युधिष्ठिर उवाच त्वयि याते महाबाहो संशप्तकबलं प्रति। प्रयत्नमकरोत् तीव्रमाचार्यो ग्रहणे मम॥
Yudhishthira said When, O mighty-armed one, you had gone against the Samshaptaka hosts, the preceptor Drona exerted himself vigourously for capturing me.
व्यूढानीका वयं द्रोणं वारयामः स्म सर्वशः। प्रतिव्यूह्य स्थानीकं यतमानं तथा रणे॥
We then began to resist Drona and his troops arrayed in order on all sides, by dispensing off our troops and car divisions in counter array and striving hard.
स वार्यमाणो रथिभिर्मयि चापि सुरक्षिते। अस्मानभिजगामाशु पीडयन् निशितैः शरैः॥
Though he was thus resisted by many and though I was well protected, yet he began to smite us with agility, afflicting us with his sharp shafts.
ते पीड्यमाना द्रोणेन द्रोणानीकं न शक्नुमः। प्रतिवीक्षितुमप्याजौ भेत्तुं तत् कुत एव तु॥
My troops then, thus afflicted by Drona, were not even able, in battle, to look at his divisions what to speak of the thought of breaking through them!
वयं त्वप्रतिमं वीर्ये सर्वे सौभद्रमात्मजम्। उक्तवन्तः स्म तं तात भिन्ध्यनीकमिति प्रभो॥
Then we all, O sire, spoke to Subhadra's son, who was unequalled in his prowess, saying-'O lord, do you break through these divisions of the enemy.'
स तथा नोदितोऽस्माभिः सदश्व इव वीर्यवान्। असह्यपि तं भारं वोदुमेवोपचक्रमे॥
That highly puissant hero then thus urged on by ourselves, like a good horse, prepared himself to take that burden upon himself, however unbearable it might have been for him.
स तवास्त्रोपदेशेन वीर्येण च समन्वितः। प्राविशत् तद्बलं बालः सुपर्ण इव सागरम्॥
Then that boy of tender years, endued with energy and possessed of the knowledge of weapons received from you, broke through that array, like Suparna entering into the ocean.
तेऽनुयाता वयं वीरं सात्वतीपुत्रमाहवे। प्रवेष्टकामास्तेनैव येन स प्राविशच्चमूम्॥
Then we followed that hero in battle, that son of a daughter of the Satvata race, desirous of entering the hostile ranks even through the path he then opened for us.
ततः सैन्धवको राजा क्षुद्रस्तात जयद्रथः। वरदानेन रुद्रस्य सर्वान् नः समवारयत्॥
Then alas, O sire, the puny ruler of the Sindhus, king Jayadratha resisted us all, through the virtue of a boon received from the god Rudra (Mahadeva).
ततो द्रोणः कृपः कर्णो द्रौणिः कौसल्य एव च। कृतवर्मा च सौभद्रं षड् रथाः पर्यवारयन्॥
Thereupon Drona, Kripa, Karna, Drona's son, the king of the Kosalas and Kritavarman-these six car-warriors surrounded the son of Subhadra.
परिवार्य तु तैः सर्वैर्युधि वालो महारथैः। यतमानः परं शक्त्या बहुभिर्विरधीकृतः॥
Thus surrounded by all those mighty carwarriors in battle, that boy though striking to the best of his abilities, was deprived of the use of his car, by the tremendous odds he was fighting against.
ततो दौःशासनिः क्षिप्रं तथा तैर्विरथीकृतम्। संशयं परमं प्राप्य दिष्टान्तेनाभ्ययोजयत्॥
Thus when Abhimanyu was deprived of the use of his car by those warriors, Dushasana's son, who himself was involved in great catastrophe, succeeded, as fate would have it, in making Abhimanyu see his end.
स तु हत्वा सहस्राणि नराश्वरथदन्तिनाम्। अष्टौ रथसहस्राणि नव दन्तिशतानि च॥
Having slain thousands of men, steeds, carwarriors and tusked elephants and eight thousands car-warriors and nine hundred elephants.
राजपुत्रसहस्रे द्वे वीरांश्चालक्षितान् बहून्। वृद्धलं च राजानं स्वर्गेणाजौ प्रयोज्य ह॥
Two thousand princes and many other unknown heroes and also having dispatched king Brihadbala to Heaven.
