srimahabharat - (book 7) Drona Parva - chapters 41 to 54

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

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

 

Drona Parva

Drona Parva

 

Book 7
Chapter 41

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      bālam atyantasuhinam avārya baladarpitam
      yuddheṣu kuśalaṃ vīraṃ kulaputraṃ tanutyajam
  2 gāhamānam anīkāni sadaśvais taṃ trihāyanaiḥ
      api yaudhiṣṭhirāt sainyāt kaś cid anvapatad rathī
  3 [s]
      yudhiṣṭhiro bhīmasenaḥ śikhaṇḍī sātyakir yamau
      dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca drupadaś ca sa kekayaḥ
      dhṛṣṭaketuś ca saṃrabdho matsyāś cānvapatan raṇe
  4 abhyadravan parīpsanto vyūḍhānīkāḥ prahāriṇaḥ
      tān dṛṣṭvā dravataḥ śūrāṃs tvadīyā vimukhābhavan
  5 tatas tad vimukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā tava sūnor mahad balam
      jāmātā tava tejasvī viṣṭambhayiṣur ādravat
  6 saindhavasya mahārāja putro rājā jayadrathaḥ
      sa putragṛddhinaḥ pārthān saha sainyān avārayat
  7 ugradhanvā maheṣvāso divyam astram udīrayan
      vārdha kṣatrir upāsedhat pravaṇād iva kuñjarān
  8 [dhṛ]
      atibhāram ahaṃ manye saindhave saṃjayāhitam
      yad ekaḥ pāṇḍavān kruddhān putragṛddhīn avārayat
  9 atyadbhutam idaṃ manye balaṃ śauryaṃ ca saindhave
      tad asya brūhi me vīryaṃ karma cāgryaṃ mahātmanaḥ
  10 kiṃ dattaṃ hutam iṣṭaṃ vā sutaptam atha vā tapaḥ
     sindhurājena yenaikaḥ kruddhān pārthān avārayat
 11 [s]
     draupadīharaṇe yat tad bhīmasenena nirjitaḥ
     mānāt sa taptavān rājā varārthī sumahat tapaḥ
 12 indrayāṇīndriyārthebhyaḥ priyebhyaḥ saṃnivartya saḥ
     kṣutpipāsā tapa sahaḥ kṛśo dhamani saṃtataḥ
     devam ārādhayac charvaṃ gṛṇan brahma sanātanam
 13 bhaktānukampī bhagavāṃs tasya cakre tato dayām
     svapnānte 'py atha caivāha haraḥ sindhupateḥ sutam
     varaṃ vṛṇīṣva prīto 'smi jayadrathakim icchasi
 14 evam uktas tu śarveṇa sindhurājo jayadrathaḥ
     uvāca praṇato rudraṃ prājñalir niyatātmavān
 15 pāṇḍaveyān ahaṃ saṃkhye bhīmavīryaparākramān
     eko raṇe dhārayeyaṃ samastān iti bhārata
 16 evam uktas tu deveśo jayadratham athābravīt
     dadāmi te varaṃ saumya vinā pārthaṃ dhanaṃjayam
 17 dhārayiṣyasi saṃgrāme caturaḥ pāṇḍunandanān
     evam astv iti deveśam uktvābudhyata pārthivaḥ
 18 sa tena varadānena divyenāstra balena ca
     ekaḥ saṃdhārayām āsa pāṇḍavānām anīkinīm
 19 tasya jyātalaghoṣeṇa kṣatriyān bhayam āviśat
     parāṃs tu tava sainyasya harṣaḥ paramako 'bhavat
 20 dṛṣṭvā tu kṣatriyā bhāraṃ saindhave sarvam arpitam
     utkruśyābhyadravan rājan yena yaudhiṣṭhiraṃ balam

SECTION XLI

"Sanjaya said, 'Thou askest me, O monarch, about the prowess of the ruler of the Sindhus. Listen to me as I describe in detail how he fought with the Pandavas. Large steeds of the Sindhu breed, well-trained and
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fleet as the wind, and obedient to the commands of the charioteer, bore him (on that occasion). His car, duly equipped, looked like a vapoury edifice in the welkin. His standard bearing the device of a large boar in silver, looked exceedingly beautiful. With his white umbrella and banners, and the yak-tails with which he was fanned--which are regal indications--he shone like the Moon himself in the firmament. His car-fence made of iron was decked with pearls and diamonds and gems and gold. And it looked resplendent like the firmament bespangled with luminous bodies. Drawing his large bow and scattering countless shafts, he once more filled up that array in those places where openings had been made by the son of Arjuna. And he pierced Satyaki with three arrows, and Vrikodara with eight; and having pierced Dhrishtadyumna. with sixty arrows, he pierced Drupada with five sharp ones, and Sikhandin with ten. Piercing then the Kaikeyas with five and twenty arrows, Jayadratha pierced each of the five sons of Draupadi with three arrows. And piercing Yudhishthira then with seventy arrows, the ruler of the Sindhus pierced the other heroes of the Pandava army with thick showers of shafts. And that feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then, O monarch, the valiant son of Dharma, aiming Jayadratha's bow, cut it off with a polished and well-tempered shaft, smiling the while. Within the twinkling, however, of the eye, the ruler of the Sindhus took up another bow and piercing Pratha (Yudhishthira) with ten arrows struck each of the others with three shafts. Marking that lightness of hands showed by Jayadratha, Bhima then with three broad-headed shafts, quickly felled on the earth his bow, standard and umbrella. The mighty Jayadratha then, taking up another bow, strung it and felled Bhima's standard and bow and steeds. O sire! His bow cut off, Bhimasena then jumping down from that excellent car whose steeds had been slain, mounted on the car of Satyaki, like a lion jumping to the top of a mountain. Seeing this, thy troops were filled with joy. And they loudly shouted, 'Excellent! Excellent!' And they repeatedly applauded that feat of the ruler of the Sindhus. Indeed, all creatures highly applauded that feat of his, which consisted in his resisting, single-handed, all the Pandavas together, excited with wrath. The path that the son of Subhadra had made for the Pandavas by the slaughter of numerous warriors and elephants was then filled up by the ruler of the Sindhus. Indeed, those heroes, viz., the Matsyas, the Panchalas, the Kaikeyas, and the Pandavas, exerting themselves vigorously, succeeded in approaching the presence of Jayadratha, but none of them could bear him. Everyone amongst thy enemies who endeavoured to pierce the array that had been formed by Drona, was checked by the ruler of the Sindhus in consequence of the boon he had got (from Mahadeva).'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 42

 

 

 

1 [s]
      yan mā pṛcchasi rājendra sindhurājasya vikramam
      śṛṇu tat sarvam ākhyāsye yathā pāṇḍūn ayodhayat
  2 tam ūhuḥ sārather vaśyāḥ saindhavāḥ sādhu vāhinaḥ
      vikurvāṇā bṛhanto 'śvāḥ śvasanopama raṃhasaḥ
  3 gandharvanagarākāraṃ vidhivat kalpitaṃ ratham
      tasyābhyaśobhayat ketur vārāho rājato mahān
  4 śvetac chatrapatākābhiś cāmaravyajanena ca
      sa babhau rājaliṅgais tais tārāpatir ivāmbare
  5 muktā vajramaṇisvarṇair bhūṣitaṃ tad ayasmayam
      varūthaṃ vibabhau tasya jyotirbhiḥ kham ivāvṛtam
  6 sa visphārya mahac cāpaṃ kirann iṣuguṇān bahūn
      tat khaṇḍaṃ pūrayām āsa yad vyādarayad ārjuniḥ
  7 sa sātyakiṃ tribhir bāṇair aṣṭabhiś ca vṛkodaram
      dhṛṣṭadyumanṃ tathā ṣaṣṭyā virāṭaṃ daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ
  8 drupadaṃ pañcabhis tīkṣṇair daśabhiś ca śikhaṇḍinam
      kekayān pañcaviṃśatyā draupadeyāṃs tribhis tribhiḥ
  9 yudhiṣṭhiraṃ ca saptatyā tataḥ śenān apānudat
      iṣujālena mahatā tad adbhutam ivābhavat
  10 athāsya śitapītena bhallenādiśya kārmukam
     ciccheda prahasan rājā dharmaputraḥ pratāpavān
 11 akṣṇor nimeṣa mātreṇa so 'nyad ādāya kārmukam
     vivyādha daśabhiḥ pārtha tāṃś caivānyāṃs tribhis tribhiḥ
 12 tasya tal lāghavaṃ jñātvā bhīmo bhallais tribhiḥ punaḥ
     dhanur dhvajaṃ ca chatraṃ ca kṣitau kṣiptam apātayat
 13 so 'nyad ādāya balavān sajyaṃ kṛtvā ca kārmukam
     bhīmasyāpothayat ketuṃ dhanur aśvāṃś ca māriṣa
 14 sa hatāśvād avaplutya chinnadhanvā rathottamāt
     sātyaker āpluto yānaṃ giryagram iva kesarī
 15 tatas tvadīyāḥ saṃhṛṣṭāḥ sādhu sādhv iti cukruśuḥ
     sindhurājasya tat karma prekṣyāśraddheyam uttamam
 16 saṃkruddhān pāṇḍavān eko yad dadhārāstra tejasā
     tat tasya karma bhūtāni sarvāṇy evābhyapūjayan
 17 saubhadreṇa hataiḥ pūrvaṃ sottarāyudhibhir dvipaiḥ
     pāṇḍūnāṃ darśitaḥ panthāḥ saindhavena nivāritaḥ
 18 yatamānās tu te vīrā matsyapāñcāla kekayāḥ
     pāṇḍavāś cānvapadyanta pratyaikaśyena saindhavam
 19 yo yo hi yatate bhettuṃ droṇānīkaṃ tavāhitaḥ
     taṃ taṃ devavaraprāptyā saindhavaḥ pratyavārayat

SECTION XLII

"Sanjaya said, 'When the ruler of the Sindhus checked the Pandavas, desirous of success, the battle that took place then between thy troops and the enemy became awful. The invincible son of Arjuna, of sure aim and mighty energy, having penetrated in the (Kaurava) array agitated it like a Makara agitating the ocean. Against that chastiser of foes then, viz., the son of Subhadra, who was thus agitating the hostile host with his arrowy showers, the principal warriors of the Kaurava army rushed, each according to his rank and precedence. The clash between them of immeasurable energy, scattering their arrowy showers with great force, on the one side and Abhimanyu alone on the other, became awful. The son, of Arjuna, encompassed on all sides by those enemies with crowds of cars, slew the charioteer of Vrishasena and also cut off his bow. And the mighty Abhimanyu then pierced Vrishasena's steeds with his straight shafts, upon which those coursers, with the speed of the wind, bore Vrishasena away from the battle. Utilizing that opportunity, Abhimanyu's charioteer freed his car from that press by taking it away to another part of the field. Those numerous car-warriors then, (beholding this feat) were filled with joy and exclaimed, 'Excellent! Excellent!' Seeing the lion-like Abhimanyu angrily slaying the foe with his shafts and advancing from a distance. Vasatiya, proceeding towards him quickly fell upon him with great force. The latter pierced Abhimanyu with sixty shafts of golden wings and addressing him, said, 'As long as I am alive, thou shalt not escape with life.' Cased though he was in an iron coat of mail, the son of Subhadra pierced him in the chest with a far-reaching shaft. Thereupon Vasatiya fell down on the earth, deprived of life. Beholding Vasatiya slain, many bulls among Kshatriyas became filled with wrath, and surrounded thy grandson, O king, from a desire of slaying him. They approached him, stretching their countless bows of diverse kinds, and the battle then that took place between the son of Subhadra and his foes was exceedingly fierce. Then the son of Phalguni, filled with wrath, cut off their arrows and bows, and diverse limbs of their bodies, and their heads decked with ear-rings and floral garlands. And arms were seen lopped off, that were adorned with various ornaments of gold, and that Still held scimitars and spiked maces and battle-axes and the fingers of which were still cased in leathern gloves. [And the earth became strewn] 1 with floral wreaths and ornaments and cloths, with fallen standards, with coats of mail and shields and golden chains and diadems and umbrellas and yak-tails; with Upashkaras and Adhishthanas, and Dandakas, and Vandhuras with crushed Akshas, broken wheels, and yokes, numbering thousands, 2 with Anukarashas, and banners, and
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charioteers, and steeds; as also with broken cars, and elephants, and steeds. The field of battle, strewn with slain Kshatriyas endued (while living) with great heroism,--rulers of diverse realms, inspired with desire of victory,--presented a fearful sight. When Abhimanyu angrily careered over the field of battle in all directions, his very form became invisible. Only his coat of mail, decked with gold, his ornaments, and bow and shafts, could be seen. Indeed, while he slew the hostile warriors by means of his shafts, staying in their midst like the sun himself in his blazing effulgence, none could gaze at him with his eyes.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 43

 

 

 

1 [s]
      saindhavena niruddheṣu jayagṛddhiṣu pāṇḍuṣu
      sughoram abhavad yuddhaṃ tvadīyānāṃ pariḥ saha
  2 praviśya tv ārjuniḥ senāṃ satyasaṃdho durāsadām
      vyakṣobhayata tejasvī makaraḥ sāgaraṃ yathā
  3 taṃ tathā śaravarṣeṇa kṣobhayantam ariṃdamam
      yathā pradhānāḥ saubhadram abhyayuḥ kurusattamāḥ
  4 teṣāṃ tasya ca saṃ mardo dāruṇaḥ samapadyata
      sṛjatāṃ śaravarṇāni prasaktam amitaujasām
  5 rathavrajena saṃruddhas tair amitrair athārjuniḥ
      vṛṣasenasya yantāraṃ hatvā ciccheda kārmukam
  6 tasya vivyādha balavāñ śarair aśvān ajihmagaiḥ
      vātāyamānair atha tair aśvair apahṛto raṇāt
  7 tenāntareṇābhimanyor yanāpāsārayad ratham
      rathavrajās tato hṛṣṭāḥ sādhu sādhv iti cukruśuḥ
  8 taṃ siṃham iva saṃkruddhaṃ pramathnantaṃ śarair arīn
      ārād āyāntam abhyetya vasātīyo 'bhyayād drutam
  9 so 'bhimanyuṃ śaraiḥ ṣaṣṭyā rukmapuṅkhair avākirat
      abravīc ca na me jīvañ jīvato yudhi mokṣyase
  10 tam ayasmaya varmāṇam iṣuṇā āśu pātinā
     vivyādha hṛdi saubhadraḥ sa papāta vyasuḥ kṣitau
 11 vasātyaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā kruddhāḥ kṣatriyapuṃgavāḥ
     parivavrus tadā rājaṃs tava pautraṃ jighāṃsavaḥ
 12 visphārayantaś cāpāni nānārūpāṇy anekaśaḥ
     tad yuddham abhavad raudraṃ saubhadrasyāribhiḥ saha
 13 teṣāṃ śarān seṣv asanāñ śarīrāṇi śirāṃsi ca
     sakuṇḍalāni sragvīṇi kruddhaś ciccheda phālguniḥ
 14 sa khaḍgāḥ sāṅguli trāṇāḥ sa paṭṭiśaparaśvadhāḥ
     adṛśyanta bhujāś chinnā hemābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ
 15 sragbhir ābharaṇair vastraiḥ patitaiś ca mahādhvajaiḥ
     varmabhiś carmabhir hārair mukuṭaiś chatracāmaraiḥ
 16 apaskarair adhiṣṭhānair īṣādaṇḍa kabandhuraiḥ
     akṣair vimathitaiś cakrair bhagnaiś ca bahudhā yugaiḥ
 17 anukarṣaiḥ patākābhis tathā sārathivājibhiḥ
     rathaiś ca bhagnair nāgaiś ca hataiḥ kīrṇābhavan mahī
 18 nihataiḥ kṣatriyaiḥ śūrair nānājanapadeśvaraiḥ
     jaya gṛddhair vṛtā bhūmir dāruṇā samapadyata
 19 diśo vicaratas tasya sarvāś ca pradiśas tathā
     raṇe 'bhimanyoḥ kruddhasya rūpam antaradhīyata
 20 kāñcanaṃ yad yad asyāsīd varma cābharaṇāni ca
     dhanuṣaś ca śarāṇāṃ ca tad apaśyāma kevalam
 21 taṃ tadā nāśakat kaś cic cakṣurbhyām abhivīkṣitum
     ādadānaṃ śarair yodhān madhye sūryam iva sthitam

 

SECTION XLIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Engaged in taking the lives of brave warriors, Arjuna's son then resembled the Destroyer himself, when the latter takes the lives of all creatures on the arrival of the Universal Dissolution. Possessed of prowess resembling that of Sakra himself, the mighty son of Sakra's son, viz., Abhimanyu, agitating the Katirava army looked exceedingly resplendent. Penetrating into the Katirava host, O king, that destroyer of foremost Kshatriyas resembling Yama himself, seized Satvasravas, like an infuriated tiger seizing a deer. Beholding Satyasrayas, seized by him, many mighty car-warriors, taking up diverse kinds of weapons, rushed upon him. Indeed, those bulls among Kshatriyas, from a spirit of rivalry, rushed at the son of Arjuna from desire of slaying him, all exclaiming, 'I shall go first, I shall go first!' As a whale in the sea obtaining a shoal of small fish seizes them with the greatest ease, even so did Abhimanyu receive that whole division of the rushing Kshatriyas. Like rivers that never go back when they approach the sea, none amongst those unretreating Kshatriyas turned back when they approached Abhimanyu. That army then reeled like a boat tossed on the ocean when overtaken by a mighty tempest, (with its crew) afflicted with panic caused by the violence of the wind. Then the mighty Rukmaratha, son of the ruler of the Madras, for assuring the frightened troops, fearlessly said, 'Ye heroes, ye need not fear! When I am here, what is Abhimanyu? Without doubt, I will seize this one a living captive'. Having said these words, the valiant prince, borne on his beautiful and well-equipped car, rushed at Abhimanyu. Piercing Abhimanyu with three shafts in the chest, three in the right arm, and three other sharp shafts in the left arm, he uttered a loud roar. Phalguni's son, however, cutting off his bow, his right and left arms, and his head adorned with beautiful eyes and eye-brows quickly felled them on the earth. Beholding Rukmaratha, the honoured son of Salya, slain by the illustrious son of Subhadra, that Rukmaratha viz., who had vowed to consume his foe or take him alive, many princely
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friends of Salya's son, O king, accomplished in smiting and incapable of being easily defeated in battle, and owning standards decked with gold, (came up for the fight). Those mighty car-warriors, stretching their bows full six cubits long, surrounded the son of Arjuna, all pouring their arrowy showers upon him. Beholding the brave and invincible son of Subhadra singly encountered by all those wrathful princes endued with heroism and skill acquired by practice and strength and youth, and seeing him covered with showers of arrows, Duryodhana rejoiced greatly, and regarded Abhimanyu as one already made a guest of Yama's abode. Within the twinkling of an eye, those princes, by means of their shafts of golden wings, and of diverse forms and great impetuosity, made Arjuna's son invisible. Himself, his standard, and his car, O sire, were seen by us covered with shafts like (trees overwhelmed with) flights of locusts. Deeply pierced, he became filled with rage like an elephant struck with the hook. He then, O Bharata, applied the Gandharva weapon and the illusion consequent to it. 1 Practising ascetic penances, Arjuna had obtained that weapon from the Gandharva Tumvuru and others. With that weapon, Abhimanyu now confounded his foes. Quickly displaying his weapons, he careered in that battle like a circle of fire, and was, O king, seen sometimes as a single individual, sometimes as a hundred, and sometimes as a thousand ones. Confounding his foes by the skill with which his car was guided and by the illusion caused by his weapons, he cut in a hundred pieces, O monarch, the bodies of the kings (opposed to him). By means of his sharp shafts the lives of living creatures were despatched. These, O king attained to the other world while their bodies fell down on the earth. Their bows, and steeds and charioteers, and standards, and armies decked with Angadar, and heads, the son of Phalguni cut off with his sharp shafts. Those hundred princes were slain and felled by Subhadra's son like a tope of five-year old mango-trees just on the point of bearing fruit (laid low by a tempest). Beholding those youthful princes brought up in every luxury, and resembling angry snakes of virulent poison, all slain by the single-handed Abhimanyu, Duryodhana was filled with fear. Seeing (his) car-warriors and elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers crushed, the Kuru king quickly proceeded in wrath against Abhimanyu. Continued for only a short space of time, the unfinished battle between them became exceedingly fierce. Thy son then, afflicted with Abhimanyu's arrows, was obliged to turn back from the fight.'

