srimahabharat Sauptica Parva (Book 10) chapters 1 to 15

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

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







 

 

The Mahabharata

Book 10: Sauptika Parva

Chapter 1

 

1 [samjaya]
      tatas te sahitā vīrāḥ prayātā dakṣiṇāmukhāḥ
      upāstamaya velāyāṃ śibirābhyāśam āgatāḥ
  2 vimucya vāhāṃs tvaritā bhītāḥ samabhavaṃs tadā
      gahanaṃ deśam āsādya pracchannā nyaviśanta te
  3 senāniveśam abhito nātidūram avasthitāḥ
      nivṛttā niśitaiḥ śastraiḥ samantāt kṣatavikṣatāḥ
  4 dīrgham uṣṇaṃ ca niḥśvasya pāṇḍavān anvacintayan
      śrutvā ca ninadaṃ ghoraṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ jayaiṣiṇām
  5 anusāra bharād bhītāḥ prāṅmukhā prādravan punaḥ
      te muhūrtaṃ tato gatvā śrāntavāhāḥ pipāsitāḥ
  6 nāmṛṣyanta maheṣvāsāḥ krodhāmarṣavaśaṃ gatāḥ
      rājño vadhena saṃtaptā muhūrtaṃ samavasthitāḥ
  7 [dhṛ]
      aśraddheyam idaṃ karmakṛtaṃ bhīmena saṃjaya
      yat sa nāgāyuta prāṇaḥ putro mama nipātitaḥ
  8 avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ vajrasaṃhanano yuvā
      pāṇḍavaiḥ samare putro nihato mama saṃjaya
  9 na diṣṭam abhyatikrāntuṃ śakyaṃ gāvalgaṇe naraiḥ
      yat sametya raṇe pārthaiḥ putro mama nipātitaḥ
  10 adrisāramayaṃ nūnaṃ hṛdayaṃ mama saṃjaya
     hataṃ putraśataṃ śrutvā yan na dīrṇaṃ sahasradhā
 11 kathaṃ hi vṛddhamithunaṃ hataputraṃ bhaviṣyati
     na hy ahaṃ pāṇḍaveyasya viṣaye vastum utsahe
 12 kathaṃ rājñaḥ pitā bhūtvā svayaṃ rājā ca saṃjaya
     preṣyabhūtaḥ pravarteyaṃ pāṇḍaveyasya śāsanāt
 13 ājñāpya pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ sthitvā mūrdhni ca saṃjaya
     katham adya bhaviṣyāmi preṣyabhūto duranta kṛt
 14 kathaṃ bhīmasya vākyāni śrotuṃ śakṣyāmi saṃjaya
     yena putraśataṃ pūrṇam ekena nihataṃ mama
 15 kṛtaṃ satyaṃ vacas tasya vidurasya mahātmanaḥ
     akurvatā vacas tena mama putreṇa saṃjaya
 16 adharmeṇa hate tāta putre duryodhane mama
     kṛtavarmā kṛpo drauṇiḥ kim akurvata saṃjaya
 17 [s]
     gatvā tu tāvakā rājan nātidūram avasthitāḥ
     apaśyanta vanaṃ ghoraṃ nānādrumalatākulam
 18 te muhūrtaṃ tu viśramya labdhatoyair hayottamaiḥ
     sūryāstamaya velāyām āseduḥ sumahad vanam
 19 nānāmṛgagaṇair juṣṭaṃ nānāpakṣisamākulam
     nānādrumalatācchannaṃ nānāvyālaniṣevitam
 20 nānā toyasamākīrṇaṃ taḍāgair upaśobhitam
     padminī śatasaṃchannaṃ nīlotpalasamāyutam
 21 praviśya tad vanaṃ ghoraṃ vīkṣamāṇāḥ samantataḥ
     śākhā sahasrasaṃchannaṃ nyagrodhaṃ dadṛśus tataḥ
 22 upetya tu tadā rājan nyagrodhaṃ te mahārathāḥ
     dadṛśur dvipadāṃ śreṣṭhāḥ śreṣṭhaṃ taṃ vai vanaspatim
 23 te 'vatīrya rathebhyas tu vipramucya ca vājinaḥ
     upaspṛśya yathānyāyaṃ saṃdhyām anvāsata prabho
 24 tato 'staṃ parvataśreṣṭham anuprāpte divākare
     sarvasya jagato dhātrī śarvarī samapadyata
 25 grahanakṣatratārābhiḥ prakīrṇābhir alaṃkṛtam
     nabho'ṃśukam ivābhāti prekṣaṇīyaṃ samantataḥ
 26 īṣac cāpi pravalganti ye sattvā rātricāriṇaḥ
     divā carāś ca ye sattvās te nidrāvaśam āgatāḥ
 27 rātriṃcarāṇāṃ sattvānāṃ ninādo 'bhūt sudāruṇaḥ
     kravyādāś ca pramuditā ghorā prāptā ca śarvarī
 28 tasmin rātrimukhe ghore duḥkhaśokasamanvitāḥ
     kṛtavarmā kṛpo drauṇir upopaviviśuḥ samam
 29 tatropaviṣṭāḥ śocanto nyagrodhasya samantataḥ
     tam evārtham atikrāntaṃ kurupāṇḍavayoḥ kṣayam
 30 nidrayā ca parītāṅgā niṣedur dharaṇītale
     śrameṇa sudṛḍhaṃ yuktā vikṣatā vividhaiḥ śaraiḥ
 31 tato nidrāvaśaṃ prāptau kṛpa bhojau mahārathau
     sukhocitāv aduḥkhārhau niṣaṇṇau dharaṇītale
     tau tu suptau mahārāja śramaśokasamanvitau
 32 krodhāmarṣavaśaṃ prāpto droṇaputras tu bhārata
     naiva sma sa jagāmātha nidrāṃ sarpa iva śvasan
 33 na lebhe sa tu nidrāṃ vai dahyamāno 'timanyunā
     vīkṣāṃ cakre mahābāhus tad vanaṃ ghoradarśanam
 34 vīkṣamāṇo vanoddeśaṃ nānā sattvair niṣevitam
     apaśyata mahābāhur nyagrodhaṃ vāyasāyutam
 35 tatra kākasahasrāṇi tāṃ niśāṃ paryaṇāmayan
     sukhaṃ svapantaḥ kauravya pṛthakpṛthag apāśrayāḥ
 36 supteṣu teṣu kākeṣu visrabdheṣu samantataḥ
     so 'paśyat sahasāyāntam ulūkaṃ ghoradarśanam
 37 mahāsvanaṃ mahākāyaṃ haryakṣaṃ babhru piṅgalam
     sudīrghaghoṇā nakharaṃ suparṇam iva veginam
 38 so 'tha śabdaṃ mṛduṃ kṛtvā līyamāna ivāṇḍajaḥ
     nyagrodhasya tataḥ śākhāṃ prārthayām āsa bhārata
 39 saṃnipatya tu śākhāyāṃ nyagrodhasya vihaṃgamaḥ
     suptāñ jaghāna subahūn vāyasān vāyasāntakaḥ
 40 keṣāṃ cid acchinat pakṣāñ śirāṃsi ca cakarta ha
     caraṇāṃś caiva keṣāṃ cid babhañja caraṇāyudhaḥ
 41 kṣaṇenāhan sabalavān ye 'sya dṛṣṭipathe sthitāḥ
     teṣāṃ śarīrāvayavaiḥ śarīraiś ca viśāṃ pate
     nyagrodhamaṇḍalaṃ sarvaṃ saṃchannaṃ sarvato 'bhavat
 42 tāṃs tu hatvā tataḥ kākān kauśiko mudito 'bhavat
     pratikṛtya yathākāmaṃ śatrūṇāṃ śatrusūdanaḥ
 43 tad dṛṣṭvā sopadhaṃ karma kauśikena kṛtaṃ niśi
     tadbhāvakṛtasaṃkalpo drauṇir eko vyacintayat
 44 upadeśaḥ kṛto 'nena pakṣiṇā mama saṃyuge
     śatruṇāṃ kṣapaṇe yuktaḥ prāptakālaś ca me mataḥ
 45 nādya śakyā mayā hantuṃ pāṇḍavā jitakāśinaḥ
     balavantaḥ kṛtotsāhā labdhalakṣāḥ prahāriṇaḥ
     rājñaḥ sakāśe teṣāṃ ca pratijñāto vadho mayā
 46 pataṃgāgnisamāṃ vṛttim āsthāyātma vināśinīm
     nyāyato yudhyamānasya prāṇatyāgo na saṃśayaḥ
     chadmanā tu bhavet siddhiḥ śatrūṇāṃ ca kṣayo mahān
 47 tatra saṃśayitād arthād yo 'rtho niḥsaṃśayo bhavet
     taṃ janā bahu manyante ye 'rthaśāstraviśāradāḥ
 48 yac cāpy atra bhaved vācyaṃ garhitaṃ lokaninditam
     kartavyaṃ tan manuṣyeṇa kṣatradharmeṇa vartatā
 49 ninditāni ca sarvāṇi kutsitāni pade pade
     sopadhāni kṛtāny eva pāṇḍavair akṛtātmabhiḥ
 50 asminn arthe purā gītau śrūyete dharmacintakaiḥ
     ślokau nyāyam avekṣadbhis tattvārthaṃ tattvadarśibhiḥ
 51 pariśrānte vidīrṇe ca bhuñjāne cāpi śatrubhiḥ
     prasthāne ca praveśe ca prahartavyaṃ ripor balam
 52 nidrārtam ardharātre ca tathā naṣṭapraṇāyakam
     bhinnayodhaṃ balaṃ yac ca dvidhā yuktaṃ ca yad bhavet
 53 ity evaṃ niścayaṃ cakre suptānāṃ yudhi māraṇe
     pāṇḍūnāṃ saha pāñcālair droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān
 54 sa krūrāṃ matim āsthāya viniścitya muhur muhuḥ
     suptau prābodhayat tau tu mātulaṃ bhojam eva ca
 55 nottaraṃ pratipede ca tatra yuktaṃ hriyā vṛtaḥ
     sa muhūrtam iva dhyātvā bāṣpavihvalam abravīt
 56 hato duryodhano rājā ekavīro mahābalaḥ
     yasyārthe vairam asmābhir āsaktaṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha
 57 ekākī bahubhiḥ kṣudrair āhave śuddhavikramaḥ
     pātito bhīmasenena ekādaśa camūpatiḥ
 58 vṛkodareṇa kṣudreṇa sunṛśaṃsam idaṃ kṛtam
     mūrdhābhiṣiktasya śiraḥ pādena parimṛdnatā
 59 vinardanti sma pāñcālāḥ kṣveḍanti ca hasanti ca
     dhamanti śaṅkhāñ śataśo hṛṣṭā ghnanti ca dundubhīn
 60 vāditraghoṣas tumulo vimiśraḥ śaṅkhanisvanaiḥ
     anilenerito ghoro diśaḥ pūrayatīva hi
 61 aśvānāṃ heṣamāṇānāṃ gajānāṃ caiva bṛṃhatām
     siṃhanādaś ca śūrāṇāṃ śrūyate sumahān ayam
 62 diśaṃ prācīṃ samāśritya hṛṣṭānāṃ garjatāṃ bhṛśam
     rathanemi svanāś caiva śrūyante lomaharṣaṇāḥ
 63 pāṇḍavair dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ yad idaṃ kadanaṃ kṛtam
     vayam eva trayaḥ śiṣṭās tasmin mahati vaiśase
 64 ke cin nāgaśataprāṇāḥ ke cit sarvāstrakovidāḥ
     nihatāḥ pāṇḍaveyaiḥ sma manye kālasya paryayam
 65 evam etena bhāvyaṃ hi nūnaṃ kāryeṇa tattvataḥ
     yathā hy asyedṛśī niṣṭhā kṛte kārye 'pi duṣkare
 66 bhavatos tu yadi prajñā na mohād apacīyate
     vyāpanne 'smin mahaty arthe yan naḥ śreyas tad ucyatām

 

1

Om! Having bowed down unto Narayana, and Nara the most exalted of male beings, and unto the goddess Sarasvati, must the word Jaya be uttered!
Sanjaya said, "Those heroes then together proceeded towards the south. At the hour of sunset they reached a spot near the (Kuru) encampment. Letting their animals loose they became very much frightened. Reaching then a forest, they secretly entered it. They took up their quarters there at no great distance from the encampment. Cut and mangled with many keen weapons, they breathed long and hot sighs, thinking of the Pandavas. Hearing the loud noise made by the victorious Pandavas, they feared a pursuit and therefore fled towards the east. Having proceeded for sometime, their animals became tired and they themselves became thirsty. Overpowered by wrath and vindictiveness, those great bowmen could not put up with what had occurred, burning as they did with (grief at) the slaughter of the king. They however, took rest for a while."
Dhritarashtra said, "The feat, O Sanjaya, that Bhima achieved seems to be incredible, since my son who was struck down possessed the strength of 10,000 elephants. In manhood's prime and possessed of an adamantine frame, he was not capable of being slain by any creature! Alas, even that son of mine was struck down by the Pandavas in battle! Without doubt, O Sanjaya, my heart is made of adamant, since it breaks not into a 1,000 fragments even after hearing of the slaughter of my hundred sons! Alas, what will be the plight of myself and my spouse, an old couple destitute of children! I dare not dwell in the dominions of Pandu's son! Having been the sire of a king and a king myself, O Sanjaya, how shall I pass my days as a slave obedient to the commands of Pandu's son! Having laid my commands over the whole Earth and having stayed over the heads of all, O Sanjaya, how shall I live now as a slave in wretchedness? How shall I be able, O Sanjaya, to endure the words of Bhima who hath single-handed slain a full hundred sons of mine? The words of the high-souled Vidura have come to be realised! Alas, my son, O Sanjaya, did not listen to those words! What, however, did Kritavarma and Kripa and Drona's son do after my son Duryodhana had been unfairly stuck down?"
Sanjaya said, "They had not proceeded far, O king, when they stopped, for they beheld a dense forest abounding with trees and creepers. Having rested for a little while, they entered that great forest, proceeding on their cars drawn by their excellent steeds whose thirst had been assuaged. That forest abounded with diverse kinds of animals, and it teemed with various species of birds. And it was covered with many trees and creepers and was infested by numerous carnivorous creatures. Covered with many pieces of water and adorned with various kinds of flowers, it had many lakes overgrown with blue lotuses.
Having entered that dense forest, they cast their eyes about and saw a gigantic banyan tree with thousands of branches. Repairing to the shade of that tree, those great car-warriors, O king, those foremost of men, saw that was the biggest tree in that forest. Alighting from their cars, and letting loose their animals, they cleansed themselves duly and said their evening prayers. The Sun then reached the Asta mountains, and Night, the mother of the universe, came. The firmament, bespangled with planets and stars, shone like an ornamented piece of brocade and presented a highly agreeable spectacle. Those creatures that walk the night began to howl and utter their cries at will, while they that walk the day owned the influence of sleep. Awful became the noise of the night-wandering animals. The carnivorous creatures became full of glee, and the night, as it deepened, became dreadful.
At that hour, filled with grief and sorrow, Kritavarma and Kripa and Drona's son all sat down together. Seated under that banyan, they began to give expression to their sorrow in respect of that very matter: the destruction that had taken place of both the Kurus and the Pandavas. Heavy with sleep, they laid themselves down on the bare earth. They had been exceedingly tired and greatly mangled with shafts. The two great car-warriors, Kripa and Kritavarma, succumbed to sleep. However deserving of happiness and undeserving of misery, they then lay stretched on the bare ground. Indeed, O monarch, those two who had always slept on costly beds now slept, like helpless persons, on the bare ground, afflicted with toil and grief.
Drona's son, however, O Bharata, yielding to the influence of wrath and reverence, could not sleep, but continued to breathe like a snake. Burning with rage, he could not get a wink of slumber. That hero of mighty arms cast his eyes on every side of that terrible forest. As he surveyed that forest peopled with diverse kinds of creatures, the great warrior beheld a large banyan covered with crows. On that banyan thousands of crows roosted in the night. Each perching separately from its neighbour, those crows slept at ease, O Kauravya! As, however, those birds were sleeping securely on every side, Ashvatthama beheld an owl of terrible aspect suddenly make its appearance there. Of frightful cries and gigantic body, with green eyes and tawny plumage, its nose was very large and its talons were long. And the speed with which it came resembled that of Garuda. Uttering soft cries that winged creature, O Bharata, secretly approached the branches of that banyan. That ranger of the sky, that slayer of crows, alighting on one of the branches of the banyan, slew a large number of his sleeping enemies. He tore the wings of some and cut off the heads of others with his sharp talons and broke the legs of many. Endued with great strength, he slew many that fell down before his eyes. With the limbs and bodies, O monarch, of the slain crows, the ground covered by the spreading branches of the banyan became thickly strewn on every side. Having slain those crows, the owl became filled with delight like a slayer of foes after having behaved towards his foes according to his pleasure.
Beholding that highly suggestive deed perpetrated in the night by the owl, Drona's son began to reflect on it, desirous of framing his own conduct by the light of that example. He said unto himself, "This owl teaches me a lesson in battle. Bent as I am upon the destruction of the foe, the time for the deed has come! The victorious Pandavas are incapable of being slain by me! They are possessed of might, endued with perseverance, sure of aim, and skilled in smiting. In the presence, however, of the king I have vowed to slay them. I have thus pledged myself to a self-destructive act, like an insect essaying to rush into a blazing fire! If I were to fight fairly with them, I shall, without doubt, have to lay down my life! By an act of guile, however, success may yet be mine and a great destruction may overtake my foes! People generally, as also those versed in the scriptures, always applaud those means which are certain over those which are uncertain. Whatever of censure and evil repute this act may provoke ought to be incurred by person that is observant of kshatriya practices. The Pandavas of uncleansed souls have, at every step, perpetrated very ugly and censurable acts that are again fall of guile. As regards this matter, certain ancient verses, full of truth, are heard, sung by truth-seeing and righteousness-observing persons, who sang them after a careful consideration of the demands of justice.
These verses are even these: ‘The enemy's force, even when fatigued, or wounded with weapons, or employed in eating, or when retiring, or when resting within their camp, should be smitten. They should be dealt with in the same way when afflicted with sleep in the dead of night, or when reft of commanders, or when broken or when under the impression of an error.'"
Having reflected in this way, the valiant son of Drona formed the resolution of slaying during the night the slumbering Pandavas and the Pancalas. Having formed this wicked resolution and pledged himself repeatedly to its execution, he awoke both his maternal uncle and the chief of Bhojas. Awakened from sleep, those two illustrious and mighty persons, Kripa and the Bhoja chief, heard Ashvatthama's scheme. Filled with shame, both of them abstained from giving a suitable reply.
Having reflected for a short while, Ashvatthama said with tearful eyes, "King Duryodhana, that one hero of great might, for whose sake we were waging hostilities with the Pandavas, hath been slain! Deserted and alone, though he was the lord of eleven akshauhinis of troops, that hero of unstained prowess hath been struck down by Bhimasena and a large number of wretches banded together in battle! Another wicked act hath been perpetrated by the vile Vrikodara, for the latter hath touched with his foot the head of a person whose coronal locks underwent the sacred bath! The Pancalas are uttering loud roars and cries and indulging in loud bursts of laughter. Filled with joy, they are blowing their conchs and beating their drums! The loud peal of their instruments, mingled with the blare of conchs, is frightful to the ear and borne by the winds, is filling all the points of the compass. Loud also is the din made by their neighing steeds and grunting elephants and roaring warriors! That deafening noise made by the rejoicing warriors as they are marching to their quarters, as also the frightful clatter of their car-wheels, comes to us from the east. So great hath been the havoc made by the Pandavas on the Dhartarashtras that we three are the only survivors of that great carnage! Some were endued with the might of a hundred elephants, and some were masters of all weapons. Yet have they been slain by the sons of Pandu! I regard this to be an instance of the reverses brought about by Time! Truly, this is the end to which such an act leads! Truly, although the Pandavas have achieved such difficult feats, even this should be the result of those feats! If your wisdom hath not been driven away by stupefaction, then say what is proper for us to do in view of this calamitous and grave affair.'"

 

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

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

Book 10: Sauptika Parva

 Sauptika Parva

Book 10
Chapter 2

 

1 [kṛpa]
      śrutaṃ te vacanaṃ sarvaṃ hetuyuktaṃ mayā vibho
      mamāpi tu vacaḥ kiṃ cic chṛṇuṣvādya mahābhuja
  2 ābaddhā mānuṣāḥ sarve nirbandhāḥ karmaṇor dvayoḥ
      daive puruṣakāre ca paraṃ tābhyāṃ na vidyate
  3 na hi daivena sidhyanti karmāṇy ekena sattama
      na cāpi karmaṇaikena dvābhyāṃ siddhis tu yogataḥ
  4 tābhyām ubhābhyāṃ sarvārthā nibaddhā hy adhamottamāḥ
      pravṛttāś caiva dṛśyante nivṛttāś caiva sarvaśaḥ
  5 parjanyaḥ parvate varṣan kiṃ nu sādhayate phalam
      kṛṣṭe kṣatre tathāvarṣan kiṃ nu sādhayate phalam
  6 utthānaṃ cāpy adaivasya hy anutthānasya daivatam
      vyarthaṃ bhavati sarvatra pūrvaṃ kas tatra niścayaḥ
  7 pravṛṣṭe ca yathā deve samyak kṣetre ca karṣite
      bījaṃ mahāguṇaṃ bhūyāt tathā siddhir hi mānuṣī
  8 tayor daivaṃ viniścitya svavaśenaiva vartate
      prājñāḥ puruṣakāraṃ tu ghaṭante dākṣyam āsthitāḥ
  9 tābhyāṃ sarve hi kāryārthā manuṣyāṇāṃ nararṣabha
      viceṣṭantaś ca dṛśyante nivṛttāś ca tathaiva hi
  10 kṛtaḥ puruṣakāraḥ san so 'pi daivena sidhyati
     tathāsya karmaṇaḥ kartur abhinirvartate phalam
 11 utthānaṃ tu manuṣyāṇāṃ dakṣāṇāṃ daivavarjitam
     aphalaṃ dṛśyate loke samyag apy upapāditam
 12 tatrālasā manuṣyāṇāṃ ye bhavanty amanasvinaḥ
     utthānaṃ te vigarhanti prājñānāṃ tan na rocate
 13 prāyaśo hi kṛtaṃ karma aphalaṃ dṛśyate bhuvi
     akṛtvā ca punar duḥkhaṃ karma dṛśyen mahāphalam
 14 ceṣṭām akurvaṁl labhate yadi kiṃ cid yadṛcchayā
     yo vā na labhate kṛtvā durdaśau tāv ubhāv api
 15 śaknoti jīvituṃ dakṣo nālasaḥ sukham edhate
     dṛśyante jīvaloke 'smin dakṣāḥ prāyo hitaiṣiṇaḥ
 16 yadi dakṣaḥ samārambhāt karmaṇāṃ nāśnute phalam
     nāsya vācyaṃ bhavet kiṃ cit tattvaṃ cāpy adhigacchati
 17 akṛtvā karma yo loke phalaṃ vindati viṣṭhitaḥ
     sa tu vaktavyatāṃ yāti dveṣyo bhavati prāyaśaḥ
 18 evam etad anādṛtya vartate yas tv ato 'nyathā
     sa karoty ātmano 'narthān naiṣa buddhimatāṃ nayaḥ
 19 hīnaṃ puruṣakāreṇa yadā daivena vā punaḥ
     kāraṇābhyām athaitābhyām utthānam aphalaṃ bhavet
     hīnaṃ puruṣakāreṇa karma tv iha na sidhyati
 20 daivatebhyo namaskṛtya yas tv arthān samyag īhate
     dakṣo dākṣiṇyasaṃpanno na sa moghaṃ vihanyate
 21 samyag īhā punar iyaṃ yo vṛddhān upasevate
     āpṛcchati ca yac chreyaḥ karoti ca hitaṃ vacaḥ
 22 utthāyotthāya hi sadā praṣṭavyā vṛddhasaṃmatāḥ
     te 'sya yoge paraṃ mūlaṃ tan mūlā siddhir ucyate
 23 vṛddhānāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā yo hy utthānaṃ prayojayet
     utthānasya phalaṃ samyak tadā sa labhate 'cirāt
 24 rāgāt krodhād bhayāl lobhād yo 'rthān īheta mānavaḥ
     anīśaś cāvamānīca sa śīghraṃ bhraśyate śriyaḥ
 25 so 'yaṃ duryodhanenārtho lubdhenādīrgha darśinā
     asamarthya samārabdho mūḍhatvād avicintitaḥ
 26 hitabuddhīn anādṛtya saṃmantryāsādhubhiḥ saha
     vāryamāṇo 'karod vairaṃ pāṇḍavair guṇavattaraiḥ
 27 pūrvam apy atiduḥśīlo na dainyaṃ kartum arhati
     tapaty arthe vipanne hi mitrāṇām akṛtaṃ vacaḥ
 28 anvāvartāmahi vayaṃ yat tu taṃ pāpapūruṣam
     asmān apy anayas tasmāt prāpto 'yaṃ dāruṇo mahān
 29 anena tu mamādyāpi vyasanenopatāpitā
     buddhiś cintayataḥ kiṃ cit svaṃ śreyo nāvabudhyate
 30 muhyatā tu manuṣyeṇa praṣṭavyāḥ suhṛdo budhāḥ
     te ca pṛṣṭā yathā brūyus tat kartavyaṃ tathā bhavet
 31 te vayaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ ca gāndhārīṃ ca sametya ha
     upapṛcchāmahe gatvā viduraṃ ca mahāmatim
 32 te pṛṣṭāś ca vadeyur yac chreyo naḥ samanantaram
     tad asmābhiḥ punaḥ kāryam iti me naiṣṭhikī matiḥ
 33 anārambhāt tu kāryāṇāṃ nārthasaṃpadyate kva cit
     kṛte puruṣakāre ca yeṣāṃ kāryaṃ na sidhyati
     daivenopahatās te tu nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

2

Kripa said, "We have heard all that thou hast said, O puissant one! Listen, however, to a few words of mine, O mighty armed one! All men are subjected to and governed by these two forces, Destiny and Exertion. There is nothing higher than these two. Our acts do not become successful in consequence of destiny alone, nor of exertion alone, O best of men! Success springs from the union of the two. All purposes, high and low, are dependent on a union of those two. In the whole world, it is through these two that men are seen to act as also to abstain. What result is produced by the clouds pouring upon a mountain? What results are not produced by them pouring upon a cultivated field? Exertion, where destiny is not auspicious, and absence of exertion where destiny is auspicious, both these are fruitless! What I have said before (about the union of the two) is the truth. If the rains properly moisten a well-tilled soil, the seed produces great results. Human success is of this nature.
Sometimes, Destiny, having settled a course of events, acts of itself (without waiting for exertion). For all that, the wise, aided by skill have recourse to exertion. All the purposes of human acts, O bull among men, are accomplished by the aid of those two together. Influenced by these two, men are seen to strive or abstain. Recourse may be had to exertion. But exertion succeeds through destiny. It is in consequence also of destiny that one who sets himself to work, depending on exertion, attains to success. The exertion, however, of even a competent man, even when well directed, is without the concurrence of destiny, seen in the world to be unproductive of fruit. Those, therefore, among men, that are idle and without intelligence, disapprove of exertion. This however, is not the opinion of the wise.
Generally, an act performed is not seen to be unproductive of fruit in the world. The absent of action, again, is seen to be productive of grave misery. A person obtaining something of itself without having made any efforts, as also one not obtaining anything even after exertion, is not to be seen. One who is busy in action is capable of supporting life. He, on the other hand, that is idle, never obtains happiness. In this world of men it is generally seen that they that are addicted to action are always inspired by the desire of earning good. If one devoted to action succeeds in gaining his object or fails to obtain the fruit of his acts, he does not become censurable in any respect. If anyone in the world is seen to luxuriously enjoy the fruits of action without doing any action, he is generally seen to incur ridicule and become an object of hatred. He who, disregarding this rule about action, liveth otherwise, is said to do an injury to himself. This is the opinion of those that are endued with intelligence.
Efforts become unproductive of fruits in consequence of these two reasons: destiny without exertion and exertion without destiny. Without exertion, no act in this world becomes successful. Devoted to action and endued with skill, that person, however, who, having bowed down to the gods, seeks, the accomplishment of his objects, is never lost. The same is the case with one who, desirous of success, properly waits upon the aged, asks of them what is for his good, and obeys their beneficial counsels. Men approved by the old should always be solicited for counsel while one has recourse to exertion. These men are the infallible root of means, and success is dependent on means. He who applies his efforts after listening to the words of the old, soon reaps abundant fruits from those efforts. That man who, without reverence and respect for others (capable of giving him good counsel), seeks the accomplishment of his purposes, moved by passion, anger, fear, and avarice, soon loses his prosperity.
This Duryodhana, stained by covetousness and bereft of foresight, had without taking counsel, foolishly commenced to seek the accomplishment of an undigested project. Disregarding all his well-wishers and taking counsel with only the wicked, he had, though dissuaded, waged hostilities with the Pandavas who are his superiors in all good qualities. He had, from the beginning, been very wicked. He could not restrain himself. He did not do the bidding of friends. For all that, he is now burning in grief and amid calamity. As regards ourselves since we have followed that sinful wretch, this great calamity hath, therefore, overtaken us! This great calamity has scorched my understanding. Plunged in reflection, I fail to see what is for our good!
A man that is stupefied himself should ask counsel of his friends. In such friends he hath his understanding, his humility, and his prosperity. One's actions should have their root in them. That should be done which intelligent friends, having settled by their understanding, should counsel. Let us, therefore, repair to Dhritarashtra and Gandhari and the high-souled Vidura and ask them as what we should do. Asked by us, they will say what, after all this, is for our good. We should do what they say. Even this is my certain resolution. Those men whose acts do not succeed even after the application of exertion, should, without doubt, be regarded as afflicted by destiny."

