78-17)
When he saw the seized horse, the delighted Dhananjaya (Arjuna), standing on the ground, restrained his son, who was on the chariot, in battle. (14-78-18)
Then the king tormented that hero by thousands of groups of sharp arrows, which were like serpent's poison. (14-78-19)
A battle arose between the father and the son, an incomparable fight, renowned like the wars of gods and asuras, in which both took delight. (14-78-20)
But Babruvāhana, the tiger among men, smiling, pierced the diademed Arjuna in the collar-bone region with an arrow of bent joint. (14-78-21)
He, with his feathered shaft, moved forward like a serpent toward an anthill; piercing both the son of Kunti and the ground, he then entered (the earth). (14-78-22)
He, though greatly suffering, wise, took up the excellent bow; filled with divine radiance, he appeared to shine forth, as if unconscious. (14-78-23)
O king, having regained consciousness, then the son of Śakra praised the bull among men and spoke these words to his son. (14-78-24)
Well done, well done, O mighty-armed, O child, son of Citrāṅgada! Seeing this worthy deed of yours, I am pleased, dear son. (14-78-25)
“I am releasing these arrows at you, O son; stand firm in the battle.” Having said thus, the destroyer of enemies showered him with iron arrows. (14-78-26)
The king cut down with iron arrows all those shafts released from the Gāṇḍīva, shining like thunderbolts and lightning, each one into three pieces. (14-78-27)
Arjuna, with divine arrows, cut off from his (enemy's) chariot the banner adorned with gold and resembling a golden palm leaf by means of a razor-headed arrow. (14-78-28)
Smiling, the foremost of the Pāṇḍavas struck down the king's large, swift, and powerful horses, leaving them lifeless. (14-78-29)
He, the king, extremely enraged, quickly descended from the chariot; being on foot, he, out of anger, engaged his father, the Pāṇḍava, in battle. (14-78-30)
Being pleased by his son’s valor, the leader of the Pāṇḍavas (Bhīmasena) did not torment his son, the son of Vajradhara, too greatly. (14-78-31)
Though being attacked, Babhruvāhana, the powerful, again tormented his father—who had turned away—with arrows shaped like poisonous snakes. (14-78-32)
Then, impelled by childishness, the mighty Babhruvahana pierced his father in the heart with a sharp, well-feathered arrow. (14-78-33)
That arrow, blazing with radiance and burning like fire, O king, entered the Pāṇḍava, piercing his vital part and causing immense pain. (14-78-34)
O king, O joy of the Kurus, Dhananjaya, struck exceedingly by his own son, then, afflicted by confusion, fell to the earth. (14-78-35)
When the mighty hero of the Kauravas fell there, he too quickly became bewildered; then did the son of Citrāṅgada. (14-78-36)
Having exerted himself in battle, the king, upon seeing his father killed—and already having been severely pierced by showers of arrows from Arjuna—(he did such and such). (14-78-37)
When she saw her husband killed and her son fallen on the ground, Citrāṅgadā, terrified, entered the battlefield. (14-78-38)
Then she, the auspicious mother of the lord of Maṇipura, with a heart scorched by grief, weeping, saw her husband slain. (14-78-39)
