srimahabharat - (book 7) Drona Parva - chapters 30 to 40

 

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

                                      Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
                                                        translated by
                                  Sreemaan Brahmasri  Kisari Mohan Ganguli

 

Drona Parva

Book 7

Book 7
Chapter 30

 

 

1 [dhṛ]
      teṣv anīkeṣu bhagneṣu pāṇḍuputreṇa saṃjaya
      calitānāṃ drutānāṃ ca katham āsīn mano hi vaḥ
  2 anīkānāṃ prabhagnānāṃ vyavasthānam apaśyatām
      duṣkaraṃ patisaṃdhānaṃ tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya
  3 [s]
      tathāpi tava putrasya priyakāmā viśāṃ pate
      yaśaḥ pravīrā lokeṣu rakṣanto droṇam anvayuḥ
  4 samudyateṣu śastreṣu saṃprāpte ca yudhiṣṭhire
      akurvann ārya karmāṇi bhairave satyabhītavat
  5 antaraṃ bhīmasenasya prāpatann amitaujasaḥ
      sātyakeś caiva śūrasya dhṛṣṭadyumnasya cābhibho
  6 droṇaṃ droṇam iti krūrāḥ pāñcālāḥ samacodayan
      mā droṇam iti putrās te kurūn sarvān acodayan
  7 droṇaṃ droṇam iti hy eke mā droṇam iti cāpare
      kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca droṇa dyūtam avartata
  8 yaṃ yaṃ sma bhajate droṇaḥ pāñcālānāṃ rathavrajam
      tatra tatra sma pāñcālyo dhṛṣṭadyumno 'tha dhīyate
  9 yathābhāgaviparyāse saṃgrāme bhairave sati
      vīrāḥ samāsadan vīrān agacchan bhīravaḥ parān
  10 akampanīyāḥ śatrūṇāṃ babhūvus tatra pāṇḍavāḥ
     akampayaṃs tv anīkāni smarantaḥ kleśam ātmanaḥ
 11 te tv amarṣavaśaṃ prāptā hrīmantaḥ svattva coditāḥ
     tyaktvā prāṇān nyavartanta ghnanto droṇaṃ mahāhave
 12 ayasām iva saṃpātaḥ śilānām iva cābhavat
     dīvyatāṃ tumule yuddhe prāṇair amitatejasām
 13 na tu smaranti saṃgrāmam api vṛddhās tathāvidham
     dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ mahārāja śrutapūrvam athāpi vā
 14 prākampateva pṛthivī tasmin vīrāvasādane
     pravartatā balaughena mahatā bhārapīḍitā
 15 ghūrṇato hi balaughasya divaṃ stabdhveva nisvanaḥ
     ajātaśatroḥ kruddhasya putrasya tava cābhavat
 16 samāsādya tu pāṇḍūnām anīkāni sahasraśaḥ
     droṇena caratā saṃkhye prabhagnāni śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 17 teṣu pramathyamāneṣu droṇenādbhuta karmaṇā
     paryavārayad āsādya droṇaṃ senāpatiḥ svayam
 18 tad adbhutam abhūd yuddhaṃ droṇa pāñcālyayos tadā
     naiva tasyopamā kā cit saṃbhaved iti me matiḥ
 19 tato nīlo 'nalaprakhyo dadāha kuru vāhinīm
     śarasphuliṅgaś cāpārcir dahan kakṣam ivānalaḥ
 20 taṃ dahantam anīkāni droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān
     pūrvābhibhāṣī suślakṣṇaṃ smayamāno 'bhyabhāṣata
 21 nīlakiṃ bahubhir dagdhais tava yodhaiḥ śarārciṣā
     mayaikena hi yudhyasva kruddhaḥ praharacāśugaiḥ
 22 taṃ padmanikarākāraṃ padmapatra nibhekṣaṇam
     vyākośapadmābha mukhaṃ nīlo vivyādha sāyakaiḥ
 23 tenātividdhaḥ sahasā drauṇir bhallaiḥ śitais tribhiḥ
     dhanur dhvajaṃ ca chatraṃ ca dviṣataḥ sa nyakṛntata
 24 sotplutya syandanāt tasmān nīlaś carma varāsidhṛk
     droṇāyaneḥ śiraḥ kāyād dhartum aicchat patatrivat
 25 tasyodyatāseḥ sunasaṃ śiraḥ kāyāt sakuṇḍalam
     bhallenāpāharad drauṇiḥ smayamāna ivānagha
 26 saṃpūrṇacandrābhamukhaḥ padmapatra nibhekṣaṇaḥ
     prāṃśur utpalagarbhābho nihato nyapatat kṣitau
 27 tataḥ pravivyathe senā pāṇḍavī bhṛśam ākulā
     ācārya putreṇa hate nīle jvalitatejasi
 28 acintayaṃś ca te sarve pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
     kathaṃ no vāsavis trāyāc chatrubhya iti māriṣa
 29 dakṣiṇena tu senāyāḥ kurute kadanaṃ balī
     saṃśaptakāvaśeṣasya nārāyaṇa balasya ca

SECTION XXX

"Sanjaya said, 'Vrikodara, however, could not brook that slaughter of his army. He struck Valhika with sixty and Karna with ten arrows. Drona then, desirous of slaying Bhima, quickly struck the latter, in his very vitals, many straight and whetted shafts of keen edge. Desirous again of allowing no time, he once more struck him with, six and twenty shafts whose touch resembled that of fire and which were all like snakes of virulent poison. Then Karna pierced him with a dozen shafts, and Aswatthaman with seven, and king Duryodhana also with six. The mighty Bhimasena, in return, pierced them all. He struck Drona with fifty shafts, and Karna with ten. And piercing Duryodhana with a dozen shafts, and Drona with eight, he engaged in that battle uttering a loud shout. In that encounter in which the warriors fought reckless of their lives and in which death was easy of attainment, Ajatasattru despatched many warriors, urging them to rescue Bhima. Those heroes of immeasurable energy, viz., the two son of Madri and Pandu, and others headed by Yuyudhana, quickly proceeded to Bhimasena's side. And those bulls among men, filled with rage and uniting together, advanced to battle, desirous of breaking the army of Drona that was protected by many foremost of bowmen. Indeed, those great car-warriors of mighty energy, viz., Bhima and others, fell furiously upon Drona's host. Drona, however, that foremost of car-warriors, received without any anxiety, all those mighty car-warriors, of great strength,--those heroes accomplished in battle. Disregarding their kingdoms and casting off all fear of death, the warriors of thy army proceeded against the Pandavas. Horsemen encountered horsemen, and car-warriors encountered car-warriors.
p. 73
[paragraph continues] The battle proceeded, darts against darts, swords against swords, axes against axes. A fierce encounter with swords took place, producing a terrible carnage. And in consequence of the collision of elephants against elephants the battle became furious. Some fell down from the backs of elephants, and some from the backs of steeds, with heads downwards. And others, O sire, fell down from cars, pierced with arrows. In that fierce press, as some one fell down deprived of armour, an elephant might be seen attacking him in the chest and crushing his head. Elsewhere might be seen elephants crushing numbers of men fallen down on the field. And many elephants, piercing the earth with their tusks (as they fell down), were seen to tear therewith large bodies of men. Many elephants, again, with arrows sticking to their trunks, wandered over the field, tearing and crushing men by hundreds. And some elephants were seen pressing down into the earth fallen warriors and steeds and elephants cased in armour of black iron, as if these were only thick reeds. Many kings, graced with modesty, their hour having come, laid themselves down (for the last sleep) on painful beds, overlaid with vultures' feathers. Advancing to battle on his car, sire slew son; and son also, through madness all losing regard, approached-sire in battle. The wheels of cars were broken; banners were torn; umbrellas fell down on the earth. Dragging broken yokes, steeds ran away. Arms with swords in grasp, and heads decked with ear-rings fell down. Cars, dragged by mighty elephants, thrown down on the ground, were reduced to fragments. Steeds with riders fell down, severely wounded by elephants. That fierce battle went on, without anybody showing any regard for any one. 'Oh father!--Oh son!--Where art thou, friend?--Wait!--Where dost thou go!--Strike!--Bring! Slay this one!'--these and diverse other cries, with loud laughs and shouts, and roars were uttered and heard there. The blood of human beings and steeds and elephants, mingled together. The earthy dust disappeared. The hearts of all timid persons became cheerless. Here a hero getting his car-wheel entangled with the car-wheel of another hero, and the distance being too near to admit of the use of other weapons, smashed that other's head by means of his mace. Brave combatants, desirous of safety where there was no safety, dragged one another by the hair, and fought fiercely with fists, and teeth and nails. Here was a hero whose upraised arm with sword in grasp was cut off, There another's arm was lopped off with bow, or arrow or hook in grasp. Here one loudly called upon another. There another turned his back on the field. Here one severed another's head from his trunk, getting him within reach. There another rushed with loud shouts Upon an enemy. Here one was filled with fear at another's roar. There another slew with sharp shafts a friend or a foe. Here an elephant, huge as a hill, slain with a long shaft, fell down en the field and lay like a flat island in a river during the summer season. There an elephant, with sweat trickling down its body, like a mountain with rills flowing adown its breast, steed, having crushed by its tread a car-warrior with his steeds and charioteer on the field. Beholding brave warriors, accomplished in arms and covered
p. 74
with blood, strike one another, they that were timid and of weak hearts, lost their senses. In fact, all became cheerless. Nothing could any longer be distinguished. Overwhelmed with the dust raised by the troops, the battle became furious. Then the commander of the Pandava forces saying, 'This is the time,' speedily led the Pandavas on those heroes that are always endued with great activity. Obeying his behest, the mighty-armed Pandavas, smiting (the Katirava army) proceeded towards Drona's car like swans towards a lake,--'Seize him,'---'Do not fly away,'--'Do not fear,'--'Cut into pieces,'--these uproarious cries were heard in the vicinity of Drona's car. Then Drona and Kripa, and Karna and Drona's son, and king Jayadratha, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, and Salya, received those heroes. Those irresistible and invincible warriors, however, viz., the Panchalas and the Pandavas, inspired by noble sentiments, did not, though afflicted with shafts, avoid Drona. Then Drona, excited with great rage, shot hundreds of shafts, and caused a great carnage amongst the Chedis, the Panchalas, and the Pandavas. The twang of his bowstring and the slaps of his palms, were, O sire, heard on all sides. And they resembled the roar of thunder and struck fear into the hearts of all. Meanwhile, Jishnu, having vanquished large number of Samsaptakas, quickly came to that place where Drona was grinding the Pandava troops. Having crossed many large lakes whose waters were constituted by blood, and whose fierce billows and eddies were constituted by shafts, and having slain the Samsaptakas, Phalguni showed himself there. Possessed of great fame and endued as he was with the energy of the Sun himself, Arjuna's emblem, viz., his banner bearing the ape, was beheld by us to blaze with splendour. Having dried up the Samsaptaka ocean by means of weapons that constituted his rays, the son of Pandu then blasted the Kurus also, as if he were the very Sun that arises at the end of the Yuga. Indeed, Arjuna scorched all the Kurus by the heat of his weapons, like the fire 1 that appears at the end of the Yuga, burning down all creatures. Struck by him with thousands of shafts, elephant warriors and horsemen and car-warriors fell down on the earth, with dishevelled hair, and exceedingly afflicted with those arrowy showers, some uttered cries of distress. Others set up loud shouts. And some struck with the shafts of Partha, fell down deprived of life. Recollecting the practices of (good) warriors, Arjuna struck not those combatants among the foe that had fallen down, or those that were retreating, or those that were unwilling to fight. Deprived of their cars and filled with wonder, almost all the Kauravas, turning away from the field, uttered cries of Oh and Alas and called upon Karna (for protection). Hearing that din made by the Kurus, desirous of protection, Adhiratha's son (Karna), loudly assuring the troops with the words 'Do not fear' proceeded to face Arjuna. Then (Karna) that foremost of Bharata car-warriors, that delighter of all the Bharatas, that first
p. 75
of all persons acquainted with weapons, invoked into existence the Agneya weapon. Dhananjaya, however, baffled by means of his own arrowy downpours the flights of arrows shot by Radha's son, that warrior of the blazing bow, that hero of bright shafts. And similarly, Adhiratha's son also baffled the shafts of Arjuna of supreme energy. Resisting Arjuna's weapons thus by his own, Karna uttered loud shouts and shot many shafts at his antagonist. Then Dhristadyumna and Bhima and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, all approached Karna, and each of them pierced in with three straight shafts. The son of Radha, however, checking Arjuna's weapons by his own arrowy showers, cut off with three sharp shafts the bows of those three warriors. Their bows cut off, they looked like snakes without poison. Hurling darts at their foe from their respective cars, they uttered loud leonine shouts. Those fierce darts of great splendour and great impetuosity, looking like snakes, hurled from those mighty arms, coursed impetuously towards Karna's car. Cutting each of those darts with three straight arrows and speeding many arrows at the same time at Partha, the mighty Karna uttered a loud shout. Then Arjuna piercing Karna with seven shafts, despatched the latter's younger brother by means of his sharp shafts. Slaying Satrunjaya thus with six arrows, Partha, with a broad-headed shaft, struck off Vipatha's head as the latter stood on his car. In the very sight of the Dhritarashtras, therefore, as also of the Suta's son, the three uterine brothers of the latter were despatched by Arjuna unaided by any one. Then Bhima, jumping down from his own car, like a second Garuda, slew with his excellent sword five and ten combatants amongst those that supported Karna. Mounting once more on his car and taking up another bow, he pierced Karna with ten shafts and his charioteer and steeds with five. Dhrishtadyumna also taking up a sword and a bright shield; despatched Charmavarman and also Vrihatkshatra, the ruler of the Naishadhas. The Panchala prince then, mounting upon his own car and taking up another bow, pierced Karna with three and seventy shafts, and uttered a loud roar. Sini's grandson also, of splendour equal to that of Indra himself, taking up another bow pierced Suta's son with four and sixty shafts and roared like a lion. And cutting off Karna's bow with a couple of well-shot shafts, he once more pierced Karna on the arms and the chest with three arrows. The king Duryodhana, and Drona and Jayadratha, rescued Karna from the Satyaki-ocean, as the former was about to sink into it. And foot-soldiers and steeds and cars and elephants, belonging to thy army and numbering by hundreds, all accomplished in smitting rushed to the spot where Karna was frightening (his assailants). Then Dhrishtadyumna, and Bhima and Subhadra's son, and Arjuna himself, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, began to protect Satyaki in that battle. Even thus went on that fierce battle for the destruction of bowmen belonging to thy army and of the enemy's. All the combatants fought, reckless of their very lives. Infantry and cars and steeds and elephants were engaged with cars and infantry. Car-warriors were engaged with elephants and foot-soldiers and steeds, and cars and foot-soldiers were
p. 76
engaged with cars and elephants. And steeds were seen engaged with steeds, and elephants with elephants, and foot-soldiers with foot-soldiers. Even thus did that battle, marked by great confusion, take place, enhancing the delight of cannibals and carnivorous creatures, between those high-souled men facing one another fearlessly. Indeed, it largely swelled the population of Yama's kingdom. Large numbers of elephants and cars and foot-soldiers and steeds were destroyed by men, cars, steeds and elephants. And elephants were slain by elephants, and car-warriors with weapons upraised by car-warriors, and steeds by steeds, and large bodies of foot-soldiers. And elephants were slain by cars, and large steeds by large elephants and men by steeds; and steeds by foremost of car-warriors. With tongues lolling out, and teeth and eyes pressed out of their places, with coats of mail and ornaments crushed into dust, the slaughtered creatures fell down on the field. Others, again, of terrible mien were struck and thrown down on the earth by others armed with diverse and excellent weapons and sunk into the earth by the tread of steeds and elephants, and tortured and mangled by heavy cars and car wheels. And during the progress of that fierce carnage so delightful to beasts of prey and carnivorous birds and cannibals, mighty combatants, filled with wrath, and slaughtering one another careered over the field putting forth all their energy. Then when both the hosts were broken and mangled, the warriors bathed in blood, looked at each other. Meanwhile, the Sun went to his chambers in the western hills, and both the armies, O Bharata, slowly retired to their respective tents

