None: Chapter 153

The defeat of Duryodhana

संजय उवाच तदुदीर्णं गजानीकं बलं तव जनाधिप। पाण्डुसेनामतिक्रम्य योधयामास सर्वतः॥
Sanjaya said 0 monarch, that impetuous elephant squadron of yours fought everywhere getting the better of the Pandava army.

पञ्चालाः कुरवश्चैव योधयन्तः परस्परम्। यमराष्ट्राय महते परलोकाय दीक्षिताः॥
The Panchalas and the Kauravas, determined to go to the next world, that is, the great region of Yama, fought with one another.

शूराः शूरैः समागम्य शरतोमरशक्तिभिः। विव्यधुः समरेऽन्योन्यं निन्युश्चैव यमक्षयम्॥
Heroes encounter (rival) heroes smote one another with arrows, lances and darts and quickly sent one another of the region of Yama.

रथिनां रथिभिः सार्धं रुधिरस्त्रावदारुणम्। प्रावर्तत महद् युद्धं निघ्नताभितरेतरम्॥
Car-warriors were engaged in terrible battle, cause a dreadful flow of blood against (rival) car-warriors and smote one another.

वारणाश्च महाराज समासाद्य परस्परम्। विषाणैर्दारयामासुः सुसंक्रुद्धा मदोत्कटाः॥
Furious elephants mad with rage, O mighty monarch, advancing against one another, mangled one another with tusks.

हयारोहान् हयारोहा: प्रासशक्तिपरश्वधैः। बिभिदुस्तुमुले युद्धे पार्थयन्तो महद् यशः॥
In that dreadful encounter horsemen solicitous of high renown, pierced (rival) horsemen with spears, darts and battle-axes.

पत्तयश्च महाबाहो शतशः शस्त्रपाणयः। अन्योन्यमार्दयन् राजन् नित्यंयत्ताः पराक्रमे॥
O mighty-armed one, O tormentor of foes, hundreds of foot-soldiers armed with weapons rushed against one another with vigorous efforts.

गोत्राणां नामधेयानां कुलानां चैव मारिष। श्रवणाद्धि विजानीमः पञ्चालान् कुरुभिः सह॥
And, O worshipful sire, (in that terrible encounter) we could only distinguish the Kurus from the Panchalas by the names of their (respective) clans and families which we heard them utter.

तेऽन्योन्यं समरे योधाः शरशक्तिपरश्वधैः। प्रेषयन् परलोकाय विचरन्तो ह्यभीतवत्॥
The warrior moving about fearlessly on the field of battle sent one another to the next world by arrows, darts and battle-axes.

शरा दश दिशो राजंस्तेषां मुक्ताः सहस्रशः। न भ्राजन्ते यथातत्त्वं भास्करेऽस्तंगतेऽपि च॥
The sun having gone down, the arrows, O king, shot by thousands by them, did no longer illuminate the ten points as before.

तथा प्रयुध्यमानेषु पाण्डवेयेषु भारत। दुर्योधनो महाराज व्यवागाहत तद् बलम्॥
The Pandava army, 0 Bharata being thus engaged in battle Duryodhana penetrated into them, Oking.

सैन्धवस्य वधेनैव भृशं दुःखसमन्वितः। मर्तव्यमिति संचिन्त्य प्राविशच द्विपद्वलम्॥
Afflicted with great sorrow at the destruction of the king of Sindhu and determined to sacrifice his life, he entered into the enemy's army.

नादयन् रथघोषेण कम्पयन्निव मेदिनीम्। अभ्यवर्तत पुत्रस्ते पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्॥
Causing the earth to tremble and resound with the rattle of his car, your son rushed against the Pandava army.

स संनिपातस्तुमुलस्तस्य तेषां च भारत। अभवत् सर्वसैन्यानामभावकरणो महान्॥
O Bharata, that dreadful clash between him and them caused a terrible slaughter of all the troops.

यथा मध्यंदिने सूर्यं प्रतपन्तं गभस्तिभिः। तथा तव सुतं मध्ये प्रतपन्तं शराचिभिः॥
As the noon-day sun scorches (the world) with his rays, so, it seemed, that your son scorched (the Pandavas army) with flaming darts.

न शेकुर्धातरं युद्धे पाण्डवाः समुदीक्षितुम्। पलायनकृतोत्साहा निरुत्साहा द्विषज्जये॥
In that battle the Pandavas could not even look at their brother (i.e., Duryodhana) and despairing of conquering their enemy, they tried to flee (from the field).

