The Sacred Scripture of
great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:
The Mahabharata
Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasatranslated by
Sreemaan Brahmasri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Stri Parva
Book 11
The Mahabharat
Book
11
Chapter 18
1 [gāndhārī]
paśya mādhava putrān me śatasaṃkhyāñ jitaklamān
gadayā bhīmasenena bhūyiṣṭhaṃ nihatān raṇe
2 idaṃ duḥkhataraṃ me 'dya yad imā
muktamūrdhajāḥ
hataputrā raṇe bālāḥ paridhāvanti me snuṣāḥ
3 prāsādatalacāriṇyaś caraṇair bhūṣaṇānvitaiḥ
āpannā yat spṛśantīmā rudhirārdrāṃ vasuṃdharām
4 gṛdhrān
utsārayantyaś ca gomāyūn vāyasāṃs tathā
śokenārtā vighūrṇantyo mattā
iva caranty uta
5 eṣānyā tv
anavadyāṅgī karasaṃmitamadhyamā
ghoraṃ tad vaiśasaṃ dṛṣṭvā nipataty atiduḥkhitā
6 dṛṣṭvā me
pārthivasutām etāṃ lakṣmaṇamātaram
rājaputrīṃ mahābāho mano na
vyupaśāmyati
7 bhrātṝṃś cānyāḥ patīṃś cānyāḥ putrāṃś ca nihatān bhuvi
dṛṣṭvā paripatanty etāḥ pragṛhya subhujā bhujān
8 madhyamānāṃ tu nārīṇāṃ vṛddhānāṃ cāparājita
ākrandaṃ hatabandhūnāṃ dāruṇe vaiśase śṛṇu
9 rathanīḍāni dehāṃś ca hatānāṃ gajavājinām
āśritāḥ śramamohārtāḥ sthitāḥ paśya mahābala
10 anyā cāpahṛtaṃ kāyāc cārukuṇḍalam unnasam
svasya bandhoḥ śiraḥ kṛṣṇa gṛhītvā paśya tiṣṭhati
11 pūrvajātikṛtaṃ pāpaṃ manye nāplam ivānagha
etābhir anavadyābhir mayā caivālpamedhayā
12 tad idaṃ dharmarājena
yātitaṃ no janārdana
na hi nāśo 'sti vārṣṇeya karmaṇoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ
13 pratyagra vayasaḥ paśya darśanīyakucodarāḥ
kuleṣu jātā hrīmatyaḥ kṛṣṇapakṣākṣi mūrdhajāḥ
14 haṃsagadgada bhāṣiṇyo duḥkhaśokapramohitāḥ
sārasya iva vāśantyaḥ patitāḥ paśya mādhava
15 phullapadmaprakāśāni puṇḍarīkākṣa yoṣitām
anavadyāni vatrāṇi tapaty
asukharaśmivān
16 īrṣūṇāṃ mama putrāṇāṃ vāsudevāvarodhanam
mattamātaṅgadarpāṇāṃ paśyanty adya pṛthagjanāḥ
17 śatacandrāṇi carmāṇi dhvajāṃś cādityasaṃnibhān
raukmāṇi caiva varmāṇi niṣkān api ca kāñcanān
18 śīrṣa trāṇāni caitāni putrāṇāṃ me mahītale
paśya dīptāni govinda pāvakān suhutān iva
19 eṣa duḥśāsanaḥ śete śūreṇāmitra ghātinā
pītaśoṇitasarvāṅgo bhīmasenena pātitaḥ
20 gadayā vīra ghātinyā paśya mādhava me
sutam
dyūtakleśān anusmṛtya draupadyā
coditena ca
21 uktā hy anena pāñcālī sabhāyāṃ dyūtanirjitā
priyaṃ cikīrṣatā bhrātuḥ karṇasya ca janārdana
22 sahaiva sahadevena nakulenārjunena ca
dāsabhāryāsi pāñcāli kṣipraṃ praviśa no gṛhān
23 tato 'ham abruvaṃ kṛṣṇa tadā duryodhanaṃ nṛpam
mṛtyupāśaparikṣiptaṃ śakuniṃ putra varjaya
24 nibodhainaṃ sudurbuddhiṃ mātulaṃ kalahapriyam
kṣipram enaṃ parityajya putra śāmyasva pāṇḍavaiḥ
25 na budhyase tvaṃ durbuddhe bhīmasenam amarṣaṇam
vāṅnārācais tudaṃs tīkṣṇair ulkābhir iva kuñjaram
26 tān eṣa rabhasaḥ krūro vākśalyān avadhārayan
utsasarja viṣaṃ teṣu sarpo govṛṣabheṣv iva
27 eṣa duḥśāsanaḥ śete vikṣipya vipulau bhujau
nihato bhīmasenena siṃheneva maharṣabhaḥ
28 atyartham akarod raudraṃ bhīmaseno 'tyamarṣaṇaḥ
duḥśāsanasya yat kruddho 'pibac choṇitam āhave
18
"Gandhari said, ‘Behold, O Madhava, my century of sons, incapable of
fatigue (from exertion in battle), have all been slain by Bhimasena with his
mace in battle! That which grieves me more today is that these my
daughters-in-law, of tender years, deprived of sons and with dishevelled hair,
are wandering on the field today. Alas, they who formerly walked only on the
terraces of goodly mansions with feet adorned with many ornaments, are now, in
great affliction of heart, obliged to touch with those feet of theirs this hard
earth, miry with blood! Reeling in sorrow, they are wandering like inebriated
persons, driving away vultures and jackals and crows with difficulty. Behold,
that lady of faultless limbs and slender waist, seeing this terrible carnage,
falleth down, overwhelmed with grief. Beholding this princess, this mother of
Lakshmana, O thou of mighty arms, my heart is torn with grief. These beautiful
ladies of fair arms, some seeing their brothers, some their husbands, and some
their sons, lying down in death on the bare ground, are themselves falling
down, seizing the arms of the slain. Listen, O unvanquished one, to the loud
wails of those elderly ladies and those others of middle age at sight of this
terrible carnage. Supporting themselves against broken boxes of cars and the
bodies of slain elephants and steeds, behold, O thou of great might, those
ladies, worn out with fatigue, are resting themselves. Behold, O Krishna, some
one amongst them, taking up some kinsman’s severed head decked with beautiful
nose and earrings, is standing in grief. I think, O sinless one, that both
those and myself of little understanding must have committed great sins in our
former lives, since, O Janardana, all our relatives and kinsmen have thus been
slain by king Yudhishthira the just! Our acts, righteous or unrighteous, cannot
go for nothing, O thou of Vrishni’s race! Behold, O Madhava, those young ladies
of beautiful bosoms and abdomen, well-born, possessed of modesty, having black
eye-lashes and tresses of the same colour on their heads, endued with voice
sweet and dear like that of swans, are falling down, deprived of their senses
in great grief and uttering piteous cries like flights of cranes. Behold, O
lotus-eyed hero, their beautiful faces resembling full-blown lotuses, are
scorched by the sun. Alas, O Vasudeva, the wives of my proud children possessed
of prowess like that of infuriated elephants, are now exposed to the gaze of
common people. Behold, O Govinda, the shields decked with hundred moons, the
standards of solar effulgence, the golden coats of mail, and the collars and
cuirasses made of gold, and the head-gears, of my sons, scattered on the earth,
are blazing with splendour like sacrificial fires over which have been poured
libations, of clarified butter. There, Duhshasana sleepeth, felled by Bhima,
and the blood of all his limbs quaffed by that heroic slayer of foes. Behold
that other son of mine, O Madhava, slain by Bhima with his mace, impelled by
Draupadi and the recollection of his woes at the time of the match at dice.
Addressing the dice-won princess of Pancala in the midst of the assembly, this
Duhshasana, desirous of doing what was agreeable to his (elder) brother as also
to Karna, O Janardana, had said, "Thou art now the wife of a slave! With
Sahadeva and Nakula and Arjuna, O lady, enter our household now!" On that
occasion, O Krishna, I said unto king Duryodhana, "O son, cast off (from
thy side) the wrathful Shakuni. Know that thy maternal uncle is of very wicked
soul and exceedingly fond of quarrel. Casting him off without delay, make peace
with the Pandavas, O son! O thou of little intelligence, thinkest thou not of
Bhimasena filled with wrath? Thou art piercing him with thy wordy shafts like a
person striking an elephant with burning brands." Alas, disregarding my
words, he vomitted his wordy poison at them, like a snake vomitting its poison
at a bull,--at them who had already been pierced with his wordy darts. There,
that Duhshasana sleepeth, stretching his two massive arms, slain by Bhimasena
like a mighty elephant by a lion. The very wrathful Bhimasena perpetrated a
most horrible act by drinking in battle the blood of his foe!’"
