संजय उवाच शृणु राजन्नवहितो यथावृत्तो महान् क्षयः। कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च समासाद्य परस्परम्॥
Sanjaya said Hear, O king, attentively how that great thousands of the Kurus and the Pandavas took place when they encountered each other.
निहते सूतपुत्रे तु पाण्डवेन महात्मना। विद्रुतेषु च सैन्येष समानीतेषु चासकृत्॥ घोरे मनुष्यदेहानामाजौ नरवर क्षये। यत्तत् कर्णे हते पार्थः सिंहनादमथाकरोत्॥
After the Suta's son had been killed by the illustrious son of Pandu and after the troops had been repeatedly collected and had repeatedly been routed and after a terrible ensaught had taken place, O foremost of men in battle after Karna's death, Partha began to utter leonine shouts. At that time your sons were possessed by great fear.
तदा तव सुतान् राजन् प्राविशत् समुहद् भयम्। न संधातुमनीकानि न चैवाथ पराक्रमे॥
Indeed, after Karna's death, there was no warrior in your army who could rally the troops or show his prowess.
आसीद् बुद्धिर्हते कर्णे तव योधस्य कस्यचित्। वणिजो नावि भिन्नायामगाधे विप्लवा इव॥ अपारे पारमिच्छन्तो हते द्वीपे किरीटिना।
They then looked like ship-wrecked merchants on the vast sea without a raft to save themselves. When their protector was slain by the diadem-decked Arjuna, they were like persons on the vast sea desirous of reaching safely some shore.
सूतपुत्रे हते राजन् वित्रस्ताः शरविक्षताः॥ अनाथा नाथमिच्छन्तो मृगाः सिंहार्दिता इव।
Indeed, O king, after the slaughter of the Suta's son, your troops, panic-stricken and mangled with arrows, were like helpless men like a herd of deer attacked by a hon.
भग्नशृङ्गा इव वृषा: शीर्णदंष्ट्रा इवोरगाः॥ प्रत्युपायाम सायाह्ने निर्जिता सव्यसाचिना।
Defeated by Savyasachin, they retired in the evening, like bulls with broken horns or snakes shorn of their fangs.
हतप्रवीरा स्विस्ता निकृत्ता निशितैः शरैः॥ सूतपुत्रे हते राजन् पुत्रास्ते प्राद्रवंस्ततः।
Their foremost of heroes slain, themselves thrown into confusion and cut with keen arrows, your sons, O king, upon the slaughter of the Suta's son, fled away in fear.
विध्वस्तकवचाः सर्वे कांदिशीका विचेतसः॥ अन्योन्यमभिनिघ्नन्तो वीक्षमाणा भयाद् दिशः।
Deprived of weapons and coats of mail, all of them were bewildered and know not where to fly. Looking on all sides, many of them began to kill one another.
मामेव नूनं बीभत्सुर्मामेव च वृकोदरः॥ अभियातीति मन्वाना: पेतुर्मम्लुश्च भारत। अश्वानन्ये गजानन्ये स्थानन्ये महारथाः॥ आरुह्य जवसम्पन्ना पादातान् प्रजहुर्भयात्।
Many fell down or became pale, thinking-It is ine whom Vibhatsu is pursuing!—It is me whoin Vrikodara is pursuing!-Some riding on quick horses, some on fleet cars and some on fleet elephants, many great car-warriors fled away from fear, leaving behind the footsoldiers.
कुञ्जरैः स्यन्दना भग्नाः सादिनश्च महारथैः॥ पदातिसंघाश्चाश्वोधैः पलायद्भिर्भृशं हताः।
Cars were broken by elephants, horsemen were crushed by great car warriors and the foot were smashed and slain by bodies of horse, as they fled away from the field of action.
व्यालतस्करसंकीर्णे सार्थहीना यथा वने॥ तथा त्वदीया निहते सूतपुत्रे तदाभवन्।
After the fall of the Suta's son, your troops became like straggling travellers in a forest abounding with robbers and beasts of prey.
हतारोहास्तथा नागाश्छिन्नहस्तास्तथापरे॥ सर्वं पार्थमयं लोकमपश्यन् वै भयार्दिताः।
Some elephants whose riders had been killed and others whose trunks had been cut off, stricken with fear, saw the entire universe full of Partha.
