07.040
Pancharatra and Core: The son of Subhadra charged into the army, cutting down horses, chariots, and elephants. He moved through all directions and quarters, vanquishing his foes.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
सोऽभिगर्जन्धनुष्पाणिर्ज्यां विकर्षन्पुनः पुनः। तयोर्महात्मनोस्तूर्णं रथान्तरमवापतत् ॥७-४०-१॥
He, with a roar and bow in hand, repeatedly drew the bowstring and swiftly descended between the chariots of the two great warriors.
सोऽविध्यद्दशभिर्बाणैरभिमन्युं दुरासदम्। सच्छत्रध्वजयन्तारं साश्वमाशु स्मयन्निव ॥७-४०-२॥
He swiftly pierced the formidable Abhimanyu with ten arrows, targeting his umbrella, banner, and horse, all while appearing to smile.
पितृपैतामहं कर्म कुर्वाणमतिमानुषम्। दृष्ट्वार्दितं शरैः कार्ष्णिं त्वदीया हृषिताभवन् ॥७-४०-३॥
Your people were elated to see the superhuman deeds of their ancestors being performed, especially when they saw Kārṣhṇi, a descendant of Krishna, afflicted by arrows.
तस्याभिमन्युरायम्य स्मयन्नेकेन पत्रिणा। शिरः प्रच्यावयामास स रथात्प्रापतद्भुवि ॥७-४०-४॥
Abhimanyu, with a smile, stretched his bow and with a single arrow, knocked off the head of his opponent, causing him to fall from the chariot to the ground.
कर्णिकारमिवोद्धूतं वातेन मथितं नगात्। भ्रातरं निहतं दृष्ट्वा राजन्कर्णो व्यथां ययौ ॥७-४०-५॥
O king, upon seeing his slain brother, Karṇa was deeply distressed, like a karṇikāra flower shaken from the tree by the wind.
विमुखीकृत्य कर्णं तु सौभद्रः कङ्कपत्रिभिः। अन्यानपि महेष्वासांस्तूर्णमेवाभिदुद्रुवे ॥७-४०-६॥
Saubhadra, having diverted Karna with his arrows, swiftly charged towards the other great archers.
ततस्तद्विततं जालं हस्त्यश्वरथपत्तिमत्। झषः क्रुद्ध इवाभिन्ददभिमन्युर्महायशाः ॥७-४०-७॥
Then, the greatly renowned Abhimanyu, like an enraged fish, broke through the spread formation of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry.
कर्णस्तु बहुभिर्बाणैरर्द्यमानोऽभिमन्युना। अपायाज्जवनैरश्वैस्ततोऽनीकमभिद्यत ॥७-४०-८॥
Karna, under the attack of numerous arrows from Abhimanyu, withdrew swiftly with his horses and then broke into the army formation.
शलभैरिव चाकाशे धाराभिरिव चावृते। अभिमन्योः शरै राजन्न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन ॥७-४०-९॥
O king, just as the sky is obscured by swarms of locusts and torrents of rain, so was Abhimanyu completely hidden by arrows, making him invisible.
तावकानां तु योधानां वध्यतां निशितैः शरैः। अन्यत्र सैन्धवाद्राजन्न स्म कश्चिदतिष्ठत ॥७-४०-१०॥
O king, none of your warriors, except Saindhava, could stand firm as they were being killed by sharp arrows.
सौभद्रस्तु ततः शङ्खं प्रध्माप्य पुरुषर्षभः। शीघ्रमभ्यपतत्सेनां भारतीं भरतर्षभ ॥७-४०-११॥
The son of Subhadra, after blowing his conch, swiftly moved towards the Bharata army, O best of the Bharatas.
स कक्षेऽग्निरिवोत्सृष्टो निर्दहंस्तरसा रिपून्। मध्ये भारतसैन्यानामार्जुनिः पर्यवर्तत ॥७-४०-१२॥
Arjuna's son, like a fire unleashed, swiftly burned through the enemies, maneuvering amidst the Bharata armies.
