06.088
Core and Pancharatra: Drona along with other Kaurava warriors comes to the rescue of Duryodhana; the combined Kaurava forces face defeat in front of great Ghatotkacha.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
tatastadbāṇavarṣaṃ tu duḥsahaṃ dānavairapi । dadhāra yudhi rājendro yathā varṣaṃ mahādvipaḥ ॥6-88-1॥
Then the king of kings bore that unbearable shower of arrows in battle, just as a great elephant withstands the rain.
tataḥ krodhasamāviṣṭo niḥśvasanniva pannagaḥ । saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ prāptaḥ putraste bharatarṣabha ॥6-88-2॥
Then, your son, overwhelmed with anger and breathing heavily like a serpent, was seized by great doubt, O best of the Bharatas.
mumoca niśitāṃstīkṣṇānnārācānpañcaviṃśatim । te'patansahasā rājaṃstasminrākṣasapuṅgave ॥ āśīviṣā iva kruddhāḥ parvate gandhamādane ॥6-88-3॥
He released twenty-five sharp arrows that fell suddenly on the foremost of demons, like angry serpents on the Gandhamadana mountain, O king.
sa tairviddhaḥ sravanraktaṃ prabhinna iva kuñjaraḥ । dadhre matiṃ vināśāya rājñaḥ sa piśitāśanaḥ ॥ jagrāha ca mahāśaktiṃ girīṇāmapi dāraṇīm ॥6-88-4॥
Pierced by them and bleeding like a wounded elephant, he resolved to destroy the king. The flesh-eater then seized a mighty weapon, capable of shattering mountains.
sampradīptāṃ maholkābhāmaśanīṃ maghavāniva । samudyacchanmahābāhurjighāṃsustanayaṃ tava ॥6-88-5॥
The mighty-armed hero, blazing like a great meteor and like Indra's thunderbolt, rose up with the intent to kill your son.
tāmudyatāmabhiprekṣya vaṅgānāmadhipastvaran । kuñjaraṃ girisaṅkāśaṃ rākṣasaṃ pratyacodayat ॥6-88-6॥
The lord of the Vangas, upon seeing her rise, quickly directed the massive elephant towards the demon.
sa nāgapravareṇājau balinā śīghragāminā । yato duryodhanarathastaṃ mārgaṃ pratyapadyata ॥ rathaṃ ca vārayāmāsa kuñjareṇa sutasya te ॥6-88-7॥
In the battle, he, with the help of a strong and swift elephant, followed the path of Duryodhana's chariot. Your son's elephant then stopped the chariot.
mārgamāvāritaṃ dṛṣṭvā rājñā vaṅgena dhīmatā । ghaṭotkaco mahārāja krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ ॥ udyatāṃ tāṃ mahāśaktiṃ tasmiṃścikṣepa vāraṇe ॥6-88-8॥
Upon observing the path obstructed by the wise King Vanga, Ghatotkacha, with eyes inflamed by rage, cast his mighty weapon at the elephant.
sa tayābihato rājanstena bāhuvimuktayā । sañjātarudhirotpīḍaḥ papāta ca mamāra ca ॥6-88-9॥
He was struck by her released arm, O king, causing blood to gush out, and he fell down dead.
patatyatha gaje cāpi vaṅgānāmīśvaro balī । javena samabhidrutya jagāma dharaṇītalam ॥6-88-10॥
Then the mighty lord of the Vangas, with great speed, descended upon the elephant and reached the ground.
duryodhano'pi samprekṣya pātitaṃ varavāraṇam । prabhagnaṃ ca balaṃ dṛṣṭvā jagāma paramāṃ vyathām ॥6-88-11॥
Duryodhana, upon seeing the fallen great elephant and the shattered army, was deeply distressed.
kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya ātmanaścābhimānitām । prāpte'pakramaṇe rājā tasthau giririvācalaḥ ॥6-88-12॥
The king, upholding the warrior's duty and his own pride, stood firm like an immovable mountain when the time to retreat arrived.