तान् प्रेक्ष्य द्रवतः सर्वान् भीमसेनभयार्दितान्॥ दुर्योधनोऽथ स्वं सूतं हा हा कृत्वैवमब्रवीत्। नातिक्रमिष्यते पार्थो धनुष्पाणिमवस्थितम्॥ जघने युद्धमानं मां तूर्णमश्वान् प्रचोदय।
Beholding his troops flying away in fear of Bhimasena, Duryodhana, then, with cries of Oh and Alas, addressed his driver, saying-If I stand it the rear of the army, armed with my bow, Partha then will never be able to go beyond me. Drive quickly the horses, therefore.
समरे युद्धमानं हि कौन्तेयं मां धनंजयः॥ नोत्सहेताप्यतिक्रान्तुं वेलामिव महार्णवः।
When I will display my courage in battle Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, will not dare go beyond ine like the ocean never venturing to transgress its banks,
अद्यार्जुनं सगोविन्दं मानिनं च वृकोदरम्॥ निहत्य शिष्टाशत्रूश्च कर्णस्यानृण्यमाप्नुयाम्। तच्छ्रुत्वा कुरुराजस्य शूरार्यसदृशं वचः॥ सूतो हेमपरिच्छन्नाशनैरश्वानचोदयत्।
Today, killing Arjuna with Govinda and the proud Vrikodara and the rest of my enemies. I will free myself from the debt I owe to Karna.”—Hearing these words of the Kuru king worthy of an honorable man, his driver slowly urged those horse adorned with trappings of gold.
गजाश्वरथहीनास्तु पादाताश्चैव मारिष॥ पञ्चविंशतिसाहस्राः प्राद्रवशनकैरिव।
At the time many brave warriors, deprived of elephants and horscs and cars and five and twenty thousand foot, procecded slowly for battle.
तान् भीमसेनः संक्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः॥ बलेन चतुरङ्गेण परिक्षिप्याहनच्छरैः।
Then Bhimasena, worked up with wrath and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, encircling those soldiers with the help of four kinds of forces destroyed them with arrows.
प्रत्ययुध्यंस्तु ते सर्वे भीमसेनं सपार्षतम्॥ पार्थपार्षतयोश्चान्ये जगृहुस्तत्र नामनी।
All of them fought vigorously with Bhima and Prishata's son. Many amongst them challenged the two Pandava herocs mentioning their naimes.
अक्रुद्ध्यत रणे भीमस्तैर्मधे प्रत्यवस्थितैः॥ सोऽवतीर्य रथात्तूर्णं गदापाणिरयुध्यता
Surrounded by them in battle, Bhima became angry with them. Quickly getting down from his car, he began to fight, with his mace.
न तान् रथस्थो भूमिष्ठान् धर्मापेक्षी वृकोदरः॥ योधयामास कौन्तेयो भुजवीर्यमुपाश्रितः।
Depending on the might of his own arms, Vrikodara, the son of Kunti, who was on his car, observing the rules of fair fight, did not fight with those focs who were struck down on earth.
जातरूपपरिच्छन्नां प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्॥ न्यवधीत् तावकान् सर्वान् दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः।
Armed with his heavy mace made entirely of iron and adorned with gold and resembling the Destroyer himself at the end of Yuga, Bhima slew them all like Yama destroying crcatures with his club.
पदातयो हि संरब्धास्त्यक्तजीवितबान्धवाः॥ भीममभ्यद्रवन् संख्ये पतङ्गा इव पावकम्।
These foot-soldiers, worked up with great anger, having lost their friends and kinsmen, were prepared to cast away their lives and rushed in that battle towards Bhima like insects towards a blazing fire.
आसाद्य भीमसेनं ते संरब्धा युद्धदुर्मदाः॥ विनेदुः सहसा दृष्ट्वा भूतग्रामा इवान्तकम्।
Indeed those warriors, stricken with fear and invincible in battle, approaching Bhimasena, suddenly died like living creatures at the look of the Destroyer.
श्येनवद् व्यचरद् भीमः खड्डेन गदया तथा॥ पञ्चविंशतिसाहस्रास्तावकानां व्यपोथयत्।
Armed with sword and mace, Bhima inoved on like a hawk and killed your twenty-five thousand warriors.
हत्वा तत् पुरुषानीकं भीमः सत्यपराक्रमः॥ धृष्टद्युम्नं पुरस्कृस्य पुनस्तस्थौ महाबलः।
Having killed that brave division, the powerful Bhima, of invincible prowess, once more stood, with Dhrishtadyumna before him.
धनंजयो स्थानीकमन्वपद्यत वीर्यवान्॥ माद्रीपुत्रो च शकुनि सात्यकिश्च महाबलः।
In the meantime the highly energetic Dhananjaya proceeded towards the car-division of the Kurus. The twin sons of Madri and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, all strong, cheerfully rushed against Shakuni for slaying him.
