07.024
Core and Pancharatra: Description of how the Kauravas defended against the rallying Pandava army.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
mahadbhairavam āsīn naḥ saṃnivṛtteṣu pāṇḍuṣu। dṛṣṭvā droṇaṃ chādyamānaṃ tair bhāskaram ivāmbudaiḥ ॥7-24-1॥
It was a terrifying sight for us when the Pāṇḍavas withdrew, seeing Droṇa being covered by them like the sun is covered by clouds.
taiścoddhūtaṃ rajastīvramavacakre camūṃ tava। tato hatamamanyāma droṇaṃ dṛṣṭipathe hate ॥7-24-2॥
The intense dust raised by them covered your army, and then we thought that Droṇa was slain in sight.
tāṃstu śūrānmaheṣvāsānkrūraṃ karma cikīrṣataḥ। dṛṣṭvā duryodhanastūrṇaṃ svasainyaṃ samacūcudat ॥7-24-3॥
Duryodhana, upon seeing those valiant warriors and great archers eager to commit a cruel deed, swiftly rallied his troops.
yathāśakti yathotsāhaṃ yathāsattvaṃ narādhipāḥ। vārayadhvaṃ yathāyogaṃ pāṇḍavānāmanīkinīm ॥7-24-4॥
O kings, restrain the Pandavas' army with all your ability, enthusiasm, and strength, as deemed appropriate.
tato durmarṣaṇo bhīmamabhyagacchatsutastava। ārāddṛṣṭvā kiranbāṇairicchandroṇasya jīvitam ॥7-24-5॥
Then, your son Durmarshana approached Bhima from afar, showering arrows with the intent to take Drona's life.
taṁ bāṇairavatastāra kruddho mṛtyumivāhave। taṁ ca bhīmo'tudadbāṇaistadāsīttumulaṁ mahat ॥7-24-6॥
In the battle, the angry warrior pierced his opponent with arrows, resembling death itself. Bhima also struck him with arrows, leading to a great tumultuous scene.
ta īśvarasamādiṣṭāḥ prājñāḥ śūrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ। bāhyaṃ mṛtyubhayaṃ kṛtvā pratyatiṣṭhanparānyudhi ॥7-24-7॥
Commanded by the lord, the wise and brave strikers overcame their fear of death and stood firm against their enemies in battle.
kṛtavarmā śineḥ putraṃ droṇaprepsuṃ viśāṃ pate। paryavārayadāyāntaṃ śūraṃ samitiśobhanam ॥7-24-8॥
Kritavarma, the son of Shini, eager to support Drona, surrounded the lord of the people, who was approaching as a hero, shining in the battle.
taṁ śaineyaḥ śaravrātaiḥ kruddhaḥ kruddhamavārayat। kṛtavarmā ca śaineyaṁ matto mattamiva dvipam ॥7-24-9॥
The son of Śinī, in his anger, stopped the furious one with volleys of arrows. Kṛtavarmā, like an enraged elephant, and the son of Śinī.
saindhavaḥ kṣatradharmāṇam āpatantaṃ śaraughiṇam। ugradhanvā maheṣvāsaṃ yatto droṇād avārayat ॥7-24-10॥
The Sindhu prince, a fierce bowman and great archer, attentively warded off the approaching shower of arrows from Drona.
kṣatradharmā sindhupateśchittvā ketanakārmuke। nārācairbahubhiḥ kruddhaḥ sarvamarmasvatāḍayat ॥7-24-11॥
The warrior, in his anger, severed the bow of the ocean lord's banner with numerous arrows, striking at all the vital points.
athānyaddhanurādāya saindhavaḥ kṛtahastavat। vivyādha kṣatradharmāṇaṃ raṇe sarvāyasaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥7-24-12॥
Then the Sindhu prince, having taken another bow and being ready-handed, pierced the warrior in the battle with iron arrows.
yuyutsuṁ pāṇḍavārthāya yatamānaṁ mahāratham। subāhubhrātaraṁ śūraṁ yatto droṇādavārayat ॥7-24-13॥
Subāhu, the heroic brother, striving for the sake of the Pāṇḍavas, courageously warded off Droṇa.
subāhoḥ sadhanurbāṇāvasyataḥ parighopamau। yuyutsuḥ śitapītābhyāṃ kṣurābhyāmacchinadbhujau ॥7-24-14॥
Subahu, armed with a bow and arrows that resembled iron clubs, eager for battle, severed the arms with sharp, yellow razors.
rājānaṃ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaṃ dharmātmānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram। veleva sāgaraṃ kṣubdhaṃ madrarāṭsamavārayat ॥7-24-15॥
The king of Madra restrained Yudhishthira, the virtuous soul and best of the Pandavas, like the shore restrains the agitated ocean.
