09.054
Pancharatra and Core: Instructed by Balarama, Bhima and Duryodhana arrive at Samantapanchaka and prepare for the battle.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaishampayana spoke:
एवं तदभवद्युद्धं तुमुलं जनमेजय। यत्र दुःखान्वितो राजा धृतराष्ट्रोऽब्रवीदिदम् ॥९-५४-१॥
Thus, O Janamejaya, the fierce battle took place where the sorrowful King Dhritarashtra spoke these words.
रामं संनिहितं दृष्ट्वा गदायुद्ध उपस्थिते। मम पुत्रः कथं भीमं प्रत्ययुध्यत सञ्जय ॥९-५४-२॥
Sanjaya, seeing Rama present as the mace fight approached, how did my son fight against Bhima?
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
रामसांनिध्यमासाद्य पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। युद्धकामो महाबाहुः समहृष्यत वीर्यवान् ॥९-५४-३॥
Upon reaching the presence of Rama, your son Duryodhana, eager for battle and mighty-armed, felt a surge of joy due to his strength.
दृष्ट्वा लाङ्गलिनं राजा प्रत्युत्थाय च भारत। प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो युधिष्ठिरमथाब्रवीत् ॥९-५४-४॥
Upon seeing the plough-bearer, the king stood up and, with great affection, addressed Yudhishthira, O Bharata.
समन्तपञ्चकं क्षिप्रमितो याम विशां पते। प्रथितोत्तरवेदी सा देवलोके प्रजापतेः ॥९-५४-५॥
O lord of the people, let us swiftly proceed from here to the renowned northern altar in the realm of the gods, belonging to the lord of creatures.
तस्मिन्महापुण्यतमे त्रैलोक्यस्य सनातने। सङ्ग्रामे निधनं प्राप्य ध्रुवं स्वर्गो भविष्यति ॥९-५४-६॥
In that most sacred and eternal battle of the three worlds, attaining death will certainly lead to heaven.
तथेत्युक्त्वा महाराज कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। समन्तपञ्चकं वीरः प्रायादभिमुखः प्रभुः ॥९-५४-७॥
After speaking thus, O great king, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti and a hero, proceeded towards the sacred place of Samantapanchaka.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्। पद्भ्याममर्षाद्द्युतिमानगच्छत्पाण्डवैः सह ॥९-५४-८॥
Then King Duryodhana, filled with anger and radiance, took up his mighty mace and advanced on foot to confront the Pandavas.
तथा यान्तं गदाहस्तं वर्मणा चापि दंशितम्। अन्तरिक्षगता देवाः साधु साध्वित्यपूजयन् ॥ वातिकाश्च नरा येऽत्र दृष्ट्वा ते हर्षमागताः ॥९-५४-९॥
As he proceeded with a mace in hand and adorned with armor, the gods in the sky praised him saying 'Well done, well done'. The spectators and men present there, upon witnessing this, were filled with joy.
स पाण्डवैः परिवृतः कुरुराजस्तवात्मजः। मत्तस्येव गजेन्द्रस्य गतिमास्थाय सोऽव्रजत् ॥९-५४-१०॥
Your son, the king of the Kurus, surrounded by the Pandavas, moved forward with the gait of an intoxicated elephant king.
ततः शङ्खनिनादेन भेरीणां च महास्वनैः। सिंहनादैश्च शूराणां दिशः सर्वाः प्रपूरिताः ॥९-५४-११॥
Then, the sound of conches, drums, and the mighty roars of lions and heroes filled all the directions.
प्रतीच्यभिमुखं देशं यथोद्दिष्टं सुतेन ते। गत्वा च तैः परिक्षिप्तं समन्तात्सर्वतोदिशम् ॥९-५४-१२॥
Facing westward, as instructed by your son, go to the region and surround it completely in all directions.
दक्षिणेन सरस्वत्याः स्वयनं तीर्थमुत्तमम्। तस्मिन्देशे त्वनिरिणे तत्र युद्धमरोचयन् ॥९-५४-१३॥
To the south of the Sarasvati River lies the best pilgrimage site known as Swayam. In that peaceful region, a battle was arranged.
ततो भीमो महाकोटिं गदां गृह्याथ वर्मभृत्। बिभ्रद्रूपं महाराज सदृशं हि गरुत्मतः ॥९-५४-१४॥
Then Bhima, the mighty warrior, took up his great mace and stood like Garuda, the king of birds, ready for battle, O great king.