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 44

 

 

 

 

1 [s]
      ādadānas tu śūrāṇām āyūṃṣy abhavad ārjuniḥ
      antakaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ prāṇān kāla ivāgate
  2 sa śakra iva vikrāntaḥ śakrasūnoḥ suto balī
      abhimanyus tadānīkaṃ loḍayan bahv aśobhata
  3 praviśyaiva tu rājendra kṣatriyendrāntakopamaḥ
      satyaśravasam ādatta vyāghro mṛgam ivolbaṇam
  4 satyaśravasi cākṣipte tvaramāṇā mahārathāḥ
      pragṛhya vipulaṃ śastram abhimanyum upādravan
  5 ahaṃ pūrvam ahaṃ pūrvam iti kṣatriya puṃgavāḥ
      spardhamānāḥ samājagmur jighāṃsanto 'rjunātmajam
  6 kṣatriyāṇām anīkāni pradrutāny abhidhāvatām
      jagrāsa timir āsādya kṣudramatsyān ivārṇave
  7 ye ke cana gatās tasya samīpam apalāyinaḥ
      na te pratinyavartanta samudrād iva sandhavaḥ
  8 mahāgrāhagṛhīteva vātavegabhayārditā
      samakampata sā senā vibhraṣṭā naur ivārṇave
  9 atha rukmaratho nāma madreśvara suto balī
      trastām āśvāsayan senām atrasto vākyam abravīt
  10 alaṃ trāsena vaḥ śūrā naiṣa kaś cin mayi sthite
     aham enaṃ grahīṣyāmi jīvagrāhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ
 11 evam uktvā tu saubhadram abhidudrāva vīryavān
     sukalpitenohyamānaḥ syandanena virājatā
 12 so 'bhimanyuṃ tribhir bāṇair viddhvā vakṣasy athānadat
     tribhiś ca dakṣiṇe bāhau savye ca niśitais tribhiḥ
 13 sa tasyeṣv asanaṃ chittvā phālguṇiḥ savyadakṣiṇau
     bhujau śiraś ca svakṣibhrukṣitau kṣipram apātayat
 14 dṛṣṭvā rukmarathaṃ rugṇaṃ putraṃ śalyasya māninam
     jīvagrāhaṃ jighṛkṣantaṃ saubhadreṇa yaśasvinā
 15 saṃgrāmadurmadā rājan rājaputrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ
     vayasyāḥ śalya putrasya suvarṇavikṛtadhvajāḥ
 16 tālamātrāṇi cāpāni vikarṣanto mahārathāḥ
     ārjuniṃ śaravarṣeṇa samantāt paryavārayan
 17 śaraiḥ śikṣā balopetais taruṇair atyamarṣaṇaiḥ
     dṛṣṭvaikaṃ samare śūraṃ saubhadram aparājitam
 18 chādyamānaṃ śaravrātair hṛṣṭo duryodhano 'bhavat
     vaivasvatasya bhavanaṃ gatam enam amanyata
 19 suvarṇapuṅkhair iṣubhir nānā liṅgais tribhis tribhiḥ
     adṛśyam ārjuniṃ cakrur nimeṣāt te nṛpātmajāḥ
 20 sasūtāśvadhvajaṃ tasya syandanaṃ taṃ ca māriṣa
     ācitaṃ samapaśyāma śvāvidhaṃ śalalair iva
 21 sa gāḍhaviddhaḥ kruddhaś ca tottrair gaja ivārditaḥ
     gāndharvam astram āyacchad rathamāyāṃ ca yojayat
 22 arjunena tapas taptvā gandharvebhyo yad āhṛtam
     tumburu pramukhebhyo vai tenāmohayatāhitān
 23 ekaḥ sa śatadhā rājan dṛśyate sma sahasradhā
     alātacakravat saṃkhye kṣipram astrāṇi darśayan
 24 rathacaryāstra māyābhir mohayitvā paraṃtapaḥ
     bibheda śatadhā rājañ śarīrāṇi mahīkṣitām
 25 prāṇāḥ prāṇabhṛtāṃ saṃkhye preṣitā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     rājan prāpur amuṃ lokaṃ śarīrāṇy avaniṃ yayuḥ
 26 dhanūṃṣy aśvān niyantṝṃś ca dhvajān bāhūṃś ca sāṅgadān
     śirāṃsi ca śitair bhallais teṣāṃ ciccheda phālguniḥ
 27 cūtārāmo yathā bhagnaḥ pañcavarṣaphalopagaḥ
     rājaputra śataṃ tadvat saubhadreṇāpatad dhatam
 28 kruddhāśīviṣa saṃkāśān sukumārān sukhocitān
     ekena nihatān dṛṣṭvā bhīmo duryodhano 'bhavat
 29 rathinaḥ kuñjarān aśvān padātīṃś cāvamarditān
     dṛṣṭvā duryodhanaḥ kṣipram upāyāt tam amarṣitaḥ
 30 tayoḥ kṣaṇam ivāpūrṇaḥ saṃgrāmaḥ samapadyata
     athābhavat te vimukhaḥ putraḥ śaraśatārditaḥ

 

 

SECTION XLIV

"Dhritarashtra said, 'That which thou tellest me, O Suta, about the battle, fierce and terrible, between the one and the many, and the victory of that illustrious one, that story of the prowess of Subhadra's son is highly wonderful and almost incredible. I do not, however, regard it as a marvel that is absolutely beyond belief in the case of those that have righteousness for their refuge. After Duryodhana was beaten back and a hundred princes slain, what course was pursued by the warriors of my army against the son of Subhadra?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Their mouths became dry, and eyes restless. Sweat covered their bodies, and their hairs stood on their ends. Despairing of vanquishing their foe, they became ready to leave the field. Abandoning their wounded brothers and sires and sons and friends and relatives by marriage and kinsmen they fled, urging their steeds and elephants to their utmost speed. Beholding them broken and routed, Drona and Drona's son, and Vrihadvala, and Kripa, and Duryodhana, and Karna, and Kritavarman, and Suvala's son (Sakuni), rushed in great wrath against the unvanquished son of Subhadra. Almost all these, O king, were beaten back by thy grandson. Only one warrior then, viz., Lakshmana, brought up in luxury, accomplished in arrows, endued with great energy, and fearless in consequence of inexperience and pride, proceeded against the son of Arjuna. Anxious about his son, his father (Duryodhana) turned back for following him. Other mighty car warriors, turned back for following Duryodhana. All of them then drenched Abhimanyu with showers of arrows, like clouds pouring rain on the mountain-breast. Abhimanyu, however, single-handed, began to crush them like the dry wind that blows in every direction destroying gathering masses of clouds. Like one infuriated elephant encountering another, Arjuna's son then encountered thy invincible grandson, Lakshmana, of great personal beauty, endued with great bravery, staying near his father with outstretched bow, brought up in every luxury, and resembling a second prince of the Yakshas 1. Encountering Lakshmana, that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, had his two arms and chest struck with his sharp shafts. Thy grandson, the mighty-armed Abhimanyu then, filled with rage like a snake struck (with a rod), addressing, O king, thy (other) grandson, said, 'Look well on this world, for thou shalt (soon) have to go to the other. In the very sight of all thy kinsmen, I will despatch thee to Yama's abode.' Saying thus that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the mighty-armed son of Subhadra, took out a broad-headed arrow that resembled a snake just emerged from its slough. That shaft, sped by Abhimanyu's arms, cut off the beautiful head, decked with ear-rings, of Lakshmana, that was graced with a
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beautiful nose, beautiful eye-brows, and exceedingly good-looking curls. Beholding Lakshmana slain, thy troops uttered exclamations of Oh and, Alas. Upon the slaughter of his dear son, Duryodhana became filled with rage. That bull among Kshatriyas then loudly urged the Kshatriyas under him, saying, 'Slay this one!' Then Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Drona's son and Vrihadvala, and Kritavarman, the son of Hridika,--these six car-warriors,---encompassed Abhimanyu. Piercing them with sharp arrows and beating them off from him, the son of Arjuna fell with great speed and fury upon the vast forces of Jayadratha. Thereupon, the Kalingas, the Nishadas, and the valiant son of Kratha, all clad in mail, cut off his path by encompassing him with their elephant-division. The battle then that took place between Phalguni's son and those warriors was obstinate and fierce. Then the son of Arjuna began to destroy that elephant-division as the wind coursing in every direction destroys vast masses of gathering clouds in the welkin. Then Kratha covered the son of Arjuna with showers of arrows, while many other car-warriors headed by Drona, having returned to the field, rushed at him, scattering sharp and mighty weapons. Checking all those weapons by means of his own arrows, the son of Arjuna began to afflict the son of Kratha with ceaseless showers of shafts, with great despatch and inspired by the desire of slaying his antagonist. The latter's bow and shafts, and bracelets, and arms, and head decked with diadem, and umbrella, and standard, and charioteer, and steeds, were all cut off and felled by Abhimanyu. When Kratha's son, possessed of nobility of lineage, good behaviour, acquaintance with the scriptures, great strength, fame, and power of arms, was slain, the other heroic combatants almost all turned away from the fight.'" 1

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 45

 

1 [dhṛ]
      yathā vadasi me sūta ekasya bahubhiḥ saha
      saṃgrāmaṃ tumulaṃ ghoraṃ jayaṃ caiva mahātmanaḥ
  2 aśraddheyam ivāścaryaṃ saubhadrasyātha vikramam
      kiṃ tu nātyadbhutaṃ teṣāṃ yeṣāṃ dharmo vyapāśrayaḥ
  3 duryodhane 'tha vimukhe rājaputra śate hate
      saubhadre pratipattiṃ kāṃ pratyapadyanta māmakāḥ
  4 [s]
      saṃśuṣkāsyāś calan netrāḥ prasvinnā loma harṣiṇaḥ
      palāyanakṛtotsāhā nirutsāhā dviṣaj jaye
  5 hatān bhrātṝn pitṝn putrān suhṛt saṃbandhibāndhavān
      utsṛjyotsṛjya samiyus tvarayanto hatadvipān
  6 tān prabhagnāṃs tathā dṛṣṭvā droṇo drauṇir bṛhadbalaḥ
      kṛpo duryodhanaḥ karṇaḥ kṛtavarmātha saubalaḥ
  7 abhidrutāḥ susaṃkruddhāḥ saubhadram aparājitam
      te 'pi pautreṇa te rājan prāyaśo vimukhīkṛtāḥ
  8 ekas tu sukhasaṃvṛddho bālyād darpāc ca nirbhayaḥ
      iṣvastravin mahātejā lakṣmaṇo ''rjunim abhyayāt
  9 tam anvag evāsya pitā putragṛddhī nyavartata
      anu duryodhanaṃ cānye nyavartanta mahārathāḥ
  10 taṃ te 'bhiṣiṣicur bāṇair meghā girim ivāmbubhiḥ
     sa ca tān pramamāthaiko viṣvag vāto yathāmbudān
 11 pautraṃ tu tava durdharṣaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ priyadarśanam
     pituḥ samīpe tiṣṭhantaṃ śūram udyatakārmukam
 12 atyantasukhasaṃvṛddhaṃ dhaneśvara sutopamam
     āsasāda raṇe kārṣṇir matto mattam iva dvipam
 13 lakṣmaṇena tu saṃgamya saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
     śaraiḥ suniśitais tīkṣṇair bāhvor urasi cārpitaḥ
 14 saṃkruddho vai mahābāhur daṇḍāhata ivoragaḥ
     pautras tava mahārāja tava pautram abhāṣata
 15 sudṛṣṭaḥ kriyatāṃ loko amuṃ lokaṃ gamiṣyasi
     paśyatāṃ bāndhavānāṃ tvāṃ nayāmi yamasādanam
 16 evam uktvā tato bhallaṃ saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
     udbabarha mahābāhur nirmuktoraga saṃnibham
 17 sa tasya bhujanirmukto lakṣṇamasya sudarśanam
     sunasaṃ subhru keśāntaṃ śoro 'hārṣīt sakuṇḍalam
     lakṣmaṇaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā hāhety uccukruśur janāḥ
 18 tato duryodhanaḥ kruddhaḥ priye putre nipātite
     hatainam iti cukrośa kṣatriyān kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ
 19 tato droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ karṇo droṇaputro bṛhadbalaḥ
     kṛtavarmā ca hārdikyaḥ ṣaḍ rathāḥ paryavārayan
 20 sa tān viddhvā śitair bāṇair vimukhīkṛtya cārjuniḥ
     vegenābhyapatat kruddhaḥ saindhavasya mahad balam
 21 āvavrus tasya panthānaṃ gajānīkena saṃśitāḥ
     kaliṅgāś ca niṣādāś ca krātha putraś ca vīryavān
     tat prasaktam ivātyarthaṃ yuddham āsīd viśāṃ pate
 22 tatas tat kuñjarānīkaṃ vyadhamad dhṛṣṭam ārjuniḥ
     yathā vivān nityagatir jaladāñ śataśo 'mbare
 23 tataḥ krāthaḥ śaravrātair ārjuniṃ samavākirat
     athetare saṃnivṛttāḥ punar droṇa mukhā rathāḥ
     paramāstrāṇi dhunvānāḥ saubhadram abhidudruvuḥ
 24 tān nivāryārjunir bāṇaiḥ krātha putram athārdayat
     śaraugheṇāprameyeṇa tvaramāṇo jighāṃsayā
 25 sadhanur bāṇakeyūrau bāhū samukuṭaṃ śiraḥ
     chatraṃ dhvajaṃ niyantāram aśvāṃś cāsya nyapātayat
 26 kulaśīta śrutabalaiḥ kīrtyā cāstrabalena ca
     yukte tasmin hate vīrāḥ prāyaśo vimukhābhavan

SECTION XLV

"Dhritarashtra said, 'While the youthful and invincible son of Subhadra, never retreating from battle, was, after penetrating into our array, engaged in achieving feats worthy of his lineage, borne by his three-year old steeds of great might and of the best breed, and apparently trotting in the welkin, what heroes of my army encompassed him?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Having penetrated into our array, Abhimanyu of Pandu's race, by means of his sharp shafts, made all the kings turn away from the fight. Then Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Drona's son, and Vrihadvala and Kritavarman, the son of Hridika,--these six car-warriors,--encompassed him. As regards the other combatants of thy
p. 100
army, beholding that Jayadratha had taken upon himself the heavy duty (of keeping off the Pandavas), they supported him, O king, by rushing against Yudhishthira. 1 Many amongst them, endued with great strength, drawing their bows full six cubits long, showered on the heroic son of Subhadra arrowy downpours like torrents of rain. Subhadra's son, however, that slayer of hostile heroes, paralysed by his shafts all those great bowmen, conversant with every branch of learning. And he pierced Drona with fifty arrows and Vrihadvala with twenty. And piercing Kritavarman with eighty shafts, he pierced Kripa with sixty. And the son of Arjuna pierced Aswatthaman with ten arrows equipped with golden wings, endued with great speed and shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch. And the son of Phalguni pierced Karna, in the midst of his foes, in one of his cars, with a bright, well-tempered, and bearded arrow of great force. Felling the steeds yoked to Kripa's car, as also both his Parshni charioteers, Abhimanyu pierced Kripa himself in the centre of the chest with ten arrows. The mighty Abhimanyu, then, in the very sight of thy heroic sons, slew the brave Vrindaraka, that enhancer of the fame of the Kurus. While Abhimanyu was thus engaged in fearlessly slaying one after another the foremost warriors among his enemies, Drona's son Aswatthaman pierced him with five and twenty small arrows. The son of Arjuna, however, in the very sight of all the Dhartarashtras quickly pierced Aswatthaman in return, O sire, with many whetted shafts. Drona's son, however, in return, piercing Abhimanyu. with sixty fierce arrows of great impetuosity and keen sharpness, failed to make him tremble, for the latter, pierced by Aswatthaman, stood immovable like the Mainaka mountain. Endued with great energy, the mighty Abhimanyu then pierced his antagonist with three and seventy straight arrows, equipped with wings of gold. Drona then, desirous of rescuing his son, pierced Abhimanyu with a hundred arrows. And Aswatthaman pierced him with sixty arrows, desirous of rescuing his father. And Karna struck him with two and twenty broad-headed arrows and Kritavarman struck him with four and ten. And Vrihadvala pierced him with fifty such shafts, and Saradwata's son, Kripa, with ten. Abhimanyu, however, pierced each of these in return with ten shafts. The ruler of the Kosala struck Abhimanyu, in the chest with a barbed arrow. Abhimanyu, however, quickly felled on the earth his antagonist's steeds and standard and bow and charioteer. The ruler of the Kosalas, then, thus deprived of his car, took up a sword and wished to sever from Abhimanyu's trunk his beautiful head, decked with ear-rings. Abhimanyu then pierced king Vrihadvala, the ruler of the Kosalas, in the chest, with a strong arrow. The latter then, with riven heart, fell down. Beholding this, ten thousand illustrious kings broke and fled. Those kings, armed with swords and bows, fled away, uttering words inimical (to king Duryodhana's Interest). Having slain 2 Vrihadvala
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thus, the son of Subhadra careered it battle, paralysing thy warriors,---those great bowmen,--by means of arrowy downpours, thick as rain.'" 1