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 31

 

1 [s]
      pratighātaṃ tu sainyasya nāmṛṣyata vṛkodaraḥ
      so 'bhinad bāhlikaṃ ṣaṣṭyā karṇaṃ ca daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ
  2 tasya droṇaḥ śitair bāṇais tīkṣṇadhārair ayasmayaiḥ
      jīvitāntam abhiprepsur marmaṇy āśu jaghāna ha
  3 karṇo dvādaśabhir bāṇair aśvatthāmā ca saptabhiḥ
      ṣaḍbhir duryodhano rājā tata enam avākirat
  4 bhīmaseno 'pi tān sarvān pratyavidhyan mahābalaḥ
      droṇaṃ pañcāśateṣūṇāṃ karmaṃ ca daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ
  5 duryodhanaṃ dvādaśabhir drauṇiṃ cāṣṭābhir āśugaiḥ
      ārāvaṃ tumulaṃ kurvann abhyavartata tān raṇe
  6 tasmin saṃtyajati prāṇān mṛtyusādhāraṇī kṛte
      ajātaśatrus tān yodhān bhīmaṃ trātety acodayat
  7 te yayur bhīmasenasya samīpam amitaujasaḥ
      yuyudhānaprabhṛtayo mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau
  8 te sametya susaṃrabdhāḥ sahitāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ
      maheṣvāsa varair guptaṃ droṇānīkaṃ bibhitsavaḥ
  9 samāpetur mahāvīryā bhīmaprabhṛtayo rathāḥ
      tān partyagṛhṇād avyagro droṇo 'pi rathināṃ varaḥ
  10 mahābalān atirathān vīrān samaraśobhinaḥ
     bāhyaṃ mṛtyubhayaṃ kṛtvā tāvakāḥ pāṇḍavān yayuḥ
 11 sādinaḥ sādino 'bhyaghnaṃs tathaiva rathino rathān
     āsīc chakty asi saṃpāto yuddham āsīt paraśvadhaiḥ
 12 nikṛṣṭam asiyuddhaṃ ca babhūva kaṭukodayam
     kuñjarāṇāṃca saṃghātair yuddham āsīt sudāruṇam
 13 apatat kuñjarād anyo hayād anyas tv avākśirāḥ
     naro bāṇena nirbhinno rathād anyaś ca māriṣa
 14 tatrānyasya ca saṃmarde patitasya vivarmaṇaḥ
     śiraḥ pradhvaṃsayām āsa vakṣasy ākramya kuñjaraḥ
 15 apare 'py aparāñ jaghnur vāraṇāḥ patitān narān
     viṣāṇaiś cāvaniṃ gatvā vyabhindan rathino bahūn
 16 narāntraiḥ ke cid apare viṣāṇālagna saṃsravaiḥ
     babhramuḥ śataśo nāgā mṛdnantaḥ śataśo narān
 17 kāṃsyāyasa tanutrāṇān narāśvarathakuñjarān
     patitān pothayāṃ cakrur dvipāḥ sthūlanaḍān iva
 18 gṛdhrapatrādhivāsāṃsi śayanāni narādhipāḥ
     hrīmantaḥ kālasaṃpakvāḥ suduḥkhāny adhiśerate
 19 hanti smātra pitā putraṃ rathenābhyativartate
     putraś ca pitaraṃ mohān nirmaryādam avartata
 20 akṣo bhagno dhvajaś chinnaś chatram urvyāṃ nipātitam
     yugārdhaṃ chinnam ādāya pradudrāva tathā hayaḥ
 21 sāsir bāhur nipatitaḥ śiraś chinnaṃ sakuṇḍalam
     gajenākṣipya balinā rathaḥ saṃcūrṇitaḥ kṣitau
 22 rathinā tāḍito nāgo nārācenāpatad vyasuḥ
     sārohaś cāpatad vājī gajenātāḍito bhṛśam
 23 nirmaryādaṃ mahad yuddham avartata sudāruṇam
     hā tāta hā putra sakhe kvāsi tiṣṭha kva dhāvasi
 24 praharāhara jahy enaṃ smitakṣveḍita garjitaiḥ
     ity evam uccarantyaḥ sma śrūyante vividhā giraḥ
 25 narasyāśvasya nāgasya samasajjata śoṇitam
     upāśāmyad rajo bhaumaṃ bhīrūn kaśmalam āviśat
 26 āsīt keśaparāmarśo muṣṭiyuddhaṃ ca dāruṇam
     nakhair dantaiś ca śūrāṇamādvīpe dvīpam icchatām
 27 tatrācchidyata vīrasya sa khaḍgo bāhur udyataḥ
     sadhanuś cāparasyāpi sa śaraḥ sāṅkuśas tathā
 28 prākrośad anyam anyo 'tra tathānyo vimukho 'dravat
     anyaḥ prāptasya cānyasya śiraḥ kāyād apāharat
 29 śabdam abhyadravac cānyaḥ śabdād anyo 'dravad bhṛśam
     svān anyo 'tha parān anyo jaghāna niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 30 giriśṛṅgopamaś cātra nārācena nipātitaḥ
     mātaṅgo nyapatad bhūmau nadī rodha ivoṣṇage
 31 tathaiva rathinaṃ nāgaḥ kṣaran girir ivārujat
     adhyatiṣṭhat padā bhūmau sahāśvaṃ saha sārathim
 32 śūrān praharato dṛṣṭvā kṛtāstrān rudhirokṣitān
     bahūn apy āviśan moho bhīrūn hṛdayadurbalān
 33 sarvam āvignam abhavan na prājñāyata kiṃ cana
     sainye ca rajasā dhvaste nirmaryādam avartata
 34 tataḥ senāpatiḥ śīghram ayaṃ kāla iti bruvan
     nityābhitvaritān eva tvarayām āsa pāṇḍavān
 35 kurvantaḥ śāsanaṃ tasya pāṇḍaveyā yaśasvinaḥ
     saro haṃsā ivāpetur ghnanto droṇa rathaṃ prati
 36 gṛhṇītādravatānyonyaṃ vibhītā vinikṛntata
     ity āsīt tumulaḥ śabdo durdharṣasya rathaṃ prati
 37 tato droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ karṇo drauṇī rājā jayadrathaḥ
     vindānuvindāv avantyau śalyaś cainān avārayat
 38 te tv ārya dharmasaṃrabdhā durnivāryā durāsadāḥ
     śarārtā na juhur droṇaṃ pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha
 39 tato droṇo 'bhisaṃkruddho visṛjañ śataśaḥ śarān
     cedipāñcālapāṇḍūnām akarot kadanaṃ mahat
 40 tasya jyātalanirghoṣaḥ śuśruve dikṣu māriṣa
     vajrasaṃghāta saṃkāśas trāsayan pāṇḍavān bahūn
 41 etasminn antare jiṣṇur hatvā saṃśaptakān balī
     abyayāt tatra yatra sma droṇaḥ pāṇḍun pramardati
 42 taṃ śaraughamahāvartaṃ śoṇitodaṃ mahāhradam
     tīrṇaḥ saṃśaptakān hatvā pratyadṛśyata phalgunaḥ
 43 tasya kīrtimato lakṣma sūryapratima tejasaḥ
     dīpyamānam apaśyāma tejasā vānaradhvajam
 44 saṃśaptakasamudraṃ tam ucchoṣyāstra gabhastibhiḥ
     sa pāṇḍava yugāntārkaḥ kurūn apy abhyatītapat
 45 pradadāha kurūn sarvān arjunaḥ śasra tejasā
     yugānte sarvabhūtāni dhūmaketur ivotthitaḥ
 46 tena bāṇasahasraughair gajāśvarathayodhinaḥ
     tāḍyamānāḥ kṣitiṃ jagmur muktaśastrāḥ śarārditāḥ
 47 ke cid ārtasvaraṃ cakrur vinedur apare punaḥ
     pārtha bāṇahatā ekcin nipetur vigatāsavaḥ
 48 teṣām utpatatāṃ kāṃś cit patitāṃś ca parāṅmukhān
     na jaghānārjuno yodhān yodhavratam anusmaran
 49 te viśīrṇarathāśvebhāḥ prāyaśaś ca parāṅmukhāḥ
     kuravaḥ karṇa karṇeti hāheti ca vicukruśuḥ
 50 tam ādhirathir ākrandaṃ vijñāya śaraṇaiṣiṇām
     mā bhaiṣṭeti pratiśrutya yayāv abhimukho 'rjunam
 51 sa bhārata rathaśreṣṭhaḥ sarvabhārata harṣaṇaḥ
     prāduścakre tad āgneyam astram astravidāṃ varaḥ
 52 tasya dīptaśaraughasya dīpacāpa dharasya ca
     śaraughāñ śarajālena vidudhāva dhanaṃjayaḥ
     astram astreṇa saṃvārya prāṇadad visṛjañ śarān
 53 dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca bhīmaś ca sātyakiś ca mahārathaḥ
     vivyadhuḥ karṇam āsādya tribhis tribhir ajihmagaiḥ
 54 arjunāstraṃ tu rādheyaḥ saṃvārya śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ
     teṣāṃ trayāṇāṃ cāpāni ciccheda viśikhais tribhiḥ
 55 te nikṛttāyudhāḥ śūrā nirviṣā bhujagā iva
     rathaśaktīḥ samutkṣipya bhṛśaṃ siṃhā ivānadan
 56 tā bhujāgrair mahāvegā visṛṣṭā bhujagopamāḥ
     dīpyamānā mahāśaktyo jagmur ādhirathiṃ prati
 57 tā nikṛtya śitair bāṇais tribhis tribhir ajihmagaiḥ
     nanāda balavān karṇaḥ pārthāya visṛjañ śarān
 58 arjunaś cāpi rādheyaṃ viddhvā saptabhir āśugaiḥ
     karṇād avarajaṃ bāṇair jaghāna niśitais tribhiḥ
 59 tataḥ śatruṃjayaṃ hatvā pārthaḥ ṣaḍbhir ajihmagaiḥ
     jahāra sadyo bhallena vipāṭasya śiro rathāt
 60 paśyatāṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāṇām ekenaiva kirīṭinā
     pramukhe sūtaputrasya sodaryā nihatās trayaḥ
 61 tato bhīmaḥ samutpatya svarathād vainateyavat
     varāsinā karṇa pakṣāñ jaghāna daśa pañca ca
 62 punaḥ svaratham āsthāya dhanur ādāya cāparam
     vivyādha daśabhiḥ karṇaṃ sūtam aśvāṃś ca pañcabhiḥ
 63 dhṛṣṭadyumno 'y asi varaṃ karma cādāya bhāsvaram
     jaghāna candra varmāṇaṃ bṛhat kṣatraṃ ca pauravam
 64 tataḥ svaratham āsthāya pāñcālyo 'nyac ca kārmukam
     ādāya karṇaṃ vivyādha trisaptatyā nadan raṇe
 65 śaineyo 'py anyad ādāya dhanur indrāyudhadyuti
     sūtaputraṃ catuḥṣaṣṭyā viddhvā siṃha ivānadat
 66 bhallabhyāṃ sādhu muktābhyāṃ chittvā karṇasya kārmukam
     punaḥ karṇaṃ tribhir bāṇair bāhvor urasi cārpayat
 67 tato duryoghano droṇo rājā caiva jayadrathaḥ
     nimajjamānaṃ rādheyam ujjahruḥ sātyakārṇavāt
 68 dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca bhīmaś ca saubhadro 'rjuna eva ca
     nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca sātyakiṃ jugupū raṇe
 69 evam eṣa mahāraudraḥ kṣayārthaṃ sarvadhanvinām
     tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca tyaktvā prāṇān abhūd raṇaḥ
 70 padātirathanāgāśvair gajāśvarathapattayaḥ
     rathino nāgapattyaśvai rathapattī rathadvipaiḥ
 71 aśvair aśvā gajair nāgā rathino rathibhiḥ saha
     saṃsaktāḥ samadṛśyanta pattayaś cāpi pattibhiḥ
 72 evaṃ sukalilaṃ yuddham āsīt kravyādaharṣaṇam
     mahadbhis tair abhītānāṃ yama rāṣṭravivardhanam
 73 tato hatā nararathavāji kuñjarair; anekaśo dviparathavāji pattayaḥ
     gajair gajā rathibhir udāyudhā rathā; hayair hayāḥ pattigaṇaiś ca pattayaḥ
 74 rathair dvipā dviradavarair mahāhayā; hayair narā vararathibhiś ca vājinaḥ
     nirastajihvā daśanekṣaṇāḥ kṣitau; kṣayaṃ gatāḥ pramathita varma bhūṣaṇāḥ
 75 tathā parair bahu karaṇair varāyudhair; hatā gatāḥ pratibhaya darśanāḥ kṣitim
     vipothitā hayagajapādatāḍitā; bhṛśākulā rathakhura nemibhir hatāḥ
 76 pramodane śvāpada pakṣirakṣasāṃ; janakṣaye vartati tatra dāruṇe
     mahābalās te kupitāḥ parasparaṃ; niṣūdayantaḥ pravicerur ojasā
 77 tato bale bhṛśalulite parasparaṃ; nirīkṣamāṇe rudhiraughasaṃplute
     divākare 'staṃ girim āsthite śanair; ubhe prayāte śibirāya bhārata

 

SECTION XXXI

(Abhimanyu-badha Parva)

