JAYADRATHA-VADHA PARVA: Chapter 124

The fierce fight

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच किं तस्यां मम सेनायां नासन् केचिन्महारथाः। ये तथा सात्यकिं यान्तं नैवाघ्नन् नाष्यवारयन्॥
Dhritarastra said Was there then, O Sanjaya, no mighty carwarrior in my entire army who could resist or slay Satyaki as he proceeded forward?

एको हि समरे कर्म कृतवान् सत्यविक्रमः। शक्रतुल्यबलो युद्धे महेन्द्रो दानवेष्विव॥
Of indomitable prowess and possessed of strength equal to that of Indra himself, singlehanded he achieved feats amidst my troops like Indra achieving feats amidst the Danavas.

अथवा शून्यमासीत् तद्येन यातः स सात्यकिः। हतभूयिष्ठमथवा येन यातः स सात्यकिः॥
Perhaps the track through which Satyaki passed was empty. Possessed of prowess in the true sense of the term, he alone has crushed numerous hosts, of mine.

न सन्ति तस्मात् पुत्रा यत् कृतं वृष्णिवीरेण कर्म शंससि मे रणे। नैतदुत्सहते कर्तु कर्म शक्रोऽपि संजय॥
Tell me O Sanjaya, how the single-handed grandson Sini passed through that host of mine, which was fighting vigorously against him?

संजय उवाच अश्रद्धेयमचिन्यं च कर्म तस्य महात्मनः। वृष्णयन्धकप्रवीरस्य श्रुत्वा मे व्यथितं मनः॥
Sanjaya said O monarch, the exertion and din that were then made by your troops, O king, teeming with cars, elephants, foot-soldiers, resembled that which occurs at the end of a Yuga.

मे यथा संजय भाषसे। एको वै बहुला: सेनाः प्रामृद्गत् सत्यविक्रमः॥
0 bestower of honour, when your assembled host daily increased in numerical strength before, I thought that another muster like that of your army had never been on earth.

कथं च युध्यमानानामपक्रान्तो महात्मनाम्। एको बहूनां शैनेयस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय॥
The Gods and the Charanas that then came there said, "this muster will be the last of its kind on the earth."

राजन् सेनासमुद्योगो रथनागाश्वपत्तिमान्। तुमुलस्तव सैन्यानां युगान्तसदृशोऽभवत्॥
O king, the array, which was formed by Drona in view of a slaughter of Jayadratha, was such that its equal had never been formed on the face of the earth.

आहूतेषु समूहेषु तव सैन्यस्य मानद। नाभूल्लोके समः कश्चित् समूह इति मे मतिः॥
Then the din that was made by the armies as they rushed to battle with one another, was as tremendous as one created by the ocean agitated with the vehemence of a mighty tempest.

तत्र देवास्त्वभाषन्त चारणाश्च समागताः। एतदन्ताः समूहा वै भविष्यन्ति महीतले॥
In those two assembled hosts of the Pandavas and the Kurus, O foremost of men,


innumerable rulers of earth, numbering by hundred and thousand, were enrolled.

न च वैतादृशो व्यूह आसीत् कश्चिद् विशाम्पते। यादृग् जयद्रथवधे द्रोणेन विहितोऽभवत्॥
Horripilating, dreadful and deafening was the uproar set up by those enraged heroes of resolute deeds, as they proceeded to battle.

चण्डवातविभिन्नानां समुद्राणामिव खनः। रणेऽभवद् बलौघानामन्योन्यमभिधावताम्॥
Then Bhimasena, Dhrishtadyumna, Nakula, Sahadeva, the virtuous king Yudhishthira, O sire, exclaimed sayingपार्थिवानां समेतानां बहून्यासन् नरोत्तम।

तबले पाण्डवानां च सहस्त्राणि शतानि च॥
"Come, strike, rush quickly; the two heroes, scion of Madhu's race and the son of Pandu, have entered into the Kuru army.

संरब्धानां प्रवीराणां समरे दृढकर्मणाम्। तत्रासीत् सुमहाशब्दस्तुमुलो लोमहर्षणः॥
Do you so act, as they may proceed easily towards the chariot of Jayadratha. Speaking thus, they urged their troops on.

अथाक्रन्दद् भीमसेनो धृष्टद्युम्नश्च मारिष। नकुलः सहदेवश्च धर्मराजश्च पाण्डवः॥ आगच्छत प्रहरत दुतं विपरिधावत। प्रविष्टावरिसेनां हि वीरौ माधवपाण्डवौ॥
(They again said)-"If those two heroes be slain, then the Kurus will have their objects fulfilled and we shall be defeated. Therefore do you united exert yourselves for agitating this host, like the tempest of tremendous vehemence agitating the ocean. O king, urged on by the Panchala prince and by Bhimasena.

