07.036
Pancharatra and Core: Abhimanyu fights multiple prominent warriors of the Karuava side single handed.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
tāṃ prabhagnāṃ camūṃ dṛṣṭvā saubhadreṇāmitaujasā। duryodhano bhṛśaṃ kruddhaḥ svayaṃ saubhadramabhyayāt ॥7-36-1॥
Seeing his army broken by the immensely powerful Abhimanyu, Duryodhana, in great anger, personally confronted Abhimanyu.
tato rājānamāvṛttaṃ saubhadraṃ prati saṃyuge। dṛṣṭvā droṇo'bravīdyodhānparyāpnuta narādhipam ॥7-36-2॥
Then, seeing that the king Saubhadra had returned to the battlefield, Drona instructed the warriors to surround the king.
purābhimanyurlakṣyaṃ naḥ paśyatāṃ hanti vīryavān। tamādravata mā bhaiṣṭa kṣipraṃ rakṣata kauravam ॥7-36-3॥
In the past, the valiant Abhimanyu would strike our target in full view. Attack him without fear and swiftly protect the Kaurava.
tataḥ kṛtajñā balinaḥ suhṛdo jitakāśinaḥ। trāsyamānā bhayād vīraṃ parivavrur tavātmajam ॥7-36-4॥
Then, your grateful and strong friends, who are conquerors of the visible, surrounded your heroic son out of fear, being frightened.
droṇo drauṇiḥ kṛpaḥ karṇaḥ kṛtavarmā ca saubalaḥ। bṛhadbalo madrarājo bhūrirbhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ ॥7-36-5॥
Drona, his son Ashwatthama, Kripa, Karna, Kritavarma, Shakuni's son, Brihadbala, the king of Madra, Bhuri, Bhurishrava, and Shala were present.
pauravo vṛṣasenaśca visṛjantaḥ śitāñśarān। saubhadraṃ śaravarṣeṇa mahatā samavākiran ॥7-36-6॥
Paurava and Vṛṣasena released sharp arrows, covering Saubhadra with a great shower of arrows.
saṁmohayitvā tamatha duryodhanam amocayan। āsyād grāsam ivākṣiptaṁ mamṛṣe nārjunātmajaḥ ॥7-36-7॥
After deluding him, Arjuna's son released Duryodhana, unable to tolerate him like food thrown from the mouth.
tāñ śaraughena mahatā sāśvasūtān mahārathān। vimukhīkṛtya saubhadraḥ siṃhanādam athānadat ॥7-36-8॥
Saubhadra, having repelled the great charioteers and warriors with a multitude of arrows, then uttered a lion's roar.
tasya nādaṃ tataḥ śrutvā siṃhasyevāmiṣaiṣiṇaḥ। nāmṛṣyanta susaṃrabdhāḥ punardroṇamukhā rathāḥ ॥7-36-9॥
Upon hearing his roar, like a lion in search of prey, the chariots led by Drona, filled with intense anger, could not bear it again.
ta enaṃ koṣṭhakīkṛtya rathavaṃśena māriṣa। vyasṛjanniṣujālāni nānāliṅgāni saṅghaśaḥ ॥7-36-10॥
They surrounded him with chariots and released various kinds of arrows in groups, O dear one.
tānyantarikṣe ciccheda pautrastava śitaiḥ śaraiḥ। tāṃścaiva prativivyādha tadadbhutamivābhavat ॥7-36-11॥
Your grandson cut those in the sky with sharp arrows and pierced them, which seemed wonderful.
tataste kopitāstena śarairāśīviṣopamaiḥ। parivavrurjighāṁsantaḥ saubhadramapalāyinam ॥7-36-12॥
Then, angered by him, they surrounded Saubhadra with arrows resembling serpents, intending to kill him, without letting him escape.
samudramiva paryastaṃ tvadīyaṃ tadbalārṇavam। abhimanyurdadhāraiko veleva makarālayam ॥7-36-13॥
Abhimanyu alone held back your vast sea of strength, just as the shore contains the ocean, the abode of crocodiles.
