06.097
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
ārjuniṁ samare śūraṁ vinighnantaṁ mahāratham। alambusaḥ kathaṁ yuddhe pratyayudhyata sañjaya ॥6-97-1॥
Sanjaya, how did Alambusa fight against the heroic Arjuna, the great chariot-warrior, in battle?
ārśyaśṛṅgiṃ kathaṃ cāpi saubhadraḥ paravīrahā। tanmamācakṣva tattvena yathā vṛttaṃ sma saṃyuge ॥6-97-2॥
Please tell me how Saubhadra, the destroyer of enemy heroes, dealt with Ārśyaśṛṅga in the battle, and describe the events as they truly happened.
dhanañjayaśca kiṃ cakre mama sainyeṣu sañjaya। bhīmo vā balināṃ śreṣṭho rākṣaso vā ghaṭotkacaḥ ॥6-97-3॥
Sanjaya, what did Arjuna do in my armies? Is Bhima, the best among the strong, or the demon Ghatotkacha involved?
nakulaḥ sahadevo vā sātyakirvā mahārathaḥ। etadācakṣva me sarvaṃ kuśalo hyasi sañjaya ॥6-97-4॥
Nakula, Sahadeva, or Satyaki, the great charioteer; please tell me everything, as you are indeed knowledgeable, Sanjaya.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
hanta te'ham pravakṣyāmi saṅgrāmaṃ lomaharṣaṇam। yathābhūdrākṣasendrasya saubhadrasya ca māriṣa ॥6-97-5॥
Behold, I will narrate to you the thrilling battle that took place between the lord of demons and Abhimanyu, O gentle one.
arjunaśca yathā saṅkhye bhīmasenaśca pāṇḍavaḥ। nakulaḥ sahadevaśca raṇe cakruḥ parākramam ॥6-97-6॥
Arjuna, Bhimasena, Nakula, and Sahadeva, the Pandavas, displayed great valor in the battle as they performed heroic deeds.
tathaiva tāvakāḥ sarve bhīṣmadroṇapurogamāḥ। adbhutāni vicitrāṇi cakruḥ karmāṇyabhītavat ॥6-97-7॥
Similarly, all your warriors, led by Bhishma and Drona, executed amazing and diverse feats without fear.
alambusastu samare abhimanyuṃ mahāratham। vinadya sumahānādaṃ tarjayitvā muhurmuhuḥ ॥ abhidudrāva vegena tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt ॥6-97-8॥
In the battle, Alambusa, with a great roar, repeatedly threatened and charged at the great chariot-warrior Abhimanyu with speed, commanding him to 'Stop, stop'.
saubhadro'pi raṇe rājansiṃhavadvinadanmuḥ। ārśyaśṛṅgiṃ maheṣvāsaṃ pituratyantavairiṇam ॥6-97-9॥
O King, Abhimanyu, like a lion, roared repeatedly in the battle against Arshyasringa, the great archer and the great enemy of his father.
tataḥ sameyatuḥ saṅkhye tvaritau nararākṣasau। rathābhyāṃ rathināṃ śreṣṭhau yathā vai devadānavau ॥ māyāvī rākṣasaśreṣṭho divyāstrajñaśca phālguṇiḥ ॥6-97-10॥
Then the swift man and demon, both excellent charioteers, met in battle like the gods and demons. The illusionist, the best among demons, and Arjuna, the knower of divine weapons, faced each other.
tataḥ kārṣṇirmahārāja niśitaiḥ sāyakaistribhiḥ। ārśyaśṛṅgiṃ raṇe viddhvā punarvivyādha pañcabhiḥ ॥6-97-11॥
Then Kārṣṇi, the warrior, skillfully struck Ārśyaśṛṅgin in the battle with three sharp arrows and then pierced him again with five more arrows.
alambuso'pi saṅkruddhaḥ kārṣṇiṃ navabhirāśugaiḥ। hṛdi vivyādha vegena tottrairiva mahādvipam ॥6-97-12॥
Alambusa, in his anger, swiftly pierced Kārṣhṇi's heart with nine arrows, as one would drive a great elephant with goads.
tataḥ śarasahasreṇa kṣiprakārī niśācaraḥ। arjunasya sutaṃ saṅkhye pīḍayāmāsa bhārata ॥6-97-13॥
Then, the swift night-wanderer attacked Arjuna's son in the battle with a thousand arrows, O Bharata.
