08.015
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said:
proktastvayā pūrvameva pravīro lokaviśrutaḥ। na tvasya karma saṅgrāme tvayā sañjaya kīrtitam ॥8-15-1॥
You have spoken of him before as a great hero, renowned in the world. However, you did not mention his deeds in battle, O Sañjaya.
tasya vistarato brūhi pravīrasyādya vikramam। śikṣāṃ prabhāvaṃ vīryaṃ ca pramāṇaṃ darpameva ca ॥8-15-2॥
Please narrate in detail the valor of the hero today, including his education, influence, strength, measure, and indeed his pride.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
droṇabhīṣmakṛpadrauṇikarṇārjunajanārdanān। samāptavidyāndhanuṣi śreṣṭhānyānmanyase yudhi ॥8-15-3॥
You consider Drona, Bhishma, Kripa, Drauni, Karna, Arjuna, and Janardana as the best in archery, having completed their knowledge, in battle.
tulyatā karṇabhīṣmābhyāmātmano yena dṛśyate। vāsudevārjunābhyāṃ ca nyūnatāṃ nātmanīcchati ॥8-15-4॥
He sees himself as equal to Karna and Bhishma, and does not wish to see himself as inferior to Vasudeva and Arjuna.
sa pāṇḍyo nṛpatiśreṣṭhaḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ। karṇasyānīkamavadhītparibhūta ivāntakaḥ ॥8-15-5॥
Pāṇḍya, the foremost among kings and the best among all warriors, destroyed Karṇa's army as if he were death itself, feeling insulted.
tadudīrṇarathāśvaṃ ca pattipravarakuñjaram। kulālacakravadbhrāntaṃ pāṇḍyenādhiṣṭhitaṃ balam ॥8-15-6॥
The army, led by Pandya, was in a state of chaos, with its chariots, horses, foot-soldiers, and elephants moving in a disordered manner, resembling the spinning of a potter's wheel.
vyaśvasūtadhvajarathānvipravid'dhāyudhānripūn। samyagastaiḥ śaraiḥ pāṇḍyo vāyurmeghānivākṣipat ॥8-15-7॥
The Pāṇḍya warrior, using his arrows, thoroughly scattered the enemy forces, who were left without horses, charioteers, and flags, and whose weapons were scattered, just as the wind scatters the clouds.
dviradān prahata-prothān vipatāka-dhvajāyudhān। sapāda-rakṣān avadhīd vajreṇa ārī-nivārihā ॥8-15-8॥
The destroyer of enemies, using a thunderbolt, killed the protectors with feet, elephants with struck trunks, and weapons adorned with banners and flags.
saśaktiprāsatūṇīrānaśvarohānhayānapi। pulindakhaśabāhlīkānniṣādāndhrakataṅgaṇān ॥8-15-9॥
The Pulindas, Khasas, Bahlīkas, Niṣādas, Andhras, and Kataṅgaṇas, equipped with power, javelins, quivers, horse riders, and horses, were also present.
dākṣiṇātyāṃśca bhojāṃśca krūrānsaṅgrāmakarkaśān। viśastrakavacānbāṇaiḥ kṛtvā pāṇḍyo'karodvyasūn ॥8-15-10॥
Pandya defeated the fierce and battle-hardened southerners and Bhojas, rendering them lifeless with his arrows.
caturaṅgaṃ balaṃ bāṇairnighnantaṃ pāṇḍyamāhave। dṛṣṭvā drauṇirasambhrāntamasambhrāntataro'bhyayāt ॥8-15-11॥
Upon witnessing the fourfold army attacking Pāṇḍya with arrows in the battle, Drauṇi, remaining calm, approached with even greater composure.
ābhāṣya cainaṃ madhuramabhi nṛtyannabhītavat। prāha praharatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ smitapūrvaṃ samāhvayan ॥8-15-12॥
The best of the fighters, having addressed him sweetly and dancing fearlessly, called out with a smile.
rājan kamalapatrākṣa pradhānāyudhavāhana। vajrasaṃhanana prakhya pradhānabalapauruṣa ॥8-15-13॥
O king with eyes like lotus petals, you are the chief bearer of weapons, renowned for your strength akin to a thunderbolt, and the foremost in strength and valor.
muṣṭiśliṣṭāyudhābhyāṃ ca vyāyatābhyāṃ mahaddhanuḥ। dorbhyāṃ visphārayanbhāsi mahājaladavadbhṛśam ॥8-15-14॥
You appear intensely like a great cloud, stretching your arms with a great bow, grasped by fists holding weapons.
