06.051
Pancharatra and Core: Late afternoon, a fight between Abhimanyu and Lakshmana; Kauravas retreat for the day, as Pandavas gain the upper hand.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
gatāparāhṇabhūyiṣṭhe tasminnahani bhārata। rathanāgāśvapattīnāṃ sādināṃ ca mahākṣaye ॥6-51-1॥
In the late afternoon of that day, O Bharata, there was a great destruction involving chariots, elephants, horses, foot soldiers, and riders.
droṇaputreṇa śalyena kṛpeṇa ca mahātmanā। samasajjata pāñcālyastribhiretairmahārathaiḥ ॥6-51-2॥
The Panchala prince was aligned in battle formation by Drona's son, Shalya, and Kripa, the great soul, along with these three great charioteers.
sa lokaviditānaśvān nijaghāna mahābalaḥ। drauṇeḥ pāñcāladāyādaḥ śitairdaśabhirāśugaiḥ ॥6-51-3॥
The mighty heir of the Panchalas, son of Drona, killed the renowned horses with ten sharp and swift arrows.
tataḥ śalyarathaṃ tūrṇam āsthāya hatavāhanaḥ। drauṇiḥ pāñcāladāyādam abhyavarṣad atheṣubhiḥ ॥6-51-4॥
Then, Drona's son, whose vehicle was destroyed, quickly mounted Shalya's chariot and showered arrows upon the heir of the Panchalas.
dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ tu saṃsaktaṃ drauṇinā dṛśya bhārata। saubhadro'bhyapatattūrṇaṃ vikiranniśitāñśarān ॥6-51-5॥
Observing Dhṛṣṭadyumna engaged in battle with Droṇa's son, Abhimanyu swiftly advanced, showering sharp arrows.
sa śalyaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā kṛpaṃ ca navabhiḥ śaraiḥ। aśvatthāmānamaṣṭābhirvivyādha puruṣarṣabha ॥6-51-6॥
The best among men pierced Śalya with twenty-five arrows, Kṛpa with nine arrows, and Aśvatthāmā with eight arrows.
ārjuniṃ tu tatas tūrṇaṃ drauṇir vivyādha patriṇā। śalyo dvādaśabhiś caiva kṛpaś ca niśitais tribhiḥ ॥6-51-7॥
Drona's son quickly attacked Arjuna with arrows, while Shalya struck with twelve and Kripa with three sharp arrows.
lakṣmaṇastava pautrastu tava pautramavasthitam। abhyavartata saṃhṛṣṭastato yuddhamavartata ॥6-51-8॥
Lakshmana, your grandson, stood there, but your grandson approached joyfully; then the battle commenced.
dauryodhanistu saṅkruddhaḥ saubhadraṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ। vivyādha samare rājaṃstadadbhutamivābhavat ॥6-51-9॥
Duryodhana, in his anger, struck Abhimanyu with nine arrows during the battle, O king, and it seemed quite astonishing.
abhimanyustu saṅkruddho bhrātaraṃ bharatarṣabha। śaraiḥ pañcāśatā rājankṣiprahasto'bhyavidhyat ॥6-51-10॥
Abhimanyu, in his fury, swiftly shot fifty arrows at his brother, demonstrating his quick-handed skill, O best of the Bharatas.
lakṣmaṇo'pi tatas tasya dhanuś ciccheda patriṇā। muṣṭideśe mahārāja tata uccukruśur janāḥ ॥6-51-11॥
Lakshmana, with his arrow, cut off his bow at the grip, O great king, and then the people cried out in astonishment.
tadvihāya dhanuśchinnaṃ saubhadraḥ paravīrahā। anyadādattavāṃścitram kārmukaṃ vegavattaram ॥6-51-12॥
The son of Subhadra, having left behind his broken bow, took up another bow that was more wonderful and powerful.
tau tatra samare hṛṣṭau kṛtapratikṛtaiṣiṇau। anyonyaṃ viśikhaistīkṣṇairjaghnatuḥ puruṣarṣabhau ॥6-51-13॥
The two warriors, joyful and eager to counteract each other, fought fiercely in the battle with sharp arrows, like bulls among men.