abhimanyustataḥ kruddho navatiṃ nataparvaṇām। cikṣepa niśitānbāṇānrākṣasasya mahorasi ॥6-97-14॥
Abhimanyu, in his anger, shot ninety sharp, bent-jointed arrows at the demon's broad chest.
te tasya viviśustūrṇaṃ kāyaṃ nirbhidya marmaṇi। sa tairvibhinnasarvāṅgaḥ śuśubhe rākṣasottamaḥ ॥ puṣpitaiḥ kiṃśukai rājansaṃstīrṇa iva parvataḥ ॥6-97-15॥
They swiftly entered his body, piercing through the vital parts. The best of demons, with all his limbs pierced, shone like a mountain covered with blossoming kinshuka flowers, O king.
sa dhārayañ śarān hemapuṅkhān api mahābalaḥ। vibabhau rākṣasaśreṣṭhaḥ sa jvāla iva parvataḥ ॥6-97-16॥
The mighty demon, holding arrows with golden plumes, appeared like a flaming mountain, standing out as the best among the demons.
tataḥ kruddho mahārāja ārśyaśṛṅgirmahābalaḥ। mahendrapratimaṃ kārṣṇiṃ chādayāmāsa patribhiḥ ॥6-97-17॥
Then, the mighty King Arshyashringa, in his anger, covered Krishna, who was as majestic as Mahendra, with a shower of arrows.
tena te viśikhā muktā yamadaṇḍopamāḥ śitāḥ। abhimanyuṃ vinirbhidya prāviśandharaṇītalam ॥6-97-18॥
The arrows released by him, sharp and resembling the rod of Yama, pierced Abhimanyu and entered the ground.
tathaivārjuninirmuktāḥ śarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ। alambusaṃ vinirbhidya prāviśanta dharātalam ॥6-97-19॥
In the same manner, the golden-adorned arrows released by Arjuna pierced through Alambusa and fell to the ground.
saubhadras tu raṇe rakṣaḥ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ। cakre vimukham āsādya mayaṁ śakra ivāhave ॥6-97-20॥
Abhimanyu, in the battle, skillfully used his arrows to disorient the demon Maya, much like Indra would in a fight.
vimukhaṁ ca tato rakṣo vadhyamānaṁ raṇe'riṇā। prāduścakre mahāmāyāṁ tāmasīṁ paratāpanaḥ ॥6-97-21॥
Then, as the demon was being defeated in battle by the enemy, he turned away, and the tormentor of enemies conjured a great dark illusion.
tataste tamasā sarve hṛtā hyāsanmahītale। nābhimanyumapaśyanta naiva svānna parānraṇe ॥6-97-22॥
Then, enveloped by darkness, they all were lost on the battlefield. They could not see Abhimanyu, nor their own people, nor the enemies in the battle.
abhimanyuś ca tad dṛṣṭvā ghorarūpaṃ mahattamaḥ। prāduścakre 'stram atyugraṃ bhāskaraṃ kurunandanaḥ ॥6-97-23॥
Upon witnessing the dreadful and immense form, Abhimanyu, the son of Kuru, manifested a very fierce and radiant weapon.
tataḥ prakāśam abhavat jagat sarvaṃ mahīpate। tāṃ cāpi jaghnivān māyāṃ rākṣasasya durātmanaḥ ॥6-97-24॥
Then, O king, the entire world was illuminated, and he destroyed the demon's wicked illusion.
saṅkruddhaśca mahāvīryo rākṣasendraṃ narottamaḥ। chādayāmāsa samare śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ॥6-97-25॥
The best among men, filled with great power and anger, enveloped the demon king in the battle with his arrows that had bent joints.
bahvīstathānyā māyāśca prayuktāstena rakṣasā। sarvāstravidameyātmā vārayāmāsa phālguṇiḥ ॥6-97-26॥
The demon employed many other illusions, but Arjuna, with his immeasurable soul and knowledge of all weapons, warded them off.
hatamāyaṃ tato rakṣo vadhyamānaṃ ca sāyakaiḥ। rathaṃ tatraiva santyajya prādravanmahato bhayāt ॥6-97-27॥
The demon was killed by the arrows. Terrified, they abandoned their chariot and fled from the battlefield.
