09.018
Pancharatra and Core: Midday retreat of the Kaurava army after Shalya is slain by Yudhishthira. Duryodhana blocks his army from the back in an attempt to rally them. Bhima slaughters twenty-one thousand infantrymen who come after him. Duryodhana once again makes his last-ditch attempt to rally his army.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
pātite yudhi durdharṣe madrarāje mahārathe। tāvakāstava putrāśca prāyaśo vimukhābhavan ॥9-18-1॥
When the invincible Madra king, a great charioteer, fell in battle, your sons and men mostly lost their courage.
vaṇijo nāvi bhinnāyāṃ yathāgādhe'plave'rṇave। apāre pāramicchanto hate śūre mahātmani ॥9-18-2॥
The merchants, like those in a broken ship in the vast, unfathomable ocean without a boat, seek the other shore, now that the great hero has been slain.
madrarāje mahārāja vitrastāḥ śaravikṣatāḥ। anāthā nātham icchanto mṛgāḥ siṃhārditā iva ॥9-18-3॥
O great king, the people, like deer distressed by lions, are frightened and wounded by arrows, helpless and seeking a protector in the king of Madra.
vṛṣā yathā bhagnaśṛṅgāḥ śīrṇadantā gajā iva। madhyāhne pratyapāyāma nirjitā dharmasūnunā ॥9-18-4॥
At midday, like bulls with broken horns and elephants with broken tusks, we retreated, having been defeated by the son of Dharma.
na sandhātumanīkāni na ca rājanparākrame। āsīdbuddhirhate śalye tava yodhasya kasyacit ॥9-18-5॥
O king, when Śalya was slain, none of your warriors had the intelligence to unite the armies or to fight in battle.
bhīṣme droṇe ca nihate sūtaputre ca bhārata। yadduḥkhaṃ tava yodhānāṃ bhayaṃ cāsīdviśāṃ pate ॥ tadbhayaṃ sa ca naḥ śoko bhūya evābhyavartata ॥9-18-6॥
O Bharata, when Bhishma, Drona, and Karna were slain, the grief and fear that your warriors experienced, O lord of men, that fear and our grief indeed returned again.
nirāśāśca jaye tasminhate śalye mahārathe। hatapravīrā vidhvastā vikṛttāśca śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥ madrarāje hate rājanyodhāste prādravanbhayāt ॥9-18-7॥
Despairing of victory, when Śalya, the great chariot-warrior, was killed, the heroes were defeated, scattered, and cut down by sharp arrows. With the Madra king slain, O king, the warriors fled in fear.
aśvānanye gajānanye rathānanye mahārathāḥ। āruhya javasampannāḥ pādātāḥ prādravanbhayāt ॥9-18-8॥
The great charioteers, along with others on horses, elephants, and chariots, mounted swiftly and the infantry fled in fear.
dvisāhasrāśca mātaṅgā girirūpāḥ prahāriṇaḥ। samprādravanhate śalye aṅkuśāṅguṣṭhacoditāḥ ॥9-18-9॥
When Śalya was slain, two thousand mighty elephants, resembling mountains and skilled in striking, fled, driven by the goad and thumb of their riders.
te raṇādbharataśreṣṭha tāvakāḥ prādravandiśaḥ। dhāvantaścāpyadṛśyanta śvasamānāḥ śarāturāḥ ॥9-18-10॥
O best of the Bharatas, your men fled from the battlefield in all directions. They were running and panting, and eventually became invisible, being afflicted by arrows.
tān prabhagnān drutān dṛṣṭvā hatotsāhān parājitān। abhyadravanta pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavāś ca jayaiṣiṇaḥ ॥9-18-11॥
Seeing their enemies scattered and fleeing, dispirited and defeated, the Panchalas and Pandavas, eager for victory, charged forward.
bāṇaśabdaravaścāpi siṃhanādaśca puṣkalaḥ। śaṅkhaśabdaśca śūrāṇāṃ dāruṇaḥ samapadyata ॥9-18-12॥
The battlefield was filled with the sounds of arrows, the mighty roar of lions, and the dreadful blare of conches blown by the heroes.
