06.054
Core and Pancharatra: Bhima smashes Duryodhana, causing him to collapse in the chariot. Along with his charioteer, the Kaurava army retreats. Gaining consciousness, Duryodhana rebukes Bhishma for his weak leadership.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
tataste pārthivāḥ kruddhāḥ phalgunaṃ vīkṣya saṃyuge। rathairanekasāhasraiḥ samantātparyavārayan ॥6-54-1॥
Then, the enraged kings, upon seeing Arjuna in the battle, surrounded him from all sides with their numerous thousands of chariots.
athainaṁ rathavṛndena koṣṭakīkṛtya bhārata। śaraiḥ subahusāhasraiḥ samantādabhyavārayan ॥6-54-2॥
Then, O Bharata, they surrounded him with a group of chariots and attacked from all sides with countless arrows.
śaktīśca vimalāstīkṣṇā gadāśca parighaiḥ saha। prāsānparaśvadhāṃścaiva mudgarānmusalānapi ॥ cikṣipuḥ samare kruddhāḥ phalgunasya rathaṃ prati ॥6-54-3॥
In the battle, the warriors, in their anger, hurled spears, bright and sharp maces, along with clubs, javelins, battle-axes, hammers, and clubs towards Arjuna's chariot.
śastrāṇām atha tāṃ vṛṣṭiṃ śalabhānām ivāyatim। rurodha sarvataḥ pārthaḥ śaraiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ ॥6-54-4॥
Arjuna, with his golden-ornamented arrows, blocked the entire shower of weapons that was coming from all directions, resembling a swarm of locusts.
tatra tallāghavaṃ dṛṣṭvā bībhatsoratimānuṣam। devadānavagandharvāḥ piśācoragarākṣasāḥ ॥ sādhu sādhviti rājendra phalgunaṃ pratyapūjayan ॥6-54-5॥
Upon witnessing the extraordinary agility of Arjuna, which was beyond human capability, the gods, demons, celestial musicians, goblins, serpents, and ogres praised Arjuna, exclaiming "Well done, well done," O king.
sātyakiṃ cābhimanyuṃ ca mahatyā senayā saha। gāndhārāḥ samare śūrā rurudhuḥ sahasaubalāḥ ॥6-54-6॥
Satyaki and Abhimanyu, along with a great army, were heroically blocked in battle by the Gandharas with Saubala.
tatra saubalakāḥ kruddhā vārṣṇeyasya rathottamam। tilaśaścicchiduḥ krodhācchastrairnānāvidhairyudhi ॥6-54-7॥
In that battle, the enraged sons of Subala attacked and shattered the finest chariot of the Vṛṣṇi prince into pieces using a variety of weapons.
sātyakistu rathaṃ tyaktvā vartamāne mahābhaye। abhimanyo rathaṃ tūrṇamāruroha parantapaḥ ॥6-54-8॥
In the midst of the great danger, Satyaki left his chariot and quickly climbed onto Abhimanyu's chariot, O scorcher of foes.
tāvekarathasaṁyuktau saubaleyasya vāhinīm। vyadhametāṁ śitaistūrṇaṁ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ ॥6-54-9॥
The two warriors, united in a single chariot, swiftly attacked the army of Saubala's son with their sharp, well-crafted arrows.
droṇabhīṣmau raṇe yattau dharmarājasya vāhinīm। nāśayetāṃ śaraistīkṣṇaiḥ kaṅkapatraparicchadaiḥ ॥6-54-10॥
In the battle, Drona and Bhishma fiercely attacked and decimated the army of Dharmaraja using sharp arrows adorned with vulture feathers.
tato dharmasuto rājā mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau। miṣatāṃ sarvasainyānāṃ droṇānīkamupādravan ॥6-54-11॥
Then, King Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, along with the sons of Madri, the Pandavas, launched an attack on Drona's military formation while all the armies watched.
tatrāsītsumahadyuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam। yathā devāsuraṃ yuddhaṃ pūrvamāsītsudāruṇam ॥6-54-12॥
There was a fierce and terrifying battle, reminiscent of the ancient and dreadful battles between the gods and demons.
kurvāṇau tu mahatkarma bhīmasenaghaṭotkacau। duryodhanastato'bhyetya tāvubhāvabhyavārayat ॥6-54-13॥
While Bhimasena and Ghatotkacha were engaged in great deeds, Duryodhana approached and halted them both.
tatrādbhutamapaśyāma haiḍimbasya parākramam। atītya pitaraṃ yuddhe yadayudhyata bhārata ॥6-54-14॥
There, O Bharata, we witnessed the extraordinary valor of Hidimba, who surpassed his father in battle.
