07.029
Pancharatra and Core: Vṛṣaka and Achala, two brothers of Shakuni killed by Arjuna. Shakuni engages in an illusory battle with Arjuna. Arjuna fights and Kaurava army retreats.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
priyamindrasya satataṃ sakhāyamamitaujasam। hatvā prāgjyotiṣaṃ pārthaḥ pradakṣiṇamavartata ॥7-29-1॥
Arjuna, the beloved friend of Indra, known for his immense energy, after slaying the king of Pragjyotisha, circumambulated the area and returned.
tato gāndhārarājasya sutau parapurañjayau। ārchetāmarjunaṃ saṅkhye bhrātarau vṛṣakācalau ॥7-29-2॥
Then the two sons of the Gandhara king, known as conquerors of enemy cities, Vṛṣaka and Achala, attacked Arjuna in battle.
tau sametyārjunaṃ vīrau puraḥ paścācca dhanvinau। avidhyetāṃ mahāvegairniśitairāśugairbhṛśam ॥7-29-3॥
The two heroes, having encountered Arjuna, attacked him from the front and back with their arrows, which were swift, sharp, and extremely forceful.
vṛṣakasya hayānsūtaṃ dhanuśchatraṃ rathaṃ dhvajam। tilaśo vyadhamatpārthaḥ saubalasya śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥7-29-4॥
Arjuna, with his sharp arrows, shattered into pieces the horses, charioteer, bow, umbrella, chariot, and flag of Vṛṣaka, who was associated with Saubala.
tato'rjunaḥ śaravrātairnānāpraharaṇairapi। gāndhārānvyākulāṃścakre saubalapramukhānpunaḥ ॥7-29-5॥
Then Arjuna attacked the Gandharas, led by Saubala, with a barrage of arrows and various weapons, causing confusion among them once more.
tataḥ pañcaśatānvīrāngāndhārānudyatāyudhān। prāhiṇonmṛtyulokāya kruddho bāṇairdhanan̄jayaḥ ॥7-29-6॥
In his anger, Dhananjaya dispatched five hundred Gandharan warriors, who were armed and ready, to the realm of death using his arrows.
hatāśvāttu rathāttūrṇamavatīrya mahābhujaḥ। āruroha rathaṃ bhrāturanyacca dhanurādade ॥7-29-7॥
The mighty-armed warrior quickly descended from his destroyed chariot and climbed onto his brother's chariot, taking up another bow.
tāvekarathamārūḍhau bhrātarau vṛṣakācalau। śaravarṣeṇa bībhatsumavidhyetāṃ punaḥ punaḥ ॥7-29-8॥
The two brothers, known as Vṛṣakācalas, mounted the same chariot and repeatedly attacked Bībhatsu with a barrage of arrows.
syālau tava mahātmānau rājānau vṛṣakācalau। bhṛśaṃ nijaghnatuḥ pārthamindraṃ vṛtrabalāviva ॥7-29-9॥
Your brothers-in-law, the noble kings Vṛṣakā and Acalā, fiercely attacked Arjuna and Indra, reminiscent of the battle between Vṛtra and Bala.
labdhalakṣyau tu gāndhārāvahatāṃ pāṇḍavaṃ punaḥ। nidāghavārṣikau māsau lokaṃ gharmāmbubhir yathā ॥7-29-10॥
The Gandharas, having achieved their target, brought the Pandava back, just as the summer and rainy months bring heat and rain to the world.
tau rathasthau naravyāghrau rājānau vṛṣakācalau। saṃśliṣṭāṅgau sthitau rājañjaghānaikeṣuṇārjunaḥ ॥7-29-11॥
Arjuna, with a single arrow, killed those two great warriors, the kings Vrishakachala, who stood on their chariot with their limbs entwined, O king.
tau rathāt siṃhasaṅkāśau lohitākṣau mahābhujau। gatāsū petatur vīrau sodaryāvekalakṣaṇau ॥7-29-12॥
The two brothers, resembling lions in appearance, with red eyes and mighty arms, fell lifeless from the chariot. They were heroes, sharing similar features.
tayordehau rathādbhūmiṃ gatau bandhujanapriyau। yaśo daśa diśaḥ puṇyaṃ gamayitvā vyavasthitau ॥7-29-13॥
Their bodies fell from the chariot to the ground, beloved by their kin. They spread their virtuous fame in all ten directions and remained steadfast.
