06.083
Core and Pancharatra: Bhishma's "terrifying ocean with waves" military formation on the eighth day of war. Dhrishtadhymna forms the fierce horn-shaped counter-military formation.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
pariṇāmya niśāṃ tāṃ tu sukhasuptā janeśvarāḥ। kuravaḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva punaryuddhāya niryayuḥ ॥6-83-1॥
After a restful night, the kings, including the Kurus and the Pandavas, prepared themselves and set out once more for battle.
tataḥ śabdo mahān āsīt senayor ubhayor api। nirgacchamānayoḥ saṅkhye sāgarapratimo mahān ॥6-83-2॥
Then a tremendous sound arose from both armies as they emerged onto the battlefield, resembling the roar of the ocean.
tato duryodhano rājā citraseno viviṁśatiḥ। bhīṣmaśca rathināṁ śreṣṭho bhāradvājaśca vai dvijaḥ ॥6-83-3॥
Then King Duryodhana, along with Citrasena, Viviṁśati, and Bhishma, the best among charioteers, as well as Bharadvaja, the brahmin, were present.
ekībhūtāḥ susaṃyattāḥ kauravāṇāṃ mahācamūḥ। vyūhāya vidadhū rājanpāṇḍavānprati daṃśitāḥ ॥6-83-4॥
The well-organized and united great army of the Kauravas was strategically arranged in battle formation against the Pandavas, O king, with a determined intent.
bhīṣmaḥ kṛtvā mahāvyūhaṃ pitā tava viśāṃ pate। sāgarapratimaṃ ghoraṃ vāhanormitaraṅgiṇam ॥6-83-5॥
Bhishma, your father, created a formidable battle formation that resembled a vast and terrifying ocean with waves of chariots, O lord of the armies.
agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo yayau। mālavairdākṣiṇātyaiśca āvantyaiśca samanvitaḥ ॥6-83-6॥
Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, led the charge in front of all the armies, accompanied by the Malavas, Dakshinatyas, and Avantis.
tato'nantaram evāsīd bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān। pulindaiḥ pāradaiś caiva tathā kṣudrakamālavaiḥ ॥6-83-7॥
Then, immediately after, the mighty Bharadvaja was accompanied by the Pulindas, Paradas, and also the Kshudrakas and Malavas.
droṇādanantaraṃ yatto bhagadattaḥ pratāpavān। māgadhaśca kaliṅgaśca piśācaśca viśāṃ pate ॥6-83-8॥
After Drona, the mighty Bhagadatta, along with the Magadhas, Kalingas, and Pisachas, was engaged in battle, O lord of men.
prāgjyotiṣādanu nṛpaḥ kausalyo'tha bṛhadbalaḥ। mekalaistraipuraiścaiva cicchilaiśca samanvitaḥ ॥6-83-9॥
After departing from Prāgjyotiṣa, King Kausalya, along with Bṛhadbala, was accompanied by the Mekalas, Traipuras, and Cicchilas.
bṛhadbalāttataḥ śūrastrigartaḥ prasthalādhipaḥ। kāmbojairbahubhiḥ sārdhaṃ yavanaiśca sahasraśaḥ ॥6-83-10॥
Then the heroic Trigarta, lord of Prasthala, came from Bṛhadbala, accompanied by many Kambojas and thousands of Yavanas.
drauṇistu rabhasaḥ śūrastrigartādanu bhārata। prayayau siṃhanādena nādayāno dharātalam ॥6-83-11॥
Drona's son, eager and heroic, left from Trigarta, O Bharata, making the earth resound with his lion-like roar.
tathā sarveṇa sainyena rājā duryodhanastadā। drauṇeranantaraṃ prāyātsodaryaiḥ parivāritaḥ ॥6-83-12॥
At that time, King Duryodhana, accompanied by his entire army, proceeded towards Drona's son, surrounded by his brothers.
duryodhanādanu kṛpastataḥ śāradvato yayau। evameṣa mahāvyūhaḥ prayayau sāgaropamaḥ ॥6-83-13॥
After Duryodhana, Kṛpa and then Śāradvata moved forward. In this way, this great formation advanced, resembling an ocean.