यथा सुखेन गच्छेतां जयद्रथ वधं प्रति। तथा प्रकुरुत क्षिप्रमिति सैन्यान्यचोदयन्॥ तयोरभावे कुरवः कृतार्थाः स्युर्वयं जिताः। ते यूयं सहिता भूत्वा तूर्णमेव बलार्णवम्॥ क्षोभयध्वं महावेगा: पवनः सागरं यथा।
They fell to slaughter the Kurus thoroughly disregarding their own dear lives. Possessed of i great energy, all of them desiring death in

प्रियान्।
battle, at the edge of weapon, with a view to attain to heaven, showed not the least regard for their lives in fighting for the good of their friends, so also, O monarch, your warriors, desirous of great renown.

भीमसेनेन ते राजन् पाञ्चाल्येन च नोदिताः॥ आजघ्नुः कौरवान् संख्ये त्यक्त्वासूनात्मनः
And setting their hearts resolutely on battle, remained on the field, determined to to fight to the bitter end. In that dreadful and horible battle.

तस्मिन् सुतुमले युद्धे वर्तमाने भयावहे॥ जित्वा सर्वाणि सैन्यानि प्रायात् सात्यकिरर्जुनम्। कवचानां प्रभास्ता सूर्यरश्मिविराजिताः॥ दृष्टीः संख्ये सैनिकानां प्रतिजघ्नुः समन्ततः। तथा प्रयतमानानां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्॥ दुर्योधनो महाराज व्यगाहत महद् वलम्। स संनिपातस्तुमुलस्तेषां तस्य च भारत॥ अभवत् सर्वभूतानामभावकरणो महान्।
Satyaki having vanquished all the warriors advanded towards Arjuna. The combatants were compelled to turn their eyes away from the coats of mails covering the warriors, as the reflected the rays of the sun directly. O monarch, Duryodhana then penetrated through the mighty host of the illustrious sons of Pandu striving hard in battle. Then the battle that was there fought between him and them was extremely terrible and the carnage horrible.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच कथा यातेषु सैन्येषु तथा कृच्छ्रगत: स्वयम्॥ कचिद् दुर्योधनः सूत नाकार्षीत् पृष्ठतो रणम्।
Dhritarastra said When the Pandava host was thus advancing and when he was involved in great danger, I hope, O son of a charioteer, Duryodhana did not turn his back on the field of battle.

एकस्य च बहूनां च संनिपातो महाहवे॥ विशेषतो नरपतेर्विषमः प्रतिभाति मे।
That battle between the one and the many, that one again being a king by birth, seems to me to be very unfair.

सोऽत्यन्तसुखसंवृद्धो लक्षम्या लोकस्य चेश्वरः॥ एकोबहून् समासाद्य कचिन्नासीत् पराङ्मुखः।
Brought up in great luxury, attended with great prosperity and the ruler of the worlds, that single-handed son of mine, I hope, did not turn his face away from the field of battle, encountering odds in battle.

संजय उवाच राजन् संग्राममाश्चर्य तव पुत्रस्य भारत॥ एकस्य बहुभिः सार्ध शृणुष्व गदतो मम।
Sanjaya said The battle, O king, that was then fought, between your son on the one side and the numerous Pandavas on the other, was indeed wonderful. Hear me as I relate it.

दुर्योधनेन समरे पृतना पाण्डवी रणे॥ नलिनी द्विरदेनेव समन्तात् प्रतिलोडिता।
Then the Pandava troops were completely crushed by Duryodhana like a forest of lotuses destroyed by an elephant.

ततस्तां प्रहितां सेनां दृष्ट्वा पुत्रेण ते नृप॥ भीमसेनपुरोगास्तं पञ्चालाः समुपाद्रवन्।
Then, o king, beholding the troops shattered by your son, the Panchalas headed by Bhimasena, rushed upon Duryodhana.

स भीमसेनं दशभिः शरैर्विव्याध पाण्डवम्॥ त्रिभिस्त्रिभिर्यमौ वीरौ धर्मराजं च सप्तभिः।
Thereupon your son pierced Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, with ten shafts and each of the twins Nakula and Sahadeva with three and the virtuous king Yudhishthira with seven.