dṛṣṭvā vinihatau saṅkhye mātulāvapalāyinau। bhṛśaṃ mumucuraśrūṇi putrāstava viśāṃ pate ॥7-29-14॥
Upon witnessing their maternal uncles slain and fleeing in battle, your sons, O lord of the people, were overwhelmed with grief and shed tears profusely.
nihatau bhrātarau dṛṣṭvā māyāśataviśāradaḥ। kṛṣṇau saṃmohayanmāyāṃ vidadhe śakunistataḥ ॥7-29-15॥
Upon witnessing the death of the brothers, Shakuni, known for his expertise in numerous illusions, then cast a spell to bewilder Krishna and Arjuna.
laguḍāyoguḍāśmānaḥ śataghnyaśca saśaktayaḥ। gadāparighanistriṁśaśūlamudgarapaṭṭiśāḥ ॥7-29-16॥
There were clubs, iron balls, stones, and hundred-killers, all with great power; along with maces, iron bars, swords, spears, hammers, and axes.
sakamparṣṭinakarā musalāni paraśvadhāḥ। kṣurāḥ kṣurapranālīkā vatsadantāstrisandhinaḥ ॥7-29-17॥
There were shaking spears, clawed clubs, axes, razors, razor tubes, calf teeth, and three-jointed weapons.
cakrāṇi viśikhāḥ prāsā vividhānyāyudhāni ca। prapetuḥ sarvato digbhyaḥ pradigbhyaścārjunaṃ prati ॥7-29-18॥
Discus, arrows, javelins, and various weapons rained down from all directions towards Arjuna.
kharoṣṭramahiṣāḥ siṃhā vyāghrāḥ sṛmaracillikāḥ। ṛkṣāḥ sālāvṛkā gṛdhrāḥ kapayo'tha sarīsṛpāḥ ॥7-29-19॥
There were donkeys, camels, buffaloes, lions, tigers, deer, mice, bears, wolves, vultures, monkeys, and reptiles.
vividhāni ca rakṣāṃsi kṣudhitànyarjunaṃ prati। saṅkruddhānyabhyadhāvanta vividhāni vayāṃsi ca ॥7-29-20॥
Various hungry demons and angry birds rushed towards Arjuna.
tato divyāstravicchūraḥ kuntīputro dhanañjayaḥ। visṛjanniṣujālāni sahasā tānyatāḍayat ॥7-29-21॥
Then, the heroic son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, who was skilled in divine weapons, suddenly attacked them by releasing a barrage of arrows.
te hanyamānāḥ śūreṇa pravaraiḥ sāyakairdṛḍhaiḥ। viruvanto mahārāvānvineśuḥ sarvato hatāḥ ॥7-29-22॥
They were slain everywhere, being struck down by the hero with firm and excellent arrows, and perished with great noise.
tatastamaḥ prādurabhūdarjunasya rathaṃ prati। tasmācca tamaso vācaḥ krūrāḥ pārthamabhartsayan ॥7-29-23॥
Then, darkness enveloped Arjuna's chariot, and from that darkness, harsh voices emerged, threatening Arjuna.
tattamo'streṇa mahatā jyotiṣeṇārjuno'vadhīt। hate tasmiñjalaughāstu prādurāsanbhayānakāḥ ॥7-29-24॥
Arjuna used a powerful weapon of light to dispel the darkness. Once the darkness was destroyed, terrifying floods of water emerged.
ambhasastasya nāśārthamādityāstramathārjunaḥ। prāyuṅktāmbhastatastena prāyaśo'streṇa śoṣitam ॥7-29-25॥
Arjuna used the sun weapon to destroy the water, and it mostly dried up as a result.
evaṃ bahuvidhā māyāḥ saubalasya kṛtāḥ kṛtāḥ। jaghānāstrabalenaāśu prahasannarjunastadā ॥7-29-26॥
Arjuna, with a smile, quickly destroyed the various illusions created by Saubala using the power of his weapons.
tato'rjuno'stravicchraiṣṭhyaṃ darśayannātmano'riṣu। abhyavarṣaccharaugheṇa kauravāṇāmanīkinīm ॥7-29-28॥
Then Arjuna demonstrated his supreme skill in weaponry to his foes by raining down a torrent of arrows upon the Kaurava army.
