07.068
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
hate sudakṣiṇe rājanvīre caiva śrutāyudhe। javenābhyadravanpārthaṃ kupitāḥ sainikāstava ॥7-68-1॥
O king, after Sudakshina and the hero Shrutayudha were killed, your soldiers, filled with anger, quickly rushed towards Arjuna.
abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo'tha vasātayaḥ। abhyavarṣaṃstato rājañśaravarṣairdhanañjayam ॥7-68-2॥
The warriors from the Śūrasenas, Śibis, and Vasātayas attacked Dhananjaya with a barrage of arrows, O king.
teṣāṃ ṣaṣṭiśatānāryānprāmathnāt pāṇḍavaḥ śaraiḥ। te sma bhītāḥ palāyanta vyāghrātkṣudramṛgā iva ॥7-68-3॥
The Pāṇḍava, with his arrows, crushed six thousand noble warriors. Frightened, they fled like small animals from a tiger.
te nivṛtya punaḥ pārthaṃ sarvataḥ paryavārayan। raṇe sapatnān nighnantaṃ jigīṣantan parān yudhi ॥7-68-4॥
They returned and surrounded Arjuna from all sides in the battle, aiming to defeat the enemies and achieve victory over others in the war.
teṣām āpatatāṃ tūrṇaṃ gāṇḍīvapreṣitaiḥ śaraiḥ। śirāṃsi pātayāmāsa bāhūṃścaiva dhanañjayaḥ ॥7-68-5॥
As they approached swiftly, Dhananjaya, with arrows shot from Gandiva, swiftly struck down their heads and arms.
śirobhiḥ patitaistatra bhūmirāsīnnirantarā। abhracchāyeva caivāsīddhvāṅkṣagṛdhravaḍairyudhi ॥7-68-6॥
The battlefield was strewn with fallen heads, resembling a continuous shadow of clouds, and was populated by vultures, eagles, and jackals.
teṣu tūtsādyamāneṣu krodhāmarṣasamanvitau। śrutāyuścācyutāyuśca dhanañjayamayudhyatām ॥7-68-7॥
Amidst the destruction, Śrutāyu and Acyutāyu, filled with anger and intolerance, engaged in battle with Dhanañjaya.
balinau spardhinau vīrau kulajau bāhuśālinau। tāvenaṃ śaravarṣāṇi savyadakṣiṇamasyatām ॥7-68-8॥
The strong and competitive heroes, noble-born and strong-armed, should shoot their arrows in showers from both the left and right sides.
tvarāyuktau mahārāja prārthayanau mahadyaśaḥ। arjunasya vadha-prepsū putrārthe tava dhanvinau ॥7-68-9॥
O great king, the archers, eager and swift, sought great fame and desired to kill Arjuna for the sake of your son.
tāvarjunaṃ sahasreṇa patriṇāṃ nataparvaṇām। pūrayāmāsatuḥ kruddhau taḍāgaṃ jaladau yathā ॥7-68-10॥
In their anger, they showered a thousand bent-jointed arrows upon Arjuna, as clouds fill a lake with water.
śrutāyuśca tataḥ kruddhastomareṇa dhanañjayam। ājaghāna rathaśreṣṭhaḥ pītena niśitena ca ॥7-68-11॥
Śrutayu, in his anger, struck Dhananjaya with a sharp yellow spear, being the best among charioteers.
so'tividdho balavatā śatruṇā śatrukarśanaḥ। ājagāma paraṃ mohaṃ mohayankeśavaṃ raṇe ॥7-68-12॥
Pierced by the strong enemy, the destroyer of enemies fell into great confusion, bewildering Keshava on the battlefield.
etasmínneva kāle tu so'cyutāyurmahārathaḥ। śūlena bhṛśatīkṣṇena tāḍayāmāsa pāṇḍavam ॥7-68-13॥
At that moment, Acyutayu, a great warrior, attacked the Pāṇḍava with a very sharp spear.
kṣate kṣāraṃ sa hi dadau pāṇḍavasya mahātmanaḥ। pārtho'pi bhṛśasaṃviddho dhvajayaṣṭiṃ samāśritaḥ ॥7-68-14॥
When wounded, he indeed gave saline to the noble Pandava. Arjuna, though severely wounded, leaned on the flagstaff for support.
