11.016
Pancharatra and Core: Gandhari observes the battlefield with the help of Krishna Dwaipayana's blessings and laments to Krishna regarding the horrors of the battlefield and regarding her slain sons and son-in-law.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evam-uktvā tu gāndhārī kurūṇām avikartanam। apaśyat tatra tiṣṭhantī sarvaṃ divyena cakṣuṣā ॥11-16-1॥
After thus speaking, Gandhari beheld the unshorn one of the Kurus standing there, perceiving all with her divine sight.
pativratā mahābhāgā samānavratacāriṇī। ugreṇa tapasā yuktā satataṃ satyavādinī ॥11-16-2॥
She was devoted to her husband, greatly fortunate, practiced the same vow, endowed with intense austerity, and always spoke the truth.
varadānena kṛṣṇasya maharṣeḥ puṇyakarmaṇaḥ। divyajñānabalopetā vividhaṃ paryadevayat ॥11-16-3॥
Endowed with the boon of Kṛṣṇa, the great sage of meritorious deeds, and divine knowledge and strength, she lamented in various ways.
dadarśa sā buddhimatī dūrād api yathāntike। raṇājiraṃ nṛvīrāṇām adbhutaṃ lomaharṣaṇam ॥11-16-4॥
The intelligent lady saw, even from a distance as if it were close, the wondrous and terrifying battlefield of heroic men.
asthikeśaparistīrṇaṃ śoṇitaughapariplutam। śarīrairbahusāhasrairvinikīrṇaṃ samantataḥ ॥11-16-5॥
The area was covered with bones and hair, submerged in streams of blood, and scattered everywhere with thousands upon thousands of bodies.
gajāśva-ratha-yodhānām āvṛtaṃ rudhirāvilaiḥ। śarīrair aśiraskaiś ca videhaiś ca śiro-gaṇaiḥ॥11-16-6॥
The field was covered with the blood-stained bodies of elephants, horses, chariots, and warriors, as well as with headless and lifeless bodies and heaps of heads.
gajāśva-nara-vīrāṇāṃ niḥsattvair abhisaṃvṛtam। sṛgāla-baḍa-kākolakaṅka-kāka-niṣevitam ॥11-16-7॥
It was covered with the lifeless bodies of elephants, horses, men, and heroes, and was frequented by jackals, vultures, crows, herons, and crows.
rakṣasāṃ puruṣādānāṃ modanaṃ kurarākulam। aśivābhiḥ śivābhiśca nāditaṃ gṛdhrasevitam ॥11-16-8॥
It was a place that delighted the rākṣasas and man-eaters, filled with kuraras, resounding with both inauspicious and auspicious cries, and frequented by vultures.
tato vyāsābhyanujñāto dhṛtarāṣṭro mahīpatiḥ। pāṇḍuputrāś ca te sarve yudhiṣṭhirapurogamāḥ ॥11-16-9॥
Then, with Vyāsa's permission, King Dhṛtarāṣṭra and all the sons of Pāṇḍu, led by Yudhiṣṭhira, proceeded together.
vāsudevaṃ puraskṛtya hatabandhuṃ ca pārthivam। kurustriyaḥ samāsādya jagmurāyodhanaṃ prati ॥11-16-10॥
The Kuru women, led by Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) and the bereaved king, went to the battlefield.
samāsādya kurukṣetraṃ tāḥ striyo nihateśvarāḥ। apaśyanta hatāṃstatra putrānbhrātṝnpitṝnpatīn ॥11-16-11॥
When those women, whose husbands had been killed, reached Kurukṣetra, they saw their sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands lying dead there.
kravyādair bhakṣyamāṇān vai gomāyu-baḍavāyasaiḥ। bhūtaiḥ piśācaiḥ rakṣobhir vividhaiś ca niśācaraiḥ॥11-16-12॥
Indeed, they were being devoured by flesh-eaters, jackals, vultures, spirits, piśācas, rākṣasas, and various other night-wandering beings.
rudrākrīḍanibhaṃ dṛṣṭvā tadā viśasanaṃ striyaḥ। mahārhebhyo'tha yānebhyo vikrośantyo nipetire ॥11-16-13॥
When the women saw the slaughter, which looked like Rudra’s play, they cried out and fell from their luxurious vehicles.
adṛṣṭapūrvaṃ paśyantyo duḥkhārtā bharatastriyaḥ। śarīreṣvaskhalannanyā nyapataṃścāparā bhuvi॥11-16-14॥
The women of Bharata, overwhelmed with grief, saw something unprecedented; some, without stumbling, fell upon the bodies, while others collapsed to the ground.