"Sanjaya said, 'Having been first broken by Arjuna of immeasurable prowess, and owing also to the failure of Drona's vow, in consequence of Yudhishthira having been well-protected, thy warriors were regarded as defeated. All of them with coats of mail torn and covered with dust, cast anxious glances around. Retiring from the field with Drona's consent, after having been vanquished by their enemies of sure aim and humiliated by them in battle, they heard, as they proceeded, the countless merits of Phalguni praised by all creatures, and the friendship of Kesava for Arjuna spoken of by all. They passed the night like men under a curse, reflecting upon the course of events and observing perfect silence.
"Next morning, Duryodhana said unto Drona, these words, from petulance and wrath, and in great cheerlessness of heart at the sight of the prosperity of their foe. Skilled in speech, and filled with rage at
p. 77
the success of the foe, the king said these words in the hearing of all the troops, 'O foremost of regenerate ones, without doubt thou hast set us down for men who should be destroyed by thee. Thou didst not seize Yudhishthira today even though thou hadst got him within thy reach. That foe whom thou wouldst seize in battle is incapable of escaping thee if once thou gettest him within sight, even if he be protected by the Pandavas, aided by the very gods. Gratified, thou gavest me a boon; now, however, thou dost not act according to it. They that are noble (like thee), never falsify the hopes of one devoted to them.' Thus addressed by Duryodhana, Bharadwaja's son felt greatly ashamed. Addressing the king, he said, 'It behoveth thee not to take me to be such. I always endeavour to achieve what is agreeable to thee. The three worlds with the gods, the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Nagas and the Rakshasas, cannot defeat the force that is protected by the diadem-decked (Arjuna). There where Govinda, the Creator of the universe is, and there where Arjuna is the commander, whose might can avail, save three-eyed Mahadeva's, O lord? O sire, I tell the truly today and it will not be otherwise. Today, I will slay a mighty car-warrior, one of the foremost heroes of the Pandavas. Today I will also form an array that impenetrable by the very gods. Do, however, O king, by some means take Arjuna away from the field. There is nothing that he doth not know or cannot achieve in battle. From various places hath he acquired all that is to be known about battle.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'After Drona had said these words, the Samsaptakas once more challenged Arjuna to battle and took him away to the southern side of the field. Then an encounter took place between Arjuna and his enemies, the like of which had never been seen or heard of. On the other hand, the array formed by Drona, O king, looked resplendent. Indeed, that array was incapable of being looked at like the sun himself when in his course he reaches the meridian and scorches (everything underneath). Abhimanyu, at the command, O Bharata, of his sire's eldest brother, pierced in battle that impenetrable circular array in many places. Having achieved the most difficult feats and slain heroes by thousands, he was (at last) encountered by six heroes together. In the end, succumbing to Duhsasana's son, O lord of earth, Subhadra's son, O chastiser of foes, gave up his life. At this we were filled with great joy and the Pandavas with great grief. And after Subhadra's son had been slain, our troops were withdrawn for nightly rest.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Hearing, O Sanjaya, of the slaughter of the son (Abhimanyu), yet in his minority, of that lion among men, (viz., Arjuna), my heart seems to break into pieces. Cruel, indeed, are the duties of Kshatriyas as laid down by the legislators, in as much as brave men, desirous of sovereignty scrupled not to shoot their weapons at even a child. O son of Gavalgana, tell me how so many warriors, accomplished in arms, slew that child who, though brought up in luxury, yet careered over the field so fearlessly. Tell me, O Sanjaya, how our warriors behaved in
p. 78
battle with Subhadra's son immeasurable energy who had penetrated into our car-array.'
"Sanjaya said, 'That which thou askest me, O king, viz., the slaughter of Subhadra's son, I will describe to thee in detail. Listen, O monarch, with attention. I shall relate to thee how that youth, having penetrated into our ranks, played with his weapons, and how the irresistible heroes of thy army, all inspired by hope of victory, were afflicted by him. Like the denizens of a forest abounding with plants and herbs and trees, when surrounded on all sides by a forest conflagration, the warriors of thy army were all filled with fear.'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 32

 

 

 

 1 [s]
      pūrvam asmāsu bhagneṣu phalgunenāmitaujasā
      droṇe ca moghasaṃkalpe rakṣite ca yudhiṣṭhire
  2 sarve vidhvastakavacās tāvakā yudhi nirjitāḥ
      rajasvalā bhṛśodvignā vīkṣamāṇā diśo daśa
  3 avahāraṃ tataḥ kṛtvā bhāradvājasya saṃmate
      labdhalakṣyaiḥ parair dīnā bhṛśāvahasitā raṇe
  4 ślāghamāneṣu bhūteṣu phalgunasyāmitān guṇān
      keśavasya ca sauhārde kīrtyamāne 'rjunaṃ prati
      abhiśastā ivābhūvan dhyānamūkatvam āsthitāḥ
  5 tataḥ prabhātasamaye droṇaṃ duryodhano 'bravīt
      praṇayād abhimānāc ca dviṣad vṛddhyā ca durmanāḥ
      śṛṇvatāṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ saṃrabdho vākyakovidaḥ
  6 nūnaṃ vayaṃ vadhya pakṣe bhavato brahmavittama
      tathā hi nāgrahīḥ prāptaṃ samīpe 'dya yudhiṣṭhiram
  7 icchatas te na mucyeta cakṣuḥ prāpto raṇe ripuḥ
      jighṛkṣato rakṣyamāṇaḥ sāmarair api pāṇḍavaiḥ
  8 varaṃ dattvā mama prītaḥ paścād vikṛtavān asi
      āśā bhaṅgaṃ na kurvanti bhaktasyāryāḥ kathaṃ cana
  9 tato 'prītis tathoktaḥ sa bhāradvājo 'bravīn nṛpam
      nārhase mānyathā jñātuṃ ghaṭamānaṃ tava priye
  10 sa surāsuragandharvāḥ sa yakṣoraga rākṣasāḥ
     nālaṃ lokā raṇe jetuṃ pālyamānaṃ kirīṭinā
 11 viśvasṛg yatra govindaḥ pṛtanāris tahārjunaḥ
     tatra kasya balaṃ krāmed anyatra tryambakāt prabhoḥ
 12 satyaṃ tu te bravīmy adya naitaj jātv anyathā bhavet
     adyaiṣāṃ pravaraṃ vīraṃ pātayiṣye mahāratham
 13 taṃ ca vyūhaṃ vidhāsyāmi yo 'bhedyas tridaśair api
     yogena kena cid rājann arjunas tv apanīyatām
 14 na hy ajñātam asādhyaṃ vā tasya saṃkhye 'sti kiṃ cana
     tena hy upāttaṃ balavat sarvajñānam itas tataḥ
 15 droṇena vyāhṛte tv evaṃ saṃśaptakagaṇāḥ punaḥ
     āhvayann arjunaṃ saṃkhye dakṣiṇām abhito diśam
 16 tatrārjunasyātha paraiḥ sārdhaṃ samabhavad raṇaḥ
     tādṛśo yādṛśo nānyaḥ śruto dṛṣṭo 'pi vā kva cit
 17 tato droṇena vihito rājan vyūho vyarocata
     caran madhyaṃ dine sūryaḥ pratapann iva durdṛśaḥ
 18 taṃ cābhimanyur vacanāt pitur jyeṣṭhasya bhārata
     bibheda durbhidaṃ saṃkhye cakravyūham anekadhā
 19 sa kṛtvā duṣkaraṃ karmahatvā vīrān sahasraśaḥ
     ṣaṭsu vīreṣu saṃsakto dauḥśāsani vaśaṃgataḥ
 20 vayaṃ paramasaṃhṛṣṭāḥ pāṇṭavāḥ śokakarśitāḥ
     saubhadre nihate rājann avahāram akurvata
 21 [dhṛ]
     putraṃ puruṣasiṃhasya saṃjayāprāpta yauvanam
     raṇe vinihataṃ śrutvā bhṛśaṃ me dīryate manaḥ
 22 dāruṇaḥ kṣatradharmo 'yaṃ vihito dharmakartṛbhiḥ
     yatra rājyepsavaḥ śūrā bāle śastram apātayan
 23 bālam atyantasukhinaṃ vicarantam abhītavat
     kṛtāstrā bahavo jaghnur brūhi gāvalgaṇe katham
 24 bibhitsatā rathānīkaṃ saubhadreṇāmitaujasā
     vikrīḍitaṃ yathā saṃkhye tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya
 25 [s]
     yan māṃ pṛcchasi rājendra saubhadrasya nipātanam
     tat te kārtsnyena vakṣyāmi śṛṇu rājan samāhitaḥ
     vikrīḍitaṃ kumāreṇa yathānīkaṃ bibhitsatā
 26 dāvāgnyabhiparītānāṃ bhūri gulmatṛṇadrume
     vanaukasām ivāraṇye tvadīyānām abhūd bhayam

 

SECTION XXXII

"Sanjaya said, 'Of fierce deeds in battle and above all fatigue, as proved by their feats, five sons of Pandu, with Krishna, are incapable of being resisted by the very gods. In righteousness, in deeds, in lineage, in intelligence, in achievements, in fame, in prosperity, there never was, and there never will be, another man so endued as Yudhishthira. Devoted to truth and righteousness, and with passions under control, king Yudhishthira, in consequence of his worship of the Brahmans and, diverse other virtues of similar nature, is always in the enjoyment of Heaven. The Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga, Jamadagni's valiant son (Rama), and Bhimasena on his car,--these three, O king, are spoken of as equal. Of Partha, the wielder of Gandiva, who always achieveth his vows in battle, I do not see a proper parallel on earth. Reverence for superiors, keeping counsels, humility, self-restraint, beauty of person, and bravery--these six--are ever present in Nakula. In knowledge of scriptures, gravity, sweetness of temper, righteousness and prowess, the heroic Sahadeva is equal to the Aswins themselves. All those noble qualities that are in Krishna, all those that are in the Pandavas, all that assemblage of qualities was to be found in Abhimanyu alone. In firmness, he was equal to Yudhishthira, and in conduct to Krishna; in feats, he was the equal to Bhimasena of terrible deeds, in beauty of person, in prowess, and in knowledge of scriptures he was the equal to Dhananjaya. In humility, he was equal to Sahadeva and Nakula.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'I desire, O Suta, to hear in detail, how the invincible Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra, hath been slain on the field of battle.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Be still, O king! Bear thy grief that is so unbearable. I shall speak to thee of the great slaughter of thy kinsmen.
"The preceptor, O king, had formed the great circular array. In it were placed all the kings (of our side) that are each equal to Sakra himself.
p. 79
[paragraph continues] At the entrance were stationed all the princes possessed of solar effulgence. All of them had taken oaths (about standing by one another). All of them had standards decked with gold. All of them were attired in red robes, and all had red ornaments. All of them had red banners and all were adorned with garlands of gold, smeared with sandal-paste and other perfumed unguents; they were decked with floral wreaths. In a body they rushed towards Arjuna's son, desirous of battle. Firm bowmen, all they numbered ten thousand. Placing thy handsome grandson, Lakshmana, at their head, all of them, sympathising with one another in joy and grief, and emulating one another in feats of courage, desiring to excel one another, and devoted to one another's good, they advanced to battle. Duryodhana, O monarch, was stationed in the midst of his forces. And the king was surrounded by the mighty car-warriors, Karna, Duhsasana, and Kripa, and had a white umbrella held over his head. And fanned with yak tails, he looked resplendent like the chief of the celestials. And at the head of that army was the commander Drona looking like the rising sun. 1 And there stood the ruler of the Sindhus, of great beauty of person, and immovable like the cliff of Meru. Standing by the side of the ruler of the Sindhus and headed by Aswatthaman, were, O king, thy thirty sons, resembling the very gods. There also on Jayadratha's flank, were those mighty car-warriors, viz., the ruler of Gandhara, i.e., the gamester (Sakuni), and Salya, and Bhurisrava. Then commenced, the battle, fierce, and making the hairs stand on their ends, between thy warriors and those of the foe. And both sides fought, making death itself the goal.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 33

 

1 [s]
      samare 'tyugra karmāṇaḥ karmabhir vyañjita śramāḥ
      sa kṛṣṇāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ pañca devair api durāsadāḥ
  2 sattvakarmānvayair buddhyā prakṛtyā yaśasā śriyā
      naiva bhūto na bhavitā kṛṣṇa tulyaguṇaḥ pumān
  3 satyadharmaparo dātā vipra pūjādibhir guṇaiḥ
      sadaiva tridivaṃ prāpto rājā kila yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
  4 yugānte cāntako rājañ jāmadagnyaś ca vīryavān
      raṇastho bhīmasenaś ca kathyante sadṛśās trayaḥ
  5 pratijñā karma dakṣasya raṇe gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ
      upamāṃ nādhigacchāmi pārthasya sadṛśīṃ kṣitau
  6 guru vātsalyam atyantaṃ naibhṛtyaṃ vinayo damaḥ
      nakule 'prātirūpyaṃ ca śaulyaṃ ca niyatāni ṣaṭ
  7 śrutagāmbhīryamādhuryasattvavīryaparākramaiḥ
      sadṛśo devayor vīraḥ sahadevaḥ kilāśvinoḥ
  8 ye ca kṛṣṇe guṇāḥ sphītāḥ pāṇḍaveṣu ca ye guṇāḥ
      abhimanyau kilaikasthā dṛśyante guṇasaṃcayāḥ
  9 yudhiṣṭhirasya dhairyeṇa kṛṣṇasya caritena ca
      karmabhir bhīmasenasya sadṛśo bhīmakarmaṇaḥ
  10 dhanaṃjayasya rūpeṇa vikrameṇa śrutena ca
     vinayāt sahadevasya sadṛśo nakulasya ca
 11 [dhṛ]
     abhimanyum ahaṃ sūta saubhadram aparājitam
     śrotum icchāmi kārtsnyena katham āyodhane hataḥ
 12 [s]
     cakravyūho mahārāja ācāryeṇābhikalpitaḥ
     tatra śakropamāḥ sarve rājāno viniveśitāḥ
 13 saṃghāto rājaputrāṇāṃ sarveṣām abhavat tadā
     kṛtābhisamayāḥ sarve suvarṇavikṛtadhvajāḥ
 14 raktāmbaradharāḥ sarve sarve raktavibhūṣaṇāḥ
     sarve raktapatākāś ca sarve vai hemamālinaḥ
 15 teṣāṃ daśasahasrāṇi babhūvur dṛḍhadhanvinām
     pautraṃ tava puraskṛtya lakṣmaṇaṃ priyadarśanam
 16 anyonyasamaduḥkhās te anyonyasamasāhasāḥ
     anyonyaṃ spardhamānāś ca anyonyasya hite ratāḥ
 17 karṇa duḥśāsana kṛpair vṛto rājā mahārathaiḥ
     devarājopamaḥ śrīmāñ śvetac chatrābhisaṃvṛtaḥ
     cāmaravyajanākṣepair udayann iva bhāskaraḥ
 18 pramukhe tasya sainyasya droṇo 'vasthita nāyake
     sindhurājas tathātiṣṭhac chrīmān merur ivācalaḥ
 19 sindhurājasya pārśvasthā aśvathāma purogamāḥ
     sutās tava mahārāja triṃśat tridaśasaṃnibhāḥ
 20 gāndhārarājaḥ kitavaḥ śalyo bhūriśravās tathā
     pārśvataḥ sindhurājasya vyarājanta mahārathāḥ

