Critical Edition
संजय उवाच ततस्ते पार्थिवाः क्रुद्धाः फल्गुनं वीक्ष्य संयुगे रथैरनेकसाहस्रैः समन्तात्पर्यवारयन्
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said Having seen Arjuna in battle, the kings angrily surrounded him on all sides with many thousands of cars.
अथैनं रथवृन्देन कोष्टकीकृत्य भारत शरैः सुबहुसाहस्रैः समन्तादभ्यवारयन्
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, having surrounded him with many thousand cars, they covered him from all sides with many hundreds of arrows.
शक्तीश्च विमलास्तीक्ष्णा गदाश्च परिघैः सह प्रासान्परश्वधांश्चैव मुद्गरान्मुसलानपि चिक्षिपुः समरे क्रुद्धाः फल्गुनस्य रथं प्रति
AI Translation: The weapons were pure, sharp, clubs, and iron bars, And spears, axes, hammers, and pestles. They threw them in anger in battle towards Phalguna's chariot.
शस्त्राणामथ तां वृष्टिं शलभानामिवायतिम् रुरोध सर्वतः पार्थः शरैः कनकभूषणैः
AI Translation: With arrows decorated with gold, Partha countered the rain of weapons, like a swarm of locusts, from all sides.
तत्र तल्लाघवं दृष्ट्वा बीभत्सोरतिमानुषम् देवदानवगन्धर्वाः पिशाचोरगराक्षसाः साधु साध्विति राजेन्द्र फल्गुनं प्रत्यपूजयन्
AI Translation: Seeing that lightness of Bhīma, which was superhuman, The gods, demons, gandharvas, piśācas, serpents and rākṣasas Praised Phalguna, O lord of kings, saying, "Well done! Well done!"
सात्यकिं चाभिमन्युं च महत्या सेनया सह गान्धाराः समरे शूरा रुरुधुः सहसौबलाः
M. N. Dutt: The heroic Gandharvas with Subala's son at their head surrounded Satyaki and Abhimanyu.
तत्र सौबलकाः क्रुद्धा वार्ष्णेयस्य रथोत्तमम् तिलशश्चिच्छिदुः क्रोधाच्छस्त्रैर्नानाविधैर्युधि
M. N. Dutt: Then those brave warriors led by Subala's son angrily cut down into fragments the excellent car of the Vrishni hero (Satyaki) with various kinds of weapons.
सात्यकिस्तु रथं त्यक्त्वा वर्तमाने महाभये अभिमन्यो रथं तूर्णमारुरोह परंतपः
M. N. Dutt: O chastiser of foes, in that fearful battle, Satyaki abandoned his own car and mounted on that of Abhimanyu.
तावेकरथसंयुक्तौ सौबलेयस्य वाहिनीम् व्यधमेतां शितैस्तूर्णं शरैः संनतपर्वभिः
M. N. Dutt: Then those two heroes, mounting on the same car, began to slaughter the army of Subala's son (Shakuni) with innumerable sharp pointed arrows.
द्रोणभीष्मौ रणे यत्तौ धर्मराजस्य वाहिनीम् नाशयेतां शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः कङ्कपत्रपरिच्छदैः
M. N. Dutt: Drona and Bhishma fighting bravely began to slaughter the troops under Dharmaraja Yudhishthira with sharp arrows furnished with feathers of Kanka bird.
ततो धर्मसुतो राजा माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ मिषतां सर्वसैन्यानां द्रोणानीकमुपाद्रवन्
M. N. Dutt: Then the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira) and the two sons of Madri, in the very sight of the whole army, began to chastise the troops of Drona.
तत्रासीत्सुमहद्युद्धं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम् यथा देवासुरं युद्धं पूर्वमासीत्सुदारुणम्
M. N. Dutt: Then the batile that was fought was fearful and terrible, like the one that was fought in the days of yore between the celestials and the Danavas.
कुर्वाणौ तु महत्कर्म भीमसेनघटोत्कचौ दुर्योधनस्ततोऽभ्येत्य तावुभावभ्यवारयत्
M. N. Dutt: Bhimasena and Ghatotkacha both performed great feats. Then Duryodhana came and checked them both.
Supplementary Passages:
6.54.13 For 13ab, S subst.: *193 पिता पुत्रश्च समरे कुर्वाणौ कर्म दुष्करम् राजानं प्रत्युदीयेतां भीमसेनघटोत्कचौ
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम हैडिम्बस्य पराक्रमम् अतीत्य पितरं युद्धे यदयुध्यत भारत
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, the prowess that we saw displayed by the son of Hidimba was exceedingly wonderful; for he transcended even his father (Bhima).