विराटद्रुपदौ षड्भिः शतेन च शिखण्डिनम्॥ धृष्टद्युम्नं च विंशत्या द्रौपदेयांस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः।
He pierced Virata and Drupada with six, Sikhadin with a hundred, Dhristadyumna with twenty and the sons of Draupadi with three arrows each.

शतशश्चापरान् योधान् सद्विपांश्च रथान् रणे॥ शरैरवचकर्ताग्रैः क्रुद्धोऽन्तक इव प्रजाः।
He then cut-off many other warriors hundreds in number and elephants and cars in

समरे जनाः।
battle with his fierce shafts, like the wrathful god of Death slaying the created beings.

न संदधन् विमुञ्चन् वा मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकः॥३ :॥ अदृश्यत रिपून निघ्नञ्छिक्षयास्त्रबलेन च।
Owing to his skill acquired through practies and to the powers of his weapons, he appeared, when striking down his foes, to wield his bow, continuously drawn to a circle whether when aiming or discharging his shafts.

तस्य तान् निघ्नतः शत्रून् हेमपृष्ठं महद्धनुः॥ अजस्रं मण्डलीभूतं ददृशुः
Then men beheld his mighty bow of golden staff, as he slew his foes, to be always drawn to a circle.

ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा भल्लाभ्यामच्छिनद् धनुः॥ तव पुत्रस्य कौरव्य यतमानस्य संयुगे।
Thereafter king Yudhishthira cut-off with a Pair of Vallas the bow of your son, who had been exerting to the best of his prowess in battle, O foremost of the Kurus.

विव्याध चैनं दशभिः सम्यगस्तैः शरोत्तमैः॥ वर्म चाशु समासाद्य ते भित्त्वा क्षितिमाविशन्।
He then pierced the latter with ten excellent shafts all well-directed. But striking against Duryodhana's armour they were shattered into pierces and fell down on the earth.

ततः प्रमुदिताः पार्थाः परिवर्युधिष्ठिरम्॥ यथा वृत्रवधे देवाः पुरा शक्र महर्षयः।
Then the Parthas filled with delight surrounded Yudhishthira, like the celestials and the sages surrounding Shakra on the occasion of the slaughter of Vritra.

ततोऽन्यद् धनुरादाय तव पुत्रः प्रतापवान्॥ तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति राजानं ब्रुवन् पाण्डवमभ्ययात्।
Thereafter your highly puissant Duryodhana taking up another bow and addressing king Yudhishthira saying "wait wait" rushed against that son of Pandu.

तमायान्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य तव पुत्रं महामृधे॥ प्रत्युद्ययुः समुदिताः पञ्चाला जयगृद्धिनः।
Then beholding your son rush to battle with fury, the Panchalas always intent on securing victory received him with delight. son

तान् द्रोणः प्रतिजाग्राह परीप्सन् युधि पाण्डवम्॥ चण्डवातोद्भुतान् मेघान् गिरिरम्बुमुचो यथा।
Drona then encountered that division of the Panchalas, from a desire for rescuring the king, like a mountain with slanting masses of raincharged clouds driven by the tempest.

तत्र राजन् महानासीत् संग्रामो लोमहर्षणः॥ पाण्डवानां महाबाहो तावकानां च संयुगे।
Thereupon, O king, there commenced a awful combat making the hair stand erect between the Pandavas and your troops, O mighty-armed one.

रुद्रस्याक्रीडसदृशः संहारः सर्वदेहिनाम्॥ ततः शब्दो महानासीत् पुनर्येन धनंजयः।
The carnage was terrible like that when Rudra slays in sport all creatures at the end of a Yuga. Then arose a loud uproar the place where Dhananjaya was.

अतीव सर्वशब्देभ्यो लोमहर्षकरः प्रभो॥ अर्जुनस्य महाबाहो तावकानां च धन्विनाम्।
That sound surpassed all other sounds and O lord, made the hair stand erect. Thus, O mighty-armed one, the battle between Arjuna and your warriors went on (with unmitigated fury).

मध्ये भारतसैन्यस्य माधवस्य महारणे॥ द्रोणस्यापि परैः सार्ध व्यूहद्वारे महारणे।
Thus progressed the battle between Satyaki and your men, in the centre of your army and there also raged the battle between Drona and his enemies at the head of his array.

एवमेष क्षयो वृत्तः पृथिव्यां पृथिवीपते। क्रुद्धेऽर्जुने तथा द्रोणे सात्वते च महारथे॥
Thus continued that dreadful destruction of creatures when, O ruler of men, Arjuna, Drona and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki were excited with wrath.