06.085
Core and Pancharatra: In the afternoon, commanded by Yudhisthira, Pandava army attacks Bhishma with the intent to kill him. Drona torments Shrinjayas. Bhima goes after the elephant army. Nakula and Sahadeva go after the cavalry.
Dhritarashtra spoke:
Sanjaya, upon seeing my many sons slain by one, what actions did Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa take in the battle?
Day by day, my sons are being destroyed, Sanjaya. I believe, O charioteer, that I am greatly afflicted by fate.
In the place where all my sons are victorious and not defeated, where the great souls Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa reside.
O father, it is about Saumadatta, the hero Bhagadatta, Ashwatthama, and all the brave and noble souls.
Among other heroes, my sons who were in the midst of the battle were killed; what else could be the reason but fate?
Duryodhana, in his foolishness, failed to comprehend the advice given to him earlier, despite being cautioned by me, dear one, as well as by Bhishma and Vidura.
Gāndhārī, always desiring the welfare, did not realize the consequences of her actions due to her foolishness and delusion. This is the result he has obtained.
When Bhimasena, filled with rage, leads my unconscious sons to the abode of Yama day after day in battle.
Sanjaya said:
The excellent advice given by the minister was not understood by you, O lord, at that time, even though it was beneficial.
Restrain your sons from gambling and do not harm the Pāṇḍavas, as advised by the well-wishing friends who speak of the same repeatedly.
The wise words that you, as a mortal, ignore like beneficial medicine, have now reached you, well articulated.
The Kauravas ignored the wise counsel of Vidura, Drona, Bhishma, and others who wished them well, leading them to their downfall.
This has already happened before, O lord of men. Therefore, listen carefully to the true account of how the battle unfolded.
At midday, a very fierce battle took place, which was capable of destroying the world. O king, listen to my account of it.
Following the command of Dharmaputra, all the armies, filled with excitement, charged towards Bhishma with the intent to kill him.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍī, and Sātyaki, the great warriors, with their troops arranged, approached Bhīṣma, O great king.
Arjuna, the sons of Draupadi, and Cekitana, commanded by King Duryodhana, advanced towards all in the battle.
Abhimanyu, along with the valiant Hidimba and the furious Bhimasena, charged towards the Kauravas.
In the battle, the Kauravas were slain by the Pandavas and the threefold beings; likewise, O king, the others were slain by the Kaurava.
Drona, the foremost among charioteers, fiercely charged at the Somakas and the Srinjayas, with the intent to dispatch them to the realm of Yama.
There was a great lamentation among the Sṛñjayas, the noble ones, as they were being slain in battle by Bhāradvāja, the skilled archer, O king.
In that battle, many warriors were slain by Drona. They were seen writhing on the ground, as if they were men tormented by disease.
In the battle, the continuous sounds of cooing, crying, and moaning are heard, resembling the cries of hungry and emaciated men.
In the same way, the mighty Bhimasena, filled with rage, caused a terrible slaughter among the Kauravas, like another form of time itself.
In the great battle, the armies began to kill each other, and a dreadful river of blood started to flow.
The battle, O great king, was fierce and significant, leading to the expansion of Yama's realm for both the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
Then Bhima, filled with rage and extraordinary vigor in the battle, approached the elephant army and sent it to its doom.
In that place, O Bharata, the elephants struck by Bhima's arrows fell down, groaned, cried out, and wandered around in all directions.
O dear, the great serpents with severed hands and feet, screamed in fear like curlews and lay down on the earth.
Nakula and Sahadeva charged at the cavalry. The horses, adorned with golden trappings and ornaments, were seen being slaughtered in hundreds and thousands.
O king, the earth was entirely covered with fallen horses, some without tongues, some breathing, some crying, and some lifeless. The earth appeared splendid, O best of men, with horses of various forms.
O descendant of Bharata, the earth, made terrible by the horses killed by Arjuna in battle, shone there, O lord of men.
The battlefield was strewn with broken chariots, torn flags, splendid umbrellas, necklaces, coins, armlets, heads, and earrings.
The earth, adorned with discarded turbans and flags everywhere, along with auspicious traces and royal yokes scattered with rays, shines like it does in spring with flowers.
O Bharata, thus the destruction of the Pandavas also occurred when Bhishma, the son of Santanu, Drona, and the best of charioteers were enraged.
There is destruction among your people, including Ashwatthama, Kripa, and Kritavarma, as well as others who are enraged.
