14.059
vasudeva uvāca॥
Vasudeva said.
śrutavānasmi vārṣṇeya saṅgrāmaṃ paramādbhutam। narāṇāṃ vadatāṃ putra kathodghāteṣu nityaśaḥ ॥14-59-1॥
O Vārṣṇeya, I have always heard about the most marvelous battle among men, O son, as recounted in story prologues. (14-59-1)
tvaṃ tu pratyakṣadarśī ca kāryajñaś ca mahābhuja। tasmāt prabrūhi saṅgrāmaṃ yāthātathyena me 'nagha॥14-59-2॥
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)
yathā tadabhavad yuddhaṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām। bhīṣma-karṇa-kṛpa-droṇa-śalyādibhir anuttamam ॥14-59-3॥
Just as that unsurpassed battle involving the great Pāṇḍavas took place, fought by Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Kṛpa, Droṇa, Śalya and others. (14-59-3)
anyeṣāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca kṛtāstrāṇām anekaśaḥ। nānāveṣākṛtimatāṃ nānādeśanivāsinām ॥14-59-4॥
And of other kṣatriyas, many of whom were skilled in weapons, possessing various appearances and forms, inhabitants from various regions. (14-59-4)
ity uktaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ pitrā mātus tad-antike। śaśaṃsa kuru-vīrāṇāṃ saṅgrāme nidhanaṃ yathā ॥14-59-5॥
Thus addressed, Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Kṛṣṇa), by his father beside his mother, reported how the Kuru heroes were destroyed in battle. (14-59-5)
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vasudeva said.
atyadbhutāni karmāṇi kṣatriyāṇāṁ mahātmanām। bahulatvānna saṅkhyātuṁ śakyānyabdaśatairapi ॥14-59-6॥
The most wondrous deeds of the great-souled kṣatriyas, because of their abundance, cannot be enumerated even in hundreds of years. (14-59-6)
prādhānyatastu gadataḥ samāsenaiva me śṛṇu। karmāṇi pṛthivīśānāṃ yathāvad amaradyute ॥14-59-7॥
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)
bhīṣmaḥ senāpatir abhūd ekādaśa-camū-patiḥ। kauravyaḥ kauraveyāṇāṃ devānām iva vāsavaḥ॥14-59-8॥
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)
śikhaṇḍī pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṃ netā sapta-camū-patiḥ। babhūva rakṣitaḥ dhīmān dhīmatā savyasācinā ॥14-59-9॥
Śikhaṇḍī, leader of the sons of Pāṇḍu and lord of seven divisions, became (so), protected by the wise Savyasācin (Arjuna). (14-59-9)
teṣāṃ tad abhavad yuddhaṃ daśāhāni mahātmanām। kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sumahad romaharṣaṇam ॥14-59-10॥
That battle between the great-souled Kurus and Pāṇḍavas lasted for ten days and was very great and hair-raising. (14-59-10)
tataḥ śikhaṇḍī gāṅgeyam ayudhyantam mahāhave. jaghāna bahubhir bāṇaiḥ saha gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ॥14-59-11॥
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)
akarotsa tataḥ kālaṃ śarat alpagato muniḥ। ayanaṃ dakṣiṇaṃ hitvā samprāpte cottarāyaṇe॥14-59-12॥
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)
tataḥ senāpatir abhūd droṇo'straviduṣāṃ varaḥ। pravīraḥ kauravendrasya kāvyo daityapater iva॥14-59-13॥
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)
akṣauhiṇībhiḥ śiṣṭābhir navabhir dvijasattamaḥ। saṁvṛtaḥ samaraślāghī guptaḥ kṛpavṛṣādibhiḥ॥14-59-14॥
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)
dhṛṣṭadyumnas tv abhūn netā pāṇḍavānāṃ mahāstravit। gupto bhīmena tejasvī mitreṇa varuṇo yathā॥14-59-15॥
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)
pañcasenāparivṛto droṇaprepsur mahāmanāḥ। pitur nikārān saṁsmṛtya raṇe karmākaron mahat॥14-59-16॥
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)
tasmin te pṛthivīpālā droṇapārṣatasaṅgare. nānādigāgatā vīrāḥ prāyaśo nidhanaṃ gatāḥ ॥14-59-17॥
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)
dināni pañca tadyuddham abhūt paramadāruṇam। tato droṇaḥ pariśrānto dhṛṣṭadyumnavaśaṃ gataḥ ॥14-59-18॥