पर्यधावन्त पञ्चाला वध्यमाना महात्मना। रुक्मपुखैः प्रसन्नाग्रैस्तव पुत्रेण धन्विना॥
The Panchalas, struck with gold-winged darts of blazing points, shot by your highsouled son armed with a bow, fled away.

अर्घमानाः शरैस्तूर्णं न्यपतन् पाण्डुसैनिकाः। न तादृशं रणे कर्म कृतवन्तस्तु तावकाः॥
The Pandava soldiers smitten with sharpened darts fell (dead). Indeed the sons of Pandu could never perform such exploits in battle.

यादृशं कृतवान् राजा पुत्रस्तव विशाम्पते। पुत्रेण तव सा सेना पाण्डवी मथिता रणे॥
As were achieved by your royal son, O lord of earth. In that encountei the Pandava army was crushed by your son.

नलिनी द्विरदेनेव समन्तात् फुल्लपङ्कजा। क्षीणतोयानिलार्काभ्यां हतत्विडिव पद्मिनी॥
As lotuses are torn and crushed by a tusker. As lotuses are shorn of their beauty in consequence of the water (over which they grow) being dried up by the sun and the wind.

बभूव पाण्डवी सेना तव पुत्रस्य तेजसा। पाण्डुसेनां हतां दृष्ट्वा तव पुत्रेण भारत॥
The Pandava army became so by virtue of the prowess of your son. Seeing, O Bharata, that the Pandava army was being destroyed by your son.

भीमसेनपुरोगास्तु पञ्चालाः समुपाद्रवन्। स भीमसेनं दशभिर्माद्रीपुत्रौ त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः॥
The Panchalas led by Bhimasena advanced (against him). He then (pierced) Bhimasena with ten, each of the two sons of Madri with three.

विराटद्रुपदौ षड्भिः शतेन च शिखण्डिनम्। धृष्टद्युम्नं च सप्तत्या धर्मपुत्रं च सप्तभिः॥
Virata and Drupada each with six, Shikandi with hundred, Dhrishtadyumna with hundred, the son of Dharma with seven.

केकयांश्चैव चेदींश्च बहुभिर्निशितैः शरैः। सात्वतं पञ्चभिर्विद्धवा द्रौपदेयांसिभिस्रिभिः॥
And the Kalkeyas and the Chedies with numerous keen darts. piercing Satvatta with five (arrows), each of the son of Draupadi with three.

घटोत्कचं च समरे विद्ध्वा सिंह इवानदत्। शतशश्चापरान् योधान् सद्विपांश्च महारणे॥ शरैरवचकर्ताग्रैः क्रुद्धोऽन्तक इव प्रजाः। सा तेन पाण्डवी सेना वध्यमाना शिलीमुखैः॥
And piercing Ghatotkacha too in battle he roared like a lion. Like the wrathful destroyer slaying the created beings, he cut down hundreds of other warriors and the bodies of horses and elephants in that terrific encounter. When he was thus destroying his enemies, his great bow, plaited at the back with gold.

तव पुत्रेण संग्रामे विदुद्राव नराधिप। तं तपन्तमिवादित्यं कुरुराज महाहवे॥ नाशकन् वीक्षितुं राजन् पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैनिकाः। ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा कुपितो राजसत्तम॥
o king! The soldiers in the army of Pandavas could not even put an eye on Duryodhana, the Kuru king who was glowing like a son in that great battle. O great king! King Yudhishthira then rushed fast with an intention to kill your son, the king of Kuru, Duryodhana in furious mood.

अभ्यधावत् कुरुपति तव पुत्रं जिघांसया। तावुभौ युधि कौरव्यो समीयतुररिंदमौ॥ स्वार्थहेतोः पराक्रान्तौ दुर्योधनयुधिष्ठिरौ।
Duryodhana, the warrior of Kuru clan and Yudhishthira both suppressor to enemy attacked furiously on each other with fantastic exhibition of valour for their respective interests.

ततो दुर्योधनः क्रुद्धः शरैः संनतपर्वभिः॥ विव्याध दशभिस्तूर्णं ध्वजं चिच्छेद चेषुणा।
Duryodhana furiated enough, put ten arrows having bent knot on bow and shot at Yudhishthira. He was badly injured. He then shot an arrow again and cut-off the flag fixed on Yudhishthira chariot.

