06.056
Core and Pancharatra: The fourth day of battle begins with the same formation as the previous day. Bhishma is in no mood to relent, having been rebuked the previous day by Duryodhana. Arjuna comes face-to-face with him.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
व्युष्टां निशां भारत भारताना; मनीकिनीनां प्रमुखे महात्मा। ययौ सपत्नान्प्रति जातकोपो; वृतः समग्रेण बलेन भीष्मः ॥६-५६-१॥
As the night turned to dawn, O Bharata, the noble Bhishma, filled with anger, advanced towards the enemies, leading the entire army at the forefront of the Bharata forces.
तं द्रोणदुर्योधनबाह्लिकाश्च; तथैव दुर्मर्षणचित्रसेनौ। जयद्रथश्चातिबलो बलौघै; र्नृपास्तथान्येऽनुययुः समन्तात् ॥६-५६-२॥
Droṇa, Duryodhana, Bāhlika, and other kings, along with Durmarṣaṇa, Citrasena, Jayadratha, and Atibala, all followed him with great strength from all sides.
स तैर्महद्भिश्च महारथै; श्च तेजस्विभिर्वीर्यवद्भिश्च राजन्। रराज राजोत्तम राजमुख्यै; र्वृतः स देवैरिव वज्रपाणिः ॥६-५६-३॥
He, surrounded by those great and brilliant charioteers and powerful ones, O king, shone like Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, amidst the chief of kings and gods.
तस्मिन्ननीकप्रमुखे विषक्ता; दोधूयमानाश्च महापताकाः। सुरक्तपीतासितपाण्डुराभा; महागजस्कन्धगता विरेजुः ॥६-५६-४॥
In the forefront of the army, great flags of bright red, yellow, black, and white colors were waving, mounted on the backs of great elephants, creating a splendid sight.
सा वाहिनी शान्तनवेन राज्ञा; महारथैर्वारणवाजिभिश्च। बभौ सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुकल्पा; जलागमे द्यौरिव जातमेघा ॥६-५६-५॥
The army led by King Śāntanu, accompanied by great chariots, elephants, and horses, appeared majestic like the sky filled with lightning and thunder during the rainy season, with clouds forming.
ततो रणायाभिमुखी प्रयाता; प्रत्यर्जुनं शान्तनवाभिगुप्ता। सेना महोग्रा सहसा कुरूणां; वेगो यथा भीम इवापगायाः ॥६-५६-६॥
Then, the fierce army of the Kurus, protected by Bhishma, advanced towards Arjuna with great speed, like the swift current of a river.
तं व्यालनानाविधगूढसारं; गजाश्वपादातरथौघपक्षम्। व्यूहं महामेघसमं महात्मा; ददर्श दूरात्कपिराजकेतुः ॥६-५६-७॥
The great-souled monkey king saw from afar the formation, which was like a great cloud, its essence hidden by various kinds of serpents and having wings of elephants, horses, infantry, and chariots.
स निर्ययौ केतुमता रथेन; नरर्षभः श्वेतहयेन वीरः। वरूथिना सैन्यमुखे महात्मा; वधे धृतः सर्वसपत्नयूनाम् ॥६-५६-८॥
The great hero, a bull among men, departed with a banner on his chariot drawn by white horses. Leading his army, he was resolute in his mission to defeat all his rivals.
सूपस्करं सोत्तरबन्धुरेषं; यत्तं यदूनामृषभेण सङ्ख्ये। कपिध्वजं प्रेक्ष्य विषेदुराजौ; सहैव पुत्रैस्तव कौरवेयाः ॥६-५६-९॥
Seeing the well-equipped chariot with its upper attachment, controlled by the bull of the Yadus in battle, the Kauravas, along with their sons, became despondent upon seeing the monkey-bannered chariot in the field.
प्रकर्षता गुप्तमुदायुधेन; किरीटिना लोकमहारथेन। तं व्यूहराजं ददृशुस्त्वदीया; श्चतुश्चतुर्व्यालसहस्रकीर्णम् ॥६-५६-१०॥
Your people saw the king of formations, adorned by the crowned one with a hidden weapon, and spread with thousands of fourfold serpents, as the great chariot of the world.
यथा हि पूर्वेऽहनि धर्मराज्ञा; व्यूहः कृतः कौरवनन्दनेन। तथा तथोद्देशमुपेत्य तस्थुः; पाञ्चालमुख्यैः सह चेदिमुख्याः ॥६-५६-११॥
On the previous day, King Yudhishthira had arranged the formation with the joy of the Kauravas. Similarly, they stood at the same place with the leaders of the Panchalas and the Chedis.
ततो महावेगसमाहतानि; भेरीसहस्राणि विनेदुराजौ। शङ्खस्वना दुन्दुभिनिस्वनाश्च; सर्वेष्वनीकेषु ससिंहनादाः ॥६-५६-१२॥
Then, with great speed, thousands of drums resounded in the battle, accompanied by the sounds of conches and kettledrums, along with lion-like roars in all the armies.
ततः सबाणानि महास्वनानि; विस्फार्यमाणानि धनूंषि वीरैः। क्षणेन भेरीपणवप्रणादा; नन्तर्दधुः शङ्खमहास्वनाश्च ॥६-५६-१३॥
Then, the heroes stretched their bows with arrows, creating a great sound; in a moment, the sounds of drums and cymbals disappeared, along with the great sounds of conches.
तच्छङ्खशब्दावृतमन्तरिक्ष; मुद्धूतभौमद्रुतरेणुजालम्। महावितानावततप्रकाश; मालोक्य वीराः सहसाभिपेतुः ॥६-५६-१४॥
The sky was filled with the sound of conches, and the air was thick with a net of swiftly rising dust. Seeing the great canopy of light spread out, the heroes charged forward with sudden determination.
