07.012
Core and Pancharatra: Arjuna assures Yudhisthira he will sacrifice his own life, but will not allow Drona to capture him. By midday, Drona disperses Pandava army led by Drishtadyumna.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
ततस्ते सैनिकाः श्रुत्वा तं युधिष्ठिरनिग्रहम्। सिंहनादरवांश्चक्रुर्बाणशङ्खरवैः सह ॥७-१२-१॥
Upon hearing about the capture of Yudhishthira, the soldiers roared like lions and sounded their conches and arrows.
तत्तु सर्वं यथावृत्तं धर्मराजेन भारत। आप्तैराशु परिज्ञातं भारद्वाजचिकीर्षितम् ॥७-१२-२॥
O Bharata, Dharmaraja quickly learned all that had happened through his trusted ones, regarding the intention of Bharadvaja.
ततः सर्वान्समानाय्य भ्रातॄन्सैन्यांश्च सर्वशः। अब्रवीद्धर्मराजस्तु धनञ्जयमिदं वचः ॥७-१२-३॥
Dharmaraja, after assembling all his brothers and the entire army, addressed Dhananjaya with these words.
श्रुतं ते पुरुषव्याघ्र द्रोणस्याद्य चिकीर्षितम्। यथा तन्न भवेत्सत्यं तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम् ॥७-१२-४॥
"O tiger among men, you have heard today what Drona intends. Ensure that it does not come true by establishing the right policy."
सान्तरं हि प्रतिज्ञातं द्रोणेनामित्रकर्शन। तच्चान्तरममोघेषौ त्वयि तेन समाहितम् ॥७-१२-५॥
O enemy-scorcher, Drona indeed promised an end. That gap was fixed in you by him with his infallible arrows.
स त्वमद्य महाबाहो युध्यस्व मदनन्तरम्। यथा दुर्योधनः कामं नेमं द्रोणादवाप्नुयात् ॥७-१२-६॥
You, O mighty-armed one, must fight today after me, so that Duryodhana does not achieve his desire from Drona.
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said:
यथा मे न वधः कार्य आचार्यस्य कथञ्चन। तथा तव परित्यागो न मे राजंश्चिकीर्षितः ॥७-१२-७॥
Just as I should not kill the teacher in any way, similarly, O king, I do not intend to abandon you.
अप्येवं पाण्डव प्राणानुत्सृजेयमहं युधि। प्रतीयां नाहमाचार्यं त्वां न जह्यां कथञ्चन ॥७-१२-८॥
Even in such a situation, O son of Pandu, I would sacrifice my life in battle; I would not recognize you as my teacher, nor would I ever abandon you.
त्वां निगृह्याहवे राजन्धार्तराष्ट्रो यमिच्छति। न स तं जीवलोकेऽस्मिन्कामं प्राप्तः कथञ्चन ॥७-१२-९॥
O king, having captured you in battle, Dhritarashtra's son desires something. However, he has not achieved that desire in this world in any way.
प्रपतेद्द्यौः सनक्षत्रा पृथिवी शकलीभवेत्। न त्वां द्रोणो निगृह्णीयाज्जीवमाने मयि ध्रुवम् ॥७-१२-१०॥
Even if the sky with its stars were to fall and the earth were to shatter, Drona would not capture you as long as I am alive, certainly.
यदि तस्य रणे साह्यं कुरुते वज्रभृत्स्वयम्। देवैर्वा सहितो दैत्यैर्न त्वां प्राप्स्यत्यसौ मृधे ॥७-१२-११॥
Even if Indra himself, along with gods or demons, assists him in battle, he will not be able to defeat you.
मयि जीवति राजेन्द्र न भयं कर्तुमर्हसि। द्रोणादस्त्रभृतां श्रेष्ठात्सर्वशस्त्रभृतामपि ॥७-१२-१२॥
O King, as long as I am alive, you need not fear anyone, even those superior to Drona, the greatest among all warriors.
न स्मराम्यनृतां वाचं न स्मरामि पराजयम्। न स्मरामि प्रतिश्रुत्य किञ्चिदप्यनपाकृतम् ॥७-१२-१३॥
I do not recall speaking falsely, nor do I remember any defeat. I do not recall having left any promise unfulfilled.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च मृदङ्गाश्चानकैः सह। प्रावाद्यन्त महाराज पाण्डवानां निवेशने ॥७-१२-१४॥
Then, O great king, conches, drums, mridangas, and trumpets were sounded together in the residence of the Pandavas.