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 3

 

1 [s]
      kṛpasya vacanaṃ śrutvā dharmārthasahitaṃ śubham
      aśvatthāmā mahārāja duḥkhaśokasamanvitaḥ
  2 dahyamānas tu śokena pradīptenāgninā yathā
      krūraṃ manas tataḥ kṛtvā tāv ubhau pratyabhāṣata
  3 puruṣe puruṣe buddhiḥ sā sā bhavati śobhanā
      tuṣyanti ca pṛthak sarve prajñayā te svayā svayā
  4 sarvo hi manyate loka ātmānaṃ buddhimattaram
      sarvasyātmā bahumataḥ sarvātmānaṃ praśaṃsati
  5 sarvasya hi svakā prajñā sādhuvāde pratiṣṭhitā
      parabuddhiṃ ca nindanti svāṃ praśaṃsanti cāsakṛt
  6 kāraṇāntara yogena yoge yeṣāṃ samā matiḥ
      te 'nyonyena ca tuṣyanti bahu manyanti cāsakṛt
  7 tasyaiva tu manuṣyasya sā sā buddhis tadā tadā
      kālayogaviparyāsaṃ prāpyānyonyaṃ vipadyate
  8 acintyatvād dhi cittānāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ
      cittavaikalyam āsādya sā sā buddhiḥ prajāyate
  9 yathā hi vaidyaḥ kuśalo jñātvā vyādhiṃ yathāvidhi
      bheṣajaṃ kurute yogāt praśamārtham ihābhibho
  10 evaṃ kāryasya yogārthaṃ buddhiṃ kurvanti mānavāḥ
     prajñayā hi svayā yuktās tāṃ ca nindati mānavāḥ
 11 anyayā yauvane martyo buddhyā bhavati mohitaḥ
     madhye 'nyayā jarāyāṃ tu so 'nyāṃ rocayate matim
 12 vyasanaṃ vā punar ghoraṃ samṛddhiṃ vāpi tādṛśīm
     avāpya puruṣo bhoja kurute buddhivaikṛtam
 13 ekasminn eva puruṣe sā sā buddhis tadā tadā
     bhavaty anitya prajñatvāt sā tasyaiva na rocate
 14 niścitya tu yathā prajñaṃ yāṃ matiṃ sādhu paśyati
     tasyāṃ prakurute bhāvaṃ sā tasyodyoga kārikā
 15 sarvo hi puruṣo bhoja sādhv etad iti niścitaḥ
     kartum ārabhate prīto maraṇādiṣu karmasu
 16 sarve hi yuktiṃ vijñāya prajñāṃ cāpi svakāṃ narāḥ
     ceṣṭante vividhāś ceṣṭā hitam ity eva jānate
 17 upajātā vyasanajā yeyam adya matir mama
     yuvayos tāṃ pravakṣyāmi mama śokavināśinīm
 18 prajāpatiḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā karma tāsu vidhāya ca
     varṇe varṇe samāddhatta ekaikaṃ guṇavattaram
 19 brāhmaṇe damam avyagraṃ kṣatriye teja uttamam
     dākṣyaṃ vaiśye ca śūdre ca sarvavarṇānukūlatām
 20 adānto brāhmaṇo 'sādhur nistejāḥ kṣatriyo 'dhamaḥ
     adakṣo nindyate vaiśyaḥ śūdraś ca pratikūlavān
 21 so 'smi jātaḥ kule śreṣṭhe brāhmaṇānāṃ supūjite
     mandabhāgyatayāsmy etaṃ kṣatradharmam anu ṣṭhitaḥ
 22 kṣatradharmaṃ viditvāhaṃ yadi brāhmaṇy asaṃśritam
     prakuryāṃ sumahat karma na me tat sādhu saṃmatam
 23 dhārayitvā dhanur vidyaṃ divyāny astrāṇi cāhave
     pitaraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi saṃsadi
 24 so 'ham adya yathākāmaṃ kṣatradharmam upāsya tam
     gantāsmi padavīṃ rājñaḥ pituś cāpi mahādyuteḥ
 25 adya svapsyanti pāñcālā viśvastā jitakāśinaḥ
     vimuktayugya kavacā harṣeṇa ca samanvitāḥ
     vayaṃ jitā matāś caiṣāṃ śrāntā vyāyam anena ca
 26 teṣāṃ niśi prasuptānāṃ svasthānāṃ śibire svake
     avaskandaṃ kariṣyāmi śibirasyādya duṣkaram
 27 tān avaskandya śibire pretabhūtān vicetasaḥ
     sūdayiṣyāmi vikramya maghavān iva dānavān
 28 adya tān sahitān sarvān dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamān
     sūdayiṣyāmi vikramya kakṣaṃ dīpta ivānalaḥ
     nihatya caiva pāñcālāñ śāntiṃ labdhāsmi sattama
 29 pāñcāleṣu cariṣyāmi sūdayann adya saṃyuge
     pināka pāṇiḥ saṃkruddhaḥ svayaṃ rudraḥ paśuṣv iva
 30 adyāhaṃ sarvapāñcālān nihatya ca nikṛtya ca
     ardayiṣyāmi saṃkruddho raṇe pāṇḍusutāṃs tathā
 31 adyāhaṃ sarvapāñcālaiḥ kṛtvā bhūmiṃ śarīriṇīm
     prahṛtyaikaikaśas tebhyo bhaviṣyāmy anṛṇaḥ pituḥ
 32 duryodhanasya karṇasya bhīṣma saindhavayor api
     gamayiṣyāmi pāñcālān padavīm adya durgamām
 33 adya pāñcālarājasya dhṛṣṭadyumnasya vai niśi
     virātre pramathiṣyāmi paśor iva śiro balāt
 34 adya pāñcāla pāṇḍūnāṃ śayitān ātmajān niśi
     khaḍgena niśitenājau pramathiṣyāmi gautama
 35 adya pāñcāla senāṃ tāṃ nihatya niśi sauptike
     kṛtakṛtyaḥ sukhī caiva bhaviṣyāmi mahāmate

 

3

Sanjaya said, "Hearing these words of Kripa that were auspicious and fraught with morality and profit, Ashvatthama, O monarch, became overwhelmed with sorrow and grief. Burning with grief as if with a blazing fire, he formed a wicked resolution and then addressed them both saying, "The faculty of understanding is different in different men. Each man, however, is pleased with own understanding. Every man regards himself more intelligent than others. Everyone respects his own understanding and accords it great praise. Everyone's own wisdom is with every one a subject of praise. Everyone speaks ill of the wisdom of others, and well of his own, in all instances. Men whose judgements agree with respect to any unattained object, even though there be a variety of considerations, become gratified with and applaud one another. The judgements, again, of the same men, overwhelmed with reverses through the influence of time, become opposed to one another. More particularly, in consequence of the diversity of human intellects, judgements necessarily differ when intellects are clouded.
As a skilful physician, having duly diagnosed a disease, prescribes a medicine by the application of his intelligence for effecting a cure, even so men, for the accomplishment of their acts, use their intelligence, aided by their own wisdom. What they do is again disapproved by others. A man, in youth, is affected by one kind of understanding. In middle age, the same does not prevail with him, and in the period of decay, a different kind of understanding becomes agreeable to him. When fallen into terrible distress or when visited by great prosperity, the understanding of a person, O chief of the Bhojas, is seen to be much afflicted. In one and the same person, through want of wisdom, the understanding becomes different at different times. That understanding which at one time is acceptable becomes the reverse of that at another time.
Having resolved, however, according to one's wisdom, that resolution which is excellent should be endeavoured to be accomplished. Such resolution, therefore, should force him to put forth exertion. All persons, O chief of the Bhojas, joyfully begin to act, even in respect of enterprises that lead to death, in the belief that those enterprises are achievable by them. All men, relying on their own judgements and wisdom, endeavour to accomplish diverse purposes, knowing them to be beneficial. The resolution that has possessed my mind today in consequence of our great calamity, as something that is capable of dispelling my grief, I will now disclose unto both of you.
The Creator, having formed his creatures, assigned unto each his occupation. As regards the different orders, he gave unto each a portion of excellence. Unto brahmanas he assigned that foremost of all things, the Veda. Unto the kshatriya he assigned superior energy. Unto the vaishya he gave skill, and unto the shudra he gave the duty of serving the three other classes. Hence, a brahmana without self-restraint is censurable. A kshatriya without energy is base. A vaishya without skill is worthy of dispraise, as also a shudra who is bereft of humility (to the other orders).
I am born in an adorable and high family of brahmanas. Through ill-luck, however, I am wedded to kshatriya practices. If, conversant as I am with kshatriya duties, I adopt now the duties of a brahmana and achieve a high object (the purification of self under such injuries), that course would not be consistent with nobleness. I hold an excellent bow and excellent weapons in battle. If I do not avenge the slaughter of my sire, how shall I open my mouth in the midst of men? Paying regard to kshatriya duties, therefore, without hesitation, I shall today walk in the steps of my high-souled sire and the king.
The Pancalas, elated with victory, will trustfully sleep tonight, having put off their armour and in great glee, and filled with happiness at the thought of the victory they have won, and spent with toil and exertion. While sleeping at their ease during the night within their own camp, I shall make a great and terrible assault upon their camp. Like Maghavat slaying the danavas, I shall, attacking them while senseless and dead in sleep in their camp, slay them all, putting forth my prowess. Like a blazing fire consuming a heap of dry grass, I shall slay all of them assembled in one place with their leader Dhrishtadyumna! Having slain the Pancalas, I shall obtain peace of mind, O best of men! While engaged in the act of slaughter, I shall career in their midst like the wielder of Pinaka, Rudra himself, in rage among living creatures. Having cut off and slain all the Pancalas today, I shall then, in joy, afflict the sons of Pandu in battle. Taking their lives one after another and causing the earth to be strewn with the bodies of all the Pancalas, I shall pay off the debt I owe to my sire. I shall today make the Pancalas follow in the wake, hard to tread, of Duryodhana and Karna and Bhishma, and the ruler of the Sindhus. Putting forth my might, I shall tonight grind the head, like that of any animal, of Dhrishtadyumna, the king of the Pancalas! I shall tonight, O son of Gautama, cut off with my sharp sword, in battle, the sleeping sons of the Pancalas and the Pandavas. Having exterminated the Pancalas army tonight while sunk in sleep, I shall, O thou of great intelligence, obtain great happiness and regard myself to have done my duty!"

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 4

 

 

 1 [kṛpa]
      diṣṭyā te pratikartavye matir jāteyam acyuta
      na tvā vārayituṃ śakto vajrapāṇir api svayam
  2 anuyāsyāvahe tvāṃ tu prabhāte sahitāv ubhau
      adya rātrau viśramasva vimuktakavacadhvajaḥ
  3 ahaṃ tvām anuyāsmyāmi kṛtavarmā ca sātvatah
      parān abhimukhaṃ yāntaṃ rathāv āsthāya daṃśitau
  4 āvābhyāṃ sahitaḥ śatrūñ śvo 'si hantā samāgame
      vikramya rathināṃ śreṣṭha pāñcālān sapadānugān
  5 śaktas tvam asi vikrāntuṃ viśramasva niśām imām
      ciraṃ te jāgratas tāta svapa tāvan niśām imām
  6 viśrāntaś ca vinidraś ca svasthacittaś ca mānada
      sametya samare śatrūn vadhiṣyasi na saṃśayaḥ
  7 na hi tvā rathināṃ śreṣṭha pragṛhītavayāyudham
      jetum utsahate kaś cid api deveṣu pāvakiḥ
  8 kṛpeṇa sahitaṃ yāntaṃ yuktaṃ ca kṛtavarmaṇā
      ko drauṇiṃ yudhi saṃrabdhaṃ yodhayed api devarāṭ
  9 te vayaṃ pariviśrāntā vinidrā vigatajvarāḥ
      prabhātāyāṃ rajanyāṃ vai nihaniṣyāma śātravān
  10 tava hy astrāṇi divyāni mama caiva na saṃśayaḥ
     sātvato 'pi maheṣvāso nityaṃ yuddheṣu kovidaḥ
 11 te vayaṃ sahitās tāta sarvāñ śatrūn samāgatān
     prasahya samare hatvā prītiṃ prāpsyāma puṣkalām
     viśramasva tvam avyagraḥ svapa cemāṃ niśāṃ sukham
 12 ahaṃ ca kṛtavarmā ca prayāntaṃ tvāṃ narottama
     anuyāsyāva sahitau dhanvinau paratāpinau
     rathinaṃ tvarayā yāntaṃ rathāv āsthāya daṃśitau
 13 sa gatvā śibiraṃ teṣāṃ nāma viśrāvya cāhave
     tataḥ kartāsi śatrūṇāṃ yudhyatāṃ kadanaṃ mahat
 14 kṛtvā ca kadanaṃ teṣāṃ prabhāte vimale 'hani
     viharasva yathā śakraḥ sūdayitvā mahāsurān
 15 tvaṃ hi śakto raṇe jetuṃ pāñcālānāṃ varūthinīm
     daitya senām iva kruddhaḥ sarvadānava sūdanaḥ
 16 mayā tvāṃ sahitaṃ saṃkhye guptaṃ ca kṛtavartmaṇā
     na saheta vibhuḥ sākṣād vajrapāṇir api svayam
 17 na cāhaṃ samare tāta kṛtavarmā tathaiva ca
     anirjitya raṇe pāṇḍdūn vyapayāsyāva karhi cit
 18 hatvā ca samare kṣudrān pāñcālān pāṇḍubhiḥ saha
     nivartiṣyāmahe sarve hatā vā svargagā vayam
 19 sarvopāyaiḥ sahāyās te prabhāte vayam eva hi
     satyam etan mahābāho prabravīmi tavānagha
 20 evam uktas tato drauṇir mātulena hitaṃ vacaḥ
     abravīn mātulaṃ rājan krodhād udvṛtya locane
 21 āturasya kuto nidrā narasyāmarṣitasya ca
     arthāṃś cintayataś cāpi kāmayānasya vā punaḥ
 22 tad idaṃ samanuprāptaṃ paśya me 'dya catuṣṭayam
     yasya bhāgaś caturtho me svapnam ahnāya nāśayet
 23 kiṃnāma duḥkhaṃ loke 'smin pitur vadham anusmaran
     hṛdayaṃ nirdahan me 'dya rātryahāni na śāmyati
 24 yathā ca nihataḥ pāpaiḥ pitā mama viśeṣataḥ
     pratyakṣam api te sarvaṃ tan me marmāṇi kṛntati
 25 kathaṃ hi mādṛśo loke muhūrtam api jīvati
     droṇo hateti yad vācaḥ pāñcālānāṃ śṛṇomy aham
 26 dṛṣṭadyumnam ahatvājau nāhaṃ jīvitum utsahe
     sa me pitṛvadhād vadhyaḥ pāñcālā ye ca saṃgatāḥ
 27 vilāpo bhagnasakthasya yas tu rājño mayā śrutaḥ
     sa punar hṛdayaṃ kasya krūrasyāpi na nirdahet
 28 kasya hy akaruṇasyāpi netrābhyām aśnu nāvrajet
     nṛpater bhagnasakthasya śrutvā tādṛg vacaḥ punaḥ
 29 yaś cāyaṃ mitra pakṣo me mayi jīvati nirjitaḥ
     śokaṃ me vardhayaty eṣa vārivega ivārṇavam
     ekāgramanaso me 'dya kuto nidrā kutaḥ sukham
 30 vāsudevārjunābhyāṃ hi tān ahaṃ parirakṣitān
     aviṣahyatamān manye mahendreṇāpi mātula
 31 na cāsmi śakyaḥ saṃyantum asmāt kāryāt kathaṃ cana
     na taṃ paśyāmi loke 'smin yo māṃ kāryān nivartayet
     iti me niścitā buddhir eṣā sādhumatā ca me
 32 vārttikaiḥ kathyamānas tu mitrāṇāṃ me parābhavaḥ
     pāṇḍavānāṃ ca vijayo hṛdayaṃ dahatīva me
 33 ahaṃ tu kadanaṃ kṛtvā śatrūṇām adya sauptike
     tato viśramitā caiva svaptā ca vigatajvaraḥ

 

 

4

Kripa said, "By good luck, O thou of unfading glory, thy heart is set today on vengeance. The wielder of the thunder himself will not succeed in dissuading thee today. Both of us, however, shall accompany thee in the morning. Putting off thy armour and taking down thy standard, take rest for this night. I shall accompany thee, as also Kritavarma of the Satvata race, clad in mail and riding on our cars, while thou shalt proceed against the foe. United with ourselves, thou shalt slay the foes, the Pancalas with all their followers, tomorrow in press of battle, putting forth thy prowess, O foremost of car-warriors! If thou puttest forth thy prowess, thou art quite competent to achieve that fear! Take rest, therefore, for this night. Thou hast kept thyself awake for many a night. Having rested and slept, and having become quite refreshed, O giver of honours, encounter the foe in battle! Thou shalt then slay the enemy, without doubt. No one, not even Vasava amongst the gods, would venture to vanquish thee armed with foremost of weapons, O first of car-warriors! Who is there that would, even if he be the chief of the gods himself, fight Drona's son, when the latter proceeds, accompanied by Kripa and protected by Kritavarma? Therefore, having rested and slept this night and shaken off fatigue, we shall slay the foe tomorrow morning! Thou art a master of celestial weapons. I also am so, without doubt. This hero of Satvata's race is a mighty bowman, always skilled in battle. All of us, uniting together, O son, shall succeed in slaying our assembled foes in battle by putting forth our might. Great shall be our happiness then! Dispelling thy anxieties, rest for this night and sleep happily! Myself and Kritavarma, both armed with bows and capable of scorching our enemies, will, clad in mail, follow thee, O best of men, while thou shalt proceed on thy car against the enemy. Proceeding to their camp and proclaiming thy name in battle, thou shalt then make a great slaughter of the foe. Tomorrow morning, in broad daylight, having caused a great slaughter among them thou shalt sport like Shakra after the slaughter of great asuras. Thou art quite competent to vanquish the army of the Pancalas in battle like the slayer of the danavas in vanquishing in rage the danava host. United with myself in battle and protected by Kritavarma, thou art incapable of being withstood by the wielder of the thunderbolt himself.
Neither I, O son, nor Kritavarma, will ever retreat from battle without having vanquished the Pandavas! Having slain the angry Pancalas along with the Pandavas, we shall come away, or slain by them, we shall proceed to heaven. By every means in our power, we two shall render thee assistance in battle tomorrow morning. O thou of mighty arms, I tell thee the truth, O sinless one!"
Addressed in these beneficial words by his maternal uncle, the son of Drona, with eyes red in rage, answered his uncle, O king, saying, ‘Where can a person that is afflicted, or one that is under the influence of rage, or one whose heart is always engaged in revolving projects for the acquisition of wealth, or one that is under the power of lust, obtain sleep? Behold, all these four causes are present in my case. Anyone of these, singly would destroy sleep. How great is the grief of that person whose heart is always thinking of the slaughter of his sire! My heart is now burning day and night. I fail to obtain peace. The way in which my sire in particular was slain by those sinful wretches hath been witnessed by you all. The thought of that slaughter is cutting all my vitals. How could a person like me live for even a moment after hearing the Pancalas say that they have slain my father? I cannot bear the thought of supporting life without having slain Dhrishtadyumna in battle. In consequence of the slaughter of my father he hath become slayable by me, as also all with whom he is united. Who is there so hard-hearted that would not burn after having heard the lamentations that I have heard of the king lying with broken thighs? Who is there so destitute of compassion whose eyes would not be filled with tears after hearing such words uttered by the king with broken thighs? They whose side was adopted by me have been vanquished. The thought of this enhances my sorrow as a rush of waters enhances the sea.
Protected as they are by Vasudeva and Arjuna, I regard them, O uncle, to be irresistible by the great Indra himself. I am unable to restrain this rising wrath in my heart. I do not behold the man in this world that can assuage this wrath of mine! The messengers informed me of the defeat of my friends and the victory of the Pandavas. That is burning my heart. Having however, caused a slaughter of my enemies during their sleep, I shall then take rest and shall then sleep without anxiety."

