08.011
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
भीमसेनं ततो द्रौणी राजन्विव्याध पत्रिणा। त्वरया परया युक्तो दर्शयन्नस्त्रलाघवम् ॥८-११-१॥
Then Drauni, demonstrating his exceptional skill in weaponry, swiftly pierced Bhimasena with an arrow, O King.
अथैनं पुनराजघ्ने नवत्या निशितैः शरैः। सर्वमर्माणि सम्प्रेक्ष्य मर्मज्ञो लघुहस्तवत् ॥८-११-२॥
Then, like an expert marksman with light hands, he struck him again with ninety sharp arrows, targeting all the vital points.
भीमसेनः समाकीर्णो द्रौणिना निशितैः शरैः। रराज समरे राजन्रश्मिवानिव भास्करः ॥८-११-३॥
Bhimasena, enveloped by the sharp arrows of Drona's son, shone in the battlefield, O King, like the radiant sun.
ततः शरसहस्रेण सुप्रयुक्तेन पाण्डवः। द्रोणपुत्रमवच्छाद्य सिंहनादममुञ्चत ॥८-११-४॥
Then, Arjuna, the son of Pandu, skillfully shot thousands of arrows at Ashwatthama, the son of Drona, and let out a mighty roar like a lion.
शरैः शरांस्ततो द्रौणिः संवार्य युधि पाण्डवम्। ललाटेऽभ्यहनद्राजन्नाराचेन स्मयन्निव ॥८-११-५॥
Then Drona's son, smiling as if in mockery, blocked the Pāṇḍava with arrows in battle and struck him on the forehead with a sharp arrow, O king.
ललाटस्थं ततो बाणं धारयामास पाण्डवः। यथा शृङ्गं वने दृप्तः खड्गो धारयते नृप ॥८-११-६॥
Pāṇḍava then placed the arrow on his forehead, much like a proud rhinoceros carries its horn in the forest, O king.
ततो द्रौणिं रणे भीमो यतमानं पराक्रमी। त्रिभिर्विव्याध नाराचैर्ललाटे विस्मयन्निव ॥८-११-७॥
Then, the valiant Bhima, in the battle, pierced Drona's son, who was making efforts, with three arrows on his forehead, as if to astonish him.
ललाटस्थैस्ततो बाणैर्ब्राह्मणः स व्यरोचत। प्रावृषीव यथा सिक्तस्त्रिशृङ्गः पर्वतोत्तमः ॥८-११-८॥
The Brahmin, adorned with arrows on his forehead, shone brilliantly like the majestic three-peaked mountain drenched in the monsoon rains.
ततः शरशतैर्द्रौणिमर्दयामास पाण्डवः। न चैनं कम्पयामास मातरिश्वेव पर्वतम् ॥८-११-९॥
Then the Pandava attacked Drona's son with hundreds of arrows, but he remained unmoved, like a mountain stands firm against the wind.
तथैव पाण्डवं युद्धे द्रौणिः शरशतैः शितैः। नाकम्पयत संहृष्टो वार्योघ इव पर्वतम् ॥८-११-१०॥
In the battle, Droṇa's son, despite using hundreds of sharp arrows, could not disturb the confident Pāṇḍava, just as a flood cannot move a mountain.
तावन्योन्यं शरैर्घोरैश्छादयानौ महारथौ। रथचर्यागतौ शूरौ शुशुभाते रणोत्कटौ ॥८-११-११॥
The two great warriors, skilled in chariot warfare, fiercely covered each other with dreadful arrows, shining as valiant heroes in the intense battle.
आदित्याविव संदीप्तौ लोकक्षयकरावुभौ। स्वरश्मिभिरिवान्योन्यं तापयन्तौ शरोत्तमैः ॥८-११-१२॥
Both were blazing like the suns, appearing to cause the destruction of the world, and seemed to burn each other with their own rays as if with the best arrows.
कृतप्रतिकृते यत्नं कुर्वाणौ च महारणे। कृतप्रतिकृते यत्नं चक्राते तावभीतवत् ॥८-११-१३॥
In the great battle, both of them made efforts in response and acted fearlessly.
व्याघ्राविव च सङ्ग्रामे चेरतुस्तौ महारथौ। शरदंष्ट्रौ दुराधर्षौ चापव्यात्तौ भयानकौ ॥८-११-१४॥
The two great warriors roamed the battlefield like tigers, fearsome with their drawn bows and arrows, invincible and terrifying.
