संजय उवाच दुर्योधनेनैवमुक्तो द्रौणिराहवदुर्मदः। चकारारिवधे यत्नमिन्द्रो दैत्यवधे यथा॥
Sanjaya said Thus addressed by Duryodhana, the son of Drona invincible in battle, tried to destroy the enemies like Indra the Daytas.
प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुस्तव पुत्रमिदं वचः। सत्यमेतनमहाबाहो यथा वदसि कौरव॥
(And) that mighty-armed one said these words to your son. O Kaurava of mighty-arms, what you have said is indeed true.
प्रिया हि पाण्डवा नित्यं मम चापि पितुश्च मे। तथैवावां प्रियौ तेषां न तु युद्धे कुरूद्वह॥
The sons of Pandu are always dear to me as well as to my father. Similarly, we too also dear to them. But this is otherwise in battle.
शक्तितस्तात युध्यामस्त्यक्त्वा प्राणानभीतवत्। अहं कर्णश्च शल्यश्च कृपो हार्दिक्य एव च।
O affectionate one, putting forth our (utmost) strength engage in fight dauntlessly regardless of our very lives. Myself we Karna, Shalya, Kripa and the son of Hridika i.e., Kritavarma.
निमेषात् पाण्डवीं सेनां क्षपयेम नृपोत्तम॥ ते चापि कौरवीं सेनां निमेषार्धात् कुरूद्वह। क्षपयेयुर्महाबाहो न स्याम यदि संयुगे॥ युध्यतां पाण्डवाञ्छक्त्या तेषां चास्मान् युयुत्सताम्।
Can destroy the army of the Pandavas, O most excellent of kings, in the twinkling of an eye. And O best of the Kurus, O mighty armed one, they too can destroy the army of the Kauravas within the twinkling of an eye, if we are not present in battle. We are fighting with Pandavas putting forth our utmost prowess and they too are battling with us to the best of their might.
तेजस्तेजः समासाद्य प्रशमं याति भारत॥ अशक्या तरसा जेतुं पाण्डवानामनीकिनी।
(Therefore) one energy encountering the other is neutralising (each other). O Bharata. (We are) incapable of putting down the Pandava's army by force.
जीवत्सु पाण्डुपुत्रेषु तद्धि सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते॥ आत्मार्थं युध्यमानास्ते समर्थाः पाण्डुनन्दनाः।
So long as the sons of Pandu are alive. What I tell you is true. The sons of Pandu are fighting for their own sake and they are very competent also.
किमर्थं तव सैन्यानि न हनिष्यन्ति भारत॥ त्वं तु लुब्धतमो राजन् निकृतिज्ञश्च कौरव।
Why will not they, therefore, destroy your troops, O Bharata? O descendant of Kuru, O king, you are most avaricious, deceitful.
सर्वाभिशङ्की मानी च ततोऽस्मानभिशङ्कसे॥ मन्ये त्वं कुत्सितो राजन् पापात्मा पापपुरुषः।
Self-conceited and suspicious of everybody, It is for this reason that you suspect ourselves too. O king, I deem you are a mean, wickedsouled and sinful person.
अन्यानपि स नः क्षुद्र शङ्कसे पापभावितः॥ अहं तु यत्नमास्थाय त्वदर्थे त्यक्तजीवितः।
As you are mean and your thoughts are sinful you suspect ourselves and others.
॥
(However) for your sake, regardless of my very life I will do my best.
एष गच्छामि संग्रामं त्वत्कृते कुरुनन्दन॥ योत्स्येऽहं शत्रुभिः सार्धं जेष्यामि च वरान् वरान्।
O foremost of Kurus, I am now going to fight for your sake. I will engage with your foes and destroy a large number of your enemies.
पञ्चालैः सह योत्स्यामि सोमकैः केकयैस्तथा॥ पाण्डवेयैश्च संग्रामे त्वप्रियार्थमरिंदमा
In order to do what is agreeable to you, O chastiser of foes, I will fight with the Panchalas, the Somakas as well as with the Kaikeyas and the Pandavas, in battle.
अद्य मद्वाणनिर्दग्धाः पञ्चालाः सोमकास्तथा॥ सिंहेनेवादिता गावो विद्रविष्यन्ति सर्वशः।
Today the Chedis, the Panchalas and the Somakas, scorched with my darts, like cows afflicted by a lion, will fly on all sides.
अद्य धर्मसुतो राजा दृष्ट्वा मम पराक्रमम्॥ अश्वत्थाममयं लोकं मंस्यते सह
Witnessing my prowess today, king (Yudhishthira), the son of Dharma, together with the Somakas, will deem the whole world full of Ashvatthamas.