 

Book 10
Chapter 5

 

 

1 [k]
      śuśrūṣur api durmedhāḥ puruṣo 'niyatendriyaḥ
      nālaṃ vedayituṃ kṛtsnau dharmārthāv iti me matiḥ
  2 tathaiva tāvan medhāvī vinayaṃ yo na śikṣati
      na ca kiṃ cana jānāti so 'pi dharmārthaniścayam
  3 śuśrūṣus tv eva medhāvī puruṣo niyatendriyaḥ
      jānīyād āgamān sarvān grāhyaṃ ca na virodhayet
  4 aneyas tv avamānī yo durātmā pāpapūruṣaḥ
      diṣṭam utsṛjya kalyāṇaṃ karoti bahu pāpakam
  5 nāthavantaṃ tu suhṛdaḥ pratiṣedhanti pātakāt
      nivartate tu lakṣmīvān nālakṣmīvān nivartate
  6 yathā hy uccāvacair vākyaiḥ kṣiptacitto niyamyate
      tathaiva suhṛdā śakyo na śakyas tv avasīdati
  7 tathaiva suhṛdaṃ prājñaṃ kurvāṇaṃ karma pāpakam
      prājñāḥ saṃpratiṣedhante yathāśakti punaḥ punaḥ
  8 sa kalyāṇe matiṃ kṛtvā niyamyātmānam ātmanā
      kuru me vacanaṃ tāta yena paścān na tapyase
  9 na vadhaḥ pūjyate loke suptānām iha dharmataḥ
      tathaiva nyastaśastrāṇāṃ vimuktarathavājinām
  10 ye ca brūyus tavāsmīti ye ca syuḥ śaraṇāgatāḥ
     vimuktamūrdhajā ye ca ye cāpi hatavāhanāḥ
 11 adya svapsyanti pāñcālā vimuktakavacā vibho
     viśvastā rajanīṃ sarve pretā iva vicetasaḥ
 12 yas teṣāṃ tadavasthānāṃ druhyeta puruṣo 'nṛjuḥ
     vyaktaṃ sa narake majjed agādhe vipule 'plave
 13 sarvāstraviduṣāṃ loke śreṣṭhas tvam asi viśrutaḥ
     na ca te jātu loke 'smin susūkṣmam api kilbiṣam
 14 tvaṃ punaḥ sūryasaṃkāśaḥ śvobhūta udite ravau
     prakāśe sarvabhūtānāṃ vijetā yudhi śātravān
 15 asaṃbhāvita rūpaṃ hi tvayi karma vigarhitam
     śukle raktam iva nyastaṃ bhaved iti matir mama
 16 [aṣv]
     evam etad yathāttha tvam anuśāsmīha mātula
     tais tu pūrvamayaṃ setuḥ śatadhā vidalī kṛtaḥ
 17 pratyakṣaṃ bhūmipālānāṃ bhavatāṃ cāpi saṃnidhau
     nyastaśastro mama pitā dhṛṣṭadyumnena pātitaḥ
 18 karṇaś ca patite cakre rathasya rathināṃ varaḥ
     uttame vyasane sanno hato gāṇḍīvadhanvanā
 19 tathā śāṃtanavo bhīṣmo nyastaśastro nirāyudhaḥ
     śikhaṇḍinaṃ puraskṛtya hato gāṇḍīvadhanvanā
 20 bhūriśravā maheṣvāsas tathā prāya gato raṇe
     krośatāṃ bhūmipālānāṃ yuyudhānena pātitaḥ
 21 duryodhanaś ca bhīmena sametya gadayā mṛdhe
     paśyatāṃ bhūmipālānām adharmeṇa nipātitaḥ
 22 ekākī bahubhis tatra parivārya mahārathaiḥ
     adharmeṇa naravyāghro bhīmasenena pātitaḥ
 23 vilāpo bhagnasakthasya yo me rājñaḥ pariśrutaḥ
     vārttikānāṃ kathayatāṃ sa me marmāṇi kṛntati
 24 evam adhārmikāḥ pāpāḥ pāñcālā bhinnasetavaḥ
     tān evaṃ bhinnamaryādān kiṃ bhavān na vigarhati
 25 pitṛhantṝn ahaṃ hatvā pāñcālān niśi sauptike
     kāmaṃ kīṭaḥ pataṃgo vā janma prāpya bhavāmi vai
 26 tvare cāham anenādya yad idaṃ me cikīrṣitam
     tasya me tvaramāṇasya kuto nidrā kutaḥ sukham
 27 na sa jātaḥ pumāṁl loke kaś cin na ca bhaviṣyati
     yo me vyāvartayed etāṃ vadhe teṣāṃ kṛtāṃ matim
 28 [s]
     evam uktvā mahārāja droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān
     ekānte yojayitvāśvān prāyād abhimukhaḥ parān
 29 tam abrūtāṃ mahātmānau bhojaśāradvatāv ubhau
     kim ayaṃ syandano yuktaḥ kiṃ ca kāryaṃ cikīrṣitam
 30 ekasārthaṃ prayātau svas tvayā saha nararṣabha
     samaduḥkhasukhau caiva nāvāṃ śaṅkitum arhasi
 31 aśvatthāmā tu saṃkruddhaḥ pitur vadham anusmaran
     tābhyāṃ tathyaṃ tadācakhyau yad asyātma cikīrṣitam
 32 hatvā śatasahasrāṇi yodhānāṃ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     nyastaśastro mama pitā dhṛṣṭadyumnena pātitaḥ
 33 taṃ tathaiva haniṣyāmi nyastavarmāṇam adya vai
     putraṃ pāñcālarājasya pāpaṃ pāpena karmaṇā
 34 kathaṃ ca nihataḥ pāpaḥ pāñcālaḥ paśuvan mayā
     śastrāhava jitāṃ lokān prāpnuyād iti me matiḥ
 35 kṣipraṃ saṃnaddha kavacau sakhaḍgāv āttakārmukau
     samāsthāya pratīkṣetāṃ rathavaryau paraṃtapau
 36 ity uktvā ratham āsthāya prāyād abhimukhaḥ parān
     tam anvagāt kṛpo rājan kṛtavarmā ca sātvataḥ
 37 te prayātā vyarocanta parān abhimukhās trayaḥ
     hūyamānā yathā yajñe samiddhā havyavāhanāḥ
 38 yayuś ca śibiraṃ teṣāṃ saṃprasupta janaṃ vibho
     dvāradeśaṃ tu saṃprāpya drauṇis tasthau rathottame

5

Kripa said, "A person who is bereft of intelligence and who hath not his passions under control, cannot, even if he waits dutifully upon his superiors, understand all the considerations of morality. This is my opinion. Similarly, an intelligent person who does not practise humility fails to understand the settled conclusions of morality. A brave man, if bereft of understanding, by waiting all his life upon a learned person fails to know his duties, like a wooden ladle unable to taste the juicy soup (in which it may lie immersed). The wise man, however, by waiting upon a learned person for even a moment, succeeds in knowing his duties, like the tongue tasting the juicy soup (as soon as it comes into contact with the latter). That person who is endued with intelligence, who waits upon his superiors, and who has his passions under control succeeds in knowing all the rules of morality and never disputes with what is accepted by all. An ungovernable, irreverent, and sinful person of wicked soul perpetrates sin in seeking his well-being by disregarding destiny.
Well-wishers seek to restrain a friend from sin. He who suffers himself to be dissuaded, succeeds in winning prosperity. He that does otherwise reaps misery. As a person of disordered brains is restrained by soothing words, even so should a friend be restrained by well-wishers. He that suffers himself to be so restrained never becomes a prey to misery. When a wise friend is about to perpetrate a wicked act, well-wishers possessed of wisdom repeatedly and according to the extent of their power endeavour to restrain him. Setting thy heart on what is truly beneficial, and restraining thyself by thy own self, do my bidding, O son, so that thou mayst not have to repent afterwards.
In this world, the slaughter of sleeping persons is not applauded, agreeably to the dictates of religion. The same is the case with persons that have laid down their arms and come down from cars and steeds. They also are unslayable who say ‘We are thine!' and they that surrender themselves, and they whose locks are dishevelled, and they whose animals have been killed under them or whose cars have been broken. All the Pancalas will sleep tonight. O lord, divesting themselves of armour. Trustfully sunk in sleep, they will be like dead men. That crooked-minded man who would wage hostility with them then, it is evident, would sink in deep and limitless hell without a raft save himself. In this world thou art celebrated as the foremost of all persons conversant with weapons. Thou hast not as yet committed even a minute trespass. When the sun rises next morning and light shall discover all things, thyself, like a second sun in effulgence wilt conquer the foe in battle. This censurable deed, so impossible in one like thee, will look like a red spot on a white sheet. Even this is my opinion."
Ashvatthama said, "Without doubt, it is even so, O maternal uncle, as thou sayest. The Pandavas, however, have before this broken the bridge of righteousness into a hundred fragments. In the very sight of all the kings, before thy eyes also, my sire, after he had laid down his weapons, was slain by Dhrishtadyumna. Karna also, that foremost of car-warriors, after the wheel of his car had sunk and he had been plunged into great distress, was slain by the wielder of gandiva. Similarly, Shantanu's son Bhishma, after he had laid aside his weapons and become disarmed, was slain by Arjuna with Shikhandi placed in his van. So also, the mighty bowman Bhurishrava, while observant of the praya vow on the field of battle, was slain by Yuyudhana in total disregard of the cries of all the kings! Duryodhana too, having encountered Bhima in battle with the mace, hath been slain unrighteously by the former in the very sight of all the lords of earth. The king was all alone in the midst of a large number of mighty car-warriors standing around him. Under such circumstances was that tiger among men slain by Bhimasena. Those lamentations that I have heard, of the king lying prostrate on the earth with his thighs broken, from the messengers circulating the news, are cutting the very core of my heart. The unrighteous and sinful Pancalas, who have broken down the barrier of virtue, are even such. Why do you not censure them who have transgressed all considerations? Having slain the Pancalas, those slayers of my sire, in the night when they are buried in sleep, I care not if I am born a worm or a winged insect in my next life. That which I have resolved is hurrying me towards its accomplishment. Hurried as I am by it, how can I have sleep and happiness? That man is not yet born in the world, nor will be, who will succeed in baffling this resolution that I have formed for their destruction."
Sanjaya continued, "Having said these words, O monarch, the valiant son of Drona yoked his steeds to his car at a corner and set out towards the direction of his enemies. Then Bhoja and Sharadvata's son, those high-souled persons, addressed him, saying, "Why dost thou yoke the steeds to thy car? Upon what business art thou bent? We are determined to accompany thee tomorrow, O bull among men! We sympathise with thee in weal and woe. It behoveth thee not to mistrust us. Remembering the slaughter of his sire, Ashvatthama in rage told them truly about the feat that he had resolved to accomplish. When my sire, having slain hundreds and thousands of warriors with keen shafts, had laid aside his weapons, he was then slain by Dhrishtadyumna. I shall slay that slayer today in a similar condition that is, when he will have laid aside his armour. The sinful son of the king of the Pancalas I shall today slay by a sinful act. It is my resolve to slay like an animal that sinful prince of the Pancalas in such a way that he may not attain to regions earned by persons slain with weapons! Put on your coats of mail without delay and take your bows and swords, and wait for me here, ye foremost of car-warrior and scorchers of foes."
Having said these words, Ashvatthama got upon his car and set out towards the direction of the enemy. Then Kripa, O king, and Kritavarma of the Satvata race, both followed him. While the three proceeded against the enemy, they shone like three blazing fires in a sacrifice, fed with libations of clarified butter. They proceeded, O lord, towards the camp of the Pancalas within which everybody was asleep. Having approached the gate, Drona's son, that mighty car-warrior, stopped."

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 6

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      dvāradeśe tato drauṇim avasthitam avekṣya tau
      akurvatāṃ bhojakṛpau kiṃ saṃjaya vadasva me
  2 [s]
      kṛtavarmāṇam āmantrya kṛpaṃ ca sa mahāratham
      drauṇir manyuparītātmā śibira dvāram āsadat
  3 tatra bhūtaṃ mahākāyaṃ candrārkasadṛśadyutim
      so 'paśyad dvāram āvṛtya tiṣṭhantaṃ lomaharṣaṇam
  4 vasānaṃ carmavaiyāghraṃ mahārudhiravisravam
      kṛṣṇājinottarāsaṅgaṃ nāgayajñopavītinam
  5 bāhubhiḥ svāyataiḥ pīnair nānāpraharaṇodyataiḥ
      baddhāṅgada mahāsarpaṃ jvālāmālā kulānanam
  6 daṃṣṭrākarāla vadanaṃ vyāditāsyaṃ bhayāvaham
      nayanānāṃ sahasraiś ca vicitrair abhibhūṣitam
  7 naiva tasya vapuḥ śakyaṃ pravaktuṃ veṣa eva vā
      sarvathā tu tad ālakṣya sphuṭeyur api parvatāḥ
  8 tasyāsyān nāsikābhyāṃ ca śravaṇābhyāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
      tebhyaś cākṣi sahasrebhyaḥ prādurāsan mahārciṣaḥ
  9 tathā tejo marīcibhyaḥ śaṅkhacakragadādharāḥ
      prādurāsan hṛṣīkeśāḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
  10 tad atyadbhutam ālokya bhūtaṃ lokabhayaṃkaram
     drauṇir avyathito divyair astravarṣair avākirat
 11 drauṇimuktāñ śarāṃs tāṃs tu tad bhūtaṃ mahad agrasat
     udadher iva vāryoghān pāvako vaḍavāmukhaḥ
 12 aśvatthāmā tu saṃprekṣya tāñ śaraughān nirarthakān
     rathaśaktiṃ mumocāsmai dīptām agniśikhām iva
 13 sā tadāhatya dīptāgrā rathaśaktir aśīryata
     yugānte sūryam āhatya mahokleva divaś cyutā
 14 atha hematsaruṃ divyaṃ khaḍgam ākāśavarcasam
     kośāt samudbabarhāśu bilād dīptam ivoragam
 15 tataḥ khaḍgavaraṃ dhīmān bhūtāya prāhiṇot tadā
     sa tadāsādya bhūtaṃ vai vilayaṃ tūlavad yayau
 16 tataḥ sa kupito drauṇir indraketunibhāṃ gadām
     jvalantīṃ prāhiṇot tasmai bhūtaṃ tām api cāgrasat
 17 tataḥ sarvāyudhābhāve vīkṣamāṇas tatas tataḥ
     apaśyat kṛtam ākāśam anākāśaṃ janārdanaiḥ
 18 tad adbhutatamaṃ dṛṣṭvā droṇaputro nirāyudhaḥ
     abravīd abhisaṃtaptaḥ kṛpa vākyam anusmaran
 19 bruvatām apriyaṃ pathyaṃ suhṛdāṃ na śṛṇoti yaḥ
     sa śocaty āpadaṃ prāpya yathāham ativartya tau
 20 śāstradṛṣṭān avadhyān yaḥ samatītya jighāṃsati
     sa pathaḥ pracyuto dharmyāt kupathaṃ pratipadyate
 21 gobrāhmaṇa nṛpa strīṣu sakhyur mātur guros tathā
     vṛddhabāla jaḍāndheṣu supta bhītotthiteṣu ca
 22 mattonmatta pramatteṣu na śastrāṇy upadhārayet
     ity evaṃ gurubhiḥ pūrvam upadiṣṭaṃ nṛṇāṃ sadā
 23 so 'ham utkramya panthānaṃ śāstradṛṣṭaṃ sanātanam
     amārgeṇaivam ārabhya ghorām āpadam āgataḥ
 24 tāṃ cāpadaṃ ghoratarāṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ
     yad udyamya mahat kṛtyaṃ bhayād api nivartate
 25 aśakyaṃ caiva kaḥ kartuṃ śaktaḥ śaktibalād iha
     na hi daivād garīyo vai mānuṣaṃ karma kathyate
 26 mānuṣaṃ kurvataḥ karma yadi daivān na sidhyati
     sa pathaḥ pracyuto dharmyād vipadaṃ pratipadyate
 27 pratighātaṃ hy avijñātaṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ
     yad ārabhya kriyāṃ kāṃ cid bhayād iha nivartate
 28 tad idaṃ duṣpraṇītena bhayaṃ māṃ samupasthitam
     na hi droṇa sutaḥ saṃkhye nivarteta kathaṃ cana
 29 idaṃ ca sumahad bhūtaṃ daivadaṇḍam ivodyatam
     na caitad abhijānāmi cintayann api sarvathā
 30 dhruvaṃ yeyam adharme me pravṛttā kaluṣā matiḥ
     tasyāḥ phalam idaṃ ghoraṃ pratighātāya dṛśyate
 31 tad idaṃ daivavihitaṃ mama saṃkhye nivartanam
     nānyatra daivād udyantum iha śakyaṃ kathaṃ cana
 32 so 'ham adya mahādevaṃ prapadye śaraṇaṃ prabhum
     daivadaṇḍam imaṃ ghoraṃ sa hi me nāśayiṣyati
 33 kapardinaṃ prapadyātha devadevam umāpatim
     kapālamālinaṃ rudraṃ bhaga netraharaṃ haram
 34 sa hi devo 'tyagād devāṃs tapasā vikrameṇa ca
     tasmāc charaṇam abhyeṣye giriśaṃ śūlapāṇinam

 

6

Dhritarashtra said, "Seeing Drona's son stop at the gate of the encampment, what, O Sanjaya, did those two mighty car-warriors, Kripa and Kritavarma, do? Tell me this!"
Sanjaya said, "Inviting Kritavarma, as also the mighty car-warrior Kripa, Drona's son, filled with rage, approached the gate of the camp. He there beheld a being of gigantic frame, capable of making the very hair stand on end, and possessed of the effulgence of the Sun or the Moon, guarding the entrance. Round his loins was a tiger-skin dripping with blood, and he had a black deer for his upper garment. He had for his sacred thread a large snake. His arms were long and massive and held many kinds of uplifted weapons. He had for his angadas a large snake wound round his upper arm. His mouth seemed to blaze with flames of fire. His teeth made his face terrible to behold. His mouth was open and dreadful. His face was adorned with thousands of beautiful eyes. His body was incapable of being described, as also his attire. The very mountains, upon beholding him, would split into a 1,000 fragments. Blazing flames of fire seemed to issue from his mouth and nose and ears and all those thousands of eyes. From those blazing flames hundreds and thousands of Hrishikeshas issued, armed with conchs and discs and maces.
Beholding that extraordinary being capable of inspiring the whole world with terror, Drona's son, without feeling any agitation, covered him with showers of celestial weapons. That being, however, devoured all those shafts shot by Drona's son. Like the vadava fire devouring the waters of the ocean, that being devoured the shafts sped by the son of Drona. Beholding his arrowy showers prove fruitless, Ashvatthama hurled at him a long dart blazing like a flame of fire. That dart of blazing point, striking against that being, broke into pieces like a huge meteor at the end of the yuga breaking and falling down from the firmament after striking against the Sun. Ashvatthama then, without losing a moment, drew from its sheath an excellent scimitar of the colour of the sky and endued with a golden hilt. The scimitar came out like a blazing snake from its hole. The intelligent son of Drona then hurled that excellent scimitar at that being. The weapon, approaching that being, disappeared within his body like a mongoose disappearing in its hole. Filled with rage, the son of Drona then hurled a blazing mace of the proportions of a pole set up in honour of Indra. The being devoured that mace also.
At last, when all his weapons were exhausted Ashvatthama, casting his eyes around, beheld the whole firmament densely crowded with images of Janardana. Drona's son, divested of weapons, beholding that wonderful sight, recollected the words of Kripa, and turning pale with grief, said, "He that listens not to the beneficial words of advising friends is obliged to repent, being overwhelmed with calamity, even as my foolish self for having disregarded my two well-wishers. That fool who, disregarding the way pointed out by the scriptures, seeketh to slay his enemies, falleth off from the path of righteousness and is lost in the trackless wilderness of sin. One should not cast weapons upon kine, brahmanas, kings, women, friends, one's own mother, one's own preceptor, a weak man, an idiot, a blind man, a sleeping man, a terrified man, one just arisen from sleep, an intoxicated person, a lunatic and one that is heedless. The preceptors of old always inculcated this truth upon men. I have, however, by disregarding the eternal way pointed out by the scriptures, and by essaying to tread in a wrong path, fallen into terrible distress. The wise have called that to be a terrible calamity when one falls back, through fear, from a great feat after having essayed to achieve it. I am unable, by putting forth only my skill and might, to achieve that which I have vowed.
Human exertion is never regarded more efficacious than destiny. If any human action that is commenced does not succeed through destiny, the actor becomes like one who falling off from the path of righteousness, is lost in the wilderness of sin. The sages speak of defeat as foolishness when one having commenced an act swerves from it through fear. In consequence of the wickedness of my essay, this great calamity has come upon me, otherwise Drona's son would never had been forced to hold back from battle. This being, again whom I see before me, is most wonderful! He stands there like the uplifted rod of divine chastisement. Reflecting even deeply, I cannot recognise who this being is. Without doubt, that being is the terrible fruit of this sinful determination of mine that I had essayed to achieve unrighteously. He standeth there for baffling that determination. It seems, therefore, that in my case this falling off from fight had been ordained by destiny. It is not for me to exert for the accomplishment of this my purpose unless destiny becomes favourable. I shall, therefore, at this hour, seek the protection of the puissant Mahadeva! He will dispel this dreadful rod of divine chastisement uplifted before me. I will take the shelter of that god, that source of everything beneficial, the lord of Uma, otherwise called Kapardin, decked with a garland of human skulls, that plucker of Bhaga's eyes called also Rudra and Hara. In ascetic austerities and prowess, he far surpasses all the gods. I shall, therefore, seek the protection of Girisha armed with the trident."

 

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 7

 

 

 1 [s]
      sa evaṃ cintayitvā tu droṇaputro viśāṃ pate
      avatīrya rathopasthād dadhyau saṃprayataḥ sthitaḥ
  2 [d]
      ugraṃ sthāṇuṃ śivaṃ rudraṃ śarvam īśānam īśvaram
      giriśaṃ varadaṃ devaṃ bhavaṃ bhāvanam avyayam
  3 śitikaṇṭham ajaṃ śakraṃ krathaṃ kratuharaṃ haram
      viśvarūpaṃ virūpākṣaṃ bahurūpam umāpatim
  4 śmaśānavāsinaṃ dṛptaṃ mahāgaṇapatiṃ prabhum
      khaṭvāṅgadhāriṇaṃ muṇḍaṃ jaṭilaṃ brahmacāriṇam
  5 manasāpy asucintyena duṣkareṇālpa cetasā
      so 'ham ātmopahāreṇa yakṣye tripuraghātinam
  6 stutaṃ stutyaṃ stūyamānam amoghaṃ carma vāsasam
      vilohitaṃ nīlakaṇṭham apṛkthaṃ durnivāraṇam
  7 śukraṃ viśvasṛjaṃ brahma brahmacāriṇam eva ca
      vratavantaṃ taponityam anantaṃ tapatāṃ gatim
  8 bahurūpaṃ gaṇādhyakṣaṃ tyakṣaṃ pāriṣada priyam
      gaṇādhyakṣekṣita mukhaṃ gaurī hṛdayaballabham
  9 kumāra pitaraṃ piṅgaṃ govṛṣottama vāhanam
      tanu vāsasam atyugram umā bhūṣaṇatatparam
  10 paraṃ parebhyaḥ paramaṃ paraṃ yasmān na vidyate
     iṣvastrottamabhartāraṃ dig antaṃ caiva dakṣiṇam
 11 hiraṇyakavacaṃ devaṃ candra maulivibhūṣitam
     prapadye śaraṇaṃ devaṃ parameṇa samādhinā
 12 imāṃ cāpy āpadaṃ ghorāṃ tarāmy adya sudustarām
     sarvabhūtopahāreṇa yakṣye 'haṃ śucinā śucim
 13 iti tasya vyavasitaṃ jñātvā tyāgātmakaṃ manaḥ
     purastāt kāñcanī vediḥ prādurāsīn mahātmanaḥ
 14 tasyāṃ vedyāṃ tadā rājaṃś citrabhānur ajāyata
     dyāṃ diśo vidiśaḥ khaṃ ca jvālābhir abhipūrayan
 15 dīptāsya nayanāś cātra naikapādaśiro bhujāḥ
     dvipaśailapratīkāśāḥ prādurāsan mahānanāḥ
 16 śvavarāhoṣṭra rūpāś ca hayagomāyu gomukhāḥ
     ṛkṣamārjāra vadanā vyāghradvīpimukhās tathā
 17 kākavaktrāḥ plava mukhāḥ śukavaktrās tathaiva ca
     mahājagara vaktrāś ca haṃsavaktrāḥ sitaprabhāḥ
 18 dārvāghāṭa mukhāś caiva cāṣa vaktrāś ca bhārata
     kūrmanakramukhāś caiva śiśumāra mukhās tathā
 19 mahāmakara vaktrāś ca timivaktrās tathaiva ca
     hari vaktrāḥ krauñcamukhāḥ kapotebha mukhās tathā
 20 pārāvata mukhāś caiva madguvaktrās tathaiva ca
     pāṇikarṇāḥ sahasrākṣās tathaiva ca śatodarāḥ
 21 nirmāṃsāḥ koka vatrāś ca śyenavaktrāś ca bhārata
     tathaivāśiraso rājann ṛkṣavatrāś ca bhīṣaṇāḥ
 22 pradīptanetrajihvāś ca jvālā vaktrās tathaiva ca
     meṣavaktrās tathaivānye tahā chāga mukhā nṛpa
 23 śaṅkhābhāḥ śaṅkhavaktrāś ca śaṅkhakarṇās tathaiva ca
     śaṅkhamālā parikarāḥ śaṅkhadhvani samasvanāḥ
 24 jaṭādharāḥ pañca śikhās tathā muṇḍāḥ kṛśodarāḥ
     caturdaṃṣṭrāś caturjihvāḥ śaṅkukarṇāḥ kirīṭinaḥ
 25 maulī dharāś ca rājendra tathākuñcita mūrdhajāḥ
     uṣṇīṣiṇo mukuṭinaś cāru vaktrāḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ
 26 padmotpalāpīḍa dharās tathā kumudadhāriṇaḥ
     māhātmyena ca saṃyuktāḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 27 śataghnī cakrahastāś ca tathā musalapāṇayaḥ
     bhuśuṇḍī pāśahastāś ca gadāhastāś ca bhārata
 28 pṛṣṭheṣu baddhoṣudhayaś citrabāṇā raṇotkaṭāḥ
     sadhvajāḥ sapatākāś ca saghaṇṭāḥ saparaśvadhāḥ
 29 mahāpāśodyata karās tathā laguḍa pāṇayaḥ
     sthūṇā hastāḥ khaḍgahastāḥ sarpocchritakirīṭinaḥ
     mahāsarpāṅgada dharāś citrābharaṇa dhāriṇaḥ
 30 rajodhvastāḥ paṅkadigdhāḥ sarve śuklāmbara srajaḥ
     nīlāṅgāḥ kamalāṅgāś ca muṇḍavaktrās tathaiva ca
 31 bherīśaṅkhamṛdaṅgāṃs te jharjharānaka gomukhān
     avādayan pāriṣadāḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ kanakaprabhāḥ
 32 gāyamānās tathaivānye nṛtyamānās tathāpare
     laṅghayantaḥ plavantaś ca valgantaś ca mahābalāḥ
 33 dhāvanto javanāś caṇḍāḥ pavanoddhūta mūrdhajāḥ
     mattā iva mahānāgā vinadanto muhur muhuḥ
 34 subhīmā ghorarūpāś ca śūlapaṭṭiśapāṇayaḥ
     nānā virāga vasanāś citramālyānulepanāḥ
 35 ratnacitrāṅgada dharāḥ samudyatakarās tathā
     hantāro dviṣatāṃ śūrāḥ prasahyāsahya vikramāḥ
 36 pātāro 'sṛg vasādyānāṃ māṃsāntra kṛtabhojanāḥ
     cūḍālāḥ karṇikālāś ca prakṛśāḥ piṭharodarāḥ
 37 atihrasvātidīrghāś ca prabalāś cātibhairavāḥ
     vikaṭāḥ kālalambauṣṭhā bṛhac chephāsthi piṇḍikāḥ
 38 mahārhanānā mukuṭā muṇḍāś ca jaṭilāḥ pare
     sārkendu grahanakṣatrāṃ dyāṃ kuryur ye mahītale
 39 utsaheraṃś ca ye hantuṃ bhūtagrāmaṃ caturvidham
     ye ca vītabhayā nityaṃ harasya bhrukuṭī bhaṭāḥ
 40 kāmakāra karāḥ siddhās trailokyasyeśvareśvarāḥ
     nityānanda pramuditā vāg īśā vītamatsarāḥ
 41 prāpyāṣṭa guṇam aiśvaryaṃ ye na yānti ca vismayam
     yeṣāṃ vismayate nityaṃ bhagavān karmabhir haraḥ
 42 manovāk karmabhir bhaktair nityam ārādhitaś ca yaiḥ
     manovāk karmabhir bhaktān pāti putrān ivaurasān
 43 pibanto 'sṛg vasās tv anye kruddhā brahma dviṣāṃ sadā
     catuviṃśātmakaṃ somaṃ ye pibanti ca nityadā
 44 śrutena brahmacaryeṇa tapasā ca damena ca
     ye samārādhya śūlāṅkaṃ bhava sāyujyam āgatāḥ
 45 yair ātmabhūtair bhagavān pārvatyā ca maheśvaraḥ
     saha bhūtagaṇān bhuṅkte bhūtabhavya bhavat prabhuḥ
 46 nānā vicitrahasita kṣveḍitotkruṣṭa garjitaiḥ
     saṃnādayantas te viśvam aśvatthāmānam abhyayuḥ
 47 saṃstuvanto mahādevaṃ bhāḥ kurvāṇāḥ suvarcasaḥ
     vivardhayiṣavo drauṇer mahimānaṃ mahātmanaḥ
 48 jijñāsamānās tat tejaḥ sauptikaṃ ca didṛkṣavaḥ
     bhīmograparighālātaśūlapaṭṭiśapāṇayaḥ
     ghorarūpāḥ samājagmur bhūtasaṃghāḥ samantataḥ
 49 janayeyur bhayaṃ ye sma trailokyasyāpi darśanāt
     tān prekṣamāṇo 'pi vyathāṃ na cakāra mahābalaḥ
 50 atha drauṇir dhanuṣpāṇir baddhagodhāṅguli travān
     svayam evātmanātmānam upahāram upāharat
 51 dhanūṃṣi samidhas tatra pavitrāṇi śitāḥ śarāḥ
     havir ātmavataś cātmā tasmin bhārata karmaṇi
 52 tataḥ saumyena mantreṇa droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān
     upahāraṃ mahāmanyur athātmānam upāharat
 53 taṃ rudraṃ raudrakarmāṇaṃ raudraiḥ karmabhir acyutam
     abhiṣṭutya mahātmānam ity uvāca kṛtājñjaliḥ
 54 imam ātmānam adyāhaṃ jātam āṅgirase kule
     agnau juhomi bhagavan pratigṛhṇīṣva māṃ balim
 55 bhavadbhaktyā mahādeva parameṇa samādhinā
     asyām āpadi viśvātnann upākurmi tavāgrataḥ
 56 tvayi sarvāṇi bhūtāni sarvabhūteṣu cāsi vai
     guṇānāṃ hi pradhānānām ekatvaṃ tvayi tiṣṭhati
 57 sarvabhūtāśayavibho havir bhūtam upasthitam
     pratigṛhāṇa māṃ devayady aśakyāḥ pare mayā
 58 ity uktvā drauṇir āsthāya tāṃ vedīṃ dīptapāvakām
     saṃtyaktātmā samāruhya kṛṣṇavartmany upāviśat
 59 tam ūrdhvabāhuṃ niśceṣṭaṃ dṛṣṭvā havir upasthitam
     abravīd bhagavān sākṣān mahādevo hasann iva
 60 satyaśaucārjava tyāgais tapasā niyamena ca
     kṣāntyā bhaktyā ca dhṛtyā ca buddhyā ca vacasā tathā
 61 yathāvad aham ārāddhaḥ kṛṣṇenākliṣṭakarmaṇā
     tasmād iṣṭatamaḥ kṛṣṇād anyo mama na vidyate
 62 kurvatā tasya saṃmānaṃ tvāṃ ca jijñāsatā mayā
     pāñcālāḥ sahasā guptā māyāś ca bahuśaḥ kṛtāḥ
 63 kṛtas tasyaiṣa saṃmānaḥ pāñcālān rakṣatā mayā
     abhibhūtās tu kālena naiṣām adyāsti jīvitam
 64 evam uktvā maheṣvāsaṃ bhagavān ātmanas tanum
     āviveśa dadau cāsmai vimalaṃ khaḍgam uttamam
 65 athāviṣṭo bhagavatā bhūyo jajvāla tejasā
     varṣmavāṃś cābhavad yuddhe deva sṛṣṭena tejasā
 66 tam adṛśyāni bhūtāni rakṣāṃsi ca samādravan
     abhitaḥ śatruśibiraṃ yāntaṃ sākṣād iveśvaram