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 46

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      tathā praviṣṭaṃ taruṇaṃ saubhadram aparājitam
      kulānurūpaṃ kurvāṇaṃ saṃgrāmeṣv apalāyinam
  2 ājaneyaiḥ subalibhir yuktam aśvais trihāyanaiḥ
      plavamānam ivākāśe ke śūrāḥ samavārayan
  3 [s]
      abhimanyuḥ praviśyaiva tāvakān niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
      akarod vimukhān sarvān pārthivān pāṇḍunandanaḥ
  4 taṃ tu droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ karṇo drauṇiś ca sa bṛhadbalaḥ
      kṛtavarmā ca hārdikyaḥ ṣaḍ rathāḥ paryavārayan
  5 dṛṣṭvā tu saindhave bhāram atimātraṃ samāhitam
      sainyaṃ tava mahārāja yudhiṣṭhiram upādravat
  6 saubhadram itare vīram abhyavarṣañ śarāmbubhiḥ
      tālamātrāṇi cāpāni vikarṣanto mahārathāḥ
  7 tāṃs tu sarvān maheṣvāsān sarvavidyāsu niṣṭhitān
      vyaṣṭambhayad raṇe bāṇaiḥ saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
  8 droṇaṃ prañcāśatā viddhvā viṃśatyā ca bṛhadbalam
      aśītyā kṛtavarmāṇaṃ kṛpaṃ ṣaṣṭyā śilīmukhaiḥ
  9 rukmapuṅkhair mahāvegair ākarṇasamacoditaiḥ
      avidhyad daśabhir bāṇair aśvatthāmānam ārjuniḥ
  10 sa karṇaṃ karṇinā karṇe pītena niśitena ca
     phālgunir dviṣatāṃ madhye vivyādha parameṣuṇā
 11 pātayitvā kṛpasyāśvāṃs tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī
     athainaṃ daśabhir bāṇaiḥ pratyavidhyat stanāntare
 12 tato vṛndārakaṃ vīraṃ kurūṇāṃ kīrtivardhanam
     putrāṇāṃ tava vīrāṇāṃ paśyatām avadhīd balī
 13 taṃ drauṇiḥ pañcaviṃśatyā kṣudrakāṇāṃ samarpayat
     varaṃ varam amitrāṇām ārujantam abhītavat
 14 sa tu bāṇaiḥ śitais tūrṇaṃ pratyavidhyata māriṣa
     paśyatāṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāṇām aśvatthāmānam ārjuniḥ
 15 ṣaṣṭyā śarāṇāṃ taṃ drauṇis tigmadhāraiḥ sutejanaiḥ
     ugrair nākampayad viddhvā mainākam iva parvatam
 16 sa tu drauṇiṃ trisaptatyā hemapuṅkhair ajihmagaiḥ
     pratyavidhyan mahātejā balavān apakāriṇam
 17 tasmin droṇo bāṇaśataṃ putragṛddhī nyapātayat
     aśvatthāmā tathāṣṭau ca parīpsan pitaraṃ raṇe
 18 karṇo dvāviṃśatiṃ bhallān kṛtavarmā caturdaśa
     bṛhadbalas tu pañcāśat kṛpaḥ śāradvato daśa
 19 tāṃs tu pratyavadhīt sarvān daśabhir daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ
     tair ardyamānaḥ saubhadraḥ sarvato niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 20 taṃ kosalānām adhipaḥ karṇinātāḍayad dhṛdi
     sa tasyāśvān dhvajaṃ cāpaṃ sūtaṃ cāpātayat kṣitau
 21 atha kosala rājas tu virathaḥ khaḍgacarmadhṛt
     iyeṣa phālguneḥ kāyāc chiro hartuṃ sakuṇḍalam
 22 sa kosalānāṃ bhartāraṃ rājaputraṃ bṛhadbalam
     hṛdi vivyādha bāṇena sa bhinnahṛdayo 'patat
 23 babhañja ca sahasrāṇi daśa rājan mahātmanām
     sṛjatām aśivā vācaḥ khaḍgakārmukadhāriṇām
 24 tathā bṛhadbalaṃ hatvā saubhadro vyacarad raṇe
     viṣṭambhayan maheṣvāsān yodhāṃs tava śarāmbubhiḥ

 

SECTION XLVI

"Sanjaya said, 'Phalguni's son once more pierced Karna in the car with a barbed arrow, and for angering him still further, he pierced him with fifty other shafts. The son of Radha pierced Abhimanyu in return with as many shafts. Covered all over with arrows, Abhimanyu, then, O sire, looked exceedingly beautiful. Filled with rage, he caused Karna also to be bathed in blood. Mangled with arrows and covered with blood, the brave Karna also shone greatly. 2 Both of them pierced with arrows, both bathed in blood, those illustrious warriors then resembled a couple of flowering Kinsukas. The son of Subhadra then slew six of Karna's brave counsellors, conversant with all modes of warfare, with their steeds and charioteers and cars. As regards other great bowmen Abhimanyu fearlessly pierced each of them in return, with ten arrows. That feat of his seemed highly wonderful. Slaying next the son of the ruler of the Magadhas, Abhimanyu, with six straight shafts, slew the youthful Aswaketu with his four steeds and charioteer. Then slaying, with a sharp razor-headed arrow, the Bhoja prince of Martikavata, bearing the device of an elephant (on his banner), the son of Arjuna uttered a loud shout and began to scatter his shafts on all sides. Then the son of Duhsasana pierced the four steeds of Abhimanyu with four shafts, his charioteer with one and Abhimanyu himself with ten. The son of Arjuna, then, piercing Duhsasana's son with ten fleet shafts, addressed him in a loud tone and with eyes red in wrath, said, 'Abandoning the battle, thy sire hath fled like a coward. It is well thou knowest how to fight. Thou shalt not, however, escape today with life.' Saying these words unto him, Abhimanyu sped a long arrow, well polished by smith's hand, at his foe. The son of Drona cut that arrow with three shafts of his own. Leaving Aswatthaman alone, Arjuna's son struck Salya, in return, fearlessly pierced him in the chest with highly nine shafts, equipped with vulture's feathers. That feat seemed highly wonderful. The son of Arjuna then cut off Salya's bow and slew both his Parshni charioteers. Abhimanyu then pierced Salya himself with six shafts made wholly of iron. Thereupon, the latter, leaving that steedless car, mounted another. Abhimanyu then slew five warriors., named Satrunjaya, and Chandraketu, and Mahamegba, and
p. 102
[paragraph continues] Suvarchas, and Suryabhasa. He then pierced Suvala's son. The latter piercing Abhimanyu with three arrows, said unto Duryodhana, 'Let us all together grind this one, else, fighting singly with us he will slay us all. O king, think of the means of slaying this one, taking counsel with Drona and Kripa and others.' The Karna, the son of Vikartana, said unto Drona, 'Abhimanyu grindeth us all. Tell us the means by which we may slay him.' Thus addressed, the mighty bowman, Drona, addressing them all, said, 'Observing him with vigilance, have any of you been able to detect any defeat in this youth? He is careening in all directions. Yet have any of you been able to detect today the least hole in him? Behold the lightness of hand and quickness of motion of this lion among men, this son of Arjuna. In the track of his car, only his bow drawn to a circle can be seen, so quickly is he aiming his shafts and so quickly is he letting them off. Indeed, this slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, gratifieth me although he afflicteth my vital breath and stupefieth me with shafts. Even the mightiest car-warriors, filled with wrath, are unable to detect any flaw in him. The son of Subhadra, therefore, careering on the field of battle, gratifieth me greatly. I do not see that in battle there is any difference between the wielder of Gandiva himself and this one of great lightness of hand, filling all the points of the horizon with his mighty shafts.' Hearing these words, Karna, afflicted with the shafts of Arjuna's son, once more said unto Drona, 'Exceedingly afflicted with the shafts of Abhimanyu, I am staying in battle, only because (as a warrior) I should stay here. Indeed, the arrows of this south of great energy are exceedingly fierce. Terrible as they are and possessed of the energy of fire, these arrows are weakening my heart.' The preceptor then, slowly and with a smile, said unto Karna, 'Abhimanyu is young, his prowess is great. His coat of mail is impenetrable. This one's father had been taught by me the method of wearing defensive armour. This subjugator of hostile towns assuredly knoweth the entire science (of wearing armour). With shafts well shot, you can, however, cut off his bow, bow-string, the reins of his steeds, the steeds themselves, and two Parshni charioteers. O mighty bowman, O son of Radha, if competent, do this. Making him turn back from the fight (by this means), strike him then. With his bow in hand he is incapable of being vanquished by the very gods and the Asuras together. If you wish, deprive him of his car, and divest him of his bow.'. Hearing these words of the preceptor, Vikartana's son Karna quickly cut off, by means of his shafts, the bow of Abhimanyu, as the latter was shooting with great activity. He, of Bhoja's race (viz., Kritavarman) then slew his steeds, and Kripa slew his two Parshni charioteers. The others covered him with showers of arrows after he had been divested of his bow. Those six great car-warriors, with great speed, when speed was so necessary, ruthlessly covered that carless youth, fighting single-handed with them, with showers of arrows. Bowless and carless, with an eye, however, to his duty (as a warrior), handsome Abhimanyu, taking up a sword and a shield, jumped into the sky. Displaying great strength and great activity,
p. 103
and describing the tracks called Kausika and others, the son of Arjuna fiercely coursed through the sky, like the prince of winged creatures (viz., Garuda.). 'He may fall upon me sword in hand,' with such thoughts, those mighty bowmen, were on the lookout for the laches of Abhimanyu, and began to pierce him in that battle, with their gaze turned upwards. Then Drona of mighty energy, that conqueror of foes with a sharp arrow quickly cut off the hilt, decked with gems, of Abhimanyu's sword. Radha's son Karna, with sharp shafts, cut off his excellent shield. Deprived of his sword and shield thus, he came down, with sound limbs, from the welkin upon the earth. Then taking up a car-wheel, he rushed in wrath against Drona. His body bright with the dust of car-wheels, and himself holding the car-wheel in his upraised arms, Abhimanyu looked exceedingly beautiful, and imitating Vasudeva (with his discus), became awfully fierce for a while in that battle. His robes dyed with the blood flowing (from his wounds), his brow formidable with the wrinkles visible thereon, himself uttering loud leonine roars, lord Abhimanyu of immeasurable might, staying in the midst of those kings, looked exceedingly resplendent on the field of battle.'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 47

 

 

 

 1 [s]
      sa karṇaṃ karṇinā karṇe punar vivyādha phālguniḥ
      śaraiḥ pañcāśatā cainam avidhyat kopayan bhṛśam
  2 prativivyādha rādheyas tāvadbhir atha taṃ punaḥ
      sa tair ācitasarvāṅgo bahv aśobhata bhārata
  3 karṇaṃ cāpy akarot kruddho rudhirotpīḍa vāhinam
      karṇo 'pi vibabhau śūraḥ śaraiś citro 'sṛg āplutaḥ
  4 tāv ubhau śaracitrāṅgau rudhireṇa samukṣitau
      babhūvatur mahātmānau puṣpitāv iva kiṃśukau
  5 atha karṇasya sacivān ṣaṭ śūrāṃś citrayodhinaḥ
      sāśvasūta dhvajarathān saubhadro nijaghāna ha
  6 athetarān maheṣvāsān daśabhir daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ
      pratyavidhyad asaṃbhrāntas tad adbhutam ivābhavat
  7 māgadhasya punaḥ putraṃ hatvā ṣaḍbhir ajihmagaiḥ
      sāśvaṃ sasūtaṃ taruṇam aśvaketum apātayat
  8 mārtikāvatakaṃ bhojaṃ tataḥ kuñjaraketanam
      kṣurapreṇa samunmathya nanāda visṛjañ śarān
  9 tasya dauḥśāsanir viddhvā caturbhiś caturo hayān
      sūtam ekena vivyādha daśabhiś cārjunātmajam
  10 tato dauḥśāsaniṃ kārṣṇir viddhvā saptabhir āśugaiḥ
     saṃrambhād raktanayano vākyam uccair athābravīt
 11 pitā tavāhavaṃ tyaktvā gataḥ kāpuruṣo yathā
     diṣṭyā tvam api jānīṣe yoddhuṃ na tv adya mokṣyase
 12 etāvad uktvā vacanaṃ karmāra parimārjitam
     nārācaṃ visasarjāsmai taṃ drauṇis tribhir ācchinat
 13 tasyārjunir dhvajaṃ chittvā śalyaṃ tribhir atāḍayat
     taṃ śalyo navabhir bāṇair gārdhrapatrair atāḍayat
 14 tasyārjunir dhvajaṃ chittvā ubhau ca pārṣṇisārathī
     taṃ vivyādhāyasaiḥ ṣaḍbhiḥ so 'pakrāmad rathāntaram
 15 śatruṃjayaṃ candraketuṃ meghavegaṃ suvarcasam
     sūryabhāsaṃ ca pañcaitān hatvā vivyādha saubalam
 16 taṃ saubalas tribhir viddhvā duryodhanam athābravīt
     sarva enaṃ pramathnīmaḥ puraikaikaṃ hinasti naḥ
 17 athābravīt tadā droṇaṃ karṇo vaikartano vṛṣā
     purā sarvān pramathnāti brūhy asya vadham āśu naḥ
 18 tato droṇo maheṣvāsaḥ sarvāṃs tān pratyabhāṣata
     asto vo 'syāntaraṃ kaś cit kumārasya prapaśyati
 19 anv asya pitaraṃ hy adya carataḥ sarvatodiśam
     śīghratāṃ narasiṃhasya pāṇḍaveyasya paśyata
 20 dhanurmaṇḍalam evāsya rathamārgeṣu dṛśyate
     saṃdadhānasya viśikhāñ śīghraṃ caiva vimuñcataḥ
 21 ārujann iva me prāṇān mohayann api sāyakaiḥ
     praharṣayati mā bhūyaḥ saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
 22 ati mā nandayaty eṣa saubhadro vicaran raṇe
     antaraṃ yasya saṃrabdhā na paśyanti mahārathāḥ
 23 asyato laghuhastasya diśaḥ sarvā maheṣubhiḥ
     na viśeṣaṃ prapaśyāmi raṇe gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ
 24 atha karṇaḥ punar droṇam āhārjuniśarārditaḥ
     sthātavyam iti tiṣṭhāmi pīḍyamāno 'bhimanyunā
 25 tejasvinaḥ kumārasya śarāḥ paramadāruṇāḥ
     kṣiṇvanti hṛdayaṃ me 'dya ghorāḥ pāvakatejasaḥ
 26 tam ācāryo 'bravīt karṇaṃ śanakaiḥ prahasann iva
     abhedyam asya kavacaṃ yuvā cāśu parākramaḥ
 27 upadiṣṭā mayā asya pituḥ kavacadhāraṇā
     tām eṣa nikhilāṃ vetti dhruvaṃ parapuraṃjayaḥ
 28 śakyaṃ tv asya dhanuś chettuṃ jyāṃ ca bāṇaiḥ samāhitaiḥ
     abhīśavo hayāś caiva tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī
 29 etat kuru maheṣvāsa rādheya yadi śakyate
     athainaṃ vimukhīkṛtya paścāt praharaṇaṃ kuru
 30 sadhanuṣko na śakyo 'yam api jetuṃ surāsuraiḥ
     virathaṃ vidhanuṣkaṃ ca kuruṣvainaṃ yadīcchasi
 31 tad ācāryavacaḥ śrutvā karṇo vaikartanas tvaran
     asyato laghuhastasya pṛṣatkair dhanur ācchinat
 32 aśvān asyāvadhīd bhojo gautamaḥ pārṣṇisārathī
     śeṣās tu chinnadhanvānaṃ śaravarṣair avākiran
 33 tvaramāṇās tvarā kāle virathaṃ ṣaṇ mahārathāḥ
     śaravarṣair akaruṇā bālam ekam avākiran
 34 sa chinnadhanvā virathaḥ svadharmam anupālayan
     khaḍgacarma dharaḥ śrīmān utpapāta vihāyasam
 35 mārgaiḥ sa kaiśikādyaiś ca lāghavena balena ca
     ārjunir vyacarad vyomni bhṛśaṃ vai pakṣirāḍ iva
 36 mayy eva nipataty eṣa sāsir ity ūrdhvadṛṣṭayaḥ
     vivyadhus taṃ maheṣvāsāḥ samare chidradarśinaḥ
 37 tasya droṇo 'chinan muṣṭau khaḍgaṃ maṇimaya tsarum
     rādheyo niśitair bāṇair vyadhamac carma cottamam
 38 vyasi carmeṣu pūrṇāṅgaḥ so 'ntarikṣāt punaḥ kṣitim
     āsthitaś cakram udyamya droṇaṃ kruddho 'bhyadhāvata
 39 sacakrareṇūjjvala śobhitāṅgo; babhāvati ivonnata cakrapāṇiḥ
     raṇe 'bhimanyuḥ kṣaṇadā subhadraḥ; sa vāsubhadrānukṛtiṃ prakurvan
 40 sruta rudhirakṛtaika rāgavaktro; bhrukuṭi puṭākuṭilo 'tisiṃha nādaḥ
     prabhur amitabalo raṇe 'bhimanyur; nṛpa varamadhya gato bhṛśaṃ vyarājat

 

