07.015
Core and Pancharatra: Drona tries to restrain the retreating Kaurava army by attacking Yudhisthira. But Yudhisthira gives a befitting reply to Drona. Drona kills Siṃhasena and is almost near Yudhisthira, to capture him. Then Arjuna comes from nowhere and disperses the Kaurava army, making them retreat. The eleventh day comes to an end.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
tad-balaṃ sumahad-dīrṇaṃ tvadīyaṃ prekṣya vīryavān। dadhāraiko raṇe pāṇḍūn vṛṣaseno'stramāyayā ॥7-15-1॥
Observing the great and torn strength of your forces, the valiant Vṛṣasena single-handedly held back the Pāṇḍavas in battle using his skill in weaponry.
śarā daśa diśo muktā vṛṣasenena māriṣa। viceruste vinirbhidya naravājirathadvipān ॥7-15-2॥
O sir, the ten arrows released by Vṛṣasena spread in all directions, striking down men, horses, chariots, and elephants.
tasya dīptā mahābāṇā viniśceruḥ sahasraśaḥ। bhānoriva mahābāho grīṣmakāle marīcayaḥ ॥7-15-3॥
His brilliant arrows shot forth in thousands, resembling the sun's rays during the summer, O mighty-armed one.
tenārditā mahārāja rathinaḥ sādinastathā। nipetururvyāṃ sahasā vātanunnā iva drumāḥ ॥7-15-4॥
O great king, afflicted by him, the charioteers and horsemen fell suddenly to the ground like trees struck by the wind.
hayaughāṃśca rathaughāṃśca gajaughāṃśca samantataḥ। apātayadraṇe rājañśataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ॥7-15-5॥
In the battle, O king, he caused the troops of horses, chariots, and elephants to fall all around by the hundreds and thousands.
dṛṣṭvā tamevaṃ samare vicarantamabhītavat। sahitāḥ sarvarājānaḥ parivavruḥ samantataḥ ॥7-15-6॥
Seeing him wandering fearlessly in the battle, all the kings together surrounded him from every direction.
nākulistu śatānīko vṛṣasenaṃ samabhyayāt। vivyādha cainaṃ daśabhirnārācairmarmabhedibhiḥ ॥7-15-7॥
Nakula and Śatānīka approached Vṛṣasena, and Nakula pierced him with ten arrows that struck his vital parts.
tasya karṇātmajaścāpaṃ chittvā ketumapātayat. taṃ bhrātaraṃ parīpsanto draupadeyāḥ samabhyayuḥ ॥7-15-8॥
Karna's son cut the bow and knocked down the flag. The sons of Draupadi approached, desiring to protect their brother.
karṇātmajaṃ śaravrātaiścakruścādṛśyamañjasā। tānnadanto'bhyadhāvanta droṇaputramukhā rathāḥ ॥7-15-9॥
Karna's son was made invisible by the showers of arrows. The chariots, led by Drona's son, rushed towards them with a roar.
chādayanto mahārāja draupadeyān mahārathān। śarair nānāvidhais tūrṇaṃ parvatāñ jaladā iva ॥7-15-10॥
O great king, the sons of Draupadī, who are great charioteers, were quickly covered with various kinds of arrows, just as clouds cover mountains.
tān pāṇḍavāḥ pratyagṛhṇam̐s tvaritāḥ putragṛddhinaḥ। pāñcālāḥ kekayā matsyāḥ sṛñjayāś codyatāyudhāḥ ॥7-15-11॥
The Pāṇḍavas, eager for their sons, quickly accepted them. The Pāñcālas, Kekayas, Matsyas, and Sṛñjayas were ready with their weapons.
tadyuddhamabhavadghoraṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam। tvadīyaiḥ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ devānāmiva dānavaiḥ ॥7-15-12॥
The battle was fierce and tumultuous, causing one's hair to stand on end, as if it were a battle between the gods and the demons, fought by your sons of Pandu.
evamuttamasaṁrambhā yuyudhuḥ kurupāṇḍavāḥ। parasparamudīkṣantaḥ parasparakṛtāgasaḥ ॥7-15-13॥
Thus, with great enthusiasm, the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas engaged in battle, glaring at each other, having wronged one another.