Book
11
Chapter 19
1 [g]
eṣa mādhava putro me
vikarṇaḥ prājñasaṃmataḥ
bhūmau vinihataḥ śete bhīmena
śatadhā kṛtaḥ
2 gajamadhya gataḥ śete vikarṇo madhusūdana
nīlameghaparikṣiptaḥ śaradīva divākaraḥ
3 asya cāpagraheṇaiṣa pāṇiḥ kṛtakiṇo mahān
kathaṃ cic chidyate gṛdhrair attu kāmais talatravān
4 asya bhāryāmiṣa prepsūn gṛdhrān etāṃs tapasvinī
vārayaty aniśaṃ bālā na ca
śaknoti mādhava
5 yuvā vṛndārakaḥ śūro vikarṇaḥ puruṣarṣabha
sukhocitaḥ sukhārhaś ca śete
pāṃsuṣu mādhava
6 karṇinālīkanārācair bhinnamarmāṇam āhave
adyāpi na jahāty enaṃ lakṣṇīr bharatasattamam
7 eṣa saṃgrāmaśūreṇa pratijñāṃ pālayiṣyatā
durmukho 'bhimukhaḥ śete hato
'rigaṇahā raṇe
8 tasyaitad vadanaṃ kṛṣṇa śvāpadair ardhabhakṣitam
vibhāty abhyadhikaṃ tāta
saptamyām iva candramāḥ
9 śūrasya hi raṇe kṛṣṇa yasyānanam athedṛśam
sa kathaṃ nihato 'mitraiḥ pāṃsūn grasati me sutaḥ
10 yasyāhavaṃ mukhe saumyā sthātā naivopapadyate
sa kathaṃ kurmukho 'mitrair
hato vibudhalokajit
11 citrasenaṃ hataṃ bhūmau śayānaṃ madhusūdana
dhārtarāṣṭram imaṃ paśya pratimānaṃ danuṣmatām
12 taṃ citramālyābharaṇaṃ yuvatyaḥ śokakarśitāḥ
kravyādasaṃghaiḥ sahitā rudantyaḥ paryupāsate
13 strīṇāṃ ruditanirghoṣaḥ śvāpadānāṃ ca garjitam
citrarūpam idaṃ kṛṣṇa vicitraṃ pratibhāti me
14 yuvā vṛndārako nityaṃ pravara strī niṣevitaḥ
viviṃśatir asau śete dhvastaḥ pāṃsuṣu mādhava
15 śarasaṃkṛtta varṇāṇaṃ vīraṃ viśasane hatam
parivāryāsate gṛdhrāḥ pariviṃśā viviṃśatim
16 praviśya samare vīraḥ pāṇḍavānām anīkinām
āviśya śayane śete punaḥ satpuruṣocitam
17 smitopapannaṃ sunasaṃ subhru tārādhipopamam
atīva śubhraṃ vadanaṃ paśya kṛṣṇa viviṃśateḥ
18 yaṃ sma taṃ paryupāsante vasuṃ vāsava yoṣitaḥ
krīḍantam iva gandharvaṃ devakanyāḥ sahasraśaḥ
19 hantāraṃ vīrasenānāṃ śūraṃ samitiśobhanam
nibarhaṇam amitrāṇāṃ duḥsahaṃ viṣaheta kaḥ
20 duḥsahasyaitad ābhāti
śarīraṃ saṃvṛtaṃ śaraiḥ
girir ātmaruhaiḥ phullaiḥ karṇikārair ivāvṛtaḥ
21 śātakaumbhyā srajā bhāti kavacena ca
bhāsvatā
agnineva giriḥ śveto gatāsur api
duḥsahaḥ
19
"Gandhari said, ‘There, O Madhava, my son Vikarna, applauded by the
wise, lieth on the bare ground, slain by Bhima and mangled horribly! Deprived
of life, O slayer of Madhu, Vikarna lieth in the midst of (slain) elephants
like the moon in the autumnal sky surrounded by blue clouds. His broad palm,
cased in leathern fence, and scarred by constant wielding of the bow, is
pierced with difficulty by vultures desirous of feeding upon it. His helpless
young wife, O Madhava, is continually endeavouring, without success, to drive
away those vultures desirous of feeding on carrion. The youthful and brave and
handsome Vikarna, O bull among men, brought up in luxury and deserving of every
kind of weal, now sleepeth amid the dust, O Madhava! Though all his vital parts
have been pierced with clothyard shafts and bearded arrows and nalikas, yet
that beauty of person which was his hath not forsaken this best of the
Bharatas. There, my son Durmukha, that slayer of large band of foes, sleepeth,
with face towards the enemy, slain by the heroic Bhimasena in observance of his
vow. His face, O Krishna, half-eaten away by beasts of prey, looketh more
handsome, O child, even like the moon on the seventh day of the lighted
fortnight. Behold, O Krishna, the face of that heroic son of mine, which is
even such. How could that son of mine be slain by foes and thus made to eat the
dust? O amiable one, how could that Durmukha, before whom no foe could stand,
be slain by foes, O subjugator of celestial regions! Behold, O slayer of Madhu,
that other son of Dhritarashtra, Citrasena, slain and lying on the ground, that
hero who was the model of all bowmen? Those young ladies, afflicted with grief
and uttering piteous cries, are now sitting, with beasts of prey, around his
fair form adorned with wreaths and garlands. These loud wails of woe, uttered
by women, and these cries and roars of beasts of prey, seem exceedingly
wonderful to me, O Krishna! Youthful and handsome, and always waited upon and
served by the most beautiful ladies, my son Vivinsati, O Madhava, sleepeth
there, stained with dust. His armour hath been pierced with arrows. Slain in
the midst of the carnage, alas, the heroic Vivimshati is now surrounded and
waited upon by vultures! Having in battle penetrated the ranks of the Pandava
army, that hero now lieth on the bed of a hero,--on the bed, that is, of an
exalted Kshatriya! Behold, O Krishna, his very beautiful face, with a smile
playing on it, adorned with excellent nose and fair eyebrows, and resembling
the resplendent Moon himself! Formerly a large number of the most beautiful
ladies used to wait upon him, like thousands of celestial girls upon a sporting
gandharva. Who again could endure my son Duhsaha, that slayer of heroic
foes, that hero, that ornament of assemblies, that irresistible warrior, that
resister of foes? The body of Duhsaha, covered with arrows, looks resplendent
like a mountain overgrown with flowering karnikaras. With his garland of
gold and his bright armour, Duhsaha, though deprived of life, looks resplendent
yet, like a white mountain of fire!’"
Book
11
Chapter 20
1 [g]
adhyardhaguṇam āhur yaṃ bale śaurye ca mādhava
pitrā tvayā ca dāśārha dṛptaṃ siṃham ivotkaṭam
2 yo bibheda camūm eko mama
putrasya durbhidām
sa bhūtvā mṛtyur anyeṣāṃ svayaṃ mṛtyuvaśaṃ gataḥ
3 tasyopalakṣaye kṛṣṇa kārṣṇer amitatejasaḥ
abhimanyor hatasyāpi prabhā naivopaśāmyati
4 eṣā virāṭa duhitā snuṣā gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ
ārtā bālā patiṃ vīraṃ śocyā śocaty aninditā
5 tam eṣā hi samāsādya bhāryā bhartāram antike
virāṭa duhitā kṛṣṇa pāṇinā parimārjati
6 tasya vaktram upāghrāya saubhadrasya
yaśasvinī
vibuddhakamalākāraṃ kambuvṛttaśiro dharam
7 kāmyarūpavatī caiṣā pariṣvajati bhāminī
lajja mānā puraivainaṃ mādhvīka madamūrchitā
8 tasya kṣatajasaṃdigdhaṃ jātarūpapariṣkṛtam
vimucya kavacaṃ kṛṣṇa śarīram abhivīkṣate
9 avekṣamāṇā taṃ bālā kṛṣṇa tvām abhibhāṣate
ayaṃ te puṇḍarīkākṣa sadṛśākṣo nipātitaḥ
10 bale vīrye ca sadṛśas tejasā caiva te 'nagha
rūpeṇa ca tavātyarthaṃ śete bhuvi nipātitaḥ
11 atyantasukumārasya rāṅka vājina śāyinaḥ
kac cid adya śarīraṃ te bhūmau na
paritapyate
12 mātaṅgabhuja varṣmāṇau jyākpepa kaṭhina tvacau
kāñcanāṅgadinau śeṣe nikṣipya vipulau bhujau
13 vyāyamya bahudhā nūnaṃ sukhasuptaḥ śramād iva
evaṃ vilapatīm ārtāṃ na hi mām abhibhāṣase
14 āryām ārya subhadrāṃ tvam imāṃś ca tridaśopamān
pitṝn māṃ caiva duḥkhārtāṃ vihāya kva gamiṣyasi
15 tasya śoṇitasaṃdigdhān keśān unnāmya pāṇinā
utsaṅge vaktram ādhāya jīvantam iva pṛcchati
svasrīyaṃ vāsudevasya putraṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ
16 kathaṃ tvāṃ raṇamadhyasthaṃ jaghnur ete
mahārathāḥ
dhig astu krūra kartṝṃs tān kṛpa karṇajayadrathān
17 droṇa drauṇāyanī cobhau yair asi vyasanī kṛtaḥ
ratharṣabhāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ katham āsīt
tadā manaḥ
18 bālaṃ tvāṃ parivāryaikaṃ mama duḥkhāya jaghnuṣām
kathaṃ nu pāṇḍavānāṃ ca pāñcālānāṃ ca paśyatām
tvaṃ vīra nidhanaṃ prāpto nāthavān sannanāthavat
19 dṛṣṭvā bahubhir
ākrande nihataṃ tvām anāthavat
vīraḥ puruṣaśārdūlaḥ kathaṃ jīvati pāṇḍavaḥ
20 na rājyalābho vipulaḥ śatrūṇāṃ vā parābhavaḥ
prītaṃ dāsyati pārthānāṃ tvām ṛte puṣkarekṣaṇa
21 tava śastrajitāṁl lokān dharmeṇa ca damena ca
kṣipram anvāgamiṣyāmi tatra māṃ pratipālaya
22 durmaraṃ punar
aprāpte kāle bhavati kena cit
yad ahaṃ tvāṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā hataṃ jīvāmi durbhagā
23 kām idānīṃ naravyāghra ślakṣṇayā smitayā girā
pitṛloke sametyānyāṃ mām ivāmantrayiṣyasi
24 nūnam apsarasāṃ svarge manāṃsi pramathiṣyasi
parameṇa ca rūpeṇa girā ca smitapūrvayā
25 prāpya puṇyakṛtāṁl lokān apsarobhiḥ sameyivān
saubhadra viharan kāle smarethāḥ sukṛtāni me
26 etāvān iha saṃvāso vihitas te mayā saha
ṣaṇ māsān saptame māsi tvaṃ vīra nidhanaṃ gataḥ
27 ity uktavacanām etām apakarṣanti duḥkhitām
uttarāṃ moghasaṃkalpāṃ matsyarājakulastriyaḥ
28 uttarām apakṛṣyainām ārtām ārtatarāḥ svayam
virāṭaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā krośanti vilapanti ca
29 droṇāstra śarasaṃkṛttaṃ śayānaṃ rudhirokṣitam
virāṭaṃ vitudanty
ete gṛdhragomāyuvāyasāḥ
30 vitudyamānaṃ vihagair virāṭam asitekṣaṇāḥ
na śaknuvanti vivaśā nivartayitum āturāḥ
31 āsām ātapataptānām āyasena ca yoṣitām
śrameṇa ca vivarṇānāṃ rūpāṇāṃ vigataṃ vapuḥ
32 uttaraṃ cābhimanyuṃ ca kāmbojaṃ ca sudakṣiṇam
śiśūn etān hatān paśya lakṣmaṇaṃ ca sudarśanam
āyodhana śiromadhye śayānaṃ paśya mādhava
20
"Gandhari said, ‘He whose might and courage were regarded, O Keshava,
as a one and half times superior to those of his sire and thee, he who
resembled a fierce and proud lion, he who, without a follower, alone pierced
the impenetrable array of my son, he who proved to be the death of many, alas,
he now sleepeth there, having himself succumbed to death! I see, O Krishna, the
splendour of that son of Arjuna, of that hero of immeasurable energy,
Abhimanyu, hath not been dimmed even in death. There, the daughter of Virata,
the daughter-in-law of the wielder of gandiva, that girl of faultless
beauty overwhelmed with grief at sight of her heroic husband, is indulging in
lamentations! That young wife, the daughter of Virata, approaching her lord, is
gently rubbing him, O Krishna, with her hand. Formerly, that highly intelligent
and exceedingly beautiful girl, inebriated with honeyed wines, used bashfully
to embrace her lord, and kiss the face of Subhadra’s son, that face which
resembled a full-blown lotus and which was supported on a neck adorned with
three lines like those of a conch-shell. Taking of her lord’s golden coat of
mail, O hero, that damsel is gazing now on the blood-dyed body of her spouse.
Beholding her lord, O Krishna, that girl addresses thee and says, "O
lotus-eyed one, this hero whose eyes resembled thine, hath been slain. In might
and energy, and prowess also, he was thy equal, O sinless one! He resembled
thee very much in beauty. Yet he sleeps on the ground, slain by the
enemy!" Addressing her own lord, the damsel says again, "Thou wert
brought up in every luxury. Thou usedst to sleep on soft skins of the ranku deer.
Alas, does not thy body feel pain today by lying thus on the bare ground?
Stretching thy massive arms adorned with golden angadas, resembling a
couple of elephant’s trunks and covered with skin hardened by frequent use of
the bow, thou sleepest, O lord, in peace, as if exhausted with the toil of too
much exercise in the gymnasium. Alas, why dost thou not address me that am
weeping so? I do not remember to have ever offended thee. Why dost thou not
speak to me then? Formerly, thou usedst to address me even when thou wouldst
see me at a distance. O reverend sir, whither wilt thou go, leaving behind thee
the much-respected Subhadra, these thy sires that resemble the very celestials,
and my own wretched self distracted with woe?" Behold, O Krishna,
gathering with her hands the blood-dyed locks of her lord and placing his head
on her lap, the beautiful damsel is speaking to him as if he were alive,
"How couldst those great car-warriors slay thee in the midst of
battle,--thee that art the sister’s son of Vasudeva and the son of the wielder
of gandiva? Alas, fie on those warriors of wicked deeds, Kripa and Karna
and Jayadratha and Drona and Drona’s son, by whom thou wert deprived of life.