sā hanyamānā pārthena putrasya tava vāhinī। dvaidhībhūtā mahārāja gaṅgevāsādya parvatam ॥7-29-29॥
O great king, your son's army, being struck by Arjuna, was divided into two, just like the river Ganga when it encounters a mountain.
droṇamevānvapadyanta kecit tatra mahārathāḥ। kecid duryodhanaṃ rājann ardyamānāḥ kirīṭinā ॥7-29-30॥
Some of the great warriors followed Drona, while others, being harassed by Arjuna, followed Duryodhana, O king.
nāpaśyāma tatastvetatsainyaṃ vai tamasāvṛtam। gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣaḥ śruto dakṣiṇato mayā ॥7-29-31॥
I cannot see this army because it is covered by darkness. However, I heard the sound of the Gandiva coming from the south.
śaṅkhadundubhinirghoṣaṃ vāditrāṇāṃ ca nisvanam। gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣo vyatikramyāspṛśaddivam ॥7-29-32॥
The battlefield was filled with the resounding echoes of conches, drums, and musical instruments, while the mighty sound of Arjuna's Gandiva bow rose above all, reaching the heavens.
tataḥ punardakṣiṇataḥ saṅgrāmaścitrayodhinām। suyuddhamarjunasyāsīdahaṃ tu droṇamanvagām ॥7-29-33॥
Then again, from the south, a battle ensued among the distinguished warriors. Arjuna fought valiantly, but I pursued Drona.
nānāvidhānyanīkāni putrāṇāṃ tava bhārata। arjuno vyadhamatkāle divīvābhrāṇi mārutaḥ ॥7-29-34॥
O Bharata, Arjuna scattered the various armies of your sons in due time, just as the wind scatters clouds in the sky.
taṁ vāsavamivāyāntaṁ bhūrivarṣaśaraughiṇam। maheṣvāsaṁ naravyāghraṁ nograṁ kaścidavārayat ॥7-29-35॥
No one could stop him as he approached like Indra, showering a torrent of arrows, a great archer, fierce as a tiger among men.
te hanyamānāḥ pārthena tvadīyā vyathitā bhṛśam। svāneva bahavo jaghnurvidravantastatastataḥ ॥7-29-36॥
As Arjuna attacked fiercely, your soldiers, in great distress, began to kill their own men while fleeing in all directions.
te'rjunena śarā muktāḥ kaṅkapatrāstanucchidaḥ। śalabhā iva sampetuḥ saṃvṛṇvānā diśo daśa ॥7-29-37॥
The arrows released by Arjuna, feathered and sharp, flew like a swarm of locusts, covering all ten directions.
turagaṁ rathinaṁ nāgaṁ padātimapi māriṣa। vinirbhidya kṣitiṁ jagmurvalmīkamiva pannagāḥ ॥7-29-38॥
O honorable one, they pierced through the horse, the charioteer, the elephant, and the foot-soldier, and went into the earth like serpents entering an anthill.
na ca dvitīyaṃ vyasṛjatkuñjarāśvanareṣu saḥ। pṛthagekaśarārugṇā nipetuste gatāsavaḥ ॥7-29-39॥
He did not need to release a second arrow, as the elephants, horses, and men fell lifeless, each struck by a single arrow.
hatair manuṣyais turagaiś ca sarvataḥ; śarābhivṛṣṭair dviradaiś ca pātitaiḥ। tadā śvagomāyubaḍābhināditaṃ; vicitram āyodhaśiro babhūva ha ॥7-29-40॥
The battlefield was filled with slain men and horses everywhere, and with elephants felled by showers of arrows. It resounded with the cries of dogs, jackals, and vultures, creating a strange scene.
pitā sutaṃ tyajati suhṛdvaraṃ suhṛ; tathaiva putraḥ pitaraṃ śarāturaḥ। svarakṣaṇe kṛtamatayastadā janā; styajanti vāhānapi pārthapīḍitāḥ ॥7-29-41॥
In times of distress, such as being attacked by Arjuna, individuals prioritize their own safety above all else. Fathers may abandon sons, and sons their fathers, as well as friends and vehicles, to protect themselves.
