06.098
Core and Pancharatra: Duryodhana sends Susharman, king of Trigartha's to fight Arjuna; later Vindā, Anuvindā, the two princes of Avanti, along with Bahlika obstructed Arjuna; Bhagadatta and Śrutāyu, with their elephant army, obstructed Bhīma's path; Bhūriśravāḥ, Śalaḥ, and Saubalaḥ, stopped the sons of Mādrī; Bhishma along with other soldiers encircled Yudhishthira completely; Bhima breaks the ranks of elephant army and makes the Kaurava army to retreat.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
कथं द्रोणो महेष्वासः पाण्डवश्च धनञ्जयः। समीयतू रणे शूरौ तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय ॥६-९८-१॥
Sañjaya, tell me how the great archer Droṇa and Pāṇḍava Dhanañjaya met in battle.
प्रियो हि पाण्डवो नित्यं भारद्वाजस्य धीमतः। आचार्यश्च रणे नित्यं प्रियः पार्थस्य सञ्जय ॥६-९८-२॥
Indeed, the wise Bhāradvāja always holds the Pāṇḍava dear. Similarly, in battle, the teacher is always dear to Pārtha, O Sañjaya.
तावुभौ रथिनौ सङ्ख्ये दृप्तौ सिंहाविवोत्कटौ। कथं समीयतुर्युद्धे भारद्वाजधनञ्जयौ ॥६-९८-३॥
Both Bharadvaja and Dhananjaya, proud and fierce like lions, met in the battle as charioteers. How did this encounter unfold?
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
न द्रोणः समरे पार्थं जानीते प्रियमात्मनः। क्षत्रधर्मं पुरस्कृत्य पार्थो वा गुरुमाहवे ॥६-९८-४॥
Drona does not recognize Arjuna as dear to him in the battle. Arjuna, prioritizing his warrior duty, faces his teacher in the fight.
न क्षत्रिया रणे राजन्वर्जयन्ति परस्परम्। निर्मर्यादं हि युध्यन्ते पितृभिर्भ्रातृभिः सह ॥६-९८-५॥
O king, warriors do not avoid each other in battle; they fight without restraint, even with their own fathers and brothers.
रणे भारत पार्थेन द्रोणो विद्धस्त्रिभिः शरैः। नाचिन्तयत तान्बाणान्पार्थचापच्युतान्युधि ॥६-९८-६॥
In the battle, O Bharata, Drona was struck by three arrows shot by Partha. However, he did not pay any heed to those arrows released from Partha's bow during the fight.
शरवृष्ट्या पुनः पार्थश्छादयामास तं रणे। प्रजज्वाल च रोषेण गहनेऽग्निरिवोत्थितः ॥६-९८-७॥
Arjuna, with a shower of arrows, once more enveloped his opponent on the battlefield. His anger flared up like a fire igniting in a dense forest.
ततोऽर्जुनं रणे द्रोणः शरैः संनतपर्वभिः। वारयामास राजेन्द्र नचिरादिव भारत ॥६-९८-८॥
Then Drona, with his curved arrows, quickly checked Arjuna in the battle, O king, as if it were just a short time, O descendant of Bharata.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा सुशर्माणमचोदयत्। द्रोणस्य समरे राजन्पार्ष्णिग्रहणकारणात् ॥६-९८-९॥
Then King Duryodhana urged Susharman to attack Drona from the rear in the battle, O king.
त्रिगर्तराडपि क्रुद्धो भृशमायम्य कार्मुकम्। छादयामास समरे पार्थं बाणैरयोमुखैः ॥६-९८-१०॥
The king of Trigarta, in his anger, drew his bow with great force and showered Arjuna with iron-tipped arrows in the battle.
ताभ्यां मुक्ताः शरा राजन्नन्तरिक्षे विरेजिरे। हंसा इव महाराज शरत्काले नभस्तले ॥६-९८-११॥
The arrows released by them, O king, shone in the sky like swans do in the autumn season, O great king.
ते शराः प्राप्य कौन्तेयं समस्ता विविशुः प्रभो। फलभारनतं यद्वत्स्वादुवृक्षं विहङ्गमाः ॥६-९८-१२॥
The arrows, having reached Arjuna, all entered him, O lord, just as birds flock to a fruit-laden tree.