भीमसेनस्तु संक्रुद्धो दुर्योधनममर्षणम् हृद्यविध्यत्पृषत्केन प्रहसन्निव पाण्डवः
M. N. Dutt: Then the Pandava Bhimasena angrily and smilingly wounded the vindictive Duryodhana in the breast with an arrow.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा प्रहारवरमोहितः निषसाद रथोपस्थे कश्मलं च जगाम ह
M. N. Dutt: Then king Duryodhana, mortally wounded by that arrow, sat dowin on his car and fainted.
तं विसंज्ञमथो ज्ञात्वा त्वरमाणोऽस्य सारथिः अपोवाह रणाद्राजंस्ततः सैन्यमभिद्यत
M. N. Dutt: O king, seeing him senseless, his charioteer specdily carried him away from the field of battle. Then the the troops that supported Duryodhana broke and fled away.
ततस्तां कौरवीं सेनां द्रवमाणां समन्ततः निघ्नन्भीमः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैरनुवव्राज पृष्ठतः
M. N. Dutt: Then striking those flying Kuru troops with his sharp-pointed arrows Bhima pursued them.
पार्षतश्च रथश्रेष्ठो धर्मपुत्रश्च पाण्डवः द्रोणस्य पश्यतः सैन्यं गाङ्गेयस्य च पश्यतः जघ्नतुर्विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैः परानीकविशातनैः
M. N. Dutt: Then that foremost of warriors, the Prishata prince and the Pandava king Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, O descendant of Bharata, in the very sight of Drona and Ganga's son (Bhishma).
द्रवमाणं तु तत्सैन्यं तव पुत्रस्य संयुगे नाशक्नुतां वारयितुं भीष्मद्रोणौ महारथौ
AI Translation: The army of your son was fleeing in the battle, Bhishma and Drona, the great warriors, were unable to restrain it.
वार्यमाणं हि भीष्मेण द्रोणेन च विशां पते विद्रवत्येव तत्सैन्यं पश्यतोर्द्रोणभीष्मयोः
AI Translation: O lord of the earth, though restrained by Bhishma and Drona, the army was seen to flee even as Drona and Bhishma looked on.
ततो रथसहस्रेषु विद्रवत्सु ततस्ततः तावास्थितावेकरथं सौभद्रशिनिपुंगवौ सौबलीं समरे सेनां शातयेतां समन्ततः
M. N. Dutt: O chastiser of foes, then Subhadara's son (Abhimanyu) and that best of the Shini's race, both mounting the same car began to slaughter the army of the son of Subala.
शुशुभाते तदा तौ तु शैनेयकुरुपुंगवौ अमावास्यां गतौ यद्वत्सोमसूर्यौ नभस्तले
M. N. Dutt: Shini's grandson and that foremost of Kuru race looked as effulgent as the sun and the moon when they are seen both in the sky after the last lunation of the dark fort-night has passed away.
अर्जुनस्तु ततः क्रुद्धस्तव सैन्यं विशां पते ववर्ष शरवर्षेण धाराभिरिव तोयदः
M. N. Dutt: O king, then Arjuna angrily poured shower of arrows on your army as clouds pour rain in torrents..
वध्यमानं ततस्तत्तु शरैः पार्थस्य संयुगे दुद्राव कौरवं सैन्यं विषादभयकम्पितम्
M. N. Dutt: Thus slaughtered in the battle with the arrows of Partha, the Kuru army, trembling in grief and fear fled away.
Supplementary Passages:
6.54.25 After 25, D3 ins.: *194 वार्यमाणं महाराज भीष्मद्रोणकृपादिभिः
द्रवतस्तान्समालोक्य भीष्मद्रोणौ महारथौ न्यवारयेतां संरब्धौ दुर्योधनहितैषिणौ
M. N. Dutt: Seeing the army flying, the mighty Bhishma and Drona both enraged and both eager to do Duryodhana's good tried to stop them.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा समाश्वस्य विशां पते न्यवर्तयत तत्सैन्यं द्रवमाणं समन्ततः
M. N. Dutt: Then king Duryodhana himself cheering his troops stopped them from flying away in all directions.
यत्र यत्र सुतं तुभ्यं यो यः पश्यति भारत तत्र तत्र न्यवर्तन्त क्षत्रियाणां महारथाः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon all the Kshatriya car-warriors stopped, each on the spot from which they saw your son.