7

Sanjaya said, "The son of Drona, O monarch, having reflected thus, descended from the terrace of his car and stood, bending his head unto that supreme god. And he said, "I seek the protection of Him called Ugra, Sthanu, Shiva, Rudra, Sharva, Ishana, Ishvara, Girisha; and of that boon-giving god who is the Creator and Lord of the universe; of Him whose throat is blue, who is without birth, who is called Shakra, who destroyed the sacrifice of Daksha, and who is called Hara; of Him whose form is the universe, who hath three eyes, who is possessed of multifarious forms, and who is the lord of Uma; of Him who resides in crematoriums, who swells with energy, who is the lord of diverse tribes of ghostly beings, and who is the possessor of undecaying prosperity and power; of Him who wields the skull-topped club, who is called Rudra, who bears matted locks on his head, and who is a brahmacari. Purifying my soul that is so difficult to purify, and possessed as I am of small energy, I adore the Destroyer of the triple city, and offer myself as the victim. Hymned thou hast been, deserving art thou of hymns, and I hymn to thy glory!
Thy purposes are never baffled. Thou art robed in skins; thou hast red hair on thy head; thou art blue-throated; thou art unbearable; thou art irresistible! Thou art pure; thou art the Creator of Brahman; thou art Brahma; thou art a brahmacari; thou art an observer of vows; thou art devoted to ascetic austerities; thou art infinite; thou art the refuge of all ascetics; thou art multiform; thou art the leader of diverse tribes of ghostly beings; thou art three-eyed; thou art fond of those beings called companions; thou art always seen by the Lord of treasures; thou art dear to Gauri's heart; thou art the sire of Kumara; thou art tawny; thou hast for thy excellent bearer a bovine bull; thou art robed in a subtle attire; thou art most fierce; thou art eager to adorn Uma; thou art higher than all that is high; thou art higher than everything; there is nothing higher than thou; thou art the wielder of weapons; thou art immeasurable, and thou art the protector of all quarters; thou art cased in golden armour; thou art divine; thou hast the moon as an ornament on thy brow! With concentrated attention, I seek thy protection, O god! For success in getting over this dreadful distress that is so difficult to get over, I sacrifice unto thee, the purest of the pure, offering for thy acceptance the (five) elements of which my body is composed!"
Knowing this to be his resolution in consequence of his desire to accomplish his object, a golden altar appeared before the high-souled son of Drona. Upon the altar, O king, appeared a blazing fire, filling all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, with its splendour. Many mighty beings also, of blazing mouths and eyes, of many feet, heads, and arms, adorned with angadas set with gems, and with uplifted arms, and looking like elephants and mountains, appeared there. Their faces resembled those of hares and boars and camels and horses and jackals and cows and bears and cats and tigers and pards and crows and apes and parrots. And the faces of some were like those of mighty snakes, and others had faces like those of ducks. And all of them were endued with great effulgence. And the faces of some were like those of woodpeckers and jays, O Bharata, and of tortoises and alligators and porpoises and huge sharks and whales, and of lions and cranes and pigeons and elephants and stags. Some had faces like those of ravens and hawks, some had ears on their hands; some had a 1,000 eyes, some had very large stomachs, and some had no flesh, O Bharata! And some, O king, had no heads, and some, O Bharata, had faces like those of bears. The eyes of some were like fire, and some had fiery complexions. The hair on the heads and bodies of some were blazing and some had four arms, and some, O king, had faces like those of sheep and goats. The colour of some was like that of conchs, and some had faces that resembled conchs, and the ears of some were like conchs, some wore garlands made of conchs, and the voices of some resembled the blare of conchs. Some had matted locks on their heads, and some had five tufts of hair, and some had heads that were bald. Some had lean stomachs; some had four teeth, some had four tongues, some had ears straight as arrows and some had diadems on their brows. Some had strings of grass on their bodies, O monarch, and some had curly hair. Some had head-gears made of cloth, some had coronets, some had beautiful faces, and some were adorned with ornaments. Some had ornaments made of lotuses, and some were decked with flowers. They numbered in hundreds and thousands.
Some were armed with shataghnis, some with thunder, and some had mushalas in their hands. Some had bhushundis, some had nooses, and some had maces in their hands, O Bharata! On the backs of some were slung quivers containing excellent shafts, and all were fierce in battle. Some had standards with banners and bells, and some were armed with battle-axes. Some had large nooses in their uplifted arms, and some had clubs and bludgeons. Some had stout posts in their hands, some had scimitars, and some had snakes with erect heads for their diadems. Some had large snakes (wound round their upper arms) for angadas, and some had beautiful ornaments on their persons. Some were begrimed with dust, some smutted with mire, and all were attired in white robes and white garments. The limbs of some were blue, while others had limbs that were tawny. And some there were that were beardless. Those beings, called companions, possessed of golden complexions, and filled with joy, played upon drums and horns and cymbals and jharjharas and anakas and gomukhas. And some sang and some danced about uttering loud sounds, and some leapt forward and cut capers and jumped sideways. Endued with great fleetness, they ran about most fiercely, the hair on their heads waving in the air, like huge elephants infuriated with passion and frequently uttering loud roars. Terrible, and of frightful mien and armed with lances and battle-axes, they were attired in robes of diverse hues and decked with beautiful garlands and unguents. Adorned with angadas decked with gems, and with uplifted arms, they were endued with great courage. Capable of forcibly slaying all foes, they were irresistible in prowess. Drinkers of blood and fat and other animal matter, they subsisted on the flesh and entrails of animals. Some had their locks tied in tall tufts above their heads. Some had single tufts on their heads; some had rings on their ears; and some had stomachs resembling earthen vessels used for cooking. Some were of very short statures, and some were very high in stature. Some were tall and very fierce. Some had grim features, some had long lips, and the genital limbs of some were very long. Some had costly and diverse kinds of crowns upon their heads; and some had bald heads, and the heads of others were covered with matted locks.
They were capable of bringing down the firmament with the sun, moon, and stars, on earth, and exterminating the four orders of created things. They know not what it is to fear, and are capable of enduring the frowns of Hara. They always act as they like, and are the lords of the lords of the three worlds. Always engaged in merry sports, they are thorough masters of speech and are perfectly free from pride. Having obtained the eight kinds of divine attributes, they are never elated with pride. The divine Hara is always filled with wonder at their feats. They are devout worshippers of Mahadeva. Adored by them in thought, word, and deed, the great god protects those worshippers of his, looking upon them, in thought, word, and deed as children of his own loins. Filled with rage, they always drink the blood and fat of all haters of Brahma. They always drink also the soma juice endued with four kinds of taste. Having adored the trident-bearing god with Vedic recitations, with brahmacarya, with austerities, and with self-restraint, they have obtained the companionship of Bhava. The divine Maheshvara, that lord of the past, the present, and the future as also Parvati, eat with those diverse tribes of mighty beings that partake of their own nature.
Causing the universe to resound with the peal of diverse kinds of instruments, with noise of laughter, with loud sounds and shrieks and leonine roar, they approached Ashvatthama. Uttering the praises of Mahadeva and spreading an effulgent light all around, desirous of enhancing the honour of Ashvatthama and the glory of the high-souled Hara, and wishing to ascertain the extent of Ashvatthama's energy, and desirous also of beholding the slaughter during the hour of sleep, armed with terrible and fierce bludgeons and fiery wheels and battle-axes, that crowd of strange beings, endued with terrible forms, came from every side. They were capable of inspiring the three worlds with dread at their sight. The mighty Ashvatthama, however, beholding them, felt no fear. Drona's son, armed with bow, and with fingers cased in fences made of iguana skins, himself offered up his own self as a victim unto Mahadeva. Bows were the fuel, and sharp shafts were the ladles, and his own soul possessed of great might was the libation, O Bharata, in that act of sacrifice. The valiant and wrathful son of Drona then, with propitiating mantras, offered up his own soul as the victim. Having with fierce rites adored Rudra of fierce deeds, Ashvatthama with joined hands, said these words unto that high-souled god.
Ashvatthama said, "Sprung from Angirasa's line, I am about to pour my soul, O god, as a libation on this fire! Accept, O lord, this victim! In this hour of distress, O Soul of the universe, I offer up my own self as the sacrificial victim, from devotion to thee and with heart concentrated in meditation! All creatures are in thee and thou art in all creatures! Assemblage of all high attributes occur in thee! O lord, O thou art the refuge of all creatures. I wait as a libation for thee, since I am unable to vanquish my foes. Accept me, O god." Having said these words, Drona's son, ascending that sacrificial altar on which a fire blazed brightly, offered himself up as the victim and entered that blazing fire.
Beholding him stand immovable and with uplifted hands and as an offering up to himself, the divine Mahadeva appeared in person and smilingly said, "With truth, purity, sincerity, resignation, ascetic austerities, vows, forgiveness, devotion, patience, thought, and word, I have been duly adored by Krishna of pure deeds. For this there is none dearer to me than Krishna. For honouring him and at his word I have protected the Pancalas and displayed diverse kinds of illusion. By protecting the Pancalas I have honoured him. They have, however, been afflicted by time. The period of their lives hath run out."
Having said these words unto the high-souled Ashvatthama, the divine Mahadeva entered Ashvatthama's body after giving him an excellent and polished sword. Filled by that divine being, Drona's son blazed up with energy. In consequence of that energy derived from godhead, he became all-powerful in battle. Many invisible beings and rakshasas proceeded along his right and his left as he set out, like the lord Mahadeva himself, for entering the camp of his foes."

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 8

 

 

