06.100
Core and Pancharatra: Despite being repeatedly restrained by Susharman the Kaurava soldiers did not hold their ground; Drona overpowered Drupada, making him retreat; Bhishma charged directly ahead; the Pandavas surrounded Bhishma to restrain his advance.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
arjunastu naravyāghra suśarmapramukhānnṛpān। anayatpretarājasya bhavanaṃ sāyakaiḥ śitaiḥ ॥6-100-1॥
Arjuna, known as the tiger among men, defeated the kings led by Susharma and sent them to the abode of Yama, the god of death, using his sharp arrows.
suśarmāpi tato bāṇaiḥ pārthaṃ vivyādha saṃyuge। vāsudevaṃ ca saptatyā pārthaṃ ca navabhiḥ punaḥ ॥6-100-2॥
Suśarman, in the battle, attacked Arjuna with his arrows. He also struck Krishna with seventy arrows and then targeted Arjuna again with nine arrows.
tānnivārya śaraugheṇa śakrasūnurmahārathaḥ। suśarmaṇo raṇe yodhānprāhiṇodyamasādanam ॥6-100-3॥
Indra's son, the great charioteer, skillfully warded off the warriors of Susharma with a shower of arrows, sending them to the abode of Yama in the battle.
te vadhyamānāḥ pārthena kāleneva yugakṣaye। vyadravanta raṇe rājanbhaye jāte mahārathāḥ ॥6-100-4॥
The great warriors, being slain by Arjuna, fled the battlefield in fear, O king, as if it were the end of an era.
utsṛjya turagān kecid rathān kecic ca māriṣa। gajān anye samutsṛjya prādravanta diśo daśa ॥6-100-5॥
Some abandoned their horses, others their chariots, and yet others, O lord, completely abandoned their elephants and fled in all directions.
apare tudyamānāstu vājināgarathā raṇāt। tvarayā parayā yuktāḥ prādravanta viśāṃ pate ॥6-100-6॥
Others, though being attacked, quickly fled from the battlefield with their horses and chariots, O lord of men.
pādātāś cāpi śastrāṇi samutsṛjya mahāraṇe। nirapekṣā vyadhāvanta tena tena sma bhārata ॥6-100-7॥
In the great battle, the foot-soldiers, indifferent to everything, abandoned their weapons and fled in all directions, O Bharata.
vāryamāṇāḥ sma bahuśastraigartena suśarmaṇā। tathānyaiḥ pārthivaśreṣṭhairna vyatiṣṭhanta saṃyuge ॥6-100-8॥
Despite being repeatedly restrained by Trigarta Susharman and other eminent kings, they did not hold their ground in the battle.
tad-balaṁ pradrutaṁ dṛṣṭvā putro duryodhanas tava। puraskṛtya raṇe bhīṣmaṁ sarva-sainya-puraskṛtam ॥6-100-9॥
Upon seeing his army fleeing, your son Duryodhana placed Bhishma at the forefront in the battle, leading the entire army.
sarvodyogena mahatā dhanañjayamupādravat। trigartādhipaterarthe jīvitasya viśāṃ pate ॥6-100-10॥
With all his might, he attacked Arjuna for the sake of the life of the king of Trigarta, O lord of the people.
sa ekaḥ samare tasthau kiranbahuvidhāñśarān। bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaḥ sarvaiḥ śeṣā vipradrutā narāḥ ॥6-100-11॥
He stood alone in the battle, scattering various arrows. Together with all his brothers, the remaining men fled.
tathaiva paṇḍavā rājan sarvodyogena daṃśitāḥ। prayayuḥ phalgunārthāya yatra bhīṣmo vyavasthitaḥ ॥6-100-12॥
In the same manner, O king, the Pandavas, motivated by all efforts, proceeded to the place where Bhishma was positioned for the sake of Arjuna.
jānanto'pi raṇe śauryaṃ ghoraṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ। hāhākārakṛtotsāhā bhīṣmaṃ jagmuḥ samantataḥ ॥6-100-13॥
Despite knowing the formidable valor of Arjuna, who wields the Gandiva bow, the warriors, spurred by the tumult, surrounded Bhishma from all sides.
tatastāladhvajaḥ śūraḥ pāṇḍavānāmanīkinīm। chādayāmāsa samare śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ ॥6-100-14॥
Then the heroic Tāladhvaja covered the Pāṇḍavas' army in the battle with his arrows that had bent joints.
ekībhūtāstataḥ sarve kuravaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha। ayudhyanta mahārāja madhyaṃ prāpte divākare ॥6-100-15॥
O great king, then all the Kurus united with the Pandavas and fought together when the sun was at its zenith.
sātyakiḥ kṛtavarmāṇaṃ viddhvā pañcabhirāyasaiḥ। atiṣṭhadāhave śūraḥ kiranbāṇānsahasraśaḥ ॥6-100-16॥
Satyaki, demonstrating his valor, pierced Kritavarma with five iron arrows and stood heroically in the battle, releasing thousands of arrows.
tathaiva drupado rājā droṇaṃ viddhvā śitaiḥ śaraiḥ। punarvivyādha saptatyā sārathiṃ cāsya saptabhiḥ ॥6-100-17॥
Similarly, King Drupada attacked Drona with sharp arrows and then targeted his charioteer with seventy arrows and seven more.
bhīmasenastu rājānaṃ bāhlikaṃ prapitāmaham। viddhvānadam mahānādaṃ śārdūla iva kānane ॥6-100-18॥
Bhimasena, after striking King Bahlika, the great-grandfather, let out a mighty roar, resembling a tiger in the forest.
