वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो वैकर्तनं जित्वा पार्थो वैराटिमब्रवीत्। एतन्मां प्रापयानीकं यत्र तालो हिरण्मयः॥
Vaishampayana said Thereupon having vanquished Vaikartanas son (Karna), Arjuna said to Virata's son (Uttara). "Take me to that army where is seen the emblem of golden palmyra.
अत्र शान्तनवो भीष्मो रथेऽस्माकं पितामहः। काङ्क्षमाणो मया युद्धं तिष्ठत्यमरदर्शनः॥
There our grand-father, Bhishma the son of Shantanu looking like an immortal, wait on his car, desirous of an encounter with me.
अथ सैन्यं महद् दृष्ट्वा रथनागहयाकुलम्। अब्रवीदुत्तरः पार्थमपविद्धः शरैर्भृशम्॥
Then beholding the huge army consisting of cars, elephants and iorses, and being wounded greatly with arrows Uttara said to Partha.
नाहं शक्ष्यामि वीरेह नियन्तुं ते हयोत्तमान्। विषीदन्ति मम प्राणा मनो विह्वलतीव मे॥
"O hero, I am incapable of restraining here your excellent horses. My vital breaths are being exhausted and my mind is bewildered.
अस्त्राणामिव दिव्यानां प्रभावः सम्प्रयुज्यताम्। त्वया च कुरुभिश्चैव द्रवन्तीव दिशो दश॥
The ten quarters appear as if melting away on account of the effulgence of the celestials weapon used by you as well as by the Kurus.
गन्धेन मूर्च्छितश्चाहं वसारुधिरमेदसाम्। द्वैधीभूतं मनो मेऽद्य तव चैव प्रपश्यतः॥
I am beside myself with the smell of flesh, blood and fat. Beholding your feat, my mind has been divided in twain.
अदृष्टपूर्वः शूराणां मया संख्ये समागमः। पदापातेन महता शङ्खानां निस्वनेन च॥
I had never seen before in battle such an assemblage of heroes. By the great sound of the clashing of maces, the blare of conchs
सिंहनादैश्च शूराणां गजानां बृंहितैस्तथा। गाण्डीवशब्देन भृशमशनिप्रतिमेन च।
By the war-cries of the heroes, the roars of elephants, by the twang of the Gandiva resembling the sound of lightning.
श्रुतिः स्मृतिश्च मे वीर प्रणष्टा मूढचेतसः॥ अलातचक्रप्रतिमं मण्डलं सततं त्वया। व्याक्षिप्यमाणं समरे गाण्डीवं च प्रकर्षता। दृष्टिः प्रचलिता वीर हृदयं दीर्यतीव मे॥
I have been so stupified, O hero, that I have been deprived of the power hearing and recollecting. Beholding you making, a circle in battle while drawing your Gandiva bow my vision is growing dilated, O hero, and my heart is rending asunder.
वपुश्चोग्रं तव रणे क्रुद्धस्येव पिनाकिनः। व्यायच्छतस्तव भुजं दृष्ट्वा भीमं भवत्यपि॥
Beholding your dreadful figure in battle resembling that of the holder of Pinaka when worked up with anger and as well as the terrible arrows discharged by you, I am filled with fear.
नाददानं न संधानं न मुञ्चन्तं शरोत्तमान्। त्वामहं सम्प्रपश्यामि पश्यन्नपि न चेतनः॥
I am at a loss to find out when you take up your fine arrows, set them on your bowstring and shoot them. Deprived of my consciousness, I do not see you, although before my eyes.
अवसीदन्ति मे प्राणा भूरियं चलतीव च। न च प्रतोदं रश्मींश्च संयन्तुं शक्तिरस्ति मे॥
My vitality is sinking and the earth seems moving before me. I have no power to hold the reins of these horses.
अर्जुन उवाच मा भैषीः स्तम्भयात्मानं त्वयापि नरपुङ्गवा अत्यद्भुतानि कर्माणि कृतानि रणमूर्धनि॥
Arjuna said Do not fear; cheer yourself up. You too, O foremost of men, performed many wonderful deeds in the battle-field.
राजपुत्रोऽसि भद्रं ते कुले मत्स्यस्य विश्रुते। जातस्त्वं शत्रुदमने नावसीदितुमर्हसि।॥
May you fare well. You are a prince born, in the well-known race of Matsya, for vanquishing your enemies. You should not therefore be dispirited.
धृतिं कृत्वा सुविपुलां राजपुत्र रथे मम। युध्यमानस्य समरे हयान् संयच्छ शत्रुहन्।॥
Stationed on my car, call up your great energy, O prince. Restrain my horses in battle, O slayer of enemies.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुर्वैराटि नरसत्तमः। अर्जुनो रथिनां श्रेष्ठ उत्तरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said Having thus addressed the son of Virata, the foremost of men Arjuna the best of carwarriors again said to Uttara.
