06.108
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
atha vīro maheṣvāso mattavāraṇavikramaḥ। samādāya mahaccāpaṃ mattavāraṇavāraṇam ॥6-108-1॥
Then the hero, a great archer with the strength and courage of an intoxicated elephant, took up a mighty bow, ready to subdue even the wildest of elephants.
vidhunvāno dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ drāvayāṇo mahārathān। pṛtanāṃ pāṇḍaveyānāṃ pātayāno mahārathaḥ ॥6-108-2॥
The great charioteer, shaking his excellent bow, drove away the great charioteers and caused the army of the Pandavas to fall.
nimittāni nimittajñaḥ sarvato vīkṣya vīryavān। pratapantamanīkāni droṇaḥ putramabhāṣata ॥6-108-3॥
Drona, the powerful knower of omens, observed the omens everywhere and spoke to his son about the shining armies.
ayaṁ sa divasastāta yatra pārtho mahārathaḥ। jighāṁsuḥ samare bhīṣmaṁ paraṁ yatnaṁ kariṣyati ॥6-108-4॥
Today is the day, dear father, when Arjuna, the mighty warrior, will strive with all his might to defeat Bhishma in battle.
utpatanti hi me bāṇā dhanuḥ prasphuratīva me। yogamastrāṇi gacchanti krūre me vartate matiḥ ॥6-108-5॥
"My arrows are indeed rising, my bow seems to quiver. The weapons of yoga are going, and my mind is set on cruelty."
dikṣu śāntāsu ghorāṇi vyāharanti mṛgadvijāḥ। nīcairgṛdhrā nilīyante bhāratānāṃ camūṃ prati ॥6-108-6॥
In all directions, when peace prevails, terrible beasts and birds make sounds, and low-flying vultures hide as they approach the army of the Bharatas.
naṣṭaprabha ivādityaḥ sarvato lohitā diśaḥ। rasate vyathate bhūmiraṇuṣṭanati vāhanam ॥6-108-7॥
The directions appear reddened all around, resembling a sun that has lost its radiance. The earth trembles, shakes, and the vehicle groans.
kaṅkā gṛdhrā balākāśca vyāharanti muhurmuhuḥ। śivāścāśivanirghoṣā vedayantyo mahadbhayam ॥6-108-8॥
Herons, vultures, and cranes are repeatedly crying. Jackals, with their inauspicious howling, are indicating a great fear.
papāta mahatī colkā madhyenādityamaṇḍalāt। sakabandhaśca parigho bhānumāvṛtya tiṣṭhati ॥6-108-9॥
A great meteor fell from the middle of the sun's circle. It stands with a trunk and an obstacle, covering the sun.
pariveṣastathā ghoraścandrabhāskarayorabhūt। vedayāno bhayaṃ ghoraṃ rājñāṃ dehāvakartanam ॥6-108-10॥
The atmosphere was terrifying, with the moon and sun. It instilled a dreadful fear in the kings, leading to the cutting off of bodies.
devatāyatanasthāśca kauravendrasya devatāḥ। kampante ca hasante ca nṛtyanti ca rudanti ca ॥6-108-11॥
In the temple of the deities, the deities belonging to the king of the Kauravas are seen trembling, laughing, dancing, and crying.
apasavyaṁ grahāścakruralakṣmāṇaṁ niśākaram। avākṣirāśca bhagavānudatiṣṭhata candramāḥ ॥6-108-12॥
The planets moved counterclockwise, making the moon inauspicious. The headless lord, the moon, rose.
vapūṃṣi ca narendrāṇāṃ vigatānīva lakṣaye। dhārtarāṣṭrasya sainyeṣu na ca bhrājanti daṃśitāḥ ॥6-108-13॥
I observe that the bodies of the kings seem to have vanished, and in the armies of Dhritarashtra, they do not appear resplendent or adorned.
senayorubhayorcaiva samantācchrūyate mahān। pāñcajanyasya nirghoṣo gāṇḍīvasya ca nisvanaḥ ॥6-108-14॥
The great sound of the conch Pāñcajanya and the roar of the bow Gāṇḍīva can be heard all around from both armies.