 1 [dhṛ]
      tathā prayāte śibiraṃ droṇaputre mahārathe
      kac cit kṛpaś ca bhojaś ca bhayārtau na nyavartatām
  2 kac cin na vāritau kṣudrai rakṣibhir nopalakṣitau
      asahyam iti vā matvā na nivṛttau mahārathau
  3 kac cit pramathya śibiraṃ hatvā somaka pāṇḍavān
      duryodhanasya padavīṃ gatau paramikāṃ raṇe
  4 pāñcālair vā vinihatau kac cin nāsvapatāṃ kṣitau
      kac cit tābhyāṃ kṛtaṃ karma tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya
  5 [s]
      tasmin prayāte śibiraṃ droṇaputre mahātmani
      kṛpaś ca kṛtavarmā ca śibira dvāry atiṣṭhatām
  6 aśvatthāmā tu tau dṛṣṭvā yatnavantau mahārathau
      prahṛṣṭaḥ śanakai rājann idaṃ vacanam abravīt
  7 yattau bhavantau paryāptau sarvakṣatrasya nāśane
      kiṃ punar yodhaśeṣasya prasuptasya viśeṣataḥ
  8 ahaṃ pravekṣye śibiraṃ cariṣyāmi ca kālavat
      yathā na kaś cid api me jīvan mucyeta mānavaḥ
  9 ity uktvā prāviśad drauṇiḥ pārthānāṃ śibiraṃ mahat
      advāreṇābhyavaskandya vihāya bhayam ātmanaḥ
  10 sa praviśya mahābāhur uddeśajñaś ca tasya ha
     dhṛṣṭadyumnasya nilayaṃ śanakair abhyupāgamat
 11 te tu kṛtvā mahat karma śrāntāś ca balavad raṇe
     prasuptā vai suviśvastāḥ svasainyaparivāritāḥ
 12 atha praviśya tad veśma dhṛṣṭadyumnasya bhārata
     pāñcālyaṃ śayane drauṇir apaśyat suptam antikāt
 13 kṣaumāvadāte mahati spardhyāstaraṇa saṃvṛte
     mālyapravara saṃyukte dhūpaiś cūrṇaiś ca vāsite
 14 taṃ śayānaṃ mahātmānaṃ visrabdham akutobhayam
     prābodhayata pādena śayanasthaṃ mahīpate
 15 sa buddhvā caraṇasparśam utthāya raṇadurmadaḥ
     abhyajānad ameyātmā droṇaputraṃ mahāratham
 16 tam utpatantaṃ śayanād aśvatthāmā mahābalaḥ
     keśeṣv ālambya pāṇibhyāṃ niṣpipeṣa mahī take
 17 sabalāt tena niṣpiṣṭaḥ sādhvasena ca bhārata
     nidrayā caiva pāñcālyo nāśakac ceṣṭituṃ tadā
 18 tam ākramya tadā rājan kaṇṭhe corasi cobhayoḥ
     nadantaṃ visphurantaṃ ca paśumāram amārayat
 19 tudan nakhais tu sa drauṇiṃ nātivyaktam udāharat
     ācārya putra śastreṇa jahi mā māṃ ciraṃ kṛthāḥ
     tvatkṛte sukṛtāṁl lokān gaccheyaṃ dvipadāṃ vara
 20 tasyāvyaktāṃ tu tāṃ vācaṃ saṃśrutya drauṇir abravīt
     ācārya ghātināṃ lokā na santi kulapāṃsana
     tasmāc chastreṇa nidhanaṃ na tvam arhasi durmate
 21 evaṃ bruvāṇas taṃ vīraṃ siṃho mattam iva dvipam
     marmasv abhyavadhīt kruddhaḥ pādāṣṭhīlaiḥ sudāruṇaiḥ
 22 tasya vīrasya śabdena māryamāṇasya veśmani
     abudhyanta mahārāja striyo ye cāsya rakṣiṇaḥ
 23 te dṛṣṭvā varṣmavantaṃ tam atimānuṣa vikramam
     bhūtam eva vyavasyanto na sma pravyāharan bhayāt
 24 taṃ tu tena bhyupāyena gamayitvā yamakṣayam
     adhyatiṣṭhat sa tejasvī rathaṃ prāpya sudarśanam
 25 sa tasya bhavanād rājan niṣkramyānādayan diśaḥ
     rathena śibiraṃ prāyāj jighāṃsur dviṣato balī
 26 apakrānte tatas tasmin droṇaputre mahārathe
     saha tai rakṣibhiḥ sarvaiḥ praṇedur yoṣitas tadā
 27 rājānaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā bhṛśaṃ śokaparāyaṇāḥ
     vyākrośan kṣatriyāḥ sarve dhṛṣṭadyumnasya bhārata
 28 tāsāṃ tu tena śabdena samīpe kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ
     kṣipraṃ ca samanahyanta kim etad iti cābruvan
 29 striyas tu rājan vitrastā bharadvājaṃ nirīkṣya tam
     abruvan dīnakaṇṭhena kṣipram ādravateti vai
 30 rākṣaso vā manuṣyo vā nainaṃ jānīmahe vayam
     hatvā pāñcālarājaṃ yo ratham āruhya tiṣṭhati
 31 tatas te yodhamukhyās taṃ sahasā paryavārayan
     sa tān āpatataḥ sarvān rudrāstreṇa vyapothayat
 32 dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca hatvā sa tāṃś caivāsya padānugān
     apaśyac chayane suptam uttamaujasam antike
 33 tam apy ākramya pādena kaṇṭhe corasi caujasā
     tathaiva mārayām āsa vinardantam ariṃdamam
 34 yudhāmanyus tu saṃprāpto mattvā taṃ rakṣasā hatam
     gadām udyamya vegena hṛdi drauṇim atāḍayat
 35 tam abhidrutya jagrāha kṣitau cainam apātayat
     visphurantaṃ ca paśuvat tathaivainam amārayat
 36 tathā sa vīro hatvā taṃ tato 'nyān samupādravat
     saṃsuptān eva rājendra tatra tatra mahārathān
     sphurato vepamānāṃś ca śamiteva paśūn makhe
 37 tato nistriṃśam ādāya jaghānānyān pṛthagjanān
     bhāgaśo vicaran mārgān asiyuddhaviśāradaḥ
 38 tathaiva gulme saṃprekṣya śayānān madhyagaulmikān
     śrāntān nyastāyudhān sarvān kṣaṇenaiva vyapothayat
 39 yodhān aśvān dvipāṃś caiva prācchinat sa varāsinā
     rudhirokṣitasarvāṅgaḥ kālasṛṣṭa ivāntakaḥ
 40 visphuradbhiś ca tair draiṇir nistriṃśasyodyamena ca
     ākṣepeṇa tathaivāses tridhā raktokṣito 'bhavat
 41 tasya lohitasiktasya dīptakhaḍgasya yudhyataḥ
     amānuṣa ivākāro babhau paramabhīṣaṇaḥ
 42 ye tv ajāgrata kauravya te 'pi śabdena mohitāḥ
     nirīkṣyamāṇā anyonyaṃ drauṇiṃ dṛṣṭvā pravivyathuḥ
 43 tad rūpaṃ tasya te dṛṣṭvā kṣatriyāḥ śatrukarśanāḥ
     rākṣasaṃ manyamānās taṃ nayanāni nyamīlayan
 44 sa ghorarūpo vyacarat kālavac chibire tataḥ
     apaśyad draupadīputrān avaśiṣṭāṃś ca somakān
 45 tena śabdena vitrastā dhanur hastā mahārathāḥ
     dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ hataṃ śrutvā draupadeyā vipāṃ pate
     avākirañ śaravrātair bhāradvājam abhītavat
 46 tatas tena ninādena saṃprabuddhāḥ prabhadrakāḥ
     śilī mikhaiḥ śikhaṇḍī ca droṇaputraṃ samārdayan
 47 bharadvājas tu tān dṛṣṭvā śaravarṣāṇi varṣataḥ
     nanāda balavān nādaṃ jighāṃsus tān sudurjayān
 48 tataḥ paramasaṃkruddhaḥ pitur vadham anusmaran
     avaruhya rathopasthāt tvaramāṇo 'bhidudruve
 49 sahasracandraṃ vipulaṃ gṛhītvā carma saṃyuge
     khaḍgaṃ ca vipulaṃ divyaṃ jātarūpapariṣkṛtam
     draupadeyān abhidrutya khaḍgena vyacarad balī
 50 tataḥ sa naraśārdūlaḥ pratibindhyaṃ tam āhave
     kukṣi deśe 'vadhīd rājan sa hato nyapatad bhuvi
 51 prāsena viddhvā drauṇiṃ tu suta somaḥ pratāpavān
     punaś cāsiṃ samudyamya droṇaputram upādravat
 52 suta somasya sāsiṃ tu bāhuṃ chittvā nararṣabhaḥ
     punar abhyahanat pārśve sa bhinnahṛdayo 'patat
 53 nākulis tu śatānīko rathacakreṇa vīryavān
     dorbhyām utkṣipya vegena vakṣasy enam atāḍayat
 54 atāḍayac chatānīkaṃ muktacakraṃ dvijas tu saḥ
     sa vihvalo yayau bhūmiṃ tato 'syāpāharac chiraḥ
 55 śrutakarmā tu parighaṃ gṛhītvā samatāḍayat
     abhidrutya tato drauṇiṃ savye saphalake bhṛśam
 56 sa tu taṃ śrutakarmāṇam āsye jaghne varāsinā
     sa hato nyapatad bhūmau vimūḍho vikṛtānanaḥ
 57 tena śabdena vīras tu śrutakīrtir mahādhanuḥ
     aśvatthāmānam āsādya śaravarṣair avākirat
 58 tasyāpi śaravarṣāṇi carmaṇā prativārya saḥ
     sakuṇḍalaṃ śiraḥ kāyād bhrājamānam apāharat
 59 tato bhīṣma nihantā taṃ saha sarvaiḥ prabhadrakaiḥ
     ahanat sarvato vīraṃ nānāpraharaṇair balī
     śilīmukhena cāpy enaṃ bhruvor madhye samārdayat
 60 sa tu krodhasamāviṣṭo droṇaputro mahābalaḥ
     śikhaṇḍinaṃ samāsādya dvidhā ciccheda so 'sinā
 61 śikhaṇḍinaṃ tato hatvā krodhāviṣṭaḥ paraṃtapaḥ
     prabhadraka gaḍān sarvān abhidudrāva vegavān
     yac ca śiṣṭaṃ virāṭasya balaṃ tac ca samādravat
 62 drupadasya ca putrāṇāṃ pautrāṇāṃ suhṛdām api
     cakāra kadanaṃ ghoraṃ dṛṣṭvā dṛṣṭvā mahābalaḥ
 63 anyān anyāṃś ca puruṣān abhisṛtyābhisṛtya ca
     nyakṛntad asinā drauṇir asi mārgaviśāradaḥ
 64 kālīṃ raktāsyanayanāṃ raktamālyānulepanām
     raktāmbaradharām ekāṃ pāśahastāṃ śikhaṇḍinīm
 65 dadṛśuḥ kālarātriṃ te smayamānām avasthitām
     narāśvakuñjarān pāśair baddhvā ghoraiḥ pratasthuṣīm
     harantīṃ vividhān pretān pāśabaddhān vimūrdhajān
 66 svapne suptān nayantīṃ tāṃ rātriṣv anyāsu māriṣa
     dadṛśur yodhamukhyās te ghnantaṃ drauṇiṃ ca nityadā
 67 yataḥ pravṛttaḥ saṃgrāmaḥ kurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ
     tataḥ prabhṛti tāṃ kṛtyām apaśyan drauṇim eva ca
 68 tāṃs tu daivahatān pūrvaṃ paścād drauṇir nyapātayat
     trāsayan sarvabhūtāni vinadan bhairavān ravān
 69 tad anusmṛtya te vīrā darśanaṃ paurvakālikam
     idaṃ tad ity amanyanta daivenopanipīḍitāḥ
 70 tatas tena ninādena pratyabudhyanta dhanvinaḥ
     śibire pāṇḍaveyānāṃ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 71 so 'cchinat kasya cit pādau jaghanaṃ caiva kasya cit
     kāṃś cid bibheda pārśveṣu kālasṛṣṭa ivāntakaḥ
 72 atyugra pratipiṣṭaiś ca nadadbhiś ca bhṛśāturaiḥ
     gajāśvamathitaiś cānyair mahī kīrṇābhavat prabho
 73 krośatāṃ kim idaṃ ko 'yaṃ kiṃ śabdaḥ kiṃ nu kiṃ kṛtam
     evaṃ teṣāṃ tadā drauṇir antakaḥ samapadyata
 74 apetaśastrasaṃnāhān saṃrabdhān pāṇḍusṛñjayān
     prāhiṇon mṛtyulokāya drauṇiḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ
 75 tatas tac chastra vitrastā utpatanto bhayāturāḥ
     nidrāndhā naṣṭasaṃjñāś ca tatra tatra nililyire
 76 ūrustambhagṛhītāś ca kaśmalābhihataujasaḥ
     vinadanto bhṛśaṃ trastāḥ saṃnyapeṣan parasparam
 77 tato rathaṃ punar drauṇir āsthito bhīmanisvanam
     dhanuṣpāṇiḥ śarair anyān preṣayad vai yamakṣayam
 78 punar utpatataḥ kāṃś cid dūrād api narottamān
     śūrān saṃpatataś cānyān kālarātryai nyavedayat
 79 tathaiva syandanāgreṇa pramathan sa vidhāvati
     śaravarṣaiś ca vividhair avarṣac chātravāṃs tataḥ
 80 punaś ca suvicitreṇa śatacandreṇa carmaṇā
     tena cākāśavarṇena tadācarata so 'sinā
 81 tathā sa śibiraṃ teṣāṃ drauṇir āhavadurmadaḥ
     vyakṣobhayata rājendra mahāhradam iva dvipaḥ
 82 utpetus tena śabdena yodhā rājan vicetasaḥ
     nidrārtāś ca bhayārtāś ca vyadhāvanta tatas tataḥ
 83 visvaraṃ cukruśuś cānye bahvabaddhaṃ tathāvadan
     na ca sma pratipadyante śastrāṇi vasanāni ca
 84 vimuktakeśāś cāpy anye nābhyajānan parasparam
     utpatantaḥ pare bhītāḥ ke cit tatra tathābhraman
     purīṣam asṛjan ke cit ke cin mūtraṃ prasusruvuḥ
 85 bandhanāni ca rājendra saṃchidya turagā dvipāḥ
     samaṃ paryapataṃś cānye kurvanto mahad ākulam
 86 tatra ke cin narā bhītā vyalīyanta mahītale
     tathaiva tān nipatitān apiṃṣan gajavājinaḥ
 87 tasmiṃs tathā vartamāne rakṣāṃsi puruṣarṣabha
     tṛptāni vyanadann uccair mudā bharatasattama
 88 sa śabdaḥ prerito rājan bhūtasaṃghair mudā yutaiḥ
     apūrayad diśaḥ sarvā divaṃ cāpi mahāsvanaḥ
 89 teṣām ārtasvaraṃ śrutvā vitrastā gajavājinaḥ
     muktāḥ paryapatan rājan mṛdnantaḥ śibire janam
 90 tais tatra paridhāvadbhiś caraṇodīritaṃ rajaḥ
     akaroc chibire teṣāṃ rajanyāṃ dviguṇaṃ tamaḥ
 91 tasmiṃs tamasi saṃjāte pramūḍhāḥ sarvato janāḥ
     nājānan pitaraḥ putrān bhrātṝn bhrātara eva ca
 92 gajā gajān atikramya nirmanuṣyā hayā hayān
     atāḍayaṃs tathābhañjaṃs tathāmṛdnaṃś ca bhārata
 93 te bhagnāḥ prapatantaś ca nighnantaś ca parasparam
     nyapātayanta ca parān pātayitvā tathāpiṣan
 94 vicetasaḥ sanidrāś ca tamasā cāvṛtā narāḥ
     jaghnuḥ svān eva tatrātha kālenābhipracoditāḥ
 95 tyaktvā dvārāṇi ca dvāḥsthās tathā gulmāṃś ca gaulmikāḥ
     prādravanta yathāśakti kāṃdiśīkā vicetasaḥ
 96 vipranaṣṭāś ca te 'nyonyaṃ nājānanta tadā vibho
     krośantas tāta putreti daivopahatacetasaḥ
 97 palāyatāṃ diśas teṣāṃ svān apy utsṛjya bāndhavān
     gotra nāmabhir anyonyam ākrandanta tato janāḥ
 98 hāhākāraṃ ca kurvāṇāḥ pṛthivyāṃ śerate pare
     tān buddhvā raṇamatto 'sau droṇaputro vyapothayat
 99 tatrāpare vadhyamānā muhur muhur acetasaḥ
     śibirān niṣpatanti sma kṣatriyā bhayapīḍitāḥ
 100 tāṃs tu niṣpatatas trastāñ śibirāñ jīvitaiṣiṇaḥ
    kṛtavarmā kṛpaś caiva dvāradeśe nijaghnatuḥ
101 viśastra yantrakavacān muktakeśān kṛtāñjalīn
    vepamānān kṣitau bhītān naiva kāṃś cid amuñcatām
102 nāmucyata tayoḥ kaś cin niṣkrāntaḥ śibirād bahiḥ
    kṛpasya ca mahārāja hārdikyasya ca durmateḥ
103 bhūyaś caiva cikīrṣantau droṇaputrasya tau priyam
    triṣu deśeṣu dadatuḥ śibirasya hutāśanam
104 tataḥ prakāśe śibire khaḍgena pitṛnandanaḥ
    aśvatthāmā mahārāja vyacarat kṛtahastavat
105 kāṃś cid āpatato vīrān aparāṃś ca pradhāvataḥ
    vyayojayata khaḍgena prāṇair dvija varo narān
106 kāṃś cid yodhān sa khaḍgena madhye saṃchidya vīryavān
    apātayad droṇasutaḥ saṃrabdhas tilakāṇḍavat
107 vinadadbhir bhṛśāyās tair narāśvadviradottamaiḥ
    patitair abhavat kīrṇā medinī bharatarṣabha
108 mānuṣāṇāṃ sahasreṣu hateṣu patiteṣu ca
    udatiṣṭhan kabandhāni bahūny utthāya cāpatan
109 sāyudhān sāṅgadān bāhūn nicakarta śirāṃsi ca
    hastihastopamān ūrūn hastān pādāṃś ca bhārata
110 pṛṣṭhac chinnāñ śiraś chinnān pārśvac chinnāṃs tathāparān
    samāsādyākarod drauṇiḥ kāṃś cic cāpi parāṅmukhān
111 madhyakāyān narān anyāṃś cichedānyāṃś ca karṇataḥ
    aṃsadeśe nihatyānyān kāye prāveśayac chiraḥ
112 evaṃ vicaratas tasya nighnataḥ subahūn narān
    tamasā rajanī ghorā babhau dāruṇadarśanā
113 kiṃ cit prāṇaiś ca puruṣair hataiś cānyaiḥ sahasraśaḥ
    bahunā ca gajāśvena bhūr abhūd bhīmadarśanā
114 yakṣarakṣaḥsamākīrṇe rathāśvadvipadāruṇe
    kruddhena droṇaputreṇa saṃchinnāḥ prāpatan bhuvi
115 mātṝr anye pitṝn anye bhrātṝn anye vicukruśuḥ
    ke cid ūcur na tat kruddhair dhārtarāṣṭraiḥ kṛtaṃ raṇe
116 yatkṛtaṃ naḥ prasuptānāṃ rakṣobhiḥ krūrakarmabhiḥ
    asāṃnidhyād dhi pārthānām idaṃ naḥ kadanaṃ kṛtam
117 na devāsuragandharvair na yakṣair na ca rākṣasaiḥ
    śakyo vijetuṃ kaunteyo goptā yasya janārdanaḥ
118 brahmaṇyaḥ satyavāg dāntaḥ sarvabhūtānukampakaḥ
    na ca suptaṃ pramattaṃ vā nyastaśastraṃ kṛtāñjalim
    dhāvantaṃ muktakeśaṃ vā hanti pārtho dhanaṃjayaḥ
119 tad idaṃ naḥ kṛtaṃ ghoraṃ rakṣobhiḥ krūrakarmabhiḥ
    iti lālapyamānāḥ sma śerate bahavo janāḥ
120 stanatāṃ ca manuṣyāṇām apareṣāṃ ca kūjatām
    tato muhūrtāt prāśāmyat sa śabdas tumulo mahān
121 śoṇitavyatiṣiktāyāṃ vasudhāyāṃ ca bhūmipa
    tad rajas tumulaṃ ghoraṃ kṣaṇenāntar adhīyata
122 saṃveṣṭamānān udvignān nirutsāhān sahasraśaḥ
    nyapātayan narān kruddhaḥ paśūn paśupatir yathā
123 anyonyaṃ saṃpariṣvajya śayānān dravato 'parān
    saṃlīnān yudhyamānāṃś ca sarvān drauṇir apothayat
124 dahyamānā hutāśena vadhyamānāś ca tena te
    parasparaṃ tadā yodhā anayan yamasādanam
125 tasyā rajanyās tv ardhena pāṇḍavānāṃ mahad balam
    gamayām āsa rājendra drauṇir yama niveśanam
126 niśācarāṇāṃ sattvānāṃ sa rātrir harṣavardhinī
    āsīn naragajāśvānāṃ raudrī kṣayakarī bhṛśam
127 tatrādṛśyanta rakṣāṃsi piśācāś ca pṛthagvidhāḥ
    khādanto naramāṃsāni pibantaḥ śoṇitāni ca
128 karālāḥ piṅgalā raudrāḥ śailadantā rajasvalāḥ
    jaṭilā dīrghasakthāś ca pañca pādā mahodarāḥ
129 paścād aṅgulayo rūkṣā virūpā bhairavasvanāḥ
    ghaṭajānavo 'tihrasvāś ca nīlakaṇṭhā vibhīṣaṇāḥ
130 saputradārāḥ sukrūrā durdarśana sunirghṛṇāḥ
    vividhāni ca rūpāṇi tatrādṛśyanta rakṣasām
131 pītvā ca śoṇitaṃ hṛṣṭāḥ prānṛtyan gaṇaśo 'pare
    idaṃ varam idaṃ medhyam idaṃ svādv iti cābruvan
132 medo majjāsthi raktānāṃ vasānāṃ ca bhṛśāsitāḥ
    paramāṃsāni khādantaḥ kravyādā māṃsajīvinaḥ
133 vasāṃ cāpy apare pītvā paryadhāvan vikukṣilāḥ
    nānā vaktrās tathā raudrāḥ kravyādāḥ piśitāśinaḥ
134 ayutāni ca tatrāsan prayutāny arbudāni ca
    rakṣasāṃ ghorarūpāṇāṃ mahatāṃ krūrakarmaṇām
135 muditānāṃ vitṛptānāṃ tasmin mahati vaiśase
    sametāni bahūny āsan bhūtāni ca janādhipa
136 pratyūṣakāle śibirāt pratigantum iyeṣa saḥ
    nṛśoṇitāvasiktasya drauṇer āsīd asi tsaruḥ
    pāṇinā saha saṃśliṣṭa ekībhūta iva prabho
137 sa niḥśeṣān arīn kṛtvā virarāja janakṣaye
    yugānte sarvabhūtāni bhasmakṛtveva pāvakaḥ
138 yathāpratijñaṃ tat karmakṛtvā drauṇāyaniḥ prabho
    durgamāṃ padavīṃ kṛtvā pitur āsīd gatajvaraḥ
139 yathaiva saṃsupta jane śibire prāviśan niśi
    tathaiva hatvā niḥśabde niścakrāma nararṣabhaḥ
140 niṣkramya śibirāt tasmāt tābhyāṃ saṃgamya vīryavān
    ācakhyau karma tat sarvaṃ hṛṣṭaḥ saṃharṣayan vibho
141 tāv apy ācakhyatus tasmai priyaṃ priyakarau tadā
    pāñcālān sṛñjayāṃś caiva vinikṛttān sahasraśaḥ
    prītyā coccair udakrośaṃs tathaivāsphoṭayaṃs talān
142 evaṃvidhā hi sā rātriḥ somakānāṃ janakṣaye
    prasuptānāṃ pramattānām āsīt subhṛśadāruṇā
143 asaṃśayaṃ hi kālasya paryāyo duratikramaḥ
    tādṛśā nihatā yatra kṛtvāsmākaṃ janakṣayam
144 [dhṛ]
    prāg eva sumahat karma drauṇir etan mahārathaḥ
    nākarod īdṛśaṃ kasmān mat putra vijaye dhṛtaḥ
145 atha kasmād dhate kṣatre karmedaṃ kṛtavān asau
    droṇaputro maheṣvāsas tan me śaṃsitum arhasi
146 [s]
    teṣāṃ nūnaṃ bhayān nāsau kṛtavān kurunandana
    asāṃnidhyād dhi pārthānāṃ keśavasya ca dhīmataḥ
147 sātyakeś cāpi karmedaṃ droṇaputreṇa sādhitam
    na hi teṣāṃ samakṣaṃ tān hanyād api marutpatiḥ
148 etad īdṛśakaṃ vṛttaṃ rājan supta jane vibho
    tato janakṣayaṃ kṛtvā pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātyayam
    diṣṭyā diṣṭyeti cānyonyaṃ sametyocur mahārathāḥ
149 paryaṣvajat tato drauṇis tābhyāṃ ca pratinanditaḥ
    idaṃ harṣāc ca sumahad ādade vākyam uttamam
150 pāñcālā nihatāḥ sarve draupadeyāś ca sarvaśaḥ
    somakā matsyaśeṣāś ca sarve vinihatā mayā
151 idānīṃ kṛtakṛtyāḥ sma yāmatatraiva māciram
    yadi jīvati no rājā tasmai śaṃsāmahe priyam

 

8

Dhritarashtra said, "While Drona's son, that mighty car-warrior, thus proceeded towards the hostile camp, did Kripa and Bhoja stop from fear? I hope those two car-warriors checked by vulgar guards, did not fly away secretly, thinking their opponents irresistible? Or, have they, after grinding the camp, the Somakas, and the Pandavas, followed, while still engaged in battle, the highly glorious path in which Duryodhana has gone? Are those heroes, slain by the Pancalas, sleeping on the bare Earth? Did they achieve any feat? Tell me all this, O Sanjaya!"
Sanjaya said, "When the high-souled son of Drona proceeded towards the camp, Kripa and Kritavarma waited at the gate. Beholding them ready to exert themselves, Ashvatthama became filled with joy, and addressing them whisperingly, O king, said, "If you two exert, you are competent to exterminate all the kshatriyas! What need I say, therefore, of this remnant of the (Pandava) army, particularly when it is buried in sleep? I shall enter the camp and career like Yama. I am sure that you two will act in such way that no man may escape you with life."
Having said these words, the son of Drona entered the vast camp of the Parthas; casting off all fear, he penetrated into it by a spot where there was no door. The mighty-armed hero, having entered the camp, proceeded, guided by signs, very softly, towards the quarters of Dhrishtadyumna. The Pancalas, having achieved great feats, had been much tired in battle. They were sleeping in confidence, assembled together, and by the side of one another. Entering into Dhrishtadyumna's chamber, O Bharata, Drona's son beheld the prince of the Pancalas sleeping before him on his bed. He lay on a beautiful sheet of silk upon a costly and excellent bed. Excellent wreaths of flowers were strewn upon that bed and it was perfumed with powdered dhupa. Ashvatthama, O king, awoke with a kick the high-souled prince sleeping trustfully and fearlessly on his bed. Feeling that kick, the prince, irresistible in battle and of immeasurable soul, awaked from sleep and recognised Drona's son standing before him. As he was rising from his bed, the mighty Ashvatthama seized him by the hair of his head and began to press him down on the earth with his hands. Thus pressed by Ashvatthama with great strength, the prince, from fear as also from sleepiness, was not able to put forth his strength at that time. Striking him with his foot, O king, on both his throat and breast while his victim writhed and roared, Drona's son endeavoured to kill him as if he were an animal. The Pancala prince tore Ashvatthama with his nails and at last softly said, "O preceptor's son, slay me with a weapon, do not tarry! O best of men, let me, through thy act, repair to the regions of the righteous!"
Having said this much, that slayer of foes, the son of the Pancala king, assailed with strength by that mighty hero, became silent. Hearing those indistinct sounds of his, Drona's son said, "O wretch of thy race, there is no region for those that slay their preceptors. For this, O thou of wicked understanding, thou deservest not to be slain with any weapon!" While saying so, Ashvatthama, filled with rage, began to strike the vital parts of his victim with violent kicks of his heels, and slew his foe like a lion slaying an infuriated elephant. At the cries of that hero while he was being slain, his wives and guards that were in his tent all awake, O king! Beholding somebody crushing the prince with superhuman force, they regarded the assailant to be some preternatural being and, therefore, uttered no cries from fear. Having despatched him to Yama's abode by such means, Ashvatthama of great energy went out and getting upon his beautiful car stayed on it. Indeed, coming out of Dhrishtadyumna's abode, O king, Ashvatthama caused all the points of the compass to resound with his roars, and then proceeded on his car to other parts of the camp for slaying his foes.
After Drona's son, that mighty car-warrior, had gone away, the women and all the guards set up a loud wail of woe. Seeing their king slain, all the wives of Dhrishtadyumna, filled with great sorrow, cried. At that wail of theirs many mighty kshatriyas, awaking, put on their armour and came there for enquiring after the cause of those cries. Those ladies, terrified at the sight of Ashvatthama, in piteous tones asked the men to pursue him without delay. They said, "Whether he is a rakshasa or a human being, we know not what he is! Having slain the Pancala king, he stayeth there!" At these words, those foremost of warriors suddenly surrounded Drona's son. The latter slew them all by means of the rudrastra. Having slain Dhrishtadyumna and all those followers of his, he beheld Uttamauja sleeping on his bed. Attacking him with his foot on the throat and chest, Drona's son slew that great hero also while the latter writhed in agony. Yudhamanyu, coming up and believing his comrade to have been slain by a rakshasa, speedily struck Drona's son in the chest with a mace. Rushing towards him, Ashvatthama seized him and brought him down to the ground and slew him like an animal while the latter uttered loud shrieks.
Having slain Yudhamanyu thus, that hero proceeded against the other car-warriors of the king, who were all asleep. He slew all those trembling and shrieking warriors like animals in a sacrifice. Taking up his sword then, he slew many others. Proceeding along the diverse paths of the camp, one after another, Ashvatthama, accomplished in the use of the sword, beheld diverse gulmas and slew in a trice the unarmed and tired warriors sleeping within them. With that excellent sword he cut off combatants and steeds and elephants. Covered all over with blood, he seemed then to be Death himself commissioned by time. Causing his foes to tremble by the repeated blows of his sword that were of three kinds, Ashvatthama became bathed in blood. Covered as he was with blood, and wielding as he did a blazing sword, his form, as he careered in battle, became exceedingly terrible and superhuman. Those who awaked from sleep, O Kaurava, became stupefied with the loud noise (they heard around). Beholding Drona's son, they looked at each other's faces and trembled (with fear). Those kshatriyas, beholding the form of that crusher of foes, believed him to be a rakshasa and closed their eyes.
Of terrible form, he careered in the camp like Yama himself, and at last saw the sons of Draupadi and the remnant of the Somakas. Alarmed by the noise, and learning that Dhrishtadyumna had been slain, those mighty car-warriors, the sons of Draupadi, armed with bows, fearlessly poured their shafts on Drona's son. Awakened by their noise, the Prabhadrakas with Shikhandi at their head, began to grind the son of Drona with their arrows. Drona's son, beholding them shower their arrows on him, uttered a loud roar and became desirous of slaying those mighty car-warriors. Recollecting the death of his sire, Ashvatthama became filled with rage. Alighting from the terrace of his car, he rushed furiously (against his enemies). Taking up his bright shield with a 1,000 moons and his massive and celestial sword decked with gold, the mighty Ashvatthama rushed against the sons of Draupadi and began to lay about him with his weapon. Then that tiger among men, in that dreadful battle, struck Prativindhya in the abdomen, at which the latter, O king, deprived of life, fell down on the Earth. The valiant Sutasoma, having pierced the son of Drona with a lance, rushed at him with his uplifted sword. Ashvatthama, however cut off Sutasoma's arm with the sword in grasp, and once more struck him in the flank. At this, Sutasoma fell down, bereft of life. The valiant Shatanika, the son of Nakula, taking up a car-wheel with his two hands, violently struck Ashvatthama at the chest. The regenerate Ashvatthama violently assailed Shatanika after he had hurled that car-wheel. Exceedingly agitated, Nakula's son fell down upon the Earth, upon which Drona's son cut off his head. Then Shrutakarma, taking up a spiked bludgeon, attacked Ashvatthama. Furiously rushing at Drona's son, he assailed him violently on the left part of his forehead. Ashvatthama struck Shrutakarma with his excellent sword on the face. Deprived of senses and his face disfigured, he fell down lifeless on the Earth. At this noise, the heroic Shrutakirti, that great car-warrior, coming up, poured showers of arrows on Ashvatthama. Baffling those arrowy showers with his shield, Ashvatthama cut off from the enemy's trunk the latter's beautiful head adorned with ear-rings. Then the slayer of Bhishma, the mighty Shikhandi, with all the Prabhadrakas, assailed the hero from every side with diverse kinds of weapons. Shikhandi struck Ashvatthama with an arrow in the midst of his two eyebrows. Filled with rage at this, Drona's son, possessed of great might, approached Shikhandi and cut him into twain with his sword. Having slain Shikhandi, Ashvatthama, filled with rage, rushed furiously against the other Prabhadrakas. He proceeded also against the remnant of Virata's force.
Endued with great strength, Drona's son made a heavy carnage amongst the sons, the grandsons, and the followers of Drupada, singling them out one after another. Accomplished in the use of the sword, Ashvatthama then, rushing against other combatants, cut them down with his excellent sword. The warriors in the Pandava camp beheld that Death-Night in her embodied form, a black image, of bloody mouth and bloody eyes, wearing crimson garlands and smeared with crimson unguents, attired in a single piece of red cloth, with a noose in hand, and resembling an elderly lady, employed in chanting a dismal note and standing full before their eyes, and about to lead away men and steeds and elephants all tied in a stout cord. She seemed to take away diverse kinds of spirits, with dishevelled hair and tied together in a cord, as also, O king, many mighty car-warriors divested of their weapons. On other days, O sire, the foremost warriors of the Pandava camp used to see in their dreams that figure leading away the sleeping combatants and Drona's son smiting them behind! The Pandava soldiers saw that lady and Drona's son in their dreams every night from the day when the battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas first commenced. Afflicted before by Destiny, they were now smitten by Drona's son who terrified them all with the frightful roars uttered by him. Afflicted by Destiny, the brave warriors of the Pandava camp, recollecting the sight they had seen in their dreams, identified it with what they now witnessed.
At the noise made, hundreds and thousands of Pandava bowmen in the camp awoke from their slumbers. Ashvatthama cut off the legs of some, and the hips of others, and pierced some in their flanks, careering like the Destroyer himself let loose by Time. The Earth, O lord, was soon covered with human beings that were crushed into shapelessness or trodden down by elephants and steeds and with others that roared in great affliction. Many of them loudly exclaimed, "What is this?" "Who is this one?" "What is this noise?" "Who is doing what?" While uttering such shrieks, Drona's son became their Destroyer. That foremost of smiters, the son of Drona, despatched to regions of Yama all those Pandus and Srinjayas who were without armour and weapons. Terrified at that noise, many awoke from sleep. Possessed with fear, blinded by sleep, and deprived of their senses, those warriors seemed to vanish (before the fury of Ashvatthama). The thighs of many were paralysed and many were so stupefied that they lost all their energy. Shrieking and possessed with fear, they began to slay one another. Drona's son once more got upon his car of terrible clatter and taking up his bow despatched many with his shafts to Yama's abode. Others awoke from sleep, brave warriors and foremost of men, as they came towards Ashvatthama, were slain before they could approach him and were thus offered up as victims unto that Death-Night. Crushing many with that foremost of cars, he careered through the camp, and covered his foes with repeated showers of arrows. Once again with that beautiful shield of his, adorned with hundred moons, and with that sword of his which was of the hue of the welkin, he careered amidst his enemies. Like an elephant agitating a large lake, Drona's son, irresistible, in battle, agitated the camp of the Pandavas.
Awaked by the noise, O king, many warriors, afflicted still with sleep and fear, and with senses still under a cloud, ran hither and thither. Many shrieked in harsh tones and many uttered incoherent exclamations. Many succeeded not in obtaining their weapons and armour. The locks of many were dishevelled, and many failed to recognise one another. Having risen from sleep, many fell down, fatigued; some wandered here and there without any purpose. Elephants and steeds, breaking their cords, passed excreta and urine. Many, causing great confusion, huddled together. Amongst these, some through fear laid themselves down on the earth. The animals of the camp crushed them there.
While the camp was in this state, rakshasas, O king, uttered loud roars in joy, O chief of the Bharatas! The loud noise, O king, uttered by ghostly beings in joy, filled all the points of the compass and the welkin. Hearing the wails of woe, elephants, steeds, breaking their cords, rushed hither and thither, crushing the combatants in the camp. As those animals rushed hither and thither, the dust raised by them made the night doubly dark. When that thick gloom set in, the warriors in the camp became perfectly stupefied; sires recognised not their sons, brothers recognised not their brothers. Elephants assailing riderless elephants, and steeds assailing riderless steeds, assailed and broke and crushed the people that stood in their way. Losing all order, combatants rushed and slew one another, and felling those that stood in their way, crushed them into pieces. Deprived of their senses and overcome with sleep, and enveloped in gloom, men, impelled by fate, slew their own comrades. The guards, leaving the gates they watched, and those at duty at the outposts leaving the posts they guarded, fled away for their lives, deprived of their senses and not knowing whither they proceeded. They slew one another, the slayers, O lord, not recognising the slain. Afflicted by Fate, they cried after their sires and sons. While they fled, abandoning their friends and relatives, they called upon one another, mentioning their families and names. Other, uttering cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" fell down on the earth. In the midst of the battle, Drona's son, recognising them, slew them all.
Other kshatriyas, while being slaughtered, lost their senses, and afflicted by fear, sought to fly away from their camps. Those men that sought to fly away from their camp for saving their lives, were slain by Kritavarma and Kripa at the gate. Divested of weapons and instruments and armour, and with dishevelled hair, they joined their hands. Trembling with fear, they were on the ground. The two Kuru warriors, however, (who were on their cars) gave quarter to none. None amongst those that escaped from the camp was let off by those two wicked persons, Kripa and Kritavarma. Then again, for doing that which was highly agreeable to Drona's son, those two set fire to the Pandava camp in three places.
When the camp was lighted, Ashvatthama, that delighter of his sires, O monarch, careered, sword in hand and smiting his foes with great skill. Some of his brave foes rushed towards him and some ran hither and thither. That foremost of regenerate ones, with his sword, deprived all of them of their lives. The valiant son of Drona, filled with rage, felled some of the warriors, cutting them in twain with his sword as if they were sesame stalks. The Earth, O bull of Bharata's race, became strewn with the fallen bodies of the foremost of men and steeds and elephants mingled together and uttering woeful wails and cries. When thousands of men had fallen down deprived of life, innumerable headless trunks stood up and fell down. Ashvatthama, O Bharata, cut off arms adorned with angadas and holding weapons in grasp, and heads, and thighs resembling trunks of elephants, and hands, and feet. The illustrious son of Drona mangled the backs of some, cut off the heads of some, and caused some to turn away from the fight. And he cut off some at the middle, and lopped off the ears of others, and struck others on the shoulders, and pressed down the heads of some into their trunks.
As Ashvatthama careered in this way, slaughtering thousands of men, the deep night became more terrible in consequence of the darkness that set in. The earth became terrible to behold, strewn with thousands of human beings dead and dying and innumerable steeds and elephants. Cut off by the enraged son of Drona, his foes fell down on the earth that was then crowded with yakshas and rakshasas, and frightful with (broken) cars and slain steeds and elephants. Some called upon their brothers, some upon their sires, and some upon their sons. And some said, "The Dhartarashtras in rage could never accomplish such feats in battle as these which rakshasas of wicked deeds are achieving (upon us) during the hour of sleep! It is only in consequence of the absence of the Parthas that this great slaughter is going on. That son of Kunti, who hath Janardana for his protector, is incapable of being vanquished by gods, asuras, gandharvas, yakshas and rakshasas! Devoted to Brahma, truthful in speech, self-restrained, and compassionate towards all creatures, that son of Pritha, called Dhananjaya, never slaughters one that is asleep, or one that is heedless, or one that has laid aside his weapons or one that has joined his hands in supplication, or one that is retreating, or one whose locks have been dishevelled. Alas, they are rakshasas of wicked deeds who are perpetrating such terrible act upon us." Uttering such words, many laid themselves down.
The loud din caused by the cries and groans of human beings died away within a short space of time. The earth being drenched with blood, O king, that thick and frightful dust soon disappeared. Thousands of men moving in agony, overwhelmed with anxiety and overcome with despair, were slain by Ashvatthama like Rudra slaying living creatures. Many who laid themselves down on the ground clasping one another, and many who sought to fly away, and many who sought to hide themselves, and many who struggled in battle, were all slain by the son of Drona. Burnt by the raging flames and slaughtered by Ashvatthama, the men, losing their senses, slew one another. Before half the night was over, the son of Drona, O monarch, despatched the large host of the Pandavas unto Yama's abode.
That night, so terrible and destructive unto human beings and elephants and steeds filled with joy all creatures that wander in the dark. Many rakshasas and pishacas of various tribes were seen there, gorging upon human flesh and quaffing the blood that lay on the ground. They were fierce, tawny in hue, terrible, of adamantine teeth, and dyed with blood. With matted locks on their heads, their thighs were long and massive; endued with five feet, their stomachs were large. Their fingers were set backwards. Of harsh temper and ugly features, their voice was loud and terrible. They had rows of tinkling bells tied to their bodies. Possessed of blue throats, they looked very frightful. Exceedingly cruel and incapable of being looked at without fear, and without abhorrence for anything, they came there with their children and wives. Indeed, diverse were the forms seen there of the rakshasas that came. Quaffing the blood that ran in streams, they became filled with joy and began to dance in separate bands. "This is excellent!" "This is pure!" "This is very sweet!" these were the words they uttered.
Other carnivorous creatures, subsisting upon animal food, having gorged upon fat and marrow and bones and blood, began to eat the delicate parts of corpses. Others, drinking the fat that flowed in streams, ran naked over the field. Possessed of diverse kinds of faces, other carnivorous beings of great ferocity, and living upon dead flesh, came there in tens of thousands and millions. Grim and gigantic rakshasas also, of wicked deeds, came there in bands as numerous. Other ghostly beings, filled with joy and gorged to satiety, O king, also came there and were seen in the midst of that dreadful carnage.
When morning dawned, Ashvatthama desired to leave the camp. He was then bathed in human blood and the hilt of his sword so firmly adhered in his grasp that his hand and sword, O king, became one! Having walked in that path that is never trod (by good warriors), Ashvatthama, after that slaughter, looked like the blazing fire at the end of the yuga after it has consumed all creatures into ashes. Having perpetrated that feat agreeably to his vow, and having trod in that untrodden way, Drona's son, O lord, forgot his grief for the slaughter of his sire. The Pandava camp, in consequence of the sleep in which all within it were buried, was perfectly still when Drona's son had entered it in the night.
After the nocturnal slaughter, when all became once more quiet, Ashvatthama issued from it. Having issued from the camp, the valiant Ashvatthama met his two companions and, filled with joy, told them of his feat, gladdening them, O king, by the intelligence. Those two, in return, devoted as they were to his good, gave him the agreeable intelligence of how they also had slaughtered thousands of Pancalas and Srinjayas (at the gates). Even thus did that night prove terribly destructive to the Somakas who had been heedless and buried in sleep. The course of time, without doubt, is irresistible. Those who had exterminated us were themselves exterminated now."
Dhritarashtra said, "Why is it that that mighty car-warrior, the son of Drona, did not achieve such a feat before although he had resolutely exerted himself for bestowing victory upon Duryodhana? For what reason did that great bowman do this after the slaughter of the wretched Duryodhana? It behoveth thee to tell me this!"
Sanjaya said, "Through fear of the Parthas, O son of Kuru's race, Ashvatthama could not achieve such a feat then. It was owing to the absence of the Parthas and the intelligent Keshava as also of Satyaki, that Drona's son could accomplish it. Who is there, the lord Indra unexcepted, that is competent to slay them in the presence of these heroes? Besides, O king, Ashvatthama succeeded in accomplishing the feat only because the men were all asleep. Having caused that vast slaughter of the Pandava forces, those three great car-warriors (Ashvatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma), meeting together, exclaimed, "Good luck!" His two companions congratulated Ashvatthama, and the latter was also embraced by them. In great joy the latter uttered these words: "All the Pancalas have been slain, as also all the sons of Draupadi! All the Somakas also, as well as all that remained of the Matsyas, have been slaughtered by me! Crowned with success, let us without delay go there where the king is! If the king be still alive, we will give him this joyful intelligence!"