SECTION XLVII

"Sanjaya said, 'That joy of Vishnu's sister (viz., Abhimanyu), that Atiratha, decked with the weapons of Vishnu himself, looked exceedingly beautiful on the field of battle and looked like a second Janardana. With the end of his locks waving in the air, with that supreme weapon upraised in his hands, his body became incapable of being looked at by the very gods. The kings beholding it and the wheel in his hands, became filled with anxiety, and cut that off in a hundred fragments. Then that great car-warrior, the son of Arjuna, took up a mighty mace. Deprived by them of his bow and car and sword, and divested also of his wheel by his foes, the mighty-armed Abhimanyu (mace in hand) rushed against Aswatthaman. Beholding that mace upraised, which looked like the blazing thunderbolt, Aswatthaman, that tiger among men, rapidly alighted from his car and took three (long) leaps (for avoiding Abhimanyu). Slaying Aswatthaman's steeds and two Parshni charioteers with that mace of his, Subhadra's son, pierced all over with arrows, looked like a porcupine. Then that hero pressed Suvala's son, Kalikeya, down into the earth, and stew seven and seventy Gandhara followers of the latter. Next, he slew ten car-warriors of the Brahma-Vasatiya race, and then ten huge elephants. Proceeding next towards the car of Duhsasana's son, he crushed the latter's car and steeds, pressing them down into the earth. The invincible son of Duhsasan, then, O sire, taking up his mace, rushed at Abhimanyu. saying, 'Wait, Wait!' Then those cousins, those two heroes, with upraised maces, began to strike
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each other, desirous of achieving each other's death, like three-eyed (Mahadeva) and (the Asura) Andhaka in the days of old. I ach of those chastisers of foes, struck with the other's mace-ends fell down on the earth, like two uprooted standards erected to the honour of Indra. Then Duhsasana's son, that enhancer of the fame of the Kurus, rising up first, struck Abhimanyu with the mace on the crown of his head, as the latter, was on the point of rising. Stupefied with the violence of that stroke as also with the fatigue he had undergone, that slayer of hostile hosts, viz., the son of Subhadra, fell on the earth, deprived of his senses. Thus, O king, was one slain by many in battle,--one who had ground the whole army, like an elephant grinding lotus-stalks in a lake. As he lay dead on the field, the heroic Abhimanyu looked like a wild elephant slain by the hunters, The fallen hero was then surrounded by thy troops. And he looked like an extinguished fire in the summer season after (as it lies) having consumed a whole forest, or like a tempest divested of its fury after having crushed mountain crests; 1 or like the sun arrived at the western hills after having blasted with his heat the Bharata host; or like Soma swallowed up by Rahu; or like the ocean reft of water. The mighty car-warriors of thy army beholding Abhimanyu whose face had the splendour of the full moon, and whose eyes were rendered beautiful in consequence of lashes black as the feathers of the raven, lying prostrate on the bare earth, were filled with great joy. And they repeatedly uttered leonine shouts. Indeed, O monarch, thy troops were in transports of joy, while tears fell fast from the eyes of the Pandava heroes. Beholding the heroic Abhimanyu lying on the field of battle, like the moon dropped from the firmament, diverse creatures, O king, in the welkin, said aloud, 'Alas, this one lieth on the field, slain, while fighting singly, by six mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army, headed by Drona and Karna. This act hath been, we hold, an unrighteous one.' Upon the slaughter of that hero, the earth looked exceedingly resplendent like the star-bespangled firmament with the moon. Indeed, the earth was strewn with shafts equipped with wings of gold, and covered with waves of blood. And strewn with the beautiful heads of heroes, decked with ear-rings and variegated turbans of great value, and banner and yak-tails and beautiful blankets, and begemmed weapons of great efficacy, and the bright ornaments of cars and steeds, and men and elephants, and sharp and well-tempered swords, looking like snakes freed from their sloughs, and bows, and broken shafts, and darts, and swords, and lances, and Kampanas, and diverse other kinds of weapons, she assumed a beautiful aspect. And in consequence of the steeds dead or dying, but all weltering in blood, with their riders (lying about them), felled by Subhadra's son, the earth in many places became impassable. And with iron hooks, and elephants--huge as hills--equipped with shields and weapons and standards, lying about, crushed with shafts, with excellent cars deprived of steeds and charioteers and car-warriors, lying scattered on
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the earth, crushed by elephants and looking like agitated lakes, with large bodies of foot-soldiers decked with diverse weapons and lying dead on the ground, the field of battle, wearing a terrible aspect, inspired all timid hearts with terror.
"Beholding Abhimanyu, resplendent as the sun or the moon, lying on the ground, thy troops were in transport of joy, while Pandavas were filled with grief. When youthful Abhimanyu, yet in his minority, fell, the Pandava divisions, O king, fled away in the very sight of king Yudhishthira. Beholding his army breaking upon the fall of Subhadra's son, Yudhishthira addressed his brave warriors, slaying, 'The heroic Abhimanyu, who without retreating from battle hath been slain, hath certainly ascended to heaven. Stay then, and fear not, for we shall yet vanquish our foes.' Endued with great energy and great splendour, king Yudhishthira the just, that foremost of warriors, saying such words unto his soldiers inspired with grief, endeavoured to dispel their stupor. The king continued, 'Having in the first instance, slain in battle hostile princes, resembling snakes of virulent poison, the son of Arjuna hath then given up his life. Having slain ten thousand warriors, viz., the king of the Kosalas, Abhimanyu, who was even like Krishna or Arjuna himself, hath assuredly gone to the abode of Indra. Having destroyed cars and steeds and men and elephants by thousands, he was still not content with what he did. Performing as he did such meritorious feats, we should not certainly grieve for him, he hath gone to the bright regions of the righteous, regions that men acquire by meritorious deeds.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 48

 

 

 1 [s]
      viṣṇoḥ svasānandi karaḥ sa viṣṇvāyudha bhīṣitaḥ
      rarājātirathaḥ saṃkhye janārdana ivāparaḥ
  2 mārutoddhūta keśāntam udyatāri varāyudham
      vapuḥ samīkṣya pṛthv īśā duḥsamīkṣyaṃ surair api
  3 tac cakraṃ bhṛśam udvignāḥ saṃcicchidur anekadhā
      mahārathas tataḥ kārṣṇiḥ saṃjagrāha mahāgadām
  4 vidhanuḥ syandanāsis tair vicakraś cāribhiḥ kṛtaḥ
      abhimanyur gadāpāṇir aśvatthāmānam ādravat
  5 sagadām udyatāṃ dṛṣṭvā jvalantīm aśanīm iva
      apākrāmad rathopasthād vikramāṃs trīn nararṣabhaḥ
  6 tasyāśvān gadayā hatvā tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī
      śarācitāṅgaḥ saubhadraḥ śvāvidvat pratyadṛśyata
  7 tataḥ subala dāyādaṃ kālakeyam apothayat
      jaghāna cāsyānucarān gāndhārān sapta saptatim
  8 punar brahma vasātīyāñ jaghāna rathino daśa
      kekayānāṃ rathān sapta hatvā ca daśa kuñjarān
      dauḥśāsani rathaṃ sāśvaṃ gadayā samapothayat
  9 tato dauḥśāsaniḥ kruddho gadām udyamya māriṣa
      abhidudrāva saubhadraṃ tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt
  10 tāv udyatagadau vīrāv anyonyavadhakāṅkṣiṇau
     bhrātṛvyau saṃprajahrāte pureva tryambakāntakau
 11 tāv anyonyaṃ gadāgrābhyāṃ saṃhatya patitau kṣitau
     indradhvajāv ivotsṛṣṭau raṇamadhye paraṃtapau
 12 dauḥśāsanir athotthāya kurūṇāṃ kīrtivardhanaḥ
     prottiṣṭhamānaṃ saubhadraṃ gadayā mūrdhny atāḍayat
 13 gadā vegena mahatā vyāyāmena ca mohitaḥ
     vicetā nyapatad bhūmau saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
     evaṃ vinihato rājann eko bahubhir āhave
 14 kṣobhayitvā camūṃ sarvāṃ nalinīm iva kuñjaraḥ
     aśobhata hato vīro vyādhair vanagajo yathā
 15 taṃtathā patitaṃ śūraṃ tāvakāḥ paryavārayan
     dāvaṃ dagdhvā yathā śāntaṃ pāvakaṃ śiśirātyaye
 16 vimṛdya taruśṛṅgāṇi saṃnivṛttam ivānilam
     astaṃ gatam ivādityaṃ taptvā bhārata vāhinīm
 17 upaplutaṃ yathā somaṃ saṃśuṣkam iva sāgaram
     pūrṇacandrābhavadanaṃ kākapakṣa vṛtākṣakam
 18 taṃ bhūmau patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā tāvakās te mahārathāḥ
     mudā paramayā yuktāś cukruśuḥ siṃhavan muhuḥ
 19 āsīt paramako harṣas tāvakānāṃ viśāṃ pate
     itareṣāṃ tu vīrāṇāṃ netrebhyaḥ prāpataj jalam
 20 abhikrośanti bhūtāni antarikṣe viśāṃ pate
     dṛṣṭvā nipatitaṃ vīraṃ cyutaṃ candram ivāmbarāt
 21 droṇakarṇamukhaiḥ ṣaḍbhir dhārtarāṣṭrair mahārathaiḥ
     eko 'yaṃ nihataḥ śete naiṣa dharmo mato hi naḥ
 22 tasmiṃs tu nihate vīre bahv aśobhata medinī
     dyaur yathā pūrṇacandreṇa nakṣatragaṇamālinī
 23 rukmapuṅkhaiś ca saṃpūrṇā rudhiraughapariplutā
     uttamāṅgaiś ca vīrāṇāṃ bhrājamānaiḥ sakuṇḍalaiḥ
 24 vicitraiś ca paristomaiḥ patākābhiś ca saṃvṛtā
     cāmaraiś ca kuthābhiś ca praviddhaiś cāmbarottamaiḥ
 25 rathāśvanaranāgānāmālaṃkāraiś ca suprabhaiḥ
     khaḍgaiś ca niśitaiḥ pītair nirmuktair bhujagair iva
 26 cāpaiś ca viśikhaiś chinnaiḥ śaktyṛṣṭi prāsakampanaiḥ
     vividhair āyudhaiś cānyaiḥ saṃvṛtā bhūr aśobhata
 27 vājibhiś cāpi nirjīvaiḥ svapadbhiḥ śoṇitokṣitaiḥ
     sārohair viṣamā bhūmiḥ saubhadreṇa nipātitaiḥ
 28 sāṅkuśaiḥ sa mahāmātraiḥ sa varmāyudhaketubhiḥ
     parvatair iva vidhvastair viśikhonmathitair gajaiḥ
 29 pṛthivyām anukīrṇaiś ca vyaśva sārathiyodhibhiḥ
     hradair iva prakṣubhitair hatanāgai rathottamaiḥ
 30 padātisaṃghaiś ca hatair vividhāyudhabhūṣaṇaiḥ
     bhīrūṇāṃ trāsajananī ghorarūpābhavan mahī
 31 taṃ dṛṣṭvā patitaṃ bhūmai candrārkasadṛśadyutim
     tāvakānāṃ parā prītiḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ cābhavad vyathā
 32 abhimanyau hate rājañ śiśuke 'prāptayauvane
     saṃprādravac camūḥ sarvā dharmarājasya paśyataḥ
 33 dīryamāṇaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā saubhadre vinipātite
     ajātaśatruḥ svān vīrān idaṃ vacanam abravīt
 34 svargam eṣa gataḥ śūro yo hato na parāṅmukhaḥ
     saṃstambhayata mā bhaiṣṭa vijeṣyāmo raṇe ripūn
 35 ity evaṃ sa mahātejā duḥkhitebhyo mahādyutiḥ
     dharmarājo yudhāṃ śreṣṭho bruvan duḥkham apānudat
 36 yuddhe hy āśīviṣākārān rājaputrān raṇe bahūn
     pūrvaṃ nihatya saṃgrāme paścād ārjunir anvagāt
 37 hatvā daśasahasrāṇi kausalyaṃ ca mahāratham
     kṛṣṇārjuna samaḥ kārṣṇiḥ śakra sadma gato dhruvam
 38 rathāśvanaramātaṅgān vinihatya sahasraśaḥ
     avatṛptaḥ sa saṃgrāmād aśocyaḥ puṇyakarmakṛt
 39 vayaṃ tu pravaraṃ hatvā teṣāṃ taiḥ śarapīḍitāḥ
     niveśāyābhyupāyāma sāyāhne rudhirokṣitāḥ
 40 nirīkṣamāṇās tu vayaṃ pare cāyodhanaṃ śanaiḥ
     apayātā mahārāja glāniṃ prāptā vicetasaḥ
 41 tato niśāyā divasasya cāśivaḥ; śivā rutaḥ saṃdhir avartatādbhutaḥ
     kuśeśayāpīḍa nibhe divākare; vilambamāne 'stam upetya parvatam
 42 varāsi śaktyṛṣṭi varūtha carmaṇāṃ; vibhūṣaṇānāṃ ca samākṣipan prabhām
     divaṃ ca bhūmiṃ ca samānayann iva; priyāṃ tanuṃ bhānur upaiti pāvakam
 43 mahābhrakūṭācalaśṛṅgasaṃnibhair; gajair anekair iva vajrapātitaiḥ
     sa vaijayanty aṅkuśa varma yantṛbhir; nipātitair niṣṭanatīva gauś citā
 44 hateśvaraiś cūrṇita pattyupaskarair; hatāśvasūtair vipatāka ketubhiḥ
     mahārathair bhūḥ śuśubhe vicūrṇitaiḥ; purair ivāmitra hatair narādhipa
 45 rathāśvavṛndaiḥ saha sādibhir hataiḥ; praviddha bhāṇḍābharaṇaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ
     nirastajihvā daśanāntra locanair; dharā babhau ghoravirūpa darśanā
 46 praviddha varmābharaṇā varāyudhā; vipannahastyaśvarathānugā narāḥ
     mahārhaśayyāstaraṇocitāḥ sadā; kṣitāv anāthā iva śerate hatāḥ
 47 atīva hṛṣṭāḥ śvasṛgāla vāyasā; baḍāḥ suparṇāś ca vṛkās tarakṣavaḥ
     vayāṃsy asṛkpāny atha rakṣasāṃ gaṇāḥ; piśācasaṃghāś ca sudāruṇā raṇe
 48 tvaco vinirbhidya piban vasām asṛk; tathaiva majjāṃ piśitāni cāśnuvan
     vapāṃ vilumpanti hasanti gānti ca; prakarṣamāṇāḥ kuṇapāny anekaśaḥ
 49 śarīrasaṃghāṭa vahā asṛg jalā; rathoḍupā kuñjaraśailasaṃkaṭā
     manuṣyaśīrṣopala māṃsakardamā; praviddha nānāvidha śastramālinī
 50 mahābhayā vaitaraṇīva dustarā; pravartitā yodhavarais tadā nadī
     uvāha madhyena raṇājiraṃ bhṛśaṃ; bhayāvahā jīva mṛtapravāhinī
 51 pibanti cāśnanti ca yatra durdṛśāḥ; piśācasaṃghā vividhāḥ subhairavāḥ
     sunanditāḥ prāṇabhṛtāṃ bhayaṃkarāḥ; samānabhakṣāḥ śvasṛgāla pakṣiṇaḥ
 52 tathā tad āyodhanam ugradarśanaṃ; niśāmukhe pitṛpatirāṣṭra saṃnibham
     nirīkṣamāṇāḥ śanakair jahur narāḥ; samutthitāruṇḍa kulopasaṃkulam
 53 apetavidhvastamahārha bhūṣaṇaṃ; nipātitaṃ śakrasamaṃ mahāratham
     raṇe 'bhimanyuṃ dadṛśus tadā janā; vyapoḍha havyaṃ sadasīva pāvakam

 

SECTION XLVIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Having thus slain one of their foremost warriors, and having been afflicted with their arrows, we came back to our encampment in the evening, covered with blood. Steadfastly gazed at by the enemy, we slowly left, O monarch, the field of battle, having sustained a severe loss and nearly deprived of our senses. Then came that wonderful hour intervening between day and night. Inauspicious howls of jackals were heard. The sun, with the pale-red hue of the filaments of the lotus,--sank low in the horizon, having approached the western hills. And he took away with him the splendour of our swords and darts, rapiers and car-fences, and shields and ornaments. Causing the firmament and the earth to assume the same hue, the sun assumed his favourite form of fire. The field of battle was strewn with the motionless bodies of innumerable elephants deprived of life, Looking like crests of cloud-capped hills riven by the thunder, and lying about with their standards and hooks and riders fallen from their backs. The earth looked beautiful with large cars crushed to pieces, and
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with their warriors and charioteers and ornaments and steeds and standards and banners crushed, broken and torn. Those huge cars, O king, looked like living creatures deprived of their lives by the foe with his shafts. The field of battle assumed a fierce and awful aspect in consequence of large number of steeds and riders all lying dead, with costly trappings and blankets of diverse kinds scattered about, and tongues and teeth and entrails and eyes of those creatures bulging out of their places. Men decked with costly coats of mail and ornaments and robes and weapons, deprived of life, lay with slain steeds and elephants and broken cars, on the bare ground, perfectly helpless, although deserving of costly beds and blankets. Dogs and jackals, and crown and cranes and other carnivorous birds, and wolves and hyenas, and ravens and other food-drinking creatures, all diverse tribes of Rakshasas, and large number of Pisachas, on the field of battle, tearing the skins of the corpse and drinking their fat, blood and marrow, began to eat their flesh. And they began to suck also the secretions of rotten corpses, while the Rakshasas laughed horribly and sang aloud, dragging dead bodies numbering thousands. An awful river, difficult to cross, like the Vaitarani itself, was caused there by foremost of warriors. Its waters were constituted by the blood (of fallen creatures). Cars constituted the rafts (or, which to cross it), elephants formed its rocks, and the heads of human beings, its smaller stones. And it was miry with the flesh (of slain steeds and elephants and men). And diverse kinds of costly weapons constituted the garlands (floating on it or lying on its banks). And that terrible river flowed fiercely through the middle of the field of battle, wafting living creatures to the regions of the dead. And large numbers of Pisachas, of horrible and repulsive forms, rejoiced, drinking and eating in that stream. And dogs and jackals and carnivorous birds, all eating of the same food, and inspiring living creatures with terror, held their high carnival there. And the warriors, gazing on that field of battle which, enhancing the population of Yama's domain, presented such an awful sight, and where human corpses rising up, began to dance, slowly left it as they beheld the mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu who resembled Sakra himself, lying on the field, his costly ornaments displaced and fallen off, and looking like a sacrificial fire on the altar no longer drenched with clarified butter.'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 49

