DRONABHISHEKA PARVA: Chapter 13

The solemn declaration of Drona to capture Yudhishthira

संजय उवाच सान्तरे तु प्रतिज्ञाते राज्ञो द्रोणेन निग्रहे। ततस्ते सैनिकाः श्रुत्वा तं युधिष्ठिरनिग्रहम्॥
Sanjaya said When Drona had promised the capture of the king under these limitations your soldiers, hearing of the probable capture of Yudhishthira.

सिंहनादरवांश्चक्रुर्बाहुशब्दांश्च कृत्स्नशः। तच्च सर्वं यथान्यायं धर्मराजेन भारत॥ आप्तैराशु परिज्ञातं भारद्वाजचिकीर्षितम्। ततः सर्वान् समानाय्य भ्रातृनन्यांश्च सर्वशः॥
Uttered many loud shouts like the roars of lions, accompanying them with the noise of their (flying) shafts and the sound of their conchs. The virtuous king Yudhishthira, O Bharata, was soon apprised, in detail, of everything regarding the purposes of the son of Bharadvaja, by his trusty emissaries. Thereupon having summoned together all his brothers and the other monarchs of his host.

अब्रवीद् धर्मराजस्तु धनंजयमिदं वचः। श्रुतं ते पुरुषव्याघ्र द्रोणस्याद्य चिकीर्षितम्॥
The very righteous king addressed these words to Dhananjaya-"O foremost of men today you have heard of the design of Drona.

यथा तन्न भवेत् सत्यं तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम् सान्तरं हि प्रतिज्ञातं द्रोणेनामित्रकर्षिणा॥
Adopt such course of action, as will prevent the execution of that design. Truc it is that Drona the destroyer of his foes, has pledged his troth with certain limitations.

तच्चान्तरं महेष्वास त्वयि तेन समाहितम्। स त्वमद्य महाबाहो युध्यस्व मदनन्तरम्॥
But those limitations, O mighty warrior, have been all made dependent on you, by him (Drona). Therefore, O mighty-armed one, do you this day fight by my side, so that Duryodhana may not secure the fruition of his desire through the agency of Drona."

अर्जुन उवाच यथा दुर्योधनः कामं नेमं द्रोणादवाप्नुयात्। यथा मे न वधः कार्य आचार्यस्य कदाचन॥
Arjuna said As, the slaughter of my own preceptor can never be perpetrated by me, so, also, O monarch, I can never agree to abandon you.

तथा तव परित्यागो न मे राजश्चिकीर्षितः। अप्येवं पाण्डव प्राणानुत्सृजेयमहं युधि॥
Rather, O son of Pandu, I would give up my life in battle, than be antagonistic to my preceplor, at any tiine.

प्रतीपो नाहमाचार्ये भवेयं वै कथंचन। तवां निगृह्याहवे राज्यं धार्तराष्ट्रोऽयमिच्छति॥
Having captured you in battle, the son of Dhritarashtra, desires to possess the kingdom; but in this world of living beings, he will never obtain the fruition of his desire.

न स तं जीवलोकेऽस्मिन् कामं प्राप्येत् कथंचन। प्रपतेत् द्यौः सनक्षत्रा पृथिवी शकली भवेत्॥
The conclave dome with the stars may drop down; the earth itself may be shattered to pieces; yet Drona will never capture you, so long as I live.

न त्वां द्रोणो निगृह्णीया ज्जीवमाने मयि ध्रुवम्। यदि तस्यं रणे साह्यं कुरुते वज्रभृत् स्वयम्॥
Even if the wielder of the thunderbolt himself or Vishnu accompanied by the celestials, assists him in battle, still, he shall never capture you in battle.

विष्णुर्वासहितो देवैर्न त्वां प्राप्स्यत्यसौ मृधे। मयि जीवति राजेन्द्र न भयं कर्तुमर्हसि॥
O foremost of monarchs, so long as I am alive, you need not entertain any apprehension from Drona the foremost of all wielders of weapon or any body else.

द्रोणादस्त्रभृतां श्रेष्ठात् सर्वशस्त्रभृतामपि। अन्यच्च ब्रूयां राजेन्द्र प्रतिज्ञां मम निश्चलाम्॥
Moreover, O foremost of kings, I say that my resolution is decided. I never think of perjuring myself; I never think of my defeat. I never think of keeping the least part, of any vow I may take, unredeemed.

न स्मराम्यनृतं तावन्न स्मरामि पराजयम्। न स्मरामि प्रतिश्रुत्य किंचिदप्यनृतं कृतम्॥
Sanjaya said Thereupon, O monarch, in the camp of the Pandavas, chonchs and drums and Mridangas together with the Anakas, were simultaneously sounded.

