06.071
Core and Pancharatra: The sixth-day battle begins with the Makara formation of the Pandava army. The Kauravs make a formidable Krauncha counter-formation.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
vihṛtya ca tato rājansahitāḥ kurupāṇḍavāḥ। vyatītāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ punaryuddhāya niryayuḥ ॥6-71-1॥
After spending the night, the Kurus and Pandavas, along with the king, prepared themselves once more for battle.
tatra śabdo mahānāsīttava teṣāṃ ca bhārata। yujyatāṃ rathamukhyānāṃ kalpyatāṃ caiva dantinām ॥6-71-2॥
There was a great noise from your side and theirs, O Bharata. Let the chief chariots be yoked and the elephants be prepared.
saṁnahyatāṁ padātīnāṁ hayānāṁ caiva bhārata। śaṅkhadundubhinādaśca tumulaḥ sarvato'bhavat ॥6-71-3॥
O Bharata, let the infantry and horses be prepared. The loud sound of conches and drums echoed all around.
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā dhṛṣṭadyumnam abhāṣata। vyūhaṃ vyūha mahābāho makaraṃ śatrutāpanam ॥6-71-4॥
King Yudhishthira then instructed Dhrishtadyumna to arrange the troops in the Makara formation, known for its effectiveness in tormenting enemies.
evamuktastu pārthena dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ। vyādideśa mahārāja rathino rathināṃ varaḥ ॥6-71-5॥
Upon being addressed by Pārtha, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the great chariot-warrior, gave orders to the charioteers, O great king, who were the best among the charioteers.
śiro'bhūddrupadastasya pāṇḍavaśca dhanañjayaḥ। cakṣuṣī sahadevaśca nakulaśca mahārathaḥ ॥ tuṇḍamāsīnmahārāja bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ ॥6-71-6॥
Drupada became the head, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) was the eyes, Sahadeva and Nakula were the great charioteers, and Bhīmasena, the mighty one, was the mouth, O great king.
saubhadro draupadeyāśca rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ। sātyakir dharmarājaśca vyūhagrīvāṃ samāsthitāḥ ॥6-71-7॥
The son of Subhadra, the sons of Draupadi, the demon Ghatotkacha, along with Satyaki and Dharmaraja, took their positions at the forefront of the battle formation.
pṛṣṭham āsīn mahārāja virāṭo vāhinīpatiḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnena sahito mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ ॥6-71-8॥
King Virata, the commander of the army, was positioned at the back, accompanied by Dhrishtadyumna and surrounded by a large army.
kekayā bhrātaraḥ pañca vāmaṃ pārśvaṃ samāśritāḥ। dhṛṣṭaketurnaravyāghraḥ karakarṣaśca vīryavān ॥ dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣamāśritya sthitā vyūhasya rakṣaṇe ॥6-71-9॥
The five Kekaya brothers positioned themselves on the left flank. Dhṛṣṭaketu, a formidable warrior, and Karakarṣa, known for his valor, took their stand on the right flank to guard the formation.
pādayostu mahārāja sthitaḥ śrīmānmahārathaḥ। kuntibhojaḥ śatānīko mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ ॥6-71-10॥
At your feet, O great king, stands the illustrious warrior Kuntibhoja and Śatānīka, both surrounded by a mighty army.
śikhaṇḍī tu maheṣvāsaḥ somakaiḥ saṃvṛto balī। irāvāṃśca tataḥ pucche makarasya vyavasthitau ॥6-71-11॥
Shikhandi, the great archer, was surrounded by the Somakas. Iravan was then stationed at the rear of the army.
evametadmahāvyūhaṃ vyūhya bhārata pāṇḍavāḥ। sūryodaye mahārāja punaryuddhāya daṃśitāḥ ॥6-71-12॥
Thus, O Bharata, the Pandavas arranged the great formation and were ready for battle again at sunrise, O great king.
kauravān abhyayus tūrṇaṃ hastyaśvarathapattibhiḥ। samucchritair dhvajaiś citraiḥ śastraiś ca vimalaiḥ śitaiḥ ॥6-71-13॥
The Kauravas advanced swiftly with their forces, banners flying high, and weapons gleaming brightly.
vyūhaṃ dṛṣṭvā tu tatsainyaṃ pitā devavratas tava। krauñcena mahatā rājanpratyavyūhata vāhinīm ॥6-71-14॥
Upon observing that army, your father Devavrata, O king, arranged his forces in the formidable Krauncha formation to counter them.
tasya tuṇḍe maheṣvāso bhāradvājo vyarocata। aśvatthāmā kṛpaścaiva cakṣurāstāṃ nareśvara ॥6-71-15॥
On his beak, the great archer Bharadvaja shone brilliantly. Ashwatthama and Kripa were indeed the eyes, O king.
kṛtavarmā tu sahitaḥ kāmbojāraṭṭabāhlikaiḥ। śirasyāsīnnaraśreṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvadhanuṣmatām ॥6-71-16॥
Kritavarma, along with the Kambojas, Arattas, and Bahlikas, was at the forefront, recognized as the best among men and the finest of all archers.
grīvāyāṃ śūrasenastu tava putraśca māriṣa। duryodhano mahārāja rājabhirbahubhirvṛtaḥ ॥6-71-17॥
O great one, your son Duryodhana, the great king, was surrounded by many kings, including Śūrasena, on the neck.
prāgjyotiṣastu sahitaḥ madrasauvīrakekayaiḥ। urasyabhūnnaraśreṣṭha mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ ॥6-71-18॥
Pragjyotisha, accompanied by the Madras, Sauviras, and Kekayas, was encircled by a formidable army, O best of men.
svasenayā ca sahitaḥ suśarmā prasthalādhipaḥ। vāmaṃ pakṣaṃ samāśritya daṃśitaḥ samavasthitaḥ ॥6-71-19॥
Susharma, the ruler of Prasthala, accompanied by his army, took position on the left wing, attacked, and stood firm.
tuṣārā yavanāścaiva śakāśca saha cūcupaiḥ। dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣamāśritya sthitā vyūhasya bhārata ॥6-71-20॥
The Tusharas, Yavanas, and Shakas, along with the Chuchupas, took position on the southern flank of the formation, O Bharata.
