SHALYA PARVA: Chapter 25

The fight between Dhristadyumna and Duryodhana

संजय उवाच पश्यतां यतमानानां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्। संकल्पमकरोन्मोघं गाण्डीवेन धनंजयः॥
Sanjaya said With his Gandiva, Dhananjaya baffled the purpose of those unretreating heroes struggling in battle and striking their enemies.

इन्द्राशनिसमस्र्शानविषह्यान् महौजसः। विसृजन् दृश्यते बाणान् धारा मुञ्चनिवाम्बुदः॥
The arrows shot by Arjuna, irresistible and endued with great force and whose touch was like that of the thunder, resembled torrents of rain poured by a cloud.

तत् सैन्यं भरतश्रेष्ठ वध्यमानं किरीटिना। सम्प्रदुद्राव संग्रामात् तव पुत्रस्य पश्यतः॥
That army, O chief of the Bharatas' thus struck by Kiritin, fled away before the very eyes of your son.

पितॄन् भ्रातृन् परित्यज्य वयस्यानपि चापरे। हतधुर्या रथाः केचिद्धतसूतास्तथा परे॥
Some deserted their father and brothers and others their comrades. Some car-warriors lost their animals. Others lost their drivers. Some had their poles or yokes of wheels broken, O king.

भग्नाक्षयुगचक्रेषाः केचिदासन्विशांपते। अन्येषां सायकाः क्षीणास्तथान्ये बाणपीडिताः॥ अक्षता युगपत् केचित् प्राद्रवन् भयपीडितः।
The arrows of some were exhausted. Some were assailed with arrows. Some, though unwounded, fled in a body, stricken with fear.

केचित् पुत्रानुपादाय हतभूयिष्ठबान्धवः॥ विचुक्रुशुः पितुंस्त्वन्ये सहायानपरे पुनः।
Some tried to rescue their sons, having lost all their kinsmen and animals. Some loudly called their father, some their comrades and followers.

बान्धवांश्च नरव्याघ्र भ्रातॄन् सम्बन्धिनस्तथा॥ दुद्रुवः केचिदुत्सृज्य तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते।
Some fled, leaving behind their kinsmen, O foremost of men and brothers and other relatives.

बहवोऽत्र भृशं विद्धा मुह्यमाना महारथाः॥ निश्वसन्ति स्म दृश्यन्ते पार्थबाणहता: नराः।
Many great car-warriors, struck with Partha's arrows and deeply wounded therewith, breathed hard, deprived of their senses.

तानन्ये रथमारोप्य ह्याश्वास्य च मुहूर्तकम्॥ विश्रान्ताश्च वितृष्णाश्च पुनर्युद्धाय जग्मिरे।
Others, taking them up on their own cars and soothing them for some time and resting them and satisfying their thirst by offering them drink, once more proceeded to battle.

तानपास्य गताः केचित् पुनरेव युयुत्सवः॥ कुर्वन्तस्तव पुत्रस्य शासनं युद्धदुर्मदाः।
Leaving behind the wounded, some, incapable of being easily defeated in battle once more advanced to battle desirous of carrying out the commands of your son.

पानीयमपरे पीत्वा पर्याश्वास्य च वाहनम्॥ वर्माणि च समारोप्य केचिद् भरतसत्तम। समाश्वास्यापरे भ्रातॄन् निक्षिप्य शिबिरेऽपि च॥ पुत्रानन्ये पितॄनन्ये पुनयुद्धमरोचयन्।
Some, having satisfied their thirst or rested their animals and some wearing (flesh) armours, O chief of the Bharatas and some, having comforted their brothers and sons and father and placed them in camp, once more came to battle.

सजयित्वा रथान् किचिद् यथा मुख्यं विशाम्पते॥ आप्लुत्य पाण्डवानीकं पुनयुद्धमरोचयन्।
Some, arranging their cars in order, O king, of superiors and inferiors, proceeded against the Pandavas once more for battle.

शूराः किङ्किणीजालैः समाच्छन्ना बभासिरे॥ त्रैलोक्यविजये युक्ता यथा दैतेयदानवाः। ते
On their cars adorned with rows of bells, those heroes shone like Daityas and Danavas desirous of conquering the three worlds.

आगम्य सहसा केचिद् रथैः स्वर्णविभूषितैः॥ पाण्डवानामनीकेषु धृष्टद्युम्नमयोधयन्।
Some, advancing quickly on their cars decked with gold, fought with Dhrishtadyumna amid the Pandava army.

धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि पाञ्चाल्यः शिखण्डी च महारथः॥ नाकुलिस्तु शतानीको रथानीकमयोधयन्।
The Panchala prince Dhrishtadyumna and the great car-warrior Shikhandin and Shatanika the son of Nakula, fought with the car-division of the enemy.

पाञ्चाल्यस्तु ततः क्रुद्धः सैन्येन पहाताऽऽवृतः॥ अभ्यद्रवत् सुसंक्रुद्धस्तावकान् हन्तुमुद्यतः।
Worked up with rage and supported by a large army, the Panchala prince rushed against your infuriated soldiers from desire of killing them.

ततस्त्वापततस्तस्य तव पुत्रो जनाधिप॥ बाणसंघाननेकान् वै प्रेषयामास भारता
Then your son, O king, discharged many arrows, O Bharata, at the Panchala prince thus rushing at hiin.

धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो राजंस्तव पुत्रेण धन्विना॥ नाराचैरर्धनाराचैर्बहुभिः क्षिप्रकारिभिः।
Then O king, Dhrishtadyumna was quickly cut with many arrows in his arms and chest by your son fighting with his bow.

वत्सदन्तैश्च बाणैश्च कर्मारपरिमार्जितैः॥ अश्वांश्च चतुरो हत्वा बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत्। सोऽतिविद्धो महेष्वासस्तोत्रादित इव द्विपः॥ तस्याश्वांश्चतुरो बाणैः प्रेषयामास मृत्यवे। सारथेश्चास्य भल्लेन शिरः कायादपाहरत्॥
Deeply cut therewith like an elephant with pointed lances, then great bowman then killed with his arrows the four horses of Duryodhana. With another broad-headed arrow he sundered, from his trunk; the head of his enemy's driver.

ततो दुर्योधनो राजा पृष्ठमारुह्य वाजिनः। अपाक्रामद्धतरथो नातिदूरमरिंदमः॥ ते
Then that grinder of foes, viz., king Duryodhana, having thus lost his car, rode on horseback and retreated to a little distance.

दृष्ट्वा तु हतविक्रान्तं स्वमनीकं महाबलः। तव पुत्रो महाराज प्रययौ यत्र सौबलः॥
Beholding his own army thus enfeebled, your son, the mighty Duryodhana, O king, proceeded where Subala's son was.

ततो रथेषु भग्नेषु त्रिसाहस्रा महाद्विपाः। पाण्डवान् रथिनः सर्वान् समन्तात् पर्यवारयन्॥
When the Kaurava cars were broken, the thousand huge elephants encompassed those car-warriors, viz., the five Pandavas.

वृताः समरे पञ्च गजानीकेन भारत) अशोभन्त महाराज ग्रहा व्याप्ता घनैरिव॥
Encompassed by that elephant, O Bharata, the five brothers looked beautiful, O foremost of men, like the planets surrounded by the clouds.

ततोऽर्जुनो महाराज लब्धलक्षो महा पुजः। विनिर्ययो रथेनैव श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथिः॥
Then the mighty-armed Arjuna, O king, of sure aim, having Krishna for his driver and white horses, advanced on his car.

तैः समन्तात् परिवृतः कुञ्जरैः पर्वतोपमैः। नाराचैर्विमलैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गजानीकमयोधयत्॥
Surrounded by mountain-like elephants he began to destroy those animals with his keen and polished arrows.

तत्रैकबाणनिहतानपश्याम महागजान्। पतितान् पात्यमानांश्च निर्भिन्नान् सव्यसाचिना॥
Each killed with a single arrows, we saw those huge elephants fallen or falling down, wounded by Savyasachin.

भीमसेनस्तु तान् दृष्ट्वा नागान् मत्तगजोपमः। करेणादाय महतीं गदामभ्यपतद् बली॥ अथाप्लुत्य रथात् तूर्णं दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः।
The powerful Bhimasena, himself like an infuriate elephant, seeing those elephants, took up his formidable mace and rushed at them, quickly jumping down from his car, like the Destroyer armed with his club.

तमुद्यतगदं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवानां महारथम्॥ वित्रेसुस्तावका: सैन्याः शकृन्मूत्रे च सुस्रवुः।
Seeing that great car-warrior of the Pandavas with uplifted mace, your soldiers were possessed by fear and passed urine and excreta.

