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Pātāla-khaṇḍa · Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Unit 322 of 693Pātāla-khaṇḍa · Chapter 27Pātāla-khaṇḍa · Chapter 271 source entries

Pātāla-khaṇḍa · Chapter 27

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शेष उवाच। चित्रांगः क्रौंचकंठस्थो रथस्थो वीरशोभितः । गाहयामास तत्सैन्यं वाराह इव वारिधिम् १। धनुर्विस्फार्य सुदृढं मेघनादनिनादितम् । मुमोच बाणान्निशितान्वैरिकोटिविदाहकान् २। तद्बाणभिन्नसर्वांगाः शेरते सुभटा भृशम् । सकिरीटतनुत्राणाः सन्दष्टदशनच्छदाः ३। एवं प्रवृत्ते संग्रामे ययौ योद्धुं स पुष्कलः । मणिचित्रितमादाय चापं वैरिप्रतापनम् ४। तयोः संगतयोरूपं दृश्यतेऽतिमनोहरम् । पुरा तारकसंग्रामे स्कंदतारकयोर्यथा ५। विस्फारयन्धनुः शीघ्रं सव्यसाची तु पुष्कलः । ताडयामास तं क्षिप्रं शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः ६। चित्रांगोऽपि रुषाक्रांतः शरासन इषूञ्छितान् । दधद्व्यमुंचद्बहुशो रणमंडलमूर्धनि ७। नादानं न च संधानं न मोचनमथापि वा । दृष्टं तावेव संदृष्टौ कुंडलीकृतचापिनौ ८। तदासौ पुष्कलः क्रुद्धः शराणां शतकेन तम् । विव्याध वक्षःस्थलके महायोद्धारमुद्भटम् ९। चित्रांगस्ताञ्शरान्सर्वांश्चिच्छेद तिलशः क्षणात् । ताडयामास चांगेषु पुष्कलं शितसायकैः १०। पुष्कलस्तद्रथं दिव्यं भ्रामकास्त्रेण शोभिना । नभसि भ्रामयामास तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ११। भ्रांत्वा मुहूर्तमात्रं तु सरथो हयसंयुतः । स्थितिर्लेभेतिकष्टेन संधृतो रणमंडले १२। स चास्य विक्रमं दृष्ट्वा चित्रांगः कुपितो भृशम् । उवाच पुष्कलं धीमान्सर्वास्त्रेषु विशारदः १३। चित्रांग उवाच। त्वया साधुकृतं कर्म सुभटैर्युधिसंमतम् । मद्रथो वाजिसंयुक्तो भ्रामितो नभसि क्षणम् १४। पराक्रमं समीक्षस्व ममापि सुभटेरितम् । आकाशचारी तु भवान्भवत्वमरपूजितः १५। इत्युक्त्वा स मुमोचास्त्रं रणे परमदारुणम् । धनुषा परमास्त्रज्ञः सर्वधर्मविदुत्तमः १६। तेन बाणेन संविद्धः खे बभ्राम पतंगवत् । सरथः सहयः संख्ये सध्वजश्च ससारथिः १७। भ्रांत्वा सरथवर्यस्तु नभसि त्वरयान्वितः । यावत्स्थितिं न लभते तावन्मुक्तोऽपरः शरः १८। पुनश्च परिबभ्राम रथः सूतसमन्वितः । तत्कर्मवीक्ष्य पुत्रस्य राज्ञो विस्मयमाप सः १९। कथंचित्स्थितिमप्याप पुष्कलः परवीरहा । रथं जघान बाणैश्च ससूतहयमस्य च २०। सभग्नस्यंदनो वीरः पुनरन्यं समाश्रितः । सोऽपि भग्नः शरैराशु पुष्कलेन रणांगणे २१। पुनरन्यं समास्थाय यावदायाति संमुखम् । तावद्बभंज निशितैः सायकैस्तद्रथं पुनः २२। एवं दश रथा भग्ना नृपतेरात्मजस्य हि । पुष्कलेन तु वीरेण महासंयुगशालिना २३। तदा चित्रांगकः