tato duryodhano rājā dṛṣṭvā putraṃ mahāratham। pīḍitaṃ tava pautreṇa prāyāttatra janeśvaraḥ ॥6-51-14॥
Then King Duryodhana, upon seeing his son, the great warrior, afflicted by your grandson, departed to that place, O lord of the people.
saṁnivṛtte tava sute sarva eva janādhipāḥ। ārjuniṁ rathavaṁśena samantātparyavārayan ॥6-51-15॥
As your son returned, all the kings surrounded Arjuna with their chariots from all sides.
sa taiḥ parivṛtaḥ śūraiḥ śūro yudhi sudurjayaiḥ। na sma vivyathate rājankṛṣṇatulyaparākramaḥ ॥6-51-16॥
Surrounded by mighty warriors, the hero, equal in valor to Krishna, remained unshaken in battle, O king.
saubhadramatha saṁsaktaṁ tatra dṛṣṭvā dhanañjayaḥ। abhidudrāva saṅkruddhastrātukāmaḥ svamātmajam ॥6-51-17॥
Upon seeing his son Abhimanyu engaged in battle, Arjuna, filled with anger and a desire to protect him, rushed forward.
tataḥ sarathanāgāśvā bhīṣmadroṇapurogamāḥ। abhyavartanta rājānaḥ sahitāḥ savyasācinam ॥6-51-18॥
Then the kings, led by Bhishma and Drona, advanced together with their chariots, elephants, and horses towards Arjuna.
uddhūtaṃ sahasā bhaumaṃ nāgāśvarathasādibhiḥ। divākarapathaṃ prāpya rajastīvramadṛśyata ॥6-51-19॥
The dust, suddenly raised by elephants, horses, chariots, and others, reached the sun's path and appeared intensely.
tāni nāgasahasrāṇi bhūmipālaśatāni ca। tasya bāṇapathaṃ prāpya nābhyavartanta sarvaśaḥ ॥6-51-20॥
The thousands of elephants and hundreds of kings, once they reached his path of arrows, did not return at all.
praṇeduḥ sarvabhūtāni babhūvustimirā diśaḥ। kurūṇāmanayastīvraḥ samadṛśyata dāruṇaḥ ॥6-51-21॥
All beings resounded with fear; the directions turned dark. The intense misfortune of the Kurus appeared dreadful.
nāpyantarikṣaṃ na diśo na bhūmirna ca bhāskaraḥ। prajajñe bharataśreṣṭha śarasaṅghaiḥ kirīṭinaḥ ॥6-51-22॥
O best of the Bharatas, neither the sky, nor the directions, nor the earth, nor even the sun was visible because of the multitude of arrows shot by the crowned warrior.
sāditadhvajanāgāstu hatāśvā rathino bhṛśam। vipradrutarathāḥ keciddṛśyante rathayūthapāḥ ॥6-51-23॥
The elephants with their flags struck down and the charioteers with their horses killed are seen in great numbers. Some of the chariot leaders are seen fleeing.
virathā rathinaścānye dhāvamānāḥ samantataḥ। tatra tatraiva dṛśyante sāyudhāḥ sāṅgadairbhujaiḥ ॥6-51-24॥
Other charioteers, without their chariots, are seen running all around there, indeed, armed with weapons and clubs in their hands.
hayārohā hayāṁstyaktvā gajārohāśca dantinaḥ। arjunasya bhayādrājansamantādvipradudruvuḥ ॥6-51-25॥
The horsemen left their horses, and the elephant riders left their elephants, fleeing in all directions out of fear of Arjuna, O king.
rathebhyaśca gajebhyaśca hayebhyaśca narādhipāḥ। patitāḥ pātyamānāśca dṛśyante'rjunatāḍitāḥ ॥6-51-26॥
The kings are seen falling from their chariots, elephants, and horses, struck down by Arjuna's attack.
sagadānudyatānbāhūnsakhaḍgāṃśca viśāṃ pate। saprāsāṃśca satūṇīrānsasarānsasarāsanān ॥6-51-27॥
O lord of men, warriors stood with their arms raised, equipped with maces, swords, spears, quivers, arrows, and bows.
sāṅkuśānsapatākāṃśca tatra tatrārjuno nṛṇām। nicakarta śarairugrai raudraṃ bibhradvapustadā ॥6-51-28॥
Arjuna, in his fierce form, moved through the battlefield, cutting down men equipped with hooks and banners with his deadly arrows.