śrāntānāṃ cāpyanāthānāṃ nāsītkācana cetanā। pāñcālakuruyoṣāṇāṃ kṛpaṇaṃ tadabhūnmahat ॥11-16-15॥
Among the weary and helpless, none retained consciousness; for the women of the Pāñcālas and Kurus, it was a truly pitiable situation.
duḥkhopahatacittābhiḥ samantādanunāditam। dṛṣṭvā yodhanam atyugraṃ dharmajñā subalātmajā ॥11-16-16॥
When the daughter of Subala, who knew dharma, saw the very fierce battle resounding from all sides, filled with those whose minds were afflicted by sorrow.
tataḥ sā puṇḍarīkākṣam āmantrya puruṣottamam। kurūṇāṃ vaiśasaṃ dṛṣṭvā duḥkhād vacanam abravīt ॥11-16-17॥
Then, seeing the slaughter of the Kurus, she sorrowfully addressed the lotus-eyed supreme person and spoke these words.
paśyaitāḥ puṇḍarīkākṣa snuṣā me nihateśvarāḥ। prakīrṇakeśāḥ krośantīḥ kurarīriva mādhava ॥11-16-18॥
O Mādhava, see these daughters-in-law of mine, O lotus-eyed one, whose husbands have been slain, with their hair disheveled, crying like female curlews.
amūstvabhisamāgamya smarantyo bharatarṣabhān। pṛthagevābhyadhāvanta putrānbhrātṝnpitṝnpatīn ॥11-16-19॥
But those women, having come together and remembering the best of the Bharatas, each rushed separately towards their sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands.
vīrasūbhir mahābāho hataputrābhir āvṛtam। kvacic ca vīrapatnībhir hatavīrābhir ākulam ॥11-16-20॥
O mighty-armed one, the place was covered by heroic mothers whose sons had been killed, and in some places, it was filled with the wives of heroes whose husbands had been slain.
śobhitaṃ puruṣavyāghrair bhīṣmakarṇābhimanyubhiḥ। droṇadrupadaśalyaś ca jvaladbhir iva pāvakaiḥ ॥11-16-21॥
It was adorned by mighty warriors—Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Abhimanyu, Droṇa, Drupada, and Śalya—who shone like blazing fires.
kāñcanaiḥ kavacair niṣkair maṇibhiś ca mahātmanām। aṅgadair hastakeyūraiḥ sragbhiś ca samalaṅkṛtam ॥11-16-22॥
It was completely adorned with gold, armours, coins, jewels, armlets, bracelets, and garlands belonging to the great-souled ones.
vīra-bāhu-visṛṣṭābhiḥ śaktibhiḥ parighair api| khaḍgaiś ca vimalaiḥ tīkṣṇaiḥ sa-śaraiś ca śarāsanaiḥ ॥11-16-23॥
With spears hurled by heroic arms, iron clubs, pure and sharp swords, and bows with arrows.
kravyādasaṅghair muditais tiṣṭhadbhiḥ sahitaiḥ kvacit। kvacid ākrīḍamānaiś ca śayānair aparaiḥ kvacit ॥11-16-24॥
In some places, there were groups of flesh-eaters standing together joyfully; elsewhere, some were playing, and others were lying down.
etadevaṃ-vidhaṃ vīra sampaśyāyodhanaṃ vibho। paśyamānā ca dahyāmi śokenāhaṃ janārdana ॥11-16-25॥
O hero, behold this kind of battlefield, O mighty one. As I see it, I am burning with grief, O Janardana.
pāñcālānāṃ kurūṇāṃ ca vināśaṃ madhusūdana। pañcānām iva bhūtānāṃ nāhaṃ vadham acintayam ॥11-16-26॥
O Madhusūdana, I never thought of the destruction of the Pāñcālas and Kurus as being like the slaughter of the five beings.
tānsuparṇāś ca gṛdhrāś ca niṣkarṣanty asṛgukṣitān। nigṛhya kavaceṣūgrā bhakṣayanti sahasraśaḥ ॥11-16-27॥
The divine birds and vultures, fierce, drag out those smeared with blood from their armors, and devour them by thousands.
jayadrathasya karṇasya tathaiva droṇa-bhīṣmayoḥ। abhimanyorvināśaṃ ca kaścintayitumarhati ॥11-16-28॥
Who can truly contemplate the fates of Jayadratha, Karṇa, Droṇa, Bhīṣma, and the destruction of Abhimanyu?
avadhyakalpān nihatān dṛṣṭvā ahaṃ madhusūdana | gṛdhra-kaṅka-baḍa-śyena-śva-sṛgāla-adanīkṛtān ||11-16-29||
O Madhusudana, seeing those who should not have been killed lying slain, made food for vultures, herons, cranes, hawks, dogs, and jackals, I...
amarṣavaśamāpannān duryodhanavaśe sthitān। paśyemān puruṣavyāghrān saṃśāntān pāvakān iva ॥11-16-30॥
Behold these heroes, subdued by anger and under Duryodhana’s control, standing calmly like extinguished fires.
