None: Chapter 22

The fight of Drona

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच भारद्वाजेन भग्नेषु पाण्डवेषु महामृधे। पञ्चालेषु च सर्वेषु कच्चिदन्योऽभ्यवर्तत॥
Dhritarashtra said When in that fierce fight, the son of Bharadvaja had shattered the host of the Pandavas and the Panchalas, did any one else approach him for battle?

आर्यो युद्धे मतिं कृत्वा क्षत्रियाणां यशस्करीम्। असेवितां कापुरुषैः सेवितां पुरुषर्षभैः॥ स हि वीरोन्नतः शूरो यो भग्नेषु निवर्तते। अहो नासीत् पुमान् कश्चिद् दृष्ट्वा द्रोणं व्यवस्थितम्॥ जृम्भमाणमिव व्याघ्र प्रभिन्नमिव कुञ्जरम्। त्यजन्तमाहवे प्राणान् संनद्धं चित्रयोधिनम्॥ महेश्वासं नरव्याघ्रं द्विषतां भयवर्धनम्। कृतज्ञं सत्यनिरतं दुर्योधनहितैषिणम्॥ भारद्वाजं तथानीके दृष्ट्वा शूरूवस्थितम्। के शूराः संन्यवर्तन्त तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय॥
Alas, seeing Drona stationed in battle, like an yawning tiger or an elephant with rent temples prepared to sacrifice his life in light, clad in coat of mail, proficient in all modes of warfare, that illustrious bowman, that foremost of men, that producer of apprehensions in his enemies, grateful, devoted to truth, always desirous of doing good to Duryodhana, alas seeing him stationed at the head of his forces, did any one meet him with a praiseworthy determination for fight, determination that invests Kshatriyas with renown, that cowards cannot form and that distinguishes the foremost of men? Relate to me, O Sanjaya. Who were those heroic warriors, that encountered the son of Bharadvaja, seeing him stationed at the head of his army?

संजय उवाच तान् दृष्ट्वा चलितान् संख्ये प्रणुन्नान् द्रोणसायकैः। पञ्चालान् पाण्डवान् मत्स्यान् सृञ्जयांश्चेदिकेकयान्॥ द्रोणचापविमुक्तेन शरौघेणाशुहारिणा। सिन्धोरिव महौघेन द्वियमाणान् यथा प्लवान्॥ कौरवाः सिंहनादेन नानावाद्यस्वनेन च। रथद्विपनरांश्चैव सर्वतः समवारयन्॥
Sanjaya said Sceing the Panchalas, the Pandavas, the Matsyas, the Srinjayas, the Chedis and the Kekayas, fly from the field having been broken in their ranks by the shafts of Drona. Seeing them thus routed by those thick showers of swift-falling arrows discharged from the bow of Drona, like frail barks driven adrift by the surging bellows of the mighty main. The Kauravas uttering many loud war-cries and with the sound of many other musical instruments, impeded the fight of the chariots, the elephants and the men (of the hostile host) on all sides.

तान् पश्यन् सैन्यमध्यस्थो राजा स्वजनसंवृतः। दुर्योधनोऽब्रवीत् कर्णे प्रहृष्टः प्रहसन्निव॥
Beholding them (the routed army), king Duryodhana standing in the midst of his own troops and surrounded by his own kinsmen greatly delighted, smilingly said these words to Karna.

दुर्योधन उवाच पश्य राधेय पञ्चालान् प्रणुन्नान् द्रोणसायकैः। सिंहेनेव मृगान् वन्यां स्त्रासितान् दृढधन्वना॥
Duryodhana said Behold, O son of Radha, the ranks of the Panchalas shattered by the shafts of Drona, the resolute bowman, like a herd of wild deer frightened by a lion.

नैते जातु पुनयुद्धमीहेयुरिति मे मतिः। यथा तु भग्ना द्रोणेन वातेनेव महाद्रुमाः॥
Meseems they will never again seek to fight, in as much as they are now broken by Drona like mighty trees broken by the tempest.

अर्धमानाः शरैरेते रुक्मपुजैर्महात्मना। पथा नैकेन गच्छन्ति धूर्णमानास्ततस्ततः॥
Afflicted by the gold-winged shafts of the ilustrious Drona, they are flying away by diverse paths; and they seem to whirl round and round.

संनिरुद्धाश्च कौरव्यैोणेन च महात्मना। एतेऽन्ये मण्डलीभूताः पावकेनेव कुञ्जराः॥
Impeded by the Kauravas and by the highsoulcd Drona, they are huddling together, like a herd of elephants encompassed in conflagration.