सेनाग्रमाशु भीष्मस्य प्रापयस्वैतदेव माम्। आच्छेत्स्याम्यहमेतस्य धनुर्ध्यामपि चाहवे॥
Take me again before Bhishma's army. I shall cut off his bowstring in battle.
अस्यन्तं दिव्यमस्त्रं मां चित्रमद्य निशामय। शतह्रदामिवायान्तीं स्तनयित्नोरिवाम्बरे॥
You will see today the divine weapons, aglow with beauty, shot by me, flashing like lightning in the midst of clouds in the sky.
सुवर्णपृष्ठं गाण्डीवं द्रक्ष्यन्ति कुरवो मम। दक्षिणेनाथ वामेन कतरेण स्विदस्यति॥ इति मां सङ्गताः सर्वे तर्कयिष्यन्ति शत्रवः। शोणितोदां रथावर्ती नागनक्रां दुरत्ययाम्। नदी प्रस्कन्दयिष्यामि परलोकप्रवाहिनीम्॥ पाणिपादशिरः पृष्ठबाहुशाखानिरन्तरम्। वनं कुरूणां छेत्स्यामि शरैः संनतपर्वभिः॥ जयतः कौरवीं सेनामेकस्य मम धन्विनः। शतं मार्गा भविष्यन्ति पावकस्येव कानने॥ मया चक्रमिवाविद्धं सैन्यं द्रक्ष्यसि केवलम्।
The Kurus shall see my Gandiva with back made of gold. The enemies assembled together shall discuss by saying "By which hand of his, right or left, does he discharge arrows." I shall make a terrible river to flow today towards the other world, with blood for its water, the cars for the eddies and the elephants for the sharks. I shall, with arrows of depressed knots, cut off the Kuru forest having hands feet, heads, backs and arms for the branches of the trees. And vanquishing alone the Kuru army with a bow in hand, there will be a hundred roads to me as to fire in the forest. Struck by me, you will see, the army whirling only like a wheel.
इष्वस्त्रे शिक्षितं चित्रमहं दर्शयितास्मि ते॥ असम्भ्रान्तो रथे तिष्ठ समेषु विषमेषु च। दिवमावृत्य तिष्ठन्तं गिरिं भिन्द्यां स्म पत्रिभिः॥
I shall show you today my most accomplished training in archery and the use of weapons. Stand firmly on my car, whether the ground be even or uneven. I can pierce with my winged arrows even the Sumeru mountain that rises up to the sky.
अहमिन्द्रस्य वचनात् संग्रामेऽभ्यहनं पुरा। पौलोमान् कालखढ्वांश्च सहस्राणि शतानि च॥ अहमिन्द्राद् दृढां मुष्टिं ब्रह्मणः कृतहस्तताम्। प्रगाढे तुमुलं चित्रमिति विद्धि प्रजापतेः॥
Formerly at Indra's command I killed hundreds and thousands of Paulomas and Kalakhajs in battle. I have obtained the firmness of grasp from Indra and successful aim from Brahma.
अहं पारे समुद्रस्य हिरण्यपुरवासिनाम्। जित्वा षष्टिं सहस्राणि रथिनामुग्रधन्विनाम्॥ शीर्यमाणानि कूलानि प्रवृद्धेनेव वारिणा। मया कुरूणां वृन्दानि पात्यमानानि पश्य वै॥ ध्वजवृक्षं पत्तितृणं रथसिंहगणायुतम्। वनमादीपयिष्यामि कुरूणामस्वतेजसा॥ तानहं रथनीडेभ्यः शरैः संनतपर्वभिः। यत्तान् सर्वानतिबलान् योत्स्यमानानवस्थितान्। एकः संकालयिष्यामि वज्रपाणिरिवासुरान्।।३
I have learnt from Prajapati the diverse kinds of fierce warfare. On the other side of the ocean, I defeated sixty thousand car-warriors all dreadful archers living in Hiranyapura. Behold me, today striking down the vast number of Kurus like a high wind scattering a heap of cotton. By the power of my arrows I shall set fire to the Kuru forest having standards for the trees, the infantry for the shrubs and the car-warriors for the beasts of prey. Like the holder of thunder routing the demons alone shall I today with my straight arrows strike down from the nests of their cars the Kurus fighting to the best of their power in battle.
