07.019
Core and Pancharatra: Yudhishthira responds with a semi-circular military formation, and Drishtadyumna takes assures to protect Yudhisthira at any cost. Intense battle progresses.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
pariṇāmya niśāṃ tāṃ tu bhāradvājo mahārathaḥ। bahūktvā ca tato rājanrājānaṃ ca suyodhanam ॥7-19-1॥
After spending the night, Bharadvaja, the great charioteer, spoke at length and then addressed King Suyodhana.
vidhāya yogaṃ pārthena saṃśaptakagaṇaiḥ saha। niṣkrānte ca raṇātpārathe saṃśaptakavadhṃ prati ॥7-19-2॥
Arjuna, having devised a strategy with the Saṃśaptaka warriors, left the battlefield to confront and kill them.
vyūḍhānīkastato droṇaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahācamūm। abhyayādbharataśreṣṭha dharmarājajighṛkṣayā ॥7-19-3॥
Then Drona, having arranged his troops, advanced towards the mighty army of the Pandavas, O best of the Bharatas, with the intention of capturing Yudhishthira.
vyūhaṁ dṛṣṭvā suparṇaṁ tu bhāradvājakṛtaṁ tadā। vyūhena maṇḍalārdhena pratyavyūhadyudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥7-19-4॥
Upon observing the formation crafted by Bharadvaja, Yudhishthira responded strategically with a semi-circular formation.
mukham āsīt suparṇasya bhāradvājo mahārathaḥ। śiro duryodhano rājā sodaryaiḥ sānugaiḥ saha ॥7-19-5॥
The face belonged to Suparna, Bharadvaja was the great charioteer; the head was Duryodhana, the king, along with his brothers and followers.
cakṣuṣī kṛtavarmā ca gautamaścāsyatāṃ varaḥ। bhūtavarmā kṣemaśarmā karakarṣaśca vīryavān ॥7-19-6॥
Kritavarma and Gautama, with their eyes, let the boon be cast. Bhutavarma, Kshemasarma, and the mighty Karakarsha are present.
kaliṅgāḥ siṃhalāḥ prācyāḥ śūrābhīrā daśerakāḥ। śakā yavanakāmbojāstathā haṃsapadāśca ye ॥7-19-7॥
The Kalingas, Sinhalese, Easterners, Shuras, Abhiras, Daserakas, Shakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, and Hamsapadas are mentioned here.
grīvāyāṃ śūrasenāśca daradā madrakekayāḥ। gajāśvarathapattyaughāstasthuḥ śatasahasraśaḥ ॥7-19-8॥
On the neck of the army, the Śūrasenas, Daradas, Madras, and Kekayas stood with multitudes of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, numbering in hundreds of thousands.
bhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ śalyaḥ somadattaśca bāhlikaḥ। akṣauhiṇyā vṛtā vīrā dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣamāśritāḥ ॥7-19-9॥
Bhūriśravāḥ, Śalaḥ, Śalyaḥ, Somadattaḥ, and Bāhlikaḥ, the heroes, took their positions on the southern side, supported by the army.
vindānuvindāvāvantyau kāmbojaśca sudakṣiṇaḥ। vāmaṃ pakṣaṃ samāśritya droṇaputrāgragāḥ sthitāḥ ॥7-19-10॥
Vinda, Anuvinda, the Avanti princes, Kamboja, and Sudakshina took position on the left wing, led by Drona's son.
pṛṣṭhe kaliṅgāḥ sāmbaṣṭhā māgadhāḥ paundramadrakāḥ। gāndhārāḥ śakuniprāgyāḥ pārvatīyā vasātayaḥ ॥7-19-11॥
Behind them were the Kalingas, Sambasthas, Magadhas, Paundra-Madras, Gandharas, the wise ones of Shakuni, and those dwelling in the mountains.