śūrāṇāṃ yudhyamānānāṃ nighnatāmitaretaram। abhimanyoḥ pareṣāṃ ca nāsītkaścitparāṅmukhaḥ ॥7-36-14॥
Among the heroes engaged in battle, none turned away from fighting each other, nor from Abhimanyu and the enemies.
tasmiṁstu ghore saṅgrāme vartamāne bhayaṅkare। duḥsaho navabhirbāṇairabhimanyumavidhyata ॥7-36-15॥
In the midst of that terrifying and fierce battle, Duhsaha struck Abhimanyu with nine arrows.
duḥśāsano dvādaśabhiḥ kṛpaḥ śāradvatastribhiḥ। droṇastu saptadaśabhiḥ śarairāśīviṣopamaiḥ ॥7-36-16॥
Duhshasana attacked with twelve arrows, Kripa and Sharadvata with three each, but Drona used seventeen arrows that were like venomous snakes.
viviṁśatistu viṁśatyā kṛtavarmā ca saptabhiḥ। bṛhadbalastathāṣṭābhiraśvatthāmā ca saptabhiḥ ॥7-36-17॥
Kritavarma with twenty-two units, Brihadbala with eight, and Ashwatthama with seven units were present.
bhūriśravāstribhirbāṇairmadreśaḥ ṣaḍbhirāśugaiḥ। dvābhyāṃ śarābhyāṃ śakunistribhirduryodhano nṛpaḥ ॥7-36-18॥
Bhūriśravāḥ shot three arrows, the king of Madra shot six swift arrows, Shakuni shot two arrows, and King Duryodhana shot three arrows.
sa tu tān prativivyādha tribhis tribhir ajihmagaiḥ। nṛtyann iva mahārāja cāpahastaḥ pratāpavān ॥7-36-19॥
The powerful warrior, with bow in hand, skillfully pierced them with three straight arrows, appearing as if he were dancing, O great king.
tato'bhimanyuḥ saṅkruddhastāpyamānastavātmajaiḥ। vidarśayanvai sumahacchikṣaurasakṛtaṃ balam ॥7-36-20॥
Then Abhimanyu, filled with rage and tormented by your sons, showcased his immense skill and strength, particularly in his chest.
garuḍānilaraṃhobhir yantur vākyakarair hayaiḥ। dāntair aśmakadāyādaṃ tvaramāṇo'bhyahārayat ॥ vivyādha cainaṃ daśabhir bāṇais tiṣṭheti cābravīt ॥7-36-21॥
The charioteer, with the speed of Garuda and the wind, urged the tamed horses to bring the heir of Ashmaka swiftly. He then pierced him with ten arrows, commanding him to 'Stop'.
tasyābhimanyurdaśabhirbāṇaiḥ sūtaṃ hayāndhvajam। bāhū dhanuḥ śiraścorvyāṃ smayamāno'bhyapātayat ॥7-36-22॥
Abhimanyu, with a smile, skillfully shot ten arrows causing the charioteer, horses, flag, arms, bow, and head to fall to the ground.
tatastasmimhate vīre saubhadreṇāśmakeśvare। sañcacāla balaṃ sarvaṃ palāyanaparāyaṇam ॥7-36-23॥
Then, after the hero, the king of the Ashmakas, was slain by Saubhadra, the entire army began to retreat, focused on fleeing.
tataḥ karṇaḥ kṛpo droṇo drauṇirgāndhārarāṭśalaḥ। śalyo bhūriśravāḥ krāthaḥ somadatto viviṁśatiḥ ॥7-36-24॥
Then Karna, Kripa, Drona, Ashwatthama (son of Drona), the king of Gandhara, Shala, Shalya, Bhurishrava, Kratha, Somadatta, and Vivimshati were present.
