09.017
Core and Pancharatra: Seven hundred Madra chariots attack the Pandavas and face destruction.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
śalye tu nihate rājanmadra-rāja-padānugāḥ। rathāḥ saptaśatā vīrā niryayurmahato balāt ॥9-17-1॥
Upon the fall of Shalya, O king, the followers of the Madra king, numbering seven hundred heroic chariots, departed with great force.
duryodhanastu dviradamāruhyācalasaṁnibham। chatreṇa dhriyamāṇena vījyamānaśca cāmaraiḥ ॥ na gantavyaṁ na gantavyamiti madrānavārayat ॥9-17-2॥
Duryodhana, seated on an elephant resembling an immovable mountain, with an umbrella held over him and being fanned by fans, commanded the Madras, "Do not proceed, do not proceed."
duryodhanena te vīrā vāryamāṇāḥ punaḥ punaḥ। yudhiṣṭhiraṃ jighāṃsantaḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ prāviśanbalam ॥9-17-3॥
Despite Duryodhana's repeated attempts to restrain them, those heroes, intent on harming Yudhishthira, entered the Pandavas' army.
te tu śūrā mahārāja kṛtacittāḥ sma yodhane। dhanuḥśabdaṃ mahatkṛtvā sahāyudhyanta pāṇḍavaiḥ ॥9-17-4॥
The determined heroes, O great king, made a great sound with their bows and fought alongside the Pandavas in the battle.
śrutvā tu nihataṃ śalyaṃ dharmaputraṃ ca pīḍitam। madrarājapriye yuktairmadrakāṇāṃ mahārathaiḥ ॥9-17-5॥
Upon hearing of Shalya's death and Dharmaputra's distress, caused by the great charioteers of the Madras, who were dear to the king of Madra.
ājagāma tataḥ pārtho gāṇḍīvaṃ vikṣipandhanuḥ। pūrayanrathaghoṣeṇa diśaḥ sarvā mahārathaḥ ॥9-17-6॥
Then Arjuna, the great warrior, arrived wielding his Gandiva bow, filling all directions with the sound of his chariot.
tato'rjunaśca bhīmaśca mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau। sātyakiśca naravyāghro draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ ॥9-17-7॥
Then Arjuna, Bhima, the sons of Madri, the Pandavas, Satyaki, the valiant warrior, and the sons of Draupadi, all of them, were present.
dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca pāñcālāḥ saha somakaiḥ। yudhiṣṭhiraṃ parīpsantaḥ samantātparyavārayan ॥9-17-8॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍī, along with the Pāñcālās and the Somas, surrounded Yudhiṣṭhira from all sides, intending to protect him.
te samantātparivṛtāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ। kṣobhayanti sma tāṃ senāṃ makarāḥ sāgaraṃ yathā ॥9-17-9॥
The warriors, encircled by the Pāṇḍavas, who are like bulls among men, stirred the army as crocodiles stir the ocean.
purovātena gaṅgeva kṣobhyamānā mahānadī। akṣobhyata tadā rājanpāṇḍūnāṃ dhvajinī punaḥ ॥9-17-10॥
The great river, resembling the Ganga, was stirred by the east wind, and similarly, O king, the army of the Pandavas was once again agitated.
praskandya senāṃ mahatīṃ tyaktātmāno mahārathāḥ। vṛkṣāniva mahāvātāḥ kampayanti sma tāvakāḥ ॥9-17-11॥
The selfless great warriors, having penetrated the vast army, shook your men like mighty winds shake the trees.
bahavaś cukruśus tatra kva sa rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। bhrātaro vāsya te śūrā dṛśyante neha kecana ॥9-17-12॥
Many people cried out there, "Where is King Yudhishthira? Or are his heroic brothers not seen here at all?"
pāñcālānāṃ mahāvīryāḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumno'tha śaineyo draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ ॥9-17-13॥
The great heroes of the Pāñcālas, including Śikhaṇḍī, the mighty chariot-warrior, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and the son of Śinī, along with all the sons of Draupadī, were present.
