08.038
Core and Pancharatra: Encounter between the Pandava and the Kaurava warriors: Kripa takes on Shikandin; Kritavarma fights Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Drona's son stopped Yudhishthira; Nakul and Sahadev were intercepted by Duryodhana's brothers. Kripa kills Suketu.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
kṛtavarmā kṛpo drauṇiḥ sūtaputraśca māriṣa। ulūkaḥ saubalaścaiva rājā ca saha sodaraiḥ ॥8-38-1॥
Kritavarma, Kripa, Ashwatthama, Karna, O King, Uluka, Shakuni, and the king with his brothers were present.
sīdamānāṃ camūṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍuputrabhayārditām। samujjihīrṣurvegena bhinnāṃ nāvamivārṇave ॥8-38-2॥
Seeing the army sinking and afflicted by the fear of the sons of Pandu, he desired to uplift it with speed, like a broken boat in the ocean.
tato yuddham atīvāsīn muhūrtam iva bhārata। bhīrūṇāṃ trāsajananaṃ śūrāṇāṃ harṣavardhanam ॥8-38-3॥
Then the battle seemed to last only a moment, O Bharata, causing fear among the timid and increasing joy among the brave.
kṛpeṇa śaravarṣāṇi vipramuktāni saṃyuge। sṛñjayāḥ śātayāmāsuḥ śalabhānāṃ vrajā iva ॥8-38-4॥
In the battle, the showers of arrows released by Kṛpa were destroyed by the Sṛñjayas, just like swarms of locusts are scattered.
śikhaṇḍī tu tataḥ kruddho gautamaṃ tvarito yayau। vavarṣa śaravarṣāṇi samantādeva brāhmaṇe ॥8-38-5॥
Shikhandi, in his anger, swiftly approached Gautama and unleashed a shower of arrows all around the Brahmin.
kṛpastu śaravarṣaṃ tadvinihatya mahāstravit। śikhaṇḍinaṃ raṇe kruddho vivyādha daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-38-6॥
Kṛpa, the great wielder of weapons, destroyed the shower of arrows and angrily pierced Śikhaṇḍin in battle with ten arrows.
tataḥ śikhaṇḍī kupītaḥ śaraiḥ saptabhirāhave। kṛpaṃ vivyādha subhṛśaṃ kaṅkapatrairajihmagaiḥ ॥8-38-7॥
Then, in the battle, Shikhandi, filled with rage, struck Kripa hard with seven straight-flying feathered arrows.
tataḥ kṛpaḥ śaraistīkṣṇaiḥ so'tividdho mahārathaḥ। vyaśvasūtarathaṃ cakre pārṣataṃ tu dvijottamaḥ ॥8-38-8॥
Then Kṛpa, a great warrior, skillfully shot sharp arrows, rendering the Pārṣata's chariot without horses and a charioteer.
hatāśvāttu tato yānādavaplutya mahārathaḥ। carmakhaḍge ca saṅgṛhya satvaraṃ brāhmaṇaṃ yayau ॥8-38-9॥
The great chariot-warrior, after his horse was killed, jumped down from his vehicle, took hold of his shield and sword, and quickly approached the Brahmin.
tamāpatantaṃ sahasā śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ। chādayāmāsa samare tadadbhutamivābhavat ॥8-38-10॥
He suddenly covered the approaching enemy with arrows having bent joints in the battle; it seemed as if it was a wonderful sight.
tatrādbhutamapaśyāma śilānāṃ plavanaṃ yathā। niśceṣṭo yadraṇe rājañśikhaṇḍī samatiṣṭhata ॥8-38-11॥
There, O king, we witnessed a marvelous sight: stones were floating as Shikhandi stood still in the battle.
kṛpeṇa chāditaṃ dṛṣṭvā nṛpottama śikhaṇḍinam। pratyudyayau kṛpaṃ tūrṇaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ ॥8-38-12॥
Upon witnessing Śikhaṇḍin being covered by Kṛpa, the valiant Dhṛṣṭadyumna swiftly moved towards Kṛpa, O best of kings.
dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ tato yāntaṃ śāradvatarathaṃ prati। pratijagrāha vegena kṛtavarmā mahārathaḥ ॥8-38-13॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, proceeding towards Śāradvata's chariot, was swiftly intercepted by the great charioteer Kṛtavarmā.