संख्ये रथे स्थित्वा विचित्रिते । आजगाम ह वेगेन पुष्कलं प्रति योधितुम् २४। पुष्कलं पंचभिर्बाणैस्ताडयामास संयुगे । तैर्बाणैर्निहतोऽत्यतं विव्यथे भरतात्मजः २५। सक्रुद्धश्चापमुद्यम्य बाणान्दश शितान्महान् । मुमोच हृदये तस्य स्वर्णपुंखसुशोभितान् २६। ते बाणाः पपुरेतस्य रुधिरं बहुदारुणाः । पीत्वा पेतुः क्षितौ कूटसाक्षिणः पूर्वजा इव २७। तदा चित्रांगकः क्रुद्धो भल्लान्पंच समाददे । मुमोच भाले पुत्रस्य भरतस्य महौजसः २८। तैर्भल्लैराहतः क्रुद्धः शरासनवरे शरम् । दधत्प्रतिज्ञामकरोच्चित्रांगनिधनं प्रति २९। शृणु वीर मम क्षिप्रं प्रतिज्ञां त्वद्वधाश्रिताम् । तज्ज्ञात्वा सावधानेन योद्धव्यं च त्वयात्र हि ३०। बाणेनानेन चेत्त्वां वै न कुर्यां प्राणवर्जितम् । सतीं संदूष्य वनितां शीलाचारसुशोभिताम् ३१। यो लोकः प्राप्यते लोकैर्यमस्य वशवर्तिभिः । स लोको मम वै भूयात्सत्यं मम प्रतिश्रुतम् ३२। इति श्रेष्ठं वचः श्रुत्वा जहास परवीरहा । उवाच मतिमान्वीरः पुष्कलं वचनं शुभम् ३३। मृत्युर्वै प्राणिनां भाव्यः सर्वत्रैव च सर्वदा । तस्मान्मे निधने दुःखं नास्ति शूरशिरोमणे ३४। प्रतिज्ञा या कृता वीर त्वया वीरत्वशालिना । सा सत्यैव पुनर्मेऽद्य श्रूयतां व्याहृतं महत् ३५। त्वद्बाणं मद्वधोद्युक्तं न च्छिंद्यां यदि चेदहम् । तदा प्रतिज्ञां शृणु मे सर्ववीराभिमानिनः ३६। तीर्थं जिगमिषोर्यो वै कुर्यात्स्वांतविखंडनम् । एकादशीव्रतादन्यज्जानाति व्रतमुच्चकैः ३७। तस्य पापं ममैवास्तु प्रतिज्ञापरिघातिनः । इति वाक्यमुदीर्यैव तूष्णींभूतो धनुर्दधे ३८। तदानेन निषंगात्स्वादुद्धृत्य सायकं वरम् । कथयामास विशदं वाक्यं शत्रुवधावहम् ३९। पुष्कल उवाच। यदि रामांघ्रियुगुलं निष्कापट्येन चेतसा । उपासितं मया तर्हि मम वाक्यमृतं भवेत् ४०। यदि स्वमहिलां भुक्त्वा नान्यां जानामिचेतसा । तेन सत्येन मे वाक्यं सत्यं भवतु संगरे ४१। इति वाक्यमुदीर्याशु बाणं धनुषि संधितम् । कालानलोपमं वीरशिरश्छेदनमाक्षिपत् ४२। तं बाणं मुक्तमालोक्य स तु राजसुतो बली । बाणं शरासने धत्त तीक्ष्णं कालानलोपमम् ४३। तेन बाणेन संछिन्नो बाणः स्ववधउद्यतः । हाहाकारो महानासीच्छिन्ने तस्मिञ्छरे तदा ४४। परार्धं पतितं भूमौ पूर्वार्धं फलसंयुतम् । शिरोधरां चकर्ताशु पद्मनालमिव क्षणात् ४५। तदा भूमौ पतंतं तु दृष्ट्वा तत्तस्यसैनिकाः । हाहाकृत्वा भृशं सर्वे पलायनपरागताः ४६। पृथ्व्यां तन्मस्तकं श्रेष्ठं सकिरीटं सकुंडलम् । शुशुभेऽतीव पतितं चंद्रबिंबं दिवो यथा ४७। तं वीक्ष्य पतितं वीरः पुष्कलो भरतात्मजः । व्यगाहत व्यूहमिमं सर्ववीरैकशोभितम् ४८। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शेषवात्स्यायनसंवादे रामाश्वमेधे चित्रांगवधोनाम सप्तविंशतितमोऽध्यायः २७ ।

