06.049
Core and Pancharatra: Drona and Drishtadyumna, two warriors stained with blood, shone brightly. When Dristadyumna loses his chariot, Bhima takes him away.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
kathaṁ droṇo maheṣvāsaḥ pāñcālyaścāpi pārṣataḥ। raṇe samīyaturyattau tanmamācakṣva sañjaya ॥6-49-1॥
Sanjaya, tell me how Droṇa, the great archer, and the son of Panchala, who is also the son of Prishata, encountered each other in the battle.
diṣṭameva paraṃ manye pauruṣādapi sañjaya। yatra śāṃtanavo bhīṣmo nātaradyudhi pāṇḍavam ॥6-49-2॥
Sanjaya, I believe that fate is ultimately more powerful than human effort. This is evident where Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, could not defeat the Pandava in battle.
bhīṣmo hi samare kruddho hanyāllokāṃścarācarān। sa kathaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ yuddhe nātaratsaṃjayaujasā ॥6-49-3॥
Bhishma, when enraged in battle, could destroy all worlds, both animate and inanimate. How could he not defeat the Pandava in battle with the might of Sanjaya?
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
śṛṇu rājan sthiro bhūtvā yuddham etat sudāruṇam। na śakyaḥ pāṇḍavo jetuṃ devair api savāsavaiḥ ॥6-49-4॥
Listen, O king, stand firm and witness this dreadful battle. The Pāṇḍava cannot be defeated, not even by the gods along with Indra.
droṇastu niśitairbāṇairdhr̥ṣṭadyumnamayodhayat। sārathiṃ cāsya bhallena rathanīḍādapātayat ॥6-49-5॥
Drona, with his sharp arrows, engaged in battle with Dhrishtadyumna and struck down his charioteer from the chariot with a well-aimed arrow.
tasyātha caturo vāhāṃścaturbhiḥ sāyakottamaiḥ। pīḍayāmāsa saṅkruddho dhṛṣṭadyumnasya māriṣa ॥6-49-6॥
Enraged, he then struck the four horses of Dhrishtadyumna with four excellent arrows, O lord.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastato droṇaṃ navatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। vivyādha prahasannvīrastiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt ॥6-49-7॥
Then Dhṛṣṭadyumna, with a smile, pierced Droṇa with ninety sharp arrows and said, "Stay, stay."
tataḥ punarameyātmā bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān। śaraiḥ pracchādayāmāsa dhṛṣṭadyumnamamarṣaṇam ॥6-49-8॥
Then, the glorious Bharadvaja, with an immeasurable soul, once again covered the unforgiving Dhrishtadyumna with arrows.
ādade ca śaraṃ ghoraṃ pārṣatasya vadhaṃ prati। śakrāśanisamasparśaṃ mṛtyudaṇḍamivāparam ॥6-49-9॥
He took a dreadful arrow aimed at killing Pārṣata, which was as potent as Indra's thunderbolt, resembling another rod of death.
hāhākāro mahān āsīt sarvasainyasya bhārata। tam iṣuṃ sandhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhāradvājena saṃyuge ॥6-49-10॥
O Bharata, there was a great uproar among all the soldiers when they saw the arrow fixed by Bharadvaja in the battle.
tatrādbhutamapaśyāma dhṛṣṭadyumnasya pauruṣam। yadekaḥ samare vīrastasthau giririvācalaḥ ॥6-49-11॥
There, we witnessed the extraordinary bravery of Dhṛṣṭadyumna, who stood alone in the battle like a steadfast mountain.
taṃ ca dīptaṃ śaraṃ ghoramāyāntaṃ mṛtyumātmanaḥ। ciccheda śaravṛṣṭiṃ ca bhāradvāje mumoca ha ॥6-49-12॥
He cut off that shining arrow, which was approaching terribly like his own death, and indeed released a shower of arrows on Bharadvaja.
tata uccukruśuḥ sarve pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha। dhṛṣṭadyumnena tatkarma kṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā suduṣkaram ॥6-49-13॥
Upon witnessing the challenging feat accomplished by Dhrishtadyumna, all the Panchalas, along with the Pandavas, cried out in unison.