 

 

 

  1 [s]
      tasmiṃs tu nihate vīre saubhadre rathayūthape
      vimuktarathasaṃnāhāḥ sarve nikṣiptakārmukāḥ
  2 upopaviṣṭā rājānaṃ parivārya yudhiṣṭhiram
      tad eva duḥkhaṃ dhyāyantaḥ saubhadra gatamānasāḥ
  3 tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā vilalāpa suduḥkhitaḥ
      abhimanyau hate vīre bhrātuḥ putre mahārathe
  4 droṇānīkam asaṃbādhaṃ mama priyacikīrṣayā
      bhittvā vyūhaṃ praviṣṭo 'sau gomadhyam iva kesarī
  5 yasya śūrā maheṣvāsāḥ pratyanīka gatā raṇe
      prabhagnā vinivartante kṛtāstrā yuddhadurmadāḥ
  6 atyantaśatrur asmākaṃ yena duḥśāsanaḥ śaraiḥ
      kṣipraṃ hy abhimukhaḥ saṃkye visaṃjño vimukhīkṛtaḥ
  7 sa tīrtvā dustaraṃ vīro droṇānīka mahārṇavam
      prāpya dauḥśāsaniṃ kārṣṇir yāto vaivasvatakṣayam
  8 kathaṃ drakṣyāmi kaunteyaṃ saubhadre nihate 'rjunam
      subhadrāṃ vā mahābhāgāṃ priyaṃ putram apaśyatīm
  9 kiṃ svid vayam apetārtham aśliṣṭam asamañjasam
      tāv ubhau prativakṣyāmo hṛṣīkeśa dhanaṃjayau
  10 aham eva subhadrāyāḥ keśavārjunayor api
     priyakāmo jayākāṅkṣī kṛtavān idam apriyam
 11 na lubdho budhyate doṣān mohāl lobhaḥ pravartate
     madhu pipsur hi nāpaśyaṃ prapātam idam īdṛśam
 12 yo hi bhojye puraskāryo yāneṣu śayaneṣu ca
     bhūṣaṇeṣu ca so 'smābhir bālo yudhi puraskṛtaḥ
 13 kathaṃ hi bālas taruṇo yuddhānām aviśāradaḥ
     sadaśva iva saṃbādhe viṣame kṣemam arhati
 14 yo ced dhi vayam apy enaṃ mahīm anuśayīmahi
     bībhatsoḥ kopadīptasya dagdhāḥ kṛpaṇa cakṣuṣā
 15 alubdho matimān hrīmān kṣamāvān rūpavān balī
     vapuṣmān mānakṛd vīraḥ priyaḥ satyaparāyaṇaḥ
 16 yasya ślāghanti vibudhāḥ karmāṇy ūrjitakarmaṇaḥ
     nivātakavacāñ jaghne kālakeyāṃś ca vīryavān
 17 mahendraśatravo yena hiraṇyapuravāsinaḥ
     akṣṇor nimeṣa mātreṇa paulomāḥ sagaṇā hatāḥ
 18 parebhyo 'py abhayārthibhyo yo dadāty abhayaṃ vibhuḥ
     tasyāsmābhir na śakitas trātum adyātmajo bhayāt
 19 bhayaṃ tu sumahat prāptaṃ dhārtarāṣṭraṃ mahad balam
     pārthaḥ putravadhāt kruddhaḥ kauravāñ śoṣayiṣyati
 20 kṣudraḥ kṣudrasahāyaś ca svapakṣa kṣayam āturaḥ
     vyaktaṃ duryodhano dṛṣṭvā śocan hāsyati jīvitam
 21 na me jayaḥ prītikaro na rājyaṃ; na cāmaratvaṃ na suraiḥ sa lokatā
     imaṃ samīkṣyāprativīrya pauruṣaṃ; nipātitaṃ devavarātmajātmajam

 

SECTION XLIX

"Sanjaya said, 'After the slaughter of that hero, that leader of car-divisions, viz., the son of Subhadra, the Pandava warriors, leaving their cars and putting off their armour, and throwing aside their Lows, sat, surrounding king Yudhishthira. And they were brooding over that grief of theirs,
p. 107
their hearts fixed upon the (deceased) Abhimanyu. Indeed, upon the fall of that heroic nephew of his, viz., the mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu, king Yudhishthira, overwhelmed with grief, indulged in (these) lamentations: 'Alas, Abhimanyu, from desire of achieving my good, pierced the array formed by Drona and teeming with his soldiers. Encountering him in battle, mighty bowmen endued with great courage, accomplished in weapons and incapable of being easily defeated in battle, were routed and forced to retreat. Encountering our implacable foe Duhsasana in battle, he with his arrows, caused that warrior to fly away from the field, deprived of his senses. Alas, the heroic son of Arjuna, having crossed the vast sea of Drona's army, was ultimately obliged to become a guest of Yama's abode, upon encountering the son of Duhsasana. When Abhimanyu is slain, how shall I cast my eyes on Arjuna and also the blessed Subhadra deprived of her favourite son? What senseless, disjointed, and improper words shall we have to say today unto Hrishikesa and Dhananjaya! Desirous of achieving what is good, and expectant of victory, it is I who have done this great evil unto Subhadra and Kesava and Arjuna. He that is covetous never beholdth his faults. Covetousness spring from folly. Collectors of honey see not the fall that is before them; I am even like them. He who was only a child, he who should have been provided with (good) food, with vehicles, with beds, with ornaments, alas, even he was placed by us in the van of battle. How could good come to a child of tender years, unskilled in battle, in such a situation of great danger. Like a horse on proud mettle, he sacrificed himself instead of refusing to do the bidding of his master. Alas, we also shall today lay ourselves down on the bare earth, blasted by the glances of grief, cast by Arjuna filled with wrath. Dhananjaya liberal, intelligent, modest, forgiving, handsome, mighty, possessed of well-developed and beautiful limbs, respectful to superiors, heroic, beloved, and devoted to truth; of glorious achievements' the very gods applaud his feats. That valiant hero slew the Nivatakavachas and the Kalakeyas, those enemies of Indra having their abode in Hiranyapura. In the twinkling of an eye he slew the Paulomas with all their followers. Endued with great might, he granteth quarter to implacable enemies asking for quarter! Alas, we could not protect today the son of even such a person from danger. A great fear hath overtaken the Dhartarashtras endued though they might be with great strength! 1 Enraged at the slaughter of his son, Partha will exterminate the Kauravas. It is evident also that the mean-minded Duryodhana having mean counsellors, that destroyer of his own race and partisans, beholding this extermination of the Kaurava army, will give up his life in grief. Beholding this son of Indra's son, of unrivalled energy and prowess, on the field of battle, neither victory, nor sovereignty, nor immortality, nor abode with the very celestials, causeth me the least delight!'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 50

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tasminn ahani nirvṛtte ghore prāṇabhṛtāṃ kṣaye
      āditye 'staṃ gate śrīmān saṃdhyākāla upasthite
  2 vyapayāteṣu sainyeṣu vāsāya bharatarṣabha
      hatvā saṃśaptakavrātān divyair astraiḥ kapidhvajaḥ
  3 prāyāt svaśibiraṃ jiṣṇur jaitram āsthāya taṃ ratham
      gacchann eva ca govindaṃ sannakaṇṭho 'bhyabhāṣata
  4 kiṃ nu me hṛdayaṃ trastaṃ vākyaṃ sajjati keśava
      spandanti cāpy aniṣṭāni gātraṃ sīdati cāpy uta
  5 aniṣṭaṃ caiva me śliṣṭaṃ hṛdayān nāpasarpati
      bhuvi yad dikṣu cāpy ugrā utpātās trāsayanti mām
  6 bahuprakārā dṛśyante sarva evāgha śaṃsinaḥ
      api svasti bhaved rājñaḥ sāmātyasya guror mama
  7 [vāsu]
      vyaktaṃ śivaṃ tava bhrātuḥ sāmātyasya bhaviṣyati
      mā śucaḥ kiṃ cid evānyat tatrāniṣṭaṃ bhaviṣyati
  8 [s]
      tataḥ saṃdhyām upāsyaiva vīrau vīrāvasādane
      kathayantau raṇe vṛttaṃ prayātau ratham āsthitau
  9 tataḥ svaśibiraṃ prāptau hatānandaṃ hatatviṣam
      vāsudevo 'rjunaś caiva kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram
  10 dhvastākāraṃ samālakṣya śibiraṃ paravīrahā
     bībhatsur abravīt kṛṣṇam asvasthahṛdayas tataḥ
 11 nādya nandanti tūryāṇi maṅgalyāni janārdana
     miśrā dundubhinirghoṣaḥ śaṅkhāś cāḍambaraiḥ saha
     vīṇā vā nādya vādyante śamyā tālasvanaiḥ saha
 12 maṅgalyāni ca gītāni na gāyanti paṭhanti ca
     stutiyuktāni ramyāṇi mamānīkeṣu bandinaḥ
 13 yodhāś cāpi hi māṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartante hy adhomukhāḥ
     karmāṇi ca yathāpūrvaṃ kṛtvā nābhivadanti mām
 14 api svasti bhaved adya bhrātṛbhyo mama mādhava
     na hi śudhyati me bhāvo dṛṣṭvā svajanam ākulam
 15 api pāñcālarājasya virāṭasya ca mānada
     sarveṣāṃ caiva yodhānāṃ sāmagryaṃ syān mamācyuta
 16 na ca mām adya saubhadraḥ prahṛṣṭo bhrātṛbhiḥ saha
     raṇād āyāntam ucitaṃ pratyudyāti hasann iva
 17 evaṃ saṃkathayantau tau praviṣṭau śibiraṃ svakam
     dadṛśāte bhṛśāsvasthān pāṇḍavān naṣṭacetasaḥ
 18 dṛṣṭvā bhrātṝṃś ca putrāṃś ca vimanā vānaradhvajaḥ
     apaśyaṃś caiva saubhadram idaṃ vacanam abravīt
 19 mukhavarṇo 'prasanno vaḥ sarveṣām eva lakṣyate
     na cābhimanyuṃ paśyāmi na ca māṃ pratinandatha
 20 mayā śrutaś ca droṇena cakravyūho vinirmitaḥ
     na ca vas tasya bhettāsti ṛte saubhadram āhave
 21 na copadiṣṭas tasyāsīn mayānīka vinirgamaḥ
     kac cin na bālo yuṣmābhiḥ parānīkaṃ praveśitaḥ
 22 bhittvānīkaṃ maheṣvāsaḥ pareṣāṃ bahuśo yudhi
     kac cin na nihataḥ śete saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
 23 lohitākṣaṃ mahābāhuṃ jātaṃ siṃham ivādriṣu
     upendra sadṛśaṃ brūta katham āyodhane hataḥ
 24 sukumāraṃ maheṣvāsaṃ vāsavasyātmajātmajam
     sadā mama priyaṃ brūta katham āyodhane hataḥ
 25 vārṣṇeyī dayitaṃ śūraṃ mayā satatalālitam
     ambāyāś ca priyaṃ nityaṃ ko 'vadhīt kālacoditaḥ
 26 sadṛśo vṛṣṇisiṃhasya keśavasya mahātmanaḥ
     vikramaśrutamāhātmyaiḥ katham āyodhane hataḥ
 27 subhadrāyāḥ priyaṃ nityaṃ draupadyāḥ keśavasya ca
     yadi putraṃ na paśyāmi yāsyāmi yamasādanam
 28 mṛdu kuñcitakeśāntaṃ bālaṃ bāla mṛgekṣaṇam
     mattadviradavikrāntaṃ śālapotam ivodgatam
 29 smitābhibhāṣaṇaṃ dāntaṃ guruvākyakaraṃ sadā
     bālye 'py abāla karmāṇaṃ priyavākyam amatsaram
 30 mahotsāhaṃ mahābāhuṃ dīrgharājīva locanam
     bhaktānukampinaṃ dāntaṃ na ca nīcānusāriṇam
 31 kṛtajñaṃ jñānasaṃpannaṃ kṛtāstram anivartinam
     yuddhābhinandinaṃ nityaṃ dviṣatām aghavardhanam
 32 sveṣāṃ priyahite yuktaṃ pitṝṇāṃ jaya gṛddhinam
     na ca pūrvaprahartāraṃ saṃgrāme naṣṭasaṃbhramam
     yadi putraṃ na paśyāmi yāsyāmi yamasādanam
 33 sulalāṭaṃ sukeśāntaṃ subhrv akṣidaśanac chadam
     apaśyatas tad vadanaṃ kā śāntir hṛdayasya me
 34 tantrī svanasukhaṃ ramyaṃ puṃskokola samadhvanim
     aśṛṇvataḥ svanaṃ tasya kā śāntir hṛdayasya me
 35 rūpaṃ cāpratirūpaṃ tantridaśeṣv api durlabham
     apaśyato 'dya vīrasya kā śāntir hṛdayasya me
 36 abhivādanadakṣaṃ taṃ pitṝṇāṃ vacane ratam
     nādyāhaṃ yadi paśyāmi kā śāntir hṛdayasya me
 37 sukumāraḥ sadā vīro mahārhaśayanocitaḥ
     bhūmāv anāthavac chete nūnaṃ nāthavatāṃ varaḥ
 38 śayānaṃ samupāsanti yaṃ purā paramastriyaḥ
     tam adya vipraviddhāṅgam upāsanty aśivāḥ śivāḥ
 39 yaḥ purā bodhyate suptaiḥ sūtamāgadhabandibhiḥ
     bodhayanty adya taṃ nūnaṃ śvāpadā vikṛtaiḥ svaraiḥ
 40 chatrac chāyā samucitaṃ tasya tad vadanaṃ śubham
     nūnam adya rajodhvastaṃ raṇe reṇuḥ kariṣyati
 41 hā putrakāvitṛptasya satataṃ putradarśane
     bhāgyahīnasya kālena yathā me nīyase balāt
 42 sādya saṃyamanī nūnaṃ sadā sukṛtināṃ gatiḥ
     svabhābhir bhāsitā ramyā tvayātyarthaṃ virājate
 43 nūnaṃ vaivasvataś ca tvā varuṇaś ca priyātithiḥ
     śatakratur dhaneśaś ca prāptam arcanty abhīrukam
 44 evaṃ vilapya bahudhā bhīna poto vaṇig yathā
     duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭo yudhiṣṭhiram apṛcchata
 45 kac cit sa kadanaṃ kṛtvā pareṣāṃ pāṇḍunandana
     svargato 'bhimukhaḥ saṃkhye yudhyamāno nararṣabhaḥ
 46 sa nūnaṃ bahubhir yattair yudhyamāno nararṣabhaiḥ
     asahāyaḥ sahāyārthī mām anudhyātavān dhruvam
 47 pīḍyamānaḥ śarair bālas tāta sādhv abhidhāva mām
     iti vipralapan manye nṛśaiṃsair bahubhir hataḥ
 48 atha vā matprasūtaś ca svasrīyo mādhavasya ca
     subhadrāyāṃ ca saṃbhūto naivaṃ vaktum ihārhati
 49 vajrasāramayaṃ nūnaṃ hṛdayaṃ sudṛḍhaṃ mama
     apaśyato dīrghabāhuṃ raktākṣaṃ yan na dīryate
 50 kathaṃ bāle maheṣvāse nṛśaṃsā marmabhedinaḥ
     svasrīye vāsudevasya mama putrākṣipañ śarān
 51 yo māṃ nityam adīnātmā pratyudgamyābhinandati
     upayāntaṃ ripūn hatvā so 'dya māṃ kiṃ na paśyati
 52 nūnaṃ sa patitaḥ śete dharaṇyāṃ rudhirokṣitaḥ
     śobhayan medinīṃ gātrair āditya iva pātitaḥ
 53 raṇe vinihataṃ śrutvā śokārtā vai vinaṃkṣyati
     subhadrā vakṣyate kiṃ mām abhimanyum apaśyatī
     draupadī caiva duḥkhārte te ca vakṣyāmi kiṃ nv aham
 54 vajrasāramayaṃ nūnaṃ hṛdayaṃ yan na yāsyati
     sahasradhā vadhūṃ dṛṣṭvā rudatīṃ śokakarśitām
 55 hṛṣṭānāṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ siṃhanādo mayā śrutaḥ
     yuyutsuś cāpi kṛṣṇena śruto vīrān upālabhan
 56 aśaknuvanto bībhatsuṃ bālaṃ hatvā mahārathāḥ
     kiṃ nadadhvam adharmajñāḥ pārthe vai dṛśyatāṃ balam
 57 kiṃ tayor vipriyaṃ kṛtvā keśavārjunayor mṛdhe
     siṃhavan nadata prītāḥ śokakāla upasthite
 58 āgamiṣyati vaḥ kṣipraṃ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ
     adharmo hi kṛtas tīvraḥ kathaṃ syād aphalaś ciram
 59 iti tān rapti bhāṣan vai vaiśyāputro mahāmatiḥ
     apāyāc chastram utsṛjya kopaduḥkhasamanvitaḥ
 60 kimartham etann ākhyātaṃ tvayā kṛṣṇa raṇe mama
     adhakṣyaṃ tān ahaṃ sarvāṃs tadā krūrān mahārathān
 61 nigṛhya vāsudevas taṃ putrādhibhir abhiplutam
     maivam ity abravīt kṛṣṇas tīvraśokasamanvitam
 62 sarveṣām eṣa vai panthāḥ śūrāṇām anivartinām
     kṣatriyāṇāṃ viśeṣeṇa yeṣāṃ yuddhena jīvikā
 63 eṣā vai yudhyamānānāṃ śūrāṇām anivartinām
     vihitā dharmaśāstrajñair gatir gatimatāṃ vara
 64 dhruvaṃ yuddhe hi maraṇaṃ śūrāṇām anivartinām
     gataḥ puṇyakṛtāṃ lokān abhimanyur na saṃśayaḥ
 65 etac ca sarvavīrāṇāṃ kāṅkṣitaṃ bharatarṣabha
     saṃgrāme 'bhimukhā mṛtyuṃ prapnuyāmeti mānada
 66 sa ca vīrān raṇe hatvā rājaputrān mahābalān
     vīrair ākāṅkṣitaṃ mṛtyuṃ saṃprāpto 'bhimukho raṇe
 67 mā śucaḥ puruṣavyāghra pūrvair eṣa sanātanaḥ
     dharmakṛdbhiḥ kṛto dharmaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ raṇe kṣayaḥ
 68 ime te bhrātaraḥ sarve dīnā bharatasattama
     tvayi śokasamāviṣṭe nṛpāś ca suhṛdas tava
 69 etāṃs tvaṃ vacasā sāmnā samāśvāsaya mānada
     viditaṃ veditavyaṃ te na śokaṃ kartum arhasi
 70 evam āśvāsitaḥ pārthaḥ kṛṣṇenādbhuta karmaṇā
     tato 'bravīt tadā bhrātṝn sarvān pārthaḥ sagadgadān
 71 sa dīrghabāhuḥ pṛthv aṃso dīrgharājīva locanaḥ
     abhimanyur yathāvṛttaḥ śrotum icchāmy ahaṃ tathā
 72 sa nāgasyandanahayān drakṣyadhvaṃ nihatān mayā
     saṃgrāme sānubandhāṃs tān mama putrasya vairiṇaḥ
 73 kathaṃ ca vaḥ kṛtāstrāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ śastrapāṇinām
     saubhadro nidhanaṃ gacched vajriṇāpi samāgataḥ
 74 yady evam aham ajñāsyam aśaktān rakṣaṇe mama
     putrasya pāṇḍupāñcālān mayā gupto bhavet tataḥ
 75 kathaṃ ca vo rathasthānāṃ śaravarṣāṇi muñcatām
     nīto 'bhimanyur nidhanaṃ kadarthī kṛtyavaḥ paraiḥ
 76 aho vaḥ pauruṣaṃ nāsti na ca vo 'sti parākramaḥ
     yatrābhimanyuḥ samare paśyatāṃ vo nipātitaḥ
 77 ātmānam eva garheyaṃ yad ahaṃ vaḥ sudurbalān
     yuṣmān ājñāya niryāto bhīrūn akṛtaniśramān
 78 āho svid bhūṣaṇārthāya varma śastrāyudhāni vaḥ
     vācaś ca vaktuṃ saṃsatsu mama putram arakṣatām
 79 evam uktvā tato vākyaṃ tiṣṭhaṃś cāpavarāsimān
     na smāśakyata bībhatsuḥ kena cit prasamīkṣitum
 80 tam antakam iva kruddhaṃ niḥśvasantaṃ muhur muhuḥ
     putraśokābhisaṃtaptam aśrupūrṇamukhaṃ tadā
 81 nābhibhāṣṭuṃ śaknuvanti draṣṭuṃ vā suhṛdo 'rjunam
     anyatra vāsudevād vā jyeṣṭād vā pāṇḍunandanāt
 82 sarvāsv avasthāsu hitāv arjunasya mano'nugau
     bahumānāt priyatvāc ca tāv enaṃ vaktum arhataḥ
 83 tatas taṃ putraśokena bhṛśaṃ pīḍita mānasam
     rājīvalocanaṃ kruddhaṃ rājā vacanam abravīt