pucche vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ saputrajñātibāndhavaḥ। mahatyā senayā tasthau nānādhvajasamutthayā ॥7-19-12॥
At the rear, Karna, the son of Vikartana, stood with his sons, relatives, and friends, leading a great army adorned with various banners.
jayadratho bhīmarathaḥ sāṃyātrikasabho jayaḥ। bhūmiñjayo vṛṣakrātho naiṣadhaśca mahābalaḥ ॥7-19-13॥
Jayadratha, Bhīmaratha, Sāṃyātrikasabha, Jaya, Bhūmiñjaya, Vṛṣakrātha, Naiṣadha, and the mighty one.
vṛtā balena mahatā brahmalokapuraskṛtāḥ। vyūhasyopari te rājansthita yuddhaviśāradāḥ ॥7-19-14॥
Surrounded by great strength and honored by Brahmaloka, they stand above the formation, O king, as experts in warfare.
droṇena vihito vyūhaḥ padātyaśvarathadvipaiḥ। vātoddhūtārṇavākāraḥ pravṛtta iva lakṣyate ॥7-19-15॥
The formation arranged by Drona with infantry, horses, chariots, and elephants appears as if it is an ocean agitated by the wind.
tasya pakṣaprapakṣebhyo niṣpatanti yuyutsavaḥ। savidyutstanitā meghāḥ sarvadigbhya ivoṣṇage ॥7-19-16॥
Warriors emerge from all sides and opposite sides, resembling clouds with lightning and thunder appearing from all directions during the hot season.
tasya prāgjyotiṣo madhye vidhivatkalpitaṃ gajam। āsthitaḥ śuśubhe rājannaṃśumānudaye yathā ॥7-19-17॥
In the middle of Prāgjyotiṣa, his properly arranged elephant shone brightly, O king, like the rising sun.
mālyadāmavatā rājā śvetacchatreṇa dhāryatā। kṛttikāyogayuktena paurṇamāsyāmivendunā ॥7-19-18॥
The king, adorned with a garland and shaded by a white umbrella, appeared like the moon on a full moon night during the conjunction with Krittika.
nīlāñjanacayaprakhyo madāndho dvirado babhau। abhivṛṣṭo mahāmeghairyathā syātparvato mahān ॥7-19-19॥
The intoxicated elephant appeared like a mass of dark-blue, as if it were a great mountain being showered by massive clouds.
nānānṛpatibhirvīrairvividhāyudhabhūṣaṇaiḥ। samanvitaḥ pārvatīyaiḥ śakro devagaṇairiva ॥7-19-20॥
He was accompanied by various kings and heroes, adorned with diverse weapons and ornaments, similar to how Indra is accompanied by the groups of gods.
tato yudhiṣṭhiraḥ prekṣya vyūhaṃ tamatimānuṣam। ajayyamaribhiḥ saṅkhye pārṣataṃ vākyamabravīt ॥7-19-21॥
Then Yudhishthira, observing the formidable and superhuman battle formation that was invincible to enemies, addressed Parshata.
brāhmaṇasya vaśaṃ nāhamiyāmadya yathā prabho। pārāvatasavarṇāśva tathā nītirvidhīyatām ॥7-19-22॥
O lord, I will not submit to the Brahmin's control today. Let the policy for the pigeon and the similar horse be established accordingly.
dhṛṣṭadyumna uvāca॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna spoke:
droṇasya yatamānasya vaśaṃ naiṣyasi suvrata। ahamāvārayiṣyāmi droṇamadya sahānugam ॥7-19-23॥
"O virtuous one, you will not fall under Drona's control. Today, I will stop Drona and his followers."
mayi jīvati kauravya nodvegaṃ kartum arhasi। na hi śakto raṇe droṇo vijetuṃ māṃ kathaṃcana ॥7-19-24॥
As long as I am alive, O Kauravya, you need not worry. Droṇa cannot defeat me in battle under any circumstances.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
evamuktvā kiranbāṇāndrupadasya suto balī। pārāvatasavarṇāśvaḥ svayaṃ droṇamupādravat ॥7-19-25॥
Having declared thus, the mighty son of Drupada, riding a pigeon-colored horse, launched an attack on Drona, showering arrows.
aniṣṭadarśanaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnamavasthitam। kṣaṇenaivābhavaddroṇo nātihṛṣṭamanā iva ॥7-19-26॥
Upon seeing Dhrishtadyumna standing there, Drona was immediately filled with a sense of unease, as if he was not very pleased.
taṃ tu samprekṣya putraste durmukhaḥ śatrukarśanaḥ। priyaṃ cikīrṣandroṇasya dhṛṣṭadyumnamavārayat ॥7-19-27॥
Upon seeing him, your son Durmukha, known for tormenting enemies, sought to please Drona by stopping Dhrishtadyumna.
sa sampr̥hārastumulaḥ samarūpa ivābhavat। pārṣatasya ca śūrasya durmukhasya ca bhārata ॥7-19-28॥
The fierce battle seemed like a great war, involving the son of Prishata and the hero Durmukha, O Bharata.
pārṣataḥ śarajālena kṣipraṃ pracchādya durmukham। bhāradvājaṃ śaraugheṇa mahatā samavārayat ॥7-19-29॥
The son of Prishata swiftly enveloped Durmukha with a barrage of arrows and effectively restrained Bharadwaja with a great multitude of arrows.
droṇamāvāritaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhṛśāyastastavātmajaḥ। nānāliṅgaiḥ śaravrātaiḥ pārṣataṃ samamohayat ॥7-19-30॥
Seeing Drona being blocked, your son, in great distress, confused Parshata with various signs and volleys of arrows.
tayorviṣaktayoḥ saṅkhye pāñcālyakurumukhyayoḥ। droṇo yaudhiṣṭhiraṃ sainyaṃ bahudhā vyadhamaccharaiḥ ॥7-19-31॥
In the battle, Droṇa skillfully dispersed the army of Yudhishthira, which consisted of the Pāñcālas and the chief warriors of the Kurus, using his arrows in various ways.
anilena yathābhrāṇi vicchinnāni samantataḥ। tathā pārthasya sainyāni vicchinnāni kvacitkvacit ॥7-19-32॥
Just as the wind scatters clouds in all directions, so too are Arjuna's armies scattered in various places.
muhūrtamiva tadyuddhamāsīnmadhuradarśanam। tata unmattavadrājannirmaryādamavartata ॥7-19-33॥
The battle initially seemed brief and pleasing to the eyes, but then, O king, it turned chaotic and unrestrained, like the actions of a madman.
naiva sve na pare rājannajñāyanta parasparam। anumānena sañjñābhiryuddhaṃ tatsamavartata ॥7-19-34॥
O king, neither their own nor others could recognize each other. The battle took place by inference and signs.
cūḍāmaṇiṣu niṣkeṣu bhūṣaṇeṣvasi-carmasu। teṣāmādityavarṇābhā marīcyaḥ pracakāśire ॥7-19-35॥
The rays emanating from their crest jewels, necklaces, ornaments, swords, and shields shone brilliantly like the sun.
tatprakīrṇapatākānāṃ rathavāraṇavājinām। balākāśabalābhrābhaṃ dadṛśe rūpamāhave ॥7-19-36॥
In the battle, the form with scattered flags of chariots, elephants, and horses appeared like a cloud of cranes.
narāneva narā jaghnurudagrāśca hayā hayān। rathāṃśca rathino jaghnurvāraṇā varavāraṇān ॥7-19-37॥
The men indeed killed other men, and the mighty horses killed other horses. The charioteers destroyed the chariots, and the elephants killed the excellent elephants.
