14.059
वसुदेव उवाच॥
Vasudeva said.
श्रुतवानस्मि वार्ष्णेय सङ्ग्रामं परमाद्भुतम्। नराणां वदतां पुत्र कथोद्घातेषु नित्यशः ॥१४-५९-१॥
O Vārṣṇeya, I have always heard about the most marvelous battle among men, O son, as recounted in story prologues. (14-59-1)
त्वं तु प्रत्यक्षदर्शी च कार्यज्ञश्च महाभुज। तस्मात्प्रब्रूहि सङ्ग्रामं याथातथ्येन मेऽनघ ॥१४-५९-२॥
But you are a direct witness and knower of the facts, O mighty-armed one. Therefore, O sinless one, tell me about the battle exactly as it occurred. (14-59-2)
यथा तदभवद्युद्धं पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। भीष्मकर्णकृपद्रोणशल्यादिभिरनुत्तमम् ॥१४-५९-३॥
Just as that unsurpassed battle involving the great Pāṇḍavas took place, fought by Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Kṛpa, Droṇa, Śalya and others. (14-59-3)
अन्येषां क्षत्रियाणां च कृतास्त्राणामनेकशः। नानावेषाकृतिमतां नानादेशनिवासिनाम् ॥१४-५९-४॥
And of other kṣatriyas, many of whom were skilled in weapons, possessing various appearances and forms, inhabitants from various regions. (14-59-4)
इत्युक्तः पुण्डरीकाक्षः पित्रा मातुस्तदन्तिके। शशंस कुरुवीराणां सङ्ग्रामे निधनं यथा ॥१४-५९-५॥
Thus addressed, Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Kṛṣṇa), by his father beside his mother, reported how the Kuru heroes were destroyed in battle. (14-59-5)
वासुदेव उवाच॥
Vasudeva said.
अत्यद्भुतानि कर्माणि क्षत्रियाणां महात्मनाम्। बहुलत्वान्न सङ्ख्यातुं शक्यान्यब्दशतैरपि ॥१४-५९-६॥
The most wondrous deeds of the great-souled kṣatriyas, because of their abundance, cannot be enumerated even in hundreds of years. (14-59-6)
प्राधान्यतस्तु गदतः समासेनैव मे शृणु। कर्माणि पृथिवीशानां यथावदमरद्युते ॥१४-५९-७॥
But listen to me as I relate, giving precedence, the actions of the lords of the earth briefly and as they should be, O radiant among immortals. (14-59-7)
भीष्मः सेनापतिरभूदेकादशचमूपतिः। कौरव्यः कौरवेयाणां देवानामिव वासवः ॥१४-५९-८॥
Bhishma, as commander of the army, became the lord of eleven divisions; among the Kauravas, the descendant of Kuru was like Indra among the gods. (14-59-8)
शिखण्डी पाण्डुपुत्राणां नेता सप्तचमूपतिः। बभूव रक्षितो धीमान्धीमता सव्यसाचिना ॥१४-५९-९॥
Śikhaṇḍī, leader of the sons of Pāṇḍu and lord of seven divisions, became (so), protected by the wise Savyasācin (Arjuna). (14-59-9)
तेषां तदभवद्युद्धं दशाहानि महात्मनाम्। कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च सुमहद्रोमहर्षणम् ॥१४-५९-१०॥
That battle between the great-souled Kurus and Pāṇḍavas lasted for ten days and was very great and hair-raising. (14-59-10)
ततः शिखण्डी गाङ्गेयमयुध्यन्तं महाहवे। जघान बहुभिर्बाणैः सह गाण्डीवधन्वना ॥१४-५९-११॥
Then Śikhaṇḍī, along with the wielder of Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna), struck Bhīṣma, the son of Gaṅgā, who was fighting in the great battle, with many arrows. (14-59-11)
अकरोत्स ततः कालं शरतल्पगतो मुनिः। अयनं दक्षिणं हित्वा सम्प्राप्ते चोत्तरायणे ॥१४-५९-१२॥