sandhāya ca śitaṃ bāṇaṃ kālāgnisamatejasam । mumoca paramakruddhastasminghore niśācare ॥6-88-13॥
In a fit of extreme anger, he fixed a sharp arrow, blazing like the fire of dissolution, and released it at the dreadful night-wanderer.
tamāpatantaṃ samprekṣya bāṇamindrāśaniprabham । lāghavādvañcayāmāsa mahākāyo ghaṭotkacaḥ ॥6-88-14॥
Ghatotkacha, with his massive form, skillfully dodged the oncoming arrow that shone like Indra's thunderbolt.
bhūya eva nanādograḥ krodhasaṁraktalocanaḥ । trāsayansarvabhūtāni yugānte jalado yathā ॥6-88-15॥
Once more, the fierce one roared with eyes bloodshot in anger, frightening all beings like a storm cloud at the end of an era.
taṁ śrutvā ninadaṁ ghoraṁ tasya bhīṣmasya rakṣasaḥ । ācāryamupasaṅgamya bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo'bravīt ॥6-88-16॥
Upon hearing the dreadful sound made by Bhishma's demon, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, went to his teacher and spoke:
yathaiṣa ninado ghoraḥ śrūyate rākṣaseritaḥ । haiḍimbo yudhyate nūnaṃ rājñā duryodhanena ha ॥6-88-17॥
The terrible sound you hear is from the demon, indicating that Hidimba is surely fighting with King Duryodhana.
naiṣa śakyo hi saṅgrāme jetuṃ bhūtena kenacit । tatra gacchata bhadraṃ vo rājānaṃ parirakṣata ॥6-88-18॥
It is impossible for anyone to win this battle. Go there and protect your king. May good fortune be with you.
abhidrutaṃ mahābhāgaṃ rākṣasena durātmanā । etaddhi paramaṃ kṛtyaṃ sarveṣāṃ naḥ parantapāḥ ॥6-88-19॥
The wicked demon attacked the illustrious one. This indeed is our supreme duty, O scorcher of foes, for all of us.
pitāmahavacaḥ śrutvā tvaramāṇā mahārathāḥ । uttamaṃ javamāsthāya prayayuryatra kauravaḥ ॥6-88-20॥
Upon hearing the words of the grandsire, the great warriors quickly set out with great speed to the place where the Kauravas were.
droṇaśca somadattaśca bāhlikaśca jayadrathaḥ । kṛpo bhūriśravāḥ śalyaścitraseno viviṁśatiḥ ॥6-88-21॥
Drona, Somadatta, Bahlika, Jayadratha, Kripa, Bhurishrava, Shalya, Citrasena, and Vivimshati are mentioned.
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca āvantyaśca bṛhadbalaḥ । rathāścānekasāhasrā ye teṣāmanuyāyinaḥ ॥ abhidrutaṃ parīpsantaḥ putraṃ duryodhanaṃ tava ॥6-88-22॥
Ashwatthama, Vikarna, Avanti, and Brihadbala, along with many thousands of chariots, who were their followers, attacked in an attempt to protect your son, Duryodhana.
tadānīkamanādhṛṣyaṃ pālitaṃ lokasattamaiḥ । ātatāyinamāyāntaṃ prekṣya rākṣasasattamaḥ ॥ nākampata mahābāhurmaināka iva parvataḥ ॥6-88-23॥
The best of demons, seeing the invincible army protected by the best of people, did not tremble, just like the mighty-armed Mainaka mountain.
pragṛhya vipulaṃ cāpaṃ jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ । śūlamudgarahastaiśca nānāpraharaṇairapi ॥6-88-24॥
He stood there holding a great bow, surrounded by his kinsmen who were armed with spears, clubs, and various other weapons.
tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam । rākṣasānāṃ ca mukhyasya duryodhanabalasya ca ॥6-88-25॥
Then a fierce and terrifying battle arose between the demons and the chief forces of Duryodhana.
dhanuṣāṃ kūjatāṃ śabdaḥ sarvatas tumulo'bhavat । aśrūyata mahārāja vaṃśānāṃ dahyatām iva ॥6-88-26॥
The tumultuous sound of twanging bows echoed everywhere, O great king, as if the dynasties themselves were being consumed by fire.