What was the state of mind of those great car-warriors at that time when they
surrounded thee, a warrior of tender years, and slew thee to my grief? How
couldst thou, O hero, who had so many protectors, be slain so helplessly in the
very sight of the Pandavas and the Pancalas? Beholding thee, O hero, slain in
battle by many persons united together, how is that tiger among men, that son
of Pandu, thy sire, able to bear the burden of life? Neither the acquisition of
a vast kingdom nor the defeat of their foes conduces to the joy of the Parthas
bereft of thee, O lotus-eyed one! By the practice of virtue and self-restraint,
I shall very soon repair to those regions of bliss which thou hast acquired by
the use of weapons. Protect me, O hero, when I repair to those regions. When
one’s hour does not come, one cannot die, since, wretched that I am, I still
draw breath after seeing thee slain in battle. Having repaired to the region of
the pitris, whom else, like me, dost thou address now, O tiger among men,
in sweet words mingled with smiles? Without doubt, thou wilt agitate the hearts
of the apsaras in heaven, with thy great beauty and thy soft words
mingled with smiles! Having obtained the regions reserved for persons of
righteous deeds, thou art now united, O son of Subhadra, with the apsaras! While
sporting with them, recollect at times my good acts towards thee. Thy union
with me in this world had, it seems, been ordained for only six months, for in
the seventh, O hero, thou hast been bereft of life!" O Krishna, the ladies
of the royal house of Matsya are dragging away the afflicted Uttara, baffled of
all her purposes, while lamenting in this strain. Those ladies, dragging away
the afflicted Uttara, themselves still more afflicted than that girl, are weeping
and uttering loud wails at sight of the slain Virata. Mangled with the weapons
and shafts of Drona, prostrate on the ground, and covered with blood, Virata is
encompassed by screaming vultures and howling jackals and crowing ravens. Those
black-eyed ladies, approaching the prostrate form of the Matsya king over which
carnivorous birds are uttering cries of joy, are endeavouring to turn the body.
Weakened by grief and exceedingly afflicted, they are unable to do what they
intend. Scorched by the Sun, and worn out with exertion and toil, their faces
have become colourless and pale. Behold also, O Madhava, those other children
besides Abhimanyu--Uttara, Sudakshina the prince of the Kambhojas, and the
handsome Lakshmana--all lying on the field of battle!’"
Book
11
Chapter 21
1 [gāndhārī]
eṣa vaikartanaḥ śete maheṣvāso mahārathaḥ
jvalitānalavat saṃkhye saṃśāntaḥ pārtha tejasā
2 paśya vaikartanaṃ karṇaṃ nihatyātirathān bahūn
śoṇitaughaparītāṅgaṃ śayānaṃ patitaṃ bhuvi
3 amarṣī dīrgharoṣaś ca maheṣvāso mahārathaḥ
raṇe vinihataḥ śete śūro gāṇḍīvadhanvanā
4 yaṃ sma pāṇḍava saṃtrāsān mama putrā mahārathāḥ
prāyudhyanta puraskṛtya mātaṅgā iva yūthapam
5 śārdūlam iva siṃhena samare savyasācinā
mātaṅgam iva mattena mātaṅgena nipātitam
6 sametāḥ puruṣavyāghra nihataṃ śūram āhave
prakīrṇamūrdhajāḥ patnyo rudatyaḥ paryupāsate
7 udvignaḥ satataṃ yasmād dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
trayodaśa samā nidrāṃ cintayann nādhyagacchata
8 anādhṛṣyaḥ parair yuddhe śatrubhir maghavān iva
yugāntāgnir ivārciṣmān himavān
iva ca sthiraḥ
9 sa bhūtvā śaraṇaṃ vīro dhārtarāṣṭrasya mādhava
bhūmau vinihataḥ śete vātarugṇa iva drumaḥ
10 paśya karṇasya patnīṃ tvaṃ vṛṣasenasya
mātaram
lālapyamānāḥ karuṇaṃ rudatīṃ patitāṃ bhuvi
11 ācārya śāpo 'nugato dhruvaṃ tvāṃ; yad agrasac cakram iyaṃ dharā te
tataḥ śareṇāpahṛtaṃ śiras te; dhanaṃjayenāhave śatrumadhye
12 aho dhig eṣā patitā visaṃjñā; samīkṣya jāmbūnadabaddhaniṣkam
karṇaṃ mahābāhum
adīnasattvaṃ; suṣeṇa mātā rudatī
bhṛśārtā
13 alpāvaśeṣo hi kṛto mahātmā; śarīrabhakṣaiḥ paribhakṣayadbhiḥ
draṣṭuṃ na saṃprīti karaḥ śaśīva; kṛṣṇaśya pakṣasya caturdaśāhe
14 sāvartamānā patitā pṛthivyām; utthāya dīnā punar eva caiṣā
karṇasya vaktraṃ parijighramāṇā; rorūyate putravadhābhitaptā
21
"Gandhari said, ‘Then the mighty Karna, that great bowman, lieth on the
ground! In battle he was like a blazing fire! That fire, however, hath now been
extinguished by the energy of Partha. Behold, Vikartana’s son Karna, after
having slain many atirathas, has been prostrated on the bare ground, and
is drenched with blood. Wrathful and possessed of great energy, he was a great
bowman and a mighty car-warrior. Slain in battle by the wielder of gandiva, that
hero now sleepeth on the ground. My sons, those mighty car-warriors, from fear
of the Pandavas, fought, placing Karna at their head, like a herd of elephants
with its leader to the fore. Alas, like a tiger slain by a lion, or an elephant
by an infuriated elephant, that warrior hath been slain in battle by Savyasaci.
Assembled together, O tiger among men, the wives of that warrior, with
dishevelled tresses and loud wails of grief, are sitting around that fallen
hero! Filled with anxiety caused by the thoughts of that warrior, king
Yudhishthira the just could not, for thirteen years, obtain a wink of sleep!
Incapable of being checked by foes in battle like Maghavat himself who is
invincible by enemies, Karna was like the all-destroying fire of fierce flames
at the end of the yuga, and immovable like Himavat himself! That hero
became the protector of Dhritarashtra’s son, O Madhava! Alas, deprived of life,
he now lieth on the bare ground, like a tree prostrated by the wind! Behold,
the wife of Karna and mother of Vrishasena, is indulging in piteous
lamentations and crying and weeping and falling upon the ground! Even now she
exclaims, "Without doubt, thy preceptor’s curse hath pursued thee! When
the wheel of thy car was swallowed up by the Earth, the cruel Dhananjaya cut
off thy head with an arrow! Alas, fie (on the heroism and skill)!" That
lady, the mother of Sushena, exceedingly afflicted and uttering cries of woe,
is falling down, deprived of her senses, at the sight of the mighty-armed and
brave Karna prostrated on the earth, with his waist still encircled with a belt
of gold. Carnivorous creatures, feeding on the body of that illustrious hero,
have reduced it to very small dimensions. The sight is not gladdening, like
that of the moon on the fourteenth night of the dark fortnight. Falling down on
the earth, the cheerless dame is rising up again. Burning with grief on account
of the death of her son also, she cometh and smelleth the face of her
lord!’"
Book
11
Chapter 22
1 [g]
āvantyaṃ bhīmasenena bhakṣayanti nipātitam
gṛdhragomāyavaḥ śūraṃ bahu bandhum abandhuvat
2 taṃ paśya kadanaṃ kṛtvā śatrūṇāṃ madhusūdana
śayānaṃ vīraśayane rudhireṇa samukṣitam
3 taṃ sṛgālāś ca kaṅkāś ca kravyādāś ca pṛthagvidhāḥ
tena tena vikarṣanti paśya
kālasya paryayam
4 śayānaṃ vīraśayane vīram ākranda sāriṇam
āvantyam abhito nāryo rudatyaḥ paryupāsate
5 prātipīyaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ hataṃ bhallena bāhlikam
prasuptam iva śārdūlaṃ paśya kṛṣṇa manasvinam
6 atīva mukhavarṇo 'sya nihatasyāpi śobhate
somasyevābhipūrṇasya paurṇamāsyāṃ samudyataḥ
7 putraśokābhitaptena pratijñāṃ parirakṣatā
pākaśāsaninā saṃkhye vārddha
kṣatrir nipātitaḥ
8 ekādaśa camūr jitvā rakṣyamāṇaṃ mahātmanā
satyaṃ cikīrṣatā paśya hatam enaṃ jayadratham
9 sindhusauvīrabhartāraṃ darpapūrṇaṃ manasvinam
bhakṣayanti śivā gṛdhrā janārdana jayadratham
10 saṃrakṣyamāṇaṃ bhāryābhir
anuraktābhir acyuta
bhaṣanto vyapakarṣanti gahanaṃ nimnam antikāt
11 tam etāḥ paryupāsante
rakṣamāṇā mahābhujam
sindhusauvīragāndhārakāmbojayavanastriyaḥ
12 yadā kṛṣṇām upādāya
prādravat kekayaiḥ saha
tadaiva vadhyaḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ janārdana jayadratha
13 duḥśalāṃ mānayadbhis tu yadā mukto jayadrathaḥ
katham adya na tāṃ kṛṣṇa mānayanti sma te punaḥ
14 saiṣā mama sutā
bālā vilapantī suduḥkhitā
pramāpayati cātmānam ākrośati ca pāṇḍavān
15 kiṃ nu duḥkhataraṃ kṛṣṇa paraṃ mama bhaviṣyati
yat sutā vidhavā bālā snuṣāś ca nihateśvarāḥ
16 aho dhig duḥśalāṃ paśya vītaśokabhayām iva
śiro bhartur anāsādya dhāvamānām itas tataḥ
17 vārayām āsa yaḥ sarvān pāṇḍavān putragṛddhinaḥ
sa hatvā vipulāḥ senāḥ svayaṃ mṛtyuvaśaṃ gataḥ
18 taṃ mattam iva mātaṅgaṃ vīraṃ paramadurjayam
parivārya rudanty etāḥ striyaś
candropamānanāḥ
22
"Gandhari said, ‘Slain by Bhimasena, behold, the lord of Avanti lies
there! Vultures and jackals and crows are feeding upon that hero! Though
possessed of many friends, he lies now perfectly friendless! Behold, O slayer
of Madhu, having made a great slaughter of foes, that warrior is now lying on
the bed of a hero, covered with blood. Jackals, and kankas, and other
carnivorous creatures of diverse kinds, are dragging him now. Behold the
reverses brought about by Time. His wives, assembled together, and crying in
grief, are sitting around that hero who in life was a terrible slayer of foes
but who now lies on the bed of a hero. Behold, Pratipa’s son Bahlika, that
mighty bowman possessed of great energy, slain with a broad-headed shaft, is
now lying on the ground like a sleeping tiger. Though deprived of life, the
colour of his face is still exceedingly bright, like that of the moon at full,
risen on the fifteenth day of the lighted fortnight! Burning with grief on
account of the death of his son, and desirous of accomplishing his vow, Indra’s
son (Arjuna) hath slain there that son of Vriddhakshatra! Behold that
Jayadratha, who was protected by the illustrious Drona, slain by Partha bent on
accomplishing his vow, after penetrating through eleven Akshauhinis of troops.