Then, when the northern solstice arrived and the southern course had ended, the sage who lay on a bed of grass fulfilled his destined time. (14-59-12)
ततः सेनापतिरभूद्द्रोणोऽस्त्रविदुषां वरः। प्रवीरः कौरवेन्द्रस्य काव्यो दैत्यपतेरिव ॥१४-५९-१३॥
Then Droṇa, the best among experts in weaponry, became the commander of the Kaurava king’s army, a mighty hero resembling Kāvya (Śukra) for the lord of the daityas. (14-59-13)
अक्षौहिणीभिः शिष्टाभिर्नवभिर्द्विजसत्तमः। संवृतः समरश्लाघी गुप्तः कृपवृषादिभिः ॥१४-५९-१४॥
The foremost of the twice-born, surrounded by the nine remaining divisions of army, taking pride in battle, was protected by Kripa, Vṛṣa, and others. (14-59-14)
धृष्टद्युम्नस्त्वभून्नेता पाण्डवानां महास्त्रवित्। गुप्तो भीमेन तेजस्वी मित्रेण वरुणो यथा ॥१४-५९-१५॥
But Dhṛṣṭadyumna became the leader of the Pāṇḍavas, knower of mighty weapons, protected by Bhīma and possessing brilliance, just as Varuṇa is protected by Mitra. (14-59-15)
पञ्चसेनापरिवृतो द्रोणप्रेप्सुर्महामनाः। पितुर्निकारान्संस्मृत्य रणे कर्माकरोन्महत् ॥१४-५९-१६॥
Surrounded by five armies and intent on Droṇa, the noble-minded one, remembering the insults to his father, performed a great deed in battle. (14-59-16)
तस्मिंस्ते पृथिवीपाला द्रोणपार्षतसङ्गरे। नानादिगागता वीराः प्रायशो निधनं गताः ॥१४-५९-१७॥
There, most of those earth's kings and heroes who had come from many directions to the battle of Droṇa and Pārṣata met their death. (14-59-17)
दिनानि पञ्च तद्युद्धमभूत्परमदारुणम्। ततो द्रोणः परिश्रान्तो धृष्टद्युम्नवशं गतः ॥१४-५९-१८॥
For five days that battle was supremely terrible. Then Droṇa, exhausted, came under the control of Dhṛṣṭadyumna. (14-59-18)
ततः सेनापतिरभूत्कर्णो दौर्योधने बले। अक्षौहिणीभिः शिष्टाभिर्वृतः पञ्चभिराहवे ॥१४-५९-१९॥
Then, Karṇa became the commander of Duryodhana's army, surrounded in battle by the five remaining akṣauhiṇīs. (14-59-19)
तिस्रस्तु पाण्डुपुत्राणां चम्वो बीभत्सुपालिताः। हतप्रवीरभूयिष्ठा बभूवुः समवस्थिताः ॥१४-५९-२०॥
But three armies of the sons of Pāṇḍu, protected by Bhībhatsu (Arjuna), mostly stripped of their heroes, still remained in position. (14-59-20)
ततः पार्थं समासाद्य पतङ्ग इव पावकम्। पञ्चत्वमगमत्सौतिर्द्वितीयेऽहनि दारुणे ॥१४-५९-२१॥
Then, after approaching Pārtha, Sauti, like a moth to fire, met his death on that terrible second day. (14-59-21)
हते कर्णे तु कौरव्या निरुत्साहा हतौजसः। अक्षौहिणीभिस्तिसृभिर्मद्रेशं पर्यवारयन् ॥१४-५९-२२॥
When Karṇa was killed, the Kauravas, discouraged and weakened, surrounded the king of Madra with three army divisions. (14-59-22)
हतवाहनभूयिष्ठाः पाण्डवास्तु युधिष्ठिरम्। अक्षौहिण्या निरुत्साहाः शिष्टया पर्यवारयन् ॥१४-५९-२३॥
But the Pāṇḍavas, with most of their chariots destroyed, dispirited and with only the remnant of their army, surrounded Yudhiṣṭhira. (14-59-23)
अवधीन्मद्रराजानं कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः। तस्मिंस्तथार्धदिवसे कर्म कृत्वा सुदुष्करम् ॥१४-५९-२४॥
Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, slew the king of Madra, having thus performed a very difficult deed in half a day. (14-59-24)