जवेनाभ्यपतन् हृष्टा नन्तो दौर्योधनं बलम्॥ तस्याश्ववाहान् सुवहूंस्ते निहत्य शितैः शरैः। तमन्वधावंस्त्वरितास्तत्र युद्धमवर्तत॥
Having slain with keen the numerous cavalry of Shakuni, those Pandava heroes quickly proceeded against Shakuni himself, whereupon a fierce encounter took place.
ततो धनंजयो राजन् रथानीकमगाहत। विश्रुतं त्रिषु लोकेषु गाण्डीवं व्याक्षिपन् धनुः॥
Then Dhananjaya, O king, penetrated into the midst of the car-detachment of the Kauravas, expanding his bow Gandiva known over the three worlds.
कृष्णसारथिमायन्तं दृष्ट्वा श्वेतहयं रथम्। अर्जुनं चापि योद्धारं त्वदीयाः प्राद्रवन् भयात्॥
Beholding that car having white horses yoked to it and Krishna for its driver coming arrows towards them, with Arjuna as the warrior on it, your troops fled away in fear.
विप्रहीनरथाश्वाश्च शरैश्च परिवारिताः। पञ्चविंशतिसाहस्राः पार्थमार्छन् पदातयः॥
Deprived of cars and horses and struck with arrows from every side, five and twenty thousand foot-soldiers proceeded towards Partha and surrounded him.
हत्वा तत् पुरुषानीकं पञ्चालानां महारथः। भीमसेनं पुरस्कृत्य नचिरात् प्रत्यदृश्यत॥
Then that mighty car-warriors amongst the Panchalas, viz., Dhrishtadyumna with Bhimasena at the head quickly killed them and gained victory.
महाधनुर्धरः श्रीमानमित्रगणमर्दनः। पुत्रः पाञ्चालराजस्य धृष्टद्युम्नो महायशाः॥
The son of the Panchala king, viz., the celebrated Dhrishtadyumna, was a great bowman possessed of great beauty and a repressor of foes.
पारावतसवर्णाश्वं कोविदारवरध्वजम्। धृष्टद्युम्नं रणे दृष्ट्वा त्वदीयाः प्राद्रवन् भयात्॥
Seeing Dhrishtadyumna to whose car were yoked steeds white as pigeons and whose standard was made of lofty Kovidara, your troops fled away in fear.
गान्धारराजं शीघ्रास्त्रमनुसृत्य यशस्विनौ। अचिरात् प्रत्यदृश्येतां माद्रीपुत्रौ ससात्यकी॥
The celebrated sons of Madri, with Satyaki among them, followed by the Gandhara king who was quick in the use of weapons, soon appeared befoie us.
चेकितानः शिखण्डी च द्रौपदेयाश्च मारिष । हत्वा त्वदीयं सुमहत् सैन्यं शङ्खानथाधमन्॥
Chekitana and Shikhandhin and the five sons of Draupadi, having killed a large number of your troops, blew their conchs.
ते सर्वे तावकान् प्रेक्ष्य द्रवतो वै पराङ्मुखान्। अभ्यधावन्त निघ्नन्तो वृषाञ्जित्वा वृषा इव॥
Seeing all your troops flying away from the field, those Pandava heroes pursued and killed them like bulls pursuing defeated bulls.
सेनावशेषं तं दृष्ट्वा तव पुत्रस्य पाण्डवः। अवस्थितं सव्यसाची चुक्रोध बलावन्नृप॥
Then the mighty Savyasachin, the son of Pandu, beholding the remaining portion of your army still fighting was filled with anger, O king.
तत एनं शरै राजन् सहसा समवाकिरत्। रजसा चोद्गतेनाथ न स्म किंचन दृश्यते॥
Suddenly, O monarch, he covered the remnant of your army with arrows. The dust, however, that was then raised, covered the sky, for which we could not see anything.
अन्धकारीकृते लोके शरीभूते महीतले। दिशः सर्वा महाराज तावकाः प्राद्रवन् भयात्॥
Darkness also spread over the place and the field of battle was covered with arrows. Your troops, O monarch, then fled away in fear on all sides.
भज्यमानेषु सर्वेषु कुरुराजो विशाम्पते। परेषामात्मनश्चैव सैन्ये ते समुपाद्रवत्॥
When his army was thus broken, the Kuru king, O monarch, rushed against both friends and foes.
