07.118
Sanjaya said:
The arm, adorned with a sword and a beautiful bracelet, fell to the ground, bringing immense sorrow to all living beings.
The arm, intending to strike, was seized by the invisible crowned one and fell swiftly to the ground like a five-headed serpent.
Seeing himself thwarted by Arjuna, the Kaurava, in anger, abandoned Satyaki and criticized the Pandava.
"O son of Kunti, you have indeed committed a cruel act by cutting off my arm while I was unaware and attached."
"What will you tell King Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, about Bhurishrava being killed by me in battle?"
This weapon was directly taught to you by the great Indra, or by Rudra, O Arjuna, or by Drona, or by Kripa.
Indeed, you are known as someone who understands their own duty and is superior to others in the world. How could you attack someone in battle who was not fighting?
The noble-minded do not attack those who are careless, frightened, without a chariot, begging, or in distress.
O son of Pritha, how did you perform this base act, which is followed by wicked men and is very difficult?
O Dhanañjaya, it is said that for a noble person, performing noble deeds is easy, but performing ignoble deeds is very difficult on earth.
O son of Pritha, wherever a man exists, he quickly attains the nature of those around him; this is evident in you.
How can you, being of royal lineage and especially a descendant of Kuru, deviate from the duty of a warrior, while being well-behaved and having undertaken vows?
"But this very petty act you have done for the sake of the descendant of Vṛṣṇi is indeed not in accordance with the opinion of Vāsudeva in you."
Who in their right mind would engage in battle with another carelessly? Such a disaster would only befall someone who is not a friend of Krishna.
O son of Pṛthā, how have you made the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas, who are outcasts engaged in improper acts and condemned by nature, an authority?
After speaking thus, the mighty-armed and greatly renowned Yūpaketu left Yuyudhāna in the battlefield and sat down, resolved to fast unto death.
With auspicious signs, he spread arrows with his left hand, desiring to reach the world of Brahma, and then offered his life breaths into the cosmic breaths.
The sage, focusing his gaze on the sun and clearing his mind in the water, meditated on the great Upanishad and became deeply engaged in yoga.
Then, the people in the entire army criticized Krishna and Dhananjaya, but also praised him as the best among men.
Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, even when criticized, did not utter anything unpleasant. Similarly, Yūpaketana did not feel elated when praised.
Dhananjaya, unable to tolerate the words of your sons and his, addressed them, O king.
Arjuna, the son of Pandu, spoke to Bhārata with a calm demeanor, as if to remind him, and hinted at something in his speech.
All the kings are aware of my great vow: no one can kill my own who is within the range of my arrows.
O Yūpaketu, after careful consideration, you should not blame me. It is not appropriate to criticize another without understanding dharma.
Indeed, it is not considered unrighteous that I cut off the arm of the Vṛṣṇi hero who was armed and eager to kill in battle.
O father, who among the righteous would not honor the killing of Abhimanyu, the young boy who was defenseless, without a chariot and armor?
After being addressed by Pārtha, he bowed his head to the ground. Then, with his left hand, he sent forth his right.
Upon hearing these words of Pārtha, the great radiant Yūpaketu, O great king, remained silent with a downcast face.
Arjuna said:
The love and respect I have for Dharmaraja, Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva, O noble speaker, is the same for you, O elder brother of Shala.
"Having been permitted by me and the great soul Krishna, proceed to the realms of the virtuous, just as Shibi, the descendant of Ushinara, once did."
Sanjaya said:
Then, the son of Śini, having been freed by Saumadatti, rose up and took a sword, intending to cut off the head of the great soul.
The generous and careless one was killed by the son of Pandu. Satyaki desired to kill the blameless elder brother of Shala.
He sat there with his arm severed, like an elephant with a cut-off hand, while all the armies cried out, reproaching him, and he was deeply distressed.
He was being restrained by Krishna, Partha, the great soul, Bhima, the protectors of the wheel, Ashwatthama, and Kripa.
The resolute one was killed by Karna, Vṛṣasena, and Jayadratha, amidst the shouting of the armies.
Satyaki, with a sword, beheaded the lord of the Kauravas, who was sitting in the battlefield with his arms cut off by Arjuna, having vowed to fast unto death.
The army did not appreciate Satyaki's actions because he killed the Kuru chief, who had already been slain by Arjuna.
There, the perfected beings, celestial singers, and humans saw Bhūriśravas, who was equal to Indra, almost dead and slain in battle.
The gods, amazed by his actions, worshipped him. His soldiers frequently discussed the arguments.
There should be no blame on Vārṣṇeya for that. Therefore, you should not be angry; anger causes sorrow among people.
Satyaki is destined to kill this one in battle; there should be no second thoughts about it, as his death is decreed by fate.
Satyaki said:
You say to me, "He should not be killed, he should not be killed," with arguments of righteousness, while you are actually unrighteous, cloaked in the guise of righteousness.
When the young son of Subhadra was left defenseless and slain by you in the battle, where was your sense of righteousness then?
I have promised in haste that whoever crushes me in battle and tries to kill me with his foot in anger, even if he is a sage, he will become my enemy and must be killed.
Struggling with arms and eyes in resistance, you mistakenly think I am dead; this shows your lack of understanding. Indeed, this resistance was orchestrated by me, O best of the Kurus.
Arjuna, out of affection for me and while keeping his promise, had his arm taken away by this sword, and thus I am deceived.
"What is destined and what is to happen is driven by fate. He has been killed in this battle; what unrighteous act is there in this?"
Furthermore, this verse was once composed by Vālmīki on earth, emphasizing that actions which may cause distress to foes are necessary to undertake.
Sanjaya said:
Upon hearing this, O great king, all the Kauravas and Pandavas remained silent and worshipped in their minds.
By the mantras, indeed, purified in great sacrifices, of the famous one who gives many thousands, like the sage who has gone to the forest, no one there approved of the killing.
The severed head of the sacrificial horse, with dark blue hair and pigeon-red eyes, belonging to the boon-giver hero, was placed like an offering to the north.
He, purified by the brilliance of being struck by a weapon, left his excellent body in the great battle and ascended upwards. As a boon-giver worthy of boons, he turned back by supreme righteousness to the realms of heaven and earth.