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 9

 

 

1 [s]
      te hatvā sarvapāñcālān draupadeyāṃś ca sarvaśaḥ
      agacchan sahitās tatra yatra duryodhano hataḥ
  2 gatvā cainam apaśyaṃs te kiṃ cit prāṇaṃ narādhipam
      tato rathebhyaḥ praskandya parivavrus tavātmajam
  3 taṃ bhagnasakthaṃ rājendra kṛcchraprāṇam acetasam
      vamantaṃ rudhiraṃ vaktrād apaśyan vasudhātale
  4 vṛtaṃ samantād bahubhiḥ śvāpadair ghoradarśanaiḥ
      śālā vṛkagaḍaiś caiva bhakṣayiṣyadbhir antikāt
  5 nivārayantaṃ kṛcchrāt tāñ śvāpadān saṃcikhādiṣūn
      viveṣṭamānaṃ mahyāṃ ca subhṛśaṃ gāḍhavedanam
  6 taṃ śayānaṃ mahātmānaṃ bhūmau svarudhirokṣitam
      hataśiṣṭās trayo vīrāḥ śokārtāḥ paryavārayan
      aśvatthāmā kṛpaś caiva kṛtavarmā ca sātvataḥ
  7 tais tribhiḥ śoṇitādigdhair niḥśvasadbhir mahārathaiḥ
      śuśubhe saṃvṛto rājā vedī tribhir ivāgnibhiḥ
  8 te taṃ śayānaṃ saṃprekṣya rājānam atathocitam
      aviṣahyena duḥkhena tatas te rurudus trayaḥ
  9 tatas te rudhiraṃ hastair mukhān nirmṛjya tasya ha
      raṇe rājñaḥ śayānasya kṛpaṇaṃ paryadevayan
  10 [kṛpa]
     na daivasyātibhāro 'sti yad ayaṃ rudhirokṣitaḥ
     ekādaśa camū bhartā śete duryodhano hataḥ
 11 paśya cāmīkarābhasya cāmīkaravibhūṣitām
     gadāṃ gadā priyasyemāṃ samīpe patitāṃ bhuvi
 12 iyam enaṃ gadā śūraṃ na jahāti raṇe raṇe
     svargāyāpi vrajantaṃ hi na jahāti yaśasvinam
 13 paśyemāṃ saha vīreṇa jāmbūnadavibhūṣitām
     śayānāṃ śayane dharme bhāryāṃ prītimatīm iva
 14 yo vai mūrdhāvasiktānām agre yātaḥ paraṃtapaḥ
     sa hato grasate pāṃsūn paśya kālasya paryayam
 15 yenājau nihatā bhūmāv aśerata purā dviṣaḥ
     sa bhūmau nihataḥ śete kururājaḥ parair ayam
 16 bhayān namanti rājāno yasya sma śatasaṃghaśaḥ
     sa vīraśayane śete kravyādbhiḥ parivāritaḥ
 17 upāsata nṛpāḥ pūrvam arthahetor yam īśvaram
     dhik sadyo nihataḥ śete paśya kālasya paryayam
 18 [s]
     taṃ śayānaṃ nṛpaśreṣṭhaṃ tato bharatasattama
     aśvatthāmā samālokya karuṇaṃ paryadevayat
 19 āhus tvāṃ rājaśārdūla mukhyaṃ sarvadhanuṣmatām
     dhanādhyakṣopamaṃ yuddhe śiṣyaṃ saṃkarṣaṇasya ha
 20 kathaṃ vivaram adrākṣīd bhīmasenas tavānagha
     balinaḥ kṛtino nityaṃ sa ca pāpātmavān nṛpa
 21 kālo nūnaṃ mahārāja loke 'smin balavattaraḥ
     paśyāmo nihataṃ tvāṃ ced bhīmasenena saṃyuge
 22 kathaṃ tvāṃ sarvadharmajñaṃ kṣudraḥ pāpo vṛkodaraḥ
     nikṛtyā hatavān mando nūnaṃ kālo duratyayaḥ
 23 dharmayuddhe hy adharmeṇa samāhūyaujasā mṛdhe
     gadayā bhīmasenena nirbhinne sakthinī tava
 24 adharmeṇa hatasyājau mṛdyamānaṃ padā śiraḥ
     yad upekṣitavān kṣudro dhik tam astu yudhiṣṭhiram
 25 yuddheṣv apavadiṣyanti yodhā nūnaṃ vṛkodaram
     yāvat sthāsyanti bhūtāni nikṛtyā hy asi pātitaḥ
 26 nanu rāmo 'bravīd rājaṃs tvāṃ sadā yadunandanaḥ
     duryodhana samo nāsti gadayā iti vīryavān
 27 ślāghate tvāṃ hi vārṣṇeyo rājan saṃsatsu bhārata
     suśiṣyo mama kauravyo gadāyuddha iti prabho
 28 yāṃ gatiṃ kṣatriyasyāhuḥ praśastāṃ paramarṣayaḥ
     hatasyābhimukhasyājau prāptas tvam asi tāṃ gatim
 29 duryodhana na śocāmi tvām ahaṃ puruṣarṣabha
     hataputrāṃ tu śocāmi gāndhārīṃ pitaraṃ ca te
     bhikṣukau vicariṣyete śocantau pṛthivīm imām
 30 dhig astu kṛṣṇaṃ vārṣṇeyam arjunaṃ cāpi durmatim
     dharmajña māninau yau tvāṃ vadhyamānam upekṣatām
 31 pāṇḍavāś cāpi te sarve kiṃ vakṣyanti narādhipān
     kathaṃ duryodhano 'smābhir hata ity anapatrapāḥ
 32 dhanyas tvam asi gāndhāre yas tvam āyodhane hataḥ
     prayāto 'bhimukhaḥ śatrūn dharmeṇa puruṣarṣabha
 33 hataputrā hi gāndhārī nihatajñātibāndhavā
     prajñā cakṣuś ca durdharṣaḥ kāṃ gatiṃ pratipatsyate
 34 dhig astu kṛtavarmāṇaṃ māṃ kṛpaṃ ca mahāratham
     ye vayaṃ na gatāḥ svargaṃ tvāṃ puraskṛtya pārthivam
 35 dātāraṃ sarvakāmānāṃ rakṣitāraṃ prajāhitam
     yad vayaṃ nānugacchāmas tvāṃ dhig asmān narādhamān
 36 kṛpasya tava vīryeṇa mama caiva pituś ca me
     sabhṛtyānāṃ naravyāghra ratnavanti gṛhāṇi ca
 37 bhavatprasādād asmābhiḥ samitraiḥ saha bāndhavaiḥ
     avāptāḥ kratavo mukhyā bahavo bhūridakṣiṇāḥ
 38 kutaś cāpīdṛśaṃ sārtham upalapsyāmahe vayam
     yādṛśena puraskṛtya tvaṃ gataḥ sarvapārthivān
 39 vayam eva trayo rājan gacchantaṃ paramāṃ gatim
     yad vai tvāṃ nānugacchāmas tena tapsyāmahe vayam
 40 tvat svargahīnā hīnārthāḥ smarantaḥ sukṛtasya te
     kiṃnāma tad bhavet karma yana tvānuvrajema vai
 41 duḥkhaṃ nūnaṃ kuruśreṣṭha cariṣyāmo mahīm imām
     hīnānāṃ nas tvayā rājan kutaḥ śāntiḥ kutaḥ sukham
 42 gatvaitāṃs tu mahārāja sametya tvaṃ mahārathān
     yathā śreṣṭhaṃ yathā jyeṣṭhaṃ pūjayer vacanān mama
 43 ācāryaṃ pūjayitvā ca ketuṃ sarvadhanuṣmatām
     hataṃ mayādya śaṃsethā dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ narādhipa
 44 pariṣvajethā rājānaṃ bāhlikaṃ sumahāratham
     saindhavaṃ somadattaṃ ca bhūriśravasam eva ca
 45 tathā pūrvagatān anyān svargaṃ pārthiva sattamān
     asmad vākyāt pariṣvajya pṛcchethās tvam anāmayam
 46 ity evam uktvā rājānaṃ bhagnasaktham acetasam
     aśvatthāmā samudvīkṣya punar vacanam abravīt
 47 duryodhana jīvasi ced vācaṃ śrotrasukhāṃ śṛṇu
     sapta pāṇḍavataḥ śeṣā dhārtarāṣṭrās trayo vayam
 48 te caiva bhrātaraḥ pañca vāsudevo 'tha sātyakiḥ
     ahaṃ ca kṛtavarmā ca kṛpaḥ śāradvatas tathā
 49 draupadeyā hatāḥ sarve dhṛṣṭadyumnasya cātmajāḥ
     pāñcālā nihatāḥ sarve matsyaśeṣaṃ ca bhārata
 50 kṛte pratikṛtaṃ paśya hataputrā hi pāṇḍavāḥ
     sauptike śibiraṃ teṣāṃ hataṃ sanara vāhanam
 51 mayā ca pāpakarmāsau dhṛṣṭadyumno mahīpate
     praviśya śibiraṃ rātrau paśumāreṇa māritaḥ
 52 duryodhanas tu tāṃ vācaṃ niśamya manasaḥ priyām
     pratilabhya punaś ceta idaṃ vacanam abravīt
 53 na me 'karot tad gāneyo na karṇo na ca te pitā
     yat tvayā kṛpa bhojābhyāṃ sahitenādya me kṛtam
 54 sa cet senāpatiḥ kṣudro hataḥ sārdhaṃ śikhaṇḍinā
     tena manye maghavatā samam ātmānam adya vai
 55 svasti prāpnuta bhadraṃ vaḥ svarge naḥ saṃgamaḥ punaḥ
     ity evam uktvā tūṣṇīṃ sa kururājo mahāmanāḥ
     prāṇān udasṛjad vīraḥ suhṛdāṃ śokam ādadhat
 56 tatheti te pariṣvaktāḥ pariṣvajya ca taṃ nṛpam
     punaḥ punaḥ prekṣamāṇāḥ svakān āruruhū rathān
 57 ity evaṃ tava putrasya niśamya karuṇāṃ giram
     pratyūṣakāle śokārtaḥ prādhāvaṃ nagaraṃ prati
 58 tava putre gate svarge śokārtasya mamānagha
     ṛṣidattaṃ pranaṣṭaṃ tad divyadarśitvam adya vai
 59 [v]
     iti śrutvā sa nṛpatiḥ putra jñātivadhaṃ tadā
     niḥśvasya dīrgham uṣṇaṃ ca tataś cintāparo 'bhavat

 

9

Sanjaya said, "Having slain all the Pancalas and the sons of Draupadi, the three Kuru heroes together came to that spot where Duryodhana lay, struck down by the foe. Arrived there, they beheld that life had not been wholly extinct in the king. Jumping down from their cars, they surrounded thy son. The Kuru king, O monarch, was lying there with broken thighs. Almost senseless, his life was about to ebb away. He was vomiting blood at intervals, with downcast eyes. He was then surrounded by a large number of carnivorous animals of terrible forms, and by wolves and hyenas, that awaited at no great distance for feeding upon his body. With great difficulty the king was keeping off those beasts of prey that stood in expectation of feasting upon him. He was writhing on the earth in great agony. Beholding him thus lying on the earth, bathed in his own blood, the three heroes who were the sole survivors of his army, Ashvatthama and Kripa and Kritavarma, became afflicted with grief and sat surrounding him. Encompassed by those three mighty car-warriors who were covered with blood and who breathed hot sighs, the Kuru king looked like a sacrificial altar surrounded by three fires. Beholding the king lying in that highly undeserving plight, the three heroes wept in unendurable sorrow. Wiping the blood from off his face with their hands, they uttered these piteous lamentations in the hearing of the king lying on the field of battle.
Kripa said, "There is nothing too difficult for destiny to bring about, since even this king Duryodhana who was the lord of eleven akshauhinis of troops sleepeth on the bare ground, struck down by the foes and covered with blood! Behold, fond he was of the mace, and that mace decked with pure gold still lieth by the side of the king whose splendour still resembles that of pure gold! In no battle did that mace abandon this hero! Even now, when he is about to ascend to heaven, that weapon leaveth not this illustrious warrior. Behold, that weapon, adorned with pure gold, still lieth by the side of this hero like a loving wife by the side of her lord stretched on his bed in his chamber of sleep. Behold the reverses brought about by Time! This scorcher of foes that used to walk at the head of all crowned kings, now eateth the dust struck down (by the foe)! He who had formerly struck down many foes and caused them to lie on the bare ground, alas, that king of the Kurus lieth today on the bare ground, struck down by foes. He to whom hundreds of kings used to bow down in fear, lieth today on the field of battle, surrounded by beasts of prey. The brahmanas formerly used to wait upon this lord for wealth. Alas, beasts of prey wait upon him today for feeding upon his body!"
Sanjaya continued, "Beholding that chief of Kuru's race lying on the ground, Ashvatthama, O best of the Bharatas, uttered these piteous lamentations: "O tiger among kings, all people indicated thee as the foremost of all bowmen! People also said that (in encounters with the mace) thou, a disciple of Sankarshana, wert like the Lord of treasures (Kuvera), himself! How then, O sinless one, could Bhima notice any lapses in thee! Thou wert ever mighty and possessed of skill! He, on the other hand, O king, is a wicked-souled wight! Without doubt, O monarch, Time in this world is mightier than everything else, for we behold even thee struck down by Bhimasena in battle! Alas, how could the wretched and mean Vrikodara unrighteously strike thee down, thee that wert conversant with every rule of righteousness! Without doubt, Time is irresistible. Alas, having summoned thee to a fair fight, Bhimasena, putting forth his might, fractured thy thighs. Fie on that wretched Yudhishthira who tolerated the head of one unrighteously struck down in battle to be touched with the foot! In all battles warriors will certainly reprove Vrikodara as long as the world will last. Without doubt, thou hast been struck down unrighteously!
The valiant Rama of Yadu's race, O king, always used to say that there is no one equal to Duryodhana in encounters with the mace. He of the Vrishni race, O Bharata, used to boast of thee, O lord, in every assembly, saying, ‘Duryodhana of Kurus race is a worthy disciple of mine!' Thou hast obtained that end which great rishis have declared to be the high reward of a kshatriya slain in battle with his face towards the foe. I do not, O bull among men, grieve for thee, O Duryodhana! I grieve only for thy mother Gandhari and thy sire, childless as they now are. Afflicted with sorrow, they will have to wander over the earth, begging their food. Fie on Krishna, Vrishni's race, and on Arjuna of wicked understanding! They regard themselves conversant with the duties of morality, yet both of them stood indifferent whilst thou wert being slain! How will the other Pandavas, shameless though they are, O king, speak of the manner in which they have accomplished thy death? Thou art highly fortunate, O son of Gandhari, since thou hast been slain on the field of battle, O bull among men, while advancing fairly against the foe. Alas, what will be the plight of Gandhari who is now childless, and who hath lost all her kinsmen and relatives! What also will be the plight of the blind king!
Fie on Kritavarma, on myself, as also on mighty car-warrior Kripa, since we have not yet gone to heaven with thy royal self before us! Fie on us, lowest of mortals, since we do not follow thee that wert the granter of all wishes, the protector of all men, and the benefactor of all thy subjects! Through thy power, the abodes of Kripa, of myself, and of my sire, along with those of our dependants, O tiger among men, are full of wealth. Through thy grace, ourselves with our friends and relatives have performed many foremost of sacrifices with a profusion of presents to brahmanas. Where shall such sinful persons as ourselves now go, since thou hast gone to heaven, taking with thee all the kings of the earth? Since we three, O king, do not follow thee that art about to obtain the highest end (of life), it is for this that we are indulging in such lamentations. Deprived of thy companionship, reft of wealth, our memories painfully dwelling upon thy prosperity, alas, what will be our lot since we do not go with thee? Without doubt, O chief of Kuru's race, we shall have to wander in grief on the earth. Deprived of thee, O king, where can we have peace and where can we have happiness?
Going from this world, O monarch, and meeting with those mighty car-warriors (that have preceded thee), show thy regards to them, at my request, one after another, according to the order of their rank and years. Having offered worship to thy preceptor, that foremost of all wielders of bows, tell him, O king, that Dhrishtadyumna hath been slain by me. Embrace king Bahlika, that mighty car-warrior, as also the ruler of the Sindhus, and Somadatta, Bhurishrava, and the other foremost of kings that have preceded thee to heaven. At my request, embrace all of them and enquire after their welfare."
Sanjaya continued, "Having said these words unto the king deprived of his senses and lying with broken thighs, Ashvatthama once more cast his eyes on him and uttered these words, "If, O Duryodhana, thou hast any life in thee still, listen to these words that are so pleasant to hear. On the side of the Pandavas, only seven are alive, and among the Dhartarashtras, only we three! The seven on their side are the five brothers and Vasudeva and Satyaki; on our side, we three are myself and Kripa and Kritavarma! All the sons of Draupadi have been slain, as also all the children of Dhrishtadyumna! All the Pancalas too have been slain, as also the remnant of the Matsyas, O Bharata! Behold the vengeance taken for what they had done! The Pandavas are now childless! While buried in sleep, the men and animals in their camp have all been slain! Penetrating into their camp in the night, O king, I have slain Dhrishtadyumna, that wight of sinful deeds, as one kills an animal."
Duryodhana then, having heard those words that were so agreeable to his heart, regained his senses and said these words in reply, "That which neither Ganga's son, nor Karna, nor thy sire, could achieve, hath at last been achieved by thee today, accompanied by Kripa and Bhoja. Thou hast slain that low wretch (Dhrishtadyumna) who was commander of the Pandava forces, as also Shikhandi. In consequence of this I regard myself equal to Maghavat himself! Good be to you all! Let prosperity be yours! All of us will again meet together in heaven!"
Having said these words the high-souled king of the Kurus became silent. Casting off his griefs for all his (slain) kinsmen, he then gave up his life-breath. His soul ascended to sacred heaven, while his body only remained on earth. Even thus, O king, thy son Duryodhana breathed his last. Having provoked the battle first, he was slain by his foes at last. The three heroes repeatedly embraced the king and gazed steadfastly on him. They then ascended their cars. Having heard these piteous lamentations of Drona's son, I came away at early dawn towards the city. Even thus the armies of the Kurus and Pandavas have been destroyed. Great and terrible have been that carnage, O king, caused by thy evil policy. After thy son had ascended to heaven, I became afflicted with grief and the spiritual sight which the rishi gave hath been lost by me!"
Vaishampayana continued, "The king, hearing of his son's death, breathed long and hot sighs, and became plunged in great anxiety."

