09.012
Pancharatra and Core: As Shalya displays his valour and tactics, Yudhishthira kills the Madra prince Chakraraksha.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said.
pīḍite dharmarāje tu madrarājena māriṣa। sātyakirbhīmasenaśca mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau ॥ parivārya rathaiḥ śalyaṃ pīḍayāmāsurāhave ॥9-12-1॥
When Dharmaraja was troubled by the king of Madra, Satyaki, Bhimasena, and the sons of Madri, the Pandavas, encircled Shalya with their chariots and attacked him in the battle.
tam ekaṁ bahubhir dṛṣṭvā pīḍyamānaṁ mahārathaiḥ। sādhuvādo mahāñ jajñe siddhāś cāsan praharṣitāḥ ॥ āścaryam ity abhāṣanta munayaś cāpi saṅgatāḥ ॥9-12-2॥
When they saw him, the one being oppressed by many great charioteers, a great applause arose, and the perfected beings were delighted. The assembled sages also exclaimed in wonder.
bhīmaseno raṇe śalyaṃ śalyabhūtaṃ parākrame। ekena viddhvā bāṇena punarvivyādha saptabhiḥ ॥9-12-3॥
In the battle, Bhimasena pierced Shalya, who was a formidable obstacle, with one arrow and then struck him again with seven arrows.
sātyakiśca śatena enaṃ dharmaputraparīpsayā। madreśvaram avākīrya siṃhanādam athānadat ॥9-12-4॥
Satyaki, with a force of a hundred warriors, protected Yudhishthira by overwhelming the king of Madra and then roared like a lion.
nakulaḥ pañcabhis cainaṃ sahadevaś ca saptabhiḥ। viddhvā taṃ tu tatas tūrṇaṃ punar vivyādha saptabhiḥ ॥9-12-5॥
Nakula and Sahadeva attacked him, Nakula with five arrows and Sahadeva with seven. Then, quickly, they pierced him again with seven arrows.
sa tu śūro raṇe yattaḥ pīḍitastairmahārathaiḥ। vikṛṣya kārmukaṃ ghoraṃ vegaghnaṃ bhārasādhanam ॥9-12-6॥
But he, the hero, though afflicted by those great charioteers, engaged in battle, drew his terrible and swift bow, capable of bearing great burdens.
sātyakiṁ pañcaviṁśatyā śalyo vivyādha māriṣa। bhīmasenaṁ trisaptatyā nakulaṁ saptabhistathā ॥9-12-7॥
Shalya attacked Satyaki with twenty-five arrows, O lord; Bhimasena with seventy-three arrows, and Nakula with seven arrows as well.
tataḥ saviśikhaṃ cāpaṃ sahadevasya dhanvinaḥ। chittvā bhallena samare vivyādhainaṃ trisaptabhiḥ ॥9-12-8॥
Then, the archer Sahadeva's bow was cut with an arrow, and he was pierced in battle with twenty-one arrows.
sahadevastu samare mātulaṃ bhūrivarcasam। sajyamanyaddhanuḥ kṛtvā pañcabhiḥ samatāḍayat ॥ śarairāśīviṣākārairjvalajjvalanasaṃnibhaiḥ ॥9-12-9॥
Sahadeva, in the battle, struck his uncle Bhūrivarcasam with another bow, using five arrows that were like snakes and resembled blazing fire.
sārathiṃ cāsya samare śareṇānataparvaṇā। vivyādha bhṛśasaṅkruddhastaṃ ca bhūyastribhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥9-12-10॥
The extremely enraged warrior pierced his charioteer in battle with a straight-shafted arrow, and then struck him again with three more arrows.
bhīmasenastrisaptyā sātyakirnavabhiḥ śaraiḥ। dharmarājastathā ṣaṣṭyā gātre śalyaṃ samarpayat ॥9-12-11॥
Bhimasena shot seventy-three arrows, Satyaki shot nine arrows, and Dharmaraja also shot sixty arrows, all targeting Shalya's body.
tataḥ śalyo mahārāja nirviddhastairmahārathaiḥ। susrāva rudhiraṃ gātrairgairikaṃ parvato yathā ॥9-12-12॥
Then, O great king, Śalya, pierced by the great charioteers, bled from his limbs, the blood red like ochre, resembling a mountain.
tāṁś ca sarvān maheṣvāsān pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ śaraiḥ। vivyādha tarasā rājan tad adbhutam ivābhavat ॥9-12-13॥
O king, he forcefully pierced all those great archers with five arrows each; it seemed as if a miracle had occurred.
tato'pareṇa bhallena dharmaputrasya māriṣa। dhanuściccheda samare sajyaṃ sa sumahārathaḥ ॥9-12-14॥
Then, O lord, the great chariot-warrior cut the bow of Dharmaputra in battle with another arrow.