śaravarṣairmahāvegairamitrānabhivarṣataḥ। madanyaṃ nānupaśyāmi prativīraṃ tavāhave ॥8-15-15॥
"With showers of arrows and great speed, I see no other hero than myself to oppose your enemies in battle."
rathadviradapattyaśvānekaḥ pramathase bahūn। mṛgasaṅghānivāraṇye vibhīrbhīmabalo hariḥ ॥8-15-16॥
O fearful Hari, you, with your terrible strength, disturb many chariots, elephants, foot-soldiers, and horses as if they were groups of deer in the forest.
mahatā rathaghoṣeṇa divaṃ bhūmiṃ ca nādayan। varṣānte sasyahā pītho bhābhirāpūrayanniva ॥8-15-17॥
The great sound of the chariot echoed through the sky and the earth. At the end of the rainy season, it seemed as if the destroyer of crops was filling the seat with radiance.
saṁspṛśānaḥ śarāṁstīkṣṇāṁstūṇādāśīviṣopamān। mayaivaikena yudhyasva tryambakeṇāndhako yathā ॥8-15-18॥
Touch the sharp arrows from the quiver, resembling serpents, and fight alone with Tryambaka as Andhaka once did.
evamuktastathetyuktvā prahareti ca tāḍitaḥ। karṇinā droṇatanayaṃ vivyādha malayadhvajaḥ ॥8-15-19॥
Upon being told thus, and having said so, "Strike!", Karna struck, and Malayadhvaja pierced Drona's son.
marmabhedibhiratyugrairbāṇairagniśikhopamaiḥ। smayannabhyahanaddrauṇiḥ pāṇḍyamācāryasattamaḥ ॥8-15-20॥
Aśvatthāmā, known as the best of teachers, smilingly struck the Pāṇḍya king with arrows that were extremely fierce and resembled flames of fire, targeting the vital parts.
tato navāparāṃstīkṣṇānnārācānkaṅkavāsasaḥ। gatyā daśamyā saṃyuktānaśvatthāmā vyavāsṛjat ॥8-15-21॥
Then Ashwatthama swiftly dispatched nine other sharp arrows, adorned with peacock feathers, joined with a tenth one.
teṣāṃ pañcācchinatpāṇḍyaḥ pañcabhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। catvāro'bhyāhananvāhānāśu te vyasavo'bhavan ॥8-15-22॥
Pāṇḍya, with his five sharp arrows, swiftly cut down five of them. Four vehicles were struck and quickly became lifeless.
atha droṇasutasyeṣūṁstāṁśchittvā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। dhanurjyāṁ vitatāṁ pāṇḍyaścicchedādityavarcasaḥ ॥8-15-23॥
Then Pāṇḍya, radiant like the sun, cut the stretched bowstring after severing the arrows of Droṇa's son with sharp arrows.
vijyaṃ dhanurathādhijyaṃ kṛtvā drauṇiramitrahā। tataḥ śarasahasrāṇi preṣayāmāsa pāṇḍyataḥ ॥ iṣusambādhamākāśamakaroddiśa eva ca ॥8-15-24॥
Drona's son, known as the enemy-killer, bent and strung his bow, then sent thousands of arrows from Pandya, filling the sky and all directions with a dense shower of arrows.
tatastānasyataḥ sarvāndrauṇerbāṇānmahātmanaḥ। jānāno'pyakṣayānpāṇḍyo'śātayatpuruṣarṣabhaḥ ॥8-15-25॥
Then, Pandya, the bull among men, knowing that the arrows released by the great-souled Drona's son were inexhaustible, countered them.
prahitāṁstānpra yatnena chittvā drauṇeriṣūnariḥ। cakrarakṣau tatastasya prāṇudanniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-15-26॥
The enemy skillfully cut down the arrows sent by Drona's son and then drove away his wheel protectors with sharp arrows.
athārerlāghavaṃ dṛṣṭvā maṇḍalīkṛtakārmukaḥ। prāsyaddroṇasuto bāṇānvṛṣṭiṃ pūṣānujo yathā ॥8-15-27॥
Then, observing the enemy's agility, the son of Droṇa, with his bow curved in a circle, released a shower of arrows, akin to how the brother of Pūṣā would do.
aṣṭāvaṣṭagavānyūhuḥ śakaṭāni yadāyudham। ahnastadaṣṭabhāgena drauṇiścikṣepa māriṣa ॥8-15-28॥
Drona's son hurled eight chariots with eight oxen, carts, and weapons during the eighth part of the day, O gentle one.
tamantakamiva kruddhamantakālāntakopamam। ye ye dadṛśire tatra visañjñāḥ prāyaśo'bhavan ॥8-15-29॥
He was like death itself, angry like the destroyer at the end of time. Whoever saw him there mostly became unconscious.
parjanya iva gharmānte vṛṣṭyā sādridrumāṃ mahīm। ācāryaputrastāṃ senāṃ bāṇavṛṣṭyābhyavīvṛṣat ॥8-15-30॥
Just as a rain-cloud at the end of summer rains down upon the earth, covering mountains and trees, the teacher's son rained arrows upon that army.
drauṇiparjanyamuktāṃ tāṃ bāṇavṛṣṭiṃ suduḥsahām। vāyavyāstreṇa sa kṣipraṃ ruddhvā pāṇḍyānilo'nadat ॥8-15-31॥
Drona's son released a formidable shower of arrows. However, using the Vayavya weapon, he swiftly blocked it, and the Pandya wind roared in triumph.