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 10

 

 

1 [v]
      tasyāṃ rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnasya sārathiḥ
      śaśaṃsa dharmarājāya sauptike kadanaṃ kṛtam
  2 draupadeyā mahārāja drupadasyātmajaiḥ saha
      pramattā niśi viśvastāḥ svapantaḥ śibire svake
  3 kṛtavarmaṇā nṛśaṃsena gautamena kṛpeṇa ca
      aśvatthāmnā ca pāpena hataṃ vaḥ śibiraṃ niśi
  4 etair naragajāśvānāṃ prāsaśaktiparaśvadhaiḥ
      sahasrāṇi nikṛntadbhir niḥśeṣaṃ te balaṃ kṛtam
  5 chidyamānasya mahato vanasyeva paraśvadhaiḥ
      śuśruve sumahāñ śabdo balasya tava bhārata
  6 aham eko 'vaśiṣṭas tu tasmāt sainyān mahīpate
      muktaḥ kathaṃ cid dharmātman vyagrasya kṛtavarmaṇaḥ
  7 tac chrutvā vākyam aśivaṃ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
      papāta mahyāṃ durdharṣaḥ putraśokasamanvitaḥ
  8 taṃ patantam abhikramya parijagrāha sātyakiḥ
      bhīmaseno 'rjunaś caiva mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau
  9 labdhacetās tu kaunteyaḥ śokavihvalayā girā
      jitvā śatrūñ jitaḥ paśyāt paryadevayad āturaḥ
  10 durvidā gatir arthānām api ye divyacakṣuṣaḥ
     jīyamānā jayanty anye jayamānā vayaṃ jitāḥ
 11 hatvā bhrātṝn vayasyāṃś ca pitṝn putrān suhṛdgaṇān
     bandhūn amātyān pautrāṃś ca jitvā sarvāñ jitā vayam
 12 anartho hy arthasaṃkāśas tathārtho 'narthadarśanaḥ
     jayo 'yam ajayākāro jayas tasmāt parājayaḥ
 13 yaṃ hitvā tapyate paścād āpanna iva durmatiḥ
     akthaṃ manyeta vijayaṃ tato jitataraḥ paraiḥ
 14 yeṣām arthāya pāpasya dhig jayasya suhṛd vadhe
     nirjitair apramattair hi vijitā jitakāśinaḥ
 15 karṇinālīkadaṃṣṭrasya khaḍgajihvasya saṃyuge
     cāpavyāttasya raudrasya jyātalasvananādinaḥ
 16 kruddhasya narasiṃhasya saṃgrāmeṣv apalāyinaḥ
     ye vyamucyanta karṇasya pramādāt ta ime hatāḥ
 17 rathahradaṃ śaravarṣormi mantaṃ; ratnācitaṃ vāhana rājiyuktam
     śaktyṛṣṭi mīnadhvajanāganakraṃ; śarāsanāvarta maheṣu phenam
 18 saṃgrāmacandrodaya vegavelaṃ; droṇārṇavaṃ jyātalanemi ghoṣam
     ye terur uccāvacaśastranaubhis; te rājaputrā nihatāḥ pramādāt
 19 na hi pramādāt paramo 'sti kaś cid; vadho narāṇām iha jīvaloke
     pramattam arthā hi naraṃ samantāt; tyajanty anarthāś ca samāviśanti
 20 dhvajottama grocchritadhūmaketuṃ; śarārciṣaṃ kopamahāsamīram
     mahādhanur jyātalanemi ghoṣaṃ; tanutra nānāvidha śastrahomam
 21 mahācamū kakṣavarābhipannaṃ; mahāhave bhīṣma mahādavāgnim
     ye sehur āttāyata śastravegaṃ; te rājaputrā nihatāḥ pramādāt
 22 na hi pramattena nareṇa labhyā; vidyā tapaḥ śrīr vipulaṃ yaśo vā
     paśyāpramādena nihatya śatrūn; sarvān mahendraṃ sukham edhamānam
 23 indropamān pārthiva putrapautrān; paśyāviśeṣeṇa hatān pramādāt
     tīrtvā samudraṃ vaṇijaḥ samṛddhāḥ; sannāḥ ku nadyām iva helamānāḥ
     amarṣitair ye nihatāḥ śayānā; niḥsaṃśayaṃ te tridivaṃ prapannāḥ
 24 kṛṣṇāṃ nu śocāmi kathaṃ na sādhvīṃ; śokārṇave sādya vinaṅkṣyatīti
     bhrātṝṃś ca putrāṃś ca hatān niśamya; pāñcālarājaṃ pitaraṃ ca vṛddham
     dhruvaṃ visaṃjñā patitā pṛthivyāṃ; sā śeṣyate śokakṛśāṅgayaṣṭiḥ
 25 tac chokajaṃ duḥkham apārayantī; kathaṃ bhaviṣyaty ucitā sukhānām
     putrakṣayabhrātṛvadha praṇunnā; pradahyamāneva hutāśanena
 26 ity evam ārtaḥ paridevayan sa; rājā kurūṇāṃ nakulaṃ babhāṣe
     gacchānayainām iha mandabhāgyāṃ; samātṛpakṣām iti rājaputrīm
 27 mādrīr utas tatparigṛhya vākyaṃ; dharmeṇa dharmapratimasya rājñaḥ
     yayau rathenālayam āśu devyāḥ; pāñcālarājasya ca yatra dārāḥ
 28 prasthāpya mādrīsutam ājamīḍhaḥ; śokārditas taiḥ sahitaḥ suhṛdbhiḥ
     rorūyamāṇaḥ prayayau sutānām; āyodhanaṃ bhūtagaṇānukīrṇam
 29 sa tat praviśāśivam ugrarūpaṃ; dadarśa putrān suhṛdaḥ sakhīṃś ca
     bhūmau śayānān rudhirārdragātrān; vibhinnabhagnāpahṛtottamāṅgān
 30 sa tāṃs tu dṛṣṭvā bhṛśam ārtarūpo; yudhiṣṭhiro dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhaḥ
     uccaiḥ pacukrośa ca kauravāgryaḥ; papāta corvyāṃ sagaṇo visaṃjñaḥ

 

10

Vaishampayana said, "After that night had gone away, the driver of Dhrishtadyumna's car gave intelligence to king Yudhishthira of the great slaughter that had been caused during the hour of sleep.
The driver said, "The sons of Draupadi, O king, have been slain, with all the children of Drupada himself, while they were heedless and trustfully asleep in their own camp! During the night, O king, thy camp has been exterminated by the cruel Kritavarma, and Kripa, the son of Gautama, and the sinful Ashvatthama! Slaying thousands of men and elephants and steeds with lances and darts and battle-axes, those men have exterminated thy army. While thy army was being slaughtered like a forest cut down with axes, a loud wail was heard rising from thy camp. I am the sole survivor, O monarch, of that vast force. I have, O thou of virtuous soul, escaped with difficulty from Kritavarma at a time when he was heedless!"
Hearing these evil tidings, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, however, capable of bearing up (against foes), fell down on the earth, afflicted with grief at the loss of his sons. Advancing forward, Satyaki held the king in his embrace. Bhimasena and Arjuna and the two sons of Madri also stretched forth their arms. Having recovered his senses, the son of Kunti lamented in great affliction, uttering these words rendered indistinct by sorrow: "Alas, having vanquished the foe, we have ourselves been vanquished in the end! The course of events is difficult to be ascertained even by persons endued with spiritual sight. The foes, who were vanquished have become victorious! Ourselves, again, while victorious, are vanquished! Having slain brothers and friends and sires and sons and well-wishers, and kinsmen, and counsellors, and having vanquished them all, we ourselves are vanquished at last! Misery looks like prosperity and prosperity looks like misery! This our victory has assumed the shape of defeat. Our victory, therefore, has ended in defeat! Having won the victory, I am obliged to grieve as an afflicted wretch. How, then, can I regard it as a victory? In reality, I have been doubly defeated by the foe. They for whose sake we have incurred the sin of victory by slaying our kinsmen and friends, alas, they, after victory had crowned them, have been vanquished by defeated foes that were heedful!
Alas, through heedlessness have they been slain that had escaped from even Karna, that warrior who had barbed arrows and nalikas for his teeth, the sword for his tongue, the bow for his gaping mouth, and the twang of the bowstring and the sound of palms for his roars--that angry Karna who never retreated from battle, and who was a very lion among men! Alas, those princes that succeeded in crossing, by boats constituted by their own excellent weapons, the great Drona-ocean having cars for its deep lakes, showers of arrows for its waves, the ornaments of warriors for its gems, car-steeds for its animals, darts and swords for its fishes, elephants for its alligators, bows for its whirlpools, mighty weapons for its foam, and the signal of battle for its moonrise causing it to swell with energy, and the twang of the bowstring and the sound of palms for its roar,--alas, even those princes have from heedlessness been slain!
There is, in this world, no more powerful cause of death, as regards men, than heedlessness! Prosperity abandons a heedless man from every side, and every kind of misery overtakes him. The tall standard with excellent top that stood on his car was the wreath of smoke that infallibly indicated the Bhishma-fire. Shafts constituted its flames, and wrath was the wind that fanned it! The twang of his formidable bow and the sound of his palms constituted the roar of that fire. Armour and diverse kinds of weapons were the homa libations that were poured into it. The vast hostile army was the heap of dry forest-grass that was assailed by that fire. Alas, even they that had endured that fierce fire whose terrible energy was represented by the mighty weapons in Bhishma's hand have at last fallen through heedlessness.
A heedless person can never acquire knowledge, asceticism, prosperity, or great renown. Behold, Indra has obtained great happiness after slaying all his foes heedfully. Behold the survivors among our foes have, through our heedlessness, slain so many sons and grandsons of kings, each of whom was really like Indra himself. Alas, they have perished like merchants with rich freight perishing through carelessness in a shallow stream after having crossed the great ocean. They whose bodies are now lying on the bare ground, slain by those vindictive wretches, have without doubt ascended to heaven.
I grieve, however, for the princess Krishna. Alas, she will be plunged today in an ocean of grief. Hearing of the slaughter of her brothers and sons and her venerable sire, the king of the Pancalas, without doubt she will fall down senseless on the earth. Her body emaciated by grief, she will not rise again. Unable to bear the grief resulting from such affliction, and worthy as she is of happiness, alas, what will be her plight? Cut to the quick by the slaughter of her sons and brothers, she will be like one scorched by fire.'
Having in deep affliction indulged in these lamentations, that king of Kuru's race then addressed Nakula, saying, ‘Go and bring the unfortunate princess Draupadi here along with all her maternal relations.' Obediently accepting that command of the king who equalled Yama himself in righteousness, Nakula speedily proceeded on his car to the quarters of Draupadi where that princess resided with all the wives of the Pancala king. Having despatched the son of Madri, Yudhishthira, crushed by grief, proceeded with tears in his eyes accompanied by those friends of his, to the field on which his sons had battled and which still teemed with diverse kinds of creatures. Having entered that cursed field abounding with fierce sights, the king saw his sons, well-wishers, and friends, all lying on the ground, covered with blood, their bodies mangled, and heads separated from their trunks. Beholding them in that plight, Yudhishthira, that foremost of righteous men, became deeply afflicted. That chief of the Kurus then began to weep aloud and fell down on the earth, deprived of his senses, along with all his followers."

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 11

 

 

 

1 [v]
      sa dṛṣṭvā nihatān saṃkhye putrān bhrātṝn sakhīṃs tathā
      mahāduḥkhaparītātmā babhūva janamejaya
  2 tatas tasya mahāñ śokaḥ prādurāsīn mahātmanaḥ
      smarataḥ putrapautrāṇāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ svajanasya ha
  3 tam aśruparipūrṇākṣaṃ vepamānam acetasam
      suhṛdo bhṛśasaṃvignāḥ sāntvayāṃ cakrire tadā
  4 tatas tasmin kṣaṇe kālye rathenādityavarcasā
      nakulaḥ kṛṣṇayā sārdham upāyāt paramārtayā
  5 upaplavya gatā sā tu śrutvā sumahad apriyam
      tadā vināśaṃ putrāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ vyathitābhavat
  6 kampamāneva kadalī vātenābhisamīritā
      kṛṣṇā rājānam āsādya śokārtā nyapatad bhuvi
  7 babhūva vadanaṃ tasyāḥ sahasā śokakarśitam
      phullapadmapalāśākṣyās tamo dhvasta ivāṃśumān
  8 tatas tāṃ patitāṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃrambhī satyavikramaḥ
      bāhubhyāṃ parijagrāha samupetya vṛkodaraḥ
  9 sā samāśvāsitā tena bhīmasenena bhāminī
      rudatī pāṇḍavaṃ kṛṣṇā saha bhrātaram abravīt
  10 diṣṭyā rājaṃs tvam adyemām akhilāṃ bhokṣyase mahīm
     ātmajān kṣatradharmeṇa saṃpradāya yamāya vai
 11 diṣṭyā tvaṃ pārtha kuśalī mattamātaṅgagāminam
     avāpya pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ saubhadraṃ na smariṣyasi
 12 ātmajāṃs tena dharmeṇa śrutvā śūrān nipātitān
     upaplavye mayā sārdhaṃ diṣṭyā tvaṃ na smariṣyasi
 13 prasuptānāṃ vadhaṃ śrutvā drauṇinā pāpakarmaṇā
     śokas tapati māṃ pārtha hutāśana ivāśayam
 14 tasya pāpakṛto drauṇer na ced adya tvayā mṛdhe
     hriyate sānubandhasya yudhi vikramya jīvitam
 15 ihaiva prāyam āsiṣye tan nibodhata pāṇḍavāḥ
     na cet phalam avāpnoti drauṇiḥ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ
 16 evam uktvā tataḥ kṛṣṇā pāṇḍavaṃ pratyupāviśat
     yudhiṣṭhiraṃ yājñasenī dharmarājaṃ yaśasvinī
 17 dṛṣṭvopaviṣṭāṃ rājarṣiḥ pāṇḍavo mahiṣīṃ priyām
     pratyuvāca sa dharmātmā draupadīṃ cārudarśanām
 18 dharmyaṃ dharmeṇa dharmajñe prāptās te nidhanaṃ śubhe
     putrās te bhrātaraś caiva tān na śocitum arhasi
 19 droṇaputraḥ sa kalyāṇi vanaṃ dūram ito gataḥ
     tasya tvaṃ pātanaṃ saṃkhye kathaṃ jñāsyasi śobhane
 20 [drau]
     droṇaputrasya sahajo maṇiḥ śirasi me śrutaḥ
     nihatya saṃkhye taṃ pāpaṃ paśyeyaṃ maṇim āhṛtam
     rājañ śirasi taṃ kṛtvā jīveyam iti me matiḥ
 21 [v]
     ity uktvā pāṇḍavaṃ kṛṣṇā rājānaṃ cārudarśanā
     bhīmasenam athābhyetya kupitā vākyam abravīt
 22 trātum arhasi māṃ bhīmakṣatradharmam anusmaran
     jahi taṃ pāpakarmāṇaṃ śambaraṃ maghavān iva
     na hi te vikrame tulyaḥ pumān astīha kaś cana
 23 śrutaṃ tat sarvalokeṣu paramavyasane yathā
     dvīpo 'bhūs tvaṃ hi pārthānāṃ nagare vāraṇāvate
     hiḍimbadarśane caiva tathā tvam abhavo gatiḥ
 24 tathā virāṭanagare kīcakena bhṛśārditām
     mām apy uddhṛtavān kṛcchrāt paulomīṃ maghavān iva
 25 yathaitāny akṛthāḥ pārtha mahākarmāṇi vai purā
     tathā drauṇim amitraghna vinihatya sukhī bhava
 26 tasyā bahuvidhaṃ duḥkhān niśamya paridevitam
     nāmarṣayata kaunteyo bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ
 27 sa kāñcanavicitrāṅgam āruroha mahāratham
     ādāya ruciraṃ citraṃ samārgaṇa guṇaṃ dhanuḥ
 28 nakulaṃ sārathiṃ kṛtvā droṇaputra vadhe vṛtaḥ
     visphārya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ tūrṇam aśvān acodayat
 29 te hayāḥ puruṣavyāghra coditā vātaraṃhasaḥ
     vegena tvaritā jagmur harayaḥ śīghragāminaḥ
 30 śibirāt svād gṛhītvā sa rathasya padam acyutaḥ
     droṇaputra rathasyāśu yayau mārgeṇa vīryavān

 

11

Vaishampayana said, "Beholding his sons, grandsons, and friends all slain in battle, the king's soul became overwhelmed with great grief, O Janamejaya! Recollecting those sons and grandsons and brothers and allies, a deep sorrow took possession of the illustrious monarch. Senseless and trembling, his eyes were bathed in tears. His friends then, themselves filled with anxiety, began to comfort him.
At that time, Nakula, skilled in executing errands, arrived there on his car of solar effulgence, accompanied by the princess Krishna in great affliction. She had been residing at Upaplavya. Having received that heartrending intelligence about the slaughter of all her sons, she became exceedingly agitated. Trembling like a plantain tree shaken by the wind, the princess Krishna, arrived at the presence of Yudhishthira, fell down, afflicted by grief. Her face, adorned with eyes resembling a couple of full-blown lotuses, seemed to be darkened by grief like the Sun himself when enveloped in darkness.
Beholding her prostrate on the earth, the wrathful Vrikodara, of prowess incapable of being baffled, advancing hastily, raised her up and clasped her with his arms. The beautiful lady, comforted by Bhimasena, began to weep, and addressing the eldest son of Pandu with his brothers, said, "By good luck, O monarch, having obtained the whole earth, thou shalt enjoy her after the slaughter of thy brave sons in the observance of kshatriya duties. By good luck, O son of Pritha, thou art happy at the thought of having obtained the whole earth. By good luck, thy thoughts do not dwell on Subhadra's son whose tread resembled that of an infuriated elephant. By good luck, thou dost not, like myself while residing at Upaplavya, recollect thy heroic sons slaughtered in the observance of kshatriya duties. O son of Pritha, hearing of the slaughter of those sleeping heroes by Drona's son of sinful deeds, grief burns me as if I were in the midst of a fire. If Drona's son be not made to reap the fruit of that sinful deed of his, if, putting forth your prowess in battle, thou dost not take the life of that wretch of sinful deeds, along with the lives of all his followers, then listen to me, ye Pandavas, I shall sit here in praya!"
Having said these words, the helpless Krishna, the daughter of Yajnasena, sat by the side of the eldest son of Pandu, king Yudhishthira the just. The royal sage, Yudhishthira, of righteous soul, seeing his dear queen sit in praya, addressed her, saying, "O auspicious lady, O thou that art conversant with morality, all thy sons and brothers have righteously met with a noble death. It behoveth thee not to grieve for them. As regards Drona's son, he hath gone to a distant forest, O beautiful princess! How shall thou O lady, make thyself sure of his fall in battle?"
Draupadi answered, "I have heard that Drona's son hath a gem on his head, born with him. I shall see that gem brought to me after the slaughter of that wretch in battle, Placing that gem on thy head, O king, I shall endure to live. Even this is my resolve."
Having said these words unto the royal son of Pandu, the beautiful Krishna approached Bhimasena and said these words of high purpose unto him: "Remembering the duties of a kshatriya, O Bhima, it behoveth thee to come to my rescue. Slay that man of sinful deeds like Maghavat slaying Samvara. There is no one in this world who is equal to thee in prowess. It is known throughout the world how on an occasion of great calamity thou becamest at the town Varanavata the refuge of all the Parthas. When again we were seen by Hidimba, it was thou that becamest our refuge in the same way. Like Maghavat rescuing (his spouse) the daughter of Puloma, thou didst rescue my afflicted self, in Virata's city, from a great calamity. Like those great feats, O Partha, that thou didst achieve in former days, slay now, O slayer of foes, the son of Drona and be thou happy!"
Hearing these and other piteous lamentations of the princess, Kunti's son, Bhimasena, of great might, could not endure them. He mounted upon his great car adorned with gold and took his beautiful bow with arrow placed on the string. Making Nakula his charioteer, and resolved upon slaying the son of Drona, he began to stretch his bow and caused his steeds to be urged without delay. Those steeds, fleet as the wind, thus urged, O tiger among men, proceeded with great speed. Possessed of great valour and unfading energy, Bhima set out from the Pandava camp and proceeded with great celerity along the track of Ashvatthama's vehicle."

 

Book 10
Chapter 12

 

 

 

 1 [v]
      tasmin prayāte durdharṣe yadūnām ṛṣabhas tataḥ
      abravīt puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
  2 eṣa pāṇḍava te bhrātā putraśokam apārayan
      jighāṃsur drauṇim ākrande yāti bhārata bhārataḥ
  3 bhīmaḥ priyas te sarvebhyo bhrātṛbhyo bharatarṣabha
      taṃ kṛcchragatam adya tvaṃ kasmān nābhyavapadyase
  4 yat tad ācaṣṭa putrāya droṇaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ
      astraṃ brahmaśiro nāma dahed yat pṛthivīm api
  5 tan mahātmā mahābhāgaḥ ketuḥ sarvadhanuṣmatām
      pratyapādayad ācāryaḥ prīyamāṇo dhanaṃjayam
  6 tat putro 'syaivam evainam anvayācad amarṣaṇaḥ
      tataḥ provāca putrāya nātihṛṣṭamanā iva
  7 viditaṃ cāpalaṃ hy āsīd ātmajasya mahātmanaḥ
      sarvadharmavid ācāryo nānviṣat satataṃ sutam
  8 paramāpad gatenāpi na sma tāta tvayā raṇe
      idam astraṃ prayoktavyaṃ mānuṣeṣu viśeṣataḥ
  9 ity uktavān guruḥ putraṃ droṇaḥ paścād athoktavān
      na tvaṃ jātu satāṃ mārge sthāteti puruṣarṣabha
  10 sa tad ājñāya duṣṭātmā pitur vacanam apriyam
     nirāśaḥ sarvakalyāṇaiḥ śocan paryapatan mahīm
 11 tatas tadā kuruśreṣṭha vanasthe tvayi bhārata
     avasad dvārakām etya vṛṣṇibhiḥ paramārcitaḥ
 12 sa kadā cit samudrānte vasan drāravatīm anu
     eka ekaṃ samāgamya mām uvāca hasann iva
 13 yat tad ugraṃ tapaḥ kṛṣṇa caran satyaparākramaḥ
     agasyād bhāratācāryaḥ pratyapadyata me pitā
 14 astraṃ brahmaśiro nāma devagandharvapūjitam
     tad adya mayi dāśārha yathā pitari me tathā
 15 asmattas tad upādāya vidyam astraṃ yadūttama
     mamāpy astraṃ prayaccha tvaṃ cakraṃ ripuharaṃ raṇe
 16 sa rājan prīyamāṇena mayāpy uktaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ
     yācamānaḥ prayatnena matto 'straṃ bharatarṣabha
 17 devadānavagandharvamanuṣyapatagoragāḥ
     na samā mama vīryasya śatāṃśenāpi piṇḍitāḥ
 18 idaṃ dhanur iyaṃ śaktir idaṃ cakram iyaṃ gadā
     yad yad icchasi ced astraṃ mattas tat tad dadāni te
 19 yac chaknoṣi samudyantuṃ prayoktum api vā raṇe
     tadgṛhāṇa vināstreṇa yan me dātum abhīpsasi
 20 sa sunābhaṃ sahasrāraṃ vajranābham ayasmayam
     vavre cakraṃ mahābāho spardhamāno mayā saha
 21 gṛhāṇa cakram ity ukto mayā tu tadanantaram
     jagrāhopetya sahasā cakraṃ savyena pāṇinā
     na caitad aśakat sthānāt saṃcālayitum acyuta
 22 atha tad dakṣiṇenāpi grahītum upacakrame
     sarvayatnena tenāpi gṛhṇann etad akalpayat
 23 tataḥ sarvabalenāpi yac caitan na śaśāka saḥ
     uddhartuṃ vā cālayituṃ drauṇiḥ paramadurmanāḥ
     kṛtvā yatnaṃ paraṃ śrāntaḥ sa nyavartata bhārata
 24 nivṛttam atha taṃ tasmād abhiprāyād vicetasam
     aham āmantrya susnigdham aśvatthāmānam abruvam
 25 yaḥ sa devamanuṣyeṣu pramāṇaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ
     gāṇḍīvadhanvā śvetāśvaḥ kapipravara ketanaḥ
 26 yaḥ sākṣād devadeveśaṃ śitikaṇṭham umāpatim
     dvaṃdva yuddhe parājiṣṇus toṣayām āsa śaṃkaram
 27 yasmāt priyataro nāsti mamānyaḥ puruṣo bhuvi
     nādeyaṃ yasya me kiṃ cid api dārāḥ sutās tathā
 28 tenāpi suhṛdā brahman pārthenākliṣṭa karmaṇā
     noktapurvam idaṃ vākyaṃ yat tvaṃ mām abhibhāṣase
 29 brahmacaryaṃ mahad ghoraṃ cīrtvā dvādaśa vārṣikam
     himavatpārśvam abhyetya yo mayā tapasārcitaḥ
 30 samānavratacāriṇyāṃ rukmiṇyāṃ yo 'nvajāyata
     sanatkumāras tejasvī pradyumno nāma me sutaḥ
 31 tenāpy etan mahad divyaṃ cakram apratimaṃ mama
     na prārthitam abhūn mūḍha yad idaṃ prārthitaṃ tvayā
 32 rāmeṇātibalenaitan noktapūrvaṃ kadā cana
     na gadena na sāmbena yad idaṃ prārthitaṃ tvayā
 33 dvārakāvāsibhiś cānyair vṛṣṇyandhakamahārathaiḥ
     noktapūrvam idaṃ jātu yad idaṃ prārthitaṃ tvayā
 34 bhāratācārya putraḥ san mānitaḥ sarvayādavaiḥ
     cakreṇa rathināṃ śreṣṭha kiṃ nu tāta yuyutsase
 35 evam ukto mayā drauṇir mām idaṃ pratyuvāca ha
     prayujya bhavate pūjāṃ yotsye kṛṣṇa tvayety uta
 36 tatas te prārthitaṃ cakraṃ devadānava pūjitam
     ajeyaḥ syām iti vibho satyam etad bravīmi te
 37 tvatto 'yaṃ durlabhaṃ kāmam anavāpyaiva keśava
     pratiyāsyāmi govinda śivenābhivadasva mām
 38 etat sunābhaṃ vṛṣṇīnām ṛṣabheṇa tvayā dhṛtam
     cakram apraticakreṇa bhuvi nānyo 'bhipadyate
 39 etāvad uktvā drauṇir māṃ yugmam aśvān dhanāni ca
     ādāyopayayau bālo ratnāni vividhāni ca
 40 sa saṃrambhī durātmā ca capalaḥ krūra eva ca
     veda cāstraṃ brahmaśiras tasmād rakṣyo vṛkodaraḥ

