09.020
Core and Pancharatra: King Kshemadruti is killed by Satyaki; in the intense battle between two Shatvatas, Satyaki and Kritavarma, Kritavarma is defeated; Kripa who attacks following Kritavarma's defeat, is taken away; the Kaurava army flees, leaving behind Duryodhana.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
तस्मिंस्तु निहते शूरे शाल्वे समितिशोभने। तवाभज्यद्बलं वेगाद्वातेनेव महाद्रुमः ॥९-२०-१॥
In that glorious battle, when the hero Śālva was slain, your army was shattered with the force of the wind, like a great tree.
तत्प्रभग्नं बलं दृष्ट्वा कृतवर्मा महारथः। दधार समरे शूरः शत्रुसैन्यं महाबलः ॥९-२०-२॥
Upon witnessing the shattered forces, the valiant Kritavarma, a great charioteer, stood firm against the mighty enemy army in the battle.
संनिवृत्तास्तु ते शूरा दृष्ट्वा सात्वतमाहवे। शैलोपमं स्थितं राजन्कीर्यमाणं शरैर्युधि ॥९-२०-३॥
The heroes, having returned, saw Sātvata standing like a mountain in the battle, O king, being showered with arrows.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सह। निवृत्तानां महाराज मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम् ॥९-२०-४॥
Then the battle began between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, O great king, marking the return after causing the death of those who had retired.
तत्राश्चर्यमभूद्युद्धं सात्वतस्य परैः सह। यदेको वारयामास पाण्डुसेनां दुरासदाम् ॥९-२०-५॥
There was a remarkable battle involving Sātvata and others, where a single warrior managed to hold back the formidable Pāṇḍava army.
तेषामन्योन्यसुहृदां कृते कर्मणि दुष्करे। सिंहनादः प्रहृष्टानां दिवःस्पृक्सुमहानभूत् ॥९-२०-६॥
For the sake of their mutual friendship, in the challenging task, the delighted ones let out a lion's roar that reached the sky and was very great.
तेन शब्देन वित्रस्तान्पाञ्चालान्भरतर्षभ। शिनेर्नप्ता महाबाहुरन्वपद्यत सात्यकिः ॥९-२०-७॥
Hearing that sound, the frightened Panchalas were pursued by the mighty-armed Satyaki, the grandson of Shini, O best of the Bharatas.
स समासाद्य राजानं क्षेमधूर्तिं महाबलम्। सप्तभिर्निशितैर्बाणैरनयद्यमसादनम् ॥९-२०-८॥
He approached the mighty King Kṣemadhūrti and killed him with seven sharp arrows, sending him to the abode of Yama.
तमायान्तं महाबाहुं प्रवपन्तं शिताञ्शरान्। जवेनाभ्यपतद्धीमान्हार्दिक्यः शिनिपुङ्गवम् ॥९-२०-९॥
The mighty-armed warrior, approaching with a shower of sharp arrows, swiftly attacked the wise Hārdikya, the foremost of the Shinis.
तौ सिंहाविव नर्दन्तौ धन्विनौ रथिनां वरौ। अन्योन्यमभ्यधावेतां शस्त्रप्रवरधारिणौ ॥९-२०-१०॥
The two warriors, resembling roaring lions and being the best among charioteers, charged at each other with their excellent weapons.
पाण्डवाः सह पाञ्चालैर्योधाश्चान्ये नृपोत्तमाः। प्रेक्षकाः समपद्यन्त तयोः पुरुषसिंहयोः ॥९-२०-११॥
The Pandavas, along with the Panchalas and other great kings, watched the two lion-like warriors.
नाराचैर्वत्सदन्तैश्च वृष्ण्यन्धकमहारथौ। अभिजघ्नतुरन्योन्यं प्रहृष्टाविव कुञ्जरौ ॥९-२०-१२॥
The great charioteers from the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas joyfully attacked each other with iron and calf-teeth arrows, resembling elephants in their enthusiasm.