अवबद्धशिरस्त्राणः सङ्ख्ये काञ्चनवर्मभृत्। रराज राजन्पुत्रस्ते काञ्चनः शैलराडिव ॥९-५४-१५॥
Your prince, adorned with a helmet and clad in golden armor, shone brilliantly like a majestic golden mountain.
वर्मभ्यां संवृतौ वीरौ भीमदुर्योधनावुभौ। संयुगे च प्रकाशेते संरब्धाविव कुञ्जरौ ॥९-५४-१६॥
Both Bhima and Duryodhana, the heroes, appear in the battlefield covered in armor, eager and fierce like elephants ready for combat.
रणमण्डलमध्यस्थौ भ्रातरौ तौ नरर्षभौ। अशोभेतां महाराज चन्द्रसूर्याविवोदितौ ॥९-५४-१७॥
In the midst of the battlefield, those two brothers, the best among men, shone brilliantly, O great king, like the rising moon and sun.
तावन्योन्यं निरीक्षेतां क्रुद्धाविव महाद्विपौ। दहन्तौ लोचनै राजन्परस्परवधैषिणौ ॥९-५४-१८॥
They glared at each other like two enraged elephants, their eyes burning with the desire to kill each other, O king.
सम्प्रहृष्टमना राजन्गदामादाय कौरवः। सृक्किणी संलिहन्राजन्क्रोधरक्तेक्षणः श्वसन् ॥९-५४-१९॥
The Kaurava, filled with delight, took up his mace. His eyes were red with anger as he licked his cheeks and breathed heavily, O king.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा गदामादाय वीर्यवान्। भीमसेनमभिप्रेक्ष्य गजो गजमिवाह्वयत् ॥९-५४-२०॥
Then, the valiant King Duryodhana, with his mace in hand, gazed at Bhimasena and challenged him as one elephant challenges another.
अद्रिसारमयीं भीमस्तथैवादाय वीर्यवान्। आह्वयामास नृपतिं सिंहः सिंहं यथा वने ॥९-५४-२१॥
Bhima, with the strength of the mountain, challenged the king, just as one lion challenges another in the forest.
तावुद्यतगदापाणी दुर्योधनवृकोदरौ। संयुगे स्म प्रकाशेते गिरी सशिखराविव ॥९-५४-२२॥
Duryodhana and Vrikodara, with their maces raised, stand out in the battle like towering mountains with peaks.
तावुभावभिसङ्क्रुद्धावुभौ भीमपराक्रमौ। उभौ शिष्यौ गदायुद्धे रौहिणेयस्य धीमतः ॥९-५४-२३॥
Both of them, filled with rage and possessing mighty valor, were disciples in the mace fight under the wise son of Rohini.
उभौ सदृशकर्माणौ यमवासवयोरिव। तथा सदृशकर्माणौ वरुणस्य महाबलौ ॥९-५४-२४॥
Both are mighty and perform similar actions like Yama and Indra, and similarly, the mighty ones of Varuna.
वासुदेवस्य रामस्य तथा वैश्रवणस्य च। सदृशौ तौ महाराज मधुकैटभयोर्युधि ॥९-५४-२५॥
O great king, those two were similar to Vasudeva, Rama, and Vaishravana in the battle against Madhu and Kaitabha.
उभौ सदृशकर्माणौ रणे सुन्दोपसुन्दयोः। तथैव कालस्य समौ मृत्योश्चैव परन्तपौ ॥९-५४-२६॥
Both Sunda and Upasunda, who had similar deeds in battle, were equal in terms of time and death, O subduer of enemies.
अन्योन्यमभिधावन्तौ मत्ताविव महाद्विपौ। वाशितासङ्गमे दृप्तौ शरदीव मदोत्कटौ ॥९-५४-२७॥
The two warriors, proud and intoxicated like great elephants, charged towards each other in the battlefield, as if in the arrogance of autumn.
मत्ताविव जिगीषन्तौ मातङ्गौ भरतर्षभौ। उभौ क्रोधविषं दीप्तं वमन्तावुरगाविव ॥९-५४-२८॥
The two mighty warriors of the Bharata race, like intoxicated elephants eager to conquer, were both spewing forth the blazing venom of their anger like serpents.
अन्योन्यमभिसंरब्धौ प्रेक्षमाणावरिंदमौ। उभौ भरतशार्दूलौ विक्रमेण समन्वितौ ॥९-५४-२९॥
Both warriors, the subduers of enemies and tigers among the Bharatas, stood facing each other, ready for combat, each endowed with great prowess.
