07.030
Core and Pancharatra: Ashwatthama kills Nila, a prominent Panchala warrior.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
teṣvaṇīkeṣu bhagneṣu pāṇḍuputreṇa sañjaya। calitānāṃ drutānāṃ ca kathamāsīnmano hi vaḥ ॥7-30-1॥
Sanjaya, in those armies shattered by the son of Pandu, how was your mind as they moved and ran?
anīkānāṃ prabhagnānāṃ vyavasthānamapaśyatām। duṣkaraṃ pratisandhānaṃ tanmamācakṣva sañjaya ॥7-30-2॥
Sanjaya, tell me about the difficult task of reorganizing the broken troops that you have seen.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
tathāpi tava putrasya priyakāmā viśāṃ pate। yaśaḥ pravīrā lokeṣu rakṣanto droṇamanvayuḥ ॥7-30-3॥
Nevertheless, O lord of the people, desiring your son's favor, the heroes of the world followed Drona to protect his fame.
samudyateṣu śastreṣu samprāpte ca yudhiṣṭhire। akurvannāryakarmāṇi bhairave satyabhītavat ॥7-30-4॥
When the weapons were raised and Yudhishthira arrived, he refrained from performing noble deeds, appearing as if truly afraid.
antaraṁ bhīmasenasya prāpatannamitaujasaḥ। sātyakeścaiva śūrasya dhṛṣṭadyumnasya cābhibho ॥7-30-5॥
O lord, between Bhimasena of immense energy, Satyaki the hero, and Dhrishtadyumna, there was a fall.
droṇaṁ droṇamiti krūrāḥ pāñcālāḥ samacodayan। mā droṇamiti putrāste kurūnsarvānacodayan ॥7-30-6॥
The cruel Panchalas encouraged each other by shouting "Drona, Drona," while the sons of the Kurus urged everyone, "Do not harm Drona."
droṇaṁ droṇamiti hyeke mā droṇamiti cāpare। kurūṇāṁ pāṇḍavānāṁ ca droṇadyūtamavartata ॥7-30-7॥
Some were calling out 'Drona, Drona', while others were saying 'Not Drona'. The game involving Drona was unfolding between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
yaṃ yaṃ sma bhajate droṇaḥ pāñcālānāṃ rathavrajama। tatra tatra sma pāñcālyo dhṛṣṭadyumno'tha dhīyate ॥7-30-8॥
Whenever Droṇa approaches the chariot group of the Pāñcālas, the Pāñcāla prince Dhṛṣṭadyumna is always there to confront him.
yathābhāgaviparyāse saṅgrāme bhairave sati। vīrāḥ samāsadanvīrānagacchanbhīravaḥ parān ॥7-30-9॥
In the terrifying battle, as the sides were reversed, the heroes confronted heroes, while the cowards retreated to others.
akampanīyāḥ śatrūṇāṃ babhūvustatra pāṇḍavāḥ। akampayaṃstvanīkāni smarantaḥ kleśamātmanaḥ ॥7-30-10॥
The Pandavas stood firm against their enemies, causing the armies to tremble as they recalled their own hardships.
te tvamarṣavaśaṃ prāptā hrīmantaḥ sattvacoditāḥ। tyaktvā prāṇānnyavartanta ghnanto droṇaṃ mahāhave ॥7-30-11॥
They, driven by righteousness and modesty, overcame their anger and sacrificed their lives, returning to slay Drona in the great battle.
ayasām iva sampātaḥ śilānām iva ca abhavat। dīvyatāṃ tumule yuddhe prāṇaiḥ amita-tejasām ॥7-30-12॥
The clash was as fierce as that of metals and rocks in the tumultuous battle, fought by the radiant warriors with immeasurable valor.
na tu smaranti saṅgrāmamapi vṛddhāstathāvidham। dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ mahārāja śrutapūrvamathāpi vā ॥7-30-13॥
O great king, even the elders do not recall such a battle, whether they have seen or heard of it before.
prākampateva pṛthivī tasminvīrāvasādane। pravartatā balaughena mahatā bhārapīḍitā ॥7-30-14॥
The earth seemed to tremble as if burdened by the weight, involved in the hero's downfall due to the great multitude of forces.