Inauspicious vultures, O Janardana, are feeding upon Jayadratha, the lord of
the Sindhu-Sauviras, full of pride and energy! Though sought to be protected by
his devoted wives, see, O Acyuta, carnivorous creatures are dragging his body
away to a jungle in the vicinity. The Kamboja and Yavana wives of that
mighty-armed lord of the Sindhus and the Sauviras are waiting upon him for
protecting him (from the wild beasts). At that time, O Janardana, when
Jayadratha, assisted by the Kekayas, endeavoured to ravish Draupadi, he
deserved to be slain by the Pandavas! From regard, however, for Duhshala, they
set him free on that occasion. Why, O Krishna, did they not show some regard
for that Duhshala once more? That daughter of mine, of tender years, is now crying
in grief. She is striking her body with her own hands and censuring the
Pandavas. What, O Krishna, can be a greater grief to me than that my daughter
of tender years should be a widow and all my daughters-in-law should become
lordless. Alas, alas, behold, my daughter Duhshala, having cast off her grief
and fears, is running hither and thither in search of the head of her husband.
He who had checked all the Pandavas desirous of rescuing their son, after
causing the slaughter of a vast force, at last himself succumbed to death.
Alas, those wives of his, with faces as beautiful as the moon, are crying,
sitting around that irresistible hero who resembled an infuriated
elephant!’"
Book
11
Chapter 23
1 [g]
eṣa śalyo hataḥ śete sākṣān nakula mātulaḥ
dharmajñena satā tāta dharmarājena saṃyuge
2 yas tvayā spardhate nityaṃ sarvatra puruṣarṣabha
sa eṣa nihataḥ śete madrarājo mahārathaḥ
3 yena saṃgṛhṇatā tāta ratham ādhirather yudhi
javārthaṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ tathā tejovadhaḥ kṛtaḥ
4 aho dhik paśya śalyasya pūrṇacandra sudarśanam
mukhaṃ padmapalāśākṣaṃ vaḍair ādaṣṭam avraṇam
5 eṣā
cāmīkarābhasya taptakāñcanasa prabhā
āsyād viniḥsṛtā jihvā bhakṣyate kṛṣṇapakṣibhiḥ
6 yudhiṣṭhireṇa nihataṃ śalyaṃ samitiśobhanam
rudantyaḥ paryupāsante
madrarājakulastriyaḥ
7 etāḥ susūkṣma vasanā madrarājaṃ nararṣabham
krośanty abhisamāsādya kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabham
8 śalyaṃ nipatitaṃ nāryaḥ parivāryābhitaḥ sthitāḥ
vāśitā gṛṣṭayaḥ paṅke parimagnam ivarṣabham
9 śalyaṃ śaraṇadaṃ śūraṃ paśyainaṃ rathasattamam
śayānaṃ vīraśayane śarair
viśakalīkṛtam
10 eṣa śailālayo
rājā bhagadattaḥ pratāpavān
gajāṅkuśa dharaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ śete bhuvi nipātitaḥ
11 yasya rukmamayī mālā śirasy eṣā virājate
śvāpadair bhakṣyamāṇasya śobhayantīva mūrdhajān
12 etena kila pārthasya yuddham āsīt
sudāruṇam
lomaharṣaṇam atyugraṃ śakrasya balinā yathā
13 yodhayitvā mahābāhur eṣa pārthaṃ dhanaṃjayam
saṃśayaṃ gamayitvā ca kuntīputreṇa pātitaḥ
14 yasya nāsti samo loke śaurye vīrye ca
kaś cana
sa eṣa nihataḥ śete bhīṣmo bhīṣmakṛd āhave
15 paśya śāṃtanavaṃ kṛṣṇa śayānaṃ sūryavarcasam
yugānta iva kālena pātitaṃ sūryam ambarāt
16 eṣa taptvā raṇe śatrūñ śastratāpena vīryavān
narasūryo 'stam abhyeti sūryo 'stam iva keśava
17 śaratalpagataṃ vīraṃ dharme devāpinā samam
śayānaṃ vīraśayane paśya śūra niṣevite
18 karṇinālīkanārācair
āstīrya śayanottamam
āviśya śete bhagavān skandaḥ śaravaṇaṃ yathā
19 atūla pūrṇaṃ gāṅgeyas tribhir bāṇaiḥ samanvitam
upadhāyopadhānāgryaṃ dattaṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanā
20 pālayānaḥ pituḥ śāstram ūrdhvaretā mahāyaśāḥ
eṣa śāṃtanavaḥ śete mādhavāpratimo yudhi
21 dharmātmā tāta dharmajñaḥ pāramparyeṇa nirṇaye
amartya iva martyaḥ sann eṣa prāṇān adhārayat
22 nāsti yuddhe kṛtī kaś cin na vidvān na parākramī
yatra śāṃtanavo bhīṣmaḥ śete 'dya nihataḥ paraiḥ
23 svayam etena śūreṇa pṛcchyamānena pāṇḍavaiḥ
dharmajñenāhave mṛtyur ākhyātaḥ satyavādinā
24 pranaṣṭaḥ kuruvaṃśaś ca punar yena samuddhṛtaḥ
sa gataḥ kurubhiḥ sārdhaṃ mahābuddhiḥ parābhavam
25 dharmeṣu kuravaḥ kaṃ nu pariprakṣyanti mādhava
gate devavrate svargaṃ devakalpe
nararṣabhe
26 arjunasya vinetāram ācāryaṃ sātyakes tathā
taṃ paśya patitaṃ droṇaṃ kurūṇāṃ guru sattamam
27 astraṃ caturvidhaṃ veda yathaiva tridaśeśvaraḥ
bhārgavo vā mahāvīryas tathā droṇo 'pi mādhava
28 yasya prasādād bībhatsuḥ pāṇḍavaḥ karma duṣkaram
cakāra sa hataḥ śete nainam astrāṇy apālayan
29 yaṃ purodhāya kurava
āhvayanti sma pāṇḍavān
so 'yaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭho droṇaḥ śastraiḥ pṛthak kṛtaḥ
30 yasya nirdahataḥ senāṃ gatir agner ivābhavat
sa bhūmau nihataḥ śete śāntārcir iva
pāvakaḥ
31 dhanur muṣṭir aśīrṇaś ca hastāvāpaś ca mādhava
droṇasya nihatasyāpi dṛśyate jīvato yathā
32 vedā yasmāc ca catvāraḥ sarvāstrāṇi ca keśava
anapetāni vai śūrād yathaivādau prajāpateḥ
33 bandanārhāv imau tasya bandibhir
vanditau śubhau
gomāyavo vikarṣanti pādau śiṣyaśatārcitau
34 droṇaṃ drupadaputreṇa nihataṃ madhusūdana
kṛpī kṛpaṇam anvāste duḥkhopahata cetanā
35 tāṃ paśya rudatīm ārtāṃ mukhakeśīm adhomukhīm
hataṃ patim upāsantīṃ droṇaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ varam
36 bāṇair bhinnatanu trāṇaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnena keśava
upāste vai mṛdhe droṇaṃ jaṭilā brahmacāriṇī
37 pretakṛtye ca yatate
kṛpī kṛpaṇam āturā
hatasya samare bhartuḥ sukumārī
yaśasvinī
38 agnīn āhṛtya vidhivac citāṃ prajvālya sarvaśaḥ
droṇam ādhāya gāyanti trīṇi sāmāni sāmagāḥ
39 kiranti ca citām ete jaṭilā brahmacāriṇaḥ
dhanurbhiḥ śaktibhiś caiva
rathanīdaiś ca mādhava
40 śastraiś ca vividhair anyair dhakṣyante bhūri tejasam
ta ete droṇam ādhāya śaṃsanti ca rudanti ca
41 sāmabhis tribhir antaḥsthair anuśaṃsanti cāpare
agnāv agnim ivādhāya droṇaṃ hutvā hutāśane
42 gacchanty abhimukhā gaṅgāṃ droṇaśiṣyā dvijātayaḥ
apasavyāṃ citiṃ kṛtvā puraskṛtya kṛpīṃ tadā
23
"Gandhari said, ‘There lies Shalya, the maternal uncle himself of
Nakula, slain in battle, O sire, by the pious and virtuous Yudhishthira! He
used everywhere, O bull among men, to boast of his equality with thee! That
mighty car-warrior, the ruler of the Madras, now lieth, deprived of life. When
he accepted the drivership of Karna’s car in battle, he sought to damp the
energy of Karna for giving victory to the sons of Pandu! Alas, alas, behold the
smooth face of Shalya, beautiful as the moon, and adorned with eyes resembling
the petals of the lotus, eaten away by crows! There, the tongue of that king,
of the complexion of heated gold, rolling out of his mouth, is, O Krishna,
being eaten away by carnivorous birds! The ladies of the royal house of Madra,
uttering loud wails of woe, are sitting around the body of that king, that
ornament of assemblies, deprived of life by Yudhishthira! Those ladies are
sitting around that fallen hero like a herd of she-elephants in their season
around their leader sunk in a slough. Behold the brave Shalya, that giver of
protection, that foremost of car-warriors, stretched on the bed of heroes, his
body mangled with shafts. There, king Bhagadatta of great prowess, the ruler of
a mountainous kingdom, the foremost of all wielders of the elephant-hook, lieth
on the ground, deprived of life. Behold the garland of gold that he still wears
on his head, looketh resplendent. Though the body is being eaten away by beasts
of prey, that garland still adorns the fair locks on his head. Fierce was the
battle that took place between this king and Partha, making the very hair stand
on end, like that between Shakra and the Asura Vritra. This mighty-armed one,
having fought Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, and having reduced him to great
straits, was at last slain by his antagonist. He who had no equal on earth in
heroism and energy, that achiever of terrible feats in battle, Bhishma, lieth
there, deprived of life. Behold the son of Shantanu, O Krishna, that warrior of
solar effulgence, stretched on the earth, like the Sun himself fallen from the
firmament at the end of the yuga. Having scorched his foes with the fire
of his weapons in battle, that valiant warrior, that Sun among men, O Keshava,
hath set like the real Sun at evening. Behold that hero, O Krishna, who in
knowledge of duty was equal to Devapi himself, now lying on a bed of arrows, so
worthy of heroes. Having spread his excellent bed of barbed and unbarbed
arrows, that hero lieth on it like the divine Skanda on a clump of heath.
Indeed, the son of Ganga lieth, resting his head on that excellent pillow,
consisting of three arrows,--becoming complement of his bed--given him by the
wielder of gandiva. For obeying the command of his sire, this illustrious
one drew up his vital seed. Unrivalled in battle, that son of Shantanu lieth
there, O Madhava! Of righteous soul and acquainted with every duty, by the aid
of his knowledge relating to both the worlds, that hero, though mortal, is
still bearing his life like an immortal. When Shantanu’s son lieth today,
struck down with arrows, it seems that no other person is alive on earth that
possesseth learning and prowess that is competent to achieve great feats in
battle. Truthful in speech, this righteous and virtuous hero, solicited by the
Pandavas, told them the means of his own death. Alas, he who had revived the
line of Kuru that had become extinct, that illustrious person possessed of
great intelligence, hath left the world with all the Kurus in his company. Of
whom, O Madhava, will the Kurus enquire of religion and duty after that bull
among men, Devavrata, who resembles a god, shall have gone to heaven? Behold
Drona, that foremost of brahmanas, that preceptor of Arjuna, of Satyaki,
and of the Kurus, lying on the ground! Endued with mighty energy, Drona, O
Madhava, was as conversant with the four kinds of arms as the chief of the
celestials or Shukra of Bhrigu’s race. Through his grace, Vibhatsu the son of
Pandu, hath achieved the most difficult feats. Deprived of life, he now lies on
the ground. Weapons refused to come (at last) at his bidding. Placing him at
their head, the Kauravas had challenged the Pandavas. That foremost of all
wielders of weapons was at last mangled with weapons. As he careered in battle,
scorching his foes in every direction, his course resembled that of a blazing
conflagration. Alas, deprived of life, he now lieth on the ground, like an
extinguished fire. The handle of the bow is yet in his grasp. The leathern
fences, O Madhava, still encase his fingers. Though slain, he still looketh as
if alive. The four Vedas, and all kinds of weapons, O Keshava, did not
abandon that hero even as these do not abandon the Lord Prajapati himself. His
auspicious feet, deserving of every adoration and adored as a matter of fact by
bards and eulogists and worshipped by disciples, are now being dragged by
jackals. Deprived of her senses by grief, Kripi woefully attendeth, O slayer of
Madhu, on that Drona who hath been slain Drupada’s son. Behold that afflicted
lady, fallen upon the Earth, with dishevelled hair and face hanging down. Alas,
she attendeth in sorrow upon her lifeless lord, that foremost of all wielders
of weapons, lying on the ground. Many brahmacaris, with matted locks on
their head, are attending upon the body of Drona that is cased in armour rent
through and through, O Keshava, with the shafts of Dhrishtadyumna. The
illustrious and delicate Kripi, cheerless and afflicted, is endeavouring to
perform the last rites on the body of her lord slain in battle. There, those
reciters of Samas, having placed the body of Drona on the funeral pyre
and having ignited the fire with due rites, are singing the three (well-known) Samas.