tataḥ sarvasya sainyasya tāvakasya viśāṃ pate। siṃhanādo mahānāsīddhataṃ matvā dhanañjayam ॥7-68-15॥
Then, O lord of the people, a great roar like that of a lion arose from all your troops, believing that Dhananjaya (Arjuna) had been slain.
kṛṣṇaśca bhṛśasantapto dṛṣṭvā pārthaṃ vicetasam। āśvāsayatsuhṛdyābhirvāgbhistatra dhanañjayam ॥7-68-16॥
Krishna, seeing Arjuna unconscious and deeply aggrieved, consoled him there with kind words.
tatastau rathināṃ śreṣṭhau labdhalakṣau dhanañjayam। vāsudevaṃ ca vārṣṇeyaṃ śaravarṣaiḥ samantataḥ ॥7-68-17॥
Then, those two foremost charioteers, having achieved their objective, surrounded Arjuna (Dhananjaya) and Krishna (Vasudeva), the descendant of Vrishni, with a barrage of arrows from every direction.
sacakrakūbararathaṃ sāśvadhvajapatākinam। adṛśyaṃ cakraturyuddhe tadadbhutamivābhavat ॥7-68-18॥
In the battle, they made the chariot with wheels, axles, horses, flags, and banners invisible; it appeared as a wonder.
pratyāśvastastu bībhatsuḥ śanakairiva bhārata। pretarājapuraṃ prāpya punaḥ pratyāgato yathā ॥7-68-19॥
Reassured, Bibhatsu (Arjuna) slowly returned as if he had reached the city of the king of the dead, O Bharata.
sañchannaṃ śarajālena rathaṃ dṛṣṭvā sakeśavam। śatrū cābhimukhau dṛṣṭvā dīpyamānāvivānalau ॥7-68-20॥
Seeing the chariot covered with a net of arrows along with Keshava, and the enemies facing them, shining like blazing fires.
prāduścakre tataḥ pārthaḥ śākramastraṃ mahārathaḥ। tasmādāsansahasrāṇi śarāṇāṃ nataparvaṇām ॥7-68-21॥
Arjuna, the great warrior, then manifested Indra's weapon, and from it emerged thousands of bent-jointed arrows.
te jaghnustau maheṣvāsau tābhyāṃ sṛṣṭāṃśca sāyakān। vicerurākāśagatāḥ pārthabāṇavidāritāḥ ॥7-68-22॥
They killed those two great archers with arrows released by them. Pierced by Arjuna's arrows, they moved through the sky.
pratihitya śarāṁstūrṇaṁ śaravegena pāṇḍavaḥ। pratasṭhe tatra tatraiva yodhayanvai mahārathān ॥7-68-23॥
The son of Pandu swiftly countered the arrows and set out to fight the great charioteers at that very place.
tau ca phalgunabāṇaughairvibāhuśirasau kṛtau। vasudhāmanvapadyetāṃ vātanunnāviva drumau ॥7-68-24॥
They fell to the ground, their arms and heads severed by Arjuna's arrows, resembling trees felled by the wind.
śrutāyuṣaśca nidhanaṃ vadhaścaivācyutāyuṣaḥ। lokavismāpanamabhūtsamudrasyeva śoṣaṇam ॥7-68-25॥
The demise of Śrutāyuṣa and Acyutāyuṣa was a marvel to the world, akin to the ocean drying up.
tayoḥ padānugānhatvā punaḥ pañcaśatānrathān। abhyagādbhāratīṃ senāṃ nighnanpārtho varānvarān ॥7-68-26॥
Arjuna, having slain the followers and five hundred chariots, approached the Bharata army, slaying the best of the heroes.