SECTION XXXIII

"Sanjaya said, 'The Parthas then, headed by Bhimasena, approached that invincible array protected by Bharadwaja's son. And Satyaki, and Chekitana, and Dhrishtadyumna. the son of Prishata, and Kuntibhoja of great prowess, and the mighty car-warrior Drupada. and Arjuna's son (Abhimanyu), and Kshatradharman, and the valiant Vrihatkshatra, and Dhrishtaketu, the ruler of the Chedis, and the twin sons of Madri, (viz., Nakula and Sahadeva), and Ghatotkacha, and the powerful Yudhamanyu and the unvanquished Sikhandin, and the irresistible Uttamaujas and the mighty car-warrior Virata, and the five sons of Draupadi,--these all excited with wrath, and the valiant son of Sisupala, and the Kaikeyas of mighty energy, and the Srinjayas by thousands,--these and others, accomplished in weapons and difficult of being resisted in battle, suddenly rushed, at the head of their respective followers, against Bharadwaja's son, from a desire
p. 80
of battle. The valiant son of Bharadwaja, however, fearlessly checked all those warriors, as soon as they came near, with a thick shower of arrows. Like a mighty wave of waters coming against an impenetrable hill, or the surging sea itself approaching its bank, those warriors were pushed back by Drona. And the Pandavas, O king, afflicted by the shafts shot from Drona's bow, were unable to stay before him. And the strength of Drona's arms that we saw was wonderful in the extreme, inasmuch as the Panchalas and the Srinjayas failed to approach him. Beholding Drona advancing in rage. Yudhishthira thought of diverse means for checking his progress. At last, regarding Drona incapable of being resisted by any one else, Yudhishthira placed that heavy and unbearable burden on the son of Subhadra. Addressing Abhimanyu, that slayer of hostile heroes, who was not inferior to Vasudeva himself and whose energy was superior to that of Arjuna, the king said, 'O child, act in such a way that Arjuna, returning (from the Samsaptakas), may not reprove us. We do not know how to break the circular array. Thyself, or Arjuna or Krishna, or Pradyumna, can pierce that array. O mighty-armed one, no fifth person can be found (to achieve that teat). O child, it behoveth thee, O Abhimanyu, to grant the boon that thy sires, thy maternal uncles, and all these troops ask of thee. Taking up thy arms quickly, destroy this array of Drona, else Arjuna, returning from the fight, will reprove us all.'
"Abhimanyu said, 'Desiring victory to my sires, soon shall I in battle penetrate into that firm, fierce and foremost of arrays formed by Drona. I have been taught by my father the method of (penetrating and) smiting this kind of array. I shall not be able, however, to come out if any kind of danger overtakes me.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Break this array once, O foremost of warriors, and make a passage for us. All of us will follow thee in the track by which thou wilt go. In battle, thou art equal to Dhananjaya himself. Seeing thee enter, we shall follow thee, protecting thee on all sides.'
"Bhima said, 'I myself will follow thee, and Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki, and the Panchalas, and the Prabhadrakas. After the array once is broken by thee, will enter it repeatedly and slay the foremost warriors within it.'
"Abhimanyu said, 'I will penetrate into this invincible array of Drona, like an insect filled with rage entering a blazing fire. Today, I will do that which will be beneficial to both races (viz., my sire's and my mother's). I will do that which will please my maternal uncle as also my mother. Today all creatures will behold large bodies of hostile soldiers continually slaughtered by myself, an unaided child. If anybody, encountering me, escapes today with life, I shall not then regard myself begotten by Partha and born of Subhadra. If on a single car I cannot in battle cut off the whole Kshatriya race into eight fragments, I will not regard myself the son of Arjuna.' 1
p. 81
"Yudhishthira said, 'Since protected by these tigers among men, these great bowmen endued with fierce might, these warriors that resemble the Sadhyas, the Rudras, or the Maruts, or are like the Vasus, or Agni or Aditya himself in prowess, thou venturest to pierce the invincible array of Drona, and since thou speakest so, let thy strength, O son of Subhadra be increased.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of Yudhishthira, Abhimanyu ordered his charioteer, Sumitra, saying, Quickly urge the steeds towards Drona's army.'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 34

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tad anīkam anādhṛṣyaṃ bhāradvājena rakṣitam
      pārthāḥ samabhyavartanta bhīmasenapurogamāḥ
  2 sātyakiś cekitānaś ca dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ
      kuntibhojaś ca vikrānto drupadaś ca mahārathaḥ
  3 ārjuniḥ kṣatradharmā ca bṛhat kṣatraś ca vīryavān
      cedipo dhṛṣṭaketuś ca mādrīputrau ghaṭotkacaḥ
  4 yudhāmanyuś ca vikrāntaḥ śikhaṇḍī cāparājitaḥ
      uttamaujāś ca durdharṣo virāṭaś ca mahārathaḥ
  5 draupadeyāś ca saṃrabdhāḥ śaiśupāliś ca vīryavān
      kekayāś ca mahāvīryāḥ sṛñjayāś ca sahasraśaḥ
  6 ete cānye ca sagaṇāḥ kṛtāstrā yuddhadurmadāḥ
      samabhyadhāvan sahasā bhāradvājaṃ yuyutsavaḥ
  7 samavetāṃs tu tān sarvān bhāradvājo 'pi vīryavān
      asaṃbhrāntaḥ śaraugheṇa mahatā samavārayat
  8 mahaughāḥ salilasyeva girim āsādya durbhidam
      droṇaṃ te nābhyavartanta velām iva jalāśayāḥ
  9 pīḍyamānāḥ śarai rājan droṇa cāpaviniḥsṛtaiḥ
      na śekuḥ pramuhe sthātuṃ bhāradvājasya pāṇḍavāḥ
  10 tad adbhutam apaśyāma droṇasya bhujayor balam
     yad enaṃ nābhyavartanta pāñcālāḥ sṛñjayaiḥ saha
 11 tam āyāntam abhikruddhaṃ droṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     bahudhā cintayām āsa droṇasya prativāraṇam
 12 aśakyaṃ tu tam anyena droṇaṃ matvā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     aviṣahya guruṃ bhāraṃ saubhadre samavāsṛjat
 13 vāsudevād anavaraṃ phalgunāc cāmitaujasam
     abravīt paravīraghnam abhimanyum idaṃ vacaḥ
 14 etya no nārjuno garhed yathā tāta tathā kuru
     cakravyūhasya na vayaṃ vidma bhedaṃ kathaṃ cana
 15 tvaṃ vārjuno vā kṛṣṇo vā bhindyāt pradyumna eva vā
     cakravyūhaṃ mahābāho pañcamo 'nyo na vidyate
 16 abhimanyo varaṃ tāta yācatāṃ dātum arhasi
     pitṝṇāṃ mātulānāṃ ca sainyānāṃ caiva sarvaśaḥ
 17 dhanaṃjayo hi nas tāta garhayed etya saṃyugāt
     kṣipram astraṃ samādāya droṇānīkaṃ viśātaya
 18 [abhi]
     droṇasya dṛḍham avyagram anīka pravaraṃ yudhi
     pitṝṇāṃ jayam ākāṅkṣann avagāhe bhinadmi ca
 19 upadiṣṭo hi me pitrā yogo 'nīkasya bhedane
     notsahe tu vinirgantum ahaṃ kasyāṃ cid āpadi
 20 [y]
     bhindhy anīkaṃ yudhā śreṣṭha dvāraṃ saṃjanayasva naḥ
     vayaṃ tvānugamiṣyāmo yena tvaṃ tāta yāsyasi
 21 dhanaṃjaya samaṃ yuddhe tvāṃ vayaṃ tāta saṃyuge
     praṇidhāyānuyāsyāmo rakṣantaḥ sarvato mukhāḥ
 22 [bhm]
     ahaṃ tvānugamiṣyāmi dhṛṣṭadyumno 'tha sātyakiḥ
     pāñcālāḥ kekayā matsyās tathā sarve prabhadrakāḥ
 23 sakṛd bhinnaṃ tvayā vyūhaṃ tatra tatra punaḥ punaḥ
     vayaṃ pradhvaṃsayiṣyāmo nighnamānā varān varān
 24 [abhi]
     aham etat pravekṣyāmi droṇānīkaṃ durāsadam
     pataṃga iva saṃkruddho jvalitaṃ jātavedasam
 25 tat karmādya kariṣyāmi hitaṃ yad vaṃśayor dvayoḥ
     mātulasya ca yā prītir bhaviṣyati pituś ca me
 26 śiśunaikena saṃgrāme kālyamānāni saṃghaśaḥ
     adya drakṣyanti bhūtāni dviṣat sainyāni vai mayā
 27 [y]
     evaṃ te bhāṣamāṇasya balaṃ saubhadra vardhatām
     yas tvam utsahase bhettuṃ droṇānīkaṃ sudurbhidam
 28 rakṣitaṃ puruṣavyāghrair maheṣvāsaiḥ prahāribhiḥ
     sādhya rudra marut kalpair vasv agnyādityavikramaiḥ
 29 [s]
     tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā sa yantāram acodayat
     sumitr aśvān raṇe kṣipraṃ droṇānīkāya codaya

 

SECTION XXXIV

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing these words of the intelligent Yudhishthira, the son of Subhadra, O Bharata, urged his charioteer towards Drona's array. The charioteer, urged by him with the words, 'Proceed, Proceed,' replied unto Abhimanyu, O king, in these words, 'O thou that art blest with length of days, heavy is the burthen that hath been placed upon thee by the Pandavas! Ascertaining by thy judgment as to whether thou art able to bear it or not, thou shouldst then engage in battle. The preceptor Drona is a master of superior weapons and accomplished (in battle). Thou, however, hast been brought up in great luxury and art unused to battle.'
"Hearing these words, Abhimanyu replied unto his charioteer, saying with a laugh, 'O charioteer, who is this Drona? What, again, is this vast assemblage of Kshatriyas? Sakra himself on his Airavata and aided by all the celestials, I would encounter in battle. I do not feel the slightest anxiety about all these Kshatriyas today. This hostile army doth not come up to even a sixteen part of myself. O son of a Suta, getting my maternal uncle Vishnu himself, the conqueror of the universe or my sire, Arjuna, as an antagonist in battle, fear would not enter my heart.' Abhimanyu then, thus disregarding those words of the charioteer, urged the latter, saying, 'Go with speed towards the army of Drona.' Thus commanded, the charioteer, with a heart scarcely cheerful, urged Abhimanyu's three-year old steeds, decked with golden trappings. Those coursers, urged by Sumitra towards Drona's army, rushed towards Drona himself, O king, with great speed and prowess. Beholding him coming (towards them) in that way, al! the Kauravas, headed by Drona, advanced against him, as, indeed, the Pandavas followed him behind. Then Arjuna's son, superior to Arjuna's self eased in golden mail and owning an excellent standard that bore the device of a Karnikara tree, fearlessly encountered, from desire of battle, warriors headed by Drona, like a lion-cub assailing a herd of elephants. Those warriors then, filled with joy,
p. 82
began to strike Abhimanyu while he endeavoured to pierce their array. And for a moment an agitation took place there, like to the eddy that is seen in the ocean where the current of the Ganga mingles with it. The battle, O king, that commenced there, between those struggling heroes striking one another, became fierce and terrible. And during the progress of that awful battle, Arjuna's son, in the very sight of Drona, breaking that array, penetrated into it. Then large bodies of elephants and steeds and cars and infantry, filled with joy, encompassed that mighty warrior after he had thus penetrated into the midst of the foe, and commenced to smite him. [Causing the earth to resound] with noise of diverse musical instruments, with shouts and slaps of arm-pits and roars, with yells and leonine shouts, with exclamations of 'Wait, Wait,' with fierce confused voices with cries of, 'Do not go, Wait, Come to me', with repeated exclamations of, 'This one, It is I, The foe,' with grunt of elephants, with the tinkling of bells and ornaments, with bursts of laughter, and the clatter of horse-hoofs and car-wheels, the (Kaurava) warriors rushed at the son of Arjuna. That mighty hero, however, endued with great lightness of hands and having a knowledge of the vital parts of the body, quickly shooting weapons capable of penetrating into the very vitals, stew those advancing warriors. Slaughtered by means of sharp shafts of diverse kinds, those warriors became perfectly helpless, and like insects falling upon a blazing fire, they continued to fall upon Abhimanyu on the field of battle. And Abhimanyu strewed the earth with their bodies and diverse limbs of their bodies like priests strewing the altar at a sacrifice with blades of Kusa grass. And Arjuna's son cut off by thousands the arms of those warriors. And some of these were eased in corslets made of iguana skin and some held bows and shafts, and some held swords or shields or iron hooks and reins; and some, lances of battle axes. And some held maces or iron balls or spears and some, rapiers and crow-bars and axes. And some grasped short arrows, or spiked maces, or darts, or Kampanas. And some had goads and prodigious conchs; and some bearded darts and Kachagrahas. And some had mallets and some other kinds of missiles. And some had nooses, and some heavy clubs, and some brickbats. And all those arms were decked with armlets and laved with delightful perfumes and unguents. And with those arms dyed with gore and looking bright the field of battle became beautiful, as if strewn, O sire, with five-headed snakes slain by Garuda. And Phalguni's son also scattered over the field of battle countless heads of foes, heads graced with beautiful noses and faces and locks, without pimples, and adorned with ear-rings. Blood flowed from those heads copiously, and the nether-lips in all were bit with wrath. Adorned with beautiful garlands and crowns and turbans and pearls and gems, and possessed of splendour equal to that of the sun or the moon, they seemed to be like lotuses severed from their stalks. Fragrant with many perfumes, while life was in them, they could speak words both agreeable and beneficial. Diverse cars,
p. 83
well-equipped, and looking like the vapoury edifices in the welkin, with shafts in front and excellent bamboo poles and looking beautiful with the standards set up on them, were deprived of their Janghas, and Kuvaras, and Nemis, and Dasanas, and wheels, and standards and terraces. And the utensils of war in them were all broken. 1 And the rich clothes with which they were overlaid, were blown away, and the warriors on them were slain by thousands. Mangling everything before him with his shafts, Abhimanyu was seen coursing on all sides. With his keen-edged weapons, he cut into pieces elephant-warriors, and elephants with standards and hooks and banners, and quivers and coats of mail, and girths and neck-ropes and blankets, and bells and trunks and tusks as also the foot-soldiers that protected those elephants from behind. And many steeds of the Vanayu, the hilly, the Kamvoja, and the Valhika breeds, with tails and ears and eyes motionless and fixed, possessed of great speed, well-trained, and ridden by accomplished warriors armed with swords and lances, were seen to be deprived of the excellent ornaments on their beautiful tails. And many lay with tongues lolling out and eyes detached from their sockets, and entrails and livers drawn out. And the riders on their backs lay lifeless by their sides. And the rows of bells that adorned them were all torn. Strewn over the field thus, they caused great delight to Rakshasas and beasts of prey. With coats of mail and other leathern armour (casing their limbs) cut open, they weltered in excreta ejected by themselves. Thus slaying many foremost of steeds of thy army, Abhimanyu looked resplendent. Alone achieving the most difficult feat, like the inconceivable Vibhu himself in days of old, Abhimanyu crushed thy vast host of three kinds of forces (cars, elephants, and steeds), like the three-eyed (Mahadeva) of immeasurable energy crushing the terrible Asura host. Indeed, Arjuna's son, having achieved in battle feats incapable of being borne by his foes, everywhere mangled large divisions of foot-soldiers belonging to thy army. Beholding then thy host extensively slaughtered by Subhadra's son single-handed with his whetted shafts like the Asura host by Skanda (the celestial generalissimo), thy warriors and thy sons cast vacant looks on all sides. Their mouths became dry; their eyes became restless; their bodies were covered with sweat; and their hairs stood on their ends. Hopeless of vanquishing their foe, they set their hearts on flying away from the field. Desirous of saving their lives, called one another by their names and the names of their families, and abandoning their wounded sons and sires and brothers and kinsmen and relatives by marriage lying around on the field, they endeavoured to fly away, urging their steeds and elephants (to their utmost speed).'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 35

