संजय उवाच तस्मिशब्दे मृदौ जाते पाण्डवैनिहते बले। अश्वैः सप्तशतैः शिष्टहरुपावर्तत सौबलः॥
Sanjaya said When the loud noise of battle had somewhat subsided and the Pandavas had killed large numbers of their foes Subala's son once more came with the remnant of his cavalry, seven hundred in number.
स यात्वा वाहिनीं तूर्णमब्रवीत् त्वरयन् युधि। युद्ध्यध्वमिति संहृष्टाः पुनः पुनररिंदमाः॥
Spcedily approaching his own soldiers and urging them to fight, he again and again said-"You chastisers of enemies, fight merrily.”
अपृच्छत् क्षत्रियांस्तत्र क्व नु राजा महाबलः। शकुनेस्तद् वचः श्रुत्वा तमूचुर्भरतर्षभ।।३। असौ तिष्ठति कौरव्यो रणमध्ये महाबलः। यत्रैतत् सुमहच्छत्रं पूर्णचन्द्रसमप्रभम्॥ यत्र ते सतनुत्राणा रथास्तिष्ठन्ति दंशिताः। यत्रैष तुमुलः शब्दः पर्जन्यनिनदोपमः॥ तत्र गच्छ द्रुतं राजंस्ततो द्रक्ष्यसि कौरवम्। एवमुक्तस्तु तैर्योधैः शकुनिः सौबलस्तदा॥ प्रययौ तत्र यत्रासौ पुत्रस्तव नराधिप। सर्वतः संवृत्तो वीरैः समरे चित्रयोधिभिः॥
And he asked the Kshatriyas assembled there, saying-"Where is the king that great carwarrior!"-Hearing those words of Shakuni, O foremost of Bharatas, they replied saying "There stands the great car-warrior, viz., the Kuru king-there the large umbrella, effulgent like the full moon, is seen, —there where those car-warriors, clad in mail, are staying-there where that loud noise, deep as the muttering of clouds, is being heard. Go quickly thither, O king and you will see the Kuru king."-Thus spoken to by those brave warriors. Subala's son Shakuni, O king, proceeded where your son was waiting, surrounded on all sides by unretreating heroes.
ततो दुर्योधनं दृष्ट्वा रथीनीके व्यवस्थितम्। स रथांस्तावकान् सर्वान् हर्षयशकुनिस्ततः॥ दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यं हृष्टरूपो विशाम्पते। कृतकार्यमिवात्मानं मन्यमानोऽब्रवीनृपम्॥ जहि राजन् रथानीकमश्वाः सर्वे जिता मया। नात्यक्त्वा जीवितं संख्ये शक्यो जेतुं युधिष्ठिरः॥
Beholding Duryodhana stationed in the midst of the car-force, Shakuni, checring up your car-warriors, O king, said these words to Duryodhana, in a manner which showed that he considered all his purposes to have been already accomplished. "Slay, O king, the carwarriors of the Pandavas. All their horse have been defeated by me. Yudhishthira is incapable of being defeated in battle unless one is prepared to sacrifice his life.
हते तस्मिन् रथानीके पाण्डवेनाभिपालिते। गजानेतान् हनिष्यामः पदातींश्चेतरांस्तथा॥
When that car-army, protected by the son of Pandu, will have been destroyed, we shall then kill all those elephants and foot-soldiers and others."
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य तावका जयगृद्धिनः। जवेनाभ्यपतन् हृष्टाः पाण्डवानामनीकिनाम्॥
Hearing those words your warriors, actuated with the desire of victory, cheerfully proceeded against the Pandava army.
सर्वे विवृततूणीरा: प्रगृहीतशरासनाः। शरासनानि धुन्वानाः सिंहनादान्प्रणेदिरे॥१३॥
With quivers on their backs and bows in their hands, all of them shook their bows and sent up leonine war-cries.
ततो ज्यातलनिर्घोषः पुनरासीद् विशाम्पते। प्रादुरासीच्छाराणां च सुमुक्तानां सुदारुणः॥
Again O king, the fierce twang of bows and the slapping of palms and the sound of arrows shot forcibly was heard.
चोदयाश्वानसम्भ्रान्तः प्रविशैतद् बलार्णवम्। अन्तमद्य गमिष्यामि शत्रूणां निशितैः शरैः॥ तान् समीपगतान् दृष्ट्वा जवेनोद्यतकार्मुकान्। उवाच देवकीपुत्रं कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः॥
Beholding those Kuru heroes approach the Pandava army with uplifted bows, Kunti's son, Dhananjaya, said to the son of Devaki-"Drive the horse fearlessly and enter this deep of troops. With my keen arrows I shall to-day terminate these hostilities.
अष्टादश दिनान्यद्य युद्धस्यास्य जनार्दन।
Today is the eighteenth day, O Janarddana, of this great battle.
