06.079
Core and Pancharatra: Dhritarashtra asks why the Pandavas always seem to have the upper hand. Sanjaya says it is because of his defects. Encounter between Iravan and the two brothers of Avanti, Anuvinda and Vinda; between Haiḍimba and Bhagadatta; between Nakula, Sahadeva and Shalya;
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
bahūnīha vicitrāṇi dvairathāni sma sañjaya। pāṇḍūnāṃ māmakaiḥ sārdhamaśrauṣaṃ tava jalpataḥ ॥6-79-1॥
Sanjaya, I have heard from you about the many and various duels that took place here between the Pandavas and my people.
na caiva māmakaṃ kañcid dhṛṣṭaṃ śaṃsasi sañjaya। nityaṃ pāṇḍusutān hṛṣṭān abhagnāṃś caiva śaṃsasi ॥6-79-2॥
Sanjaya, you never speak of any of my warriors as bold. You always describe the sons of Pandu as joyful and undefeated.
jīyamānān vimanaso māmakān vigataujasaḥ। vadase saṃyuge sūta diṣṭam etad asaṃśayam ॥6-79-3॥
O charioteer, you mention that my people are being defeated, dispirited, and drained of energy in the battle; this is surely their fate.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
yathāśakti yathotsāhaṃ yuddhe ceṣṭanti tāvakāḥ। darśayānāḥ paraṃ śaktyā pauruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha ॥6-79-4॥
Your men, O best of men, are striving in battle with all their might and enthusiasm, demonstrating great strength and valor.
gaṅgāyāḥ suranadyā vai svādubhūtaṃ yathodakam। mahodadhiguṇābhyāsāllavaṇatvaṃ nigacchati ॥6-79-5॥
The sweet waters of the sacred river Ganga become salty due to their contact with the ocean's properties.
tathā tatpauruṣaṃ rājaṃstāvakānāṃ mahātmanām। prāpya pāṇḍusutān vīrān vyarthaṃ bhavati saṃyuge ॥6-79-6॥
Thus, O king, the valor of your great warriors becomes futile when faced with the heroic sons of Pandu in battle.
ghaṭamānānyathāśakti kurvāṇānkarma duṣkaram। na doṣeṇa kuruśreṣṭha kauravāngantumarhasi ॥6-79-7॥
O best of the Kurus, you should strive to perform difficult actions to the best of your ability, without fault, and approach the Kauravas.
tavāparādhātsumahānsaputrasya viśāṃ pate। pṛthivyāḥ prakṣayo ghorō yamarāṣṭravivardhanaḥ ॥6-79-8॥
Because of your mistake, O lord of the people, there will be a great and terrible destruction of the earth along with your son, which will increase the domain of Yama.
ātma-doṣāt-samutpannaṃ śocituṃ nārhase nṛpa। na hi rakṣanti rājānaḥ sarvārthān-nāpi jīvitam ॥6-79-9॥
O king, you should not grieve for what has arisen from your own fault. Indeed, kings do not protect all wealth, nor even life.
yuddhe sukṛtināṃ lokānicchanto vasudhādhipāḥ। camūṃ vigāhya yudhyante nityaṃ svargaparāyaṇāḥ ॥6-79-10॥
In battle, the kings of the earth, desiring the realms of the virtuous, engage in combat, always striving for heaven.
pūrvāhṇe tu mahārāja prāvartata janakṣayaḥ। tanmamaikamanā bhūtvā śṛṇu devāsuropamam ॥6-79-11॥
In the morning, O great king, the destruction of people began. Listen attentively to my story, which is like the tales of gods and demons.
āvantyau tu maheṣvāsau mahātmānau mahābalau। irāvantamabhiprekṣya sameyātāṃ raṇotkaṭau ॥ teṣāṃ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam ॥6-79-12॥
The two mighty princes of Avanti, known for their great archery skills and strength, upon seeing Iravan, fiercely engaged in battle. Their fight was tumultuous and terrifying, sending chills down the spine.
irāvāṃstu susaṅkruddho bhrātarau devarūpiṇau। vivyādha niśitastūrṇaṃ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ॥ tāvenaṃ pratyavidhyetāṃ samare citrayodhinau ॥6-79-13॥
Iravan, in his anger, swiftly attacked the two divine-looking brothers with sharp, bent arrows. In return, the skillful warriors struck him back in the battle.
