srimahabharat - (book 7) Drona Parva - chapters 95 to 106

The Mahabharat

 

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

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

 

Book 7
Chapter 95

 1 [s]
      tataḥ sa sātyakir dhīmān mahātmā vṛṣṇipuṃgavaḥ
      sudarśanaṃ nihatyājau yantāram idam abravīt
  2 rathāśvanāgakalilaṃ śaraśaktyūrmimālinam
      khaḍgamatsyaṃ gadā grāhaṃ śūrāyudha mahāsvanam
  3 prāṇāpahāriṇaṃ raudraṃ vāditrotkruṣṭa nāditam
      yodhānām asukhasparśaṃ durdharṣam ajayaiṣiṇām
  4 tīrṇāḥ sma dustaraṃ tāta droṇānīka mahārṇavam
      jalasaṃdha balenājau puruṣādair ivāvṛtam
  5 ato 'nyaṃ pṛtanā śeṣaṃ manye kunadikām iva
      tartavyām alpasalilāṃ cedayāśvān asaṃbhramam
  6 hastaprāptam ahaṃ manye sāṃprataṃ savyasācinam
      nirjitya durdharaṃ droṇaṃ sapadānugam āhave
  7 hārdikyaṃ yodhavaryaṃ ca prāptaṃ manye dhanaṃjayam
      na hi me jāyate trāso dṛṣṭvā sainyāny anekaśaḥ
      vahner iva pradīptasya grīṣme śuṣkaṃ tṛṇolapam
  8 paśya pāṇḍavamukhyena yātāṃ bhūmiṃ kirīṭinā
      pattyaśvarathanāgaughaiḥ patitair viṣamīkṛtām
  9 abhyāśastham ahaṃ manye śvetāśvaṃ kṛṣṇasārathim
      sa eṣa śrūyate śabdo gāṇḍīvasyāmitaujasaḥ
  10 yādṛśāni nimittāni mama prādurbhavanti vai
     anastaṃ gata āditye hantā saindhavam arjunaḥ
 11 śanair viśrambhayann aśvān yāhi yatto 'rivāhinīm
     yatraite satanutrāṇāḥ suyodhanapurogamāḥ
 12 daṃśitāḥ krūrakarmāṇaḥ kāmbojā yuddhadurmadāḥ
     śarabāṇāsana dharā yavanāś ca prahāriṇaḥ
 13 śakāḥ kirātā daradā barbarās tāmraliptakāḥ
     anye ca bahavo mlecchā vividhāyudhapāṇayaḥ
     mām evābhimukhāḥ sarve tiṣṭhanti samarārthinaḥ
 14 etān sarathanāgāśvān nihatyājau sa pattinaḥ
     idaṃ durgaṃ mahāghoraṃ tīrṇam evopadhāraya
 15 [s]
     na saṃbhramo me vārṣṇeya vidyate satyavikrama
     yady api syāt susaṃkruddho jāmadagnyo 'grataḥ sthitaḥ
 16 droṇo vā rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ kṛpo madreśvaro 'pi vā
     tathāpi saṃbhramo na syāt tvām āśritya mahābhuja
 17 tvayā suhavavo yuddhe nirjitāḥ śatrusūdana
     na ca me saṃbhramaḥ kaś cid bhūtapūrvaḥ kadā cana
     kim u caitat samāsādya vīra saṃyugagoṣpadam
 18 āyusman katareṇa tvā prāpayāmi dhanaṃjayam
     keṣāṃ kruddho 'si vārṣṇeya keṣāṃ mṛtyur upasthitaḥ
     keṣaṃ saṃyamanīm adya gantum utsahate manaḥ
 19 ke tvāṃ yudhi parākrāntaṃ kālāntakayamopamam
     dṛṣṭvā vikramasaṃpannaṃ vidraviṣyanti saṃyuge
     keṣāṃ vaivasvato rājā smarate 'dya mahābhuja
 20 [s]
     muṇḍān etān haniṣyāmi dānavān iva vāsavaḥ
     pratijñāṃ pārayiṣyāmi kāmbojān eva mā vaha
     adyaiṣāṃ kadanaṃ kṛtvā kṣipraṃ yāsyāmi pāṇḍavam
 21 adya drakṣyanti me vīryaṃ kauravāḥ sa suyodhanāḥ
     muṇḍānīke hate sūta sarvasainyeṣu cāsakṛt
 22 adya kaurava sainyasya dīryamāṇasya saṃyuge
     śrutvā virāvaṃ bahudhā saṃtapsyati suyodhanaḥ
 23 adya pāṇḍavamukhyasya śvetāśvasya mahātmanaḥ
     ācāryaka kṛtaṃ mārgaṃ darśayiṣyāmi saṃyuge
 24 adya madbāṇanihatān yodhamukhyān sahasraśaḥ
     dṛṣṭvā duryodhano rājā paścāt tāpaṃ gamiṣyati
 25 adya me kṣiprahastasya kṣipataḥ sāyakottamān
     alātacakrapratimaṃ dhanur drakṣyanti kauravāḥ
 26 matsāyakacitāṅgānāṃ rudhiraṃ sravatāṃ bahu
     sainikānāṃ vadhaṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃtapsyati suyodhanaḥ
 27 adya me kruddha rūpasya nighnataś ca varān varān
     dvir arjunam imaṃ lokaṃ maṃsyate sa suyodhanaḥ
 28 adya rājasahasrāṇi nihatāni mayā raṇe
     dṛṣṭvā duryodhano rājā saṃtapsyati mahāmṛdhe
 29 adya snehaṃ ca bhaktiṃ ca pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu
     hatvā rājasahasrāṇi darśayiṣyāmi rājasu
 30 [s]
     evam uktas tadā sūtaḥ śikṣitān sādhu vāhinaḥ
     śaśāṅkasaṃnikāśān vai vājino 'cūcudad bhṛśam
 31 te pibanta ivākāśaṃ yuyudhānaṃ hayottamāḥ
     prāpayan yavanāñ śīghraṃ manaḥ pavanaraṃhasaḥ
 32 sātyakiṃ te samāsādya pṛtanāsv anivartinam
     bahavo laghuhastāś ca śaravarṣair avākiran
 33 teṣām iṣūn athāstrāṇi vegavan nataparvabhiḥ
     acchinat sātyakī rājan nainaṃ te prāpnuvañ śarāḥ
 34 rukmapuṅkhaiḥ suniśitair gārdhrapatrair ajihmagaiḥ
     uccakarta śirāṃsy ugro yavanānāṃ bhujān api
 35 śaikyāyasāni varmāṇi kāṃsyāni ca samantataḥ
     bhittvā dehāṃs tathā teṣāṃ śarā jagmur mahītalam
 36 te hanyamānā vīreṇa mlecchāḥ sātyakinā raṇe
     śataśo nyapataṃs tatra vyasavo vasudhātale
 37 supūrṇāyata muktais tān avyavacchinna piṇḍitaiḥ
     pañcaṣaṭ sapta cāṣṭau ca bibheda yavanāñ śaraiḥ
 38 kāmbojānāṃ sahasrais tu śakānāṃ ca viśāṃ pate
     śabarāṇāṃ kirātānāṃ barbarāṇāṃ tathaiva ca
 39 agamyarūpāṃ pṛthivīṃ māṃsaśoṇitakardamām
     kṛtavāṃs tatra śaineyaḥ kṣapayaṃs tāvakaṃ balam
 40 dasyūnāṃ sa śiras trāṇaiḥ śirobhir lūnamūrdhajaiḥ
     tatra tatra mahī kīrṇā vibarhair aṇḍajair iva
 41 rudhirokṣitasarvāṅgais tais tad āyodhanaṃ babhau
     kabanhaiḥ saṃvṛtaṃ sarvaṃ tāmrābhraiḥ kham ivāvṛtam
 42 vajrāśanisamasparśaiḥ suparvabhir ajihmagaiḥ
     te sāśvayānā nihatāḥ samāvavrur vasuṃdharām
 43 alpāvaśiṣṭāḥ saṃbhagnāḥ kṛcchraprāṇā vicetasaḥ
     jitāḥ saṃkhye mahārāja yuyudhānena daṃśitāḥ
 44 pārṣṇibhiś ca kaśābhiś ca tāḍayantas turaṃgamān
     javam uttamam āsthāya sarvataḥ prādravan bhayāt
 45 kāmbojasainyaṃ vidrāvya durjayaṃ yudhi bhārata
     yavanānāṃ ca tat sainyaṃ śakānāṃ ca mahad balam
 46 sa tataḥ puruṣavyāghraḥ sātyakiḥ satyavikramaḥ
     prahṛṣṭas tāvakāñ jitvā sūtaṃ yāhīty acodayat
 47 taṃ yāntaṃ pṛṣṭhagoptāram arjunasya viśāṃ pate
     cāraṇāḥ prekṣya saṃhṛṣṭās tvadīyāś cāpy apūjayan

SECTION XCV

"Sanjaya said, 'Listen, O king, to me as I describe to thee the wonderful battle that then took place between the Kurus and the Pandavas. Approaching Bharadwaja's son who was staying at the gate of his array, the Parthas battled vigorously for piercing through Drona's division. And Drona also, accompanied by his forces, desirous of protecting his own array, battled with the Parthas, seeking glory. Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, excited with wrath and desirous of benefiting thy son, struck Virata with ten shafts. Virata also, O king, approaching those two warriors of great prowess staying in battle, fought with them and their followers. The battle that took place between these was fierce in the extreme, and blood ran in it like water. And it resembled an encounter in the woods between a lion and a couple of mighty elephants, with rent temples. The mighty son of Yajnasena forcibly struck king Valhika in that battle with fierce and sharp shafts capable of penetrating into the very vitals. Valhika also filled with wrath, deeply pierced Yajnasena's son with nine straight shafts of golden wings and whetted on stone. And that battle between those two warriors became exceedingly fierce, characterised as it was by dense showers of shafts and darts. And it enhanced the fears of the timid and the joy of heroes. The arrows shot by them entirely covered the welkin and all the points of the compass, so that nothing could any longer be discerned. And Saivya, the king of the Govasanas on the head of the troops, fought in that battle with the mighty car-warrior, the prince of the Kasis, like an elephant battling with another. The king of the Valhikas, excited with wrath, fighting, against those (five) mighty car-warriors, viz., the son of Draupadi, looked resplendent, like the mind contending against the five senses. And those five princes also, O foremost of embodied beings, fought with that antagonist of theirs, shooting their arrows from all sides, like the objects
p. 192
of the senses for ever battling with the body. Thy son Duhsasana, struck Satyaki of Vrishni's race with nine straight shafts of keen points. Deeply pierced by that strong and great bowman, Satyaki of prowess incapable of being baffled, was partially deprived of his senses. Comforted soon, he, of Vrishni's race, then quickly pierced thy son, that mighty car-warrior, with ten shafts winged with Kanka feathers. Piercing each other deeply and afflicted with each other's shafts, they looked splendid, O king, like two Kinsukas decked with flowers. Afflicted with the arrows of Kuntibhoja, Alamvusha, filled with wrath looked like a beautiful Kinsuka graced with its flowering burthen. The Rakshasa then having pierced Kuntibhoja with many arrows, uttered awful shouts at the head of thy host. And as those heroes fought with each other in that battle, they seemed to all the troops to resemble Sakra and the Asura Jambha in days of old. The two sons of Madri, filled with wrath, fiercely ground with their shafts the Gandhara prince Sakuni who had offended against them greatly. The carnage, O monarch, that set in was awful. Originated by thee, nurtured by Karna, and kept up by thy sons, the fire of wrath (of the Pandavas) hath swollen now, O monarch, and is ready to consume the whole earth. Forced to turn his back on the field by the two sons of Pandu with their shafts, Sakuni unable to put forth his valour, knew not what to do. Beholding him turn back, those mighty car-warriors, viz., the two sons of Pandu, once more showered their arrows on him like two masses of clouds pouring torrents of rain on a mighty hill. Struck with countless straight shafts, the son of Suvala fled towards the division of Drona, borne by his swift steeds. The brave Ghatotkacha rushed towards the Rakshasa Alamvusha in that battle, with impetuosity much short of what he was capable. The battle between those two became fearful to behold, like that which in days of yore had taken place between Rama and Ravana. King Yudhishthira, having in that battle pierced the ruler of the Madras with five hundred arrows, once more pierced him with seven. Then commenced that battle between them which was exceedingly wonderful, O monarch, which resembled that, in days of yore, between the Asura Samvara and the chief of the celestials. The sons Vivinsati and Chitrasena and Vikarna, surrounded by a large force, battled with Bhimasena.'"

 

Book 7
Chapter 96

 

 

 1 [s]
      jitvā yavanakāmbojān yuyudhānas tato 'rjunam
      jagāma tava sainyasya madhyena rathināṃ varaḥ
  2 śaradaṃṣṭro naravyāghro vicitrakavacacchaviḥ
      mṛgān vyāghrajivājighraṃs tava sainyam abhīṣayat
  3 sa rathena caran mārgān dhanur abhrāmayad bhṛśam
      rukmapṛṣṭhaṃ mahāvegaṃ rukmacandraka saṃkulam
  4 rukmāṅgada śiras trāṇo rukmavarma samāvṛtaḥ
      rukmadhvajavaraḥ śūro meruśṛṅga ivābabhau
  5 sa danur maṇḍalaḥ saṃkhye tejo bhāsvararaśmivān
      śaradīvoditaḥ sūryo nṛsūryo virarāja ha
  6 vṛṣabhaskandhavikrānto vṛṣabhākṣo nararṣabhaḥ
      tāvakānāṃ babhau madhye gavāṃ madhye yathā vṛṣaḥ
  7 mattadviradasaṃkāśaṃ mattadviradagāminam
      prabhinnam iva mātaṅgaṃ yūthamadhye vyavasthitam
      vyāghrā iva jighāṃsantas tvadīyābhyadravad raṇe
  8 droṇānīkam atikrāntaṃ bhojānīkaṃ ca dustaram
      jalasaṃdhārṇavaṃ tīrtvā kāmbojānāṃ ca vāhinīm
  9 hārdikya makarān muktaṃ tīrṇaṃ vai sainyasāgaram
      parivavruḥ susaṃkruddhās tvadīyāḥ sātyakiṃ rathāḥ
  10 duryodhanaś citraseno duḥśāsanaviviṃśatī
     śakunir duḥsahaś caiva yuvā durmarṣaṇaḥ krathaḥ
 11 anye ca bahavaḥ śūrāḥ śastravanto durāsadāḥ
     pṛṣṭhataḥ sātyakiṃ yāntam anvadhāvann amarṣitāḥ
 12 atha śabdo mahān āsīt tava sainyasya māriṣa
     mārutoddhūta vegasya sāgarasyeva parvaṇi
 13 tān abhidravataḥ sarvān samīkṣya śinipuṃgavaḥ
     śanair yāhīti yantāram abravīt prahasann iva
 14 idam eti samuddhūtaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya yad balam
     mām evābhimukhaṃ tūrṇaṃ gajāśvarathapattimat
 15 nādayan vai diśaḥ sarvā rathaghoṣeṇa sārathe
     pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣaṃ ca kampayan sāgarān api
 16 etad balārṇavaṃ tāta vārayiṣye mahāraṇe
     paurṇamāsyām ivoddhūtaṃ veleva salilāśayam
 17 paśya me sūta vikrāntam indrasyeva mahāmṛdhe
     eṣa sainyāni śatrūṇāṃ vidhamāni śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 18 nihatān āhave paśya padātyaśvarathadvipān
     maccharair agnisaṃkāśair videhāsūn sahasraśaḥ
 19 ity evaṃ bruvatas tasya sātyaker amitaujasaḥ
     samīpaṃ sainikās te tu śīghram īyur yuyutsavaḥ
     jahy ādravasva tiṣṭheti paśya paśyeti vādinaḥ
 20 tān evaṃ bruvato vīrān sātyakir niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     jaghāna triśatān aśvān kuñjarāṃś ca catuḥśatān
 21 sa saṃprahāras tumulas tasya teṣāṃ ca dhanvinām
     devāsuraraṇaprakhyaḥ prāvartata janakṣayaḥ
 22 meghajālanibhaṃ sainyaṃ tava putrasya māriṣa
     pratyagṛhṇāc chineḥ pautraḥ śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ
 23 pracchādyamānaḥ samare śarajālaiḥ sa vīryavān
     asaṃbhramaṃ mahārāja tāvakān avahīd bahūn
 24 āścaryaṃ tatra rājendra sumahad dṛṣṭavān aham
     na moghaḥ sāyakaḥ kaś cit sātyaker abhavat prabho
 25 rathanāgāśvakalilaḥ padātyūrmi samākulaḥ
     śaineya velām āsādya sthitaḥ sainyamahārṇavaḥ
 26 saṃbhrāntanaranāgāśvam āvartata muhur muhuḥ
     tat sainyam iṣubhis tena vadhyamānaṃ samantataḥ
     babhrāma tatra tatraiva gāvaḥ śītārditā iva
 27 padātinaṃ rathaṃ nāgaṃ sādinaṃ turagaṃ tathā
     aviddhaṃ tatra nādrākṣaṃ yuyudhānasya sāyakaiḥ
 28 na tādṛk kadanaṃ rājan kṛtavāṃs tatra phalgunaḥ
     yādṛk kṣayam anīkānām akarot sātyakir nṛpa
     atyarjunaṃ śineḥ pautro yudhyate bharatarṣabha
 29 tato duryodhano rājā sātvatasya tribhiḥ śaraiḥ
     vivyādha sūtaṃ niśitaiś caturbhiś caturo hayān
 30 sātyakiṃ ca tribhir viddhvā punar vivyādha so 'ṣṭabhiḥ
     duḥśāsanaḥ ṣoḍaśabhir vivyādha śini puṃgavam
 31 śakuniḥ pañcaviṃśatyā citrasenaś capañcabhiḥ
     duḥsahaḥ pañcadaśabhir vivyādhorasi sātyakim
 32 utsmayan vṛṣṇiśārdūlas tathā bāṇaiḥ samāhataḥ
     tān avidhyan mahārāja sarvān eva tribhis tribhiḥ
 33 gāḍhaviddhān arīk kṛtvā mārgaṇaiḥ so 'titejanaiḥ
     śaineyaḥ śyenavat saṃkhye vyacaral laghuvikramaḥ
 34 saubalasya dhanuś chittvā hastāvāpaṃ nikṛtya ca
     duryodhanaṃ tribhir bāṇair abhyavidhyat stanāntare
 35 citrasenaṃ śatenaiva daśabhir duḥsahaṃ tathā
     duḥśāsanaṃ ca viṃśatyā vivyādha śinipuṃgavaḥ
 36 athānyad dhanur ādāya syālas tava viśāṃ pate
     aṣṭabhiḥ sātyakiṃ viddhvā punar vivyādha pañcabhiḥ
 37 duḥśāsanaś ca daśabhir duḥsahaś ca tribhiḥ śaraiḥ
     durmukhaś ca dvādaśabhī rājan vivyādha sātyakim
 38 duryodhanas trisaptatyā viddhvā bhārata mādhavam
     tato 'sya niśitair bāṇais tribhir vivyādha sārathim
 39 tān sarvān sahitāñ śūrān yatamānān mahārathān
     pañcabhiḥ pañcabhir bāṇaiḥ punar vivyādha sātyakiḥ
 40 tataḥ sa rathināṃ śreṣṭhas tava putrasya sārathim
     ājaghānāśu bhallena sa hato nyapatad bhuvi
 41 pātite sārathau tasmiṃs tava putra rathaḥ prabho
     vātāyamānais tair aśvair apānīyata saṃgarāt
 42 tatas tava sutā rājan sainikāś ca viśāṃ pate
     rājño ratham abhiprekṣya vidrutāḥ śataśo 'bhavan
 43 vidrutaṃ tatra tat sainyaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhārata sātyakiḥ
     avākirac chairais tīkṣṇai rukmapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ
 44 vidrāvya sarvasainyāni tāvakāni samantataḥ
     prayayau sātyakī rājañ śvetāśvasya rathaṃ prati
 45 taṃ śarān ādadānaṃ ca rakṣamāṇaṃ ca sārathim
     ātmānaṃ mocayantaṃ ca tāvakāḥ samapūjayan