teṣāṃ dadṛśire kopādvapūṃṣyamitatejasām। yuyutsūnāmivākāśe patatrivarabhoginām ॥7-15-14॥
Their bodies, filled with immeasurable energy, were seen in anger, resembling those eager to fight in the sky, like the best of birds and serpents.
bhīmakarṇakṛpadroṇadrauṇipārṣatasātyakaiḥ। babhāse sa raṇoddeśaḥ kālasūryairivoditaiḥ ॥7-15-15॥
The battlefield was illuminated by the presence of warriors like Bhima, Karna, Kripa, Drona, Drauni, Parshata, and Satyaki, resembling the suns that rise at the time of destruction.
tad āsīt tumulaṃ yuddhaṃ nighnatām itaretaram। mahābalānāṃ balibhir dānavānāṃ yathā suraiḥ ॥7-15-16॥
It was a fierce battle between the mighty demons and the gods, each striking the other with great strength.
tato yudhiṣṭhirānīkamuddhūtārṇavanisvanam। tvadīyamavadhītsainyaṃ sampradrutamaharatham ॥7-15-17॥
Then, Yudhishthira's army, with the sound of an agitated ocean, destroyed your army, which was fleeing with great chariots.
tatprabhagnaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā śatrubhirbhṛśamarditam। alaṃ drutena vaḥ śūrā iti droṇo'bhyabhāṣata ॥7-15-18॥
Upon witnessing the army being severely crushed by the enemies, Drona addressed the warriors, saying, "Brave ones, there's no need to rush further."
tataḥ śoṇahayaḥ kruddhaścaturdanta iva dvipaḥ। praviśya pāṇḍavānīkaṃ yudhiṣṭhiramupādravat ॥7-15-19॥
Then the enraged red horse, resembling a four-tusked elephant, charged into the Pandava army and attacked Yudhishthira.
tamavidhyacchitairbāṇaiḥ kaṅkapatrairyudhiṣṭhiraḥ। tasya droṇo dhanuśchittvā taṃ drutaṃ samupādravat ॥7-15-20॥
Yudhishthira shot sharp arrows with peacock-feathered shafts at him. Drona, after cutting his bow, swiftly advanced towards him.
cakrarakṣaḥ kumārastu pāñcālānāṃ yaśaskaraḥ। dadhāra droṇamāyāntaṃ veleva saritāṃ patim ॥7-15-21॥
The prince, known as the protector of the wheel and famous among the Pāñcālas, stood firm against Droṇa, just as the shore stands firm against the river's flow.
droṇaṁ nivāritaṁ dṛṣṭvā kumāreṇa dvijarṣabham। siṁhanādaravo hyāsītsādhu sādhviti bhāṣatām ॥7-15-22॥
Upon witnessing Drona being restrained by the prince, the best among the twice-born, there arose a lion-like roar of approval, with exclamations of 'Well done! Well done!' from the onlookers.
kumārastu tato droṇaṃ sāyakena mahāhave। vivyādhorasi saṅkruddhaḥ siṃhavaccānadanmuhuḥ ॥7-15-23॥
The prince, filled with rage, struck Droṇa in the chest with an arrow during the great battle and roared repeatedly like a lion.
saṁvārya tu raṇe droṇaḥ kumāraṁ vai mahābalaḥ। śarairanekasāhasraiḥ kṛtahasto jitaklamaḥ ॥7-15-24॥
In the battle, the mighty Droṇa skillfully restrained the prince with many thousands of arrows, overcoming his fatigue.
taṁ śūram āryavratinam astrārthakṛtaniśramam। cakrarakṣam apāmṛdnāt kumāraṁ dvijasattamaḥ ॥7-15-25॥
The best of the Brahmins defeated the valiant prince, who was dedicated to noble vows and exhausted from his weapon training, despite his protection by the divine discus.
sa madhyaṃ prāpya senāyāḥ sarvāḥ paricarandiśaḥ। tava sainyasya goptāsīdbhāradvājo ratharṣabhaḥ ॥7-15-26॥
He reached the center of the army and moved around in all directions. Bharadvaja, the supreme charioteer, was the protector of your forces.