śrutāyuṣaṃ ca nihataṃ prekṣya caivācyutāyuṣam। ayutāyuśca saṅkruddho dīrghāyuścaiva bhārata ॥7-68-27॥
O Bharata, upon seeing Śrutayush slain and Acyutayush, Ayutayush became enraged, along with Dirghayush.
putrau tayor naraśreṣṭhau kaunteyaṃ pratijagmatuḥ। kirantau vividhān bāṇān pitṛvyasanakarśitau ॥7-68-28॥
The sons of the two, the best among men, Kunti's son, returned, showering various arrows, afflicted by the sorrow of their father.
tāvarjuno muhūrtena śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ। preṣayatparamakruddho yamasya sadanaṁ prati ॥7-68-29॥
In a moment, Arjuna, extremely angry, sent his arrows with bent joints towards the abode of Yama.
loḍayantamanīkāni dvipaṃ padmasaro yathā। nāśaknuvanvārayituṃ pārthaṃ kṣatriyapuṅgavāḥ ॥7-68-30॥
The warrior chiefs could not stop Arjuna, who was shaking the troops like an elephant shakes a lotus-lake.
aṅgāstu gajavāreṇa pāṇḍavaṃ paryavārayan। kruddhāḥ sahasraśo rājañśikhitā hastisādinaḥ ॥7-68-31॥
The Angas, with their division of elephants, surrounded the Pāṇḍava. Thousands of angry elephant riders, adorned and ready, encircled him, O king.
duryodhanasamādiṣṭāḥ kuñjaraiḥ parvatopamaiḥ। prācyāśca dākṣiṇātyāśca kaliṅgapramukhā nṛpāḥ ॥7-68-32॥
The kings from the eastern and southern regions, led by Kalinga, were commanded by Duryodhana and accompanied by elephants resembling mountains.
teṣām āpatatāṃ śīghraṃ gāṇḍīvapreṣitaiḥ śaraiḥ। nicakarta śirāṃsy ugrau bāhūn api subhūṣaṇān ॥7-68-33॥
As they approached swiftly, their fierce heads and well-adorned arms were severed by arrows shot from Gandiva.
taiḥ śirobhirmahī kīrṇā bāhubhiśca sahāṅgadaiḥ। babhau kanakapāṣāṇā bhujagairiva saṃvṛtā ॥7-68-34॥
The earth was strewn with their heads and arms adorned with bracelets, resembling golden rocks enveloped by serpents.
bāhavo viśikhaịśchinnāḥ śirāṃsyunmathitāni ca। cyavamānānyadṛśyanta drumebhya iva pakṣiṇaḥ ॥7-68-35॥
Arms severed by arrows and heads smashed were seen falling like birds from trees.
śaraiḥ sahasraśo viddhā dvipāḥ prasrutaśoṇitāḥ। vyadṛśyantādrayaḥ kāle gairikāmbusravā iva ॥7-68-36॥
The elephants, pierced by thousands of arrows and bleeding profusely, appeared like mountains oozing red liquid over time.
nihatāḥ śerate smānye bībhatsorniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। gajapṛṣṭhagatā mlecchā nānāvikṛtadarśanāḥ ॥7-68-37॥
The foreigners of various distorted appearances, mounted on elephants, lie killed by the sharp arrows of the terrible one.
nānāveṣadharā rājannānāśastraaughasaṁvṛtāḥ। rudhireṇānuliptāṅgā bhānti citraiḥ śarairhatāḥ ॥7-68-38॥
O king, those wearing various attires and covered with a multitude of weapons, smeared with blood, appear striking as they are hit by variegated arrows.
śoṇitaṃ nirvamanti sma dvipāḥ pārthaśarāhatāḥ। sahasraśaśchinnagātrāḥ sārohāḥ sapadānugāḥ ॥7-68-39॥
The elephants, struck by Arjuna's arrows, poured out blood as they moved, their limbs severed, accompanied by their riders and followers, numbering in thousands.
cukruśuśca nipetuśca babhramuścāpare diśaḥ। bhṛśaṃ trastāśca bahudhā svānena mamṛdurgajāḥ ॥ sāntarāyudhikā mattā dvipastīkṣṇaviṣopamāḥ ॥7-68-40॥
The elephants, greatly frightened by the sound, cried out, fell down, and wandered in different directions. Intoxicated and armed, they were like sharp poison.
vidantyasuramāyāṃ ye sughorā ghoracakṣuṣaḥ। yavanāḥ pāradāścaiva śakāśca sunikaiḥ saha ॥7-68-41॥
The Yavanas, Paradas, and Sakas, known for their fierce and terrible eyes, are aware of the demon's illusion, and they are together with the Sunikas.