dṛṣṭvā tu kauravaṃ sainyaṃ bhayatrastaṃ pravidrutam। anyonyaṃ samabhāṣanta pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha ॥9-18-13॥
Upon witnessing the Kaurava army in fear and retreating, the Panchalas conversed among themselves along with the Pandavas.
adya rājā satyadhṛtirjitāmitro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। adya duryodhano hīno dīptyā nṛpatiśriyā ॥9-18-14॥
Today, King Yudhishthira, known as Satyadhriti and the conqueror of enemies, stands victorious. Meanwhile, Duryodhana finds himself deprived of his kingly glory by the radiant splendor.
adya śrutvā hataṃ putraṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ। niḥsañjñaḥ patito bhūmau kilbiṣaṃ pratipadyatām ॥9-18-15॥
Today, upon hearing of his son's death, King Dhritarashtra, the lord of the people, fell to the ground unconscious, overwhelmed by sin.
adya jānātu kaunteyaṃ samarthaṃ sarvadhanvinām। adyātmānaṃ ca durmedhā garhayiṣyati pāpakṛt ॥ adya kṣatturvacaḥ satyaṃ smaratāṃ bruvato hitam ॥9-18-16॥
"Today, let Arjuna, the son of Kunti, realize the prowess of all archers. Today, the foolish sinner will reproach himself. Today, let the truth of the charioteer's words be remembered by those who speak for the good."
adyaprabhr̥ti pārthāṁśca preṣyabhūta upācaran। vijānātu nṛpo duḥkhaṁ yatprāptaṁ pāṇḍunandanaiḥ ॥9-18-17॥
"From today onwards, treat the sons of Pritha as servants. Let the king understand the suffering endured by the sons of Pandu."
adya kṛṣṇasya māhātmyaṃ jānātu sa mahīpatiḥ। adyārjunadhanuṛghoṣaṃ ghoraṃ jānātu saṃyuge ॥9-18-18॥
Today, the king should recognize Krishna's greatness. He should also be aware of the fearsome sound of Arjuna's bow in the battle.
astrāṇāṃ ca balaṃ sarvaṃ bāhvośca balamāhave। adya jñāsyati bhīmasya balaṃ ghoraṃ mahātmanaḥ ॥9-18-19॥
Today, the formidable strength of Bhima, the great soul, will be realized in the battle, encompassing the might of all weapons and arms.
hate duryodhane yuddhe śakreṇevasure maye। yatkṛtaṃ bhīmasenena duḥśāsanavadhe tadā ॥ nānyaḥ kartāsti loke tadṛte bhīmaṃ mahābalam ॥9-18-20॥
When Duryodhana was killed in battle, like the demon Maya by Indra, what Bhimasena did in killing Duhshasana, there is no one else in the world who could have done it except Bhima, the mighty.
jānītām adya jyeṣṭhasya pāṇḍavasya parākramam। madrarājaṃ hataṃ śrutvā devair api suduḥsaham ॥9-18-21॥
"Know today the valor of the eldest Pandava. The slaying of the Madra king is very unbearable, even for the gods."
adya jñāsyati saṅgrāme mādrīputrau mahābalau। nihate saubale śūre gāndhāreṣu ca sarvaśaḥ ॥9-18-22॥
Today, the mighty sons of Madri will realize the full extent of the battle as the heroic Saubala is completely slain among the Gandharas.
kathaṁ teṣāṁ jayo na syādyeṣāṁ yoddhā dhanañjayaḥ। sātyakirbhīmasenaśca dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pārṣataḥ ॥9-18-23॥
How could they not achieve victory when they have warriors like Dhananjaya, Satyaki, Bhimasena, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata?
drauapadyāstanayāḥ pañca mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau। śikhaṇḍī ca maheṣvāso rājā caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥9-18-24॥
The five sons of Draupadi, along with the sons of Madri, the Pandavas, Shikhandi the great archer, and King Yudhishthira were present.
yeṣāṃ ca jagatāṃ nātho nāthaḥ kṛṣṇo janārdanaḥ। kathaṃ teṣāṃ jayo na syādyeṣāṃ dharmo vyapāśrayaḥ ॥9-18-25॥
For those whose lord and protector is Krishna, Janardana, the master of the worlds, how can victory not be theirs, when righteousness is their support?