संजय उवाच ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च मृदङ्गाश्चानकैः सह। प्रावाद्यन्त महाराज पाण्डवानां निवेशने॥ सिंहनादश्च संजज्ञे पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। धनुातलशब्दश्च गगनस्पृक् सुभैरवः॥
There arose also loud shouts, like the roar of lions, uttered by the high-souled Pandavas; and the deafening sound resulting from the twang of their bow-strings and the striking of their palms against their arīns, reached the very skies.

श्रुत्वा शङ्खस्य निर्घोषं पाण्डवस्य महौजसः। त्वदीयेष्वप्यनीकेषु वादित्राण्यभिजजिरे॥
Hearing that blare of the conchs sounded by the highly-puissant sons of Pandu, your soldiers in their camp struck up various instruments.

ततो व्यूढान्यनीकानि तव तेषां च भारत। शनैरुपेयुरुयोन्यं योध्यमानानि संयुगे॥
Thereafter, O Bharata, your, as well their, divisions were formed into battle-array; and slowly then advanced desirous of encountering one another in battle.

तत: प्रववृते युद्धं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम्। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च द्रोणपाञ्चाल्ययोरपि॥
Then raged a dreadful and hair-stirring battle, between the Pandavas and the Kurus, as also between Drona and the Panchalas.

यत्नमानाः प्रयत्नेन द्रोणानीकविशातने। न शेकुः सृञ्जया युद्धे तद्धि द्रोणेन पालितम्॥
Struggling to the best of their endeavours, to slay the division of Drona, the Srinjayas could not accomplish their purpose, as the divisions were protected by Drona himself.

तथैव तव पुत्रस्य रथोदाराः प्रहारिणः। न शेकुः पाण्डवीं सेनां पाल्यमानां किरीटिना॥
So also the car-warriors of your son's host, skillful in smiting down the enemy could not vanguish the Pandava division led by the diadem-decked Arjuna himself.

आस्तां ते स्तिमिते सेने रक्ष्यमाणे परस्परम्। सम्प्रसुप्ते यथा नक्तं वनराज्यौ सुपुष्यिते॥
Protected by Drona and Arjuna respectively, the two armies, appeared to stand still like two blossoming forests, in the silence of the night.

ततो रुक्मरथो राजन्नर्केणेव विराजता। वरूथिना विनिष्पत्य व्यचरत् पृतनामुखे॥
Then, O monarch, that one (Drona) riding on the golden car like the sun himself in radiance, crushing hosts of the Pandavas, careed at will through its various divisions.

तमुद्यतं रथेनैकमाशुकारिणमाहवे। अनेकमिव संत्रासान्मेनिरे पाण्डुसृञ्जयाः॥
Then the Pandavas and the Srinjayas considered, through fright, that single carwarrior mounted on a swift-moving car and of great activity in battle, as multiplied in to many.

तेन मुक्ता: शरा घोरा विचेरुः सर्वतोदिशम्। त्रासयन्तो महाराज पाण्डेयस्य वाहिनीम्॥
Dreadful shafts shot by him, whizzed in all directions, terrifying, O monarch, the army belonging to the son of Pandu.

मध्यंदिनमनुप्राप्तो गभस्तिशतसंवृतः। यथा दृश्येत घर्मांशुस्तथा द्रोणोऽप्यदृश्यत॥
Drona then appeared like the midday sun burning with a hundred light rays that drew out the perspiration from the body.

न चैनं पाण्डवेयानां कश्चिच्छक्नोति भारत। वीक्षितुं समरे क्रुद्धं महेन्द्रमिव दानवाः॥
O Bharata, as the Danavas were unable to look at the great Indra, so none among ti army of the sons of Pandu, was able to look his wrathful self (Drona) in battle.

मोहयित्वा ततः सैन्यं भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। धृष्टद्युम्नबलं तूर्णे व्यधमन्निशितैः शरैः॥
Then that most puissant son of Bharadvaja, stupefying the whole host, speedily blew of the division of Dhrishtadyumna with his sharpened arrows.

स दिशः सर्वतो रुद्ध्वा संवृत्य खमजिह्मगैः। पार्षतो यत्र तत्रैव ममृदे पाण्डुवाहिनीम्॥
Obstructing the points of the compass 2 overspreading the whole welkin with his straight-going shafts, Drona commend crushing the division of the Pandava host, even at the place where the son of Prishata was.