bhīmasenastu saṅkruddho duryodhanamamarṣaṇam। hṛdyavidhyatpṛṣatkena prahasanniva pāṇḍavaḥ ॥6-54-15॥
Bhimasena, in his fury, struck Duryodhana in the heart with an arrow, smiling as if mocking him.
tato duryodhano rājā prahāravaramohitaḥ। niṣasāda rathopasthe kaśmalaṃ ca jagāma ha ॥6-54-16॥
Then King Duryodhana, struck by a powerful blow, sat down on his chariot seat, overwhelmed by distress.
taṁ visañjñamatho jñātvā tvaramāṇo'sya sārathiḥ। apovāha raṇādrājaṁstataḥ sainyamabhidyata ॥6-54-17॥
Seeing him unconscious, his charioteer quickly took him away from the battlefield, O king, and then the army was shattered.
tatastāṃ kauravīṃ senāṃ dravamāṇāṃ samantataḥ। nighnanbhīmaḥ śaraistīkṣṇairanuvavrāja pṛṣṭhataḥ ॥6-54-18॥
Then Bhima pursued the fleeing Kaurava army from all sides, striking them with his sharp arrows from behind.
pārṣataśca rathaśreṣṭho dharmaputraśca pāṇḍavaḥ। droṇasya paśyataḥ sainyaṃ gāṅgeyasya ca paśyataḥ ॥ jaghnaturviśikhaistīkṣṇaiḥ parānīkaviśātanaiḥ ॥6-54-19॥
The son of Prishata, the best of charioteers, and the Pandava, son of Dharma, attacked the enemy forces with sharp arrows while being observed by Drona and Bhishma.
dravamāṇaṃ tu tatsainyaṃ tava putrasya saṃyuge। nāśaknutāṃ vārayituṃ bhīṣmadroṇau mahārathau ॥6-54-20॥
In the battle, Bhishma and Drona, despite being great warriors, could not hold back the fleeing army of your son.
vāryamāṇaṃ hi bhīṣmeṇa droṇena ca viśāṃ pate। vidravatyeva tatsainyaṃ paśyatordroṇabhīṣmayoḥ ॥6-54-21॥
O lord of the people, despite Bhishma and Drona's efforts to restrain it, the army is fleeing right before their eyes.
tato rathasahasreṣu vidravatsu tatastataḥ। tāvāsthitāvekarathaṃ saubhadraśinipuṅgavau ॥ saubalīṃ samare senāṃ śātayetāṃ samantataḥ ॥6-54-22॥
In the midst of the chaos, as thousands of chariots fled in all directions, the valiant duo, the son of Subhadra and the foremost of the Shinis, stood firm on a single chariot and annihilated the Saubala army entirely in the battle.
śuśubhāte tadā tau tu śaineyakurupuṅgavau। amāvāsyāṃ gatau yadvatsomasūryau nabhastale ॥6-54-23॥
Then, the two illustrious warriors from the Śaineya and Kuru clans stood out brilliantly, akin to the moon and the sun gracing the sky during the new moon night.
arjunastu tataḥ kruddhastava sainyaṃ viśāṃ pate। vavarṣa śaravarṣeṇa dhārābhiriva toyadaḥ ॥6-54-24॥
Arjuna, in his anger, then showered your army, O lord of the people, with a torrent of arrows, much like a cloud pours down rain.
vadhyamānaṃ tatastattu śaraiḥ pārthasya saṃyuge। dudrāva kauravaṃ sainyaṃ viṣādabhayakampitam ॥6-54-25॥
The Kaurava army, struck by Arjuna's arrows in the battle, was overwhelmed with despair and fear and began to flee.
dravatastānsamālokya bhīṣmadroṇau mahārathau। nyavārayetāṃ saṃrabdhau duryodhanahitaiṣiṇau ॥6-54-26॥
Upon seeing them fleeing, Bhishma and Drona, the mighty warriors, eagerly restrained them, as they were the well-wishers of Duryodhana.
tato duryodhano rājā samāśvasya viśāṃ pate। nyavartayata tatsainyaṃ dravamāṇaṃ samantataḥ ॥6-54-27॥
Then King Duryodhana, having reassured his troops, O lord of the people, halted his army that was fleeing in all directions.
yatra yatra sutaṃ tubhyaṃ yo yaḥ paśyati bhārata। tatra tatra nyavartanta kṣatriyāṇāṃ mahārathāḥ ॥6-54-28॥
O Bharata, wherever your son was seen, the great warriors among the Kshatriyas retreated.
tānnivṛttānsamīkṣyaiva tato'nye'pītare janāḥ। anyonyaspardhayā rājaṁllajjayānye'vatasthire ॥6-54-29॥
Seeing them return, other people, driven by mutual competition and shame, also stood, O king.