इन्द्रसेनं त्रिभिश्चैव ललाटे जनिवान् नृप॥ सारथिं दयितं राज्ञः पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः।
O king! He shot again three arrows at Indrasena, the loyal charioteer of Yudhishthira and injured his forehead.

धनुश्च पुनरन्येन चकर्तास्य महारथः॥ चतुर्भिश्चतुरश्चैव बाणैर्विव्याध वाजिनः।
Duryodhana again shot an arrow which had cut-off the bow with Yudhishthira and penetrated his four horses by another four arrows he shot at them.

ततो युधिष्ठिरः क्रुद्धो निमेषादिव कार्मुकम्॥ अन्यदादाय वेगेन कौरवं प्रत्यवारयत्।
King Yudhishthira furiated enormous, picked up immediately at an wink, another bow and prevented Duryodhana with a sharp blow.

तस्य तान् निघ्नतः शत्रून् रुक्मपृष्ठं महद् धनुः॥ भल्लाभ्यां पाण्डवो ज्येष्ठसिधा चिच्छेद मारिष।
Revered king! Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava splitted the huge bow, gold studded with Duryodhana up into three pieces by giving acute blows twice with Bhalla.

विव्याध चैनं दशभिः सम्यगस्तैः शितैः शरैः॥ मर्म भित्त्वा तु ते सर्वे संलग्नाः क्षितिमाविशन्।
He concomitantly injured Duryodhana too with a shot of ten sharp arrows. These arrows penetrated the sensitive parts in Duryodhana's body, made their way from them and sank deep in the earth.

ततः परिवृता योधाः परिवQर्युधिष्ठिरम्॥ वृत्रहत्यै यथा देवाः परिव्रवुः पुरंदरम्। ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा तव पुत्रस्य मारिष।
The warriors in Pandavas' army then returned again to battle as they once were fled away. They all took their position around Yudhishthira as all gods had gathered around Indra when the monster Vritra was killed.

शरं च सूर्यरश्म्याभमत्युग्रमनिवारणम्॥ हा हतोऽसीति राजानमुक्त्वामुञ्चद् युधिष्ठिरः।
Omajesty! Yudhishthira, then shot a dreadful and target hitting arrow glowing like sun beams at your son, king Duryodhana with a declaration-"Oh! You are killed."

स तेनाकर्णमुक्तेन विद्धो बाणेन कौरवः॥ निषसाद रथोपस्थे भृशं सम्मूढचेतनः।
Duryodhana, the king of Kuru clan immediately lost conscious and seated with a thud at the rear part of his chariot when that arrow injured him.

ततः पाञ्चाल्यसेनानां भृशमासीद् रवो महान्॥ हतो राजेति राजेन्द्र मुदितानां समन्ततः।
Then a great and tumultuous uproar arose from among the Panchala soldiers. O king of kings, that great noise was this “the king is slain.”

बाणशब्दरवश्चोग्रः शुश्रुवे तत्र मारिष॥ अथ द्रोणो द्रुतं तत्र प्रत्यदृश्यत संयुगे।
And, O Bharata, sharp whiz's of arrows were also heard there. Then Drona speedily appeared there in that battle.

हृष्टो दुर्योधनश्चापि दृढमादाय कार्मुकम्॥ तिष्ठा तिष्ठेति राजानं ब्रुवन् पाण्डवमभ्ययात्।
Duryodhana too with (great) joy grasping his bow firmly and shouting to the king (Yudhishthira) 'wait', 'wait' rushed against the Pandavas.

प्रत्युद्ययुस्तं त्वरिताः पञ्चाला जयगृद्धिनः॥ तान् द्रोणः प्रतिजग्राह परीप्सन् कुरुसत्तमम्।
The Panchalas too desirous of victory speedily followed the king. In order to save the foremost of the Kurus, Drona received them (i.e., their charge).

चण्डवातोद्भुतान् मेघान् निघ्नन् रश्मिमुचो यथा॥ ततो राजन् महानासीत् संग्रामो भूरिवर्धनः। तावकानां परेषां च समेतानां युयुत्सया॥
And then destroyed them all like the possessor of rays destroying the clouds driven to and fro by a terrific hurricane. Then there took place, O king, a terrific battle causing great havoc between you and your enemy's assembled troops eager for fight.