dhruvam āsthāya bībhatsur uttamāstrāṇi saṃyuge। apāsyānyān raṇe yodhān abhyasyati pitāmaham ॥6-108-15॥
Bibhatsu (Arjuna), firmly positioned in battle, disregards other warriors and weapons, and approaches his grandfather.
hṛṣyanti romakūpāni sīdatīva ca me manaḥ। cintayitvā mahābāho bhīṣmārjunasamāgamam ॥6-108-16॥
O mighty-armed, my hair stands on end and my mind sinks as I think of the encounter between Bhishma and Arjuna.
taṃ caiva nikṛtiprajñaṃ pāñcālyaṃ pāpacetasam। puraskṛtya raṇe pārtho bhīṣmasyāyodhanaṃ gataḥ ॥6-108-17॥
Arjuna, placing the cunning and evil-minded son of Panchala in front, advanced towards Bhishma's combat in the battle.
abravīcca purā bhīṣmo nāhaṃ hanyāṃ śikhaṇḍinam। strī hyeṣā vihitā dhātrā daivācca sa punaḥ pumān ॥6-108-18॥
Bhishma once declared that he would not kill Shikhandi, as Shikhandi was appointed a woman by the creator and by fate became a man again.
amaṅgalyadhvajaścaiva yājñasenirmahārathaḥ। na cāmaṅgalaketoḥ sa praharedāpagāsutaḥ ॥6-108-19॥
The great chariot-warrior Yajnaseni, known for his inauspicious banner, along with the son of the river, would refrain from attacking the inauspicious-bannered one.
etadvicintayānasya prajñā sīdati me bhṛśam। adyaiva tu raṇe pārthaḥ kuruvṛddhamupādravat ॥6-108-20॥
Reflecting on this, my wisdom is greatly troubled. However, today Arjuna has indeed attacked the elder of the Kurus in battle.
yudhiṣṭhirasya ca krodho bhīṣmārjunasamāgamaḥ। mama cāstrābhisaṁrambhaḥ prajānāmaśubhaṁ dhruvam ॥6-108-21॥
The anger of Yudhishthira, the meeting of Bhishma and Arjuna, and my fury with weapons certainly spell doom for the people.
manasvī balavāñśūraḥ kṛtāstro dṛḍhavikramaḥ। dūrapātī dṛḍheṣuśca nimittajñaśca pāṇḍavaḥ ॥6-108-22॥
The son of Pandu is intelligent, strong, heroic, skilled in weaponry, firm in his actions, capable of striking from a distance, steady in his aim, and knowledgeable about omens.
ajeyaḥ samare caiva devairapi savāsavaiḥ। balavānbuddhimāṃścaiva jitakleśo yudhāṃ varaḥ ॥6-108-23॥
He is invincible in battle, even against the gods including Indra; strong, wise, and a conqueror of hardships, he is the best among warriors.
vijayī ca raṇe nityaṃ bhairavāstraśca pāṇḍavaḥ। tasya mārgaṃ pariharandrutaṃ gaccha yatavratam ॥6-108-24॥
The Pāṇḍava, always victorious in battle and armed with a terrible weapon. Avoid his path and proceed quickly with determination.
paśya caitanmahābāho vaiśasaṃ samupasthitam। hemacitrāṇi śūrāṇāṃ mahānti ca śubhāni ca ॥6-108-25॥
Behold, O mighty-armed one, the destruction that has come. The heroes' great and auspicious golden ornaments are present.
kavacānyavadhīryante śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ। chidyante ca dhvajāgrāṇi tomarāṇi dhanūṁṣi ca ॥6-108-26॥
Armors are pierced by arrows with bent joints, and flag tops, spears, and bows are cut.
prāsāśca vimalāstīkṣṇāḥ śaktyaśca kanakojjvalāḥ। vaijayantyaśca nāgānāṃ saṅkruddhena kirīṭinā ॥6-108-27॥
The enraged crowned one wielded pure, sharp spears and golden-shining javelins, victorious over the serpents.
