07.069
Pancharatra and Core: Though requested by Duryodhana, Drona refuses to leave his post to fight Arjuna. Instead, he ritually bound the armour with a mantra and sent the king to the great battle.
Sanjaya said:
Then, Arjuna, the son of Kunti, entered with the intention to kill the Sindhu king, piercing through the formidable armies of Drona and Bhoja.
O king, the heir of Kamboja, Sudakshina, has been killed, and the valiant Shrutayudha has been slain by Arjuna.
Upon witnessing his forces scattered and destroyed everywhere, your son went to Drona for counsel.
Hastening with a single chariot, he approached Drona and said: "The tiger among men has departed after crushing this great army."
Here, wisely consider what should be done next to obstruct Arjuna in this terrible destruction of people.
"As that tiger among men, Jayadratha, should not be killed, please ensure our welfare, for you are indeed our ultimate refuge."
This fire of Arjuna, driven by the wind of anger, is burning my army camp as if it were a forest fire that has arisen.
After Arjuna, the son of Kunti, pierced through the army, the protectors of Jayadratha were thrown into great doubt, O scorcher of foes.
The kings had a firm intellect, considered the best among the knowers of Brahman. Arjuna, as long as he lives, will never surpass Drona.
Arjuna has crossed over while you were watching, O great one. I believe everything is in distress today; this is not my strength.
I understand that you, O fortunate one, are dedicated to the welfare of the Pandavas. However, I find myself confused, O Brahman, as I contemplate the duties.
O Brahman, I maintain excellent conduct and please to the best of my ability, but you do not understand that.
O mighty one, you do not always wish for us, your devotees; instead, you constantly favor the Pandavas, who are engaged in hostility against us.
You are thriving at our expense, indulging in what is unpleasant. Indeed, I do not recognize you, like a razor coated with honey.
If you do not grant me the boon to restrain the Pāṇḍavas, I will not stop the Sindhu king from going home.
The lord of the ocean, hoping for protection from you, was consoled by me, the ignorant one, and was given over to death out of delusion.
A man may escape even from the clutches of death, but once Jayadratha falls under Arjuna's control in battle, he cannot escape.
He said, "O Śoṇāśva, ensure that the horse is protected. Please do not be angry at my distressed words, just protect the horse."
Drona said:
I do not envy your words, as you are equal to me like Aśvatthāmā. However, I will tell you the truth, so accept it, O lord of men.
Krishna, the excellent charioteer, with his swiftest horses, creates a small gap and swiftly moves forward with Arjuna.
"What do you see? The arrows of the crowned warrior are falling behind the chariot, thrown swiftly as it moves."
I am not capable today, due to my age, to be in a fast vehicle at the front of the army, and this strength of the sons of Pritha is present.
O mighty-armed one, I have promised to capture Yudhishthira in the presence of all archers, in the midst of the warriors.
Released by Dhananjaya, it stands before me. Hence, I shall not leave the front of the formation to go to Arjuna.
Fight the enemy who is equal in birth and deeds, and has allies. Do not fear, for you are indeed the lord of this world.
The brave and accomplished king, having incited enmity with the Pāṇḍavas, is advised to quickly proceed to where Arjuna has gone.
Duryodhana said:
How could Arjuna, the greatest among all warriors, be surpassed by you, O teacher, and be obstructed by me?
Even Indra, who wields the thunderbolt, can be defeated in battle, but Arjuna, the conqueror of enemy cities, cannot be defeated in battle.
By your prowess in weapons, you, like a god, conquered Bhoja and Hārdikya, and destroyed Śrutāyu.
Sudakshina, King Shrutayudha, Shrutayu, Acyutayu, and hundreds of barbarians were slain.
How can I confront the invincible Pāṇḍava in battle, who is destroying many enemies? Please tell me, O expert in weapons.
If you believe I am fit for battle, then command me today. I am at your service; please protect my honor.
Drona said:
"You are right, O Kauravya, Arjuna is indeed invincible. However, I will take actions to ensure that you can overcome him."
Today, let all the archers witness the extraordinary attachment you have, O son of Kunti, as observed by Vasudeva.
I am tying this golden armor on you, O king, so that no arrows or weapons will be able to harm you in the battle.
If the demons, gods, yakshas, serpents, and demons of the three worlds, along with men, fight against you, you have nothing to fear.
Neither Kṛṣṇa, nor Arjuna, nor any other warrior will be able to strike your armor with arrows in battle.