vṛṣasenaḥ suṣeṇaśca kuṇḍabhedī pratardanaḥ। vṛndārako lalitthaśca prabāhurdīrghalocanaḥ ॥ duryodhanaśca saṅkruddhaḥ śaravarṣairavākiran ॥7-36-25॥
Vṛṣasena, Suṣeṇa, Kuṇḍabhedī, Pratardana, Vṛndāraka, Lalittha, Prabāhu, Dīrghalocana, and the enraged Duryodhana showered arrows upon their foes.
so'tikruddho maheṣvāsairabhimanyurajihmagaiḥ। śaramādatta karṇāya parakāyāvabhedanam ॥7-36-26॥
In his intense anger, Abhimanyu, surrounded by great archers, took an arrow aimed at Karna, intending to pierce another's body.
tasya bhittvā tanutrāṇaṃ dehaṃ nirbhidya cāśugaḥ। prāviśaddharaṇīṃ rājanvalmīkamiva pannagaḥ ॥7-36-27॥
The swift arrow pierced through his armor and body, entering the earth like a serpent entering an anthill, O king.
sa tenātiprahāreṇa vyathito vihvalanniva। sañcacāla raṇe karṇaḥ kṣitikampe yathācalaḥ ॥7-36-28॥
Karṇa, distressed and as if bewildered by the severe blow, staggered in the battle like a mountain during an earthquake.
athānyairniśitairbāṇaiḥ suṣeṇaṃ dīrghalocanam। kuṇḍabhediṃ ca saṅkruddhastribhistrīnavadhīdbalī ॥7-36-29॥
Then, in his anger, the mighty warrior used sharp arrows from others to kill Suṣeṇa, Dīrghalocana, and Kuṇḍabhedin with three arrows.
karṇastaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā nārācānāṃ samarpayat। aśvatthāmā ca viṃśatyā kṛtavarmā ca saptabhiḥ ॥7-36-30॥
Karna attacked him with twenty-five iron arrows, while Ashwatthama used twenty and Kritavarma used seven.
sa śarārditasarvāṅgaḥ kruddhaḥ śakrātmajātmajaḥ। vicarandṛśyate sainye pāśahasta ivāntakaḥ ॥7-36-31॥
He, the son of Indra's son, wounded and angry, is seen moving through the army like Yama, the god of death, holding a noose.
śalyaṃ ca bāṇavarṣeṇa samīpasthamavākirat। udakrośanmahābāhustava sainyāni bhīṣayan ॥7-36-32॥
Shalya, with a shower of arrows, covered the nearby area, while the mighty-armed one shouted, frightening your armies.
tataḥ sa viddho'stravidā marmabhidbhirajihmagaiḥ। śalyo rājanrathopasthe niṣasāda mumoha ca ॥7-36-33॥
Then Śalya, pierced by the skilled archer's straight and vital-point hitting arrows, sat down on the chariot seat and lost consciousness, O king.
taṃ hi viddhaṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā saubhadreṇa yaśasvinā। samprādravaccamūḥ sarvā bhāradvājasya paśyataḥ ॥7-36-34॥
When the glorious Saubhadra pierced him, the entire army of Bharadvaja fled in his sight.
prekṣantastaṃ mahābāhuṃ rukmapuṅkhaiḥ samāvṛtam। tvadīyāśca palāyante mṛgāḥ siṃhārditā iva ॥7-36-35॥
As they look upon the mighty-armed one surrounded by golden-feathered arrows, your men flee as deer do when frightened by a lion.
sa tu raṇayaśasābhipūjyamānaḥ; pitṛsuracāraṇasiddhayakṣasaṅghaiḥ। avanitalagataiśca bhūtasaṅghai; rativibabhau hutabhugyathājyasiktaḥ ॥7-36-36॥
He was honored by the glory of battle and by groups of ancestors, gods, singers, perfected beings, and yakshas, as well as by those on earth. He shone with delight like a fire anointed with ghee.