आगमिष्यति निर्वेद धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः॥ दृष्ट्वा विनिहतान् संख्ये पञ्चालान् सोमकैः सह।
Beholding the destruction of the Panchalas as well well as of the Somakas in battle, Yudhishthira, the lord of Dharma, will experience a great pain.
ये मां युद्धेऽभियोत्स्यन्ति तान् हनिष्यामि भारत॥ न हि ते वीर मोक्ष्यन्ते मद्वाह्वन्तरमागताः।
O Bharata, I will destroy all those that will confront me in battle. O hero, afflicted with the prowess of my arms no one shall escape.
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुः पुत्रं दुर्योधनं तव॥ अभ्यवर्तत युद्धाय त्रासयन् सर्वधन्विनः।
Having thus addressed your Duryodhana, that one, possessed of mighty arms (i.e., Ashvatthama), distressing all bow men, proceeded to battle.
चिकीर्षुस्तव पुत्राणां प्रियं प्राणभृतां वरः॥ ततोऽब्रवीत् सकैकेयान् पञ्चालान् गौतमीसुतः।
(And) that foremost of those that bear life was desirous of doing what was agreeable to your sons. Then the son of Goutama's daughter said thus to the Panchalas together with the Kaikeyas.
प्रहरध्वमितः सर्वे मम गात्रे महारथाः॥ स्थिरीभूताश्च युद्ध्यध्वंदर्शयन्तोऽस्रलाघवम्।
All of you, O mighty car-warriors, strike me in the body and displaying your dexterity in handling weapons engage in battle with calmness.
एवमुक्तास्तु ते सर्वे शस्त्रवृष्टीरपातयन्।॥ द्रौणिं प्रति महाराज जलं जलधरा इव।
Thus addressed (by Ashvatthama), all of them, O great monarch, began to discharge showers of weapons upon the son of Drona as clouds pour down showers of rain.
तान् निहत्य शरान्द्रौणिर्दश वीरानपोथयत्॥ प्रमुखे पाण्डुपुत्राणां धृष्टद्युम्नस्य च प्रभो।
having destroyed those (showers of weapons), the son of Drona, even in the very presence of the sons of Drona, even in the very presence of the sons of Pandu and in that of Dhristadyumna, slew ten (warriors) among them in battle,olord.
ते हन्यमानाः समरे पञ्चालाः सोमकास्तथा॥ परित्यज्य रणे द्रौणिं व्यद्रवन्त दिशो दश।
Sore oppressed in battle, the Panchalas and the Somakas, abandoning the son of Drona, took to flight in ten directions.
तान् दृष्ट्वा द्रवतः शूरान् पञ्चालान् सहसोमकान्॥२३ धृष्टद्युम्नो महाराज द्रौणिमभ्यद्रवद् रणे।
Witnessing the flight of those heroes that is, the Panchalas and the Somakas, Dhristadyumna, O great king, rushed against the son of Drona in that battle.
ततः काञ्चनचित्राणां सजलाम्बुदनादिनाम्॥ वृतः शतेन शूराणां स्थानामनिवर्तिनाम्।
Then surrounded by one hundred heroic and unretreating car-warriors riding on cars adorned with gold and the rattle of which resembled the roar of clouds full of rain.
पुत्रः पाञ्चालराजस्य धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथः॥ द्रौणिमित्यब्रवीद् वाक्यं दृष्ट्वा योधान् निपतितान्।
That great car-warrior, Dhristadyumna, the son of the king of Panchala, beholding the carnage of his warriors, said these words to the son of Drona.
आचार्यपुत्र दुर्बुद्धे किमन्यैर्निहतैस्तव॥ समागच्छ मया साधु यदि शूरोऽसि संयुगे।
O son of the preceptor, O you that are possessed of wicked understanding, why are you slaughtering the common soldiers? If you are (really) a hero, then fight with me in battle.
अहं त्वां निहनिष्यामि तिष्ठेदानीं ममाग्रतः॥ ततस्तमाचार्यसुतं धृष्टद्युम्नः प्रतापवान्। मर्मभिद्भिः शरैस्तीक्ष्णोर्जघान भरतर्षभ।॥ ते तु पतीकृता द्रौणिं शरा विविशुराशुगाः। रुक्मपुङ्खाः प्रसन्नाग्राः सर्वकायावदारणाः॥ मध्वर्थिन इवोद्दामा भ्रमराः पुष्पितं दुमम्।
I will (surely) slay you. Now stay (here) and be quiet.” The puissant Dhristadyumna, the, struck the son of the preceptor with keen and highly dreadful arrows capable of piercing the vital parts. (And) those thick flights of arrows, moving swiftly, furnished with golden wings, having keen points and capable of riving all the parts of the body, pierced (through the body of the son of Drona like maddened black-bees seeking for honey-entering into a flowering tree.