ततो दुर्योधनः सर्वानाजुहावाथ पाण्डवान्। युद्धाय भरतश्रेष्ठ देवानिव पुरा बलिः॥
Then Duryodhana challenged all the Pandavas to battle, O chief of Bharata's race, like the Asura Vali in days of yore challenging all the celestials.
त एनमभिगर्जन्तं सहिताः समुपाद्रवन्। नानाशस्त्रसृजः क्रुद्धा भर्त्सयन्तो मुहुर्मुहुः॥
The Pandavas then, collected in a body and filled with rage, chastising him repeatedly and discharging various weapons, proceeded against Duryodhana.
दुर्योधनोऽप्यसम्भ्रान्तस्तानरीन् व्यधमच्छरैः। तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम तव पुत्रस्य पौरुषम्॥ यदेनं पाण्डवाः सर्वे न शेकुरतिवर्तितुम्। नातिदूरापयातं च कृतबुद्धिः पलायने॥ दुर्योधनः स्वकं सैन्यमपश्यद् भृशविक्षतम्। ततोऽवस्थाप्य राजेन्द्र कृतबुद्धिस्तवात्मजः॥ हर्षयन्निव तान् योधास्ततो वचनमब्रवीत्। न तं देशं प्रपश्यामि पृथिव्यां पर्वतेषु च॥ यत्र यातान्न वो हन्युः पाण्डवाः किं सृतेन वः।
The latter, however, fearlessly struck his foes with arrows. The prowess of your sons was exceedingly wonderful, since all the Pandavas together were unable to overcome him. At this time Duryodhana saw his troops, exceedingly mangled with shafts and about to fiy away. Rallying them then, O monarch, your son, resolved on battle battle and desirous of gladdening them, addressed those warriors saying "I do not see a place on plain or mountain whither if you fly, the Pandavas will not kill you! What use then in flight?
स्वल्पं चैव बलं तेषां कृष्णौ च भृशविक्षतौ॥ यदि सर्वेऽत्र तिष्ठामो ध्रुवं नो विजयो भवेत्।
The Pandava army has now been reduced to a small number. The two Krishna have been greatly wounded. If all of us make a stand here, we are sure to gain victory.
विप्रयातांस्तु वो भिन्नान् पाण्डवाः कृतकिल्विषान्।। ५३ अनुसृत्य हनिष्यन्ति श्रेयोः न समरे वधः।
If, however, you fly away, the Pandavas, pursuing you, will slay you all. Death in battle, therefore, conduces to our good.
सुखः सांग्रामिको मृत्युः क्षत्रधर्मेण युध्यताम्॥ मृतो दुःखं न जानीते प्रेत्य चानन्त्यमश्नुते।
Death in the field of battle while fighting according to Kshatriya custom, is welcome. Such death begets no grief. By meeting with such a death, a person enjoys eternal happiness in the other world.
शृण्वन्तु क्षत्रिया: सर्वे यावन्तोऽत्र समागताः॥ द्विषतो भीमसेनस्य वशमेष्यथ विद्रुताः। पितामहैराचरितं न धर्मं हातुमर्हथ॥
Let all the Kshatriyas assembled here me. It were better that they should submit to the angry Bhimasena than that they should neglect the duties practiced by them from the days of their fore-fathers.
नान्यत् कर्मास्ति पापीयः क्षत्रियस्य पलायनात्। न युद्धधर्माच्छेयान् हि पन्थाः स्वर्गस्य कौरवाः॥
There is no act more sinful for a Kshatriya than to fly away from the battle-field. You Kauravas, there is no greater path to heaven than the duty of battle.
सुचिरेणार्जिताँल्लोकान् सद्यो युद्धात् समश्रुते। तस्य तद् वचनं राज्ञः पूजयित्वा महारथाः॥ पुनरेवामभ्यवर्तन्त क्षत्रियाः पाण्डवान् प्रति। पराजयममृष्यन्तः कृतचित्ताश्च विक्रमे॥
The warrior acquires in a day the blissful regions of the other world that take many long years for others to acquire."-Obeying those words of the king, Kshatriya car-warriors once more rushed against the Pandavas, unable to put up with their discomfiture and firinly resolved to display their prowess.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं पुनरेव सुदारुणम्। तावकानां परेषां च देवासुररणोपमम्॥
Then began a battle once more that was highly terrific, between your troops and the enemy, that resembled the one between the gods and demons.
युधिष्ठिरपुरोगांश्च सर्वसैन्येन पाण्डवान्। अन्वधावन्महाराज पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव॥
Your son Duryodhana then, O monarch, with all his troops, rushed against the Pandavas with Yudhishthira at the head.