ततः परमधर्मात्मा दिष्टान्तमुपजग्मिवान्। एतावदेव निवृत्तमस्माकं शोकवर्धनम्॥
That one of highly illustrious soul through Destiny, attained his own end. Thus everything that now burns us with grief, has taken place.
स चैवं पुरुषव्याघ्रः स्वर्गलोकमवाप्तवान्। ततोऽर्जुनो वचः श्रुत्वा धर्मराजेन भाषितम्॥
That foremost of men has also in his way, ascended to paradise.” Sanjay Said-Thus Arjuna hearing the word spoken by the virtuous king Yudhishthira.
हा पुत्र इति निःश्वस्य व्यथितोन्यपतद् भुवि। विषण्णवदनाः सर्वे परिवार्य धनंजयम्॥
And saying, O my son! and sighing like a furnace, fell down on the earth in great distress. Then every one present, with melancholy countenances sat surrounding Dhananjaya.
नेत्रैरनिमिषैर्दीनाः प्रत्यवेक्षन् परस्परम्। प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञा वासविः क्रोधमूच्छितः॥
And highly distressed they began to gaze vacantly at one another with winkless eyes. Then regaining his consciousness and burning with rage, the son of Vasava.
कम्पमानो ज्वरेणेव निःश्वसंश्च मुहुर्मुहुः। पार्णि पाणौविनिष्पिष्य श्वसमानोऽश्रुनेत्रवान्॥
Shivering as if with fever and repeatedly sighing and squeezing his hands and drawing deep breaths and with eyes flooded with tears and rolling his eyes like one mad, said these
अर्जुन उवाच उन्मत्त इव विप्रेक्षन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्। सत्यं वः प्रतिजानामि श्वोऽस्मि हन्ता जयद्रथम्। न चेद् वधभयाद् भीतो धार्तराष्ट्रान् प्रहास्यति॥
Arjuna said I tell you this for sooth that, tomorrow I will slay Jayadrath, provided that, afraid of being slain, he does not forsake the sons of Dhritarashtra.
न चास्माशरणं गच्छेत् कृष्णं वा पुरुषोत्तमम्। भवन्तं वा महाराज श्वोऽस्मि हन्ता जयद्रथम्॥
Or seek our refuge or that of Krishna the foremost of all male being or that of yourself, O monarch. I will surely slay Jayadratha tomorrow.
धार्तराष्ट्रप्रियकरं मयि विस्मृतसौहृदम्। पापं बालवधे हेतुं श्वोऽस्मि हन्ता जयद्रथम्॥
Tomorrow will I slay Jayadratha who forgetting his friendship for me, has been doing good to the sons of Dhritarashtra and who has become instrumental in bringing about the slaughter of my boy.
रक्षमाणाश्च तं संख्ये ये मां योत्स्यन्ति केचन। अपि द्रोणकृपौ राजन् छादयिष्यामि ताञ्छरैः॥
Desirous of protecting him in battle whosoever shall fight with me, I will cover him, O king, with my arrows, be he Drona himself or Kripa.
यद्येतदेवं संग्रामे न कुर्यां पुरुषर्षभाः। मा स्म पुण्यकृतां लोकान् प्राप्नुयां शूरसम्मतान्॥
O foremost of men, O best of heroes, if I do not do tomorrow in battle what I promise to do, then let me not ever attain to the regions which the righteous attain after death.
ये लोका मातृहतॄणां ये चापि पितृघातिनाम्। गुरुदारगतानां ये पिशुनानां च ये सदा॥ साधूनसूयतां ये च ये चापि परिवादिनाम्। ये च निक्षेपहर्तृणां ये च विश्वासघातिनाम्॥ भुक्तपूर्वां स्त्रियं ये च विन्दतामघशंसिनाम्। ब्रह्मघ्नानां च ये लोका ये च गोघातिनामपि॥ पायसं वा यवान्नं वा शाकं कृसरमेव वा। संयावापूपमांसानि ये च लोका वृथाश्नताम्॥
Those regions which are allotted to those who ravish their own mothers, to those who slay their fathers, who violate their preceptor's beds and who are malicious; those regions which are reserved for those who harbour hatred against the righteous, who speak maliciously of others, who appropriate the wealth entrusted with them and who betray their trusts; those regions that are for them who abuse others' wives enjoyed by them before or for them that slay Brahmanas or for them that slaughter the kine or for them that drink payasas or eat food prepared from barley or herbs or articles prepared from milk, sesamum and rice and Pupas and other kinds of cakes or meat, without having first offered them to the gods.