Those brahmacaris, with matted locks on their heads, have piled the
funeral pyre of that brahmana with bows and darts and car-boxes, O
Madhava! Having collected diverse other kinds of shafts, that hero of great
energy is being consumed by them. Indeed, having placed him on the pyre, they
are singing and weeping. Others are reciting the three (well-known) Samas that
are used on such occasions. Consuming Drona on that fire, like fire in fire,
those disciples of his of the regenerate class are proceeding towards the banks
of the Ganga, along the left side of the pyre and having placed Kripi at their
head!’"
Book
11
Chapter 24
1 [g]
somadattasutaṃ paśya yuyudhānena
pātitam
vitudyamānaṃ vihagair bahubhir
mādhavāntike
2 putraśokābhisaṃtaptaḥ somadatto janārdana
yuyudhānaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ garhayann iva dṛśyate
3 asau tu bhūriśravaso mātā
śokapariplutā
āśvāsayati bhartāraṃ somadattam aninditā
4 diṣṭyā nedaṃ mahārāja dāruṇaṃ bharatakṣayam
kuru saṃkrandanaṃ ghoraṃ yugāntam anupaśyasi
5 diṣṭyā
yūpadhvajaṃ vīraṃ putraṃ bhūrisahasradam
anekakratuyajvānāṃ nihataṃ nādya paśyasi
6 diṣṭyā snuṣāṇām ākrande ghoraṃ vilapitaṃ bahu
na śṛṇoṣi mahārāja sārasīnām ivārṇave
7 ekavastrānusaṃvītāḥ prakīrṇāsita mūrdhajāḥ
snuṣās te paridhāvanti
hatāpatyā hateśvarāḥ
8 śvāpadair bhakṣyamāṇaṃ tvam aho diṣṭyā na paśyasi
chinnabāhuṃ naravyāghram
arjunena nipātitam
9 śalaṃ vinihataṃ saṃkhye bhūriśravasam eva ca
snuṣāś ca vidhavāḥ sarvā diṣṭyā nādyeha paśyasi
10 diṣṭyā tat kāñcanaṃ chatraṃ yūpaketor mahātmanaḥ
vinikīrṇaṃ rathopasthe saumadatter na paśyasi
11 amūs tu bhūriśravaso bhāryāḥ sātyakinā hatam
parivāryānuśocanti bhartāram asitekṣaṇāḥ
12 etā vilapya bahulaṃ bhartṛśokena karśitāḥ
patanty abhimukhā bhūmau kṛpaṇaṃ bata keśava
13 bībhatsur atibībhatsaṃ karmedam akarot katham
pramattasya yad acchaitsīd bāhuṃ śūrasya yajvanaḥ
14 tataḥ pāpataraṃ karmakṛtavān api sātyakiḥ
yasmāt prāyopaviṣṭasya prāhārṣīt saṃśitātmanaḥ
15 eko dvābhyāṃ hataḥ śeṣe tvam adharmeṇa dhārmikaḥ
iti yūpadhvajasyaitāḥ striyaḥ krośanti mādhava
16 bhāryā yūpadhvajasyaiṣā karasaṃmitamadhyamā
kṛtvotsaṅge bhujaṃ bhartuḥ kṛpaṇaṃ paryadevayat
17 ayaṃ sa
raśanotkarṣī pīnastana vimardanaḥ
nābhyūrujaghanasparśī nīvī visraṃsanaḥ karaḥ
18 vāsudevasya sāṃnidhye pārthenākliṣṭa karmaṇā
yudhyataḥ samare 'nyena
pramattasya nipātitaḥ
19 kiṃ nu vakṣyasi saṃsatsu kathāsu ca janārdana
arjunasya mahat karma svayaṃ vā sa kirīṭavān
20 ity evaṃ garhayitvaiṣā tūṣṭīm āste varāṅganā
tām etām anuśocanti sapatnyaḥ svām iva snuṣām
21 gāndhārarājaḥ śakunir balavān satyavikramaḥ
nihataḥ sahadevena bhāgineyena mātulaḥ
22 yaḥ purā hemadaṇḍābhyāṃ vyajanābhyāṃ sma vījyate
sa eṣa pakṣibhiḥ pakṣaiḥ śayāna
upavījyate
23 yaḥ sma rūpāṇi kurute śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
tasya māyāvino māyā dagdhāḥ pāṇḍava tejasā
24 māyayā nikṛtiprajño jitavān yo yudhiṣṭhiram
sabhāyāṃ vipulaṃ rājyaṃ sa punar jīvitaṃ jitaḥ
25 śakuntāḥ śakuniṃ kṛṣṇa samantāt paryupāsate
kitavaṃ mama putrāṇāṃ vināśāyopaśikṣitam
26 etenaitan mahad vairaṃ prasaktaṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha
vadhāya mama putrāṇām ātmanaḥ sagaṇasya ca
27 yathaiva mama putrāṇāṃ lokāḥ śastrajitāḥ prabho
evam asyāpi durbuddher lokāḥ śastreṇa vai jitāḥ
28 kathaṃ ca nāyaṃ tatrāpi putrān me bhrātṛbhiḥ saha
virodhayed ṛju prajñān anṛjur madhusūdana
24
"Gandhari said, ‘Behold the son of Somadatta, who was slain by
Yuyudhana, pecked at and torn by a large number of birds! Burning with grief at
the death of his son, Somadatta, O Janardana, (as he lies there) seems to
censure the great bowman Yuyudhana. There the mother of Bhurishrava, that
faultless lady, overcome with grief, is addressing her lord Somadatta, saying,
"By good luck, O king, thou seest not this terrible carnage of the
Bharatas, this extermination of the Kurus, this sight that resembles the scenes
occurring at the end of the yuga. By good luck, thou seest not thy
heroic son, who bore the device of the sacrificial stake on his banner and who
performed numerous sacrifices with profuse presents to all, slain on the field
of battle. By good luck, thou hearest not those frightful wails of woe uttered
amidst this carnage by thy daughters-in-law like the screams of a flight of
cranes on the bosom of the sea. Thy daughters-in-law, bereaved of both husbands
and sons, are running hither and thither, each clad in a single piece of
raiment and each with her black tresses all dishevelled. By good luck, thou
seest not thy son, that tiger among men, deprived of one of his arms,
overthrown by Arjuna, and even now in course of being devoured by beasts of
prey. By good luck, thou seest not today thy son slain in battle, and
Bhurishrava deprived of life, and thy widowed daughters-in-law plunged into
grief. By good luck, thou seest not the golden umbrella of that illustrious
warrior who had the sacrificial stake for the device on his banner, torn and
broken on the terrace of his car. There the black-eyed wives of Bhurishrava are
indulging in piteous lamentations, surrounding their lord slain by Satyaki.
Afflicted with grief on account of the slaughter of their lords, those ladies,
indulging in copious lamentations, are falling down on the earth with their
faces towards the ground, and slowly approaching thee, O Keshava! Alas, why did
Arjuna of pure deeds perpetrate such a censurable act, since he struck off the
arm of a heedless warrior who was brave and devoted to the performance of
sacrifices. Alas, Satyaki did an act that was still more sinful, for he took
the life of a person of restrained soul while sitting in the observance of the praya
vow. Alas, O righteous one, thou liest on the ground, slain unfairly by two
foes." Even thus, O Madhava, those wives of Bhurishrava are crying aloud
in woe. There, those wives of that warrior, all possessed of slender waists,
are placing upon their laps the lopped off arm of their lord and weeping
bitterly!"Here is that arm which used to invade the girdles, grind the deep bosoms, and touch the navel, the thighs, and the hips, of fair women, and loosen the ties of the drawers worn by them! Here is that arm which slew foes and dispelled the fears of friends, which gave thousands of kine and exterminated Kshatriyas in battle! In the presence of Vasudeva himself, Arjuna of unstained deeds, lopped it off thy heedless self while thou wert engaged with another in battle. What, indeed, wilt thou, O Janardana, say of this great feat of Arjuna while speaking of it in the midst of assemblies. What also will the diadem-decked Arjuna himself say of it?" Censuring thee in this way, that foremost of ladies hath stopped at last. The co-wives of that lady are piteously lamenting with her as if she were their daughter-in-law!
"‘There the mighty Shakuni, the chief of gandharvas, of prowess incapable of being baffled, hath been slain by Sahadeva, the maternal uncle by the sister’s son! Formerly, he used to be fanned with a couple of gold-handed fans! Alas, now, his prostrate form is being fanned by birds with their wings! He used to assume hundreds and thousands of forms. All the illusions, however, of that individual possessed of great deceptive powers, have been burnt by the energy of the son of Pandu. An expert in guile, he had vanquished Yudhishthira in the assembly by his powers of deception and won from him his vast kingdom. The son of Pandu, however, hath now won Shakuni’s life-breaths. Behold, O Krishna, a large number of birds is now sitting around Shakuni. An expert in dice, alas, he had acquired that skill for the destruction of my sons. This fire of hostility with the Pandavas had been ignited by Shakuni for the destruction of my children as also of himself and his followers and kinsmen. Like those acquired by my sons, O puissant one, by the use of weapons, this one too, however wicked-souled, has acquired many regions of bliss by the use of weapons. My fear, O slayer of Madhu, is that that crooked person may not succeed in fomenting dissensions even (there, the region attained by them) between my children, all of whom are confiding and possessed of candour!’"
