09.002
Pancharatra and Core: Lamenting the past events, Dhritarashtra again asks Sanjaya to narrate the battle events, after dispatching the women to the inner quarters.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana spoke.
visṛṣṭāsvatha nārīṣu dhṛtarāṣṭro'mbikāsutaḥ। vilalāpa mahārāja duḥkhādduḥkhataraṃ gataḥ ॥9-2-1॥
Then, among the women who were released, Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, lamented deeply, as the great king was overwhelmed by sorrow.
sadhūmam iva niḥśvasya karau dhunvan punaḥ punaḥ। vicintya ca mahārāja tato vacanam abravīt ॥9-2-2॥
Sighing as if with smoke, shaking his hands repeatedly, and contemplating, the great king then spoke.
aho bata mahadduḥkhaṃ yadahaṃ pāṇḍavānraṇe। kṣemiṇaścāvyayāṃścaiva tvattaḥ sūta śṛṇomi vai ॥9-2-3॥
"Alas, what great sorrow it is that I hear from you, O charioteer, that the Pandavas remain safe and unchanged in battle."
vajrasāramayaṃ nūnaṃ hṛdayaṃ sudṛḍhaṃ mama। yacchrutvā nihatānputrāndīryate na sahasradhā ॥9-2-4॥
Indeed, my heart must be made of diamond essence, very strong, as it does not shatter into a thousand pieces upon hearing of my sons being killed.
cintayitvā vacasteṣāṃ bālakrīḍāṃ ca sañjaya। adya śrutvā hatānputrānbhṛśaṃ me dīryate manaḥ ॥9-2-5॥
Sanjaya, reflecting on their words and child's play, today my mind is greatly tormented upon hearing of the death of my sons.
andhatvādyadi teṣāṃ tu na me rūpanidarśanam। putrasnehakṛtā prītirnityameteṣu dhāritā ॥9-2-6॥
If due to blindness, I cannot see their form, the love created by affection for my sons is always held in them.
bālabhāvamatikrāntānyauvanasthāṃśca tānaham। madhyaprāptāṃstathā śrutvā hṛṣṭa āsaṃ tathānagha ॥9-2-7॥
I have moved beyond childhood and youth, and upon hearing about those who have reached middle age, I felt pleased, O sinless one.
tān adya nihatāñ śrutvā hṛtaiśvaryān hṛtaujasaḥ। na labhe vai kvacit śāntiṃ putrādibhir abhiplutaḥ ॥9-2-8॥
Hearing today of their slaughter, stripped of wealth and vigor, he finds no peace anywhere, overwhelmed by his sons and others.
ehyehi putra rājendra mamānāthasya sāmpratam। tvayā hīno mahābāho kāṁ nu yāsyāmyahaṁ gatim ॥9-2-9॥
"Come, come, my son, O king, for now my lord is deprived by you, O mighty-armed one. Which path shall I take now?"
gatirbhūtvā mahārāja jñātīnāṃ suhṛdāṃ tathā। andhaṃ vṛddhaṃ ca māṃ vīra vihāya kva nu gacchasi ॥9-2-10॥
O great king, having become the refuge of your relatives and friends, and leaving behind the blind, the old, and me, O hero, where indeed are you going?
sā kṛpā sā ca te prītiḥ sā ca rājansumānitā। kathaṁ vinihataḥ pārthaiḥ saṁyugeṣvaparājitaḥ ॥9-2-11॥
She embodies compassion and affection, and is respected by you, O king. How could he, who was undefeated in battles, be slain by the sons of Pritha?
kathaṁ tvaṁ pṛthivīpālānbhuktvā tāta samāgatān। śeṣe vinihato bhūmau prākṛtaḥ kunṛpo yathā ॥9-2-12॥
"How, dear, after having enjoyed the company of assembled kings, do you now lie slain on the ground like an ordinary bad king?"