yudhiṣṭhiramathāyāntaṃ śāradvatarathaṃ prati। saputraṃ sahasenaṃ ca droṇaputro nyavārayat ॥8-38-14॥
Drona's son stopped Yudhishthira, who was coming towards the chariot of Shardvata, along with his son and army.
nakulaṁ sahadevaṁ ca tvaramāṇau mahārathau। pratijagrāha te putraḥ śaravarṣeṇa vārayan ॥8-38-15॥
Nakul and Sahadev, the great warriors, hurriedly approached and were intercepted by your son, who warded them off with a shower of arrows.
bhīmasenaṁ karūṣāṁśca kekayānsahasṛñjayān। karṇo vaikartano yuddhe vārayāmāsa bhārata ॥8-38-16॥
Karna, the son of Vikartana, stopped Bhimasena, the Karushas, the Kekayas, and the Srinjayas in the battle, O Bharata.
śikhaṇḍinastato bāṇānkṛpaḥ śāradvato yudhi। prāhiṇottvarayā yukto didhakṣuriva māriṣa ॥8-38-17॥
Then Kripa, the son of Sharadvata, swiftly sent arrows in battle, as if desiring to burn, O great one.
tāñśarānpreṣitāṃstena samantāddhemabhūṣaṇān। ciccheda khaḍgamāvidhya bhrāmayaṃśca punaḥ punaḥ ॥8-38-18॥
He skillfully cut down the arrows sent towards him, which were adorned with gold ornaments, by wielding and whirling his sword repeatedly.
śatacandraṃ tataścarma gautamaḥ pārṣatasya ha। vyadhamatsāyakaitūrṇaṃ tata uccukruśurjanāḥ ॥8-38-19॥
Gautama swiftly pierced Parshata's shield, which was like a hundred moons, with his arrows, causing the people to shout in amazement.
sa vicarmā mahārāja khaḍgapāṇirupādravat। kṛpasya vaśamāpanno mṛtyorāsyamivāturaḥ ॥8-38-20॥
The great king, without armor and with a sword in hand, attacked, falling under Kṛpa's control, as if distressed and facing death.
śāradvataśarairgrastaṃ kliśyamānaṃ mahābalam। citraketusuto rājansuketustvarito yayau ॥8-38-21॥
O king, Suketu, the son of Citraketu, swiftly went, being seized and tormented by Sharadvata's arrows, despite his great strength.
vikiranbrāhmaṇaṃ yuddhe bahubhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। abhyāpatadameyātmā gautamasya rathaṃ prati ॥8-38-22॥
The immeasurable soul, scattering the Brahmin with many sharp arrows in battle, attacked towards Gautama's chariot.
dṛṣṭvāviṣahyaṃ taṃ yuddhe brāhmaṇaṃ caritavratam। apayātastatastūrṇaṃ śikhaṇḍī rājasattama ॥8-38-23॥
Upon witnessing the formidable Brahmin who had maintained his vows in the battle, Shikhandi swiftly withdrew, O esteemed king.
suketustu tato rājangautamaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ। viddhvā vivyādha saptatyā punaścainaṃ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-38-24॥
Suketu, however, then pierced Gautama with nine arrows, and again with seventy and three arrows, O king.
athāsya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ punaś ciccheda māriṣa। sārathiṃ ca śareṇāsya bhṛśaṃ marmanyatāḍayat ॥8-38-25॥
Then, O dear, he once again cut off his bow with an arrow and struck his charioteer hard in the vital parts with an arrow.
gautamastu tataḥ kruddho dhanurgṛhya navaṃ dṛḍham। suketuṃ triṃśatā bāṇaiḥ sarvamarmasvatāḍayat ॥8-38-26॥
Gautama, in his anger, took up a new, strong bow and struck Suketu with thirty arrows, hitting all his vital points.
sa vihvalitasarvāṅgaḥ pracacāla rathottame। bhūmicāle yathā vṛkṣaścalatyākampito bhṛśam ॥8-38-27॥
He, with all his limbs agitated, trembled on the excellent chariot, just as a tree shakes greatly when the earth quakes.
calatastasya kāyāttu śiro jvalitakuṇḍalam। soṣṇīṣaṃ saśirastṛāṇaṃ kṣurapreṇānvapātayat ॥8-38-28॥
As he moved, his head, adorned with blazing earrings, along with the turban and helmet, was severed by a razor.
