None: Chapter 173

The fierce fight

संजय उवाच विद्रुतं स्वबलं दृष्ट्वा वध्यमानं महात्मभिः। क्रोधेन महताऽऽविष्टः पुत्रस्तव विशाम्पते॥
Sanjaya said Beholding his own army carnaged by highsouled warriors, your son, O ruler of men, was excited to the highest pitch of fury.

अभ्येत्य सहसा कर्णं द्रोणं च जयतां वरम्। अमर्षवशमापन्नो वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Then quickly approaching Karna and Drona that foremost of victorious heroes and burning with rage, he eloquent in speech, spoke these wordsभवद्भ्यामिह संग्रामः क्रुद्धाभ्यां सम्प्रवर्तितः।

आहवे निहतं दृष्ट्वा सैन्धवं सव्यसाचिना॥
Beholding the ruler of the Sindhus slain in battle by Savyasachin, you two, filled with rage, caused this battle to go on.

निहन्यमानां पाण्डूनां बलेन मम वाहिनीम्। भूत्वा तद्विजये शतावशक्ताविव पश्यतः॥
Though competent to slay the Pandava troops, still you are beholding the slaughter of my troops by them with great in-difference.

यद्यहं भवतोस्त्याज्यो न वाच्योऽस्मि तदैव हि। आवां पाण्डुसुतान् संख्ये जेष्याव इति मानदौ॥ तदैवाहं वचः श्रुत्वा भवद्भ्यामनुसम्मतम्। नाकरिष्यमिदं पार्वैरं योधविनाशनम्॥
If you now abandon me, you should have told me of it in the beginning. We two shall vanquish the sons of Pandu in battle even these were the words, you said to me, o you givers of honor. Hearing those words of yours, I then allowed these proceedings. Otherwise I would never have provoked these hostilities with the Parthas-hostilities that are so destructive of heroic combatants.

यदि नाहं परित्याज्यो भवद्भ्यां पुरुषर्षभौ। युध्यतामनुरूपेण विक्रमेण सुविक्रमौ॥
If, O foremost of men, I do not deserve to be forsaken by you, then do you fight according to the measure of your prowess, O you that are possessed of great prowess.

वाक्प्रतोदेन तौ वीरौ प्रणुनौ तनयेन ते। प्रावर्तयेतां संग्रामं घट्टिताविव पन्नगौ॥
Thus pierced with the goad of speech by your son, those two heroes once more engaged in battle like two snakes poked with sticks.

ततस्तौ रथिनां श्रेष्ठौ सर्वलोकधनुर्धरौ। शैनेयप्रमुखान् पार्थानभिदुदुवतू रणे॥
Then those two foremost of car-warriors, the best of all human bowmen, rushed against the Parthas headed by the grandson of Shini and others.

तथैव सहिताः पार्थाः सर्वसैन्येन संवृताः। अभ्यवर्तन्त तौ वीरौ नर्दमानौ मुहुर्मुहुः॥
Similarly the Parthas supported by their own troops, rushed upon those two heroes, who were roaring repeatedly.

अथ द्रोणो महेष्वासो दशभिः शिनिपुङ्गवम्। अविध्यत् त्वरितं क्रुद्धः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः॥
Then the enraged Drona that best of all wielders of weapons, quickly pierced that foremost of the descendants of Shini with ten sharp arrows.

कर्णश्च दशभिर्बाणैः पुत्रश्च तव सप्तभिः। दशभिर्वृषसेनश्च सौबलश्चापि सप्तभिः॥
Karna pierced him with ten shafts, your son with seven, Vrishasena with ten and Subala's son with seven arrows.

एते कौरव संक्रन्दे शैनेयं पर्यवाकिरन्। दृष्ट्वा न समरे द्रोणं निघ्नन्तं पाण्डवी चमूम्॥
Those hosts of the Kurus together with those warriors, began to shower arrows on the grandson of Shini. Then beholding Drona slaughter the Pandava hosts.