 

SECTION L

"Sanjaya said, 'While Kunti's son, Yudhishthira, was indulging in such lamentations, the great Rishi Krishna Dwaipayana came to him. Worshipping him duly, and causing him to be seated, Yudhishthira, afflicted with grief on account of the death of his brother's son, said, 'Alas, while battling with many mighty bowmen, the son of Subhadra, surrounded by several great car-warriors of unrighteous propensities, hath been slain on the field. The slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Subhadra, was a child in years and of childish understanding. 1 He fought in battle against desperate odds. I asked him to open a passage for us in battle. He penetrated within the hostile army, but we could not follow him, obstructed by the ruler of the Sindhus. Alas, they that betake themselves to battle as a profession, always fight with antagonists equally circumstanced with themselves. This battle, however, that the enemy fought with Abhimanyu, was an extremely unequal one. It is that which grieves me greatly and draws tears from me. Thinking of this, I fail to regain peace of mind.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'The illustrious Vyasa, addressing Yudhishthira who was indulging in such lamentations and who was thus unmanned by an accession of sorrow, said these words.'
"Vyasa said, 'O Yudhishthira, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that art master of all branches of knowledge, persons like thee never suffer themselves to be stupefied by calamities. This brave youth, having slain numerous foes hath ascended to heaven. Indeed, that best of persons, (though a child), acted, however, like one of matured years. O Yudhishthira, this law is incapable of being transgressed. O Bharata, Death takes all viz., Gods and Dhanavas and Gandharvas (without exception).'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Alas, these lords of earth, that lie on the bare earth, slain in the midst of their forces, bereft of consciousness, were possessed of great might. Others (of their class) possessed strength equal to that of ten thousand elephants. Others, again, were endued with the impetuosity and might of the very wind. They have all perished in battle, slain by men of their own class. I do not behold the person (save one of their own class) who could slay any of them in battle. Endued with great prowess, they were possessed of great energy and great might. Alas, they who used daily to come to battle with this hope firmly implanted in their hearts, viz., that they would conquer, alas even they, possessed of great wisdom, are lying on a field, struck (with weapons) and deprived of life. The significance of the word Death hath today been made intelligible, for these lords of earth, of terrible prowess, have almost all been dead. Those heroes are lying motionless; reft of vanity, having succumbed to foes. Many princes, filled with wrath, have been victimised before the fire (of their enemies' wrath). A great doubt possesses me, viz., whence is
p. 109
[paragraph continues] Death? Whose (offspring) is Death? What is Death? Why does Death take away creatures? O grandsire, O thou that resemblest a god, tell me this.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Unto Kunti's son, Yudhishthira, asking him thus, the illustrious Rishi, comforting him, said these words.'
"Vyasa said, As regards the matter in hand, O king, this ancient story of what Narada had in days of old said unto Akampana is cited. King Akampana, O monarch, I know, while in this world was afflicted with very great and unbearable grief on account of the death of his son, I will now tell these the excellent story about the origin of Death. Having listened to it, thou wilt be emancipated from sorrow and the touch of affection's tie. Listen to me, O sire, as I recite this ancient history. This history is, indeed, excellent. It enhanceth the period of life, killeth grief and conduceth to health. It is sacred, destructive of large bodies of foes, and auspicious of all auspicious things. Indeed, this history is even as the study of the Vedas. O monarch, it should every morning be listened to by the foremost of kings who are desirous of longlived children and their own good.
"In days of old, O sire, there was a king named Akampana. Once, on the field of battle, he was surrounded by his foes and nearly overpowered by them. He had a son who was called Hari. Equal to Narayana himself in might, that latter was exceedingly handsome, accomplished in weapons, gifted with great intelligence, possessed of might, resembled Sakra himself in battle. Encompassed by countless foes on the field of battle, he sped thousands of shafts at those warriors and the elephants that surrounded him. Having achieved the most difficult feats in battle, O Yudhishthira, that scorcher of foes was, at last, slain in the midst of the army. Performing the obsequies of his son, king Akampana cleansed himself. 1 Grieving, however, for his son day and night, the king failed to regain happiness of mind. Informed of his grief on account of the death of his son, the celestial Rishi Narada came to his presence. The blessed king, beholding the celestial Rishi, told the latter everything that had happened unto him, viz., his defeat at the hands of his foes, and the slaughter of his son. And the king said, 'My son was endued with great energy, and equalled Indra or Vishnu himself in splendour. That mighty son of mine, having displayed his prowess on the field against countless foes was at last slain! O illustrious one, who is this Death? What is the measure of his energy, strength and prowess? O foremost of intelligent persons, I desire to hear all this truly.' Hearing these words of his, the boon giving lord, Narada., recited the following elaborate history, destructive of grief on account of a son's death.'
p. 110
"Narada said. 'Listen, O mighty-armed king, to this long history, exactly as I have heard it, O monarch! In the beginning, the Grandsire Brahma created all creatures. Endued with mighty energy, he saw that the creation bore no signs of decay. Thereat, O king, the Creator began to think about the destruction of the universe. Reflecting on the matter, O monarch, the Creator failed to find any means of destruction. He then became angry, and in consequence of his anger a fire sprang from the sky. That fire spread in all directions for consuming everything of the universe. Then heaven, sky, and earth, all became filled with fire. And thus the Creator began to consume the whole mobile and immobile universe. Thereby all creatures, mobile and immobile, were destroyed. Indeed, the mighty Brahma, frightening everything by the force of his wrath, did all this, Then Hara, otherwise called Sthanu or Siva, with matted locks on his head, that Lord of all wanderers of the night, appealed to the divine Brahma, the Lord of the gods. When Sthanu fell (at Brahma's feet) from a desire of doing good to all creatures, the Supreme Deity to that greatest of ascetics, blazing with splendour, said, 'What wish of thine shall we accomplish, O thou that deservest to have all thy wishes fulfilled? O thou that hast been born of our wish! We shall do all that may be agreeable to thee! Tell us, O Sthanu, what is thy wish?'"

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 51

 

 

 

 1 [y]
      tvayi yāte mahābāho saṃśaptakabalaṃ prati
      prayatnam akarot tīvram ācāryo grahaṇe mama
  2 vyāḍhānīkaṃ vayaṃ droṇaṃ varayāmaḥ sma sarvaśaḥ
      prativyūhya rathānīkaṃ yatamānaṃ tathā raṇe
  3 sa vāryamāṇo rathibhī rakṣitena mayā tathā
      asmān api jaghānāśu pīḍayan niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
  4 te pīḍyamānā droṇena droṇānīkaṃ na śaknumaḥ
      prativīkṣitum apy ājau bhettuṃ tat kuta eva tu
  5 vayaṃ tv apratimaṃ vīrye sarve saubhadram ātmajam
      uktavantaḥ sma te tāta bhindhy anīkam iti prabho
  6 sa tathā codito 'smābhiḥ sadaśva iva vīryavān
      asahyam api taṃ bhāraṃ voḍhum evopacakrame
  7 sa tavāstropadeśena vīryeṇa ca samanvitaḥ
      prāviśat tad balaṃ bālaḥ suparṇa iva sāgaram
  8 te 'nuyātā vayaṃ vīraṃ sātvatī putram āhave
      praveṣṭu kāmās tenaiva yena sa prāviśac camūm
  9 tataḥ saindhavako rājā kṣudras tāta jayadrathaḥ
      varadānena rudrasya sarvān naḥ samavārayat
  10 tato droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ karṇo drauṇiś ca sa bṛhadbalaḥ
     kṛtavarmā ca saubhadraṃ ṣaḍ rathāḥ paryavārayan
 11 parivārya tu taiḥ sarvair yudhi bālo mahārathaiḥ
     yatamānaḥ paraṃ śaktyā bahubhir virathī kṛtaḥ
 12 tato dauḥśāsaniḥ kṣipraṃ tathā tair virathī kṛtam
     saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ prāpya diṣṭāntenābhyayojayat
 13 sa tu hatvā sahasrāṇi dvipāśvarathasādinām
     rājaputra śataṃ cāgryaṃ vīrāṃś cālakṣitān bahūn
 14 bṛhadbalaṃ ca rājānaṃ svargeṇājau prayojya ha
     tataḥ paramadharmātmā diṣṭāntam upajagmivān
 15 etāvad eva nirvṛttam asmākaṃ śokavardhanam
     sa caivaṃ puruṣavyāghraḥ svargalokam avāptavān
 16 [s]
     tato 'rjuno vacaḥ śrutvā dharmarājena bhāṣitam
     hā putra iti niḥśvasya vyathito nyapatad bhuvi
 17 viṣaṇṇavadanāḥ sarve parigṛhya dhanaṃjayam
     netrair animiṣair dīnāḥ pratyavekṣan parasparam
 18 pratilabhya tataḥ saṃjñāṃ vāsaviḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ
     kampamāno jvareṇeva niḥśvasaṃś ca muhur muhuḥ
 19 pāṇiṃ pāṇau viniṣpiṣya śvasamāno 'śrunetravān
     unmatta iva viprekṣann idaṃ vacanam abravīt
 20 satyaṃ vaḥ pratijānāmi śvāsti hantā jayadratham
     na ced vadhabhayād bhīto dhartarāṣṭrān prahāsyati
 21 na cāsmāñ śaraṇaṃ gacchet kṛṣṇaṃ vā puruṣottamam
     bhavantaṃ vā mahārāja śvo 'smi hantā jayadratham
 22 dhārtarāṣṭra priyakaraṃ mayi vismṛta sauhṛdam
     pāpaṃ bālavadhe hetuṃ śvo 'smi hantā jayadratham
 23 rakṣamāṇāś ca taṃ saṃkhye ye māṃ yotsyanti ke cana
     api droṇa kṛpau vīrau chādayiṣyāmi tāñ śaraiḥ
 24 yady etad evaṃ saṃgrāme na kuryāṃ puruṣarṣabhāḥ
     mā sma puṇyakṛtāṃ lokān prāpnuyāṃ śūra saṃmatān
 25 ye lokā mātṛhantṝṇāṃ ye cāpi pitṛghātinām
     guru dāragāmināṃ ye ca piśunānāṃ ca ye tathā
 26 sādhūn asūyatāṃ ye ca ye cāpi parivādinām
     ye ca nikṣepa hartṝṇāṃ ye ca viśvāsaghātinām
 27 bhuktapūrvāṃ striyaṃ ye ca nindatām agha śaṃsinām
     brahmaghnānāṃ ca ye lokā ye ca goghātinām api
 28 pāyasaṃ vā yavānnaṃ vā śākaṃ kṛsaram eva vā
     saṃyāvāpūpa māṃsāni ye ca lokā vṛthāśnatām
     tān ahnaivādhigaccheyaṃ na ced dhanyāṃ jayadratham
 29 vedādhyāyinam atyarthaṃ saṃśitaṃ vā dvijottamam
     avamanyamāno yān yāti vṛddhān sādhūṃs tathā gurūn
 30 spṛśatāṃ brāhmaṇaṃ gāṃ ca pādenāgniṃ ca yāṃ labhet
     yāpsu śreṣma purīṣaṃ vā mūtraṃ vā muñcatāṃ gatiḥ
     tāṃ gaccheyaṃ gatiṃ ghorāṃ na ced dhanyāṃ jayadratham
 31 nagnasya snāyamānasya yā ca vandhyātither gatiḥ
     utkocināṃ mṛṣoktīnāṃ vañcakānāṃ ca yā gatiḥ
     ātmāpahāriṇāṃ yā ca yā ca mithyābhiśaṃsinām
 32 bhṛtyaiḥ saṃdṛśyamānānāṃ putradārāśritais tathā
     asaṃvibhajya kṣudrāṇāṃ yā gatir mṛṣṭam aśnatām
     tāṃ gaccheyaṃ gatiṃ ghorāṃ na ced dhanyāṃ jayadratham
 33 saṃśritaṃ vāpi yas tyaktvā sādhuṃ tad vacane ratam
     na bibharti nṛśaṃsātmā nindate copakāriṇam
 34 arhate prātiveśyāya śrāddhaṃ yo na dadāti ca
     anarhate ca yo dadyād vṛṣalī patyur eva ca
 35 madyapo bhinnamaryādaḥ kṛtaghno bhrātṛnindakaḥ
     teṣāṃ gatim iyāṃ kṣipraṃ na ced dhanyāṃ jaradratham
 36 dharmād apetā ye cānye mayā nātrānukīrtitāḥ
     ye cānukīrtitāḥ kṣipraṃ teṣāṃ gatim avāpnuyām
     yadi vyuṣṭām imāṃ rātriṃ śvo na hanyāṃ jayadratham
 37 imāṃ cāpy aparāṃ bhūyaḥ pratijñāṃ me nibodhata
     yady asminn ahate pāpe sūryo 'stam upayāsyati
     ihaiva saṃpraveṣṭāhaṃ jvalitaṃ jātavedasam
 38 asurasuramanuṣyāḥ pakṣiṇo voragā vā; pitṛraja nicarā vā brahma devarṣayo vā
     caram acaram apīdaṃ yat paraṃ cāpi tasmāt; tad api mama ripuṃ rakṣituṃ naiva śaktāḥ
 39 yadi viśati rasātalaṃ tadagryaṃ; viyad api devapuraṃ diteḥ puraṃ vā
     tad api śaraśatair ahaṃ prabhāte; bhṛśam abhipatya ripoḥ śiro 'bhihartā
 40 evam uktvā vicikṣepa gāṇḍīvaṃ savyadakṣiṇam
     tasya śabdam atikramya dhanuḥ śabdo 'spṛśad divam
 41 arjunena pratijñāte prāñcajanyaṃ janārjanaḥ
     pradadhmau tatra saṃkruddho devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ
 42 sa pāñcajanyo 'cyutavaktravāyunā; bhṛśaṃ suparṇodara niḥsṛta dhvaniḥ
     jagat sa pātālaviyad dig īśvaraṃ; prakampayām āsa yugātyaye yathā
 43 tato vāditraghoṣāś ca prādurāsan samantataḥ
     siṃhanādāś ca pāṇḍūnāṃ pratijñāte mahātmanā

 

SECTION LI

"Sthanu said, 'O lord, thou hadst taken great care for creating diverse creatures. Indeed, creatures of diverse kinds were created and reared by thee. Those very creatures, again, are now being consumed through thy fire. Seeing this, I am filled with compassion. O illustrious lord, be inclined to grace.'
"Brahma said, 'I had no desire of destroying the universe, I desired good of the earth, and it was for this that wrath possessed me. The goddess Earth, afflicted with the heavy weight of creatures, always urged me for destroying the creatures on her. Urged by her, I could not however, find any means for the destruction of the infinite creation. At this wrath possessed me.'
"Rudra said, 'Be inclined to grace. O lord of the universe, cherish not the wrath for the destruction of creatures. No more let creatures, immobile and mobile, be destroyed. Through thy grace, O illustrious one, let the threefold universe, viz., the Future, the Past, and the Present exist. Thou, O Lord, hadst blazed up with wrath. From that wrath of thine, a substance like fire sprang into existence, That fire is even now blasting rocks and trees and rivers, and all kinds of herbs and grass. Indeed, that fire is
p. 111
exterminating the immobile and the mobile universe. The mobile and the immobile universe is being reduced to ashes. Be inclined to grace, O illustrious one! Do not give way to wrath. Even this is the boon I solicit, All created things, O divine Being, belonging to thee, are being destroyed. Therefore, let thy wrath be appeased. Let it be annihilated in thy own self. Cast thy eye on thy creatures, inspired with the desire of doing them good. Do that by which creatures endued with life may not cease to be. Let not these creatures, with their productive powers weakened be exterminated. O Creator of the worlds, thou hast appointed me their Protector, O Lord of the universe, let not the mobile and the immobile universe to be destroyed. Thou art inclined to grace, and it is for this that I say these words unto thee.'
"Narada continued, Hearing these words (of Mahadeva) the divine Brahma, from desire of benefiting creatures, held in his own inner self his wrath that had been roused. Extinguishing the fire, the divine Benefactor of the world, the great Master, declared the duties of Production and Emancipation. And while the Supreme Deity exterminated that fire born of his wrath, there came out from the doors of his diverse senses a female who was dark and red and tawny, whose tongue and face and eyes were red, and who was decked with two brilliant ear-rings and diverse other brilliant ornaments. Issuing out of his body, she smilingly looked at those two lords of the universe and then set out for the southern quarter, Then Brahma, that controller of the creation and destruction of the worlds, called after her by the name of Death. And Brahma, O king, said unto her, 'Slay these creatures of mine! Thou hast been born of that wrath of mine which I cherished for the destruction (of the universe). By doing this, kill all creatures including idiots and seers at my command. By doing this, thou wilt be benefited.' Thou lotus-lady, called Death, thus addressed by him reflected deeply, and then helplessly wept aloud in melodious accents. The Grandsire then caught the tears she had shed, with his two hands, for the benefit of all creatures, and began to implore her (with these words).'

