वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं तदभवद् युद्धं तुमुलं जनमेजय। यत्र दुःखान्वितो राजा धृतराष्ट्रोऽब्रवीदिदम्॥
Vaishampayana said "Thus, O Janamejaya, did that terrible battle take place. King Dhritarashtra, in great sorrow, said thus about it.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच रामं संनिहितं दृष्ट्वा गदायुद्ध उपस्थिते। मम पुत्रः कथं भीम प्रत्ययुध्यत संजय॥
Dhritarashtra said Beholding Rama approach that spot, when the mace-fight was about to take place, how, O Sanjaya, did my son fight with Bhima?'
संजय उवाच रामसांनिध्यमासाद्य पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। युद्धकामो महाबाहुः समहष्यत वीर्यवान्॥
Sanjaya said Beholding the presence of Rama, your valiant son Duryodhana of mighty arms, desirous of battle, was gladdened.
दृष्टवा लागलिनं राजा प्रत्युत्थाय च भारत। प्रीत्या परमया युक्तः समभ्यर्च्य यथाविधि॥ आसनं च ददौ तस्मै पर्यपृच्छदनामयम्।
Seeing Vala, king Yudhishthira, O Bharata, stood up and duly and gladly honored him. He gave him a seat and enquired after his welfare.
ततो युधिष्ठरं रामो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह॥ मधुरं धर्मसंयुक्तं शूराणां हितमेव च। मया श्रुतं कथयतामृषीणां राजसत्तम॥ कुरुक्षेत्रं परं पुण्यं पावनं स्वर्गमेव च। दैवतैऋषिभिर्जुष्टं ब्राह्मणैश्च महात्मभिः॥
Rama then answered Yudhisthira, in these sweet and righteous words, viz.-I have heard it said by the Rishis, O best of kings, that Kurukshetra is a highly sacred and sindestroying spot, equal to heaven itself, worshipped of gods and Rishis and great Brahmanas.
तत्र वै योत्स्यमाना य देहं त्यक्ष्यन्ति मानवाः। तेषां स्वर्गे ध्रुवो वासः शक्रेण सह मारिष॥
Those men that renounce their bodies, while engaged in battle on this field, are sure to live in heaven with Shakra himself.
तस्मात् समन्तपञ्चकमितो याम द्रुतं नृप। प्रथितोत्तरवेदी सा देवलोके प्रजापतेः॥
I shall for this, O king, speedily proceed to Samantapancka. In the celestial region that spot is known as the northern (sacrificial) altar of Brahman, the Lord of all creatures.
तस्मिन् महापुण्यतमे त्रैलोक्यस्य सनातने। संग्रामे निधनं प्राप्य ध्रुवं स्वर्गे भविष्यति॥
He that breathes his last in battle on that eternal and most sacred of spots in the three worlds, will surely obtain heaven,
तथेत्युक्त्वा महाराज कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। समन्तपञ्चकं वीरः प्रायादभिमुखः प्रभुः॥
Saying-So be it-O king, Kunti's brave son, lord Yudhishthira, proceeded towards Samantapanchaka.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्। पद्भ्यामपर्षी द्युतिमानगच्छत् पाण्डवैः सह।१२।।
King Duryodhana also, taking up his gigantic mace, angrily went on foot with the Pandavas.
तथाऽऽयान्तं गदाहस्तं वर्मणा चापि दंशितम्। अन्तरिक्षचरा देवाः साधु साध्वित्यपूजयन्॥ वातिकाचारणा ये तु दृष्ट्वा ते हर्षमागताः। स पाण्डवैः परिवृतः कुरुराजस्तवात्मजः॥ मत्तस्येव गजेन्द्रस्य गतिमास्थाय सोऽव्रजत्। ततः शङ्खनिनादेन भेरीणां च महास्वनैः॥ सिंहनादैश्च शूराणां दिशः सर्वाः प्रपूरिताः।
While going thus, armed with mace and clad in armour, the celestial in the sky applauded him, saying-Excellent, excellent! Sceing the Kuru king, the Charanas became filled with delight. Surrounding by the Pandavas, your son, the Kuru king proceeded, like an infuriate elephant. All the points of the compass were filled with the blare of conchs and the sounds of drums and the leonine roars of heroes.
ततस्ते तु कुरुक्षेत्रं प्राप्ता नरवरोत्तमाः॥ प्रतीच्यभिमुखं देशं यथोद्दिष्टं सुतेन ते।
Proceeding with face westwards to the appointed spot, with your son (in their midst), they spread themselves on all sides when they reached it.
दक्षिणेन सरस्वत्याः स्वयनं तीर्थमुत्तमम्॥ तस्मिन् देशे त्वनिरिणे ते तु युद्धमरोचयन्।
That was an excellent Tirtha on the southern side of the Sarasvati. The ground there was not sandy, and was therefore, selected for the battle.
