06.065
Core and Pancharatra: On the fifth day, Bhishma arranged the army in crocodile formation, seeing Pandavas in an unconquerable eagle formation.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
vyuṣitāyāṃ ca śarvaryāmudite ca divākare। ubhe sene mahārāja yuddhāyaiva samīyatuḥ ॥6-65-1॥
At dawn, as the sun rose, both armies gathered for battle, O great king.
abhyadhāvaṃśca saṅkruddhāḥ parasparajigīṣavaḥ। te sarve sahitā yuddhe samālokya parasparam ॥6-65-2॥
They all, filled with anger and desire to conquer one another, rushed together into battle, seeing each other.
pāṇḍavā dhārtarāṣṭrāśca rājandurmantrite tava। vyūhau ca vyūhya saṃrabdhāḥ samprayuddhāḥ prahāriṇaḥ ॥6-65-3॥
O King, both the Pandavas and the sons of Dhritarashtra, following your ill-advised counsel, arranged their battle formations and, filled with excitement, engaged in combat, striking fiercely.
arakṣanmakaravyūhaṃ bhīṣmo rājansamantataḥ। tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājanarakṣanvyūhamātmanaḥ ॥6-65-4॥
Bhishma, O king, arranged the crocodile formation with protection on all sides. Similarly, the Pandavas, O king, protected their own formation.
sa niryayau rathānīkaṃ pitā devavratas tava। mahatā rathavaṃśena saṃvṛto rathināṃ varaḥ ॥6-65-5॥
Your father, Devavrata, set out with the chariot army, surrounded by the finest charioteers, being the best among them.
itaretaramanvīyuryathābhāgamavasthitāḥ। rathinaḥ pattayaścaiva dantinaḥ sādinastathā ॥6-65-6॥
The charioteers, infantry, elephants, and horsemen were arranged in their respective divisions, following one another in an orderly manner.
tāndṛṣṭvā prodyatānsaṅkhye pāṇḍavāśca yaśasvinaḥ। śyenena vyūharājena tenājayena saṃyuge ॥6-65-7॥
Upon seeing the glorious Pandavas rising in the battle, arranged in the unconquerable eagle formation, they were prepared for the fight.
aśobhata mukhe tasya bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ। netre śikhaṇḍī durdharṣo dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pārṣataḥ ॥6-65-8॥
In his face shone the mighty Bhimasena; in his eyes, the invincible Shikhandi; and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, was present.
śīrṣaṃ tasyābhavadvīraḥ sātyakiḥ satyavikramaḥ। vidhunvangāṇḍivaṃ pārtho grīvāyāmabhavattadā ॥6-65-9॥
The heroic Satyaki, known for his true valor, stood at the head, while Arjuna, wielding the Gandiva bow, was positioned at the neck at that time.
akṣauhiṇyā samagrā yā vāmapakṣo'bhavattadā। mahātmā drupadaḥ śrīmānsaha putreṇa saṃyuge ॥6-65-10॥
The entire army on the left side was led by the noble Drupada, who, along with his son, engaged in the battle.
dakṣiṇaścābhavatpakṣaḥ kaikeyokṣauhiṇīpatiḥ। pṛṣṭhato draupadeyāśca saubhadraścāpi vīryavān ॥6-65-11॥
The southern side was led by the Kaikeya, the commander of the army. Behind them were the sons of Draupadi and the brave son of Subhadra.
pṛṣṭhe samabhavacchrīmānsvayaṃ rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। bhrātṛbhyāṃ sahito dhīmānyamābhyāṃ cāruvikramaḥ ॥6-65-12॥
King Yudhishthira himself appeared behind, accompanied by his wise brothers and the valorous twins.
praviśya tu raṇe bhīmo makaraṃ mukhatastadā। bhīṣmamāsādya saṅgrāme chādayāmāsa sāyakaiḥ ॥6-65-13॥
Bhima entered the battlefield and, like a crocodile attacking from the front, approached Bhishma and showered him with arrows.
tato bhīṣmo mahāstrāṇi pātayāmāsa bhārata। mohayan pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ vyūḍhaṃ sainyaṃ mahāhave ॥6-65-14॥
Then Bhishma, in the great battle, discharged mighty weapons, confusing the well-arranged army of the Pandavas, O Bharata.
saṁmuhyati tadā sainye tvaramāṇo dhanañjayaḥ। bhīṣmaṁ śarasahasreṇa vivyādha raṇamūrdhani ॥6-65-15॥
Then, as the army was confused, the hastening Arjuna pierced Bhishma with thousands of arrows at the forefront of the battle.
parisaṁvārya cāstrāṇi bhīṣmamuktāni saṁyuge। svenānīkena hṛṣṭena yuddhāya samavasthitaḥ ॥6-65-16॥
After successfully defending against the weapons launched by Bhishma in the battle, he confidently positioned himself with his enthusiastic army, ready to fight.
tato duryodhano rājā bhāradvājamabhāṣata। pūrvaṃ dṛṣṭvā vadhaṃ ghoraṃ balasya balināṃ varaḥ ॥ bhrātṝṇāṃ ca vadhaṃ yuddhe smaramāṇo mahārathaḥ ॥6-65-17॥
Then King Duryodhana addressed Bharadvaja, recalling the terrible slaughter of the army and the brothers in battle, as he was the best among the strong and a great chariot warrior.