सिंहाविव दुराधर्षौ गदायुद्धे परन्तपौ। नखदंष्ट्रायुधौ वीरौ व्याघ्राविव दुरुत्सहौ ॥९-५४-३०॥
They were like lions, invincible in mace battles, scorching their foes. With claws and teeth as weapons, they were heroes like tigers, formidable in their might.
प्रजासंहरणे क्षुब्धौ समुद्राविव दुस्तरौ। लोहिताङ्गाविव क्रुद्धौ प्रतपन्तौ महारथौ ॥९-५४-३१॥
The two great warriors, agitated like the vast, impassable oceans during the destruction of people, and red-bodied like angry, shining figures, stood formidable.
रश्मिमन्तौ महात्मानौ दीप्तिमन्तौ महाबलौ। ददृशाते कुरुश्रेष्ठौ कालसूर्याविवोदितौ ॥९-५४-३२॥
The best of the Kurus saw them, who were like the rising sun and time, possessing rays, great souls, resplendence, and great strength.
व्याघ्राविव सुसंरब्धौ गर्जन्ताविव तोयदौ। जहृषाते महाबाहू सिंहौ केसरिणाविव ॥९-५४-३३॥
The mighty-armed ones rejoiced, eager like tigers and roaring like clouds, resembling lions with manes.
गजाविव सुसंरब्धौ ज्वलिताविव पावकौ। ददृशुस्तौ महात्मानौ सशृङ्गाविव पर्वतौ ॥९-५४-३४॥
The two great souls appeared like two enraged elephants, like blazing fires, and like mountains with peaks.
रोषात्प्रस्फुरमाणोष्ठौ निरीक्षन्तौ परस्परम्। तौ समेतौ महात्मानौ गदाहस्तौ नरोत्तमौ ॥९-५४-३५॥
The two great warriors, their lips trembling with anger, stood facing each other, maces in hand, as the best among men.
उभौ परमसंहृष्टावुभौ परमसंमतौ। सदश्वाविव हेषन्तौ बृंहन्ताविव कुञ्जरौ ॥९-५४-३६॥
Both were extremely delighted and esteemed, neighing like fine horses and roaring like mighty elephants.
वृषभाविव गर्जन्तौ दुर्योधनवृकोदरौ। दैत्याविव बलोन्मत्तौ रेजतुस्तौ नरोत्तमौ ॥९-५४-३७॥
Duryodhana and Vrikodara, roaring like bulls and intoxicated with strength like demons, shone as the best among men.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजन्निदमाह युधिष्ठिरम्। सृञ्जयैः सह तिष्ठन्तं तपन्तमिव भास्करम् ॥९-५४-३८॥
Then King Duryodhana addressed Yudhishthira, who was standing with the Srinjayas, shining like the sun.
इदं व्यवसितं युद्धं मम भीमस्य चोभयोः। उपोपविष्टाः पश्यध्वं विमर्दं नृपसत्तमाः ॥९-५४-३९॥
This battle has been decided between my Bhima and both of them; seated, observe the conflict, O best of kings.
ततः समुपविष्टं तत्सुमहद्राजमण्डलम्। विराजमानं ददृशे दिवीवादित्यमण्डलम् ॥९-५४-४०॥
Then, the great royal assembly, seated majestically, appeared resplendent like the sun in the sky.
तेषां मध्ये महाबाहुः श्रीमान्केशवपूर्वजः। उपविष्टो महाराज पूज्यमानः समन्ततः ॥९-५४-४१॥
In the midst of them, the mighty-armed and glorious elder brother of Keshava, the great king, was seated and worshipped from all sides.
शुशुभे राजमध्यस्थो नीलवासाः सितप्रभः। नक्षत्रैरिव सम्पूर्णो वृतो निशि निशाकरः ॥९-५४-४२॥
He stood out among the kings, dressed in blue with a radiant white glow, resembling the full moon surrounded by stars in the night sky.
तौ तथा तु महाराज गदाहस्तौ दुरासदौ। अन्योन्यं वाग्भिरुग्राभिस्तक्षमाणौ व्यवस्थितौ ॥९-५४-४३॥
O great king, they stood there with maces in hand, formidable and chastising each other with harsh words.
अप्रियाणि ततोऽन्योन्यमुक्त्वा तौ कुरुपुङ्गवौ। उदीक्षन्तौ स्थितौ वीरौ वृत्रशक्राविवाहवे ॥९-५४-४४॥
After exchanging harsh words, the two foremost Kurus stood facing each other like the heroes Vritra and Indra in battle.