रथी रथेनाभिहतः ससूतः; पपात साश्वः सरथः सकेतुः। गजो गजेनाभिहतः पपात; पदातिना चाभिहतः पदातिः ॥६-५६-१५॥
The charioteer, along with his driver, horses, chariot, and banner, was struck by another chariot and fell. Similarly, the elephant was struck by another elephant and fell, and the foot-soldier was struck by another foot-soldier and fell.
आवर्तमानान्यभिवर्तमानै; र्बाणैः क्षतान्यद्भुतदर्शनानि। प्रासैश्च खड्गैश्च समाहतानि; सदश्ववृन्दानि सदश्ववृन्दैः ॥६-५६-१६॥
The scene was filled with revolving and advancing groups of horses, wounded by arrows and struck by spears and swords, presenting a wonderful sight.
सुवर्णतारागणभूषितानि; शरावराणि प्रहितानि वीरैः। विदार्यमाणानि परश्वधैश्च; प्रासैश्च खड्गैश्च निपेतुरुर्व्याम् ॥६-५६-१७॥
The arrows, adorned with golden stars and dispatched by heroes, were torn apart by axes, spears, and swords, and fell to the ground.
गजैर्विषाणैर्वरहस्तरुग्णाः; केचित्ससूता रथिनः प्रपेतुः। गजर्षभाश्चापि रथर्षभेण; निपेतिरे बाणहताः पृथिव्याम् ॥६-५६-१८॥
Some charioteers, broken by the best hands of elephants with tusks, fell down with their charioteers. The elephant chiefs also fell down on the ground, struck by arrows from the chief of chariots.
गजौघवेगोद्धतसादितानां; श्रुत्वा निषेदुर्वसुधां मनुष्याः। आर्तस्वरं सादिपदातियूनां; विषाणगात्रावरताडितानाम् ॥६-५६-१९॥
The humans, upon hearing the cries of the young soldiers who were struck by the elephants, sat down on the ground in distress.
सम्भ्रान्तनागाश्वरथे प्रसूते; महाभये सादिपदातियूनाम्। महारथैः सम्परिवार्यमाणं; ददर्श भीष्मः कपिराजकेतुम् ॥६-५६-२०॥
In the midst of great danger, with elephants, horses, and chariots in disarray, and surrounded by great chariots, Bhishma saw the one with the monkey banner, accompanied by young leaders and infantry.
तं पञ्चतालोच्छ्रिततालकेतुः; सदश्ववेगोद्धतवीर्ययातः। महास्त्रबाणाशनिदीप्तमार्गं; किरीटिनं शान्तनवोऽभ्यधावत् ॥६-५६-२१॥
The son of Śantanu, with a banner as high as five palm trees, and moving with the speed and energy of a fine horse, charged towards the crowned one, blazing a path with arrows like thunderbolts.
तथैव शक्रप्रतिमानकल्प; मिन्द्रात्मजं द्रोणमुखाभिसस्रुः। कृपश्च शल्यश्च विविंशतिश्च; दुर्योधनः सौमदत्तिश्च राजन् ॥६-५६-२२॥
In the same manner, like Indra, the son of Indra, led by Drona, approached; along with Kripa, Shalya, Vivinshati, Duryodhana, and Saumadatti, O King.
ततो रथानीकमुखादुपेत्य; सर्वास्त्रवित्काञ्चनचित्रवर्मा। जवेन शूरोऽभिससार सर्वां; स्तथार्जुनस्यात्र सुतोऽभिमन्युः ॥६-५६-२३॥
Then, from the front of the army, the skilled warrior with golden armor, Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, swiftly advanced towards all.
तेषां महास्त्राणि महारथाना; मसक्तकर्मा विनिहत्य कार्ष्णिः। बभौ महामन्त्रहुतार्चिमाली; सदोगतः सन्भगवानिवाग्निः ॥६-५६-२४॥
Krishna, having destroyed the great weapons of the mighty charioteers and engaged in action, shone like the blessed Lord Agni, adorned with a garland of great sacrificial flames, as he ascended to heaven.
ततः स तूर्णं रुधिरोदफेनां; कृत्वा नदीं वैशसने रिपूणाम्। जगाम सौभद्रमतीत्य भीष्मो; महारथं पार्थमदीनसत्त्वः ॥६-५६-२५॥
Then Bhishma, with undaunted spirit, quickly created a river of blood-foam in the slaughter of enemies and proceeded past Saubhadra to confront Arjuna, the great chariot-warrior.
ततः प्रहस्याद्भुतदर्शनेन; गाण्डीवनिर्ह्वादमहास्वनेन। विपाठजालेन महास्त्रजालं; विनाशयामास किरीटमाली ॥६-५६-२६॥
Then, the crowned one, smiling at the wonderful sight, destroyed the great weapon net with the roaring sound of Gandiva and the net of arrows.
तमुत्तमं सर्वधनुर्धराणा; मसक्तकर्मा कपिराजकेतुः। भीष्मं महात्माभिववर्ष तूर्णं; शरौघजालैर्विमलैश्च भल्लैः ॥६-५६-२७॥
The greatest of all archers, bearing the banner of the monkey king, swiftly showered Bhishma, the great soul, with a torrent of pure and sharp arrows.
एवंविधं कार्मुकभीमनाद; मदीनवत्सत्पुरुषोत्तमाभ्याम्। ददर्श लोकः कुरुसृञ्जयाश्च; तद्द्वैरथं भीष्मधनञ्जयाभ्याम् ॥६-५६-२८॥
The world, along with the Kurus and Srinjayas, witnessed the terrifying sound of the bow made by the intoxicated best of men, in the duel between Bhishma and Dhananjaya.