वर्तमानस्य महतःसमासाद्य परस्परम्॥ अनन्तकल्पा ध्वजिनी भूत्वा ह्येषां महात्मनाम्।
The numberless army of those great heroes has been almost destroyed. Mark the course of Destiny.
क्षयमद्य गता युद्ध पश्य दैवं यथाविधम्॥ समुद्रकल्पं च बलं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य माधव। अस्मानासाद्य संजातं गोष्पदोपममच्युत॥
The army of Dhritarashtra's son, O Madhava, which was vast as the deep, has O Achyuta, became, after meeting ourselves, even like a pit caused by a cow's hoof.
हते भीष्मे तु संदध्याच्छिवं स्यादिह माधव। न च तत् कृतवान् मूढो धार्तराष्ट्रः सुबालिशः॥
If peace had been made after Bhishma's fall, O Madhava, everything would have fared well. The foolish and wicked-minded Duryodhana, however, did not make peace.
उक्तं भीष्मेण यद वाक्यं हितं तथ्यं च माधव। तचापि नासौ कृतवान् वीतबुद्धिः सुयोधनः॥
The words, that were given vent to by Bhishma, O Madhava, were beneficial and should have been accepted. Suyodhana however, who had lost his understanding, did not follow them.
तस्मिंस्तु तुमुले भीष्मे प्रच्युते धरणीतले। न जाने कारणं किं तु येन युद्धमवर्तत॥
After Bhishma had been struck down on the carth, I do not know why the battle was fought on.
मूढांस्तु सर्वथा मन्ये धार्तराष्ट्रान् सुबाललिशान्। पतिते शान्तनोः पुत्रे येऽकार्षुः संयुगं पुनः॥
I regard the son of Dhritarashtra as foolish and of weak understanding by every means since they continued the battle even after the fall of Shantanu's son.
अनन्तरं च निहते द्रोणे ब्रह्मविदां वरे। राधेये च विकर्णे त नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
After that when Drona, that foremost of Brahmanas, as fell, as also the son of Radha and Vikartana, the battle did not stop.
अल्पावशिष्टे सैन्येऽस्मिन् सूतपुत्रे च पातिते। सपुत्रे वै नरव्याघ्र नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
Even, when a residue only of the Kaurava army remained after the fall of that best of men, viz., Karna, with his sons the battle did not stop.
श्रुतायुषि हते वीरे जलसन्धे च पौरवे। श्रुतायुधे च नृपतौ नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
After the fall of even the heroic Shrutayush, of also Jalasandha of Puru's race and of king Shrutayudha, the slaughter did not still cease.
भूरिश्रवसि शल्ये च शाल्वे चैव जनार्दन। आवन्त्येषु च वीरेषु नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
After the death of Bhurishravas, of Shalya, O Janarddana and of the Avanti heroes, the slaughter did not still stop.
जयद्रथे च निहते राक्षसे चाप्यलायुधे। बाह्निके सोमदत्ते च नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
After the fall of Jayadratha, of the Rakshasa Alayudha, of Valhika and of Somadatta the killing battle did not still stop.
भगदत्ते हते शूरे काम्बोजे च सुदारुणे। दुःशासने च निहते नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
After the fall of the heroic Bhagadatta, of the Kamboja chief Sudakshina and of Dusshasana, the all-destroying battle did not still stop.
दृष्ट्वा विनिहताशूरान् पृथड्याण्डलिकान् नृपान्। बलिनश्च रणे कृष्ण नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
Seeing the many heroic and powerful kings, each master of extensive territories' killed in a battle, the all-destroying battle, O Krishna, did not still stop.
अक्षौहिणीपतीन् दृष्ट्वा भीमसेननिपातितान्। मोहाद् वा यदि वा लोभान्नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्॥
Beholding even a full Akshauhini of troops slain by Bhimasena in battle, the all-destroying battle did not still stop on account of either the folly or the covetousness of the sons of Dhritarashtra.
को नु राजकुले जातः कौरवेयो विशेषतः। निरर्थकं महद् वैरं कुर्यादन्यः सुयोधनात्॥
What king, born in noble family cspecially as one like that of Kuru, except the foolish Duryodhana, would thus create useless hostilities.
गुणतोऽभ्यधिकाज्ञात्वा वलतः शौर्यतोऽपि वा। अमूढः को नु युद्ध्येत जानन् प्राज्ञो हिताहितम्॥
Who is there reasonable and wise and capable of distinguishing between good and evil, that would thus make a war, knowing his foes to be superior to him in merit, strength and bravery.
यन्न तस्य मनो ह्यासीत् त्वयोक्तस्य हितं वचः। प्रशमे पाण्डवैः सार्ध सोऽन्यस्य शृणुयात् कथम्॥३४
How could he listen to the advice of another when, indeed, he could not make up his mind to make peace with the Pandavas following your advice.