चरन्तौ विविधान्मार्गान्हार्दिक्यशिनिपुङ्गवौ। मुहुरन्तर्दधाते तौ बाणवृष्ट्या परस्परम् ॥९-२०-१३॥
Hārdikya and the best of the Śinis wandered through various paths, repeatedly vanishing under a shower of arrows aimed at each other.
चापवेगबलोद्धूतान्मार्गणान्वृष्णिसिंहयोः। आकाशे समपश्याम पतङ्गानिव शीघ्रगान् ॥९-२०-१४॥
We observed the arrows, propelled by the powerful force of the Vṛṣṇi warriors' bows, soaring through the sky like swift birds.
तमेकं सत्यकर्माणमासाद्य हृदिकात्मजः। अविध्यन्निशितैर्बाणैश्चतुर्भिश्चतुरो हयान् ॥९-२०-१५॥
The son of Hṛdika, having approached the one who is truthful in deeds, pierced the four horses with four sharp arrows.
स दीर्घबाहुः सङ्क्रुद्धस्तोत्त्रार्दित इव द्विपः। अष्टाभिः कृतवर्माणमविध्यत्परमेषुभिः ॥९-२०-१६॥
The long-armed warrior, in his anger, attacked Kritavarma with eight powerful arrows, much like an elephant struck by arrows.
ततः पूर्णायतोत्सृष्टैः कृतवर्मा शिलाशितैः। सात्यकिं त्रिभिराहत्य धनुरेकेन चिच्छिदे ॥९-२०-१७॥
Then, Kritavarma released fully drawn stone-sharpened arrows, striking Satyaki with three and cutting off his bow with one.
निकृत्तं तद्धनुःश्रेष्ठमपास्य शिनिपुङ्गवः। अन्यदादत्त वेगेन शैनेयः सशरं धनुः ॥९-२०-१८॥
After cutting off that best bow and discarding it, the best of the Shinis, the son of Sini, swiftly took another bow with arrows.
तदादाय धनुःश्रेष्ठं वरिष्ठः सर्वधन्विनाम्। आरोप्य च महावीर्यो महाबुद्धिर्महाबलः ॥९-२०-१९॥
Having taken the best bow, the most excellent among all archers, he mounted it, possessing great heroism, intellect, and strength.
अमृष्यमाणो धनुषश्छेदनं कृतवर्मणा। कुपितोऽतिरथः शीघ्रं कृतवर्माणमभ्ययात् ॥९-२०-२०॥
The great warrior, intolerant of his bow being cut by Kṛtavarmā, angrily and swiftly approached him.
ततः सुनिशितैर्बाणैर्दशभिः शिनिपुङ्गवः। जघान सूतमश्वांश्च ध्वजं च कृतवर्मणः ॥९-२०-२१॥
Then, the best warrior of the Shini clan used ten sharp arrows to kill Kṛtavarman's charioteer, horses, and knock down his flag.
ततो राजन्महेष्वासः कृतवर्मा महारथः। हताश्वसूतं सम्प्रेक्ष्य रथं हेमपरिष्कृतम् ॥९-२०-२२॥
Then, O king, the great archer Kritavarma, a mighty chariot-warrior, saw the chariot, adorned with gold, with its horses and charioteer slain.
रोषेण महताविष्टः शूलमुद्यम्य मारिष। चिक्षेप भुजवेगेन जिघांसुः शिनिपुङ्गवम् ॥९-२०-२३॥
In great anger and agitation, raising his spear, O dear one, he hurled it with all his might, aiming to kill the foremost of the Shinis.
तच्छूलं सात्वतो ह्याजौ निर्भिद्य निशितैः शरैः। चूर्णितं पातयामास मोहयन्निव माधवम् ॥ ततोऽपरेण भल्लेन हृद्येनं समताडयत् ॥९-२०-२४॥
Sātvata, in the battle, pierced the spear with sharp arrows, shattering it and causing it to fall, as if bewildering Mādhava. Then, he struck him in the heart with another arrow.
