03.230
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataste sahitāḥ sarve duryodhanam upāgaman। abruvaṃś ca mahārāja yad ūcuḥ kauravaṃ prati ॥03-230-1॥
Then all of them together approached Duryodhana; and, O great king, this is what they said to the Kaurava. (03-230-1)
gandharvair vārite sainye dhārtarāṣṭraḥ pratāpavān। amarṣapūrṇaḥ sainyāni pratyabhāṣata bhārata ॥03-230-2॥
O Bhārata, when the army had been repelled by the Gandharvas, the mighty son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, filled with indignation, addressed the armies. (03-230-2)
śāsatainānadharmajñān mama vipriyakāriṇaḥ। yadi prakrīḍito devaiḥ sarvaiḥ saha śatakratuḥ॥03-230-3॥
Let him punish those who, being ignorant of dharma, commit acts displeasing to me. If Indra, together with all the gods, has only been making sport of this— (03-230-3)
duryodhanavacaḥ śrutvā dhārtarāṣṭrā mahābalāḥ। sarva evābhisaṃnaddhā yodhāś cāpi sahasraśaḥ ॥03-230-4॥
Having heard Duryodhana's words, all the mighty sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and thousands of warriors fully armed themselves. (03-230-4)
tataḥ pramathya gandharvāṃs tad vanaṃ viviśur balāt. siṃhanādena mahatā pūrayanto diśo daśa ॥03-230-5॥
Then, having subdued the Gandharvas, they forcefully entered that forest, resounding a great lion’s roar in all ten directions. (03-230-5)
tato'parair avāryanta gandharvaiḥ kurusainikāḥ। te vāryamāṇā gandharvaiḥ sāmnaiva vasudhādhipaḥ॥ tān anādṛtya gandharvān tad vanaṃ viviśur mahat॥03-230-6॥
Thereafter, the Kuru soldiers were kept away by the Gandharvas. Although the Gandharvas tried to restrain them gently, the lord of the earth, disregarding the Gandharvas, entered that great forest along with them. (03-230-6)
yadā vācā na tiṣṭhanti dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ sarājakāḥ. tatas te khecarāḥ sarve citrasene nyavedayan ॥03-230-7॥
When the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra along with the kings did not remain silent in speech, then all the sky-dwellers reported this to Citraseṇa. (03-230-7)
gandharvarājās tān sarvān abravīt kauravān prati। anāryān śāsate iti evam citrasenaḥ atyamarṣaṇaḥ ॥03-230-8॥
The king of the Gandharvas spoke all this to the Kauravas: 'He rules over the unworthy.' Thus declared Citrasena, highly intolerant. (03-230-8)
anugñātās tu gandharvāś citrasenena bhārata। pragṛhītāyudhāḥ sarve dhārtarāṣṭrān abhidravan ॥03-230-9॥
But, O Bhārata, the Gandharvas, granted permission by Citraseṇa, all seized their weapons and attacked the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. (03-230-9)
tān dṛṣṭvā patataḥ śīghrān gandharvān udyatāyudhān। sarve te prādravan saṅkhye dhārtarāṣṭrasya paśyataḥ॥03-230-10॥
When they saw those swift Gandharvas descending upon them with weapons raised, all of them fled the battlefield while the son of Dhritarashtra looked on. (03-230-10)
tān dṛṣṭvā dravataḥ sarvān dhārtarāṣṭrān parāṅmukhān। vaikartanas tadā vīro nāsīt tatra parāṅmukhaḥ॥ 03-230-11॥
Seeing that all the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra were fleeing and turning their faces away, Karna, the heroic son of Vikartana, was not turned away there. (03-230-11)
āpatantīṁ tu samprekṣya gandharvāṇāṁ mahācamūm। mahatā śaravarṣeṇa rādheyaḥ pratyavārayat ॥03-230-12॥
But seeing the great army of the Gandharvas attacking, Rādheya (Karṇa) repulsed them with a mighty shower of arrows. (03-230-12)
kṣuraprair viśikhair bhallair vatsadantais tathāyasaiḥ। gandharvāñ śataśo'bhya-ghnan laghutvāt sūta-nandanaḥ॥03-230-13॥
The son of the charioteer, being agile, slaughtered the Gandharvas by the hundreds with razor-headed, sharp, broad-headed, calf-tooth, and iron arrows. (03-230-13)
pātayannuttamāṅgāni gandharvāṇāṃ mahārathaḥ। kṣaṇena vyadhamatsarvāṃ citrasenasya vāhinīm ॥03-230-14॥
The great chariot-warrior, causing the heads of the Gandharvas to fall, in an instant shattered the entire army of Citraseṇa. (03-230-14)
te vadhyamānā gandharvāḥ sūta-putreṇa dhīmatā. bhūya evābhyavartanta śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ॥03-230-15॥
Though being slain by the wise son of the charioteer, the Gandharvas kept returning again and again, by the hundreds and then by the thousands. (03-230-15)
gandharvabhūtā pṛthivī kṣaṇena samapadyata। āpatadbhir mahāvegaiś citrasenasya sainikaiḥ ॥03-230-16॥
