07.129
Core and Pancharatra: During the dreadful night battle, the enraged Pandavas and Srinjayas together launched an attack on Drona as the fierce combat continued.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
yattadā prāviśatpāṇḍūnācāryaḥ kupito vaśī। uktvā duryodhanaṃ samyaṅmama śāstrātigaṃ sutam ॥7-129-1॥
When the teacher, who was angry yet self-controlled, entered the Pandavas' camp, he addressed Duryodhana, calling him his son and a transgressor of the scriptures.
praviśya vicarantaṃ ca raṇe śūramavasthitam। kathaṃ droṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ pāṇḍavāḥ paryavārayan ॥7-129-2॥
Having entered the battlefield and moving around, how did the Pāṇḍavas manage to surround the heroic and great archer Droṇa?
ke'rakṣandakṣiṇaṃ cakramācāryasya mahātmanaḥ। ke cottaramarakṣanta nighnataḥ śātravānraṇe ॥7-129-3॥
Who defended the southern flank of the great teacher? And who defended the northern flank while striking down the enemies in battle?
nṛtyansa rathamārgeṣu sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ। dhūmaketuriva kruddhaḥ kathaṃ mṛtyumupeyivān ॥7-129-4॥
Dancing on the chariot paths, the best among all warriors, like an angry comet, how did he meet his end?
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
sāyāhne saindhavaṃ hatvā rājñā pārthaḥ sametya ca। sātyakiśca maheṣvāso droṇamevābhyadhāvatām ॥7-129-5॥
In the evening, after killing Jayadratha, Arjuna met with the king, and along with Satyaki, the great archer, they rushed towards Drona.
tathā yudhiṣṭhirastūrṇaṃ bhīmasenaśca pāṇḍavaḥ। pṛthakcamūbhyāṃ saṃsaktau droṇamevābhyadhāvatām ॥7-129-6॥
Thus, Yudhishthira and Bhimasena, the Pandavas, swiftly advanced towards Drona, each leading their separate armies into battle.
tathaiva nakulo dhīmānsahadevaśca durjayaḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śatānīko virāṭaśca sakekayaḥ ॥ matsyāḥ śālveyasenāśca droṇameva yayuryudhi ॥7-129-7॥
Similarly, Nakul, the wise Sahadeva, and the invincible Dhrishtadyumna, Shatanika, Virata, along with the Kekayas, the Matsyas, and the army of Shalva, advanced towards Drona in the battle.
drupadaśca tathā rājā pāñcālairabhirakṣitaḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnapitā rājandroṇamevābhyavartata ॥7-129-8॥
Drupada, the king protected by the Panchalas, and the father of Dhrishtadyumna, advanced towards Drona, O king.
draupadeyā maheṣvāsā rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ। sasenāste'bhyavartanta droṇameva mahādyutim ॥7-129-9॥
The sons of Draupadi, who were great archers, along with the demon Ghatotkacha and their armies, advanced towards the illustrious Drona.
prabhadrakāś ca pāñcālāḥ ṣaṭsahasrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ। droṇam evābhyavartanta puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam ॥7-129-10॥
The Prabhadrakas and the Panchalas, numbering six thousand warriors, advanced towards Drona with Shikhandi leading them.
tathetare naravyāghrāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ। sahitāḥ saṃnyavartanta droṇameva dvijarṣabham ॥7-129-11॥
Thus, the other great warriors among the Pandavas, collectively, turned back towards Drona, the esteemed teacher.
teṣu śūreṣu yuddhāya gateṣu bharatarṣabha। babhūva rajanī ghorā bhīrūṇāṃ bhayavardhinī ॥7-129-12॥
As the heroes went to battle, O best of the Bharatas, the night turned dreadful, heightening the fear among the timid.
yodhānāmaśivā raudrā rājannantakagāminī। kuñjarāśvamanuṣyāṇāṃ prāṇāntakaraṇī tadā ॥7-129-13॥
O king, at that time, it was inauspicious and fierce for the warriors, leading to death and ending the lives of elephants, horses, and men.
tasyāṃ rajanyāṃ ghorāyāṃ nadantyaḥ sarvataḥ śivāḥ। nyavedayanbhayaṃ ghoraṃ sajvālakavalairmukhaiḥ ॥7-129-14॥
During that dreadful night, jackals howled all around, signaling intense fear with their fiery mouths.
ulūkāś cāpy adṛśyanta śaṁsanto vipulaṁ bhayam। viśeṣataḥ kauravāṇāṁ dhvajinyām atidāruṇam ॥7-129-15॥
Owls were seen, ominously proclaiming great fear, especially dreadful in the Kaurava army.
tataḥ sainyeṣu rājendra śabdaḥ samabhavanmahān। bherīśabdena mahatā mṛdaṅgānāṃ svanena ca ॥7-129-16॥
Then, O King, a great tumult arose in the armies with the loud sounds of drums and mṛdaṅgas.
gajānāṃ garjitaiś cāpi turaṅgāṇāṃ ca heṣitaiḥ। khuraśabdanipātaiś ca tumulaḥ sarvato'bhavat ॥7-129-17॥
The environment became tumultuous everywhere with the roars of elephants, neighs of horses, and the sounds of hoofbeats.
tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ sandhyāyāmatidāruṇam। droṇasya ca mahārāja sṛñjayānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ ॥7-129-18॥
Then, O great king, a very fierce battle occurred at twilight between Drona and the Srinjayas, spreading everywhere.
tamasā cāvṛte loke na prājñāyata kiñcana। sainyena rajasā caiva samantādutthitena ha ॥7-129-19॥
The world was shrouded in darkness, and nothing could be seen. The army and dust had indeed risen all around.
narasyāśvasya nāgasya samasajjata śoṇitam। nāpaśyāma rajo bhaumaṃ kaśmalenābhisaṃvṛtāḥ ॥7-129-20॥
The blood of the man, horse, and elephant mingled together. We could not see the dust on the ground, as it was shrouded by confusion.
rātrau vaṃśavanasyeva dahyamānasya parvate। ghoraścaṭacaṭāśabdaḥ śastrāṇāṃ patatāmabhūt ॥7-129-21॥
At night, the mountain echoed with the terrible crackling sound of falling weapons, as if a bamboo forest was burning.
naiva sve na pare rājanprājñāyanta tamovṛte। unmattamiva tatsarvaṃ babhūva rajanīmukhe ॥7-129-22॥
O king, neither their own nor others' actions were understood as everything became like madness enveloped in darkness at the onset of night.
bhaumaṁ rajo'tha rājendra śoṇitena praśāmitam। śātakaumbhaiśca kavacairbhūṣaṇaiśca tamo'bhyagāt ॥7-129-23॥
The dust of the earth, O King, was settled with blood, and darkness approached adorned with golden armors and ornaments.
tataḥ sā bhāratī senā maṇihemavibhūṣitā। dyaurivāsītsanakṣatrā rajanyāṃ bharatarṣabha ॥7-129-24॥
Then that army of Bharati, adorned with jewels and gold, appeared like the night sky filled with stars, O best of the Bharatas.
gomāyubaḍasaṅghuṣṭā śaktidhvajasamākulā। dāruṇābhirutā ghorā kṣveḍitotkruṣṭanāditā ॥7-129-25॥
The scene was chaotic, filled with the noise of a flock of jackals and crowded with banners of power. It resounded with terrible and frightful howling and shouting, creating an atmosphere of dread.
tato'bhavanmahāśabdastumulo lomaharṣaṇaḥ। samāvṛṇvandiśaḥ sarvā mahendrāśaninisvanaḥ ॥7-129-26॥
Then a great, tumultuous, and hair-raising sound arose, enveloping all directions, resembling the thunderous roar of mighty Indra.
sā niśīthe mahārāja senādṛśyata bhāratī। aṅgadaiḥ kuṇḍalairniṣkaiḥ śastraiścaivāvabhāsitā ॥7-129-27॥
At midnight, O great king, Bharati appeared, adorned with armlets, earrings, necklaces, and weapons, shining brightly.
tatra nāgā rathāścaiva jāmbūnadavibhūṣitāḥ। niśāyāṃ pratyadṛśyanta meghā iva savidyutaḥ ॥7-129-28॥
There, the elephants and chariots adorned with gold appeared at night like clouds with lightning.
ṛṣṭiśaktigadābāṇamusalaprāsapaṭṭiśāḥ। sampatanto vyadṛśyanta bhrājamānā ivāgnayaḥ ॥7-129-29॥
Spears, maces, arrows, clubs, javelins, and swords were seen falling, shining like fires.
duryodhanapurovātāṃ rathanāgabalāhakām। vāditraghoṣastanitāṃ cāpavidyuddhvajairvṛtām ॥7-129-30॥
The army, led by Duryodhana, moved forward with chariots and elephants, resembling clouds, accompanied by the thunderous sound of musical instruments and adorned with flags that flashed like lightning.
droṇapāṇḍavaparjanyāṃ khaḍgaśaktigadāśanim। śaradhārāstrapavanāṃ bhṛśaṃ śītoṣṇasaṅkulām ॥7-129-31॥
Drona and the Pandavas, like a storm, wielding swords, spears, maces, and thunderbolts; with arrows and streams of weapons, amidst intense cold and heat, creating a chaotic scene.
ghorāṃ vismāpanīm ugrāṃ jīvitacchidam aplavām। tāṃ prāviśannatibhayāṃ senāṃ yuddhacikīrṣavaḥ ॥7-129-32॥
They entered the terrible, astonishing, fierce, life-destroying, and unfordable army, very fearful yet desiring to fight.
tasmin rātrimukhe ghore mahāśabdaninādite। bhīrūṇāṃ trāsajanane śūrāṇāṃ harṣavardhane ॥7-129-33॥
At the onset of that dreadful night, the loud noises instilled fear in the timid while boosting the morale of the brave.
rātriyuddhe tadā ghore vartamāne sudāruṇe। droṇamabhyadravankruddhāḥ sahitāḥ pāṇḍusṛñjayāḥ ॥7-129-34॥
During the dreadful night battle, the enraged Pandavas and Srinjayas together launched an attack on Drona as the fierce combat continued.
ye ye pramukhato rājannyavartanta mahātmanaḥ। tānsarvānvimukhāṃścakre kāṃścinninye yamakṣayam ॥7-129-35॥
O king, those great souls who turned back in front were made disheartened, and some were led to the abode of Yama.