रौद्र रुद्राद्रहं शस्त्रं वारुणं वरुणादपि। अस्त्रमाग्नेयमग्नेश्च वायव्यं मातरिश्वनः। वज्रादीनि तथास्त्राणि शक्रादहमवाप्तवान्॥
I have obtained from Rudra, the Rudra, from Varuna the Varuna from Agni, the Agneya, from Vayu, the Vayavya, and from Indra the thunderbolt and other weapons.
धार्तराष्ट्रवनं घोर नरसिंहाभिरक्षितम्। अहमुत्पाटयिष्यामि वैराटे व्येतु ते भयम्॥
I shall forsooth eradicate the dreadful Dhritarashtra forest although protected by many powerful heroes. Therefore remove your fear, O son of Virata."
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमाश्चासितस्तेन वैराटिः सव्यसाचिना। व्यवागाहद् स्थानीकं भीमं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्॥
Thus consoled by Savyasachin the son of Virata entered into that dreadful array of cars protected by Bhishma.
तमायान्तं महाबाहुं जिगीषन्तं रणे कुरून्। अभ्यवारयदव्यग्रः कूरकर्माऽऽपगासुतः॥
The patient Bhishma (the son of river) withstood the mighty armed Arjuna advancing with a view to vanquish the Kurus in battle.
तस्य जिष्णुरुपावृत्य ध्वजं मूलादपातयत्। विकृष्य कलधौताप्रैः स विद्धः प्रापतद् भुवि॥
Then approaching him and drawing out a sharp arrow, Vishnu cut off with it the root of his banner. Struck down it fell on the ground.
तं चित्रमाल्याभरणाः कृतविद्या मनस्विनः। आगच्छन् भीमधन्वानं चत्वारच महाबलाः॥ दुःशासनो विकर्णश्च दुःसहोऽथ विविंशतिः। आगत्य भीमधन्वानं बीभत्सुं पर्यवारयन्॥
At this the four powerful heroes Dushasana, Vikarana, Dussaha and Vivinshati, skilled in the use of weapons, gifted with great energy and adorned with beautiful garlands and ornaments, approaching, withstood that dreadful bowman Bibhatsu.
दुःशासनस्तु भल्लेन विद्ध्वा वैराटमुत्तरम्। द्वितीयेनार्जुनं वीरः प्रत्यविध्यत् स्तनान्तरे॥
Having pierced Virata's son Uttara with a dart, the heroic Dushasana struck Arjuna on the breast with a second one.
तस्य जिष्णुरुपावृत्य पृथुधारेण कार्मुकम्। चकर्त गापत्रेण जातरूपपरिष्कृतम्॥
Confronting him, Vishnu with a greatly sharpened arrow with the wings of a vulture, cut off his bow made of burnished gold.
अथैनं पञ्चभिः पश्चात् प्रत्यविध्यत् स्तनान्तरे। सोऽपयातो रणं हित्वा पार्थबाणप्रपीडितः॥
He then wounded him on his breast with five arrows. Assailed by the arrows of Partha, he left the battle-field.
तं विकर्णः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गध्रपत्रैरजिह्मगैः। विव्याध परवीरनमर्जुनं धृतराष्ट्रजः॥
Then with sharp and straight arrows having the wings of vultures, Dhritarashtra's son Vikarana sounded Arjuna, the slayer of hostile heroes.
ततस्तमपि कौन्तेयः शरेणानतपर्वणा। ललाटेऽभ्यहनत् तूर्णं स विद्धः प्रापतद् रथात्॥
Immediately also the son of Kunti wounded him on his forehead with straight arrows. Thus wounded, he fell down from his chariot.
ततः पार्थमभिद्रुत्य दुःसहः सविविंशतिः। अवाकिरच्छरैस्तीक्ष्णैः परीप्सुर्धातरं रणे॥
With a view to rescue his brother in battle, Dussaha, accompanied by Vivinshati, approached Partha and covered him with sharp arrows.
तावुभौ गार्धपत्राभ्यां निशिताभ्यां धनंजयः। विद्ध्वा युगपदव्यग्रस्तयोर्वाहानसूदयत्॥
Not the least excited Dhananjaya simultaneously struck both of them with a pair of sharp arrows and destroyed the horses of the both.
तौ हताश्वौ विभिनाङ्गौ धृतराष्ट्रात्मजावुभौ। अभिपत्य रथैरन्यैरपनीतौ पदानुगैः॥
Having their horses slain and persons wounded, both the sons of Dhritarashtra were taken away by their followers who came there with other chariots.
सर्वा दिशश्चान्यपतद् बीभत्सुरपराजितः। किरीटमाली कौन्तेयो लब्धलक्षो महाबलः॥
Bibhatsu, never defeated in battle-the highly powerful son of Kunti, adorned with a diadem and having sure aim, covered all the quarters with his arrows.