evaṃ tānvādinaḥ śūrāndraupadeyā mahārathāḥ। abhyaghnanyuyudhānaśca madrarājapadānugān ॥9-17-14॥
In this way, the sons of Draupadī, who were great warriors, along with Yuyudhāna, attacked the heroes and the followers of the king of Madra.
cakrairvimathitaiḥ kecitkecicchinnairmahādhvajaiḥ। pratyadṛśyanta samare tāvakā nihatāḥ paraiḥ ॥9-17-15॥
In the battle, some of your men were crushed by wheels, some were cut down by great banners, and they were seen slain by the enemies.
ālōkya pāṇḍavānyuddhē yōdhā rājansamantataḥ। vāryamāṇā yayurvēgāttava putrēṇa bhārata ॥9-17-16॥
Upon seeing the Pandavas in battle, O king, the warriors all around, though being restrained, swiftly proceeded by the command of your son, O Bharata.
duryodhanastu tānvīrānvārayāmāsa sāntvayan। na cāsya śāsanaṃ kaścittatra cakre mahārathaḥ ॥9-17-17॥
Duryodhana, however, tried to pacify and restrain those heroes, but none of the great warriors there followed his command.
tato gāndhārarājasya putraḥ śakunirabravīt। duryodhanaṃ mahārāja vacanaṃ vacanakṣamaḥ ॥9-17-18॥
Then Shakuni, the son of the king of Gandhara, addressed Duryodhana, saying, "O great king, you are capable of speech."
kiṁ naḥ samprekṣamāṇānāṁ madrāṇāṁ hanyate balam। na yuktametatsamare tvayi tiṣṭhati bhārata ॥9-17-19॥
"What is happening to our strength as we watch the Madras being destroyed? This is not appropriate in battle, O Bhārata, when you are present."
sahitairnāma yoddhavyamityeṣa samayaḥ kṛtaḥ। atha kasmātparāneva ghnato marṣayase nṛpa ॥9-17-20॥
"Together indeed, it is time to fight," this decision has been made. "Then why do you tolerate the killing of enemies, O king?"
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana said:
vāryamāṇā mayā pūrvaṃ naite cakruvaco mama। ete hi nihatāḥ sarve praskannāḥ pāṇḍuvāhinīm ॥9-17-21॥
Previously restrained by me, they did not follow my words. Now, they have all been slain and scattered by Pandu's forces.
śakunir uvāca॥
Shakuni said:
na bhartuḥ śāsanaṃ vīrā raṇe kurvantyamarṣitāḥ। alaṃ krodhdhuṃ tathaiteṣāṃ nāyaṃ kāla upekṣitum ॥9-17-22॥
The heroes, in their impatience, do not obey the master's command in battle. It is not the time to be angry or to overlook these matters.
yāmaḥ sarve'tra sambhūya savājirathakuñjarāḥ। paritrātuṃ maheṣvāsān madrarājapadānugān ॥9-17-23॥
"We all gather here with our horses, chariots, and elephants to protect the great archers who follow the Madra king."
anyonyaṃ parirakṣāmo yatnena mahatā nṛpa। evaṃ sarve'nusañcintya prayayuryatra sainikāḥ ॥9-17-24॥
O king, we make great efforts to protect each other. Thus, after considering, all the soldiers went to their respective places.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
evamuktastato rājā balena mahatā vṛtaḥ। prayayau siṃhanādena kampayanvai vasundharām ॥9-17-25॥
Having been thus addressed, the king, surrounded by a great army, set out with a roar like a lion, causing the earth to tremble.
hata vidhyata gṛhṇīta praharadhvaṃ nikṛntata। ityāsīt tumulaḥ śabdas tava sainyasya bhārata ॥9-17-26॥
"Strike, pierce, seize, attack, cut!" was the tumultuous sound of your army, O Bharata.