bhīṣmaṃ droṇaṃ ca karṇaṃ ca madrarājānameva ca। tathānyānnṛpatīn vīrāñśataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ॥9-18-26॥
Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and the king of Madra, along with many other kings and heroes, were present in hundreds and thousands.
ko'nyaḥ śakto raṇe jetumṛte pārthaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram। yasya nātho hṛṣīkeśaḥ sadā dharmayaśonidhiḥ ॥9-18-27॥
Who else can conquer in battle except Arjuna and Yudhishthira, whose lord is Krishna, the eternal repository of virtue and fame?
ityevaṃ vadamānāste harṣeṇa mahatā yutāḥ। prabhagnāṃstāvakānrājansṛñjayāḥ pṛṣṭhato'nvayuḥ ॥9-18-28॥
Thus, speaking joyfully, the Sṛñjayas followed your scattered men from behind, O king.
dhanañjayo rathānīkam abhyavartata vīryavān। mādrīputrau ca śakuniṃ sātyakiś ca mahārathaḥ ॥9-18-29॥
Arjuna, known for his valor, advanced towards the army. Alongside him were the sons of Madri, Shakuni, and the great warrior Satyaki.
tān prekṣya dravataḥ sarvān bhīmasena-bhayārditān। duryodhanas tadā sūtam abravīd utsmayann iva ॥9-18-30॥
Duryodhana, observing everyone fleeing in fear of Bhimasena, spoke to his charioteer with a smile, as if mocking.
na mātikramate pārtho dhanuṣpāṇimavasthitam। jaghane sarvasainyānāṃ mamāśvānpratipādaya ॥9-18-31॥
Arjuna, standing with his bow in hand, does not transgress. Bring my horses to the rear of all the armies.
jaghane yudhyamānaṃ hi kaunteyo māṃ dhanañjayaḥ। notsahetābhyatikrāntuṃ velāmiva mahodadhiḥ ॥9-18-32॥
Arjuna, the son of Kunti, struck me in battle, and like the great ocean cannot surpass its shore, he cannot surpass me.
paśya sainyaṃ mahatsūta pāṇḍavaiḥ samabhidrutam। sainyareṇuṃ samuddhūtaṃ paśyasvainaṃ samantataḥ ॥9-18-33॥
"Behold, O charioteer, the great army attacked by the Pandavas, and see the dust of the army rising all around."
siṃhanādāṃśca bahuśaḥ śṛṇu ghorānbhayānakān। tasmādyāhi śanaiḥ sūta jaghanaṃ paripālaya ॥9-18-34॥
"Hear the terrifying and frightening lion roars many times. Therefore, charioteer, proceed slowly and protect the rear."
mayi sthite ca samare niruddheṣu ca pāṇḍuṣu। punarāvartate tūrṇaṃ māmakaṃ balamojasā ॥9-18-35॥
As I stand firm in the battle and the Pandavas are obstructed, my army swiftly regroups with vigor.
tacchrutvā tava putrasya śūrāgryasadṛśaṃ vacaḥ। sārathirhemasañchannāñśanairaśvānacodayat ॥9-18-36॥
Upon hearing the words of your son, which were befitting a great hero, the charioteer gently urged the horses adorned with gold.
gajāśvarathibhirhīnāstyaktātmānaḥ padātayaḥ। ekaviṃśatisāhasrāḥ saṃyugāyāvatasthire ॥9-18-37॥
The foot soldiers, numbering twenty-one thousand, stood ready for battle, having been deprived of elephants, horses, and charioteers, and having abandoned their own selves.
nānādeśasamudbhūtā nānārañjitavāsasaḥ। avasthitāstadā yodhāḥ prārthayanto mahadyaśaḥ ॥9-18-38॥
Various warriors from different regions, adorned in colorful garments, stood there seeking great fame.
teṣām āpatatāṃ tatra saṃhṛṣṭānāṃ parasparam। saṃmardaḥ sumahāñ jajñe ghorarūpo bhayānakaḥ ॥9-18-39॥
As they attacked each other with excitement, a massive and terrifying collision occurred there.