आविग्नं च बलं सर्वं गदाहस्ते वृकोदरे॥ गदया भीमसेनेव भिन्नकुम्भान् रजस्वलान्। धावमानानपश्याम कुञ्जरान् पर्वतोपमान्॥
The whole army were agitated upon seeing Bhimasena armed with mace. We then saw those elephants, huge as hills, running hither and thither, with their frontal globes cut open by Bhima with his mace and all their limbs covered with blood.

प्राद्रवन् कुञ्जरास्ते तु भीमेसेनगदाहताः। पेतुरार्तस्वरं कृत्वा छिन्नपक्षा इवाद्रयः॥
Struck with Bhima's mace, those elephants, running off from him, dropped down crying like mountains with their wings cut off.

प्रभिन्नकुम्भास्तु बहून् द्रवमाणानितस्ततः। पतमानांश्च सम्प्रेक्ष्य वित्रेसुस्तव सैनिकाः॥
Beholding those numberless elephants, with their frontal globes cut open, running hither and thither or falling down your soidiers were possessed by fear.

युधिष्ठिरोऽपि संक्रुद्धो माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ। गार्धपत्रै:शितैर्बाणैर्निन्युर्वै यमसादनम्॥
Then Yudhishthira also, worked up with anger and the two sons of Madri, began to kill those elephant-warriors with arrows having wings like those of vultures.

धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे पराजित्य नराधिपम्। अपक्रान्ते तव सुते हयपृष्ठं समाश्रिते॥ दृष्ट्वा च पाण्डवान् सर्वान् कुञ्जरैः परिवारितान्।
Dhrishtadyumna, after the defeat of the Kuru king in battle and after the fight of the latter from that spot of horse-back, saw that the Pandavas had all been encircled by the Kaurava elephants.

धृष्टद्युम्नो महाराज सहसा समुपाद्रवत्॥ पुत्रः पञ्चालराजस्य जिघांसुः कुञ्जरान् ययौ।
Beholding this, O king, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of the Panchala king proceeded towards those elephants to kill them.

अदृष्ट्वा तु स्थानीके दुर्योधनमरिंदमम्॥ अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः। अपृच्छन् क्षत्रियांस्तत्र क्व नु दुर्योधनो गतः॥
In the meantime not seeing Duryodhana in the midst of the car-force, Ashvathaman and Kripa, the Kritavarman of the Satwata race, asked all the Kshatriyas, saying-"Where had Duryodhana gone.'

ते पश्यमाना राजानं वर्तमाने जनक्षये। मन्वाना निहतं तत्र तव पुत्रं महारथाः॥ विवर्णवदना भूत्वा पर्यपृच्छन्त ते सुतम्।
Not seeing the king in the midst of that onslaught all those great car-warriors took him for dead and therefore with sorrowful faces, they enquired after him.

आहुः केचिद्धते सूते प्रयातो यत्र सौबलः॥ हित्वा पञ्चालराजस्य तदनीकं दुरुत्सहम्।
Some told them that after the destruction of his driver, he had gone to Subala's son.

अपरे त्वब्रुवंस्तत्र क्षत्रिया भृशविक्षताः॥ दुर्योधनेन किं कार्य द्रक्ष्यध्वं यदि जीवति। युद्ध्यध्वं सहिताः सर्वे किं वो राजा करिष्यति॥४४
Others, who had been greatly wounded said-"What necessity is there with Duryodhana. See, if he is yet alive. Do you all fight in a body, what will the king do to you."

ते क्षत्रियाः क्षतैर्गात्रैर्हतभूयिष्ठवाहनाः। शरैःसम्पीड्यमानास्तु नातिव्यक्तमथाब्रुवन्॥
Other Kshatriyas, who were greatly wounded and who had lost many of their relatives and who were still being struck with the arrows of the enemy, said these words indistinctly.

इदं सर्व बलं हन्मो येन स्म परिवारिताः। एते सर्वे गजान हत्वा उपयान्ति स्म पाण्डवाः॥
"Let us kill these forces by whom we are encircled. See the Pandavas are coming here after having killed the elephants.