तानन्हायाधिगच्छेयं न चेद्धन्यां जयद्रथम्। वेदाध्यायिनमत्यर्थं संशितं वा द्विजोत्तमम्॥ अवमन्यमानो यान् याति वृद्धान् साधून् गुरुंस्तथा। स्पृशतो ब्राह्मणं गां च पादेनाग्निं च या भवेत्॥ याऽप्सु श्लेष्म पुरीषं च मूत्रं वा मुञ्चतां गतिः। तां गच्छेयं गतिं कष्टां न चेद्धन्यां जयद्रथम्॥
Even those regions shall I attain to, if I do not slay Jayadratha. Those regions to which they go who contemn the Brahmanas devoted to the study of the Vedas or otherwise deserving of veneration or those that are senior in years or those that are senior in years or those that are pious or those that are preceptors, (even those region shall mine if I do not slay Jayadratha). That end which becomes theirs who touch the Brahmanas and the fire with their feet, that end which becomes theirs, who throw phlegm or excretions on and discharge urine in water, even that most miserable end shall be mine, if indeed I do not slay Jayadratha tomorrow.
नग्नस्य नायमानस्य या च वन्ध्यातिथेर्गतिः। उत्कोचिनां मृषोक्तीनां वञ्चकानां च या गतिः॥ आत्मापहारिणां या च या च मिथ्याभिशंसिनाम्। भृत्यैः संदिश्यमानानां पुत्रदाराश्रितैस्तथा॥ असंविभज्य क्षुद्राणां या गतिर्मिष्टमश्नताम्। तां गच्छेयं गति घोरां न चेद्धन्यां जयद्रथम्॥
That end that overtakes him who bathes naked in water or him who does not hospitably entertain a guest; that and that overtakes them who accept bribes, speak falsehoods and deceive and cheat men; that end that overtakes them who offend against their own souls or who falsely utter praises, that end ihat overtakes low wretches who eat sweetmeats before servants, and wives and dependents without giving them a share of them, may that end also overtake me if I do not slay Jayadratha.
संश्रितं चापि यस्त्यक्त्वा साधुं तद्वचने रतम्। न विभर्ति नृशंसात्मा निन्दते चोपकारिणम्॥ अर्हते प्रातिवेश्याय श्राद्धं यो न ददाति च। अनर्हेभ्यश्च यो दद्याद् वृषलीपतये तथा॥ मद्यपो भिन्नमर्यादः कृतघ्नो भर्तृनिन्दकः। तेषां गतिमियां क्षिप्रं न चेद्धन्यां जयद्रथम्॥
That end which overtakes the cruel-hearted wretch who without maintaining a pious and sons obedient protege casts him off or him who without giving a deserving neighbour the offerings in a sraddha, gives them to one undeserving of them; that end that overtakes them who accept in marriage Vrishalis; that end which becomes his who indulges in wine, his who contemns those that are worthy of veneration or his who is ungrateful or his who speaks evil of his brethren, that end shall also soon overtake me if I do not slay Jayadratha.
भुञ्जानानां तु सव्येन उत्सङ्गे चापि खादताम्। पालाशमासनं चैव तिन्दुकैर्दन्तधावनम्॥ ये चावर्जयतां लोकाः स्वपतां च तथोषसि।
(If I fail in killing Jayadratha) the hellish living obtained by the people eating meal through left hand, put the food on lap while eating, not abandon the seat of Palasha and brush of Tenduki shall be accepted by me.