SECTION XCVI

"Sanjaya said, 'When that fierce battle, causing the hair to stand on end, commenced, the Pandavas rushed against the Kauravas who had been divided into three bodies. Bhimasena rushed against the mighty-armed Jalasandha, and Yudhishthira, at the head of his troops rushed, in that
p. 193
battle, against Kritavarman. And Dhrishtadyumna, O king, scattering the shafts, like the sun shooting his rays, rushed against Drona. Then commenced that battle between all the bowmen, eager for the encounter, of the Kurus and the Pandavas, excited with wrath. And during the progress of that terrible carnage, when all the warriors were battling with one another fearlessly the mighty Drona fought with the mighty prince of the Panchalas. And the clouds of arrows he shot in that encounter filled all spectators with wonder. And Drona and the prince of the Panchalas, cutting off the heads of men by thousands, scattered them on the field of battle, making the latter resemble a forest of lotuses. In every division, were soon strewn on the ground robes and ornaments and weapons, and standards and coats of mail. And golden coats of mail, dyed with blood, looked like clouds charged with lightning. Other mighty car-warriors, drawing their large bows measuring full six cubits long, felled with their shafts, elephants and steeds and men. In that dreadful encounter of arms between brave and high-souled warriors, swords and shields, bows and heads and coats of mail were seen lying scattered about. Innumerable headless trunks wore seen to rise up, O king, in the midst of that fierce battle. And vultures and Kankas and jackals and swarms of other carnivorous animals, O sire, were seen there, eating the flesh of fallen men and steeds and elephants, of drinking their blood, or dragging them by the hair, or licking or pecking, O king, at their marrow, or dragging their bodies and severed limbs, or rolling their heads on the ground. Warriors, skilled in battle, accomplished in weapons, and firmly resolved in fight, struggled vigorously in the combat, solicitous only of fame. Many were the combatants that careered over the field, performing the diverse evolutions, of swordsmen. With sabres and darts and lances and spears and axes, with maces and spiked clubs and other kinds of weapons, and with even bare arms, men who had entered the arena of battle, filled with rage, slew one another. And car-warriors fought with car-warriors, and horsemen with horsemen, and elephants with foremost of elephants, and foot-soldiers with foot-soldiers. And many infuriated elephants, as if perfectly mad, uttered loud shrieks and slew one another, after the manner they do in sporting arenas.
"During the progress, O king, of that battle in which the combatants fought without any regard for one another, Dhrishtadyumna caused his own steeds to be mixed up with those of Drona. Those steeds endued with the speed of the wind, that were white as pigeons and red as blood, thus mixed with one another in battle, looked exceedingly beautiful. Indeed, they looked resplendent like clouds charged with lightning. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., heroic Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, beholding Drona, O Bharata, arrived so near, cast off his bow and took up his sword and shield, for achieving a difficult feat. Seizing the shaft of Drona's car, he entered into it. And he stayed sometimes on the middle of the yoke, and sometimes on its joints and sometimes behind the steeds. And while he was moving, armed with swords, quickly upon
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the backs of those red steeds of Drona, the latter could not detect an opportunity for striking him. 1 All this seemed wonderful to us. Indeed, like the sweep of a hawk in the woods from desire of food, seemed that sally of Dhrishtadyumna from his own car for the destruction of Drona. Then Drona cut off, with a hundred arrows, the shield, decked with a hundred moons, of Drupada's son, and then his sword, with ten others. And mighty Drona then, with four and sixty arrows, slew the steeds of his antagonist. And with a couple of broad-headed shafts he cut off the latter's standard and umbrella also, and then slew both his Parshni charioteers. And then with great speed drawing his bow-string to his ear, he shot at him a fatal shaft, like the wielder of the thunder hurling the thunder (at a foe). But soon Satyaki, with four and ten sharp shafts, cut off that fatal arrow of Drona. And thus the Vrishni hero, O sire, rescued Dhrishtadyumna, who had been seized by that lion among men, the foremost of preceptors, like a deer seized by the king of the forests. Even thus did that bull amongst the Sinis, the prince of the Panchalas. Beholding Satyaki to rescue the prince of the Panchalas in the dreadful battle, Drona quickly shot at him six and twenty arrows. The grandson of Sini then, in return, pierced Drona in the centre of the chest with six and twenty arrows, while the latter was engaged in devouring the Srinjayas. Then all the Panchala car-warriors, desirous of victory upon the Satwata hero, proceeding against Drona, quickly withdrew Dhrishtadyumna from the battle.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 97

 

 

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      saṃpramṛdya mahat sainyaṃ yāntaṃ śaineyam arjunam
      nirhrīkā mama te putrāḥ kim akurvata saṃjaya
  2 kathaṃ caiṣāṃ tathā yuddhe dhṛtir āsīn mumūrṣatām
      śaineya caritaṃ dṛṣṭvā sadṛśaṃ savyasācinaḥ
  3 kiṃ nu vakṣyanti te kṣātram ainyamadhye parājitāḥ
      kathaṃ ca sātyakir yuddhe vyatikrānto mahāyaśāḥ
  4 kathaṃ ca mama putrāṇāṃ jīvatāṃ tatra saṃjaya
      śaineyo 'bhiyayau yuddhe tan mamācakṣva tattvataḥ
  5 atyadbhutam idaṃ tāta tvatsakāśāc chṛṇomy aham
      ekasya bahubhir yuddhaṃ śatrubhir vai mahārathaiḥ
  6 viparītam ahaṃ manye mandabhāgyān sutān prati
      yatrāvadhyanta samare sātvatena mahātmanā
  7 ekasya hi na paryāptaṃ mat sainyaṃ tasya saṃjaya
      kruddhasya yuyudhānasya sarve tiṣṭhantu pāṇḍavāḥ
  8 nirjitya samare droṇaṃ kṛtinaṃ yuddhadurmadam
      yathā paśugaṇān siṃho 'dvad dhantā sutān mama
  9 kṛtavarmādibhiḥ śūrair yatair bahubhir āhave
      yuyudhāno na śakito hantuṃ yaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ
  10 naitad īdṛśakaṃ yuddhaṃ kṛtavāṃs tatra phalgunaḥ
     yādṛśaṃ kṛtavān yuddhaṃ śiner naptā mahāyaśāḥ
 11 [s]
     tava durmantite rājan duryodhanakṛtena ca
     śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā yatte vakṣyāmi bhārata
 12 te punaḥ saṃnyavartanta kṛtvā saṃśaptakān mithaḥ
     parāṃ yuddhe patiṃ kṛtvā putrasya tava śāsanāt
 13 trīṇi sādisahasrāṇi duryodhana purogamāḥ
     śakāḥ kāmbojabāhlīkā yavanāḥ pāradās tathā
 14 kuṇindās taṅgaṇāmbaṣṭhāḥ paiśācāś ca sa mandarāḥ
     abhyadravanta śaineyaṃ śalabhāḥ pāvakaṃ yathā
 15 yuktāś ca pārvatīyānāṃ rathāḥ pāṣāṇa yodhinām
     śūrāḥ pañcaśatā rājañ śaineyaṃ samupādravan
 16 tato rathasahasreṇa mahārathaśatena ca
     dviradānāṃ sahasreṇa dvisāhasraiś ca vājibhiḥ
 17 śaravarṣāṇi muñcanto vividhāni mahārathāḥ
     abhyadravanta śaineyam asaṃkhyeyāś ca pattayaḥ
 18 tāṃś ca saṃcodayan sarvān ghnatainam iti bhārata
     duḥśāsano mahārāja sātyaktiṃ paryavārayat
 19 tatrādbhutam apaśyāma śaineya caritaṃ mahat
     yad eko bahubhiḥ sārdham asaṃbhrāntam ayudhyata
 20 avadhīc ca rathānīkaṃ dviradānāṃ ca tad balam
     sādinaś caiva tān sarvān dasyūn api ca sarvaśaḥ
 21 tatra cakrair vimathitair magnaiś ca paramāyudhaiḥ
     akṣaiś ca bahudhā bhagnair īṣā daṇḍakabandhuraiḥ
 22 kūbarair mathitaiś cāpi dhvajaiś cāpi nipātitaiḥ
     varmabhiś cāmaraiś caiva vyavakīrṇā vasuṃdharā
 23 sragbhir ābharaṇair vastrair anukarṣaiś ca māriṣa
     saṃchannā vasudhā tatra dyaur grahair iva bhārata
 24 girirūpadharāś cāpi patitāḥ kuñjarottamāḥ
     añjanasya kule jātā vāmanasya ca bhārata
     supratīka kule jātā mahāpadmakule tathā
 25 airāvaṇa kule caiva tathānyeṣu kuleṣu ca
     jātā danti varā rājañ śerate bahavo hatāḥ
 26 vanāyujān pārvatīyān kānbojāraṭṭa bālhikān
     tathā hayavarān rājan nijaghne tatra sātyakiḥ
 27 nānādeśasamutthāṃś ca nānā jātyāṃś ca pattinaḥ
     nijaghne tatra śaineyaḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 28 teṣu prakālyamāneṣu dasyūn duḥśāsano 'bravīt
     nivartadhvam adharmajñā yudhyadhvaṃ kiṃ sṛtena vaḥ
 29 tāṃś cāpi sarvān saṃprekṣya putro duḥśāsanas tava
     pāṣāṇa yodhinaḥ śūrān pārvatīyān acodayat
 30 aśmayuddheṣu kuśalā naitaj jānāti sātyakiḥ
     aśmayuddham ajānantaṃ ghnatainaṃ yuddhakāmukam
 31 tathaiva kuravaḥ sarve nāśma yuddhaviśāradāḥ
     abhidravata mā bhaiṣṭa na vaḥ prāpsyati sātyakiḥ
 32 tato gajaśiśu prakhyair upalaiḥ śailavāsinaḥ
     udyatair yuyudhānasya sthitā maraṇakāṅkṣiṇaḥ
 33 kṣepaṇīyais tathāpy anye sātvatasya vadhaiṣiṇaḥ
     coditās tava putreṇa rurudhuḥ sarvatodiśam
 34 teṣām āpatatām eva śilā yuddhaṃ cikīrṣatām
     sātyakiḥ patisaṃdhāya triṃśataṃ prāhiṇoc charān
 35 tām aśmavṛṣṭiṃ tumulāṃ pārvatīyaiḥ samīritām
     bibhedoraga saṃkāśair nārācaiḥ śinipuṃgavaḥ
 36 taiś aśmacūrṇair dīpyadbhiḥ khadyotānām iva vrajaiḥ
     prāyaḥ sainyāny avadhyanta hāhābhūtāni māriṣa
 37 tataḥ pañcaśatāḥ śūrāḥ samudyatamahāśilāḥ
     nikṛttabāhavo rājan nipetur dharaṇītale
 38 pāṣāṇa yodhinaḥ śūrān yatamānān avasthitān
     avadhīd bahusāhasrāṃs tad adbhutam ivābhavat
 39 tataḥ punar basta mukhair aśmavṛṣṭiṃ samantataḥ
     ayo hastaiḥ śūlahastair dairadaiḥ khaśa taṅgaṇaiḥ
 40 ambaṣṭhaiś ca kuṇindaiś ca kṣiptāṃ kṣiptāṃ sa sātyakiḥ
     nārācaiḥ prativivyādha prekṣamāṇo mahābalaḥ
 41 adrīṇāṃ bhidyamānānām antarikṣe śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     śabdena prādravan rājan gajāśvarathapattayaḥ
 42 aśmapūrṇaiḥ samākīrṇā manuṣyāś ca vayāṃsi ca
     nāśaknuvann avasthātuṃ bhramarair iva daṃśitāḥ
 43 hataśiṣṭā virudhirā bhinnamastaka piṇḍikāḥ
     kuñjarāḥ saṃyavartanta yuyudhāna rathaṃ prathi
 44 tataḥ śabdaḥ samabhavat tava sainyasya māriṣa
     mādhavenārdyamānasya sāgarasyeva dāruṇaḥ
 45 taṃ śabdaṃ tumulaṃ śrutvā droṇo yantāram abravīt
     eṣa sūta raṇe kruddhaḥ sātvatānāṃ mahārathaḥ
 46 dārayan bahudhā sainyaṃ raṇe carati kālavat
     yatraiṣa śabdas tumulas tatra sūta rathaṃ naya
 47 pāṣāṇa yodhibhir nūnaṃ yuyudhānaḥ samāgataḥ
     tathā hi rathinaḥ sarve hriyante vidrutair hayaiḥ
 48 viśastra kavacā rugṇās tatra tatra patanti ca
     na śaknuvanti yantāraḥ saṃyantuṃ tumule hayān
 49 ity evaṃ bruvato rājan bhāradvājasya dhīmataḥ
     pratyuvāca tato yantā droṇaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ varam
 50 āyuṣman dravate sainyaṃ kauraveyaṃ samantataḥ
     paśya yodhān raṇe bhinnān dhāvamānāṃs tatas tataḥ
 51 ete ca sahitāḥ śūrāḥ pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha
     tvām eva hi jighāṃsantaḥ prādravanti samantataḥ
 52 atra kāryaṃ samādhatsva prāptakālam ariṃdama
     sthāne vā gamane vāpi dūraṃ yātaś ca sātyakiḥ
 53 tathaivaṃ vadatas tasya bhāradvājasya māriṣa
     pratyadṛśyata śaineyo nighnan bahuvidhān rathān
 54 te vadhyamānāḥ samare yuyudhānena tāvakāḥ
     yuyudhāna rathaṃ tyaktvā droṇānīkāya dudruvuḥ
 55 yais tu duḥśāsanaḥ sārdhaṃ rathaiḥ pūrvaṃ nyavartata
     te bhītās tv abhyadhāvanta sarve droṇa rathaṃ prati

SECTION XCVII

"Dhritarashtra said, 'After that shafts of Drona had been cut off and Dhrishtadyumna thus rescued, O Sanjaya, by Yuyudhana, that foremost one of the Vrishni race, what did that great bowman, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, viz., Drona, do in battle unto that tiger among men, viz., the grandson of Sini?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Then Drona, like a mighty snake, having wrath for his poison, his stretched bow for his wide-open mouth, his sharp shafts for his teeth and whetted arrows for his fangs, with eyes red as copper from rage, and breathing hard, that mighty hero among men, perfectly fearless, borne on his red steeds of great speed, that seemed to soar into the skies or get at the top of a mountain, rushed towards Yuyudhana, scattering his arrows equipped with golden wings. Then that subjugator of hostile cities, that hero of Sini's race invincible in battle, beholding that irresistible Drona
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cloud having showers of arrows for its watery downpour, the rattle of car-wheels for its roar, the out-stretched bow for its volume, long shafts for its lightning-flashes, darts and swords for its thunder, wrath for the winds and urged on by those steeds that constituted the hurricane (impelling it forwards), rushed towards him, addressed his charioteer and smilingly said, O Suta, proceed quickly and cheerfully, urging the steeds to their greatest speed, against that heroic Brahmana, fallen off from the duties of his order, that refuge of Dhritarashtra's son, that dispeller of the (Kuru) king's sorrows and fear, that preceptor of all the princes, that warrior ever boastful of his prowess.' Then the excellent steeds of silvery hue belonging to him of Madhu's race, endued with the speed of the wind, quickly proceeded towards Drona. Then those two chastisers of foes, viz., Drona and Sini's grandson, fought with each other, each striking the other with thousands of shafts. Those two bulls among men filled the welkin with their arrowy showers. Indeed, the two heroes covered the ten points of the compass with their shafts. And they poured on each other their shafts like two clouds pouring their contents (on the earth) on the expiration of summer. The sun became invisible. The very wind ceased to blow. And in consequence of those showers of shafts filling the welkin, a continuous and thick gloom was caused there that became unbearable to the other heroes. And when the shafts of Drona and Sini's grandson had caused that gloom there, none beheld any cessation in shooting in either of them. They were both quick in the use of weapons, and they were both looked upon as lions among men. The sound produced by those torrents of arrows, shot by both striking against each other was heard to resemble the sound of the thunder hurled by Sakra. The forms of heroic warriors pierced with long shafts looked like those of snakes, O Bharata, hit by snakes of virulent poison. Brave warriors incessantly heard the twangs of their bows and the sounds of their palms to resemble the sound of thunder falling upon summits of mountains. The cars of both of those warriors, O king, their steeds, and their charioteers pierced with shafts of golden wings, became beautiful to behold. Fierce was the downpour, O monarch, of shafts that were bright and straight and that looked resplendent like snakes of virulent poison freed from their sloughs. The umbrellas of both were cut off, as also the standards of both. And both of them were covered with blood, and both were inspired with the hope of victory. With blood trickling down every limb of theirs, they resembled a couple of elephants with secretions trickling down their bodies. And they continued to strike each other with fatal shafts. The roars and shouts and other cries of the soldiers, the blare of conchs and the beat of drums ceased, O king, for none uttered any sound. Indeed, all the divisions became silent, and all the warriors stopped fighting. People, filled with curiosity became spectators of that single combat. Car-warriors and elephant riders and horsemen and foot-soldiers, surrounding those two bulls among men, witnessed their encounter with steadfast eyes. And the elephant-divisions stood still and so also the horse-divisions, and so also the
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car-divisions. All stood still, disposed in array. Variegated with pearls and corals, decked with gems and gold, adorned with standards and ornaments, with coats of mail made of gold, with triumphal banners with rich caparisons of elephants, with fine blankets, with bright and sharp weapons, with yak-tails, ornamented with gold and silver, on the heads of steeds, with garlands, round the frontal globes of elephants and rings round their tusks, O Bharata, the Kuru and the Pandava hosts then looked like a mass of clouds at the close of summer, decked with rows of cranes and myriads of fire-flies (under them) and adorned with rainbows and flashes of lightning. Both our men and those of Yudhishthira, beheld that battle between Yuyudhana and high-souled Drona; the gods also, headed by Brahma and Soma, and the Siddhas, and the Charanas, and the Vidyadharas, and the great Snakes, saw it, stationed on their foremost of sky-ranging cars. And beholding the diverse motion, forward and backward, of those lions among men, and their acts of striking each other, the spectators were filled with wonder. And both endued with great strength, Drona and Satyaki, displaying their lightness of hand in the use of weapons, began to pierce each other with shafts. Then he of Dasarha's race, with his mighty shafts, cut off those of the illustrious Drona in that battle, and then, within a moment, the latter's bow also. Within, however, the twinkling of an eye, the son of Bharadwaja took up another bow and strung it. Even that bow of his was cut off by Satyaki. Drona then, with utmost quickness waited with another bow in hand. As often, however, as Drona strung his bow, Satyaki cut it off. And this he did full nine and seven times. Beholding then that superhuman feat of Yuyudhana in battle, Drona, O monarch, thought in his mind, 'This force of weapons that I see in this foremost one among the Satwatas exists in Rama and Dhananjaya and was seen also in Kartavirya and that tiger among men, viz., Bhishma. The son of Bharadwaja, therefore, mentally applauded the prowess of Satyaki. Beholding that lightness of hand equal unto that of Vasava himself, that foremost of regenerate ones, that first of all persons conversant with weapons, was highly gratified with Madhava. And the gods also, with Vasava at their head, were gratified with it. The gods and the Gandharvas, O monarch, had never before witnessed that lightness of hand of the quickly moving Yuyudhana, although they and the Siddhas and the Charanas had been acquainted with the feats of which Drona was capable. Then Drona, that foremost of persons acquainted with weapons, that grinder of Kshatriyas, taking up another bow, aimed some weapons. Satyaki, however, baffling those weapons with the illusion of his own weapon struck him with some sharp shafts. All this seemed highly wonderful. Beholding that superhuman feat of his in battle, that feat of which nobody else was capable, and which displayed very great skill, those amongst thy warriors that were judges of skill, applauded it. Satyaki shot the same weapons that Drona shot. Beholding this, that scorcher of foes, viz., the preceptor, fought with a little less boldness, than usual. Then that master of military science, O king, filled with wrath, invoked celestial weapons for the destruction of
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[paragraph continues] Yuyudhana. Beholding that terrible foe-slaughtering Agneya weapon, Satyaki, that mighty bowman, invoked another celestial weapon, viz., the Varuna. Seeing them both take up celestial weapons, loud cries of Oh and Alas arose there. The very creatures having the sky for their element ceased to range through it. Then the Varuna and the Agneya weapons which had thus been grafted on their shafts coming against each other became fruitless. 1 Just at that time, the sun passed down in his course. Then king Yudhishthira and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, desirous of protecting Satyaki, and the Matsyas, and the Salweya troops, speedily proceeded towards Drona. Then thousands of princes placing Duhsasana at their head, hastily proceeded towards Drona (for protecting him) who was surrounded by foes. Then, O king, commenced a fierce battle between them and thy bowmen. The earth was covered with dust and with showers of arrows shot (by both sides). And everything being thus covered, nothing could any longer be discerned. Indeed, when the troops were thus overwhelmed with dust, the battle proceeded in utter disregard (of persons and rules).'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 98

 

 

 