tacchiraḥ prāpatadbhūmau śyenāhṛtamivāmiṣam। tato'sya kāyo vasudhāṃ paścātprāpa tadā cyutaḥ ॥8-38-29॥
The head fell to the ground as if it were prey snatched by a hawk. Then, his body followed, descending to the earth.
tasminhate mahārāja trastāstasya padānugāḥ। gautamaṃ samare tyaktvā dudruvuste diśo daśa ॥8-38-30॥
O great king, when he was killed, his terrified followers left Gautama in the battlefield and fled in all ten directions.
dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ tu samare saṃnivārya mahābalaḥ। kṛtavarmābravīddhṛṣṭastiṣṭha tiṣṭheti pārṣatam ॥8-38-31॥
In the battle, the mighty Kṛtavarmā boldly obstructed Dhṛṣṭadyumna and said, "Stay, stay," to the son of Pṛṣata.
tadabhūttumulaṃ yuddhaṃ vṛṣṇipārṣatayo raṇe। āmiṣārthe yathā yuddhaṃ śyenayorgṛddhayornṛpa ॥8-38-32॥
O king, a fierce battle took place between the Vṛṣṇis and Pārṣatas on the battlefield, resembling a fight between hawks and vultures over prey.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastu samare hārdikyaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ। ājaghānorasi kruddhaḥ pīḍayan hṛdikātmajam ॥8-38-33॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, in his anger, struck Hārdikya with nine arrows on the chest, causing torment to Hṛdika's son.
kṛtavarmā tu samare pārṣatena dṛḍhāhataḥ। pārṣataṃ sarathaṃ sāśvaṃ chādayāmāsa sāyakaiḥ ॥8-38-34॥
Kritavarma was struck hard in the battle by Parshata, but he retaliated by covering Parshata, his chariot, and horses with a shower of arrows.
sarathaśchādito rājandhṛṣṭadyumno na dṛśyate। meghairiva paricchanno bhāskaro jaladāgame ॥8-38-35॥
O king, Dhrishtadyumna is hidden by his chariot and cannot be seen, just as the sun is obscured by clouds during the rainy season.
vidhūya taṃ bāṇagaṇaṃ śaraiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ। vyarocata raṇe rājandhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ kṛtavraṇaḥ ॥8-38-36॥
O king, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, though wounded, shone in the battle after scattering that group of arrows with his arrows adorned with golden ornaments.
tatastu pārṣataḥ kruddhaḥ śastravṛṣṭiṃ sudāruṇām। kṛtavarmāṇamāsādya vyasṛjatpṛtanāpatiḥ ॥8-38-37॥
Then, the son of Prishata, in his anger, unleashed a fierce barrage of weapons upon Kritavarma, the commander of the army, as he approached.
tām āpatantīṃ sahasā śastravṛṣṭiṃ nirantarām। śarair anekasāhasrair hārdikyo vyadhamad yudhi ॥8-38-38॥
Hārdikya suddenly dispersed that continuous rain of weapons with many thousands of arrows in the battle.
dṛṣṭvā tu dāritāṃ yuddhe śastravṛṣṭiṃ duruttarām। kṛtavarmāṇamabhyetya vārayāmāsa pārṣataḥ ॥8-38-39॥
Upon witnessing the fierce and overwhelming shower of weapons in the battle, the son of Prishata approached Kritavarma and halted his advance.
sārathiṃ cāsya tarasā prāhiṇodyamasādanam। bhallena śitadhāreṇa sa hataḥ prāpatadrathāt ॥8-38-40॥
He swiftly sent his charioteer to the abode of Yama with a sharp-edged arrow, and the charioteer, being struck, fell from the chariot.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastu balavāñjitvā śatruṃ mahāratham। kauravānsamare tūrṇaṃ vārayāmāsa sāyakaiḥ ॥8-38-41॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, being strong, defeated the great chariot warrior enemy and quickly halted the Kauravas in battle using his arrows.
tataste tāvakā yodhā dhṛṣṭadyumnamupādravan। siṃhanādaravaṃ kṛtvā tato yuddhamavartata ॥8-38-42॥
Then your warriors attacked Dhṛṣṭadyumna with a lion's roar, and the battle began.