In a single moment, the earth was made to appear as if inhabited by Gandharvas, transformed by the warriors of Citraseṇa rushing forth with tremendous speed. (03-230-16)
atha duryodhanaḥ rājā śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ| duḥśāsano vikarṇaś ca ye ca anye dhṛtarāṣṭrajāḥ|| nyahananta tadā sainyam rathaiḥ garuḍa-nisvanaiḥ||03-230-17||
Then King Duryodhana, Śakuni the son of Subala, Duḥśāsana, Vikarṇa, and the other sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra struck down the army at that time with chariots roaring like Garuḍa. (03-230-17)
bhūyaś ca yodhayāmāsuḥ kṛtvā karṇam athāgrataḥ. mahatā rathaghoṣeṇa hayacāreṇa cāpyuta ॥ vaikartanaṃ parīpsanto gandharvān samavārayān ॥ 03-230-18॥
Again, they engaged in battle, placing Karṇa at the front, with the great sound of chariots and the movement of horses. Desiring to reach Vaikartana (Karṇa), they restrained the Gandharvas. (03-230-18)
tataḥ saṃnyapatansarve gandharvāḥ kauravaiḥ saha। tadā sutumulaṃ yuddhamabhavallomaharṣaṇam ॥03-230-19॥
Then all the Gandharvas fell together with the Kauravas, and at that time a very tumultuous and hair-raising battle took place. (03-230-19)
tataste mṛdavo'bhūvan gandharvāḥ śarapīḍitāḥ। uccukruśuś ca kauravyā gandharvān prekṣya pīḍitān ॥03-230-20॥
Then, the Gandharvas, afflicted by arrows, became weakened; and the Kauravas cried out loudly on seeing the Gandharvas suffering. (03-230-20)
gandharvāṃstrāsitāndṛṣṭvā citraseno'tyamarṣaṇaḥ। utpapātāsanātkruddho vadhe teṣāṃ samāhitaḥ ॥03-230-21॥
Seeing the Gandharvas frightened, the very intolerant Citrasena sprang from his seat in anger, resolved to kill them. (03-230-21)
tato māyāstram āsthāya yuyudhe citramārgavit। tayām uhyanta kauravyāś citrasenasya māyayā ॥03-230-22॥
Then, Citraseṇa, the knower of wondrous ways, having assumed the illusion-weapon, fought; by that illusion of Citraseṇa, the Kauravas were deluded. (03-230-22)
ekaiko hi tadā yodho dhārtarāṣṭrasya bhārata। paryavartata gandharvair daśabhir daśabhiḥ saha ॥03-230-23॥
O Bhārata, each of Dhritarashtra's warriors was turned back at that time by the Gandharvas, ten by ten together. (03-230-23)
tataḥ sampīḍyamānās te balena mahatā tadā। prādravanta raṇe bhītā yatra rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥03-230-24॥
Then, being oppressed by great force at that time, they fled in fear on the battlefield where King Yudhishthira was. (03-230-24)
bhajyamāneṣv anīkeṣu dhārtarāṣṭreṣu sarvaśaḥ। karṇo vaikarṭano rājaṁs tasthau girir ivācalah ॥03-230-25॥
O king, as the troops of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra were breaking everywhere, Karṇa, the son of Vikartana, stood firm like an immovable mountain. (03-230-25)
duryodhanaś ca karṇaś ca śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ। gandharvān yodhayāṃ cakruḥ samare bhṛśavikṣatāḥ ॥03-230-26॥
Duryodhana, Karna, and also Śakuni, the son of Subala, severely wounded, engaged the Gandharvas in battle. (03-230-26)
sarva eva tu gandharvāḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ। jighāṃsamānāḥ sahitāḥ karṇam abhyadravan raṇe ॥03-230-27॥
But all the gandharvas, in hundreds and then in thousands, joined together and, wishing to kill, rushed at Karna in battle. (03-230-27)
asibhiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ śūlair gadābhiś ca mahābalāḥ। sūtaputraṃ jighāṃsantaḥ samantāt paryavārayan ॥03-230-28॥
The mighty warriors, armed with swords, lances, spears, and maces, surrounded the son of the charioteer from all sides, intent on killing him. (03-230-28)
anye'sya yugam acchindan dhvajam anye nyapātayan। īṣām anye hayān anye sūtam anye nyapātayan॥03-230-29॥
Some others cut off his yoke; others brought down his banner; some struck down the shafts, others the horses, and others brought down the charioteer. (03-230-29)
anye chatraṃ varūthaṃ ca bandhuraṃ ca tathāpare। gandharvā bahusāhasrāḥ khaṇḍaśo’bhyahananratham ॥03-230-30॥
Others attacked the parasol, the covering, and the ornament, and similarly, other Gandharvas by the thousands struck the chariot and shattered it into pieces. (03-230-30)
tato rathād avaplutya sūtaputro'sicarmabhṛt। vikarṇaratham āsthāya mokṣāyāśvān acodayat ॥03-230-31॥
Then, leaping down from the chariot, the son of the charioteer, bearing sword and shield, ascended Vikarna's chariot and urged the horses to flee. (03-230-31)