punarāvartatāṃ teṣāṃ vega āsīdviśāṃ pate। pūryataḥ sāgarasyeva candrasyodayanaṃ prati ॥6-54-30॥
Their speed was returning, O lord of the people, like the moon rising from the ocean's fullness.
saṁnivṛttāṁs-tatas-tāṁs-tu dṛṣṭvā rājā suyodhanaḥ। abravīt-tvarito gatvā bhīṣmaṁ śāṁtanavaṁ vacaḥ ॥6-54-31॥
Upon seeing them return, King Suyodhana promptly approached Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, and spoke to him.
pitāmaha nibodhedaṃ yattvā vakṣyāmi bhārata। nānurūpamahaṃ manye tvayi jīvati kaurava ॥6-54-32॥
O grandfather, please listen to what I am about to tell you, O Bharata. I believe it is not appropriate for you, O Kaurava, while you are alive.
droṇe cāstravidāṃ śreṣṭhe saputre sasuhṛjjane। kṛpe caiva maheṣvāse dravatīyaṃ varūthinī ॥6-54-33॥
The army, led by Drona, the best among the skilled in weapons, along with his son and friends, and Kripa, the great archer, is in retreat.
na pāṇḍavāḥ pratibalāstava rājan kathaṃcana। tathā droṇasya saṅgrāme drauṇeścaiva kṛpasya ca ॥6-54-34॥
The Pandavas are not your equals in strength, O king, in any way. Similarly, in the battle, neither Drona, his son, nor Kripa can match you.
anugrāhyāḥ pāṇḍusutā nūnaṃ tava pitāmaha। yathemāṃ kṣamase vīra vadhyamānāṃ varūthinīm ॥6-54-35॥
O grandfather, the sons of Pandu are truly deserving of your favor, as you, O hero, endure the destruction of this army.
so'smi vācyastvayā rājanpūrvameva samāgame। na yotsye pāṇḍavānsaṅkhye nāpi pārṣatasātyakī ॥6-54-36॥
O king, you should inform him beforehand at the meeting that I will not engage in battle with the Pandavas, nor with the son of Prishata, nor with Satyaki.
śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tubhyamācāryasya kṛpasya ca। karṇena sahitaḥ kṛtyaṃ cintayānastadaiva hi ॥6-54-37॥
Upon hearing the words addressed to you by the teacher and Kṛpa, accompanied by Karṇa, he was contemplating his duty at that very moment.
yadi nāhaṃ parityājyo yuvābhyāmiha saṃyuge। vikrameṇānurūpeṇa yudhyetāṃ puruṣarṣabhau ॥6-54-38॥
If I am not to be abandoned by you both here in battle, then you, O best among men, should fight with appropriate prowess.
etacchrutvā vaco bhīṣmaḥ prahasanvai muhurmuhuḥ। abravīttanayaṃ tubhyaṃ krodhādudvṛtya cakṣuṣī ॥6-54-39॥
Upon hearing these words, Bhishma, with a repeated smile, addressed you, his son, with eyes rolling in anger.
bahuśo hi mayā rājan tathyaṁ uktaṁ hitaṁ vacaḥ। ajeyāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ yuddhe devair api savāsavaiḥ ॥6-54-40॥
O king, I have repeatedly told you the truth that the Pandavas are unbeatable in battle, even by the gods along with Indra.
yattu śakyaṃ mayā kartuṃ vṛddhenādya nṛpottama। kariṣyāmi yathāśakti prekṣedānīṃ sabāndhavaḥ ॥6-54-41॥
O best of kings, I will do what is possible for me today, as per my ability, under the guidance of the elder. Let him now witness this along with his relatives.
adya pāṇḍusutānsarvānsasainyānsaha bandhubhiḥ। miṣato vārayiṣyāmi sarvalokasya paśyataḥ ॥6-54-42॥
Today, I will halt all the sons of Pandu along with their armies and relatives, as the entire world looks on.
evamukte tu bhīṣmeṇa putrāstava janeśvara। dadhmuḥ śaṅkhānmudā yuktā bherīśca jaghnire bhṛśam ॥6-54-43॥
Upon Bhishma's words, your sons, O king, joyfully blew their conches and beat the drums loudly.
pāṇḍavāpi tato rājañśrutvā taṃ ninadaṃ mahat। dadhmuḥ śaṅkhāṃśca bherīśca murajāṃśca vyanādayan ॥6-54-44॥
Then, O king, the Pandavas, upon hearing that great sound, blew their conches, and the sound of drums and kettledrums filled the air.
