07.009
Pancharatra and Core: Long questioning by the Dhritarashtra, pre-emptying many details.
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
After inquiring from the son of Sūta, deeply afflicted by the grief in his heart and despairing of victory, Dhritarashtra fell to the ground, overwhelmed by the fate of his sons.
The attendants, seeing him unconscious and fallen, sprinkled him with extremely cold water and fanned him with a sacred fragrance.
Realizing that he had fallen, the women of Bharata gathered around the great king but refrained from touching him with their hands.
The noble ladies, with tears choking their throats, gently lifted the king from the ground and helped him to his seat.
The king, upon reaching his seat, was overcome with faintness and stood motionless while being fanned from all sides.
The king, trembling, slowly regained consciousness and asked the charioteer Gavalganin once more for an accurate account.
Ajatashatru, like the rising sun dispelling darkness, came with light; who indeed could stop him from Drona?
The mighty warrior, like a broken elephant, was angry and blazing, with his mind attached to the battle, invincible by the opposing leaders in the battle of trumpeting elephants.
The hero, best among men, who alone, with his mighty arms and fierce eyes, could destroy the entire army of Duryodhana, is steadfast and true to his word in battle.
The heroes, who were highly esteemed in the world, surrounded the eye-destroying one, who was engaged in victory and protected by the best of archers, and was restrained.
Who among my people dared to approach the invincible king, the supreme archer, the infallible one, the tiger among men, the son of Kunti, there?
With great force, Bhimasena, who indeed attacked Drona, was surrounded by certain heroes as he approached.
When the chariot, resembling a cloud and possessing supreme valor, like the fearsome Parjanya, released a tumultuous thunderbolt.
He showered arrows like Indra pours rain, filling the sky with arrows, with the emblem of the monkey on his banner. The sound of the wheel rims echoed in all directions.
The bow shines with the brilliance of lightning, terrifying like a cloud of chariot troops. The sound of the chariot wheels is like thunder, beautifully resonating with the sound of arrows.
The cloud, conquered by anger, moves swiftly with intent, penetrating vital parts, and the stream of arrows is tumultuous with blood and water.
Duryodhana's fierce effort was like flooding the entire earth, spreading everywhere by humans, and roaring with a mace.
In the battle, Vijaya, holding the Gandiva bow adorned with eagle feathers sharpened on stone, stood wise and resolute. What was going through your mind at that moment?
Arjuna, making a terrifying sound with his Gandiva bow, approached with great strength, ensuring that the strength did not perish.
Did Dhananjaya not scatter your enemies with his arrows, like the wind scatters clouds? Who can withstand the bowman with the Gandiva in battle?
The armies trembled with fear that even touched the heroes. Who among them did not abandon Drona? Who were the cowards that fled in fear?
Who there, having abandoned their bodies, faced death in opposition, and approached Dhananjaya, the conqueror of non-humans, even in battles?
My men cannot withstand the speed of Arjuna's chariot, nor the thunderous sound of his Gandiva bow, reminiscent of the roaring monsoon clouds.
I believe that the chariot, with Viṣvaksena as its charioteer and Dhanañjaya as its warrior, is invincible even to the gods and demons.
The tender, young, and brave Pāṇḍava is handsome, wise, skillful, intelligent in battle, and truly valiant.
As Nakula, the wise one, approached with a loud sound that distressed all the Kauravas, who were the heroes that surrounded him?
Sahadeva, like an enraged serpent, approached the battlefield, causing the destruction of his enemies. He is invincible and will conquer in battle.
The noble warrior, with unfailing arrows and modesty, unconquered, was advancing towards Drona. Who were the heroes that surrounded him?
He, who defeated the great army of the king of Sauvira, took the beautiful and desirable queen as his own.
Truth, steadfastness, valor, and celibacy are eternally present in Yuyudhana, O best of men.
He is strong, truthful in his actions, humble, and undefeated, comparable to Vāsudeva in battle, and second only to Vāsudeva.
Engaged as a servant by Arjuna, heroic in the teacher's task, who could stop him from Drona, being equal in weapons with Arjuna?
The best among the Vṛṣṇis, heroic and valiant, was equal to Rāma in archery, weaponry, fame, and prowess.
Truth, steadfastness, self-control, valor, and unsurpassed celibacy are all present in Sātvata, just as they are in the three worlds within Keśava.
The heroes, having approached the great archer who was endowed with such qualities and was irresistible even by the gods, surrounded him.
Among the Panchalas, he was the best hero, beloved for his noble lineage, always engaged in the best deeds, and possessing great strength in battle.