yudhyatāṃ hi tathā rājanviśeṣo na vyadṛśyata। yatatāṃ śatrunāśāya kṛtapratikṛtaiṣiṇām ॥6-79-14॥
O king, there was no visible difference among the warriors who were fighting and striving to destroy their enemies, each eager to counteract the other's moves.
irāvāṃstu tato rājannanuvindasya sāyakaiḥ। caturbhiścaturo vāhānanayadyamasādanam ॥6-79-15॥
Iravan, however, then, O king, with the arrows of Anuvinda, sent four horses to the abode of Yama.
bhallābhyāṃ ca sutīkṣṇābhyāṃ dhanuḥ ketuṃ ca māriṣa। ciccheda samare rājaṃstadadbhutamivābhavat ॥6-79-16॥
O King, with two sharp and very sharp arrows, the bow and banner were cut off in battle, appearing as if it was a wonderful feat.
tyaktvānuvindo'tha rathaṃ vindasya rathamāsthitaḥ। dhanurgṛhītvā navamaṃ bhārasādhanamuttamam ॥6-79-17॥
Anuvinda, after leaving his own chariot, climbed onto Vinda's chariot and took up a new, excellent bow designed for bearing burdens.
tāvekasthau raṇe vīrāvāvantyau rathināṃ varau। śarānmumucaturtūrṇamirāvati mahātmani ॥6-79-18॥
The two heroic warriors from Avanti, the best among charioteers, stood together in battle and swiftly released their arrows at the noble Iravati.
tābhyāṃ muktā mahāvegāḥ śarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ। divākarapathaṃ prāpya chādayāmāsurambaram ॥6-79-19॥
The arrows, released by them with great speed and adorned with gold, reached the path of the sun and covered the sky.
irāvāṃstu tataḥ kruddho bhrātarau tau mahārathau। vavarṣa śaravarṣeṇa sārathiṃ cāpyapātayat ॥6-79-20॥
Iravan, in his anger, attacked the two great charioteer brothers with a barrage of arrows and brought down their charioteer.
tasminnipatite bhūmau gatasattve'tha sārathau। rathaḥ pradudrāva diśaḥ samudbhrāntahayastataḥ ॥6-79-21॥
When the charioteer fell lifeless on the ground, the chariot, with its horses agitated, ran away in all directions from there.
tau sa jitvā mahārāja nāgarājasutāsutaḥ। pauruṣaṃ khyāpayaṃstūrṇaṃ vyadhamattava vāhinīm ॥6-79-22॥
After conquering, the son of the serpent king's daughter quickly demonstrated his prowess by scattering your army, O great king.
sā vadhyamānā samare dhārtarāṣṭrī mahācamūḥ। vegānbahuvidhāṃścakre viṣaṃ pītvēva mānavaḥ ॥6-79-23॥
She, under attack in the battle, organized the diverse forces of Dhritarashtra's great army, as if a man had consumed poison.
haiḍimbo rākṣasendrastu bhagadattaṃ samādravat। rathenādityavarṇena sadhvajena mahābalaḥ ॥6-79-24॥
Haiḍimba, the mighty king of demons, charged at Bhagadatta with his sun-colored chariot adorned with a banner.
tataḥ prāgjyotiṣo rājā nāgārājaṃ samāsthitaḥ। yathā vajradharaḥ pūrvaṃ saṅgrāme tārākāmaye ॥6-79-25॥
Then the king of Prāgjyotiṣa stood against Nāgārāja, just as Vajradhara did in the past during the battle against Tāraka.
tatra devāḥ sagandharvā ṛṣayaśca samāgatāḥ। viśeṣaṃ na sma vividurhaiḍimbabhagadattayoḥ ॥6-79-26॥
There, the gods, along with the Gandharvas and sages, gathered. They were particularly unaware of the matters concerning Hidimba and Bhagadatta.
yathā surapatiḥ śakrastrāsayāmāsa dānavān। tathaiva samare rājaṃstrāsayāmāsa pāṇḍavān ॥6-79-27॥
Just as Indra, the lord of the gods, instilled fear in the demons, similarly, O king, he instilled fear in the Pāṇḍavas during the battle.
