08.044
Core and Pancharatra: The description of the battle involving various prominent warriors on both sides.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
nivṛtte bhīmasene ca pāṇḍave ca yudhiṣṭhire। vadhyamāne bale cāpi māmake pāṇḍusṛñjayaiḥ ॥8-44-1॥
Bhimasena, Pandava, and Yudhishthira had withdrawn. My forces were being slain by the Pandavas and Srinjayas.
dravamāṇe balaughe ca nirākrande muhurmuhuḥ। kimakurvanta kuravastanmamācakṣva sañjaya ॥8-44-2॥
In the midst of the flowing forces and amidst the relentless cries, what actions did the Kauravas take? Please narrate that to me, Sanjaya.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
dṛṣṭvā bhīmaṃ mahābāhuṃ sūtaputraḥ pratāpavān। krodharaktekṣaṇo rājanbhīmasenamupādravat ॥8-44-3॥
Seeing the mighty-armed Bhima, the valiant son of a charioteer, with eyes inflamed with anger, attacked Bhimasena, O king.
tāvakaṃ ca balaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenātparāṅmukham। yatnena mahatā rājaparyavasthāpayadbali ॥8-44-4॥
O king, having witnessed your forces being repelled by Bhimasena, the mighty one reorganized them with great effort.
vyavasthāpya mahābāhustava putrasya vāhinīm। pratyudyayau tadā karṇaḥ pāṇḍavānyuddhadurmadān ॥8-44-5॥
The mighty-armed Karna, having arranged your son's army, advanced against the Pandavas, who were known for their arrogance in battle.
pratyudyayustu rādheyaṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ। dhunvānāḥ kārmukāṇyājau vikṣipantaśca sāyakān ॥8-44-6॥
The great warriors of the Pandavas, equipped with bows, moved forward to confront Karna in the battle, launching arrows.
bhīmasenaḥ śinernaptā śikhaṇḍī janamejayaḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca balavānsarve cāpi prabhadrakāḥ ॥8-44-7॥
Bhimasena, the grandson of Shini, along with Shikhandi, Janamejaya, Dhrishtadyumna, and the strong Prabhadrakas, were all present.
pāñcālāśca naravyāghrāḥ samantāttava vāhinīm। abhyadravanta saṅkruddhāḥ samare jitakāśinaḥ ॥8-44-8॥
The Panchalas, fierce as tigers, launched an angry assault on your army from all directions in the battle, being the victorious ones.
tathaiva tāvakā rājanpāṇḍavānāmanīkinīm। abhyadravanta tvaritā jighāṁsanto mahārathāḥ ॥8-44-9॥
In the same way, O king, your great warriors attacked the Pandavas' army with haste, eager to kill.
rathanāgāśvakalilaṃ pattidhvajasamākulam। babhūva puruṣavyāghra sainyamadbhutadarśanam ॥8-44-10॥
The army, crowded with chariots, elephants, horses, infantry, and flags, appeared as a wonderful spectacle to the heroic warriors.
śikhaṇḍī ca yayau karṇaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ sutaṃ tava। duḥśāsanaṃ mahārāja mahatyā senayā vṛtam ॥8-44-11॥
Shikhandi approached Karna, while Dhrishtadyumna went towards your son. Meanwhile, Duhshasana, O great king, was encircled by a vast army.
nakulo vṛṣasenaṃ ca citrasenaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। ulūkaṃ samare rājansahadevaḥ samabhyayāt ॥8-44-12॥
Nakul, Vṛṣasena, and Citrasena were approached by Yudhishthira. In the battle, O king, Sahadeva approached Uluka.
sātyakiḥ śakuniṃ cāpi bhīmasenaśca kauravān। arjunaṃ ca raṇe yattaṃ droṇaputro mahārathaḥ ॥8-44-13॥
Satyaki, Shakuni, Bhimasena, and the Kauravas were engaged in battle, along with Arjuna and Drona's son, the great warrior.
yudhāmanyuṃ maheṣvāsaṃ gautamo'bhyapatadraṇe। kṛtavarmā ca balavānuttamaujasamādravat ॥8-44-14॥
In the battle, Gautama attacked the great archer Yudhāmanyu, while the strong Kṛtavarmā charged towards Uttamaujas.
bhīmasenaḥ kurūnsarvānaputrāṃśca tava māriṣa। sahānīkānmahābāhureka evābhyavārayat ॥8-44-15॥
Bhimasena, mighty-armed and alone, indeed stopped all the Kurus and your sons, O lord, with their armies.