सिंहनादश्च सञ्जज्ञे पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। धनुर्ज्यातलशब्दश्च गगनस्पृक्सुभैरवः ॥७-१२-१५॥
The Pandavas, known for their greatness, let out a lion's roar, and the sound of their bowstrings echoed through the sky, creating a very terrifying atmosphere.
तं श्रुत्वा शङ्खनिर्घोषं पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः। त्वदीयेष्वप्यनीकेषु वादित्राण्यभिजघ्निरे ॥७-१२-१६॥
Upon hearing the sound of the conch from the noble Pandava, the musical instruments in your armies also began to play.
ततो व्यूढान्यनीकानि तव तेषां च भारत। शनैरुपेयुरन्योन्यं योत्स्यमानानि संयुगे ॥७-१२-१७॥
Then, O Bharata, the arranged armies of both sides slowly approached each other, ready to engage in battle.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम्। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च द्रोणपाञ्चाल्ययोरपि ॥७-१२-१८॥
Then a fierce and terrifying battle began between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, as well as between Drona and the Panchalas.
यतमानाः प्रयत्नेन द्रोणानीकविशातने। न शेकुः सृञ्जया राजंस्तद्धि द्रोणेन पालितम् ॥७-१२-१९॥
The Srinjayas, despite their efforts, could not penetrate Drona's army, O king, as it was well-guarded by Drona.
तथैव तव पुत्रस्य रथोदाराः प्रहारिणः। न शेकुः पाण्डवीं सेनां पाल्यमानां किरीटिना ॥७-१२-२०॥
Similarly, the chariot warriors of your son could not withstand the Pandava army, which was being protected by Arjuna.
आस्तां ते स्तिमिते सेने रक्ष्यमाणे परस्परम्। सम्प्रसुप्ते यथा नक्तं वनराज्यौ सुपुष्पिते ॥७-१२-२१॥
Let your calm army be mutually protected, completely asleep as if it were night in the fully blossomed forest kingdom.
ततो रुक्मरथो राजन्नर्केणेव विराजता। वरूथिना विनिष्पत्य व्यचरत्पृतनान्तरे ॥७-१२-२२॥
Then Rukmaratha, O king, shining like the sun, set out with his army and moved within the battle formation.
तमुद्यतं रथेनैकमाशुकारिणमाहवे। अनेकमिव सन्त्रासान्मेनिरे पाण्डुसृञ्जयाः ॥७-१२-२३॥
The Pandavas and the Srinjayas, out of fear, perceived him, who was raised with a chariot and swift in battle, as if he were many.
तेन मुक्ताः शरा घोरा विचेरुः सर्वतोदिशम्। त्रासयन्तो महाराज पाण्डवेयस्य वाहिनीम् ॥७-१२-२४॥
The terrible arrows released by him spread in all directions, terrifying the Pandava's army, O great king.
मध्यं दिनमनुप्राप्तो गभस्तिशतसंवृतः। यथादृश्यत घर्मांशुस्तथा द्रोणोऽप्यदृश्यत ॥७-१२-२५॥
At midday, enveloped in hundreds of rays, just as the sun was visible, so too was Drona seen.
न चैनं पाण्डवेयानां कश्चिच्छक्नोति मारिष। वीक्षितुं समरे क्रुद्धं महेन्द्रमिव दानवाः ॥७-१२-२६॥
O honorable one, none among the Pandavas can face him when he is angry in battle, just as demons cannot face Mahendra.
मोहयित्वा ततः सैन्यं भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। धृष्टद्युम्नबलं तूर्णं व्यधमन्निशितैः शरैः ॥७-१२-२७॥
After bewildering the army, the mighty Bhāradvāja swiftly dispersed Dhṛṣṭadyumna's troops with his sharp arrows.
स दिशः सर्वतो रुद्ध्वा संवृत्य खमजिह्मगैः। पार्षतो यत्र तत्रैव ममृदे पाण्डुवाहिनीम् ॥७-१२-२८॥
He blocked all directions and surrounded the Pandava army with crooked movements, crushing them where the son of Prishata was.
