07.006
Core and Pancharatra: Drona arranged the Kaurava army in a cart formation, while Dharmaraja arranged the Pandava army in the Krauncha formation.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
सेनापत्यं तु सम्प्राप्य भारद्वाजो महारथः।युयुत्सुर्व्यूह्य सैन्यानि प्रायात्तव सुतैः सह ॥७-६-१॥
Bharadvaja, the great chariot-warrior, having assumed command, organized the troops and set out to battle alongside your sons.
सैन्धवश्च कलिङ्गश्च विकर्णश्च तवात्मजः।दक्षिणं पार्श्वमास्थाय समतिष्ठन्त दंशिताः ॥७-६-२॥
The Sindhu king, the Kalinga king, Vikarna, and your son took their positions on the right side, ready for battle.
प्रपक्षः शकुनिस्तेषां प्रवरैर्हयसादिभिः।ययौ गान्धारकैः सार्धं विमलप्रासयोधिभिः ॥७-६-३॥
Shakuni, the supporter, accompanied by the finest horses and warriors, proceeded with the Gandharans and their impeccable spear fighters.
कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च चित्रसेनो विविंशतिः।दुःशासनमुखा यत्ताः सव्यं पार्श्वमपालयन् ॥७-६-४॥
Kṛpa, Kṛtavarmā, Citrasena, and Viviṃśati, led by Duḥśāsana, were vigilantly guarding the left flank.
तेषां प्रपक्षाः काम्बोजाः सुदक्षिणपुरःसराः।ययुरश्वैर्महावेगैः शकाश्च यवनैः सह ॥७-६-५॥
Their allies, the Kambojas, led by Sudakshina, advanced swiftly with horses, accompanied by the Shakas and Yavanas.
मद्रास्त्रिगर्ताः साम्बष्ठाः प्रतीच्योदीच्यवासिनः।शिबयः शूरसेनाश्च शूद्राश्च मलदैः सह ॥७-६-६॥
The Madras, Trigartas, Sambasthas, and the inhabitants of the western and northern regions, along with the Shibis, Shurasenas, and Shudras, were together with the Maladas.
सौवीराः कितवाः प्राच्या दाक्षिणात्याश्च सर्वशः।तवात्मजं पुरस्कृत्य सूतपुत्रस्य पृष्ठतः ॥७-६-७॥
The people of Sauvira, gamblers, easterners, and southerners, all have placed your son in front and are positioned behind the charioteer's son.
हर्षयन्सर्वसैन्यानि बलेषु बलमादधत्।ययौ वैकर्तनः कर्णः प्रमुखे सर्वधन्विनाम् ॥७-६-८॥
Karna, the son of Vikartana, encouraged all the armies and took his position at the forefront of all the archers.
तस्य दीप्तो महाकायः स्वान्यनीकानि हर्षयन्।हस्तिकक्ष्यामहाकेतुर्बभौ सूर्यसमद्युतिः ॥७-६-९॥
His radiant and massive form inspired joy among his own troops; in the elephant division, the one with the great banner shone with the brilliance of the sun.
न भीष्मव्यसनं कश्चिद्दृष्ट्वा कर्णममन्यत।विशोकाश्चाभवन्सर्वे राजानः कुरुभिः सह ॥७-६-१०॥
After witnessing Bhishma's distress, no one considered Karna. All the kings, along with the Kauravas, became free from sorrow.
हृष्टाश्च बहवो योधास्तत्राजल्पन्त सङ्गताः।न हि कर्णं रणे दृष्ट्वा युधि स्थास्यन्ति पाण्डवाः ॥७-६-११॥
Joyful and many warriors gathered there spoke: Indeed, having seen Karna in battle, the Pandavas will not stand in the fight.
कर्णो हि समरे शक्तो जेतुं देवान्सवासवान्।किमु पाण्डुसुतान्युद्धे हीनवीर्यपराक्रमान् ॥७-६-१२॥
Karna is indeed capable of defeating the gods along with Indra in battle; what then of the sons of Pandu, who are devoid of valor and prowess in battle?
भीष्मेण तु रणे पार्थाः पालिता बाहुशालिना।तांस्तु कर्णः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्नाशयिष्यत्यसंशयम् ॥७-६-१३॥
The sons of Pritha were protected by the strong-armed Bhishma in battle. However, Karna will undoubtedly destroy them with his sharp arrows.
एवं ब्रुवन्तस्तेऽन्योन्यं हृष्टरूपा विशां पते।राधेयं पूजयन्तश्च प्रशंसन्तश्च निर्ययुः ॥७-६-१४॥
Thus, speaking joyfully to each other, they worshipped and praised Karna, O lord of the people, and then departed.
