07.026
Pancharatra and Core: Arjuna is confused about whether to pursue the Samsaptakas or Bhagadatta and chooses to battle the Samsaptakas.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
यन्मां पार्थस्य सङ्ग्रामे कर्माणि परिपृच्छसि। तच्छृणुष्व महाराज पार्थो यदकरोन्मृधे ॥७-२६-१॥
O great king, listen to what actions Partha performed in the battle, which you inquire about.
रजो दृष्ट्वा समुद्भूतं श्रुत्वा च गजनिस्वनम्। भज्यतां भगदत्तेन कौन्तेयः कृष्णमब्रवीत् ॥७-२६-२॥
Upon witnessing the rising dust and hearing the trumpeting of elephants, the son of Kunti, under attack by Bhagadatta, spoke to Krishna.
यथा प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा गजेन मधुसूदन। त्वरमाणोऽभ्यतिक्रान्तो ध्रुवं तस्यैष निस्वनः ॥७-२६-३॥
Just as the king of Prāgjyotiṣa, Madhusūdana, hurried past on his elephant, this must be the sound of him.
इन्द्रादनवरः सङ्ख्ये गजयानविशारदः। प्रथमो वा द्वितीयो वा पृथिव्यामिति मे मतिः ॥७-२६-४॥
In my opinion, he is not inferior to Indra in battle and is an expert in elephant-riding; he is either the first or the second best on earth.
स चापि द्विरदश्रेष्ठः सदाप्रतिगजो युधि। सर्वशब्दातिगः सङ्ख्ये कृतकर्मा जितक्लमः ॥७-२६-५॥
He, the best among elephants, always ready to counter in battle, surpassing all sounds, accomplished in his actions, and a conqueror of fatigue.
सहः शस्त्रनिपातानामग्निस्पर्शस्य चानघ। स पाण्डवबलं व्यक्तमद्यैको नाशयिष्यति ॥७-२६-६॥
O sinless one, he who is capable of withstanding weapon strikes and the touch of fire will single-handedly destroy the Pāṇḍava army today.
न चावाभ्यामृतेऽन्योऽस्ति शक्तस्तं प्रतिबाधितुम्। त्वरमाणस्ततो याहि यतः प्राग्ज्योतिषाधिपः ॥७-२६-७॥
No one other than us two is capable of obstructing him. Therefore, hurry and go to where the lord of Prāgjyotiṣa is.
शक्रसख्याद्द्विपबलैर्वयसा चापि विस्मितम्। अद्यैनं प्रेषयिष्यामि बलहन्तुः प्रियातिथिम् ॥७-२६-८॥
Astonished by the friendship of Indra and the strength of elephants, as well as by age, today I will send him to the dear guest of the destroyer of strength.
वचनादथ कृष्णस्तु प्रययौ सव्यसाचिनः। दार्यते भगदत्तेन यत्र पाण्डववाहिनी ॥७-२६-९॥
Upon hearing the words, Krishna left Arjuna to go where Bhagadatta was attacking the Pandava army.
तं प्रयान्तं ततः पश्चादाह्वयन्तो महारथाः। संशप्तकाः समारोहन्सहस्राणि चतुर्दश ॥७-२६-१०॥
As he was departing, the great warriors, known as the Samsaptakas, challenged him, assembling fourteen thousand strong.
दशैव तु सहस्राणि त्रिगर्तानां नराधिप। चत्वारि तु सहस्राणि वासुदेवस्य येऽनुगाः ॥७-२६-११॥
O king, there are ten thousand warriors of the Trigartas, but only four thousand followers of Vasudeva.
दार्यमाणां चमूं दृष्ट्वा भगदत्तेन मारिष। आहूयमानस्य च तैरभवद्धृदयं द्विधा ॥७-२६-१२॥
O great one, upon witnessing the army being torn apart by Bhagadatta and being summoned by them, the heart was filled with indecision.
किं नु श्रेयस्करं कर्म भवेदिति विचिन्तयन्। इतो वा विनिवर्तेयं गच्छेयं वा युधिष्ठिरम् ॥७-२६-१३॥
Pondering over what would be the most auspicious action, he thought whether he should return from there or proceed to Yudhishthira.
तस्य बुद्ध्या विचार्यैतदर्जुनस्य कुरूद्वह। अभवद्भूयसी बुद्धिः संशप्तकवधे स्थिरा ॥७-२६-१४॥
By contemplating with his wisdom, Arjuna, O descendant of Kuru, resolved with greater determination to slay the Samsaptakas.
स संनिवृत्तः सहसा कपिप्रवरकेतनः। एको रथसहस्राणि निहन्तुं वासवी रणे ॥७-२६-१५॥
He suddenly returned with the banner of the best of monkeys, ready to destroy thousands of chariots in battle with Indra's weapon.