taṁ dharmarājo bahubhirmarmabhidbhiravākirat। madreśastaṁ catuḥṣaṣṭyā śarairviddhvānadadbhr̥śam ॥7-24-16॥
Dharmaraja attacked fiercely with numerous piercing arrows. The king of Madra, after striking with sixty-four arrows, let out a loud roar.
tasya nānadataḥ ketumuccakarta sakārmukam। kṣurābhyāṃ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhastata uccukruśurjanāḥ ॥7-24-17॥
The best of the Pandavas cut off the roaring banner along with the bow using razors, and then the people shouted in response.
tathaiva rājā bāhlīko rājānaṃ drupadaṃ śaraiḥ। ādravantaṃ sahānīkaṃ sahānīko nyavārayat ॥7-24-18॥
Similarly, King Bahlika halted King Drupada, who was advancing with his army, using arrows.
tadyuddhamabhavadghoraṃ vṛddhayoḥ sahasenayoḥ। yathā mahāyūthapayordvipayoḥ samprabhinnayoḥ ॥7-24-19॥
The battle became fierce between the elder leaders of the armies, resembling the clash of two mighty elephant chiefs.
vindānuvindāvāvantyau virāṭaṃ matsyamārcchatām। sahasainyau sahānīkaṃ yathendrāgnī purā balim ॥7-24-20॥
Vinda and Anuvinda, the princes of Avanti, launched an attack on Virata and Matsya with their combined forces, reminiscent of how Indra and Agni once confronted Bali in the past.
tadutpiñjalakaṃ yuddhamāsīddevāsuropamam। matsyānāṃ kekayaiḥ sārdhamabhītāśvarathadvipam ॥7-24-21॥
The fierce battle resembled the legendary wars between gods and demons, fought by the Matsyas alongside the Kekayas, with fearless horses, chariots, and elephants.
nākuliṁ tu śatānīkaṁ bhūtakarmā sabhāpatiḥ। asyantamiṣujālāni yāntaṁ droṇādavārayat ॥7-24-22॥
Nakula, however, Śatānīka, the master of ceremonies known for his magical feats, intercepted the barrage of arrows coming from Droṇa.
tato nakuladāyādastribhirbhallaiḥ susaṃśitaiḥ। cakre vibāhuśirasaṃ bhūtakarmāṇamāhave ॥7-24-23॥
Then Nakula's descendant skillfully shot three well-sharpened arrows, severing Vibahu's head and defeating Bhutakarman in the battle.
sutasomaṃ tu vikrāntamāpatantaṃ śaraughiṇam। droṇāyābhimukhaṃ vīraṃ viviṃśatiravārayat ॥7-24-24॥
Viviṃśati intercepted the brave Sutasoma, who was advancing with a shower of arrows towards Drona.
sutasomastu saṅkruddhaḥ svapitṛvyamajihmagaiḥ। viviṁśatiṁ śarairviddhvā nābhyavartata daṁśitaḥ ॥7-24-25॥
Sutasoma, in his anger, shot twenty straight arrows at his uncle and did not retreat, as if stung.
atha bhīmarathaḥ śālvam āśugair āyasaiḥ śitaiḥ। ṣaḍbhiḥ sāśvaniyantāram anayat yamasādanam ॥7-24-26॥
Then Bhīmaratha, with six swift and sharp iron arrows, took Śālva along with his horses and charioteer to the realm of Yama, the god of death.
śrutakarmāṇam āyāntaṃ mayūrasadṛśair hayaiḥ। caitrasenir mahārāja tava pautro nyavārayat ॥7-24-27॥
O great king, your grandson Caitraseni stopped Śrutakarmāṇa, who was coming with horses that resembled peacocks.
tau pautrau tava durdharṣau parasparavadha iṣinau। pitṝṇām arthasiddhyarthaṃ cakratur yuddham uttamam ॥7-24-28॥
Your grandsons, who were invincible and eager to kill each other, engaged in a great battle to fulfill the purpose of their ancestors.
tiṣṭhantamagrato dṛṣṭvā prativindhyaṃ tamāhave। drauṇirmānaṃ pituḥ kurvanmārgaṇaiḥ samavārayat ॥7-24-29॥
Drona's son, upon seeing Prativindhya standing ahead in the battle, honored his father by restraining Prativindhya with arrows.
taṁ kruddhaḥ prativivyādha prativindhyaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ। siṁhalāṅgūlalakṣmāṇaṁ piturarthe vyavasthitam ॥7-24-30॥
In his anger, Prativindhya shot sharp arrows at Simhalangula Lakshmana, who stood firm for his father's cause.