हते शल्ये तु शकुनिं सहदेवो महामनाः। आहर्तारं कलेस्तस्य जघानामितविक्रमः ॥१४-५९-२५॥
But when Śalya was slain, Sahadeva, the great-minded and of immeasurable valor, killed Śakuni, the instigator of his strife. (14-59-25)
निहते शकुनौ राजा धार्तराष्ट्रः सुदुर्मनाः। अपाक्रामद्गदापाणिर्हतभूयिष्ठसैनिकः ॥१४-५९-२६॥
When Śakuni was slain, the king, son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, deeply dejected, departed with mace in hand, with most of his soldiers slain. (14-59-26)
तमन्वधावत्सङ्क्रुद्धो भीमसेनः प्रतापवान्। ह्रदे द्वैपायने चापि सलिलस्थं ददर्श तम् ॥१४-५९-२७॥
The powerful and very angry Bhīmasena ran after him, and in the Dvaipāyana lake, also saw him standing in the water. (14-59-27)
ततः शिष्टेन सैन्येन समन्तात्परिवार्य तम्। उपोपविविशुर्हृष्टा ह्रदस्थं पञ्च पाण्डवाः ॥१४-५९-२८॥
Then, the five Pāṇḍavas, joyful, sat down nearby the one who was in the lake, having had the remnant army surround him on all sides. (14-59-28)
विगाह्य सलिलं त्वाशु वाग्बाणैर्भृशविक्षतः। उत्थाय स गदापाणिर्युद्धाय समुपस्थितः ॥१४-५९-२९॥
Having plunged into the water but quickly, and being greatly wounded by words as sharp as arrows, he rose, with mace in hand, and stood ready for battle. (14-59-29)
ततः स निहतो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रो महामृधे। भीमसेनेन विक्रम्य पश्यतां पृथिवीक्षिताम् ॥१४-५९-३०॥
Then, the king, son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, was slain in the great battle by Bhīmasena, after attacking, in the sight of all the kings of the earth. (14-59-30)
ततस्तत्पाण्डवं सैन्यं संसुप्तं शिबिरे निशि। निहतं द्रोणपुत्रेण पितुर्वधममृष्यता ॥१४-५९-३१॥
Then, because he could not bear his father's killing, Droṇa's son slew the sleeping Pāṇḍava army in their camp at night. (14-59-31)
हतपुत्रा हतबला हतमित्रा मया सह। युयुधानद्वितीयेन पञ्च शिष्टाः स्म पाण्डवाः ॥१४-५९-३२॥
The Pāṇḍavas, whose sons, strength, and friends were slain, remained five in number, together with me and accompanied by Yuyudhāna as the second. (14-59-32)
सहैव कृपभोजाभ्यां द्रौणिर्युद्धादमुच्यत। युयुत्सुश्चापि कौरव्यो मुक्तः पाण्डवसंश्रयात् ॥१४-५९-३३॥
The son of Droṇa, along with Kṛpa and Kṛtavarman, was released from battle. Yuyutsu, the Kaurava, was also spared because he took refuge with the Pāṇḍavas. (14-59-33)
निहते कौरवेन्द्रे च सानुबन्धे सुयोधने। विदुरः सञ्जयश्चैव धर्मराजमुपस्थितौ ॥१४-५९-३४॥
When the Kaurava king Suyodhana, along with his relatives, was slain, Vidura and Sanjaya came to King Yudhishthira. (14-59-34)
एवं तदभवद्युद्धमहान्यष्टादश प्रभो। यत्र ते पृथिवीपाला निहताः स्वर्गमावसन् ॥१४-५९-३५॥
Thus, O lord, that great battle took place for eighteen (days), where those kings of the earth, having been slain, entered heaven. (14-59-35)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
शृण्वतां तु महाराज कथां तां रोमहर्षणीम्। दुःखहर्षपरिक्लेशा वृष्णीनामभवंस्तदा ॥१४-५९-३६॥
But as they listened, O great king, to that hair-raising story, then sorrows and joys befell the Vṛṣṇis. (14-59-36)