तान्निवृत्तान्समीक्ष्यैव ततोऽन्येऽपीतरे जनाः अन्योन्यस्पर्धया राजँल्लज्जयान्येऽवतस्थिरे
M. N. Dutt: O king, then the common soldiers having seen them stop, stopped of their own accord from shame and from the desire of displaying their prowess.
पुनरावर्ततां तेषां वेग आसीद्विशां पते पूर्यतः सागरस्येव चन्द्रस्योदयनं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: O king, the army thus rallied appeared then like the surging sea at the time of moon's rising.
संनिवृत्तांस्ततस्तांस्तु दृष्ट्वा राजा सुयोधनः अब्रवीत्त्वरितो गत्वा भीष्मं शांतनवं वचः
M. N. Dutt: Having seen his army relied for fight, king Suyodhana soon went to the son of Shantanu and thus spoke to him.
पितामह निबोधेदं यत्त्वा वक्ष्यामि भारत नानुरूपमहं मन्ये त्वयि जीवति कौरव
AI Translation: O grandfather, listen to what I am going to tell you, O descendant of Bharata. I do not think it is proper for you to live, O descendant of the Kuru lineage.
द्रोणे चास्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठे सपुत्रे ससुहृज्जने कृपे चैव महेष्वासे द्रवतीयं वरूथिनी
AI Translation: And when Drona, the best of those who know the use of weapons, together with his son and his friends, and Kripa, the great archer, were killed, the army fled in three directions.
न पाण्डवाः प्रतिबलास्तव राजन्कथंचन तथा द्रोणस्य संग्रामे द्रौणेश्चैव कृपस्य च
M. N. Dutt: I do not consider the Pandavas a match for you, or for Drona or for Drona's son or for Kripa.
अनुग्राह्याः पाण्डुसुता नूनं तव पितामह यथेमां क्षमसे वीर वध्यमानां वरूथिनीम्
M. N. Dutt: O grandfather, the Pandavas are certainly being favoured by you. O hero, therefore you forgive them this slaughter of my troops.
सोऽस्मि वाच्यस्त्वया राजन्पूर्वमेव समागमे न योत्स्ये पाण्डवान्संख्ये नापि पार्षतसात्यकी
M. N. Dutt: O king, you should have told me, before this battle began, that you would not fight with the Pandavas.
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तुभ्यमाचार्यस्य कृपस्य च कर्णेन सहितः कृत्यं चिन्तयानस्तदैव हि
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, hearing such words from you and from the preceptor (Drona), I would have then with Karna reflected what we should have done.
यदि नाहं परित्याज्यो युवाभ्यामिह संयुगे विक्रमेणानुरूपेण युध्येतां पुरुषर्षभौ
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of men, if I do not deserve to be abandoned by you two, then fight at the utmost of your power".
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो भीष्मः प्रहसन्वै मुहुर्मुहुः अब्रवीत्तनयं तुभ्यं क्रोधादुद्वृत्य चक्षुषी
M. N. Dutt: Having heard these words. Bhishma laughed and turned his eyes in anger. He then thus spoke to your son.
बहुशो हि मया राजंस्तथ्यमुक्तं हितं वचः अजेयाः पाण्डवा युद्धे देवैरपि सवासवैः
M. N. Dutt: "O king, I have innumerable times said to you words worthy of your acceptance and fraught with your good. The Pandavas are invincible even to the celestials with Vasava at their head.
यत्तु शक्यं मया कर्तुं वृद्धेनाद्य नृपोत्तम करिष्यामि यथाशक्ति प्रेक्षेदानीं सबान्धवः
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of kings, what I am capable of doing, aged as I am, I shall certainly do in this battle to the utmost of my power. See it now with your kinsmen.
अद्य पाण्डुसुतान्सर्वान्ससैन्यान्सह बन्धुभिः मिषतो वारयिष्यामि सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः
M. N. Dutt: In the sight of all I shall today alone chastise the Pandavas with their troops and with all their kinsmen".
एवमुक्ते तु भीष्मेण पुत्रास्तव जनेश्वर दध्मुः शङ्खान्मुदा युक्ता भेरीश्च जघ्निरे भृशम्
M. N. Dutt: Having been thus addressed by Bhishma, O king, your son was filled with delight. He ordered conchs to be blown and drums to be beat.
पाण्डवापि ततो राजञ्श्रुत्वा तं निनदं महत् दध्मुः शङ्खांश्च भेरीश्च मुरजांश्च व्यनादयन्
M. N. Dutt: O king, having heard the loud uproar, the Pandavas blew their conchs and ordered their drums and cymbals to be sounded.