samucchritapatākānāṃ gajānāṃ paramadvipaiḥ। kṣaṇena tumulo ghoraḥ saṅgrāmaḥ samavartata ॥7-19-38॥
In an instant, a fierce and tumultuous battle ensued among the elephants with their flags raised high.
teṣāṃ saṃsaktagātrāṇāṃ karṣatāmitaretaram। dantasaṅghātasaṅgharṣātsadhūmo'gnirajāyata ॥7-19-39॥
As their bodies became entangled and they pulled at each other, the friction and collision of their teeth produced a fire with smoke.
viprakīrṇapatākāste viṣāṇajanitāgnayaḥ। babhūvuḥ khaṃ samāsādya savidyuta ivāmbudāḥ ॥7-19-40॥
The scattered flags appeared like clouds with lightning, produced by the fires from the horns, reaching the sky.
vikṣaradbhirnadadbhiśca nipatadbhiśca vāraṇaiḥ। sambabhūva mahī kīrṇā meghairdyauriva śāradī ॥7-19-41॥
The earth was filled with elephants that were scattering, roaring, and falling, resembling the autumn sky filled with clouds.
teṣām āhanyamānānāṃ bāṇatomaravṛṣṭibhiḥ। vāraṇānāṃ ravo jajñe meghānām iva samplave ॥7-19-42॥
The sound of the elephants, as they were struck by a rain of arrows and javelins, was like the roar of clouds during a deluge.
tomarābhihatāḥ kecidbāṇaiśca paramadvipāḥ। vitresuḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ śabdamevāpare'vrajan ॥7-19-43॥
Some great elephants were struck by spears and arrows, and others were frightened by the sound of all beings and fled.
viṣāṇābhihatāś cāpi kecit tatra gajā gajaiḥ। cakrur ārtasvaraṃ ghoram utpātajaladā iva ॥7-19-44॥
Some elephants there, struck by the tusks of other elephants, made a terrible distressed sound like ominous clouds.
pratīpaṃ hriyamāṇāśca vāraṇā varavāraṇaiḥ। unmathya punarājahruḥ preritāḥ paramāṅkuśaiḥ ॥7-19-45॥
The elephants, driven by supreme goads, uprooted obstacles and were brought back again by excellent elephants, moving against the flow.
mahāmātrā mahāmātraistāḍitāḥ śaratomaraiḥ। gajebhyaḥ pṛthivīṃ jagmurmuktapraharaṇāṅkuśāḥ ॥7-19-46॥
The great ministers, having been struck by arrows and spears, descended from the elephants to the ground, abandoning their weapons and hooks.
nirmanuṣyāśca mātaṅgā vinadantastatastataḥ। chinnābhrāṇīva sampetuḥ sampraviśya parasparam ॥7-19-47॥
The elephants, devoid of humans and trumpeting from various directions, rushed towards each other like scattered clouds.
hatānparivahantaśca yantritāḥ paramāyudhaiḥ। diśo jagmurmahānāgāḥ kecidekacarā iva ॥7-19-48॥
The great serpents, controlled by mighty weapons and carrying the dead, went in all directions, some appearing like solitary wanderers.
tāḍitāstāḍyamānāśca tomararṣṭiparaśvadhaiḥ। peturārtasvaraṃ kṛtvā tadā viśasane gajāḥ ॥7-19-49॥
The elephants, struck and being struck by spears, lances, and axes, fell down with cries of distress during the slaughter.
teṣāṃ śailopamaiḥ kāyairnipatadbhiḥ samantataḥ। āhatā sahasā bhūmiścakampe ca nanāda ca ॥7-19-50॥
As their mountain-like bodies fell all around, the earth was suddenly struck, shook, and echoed with sound.
sāditaiḥ sagajārohaiḥ sapatākaiḥ samantataḥ। mātaṅgaiḥ śuśubhe bhūmirvikīrṇairiva parvataiḥ ॥7-19-51॥
The ground appeared majestic, surrounded by elephants with their riders and flags, resembling scattered mountains.