tena vidrāvyamāṇāste pāṇḍavāḥ sarvatodiśam। trātāraṃ nābhyavindanta sveṣvanīkeṣu bhārata ॥6-79-28॥
The Pandavas, being scattered by him, searched in all directions but could not find a protector among their own ranks, O Bharata.
bhaimaseniṁ rathasthaṁ tu tatrāpaśyāma bhārata। śeṣā vimanasaḥ bhūtvā prādravanta mahārathāḥ ॥6-79-29॥
O Bharata, we saw the son of Bhimasena standing on the chariot there. The remaining great warriors, disheartened, fled from the battlefield.
nivṛtteṣu tu pāṇḍūnāṃ punaḥ sainyeṣu bhārata। āsīnniṣṭānako ghorastava sainyeṣu saṃyuge ॥6-79-30॥
After the withdrawal of the Pāṇḍavas' forces, a dreadful uproar arose in your troops during the battle, O Bhārata.
ghaṭotkacastato rājanbhagadattaṃ mahāraṇe। śaraiḥ pracchādayāmāsa meruṃ girimivāmbudaḥ ॥6-79-31॥
Then Ghatotkacha, O king, showered arrows upon Bhagadatta in the great battle, resembling a cloud enveloping Mount Meru.
nihatya tāñ śarān rājā rākṣasasya dhanuścyutān। bhaimaseniṃ raṇe tūrṇaṃ sarvamarma-svatāḍayat ॥6-79-32॥
The king, having neutralized the arrows shot by the demon, swiftly attacked Bhimasena's son at all the vital points during the battle.
sa tāḍyamāno bahubhiḥ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ। na vivyathe rākṣasendro bhidyamāna ivācalaḥ ॥6-79-33॥
The lord of demons, though being struck by many arrows with bent joints, stood unshaken like a mountain being pierced.
tasya prāgjyotiṣaḥ kruddhastomarāns caturdaśa। preṣayāmāsa samare tāṃśca ciccheda rākṣasaḥ ॥6-79-34॥
In his anger, Prāgjyotiṣa sent fourteen spears in the battle, and the demon cut them down.
sa tāṁśchittvā mahābāhustomarānniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। bhagadattaṁ ca vivyādha saptatyā kaṅkapatribhiḥ ॥6-79-35॥
The mighty-armed warrior, after cutting through the spears with his sharp arrows, struck Bhagadatta with seventy feathered arrows.
tataḥ prāgjyotiṣo rājanprahasanniva bhārata। tasyāśvāṃścaturaḥ saṅkhye pātayāmāsa sāyakaiḥ ॥6-79-36॥
Then, O King, as if smiling, the descendant of Bharata struck down the four horses of the King of Prāgjyotiṣa in battle with his arrows.
sa hatāśve rathe tiṣṭhanrākṣasendraḥ pratāpavān। śaktiṃ cikṣepa vegena prāgjyotiṣagajaṃ prati ॥6-79-37॥
The powerful lord of demons, standing on his chariot with its horses slain, swiftly hurled his spear at the elephant of Pragjyotisha.
tām āpatantīṃ sahasā hemadaṇḍāṃ suvegitām। tridhā ciccheda nṛpatiḥ sā vyakīryata medinīm ॥6-79-38॥
The king swiftly cut the approaching golden staff into three pieces, and it scattered across the ground.
śaktiṃ vinihatāṃ dṛṣṭvā haiḍimbaḥ prādravadbhayāt। yathendrasya raṇātpūrvaṃ namucirdaityasattamaḥ ॥6-79-39॥
Upon witnessing the defeat of power, Hidimba ran away in fear, much like Namuci, the esteemed demon, had once retreated from Indra's battlefield.
taṁ vijitya raṇe śūraṁ vikrāntaṁ khyātapauruṣam। ajeyaṁ samare rājanyamena varuṇena ca ॥6-79-40॥
Varuna, with his prowess, conquered the heroic and valiant prince, known for his valor, who was invincible in battle.
pāṇḍavīṃ samare senāṃ saṃmamarda sakuñjaraḥ। yathā vanagajo rājanmṛdnaṃścarati padminīm ॥6-79-41॥
The Pandava army was crushed in battle by elephants, just as a forest elephant tramples through a lotus pond, O king.