pravapanniva bījāni bījakāle nararṣabha। drauṇāyanirdraupadeyaṃ śaravarṣairavākirat ॥7-24-31॥
Aśvatthāmā attacked the son of Draupadī with a barrage of arrows, resembling the act of sowing seeds during the sowing season, O best of men.
yastu śūratamo rājansenayorubhayormataḥ। taṃ paṭaccharahantāraṃ lakṣmaṇaḥ samavārayat ॥7-24-32॥
Lakshmana, known as the most valiant among both armies, restrained the enemy's slayer, O king.
sa lakṣmaṇasyeṣvasanaṃ chittvā lakṣma ca bhārata। lakṣmaṇe śarajālāni visṛjanbahvaśobhata ॥7-24-33॥
He cut Lakshmana's bow and shone brightly as he released many arrows at Lakshmana, O Bharata.
vikarṇastu mahāprājño yājñaseniṃ śikhaṇḍinam। paryavārayadāyāntaṃ yuvānaṃ samare yuvā ॥7-24-34॥
Vikarna, known for his wisdom, confronted the young warrior Yajnaseni Shikhandi as he approached in the battlefield.
tatastamiṣujālena yājñaseniḥ samāvṛṇot। vidhūya tadbāṇajālaṃ babhau tava suto balī ॥7-24-35॥
Then Yajnaseni enveloped him with a net of arrows. However, shaking off that barrage, your strong son stood radiant.
aṅgado'bhimukhaḥ śūramuttamaujasamāhave। droṇāyābhimukhaṃ yāntaṃ vatsadantairavārayat ॥7-24-36॥
Angada confronted the brave Uttamaujas in the battle and halted his advance towards Drona with the help of the Vatsadantas.
sa samprahāras tumulas tayoḥ puruṣasiṃhayoḥ। sainikānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ tayoś ca prītivardhanaḥ ॥7-24-37॥
The fierce battle between the two lion-like warriors brought joy to all the soldiers and to the two warriors themselves.
durmukhastu maheṣvāso vīraṃ purujitaṃ balī। droṇāyābhimukhaṃ yāntaṃ kuntibhojamavārayat ॥7-24-38॥
Durmukha, a great archer, intercepted the brave and strong Purujit as he advanced towards Drona, confronting Kuntibhoja.
sa durmukhaṁ bhruvormadhye nārācena vyatāḍayat। tasya tadvibabhau vaktraṁ sanālamiva paṅkajam ॥7-24-39॥
He struck Durmukha in the middle of the eyebrows with an arrow, and his face shone like a lotus with its stalk.
karṇastu kekayānbhrātṝnpañca lohitakadhvajān। droṇāyābhimukhaṃ yātāñśaravarṣairavārayat ॥7-24-40॥
Karna stopped the five red-bannered Kekaya brothers, who were advancing towards Drona, with a shower of arrows.
te caiṇaṃ bhṛśasaṅkruddhāḥ śaravrātairavākiran। sa ca tāṃśchādayāmāsa śarajālaiḥ punaḥ punaḥ ॥7-24-41॥
The warriors, in their intense anger, showered arrows upon him. In response, he repeatedly covered them with his own volleys of arrows.
naiva karṇo na te pañca dadṛśurbāṇasaṁvṛtāḥ। sāśvasūtadhvajarathāḥ parasparaśarācitāḥ ॥7-24-42॥
Neither Karna nor the five Pandavas could see each other as they were all covered with arrows, along with their horses, charioteers, flags, and chariots, all pierced by arrows.
putras te durjayaś caiva jayaś ca vijayaś ca ha। nīlaṃ kāśyaṃ jayaṃ śūrās trayas trīn pratyavārayan ॥7-24-43॥
Your son Durjaya, along with Jaya and Vijaya, Nīla, Kāśya, and Jaya, the three heroes, blocked the three.
tadyuddhamabhavadghoramīkṣitṛprītivardhanam। siṃhavyāghrataraḳṣūṇāṃ yathebhamahiṣarṣabhaiḥ ॥7-24-44॥
The battle was fierce and delighted the spectators, resembling a fight between lions, tigers, and bears against elephants, buffaloes, and bulls.
kṣemadhūrtibṛhantau tau bhrātarau sātvataṃ yudhi। droṇāyābhimukhaṃ yāntaṃ śaraistīkṣṇaistatakṣatuḥ ॥7-24-45॥
Kṣemadhūrti and Bṛhantau, the two brothers, attacked Sātvata with sharp arrows as he advanced towards Droṇa in the battle.
tayostasya ca tadyuddhamatyadbhutamivābhavat। siṃhasya dvipamukhyābhyāṃ prabhinnābhyāṃ yathā vane ॥7-24-46॥
The battle between those two and that one was astonishing, like a lion fighting with the chief elephants in the forest, both sides being equally matched.
