08.020
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥
Dhritarashtra said:
अतितीव्राणि दुःखानि दुःसहानि बहूनि च। तवाहं सञ्जयाश्रौषं पुत्राणां मम सङ्क्षयम् ॥८-२०-१॥
I, Sanjaya, heard of the very intense and unbearable sorrows, and the destruction of my many sons.
तथा तु मे कथयसे यथा युद्धं तु वर्तते। न सन्ति सूत कौरव्या इति मे नैष्ठिकी मतिः ॥८-२०-२॥
Thus, you tell me that the war is ongoing. However, O charioteer, I firmly believe that the Kauravas are not present.
दुर्योधनस्तु विरथः कृतस्तत्र महारणे। धर्मपुत्रः कथं चक्रे तस्मिन्वा नृपतिः कथम् ॥८-२०-३॥
Duryodhana was left without a chariot in the great battle. How did Dharmaputra or the king manage in that situation?
अपराह्णे कथं युद्धमभवल्लोमहर्षणम्। तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन कुशलो ह्यसि सञ्जय ॥८-२०-४॥
In the afternoon, how did the battle become so intense and thrilling? Please tell me the truth about it, as you are knowledgeable, Sanjaya.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
संसक्तेषु च सैन्येषु युध्यमानेषु भागशः। रथमन्यं समास्थाय पुत्रस्तव विशां पते ॥८-२०-५॥
Your son, O lord of the people, engaged in the armies and fighting in parts, ascended another chariot.
क्रोधेन महताविष्टः सविषो भुजगो यथा। दुर्योधनस्तु दृष्ट्वा वै धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम् ॥ उवाच सूत त्वरितं याहि याहीति भारत ॥८-२०-६॥
Duryodhana, filled with great anger like a venomous serpent, upon seeing Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, instructed his charioteer to quickly proceed, saying, "Go, go," O Bharata.
अत्र मां प्रापय क्षिप्रं सारथे यत्र पाण्डवः। ध्रियमाणेन छत्रेण राजा राजति दंशितः ॥८-२०-७॥
"Take me quickly to where the Pāṇḍava is, O charioteer, where the king, adorned and holding an umbrella, shines."
स सूतश्चोदितो राज्ञा राज्ञः स्यन्दनमुत्तमम्। युधिष्ठिरस्याभिमुखं प्रेषयामास संयुगे ॥८-२०-८॥
The charioteer, upon the king's command, directed the finest chariot towards Yudhishthira amidst the battle.
ततो युधिष्ठिरः क्रुद्धः प्रमत्त इव सद्गवः। सारथिं चोदयामास याहि यत्र सुयोधनः ॥८-२०-९॥
Then Yudhishthira, in a state of anger and agitation like a fierce bull, commanded his charioteer to proceed to where Suyodhana was.
तौ समाजग्मतुर्वीरौ भ्रातरौ रथसत्तमौ। समेत्य च महावीर्यौ संनद्धौ युद्धदुर्मदौ ॥ ततक्षतुर्महेष्वासौ शरैरन्योन्यमाहवे ॥८-२०-१०॥
The two heroic brothers, who were excellent charioteers, met and, being of great valor and prepared for battle, eagerly engaged each other with arrows in the fight.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा धर्मशीलस्य मारिष। शिलाशितेन भल्लेन धनुश्चिच्छेद संयुगे ॥ तं नामृष्यत सङ्क्रुद्धो व्यवसायं युधिष्ठिरः ॥८-२०-११॥
Then King Duryodhana, O sir, severed the bow of the virtuous in battle with a stone-sharpened arrow. Enraged by this, Yudhishthira could not tolerate the act and prepared to retaliate.
अपविध्य धनुश्छिन्नं क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः। अन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय धर्मपुत्रश्चमूमुखे ॥८-२०-१२॥
The son of Dharma, with eyes inflamed by anger, discarded his broken bow and took up another one, standing at the forefront of the army.
दुर्योधनस्य चिच्छेद ध्वजं कार्मुकमेव च। अथान्यद्धनुरादाय प्रत्यविध्यत पाण्डवम् ॥८-२०-१३॥
Duryodhana's flag and bow were severed. Then, seizing another bow, he retaliated against the Pandava.
तावन्योन्यं सुसंरब्धौ शरवर्षाण्यमुञ्चताम्। सिंहाविव सुसङ्क्रुद्धौ परस्परजिगीषया ॥८-२०-१४॥
They, like two enraged lions, released showers of arrows at each other, driven by the desire to defeat one another.
अन्योन्यं जघ्नतुश्चैव नर्दमानौ वृषाविव। अन्योन्यं प्रेक्षमाणौ च चेरतुस्तौ महारथौ ॥८-२०-१५॥
The two great charioteers, roaring like bulls, struck each other and moved while looking at each other.
ततः पूर्णायतोत्सृष्टैरन्योन्यं सुकृतव्रणौ। विरेजतुर्महाराज पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ ॥८-२०-१६॥
Then, O great king, they shone at each other with well-made wounds, as if they were blooming Butea trees, having fully drawn and released their weapons.
