08.058
Pancharatra and Core: Arjuna's valour and destruction of the Kaurava forces. Arjuna takes permission from Bhima and Yudhisthira.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
राजन्कुरूणां प्रवरैर्बलैर्भीममभिद्रुतम्। मज्जन्तमिव कौन्तेयमुज्जिहीर्षुर्धनञ्जयः ॥८-५८-१॥
O king, Bhima was being overwhelmed by the chiefs and forces of the Kurus, and Arjuna, wishing to rescue him, acted to uplift the son of Kunti.
विमृद्य सूतपुत्रस्य सेनां भारत सायकैः। प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय परवीरान्धनञ्जयः ॥८-५८-२॥
Dhananjaya, with his arrows, crushed the army of the son of a charioteer and sent the enemy heroes to the world of death, O descendant of Bharata.
ततोऽस्याम्बरमावृत्य शरजालानि भागशः। अदृश्यन्त तथान्ये च निघ्नन्तस्तव वाहिनीम् ॥८-५८-३॥
Then, the sky was covered in parts with arrow-nets, and others were seen striking your army.
स पक्षिसङ्घाचरितमाकाशं पूरयञ्शरैः। धनञ्जयो महाराज कुरूणामन्तकोऽभवत् ॥८-५८-४॥
Dhananjaya, by filling the sky with arrows, became the end of the Kurus, O great king, as if the sky was filled with flocks of birds.
ततो भल्लैः क्षुरप्रैश्च नाराचैर्निर्मलैरपि। गात्राणि प्राक्षिणोत्पार्थः शिरांसि च चकर्त ह ॥८-५८-५॥
Then Arjuna, with his arrows, both razor-sharp and iron, pierced the bodies and indeed cut off the heads.
छिन्नगात्रैर्विकवचैर्विशिरस्कैः समन्ततः। पतितैश्च पतद्भिश्च योधैरासीत्समावृतम् ॥८-५८-६॥
The battlefield was completely covered with warriors who had severed limbs, shattered armors, and were beheaded, fallen, or still falling all around.
धनञ्जयशराभ्यस्तैः स्यन्दनाश्वनरद्विपैः। रणभूमिरभूद्राजन्महावैतरणी यथा ॥८-५८-७॥
The battlefield, with its chariots, horses, men, and elephants struck by Arjuna's arrows, turned into a great river Vaitarani, O King.
ईषाचक्राक्षभङ्गैश्च व्यश्वैः साश्वैश्च युध्यताम्। ससूतैर्हतसूतैश्च रथैः स्तीर्णाभवन्मही ॥८-५८-८॥
The battlefield was strewn with chariots having broken axles and wheels, some with horses and some without, along with charioteers and slain charioteers, belonging to the warriors.
सुवर्णवर्मसंनाहैर्योधैः कनकभूषणैः। आस्थिताः कृतवर्माणो भद्रा नित्यमदा द्विपाः ॥ क्रुद्धाः क्रुद्धैर्महामात्रैः प्रेषितार्जुनमभ्ययुः ॥८-५८-९॥
The warriors, adorned with golden armor and ornaments, mounted on Kritavarma's noble and perpetually intoxicated elephants, were sent by the angry ministers to confront Arjuna.
चतुःशताः शरवर्षैर्हताः पेतुः किरीटिना। पर्यस्तानीव शृङ्गाणि ससत्त्वानि महागिरेः ॥८-५८-१०॥
Four hundred warriors were slain by the crowned one with showers of arrows, and they fell like the peaks of a great mountain along with its creatures.
धनञ्जयशराभ्यस्तैः स्तीर्णा भूर्वरवारणैः। अभिपेदेऽर्जुनरथो घनान्भिन्दन्निवांशुमान् ॥८-५८-११॥
The earth was covered with excellent elephants, practiced by Arjuna's arrows. Arjuna's chariot moved forward, piercing the clouds as if it were the sun.
हतैर्गजमनुष्याश्वैर्भग्नैश्च बहुधा रथैः। विशस्त्रपत्रकवचैर्युद्धशौण्डैर्गतासुभिः ॥ अपविद्धायुधैर्मार्गः स्तीर्णोऽभूत्फल्गुनेन वै ॥८-५८-१२॥
The path was littered with the bodies of slain elephants, men, and horses, and broken chariots in many ways. It was covered with weapons, armor, and shields, and the bodies of battle heroes who had lost their lives, all discarded by Arjuna.
व्यास्फूर्जयच्च गाण्डीवं सुमहद्भैरवस्वनम्। घोरो वज्रविनिष्पेषः स्तनयित्नोरिवाम्बरे ॥८-५८-१३॥
He twanged the Gandiva bow, creating a sound so terrifying and immense, it was like the crushing thunder of a storm in the sky.