ततो भीमो महाकोटिं गदां गृह्याथ वर्मभृत्॥ बिभ्रद्रूपं महाराज सदृशं हि गरुत्मतः।
Clad in armour, and armed with his gigantic thick mace Bhima, O king, assumed the form of mighty Garuda.
अवबद्धशिरस्त्राणः संख्ये काञ्चनवर्मभृत्॥ रराज राजन् पुत्रस्ते काञ्चनः शैलराडिव।
With head-gear on his head, and wearing a golden armour licking the corners of his mouth, O king, with eyes redened in wrath, and breathing hard, your son on that field, O king, shone like the golden Sumeru.
वर्मभ्यां संयतौ वीरौ भीमदुर्योधनावुभौ॥ संयुगे च प्रकाशेते संरब्धाविव कुञ्जरौ।
Those two heroes Bhima and Duryodhana, wearing armour appeaered like two elephants with anger, in battle field.
रणमण्डलमध्यस्थौ भ्रातरौ तौ नरर्षभौ॥ अशोभेतां महाराज चन्द्रसूर्याविवोदितौ।
O king! In the midst of war-field both the brothers, foremost among the men were looked like a rising moon and the sun.
तावन्योन्यं निरीक्षेतां क्रुद्धाविव महाद्विपौ॥ दहन्तौ लोचनौ राजन् परस्परवधैषिणौ।
O king! Both angrily with burning eyes wishing kill cach other, they looked like two infuriate elephants.
सम्प्रहृष्टमना राजन् गदामादाय कौरवः॥ सृक्किणी संलिहन् राजन् क्रोधरक्तेक्षणः श्वसन्। ततो दुर्योधनो राजन् गदामादाय वीर्यवान्॥ भीमसेनमभिप्रेक्ष्य गजो गजमिवाह्वयत्।
Taking up his mace, with cheerful mind, the highly energetic king Duryodhana, the son of Kuru, breathing repeatedly and looking at Bhimasena, challenged him to encounter like an elephant challenging a rival elephant.
अद्रिसारमयीं भीमस्तथैवादाय वीर्यवान्॥ आह्वयामास नृपति सिंह सिंहो यथा वने।
Likewise the brave Bhima, taking up his adamantine mace, challenged the king like a lion challenging a lion. or or
तावुद्यतगदापाणी दुर्योधनवृकोदरौ॥ संयुगे च प्रकाशेतां गिरी सशिखराविव।
Duryodhana and Bhima, with uplifted maces, shone in that battle like two mountains with tall sumınits.
तावुभौ समतिक्रुद्धावुभौ भीमपराक्रमौ॥ उभौ शिष्यौ गदायुद्धे रौहिणेयस्य धीमतः। उभौ सदृशकर्माणौ यमवासवयोरिव॥ तथा सदृशकर्माणौ वरुणस्य महाबलौ। वासुदेवस्य रामस्य तथा वैश्रवणस्य च॥ सदृशौ तौ महाराज मधुकैटभयोर्युधि।
Both of them were highly worked up with anger; both were possessed of awful prowess; in mace encounter both were disciples of Rohini's intelligent son; both resembled each other in their feat and looked like Maya and Vasava. Endued with great strength, both resembled Varuna in achievements. Each resembling Vasudeva, Rama Vishravana's son (Ravana), they appeared O king, like Madhu and Kaitabha.
उभौ सदृशकर्माणौ तथा सुन्दोपसुन्दयोः॥ रामरावणयोश्चैव वालिसुग्रीवयोस्तथा।
They looked like Sunda and Upasunda or Rama and Ravana or Bali and Sugriva.
तथैव कालस्य समौ मृत्योश्चैव परंतपौ॥ अन्योन्यमभिधावन्तौ मत्ताविव महाद्विपौ। वासितासंगमे दृप्तौ शरदीव मदोत्कटौ॥ उभौ क्रोधविषं दीप्तं वमन्तावुरगाविव।
Those two of foes appeared like Kala and Mrityu. They then ran towards each other like two infuriate elephants; elated with pride and maddened with passion in the season of autumn and longing for the companionship of a she-elephant in her season. Each appeared to vomit upon the other the poison of his wrath like two fiery serpents.
अन्योन्यमभिसंरब्धौ प्रेक्षमाणावरिंदमौ॥ उभौ भरतशार्दूलौ विक्रमेण समन्वितौ।
Those two chastisers of foes looked angrily upon each other. Both were foremost of Bharata's race, endued with great prowess.