सा हि दुर्योधनस्यासीन्मतिः कर्णस्य चोभयोः। अर्जुनस्य वधोपाये तेन द्वैधमकल्पयत् ॥७-२६-१६॥
Indeed, it was the intention of both Duryodhana and Karna to create doubt in the plan to kill Arjuna.
स तु संवर्तयामास द्वैधीभावेन पाण्डवः। रथेन तु रथाग्र्याणामकरोत्तां मृषा तदा ॥७-२६-१७॥
The son of Pandu, however, maneuvered in two ways. At that time, he deceitfully made it appear as if it was done by the foremost chariots.
ततः शतसहस्राणि शराणां नतपर्वणाम्। व्यसृजन्नर्जुने राजन्संशप्तकमहारथाः ॥७-२६-१८॥
Then, O king, the mighty warriors of the Saṃśaptakas launched countless bent-jointed arrows at Arjuna.
नैव कुन्तीसुतः पार्थो नैव कृष्णो जनार्दनः। न हया न रथो राजन्दृश्यन्ते स्म शरैश्चिताः ॥७-२६-१९॥
Neither Arjuna, the son of Kunti, nor Krishna, nor their horses or chariot were visible, O King, as they were completely covered with arrows.
यदा मोहमनुप्राप्तः सस्वेदश्च जनार्दनः। ततस्तान्प्रायशः पार्थो वज्रास्त्रेण निजघ्निवान् ॥७-२६-२०॥
When Janardana was overcome with confusion and began to sweat, Partha then mostly destroyed them using the thunderbolt weapon.
शतशः पाणयश्छिन्नाः सेषुज्यातलकार्मुकाः। केतवो वाजिनः सूता रथिनश्चापतन्क्षितौ ॥७-२६-२१॥
In the battle, hundreds of hands were severed along with arrows, bowstrings, and bows. Banners, horses, charioteers, and warriors fell to the ground, depicting the chaos and destruction of the war.
द्रुमाचलाग्राम्बुधरैः समरूपाः सुकल्पिताः। हतारोहाः क्षितौ पेतुर्द्विपाः पार्थशराहताः ॥७-२६-२२॥
The elephants, hit by Arjuna's arrows, fell to the ground along with their riders, resembling well-arranged clouds on the peaks of mountains and trees.
विप्रविद्धकुथावल्गाश्छिन्नभाण्डाः परासवः। सारोहास्तुरगाः पेतुर्मथिताः पार्थमार्गणैः ॥७-२६-२३॥
The battlefield was chaotic with scattered blankets and saddles, broken vessels, and intoxicated horses with riders falling, struck by Arjuna's arrows.
सर्ष्टिचर्मासिनखराः समुद्गरपरश्वधाः। सञ्छिन्ना बाहवः पेतुर्नृणां भल्लैः किरीटिना ॥७-२६-२४॥
The crowned warrior's arrows caused the severed arms of men, equipped with shields, armor, swords, nails, maces, and axes, to fall.
बालादित्याम्बुजेन्दूनां तुल्यरूपाणि मारिष। सञ्छिन्नान्यर्जुनशरैः शिरांस्युर्वीं प्रपेदिरे ॥७-२६-२५॥
O respectable one, the severed heads, resembling young suns, lotuses, and moons, were brought down to the earth by Arjuna's arrows.
जज्वालालङ्कृतैः सेना पत्रिभिः प्राणभोजनैः। नानालिङ्गैस्तदामित्रान्क्रुद्धे निघ्नति फल्गुने ॥७-२६-२६॥
In the anger of Phalguna, the army, adorned with blazing arrows and life-consuming weapons, then kills the friends with various signs.
क्षोभयन्तं तदा सेनां द्विरदं नलिनीमिव। धनञ्जयं भूतगणाः साधु साध्वित्यपूजयन् ॥७-२६-२७॥
At that time, the beings praised Arjuna, who was agitating the army like an elephant in a lotus pond, saying 'well done, well done'.
दृष्ट्वा तत्कर्म पार्थस्य वासवस्येव माधवः। विस्मयं परमं गत्वा तलमाहत्य पूजयत् ॥७-२६-२८॥
Upon witnessing Arjuna's deed, which was akin to that of Indra, Krishna was filled with immense wonder, struck the ground, and offered his reverence.
ततः संशप्तकान्हत्वा भूयिष्ठं ये व्यवस्थिताः। भगदत्ताय याहीति पार्थः कृष्णमचोदयत् ॥७-२६-२९॥
After defeating many of the Saṃśaptakas, Arjuna instructed Krishna to proceed towards Bhagadatta.