śeṣa uvāca| citrāṃgaḥ krauṃcakaṃṭhastho rathastho vīraśobhitaḥ | gāhayāmāsa tatsainyaṃ vārāha iva vāridhim 1| dhanurvisphārya sudṛḍhaṃ meghanādanināditam | mumoca bāṇānniśitānvairikoṭividāhakān 2| tadbāṇabhinnasarvāṃgāḥ śerate subhaṭā bhṛśam | sakirīṭatanutrāṇāḥ sandaṣṭadaśanacchadāḥ 3| evaṃ pravṛtte saṃgrāme yayau yoddhuṃ sa puṣkalaḥ | maṇicitritamādāya cāpaṃ vairipratāpanam 4| tayoḥ saṃgatayorūpaṃ dṛśyate'timanoharam | purā tārakasaṃgrāme skaṃdatārakayoryathā 5| visphārayandhanuḥ śīghraṃ savyasācī tu puṣkalaḥ | tāḍayāmāsa taṃ kṣipraṃ śaraiḥ sannataparvabhiḥ 6| citrāṃgo'pi ruṣākrāṃtaḥ śarāsana iṣūñchitān | dadhadvyamuṃcadbahuśo raṇamaṃḍalamūrdhani 7| nādānaṃ na ca saṃdhānaṃ na mocanamathāpi vā | dṛṣṭaṃ tāveva saṃdṛṣṭau kuṃḍalīkṛtacāpinau 8| tadāsau puṣkalaḥ kruddhaḥ śarāṇāṃ śatakena tam | vivyādha vakṣaḥsthalake mahāyoddhāramudbhaṭam 9| citrāṃgastāñśarānsarvāṃściccheda tilaśaḥ kṣaṇāt | tāḍayāmāsa cāṃgeṣu puṣkalaṃ śitasāyakaiḥ 10| puṣkalastadrathaṃ divyaṃ bhrāmakāstreṇa śobhinā | nabhasi bhrāmayāmāsa tadadbhutamivābhavat 11| bhrāṃtvā muhūrtamātraṃ tu saratho hayasaṃyutaḥ | sthitirlebhetikaṣṭena saṃdhṛto raṇamaṃḍale 12| sa cāsya vikramaṃ dṛṣṭvā citrāṃgaḥ kupito bhṛśam | uvāca puṣkalaṃ dhīmānsarvāstreṣu viśāradaḥ 13| citrāṃga uvāca| tvayā sādhukṛtaṃ karma subhaṭairyudhisaṃmatam | madratho vājisaṃyukto bhrāmito nabhasi kṣaṇam 14| parākramaṃ samīkṣasva mamāpi subhaṭeritam | ākāśacārī tu bhavānbhavatvamarapūjitaḥ 15| ityuktvā sa mumocāstraṃ raṇe paramadāruṇam | dhanuṣā paramāstrajñaḥ sarvadharmaviduttamaḥ 16| tena bāṇena saṃviddhaḥ khe babhrāma pataṃgavat | sarathaḥ sahayaḥ saṃkhye sadhvajaśca sasārathiḥ 17| bhrāṃtvā sarathavaryastu nabhasi tvarayānvitaḥ | yāvatsthitiṃ na labhate tāvanmukto'paraḥ śaraḥ 18| punaśca paribabhrāma rathaḥ sūtasamanvitaḥ | tatkarmavīkṣya putrasya rājño vismayamāpa saḥ 19| kathaṃcitsthitimapyāpa puṣkalaḥ paravīrahā | rathaṃ jaghāna bāṇaiśca sasūtahayamasya ca 20| sabhagnasyaṃdano vīraḥ punaranyaṃ samāśritaḥ | so'pi bhagnaḥ śarairāśu puṣkalena raṇāṃgaṇe 21| punaranyaṃ samāsthāya yāvadāyāti saṃmukham | tāvadbabhaṃja niśitaiḥ sāyakaistadrathaṃ punaḥ 22| evaṃ daśa rathā bhagnā nṛpaterātmajasya hi | puṣkalena tu vīreṇa mahāsaṃyugaśālinā 23| tadā citrāṃgakaḥ saṃkhye rathe sthitvā vicitrite | ājagāma ha vegena puṣkalaṃ prati yodhitum 24| puṣkalaṃ paṃcabhirbāṇaistāḍayāmāsa saṃyuge | tairbāṇairnihato'tyataṃ vivyathe bharatātmajaḥ 