Book
11
Chapter 25
1 [g]
kāmbojaṃ paśya durdharṣaṃ kāmbojāstaraṇocitam
śayānam ṛṣabhaskandhaṃ hataṃ pāṃsuśu mādhava
2 yasya kṣatajasaṃdigdhau bāhū candanarūṣitau
avekṣya kṛpaṇaṃ bhāryā vilapaty atiduḥkhitā
3 imau tau parighaprakhyau bāhū
śubhatalāṅgulī
yayor vivaram āpannāṃ na ratir māṃ purājahat
4 kāṃ gatiṃ nu gamiṣyāmi tvayā hīnā janeśvara
dūrabandhura nātheva atīva madhurasvarā
5 ātape klāmyamānānāṃ vividhānām iva srajām
klāntānām api nārīṇāṃ na śrīr jahati vai tanum
6 śayānam abhitaḥ śūraṃ kāliṅgaṃ madhusūdana
paśya dīptāṅgada yugapratibaddha
mahābhujam
7 māgadhānām adhipatiṃ jayatsenaṃ janārdana
parivārya praruditā māgadhyaḥ paśya yoṣitaḥ
8 āsām āyatanetrāṇāṃ susvarāṇāṃ janārdana
manaḥ śrutiharo nādo mano
mohayatīva me
9 prakīrṇasarvābharaṇā rudantyaḥ śokakarśitāḥ
svāstīrṇaśayanopetā māgadhyaḥ śerate bhuvi
10 kosalānām adhipatiṃ rājaputraṃ bṛhadbalam
bhartāraṃ parivāryaitāḥ pṛthak praruditāḥ striyaḥ
11 asya gātragatān bāṇān kārṣṇi bāhubalārpitān
uddharanty asukhāviṣṭā mūrchamānāḥ punaḥ punaḥ
12 āsāṃ
sarvānavadyānām ātapena pariśramāt
pramlāna nalinābhāni bhānti vaktrāṇi mādhava
13 droṇena nihatāḥ śūrāḥ śerate rucirāṅgadāḥ
droṇenābhimukhāḥ sarve bhrātaraḥ pañca kelayāḥ
14 taptakāñcanavarmāṇas tāmradhvajarathasrajaḥ
bhāsayanti mahīṃ bhāsā jvalitā iva
pāvakāḥ
15 droṇena drupadaṃ saṃkhye paśya mādhava pātitam
mahādvipam ivāraṇye siṃhena mahatā hatam
16 pāñcālarājño vipulaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣa pāṇḍuram
ātapatraṃ samābhāti śaradīva
divākaraḥ
17 etās tu drupadaṃ vṛddhaṃ snuṣā bhāryāś ca duḥkhitāḥ
dagdhvā gacchanti pāñcālyaṃ rājānam apasavyataḥ
18 dhṛṣṭaketuṃ maheṣvāsaṃ cedipuṃgavam aṅganāḥ
droṇena nihataṃ śūraṃ haranti hṛtacetasaḥ
19 droṇāstram
abhihatyaiṣa vimarde madhusūdana
maheṣvāso hataḥ śete nadyā hṛta iva drumaḥ
20 eṣa cedipatiḥ śūro dhṛṣṭaketur mahārathaḥ
śete vinihataḥ saṃkhye hatvā śatrūn sahasraśaḥ
21 vitudyamānaṃ vihagais taṃ bhāryāḥ pratyupasthitāḥ
cedirājaṃ hṛṣīkeśahataṃ sabalabāndhavam
22 dāśārhī putrajaṃ vīraṃ śayānaṃ satyavikramam
āropyāṅke rudanty etāś cedirājavarāṅganāḥ
23 asya putraṃ hṛṣīkeśasuvaktraṃ cārukuṇḍalam
droṇena samare paśya nikṛttaṃ bahudhā śaraiḥ
24 pitaraṃ nūnam
ājisthaṃ yudhyamānaṃ paraiḥ saha
nājahāt pṛṣṭhato vīram adyāpi
madhusūdana
25 evaṃ mamāpi
putrasya putraḥ pitaram anvagāt
duryodhanaṃ mahābāho lakṣmaṇaḥ paravīrahā
26 vindānuvindāv āvantyau patitau paśya
mādhava
himānte puṣpitau śālau marutā
galitāv iva
27 kāñcanāṅgadavarmāṇau bāṇakhaḍgadhanurdharau
ṛṣabhaprati rūpākṣau śayānau
vimalasrajau
28 avadhyāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ kṛṣṇa sarva eva tvayā saha
ye muktā droṇa bhīṣmābhyāṃ karṇād vaikartanāt kṛpāt
29 duryodhanād droṇasutāt saindhavāc ca mahārathāt
somadattād vikarṇāc ca śūrāc ca kṛtavarmaṇaḥ
ye hanyuḥ śastravegena devān
api nararṣabhāḥ
30 ta ime nihatāḥ saṃkhye paśya kālasya paryayam
nātibhāro 'sti daivasya dhruvaṃ mādhava kaś cana
yad ime nihatāḥ śūrāḥ kṣatriyaiḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ
31 tadaiva nihatāḥ kṛṣṇa mama putrās tarasvinaḥ
yadaivākṛta kāmas tvam
upaplavyaṃ gataḥ punaḥ
32 śaṃtanoś caiva putreṇa prājñena vidureṇa ca
tadaivoktāsmi mā snehaṃ kuruṣvātma suteṣv iti
33 tayor na darśanaṃ tāta mithyā bhavitum arhati
acireṇaiva me putrā bhasmībhūtā
janārdana
34 [v]
ity uktvā nyapatad bhūmau gāndhārī śokakarśitā
duḥkhopahata vijñānā dhairyam utsṛjya bhārata
35 tataḥ kopaparītāṅgī putraśokapariplutā
jagāma śauriṃ doṣeṇa gāndhārī vyathitendriyā
36 [g]
pāṇḍavā dhārtarāṣṭrāś ca drugdhāḥ kṛṣṇa parasparam
upekṣitā vinaśyantas tvayā kasmāj
janārdana
37 śaktena bahu bhṛtyena vipule tiṣṭhatā bale
ubhayatra samarthena śrutavākyena caiva ha
38 icchatopekṣito nāśaḥ kurūṇāṃ madhusūdana
yasmāt tvayā mahābāho phalaṃ tasmād avāpnuhi
39 patiśuśrūṣayā yan me tapaḥ kiṃ cid upārjitam
tena tvāṃ duravāpātmañ śapsye
cakragadādhara
40 yasmāt parasparaṃ ghnanto jñātayaḥ kurupāṇḍavāḥ
upekṣitās te govinda tasmāj jñātīn
vadhiṣyasi
41 tvam apy upasthite varṣe ṣaṭtriṃśe madhusūdana
hatajñātir hatāmātyo hataputro vanecaraḥ
kutsitenābhyupāyena nidhanaṃ samavāpsyasi
42 tavāpy evaṃ hatasutā nihatajñātibāndhavāḥ
striyaḥ paripatiṣyanti yathaitā bharata striyaḥ
43 [v]
tac chrutvā vacanaṃ ghoraṃ vāsudevo mahāmanāḥ
uvāca devīṃ gāndhārīm īṣad abhyutsmayann iva
44 saṃhartā vṛṣṇicakrasya nānyo mad vidyate śubhe
jāne 'ham etad apy evaṃ cīrṇaṃ carasi kṣatriye
45 avadhyās te narair anyair api vā
devadānavaiḥ
parasparakṛtaṃ nāśam ataḥ prāpsyanti yādavāḥ
46 ity uktavati dāśārhe pāṇḍavās trastacetasaḥ
babhūvur bhṛśasaṃvignā nirāśāś cāpi jīvite
25
"Gandhari said, ‘Behold that irresistible ruler of the Kambojas, that
bull-necked hero, lying amid the dust, O Madhava, though deserving of being
stretched at his ease on Kamboja blankets. Stricken with great grief, his wife
is weeping bitterly at sight of his blood-stained arms, which, however,
formerly used to be smeared with sandal-paste. Indeed, the beauteous one
exclaims, "Even now adorned with beautiful palms and graceful fingers,
these two arms of thine resemble a couple of spiked maces, getting within whose
clasp, joy never left me for a moment! What will be my end, O ruler of men,
when I am deprived of thee?" Endued with a melodious voice, the Kamboja
queen is weeping helplessly and quivering with emotion. Behold that bevy of
fair ladies there. Although tired with exertion and worn out with heat, yet
beauty leaves not their forms, like the sightliness of the wreaths worn by the
celestials although exposed to the Sun. Behold, O slayer of Madhu, the heroic
ruler of the Kalingas lying there on the ground with his mighty arms adorned
with a couple of angadas. Behold, O Janardana, those Magadha ladies
crying and standing around Jayatsena, the ruler of the Magadhas. The charming
and melodious wails of those long-eyed and sweet-voiced girls, O Krishna, are
stupefying my heart exceedingly. With all their ornaments displaced, crying,
and afflicted with grief, alas, those ladies of Magadha, worthy of resting on costly
beds, are now lying down on the bare ground! There, again, those other ladies,
surrounding their lord, the ruler of the Kosalas, prince Brihadbala, are
indulging in loud wails. Engaged in plucking from his body the shafts with
which it was pierced by Abhimanyu with the full might of his arms, those ladies
are repeatedly losing their senses. The faces of those beautiful ladies, O
Madhava, through toil and the rays of the Sun, are looking like faded lotuses.
There, the brave sons of Dhrishtadyumna, of tender years and all adorned with
garlands of gold and beautiful angadas, are lying, slain by Drona. Like
insects on a blazing fire, they have all been burnt by falling upon Drona,
whose car was the chamber of fire, having the bow for its flame and shafts and
darts and maces for its fuel. Similarly, the five Kekaya brothers, possessed of
great courage, and adorned with beautiful angadas, are lying on the
ground, slain by Drona and with their faces turned towards that hero. Their
coats of mail, of the splendour of heated gold, and their tall standards and
cars and garlands, all made of the same metal, are shedding a bright light on
the earth like so many blazing fires. Behold, O Madhava, king Drupada
overthrown in battle by Drona, like a mighty elephant in the forest slain by a
huge lion. The bright umbrella, white in hue of the king of the Pancalas,
shines, O lotus-eyed one, like the moon in the autumnal firmament. The
daughters-in-law and the wives of the old king, afflicted with grief, having
burnt his body on the funeral pyre, are proceeding, keeping the pyre to their
right. There those ladies, deprived of their senses, are removing the brave and
great bowman Dhrishtaketu, that bull among the Cedis, slain by Drona. This
crusher of foes, O slayer of Madhu, this great bowman, having baffled many
weapons of Drona, lieth there, deprived of life, like a tree uprooted by the
wind. Alas, that brave ruler of the Cedis, that mighty car-warrior
Dhrishtaketu, after having slain thousands of foes, lies himself deprived of
life! There, O Hrishikesha, the wives of the ruler of the Cedis are sitting
around his body still decked with fair locks and beautiful earrings, though
torn by carnivorous birds. Those foremost of ladies placing upon their laps the
prostrate form of the heroic Dhrishtaketu born of the Dasharha race, are crying
in sorrow. Behold, O Hrishikesha, the son, possessed of fair locks and
excellent earrings, of that Dhrishtaketu, hacked in battle by Drona with his
shafts. He never deserted his sire while the latter battled with his foes.
Mark, O slayer of Madhu, he does not, even in death, desert that heroic parent.
Even thus, my son’s son, that slayer of hostile heroes, the mighty-armed
Lakshmana, hath followed his sire Duryodhana! Behold, O Keshava, the two brothers
of Avanti, Vinda and Anuvinda, lying there on the field, like two blossoming shala
trees in the spring overthrown by the tempest. Clad in golden armour and
adorned with Angadas of gold, they are still armed with swords and bows.
Possessed of eyes like those of a bull, and decked with bright garlands, both
of them are stretched on the field. The Pandavas, O Krishna, with thyself, are
surely unslayable, since they and thou have escaped from Drona, from Bhishma,
from Karna the son of Vikartana, from Kripa, from Duryodhana, from the son of
Drona, from the mighty car-warrior Jayadratha, from Somadatta, from Vikarna,
and from the brave Kritavarma. Behold the reverses brought about by Time! Those
bulls among men that were capable of slaying the very celestials by force of
their weapons have themselves been slain. Without doubt, O Madhava, there is
nothing difficult for destiny to bring about, since even these bulls among men,
these heroes, have been slain by Kshatriya warriors. My sons endued with great
activity were (regarded by me as) slain even then, O Krishna, when thou
returnedst unsuccessfully to Upaplavya. Shantanu’s son and the wise Vidura told
me then, "Cease to bear affection for thy children!" The interviews
of those persons could not go for nothing. Soon, O Janardana, have my sons been
consumed into ashes!’"Vaishampayana continued, "Having said these words, Gandhari, deprived of her senses by grief, fell down on the earth! Casting off her fortitude, she suffered her senses to be stupefied by grief. Filled with wrath and with sorrow at the death of her sons, Gandhari, with agitated heart, ascribed every fault to Keshava.