śikhaṇḍinaṃ dvādaśabhirviṃśatyā cottamaujasam। nakulaṃ pañcabhirviddhvā sahadevaṃ ca saptabhiḥ ॥7-15-27॥
Shikhandin was pierced with twelve arrows, Uttamaujas with twenty; Nakula was struck with five, and Sahadeva with seven.
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ dvādaśabhir draupadeyāṃs tribhis tribhiḥ। sātyakiṃ pañcabhir viddhvā matsyaṃ ca daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥7-15-28॥
Yudhishthira was struck with twelve arrows, Draupadi's sons with three each, Satyaki was pierced with five arrows, and the Matsya king was hit with ten arrows.
vyakṣobhayadraṇe yodhānyathāmukhyānabhidravan। abhyavartata samprepsuḥ kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ॥7-15-29॥
The warriors were agitated in battle as the chiefs attacked, advancing with the desire to capture Kunti's son, Yudhishthira.
yugandharastato rājanbhāradvājaṃ mahāratham। vārayāmāsa saṅkruddhaṃ vātoddhūtamivārṇavam ॥7-15-30॥
Yugandhara then calmed the furious Bharadvaja, the great chariot-warrior, as one would calm a stormy sea.
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ sa viddhvā tu śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ। yugandharaṃ ca bhallena rathanīḍādapāharat ॥7-15-31॥
He pierced Yudhishthira with arrows having bent joints and removed Yugandhara from the chariot seat with a broad-headed arrow.
tato virāṭadrupadau kekayāḥ sātyakiḥ śibiḥ। vyāghradattaśca pāñcālyaḥ siṃhasenaśca vīryavān ॥7-15-32॥
Then Virata, Drupada, the Kekayas, Satyaki, Shibi, Vyaghradatta, Panchalya, and the mighty Simhasena were present.
ete cānye ca bahavaḥ parīpsanto yudhiṣṭhiram। āvavrustasya panthānaṃ kirantaḥ sāyakānbahūn ॥7-15-33॥
Many warriors, seeking to harm Yudhishthira, blocked his path by showering numerous arrows.
vyāghradattaśca pāñcālyo droṇaṃ vivyādha mārgaṇaiḥ। pañcāśadbhiḥ śitai rājaṃstata uccukruśurjanāḥ ॥7-15-34॥
Vyaghradatta and the Panchala prince attacked Drona with fifty sharp arrows, causing the people to shout in excitement, O king.
tvaritaṁ siṁhasenastu droṇaṁ viddhvā mahāratham। prāhasatsahasā hṛṣṭastrāsayanvai yatavratam ॥7-15-35॥
Siṁhasena quickly pierced Droṇa, the great chariot-warrior, and laughed suddenly, delightedly frightening the disciplined one.
tato visphārya nayane dhanurjyāmavamṛjya ca। talaśabdaṃ mahatkṛtvā droṇastaṃ samupādravat ॥7-15-36॥
Then Drona, having opened his eyes wide and drawn the bowstring, made a great sound with his palm and approached him.
tatastu siṃhasenasya śiraḥ kāyātsakuṇḍalam। vyāghradattasya cākramya bhallābhyāmaharadbalī ॥7-15-37॥
Then, the strong warrior severed the head of Siṃhasena, adorned with earrings, from his body, and attacked Vyāghradatta with arrows.
tān pramṛdya śaravrātaiḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathān। yudhiṣṭhirasamabhyāśe tasthau mṛtyurivāntakaḥ ॥7-15-38॥
Crushing the great charioteers of the Pāṇḍavas with showers of arrows, he stood near Yudhiṣṭhira like Death itself, bringing the end.
tato'bhavanmahāśabdo rājanyaudhiṣṭhire bale। hṛto rājeti yodhānāṃ samīpasthe yatavrate ॥7-15-39॥
Then a great uproar arose in the army of King Yudhishthira: "The king has been captured," was the cry among the warriors near the steadfast one.
abruvansainikāstatra dṛṣṭvā droṇasya vikramam। adya rājā dhārtarāṣṭraḥ kṛtārtho vai bhaviṣyati ॥ āgamiṣyati no nūnaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya saṃyuge ॥7-15-40॥
The soldiers, witnessing Drona's prowess, remarked: "Today, the king, son of Dhritarashtra, will surely achieve success. Indeed, our prince will join the battle."
evaṃ sañjalpatāṃ teṣāṃ tāvakānāṃ mahārathaḥ। āyājjavena kaunteyo rathaghoṣeṇa nādayan ॥7-15-41॥
As they were conversing, your great warrior, the son of Kunti, approached swiftly, making a resounding noise with his chariot.