śikhaṇḍī ca tataḥ karṇaṃ vicarantam abhītavat। bhīṣmahantā mahārāja vārayāmāsa patribhiḥ ॥8-44-16॥
Shikhandi, the slayer of Bhishma, then restrained the fearless Karna with arrows, O great king.
pratirabdhas tataḥ karṇo roṣāt prasphuritādharaḥ। śikhaṇḍinaṃ tribhir bāṇair bhruvor madhye vyatāḍayat ॥8-44-17॥
Then Karṇa, his lip trembling with anger, struck Shikhandin with three arrows right between the eyebrows.
dhārayaṃstu sa tānbāṇāñśikhaṇḍī bahvaśobhata। rājataḥ parvato yadvattribhiḥ śṛṅgaiḥ samanvitaḥ ॥8-44-18॥
Śikhaṇḍī, holding those arrows, shone brightly like a silver mountain with three peaks.
so'tividdho maheṣvāsaḥ sūtaputreṇa saṃyuge। karṇaṃ vivyādha samare navatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-44-19॥
He, the great archer, though deeply pierced by the son of a charioteer in battle, retaliated by piercing Karna in the war with ninety sharp arrows.
tasya karṇo hayānhatvā sārathiṃ ca tribhiḥ śaraiḥ। unmamātha dhvajaṃ cāsya kṣurapreṇa mahārathaḥ ॥8-44-20॥
Karṇa, the great chariot warrior, killed his opponent's horses and charioteer with three arrows and then cut off his banner with a razor-edged arrow.
hatāśvāttu tato yānādavaplutya mahārathaḥ। śaktiṃ cikṣepa karṇāya saṅkruddhaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ ॥8-44-21॥
The great warrior, with his horses slain, leapt down from his chariot and, in anger, hurled a spear at Karna, the tormentor of foes.
tāṃ chittvā samare karṇastribhirbhārata sāyakaiḥ। śikhaṇḍinamathāvidhyannavabhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-44-22॥
Karna, having severed her in the battle with three arrows, O Bharata, then struck Shikhandi with nine sharp arrows.
karṇacāpathyutānbāṇānvarjayaṃstu narottamaḥ। apayātastatastūrṇaṃ śikhaṇḍī jayatāṃ varaḥ ॥8-44-23॥
Shikhandi, the best among the victorious, quickly retreated, avoiding the arrows released from Karna's bow. He was the best of men.
tataḥ karṇo mahārāja pāṇḍusainyānyaśātayat। tūlarāśiṃ samāsādya yathā vāyurmahājavaḥ ॥8-44-24॥
Then Karna, O great king, attacked the Pandava armies with the swiftness of the wind approaching a heap of cotton.
dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārāja tava putreṇa pīḍitaḥ। duḥśāsanaṃ tribhirbāṇairabhyavidhyatstanāntare ॥8-44-25॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, O great king, was afflicted by your son and in retaliation, he pierced Duḥśāsana in the chest with three arrows.
tasya duḥśāsano bāhuṃ savyaṃ vivyādha māriṣa। śitena rukmapuṅkhena bhallena nataparvaṇā ॥8-44-26॥
Duḥśāsana pierced his left arm with a sharp arrow that had golden feathers and a bent joint, O lord.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastu nirviddhaḥ śaraṃ ghoramamarṣaṇaḥ। duḥśāsanāya saṅkruddhaḥ preṣayāmāsa bhārata ॥8-44-27॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, though pierced by a terrible arrow, in his anger, sent it towards Duḥśāsana, O Bhārata.