ko nu mām utthitaṃ kālye tāta tāta iti vakṣyati। mahārāja iti satataṃ lokanātha iti ca asakṛt ॥9-2-13॥
Who will call me 'Father, father' when I wake up in the morning? Who will repeatedly call me 'Great king' and 'Lord of the people'? (This reflects a sense of longing or loss.)
pariṣvajya ca māṃ kaṇṭhe snehenāklinnalocanaḥ। anuśādhīti kauravya tatsādhu vada me vacaḥ ॥9-2-14॥
Embracing me by the neck with affection and tearful eyes, he said, "O descendant of Kuru, please instruct me and speak those good words."
nanu nāmāham aśrauṣaṃ vacanaṃ tava putraka। bhūyasī mama pṛthvīyaṃ yathā pārthasya no tathā ॥9-2-15॥
"Indeed, dear son, I have heard your words. My domain is greater than that of Arjuna."
bhagadattaḥ kṛpaḥ śalya āvantyo'tha jayadrathaḥ। bhūriśravāḥ somadatto mahārājo'tha bāhlikaḥ ॥9-2-16॥
Bhagadatta, Kṛpa, Śalya, Avanti, and Jayadratha, along with Bhūriśravāḥ, Somadatta, the king, and Bāhlika, were present.
aśvatthāmā ca bhojaśca māgadhaśca mahābalaḥ। bṛhadbalaśca kāśīśaḥ śakuniścāpi saubalaḥ ॥9-2-17॥
Ashwatthama, Bhoja, Magadha, and the greatly powerful Brihadbala, along with the king of Kashi, Shakuni, and the son of Subala, were present.
mlecchāśca bahusāhasrāḥ śakāśca yavanaiḥ saha। sudakṣiṇaśca kāmbojastrigartādhipatistathā ॥9-2-18॥
Sudakshina, along with many thousands of foreigners, Scythians, and Greeks, as well as Kamboja, the lord of Trigarta, were present.
bhīṣmaḥ pitāmahaścaiva bhāradvājo'tha gautamaḥ। śrutāyuścācyutāyuśca śatāyuścāpi vīryavān ॥9-2-19॥
Bhishma, the grandfather, along with Bharadwaja, Gautama, Shrutayu, Acyutayu, and Shatayu, all powerful warriors, were present.
jalasandho'thārśyaśṛṅgī rākṣasaścāpyalāyudhaḥ। alambuso mahābāhuḥ subāhuśca mahārathaḥ ॥9-2-20॥
Jalasandha, Ṛṣyaśṛṅgī, the demon Alāyudha, Alambusa, the mighty-armed, and Subāhu, the great chariot-warrior, were present.
ete cānye ca bahavo rājāno rājasattama। madarthamudyatāḥ sarve prāṇāṃstyaktvā raṇe prabho ॥9-2-21॥
These and many other kings, O best of kings, have all prepared to sacrifice their lives in battle for my sake, O lord.
yeṣāṃ madhye sthito yuddhe bhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ। yodhayiṣyāmyahaṃ pārthānpāñcālāṃścaiva sarvaśaḥ ॥9-2-22॥
In the midst of the battle, surrounded by my brothers, I stand ready to fight the sons of Pritha and the Panchalas with all my might.
cedīṁś ca nṛpaśārdūla draupadeyāṁś ca saṁyuge। sātyakiṁ kuntibhojaṁ ca rākṣasaṁ ca ghaṭotkacam ॥9-2-23॥
The Chedis, the tiger among kings, the sons of Draupadi, Satyaki, Kuntibhoja, and the demon Ghatotkacha were all present in the battle, O tiger among kings.
eko'py eṣāṃ mahārāja samarthaḥ saṃnivāraṇe। samare pāṇḍaveyānāṃ saṅkruddho hyabhidhāvatām ॥ kiṃ punaḥ sahitā vīrāḥ kṛtavairāśca pāṇḍavaiḥ ॥9-2-24॥
O great king, even a single one among these warriors is capable of holding back the enraged sons of Pandu in battle. What then can be said of the heroes united, who bear enmity with the Pandavas?
