05.183
Pancharatra-Ext: Battle continues for 23 days with ups and downs!
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma spoke:
tataḥ prabhāte rājendra sūrye vimala udgate। bhārgavasya mayā sārdhaṃ punaryuddhamavartata ॥5-183-1॥
Then, in the morning, O King, when the pure sun had risen, I engaged in battle once more with Bhārgava.
tato bhrānte rathe tiṣṭhanrāmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ। vavarṣa śaravarṣāṇi mayi śakra ivācale ॥5-183-2॥
Then, as the chariot was in disarray, Rama, the greatest among warriors, stood firm and unleashed a torrent of arrows upon me, akin to how Indra would rain upon a mountain.
tena sūto mama suhṛccharavarṣeṇa tāḍitaḥ। nipapāta rathopasthe mano mama viṣādayan ॥5-183-3॥
My friend, the charioteer, was struck by a shower of arrows by him and fell onto the chariot seat, causing me great distress.
tataḥ sūtaḥ sa me'tyarthaṃ kaśmalaṃ prāviśanmahat. pṛthivyāṃ ca śarāghātānnipapāta mumoha ca ॥5-183-4॥
Then the charioteer, overwhelmed by great confusion, fell to the ground due to the impact of the arrows and lost consciousness.
tataḥ sūto'jahātprāṇānrāmabāṇaprapīḍitaḥ। muhūrtādiva rājendra māṃ ca bhīrāviśattadā ॥5-183-5॥
Then, O King, the charioteer, struck by Rama's arrow, gave up his life. In that moment, fear seemed to enter me.
tataḥ sūte hate rājan kṣipatas tasya me śarān। pramattamanaso rāmaḥ prāhiṇon mṛtyusaṃmitān ॥5-183-6॥
Then, O king, when the charioteer was killed, Rama, in his distraction, sent forth my arrows, which were as deadly as death itself.
tataḥ sūtavyasaninaṃ viplutaṃ māṃ sa bhārgavaḥ। śareṇābhyahanadgāḍhaṃ vikṛṣya balavaddhanuḥ ॥5-183-7॥
Then Bhārgava, with his powerful bow, drew it back and struck me deeply with an arrow, while I was distressed and afflicted by the charioteer.
sa me jatrvantare rājannipaty rudhirāśanaḥ। mayaiva saha rājendra jagāma vasudhātalam ॥5-183-8॥
He, my bloodthirsty companion, fell in the midst of the battle and went to the earth with me, O king of kings.
matvā tu nihataṃ rāmas-tato māṃ bharatarṣabha। meghavad-vyanadac-coccair-jahṛṣe ca punaḥ punaḥ ॥5-183-9॥
Rama, believing that I was slain, O best of the Bharatas, roared loudly like a thunderous cloud and rejoiced repeatedly.
tathā tu patite rājanmayi rāmo mudā yutaḥ। udakrośanmahānādaṃ saha tairanuyāyibhiḥ ॥5-183-10॥
Thus, when I fell, O king, Rama, filled with joy, shouted loudly along with his followers.
mama tatrābhavanye tu kauravāḥ pārśvataḥ sthitāḥ। āgatā ye ca yuddhaṃ tajjanāstatra didṛkṣavaḥ ॥ ārtiṃ paramikāṃ jagmuste tadā mayi pātite ॥5-183-11॥
My Kauravas stood beside me there. Those who came for the battle, eager to witness, were deeply distressed when I fell.
tato'paśyaṃ pātito rājasiṃha; dvijānaṣṭau sūryahutāśanābhān। te māṃ samantātparivārya tasthuḥ; svabāhubhiḥ parigṛhyājimadhye ॥5-183-12॥
Then I saw the fallen royal lion; eight Brahmins, radiant like the sun and fire. They surrounded me completely, standing with their arms embracing me in the middle of the battlefield.
rakṣyamāṇaśca tairviprairnāhaṃ bhūmimupāspṛśam। antarikṣe sthito hyasmi tairviprairbāndhavairiva ॥ svapannivāntarikṣe ca jalabindubhirukṣitaḥ ॥5-183-13॥
Protected by the sages, I did not touch the ground. I am indeed situated in the sky by them, as if by relatives, as if sleeping in the sky and sprinkled by drops of water.