अर्जुनस्तु रणे नादं विनद्य रथिनां वरः। त्रिगर्तराजं समरे सपुत्रं विव्यधे शरैः ॥६-९८-१३॥
Arjuna, renowned as the best among charioteers, let out a mighty roar on the battlefield and skillfully pierced the Trigarta king along with his sons using his arrows.
ते वध्यमानाः पार्थेन कालेनेव युगक्षये। पार्थमेवाभ्यवर्तन्त मरणे कृतनिश्चयाः ॥ मुमुचुः शरवृष्टिं च पाण्डवस्य रथं प्रति ॥६-९८-१४॥
As they were being slain by Arjuna, just as time ends an era, they turned solely towards Arjuna, resolved to die. They unleashed a rain of arrows towards the Pandava's chariot.
शरवृष्टिं ततस्तां तु शरवर्षेण पाण्डवः। प्रतिजग्राह राजेन्द्र तोयवृष्टिमिवाचलः ॥६-९८-१५॥
Then the Pandava, like a mountain withstanding a rain of water, countered that shower of arrows with his own rain of arrows, O king.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम बीभत्सोर्हस्तलाघवम्। विमुक्तां बहुभिः शूरैः शस्त्रवृष्टिं दुरासदाम् ॥६-९८-१६॥
There, we witnessed the remarkable skill of Bibhatsu's hand as he unleashed an impenetrable barrage of weapons, aided by many valiant warriors.
यदेको वारयामास मारुतोऽभ्रगणानिव। कर्मणा तेन पार्थस्य तुतुषुर्देवदानवाः ॥६-९८-१७॥
When Arjuna, by his action, stopped the clouds like the wind, both gods and demons were pleased.
अथ क्रुद्धो रणे पार्थस्त्रिगर्तान्प्रति भारत। मुमोचास्त्रं महाराज वायव्यं पृतनामुखे ॥६-९८-१८॥
Then, in his anger during the battle, Arjuna aimed the wind weapon at the Trigartas, O descendant of Bharata, striking at the forefront of the army, O great king.
प्रादुरासीत्ततो वायुः क्षोभयाणो नभस्तलम्। पातयन्वै तरुगणान्विनिघ्नंश्चैव सैनिकान् ॥६-९८-१९॥
Then, a strong wind arose, stirring the sky, toppling the trees, and defeating the soldiers.
ततो द्रोणोऽभिवीक्ष्यैव वायव्यास्त्रं सुदारुणम्। शैलमन्यन्महाराज घोरमस्त्रं मुमोच ह ॥६-९८-२०॥
Then Droṇa, upon observing the fierce wind weapon, released another terrible weapon resembling a mountain, O great king.
द्रोणेन युधि निर्मुक्ते तस्मिन्नस्त्रे महामृधे। प्रशशाम ततो वायुः प्रसन्नाश्चाभवन्दिशः ॥६-९८-२१॥
When Drona released that weapon in the great battle, the wind subsided and the directions became clear.
ततः पाण्डुसुतो वीरस्त्रिगर्तस्य रथव्रजान्। निरुत्साहान्रणे चक्रे विमुखान्विपराक्रमान् ॥६-९८-२२॥
Then the heroic son of Pandu caused the charioteers of Trigarta to lose heart and turn away in retreat during the battle.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा कृपश्च रथिनां वरः। अश्वत्थामा ततः शल्यः काम्बोजश्च सुदक्षिणः ॥६-९८-२३॥
Then King Duryodhana, along with Kṛpa, the best among charioteers, Aśvatthāmā, Śalya, Kāmboja, and Sudakṣiṇa, were present.
विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ बाह्लिकश्च सबाह्लिकः। महता रथवंशेन पार्थस्यावारयन्दिशः ॥६-९८-२४॥
Vindā, Anuvindā, the two princes of Avanti, along with Bahlika and his forces, were obstructing the paths of Arjuna with a formidable array of chariots.
तथैव भगदत्तश्च श्रुतायुश्च महाबलः। गजानीकेन भीमस्य ताववारयतां दिशः ॥६-९८-२५॥
In the same manner, the mighty Bhagadatta and Śrutāyu, with their elephant army, obstructed Bhīma's path.