atha vā sarva evaite pāṇḍavasyānuyāyibhiḥ। yotsyanti saha rājendra haniṣyanti ca tānmṛdhe ॥9-2-25॥
Then, O king, all these followers of the Pandava will either fight with you or kill them in battle.
karṇastveko mayā sārdhaṃ nihaniṣyati pāṇḍavān। tato nṛpatayo vīrāḥ sthāsyanti mama śāsane ॥9-2-26॥
Karna, with my support, will single-handedly defeat the Pandavas. After that, the kings and heroes will be under my command.
yaśca teṣāṃ praṇetā vai vāsudevo mahābalaḥ। na sa saṃnahyate rājanniti māmabravīdvacaḥ ॥9-2-27॥
Vasudeva, the mighty leader of them, is not ready, O king, he said these words to me.
tasyāhaṃ vadataḥ sūta bahuśo mama saṃnidhau। yuktito hyanupaśyāmi nihatānpāṇḍavānmṛdhe ॥9-2-28॥
O charioteer, I have often heard him speak in my presence, and I can logically see that the Pandavas have been killed in battle.
teṣāṃ madhye sthitā yatra hanyante mama putrakāḥ। vyāyacchamānāḥ samare kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-29॥
In the midst of them, where my sons are being killed while struggling in battle, what else can be expected as destined?
bhīṣmaśca nihato yatra lokanāthaḥ pratāpavān। śikhaṇḍinaṃ samāsādya mṛgendra iva jambukam ॥9-2-30॥
Bhishma, the glorious lord of the world, was slain there, having approached Shikhandin like a lion approaches a jackal.
droṇaśca brāhmaṇo yatra sarvaśastrāstrapāragaḥ। nihataḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saṅkhye kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-31॥
Drona, the Brahmin and master of all weapons and missiles, was slain by the Pandavas in battle; what else could be attributed to fate?
bhūriśravā hato yatra somadattaśca saṃyuge। bāhlīkaśca mahārāja kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-32॥
Bhūriśravā was slain where Somadatta and Bahlika fought in battle. O great king, what else can be attributed to destiny?
sudakṣiṇo hato yatra jalasandhaśca kauravaḥ। śrutāyuścācyutāyuśca kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-33॥
Sudakshina, Jalasandha, the Kaurava, Shrutayu, and Acyutayu were all killed there; what else can be attributed to fate?
bṛhadbalo hato yatra māgadhaśca mahābalaḥ। āvantyo nihato yatra trigartaśca janādhipaḥ ॥ saṃśaptakāśca bahavaḥ kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-34॥
Brihadbala was slain where the powerful kings of Magadha and Avanti fell, along with the ruler of Trigarta and many Samsaptakas. What else can be attributed to destiny?
alambusastathā rājanrākṣasaścāpyalāyudhaḥ। ārśyaśṛṅgaśca nihataḥ kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-35॥
Alambusa, the demon Alayudha, and Arshyashringa have been killed, O king. What else can be attributed to fate?
nārāyaṇā hatā yatra gopālā yuddhadurmadāḥ। mlecchāśca bahusāhasrāḥ kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-36॥
In the place where the followers of Narayana were slain, the cowherds, proud in battle, and numerous foreigners, what else could be attributed to destiny?
śakuniḥ saubalo yatra kaitavyaśca mahābalaḥ। nihataḥ sabalo vīraḥ kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-37॥
In the place where Shakuni, the son of Subala, and the mighty son of Ketu were killed, what else can be attributed to fate?
rājāno rājaputrāśca śūrāḥ parighabāhavaḥ। nihatā bahavo yatra kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-38॥
Kings, princes, and heroes with iron-clad arms were slain there; what else can be attributed to destiny?
nānādeśasamāvṛttāḥ kṣatriyā yatra sañjaya। nihatāḥ samare sarve kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-39॥
O Sanjaya, the warriors who had returned from various countries were all slain in battle. What else could be expected by fate?