ततो राजन्प्रतिभयान्सिंहनादान्मुहुर्मुहुः। तलयोश्च तथा शब्दान्धनुषोश्च महाहवे ॥८-२०-१७॥
Then, O king, there were terrifying lion roars repeatedly, along with the sounds of clapping and the bowstring in the great battle.
शङ्खशब्दरवांश्चैव चक्रतुस्तौ रथोत्तमौ। अन्योन्यं च महाराज पीडयां चक्रतुर्भृशम् ॥८-२०-१८॥
The two excellent chariots made the sound of conch roars and fiercely pressed against each other, O great king.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा तव पुत्रं त्रिभिः शरैः। आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धो वज्रवेगो दुरासदः ॥८-२०-१९॥
Then, in his wrath, King Yudhishthira, with the speed and force of a thunderbolt, struck your son on the chest with three arrows, making a formidable impact.
प्रतिविव्याध तं तूर्णं तव पुत्रो महीपतिम्। पञ्चभिर्निशितैर्बाणैर्हेमपुङ्खैः शिलाशितैः ॥८-२०-२०॥
Your son swiftly struck the king with five sharp arrows adorned with golden feathers and sharpened on stone.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा शक्तिं चिक्षेप भारत। सर्वपारशवीं तीक्ष्णां महोल्काप्रतिमां तदा ॥८-२०-२१॥
Then King Duryodhana hurled a powerful weapon, O Bharata, which was all-pervading and sharp, resembling a great meteor.
तामापतन्तीं सहसा धर्मराजः शिलाशितैः। त्रिभिश्चिच्छेद सहसा तं च विव्याध सप्तभिः ॥८-२०-२२॥
Dharmaraja swiftly intercepted her approach with three stone-sharpened arrows and then pierced him with seven arrows.
निपपात ततः साथ हेमदण्डा महाघना। निपतन्ती महोल्केव व्यराजच्छिखिसंनिभा ॥८-२०-२३॥
Then, a great cloud, along with the golden staff, fell down, shining like a great meteor and resembling a flame.
शक्तिं विनिहतां दृष्ट्वा पुत्रस्तव विशां पते। नवभिर्निशितैर्भल्लैर्निजघान युधिष्ठिरम् ॥८-२०-२४॥
Seeing the power destroyed, your son, O lord of the people, attacked Yudhishthira with nine sharp arrows.
सोऽतिविद्धो बलवतामग्रणीः शत्रुतापनः। दुर्योधनं समुद्दिश्य बाणं जग्राह सत्वरः ॥८-२०-२५॥
He, deeply wounded and a leader among the strong, who torments his enemies, quickly took an arrow aiming at Duryodhana.
समाधत्त च तं बाणं धनुष्युग्रं महाबलः। चिक्षेप च ततो राजा राज्ञः क्रुद्धः पराक्रमी ॥८-२०-२६॥
The mighty king, filled with anger, took the fierce bow and arrow and shot it with great valor.
स तु बाणः समासाद्य तव पुत्रं महारथम्। व्यमोहयत राजानं धरणीं च जगाम ह ॥८-२०-२७॥
The arrow struck your son, the great warrior, causing him to be bewildered, and then it fell to the ground.
ततो दुर्योधनः क्रुद्धो गदामुद्यम्य वेगितः। विधित्सुः कलहस्यान्तमभिदुद्राव पाण्डवम् ॥८-२०-२८॥
Then, in his anger, Duryodhana swiftly raised his mace and charged towards the Pāṇḍava, intending to bring an end to the conflict.
तमालक्ष्योद्यतगदं दण्डहस्तमिवान्तकम्। धर्मराजो महाशक्तिं प्राहिणोत्तव सूनवे ॥ दीप्यमानां महावेगां महोल्कां ज्वलितामिव ॥८-२०-२९॥
Dharmaraja sent a mighty weapon to your son, appearing like a dark-blue mace raised in hand, resembling death itself; it shone with great speed, like a blazing meteor.
रथस्थः स तया विद्धो वर्म भित्त्वा महाहवे। भृशं संविग्नहृदयः पपात च मुमोह च ॥८-२०-३०॥
Standing on the chariot, he was struck by her arrow, which penetrated his armor in the great battle; deeply disturbed, he fell and lost consciousness.
ततस्त्वरितमागत्य कृतवर्मा तवात्मजम्। प्रत्यपद्यत राजानं मग्नं वै व्यसनार्णवे ॥८-२०-३१॥
Then Kritavarma quickly came and approached your son, the king, who was deeply immersed in sorrow.
भीमोऽपि महतीं गृह्य गदां हेमपरिष्कृताम्। अभिदुद्राव वेगेन कृतवर्माणमाहवे ॥ एवं तदभवद्युद्धं त्वदीयानां परैः सह ॥८-२०-३२॥
Bhima, wielding a grand mace embellished with gold, charged swiftly at Kritavarma in the battle. Thus, the battle ensued between your forces and the enemies.