ghūrṇato hi balaughasya divaṃ stabdhveva nisvanaḥ। ajātaśatroḥ kruddhasya putrasya tava cābhavat ॥7-30-15॥
The sound of the mighty force, whirling as if it had stopped the sky, became like that of your angry son, Ajatashatru.
samāsādya tu pāṇḍūnāmanīkāni sahasraśaḥ। droṇena caratā saṅkhye prabhagnāni śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥7-30-16॥
Droṇa, moving through the battlefield, scattered the thousands of Pāṇḍava armies with his sharp arrows.
teṣu pramathyamāneṣu droṇenādbhutakarmaṇā। paryavārayadāsādya droṇaṃ senapatiḥ svayam ॥7-30-17॥
Amidst the turmoil caused by Droṇa's extraordinary feats, the general himself approached and surrounded Droṇa.
tad adbhutam abhūd yuddhaṃ droṇa-pāñcālyayoḥ tadā। naiva tasyopamā kācit sambhaved iti me matiḥ ॥7-30-18॥
In my opinion, that battle between Drona and the Panchala was so wonderful that no comparison could be made.
tato nīlo'nalaprakhyo dadāha kuruvāhinīm। śarasphuliṅgaścāpārćirdahankṣamivānalaḥ ॥7-30-19॥
Then Nila, resembling a blazing fire, consumed the Kuru army with his arrows that sparked like flames, burning the forest-like battlefield.
taṃ dahantamanīkāni droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān। pūrvābhibhāṣī suślakṣṇaṃ smayamāno'bhyabhāṣata ॥7-30-20॥
Drona's valiant son, smiling, gently addressed him who was destroying the armies.
nīla kiṃ bahubhir dagdhaiḥ tava yodhaiḥ śarārciṣā। mayaikena hi yudhyasva kruddhaḥ prahara cāśugaiḥ ॥7-30-21॥
Nila, why do you need many warriors burnt by fiery arrows? Fight with me alone, strike in anger and with swiftness.
taṁ padmanikarākāraṁ padmapatranibhekṣaṇam। vyākośapadmābhamukhaṁ nīlo vivyādha sāyakaiḥ ॥7-30-22॥
Nila shot arrows at the one who had the appearance of a cluster of lotuses, eyes like lotus petals, and a face resembling a fully bloomed lotus.
tenātividdhaḥ sahasā drauṇirbhallaiḥ śitaistribhiḥ। dhanurdhvajaṃ ca chatraṃ ca dviṣataḥ sa nyakṛntata ॥7-30-23॥
Drona's son was suddenly pierced deeply by him with three sharp arrows; he cut off the enemy's bow, flag, and umbrella.
sotplutya syandanāttasmānnīlaścarmavarāsidhr̥k. droṇāyaneḥ śiraḥ kāyāddhartumaicchatpatatrivat ॥7-30-24॥
Nila, leaping from the chariot with his excellent shield and sword, aimed to seize Dronayana's head from his body, much like a bird swooping down.
tasyodyatāseḥ sunasaṃ śiraḥ kāyātsakuṇḍalam। bhallenāpāharaddrāuṇiḥ smayamāna ivānagha ॥7-30-25॥
Drona's son, with a smile, severed the beautiful-nosed head adorned with earrings from the body of the one who had raised his sword, using an arrow, O sinless one.
sampūrṇacandrābhamukhaḥ padmapatranibhekṣaṇaḥ। prāṃśurutpalagarbhābho nihato nyapatatkṣitau ॥7-30-26॥
With a face like the full moon and eyes resembling lotus leaves, the tall figure, like a water lily bud, was struck down and fell to the ground.
tataḥ pravivyathe senā pāṇḍavī bhṛśamākulā। ācāryaputreṇa hate nīle jvalitatejasi ॥7-30-27॥
The Pandava army was thrown into great confusion when Nila, who possessed blazing energy, was slain by the teacher's son.
acintayaṃśca te sarve pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ। kathaṃ no vāsavistrāyācchatrubhya iti māriṣa ॥7-30-28॥
All the great warriors of the Pandavas were thinking about how Indra would protect them from their enemies, O respected one.
dakṣiṇena tu senāyāḥ kurute kadanaṃ balī। saṃśaptakāvaśeṣasya nārāyaṇabalasya ca ॥7-30-29॥
On the southern side, the strong warrior causes destruction to the army, including the remnants of the Saṃśaptakas and the Nārāyaṇa forces.