  1 [s]
      duḥśāsana rathaṃ dṛṣṭvā samīpe paryavasthitam
      bhāradvājas tato vākyaṃ duḥśāsanam athābravīt
  2 duḥśāsana rathāḥ sarve kasmād ete pravidrutāḥ
      kac cit kṣemaṃ tu nṛpateḥ kac cij jīvati saindhavaḥ
  3 rājaputro bhavān atra rājabhrātā mahārathaḥ
      kimarthaṃ dravase yuddhe yauvarājyam avāpya hi
  4 svayaṃ vairaṃ mahat kṛtvā pāñcālaiḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha
      ekaṃ sātyakim āsādya kathaṃ bhīto 'si saṃyuge
  5 na jānīṣe purā tvaṃ tu gṛhṇann akṣān durodare
      śarā hy ete bhaviṣyanti dāruṇāśīviṣopamāḥ
  6 apriyāṇāṃ ca vacanaṃ pāṇḍaveṣu viśeṣataḥ
      draupadyāś ca parikleśas tvan mūlo hy abhavat purā
  7 kva te mānaś ca darpaś ca kva ca tad vīra garjitam
      āśīviṣasamān pārthān kopayitvā kva yāsyasi
  8 śocyeyaṃ bhāratī senā rājā caiva suyodhanaḥ
      yasya tvaṃ karkaśo bhrātā palāyanaparāyaṇaḥ
  9 nanu nāma tvayā vīra dīryamāṇā bhayārditā
      svabāhubalam āsthāya rakṣitavyā hy anīkinī
      sa tvam adya raṇaṃ tyaktvā bhīto harṣayase parān
  10 vidrute tvayi sainyasya nāyake śatrusūdana
     ko 'nyaḥ sthāsyati saṃgrāme bhīto bhīte vyapāśraye
 11 ekena sātvatenādya yudhyamānasya cānagha
     palāyane tava matiḥ saṃgrāmād dhi pravartate
 12 yadā gāṇḍīvadhanvānaṃ bhīmasenaṃ ca kaurava
     yamau ca yudhi draṣṭāsi tadā tvaṃ kiṃ kariṣyasi
 13 yudhi phalguna bāṇānāṃ sūryāgnisamatejasām
     na tulyāḥ sātyakiśarā yeṣāṃ bhītaḥ palāyase
 14 yadi tāvat kṛtā buddhiḥ palāyanaparāyaṇā
     pṛthivīdharmarājasya śamenaiva pradīyatām
 15 yāvat phalguna nārācā nirmuktoraga saṃnibhāḥ
     nāviśanti śarīraṃ te tāvat saṃśāmya pāṇḍavaiḥ
 16 yāvat te pṛthivīṃ pārthā hatvā bhrātṛśataṃ raṇe
     nākṣipanti mahātmānas tāvat saṃśāmya pāṇḍavaiḥ
 17 yāvan na krudhyate rājā dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     kṛṣṇaś ca samaraślāghī tāvat saṃśāmya pāṇḍavaiḥ
 18 yāvad bhīmo mahābāhur vigāhya mahatīṃ camūm
     sodarāṃs te na mṛdnāti tāvat saṃśamayāṇḍavaiḥ
 19 pūrvam uktaś ca te bhrātā bhīṣmeṇa sa suyodhanaḥ
     ajeyāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ saṃkhye saumya saṃśāmya pāṇḍavaiḥ
     na ca tat kṛtavān mandas tava bhrātā suyodhanaḥ
 20 sa yuddhe dhṛtim āsthāya yatto yudhyasva pāṇḍavaiḥ
     gaccha tūrṇaṃ rathenaiva tatra tiṣṭhati sātyakiḥ
 21 tvayā hīnaṃ balaṃ hy etad vidraviṣyati bhārata
     ātmārthaṃ yodhaya raṇe sātyakiṃ satyavikramam
 22 evam uktas tava suto nābravīt kiṃ cid apy asau
     śrutaṃ cāśrutavat kṛtvā prāyād yena sa sātyakiḥ
 23 sainyena mahatā yukto mlecchānām anivartinām
     āsādya ca raṇe yatto yuyudhānam ayodhayat
 24 droṇo 'pi rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ pāñcālān pāṇḍavāṃs tathā
     abhyadravata saṃkruddho javam āsthāya madhyamam
 25 praviśya ca raṇe droṇaḥ pāñcālānāṃ varūthinīm
     dravayām āsa yodhān vai śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 26 tato droṇo mahārāja nāma viśrāvya saṃyuge
     pāṇḍupāñcāla matsyānāṃ pracakre kadanaṃ mahat
 27 taṃ jayantam anīkāni bhāradvājaṃ tatas tataḥ
     pāñcāla putro dyutimān vīra ketuḥ samabhyayāt
 28 sa droṇaṃ pañcabhir viddhvā śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
     dhvajam ekena vivyādha sārathiṃ cāsya saptabhiḥ
 29 tatrādbhutaṃ mahārāja dṛṣṭavān asmi saṃyuge
     yad droṇo rabhasaṃ yuddhe pāñcālyaṃ nābhyavartata
 30 saṃniruddhaṃ raṇe droṇaṃ pāñcālā vīkṣya māriṣa
     āvavruḥ sarvato rājan dharmaputra jayaiṣiṇaḥ
 31 te śarair agnisaṃkāśais tomaraiś ca mahādhanaiḥ
     śastraiś ca vividhai rājan droṇam ekam avākiran
 32 nihatya tān bāṇagaṇān droṇo rājan samantataḥ
     mahājaladharān vyomni mātariśvā vivān iva
 33 tataḥ śaraṃ mahāghoraṃ sūryapāvaka saṃnibham
     saṃdadhe paravīraghno vīra keturathaṃ pati
 34 sa bhittvā tu śaro rājan pāñcālyaṃ kulanandanam
     abhyagād dharaṇīṃ tūrṇaṃ lohitārdro jvalann iva
 35 tato 'patad rathāt tūrṇaṃ pāñcālyaḥ kulanandanaḥ
     parvatāgrād iva mahāṃś campako vāyupīḍitaḥ
 36 tasmin hate maheṣvāse rājaputre mahābale
     pāñcālās tvaritā droṇaṃ samantāt paryavārayan
 37 citraketuḥ sudhanvā ca citravarmā ca bhārata
     tathā citrarathaś caiva bhrātṛvyasanakarṣitāḥ
 38 abhyadravanta sahitā bhāradvājaṃ yuyutsavaḥ
     muñcantaḥ śaravarṣāṇi tapānte jaladā iva
 39 sa vadhyamāno bahudhā rājaputrair mahārathaiḥ
     vyaśva sūta rathāṃś cakre kumārān kupito raṇe
 40 tathāparaiḥ suniśitair bhallais teṣāṃ mahāyaśāḥ
     puṣpāṇīva vicinvan hi sottamāṅgāny apātayat
 41 te rathebhyo hatāḥ petuḥ kṣitau rājan suvarcasaḥ
     devāsure purā yuddhe yathā daiteya dānavāḥ
 42 tān nihatya raṇe rājan bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān
     kārmukaṃ bhrāmayām āsa hemapṛṣṭhaṃ durāsadam
 43 pāñcālān nihatān dṛṣṭvā devakalpān mahārathān
     dhṛṣṭadyumno bhṛśaṃ kruddho netrābhyāṃ pātayañ jalam
     abhyavartata saṃgrāme kruddho droṇa rathaṃ prati
 44 tato hāheti sahasā nādaḥ samabhavan nṛpa
     pāñcālyena raṇe dṛṣṭvā droṇam āvāritaṃ śaraiḥ
 45 saṃchādyamāno bahudhā pārṣatena mahātmanā
     na vivyathe tato droṇaḥ smayann evānvayudhyata
 46 tato droṇaṃ mahārāja pāñcālyaḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ
     ājaghānorasi kruddho navatyā nataparvaṇām
 47 sa gāḍhaviddho balinā bhāradvājo mahāyaśāḥ
     niṣasāda rathopasthe kaśmalaṃ ca jagāma ha
 48 taṃ vai tathāgataṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ parākramī
     samutsṛjya dhanus tūrṇam asiṃ jagrāha vīryavān
 49 avaplutya rathāc cāpi tvaritaḥ sa mahārathaḥ
     āruroha rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ bhāradvājasya māriṣa
     hartum aicchac chiraḥ kāyāt krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ
 50 pratyāśvastas tato droṇo dhanur gṛhya mahābalaḥ
     śarair vaitastikai rājan nityamāsanna yodhibhiḥ
     yodhayām āsa samare dhṛṣadyumnaṃ mahāratham
 51 te hi vaitastikā nāma śarā āsanna yodhinaḥ
     droṇasya viditā rājan dhṛṣṭadyumnam avākṣipan
 52 sa vadhyamāno bahubhiḥ sāyakais tair mahābalaḥ
     avaplutya rathāt tūrṇaṃ bhagnavegaḥ parākramī
 53 āruhya svarathaṃ vīraḥ pragṛhya ca mahad dhanuḥ
     vivyādha samare droṇaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ
 54 tad adbhutaṃ tayor yuddhaṃ bhūtasaṃghā hy apūjayan
     katriyāś ca mahārāja ye cānye tatra sainikāḥ
 55 avaśyaṃ samare droṇo dhṛṣṭadyumnena saṃgataḥ
     vaśam eṣyati no rājñaḥ pāñcālā iti cukruśuḥ
 56 droṇas tu tvarito yuddhe dhṛṣṭadyumnasya sāratheḥ
     śiraḥ pracyāvayām āsa phalaṃ pakvaṃ taror iva
     tatas te pradrutā vāhā rājaṃs tasya mahātmanaḥ
 57 teṣu pradravamāṇeṣu pāñcālān sṛñjayāṃs tathā
     vyadrāvayad raṇe droṇas tatra tatra parākramī
 58 vijitya pāṇḍupāñcālān bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān
     svaṃ vyūhaṃ punar āsthāya sthiro 'bhavad ariṃdamaḥ
     na cainaṃ pāṇḍavā yuddhe jetum utsahire prabho

SECTION XCVIII

"Sanjaya said, 'When the sun turned in his downward course towards the summit of the Asta hills, when the welkin was covered with dust, when the heat of the solar rays abated, the day began to fade fast. As regards the soldiers, some rested, some fought on, some returned to the encounter, desirous of victory. And while the troops, inspired with hope of victory, were thus engaged, Arjuna and Vasudeva proceeded towards the place where the ruler of the Sindhus was. The son of Kunti, by means of his shafts, made (through the hostile soldiers) a way sufficiently wide for his car. And it was in this way that Janardana proceeded, (guiding the car). Thither where the car of the high-souled son of Pandu proceeded, thither thy troops, O monarch, broke and yielded a way. And he of Dasarha's race, endued with great energy, displayed his skill in driving car by showing diverse kinds of circling motions. And the shafts of Arjuna, engraved with his name, well-tempered, resembling the Yuga-fire, tied round with catgut, of straight joints, thick, far-reaching, and mace either of (cleft) bamboo (or their branches) or wholly of iron, taking the lives of diverse foes, drank in that battle, with the birds (of prey assembled there), the blood of living creatures. Standing on his car, as Arjuna shot his shafts full two miles ahead, those shafts pierced and despatched his foes just as that car itself
p. 198
came up to the spot. 1 Hrishikesa proceeded, borne by those yoke-bearing steeds endued with the speed of Garuda or the wind, with such speed that he caused the whole universe to wonder at it. Indeed, O king, the car of Surya himself, or that of Rudra or that of Vaisravana, never goeth so fast. Nobody else's car had ever before moved with such speed in battle as Arjuna's car, moving with the celerity of a wish cherished in the mind. Then Kesava, O king, that slayer of hostile heroes, having taken the car of battle quickly urged the steeds, O Bharata, through the (hostile) troops. Arrived in the midst of that throng of cars, those excellent steeds bore Arjuna's car with difficulty, suffering as they did from hunger, thirst, and toil, and mangled as they had been with the weapons of many heroes delighting in battle. They frequently, however, described beautiful circles as they moved, proceeding over the bodies of slain steeds and men, over broken cars, and the bodies of dead elephants, looking like hills by thousands.
"Meanwhile O king, the two heroic brothers of Avanti, (viz., Vinda and Anuvinda), at the head of their forces, beholding the steeds of Arjuna to be tired, encountered him. Filled with joy, they pierced Arjuna with four and sixty shafts, and Janardana with seventy, and the four steeds (of Arjuna's car) with a hundred arrows. Then Arjuna, O king, filled with wrath, and having a knowledge of the vital parts of the body, struck them both in the battle, with nine straight shafts, every one of which was capable of penetrating into the very vitals. Thereupon, the two brothers, filled with rage, covered Vibhatsu and Kesava with showers of shafts and uttered leonine roars. Then Partha of white steeds, with a couple of broad-headed shafts, quickly cut off in that battle the beautiful bows of the two brothers and then their two standards, bright as gold. Vinda and Anuvinda then, O king, taking up to other bows and becoming infuriated with anger, began to grind the son of Pandu with their arrows. Then Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, exceedingly enraged, once more, with a couple of shafts quickly cut off those two bows also of his foes. And with a few other arrows whetted on stone and equipped with wings of gold, Arjuna then slew their steeds, their charioteers, and the two combatants that protected their rear, with those that followed the latter. And with another broad-headed arrow, sharp as a razor, he cut off the head of the eldest brother, who fell down on the earth, deprived of life, like a tree broken by the wind. The mighty Anuvinda then endued with great prowess, beholding Vinda slain left his steedless car, having taken up a mace. Then that foremost of car-warriors, viz., the brother of Vinda, apparently dancing as he advanced with that mace in his arms, proceeded in that battle for avenging the slaughter of his elder brother. Filled with rage, Anuvinda struck Vasudeva on the forehead with that mace. The latter, however, trembled not, but stood still like the mountain Mainaka. Then Arjuna with six arrows, cut off his neck and two legs and two arms and head. Thus cut
p. 199
off (into fragments, the limbs of) Anuvinda fell down like so many hills. Beholding them both stain, their followers, O king, filled with rage rushed (towards Arjuna), scattering hundreds of arrows. Slaying them soon, O bull of Bharata's race, Arjuna looked resplendent like a fire consuming a forest on the expiry of winter. Passing over those troops with some difficulty, Dhananjaya then shone brightly like the risen sun, transgressing the clouds under which it was hid. Beholding him, the Kauravas were filled with fright. But recovering soon enough, they rejoiced once more and rushed at him from all sides. O bull of Bharata's race! Understanding that he was tired and that the ruler of the Sindhus was yet at a distance, they surrounded him, uttering leonine roars. Beholding them, tilled with wrath, Arjuna, that bull among men, smilingly, addressed him of Dasarha's race in soft words, and said, 'Our steeds are afflicted with arrows and tired. The ruler of the Sindhus is still at a distance. What do you think to be the best that should be done now? Tell me, O Krishna, truly. Thou art always the wisest of persons. The Pandavas having thee for their eyes, will vanquish their foes in battle. That which seems to me should be done next, truly shall I say unto thee. Unyoking the steeds to their case, pluck off their arrows, O Madhava!' Thus addressed by Partha, Kesava replied unto him, 'I am, also O Partha, of the opinion which thou hast expressed.'
"Arjuna then said, 'I will hold in check the whole army, O Kesava! Do thou properly perform that which should be done next.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Alighting then from the terrace of his car, Dhananjaya, taking up his bow, Gandiva, fearlessly stood there like an immovable hill. Beholding Dhananjaya standing on the ground, and regarding it a good opportunity, the Kshatriyas, desirous of victory and uttering loud shouts, rushed towards him. Him standing along, they surrounded with a large throng of cars, all stretching their bows and showering their shafts on him. Filled with wrath, they displayed diverse kinds of weapons and entirely shrouded Partha with their shafts like the clouds shrouding the sun. And the great Kshatriya warriors impetuously rushed against that bull among Kshatriyas, that lion among men, like infuriated elephants rushing towards a lion. The might then that we beheld, of Partha's arms was exceedingly great, since, filled with rage, alone, he succeeded in resisting those countless warriors. The puissant Partha, baffling with his own weapons those of the foes, quickly covered all of them with countless shafts. In that part of the welkin, O monarch, in consequence of the clash Of those dense showers of shafts, a fire was generated emitting incessant sparks. There, in consequence of hostile heroes, countless in number, all filled with wrath, and all great bowmen united together for a common Purpose, seeking victory in battle, aided by steeds, covered with blood and breathing hard, and by infuriated and foe-grinding elephants, uttering loud shrieks, the atmosphere became exceedingly hot. That uncrossable, wide, and limitless ocean of cars, incapable of being agitated, had arrows for its current, standards for its eddies, elephants for its crocodiles, foot-soldiers
p. 200
for its countless fishes, the blare of conchs and the beat of drums for its roar, cars for its surging waves, head-gears of combatants for its tortoises, umbrellas and banners for its froth, and the bodies of slain elephants for its (submarine) rocks: Partha resisted with his arrows, the approach of the sea like a continent. Then, in course of that battle, the mighty-armed Janardana, fearlessly addressing that dear friend of his, that foremost of men, viz., Arjuna, said unto him. 'There is no well here in the field of battle, O Arjuna, for the steeds to drink from. The steeds want water for drink, but not for a bath.' Thus addressed by Vasudeva, Arjuna cheerfully said, 'Here it is!' And so saying, he pierced the earth with a weapon and made an excellent lake from which the steeds could drink. And that lake abounded in swans and ducks, and was adorned with Chakravakas. And it was wide and full of transparent water, and abounded in full-blown lotuses of the finest species. And it teemed with diverse kinds of fish. And fathomless in depth, it was the resort of many a Rishi. And the celestial Rishi, Narada, came to have a look at that lake created there in a moment. And Partha, capable of achieving wonderful works like (the celestial artificer) Tvashtri himself, also constructed there an arrowy hall, having arrows for its beams and rafters, arrows for its pillars, and arrows for its roof. Then Govinda smiling in joy, said, 'Excellent, Excellent,' upon seeing the high-souled Partha create that arrowy hall.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 99

 

 

 1 [s]
      tato duḥśāsano rājañ śaineyaṃ samupādravat
      kirañ śarasahasrāṇi parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān
  2 sa viddhvā sātyakiṃ ṣaṣṭyā tathā ṣoḍaśabhiḥ śaraiḥ
      nākampayat sthitaṃ yuddhe mainākam iva parvatam
  3 sa tu duḥśāsanaṃ vīraḥ sāyakair āvṛṇod bhṛśam
      maśakaṃ samanuprāptam ūrṇa nābhir ivorṇayā
  4 dṛṣṭvā duḥśāsanaṃ rājā tathā śaraśatācitam
      trigartāṃś codayām āsa yuyudhāna rathaṃ prati
  5 te 'gacchan yuyudhānasya samīpaṃ krūra kāriṇaḥ
      trigartānāṃ trisāhasrā rathā yuddhaviśāradāḥ
  6 te tu taṃ rathavaṃśena mahatā paryavārayan
      sthirāṃ kṛtvā matiṃ yuddhe bhūtvā saṃśaptakā mithaḥ
  7 teṣāṃ prayatatāṃ yuddhe śaravarṣāṇi muñcatām
      yodhān pañcaśatān mukhyān agrānīke vyapothayat
  8 te 'patanta hatās tūrṇaṃ śinipravara sāyakaiḥ
      mahāmāruta vegena rugṇā iva mahādrumāḥ
  9 rathaiś ca bahudhā chinnair dhvajaiś caiva viśāṃ pate
      hayaiś ca kanakāpīḍaiḥ patitais tata medinī
  10 śaineya śarasaṃkṛttaiḥ śoṇitaughapariplutaiḥ
     aśobhata mahārāja kuṃśukair iva puṣpitaiḥ
 11 te vadhyamānāḥ samare yuyudhānena tāvakāḥ
     trātāraṃ nādhyagacchanta paṅkamagnā iva dvipāḥ
 12 tatas te paryavartanta sarve droṇa rathaṃ prati
     bhayāt patagarājasya gartānīva mahoragāḥ
 13 hatvā pañcaśatān yodhāñ śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ
     prāyāt sa śanakair vīro dhanaṃjayarathaṃ pati
 14 taṃ prayāntaṃ naraśreṣṭhaṃ putro duḥśāsanas tava
     vivyādha navabhis tūrṇaṃ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
 15 sa tu taṃ prativivyādha pañcabhir niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     rukmapuṅkhair maheṣvāso gārdhrapatrair ajihmagaiḥ
 16 sātyakiṃ tu mahārāja prahasann iva bhārata
     duḥśāsanas tribhir viddhvā punar vivyādha pañcabhiḥ
 17 śaineyas tava putraṃ tu viddhvā pañcabhir āśugaiḥ
     dhanuś cāsya raṇe chittvā vismayann arjunaṃ yayau
 18 tato duḥśāsanaḥ kruddho viṣṇi vīrāya gacchate
     sarvapāraśavīṃ śaktiṃ visasarja jighāṃsayā
 19 tāṃ tu śaktiṃ tadā ghorāṃ tava putrasya sātyakiḥ
     ciccheda śatadhā rājan niśitaiḥ kaṅkapatribhiḥ
 20 athānyad dhanur ādāya putras tava janeśvara
     sātyakiṃ daśabhir viddhvā siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ha
 21 sātyakis tu raṇe kruddho mohayitvā sutaṃ tava
     śarair agniśikhākārair ājaghāna stanāntare
     sarvāyasais tīkṣṇavaktrair aṣṭābhir vivyadhe punaḥ
 22 duḥśāsanas tu viṃśatyā sātyakiṃ pratyavidhyata
     sātvato 'pi mahārāja taṃ vivyādha stanāntare
     tribhir eva mahāvegaiḥ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
 23 tato 'sya vāhān niśitaiḥ śarair jaghne mahārathaḥ
     sārathiṃ ca susaṃkruddhaḥ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
 24 dhanur ekena bhallena hastāvāpaṃ ca pañcabhiḥ
     dhvajaṃ ca rathaśaktiṃ ca bhallābhyāṃ paramāstravit
     ciccheda viśikhais tīkṣṇais tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī
 25 sa chinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ
     trigartasenāpatinā svarathenāpavāhitaḥ
 26 tam abhidrutya śaineyo muhūrtam iva bhārata
     na jaghāna mahābāhur bhīmasena vacaḥ smaran
 27 bhīmasenena hi vadhaḥ sutānāṃ tava bhārata
     pratijñātaḥ sabhāmadhye sarveṣām eva saṃyuge
 28 tathā duḥśāsanaṃ jitvā sātyakiḥ saṃyuge prabho
     jagāma tvarito rājan yena yāto dhanaṃjayaḥ