 

 

1 [s]
      saubhadras tu vacaḥ śrutvā dharmarājasya dhīmataḥ
      acodayata yantāraṃ droṇānīkāya bhārata
  2 tena saṃcodyamānas tu yāhi yāhīti sārathiḥ
      pratyuvāca tato rājann abhimanyum idaṃ vacaḥ
  3 atibhāro 'yam āyuṣmann āhitas tvayi pāṇḍavaiḥ
      saṃpradhārya kṣamaṃ buddhyā tatas tvaṃ yoddhum arhasi
  4 ācārya hi kṛtī droṇaḥ paramāstre kṛtaśramaḥ
      atyantasukhasaṃvṛddhas tvaṃ ca yuddhaviśāradaḥ
  5 tato 'bhimanyuḥ prahasan sārathiṃ vākyam abravīt
      sārathe ko nv ayaṃ droṇaḥ samagraṃ kṣatram eva vā
  6 airāvata gataṃ śakraṃ sahāmara gaṇair aham
      yodhayeyaṃ raṇamukhe na me kṣatre 'dya vismayaḥ
      na mamaitad dviṣat sainyaṃ kalām arhati ṣoḍaśīm
  7 api viśvajitaṃ viṣṇuṃ mātulaṃ prāpya sūtaja
      pitaraṃ cārjunaṃ saṃkhye na bhīr mām upayāsyati
  8 tato 'bhimanyus tāṃ vācaṃ kadarthī kṛtyasāratheḥ
      yāhīty evābravīd enaṃ droṇānīkāya māciram
  9 tataḥ saṃcodayām āsa hayān asya trihāyanān
      nātihṛṣṭta manāḥ sūto hemabhāṇḍa paricchadān
  10 te preṣitāḥ sumitreṇa droṇānīkāya vājinaḥ
     droṇam abhyadravan rājan mahāvegaparākramāḥ
 11 tam udīkṣya tathā yānaṃ sarve droṇa purogamāḥ
     abhyavartanta kauravyāḥ pāṇḍavāś ca tam anvayuḥ
 12 sa karṇikārapravarocchritadhvajaḥ; suvarṇavarmārjunir arjunād varaḥ
     yuyutsayā droṇa mukhān mahārathān; samāsadat siṃhaśiśur yathā gajān
 13 te viṃśatipade yattāḥ saṃprahāraṃ pracakrire
     āsīd gāṅga ivāvarto muhūrtam udadher iva
 14 śūrāṇāṃ yudhyamānānāṃ nighnatām itaretaram
     saṃgrāmas tumulo rājan prāvartata sudāruṇaḥ
 15 pravartamāne saṃgrāme tasminn atibhayaṃ kare
     droṇasya miṣato vyūhaṃ bhittvā prāviśad ārjuniḥ
 16 taṃ praviṣṭaṃ parān ghnantaṃ śatrumadhye mahābalam
     hastyaśvarathapattyaughāḥ parivavrur udāyudhāḥ
 17 nānā vāditraninadaiḥ kṣveḍitotkruṣṭa garjitaiḥ
     huṃkāraiḥ siṃhanādaiś ca tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti nisvanaiḥ
 18 ghorair halahalāśabdair mā gās tiṣṭhaihi mām iti
     asāv aham amutreti pravadanto muhur muhuḥ
 19 bṛṃhitaiḥ śiñjitair hāsaiḥ khuranemisvanair api
     saṃnādayanto vasudhām abhidudruvur ārjunim
 20 teṣām āpatatāṃ vīraḥ pūrvaṃ śīghram atho dṛḍham
     kṣiprāstro nyavadhīd vrātān marmajño marmabhedibhiḥ
 21 te hanyamānāś ca tathā nānā liṅgaiḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     abhipetus tam evājau śalabhā iva pāvakam
 22 tatas teṣāṃ śarīraiś ca śarīrāvayavaiś ca saḥ
     saṃtastāra kṣitiṃ kṣipraṃ kuśair vedim ivādhvare
 23 baddhagodhāṅgulitrāṇān sa śarāvara kārmukān
     sāsi carmāṅkuśābhīśūn sa tomaraparaśvadhān
 24 sa guḍāyo mukhaprāsān sarṣṭi tomarapaṭṭiśān
     sa bhiṇḍipāla parighān sa śaktivarakampanān
 25 sa pratodamahāśaṅkhān sa kuntān sa kaca grahān
     sa mudgarakṣepaṇīyān sa pāśaparighopalān
 26 sa keyūrāṅgadān bāhūn hṛdya gandhānulepanān
     saṃcicchedārjunir vṛttāṃs tvadīyānāṃ sahasraśaḥ
 27 taiḥ sphuradbhir mahārāja śuśubhe lohitokṣitaiḥ
     pañcāsyaiḥ pannagaiś chinnair garuḍeneva māriṣa
 28 sunāsānana keśāntair avraṇaiś cārukuṇḍalaiḥ
     saṃdaṣṭauṣṭha puṭaiḥ krodhāt kṣaradbhiḥ śoṇitaṃ bahu
 29 cārusraṅmukuṭoṣṇīṣair maṇiratnavirājitaiḥ
     vināla nalinākārair divākaraśaśiprabhaiḥ
 30 hitapriyaṃvadaiḥ kāle bahubhiḥ puṇyagandhibhiḥ
     dviṣac chirobhiḥ pṛthivīm avatastāra phālguṇiḥ
 31 gandharvanagarākārān vidhivat kalpitān rathān
     vīṣā mukhān vitriveṇūn vyastadaṇḍakabandhurān
 32 vijaṅgha kūbarākṣāṃś ca vinemīnanarān api
     vicakropaskaropasthān bhagnopakaraṇān api
 33 praśātitopakaraṇān hatayodhān sahasraśaḥ
     śarair viśakalīkurvan dikṣu sarvāsv adṛśyata
 34 punar dvipān dvipārohān vaijayanty aṅkuśa dhvajān
     tūṇān varmāṇy atho kakṣyāgraiveyān atha kambalān
 35 ghaṇṭāḥ śuṇḍān viṣāṇāgrān kṣura pālān padānugān
     śarair niśitadhārāgraiḥ śātravāṇām aśātayat
 36 vanāyujān pārvatīyān kāmbojāraṭṭa bāhlikān
     sthiravāladhi karṇākṣāñ janavān sādhu vāhinaḥ
 37 svārūḍhāñ śikhitair yodhaiḥ śaktyṛṣṭi prāsayodhibhiḥ
     vidhvastacāmara kuthān viprakīrṇaprakīrṇakān
 38 nirastajihvā nayanān niṣkīrṇān trayakṛd dhanān
     hatārohān bhinnabhāṇḍān kravyādagaṇamodanān
 39 nikṛttavarma kavacāñ śakṛn mūtrāsṛg āplutān
     nipātayann aśvavarāṃs tāvakān so 'bhyarocata
 40 eko viṣṇur ivācintyaḥ kṛtvā prāk karma duṣkaram
     tathā vimathitaṃ tena tryaṅgaṃ tava balaṃ mahat
     vyahanat sa padātyoghāṃs tvadīyān eva bhārata
 41 evam ekena tāṃ senāṃ saubhadreṇa śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     bhṛśaṃ viprahatāṃ dṛṣṭvāskandenevāsurīṃ camūm
 42 tvadīyās tava putrāś ca vīkṣamāṇā diśo daśa
     saṃśuṣkāsyāś calan netrāḥ prasvinnā lomaharṣaṇāḥ
 43 palāyanakṛtotsāhā nirutsāhā dviṣaj jave
     gotra nāmabhir anyonyaṃ krandantau jīvitaiṣiṇaḥ
 44 hatān putrāṃs tathā pitṝn suhṛt saṃbandhibāndhavān
     prātiṣṭhanta samutsṛjya tvarayanto hayadvipān

 

 

SECTION XXXV

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding his army routed by Subhadra's son of immeasurable energy, Duryodhana, filled with rage, himself proceeded against the former. Seeing the king turn back towards Subhadra's son in battle, Drona, addressing all the (Kaurava) warriors, said, 'Rescue the king. 1 Before us, in our very sight, the valiant Abhimanyu is slaying all he aims at. Rush ye, therefore, speedily against him, without fear and protect the Kuru king.' Then many grateful and mighty warriors, having Duryodhana's good at heart, and always graced with victory, inspired with fear, surrounded thy son. And Drona, and Drona's son, and Kripa and Karna and Kritavarman and Suvala's son, Vrihadvala, and the ruler of the Madras, and Bhuri, and Bhurisravas, and Sala, and Paurava and Vrishasena, shooting sharp shafts, checked Subhadra's son by means of those arrowy showers. Confounding him with those showers of shafts, they rescued Duryodhana. The son of Arjuna, however, brooked not that act of snatching a morsel from his mouth. Covering those mighty car-warriors, their charioteers, and steeds with thick showers of arrows and causing them to turn back, the son of Subhadra uttered a leonine roar. Hearing that roar of his, resembling that of a lion hungering after prey, these angry car-warriors, headed by Drona, brooked it not. Encompassing him on all sides, O sire, with a large body of cars they shot at him showers of diverse kinds of arrows. The grandson, however, cut them off in the welkin (before any of them could reach him) by means of sharp shafts, and then pierced all of them with his shafts. That feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful. Provoked by him thus by means of those shafts of his that resembled snakes of virulent poison, they surrounded that unretreating son of Subhadra, desirous of slaying him. That sea of (Kaurava) troops, however, O bull of Bharata's race, the son of Arjuna singly held in check by means of his shafts, like the continent resisting the surging ocean. And among those heroes thus fighting with and striking one another, viz., Abhimanyu and his man on one side and all those warriors together on the other, none turned back from the field. In that dreadful and fierce battle, Duhsaha pierced Abhimanyu with nine shafts. And Duhsasana pierced him with a dozen; and Saradwata's son Kripa, with three. And Drona pierced him with seventeen shafts, each resembling a snake of virulent poison. And Vivinsati, pierced him with seventy shafts, and Kritavarman with seven. And Vrihadvala pierced him with eight, and Aswatthaman with seven shafts. And Bhurisrava pierced him with three shafts and the ruler of the Madras with six. And Sakuni pierced him with two, and king Duryodhana with three shafts. The valiant Abhimanyu, however, O king, seemingly dancing on his car, pierced each of those warriors in return with three shafts. Then Abhimanyu, filled with rage in consequence
p. 85
of thy sons' endeavouring to frighten him thus, displayed the wonderful strength he had acquired from culture and practice. Borne by his well-broken steeds, endued with the speed of Garuda or the Wind, and thoroughly obedient to the behests of him who held their reins, he quickly checked the heir of Asmaka. Staying before him, the handsome son of Asmaka, endued with great might, pierced him with ten shafts and addressing him, said, 'Wait, Wait.' Abhimanyu then, with ten shafts, cut off the former's steeds and charioteer and standard and two arms and bow and head, and caused them to fall down on the earth, smiling the while. After the heroic ruler of the Asmakas had thus been slain by the son of Subhadra, the whole of his force wavered and began to fly away from the field. Then Karna and Kripa, and Drona and Drona's son, and the ruler of the Gandharas, and Sala and Salya, and Bhurisravas and Kratha, and Somadatta, and Vivinsati, and Vrishasena, and Sushena, and Kundavedhin, and Pratardana, and Vrindaraka and Lalithya, and Pravahu, and Drighalochana, and angry Duryodhana, showered their arrows upon him. Then Abhimanyu, excessively pierced by those great bowmen with their straight shafts, shot shafts at Karna which was capable of piercing through every armour and body. That shaft, piercing through Karna's coat of mail and then his body, entered the earth like a snake piercing through an anthill. Deeply pierced, Karna felt great pain and became perfectly helpless. Indeed, Karna began to tremble in that battle like a hill during an earthquake. Then with three other shafts of great sharpness, the mighty son of Arjuna, excited with rage, slew those three warriors, viz., Sushena, Drighalochana, and Kundavedhin. Meanwhile, Karna (recovering from the shock) pierced Abhimanyu with five and twenty shafts. And Aswatthaman struck him with twenty, and Kritavarman with seven. Covered all over with arrows, that son of Sakra's son, filled with rage, careered over the field. And he was regarded by all the troops as Yama's self armed with the noose. He then scattered over Salya, who happened to be near him thick showers of arrows. That mighty-armed warrior then uttered loud shouts, frightening thy troops therewith. Meanwhile, Salya, pierced by Abhimanyu accomplished in weapons, with straight shafts penetrating into his very vitals, sat down on the terrace of his car and fainted away. Beholding Salya thus pierced by the celebrated son of Subhadra, all the troops fled away in the very sight of Bharadwaja's son. Seeing that mighty-armed warrior, viz., Salya, thus covered with shafts of golden wings, thy army fled away like a head of deer attacked by a lion. And Abhimanyu glorified by the Pitris, the gods, and Charanas, and Siddhas, as also by diverse classes of creatures on the earth, with praises about (his heroism and skill in) battle, looked resplendent like a sacrificial fire fed with clarified butter.'"