āpantaṃ mahāvegaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnasamīritam। śaraiś ciccheda putras te tribhir eva viśāṃ pate ॥8-44-28॥
Your son, O lord of men, swiftly intercepted the oncoming force driven by Dhrishtadyumna, using just three arrows.
athāparaiḥ saptadaśairbhallaiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ samāsādya bāhvorurasi cārdayat ॥8-44-29॥
Then, seventeen golden-adorned arrows shot by others struck Dhṛṣṭadyumna in the arms and chest.
tataḥ sa pārṣataḥ kruddho dhanuś ciccheda māriṣaḥ। kṣurapreṇa sutīkṣṇena tata uccukruśur janāḥ ॥8-44-30॥
Then, in anger, Pārṣata cut the bow with a very sharp arrow, O Māriṣa, and the people cried out in response.
athānyaddhanurādāya putraste bharatarṣabha। dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ śaravrātaiḥ samantātparyavārayat ॥8-44-31॥
Then, your son, O best of the Bharatas, took another bow and surrounded Dhṛṣṭadyumna with volleys of arrows from all directions.
tava putrasya te dṛṣṭvā vikramaṃ taṃ mahātmanaḥ। vyahasanta raṇe yodhāḥ siddhāścāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ ॥8-44-32॥
Upon witnessing the valor of your son, the great soul, the warriors in the battle laughed, as did the groups of perfected beings and celestial nymphs.
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tāvakānāṃ paraiḥ saha। ghoraṃ prāṇabhṛtāṃ kāle ghorarūpaṃ parantapa ॥8-44-33॥
Then the battle began between your forces and the enemies, a dreadful and terrifying event for all living beings, O subduer of enemies.
nakulaṁ vṛṣasenastu viddhvā pañcabhirāyasaiḥ। pituḥ samīpe tiṣṭhantaṁ tribhiranyairavidhyat ॥8-44-34॥
Vrishasena shot Nakul with five iron arrows and then struck him again with three more while Nakul was standing by his father.
nakulastu tataḥ kruddho vṛṣasenaṃ smayanniva। nārācena sutīkṣṇena vivyādha hṛdaye dṛḍham ॥8-44-35॥
Nakul, though appearing to smile, was actually angry and pierced Vṛṣasena firmly in the heart with a sharp arrow.
so'tividdho balavatā śatruṇā śatrukarśanaḥ। śatruṃ vivyādha viṃśatyā sa ca taṃ pañcabhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-44-36॥
The destroyer of enemies, though deeply pierced by the strong enemy, retaliated by piercing the enemy with twenty arrows, and then struck him with five more arrows.
tataḥ śarasahasreṇa tāvubhau puruṣarṣabhau। anyonyamācchādayatām athābhajyata vāhinī ॥8-44-37॥
Then, with thousands of arrows, those two warriors, like bulls among men, covered each other, and then the army was shattered.
dṛṣṭvā tu pradrutāṃ senāṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya sūtajaḥ। nivārayāmāsa balādanupatya viśāṃ pate ॥ nivṛtte tu tataḥ karṇe nakulaḥ kauravānyayau ॥8-44-38॥
Upon seeing the fleeing army of Dhritarashtra's son, the son of a charioteer forcefully restrained them, following them, O lord of the people. After Karna returned, Nakul went towards the Kauravas.
karṇaputrastu samare hitvā nakulameva tu। jugopa cakraṃ tvaritaṃ rādheyasyaiva māriṣa ॥8-44-39॥
The son of Karna, in the battle, left Nakul aside and swiftly protected Karna's chariot wheel, O great one.
ulūkastu raṇe kruddhaḥ sahadevena vāritaḥ। tasyāśvāṃścaturo hatvā sahadevaḥ pratāpavān ॥ sārathiṃ preṣayāmāsa yamasya sadanaṃ prati ॥8-44-40॥
In the battle, Uluka, filled with rage, was stopped by Sahadeva. After slaying his four horses, the brave Sahadeva dispatched the charioteer to the abode of Yama.
ulūkastu tato yānādavaplutya viśāṃ pate। trigartānāṃ balaṃ pūrṇaṃ jagāma pitṛnandanaḥ ॥8-44-41॥
Uluka then descended from the vehicle and went to the full army of the Trigartas, O lord of men, O son of the father.
sātyakiḥ śakuniṃ viddhvā viṃśatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। dhvajaṃ ciccheda bhallena saubalasya hasanniva ॥8-44-42॥
Satyaki, with a smile, pierced Shakuni with twenty sharp arrows and then cut off Saubala's flag with a precise shot.