tasminvinirjite tūrṇaṃ kūṭayodhini rākṣase। ārjuniḥ samare sainyaṃ tāvakaṃ saṃmamarda ha ॥ madāndho vanyanāgendraḥ sapadmāṃ padminīmiva ॥6-97-28॥
Arjuna swiftly defeated the deceitful demon warrior and crushed your army in battle, just like an intoxicated wild elephant tramples a lotus pond filled with lotuses.
tataḥ śāntanavo bhīṣmaḥ sainyaṃ dṛṣṭvābhividrutam। mahatā rathavaṃśena saubhadraṃ paryavārayat ॥6-97-29॥
Upon witnessing the army in retreat, Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, encircled Abhimanyu with a formidable division of chariots.
koṣṭhakīkṛtya taṃ vīraṃ dhārtarāṣṭrā mahārathāḥ। ekaṃ subahavo yuddhe tatakṣuḥ sāyakairdṛḍham ॥6-97-30॥
The sons of Dhritarashtra, being great warriors, surrounded the hero and many of them attacked him in battle, piercing him firmly with arrows.
sa teṣāṃ rathināṃ vīraḥ pitustulyaparākramaḥ। sadṛśo vāsudevasya vikrameṇa balena ca ॥6-97-31॥
He was a hero among the charioteers, possessing valor equal to his father and comparable to Vāsudeva in both prowess and strength.
ubhayoḥ sadṛśaṃ karma sa piturmātulasya ca। raṇe bahuvidhaṃ cakre sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ॥6-97-32॥
He, being the best among all weapon bearers, performed actions in battle that were similar to those of both his father and his maternal uncle.
tato dhanañjayo rājanvini ghnanstava sainikān। āsasāda raṇe bhīṣmaṃ putraprepsuramarṣaṇaḥ ॥6-97-33॥
Then, O king, Arjuna, intolerant and eager for his son, cut through your soldiers and approached Bhishma in the battle.
tathaiva samare rājanpitā devavratas tava। āsasāda raṇe pārthaṃ svarbhānuriva bhāskaram ॥6-97-34॥
In the battle, O king, your father Devavrata confronted Arjuna just as Swarbhanu would confront the sun.
tataḥ sarathanāgāśvāḥ putrāstava viśāṃ pate। parivavrū raṇe bhīṣmaṃ jugupuśca samantataḥ ॥6-97-35॥
Then, your sons, accompanied by chariots, elephants, and horses, surrounded and protected Bhishma on all sides in the battle, O lord of the people.
tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājanparivārya dhanañjayam। raṇāya mahate yuktā daṃśitā bharatarṣabha ॥6-97-36॥
In the same manner, O king, the Pandavas surrounded Arjuna and were ready and eager for the great battle, O best of the Bharatas.
śāradvatastato rājanbhīṣmasya pramukhe sthitam। arjunaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā sāyakānāṃ samācinot ॥6-97-37॥
Then Sharadvata stood in front of Bhishma, O king, and Arjuna covered him with twenty-five arrows.
patyudgamyātha vivyādha sātyakistaṃ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ। pāṇḍavapriyakāmārthaṃ śārdūla iva kuñjaram ॥6-97-38॥
Then Satyaki approached and attacked him with sharp arrows to please the Pandavas, like a tiger attacking an elephant.
gautamo'pi tvarāyukto mādhavaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ। hṛdi vivyādha saṅkruddhaḥ kaṅkapatraparicchadaiḥ ॥6-97-39॥
Gautama, filled with anger and haste, shot nine peacock-feathered arrows at Madhava, piercing him in the heart.
śaineyo'pi tataḥ kruddho bhṛśaṃ viddho mahārathaḥ। gautamāntakaraṃ ghoraṃ samādatta śilīmukham ॥6-97-40॥
The son of Śini, despite being severely wounded and enraged, took up a dreadful arrow aimed at ending Gautama.
tam āpatantaṃ vegena śakrāśanisamadyutim। dvidhā ciccheda saṅkruddho drauṇiḥ paramakopanaḥ ॥6-97-41॥
In his extreme anger, Aśvatthāmā, filled with rage, swiftly cut the approaching figure, who shone like Indra's thunderbolt, into two.
samutsṛjyātha śaineyo gautamaṃ rathināṃ varam। abhyadravadraṇe drauṇiṃ rāhuḥ khe śaśinaṃ yathā ॥6-97-42॥
After leaving Gautama, the best among charioteers, the son of Śini attacked Aśvatthāmā in battle, just as Rāhu attacks the moon in the sky.
