06.111
Pancharatra and Core: Slightly different version of the agreement between Yudhishthira and Bhishma with a varied version of day ten recap till now.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said:
kathaṁ śāntanavo bhīṣmo daśame'hani sañjaya। ayudhyata mahāvīryaiḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ sahasṛñjayaiḥ ॥6-111-1॥
O Sañjaya, how did Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, engage in battle on the tenth day with the mighty Pāṇḍavas and the Sṛñjayas?
kuravaśca kathaṁ yuddhe pāṇḍavānpratyavārayan। ācakṣva me mahāyuddhaṁ bhīṣmasyāhavaśobhinaḥ ॥6-111-2॥
Tell me how the Kurus resisted the Pandavas in the great battle, which was glorious due to Bhishma's combat.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
kuravaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ yathāyudhyanta bhārata। yathā ca tadabhūdyuddhaṃ tatte vakṣyāmi śṛṇvataḥ ॥6-111-3॥
O Bharata, I will narrate to you how the Kurus and the Pandavas fought together in that battle, so listen carefully.
preṣitāḥ paralokāya paramāstraiḥ kirīṭinā। ahanyahani samprāptāstāvakānāṃ rathavrajaḥ ॥6-111-4॥
Day by day, your chariots, sent to the other world by the supreme weapons of the crowned one, have arrived.
yathāpratijñaṃ kauravyaḥ sa cāpi samitiñjayaḥ। pārthānāmakarodbhīṣmaḥ satataṃ samitikṣayam ॥6-111-5॥
As he had vowed, Bhishma, the Kaurava, relentlessly brought ruin upon the Pandavas in battle.
kurubhiḥ sahitaṃ bhīṣmaṃ yudhyamānaṃ mahāratham। arjunaṃ ca sapāñcālyaṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃśayitā janāḥ ॥6-111-6॥
The people were uncertain upon seeing Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior, fighting alongside the Kauravas, and Arjuna with the Panchalas.
daśame'hani tasmiṃstu bhīṣmārjunasamāgame। avartata mahāraudraḥ satataṃ samitikṣayaḥ ॥6-111-7॥
On the tenth day, during the battle between Bhishma and Arjuna, there was a continuous and intense destruction of the army.
tasminnayutaśo rājanbhūyaśca sa parantapaḥ। bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo yodhāñjaghāna paramāstravit ॥6-111-8॥
In that battle, O king, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu and the supreme knower of weapons, killed thousands of warriors repeatedly, scorching his foes.
yeṣāmajñātakalpāni nāmagotrāṇi pārthiva। te hatāstatra bhīṣmeṇa śūrāḥ sarve'nivartinaḥ ॥6-111-9॥
O king, all those warriors whose names and lineages were unknown were slain there by Bhishma, the valiant ones who did not return.
daśāhāni tatastaptvā bhīṣmaḥ pāṇḍavavāhinīm। niravidyata dharmātmā jīvitena parantapaḥ ॥6-111-10॥
After tormenting the Pandava army for ten days, the righteous Bhishma decided to lay down his life, O scorcher of foes.
sa kṣipraṃ vadham anvicchann ātmano'bhimukhaṃ raṇe। na hanyāṃ mānavaśreṣṭhān saṅgrāme'bhimukhān iti ॥6-111-11॥
He quickly sought his own death by facing the best of men in battle, deciding not to kill those who faced him.
cintayitvā mahābāhuḥ pitā devavratas tava। abhyāśasthaṃ mahārāja pāṇḍavaṃ vākyam abravīt ॥6-111-12॥
Having contemplated, your mighty-armed father Devavrata, who was nearby, spoke words to Pandava, O great king.
yudhiṣṭhira mahāprājña sarvaśāstraviśārada। śṛṇu me vacanaṃ tāta dharmyaṃ svargyaṃ ca jalpataḥ ॥6-111-13॥
O Yudhishthira, who is greatly wise and versed in all scriptures, listen to my words, dear one, as I speak of righteousness and heavenly matters.
nirviṇṇo'smi bhṛśaṃ tāta dehenānena bhārata। ghnataśca me gataḥ kālaḥ subahūnprāṇino raṇe ॥6-111-14॥
I am deeply dissatisfied with this body, dear father, O Bharata. Much of my time has been spent in slaying numerous creatures in battle.