श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषामश्वत्थामा महाबलः। भित्वा पाञ्चालराजस्य तदनीकं दुरुत्सहम्॥ कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च प्रययौ यत्र सौबलः। रथानीकं परित्यज्य शूराः सुदृढधन्विनः॥
Hearing these words, the powerful Ashvatthaman, cutting through that irresistible force of the Panchala king, went with Kripa and Kritavarman, where Subala's son was. Infect leaving the car-force, those heroes, those firm bowmen, went to find out Duryodhana.

ततस्तेषु प्रयातेषु धृष्टद्युम्नपुरस्कृताः। आययुः पाण्डवा राजन् विनिघ्नन्तः स्म तावकम्॥४९
After their departure, the Pandavas, headed by Dhrishtadyumna, advanced, O king and began to kill their enemies.

दृष्ट्वा तु तानापततः सम्प्रहृष्टान् महारथान्। पराक्रान्तास्ततो वीरा निराशा जीविते तदा॥
Beholding those brave, heroic and powerful car-warriors rushing joyously towards them, your soldiers, whose faces grew pale, became despondent of their lives.

विवर्णमुखभूयिष्ठमभवत् तावकं बलम्। परिक्षीणायुधान् दृष्ट्वा तानहं परिवारितान्॥ राजन् बलेन व्यतेन त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः। आत्मना पञ्चमोऽयुद्ध्यं पाञ्चालस्य बलेन ह॥ तस्मिन् देशे व्यवस्थाय यत्र शारद्वतः स्थितः।
Beholding those soldiers of ours almost deprived of weapons and surrounded by the enemy, I myself, O king, having only two kinds of forces and caring for life, joined the five leaders of our army and fought with the forces of the Panchala prince and placed our men where Sharadvata's son was.

सम्प्रदुता वयं पञ्च किरीटिशरपीडिताः॥ धृष्टद्युम्नं महारौद्रं तत्र नोऽभूद् रणो महान्। जितास्तेन वयं सर्वे व्यपयाम रणात् ततः॥
We had been cut with the arrows of Arjuna and still a fierce encounter took place between us and the army of Dhrishtadyumna. At last, defeated by the latter, all of us retreated from that battle.

अथापश्यं सात्यकि तमुपायान्तं महारथम्। रथैश्चतु:शतैर्वीरो मामभ्यद्रवदाहवे॥
I then beheld the great car-warrior Satyaki rushing against us. With four hundred cars that hero pursued me in battle.

धृष्टद्युम्नादहं मुक्तः कथंचिच्छ्रान्तवाहनात्। पतिता माधवानीकं दुष्कृती नरकं यथा॥ तत्र युद्धमभूद् घोरं मुहूर्तमतिदारुणम्।
Having escaped with difficulty from Dhrishtadyumna whose horses had been exhausted, I feel among the soldiers of Madhava even as a sinner falleth into hell. There a fierce and terrible encounter took place for a short time.

सात्यकिस्तु महाबाहुर्मम हत्वा परिच्छदम्॥ जीवग्राहमगृह्णान्मां मूर्छितं पतितं भुवि।
The mighty-armed Satyaki, having cut off my armour, thought of taking me alive. He caught me while I lay down on the ground insensible.

ततो मुहूर्तादिव तद् गजानीकमविध्यत॥ गदया भीमसेनेन नाराचैरर्जुनेन च।
Then within a short time that elephant force was killed by Bhimasena with his mace and Arjuna with his arrows.

अभिपिष्टैर्महानागैः समन्तात् पर्वतोपमैः॥ नातिप्रसिद्धैव गतिः पाण्डवानामजायत।
On account of those mighty elephants, huge as hills, falling down on every side with wounded limbs, the Pandava warriors found their way entirely blocked up.

रथमार्ग ततश्चक्रे भीमसेनो पहाबलः॥ पाण्डवानां महाराज व्यपाकर्षन्महागजान्।
Then the powerful Bhimasena, O king, dragging away those huge elephants, made a way for the Pandavas.

अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः॥ अपश्यन्तो स्थानीके दुर्योधनमरिंदमम्। राजानं मृगयामासुस्तव पुत्रं महारथम्॥
Meanwhile not seeing that chastiser of foes Duryodhana amid the car-division, Ashvatthaman and Kripa and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, tried to find out your royal son.

परित्यज्य च पाञ्चाल्यं प्रयाता यत्र सौबलः। राज्ञोऽदर्शनसंविग्ना वर्तमाने जनक्षये॥
Leaving the prince of the Panchalas they proceeded where Subala's son was, anxious to see the king during that terrible onslaught.