07.027
Pancharatra and Core: Arjuna returns to fight Shusharman of Trigarts; then he deals with Bhagadatta.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
यियासतस्ततः कृष्णः पार्थस्याश्वान्मनोजवान्। अप्रैषीद्धेमसञ्छन्नान्द्रोणानीकाय पाण्डुरान् ॥७-२७-१॥
Then Krishna, eager for battle, sent Arjuna's swift and golden-adorned horses towards Drona's army.
तं प्रयान्तं कुरुश्रेष्ठं स्वांस्त्रातुं द्रोणतापितान्। सुशर्मा भ्रातृभिः सार्धं युद्धार्थी पृष्ठतोऽन्वयात् ॥७-२७-२॥
As the best of the Kurus was departing to protect his own men afflicted by Drona, Susharma, along with his brothers, followed him from behind, eager for battle.
ततः श्वेतहयः कृष्णमब्रवीदजितं जयः। एष मां भ्रातृभिः सार्धं सुशर्माह्वयतेऽच्युत ॥७-२७-३॥
Then the white-horsed Arjuna said to Krishna, "O unconquered one, victory is ours! Susharma, along with his brothers, is challenging me, O infallible one."
दीर्यते चोत्तरेणैतत्सैन्यं नः शत्रुसूदन। द्वैधीभूतं मनो मेऽद्य कृतं संशप्तकैरिदम् ॥७-२७-४॥
O enemy-slayer, our army is expanding towards the north, and today my mind has been divided by the Saṃśaptakas.
किं नु संशप्तकान्हन्मि स्वान्रक्षाम्यहितार्दितान्। इति मे त्वं मतं वेत्थ तत्र किं सुकृतं भवेत् ॥७-२७-५॥
What should I do? Should I kill the Saṁśaptakas or protect my own people who are afflicted by enemies? You know my opinion on this matter, what would be the right thing to do?
एवमुक्तस्तु दाशार्हः स्यन्दनं प्रत्यवर्तयत्। येन त्रिगर्ताधिपतिः पाण्डवं समुपाह्वयत् ॥७-२७-६॥
Upon hearing these words, the descendant of the Daśārhas turned his chariot back, responding to the challenge posed by the lord of the Trigartas to the son of Pandu.
ततोऽर्जुनः सुशर्माणं विद्ध्वा सप्तभिराशुगैः। ध्वजं धनुश्चास्य तथा क्षुराभ्यां समकृन्तत ॥७-२७-७॥
Then Arjuna shot seven swift arrows at Suśarman, cutting off his flag and bow with two razor-sharp arrows.
त्रिगर्ताधिपतेश्चापि भ्रातरं षड्भिरायसैः। साश्वं ससूतं त्वरितः पार्थः प्रैषीद्यमक्षयम् ॥७-२७-८॥
Arjuna swiftly dispatched the brother of the Trigarta king, along with his horse and charioteer, to an endless death using six iron arrows.
ततो भुजगसङ्काशां सुशर्मा शक्तिमायसीम्। चिक्षेपार्जुनमादिश्य वासुदेवाय तोमरम् ॥७-२७-९॥
Then Susharma, resembling a serpent, hurled the iron spear at Arjuna, directing it towards Vasudeva.
शक्तिं त्रिभिः शरैश्छित्त्वा तोमरं त्रिभिरर्जुनः। सुशर्माणं शरव्रातैर्मोहयित्वा न्यवर्तत ॥७-२७-१०॥
Arjuna skillfully cut through the power and spear with his arrows, bewildered Suśarman, and then turned back from the battlefield.
तं वासवमिवायान्तं भूरिवर्षशरौघिणम्। राजंस्तावकसैन्यानां नोग्रं कश्चिदवारयत् ॥७-२७-११॥
No one could stop him, who was approaching like Indra, with a flood of arrows as abundant as rain, O king, not even your fierce armies.
ततो धनञ्जयो बाणैस्तत एव महारथान्। आयाद्विनिघ्नन्कौरव्यान्दहन्कक्षमिवानलः ॥७-२७-१२॥
Then Arjuna, with his arrows, approached and began to slay the great warriors, burning the Kauravas like a fire consuming the earth.
तस्य वेगमसह्यं तु कुन्तीपुत्रस्य धीमतः। नाशक्नुवंस्ते संसोढुं स्पर्शमग्नेरिव प्रजाः ॥७-२७-१३॥
The people could not endure the unbearable speed of the wise son of Kunti, just as they cannot endure the touch of fire.
संवेष्टयन्ननीकानि शरवर्षेण पाण्डवः। सुपर्णपातवद्राजन्नायात्प्राग्ज्योतिषं प्रति ॥७-२७-१४॥
The Pandava, enveloping the troops with a shower of arrows, approached Pragjyotisha like the swoop of Garuda, O King.