अस्माकं शकटव्यूहो द्रोणेन विहितोऽभवत्।परेषां क्रौञ्च एवासीद्व्यूहो राजन्महात्मनाम् ॥ प्रीयमाणेन विहितो धर्मराजेन भारत ॥७-६-१५॥
Our forces were arranged in a cart formation by Droṇa, while the others, O king, had the Krauncha formation arranged by Dharmaraja, who was pleased, O Bharata.
व्यूहप्रमुखतस्तेषां तस्थतुः पुरुषर्षभौ।वानरध्वजमुच्छ्रित्य विष्वक्सेनधनञ्जयौ ॥७-६-१६॥
At the forefront of their formation, the best among men, Viṣvaksena and Dhanañjaya, stood raising the monkey-bannered flag.
ककुदं सर्वसैन्यानां लक्ष्म सर्वधनुष्मताम्।आदित्यपथगः केतुः पार्थस्यामिततेजसः ॥७-६-१७॥
The leader of all armies and the mark of all archers, the comet that travels the sun's path, is Arjuna of immeasurable energy.
दीपयामास तत्सैन्यं पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः।यथा प्रज्वलितः सूर्यो युगान्ते वै वसुन्धराम् ॥७-६-१८॥
The great-souled Pāṇḍava's army was illuminated, just as the blazing sun illuminates the earth at the end of an age.
अस्यतामर्जुनः श्रेष्ठो गाण्डीवं धनुषां वरम्।वासुदेवश्च भूतानां चक्राणां च सुदर्शनम् ॥७-६-१९॥
Let Arjuna, the foremost, wield the Gandiva, the supreme among bows; and let Vasudeva, the Sudarshana, the supreme among discs, of all beings.
चत्वार्येतानि तेजांसि वहञ्श्वेतहयो रथः।परेषामग्रतस्तस्थौ कालचक्रमिवोद्यतम् ॥७-६-२०॥
The chariot drawn by four white horses, embodying these powers, stood ahead of others like the formidable wheel of time poised for action.
एवमेतौ महात्मानौ बलसेनाग्रगावुभौ।तावकानां मुखं कर्णः परेषां च धनञ्जयः ॥७-६-२१॥
Thus, these two great souls, Karna and Dhananjaya (Arjuna), are the leaders of the army's strength, representing your side and the enemies' side respectively.
ततो जाताभिसंरम्भौ परस्परवधैषिणौ।अवेक्षेतां तदान्योन्यं समरे कर्णपाण्डवौ ॥७-६-२२॥
Then, filled with intense excitement and the desire to kill each other, Karna and the Pandava faced each other in battle.
ततः प्रयाते सहसा भारद्वाजे महारथे।अन्तर्नादेन घोरेण वसुधा समकम्पत ॥७-६-२३॥
As Bhāradvāja, the great chariot-warrior, suddenly left, the earth shook with a dreadful internal sound.
ततस्तुमुलमाकाशमावृणोत्सदिवाकरम्।वातोद्धूतं रजस्तीव्रं कौशेयनिकरोपमम् ॥७-६-२४॥
Then the tumultuous sky covered the sun, as the wind-blown dust, intense like a mass of silk, spread across.
अनभ्रे प्रववर्ष द्यौर्मांसास्थिरुधिराण्युत।गृध्राः श्येना बडाः कङ्का वायसाश्च सहस्रशः ॥ उपर्युपरि सेनां ते तदा पर्यपतन्नृप ॥७-६-२५॥
In a cloudless sky, flesh, bones, and blood rained down. Vultures, hawks, herons, cranes, and crows in thousands circled above your army, O king, at that time.
गोमायवश्च प्राक्रोशन्भयदान्दारुणान्रवान्।अकार्षुरपसव्यं च बहुशः पृतनां तव ॥ चिखादिषन्तो मांसानि पिपासन्तश्च शोणितम् ॥७-६-२६॥
The jackals howled with terrifying sounds, moving anticlockwise around your army repeatedly, eager to devour flesh and thirsty for blood.
अपतद्दीप्यमाना च सनिर्घाता सकम्पना।उल्का ज्वलन्ती सङ्ग्रामे पुच्छेनावृत्य सर्वशः ॥७-६-२७॥
A bright, fiery meteor fell into the battlefield, shaking and thundering, its tail covering everything completely.
परिवेषो महांश्चापि सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुमान्।भास्करस्याभवद्राजन्प्रयाते वाहिनीपतौ ॥७-६-२८॥
O king, when the army leader departed, the great surrounding became like the sun, with lightning and thunder.