"Gandhari said, ‘The Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras, O Krishna, have both been burnt. Whilst they were thus being exterminated, O Janardana, why wert thou indifferent to them? Thou wert competent to prevent the slaughter, for thou hast a large number of followers and a vast force. Thou hadst eloquence, and thou hadst the power (for bringing about peace). Since deliberately, O slayer of Madhu, thou wert indifferent to this universal carnage, therefore, O mighty-armed one, thou shouldst reap the fruit of this act. By the little merit I have acquired through waiting dutifully on my husband, by that merit so difficult to attain, I shall curse thee, O wielder of the discus and the mace! Since thou wert indifferent to the Kurus and the Pandavas whilst they slew each other, therefore, O Govinda, thou shalt be the slayer of thy own kinsmen! In the thirty-sixth year from this, O slayer of Madhu, thou shalt, after causing the slaughter of thy kinsmen and friends and sons, perish by disgusting means in the wilderness. The ladies of thy race, deprived of sons, kinsmen, and friends, shall weep and cry even as these ladies of the Bharata race!’"
Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing these words, the high-souled Vasudeva, addressing the venerable Gandhari, said unto her these words, with a faint smile, ‘There is none in the world, save myself, that is capable of exterminating the Vrishnis. I know this well. I am endeavouring to bring it about. In uttering this curse, O thou of excellent vows, thou hast aided me in the accomplishment of that task. The Vrishnis are incapable of being slain by others, be they human beings or gods or Danavas. The Yadavas, therefore shall fall by one another’s hand.’ After he of Dasharha’s race had said these words, the Pandavas became stupefied. Filled with anxiety all of them became hopeless of life!’"
The Sacred Scripture
of
great Epic Sree
Mahabharatam:
The Mahabharata
Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasatranslated by
Sreemaan Brahmasri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Book
11
Chapter 26
1 [vā]
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha gāndhāri mā ca śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ
tavaiva hy aparādhena kuravo nidhanaṃ gatāḥ
2 yā tvaṃ putraṃ durātmānam īrṣum atyantamāninam
duryodhanaṃ puraskṛtya duṣkṛtaṃ sādhu
manyase
3 niṣṭhuraṃ vairaparuṣaṃ vṛddhānāṃ śāsanātigam
katham ātmakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mayy ādhātum ihecchasi
4 mṛtaṃ vā yadi vā naṣṭaṃ yo 'tītam anuśocati
duḥkhena labhate duḥkhaṃ dvāv anarthau prapadyate
5 tapo 'rthīyaṃ brāhmaṇī dhatta garbhaṃ; gaur voḍhāraṃ dhāvitāraṃ turaṃgī
śūdrā dāsaṃ paśupālaṃ tu vaiśyā; vadhārthīyaṃ tvadvidhā rājaputrī
6 [v]
tac chrutvā vāsudevasya punaruktaṃ vaco 'priyam
tūṣṇīṃ babhūva gāndhārī śokavyākula locanā
7 dhṛtarāṣṭras tu rājarṣir nigṛhyābuddhijaṃ tamaḥ
paryapṛcchata dharmātmā
dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
8 jīvatāṃ parimāṇajñaḥ sainyānām asi pāṇḍava
hatānāṃ yadi jānīṣe parimāṇaṃ vadasva me
9 [y]
daśāyutānām ayutaṃ sahasrāṇi ca viṃśatiḥ
koṭyaḥ ṣaṣṭiś ca ṣaṭ caiva ye 'smin rājamṛdhe hatāḥ
10 alakṣyāṇāṃ tu vīrāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa
daśa cānyāni rājendra śataṃ ṣaṣṭiś ca pañca ca
11 [dhṛ]
yudhiṣṭhira gatiṃ kāṃ te gatāḥ puruṣasattamāḥ
ācakṣva me mahābāho sarvajño hy asi
me mataḥ
12 [y]
yair hutāni śarīrāṇi hṛṣṭaiḥ paramasaṃyuge
devarājasamāṁl lokān gatās te
satyavikramāḥ
13 ye tv ahṛṣṭena manasā martavyam iti bhārata
yudhyamānā hatāḥ saṃkhye te gandharvaiḥ samāgatāḥ
14 ye tu saṃgrāmabhūmiṣṭhā yācamānāḥ parāṅmukhāḥ
śastreṇa nidhanaṃ prāptā gatās te guhyakān prati
15 pīḍyamānāḥ parair ye tu hīyamānā nirāyudhāḥ
hrīniṣedhā mahātmānaḥ parān abhimukhā raṇe
16 chidyamānāḥ śitaiḥ śastraiḥ kṣatradharmaparāyaṇāḥ
gatās te brahma sadanaṃ hatā vīrāḥ suvarcasaḥ
17 ye tatra nihatā rājann antar āyodhanaṃ prati
yathā kathaṃ cit te rājan saṃprāptā uttarān kurūn
18 [dhṛ]
kena jñānabalenaivaṃ putrapaśyasi
siddhavat
tan me vada mahābāho śrotavyaṃ yadi vai mayā
19 [y]
nideśād bhavataḥ pūrvaṃ vane vicaratā mayā
tīrthayātrā prasaṅgena saṃprāpto 'yam anugrahaḥ
20 devarṣir lomaśo hṛṣṭas tataḥ prāpto 'smy anusmṛtim
divyaṃ cakṣur api prāptaṃ jñānayogena vai purā
21 [dhṛ]
ye 'trānāthā janasyāsya sa nāthā ye ca bhārata
kac cit teṣāṃ śarīrāṇi dhakṣyanti vidhipūrvakam
22 na yeṣāṃ santi kartāro na ca ye 'trāhitāgnayaḥ
vayaṃ ca kasya kuryāmo bahutvāt tāta
karmaṇaḥ
23 yān suparṇāś ca gṛdhrāś ca vikarṣanti tatas tataḥ
teṣāṃ tu karmaṇā lokā bhaviṣyanti yudhiṣṭhira
24 [v]
evam ukto mahāprājñaḥ kuntīputro
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
ādideśa sudharmāṇaṃ daumyaṃ sūtaṃ ca saṃjayam
25 viduraṃ ca
mahābuddhiṃ yuyutsuṃ caiva kauravam
indrasena mukhāṃś caiva bhṛtyān sūtāṃś ca sarvaśaḥ
26 bhavantaḥ kārayantv eṣāṃ pretakāryāṇi sarvaśaḥ
yathā cānāthavat kiṃ cic charīraṃ na vinaśyati
27 śāsanād dharmarājasya kṣattā sūtaś ca saṃjayaḥ
sudharmā dhaumya sahita indrasenādayas tathā
28 candanāgurukāṣṭhāni tathā kālīyakāny uta
ghṛtaṃ tailaṃ ca gandhāṃś ca kṣaumāṇi vasanāni ca
29 samāhṛtya mahārhāṇi dārūṇāṃ caiva saṃcayān
rathāṃś ca mṛditāṃs tatra nānāpraharaṇāni ca
30 citāḥ kṛtvā prayatnena yathāmukhyān narādhipān
dāhayām āsur avyagrā vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā
31 duryodhanaṃ ca rājānaṃ bhrātṝṃś cāsya śatādhikān
śalyaṃ śalaṃ ca rājānaṃ bhūriśravasam eva ca
32 jayadrathaṃ ca rājānam abhimanyuṃ ca bhārata
dauḥśāsaniṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca dhṛṣṭaketuṃ ca pārthivam
33 bṛhantaṃ somadattaṃ ca sṛñjayāṃś ca śatādhikān
rājānaṃ kṣemadhanvānaṃ virāṭadrupadau tathā
34 śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca pāñcālyaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca pārṣatam
yudhāmanyuṃ ca vikrāntam
uttamaujasam eva ca
35 kausalyaṃ draupadeyāṃś ca śakuniṃ cāpi saubalam
acalaṃ vṛṣakaṃ caiva bhagadattaṃ ca pārthivam
36 karṇaṃ vaikartanaṃ caiva saha putram amarṣaṇam
kekayāṃś ca maheṣvāsāṃs trigartāṃś ca mahārathān
37 ghaṭotkacaṃ rākṣasendraṃ bakabhrātaram eva
ca
alambusaṃ ca rājānaṃ jalasaṃghaṃ ca pārthivam
38 anyāṃś ca
pārthivān rājañ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
ghṛtadhārā hutair dīptaiḥ pāvakaiḥ samadāhayan
39 pitṛmedhāś ca keṣāṃ cid avartanta mahātmanām
sāmabhiś cāpy agāyanta te 'nvaśocyanta cāparaiḥ
40 sāmnām ṛcāṃ ca nādena strīṇāṃ ca ruditasvanaiḥ
kaśmalaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ niśāyāṃ samapadyata
41 te vidhūmāḥ pradīptāś ca dīpyamānāś ca pāvakāḥ
nabhasīvānvadṛśyanta grahās tanv
abhrasaṃvṛtāḥ
42 ye cāpy anāthās tatrāsan
nānādeśasamāgatāḥ
tāṃś ca sarvān samānāyya rāśīn kṛtvā sahasraśaḥ
43 citvā dārubhir avyagraḥ prabhūtaiḥ snehatāpitaiḥ
dāhayām āsa viduro dharmarājasya śāsanāt
44 kārayitvā kriyās teṣāṃ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ puraskṛtya gaṅgām abhimukho 'gamat
26
"The holy one said, ‘Arise, arise, O Gandhari, do not set thy heart on
grief! Through thy fault, this vast carnage has taken place! Thy son Duryodhana
was wicked-souled, envious, and exceedingly arrogant. Applauding his wicked
acts, thou regardest them to be good. Exceedingly cruel, he was the embodiment
of hostilities, and disobedient to the injunctions of the old. Why dost thou
wish to ascribe thy own faults to me? Dead or lost, the person that grieves for
what has already occurred, obtaineth more grief. By indulging in grief, one
increases it two-fold. A woman of the regenerate class bears children for the
practice of austerities; the cow brings forth offspring for bearing burdens;
the mare brings forth her young for acquiring speed of motion; the Shudra woman
bears a child for adding to the number of servitors; the Vaishya woman for
adding to the number of keepers of cattle. A princess, however, like thee,
brings forth sons for being slaughtered!’"Vaishampayana said, "Hearing these words of Vasudeva that were disagreeable to her, Gandhari, with heart exceedingly agitated by grief, remained silent. The royal sage Dhritarashtra, however, restraining the grief that arises from folly, enquired of Yudhishthira the just, saying, ‘If, O son of Pandu, thou knowest it, tell me the number of those that have fallen in this battle, as also of those that have escaped with life!’
"Yudhishthira answered, ‘One billion 660 million and 20,000 men have fallen in this battle. Of the heroes that have escaped, the number is 240,165.’
"Dhritarashtra said, ‘Tell me, O mighty-armed one, for thou art conversant with everything, what ends have those foremost of men attained.’