स युद्धे युयुधानेन हताश्वो हतसारथिः। कृतवर्मा कृतास्त्रेण धरणीमन्वपद्यत ॥९-२०-२५॥
In the battle, Kritavarma, with his horses and charioteer slain by Yuyudhana, fell to the ground, defeated by the skilled archer.
तस्मिन्सात्यकिना वीरे द्वैरथे विरथीकृते। समपद्यत सर्वेषां सैन्यानां सुमहद्भयम् ॥९-२०-२६॥
In that duel, the hero Satyaki, having deprived his opponent of his chariot, caused great fear among all the armies.
पुत्रस्य तव चात्यर्थं विषादः समपद्यत। हतसूते हताश्वे च विरथे कृतवर्मणि ॥९-२०-२७॥
Your son was overwhelmed with grief as his charioteer and horses were slain, and his chariot was disabled in the battle involving Kritavarma.
हताश्वं च समालक्ष्य हतसूतमरिंदमम्। अभ्यधावत्कृपो राजञ्जिघांसुः शिनिपुङ्गवम् ॥९-२०-२८॥
Upon seeing the horse and charioteer slain, Kṛpa, the subduer of enemies, charged towards the foremost of the Śinis with the intent to kill, O king.
तमारोप्य रथोपस्थे मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम्। अपोवाह महाबाहुस्तूर्णमायोधनादपि ॥९-२०-२९॥
The mighty-armed hero swiftly carried him away from the battlefield, placing him on the chariot seat, even as all the archers watched.
शैनेयेऽधिष्ठिते राजन्विरथे कृतवर्मणि। दुर्योधनबलं सर्वं पुनरासीत्पराङ्मुखम् ॥९-२०-३०॥
O King, when Śaineya was stationed and Kṛtavarman was left without a chariot, all of Duryodhana's forces turned away once more.
तत्परे नावबुध्यन्त सैन्येन रजसावृते। तावकाः प्रद्रुता राजन्दुर्योधनमृते नृपम् ॥९-२०-३१॥
Then, unable to comprehend due to the dust raised by the army, your soldiers fled, O King, leaving only King Duryodhana behind.
दुर्योधनस्तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य भग्नं स्वबलमन्तिकात्। जवेनाभ्यपतत्तूर्णं सर्वांश्चैको न्यवारयत् ॥९-२०-३२॥
Duryodhana, upon seeing his own army broken nearby, swiftly approached and single-handedly stopped everyone.
पाण्डूंश्च सर्वान्सङ्क्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्नं च पार्षतम्। शिखण्डिनं द्रौपदेयान्पाञ्चालानां च ये गणाः ॥९-२०-३३॥
In his anger, he targeted all the Pandavas, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, Shikhandi, the sons of Draupadi, and the troops of the Panchalas.
केकयान्सोमकांश्चैव पाञ्चालांश्चैव मारिष। असम्भ्रमं दुराधर्षः शितैरस्त्रैरवारयत् ॥९-२०-३४॥
O great one, the invincible warrior, without any confusion, repelled the Kekayas, Somakas, and the Panchalas with his sharp weapons.
अतिष्ठदाहवे यत्तः पुत्रस्तव महाबलः। यथा यज्ञे महानग्निर्मन्त्रपूतः प्रकाशयन् ॥९-२०-३५॥
Your mighty son stood ready in battle, just as a great fire, purified by mantras, shines brightly in a sacrifice.
तं परे नाभ्यवर्तन्त मर्त्या मृत्युमिवाहवे। अथान्यं रथमास्थाय हार्दिक्यः समपद्यत ॥९-२०-३६॥
The others did not dare to approach him, as mortals would not approach death in battle. Then, Hārdikya, having mounted another chariot, engaged in the fight.