येन शान्तनवो वीरो द्रोणो विदुर एव च। प्रत्याख्याताः शमस्यार्थे किं नु तस्याद्य भेषजम्॥
What medicine can be agreeable to that man today who discovered Bhishma, the son of Shantanu and Drona and Vidura, while they urged him to make peace.
मौाद येन पिता वृद्धः प्रत्याख्यातो जनार्दन। तथा माता हितं वाक्यं भाषमाणा हितैषिणी॥
How can be accept good advice who out of folly, O Janarddana, insolently disobeyed his own old father as also his own good mother who spoke wholesome words to him.
प्रत्याख्याता ह्यसत्कृत्य स कस्मै रोचयेद् वचः। कुलान्तकरणो व्यक्तं जात एष जनार्दन॥
It is evident, O Janarddana, that Duryodhana is born for rooting out his family. His conduct and his policy, at least, speak the same, O lord. He will not give us our kingdom yet. This is my opinion, O Achyuta.
तथास्य दृश्यते चेष्टा नीतिश्चैव विशाम्पते। नैष दास्यति नो राज्यमिति मे मतिरच्युत॥
The great Vidura, O sire, told me many a time that as long as Duryodhana would live, he would never give us our share of the kingdom.
उक्तोऽहं बहुशस्तात विदुरेण महात्मना। न जीवन् दास्यते भागं धार्तराष्ट्रस्तु मानद॥ यावत् प्राणा धरिष्यन्ति धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः।
Vidura also told me-"As long as Dhritarashtra will live, O giver of honours that sinful man will act sinfully towards you.
तावद् युष्मास्वपायेषु प्रचरिष्यति पापकम्॥ न च युक्तोऽन्यथा जेतुमृते युद्धेन माधव।
You will never succeed in defeating Duryodhana without battle." Thus, O Madhava, did the far-seeing Vidura often speak to me.
इत्यब्रवीत् सदा मां हि विदुरः सत्यदर्शनः॥ तत् सर्वमद्य जानामि व्यवसायं दुरात्मनः।
All the Acts of that wicked man, I now find, to be exactly as the great Vidura had said.
यदुक्तं वचनं तेन विदुरेण महात्मना॥ यो हि श्रुत्वा वचःपथ्यं जामदग्न्याद् यथातथम्। अवामन्यत दुर्बुद्धिर्बुवं नाशमुखे स्थितः॥
That wicked man, who having listened to the beneficial and proper worlds of Jamadagni's son, disobeyed them, should certainly be regarded as standing in the face of destruction.
उक्तं हि बहुशः सिद्धैर्जातमात्रे सुयोधने। एनं प्राप्य दुरात्मानं क्षयं क्षत्रं गमिष्यति॥
Many saints and ascetics said, as soon as Duryodhana was born, that the entire Kshatriya race would be exterminated for that wretch.
तदिदं वचनं तेषां निरुक्तं वै जनार्दन। क्षयं याता हि राजानो दुर्योधनकृते भृशम्॥ सोऽद्य सर्वान् रणे योधान् निहनिष्यामि माधव।
Those words of the sages, O Janarddana, have now borne fruits, because the Kshatriyas are undergoing almost entire extermination on account of Duryodhana's miss-deeds. I shall, O Madhava, kill all the warriors today.
क्षत्रियेषु हतेष्वाशु शून्ये च शिबिरे कृते॥ वधाय चात्मनोऽस्माभिः संयुगं रोचयिष्यति।
After all the Kshatriyas will have been killed and the (Kaurava) camp made empty, Duryodhana will then wish for a battle with us for his own destruction.
तदन्तं हि भवेद् वैरमनुमानेन माधव॥ एवं पश्यामि वार्ष्णेय चिन्तयन् प्रज्ञया स्वया। विदुरस्य च वाक्येन चेष्टया च दुरात्मनः॥ तस्माद् याहि चमू वीर यावद्धन्मि शितैः शरैः। दुर्योधनं महाबाहो वाहिनीं चास्य संयुगे॥
That will terminate these hostilities. Exercising my reason, O Madhava and reflecting in my own mind, O Vrishni heroe, thinking of Vidura's words and taking into account the acts of the wicked Duryodhana himself, I have arrived at this conclusion. Enter into Kuru division, O hero, for I shall kill the wicked Duryodhana and his army today with my keen arrows.
क्षेममद्य करिष्यामि धर्मराजस्य माधव। हत्वैतद् दुर्बलं सैन्यं धार्तरष्ट्रस्य पश्यतः॥
Slaying this weak army in the very presence of Dhritarashtra's son, I shall today do what is for Yudhishthira's good."
संजय उवाच अभीषुहस्तो दाशार्हस्तथोक्तः सव्यसाचिना। तद् बलौघममित्राणामभीतः प्राविशद् बलात्॥
Thus addressed by Arjuna, the Dasharha heroe, with reins in hand, fearlessly penetrated that vest hostile army for battle.