शीतभीताश्च ये विप्रा रणभीताश्च क्षत्रियाः॥ एककूपोदकग्रामे वेदध्वनिविवर्जिते। षण्मासं तत्र वसतां तथा शास्त्रं विनिन्दताम्॥ दिवामैथुनिनां चापि दिवसेषु च शेरते। अगारदाहिनां चैव गरदानां च ये मताः॥ अग्न्यातिथ्यविहीनाश्च गोपानेषु च विघ्नदाः। रजस्वला सेवयन्तः कन्यां शुल्केन दायिनः॥ या च वै बहुयाजिनां ब्राह्मणानां श्ववृत्तिनाम्। आस्यमैथुनिकानां च ये दिवा मैथुने रताः॥ ब्राह्मणस्य प्रतिश्रुत्य यो वै लोभाद् ददाति न। तेषां गतिं गमिष्यामि श्वो न हन्यां जयद्रथम्॥
If I fail in killing Jayadratha tomorrow, the status of living or the insults as befallen on the persons described hereinafter shall be accepted by me. These persons are-the Brahmins who fear of winter, the Kshatriya who fears of battle, the village where single well is dug for drinking water and where Vedic hymns never chanted-the persons living in such village for six mouths, the people who condemn the scriptures, who cohabit and sleep in the day, who set others' home on fire and poison them, who seldom arrange offering and entertain guests, who disturb cows to drink water, who enjoy intercourse with wife during her marriage by collecting fee, who make numerous clients and live on service even after born in Brahmin family, who enjoy intercourse unnatural way (insertion of penis in mouth) or do intercourse in the day and who promise to give something to any Brahmin but avoid lateron under influence of greed.
धर्मादपेता ये चान्ये मया नात्रानुकीर्तिताः। ये चानुकीर्तितास्तेषां गतिं क्षिप्रमवाप्नुयाम्॥ यदि व्युष्टामिमां रात्रिं श्वो न हन्यां जयद्रथम्।
The ends of all those wretched persons whom I have not enumerated, as also of those whom I have here mentioned, shall soon overtake me, if, after this night passing away, I do not slay Jayadratha tomorrow.
इमां चाप्यपरां भूयः प्रतिज्ञां मे निबोधत॥ यद्यस्मिन्त्रहते पापे सूर्योऽस्तमुपयास्यति। इहैव सम्प्रवेष्टाऽहं ज्वलितं जातवेदसम्॥
Now listen to another oath of mine. If tomorrow's sun sets before I succeed in slaying this sinful wretch, then even here shall I enter into a blazing fire.
असुरसुरमनुष्या: पक्षिणो वोरगा वा पितृजनिचरा वा ब्रह्मदेवर्षयो वा। चरमचरमपीदं यत्परं चापि तस्मात् तदपि ममरिपुं तं रक्षितुं नैव शक्ताः॥
Asuras and the celestials, mortals, winged creatures, reptiles or ancestral manes, rangers of the night, Brahmanical or celestials sages, the mobile and immobile things and beings and what other things there may be on the face of the earth, even all these will not be able to protect that foe of mine.
यदि विशति रसातलं तदग्यं वियदपि देवपुरं दितेः पुरं वा। तदपि शरशतैरहं प्रभाते भृशमभिमन्युरिपोः शिरोऽभिहर्ता॥
If he enters the nether regions or ascends to the skies or repairs to the celestial regions or to the dominion of the Daityas, I will still, with a group of hundred, shafts, cut-off the head of Abhimanyu's enemy, when this night passed away."
संजय उवाच एवमुक्त्वा विचिक्षेप गाण्डीवं सव्यदक्षिणम्। तस्य शब्दमतिक्रम्य धनुः शब्दोऽस्पृशद् दिवम्॥
Sanjaya Said Having spoken these words, Arjuna began to twang his bow with both his right and left arms. Rising above the voice of Arjuna, the sound of the twanging bow touched even the very heavens.
अर्जुनेन प्रतिज्ञाते पाञ्चजन्यं जनार्दनः। प्रदध्मौ तत्रं संकुद्धो देवदत्तं च फाल्गुनः॥
When Arjuna had thus taken that oath Janardana blew the conch Panchajanya and Phalguna also excited with rage blew his conch Devadatta.
स पाञ्चजन्योऽच्युतवक्त्रवायुना भृशं सुपूर्णोदरनिःसृत ध्वनिः। जगत सपाताल वियद्दिगीश्वरं प्रकम्पयामास युगात्यये यथा॥
Then that conch Panchajanya being filled with the breath of the undeteriorating Krishna, emitted a loud sound and that sound then caused the universe, the nether regions, the heavens and the quarters O lord, to tremble, as if the end of a Yuga had come.
ततो वादित्रघोषाश्च प्रादुरासन् सहस्रशः। सिंहनादश्च पाण्डूनां प्रतिज्ञाते महात्मना॥
Then when the high-souled Arjuna had taken that oath, sounds of thousands of musical instruments and fierce war-cries, arose from the encampment of the Pandavas.