भ्रमरैरिव चाविष्टा द्रोणस्य निशितैः शरैः। अन्योन्यं समलीयन्त पलायनपरायणा:॥
Like a tree penetrated by a cluster of bees, they are being pierced by the keen-pointed arrows of Drona; they are huddling together as they are hastening away from the field of battle.

एष भीमो महाक्रोधी हीनः पाण्डवसृञ्जयैः। मदीयैरावृतो योधैः कर्ण नन्दयतीव माम्॥
O Karna, there the highly enraged Bhimia, forsaken by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas and surrounded by my own warriors, affords great joy to me.

व्यक्तं द्रोणमयं लोकमद्य पश्यति दुर्मतिः। निराशो जीवितानूनमद्य राज्याच्च पाण्डवः॥
With certitude, that foo! today beholds the world full of Drona. Surely that son of Pandu a has today become hopeless of his life and his kingdom.

कर्ण उवाच नैष जातु महाबाहुर्जीवनाहवमुत्सृजेत्। न चेमान् पुरुषव्याघ्र सिंहनादान् सहिष्यति॥
Karna said Never will this mighty-armed hero abandon fighting so long life will remain in him; nor will this foremost of men brook the car-cries of others.

न चापि पाण्डवा युद्धे भज्येरन्निति मे मतिः। शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च कृतास्त्रा युद्धदुर्मदाः॥
I think also, that the Pandavas, brave. endued with might, learned in the use of weapons and invincible in battle, will never be routed in battle.

विषाग्निद्यूतसंक्लेशान् वनवासं च पाण्डवाः। स्मरमाणा न हास्यन्ति संग्राममिति मे मतिः॥
Remembering the woes inflicted on them by our attempts at poisoning ard burning them and by our defeating them at dice, as also bearing in mind the hardships they had to undergo in their exile in the woods, the Pandavas, I think, will never abandon battle.

निवृत्तो हि महाबाहुरमितौजा वृकोदरः। वरान् वरान् हि कौन्तेयो रथोदारान् हनिष्यति॥
Already the mighty-armed Vrikodara of immeasurable prowess, has turned back; this son of Kunti will now certainly slay many foremost of our car-warriors.

असिना धनुषा शक्त्या हयैर्नागैर्नरै रथैः। आयसेन च दण्डेन वातान् वातान् हनिष्यति॥
He will slay crowds upon crowds of our host, using his sword, bow, darts, iron mace and horses, elephants, men and chariots as implements for striking.

तमेनमनुवर्तन्ते सात्यकिप्रमुखा रथाः। पञ्चालाः केकया मत्स्याः पाण्डवाश्च विशेषतः॥
Car-warriors headed by Satyaki and the Panchalas, the Kekayas, the Matsyas and specially the Pandavas, are following him (in battle).

शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च विक्रान्ताश्च महारथाः। विनिघ्नन्तश्च भीमेन संरब्धेनाभिचोदिताः॥
Those mighty car-warriors, brave, endued with strength and prowess, are again urged on to battle, by the wrathful Bhima.

ते द्रोणमभिवर्तन्ते सर्वतः कुरुपुङ्गवाः । वृकोदरं परीप्सन्तः सूर्यमभ्रगणा इव॥
Those foreinost of the Kurus desirous of supporting Vrikodara and surrounding Drona on all sides, like the clouds surrounding the sun.

एकायनगता ह्येते पीडयेयुर्यतव्रतम्। अरक्ष्यमाणं शलभा यथा दीपं मुमूर्षवः॥
Inspired with a singleness of purpose, they will surely afflict the unprotected Drona of resolute vows, like flights of insects about to die afflicting a burning lamp.

असंशयं कृतास्त्राश्च पर्याप्ताश्चापि वारणे। अतिभारमहं मन्ये भारद्वाजे समाहितम्॥
Accomplished in the use of weapons, certainly they are capable of encountering the son of Bharadvaja. I consider the burden now devolving on him to be very heavy.

शीघ्रमनुगमिष्यामो यत्र द्रोणो व्यवस्थितः। कोका इव महानागं मा वै हन्युर्यतव्रतम्॥
Let us then swiftly repair to the spot where Drona is stationed. Let not the Pandavas slay Drona, like a pack of wolves slaying a mighty elephant.

राधेयस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्ततः। भ्रातृभिः सहितो राजन् प्रायाद् द्रोणरथं प्रति॥
Sanjaya said O monarch, hearing the words of the son of Radha, king Duryodhana, with his brothers rushed where the car of Drona was.

तत्रारावो महानासीदेकं द्रोणं जिघांसताम्। पाण्डवानां निवृत्तानां नानावणैर्हयोत्तमैः॥
Then there arose a mighty uproar caused by the Pandava warriors, who actuated by the desire for slaying the unsupported Drona had all returned to the field, riding on best steeds of various colours.