ततः प्रादीर्यत चमूर्धनञ्जयशराहता। महावातसमाविद्धा महानौरिव सागरे ॥८-५८-१४॥
Then the army, struck by Arjuna's arrows, was shattered and tossed about like a great ship caught in a stormy ocean.
नानारूपाः प्रहरणाः शरा गाण्डीवचोदिताः। अलातोल्काशनिप्रख्यास्तव सैन्यं विनिर्दहन् ॥८-५८-१५॥
Various forms of weapons and arrows, prompted by the Gandiva, like firebrands, meteors, and lightning, are burning your army.
महागिरौ वेणुवनं निशि प्रज्वलितं यथा। तथा तव महत्सैन्यं प्रास्फुरच्छरपीडितम् ॥८-५८-१६॥
Just as the bamboo forest on the great mountain burns at night, so did your great army tremble when struck by arrows.
सम्पिष्टदग्धविध्वस्तं तव सैन्यं किरीटिना। हतं प्रविहतं बाणैः सर्वतः प्रद्रुतं दिशः ॥८-५८-१७॥
Arjuna's assault left your army crushed, burnt, and destroyed. It was decimated by his arrows, causing it to scatter in all directions.
महावने मृगगणा दावाग्निग्रसिता यथा। कुरवः पर्यवर्तन्त निर्दग्धाः सव्यसाचिना ॥८-५८-१८॥
In the great forest, just as herds of deer are consumed by a forest fire, the Kauravas turned back, having been burned by Arjuna.
उत्सृज्य हि महाबाहुं भीमसेनं तदा रणे। बलं कुरूणामुद्विग्नं सर्वमासीत्पराङ्मुखम् ॥८-५८-१९॥
Having left mighty-armed Bhimasena in the battle, the entire force of the Kurus was distressed and turned away.
ततः कुरुषु भग्नेषु बीभत्सुरपराजितः। भीमसेनं समासाद्य मुहूर्तं सोऽभ्यवर्तत ॥८-५८-२०॥
Then, amidst the defeated Kauravas, the undefeated Arjuna approached Bhimasena for a moment and advanced.
समागम्य स भीमेन मन्त्रयित्वा च फल्गुनः। विशल्यमरुजं चास्मै कथयित्वा युधिष्ठिरम् ॥८-५८-२१॥
Arjuna, after meeting and consulting with Bhima, narrated to Yudhishthira how he was now free from arrows and pain.
भीमसेनाभ्यनुज्ञातस्ततः प्रायाद्धनञ्जयः। नादयन्रथघोषेण पृथिवीं द्यां च भारत ॥८-५८-२२॥
After receiving permission from Bhimasena, Dhananjaya set forth, causing the earth and sky to echo with the sound of his chariot, O Bharata.
ततः परिवृतो भीमैर्दशभिः शत्रुपुङ्गवैः। दुःशासनादवरजैस्तव पुत्रैर्धनञ्जयः ॥८-५८-२३॥
Then Dhananjaya was surrounded by Bhima and ten enemy leaders, including Duhshasana and your younger sons.
ते तमभ्यर्दयन्बाणैरुल्काभिरिव कुञ्जरम्। आततेष्वसनाः क्रूरा नृत्यन्त इव भारत ॥८-५८-२४॥
They attacked him with arrows that resembled firebrands, as if he were an elephant. Fierce and with their bows drawn, they moved as if dancing, O Bharata.
अपसव्यांस्तु तांश्चक्रे रथेन मधुसूदनः। ततस्ते प्राद्रवञ्शूराः पराङ्मुखरथेऽर्जुने ॥८-५८-२५॥
Madhusudana turned the chariot to the left, causing the heroes to flee, turning their backs to Arjuna's chariot.
तेषामापततां केतून्रथांश्चापानि सायकान्। नाराचैरर्धचन्द्रैश्च क्षिप्रं पार्थो न्यपातयत् ॥८-५८-२६॥
Arjuna quickly knocked down their approaching banners, chariots, bows, and arrows using iron and crescent-shaped arrows.
अथान्यैर्दशभिर्भल्लैः शिरांस्येषां न्यपातयत्। रोषसंरक्तनेत्राणि संदष्टौष्ठानि भूतले ॥ तानि वक्त्राणि विबभुर्व्योम्नि तारागणा इव ॥८-५८-२७॥
Then, with ten other arrows, he struck down their heads, which fell to the ground with eyes bloodshot in anger and lips bitten. Those faces appeared in the sky like a cluster of stars.
तांस्तु भल्लैर्महावेगैर्दशभिर्दश कौरवान्। रुक्माङ्गदान्रुक्मपुङ्खैर्विद्ध्वा प्रायादमित्रहा ॥८-५८-२८॥
The enemy-slayer, with great speed, pierced the ten Kauravas using ten golden-bodied and golden-shafted arrows, and then proceeded.