tasmāt pārthaṃ purodhāya pāñcālān sṛñjayāṃs tathā। mad vadhe kriyatāṃ yatno mama ced icchasi priyam ॥6-111-15॥
Therefore, if you wish to please me, make an effort to kill me by placing Arjuna at the forefront along with the Panchalas and the Srinjayas.
tasya tanmatamājñāya pāṇḍavaḥ satyadarśanaḥ। bhīṣmaṃ pratiyayau yattaḥ saṅgrāme saha sṛñjayaiḥ ॥6-111-16॥
Understanding his viewpoint, the truth-seeing Pāṇḍava approached Bhīṣma, ready for battle alongside the Sṛñjayas.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastato rājanpāṇḍavaśca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। śrutvā bhīṣmasya tāṃ vācaṃ codayāmāsaturbalam ॥6-111-17॥
Upon hearing Bhīṣma's words, Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Yudhiṣṭhira, the Pāṇḍava, motivated their forces, O king.
abhidravata yudhyadhvaṁ bhīṣmaṁ jayata saṁyuge। rakṣitāḥ satyasandhena jiṣṇunā ripujiṣṇunā ॥6-111-18॥
Charge forward and fight to conquer Bhishma in battle, protected by the truthful Arjuna, the conqueror of enemies.
ayaṃ cāpi maheṣvāsaḥ pārṣato vāhinīpatiḥ। bhīmasenaśca samare pālayiṣyati vo dhruvam ॥6-111-19॥
This great archer, the son of Prishata, who is the commander of the army, along with Bhimasena, will surely protect you in the battle.
na vai bhīṣmādbhayaṃ kiñcitkartavyaṃ yudhi sṛñjayāḥ। dhruvaṃ bhīṣmaṃ vijeṣyāmaḥ puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam ॥6-111-20॥
There is no need to fear Bhishma in battle, O Sṛñjayas. We will surely defeat Bhishma by putting Shikhandi at the forefront.
tathā tu samayaṃ kṛtvā daśame'ahani pāṇḍavāḥ। brahmalokaparā bhūtvā sañjagmuḥ krodhamūrchitāḥ ॥6-111-21॥
Thus, on the tenth day, the Pandavas, having made time and being intent on reaching Brahmaloka, went forth, overcome with anger.
śikhaṇḍinaṃ puraskṛtya pāṇḍavaṃ ca dhanañjayam। bhīṣmasya pātane yatnaṃ paramaṃ te samāsthitāḥ ॥6-111-22॥
Placing Shikhandin at the forefront, the Pandavas, including Dhananjaya, made supreme efforts to bring down Bhishma.
tatastava sutādiṣṭā nānājanapadeśvarāḥ। droṇena sahaputreṇa sahasenā mahābalāḥ ॥6-111-23॥
Then, as commanded by your son, the mighty lords of various regions, along with Drona and his son, marched with their powerful army.
duḥśāsanaśca balavānsaha sarvaiḥ sahodaraiḥ। bhīṣmaṃ samaramadhyasthaṃ pālayāṃ cakrire tadā ॥6-111-24॥
Duhshasana, along with all his strong brothers, protected Bhishma, who was positioned in the middle of the battle, at that time.
tatastu tāvakāḥ śūrāḥ puraskṛtya yatavratam। śikhaṇḍipramukhānpārthānyodhayanti sma saṃyuge ॥6-111-25॥
Then, your valiant warriors, having placed Shikhandi and others with firm vows at the forefront, engaged in battle with the sons of Pritha.
cedibhiśca sapāñcālaiḥ sahito vānaradhvajaḥ। yayau śāntanavaṃ bhīṣmaṃ puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam ॥6-111-26॥
Arjuna, bearing the monkey banner, accompanied by the Cedis and the Pāñcālas, advanced towards Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, with Śikhaṇḍin at the forefront.
droṇaputraṁ śinernaptā dhṛṣṭaketustu pauravam। yudhāmanyuḥ sahāmātyaṁ duryodhanamayodhayat ॥6-111-27॥
The son of Droṇa, the grandson of Śini, Dhṛṣṭaketu, and Paurava, along with Yudhāmanyu and his minister, engaged in battle with Duryodhana.
virāṭastu sahānīkaḥ sahasenaṃ jayadratham। vṛddhakṣatrasya dāyādamāsasāda parantapaḥ ॥6-111-28॥
Virata, along with his army, approached Jayadratha, the heir of Vṛddhakṣatra, known as the scorcher of foes.
madrarājaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ sahasainyaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। bhīmasenābhiguptaśca nāgānīkamupādravat ॥6-111-29॥
Yudhishthira, protected by Bhimasena, attacked the Madra king and his elephant army with great skill.
apradhr̥ṣyamanāvāryaṃ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varam। droṇaṃ prati yayau yattaḥ pāñcālyaḥ saha somakaiḥ ॥6-111-30॥
The invincible and unstoppable best among all warriors, the Panchala prince, prepared himself and advanced towards Drona with the Somakas.
karṇikāradhvajaṃ cāpi siṃhaketurariṃdamaḥ। pratyujjagāma saubhadraṃ rājaputro bṛhadbalaḥ ॥6-111-31॥
Brihadbala, the prince with the Karnikara tree banner and Simhaketu, the subduer of enemies, went forth to meet Saubhadra.
śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca putrāste pāṇḍavaṃ ca dhanañjayam। rājabhiḥ samare sārdhamabhipeturjighāṃsavaḥ ॥6-111-32॥
Shikhandin and the sons attacked Pandava and Dhananjaya along with the kings in battle, with the intent to kill.
tasminnatimahābhīme senayorvai parākrame। sampradhāvatsvanīkeṣu medinī samakampata ॥6-111-33॥
In that exceedingly dreadful battle between the armies, as they rushed into their formations, the earth shook.
tānyanīkānyanīkeṣu samasajjanta bhārata। tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā śāntanavaṃ raṇe ॥6-111-34॥
O Bharata, those armies were arrayed in their respective formations. Seeing Bhishma in the battle, both your forces and the enemies' were prepared.
tatasteṣāṃ prayatatāmanyonyamabhidhāvatām। prādurāsīnmahāñśabdo dikṣu sarvāsu bhārata ॥6-111-35॥
Then, as they endeavored and rushed towards one another, a tremendous noise arose everywhere, O Bharata.
śaṅkhadundubhighoṣaiśca vāraṇānāṃ ca bṛṃhitaiḥ। siṃhanādaiśca sainyānāṃ dāruṇaḥ samapadyata ॥6-111-36॥
The battlefield resounded with the terrible sounds of conches, drums, trumpeting elephants, and the roars of lions from the armies.
sā ca sarvanarendrāṇāṃ candrārkasadṛśī prabhā। vīrāṅgadakirīṭeṣu niṣprabhā samapadyata ॥6-111-37॥
She, whose splendor was like the moon and sun among all kings, became devoid of splendor among the heroic bracelets and crowns.
rajo·meghāś ca sañjajñuḥ śastra·vidyudbhir āvṛtāḥ। dhanuṣāṃ caiva nirghoṣo dāruṇaḥ samapadyata ॥6-111-38॥
Dust clouds arose, shrouded with the flashes of weapons, and the terrible sound of bows echoed all around.
bāṇaśaṅkhapraṇādāśca bherīṇāṃ ca mahāsvanāḥ। rathagoṣaśca sañjagmuḥ senayorubhayorapi ॥6-111-39॥
The sounds of arrows, conches, and great drums, along with the noises of chariots, echoed through both armies.
prāsaśaktyṛṣṭisaṅghaiśca bāṇaughaiśca samākulam। niṣprakāśamivākāśaṃ senayoḥ samapadyata ॥6-111-40॥
The sky was filled with groups of spears, powers, and floods of arrows, making it appear as dark as the night.
anyonyaṃ rathinaḥ peturvājinaśca mahāhave। kuñjarāḥ kuñjarāñjaghnuḥ padātīṃśca padātayaḥ ॥6-111-41॥
In the great battle, charioteers and horses fell upon each other. Elephants attacked elephants, and foot soldiers fought against foot soldiers.
tadāsītsumahadyuddhaṃ kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha। bhīṣmahetornaravyāghra śyenayorāmiṣe yathā ॥6-111-42॥
Then there was a fierce battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas due to Bhishma, akin to hawks fighting over prey.
tayoḥ samāgamo ghoro babhūva yudhi bhārata। anyonyasya vadhārthāya jigīṣūṇāṃ raṇājire ॥6-111-43॥
O Bharata, a fierce encounter took place between them in the battlefield, as each sought to kill the other.