rejus tatra patākāś ca śvetacchatrāṇi cābhibho। aṅgadāny atha citrāṇi mahārhāṇi dhanūṃṣi ca ॥6-83-14॥
There, O mighty one, the flags and white umbrellas shone, along with bracelets and various very valuable bows.
taṁ tu dṛṣṭvā mahāvyūhaṁ tāvakānāṁ mahārathaḥ। yudhiṣṭhiro'bravīttūrṇaṁ pārṣataṁ pṛtanāpatim ॥6-83-15॥
Upon witnessing the grand formation of your forces, the mighty charioteer Yudhishthira swiftly addressed the son of Prishata, the commander of the forces.
paśya vyūhaṃ maheṣvāsa nirmitam sāgaropamam। prativyūhaṃ tvamapi hi kuru pārṣata māciram ॥6-83-16॥
Behold the formation created by the great archer, vast as the ocean. You too, O son of Prishata, must quickly form a counter-formation.
tataḥ sa pārṣataḥ śūro vyūhaṃ cakre sudāruṇam। śṛṅgāṭakaṃ mahārāja paravyūhavināśanam ॥6-83-17॥
Then the heroic son of Prishata created a very fierce and horn-shaped formation, O great king, designed to destroy the enemy's formations.
śṛṅgebhyo bhīmasenaśca sātyakiśca mahārathaḥ। rathairanekasāhasraistathā hayapadātibhiḥ ॥6-83-18॥
Bhimasena and Satyaki, the great warriors, emerged from the horns with a vast army of chariots, horsemen, and infantry.
nābhyām abhūn naraśreṣṭhaḥ śvetāśvo vānaradhvajaḥ। madhye yudhiṣṭhiro rājā mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau ॥6-83-19॥
Between them was the noble warrior with white horses and a monkey banner. In the center was King Yudhishthira along with the sons of Madri, the Pandavas.
athetare maheṣvāsāḥ sahasainyā narādhipāḥ। vyūhaṃ taṃ pūrayāmāsurvyūhaśāstraviśāradāḥ ॥6-83-20॥
Then the other great archers, along with their armies, the kings filled that formation, being experts in the science of military formations.
abhimanyustataḥ paścādvirāṭaśca mahārathaḥ। draupadeyāśca saṃhṛṣṭā rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ ॥6-83-21॥
Then Abhimanyu, followed by the great warrior Virata, the elated sons of Draupadi, and the demon Ghatotkacha.
evam etaṁ mahāvyūhaṁ vyūhya bhārata pāṇḍavāḥ। atiṣṭhansamare śūrā yoddhukāmā jayaiṣiṇaḥ ॥6-83-22॥
In this way, O Bharata, the Pandavas, having arranged the great formation, stood ready in battle, eager to fight and achieve victory.
bherīśabdāśca tumulā vimiśrāḥ śaṅkhanisvanaiḥ। kṣveḍitāsphoṭitotkruṣṭaiḥ subhīmāḥ sarvatodiśam ॥6-83-23॥
The tumultuous sounds of drums and conches, mixed with shouts, claps, and cries, echoed terribly in all directions.
tataḥ śūrāḥ samāsādya samare te parasparam। netrairanimiṣai rājannavaikṣanta prakopitāḥ ॥6-83-24॥
Then the warriors, having come close to each other in battle, stared at each other with unblinking eyes, O king, as they were provoked.
manobhiste manuṣyendra pūrvaṃ yodhāḥ parasparam। yuddhāya samavartanta samāhūyetaretaram ॥6-83-25॥
O lord of men, the warriors, with their minds set, first challenged each other and then engaged in battle with one another.