"Yudhishthira said, ‘Those warriors of true prowess that have cheerfully cast off their bodies in fierce battle have all attained regions like those of Indra. Knowing death to be inevitable, they that have encountered it cheerlessly have attained the companionship of the gandharvas. Those warriors that have fallen at the edge of weapons, while turning away from the field or begging for quarter, have attained the world of the guhyakas. Those high-souled warriors who, observant of the duties of kshatriya-hood and regarding flight from battle to be shameful, have fallen, mangled with keen weapons, while advancing unarmed against fighting foes, have all assumed bright forms and attained the regions of Brahman. The remaining warriors, that have in anyhow met with death on the precincts of the field of battle, have attained the region of the Uttara-Kurus.’"
"Dhritarashtra said, ‘By the power of what knowledge, O son, thou seest these things like one crowned with ascetic success? Tell me this, O mighty-armed one, if thou thinkest that I can listen to it without impropriety!’
"Yudhishthira said, ‘While at thy command I wandered in the forest, I obtained this boon on the occasion of sojourning to the sacred places. I met with the celestial rishi Lomasa and obtained from him the boon of spiritual vision. Thus on a former occasion I obtained second sight through the power of knowledge!’
"Dhritarashtra said, ‘It is necessary that our people should burn, with due rites, the bodies of both the friendless and the friended slain. What shall we do with those that have none to look after them and that have no sacred fires? The duties that await us are many. Who are those whose (last) rites we should perform? O Yudhishthira, will they obtain regions of blessedness by the merit of their acts, they whose bodies are now being torn and dragged by vultures and other birds?’"
Vaishampayana continued, "Thus addressed, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira of great wisdom commanded Sudharma (the priest of the Kauravas) and Dhaumya, and Sanjaya of the suta order, and Vidura of great wisdom, and Yuyutsu of Kuru’s race, and all his servants headed by Indrasena, and all the other sutas that were with him, saying, ‘Cause the funeral rites of the slain, numbering by thousands, to be duly performed, so that nobody may perish for want of persons to take care of them!’ At this command of king Yudhishthira the just, Vidura and Sanjaya and Sudharma and Dhaumya and Indrasena and others, procuring sandal, aloe and other kinds of wood used on such occasions, as also clarified butter and oil and perfumes and costly silken robes and other kinds of cloth, and large heaps of dry wood, and broken cars and diverse kinds of weapons, caused funeral pyres to be duly made and lighted and then without haste burnt, with due rites the slain kings in proper order. They properly burned upon those fires that blazed forth with libations of clarified butter in torrents over them, the bodies of Duryodhana and his hundred brothers, of Shalya, and king Bhurishrava; of king Jayadratha and Abhimanyu, O Bharata; of Duhshasana’s son and Lakshmana and king Dhrishtaketu; of Vrihanta and Somadatta and the hundreds of Srinjayas; of king Kshemadhanva and Virata and Drupada; of Shikhandi the prince of Pancalas, and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata’s race; of the valiant Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja; of the ruler of the Kosalas, the sons of Draupadi, and Shakuni the son of Subala; of Acala and Vrishaka, and king Bhagadatta; of Karna and his son of great wrath; of those great bowmen, the Kekaya princes, and those mighty car-warriors, the Trigartas; of Ghatotkaca the prince of rakshasas, and the brother of Vaka, of Alambusha, the foremost of rakshasas, and king Jalasandha; and of hundreds and thousands of other kings. The pitri-medha rites in honour of some of the illustrious dead were performed there, while some sang Samas, and some uttered lamentations for the dead. With the loud noise of Samas and Riks, and the lamentations of the women, all creatures became stupefied that night. The funeral fires, smokeless and blazing brightly (amid the surrounding darkness), looked like luminous planets in the firmament enveloped by clouds. Those among the dead that had come from diverse realms and were utterly friendless were piled together in thousands of heaps and, at the command of Yudhishthira, were caused to be burnt by Vidura through a large number of persons acting coolly and influenced by good-will and affection, on pyres made of dry wood. Having caused their last rites to be performed, the Kuru king Yudhishthira, placing Dhritarashtra at his head, proceeded towards the river Ganga."
Book
11
Chapter 27
1 [v]
te samāsādya gaṅgāṃ tu śivāṃ puṇyajanocitām
hradinīṃ vaprasaṃpannāṃ mahānūpāṃ mahāvanām
2 bhūṣaṇāny uttarīyāṇi veṣṭanāny avamucya ca
tataḥ pitṝṇāṃ pautrāṇāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ svajanasya ca
3 putrāṇām āryakāṇāṃ ca patīnāṃ ca kuru striyaḥ
udakaṃ cakrire sarvā
rudantyo bhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ
suhṛdāṃ cāpi dharmajñāḥ pracakruḥ salilakriyāḥ
4 udake kriyamāṇe tu vīrāṇāṃ vīra patnibhiḥ
sūpatīrthā abhavad gaṅgā bhūyo viprasasāra ca
5 tan mahodadhi saṃkāśaṃ nirānandam anutsavam
vīra patnībhir ākīrṇaṃ gaṅgātīram aśobhata
6 tataḥ kuntī mahārāja sahasā śokakarśitā
rudatī mandayā vācā putrān vacanam abravīt
7 yaḥ sa śūro maheṣvāso rathayūthapa yūthapaḥ
arjunena hataḥ saṃkhye vīra lakṣaṇalakṣitaḥ
8 yaṃ sūtaputraṃ manyadhvaṃ rādheyam iti pāṇḍavāḥ
yo vyarājac camūmadhye divākara iva prabhuḥ
9 pratyayudhyata yaḥ sarvān purā vaḥ sapadānugān
duryodhana balaṃ sarvaṃ yaḥ prakarṣan vyarocata
10 yasya nāsti samo vīrye pṛthivyām api kaś cana
satyasaṃdhasya śūrasya saṃgrāmeṣv apalāyinaḥ
11 kurudhvam udakaṃ tasya bhrātur akliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ
sa hi vaḥ pūrvajo bhrātā
bhāskarān mayy ajāyata
kuṇḍalī kavacī śūro
divākarasamaprabhaḥ
12 śrutvā tu pāṇḍavāḥ sarve mātur vacanam apriyam
karṇam evānuśocanta bhūyaś
cārtatarābhavan
13 tataḥ sa puruṣavyāghraḥ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
uvāca mātaraṃ vīro niḥśvasann iva pannagaḥ
14 yasyeṣu pātam
āsādya nānyas tiṣṭhed dhanaṃjayāt
kathaṃ putro bhavatyāṃ sa devagarbhaḥ purābhavat
15 yasya bāhupratāpena tāpitāḥ sarvato vayam
tam agnim iva vastreṇa kathaṃchāditavaty asi
yasya bāhubalaṃ ghoraṃ dhārtarāṣṭtrair upāsitam
16 nānyaḥ kuntīsutāt
karṇād agṛhṇād rathināṃ rathī
sa naḥ prathamajo bhrātā sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ
asūta taṃ bhavaty agre katham
adbhutavikramam
17 aho bhavatyā mantrasya pidhānena vayaṃ hatāḥ
nidhanena hi karṇasya pīḍitāḥ sma sa bāndhavāḥ
18 abhimanyor vināśena draupadeya
vadhena ca
pāñcālānāṃ ca nāśena kurūṇāṃ patanena ca
19 tataḥ śataguṇaṃ duḥkham idaṃ mām aspṛśad bhṛśam
karṇam evānuśocan hi dahyāmy agnāv
ivāhitaḥ
20 na hi sma kiṃ cid aprāpyaṃ bhaved api divi sthitam
na ca sma vaiśasaṃ ghoraṃ kauravānta karaṃ bhavet
21 evaṃ vilapya
bahulaṃ dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
vinadañ śanakai rājaṃś
cakārāsyodakaṃ prabhuḥ
22 tato vineduḥ sahasā strīpuṃsās tatra sarvaśaḥ
abhito ye sthitās tatra tasminn udakakarmaṇi
23 tata ānāyayām āsa karṇasya sa paricchadam
striyaḥ kurupatir dhīmān bhrātuḥ premṇā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
24 sa tābhiḥ sahadharmātmā pretakṛtyam anantaram
kṛtvottatāra gaṅgāyāḥ salilād ākulendriyaḥ
27
Vaishampayana said, "Arrived at the auspicious Ganga full of sacred
water, containing many lakes, adorned with high banks and broad shores, and
having a vast bed, they cast off their ornaments, upper garments, and belts and
girdles. The Kuru ladies, crying and afflicted with great grief, offered
oblations of water unto their sires and grandsons and brothers and kinsmen and
sons and reverend seniors and husbands. Conversant with duties, they also
performed the water-rite in honour of their friends. While those wives of
heroes were performing this rite in honour of their heroic lords, the access to
the stream became easy, although the paths (made by the tread of many feet)
disappeared afterwards. The shores of the stream, though crowded with those
spouses of heroes, looked as broad as the ocean and presented a spectacle of
sorrow and cheerlessness. Then Kunti, O king, in a sudden paroxysm of grief,
weepingly addressed her sons in these soft words, ‘That hero and great bowman,
that leader of leaders of car-divisions, that warrior distinguished by every
mark of heroism, who hath been slain by Arjuna in battle, that warrior whom, ye
sons of Pandu, ye took forth, Suta’s child born of Radha, that hero who shone
in the midst of his forces like the lord Surya himself, who battled with all of
you and your followers, who looked resplendent as he commanded the vast force
of the Duryodhana, who had no equal on earth for energy, that hero who
preferred glory to life, that unretiring warrior firm in truth and never
fatigued with exertion, was your eldest brother. Offer oblations of water unto
that eldest brother of yours who was born of me by the god of day. That hero
was born with a pair of earrings and clad in armour, and resembled Surya
himself in splendour!’ Hearing these painful words of their mother, the
Pandavas began to express their grief for Karna. Indeed, they became more
afflicted than ever. Then that tiger among men, the heroic Yudhishthira,
sighing like a snake, asked his mother, ‘That Karna who was like an ocean
having shafts for his billows, his tall standard for his vortex, his own mighty
arms for a couple of huge alligators, his large car for his deep lake, and the
sound of his palms for his tempestuous roar, and whose impetuosity none could
withstand save Dhananjaya, O mother, wert thou the authoress of that heroic
being? How was that son, resembling a very celestial, born of thee in former
days? The energy of his arms scorched all of us. How, mother, couldst thou
conceal him like a person concealing a fire within the folds of his cloth? His
might of arms was always worshipped by the Dhartarashtras even as we always
worship the might of the wielder of gandiva! How was that foremost of
mighty men, that first of car-warriors, who endured the united force of all
lords of earth in battle, how was he a son of thine? Was that foremost of all
wielders of weapons our eldest brother? How didst thou bring forth that child
of wonderful prowess? Alas, in consequence of the concealment of this affair by
thee, we have been undone! By the death of Karna, ourselves with all our
friends have been exceedingly afflicted. The grief I feel at Karna’s death is a
hundred times greater than that which was caused by the death of Abhimanyu and
the sons of Draupadi, and the destruction of the Pancalas and the Kurus.
Thinking of Karna, I am burning with grief, like a person thrown into a blazing
fire. Nothing could have been unattainable by us, not excepting things
belonging to heaven. Alas, this terrible carnage, so destructive of the Kurus,
would not have occurred.’ Copiously indulging in lamentations like these, king
Yudhishthira the just uttered loud wails of woe. The puissant monarch then
offered oblations of water unto his deceased elder brother. Then all the ladies
that crowded the shores of the river suddenly sent up a loud wail of grief. The
intelligent king of the Kurus, Yudhishthira, caused the wives and members of
Karna’s family to be brought before him. Of righteous soul, he performed, with
them, the water-rite in honour of his eldest brother. Having finished the
ceremony, the king with his senses exceedingly agitated, rose from the waters
of Ganga."
The end of Stri-parva
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Sreeman
Brahmasri K M Ganguliji for the collection )
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