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 52

 

 

 1 [s]
      śrutvā tu taṃ mahāśabdaṃ pāṇḍūnāṃ putragṛddhinām
      cāraiḥ pravedite tatra samutthāya jayadrathaḥ
  2 śokasaṃmūḍhahṛdayo duḥkhenābhihato bhṛśam
      majjamāna ivāgādhe vipule śokasāgale
  3 jagāma samitiṃ rājñāṃ saindhavo vimṛśan bahu
      sa teṣāṃ naradevānāṃ sakāśe paridevayan
  4 abhimanyoḥ pitur bhītaḥ savrīḍo vākyam abravīt
      yo 'sau pāṇḍoḥ kila kṣetre jātaḥ śakreṇa kāminā
  5 sa ninīṣati durbuddhir māṃ kilaikaṃ yamakṣayam
      tas tvasti vo 'stu yāsyāmi svagṛhaṃ jīvitepsayā
  6 atha vā stha pratibalās trātuṃ māṃ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ
      pārthena prārthitaṃ vīrās te dadantu mamābhayam
  7 droṇaduryodhanakṛpāḥ karṇamadreśabāhlikāḥ
      duḥśāsanādayaḥ śaktās trātum apy antakādritam
  8 kim aṅgapunar ekena phalgunena jighāṃsatā
      na trāyeyur bhavanto māṃ samastāḥ patayo kṣiteḥ
  9 praharṣaṃ pāṇḍaveyānāṃ śrutvā mama mahad bhayam
      sīdantīva ca me 'ṅgāni mumūrṣor iva pārthivāḥ
  10 vadho nūnaṃ pratijñāto mama gāṇḍīvadhanvanā
     tathā hi hṛṣṭāḥ krośanti śokakāle 'pi pāṇḍavāḥ
 11 na devā na ca gandharvā nāśuroraga rākṣasāḥ
     utsahante 'nyathā kartuṃ kuta eva narādhipāḥ
 12 tasmān mām anujāmīta bhadraṃ vo 'stu nararṣabhāḥ
     adarśanaṃ gamiṣyāmi na māṃ drakṣyanti pāṇḍavāḥ
 13 evaṃ vilapamānaṃ taṃ bhayād vyākulacetasam
     ātmakāryagarīyastvād rājā duryodhano 'bravīt
 14 na bhetavyaṃ naravyāghra ko hi tvā puruṣarṣabha
     madhye kṣatriya vīrāṇāṃ tiṣṭhantaṃ prārthayed yudhi
 15 ahaṃ vaikartanaḥ karṇaś citraseno viviṃśatiḥ
     bhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ śalyo vṛṣaseno durāsadaḥ
 16 purumitro jayo bhojaḥ kāmbojaś ca sudakṣiṇaḥ
     satyavrato mahābāhur vikarṇo durmukhaḥ sahaḥ
 17 duḥśāsanaḥ subāhuś ca kaliṅgaś cāpy udāyudhaḥ
     vindānuvindāv āvantyau droṇo drauṇiḥ sa saubalaḥ
 18 tvaṃ cāpi rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ svayaṃ śūro 'mitadyutiḥ
     sa kathaṃ pāṇḍaveyebhyo bhayaṃ paśyasi saindhava
 19 akṣauhiṇyo daśaikā ca madīyās tava rakṣaṇe
     yattā yotsyanti māṃ bhais tvaṃ saindhava vyetu te bhayam
 20 evam āśvāsito rājan putreṇa tava saindhavaḥ
     duryodhanena sahito droṇaṃ rātrāv upāgamat
 21 upasaṃgrahaṇaṃ kṛtvā droṇāya sa viśāṃ pate
     upopaviśya praṇataḥ paryapṛcchad idaṃ tadā
 22 nimitte dūrapātitve laghutve dṛḍhavedhane
     mama bravītu bhagavān viśeṣaṃ phalgunasya ca
 23 vidyā viśeṣam icchāmi jñātum ācārya tattvataḥ
     mamārjunasya ca vibho yathātattvaṃ pracakṣva me
 24 [drn]
     samam ācāryakaṃ tāta tava caivārjunasya ca
     yogād duḥkhocitatvāc ca tasmāt tvatto 'dhiko 'rjunaḥ
 25 na tu te yudhi saṃtrāsaḥ kāryaḥ pārthāt kathaṃ cana
     ahaṃ hi rakṣitā tāta bhayāt tvāṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ
 26 na hi madbāhuguptasya prabhavanty amarā api
     vyūhiṣyāmi ca taṃ vyūhaṃ yaṃ pārtho na tariṣyati
 27 tasmād yudhyasva mā bhais tvaṃ svadharmam anupālaya
     pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mārgam anuyāhi narādhipa
 28 adhītya vidhivad vedān agnayaḥ suhutās tvayā
     iṣṭaṃ ca bahubhir yajñair na te mṛtyubhayād bhayam
 29 durlabhaṃ mānuṣair mandair mahābhāgyam avāpya tu
     bhujavīryārjitāṁl lokān divyān prāpsyasy anuttamān
 30 kuravaḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva vṛṣṇayo 'nye ca mānavāḥ
     ahaṃ ca saha putreṇa adhruvā iti cintyatām
 31 paryāyeṇa vayaṃ sarve kālena balinā hatāḥ
     paralokaṃ gamiṣyāmaḥ svaiḥ svaiḥ karmabhir anvitāḥ
 32 tapas taptvā tu yāṁl lokān prāpnuvanti tapasvinaḥ
     kṣatradharmāśritāḥ śūrāḥ kṣatriyāḥ prāpnuvanti tān
 33 [s]
     evam āśvāsito rājan bhāradvājena saindhavaḥ
     apānudad bhayaṃ pārthād yuddhāya ca mano dadhe

 

SECTION LII

"Narada said, 'The helpless lady, suppressing her arrow within her own self, addressed, with joined hands, the Lord of the creation, bending with humility like a creeper. And she said, O foremost of speakers, created by thee how shall I, being a female, do such a cruel and evil act knowing it to be cruel and evil? I fear unrighteousness greatly. O divine Lord, be inclined to grace. Sons and friends and brothers and sires and husbands are always dear; (if I kill them), they who will suffer these losses will seek to injure me. It is this that I fear. The tears that will fall from the eyes
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of woe-stricken and weeping persons, inspire me with fear, O Lord! I seek thy protection. O divine Being, O foremost of gods, I will not go to Yama's abode. O boon-giving one, I implore thee or thy grace, bowing my head and joining my palms. O grandsire of the worlds, I solicit (the accomplishment of even) this wish at thy hands! 1 I desire, with thy permission, to undergo ascetic penances, O Lord of created things! Grant me this boon, O divine Being, O great master! Permitted by thee, I will go to the excellent asylum of Dhenuka! Engaged in adoring Thyself, I will undergo the severest austerities there. I will not be able, O Lord of the gods, to take away the dear life-breaths of living creatures weeping in sorrow. Protect me from unrighteousness.'
"Brahma said, 'O Death, thou hast been intended for achieving the destruction of creatures. Go, destroy all creatures, thou needst have no scruples. Even this must be. It cannot be otherwise. Do but my behest. Nobody in the world will find any fault in thee.'
"Narada continued, 'Thus addressed, that lady became very much affrighted. 2 Looking at Brahma's face, she stood with joined hands. From desire of doing good to creatures, she did not set her heart upon their destruction. The divine Brahma also, that Lord of the lord of all creatures, remained silent. And soon the Grandsire became gratified in his own self. And casting his eyes upon all the creation he smiled. And, thereupon, creatures continued to live as before i.e., unaffected by premature death. And upon that, invincible and illustrious Lord having shaken off his wrath, that damsel left the presence of that wise Deity. Leaving Brahma, without having agreed to destroy creatures, the damsel called Death speedily proceeded to the retreat called Dhenuka. Arrived there, she practised excellent and highly austere vows. And she stood there on one leg for sixteen billions of years, and five times ten billions also, through pity for living creatures and from desire of doing them good, and all the time restraining her senses from their favourite objects. And once again, O king she stood there on one leg for one and twenty times ten billions of years. And then she wandered for ten times ten thousand billions of years with the creatures (of the earth), Next, repairing to the sacred Nanda that was full of cool and pure water, she passed in those waters eight thousand years. Observing rigid vows at Nanda, she cleansed herself of all her sins. Then she proceeded, first of all, to the sacred Kausiki, observant of vow. Living upon air and water only, she practised austerities there, Repairing then to Panchaganga and next to Vetasa, that cleansed damsel, by diverse kinds of especial austerities, emaciated her own body. Going next to the Ganga and thence to the great Meru, she remained
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motionless like a stone, suspending her life-breath. Thence going to the top of Himavat, where the gods had performed their sacrifice (in days of yore), that amiable and auspicious girl remained for a billion of years standing on the toe only of her feet. Wending then to Pushkara, and Gokarna, and Naimisha, and Malaya, she emaciated her body, practising austerities agreeable to her heart. Without acknowledging any other god, with steady devotion to the Grandsire, she lived and gratified the Grandsire in every way. Then the unchangeable Creator of the worlds, gratified said unto her, with a softened and delighted heart. 'O Death, why dost thou undergo ascetic austerities so severe?' Thus addressed, Death said unto the divine Grandsire, 'Creatures, O Lord, are living in health. They do not injure one another even by words. I shall not be able to slay them. O Lord, I desire even this boon at thy hands. I fear sin, and it is for this that I am engaged in ascetic austerities. O blessed one, undertake to remove for ever my fears. I am a woman, in distress, and without fault. I beg thee, be thou protector. Unto her the divine Brahman acquainted with the past, the present and the future, said, 'Thou shalt commit no sin, O Death, by slaying these creatures. My words can never be futile., O amiable one! Therefore, O auspicious damsel, slay these creatures of four kinds. Eternal virtue shall always be thine. That Regent of the world, viz., Yama, and the diverse disease shall become thy helpmates. I myself and all the gods will grant thee boons, so that, freed from sin and perfectly cleansed, thou mayst even acquire glory.' Thus addressed, O monarch, that lady, joining her hands, once more said these words, seeking her grace by bowing down unto him with her head, If, O Lord, this is not to be without me, then thy command I place upon my head. Listen, however, to what I say, Let covetousness, wrath, malice, jealousy, quarrel, folly and shamelessness, and other stern passions tear the bodies of all embodied creatures.'
"Brahman said, 'It will be, O Death, as thou sayest. Meanwhile, slay creatures duly. Sin shall not be thine, nor shall I seek to injure thee, O auspicious one. Those tear-drops of thine that are in my hands, even they will become diseases, springing from living creatures themselves. They will kill men; and if men are killed, sin shall not be thine. Therefore, do not fear, Indeed, sin shall not be thine. Devoted to righteousness, and observant of thy duty, thou shalt sway (all creatures). Therefore, take thou always the fives of these living creatures. Casting off both desire and wrath, take thou the life of all living creatures. Even thus will eternal virtue be thine. Sin will stay those that are of wicked behaviour. By doing my bidding cleanse thyself. It will be thine to sink them in their sins that are wicked. Therefore, cast off both desire and wrath, and kill these creatures endued with life.'
"Narada continued, 'That damsel, seeing that she was (persistently) called by the name of Death, feared (to act otherwise). And in terror also of Brahma's curse, she said, 'Yes!' Unable to do otherwise, she began, casting off desire and wrath, to take the lives of living creatures when the
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time came (for their dissolution). It is only living creatures that die. Diseases spring from living creatures themselves. Disease is the abnormal condition of creatures. They are pained by it. Therefore, indulge not in fruitless grief for creatures after they are dead. The senses, upon the death of creatures, go with the latter (to the other world), and achieving their (respective) functions, once more come back (with creatures when the latter are reborn). Thus all creatures, O lion among beings, the very gods included going, thither, have to act, like mortals. 1 The wind, that is awful, of terrible roars and great strength, omnipresent and endued with infinite energy, it is the wind that will rive the bodies of living creatures. It will, in this matter put forth no active energy, nor will it suspend its functions; (but do this naturally). Even all the gods have the appellation of mortals attached to them. Therefore, O lion among kings, do not grieve for thy son! Repairing to heaven, the son of thy body is passing his days in perpetual happiness, having obtained those delightful regions that are for heroes. Casting off all sorrows, he hath attained to the companionship of the righteous. Death hath been ordained by the Creator himself for all creatures! When their hour comes, creatures are destroyed duly. The death of creatures arises from the creatures themselves. Creatures kill themselves. Death doth not kill any one, armed with her bludgeon! Therefore, they that are wise, truly knowing death to be inevitable, because ordained by Brahma himself, never grieve for creatures that are dead. Knowing this death to be ordained by the Supreme God, cast off, without delay; thy grief for thy dead son!'
"Vyasa continued, 'Hearing these words of grave import spoken by Narada, king Akampana, addressing his friend, said, 'O illustrious one, O foremost of Rishi, my grief is gone, and I am contented. Hearing this history from thee, I am grateful to thee and I worship thee.' That foremost of superior Rishi, that celestial ascetic of immeasurable soul, thus addressed by the king, proceeded to the woods of Nandava. The frequent recital of this history for the hearing of others, as also the frequent hearing of this history, is regarded as cleansing, leading to fame and heaven and worthy of approbation. It enhanceth besides, the period of life. Having listened to this instructive story, cast off thy grief, O Yudhishthira, reflecting besides or, the duties of a Kshatriya and the high state (of blessedness) attainable by heroes. Abhimanyu, that mighty car-warrior, endued with mighty energy, having slain (numerous) foes before the gaze of all bowmen, hath attained to heaven. The great bowman, that mighty car-warrior, struggling on the field, hath fallen in the battle struck with sword and mace and dart, and bow. Sprung from Soma, he hath disappeared in the lunar essence, cleansed of all his impurities. Therefore, O son of Pandu, mustering all thy fortitude. thyself with thy brothers, without allowing your senses to be stupefied speedily set out, inflamed with
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rage, for battle.'" 1

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 53

 

 