अभूतां तावदृश्यौ च शरजालैः समन्ततः। मेघजालैरिव च्छन्नौ गगने चन्द्रभास्करौ ॥८-११-१५॥
The moon and the sun were completely obscured by the dense barrage of arrows, resembling a sky covered by thick clouds.
प्रकाशौ च मुहूर्तेन तत्रैवास्तामरिंदमौ। विमुक्तौ मेघजालेन शशिसूर्यौ यथा दिवि ॥८-११-१६॥
The bright warriors, known as the subduers of enemies, appeared there instantly, freed from the cloud cover, just like the moon and the sun appear in the sky.
अपसव्यं ततश्चक्रे द्रौणिस्तत्र वृकोदरम्। किरञ्शरशतैरुग्रैर्धाराभिरिव पर्वतम् ॥८-११-१७॥
Drona's son, Ashwatthama, then turned anticlockwise and attacked Bhima (Vrikodara) with a fierce shower of hundreds of arrows, resembling streams cascading down a mountain.
न तु तन्ममृषे भीमः शत्रोर्विजयलक्षणम्। प्रतिचक्रे च तं राजन्पाण्डवोऽप्यपसव्यतः ॥८-११-१८॥
Bhima could not tolerate the enemy's sign of victory. O king, the Pandava also countered him from the left side.
मण्डलानां विभागेषु गतप्रत्यागतेषु च। बभूव तुमुलं युद्धं तयोस्तत्र महामृधे ॥८-११-१९॥
In the divisions of the formations, as they advanced and retreated, a tumultuous battle ensued between them in the great conflict.
चरित्वा विविधान्मार्गान्मण्डलं स्थानमेव च। शरैः पूर्णायतोत्सृष्टैरन्योन्यमभिजघ्नतुः ॥८-११-२०॥
After traversing various paths and reaching the designated circle and place, they engaged in combat, striking each other with fully drawn and released arrows.
अन्योन्यस्य वधे यत्नं चक्रतुस्तौ महारथौ। ईषतुर्विरथं चैव कर्तुमन्योन्यमाहवे ॥८-११-२१॥
The two great warriors exerted themselves to slay each other and sought to render each other chariotless in the battle.
ततो द्रौणिर्महास्त्राणि प्रादुश्चक्रे महारथः। तान्यस्त्रैरेव समरे प्रतिजघ्नेऽस्य पाण्डवः ॥८-११-२२॥
Then Drona's son, a great chariot-warrior, manifested powerful weapons, but Pāṇḍava countered them in battle using weapons alone.
ततो घोरं महाराज अस्त्रयुद्धमवर्तत। ग्रहयुद्धं यथा घोरं प्रजासंहरणे अभूत् ॥८-११-२३॥
Then, O great king, there was a terrible battle of weapons, akin to a dreadful planetary conflict that resulted in the destruction of people.
ते बाणाः समसज्जन्त क्षिप्तास्ताभ्यां तु भारत। द्योतयन्तो दिशः सर्वास्तच्च सैन्यं समन्ततः ॥८-११-२४॥
The arrows, arranged and thrown by them, O Bharata, illuminated all directions and the entire army.
बाणसङ्घावृतं घोरमाकाशं समपद्यत। उक्लापातकृतं यद्वत्प्रजानां सङ्क्षये नृप ॥८-११-२५॥
O king, the sky was terrifyingly filled with a mass of arrows, appearing as if it was whitened by a downfall, signaling the destruction of the people.
बाणाभिघातात्सञ्जज्ञे तत्र भारत पावकः। सविस्फुलिङ्गो दीप्तार्चिः सोऽदहद्वाहिनीद्वयम् ॥८-११-२६॥
O Bharata, from the impact of the arrow, a fire with sparks and blazing flames arose there and burned both armies.
तत्र सिद्धा महाराज सम्पतन्तोऽब्रुवन्वचः। अति युद्धानि सर्वाणि युद्धमेतत्ततोऽधिकम् ॥८-११-२७॥
There, the perfected beings approached and said to the great king: "All battles are significant, but this battle surpasses them all."