12

Vaishampayana said, "After the irresistible Bhimasena had set out, that bull of Yadu's race, possessed of eyes like lotus-petals, addressed Kuru's son Yudhishthira, saying, ‘O son of Pandu, this brother of thine, overwhelmed with grief at the slaughter of his sons, proceedeth alone to battle, from desire of slaying the son of Drona. O bull of Bharata's race, of all thy brothers, Bhima is thy dearest! Beholding him fallen into a great danger why dost thou not stir thyself? The weapon called brahmashira, which that subjugator of hostile towns, Drona, communicated to his son, is capable of consuming the whole world. The illustrious and highly blessed preceptor, that foremost of all wielders of bows, delighted with Dhananjaya, had given him that very weapon. Unable to endure it, his only son then begged it of him. Unwillingly he imparted the knowledge of that weapon to Ashvatthama. The illustrious Drona knew the restlessness of his son. Acquainted with all duties, the preceptor laid this command on him, saying, "Even when overtaken by the greatest danger, O child in the midst of battle, thou shouldst never use this weapon, particularly against human beings." Even thus the preceptor Drona spoke unto his son. A little while after he again spoke, saying, "O bull among men, thou wilt not, it seems, walk in the path of the righteous." Hearing those bitter words of his sire, the wicked-souled Ashvatthama, in despair of obtaining every kind of prosperity, began in grief to wander over the earth.
Then, O chief of the Kurus, while you were living in the woods, O Bharata, he came to Dvaraka and took up his abode there, worshipped by the Vrishnis. One day, after he had taken up his abode in Dvaraka, he came to me, without a companion and when I myself was without anybody by my side, on the seacoast, and there smilingly addressing me said, "O Krishna, that weapon, called brahmashira, worshipped by gods and gandharvas, which my sire, the preceptor of the Bharatas, of prowess incapable of being baffled, and obtained from Agastya after performing the austerest penances, is now with me, O Dasharha, as much as it is with my sire. O foremost one of Yadu's race, in exchange for that celestial weapon, give me thy discus which is capable of slaying all foes in battle."
While he with joined palms and great importunity thus begged of me my discus, myself, O bull of Bharata's race, from desire of gladdening him, told him these words: "Gods, danavas, gandharvas, men, birds and snakes, assembled together, are not equal to even a hundredth part of my energy. I have this bow, this dart, this discus, and this mace. I will give thee whichever amongst these thou desirest to have from me. Without giving me the weapon thou wishest to give, take from among these weapons of mine whichever thou mayest be able to wield and use in battle."
Thus addressed, the illustrious son of Drona, as if challenging me, solicited at my hands my discus of excellent nave and hard as thunder, possessed of a 1,000 spokes, and made of iron "Take it." I said unto him. Thus addressed, he rose suddenly and seized the discus with his left hand. He failed, however, to even move the weapon from the spot on which it lay. He then made preparations for seizing it with his right hand. Having seized it then very firmly and having put forth all his strength, he still failed to either wield or move it. At this, Drona's son became filled with sorrow. After he was tired with the exertions he made, he ceased, O Bharata!
When he withdrew his heart from that purpose, I addressed the anxious and senseless Ashvatthama and said, "He who is always regarded as the foremost of all human beings, that wielder of gandiva, that warrior having white steeds yoked unto his car, that hero owning the prince of apes for the device on his standard, that hero who, desirous of vanquishing in a wrestling encounter the god of gods, the blue-throated lord of Uma, gratified the great Shankara himself, that Phalguna than whom I have no dearer friend on earth, that friend to whom there is nothing that I cannot give including my very wives and children, that dear friend Partha of unstained acts, never said unto me, O brahmana, such words as these which thou hast uttered.
That son whom I obtained through ascetic penances and observances of austere brahmacarya for twelve years on the breast of Himavati whither I had gone for the purpose, that son of mine, Pradyumna, of great energy and a portion of Sanat-kumara himself, begotten by me upon my wife Rukmini who had practised vows as austere as mine, that hero even never solicited this best of objects, this unrivalled discus, which thou of little understanding had solicited!
Rama of great might never said such words to me! Neither Gada nor Samba has ever asked that of me which thou hast asked! No one among the other great car-warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka race residing in Dvaraka has ever asked this of me which thou hast asked! Thou art the son of the preceptor of the Bharatas, thou art held in high respect by all the Yadavas. Let me ask thee, O foremost of car-warriors, with whom wouldst thou fight using this weapon?"
Thus addressed by me, Drona's son replied, saying, "After offering worship to thee, O Krishna, it was my intention to fight thee, O thou of unfading glory! It was for this, O Krishna that I solicited thee for thy discus which is adored by gods and danavas. If I had got it I would then become invincible in the world. Having failed, O Keshava, in obtaining my almost unattainable wish, I am about to leave thee, O Govinda! Address me in fair words now. This terrible weapon is held by thee that art the foremost of all terrible persons. Unrivalled art thou for this weapon! There is none else in this world capable of possessing it."
Having said these words unto me, the son of Drona, taking many couples of steeds and much wealth and diverse kinds of gems, left Dvaraka. He is wrathful, wicked-souled, restless, and very cruel. He knows the weapon called brahmashira. Vrikodara should be protected from him!"

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 13

 

 

 

1 [v]
      evam uktvā yudhāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvayādavanandanaḥ
      sarvāyudhavaropetam āruroha mahāratham
      yuktaṃ paramakāmbojais turagair hemamālibhiḥ
  2 ādityodayavarṇasya duraṃ rathavarasya tu
      dakṣiṇām avahat sainyaḥ sugrīvaḥ savyato 'vahat
      pārṣṇivāhau tu tasyāstāṃ meghapuṣpabalāhakau
  3 viśvakarma kṛtā divyā nānāratnavibhūṣitā
      ucchriteva rathe māyā dhvajayaṣṭir adṛśyata
  4 vainateyaḥ sthitas tasyāṃ prabhā maṇḍalaraśmivān
      tasya satyavataḥ ketur bhujagārir adṛśyata
  5 anvārohad d dhṛṣīkeśaḥ ketuḥ sarvadhanuṣmatām
      arjunaḥ satyakarmā ca kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
  6 aśobhetāṃ mahātmānau dāśārham abhitaḥ sthitau
      rathasthaṃ śārṅgadhanvānam aśvināv iva vāsavam
  7 tāv upāropya dāśārhaḥ syandanaṃ lokapūjitam
      pratodena javopetān paramāśvān acodayat
  8 te hayāḥ sahasotpetur gṛhītvā syandanottamam
      āsthitaṃ pāṇḍaveyābhyāṃ yadūnām ṛṣabheṇa ca
  9 vahatāṃ śārṅgadhanvānam aśvānāṃ śīghragāminām
      prādurāsīn mahāñ śabdaḥ pakṣiṇāṃ patatām iva
  10 te samārchan naravyāghrāḥ kṣaṇena bharatarṣabha
     bhīmasenaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ samanudrutya vegitāḥ
 11 krodhadīptaṃ tu kaunteyaṃ dviṣad arthe samudyatam
     nāśaknuvan vārayituṃ sametyāpi mahārathāḥ
 12 sa teṣāṃ prekṣatām eva śrīmatāṃ dṛḍhadhanvinām
     yayau bhāgirathī kacchaṃ haribhir bhṛśavegitaiḥ
     yatra sma śrūyate drauṇiḥ putra hantā mahātmanām
 13 sa dadarśa mahātmānam udakānte yaśasvinam
     kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ vyāsam āsīnam ṛṣibhiḥ saha
 14 taṃ caiva krūrakarmāṇaṃ ghṛtāktaṃ kuśacīriṇam
     rajasā dhvastakeśāntaṃ dadarśa drauṇim antike
 15 tam abhyadhāvat kaunteyaḥ pragṛhya saśaraṃ dhanuḥ
     bhīmaseno mahābāhus tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt
 16 sa dṛṣṭvā bhīmadhanvānaṃ pragṛhītaśarāsanam
     bhrātarau pṛṣṭhataś cāsya janārdana rathe sthitau
     vyathitātmābhavad drauṇiḥ prāptaṃ cedam amanyata
 17 sa tad divyam adīnātmā paramāstram acintayat
     jagrāha ca sa caiṣīkāṃ drauṇiḥ savyena pāṇinā
     sa tām āpadam āsādya vidyam astram udīrayat
 18 amṛṣyamāṇas tāñ śūrān divyāyudha dharān sthitān
     apāṇḍdavāyeti ruṣā vyasṛjad dāruṇaṃ vacaḥ
 19 ity uktvā rājaśārdūla droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān
     sarvalokapramohārthaṃ tad astraṃ pramumoca ha
 20 tatas tasyām iṣīkāyāṃ pāvakaḥ samajāyata
     pradhakṣyann iva lokāṃs trīn kālāntakayamopamaḥ

13

Vaishampayana said, "Having said these words, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, that delighter of all the Yadavas, mounted upon his excellent car equipped with every kind of powerful weapons. Unto that vehicle were yoked two pairs of foremost steeds of the Kamboja breed, that were adorned with garlands of gold. The dhur of that best of cars was of the hue of the morning sun. On the right was yoked the steed known as Shaibya; on the left was placed Sugriva; the Parshni was borne by two others called Meghapushpa and Balahaka. There was seen on that car a celestial standard decked with gems and gold and created by the divine Artificer, and standing high like the Maya (of Vishnu himself). Upon that standard was Vinata's son (Garuda) shining with great splendour. Indeed, that enemy of snakes perched on the standard-top of Keshava who is Truth embodied.
Then Hrishikesha, that foremost of all bowmen, mounted on that car. After him Arjuna of irresistible feats and Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, ascended the same vehicle. Seated on that car, by the side of him of Dasharha's race who wielded the bow called sharnga, the two sons of Pandu looked exceedingly beautiful, like the twin Ashvinis seated by the side of Vasava. Causing them to ascend on that car of his which was adored by all the world, he of Dasharha's race urged those foremost of steeds endued with great fleetness. Those steeds then suddenly flew, taking after them that excellent vehicle ridden by the two sons of Pandu and by that bull of Yadu's race. Endued with great speed, as those animals bore away the wielder of sharnga, loud became the noise caused by their rush, like that of birds coursing through the air.
Proceeding with great speed, they soon came up, O bull of Bharata's race, with the mighty bowman Bhimasena in whose wake they had followed. Although those great car-warriors met Bhima, they failed however to stop that son of Kunti, as filled with wrath he proceeded fiercely towards the foe. In the very sight of those illustrious and firm bowmen, Bhima, by means of his very fleet steeds, proceeded towards the bank of the river brought down by Bhagiratha. He beheld the high-souled and illustrious and dark-complexioned and island-born Vyasa sitting near the edge of the water in the midst of many rishis. And he also saw Drona's son of wicked deeds sitting beside them, covered with dust, attired in a piece of cloth made of kusha grass, and smeared all over with clarified butter. The mighty-armed Bhimasena, the son of Kunti, taking up his bow with shaft fixed on it, rushed towards Ashvatthama, and said, ‘Wait, wait!'
Drona's son, beholding that terrible bowman coming towards him bow in hand, and the two brothers on Janardana's car, became exceedingly agitated and thought his hour had come. Of soul incapable of being depressed, he called to his mind that high weapon (which he had obtained from his sire). He then took up a blade of grass with his left hand. Fallen into great distress, he inspired that blade of grass with proper mantras and converted it into that powerful celestial weapon. Unable to brook the arrows (of the Pandavas) and the presence of those wielders of celestial weapons, he uttered in wrath these terrible words: ‘For the destruction of the Pandavas.' Having said these words, O tiger among kings, the valiant son of Drona let off that weapon for stupefying all the worlds. A fire then was born in that blade of grass, which seemed capable of consuming the three worlds like the all-destroying Yama at the end of the yuga."

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 14

 

 

 

  1 [v]
      iṅgitenaiva dāśārhas tam abhiprāyam āditaḥ
      drauṇer buddhvā mahābāhur arjunaṃ pratyabhāṣata
  2 arjunārjuna yad divyam astraṃ te hṛdi vartate
      dropopadiṣṭaṃ tasyāyaṃ kālaḥ saṃprati pāṇḍava
  3 bhrātṝṇām ātmanaś caiva paritrāṇāya bhārata
      visṛjaitat tvam apy ājāv astram astranivāraṇam
  4 keśavenaivam uktas tu pāṇḍavaḥ paravīrahā
      avātarad rathāt tūrṇaṃ pragṛhya saśaraṃ dhanuḥ
  5 pūrvam ācārya putrāya tato 'nantaram ātmane
      bhrātṛbhyaś caiva sarvebhyaḥ svastīty uktvā paraṃtapaḥ
  6 devatābhyo namaskṛtya gurubhyaś ceva sarvaśaḥ
      utsasarja śivaṃ dhyāyann astram astreṇa śāmyatām
  7 tatas tad astraṃ sahasā sṛṣṭaṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanā
      prajajvāla mahārciṣmad yugāntānala saṃnibham
  8 tathaiva droṇaputrasya tad astraṃ tigmatejasaḥ
      prajajvāla mahājvālaṃ tejo maṇḍalasaṃvṛtam
  9 nirghātā bahavaś cāsan petur ulkāḥ sahasraśaḥ
      mahad bhayaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ samajāyata
  10 saśabdam abhavad vyoma jvālāmālā kulaṃ bhṛśam
     cacāla ca mahīkṛtsnā saparvatavanadrumā
 11 te astre tejasā lokāṃs tāpayantī vyavasthite
     maharṣī sahitau tatra darśayām āsatus tadā
 12 nāradaḥ sa ca dharmātmā bharatānāṃ pitāmahaḥ
     ubhau śamayituṃ vīrau bhāradvāja dhanaṃjayau
 13 tau munī sarvadharmajñau sarvabhūtahitaiṣiṇau
     dīptayor astrayor madhye sthitau paramatejasau
 14 tadantaram anādhṛṣyāv upagamya yaśasvinau
     āstām ṛṣivarau tatra jvalitāv iva pāvakau
 15 prāṇabhṛdbhir anādhṛṣyau devadānava saṃmatau
     astratejaḥ śamayituṃ lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā
 16 [rsī]
     nānāśastravidaḥ pūrve ye 'py atītā mahārathāḥ
     naitad astraṃ manuṣyeṣu taiḥ prayuktaṃ kathaṃ cana

14

Vaishampayana said, "At the very outset the mighty-armed hero of Dasharha's race understood from signs the intention of Drona's son. Addressing Arjuna, he said, ‘O Arjuna, O son of Pandu, the time is come for the use of that celestial weapon which is in thy memory, knowledge of which was imparted to thee by Drona. For protecting thyself as also thy brothers, O Bharata, shoot in this battle that weapon which is capable of neutralising all weapons.'
Thus addressed by Keshava, Arjuna, that slayer of hostile heroes, quickly alighted from the car, taking with him his bow with shaft fixed on the string. Softly wishing good unto the preceptor's son and then unto himself, and unto all his brothers, that scorcher of foes then bowed unto all the gods and all his superiors and let off his weapon, thinking of the welfare of all the worlds and uttering the words, ‘Let Ashvatthama's weapon be neutralised by this weapon!'
That weapon, quickly let off by the wielder of gandiva, blazed up with fierce flames like the all-destroying fire that appears at the end of the yuga. Similarly, the weapon that had been shot by Drona's son of fierce energy blazed up with terrible flames within a huge sphere of fire. Numerous peals of thunder were heard; thousands of meteors fell; and all living creatures became inspired with great dread. The entire welkin seemed to be filled with noise and assumed a terrible aspect with those flames of fire. The whole earth with her mountains and waters and trees, trembled. Then the two great rishis, Narada, who is the soul of every creature, and the grandsire of all the Bharata princes (Vyasa), beholding those two weapons scorching the three worlds, showed themselves there. The two rishis sought to pacify the two heroes Ashvatthama and Dhananjaya. Conversant with all duties and desirous of the welfare of all creatures, the two sages, possessed of great energy, stood in the midst of those two blazing weapons. Incapable of being overwhelmed by any force, those two illustrious rishis, placing themselves between the two weapons, stood like two blazing fires. Incapable of being checked by any creature endued with life, and adorned by the gods and danavas, they two acted in this way, neutralising the energy of the two weapons and doing good to all the world.
The two rishis said, "Those great car-warriors who have fallen in this battle were acquainted with diverse kinds of weapons. They, however, never shot such a weapon upon human beings. What act of rashness is this, ye heroes, that ye have done?"

 

 

Book 10
Chapter 15

 

 

1 [v]
      dṛṣṭvaiva naraśārdūlas tāv agnisamatejasau
      saṃjahāra śaraṃ divyaṃ tvaramāṇo dhanaṃjayaḥ
  2 uvāca vadatāṃ śreṣṭhas tāv ṛṣī prāñjalis tadā
      prayuktam astram astreṇa śāmyatām iti vai mayā
  3 saṃhṛte paramāstre 'smin sarvān asmān aśeṣataḥ
      pāpakarmā dhruvaṃ drauṇiḥ pradhakṣyaty astratejasā
  4 atra yad dhitam asmākaṃ lokānāṃ caiva sarvathā
      bhavantau devasaṃkāśau tathā saṃhartum arhataḥ
  5 ity uktvā saṃjahārāstraṃ punar eva dhanaṃjayaḥ
      saṃhāro duṣkaras tasya devair api hi saṃyuge
  6 visṛṣṭasya raṇe tasya paramāstrasya saṃgrahe
      na śaktaḥ pāṇḍavād anyaḥ sākṣād api śatakratuḥ
  7 brahmatejo bhavaṃ tad dhi visṛṣṭam akṛtātmanā
      na śakyam āvartayituṃ brahma cāri vratād ṛte
  8 acīrṇa brahmacaryo yaḥ sṛṣṭvāvartayate punaḥ
      tad astraṃ sānubandhasya mūrdhānaṃ tasya kṛntati
  9 brahma cārī vratī cāpi duravāpam avāpya tat
      paramavyasanārto 'pi nārjuno 'straṃ vyamuñcata
  10 satyavratadharaḥ śūro brahma cārī ca pāṇḍavaḥ
     guruvartī ca tenāstraṃ saṃjahārārjunaḥ punaḥ
 11 drauṇir apy atha saṃprekṣya tāv ṛṣī purataḥ sthitau
     na śaśāka punar ghoram astraṃ saṃhartum āhave
 12 aśaktaḥ pratisaṃhāre paramāstrasya saṃyuge
     drauṇir dīnamanā rājan dvaipāyanam abhāṣata
 13 uktam avyasanārtena prāṇatrāṇam abhīpsunā
     mayaitad astram utsṛṣṭaṃ bhīmasena bhayān mune
 14 adharmaś ca kṛto 'nena dhārtarāṣṭraṃ jighāṃsatā
     mithyācāreṇa bhagavan bhīmasenena saṃyuge
 15 ataḥ sṛṣṭam idaṃ brahman mayāstram akṛtātmanā
     tasya bhūyo 'dya saṃhāraṃ kartuṃ nāham ihotsahe
 16 visṛṣṭaṃ hi mayā divyam etad astraṃ durāsadam
     apāṇḍavāyeti mune vahni tejo 'numantrya vai
 17 tad idaṃ pāṇḍaveyānām antakāyābhisaṃhitam
     adya pāṇḍusutān sarvāñ jīvitād bhraṃśayiṣyati
 18 kṛtaṃ pāpam idaṃ brahman roṣāviṣṭena cetasā
     vadham āśāsya pārthānāṃ mayāstraṃ sṛjatā raṇe
 19 [v]
     astraṃ brahmaśiras tāta vidvān pārtho dhanaṃjayaḥ
     utsṛṣṭavān na roṣeṇa na vadhāya tavāhave
 20 astram astreṇa tu raṇe tava saṃśamayiṣyatā
     visṛṣṭam arjunenedaṃ punaś ca pratisaṃhṛtam
 21 brahmāstram apy avāpyaitad upadeśāt pitus tava
     kṣatradharmān mahābāhur nākampata dhanaṃjayaḥ
 22 evaṃ dhṛtimataḥ sādhoḥ sarvāstraviduṣaḥ sataḥ
     sabhrātṛbandhoḥ kasmāt tvaṃ vadham asya cikīrṣasi
 23 astraṃ brahmaśiro yatra paramāstreṇa vadhyate
     samā dvādaśa parjanyas tad rāṣṭraṃ nābhivarṣati
 24 etadarthaṃ mahābāhuḥ śaktimān api pāṇḍavaḥ
     na vihanty etad astraṃ te prajāhitacikīrṣayā
 25 pāṇḍavās tvaṃ ca rāṣṭraṃ ca sadā saṃrakṣyam eva naḥ
     tasmāt saṃhara divyaṃ tvam astram etan mahābhuja
 26 aroṣas tava caivāstu pārthāḥ santu nirāmayāḥ
     na hy adharmeṇa rājarṣiḥ pāṇḍavo jetum icchati
 27 maṇiṃ caitaṃ prayacchaibhyo yas te śirasi tiṣṭhati
     etad ādāya te prāṇān pratidāsyanti pāṇḍavāḥ
 28 [drauḍi]
     pāṇḍavair yāni ratnāni yac cānyat kauravair dhanam
     avāptānīha tebhyo 'yaṃ maṇir mama viśiṣyate
 29 yam ābadhya bhayaṃ nāsti śastravyādhikṣudhāśrayam
     devebhyo dānavebhyo vā nāgebhyo vā kathaṃ cana
 30 na ca rakṣogaṇabhayaṃ na taskara bhayaṃ tathā
     evaṃ vīryo maṇir ayaṃ na me tyājyaḥ kathaṃ cana
 31 yat tu me bhagavān āha tan me kāryam anantaram
     ayaṃ maṇir ayaṃ cāham iṣīkā nipatiṣyati
     garbheṣu pāṇḍaveyānām amoghaṃ caitad udyatam
 32 [v]
     evaṃ kuru na cānyā te buddhiḥ kāryā kadā cana
     garbheṣu pāṇḍaveyānāṃ visṛjyaitad upārama
 33 [v]
     tataḥ paramam astraṃ tad aśvatthāmā bhṛśāturaḥ
     dvaipāyana vacaḥ śrutvā garbheṣu pramumoca ha

 

15

Vaishampayana said, "At the very sight, O tiger among men, of those two rishis possessed of splendour like that of fire, Dhananjaya quickly resolved to withdraw his celestial shaft. Joining his hands, he addressed those rishis, saying, ‘I used this weapon, saying, "Let it neutralise the (enemy's) weapon!" If I withdraw this high weapon, Drona's son of sinful deeds will then, without doubt, consume us all with the energy of his weapon. Ye two are like gods! It behoveth you to devise some means by which our welfare as also that of the three worlds may be secured!'
Having said these words Dhananjaya withdrew his weapon. The withdrawal of that weapon by the gods themselves in battle is exceedingly difficult. Not excepting the great Indra himself, there was nobody save the son of Pandu, who was capable of withdrawing that high weapon after it had once been let off. That weapon was born of Brahma energy. No person of uncleansed soul can bring it back after it is once let off. Only one that leads the life of a brahmacari can do it. If one who has not practised the vow of brahmacarya seeks to bring it back after having shot it, it strikes off his own head and destroys him with all his equipments. Arjuna was a brahmacari and an observer of vows. Having obtained that almost unobtainable weapon, he had never used it even when plunged into situations of the greatest danger. Observant of the vow of truth, possessed of great heroism, leading the life of a brahmacari, the son of Pandu was submissive and obedient to all his superiors. It was for this that he succeeded in withdrawing his weapon.
Drona's son, beholding those two rishis standing before him, could not by his energy withdraw his own terrible weapon. Unable to withdraw the high weapon in battle, Drona's son, O king, with a cheerless heart, said unto the island-born rishi these words, ‘Threatened by a great danger, and desirous of protecting my life, I let off this weapon, through fear of Bhimasena, O sage! This Bhimasena of false behaviour, acted sinfully, O holy one, while slaying the son of Dhritarashtra in battle! It is for this, O regenerate one, that of uncleansed soul as I am I let off this weapon. I dare not, however, withdraw it now. Having inspired this irresistible and celestial weapon with the energy of fire, I let it off for the destruction of the Pandavas. Contrived for the destruction of the Pandavas, that weapon, therefore, will take away the lives of all the sons of Pandu. O regenerate one, I have, in wrath, done this sinful deed. I invoked this weapon in battle for the destruction of the Pandavas.'
Vyasa said, "Pritha's son Dhananjaya, O child, was acquainted with the weapon called brahmashira. Neither from wrath, nor for thy destruction in battle, did he shoot this weapon. Arjuna, on the other hand, used it for baffling thy weapon. He has again withdrawn it. Having obtained even the brahmastra through thy sire's instructions, the mighty-armed Dhananjaya did not fall off from a kshatriya's duties. Arjuna is possessed of such patience, and such honesty. He is, besides, conversant with every weapon, Why dost thou seek to compass the destruction of such a person with all his brothers? That region where the weapon called brahmashira is baffled by another high weapon suffers a drought for twelve years, for the clouds do not pour a drop of water there for this period. For this reason, the mighty-armed son of Pandu, although he had the power, would not, from desire of doing good to living creatures, baffle thy weapon with his. The Pandavas should be protected; thy own self should be protected; the kingdom also should be protected. Therefore, O thou of mighty arms, withdraw this celestial weapon of thine. Dispel this wrath from thy heart and let the Pandavas be safe. The royal sage Yudhishthira never desires to win victory by perpetrating any sinful act. Give unto these that gem which is on thy head. Taking that, the Pandavas will in return grant thee thy life!"
Drona's son said, "This my gem is more valuable than all the wealth that has ever been earned by the Pandavas and the Kauravas. If this gem is worn, the wearer ceases to have any fear from weapons or disease or hunger! He ceases to have any fear of gods and danavas and nagas! His apprehensions from rakshasas as also from robbers will cease. Even these are the virtues of this gem of mine. I cannot, by any means, part with it. That, however, O holy one, which thou sayest, should be done by me. Here is this gem. Here is myself. This blade of grass (inspired into a fatal weapon) will, however, fall into the wombs of the Pandava women, for this weapon is high and mighty, and incapable of being frustrated. O regenerate one, I am unable to withdraw it, having once let it off. I will now throw this weapon into the wombs of the Pandava women. As regards thy commands in other respects, O holy one, I shall certainly obey them."
Vyasa said, "Do then this. Do not, however, entertain any other purpose, O sinless one! Throwing this weapon into the wombs of the Pandava women, stop thyself."
Vaishampayana continued, "The son of Drona, having heard these words of the island-born, threw that uplifted weapon into the wombs of the Pandava women."

 

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