putrāśca me vinihatāḥ pautrāścaiva mahābalāḥ। vayasyā bhrātaraścaiva kimanyadbhāgadheyataḥ ॥9-2-40॥
My sons and grandsons, who were mighty, have been killed. Friends and brothers as well. What else can be attributed to fate?
bhāgadheyasamāyukto dhruvam utpadyate naraḥ। yaś ca bhāgyasamāyuktaḥ sa śubhaṃ prāpnuyān naraḥ ॥9-2-41॥
A man who is destined is certainly born, and a man who is fortunate attains auspiciousness.
ahaṁ viyuktaḥ svairbhāgyaiḥ putraiścaiveha sañjaya। kathamadya bhaviṣyāmi vṛddhaḥ śatruvaśaṁ gataḥ ॥9-2-42॥
I am left without my fortunes and sons here, Sanjaya. How will I survive today, being old and under the control of my enemies?
nānyadatra paraṃ manye vanavāsādṛte prabho। so'haṃ vanaṃ gamiṣyāmi nirbandhurjñātisaṅkṣaye ॥9-2-43॥
I believe there is nothing more important here than dwelling in the forest, O lord. Therefore, I shall go to the forest alone, as my kin are destroyed.
na hi me'nyadbhavecchreyo vanābhyupagamādṛte। imāmavasthāṃ prāptasya lūnapakṣasya sañjaya ॥9-2-44॥
O Sañjaya, for me, there is no better option than going to the forest, given my current state of having lost my strength and freedom.
duryodhano hato yatra śalyaśca nihato yudhi। duḥśāsano viśastaśca vikarṇaśca mahābalaḥ ॥9-2-45॥
Duryodhana has been killed where Śalya was also slain in battle. Duḥśāsana was mutilated, and Vikarṇa, known for his might, was also defeated.
kathaṁ hi bhīmasenasya śroṣye'haṁ śabdamuttamam। ekena samare yena hataṁ putraśataṁ mama ॥9-2-46॥
How can I possibly hear the mighty sound of Bhimasena, who single-handedly killed my hundred sons in battle?
asakṛdvadatas tasya duryodhanavadena ca। duḥkhaśokābhisantapto na śroṣye paruṣā giraḥ ॥9-2-47॥
Repeatedly speaking of his and by the killing of Duryodhana, I am afflicted with sorrow and grief and will not hear harsh words.
evaṃ sa śokasantaptaḥ pārthivo hatabāndhavaḥ। muhurmuhurmuhyamānaḥ putrādibhirabhiplutaḥ ॥9-2-48॥
Thus, the king, stricken with grief over the loss of his relatives, repeatedly fainted, overwhelmed by the sorrow brought by his sons and others.
vilapya suciraṃ kālaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro'mbikāsutaḥ। dīrghamuṣṇaṃ ca niḥśvasya cintayitvā parābhavam ॥9-2-49॥
Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, lamented for a long time. He sighed deeply and warmly, contemplating his defeat.
duḥkhena mahatā rājā santapto bharatarṣabha। punargāvalgaṇiṁ sūtaṁ paryapṛcchadyathātatham ॥9-2-50॥
The king, deeply afflicted by great sorrow, once again questioned the charioteer Gāvalgaṇi with precision, O best of the Bharatas.
bhīṣmadroṇau hatau śrutvā sūtaputraṃ ca pātitam। senāpatiṃ praṇetāraṃ kimakurvata māmakāḥ ॥9-2-51॥
Upon hearing of the fall of Bhishma and Drona, and the death of Karna, my sons, who were the generals and leaders, were left wondering what actions to take next.
yaṃ yaṃ senāpraṇetāraṃ yudhi kurvanti māmakāḥ। acireṇaiva kālena taṃ taṃ nighnanti pāṇḍavāḥ ॥9-2-52॥
Whoever my people appoint as the leader in battle, the Pandavas quickly kill him.