विव्यधुः सोमकास्तूर्णं समन्ताच्छरवृष्टिभिः। तत्र द्रोणोऽहरत् प्राणान् क्षत्रियानां विशाम्पते॥
The Somakas from all side began to pierce him with showers of arrows. Then Drona snatched out of the Kshatriyas their lives, O ruler of men.

रश्मिभिर्भास्करो राजंस्तमांसीव समन्ततः। द्रोणेन वध्यमानानां पञ्चालानां विशाम्पते॥
Like the sun dispelling darkness with his rays. O ruler of men, when the Panchalas were being slaughtered by Drona.

शुश्रुवे तुमुलः शब्दः क्रोशतामितरेतरम्। पुत्रानन्ये पितॄनन्ये भ्रातृनन्ये च मातुलान्॥
A dreadful sound was heard as they challenged one another aloud. Some leaving their sons, some their fathers, some their brothers and some their uncles.

भागिनेयान् वयस्यांश्च तथा सम्बन्धिबान्धवान्। उत्सृज्योत्सृज्य गच्छन्ति त्वरिता जीवितेप्सवः॥
Some their nephews, their companions and their friends and some their relatives, fled in all quickness, desirous of saving their own lives.

अपरे मोहिता मोहात् तमेवाभिमुखा ययुः। पाण्डवानां रणे योधाः परलोकं गताः परे॥
Others, on the other hand, were confounded that they rushed even towards Drona himself. Indeed many warriors of the Pandava host were then dispatched to the other world.

सा तथा पाण्डवी सेना पीड्यमाना महात्मन। निशि सम्प्राद्रवद् राजन्नुत्सृज्योल्काः सहस्रशः॥
Thus afflicted by that high-souled warrior, the Pandava army began to fly in all directions in that night, throwing down their blazing flambeaus.

पश्यतो भीमसेनस्य विजयस्याच्युतस्य च। यमयोधर्मपुत्रस्य पार्षतस्य च पश्यतः॥
Even before the very sight of Bhimsena and Achyuta and the twins and the virtuous Yudhishthira and the son of Prishata. some SO

तमसा संवृते लोके न प्राज्ञायत किंचन। कौरवाणां प्रकाशेन दृश्यन्ते विद्रुताः परे॥
Then the troops were shrouded in darkness and nothing could be discerned. Only the flight of the foe could be determined through the light that the torches of the Kauravas shed.

द्रवमाणं तु तत् सैन्यं द्रोणकर्णी महारथौ। जघ्नतुः पृष्ठतो राजन् किरन्तौ सायकान् बहून्॥
And as the army of the Pandavas was routed, the mighty warriors Karna and Drona, O king, pursued them from behind discharging numerous arrows.

पञ्चालेषु प्रभग्नेषु क्षीयमाणेषु सर्वतः। जनार्दनो दीनमनाः प्रत्यभाषत फाल्गुनम्॥
When the Panchala ranks were broken down and reduced in number, Janaraddana cheerless at heart addressed Phalguna sayingद्रोणकर्णौ महेष्वासावेतौ पार्षतसात्यकी।

पञ्चालांश्चैव सहितौ जघ्नतुः सायकै शम्॥
"Let Parsata and Satyaki supported by the Panchala troops rush against the mighty Drona and Karna, shooting as they proceed numerous arrows.

एतयोः शरवर्षेण प्रभग्ना नो महारथाः। वार्यमाणापि कौन्तेय पृतना नावतिष्ठते॥
This mighty army of ours has been broken and routed by the showers of the enemies' shafts; and though checked in their flight, they could into again be sufficiently rallied.

तां तु विद्रवतीं दृष्ट्वा ऊचतुः केशवार्जुनौ। मा विद्रवत वित्रस्ता भयं त्यजत पाण्डवाः॥
beholding their troops fly away Kesava and Arjuna then addressed them thus-'Do you not flight from fear! Discard all your fears, O Pandavas.

तावावां सर्वसैन्यैश्च व्यूहैः सम्यगुदायुधैः। द्रोणं च सूतपुत्रं च प्रयतावः प्रबाधितुम्॥
Supported by all the troops and disposing them of in perfect order, we two with weapons upraised are even now dashing against Drona and Suta's son with a view to fight with them."