Today, you must put on your armor and quickly go to the angry Arjuna in battle, for he will not be able to withstand you.
Sanjaya said:
After speaking thus, Droṇa hastily touched water and donned his shining armor, chanting a mantra as per the prescribed rule, creating a most wonderful sight.
In that great battle for the victory of your son, the greatest knower of Brahman intended to astonish the world with his knowledge.
Drona said:
May Brahma and the twice-born bless you with well-being. May the best of reptiles also bless you, O Bharata.
Yayati, Nahuṣa, Dhundhumara, and Bhagiratha, may all the royal sages bestow complete well-being upon you.
May there be well-being to you, to those with one foot, many feet, and without feet, always in your great battle.
May oblations, offerings to ancestors, Shachi, Lakshmi, and Arundhati always bring you welfare, O sinless one.
May Asita, Devala, Viśvāmitra, Aṅgirā, Vasiṣṭha, and Kaśyapa bless you with well-being, O king.
May the creator, ordainer, and lord of the worlds, along with all the lords of directions, bless you with welfare today, including Kartikeya and Shanmukha.
May the blessed Sun god grant you welfare in every way, along with the four directional elephants, the earth, sky, heavens, and planets.
Below the earth, Śeṣa, the best of serpents, always supports it, O king. May he grant you welfare.
In the region of Gandhara, the best of the gods were once defeated in battle by the demon Vritra, leaving thousands with shattered bodies.
Deprived of their brilliance and strength, all the gods, along with Indra, sought refuge in Brahma, fearing the great demon Vritra.
The gods spoke:
O supreme deity, please become the refuge for the gods oppressed by Vritra and protect us, the celestials, from this immense fear.
Drona said:
Then, standing beside Vishnu, Indra, and the other supreme gods, he addressed the distressed deities with these truthful words.
My gods, along with Indra and the noble twice-born, are always to be protected; it is the formidable energy of Tvashta by which Vritra was created.
Long ago, Tvaṣṭṛ performed penance for a hundred thousand years, and then Vṛtra was created after the gods received permission from Maheśvara.
By the grace of Shankara, he would certainly defeat the strong enemy. However, without coming to the abode of Shankara, Lord Hara is perceived.
Upon seeing, you will swiftly defeat the enemy; proceed to Mandara, where the source of penances resides, the destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, Pinaki, the lord of all beings, and the one who destroyed Bhaga's eye.
They went together with the gods and Brahma to the Mandara mountain and saw a heap of lights shining as brightly as a million suns.
He said, "Welcome, gods, tell me what I should do. The sight is infallible to me, so may your wishes be fulfilled."
Upon being addressed in this way, all the gods replied to him: "Our brilliance has been taken by Vritra; please become the refuge for the gods."
O great lord, see our forms battered by attacks. We have taken refuge in you; please be our shelter.
Lord Shiva spoke:
I am aware, O gods, that this formidable task, born from Tvaṣṭṛ's energy, is extremely powerful and cannot be resisted by those who are unrestrained.
Certainly, I must render help to all the gods. O Indra, take this shining armor born from my body.
O lord of gods, bind with this mantra mentally.
Drona said:
After speaking thus, the boon-giver granted the armor and the mantra itself. With that protection, he proceeded towards Vritra's army.
In the great battle, despite the various kinds of weapons being hurled, the fastening of that armor cannot be broken.
Then the lord of the gods himself slew Vritra in battle and gave the spell-bound armor to Angiras.
Angiras spoke to the son of the wise Brihaspati. Then Brihaspati addressed the wise Agniveshya.
Agnivesha has given me this armor, and with it, I bind your protection today with a mantra, O noble king.
Sanjaya said:
Having spoken thus, Droṇa, the greatly radiant teacher, slowly spoke again to your son.
"With the thread of Brahman, I bind your armor, O prince, just as Hiranyagarbha once bound it to Vishnu in the ancient battle."
Just as Brahma bound the divine armor of Indra in the battle against Tāraka, so do I bind your armor now.
The sage, after ritually binding the armor with a mantra, sent the king to the great battle.
He, the mighty-armed, was equipped by the noble teacher with a thousand chariots of the Trigartas, the attackers.
Thus, there were thousands of intoxicated and mighty elephants, ten thousand horses, and many other great chariots.
The mighty-armed hero, surrounded by various musical sounds, proceeded towards Arjuna's chariot, much like the destroyer of enemies.
Then, O Bharata, a great sound arose from your armies as they saw the Kauravas, vast and unfathomable, set out like an ocean.
