09.024
Core and Pancharatra: Facing defeat with Drushtadyumna, Duryodhana goes to Shakuni. Duryodhana goes missing. Ashwatthama, Kripa, Kritaverma, and Shakuni leave the battlefield. Satyaki and Dhṛṣṭadyumna destroy the fleeing Kaurava army.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
asyatāṃ yatamānānāṃ śūrāṇāmanivartinām। saṅkalpamakaronmoghaṃ gāṇḍīvena dhanañjayaḥ ॥9-24-1॥
Dhananjaya, with his Gandiva bow, thwarted the resolve of the valiant warriors who were relentlessly attacking and never retreating.
indrāśanisamasparśānaviṣahyānmahaujasaḥ। visṛjandṛśyate bāṇāndhārā muñcannivāmbudaḥ ॥9-24-2॥
He is seen releasing arrows with a touch as powerful as Indra's thunderbolt, irresistible and full of great energy, like a cloud releasing a stream of rain.
tatsainyaṃ bharataśreṣṭha vadhyamānaṃ kirīṭinā। sampradudrāva saṅgrāmāttava putrasya paśyataḥ ॥9-24-3॥
O best of the Bharatas, while your son was watching, his army, being slaughtered by Arjuna, fled from the battlefield.
hatadhuryā rathāḥ keciddhatasūtāstathāpare। bhagnākṣayugacakreṣāḥ kecidāsanviśāṃ pate ॥9-24-4॥
O lord of men, some chariots had broken yokes, some had slain charioteers, and others had broken axles, yokes, and wheels.
anyeṣāṃ sāyakāḥ kṣīṇāstathānye śarapīḍitāḥ। akṣatā yugapatkecitprādravanbhayapīḍitāḥ ॥9-24-5॥
The arrows of some were exhausted, while others were wounded by arrows. Some, who were unharmed, fled all at once, driven by fear.
kecitputrānupādāya hatabhūyiṣṭhavāhanāḥ। vicukruśuḥ pitṝnanye sahāyānapare punaḥ ॥9-24-6॥
Some people, having taken their sons, lamented over their fathers, while others mourned their companions, and yet others grieved over their vehicles, most of which were destroyed.
bāndhavāṃśca naravyāghra bhrātṝnsambandhinastathā। dudruvuḥ kecidutsṛjya tatra tatra viśāṃ pate ॥9-24-7॥
O tiger among men, some relatives, brothers, and kinsmen fled, abandoning their positions here and there, O lord of men.
bahavo'tra bhṛśaṃ viddhā muhyamānā mahārathāḥ। niṣṭanantaḥ sma dṛśyante pārthabāṇahatā narāḥ ॥9-24-8॥
Many great warriors, severely wounded and fainting, are seen here groaning, struck by Arjuna's arrows.
tānanye rathamāropya samāśvāsya muhūrtakam। viśrāntāśca vitṛṣṇāśca punaryuddhāya jagmire ॥9-24-9॥
After mounting them on the chariot and consoling them briefly, they rested and refreshed themselves before heading back to the battle.
tānapāsya gatāḥ kecitpunareva yuyutsavaḥ। kurvantastava putrasya śāsanaṃ yuddhadurmadāḥ ॥9-24-10॥
"Having abandoned them, some departed, but others, eager for battle, followed your son's command, filled with battle arrogance."
pānīyamapare pītvā paryāśvāsya ca vāhanam। varmāṇi ca samāropya kecidbharatasattama ॥9-24-11॥
Some others, O best of the Bharatas, drank water, rested, and then mounted their vehicles and armors.
samāśvāsyāpare bhrātṝnnikṣipya śibire'pi ca। putrānanye pitṝnanye punaryuddhamarocayan ॥9-24-12॥
After consoling some brothers and placing them in the camp, others, along with sons and fathers, agreed to resume the battle.
sajjayitvā rathān kecid yathāmukhyaṃ viśāṃ pate। āplutya pāṇḍavānīkaṃ punar yuddham arocayan ॥9-24-13॥
Some warriors, having prepared their chariots as per the chief's orders, entered the Pandava army and desired to fight again, O lord of men.
te śūrāḥ kiṅkiṇījālaiḥ samācchannā babhāsire। trailokyavijaye yuktā yathā daiteyadānavāḥ ॥9-24-14॥
The heroes, adorned with networks of bells, shone brilliantly as they engaged in the conquest of the three worlds, resembling the mighty Daityas and Danavas.