saubalas tasya samare kruddho rājan pratāpavān। vidārya kavacaṃ bhūyo dhvajaṃ ciccheda kāñcanam ॥8-44-43॥
Saubala, filled with rage in the battle, O king, displayed his might by piercing through the armor and once again severing the golden banner.
athainaṁ niśitairbāṇaiḥ sātyakiḥ pratyavidhyata. sārathiṁ ca mahārāja tribhireva samārdayat. athāsya vāhāṁstvaritaḥ śarairninye yamakṣayam ॥8-44-44॥
Then Satyaki pierced him with sharp arrows and struck the charioteer with three arrows, O great king. Then he quickly sent his horses to the abode of Yama with arrows.
tato'vaplutya sahasā śakunirbharatarṣabha। āruroha rathaṃ tūrṇamulūkasya mahārathaḥ ॥ apovāhātha śīghraṃ sa śaineyādyuddhaśālinaḥ ॥8-44-45॥
Shakuni, swiftly leaping up, mounted Uluka's chariot, the great warrior, and quickly drove away from the battlefield, leaving Satyaki behind.
sātyakistu raṇe rājaṁstāvakānāmanīkinīm। abhidudrāva vegena tato'nīkamabhidyata ॥8-44-46॥
Satyaki, in the battle, charged swiftly at the formation of your army, O king, and then broke through it.
śaineyaśaranuṁnaṁ tu tataḥ sainyaṁ viśāṁ pate। bheje daśa diśastūrṇaṁ nyapatacca gatāsuvat ॥8-44-47॥
Pierced by Śaineya's arrow, the army then fled swiftly in all directions and fell as if lifeless, O lord of men.
bhīmasenaṃ tava suto vārayāmāsa saṃyuge। taṃ tu bhīmo muhūrtena vyaśvasūtarathadhvajam ॥ cakre lokeśvaraṃ tatra tenātuṣyanta cāraṇāḥ ॥8-44-48॥
Your son confronted Bhimasena in battle, but Bhima quickly disarmed him, leaving him without horses, charioteer, chariot, and banner. The bards were pleased by Bhima, the lord of the world.
tato'pāyānnṛpastatra bhīmasenasya gocarāt। kurusainyaṃ tataḥ sarvaṃ bhīmasenamupādravat ॥ tatra rāvo mahānāsīdbhīmamekaṃ jighāṃsatām ॥8-44-49॥
Then the king left the area near Bhimasena. Subsequently, the entire Kuru army attacked Bhimasena. There was a loud noise from those who wanted to kill Bhima.
yudhāmanyuḥ kṛpaṃ viddhvā dhanurasyaśu cicchide। athānyaddhanurādāya kṛpaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ॥8-44-50॥
Yudhāmanyu pierced Kṛpa and swiftly cut off his bow. Then Kṛpa, being the best among warriors, took another bow.
yudhāmanyordhvajaṃ sūtaṃ chatraṃ cāpātayatkṣitau। tato'pāyādrathenaiva yudhāmanyurmahārathaḥ ॥8-44-51॥
Yudhāmanyu's flag, charioteer, and umbrella were knocked down to the ground. Then, the great warrior Yudhāmanyu left the battlefield in his chariot.
uttamaujāstu hārdikyaṃ śarairbhīmaparākramam। chādayāmāsa sahasā megho vṛṣṭyā yathācalam ॥8-44-52॥
Uttamaujas suddenly covered Hārdikya, who was of mighty valor, with arrows, just as a cloud covers a mountain with rain.
tadyuddhaṃ sumahaccāsīdghorarūpaṃ parantapa। yādṛśaṃ na mayā yuddhaṃ dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ viśāṃ pate ॥8-44-53॥
O lord of men, that battle was immense and terrifying, unlike any I have seen before, O scorcher of foes.
kṛtavarmā tato rājannuttamaujasamāhave। hṛdi vivyādha sa tadā rathopastha upāviśat ॥8-44-54॥
Then Kritavarma, O king, struck Uttamaujas in the heart during the battle, and he sat down on the chariot seat.
sārathistamapovāha rathena rathināṃ varam। tatastu satvaraṃ rājanpāṇḍusainyamupādravat ॥8-44-55॥
The charioteer, the best among charioteers, carried him away by chariot. Then, O king, he swiftly attacked the Pandava army.