सर्वयुद्धानि चैतस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्। नैतादृशं पुनर्युद्धं न भूतं न भविष्यति ॥८-११-२८॥
All the battles do not compare to even a fraction of this one. Such a battle has never occurred before and will never occur again.
अहो ज्ञानेन संयुक्तावुभौ चोग्रपराक्रमौ। अहो भीमे बलं भीममेतयोश्च कृतास्त्रता ॥८-११-२९॥
Oh, both are united with knowledge and are fierce warriors. Oh, the strength in Bhima is formidable, and both possess great skill in weaponry.
अहो वीर्यस्य सारत्वमहो सौष्ठवमेतयोः। स्थितावेतौ हि समरे कालान्तकयमोपमौ ॥८-११-३०॥
Oh, what valor and skill these two possess! They stand in battle like Yama and the end of time itself.
रुद्रौ द्वाविव सम्भूतौ यथा द्वाविव भास्करौ। यमौ वा पुरुषव्याघ्रौ घोररूपाविमौ रणे ॥८-११-३१॥
These two warriors, fierce as Rudras, radiant as suns, or as formidable as Yamas, stand like tiger-like men with terrifying forms in the battlefield.
श्रूयन्ते स्म तदा वाचः सिद्धानां वै मुहुर्मुहुः। सिंहनादश्च सञ्जज्ञे समेतानां दिवौकसाम् ॥ अद्भुतं चाप्यचिन्त्यं च दृष्ट्वा कर्म तयोर्मृधे ॥८-११-३२॥
The voices of the perfected ones echoed repeatedly, and the lion's roar emerged from the gathered celestial beings. Witnessing their incredible and unimaginable act in the battle was truly astonishing.
तौ शूरौ समरे राजन्परस्परकृतागसौ। परस्परमुदैक्षेतां क्रोधादुद्वृत्य चक्षुषी ॥८-११-३३॥
The two valiant warriors, having wronged each other, glared at one another with eyes full of rage, O king.
क्रोधरक्तेक्षणौ तौ तु क्रोधात्प्रस्फुरिताधरौ। क्रोधात्संदष्टदशनौ संदष्टदशनच्छदौ ॥८-११-३४॥
Those two, with eyes red from anger, had trembling lips and were biting their lips and teeth in anger.
अन्योन्यं छादयन्तौ स्म शरवृष्ट्या महारथौ। शराम्बुधारौ समरे शस्त्रविद्युत्प्रकाशिनौ ॥८-११-३५॥
The two great charioteers were engaged in a fierce battle, covering each other with streams of arrows, their weapons flashing like lightning.
तावन्योन्यं ध्वजौ विद्ध्वा सारथी च महारथौ। अन्योन्यस्य हयान्विद्ध्वा बिभिदाते परस्परम् ॥८-११-३६॥
The charioteer and the great warriors pierced each other's flags and horses, breaking them mutually.
ततः क्रुद्धौ महाराज बाणौ गृह्य महाहवे। उभौ चिक्षिपतुस्तूर्णमन्योन्यस्य वधैषिणौ ॥८-११-३७॥
Then, O great king, both warriors, in their anger, took up arrows and swiftly hurled them at each other in the great battle, each desiring to kill the other.
तौ सायकौ महाराज द्योतमानौ चमूमुखे। आजघ्नाते समासाद्य वज्रवेगौ दुरासदौ ॥८-११-३८॥
O great king, those two shining arrows, unassailable and with the speed of a thunderbolt, struck at the front of the army.
तौ परस्परवेगाच्च शराभ्यां च भृशाहतौ। निपेततुर्महावीरौ स्वरथोपस्थयोस्तदा ॥८-११-३९॥
The two great heroes, struck by each other's force and arrows, fell down on their chariot seats at that moment.
ततस्तु सारथिर्ज्ञात्वा द्रोणपुत्रमचेतनम्। अपोवाह रणाद्राजन्सर्वक्षत्रस्य पश्यतः ॥८-११-४०॥
Then, the charioteer, realizing that Drona's son was unconscious, took him away from the battlefield as all the warriors watched, O King.
तथैव पाण्डवं राजन्विह्वलन्तं मुहुर्मुहुः। अपोवाह रथेनाजौ सारथिः शत्रुतापनम् ॥८-११-४१॥
In the same manner, O King, the charioteer repeatedly carried away the distressed Pāṇḍava in the battle, who was the tormentor of enemies.