athānyaddhanurādāya dharmaputro mahārathaḥ। sāśvasūtadhvajarathaṃ śalyaṃ prācchādayaccharaiḥ ॥9-12-15॥
Then, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma and a great chariot-warrior, took up another bow and showered Śalya, along with his horses, charioteer, flag, and chariot, with arrows.
sa cchādyamānaḥ samare dharmaputrasya sāyakaiḥ। yudhiṣṭhiramathāvidhyaddaśabhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥9-12-16॥
He was being covered by the arrows of the son of Dharma in the battle, and then he pierced Yudhishthira with ten sharp arrows.
sātyakistu tataḥ kruddho dharmaputre śarārditē। madrāṇāmadhipaṃ śūraṃ śaraughaiḥ samavārayat ॥9-12-17॥
Satyaki, angered by seeing Dharmaputra afflicted by arrows, confronted the heroic king of the Madras with a barrage of arrows.
sa sātyakeḥ praciccheda kṣurapreṇa mahaddhanuḥ। bhīmasenamukhāṃstāṃśca tribhistribhiratāḍayat ॥9-12-18॥
He severed Satyaki's great bow with a razor-sharp arrow and struck Bhimasena and his companions with three arrows each.
tasya kruddho mahārāja sātyakiḥ satyavikramaḥ। tomaraṃ preṣayāmāsa svarṇadaṇḍaṃ mahādhanam ॥9-12-19॥
The great king Satyaki, known for his true valor, in his anger, sent forth a highly valuable spear adorned with a golden shaft.
bhīmaseno'tha nārācaṃ jvalantamiva pannagam। nakulaḥ samare śaktiṃ sahadevo gadāṃ śubhām ॥ dharmarājaḥ śataghnīṃ tu jighāṃsuḥ śalyamāhave ॥9-12-20॥
Then Bhimasena took a blazing arrow resembling a serpent, Nakula wielded a spear in the battle, Sahadeva held an auspicious mace, and Dharmaraja, desiring to kill, aimed a missile at Shalya in the battle.
tānāpatata evāśu pañcānāṃ vai bhujacyutān। sātyakiprahitaṃ śalyo bhallaściccheda tomaram ॥9-12-21॥
As they quickly approached, the five spears discharged from the arms, sent by Satyaki, were cut off by Shalya with his arrows.
bhīmena prahitaṃ cāpi śaraṃ kanakabhūṣaṇam। dvidhā ciccheda samare kṛtahastaḥ pratāpavān ॥9-12-22॥
The mighty and skilled warrior cut the golden-adorned arrow sent by Bhima into two during the battle.
nakulapreṣitāṃ śaktiṃ hemadaṇḍāṃ bhayāvahām। gadāṃ ca sahadevena śaraughaiḥ samavārayat ॥9-12-23॥
Sahadeva warded off the fearsome spear with a golden shaft sent by Nakula and the mace using a multitude of arrows.
śarābhyāṃ ca śataghṇīṃ tāṃ rājñaś ciccheda bhārata। paśyatāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ca ॥ nāmṛṣyat taṃ tu śaineyaḥ śatror vijayam āhave ॥9-12-24॥
With arrows and a mighty weapon, the king's weapon was cut off, O Bharata, as the sons of Pandu watched. The lion's roar echoed, but the son of Sini could not tolerate the enemy's victory in battle.
athānyaddhanurādāya sātyakiḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ। dvābhyāṃ madreśvaraṃ viddhvā sārathiṃ ca tribhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥9-12-25॥
Then Satyaki, in a fit of rage, picked up another bow and shot two arrows at the Madra king and three at the charioteer.
tataḥ śalyo mahārāja sarvāṁstāndaśabhiḥ śaraiḥ। vivyādha subhṛśaṁ kruddhastottrairiva mahādvipān ॥9-12-26॥
Then, O great king, Śalya, in his anger, fiercely pierced all of them with ten arrows, just as one would goad great elephants.
te vāryamāṇāḥ samare madrarājñā mahārathāḥ। na śekuḥ pramukhe sthātuṃ tasya śatruniṣūdanāḥ ॥9-12-27॥
The great charioteers, although restrained by the king of Madra in battle, could not stand against his formidable warriors who were destroyers of enemies.
tato duryodhano rājā dṛṣṭvā śalyasya vikramam। nihatānpāṇḍavānmene pāñcālānatha sṛñjayān ॥9-12-28॥
Then King Duryodhana, observing Shalya's valor, believed that the Pandavas, Panchalas, and Srinjayas had been defeated.
