- Prapaksha Kamboja
The fourth
prince of theKambojas referenced in theMahābhārata is the younger brother of the illustrious princeSudakshina Kamboja . In the epic, this prince is simply addressed asKamboja , but according to Pandit Bhagavadatta Sharma, the real name of the prince was Parpakash Kamboja (Bharata ka Itihaas, p 161).Prince Kamboja had also participated in the destructive war of
Kurukshetra , and had fought ferocious duels on Kaurava's behalf. Like a trueKshatriya , the Kamboja prince had fought for the Kurus with dedication, valor, honor, loyalty, sacrifice and in full compliance of the war ethics. After brave Sudakshina fell on fourteenth day of the war, the young prince had taken over the supreme command of Kamboja division. [Some Kshatriya Tribes, p 246, Dr B. C. Law.]On 17th day of the war, prince Kamboja also fell a magnificent
martyr to Kuru cause at the hands of greatArjuna . [ Mahābhārata 8/56/111-114.]Like his elder brother Sudakshina, the young prince is also portrayed as very tall and exceedigly handsome, having a face as beautiful as the full
moon and eyes resembling lotuspetal s. As this Kamboja prince fell fighting, it appeared as if atower ofgold or a summit of the golden Sumeru had collapsed. [:Sanskrit::hastyashvarathapattina.n vratannighnantamarjunam | :sudakshinadavarajah sharavrishtyabhyavivrishat || 111 |
:asyasyato.ardhachandrabhya.n sa bahu parighopamau | :purnachandrabhavaktra.n cha kshurenabhyahanachchhirah || 112 |
:sa papata tato vahatsvalohita parisravah | :manahshila gireh shringa.n vajrenevavadaritam || 113 || :sudakshinadavaraja.n Kambojam dadrishurhatam | :pramshu.n kamalapatrakshamatyartham priyadarshanam | :kanchana~stambhasa nkasham bhinna.n hemagirim yatha ||114 |
::— "(MBH 8.56.111-114)":Translation:
:"“Repairing to that further wing which was protected by the
Kambojas ,Partha began to grind it forcibly with his arrows like Vasava grinding theDanava s. With broad-headed arrows he began to quickly cut off the arms, with weapons in grasp, and also the heads of foes longing to slay him. Deprived of diverse limbs, and of weapons, they began to fall down on the Earth, like trees of many boughs broken by ahurricane . While he was engaged in thus slaughtering elephants and steeds and car-warriors and foot-soldiers, the younger brother ofSudakshina (the chief of theKambojas ) began to pour showers of arrows on him. With a couple of crescent-shaped arrows, Arjuna cut off the two arms, looking like spiked maces, of his striking assailant, and then his head graced with a face as beautiful as the full moon, with a razor-headed arrow. Deprived of life, the prince fell down from his vehicle, his body bathed in blood, like the thunder-riven tower or summit of amountain ofgold . Indeed, people saw the tall and exceedingly handsome younger brother of Sudakshina, the chief of the Kambojas, of eyes resembling lotus petals, slain and fall down like a column of gold or like a summit of the goldenSumeru .”" (8.56.111-114) .] See link: [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08056.htm]The fact that the young prince had survived 16 days of destructive war shows him to have been an accomplished
warrior .Notes
ee also
*
Kambojas
*Epic Kamboja
*Chandravarma Kamboja
*Kamatha Kamboja
*Sudakshina Kamboja
*Kurukshetra war and the Kambojas
*Kurukshetra war
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