goyoniprabhavā mlecchāḥ kālakalpāḥ prahāriṇaḥ। dārvābhisārā daradāḥ puṇḍrāśca saha bāhlikaiḥ ॥7-68-42॥
The barbarians born of cow lineage, resembling death and strikers, came from the regions of Darva, including the Daradas and Puṇḍras, along with the Bāhlikas.
na te sma śakyāḥ saṅkhyātuṃ vrātāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ। vṛṣṭistathāvidhā hyāsīcchalabhānāmivāyatiḥ ॥7-68-43॥
The groups were so numerous, in hundreds of thousands, that they could not be counted; it was like a vast rain of locusts.
abhrachāyāmiva śaraiḥ sainye kṛtvā dhanañjayaḥ। muṇḍārdhamuṇḍajaṭilānaśucīñjaṭilānanān ॥ mlecchānaśātayatsarvānsametānstramāyayā ॥7-68-44॥
Dhananjaya, with his arrows, created an illusion over the army like a cloud's shadow and destroyed all the gathered barbarians and various unclean ascetics using his mystical weaponry.
śaraiśca śataśo viddhāste saṅghāḥ saṅghacāriṇaḥ। prādravanta raṇe bhītā girigahvaravāsinaḥ ॥7-68-45॥
The groups, pierced by hundreds of arrows, fled the battlefield in fear, as they were dwellers of mountain caves.
gajāśvasādimlecchānāṃ patitānāṃ śataiḥ śaraiḥ। vaḍāḥ kaṅkā vṛkā bhūmāvapibanrudhiraṃ mudā ॥7-68-46॥
Bats, herons, and wolves joyfully drank the blood of fallen elephants, horses, and other barbarians, struck down by hundreds of arrows, on the ground.
pattyaśvarathanāgaiśca pracchannakṛtasaṅkramām। śaravarṣaplavāṃ ghorāṃ keśaśaivalaśāḍvalām ॥ prāvartayannadīṃugrāṃ śoṇitaughataraṅgiṇīm ॥7-68-47॥
The river, obscured by foot-soldiers, horses, chariots, and elephants, became a crossing. It was dreadful, filled with a torrent of arrows, hair, weeds, and grass. It turned into a fierce river with waves of blood.
śirastrāṇakṣudramatsyāṃ yugānte kālasambhṛtām। akarodgajasambādhāṃ nadīmuttaraśoṇitām ॥ dehebhyo rājaputrāṇāṃ nāgāśvarathasādinām ॥7-68-48॥
At the end of the era, a river filled with elephants and small fish, turned bloody by time, was formed from the bodies of princes, serpents, horses, and chariots.
yathā sthalaṃ ca nimnaṃ ca na syādvarṣati vāsave। tathāsītpṛthivī sarvā śoṇitena pariplutā ॥7-68-49॥
Just as high and low grounds are indistinguishable when Indra pours rain, so was the entire earth flooded with blood.
ṣaṭsahasrān varān vīrān punardaśaśatān varān। prāhiṇon mṛtyulokāya kṣatriyān kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ ॥7-68-50॥
The best among the Kshatriyas sent six thousand heroic warriors and another thousand to the realm of the dead.
śaraiḥ sahasraśo viddhā vidhivatkalpitā dvipāḥ। śerate bhūmimāsādya śailā vajrahatā iva ॥7-68-51॥
The elephants, struck by thousands of arrows and properly arranged, lie on the ground like mountains hit by thunderbolts.
sa vājirathamātaṅgān nighnan vyacarad arjunaḥ। prabhinna iva mātaṅgo mṛdnann aḍavanaṃ yathā ॥7-68-52॥
Arjuna moved through the battlefield, striking down horses, chariots, and elephants, like a rampaging elephant crushing everything in its path.
bhūridrumalatāgulmaṃ śuṣkendhanatṛṇolapam। nirdahedanalo'raṇyaṃ yathā vāyusamīritaḥ ॥7-68-53॥
The fire, when fanned by the wind, consumes the forest filled with numerous trees, creepers, bushes, dry wood, grass, and leaves.
sainyāraṇyaṃ tava tathā kṛṣṇānilasamīritaḥ। śarārciradahatkruddhaḥ pāṇḍavāgnirdhanañjayaḥ ॥7-68-54॥
Dhanañjaya, the Pāṇḍava, in his anger, burned the forest of the army with the flame of his arrows, blown by the dark wind.