1 [s]
      pratijñāte tu pārthena sindhurājavadhe tadā
      vāsudevo mahābāhur dhanaṃjayam abhāṣata
  2 bhrātṝṇāṃ matam ājñāya tvayā vācā pratiśrutam
      saindhavaṃ śvo 'smi hanteti tat sāhasatamaṃ kṛtam
  3 asaṃmantrya mayā sārdham atibhāro 'yam udyataḥ
      kathaṃ nu sarvalokasya nāvahāsyā bhavemahi
  4 dhārtarāṣṭrasya śibire mayā praṇihitāś carāḥ
      ta ime śīghram āgamya pravṛttiṃ vedayanti naḥ
  5 tvayā vai saṃpratijñāte sindhurājavadhe tadā
      siṃhanādaḥ sa vāditraḥ sumahān iha taiḥ śrutaḥ
  6 tena śabdena vitrastā dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ sa saindhavāḥ
      nākasmāt siṃhanādo 'yam iti matvā vyavasthitāḥ
  7 sumahāñ śabdasaṃpātaḥ kauravāṇāṃ mahābhuja
      āsīn nāgāśvapattīnāṃ rathaghoṣaś ca bhairavaḥ
  8 abhimanyuvadhaṃ śrutvā dhruvam ārto dhanaṃjayaḥ
      rātrau niryāsyati krodhād iti matvā vyavasthitāḥ
  9 tair yatadbhir iyaṃ satyā śrutā satyavatas tava
      pratijñā sindhurājasya vadhe rājīvalocana
  10 tato vimanasaḥ sarve trastāḥ kṣudramṛgā iva
     āsan suyodhanāmātyāḥ sa ca rājā jayadrathaḥ
 11 athotthāya sahāmātyair dīnaḥ śibiram ātmanaḥ
     āyāt sauvīrasindhūnām īśvaro bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ
 12 sa mantrakāle saṃmantrya sarvā naiḥśreyasīḥ kriyāḥ
     suyodhanam idaṃ vākyam abravīd rājasaṃsadi
 13 mām asau putra hanteti śvo 'bhiyātā dhanaṃjayaḥ
     pratijñāto hi senāyā madhye tena vadho mama
 14 tāṃ na devā na gandharvā nāsuroraga rākṣasāḥ
     utsahante 'nyathā kartuṃ pratijñāṃ savyasācinaḥ
 15 te māṃ rakṣata saṃgrāme mā vo mūrdhni dhanaṃjayaḥ
     padaṃ kṛtvāpnuyāl lakṣyaṃ tasmād atra vidhīyatām
 16 atha rakṣā na me saṃkhye kriyate kurunandana
     anujānīhi māṃ rājan gamiṣyāmi gṛhān prati
 17 evam uktas tv avākśīrṣo vimanāḥ sa suyodhanaḥ
     śrutvābhiśaptavantaṃ tvāṃ dhyānam evānvapadyata
 18 tam ārtam abhisaṃprekṣya rājā kila sa saindhavaḥ
     mṛdu cātmahitaṃ caiva sāpekṣam idam uktavān
 19 nāhaṃ paśyāmi bhavatāṃ tathā vīryaṃ dhanurdharam
     yo 'rjunasyāstram astreṇa pratihanyān mahāhave
 20 vāsudevasahāyasya gāṇḍīvaṃ dhunvato dhanuḥ
     ko 'rjunasyāgratas tiṣṭhet sākṣād api śatakratuḥ
 21 maheśvaro 'pi pārthena śrūyate yodhitaḥ purā
     padātinā mahātejā girau himavati prabhuḥ
 22 dānavānāṃ sahasrāṇi hiraṇyapuravāsinām
     jaghān ekarathenaiva devarājapracoditaḥ
 23 samāyukto hi kauneyo vāsudevena dhīmatā
     sāmarān api lokāṃs trīn nihanyād iti me matiḥ
 24 so 'ham icchāmy anujñātuṃ rakṣituṃ vā mahātmanā
     droṇena saha putreṇa vīreṇa yadi mansyase
 25 sa rājñā svayam ācāryo bhṛśam ākrandito 'rjuna
     saṃvidhānaṃ ca vihitaṃ rathāś ca kila sajjitāḥ
 26 karṇo bhūriśravā drauṇir vṛṣasenaś ca durjayaḥ
     kṛpaś ca madrarājaś ca ṣaḍ ete 'sya purogamāḥ
 27 śakaṭaḥ padmapaś cārdho vyūho droṇena kalpitaḥ
     padmakarṇikamadhyasthaḥ sūcī pāśe jayadrathaḥ
     sthāsyate rakṣito vīraiḥ sindhurāḍ yuddhadurmadaiḥ
 28 dhanuṣy astre ca vīrye ca prāṇe caiva tathorasi
     aviṣahyatamā hy ete niścitāḥ pārtha ṣaḍ rathāḥ
     etān ajitvā sagaṇān naiva prāpyo jayadrathaḥ
 29 teṣām ekaikaśo vīryaṃ ṣaṇṇāṃ tvam anucintaya
     sahitā hi naravyāghrā na śakyā jetum añjasā
 30 bhūyaś ca cintayiṣyāmi nītim ātmahitāya vai
     mantrajñaiḥ sacivaiḥ sārdhaṃ suhṛdbhiḥ kāryasiddhaye
 31 [arj]
     ṣaḍ rathān dhārtarāṣṭrasya manyase yān balādhikān
     teṣāṃ vīryaṃ mamārdhena na tulyam iti lakṣaye
 32 astram astreṇa sarveṣām eteṣāṃ madhusūdana
     mayā drakṣyasi nirbhinnaṃ jayadrathavadhaiṣiṇā
 33 droṇasya miṣataḥ so 'haṃ sagaṇasya vilapsyataḥ
     mūrdhānaṃ sindhurājasya pātayiṣyāmi bhūtale
 34 yadi sādhyāś ca rudrāś ca vasavaś ca sahāśvinaḥ
     marutaś ca sahendreṇa viśve devās tathāsurāḥ
 35 pitaraḥ saha gandharvāḥ suparṇāḥ sāgarādrayaḥ
     dyaur viyat pṛthivī ceyaṃ diśaś ca sa dig īśvarāḥ
 36 grāmyāraṇyāni bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca
     trātāraḥ sindhurājasya bhavanti madhusūdana
 37 tathāpi bāṇair nihataṃ śvo draṣṭāsi raṇe mayā
     satyena te śape kṛṣṇa tathaivāyudham ālabhe
 38 yaś ca goptā maheṣvāsas tasya pāpasya durmateḥ
     tam eva prathamaṃ droṇam abhiyāsyāmi keśava
 39 tasmin dyūtam idaṃ baddhaṃ manyate sma suyodhanaḥ
     tasmāt tasyaiva senāgraṃ bhittvā yāsyāmi saindhavam
 40 draṣṭāsi śvo maheṣvāsān nārācais tigmatejanaiḥ
     śṛṅgāṇīva girer varjair dāryamāṇān mayā yudhi
 41 naranāgāśvadehebhyo visraviṣyati śoṇitam
     patadbhyaḥ patitebhyaś ca vibhinnebhyaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 42 gāṇḍīvapreṣitā bāṇā mano'nilasamā jave
     nṛnāgāśvān videhāsūn kartāraś ca sahasraśaḥ
 43 yamāt kuberād varuṇād rudrād indrāc ca yan mayā
     upāttam astraṃ ghoraṃ vai tad draṣṭāro narā yudhi
 44 brāhmeṇāstreṇa cāstrāṇi hanyamānāni saṃyuge
     mayā draṣṭāsi sarveṣāṃ saindhavasyābhirakṣiṇām
 45 śaravegasamutkṛttai rājñāṃ keśava mūrdhabhiḥ
     āstīryamāṇāṃ pṛthivīṃ draṣṭāsi śvo mayā yudhi
 46 kravyādāṃs tarpayiṣyāmi drāvayiṣyāmi śātravān
     suhṛdo nandayiṣyāmi pātayiṣyāmi saindhavam
 47 bahv āgaskṛt kusaṃbandhī pāpadeśasamudbhavaḥ
     mayā saindhavako rājā hataḥ svāñ śocayiṣyati
 48 sarvakṣīrānna bhoktāraḥ pāpācārā raṇājire
     mayā sarājakā bāṇair nunnā naṃkṣyanti saindhavāḥ
 49 tathā prabhāte kartāsmi yathā kṛṣṇa suyodhanaḥ
     nānyaṃ dhanurdharaṃ loke maṃsyate matsamaṃ yudhi
 50 gāṇḍīvaṃ ca dhanur divyaṃ yoddhā cāhaṃ nararṣabha
     tvaṃ ca yantā hṛṣīkeśa kiṃ nu syād ajitaṃ mayā
 51 yathā hi lakṣma candre vai samudre ca yathā jalam
     evam etāṃ pratijñāṃ me satyāṃ viddhi janārdana
 52 māvamaṃsthā mamāstrāṇi māvamaṃsthā dhanur dṛḍham
     māvamaṃsthā balaṃ bāhvor māvamaṃsthā dhanaṃjayam
 53 yathā hi yātvā saṃgrāme na jīye vijayāmi ca
     tena satyena saṃgrāme hataṃ viddhi jayadratham
 54 dhruvaṃ vai brāhmaṇe satyaṃ dhruvā sādhuṣu saṃnatiḥ
     śrīr dhruvā cāpi dakṣeṣu dhruvo nārāyaṇe jayaḥ
 55 [s]
     evam uktvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ svayam ātmānam ātmanā
     saṃdideśārjuno nardan vāsaviḥ keśavaṃ prabhum
 56 yathā prabhātāṃ rajanīṃ kalpitaḥ syād ratho mama
     tathā kāryaṃ tvayā kṛṣṇa kāryaṃ hi mahad udyatam

 

SECTION LIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing of the origin of Death and her strange acts, king Yudhishthira, humbly addressing Vyasa, once more said these words unto him.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Many kings there were in blessed countries, of righteous deeds and of prowess equal to that of Indra himself. They were royal sages, O regenerate one, that were sinless and truth-speaking. Once more, address me in words of grave import, and console me with (accounts of) the feats of those royal sages of ancient times. What was the measure of the sacrificial gifts made by them? Who were those high-souled royal sages of righteous deeds that made them? Tell me all this, O illustrious one!'
"Vyasa said, 'There was a king of the name of Switya. He had a son who was called Srinjaya. The Rishis Narada and Parvata were his friends. One day, the two ascetics, for paying Srinjaya a visit, came to his palace. Duly worshipped by Srinjaya, they became pleased with him, and continued to live with him happily. Once on a time as Srinjaya was seated at his case with the two ascetics, his beautiful daughter of sweet smiles came to him. Saluted with reverence by his daughter, Srinjaya delighted that girl standing by his side with proper benedictions of the kind she desired. Beholding that maiden, Parvata smilingly asked Srinjaya, saying, 'Whose daughter is this damsel of restless glances and possessed of every auspicious mark? Is she the splendour of Surya, or the flame of Agni? Or, is she any of these, viz., Sri, Hri, Kirti, Dhriti, Pushti, Siddhi, and the splendour of Soma?' After the celestial Rishi (Parvata) said these words, king Srinjaya answered, saying, 'O illustrious one, this girl is my daughter. She beggeth my blessings.' Then Narada addressed king Srinjaya and said. 'If, O monarch, thou wishest for great good (to thyself), then give this daughter of thine unto me for a wife.' Delighted (with the Rishi's proposal), Srinjaya addressed Narada, saying, 'I give her unto thee.' At this, the other Rishi, viz., Parvata, indignantly addressed Narada, saying, 'Chosen before this by me, within my heart, thou hast taken this damsel as thy
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wife. And since thou hast done this, thou, O Brahmana, shalt not go to heaven as thy will.' Thus addressed by him, Narada answered him, saying, 'The husband's heart and speech (directed thereto), (the giver's) consent, the speeches (of both), the actual gift made by sprinkling water, and the (recital of the mantras) ordained for the seizure of the (bride's hand),--these have been declared to be indications by which one is constituted a husband. Even this ceremonial is not all. That which (above all) is essential is the walk for seven paces (by the bride in circumambulating the bridegroom). 1 Without these thy purpose (about marriage) have been unaccomplished. Thou hast cursed. Therefore, thou also shalt not go to heaven without me.' Having cursed each other those two Rishis continued to live there. Meanwhile, king Srinjaya, desirous of (obtaining) a son, began, with cleansed soul, to carefully entertain the Brahmanas, to the utmost of his power, with food and robes. After a certain time, those foremost of Brahmanas devoted to the study of the Vedas and fully conversant with those scriptures and their branches became gratified with that monarch, desirous of getting a son. Together they came to Narada and said unto him, 'Give this king a son of the kind he desires.'--Thus addressed by the Brahmanas, Narada replied unto them, saying, 'So be it.'--and then the celestial Rishi addressed Srinjaya saying, 'O royal sage, the Brahmanas have been pleased and they wish thee a son! Solicit thou the boon, blessed be thou, about the kind of son thou desirest.' Thus addressed by him, the king, with joined hands, asked for a son possessed of every accomplishment, famous, of glorious feats, of great energy, and capable of chastising all foes. And he further asked that the urine, the excreta, the phlegm and the sweat of that child should be gold. And in due time the king had a son born unto him, who came to be named Suvarnashthivin 2 on earth. And in consequence of the boon, that child began to increase (his father's) wealth beyond all limits. And king Srinjaya caused all desirable things of his to be made of gold. And his houses and walls and forts, and the houses of all Brahmanas (within his dominions), and his beds, vehicles, and plates, and all manners of pots and cups, and palace that he owned, and all implements and utensils, domestic and otherwise were made of gold. And in time his stock increased. Then certain robbers hearing of the prince and seeing him to be such, assembled together and sought to injure the king. And some amongst them said, 'We will seize the king's son himself. He is his father's mine of gold. Towards that end, therefore, we should strive.' Then those robbers inspired with avarice, penetrating into the king's palace, forcibly took away prince Suvarnashthivin. Having seized and taken him to the woods, those senseless idiots, inspired with avarice but ignorant of what to do with him, slew him there and cut his body in fragments. They saw not, however, any gold in him. After the prince was slain, all the gold, obtained in consequence of the Rishi's boon, disappeared. The ignorant and senseless
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robbers struck one another. And striking one another thus, they perished and with them that wonderful prince on the earth. And those men of wicked deeds sank in an unimaginable and awful hell. Seeing that son of his, obtained through the Rishi's boon thus slain, that great ascetic, viz., king Srinjaya, afflicted with deep sorrow, began to lament in piteous accents. Beholding the king afflicted with grief on account of his son, and thus weeping, the celestial Rishi Narada showed himself in his presence. Listen, O Yudhishthira, to what Narada said unto Srinjaya, having approached that king, who afflicted with grief and deprived of his senses, was indulging in piteous lamentations. Narada said, 'Srinjaya, with thy desires unfulfilled, thou shalt have to die, although we utterers of Brahma, live in thy house. Avikshit's son Marutta even, O Srinjaya, we hear, had to die. Piqued with Vrihaspati, he had caused Samvatta 1 himself to officiate at his great sacrifices! Unto that royal sage the illustrious lord (Mahadeva) himself had given wealth in the shape of a golden plateau of Himavat. (With that wealth) king Marutta had performed diverse sacrifices. Unto him, after the completion of his sacrifices diverse tribes of celestials, those creators of the universe, with Indra himself in their company and with Vrihaspati at their head, used to come. All the carpets and furnitures of his sacrificial compound were of gold. The regenerate classes, desirous of food, all ate as they pleased, at his sacrifices, food that was clean and agreeable to their desires. And in all his sacrifices, milk and cards and clarified butter and honey, and other kinds of food and edibles, all of the best order, and robes and ornaments covetable for their costliness, gratified Brahmanas, thoroughly conversant with the Vedas. The very gods used to become distributors of food in king Marutta's palace. The Viswedevas were the courtiers of that royal sage, the son of Avikshit. By him were gratified the denizens of heaven with libations of clarified butter. And gratified (therewith), these, in their turn, increased that powerful ruler's wealth of crops with copious showers of rain. He always contributed to the gratification of the Rishis, the Pitris, and the gods, and thereby made them happy, by practising Brahmacharya, study of the Vedas, obsequial rites, and all kinds of gifts. And his beds and carpets and vehicles, and his vast stores of gold difficult to be given away, in fact, all that untold wealth of his, was given away voluntarily unto the Brahmanas, Sakra himself used to wish him well. His subjects were made happy (by him), Acting always with piety, he (ultimately) repaired to those eternal regions of bliss, acquired by his religious merit. With his children and counsellors and wives and descendants and kinsmen, king Marutta, in his youth, ruled his kingdom for a thousand years. When such a king, O Srinjaya, died who was superior to thee, in respect of the
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four cardinal virtues (viz., ascetic penances, truth, compassion, and liberality), and who, superior to thee, was much superior to thy son, do not grieve saying 'O Swaitya, for thy son who performed no sacrifice and gave no sacrificial present.'"

 

 

Sections LIV and LV were not found in the source edition. The text of these sections was probably merged in Section LIII by the publisher of the source edition. Hence our section numbering skips to LVI after this section.-

 

Book 7
Chapter 54

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tāṃ niśāṃ duḥkhaśokārtau śvasantāv iva coragau
      nidrāṃ naivopalebhāte vāsudevadhanaṃjayau
  2 naranārāyaṇau kruddhau jñātvā devāḥ savāsavāḥ
      vyathitāś cintayām āsuḥ kiṃ kvid etad bhaviṣyati
  3 vavuś ca dāruṇā vātā rūkṣā gorābhiśaṃsinaḥ
      sa kabandhas tathāditye parighaḥ samadṛśyata
  4 śuṣkāśanyaś ca niṣpetuḥ sa nirghātāḥ sa vidyutaḥ
      cacāla cāpi pṛthivī sa śailavanakānanā
  5 cukṣubhuś ca mahārāja sāgarā makarālayāḥ
      pratisrotaḥ pravṛttāś ca tathā gantuṃ samudragāḥ
  6 rathāśvanaranāgānāṃ pravṛttam adharottaram
      kravyādānāṃ pramodārthaṃ yama rāṣṭravivṛddhaye
  7 vāhanāni śakṛn mūtre mumucū ruruduś ca ha
      tān dṛṣṭvā dāruṇān sarvān utpātāṁl lomaharṣaṇān
  8 sarve te vyathitāḥ sainyās tvadīyā bharatarṣabha
      śrutvā mahābalasyogrāṃ pratijñāṃ savyasācinaḥ
  9 atha kṛṣṇaṃ mahābāhur abravīt pākaśāsaniḥ
      āśvāsaya subhadrāṃ tvaṃ bhaginīṃ snuṣayā saha
  10 snuṣā śvaśvrānaghāyaste viśoke kuru mādhava
     sāmnā satyena yuktena vacasāśvasaya prabho
 11 tato 'rjuna gṛhaṃ gatvā vāsudevaḥ sudurmanāḥ
     bhaginīṃ putraśokārtām āśvāsayata duḥkhitām
 12 māṃ śokaṃ kuru vārṣṇeyi kumāraṃ prati sa snuṣā
     sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ bhīru niṣṭhaiṣā kālanirmitā
 13 kule jatasya vīrasya kṣatriyasya viśeṣataḥ
     sadṛśaṃ maraṇaṃ hy etat tava putrasya mā śucaḥ
 14 diṣṭyā mahāratho vīraḥ pitus tulyaparākramaḥ
     kṣātreṇa vidhinā prāpto vīrābhilasitāṃ gatim
 15 jitvā subahuśaḥ śatrūn preṣayitvā ca mṛtyave
     gataḥ puṇyakṛtāṃ lokān sarvakāmaduho 'kṣayān
 16 tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śrutena prajñayāpi ca
     santo yāṃ gatim icchanti prāptas tāṃ tava putrakaḥ
 17 vīrasūr vīra patnī tvaṃ vīra śvaśura bāndhavā
     mā śucas tanayaṃ bhadre gataḥ sa paramāṃ gatim
 18 prāpsyate cāpy asau kṣudraḥ saindhavo bāla ghātakaḥ
     asyāvalepasya phalaṃ sasuhṛd gaṇabāndhavaḥ
 19 vyuṣṭāyāṃ tu varārohe rajanyāṃ pāpakarmakṛt
     na hi mokṣyati pārthāt sa praviṣṭo 'py amarāvatīm
 20 śvaḥ śiraḥ śroṣyase tasya saindhavasya raṇe hṛtam
     samantapañcakād bāhyaṃ viśokā bhava mā rudaḥ
 21 kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya gataḥ śūraḥ satāṃ gatim
     yāṃ vayaṃ prāpnuyāmeha ye cānye śastrajīvinaḥ
 22 vyūḍhorasko mahābāhur anivartī varapraṇut
     gatas tava varārohe putraḥ svargaṃ jvaraṃ jahi
 23 anu jātaś ca pitaraṃ mātṛpakṣaṃ ca vīryavān
     sahasraśo ripūn hatvā hataḥ śūro mahārathaḥ
 24 āśvāsaya snuṣāṃ rājñi mā śucaḥ kṣatriye bhṛṣam
     śvaḥ priyaṃ sumahac chrutvā viśokā bhava nandini
 25 yat pārthena pratijñātaṃ tat tathā na tad anyathā
     cikīrṣitaṃ hi te bhartur na bhavej jātu niṣphalam
 26 yadi ca manujapannagāḥ piśācā; rajanicarāḥ patagāḥ surāsurāś ca
     raṇagatam abhiyānti sindhurājaṃ; na sa bhavitā saha tair api prabhāte

 

 

 

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