SECTION XCIX

"Sanjaya said, 'After the high-souled son of Kunti had created that water, after he had commenced to hold in cheek the hostile army, and after he had built also that arrowy hall, Vasudeva of great splendour, alighting from the car, unyoked the steeds pierced and mangled with arrows. Beholding that sight never seen before, loud uproars of applause were heard there, uttered by the Siddhas and the Charanas and by all the warriors. Mighty car-warriors (assembled together) were unable to resist the son of Kunti, even when he fought on foot. All this seemed highly wonderful. Although throngs upon throngs of cars, and myriads of elephants and steeds, rushed towards him, yet Partha felt no fear but fought on, prevailing upon all his foes. And the (hostile) kings shot showers of shafts at the son of Pandu. That slayer of hostile heroes, however, viz., the son of Vasava, of virtuous soul, felt no anxiety whatever. Indeed, the valiant Partha received hundreds of arrowy showers and maces and lances coming towards him as the ocean receives hundreds upon hundreds of rivers flowing towards it. With the impetuous might of his own weapons and strength of his arms, Partha received the foremost of shafts
p. 201
shot at him by those foremost of kings. Although staying on the ground, and alone, he succeeded yet in baffling all those kings on their cars, like that one fault, avarice, destroying a host of accomplishments. The Kauravas, O king, applauded the highly wonderful prowess of Partha as also of Vasudeva, saying, 'What more wonderful incident hath ever taken place in this world, or will ever take place than this, viz., that Partha and Govinda, in course of battle, have unyoked their steeds? Displaying fierce energy on the field of battle and the greatest assurance, those best of men have inspired us with great thoughts.' Then Hrishikesa, of eyes like lotus-petals, smiling with the coolest assurance, as if, O Bharata, he was in the midst of an assembly of women (and not armed foes), after Arjuna had created in the field of battle that hall, made of arrows, led the steeds into it, in the very sight. O monarch, of all thy troops. And Krishna, who was well-skilled in grooming horses, then removed their fatigue, pain, froth, trembling and wounds. 1 Then plucking out their arrows and rubbing those steeds with his own hands, and making them trot duly, he caused them to drink. Having caused them to drink, and removed their fatigue and pain, he once more carefully yoked them to that foremost of cars. Then, that foremost one among all wielders of weapons, viz., Sauri, of great energy, mounting on that car with Arjuna, proceeded with great speed. Beholding the car of that foremost of car-warriors once more equipped with these steeds, whose thirst had been slaked, the foremost ones among the Kuru army once more became cheerless. They began to sigh, O king, like snakes whose fangs had been pulled out. And they said, 'Oh, fie, fie on us! Both Partha and Krishna have gone, in the very sight of all the Kshatriyas, riding on the same car, and clad in mail, and slaughtering our troops with as much ease as boys sporting with a toy. Indeed, those scorchers of foes have gone away in the very sight of all the kings displaying the prowess and unimpeded by our shouting and struggling combatants.' Seeing them gone away, other warriors said, 'Ye Kauravas, speed ye for the slaughter of Krishna and the diadem-decked (Arjuna). Yoking his steeds unto his car in the very sight of all (our) bowmen, he of Dasarha's race is proceeding towards Jayadratha, slaughtering us in battle.' And some lords of earth there, O king, amongst themselves, having seen that highly wonderful incident in battle never seen before said, 'Alas, through Duryodhana's fault, these warriors of king Dhritarashtra, the Kshatriyas, and the whole earth, fallen into great distress, are being destroyed. King Duryodhana understands it not.' Thus spoke many Kshatriyas. Others, O Bharata, said, 'The ruler of the Sindhus hath already been despatched to Yama's abode. Of narrow sight and unacquainted with means, let Duryodhana now do what should be done for that king. 2 Meanwhile, the son of Pandu, seeing the sun coursing towards
p. 202
the Western hills, proceeded with greater speed towards the ruler of the Sindhus, on his steeds, whose thirst had been slaked. The (Kuru) warriors were unable to resist that mighty-armed hero, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, as he proceeded like the Destroyer himself in wrath. That scorcher of foes, viz., the son of Pandu, routing the warriors (before him), agitated that army, like a lion agitating a herd of deer, as he proceeded for getting at Jayadratha. Penetrating into the hostile army, he, of Dasarha's race, urged the steeds with great speeds, and blew his conch, Panchajanya, which was of the hue of the clouds. The shafts shot before by the son of Kunti began to fall behind him, so swiftly did those steeds, endued with the speed of the wind, drew that car. Then many kings, filled with rage, and many other Kshatriyas surrounded Dhananjaya who was desirous of slaying Jayadratha. When the (Kuru) warriors thus proceeded towards that bull, among men (viz., Arjuna) who had stopped for a moment, Duryodhana, proceeding quickly, followed Partha in that great battle. Many warriors, beholding the car whose rattle resembled the roar of clouds, and which was equipped with that terrible standard bearing the ape and whose banner floated upon the wind, became exceedingly cheerless. Then when the sun was almost completely shrouded by the dust (raised by the combatants), the (Kuru) warriors, afflicted with shafts, became incapable of even gazing, in that battle, at the two Krishnas.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 100

 

 

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      kiṃ tasyāṃ mama senāyāṃ nāsan ke cin mahārathāḥ
      ye tathā sātyakiṃ yāntaṃ naivāghnan nāpy avārayan
  2 eko hi samare karmakṛtavān satyavikramaḥ
      śakratulyabalo yuddhe mahendro dānaveṣv iva
  3 atha vā śūnyam āsīt tad yena yātaḥ sa sātyakiḥ
      eko vai bahulāḥ senāḥ pramṛdnan puruṣarṣabhaḥ
  4 kathaṃ ca yudhyamānānām apakrānto mahātmanām
      eko bahūnāṃ śaineyas tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya
  5 [s]
      rājan senā samudyogo rathanāgāśvapattimān
      tumulas tava sainyānāṃ yugāntasadṛśo 'bhavat
  6 āhṇikeṣu samūheṣu tava sainyasya mānada
      nāsti loke samaḥ kaś cit samūha iti me matiḥ
  7 tatra devāḥ sma bhāṣante cāraṇāś ca samāgatāḥ
      etad antāḥ samūhā vai bhaviṣyanti mahītale
  8 na caiva tādṛśaḥ kaś cid vyūha āsīd viśāṃ pate
      yādṛg jayadratha vadhe droṇena vihito 'bhavat
  9 caṇḍavātābhipannānāṃ samaudrāṇām iva svanaḥ
      raṇe 'bhavad balaughānām anyonyam abhidhāvatām
  10 pārthivānāṃ sametānāṃ bahūny āsan narottama
     tvad bale pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sahasrāṇi śatāni ca
 11 saṃrabdhānāṃ pravīrāṇāṃ samare dṛḍhakarmaṇām
     tatrāsīt sumahāñ śabdas tumulo lomaharṣaṇaḥ
 12 athākrandad bhīmaseno dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca māriṣa
     nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca dharmarājaś ca pāṇḍavaḥ
 13 āgacchata praharata balavat paridhāvata
     praviṣṭāv arisenāṃ hi vīrau mādhava pāṇḍavau
 14 yathāsukhena gacchetāṃ jayadrathavadhaṃ prati
     tathā prakurute kṣipram iti sainyāny acodayat
     tayor abhāve kuravaḥ kṛtārthāḥ syur vayaṃ jitāḥ
 15 te yūyaṃ sahitā bhūtvā tūrṇam eva balārṇavam
     kṣobhayadhvaṃ mahāvegāḥ pavanāḥ sāgaraṃ yathā
 16 bhīmasenena te rājan pāñcālyena ca coditāḥ
     ājaghnuḥ kauravān saṃkhye tyaktvāsūn ātmanaḥ priyān
 17 icchanto nidhanaṃ yuddhe śastrair uttamatejasaḥ
     svargārthaṃ mitrakāryārthaṃ nābhyarakṣanta jīvitam
 18 tathaiva tāvakā rājan prārthayanto mahad yaśaḥ
     āryāṃ yuddhe matiṃ kṛtvā yuddhyāyaivopatasthire
 19 tasmiṃs tu tumule yuddhe vartamāne mahābhaye
     hatvā sarvāṇi sainyāni prāyāt sātyakir arjunam
 20 kavacānāṃ prabhās tatra sūryaraśmi vicitritāḥ
     dṛṣṭīḥ saṃkhye sainikānāṃ pratijaghnuḥ samantataḥ
 21 tathā prayatamāneṣu pāṇḍaveyeṣu nirbhayaḥ
     duryodhano mahārāja vyagāhata mahad balam
 22 sa saṃnipātas tumulas teṣāṃ tasya ca bhārata
     abhavat sarvasainyānām abhāva karaṇo mahān
 23 [dhṛ]
     tathāgateṣu sainyeṣu tathā kṛcchragataḥ svayam
     kac cid duryodhanaḥ sūta nākārṣīt pṛṣṭhato raṇam
 24 ekasya ca bahūnāṃ ca saṃnipāto mahāhave
     viśeṣato nṛpatinā viṣamaḥ pratibhāti me
 25 so 'tyantasukhasaṃvṛddho lakṣmyā lokasya ceśvaraḥ
     eko bahūn samāsādya kac cin nāsīt parāṅmukhaḥ
 26 [s]
     rājan sagrāmam āścaryaṃ tava putrasya bhārata
     ekasya ca bahūnāṃ ca śṛṇuṣva gadato 'dbhutam
 27 duryodhanena sahasā pāṇḍavī pṛtanā raṇe
     nalinī dviradeneva samantād vipraloḍitā
 28 tathā senāṃ kṛtāṃ dṛṣṭvā tatra putreṇa kaurava
     bhīmasenapurogās taṃ pāñcālāḥ samupādravan
 29 sa bhīmasenaṃ daśabhir mādrīputrau tribhis tribhiḥ
     virāṭadrupadau ṣaḍbhiḥ śatena ca śikhaṇḍinam
 30 dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca viṃśatyā dharmaputraṃ ca saptabhiḥ
     kekayān daśabhir viddhvā draupadeyāṃs tribhis tribhiḥ
 31 śataśaś cāparān yodhān sadvipāṃś ca rathān raṇe
     śarair avacakartograiḥ kruddho 'ntaka iva prajāḥ
 32 na saṃdadhan vimuñcan vā maṇḍalīkṛtakārmukaḥ
     adṛśyata ripūn nighnañ śikṣayāstra balena ca
 33 tasya tān nighnataḥ śatrūn hemapṛṣṭhaṃ mahad dhanuḥ
     bhallābhyāṃ pāṇḍavo jyeṣṭhas tridhā ciccheda māriṣa
 34 vivyādha cainaṃ bahubhiḥ samyag astaiḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     varmāṇy āśu samāsādya te bhagnāḥ kṣitim āviśan
 35 tataḥ pramuditāḥ pārthāḥ parivavrur yudhiṣṭhiram
     yathā vṛtravadhe devā mudā śakraṃ maharṣibhiḥ
 36 atha duryodhano rājā dṛḍham ādāya kārmukam
     tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti rājānaṃ bruvan pāṇḍavam abhyayāt
 37 taṃ tathā vādinaṃ rājaṃs tava putraṃ mahāratham
     pratyudyayuḥ pramuditāḥ pāñcālā jayagṛddhinaḥ
 38 tān droṇaḥ pratijagrāha parīpsan yudhi pāṇḍavam
     caṇḍavātoddhutān meghān sa jalān acalo yathā
 39 tatra rājan mahān āsīt saṃgrāmo bhūrivardhanaḥ
     rudrasyākrīḍa saṃkāśaḥ saṃhāraḥ sarvadehinām

 

SECTION C

"Sanjaya said, 'O monarch! I beholding Vasudeva and Dhananjaya penetrate into their host, having already pierced through many divisions, the kings of the army, fled away in fear. A little while after, however, those high-souled ones, filled with rage and shame, and urged on by their might, became cool and collected, and proceeded towards Dhananjaya. But those, O king, who filled with rage and vindictiveness, proceeded against the son of Pandu in battle, returned not, like rivers never returning from the ocean. Seeing this, many ignoble Kshatriyas incurred sin and hell by flying away from battle, like atheists turning away from the Vedas. 1 Transgressing that throng of cars those two bulls among men, at last, issued out of it, and looked like the sun and the moon freed from the jaws of Rahu. Indeed, the two Krishnas, their fatigue dispelled, having pierced through that vast host, looked like two fishes that had passed through a strong net. Having forced through that impenetrable division of Drona, the way through which was obstructed by dense showers of weapons, those two high-souled heroes looked like Yuga-suns risen (on the welkin). Piercing through
p. 203
those dense showers of weapons and freed from that imminent danger, those high-souled heroes, themselves obstructing the welkin with thick clouds of weapons, seemed like persons escaped from a raging conflagration, or like two fishes from the jaws of a makara. And they agitated the (Kuru) host like a couple of makaras agitating the ocean. Thy warriors and thy sons, while Partha and Krishna were in the midst of Drona's division, had thought that those two would never be able to issue out of it. Beholding, however, those two heroes of great splendour issue out of Drona's division, they no longer, O monarch, hoped for Jayadratha's life. Hitherto they had strong hopes of Jayadratha's life, for they had thought, O king, that the two Krishnas would never be able to escape from Drona and Hridika's son. Frustrating that hope, those two scorchers of foes had, O monarch, crossed the division of Drona, as also the almost uncrossable division of the Bhojas. Beholding them, therefore, ford through those divisions and look like two blazing fires, thy men became possessed with despair and no longer hoped for Jayadratha's life. Then those two fearless heroes, viz., Krishna and Dhananjaya, those enhancers of the fears of foes, began to converse between themselves about the slaughter of Jayadratha. And Arjuna said, 'This Jayadratha hath been placed in their midst by six of the foremost car-warriors among the Dhartarashtras. The ruler of the Sindhus, however, shall not escape me if once he is seen by me. If Sakra himself, with all the celestials, become his protector in battle, yet shall we slay him. Thus did the two Krishnas talk. Even so, O mighty-armed one, did they converse amongst themselves, while looking after the ruler of the Sindhus. (Having heard what they said), thy sons set up a loud wail. Those two chastisers of foes then looked like a couple of thirsty elephants of great quickness of motion, refreshed by drinking water, after having passed through a desert. Beyond death and above decrepitude, they then looked like two merchants that have passed over a mountainous country abounding with tigers and lions and elephants. Indeed, beholding them freed (from Drona and Kritavarman), thy warriors regarded the colour of Partha's and Krishna's face to be dreadful; and thy men then, from all sides, set up a loud wail. Freed from Drona who resembled a snake of virulent poison or a blazing fire, as also from the other lords of the earth, Partha and Krishna looked like two blazing suns. Indeed, those two chastisers of foes, freed from Drona's division, which resembled the very ocean, seemed to be filled with joy like persons that have safely crossed the vasty deep. Freed from those dense showers of weapons, from those divisions protected by Drona and Hridika's son, Kesava and Arjuna looked like Indra and Agni, or blazing effulgence. The two Krishnas, pierced with sharp shafts of Bharadwaja's son, and with bodies dripping with bloods, looked resplendent like two mountains decked with flowering Karnikaras. Having forded that wide lake, of which Drona constituted the alligator, darts formed the fierce snakes, shafts, the Makaras, and Kshatriyas, the deep waters, and having issued out of that cloud, constituted by Drona's
p. 204
weapons, whose thunders were the twang of bows and the sound of palms, and whose lightning flashes were constituted by maces and swords, Partha and Krishna looked like the sun and moon freed from darkness. Having crossed the region obstructed by the weapons of Drona, all creatures regarded those mighty and famous bowmen viz., the two Krishnas, as persons who had forded, with the aid of their arms, the five rivers, (viz., the Satadru, the Vipasa, the Ravi, the Chandrabhaga, and the Vitasta) having the ocean for their sixth, when full of water during the season of rains, and abounding with alligators. Casting their eyes, from desire of slaughter, on Jayadratha who was not far off from them, the two heroes looked like two tigers waiting from desire of falling upon a Ruru deer. Such was then the colour of their faces, that thy warriors, O monarch, regarded Jayadratha as one already slain. Possessed of red eyes, O mighty-armed one, and staying together, Krishna and the son of Pandu, at the sight of Jayadratha were filled with joy and roared repeatedly. Indeed, O monarch, the splendour then of Sauri, standing with reins in hand, and of Partha armed with bow, was like that of the sun or fire. Freed from the division of Drona, their joy, at sight of the ruler of the Sindhus, was like that of a couple of hawks at the sight of a piece of flesh. Beholding the ruler of the Sindhus not far off, they rushed in wrath towards him like a couple of hawks swooping down towards a piece of meat. Seeing Hrishikesa and Dhananjaya transgress (the divisions of Drona), thy valiant son, king Duryodhana, whose armour had been bound on his person by Drona, and who was well-versed in grooming and guiding horses, rushed, on a single car, O lord, for the protection of the Sindhus. Leaving those mighty bowmen, viz., Krishna and Partha, behind, thy son, O king, turned back, facing Kesava of lotus-like eyes. When thy son thus outran Dhananjaya, diverse musical instruments were joyfully blown and beat among all thy troops. And leonine roars were uttered mingled with the blare of conchs, beholding Duryodhana staying in the face of the two Krishnas. They also, O king, resembling blazing fires, that stood as the protectors of Jayadratha, were filled with joy upon beholding thy son in battle. Seeing Duryodhana transgress them with his followers, Krishna, O monarch, said unto Arjuna these words suited to the occasion.'"

 

Book 7
Chapter 101

 

 

 