यत्तदानामयज्जिष्णुर्भरतानामपायिनाम्। धनुः क्षेमकरं सङ्ख्ये द्विषतामश्रुवर्धनम् ॥७-२७-१५॥
The bow, known as the victorious sacrifice of the Bharatas, brings auspiciousness in battle and increases the tears of the departing enemies.
तदेव तव पुत्रस्य राजन्दुर्द्यूतदेविनः। कृते क्षत्रविनाशाय धनुरायच्छदर्जुनः ॥७-२७-१६॥
O king, it was indeed for the destruction of the kshatriyas that your son, the gambler of the evil dice game, caused Arjuna to take up the bow.
तथा विक्षोभ्यमाणा सा पार्थेन तव वाहिनी। व्यदीर्यत महाराज नौरिवासाद्य पर्वतम् ॥७-२७-१७॥
O great king, your army was shattered by Arjuna as if a ship had struck a mountain.
ततो दश सहस्राणि न्यवर्तन्त धनुष्मताम्। मतिं कृत्वा रणे क्रुद्धा वीरा जयपराजये ॥७-२७-१८॥
Then, ten thousand bowmen, having resolved in their minds, turned back in the battle, as angry heroes contemplating victory and defeat.
व्यपेतहृदयत्रास आपद्धर्मातिगो रथः। आर्छत्पार्थो गुरुं भारं सर्वभारसहो युधि ॥७-२७-१९॥
Freed from the fear in his heart, the chariot transcended the duty in calamity. Arjuna, capable of bearing all burdens, approached the heavy burden in battle.
यथा नडवनं क्रुद्धः प्रभिन्नः षष्टिहायनः। मृद्नीयात्तद्वदायस्तः पार्थोऽमृद्नाच्चमूं तव ॥७-२७-२०॥
In the same way that an angry old man of sixty years might crush a forest of reeds, the weary Arjuna devastated your forces.
तस्मिन्प्रमथिते सैन्ये भगदत्तो नराधिपः। तेन नागेन सहसा धनञ्जयमुपाद्रवत् ॥७-२७-२१॥
In the midst of the shattered army, King Bhagadatta, riding his elephant, suddenly charged at Arjuna.
तं रथेन नरव्याघ्रः प्रत्यगृह्णादभीतवत्। स संनिपातस्तुमुलो बभूव रथनागयोः ॥७-२७-२२॥
The fearless warrior, like a tiger among men, received him with his chariot. The encounter between the chariots and elephants became tumultuous.
कल्पिताभ्यां यथाशास्त्रं रथेन च गजेन च। सङ्ग्रामे चेरतुर्वीरौ भगदत्तधनञ्जयौ ॥७-२७-२३॥
Bhagadatta and Dhananjaya, the two heroes, moved into the battle with their chariot and elephant, as per the scriptures.
ततो जीमूतसङ्काशान्नागादिन्द्र इवाभिभूः। अभ्यवर्षच्छरौघेण भगदत्तो धनञ्जयम् ॥७-२७-२४॥
Then Bhagadatta, like Indra overpowering from the clouds, showered Arjuna with a multitude of arrows.
स चापि शरवर्षं तच्छरवर्षेण वासविः। अप्राप्तमेव चिच्छेद भगदत्तस्य वीर्यवान् ॥७-२७-२५॥
The mighty son of Vāsava intercepted and cut off Bhagadatta's arrow shower with his own, before it could reach him.
ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा शरवर्षं निवार्य तत्। शरैर्जघ्ने महाबाहुं पार्थं कृष्णं च भारत ॥७-२७-२६॥
Then the king of Prāgjyotiṣa, after warding off the shower of arrows, attacked the mighty-armed Arjuna and Krishna with his arrows, O Bharata.
ततः स शरजालेन महताभ्यवकीर्य तौ। चोदयामास तं नागं वधायाच्युतपार्थयोः ॥७-२७-२७॥
Then he covered those two with a great shower of arrows and urged the elephant to kill Acyuta and Partha.
तमापतन्तं द्विरदं दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धमिवान्तकम्। चक्रेऽपसव्यं त्वरितः स्यन्दनेन जनार्दनः ॥७-२७-२८॥
Janardana, seeing the elephant charging towards him as if it were death itself in anger, swiftly maneuvered his chariot to the left.
सम्प्राप्तमपि नेयेष परावृत्तं महाद्विपम्। सारोहं मृत्युसात्कर्तुं स्मरन्धर्मं धनञ्जयः ॥७-२७-२९॥
Arjuna, recalling his duty, refrained from killing the great elephant and its rider, even though they had approached.
स तु नागो द्विपरथान्हयांश्चारुज्य मारिष। प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय ततोऽक्रुध्यद्धनञ्जयः ॥७-२७-३०॥
The serpent, after destroying the elephants, chariots, and horses, sent them to the world of death, which made Arjuna angry.