tataḥ śaktiṃ mahāvegāṃ svarṇavaiḍūryabhūṣitām। droṇasya nidhanākāṅkṣī cikṣepa sa parākramī ॥6-49-14॥
Then, the valiant warrior, eager for Drona's demise, hurled his spear with great speed, which was adorned with gold and cat’s eye gem.
tām āpatantīṃ sahasā śaktiṃ kanakabhūṣaṇām। tridhā cikṣepa samare bhāradvājo hasann iva ॥6-49-15॥
Bharadvaja, with a smile, suddenly hurled the golden-adorned spear that was approaching, splitting it into three parts in the battle.
śaktiṃ vinihatāṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ pratāpavān। vavarṣa śaravarṣāṇi droṇaṃ prati janeśvara ॥6-49-16॥
Upon witnessing the fall of power, the valiant Dhṛṣṭadyumna unleashed a barrage of arrows towards Droṇa, O king.
śaravarṣaṃ tatastaṃ tu saṃnivārya mahāyaśāḥ। droṇo drupadaputrasya madhye ciccheda kārmukam ॥6-49-17॥
Drona, the greatly renowned, skillfully warded off the shower of arrows and cut off the bow of Drupada's son in the midst of the battle.
sa chinnadhanvā samare gadāṃ gurvīṃ mahāyaśāḥ। droṇāya preṣayāmāsa girisāramayīṃ balī ॥6-49-18॥
In the battle, the greatly renowned and strong warrior, with his bow broken, sent a heavy mace made of mountain essence to Drona.
sā gadā vegavanmuktā prāyāddroṇajighāṁsayā। tatrādbhutamapaśyāma bhāradvājasya vikramam ॥6-49-19॥
The swiftly released mace aimed to kill Drona, and there we witnessed the remarkable valor of Bharadvaja.
lāghavād vyaṃsayāmāsa gadāṃ hemavibhūṣitām। vyaṃsayitvā gadāṃ tāṃ ca preṣayāmāsa pārṣate ॥6-49-20॥
Because of its lightness, he swung the gold-adorned mace and then sent it towards Pārṣata.
bhallānsuniśitānpītānsvarṇapuṅkhāñśilāśitān। te tasya kavacaṃ bhittvā papuḥ śoṇitamāhave ॥6-49-21॥
The well-sharpened, yellow, golden-feathered arrows, sharpened on stone, pierced his armor and drank his blood in the battle.
athānyaddhanurādāya dhṛṣṭadyumno mahāmanāḥ। droṇaṃ yudhi parākramya śarairvivyādha pañcabhiḥ ॥6-49-22॥
Then, the great-minded Dhṛṣṭadyumna, taking up another bow, attacked Droṇa in the battle and pierced him with five arrows.
rudhirāktau tatastau tu śuśubhāte nararṣabhau। vasantasamaye rājanpuṣpitāviva kiṃśukau ॥6-49-23॥
Then those two warriors, stained with blood, shone brightly, O king, like the blossoming Kimshuka trees in spring.
amarṣitastato rājanparākramya camūmukhe। droṇo drupadaputrasya punaściccheda kārmukam ॥6-49-24॥
Angered, Droṇa, at the forefront of the battle, attacked and once again cut down the bow of Drupada's son.
athainaṁ chinnadhanvānaṁ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ। avākiradameyātmā vṛṣṭyā megha ivācalam ॥6-49-25॥
Then, the immeasurable soul covered him, who had a broken bow, with arrows having bent joints, like a cloud covers a mountain with rain.
sārathiṃ cāsya bhallena rathanīḍādapātayat। athāsya caturo vāhāṃścaturbhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥6-49-26॥
He shot an arrow that knocked the charioteer off the chariot seat. Then, using four sharp arrows, he killed his four horses.
pātayāmāsa samare siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ca। tato'pareṇa bhallena hastāccāpamathācchinat ॥6-49-27॥
He let out a lion's roar in the battle and roared. Then, with another arrow, he severed the bow from the hand.