 1 [s]
      aparāhṇe mahārāja saṃgrāmaḥ samapadyata
      parjanyasamanirghoṣaḥ punar droṇasya somakaiḥ
  2 śoṇāśvaṃ ratham āsthāya naravīraḥ samāhitaḥ
      samare 'bhyadravat pāṇḍūñ javam āsthāya madhyamam
  3 tava priyahite yukto maheṣvāso mahābalaḥ
      citrapuṅkhaiḥ śitair bāṇaiḥ kalaśottama saṃbhavaḥ
  4 varān varān hi yodhānāṃ vicinvann iva bhārata
      akrīḍata raṇe rājan bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān
  5 tam abhyayād bṛhat kṣatraḥ kekayānāṃ mahārathaḥ
      bhrātṝṇāṃ vīra pañcānāṃ jyeṣṭhaḥ samarakarkaśaḥ
  6 vimuñcan viśikhāṃs tīkṣṇān ācāryaṃ chādayan bhṛśam
      mahāmegho yathā varṣaṃ vimuñcan gandhamādane
  7 tasya droṇo mahārāja svarṇapuṅkhāñ śilāśitān
      preṣayām āsa saṃkruddhaḥ sāyakān daśa sapta ca
  8 tāṃs tu droṇa dhanurmuktān ghorān āśīviṣopamān
      ekaikaṃ daśabhir bāṇair yudhi ciccheda hṛṣṭavat
  9 tasya tal lāghavaṃ dṛṣṭvā prahasan dvijasattamaḥ
      preṣayām āsa viśikhān aṣṭau saṃnataparvaṇaḥ
  10 tān dṛṣṭvā patataḥ śīghraṃ droṇa cāpacyutāñ śarān
     avārayac charair eva tāvadbhir niśitair dṛḍhaiḥ
 11 tato 'bhavan mahārāja tava sainyasya vismayaḥ
     bṛha kṣatreṇa tat karmakṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā suduṣkaram
 12 tato droṇo mahārāja kekayaṃ vai viśeṣayan
     prāduścakre raṇe divyaṃ brāhmam astraṃ mahātapāḥ
 13 tad asya rājan kaikeyaḥ pratyavārayad acyutaḥ
     brāhmeṇaiva mahābāhur āhave samudīritam
 14 pratihanya tad astraṃ tu bhāradvājasya saṃyuge
     vivyādha brāhmaṇaṃ ṣaṣṭyā svarṇapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ
 15 taṃ droṇo dvipadāṃ śreṣṭho nārācena samarpayat
     sa tasya kavacaṃ bhittvā prāviśad dharaṇītalam
 16 kṛṣṇasarpo yathā mukto valmīkaṃ nṛpasattama
     tathābhyagān mahīṃ bāṇo bhittvā kaikeyam āhave
 17 so 'tividdho mahārāja droṇenāstravidā bhṛśam
     krodhena mahatāviṣṭo vyāvṛtya nayane śubhe
 18 droṇaṃ vivyādha saptatyā svarṇapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ
     sārathiṃ cāsya bhallena bāhvor urasi cārpayat
 19 droṇas tu bahudhā viddho bṛhat kṣatreṇa māriṣa
     asṛjad viśikhāṃs tīkṣṇān kekayasya rathaṃ prati
 20 vyākulīkṛtya taṃ droṇo bṛhat kṣatraṃ mahāratham
     vyasṛjat sāyakaṃ tīkṣṇaṃ kekayaṃ prati bhārata
 21 sa gāḍhaviddhas tenāśu mahārāja stanāntare
     rathāt puruṣaśārdūlaḥ saṃbhinnahṛdayo 'patat
 22 bṛhat kṣatre hate rājan kekayānāṃ mahārathe
     śaiśupāliḥ susaṃkruddho yantāram idam abravīt
 23 sārathe yāhi yatraiṣa droṇas tiṣṭhati daṃśitaḥ
     vinighnan kekayān sarvān pāñcālānāṃ ca vāhinīm
 24 tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā sārathī rathināṃ varam
     droṇāya prāpayām āsa kāmbojair javanair hayaiḥ
 25 dhṛṣṭaketuś ca cedīnām ṛṣabho 'tibaloditaḥ
     sahasā prāpatad droṇaṃ pataṃga iva pāvakam
 26 so 'bhyavidhyat tato droṇaṃ ṣaṣṭyā sāśvarathadhvajam
     punaś cānyaiḥ śarais tīkṣṇaiḥ suptaṃ vyāghraṃ tudann iva
 27 tasya droṇo dhanurmadhye kṣurapreṇa śitena ha
     ciccheda rājño balino yatamānasya saṃyuge
 28 athānyad dhanur ādāya śaiśupālir mahārathaḥ
     vivyādha sāyakair droṇaṃ punaḥ suniśitair dṛḍhaiḥ
 29 tasya droṇo hayān hatvā sārathiṃca mahābalaḥ
     athainaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā sāyakānāṃ samārpayat
 30 viratho vidhanuṣkaś ca cedirājo 'pi saṃyuge
     gadāṃ cikṣepa saṃkruddho bhāradvāja rathaṃ prati
 31 tām āpatantīṃ sahasā ghorarūpāṃ bhayāvahām
     aśmasāramayīṃ gurvīṃ tapanīyavibhūṣitām
     śarair anekasāhasrair bhāradvājo nyapātayat
 32 sā papāta gadā bhūmau bhāradvājena sāditā
     raktamālyāmbaradharā tāreva nabhasas talāt
 33 gadāṃ vinihatāṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭaketur amarṣaṇaḥ
     tomaraṃ vyasṛjat tūrṇaṃ śaktiṃ ca kanakojjvalām
 34 tomaraṃ tu tribhir bāṇair droṇaś chittvā mahāmṛdhe
     śaktiṃ ciccheda sahasā kṛtahasto mahābalaḥ
 35 tato 'sya viśikhaṃ tīkṣṇaṃ vadhārthaṃ vadhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ
     preṣayām āsa samare bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān
 36 sa tasya kavacaṃ bhittvā hṛdayaṃ cāmitaujasaḥ
     abhyagād dharaṇīṃ bāṇo haṃsaḥ padmasaro yathā
 37 pataṃgaṃ hi grasec cāṣo yathā rājan bubhukṣitaḥ
     tathā droṇo 'grasac chūro dhṛṣṭaketuṃ mahāmṛdhe
 38 nihate cedirāje tu tat khaṇḍaṃ pitryam āviśat
     amarṣavaśam āpannaḥ putro 'sya paramāstravit
 39 tam api prahasan droṇaḥ śarair ninye yamakṣayam
     mahāvyāghro mahāraṇye mṛgaśāvaṃ yathābalī
 40 teṣu prakṣīyamāṇeṣu pāṇḍaveyeṣu bhārata
     jarāsaṃdha suto vīraḥ svayaṃ droṇam upādravat
 41 sa tu droṇaṃ mahārāja chādayan sāyakaiḥ śitaiḥ
     adṛśyam akarot tūrṇaṃ jalado bhāskaraṃ yathā
 42 tasya tal lāghavaṃ dṛṣṭvā droṇaḥ kṣatriya mardanaḥ
     vyasṛjat sāyakāṃs tūrṇaṃ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 43 chādayitvā raṇe droṇo rathasthaṃ rathināṃ varam
     jārāsaṃdhim atho jaghne miṣatāṃ sarvadhanvinām
 44 yo yaḥ sma līyate droṇaṃ taṃ taṃ droṇo 'ntakopamaḥ
     ādatta sarvabhūtāni prāpre kāle yathāntakaḥ
 45 tato droṇo maheṣvāso nāma viśrāvya saṃyuge
     śarair anekasāhasraiḥ pāṇḍaveyān vyamohayat
 46 tato droṇāṅkitā bāṇāḥ svarṇapuṅkhāḥ śilāśitāḥ
     narān nāgān hayāṃś caiva nijaghnuḥ sarvato raṇe
 47 te vadhyamānā droṇena śakreṇeva mahāsurāḥ
     samakampanta pāñcālā gāvaḥ śītārditā iva
 48 tato niṣṭānako ghoraḥ pāṇḍavānām ajāyata
     droṇena vadhyamāneṣu sainyeṣu bharatarṣabha
 49 mohitāḥ śaravarṣeṇa bhāradvājasya saṃyuge
     ūrugrāhagṛhītā hi pāñcālānāṃ mahārathāḥ
 50 cedayaś ca mahārāja sṛñjayāḥ somakās tathā
     abhyadravanta saṃhṛṣṭā bhāradvājaṃ yuyutsayā
 51 hatadroṇaṃ hatadroṇam iti te droṇam abhyayuḥ
     yatantaḥ puruṣavyāghrāḥ sarvaśaktyā mahādyutim
     ninīṣanto raṇe droṇaṃ yamasya sadanaṃ prati
 52 yatamānāṃs tu tān vīrān bhāradvājaḥ śilīmukhaiḥ
     yamāya preṣayām āsa cedimukhyān viśeṣataḥ
 53 teṣu prakṣīyamāṇeṣu cedimukhyeṣu bhārata
     pāñcālāḥ samakampanta droṇa sāyakapīḍitāḥ
 54 prākrośan bhīmasenaṃ te dhṛṣṭadyumna rathaṃ prati
     dṛṣṭvā droṇasya karmāṇi tathārūpāṇi māriṣa
 55 brāhmaṇena tapo nūnaṃ caritaṃ duścaraṃ mahat
     tathā hi yudhi vikrānto dahati kṣatriyarṣabhān
 56 dharmo yuddhaṃ kṣatriyasya brāhmaṇasya paraṃtapaḥ
     tapasvī kṛtavidyaś ca prekṣitenāpi nirdahet
 57 droṇāstram agnisaṃsparśaṃ praviṣṭāḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ
     bahavo dustaraṃ ghoraṃ yatrādahyanta bhārata
 58 yathābalaṃ yathotsāhaṃ yathā sattvaṃ mahādyutiḥ
     mohayan sarvabhūtāni droṇo hanti balāni naḥ
 59 teṣāṃ tad vacanaṃ śrutvā kṣatradharmā vyavasthitaḥ
     ardhacandreṇa ciccheda droṇasya sa śaraṃ dhanuḥ
 60 sa saṃrabdhataro bhūtvā droṇaḥ kṣatriya mardanaḥ
     anyat kārmukam ādāya bhāsvaraṃ vegavattaram
 61 tatrādhāya śaraṃ tīkṣṇaṃ bhāraghnaṃ vimalaṃ dṛḍham
     ākarṇapūrṇam ācāryo balavān abhyavāsṛjat
 62 sa hatvā kṣatradharmmāṇaṃ jagāma dharaṇītalam
     sa bhinnahṛdayo vāhād apatan medinī tale
 63 tataḥ sainyāny akampanta dhṛṣṭadyumna sute hate
     atha droṇaṃ samārohac cekitāno mahārathaḥ
 64 sa droṇaṃ daśabhir bāṇaiḥ pratyavidhyat stanāntare
     caturbhiḥ sārathiṃ cāsya caturbhiś caturo hayān
 65 tasyācāryaḥ ṣoḍaśabhir avidhyad dakṣiṇaṃ bhujam
     dhvajaṃ ṣoḍaśabhir bāṇair yantāraṃ cāsya saptabhiḥ
 66 tasya sūte hate te 'śvā ratham ādāya vidrutāḥ
     samare śarasaṃvītā bhāradvājena māriṣa
 67 cekitāna rathaṃ dṛṣṭvā vidrutaṃ hatasārathim
     pāñcālān pāṇḍavāṃś caiva mahad bhayam athāviśat
 68 tān sametān raṇe śūrāṃś cedipāñcālasṛñjayān
     samantād drāvayan droṇo bahv aśobhata māriṣa
 69 ākarṇapalitaḥ śyāmo vayasāśītikāt paraḥ
     raṇe paryacarad droṇo vṛddhaḥ ṣoḍaśavarṣavat
 70 atha droṇaṃ mahārāja vicarantam abhītavat
     vajrahastam amanyanta śatravaḥ śatrusūdanam
 71 tato 'bravīn mahārāja drupado buddhimān nṛpa
     lubdho 'yaṃ kṣatriyān hanti vyāghraḥ kṣudramṛgān iva
 72 kṛcchrān duryodhano lokān āpaḥ prāpsyati durmatiḥ
     yasya lobhād vinihatāḥ samare kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ
 73 śataśaḥ śerate bhūmau nikṛttā govṛṣā iva
     rudhireṇa parītāṅgāḥ śvasṛgālādanī kṛtāḥ
 74 evam uktvā mahārāja drupado 'kṣauhiṇīpatiḥ
     puraskṛtya raṇe pārthān droṇam abhyadravad drutam

SECTION CI

"Vasudeva said, 'Behold, O Dhananjaya, this Suyodhana who hath transgressed us! I regard this as highly wonderful. There is no car-warrior equal to him. His arrows are far-reaching. He is a great bowman. Accomplished as he is in weapons, it is exceedingly difficult to vanquish him in battle. The mighty son of Dhritarashtra strikes hard, and is
p. 205
conversant with all modes of warfare. Brought up in great luxury, he is much regarded by even the foremost of car-warriors. He is well-accomplished, and, O Partha, he always hates the Pandavas. For these reasons, O sinless one, I think, thou shouldst now fight with him. Upon him resteth, as upon a stake at dice, victory or the reverse. Upon him, O Partha, vomit that poison of thy wrath which thou hast cherished so long. This mighty car-warrior is the root of all the wrongs on the Pandavas. He is now within reach of thy shafts. Look after thy success. Why hath king Duryodhana, desirous as he is of kingdom, come to battle with thee? By good luck, it is that he is now arrived within reach of thy arrows. Do that, O Dhananjaya, by which he may be deprived on his very life. Reft of his senses through pride of affluence, he hath never felt any distress. O bull among men, he doth not know also thy prowess in battle. Indeed, the three worlds with the celestials, the Asuras, and human beings, cannot venture to vanquish thee in battle. What need be said, therefore, of single Duryodhana? By good luck it is, O Partha, that he hath approached the vicinity of thy car. O mighty-armed one, slay him as Purandara slew Vritra. O sinless one, this Duryodhana hath endeavoured to bring evil on you. By deceit he cheated king Yudhishthira at dice. O giver of honours, sinless though you all are, this prince of sinful soul has always done various evil acts towards him. Nobly resolved upon battle, O Partha, slay without any scruple this wicked wight, who is ever wrathful and ever cruel, and who is the very embodiment of avarice. Remembering the deprivation of your kingdom by deceit, your exile into the woods, and the wrongs of Krishna, put forth thy prowess, O son of Pandu! By good luck, it is that he stayeth within the range of the shafts. By good luck, it is that staying before thee he endeavours to resist thy purpose. By good luck, it is that he knows today that he will have to fight with thee in the battle. By good luck, it is that all your purposes, even those that are not presently entertained by you, will be crowned with fruition. Therefore, Partha, slay this wretch of his race, viz., the son of Dhritarashtra, in battle, as Indra had in days of yore, slain the Asura Jambha in the battle between the celestials and the Asuras. If he is slain by thee, thou canst then pierce through this masterless host. Cut the very root of these wicked-souled wretches. Let the avabhritha 1 of this hostility be now accomplished.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Thus addressed, Partha replied unto Kesava saying--'So be it. Even this should be done by me. Disregarding everything else, proceed thither where Duryodhana is. Putting forth my prowess in battle, I will cut off the head of that wretch who hath for such a long period enjoyed our kingdom without a thorn on his side. Shall I not succeed, O Kesava, in avenging myself of the insult, in the shape of dragging her by the hair, offered unto Draupadi, undeserving as she was of that wrong.' Thus conversing with each other, the two Krishnas filled
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with joy, urged those excellent white steeds of theirs, desirous of getting at king Duryodhana. As regards thy son, O bull of Bharata's race, having approached the presence of Partha and Krishna, he entertained no fear, although, O sire, every circumstance was calculated to inspire fear. And the Kshatriyas there, on thy side, highly applauded him then, for he proceeded to face Arjuna and Hrishikesa for resisting them. Indeed, beholding the king in battle, a loud shout was heard there, O monarch, uttered by the entire Kuru army. What that terrible and awful shout arose there, thy son, pressing his foe hard, opposed his progress. Held in check by thy son armed with bow, the son of Kunti became filled with rage, and that chastiser of foes, Duryodhana, also became highly enraged with Partha. Beholding both Duryodhana and Dhananjaya enraged with each other, all the Kshatriyas, of fierce forms, began to look at them from all sides. Seeing Partha and Vasudeva both filled with rage, thy son, O sire, desirous of battle, smilingly challenged them, then he of Dasarha's race became filled with joy, and Dhananjaya also, the son of Pandu, became cheerful. Uttering loud roars, they both blew their foremost of conchs. Seeing them thus cheerful, all the Kauravas became hopeless of thy son's life. Indeed, all the Kauravas, and many even amongst the enemy, became possessed with grief, and regarded thy son as a libation already poured into the mouth of the (sacred) fire. Thy warriors, seeing Krishna and the Pandava so cheerful I loudly exclaimed, afflicted with fear, 'The king is slain.' 'The king is slain.' Hearing that loud uproar of the warriors, Duryodhana said, 'Let your fears be dispelled. I will despatch the two Krishnas unto the region of death.' Having told all his warriors these words, king Duryodhana. then, expectant of success, addressed Partha angrily and said these words: 'If, O Partha, thou art begotten by Pandu apply upon me, without loss of time, all the weapons, celestial and earthly, that Kesava also hath of either, upon me. I wish to see thy manliness. They speak of many feats achieved by thee out of our view. Show me those feats that have won the applause of many endued with great heroism!'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 102

 

 1 [s]
      vyūheṣv āloḍyamāneṣu pāṇḍavānāṃ tatas tataḥ
      sudūram anvayuḥ pārthāḥ pāñcālāḥ saha somakaiḥ
  2 vartamāne tathā raudre saṃgrāme lomaharṣaṇe
      prakṣaye jagatas tīvre yugānta iva bhārata
  3 droṇe yudhi parākrāne nardamāne muhur muhuḥ
      pāñcāleṣu ca kṣīṇeṣu vadhyamāneṣu pāṇḍuṣu
  4 nāpaśyac charaṇaṃ kiṃ cid dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
      cintayām āsa rājendra katham etad bhaviṣyati
  5 tatrāvekṣya diśaḥ sarvāḥ savyasāci didṛṣṭkayā
      yudhiṣṭhiro dadarśātha naiva pārtha na mādhavam
  6 so 'paśyan naraśārdūlaṃ vānararṣabha lakṣaṇam
      gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣam aśṛṇvan vyathitendriyaḥ
  7 apaśyan sātyakiṃ cāpi vṛṣṇīnāṃ pravaraṃ ratham
      cintayābhiparītāṅgo dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
      nādhyagacchat tadā śāntiṃ tāv apaśyan nararṣabhau
  8 lokopakrośa bhīrutvād dharmarājo mahāyaśāḥ
      acintayan mahābāhuḥ śaineyasya rathaṃ prati
  9 padavīṃ preṣitaś caiva phalgunasya mayā raṇe
      śaineyaḥ sātyakiḥ satyo mitrāṇām abhayaṃkaraḥ
  10 tad idaṃ hy ekam evāsīd dvidhā jātaṃ mamādya vai
     sātyakiś ca hi me jñeyaḥ pāṇḍavaś ca dhanaṃjayaḥ
 11 sātyakiṃ preṣayitvā tu pāṇḍavasya padānugam
     sātvatasyāpi kiṃ yuddhe preṣayiṣye padānugam
 12 kariṣyāmi prayatnena bhrātur anveṣaṇaṃ yadi
     yuyudhānam ananviṣya loko māṃ garhayiṣyati
 13 bhrātur anveṣaṇaṃ kṛtvā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     parityajati vārṣṇeyaṃ sātyakiṃ satyavikramam
 14 lokāpavādabhīrutvāt so 'haṃ pārthaṃ vṛkodaram
     padavīṃ preṣayiṣyāmi mādhavasya mahātmanaḥ
 15 yathaiva ca mama prītir arjune śatrusūdane
     tathaiva vṛṣṇivīre 'pi sātvate yuddhadurmade
 16 atibhāre niyuktaś ca mayā śaineyanandanaḥ
     sa tu mitroparodhena gauravāc ca mahābalaḥ
     praviṣṭo bharatīṃ senāṃ makaraḥ sāgaraṃ yathā
 17 asau hi śrūyate śabdaḥ śūrāṇām anivartinām
     mithaḥ saṃyudhyamānānāṃ vṛṣṇivīreṇa dhīmatā
 18 prāptakālaṃ subalavan niścitya bahudhā hi me
     tatraiva pāṇḍaveyasya bhīmasenasya dhanvinaḥ
     gamanaṃ rocate mahyaṃ yatra yātau mahārathau
 19 na cāpy asahyaṃ bhīmasya vidyate bhuvi kiṃ cana
     śakto hy eṣa raṇe yattān pṛthivyāṃ sarvadhanvinaḥ
     svabāhubalam āsthāya prativyūhitum añjasā
 20 yasya bāhubalaṃ sarve samāśritya mahātmanaḥ
     vanavāsān nivṛttāḥ sma na ca yuddheṣu nirjitāḥ
 21 ito gate bhīmasene sātvataṃ prati pāṇḍave
     sa nāthau bhavitārau hi yudhi sātvata phalgunau
 22 kāmaṃ tv aśocanīyau tau raṇe sātvata phalgunau
     rakṣitau vāsudevena svayaṃ cāstraviśāradau
 23 avaśyaṃ tu mayā kāryam ātmanaḥ śokanāśanam
     tasmād bhīmaṃ niyokṣyāmi sātvatasya padānugam
     tataḥ pratikṛtaṃ manye vidhānaṃ sātyakiṃ prati
 24 evaṃ niścitya manasā dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     yantāram abravīd rājan bhīmaṃ prati nayasva mām
 25 dharmarāja vacaḥ śrutvā sārathir hayakovidaḥ
     rathaṃ hemapariṣkāraṃ bhīmāntikam upānayat
 26 bhīmasenam anuprāpya prāptakālam anusmaran
     kaśmalaṃ prāviśad rājā bahu tatra samādiśan
 27 yaḥ sa devān sa gandharvān daityāṃś caikaratho 'jayat
     tasya lakṣma na paśyāmi bhīmasenānujasya te
 28 tato 'bravīd dharmarājaṃ bhīmasenas tathāgatam
     naivādrākṣaṃ na cāśrauṣaṃ tava kaśmalam īdṛśam
 29 purā hi duḥkhadīrṇānāṃ bhavān gatir abhūd dhi naḥ
     uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha rājendra śādhi kiṃ karavāṇi te
 30 na hy asādhyam akāryaṃ vā vidyate mama mānada
     ājñāpaya kuruśreṣṭha mā ca śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ
 31 tam abravīd aśrupūrṇaḥ kṛṣṇasarpa iva śvasan
     bhīmasenam idaṃ vākyaṃ pramlāna vadano nṛpaḥ
 32 yathā śaṅkhasya nirghoṣaḥ pāñcajanyasya śrūyate
     prerito vāsudevena saṃrabdhena yaśasvinā
     nūnam adya hataḥ śete tava bhrātā dhanaṃjayaḥ
 33 tasmin vinihate nūnaṃ yudhyate 'sau janārdanaḥ
     yasya sattvavato vīryam upajīvanti pāṇḍavāḥ
 34 yaṃ bhayeṣv abhigacchanti sahasrākṣam ivāmarāḥ
     sa śūraḥ saindhava prepsur anvayād bhāratīṃ camūm
 35 tasya vai gamanaṃ vidmo bhīma nāvartanaṃ punaḥ
     śyāmo yuvā guḍākeśo darśanīyo mahābhujaḥ
 36 vyūḍhorasko mahāskandho mattadviradavikramaḥ
     cakora netras tāmrākṣo dviṣatām aghavardhanaḥ
 37 tad idaṃ mama bhadraṃ te śokasthānam ariṃdama
     arjunārthaṃ mahābāho sātvatasya ca kāraṇāt
 38 vardhate haviṣevāgnir idhyamānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ
     tasya lakṣma na paśyāmi tena vindāmi kaśmalam
 39 taṃ viddhi puruṣavyāghraṃ sātvataṃ ca mahāratham
     sa taṃ mahārathaṃ paścād anuyātas tavānujam
     tam apaśyan mahābāhum ahaṃ vindāmi kaśmalam
 40 tasmāt kṛṣṇo raṇe nūnaṃ yudhyate yuddhakovidaḥ
     yasya vīryavato vīryam upajīvanti pāṇḍavāḥ
 41 sa tatra gaccha kauneya yatra yāto dhanaṃjayaḥ
     sātyakiś ca mahāvīryaḥ kartavyaṃ yadi manyase
     vacanaṃ mama dharmajña jyeṣṭho bhrātā bhavāmi te
 42 na te 'rjunas tathā jñeyo jñātavyaḥ sātyakir yathā
     cikīrṣur matpriyaṃ pārtha prayātaḥ savyasācinaḥ
     padavīṃ durgamāṃ ghorām agamyām akṛtātmabhiḥ
 43 [bhm]
     brahmeṣānendra varuṇān avahad yaḥ purā rathaḥ
     tam āsthāya gatau kṛṣṇau na tayor vidyate bhayam
 44 ājñāṃ tu śirasā bibhrad eṣa gacchāmi mā śucaḥ
     sametya tān naravyāghrāṃs tava dāsyāmi saṃvidam
 45 [s]
     etāvad uktvā prayayau paridāya yudhiṣṭhiram
     dhṛṣṭadyumnāya balavān suhṛdbhyaś ca punaḥ punaḥ
     dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ cedam āha bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ
 46 viditaṃ te mahābāho yathā droṇo mahārathaḥ
     grahaṇe dharmarājasya sarvopāyena vartate
 47 na ca me gamane kṛtyaṃ tādṛk pārṣata vidyate
     yādṛśaṃ rakṣaṇe rājñaḥ kāryam ātyayikaṃ hi naḥ
 48 evam ukto 'smi pārthena prativaktuṃ sma notsahe
     prayāsye tatra yatrāsau mumūrṣuḥ saindhavaḥ sthitaḥ
     dharmarājasya vacane sthātavyam aviśaṅkayā
 49 so 'dya yatto raṇe pārthaṃ parirakṣa yudhiṣṭhiram
     etad dhi sarvakāryāṇāṃ paramaṃ kṛtyam āhave
 50 tam abravīn mahārāja dhṛṣṭadyumno vṛkodaram
     īpsitena mahābāho gaccha pārthāvicārayan
 51 nāhatvā samare droṇo dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ kathaṃ cana
     nigrahaṃ dharmarājasya prakariṣyati saṃyuge
 52 tato nikṣipya rājānaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnāya pāṇḍavaḥ
     abhivādya guruṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ prayayau yatra phalgunaḥ
 53 pariṣvaktas tu kaunteyo dharmarājena bhārata
     āghrātaś ca tathā mūrdhni śrāvitaś cāśiṣaḥ śubhāḥ
 54 bhīmaseno mahābāhuḥ kavacī śubhakuṇḍalī
     sāṅgadaḥ sa tanutrāṇaḥ sa śarī rathināṃ varaḥ
 55 tasya kārṇṣāyasaṃ varma hemacitraṃ maharddhimat
     vibabhau parvata śliṣṭaḥ sa vidyud iva toyadaḥ
 56 pītaraktāsita sitair vāsobhiś ca suveṣṭitaḥ
     kaṇṭhatrāṇena ca babhau sendrāyudha ivāmbudaḥ
 57 prayāte bhīmasene tu tava sainyaṃ yuyutsayā
     pāñcajanya ravo ghoraḥ punar āsīd viśāṃ pate
 58 taṃ śrutvā ninadaṃ ghoraṃ trailokyatrāsanaṃ mahat
     punar bhīmaṃ mahābāhur dharmaputro 'bhyabhāṣata
 59 eṣa vṛṣṇipravīreṇa dhmātaḥ salilajo bhṛśam
     pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣaṃ ca vinādayati śaṅkharāṭ
 60 nūnaṃ vyasanam āpanne sumahat savyasācini
     kurubhir yudhyate sārdhaṃ sarvaiś cakragadādharaḥ
 61 nūnam āryā mahat kuntī pāpam adya nidarśanam
     draupadī tu subhadrā ca paśyanti saha bandhubhiḥ
 62 sa bhīmas tvarayā yukto yāhi yatra dhanaṃjayaḥ
     muhyantīva hi me sarvā dhanaṃjaya didṛkṣayā
     diśaḥ sa pradiśaḥ pārtha sātvatasya ca kāraṇāt
 63 gaccha gaccheti ca punar bhīmasenam abhāṣata
     bhṛśaṃ sa prahito bhrātrā bhrātā bhrātuḥ priyaṃ karaḥ
     āhatya dundubhiṃ bhīmaḥ śaṅkhaṃ pradhmāya cāsakṛt
 64 vinadya siṃhanādaṃ ca jyāṃ vikarṣan punaḥ punaḥ
     darśayan ghoram ātmānam amitrān sahasābhyayāt
 65 tam ūhur javanā dāntā vikurvāṇā hayottamāḥ
     viśokenābhisaṃyattā manomārutaraṃhasaḥ
 66 ārujan virujan pārtho jyāṃ vikarṣaṃś ca pāṇinā
     so 'vakarṣan vikarṣaṃś ca senāgraṃ samaloḍayat
 67 taṃ prayāntaṃ mahābāhuṃ pāñcālāḥ saha somakāḥ
     pṛṣṭhato 'nuyayuḥ śūrā maghavantam ivāmarāḥ
 68 taṃ sa senā mahārāja sodaryāḥ paryavārayan
     duḥśalaś citrasenaś ca kuṇḍa bhedī viviṃśatiḥ
 69 durmukho duḥsahaś caiva vikarṇaś ca śalas tathā
     vindānuvindau sumukho dīrghabāhuḥ sudarśanaḥ
 70 vṛndārakaḥ suhastaś ca suṣeṇo dīrghalocanaḥ
     abhayo raudrakarmā ca suvarmā durvimocanaḥ
 71 vividhai rathināṃ śreṣṭhāḥ saha sainyaiḥ sahānugaiḥ
     saṃyattāḥ samare śūrā bhīmasenam upādravan
 72 tān samīkṣya tu kaunteyo bhīmasenaḥ parākramī
     abhyavartata vegena siṃhaḥ kṣudramṛgān iva
 73 te mahāstrāṇi divyāni tatra vīrā adarśayan
     vārayantaḥ śarair bhīmaṃ meghāḥ sūryam ivoditam
 74 sa tān atītya vegena droṇānīkam upādravat
     agrataś ca gajānīkaṃ śaravarṣair avākirat
 75 so 'cireṇaiva kālena tad gajānīkam āśugaiḥ
     diśaḥ sarvāḥ samabhyasya vyadhamat pavanātmajaḥ
 76 trāsitāḥ śarabhasyeva garjitena vane mṛgāḥ
     pradravan dviradāḥ sarve nadanto bhairavān ravān
 77 punaś cātītya vegena droṇānīkam upādravat
     tam avārayad ācāryo velevodvṛttam arṇavam
 78 lalāṭe 'tāḍayac cainaṃ nārācena smayann iva
     ūrdhvaraśmir ivādityo vibabhau tatra pāṇḍavaḥ
 79 sa manyamānas tv ācāryo mamāyaṃ phalguno yathā
     bhīmaḥ kariṣyate pūjām ity uvāca vṛkodaram
 80 bhīmasena na te śakyaṃ praveṣṭum arivāhinīm
     mām anirjitya samare śatrumadhye mahābala
 81 yadi te so 'nujaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ praviṣṭo 'numate mama
     anīkaṃ na tu śakyaṃ bhoḥ praveṣṭum iha vai tvayā
 82 atha bhīmas tu tac chrutvā guror vākyam apetabhīḥ
     kruddhaḥ provāca vai droṇaṃ raktatāmrekṣaṇaḥ śvasan
 83 tavārjuno nānumate brahma bandho raṇājiram
     praviṣṭaḥ sa hi durdharṣaḥ śakrasyāpi viśed balam
 84 yena vai paramāṃ pūjāṃ kurvatā mānito hy asi
     nārjuno 'haṃ ghṛṇī droṇa bhīmaseno 'smi te ripuḥ
 85 pitā nas tvaṃ gurur bandhus tathā putrā hi te vayam
     iti manyāmahe sarve bhavantaṃ praṇatāḥ sthitāḥ
 86 adya tad viparītaṃ te vadato 'smāsu dṛśyate
     yadi śatruṃ tvam ātmānaṃ manyase tat tathāstv iha
     eṣa te sadṛśaṃ śatroḥ karma bhīmaḥ karomy aham
 87 athodbhrāmya gadāṃ bhīmaḥ kāladaṇḍam ivāntakaḥ
     droṇāyāvasṛjad rājan sa rathād avapupluve
 88 sāśvasūta dhvajaṃ yānaṃ droṇasyāpothayat tadā
     prāmṛdnāc ca bahūn yodhān vāyur kṛṣṇān ivaujasā
 89 taṃ punaḥ parivavrus te tava putrā rathottamam
     anyaṃ ca ratham āsthāya droṇaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ
 90 tataḥ kruddor mahārāja bhīmasenaḥ parākramī
     agrataḥ syandanānīkaṃ śaravarṣair avākirat
 91 te vadhyamānāḥ samare tava putrā mahārathāḥ
     bhīmaṃ bhīmabalaṃ yuddhe 'yodhayaṃs tu jayaiṣiṇaḥ
 92 tato duḥśāsanaḥ kruddho rathaśaktiṃ samākṣipan
     sarvapāraśavīṃ tīkṣṇāṃ jighāṃsuḥ pāṇḍunandanam
 93 āpatantīṃ mahāśaktiṃ tava putra pracoditām
     dvidhā ciccheda tāṃ bhīmas tad adbhutam ivābhavat
 94 athānyair niśitair bāṇaiḥ saṃkruddhaḥ kuṇḍa bhedinam
     suṣeṇaṃ dīrghanetraṃ ca tribhis trīn avadhīd balī
 95 tato vṛndārakaṃ vīraṃ kurūṇāṃ kīrtivardhanam
     putrāṇāṃ tava vīrāṇāṃ yudhyatām avadhīt punaḥ
 96 abhayaṃ raudrakarmāṇaṃ durvimocanam eva ca
     tribhis trīn avadhīd bhīmaḥ punar eva sutāṃs tava
 97 vadhyamānā mahārāja putrās tava balīyasā
     bhīmaṃ praharatāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ samantāt paryavārayan
 98 vindānuvindau sahitau suvarmāṇaṃ ca te sutam
     prahasann iva kauneyaḥ śarair ninye yamakṣayam
 99 tataḥ sudarśanaṃ vīraṃ putraṃ te bharatarṣabha
     vivyādha samare tūrṇaṃ sa papāta mamāra ca
 100 so cireṇaiva kālena tadrathānīkam āśugaiḥ
    diśaḥ sarvāḥ samabhyasya vyadhamat pāṇunandanaḥ
101 tato vai rathagoṣeṇa garjitena mṛgā iva
    vadhyamānāś ca samare putrās tava viśāṃ pate
    prādravan sa rathāḥ sarve bhīmasenabhayārditāḥ
102 anuyāya tu kauneyaḥ putrāṇāṃ te mahad balam
    vivyādha samare rājan kauraveyān samantataḥ
103 vadhyamānā mahārāja bhīmasenena tāvakāḥ
    tyaktvā bhīmaṃ raṇe yanti codayanto hayottamān
104 tāṃs tu nirjitya samare bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ
    siṃhanāda ravaṃ cakre bāhuśabdaṃ ca pāṇḍavaḥ
105 talaśabdaṃ ca sumahat kṛtvā bhīmo mahābalaḥ
    vyatītya rathinaś cāpi droṇānīkam upādravat