śūnyān kurvan rathopasthān mānavaiḥ sanstaran mahīm। prānṛtyad iva sambādhe cāpahasto dhanañjayaḥ ॥7-68-55॥
Dhananjaya, with bow in hand, made the chariot seats empty by men and covered the earth, dancing as if in a crowd.
vajrakalpaiḥ śarairbhūmiṃ kurvannutttaraśoṇitām। prāviśadbhāratīṃ senāṃ saṅkruddho vai dhanañjayaḥ ॥ taṃ śrutāyustathāmbṣṭho vrajamānaṃ nyavārayat ॥7-68-56॥
Dhananjaya, in his anger, entered the Bharata army, making the earth red with blood with his thunderbolt-like arrows. Shrutayu and Ambashtha stopped his advance.
tasyārjunaḥ śaraistīkṣṇaiḥ kaṅkapatraparicchadaiḥ। nyapātayaddhayāñśīghraṃ yatamānasya māriṣa ॥ dhanuścāsyāparaiśchittvā śaraiḥ pārtho vicakrame ॥7-68-57॥
Arjuna swiftly brought down the horses of the opponent with his sharp, vulture-feathered arrows, O noble one. Then, having severed his bow with other arrows, Pārtha advanced.
ambaṣṭhastu gadāṁ gṛhya krodhaparyākulekṣaṇaḥ। āsasāda raṇe pārthaṁ keśavaṁ ca mahāratham ॥7-68-58॥
Ambaṣṭha, with his eyes filled with rage, wielded his mace and advanced towards Arjuna and Krishna, the great chariot-warrior, in the battlefield.
tataḥ sa prahasanvīro gadāmudyamya bhārata। rathamāvārya gadayā keśavaṃ samatāḍayat ॥7-68-59॥
Then, the valiant hero, with a smile, raised his mace and, blocking the chariot, struck Keśava, O Bharata.
gadayā tāḍitaṃ dṛṣṭvā keśavaṃ paravīrahā। arjuno bhṛśasaṅkruddhaḥ so'mbaṣṭhaṃ prati bhārata ॥7-68-60॥
Upon witnessing Keshava being struck by a mace, Arjuna, the destroyer of enemy heroes, became intensely angry and directed his wrath towards Ambaṣṭha, O Bharata.
tataḥ śarairhemapuṅkhaiḥ sagadaṃ rathināṃ varam। chādayāmāsa samare meghaḥ sūryamivoditam ॥7-68-61॥
Then, in the battle, he covered the best of charioteers and their chariot with golden-feathered arrows, just as a cloud covers the rising sun.
tato'paraiḥ śaraiścāpi gadāṃ tasya mahātmanaḥ। acūrṇayattadā pārthastadadbhutamivābhavat ॥7-68-62॥
Then Arjuna, with other arrows, smashed the mace of the great soul, and it appeared as if it was a wonderful feat.
atha tāṃ patitāṃ dṛṣṭvā gṛhyānyāṃ mahatīṃ gadām। arjunaṃ vāsudevaṃ ca punaḥ punaratāḍayat ॥7-68-63॥
Then, seeing her fallen, he picked up another great mace and repeatedly struck Arjuna and Vasudeva.
tasyārjunaḥ kṣuraprābhyāṃ sagadāvudyatau bhujau। cicchedendradhvajākārau śiraścānyena patriṇā ॥7-68-64॥
Arjuna, with his sharp arrows, severed the arms that were raised with a mace, and with another arrow, he cut off the head, resembling Indra's flag.
sa papāta hato rājanvasudhāmanunādayan। indradhvaja ivotsṛṣṭo yantranirmuktabandhanaḥ ॥7-68-65॥
He fell to the ground, O king, with a resounding crash, like Indra's banner released from the bondage of the machine.
rathānīkāvagāḍhaśca vāraṇāśvaśatairvṛtaḥ। so'dṛśyata tadā pārtho ghanaiḥ sūrya ivāvṛtaḥ ॥7-68-66॥
Arjuna, immersed in the army of chariots and surrounded by hundreds of elephants and horses, appeared like the sun obscured by clouds.