tasya droṇasutascāpaṃ dvidhā ciccheda bhārata। athainaṃ chinnadhanvānaṃ tāḍayāmāsa sāyakaiḥ ॥6-97-43॥
Drona's son severed his bow in two, O Bharata. Then, having rendered him weaponless, he attacked with arrows.
so'nyatkārmukamādāya śatrughnaṃ bhārasādhanam। drauṇiṃ ṣaṣṭyā mahārāja bāhvorurasi cārpayat ॥6-97-44॥
He, taking another bow, the mighty destroyer of enemies, placed sixty arrows on the chest of Ashwatthama, the son of Drona, O great king.
sa viddho vyathitaścaiva muhūrtaṃ kaśmalāyutaḥ। niṣasāda rathopasthe dhvajayaṣṭimupāśritaḥ ॥6-97-45॥
Wounded and distressed, he sat down on the chariot seat for a moment, leaning against the flagstaff, overcome with faintness.
pratilabhya tataḥ sañjñāṃ droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān। vārṣṇeyaṃ samare kruddho nārācena samardayat ॥6-97-46॥
Regaining his senses, the valiant son of Drona, in a fit of rage during the battle, struck down the son of Vrishni (Krishna) with a deadly iron arrow.
śaineyaṃ sa tu nirbhidya prāviśaddharaṇītalam। vasantakāle balavānbilaṃ sarpaśiśuryathā ॥6-97-47॥
The son of Śini pierced through and entered the earth's surface, just as a strong young serpent enters its hole during the spring season.
tato'pareṇa bhallena mādhavasya dhvajottamam। ciccheda samare drauṇiḥ siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ca ॥6-97-48॥
Then, Drona's son, with another arrow, cut off the best of Mādhava's flags in the battle and roared like a lion.
punaś cainaṃ śarair ghoraiś chādayām āsa bhārata। nidāghānte mahārāja yathā megho divākaram ॥6-97-49॥
Once more, O Bharata, he enveloped him with dreadful arrows, just as a cloud obscures the sun at the close of summer, O great king.
sātyakiśca mahārāja śarajālaṃ nihatya tat। drauṇimabhyapatattūrṇaṃ śarajālairanekadhā ॥6-97-50॥
Satyaki, after destroying the multitude of arrows, swiftly attacked Ashwatthama, the son of Drona, with numerous showers of arrows, O great king.
tāpayāmāsa ca drauṇiṃ śaineyaḥ paravīrahā। vimukto meghajālena yathaiva tapanastathā ॥6-97-51॥
Sātyaki, known as the destroyer of enemy heroes, tormented Aśvatthāmā in the same way the sun emerges from behind the clouds.
śarāṇāṃ ca sahasreṇa punarenaṃ samudyatam। sātyakiśchādayāmāsa nanāda ca mahābalaḥ ॥6-97-52॥
Satyaki, with his immense strength, covered the prepared one again with a thousand arrows and let out a mighty roar.
dṛṣṭvā putraṃ tathā grastaṃ rāhuṇeva niśākaram। abhyadravata śaineyaṃ bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān ॥6-97-53॥
Seeing his son being seized like the moon by Rāhu, the mighty Bhāradvāja rushed towards Śaineya.
vivyādha ca pṛṣatkena sutīkṣṇena mahāmṛdhe। parīpsansvasutaṃ rājavarṣṇeyenābhitāpitam ॥6-97-54॥
In the great battle, O king, he pierced with a sharp arrow, desiring to protect his own son, who was tormented by Varshneya.
sātyakistu raṇe jitvā guruputraṃ mahāratham। droṇaṃ vivyādha viṃśatyā sarvapāraśavaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥6-97-55॥
Satyaki, after defeating the teacher's son, the great warrior, in battle, struck Drona with twenty iron-tipped arrows.
tadantaram ameyātmā kaunteyaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ। abhyadravad raṇe kruddho droṇaṃ prati mahārathaḥ ॥6-97-56॥
Then, Arjuna, the son of Kunti, with his chariot drawn by white horses, angrily rushed towards Drona in the battlefield, as a great warrior.
tato droṇaśca pārthaśca sameyātāṃ mahāmṛdhe। yathā budhaśca śukraśca mahārāja nabhastale ॥6-97-57॥
Then Droṇa and Pārtha encountered each other in the great battle, just as Budha and Śukra meet in the sky, O great king.