सिंहाविव दुराधर्षों गदायुद्धविशारदौ॥ नखदंष्ट्रायुधौ वीरौ व्याघ्राविव दुरुत्सहौ। प्रजासंहरणे क्षुब्धौ समुद्राविव दुस्तरौ॥ लोहिताङ्गाविव क्रुद्धो प्रतपन्तौ महारथौ। पूर्वपश्चिमजौ मेघौ प्रेक्षमाणावरिंदमौ॥ गर्जमानौ सुविषमं क्षरन्तौ प्रादृषीव हि। रश्मियुक्तौ महात्मानौ दीप्तिमन्तौ महाबलौ॥ ददृशाते कुरुश्रेष्ठौ कालसूर्याविवोदितौ।
In mace encounters those two scorchers of foes were invincible like lion. Those heroes were unbearable like two tigers having teeth and claws. They were like two uncrossable and furious oceans, or like two angry Suns risen for consuming everything. Those two powerful car-warriors looked like an Eastern and a Western cloud agitated by the wind, roaring awfully and pouring torrents of rain in the rainy season. Those two great and powerful heroes, both possessed of great effulgence, looked like two Suns risen at the hour of the Universal dissolution.
व्याघ्राविव सुसंरब्धौ गर्जन्ताविव तोयदौ॥ जहषाते महाबाहू सिंहकेसरिणाविवा जगाविव सुसंरब्धौ ज्वलिताविव पावकौ॥ ददृशाते महात्मानौ सशृङ्गाविव पर्वतौ। रोषात् प्रस्फुरमाणोष्ठौ निरीक्षन्तौ परस्परम्॥ तौ समेतौ महात्मानौ गदाहस्तौ नरोत्तमौ।
Looking like two enraged tigers or like two roaring masses of clouds, they became glad like two manned lions. Like two angry or two blazing fires, those two great ones appeared like two mountains with tall summits. With lips swelling with rage and looking upon each other those two heroes, armed with maces, met each other. Both were elated with joy and each regarded the other as a worthy opponent.
उभौ परमसंहृष्टावुभौ परमसम्मतौ॥ सदश्वाविव हेषन्तौ बृहन्ताविव कुञ्जरौ।
Duryodhana and Vrikodara then resembled two good horses neighing at each other, or two elephants grunting at each other.
वृषभाविव गर्जन्तौ दुर्योधनवृकोदरौ॥ दैत्याविव बलोन्मत्तौ रेजतुस्तौ नरोत्तमौ। ततो दुर्योधनो राजन्निदमाह युधिष्ठिरम्॥ भ्रातृभिः संहितं चैव कृष्णेन च महात्मना। रामेणामितवीर्येण वाक्यं शौटीर्यसम्मतम्॥
Those two foremost of men then shone like a couple of Daityas swelling with pride. The Duryodhana, O king, said these haughty words unto Yudhishthira in the midst of his brothers and of the great Krishna and Rama.
केकयैः सृञ्जयैर्दृप्तं पञ्चालैश्च महात्मभिः । इदं व्यवसितं युद्धं मम भीमस्य चोभयोः॥ उपोपविष्टाः पश्यध्वं सहितैनूपपुङ्गवैः। श्रुत्वा दुर्योधनवचः प्रत्यपद्यन्त तत्तथा॥ ततः समुपविष्टं तत् सुमहद्रजमण्डलम्। विराजमानं ददृशे दिवीवादित्यमण्डलम्॥
Protected by the Kaikeyas and the Srinjayas and the great Panchalas, behold you with all these leading kings, seated together, this encounter that is about to take place between me and Bhima!-Hearing these words of Duryodhana, they did as requested. Then those kings sat down and shone like celestials in heaven.
तेषां मध्ये महाबाहुः श्रीमान् केशवपूर्वजः। उपविष्टो महाराज पूज्यमानः समन्ततः॥
In the midst of that assemblage the mightyarmed and beautiful elder brother of Keshava, O king, as he sat down, was all adored by all around him.
शुशुभे राजमध्यस्थो नीलवासाः सितप्रभः। नक्षत्रैरिव सम्पूर्णो वृतो निशि निशाकरः॥
In the midst of those kings, Baladeva clad in blue raiment and possessed of a fair complexion shone like the full moon surrounded in the night by thousands of stars.
तौ तथा तु महाराज गदाहस्तौ सुदुःसहौ। अन्योन्यं वाग्भिरुग्राभिस्तक्षमाणौ व्यवस्थितौ॥
Meanwhile those two heroes, O king, both armed with maces, and both unbearable by foes, stood there, exasperating each other with fierce speeches.
अप्रियाणि ततोऽन्योन्यमुक्त्वा तौ कुरुसत्तमौ। उदीक्षन्तौ स्थितौ तत्र वृत्रशक्रौ यथाऽऽहवे॥
Having addressed each other with unpleasant words, those two heroes of Kuru's race stood, looking angrily upon each other, like Shakra and Vritra in fight."