parighāṇāṃ pravṛddhānāṃ mudgarāṇāṃ ca māriṣa। prāsānāṃ bhiṇḍipālānāṃ nistriṃśānāṃ ca saṃyuge ॥6-51-29॥
O prince, in battle, there are iron clubs that have grown, hammers, spears, clubs, and swords.
paraśvadhānāṃ tīkṣṇānāṃ tomarāṇāṃ ca bhārata। varmaṇāṃ cāpaviddhānāṃ kavacānāṃ ca bhūtale ॥6-51-30॥
O Bharata, sharp axes, spears, and armors pierced by arrows, along with coats of mail, lay scattered on the ground.
dhvajānāṃ carmaṇāṃ caiva vyajanānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ। chatrāṇāṃ hemadaṇḍānāṃ cāmarāṇāṃ ca bhārata ॥6-51-31॥
O Bharata, there were flags, skins, and fans everywhere; umbrellas with golden handles and chowries were also present.
pratodānāṃ kaśānāṃ ca yoktrāṇāṃ caiva māriṣa। rāśayaścātra dṛśyante vinikīrṇā raṇakṣitau ॥6-51-32॥
O venerable one, you can see heaps of goads, whips, and reins scattered all over the battlefield.
nāsīttatra pumānkaścittava sainyasya bhārata। yo'rjunaṃ samare śūraṃ pratyudyāyātkathaṃcana ॥6-51-33॥
O Bhārata, there was no one in your army who could stand against the heroic Arjuna in battle.
yo yo hi samare pārthaṃ patyudyāti viśāṃ pate। sa sa vai viśikhaistīkṣṇaiḥ paralokāya nīyate ॥6-51-34॥
Whoever dares to confront Arjuna in battle, O lord of men, is inevitably taken to the afterlife by sharp arrows.
teṣu vidravamāṇeṣu tava yodheṣu sarvaśaḥ। arjuno vāsudevaśca dadhmaturvārijottamau ॥6-51-35॥
As all your warriors were fleeing, Arjuna and Vasudeva blew their conches, the best among them.
tatprabhagnaṁ balaṁ dṛṣṭvā pitā devavratas tava। abravīt samare śūraṁ bhāradvājaṁ smayann iva ॥6-51-36॥
Seeing your army shattered, your father Devavrata, with a smile, addressed the valiant Bharadvaja in the battlefield.
eṣa pāṇḍusuto vīraḥ kṛṣṇena sahito balī। tathā karoti sainyāni yathā kuryād dhanañjayaḥ ॥6-51-37॥
This valiant son of Pandu, along with Krishna, organizes the forces just as Arjuna would.
na hyeṣa samare śakyo jetumadya kathañcana। yathāsya dṛśyate rūpaṃ kālāntakayamopamam ॥6-51-38॥
It is impossible to defeat him in battle today, as he appears like Yama, the god of death at the end of time.
na nivartayituṃ cāpi śakyeyaṃ mahatī camūḥ। anyonyaprekṣayā paśya dravatīyaṃ varūthinī ॥6-51-39॥
This great army cannot be turned back; see how this troop is fleeing in confusion by looking at each other.
eṣa cāstaṃ giriśreṣṭhaṃ bhānumānpratipadyate। vapūṃṣi sarvalokasya saṃharanniva sarvathā ॥6-51-40॥
The sun sets behind the best of mountains, appearing to withdraw all forms of the worlds completely.
tatrāvahāraṃ samprāptaṃ manye'haṃ puruṣarṣabha। śrāntā bhītāśca no yodhā na yotsyanti kathaṃcana ॥6-51-41॥
I believe, O best of men, that the withdrawal has occurred there. Our warriors, being tired and frightened, will not engage in battle in any way.
evamuktvā tato bhīṣmo droṇamācāryasattamam। avahāramatho cakre tāvakānāṃ mahārathaḥ ॥6-51-42॥
After speaking thus, Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior, instructed Drona, the best of teachers, to retreat on your side.
tato'vahāraḥ sainyānāṃ tava teṣāṃ ca bhārata। astaṃ gacchati sūrye'bhūtsandhyākāle ca vartati ॥6-51-43॥
Then, O Bharata, as the sun set and twilight descended, the withdrawal of both your and their armies took place.