tataste brāhmaṇā rājannabruvanparigṛhya mām। mā bhairiti samaṃ sarve svasti te'stviti cāsakṛt ॥5-183-14॥
Then the brāhmaṇas, O king, embraced me and said, "Do not fear." Together, they all repeatedly wished me well-being.
tatasteṣāmahaṃ vāgbhistarpitaḥ sahasotthitaḥ। mātaraṃ saritāṃ śreṣṭhāmapaśyaṃ rathamāsthitām ॥5-183-15॥
Then, pleased by their words, I suddenly stood up and saw the revered mother of rivers seated in a chariot.
hayāśca me saṅgṛhītāstayā vai; mahānadyā saṃyati kauravendra। pādau jananyāḥ pratipūjya cāhaṃ; tathārṣṭiṣeṇaṃ rathamabhyaroham ॥5-183-16॥
The horses were taken by her near the great river during the battle, O king of the Kurus. After worshipping my mother's feet, I ascended Arshthisena's chariot.
rarakṣa sā mama rathaṃ hayāṃścopaskarāṇi ca। tāmahaṃ prāñjalirbhūtvā punareva vyasarjayam ॥5-183-17॥
She protected my chariot, horses, and equipment. Then, with folded hands, I respectfully sent her off once more.
tato'ham svayamudyamya hayāṃstānvātaraṃhasaḥ। ayudhyaṃ jāmadagnyena nivṛtte'hani bhārata ॥5-183-18॥
Then I personally mounted those swift horses and fought with Jamadagni's son on the day of return, O Bharata.
tato'haṃ bharataśreṣṭha vegavantaṃ mahābalam। amuñcaṃ samare bāṇaṃ rāmāya hṛdayacchidam ॥5-183-19॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, I released a swift and powerful arrow in the battle aimed at Rama, piercing his heart.
tato jagāma vasudhāṃ bāṇavegaprapīḍitaḥ। jānubhyāṃ dhanurutsṛjya rāmo mohavaśaṃ gataḥ ॥5-183-20॥
Then, struck by the swift arrows, Rama fell to the ground on his knees, dropping his bow, overwhelmed by delusion.
tatastasminnipatite rāme bhūrisahasrade। āvavruḥ jaladā vyoma kṣaranto rudhiraṃ bahu ॥5-183-21॥
Then, when Rama had fallen, numerous clouds covered the sky, pouring down a great amount of blood.
ulkāśca śataśaḥ petuḥ sanirghātāḥ sakampanāḥ। arkaṃ ca sahasā dīptaṃ svarbhānurabhisaṃvṛṇot ॥5-183-22॥
Meteors fell in hundreds accompanied by thunder and tremors. Suddenly, Rahu covered the blazing sun.
vavuśca vātāḥ paruṣāścalitā ca vasundharā। gṛdhrā baḍāśca kaṅkāśca paripeturmudā yutāḥ ॥5-183-23॥
The winds blew fiercely, causing the earth to tremble. Vultures, herons, and cranes joyfully circled the sky.
dīptāyāṃ diśi gomāyurdāruṇaṃ muhurunnadat। anāhatā dundubhayo vinedurbhṛśanisvanāḥ ॥5-183-24॥
In the blazing direction, a jackal howled terribly and repeatedly, while the unstruck drums resounded with a great sound.
etadautpātikaṃ ghoramāsīdbharatasattama। visañjñakalpe dharaṇīṃ gate rāme mahātmani ॥5-183-25॥
This ominous and terrible event took place, O best of the Bharatas, when the great soul Rama had descended to the earth in a state of unconsciousness.
tato ravir mandamarīcimaṇḍalo; jagāmāstaṃ pāṃsupuñjāvagāḍhaḥ। niśā vyagāhatsukhaśītamārutā; tato yuddhaṃ pratyavahārayāvaḥ ॥5-183-26॥
As the sun, with its dim circle of rays, set into the dusty horizon, the night arrived with a gentle and cool breeze, prompting us to withdraw from the battle.
evaṃ rājannavahāro babhūva; tataḥ punarvimale'bhūtsughoram। kālyaṃ kālyaṃ viṃśatiṃ vai dināni; tathaiva cānyāni dināni trīṇi ॥5-183-27॥
Thus, O king, a new feast took place; then again, in the clear sky, it became very terrible. Morning after morning, for twenty days, and similarly for another three days.