SECTION CII

"Sanjaya said, 'Saying these words, king Duryodhana pierced Arjuna with three shafts of great impetuosity and capable of penetrating into the very vitals. And with four others he pierced the four steeds of his foe. And he pierced Vasudeva in the centre of the chest with ten shafts, and cutting off, with a broad-headed arrow, the whip in the latter's hands, he felled it on the ground. Then Partha, coolly and without losing a moment, shot at him four and ten shafts whetted on stone and equipped
p. 207
with beautiful feathers. All those shafts, however, were repelled by Duryodhana's armour. Beholding their fruitlessness, Partha once more sped at him nine and five arrows of keen points. But these too were repelled by Duryodhana's armour. Seeing eight and twenty arrows of his become abortive, that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., Krishna said unto Arjuna, these words: 'I see a sight never before witnessed by me, like the movements of the hills. Shafts sped by thee, O Partha, are becoming abortive. O bull of Bharata's race, hath thy Gandiva decayed in power? Have the might of thy grasp and the power of thy arms become less than what they were. Is not this to be thy last meeting with Duryodhana? Tell me, O Partha, for I ask thee. Great hath been my amazement, O Partha, upon seeing all these shafts of thine fall towards Duryodhana's car, without producing the slightest effect. Alas, what misfortune is this that these terrible shafts of thine that are endued with the might of the thunder and that always pierce the bodies of foes, fail in producing any effect.'
"Arjuna said, 'I think, O Krishna, that this armour hath been put on Duryodhana's body by Drona. This armour, tied as it hath been, is impenetrable to my weapons. In this armour, O Krishna, inhereth the might of the three worlds. Only Drona knoweth it, and from that best of men I also have learnt. This armour is not capable of being pierced by my weapons. Maghavat himself, O Govinda, cannot pierce it with his thunder. Knowing it all, O Krishna, why seekest thou to confound me? That which occurred in the three worlds, that which, O Kesava, exists now, and which is in the womb of futurity, are all known to thee. Indeed, O slayer of Madhu, no one else knoweth this better than thou dost. This Duryodhana, O Krishna, cased by Drona in this armours, is staying fearlessly in battle, wearing this coat of mail. That however, which one wearing such armour should do, is not known to him, O Madhava! He weareth it only like a woman. Behold now, O Janardana, the might of my arms and that of my bow too. Though protected by such a coat of mail, I will still vanquish the Kuru prince. The chief of the celestials gave this effulgent armour to Angiras. From the latter it was obtained by Vrihaspati. And from Vrihaspati it was got by Purandara. The Lord of the celestials once more gave it to me with the mantras to be uttered in wearing it. Even if this armour were divine, if it were created by Brahma himself, still the wretch, Duryodhana, struck with my arrows, shall not be protected by it.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Having said these words, Arjuna inspired some arrows with mantras, and began to draw them on the bow-string. And while he was thus drawing them on the bow-string, the son of Drona cut them off with a weapon that was capable of baffling every weapon. Beholding those shafts of his thus frustrated from a distance by that utterer of Brahma (Aswatthaman), Arjuna, owning white steeds, filled with amazement represented unto Kesava, saying, 'I cannot, Janardana, twice use this weapon, for if do so, it will slay my own self and my own troops. Meanwhile,
p. 208
[paragraph continues] Duryodhana, O king, pierced each of the Krishnas in that battle with nine shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison. And once more the Kuru king showered his shafts on Krishna and the son of Pandu. Beholding these showers of arrows (shot by their king), thy warriors were filled with joy. They beat their musical instrument and uttered leonine roar. Then Partha, excited with rage in that battle, licked the corners of his mouth. Casting his eyes on his enemy's body, he saw not any part that was not well-covered with that impenetrable armour. With some sharp-pointed shafts then, well-shot from his bow, and each of which resembled Death himself, Arjuna slew his antagonist's steeds and then his two Parshni charioteers. And soon also the valiant Partha cut off Duryodhana's bow and the leathern fence of his fingers. Then, Savyasachin commenced to cut off his enemy's car in fragments. And with a couple of keen arrows he made Duryodhana carless. And then Arjuna pierced both the palms of the Kuru king. Beholding that great bowman afflicted with the shafts of Dhananjaya and fallen into great distress, many warriors rushed to the spot, desirous of rescuing him. These, with many thousands of cars, well-equipped elephants and horses, as also with large bodies of foot-soldiers, excited with wrath, encompassed by large bodies of men, neither that car of theirs nor of Arjuna and Govinda could any longer be seen. Then Arjuna, by the might of his weapons, began to slaughter that host. And car-warriors and elephants, by hundreds, deprived of limbs, fell fast on the field. Slain, or in the act of being slain, those failed to reach the excellent car. Indeed, the car on which Arjuna rode, stood motionless full two miles from the besieging force on every side. Then the Vrishni hero (Krishna), without taking any time, said unto Arjuna these words: Draw thy bow quickly and with great force, for I will blow my conch.' Thus addressed, Arjuna drawing his bow Gandiva with great force, began to slaughter the foe, shooting dense showers of shafts and making a loud noise by stretching the bowstring with his fingers. Kesava meanwhile forcibly and very loudly blew his conch Panchajanya, his face covered with dust. In consequence of the blare of that conch and of the twang of Gandiva, the Kuru warriors, strong or weak, all fell down on the ground. The car of Arjuna then freed from that press, looked resplendent like a cloud driven by the wind. (Beholding Arjuna) the protectors of Jayadratha, with their followers, became filled with rage. Indeed, those mighty bowmen, the protectors of the ruler of Sindhus, suddenly beholding Partha, uttered loud shouts, filling the earth with that noise. The whiz of their arrows were mingled with other fierce noises and the loud blare of their conchs. Those high-souled warriors uttered leonine shouts. Hearing that awful uproar raised by thy troops, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya blew their conchs. With their loud blare (of their conchs), the whole earth, with her mountains and seas and islands and the nether regions, O monarch, seemed to be filled. Indeed, that blare, O best of Bharatas, filled all the points of the compass, and was echoed back by both the armies. Then thy car-warriors, beholding Krishna and Dhananjaya, became very much frightened. Soon,
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however, they recovered and put forth their activity. Indeed, the great car-warriors of thy host, beholding the two Krishnas, those highly blessed persons, cased in mail rushed towards. The sight thus presented became a wonderful one.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 103

 

 

1 [s]
      tam uttīrṇaṃ rathānīkāt tamaso bhāskaraṃ yathā
      didhārayiṣur ācāryaḥ śaravarṣair avākirat
  2 pibann iva śaraughāṃs tān droṇa cāpavarātigān
      so 'bhyavartata sodaryān māyayā mohayan balam
  3 taṃ mṛdhe vegam āsthāya paraṃ paramadhanvinaḥ
      coditās tava putrai ca sarataḥ paryavārayan
  4 sa tathā saṃvṛto bhīmaḥ prahasann iva bhārata
      udayacchad gadāṃ tebhyo ghorāṃ tāṃ siṃhavan nadan
      avāsṛjac ca vegena teṣu tān pramathad balī
  5 sendrāśanir ivendreṇa praviddhā saṃhatātmanā
      ghoṣeṇa mahatā rājan pūrayitveva medinīm
      jvalantī tejasā bhīmā trāsayām āsa te sutān
  6 tāṃ patantīṃ mahāvegāṃ dṛṣṭvā tejo 'bhisaṃvṛtām
      prādravaṃs tāvakāḥ sarve nadanto bhairavān ravān
  7 taṃ ca śabdam asaṃsahyaṃ tasyāḥ saṃlakṣya māriṣa
      prāpatan manujās tatra rathebhyo rathinas tadā
  8 sa tān vidrāvya kaunteyaḥ saṃkhye 'mitrān durāsadaḥ
      suparṇa iva vegena pakṣirāḍ atyagāc camūm
  9 tathā taṃ viprakurvāṇaṃ rathayūthapa yūthapam
      bhāradvājo mahārāja bhīmasenaṃ samabhyayāt
  10 droṇas tu samare bhīmaṃ vārayitvā śarormibhiḥ
     akarot sahasā nādaṃ pāṇḍūnāṃ bhayam ādadhat
 11 tad yuddham āsīt sumahad ghoraṃ devāsuropamam
     droṇasya ca mahārāja bhīmasya ca mahātmanaḥ
 12 yadā tu viśikhais tīkṣṇair droṇa cāpaviniḥsṛtaiḥ
     vadhyante samare vīrāḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 13 tato rathād avaplutya vegam āsthāya pāṇḍavaḥ
     nimīlya nayane rājan padātir droṇam abhyayāt
 14 yathā hi govṛṣo varṣaṃ pratigṛhṇāti līlayā
     tathā bhīmo naravyāghraḥ śaravarṣaṃ samagrahīt
 15 sa vadhyamānaḥ samare rathaṃ droṇasya māriṣa
     īṣāyāṃ pāṇinā gṛhya pracikṣepa mahābalaḥ
 16 droṇas tu sa tvaro rājan kṣipto bhīmena saṃyuge
     ratham anyaṃ samāsthāya vyūha dvāram upāyayau
 17 tasmin kṣaṇe tasya yantā tūrṇam aśvān acodayat
     bhīmasenasya kauravya tad adbhutam ivābhavat
 18 tataḥ svaratham āsthāya bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ
     abhyavartata vegena tava putrasya vāhinīm
 19 sa mṛdnan kṣatriyān ājau vāto kṛṣṇān ivoddhataḥ
     agacchad dārayan senāṃ sindhuvego nagān iva
 20 bhojānīkaṃ samāsādya hārdikyenābhirakṣitam
     pramathya bahudhā rājan bhīmasenaḥ samabhyayāt
 21 saṃtrāsayann anīkāni talaśabdena māriṣa
     ajayat sarvasainyāni śārdūla iva govṛṣān
 22 bhojānīkam atikramya kāmbojānāṃ ca vāhinīm
     tathā mleccha gaṇāṃś cānyān bahūn yuddhaviśāradān
 23 sātyakiṃ cāpi saṃperkṣya yudhyamānaṃ nararṣabham
     rathena yattaḥ kaunteyo vegena prayayau tadā
 24 bhīmaseno mahārāja draṣṭukāmo dhanaṃjayam
     atītya samare yodhāṃs tāvakān pāṇḍunandanaḥ
 25 so 'paśyad arjunaṃ tatra yudhyamānaṃ nararṣabham
     saindhavasya vadhārthaṃ hi parākrāntaṃ parākramī
 26 arjunaṃ tatra dṛṣṭvātha cukrośa mahato ravān
     taṃ tu tasya mahānādaṃ pārthaḥ śuśrāva nardataḥ
 27 tataḥ pārtho mahānādaṃ muñcan vai mādhavaś ca ha
     abhyayātāṃ mahārāja nardantau govṛṣāv iva
 28 vāsudevārjunau śrutvā ninādaṃ tasya śuṣmiṇaḥ
     punaḥ punaḥ praṇadatāṃ didṛkṣantau vṛkodaram
 29 bhīmasenaravaṃ śrutvā phalgunasya ca dhanvinaḥ
     aprīyata mahārāja dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
 30 viśokaś cābhavad rājā śrutvā taṃ ninadaṃ mahat
     dhanaṃjayasya ca raṇe jayam āśā stavān vibhuḥ
 31 tathā tu nardamāne vai bhīmasene raṇotkaṭe
     smitaṃ kṛtvā mahābāhur dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
 32 hṛdgataṃ manasā prāha dhyātvā dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ
     dattā bhīma tvayā saṃvit kṛtaṃ guruvacas tathā
 33 na hi teṣāṃ jayo yuddhe yeṣāṃ dveṣṭāsi pāṇḍava
     diṣṭyā jīvati saṃgrāme savyasācī dhanaṃjayaḥ
 34 diṣṭyā ca kuśalī vīraḥ sātyakiḥ satyavikramaḥ
     diṣṭyā śṛṇomi garjantau vāsudevadhanaṃjayau
 35 yena śakraṃ raṇe jitvā tarpito havyavāhanaḥ
     sa hantā dviṣatāṃ saṃkhye diṣṭyā jīvati phalgunaḥ
 36 yasya bāhubalaṃ sarve vayam āśritya jīvitāḥ
     sa hantā ripusanyānāṃ diṣṭyā jīvati phalgunaḥ
 37 nivātakavacā yena devair api sudurjayāḥ
     nirjitā rathinaikena diṣṭyā pārthaḥ sa jīvati
 38 kauravān sahitān sarvān gograhārthe samāgatān
     yo 'jayan matsyanagare diṣṭyā pārthaḥ sa jīvati
 39 kālakeya sahasrāṇi caturdaśa mahāraṇe
     yo 'vadhīd bhujavīryeṇa diṣṭyā pārthaḥ sa jīvati
 40 gandharvarājaṃ balinaṃ duryodhanakṛtena vai
     jitavān yo 'stravīryeṇa diṣṭyā pārthaḥ sa jīvati
 41 kirīṭamālī balavāñ śvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ
     mama priyaś ca satataṃ diṣṭyā jīvati phalgunaḥ
 42 putraśokābhisaṃtaptaś cikīrṣuḥ karma duṣkaram
     jayadrathavadhānveṣī pratijñāṃ kṛtavān hi yaḥ
     kac cit sa saindhavaṃ saṃkhye haniṣyati dhanaṃjayaḥ
 43 kac cit tīrṇapratijñaṃ hi vāsudevena rakṣitam
     anastamita āditye sameṣyāmy aham arjunam
 44 kac cit saindhavako rājā duryodhana hite rataḥ
     nandayiṣyaty amitrāṇi phalgunena nipātitaḥ
 45 kac cid duryodhano rākā phalgunena nipātitam
     dṛṣṭvā saindhavakaṃ saṃkhye śamam asmāsu dhāsyati
 46 dṛṣṭvā vinihatān bhrātṝn bhīmasenena saṃyuge
     kac cid duryodhano mandaḥ śamam asmāsu dhāsyati
 47 dṛṣṭvā cānyān bahūn yodhān pātitān dharaṇītale
     kac cid duryodhano mandaḥ paścāt tāpaṃ kariṣyati
 48 kac cid bhīṣmeṇa no vairam ekenaiva praśāmyati
     śeṣasya rakṣaṇārthaṃ ca saṃdhāsyati suyodhanaḥ
 49 evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ tasya cintayānasya pārthiva
     kṛpayābhiparītasya ghoraṃ yuddham avartata