āgamya sahasā kecidrathaiḥ svarṇavibhūṣitaiḥ। pāṇḍavānāmanīkeṣu dhṛṣṭadyumnamayodhayann ॥9-24-15॥
Suddenly, some warriors arrived with chariots adorned with gold and engaged in battle with Dhrishtadyumna in the Pandavas' armies.
dhṛṣṭadyumno'pi pāñcālyaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ। nākuliśca śatānīko rathānīkamayodhayan ॥9-24-16॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the son of Pāñcāla, along with Śikhaṇḍī, the great chariot-warrior, Nakula, and Śatānīka, engaged in battle against the army of chariots.
pāñcālyas tu tataḥ kruddhaḥ sainyena mahatā vṛtaḥ। abhyadravat susaṁrabdhas tāvakān hantum udyataḥ ॥9-24-17॥
The son of Drupada, in great anger and surrounded by a large army, attacked your men with the intent to kill.
tatastvāpatatas tasya tava putro janādhipa। bāṇasaṅghān anekān vai preṣayām āsa bhārata ॥9-24-18॥
Then, as the battle approached, your son, the ruler, sent forth numerous volleys of arrows, O Bharata.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastato rājaṃstava putreṇa dhanvinā। nārācairbahubhiḥ kṣipraṃ bāhvorurasi cārpitaḥ ॥9-24-19॥
Then, O king, Dhṛṣṭadyumna was swiftly struck on his arms and chest by the many arrows of your son, the archer.
so'tividdho maheṣvāsastottrārdita iva dvipaḥ। tasyāśvāṃścaturo bāṇaiḥ preṣayāmāsa mṛtyave ॥ sāratheścāsya bhallena śiraḥ kāyādapāharat ॥9-24-20॥
The great archer, deeply pierced, was like an elephant tormented by a goad. He sent his four horses to their death with arrows and severed the head of the charioteer from his body with a spear.
tato duryodhano rājā pṛṣṭhamāruhya vājinaḥ। apākrāmaddhataratho nātidūramariṃdamaḥ ॥9-24-21॥
Then King Duryodhana mounted the horse and departed with his charioteer, not going very far, O subduer of enemies.
dṛṣṭvā tu hatavikrāntaṃ svamanīkaṃ mahābalaḥ। tava putro mahārāja prayayau yatra saubalaḥ ॥9-24-22॥
Upon witnessing the defeat of his valiant soldiers, your mighty son, O great king, proceeded to where Saubala was.
tato ratheṣu bhagneṣu trisāhasrā mahādvipāḥ। pāṇḍavānrathinaḥ pañca samantātparyavārayan ॥9-24-23॥
Then, three thousand mighty elephants surrounded the five Pandava charioteers amidst the broken chariots.
te vṛtāḥ samare pañca gajānīkena bhārata। aśobhanta naravyāghrā grahā vyāptā ghanairiva ॥9-24-24॥
In the battle, those tiger-like warriors, surrounded by five divisions of elephants, shone brilliantly, O Bharata, like planets enveloped by clouds.
tato'rjuno mahārāja labdhalakṣo mahābhujaḥ। viniryayau rathenaiva śvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ ॥9-24-25॥
Then Arjuna, the mighty-armed, having achieved his objective, set out on his chariot driven by white horses, with Krishna as his charioteer, O great king.
taiḥ samantātparivṛtaḥ kuñjaraiḥ parvatopamaiḥ। nārācairvimalaiḥtīkṣṇairgajānīkamapothayat ॥9-24-26॥
He was surrounded by elephants that were like mountains, and he smashed the elephant army with sharp, pure arrows.
tatraikabāṇanihatānapaśyāma mahāgajān। patitānpātyamānāṃśca vibhinnān savyasācinā ॥9-24-27॥
There, we observed the great elephants, struck down by a single arrow, lying fallen and scattered, felled by Arjuna.
bhīmasenastu tāndṛṣṭvā nāgānmatta-gajopamaḥ। kareṇa gṛhya mahatīṃ gadāmabhyapatadbali ॥ avaplutya rathāttūrṇaṃ daṇḍapāṇirivāntakaḥ ॥9-24-28॥
Bhimasena, upon seeing the elephants, like a mad elephant himself, seized a great mace with his hand and rushed forward with great strength, quickly jumping down from the chariot like Yama, the god of death, wielding a staff.
tamudyatagadaṁ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavānāṁ mahāratham। vitresustāvakāḥ sainyāḥ śakṛnmūtraṁ prasusruvuḥ ॥ āvignaṁ ca balaṁ sarvaṁ gadāhaste vṛkodare ॥9-24-29॥
Upon seeing the raised mace and the great chariot of the Pandavas, your soldiers were so terrified that they lost control of their bowels. The entire force was disturbed by Bhima, who stood with a mace in hand.