 

Book 7
Chapter 36

 

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tāṃ prabhagnāṃ camūṃ dṛṣṭvā saubhadreṇāmitaujasā
      duryodhano bhṛśaṃ kruddhaḥ svayaṃ saubhadram abhyayāt
  2 tato rājānam āvṛttaṃ saubhadraṃ prati saṃyuge
      dṛṣṭvā droṇo 'bravīd yodhān paryāpnuta narādhipam
  3 purābhimanyur lakṣyaṃ naḥ paśyatāṃ hanti vīryavān
      tam ādravata mā bhaiṣṭa kṣipraṃ rakṣata kauravam
  4 tataḥ kṛtajñā balinaḥ suhṛdo jitakāśinaḥ
      trāsyamānā bhayād vīraṃ parivavrus tavātmajam
  5 dromo drauṇiḥ kṛpaḥ karṇaḥ kṛtavarmā ca saubalaḥ
      bṛhadbalo madrarājo bhūrir bhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ
  6 pauravo vṛṣasenaś ca visṛjantaḥ śitāñ śarān
      saubhradraṃ śaravarṣeṇa mahatā samavākiran
  7 saṃmohayitvā tam atha duryodhanam amocayan
      āsyād grāsam ivākṣiptam amṛṣe nārjunātmajaḥ
  8 tāñ śaraugheṇa mahatā sāśvasūtān mahārathān
      vimukhīkṛtya saubhadraḥ siṃhanādam athānadat
  9 tasya nādaṃ tataḥ śrutvā siṃhasyevāmiṣaiṣiṇaḥ
      nāmṛṣyanta susaṃrabdhāḥ punar droṇa mukhā rathāḥ
  10 ta enaṃ koṣṭhakī kṛtyarathavaṃśena māriṣa
     vyasṛjann iṣujālāni nānā liṅgāni saṃghaśaḥ
 11 tāny antarikṣe ciccheda pautras tava śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     tāṃś caiva prativivyādha tad adbhutam ivābhavat
 12 tatas te kopitās tena śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ
     parivavrur jighāṃsantaḥ saubhadram apalāyinam
 13 samudram iva paryastaṃ tvadīyaṃ tad balārṇavam
     abhimanyur dadhāraiko veleva makarālayam
 14 śūrāṇāṃ yudhyamānānāṃ nighnatām itaretaram
     abhimanyoḥ pareṣāṃ ca nāsīt kaś cit parāṅmukhaḥ
 15 tasmiṃs tu ghore saṃgrāme vartamāne bhayaṃkare
     duḥsaho navabhir bāṇair abhimanyum avidhyata
 16 duḥśāsano dvādaśabhiḥ kṛpaḥ śāradvatas tribhiḥ
     droṇas tu sapta daśabhiḥ śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ
 17 viviṃśatis tu viṃśatyā kṛtavarmā ca saptabhiḥ
     bṛhadbalas tathāṣṭābhir aśvatthāmā ca saptabhiḥ
 18 bhūriśravās tribhir bāṇair madreśaḥ ṣaḍbhir āśugaiḥ
     dvābhyāṃ śarābhyāṃ śakunis tribhir duryodhano nṛpaḥ
 19 sa tu tān prativivyādha tribhis tribhir ajihmagaiḥ
     nṛtyann iva mahārāja cāpahastaḥ pratāpavān
 20 tato 'bhimanyuḥ saṃkruddhas tāpyamānas tavātmajaiḥ
     vidarśayan vai sumahac chikṣaurasa kṛtaṃ balam
 21 garuḍānilaraṃhobhir yantur vākyakarair hayaiḥ
     dāntair aśmaka dāyādaṃ tvaramāṇo 'bhyahārayat
     vivyādha cainaṃ daśabhir bāṇais tiṣṭheti cābravīt
 22 tasyābhimanyur daśabhir bāṇaiḥ sūtaṃ hayān dhvajam
     bāhū dhanuḥ śiraś corvyāṃ smayamāno 'bhyapātayat
 23 tatas tasmin hate vīre saubhadreṇāśmakeśvare
     saṃcacāla balaṃ sarvaṃ palāyanaparāyaṇam
 24 tataḥ karṇaḥ kṛpo droṇo drauṇir gāndhārarāṭ śalaḥ
     śalyo bhūriśravāḥ krāthaḥ somadatto viviṃśatiḥ
 25 vṛṣasenaḥ suṣeṇaś ca kuṇḍa bhedī pratardanaḥ
     vṛndārako lalitthaś ca prabāhur dīrghalocanaḥ
     duryodhanaś ca saṃkruddhaḥ śaravarṣair avākiran
 26 so 'tikruddho maheṣvāsair abhimanyur ajihmagaiḥ
     śaram ādatta karṇāya parakāyāvabhedanam
 27 tasya bhittvā tanutrāṇaṃ dehaṃ nirbhidya cāśugaḥ
     prāviśad dharaṇīṃ rājan valmīkam iva pannagaḥ
 28 sa tenātiprahāreṇa vyathito vihvalann iva
     saṃcacāla raṇe karṇaḥ kṣitikampe yathācalaḥ
 29 athānyair niśitair bāṇaiḥ suṣeṇaṃ dīrghalocanam
     kuṇḍa bhediṃ ca saṃkruddhas tribhis trīn avadhīd balī
 30 karṇas taṃ pañcaviṃśatyā nārācānāṃ samarpayat
     aśvatthāmā ca viṃśatyā kṛtavarmā ca saptabhiḥ
 31 sa śarārdita sarvāṅgaḥ kruddhaḥ śakrātmajātmajaḥ
     vicaran dṛśyate sainye pāśahasta ivāntakaḥ
 32 śalyaṃ ca bāṇavarṣeṇa samīpastham avākirat
     udakrośan mahābāhus tava sainyāni bhīṣayan
 33 tataḥ sa viddho 'stravidā marmabhidbhir ajihmagaiḥ
     śalyo rājan rathopasthe niṣasāda mumoha ca
 34 taṃ hi viddhaṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā saubhadreṇa yaśasvinā
     saṃprādravac camūḥ sarvā bhāradvājasya paśyataḥ
 35 prekṣantas taṃ mahābāhuṃ rukmapuṅkhaiḥ samāvṛtam
     tvadīyāś ca palāyante mṛgāḥ siṃhārditā iva
 36 sa tu raṇayaśasābhipūjyamānaḥ; pitṛsuracāraṇa siddhayakṣasaṃghaiḥ
     avani talagataiś ca bhūtasaṃghair; ativibabhau hutabhug yathājya siktaḥ

 

SECTION XXXVI

"Dhritarashtra said, 'While Arjuna's son was thus grinding, by means of his straight arrows, our foremost bowmen, what warriors of my army endeavoured to check him?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, of the splendid prowess in battle of youthful Abhimanyu while engaged in breaking the car-ranks (of the Kauravas), protected by the son of Bharadwaja himself.'
"Beholding the ruler of the Madras disabled in battle by Subhadra's son with his shafts, the younger brother of Salya, filled with wrath, advanced against Abhimanyu, scattering his shafts. Arjuna's son however. endued with great lightness of hand, cut off his antagonist's head and charioteer, his triple bamboo-pole, his bed (on the car), his car-wheels, his yoke, and shafts and quiver, and car-bottom, by means of his arrows, as also his banner and every other implements of battle with which his car was equipped. So quick were his movements that none could obtain a sight of his person. Deprived of life, that foremost and chief of all ornaments of battle fell down on the earth, like a huge hill uprooted by a mighty tempest. His followers then, struck with fear, fled away in all directions. Beholding that feat of the son of Arjuna, all creatures were highly gratified, and cheered him, O Bharata, with loud shouts of 'Excellent, Excellent!'
"After Salya's brother had thus been slain, many followers of his, loudly proclaiming their families, places of residence, and names, rushed against Arjuna's son, filled with rage and armed With diverse weapons. Some of them were on cars, some on steeds and some on elephants; and others advanced on foot. And all of them were endued with fierce might. And they rushed frightening the son of Arjuna with the loud whiz of their arrows, the deep roar of their car-wheels, their fierce whoops and shouts and cries, their leonine roars, the loud twang of their bow-string, and the slaps of their palms. And they said, 'Thou shalt not escape us with life today!' Hearing them say so, the son of Subhadra, smiling the while, pierced with his shafts those amongst them that had pierced him first. Displaying diverse weapons of beautiful look and of great celerity, the heroic son of Arjuna battled mildly with them. Those weapons that he had received from Vasudeva and those that he had received from Dhananjaya, Abhimanyu displayed in the very same way as Vasudeva and Dhananjaya. Disregarding the heavy burthen he had taken upon himself and casting off all fear, he repeatedly shot his arrows. No interval, again, could be noticed between his aiming and letting off an arrow. Only his trembling bow drawn to a circle could be seen on every side, looking like the blazing disc of the autumnal sun. And the twang of his bow, and the slap of his palms, O Bharata, were heard to resound like the roaring of clouds charged with thunder. Modest, wrathful, reverential to superiors, and exceedingly handsome, the son of Subhadra, out of regard for the
p. 87
hostile heroes, fought with them mildly. Commencing gently, O king, he gradually became fierce, like the illustrious maker of the day when autumn comes after the season of the rains is over. Like the Sun himself shedding his rays, Abhimanyu, filled with wrath, shot hundreds and thousands of whetted arrows, furnished with golden wings. In the very sight of Bharadwaja's son, that celebrated warrior covered the car-division of the Kaurava army with diverse kinds of arrows. 1 Thereupon, that army thus afflicted by Abhimanyu with his shafts, turned its back on the field.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 37

 

 

 

1 [dhṛ]
      tathā pramathamānaṃ taṃ maheṣvāsam ajihmagaiḥ
      ārjuniṃ māmakāḥ sarve ke tv enaṃ samavākiran
  2 [s]
      śṛṇu rājan kumārasya raṇe vikrīḍitaṃ mahat
      bibhitsayo rathānīkaṃ bhāradvājena rakṣitam
  3 madreśaṃ sāditaṃ dṛṣṭvā saubhādreṇāśugai raṇe
      śalyād avarajaḥ kruddhaḥ kiran bāṇān samabhyayāt
  4 sa viddhvā daśabhir bāṇaiḥ sāśvayantāram ārjunim
      udakrośan mahāśabdaṃ tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt
  5 tasyārjuniḥ śirogrīvaṃ pāṇipādaṃ dhanur hayān
      chatraṃ dhvajaṃ niyantāraṃ triveṇuṃ śamyu paskaram
  6 cakre yugeṣāṃ tūṇīrān anukarṣaṃ ca sāyakaiḥ
      patākāṃ cakragoptārau sarvopakaraṇāni ca
      vyadhamal lāghavāt tac ca dadṛśe nāsya kaś cana
  7 sa papāta kṣitau kṣīṇaḥ praviddhābharaṇāmbaraḥ
      vāyuneva mahācaityaḥ saṃbhagno 'mitatejasā
      anugāś cāsya vitrastāḥ prādravan sarvatodiśam
  8 ārjuneḥ karma tad dṛṣṭva praṇeduś ca samantataḥ
      nādena sarvabhūtāni sādhu sādhv iti bhārata
  9 śalya bhrātary athārugṇe bahuśas tasya sainikāḥ
      kulādhivāsanāmāni śrāvayanto 'rjunātmajam
  10 abhyavartanta saṃkruddhā vividhāyudhapāṇayaḥ
     rathair aśvair gajaiś cānye pādātaiś ca balotkaṭāḥ
 11 bāṇaśabdena mahatā khuranemisvanena ca
     huṃkāraiḥ kṣveḍitotkruṣṭaiḥ siṃhanādaiḥ sa garjitaiḥ
 12 jyātalatra svanair anye garjanto 'rjunanandanam
     bruvantaś ca na no jīvan mokṣyase jīvitām iti
 13 tāṃs tathā bruvato dṛṣṭvā saubhadraḥ prahasann iva
     yo yaḥ sma prāharat pūrvaṃ taṃ taṃ vivyādha patribhiḥ
 14 saṃdarśayiṣyann astrāṇi citrāṇi ca laghūni ca
     ārjuniḥ samare śūro mṛdupūrvam ayudhyata
 15 vāsudevād upāttaṃ yad yad astraṃ ca dhanaṃjayāt
     adarśayata tat kārṣṇiḥ kṛṣṇābhyām aviśeṣayan
 16 dūramāsyan guruṃ bhāraṃ sādhayaṃś ca punaḥ punaḥ
     saṃdadhad visṛjaṃś ceṣūn nirviśeṣam adṛśyata
 17 cāpamaṇḍalam evāsya visphurad dikṣv adṛśyata
     tamo ghnataḥ sudīptasya savitur maṇḍalaṃ yathā
 18 jyāśabdaḥ śuśruve tasya talaśabdaś ca dāruṇaḥ
     mahāśanimucaḥ kāle payodasyeva nisvanaḥ
 19 hrīmān amarṣī saubhadro mānakṛt priyadarśanaḥ
     saṃmināmayiṣur vīrān iṣvāsāṃś cāpy ayudhyata
 20 mṛdur bhūtvā mahārāja dāruṇaḥ samapadyata
     varṣābhyatīto bhagavāñ śaradīva divākaraḥ
 21 śarān vicitrān mahato rukmapuṅkhāñ śilāśitān
     mumoca śataśaḥ kruddho gabhastīn iva bhāskaraḥ
 22 kṣuraprair vatsadantaiś ca vipāṭhaiś ca mahāyaśāḥ
     nārācair dhananārācair bhallair ajñalikair api
 23 avākirad rathānīkaṃ bhāradvājasya paśyataḥ
     tatas tat sainyam abhavad vimukhaṃ śarapīḍitam

 