SECTION CIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Thy warriors, as soon as they beheld those foremost of persons of the Vrishni-Andhaka and the Kuru races, lost no time, each striving to be first, in proceeding against them from a desire of slaughtering them. And so Vijaya also rushed against those foes of his. On their great cars, decked with gold, cased in tiger-skins, producing deep rattle, and resembling blazing fire, they rushed, illumining the ten points of the compass, armed, O king, with bows, the backs of whose staves were decked with gold, and which in consequence of their splendour, were incapable of being looked at, and uttering loud cries, and drawn by angry steeds. Bhurisravas, and Sala and Karna, and Vrishasena, and Jayadratha, and Kripa. and the ruler of the Madras, and that foremost of car-warriors, viz., the son of Drona. these eight great car-warriors, as if devouring the skies (as they proceeded) illuminated the ten points of the compass with their splendid cars, cased in tiger-skins and decked with golden moons. Clad in mail, filled with wrath and mounted upon their cars the rattle of which resembled the roar of masses of clouds, they covered Arjuna on every side with a shower of sharp shafts. Beautiful steeds of the best breed, endued with great speed, bearing those great car-warriors, looked resplendent as they illumined the points of the compass. Their cars drawn by foremost steeds of great fleetness were of diverse countries and of diverse species, some bred in mountainous regions, some in rivers, and some in the country of the Sindhus, many foremost of car-warriors among the Kurus desirous, O king, of rescuing thy son quickly rushed towards Dhananjaya's car from every side. Those foremost of men, taking up their conchs blew them, filling O king, the welkin and the earth with her seas (with that blare). Then those foremost ones among the gods, viz., Vasudeva and Dhananjaya, also blew their foremost of conchs on earth. The son of Kunti blew Devadatta, and Kesava blew Panchajanya. The loud blast of Devadatta, sent forth by Dhananjaya, filled the earth, the welkin, and ten points of the compass. And so Panchajanya also blown by Vasudeva, surpassing all sounds, filled the sky and the earth. And while that awful and fierce noise continued, a noise that inspired the timid with fear and the brave with cheers, and while drums and Jharjharas, and cymbals and Mridangas, O great king, were beat by thousands, great car-warriors invited to the Kuru side and solicitous of Dhananjaya's welfare, those great bowmen, filled with rage
p. 210
and unable to bear the loud blast of Arjuna's and Krishna's conchs, those kings from diverse realms supported by their respective troops, in rage blew their great conchs, desiring to answer with their own blasts the blasts of Kesava and Arjuna. The Kuru army then, urged forward by that blare of conchs, had its car-warriors, elephants, and steeds filled with anxiety and fear. Indeed, O lord, that host looked as if they that comprised it were ill. The agitated Kuru host, echoing with that blare of conchs blown by brave warriors, seemed to be like the welkin resounding with the noise of thunder and fallen down (through some convulsion of nature). 1 That loud uproar, O monarch, resounded through the ten points and frightened that host like critical incidents at the end of the Yuga frightening all living creatures. Then, Duryodhana and those eight great car-warriors appointed for the protection of Jayadratha all surrounded the son of Pandu. The son of Drona struck Vasudeva with three and seventy shafts, and Arjuna himself with three broad-headed shafts, and his standard and (four) steeds with five others. Beholding Janardana pierced, Arjuna, filled with rage, struck Aswatthaman with hundred shafts. Then piercing Karna with ten arrows and Vrishasena with three, the valiant Dhananjaya cut off Salya's bow with arrows fixed on the string, at the handle. Salya then, taking up another bow, pierced the son of Pandu. And Bhurisravas pierced him with three arrows whetted on stone, and equipped with golden wings. And Karna pierced him with two and thirty arrows, and Vrishasena with seven. And Jayadratha pierced Arjuna with three and seventy shafts and Kripa pierced him with ten. And the ruler of the Madras also pierced Phalguna in that battle with ten arrows. And the son of Drona pierced him with sixty arrows. And he, once more, pierced Partha with five arrows, and Vasudeva with twenty. Then the tiger among men, viz., Arjuna owning white steeds and having Krishna for his driver, pierced each of those warriors in return, displaying the lightness of his hand. Piercing Karna with a dozen shafts and Vrishasena with three, Partha cut off Salya's bow at the handle. And piercing the son of Somadatta with three arrows and Salya with ten, he pierced Kripa with five and twenty arrows, and the ruler of the Sindhus with a hundred, Partha struck Drona's son with seventy arrows. Then Bhurisravas filled with rage, cut off the goad in Krishna's hand, and struck Arjuna with three and twenty shafts. Then Dhananjaya, of white steeds, filled with rage, mangled those enemies of his with hundreds upon hundreds of arrows, like a mighty tempest tearing masses of clouds.'"

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 104

 

 

1 [dhṛ]
      tathā tu nardamānaṃ taṃ bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam
      meghastanita nirghoṣaṃ ke vīrāḥ paryavārayan
  2 na hi paśyāmy ahaṃ taṃ vai triṣu lokeṣu saṃjayam
      kruddhasya bhimasenasya yas tiṣṭhed agrato raṇe
  3 gadām udyacchamānasya kālasyeva mahāmṛdhe
      na hi paśyāmy ahaṃ tāta yas tiṣṭheta raṇājire
  4 rathaṃ rathena yo hanyāt kuñjaraṃ kuñjareṇa ca
      kas tasya samare sthātā sākṣād api śatakratuḥ
  5 kruddhasya bhīmasenasya mama putrāñ jighāṃsataḥ
      duryodhana hite yuktāḥ samatiṣṭhanta ke 'grataḥ
  6 bhīmasena davāgnes tu mama putra tṛṇolapam
      pradhakṣyato raṇamukhe ke vīrāḥ pramukhe sthitāḥ
  7 kālyamānān hi me putrān bhīmenāvekṣya saṃyuge
      kāleneva prajāḥ sarvāḥ ke bhīmaṃ paryavārayan
  8 bhīma vahneḥ pradīptasya mama putrān didhakṣataḥ
      ke śūrāḥ paryavartanta tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya
  9 [s]
      tathā tu nardamānaṃ taṃ bhīmasenaṃ mahāratham
      tumulenaiva śabdena karṇo 'py abhyapatad balī
  10 vyākṣipan balavac cāpam atimātram amarṣaṇaḥ
     karṇas tu yuddham ākāṅkṣan darśayiṣyan balaṃ balī
 11 prāvepann iva gātrāṇi karṇa bhīma samāgame
     rathināṃ sādināṃ caiva tayoḥ śrutvā talasvanam
 12 bhīmasenasya ninadaṃ ghoraṃ śrutvā raṇājire
     khaṃ ca bhūmiṃ ca saṃbaddhāṃ menire kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ
 13 punar ghoreṇa nādena pāṇḍavasya mahātmanaḥ
     samare sarvayodhānāṃ dhanūṃṣy abhyapatan kṣitau
 14 vitrastāni ca sarvāṇi śakṛn mūtraṃ prasusruvuḥ
     vāhanāni mahārāja babhūvur vimanāṃsi ca
 15 prādurāsan nimittāni ghorāṇi ca bahūni ca
     tasmiṃs tu tumule rājan bhīmakarṇa samāgame
 16 tataḥ karṇas tu viṃśatyā śarāṇāṃ bhīmam ārdayat
     vivyādha cāsya tvaritaḥ sūtaṃ pañcahir āśugaiḥ
 17 prahasya bhīmasenas tu karṇaṃ pratyarpayad raṇe
     sāyakānāṃ catuḥṣaṣṭyā kṣiprakārī mahābalaḥ
 18 tasya karṇo maheṣvāsaḥ sāyakāṃś caturo 'kṣipat
     asaṃprāptāṃs tu tān bhīmaḥ sāyakair nataparvabhiḥ
     ciccheda bahudhā rājan darśayan pāṇilāghavam
 19 taṃ karṇaś chādayām āsa śaravrātair anekaśaḥ
     saṃchādyamānaḥ karṇena bahudhā pāṇḍunandanaḥ
 20 ciccheda cāpaṃ karṇasya muṣṭideśe mahārathaḥ
     vivyādha cainaṃ bahubhiḥ sāyakair nataparvabhiḥ
 21 athānyad dhanur ādāya sajyaṃ kṛtvā ca sūtajaḥ
     vivyādha samare bhīmaṃ bhīmakarmā mahārathaḥ
 22 tasya bhīmo bhṛśaṃ kruddas trīñ śarān nataparvaṇaḥ
     nicakhānorasi tadā sūtaputrasya vegitaḥ
 23 taiḥ karṇo 'bhrājata śarair uro madhyagatais tadā
     mahīdhara ivodagras triśṛṅgo bharatarṣabha
 24 susrāva cāsya rudhiraṃ viddhasya parameṣubhiḥ
     dhātuprasyandinaḥ śailād yathā gairikarājayaḥ
 25 kiṃ cid vicalitaḥ karṇaḥ suprahārābhipīḍitaḥ
     sa sāyakaṃ dhanuḥ kṛtvā bhīmaṃ vivyādha māriṣa
     cikṣepa ca punar bāṇāñ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 26 sa chādyamānaḥ sahasā karṇena dṛḍhadhanvinā
     dhanurjyām acchinat tūrṇam utsmayan pāṇḍunandanaḥ
 27 sārathiṃ cāsya bhallena prāhiṇod yamasādanam
     vāhāṃś ca caturaṃ saṃkhye vyasūṃś cakre mahārathaḥ
 28 hatāśvāt tu rathāt karṇaḥ samāplutya viśāṃ pate
     syandanaṃ vṛṣasenasya samārohan mahārathaḥ
 29 nirjitya tu raṇe karṇaṃ bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān
     nanāda sumahānādaṃ parjanyaninadopamam
 30 tasya taṃ ninadaṃ śrutvā prahṛṣṭo 'bhūd yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     karṇaṃ ca nirjitaṃ matvā bhīmasenena bhārata
 31 samantāc chaṅkhaninadaṃ pāṇḍusenākarot tadā
     śatrusenā dhvaniṃ śrutvā tāvakā hy api nānadan
     gāṇḍīvaṃ prākṣipat pārthaḥ kṛṣṇo 'py abjam avādayat
 32 tam antar dhāya ninadaṃ dhvanir bhīmasya nardataḥ
     aśrūyata mahārāja sarvasainyeṣu bhārata
 33 tato vyāyacchatām astraiḥ pṛthakpṛthag ariṃdamau
     mṛdupūrvaṃ ca rādheyo dṛḍhapūrvaṃ ca pāṇḍavaḥ

SECTION CIV

"Dhritarashtra, said, 'Describe to me, O Sanjaya, the diverse kinds of standards resplendent with great beauty, of both the Partha and our warriors (in that battle).'
"Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, of the diverse kinds of standards of those high-souled warriors. Listen to me as I describe their forms and names. Indeed, O king, upon the cars of those foremost of car-warriors were seen diverse kinds of standards that shone like blazing flames of fire. Made of gold, or decked with gold, or adorned with strings of gold and each looking like the golden mountain (Meru), diverse kinds of standards were there that were highly beautiful. And those standards of the warriors had attached all around them excellent banners. Indeed, having banners of diverse hues attached to them all around, those standards looked exceedingly beautiful. Those banners, again, moved by the wind, looked like fair ladies dancing in the midst of a sporting arena. Endued with the splendour of the rainbow, those banners, O bull of Bharata's race, of those car-warriors, floating in the breeze, highly adorned their cars. The standard, bearing the sign of the ape of fierce face and tail, like that of the lion, belonging to Dhananjaya, seemed to inspire fear in that battle. That standard, O king of the wielder of Gandiva, bearing that foremost of apes, and adorned with many banners, frightened the Kuru host. Similarly, the lion-tail standard-top of Drona's son, O Bharata, we saw, was endued with the effulgence of the rising sun Decked with gold, floating in the breeze, possessed of the splendour of the rainbow, the standard mark of Drona's son appeared on high, inspiring the foremost of Kuru warriors with joy. The standard of Adhiratha's son bore the mark of an elephant-rope made of gold. It seemed, O king, in battle to fill the whole welkin. The banner, adorned with gold and garlands, attached to the standard of Karna in battle, shaken by the wind, seemed to dance upon his car. The preceptor of the Pandavas, that Brahmana, given to ascetic penances, viz., Kripa the son of Gotama, had for his mark an excellent bovine bull. That high-souled one, O king, with that bovine bull, looked as resplendent, as the Destroyer of the three cities 1 looks resplendent with his bull. Vrishasena has a peacock made of gold and adorned with jewels and gems. And it stood on his standard, as if in the act of crowing, and always adorned the wan of the army. With that peacock, the car of the high-souled Vrishasena shone, like the car, O king, of Skanda (the celestial generalissimo) shining 'with his peacock unrivalled and beautiful ploughshare made of gold and looking like flame of fire. That ploughshare, O sire, looked resplendent on his car. Salya, the ruler of the Madras, we saw, had on his standard-top an image like the presiding goddess of corn, endued with beauty and
p. 212
producing every seed. A silver boar adorned the standard-top of the ruler of the Sindhus. Decked with golden chains, it was of the splendour of a white crystal. 1 With that silver mark on his barrier, the ruler of the Sindhus looked as resplendent, as Surya in days of yore in the battle between the celestials and the Asuras. The standard of Somadatta's son, devoted to sacrifices, bore the sign of the sacrificial stake. It was seen to shine like the sun or the moon. That sacrificial stake made of gold, O king of Somadatta's son, looked resplendent like the tall stake erected in the foremost of sacrifices called the Rajasuya. The standard of Salya, O monarch, bearing a huge silver-elephant was adorned, on all sides, with peacocks made of gold. The standard, O bull of Bharata's race, adorned thy troops like the huge white elephant adorning the host of the celestial king. On the standard decked with gold, of king Duryodhana, was an elephant adorned with gems. Tinkling with the sound of a hundred bells, O king, that standard stood upon the excellent car of that hero. And, O king, thy son, that bull among the Kurus, looked resplendent, O monarch, with that tall standard in battle. These nine excellent standards stood erect among thy divisions. The tenth standard seen there was of Arjuna, decked with that huge ape. And with that standard Arjuna looked highly resplendent, like Himavat with a blazing fire (on its top). Then many mighty car-warriors, all chastisers of foes, quickly took up their beautiful, bright and large bows for the sake of (resisting) Arjuna. Similarly, Partha also, that achiever of celestial feats, took up his foe-destroying bow Gandiva, in consequence, O king, of thy evil policy. Many royal warriors, O king, were then slain in that battle owing to thy fault. Rulers of men came from different realms invited (by thy sons). And with them perished many steeds and many elephants. Then those mighty car-warriors headed by Duryodhana (on one side) and that bull amongst the Pandavas on the other, uttered loud roars and began the encounter. And the feat that Kunti's son, having Krishna for his charioteer, achieved there, was highly wonderful, inasmuch as, alone, he encountered fearlessly all those warriors united together. And that mighty-armed hero looked resplendent as he stretched his bow Gandiva, desirous of vanquishing all those tigers among men for slaying the ruler of the Sindhus. With his shafts shot in thousands, that tiger among men, viz., Arjuna, that scorcher of foes, made all those warriors invisible (by means of his arrowy showers). On their side, those tigers among men, those mighty car-warriors, also made Partha invisible by means of their clouds of shafts shot from all sides. Beholding Arjuna, that bull of Kuru's race covered by those lions among men with their shafts, loud was the uproar made by thy troops.'
p. 213

 

 

 

Book 7
Chapter 105

 

1 [s]
      tasmin vilulite sainye saindhavāyārjune gate
      sātvate bhīmasene ca putras te droṇam abhyayāt
      tvarann ekarathenaiva bahu kṛtyaṃ vicintayan
  2 sa rathas tava putrasya tvarayā parayā yutaḥ
      tūrṇam abhyapatad droṇaṃ manomāruta vegavān
  3 uvāca cainaṃ putras te saṃrambhād raktalocanaḥ
      arjuno bhīmasenaś ca sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ
  4 vijitya sarvasainyāni sumahānti mahārathāḥ
      saṃprāptāḥ sindhurājasya samīpam arikarśanāḥ
      vyāyacchanti ca tatrāpi sarva evāparājitāḥ
  5 yadi tāvad raṇe pārtho vyatikrānto mahārathaḥ
      kathaṃ sātyakibhīmabhyāṃ vyatikrānto 'si mānada
  6 āścaryabhūtaṃ loke 'smin samudrasyeva śoṣaṇam
      nirjayaṃ tava viprāgrya sātvatenārjunena ca
  7 tathaiva bhīmasenena lokaḥ saṃvadate bhṛśam
      kathaṃ droṇo jitaḥ saṃkhye dhanurvedasya pāragaḥ
  8 nāśa eva tu me nūnaṃ mandabhāgyasya saṃyuge
      yatra tvāṃ puruṣavyāghram atikrāntās triyo rathāḥ
  9 evaṃgate tu kṛtye 'smin brūhi yat te vivakṣitam
      yad gataṃ gatam eveha śeṣaṃ cintaya mānada
  10 yatkṛtyaṃ sindhurājasya prāptakālam anantaram
     tad bravītu bhavān kṣipraṃ sādhu tat saṃvidhīyatām
 11 [drn]
     cintyaṃ bahu mahārāja kṛtyaṃ yat tata me śṛṇu
     trayo hi samatikrāntāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
     yāvad eva bhayaṃ paścāt tāvad eṣāṃ puraḥsaram
 12 tad garīyastaraṃ manye yatra kṛṣṇa dhanaṃjayau
     sā purastāc ca paścāc ca gṛhītā bhāratī camūḥ
 13 tatra kṛtyam ahaṃ manye saindhavasyābhirakṣaṇam
     sa no rakṣyatamas tāta kruddhād bhīto dhanaṃjayāt
 14 gatau hi saindhavaṃ vīrau yuyudhāna vṛkodarau
     saṃprāptaṃ tad idaṃ dyūtaṃ yat tac chakuni buddhijam
 15 na sabhāyāṃ jayo vṛtto nāpi tatra parājayaḥ
     iha no glahamānānām adya tāta jayājayau
 16 yān sma tān glahate ghorāñ śakuniḥ kurusaṃsadi
     akṣān saṃmanyamānaḥ sa prāk śarās te durāsadāḥ
 17 yatra te bahavas tāta kuravaḥ paryavasthitāḥ
     senāṃ durodaraṃ viddhi śarān akṣān viśāṃ pate
 18 glahaṃ ca saindhavaṃ rājann atra dyūtasya niścayaḥ
     saindhave hi mahādyūtaṃ samāsaktaṃ paraiḥ saha
 19 atra sarve mahārāja tyaktvā jīvitam ātmanaḥ
     saindhavasya raṇe rakṣāṃ vidhivat kartum arhatha
     tatra no glahamānānāṃ dhruvau tāta jayājayau
 20 yatra te parameṣvāsā yattā rakṣanti saindhavam
     tatra yāhi svayaṃ śīghraṃ tāṃś ca rakṣasva rakṣiṇaḥ
 21 ihaiva tv aham āsiṣye preṣayiṣyāmi cāparān
     nirotsyāmi ca pāñcālān sahitān pāṇḍusṛñjayaiḥ
 22 tato duryodhanaḥ prāyāt tūrṇam ācārya śāsanāt
     udyamyāmānam ugrāya karmaṇe sapadānugaḥ
 23 cakrarakṣau tu pāñcālyau yudhāmanyūttamaujasau
     bāhyena senām abhyetya jagmatuḥ savyasācinam
 24 tau hi pūrvaṃ mahārāja vāritau kṛtavarmaṇau
     praviṣṭe tv arjune rājaṃs tava sainyaṃ yuyutsayā
 25 tābhyāṃ duryodhanaḥ sārdham agacchad yuddham uttamam
     tvaritas tvaramāṇābhyāṃ bhrātṛbhyāṃ bhārato balī
 26 tāv abhidravatām enam ubhāv udyatakārmukau
     mahārathasamākhyātau kṣatriya pravarau yudhi
 27 yudhāmanyus tu saṃkruddhaḥ śarāṃs triṃśatam āyasān
     vyasṛjat tava putrasya tvaramāṇaḥ stanāntare
 28 duryodhano 'pi rājendra pāñcālyasyottamaujasaḥ
     jaghāna caturaś cāśvān ubhau ca pārṣṇisārathī
 29 ūtamaujā hatāśvas tu hatasūtaś ca saṃyuge
     āruroha rathaṃ bhrātur yudhāmanyor abhitvaran
 30 sa rathaṃ prāpya taṃ bhrātur duryodhana hayāñ śaraiḥ
     bahubhis tāḍayām āsa te hatāḥ prāpatan bhuvi
 31 hayeṣu patiteṣv asya ciccheda parameṣuṇā
     yudhāmanyur dhanuḥ śīghraṃ śarāvāpaṃ ca saṃyuge
 32 hatāśvasūtāt sa rathād avaplutya mahārathaḥ
     gadām ādāya te putraḥ pāñcālyāv abhyadhāvata
 33 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya kruddhaṃ parapuraṃjayam
     avaplutau rathopasthād yudhāmanyūttamaujasau
 34 tataḥ sa hemacitraṃ taṃ syandanapravaraṃ gadī
     gadayā pothayām āsa sāśvasūta dhvajaṃ raṇe
 35 hatvā cainaṃ saputras te hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ
     madrarājarathaṃ tūrṇam āruroha paraṃtapaḥ
 36 pāñcālānāṃ tu mukhyau tau rājaputrau mahābajau
     ratham anyaṃ samāruhya dhanaṃjayam abhīyatuḥ