gadayā bhīmasenena bhinnakumbhānrajasvalān। dhāvamānānapaśyāma kuñjarānparvatopamān ॥9-24-30॥
We saw elephants with broken tusks and blood-stained, running like mountains, struck by Bhimasena with his mace.
pradhāvya kuñjarās te tu bhīmasenagadāhatāḥ। petur ārtasvaraṃ kṛtvā chinnapakṣā ivādrayaḥ ॥9-24-31॥
The elephants, after running, were struck by Bhimasena's mace and fell down, crying out in distress, like mountains with their wings broken.
tānbhinnakumbhānsubahūndravamāṇānitastataḥ। patamānāṃśca samprekṣya vitresustava sainikāḥ ॥9-24-32॥
Your soldiers were terrified upon seeing the many broken pots flowing here and there and falling.
yudhiṣṭhiro'pi saṅkruddho mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau। gṛdhrapakṣaiḥ śitairbāṇairjaghnurvai gajayodhinaḥ ॥9-24-33॥
Yudhishthira, along with the sons of Madri, the Pandavas, in their anger, used sharp, vulture-feathered arrows to kill the elephant warriors.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastu samare parājitya narādhipam। apakrānte tava sute hayapṛṣṭhaṃ samāśrite ॥9-24-34॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna defeated the king in battle, and as your son retreated, he took refuge on horseback.
dṛṣṭvā ca pāṇḍavānsarvānkauñjaraiḥ parivāritān। dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārāja saha sarvaiḥ prabhadrakaiḥ ॥ putraḥ pāñcālarājasya jighāṃsuḥ kauñjarānyayau ॥9-24-35॥
Upon seeing all the Pandavas surrounded by elephants, Dhrishtadyumna, along with all the Prabhadrakas, the son of the king of the Panchalas, went forth with the intent to kill the elephants, O great king.
adṛṣṭvā tu rathānīke duryodhanamariṃdamam। aśvatthāmā kṛpaścaiva kṛtavarmā ca sātvataḥ ॥ apṛcchankṣatriyāṃstatra kva nu duryodhano gataḥ ॥9-24-36॥
Not finding Duryodhana, the subduer of enemies, in the army, Ashwatthama, Kripa, and Kritavarma, along with Satyaki, inquired of the warriors present, "Where indeed has Duryodhana gone?"
apaśyamānā rājānaṃ vartamāne janakṣaye। manvānā nihataṃ tatra tava putraṃ mahārathāḥ ॥ viṣaṇṇavadanā bhūtvā paryapṛcchanta te sutam ॥9-24-37॥
Seeing the king amidst the ongoing destruction, the great warriors, thinking that your son was slain there, with despondent faces, asked your son.
āhuḥ keciddhate sūte prayāto yatra saubalaḥ। apare tvabruvaṃstatra kṣatriyā bhṛśavikṣatāḥ ॥9-24-38॥
Some people said that when Sūta was killed, Saubala left the place. However, others mentioned that the Kshatriyas were severely injured there.
duryodhanena kiṁ kāryaṁ drakṣyadhvaṁ yadi jīvati। yudhyadhvaṁ sahitāḥ sarve kiṁ vo rājā kariṣyati ॥9-24-39॥
Duryodhana has given you a task to see if he survives. Fight together, all of you, and see what your king will do.
te kṣatriyāḥ kṣatairgātrairhatabhūyiṣṭhavāhanāḥ। śaraiḥ sampīḍyamānāśca nātivyaktaivābruvan ॥9-24-40॥
The warriors, with their bodies wounded and most of their vehicles destroyed, were being oppressed by arrows and spoke as if their words were not clear.
idaṃ sarvaṃ balaṃ hanmo yena sma parivāritāḥ। ete sarve gajān hatvā upayānti sma pāṇḍavāḥ ॥9-24-41॥
The Pandavas, having destroyed all the elephants by whom they were surrounded, approach with their strength intact.