tato rājanmahābāhurbhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān। santyajya manasā prāṇānmadrādhipamayodhayat ॥9-12-29॥
Then, O King, the mighty-armed and valiant Bhimasena, resolved to sacrifice his life, engaged in battle with the king of Madra.
nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sātyakiśca mahārathaḥ। parivārya tadā śalyaṃ samantādvyakirañśaraiḥ ॥9-12-30॥
Nakula, Sahadeva, and Satyaki, the great warriors, surrounded Shalya from all directions and showered him with arrows.
sa caturbhirmaheṣvāsaiḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathaiḥ। vṛtastānyodhayāmāsa madrarājaḥ pratāpavān ॥9-12-31॥
The powerful king of Madra, surrounded by four great archers and the great charioteers of the Pandavas, engaged them in battle.
tasya dharmasuto rājankṣurapreṇa mahāhave। cakrarakṣaṃ jaghānāśu madrarājasya pārthiva ॥9-12-32॥
In the great battle, the son of Dharma swiftly killed Chakraraksha, the prince of the king of Madra, with a razor-sharp weapon, O king.
tasmiṁstu nihate śūre cakrarakṣe mahārathe। madrarājo'tibalavānsainikānāstṛṇoccaraiḥ ॥9-12-33॥
But when the heroic Chakraraksha, the great charioteer, was slain, the very powerful king of Madra covered the soldiers with arrows.
samācchannāṃs tatastāṃs tu rājan vīkṣya sa sainikān। cintayām āsa samare dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥9-12-34॥
Then, O king, seeing those soldiers covered, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira pondered over the situation in the battle.
kathaṁ nu na bhavetsatyaṁ tanmādhavavaco mahat। na hi kruddho raṇe rājā kṣapayet balaṁ mama ॥9-12-35॥
"How could the great words of Madhava not be true? Surely, when the king is angry in battle, he would not destroy my army."
tataḥ sarathanāgāśvāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ pāṇḍupūrvaja। madreśvaraṃ samāseduḥ pīḍayantaḥ samantataḥ ॥9-12-36॥
Then, the Pandavas, along with their chariots, elephants, and horses, and led by the elder brother of Pandu, surrounded and harassed the king of Madra from all directions.
nānāśastraughabahulāṃ śastravṛṣṭiṃ samutthitām। vyadhamatsamare rājanmahābhrāṇīva mārutaḥ ॥9-12-37॥
O king, the wind dispersed the abundant flood of various weapons that had arisen in battle, just as it would disperse great clouds.
tataḥ kanakapuṅkhāṃ tāṃ śalyakṣiptāṃ viyadgatām। śaravṛṣṭimapaśyāma śalabhānāmivātatim ॥9-12-38॥
Then we observed the golden-feathered arrows, shot into the sky, appearing like a swarm of locusts.
te śarā madrarājena preṣitā raṇamūrdhani। sampatantaḥ sma dṛśyante śalabhānāṃ vrajā iva ॥9-12-39॥
The arrows dispatched by the king of Madra are observed descending upon the battlefield like swarms of locusts.
madrarājadhanurmuktaiḥ śaraiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ। nirantaramivākāśaṃ sambabhūva janādhipa ॥9-12-40॥
The king of Madra released arrows adorned with golden ornaments, making the sky appear continuously filled.
na pāṇḍavānāṃ nāsmākaṃ tatra kaścidvyadṛśyata। bāṇāndhakāre mahati kṛte tatra mahābhaye ॥9-12-41॥
In the great darkness created by the arrows, neither the Pandavas nor we could see anyone there, and it caused great fear.
madrarājena balinā lāghavāccharavṛṣṭibhiḥ। loḍyamānaṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavānāṃ balārṇavam ॥ vismayaṃ paramaṃ jagmurdevagandharvadānavāḥ ॥9-12-42॥
The gods, Gandharvas, and Danavas were utterly amazed to see the ocean of strength of the Pandavas being agitated by the strong king of Madra with swift showers of arrows.
sa tu tānsarvato yattāñśaraiḥ sampīḍya māriṣa। dharmarājamavacchādya siṃhavadvyanadanmuḥ ॥9-12-43॥
But he, like a lion, roared repeatedly after oppressing them from all sides with arrows and covering Dharmaraja, O gentle one.
te channāḥ samare tena pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ। na śekustaṃ tadā yuddhe pratyudyātuṃ mahāratham ॥9-12-44॥
The great charioteers of the Pāṇḍavas were unable to counter the great charioteer in battle, as they were covered by him.
dharmarājapurogāstu bhīmasenamukhā rathāḥ। na jahuḥ samare śūraṃ śalyamāhavaśobhinam ॥9-12-45॥
The chariots led by Yudhishthira, with Bhimasena at the forefront, bravely faced Shalya, who was resplendent in the battle.