ācārya satataṁ tvaṁ hi hitakāmo mamānagha। vayaṁ hi tvāṁ samāśritya bhīṣmaṁ caiva pitāmaham ॥6-65-18॥
O teacher, you are always my well-wisher, sinless one. We have relied upon you and grandfather Bhishma.
devān api raṇe jetuṃ prārthayāmo na saṃśayaḥ। kimu pāṇḍusutān yuddhe hīnavīryaparākramān ॥6-65-19॥
We have no doubt in our desire to conquer even the gods in battle. What then of the sons of Pandu, who are deficient in strength and valor in battle?
evamuktastato droṇastava putreṇa māriṣa। abhinatpāṇḍavānīkaṃ prekṣamāṇasya sātyakeḥ ॥6-65-20॥
Upon being addressed in this manner, Droṇa, your son, O sir, attacked the Pāṇḍava army while Sātyaki was watching.
sātyakistu tadā droṇaṃ vārayāmāsa bhārata। tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam ॥6-65-21॥
Satyaki then stopped Drona, O Bharata, and a fierce and terrifying battle ensued.
śaineyaṃ tu raṇe kruddho bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān। avidhyanniśitairbāṇairjatrudeśe hasanniva ॥6-65-22॥
In the battle, the mighty and angry son of Bharadvāja pierced the son of Śini in the collar region with sharp arrows, seemingly with a smile.
bhīmasenastataḥ kruddho bhāradvājamavidhyat। saṁrakṣansātyakiṁ rājandroṇācchastrabhr̥tāṁ varāt ॥6-65-23॥
Then, in his anger, Bhimasena pierced Bharadvaja to protect Satyaki, O king, from Drona, the best among the wielders of weapons.
tato droṇaśca bhīṣmaśca tathā śalyaśca māriṣa। bhīmasenaṃ raṇe kruddhāśchādayāṃ cakrire śaraiḥ ॥6-65-24॥
Then Droṇa, Bhīṣma, and Śalya, in their anger, showered Bhīmasena with arrows on the battlefield, O great one.
tatrābhimanyuḥ saṅkruddho draupadeyāśca māriṣa। vivyadhurniśitairbāṇaiḥ sarvāṃstānudyatāyudhān ॥6-65-25॥
In that place, Abhimanyu and the sons of Draupadi, being angry, O lord, attacked all those with raised weapons with their sharp arrows.
bhīṣmadroṇau ca saṅkruddhāvāpatantau mahābalau। pratyudyayau śikhaṇḍī tu maheṣvāso mahāhave ॥6-65-26॥
In the great battle, the mighty and enraged Bhishma and Drona were attacking, but Shikhandi, the great archer, advanced to confront them.
pragṛhya balavadvīro dhanurjaladanisvanam। abhyavarṣaccharaiḥ tūrṇaṃ chādayāno divākaram ॥6-65-27॥
The hero, seizing his mighty bow, made a thunderous sound like a cloud and swiftly released arrows, obscuring the sun.
śikhaṇḍinaṃ samāsādya bharatānāṃ pitāmahaḥ। avarjayata saṅgrāme strītvam tasyānusaṃsmaran ॥6-65-28॥
Upon approaching Shikhandi, the grandfather of the Bharatas refrained from fighting, recalling Shikhandi's past as a woman.
tato droṇo mahārāja abhyadravata taṃ raṇe। rakṣamāṇastato bhīṣmaṃ tava putreṇa coditaḥ ॥6-65-29॥
Then Droṇa, urged by your son, attacked in the battle to protect Bhīṣma, O great king.
śikhaṇḍī tu samāsādya droṇaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ varam। avarjayata saṅgrāme yugāntāgnimivolbaṇam ॥6-65-30॥
Shikhandi approached Drona, the greatest among warriors, and engaged him in battle with the intensity of a cataclysmic fire.
tato balena mahatā putrastava viśāṃ pate। jugopa bhīṣmamāsādya prārthayāno mahadyaśaḥ ॥6-65-31॥
Then, your son, with great strength, approached and protected Bhishma, seeking great fame, O lord of the people.
tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājanpuraskṛtya dhanañjayam। bhīṣmamevābhyavartanta jaye kṛtvā dṛḍhāṃ matim ॥6-65-32॥
In the same manner, O king, the Pandavas, led by Dhananjaya (Arjuna), moved towards Bhishma with a strong determination to win.
tadyuddhamabhavadghoraṃ devānāṃ dānavairiva। jayaṃ ca kāṅkṣatāṃ nityaṃ yaśaśca paramādbhutam ॥6-65-33॥
The battle was fierce, akin to the eternal struggle between gods and demons, with both sides perpetually seeking victory and unparalleled glory.