रथनागाश्वमनुजानर्दयन्निशितैः शरैः। स प्रविश्याकरोद्भूमिं कबन्धगणसङ्कुलाम् ॥७-४०-१३॥
He pierced through chariots, elephants, horses, and men with his sharp arrows, and upon entering, he turned the ground into a field filled with countless headless trunks.
सौभद्रचापप्रभवैर्निकृत्ताः परमेषुभिः। स्वानेवाभिमुखान्घ्नन्तः प्राद्रवञ्जीवितार्थिनः ॥७-४०-१४॥
Cut down by the power of Saubhadra's bow and excellent arrows, they fled in panic, killing even their own comrades who were facing them, in a desperate bid to save their lives.
ते घोरा रौद्रकर्माणो विपाठाः पृथवः शिताः। निघ्नन्तो रथनागाश्वाञ्जग्मुराशु वसुन्धराम् ॥७-४०-१५॥
They, fierce and skilled in terrible deeds, broad and sharp, swiftly went to the earth, destroying chariots, elephants, and horses.
सायुधाः साङ्गुलित्राणाः सखड्गाः साङ्गदा रणे। दृश्यन्ते बाहवश्छिन्ना हेमाभरणभूषिताः ॥७-४०-१६॥
In the battle, arms equipped with weapons, finger-guards, swords, and armors are seen severed, adorned with golden ornaments.
शराश्चापानि खड्गाश्च शरीराणि शिरांसि च। सकुण्डलानि स्रग्वीणि भूमावासन्सहस्रशः ॥७-४०-१७॥
Thousands of arrows, bows, swords, bodies, and heads, adorned with earrings and garlands, lay scattered on the ground.
अपस्करैरधिष्ठानैरीषादण्डकबन्धुरैः। अक्षैर्विमथितैश्चक्रैर्भग्नैश्च बहुधा रथैः ॥ शक्तिचापायुधैश्चापि पतितैश्च महाध्वजैः ॥७-४०-१८॥
The battlefield was strewn with broken parts, bases, axles, poles, shattered wheels, and chariots in many ways, along with spears, bows, weapons, and fallen great banners.
निहतैः क्षत्रियैरश्वैर्वारणैश्च विशां पते। अगम्यकल्पा पृथिवी क्षणेनासीत्सुदारुणा ॥७-४०-१९॥
O lord of men, the earth became impassable and terrifying in an instant, filled with the bodies of slain warriors, horses, and elephants.
वध्यतां राजपुत्राणां क्रन्दतामितरेतरम्। प्रादुरासीन्महाशब्दो भीरूणां भयवर्धनः ॥ स शब्दो भरतश्रेष्ठ दिशः सर्वा व्यनादयत् ॥७-४०-२०॥
The command was given to kill the princes, who cried out to one another. A terrifying sound arose, heightening the fear among the fearful. That sound echoed throughout all directions, O best of the Bharatas.
सौभद्रश्चाद्रवत्सेनां निघ्नन्नश्वरथद्विपान्। व्यचरत्स दिशः सर्वाः प्रदिशश्चाहितान्रुजन् ॥७-४०-२१॥
The son of Subhadra charged into the army, cutting down horses, chariots, and elephants. He moved through all directions and quarters, vanquishing his foes.
तं तदा नानुपश्याम सैन्येन रजसावृतम्। आददानं गजाश्वानां नृणां चायूंषि भारत ॥७-४०-२२॥
At that time, O Bharata, we could not see anything as the army was covered with dust, taking away the lives of elephants, horses, and men.
क्षणेन भूयोऽपश्याम सूर्यं मध्यंदिने यथा। अभिमन्युं महाराज प्रतपन्तं द्विषद्गणान् ॥७-४०-२३॥
In a moment, we saw Abhimanyu again, O great king, shining like the sun at midday on the host of enemies.
स वासवसमः सङ्ख्ये वासवस्यात्मजात्मजः। अभिमन्युर्महाराज सैन्यमध्ये व्यरोचत ॥७-४०-२४॥
Abhimanyu, who was like Indra in battle and the grandson of Indra, shone brightly in the midst of the army, O great king.