śayanānyucitāḥ sarve mṛdūni vimalāni ca। vipannāste'dya vasudhāṃ vivṛtāmadhiśerate ॥11-16-31॥
Those who were used to soft, clean, and suitable beds now, being deprived, lie today upon the bare ground.
bandibhiḥ satataṃ kāle stuvadbhir abhinanditāḥ। śivānām aśivā ghorāḥ śṛṇvanti vividhā giraḥ॥11-16-32॥
Even as the panegyrists constantly praise and extol them at all times, the inauspicious and terrible beings among the auspicious ones hear various words.
ye purā śerate vīrāḥ śayaneṣu yaśasvinaḥ। candanāgurudigdhāṅgāste'dya pāṃsuṣu śerate ॥11-16-33॥
Those heroes who once lay on beds, their bodies anointed with sandalwood and aloeswood, now lie in the dust.
teṣām ābharaṇāni ete gṛdhra-gomāyu-kāyasāḥ | ākṣipanti aśivā ghorā vinadantaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||11-16-34||
The ornaments of those men are being snatched again and again by these inauspicious and terrible vultures, jackals, and crows, who howl repeatedly.
cāpāni viśikhān pītān nistriṃśān vimalā gadāḥ। yuddhābhimāninaḥ prītā jīvanta iva bibhrati ॥11-16-35॥
Those proud of battle, delighted, bear bows, arrows, yellow swords, and pure maces as if they were alive.
surūpavarṇā bahavaḥ kravyādairavaghāṭṭitāḥ। ṛṣabhapratirūpākṣāḥ śerate haritasrajaḥ ॥11-16-36॥
Many of beautiful color, struck by flesh-eaters, with eyes like a bull, lie adorned with green garlands.
apare punarāliṅgya gadāḥ parighabāhavaḥ। śerate'bhimukhāḥ śūrā dayitā iva yoṣitaḥ ॥11-16-37॥
Others, once more, embrace their maces and, with arms like clubs, lie facing them, like heroes lying with their beloved women.
bibhrataḥ kavacānyanye vimalānyāyudhāni ca। na dharṣayanti kravyādā jīvantīti janārdana ॥11-16-38॥
O Janardana, others bear armours and pure weapons, and the flesh-eating creatures do not attack the living.
kravyādaiḥ kṛṣyamāṇānām apareṣāṃ mahātmanām। śātakaumbhyaḥ srajaś citrā viprakīrṇāḥ samantataḥ ॥11-16-39॥
The golden, variegated garlands of the great souls, who were being dragged by the flesh-eaters, were scattered all around.
ete gomāyavo bhīmā nihatānāṃ yaśasvinām। kaṇṭhāntaragatānhārānākṣipanti sahasraśaḥ ॥11-16-40॥
Thousands of these fierce jackals are pulling out the necklaces from the necks of the illustrious slain.
sarveṣv apararātreṣu yān anandanta bandinaḥ। stutibhiś ca parārdhyābhir upacāraiś ca śikṣitāḥ ॥11-16-41॥
During all the latter nights, the bards who rejoiced were trained with praises and the most excellent services.
tānimāḥ paridevanti duḥkhārtāḥ paramāṅganāḥ। kṛpaṇaṃ vṛṣṇiśārdūla duḥkhaśokārditā bhṛśam ॥11-16-42॥
O tiger among the Vṛṣṇis, these noble women, afflicted by sorrow, are lamenting piteously, overwhelmed by grief and sorrow to a great extent.
raktotpalavanānīva vibhānti rucirāṇi vai। mukhāni paramastrīṇāṃ pariśuṣkāṇi keśava ॥11-16-43॥
O Keśava, the faces of the noble women, though withered, still shine beautifully like forests of red lotuses.
ruditoparatā hy etā dhyāyantyaḥ sampariplutāḥ। kurustriyo'bhigacchanti tena tenaiva duḥkhitāḥ॥11-16-44॥
These women, having ceased from weeping, deeply meditating and completely overwhelmed, the Kuru women approach, afflicted by that very grief.
etāny āditya-varṇāni tapanīya-nibhāni ca। roṣa-rodana-tāmrāṇi vaktrāṇi kuru-yoṣitām ॥11-16-45॥
These are the sun-colored, golden-hued, and coppery faces, flushed with anger and tears, of the women of the Kurus.