pāṇḍavāstu raṇe dṛṣṭvā madrarājapadānugān। sahitānabhyavartanta gulmamāsthāya madhyamam ॥9-17-27॥
The Pandavas, upon observing the followers of the Madra king on the battlefield, strategically advanced together, positioning themselves in the central formation.
te muhūrtādraṇe vīrā hastāhastaṃ viśāṃ pate। nihatāḥ pratyadṛśyanta madrarājapadānugāḥ ॥9-17-28॥
In a moment, O lord of men, the heroes engaged in hand-to-hand combat were seen slain, the followers of the Madra king.
tato naḥ samprayātānāṃ hatāmitrāstarasvinaḥ। hṛṣṭāḥ kilakilāśabdamakurvansahitāḥ pare ॥9-17-29॥
Then our vigorous warriors, having departed after defeating the enemies, joyfully made a clamor together with others.
athotthitāni ruṇḍāni samadṛśyanta sarvaśaḥ। papāta mahatī colkā madhyenādityamaṇḍalam ॥9-17-30॥
Then, heads appeared everywhere, and a great meteor fell through the middle of the sun's circle.
rathairbhagnairyugākṣaiśca nihataiśca mahārathaiḥ। aśvairnipatitaścaiva sañchannābhūdvasundharā ॥9-17-31॥
The earth was covered with the wreckage of chariots, axles, slain great warriors, and fallen horses.
vātāyamānaisturagairyugāsaktaisturaṅgamaiḥ। adṛśyanta mahārāja yodhāstatra raṇājire ॥9-17-32॥
O great king, the warriors, mounted on steeds and attached to their yokes, were seen swiftly moving on the battlefield.
bhagnacakrān rathān kecid avahaṁs turagā raṇe। rathārdhaṁ kecid ādāya diśo daśa vibabhramuḥ॥ tatra tatra ca dṛśyante yoktraiḥ śliṣṭāḥ sma vājinaḥ॥ 9-17-33॥
In the battle, some horses were seen carrying away chariots with broken wheels, while others, having taken half-chariots, wandered in all directions. Here and there, horses were seen entangled with their yokes.
rathinaḥ patamānāśca vyadṛśyanta narottama। gaganātpracyutāḥ siddhāḥ puṇyānāmiva saṅkṣaye ॥9-17-34॥
O best of men, the charioteers were seen falling from the sky, like the siddhas at the time of the virtuous' destruction.
nihateṣu ca śūreṣu madrarājānugeṣu ca। asmānāpatataścāpi dṛṣṭvā pārthā mahārathāḥ ॥9-17-35॥
The great warriors, the sons of Pritha, upon seeing the slain heroes and the followers of the Madra king, as well as us attacking, prepared themselves for battle.
abhyavartanta vegena jayagṛdhrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ। bāṇaśabdaravānkṛtvā vimiśrāñśaṅkhanisvanaiḥ ॥9-17-36॥
The warriors, eager for victory, advanced swiftly, striking with the sound of arrows mingled with the blaring of conches.
asmāṁstu punarāsādya labdhalakṣāḥ prahāriṇaḥ। śarāsanāni dhunvānāḥ siṁhanādānpracukruśuḥ ॥9-17-37॥
But the attackers, having regained their aim, approached us again, wielding their bows and roaring like lions.
tato hatamabhiprekṣya madrarājabalaṃ mahat। madrarājaṃ ca samare dṛṣṭvā śūraṃ nipātitam ॥ duryodhanabalaṃ sarvaṃ punarāsītparāṅmukham ॥9-17-38॥
Upon witnessing the destruction of the great Madra king's forces and the fall of the heroic Madra king in battle, Duryodhana's entire army retreated once more.
vadhyamānaṃ mahārāja pāṇḍavairjitakāśibhiḥ। diśo bheje'tha sambhrāntaṃ trāsitaṃ dṛḍhadhanvibhiḥ ॥9-17-39॥
O great king, being attacked by the Pandavas and the conquerors of Kashi, he was confused and terrified, and sought refuge in all directions from the strong archers.