SECTION CV

"Dhritarashtra said, 'After Arjuna had got the ruler of the Sindhus within sight, what, O Sanjaya, did the Panchalas, attacked by Bharadwaja's son, do, encountering the Kurus?'
"Sanjaya said, In the afternoon of that day, O monarch, in the battle that took place between the Panchalas and the Kurus, Drona became, as it were, the stake (for which each fought on to win or lose). The Panchalas, O sire, desirous of slaying Drona, cheerfully uttered loud roars and shot dense showers of arrows. Indeed, that encounter between the Panchalas and the Kurus, fierce, awful, and highly wonderful as it was, resembled that in days of yore between the gods and the Asuras. Indeed, all the Panchalas with the Pandavas, obtaining Drona's car (within reach) used many mighty weapons, desirous of piercing through his array. Car-warriors stationed on their cars, causing the earth to shake under them, and showering their arrowy downpours, rushed towards Drona's car, without much speed. Then that mighty car-warrior among the Kaikeyas, viz., Vrihatkshatra, incessantly scattering keen shafts that resembled the thunder in force, proceeded towards Drona. Then Kshemadhurti of great fame quickly rushed against Vrihatkshatra, shooting keen arrows by thousands. Beholding this, that bull among the Chedis, viz., Dhrishtaketu, endued with great might, quickly proceeded against Kshemadhurti, like Mahendra proceeding against the Asura Samvara. Seeing him rush with great impetuosity, like the Destroyer himself with wide-open mouth, that mighty bowman viz., Viradhanwan, proceeded against him with great speed. King Yudhishthira staying there at the head of his division from desire of victory, was resisted by valiant Drona himself. Thy son Vikarna, O lord, endued with great prowess, proceeded against the rushing Nakula of great prowess, that warrior accomplished in battle. That scorcher of foes, viz., Durmukha, covered the advancing Sahadeva with many thousands of swiftly-coursing shafts. The heroic Vyughradatta resisted that tiger among men, viz., Satyaki making him repeatedly tremble by means of his sharp and keen-pointed shafts. The son of Somadatta resisted the (five) sons of Draupadi, those tigers among men, those great car-warriors, wrathfully shooting mighty shafts. That mighty car-warrior, viz., Rishyasringa's fierce son (the Rakshasa Alamvusha), of awful mien, resisted the advancing Bhimasena filled with wrath. The encounter that then took place between that man and Rakshasa resembled, O king, the battle in days of yore between Rama, and Ravana. Then, O Bharata, Yudhishthira, that chief of the Bharatas, struck Drona with ninety straight shafts in all his vital parts. Enraged by the famous son of Kunti, Drona struck him in return, O chief of the Bharatas, in the centre of the chest with five and twenty shafts. And once more, in the very sight of all the bowmen, Drona struck him, with his steeds, charioteer, and standard, with twenty shafts. Pandu's son, of virtuous soul, displaying great lightness of hand, baffled with his own
p. 214
arrowy showers those arrows shot by Drona, Then that great bowman Drona, filled with rage, cut off the bow of the high souled king Yudhishthira the just. Then that great car-warrior (viz., the son of Bharadwaja) speedily covered the bowless Yudhishthira with many thousands of shafts. Beholding the king made invisible by the shafts of Bharadwaja's son, all thought that Yudhishthira was dead, and some thought that the king had fled before Drona. And many cried out, O king, saying, 'Alas the king hath been slain by the high-souled Brahmana.' Then, king Yudhishthira the just, fallen into great distress, having laid aside that bow cut off by Bharadwaja's son in battle took up another excellent, bright and tougher bow. And that hero then cut off in that encounter all those shafts shot in thousands by Drona. All this seemed exceedingly wonderful. Having cut off those shafts, O king, Yudhishthira, with eyes red in wrath, took up in that battle a dart, capable of riving even a mountain. Equipped with a golden staff, of awful mien, having eight bells attached to it, and exceedingly terrible, the mighty Yudhishthira, taking it up, uttered a loud roar. And with that roar, O Bharata, the son of Pandu inspired all creatures with fear. Beholding that dart upraised by king Yudhishthira the just, all creatures, as if with one accord, said, 'Good be to Drona!' Hurled from the king's arms, that dart resembling a snake just freed from its slough, coursed towards Drona, illumining the welkin and all the directions cardinal and subsidiary, like a she-snake with fiery mouth, Beholding it coursing towards him impetuously, O king, Drona, that foremost of all persons acquainted with weapons invoked into existence the weapon called Brahma. That weapon, reducing that dart of terrible mien into dust, coursed towards the car of the illustrious son of Pandu. Then, O sire, king Yudhishthira of' great wisdom baffled that weapon of Drona, thus coursing towards him by himself invoking the Brahma weapon. And then piercing Drona himself in that battle with five straight shafts, he cut off, with a sharp razor-faced shaft, the large bow of Drona. Then Drona, that grinder of Kshatriyas, throwing aside that broken bow, hurled with great force, O sire, a mace at the son of Dharma. Beholding that mace impetuously coursing towards him, Yudhishthira, O chastiser of foes, filled with rage, took up a mace. Then those two maces, both hurled with great force, encountering each other in mid-air, produced by their collision sparks of fire and then fell down on the earth. Then Drona, filled with fury, slew, O sire, the steeds of Yudhishthira, with four excellent shafts of keen points. And with another broad-headed shaft he cut off he king's bow resembling a pole erected to the honour of Indra. And with another shaft he cut off the standard of Yudhishthira, and with three he afflicted the Pandava himself. Then king Yudhishthira, speedily jumping down from that steedless car, stood weaponless and with arms upraised, O bull of Bharata's race! Beholding him carless, and especially weaponless, Drona, O lord, stupefied his foes, rather the whole army. Firmly adhering to his vow, and endued with great lightness of hands, Drona shot showers of sharp shafts and rushed towards the king, like a
p. 215
furious lion towards a deer. Beholding Drona, that slayer of foes, rush towards him, cries of Oh and Alas suddenly rose from the Pandava army.' And many cried out, saying, 'The king is slain by Bharadwaja's son.' Loud wails of this kind were heard, O Bharata, among the Pandava troops. Meanwhile, king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, getting up on the car of Sahadeva, retreated from the field, borne away by swift steeds.'"

 

Book 7
Chapter 106

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      yau tau karṇaś ca bhīmaś ca saṃprayuddhau mahābalau
      arjunasya rathopānte kīdṛśaḥ so 'bhavad raṇaḥ
  2 pūrvaṃ hi nirjitaḥ karṇo bhīmasenena saṃyuge
      kathaṃ bhūyas tu rādheyo bhīmam āgān mahārathaḥ
  3 bhīmo vā sūta tanayaṃ pratyudyātaḥ kathaṃ raṇe
      mahārathasamākhyātaṃ pṛthivyāṃ pravaraṃ ratham
  4 bhīṣmadroṇāv atikramya dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
      nānyato bhayam ādatta vinā karṇaṃ dhanurdharam
  5 bhayan na śete satataṃ cintayan vai mahāratham
      taṃ kathaṃ sūtaputraṃ hi bhīmo 'yudhyata saṃyuge
  6 brahmaṇyaṃ vīryasaṃpannaṃ samareṣv anivartinam
      kathaṃ karṇaṃ yudhāṃ śreṣṭahṃ bhīmo 'yudhyata saṃyuge
  7 yau tau samīyatur vīrāv arjunasya rathaṃ prati
      kathaṃ nu tāv ayudhyetāṃ sūtaputra vṛkodarau
  8 bhrātṛtvadarśitaṃ pūrvaṃ ghṛṇī cāpi sasūtajaḥ
      kathaṃ bhīmena yuyudhe kuntyā vākyam anusmaran
  9 bhīmo vā sūtaputreṇa smaran vairaṃ purā kṛtam
      so 'yudhyata kathaṃ vīraḥ karṇena saha saṃyuge
  10 āśās te ca sadā sūtaputro duryodhano mama
     karṇo jeṣyati saṃgrāme sahitān pāṇḍavān iti
 11 jayāśā yatra mandasya putrasya mama saṃyuge
     sa kathaṃ bhīmakarmāṇaṃ bhīmasenam ayudhyata
 12 yaṃ samāśritya putrair me kṛtaṃ vairaṃ mahārathaiḥ
     taṃ sūta tanayaṃ tāta kathaṃ bhīmo hy ayodhayat
 13 anekān viprakārāṃś ca sūtaputra samudbhavān
     smaramāṇaḥ kathaṃ bhīmo yuyudhe sūta sūnunā
 14 yo 'jayat pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ rathenaikena vīryavān
     taṃ sūta tanayaṃ yuddhe kathaṃ bhīmo hy ayodhayat
 15 yo jātaḥ kuṇḍalābhyāṃ ca kavacena sahaiva ca
     taṃ sūtaputraṃ samare bhīmaḥ katham ayodhayat
 16 yathā tayor yuddham abhūd yaś cāsīd vijayī tayoḥ
     tan mamācakṣva tattvena kuśalo hy asi saṃjaya
 17 [s]
     bhīmasenas tu rādheyam utsṛjya rathināṃ varam
     iyeṣa gantuṃ yatrāstāṃ vīrau kṛṣṇa dhanaṃjayau
 18 taṃ prayāntam abhidrutya rādheyaḥ kaṅkapatribhiḥ
     abhyavarṣan mahārāja megho vṛṣṭyeva parvatam
 19 phullatā paṅkajeneva vaktreṇābhyutsmayan balī
     ājuhāva raṇe yāntaṃ bhīmam ādhirathis tadā
 20 bhīmasenas tadāhvānaṃ karṇān nāmarṣayad yudhi
     ardhamaṇḍalam āvṛtya sūtaputram ayodhayat
 21 avakragāmibhir bāṇair abhyavarṣan mahāyasaiḥ
     dvairathe daṃśitaṃ yattaṃ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varam
 22 vidhitsuḥ kalahasyāntaṃ jighāṃsuḥ karṇam akṣiṇot
     taṃ ca hatvetarān sarvān hantukāmo mahābalaḥ
 23 tasmai prāsṛjad ugrāṇi vividhāni paraṃtapaḥ
     amarṣī pāṇḍavaḥ kruddhaḥ śaravarṣāṇi māriṣa
 24 tasya tānīṣu varṣāṇi mattadviradagāminaḥ
     sūtaputro 'stramāyābhir agrasat sumahāyaśāḥ
 25 sa yathā van mahārāja vidyayā vai supūjitaḥ
     ācāryavan maheṣvāsaḥ karṇaḥ paryacarad raṇe
 26 saṃrambheṇa tu yudhyantaṃ bhīmasenaṃ smayann iva
     abhyapadyata rādheyas tam amarṣī vṛkodaram
 27 tan nāmṛṣyata kaunteyaḥ karṇasya smitam āhave
     yudhyamāneṣu vīreṣu paśyatsu ca samantataḥ
 28 taṃ bhīmasenaḥ saṃprāptaṃ vatsadantaiḥ stanāntare
     vivyādha balavān kruddhas tottrair iva mahādvipam
 29 sūtaṃ tu sūtaputrasya supuṅkhair niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     sumuktaiś citravarmāṇaṃ nirbibheda trisaptabhiḥ
 30 karṇo jāmbūnadair jālaiḥ saṃchannān vātaraṃhasaḥ
     vivyādha turagān vīraḥ pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ śaraiḥ
 31 tato bāṇamayaṃ jālaṃ bhīmasenarathaṃ prati
     karṇena vihitaṃ rājan nimeṣārdhād adṛśyata
 32 sa rathaḥ sa dhvajas tatra sasūtaḥ pāṇḍavas tadā
     prāchādyata mahārāja karṇa cāpacyutaiḥ śaraiḥ
 33 tasya karṇaś catuḥṣaṣṭyā vyadhamat kavacaṃ dṛḍham
     kruddhaś cāpy ahanat pārśve nārācair marmabhedibhiḥ
 34 tato 'cintyamahāvegān karṇa kārmukaniḥsṛtān
     samāśliṣyad asaṃbhrāntaḥ sūtaputraṃ vṛkodaraḥ
 35 sa karṇa cāpaprabhavān iṣūn āśīviṣopamān
     bibhrad bhīmo mahārāja na jagāma vyathāṃ raṇe
 36 tato dvātriṃśatā bhallair niśitais tigmatejanaiḥ
     vivyādha samare karṇaṃ bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān
 37 ayatnenaiva taṃ karṇaḥ śarair upa samākirat
     bhīmasenaṃ mahābāhuṃ saindhavasya vadhaiṣiṇam
 38 mṛdupūrvaṃ ca rādheyo bhīmam ājāv ayodhayat
     krodhapūrvaṃ tathā bhīmaḥ pūrvavairam anusmaran
 39 taṃ bhīmaseno nāmṛṣyad avamānam amarṣaṇaḥ
     sa tasmai vyasṛjat tūrṇaṃ śaravarṣam amitrajit
 40 te śarāḥ preṣitā rājan bhīmasenena saṃyuge
     nipetuḥ sarvato bhīmāḥ kūjanta iva pakṣiṇaḥ
 41 hemapuṅkhā mahārāja bhīmasenadhanuś cyutāḥ
     abhyadravaṃs te rādheyaṃ vṛkāḥ kṣudramṛgaṃ yathā
 42 karṇas tu rathināṃ śreṣṭhaś chādyamānaḥ samantataḥ
     rājan vyasṛjad ugrāṇi śaravarṣāṇi saṃyuge
 43 tasya tān aśaniprakhyān iṣūn samaraśobhinaḥ
     ciccheda bahubhir bhallair asaṃprāptān vṛkodaraḥ
 44 punaś ca śaravarṣeṇa chādayām āsa bhārata
     karṇo vaikartano yuddhe bhīmasenaṃ mahāratham
 45 tatra bhārata bhīmaṃ tu hṛṣṭavantaḥ sma sāyakaiḥ
     samācita tanuṃ saṃkhye śvāvidhaṃ śalilair iva
 46 hemapuṅkhāñ śilā dautān karṇa cāpacyutāñ śarān
     dadhāra samare vīraḥ svaraśmīn iva bhāskaraḥ
 47 rudhirokṣitasarvāṅgo bhīmaseno vyarocata
     tapanīyanibhaiḥ puṣpaiḥ palāśa iva kānane
 48 tat tu bhīmo mahārāja karṇasya caritaṃ raṇe
     nāmṛṣyata maheṣvāsaḥ krodhād udvṛtya cakṣuṣī
 49 sa karṇaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā nāracānāṃ samārpayat
     mahīdharam iva śvetaṃ gūḍhapādair viṣolbaṇaiḥ
 50 taṃ vivyādha punar bhīmaḥ ṣaḍbhir aṣṭābhir eva ca
     marmasv amara vikrāntaḥ sūtaputraṃ mahāraṇe
 51 tataḥ karṇasya saṃkruddho bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān
     ciccheda kārmukaṃ tūrṇaṃ sarvopakaraṇāni ca
 52 jaghāna caturaś cāśvān sūtaṃ ca tvaritaḥ śaraiḥ
     nārācair arkaraśmy ābhaiḥ karṇaṃ vivyādha corasi
 53 te jagmur dharaṇīṃ sarve karṇaṃ nirbhidya māriṣa
     yathā hi jaladaṃ bhittvā rājan sūryasya raśmayaḥ
 54 sa vaikalyaṃ mahat prāpya chinnadhanvā śarārditaḥ
     tathā puruṣamānī sa pratyapāyād rathāntaram

SECTION CVI

"Sanjaya said, 'Kshemadhurti, O monarch, pierced the advancing Vrihatkshatra of great valour, that prince of the Kaikeyas, with many arrows in the chest. King Vrihatkshatra then, O monarch, desirous of piercing through Drona's division, quickly struck his antagonist with ninety straight shafts. Kshemadhurti, however, filled with rage, cut off, with a sharp well-tempered, and broad-headed shaft, the bow of that high-souled prince of the Kaikeyas. Having cut off his bow, Kshemadhurti then, with a keen and straight shaft, quickly pierced in that encounter that foremost of all bowmen. Then Vrihatkshatra, taking up another bow and smiling (at his foe), soon made the mighty car-warrior Kshemadhurti steedless and driverless and carless. And with another broad-headed shaft that was well-tempered and sharp, he cut off, from the trunk of his royal antagonist his head blazing with (a pair of) ear-rings. That head, graced with only locks and a diadem, suddenly cut off, fell down on the earth and looked resplendent like a luminary fallen from the firmament. Having slain his foe, the mighty car-warrior Vrihatkshatra became filled with joy and fell with great force upon thy troops for the sake of the Parthas. The great bowman Viradhanwan, O Bharata, endued with great prowess, resisted Dhrishtaketu who was advancing against Drona. Encountering each other, those two heroes having arrows for their fangs, and both endued with great activity, struck each other with many thousands of arrows. Indeed, those two tigers among men fought with each other, like two leaders of elephantine herds in the deep woods with fury. Both endued with great energy, they fought, each desirous of slaying the other, like two enraged tigers in a mountain-cave. That combat, O monarch, became exceedingly fierce. Deserving to be witnessed, it became highly wonderful. The very Siddhas and the Charanas, in large numbers, witnessed it with wonder-waiting eyes. Then Viradhanwan, O Bharata, with a laugh, cut off in rage Dhrishtaketu's bow in twain by means of broad-headed arrows. Abandoning that broken bow, the ruler of the Chedis, that mighty car-warrior took up a fierce dart made of iron and equipped with a golden staff. Bending with his hands, O Bharata, that dart of fierce energy towards the car of Viradhanwan, Dhrishtaketu hurled it carefully and with great force. Struck with great
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force by that hero-slaying dart, and his heart pierced by it through, Viradhanwan, quickly fell down on the earth from his car. Upon the fall of that hero, that mighty car-warrior among the Trigartas, thy army, O lord, was broken by the Pandavas. (Thy son) Durmukha sped sixty shafts at Sahadeva, and uttered a loud shout in that battle, challenging that son of Pandu. The son of Madri, then., filled with rage, pierced Durmukha with many keen arrows, smiling the while, the brother striking the brother. Be. holding the mighty Durmukha fighting furiously, Sahadeva, then, O Bharata, once more struck him with nine shafts. Endued with great strength, Sahadeva then cut off Durmukha's standard with a broad-headed arrow and struck down his four steeds with four other arrows. And then with another broad. headed arrow, well-tempered and sharp, he cut off, from his trunk, the head of Durmukha's charioteer that shone with a pair of ear-rings. And cutting off Durmukha's large bow with a razor-faced arrow, Sahadeva pierced Durmukha himself in that battle with five arrows. Durmukha fearlessly jumping down from that steedless car, mounted the car, O Bharata, of Niramitra. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., Sahadeva, filled with rage slew in that great battle Niramitra in the midst of his division with a broad-headed arrow. Thereupon, prince Niramitra, the son of the ruler of the Trigartas, fell down from his car, afflicting thy army with great grief. Slaying him, the mighty-armed Sahadeva looked resplendent like Rama, the son of Dasaratha, after slaying the mighty (Rakshasa) Khara. Beholding that mighty car-warrior, viz., prince Niramitra slain, loud cries of Oh and Alas arose, O monarch, among the Trigarta warriors. Nakula, O king, in a moment vanquished thy son Vikarna of large eyes. This seemed highly wonderful. Vyaghradatta, by means of his straight shafts, made Satyaki invisible with his steeds and driver and standard in the midst of his division. The brave grandson of Sini, baffling those shafts with great lightness of hand, felled Vyaghradatta by means of his arrows, with his steeds and driver and standard. Upon the fall, O lord, of that prince of the Magadhas, the latter, struggling vigorously, rushed against Yuyudhana from all sides. Scattering their shafts and lances by thousands, and sharp arrows and spears and mallets and thick clubs, those brave warriors fought in that battle with that invincible hero of the Satwata race. Endued with great might, invincible Satyaki, that bull among men, with the greatest ease and laughing the while, vanquished them all. The Magadhas were nearly exterminated. A small remnant flew from the field. Beholding this, thy army, already afflicted with the arrows of Yuyudhana, broke, O lord! Then that foremost one of Madhu's race, having slaughtered ill battle thy troops, that illustrious hero, looked resplendent as he shook his bow. The army, O king, was thus routed by that high-souled one of the Satwata race. Indeed, frightened by that hero of long arms, none approached him for fight. Then Drona filled with rage and rolling his eyes, himself rushed impetuously towards Satyaki, of feats incapable of being baffled.'"




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