25| sakruddhaścāpamudyamya bāṇāndaśa śitānmahān | mumoca hṛdaye tasya svarṇapuṃkhasuśobhitān 26| te bāṇāḥ papuretasya rudhiraṃ bahudāruṇāḥ | pītvā petuḥ kṣitau kūṭasākṣiṇaḥ pūrvajā iva 27| tadā citrāṃgakaḥ kruddho bhallānpaṃca samādade | mumoca bhāle putrasya bharatasya mahaujasaḥ 28| tairbhallairāhataḥ kruddhaḥ śarāsanavare śaram | dadhatpratijñāmakaroccitrāṃganidhanaṃ prati 29| śṛṇu vīra mama kṣipraṃ pratijñāṃ tvadvadhāśritām | tajjñātvā sāvadhānena yoddhavyaṃ ca tvayātra hi 30| bāṇenānena cettvāṃ vai na kuryāṃ prāṇavarjitam | satīṃ saṃdūṣya vanitāṃ śīlācārasuśobhitām 31| yo lokaḥ prāpyate lokairyamasya vaśavartibhiḥ | sa loko mama vai bhūyātsatyaṃ mama pratiśrutam 32| iti śreṣṭhaṃ vacaḥ śrutvā jahāsa paravīrahā | uvāca matimānvīraḥ puṣkalaṃ vacanaṃ śubham 33| mṛtyurvai prāṇināṃ bhāvyaḥ sarvatraiva ca sarvadā | tasmānme nidhane duḥkhaṃ nāsti śūraśiromaṇe 34| pratijñā yā kṛtā vīra tvayā vīratvaśālinā | sā satyaiva punarme'dya śrūyatāṃ vyāhṛtaṃ mahat 35| tvadbāṇaṃ madvadhodyuktaṃ na cchiṃdyāṃ yadi cedaham | tadā pratijñāṃ śṛṇu me sarvavīrābhimāninaḥ 36| tīrthaṃ jigamiṣoryo vai kuryātsvāṃtavikhaṃḍanam | ekādaśīvratādanyajjānāti vratamuccakaiḥ 37| tasya pāpaṃ mamaivāstu pratijñāparighātinaḥ | iti vākyamudīryaiva tūṣṇīṃbhūto dhanurdadhe 38| tadānena niṣaṃgātsvāduddhṛtya sāyakaṃ varam | kathayāmāsa viśadaṃ vākyaṃ śatruvadhāvaham 39| puṣkala uvāca| yadi rāmāṃghriyugulaṃ niṣkāpaṭyena cetasā | upāsitaṃ mayā tarhi mama vākyamṛtaṃ bhavet 40| yadi svamahilāṃ bhuktvā nānyāṃ jānāmicetasā | tena satyena me vākyaṃ satyaṃ bhavatu saṃgare 41| iti vākyamudīryāśu bāṇaṃ dhanuṣi saṃdhitam | kālānalopamaṃ vīraśiraśchedanamākṣipat 42| taṃ bāṇaṃ muktamālokya sa tu rājasuto balī | bāṇaṃ śarāsane dhatta tīkṣṇaṃ kālānalopamam 43| tena bāṇena saṃchinno bāṇaḥ svavadhaudyataḥ | hāhākāro mahānāsīcchinne tasmiñchare tadā 44| parārdhaṃ patitaṃ bhūmau pūrvārdhaṃ phalasaṃyutam | śirodharāṃ cakartāśu padmanālamiva kṣaṇāt 45| tadā bhūmau pataṃtaṃ tu dṛṣṭvā tattasyasainikāḥ | hāhākṛtvā bhṛśaṃ sarve palāyanaparāgatāḥ 46| pṛthvyāṃ tanmastakaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sakirīṭaṃ sakuṃḍalam | śuśubhe'tīva patitaṃ caṃdrabiṃbaṃ divo yathā 47| taṃ vīkṣya patitaṃ vīraḥ puṣkalo bharatātmajaḥ | vyagāhata vyūhamimaṃ sarvavīraikaśobhitam 48| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe pātālakhaṃḍe śeṣavātsyāyanasaṃvāde rāmāśvamedhe citrāṃgavadhonāma saptaviṃśatitamo'dhyāyaḥ 27 |