It is suitable for Arjuna's welfare and my purpose, being excellent and comparable to the great deities Yama, Kubera, the Sun, Indra, and Varuna.
The renowned great chariot-warrior Drona, rising in the tumultuous battle, was surrounded by heroes as he was abandoning his life.
Who, having retreated from the Cedis and taken refuge with the Pandavas, restrained Dhrishtaketu as he was coming from Drona?
Who was the hero that killed Ketuman, the prince Sudarsana, at the entrance of the western mountain, and who stopped him from Drona?
Śikhaṇḍin, who was once a woman and is now a formidable warrior, knows both virtues and vices, and stands with an unwavering mind in battle.
In the battle, which heroes surrounded the great soul heading towards Drona for the cause of Devavrata's death?
In whom all qualities surpassing those of Dhananjaya in heroism, and in whom weapons, truth, and celibacy are ever-present.
He is as valiant as Vāsudeva, as strong as Dhanañjaya, as brilliant as Āditya, and as wise as Bṛhaspati.
Abhimanyu, the valiant son of Arjuna, charged towards Drona with the ferocity of death itself. Who were the brave warriors that encircled him?
When the young son of Subhadra, who was like the sun and a destroyer of enemy heroes, attacked Drona, how did you feel?
The sons of Draupadi, fierce as tigers, charged at Drona like rivers rushing to the ocean in battle. Which heroes were able to stop them?
The boys left their games for twelve years to stay with Bhishma, dedicating themselves to learning the art of weaponry while observing a strict vow.
The proud sons of Dhrishtadyumna, who were victorious in battle and upheld the duty of warriors, stood as heroes warding off the forces from Drona.
The Vṛṣṇis saw Cekitāna, the great archer, as superior to a hundred in battle. Who could stop him from Droṇa?
Vardhakṣemiḥ of the Kaliṅgas brought the daughter during the battle; Anādṛṣṭiḥ, undaunted, restrained him from Droṇa.
The five brothers of Kaikeyi are righteous and truly valiant, having the color of Indragopa insects, and are equipped with red armor, weapons, and banners.
The sons of the maternal aunt, who were heroes desiring the victory of the Pandavas, came to kill Drona and were surrounded by other heroes.
The kings, despite fighting for six months at Varanavata, could not conquer the lord of battles whom they eagerly wished to kill.
Who could restrain that tiger among men, the best of bowmen, heroic, truthful, and mighty, who was eager to fight, from Drona?
The one who, with an arrow, took away the son of the king of Kāśī, a great chariot-warrior in Vārāṇasī, who was lusting after women in battle.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, a great archer and counselor for the sons of Pṛthā, was engaged in the cause against Duryodhana and was created for the purpose of killing Droṇa.
Which heroes surrounded him as he advanced towards Drona, burning and tearing apart the warriors completely in battle?
Shikhandi, the greatest among Drupada's archers, was like a grown lap, a warrior god who protected him from Drona.
The great charioteer, who enveloped the entire earth like a hide with his mighty chariot lineage, is the chief slayer of enemies.
He conducted ten Ashvamedha sacrifices, ensuring they were complete with good food, drink, and gifts, and he protected his subjects like a father would his children.
The hero, son of Ushinara, who drank the southern stream of the Ganga, generously gave numerous cows during the sacrifice.
The gods exclaimed that no humans, neither in the past nor in the future, have accomplished this difficult task.
In the three worlds, we do not see anything among the stationary and moving that is born, will be born, or even a second one now.
Indeed, thus the bearer of the burden from the Mūśīnaras and Śaibyas, to whom the path will not go, is beyond the reach of humans, the inhabitants of the world.
Who could stop Shaibya's grandson as he approached Drona, appearing like death with his mouth wide open?
The heroes surrounded Drona in battle, desiring to protect the chariot army of Virata, the enemy-slayer of Matsya.
Immediately, a terrible demon illusionist of great strength and valour was born from Vrikodara, from whom I have great fear.
Desiring victory for the sons of Pṛthā, Ghaṭotkaca, the mighty-armed, was a thorn to my sons. Who restrained him from Droṇa?
O Sanjaya, why are these and many others, who have abandoned their lives in battle for a purpose, still unconquered in battle?
How can those, whose refuge is the tiger among men, the wielder of the Śārṅga bow, and who is also the well-wisher of the sons of Pṛthā, ever face defeat?
Narayana, the eternal lord and teacher of the worlds, is the divine protector in battle, possessing a divine soul.
I will praise with devotion the divine deeds of the one whose actions are spoken of by the sages, for the sake of my own steadiness.