tasya nānadataḥ ketuṃ candanāgurubhūṣitam। malayapratimaṃ drauṇiśchittvāśvāṃścaturo'hanat ॥8-15-32॥
Drona's son, with his roaring banner adorned with sandalwood and aloeswood like the Malaya mountain, cut down and killed four horses.
sūtamekeṣuṇā hatvā mahājaladanisvanam। dhanuśchittvārdhacandreṇa vyadhamattilaśo ratham ॥8-15-33॥
He killed the charioteer with a single arrow, cut the bow with a crescent-shaped weapon, and shattered the chariot into pieces, creating a sound like a great thunder.
astrairastrāṇi saṁvārya chittvā sarvāyudhāni ca। prāptamapyahitaṁ drauṇirna jaghāna raṇepsayā ॥8-15-34॥
Drona's son, having countered and cut off all weapons with his own, did not kill the enemy who had arrived, as he had no desire to do so in battle.
hateśvaro dantivaraḥ sukalpita; stvarābhisṛṣṭaḥ pratiśarmago balī। tamadhyatiṣṭhanmalayeśvaro mahā; nyathādriśṛṅgaṃ harirunnadaṃstathā ॥8-15-35॥
The lord of elephants, excellently equipped, quickly approached the shelter with strength, stood in the middle like a great mountain peak, and Hari roared mightily.
sa tomaraṁ bhāskararāśmisaṁnibhaṁ; balāstrasargottamayatnamanyubhiḥ। sasarja śīghraṁ pratipīḍayangajaṁ; guroḥ sutāyādripatīśvaro nadan ॥8-15-36॥
He, the lord of mountains, released the spear that resembled the sun's ray with great effort and anger, quickly oppressing the elephant for the teacher's son, roaring.
maṇipratānottamavajrahāṭakai; ralaṅkṛtaṃ cāṃśukamālyamauktikaiḥ। hato'syasāvityasakṛnmudā nada; nparābhinaddrauṇivarāṅgabhūṣaṇam ॥8-15-37॥
Adorned with the finest jewels, diamonds, and gold, along with garments, garlands, and pearls, he joyfully shouted repeatedly that Drona's son was killed, as he pierced the excellent body ornament.
tadarkacandragrahapāvakatviṣaṃ; bhṛśābhighātātpatitaṃ vicūrṇitam। mahendravajrābhihataṃ mahāvanaṃ; yathādriśṛṅgaṃ dharaṇītale tathā ॥8-15-38॥
The great forest, with a brilliance like that of the sun, moon, planets, and fire, was struck by Indra's thunderbolt and fell shattered to the ground, just like a mountain peak would fall to the earth.
tataḥ prajajvāla pareṇa manyunā; padāhato nāgapati ryathā tathā। samādade cāntakadaṇḍasaṃnibhā; niṣūnamitrāntakarāṃś caturdaśa ॥8-15-39॥
Then, filled with supreme anger, he blazed up as if struck by the foot of the king of serpents. He took up fourteen arrows, resembling the staff of death, which were destroyers of friends.
dvipasya pādāgrakarān sa pañcabhi; nṛpasya bāhū ca śiro'tha ca tribhiḥ। jaghāna ṣaḍbhiḥ ṣaḍṛtūttamatviṣaḥ; sa pāṇḍyarājānucarānmahārathān ॥8-15-40॥
He attacked the elephant's feet with five blows, the king's arms and head with three, and the followers of the Pandya king, the great charioteers, with six, all with the brilliance of the six seasons.
sudīrghavṛttau varacandano'kṣitau; suvarṇamuktāmaṇivajrabhūṣitau। bhujau dharāyāṃ patitau nṛpasya tau; viveṣṭatustārkṣyahatau vivoragau ॥8-15-41॥
The king's long and round arms, anointed with the finest sandalwood and adorned with gold, pearls, gems, and diamonds, fell to the ground, writhing like serpents struck by Garuda.
śiraśca tatpūrṇaśaśiprabhānanaṃ; saroṣatāmrāyatanetramunnasam। kṣitau vibhrāja patatsakuṇḍalaṃ; viśākhayormadhyagataḥ śaśī yathā ॥8-15-42॥
The head and face, radiant like the full moon, with wide, coppery eyes filled with anger and an elevated nose, shone on the earth with its falling earrings, resembling the moon situated between the branches.
samāptavidyaṃ tu guroḥ sutaṃ nṛpaḥ; samāptakarmāṇamupetya te sutaḥ। suhṛdvṛto'tyarthamapūjayanmudā; jite balau viṣṇumivāmareśvaraḥ ॥8-15-43॥
The king's son, having completed his education and duties, approached your son. Surrounded by friends, he joyfully honored him exceedingly, having conquered the forces like Viṣṇu, the lord of the immortals.