śrutvā tu vacanaṃ teṣāmaśvatthāmā mahābalaḥ। hitvā pāñcālarājasya tadanīkaṃ durutsaham ॥9-24-42॥
Upon hearing their words, the mighty Aśvatthāmā decided to leave the formidable army of the Pāñcāla king.
kṛpaśca kṛtavarmā ca prayayuryatra saubalaḥ। rathānīkaṃ parityajya śūrāḥ sudṛḍhadhanvinaḥ ॥9-24-43॥
Kṛpa and Kṛtavarmā, along with Saubala, left the chariot army behind, as they were heroes and mighty archers.
tatasteṣu prayāteṣu dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamāḥ। āyayuḥ pāṇḍavā rājanvinighnantaḥ sma tāvakān ॥9-24-44॥
Then, after they had departed, led by Dhrishtadyumna, the Pandavas arrived, O king, and began to slay your men.
dṛṣṭvā tu tānāpatataḥ samprahṛṣṭānmahārathān। parākrāntāṃstato vīrānnirāśāñjīvite tadā ॥ vivarṇamukhabhūyiṣṭhamabhavattāvakaṃ balam ॥9-24-45॥
Upon seeing the approaching elated great charioteers, the valiant heroes, who were despairing of life, your army mostly became pale-faced.
parikṣīṇāyudhāndṛṣṭvā tānahaṃ parivāritān। rājanbalena dvyaṅgena tyaktvā jīvitamātmanaḥ ॥9-24-46॥
Seeing them with their weapons depleted, I found myself surrounded. O king, with a crippled body and by force, I abandoned my own life.
ātmanāpañcamo'yudhyaṃ pāñcālasya balena ha। tasmindeśe vyavasthāpya yatra śāradvataḥ sthitaḥ ॥9-24-47॥
The fifth one, by himself, did not fight with the force of the Pāñcāla. He was stationed in that place where Śāradvata stood.
samprayuddhā vayaṃ pañca kirīṭiśarapīḍitāḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ mahānīkaṃ tatra no'bhūdraṇo mahān ॥ jitāstena vayaṃ sarve vyapayāma raṇāttataḥ ॥9-24-48॥
We five were engaged in battle and were afflicted by Arjuna's arrows. There, Dhṛṣṭadyumna's great army was our significant battle. Conquered by him, we all retreated from the battle thereafter.
athāpaśyaṃ sātyakiṃ tamupāyāntaṃ mahāratham। rathaiścatuḥśatairvīro māṃ cābhyadravadāhave ॥9-24-49॥
Then I saw Satyaki, the great chariot-warrior, approaching with four hundred chariots, and the hero attacked me in the battle.
dhṛṣṭadyumnād ahaṃ muktaḥ kathaṃcic chrāntavāhanaḥ। patito mādhavānīkaṃ duṣkṛtī narakaṃ yathā ॥ tatra yuddham abhūd ghoraṃ muhūrtam atidāruṇam ॥9-24-50॥
I was somehow released from Dhrishtadyumna with my weary vehicle and fell into the army of Madhava, like a sinner falling into hell. There, a terrible and very fierce battle took place for a moment.
sātyakistu mahābāhurmama hatvā paricchadam। jīvagrāhamagṛhṇānmāṃ mūrchitaṃ patitaṃ bhuvi ॥9-24-51॥
Satyaki, the mighty-armed warrior, after defeating my retinue, took me captive while I was unconscious and lying on the ground.
tato muhūrtādiva tadgajānīkamavadhyata। gadayā bhīmasenena nārācairarjunena ca ॥9-24-52॥
Then, in what seemed like an instant, Bhimasena and Arjuna destroyed the elephant army, Bhimasena using his mace and Arjuna his arrows.
pratipiṣṭairmahānāgaiḥ samantātparvatopamaiḥ। nātiprasiddheva gatiḥ pāṇḍavānāmajāyata ॥9-24-53॥
The Pandavas' movement seemed obscure, as if they were surrounded and crushed by great serpents resembling mountains.
rathamārgāṃstataścakre bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ। pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārāja vyapakarṣanmahāgajān ॥9-24-54॥
Then, O great king, the mighty Bhimasena cleared the chariot paths by dragging away the great elephants of the Pandavas.
aśvatthāmā kṛpaścaiva kṛtavarmā ca sātvataḥ। apaśyanto rathānīke duryodhanamariṃdamam ॥ rājānaṃ mṛgayāmāsustava putraṃ mahāratham ॥9-24-55॥
Ashwatthama, Kripa, Kritavarma, and Satyaki, upon seeing Duryodhana, the subduer of enemies, in the battlefield, searched for your son, the great chariot-warrior king.
parityajya ca pāñcālaṃ prayātā yatra saubalaḥ। rājño'darśanasaṃvignā vartamāne janakṣaye ॥9-24-56॥
Having left Panchala, where Saubala had gone, they were distressed by the king's disappearance amidst the ongoing destruction of people.