भूरिश्रवाः शलश्चैव सौबलश्च विशां पते। शरौघैर्विविधैस्तूर्णं माद्रीपुत्राववारयन् ॥६-९८-२६॥
Bhūriśravāḥ, Śalaḥ, and Saubalaḥ, O lord of the people, quickly stopped the sons of Mādrī with a variety of arrow showers.
भीष्मस्तु सहितः सर्वैर्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सैनिकैः। युधिष्ठिरं समासाद्य सर्वतः पर्यवारयत् ॥६-९८-२७॥
Bhishma, along with all the soldiers of Dhritarashtra, approached Yudhishthira and encircled him completely.
आपतन्तं गजानीकं दृष्ट्वा पार्थो वृकोदरः। लेलिहन्सृक्किणी वीरो मृगराडिव कानने ॥६-९८-२८॥
Upon seeing the advancing army of elephants, Arjuna and Bhima, the valiant warriors, prepared themselves eagerly, reminiscent of lions ready to hunt in the forest.
ततस्तु रथिनां श्रेष्ठो गदां गृह्य महाहवे। अवप्लुत्य रथात्तूर्णं तव सैन्यमभीषयत् ॥६-९८-२९॥
Then, the foremost among charioteers, armed with a mace, swiftly leapt from his chariot into the great battle and launched an attack on your forces.
तमुद्वीक्ष्य गदाहस्तं ततस्ते गजसादिनः। परिवव्रू रणे यत्ता भीमसेनं समन्ततः ॥६-९८-३०॥
Upon seeing Bhimasena with his mace, the elephant riders, fully intent, surrounded him from all sides in the battle.
गजमध्यमनुप्राप्तः पाण्डवश्च व्यराजत। मेघजालस्य महतो यथा मध्यगतो रविः ॥६-९८-३१॥
Pāṇḍava, having reached the center of the elephants, shone like the sun in the midst of a great mass of clouds.
व्यधमत्स गजानीकं गदया पाण्डवर्षभः। महाभ्रजालमतुलं मातरिश्वेव सन्ततम् ॥६-९८-३२॥
The mighty Pandava hero smashed through the ranks of the elephant army with his mace, as effortlessly as the wind god disperses the vast and unmatched clouds.
ते वध्यमाना बलिना भीमसेनेन दन्तिनः। आर्तनादं रणे चक्रुर्गर्जन्तो जलदा इव ॥६-९८-३३॥
The elephants, being slaughtered by the mighty Bhimasena, cried out in distress on the battlefield, roaring like thunderous clouds.
बहुधा दारितश्चैव विषाणैस्तत्र दन्तिभिः। फुल्लाशोकनिभः पार्थः शुशुभे रणमूर्धनि ॥६-९८-३४॥
Arjuna, though torn in many ways by the horns of elephants, stood out resplendently like a blooming Ashoka tree at the forefront of the battle.
विषाणे दन्तिनं गृह्य निर्विषाणमथाकरोत्। विषाणेन च तेनैव कुम्भेऽभ्याहत्य दन्तिनम् ॥ पातयामास समरे दण्डहस्त इवान्तकः ॥६-९८-३५॥
With his tusk, he seized the elephant and broke its tusk. With the same tusk, he struck the elephant on the forehead, causing it to fall in battle like Yama, the god of death, wielding a staff.
शोणिताक्तां गदां बिभ्रन्मेदोमज्जाकृतच्छविः। कृताङ्गदः शोणितेन रुद्रवत्प्रत्यदृश्यत ॥६-९८-३६॥
He appeared like Rudra, bearing a blood-smeared mace and having the appearance of fat and marrow, adorned with armlets and covered in blood.
एवं ते वध्यमानास्तु हतशेषा महागजाः। प्राद्रवन्त दिशो राजन्विमृद्नन्तः स्वकं बलम् ॥६-९८-३७॥
Thus, O king, the great elephants, after being mostly slain, fled in all directions, crushing their own forces.
द्रवद्भिस्तैर्महानागैः समन्ताद्भरतर्षभ। दुर्योधनबलं सर्वं पुनरासीत्पराङ्मुखम् ॥६-९८-३८॥
O best of the Bharatas, as the great elephants fled all around, Duryodhana's entire army once again turned away in retreat.