nāyaṃ saṃrakṣituṃ kālaḥ prāṇānputropajīvibhiḥ। yāhi svargaṃ puraskṛtya yaśase vijayāya ca ॥6-108-28॥
This is not the time to safeguard the lives of those who depend on their sons. Proceed to heaven, prioritizing fame and victory.
hayanāgarathāvartāṃ mahāghorāṃ sudustarām। rathena saṅgrāmanadīṃ taratyeṣa kapidhvajaḥ ॥6-108-29॥
The one with the monkey banner crosses the fierce and challenging river of battle, swirling with horses, elephants, and chariots, using his chariot.
brahmaṇyatā damo dānaṃ tapaśca caritaṃ mahat। ihaiva dṛśyate rājño bhrātā yasya dhanañjayaḥ ॥6-108-30॥
The king, whose brother is Dhananjaya, is indeed seen here possessing devotion to Brahman, self-control, charity, austerity, and great conduct.
bhīmasenaśca balavānmādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau। vāsudevaśca vārṣṇeyo yasya nātho vyavasthitaḥ ॥6-108-31॥
Bhimasena, the strong sons of Madri, the Pandavas, and Vasudeva, the descendant of Vrishni, are present under the protection of their leader.
tasya eṣa manyuprabhavo dhārtarāṣṭrasya durmateḥ। tapodagdhaśarīrasya kopo dahati bhāratān ॥6-108-32॥
The anger of Dhritarashtra's evil-minded son, born out of rage, consumes the Bharatas, as his body is scorched by austerity.
eṣa sandṛśyate pārtho vāsudevavyapāśrayaḥ। dārayansarvasainyāni dhārtarāṣṭrāṇi sarvaśaḥ ॥6-108-33॥
Arjuna, relying on Krishna, is seen completely destroying all the armies of Dhritarashtra's sons.
etadālokyate sainyaṃ kṣobhyamāṇaṃ kirīṭinā। mahorminaddhaṃ sumahattimineva nadīmukham ॥6-108-34॥
The army, disturbed by the crowned warrior, appears like the mouth of a river overwhelmed by huge waves and a giant fish.
hāhākilakilāśabdāḥ śrūyante ca camūmukhe। yāhi pāñcāladāyādamahaṃ yāsye yudhiṣṭhiram ॥6-108-35॥
Sounds of lamentation and clamor are heard at the front of the army. You go to the heir of the Panchalas, I will go to Yudhishthira.
durlabhaṁ hyantaraṁ rājño vyūhasyāmitatejasaḥ। samudrakukṣipratimaṁ sarvato'tirathaiḥ sthitaiḥ ॥6-108-36॥
The interior of the king's army formation, possessing immeasurable energy, is as difficult to penetrate as the ocean's depths, being surrounded on all sides by formidable chariot warriors.
sātyakiścābhimanyuśca dhṛṣṭadyumnavṛkodarau। parirakṣanti rājānaṃ yamau ca manujeśvaram ॥6-108-37॥
Satyaki, Abhimanyu, Dhrishtadyumna, and Vrikodara protect the king, along with the twins, the lord of men.
upendrasadṛśaḥ śyāmo mahāśāla ivodgataḥ। eṣa gacchatyanīkāni dvitīya iva phalgunaḥ ॥6-108-38॥
He, resembling Upendra and dark in complexion, rises like a great tree and approaches the armies like a second Arjuna.
uttamāstrāṇi cādatsva gṛhītvānyanmahaddhanuḥ। pārśvato yāhi rājānaṃ yudhyasva ca vṛkodaram ॥6-108-39॥
Take the best weapons and, after grabbing another great bow, go to the king's side and fight, O Vrikodara.
ko hi necchetpriyaṃ putraṃ jīvantaṃ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ। kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya tatastvā viniyujmahe ॥6-108-40॥
Who would not wish for a beloved son to live for eternal years? Therefore, having prioritized the warrior's duty, we appoint you.
eṣa cāpi raṇe bhīṣmo dahate vai mahācamūm। yuddhe susadṛśastāta yamasya varuṇasya ca ॥6-108-41॥
This Bhishma, in the battle, fiercely burns the great army. O father, he is comparable to Yama and Varuna in combat.