raṇamūrdhni hato bhīṣmaḥ paśyatāṃ vaḥ kirīṭinā। evameva hato droṇaḥ sarveṣāmeva paśyatām ॥9-2-53॥
In the forefront of the battle, Bhishma was killed by Arjuna, the crowned one, as you all witnessed. Similarly, Drona was also killed, as everyone witnessed.
evameva hataḥ karṇaḥ sūtaputraḥ pratāpavān। sa rājakānāṃ sarveṣāṃ paśyatāṃ vaḥ kirīṭinā ॥9-2-54॥
Thus, the mighty Karṇa, son of a charioteer, was slain by Arjuna in the presence of all your kings.
pūrvamevāhamukto vai vidureṇa mahātmanā। duryodhanāparādhena prajeyaṃ vinaśiṣyati ॥9-2-55॥
Vidura, the great soul, had previously informed me that the people would perish because of Duryodhana's misdeeds.
kecinna samyakpaśyanti mūḍhāḥ samyaktathāpare। tadidaṃ mama mūḍhasya tathābhūtaṃ vacaḥ sma ha ॥9-2-56॥
Some do not see things properly, being fools, while others do. This is indeed the speech of my foolish self, as it happened.
yad abravīn me dharmātmā viduro dīrghadarśivān। tat tathā samanuprāptaṃ vacanaṃ satyavādinaḥ ॥9-2-57॥
The words spoken to me by the righteous and far-sighted Vidura have indeed come true, as he was truthful.
daivopahatacittena yanmayāpakṛtaṃ purā। anayasya phalaṃ tasya brūhi gāvalgaṇe punaḥ ॥9-2-58॥
O Gāvalgaṇa, tell me again the consequences of the wrongs I committed in the past due to a mind afflicted by fate.
ko vā mukhamanīkānām āsīt karṇe nipātite। arjunaṃ vāsudevaṃ ca ko vā pratyudyayau rathī ॥9-2-59॥
Who was leading the front ranks when Karna was killed? Who dared to face Arjuna and Vasudeva, the charioteer?
ke'rakṣandakṣiṇaṃ cakraṃ madrarājasya saṃyuge। vāmaṃ ca yoddhukāmasya ke vā vīrasya pṛṣṭhataḥ ॥9-2-60॥
Who guarded the right wheel of the Madra king in battle, and the left of the warrior eager to fight, or who stood behind the hero?
kathaṁ ca vaḥ sametānāṁ madrarājo mahābalaḥ। nihataḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saṅkhye putro vā mama sañjaya ॥9-2-61॥
Sanjaya, tell me how the mighty king of Madra, who was with you all, was killed in battle by the Pandavas, or is it my son?
brūhi sarvaṃ yathātattvaṃ bharatānāṃ mahākṣayam। yathā ca nihataḥ saṅkhye putro duryodhano mama ॥9-2-62॥
Tell me everything as it truly happened, about the great destruction of the Bharatas, and how my son Duryodhana was killed in the battle.
pāñcālāśca yathā sarve nihatāḥ sapadānugāḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca draupadyāḥ pañca cātmajāḥ ॥9-2-63॥
The Panchalas, along with their followers, were all slain; Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, and the five sons of Draupadi were killed.
pāṇḍavāśca yathā muktāstathobhau sātvatau yudhi। kṛpaśca kṛtavarmā ca bhāradvājasya cātmajaḥ ॥9-2-64॥
The Pandavas, as they were released, so were both the Satvatas in battle. Kripa and Kritavarma, the son of Bharadvaja, were also involved.
yadyathā yādṛśaṃ caiva yuddhaṃ vṛttaṃ ca sāmpratam। akhilaṃ śrotumicchāmi kuśalo hyasi sañjaya ॥9-2-65॥
I wish to hear everything about the nature and details of the battle that has occurred recently, as you are indeed knowledgeable, Sanjaya.