ārjuniś citrasenena viddho bahubhir āśugaiḥ। citrasenaṃ tribhir bāṇair vivyādha hṛdaye bhṛśam ॥6-100-19॥
Arjuna, struck by many swift arrows from Citrasena, retaliated by deeply piercing Citrasena's heart with three arrows.
samāgatau tau tu raṇe mahāmātrau vyarocatām। yathā divi mahāghorau rājanbudhaśanaiścarau ॥6-100-20॥
The two great warriors, having come together in battle, shone brightly like the fierce planets Mercury and Saturn in the sky, O king.
tasyāśvāṃścaturo hatvā sūtaṃ ca navabhiḥ śaraiḥ। nanāda balavannādaṃ saubhadraḥ paravīrahā ॥6-100-21॥
Saubhadra, the valiant son of Subhadra, after slaying the four horses and the charioteer with nine arrows, let out a powerful roar, striking fear into the hearts of his enemies.
hatāśvāttu rathāttūrṇamavaplutya mahārathaḥ। āruroha rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ durmukhasya viśāṃ pate ॥6-100-22॥
The great warrior, having quickly jumped down from the destroyed chariot, ascended Durmukha's chariot swiftly, O lord of the people.
droṇaśca drupadaṃ viddhvā śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ। sārathiṃ cāsya vivyādha tvaramāṇaḥ parākramī ॥6-100-23॥
Drona, in his might, swiftly shot arrows with curved joints at Drupada and his charioteer.
pīḍyamānastato rājā drupado vāhinīmukhe। apāyājjavanairaśvaiḥ pūrvavairamanusmaran ॥6-100-24॥
King Drupada, feeling oppressed, left the front of the army swiftly on horses, recalling the old enmity.
bhīmasenastu rājānaṃ muhūrtādiva bāhlikam। vyaśvasūtarathaṃ cakre sarvasainyasya paśyataḥ ॥6-100-25॥
Bhimasena swiftly rendered King Bahlika without his horse, charioteer, and chariot, as if in an instant, while the entire army watched.
sasambhramo mahārāja saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ। avaplutya tato vāhādbāhlikaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ॥ āruroha rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ lakṣmaṇasya mahārathaḥ ॥6-100-26॥
With great agitation, O great king, Bahlika, the best among men, jumped down from his vehicle and quickly ascended Lakshmana's chariot, the great chariot warrior, filled with doubt.
sātyakiḥ kṛtavarmāṇaṃ vārayitvā mahārathaḥ। śarairbahuvidhai rājannāsasāda pitāmaham ॥6-100-27॥
Satyaki, after successfully repelling Kritavarma, the great chariot-warrior, approached the grandsire with a variety of arrows, O king.
sa viddhvā bhārataṃ ṣaṣṭyā niśitairlomavāhibhiḥ। nanarteva rathopasthe vidhunvāno mahaddhanuḥ ॥6-100-28॥
After piercing Bharata with sixty sharp and terrifying arrows, he danced on the chariot seat, brandishing his mighty bow.
tasyāyasīṃ mahāśaktiṃ cikṣepātha pitāmahaḥ। hemacitrāṃ mahāvegāṃ nāgakanyopamāṃ śubhām ॥6-100-29॥
Then the grandsire hurled his mighty iron weapon, adorned with golden hues, swift as a serpent maiden, and auspicious.
tām āpatantīṃ sahasā mṛtyukalpāṃ sutejanām। dhvaṃsayām āsa vārṣṇeyo lāghavena mahāyaśāḥ ॥6-100-30॥
The descendant of Vṛṣṇi, renowned for his great fame, swiftly destroyed her as she approached suddenly like death with great speed.
anāsādya tu vārṣṇeyaṃ śaktiḥ paramadāruṇā। nyapataddharaṇīpṛṣṭhe maholkeva gataprabhā ॥6-100-31॥
The fierce spear, failing to reach the descendant of Vṛṣṇi, fell to the ground like a great meteor that had lost its brilliance.
vārṣṇeyastu tato rājansvāṃ śaktiṃ ghoradarśanām। vegavadgṛhya cikṣepa pitāmaharathaṃ prati ॥6-100-32॥
Krishna, with great speed, took his own terrifying spear and hurled it towards Bhishma's chariot, O king.
vārṣṇeyabhujavegena praṇunnā sā mahāhave। abhidudrāva vegena kālarātriryathā naram ॥6-100-33॥
Propelled by the force of Krishna's arm, she charged into the great battle with the swiftness of Kalaratri approaching a man.
tām āpatantīṃ sahasā dvidhā ciccheda bhārata। kṣuraprābhyāṃ sutīkṣṇābhyāṃ sānvakīryata bhūtale ॥6-100-34॥
O Bharata, he swiftly cut her into two with his sharp arrows, causing her to fall scattered on the ground.
chittvā tu śaktiṃ gāṅgeyaḥ sātyakiṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ। ājaghānorasi kruddhaḥ prahasañśatrukarśanaḥ ॥6-100-35॥
Bhishma, the son of Ganga, cut off Satyaki's weapon and, with a smile, angrily struck him on the chest with nine arrows, tormenting his enemy.
tataḥ sarathanāgāśvāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ pāṇḍupūrvaja। parivavrū raṇe bhīṣmaṃ mādhavatrāṇakāraṇāt ॥6-100-36॥
Then, the Pandavas, led by the elder brother of Pandu, surrounded Bhishma in battle with their chariots, elephants, and horses, aiming to protect Madhava.
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam। pāṇḍavānāṃ kurūṇāṃ ca samare vijayaiṣiṇām ॥6-100-37॥
Then a fierce and terrifying battle began between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, both eager for victory.