bhīmasenaṃ tadā rājandhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca pārṣatam। balena caturaṅgeṇa nānādeśyā nyavārayan ॥9-18-40॥
At that time, O king, Bhimasena and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, halted the forces with a diverse fourfold army.
bhīmam evābhyavartanta raṇe 'nye tu padātayaḥ। prakṣveḍyāsphoṭya saṃhṛṣṭā vīralokaṃ yiyāsavaḥ ॥9-18-41॥
In the battle, only Bhima was directly confronted, while the other infantrymen, shouting and clapping in high spirits, were eager to reach the heroic realm.
āsādya bhīmasenaṃ tu saṃrabdhā yuddhadurmadāḥ। dhārtarāṣṭrā vinedurhi nānyāṃ cākathayankathām ॥ parivārya raṇe bhīmaṃ nijaghnuste samantataḥ ॥9-18-42॥
The sons of Dhritarashtra, filled with excitement and arrogance in battle, approached Bhimasena. They shouted and spoke of nothing else. Encircling Bhima in the battle, they attacked him from all directions.
sa vadhyamānaḥ samare padātigaṇasaṁvṛtaḥ। na cacāla rathopasthe maināka iva parvataḥ ॥9-18-43॥
He stood firm on the chariot seat, unmoved by the attack in battle, surrounded by foot soldiers, just like the mountain Mainaka.
te tu kruddhā mahārāja pāṇḍavasya mahāratham। nigrahītuṃ pracakrurhi yodhāṃścānyānavārayan ॥9-18-44॥
The angry warriors, O great king, attempted to capture the great chariot of the Pandava and blocked other warriors.
akrudhyata raṇe bhīmas taistadā paryavasthitaiḥ। so'vatīrya rathāt tūrṇaṃ padātiḥ samavasthitaḥ ॥9-18-45॥
In the battle, Bhima, surrounded by his enemies, became angry. He quickly descended from his chariot and stood firm on the ground.
jātarūpaparicchannāṃ pragṛhya mahatīṃ gadām। avadhīttāvakānyodhāndaṇḍapāṇirivāntakaḥ ॥9-18-46॥
Holding a great mace adorned with gold, he struck down your warriors as Yama, the god of death, would with his staff.
rathāśvadvipahīnāṃstu tānbhīmo gadayā balī। ekaviṃśatisāhasrānpadātīnavapothayat ॥9-18-47॥
In the battle, the mighty Bhima, wielding his mace, annihilated twenty-one thousand infantrymen who were left without chariots, horses, or elephants.
hatvā tatpuruṣānīkaṃ bhīmaḥ satyaparākramaḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ puraskṛtya nacirātpratyadṛśyata ॥9-18-48॥
After slaying the army of those men, the valiant Bhima, with Dhrishtadyumna at the forefront, was soon visible.
pādātā nihatā bhūmau śiśyire rudhirokṣitāḥ। sambhagnā iva vātena karṇikārāḥ supuṣpitāḥ ॥9-18-49॥
The slain foot soldiers lay on the ground, smeared with blood, like fully blossomed arnica trees broken by the wind.
nānāpuṣpasrajopetā nānākuṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ। nānājātyā hatāstatra nānādeśasamāgatāḥ ॥9-18-50॥
They were adorned with various flower garlands and wore different earrings. They were killed there, belonging to various births and assembled from different regions.
patākādhvajasañchannaṃ padātīnāṃ mahadbalam। nikṛttaṃ vibabhau tatra ghorarūpaṃ bhayānakam ॥9-18-51॥
The battlefield was covered with flags and banners, and the great army of foot soldiers lay cut down, presenting a terrible and frightening scene.
yudhiṣṭhirapurogāstu sarvasainyamahārathāḥ। abhyadhāvanmahātmānaṃ putraṃ duryodhanaṃ tava ॥9-18-52॥
Yudhishthira was leading, but all the great warriors of the army rushed towards your son, the noble Duryodhana.