English translation

Śeṣa said :

1-3. Citrāṅga who was seated in his chariot and was at the neck of the Krauñca (-array), and was adorned with heroes, plunged into that army as a boar plunges into the ocean. Having stretched his very strong bow, resounding like thundering, he discharged sharp arrows burning crores of enemies. Great heroes with their entire bodies very much pierced with the arrows, lay (there) with the diadems and armours on their bodies and with their lips bitten.

4-8. When the battle proceeded like this, Puṣkala taking the how that was variegated with gems and that very much tormented the enemies, went to fight. The forms of the two who had come together (to fight) looked very charming like the forms of Skanda and Tāraka in the Tāraka-battle in ancient times. That dexterous Puṣkala, quickly stretching his bow, quickly struck him with arrows having curved joints. Citrāṅga too, who was overpowered with anger, fixed sharp arrows on his bow and repeatedly discharged them in the front part of the battlefield. The taking (of the arrow from the quiver) was not noticed; the fixing (of the arrow on the bow) was not noticed; the discharge (of the arrow) was not noticed. Only the two (heroes) who had coiled (i.e. stretched) their bows were noticed.

9-13. Then that Puṣkala who was angry pierced the great, pre-eminent warrior on his chest with a hundred arrows. Citrāṅga in a moment cut off all those arrows into (pieces of the size of) sesamum seeds; and with (his) arrows he struck Puṣkala on the limbs of his body. With his charming, deceptive missile Puṣkala whirled that divine chariot in the sky (i.e. air). It was indeed a wonder. That chariot, along with the horses, after having moved round in a circle (in the air) became steady; and with a great difficulty it remained on the battlefield. Seeing his valour, that intelligent Citrāṅga who was skilled in (the use of) all missiles, was angry, and said to Puṣkala:

Citrāṅga said :

14-19. You have done a good deed, appreciated by good warriors in the battle, viz. you whirled for a moment my chariot with the horses in the sky (i.e. air). (Now) see also my valour displayed by good warriors. You would be moving in the sky and (would be) honoured by gods.

He the best one among those familiar with the use (of weapons), and knowing (the use of) great missiles discharged with (i.e. from) his bow an extremely fierce missile. Being pierced in the battle with that arrow he along with his chariot, horses, flag and charioteer moved in the sky like a bird. (And) even before the best chariot quickly whirling in the sky (i.e. air) became steady, he discharged another arrow. The chariot, along with the charioteer, again whirled round (in the air). Seeing that act of his son, the king was amazed.

20-29. Puṣkala, the killer of the heroes on the side of the enemy, somehow became steady and struck his chariot, along with the charioteer and horses, with arrows. That hero, whose chariot was shattered, resorted to another chariot. That too was broken with his arrows by Puṣkala on the battlefield. When, after having got into another chariot he encountered him, he again shattered his chariot with sharp arrows. In this way that hero, Puṣkala, shining in the great battle, shattered ten chariots of the king's son. Then Citrāṅgaka, remaining in a variegated chariot, speedily came to fight with Puṣkala in the battle. In the battle he struck Puṣkala with five arrows. The son of Bharata (i.e. Puṣkala), being struck with those arrows, was extremely pained. He, being angry, raised his bow, and discharged ten great, sharp arrows with their feathered ends beautified with gold, at his chest. Those extremely fierce arrows drank his blood. Having drunk it, they fell on the ground like one’s ancestors who were false witnesses. Then the angry Citrāṅgaka took five arrows and discharged them at the forehead of the very vigourous son of Bharata. He (i.e. Puṣkala) being struck with those arrows, fixed an arrow on his excellent bow and took a vow to kill Citrāṅga:

30-38a. “O hero, listen to my pledge regarding killing you. Knowing it, you should attentively fight here. If, with this arrow, I do not deprive you of your life, then indeed it is my pledge that I would have (i.e. go to) that world which is reached by those people governed by Yama , who have polluted a chaste woman graceful with good conduct.” Having heard these best words, the killer of great heroes laughed. The intelligent hero spoke auspicious words to Puṣkala: “Death always and everywhere is certain in the case of beings. Therefore, O you crest-jewel of heroes, I am not sorry about my death. O hero, that pledge which you, endowed with valour, have taken, is certainly true. That sin which a man who breaks (i.e. changes) the mind of him who desires to go on a pilgrimage, or which a man who knows (i.e. values) any other vow than the lofty vow of Ekādaśī has, gets, will accrue to me who would violate my vow (i.e. if I violate my vow).”

38b-39. Speaking these words only, he became silent, and took up his bow. Then he, having taken out from his quiver an excellent arrow, spoke distinct words leading to the enemy’s murder.

Puṣkala said :

40-48. If I have served with a mind free from wickedness the pair of Rāma ’s feet, then my words would come true. If I have enjoyed my own wife, and do not know (i.e. have not seen) any other woman (even) in a dream, then my words will come true.

Saying so he fixed on his bow an arrow resembling the destructive fire at the end of the world, and (capable of) cutting the heroes’ head, and discharged it. The powerful son of the king, seeing the arrow that was discharged, fixed on his bow a sharp arrow resembling the destructive fire at the end of the world. That arrow cut off the arrow ready to kill him. There was a great wailing when that arrow was cut off. The hinder part of the arrow fell on the ground, and the forepart along with the blade cut off his neck in a moment like a lotus-stalk. Seeing him falling on the ground his soldiers wailed profusely and fled away. That excellent head along with the diadem and ear-rings fell on the ground and looked beautiful like the cresent moon (falling) from the sky. Seeing the hero fallen, Puṣkala, Bharata’s son, plunged into the array, fully accompanied by all heroes.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43687, revision 335924 (2022-04-16T15:11:02Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365338.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.