madreśvarastu samare yamābhyāṃ saha saṅgataḥ। svasrīyau chādayāṃ cakre śaraughaiḥ pāṇḍunandanau ॥6-79-42॥
The lord of Madra engaged in battle with the sons of Yama and covered the Pandava brothers with a barrage of arrows.
sahadevastu samare mātulaṃ vīkṣya saṅgatam। avārayaccharaugheṇa megho yadvaddivākaram ॥6-79-43॥
In the battle, Sahadeva saw his uncle engaged and restrained him with a flood of arrows, just as a cloud covers the sun.
chādyamānaḥ śaraugheṇa hṛṣṭarūpataro'bhavat। tayoścāpyabhavatprītiratulā mātṛkāraṇāt ॥6-79-44॥
As he was covered by a multitude of arrows, his appearance became more delighted. The affection between the two was also incomparable due to their mother's influence.
tataḥ prahasya samare nakulasya mahārathaḥ। aśvān vai caturo rājaṃś caturbhiḥ sāyakottamaiḥ ॥ preṣayām āsa samare yamasya sadanaṃ prati ॥6-79-45॥
Then, with a smile on his face during the battle, Nakula's great chariot-warrior sent four horses to the abode of Yama using four excellent arrows, O king.
hatāśvāttu rathāttūrṇamavaplutya mahārathaḥ। āruroha tato yānaṃ bhrātureva yaśasvinaḥ ॥6-79-46॥
The great warrior, having quickly jumped down from the destroyed chariot, then ascended the vehicle of his illustrious brother.
ekasthau tu raṇe śūrau dṛḍhe vikṣipya kārmuke। madrarājarathaṃ kruddhau chādayāmāsatuḥ kṣaṇāt ॥6-79-47॥
The two heroes, standing together in the battle, firmly drew their bows and angrily covered the Madra king's chariot in an instant.
sa cchādyamāno bahubhiḥ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ। svasrīyābhyāṁ naravyāghro nākampata yathācalaḥ ॥ prahasanniva tāṁ cāpi śaravṛṣṭiṁ jaghāna ha ॥6-79-48॥
The warrior, covered by numerous arrows with bent joints from his own brothers, stood firm like a mountain, unshaken. Smiling, he countered the rain of arrows.
sahadevastataḥ kruddhaḥ śaramudyamya vīryavān। madrarājamabhiprekṣya preṣayāmāsa bhārata ॥6-79-49॥
Sahadeva, filled with anger and heroism, raised his arrow and aimed it at the king of Madras, O Bharata.
sa śaraḥ preṣitastena garutmāniva vegavān। madrarājaṃ vinirbhidya nipapāta mahītale ॥6-79-50॥
The swift arrow, sent by him like Garuda, pierced the Madra king and fell to the ground.
sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito rathopasthe mahārathaḥ। niṣasāda mahārāja kaśmalaṃ ca jagāma ha ॥6-79-51॥
The great warrior, deeply wounded and distressed, sat down on the chariot seat and fell into a faint, O great king.
taṁ visañjñaṁ nipatitaṁ sūtaḥ samprekṣya saṁyuge। apovāha rathenājau yamābhyāmabhipīḍitam ॥6-79-52॥
The charioteer saw him unconscious and fallen in the battle and carried him away in the chariot, as he was oppressed by Yama's messengers on the battlefield.
dṛṣṭvā madreśvararathaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ parāṅmukham। sarve vimanaso bhūtvā nedamastītyacintayan ॥6-79-53॥
Upon seeing the chariot of the king of Madra, the sons of Dhritarashtra turned away in dismay. All of them, feeling disheartened, thought to themselves, "This cannot be happening."
nirjitya mātulaṃ saṅkhye mādrīputrau mahārathau। dadhmaturmuditau śaṅkhau siṃhanādaṃ vinedatuḥ ॥6-79-54॥
After defeating their maternal uncle in the battle, the sons of Madri, who were great warriors, joyfully blew their conches, and the sound echoed like a lion's roar.
abhidudruvatur hṛṣṭau tava sainyaṃ viśāṃ pate। yathā daityacamūṃ rājannindropendrāvivāmarau ॥6-79-55॥
Indra and Upendra, filled with joy, charged at your army, O lord of men, just as they would at the demon army, O king.