āsāmaparipūrṇārthaṃ niśamya paridevitam। itaretarasaṅkrandānna vijānanti yoṣitaḥ ॥11-16-46॥
Hearing the lamentation for the complete fulfillment of these women, the women do not comprehend each other's cries.
etā dīrgham ivocchvasya vikruśya ca vilapya ca। vispandamānā duḥkhena vīrā jahati jīvitam ॥11-16-47॥
These heroic women, after sighing deeply, crying out and lamenting, trembling with pain, give up their lives.
bahvyo dṛṣṭvā śarīrāṇi krośanti vilapanti ca। pāṇibhiś cāparā ghnanti śirāṃsi mṛdupāṇayaḥ ॥11-16-48॥
Many women, seeing the bodies, cry out and lament; others, with their soft hands, strike their heads.
śirobhiḥ patitair hastaiḥ sarvāṅgair yūthaśaḥ kṛtaiḥ| itaretara-sampṛktaiḥ ākīrṇā bhāti medinī ॥11-16-49॥
The earth appears covered and shining with heaps of fallen heads, hands, and all limbs, all intermingled together.
viśiraskānatho kāyāndṛṣṭvā ghorābhinandinaḥ। muhyantyanucitā nāryo videhāni śirāṃsi ca ॥11-16-50॥
When the women, unaccustomed to such sights, see the headless, helpless bodies and the terrible rejoicers, they become bewildered at the headless bodies and the severed heads.
śiraḥ kāyena sandhāya prekṣamāṇā vicetasaḥ। apaśyantyaḥ paraṃ tatra nedamasye ti duḥkhitāḥ ॥11-16-51॥
Placing their heads with their bodies, looking around in confusion, unable to see the other there, they said, 'This is not his,' and were distressed.
bāhūru-caraṇān anyān viśikho'nmathitān pṛthak | saṃdadhatyo'sukhāviṣṭā mūrcchanty etāḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||11-16-52||
Their arms, thighs, feet, and other limbs, having been torn apart separately by arrows, as they try to join them, overcome by pain, these women faint again and again.
utkṛttaśirasaścānyān vijagdhān mṛgapakṣibhiḥ। dṛṣṭvā kāścin na jānanti bhartr̥̄n bharatayoṣitaḥ ॥11-16-53॥
Some of the women of Bharata, seeing other men whose heads have been cut off and who have been devoured by beasts and birds, do not recognize their husbands.
pāṇibhiś cāparā ghnanti śirāṃsi madhusūdana। prekṣya bhrātṝn pitṝn putrān patīṃś ca nihatān paraiḥ ॥11-16-54॥
O Madhusūdana, others strike heads with their hands, seeing their brothers, fathers, sons, and husbands slain by others.
bāhubhiś ca sakhaḍgaiś ca śirobhiś ca sakuṇḍalaiḥ। agamya-kalpā pṛthivī māṃsa-śoṇita-kardamā ॥11-16-55॥
The earth, covered with arms, swords, heads, and earrings, became unapproachable, its surface muddy with flesh and blood.
na duḥkheṣūcitāḥ pūrvaṃ duḥkhaṃ gāhantyaninditāḥ. bhrātṛbhiḥ pitṛbhiḥ putrairupakīrṇāṃ vasundharām ॥11-16-56॥
Those who were not previously accustomed to suffering, the blameless ones, now plunge into misery. The earth is covered with brothers, fathers, and sons.
yūthānīva kiśorīṇāṃ sukeśīnāṃ janārdana| snuṣāṇāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya paśya vṛndānyanekasaḥ ||11-16-57||
O Janardana, behold the many groups of Dhritarashtra's daughters-in-law, all with beautiful hair, resembling herds of young maidens.
ato duḥkhataraṃ kiṃ nu keśava pratibhāti me। yadimāḥ kurvate sarvā rūpamuccāvacaṃ striyaḥ ॥11-16-58॥
O Keśava, nothing seems more sorrowful to me than this: if all these women assume various forms, high and low.
nūnam ācaritaṃ pāpaṃ mayā pūrveṣu janmasu। yā paśyāmi hatān putrān pautrān bhrātṝṃś ca keśava ॥ evam ārtā vilapatī dadarśa nihataṃ sutam ॥11-16-59॥
"Certainly, O Keśava, I must have committed sin in previous births, for I see my sons, grandsons, and brothers slain." Thus, afflicted and lamenting, she saw her slain son.