सोऽतिविद्धो भृशं क्रुद्धः पदाक्रान्त इवोरगः॥ मानी द्रौणिरसम्भ्रान्तो बाणपाणिरभाषत।
The proud and dauntless son of Drona, (thus) deeply pierced (with Dhristdyumna's arrows) became as enraged as a serpent crushed by foot and (then), arrow in hand, thus said
धृष्टद्युम्न स्थिरो भूत्वा मुहूर्त प्रतिपालय॥ यावत् त्वां निशितैर्बाणैः प्रेषयामि यमक्षयम्।
O Dhristadyumna, wait a moment quietly before I send "you to the abode of Yama with sharpened darts."
द्रौणिरेवमथाभाष्य पार्षतं परवीरहा।॥ छादयामास बाणौघैः समन्ताल्लघुहस्तवत्।
having thus addressed the son of Prishata, the son of Drona, the slayer of hostile heroes, like one endued with great nimbleness of hand, covered him completely with deluges of arrows.
स बाध्यमानः समरे द्रौणिना युद्धदुर्मदः॥ द्रौणिं पाञ्चालतनयो वाग्भिरार्जयत् तदा।
Thus covered (with arrows) in that battle by the son of Drona, the son of the Panchala king, invincible in battle, thundered forth these words to the son of Drona.
न जानीघे प्रतिज्ञां मे विप्रोत्पत्तिं तथैव च॥ द्रोणं हत्वा किल मया हन्तव्यस्त्वं सुदुर्मते।
O Brahmana, you are neither aware of my promise nor of my of my origin. Of wicked understanding as you are, I will slay you after killing Drona.
ततस्त्वाहं न हन्म्यद्य द्रोणे जीवति संयुगे॥ इमां तु रजनी प्राप्तामप्रभातां सुदुर्मते।
I will not therefore slay you today in battle, since Drona is alive. O man of greatly vicious understanding, at the expiration of this night, when the bright dawn will appear.
निहत्य पितरं तेऽद्य ततस्त्वामपि संयुगे॥ नेष्यामि प्रेतलोकाय ह्येतन्मे मनसि स्थितम्।
I will (first) slay your father and then send yourself too, in battle, to the abode of the departed spirits, I chariot this (thought) in my mind.
यस्ते पार्थेषु विद्वेषो या भक्तिः कौरवेषु च॥ तां दर्शय स्थिरो भूत्वा न मे जीवन् विमोक्ष्यसे।
Now assuming a quiet attitude show all your hatred towards the sons of Pritha and your devotion towards the Kauravas. You will not escape alive (from me).
यो हि ब्राह्मण्यमुत्सृज्य क्षत्रधर्मरतो द्विजः॥ स वध्यः सर्वलोकस्य यथा त्वं पुरुषाधमः।
That twice-born one, who giving up the practices of the Brahmana, gives himself up to the practices of the Kshaytrias, deserves to be slain by all the Kshaytrias like you, O vilest of men."
इत्युक्तः परुषं वाक्यं पार्षतेन द्विजोत्तमः॥ क्रोधपाहारयत् तीव्र तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्।
That foremost of the twice-born ones (i.e. Ashvatthama), thus addressed in harsh words by the son of Prishata, became terrible excited with wrath and said (to Dhristadyumna) “Wait, wait."
निर्दहन्निव चक्षुर्त्या पार्षतं सोऽभ्यवेक्षत॥ छादयामास च शरैर्नि:श्वसन् पन्नगो यथा।
(And) as if to burn the son of Prishata with his eyes, he gazed at him. Heaving sighs like a snake he covered (Dhristadyumna with arrows) in that battle.
स च्छाद्यमानः समरे द्रौणिना राजसत्तम॥ सर्वपाञ्चालसेनाभिः संवृतो रथसत्तमः।
Though) that foremost of car-warriors, the son of Prishata, who was surrounded by all the Panchala troops, was (thus) struck with arrows by the son of Drona in that battle,
नाकम्पत महाबाहुः स्ववार्यं समपाश्रितः॥ सायकांश्चैव विविधानश्वत्थाग्नि मुमोच ह।
(Yet) that mighty-armed one did not tremble; (but) resorting to his own prowess discharged at Ashvatthama numerous arrows.
तौ पुनः संन्यवर्तेतां प्राणधूतपणे रणे॥ निपीडयन्तौ बाणौधैः परस्परममर्षिणौ।
Those two (warriors), who resisted each other, baffled the arrowy showers of each other and could not tolerate each other, were engaged in the game of battle in which the wager was life itself.
उत्सृजन्तौ महेष्वासौ शरवृष्टीः समन्ततः॥ द्रौणिपार्षतयोर्युद्धं घोररूपं भयानकम्। दृष्ट्वा सम्पूजयामासुः सिद्धचारणवातिकाः॥ शरौघैः पूरयन्तौ तावाकाशं च दिशस्तथा।
Those two mighty wielders of bow poured down showers of arrows on a sides. Beholding the fight between the son of Drona and that of one Prishata which was awe-inspiring and dreadful to look at, the Siddhas, the Charanas and the (other) sky-ranging creatures highly extolled them. Filling the firmament and (all) the directions with a downpour of arrows.