For five days that battle was supremely terrible. Then Droṇa, exhausted, came under the control of Dhṛṣṭadyumna. (14-59-18)
tataḥ senāpatir abhūt karṇo dauryod hane bale. akṣauhiṇībhiḥ śiṣṭābhir vṛtaḥ pañcabhir āhave ॥14-59-19॥
Then, Karṇa became the commander of Duryodhana's army, surrounded in battle by the five remaining akṣauhiṇīs. (14-59-19)
tisras tu pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ camvo bībhatsupālitāḥ। hatapravīrabhūyiṣṭhā babhūvuḥ samavasthitāḥ ॥14-59-20॥
But three armies of the sons of Pāṇḍu, protected by Bhībhatsu (Arjuna), mostly stripped of their heroes, still remained in position. (14-59-20)
tataḥ pārthaṃ samāsādya pataṅga iva pāvakam। pañcatvam agamat sautir dvitīye'hani dāruṇe ॥14-59-21॥
Then, after approaching Pārtha, Sauti, like a moth to fire, met his death on that terrible second day. (14-59-21)
hate karṇe tu kauravyā nirutsāhā hataujasaḥ। akṣauhiṇībhis tisṛbhir madreśaṃ paryavārayan ॥14-59-22॥
When Karṇa was killed, the Kauravas, discouraged and weakened, surrounded the king of Madra with three army divisions. (14-59-22)
hatavāhana-bhūyiṣṭhāḥ pāṇḍavās tu yudhiṣṭhiram। akṣauhiṇyā nirutsāhāḥ śiṣṭayā paryavārayan ॥14-59-23॥
But the Pāṇḍavas, with most of their chariots destroyed, dispirited and with only the remnant of their army, surrounded Yudhiṣṭhira. (14-59-23)
avadhīn madra-rājānam kuru-rājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। tasmiṁs tathā ardha-divase karma kṛtvā suduṣkaram ॥14-59-24॥
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)
hate śalye tu śakuniṃ sahadevo mahāmanāḥ। āhartāraṃ kalestasya jaghānāmitavikramaḥ॥14-59-25॥
But when Śalya was slain, Sahadeva, the great-minded and of immeasurable valor, killed Śakuni, the instigator of his strife. (14-59-25)
nihate śakunau rājā dhārtarāṣṭraḥ sudurmanāḥ। apākrāmad gadāpāṇiḥ hatabhūyiṣṭhasaṅnikaḥ॥14-59-26॥
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)
tam anv adhāvat saṅkruddho bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān। hrade dvaipāyane cāpi salilasthaṃ dadarśa tam॥14-59-27॥
The powerful and very angry Bhīmasena ran after him, and in the Dvaipāyana lake, also saw him standing in the water. (14-59-27)
tataḥ śiṣṭena sainyena samantāt parivārya tam। upopaviviśur hṛṣṭā hradāsthaṃ pañca pāṇḍavāḥ॥14-59-28॥
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)
vigāhya salilaṃ tv āśu vāgbāṇair bhṛśa-vikṣataḥ. utthāya sa gadāpāṇir yuddhāya samupasthitaḥ ॥14-59-29॥
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)
tataḥ sa nihato rājā dhārtarāṣṭro mahāmṛdhe। bhīmasenena vikramya paśyatāṃ pṛthivīkṣitām॥14-59-30॥
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)
tatas tat pāṇḍavaṃ sainyaṃ saṃsuptaṃ śibire niśi। nihataṃ droṇa-putreṇa pituḥ vadham amṛṣyatā ॥14-59-31॥
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)
hataputrā hatabalā hatamitrā mayā saha। yuyudhānadvitīyena pañca śiṣṭāḥ sma pāṇḍavāḥ ॥14-59-32॥
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)
sahaiva kṛpabhojābhyāṁ drauṇiryuddhādamucyata. yuyutsuścāpi kauravyo muktaḥ pāṇḍavasaṁśrayāt ॥14-59-33॥
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)
nihate kauravendre ca sānubandhe suyodhane। viduraḥ sañjayaścaiva dharmarājam upasthitau ॥14-59-34॥
When the Kaurava king Suyodhana, along with his relatives, was slain, Vidura and Sanjaya came to King Yudhishthira. (14-59-34)
evaṁ tad abhavad yuddham ahān yaṣṭādaśa prabho। yatra te pṛthivī-pālā nihatāḥ svargam āvasan ॥14-59-35॥
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)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
śṛṇvatāṃ tu mahārāja kathāṃ tāṃ romaharṣaṇīm। duḥkhaharṣaparikleśā vṛṣṇīnām abhavaṃs tadā॥14-59-36॥
But as they listened, O great king, to that hair-raising story, then sorrows and joys befell the Vṛṣṇis. (14-59-36)