rājānaṃ tu tathāmbaṣṭhamekaṃ yuddhābhinandinam। cedirājaḥ śarānasyankruddho droṇādavārayat ॥7-24-47॥
The Chedi king, in his anger, shot arrows and warded off Drona, while the king, Ambashtha, rejoiced in the battle.
tamambaṣṭho'sthibhedinyā niravidhyacchalākayā। sa tyaktvā saśaraṃ cāpaṃ rathādbhūmimathāpatat ॥7-24-48॥
Ambaṣṭha, struck by a bone-piercing arrow, abandoned his bow and arrow and fell from the chariot to the ground.
vārdhakṣemiṃ tu vārṣṇeyaṃ kṛpaḥ śāradvataḥ śaraiḥ। akṣudraḥ kṣudrakairdroṇātkruddharūpamavārayat ॥7-24-49॥
Kṛpa, the son of Śaradvat, with his arrows, nobly restrained the descendant of Vṛṣṇi from Droṇa's wrathful form.
yudhyantau kṛpavārṣṇeyau ye'paśyaṃścitrayodhinau। te yuddhasaktamanaso nānyā bubudhire kriyāḥ ॥7-24-50॥
Kṛpa and Vārṣṇeya, engaged in battle, saw the brilliant warriors and were so absorbed in the fight that they did not comprehend any other actions.
saumadattistu rājānaṃ maṇimantamatandritam। paryavārayadāyāntaṃ yaśo droṇasya vardhayan ॥7-24-51॥
Saumadatti, however, surrounded the tireless King Manimant as he approached, thereby enhancing Drona's fame.
sa saumadattestvaritaśchittveṣvasanakētanē। punaḥ patākāṁ sūtaṁ ca chatraṁ cāpātayadrathāt ॥7-24-52॥
He swiftly severed the bow and banner of Saumadatta, then proceeded to knock down the flag, charioteer, and umbrella from the chariot.
athāplutya rathāttūrṇaṃ yūpaketuramitrahā। sāśvasūtadhvajarathaṃ taṃ cakarta varāsinā ॥7-24-53॥
Then Yūpaketu, the destroyer of enemies, swiftly leaped from his chariot and with his excellent sword, cut down the enemy's chariot along with its horses, charioteer, and flag.
rathaṁ ca svaṁ samāsthāya dhanurādāya cāparam। svayaṁ yacchanhayānrājanvyadhamatpāṇḍavīṁ camūm ॥7-24-54॥
He mounted his chariot, took another bow, and controlling the horses himself, O king, he scattered the Pandava army.
musalairmudgaraizcakrairbhiṇḍipālaiḥ paraśvadhaiḥ। pāṃsuvātāgnisalilairbhasmaloṣṭhatṛṇadrumaiḥ ॥7-24-55॥
Armed with pestles, hammers, discs, clubs, and axes, and using elements like sand, wind, fire, water, ashes, clods, grass, and trees as weapons.
ārujanprarujanbhañjannighnanvidrāvayankṣipan। senāṃ vibhīṣayannāyāddroṇaprepsurghaṭotkacaḥ ॥7-24-56॥
Ghatotkacha, in his fierce form, came tearing apart, breaking, shattering, killing, scattering, and terrifying the army, with the intent to confront Drona.
taṁ tu nānāpraharaṇairnānāyuddhaviśeṣaṇaiḥ। rākṣasaṁ rākṣasaḥ kruddhaḥ samājaghne hyalambusaḥ ॥7-24-57॥
The angry demon Alambusa attacked the other demon using a variety of weapons and war techniques.
tayostadabhavadyuddhaṁ rakṣogrāmaṇimukhyayoḥ। tādṛgyādṛkpurā vṛttaṁ śambarāmararājayoḥ ॥7-24-58॥
A battle occurred between the two leaders, the chief of the demons, just as it had in the past between Shambara and the king of the gods.
evaṁ dvaṁdvaśatānyāsanrathavāraṇavājinām। padātīnāṁ ca bhadraṁ te tava teṣāṁ ca saṅkulam ॥7-24-59॥
Thus, there were hundreds of pairs of chariots, elephants, and horses, along with foot soldiers, all auspiciously gathered for you and them, creating a crowded scene.
naitādṛśo dṛṣṭapūrvaḥ saṅgrāmo naiva ca śrutaḥ। droṇasyābhāvabhāveṣu prasaktānāṃ yathābhavat ॥7-24-60॥
This battle was unprecedented and unheard of, occurring as it did among those who were engaged in the absence of Drona.
idaṁ ghoramidaṁ citramidaṁ raudramiti prabho। tatra yuddhānyadṛśyanta pratatāni bahūni ca ॥7-24-61॥
"This is terrible, wonderful, and fierce, O lord." There, many battles were seen spread out.