te sarve tāvakāndṛṣṭvā maheṣvāsānparāṅmukhān। nābhyavartanta te putraṃ veleva makarālayam ॥9-18-53॥
They all, upon seeing your great archers turn away, did not approach your son, just as the shore does not approach the ocean.
tad adbhutam apaśyāma tava putrasya pauruṣam। yad ekaṃ sahitāḥ pārthā na śekur ativartitum ॥9-18-54॥
We witnessed the extraordinary valor of your son, which even the combined efforts of the sons of Pritha could not overcome.
nātidūrāpayātaṃ tu kṛtabuddhiṃ palāyane। duryodhanaḥ svakaṃ sainyamabravīdbhṛśavikṣatam ॥9-18-55॥
Duryodhana, having decided to flee and not retreating too far, addressed his own army, which was severely wounded.
na taṁ deśaṁ prapaśyāmi pṛthivyāṁ parvateṣu vā। yatra yātānna vo hanyuḥ pāṇḍavāḥ kiṁ sṛtena vaḥ ॥9-18-56॥
I do not see any place on earth or in the mountains where you could go and not be killed by the Pāṇḍavas. What is the use of running away?
alpaṁ ca balam eteṣāṁ kṛṣṇau ca bhṛśa-vikṣatau। yadi sarve'tra tiṣṭhāmo dhruvo no vijayo bhavet ॥9-18-57॥
The strength of these is little, and Krishna is severely wounded. If we all stand here, our victory is assured.
viprayātāṃstu vo bhinnānpāṇḍavāḥ kṛtakilbiṣān। anusṛtya haniṣyanti śreyo naḥ samare sthitam ॥9-18-58॥
The departed ones, but your broken Pāṇḍavas, having committed sins, will pursue and kill. It is better for us to be situated in battle.
śṛṇudhvaṃ kṣatriyāḥ sarve yāvantaḥ stha samāgatāḥ। yadā śūraṃ ca bhīruṃ ca mārayatyantakaḥ sadā ॥ ko nu mūḍho na yudhyeta puruṣaḥ kṣatriyabruvaḥ ॥9-18-59॥
"Listen, all you warriors who are gathered here. When death kills both the brave and the cowardly alike, who would be so foolish as not to fight, claiming to be a warrior?"
śreyo no bhīmasenasya kruddhasya pramukhe sthitam। sukhaḥ sāṅgrāmiko mṛtyuḥ kṣatradharmeṇa yudhyatām ॥ jitveha sukhamāpnoti hataḥ pretya mahatphalam ॥9-18-60॥
It is better for us to have the angry Bhimasena standing in front. For those who fight by the duty of a warrior, happiness lies in death in battle. If victorious here, one gains happiness; if slain, one receives a great reward after death.
na yuddhadharmācchreyān vai panthāḥ svargasya kauravāḥ। acireṇa jitāṁllokānhato yuddhe samaśnute ॥9-18-61॥
O Kauravas, there is indeed no path to heaven better than the duty of war. One who is slain in battle soon attains the worlds he has conquered.
śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tasya pūjayitvā ca pārthivāḥ। punarevānvavartanta pāṇḍavānātatāyinaḥ ॥9-18-62॥
Upon hearing his words, the kings paid their respects and once again followed the Pandavas, who were the aggressors.
tānāpatata evāśu vyūḍhānīkāḥ prahāriṇaḥ। pratyudyayustadā pārthā jayagṛdhrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ ॥9-18-63॥
As they attacked swiftly, the arrayed troops of strikers advanced, and then the sons of Pritha, eager for victory, also moved forward.
dhanañjayo rathenājāv abhyavartata vīryavān। viśrutaṃ triṣu lokeṣu gāṇḍīvaṃ vikṣipan dhanuḥ ॥9-18-64॥
Arjuna, the mighty warrior, advanced into the battle on his chariot, renowned across the three worlds for wielding the Gandiva bow.
mādrīputrau ca śakuniṃ sātyakiśca mahābalaḥ। javenābhyapatanhṛṣṭā yato vai tāvakaṃ balam ॥9-18-65॥
The sons of Madri, along with Shakuni and the mighty Satyaki, joyfully rushed swiftly towards your army.