śoṇitodāṃ rathāvartāṃ kṛtvā viśasane nadīm। śūrāsthicayasaṅkīrṇāṃ pretakūlāpahāriṇīm ॥7-15-42॥
The river, filled with blood and having whirlpools of chariots, was made in the battlefield, scattered with heaps of bones of heroes, taking away the banks of the dead.
tāṃ śaraughamahāphenāṃ prāsamatsyasamākulām। nadīmuttīrya vegena kurūnvidrāvya pāṇḍavaḥ ॥7-15-43॥
The Pāṇḍava swiftly crossed the river, which was turbulent with a great stream of arrows and teeming with spear-like fish, and scattered the Kurus.
tataḥ kirīṭī sahasā droṇānīkamupādravat। chādayanniṣujālena mahatā mohayanniva ॥7-15-44॥
Then Arjuna, the one with the crown, suddenly attacked Drona's formation, covering it with a great shower of arrows, as if to bewilder them.
śīghramabhyasyato bāṇānsaṁdadhānasya cāniśam। nāntaraṁ dadṛśe kaścitkaunteyasya yaśasvinaḥ ॥7-15-45॥
The son of Kunti, renowned for his glory, was seen practicing and fixing arrows so swiftly and continuously that no gap was visible.
na diśo nāntarikṣaṃ ca na dyaurnaiva ca medinī। adṛśyata mahārāja bāṇabhūtamivābhavat ॥7-15-46॥
O great king, it seemed as if everything had vanished, leaving no directions, sky, heaven, or earth, as if it had all become like an arrow.
nādṛśyata tadā rājanstatra kiñcana saṃyuge। bāṇāndhakāre mahati kṛte gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ॥7-15-47॥
At that time, O king, nothing could be seen on the battlefield because the wielder of the Gandiva bow had created a great darkness with his arrows.
sūrye cāstamanuprāpte rajasā cābhisaṁvṛte। nājñāyata tadā śatrurna suhṛnna ca kiñcana ॥7-15-48॥
When the sun had set and the atmosphere was filled with dust, it was impossible to distinguish between friend and foe or anything else.
tato'vahāraṃ cakruste droṇaduryodhanādayaḥ। tānviditvā bhṛśaṃ trastānayuddhamanasaḥ parān ॥7-15-49॥
Then Drona, Duryodhana, and others decided to retreat, realizing that their enemies were greatly terrified and unwilling to continue the battle.
svānyanīkāni bībhatsuḥ śanakairavahārayat। tato'bhituṣṭuvuḥ pārthaṃ prahṛṣṭāḥ pāṇḍusṛñjayāḥ ॥ pāñcālāśca manojñābhirvāgbhiḥ sūryamivarṣayaḥ ॥7-15-50॥
Bibhatsu (Arjuna) slowly withdrew his own troops. Then, the joyful Pandavas and Srinjayas, along with the Panchalas, praised Partha (Arjuna) with pleasing words, just as sages praise the Sun.
evaṃ svaśibiraṃ prāyājjitvā śatrūndhanañjayaḥ। pṛṣṭhataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ mudito vai sakeśavaḥ ॥7-15-51॥
Thus, after defeating the enemies, Arjuna, accompanied by Krishna, joyfully returned to his camp, followed by all the armies.
masāragalvarkasuvarṇarūpyai; rvajrapravālasphaṭikaiśca mukhyaiḥ। citre rathe pāṇḍusuto babhāse; nakṣatracitre viyatīva candraḥ ॥7-15-52॥
The son of Pandu shone in his beautifully adorned chariot, which was decorated with precious corals, gold, silver, diamonds, and crystals, resembling the moon in a starry sky.