gajasthāśca mahāmātrā nirbhinnahṛdayā raṇe। rathibhiḥ pātitā bhallairvikīrṇāṅkuśatomarāḥ ॥7-19-52॥
The great officers mounted on elephants, their hearts pierced, were struck down in battle by charioteers using arrows, and their weapons, goads, and spears were scattered.
krauñcavadvinadanto'nye nārācābhihatā gajāḥ। parānsvāṃścāpi mṛdnantaḥ paripeturdiśo daśa ॥7-19-53॥
Like herons screaming, other elephants struck by iron arrows, ran in all directions, crushing both enemies and their own.
gajāśvarathasaṅghānāṃ śarīraughasamāvṛtā। babhūva pṛthivī rājanmāṃsaśoṇitakardamā ॥7-19-54॥
O king, the earth was covered with masses of bodies from elephants, horses, and chariots, becoming muddy with flesh and blood.
pramathya ca viṣāṇāgraiḥ samutkṣipya ca vāraṇaiḥ। sacakrāśca vicakrāśca rathaireva mahārathāḥ ॥7-19-55॥
The great charioteers, having crushed with the tips of the horns and lifted by the elephants, both with and without wheels, indeed by chariots.
rathāśca rathibhirhīnā nirmanuṣyāśca vājinaḥ। hatārohāśca mātaṅgā diśo jagmuḥ śarāturāḥ ॥7-19-56॥
The chariots, now without their charioteers, the riderless horses, and the elephants whose riders were slain, all scattered in every direction, driven by the fear of arrows.
jaghānātra pitā putraṃ putraśca pitaraṃ tathā। ityāsīttumulaṃ yuddhaṃ na prajñāyata kiñcana ॥7-19-57॥
In the fierce battle, fathers killed sons and sons killed fathers, and nothing could be recognized.
ā gulphabhyo'vasīdanta narāḥ śoṇitakardame। dīpyamānaiḥ parikṣiptā dāvairiva mahādrumāḥ ॥7-19-58॥
The men were sinking up to their ankles in the bloody mud, surrounded by blazing fires like great trees in a forest fire.
śoṇitaiḥ sicyamānāni vastrāṇi kavacāṇi ca। chatrāṇi ca patākāśca sarvaṃ raktamadṛśyata ॥7-19-59॥
The garments, armors, umbrellas, and flags were all seen to be red as they were being sprinkled with blood.
hayaughāśca rathaughāśca naraughāśca nipātitāḥ। saṁvṛttāḥ punarāvṛttā bahudhā rathanemibhiḥ ॥7-19-60॥
The groups of horses, chariots, and men were struck down, but they turned back and returned in various ways, driven by the wheels of the chariots.
sa gajaughamahāvegaḥ parāsunaraśaivalaḥ। rathaughatumulāvartaḥ prababhau sainyasāgaraḥ ॥7-19-61॥
The army, resembling an ocean, moved with the speed of elephant herds, while the enemy soldiers were like seaweed, and the chariots created a tumultuous whirlpool, shining brilliantly.
taṁ vāhanamahānaubhir yodhā jayadhana iṣiṇaḥ। avagāhyāvamajjanto naiva mohaṁ pracakrire ॥7-19-62॥
The warriors, eager for victory and wealth, embarked on great ships and plunged in without causing any confusion.
śaravarṣābhivṛṣṭeṣu yodheṣvajitalakṣmasu। na hi svacittatāṃ lebhe kaścidāhatalakṣaṇaḥ ॥7-19-63॥
The warriors, drenched in a rain of arrows, could not maintain their composure, as they were struck with distinguishing marks.
vartamāne tathā yuddhe ghorarūpe bhayaṅkare। mohayitvā parāndroṇo yudhiṣṭhiramupādravat ॥7-19-64॥
In the current fierce and terrifying battle, Drona, having confused the enemies, attacked Yudhishthira.