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ ghorarūpaṃ bhayāvaham। tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca nighnatāmitaretaram ॥6-83-26॥
Then a terrifying and dreadful battle began between your forces and the enemies, with both sides slaughtering each other.
nārācā niśitāḥ saṅkhye sampatanti sma bhārata। vyāttānanā bhayakarā uragā iva saṅghaśaḥ ॥6-83-27॥
O Bharata, sharp iron arrows fell in the battle like groups of fearful serpents with open mouths.
niṣpeturvimalāḥ śaktyastailadhautāḥ sutejanāḥ। ambudebhyo yathā rājanbhrājamānāḥ śatahradāḥ ॥6-83-28॥
O king, the pure and polished spears emerged, shining brilliantly like hundreds of streams from the clouds.
gadāś ca vimalaiḥ paṭṭaiḥ pinaddhāḥ svarṇabhūṣitāḥ। patantyas tatra dṛśyante giriśṛṅgopamāḥ śubhāḥ ॥ nistriṁśāś ca vyarājanta vimalāmbarasaṁnibhāḥ ॥6-83-29॥
Maces bound with spotless cloths and adorned with gold are seen falling there, resembling auspicious mountain peaks. The swords shone brightly, resembling the clear sky.
ārṣabhāṇi ca carmāṇi śatacandrāṇi bhārata। aśobhanta raṇe rājanpatamānāni sarvaśaḥ ॥6-83-30॥
O Bharata, the bull-hide shields adorned with a hundred moons shone brilliantly in the battle, falling everywhere, O King.
te'nyonyaṃ samare sene yudhyamāne narādhipa। aśobhetāṃ yathā daityadevasene samudyate ॥ abhyadravanta samare te'nyonyaṃ vai samantataḥ ॥6-83-31॥
The kings, engaged in battle, fought each other fiercely, shining like the legendary battles between the armies of demons and gods. They charged at each other from every direction.
rathāstu rathibhistūrṇaṃ preṣitāḥ paramāhave। yugairyugāni saṃśliṣya yuyudhuḥ pārthivarṣabhāḥ ॥6-83-32॥
The chariots were swiftly dispatched by the charioteers into the great battle. The noble kings, like bulls, fought with their yokes joined.
dantināṃ yudhyamānānāṃ saṅgharṣātpāvako'bhavat। danteṣu bharataśreṣṭha sadhūmaḥ sarvatodiśam ॥6-83-33॥
O best of the Bharatas, from the clash of the fighting elephants, a fire arose among their tusks, spreading smoke in all directions.
prāsairabihatāḥ kecidgajayodhāḥ samantataḥ। patamānāḥ sma dṛśyante giriśṛṅgānnagā iva ॥6-83-34॥
Some elephant-warriors, struck by spears, were seen falling all around, resembling trees falling from mountain peaks.
pādātāś cāpyadṛśyanta nighnanto hi parasparam। citrarūpadharāḥ śūrā nakharaprāsayodhinaḥ ॥6-83-35॥
The foot-soldiers, appearing in various forms, were seen fiercely fighting each other with nails and spears, showcasing their heroism.
anyonyaṃ te samāsādya kurupāṇḍavasainikāḥ। śastrairnānāvidhairghorai raṇe ninyuryamakṣayam ॥6-83-36॥
The soldiers of the Kuru and Pandava, upon encountering each other in battle, used various terrible weapons to send each other to the abode of Yama.
tataḥ śāntanavo bhīṣmo rathaghoṣeṇa nādayan। abhyāgamadraṇe pāṇḍūndhanuḥśabdena mohayan ॥6-83-37॥
Then Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, approached the Pāṇḍavas in battle, creating a resounding noise with his chariot and confusing them with the sound of his bow.
pāṇḍavānāṃ rathāś cāpi nadanto bhairavasvanam। abhyadravanta saṃyattā dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamāḥ ॥6-83-38॥
The chariots of the Pandavas, making a terrifying noise, advanced with readiness, led by Dhrishtadyumna.
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tava teṣāṃ ca bhārata। narāśvarathanāgānāṃ vyatiṣaktaṃ parasparam ॥6-83-39॥
Then the battle began between your forces and theirs, O Bharata, with men, horses, chariots, and elephants all entangled with one another.