sa chinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ। gadāpāṇiravārohakhyāpayanpauruṣaṃ mahat ॥6-49-28॥
He, having his bow broken, chariot destroyed, horses and charioteer killed, descended with a mace in hand, showcasing his great valor.
tāmasya viśikhaistūrṇaṃ pātayāmāsa bhārata। rathādanavarūḍhasya tadadbhutamivābhavat ॥6-49-29॥
O Bharata, he swiftly shot him down with arrows from the chariot, and it seemed as if it was a marvel, as he had not yet descended.
tataḥ sa vipulaṃ carma śatacandraṃ ca bhānumat। khaḍgaṃ ca vipulaṃ divyaṃ pragṛhya subhujo balī ॥6-49-30॥
Then he, with his strong arms and great strength, took up a large shield adorned with a hundred moons and a shining, divine sword.
abhidudrāva vegena droṇasya vadhakāṅkṣayā। āmiṣārthī yathā siṃho vane mattamiva dvipam ॥6-49-31॥
He charged at Drona with great speed, intent on killing him, just as a lion in the forest targets an intoxicated elephant for prey.
tatrādbhutamapaśyāma bhāradvājasya pauruṣam। lāghavaṃ cāstrayogaṃ ca balaṃ bāhvośca bhārata ॥6-49-32॥
There, O Bharata, we witnessed the extraordinary valor, agility, skill in weaponry, and strength of Bharadvaja's arms.
yadenaṁ śaravarṣeṇa vārayāmāsa pārṣatam। na śaśāka tato gantuṁ balavānapi saṁyuge ॥6-49-33॥
When he stopped the son of Prishata with a rain of arrows, even the mighty one could not advance in the battle.
tatra sthitama-paśyāma dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ mahāratham। vārayāṇaṃ śaraughāṃśca carmaṇā kṛtahastavat ॥6-49-34॥
There we observed Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the great chariot-warrior, standing firm and skillfully warding off the arrows with his shield, fully prepared for battle.
tato bhīmo mahābāhuḥ sahasābhyapatadbalī। sāhāyyakārī samare pārṣatasya mahātmanaḥ ॥6-49-35॥
Then the mighty-armed Bhima suddenly rushed to assist the great-souled Parshata in battle.
sa droṇaṃ niśitairbāṇai rājanvivyādha saptabhiḥ। pārṣataṃ ca tadā tūrṇamanyamāropayadratham ॥6-49-36॥
He struck Droṇa with seven sharp arrows, O king, and then swiftly placed Pārṣata on another chariot.
tato duryodhano rājā kaliṅgaṃ samacodayat। sainyena mahatā yuktaṃ bhāradvājasya rakṣaṇe ॥6-49-37॥
Then King Duryodhana commanded the Kalinga forces, well-equipped with a large army, to protect Bharadvaja.
tataḥ sā mahatī senā kaliṅgānāṃ janeśvara। bhīmamabhyudyayau tūrṇaṃ tava putrasya śāsanāt ॥6-49-38॥
Then, O lord of people, the great army of the Kalingas quickly advanced towards Bhima under your son's command.
pāñcālyamabhisantyajya droṇo'pi rathināṃ varaḥ। virāṭadrupadau vṛddhau yodhayāmāsa saṅgatau ॥ dhṛṣṭadyumno'pi samare dharmarājaṃ samabhyayāt ॥6-49-39॥
Drona, the best among charioteers, left the land of the Panchalas and engaged in battle with the elderly Virata and Drupada. Meanwhile, Dhrishtadyumna approached Dharmaraja on the battlefield.
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam। kaliṅgānāṃ ca samare bhīmasya ca mahātmanaḥ ॥ jagataḥ prakṣayakaraṃ ghorarūpaṃ bhayānakam ॥6-49-40॥
Then a fierce and terrifying battle began between the Kalingas and the great Bhima, which was destructive to the world and instilled fear with its dreadful form.