एते चान्ये च बहवः प्रादुरासन्सुदारुणाः।उत्पाता युधि वीराणां जीवितक्षयकारकाः ॥७-६-२९॥
These and many other very terrible omens appeared in the battle, foretelling the destruction of the lives of heroes.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं परस्परवधैषिणाम्।कुरुपाण्डवसैन्यानां शब्देनानादयज्जगत् ॥७-६-३०॥
Then the battle began between the Kuru and Pandava armies, eager for mutual destruction, and the sound echoed throughout the world.
ते त्वन्योन्यं सुसंरब्धाः पाण्डवाः कौरवैः सह।प्रत्यघ्नन्निशितैर्बाणैर्जयगृद्धाः प्रहारिणः ॥७-६-३१॥
The Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas, filled with intense rage, engaged in fierce combat against each other, launching sharp arrows in their quest for victory.
स पाण्डवानां महतीं महेष्वासो महाद्युतिः।वेगेनाभ्यद्रवत्सेनां किरञ्शरशतैः शितैः ॥७-६-३२॥
The greatly radiant and skilled archer of the Pandavas swiftly attacked the army, showering it with hundreds of sharp arrows.
द्रोणमभ्युद्यतं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवाः सह सृञ्जयैः।प्रत्यगृह्णंस्तदा राजञ्शरवर्षैः पृथक्पृथक् ॥७-६-३३॥
Upon seeing Drona rise, the Pandavas, along with the Srinjayas, responded separately with showers of arrows, O king.
सङ्क्षोभ्यमाणा द्रोणेन भिद्यमाना महाचमूः।व्यशीर्यत सपाञ्चाला वातेनेव बलाहकाः ॥७-६-३४॥
The great army, disturbed and broken by Drona, scattered along with the Panchalas like clouds driven by the wind.
बहूनीह विकुर्वाणो दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि संयुगे।अपीडयत्क्षणेनैव द्रोणः पाण्डवसृञ्जयान् ॥७-६-३५॥
Droṇa, by employing numerous divine weapons in the battle, swiftly tormented the Pāṇḍavas and Sṛñjayas.
ते वध्यमाना द्रोणेन वासवेनेव दानवाः।पाञ्चालाः समकम्पन्त धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः ॥७-६-३६॥
The Pāñcālas, led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, trembled as they were being slaughtered by Droṇa, just as demons are by Vāsava.
ततो दिव्यास्त्रविच्छूरो याज्ञसेनिर्महारथः।अभिनच्छरवर्षेण द्रोणानीकमनेकधा ॥७-६-३७॥
Then the heroic Yajnaseni, skilled in divine weapons and a great chariot-warrior, attacked Drona's army from multiple directions with a barrage of arrows.
द्रोणस्य शरवर्षैस्तु शरवर्षाणि भागशः।संनिवार्य ततः सेनां कुरूनप्यवधीद्बली ॥७-६-३८॥
The strong one, having warded off the showers of arrows from Drona, then killed the army of the Kurus in parts.
संहृत्य तु ततो द्रोणः समवस्थाप्य चाहवे।स्वमनीकं महाबाहुः पार्षतं समुपाद्रवत् ॥७-६-३९॥
After gathering his forces, Drona, the mighty-armed, arranged his army in battle and attacked Parshata.
स बाणवर्षं सुमहदसृजत्पार्षतं प्रति।मघवान्समभिक्रुद्धः सहसा दानवेष्विव ॥७-६-४०॥
He unleashed a massive volley of arrows at Pārṣata, akin to how Indra, in his wrath, would suddenly attack the Dānavas.
ते कम्प्यमाना द्रोणेन बाणैः पाण्डवसृञ्जयाः।पुनः पुनरभज्यन्त सिंहेनेवेतरे मृगाः ॥७-६-४१॥
The Pāṇḍavas and Sṛñjayas, trembling under the assault of Droṇa's arrows, were repeatedly shattered like other animals by a lion.
अथ पर्यपतद्द्रोणः पाण्डवानां बलं बली।अलातचक्रवद्राजंस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥७-६-४२॥
Then Droṇa, the mighty warrior, charged towards the Pāṇḍava army with the speed and ferocity of a wheel of fire, creating a scene that appeared almost miraculous, O king.
खचरनगरकल्पं कल्पितं शास्त्रदृष्ट्या; चलदनिलपताकं ह्रादिनं वल्गिताश्वम्।स्फटिकविमलकेतुं तापनं शात्रवाणां; रथवरमधिरूढः सञ्जहारारिसेनाम् ॥७-६-४३॥
The chariot, imagined like a city moving in the sky according to the scriptures, with fluttering flags, resounding and with prancing horses, adorned with a pure crystal flag, tormented the enemies. Mounted on this best chariot, he destroyed the army of enemies.