SECTION XXXVII

"Dhritarashtra said, 'My heart, O Sanjaya, is agitated with different emotions, viz., shame and gratification, upon hearing that Subhadra's son singly held in cheek the whole army of my son. O son of Gavalgana, ten me everything once more in detail about the encounter of youthful Abhimanyu, which seems to have been pretty like Skanda's encounter with the Asura host.'
"Sanjaya said, 'I will relate to thee that fearful encounter that fierce battle, as it took place between one and the many. Mounted upon his car, Abhimanyu, with great daring, showered his arrows on the warriors of thy army mounted on their cars, all of whom were chastisers of foes, endued with great courage. Careering with great speed like a circle of fire, he pierced Drona and Karna, and Kripa, and Salya and Drona's son, and Kritavarman of the Bhoja race, and Vrihadvala, and Duryodhana, and Somadatta, and mighty Sakuni, and diverse kings and diverse princes and diverse bodies of troops. While engaged in slaying his foes by means of superior weapons, the valiant son of Subhadra, endued with mighty energy, seemed, O Bharata, to be present everywhere. Beholding that conduct of Subhadra's son of immeasurable energy, thy troops trembled repeatedly. Seeing that warrior of great proficiency in battle, Bharadwaja's son of great wisdom, with eyes expanded in joy, quickly came towards Kripa, and addressing him said, as if crushing (by that speech of his) the very vitals of thy son, O Bharata, the following words, 'Yonder cometh the youthful son of Subhadra at the head of the Parthas, delighting all his friends, and king Yudhishthira, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, and all his kinsmen, and relatives by marriage, and all who are watching the battle as spectators
p. 88
without taking any part in it. I do not regard any bowman to be his equal in battle. If only he entertains the wish, he can slay this vast host. It seems, that for some reason or other, he doth not entertain that wish.' Hearing these words of Drona, so expressive of the gratification he felt, thy son, enraged with Abhimanyu, looked at Drona, faintly smiling the while. Indeed, Duryodhana said unto Karna and king Valhika and Duhsasana and the ruler of the Madras and the many other mighty car-warriors of his army, these words, 'The preceptor of the entire order of the Kshatriyas,--he that is the foremost of all conversant with Brahma, doth not, from stupefaction, wish to slay this son of Arjuna. None can, in battle, escape the preceptor with life, not even the Destroyer himself, if the latter advanceth against the preceptor as a foe. What, O friend, shall we say then of any mortal? I say this truly. This one is the son of Arjuna, and Arjuna is the preceptor's disciple. It is for this that the preceptor protecteth this youth. Disciples and sons and their sons are always dear to the virtuous people. Protected by Drona, the youthful son of Arjuna regardeth himself valourous. He is only a fool entertaining a high opinion of himself. Crush him, therefore, without delay.' Thus addressed by the Kuru king, those warriors, O monarch, excited with rage and desirous of slaying their foe, rushed, in the very sight of Drona at the son of Subhadra that daughter of the Satwata race. Duhsasana, in particular, that tiger among the Kurus, hearing those words of Duryodhana, answered the latter, saying, 'O monarch, I tell thee that even I will slay this one in the very sight of the Pandavas and before the eyes of the Panchalas. I shall certainly devour the son of Subhadra today, like Rahu swallowing Surya (sun).' And once more addressing the Kuru king loudly, Duhsasana said, 'Hearing that Subhadra's son hath been slain by me, the two Krishnas, who are exceedingly vain, will without doubt, go to the region of the departed spirits, leaving this world of men. Hearing then of the death of the two Krishnas, it is evident that the other sons born of Pandu's wives, with all their friends, will, in course of a single day, cast away their lives from despair. It is evident, therefore, that this one foe of thine being slain, all thy foes will be slain. Wish me well, O king, even I will slay this foe of thine.' Having said these words, O king, thy son Duhsasana, filled with rage and uttering a loud roar, rushed against the son of Subhadra and covered him with showers of arrows. Abhimanyu then, O chastiser of foes, received that son of thine thus advancing upon him wrathfully, with six and twenty arrows of sharp points. Duhsasana, however, filled with rage, and looking like an infuriated elephant, fought desperately with Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra in that battle. Both of them masters in car-fight, they fought on describing beautiful circles with their cars, one of them to the left and other to the right. The warriors then, with their Panavas and Mridangas and Dundubhis and Krakachas and great Anakas and Bheris and Jharjaras, caused a deafening noise mingled with leonine roars, such as arise from the great receptacle of salt waters!"
p. 89

Book 7
Chapter 38

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      dvaidhībhavati me cittaṃ hriyā tuṣṭyā ca saṃjaya
      mama putrasya yat sainyaṃ saubhadraḥ samavārayat
  2 vistareṇaiva me śaṃsa sarvaṃ gāvalgaṇe punaḥ
      vikrīḍitaṃ kumārasya skandasyevāsuraiḥ saha
  3 [s]
      hanta te saṃpravakṣyāmi vimardam atidāruṇam
      ekasya ca bahūnāṃ ca yathāsīt tumulo raṇaḥ
  4 abhimanyuḥ kṛtotsāhaḥ kṛtotsāhān ariṃdamān
      rathastho rathinaḥ sarvāṃs tāvakān apy aharṣayat
  5 droṇaṃ karṇaṃ kṛpaṃ śalyaṃ drauṇiṃ bhojaṃ bṛhadbalam
      duryodhanaṃ saumadattiṃ śakuniṃ ca mahābalam
  6 nānā nṛpān nṛpasutān sainyāni vividhāni ca
      alātacakravat sarvāṃś caran bāṇaiḥ samabhyayāt
  7 nighnann amitrān saubhadraḥ paramāstraḥ pratāpavān
      adarśayata tejasvī dikṣu sarvāsu bhārata
  8 tad dṛṣṭvā caritaṃ tasya saubhadrasyāmitaujasaḥ
      samakampanta sainyāni tvadīyāni punaḥ punaḥ
  9 athābravīn mahāprājño bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān
      harṣeṇotphulla nayanaḥ kṛpam ābhāṣya sa tvaram
  10 ghaṭṭayann iva marmāṇi tava putrasya māriṣa
     abhimanyuṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā tadā raṇaviśāradam
 11 eṣa gacchati saubhadraḥ pārthānām agrato yuvā
     nandayan suhṛdaḥ sarvān rājānaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhiram
 12 nakulaṃ sahadevaṃ ca bhīmasenaṃ ca pāṇḍavam
     bandhūn saṃbandhinaś cānyān madhyasthān suhṛdas tathā
 13 nāsya yuddhe samaṃ manye kaṃ cid anyaṃ dhanurdharam
     icchan hanyād imāṃ senāṃ kimartham api necchati
 14 droṇasya prītisaṃyuktaṃ śrutvā vākyaṃ tavātmajaḥ
     ārjuniṃ prati saṃkruddho droṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā smayann iva
 15 atha duryodhanaḥ karṇam abravīd bāhlikaṃ kṛpam
     duḥsāsanaṃ madrarājaṃ tāṃs tāṃś cānyān mahārathān
 16 sarvamūrdhāvasiktānām ācāryo brahmacittamaḥ
     arjunasya sutaṃ mūḍhaṃ nābhihantum ihecchati
 17 na hy asya samare mucyed antako 'py ātatāyinaḥ
     kim aṅgapunar evānyo martyaḥ satyaṃ bravīmi vaḥ
 18 arjunasya sutaṃ tv eṣa śiṣyatvād abhirakṣati
     putrāḥ śiṣyāś ca dayitās tad apatyaṃ ca dharmiṇām
 19 saṃrakṣyamāṇo droṇena manyate vīryam ātmanaḥ
     ātmasaṃbhāvito mūḍhas taṃ pramathnīta māciram
 20 evam uktās tu te rājñā sātvatī putram abhyayuḥ
     saṃrabdhās taṃ jighāṃsanto bhāradvājasya paśyataḥ
 21 duḥśāsanas tu tac chrutvā duryodhana vacas tadā
     abravīt kuruśārdūlo duryodhanam idaṃ vacaḥ
 22 aham enaṃ haniṣyāmi mahārāja bravīmi te
     miṣatāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ pāñcālānāṃ ca paśyatām
     prasiṣyāmy atha saubhadraṃ yathā rāhur divākaram
 23 utkruśya cābravīd vākyaṃ kururājam idaṃ punaḥ
     śrutvā kṛṣṇau mayā grastaṃ saubhadram atimāninau
     gamiṣyataḥ pretalokaṃ jīvalokān na saṃśayaḥ
 24 tau ca śrutvā mṛtau vyaktaṃ pāṇḍoḥ kṣetrodbhavāḥ sutāḥ
     ekāhnā sasuhṛd vargāḥ klaibyād dhāsyanti jīvitam
 25 tasmād asmin hate śatrau hatāḥ sarve 'hitās tava
     śivena dhyāhi mā rājann eṣa hanmi ripuṃ tava
 26 evam uktvā nadan rājan putro duḥśāsanas tava
     saubhadram abhyayāt kruddhaḥ śaravarṣair avākiran
 27 tam abhikruddham āyāntaṃ tava putram ariṃdamaḥ
     abhimanyuḥ śarais tikṣṇaiḥ ṣaṭviṃśatyā samarpayat
 28 duḥśāsanas tu saṃkruddhaḥ prabhinna iva kuñjaraḥ
     ayodhayata saubhadram abhimanyuś ca taṃ raṇe
 29 tau maṇḍalāni citrāṇi rathābhyāṃ savyadakṣiṇam
     caramāṇāv ayudhyetāṃ rathaśikṣā viśāradau
 30 atha paṇavamṛdaṅgadundubhīnāṃ; kṛkara mahānaka bheri jharjharāṇām
     ninadam atibhṛśaṃ narāḥ pracakrur; lavaṇajalodbhava siṃhanāda miśram

 

SECTION XXXVIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Then the intelligent Abhimanyu, with limbs mangled with arrows, smilingly addressed his foe, Duhsasana, stationed before him saying, 'By good luck it is that I behold in battle that vain hero arrived before me, who is cruel, who hath cast away all righteousness, and who brawleth out lustily his own praises. In the assembly (for the Kurus) and in the hearing of king Dhritarashtra, thou hadst, with thy harsh speeches, angered king Yudhishthira. Relying on the deception of the dice and the skill (therein) of Suvala's son, thou hadst also maddened by success, addressed many delirious speech to Bhima! 1 In consequence of the anger of those illustrious persons, thou art, at last, about to obtain the fruit of that conduct of thine! 2. O thou of wicked understanding, obtain thou without delay the fruit 3 of the robbery of other people's possessions, wrathfulness, of thy hatred of peace, of avarice, of ignorance, of hostilities (with kinsmen), of injustice and persecution, of depriving my sires--those fierce bowmen--of their kingdom, and of thy own fierce temper. I shall today chastise thee with my arrows in the sight of the whole army. Today, I shall in battle disburden myself of that wrath which I cherish against thee. I shall today free myself of the debt I owe to angry Krishna and to my sire who always craveth for an opportunity to chastise thee. O Kaurava, today I shall free myself of the debt I owe to Bhima. With life thou shalt not escape me, if indeed, thou dost not abandon the battle.' Having said these words, that mighty-armed warrior, that slayer of hostile heroes, aimed a shaft endued with the splendour of Yama or of Agni or of the Wind-god, capable of despatching Duhsasana to the other world. Quickly approaching Duhsasana's bosom, that shaft fell upon his shoulder-joint and penetrated into his body up to the very wings, like a snake into an ant-hill. And soon Abhimanyu once more struck him with five and twenty arrows whose touch resembled that of fire, and which were sped from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, Deeply pierced and greatly pained, Duhsasana, sat down on the terrace of his car and was, O king, overtaken by a swoon. Afflicted thus by the arrows of Subhadra's son and deprived of his senses, Duhsasana. was speedily borne away from the midst of the fight by his charioteer. Beholding this, the Pandavas, the five sons of Draupadi, Virata, the Panchalas, and the Kekayas, uttered leonine shouts. And the troops of the Pandavas, filled with joy, caused diverse kinds of musical instruments to be beat and blown. Beholding that feat of Subhadra's son they laughed with joy. Seeing that implacable and proud foe of theirs thus vanquished,
p. 90
those mighty car-warriors, viz., the (five) sons of Draupadi, who had on their banners the images of Yama and Maruta and Sakra and the twin Aswins, and Satyaki, and Chekitana, and Dhrishtadyumna, and Sikhandin, and the Kekayas, and Dhrishtaketu, and the Matsyas, Panchalas, and the Srinjayas, and the Pandavas headed by Yudhishthira, were filled with joy. And all of them rushed with speed, desirous of piercing Drona's array. Then a dreadful battle took place between the warriors and those of the foe, All of them were unretreating heroes, and inspired by desire of victory. During the progress of that dreadful encounter, Duryodhana, O monarch, addressing the son of Radha, said, 'Behold, the heroic Duhsasana, who resembleth the scorching sun who was hitherto slaying the foe in battle, hath at last himself succumbed to Abhimanyu. The Pandavas also, filled with rage and looking fierce like mighty lions, are rushing towards us, desirous of rescuing the son of Subhadra.' Thus addressed, Karna with rage and desirous of doing good to thy son, rained showers of sharp arrows on the invincible Abhimanyu. And the heroic Karna, as if in contempt of his antagonist, also pierced the latter's followers on the field of battle, with many excellent shafts of great sharpness. The high-souled Abhimanyu, however, O king, desirous of proceeding against Drona, quickly pierced Radha's son with three and seventy shafts. No car-warrior of thy army succeeded at that time in obstructing the progress towards Drona, of Abhimanyu, who was the son of Indra's son and who was afflicting all the foremost car-warriors of the Kaurava host. Then Karna, the most honoured of all bowmen, desirous of obtaining victory, pierced the son of Subhadra with hundreds of arrows, displacing his best weapons. That foremost of all persons conversant with weapons, that valiant disciple of Rama, by means of his weapons, thus afflicted Abhimanyu who was incapable of being defeated by foes. Though afflicted in battle by Radha's son with showers of weapons, still Subhadra's son who resembled a very celestial (for prowess) felt no pain. With his shafts whetted on stone and furnished with sharp points, the son of Arjuna, cutting off the bows of many heroic warriors, began to afflict Karna in return. With shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison and shot from his bow drawn to a circle, Abhimanyu quickly cut off the umbrella, standard, the charioteer, and the steeds of Karna, smiling the while. Karna then shot five straight arrows at Abhimanyu. The son of Phalguna, however, received them fearlessly. Endued with great valour and courage, the latter then, in a moment, with only a single arrow, cut off Karna's bow and standard and caused them to drop down on the ground. Beholding Karna in such distress, his younger brother, drawing the bow with great force, speedily proceeded against the son of Subhadra. The Parthas then, and their followers uttered loud shouts and beat their musical instruments and applauded the son of Subhadra [for his heroism].'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 39

 

 

 