कुन्तखड्गशरै।रं शक्तिकण्टकसंकुलम्। गदापरिघपन्थानं रथनागमहाद्रुमम्॥
It was a terrible forest of bows. Darts were its prickles. Maces and bludgeons were its paths, Cars and elephants were its huge trees.
हयपत्तिलताकीर्णं गाहमानो महायशाः। व्यचरत्तत्र गोविन्दो रथेनातिपताकिना॥
Cavalry and infantry were its creepers. And the illustrious Keshava, as he entered that forest on that car adorned with many banners and pennons, shone exceedingly resplendent.
ते हयाः पाण्डुरा राजन् वहन्तोऽर्जुनमाहवे। दिक्षु सर्वास्वदृश्यन्त दाशार्हेण प्रचोदिताः॥
Those white horses, O king, bearing Arjuna in battle, were seen moving about on all sides urged by the Dasharha heroe.
ततः प्रायाद् रथेनाजौ सव्यसाची परंतपः। किरशरशतांस्तीक्ष्णान् वारिधारा घनो यथा॥ प्रादुरासीन्महाशब्दः शराणां नतपर्वणाम्। इषुभिश्छाद्यमानानां समरे सव्यसाचिना॥ असज्जन्तस्तनुत्रेषु शरौघा: प्रापतन् भुवि।
Then that scorcher of foes, viz., Savyasachin, proceeded on his car, discharging hundreds of keen arrows like a cloud pouring showers of rain. Loud noise was produced by those straight arrows as also by those combatants that were covered with them in that battle by Savyasachin. Showers of arrows, piercing through the armour of the warriors, dropped down on the Earth.
इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शा गाण्डीवप्रेषिताः शराः॥ नरान् नागन् समाहृत्य हयांश्चापि विशाम्पते। अपतन्त रणे वाणाः पतङ्गा इव घोषिणः॥
Shot off the Gandiva, arrows, whose touch resembled that of Indra's thunder, striking men and elephants and horses, O king, fell in that battle with a noise like that of winged insects.
आसीत् सर्वमवच्छन्नं गाण्डीवप्रेषितैः शरैः। न प्राज्ञायन्त समरे दिशो वा प्रदिशोऽपि वा॥ सर्वमासीजगत् पूर्णं पार्थनामाङ्कितैः शरैः।
Everything was covered with those shafts shot from Gandiva. In that battle, the points of the horizon could not be distinguished.
रुक्मपुङस्तैलधौतैः कर्मारपरिमार्जितैः॥ ते दह्यमानाः पार्थेन पावकेनेव कुञ्जराः।
The entire earth was as if covered with gold-winged arrows, steeped in oil, polished by the hands of the smith and with Partha's name engraven on it.
पार्थ न प्रजहुर्घोरा वध्यमानाः शितैः शरैः॥ शरचापधरः पार्थ: प्रज्वलन्निवः भास्करः। ददाह समरे योधान् कक्षमग्निरिव ज्वलन्॥
Struck with those keen arrows and burnt therewith by Partha even as a herd of elephants is burnt with burning brands, the Kauravas were dispirited and weakened. Armed with bow and arrows, Partha, resembling the burning sun, consumed the hostile heroes in that battle like a blazing fire consuming a heap of dry grass.
यथा वनान्ते वनपैर्विसृष्टः कक्षं दहेत् कृष्णगतिः सुघोषः। भूरिदुमं शुष्कलतावितानं भृशं समृद्धो ज्वलन: प्रतापी॥ एवं स नाराचगणप्रतापी शरार्चिरुचावचतिग्मतेजाः। ददाह सर्वां तव पुत्रसेना ममृष्यमाणस्तरसा तरस्वी॥
As increasing and blazing fire of great energy, thrown on the outskirts of a forest by its inhabitants, quickly consumes those woods abounding with tree and heaps oi dry creepers, even so that active and energetic hero, endued with prowess of weapons and having arrows his flames, quickly consumed all the troops of your son from anger.
तस्येषवः प्राणहराः सुमुक्ता नासज्जन् वै वर्मसु रुक्मपुङ्खाः। न च द्वितीयं प्रमुमोच बाणं नरे हये वा परमद्विपे वा॥
His powerful gold-winged arrows, discharged with care, could not be baffled by any armour. He had not to discharge a second arrow at a man, horse or a huge elephant.
अनेकरूपाकृतिभिर्हि बाणै महारथानीकमानुप्रविश्य। स एव एवैकस्तव पुत्रस्य सेनां जघान दैत्यानिव वज्रपाणिः॥
Like Indra, the wilder of thunderbolt, striking down the Daityas, Arjuna, alone entering that division of great car-warriors, destroyed it with arrows of various froms.