07.071
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
राजन्सङ्ग्राममाश्चर्यं शृणु कीर्तयतो मम। कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च यथा युद्धमवर्तत ॥७-७१-१॥
O king, listen to my account of the extraordinary battle that unfolded between the Kurus and the Pandavas.
भारद्वाजं समासाद्य व्यूहस्य प्रमुखे स्थितम्। अयोधयन्रणे पार्था द्रोणानीकं बिभित्सवः ॥७-७१-२॥
The sons of Pritha, eager to win, approached Bharadvaja who was standing at the forefront of the formation, and engaged in battle with Drona's army.
रक्षमाणाः स्वकं व्यूहं द्रोणस्यापि च सैनिकाः। अयोधयन्रणे पार्थान्प्रार्थयन्तो महद्यशः ॥७-७१-३॥
The soldiers, protecting their own formation and that of Drona, fought in the battle against the sons of Pritha, seeking great glory.
विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ विराटं दशभिः शरैः। आजघ्नतुः सुसङ्क्रुद्धौ तव पुत्रहितैषिणौ ॥७-७१-४॥
The two princes of Avanti, Vindānuvinda, in great anger, attacked Virata with ten arrows, seeking the welfare of your son.
विराटश्च महाराज तावुभौ समरे स्थितौ। पराक्रान्तौ पराक्रम्य योधयामास सानुगौ ॥७-७१-५॥
Virata and the great king stood in battle, displaying great valor, and fought valiantly with their followers.
तेषां युद्धं समभवद्दारुणं शोणितोदकम्। सिंहस्य द्विपमुख्याभ्यां प्रभिन्नाभ्यां यथा वने ॥७-७१-६॥
A fierce battle took place among them, resembling a bloody water scene, like that of a lion with two chief elephants, broken in the forest.
बाह्लीकं रभसं युद्धे याज्ञसेनिर्महाबलः। आजघ्ने विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैर्घोरैर्मर्मास्थिभेदिभिः ॥७-७१-७॥
The mighty Yajnaseni attacked the fierce Bahlika in the battle with sharp and dreadful arrows that pierced through his vital parts and bones.
बाह्लीको याज्ञसेनिं तु हेमपुङ्खैः शिलाशितैः। आजघान भृशं क्रुद्धो नवभिर्नतपर्वभिः ॥७-७१-८॥
Bahlika, in his anger, struck Yajnaseni fiercely with nine arrows that had golden feathers and were sharpened on stone.
तद्युद्धमभवद्घोरं शरशक्तिसमाकुलम्। भीरूणां त्रासजननं शूराणां हर्षवर्धनम् ॥७-७१-९॥
The battle was fierce and intense, filled with arrows and spears, instilling fear in the timid and boosting the morale of the brave.
ताभ्यां तत्र शरैर्मुक्तैरन्तरिक्षं दिशस्तथा। अभवत्संवृतं सर्वं न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन ॥७-७१-१०॥
By the arrows released by those two, the sky and all directions became so covered that nothing at all was visible.
शैब्यो गोवासनो युद्धे काश्यपुत्रं महारथम्। ससैन्यो योधयामास गजः प्रतिगजं यथा ॥७-७१-११॥
Shaibya, adorned in a cow-hide, led his army into battle against Kashyap's son, the great charioteer, resembling an elephant confronting another elephant.
बाह्लीकराजः संरब्धो द्रौपदेयान्महारथान्। मनः पञ्चेन्द्रियाणीव शुशुभे योधयन्रणे ॥७-७१-१२॥
The enraged King of Bahlika shone brilliantly as he fought the great warriors, the sons of Draupadi, in the battle, much like the mind shines with its five senses.
अयोधयंस्ते च भृशं तं शरौघैः समन्ततः। इन्द्रियार्था यथा देहं शश्वद्देहभृतां वर ॥७-७१-१३॥
They attacked him fiercely from all sides with a barrage of arrows, just as sense objects constantly assail the body of the living beings, O best of the embodied.
वार्ष्णेयं सात्यकिं युद्धे पुत्रो दुःशासनस्तव। आजघ्ने सायकैस्तीक्ष्णैर्नवभिर्नतपर्वभिः ॥७-७१-१४॥
In the battle, your son Duḥśāsana attacked Sātyaki, the descendant of Vṛṣṇi, with nine sharp arrows that had bent joints.
सोऽतिविद्धो बलवता महेष्वासेन धन्विना। ईषन्मूर्छां जगामाशु सात्यकिः सत्यविक्रमः ॥७-७१-१५॥
Satyaki, of true prowess, was deeply pierced by the strong and great archer bowman and quickly went into a slight faint.