एतौ हि बलिनौ शूरौ कृतास्रो जितकाशिनौ। उपेक्षितौ तव बलैर्नाशयेतां निशामिमाभ्॥
O Dhananjaya! Do whatever you consider matching with the specific circumstance and appropriate in respect of slaughtering Karna in the battle.

तयोः संवदतोरेवं भीमकर्मा महाबलः। आयाद् वृकोदरः शीघ्रं पुनरावर्त्य वाहिनीम्॥
O majesty! Arjuna in response to the advice given by Yudhishthira said to Sri Krishna! O god! King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti is frightened of the valour shown by Karna, the son of Radha today.

वृकोदरमथायान्तं दृष्ट्वा तत्र जनार्दनः। पुनरेवाब्रवीद् राजन् हर्षयन्निव पाण्डवम्॥
Then Janaradana seeing Vrikodora advance, once more addressed Pandus' son Arjuna in these words as if for cheering him the while.

एष भीमो रणश्लाघी वृतः सोमकपाण्डवैः। अभ्यवर्तत वेगेन द्रोणकर्णी महारथौ॥
Yonder does the proud Bhima supported by the Somakas and Pandavas rush furiously against Drona and Karna, those two fierce bow-men.

एतेन सहितौ युद्ध्य पञ्चालैश्च महारथैः। आश्वासनार्थं सैन्यानां सर्वेषां पाण्डुनन्दन॥
Supported by these and by the mighty carwarrior of the Panchalas, do you proceed to the fight fore-assuring your troops, O delighter of Pandu.

ततस्तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रावुभौ माधवपाण्डवौ। द्रोणकर्णी समासाद्य घिष्ठितौ रणमूर्धनि॥
Thereafter those two foremost of men, the son of Pandu and the scion of Madhu's race, encountering Drona and Karna, took up their station in the van of their army.

संजय उवाच ततस्तत् पुनरावृत्तं युधिष्ठिरबलं महत्। ततो द्रोणश्च कर्णश्च परान् ममृदतुर्युधि॥
Sanjaya said Thereupon the mighty army of king Yudhishthira once more returned to the spot where Drona and Karna where crushing their enemies.

स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलो निशि प्रत्यभवन्महान्। यथा सागरयो राजश्चन्द्रोदयविवृद्धयोः॥
A tremendous clash was then produce on that part of the field, like to that, O monarch, which takes place when two oceans swelling under the influence of the moon dash against each other.

तत उत्सृज्य पाणिभ्यां प्रदीपांस्तव वाहिनी। युयुधे पाण्डवैः सार्धमुन्मत्तवदसंकुला॥
Then your soldiers throwing aside the flambeaus, with both their hands fought furiously with the Pandavas, like so many mad people.

रजसा तमसा चैव संवृते भृशदारुणे। केवलं नामगोत्रेण प्रायुध्यन्त जयैषिणः॥
When the field was thus covered with nocturnal darkness and dust, the combatants fought during that dreadful battle, guided only by the names they uttered (in their challenge.

अश्रूयन्त हि नामानि श्राव्यमाणानि पार्थिवैः। प्रहरद्भिर्महाराज स्वयंवर इवाहवे॥
The names of contending kings as they challenged one another were then heard there, O king, like to what takes places during a Sayamvara,

निःशब्दमासीत् सहसा पुनः शब्दो महानभूत्। क्रुद्धानां युध्यमानानां जीयतां जयतामपि॥
Sometimes as awful silence reigned over the field; next moment there was heard a tremendous din caused by enraged contending warriors and by the victorious and the vanquished.

यत्र यत्र स्म दृश्यन्ते प्रदीपज्ञः कुरुसत्तमा तत्र तत्र स्म शूरास्ते निपतन्ति एतगवत्॥
Wherever the flambeaus were seen to blaze, thither the combatants rushed, like so many insects rushing upon a flame of light.

तथा संयुध्यमानानां विगाढासीन्महानिशा। पाण्डवानां च राजेन्द्र कौरवाणां च सर्वशः॥
Thus when the Kouravas and the Pandavas were fighting with one another the dreadful night deepened into deadness, Bharata.