 1 [s]
      śaravikṣatagātras tu pratyamitram avasthitam
      abhimanyuḥ smayan dhīmān duḥśāsanam athābravīt
  2 diṣṭyā paśyāmi saṃgrāme māninaṃ śatrum āgatam
      niṣṭhuraṃ tyaktadharmāṇam ākrośanaparāyaṇam
  3 yat sabhāyāṃ tvayā rājño dhṛtarāṣṭrasya śṛṇvataḥ
      kopitaḥ paruṣair vākyair dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
      jayonmattena bhīmaś ca bahvabaddhaṃ prabhāṣatā
  4 paravittāpahārasya krodhasyāpraśamasya ca
      lobhasya jñānanāśasya drohasyātyāhitasya ca
  5 pitṝṇāṃ mama rājyasya haraṇasyogra dhanvinām
      tat tvām idam anuprāptaṃ tat kopād vai mahātmanām
  6 sadyaś cogram adharmasya phalaṃ prāphnuhi durmate
      śāsitāsmy adya te bāṇaiḥ sarvasainyasya paśyataḥ
  7 adyāham anṛṇas tasya kopasya bhavitā raṇe
      amarṣitāyāḥ kṛṣṇāyāḥ kāṅkṣitasya ca me pituḥ
  8 adya kauravya bhīmasya bhavitāsmy anṛṇo yudhi
      na hi me mokṣyase jīvan yadi notsṛjase raṇam
  9 evam uktvā mahābāhur bāṇaṃ duḥśāsanāntakam
      saṃdadhe paravīraghnaḥ kālāgnyanila varcasam
  10 tasyoras tūrṇam āsādya jatru deśe vibhidya tam
     athainaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā punaś caiva samarpayat
 11 sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito rathopastha upāviśat
     duḥśāsano mahārāja kaśmalaṃ cāviśan mahat
 12 sārathis tvaramāṇas tu duḥśāsanam acetasam
     raṇamadhyād apovāha saubhadraśarapīḍitam
 13 pāṇḍavā draupadeyāś ca virāṭaś ca samīkṣya tam
     pāñcālāḥ kekayāś caiva siṃhanādam athānadan
 14 vāditrāṇi ca sarvāṇi nānā liṅgani sarvaśaḥ
     prāvādayanta saṃhṛṣṭāḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ tatra sainikāḥ
 15 paśyantaḥ smayamānāś ca saubhadrasya viceṣṭitam
     atyantaviriṇaṃ dṛptaṃ dṛṣṭvā śatruṃ parājitam
 16 dharmamāruta śakrāṇām āśvinoḥ pratimās tathā
     dhārayanto dhvajāgreṣu draupadeyā mahārathāḥ
 17 sātyakiś cekitānaś ca dhṛṣṭadyumnaśikhaṇḍinau
     kekayā dhṛṣṭaketuś ca matsyapāñcāla sṛṃjayāḥ
 18 pāṇḍavāś ca mudā yuktā yudhiṣṭhira purogamāḥ
     abhyavartanta sahitā droṇānīkaṃ bibhitsavaḥ
 19 tato 'bhavan mahad yuddhaṃ tvadīyānāṃ paraiḥ saha
     jayam ākāṅkṣamāṇānāṃ śūrāṇām anivartinām
 20 duryodhano mahārāja rādheyam idam abravīt
     paśya duḥśāsanaṃ vīram abhimanyuvaśaṃgatam
 21 pratapantam ivādityaṃ nighnantaṃ śātravān raṇe
     saubhadram udyatās trātum abhidhāvanti pāṇḍavāḥ
 22 tataḥ karṇaḥ śarais tīkṣṇair abhimanyuṃ durāsadam
     abhyavarṣata saṃkruddhaḥ putrasya hitakṛt tavam
 23 tasya cānucarāṃs tīkṣṇair vivyādha parameṣubhiḥ
     avajñā pūrvakaṃ vīraḥ saubhadrasya raṇājire
 24 abhimanyus tu rādheyaṃ trisaptatyā śilīmukhaiḥ
     avidhyat tvarito rājan droṇaṃ prepsur mahāmanāḥ
 25 taṃ tadā nāśakat kaś cid droṇād vārayituṃ raṇe
     ārujantaṃ rathaśreṣṭhān vajrahastam ivāsurān
 26 tataḥ karṇo jaya prepsur mānī sarvadhanurbhṛtām
     saubhadraṃ śataśo 'vidhyad uttamāstrāṇi darśayan
 27 so 'strair astravidāṃ śreṣṭho rāma śiṣyaḥ pratāpavān
     samare śatrudurdharṣam abhimanyum apīḍayat
 28 sa tathā pīḍyamānās tu rādheyenāstra vṛṣṭibhiḥ
     samare 'marasaṃkāśaḥ saubhadro na vyaṣīdata
 29 tataḥ śilāśitais tīkṣṇair bhallaiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
     chittvā dhanūṃṣi śūrāṇām ārjuniḥ karṇam ārdayat
 30 tataḥ kṛcchragataṃ karṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇād anantaraḥ
     saubhadram abhyayāt tūrṇaṃ dṛḍham udyamya kārmukam
 31 tata uccukruśuḥ pārthās teṣāṃ cānucarā janāḥ
     vāditrāṇi ca saṃjaghnuḥ saubhadraṃ cāpi tuṣṭuvuḥ

SECTION XXXIX

"Sanjaya said, 'Then the younger brother of Karna, uttering loud roars, bow in hand, and repeatedly stretching the bow-string, quickly placed himself between those two illustrious warriors. And Karna's brother, with ten shafts, pierced invincible Abhimanyu and his umbrella and standard and charioteer and steeds, smiling the while. Beholding Abhimanyu thus afflicted with those arrows, although he had achieved those superhuman feats in the manner of his sire and grandsire, the warriors of thy army were filled with delight. Then Abhimanyu, forcibly bending the bow and smiling the while, with one winged arrow cut off his antagonist's head. That head, severed from the trunk, fell down on the earth. Beholding his brother slain and overthrown, like a Karnikara tree shaken and thrown down by the wind from the mountain top, Karna, O monarch, was filled with pain. Meanwhile, the son of Subhadra, causing Karna by means of his arrows to turn away from the field, quickly rushed against the other great bowmen. Then Abhimanyu of fierce energy and great fame, filled with wrath, broke that host of diverse forces abounding with elephants and steeds and cars and infantry. As regards Karna, afflicted by Abhimanyu with countless shafts, he fled away from the field borne by swift steeds. The Kaurava array then broke. When the welkin was covered with Abhimanyu's shafts, like flights of locusts or thick showers of rain, nothing, O monarch, could be distinguished. Amongst thy warriors thus slaughtered by Abhimanyu with sharp shafts, none, O monarch, stayed any longer on the field of battle except the ruler of the Sindhus. Then that bull among men, viz., the son of Subhadra, blowing his conch, speedily, fell upon the Bharata host, O bull of Bharata's race! Like a burning brand thrown into the midst of dry grass, Arjuna's son began to consume his foes, quickly careering through the Kaurava army. Having pierced through their array, he mangled cars and elephants and steeds and human beings by means of his sharp shafts and caused the field of battle teem with headless trunks. Cut off by means of excellent arrows shot from the bow of Subhadra's son, the Kaurava warriors fled away, slaying, as they fled, their own comrades before them. Those fierce arrows, of terrible effect whetted on stone and, countless in number, slaying car-warriors and elephants, steeds, fell fast on the field. Arms, decked with Angadas and other ornaments of gold, cut off and hands cased in leathern covers, and arrows, and bows, and bodies and heads decked with car-rings and floral wreaths, lay in thousands on the field. Obstructed with Upashkaras and Adhishthanas and long poles also with crushed Akshas and broken wheels and yokes, numbering thousands, With darts and bows and swords and fallen standards, and with shields and bows lying all about, with the bodies, O monarch, of slain Kshatriyas and steeds and elephants, the field of battle, looking exceedingly fierce, soon became impassable. The noise made by the princes, as they called upon One another while slaughtered by Abhimanyu, became deafening and
p. 92
enhanced the fears of the timid. That noise, O chief of the Bharatas, filled all the points of the compass. The son of Subhadra, rushed against the (Kaurava) troops, slaying foremost of car-warriors and steeds and elephants, Quickly consuming his foes, like a fire playing in the midst of a heap of dry grass, the son of Arjuna was seen careering through the midst of the Bharata army. Encompassed as he was by our troops and covered with dust, none of us could obtain a sight of that warrior when, O Bharata, he was careening over the field in all directions, cardinal and subsidiary. And he took the lives of steeds and elephants and human warriors, O Bharata, almost incessantly. And soon after we saw him (come out of the press). Indeed, O monarch, we beheld him then scorching his foes like the meridian sun (scorching everything with his rays). Equal to Vasava himself in battle, that son of Vasava's son viz., Abhimanyu, looked resplendent in the midst of the (hostile) army.'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 40

 

 

 

1 [s]
      so 'bhigarjan dhanuṣpāṇir jyāṃ vikarṣan punaḥ punaḥ
      tayor mahātmanos tūrṇaṃ rathāntaram avāpatat
  2 so 'vidhyad daśabhir bāṇair abhimanyuṃ durāsadam
      sac chattra dhvajayantāraṃ sāśvam āśu smayann iva
  3 pitṛpaitāmahaṃ karma kurvāṇam atimānuṣam
      dṛṣṭvārditaṃ śaraiḥ kārṣṇiṃ tvadīyā hṛṣitābhavan
  4 tasyābhimanyur āyamya smayann ekena patriṇā
      śiraḥ pracyāvayām āsa sa rathāt prapatad bhuvi
  5 karṇikāram ivoddhūtaṃ vātena mathitaṃ nagāt
      bhrātaraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā rājan karṇo vyathāṃ yayau
  6 vimukhīkṛtya karṇaṃ tu saubhadraḥ kaṅkapatribhiḥ
      anyān api maheṣvāsāṃs tūrṇam evābhidudruve
  7 tatas tad vitataṃ jālaṃ hastyaśvarathapattimat
      jhaṣaḥ kruddha ivābhindad abhimanyur mahāyaśāḥ
  8 karṇas tu bahubhir bāṇair ardyamāno 'bhimanyunā
      apāyāj javanair aśvais tato 'nīkam abhidyata
  9 śalabhair iva cākāśe dhārābhir iva cāvṛte
      abhimanyoḥ śarai rājan na prājñāyata kiṃ cana
  10 tāvakānāṃ tu yodhānāṃ vadhyatāṃ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     anyatra saindhavād rājan na sma kaś cid atiṣṭhata
 11 saubhadras tu tataḥ śaṅkhaṃ pradhmāpya puruṣarṣabhaḥ
     śīghram abhyapatat senāṃ bhāratīṃ bharatarṣabha
 12 sa kakṣe 'gnir ivotsṛṣṭo nirdahaṃs tarasā ripūn
     madhye bhārata sainyānām ārjuniḥ paryavartata
 13 rathanāgāśvamanujān ardayan niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     sa praviśyākarod bhūmiṃ kabandha gaṇasaṃkulām
 14 saubhadra cāpaprabhavair nikṛttāḥ parameṣubhiḥ
     svān evābnimukhān ghantaḥ pradravaj jīvitārthinaḥ
 15 te ghorā raudrakarmāṇo vipāṭhāḥ pṛthavaḥ śitāḥ
     nighnanto ragha nāgāśvāñ jagmur āśu vasuṃdharām
 16 sāyudhāḥ sāṅguli trāṇāḥ sa khaḍgāḥ sāṅgadā raṇe
     dṛśyante bāhavaś chinnā hemābharaṇa bhūṣitāḥ
 17 śarāś cāpāni khaḍgāś ca śarīrāṇi śirāṃsi ca
     sakuṇḍalāni sragvīṇi bhūmāv āsan sahasraśaḥ
 18 apaskarair adhiṣṭhānair īṣā daṇḍakabandhuraiḥ
     akṣair vimathitaiś cakrair bhagnaiś ca bahudhā rathaiḥ
     śakticāpāyudhaiś cāpi patipaiś ca mahādhvajaiḥ
 19 nihataiḥ kṣatriyair aśvair vāraṇaiś ca viśāṃ pate
     agamyakalpā pṛthivī kṣaṇenāsīt sudāruṇā
 20 vadhyatāṃ rājaputrāṇāṃ krandatām itaretaram
     prādurāsīn mahāśabdo bhīrūṇāṃ bhayavardhanaḥ
     sa śabdo bharataśreṣṭha diśaḥ sarvā vyanādayat
 21 saubhadraś cādravat senāṃ nighnann aśvarathadvipān
     vyacarat sa diśaḥ sarvāḥ pradiśaś cāhitān rujan
 22 taṃ tadā nānupaśyāma sainyena rajasāvṛtam
     ādadānaṃ gajāśvānāṃ nṛṇāṃ cāyūṃṣi bhārata
 23 kṣaṇena bhūyo 'paśyāma sūryaṃ madhyaṃ dine yathā
     abhimanyuṃ mahārāja pratapantaṃ dviṣad gaṇān
 24 sa vāsava samaḥ saṃkhye vāsavasyātmajātmajaḥ
     abhimanyur mahārāja sainyamadhye vyarocata

 

SECTION XL

"Dhritarashtra said, A mere child in years, brought up in great luxury, proud of the strength of his arms, accomplished in battle, endued with great heroism, the perpetuator of his race, and prepared to lay down his life--when Abhimanyu penetrated into the Katirava army, borne on his three-years old steeds of spirited mettle, was there any of great warriors, in Yudhishthira's army, that followed the son of Arjuna?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Yudhishthira and Bhimasena, and Sikhandin and Satyaki, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna and Virata, and Drupada, and Kekaya, and Dhristaketu, all filled with wrath, and the Matsya warrior, rushed to battle. Indeed, Abhimanyu's sires accompanied by his maternal uncles, those smiters of foes, arrayed in order of battle rushed along the self-same path that Abhimanyu had created, desirous of rescuing him.. Beholding those heroes rushing, thy troops turned away from the fight. Seeing then that vast army of thy son turning away from the fight, the son-in-law of great energy rushed to rally them. Indeed, king Jayadratha, the son of the ruler of the Sindhus, checked, with all their followers, the Parthas, desirous of rescuing their son. That fierce and great bowman, viz. the son of Vriddhakshatra, invoking into existence celestial weapons resisted the Pandavas, like an elephant sporting in a low land.' 1
"Dhritarashtra said, 'I think, Sanjaya, that heavy was the burthen thrown upon the ruler of the Sindhus, inasmuch as alone he had to resist the angry Pandavas desirous of rescuing their son. Exceedingly wonderful, I think, was the might and heroism of the ruler of the Sindhus. Tell me what the high-souled warrior's prowess was and how he accomplished that
p. 93
foremost of feats. What gifts did he make, what libations had he poured, what sacrifices had he performed, what ascetic austerities had he well undergone, in consequence of which, single-handed, he succeeded in checking Parthas excited with wrath?'
"Sanjaya said, 'On the occasion of his insult to Draupadi, Jayadratha was vanquished by Bhimasena. From a keen sense of his humiliation, the king practised the severest of ascetic austerities, desirous of a boon. Restraining his senses from all objects dear to them, bearing hunger, thirst and heat, he reduced his body till his swollen veins became visible. Uttering the eternal words of the Veda, he paid his adoration to the god Mahadeva. That illustrious Deity, always inspired with compassion for his devotees, at last, became kind towards him. Indeed, Hara, appearing in a dream unto the ruler of the Sindhus, addressed him, saying 'Solicit the boon thou desirest. I am gratified with thee, O Jayadratha! What dost thou desire?' Thus addressed by Mahadeva, Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus, bowed down unto him and said with joined palms and restrained soul, 'Alone, on a single car, I shall check in battle all the sons of Pandu, endued though they are with terrible energy and prowess.' Even this, O Bharata, was the boon he had solicited. Thus prayed to that foremost of the deities said unto Jayadratha, 'O amiable one, I grant thee the boon. Except Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, thou shalt in battle check the four other sons of Pandu.' 'So be it,' said Jayadratha unto that Lord of the gods and then awoke, O monarch, from his slumber. In consequence of that boon which he had received and of the strength also of his celestial weapons, Jayadratha, single-handed, held in check the entire army of the Pandavas. The twang of his bow-string and the slaps of his palms inspired the hostile Kshatriyas with fear, filling thy troops, at the same time with delight. And the Kshatriyas (of the Kuru army), beholding that the burthen was taken up by the ruler of the Sindhus, rushed with loud shouts, O monarch, to that part of the field where Yudhishthira's army was.'"

 

 

(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Sreeman Brahmasri K M Ganguliji for the collection )