समाश्वस्तस्तु वार्ष्णेयस्तव पुत्रं महारथम्। विव्याध दशभिस्तूर्णं सायकैः कङ्कपत्रिभिः ॥७-७१-१६॥
Reassured, the descendant of Vṛṣṇi quickly attacked your son, the great chariot-warrior, with ten arrows adorned with heron feathers.
तावन्योन्यं दृढं विद्धावन्योन्यशरविक्षतौ। रेजतुः समरे राजन्पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ ॥७-७१-१७॥
O king, they both stood in the battlefield, having pierced each other with arrows, appearing like two blooming Butea monosperma trees.
अलम्बुसस्तु सङ्क्रुद्धः कुन्तिभोजशरार्दितः। अशोभत परं लक्ष्म्या पुष्पाढ्य इव किंशुकः ॥७-७१-१८॥
Alambusa, despite being angry and struck by Kuntibhoja's arrows, appeared exceedingly beautiful, like a Kimshuka tree in full bloom.
कुन्तिभोजं ततो रक्षो विद्ध्वा बहुभिरायसैः। अनदद्भैरवं नादं वाहिन्याः प्रमुखे तव ॥७-७१-१९॥
Then the demon pierced Kuntibhoja with many iron arrows and roared a terrifying sound in front of your army.
ततस्तौ समरे शूरौ योधयन्तौ परस्परम्। ददृशुः सर्वभूतानि शक्रजम्भौ यथा पुरा ॥७-७१-२०॥
Then those two heroes, engaged in battle against each other, were witnessed by all beings, reminiscent of the ancient battle between Indra and Jambha.
शकुनिं रभसं युद्धे कृतवैरं च भारत। माद्रीपुत्रौ च संरब्धौ शरैरर्दयतां मृधे ॥७-७१-२१॥
O Bharata, Shakuni, fierce in battle and having enmity, along with the sons of Madri, who were excited, pierced their enemies with arrows in the battle.
तन्मूलः स महाराज प्रावर्तत जनक्षयः। त्वया सञ्जनितोऽत्यर्थं कर्णेन च विवर्धितः ॥७-७१-२२॥
The destruction of people, rooted in that cause, began, O great king; it was initiated by you and greatly augmented by Karna.
उद्धुक्षितश्च पुत्रेण तव क्रोधहुताशनः। य इमां पृथिवीं राजन्दग्धुं सर्वां समुद्यतः ॥७-७१-२३॥
O king, inflamed by your son, the fire of anger is ready to consume the entire earth.
शकुनिः पाण्डुपुत्राभ्यां कृतः स विमुखः शरैः। नाभ्यजानत कर्तव्यं युधि किञ्चित्पराक्रमम् ॥७-७१-२४॥
Shakuni, having been disheartened by the arrows of the sons of Pandu, was at a loss in battle, unable to display any valor.
विमुखं चैनमालोक्य माद्रीपुत्रौ महारथौ। ववर्षतुः पुनर्बाणैर्यथा मेघौ महागिरिम् ॥७-७१-२५॥
Seeing him turn away, the sons of Madri, who were great warriors, attacked again with arrows, like clouds pouring rain on a great mountain.
स वध्यमानो बहुभिः शरैः संनतपर्वभिः। सम्प्रायाज्जवनैरश्वैर्द्रोणानीकाय सौबलः ॥७-७१-२६॥
Saubala, while being attacked by many arrows with bent joints, swiftly proceeded with his horses towards Drona's army.
घटोत्कचस्तथा शूरं राक्षसं तमलायुधम्। अभ्ययाद्रभसं युद्धे वेगमास्थाय मध्यमम् ॥७-७१-२७॥
Ghatotkacha then fiercely approached the heroic demon Tamala-armed in battle, assuming a moderate speed.
तयोर्युद्धं महाराज चित्ररूपमिवाभवत्। यादृशं हि पुरा वृत्तं रामरावणयोर्मृधे ॥७-७१-२८॥
O great king, the battle between the two was as wonderful as the one that happened in the past between Rama and Ravana.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा मद्रराजानमाहवे। विद्ध्वा पञ्चाशता बाणैः पुनर्विव्याध सप्तभिः ॥७-७१-२९॥
Then King Yudhishthira struck the Madra king in battle with fifty arrows and then pierced him again with seven more.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तयोरत्यद्भुतं नृप। यथा पूर्वं महद्युद्धं शम्बरामरराजयोः ॥७-७१-३०॥
Then a very wonderful battle began between them, O king, just like the great battle of the past between Śambara and the gods.
विविंशतिश्चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्च तवात्मजः। अयोधयन्भीमसेनं महत्या सेनया वृताः ॥७-७१-३१॥
Twenty of your sons, including Citrasena and Vikarna, engaged in battle with Bhimasena, supported by a vast army.