śastrāṇāṃ pātyamānānāṃ kavaceṣu śarīriṇām । śabdaḥ samabhavad rājann adrīṇām iva dīryatām ॥6-88-27॥
O king, the clamor of weapons striking the armors of warriors was like the sound of mountains splitting apart.
vīrabāhuvisṛṣṭānāṃ tomarāṇāṃ viśāṃ pate । rūpamāsīdvyatsthānāṃ sarpāṇāṃ sarpatāmiva ॥6-88-28॥
O lord of men, the spears released by the strong arms appeared like serpents moving through the sky.
tataḥ paramasaṅkruddho visphārya sumahaddhanuḥ । rākṣasendro mahābāhurvinadanbhairavaṃ ravam ॥6-88-29॥
Then, the mighty-armed king of demons, extremely enraged, stretched his great bow and roared a terrible sound.
ācāryasyārdhacandreṇa kruddhaściccheda kārmukam । somadattasya bhallena dhvajamunmathya cānadat ॥6-88-30॥
In his anger, he severed the teacher's bow with a crescent-shaped arrow. Then, uprooting Somadatta's flag with an arrow, he let out a roar.
bāhlikaṁ ca tribhirbāṇairabhyavidhyatstanāntare । kṛpamekena vivyādha citrasenaṁ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥6-88-31॥
Bahlika was pierced in the chest with three arrows, and Kripa pierced Citrasena with three arrows using one.
pūrṇāyatavisṛṣṭena samyakpraṇihitena ca । jatrudeśe samāsādya vikarṇaṃ samatāḍayat ॥ nyaṣīdatsa rathopasthe śoṇitena pariplutaḥ ॥6-88-32॥
With his bow fully drawn and properly aimed, he struck Vikarna at the collar-bone. Then, drenched in blood, he sat down on the chariot seat.
tataḥ punarameyātmā nārācāndaśa pañca ca । bhūriśravasi saṅkruddhaḥ prāhiṇodbharatarṣabha ॥ te varma bhittvā tasyāśu prāviśanmedinītalam ॥6-88-33॥
Then, once more, the immeasurable warrior, in his wrath, launched fifteen arrows at Bhurishravas, O noble Bharata. These arrows, having pierced his armor, swiftly embedded themselves into the ground.
viviṃśateśca drauṇeśca yantārau samatāḍayat । tau petatū rathopasthe raśmīn utsṛjya vājinām ॥6-88-34॥
The charioteers of Vivimshati and Drona's son were struck and fell onto the chariot seat, letting go of the horses' reins.
sindhurājño'rdhacandreṇa vārāhaṃ svarṇabhūṣitam । unmamātha mahārāja dvitīyenācchinaddhanuḥ ॥6-88-35॥
The great king, with a crescent-shaped weapon, struck the gold-adorned boar-like elephant king and severed the bow with his second strike.
caturbhiratha nārācairāvantyasya mahātmanaḥ । jaghāna caturo vāhānkrodhasaṁraktalocanaḥ ॥6-88-36॥
The great-souled king of Avanti, with eyes reddened in anger, used four iron arrows to kill four horses.
pūrṇāyatavisṛṣṭena pītena niśitena ca । nirbibheda mahārāja rājaputraṃ bṛhadbalam ॥ sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito rathopastha upāviśat ॥6-88-37॥
The prince Brihadbala was pierced by the fully stretched and released, yellow, sharp arrow, O great king. Deeply wounded and distressed, he sat down on the chariot seat.
bhṛśaṃ krodhena cāviṣṭo rathastho rākṣasādhipaḥ । cikṣepa niśitāṃstīkṣṇāñśarānāśīviṣopamān ॥ bibhiduste mahārāja śalyaṃ yuddhaviśāradam ॥6-88-38॥
Possessed by intense anger, the demon king standing on his chariot hurled sharp arrows resembling venomous snakes, which pierced Śalya, the expert warrior, O great king.