अलक्ष्यौ समयुध्येतां महत् कृत्वा शरैस्तमः॥ नृत्यमानाविव रणे मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकौ।
And creating a great darkness with the shafts, they fought with another unobserved (by other combatants). As if dancing in battle and drawing their bows to circles.
परस्परवधे यत्तौ सर्वभूतभयङ्करौ॥ अयुध्येतां महाबाहू चित्रं लघु च सुष्ठु च।
And bent on killing each other and filling all the creatures with consternation, those two mighty-armed (heroes) fought admirably and with (great nimbleness and dexterity).
सम्पूज्यमानौ समरे योधमुख्यैः सहस्रशः॥ तौ प्रबुद्धौ रणे दृष्ट्वा वने वन्यौ गजाविव।
(And they) were highly adored by thousands of foremost of warriors in battle. Seeing them engaged in battle like two wild elephants (encountering each other) in the forest.
उभयोः सेनयोर्हर्षस्तुमुलः समपद्यत॥ सिंहनादरवाश्चासन् दध्मुः शङ्खांश्च सैनिकाः।
Both the armies experienced a great delight. The soldiers emitted forth roars like lions and blew their conches.
वादिवाण्यभ्यवाद्यन्त शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥ तस्मिंस्तु तुमुले युद्धे भीरूणां भयवर्धने।
And sounded hundreds and thousands of musical instruments. And in that terrific battle enhancing the terror of the coward.
मुहूर्तमपि तद् युद्धं समरूपं तदाभवत्॥ ततो द्रौणिर्महाराज पार्षतस्य महात्मनः। ध्वजं धनुस्तथा छत्रमुभौ च पाणिसारथी॥
The encounter (between the sons of Drona and Prishata) seemed to go on equally for a moment only. Then O mighty monarch, the son of Drona, cutting off the bow, the standard, the umbrellas, the two Parshni drivers, the charioteer and the four steeds of the highsouled son of Prishata in battle, rushed against him.
पञ्चालांश्चैव तान् सर्वान् बाणैः संनतपर्वभिः॥ व्यद्रावयदमेयात्मा शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। ततस्तु विव्यथे सेना पाण्डवी भरतर्षभ॥ दृष्ट्वा द्रौणेर्महत् कर्म वासवस्येव संयुगे।
And that one, of immeasurable soul, began ! to afflict all those Panchalas in hundreds and thousands with his straight coursing arrows. Then the arıny of the Pandavas, beholding that brilliant exploit, resembling that of Vasava, achieved by the son of Drona in battle, became greatly dejected, the most exalted of the Bharatas.
शतेन च शतं हत्वा पञ्चालानां महारथः॥ त्रिभिश्च निशितैर्बाणैर्हत्वा त्रीन् वै महारथान्।
Destroying one hundred mighty carwarriors of the Panchalas with a hundred arrows and slaying three foremost of (their) men with three sharpened arrows.
द्रौणिर्दुपदपुत्रस्य फाल्गुनस्य च पश्यतः॥ नाशयामास पञ्चालान् भूयिष्ठं ये व्यवस्थिताः।
In the very presence of Phalguna and of the son of Drupada, the son of Drona slaughtered all those Panchalas who had confronted him.
ते वध्यमानाः पञ्चालाः समरे सह संजयैः॥ अगच्छन् द्रौणिमुत्सृज्य विकीर्णरथध्वजाः।
Thus slaughtered in battle, the Panchalas together with the Srinjayas fled from the son of Drona, on their cars with their standards cut down.
स जित्वा समरे शत्रून् द्रोणपुत्रो महारथः॥ ननाद सुमहानादं तपान्ते जलदो यथा।
Having defeated his enemies in battle, that mighty car-warrior, the son of Drona, began to send forth thundering roars like those of the clouds at the end of summer.
स निहत्य बहूञ्छूरानश्वत्थामा व्यरोचत। युगान्ते सर्वभूतानि भस्म कृत्वेव पावकः॥
Having destroyed numerous heroes, Ashvatthama shone like the fire at the end of a Yuga after having consumed all the creatures.
सम्पूज्यमानो युधि कौरवेयैनिर्जित्य संख्येऽरिगणान् सहस्रशः। व्यरोचत द्रोणसुतः प्रतापवान्। यथा सुरेन्द्रोऽरिगणान् निहत्य वै॥
Highly adored by the Kauravas after having vanquished thousands of enemies in battle, the puissant son of Drona shone like the lord of the celestials himself after the destruction of his foes.