śrutāyuśca śatāyuśca saumadattiśca māriṣa। vyūhasya jaghane tasthū rakṣamāṇāḥ parasparam ॥6-71-21॥
Śrutāyu, Śatāyu, and Saumadatti, O great one, stood at the rear of the formation, guarding each other.
tato yuddhāya sañjagmuḥ pāṇḍavāḥ kauravaiḥ saha। sūryodaye mahārāja tato yuddhamabhūnmahat ॥6-71-22॥
Then the Pandavas and the Kauravas went to battle together. At sunrise, O great king, a great battle took place.
pratīyū rathino nāgānnāgāśca rathino yayuḥ। hayārohā hayārohānrathinaścāpi sādinaḥ ॥6-71-23॥
The charioteers moved towards the elephants, and the elephants approached the charioteers. Similarly, the horse riders moved towards each other, and the charioteers also approached the horsemen.
sārathiṃ ca rathī rājan kuñjarāṃś ca mahāraṇe। hastyārohā rathārohān rathinaś cāpi sā dinaḥ ॥6-71-24॥
O king, in the great battle, the charioteer, the warrior, the elephants, the elephant riders, the chariot riders, the warriors, and the horsemen were all present.
rathinaḥ pattibhiḥ sārdhaṃ sādināścāpi pattibhiḥ। anyonyaṃ samare rājanpratyadhāvannamarṣitāḥ ॥6-71-25॥
The charioteers, along with the infantry, and the horsemen, also with their foot soldiers, charged at each other in the battle, O king, with great anger.
bhīmasenārjunayamairguptā cānyairmahārathaiḥ। śuśubhe pāṇḍavī senā nakṣatrairiva śarvarī ॥6-71-26॥
The Pandava army, guarded by Bhimasena, Arjuna, Yama, and other great warriors, shone brightly like stars in the night.
tathā bhīṣmakṛpadroṇaśalyaduryodhanādibhiḥ। tavāpi vibabhau senā grahairdyauriva saṁvṛtā ॥6-71-27॥
In this way, your army, accompanied by Bhishma, Kripa, Drona, Shalya, Duryodhana, and others, appeared resplendent, resembling the sky adorned with planets.
bhīmasenastu kaunteyo droṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā parākramī। abhyayājjavanairaśvairbhāradvājasya vāhinīm ॥6-71-28॥
Bhimasena, the son of Kunti, upon seeing the valiant Drona, swiftly approached Bharadvaja's army with his horses.
droṇastu samare kruddho bhīmaṃ navabhirāyasaiḥ। vivyādha samare rājanmarmāṇyuddiśya vīryavān ॥6-71-29॥
In the battle, the mighty and angry Drona targeted Bhima and pierced him with nine iron arrows, aiming at his vital parts, O king.
dṛḍhāhatastato bhīmo bhāradvājasya saṃyuge। sārathiṃ preṣayāmāsa yamasya sadanaṃ prati ॥6-71-30॥
Then Bhima, with a powerful strike in the battle, sent Bharadvaja's charioteer to the abode of Yama.
sa saṅgṛhya svayaṃ vāhānbhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān। vyadhamatpāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ tūlarāśimivānalaḥ ॥6-71-31॥
Bharadvaja, the powerful warrior, personally gathered his chariots and attacked the Pandava army, scattering them like a heap of cotton consumed by fire.
te vadhyamānā droṇena bhīṣmeṇa ca narottama। sṛñjayāḥ kekayaiḥ sārdhaṃ palāyanaparābhavan ॥6-71-32॥
O best among men, the Sṛñjayas and the Kekayas, being attacked by Droṇa and Bhīṣma, were forced to retreat and were defeated.
tathaiva tāvakaṃ sainyaṃ bhīmārjunaparikṣatam। muhyate tatra tatraiva samadeva varāṅganā ॥6-71-33॥
Similarly, your army, which has been tested by Bhima and Arjuna, finds itself bewildered in various places by the equally enchanting presence of beautiful women.
abhidyetāṃ tato vyūhau tasminvīravarakṣaye। āsīdvyatikaro ghorastava teṣāṃ ca bhārata ॥6-71-34॥
Then the formations were broken through in that great destruction of the best heroes. A terrible clash ensued between your forces and theirs, O Bharata.
tad adbhutam apaśyāma tāvakānāṃ paraiḥ saha। ekāyanagatāḥ sarve yadayudhyanta bhārata ॥6-71-35॥
O Bhārata, we witnessed that astonishing event where all your men and the enemies gathered in one place and fought.
pratisaṁvārya cāstrāṇi te'nyonyasya viśāṁ pate। yuyudhuḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kauravāśca mahārathāḥ ॥6-71-36॥
The great warriors, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, engaged in battle, countering each other's weapons, O lord of the people.
